the apostasy of the latter times in which, according to divine prediction, the world should wonder after the beast the mystery of iniquity should so farre prevaile over the mystery of godlinesse, whorish babylon over the virgin-church of christ, as that the visible glory of the true church should be much clouded the true unstained christian faith corrupted the purity of true worship polluted, or, the gentiles theology of dæmons i.e. inferiour divine powers, supposed to be mediatours between god and man : revived in the latter times amongst christians in worshipping of angels, deifying and invocating of saints, adoring and templing of reliques, bowing downe to images, worshipping of crosses, &c : all which together with a true discovery of the nature, originall, progresse, of the great, fatall and solemn apotisy are cleared : delivered in publique some years since upon i tim. . , , / by joseph mede ... mede, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing m estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; :e , no ) the apostasy of the latter times in which, according to divine prediction, the world should wonder after the beast the mystery of iniquity should so farre prevaile over the mystery of godlinesse, whorish babylon over the virgin-church of christ, as that the visible glory of the true church should be much clouded the true unstained christian faith corrupted the purity of true worship polluted, or, the gentiles theology of dæmons i.e. inferiour divine powers, supposed to be mediatours between god and man : revived in the latter times amongst christians in worshipping of angels, deifying and invocating of saints, adoring and templing of reliques, bowing downe to images, worshipping of crosses, &c : all which together with a true discovery of the nature, originall, progresse, of the great, fatall and solemn apotisy are cleared : delivered in publique some years since upon i tim. . , , / by joseph mede ... mede, joseph, - . twisse, william, ?- . [ ], p. printed by richard bishop for samuel man ..., london : . preface signed: william twisse. reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bible. -- n.t. -- timothy, st, iv, - -- prophecies. end of the world -- early works to . apostasy -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - rina kor sampled and proofread - rina kor text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the apostasy of the latter times . in which , ( according to divine prediction ) the world should wonder after the beast , the mystery of iniquity should so farre prevaile over the mystery of godlinesse , whorish babylon over the virgin-church of christ ; as that the visible glory of the true church should be much clouded , the true unstained christian faith corrupted , the purity of true worship polluted . or , the gentiles theology of daemons , i. e. inferiour divine powers : supposed to be mediatours between god and man : revived in the latter times amongst christians , in worshipping of angels , deifying and invocating of saints , adoring and templing of reliques , bowing downe to images , worshipping of crosses , &c. all which , together with a true discovery of the nature , originall , progresse , of the great , fatall , and solemn apo●tasy , are cleared . delivered in publique some years since upon tim. . , , . by ioseph mede b. d. and late fellow of christs colledge in cambridge . iohn . . little children , keep your selves from idols . london , printed by richard bishop for samuel man dwelling at the signe of the swan in pauls church-yard . . the preface to the reader . vino vendibili non opus est suspensâ hederâ : a cup of good wine will be known where it is without an ivy bush ; such is the following discourse , and so i am perswaded it will approve it self unto all unpartiall and judicious readers . many yeers agoe i was acquainted with it , by the authors own hand : for such was his scholasticall ingenuity ; i found him most free in communicating his studies ; right like unto the description of the scholar in chaucer : sounding in morall vertue was his speech , and glady would learne , and gladly teach . and sometimes he dealt plainly with me , in telling me the reason why ; and that was , because he found me so inquisitive after his meditations , whereas those with whom he familiarly conversed , were nothing so . the truth is , i was exceedingly taken with his notions ; for he had a critical wit , and affected to correct common errours : and herein he seemed to me exceeding happy , demonstrating not onely acutenesse of wit , and clearnesse of conceipt , but solidity of judgment . and therfore from the first time , that i grew acquainted with him , i made bold to improve my acquaintance to the uttermost of mine owne advantage scholasticall , encouraged thereunto by his facility and ready condescension to my requests . the beginning of our familiaritie was occasioned by a rumour spread of his opinion , concerning the glorious kingdome of christ here on earth , which many hunderd yeeres agoe was cryed downe , as the errour of the millenaries : and augustine himselfe , though confessing that at first he liked the same , yet sheweth how that afterwards he was taken off from it , and upon what ground . and it seemed wondrous strange to us , that such an opinion should after so many hundred yeeres be revived ; and that in so strange a manner , as now we finde , both amongst us , and amongst outlandish divines . neverthelesse my selfe being firmely set upon studies of another nature , i had no great edge so much as to hearken to it , much lesse to take it into consideration . but a friend in the countrey sometimes urged me to write to an acquaintance in london ; and to entreate him to enquire of master mede , whether he were of the same opinion with piscator and alstedius concerning the first resurrection ▪ and the glorious kingdome of christ. and hereupon shortly after , word was sent me , that he did agree with piscator in this , that some shall rise a thousand yeeres before others , but he differed from him in this , that piscator thought this reign of christ should be in heaven ; but i ( said master mede ) agree rather with alstedius and conceive , that the thousa●d yeeres reigne of christ shall be on earth . yet herein he differed from alstedius ; that whereas alstedius was of opinion , that the thousand yeers reigne of christ should be after the day of judgment , master medes opinion was that it should be in & durante die judicii , in an● during the day of judgement ; which day of judgement should continue a thousand yeeres , beginning with the ruine of antichrist , and ending with the destruction of cog and magog . and that camerarius writing upon plato's alcinous , testifies that the rabbines among the iews write , that the seventh thousand yeeres shall be the great day of judgement , or the judgement of the great day . and hierome upon the sixty fifth chapter of esay confesseth , that it was a tradition among the jews , that the messias should reigne a thousand yeeres in new jerusalem . . when i heard this , my spirit was stirred up in me to lay aside for a while my ordinary studies , and to take this into consideration ; and i prayed master mede to give me leave to propose my reasons against this opinion of his . and the truth is , the improbability of it seemed very pregnant unto naturall reason ; and diverse arguments that way offered themselves , which seemed to be of very difficult ( if at all possible ) solution . and over and above it seemed very contradictious to diverse plaine passages of holy scripture . master mede very redily enterteyned the motion , and prescribed me a time after which he should be at leasure for me ; and in a letter after this , in his familiar manner asked me saying ; when come your queries ? i accepted his courteous answer , and sent up unto him , first and last , twelve arguments against that opinion of his ; and at the first i sent him ten , with an answer devised by my selfe to nine of them ; for so i had promised him , namely that i would bethinke my wits of what possibly might bee said in the solution of them , according to the straitnesse of my invention , leaving it to him to approve , or correct , or adde , as he thought good . and whereas i could devise nothing at all in answer to my tenth argument , he sent me a large answer thereunto in three sides of a sheet of paper ; whereby i well percieved , that my best arguments had been known to him , and examined before i devised them . . after this , i came acquainted with many discourses upon the same argument , one printed at hanow in germany , de die novissimo , of the last day ; a few onely were printed ; two copies ( and no more ) were brought into england ; master mede bought them both , and sent me one of them to copy it out , which we did after this , no lesse then seven manu-scripts were sent me from one divine , treating of this and other mysteries . now here i cannot but confesse my corruption , for i received them by way of a bribe . and indeed i was to doe him a favour ( which yet was never done , the death of a speciall friend preventing it ) and i dealt plainly wiih him , and told him i would not sell my favours gratis ; i would be well payd for them . and therefore whereas i heard he had strange notions upon the revelation , and touching the mysteries of the first resurrection , and christs kingdome ; i looked to be see'd with the communication of them ; with promise to return them safely , after i had suckt the honey out of them , though he had never a whit the lesse for that , such is the nature of spirituall commodities . the good man sent me word , that such bribes would never make me rich : but i returned answer , that they would make me more rich then the enjoying of all the treasures of aethiopia , and the hill amara to boote : and here i found rich mines indeed , even all the mysteries belonging to christs glorious kingdome set downe apart , by way of question , and a solemn resolution thereof , with proofes adjoyned out of holy scripture . since that , i have met with diverse choyse pieces of the same argument ; some prosecuting a few parts thereof only , and others more . but l●t that passe , i returne to master mede . many letters passing betweene us , he had occasion sometimes to touch upon somethings , whereof he had written more at large , either by occasion of chappell exercises , as he called them , or in more operous and large discourses . i was glad to observe such pre●ious birds of paradise spring ; and thereupon insinuated with him further , entreating him to communicate such exercises of his to me . and truly i found such exemplary favour with him , that he would scarce deny me any thing . thus i came to be partaker of divers chappell exercises of his , one whereof was a notable discovery of the common errour , about zipporahs circumcising of her childe , as if she did it in discontent and in spleene , throwing the foreskin at moses feete , and saying , thou art a bloody husband . but master mede brings it about to signifie the ordinary forme of expression used in that sacrament , which was to this effect , thou art my blood , sonne ; and he proves it both out of notable circumstances of the story of moses , and out of the rabbines , acknowledging that forme , and applying it to that fact of zipporah . i confesse there hath been some difference between us about ceremonies , as about the lawfulnesse of bowing towards the altar , and about the holinesse of churches , whereof he was as zealous as his lord of canterbury , or rather more ; for he held it unlawfull to pull downe churches , they being places separated for gods use , and his peculiar : wherein he followed master hookers conceit , in the fifth booke of his ecclesiasticall policie . but his lord of canterbury did not hold it unlawfull to pull downe saint gregories . that axiome , eadem est ratio loci & temporis , there , is the same reason of time and place , deceived him , as it deceiveth many , for where it doth hold , it holds only in reference to time , and place , naturall . and indeed , time is only naturall ; but place may be artificiall , and such is a temple . that is for the generall notions of them ; then as touching the special notions of them , herein is a vast difference . for the proportion of time is very considerable for the advancing of gods service ; as one day in seven , rather then one day in a fortnight , or one day in a moneth ; the like cannot be said of the proportion of place . and lastly , the time of gods worship is defined by god still even under the gospell , namely , the lords day ; not for any place defined by him . and truely the lord seemed to me by speciall providence to cast us upon a debate about the holinesse of churches . and it was high time to enquire into it , superstition in this kinde of late strangely encreasing . the austine disputations in oxford , which were wont to be kept in saint maries of late i heare , are excommunicated thence . i wonder the act , and the exercises thereof , are not translated to some other places , for feare of prophanation : and the terrae-filius , or praevaricator , must take heed of observing the old forme of exercising their pleasant wits in facetious discourse , for feare of prophanation , which cannot he salved by ought but doctor cozens his devotions : yet were not the same kinds of exercises performed at the same time , and in the same place , in the time of popery ? whence it followes , that either they were mrre prophane than we now adayes , or we more superstitious than they . but whereas some were too forward in censuring master mede , as complying with the times in this , it is well knowne , that twenty yeares and more , before that last sermon of his , whereat divers took great offence , he had maintained his opinion that way , and upon a text very plausible at first sight to justifie it , lev. . . ye shal reverence my sanctuary , which text may easily miscarry an honest man , and a good schollar , into an opinion of reverence due unto churches , either civill or religious , or of a middle size betwixt them , as some ( i heare ) have very unhappily set their wits on work to devise ; as if man , made after gods image , were bound to performe reverence to the worke of his own hands . but if we seriously consider the two parts of the text , and duly weigh and compare them together , we shall soone finde , how the meaning of the one , will give light to cleare the meaning of the other : for thus it runs , ye shall keep my sabbaths , and reverence my sanctuary . now the keeping of the sabbath is clearly no other , than the reverenceing of god upon the sabbath : so say i , the reverencing of the sanctuary is no other , than the reverencing of god in the sanctuary . in all this i have spoken nothing of the vast difference between the temple at jerusalem , and our temple and chappels ; every one where of amongst us , for devotion thereunto , is compared with the temple of king solomon ; whereas there was but one temple for all the scribes , and into that temple none presumed to come but the priests and into the sanctum sanctorum no priests , but the high priest , and that but once a yeare . the truth is , both the sanctuary , at the first , and the temple throughout , were ceremoniall , both whole and part , and all the services thereof ; and so god made use of it , as of sacrifices to communicate mysteries of godlinesse unto his people . yet i confesse i have heard some in great state , to professe that the temple was morall , that is , the building of it a morall duty : but i prove it was not ; if it were morall , then all the church of god for . yeares before the floud , and some . after , till the building of the temple , failed of the substance of a morall duty ; for till then they had none . againe , if it were a morall duty , then god commanded it from the first , either by word , or by writing it in mans heart ; not by word , as appeares by gods owne profession made to david , sam. . . in all the places wherein i have walked , with all the children of israel , spake i one word with any of the tribes of israel , when i commanded the judges to feed my people israel ; or said i , why build ye not me an house of cedar trees ? if written in mans heart , then all along so many ages , the people of god sinned against their consciences , in not building a temple unto god. . but perhaps there is some colour at least , or shew of reason to prove this ? and what may that be ? is it that of solomon to the king of tyrus ? chron. . . the house which i build is great , for great is our god above all gods . here seemes to be an intimation , that the house must be answerable to the greatnesse of god : whereto i answer : then belike it is a morall duty to build an house answerable to gods greatnesse . but , say i , this was utterly impossible to man in the state of innocency ; therefore this is no morall duty . such an house had need be as bigge as all the world , from the outermost cope of heaven , to the center of the earth , yet that not answerable ; for as solomon saith , verse . the heavens of heavens cannot conteyne him ; but i do it to burn incense before him . yet it became salomon in undertaking it to goe through with it answerably to the glory , wherewith god had adorned him : but the patterne of it was delivered to him by david his father , and his father received it by revelation . surely it hath been in the power of heathens since that time to build temples exceeding the glory of the temple built by salomon : witnesse the temple of diana at ephesus : and that of fez at this day . surely the richer potentates are , the more they are enabled to build more glorious temples : and the greatest states of the world at this day are heathenish , not christian. but to the matter in hand , amongst the cheife pieces which mr. mede was pleased to communicate unto me , this of the apostasie of latter times , as it was the largest of all the rest , so it gave me greatest content ; both for the interpretation he makes of the text in paul , different from all former interpretations of course , which he shews to bee most agreeable to the text ; and that it affordes new and more plentifull matter of meditation , both as touching the doctrines of daemons , opening the meaning thereof , & shewing what they are : and as touching the description of those persons , who were the founders of them ; which openeth a large field of discourse , and that so pertinently and fully exemplified by the author , as cannot but give great content to the protestant reader ; the foule superstitions and corruptions in use among the romanists , being represented to the life , and that with great variety of reading , together with the explication , and illustration of some very obscure passages in daniels prophecy . . i had sometimes a dispute with doctor sibs about master medes explication of saint pauls phrase , the doctrines of daemons , which he took to be somewhat violent and strayned , but i professed freely , i saw no just reason for such a censure . it is true we commonly conceived the word daemoniorum , to be genitivus efficientis , a genitive case noting the author or efficient cause . but master mede takes it to be genitivus materiae , the genitive case noting the matter , or subject . now all the learned and judicious know it to be as usuall to take the genitive case in this latter sense , as in the former ; and therefore no racking of the text is committed by him in this : whereas on the other side , beza despaires of making paul speake true greeke , unlesse by daemons we understand false prophets . but master mede , by his interpretation is driven to no such shift , but preserves the integrity of the language , as well consisting with his interpretation . . i have heard others highly commend this discourse of master medes , as a choice piece , as master steven marshall by name , that worthy preacher . my opinion is , that never was the defection of the church of rome , and the native genius thereof more lively , and clearely , and learnedly set forth , as most exactly answereable to that which the scripture hath foretold , then by master mede in the opening and expounding of this text , whereupon he insists , and accommodating the manners of the church of rome in the latter dayes thereunto ; and by master potter in his learned and accurate discourse of the number of the beast whereof master medes judgement was , that it was the greatest discovery that hath been made since the world began . much adoe i had to draw him to peruse it , and give me his judgement of it : for he feared it would prove but a fancy ; but after he had perused it , he sent me word , that he did not think it possible that a matter of such reality and solidity could be wrought out of it . william twisse . the catalogue of the authors . a acta stephani monachi . aemilius sura apud paterculum . ambrosius . ammianus marcellinus . apuleius . arnobius . athenagorae legat . pro christ. augustinus . b balaeus . baronius . basilius . s. benedicti reg. beza . budaeus . c caesarius . calvinus . castellio . cedrenus . celsus apud originem . chemnitius . chrysostomus . cicero . clemens alexandrinus . clementis alterius constitutiones . concilium chalcedonense . concilium constantinopolitanum . concilium laodicenum . concilium nicenum . constantinus morossa . cosma megalianus . cyrillus alexandrinus . cyrillus hierosolym . d damascenus . diodorus apud eusebium . e epiphanius . evagrius . eucherius . eunapius . eusebius . f fasciculus temporum . florus . franciscus junius . fridericus sylburgius . g gennadius de viris ilillustribus . graserus . gratianus . gregorius magnus . gregorius nazianzenus . gregorius nyssenus . gregorius turonensis . h hermes trismegistus . herodotus . hesiodus . hieronymus . hilarius . hyperius . i iamblycus . interpres aretae . interpretes septuagint . interpres syrus . interpres vulgatus . joannes curopalata . ioannes de nicol. ionathan . iornandes . iosephus . irenaeus . iustinus martyr . k kircheri concordantia . l lactantins . legenda aurea . leo magnus . linacer . m martini lexicon . melancthon . melchior canus . miracula b. virginis , lib. ital. o oecumenius . oenomaus apud eusebium . onkelos . origines . p paterculus . paulus diaconus . philo biblius . plato . plutarchus . porphyrius . possevinus . procopius . psellus . ptolomaeus . purchas pilgrimage . s sammon . serenus apud macrobium . sanchuniathon apud eusebium . servius . sigonius . simeon metaphrastes . sleidanus . socrates , historicus ecclesiasticus . stephani , robertus & henricus . suidas . surius . synesius t targumin & targumistae . tertullianus . theodoretus . theodorus apud baronium . theophanis miscel . hist. theophanes presbyter apud baron . theosterictus . tremelius . trithemius . v varro . vatablus . venantius fortunatus apud biblioth . patrum . vincent . histor . virgilius . z zozomenus . errata . pag. . line . reade discrete , p. . l. , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. . l. . profecta , p. , l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , l. . suppetias . p. . l. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. . l. . idololatrae , l. . idola , l. . es. . l. . idolis , p. . l. . which , p. . l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. . l. . that , p. . l. . induxit , l. . pro pandiis , p. . l. . attended , p. . l. . characters , p. . l. . beautifull , p. . l. . not , p. . l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p , . l. . after sackcloth make a colon , p. . l. . & p. . l. . iohojachin , p. . l. . contained , p. . verse . proficietque p. . ver . . honorem , p. . l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , l. . polity p. . l. . he , p. . l. . sententiae . in the margine . pag. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. p. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. . perspici , p. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. . i●rnandes , p. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. . habebatur . p. . for rem r. hom. the apostasy of the later times . a treatise on timothy chap. . ver. , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. which i conceive may bee thus translated , viz. howbeit the spirit speaketh expresly , that in the later times some shall revolt from the faith , attending to erroneous spirits and * doctrines of daemons , through the hypocrisie of lyars , having seared consciences , forbidding to marry , and commanding to abstaine from meats , &c. the words i have read , are a prophesie of a revolt of christians from the great mystery of christian worship , described in the last verse of the former chapter ; which according to the division of the ancients , should bee the first of this : for that last verse , together with the first six verses of this and halfe the seventh verse , make the seventh title or main section of this epistle , expressed in the edition of robert stephen ; and so supposed , from the grounds of that division , to belong all to one argument . the words therefore of my text , depend upon the last of the former chapter , as the second part of a discreet proposition ; that howsoever the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mystery of christian religion , which is , god manifested in the flesh , justified in the spirit , seene of angels , and assumed into glory : though this mystery was a great one , and at that time preached and beleeved in the world ; neverthelesse , the spirit ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) speaketh expresly , that in the later times there shall be a revolt or departing from the faith , though not in all parts of it , yet from a main and fundamentall part thereof , namely , the assumption of this god and man to the throne of glory , and the incommunicable majesty in heaven , where he hath a name given him above every name , and whereof no creature in heaven or in earth can be capable : which connexion is the reason why the apostle putteth this assumption into glory in the last place of his description , which should else in the true order have followed the words , justified in the spirit , and beene before preached unto the gentiles , and beleeved on in the world . but it is the method of the scripture , sometimes to translate the proper order , and to mention that in the last place whereunto it is to joine , and from whence it is to inferre the next words that follow after . and unlesse this reason be allowed here , there will hardly be found any other reason of this misplacing . but more of this shall be both spoken and made better to appeare hereafter . i come now more neer to my text ; the words whereof i divide into two parts : first , a description of this solemne apostasie , in the first verse . secondly , the manner or means whereby it was to come to passe in the following verse , viz. through the hypocrisie of lyars , who had seared consciences , forbidding to marry , and commanding to abstain from meats . for the description of the apostasie it selfe , we shall finde it first generally and indefinitely expressed both in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall apostatize or revolt ; and in the next 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall attend to erroneous doctrines , or doctrines of errour . then particularly , what these erroneous doctrines should be for the kinde or quality , namely new doctrines of daemons , or a new idolatry . the persons who should thus apostatize , not all but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some . the time when it should be , in these later times . the proofe or warrant of this prophesie , it is that which the spirit hath elsewhere long agoe foretold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the written word verbatim , totidem verbis or in expresse words . for the second part ( viz. ) the means ; consider first the manner or method used , by lying hypocrisie or hypocriticall lying ; secondly , the quality and description of the authors and furtherers thereof , they should be such as had their consciences seared , who forbade marriages and meats . where , before i go any further , i must give an account of thus translating these later words which i make the second part , because they are commonly translated otherwise , ( viz. ) intransitively , as referring the words of the two last verses to the persons mentioned in the first ( viz. ) those some who should apostatize and give heed to erroneous spirits and doctrines of devils , as they usually translate it : so that the words of the second & third verses should be the expression by particulars of that which was before generally comprized under erroneous spirits and doctrines of devils , which should consist partly in forbidding lawfull marriage , and partly in commanding abstinence from meats , thereby abridging christian liberty . but this interpretation seemes very unlikely ; for first , since s. paul intendeth here to describe that great apostasie of the christian visible church , as is evident by the pointing out of the time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the later times ; who can beleeve that he who aymeth at this , would instance only in the smaller and almost circumstantiall errours , omitting the main & fundamental , which the scripture elswhere telleth us should be idolatry or spirituall fornication . secondly , as for errours about marriages and meates , they were not proper to the last times , but found more or lesse in the apostles owne times , as may be gathered by some passages of their epistles : why should then our apostle , here speaking of the apostasie of the last times , instance only in these things which the first times in some measure were never free from ? lastly , which i take alone to be sufficient , the syntax of the words will not beare it , to have them so translated ; for the persons in the first verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are expressed in casu recto , whereas the persons in the verses following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , are in the genitive : now by what syntax can these be construed intransitively ? how will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. without breach of grammar , unsampled in our apostles epistles ? if any say , they may be referred then and agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that indeed would be a strange sense , and nothing to their purpose , to say that devils lie , have seared consciences , and forbid marriages and meates . but to construe it transitively , and to make all these genitive cases to be governed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and take the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie caus●m or modum actionis , * as is most usuall in scripture : this , as it keepeth the syntax true , so i hope to make it appeare hereafter to bee the very meaning and the event most answerable thereunto , when you shall heare proved out of story , that the apostasie of the visible church came in by lying wonders and all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse , mannaged by those who either professed or doted upon monasticall hypocrisie , the affectation of which errours , at length surprizing the body of the church , is that which s. paul thes. . calls not the apostasie it selfe , but a not-love of the truth , for which god gave them over to strong delusions that they might beleeve a ly . but this is out of its place , only i have anticipated thus much , lest you should be too long in suspence of the grounds of this novelty in translating : and yet this difficulty concerning the syntax , hath stumbled many of our later interpreters , as amongst others beza , who solves it only by saying , that the apostle more regarded the matter than the construction ; which for my part i cannot beleeve : others who can , may if they please . i returne now unto the first part of my text , the description of that solemne apostasie ; where i will consider the five parts or points thereof as i have propounded them , though it be not according to the order of the words . and first in the more generall expression of the words , as i called it : i say in these words , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) is as much as to say , they shall make an apostasie ; now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in scripture use , when it looks towards a person , signifies a revolt or rebellion ; when towards god , a spirituall revolt from god or rebellion against divine majesty , whether totall , or by idolatry and serving other gods ; for the seventy , whence the new testament borrows the use of speech , usually translates by this word the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rebell , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rebellion ; both which when they have reference to a spirituall soveraignty , meane nought else but idolatry and serving of other gods , as may appeare josuah . . where the israelites supposing their brethren the rubenites and gadites , in building another altar upon the banks of jordan , had meant to have forsaken the lord and served other gods , they said unto them , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you have rebelled against the lord , and presently , rebell not against the lord , nor rebell against us ; where the seventy hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and in the two and twenty verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rebellion is translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the words , the lord god of gods he knoweth if it be in rebellion or transgression against the lord ; also numb . . ver . . when the people would have renounced the lord upon the report of the spyes , josuah and caleb spake unto them , saying , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rebell yee not , where the seventy hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be not apostates from the lord ; so nehem. . . in that repentant confession which the levites make of the idolatry of their nation , they were disobedient say they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and rebelled against thee ; the seventy hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and daniel in the like confession chap. . ver . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the seventy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee have rebelled ; so the idolatry of ahaz chron. . and . is by the same interpreters called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 revolted greatly from the lord. i will not trouble you with the places where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for treason and rebellion against earthly princes , which are many : it is sufficient to gather from what we have quoted , that apostasie having reference to a soveraignty and lordship , betokens a withdrawing of subjection and service therefrom ; which if the soveraignty and majesty be divine , is done by idolatry * , and service of other gods , as well as if the majesty of the true god were renounced altogether . the use of the new testament is answerable , hebr. . . take heed lest there be in any of you an evill heart of unbeliefe , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in departing from the living god , and which is more neer to our purpose s. paul in his thes. . meanes no other thing in his prophesie of the man of sinne by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than christian idolatry , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unlesse that apostasie come first , that is , unlesse there be a breach of allegiance and faith given unto christ , by idolatry under antichrist : the like therefore i conclude to bee intended in my text by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , namely , that in the later times men should break their oath of fidelity to christ , that in and through him alone they should approach and worship the divine majesty : and so hath the use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught us something , at least it hath wrought an indefinite suspicion of what should befall christians in the later times ; howsoever we are yet in suspence whether this departing from christ and the mystery of godlinesse should be totall in not acknowledging him at all , or whether hereticall in serving other gods besides him . for the jewes we know , when they forsook the lord most , yet did not forsake him altogether , but their apostasie was in not serving him only and alone , but others besides him , as calves , the host of heaven , and baalim . let us therefore see if the next generall words will affords us yet further information , viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 attending to erroneous spirits , or as some read , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirits of errour . it would be unprofitable and tedious here to tel of the divers use of this word spirit , in scripture : some take it in this place for doctors of spirituall things , and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or as some read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be doctors of errour . but i had rather take spirits in this place for doctrines themselves , for so divines observe it to be used joh. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beleeve not every spirit , i. e. every doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but try the spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they be of god : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because many false prophets , &c. and so onward in that chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the false doctrine of antichrist ; so if this sense be admitted , wee are something lesse in suspense than we were , and may guesse that this revolt should not be totall but hereticall , for wee shall not easily finde the word spirit to be otherwise used but either for the doctrines or doctors of christianity , or for heresies under the same : it seemes therefore to be some revolt from christ by idolatry , even in those who would seeme to worship him . but suppose it be so , yet still are we in suspence what these erroneous and idolatrous doctrines might be : for idolatry , as we may see in the jewish apostasies , was of divers kindes , as worshipping the host of heaven , baalim , and the gentiles other things besides them . but wee shall not be long in doubt , the next words will cleare the case , and tell us they shall bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doctrines of daemons , not which daemons or devills are authours of , though it be true , as if the genitive case were active ; but doctrines concerning daemons , the genitive case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being here to be taken passively , for the object of these doctrines , as in heb. . we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doctrines of baptismes , and doctrines of laying on of hands , of the resurrection of the dead , and eternall judgement , and doctrines about and concerning all these ; and the same use may elsewhere be found even with the word doctrine , as acts . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the doctrine of the lord , i. e. concerning him ; so titus . . and gal. . . we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the faith of the sonne of god , i. e. concerning him * . semblably in my text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are doctrines of daemons or doctrinae deastrorum , that is , the gentiles idolatrous theology of daemons should be revived among christians : for i take the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( for all is one ) not in that worst sense , which no authour but the scripture useth , but in the better and more indifferent sense , as it was supposed and taken among the theologists and philosophers of the gentiles , and as it is also sometimes taken in scripture , as i shall shew in due time . mean while let us first see what the gentiles and their theologists understood by daemons : which when you have heard , i doubt not but you will confesse the deifying and worshipping of saints and angels , with other parts of their idolatry , which doe this , to be as lively an image of the doctrine of daemons as could possibly be expressed ; and such a one , as whereby the apostasie of the later times is as by a character distinguished from the heresies , false doctrines , and corruptions of all other times whatsoever . daemons , in the gentiles theology , were deastri or an inferiour sort of deified powers , as a middle betweene the soveraigne gods and mortall men : so saith plato in symposio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : so say all the platonists , and well nigh all other sects of philosophers ; i am sure most doe : for it is a very ancient doctrine , insomuch that plutarch ( de deffectu oraculorum ) fetcheth this distinction between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e. soveraign gods , and daemons , as farre as the antiquity of zoroaster ; magnas & difficiles dubitationes ( saith he ) videntur solvisse qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , medio inter deos & homines loco constituerunt , & quod nos cum his quodammodo conciliat & conjungit , invenerint , sive haec magorum , & zoroastris doctrina sit , sive thracica ab orpheo perfecta , sive aegyptiaca sive phrygica , &c. the soveraigne or highest gods which amongst them were properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , were those whom they supposed to be in the heavens , yea in the sunne , moon , and starres , whence they called them dii superi , dii coelestes , whom they affirmed to have neither begining nor ending , as apuleius speaks de daemonio socr. immortales sine ullo vel fine vel exordio , sed prorsus à retro aeviterni . and because they dwelt in the heavenly lights , as it were soules in bodies , plato thinks the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first came quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the everlasting running and uncessant motion of the heavenly bodies , plat. in cratylo . now these soveraigne celestiall gods they supposed so sublime and pure as might not bee prophaned with approach of earthly things , or with the care or mannaging of mortall mens businesses ; and therefore they bring in that middle sort of divine powers which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be as mediatours and agents betweene the soveraigne gods and mortall men : thus saith plato in his symposium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 god is not approached by men , but all the commerce and inter-course betweene gods and men is performed by the mediations of daemons . will you see the particulars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( saith he ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; daemons are reporters and carriers from men to the gods , and againe from the gods to men ; of the supplications and prayers of the one , and of the injunctions and rewards of devotion from the other . and apuleius in the place forequoted describes them , mediae potestates per quas & desideria nostra & merita ad deos commeant , inter mortales coelicolasque vectores , hinc precum , inde donorum ; qui ultrò citróque portant hinc petitiones , inde suspetias seu quidam utrinque interpretes & salutigeri : for , saith he , neque enim pro majestate deûm coelestium fuerit haec curare , it beseems not the majesty of the soveraigne gods to mannage these things of themselves . whence it is that celsus in origen tearmes his daemons summi dei satrapas , praesides , procuratores , duces , qui neglecti non minùs laedere possunt , quàm persarum , romanorumve regis satrapae , praesides , ministri , &c. lib. . contra celsum . pag. . where note by the way , that celsus as some others did , acknowledges but one soveraigne god. by reason of this office of mediation , plutarch calls the order of daemons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. agreeable to the doctrine of plato , lib. de defec . oracul . the order of agents , and ministers &c. to stay no longer here , take the summe of all in the words of apuleius in the book forenamed , cuncta coelestium voluntate , numine , & autoritate fiunt , sed daemonum obsequio , opera , & ministerio . and if i should bring all which i might to this purpose , i should be too tedious . porphyrius in eusebius , plutarch , skillfull men in this kinde of philosophy , will satisfie them fully , to whom this is not sufficient . this was the occumenicall philosophy of the apostles times , and of the times long before them : thales , pythagoras , all the academicks and stoicks , and not many to be excepted , unlesse the epicures , taught this divinity . hee that had rather read a father of the church , let him but turne over the eighth and ninth books of s. austin de civ . dei , the eighteenth chap er of the former book , having this title ; qualis sit religio in qua docetur , quod homines ut commendentur diis , bonis daemonibus uti debeant advocatis : of the one and twenty chapter this , an daemonibus nuntiis & interpretibus dii utantur ? and of the ninth chapter of the ninth book the title is this , an amicitia coelestium deorum per intercessionem daemonum possit homini provideri ? and of the seventeenth chapter this , ad consequendam vitam beatam non talimediatore indigere hominem qualis est d●mon , sed tali qualis est unus christus . the reading of which titles alone were sufficient to shew what was the supposed office of the daemons among the gentiles . this philosophy therefore so generall was that , without doubt , whereof s. paul admonisheth the colossians to take heed lest they were spoyled with the vaine deceipt thereof , as being after traditions of men , and rudiments of the world , and not after christ. for some christians even then under a pretence of humility , of not approaching too neerly and too boldly to god , would have brought in the worshiping of angels in stead of this of daemons ; but s. paul tells them , that as in christ dwelleth the fulnesse of the godhead bodily , so that he needed no colleagues of mediation ; so also were they compleat in him , and needed therefore no agents besides him . let no man therefore ( saith he ) beguile you of your reward through humility , and worshipping of angels , intruding into those things which he hath not seene , and not holding the head . neither is the holy scripture ignorant of this distinction of soveraigne gods and daemons : the first whereof the celestiall and soveraigne gods , whether visible or invisible , it calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the host of heaven ; the other sort it stileth by the name of baalim , that is , domini , or lords . and manasses the king of idolaters was compleat for both of them : so we read chron. . . that he reared up altars for baalim , and made groves , and worshipped all the hoast of heaven , and served them : and king. . . that good josiah is said to have put down all the idolatrous priests which burnt incense to baal , to the sunne , and to the moon , and to the planets , and to all the hoast of heaven : now that these baalims were no other than daemon-gods , appeares by their cutting and launcing themselves , who worshipped them : king. . for these tragyck ceremonies are counted by those who treat about these mysteries , as certaine characters of daemons but this you shall have further confirmed in due place , where the arguments may bee better understood . this distinction also of soveraign gods and daemons , i suppose our apostle alludes to , cor. . . where he saith , though there be many that be called gods , whether in heaven , or in earth ; as there be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gods many , that is , dii coelestes soveraigne deities , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lords many , i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 daemons presidents of earthly things ; yet to us christians there is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , one soveraigne god the father , of whom are all things , and we to him , that is , to whom as supreame , we direct all our services ; and but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one lord jesus christ , in stead of their many mediators and daemons , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by whom are all things which come from the father to us , and through whom alone we finde accesse to him . the allusion , me thinks , is passing elegant , and such as i think cannot be well understood without this distinction of superiour and inferiour deities in the theology of the gentiles , they having a plurality in both sorts ; and we christians but one in each , as our apostle affirmeth ; there wants but only the name of daemons , in stead of which the apostle puts lords , and that for the honour of christ , of whom he was to inferre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the name of christ being not to be polluted with the appellation of an idol : for his apodosis must have beene otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : or may bee hee alludes unto the hebrew name baalim , which signifies lords : and those lords , as i told you , were nothing else but daemons ; for thus would s. paul speak in the hebrew tongue , there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many gods and many lords . and thus have i shewed you , though but briefly in regard of the abundance the argument would afford , the nature and office of these daemons according to the doctrine of the gentiles : i come now unto another part of this doctrine , which concernes the originall of daemons , whom you shall finde to be the deified soules of men after death ; for the canonizing of the soules of deceased worthies is not now first devised among christians , but was an idolatrous trick even from the dayes of the elder world , so that the devill , when he brought in this apostaticall doctrine amongst christians , swarved but little from his ancient method of seducing mankinde . let hesiod speak in the first place , as being of the most knowne the most ancient , he tells us that when those happy men of the first and golden age of the world were departed this life , great jupiter promoted them to bee daemons , that is , keepers , and protectors , or patrons of earthly mortalls , and overseers of their good and evill works , givers of riches ; and this , saith he , is the kingly royalty given them . but heare his owne words : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aimones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and hence it is that oenomaus , quoted by eusebiús , calleth these daemon-gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hesiods gods . the next shall be plato , who in his cratylus sayes , that hesiod , and a great number of the rest of the poets , speak excellently , when they affirme that good men when they die attaine great honour and dignity , and become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is ( saith he ) as much to say as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , wise ones ; for wise ones ( saith he ) are only good ones , and all good ones are of hesiods golden generation . the same plato , de repub. would have all those who die valiantly in the field , to be accounted of the golden kinde , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 effici , to be made daemons , and the oracle to bee consulted , how they should be buried and honoured ; and accordingly ever afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e. their sepulchers to be served and adored as the sepulchers of daemons : in like manner should be done unto all who in their life time excelled in vertue , whether they died through age or otherwise : this place eusebiu● quotes ( lib. . prep . evang. ) to paralell with it the then harmelesse practice of christians , in honouring the memory of martyrs , by holding their assemblies at their sepulchers ; to the end that he might shew the gentiles , that christians also honoured their worthies in the worthiest fashion . but would to god that in the next ages after , this custome of christians then but resembling , had not proved the very same doctrine of daemons which the gentiles practised . but i goe on , and my next authour shall be hermes trismegistus , whose antiquity is said to be very neere the time of moses ; i will translate you his words out of his asclepius which apuleius made latine . there having named aesculapius , osyris , and his grandfather hermes , who were ( as he saith ) worshipped for daemons in his owne time ; he addes further , that the aegyptians call them ( namely the daemons ) sancta animalia , and that amongst them ( namely the aegyptians ) per singulas civitates coli eorum animas , quorum sunt consecratae virtutes . and here note by the way , that some are of opinion , that the aegyptian serapis , whose idoll had a bushell upon his head , was joseph , whose soule the aegyptians had canonized for a daemon after his death . philo byblius the translator of sancuniathon the ancient phaenician historian , who lived before the times of troy , and wrote the acts of moses , and the jewes ( saith eusebius ) very agreeable to the scripture , and faith , he learned his story of ierom-baal a priest of the god jevo : philo byblius ( i say ) in a preface to his translation of this author , setteth downe what he had observed , and learned out of the same story , and might serve to help their understanding who should read it : namely , that all the barbarians , cheifly the phaenicians and aegyptians , of whom the rest had it , accounted of those for dii maximi , who had found out any thing profitable for the life of man , or had deserved well of any nation , and that they worshipped these as gods , erecting statues , images , and temples unto them , and more especially they gave the names of their kings ( as to the elements of the world , so also ) to these their reputed gods : for they esteemed the naturall deities of the sunne , moon , and planets , and those which are in these , to be only and properly gods : so that they had two sorts of gods , some were immortals , and others were mortals . thus saith philo byblius out of the phaenician history , from which testimony we may borrow some more light concerning those baalims in scripture . * for baal or belus , whose worship iezabell the daughter of ithabaal king of tyre brought into israel , was a deified phaenician king of that name , as virgil will tell us in that verse concerning the phaenician queene dido : implevitque mero pateram , quam belus & omnes a belo soliti , &c. nay , baal , or in the chaldee dialect , bel ( for all is one ) was the first king of babel after nimrod , and the first ( as is written ) that ever was deified and reputed a god after death ; whence afterward they called all other daemons baalim ; even as because the first roman emperour was called caesar , thence were all the emperours after him stiled caesars : and it may be this is part of that which philo biblius out of sancuniathon would tell us ; that the barbarians , especially the phaenicians , &c. gave names from their kings to such as were canonized after death : for so we see here that the babilonians , and the neighbouring countries , which spake the hebrew tongue , or some dialect thereof , called all daemons baalim , of the first daemon , or deified king in the world , baal , or belus : for at that time when belus reigned in babel , was phaenicia , with the neighbour people , under the kingdome of babel : whence may seeme also to have come their community of language and ceremonies ; and here note a wonderfull mystery , that old babel , the first pattern in the world of ambitious dominion , was also the foundresse of idols , and the mother of the fornication , and abominations of the earth . and because we have fallen upon the naming of daemons , let us observe another mystery of names , out of plutarch ( de defect . orac. ) which may helpe us out , or prevent some difficulties , namely , that daemons are sometimes called by the names of those celestiall gods , whose ministers and proctors they are , and from whom they receive their power and divinity : as apollo's daemon . apollo ; iupiter's daemon , iupiter , and so the rest . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; sicut & nostrum alius iovius , alius minervius , alius mercurialis , &c. dicitur . thus plutarch , with cleombrotus there saith , he learned of a wonderfull and profound egyptian hermite , who lived about the red sea , &c. to which is agreeable what eusebius praepar . evang. lib. . cap. . quotes out of diodorus , viz. aegyptios asserere mor●ales multos propter beneficia in deos relatos , & eorumaliquos coelestibus diis cognomines . the same plutarch in the same place doth acquaint us with this pretty conceit , which being to the purpose i will not omit ; namely , that the soules of men tooke degrees after death , first they commenced heroes , who were as probationers to a daemonship ; then after a time sufficient , demons ; and after that , if they deserved well , to a more sublime degree . howsoever it be , daemons , and heroes differed but in more , and lesse antiquity , the more antient heroes , being called daemons , and the younger daemons heroes . but that we may returne againe more close to the matter in hand , this order of daemons , or soule-gods , as i may call them , found place in the religion of the elder romans , who called them penates , lares , and manii dii ; and when once they began to canonize their deceased emperours , which was from the time of augustus , they called them divi , which word before that time was more generall . tully in his second booke de legibus , shall be my witnesse , that his countrey-men acknowledged this distinction of soveraigne gods , and soule-deified powers , for there you shall finde this law ; divos & eos , qui coelestes semper habiti , colunto ; & illos , quos in coelum merita vocaverint . and againe , deorum manium jura , sancta sunto . hos letho datos divos habento ; would god the present christian romans had not renewed this law. yea , so strongly was this doctrine embraced amongst the gentiles , that some of their later theologists thought , that even the soules of wicked men and tyrants had a power after death , and that of these came mali daemones , which hurt men ; and yet to these they ordained temples , and sacrifices to keepe them from hurting them , as well as to the good daemons for helping them ; but the ancients gave this honour to the soules of vertuous men onely . thus have you heard the originall of daemons , according to the most ancient , and generall opinion of the gentiles . but besides these daemons , whose originall you have heard , i meane besides soule-daemons , and canonized mortals ; their theologists bring in another kinde of daemons more high and sublime , which never had beene the soules of men , nor ever were linkt to a mortall body , but were from the beginning , or without beginning , alwayes the same * . so apuleius tels us in the booke forenamed ; est & superius aliud augustiusque daemonum genus , qui semper à corporis compedibus , & nexibus liberi certis potestatibus curentur , ex hac sublimiori daemonum copiâ autumat plato singulis hominibus in vitâ agendâ , testes & custodes singulos additos . this sort of daemons doth fitly answer and parallel that sort of spirituall powers , which we call angels , as the former of soule-daemons doth those , which with us are called saints . but lest i might seeme to have no measure in raking up this ethnicall dung-hill , i will now leave the theologie of the originall of daemons , and shew you yet another piece of that doctrine of daemons , namely , concerning the manner how daemons were to be worshipped , and as it were brought to the lure of men , when they had occasion of devotion with them . and this ▪ was done by sacring of images ; this you shall heare from an ancient authour , and passing skilfull in the mysteries , even hermes trismegistus , who in his asclepius , speaketh , in english , thus , it is a wonder ( saith he ) beyond all wonders , ( and he saith truly ) that man should finde out a way to make gods : yet because ( saith he ) our forefathers erred much through unbeliefe concerning deities , and had small regard of religion , and divine worship , therefore they devised an art to make gods ( he meaneth images ) and because they could not make soules ( he meanes to these senslesse bodies ) therefore they called the soules of daemons , and angels , and put them into their images , and holy mysteries , by which meanes alone these images have power of helping , and hurting ; which thus incorporated ( he saith ) are called by the egyptians , animalia sancta . and in another place , that kinde of gods ( saith he ) which men make , is composed of two natures , of a divine , which is first and more sacred ; and of that which is amongst men , namely , the matter whereof they are made . the summe of all this mystery is , that images were made as bodies , to be informed with daemons as with soules : for an image was a trap to catch daemons , and a devise to tie them to a place , and to keepe them from flitting . the like hath eusebius out of porphyrie , imagines à diis peramari , iisdemque circumscribi , quasi in sacrâ quâdam terrâ in sacratâ imagine contineri ; quâ sublatâ , illud statim solvitur , quo deus continetur . this is that which psellus calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the approaching or presencing of daemons . and iamblychus termeth these consecrated idols , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , images filled with divine fellowship , or with divine society . and our fore-mentioned hermes calleth them statuas animatas sensu & spiritu plenas . hence came that answer , or defence of the gentiles , as arnobius ( lib. . advers . gent. ) makes them speake , neque nos aera , argenti materias aurique , neque alia quibus signa conficiunt , eas esse per se deos , & religiosa discernimus numina ; sed eos in his colimus , e●sque veneramur , quos dedicatio infert sacra , & fra●rilibus efficit habitare simulachris . and in another place he makes this objection for their behalfe ; an numquid dicitis fortè praesentiam vobis quandam sub his numinum exhiberi simulachris , & quia deos vider● non datum est , eos ita coli , & munia officiosa praestari ? and thus have we seene the ground of the idolatrous use of images , and found that the worship of them also is a doctrine of daemons : for as at first they were ordained for daemons , so whatsoever deity is worshipped in this manner , though it were the true , and soveraigne god , is thereby made a daemon . what i say of images , must be understood also of pillars , and columnes , whereof we read , levit. . yee shall make no idols , nor graven images , nor reare you up a pillar to bow downe unto it : for howsoever pillars and images , through some confusion , at length surprizing the gentiles superstition , may afterwards seeme to be ascribed to other deities besides daemons ; yet by originall institution they were proper unto daemons , and no other . the soveraigne , and celestiall gods , they were worshipped in the sunne , moone , and starres , where they were supposed to dwell , but images , and columnes were for daemons ; and if they seemed to be made for any other , plutarch's hermite would resolve us , that they were but daemons , called by the name of some soveraigne gods , whose agents they were . the truth of this , the history of the beginning of idolatry makes evident ; for that images and pillars were at first devised and erected to the honour of dead men “ ; this the fourteenth chapter of the booke of wisdome will tell us , that by the vain-glory of men they first entred into the world ; no lesse will the long continuing custome of the world , using thus to honour not onely the dead , but since also the living , be sufficient to perswade the truth : minutius faelix in his octavius , will put us forth of doubt , majores nostri ( saith he ) dum reges suos colunt religio●è , dum defunctos eos desiderant in imaginibus videre , dum gestiunt eorum memorias in statuis detinere , sacra facta sunt , quae fuerant assumpta solatia . when therefore those whom they thus honoured and remembred , were canonized for daemons , then were these memorials also worshipped for some supposed presence , or divine respect of such daemons , in or to them . the worshipping therefore of images , and columnes , is by its originall and institution , a piece of the doctrine of daemons * ; so that whatsoever is thus worshipped , yea , the glory of the incorruptible god himselfe is thereby changed into a daemon . thus much of images and idoll-pillars , of the reason of their supposed divinity , and of the originall , and first occasion of worshipping them . but yet we have not done , there is another piece of daemon-devotion yet behinde , namely , the worshipping of daemons in their reliques , shrines and sepulchres * , for this was also a part of the doctrine , and theologie of daemons . plato , whom before we quoted for the canonizing of daemons , of the ghosts of such as died valiantly in the field , would have their shrines and coffins to be worshipped , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as the coffins of daemons : here also what clemens alexandrinus speaks of this daemon-doctrine , strom. lib. . existimant ( scil . graeci ) nihil referre an has animas ( scil . daemones quos invocant ) deos , an angelos dicamus : jam vero qui sunt eorum doctrinae periti in multis templis tanquam deorum statuas , omnes ferè mortuorum loculos posuêre , daemones quidem vocantes eorum animas , eas autem coli ab hominibus docentes , ut quae divinâ providentiâ propter vitae puritatem , potestatem acceperint , ut ad hominum ministerium , locum qui est circa terram , obi●ent : sciebant enim aliquas animas ex naturâ corpore teneri . out of which words observe , that they supposed the like presences , and power of daemons at their coffins and sepulchres , which before we observed and heard of in their images , as though there alwayes remained some naturall tie between the soules deceased , and their reliques , and therefore they there builded temples unto them , where their bodies , and ashes were entombed ; and hence it is that the primitive fathers which write against the gentiles , do so often upbraid them , that their temples were nothing else but the sepulchres of dead men ; specioso quidem nomine ( saith clemens in his protrepticon ) templa dici , fuisse autem sepulchra , id est sepulchra ipsa vocata fuisse templa . he goeth on speaking to the gentiles ; vos autem vel nunc saltem daemonum cultus obliviscamini , sepulchra colere erubescentes . to the like purpose arnobius lib. . advers . gent. quid quod multa ex his templa , quae tholis sunt aureis , & sublimibus elata fastigiis , auctorum conscriptionibus ▪ comprobatur contegere ciueres , at que ossa , & functorum esse , corporum sepulturas ? nonne patet & promptum est aut pro diis immortalibus mortuos vos colere , aut inexpiabilem fier● numinibus contumeliam , quorum delubra & templa mortuorum superlata sunt bustis ? i might further adde to these oecumenicall doctrines of daemons , that monstrous one of the egytians , for which their fellow gentiles derided them , who worshipped living bruit beasts , yea , onyons and garlick , and water it selfe , with divine worship , as supposing some daemon or other to dwell in them ; such were their cow-god apis , and their bull-god mnevis , and their water-god nilus , which it shall be enough onely to have named , to make the former compleat , and that from it , and the rest of that kinde of abominations , we may gather this conclusion once for all , that since the soveraigne and celestiall gods , ( as you heard before ) might not be approached nor polluted by these earthly and materiall things , but kept alwayes immoveable , without change of place or presence , their heavenly stations ; therefore the adoring or worshipping of any visible or materiall thing , for any supposed presence , or other relation of a divine power therewith , is to be accounted amongst the doctrines of daemons . and thus have you seene the theologie of daemons ; first , for their nature and degree , to have beene supposed by the gentiles an inferiour , and middle sort of divine powers , betweene the soveraigne , and heavenly gods , and mortall men . secondly , their office to be as mediators and agents betweene these soveraigne gods , and men . thirdly , their originall , to be the deified soules of worthy men after death ; and some of an higher degree , which had no beginning , or ever were imprisoned in mortall bodies . fourthly , the way to worship them , to finde and receive benefits from them , namely , by consecrate images and pillars , wherein to have , and retaine their presence at devotions to be given them . fifthly , to adore their reliques , and to temple them . now therefore judge impartially whether saint pauls prophesie be not fulfilled already amongst christians , who foretold that the time should come that they should apostatize and revive againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , doctrines of daemons ? whether the deifying and worshipping of saints , and angels , whether the bowing downe to images , whether of men , or other things visible , breaden idols , and crosses like new daemon-pillars , whether the adoring or templing of reliques , whether these make not as lively an image of the gentiles theologie of daemons ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) as possibly could be expressed ? and whether these two words comprehend not the whole pith and marrow of christian apostasie , which was to consist in spirituall fornication or idolatry , as appeares by that name and denomination thereof given by saint john in his revelation , the whore of babylon ? is not she rightly termed the babylonish whore , which hath revived and replanted the doctrines of daemons , first founded in the ancient babel . and is not this now fulfilled which saint john foretels us , apoc. . that the second and outmost court of the temple ( which is the second state of the christian church ) together with the holy city , should be troden downe , and overtrampled by the gentiles ( that is , overwhelmed with the gentiles idolatry ) forty two moneths . but perhaps i am yet too forward in my application ; some things in our way must first be cleared , for howsoever the resemblance indeed be evident , yet first the text seemes not to intend or meane it , because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is in the scripture never taken in the better or indifferent sense , howsoever prophane authours doe so use it , but alwayes in an evill sense for the devill , or an evill spirit ; now the signification of words in scripture is to be esteemed and taken only according to the scriptures use , though other writers use them otherwise . secondly , for the charge of idolatry , though much of that wherein we have instanced , may be granted to be justly suspected for such indeed , yet neverthelesse , that whereupon this application mainly relieth , namely , the praying to saints glorified , as mediators and agents for us with god , should not seeme to deserve so foule a name ; for suppose it were a needlesse , yea , and fruitlesse ceremony , yet what reason can be given why this should be more tainted with idolatry , then is the like honour given to saints and holy men whilst they live on earth , whom to desire to mediate and pray to god for us , was never accounted so much as an unlawfull matter ? when these two scruples are answered , i will returne to continue my former application . to the first therefore , for the use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in scripture , i say , that because those which the gentiles tooke for daemons , and for deified soules of their worthies , were indeed no other then evill spirits , counterfeiting the soules of men departed , and masking themselves under the names of such supposed daemons , under that colour to seduce mankinde ; therefore the scripture useth the name daemons for that they were indeed , and not for what they seemed to be ; for no blessed soule or good angell would admit any honour which did derogate from the honour of the onely true god , who made them : neither doe the glorified saints in heaven , or the blessed angels , though apostate christians now invocate and worship them , accept of this honour , heare their prayers , or condescend to their devotions , by any signe or act whatsoever ; but whatsoever is made seeme to be done by them , is done by the selfe same wicked spirits , which heretofore were masked under the names of daemons ; and therefore in this regard the one may as well beare the names of daemons as the other , and be as likely to be intended by the use of that word . secondly , though the scripture often useth this word in the worst sen●e , yet followes it not it alwayes should doe so , because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it selfe , which the scripture hath appropriated to signifie satan the prince of hell-hounds , following therein the seventy ( who first gave it this notion , no where els sampled in any greek author ) yet is this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the new testament it selfe three severall times used in the common sense for a slanderer or false accuser , and that in three several epistles , in both to timothy , and that to titus ; and why should the like seeme improbable for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ? nay , most certain it is so , as i come now to make manifest . and first , act. . . where saint paul our apostle , having at athens preached iesus risen from the dead , the philosophers thus encountred him saying , this fellow , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which we translate , he seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods , namely , daemon-gods : for hearing of one jesus after death to become a lord and saviour , and to be adored with divine worship , they tooke him presently , according to their owne principles in that kinde , to be some new or forreigne daemon , for so it followes in the text , that they said thus , because he preached unto them iesus and the resurrection : upon the same ground celsus in origen lib. . cont . cels. cals the same christ our saviour the christians daemon ; for whereas the christians said , that they without hurt and danger blasphemed and reproached the gentiles gods , celsus replies , * nonne vides bone vir , quod etiam tuo daemoni opponens se quispiam , non solum convitiatur ▪ sed terrâ marique illum exigit ? where origen answers celsus , a qui nullos scit malos daemones , nescio quomodo sui oblitus , iesum vocarit daemonem . but saint paul thus charged by the philosophers , comming to make his apologie in areopagus , retorts their accusation , yee men of athens ( saith he ) i see you in all things , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , too full of demons already , i shall not need bring any more amongst you ; for thus the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by etymologie signifies a worshipper of daemon-gods , and was anciently used in this sense ; and so shall you finde it often in clemens alexandrinus his protrepticon b , not to speak of others , though afterwards from signifying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as budaeus speaks , it came to be applied to those who were too precise and anxious in their devotions : i ( saith the apostle ) preach no new daemon unto you , but that soveraigne and coelestiall god , who made the world , and all things therein , who being lord of heaven and earth , dwelleth not ( as your daemon-gods doe ) in temples made with hands , neither is worshipped with mens hands , as though he needed any thing ( as you conceive of your daemons ) seeing he giveth to all , life , and breath , and all things : this god i preach unto you . and this place i take to be so unanswerable for the indifferent and common acception of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that i care not now though the rest should faile me ; but let us see what they are . in revel . . . &c. the sixth trumpet from euphrates brings an huge army upon the christian world , which destroyeth a third part of men , and yet those which remained repented not of those sinnes ( vers . . ) for which these plagues came upon the earth , viz. that they should not worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and idols of gold , silver , and brasse , and stone , and of wood which can neither see , nor heare , nor walke . is not this a comment upon the apostles prophesie in my text ? the time which it concernes must needs fall into the last times , for it is the last trumpet save one . the place must be the roman empire , or christian world , for that is the stage of all the seales and trumpets and how could it be otherwise , seeing saint john at pathmos saw them comming from the great river euphrates ? whatsoever comes from thence , must needs fall upon the territory of the roman empire . to hold you no longer , the best expounders make it the ottoman or turkish invasion , which hath swallowed so great a part of christendome . but what people are they , who in the roman territory , doe in these later times worship idols of gold , silver , brasse , and stone , and wood ? are they ethnicks ? there is none such . are they jewes ? they cannot endure the sight of them . are they mahumetans ? nay , they abhorre it also . then must they needs be christians , and then must christians too worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for both are spoken of the same men . but what christians doe , or ever did worship devils formally ? but daemon-gods ( alasse ) they doe , and long have done . here therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is againe taken in the common and philosophicall sense , or at least , which is all one , for evill spirits worshipped under the names of daemons and deceased souls . besides my text , there is but one place more in all the epistles of saint paul , where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used , namely , cor. . where if there be any allusion to the gentiles conceit of daemons , then all the places of saint pauls epistles are bending that way : but some there are , saith stephen in his thesaurus who thinke the apostle in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or cup of daemons , alludes unto that poculum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , used amongst the gentiles . and further to strengthen the conceit of the apostles allusion to the heathenish notion of daemons * , the words of the former verse make much ; for the things which the gentiles sacrifice , they sacrifice ( saith he ) to daemons , and not to god. now this was the very tenet of the gentiles , that the soveraigne and coelestiall gods were to be worshipped onely , pura mente , and with hymnes and praises , and that sacrifices were onely for daemons , vid. porphyr . in euseb. praep . evang. her. trismeg . in asclepio apuleium de daemonio socratis . he therefore who had given his faith to that , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , one lord , to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to the onely potentate , to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to the onely mediator jesus christ , must have no communion , have no part in the service of these many mediators , lords or daemon-gods of the nations ; for christs monarchicall mediation excludes all other mediators and daemons : not that the woodden idoll was ought of it selfe , but that the gentiles supposed there dwelt some daemon therein , who received their sacrifices , and to whom they intended their services . thus may this place be expounded , and so the use of the word daemon in the worst sense or directly for a divell , will be almost confined to the gospel : where the subject spoken of being men vexed with evill spirits , could admit no other sense or use ; and yet s. luke , the best languaged of the evangelists , knowing the word to be ambiguous , and therefore , as it were , to distinguish it once for all , doth , the first time he useth it , doe it with an explication , chapter . verse . there was , saith hee , a man in the synagogue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , having the spirit of an uncleane daemon . thus much of the word daemonium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in scripture , whereby i hope that it appeares , that this place of my text is not the only place where the word is used according to the notion of the gentiles , and their theologists : but you will say , did any of the fathers , or ancients expound it thus in this place ? if they had done so , the mystery of iniquity could never have taken such footing ; which because it was to come according to divine disposition , what wonder if this were hidden from their eyes . howsoever it may seeme that god left not his spirit without a witnesse ; for , as i take it , epiphanius , one of the most zealous of the fathers of his time against saint-worship then peeping , took 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in my text for a doctrine of worshipping of dead men ; you may read him in the seventy eighth heresie towards the conclusion , where , upon occasion of some who made a goddesse of the blessed virgin , and offered a cake unto her as the queene of heaven , he quotes the place of my text concerning them , saying , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which in english sounds thus , that also of the apostle is fulfilled of these , some shall apostatize from sound doctrine , giving heed to fables and doctrines of daemons , for ( saith he ) they shall be worshippers of dead men , as they were worshipped in israel ; are not these last words for an exposition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ? but what ( will you say ) doth he meane by dead men worshipped in israel ? i suppose he meanes their baalim , who ( as is already shewed ) were nothing else but daemons , or deified ghosts of men deceased : yet he brings in two examples besides ; one of the sichemites , in his time , who had a goddesse or daemonesse under the name of jephta's daughter ; another of the aegyptians , who worshipped thermutis , that daughter of pharaoh , which brought up moses . some , as beza , would have these words of epiphanius to be a part of the text it selfe in some copy which he used . but how is that likely , when no other father once mentions any such reading ; nay it appeares moreover , that epiphanius intended to explaine the words as he quoteth them , as he doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . otherwise wee must say he used a very corrupt copy , or quoted very carelesly . but grant that epiphanius read so , either this reading was true , and so i have enough ; because then the apostle with his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. should expound himselfe by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to meane the deifying of the dead : or it was not the originall reading , but added by some other for explication sake ; and so it will follow , that those who did it , made no question , but that the words there , contained some such thing as worshipping the dead : therefore take it which way you will , it will follow , that some such matter as wee speak of , was in times past supposed to bee in this text and prophesie . now i come to the second point , to maintaine and prove , that praying to saints glorified , as mediators and agents for us with god is justly charged with idolatry : for this is the hinge whereupon not the application only of my text , but the interpretation thereof chiefly turneth : for this is that which i told you in the beginning , that my text depended upon the last words of the former chapter and verse ; received into glory : which were therefore out of their due order , put in the last place , because my text was immediately to bee inferred upon them ; the like mis-placing , and for the like reason , see heb. . “ . where , in a catalogue or recension of the parts of the church , christ the head , and the sprinkling of his blood , is mentioned in the last place , and after the spirits of just men , because the next verses are continued upon this sprinkling of christs blood : yee are come to the generall assembly , and church of the first borne , which are written in heaven , and to god the judge of all , and to the spirits of just men made perfect , and to jesus the mediator of the new covenant , and to the blood of sprinkling , which speaketh better things than that of abel : whereas the right order should have beene ; first , god the judge of all : secondly , christ the mediator of the new covenant : thirdly , in the last place , the spirits of just men made perfect ; agreeable therefore to this dependance of my text i am to shew , that the invocation of saints glorified implyes an apostasie from christ , and a deniall of his glory and majesty whereunto hee is installed by his assumption into heaven , to sit at the right hand of god : which before i doe , i must premise some generall grounds , which are as followeth . that as god is most one , and without all multiplicity , so must the honour and service which is given unto him have no communicability : esa. . . i am the lord , that is my name , my glory will i not give unto another , nor my prayse to graven images ; for the one-most god must have an one-most service ; therefore in that action whereof god is the object , nothing must be an object but god , or in the scripture phrase thus , in those actions which look towards the face of god , nothing may come betweene , whose face such actions may look upon besides him , whether by way of subordination to him , or representation of him : for i am the lord thy god ( saith hee ) thou shalt have no other gods before my face . secondly , this face of god is not only the object of his person , but also the place of his presence , where his glory is revealed in the heavens , where we shall see him face to face , cor. . . revel . . . and where the angels in heaven behold the face of the father which is in heaven , matth. . . no action therefore directed thitherward , to the face of his revealed presence and glory , may so much as look asquint upon any other object , or behold any other face but the face of god alone , for we must have no other gods before his face . i say not , that a man may not turne his face upon the face of any other thing when he turnes his face towards the face of god ; for how then should we worship him at all , seeing which way soever we turne us , something will alwayes bee before us ? but it is not the face of our bodies , or their posture , but the face and posture of the act wee doe , which must not have the face turned upon any thing else , when it is directed at the face of god : namely , that action in which god is faced , must face nothing else but god , where god is the object , whether in regard of his person when we pray unto him , or of his throne of presence when we would approach it or direct our supplica-towards it , there nothing is to have any respect of an object , but god alone . so although when we pray unto god , wee turne the face of our bodies towards heaven , the sunne ▪ the moon , and starres , yet doe we not worship the host of heaven therefore , because our action hath no relation to them as to an object , but to god alone ; and howsoever they are betweene god and us in place , yet as an object of our devotion neither they nor any thing in them come any way betweene us and him : now for the reason ( if you ask it ) of this incommunicablenesse of all actions and services directed to god-ward , you shall have it , because the lord whose name is jealous , is a jealous god , jealous not only lest he should not be honoured as god , but jealous lest he should not be honoured as one god ; for as by honouring him , we acknowledge him god , so by the incommunicablenesse of honour we acknowledge him one god : for this cause , god being to give us a mediator , by whom we should have accesse unto his presence , and whom , without his jealousie , wee might interpose in our devotions and supplications unto himselfe , or offered at the throne of his majesty and glory in the heavens , provided that admirable mystery of communicating to the nature of a man borne of a woman , the hypostaticall union of the second person of the deity : and him , after he had vanquished death , to exalt , to sit at his right hand of glory , and power , in the heavens , there in his owne presence and throne , to receive our requests , and to deale as an agent betweene us and him . thus at length i am arrived at that port which i all this while made for : viz. to shew that this glory of christ which is stiled his sitting at the right hand of god , is that incommunicable royalty to which of right belongeth in the presence of god to receive and present our devotions to the divine majesty , as in it , which now followeth , shall appeare . sessio ad dextram dei is to be installed in gods throne , or to have a god-like royalty , which is defined in scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the majesty of christ in heaven ; whence it is said , heb. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he sate downe on the right hand of majesty on high . heb. . . it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the right hand of the throne of majesty in the heavens : it is called also by christ himselfe , mark. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , luke . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the right hand of power , and the right hand of the power of god : for as to the right hand belongeth both dignity and strength , so doth this glory of christ include both a god-like sublimity and a god-like power ; the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the proper place where the majesticall glory is revealed , is the heavens , as may appeare almost wheresoever this sitting at the right hand of god is mentioned , eph. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : colos. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . heb. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , heb. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , pet. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. heaven , heavenly places , high places and the like , being alwayes thereto annexed , and everywhere appeareth to be a consequent of his ascension into heaven , as we say in our creed , he ascended into heaven , and sitteth at the right hand of god ; and therefore in the words whereon my text depends , is expressed by assumed or taken up into glory , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for as god himselfe is stiled pater in coelis , not because not elsewhere , but because his glory is there revealed : so christ sits ad dextram in coelis , because there the beames of the majesty given him by his father , are revealed ; whence it comes that his kingdome is called the kingdome of heaven , a kingdome whose kings residence and kingly throne are both in heaven : this glorious throne of majesty , this sitting at the right hand of the power of the almighty is a name incommunicable , an exaltation whereof no creature in heaven or earth is capable , which is that the apostle meanes to tell us when he saith , eph. . . farre above all principalities and powers , and might , and dominion , and every name that it named , not only in this world , but in the world to come : and phil. . , . wherfore god also hath highly exalted him , and given him a name which is above every name ( that is created name ) that at the name of jesus every knee should bow , both of things in heaven , and things in earth , and things under the earth . revel . . . he that overcommeth ( saith christ ) i will give him to sit with me in my throne , even as i have overcome , and am set with my father in his throne ; here is mention of two thrones , you see , of which , my throne , that is , christs throne , is the condition of a glorified man ; in this throne his saints shall sit with him ; but his fathers throne is the power of divine majesty , wherin none must sit but god , & the god-man jesus christ. these grounds layd , i say , that the honour of being prayd to in heaven , and before the throne of presence , is a prerogative of dextra dei , and to receive our devotions there , a flower of christs sitting at the right hand of god , as s. paul , rom. . . conjoines them , saying , who is he that condemneth ? it is christ that died , yea rather that is risen againe , who is at the right hand of god , and who makes intercession for us : for by right of this his exaltation and majesty hee comes to bee a priest after the order of melchisedech , as appeares psalme . the lord said unto my lord , sit thou on my right hand , till i make thine enemies thy footstoole ; then followes the effect thereof verse . the lord hath sworne and will not repent , thou art a priest for ever after the order of melchisedech ; and by the same right also he becomes the only and eternall priest wh●ch hath to doe in the most holy place , the heavens : for as the high priest only entred the most holy place beyond the vaile in the earthly tabernacle ; so christ jesus our only high priest , through his body , as the first tabernacle , by his owne blood , entred into the second tabernacle or holy place , not made with hands , as was the figure , but into heaven it selfe , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to appeare in the presence of god for us : all this you have in the same words at large , heb . . . . now in the tabernacle of this world , as was in the first tabernacle , we may happily finde many priests whom to imploy as agents for us with god : but in the second tabernacle which is heaven , there is but one agent to be imployed , but one who hath royall commission to deale betweene god and men , that angel of the presence , as isaiah calls him , . . and one only mediator jesus christ the lord of glory , who in this prerogative is above both saints and angells : for to which of the saints and angells , said god at any time , sit on my right hand till i make thine enemies thy footstoole , heb. . . . . neither will this demonstration admit that vulgar acception to be of any force , namely that expiatory mediation , or meritorious intercession in heaven should indeed appertaine to christ alone , but favourable intercession to pray for us , not so : and therefore for this , wee may without derogation to christ sollicite either saints or angels ; i could say , that this ragge is too too narrow and short to cover their nakednesse , who lay hold of it , in whose supplication to saints and to god too in their names , nothing is more usuall than the expresse mention of their merits , blood , and sufferings , as motives to god to heare them ; but we shall not need this answer ; for we have demonstrated , that as in the law , none but the high priest alone was to doe office in the holiest place ; so christ jesus now is the only agent for whatsoever is to be done for us in the holiest tabernacle of heaven : besides , wee read that none but the high priest alone was to offer incense , or to incense the most holy place when hee entred into it : but incense is the prayers of the saints , sent thither from this outward temple of the militant church as the incense of the law was fetched from without the vaile : this therefore none in heaven but christ alone must receive from us , to offer for us ; and this is that angel with the golden censer , revel . . who there offers the incense of the prayers of the saints there given him to offer upon the golden altar before the throne , alluding expresly to the golden altar before the testimony . for the fuller understanding , and farther confirmation of what hath beene spoken , take this also ; that notwithstand●ng the man christ jesus in regard of his person , being god as well as man , was from his first incarnation capable of this royalty and glory ; not only for the incomparable sufficiency of his person , which by reason of his twofold nature , is alwayes and in all places present both with god and men ; and so at one instant able and ready at every need , to present to the one what he should receive from the other ; but cheifly and most of all , for that being very god himselfe , his fathers jealousie , which could never have brooked the communication of this glory to any other , which should not have beene the selfe-same with himselfe , was by this condition of his person prevented and secured . neverthelesse and notwithstanding , all this capability of his person , it was the will of his father in the dispensation of the mystery of our redemption , not to conferre it upon him , but as purchased and attained by suffering and undergoing that death which no creature in heaven or in earth was able to undergoe but himselfe , being a suffering of a death , whereby death it selfe was overcome and vanquished , to the end that none by death save jesus christ alone might be ever thought or deemed capable of the like glory and sublimity ; but that it might appeare for ever to be a peculiar right to him . and this , i think , is not only agreeable to the tenour of the scripture , but expresse scripture it selfe , heb. . . but we see jesus who was made a little lower than the angels by the suffering of death , crowned with glory and honour : for it became him for whom are all things , and by whom are all things , in bringing many sonnes to glory , to make the captaine of their salvation perfect by sufferings . phil. . . and being found in fashion of a man , he humbled himselfe , and became obedient unto death , even the death of the crosse : and the ninth verse , wherefore god hath also highly exalted him , and given him a name above every name , that at the name of jesus every knee should bow , heb. . . but this man , after he had offered one sacrifice for sinnes , for ever sate down on the right hand of god. rom. . . for to this end christ both died , rose , and revived , that he might be lord both of the dead and living : see besides , acts . , . rom. . . ephes. . . pet. . . lastly , for that particular parcell of this glory of christ ( viz. ) to be that only name in which we are to ask at the hands of god whatsoever we have to ask , is not this also annexed and ascribed to his triumph over death ? john . . i go unto my father , viz. through death , and whatsoever yee ask in my name , that will i doe . john . . & . a little while yee shall not see me , and a little while ye shall see me , because i goe to my father , and in that day when i am gone to my father , yee shall ask me nothing : verily , verily i say unto you , whatsoever yee shall ask the father in my name , he will give it you , vers . . hitherto yee have asked nothing in my name , ask and yee shall receive . heb. . . wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto god by him , seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them , for such an high priest became us who is made higher than the heavens . how is it then that some extenuate that kinde of saint-worship , wherein prayers are not made unto them directly , but god is prayed unto in their names , and for their mediation sake to grant our requests . is it not a deniall of christs prerogative , to ascribe unto any other , for any respect of glory or neernesse to god after death or otherwise , that whereof he alone is infeoffed by his unimitable death , triumphant resurrection , and glorious ascension ? certainly that which he holds by incommunicable title , is it selfe also incommunicable . to conclude therefore with the words of s. paul , tim. . . there is but one god and one mediator between god and men , the man christ jesus : as god is one , so the mediator is one , for it is a god-like royalty , and therefore can belong but to one : there is but one god in heaven , without any other gods subordinate unto him ; therefore but one mediator there , without any other mediators besides him : as for the angels and blessed saints , they have indeed a light of glory too , but they are but as lesser lights in that heaven of heavens : and therefore as where the sunne shines , the lesser stars of heaven , though stars , give not their light to us : so where this glorious sunne christ jesus continually shineth , by his presence , sitting at the right hand of god ; there the glory of the saints and angels is not sufficient to make them capable of any flower of this divine honour , which is god-like and so appropriate to christ , by right of his heavenly exaltation in the throne of majesty ; whatsoever spirit saith otherwise , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , holds not the head , but is a christ-apostate-spirit which denies the faith of christs assumption into glory , and revives the doctrines of daemons . the way being now cleared , i may ( i hope ) now safely resume my application which i have already given some taste of , that the doctrine of daemons comprehends in most expresse manner the whole idolatry of the mystery of iniquity , the deifying , and invocating of saints and angels , the bowing downe to images , the worshipping of crosses as new idol-columnes , the adoring and templing of reliques , the worshipping of any other visible thing upon supposall of any divinity therein : what coppy was ever so like the sample , as all this to the doctrine of daemons ? and for the idolatry of the eucharist or bread-worship , though it may be reduced to image-worship , as being the adoration of a signe or symbole ; yet let it bee considered whether for the equality thereof it may not be taken rather for an idolatry of reliques , the body and blood of christ in the sacrament being the mysticall reliques which he left us as monuments of his death till he come : whichsoever it bee i must confesse it hath a straine above the abomination of the gentiles , who though they supposed some presence of their daemons in their images and reliques , yet were they never so blockish , as to think their images and reliques to be transubstantiated into daemons : but to come to the maine againe , i will confesse for my selfe that i cannot think of this daemon-resemblance without admiration , nor doe i beleeve that you will heare without some astonishment , that which i am now to adde farther : that the advancers of saint-worship in the beginning did not only see it , but even gloried ( sed gloriatione non bona ) that they had a thing in christian practice so like the doctrines of daemons : we heard before , that plato in his repub. would have the soules of such as died valiantly in the battell , to be accounted for daemons after death , and their sepulchers and coffins to bee adored and served as the sepulchers of daemons . eusebius lib. . praepar . evangel . quoting this place , adds with it , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , these things doe befit at ( or after ) the decease of the favourites of god , whom if thou shalt affirme to be taken for the champions of true religion , thou shalt not say amisse , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , whence it is our custome to goe unto their tombs , and to make our prayers at them , and to honour their blessed soules . the purpose of eusebius was here to shew , as a preparation to draw men to christianity , how well the present use of christians in honouring the memories of their martyrs , by keeping their assemblies at their sepulchers , did agree with that of the gentiles ( so much by plato commended ) in honouring their champions and worthies for daemons after death : but alas , in the age next after , it proved too too like it indeed : for these earerings which the christians had borrowed or stolen from the gentiles at their comming out of aegypt , presently became a golden calfe , as soone as the woman the church came into the wildernesse , yea and aaron the priest had a foule part in it too . read the eighth book of theodoret de curandis graecorum affectionibus , whose title is de martyribus , or in the meane time take these few passages thereof : thus hee speaks having quoted that passage of hesiod for daemons , commended by plato ; quod si poëta hesiodus auxiliares custodesque mortalium eos vocat qui sanctè olim beneque vixerunt , eamque hujus poëtae sententiam , philosophorum optimus plato adeò confirmavit , ut eorum hominum sepulchra ●olenda esse atque adoranda censuerit ; quid ita quaeso , boni viri ( i. e. ) graeci , quae ipsi facimus , accusatis ? nos etenim pari modo ( n. b. ) eos qui illustri pietate viguerunt , proque eâ jugulati ac caesi sunt , & auxiliares & medicos nominamus ; at non daemones tamen ; absit à nobis absit hic furor : sed amicos dei , fidelesque servos dicimus fuisse — ibid. posse sanctorum animas , vel cum extra hoc corpus fuerint hominum curare negotia , plato etiam ii legum libro affirmat verba platonis citantur — cum itaque philosophus credendum esse rumoribus censeat ( id est sermonibus qui vulgò habentur de illâ animarum defunctarum curâ circa homines ) vos tamen nobis non solùm fidei nihil habetis , clamantemque eventorum vocem audire non vultis , &c. ibid. martyrum templa conspicua — quique homines prosperá valetudine sunt , conservari eam sibi à martyribus petunt : qui verò agritudinem aliquam patiuntur , sanitatem exposcunt , — insuper & steriles &c. — item qui peregrè proficiscuntur &c. — non qui se ad deos accedere arbitrentur , sed qui orent dei martyres tanquam divinos homines , intercessoresque sibi eos apud deum advocent & precentur — piè verò & fideliter precatos ●a maximè consequi quae desiderant , testantur illa quae votorum rei dona persolvunt , manifesta nimirum sanitatis adepti iudicia : nam alii oculorum , alii manuum simulachra suspendunt , exargento auroque confecta , — paulò post — quid , quod eorum qui passim dii ferebantur memoriam è mente hominum martyres aboleverint — suos mortuos dominus deus noster in templa , pro diis vestris ( i. e. ) daemonibus iduxit , ac illos quidem cassos gloriâ vanosque reddidit , suis autem martyribus honorem illorum dedit : propandiis enim diasiisque , & dionysiis ( i. e. ) jovis , liberique patris solennitatibus ; petro , paulo , thomae , sergio , aliisque sanctis martyribus solennitates epulo populari peraguntur : cùm itaque tantam utilitatem ex honore martyribus collato provenire , homines videatis , fugite ( quaeso ) errorem daemonum , pravioque ductu martyrum , facibusque utentes , viam capessite quae ad deum perducit , &c. now judge whether hitherto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath beene fitly applyed or not : i will goe on . having therefore by so many arguments made apparant ( i hope ) what i endeavoured to prove : i desire we may observe , among so many corruptions , both now and heretofore over-whelming the church of christ , what it is wherein the holy ghost placeth the essence , and counteth as the very soule of the great apostasie under the man of sinne , and would have us to make the pole-starre of our discovery thereof . not every errour , not every heresie , how fowle soever ; but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , idolatry , and spirituall fornication : as for other heresies , though accompanying this , yet are they but accidentall , and not of the essence of the great apostasie which was to come . even as whores are seldome without other great faults , which yet are no part of whoredome : so hath the spirituall whore many other heresies , but her whoredome is only idolatry and the doctrine of daemons . neither is heresie of it selfe , no though damnable heresie , a character whereby the great apostasie can bee knowne from other sects and blasphemies . fowle heresies were in the first ages of the church , yet antichrist and his time were neither of them yet , come ; when his time approached neerer , the arrians , macedonians , nestorians , eutychians , were abominable heretiques . and the arrians possessed for a time the face of the visible church ; yet was not theirs the solemne apostasie looked for . but idolatry or spirituall whoredome , which in that storme the devill was a working , this is the only character and note whereby the apostasie under the man of sinne is discovered and distinguished from all other blasphemies , sects , and heresies of what age or time soever . which that i may not seem to ground only upon the exposition of my text , which whatsoever the probability thereof be , may yet be thought alone too weak to support the weight of so maine a conclusion : i desire you to take these arguments for a full confirmaiion thereof ; some of them have already beene intimated , but now all are mustered up together . first , that babylon is entitled in the revelation of s. john , not the lyar of babylon , not the tyrant of babylon , not the heretique of babylon , nor the murdresse of babylon , but the whore of babylon , yea that great whore and the mother of fornications , and abominations of the earth . doth not god ( think we ) give the name as he accounts the nature ? or is there any one will deny that this babylon is that mystery of iniquity which our apostle so calleth , as being in opposition to the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mystery of true worship and religion ? if any should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mystery babylon in her forehead , would help to reclaim him : and what whore is that with whom the kings and nations and kingdomes of the earth commit fornication ▪ can it be any other but a spirituall whore ? without question therefore s. john meanes no other thing here than what he foretold in the eleventh chapter , that the second and outmost court of the temple ( which is the second state of the christian church ) together with the holy city , should bee trodden downe , and overtrampled by the gentiles forty two moneths , that is , overwhelmed with the idolaty of the gentiles , which is , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as long as power shall bee given to the beast to make warre with the saints , as long as the witnesses must weare sackcloth , and the woman which escaped the fury of the ethnicall dragon , be fed in the wildernesse . secondly , s. paul tels us , that the great apostasie should enter by strong delusions , by signes and lying wonders ; consider then what corruptions of the christian faith were thus ushered in to begin with the begining and first corruption of that kinde ; invocation of saints ; with the adoration of their shrines ; and reliques ; how were these advanced in the church , was it not by miraculous cures of the sick , healing of the lame , restoring of the blinde , yea raising of the dead ( as seemed ) sometimes by the only touch and aire , sometimes of the shrines and reliques of soules deceased ? was it not still confirmed by strange apparitions , and other meanes wonderfull to heare ? for discovery of bones and reliques unknowne and forgotten , yea of men whose names they never heard of before . and which i shall shew better hereafter : no such experience for thirty yeares together observed in the church , untill the totall and fixed time began to enter . the worshipping of images , the second , for time , of the churches fornications : was not this also allowed and at length fully ratified by like signes and miracles , shewed upon those who approached them in their devotions ? read the legend , and see what store there is of strong delusions and lying wonders . that which for time came in last , but deserves a place among the foremost , i meane the idolatry of the masse , and adoration of the breaden god ; search and see if it be not also thus attented ! if all this be true , then would i know what doctrine of theirs besides was installed with these solemnities ; there is but one only left for exception , and it is purgatory ; but what if all the delusions of purgatory , with all the apparitions of purgatorian ghosts , were but an indirect device of satan ayming partly to advance the masse into an idoll by the miraculous efficacy ( forsooth as the ghosts report ) of the oblation thereof for them ; partly to install the sonne of perdition ( a daemon i yet speak not of , and yet a daemon ) to sit as god in the temple and throne of christ , with the keyes of * hades and death , to deliver them ? what stronger presumption can there be of this than the event ; and that the errour of purgatory had so long beene working before the devill seemed to know how to make this use of it , which at length he spied out and plied lustily with signes and wonders . if all this be true , then it followes still that it is spirituall fornication which the holy ghost in scripture intendeth , and the event hath marked out for the soule of antichristian abomination and impiety ; but of the matter of miracles and lying wonders more in the second part of my text , which is the proper place thereof . thirdly and lastly , the great apostasie is a thing proper to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the latter times ; which i will shew ( when i come at it ) to be the last times of the fourth kingdome of daniel , dan. . . & alibi ; but amongst all other corruptions , only the spirituall fornication of the church and spouse of christ will bee found proper to these times . but you will say , if idolatry and spirituall fornication bee the matter , why should not this rather be laid upon painims , and turks , and saracens , who acknowledge not christ , rather than upon christians who doe ? i answer , s. john and s. paul prophesied of things to come , not of that which was in being when they prophesied . but ethnicall and painim idolatry at that time overwhelmed the whole earth , yea and persecuted and made warre with the saints , and no time hath yet beene when this idolatry was not to be found . it must needs be then some other whoredome ( for whoredome it was to be ) which was prophesied of to come . againe , neither saracen nor turk ( the greatest unchristian states since christ ) neither of these , i say , can bee antichrist wee speak of , nor their blasphemy that mystery of iniquity foretold by the apostles and prophets . for there are two unquestionable charactes of that mystery , which will neither of them , without doubt not both of them , agree to turk or saracen ; videlicet , first , that it should sit in the great city , which in s. johns time reigned over the nations of the earth . secondly , that it should bee an apostasie from the christian faith once embraced : but the turk , whatsoever he be , is no apostate , being of a nation which never was christian ; nor was the seat of the saracen empire , whilst it stood , either in the old or new rome , or neere unto either ; for i would seeme to yeeld for this time , that new rome or constantinople would serve the turne , though i am farre enough from beleeving it . nor will i alleadge , that mahomet himselfe and his nation were both painims when they began their blasphemies ; for you would tell me , that sergius the monk taught him to make the alchoran : nor will i question now , whether the christian or mahumetan be the greater idolater , though the doubt might soone bee resolved , seeing it is well knowne the mahumetans worship no images . but i have alleaged nothing save what is without exception , that both these characters i spake of cannot bee applied either to turk or saracen , though i beleeve that neither can be . when i spake of painims and mahumetans , i would have you remember , that there were some blasphemous sects in the first ages of the church , which are no more to be accounted of as christians than mahumetans and painims are ; nay mahumetanism is neerer christianity than many of them were : for amongst whom the christians deity is not worshipped and received ; those , though they spring up in imitation of christianity , i account but new painim blasphemies and not christian heresies : such were the * cerinthians , marcionites , saturnians , valentinians , and manichees , &c. which neither professed the same deity , nor acknowledged that divine word which we christians doe ; whereas yet the mahumetans worship the same god with jewes and christians , god the creatour of heaven and earth , and god the father of abraham , isaac , and jacob ; howsoever they conceive otherwise of his nature and properties than christians doe : but this by the way ( lest it may put a rub in our discourse ) of spirituall fornication . but you will still alledge in her behalfe , who seemes all this while to be charged , that antichrist , and the man of sin in scripture , is set forth as the most hatefull and execrable thing that can be in the eyes of god almighty . but how can such a thing be said , and comparatively to be where the true god , with christ his son , god and man , are in any sort acknowledged and worshipped ? lord ! that the whole straine of scripture , in the prophets especially , and the example of the church of israel , should not cure this web , and take this filme from the eyes of men ! doth not the lord say of israel , that he had chosen them to be a speciall people to himselfe , above all people that are upon the face of the earth , deut. . . you onely have i knowne ( saith he ) of all the families of the earth , amos . . and is not christ the lord of christians ? and is not the church his spouse ? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , saith saint paul , ephes. . this is a great mystery no warvell then where this mystery is not considered , if the mystery of iniquity be not understood . alas poore church of israel , thy case it seemes should have beene a very hard one ! for what nation in the world ever suffered so much rebukes , so many plagues , so much wrath , as thou hast done ? yet couldest thou say for thy selfe , thou never forsakedst the true god altogether , but wast still called by his name ; onely thou wouldest faine worship him in calves and images , as other nations thy neighbours did their gods ; thou wouldest needs follow the fashion , and this was thine errour ; thou never meanedst to cast of thy jehovah altogether , but still wouldest have him to be thy god , and thy selfe to be his people ; yet thou tookest this liberty , to have other gods besides the lord thy god , viz. thy baalims and daemon gods of other nations about thee , and yet hopedst jehovah the god of heaven , thy onely soveraigne god , would not be offended thereat , since thou retainedst him in chiefe place and honour with thee still . why was thy god then so unkinde and cruell unto thee , to call thee whore , and prostitute whore , so often ? all his prophets continually baiting thee with that so foul and odious a name of abominable harlot ? why did hee scatter thee , and cart thee even naked among the nations , afore his jealousie would be satisfied ? for it seemes he is farre more indulgent to his second wife the church of the gentiles , for she worships her god in images and crucifixes , yea calls a piece of bread , her lord and her god , and yet saith , he is no whit jealous of her , but well pleased . she , though espoused to christ jesus the son of the living god , as the sole intercessor and mediator in the presence of god his father , yet thinks she may fall downe to saints and angels , yea to as many images of them as ever the jewes had of their baalims , or the gensiles of their daemons . and yet forsooth because she makes her lord the chiefest still in the honour of her affections , and uses the rest of her lovers no farther than she may still yeeld the first and chiefe place to him , she verily supposes he is no whit offended with her ; whereas israel should have been called whore a thousand times over for as little as this ; yea and like enough to have beene carted too , and her nose slit , ezek. . . long before this time . nay but she wipes her mouth , and asketh why her lord should be angry , for she calls him still her lord , and acknowledges and professeth him still to be her husband . if he hath a minde to be angry with any , let him goe to the turks , tartars , and other mahumetans , or to the painims , who will not acknowledge him at all to be their lord god , though he hath offered himselfe , and perhaps woo●d some of them , but they would none of him , but married themselves to other husbands : here if he will be jealous , is matter for his jealousie . but thou christ-apostaticall s●rumpet , knowest thou not the first commandment of thy christian decalogue to be , thou shalt have none other gods ( nor christs ) but m● . what dost thou with so many christlings ? knowest thou not that an husband is more grieved and dishonoured by his wises adultery , than if any other woman whatsoever , yea suppose his kinswomen and daughters , should play the harlots ? what are turks and tartars , and any other unbeleeving nation under heaven , unto thy lord and saviour ? are they not all as strangers to him , and he to them ? but as for thee , he had chosen thee out of many nations to espouse thee to himselfe ; so that thou mayest say with israel , isay . . we are thine , but as for them , thou never barest rule over them , they were not called by thy name : but to thee , to use the words of ezekiel , c. . he sware an oath , and entered into a covenant with thee , and thou becamest his , and wert called and wilt still be called by his name : thee he washed with water , yea , throughly washed thee from the pollution of thy birth , and anointed the● with oyle . thou wast decked with gold and silver , and thy raiment was of fine linnen , and silke , and broydered worke , thou diddest eat fine flower , and honey , and oyle , and wast exceeding beautifull , and didst prosper into a kingdome . and thy renowne went forth among the heathen for thy beauty ; for it was perfect through the comelinesse which the lord thy god had put upon thee . but thou didst trust i● thine owne beauty , and playedst the harlot because of thy 〈◊〉 , and pouredst out thy fornications upon every one that passed by . and of thy garments th●● didst take , and deckedst thy high places with divers colours , and playedst the har●● thereupon . thou hast also taken thy faire jewels of thy lords gold , and of thy lords silver , which he had given thee , and madest to thy selfe images of men , and didst commit whoredome with them . and tookest thy braydered garments and coveredst them : and thou hast set the lords oyle and hi● incense before them . judge now betweene the lord and his people ye that have wives , and give sentence ye husbands whether of the two in question hath most dishonoured our lord and saviour , which of the two is most like to fret him , and kindle the co●les of fury and jealousie : those who never yet were in covenant with him , nor yet are called by his name : or whether his spouse , his darling , his beloved one , to whom he was betrothed and married ? judge according to the manner of wedlock , and the notorious president of israel ▪ he that is a father ( we say ) is best able to understand the love of a father , and therefore gods love to his children for the like reason : he that is an husband is sensible of the jealousie of an husband , and so of the case of christ with his unfaithfull and trecherous spouse the christian jezabel . the decision and summe of all this , is this , that the whoredome of the church of god is a spirituall adultery ; and therefore betweene the idolatry of christians , and that of infidels , and of painims , is as much difference in gods esteeme , as is between adultery and simple fornication . the one , as equall to murther , was in the law punished with death ; the other with a much lighter punishment : whence in ezekiel ( in whose words i have beene so long ) chap. . ver . . god saith to jerusalem for their idolatry , that he would ●udge her as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged : he would give her blood in fury and jealousie . and this was the resolution of god himselfe against israel , amos . , . heare the word that the lord hath spoken against you , o children of israel , saying , you onely have i known of all the families of the earth , therefore will i punish you for all your iniquities . and the same will be the judgement of the christian jezabel ( howsoever painims and infidels speed ) when great babylon shall come in remembrance before god , to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fiercenesse of his wrath . this i would have well considered and weighed by those whom the mahumetan blasphemy hath so dazeled , that they can hardly beleeve that so hated and execrable a name of babylon should belong unto any other , unlesse there be yet to come some other like barbarous tyrant and seducer after them : the cause of which errour is , that men have fancied another manner of antichrist than the holy ghost meant of , and placed their eyes farre wide of the ground of gods hatred , and of the nature of that mysterie of abomination . but israels apostasie , gods iealousie , and their unparalled punishment therefore , such as no nation in the world , how idolatrous soever , endured besides themselves , are in this case the onely polestarre to direct us . but even this mistake , which is and hath beene of the mystery of iniquity , is it selfe a kinde of mystery , or not without one ; for antichrist is a counter-christ , and therefore his comming to be a counter-resemblance of the comming of christ. christ was both to come , and accordingly looked for in the last times ( that is ) in the time of the fourth kingdome of daniel ; so antichrist and his mystery of impiety was to be , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the latter times of these last times , that is ( as i shall better shew hereafter ) in the last times , or last scene ( as i may so speake ) of the fourth kingdome of daniel . when christ came the scepter was to depart from judah , and that commonwealth to be dissolved : so when antichrist was to come , the roman empire was to fall , and he that hindered was to be taken out of the way , thes. . . the jewes expected christ to come when he did come , and yet knew him not when he was come , because they had fancied the manner and quality of his comming like some temporall monarch , with armed power to subdue the earth before him : so the christians , gods second israel , looked the comming of antichrist should be at that time when he came indeed , and yet they knew him not when he was come , because they had fancied his comming as of some barbarous tyrant , who should with armed power not onely persecute and destroy the church of christ , but almost the world , that is , they looked for such an antichrist as the jewes looked for a christ. wherefore as christ came unto his owne , and his own received him not ; so antichrist came upon those who were not his owne , and yet they eschewed him not : but yet as some jewes , though few , knew christ when he came , and received him ; so did some christians , though but few , keep themselves from the pollution of antichrist . lastly , as the jewes ere long shall acknowledge , and run unto him , whom they pierced as not knowing him ; so hath the christian church , for a great part , discovered that son of perdition , whom a long time they had ignorantly worshipped , because they knew him not . o the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of god , how unsearchable are his judgements , and his wayes past finding out ! but for our part , seeing our case is so like unto that of the jewes , let their lamentable and wofull errour , in mistaking their messiah by wrongly fancying him , be a warning and a caveat unto us , that we likewise upon like conceits and prejudice mistake and misdeeme not the man of sinne . tineΣ , some . now i come unto the second point expressed in this description of the great apostasie , viz. the persons revolters , they shall not be all , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , some , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , some shall apostatize : some , that is not , as we in ou● english doe often use it , a few , but some , that is , not all , yet some , that is , so many as that the whole visible church should be said thereof to be apostatized ; so many as should like a cloud overspread the face of the christian firmament , in such sort , as the starres and lights therein should not easily be discerned . for the great defection so much prophesied of , was to be a solemne and generall one ; such a one , as wherein the chiefest of the churches , honoured as a mother in israel , should become a babylonish whore , a mother of harlots , and of the abominations of the earth , rev. . such a one as whereby the outmost court of the temple of god should not onely be prophaned , but trodden downe by gentilisme , rev. . such a one as the world is said to wonder after the beast , and to worship him ; and such a one as should not onely make warre with the saints , but overcome them , rev. . otherwise if our apostle here , and saint john there , should meane no more than the errours of some particular ones , and their revolt from the faith of the church , they should make either no prophesie at all , or at the best , but a needlesse one . for who knowes not , that in saint pauls , saint johns , and the apostles owne times , were many heresies and hereticks growne up as weeds in the wheat field of christ ? but as yet the wheat overtopped them , and the visible body of the church disclaimed them . if these had beene the worst the church should look for , the apostles should seeme to prophesie of things present , and not , as they doe , of things to come , yea and more than this , they should foretell of a thing as proper and peculiar to the last times , which was no novelty in their owne times . we must take notice therefore that the apostasie and corruption of faith so much prophesied of , was another manner of one , than that which was so frequent in those first times ; such a kind of one as should not be disclaimed by the visible body of the church , but should surprise , e●lipse , and overcloud the beautifull face thereof : which manner of defection never had beene before , nor should there be the like after it . now that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or some , useth in scripture to to imply no small number , but onely serves to intimate an exception of some particulars , though there were but two or three to be excepted , i will make manifest by a few examples , lest our english use might deceive us . first , iohn . . many of the disciples ( saith the text ) when they heard this , said , this is an hard saying : and verse . many of his disciples from that time went back and walked no more with him ; neverthelesse concerning these many christ himselfe saith verse . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but there are some of you which beleeve not : here we see that some is a great many : so rom. . s. paul there saith of the rejection of the jewes , some of the branches are broken off ; now what a some this was , appeares in the same chapter , when he saith , god hath included them all in unbeleefe , that he might have mercy upon all : but to search no further , cor. . will store us with examples , as verse . neither be yee idolaters , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as some of them were , this was a great some , for moses saith of it , exod. . . and all the people brake off their golden earerings and brought them to aaron : in verse . neither let us commit fornication as some of them , which were so many , numb . . . that the lord said to moses , take all the heads of the people , and hang them up before the lord , that the fierce anger of the lord may be turned away from israel : and verse . it is said in generall , and israel joyned himselfe to baal-peer : againe in the same epistle verse . it is said , neither let us tempt christ , as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of serpents : and verse . neither murmure as some of them also murmured ; this some was a great some indeed , even all the people , save moses , joshua , and caleb ; whereof is said numb . . . and all the congregation lifted up their voyce and wept : and verse . and all the congregation murmured against moses and aaron , and the whole congregation said unto them , would god that wee had died , &c. wherefore they were as largely punished , all of them dying in the wildernesse , joshua and caleb excepted . these places of many will suffice , to shew that the word [ some ] in my text , intends not to extenuate the number of apostates , as implying they should be but few , but only shews they should not bee all , for where the apostates are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , some , there some also are not apostates but exempted from the common defection , wherewith the rest were miserably overwhelmed . the observation therefore which this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 affords us , is , that the true church of christ was never wholly extinguished , nor the light of his gospell ever quite put out , no , not in the greatest darknesse that ever was to overwhelme it . by the true church of christ i understand that holy society and company of beleevers , which as they accord and are joyned together in one common faith of all divine truths needfull to salvation , so are they also free from the fellowship of such erroneous abominations and mortall errours as destroy and overturne it . this is that society , whereof by the grace of almighty god , we glory to be the members ; this that society , which in the primitive times grew and flourished : this that society , which ( when the times foretold of the churches eclipse came , and the great apostasie had over-spread the face thereof ) was indeed much impaired , indangered , and obscured , but never was totally extinguished , but continued even under the jurisdiction of the man of sinne , yea in babylon it selfe where he had this throne ; for doth not christ at length say ? apoc. . . come out of her my people : how could they come out thence unlesse they had beene there ? or how should antichrist sit in the temple of god , thes. . . unlesse gods temple were even there where antichrist sate ? as a few living embers in a heape of dying ashes : as a little wheat in a field overgrowne with weeds : as the lights of the heaven in a firmament overcast with clouds : as a little pure gold in a great masse of drosse and mixed metal : such was the faithfull company of christ in the apostate body of christendome , the * virgin church in the midst of babylon . but will our adversaries say , this is not sufficient to make you the true church of christ , because some of you have alwayes beene ; but you must prove also that you have alwayes visibly beene ; for the true catholick church must not only never have beene interrupted or extinguished , but it must have beene a society visibly knowne unto the world , and not as embers in the ashes , but as a burning and shining flame . but this objection deserves no answering : because our adversaries , howsoever they would dissemble it , doe but play upon the present advantage which they think their owne church hath in this point above ours : otherwise ▪ when they forget the contention they have with us , and are in a calmer mood , they can bee pleased to deliver other doctrine , which ( if they would be ingenuous so much as to remember it ) we needed not such a stirre about the point of the churches visibility ; for the difference betweene them and us hereabout , is not so great as they would make it seeme : they themselves and the fathers also teach , that when antichrist commeth , the visibility of the church shall be eclipsed : nay , they affirme more than we usually in that case require ; for then they say the use of the sacraments shall cease , no eucharist , no masse , no publick assemblies , yea all ecclesiasticall jurisdiction shall be extinguished ; but here lies all the difference , they hold the glorious visibility of the true church to have continued from the beginning unto this present , and the overshadowing of the light , and eclipse of the glory thereof under antichrist to be yet to come ; we on the contrary maintaine , the clouding of the churches visibility under the man of sinne to have beene already , and some part of the visible splendor thereof to be yet to come : both agreeing in this , that in the fatall apostasie the churches visibility and glory should cease ; but we say that the time hath been already , they say that it is yet to come ; we say , that time of darknesse was to continue many ages , they say , when it comes it shall last but three single yeares , and a halfe . seeing therefore the whole controversie lies in the point of time , whether the churches fatall apostasie be already past or yet to come , it would be much the shorter and quicker course both for them and us to decide this controversie , to examine the condition and quality of both religions by the holy scripture , where we have also , as saint peter speakes , a most sure word of prophesie , whereunto wee shall doe well if wee take heed , as to a light shining in a dark place . now though this answer be sufficient enough for the objection of our adversaries , yet for the better understanding and clearer insight into the matter questioned , we will further consider whether and in what manner or measure our church may be said to have been visible , during the prevailing apostasie , and in what respects again it was not visible , and in both agreeable unto the state of the true church under the frequent apostasies of the church of israel . first therefore we must know that by a visible christian society in this question is meant a society or company of christian beleevers joyned together in one externall fellowship , and communion of the same publike profession , and rule of faith , use of sacraments , and ecclesiasticall jurisdiction ; for these make the outward forme , and as it were the shape of a church , whereby this society is discernable from other societies of men : so that a society by this outside severed and distinguished from other societies , is a society visible and conspicuous to other societies of men . the question therefore is , whether that holy society of beleevers before mentioned , who accorded together in one common faith with us of all divine truths needfull to salvation , and kept themselves free from such enormious abominations and mortall errours which we now disclaime , as utterly annihilating that common faith ; whether such a society as this has beene in all ages , joyned and distinguished by such a common outside from other companies , either of men in generall , or christians in speciall ? or in shorter and perhaps plainer termes thus : whether the society of men of our christian beleefe hath beene in all ages for the outside a distinct ecclesiasticall corporation from other societies of men ? my answer is , that for the first ages it was so not only thus visible , but easily discernable from all other societies of men whatsoever ; but afterward when the great apostasie we spake of surprized and deformed the bountifull spouse of christ , then was not that virgin company of saints , our mother , a distinct externall society from the rest of christendome , but a part , yea and the only found part of that externall and visible body whereof our adversaries boast their predecessors to have beene members : for howsoever this our virgin-mother , for the internall and invisible communion of her sincere and unstained faith , we●e a distinct and severed company from the rest with whom she lived , yet , for the common principles of the christian faith still acknowledged in that corrupt body of christendome , she retained communion with them ; and for the most part of that time of darknesse continued an externall part of the same visible body with the rest in grosse call'd christians , as being begotten by the same sacrament of baptisme ( as the israelites in like case of circumcision ) taught in some part by the same word , and pastours still continued amongst them , and submitting to the same jurisdiction and government , so farre as these or any of these had yet some soundnesse remaining in them ; but for the rest which was not compatible with her sincere and unstained faith , and which annihilated in those it surprised , even those common grounds of christianity otherwise outwardly professed , she with her children either wisely avoided all communion with it , or if they could not , then patiently suffered for their conscience sake under the hands of tyrants , called christians , untill that tyranny growing insupportable , and that mortall contagion unavoidable , it pleased god , lest we might have beene as sodome and gomorrah , to begin to call us thence at the time appointed , unto a greater liberty , as we see this day . as therefore when a little gold is mixed with a great quantity of base and counterfeit metall , so that of both is made but one masse or lump ; each metall we know still retaines its nature diverse from the other , and yet outwardly and visibly is not to be discerned the one from the other , but both are seene together as they are outwardly one , but cannot be distinguished by the eye , as they are diverse and severall ; the gold is visible as it is one masse , and under the same outside and figure with the rest , yet it is truly invisible as it is diverse from the rest : but when the refiner comes and severs them , then will each metall appeare in his own colours , and put on his own outside , and so become visible apart from the rest . such is the case here , and such was the state and condition of the church in the prevailing and great apostasie ; the purer metall of the christians visible body outwardly was not discernable from the base and counterfeit , while one outside covered them , and so much the rather , because the apostate part in a great proportion exceeding the sound , made it imperceptible ; but when the time of refining came , then was our church not first founded in the true faith ( god forbid ) but a part of the christian body newly refined from such corruptitions as time had gathered , even as gold refined begins no then first to be gold , though it begin but then to be refined gold . whatsoever we have hitherto spoken of the state of the true beleevers under the apostasie of antichrist , is the same which befell the true israelites in the apostasie of israel . and doth not saint peter intimate that the apost●sie which should betide christians should be like to that which we reade to have befallen israel , pet. . . there were ( saith he ) false prophets also among the people i e. israelites ) even as there shall be false teachers among you , who privily shall bring in damnable heresies , even denying the lord that bought them . if the apostasie of christians were to be of the same stamp with that of israel , and the heresies brought into christendome by the false doctors of babylon , like unto those wherewith the false prophets of israel infected and poysoned the ancient people of god ; surely we cannot finde a better patterne whereby to know what was the estate and condition of the unstained christian beleevers under that apostasie of the man of sinne , than that which was of the true israelites under the apostasie of israel : for the right understanding whereof we must alwayes remember , that the israelitish church did at no time altogether renounce the true and living god , not in their worst times , but in their owne conceit and profession acknowledged him still , and were cald his people and he their god , though they worshipped others beside him : so christians in their apostasie neither did nor were to make an absolute apostasie from god the father , and christ their redeemer , but in an outward profession still to acknowledge him , and to be cald christians , though by their idolatry and spirituall whoredomes they denied the lord that bought them ( i. e. ) whom they profest to be their redeemer ; just as israel for the like is said to have forsaken the lord their god that brought them out of the land of egypt : here therefore the case of both is alike , let us also see the rest . you ask , where was the true church we speake of in antichrists time ? i ask likewise , where was the company of true worshippers in ahabs time ? was it not so covered and scattered under the apostate israelites , that elias himselfe , who was one of it , could scarce finde it ? i am very jealous ( saith he ) for the lord god of hoasts , because the children of israel have forsaken thy covenant , throwne downe thy altars , and slaine thy prophets with the sword , and i even i alone am left , and they seeke my life to take it away , kings . . yet the lord tells him verse . i have yet left me . in israel , all the knees which have not bowed unto baal , and every mouth which hath not kissed him : yet i trow these . were not outwardly severed from the rest of israel , but remained still externall members of the same visible body with them . but you will except , that the true and unstained church in judah was still visible and apparent : i aske you then , where was the company of the true worshippers of jehovah in manasses time , the worst time of all others ? when the ten tribes were carried captive , and but judah and benjamin only left , and they , as far as the eye of man can see , wholly and generally fallen from the lord their god to all maner of idols and idolatries , like unto the abominations of the heathen , whom the lord had cast out before the children of israel , when in the temple it selfe , the only place where the true god was to be worshipped legally , were idolatrous altars erected , even in the house whereof the lord had said , in this house and in jerusalem will i put my name for ever ; even in this house , this holy house , were idols and graven images erected , and in both courts altars to baalim , the sunne , the moone , and the whole hoast of heaven , the like whereof never had beene untill that time . besides also , who is able to name the man almost yeeres together that remained a faithfull servant and true worshipper of the living god in the midst of this hideous profanation ? nor is it easie to be conceived how it was possible all that time to offer any legall sacrifice without idolatry , when gods owne temple and house was made a den of idols , nay his altar , the onely altar of israel destroyed , to make roome for altars erected to idols , as may be gathered chron. . , . where was the true church of israel now ? or had the lord no church at all ? yes certainely , he had a church and a company which defiled not their garments , a company ( i say ) but not visibly distinguished from the rest of their nation , but hidden as it were in the midst of that apostate body , and yet knowne together with the rest to be israelites and people of jehovah ; but knowne to god only and themselves to be true israelites and faithfull servants to jehovah their god. and that such a company there was , and a strong party too , though not seene , appeared presently upon the death of manasses and his wicked son , when josiah began to reign at eight yeares of age , for they then prevailed even in the court it selfe , and so brought up the king , that even yet while he was young , in the eighth yeare of his reigne , he began to seek after the lord god of david his father , and in the twelfth yeare to make a publick and powerfull reformation , such as the like was never done before him . could all this have been done so soon , and by a king so young in yeares , and to carry all before it like a torrent , unlesse there had beene a strong party , which now having a king for them , began quickly to shew themselves , and to sway the state , though before they were hardly to be seene . when therefore our adversaries ask us where our church was before luther , we see by this what we have to answer . of the two first particulars of the foure , whereby the great apostasie of christian beleevers is here deciphered , i have spoken sufficiently ; viz. first , for the kind and quality thereof , it should be a new doctrine of daemons : secondly , that for the persons revolting , they should not be all , but some . now i am to speak of the third , the time when , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the latter times . for the easier understanding whereof , we must know that speeches of last times in scripture meane sometimes a continuation or length of time , sometimes an end of time : a continuation of time i meane , as when we say the winter is the last time or season of the yeare , or old age the latter time of life , neither of them being the very end , but a space of time next the end , which therefore , in respect of some whole systeme of time , whereof it is the last part , is truly termed the last time thereof . mans life is a systeme of divers ages , the last space whereof is the last time of life . the yeare is a systeme of foure seasons , and therefore the last season thereof , winter , may be cald the last time of the yeare . but by an end of time i meanethe very expiring of time , as the last day of december is the end or last time of the yeare ; the moment when a man dies , is the last time ( i. e. ) the end of his life . now in the new testament , when by mention of last time is meant an end or terminus temporis , i observe it to be exprest in the singular number ▪ as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being foure times mentioned in the sixth of john , and once in the eleventh , is in every one of them meant of the day of the resurrection at the end of the world ; i will raise him up , saith our saviour , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , john● . , . , . and marthae of her brother lazarus , i know ( saith she ) he shall rise againe in the resurrection , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the last day , john . . so pet. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last time , is used in the selfe same sense , being spoken of the incorruptible inheritance reserved in heaven , and to be revealed ( saith the apostle ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the last time ; in all which is meant the end of the world . but in john . . we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last houre ; little children it is the last houre , where no doubt he meaneth an end of some time , but not an end of the world , which was then afarre off ; but an end of their time , to whom he then wrote his epistle ( i. e. ) an end of the jewish state , and religion , which was then at the very doore : which exposition i will make more plain hereafter . but when a continuation or longer space of time is signified , then i find the plurall number to be used , as pet. . . of the incarnation of christ it is said , that he was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world , but was made manifest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the last times , which times have continued these yeares at the least : so heb. . . god ( saith saint paul ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in these last dayes hath spoken unto us by his sonne ; and tim. . . this know also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that in the last dayes perillous times shall come . again , acts. . . in the last dayes i will poure out my spirit upon all flesh ; and in pet. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the last dayes shall come scoffers . and so in my text , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the latter times some shall revolt from the faith , and give heed to doctrines of daemons . whatsoever the validity of this observation be , for the rest i make no question but it will be granted , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in my text means some continued space of time , and not terminus temporis , or the very end of time : which therefore presupposed , i approach one step neerer , laying this for a second ground of our discovery , that these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , whereof saint paul speakes and meanes , were times not then present , but afterward to come ; for the words of the text are not a narration of things present , but a prediction ( as i have already admonished ) of what should betide the christian faith in after times , yet notwithstanding were the times wherein saint paul lived , and all the times of christianity , the last times , and so stiled in scripture even by our apostle himselfe , as by some of the fore-cited examples evidently appeareth : wherefore it must needs follow , that times here meant and mentioned in my text , are not the last times in generall and simply , but the last times in speciall and comparatively ( i. e. ) the latter times of the last times . that as the last times in generall were the times wherein christ the sunne of righteousnesse was to be revealed , and his kingdome founded in the world ; so the latter times of these last times should be the times wherein the apostasie of the christian faith should prevaile , and that wicked one usurp the throne of christ. before therefore that we can know what are the last times comparatively ( i e. ) the latter times , or the last of the last , we must first understand , what are the last times simply and in generall , why so called , whence reckoned , and how limited ; for then will these latter times in my text , which are the last part of them , be easily found , and in a manner demonstrated . as for the last times therefore in generall , most use to describe them onely thus , to be the times of the kingdome of christ which began at his passion to continue to the end of the world , which in respect that it succeeds the legall worship and no other shall succeed , it is therefore the last time . in like manner the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 allotted to the man of sinne are ( as i take it ) usually no otherwise described , then to be the times wherein the apostasie should appeare , which in that it should immediately precede the second coming of christ , is therefore to be esteemed the last times of all ; but these descriptions are obscurum per magis obscurum , they doe declare an obscure thing by that which was and is more obscure than it , and therefore come short of making good the intent of the holy ghost in his so often mention of the last times , especially in the new testament ; for the lact times or fulnesse of time were both a ground of the jewes expectation of christ when he came , and are without doubt so often propounded and alledged by the apostles for a confirmation of the truth of his comming : but if the last times could not be knowne but by his comming , how should his comming be knowne by them ? so also the holy ghost in my text mentions these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for an argument or signe of the apostasie to fall out therein , or for a note or mark of time wherein we should look for it , and therefore as forewarned beware of being carried away in that defection ; but if these times cannot be knowne nor described any other way than by the defection to fall out in them , we should be never a whit the nearer , and this mark of time which the holy ghost gives us would stand us in no stead at all . let us therefore now take this as a truth to be supposed , that the times are set out unto us to be as markes to informe us when that should come to passe which was to fall out in them , and not the things which were to befall , intended for signes to know the times by ; and therefore we are not to doubt but that the holy ghost hath somewhere else , by some other marks and grounds of computation , made knowne unto us when to reckon both the last times , wherein was foretold that christ should be anointed , and these latter times of them wherein the christian apostasie should be revealed , that so we might have a sure beliefe in the one , and a certaine and sufficient mark when to beware of the other . the prophanation of the legall sanctuary , and trampling down the holy people by antiochus epiphanes was marked out in daniels prophesie by the like circumstance and determination of time , as is this apostasie here in our apostles prediction , dan. . . in the latter time , or , in the latter end of the kingdome of graecia , a king of a fierce countenance shall stand up , viz. he who should magnifie himselfe against the prince of the hoast of heaven , and take away the daily sacrifice , &c. as it is in the vision which was foreshewed of him ver . . . where it would be preposterous to think , that this latter time or end of the greekes kingdome could not be defined otherwise than by the event to fall out therein , and not rather conceive that this determination of time , being such as might otherwise well enough be knowne , was therefore intended for a character to observe the event by . for when was this latter end of the greekes kingdome to be taken notice of , but then when they should see that kingdome begin to be given to another people ? when the fourth kingdome , the romane state , should once begin to encroach upon the third , especially when they should see the head province thereof greece it selfe to come under their obedience : when they should see this , then were they to prepare themselves for the abomination of desolation that was now at the door . and surely the event was most punctuall ; for this roman encroachment , having beene for yeeres together attempting manifestly and advancing , was at length accomplished , when aemilius the consul having quite vanquished perseus the king of macedon , all greece came under the romane obedience , yeers afore the birth of christ ; which no sooner was come to passe , but the very selfe same yeere , within lesse than three moneths after , antiochus sets up the abomination of desolation in the temple of jerusalem . why should we not then beleeve that the holy ghost intendeth here to give us as sure a watch-word , when to beware of the man of sinne , by this circumstance of latter times here in my text , as we see he gave the jewes to look for the persecution and prophanation by antiochus . therefore without any more preambles , i come now directly to resolve what was before propounded , viz. what is meant by last times in generall , whence and how we are to reckon them ; and then in the second place what are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in my text , which must be , as i said before , a latter part of that generall . for the true account therefore of times in scripture , we must have recourse to that sacred kalendar and great almanack of prophesie , the foure kingdomes of daniel , which are a propheticall chronology of times measured by the succession of foure principall kingdomes , from the beginning of the captivity of israel , untill the mystery of god should be finished ; a course of time during which the church and nation of the jewes , together with those whom by occasion of their unbeleefe in christ , god should surrogate in their roomes , was to remain under the bondage of the gentiles , and oppression of gentilisme ; but these times once finished , all the kingdomes of this world should become the kingdome of our lord and his christ. and to this great calendar of times , together with that other but lesser calendar of weekes , all mention of times in scripture seemes to have reference . now these foure kingdomes , according to the truth infallibly to be demonstrated if need were , and agreeable both to the ancient opinion of the jewish a church whom they most concerned , and to the most ancient and universall b opinions of christians derived from the times of the apostles ( untill now of late time some have questioned it ) are , the babylonian . that of the medes and persians . the greekes . the romane . in which quaternary of kingdomes , as the romane , being the last of the foure , is the last kingdome , so are the times thereof these last times we seeke for , during which times saith daniel , cap. . v. . the god of heaven shall set up a kingdome which shall never be destroyed , nor left unto another people , but it shall breake in pieces , and consume all these kingdomes , and it shall stand for ever : which is figured by a stone hewen out of the mountaine without hands , before the times of the image were yet spent : which stone at length smote the image upon his feet of iron and clay , and so utterly destroyed it ; that done , the stone that smote the image upon the feet became a great mountaine , and filled the whole earth : the meaning of all which is , that in the last times , or under the times of the last kingdome , ( the romane ) should the kingdome of christ appeare in the world , as we see it hath done ; and this is that which the apostle saith heb. . . god in these last dayes , or last times , hath spoken to us by his sonne : and saint peter ep. . . that he was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world , but was manifested in these last times . this is that fulnesse of time whereof the apostle speaks gal. . . when the fulnesse of time was come , god sent forth his son made of a woman : and ephes. . . having made knowne to us the mystery of his will , that in the dispensation of the fulnesse of times , he might gather together in one all things in christ. agreeable unto all which is that heb. . . christ hath once appeared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the end of times , or ages , to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himself : where these last times , fulnesse of time , and conclusion of ages , are nothing else but the times of the fourth kingdome , whose times are the last period of daniels foure ; the fulnesse of propheticall chronologie , and conclusion of the sacred calendar : during these times , christ was looked for , and accordingly came , and reigned ; whose kingdome shall at length abolish the brittle remainder of the romane state , according to the other part of the prophesie , when the fulnesse of the gentiles shall come in , and our lord subdue all his enemies under his feet , and at the last death it selfe . having thus found what times are termed the last times in generall , let us now see if we can discover which are the latter times of these last times , or the last times in speciall , which are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in my text : which will not be hard to doe ; for if the last times in generall are all the times of the fourth kingdome , then must our latter times as a part thereof needs be the latter times of that kingdome . let us therefore againe to our propheticall calendar , and survey daniels description of the fourth or romane kingdome as it is cap. . from ver . . where we shall finde the latter times thereof to be that period of a time , times , and halfe a time , during which that prodigious horne with eyes like a man , and mouth speaking great things , should make warre with the saints , prevaile against them , and weare them out , and thinke to change times and lawes , untill the judgement should sit , and his dominions be taken away ; and in him that long-liv'd beast finally be destroyed , and his body given to the burning flame , v. . for this hornish soveraignty is the last scene of that long tragedy , and the conclusion of the fourth beast , and therefore the times thereof are those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof the spirit speakes expresly , that in them there should be an apostasie from the christian faith . concerning these times thus found , we will now further enquire , what durance they may be of . when they take beginning , and by what mark their beginning may be knowne . for the first , we will make no question but these are the selfe same times whereof saint john speakes , telling us the church should be in the wildernesse a time , times , and halfe a time ; the same with those two and forty moneths wherein johns restored beast should domineere , and play the selfe-same reax which daniels hornish tyrant doth ; the same time with those two and forty moneths during which the church is trodden downe of the gentiles : lastly , the same times with . dayes , during which the witnesses of christ prophesied in sackcloth , for a time , times , and halfe a time ; or a yeare , two yeares , and halfe , are moneths , and moneths make . dayes : if therefore we can finde the beginning and continuance of any of these , we have found the beginning and continuance of them all . for the duration and length of them , they must imply some definitive times , because the scripture followes that use of speech , and useth no number indefinitely , but those which the use of speech had made such , as . . . but mixt and compound numbers , as these are , ½. . . are neither in the hebrew , nor i think in any other language used indefinitely . our adversaries would have them literally understood for three single yeers and a half , as though it were an history , and not a prophesie : but besides the use of prophesie to reckon dayes for yeers , i think it would trouble any man to conceive how so many things as should be performed in this time , should be done in three single yeeres and a halfe . ten kingdomes founded at the same time with the beast . peoples , and multitudes of nations and tongues to serve and obey him . to make warre with the saints and overcome them . to cause all that dwell upon the earth to worship him . babylon to ride the beast so long , that all nations shall drinke of the wine of her fornication , the kings of the earth commit fornication with her , yea the merchants and all those that had ships in the sea , to grow rich by trading with her . me thinks all this should ask much more than three yeeres works , or foure either . to which i adde moreover , that that state of government , soveraignty or seigniory , or what you will , of the beast , under which the whore should ride him , followeth immediately upon a former , which in comparison is said to last but a short space , rev. . . but if the antichristian state should continue but three yeers and a half literally taken , how short must the time of that foregoing king or soveraignty be which should occasion the holy ghost to insert so singular a note of the difference thereof from that which followed , that it should continue but a short space : doth not this imply , that the next state wherin the whore should ride the beast , was to continue a long space : therefore yeers & a half historically taken , cannot be the time of the churches apostasie , and the antichristian soveraignty of rome : and if it cannot be taken historically , it must be taken prophetically , every day for a yeer , & so dayes counted so many yeers , shewes the extent of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be yeers . now for the second thing proposed , the beginning of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; saint john tells us in the revelation , that his blasphemous beast of moneths continuance should succeed upon the mortall wound of the caesarian or imperiall soveraignty of rome : and apoc. . the idolatrous beast which carries the great whore upon his back , should have a plurality of kings start up at the same time with him , who should agree to submit their power and kingdome unto this whore-ridden beast ; and would not he also in the same chapter have us take notice , that the antichristian state of the beast which was to come , should be next to that of the caesars which then reigned ? for the angell there tels him , that that state of the beast , wherein the whore should ride him , which was then not in being , but should afterward ascend out of the bottomlesse pit , and goe into perdition ; that this state or head of the beast should succeed so immediately upon the sixth state or head , viz. the caesarian then reigning , that howsoever in some respects it might be called an eighth , yet should in very deed be but the seventh ; for how could it be otherwise , when the beast in the vision hath but seven heads and no more ? vide ver . . . . agreeable to this is saint pauls epocha , thes. . . who tels us , that as soone as the imperiall soveraignty of rome , which then hindered , should be taken out of the way , then should that wicked one be revealed : * thus the fathers generally expound it . hence was that custome in the church , in the most ancient times of it , to pray in their lyturgy for the lasting of the roman empire , that so antichrist might be long acomming , tertul. apol . cap. . & . ad scap. c. . upon this ground saint jerome , when ho heard of the taking of rome by alaricus the goth , presently expected the comming of antichrist , ad ageruchiam de monogamia ; qui tenebat ( saith he ) de medio sit , & non intelligimus antichristum appropinquare . idem praefat . l. . comment . in ezec. pascitur animus , & obliviscitur saeculi calamitatum , quòd in extremo fine jam positum congemiseit , & parturit , donec qui tenet de medio fiat , & pedes statuae quondam ferrei fragilitate digitorum fictilium conterantur : cadit mundus , & cervix erect a non flectitur , &c. thus he . postquam clarissimum terrarum omnium lumen extinctum est , imo romani imperii truncatum caput , & in una urbe totus orbis interiit , as he elsewhere deplores that wofull calamity , praef. l. . comment . in ezek. answerable to that which saint john told us ; daniels calendar also informes us , that the hornish tyrant who was to act the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , should then begin to appeare , when ten kings should arise in the fourth kingdome , for the ten horns which at last he espied upon the beasts head , and observed a little horn with eyes & a mouth to spring up amongst them , & displant three of them , v. . the angel v. . expounds to be ten kings which should arise out of that kingdome , and another , to wit antichrist , should arise * behind them , so it should be translated as the doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which should be diverse from the first ; ( that is , a king of another nature ) and should bring downe or humble three kings , and play those reax which follow in the text. thus the fathers universally and from the utmost antiquity expound this scripture : justin. mart. dialog . cum tryphone takes it for granted that this horne is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ▪ qui iniqua in nos christianos andebit . irenaeus scholar to policarp , l. . c. . aliis . saith , daniel novissimi regni finem respiciens , id est , novissimos decem reges , in quo divideretur regnum illorum , super quos filius perditionis veniet , cornua dic●● dec●m ●asei bestiae , &c. yea a little after hee tels us , that saint john in his ten kings which should re-receive their kingdomes at one houre with the beast , expounds this of daniel , manifestius adhuc d● novissimo tempore & de his qui sunt in eo decem regibus , in quos divid●tur quod nunc regna● imperium ; significavit johannes domini discipulus in apocalypsi edisserens quae fuerint decem cornua qu● à daniele visa sunt , &c. nay saint jerome in his comment upon this seventh chapter of daniel will give us to understand , that all the ecclesiasticall writers delivered this to be the true exposition ; for having there confuted porphyrie , who to derogate from the divinity of this prophesie would have it meant of antiochus epiphanes , and therefore written when the event was past : he concludeth thus , ergo dicamus quod omnes scriptores ecclesiastici tradiderunt : in consummatione mundi , quando regnum destru●ndum est romanorum , decem futuros reges , qui orbem romanum inter se dividant , & undecimum surrecturum esse regem parvulum , qui tres reges de decem regibus superaturus sit , in quo totus satanas habitaturus sit corporaliter . who these three kings were which this horne displanted to make himselfe elbow-roome , you shall heare more anon : but i will not conceale what i have heard of another exposition , which fits our turne for the beginning of the apostasie no lesse than that of the fathers ; namely , that by ten kingdomes may be meant the full plurality of the romane provinces , so much whereof as three is of ten should have the imperiall power rooted out of them , and fall under the dominion of the antichristian horne , who should act the soveraignty of the latter times , or the last soveraignty of that kingdome . now it is most true that the popes patriarchdome in the west holds just that scantling of the ancient territory of the roman empire , which a man may judge by his eyes , or compasses in a mapp : and yet i preferre the other exposition before it . to come up to an issue : it is apparent by all that hath bin said , that these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , with that wicked soveraignty which should domineer in them , was to take beginning from the wound , the fall , the ruine , the rending in pieces , or rooting up of the imperial soveraignty of the city of rome , when that city should cease to be the lap of that soveraignty which the casars once held over the nations ; and many new upstart kings should appeare in the place and territory of that once one empire ; then should the apostasie be seen , and the latter times with that wicked one make their entrance . now in what age this fell out i think no man can be ignorant , who hath but a little skill in historie . but you will say , the imperiall soveraignty of old rome fell not all at once , but had divers steps and degrees of ruine , so that the doubt will be notwithstanding , from which of these steps of the fall thereof these latter times must be reckoned ? i answer , from any of them . for as the imperiall soveraignty fell by degrees , so the apostasie under the lattermost soveraignty grew up also by degrees ; and for every degree which the ruinous empire decayed , was the rising sonne of perdition a degree advanced . secondly , all the maine and evident degrees of the empires ruine fell in the compasse of an age , and the knowledge and observation of that age onely , within which the times of this fall were comprehended , was sufficient both to warn them which then lived , that that which was to come , was then a comming , and to informe us who now live , that it is already come . now which were these maine and evident degrees of the empires falling , and at what time , i will tell you as soon as i have removed an usuall mistake in this businesse , which is to reckon the time of the empires ruine , and so likewise the apostasie attending , onely from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or full heigth thereof ; but this is too much against reason , and not agreeable to the course wee otherwise use in the like : for as when we reckon the age of a man , we reckon not from the time since he came to mans estate , but from his birth ; so should we doe here for the times of the man of sinne : i say not , we should begin to count his age from his conception , for that we use not in other things ; but from the time he was first editus in lucem , when he first began to appeare in the world : and so likewise the fall of the empire and the apostasie , not from the time they were consummate , but from the time they first evidently appeared ; as therefore i hold their opinion the best and most agreeable to truth , who begin the yeeres of the jewish captivity in babylon , not from the consummation thereof under zedekiah , when the city and temple were utterly rased , for that is impossible , there being not * yeeres in all betweene the nineteenth of nebuchadnezzar , and the last of cyrus ; but from the beginning thereof under jehojakim , eighteen yeers before , or at the most but from jehojakim . so are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the romane state to begin when the empire first began to fall , and not when it was utterly rooted up . take for another example , that computation of the time allotted to the calamity of the jewes under antiochus , which i the rather alledge , because he is commonly counted for a type of antichrist : the beginning of that evenings and mornings , or six yeeres , or somewhat more than a quarter , which that calamity was to continue , from the beginning thereof , untill the temple should again be cleansed , dan. . , . was not to be reckoned from the heigth thereof , when the daily sacrifice should be taken away ( for thence it is but three yeers , mac. . . &c. with c. . . ) but from the beginning of the transgression which occasioned this desolation , and is described mac. . &c. so likewise the end of the kingdome of the greekes , wherein this calamity was to happen , is not to be counted onely then when aemilius the consul had quite finished the conquest of macedon ( for this points out onely the heigth of that calamity ) but from the beginning of the last fatall warre which put an end to that kingdome ; which was about some three yeeres and an halfe before , and jumps with the beginning of the transgres●ion of desolation , as the finishing of the conquest doth with the taking away of the daily sacrifice . but leaving this , let us returne againe and see which were these maine and evident degrees of the empires downfall , and when they befell ; which i suppose may not unfitly be sampled by those of the babylonish captivity . as therefore the babylonish captivity had three steps or degrees , the first in the dayes of jehojakim , when daniel went captive ; the second under jehoiachim , or jechonias , when ezechiel went captive ; the last under zedekiah , when the temple and city were wholly razed and consumed : so ( omitting the politicall change under constantine ) the chiefe and principall moments of the ruine of the empire by the sword ( and by the sword the beast had his deadly wound , apoc. . . ) may fitly be reduced unto three . the first was presently after the death of julian , the last of heathen emperours , about the yeere . ominously marked with that universall , stupendious , and never but then sampled earthquake , a whereby the waters of the sea were rolled out of their channels , and left ships hanging upon the tops of houses . from this time forwards all the nations on every side seeme as it were with one consent to have conspired the ruine of the empire . b now that terrible and fatall storme of the nations of the north , almaines , sarmatians , quades , picts , scots , and saxons , especially the goths , began to break in upon it almost without intermission , harrying , burning , wasting , destroying the most part of the provinces thereof almost for c yeeres together . and to mend that matter , the goths sonne after their comming were admitted as inhabitants , and dispersed as free denizens into the bowels and heart of the empire , advanced to be commanders , and bore the greatest sway in their armies . d by which fatall errour the empire received her bane , and the romanes were no longer masters of their owne strength , which they quickly and often repented ; but even that cost them deare , when they had indeed eyes to see it , but never ability to amend it . this was the first degree of the empires ruine . the second was about the yeere , when alaricus the goth sacked rome it selfe , the lady of the world , when , as saint jerome saith , capiebatur urbs quae totum cepit orbem , imo fame periit antequam gladio , & vix pauci qui caperentur inventi sunt . and from th●s very yeere the plurality of kings foretold of , began to come upon the stage ; five or six new kingdomes presently appeared within the territories of the empire , of the goths , of the burgundians , and though somewhat later , of the franks in gallia , of the suevians and alans , and of the vandals in spaine , and , as sigonius thinks , of the huns in pannonia : certainly they could not be much later than this very yeere . but this number of kings we will leave till they be better increased , as continually they did . and thus you see the second degree of the ruine of the empire . the third was about the yeere , presently upon the death of the third valentinian , the last ( as sleidan well observed ) of the emperours of the west , and consequently of the ancient rome ; then when gensericus the vandall tooke the city now the second time , fired it , and spoiled it of all the goodly and glorious ornaments which alaricus had spared , amongst which were the golden and silver vessels of the temple of jerusalem , * brought thither by titus : all which , with an innumerable multitude of roman captives , he carried away with him . now was the prediction which varro reports that vect●us valens the augur made of vulturs to romulus the founder , that his city should continue hundred yeeres , fulfilled , and those yeeres newly expired ; and , which is more to be heeded , now was the plurality of kings lately risen in the ancient territorie of the empire , as daniel and saint iohn had prophesied , increased unto the full number of ten , which , together with the provinces wherein they were seated , and the names of the kings which reigned the next yeare after the city was taken , are these which follow . anno domini . kingdomes of the provinces . names of the kings reigning . somewhat of their changes . britans . in britaine . vortimer .   saxons . hengist .   franks . in gallia . childericke . an. . this kingdome was subdued by the franks , but to fill up the number , that of the ostrogoths became two by the comming of the longobards into pannonia the same time . burgundians . gundericke . wisigothes . in the south of gallia between the rhene , loyr and the sea , and part of spain . theodorick . swevians and alanes . spain in gallicia and portugal . riciarius .   vandals . in africke , but first in spain . gensericus .   almaines . germany in rhetia between the rhene , &c. sumanus . this kingdome became one with a part of the kingdome of the herules , . during their short reign in italy . ostrogothes . in pannonia , where they subdued the huns , and not long after propagated their kingdome into italy . theodemir . the longobards succeeded the ostrogoths first in pannonia , upon the death of theodorick of ve●ona an. . then in italy , called in by narses discontented , soon after he had destroyed the kingdome of the goths . greeks . in the residue of the empire . marcianus . ancient romes empire finished , that of the greeks is but on● of t●e kingdomes wh●reinto 〈◊〉 was divide● ▪ thus was the empire divided and shared an. . the yeere after rome was sacked by gensericus , and the off-spring of these nations through many alterations ( partly by the inconstancie of humane things , unions and dis-unions , partly by the further enlargement of the christian faith ) are the body of the most of the kingdomes and states of christendome at this day . three of these kings , saith daniel , should the antichristian horne depresse and displant , to advance himselfe , which three are those whose dominions extended into italy , and so stood in his light . that of the greekes , whose emperour , leo isaurus , for the quarrell of images , he excommunicated , and revolted his subjects of italy from their allegiance , that of the longobards , successours of the ostrogoths , whose kingdome he caused , by the aid of the franks , to be wholly ruinated , thereby to get the exarchate of ravenna ( which since their revolt from the greekes they were seized on ) for a patrimony to saint peter . the last was the kingdome of the franks it selfe , continued in the empire of germany , whose emperours from the day of henry the fourth he excommunicated , deposed and trampled under his feet , and never suffered them to live in rest , till he made them not onely quit their interest in election of popes , and investiture of bishops , but that remainder of jurisdiction in italy , wherewith , together with the dignity of the roman name , he had once infeoffed their predecessors , these are the kings , by displanting , or , as the vulgar hath it , by humbling of whom the pope by degrees got elbow-roome , and advanced himselfe to the heigth of temporall majesty , and absolute greatnesse , which made him so terrible in the world . this third blow therefore i suppose is to be counted the last of the ruine of the roman empire , the imperiall power of ancient rome ( untill the pope some yeeres after revived the name ) henceforth ceasing ; for as for those who yet for some twenty yeeres after our date scuffled for that name , one of them deposing another , they were indeed but shadowes of caesars , and as it were struglings with the pangs of death , untill with augustulus it gave up the ghost : yea it is to be observed , that two of them , avitus ( the very next ) and glycerius , being deposed from the empire , were made bishops , the one of placentia or piacenza , the other of * portus , as a signe perhaps that the emperour of rome henceforth should be a bishop , and a bishop the emperour . to conclude therefore with the application of our apostles prediction , whether the christian apostasie in worshipping new daemon-gods began not with the first of these degrees , notably increased with the second , and was established by the last , i leave you to judge , when you shall have surveyed the monuments and records of those times . it is commonly and truly affirmed by our ecclesiasticall * antiquaries ▪ that before the yeere , there is no word to be found of the invocation of saints glorified , or worshipping their reliques , to which i add , no not of any miracles done by them ; but presently after that yeere , when our first date of the empires ruine began , search and you shall finde : i spare to name the authors , not willing to discover the nakednesse of the fathers ; but whoso reads them , will admire to see so truly verified what the spirit foretold should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the latter times ▪ and to make an end , if any shall think this speculation of times to be a needlesse curiositie , i desire him to remember how our saviour reproved the jewes for neglect hereof , mat. . . o ye hypocrites , ye can discerne the face of the skies , but can ye not discerne the signes of the times ? or as saint luke . . how is it that yee doe not discerne this time ? they through neglecting the signes of the times , when christ came , received him not : how many through ignorance of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , when the apostasie hath appeared , eschewed it not ? from which of these three beginnings of the apostaticall times , or whether from some other moment within or betweene them the almighty will reckon that his computation of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which ended , will finish the dayes of the man of sinne , i curiously enquire not , but leave unto him who is lord of times and seasons : nor doe i think that the jewes themselves could certainly tell from which of their three captivities to begin that reckoning of yeeres , whose end should bring their returne from babylon , untill the event assured them thereof . an appendix . i should now presently come to speak of the fourth particular which i observed in the verse , but because in this discourse of times , besides the great calendar of times which i so much spake of , there was some mention of a lesser calendar , viz. of daniels weekes , give me leave to note some places of scripture which i suppose to have refe●ence thereto , for the better clearing not onely of our former discourse , but of some scruples that might trouble our minds , when mention is made of an end then supposed neere , though the world hath lasted so many hundred yeeres , and no end thereof is yet come . know therefore , that these weeks are a little provinciall calendar , containi●g the time that the legall worship and jewish state was to continue from the re-building of the sanctuary under darius nothus , untill the finall destruction thereof , when the calendar shall expire , within the space whereof their commonwealth and city should be restored , and weeks after that , the messias be slaine for sin , and at the end of the whole their city and temple againe destroyed , and their commonwealth utterly dissolved . to these weeks therefore , whose computation so especially concernes the jewes , is reference made in those epistles which are written to the christian churches of that nation , whether being in iewry , or abroad dispersed , in pontus , galatia , cappadocia , asia , bythinia . such is s. pauls epistle to the hebrewes , both saint peters to the dispersion , the epistle of saint iames to the twelve tribes , and likewise the first epistle of saint iohn , which though the salutation expresseth not as in the former , yet may appeare both because peter , iames , and iohn , were all three apostles of the circumcision , and from that passage cap. . . christ iesus is the propitiation for our sinnes , and not for ours onely , but for the sinnes of the whole world ; that is , not for the sins of us onely who are jewes , but for the sinnes of the gentiles also . and doth not the name of generall or catholicall epistle given unto this , as well as those of saint iames and peter , imply thus much ? for it cannot be thus called , as written to all christians indefinitely , and generally , since the contrary plainly appeares in the former ; but because this as well as the rest was written to those of the circumcision , who were not a people confined to any one city or region , but dispersed through every nation , as we reade in the acts , cap. . . &c. that at the feast of pentecost , when the holy ghost came downe upon the apostles , there were sojourning at ierusalem iewes , devout men , out of every nation under heaven ; parthians , medes , elamites , and the dwellers of mesopotamia , iudaea , and cappadocia , pontus , and asia , and strangers of rome , jewes and proselites ( jewes by race , and jewes by religion ) &c. for we must not mistake those there numbred to be gentiles , but israelites ; both of the ten tribes captivated by shalmaneser , and the other two ; some of whom never returned from babylon , but lived still in mesopotamia : but of these who returned , great multitudes were dispersed afterwards in egypt , lybia , and many other provinces before the time of our saviours appearing in the flesh . so that the apostles of the circumcision had their province for largenesse not much inferiour to that of the gentiles . but i come to note the places i spake of : and first out of the fore-named epistle of saint john , where from that prediction of our saviour in the gospel , that the arising of the false prophets should be one of the neare signes of the nigh approaching end of the jewish state : the apostle thus referres to it cap. . ver . . little children this is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the last houre : and as you have heard that antichrist shall come , even now there are many antichrists , whereby we know that it is the last time : here by the last time i suppose no other thing to be meant but the neare expiring of daniels weeks , and with it the approaching end of the jewish commonwealth : and why might not this epistle be written in the last weeke , at the beginning whereof jesus ananiae began that wofull crie , woe unto jerusalem , and the temple , joseph . l. . belli judaici . by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , many antichrists , are meant no other but false prophets , counter-prophets to the great prophet , pretending an unction and commission from heaven ( as he had ) to teach the world some new revelation and doctrine : for the name christ implies the unction of prophecies , as well as the unction of a kingdome , and accordingly the name antichrist : and therefore the syriack here turnes it , false christs , that is , such as should falsely pretend some extraordinary unction of prophecie like unto him . and the comming of such as these , our saviour in saint matthews gospel , a gospel for the hebrewes , makes one of the last signes ushering the destruction of jerusalem ; and if the harmony of this prophecy in the three evangelists be well considered , there was no more to come but the compassing of jerusalem with armies . well therefore might saint john , when he saw so many antiprophets spring up , say , hereby we know that it is the last time . againe , b●cause the desolation of the jewish state and temple would be a great confirmation to christian faith , therefore the beleeving jewes , whom nothing could so much stagger as the standing glory of that temple and religion , are encouraged by the neerenesse of that time of expectation , when so great a confirmation of their faith of their messias already come should appeare . heb. . . . let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering , and so much the more as you see the day approaching ; namely , that day when you shall be sufficiently confirmed : so i take the . and . verses of the same chapter , cast not away your confidence which hath great recompence of reward , for ye have need of patience . for yet a little while , he that shall come , will come , and will not tarry . what ( he ) is this , but even he of whom daniel sayes , the people of the prince that shall come , shall destroy the city and the sanctuary , dan. . . for even as the destruction of papall rome would be a great confirmation of the reformed christian , who hath forsaken the communion of that religion , the continuance and supposed stability of the glory thereof being that wherewith their proctors endeavour most to shake and stager us : so was the destruction of the jewish state and temple to be unto those jewes , who had withdrawne themselves from that body and religion whereof they had once beene , to embrace the new faith of the messiah , preached by the apostles . for if at the end of the weeks approaching , the legall sanctuary were rased , and the jewish state dissolved , then would it be apparent indeed , that the messiah was already come and slaine for sin ; because this was infallibly to come to passe within the compasse , and before the expiration of those weeks , or yeeres allotted for the last continuance of that city and sanctuarie , when it should be restored after the captivity of babylon . not without cause therefore doth saint peter in his second epistle say to the christian jewes , we have a more sure word of prophecie , whereunto you doe well that you give heed as unto a light shining in a dark place , untill the day dawn , and the day-star arise in your hearts : yea and besides , because jesus also as well as daniel had prophesied of the approaching desolation of that city and temple , mentioning all the signes that were to usher it ; if the event when time come should fall out accordingly , then must jesus of nazareth , who foretold the foregoing signes thereof , be approved as a true prophet , by whom of a truth the lord had spoken . now for the last place i mean to alledge : thus must the last of saint james also be expounded , because the fall and shock of that state might shake the whole nation wheresoever dispersed , unlesse god had spared the christians , and made them alone happy in that wofull day , or rather because christ had foretold that one of the next fore-runners thereof should be a generall persecution of christians , as it happened under nero. therefore the remembrance of the end of these weekes so neere the expiring , was a good caution to all the christian jewes to watch and pray : to this sence therefore i take that of peter , pet. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the end of all things is at hand , be yee sober therefore , and watch unto prayer ; that is , the end of all your commonwealth , legall worship , temple , and service , is now within a few yeeres : be ye therefore sober , and watch unto prayer , that ye may be more happy in the day of vengeance and wrath upon our nation . neither need we wonder that this desolation should be called the end , for our saviour himselfe taught them so to speak in his prophecie concerning it , as may appeare if we consider that antithesis in saint luke , cap. . . yee shall heare of warres , and commotions , but the end is not by and by . ver. . but when yee shall see jerusalem encompassed with armies , then know that the desolation thereof is nigh . and thus much i thought to add to my former discourse of latter times , lest through ignorance thereof we might incline to that little better than blasphemous conceit which * baronius by name , and some other of romes followers have taken up ; viz. that the apostles in such like passages as we have noted , were mistaken as beleeving that the end of the world should have been in their owne time ; god of purpose so ordering it , to cause in them a greater measure of zeale , and contempt of worldly things ; an opinion i thinke not well beseeming a christian. for , first , whatsoever we imagine , the apostles might here conceive in their private opinions as men ; yet we must know that the holy ghost , by whose instinct they wrote the scriptures , is the spirit of truth , and therefore what is there affirmed must be true , yea , though the pen-man himselfe understood it not . secondly , it was not possible the apostles should expect the end of the world to be in their owne time , when they knew so many things were to come to passe before it , as could not be fulfilled in a short time : as first , the desolation of jerusalem , and that not till the weeks were expired . secondly , then the jewes to be carryed captives over all nations , and jerusalem to be trodden downe of the gentiles , untill the time of the gentiles be fulfilled , luke . . thirdly , that in the meane time the roman empire must be ruined , and that which hindered taken out of the way , thes. . . fourtly , that after that was done , the man of sin should be revealed , and domineere his time in the temple and church of god , ibid. fifthly , after all this , viz. when the fulnesse of the gentiles should come in , that israel should be received againe to mercy , rom. . . sixthly , that christ should reigne in his church on earth so long , till he had put downe all rule , all authority and power , and subjected all his enemies under his feet , before he should subdue the last enemy , which is death , and surrender his kingdome into the hands of his father , cor. . , , &c. heb. . . seventhly , that the time should be so long , that in the last dayes should come scoffers , saying , where is the promise of his comming , pet. . . how is it possible they should imagine the day of doome to be so neere , when all these things must first come to passe , and not one of them was yet fulfilled ? and how could the expectation of this day be made a ground of exhortation , and a motive to watchfulnesse , and prayer , as though it could suddenly and unawares surprize them which had so many wonderfull alterations to foregoe it , and yet none of them come to passe . i have spoken hitherto of what was revealed to all the apostles in generall ; but if we take saint john apart from the rest , and consider what was afterward revealed to him in patmos , we shall finde in his apocalypticall vision , besides other times more obscurely intimated , an expresse prophecy of no lesse than a thousand yeers , which whatever it meane , cannot be a small time , and must be fulfilled in this world , and not in the world to come . notwithstanding all this , i make no question but in the apostles times many of the beleeving gentiles , mistaking the apostles admonition to the jewes of the end of their state approaching , thought the end of the whole world and the day of the lord had beene also neere , whom therefore paul thes. . beseeches to be better informed , because that day should not come untill the apostasie came first , and that man of sin were revealed . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , expresly , or , in expresse words . now i come to the fourth part of this prophecy , the warrant or proofe thereof . the spirit hath foretold it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or in expresse words , in some place or other of divine writ . the spirit told peter acts . . behold three men seeke thee . the spirit said , separate barnabas and saul , acts . . the spirit forbade saint paul to preach in asia . the spirit said that the jewes should binde saint paul at jerusalem , acts . . but in all these the spirit spake not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : for these things were no where written , and therefore what it spake , it spake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , onely by secret instinct or inspiration : but that which the spirit speakes in the written word , that it speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , verbatim , expresly . if therefore concerning this apostasie of christian beleevers , to be in these latter times , the scripture speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , then is it to be found somewhere in the old testament : for there alone the spirit could be said to speake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or verbatim , in the apostles time . having therefore so good a hint given us , let us see if we can finde where the spirit speaketh of this matter so expresly . there are three maine things in this our apostles prediction , whereof i finde the spirit to have spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or , in expresse words , and that in the prophecy of daniel . of these last or latter times . of the new worship of daemons in them . of a prohibition of marriage to accompany them . as for the first of these , the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , daniel , as you heard before , expresly names them , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a time , times , and halfe a time ; being those last times of this last kingdome , wheren the hornish tyrant should make warre with the saints , and prevaile against them . for the second , a worship of new daemons or demi-gods with the profession of the name of christ : you will perhaps think it strange if i should shew it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : but if i doe , it was the appendix of hindering or debarring marriage , mentioned in the next verse , which as a thread led me the way to the end of the eleventh chapter of daniel , where i found it , and in a place too very suspicious , being taken i think by almost all the ancients for a prophecy of antichrist ; yea and so expounded by the greatest part of our own , though with much variety of reading and application . but heare the words themselves in the , , , verses of the eleventh chapter of daniel , translated as i think 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , verbatim , without any wresting or straining the hebrew text : they are a description of the last or roman kingdome , with the severall states thereof ; conquering nations , persecuting christians , false worshipping christ. the words are these , daniel cap. . , , , . verses . then a king shall doe according to his will , & shall exalt and magnifie himselfe above every god , yea against the god of gods shall hee speak marvellous things , and shall prosper untill the indignation be accomplished : for the determined time shall be fulfilled . tunc faciet pro libitu suo rex , & extollet ac magnificabit seipsum supra omnem deum , etiam contra deum deorum loquetur stupenda , proficitque donec consummata fuerit indignatio : nam statutum perficietur . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then he shall not regard the gods of his ancestors , nor shall he regard the desire of women , no nor any god : but he shall magnifie himselfe above all . tunc ad deos ma jorum suorum non attendet , nec ad desiderium mulierum , nec ad ▪ ullum numen attendet : sed supra omne se magnificabit . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for to [ or together with ] god , in his seat , hee shall honour mahuzzims : yea together with that god whom his ancestours knew not , shall he honour them with gold , and with silver , and with precious stones , and with pleasant things . nam ad [ vel juxta ] deum , mahuzzimos , in sede ejus honorabit : scilicet ad deum , quem non agnoverunt majores ejus , honarabit eos auro , & argento , & lapidibus pretiosis , & rebus desideratissimis . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hee shall make the holds of the mahuzzims withall ( or joyntly ) to the forreigne god : whom acknowledging , hee shall increase with honour , and shall cause them to rule over many , and shall distribute the earth for a reward . et faciet munimenta mauzzimorum unà deo peregrino ( seu exotico ) : quem agnoscendo , multiplicabit honores , & dominari faciet eos in multos , terramque partietur in mercedem . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now for the understanding of this prophecy , wee must take notice that the prophet daniel at the begining of these verses , leaves off the greek kingdome with antiochus , of whom he was speaking before , and falls about the romane : the reason being , because after antiochus , in whose time macedonia ( whence that kingdome sprung , with all the rest of greece ) came under the romane obedience ; the third kingdome comes no more into reckoning , daniel himselfe calling the time of antiochus reigne , the latter end of the greek kingdome , cap. . . and as i take it , he intimates the same in this chapter in the verses immediately fore-going : these we have now to deale withall : from thence forward therefore the romane succeeds in the account of the great calendar of time . under the name king we must understand the whole roman state under what kind of government soever : for the hebrewes use king for kingdome , and kingdome for any government , state or policy in the world : for the divell in the gospel is said to have shewn christ all the kingdomes of the world , monarchies , aristocracies , democracies , or what other kind soever . where it is said , this king shall exalt himselfe above every god , nothing is thereby meant , but the generality , and the greatnesse of his conquests and prevailings : and the reason of that phrase or manner of speech should seem to be , because in the time of paganisme every citie and country was supposed to have their proper and peculiar gods , which were deemed as their guardians and protectors : whence in the scripture , according to the language of that time , we may observe a threefold use of speech . first , the nations themselves are expressed and implyed under the names of their gods : the israelites were called the people of jehovah , so are the moabites the people of chemosh , numb . . . the lord threatned , deut. . . & . . jer. . ▪ to scatter israel among the nations , from one end of the earth even to another , and that there they should serve other gods day and night ; gods the work of mens hands , woed and stone , which neither they nor their fathers had knowne : that is , they should serve them , not religiously but politically , insomuch as they were to become slaves and vassals to idolatrous nations ; even such idolaters as neither they nor their fathers had ever heard of . for as for a religious service of idols , the jewes were never so free as in the captivity , as we see by experience at this day : but with the service of bondage they may be said politically to have beene the vassals of idols , as being in bondage to the servants of other gods . as a christian taken by the turks may in the like sense be said to come in bondage , and be a slave to mahomet : for a slave to the servants is in a sense servant to their masters . let it also be considered whether that of david , sam. . . be not to be expounded according to this notion , they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the lord , saying , goe serve other gods ; that is , banished me into a nation of another religion . secondly , the exploits of the nation are said to be done by their gods , even as we by like priviledge of speech ascribe unto our kings what is done by the people under them : thus chron . . the gods of damascus are said to have smote ahaz ; he sacrificed to the gods of damascus that smote him : and he said , because the gods of syria help them , therefore will i sacrifice to them , that they may help me . jer. . . it is said of the dominion of babylon , that the nations flowed together unto bel , and that he had swallowed up their wealth , which the lord threatned there to bring forth again out of his mouth . thirdly , and that most frequently of all others , what is attempted against the nation , is said to be attempted against their gods : even as generals beare the name not onely of the exploits , but also of the disadvantages of the armies led by them : so here the gods are said to receive the affronts , defeatures , and discomfitures given to the people under their patronage . * rabshakeh vaunts in his masters name , kings . . hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of assyria ? where are the gods of hamath , and of arphad ? where are the gods of sepharvaim ? esay . . prophecieth thus of the taking of babylon by cyrus ; bel boweth downe , nebo stoopeth , they could not deliver the burden , but they themselves are gone into captivity . in the like straine prophecieth jeremy , cap. . . babylon is taken , bel is confounded , merodach is broken in pieces , her idols are confounded . and again , jer. . . i will punish bel in babylon , and i will bring out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up , and the nations shall not flow together any more unto him : yea the wall of babylon shall fall . the same prophet saith of moabs captivity , cap. . . thou shalt be taken , and chemosh shall go into captivity with his priests and his princes together . moa● likewise in his affronts and derision of israel is said to have magnified himselfe against the lord : according to which manner of speech the successe and prevailing of the roman in the advancing his dominion , and subduing every nation under him , is here expressed by his exalting and magnifying himselfe above every god. this i suppose to be the ground of that manner of speech ; though if any had rather , as others doe , take gods here for kings and potentates of the earth , it will i confesse come all to one purpose . by the gods of their ancestours , whom the roman state should at length cashiere and cast off , are meant all the pagan deities , and heathen gods , which were worshipped in that empire . by desire of women , which the roman of that time should not regard , as he was wont , is meant the desire of wiving , or desire of having women for the society of life ; conjugall affection which is expressed gen. . . to be such a desire for which a man should leave father and mother and cleave to his wife , and they shall be both one flesh : and it might have beene in this place , desire of wives , as well as desire of women ; for there is no other word used in the originall for wives above once or twice in the whole scripture , but this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here turned women . with the like use of the word desire , the spouse in the canticles , cap. . . expresseth her wel-beloved to be her husband : i am my wel-beloveds ( saith she ) and his desire is toward me ; that is , he is my husband : for so twice before she expressed her selfe , cap. . . my beloved is mine ; and i am his . cap. . . i am my beloveds , and my beloved is mine . so ezek. . . the lord threatning to take away ezekiels wife , saith , behold , i take away from thee the desire of thine eyes ; and afterward ver . . it followeth , and at even my wife died . yea , the roman language it selfe is not unacquainted with this speech : cicero ad uxorem , en mea lux , meum desiderium . this desire of women and married life , the roman should discountenance , when he shook off the gods of his ancestors . ▪ by the strange and forraine god whom the roman should at length acknowledge , is meant a christ ; for though to the jew every strange and forreign god were a false god , yet to the gentiles , who worshipped none but idols , the forreigne god was the true : therefore the philosophers at athens , when saint paul preached christ unto them , said , he preacheth b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a forreigne god . the want of which consideration hath much obscured this prophecy , this forreigne god being still supposed to be a false god ; when to those who worshipped all kinds of false gods , as the c roman did , a forreigne god , whom their fathers knew not , must needs be the true. where it is said , with this forreign god he shall honour mahuzzims : these mahuzzim , or mauzzims , are these daimons we seek for , whom the roman should worship with christ , whom he should embrace : for mahuzzims are protectores dii , such as saints and angels are supposed to be , as i shall shew by and by ; where though i shall be new for the particular , yet for the generall i shall agree well enough with the fathers , who constantly thought that under this mahuzzim was some idol meant which antichrist should worship , and many of our times have taken it for the masse . but i must first say something of the translation of this verse , and then will come to the signification of this word mahuzzims . for the first , whereas the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is usually neglected , and the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , god and mahuzzim construed together as one thing , viz. god mahuzzim , or , as some , the god of forces ; i expresse the preposition lamed , and construe god and mahuzzim apart , as here , viz. to , or , together with god he shall honour mahuzzims , &c. ad , vel juxta deum , mahuzzimos honorabit . for the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is made of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifies the same with it , viz. addition of , or joyning of things , ad , juxta , apud , pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in , pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contra , super , to , together , and besides with , as d lev. . . thou shalt not take a wife to her sister , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , sister· by this meanes the controversie betweene junius and graserus is taken away : for junius , as should seeme , seeing no reason why the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be neglected , and that by so doing the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was made irregularly and against use to governe a dative case , he expresses the preposition by quod ad , or quod attinet ad , ( id est ) as concerning . but the words god and mahuzzim he separateth not , but turneth them as in statu constructo , viz. the god of might and of forces ; understanding thereby the true and almighty god himselfe . against which graserus excepts , first , that to render the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ad , as concerning , savours of a latinisme rather than of an hebraisme . secondly , that he doth as good as strike out the distinctive accent athnach ( ) which is a colon ; in as much as he makes the sentence being a full member to be imperfect and defective , and yet would seeme to stand in awe of that smaller distinction zakeph-katon ( : ) over the word mahuzzim , which yet stands there , as e elsewere it doth , but for a nota benè . thirdly , that to expound god mahuzzim to be the true god , against the consent not onely of the jewes who ever take it for some idol or other , but of the ancient christian writers who understand by it some idol of antichrist , yea some , the divell himselfe , and many of our owne who take it for the idol of the masse , and some otherwise , yet for some idol-deity . to expound this of the true and mighty god without example in scripture graserus thinkes not tolerable ; wherefore himselfe had rather yeeld the construction of the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be irregular : junius himselfe having admitted it in the next member of the verse , and to suppose it to be a mysticall solecisme , the spirit intending by the anomaly or incongruity of the syntax to signifie an anomaly or incongruity of religion : but their inconveniences on both sides , as farre as i can see , are wholly accorded by that translation we have given . whereof let the reader judge . i come now to unfold the signification of the word mahuzzim ; a word which most translations retain , the septuagint calling it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; saint jerome and the vulgar latine , maozim ; the geneva and others , mahuzzim : this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mahuzzim i say is in the plurall number , the singular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mahoz , which in the abstract signifies sometimes strength , sometimes a fortresse , or bulwarke ; of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 robustus fuit : but the hebrewes use abstracts for concretes : examples are many in the old testament , as justitia pro justis ; captivity for captives , &c. in the new testament , principalities , powers , and dominions , for princes , potentates , and dominators ; so mahoz , strength , or a fortresse , for him that strengthens or fortifies , that is a protector , defender , guardian , and helper . wherefore the septuagint five times in the psalmes render the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mahoz , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the vulgar latine as often protector : the places are these , psal. . . the lord is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the protector of my life , of whom should i be affraid ? psal. . . the lord is their strength , and he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mahoz jeshuoth , the mahoz of salvation of his annointed : * where the septuagint , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the vulgar , protector salvationum . psal. . . bow downe thine eare to me ; deliver me speedily , be thou unto me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a rock mahoz : septuagint , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; vulg. in deum protectorem : againe verse . pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou art my protector ; septuagint , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; the vulgar , protector . psal. . . the salvation of the righteous is from the lord , he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mahuzzam , their mahoz in the time of trouble : where the septuagint and the vulgar render as before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and protector . how think you now , are not saints and angels worshipped as mahuzzims ? true christians have with david , in the psalme before quoted , one mahoz , jehovah mahoz , that is , christ ; but apostate christians have their many mahuzzims . oh , would they worshipped only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mahoz of salvations , as you heard david even now call him , psal. . you may if you please compare with these places of the psalmes that in the first verse of this eleventh of daniel , where the angel said he stood in the first yeere of darius the mede to confirme and be a mahoz to him , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we translate , to strengthen him ; by which we may see how fitly this name may be applied to angels and so to saints , supposed in helping , protecting , assisting , to be like them . thus you see the concrete sence of mahoz for helper , protector , and defender , is not new . but what if we take the word passively , force and strength , for forts and strong ones ; will not then the valiant martyrs and champions of the faith well bear the name of mahuzzims ? and these are they whom at the first christians worshipped onely in this sort , as an honour peculiarly due unto their sufferings . moreover , that you may not think this word and the notion thereof unproper to be given unto a deity , observe that the true god is called a rock 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seven times deut. . which the vulgar turnes as often deus ; yea in the same place false gods are termed also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rockes , ver . . their rock , i. e. the gentiles rock is not as our rock , even our enemies themselves being judges : and ver . . where are their gods ( that is , baalim ) their rock in whom they trusted ? which did eat the fat of their sacrifices , &c. the like you shall finde in hannahs song , and other places of scripture . see now the parity : the true god , or christ himself is often by david cald mahoz , why may not then false gods , or plurality of christs be called mahuzzim ? rocke and fortresse are not words of so great difference . thus having cleared the chiefest difficulties in the text , and made the way smooth , let us read over the words again , and apply the interpretation unto them . dan . ii. verse . then a king shall doe according to his will , and shall exalt or magnifie himselfe above every god . that is , toward the end of the reigne of antiochus epiphanes the roman shal prevail , and set up the fourth kingdome , making himself master of the kingdome of macedon , and advancing himselfe from this time forward by continuall conquests , shall lord it over every king and nation . yea against the god of gods shall he speake marvellous things , and shall prosper , untill the indignation be accomplished ; for the determined time shall bee fulfilled . yea christ the god of gods , and king of the kings of the earth , who in those times should appear in the world , the roman shall mock , blaspheme , and crucifie , and by most bloody edicts shall persecute and massacre his servants the christians , and yet shall prosper in his empire , untill these outragious times be ended , that is , untill the dayes of constantine ; for the time god hath appointed must be fulfilled . verse . then he shall not regard the gods of his ancestors , nor shall he regard the desire of women , no nor any god : but he shall magnifie himselfe above all . when that appointed time for the date of his prosperitie comes to his period , and the time of his ruine and change of his dominion drawes neere , then this roman state shall cashiere and forsake the idols and false gods , whom their fathers worshipped , and shall acknowledge christ a god whom their fathers knew not : at that time the desire of women and married life shall be discountenanced , and shall not be of that account and regard it had been ; but contrary to the long continued custome of the romans , single life shall be honoured and priviledged aboue it ; yea and soone after the romane shall beare himselfe so , as if he regarded not any god ; and with antichristian pride shall magnifie himselfe over all . verse for to ( or together with ) god in his seat , he shal honour mahuzzims : yea together with that god , whom his ancestours knew not , shall he honor them with gold , and with silver , and with precious stones , and with pleasant things . that is , together with the christian god , who is a jealous god , and to be worshipped alone , hee shall worship mahuzzims , even in his seat and temple ; even with a forreine god , whom his ancestors acknowledged not , shall hee honour mahuzzims , with gold and silver , and with precious stones , and with pleasant things . verse . and he shall make the holds of the mahuzzims withall ( or joyntly ) to the forreine god : whom acknowledging , hee shall increase with honour , and shall cause them to rule over many , and shall distribute the earth for a reward . and though the christian god , whom he shall professe to acknowledge and worship , can endure no compeers , yet shall he consecrate his temples and monasteries ( ecclesiasticall holds ) jointly to the christian god and to his mahuzzims , deo & sanctis ; yea he shall distribute the earth among mahuzzims , so that beside severall patrimonies which in every countrey he shall allot them , he shall share whole kingdomes and provinces among them . saint george shall have england ; saint andrew shall have scotland ; st. denis , france ; st. james , spaine ; s. mark , venice ; &c. and beare rule as presidents and patrons of their severall countries . thus we see how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , how expresly the spirit foretold the roman empire , having rejected the multitudes of gods and daemons worshipped by their ancestours , and betaken themselves to that one and onely true god which their fathers knew not , should neverthelesse depart from this their faith , and revive againe their old theology of daemons by a new superinduction of mahuzzims . now although this prophesie thus applied , be so evident , that the onely pointing at the event were able almost to convince the reader , yet that we may the more yet admire the truth of god in the contemplation of an even so sutable , i will add these following observations concerning it . first , that agreeably with the date of the holy ghost , the roman historians themselves have observed and marked out this time of their prevailing against macedonia ( which i said was accomplished toward the end of the reigne of antiochus epiphanes ) for the beginning of the dominion over the world . lucius florus lib. ● cap. . cedente hannibale praemium victoriae africa ●uit ▪ & secut●s africam t●rrarum orbis ; post carthaginem vinci neminem puduit ; secutae sunt statim africam , gentes ; macedonia , graecia , syria , caeteraque omnia quodam quasi aestu , & torrente fortunae : sed primi omnium macedones , affectator quondam imperii populus . in velleius paterculus lib. . cap. . is an annotation out of one aemilius sura , in these words . aemilius sura de annis populi romani . assyrii , principes omnium gentium , rerum potiti sunt , dei●de medi , postea persae , deinde macedones , exinde duobus regibus , philippo & antiocho , qui à macedonibus oriundi erant , haud multò post carthaginem subactam , devictis , summa imperii ad populum romanum pervenit . inter hoc tempus & initium nini regis assyriorum , qui princeps rerum potitus , intersunt anni mille nongenti quinque . here the time of the romans prevailing against the macedonian king is made the beginning of their empire ; even as daniel also beginneth the roman account from thence ; but with this difference , that whereas aemilius sura seems to reckon from the beginning of these prevailings in the victories against philip , daniel counts from the victory against perseus his son ; when that conquest was now perfected , and macedonia brought into a province ; which happened ( as i have already said ) the same yeere that antiochus epiphanes prophaned the temple of jerusalem . that no kingdome in the world that we know of , could more literally be said in their conquests to exalt and magnifie themselves above every god , than the roman ; in respect of a solemne custome they used in their wars , by a certain charm to call out the gods of any city when they besieged it . the form wherof macrob. gives us , l. . saturn . c. . as he found it in sammon . serenus his fifth book of hidden secrets , namely this . — if it be a god , if it be a goddesse that hath the city of carthage in protection . — and thou especially , whosoever thou art , the patron of this city and people , i pray and beseech , and with your leave require you to abandon the people and city of carthage , to forsake the places , temples , ceremonies , and enclosures of their city ; to goe away from them , and to strike feare , terrour , and astonishment into that people and city ; and having left it , to come to rome to me and mine ; and that our cities , places , temples , ceremonies be more acceptable , and better liked of you ; that you would take the charge of me , of the people of rome , and of my souldiers , ●o as we may know and understand it : if you doe so , i vow to build you temples , and to appoint solemne sports for you . that constantine , the first emperour under whom that state forsook the gods of their forefathers , and became christian , together with this alteration , abrogated those ancient roman lawes , julia and papia , wherein the desire of women and married life was so much priviledged and encouraged , and single and unmarried life disadvantaged . heare it in the words of zozoman lib. . cap. . hist. ecclesiast . there was ( saith he ) an ancient law among the romans , forbidding those who after five and twenty yeeres old were unmarried , to enjoy the like priviledges with married ones ; and besides many other things , that they should have no benefits by testaments and legacies , unlesse they were next of kindred , and those who had no children to have halfe their goods confiscated : therefore the emperour seeing those , who for gods sake were addicted to chastity and virginity , to be for this cause in the worst condition , he accounted it a folly for men to goe about to increase their kind with such carefulnesse and diligence ; when as nature , according to divine moderation , continually receives as well diminution , as increase . therefore he published a law to the people , that both those who lived a single life , and those who had no children , should enjoy the like priviledges with others : yea he enacted that those who lived in chastity and virginity , should be priviledged above them , enabling both sexes , though under yeeres , to make testaments , contrary to the accustomed policy of the romans . this alteration of the roman law by constantine , eusebius also witnesseth lib. . cap. . de vita constantini : and again , cap. . where he saith , that above all he honoured most those that had consecrated their lives to divine philosophy ; he meanes a monasticall life ; and therefore he almost adored the most holy company of perpetuall virgins . that which the fathers had thus enacted , the sonnes also seconded ; and some of the following emperours by new edicts , till there was no relique left of those ancient priviledges , wherewith married men had beene respected ; which procopius saith ( how rightly i examine not ) was the cause of the ruine of that empire , which was so much enfeebled , and weakened through neglect of the procreation of children , that it was not able to match the numerous armies of barbarous nations . this was the first step of dis-regarding marriage , and the desire of wiving ; which was not an absolute prohibition , but discouraging . but no sooner had the roman bishop , and his clergy got the power into their hands , but it grew to an absolute prohibition ; not for monkes onely , but for the whole clergy : which was the highest dis-respect that could be to that which god had made honourable among all men . lastly , it is a thing not to be passed by without admiration , that the fathers and others , at the beginning of saint-worship , by i know not what fatall in●●inct , used to call saints and their reliques , towres , walls , bulwarks , and fortresses , that is , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mahuzzim , in the prime and native signification . basil in his oration upon the forty martyrs , whose reliques were dispersed over all the countries thereabouts , speaks in this manner : these are those who having taken possession of our countrey , as certain conjoyned towers , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , secure it from the incursions of enimies . the same basil concludes his oration upon mamas a martyr in this manner ; that god who hath gathered us together in this place , and disposeth of all that is to come , keepe us safe from hurt , and secure us from the ravening wolfe , and preserve stedfast this church of caesarea , being guarded with a mighty tower of martyrs , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . chrysostome in hom. . upon the epistle to the romanes , speaking of the reliques of saint peter and paul ; this corps ( sa●th he ) meaning of saint paul , fortifies this city of rome more strongly than any towre , or ten thousand rampires , as also doth the corps of peter , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. are not these strong mahuzzims ? the like whereunto is that of venantius fortunatus a christian poet , not above an age younger than chrysostome . a facie hostili duo propupnacula praesunt , quos fidei turres urbs caput orbis habet . the faith 's two towers in lady rome do lye , two bulwarks strong against the einmy . at the same thing aimes gregory lib. . ep. . ad rusticanam patriciam , entreating her to come to rome : si gladios itali● & bella formidetis , if you feare the swords ( saith he ) and warres of italy , you ought attentively to consider , how great the protection of blessed peter , the prince of apostles , is in this city , wherein without any great number of people , without the aid of souldiers , we have beene so so many yeeres in the midst of ●words , by gods providence safely preserved from all hurt . but to returne againe to saint chrysostome , who in his homily upon the egyptian martyrs , hom. . ad populum antiochenum , speakes after this manner : ●hese saints bodies saith he ) fortifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our city more strongly , than an impregnable wall of adamant ; and as certaine high rocks hanging on every side repell not onely the assaults of those enimies , which are sensible and seen with the eye ; but also overthrow and defeat the ambuscadoes of invisible fiends , and all the stratagems of the divell . here you see are mahuzzims too . so long before , in the dayes of constantine , james bishop of nisibis , renowned for holinesse , was according to order given by constantine in his life time , saith gennadius , buried within the wall of that city , being a frontire of the empire , ob custodiam , viz. civitatis . gennad . de vir . illustr . cap. . evagrius lib. . c. . tels us that the antiochians offered● up a supplication to the emperour leo the first , about the yeere . for the keeping of the corps of holy simeon , sirnamed stylita , or the pillarist , in this forme : because our city hath no wall ( for it had beene domolished in a fury ) therefore we brought hither this most holy body , that it might be to us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a wall and a fortresse , which would be in hebrew language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 leshur vlemahoz . saint hilary also will tell us , that neither the guards of saints , nor angelorum munitiones , the bulwarks of angels , are wanting to those who are willing to stand : here angels are mahuzzims , as saints were in the former . the greeks at this day , in their preces horariae , thus invocate the blessed virgin : o thou virgin mother of god , thou impregnable wall , thou fortresse of salvation , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 psal. . we call upon thee , that thou wouldest frustrate the purpose of our enimies , and be a fence to this city : thus they goe on , calling her the hope , safeguard and sanctuary of christians : here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mahoz mahuzzim , a strong mahoz indeed . to conclude , the titles of protectors , guardians , and defenders , which is the signification of mahuzzim , when a person is meant , as they are more frequent , so are they no lesse ancient : greg. nyssen . in his third oration of the forty martyrs , calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , guarders and protectors . eucherius his saint gervase , the perpetuall propugnator , protectour of the faithfull . theodoret. lib. . de curandis graecorum affectionibus , calls the holy martyrs guardians of cities , lieutenants of places , captaines of men , princes , champions , and guardians , by whom disasters are turned from us , and those which come from devills debarred and driven away . i might here add something also concerning images , whose worship is another part of the doctrine of daemons , and shew how well the name mahuzzim would befit them , which the iconomaci●all councell of constantinople calls so unluckily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the fortresses , or mahuzzim of the divell ; and perhaps the nine and thirtieth verse in the fore-alledged prophesie might be yet more literally translated , if the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 facere were taken in a religious sence : and hee shall doe unto , or offer unto the holds of mahuzzim , together with forreigne gods ; &c. that is , he shall doe religious service to the images of saints , together with christ. i might also put you in mind of the terme munimentum , given to the crosse , and that so usuall latine phrase of munire signo crucis , to fortifie , that is , to signe with the signe of the crosse ; but i will not engage my self too farre in these grammaticall speculations . as for the following verses of this prophesie , if any desire to know it , they may , as i think , be interpreted and applied thus . ver. . and at the time of the end , that is , in the romans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or latter times , shall the king of the south ( that is , the saracen ) push at him , and the king of the north ( the turk ) shall come against him , like a whirlewind , with charets , and horsemen , and with many ships , and he shall enter into the countries , and shall overflow and passe over . ver. . he shall enter also into the glorious land ( palestina ) and many shall be overthrowne , but these shall escape out of his hands , edom and moab , and the chiefe of the children of ammon : that is , the inhabitants of arabia petraea , which were never yet provincialls of the turkish empire ; yea with some of them he is faine to be at pension for the safer passage of his caravans . ver. . he ( the turk ) shall stretch forth his hands also upon the countreyes , of those parts , and the land of egypt ( though it should hold out long under the mamalukes , even till the yeere ) shall not escape . ver. . but he shall have power over the treasures of gold , silver , and all the precious things of egypt ; and the libyans and the cushites , that is , the neighbouring nations , whether of africke , or libya , as in those of algiers , &c. or of the arabians in scripture called cushim shall be at his steps , that is , at his devotion . that which remaines as i suppose is not yet fulfilled , and therefore i leave it : time will make it manifest . part ii. vers. . through the hypocrysie or faining of lyars , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : of those who have their consciences seared , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . vers. . of those who forbid to marry , and command to abstaine from meats , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; which god hath created to bee received with thanksgiving of them that beleeve , and know the truth , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . of the first part of this prophesie , being a description of the condition of that solemne defection which was to come , i have spoken hitherto . i come now to the second part of the division , the quality of the persons , and the meanes whereby it was to enter , and to be advanced , which is set forth in the verses now read ; which though you may finde by others otherwise translated , yet i hope the translation which i have propounded , if the judicious reader please to examine it , will approve it selfe not onely not to be an enforced one , but such as salves that incongruity of construction , which the other could not avoid , for it is usually translated intransitively , with reference to the persons expressed in the former verse , viz. that they should speake lies in hypocrisie , having their conscience scared with an hot iron , and forbidding marriage , and commanding to abstaine from meats ; so as that which in the former verse , is named doctrines of devils , should onely meane that in generall tearmes , which in these verses is particularly instanced , to be doctrines of prohibiting mariages , and abstaining from meats , as two branches of that devillish doctrine ; for so calvin , melancton , and some others seeme to expound it . but why this interpretation should not be the most likely : my first reason is : first , because it makes saint paul , who speaks of that great apostasie of christians , which was to be in the later times , to instance onely in the smaller ; and if i may so say , almost circumstantiall errours ; and to omit this maine and principall , which the scripture elsewhere tels us , should be idolatry , or spirituall fornication ; who can beleeve that we could so balk the substance , and name that only , which in comparison is but an appendix thereto . secondly , he prophesies here in expresse words , of such things as were to come , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the later times ; but errours about marriage and meats , were no novelty in the apostles owne times , as the diligent reader may easily collect out of their epistles ; which makes it improbable that he would specifie the apostasie of the later times in these alone . thirdly , but my last reason whereunto i thinke i may trust , is , that the syntax of the words in the greek is uncapable of such an intransitive construction , and consequently of the sense depending thereon ; for the persons intimated in the former verse , are expressed in casu recto , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; but the persons here intended , we finde in the genitive ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which i cannot see how they can agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , after the manner of intransitive construction , without breach of grammaticall congruity , not elsewhere sampled in our apostles epistles ; indeed they would agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but that would be a harsh sense every way ; for either we must say as some doe , that by devils are meant devillish men , or men led by the devill , which is an hard signification ; or else it would be a stranger sense , and i think not over-pliable to the usuall exposition , to say that devils should lie , have seared consciences , and forbid marriages , or meats : so that beza , with others ; had rather confesse a breach of syntax , than incurre the inconvenience of such a forced sence . major est habita ( saith he ) sententia , quam constructionis ratio ; the apostle heeded more the matter than he did the grammar . but what needs this , so long as there is a better way to salve it ? namely , to conster the words transitively , making all these genitive cases to be governed of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by , or through the faining of lyars ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , through the faining of those who had their consciences seared ; and so forward : which construction is observed and followed by andreas hiperius , one of our reformed writers , who translates it , per simulationem falsiloquorum , &c. and expounds it , de modo qu● fallent spiritus impostorum , fallent per simulationem , seu hypocrisin falsiloquorum , &c. and i beleeve that * many others have so taken it ; for our late translations are indifferent to be taken either way : howsoever it be , i see no way but this , to keep the syntax true and even , and wholly to avoid the fore-mentioned inconveniences : which as it is easie and obvious , and not strained , so i hope to let you see the event to have been most answerable thereunto : that this was the manner , and this the meanes , this the quality of the persons , whereby the doctrine of daemons was first brought in , advanced and maintained in the church , viz. through the hypocrisie , faining craft , or counterfeiting of those who told lies , of those who had their consciences seared , &c. as for the use of the preposition ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) to signifie causam instrumentalem , or modum actionis , he that is not a stranger in the scripture , knowes to be most frequent , the greeke text borrowing it from the use of the hebrew preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the hebrewes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as when it signifies in , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( ) subjecti . but two or three examples will not doe amisse : mat. . . if the salt hath lost its savour , wherewithall shall it be salted ? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ? acts . . because god hath appointed a day , in which he will judge the world in righteousnesse , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by the man whom he hath ordained . pet. . . i stirre up your pure minds , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by way of remembrance . tit. . . that he may be able , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by sound doctrine , to exhort and convince the gainsayers , and most naturally to the businesse we have in hand . thes. . , . of the man of sinne , whose comming ( saith the apostle ) is after the working of sathan , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , with all powers , and signs , and lying wonders ( or through them ) and through all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse , &c. so in my text , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. through the hypocrisie of lyars . now for the unfolding of these words , this must first be observed in generall , that they are not so to be underderstood , as if these , who are the bringers in , and advancers of the doctrines of daemons , should every one of them be guilty of all the severall imputations in this description ; but they are to be construed rather as an a syndeton , by understanding the conjunction , as if it had been thus uttered : through the hypocrisie of lyars , and through the hypocrisie of men of seared consciences , and lastly , by the hypocrisie of those who forbid marriages , and meats . or thus : through the hypocrisie , partly of lyars , partly of men of seared consciences , partly of those who forbid marriage , and command to abstaine from meats : and so though many were guilty of all , yet some may be exempt from some ; as namely some may be guilty of the last note , of forbidding marriage , and abstaining from meats , and yet free of the former , of being counterfeit lyars , and men of seared consciences : which i speak for reverence of some of the ancients , who though otherwise holy men , yet cannot be acquitted from all the imputations here mentioned , nor altogether excused from having an hand , through the fate of the times wherein they lived , in laying the ground-work , whereon soon after the great apostasie was builded . this therefore being remembred , i come now to the unfolding of them in severall : and first of the first , the hypocrisie of lyars , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies dissimulation , a faining , counterfeiting , a semblance , and shew of that which is not so indeed , as it seemeth ; and this word we must repeat , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as belonging , in common , with the rest which followes ; for all should be counterfeit : lying should carry the counterfeit of truth ; the seared conscience , a semblance of devotion ; the restraint of marriage should be but a shew of chastity ; and abstaining from meats , a false appearance of abstinency : for the persons of whom they are spoken , should either make a shew of what themselves knew was not ; or that which they thought they had , should be no better than a false shew , and counterfeit of that they took it for . the vulgar latine in mar. . . and the syriack in the same place , turne the word hypocrisis , versutia , dolus , craft and subtlety : which sence , if need were , would not be denied admittance here . but i return to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the hypocrisie of lyars , which i conceive to be the same , and no other , than that which our apostle speaks in the same case , thess. . where he tels us , that the comming of the man of sinne , and the apostasie attending him , should be after the working of sathan , with all power , and signes , and lying wonders ; and with all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse , or unrighteous and ungodly deceiving ; and that god should send them strong delusions , that they might beleeve a lye , &c. yea some of this , and of that which followes in that place , may extend also to the rest which followes in my text , howsoever the most thereof , as you heare , doth most evidently expound this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , this hypocrisie of lyars . now according to the event , this hypocrisie of lyars doth appeare in three things : lyes of miracles . fabulous legends of the acts of saints , and sufferings of martyrs . counterfeit writings under the name of the best and first antiquity . lyes of miracles will display their hypocrisie in three particulars . forgery . illusion , misapplication . forgery of miracles never done , as were the reports of wondrous dreames , and visions , which had no other credit , but the authors honesty ; or miraculous cures , by the power and reliques of saints deceased ; as when those who never were blind , made others beleeve they had newly received sight . illusion ; when though something were done , yet it was but a seeming , and a counterfeit onely of a miraculous work , indeed some jugling trick of the divell , or of his instruments . lastly , misapplication ; either when that was attributed to a divine power , which was nothing but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the work and operation of the divell : or when it was interpreted , and abused to invite and confirme men in some idolatrous errour , as it happened in the miracle of the shrines and sepulchres of the holy martyrs , which were interpreted to bee for the confirmation of their power , presence , and notice of humane affaires after death , and to warrant us , and encourage men to have recourse unto them by prayer , and invocation , as unto mediatours ; and to give that honour unto their reliques , which was due unto god alone . the like is to be said of the miracles of images , and of the host , which though they smelt strong of forgery , or illusion , were supposed by a divine disposition to be wrought for the like end and purpose . all which was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the power of seduction , or strong delusion , to make the world beleeve a lye , as saint paul speakes thessal . . . concerning the hypocrisie of fabulous legend-writers of the acts of saints and martyrs , you know what it meanes , as also the last which was named counterfeit authors , under the name of antiquity ; as approving those errours which latter times devised ; i shall not need here to use any further explication : and thus you see what is comprehended under 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the hypocrisie , counterfeiting , or faining of lyars . i should now come to display the truth of this particular of this prophesie in the event ; but i will first unfold the next imputation , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the hypocrisie of those who have their consciences seared ; which though it might be exemplified in other things , yet i meane to instance onely in that afore-mentioned , and so must give you the story of both together . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. through the hypocrisie of those who have their consciences seared . for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as i said before , is to be repeated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies both the place seared , and the mark printed by the searing with an hot iron . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to cauterize , to sear with an hot iron , or cut off with searing , as chirurgions doe rotten members : now that which is seared , becomes more hard and brawny , and so more dull , and not so sensible in feeling as otherwise . in this sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies those who have a hard and a brawny conscience , which hath no feeling in it : in the other sense as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to cut off by searing , it must signifie those who have no conscience left ; there is not much difference ; but i follow the first , a hard and unfeeling conscience . and whether those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , whereof we spake before ( to use no other instances ) were not of such metall , for their conscience , i think no man can deny . who could have coined , or who could have beleeved such monstrous stuffe , as the legends are stored with , but such as were cauterized ? if they had had any tendernesse or feeling , not only of conscience , but even of sense , they could never have beleeved , or vented such stuffe as there is . as vincent . hist. lib. . cap. . that the virgin mary should draw out her breasts , and milk in i know not what clerks mouth . that she played the midwife to an abbesse , got with child by her cater , and sent the bastard by two angels to a certaine hermite to be brought up . idem ibid. c. . that she came and lay the first night in the midst between a certain bridegroome and his bride . idem lib. . cap. . caesarius in his seventh book cap. . reports , that the virgin mary , for twelve whole yeeres together , did supply the place of a certain nun , called beatrice , while she lay in the stewes , till at length returning , she freed the virgin from standing sentinel any longer . and lib. . cap. . that she said to a certain souldier , i 'll be thy wife , come and kisse me , and made him doe so . that she took a monk about the neck and kissed him . in an italian book called , the miracles of the blessed virgin , printed at millaine . a certaine abbesse being great with child , the holy virgin willing to cover the crime , did in her stead present her selfe before the bishop in form of an abbesse , and shewed by ocular demonstration , that she was not with child . fasciculus temporum , written many yeeres agoe , tels us of saint gilgols wife used to sing with her lower mouth , because she scoffed at her husbands miracles . but that which johannes de nicol. in his reformed spanyard tels , that he read taken out of trithemius , is the more worthy to be remembred , as being a principall motive in his conversion , who was till then extremely addicted to the idol-worship of the blessed virgin ; which was much cooled , when he read that she came into the chamber of fryer allen ( a dominican that made her rosary ) made a ring of her owne haire , wherewith she espoused her selfe unto him , kissed him , let him handle her breasts , and conversed as familiarly with him , as a bride is wont with her bridegroome : whether think you not that these fellowes were seared in their conscience ? what block could have beene more senslesse ? melchior canus speaking of the golden legend , as they call it , a book fraught with such stuffe , as you have heard , me thinks almost expresses the meaning of a cauterized conscience . hanc homo scripsit ( saith he ) ferrei oris , & plumbei cordis , a fellow of an iron mouth , and leaden heart , as if he had said , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , of a brawny and unfeeling conscience . but i come to shew how this prediction of our apostle hath beene accomplished , how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the cousening and feigning of lyars , was the meanes whereby the doctrine of daemons was advanced in the church , i meane the deifying and worshipping of saints and angels , the adoring and templing of relicks , the bowing downe to images , the worshipping of crosses as new idoll-columnes , the worshipping of the breaden god , or of any visible thing whatsoever upon supposall of any divinity therein : all which i have proved to be nothing else , but the gentiles idolatrous theology of daemons , revived amongst christians . the first of these , the deifying and invocating of saints , and adoring relicks is the most ancient for time of all the rest , and began to appeare in the church presently after the death of julian the apostate , who was the last ethnicall emperour ; the grounds and occasions whereof were most strange reports of wonders shewed upon those who approached the shrines of martyrs , and prayed at their memories , and sepulchers : devils charmed , diseases cured , the blinde saw , the lame walked , yea the dead revived , and other the like , which the doctors of those times for the most part avouched to be done by the power and prayers of glorified martyrs , and by the notice they took of mens devotions at their sepulchers ; though at the beginning those devotions were directed to god alone , and such places only chosen for the stirring up of zeale and fervour , by the memory of those blessed and glorious champions of christ. but whiles the world stood in admiration , and the most esteemed of these wonders , as of the glorious beames of the triumph of christ ; they were soone perswaded to call upon them , as patrons and mediatours , whose power with god , and notice of things done upon earth , they thought that these signes and miracles approved . thus the reliques of martyrs beginning to be esteemed above the richest jewels , for the supposed vertue even of the very ayre of them , were wonderfully sought after , as some divine elixar , soveraigne both to body and soule . whereupon another scene of wonders entred , even of visions , and revelations , wonderfull and admirable for the discovery of the sepulchers and ashes of martyrs , which were quite forgotten , yea of some whose names and memories , till then , no man had ever heard of ; as s. ambrose's gervasius , and protasius . thus in every corner of the christian world were new martyrs bones ever and anon discovered , whose verity againe miraculous effects and cures seemed to approve ; and therefore were diversly dispersed , and gloriously templed , and enshrined . hil. lib. ad constantium intimates miraculous cures of the reliques of martyrs to have been as ancient as his time , yea as the time of the churches peace * . all these things happened in that one age , and were come to this heigth in lesse than yeares . but here is the wonder most of all to be wondred at , that none of these miraculous signes were ever heard of in the church , for the first yeares after christ , untill about the yeare ; after that the empire under constantine and his sonnes , having publickly embraced the christian faith , the church had peace , and the bodies of the despised martyrs , such as could be found , were now bestowed in most magnificen● temples , and there gloriously enshrined . and yet had the christians long before used to keep their assemblies at the * caemiteries and monuments of their martyrs ; how came it to passe , that no such vertue of their bones and ashes , no such testimonies of their power after death , were discovered untill now ? babylas his bones were the first that all my search can finde , which charmed the devill of daphne , apollo daphneus , when julian the apostate offered so many sacrifices to make him speak ; and being asked why he was so mute , forsooth , the corps of babylas the martyr , buried neere the temple in * daphne , stopped his wind-pipe . i feare , i feare here was some hypocrisie in this businesse , and the devill had some ●eate to play : the very name of babylas is enough to breed jealousie , it is an ominous name , the name babylas ; yea , and this happened too at antioch , where babylas was bishop and martyr in the persecution of decius . would it not doe the devill good , there to beginne his mystery , where the christian name was first given to the followers of christ ? howsoever this was then farre otherwise construed , and a conceit quickly taken , that other martyrs bones might bee found upon ●riall , as terrible to the devill , as those of babylas ; which was no sooner tryed , but experience presently verefied with improvement , as you heard before ; so that all the world rung so with wonders done by martyrs , that even holy men , who at the first suspected , were at length surprised , and carried away with the power of delusion . besides the silence of all undoubted * antiquity of any such sepulchral wonders to have happened in the former ages , the very manner of speech , which the fathers living in this miraculous age used , when they spake of these things , will argue they were then accounted novelties , and not as continued from the apostles times . chrisostome in his oration contra gentiles , of the businesse of babylas speakes thus : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ▪ if any man beleeves not these things , which are said to be done by the apostles , let him now beholding the present , desist from his impudency . ambros. epist. ad sororem marcellinam , relating of a peece of the speech he made , upon the translations of the bodyes of gervasius and protasius , and the miracles then shewed , reparata ( saith he ) ve●usti temporis miracula cer●itis : you see the miracles of ancient times ( hee meanes the time of christ and his apostles ) renewed . s. august . lib. de civ . dei . cap. . in a discourse of the miracles of that time , saith ; we made an order to have bills given out of such miracles as were done , when wee saw the wonders of ancient times renewed in ours : id namque fieri volumus , cùm videremus antiquis similia divinaru● signa virtutum , etiàm nostris temporibus frequentari , & ●a non debere multorum notitiae deperire . but alas , now began the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , this was the fatall time , and thus the christian apostasie was to be ushered ; if they had knowne this , it would have turned their joyous shoutings and triumphs , at these things , into mourning . the end , which these signes and wonders aymed at , and at length brought to passe , should have made them remember that warning which was given the ancient people of god : deut. . if there arise among you a prophet , or a dreamer of dreames , and giveth thee a signe or a wonder ; and that signe or wonder come to passe , whereof he spake unto thee , saying , let us goe after other gods and serve them ; thou shalt not harken unto the words of that prophet , or dreamer of dreames : for the lord your god proveth you , to know whether you love the lord your god with all your heart , and with all your soule . but why should i goe any further , before i tell you , that even in this also , the idolatry of saint-worship was a true counterfeit of the gentiles idolatry of daemons ? did not daemon-worship enter after the same manner ? was it not first insinuated , and afterward established by signes , and wonders of the very selfe same kinde , and fashion ? listen what eusebius will tell us in his fifth book praeparat . evangel . cap. . according to the greek edition of rob. stephen , when ( saith he ) those wicked spirits ( as he proved them to be which were worshipped under the names of daemons ) saw mankinde brought off to a deifying of the dead ( he meanes by erecting statues , and ordaining ceremonies and sacrifices for their memorialls ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; they insinuated themselves , and helped forward their errour : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; by certaine motions of the statues , which anciently were consecrated to the honour of the deceased : as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; by ostentation of oracles and cures of diseases , whereby they then superstitious ranne headlong , sometimes to take them to be some heavenly powers and gods indeed , and sometimes to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; the soules of their deified worthies . and so ( saith he ) the earth-neighbouring-daemons which are the princes of the ayre , those spiritualities of wickednesse , and ring-leaders of all evill , were on all hands accounted for great gods : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; and the memory of the ancients deceased was thought worthy to be celebrated with a greater service ; the features of whose bodies the dedicated images in every city seemed to represent ; but the soules of them , and those diviner and incorporeall powers , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; the wicked daemons counterfeited by working many miracles . heare tertullian also speak in his apology to the gentiles , cap. . in fine . quaerite ergò si vera est ista divinitas christi ▪ si est ea quâ cognitâ ad bonum quis reformetur , sequitur ut falsa renuntietur , compertâimprimis illâ omni ratione , quae delitescens sub nominibus & imaginibus mortuorum , quibusdam signis & miraculis , & oraculis , fidem divinitatis operatur . search therefore this deity of christ , whether it be true , or not ; if it be that , by the knowledge whereof a man shall be reformed to good , it followes then , that the false be renounced ; especially , that whole mysterie ( he meanes of gentiles idolatry , and daemon-worship ) being discovered , which under the names and images of the dead , through signes , miracles , and oracles , obtaineth an opinion of divinity . chrysostome shall conclude , who in his oration in judaizantes saith , that the daemons of the gentiles wrought miracles for the confirmation of paganisme , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . for ( saith he ) they oftentimes by their skill cured diseases , and restored to health those that were sick ; what should we partake therefore with them in their impiety , because of this ? god forbid . then he adds out of moses , deut. . that which we even now quoted ; which , had it been as well applied to the miracles amongst christians present , as it was to those of the gentiles past , perhaps he that spoke it , would have questioned something which he enclined to beleeve . the second particular i named of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , was fabulous legends of the acts of saints and martyrs ; this was also another meanes to advance the doctrines of daemons . for the true acts and stories of martyrs being extinguished for the most part , by the bloody edict of dioclesian , they now began to supply againe that losse , by collecting such tales as were then current of them , and adding thereto such miracles as were fabled after death , fashioned all to the best advantage of what they meant to promote in the church , and was already on foot in the same . such was that wherwith the good father greg. nazi●● ▪ was abused in his funeral oration upon cyprian , and many others of the greek churches : that cyprian , that great cyprian , who was both citizen and bishop of c●rthage , in the reign of decius ( for of him gregory speaketh expresly ) even being formerly a conjurer , and falling into love with a christian virgin justina , some say of an●ioch , when 〈◊〉 by wooing and ordinary meanes he could not with her unto his will , he went about to prevaile with magick spells and conjurations ; which the damsell perceiving , she having recourse to god , sell to work against him with prayer and fasting , and in her devotions also be●ought the virgin mary to succour her a virgin in that jeopardy : by which meanes cyprians magicall enchantments were frustrated , and he convinced thereby , became a christian. all which baronius himselfe confesses to be a fable , as well he might , it being unknowne both to pontius his deacon , who lived with him , and wrote his life ; and to the western , and african churches , where he lived and died : who knew , and who could know better , that in his paganisme he was not a magician , but a professour of oratory at carthage , farre enough from antioch , and converted by one caecilius ? neverthelesse , we have cause to think , that this tale , together with the like , served not a little for the advancement of the mystery of daemons in the easterne churches ; when we see our adversaries so willing to have that passage ( as seemes by their often alledging it ) of calling upon the blessed virgin to be authenticall ; notwithstanding they know ( which the greeks so well could not , he being a latine bishop ) that the whole story must needs be a fable . of this stamp are the well known legends of our latine churches , which almost all of them drive principally at this mark ; it being also the ordinary conclusion of their tales ( sure of our english ) that since god hath done thus and thus by this holy martyr , or sith god hath with such myracles honoured this martyr , let us pray unto him , that by his merits and intercession wee may obtain salvation . nor is it a late device ; greg. turonensis above a thousand yeares agoe in his two books de miraculis martyrum , as his fabulous narrations , ( which yet many of them hee referres to others before him ) are excellently well framed for the promotion of saint-worship ; so in the conclusion of them hee plainly confesses , that that was his ayme shutting up his first booke thus . vnde oportet et nos ●●rum patrocinia expetere , ut , eorum mereamur suffragiis , vel quod nostris digninon sumus meritis obtinere , eorum possumus intercessionibus adipisci , &c. his second thus ; ergò his miraculis lector incend●us intelligat , non aliter nisi martyrum reliquorumque amicorum dei adjutoriis se posse salvari . &c : but among the greeks simeon metaphrast●s hath a strain beyond us all , who makes prayers for many of his martyrs , wherin they desire of god , that whosoever should pray unto him in their names , or have recourse to their sepulchers , when they were glorified , might obtain whatsoever they aske , yea remission of sins itselfe : which because it is so singular a counterfeit of a lying greek i shal not doe amisse to insert the particulars , together with something about the occasion and time of this device . in the martyrdome of anastasia a roman virgi● under diocletian , he tells us if we be so wise as to beleeve it , that at the time of her suffering , when she had , as was fit , given thanks unto god , and prayed for the happy accomplishment of her martyrdome , and afterward made suit for those who being si●k should have recourse unto her ( viz. after death ) she heard a voice from heaven certifying , that what she had asked was granted her . saint barbara , a virgin of heli●polis , martyred under maximilianus , he makes , under the executioners hand , to pray in this manner : and thou o king ( god ) now heare my prayer , that whosoever shall remember thy name , and this my conflict , no pestilent disease may enter upon this house , nor any other of those evils , which may bring dammage , or trouble to the bodies of men . she had no sooner spoken , saith he , but a voice was miraculously heard from heaven , calling her and her fellow martyr julian to the heavenly places , and promising also that those things , which she had asked , should be accomplished . in saint blasius ( who suffered , saith baronius , under licinius ) our simeon tels us , that when a woman came unto him to cure her son , who had a fish-bone sticking in his throat , he prayed in this manner : thou o saviour , who hast been ready to help those who called upon thee , heare my prayer , and by thy invisible power take out the bone which sticks in this child , and cure him ; and whensoever hereafter the like shall befall men , children , or beasts , if any of them shall remember my name , saying , o lord hasten thy help through the intercession of thy servant blasius , doe thou cure him speedily , to the honour and glory of thy holy name . againe he tels us , while they were carrying him before the president , he restored to a poore widow a hog , her onely hog , which a wolfe had taken away from her . and when as afterward , in signe of thankfulnesse she brought the hogs head and feet boiled to the martyr in prison , he blessing her , spake in this maner : woman in this habit celebrate my memoriall , and no good thing shall ever be wanting in thy house from my god : yea and if any other , imitating of thee , shall in like manner celebrate my memoriall , he shall receive an everlasting gift from my god , and a blessing all the dayes of his life . when he comes to suffer , he makes him pray to god thus : heare me thy servant , and whosoever shall have recourse to this thine altar , ( he meanes himselfe ) and whosoever shall have swallowed a bone , or prickle , or be vexed with any disease , or be in any affliction , necessity , or persecution , grant lord to every one his hearts desire , as thou art gracious and mercifull , for thou art to be glorified now and evermore . when he had thus prayed ( saith he ) christ descended from heaven in a cloud , and overshadowed him : and our saviour said unto him , o my beloved champion , i will not onely doe this , but that also which thou diddest request for the widow ; and will blesse also every house which shall celebrate thy memory , and i will fill their store-houses with all good things , for this thy glorious confession , and thy faith which thou hast in me . saint catharine , whom he calls aecatharina , a martyr of alexandria , under maximilianus , he makes to pray thus at her martyrdome . grant unto those , o lord , who through me shall call upon thy holy name , such their requests as are profitable for them , that in all things thy wondrous works may be praised now and evermore . but above all the rest , marina's prayer , whom we latines call saint margaret , is compleat , and for the purpose ; she suffered under dioclesian , and thus she prayed , if your dare beleeve simeon . and now , o lord my god , whosoever for thy sake shall worship this tabernacle of my body , which hath fought for thee ; and whosoever shall build an oratory in the name of thy handmaid , and therein offer unto thee spirituall sacrifices , oblations , and prayers ; and all those who shall faithfully * describe this my conflict of martyrdome , and shall read and remember the name of thy handmaid ; give unto them , most holy lord , who art a lover of all the good , and a friend of soules , remission of sinnes ; and grant them pr●pitiation and mercy , according to the measure of their faith , and let not the revenging hand come neere them , nor the evill of famine , nor the curse of pestilence , nor any grievous scourge ; nor let any incurable destruction either of body or soule betide them . and to all those who shall in faith and truth adhere to my house ( her oratory or chappell ) or unto my name , and shall unto thee , o lord , offer glory and praise , and a sacrifice in remembrance of thine handmaid , and shall aske salvation and mercy through me , grant them , o lord , abundant store of all good things ; for thou alone art good and gracious , and the giver of all good things for ever and ever . amen . while she was thus praying with her selfe ( * saith simeon ) behold there was a great earthquake , yea and the lord himselfe , with a multitude and host of holy angels standing by her , in such sort as was perceptible to the understanding , said ; be of good cheare marina , and feare not , for i have heard thy prayers , i have fulfilled , and will in due time fulfill whatsoever thou hast asked , even as thou hast asked it . thus saith simeon ; who neverthelesse in the very entrance of this his tale of marina , or margaret , complains much , forsooth , that not a few of these narrations of the acts of martyrs , were at the beginning forgot , yea profaned ( as he saith more truly than he was aware of ) evidentissimis daemoniorum doctrinis . besides , he calls i know not what narration of the virgins martyrdom , in that sort corrupted , dictio daemoniaca ; but for his own part , he would reject all counterfeit fables , and tels us nothing but the truth ; which how honestly he hath performed , and what touchstone he used , let the reader judge . a baronius i am sure is quite ashamed of him , who though he can be sometimes content to trade with not much better ware , yet this of simeons he supposes will need very much washing and cleansing , before it be merchantable . but for the better understanding of this mystery of iniquity , and what necessity there was of such desperate shifts , when time was ; ye shall know , that this simeon lived towards the end of that time of great and long opposition against idolatry , in the greeke and easterne churches , by divers emperours , with the greatest part of their bishops , peeres , and people , lasting from about the yeere of our lo●d , till after , that is , yeers ; which was not against images onely , though they bore the name ; but the worship of saints , and their reliques ; the state whereof shall not be amisse to represent out of such records of antiquity , as our adversaries themselves have been pleased to leave us ; if it be but for their sake who so often ask us , whether there were ever any of our religion before luther . let us therefore hear what writers of their own sect , such as then lived , and were eye-witnesses , will tell us . leo isaurus ( saith theophanes , miscel . lib. . cap. . ) erred not onely about the respective adoration of venerable images ; but about the intercession of the most chast mother of god , and all the saints , whose reliques also the most wicked man abominated , like unto his masters the mahumetans . this was the first of those emperours : the next was constantinus , whom they sirnamed copr●nimus , of whom the same author ( ibid. cap. ult . ) speaks as followeth : this pernicious , ( saith he ) inhumane , and barbarous emperour abusing his authority tyrannically , and not using it lawfully , at the very beginning made an apostasie from god , and from his undefiled mother , and from all his saints . again , lib. . c. ● . vpon the twenty sixth yeere of his reign he shewed himself wicked , beyond the frenzie of the mahumetans , to all that were orthodox ( so he calls idolaters ) under his empire , bishops , monks , laymen , and others his subjects : every where , as well by writing as by speech , banishing , at unprofitable , the intercession of the holy virgin and mother of god , and of all the saints , through which all succour is conveyed unto us ; and causing their holy reliques to be rejected and despised : and if the reliques of any notable saint , soveraigne both to body and soule , were knowne to lie any where , and wer● , as the manner is , honoured by those which were religious , presently he threatned such as these with death , as wicked doers , or else with banishment , proscriptions , and torture . as for the reliques acceptable to god , and esteemed by the possessours as a treasure , they were taken from them , from thence forward to be made hatefull things . again , cap. . of the next yeere . if one getting a fall , or being in pain , chanced to utter the usuall language of christians , saying , o mother of god help me ; or were found keeping vigils , &c. he was adjudged as the emperours enemy , and stiled immemorabilis , unworthy of memory ; this was a title of infamy . again , cap. . anno regni . if one were found to have a relique but to keep ( that is , though he worshipped it not ) yet neverthelesse did lichanodraco the emperours president burn it , and punish him that had it as a wicked doer . thus farre theophanes . heare now what the author of the acts of monk stephen , whom the same emperour made one of their martyrs for patronizing idols , can tell us ; heare what he saith of the great councell of constantinople , held in this emperours reigne against images . o christ , how should i not admire thy lenity ! — to that height did those most impodent tongues yet : further break out , that they were not afraid to utter that monstrous and impious speech , viz. that the very virgin mother of god her selfe was now after her death unavailable , and no use to be made of her , nor could she help or protect any one . the same author thus deplores the state of those times , abusing the words of psalme . o god the heathen are come into thine inheritance ; thy holy temple have they defiled , and made hierusalem an heape of stones ; the dead bodyes of thy servants have they given to be meat to the foules of the aire , and the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth ; that is ( sayth he ) the venerable and sacred reliques of the martyrs , quas partim igni , partim mar● , partim denique ( ô facinus orbi universo damnum ferens ) praecipitiis tradiderunt ; which they cast partly into the fire , partly into the water ( o villanous act wherby the whole world is damnified ) partly threw down into precipices . there is nothing yet in these relations will doe any man hurt , by engendring a misconceit , especially if hee remember the tale is told by malicious adversaries , that counterfeit reliques were plentifull in those dayes as well as now : that hezekiah brake in pieces that brazen serpent , made by gods owne commandement , a holy monument and type of christ , when it was once abused to idolatry . after the death of this emperour constantine , and his son , who reigned not long after him , the idolatrous faction , under constantine his nephew , and the queen mother irene , againe for some yeeres prevailed ; and that so farre , as to pack a * councell , the bishop of rome having a maine stroke therein ; whereby the former councell of constantinople was condemned , and the worship of images again established . but leo armin●●s comming to the empire , the orthodox part again prevailed , as before they had done , during the reigne of three emperours more . the last emperour of the opposers of idols was theophilus , the last patriarch john , and that to the very end ; the idolatry of saint-worship was opposed more or lesse , as well as that of images , as may be gathered out of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or the song of triumph , which the greeks used to sing the first sunday in lent , for a memoriall of their last and finall conquest of the opposers of images , ever since that time , where in the hymne of theodorus ode . i find this verse , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : ( i. e. ) the sacred reliques of the saints , and their images , were not at all to be worshipped , said most wickedly the renouncers of piety , the barbarous l●zick and john. this iohn is that patriarch of constantinople which i said was the last of the opposers of idols , and is often mentioned in this song , as is also lezick , but what he was in uncertaine . but the whole story being delivered unto us onely by profest enimies , if they should fasten no worse calumnies upon the opposite side than yet you have heard , you would think perhaps that the patrones of idols then were farre more ingenuous to their adversaries , than we find their successours now . heare therefore something of this kind also , that you may see as they agreed with us in the same profession against idols , so did they also in suffering the like slanderous lyes from their adversaries ; in discoursing whereof i shall be neerer to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , than i was before . in that great councell of bishops , held at constantinople against idols , under constantinus copronymus , were , by some that wished well to saint-worship , though they consented against images , these two canons inserted into the first draught of the definition of the synod . first , if any one should not confesse the holy and ever blessed virgin mary , truly and properly deipara , ( the mother of god ) to be higher than any visible or invisible creature , and with a sincere faith implores not her intercession , let him be anathema . secondly , if any one shall not confesse all the saints which have been from the beginning of the world untill now , to be honourable before god both in soule and body , or shall not entreat their prayers , let him be anathema : which , when the definition came to be read in the councell , the prevailing part of the fathers caused to be blotted out ; a whereupon that slander , fastened on them by their enimies , may seem to have taken the first hint , as if forsooth by their rejecting these two foisted canons , they had therefore denied whatsoever was contained in them , as that the virgin mary was deipara , or mother of god ; or that the saints were to be honoured so much , as with that honourable title of saints . for cedrenus would make us beleeve , that this emperour constantine published a generall law , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that none of the servants of god should in any wise be called saints : yea that such of their reliques as were found , should be despised , and their intercession not to be prayed for ; because , said he , they can availe nothing . the prophane wretch added ( saith the same authour ) let no man pray for the intercession , no not of mary , for she can doe him no good , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; moreover , that she could not be called deipara , the mother of god. then he tels us , that hee compared the blessed virgin , after she was delivered of christ , to a purse of gold , after it is emptied of the gold that was once in it . the same with cedrenus , almost word for word , hath suidas , so that the one may seem to have been transcribed out of the other . but theosterictus , one who lived at the same time , whereas cedrenus was more than yeeres after , seemes much more ingenuous , for in his funerall oration upon nicetas , a a confessour of those times , whose disciple he was , relating otherwise the same things that cedrenus and suidas doth ; yet when he comes to the story of the purse , he brings in the emperor , expresly calling the virgin mary , deipara ; but finds fault , that he would not vouchsafe her the name saint . ita deiparen● maria ( saith he ) neque enim sanctam dignabatur nominare illam ( saith theosterictus ) indignus ille ; quo tempore christum in se habebat , valdè honoranda illa erat ; ex quo autem tempore illum peperit , nihil differebat à reliquis . indeed it seemes at the wiping out of these fore-mentioned canons , there passed something in the councell ( as is wont in such disputes ) concerning an indifference or lawfulnesse in ordinary speech to mention such places , as were dedicated to the memory of saints , without the addition of the name saint . for i find that stephen the monk , afterward forsooth a martyr , at what time the emperour sent some of the bishops and others unto him , to require his subscription to the decree of the councell , thus expostulates with them : did yee not ( saith he ) discard that adjective saint from all the just , from all the apostles , from the prophets , from the prophets , martyrs , and other godly men ? for it was bravely decreed by you , that when any one were going to any of these , and were asked whither he went , he should answer , to the apostles , to the fourty martyrs ; or being asked whence he came , he should in like manner say , from the temple of martyr theodore , or from the temple of the martyr george . but theosterictus tells the same thing of the emperour constantine himselfe . sanctos martyres ( saith he ) quantum in ipso erat , honore privavit , cum praeceperit illos non esse sanctos appellandos ; sed simplicitèr nominari apostolos , quadraginta martyres , theodorum , georgium , & alios similitèr : he deprived , as much as in him lay , the holy martyrs of honour , in that he commanded , they should not be stiled saints , but simply named the fourty martyrs , theodore , george , &c. whereby it appeares , that this law ( whatsoever it was that these authors charge the emperour with ) was something which proceeded from the councell it self , as monk stephen even now charged them . besides , that it was something onely about the calling of places dedicated to saints , though our authors ( as calumniators use ) tell it of saints at large . lastly , it seemes to have growne upon some question , how farre , and in what kind , saints were to be honored , which was occasioned by the wiping out of those canons afore-mentioned . johannes curopalata and cedrenus relate , that michael balbus , the last save one of the emperours that opposed idols , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; ordained , that the word saint should not be set upon any images wheresoever they were painted ( for this was , and as some say * is yet , the fashion of the greeks , to add the names of the saints to the images that represent them ) now if any such thing as this were done , or discoursed of , in the dayes of constantinus , whom they call copronimus , you may easily ghesse what fuell it might adde to the fire of that slander we speak of . but why should we trouble our selves any longer to find out the originall of that , which we are certain was a notorious lie ? for it is apparent in the definition of the councell it selfe , which is thus calumniously charged , that they both give the title of saints often to the apostles , fathers , and others , and of deipara to the blessed virgin. i shall not need to recount every place where they give the title of saint to particulars ; heare but what they say in generall : sancti qui deo placuerunt , & ab ipso sunt , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , dignitate sanctitatis honorati vivunt semper deo , licèt hinc migraverunt : the saints which pleased god , and are by him honoured with the dignity of saint-ship , though they be departed hence , yet to god they live alwayes . againe , n●fas est christianis , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , d●monum cultricum gentium moribus uti , & sanct●s qui tali & tantâ gratiâ resplendebunt ( sc. conregnar● cum christo , & judicare orbem ●errarum , & conformes fieri gloria ipsius ) in ingloriâ & mortuâ materiâ , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , contumeliâ afficere : it is unlawfull for christians to use the fashions of gentiles , who worshipped daemons or devils ; and in a base and livelesse matter ( they meane images ) to dishonour the saints , who shall one day shine , in such and so great grace and glory , viz. to reigne with christ , and to judge the world , and to be made like to his glory , as they said a little before , concil . nicen. . art. . tom. . as for the other part of the calumny , about stiling the the virgin mary , deipara , heare not onely what they practised , but what they expresly decreed , ibid ▪ tom. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : if any one shall not confesse god to be truly emmanuel , and therefore the holy virgin to bee deipara , the mother of god , let him bee anath●ma . here the blessed virgin hath both the name of saint ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , mother of god given her . all this you shall find in the sixth act of the idolatrous councell of nice , where the enimies , while they would confute the definition of the synod of canstantinople , have preserved it , which else had utterly perished ▪ as the acts thereof have done . now judge whether constantine and his councell were guilty or not , of what the idolatrous faction charged them with . we may wonder the lesse at this notorious impudency of lying companions , seeing we have like experience of such calumnies fastened upon our selves this day ; though there be so many thousand eyes and eares , and writings too , which confute them . and thus you have seen what manner of times they were , about the end of which our simeon metaphras●es lived . was it not high time for him thinke you , and those hands to which hee was beholding ( for i will not charge him with all ) to ply the old craft , and reenforce the legends with new lyes , when the credit of saint-worship lay thus a bleeding ? it is not credible they would bee so much wanting to themselves . and it is as apparent , that those tales of the new strain , which wee had out of simeon , were coined in this age , and not before ; for if any such thing had been knowen , or delivered from elder times , how came it to passe , no notice therof was given us by any writer of ecclesiasticall story , by any father , by any compiler or forger of martyrs lives and miracles till now ? certainly so miraculous and wonderfull things , as voyces from heaven , and christ descending thence in a cloud , and the like , had been worth the telling : but alas , they could speak but little of these martyrs , save only the names and times of their sufferings . and thus i end my digr●ssion , which yet i hope hath not been altogether impertinent to the present argument . the last particular of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the hypocrisy of lyars i made to bee counterfeit writings , under the names of the first and best antiquity : s. pet●rs liturgy ; the liturgy of s. iames ; mathew ; mark ; the apostles councell at antioch ; foisted workes under the names of austin , origen , cyprian , athanaesius and others : through which wee need not doubt , but the doctrine of daemons was promoted , when we see some not ashamed still to maintain it ▪ by these counterfeit authorityes . thus you see , how the first-borne and the most ancient part of the doctrine of daemons , the deifying of saints & martyrs was advanced by the hypocrisy of liars . the same you shall find to have bin verified also in the advancing of the next-born d●mon-changling image-worship , and of the third , the idolatry of the masse-god , all brought in , and established by the means and wayes aforesaid . i need not spend time in historicall allegations , they are well enough knowne ; and primu● in unoquoque genere est mensura consequentium . by that i spake of the first , you may judge of those which follow ; yet for images i will tell you a story or two for a tast : bale our country-man ( script . illust. britan , cent. . ca. . . ) relates , that about the yeare , one egwin of worcester published in writing certain revelations , yea expresse visions he had seen , wherin hee was enjoyned to set in his diocesse of worcester the image of the blessed virgin , for the people to worship ; which pope constantine the first having made him confirme by oath , not only ratifyed by his bull ; but caused brithwald the arch-bishop to hold a councell of the whole clergy at london , to commend them to the people . in that idolatrous councell of the second of nice , one of their proofes , among many the like for worshipping of images , is a tale quoted out of i know not what sophronius , of a certain recluse , who using to worship an image of the virgin mary , holding christ in her armes , had been a long time tempted by the divell to fornication ; wherat on a time the old man being much aggrieved , the devill visibly appearing told him in plaine termes ( but under an oath of secrecy ) that hee would never cease to vex him , untill he left worshipping the image of the blessed virgin. the monke notwithstanding hee had made him sweare by the most high , hee should tell no body , yet acquaints one abbot theodore with the businesse , who not only allowes of his perjury in revealing it , but gives him this ghostly resolution : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . it were better he frequented all the stewes in the city , than not to worship christ and his mother , in an image . i am afraid some of their monk successours still observe this wholesome counsell . i must tell you also some of the miracles and lyes for laying the foundation of transubstantiation , and thence advancing the idoll of the masse . a certaine monke reports , that hee saw jesus christ in forme of a child sitting upon the altar . another sayth , yea more then one , that wittikind king of the saxons entring disguised into a church , and diligently observing the christians fashion of receiving the communion , saw them put a little pretty smiling boy into their mouths . these wonders and others of the like apparitions of flesh and blood began not , till about the end of the yeares . but that they might seeme ancienter , simeon metaphrastes hath a forged legend of arsenius the hermite ; and some body counterfeited the life of saint basil , under the name of amphilochius his companion , which now they begin to be ashamed of . and for feare the people might suspect that these were illusions , they keepe yet some of the flesh and blood which was thus transubstantiated , for a monument , in many churches . to these apparitions , to make all compleat , they tell us of a hive of bees seen in saint gervais his monastery in paris , which built a chappell of wax in honour of the host , which some body put into the hive ; and a miracle of an asse that left his provender to worship the host ; and many other the like : but i have staied too long amongst them , and therefore let here be the conclusion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that we may passe on to that is yet behind . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. i come now to the last description of the meanes whereby the doctrine of daemons was to be advanced , viz. through the hypocrisie of such as forbid marriage , and command to abstaine from meats . who are these ? the wonderfull correspondence of the event makes me verily beleeve , that the holy ghost intended here ( at least chiefly ) to decipher unto us monks , and doctors of monkery , by two such marks , as ar● the chiefe points and grounds of that singularity of life . for prohibition of marriage , and difference of meats are inseparable characters of monasticall profession , and goe common to all that crew of hypocrites , whether solivagant hermites , or anchorites which live alone , or coenobites which lived in society . and if we take them joyned together , as our apostle doth , i think they can befit no other kind of men by way of rule and precept , but these alone . 't is true , all antichrists priests are forbidden marriage , generally and absolutely ; but meats they are not , save onely upon certaine dayes and times , which is not their case alone , but the people also partake with them in the like restraint . but monks are bound by the vowed rule of their profession , to abstain from both absolutely and perpetually . concerning the first heare s. chrisostome speak ; hom . in math. nobis & monachis ( saith he ) omnia mandata dei sunt communia , praeter connubium : all the commandments of god are common to us , with monks , besides marriage . wherefore in the councell of chalcedon is an expresse canon , cap. . vt nec deo dicata virgo , nec monachus nubant : that no nun or monk should marry , ( i. e. ) they might not forsake their profession . for the second , the abstaining from meats , saint bennet can tell us best , who is the father and founder of welnigh all the monks of the west . his rule , which they all bind themselves to observe , ●aith ; à carnibus omnes abstineant , let all abstaine from flesh . again , carnium etiam quadrupedum omninò ab omnibus abstineatur comestio : let all abstaine together from the eating of flesh of foure footed beasts . hence is that decree of bishop fructuosus in gratian dist . . carnem cuiquam monach● nec gustandi , nec sumendi est concessa licentia : no monk hath leave granted him to take , or so much as to taste a peece of flesh . and these were the two principall observations of the first monks , before they came to be gathered into a society of a common life , under certain set rules . paulus thebaus the first pattern of this kind of life , abstained as from marriage ( whereof there is no question ) so from all meats , save bread and dates . anthony the next eate nought but bread and salt , and both drank no other drink but water . epiphanius in his anchorato tels us of differing observations in this kind . some eat no flesh , but fish ; some neither of both , but fruits and hearbs : some eat flying creatures , but abstained from all besides . but if you will take meats in this place in a larger sense , you shall have a full definition of monkery , and take in that other monasticall principle of renouncing possessions , & having no propriety in any thing , which they account the second fundamentall principle , next to the vow of chastity or single life . now may not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , meats , be expounded in this sense ? we know the word ( bread ) in scripture signifies all thing needfull for the maintenance of life ; omnia vi●ae subsidia ; and therefore we ask them a●l in the lords prayer under that name , give us this day our daily bread . marke the words of david to ziba , sam. . thou and thy sonnes , and thy servants , shall till the land for him ( mephibosheth ) and shalt bring in the fruits , that thy masters sonne may have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 food to eat . here bread , or food , is taken for mephibosheths whole maintenance , the whole profit of the land which ziba tils . matth. . . . provide neither gold , nor silver , nor brasse in your purses , nor scrip for your journey , neither coats , nor shoes , nor yet staves ; for the workman is worthy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . here gold , silver , brasse , cloaths , and staves , and all come under 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , meat . in stead whereof saint luke chap. . ver . . putteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , his hire . pro. . . agur saith , give me neither poverty nor riches , feed me with food convenient for me , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . by all which appeares , that food and meat in scripture is often taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as saint james speakes cap. . ver . . for all provision of things for the use of the body , and this life ; maintenance , revenue , estate , possession ▪ why may not then abstaining from meats in this prophesie meane or include abstaining from possessions , votum paupertatis , the vow of poverty , and renouncing of the world , as the hypocrites call it ? to which the following words , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , are every way as pliable as to the stricter sense , and may be read thus : which god hath created to be enjoyed with thankesgiving of them which , &c. let us heare s. bennets rule speak for all· nemo aliquid proprium habeat , nullam omnino rem , neque codicem , neque tabulas , neque graphiarium , sed nihil omnino : let no man have any thing proper or as his own , no kind of thing , neither book , nor writing , nor inkehorne , nor any thing at all . and those who had once imposed upon themselves this law , were prohibited forever to returne to the world againe . monachis non licere ad s●culum redire , saith the canon of a great councell . heare a story of s. hierome epist. ad eustochium . a certain monke being dead was found to have been so good an husband , as to have had lying by him one hundred solidi , which hee had gotten by weaving of linnen ; hereupon great doubt there was , what it should be done withall , whether given to the poore , to the church , or to what use . but pambo , and isidorus , and the other fathers ( of the monks ) laid their heads together , decreed it should be buried with him , with this blessing ; pecunia tua sit tecum in perditionem ; thy money perish together with thee . the like sentence gave gregory the great against justus a monk , for the like fault , dial. ● . c. . i conclude therefore , that these words , are a description of monkery by such notes as are fundamentall , which way soever wee take them , either containing single life and discrimen ciborum , the differencing of meats , or the two vowes of chastity and poverty , or all three of them , chastity , poverty , and abstaining from meats . as for that other vow of obedience , it was not from the beginning , nor common to all ; not to hermites and anchorites , but such as lived in common under an head . and these are the men through whose hypocrisy , and by whose meanes the doctrine of daemons should be brought in , and advanced among christians in the latter times . now let us see and behold with admiration the truth of this part also of the prophesy . where first observe that this singular kind of life began even just at the time when the doctrine of daemons was to enter . for paulus thebaeus , and anthony , the first patterns thereof , died , the former in the reigne of constantine , the latter a little before the yeere ; whence , or neere unto which time , we began our reckoning before of the first entrance of saint-worship into the church . about that time ( monks till then having been confined to egypt ) hilarion brought them into syria , and presently saint basil gave them a certain rule to live together in forme of a polity ; and with the assistance of his brother gregory nyssen and gregory nazianzen ( who all entred this new kind of life ) dispersed them over all asia amd greece ; whose encrease was so wonderfull , that almost in an instant they filled the world , and their esteeme was so great , that there was scarce a man of note , but took upon him this kind of life . though therefore it be most true , that our apostles prophecy will bee verified , whichsoever of the two , either such as themselves entred the restraint of a monastick life , or those who approved , taught , & maintained the holinesse of tht profession ( as the rest did ) were the ring-leaders and foster-fathers of this defection ; ( for both come within the verge of such as forbid marriage , and command to abstain from meats ) yet wee will not content ourselves with so loose an application , but see what an hand monks and friars themselves ( chiefly i suppose intended by the holy ghost ) had in this businesse . and first in the doctrin of daemons , adoring of reliques , and invocation of saints : where that which i first speak of shall be in the words of chemnitius , lest some more tender of the honour of our fathers upon earth , than of the glory of our father in heaven , might take exception . heare therefore not mee , but chemnitius in his examen concilii tridentini : about the yeare of our lord god per basilium , nissenum , et nazianzenum in publicos ecclesia conventus , occasione orationum panegyricarum invocatio sanctorum invehi coepit ; eodem tempore cùm ab iisdem authoribus monachatus ex aegypto et syriâ in graeciam introduceretur , et videtur ( saith he ) haec sive portio , sive appendix monachatus fuisse . by basil , nissen , and nazianzen , upon occasion of panegyricall orations , invocation of saints began to be brought into the publick assemblyes of the church , at the same time , when by the same authors the profession of monasticall life was was brought out of aegypt and syria into greece ; and it seemes ( saith he ) that this was either a part , or an appurtenance of monkery &c. againe speaking of st. ambrose when he had once turned monke , howsoever hee was before ; non tamen nego ( inquit ) ambrosium , tandem cùm monochatum à basilio mutuò sumpsisset , etiàm ad invocationem sanctorum inclinare coepisse , ut patet ex libro de viduis . i deny not ( saith he ) but ambrose at length , when he had once borrowed monkery from basil , began also to incline to the invocation of saints , as appeares in his book de viduis . thus chemnitius . and that you may yet further see how operative monkes were in this businesse , heare saint augustine de opere monachorum , cap. . tam multos hypocritas sub habitu monachorum usquequaque dispersit satan , circumeuntes provincias , nusquam missos , nusquam fixos , nusquam stantes , nusquam sedentes . alii membra martyrum , si tamen martyrum venditant ; & omnes petunt , omnes exigunt , aut sumptus lucrosae egestatis , aut simulatae pretium sanctitatis . the devill ( saith he ) hath dispersed in every corner such a crew of hypocrites , under the habit of monks , gadding about every countrey , sent no whither , staying no where , every where restlesse , whether sitting or standing ; some sell the limbs of martyrs , if so be of martyrs ; and all asking , all exacting either the expence of a gainfull poverty , or the hire of a counterfeit sanctity . these were those surely which occasioned that rescript of theodosius the emperour , nemo martyrem distrahat , nemo mercetur ; let no man sell , let no man buy a martyr : whereby we may gather what honesty was like to be used amongst them : we know , laudat venales qui vult extrudere merces ; merchants use to commend their commodities . gregory of tours , who lived and died somewhat before the yeere , tels us this , monachos quosdam romam venisse , ac prope templum pauli corpora quaedam noctu effodisse , qui comprehensi fassi sunt in graeciam se ea pro sanctorum reliquiis portaturos fuisse ; that certain monks came to rome , and neere unto saint pauls church , in the night time , digged up certain bodies ; who being apprehended , confessed they meant to have carried them into greece for reliques of saints . the same author , l. . c. . hist. franc. relates a story of another counterfeit monk , who pretended to come out of spaine with martyrs reliques ; but being discovered , they were found to be certaine herbs , with bones of mice , and such like stuffe : and he tels us there were many such seducers which deluded the people . and he said true , there were many indeed , and many more than gregory took for such , even those h●e took for honest men . for though it must not be denied , but god had some of this order which were holy men , and unfainedly mortified , notwithstanding their errou● in thinking god was pleased with that singularity of life ; yet must it be confessed , that the greater part were no better than hypocrites , and counterfeits , and that the lamentable defection of the christian church chiefly proceeded from , and was fostered by men of that profession , as in part we have heard already . and if you can with patience heare him speak , i will add the testimony of eunapius sardianus , a pagan writer , who lived in the dayes of theodosius the first , about the yeere , in the life of edesius , most bitterly inveighing against the christians for demolishing the renowned temple of serapis at alexandria in egypt : he speakes in this manner : when they had done ( saith he ) they brought into the holy places those which they call monks , men indeed for shape , but living like swine , and openly committing innumerable villanies , not to be named ; who yet tooke it for a peece of religion thus to despise the divinity ( he means of serapis : ) for then ( saith he ) whosoever wore a black coat , and would demeane himselfe absurdly in publicke , got a tyrannicall authority ; to such an opinion of vertue had that sort of men attained . these monks also they placed at canopus , in stead of the intelligible gods , to worship slaves , and those of no good condition ; thus bringing a bond of religion upon men . for having powdered the bones and skuls of such as had beene condemned of many crimes , and punished by a legall course of justice , they made gods of them ; prostrating themselves unto them , and thinking themselves the better for being polluted with sepulchres ; they called them forsooth martyrs , and some deacons , yea and solicitours of their prayers with the gods ; being indeed but perfidious slaves , who had been well basted with the whip , and carried the scars of their lewdnesse upon their bodies , and yet such gods as these the earth brings forth . thus the wretched caitiffe , and damned dog , blasphemes the saints and servants of christ , who loved not their lives unto death ; the dust of whose feet he was not worthy to lick up . yet may we make a shift to gather hence , what manner of offices monks were then busied in . and if baronius took leave to use his testimony for the antiquity of saint-worship , why may not i with the like liberty alledge it , to shew that monks and friars were ring-leaders therein ? but when the idolatry of image-worship came to be added to those of saints , whether monks and friars were not the chiefe sticklers therein , judge when you shall hear how it fared with them in that great opposition against idols in the east . of leo isaurus , the first of those emperours that opposed images , we have this in generall out of the greek menology : that he raged most cruelly against bishops and monks , which maintained the worship of images ; and that he burnt a whole cloister of such kind of people in their monastery , together with a famous library , and all their furniture . but constantine his son made a worse fray amongst them . for the author of the acts of monk stephen tels us , that he being reproved and convicted for what hee had done ( viz. against images ) by the religious and worthy professours of monasticall life , he raised an implacable warre against them ; calling that noble habit , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the vesture of darknesse ; and the monks themselves , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , unworthy of memory : and besides , terming them all idolaters , for the worshipping of venerable images . the same is confirmed by theosterictus , another authour of that time , who saith , that the whole aime and study of this emperour was to extinguish and root out the order of monks . and for particulars , here what theophanes ( himselfe a monk , and a little singed too in this flame , before it ended ) will informe us . in the one and twentieth yeere of his reigne he caused ( saith he ) andreas calybites , a worthy monke , who reproved him for his impiety ( in demolishing images ) to be scourged till hee died , lib. . cap. . hist. miscell . in the five and twentieth yeere of his reigne hee caused monke stephen to be dragged by the heeles in the streets , till being rent in peeces , he died ; both for the aforesaid offence , and because he drew and perswaded many to a monasticall life , ibid. cap. . the same yeere the emperour ( saith he ) disgraced and dishonoured the monasticall habit , publickly commanding every monk to lead a woman by the hand , so to march through the hippodrome , all the people abusing them , and spitting upon them , ibid. cap. . in the seven and twentieth year , the monasteries ( he saith ) partly he destroyed to the very foundations , partly bestowed them upon his captains and souldiers , ibid. cap. . in the same yeere , when he could not draw peter à metra , a famous stylite , or pillar-monk , unto his opinions , he caused him likewise to be dragged by the heeles , and his body cast out into the streets , ibid. cap. . in his thirtieth yeere , his praetor or deputy lichanodraco gathered all the monks in his jurisdiction together , and commanded them to obey the emperour , to put on a white coat , and to marry wives instantly , or to have their eyes put out , and to be sent into exile , ibid. cap. . so the emperor , when he would have constantine the patriarch abjure monkery , he made him ( saith the same authour ) eat flesh , lib. eod . cap. . in the one and thirtieth yeere the same lichanodraco sold all the monasteries , both of men and women in his jurisdiction , and sent the money to the emperour . if hee found any one to have a relique of any saint in keeping , he burnt it , and punished him that had it . he slew the monks , some with stripes , some with the sword ; and left not a man , where he had to doe , that wore a monasticall habit ; whereupon the emperour wrote thus unto him , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : i have found thee a man after mine own heart , who fulfillest my whole will. thus much of constantine . the like reports cedrenus of michael balbus , that he abominated monks , and diversly afflicted them , ordaining one punishment after another against them . as also of theophilus , the last emperour that opposed images : theophilus ( saith he ) ordained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that no monks should have accesse unto the cities , and that they should by all meanes be banished ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and not so much as dare to be seen in the countrey : and that he caused the monasteries and places of holy retirement to become common and secular habitations : what the reason was , we may learn by that the same author tels us : of those ( saith he ) which reprehended the emperour , the abramite monks were the chiefe ; who freely adventuring into his presence , did demonstrate that monasticall life was not an invention of yesterday , or the other day , but an ancient and primitive institution , and that holy images were familiar in the apostles times , and that saint luke painted an image of the blessed virgin , &c. but it seemes the emperour was not convinced by their demonstration : for this their boldnesse cost them full deare , as our authour relates . by this time i know you understand what the matter was that this image-storm fell so heavily upon the heads of monks and friars : and yet notwithstanding all this , they at length prevailed , and carried the day ( so god would have it ) for their idols . for another theophanes , whom they call the presbyter , a writer also of his time tells , that theophilus being dead , theodora the empresse ( whilst she reigned in the minority of michael her son ) when she meant to restore image-worship , which had been banished now the second time , ever since leo armenius , re cum illis communicatâ , qui erant in magistratu & dignitate constituti , accersit cum ipsis eos , qui inter monachos praestabant , & de imaginum instauratione quaestionem proponit . cumque idem omnes consentientes comperissent , diuturnoque ejus re● desiderio teneri , atque animo excruciari propter religionis in hâc re mutationem , postulat , ●t se etiam patrum authoritatibus ad veritatem confirmarent , quas variis in libris invenissent . mandavitque quo in loco palatii praefinito , ●aetus ecclesiasticus universus cogeretur , & ad populum eâ de re verba faceret , &c. that is , when she had acquainted the magistrates , and those that were in authority , therewith , together with them she sent for the chiefest of the monks , and propounded to them the question concerning restoring of images : whom when she found all men for the purpose , yea very eager in the businesse , she called a synod , whereby idolatry was again publickly erected in the greek church , yeeres after it first began to bee purged thereof , by leo isaurus the emperour . for the idolatry of the masse-god , which was not in use , at soonest , till a thousand yeeres after christ , when the opinion of transubstantiation had gotten strength , we shall not need trouble our selves much to shew that monks and friars were the authors and advancers thereof ; since by that time , these kind of men were become the onely masters of divinity : and therefore wee need not doubt , that what was then broached in the church , came out of their shop . judge now , by what you have heard , how truly this prophesie of saint paul is fulfilled , who told us , that the doctrines of daemons should bee brought into the church , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; through the hypocrisie of those who forbid to marry , and ( command ) to abstain from meats . finis . printed for samuel man at the swan in pauls church-yard . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * doctrinis deastror●m . * hy●erius 〈◊〉 exp●unds it in his comm. on this epistle . * h●nce the phrase in scripture fornicaria deo , to apostatize from god by spirituall fornication : vide psal. . hosea . . ezek. . see concord . kirch . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , chaldaeis & targumis●is est idolum , & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est idola colere & scoriari . rom. . . pet. . . thes. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ier. . . * so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acts . ● . phil . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thes. . . numb . . the mid●anites called the people to the sacrifices of their gods , and the people did eate . and israel joyned himselfe to baal p●or : but psal. . it is said , they joyned themselves unto baal peor and ate the sacrifices of the dead . deut. . . in the propheticall song of israels apostasie , they sacrificed unto daemons , not to god ; to gods whom they knew not , to new ones that came newly up , whom the fathers feared not . the seventy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for cutting and launcing were funerall rites , as appeares levit. . . and chap. . . and deut. . . ier. . . and chapter . . and therefore retained in the funerall worship ( as they call it ) of those that were deified after death : qu●re ; did not god forbid his people this rite because abused to daemon idolatry ? yet did some transg●esse it , as ier. . . moses body therefore hidden . vide isa. . idolatrae in sepulchris , item cap. . ver . . pro vivis ad mort●os . loc. isa. . . targ. vertit nonne haec via enim populo●um colentium idolam . vnusquisque populus ab●●dolo su● req●irit , vivi a mortuis : the seventy sic : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . loc. es. . . targ. sic ; in 〈◊〉 sacrificant idolii & adol●nt aromata super lateres . . qui habitant in domibus , quae edificantur de ●ulvere sepulchorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & eum cadaveribus filiorum hominum morentur . seventy ▪ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . tertult . idolatria parentationis est species , cap. . * hieron . in cap. . ezech. idolum autem baal sive bel , assyrio●um religio est , consecrata a ni●o belis silio in honorem patris . idem in hos. cap. . ninus in tantam pervemt gloriam ut pa●trem suum b●lum referret in deum , qui he●raicè dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & in multis prophetis , maximeque in daniele : 〈◊〉 juxta theodosionem sub idolo babylon● hoc appellatur nomine , hunc sidonii , & phaenices appellant , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eusebii chron. chronicon alexandrinum se● fasti siculi . hieron . ●aulo post lecum proxi . mè citatum . didicimus , in . quit exordium daemonis , imo hominijs in daemonem consecrati : omnia enim idola ex mortuorum errore creverunt . idem in c. . isa. quem ( i. e. baal● graeci belum , latini saturnum dicunt , cujus tanta fuit apud veteres religio ut ei non solum humanas hostias ca●tivorum , ignobi iumque mortali●m , sed & suo● liberos immolarum● . cyrillus contra iulianum versus finem , primus ( inquit ) regnavit in assyriorum terrâ , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , vir superbus , & arrogans , belus qui & primus hominum dicitur à subditis no men deitatis accepisse ; hic interpres vitio●è transfert arbelus , & ubi mox s●qui ur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interpres arbeli , &c. lactant. de sals . relig c. . & ult . originem idolatrie ad belum refert . dii 〈◊〉 de quibus lab●o libros scripse●a● , in quibus a●ebat ( verba s●rvii ) esse quaedam sacra quibus animae vertantur in d●os , qui appellantur animales , quòd de animis sia●t . * plutarch . de defect . orac. in the person of amonius the philosopher makes two sorts of daemons , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , soules separate from bodies , or such as never dwelt in bodies at all : though both these sorts have the name of daemons given them in common , yet are these which were the soules of men , otherwhile for distinctions sake called heroes , ( plutarch de plac. philos. c. . ) though some extend not this name in generall to all , but onely to such as are either of an inferiour ranke , or but no vices , not yet promoted to the office of daemons ; as punies , not yet called to the barre . vid. athenag . legat. pr● christ in bibliot● . patr. p. . . qui dicunt non alio modo homines conve●ire deos posse , scil . quam p●r simulac●ra . tertul. de idol c. . artifices idolorum daemoniis corpora conf●rre . “ vide herod . clio. c. . persas statuas non ▪ erigere , quod non ut gr●ci sentiunt deos ex hominibus esse ortos ; ex opinione herod . * nam quod potest inte●ligentiâ so●um ●ros●ici & comprehendi mente nec appetit formam , quâ cognoscatur , nec figuram admittit , ut imaginem & effigi●m . ve●um ista omnia ad gra●iam mortuorum reseruntur : dum enim vixerunt homines , ●rant corporum compagibus inclusi , canstantin . orat ad sanctorum coe●um . c. . * in mortuo●um idolis daemonia consislunt . tertul . vide de spectac . cap , , . serè totum . tim. . . tim. . . tit. . . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . b et strom. l. . p . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . lactant. lib. . instit. divin . ait , superstitiosi vocantur aut ii qui superstitem memoriam defunctorum ●olunt , aut qui parentibus su● superstites , celebrant ●magines eorum domi tanqua● deos penates . nam qui novos sibi ritus desumebant , ut deorum vice mortuos honorarent , quos ex hominibus in coelum receptos putabant ; ●os superstitiosos voca●ant . eos verò qui publicos & antiquos deos colerent , religiosos nomina●ant , undè virgilius , vana superstitio veterumque ign●ra deorum . martin . lex . quem ulterius vide . * s●e tertuli . ●●●spectac . c. . “ see also apocal . cap. . ver . . where christ is named a●ter ●he seven ●pirits for the like reason . colos. . . thes. . . conversion to christianity is described a turning from idols to serve the true ▪ and living god , and to wait for his sonne iesus christ ; therefore ap●stasie is a returne to idols from the living and true god and his sonne iesus christ. * apocal. . . in saracen . frid. sylburg . citante martins ● . p. . lex . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . mahomet in alcorano inducit deum ad se ita loquen●em : pauper fuisti & ditavi te , idolis servist● & vocavi te : interpres aretae in praefatione sub finem . mahomet was a paynim , neicircumcised as the other arabians were , nor bap●ized till he b●gun his false prophesy : when abdalla the i●w did ●he one unto him , and sergius the monk conferred the other , vid. purchas p●●gr . * tertul. calls these hereticks , alterius divinitatis haeretici . hieron . in ca. ezek. ego hoc arbi●ror , quòd non polluat nomen domini , nisi ille qui v●sus est nomini ejus credere : & ●uomodò tollit membra christi , & ●acit membra meretricis , qui priù● christo ●redidit ; sic ill● polluit nomen domini , qui priùs nominis eius fidem susceperit . * apoc. . chron. . targ. eccles. . . expounds in novissimis diebus regis christi . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , tim. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lxx . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a vide targ. habac. . . b vide cyril . hierosol . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ●● . p. . & hieron . locum infra ci●atum . add here that of christ himselfe , mar. . the time is fulfilled , and i. e kingdome of god is at ●and hue quoque p●r●inet illu● , tim. . : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . * tertul. de resurrect . c. . ambros. comment ▪ in hunc locum . hieron . q . ad algasiam . & prasat . in l. . comment . in ●zek . chryso●l . comment . in hunc locum . aug. lib. c. de civit. dei , sed non tam asseverantèr ut caeteri cyrillus hierosol●m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . * chald. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à vulg. humiliabit . lxx . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 irenaeus , deminorabit , vol , ( ut in alio exemplari ) dehonorabit . va●ab . opprimet . iunius , deprimet . * as infall●bly appeares in that long wanting mathem●ticall canon of ptol●my , now of l●te bro●ght to light out of one of our libraries . bellum . macedo icum secu●dum . a ammian . marcel . lib . c. . horrendi tremores per omnem orbis ambitum grassati sunt subitò , quales nec fabulae nec veridi ae nob●s antiquitates exp●nunt , &c. hieron . in vita hilarionis . b h●c tempore velut per universum orbem romanum canentibus buccinis , excitae gent●s saevis●imae , ●●mites sibi proximos persuliabant , gallias , rhetiasque , simul alemanni po●ulabantur ; sarmatae , pannonias , & quadi , picti , saxones , & scoti , & attacotti britannos , aerumnis vexavere continuis : thracias deripiebant praedatorii globi gotthoru● , &c. ammian . ibid. cap. . c hieron . epist. . ante annum . viginti & co amplius anni sunt quòd inter constantinopolin & alpes iulias quotidiè romarus sanguis effunditur . scythiam , thrac●am , macedoniam , daciam , dardaniam , thessalonicam , achaiam , epiro● , dalmatiam , cunctasque pannonias , gothus , sarmata , quadus , alanus , hunni , vandali , marcomanni vastant , rapiunt , romanus orbis ruit ▪ quid pu●as nunc animi habere corinthios , athenienses , lacedaemonios , arcadas , cunctamque graeciam , quibus imperant barbari ? d synesius orat. ad arcadium august . quomodo enim ferre possumus partes vir●les , in nostra republica , alienorum & externorum esse , & fortissimū imperium concedere aliis bellicae gloriae principatum ? neque enim dubitandum est sore , ut illi aliquando armis instructi hominum urbanorum se dominos esse velint . quod priusquam eveniat , revo●and● sunt nobis romanorum anim● , & ita assuefaciendi , ut ipsi suo marte vincere & possint & velint ▪ ne● omnino societatem cum barbaris incant , sed eos omnes despiciant , omnique loco funditùs pell●nt . primùm igitur magistratu ejiciantur , & procul à curiae honoribus arceantur , quibus per suminum dedecus ea obvenerunt , quae diu apud romanos habita sunt , & reipsa fuerunt apud eos honestissima : nam & deam themidem , quae senatui , & bellon●m , quae exercit●i praesidet , obvelare se arbi●ror , cùm cernant hominem penulâ scorteâ indutum ducem esse chlamydatorium , & villosam penulam exuentem , togam sumere , & de summa rerum cum romano magistratu consulere , propè ipsum consulem sedentem , longè post eum sedentibus iis , quibus honos ille jure optimo debebatur . paulo post . apud nos exercitus magni sunt , nostrisque servis scythis sanguinae conjuncti , qui nescio quo infoelici fato in romanum imperium irruerunt , illi suos duces habent magnae authoritatis viros non solùm apud eos ipsos , sed etiam apud nos , quod malum nostra dedit socordia nobis . paulo post de theodosio . ille supplicantes ( scil . gothos ) erexit , & belli socios ascivit , & civitate donavit , & omnium bonorum par●icipes fecit , & partem romani agri iis attribuit ; at ●lli quod pater tuus mit●m se iis praebuit , nos in hun● usque diem derident , sed id prius fecerat valens , anno . — ( vide socratem lib. . cap. . ) — de quo sic paulus diaconus histor. miscell . lib. . cap. . hunnos , gothi , transito danubio , fugientes , à valente sine ulla faederis pactione suscepti sunt , ●ribuens eis terras thraciarum ad habitandum , arbitratus praepar● u●solatium ab eis habere contra omnes barbaros ; hâc pro re milites de coe●ero negligebat , & eos qui dudum contra hostes ●laboraverant , imperator despiciebat , &c. — hoc ergo ●uit initium , ut in illo tempore romana re●publica calamitatibus subdere●ur . barb●ri nam●ue c●m thracias tenuissent , licenter romanorun va●tabant pro●inc●●s , &c. * paulus diaconus his. misc. prout ex c●dice palatino edidit ianus gruterus . quatuordecim interim dies securâ & liberâ direptione omnibus opibus suis & miraculis roma vacua●● est . in quibus erant ecclesiastica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tota ex auro & lapidibus pretiosis ornata , & vasa hebrai●a quae titus v●spasiani filius post captivitatem hierosolymitarum romam detulerat ; multaque millia captivorum . — cum regina eudoxia quae gensericum ad hoc sacinus invitaverat , duabusque ejus filiabus , carthaginem abducta sunt . * s●lona ●orna●des , quem vide c●m paulo dia●ono . * vide can. . concil la●dicen . an . ● . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . cyril . hieros . catech. . expounds his of john to meane simon magiss . * an. . §. . ann. . §. . ann . §. . mat. . mar. luke . dan . . so targum , on●kel●s and ionathan both render it expresly deut : . . . allo c. . . n●cn●n targum ionathan , ier. . . sam. . . that is in all the places forecited . * sam. . . god is said to have redeemed israel from egypt , from the nations & their gods . see tremel . who turnes it more to our purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a see the oration o● licin●us to his souldiers , euseb. de v●ta constant. lib. . c. . b syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the altar ●e there speakes of in his defence was inscribed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which god ( saith he ) i preach unto you . c ro●a cum penè omnibus dominaretur gentibus , omnium gentium serviebat errorib●s , & magnam sibi videbatur assumpsisse religionem , quia nullam respuebat falsitatem , leo mag . in ser. . in nat . apo. pet. & paul hic confutandi daemonumcultus , hîc omnium sacrificio●um impietas destruenda , ubi diligentisimâ superstitione habeatur collectū quicquid usquam fuerat variis erroribus instructū . id. ib. d see this use of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ezra . . vulg. & angl. with lev. . . vulg. & lxx . num. . . lxx . ibid. cap. . . lxx . cap. . lxx . vulg. cum . angl. e viz. ver . of this cha . over 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and ver . . of the next chapter over 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where it is impossible it should distinguish , and so elsewhere . * some render it not of , but is his annointed or messiah , that is , messiah is mahoz ieshueth . see the notice hereòf at that time taken by the iewes mac. à principio adver . . inclusivè . but constantinus morossa the greek histo●ian inveighing against leo ●saurus for demolishing images , cals them , turres atque munit●ones religios●cultus . notes for div a -e calvin , beza . * so cafiellio seem●s to understand it , translating it per ●●mulationem hominum falsiloquorum . vide etiam ephes . . . in o●ni distribut●●●e omitti● copulativa videtur , vix apponi . li●acr . nonne sic etiam in graecis . * plus crudelitati vestrae , nero , deci , maximiniane debemus . diabolum ●nim p●r vos vicimus , sanctus ubique beatorū martyrum sanguis exceptus est ; dum in his daemones mugi●nt , dum ●●gritudines depelluntur &c. at tu ( id ●st constanti ) omnium crudelitatum crudeli●●me damno majore in nos , & veniâ minore , desaevis , &c. * see clem. con. fol. . * a delicate subu●bs of antioch . * adde , that no such thing could bee , so long as they used to pray for martyrs , as well as others of the dead . see clement . & ali●s . in which respect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , though the genitive case were taken actively , would signifie the idolatry of saint-worship , viz. the worship of the dead , which the devils are wont thus to counterfeit . savil. tom. . p. . alii rem . primâ adversus iud●os . this gregory of towres died anno . but i find now the same in the aurea legenda of all the foling martyrs , save the first , which is not there . s. barbara is but the appendix . * o happy simeon . * if she prayed this prayer with her selfe , by what revelation was it made knowne to others ? a in notis ad martyrologium ●oman . ●ul . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . habetur in op●ribus d●m●sceni auctis , interprete jacobo billio , ex reginae matris bibliothe●a , & apud surum , tom. nov. . * called the second of nice habetur apud baron an . . . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , saith t●e con●u●er co●● , nic. . act . . tom . . apud surium apr. . tom . . a vnder leo arm●nius . viz. the emperour . * possevinus in sua moscovia . * vide opus hierarchicum seu cosin . migalian . in timoth. ubi ex home●● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , l● . o●cu● . miscellaneous discourses concerning the dissolution and changes of the world wherein the primitive chaos and creation, the general deluge, fountains, formed stones, sea-shells found in the earth, subterraneous trees, mountains, earthquakes, vulcanoes, the universal conflagration and future state, are largely discussed and examined / by john ray ... ray, john, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) miscellaneous discourses concerning the dissolution and changes of the world wherein the primitive chaos and creation, the general deluge, fountains, formed stones, sea-shells found in the earth, subterraneous trees, mountains, earthquakes, vulcanoes, the universal conflagration and future state, are largely discussed and examined / by john ray ... ray, john, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed for samuel smith ..., london : . advertisement: p. [ ] at end. advertisement: prelim. p. [ ]-[ ]. errata: prelim. p. 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ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng end of the world. bible and science. end of the universe. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion john ray , f.r.s. printed for j. hinton , at the king's arms in paternoster row miscellaneous discourses concerning the dissolution and changes of the world . wherein the primitive chaos and creation , the general deluge , fountains , formed stones , sea-shells found in the earth , subterraneous trees , mountains , earthquakes , vulcanoes , the universal conflagration and future state , are largely discussed and examined . by john ray , fellow of the royal society . london , printed for samuel smith , at the prince's arms in st. paul's church yard . . to the most reverend father in god , john lord arch-bishop of canterbury , primate of all england , and metropolitan . my lord , it was no interest or expectation of mine , that induced me to dedicate this discourse to your grace . i am not so well conceited of my own performances , as to think it merits to be inscribed to so great a name , much less that i should oblige your lordship , or indeed a far meaner person by such inscription . my principal motive was , that it would give me opportunity of congratulating with the sober part of this nation , your advancement to the archiepiscopal dignity ; and of acknowledging his majesty's wisdom in making choice of so fit a person to fill that chair , endued with all qualifications requisite for so high a calling ; so able and skilful a pilot to govern the church , and so prudent and faithful a counsellor to serve himself . but i will not enlarge in your just praises , lest i should incur the unjust censure or suspicion of flattery : give me leave only to add , what i may without injury of truth , and i think also without violation of modesty ; that your grace's election hath the concurrent approbation and applause of all good men that know you , or have had a true character of you ; which may serve to strengthen your hands in the management and administration of so difficult a province , though you need no such support , as being sufficiently involved and armed by your vertues , and protected by the almighty power and providence . those that are good and wise are pleased and satisfied , when great men are preferred to great places ; and think it pity that persons of large and publick spirits should be confined to narrow spheres of action , and want field to exercise and employ those rich talents and abilities wherewith they are endowed , in doing all the good they are thereby qualified and inclined to do . my lord , i am sensible that the present i make you , is neither for bulk nor worth suitable to your person and greatness ; yet i hope you will favourably accept it , being the best i have to offer ; and my boldness may pretend some excuse from ancient acquaintance , and from my forwardness to embrace this opportunity of professing my name among those that honour you , and of publishing my self , my lord , your graces most devoted servant and humble orator , john ray. the preface . vvere it not customary and expected by the reader , this discourse would need no preface . all that i shall premise , shall be something by way of apology or excuse . first , for the two long digressions i have made , the one concerning the general deluge in the days of noah , the other concerning the primitive chaos and creation of the world. my first plea is , their affinity and near relation to my subject , the future dissolution of the world by fire inviting me to say something of the former destruction of it by water . and the destruction being opposite to the formation , i had as good a pretence to discourse likewise concerning that . my second excuse is , their agreement with my subject in being alike matters of ancient tradition . five matters of ancient tradition i have taken notice of , and four of them , by reason of their now-mentioned relation one to another i have had a fair and inviting occasion to treat of in this work. they are . that the world was formed out of a chaos by the divine wisdom and power . . that there was once an universal flood of waters , in which all mankind perished , excepting some few that were saved in an ark or ship. . that the world shall one day be dissolved by fire . . that there is a heaven and an hell , a tartarus and an elysium , and both eternal , the one to reward good men , and the other to punish wicked . . of which i have no occasion to treat , that bloody sacrifices are to be offered for the expiation of sin. it may be doubted , whether these traditions among the heathen had their original from some passages in scripture , as that of the chaos from the second verse of the first chapter of genesis . and the earth was tohu vabohu , which we render without form and void ; and that of the deluge , from the history of it in the seventh chapter of the same ; and the future conflagration from several passages in the prophets , &c. ; or were antecedent to the scripture : i rather think the latter , because we find them among some nations , which it's likely never had understanding of the scriptures , nor indeed ever heard of them . secondly , for writing so much , for which perchance some may censure me . i am not ignorant , that men as they are mutable , so they love change ; and affect variety of authors , as well as books . satiety even of the best things is apt to creep upon us . he that writes much , let him write never so well , shall experience that his last books , though nothing inferiour to his first , will not find equal acceptance . but for mine own part , though in general i may be thought to have written too much ; yet is it but little that i have written relating to divinity . thirdly , for being too hasty in huddling up and tumbling out books . herein i confess i cannot acquit my self wholly from blame . i know well , that the longer a book lies by me , the perfecter it becomes . something occurs every day in reading or thinking , either to add , or to correct and alter for the better ; but should i defer the edition till the work were absolutely perfect , i might wait all my life-time , and leave it to be published by my executors . but i see that posthumous pieces generally prove inferiour to those put out by the authors in their lives . and perchance did the reader know my reasons for this speed , which i think it not fit now to lay open , he would judge them sufficient to excuse me . however hasty and precipitate i am in writing , my books are but small , so that if they be worthless , the purchase is not great , nor the expence of time wasted in the perusal of them very considerable . yet is not the worth of a book always answerable to its bulk : but on the contrary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is usually esteemed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . one ●hing still remains to advertise the reader of , that is , that upon second thoughts , i do revoke what i have delivered as my opinion or suspicion concerning the continuance of the rain at the time of the deluge for one hundred and fifty dayes , because it is said the waters prevailed so long upon the earth , that is , as i understand it , increased . i now grant that it lasted but forty natural days ; because those words of god to noah , predicting the continuance of the rain . gen. . . for yet seven days and i will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights , &c. seem to limit it to that term . so that we must seek some other reason for the prevailing of the water for one hundred and fifty days ; which probably might be the continuance of the emotion of the center of the earth for so long time . the contents . the introduction concerning prophecy . chap. . the division of the words [ peter . . ] and doctrine contained in them , viz. i. testimonies concerning the future dissolution of the world. . of the holy scriptures . . of ancient christian writers . . of heathen philosophers and sages . ii. seven quotations concerning the dissolution proposed . pag. . , chap. . the testimonies of scripture concerning the dissolution . dr. hammond's expositions , referring the most of them to the destruction of the city and temple of jerusalem , and the period of the jewish state and polity , considered , and pleaded for . p. , , &c. to chap. . some testimonies of the ancient fathers and doctors of the church concerning the dissolution of the world. p. , , &c. to . chap. . the testimonies of some heathen philosophers and other writers concerning the dissolution , the epicureans . p. . the stoicks , who held certain periods of deluges and conflagrations . p. to . that this opinion of a future conflagration was of far greater antiquity than that sect proved . p. , . . the antiquity and vniversality of it argue it to have been derived from noah and his sons . p. , chap. . the first question concerning the world's dissolution , whether there be any thing in nature , that may probably cause or argue a future dissolution . three possible means propounded and discussed . p. sect. . the first is , the possibility of the waters again naturally overflowing and covering the earth . p. . , , &c. to the old argument for the world's dissolution , viz. it s daily consenescency and decay rejected . p. , , from the continual straitening of the sea ; and lowring the mountains and high grounds by floods washing away and carrying down earth ; and from the seas encroaching upon the shores , such an overflowing shewn to be possible , p. , , &c. to p. . an objection against the diminution and depression of the land answered , p. , , &c. a digression concerning the general deluge in the days of noah , p. , , &c. testimonies of heathen writers and ancient coins verifying the scripture-history of the deluge , p. , , &c. to . that the ancient poets and mythologists by deucalion understood noah , and by deucalion's flood the general deluge , p. , . that there have been other particular deluges . p. the opinion of those who held , that the deluge was caused by a miraculous transmutation of the element of air into water , p. , . that the means assigned by the scripture , viz. a continual rain of forty natural days ; and the emptying the subterraneous abyss may suffice , so that we need not have recourse to such an assistance , p. . that all the vapours suspended in the air might contribute much towards the flood , proved , p : , . concerning the raising up the waters out of the great deep , p. , . an occasional discourse concerning the original of fountains , p. , , &c. the subterraneous circulation , and perpetual motion of the water to the author improbable , p. . that the preponderancy of the earth , and the water lying upon an heap in the opposite hemisphere cannot be the cause ▪ of the waters ascent in springs , proved , p , . that rains may suffice to feed the springs , and do feed the ordinary ones , proved , p. , . that the rain-water sinks down and makes its way into the earth more than ten or twenty , or forty , or an hundred foot , proved by many arguments and experiments , p. , , &c. to p. . mr. halley's opinion , that springs and rivers owe their original to vapours condensed on the sides of the mountains , propounded and approved as to hot and fervid regions ; but disallowed as to the more temperate and cold ones , yet the vapours there not wholly excluded , p. , , &c. to . observations communicated by dr. robinson concerning the original of fountains , dropping trees , &c. p. , . the question further discussed , and proved that vapours are a partial cause of springs even in temperate and cold regions . addit . , inferences upon the supposition of the rivers pouring into the sea half an ocean of waters daily , p. , . the most probable causes of the deluge , viz. the emotion of the center of the earth ; or an extraordinary depression of the superficies of the sea , p. , . the effects of the deluge : . as. to the superficial parts of the earth , p. , . . particularly , as to the bringing in of formed stones , or the shells and bones of some sea-fishes , dispersed all over the face of the earth . p. , &c. a discourse concerning the nature and original of those bodies : whether they were originally the real shells and bones of fishes or stones cast in such molds : or whether they be primitive productions of nature in imitation only of such shells and bones , not owing their figure to them . the arguments on both sides proposed and weighed . p. , , &c. to sect. . the second possible cause of the world's destruction in a natural way , the extinction of the sun. p sect. . the third possible cause of the world's destruction , the eruption of the central fire , p. . that the being of such a fire is no way oppugnant either to scripture or reason . p. , , &c. sect. . the fourth possible cause of the world's destruction , the earths dryness and inflammability in the torrid zone , and the eruption of the vulcano's p. . that the inclination of the ecliptick to the equator doth not diminish , p. . that tho there were such a drying and parching of the earth in the torrid zone , it would not probably infer a conflagration , p. , , . that there hath not yet been , nor in the ordinary course of nature can be any such drying or parching of the earth under the torrid zone , p. , , . the possibility of the desiccation of the sea by natural means denied , p. , . the fixedness and intransmutability of principles secures the vniverse from dissolution , destruction of any present species , and production of any new . p. , a second digression concerning the primitive chaos and creation of the world. p. what the ancients understood by it , ibid. & . that probably god did at first create a certain number of principles or simple bodies , naturally intransmutable , and mingle them variously in the earth and water ; and likewise the seminal principles of animate bodies too ; giving the water and earth power to hatch or bring them forth , p. , . by what means the waters were gathered together into one place , and the dry land made to appear , p. . that subterraneous fires and flatus's might be sufficient for such an effect , proved from the effects of gunpowder , and the raising up of new mountains , p. , , , &c. a discourse concerning the equality of sea and land both as to the extent of each ; and the height of one to the depth of the other , taken from the shores , p. , , &c. a discourse concerning the vse of the mountains , p. , , to p. chap. . an answer to the second question , whether shall this dissolution be effected by natural or by extraordinary means , and what they shall be ? p. , &c. chap. . the third question answered , whether shall the dissolution be gradual and successive , or momentaneous and sudden ? p. , chap. . the fourth question resolved , whether shall there be any signs or forerunners of the dissolution of the world ? p. , , chap. . the fifth question , at what period of time shall the world be dissolved , and particularly , whether at the end of six thousand years , p. , , &c. chap. . how far shall this dissolution or conflagration extend ? whether to the ethereal heavens , and all the host of them , sun , moon and stars ; or to the aereal only ? p. , , &c. chap. . containing an answer to the seventh question . whether shall the whole world be consumed and annihilated or only refined and purified ? p. , . the restitution of the world proved by the testimonies of scripture and antiquity , and also by reason , p. , , , &c the arguments for the abolition , and annihilation answered , p. , , chap. . the inference the apostle makes from the precedent doctrine . of rewards , punishment , and future state. from p. to the end. several additions and amendments . from p. to p several books written by mr. john ray , fellow of the royal society , and sold by samuel smith , at the prince's arms in s. paul's church-yard . catalogus plantarum circa cantabrigiam nascentium , octavo . cantab. . catalogus plantarum angliae & insularum adjacentium , oct. lond. , & . a collection of english and other proverbs . cambridge . octavo , . and . observations made in a journey through most parts of europe . octavo , . catalogus stirpium in exteris regionibus à nobis observatarum , londini , octavo , . dictionariolum trilingue secundum locos communes . londini , octavo , , . a collection of unusual english words , with an account of preparing our english minerals . lond. duod . . and . francisci willoughbeii ornithologia , cum figuris : recognovit , digessit , supplevit joannes raius . londini , fol. . the same ornithology much enlarged , in english . london , . methodus plantarum nova cum tabulis . londini , octavo , . francisci willughbeii historia piscium cum figuris . recognovit , digessit , supplevit j. raius . oxoniae , fol. . historia plantarum generalis , vol. . londini , fol. , . fasciculus stirpium britannicarum . londini , octavo , . synopsis methodica plantarum britannicarum cum virium epitome . londini , octavo , . the wisdom of god manifested in the works of the creation . london , oct. . the same much augmented . . miscellaneous discourses concerning the dissolution and changes of the world , &c. london , octavo , . errata . page . lin . . for turned read tumid . lin . . insert a. p. . l. . after that insert they . p. . l. . r. prophecy . p. . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . l. r. testatur . p. ● . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . l. . r. silt. p. . l. . r. camarg . p. . l. . r. he. p. . l. . after the insert year . p. . l. . after of insert that . p. . l. . de●e out of . p. . l. . after alps insert for passing over a mountain on the very ridge of them p. . l. . for not r. at . p. . l. . dele in . p. . l. . r. lenticular . p. ▪ l. . after be insert but. p. . . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . of the dissolution of the world . the introduction . there is implanted in the nature of man a great desire and curiosity of fore knowing future events , what shall befal themselves , their relations or dependents in time to come ; the fates of kingdoms and common-wealths , especially the periodical mutations , and final catastrophe of the world. hence in ancient times , divination was made a science or mystery , and many nations had their colleges or societies of wisemen , magicians , astrologers and sooth-sayers ; as for example , the egyptians , babylonians and romans . hence the vulgar are very prone to consult diviners and fortune-tellers . to gratifie in some measure this curiosity ; and that his people might not in any privilege be inferiour to the nations about them , it pleased god , besides the standing oracle of vrim , not only upon special occasions to raise up among the jews extraordinary prophets , by immediate mission ; but also to settle a constant order and succession of them , for the maintenance and upholding whereof , there were colleges and seminaries instituted for the educating and fitting young men for the prophetick function . these were the sons of the prophets , of whom we find so frequent mention in scripture . moreover , it pleased god so far to condescend to the weakness of the jews , that in the infancy of their state , he permitted them to consult his prophets concerning ordinary accidents of life , and affairs of small moment : as we see saul did samuel about the loss of his fathers asses : which it 's not likely he would have done , had it not been usual and customary so to do . in the latter times of that state , we read of no consulting of prophets upon such occasions . at last also by their own confession , the spirit of prophecy was quite taken away , and nothing left them but a vocal oracle , which they called bath col , i. e. the daughter of a voice , or the daughter of thunder , a voice out of a voice . this dr. lightfoot thinks to have been a meer fancy or imposture . in the primitive churches of christians planted by the apostles , there was also an order of prophets , cor. . . god hath set some in the church , first apostles , secondarily prophets , &c. this spirit of prophecy was an extraordinary and temporary gift , as were the gifts of healing and speaking with tongues , continuing not long after the death of the apostles , and consignation of the canon of scripture . so that now we have no means left us of coming to the knowledge of future events , but the prophecies contained in the writings of the holy pen-men of scripture , which we must search diligently , consider attentively , and compare together , if we desire to understand any thing of what shall befal the christian church or state in time to come . this text which i have made choice of for my subject , is part of a prophecy concerning the greatest of all events , the dissolution of the world. peter iii. . seeing then all these things shall be dissolved , what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness ? chap. i. the division of the words and doctrine contained in them , with the heads of the following discourse . these words contain in them two parts , . an antecedent or doctrine , all these things shall be dissolved . . a consequent , or inference thereupon , what manner of persons ought we to be ? the doctrine , here only briefly hinted , or summarily proposed , is laid down more fully in the precedent verse ; but the day of the lord will come as a thief in the night , in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise , and the elements shall melt with fervent heat , the earth also , and the works that are therein shall be burnt up . these words are by the generality of interpreters , ancient and modern , understood of the final destruction or dissolution of heaven and earth : in which sense i shall chuse rather to accept them at present , than with the reverend and learned dr. hammond , and some few others , to stem the tide of expositors , and apply them to the destruction of jerusalem and the jewish polity . i say then , that this world and all things therein contained , shall one day be dissolved and destroyed by fire . by heaven and earth in this place , the most rational interpreters of scripture , do understand only the whole compages of this sublunary world , and all the creatures that are in it ; all that was destroyed by the flood in the days of noah , and is now secured from perishing so again , that i may borrow dr. hammond's words , in his annotations on this place . and again , the word heavens ( saith he ) being an equivocal word , is used either for the superior heavens , whether empyreal or ethereal , or for the sublunary heavens , the air ( as the word world is either the whole compages of the superior or inferior , or else only of the sublunary lower world ) we may here resolve , that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , heaven and host , or elements thereof , are literally the sublunary aereal heavens , and all that is therein , clouds and meteors , &c. fowls and flying creatures , and so , fit to join with the earth and works that are therein . in prosecution of this proposition , and in order to the proof and confirmation , and likewise the clearing and illustration of it , i shall , ( . ) give you what i find concerning the dissolution of the world ; . in the holy scripture . . in ancient christian writers . . in the heathen philosophers and sages . ( . ) i shall endeavour to give some answer to these seven questions , which are obvious and usually made concerning it . . whether there be any thing in nature , which might prove and demonstrate ; or argue and infer a future dissolution of the world ? . whether shall this dissolution be brought about and effected by natural , or by extraordinary means and instruments ; and what those means and instruments shall be ? . whether shall the dissolution be gradual or sudden ? . whether shall there be any signs and fore-runners of it ? . at what period of time shall the world be dissolved ? . how far shall this conflagration extend ? whether to the ethereal heavens , and all the host of them , sun , moon and stars , or to the aereal only ? . whether shall the heavens and earth be wholly dissipated and destroyed , or only refined and purified ? chap. ii. the testimonies of scripture concerning the dissolution of the world. . then , let us consider what we find delivered in the holy scriptures , concerning the dissolution of the world. and first of all , this place , which i have made choice of for my text , is in my opinion the most clear and full , as to this particular , in the whole scripture ; and will give light for the solution of most of the proposed questions . v. . the day of the lord shall come as a thief , &c. this answers the third question , whether the dissolution shall be gradual or sudden ? wherein the heavens shall pass away with a great noise , and the elements shall melt with fervent heat , the earth also , and all the works that are therein shall be burnt up . and again , v. . wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved , and the elements shall melt with fervent heat . this answers the second question , what the means and instruments of this dissolution shall be ? v. . nevertheless we according to his promise , look for a new heaven and a new earth , wherein dwelleth righteousness . this gives some light toward the answering of the last question , whether shall the heavens and the earth be wholly burnt up and destroyed , or only renewed and purified ? these words as clearly as they seem to refer to the dissolution of the world , yet dr. hammond doubts not to be understood of the remarkable destruction of jerusalem and the jewish state , he thus paraphrasing them . v. . but the day of the lord will come as a thief in the night , in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise , and the elements shall melt with fervent heat , and the earth also , and the works that are therein shall be burnt up . but this judgment of christ , so remarkable on the jews , shall now shortly come , and that very discernably ; and the temple shall suddenly be destroyed , the greater part of it burnt , and the city and people utterly consumed . v. . seeing then all these things shall be dissolved , what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness ? seeing then this destruction shall thus involve all , and now approacheth so near , what an engagement doth this lay upon us to live the most pure strict lives that ever men lived ? v. . looking for and hastning unto the coming of the day of god , wherein the heavens , being on fire , shall be dissolved , and the elements shall melt with fervent heat . looking for the coming of christ , for our deliverance , and by our christian lives quickning and hastning god to delay it no longer ; that coming of his , i say , which as it signifies great mercy to us , so it signifies very sharp destruction to the whole jewish state. v. . nevertheless we according to his promise , look for new heavens and a new earth , wherein dwelleth righteousness . instead of which we look for a new christian state , wherein all provision is made by christ for righteousness to inhabit , according to the promise of christ concerning the purity that he should plant in the evangelical state. how he makes out and confirms this paraphrase , see in his annotations upon this place . so confident is he of the truth of this his interpretation , that he censures the usual one as a great mistake , in his annotation on v. . where he thus writes ; what is here thus expressed by s. peter , is ordinarily conceived to belong to the end of the world , and by others applyed to the end of this world , and the beginning of the millennium , or thousand years . and so , as s. peter here saith , v. . many other places in s. paul's epistles , and in the gospel , especially matth. . are mistaken and wrested ▪ that it doth not belong to either of those but to this fatal day of the jews , sufficiently appears by the purport of this whole epistle , which is , to arm them with constancy and perseverance till that day come ; and particularly , in this chapter , to confute them who object against the truth of christ's predictions , and resolve it should not come at all : against whom he here opposes the certainty , the speediness , and the terribleness of its coming . that which hath given occasion to those other common mistakes , is especially the hideousness of those judgments , which fell upon that people of the jews , beyond all that ever before are re●ated to have fallen upon them , or indeed any other people , which made it necessary ●or the prophets , which were to describe it 〈◊〉 and who use tropes and figures , and not ●lain expressions , to set down their predicti●ns ) to express it by these high phrases , of ●he passing away and dissolving of heaven and earth and elements , &c. which sounding very tragically , are mistaken for the great ●nd final dissolution of the world. so far the doctor . two things there are in this chapter , which seem to contradict this in●erpretation ; first , that the destruction ●ere spoken of , is compared with noah's ●lood ; and the heaven and earth to be dis●olved by this , made parallel , and of equal extent to the world destroyed by that . of this the doctor was well aware , and therefore grants , that the th verse , but the heavens and the earth which are now , by the ●●me word are kept in store , reserved unto fire ●gainst the day of judgment , and perdition of ungodly men , is to be understood of the general and final destruction of the world by fire , but the following verses to be an answer to the first part of the atheists objection , viz. where is the promise of his coming ? to me it seems , that all refer to the same matter . the second thing which seems to contradict the doctor 's interpretation , is , the apostles citing for the instruction and confirmation of the believers , and in answer to the atheists objection ( where is the promise of his coming ? ● that place of the psalmist , psal . . . tha● one day is with the lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day . for th● apostle seems to suppose , that the time o● christ's coming , might possibly be a thousand years off ; and that they were not to thin● much , or distrust the promise , if it were so for though it were predicted as thin● shortly to come , yet they were to conside● that a thousand years in god's sight , is but very short time ; so that it might be fore tol● as shortly to come , though it were a thousand years off . whereas it might seem improper to mention a thousand years to support them in expectation of an event th● was not twenty years to come . another place where mention is made ●● christ's coming to judgment , and the diss●lution of the world , is matth. . to whic● may be added as parallel , mark . an● luke . in which places you have con●●derable , . the suddenness of christ's coming , v. . as the lightning comes out of t● east , and shineth even unto the west , so sh● the coming of the son of man be . . the sig● of his coming , v. . immediately after t● tribulation of those days , shall the sun be darkned , and the moon shall not give her light , and the stars shall fall from heaven , and the powers of heaven shall be shaken . . the manner of his coming , v. . and then shall appear the sign of the son of man in heaven : and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn , when they shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory . and he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet , and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds , from one end of heaven to the other . . the uncertainty of the time of his coming , and this dissolution as to us , but of that day and hour knoweth no man , no not the angels in heaven : and mark adds , neither the son , but the father only . all this prophecy dr. hammond understands of the destruction of the city and temple of jerusalem , and whole nation of the jews ; as may be seen in his paraphrase and annotations upon this place . and indeed our saviour himself seems to limit it to this , saying , v. . verily i say unto you , this generation shall not pass away , till all these things be fulfilled . for if these prophecies look further than the destruction of jerusalem , even to christ's coming to judgment , how could it be true , that that generation should not pass away till all those things were fulfilled ? whereas we see , that that generation is long since passed away , and yet the end is not yet ? and indeed expositors that understand them of the end of the world , and christ's second coming to judgment , are hard put to it to answer this objection . s. chrysostom will have this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be understood not of the generation of men then living , but of the generation of the faithful , which should not fail till the end of the world. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( saith he ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. he denominates a generation not only from living together in the same time , but from having the same form and manner of religious worship and polity ; as in that place , this is the generation of them that seek thee , that seek thy face , o jacob. beza understands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the present age , and will have it to be of the same valor with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in hebrew , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to refer not to all particulars mentioned in this chapter , but only to those which are spoken of the destruction of the city and nation of the jews ; but ( saith he ) if any one urgeth the universal particle , vertere licebit , fiant omnia , viz. quae ultimam illam diem praecessura dixit . nam ab illo tempore coeperunt fieri , & adhuc perseverant illa signa , suo demum tempore . filio hominis venturo . but on the other side , . some passages there are in this chapter , which are hardly applicable to the destruction of jerusalem , and the dissolution of the jewish common-wealth ; as the appearing of the sign of the son of man in heaven , and the tribes seeing the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven , with power and great glory . and his sending his angels with a great sound of a trumpet . . the coming of christ is in like manner described in places which undoubtedly speak of his coming to judgment at the end of the world. as in cor. . . mention is made of the trumpets sounding at the time of christ's coming : and thess . . . it is said , the lord himself shall descend from heaven with the voice of the archangel , and with the trump of god : and v. . we that are alive shall be caught up together with them [ that are risen ] in the clouds to meet the lord in the air. all which places are perfectly parallel , and seem manifestly to allude to the fore-mentioned words , matth. . , . i am apt to think , that these prophecies may have a double respect ; one to the city , temple , and nation of the jews ; another to the whole world at the great day of doom : and that the former is indeed typical of the latter : and so they have a double completion ; the first in the destruction of jerusalem and the jewish polity : in reference to which , it is truly said , this generation shall not pass away till all these things be fulfilled . the second in the final dissolution of the world , which is yet to come . but to proceed , another place which is usually understood of the dissolution of the world by fire , is thess . . , . when the lord jesus shall be revealed from heave● with his mighty angels in flaming fire , &c ▪ other parallel places may be seen , rev. ▪ , , . rev. . . rev. . . and ● saw a new heaven and a new earth , for the first heaven and the first earth were passe● away , and there was no more sea , heb. ▪ , . these places speak more directly of the dissolution of the world , and th● coming of christ to judgment . others ther● are that speak only concerning the time o● it , pet. . . but the end of all things is a● hand . james . . behold the judge standet● before the door . john . . little children it is the last time ; or as some translat● it , the last hour , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . heb. . ▪ yet a little while , and he that shall come , wil● come , and will not tarry . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 luke . . i tell you he will avenge them speedily . all these places the fore-mentioned dr. hammond still applies to that famous period of the destruction of the city , temple and polity of the jews : and in conclusion hath left us but one place in the new testament , to prove the general conflagration of the world , viz. pet. . . now because some have been offended at these interpretations of his ; others have spoken very flightingly of them : i shall briefly sum up what hath been alleged in defence of them , by this great man. . that the prophets use to set down their predictions in tropes and figures , and not in plain expressions , ( their style being poetical ) . and therefore in describing those hideous judgments which fell upon that people of the jews , beyond all that ever before fell upon them , or indeed any other people , they found it necessary to employ those high and tragical phrases of the passing away and dissolving heaven , and earth , and elements . and that this was the manner of the prophets , may be proved ; because we find the destruction of other places described in as high strains , as lofty and tragical expressions as this of jerusalem . for example , that of idumaea , esay . . the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch , and the dust thereof into brimstone , and the land thereof shall become burning pitch . it shall not be quenched night nor day , the smoke thereof shall go up for ever . and in the th verse he seems but to preface to this destruction in these words , and all the host of heaven shall be dissolved , and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll : and all their hosts shall fall down as the leaf falleth off from the vine , and as a falling fig from the fig tree ; for my sword shall be bathed in heaven : behold it shall come down upon idumaea . and in the burden of babylon . chap. . , . we have these words , behold the day of the lord cometh , cruel both with wrath and fierce anger to lay the land desolate : for the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light : the sun shall be darkened in his going forth , and the moon shall not cause her light to shine . . all the predictions in that famous place , matth. . to which all other places in the new testament relating to this matter are parallel , are by our saviour himself restrained to the destruction of jerusalem , and the full completion of them limited to the duration of that age : verse . verily i say unto you , this generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled . what reason then can we have to extend them further ; . in most of the places where this coming of christ is mentioned , it is spoken of as near , and at hand ; as in the places last cited . now , ( saith the learned doctor ) in his note upon luke . . i tell you he will avenge them speedily : all which if ( when it is said to approach and to be at the door ) it belonged to the day of judgment ( now after so many hundred years not yet come ) what a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were this ? what a delaying of his coming ? and consequently , what an objection against the truth of the christian religion ? as mahomet having promised after his death he would presently return to life , and having not performed his promise in a thousand years is by us justly condemned as an impostor . . that this place of s. peter , out of which i have taken my text , doth not belong to the end of the world sufficiently appears ( saith he ) by the purport of this whole epistle , which is to arm them with constancy and perseverance till that day come , and particularly in this chapter to confute them who object against the truth of christs predictions , and resolve it should not come at all ; against whom he here opposes the certainty , the speediness , and the teribleness of its coming . and for that other famous place , thessal . . , . that it belongs to the same period ; see how he makes out in his annotations . i shall now superadd some places out of the old testament , which seem to speak of the dissolution of the world , job . . man lieth down and riseth not till the heavens be no more . psalm . , . quoted heb. . , . of old hast thou laid the foundations of the earth , and the heavens are the works of thy hands . they shall perish but thou remainest ; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment , and as a vesture shalt thou change them , and they shall be changed . esay . . and all the host of heaven shall be dissolved , and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll , and all their host shall fall down as a leaf falleth from the vine , &c. esay . . the heavens shall vanish away like smoke , and the earth shall wax old like a garment . joel . . the sun shall be turned into darkness , and the moon into blood , before that great and terrible day of the lord comes . malachi . . behold the day cometh that shall burn like an oven , &c. deut , . for a fire is kindled in my anger , and shall burn to the lowest hell , and shall consume the earth with her encrease , and set on fire the foundations of the mountains . i must confess that the prophetick books are full of figurative expressions , being written in a poetick style , and according to the strain of the oriental rhetorick , which is much different from the euporean , affecting lofty and turned metaphors and excessive hyperbola's and aggravations , which would either sound harsh to our ears , or import a great deal more to us than they did to them . this is obvious to any one that reads their books ; and may clearly be demonstrated from the titles that their kings assumed to themselves as well anciently as lately , viz. sons of the sun , brethren of the sun and moon , partners of the stars , lions crowned in the throne of the world , endued with the strength of the whole heaven , and virtue of the firmament . now we cannot possibly imagine them so vain as to think themselves literally to be such : no sure , all they meant by these expressions was that they were great , and honourable , and powerful . now the prophetick books of the old testament being written in a style somewhat conformable to the oratory of those countreys , are not ( i humbly conceive ) in every tittle to be so exactly scanned and literally expounded , but so to be interpreted as a jew or an asiatick would then have understood them . and this i rather think , because there be divers passages in the prophets , which cannot be verified in strict literal sense ; as in the place before quoted , esay . . it is said of the streams of idumaea that should be turned into pitch , and the dust thereof into brimstone ; and the land thereof should become burning pitch ; and should not be quenched night nor day , but the smoke thereof should go up for ever . and of the city of tyre it is said ezek. . . it shall be built no more . and verse . when i shall make thee a desolate city like the cities that are not inhabited , when i shall bring up the deep upon thee , and great waters shall cover thee . and verse . which is thrice repeated , i will make thee a terror , and thou shalt be no more : though thou be sought for , thou shalt never be found again , saith the lord god. and yet we see that the city of tyre , though it was indeed wholly dispeopled at that time , the inhabitants transferring themselves into africa , when it was besieged by nebuchadnezzar ; yet was it afterward peopled again , and continues a city inhabited to this day . and of babylon , it is said that there should none remain in it , neither man nor beast , but that it should be desolate for ever . jer. . . esay . . and of the land of babylon , verse . that it should be a desolation without an inhabitant . and though indeed this prophesy was i think as to the city at last verified in the letter ; yet did babylon long continue a great city after this paraphrase : and the land of babylon is now inhabited , there being at this day a great city not far from the place where babylon stood . so that these places import no more , then that there should be a very great destruction and devastation of those cities and countries . as for those places in the old and new testament , wherein mention is made of the last days and the last times , it is clear that they are to be understood of the age of the messiah , all the time from the exibition of the messiah to the end of the world , esay . ▪ and it shall come to pass in the last days , that the mountain of the lords house shall be established in the top of the mountains , and shall be exalted above the hills , and all nations shall flow to it ; which very words we have repeated michah . . so that prophesie of joel . . quoted acts . . and it shall come to pass in the last days saith god , i will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh , &c. is to be understood . hence the last days have among the jews proverbially signified the days of the messiah , as doctor hammon in his annotations upon this place tells us ; who also notes , that in that place of joel , the last days do literally signifie the last days of the jews , immediately preceding their destruction , called there the great and terrible day of the lord. so heb. . . by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in these last days is meant the days of the messias . so pe● . . pet. . . tim. . . tim. . ▪ mention is made of the last days in this sense in like manner the end of the world , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , heb. . . but now onc● in the end of the world hath he appeared t● put away sin by the sacrifice of himself . an● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ends of the world , i● cor. . . vpon whom the ends of th● world are come , signifie the age of the messias , though indeed the former seems mor● peculiarly to denote the shutting up of th● jewish age or oeconomy . chap. iii. the testimonies of the ancient fathers and doctors of the church , concerning the dissolution of the world. . i proceed now to what the ancient fathers of the church and christian writers have delivered concerning the dissolution of the world. that there shall be a dissolution of this world , and that it shall be by fire , is so certain and clear among them , that it would be superfluous to cite particulars to prove ●t : nay , so general and unanimous is the consent of all christians in this point , that , as origen observes in his third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the learned doctor hakewill after him , whereas there can hardly be named any article of our faith , which some hereticks have not presumed to i●pugne or call in question , yet not any to be met with who questions this ; but herein all agree , being compelled ( saith origen ) by the authority of the scriptures . as for the time of this dissolution the ancient christians held it to be at hand , as might easily be proved by many testimonies , were it not granted on all ●ands . and here it may be worth the observing , that the longer the world stood , the further off generally have christians set the day of judgment , and end of it . many of the ancients did conceive , that the dissolution should be at the end of six thousand years . as for example , justin martyr in quoest . & resp . ad orthodoxos , if he be the author of that piece , where this question ( when the end of the world should be ? ) being put , the answer is , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. we may rationally conjecture and conclude from many scripture expressions , that they are in the right who say , that the world will last six thousan● years . for in one place it saith , in these las● days , and in another , upon whom the ends of the world are come , and in a third , whe● the fulness of time was come . now it i● evident that these things were spoken in th● sixth millenary . irenoeus adv . haeres . lib. . cap. ult . wh● gathers so much from t●● similitude of th● six days creation , after which six days wa● the sabbath , that is , the day of rest ; h●autem ( saith he ) est & praeteritorum narr●tio , & futurorum prophetia . dies enim ●nus mille annos significabat , sicut scriptura , testantur ; * mille anni ante dominum sic● dies unus : ergo sicut consummatus fuit mundus in sui creatione intra sex dierum spatium , & postea quies ; sic in sui fine consummabitur intra spatium sex millium annorum , deinde vera & perpetua quies subsequetur● this is both a narration or history of what is past , and a prophesie of things to come for one day signified a thousand years , as the scriptures testifie , a thousand years in the sight of god are but as one day . therefore as the world at the first creation was consummated in the space of six days , and afterwards followed the sabbath or rest ; so in the end its duration shall be con●ummated within the space of six thousand ●ears ; and then shall follow the true and ●erpetual rest . to these i might add lactantius , in his se●enth book of institut . cap. . who useth he same argumentation with irenoeus , ergo uoniam sex diebus cuncta dei opera perfecta ●unt : per secula sex , id est , sex annorum mil●ia manere in hoc statu mundum necesse est . dies enim magnus dei mille annorum circulo erminatur , sicut indicat propheta , qui dicit , ante oculos tuos , domine , mille anni tanuam dies unus , &c. s. augustine , l. . de civitate dei. s. hieronymus comment . in mich. cap. . most clear and full to this pur●ose is eustath . in his comment . in hexaë●eron 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. we reckon ( saith he ) that the creation shall ●ontinue till the end of the sixth chiliad , be●ause god also consummated the vniverse in six days ; and i suppose that the deity ●oth account days of a thousand years long ; for that it is said , a thousand years are in ●he sight of the lord as one day . howbeit ●he most of them did not propose this opinion as an undoubted truth , but only as a modest conjecture . and s. austine is very angry with them , who would peremptorily conclude from so slight an argumentation . this conceit is already confuted , an● the world hath long outlasted this ter● according to their computation who followed the septuagint or greek account , and rec●ned that phaleg lived about the three tho●sandth year of the world , and had his na● from his living in the division of time , the● being to come after him three thousa●● years , that is , just so many as were past b●fore him . as concerning the future condition of t● world after the conflagration , i find it t● general and received opinion of the ancie● christians , that this world shall not be a●nihilated or destroyed , but only renewe● and purified . so eusebius , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the world shall not be wholly ●stroyed , but renewed . divers passages i mig● produce out of him to the same purpose cyril of jerusalem catech. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . he folds up the heaven not that he might destroy them , but th● he might rear them up again more beaut●ful . again , cyril upon this place , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. so that this renovation i● respect of the creation shall be such a kin● of thing as the resurrection in reference t● mans body . oecumenius upon this place , he saith , new heavens and a new earth , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , yet not different in matter ; and again , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . they shall not be destroyed or annihilated , but only renewed and purified . and upon revel . . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . this he saith , not denoting the non-existence of the creation , but the renewing . in this manner he expounds psalm . , . and proceeding , saith , we may here take notice , that the apostle doth not use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as if the heaven and earth were annihilated and brought to nothing , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , they passed away or removed , or changed state. saint hierome upon the psalms , psalm . saith , ex quo ostenditur perditionem coelorum non interitum sonare , sed mutationem in melius . from which words [ as a vesture shalt thou change them ] may be shewn and made out , that the dissolution of the heavens doth not signifie their utter destruction or annihilation , but only their change into a better state. i might add abundance more testimonies , but these i think may suffice . chap. iv. the opinions of the ancient heathen philosophers , and other writers concerning the dissolution . . it follows now than i give you an account , what the ancient philosopher and sages among the heathen thought an● delivered concerning this point . two o● the four principal sects of philosophers hel● a future dissolution of the world , viz. th● epicureans and stoicks . as for the epicureans , they held that a● the world was at first composed by th● fortuitous concourse of atomes , so it should at last fall in pieces again by their fortuitou● separation , as lucretius hath it , lib. . principio maria ac terras coelúmque tuere , horum naturam triplicem , tria corpora memmi , tres species tam dissimiles , tria talia texta vna dies dabit exitio , multósque per annos sustentata ruet moles & machina mundi . but now to prove all this : first cast an eye and look on all below , on all on high , the solid earth , the seas , and arched sky one fatal hour must ruine all , this glorious frame , that stood so long , must fall . this opinion of theirs is consonant enough to their wild principles save only in that point of its suddenness , vna dies dabit exitio , &c. one day shall destroy or make an end of it . the stoicks were also of opinion that the world must be dissolved , as we may learn from the seventh book of laertius in the life of zeno. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. they hold that the world is corruptible for these reasons , . because it was generated and had a beginning . . because that is corruptible in the whole , whose parts are corruptible : but the parts of the world are corruptible , being daily transmuted one into another . . that which is capable of mutation from better to worse is corruptible . but such is the world ; sometimes being afflicted with long heats and droughts , ●ometimes with continued showers and in●ndations . to those we may add . according to some of their opinions , because the sun and stars being fed with vapours exhaled from the earth , all the moisture will at length be drawn out , and the world ●ly on fire . they were afraid * nè humore omni consumpto totus mundus ignesceret . this dissolution of the world they held should be by water and by fire alternately at certain periods , but especially by fire , which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . philo , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the stoicks say that the cause of the destruction of the world is the irresistible force of fire that is in things , which in lon● periods of time consumes and dissolves al● things into itself . euseb . praep. lib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the mo●● ancient of that sect held , that at certain v●● periods of time all things were rarified int● air , being resolved into an ethereal fire this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the stoicks we find mentioned by many , both christian and he●then writers , as besides the fore-quoted , m●nutius felix , justine martyr , clemens alexandrinus in strom. plutarch ; seneca an● others . the time of this conflagration seneca determins not , but saith only , it shal● be when god pleases . quaest . nat . cap● . . cùm deo visum , vetera finire , ordi●meliora ; when it shall seem good to god 〈◊〉 put an end to old things , and to begin better some there be who tell us of the annus platonicus or magnus , by which they understand such a period of time , as in which all the heavenly bodies shall be restored to the same site and distance they were once in , in respect of one another : as supposing that all the seven planets were at the moment of creation in the first degree of aries , till they come all to be in the same degree again , all that space of time is called the great year , annus magnus : in this year they tell us that the height of summer is the conflagration , and the depth of winter the inundation ; and some astrologers have been so vain as to assign the time both of the inundation and conflagration , seneca . quaest . nat. cap. . berosus , qui belum interpretatus est , dicit , cursu ista syderum fieri , & adeò quidem affirmat , ut conflagrationi atque diluvio tempus assignat . arsura enim terrena contendit , quando omnia sydera in cancro convenerint : inundationem futuram , quando eadem syderum turba in capricorno convenerit . berosus , who interpreted belus , saith , that those things come to pass according to the course of the stars : and he so confidently affirms it , that he assigns the time both for the conflagration and inundation . for that all earthly bodies will be burnt up , when all the stars shall meet in cancer ; and the inundation will fall out , when the same shall be in conjunction in capricorn . concerning the manner of this conflagration , they held it should be sudden . senec. natura subitò ad ruinam , & toto impetu ruit ; licet ad originem parcè utatur viribus , dispensétque se incrementis fallacibus . momento fit cinis , diu sylva , &c. nature doth suddenly and with all its force rush on to ruin , though to the rise and formation of things it useth its strength sparingly , dispensing its influence and causing them to grow by insensible degrees ; a wood is long in growing up , but reduced to ashes almost in a moment . and some of them were so absurd as to think , that the stars should justle and be dashed one against another ; senec. lib. de consolatione ad marciam : cùm tempus advenerit : quo se mundus revocaturus extinguat , viribus ista se suis caedent ; & sydera syderibus incurrent ; & omni flagrante materia , uno igne , quicquid nunc ex disposito lucet ardebit . here by the way we may with doctor more [ souls immortality , lib. . cap. . ] take notice how coursly , not to say , ridiculously , the stoicks philosophize , when they are turned out of their road-way of moral sentences , and pretend to give an account of the nature of things . for what errours can be more gross than they entertain of god , of the soul , and o● the stars ; they making the two former corporeal substances , and feeding the latter with the vapours of the earth , affirming that the sun sups up the water of the great ocean to quench his thirst , but that the moon drinks off the lesser rivers and brooks , which is as true as that the asse drank up the moon . such conceits are more fit for anacreon in a drunken fit to stumble upon , who to invite his companions to tiple , composed that catch , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . then to be either found out or owned by a serious philosopher . and yet seneca mightily triumphs in this notion of foddering the stars with the thick fogs of the earth , and declares his opinion with no mean strains of eloquence , &c. as for the extent of this conflagration , they held that not only the heavens should be burnt , but that the gods themselves should not escape scot-free . so seneca , resoluto mundo , & diis in unum consusis . and again , atque omnes pariter deos perdet nox aliqua & chaos . is not this wise philosophy ? if their morality were no better than their physicks , their wise man they boast of might be so denominated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as they of gotham . but let us look a little further , and we shall find that the stoicks were not the first authors of this opinion of the conflagration ; but that it was of far greater antiquity than that sect. others of the more ancient philosophers having entertained it , viz. empedocles , as clemens alexandrinus testifies in his strom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . . heraclitus , as the same clemens shews at large out of him in the same place . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , amp ; c. and laertius in the life of heraclitus , he taught 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . that there is but one world , and that it was generated out of fire , and again burnt up or turned into fire at certain periods alternately throughout all ages . i might add to these the ancient greek poets , sophocles and diphilus , as we find them quoted by justine martyr and clemens alexandrinus . neither yet were these the first inventers and broachers of this opinion , but they recieved it by tradition from their forefathers , and look'd upon it as an oracle and decree of fate . ovid speaks of it as such in the first of his metamorphosis ; esse quoque in fatis reminiscitur , affore tempus , quo mare , quo tellus , correptáque regia coeli ardeat , & mundi moles operosa laboret . — besides by doom of certain fate , he knew the time should come , when sea , earth , ravisht heaven , the curious frame of this worlds mass should shrink in purging flame . and lucan . * hos caesar , populos si nunc non usserit ignis , vret cum terris , uret cum gurgite ponti : communis mundo superest rogus ossibus astra misturus . — if now these bodies want their fire and urn , at last with the whole globe they 'll surely burn ; the world expects one general fire : and thou must go where these poor souls are wandring now . now through some are of an opinion that by fata here are to be understood the sibylline oracles , and to that purpose do alledge some verses out of those extant under that title , as lactantius in his book de ira dei , cap. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and in another place there is mention made of a river of fire that shall descend from heaven , and burn up both earth and sea. tunc ardens fluvius caelo manabit ab alto igneus , atque locos consumet funditus omnes , terrámque , oceanúmque ingentem , & caerul● ponti , stagnáque , tum fluvios , fontes , ditémque severum , coelestémque polum , coeli quoque lumina i● unum fluxa ruent , formâ deletâ prorsus eorum , astra cadent , etenim de caelo cuncta revuls● from heaven then shall flaming river flow , and quite disorder all things here below ; the whole shall melt into one single mass all forms destroy'd , into old chaos pass . yet because the verses now extant under the name of sibylline oracles are all suspected to be false and pseudepigrapha ; and many of them may be demonstrated to be of no greater antiquity than the emperor antoninus pius his reign : and because it cannot be proved , that there was any such thing in the ancient genuine sibylline oracles ; i rather think , ( as i said before ) that it was a doctrine of ancient tradition , handed down from the first fathers and patriarchs of the world. josephus in his antiquities runs it up as high as adam ; from whom seth his son received it ; his father , saith he , fore telling him . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . that there should be a destruction of the universe , once by the violence of fire , and again by the force and abundance of water ; in consequence whereof he erected two pillars , one of brick , which might endure the fire , and another of stone , which would resist the water ; and upon them engraved his astronomical observations , that so they might remain to posterity : and one of these pillars he saith , continued in syria until his days . whether this relation be true or not , it may thence be collected , that this was an universal opinion , received by tradition , both among jews and gentiles , that the world should one day be consumed by fire . it may be proved by good authority , that the ancient gaules , chaldaeans and indians had this tradition among them which they could not receive from the greek philosophers or poets , with whom they had no entercourse ; but it must in al● probability be derived down to both from the same fountain and original ; that is from the first restorers of mankind , noa● and his sons . i now proceed to the third particular proposed in the beginning ; that is , to give answer to the several questions concerning the dissolution of the world. chap. v. ●he first question concerning the world's dissolution , whether there be any thing in nature that may probably cause or argue a future dissolution ? three probable means propounded and discussed . sect . i. ●he waters again naturally overflowing and covering the earth . the first question is , whether there be any thing in nature , which may ●ove and demonstrate , or probably argue ●nd infer a future dissolution ? to which i ●swer , that i think , there is nothing in ●ature which doth necessarily demonstrate future dissolution : but that position of the ●eripatetick schools may , for ought i know , ●e true philosophy , posito ordinario dei con●rsu mundus posset durare in aeternum . sup●sing the ordinary concourse of god [ with ●econd causes ] the world might endure for ●ver . but though a future dissolution by natural causes , be not demonstrable ; y● some possible , if not probable , accidents the● are , which , if they should happen , might i●fer such a dissolution . those are four , t● possibility of . the waters again overflowing and ●vering the earth . . the extinction of the sun. . the eruption of the central fire ● closed in the earth . . the dryness and inflammability of t● earth under the torrid zone , and the er●tion of all the vulcano's at once . but before i treat of these , it will not amiss , a little to consider the old argum● for the worlds dissolution , and that is , daily consenescence and decay : which , if can be proved , will in process of time , ●cessarily infer a dissolution . for as the ●postle saith in another case , that which ●cayeth and waxeth old is ready to va● away , heb. . . that which continua● wastes , will at last be quite consume● that which daily grows weaker and weak● will in time lose all its force . so the a● and stature and strength of man , and ● other animals , every generation decreasi● they will in the end come to nothing . a● that all these , and all other things do s●cessively diminish and decay in all nature perfections and qualities , as well as moral , ●th been the received opinion , not only of ●e vulgar , but even of philosophers ●emselves from antiquity down to our ●es plin. nat. hist . lib. . c. . in ple●m autem cuncto mortalium generi minorem ●dies mensuram staturae propemodum observa●r : rarosque patribus proceriores consumente ●ertatem seminum exustione ; in cujus vices ●nc vergat aevum . terra malos homines nunc educat atque pu sillos . juvenal . sat. ●nd gellius noct. att. lib. . c. . et ●nc quasi jam mundo senescente rerum atque ●ominum decrementa sunt . i might accumu●te places out of the ancients and moderns ● this purpose , but that hath been already ●one by others . but this opinion , how general soever it ●as formerly , was inconsiderately and with●ut sufficient ground , taken up at first ; and ●fterwards without due examination embra●ed and followed ; as appears by dr. hake●il's apology , wherein it is so fundamen●ally confuted ; that it hath since been re●ected by all considerate persons . for that author hath at large demonstrated , that nei●her the pretended decay of the heavenly bodies in regard of motion , light , heat ● influence : or of any of the elements : n●ther the pretended decay of animals , a● particularly and especially of mankind , i● regard of age and duration , of streng● and stature , of arts and wits , of manne● and conversation , do necessarily infer a● decay in the world , or any tendency to dissolution . the only objection agai● this opinion , is the longaevity of the an●diluvian patriarchs , and of some also ( i me● the first ) of the postdiluvian . for immed●ately after the flood the age of man d● gradually decrease every generation in gre● proportions ; so that had it continued so to ● at that rate , the life of man had soon ca● to nothing . why it should at last settle ● threescore and ten years , as a mean ter● and there continue so many ages , witho●● any further change and diminution , is , confess , a mystery too hard for me to revea● however , there must be a great and extr●ordinary change at the time of the floo● either in the temperature of the air , ● quality of the food , or in the temper an● constitution of the body of man , which i●duced this decrement of age. that th● temper and constitution of the bodies ● the antediluvians was more firm and d●rable than that of their posterity after th● flood ; and that this change of the term of life was not wholly to be attributed to miracle , may both be demonstrated from the gradual decrease of the age of the postdiluvians . for had it been miraculous , why should not the age of the very first generation after the flood have been reduced to that term ? and what account can we give of their holding out for some generations against the inconveniencies of the air , or deteriority of diet , but the strength and firmness of their constitutions ? which yet was originally owing to the temperature of the air , or quality of their diet , or both ; seeing a change in these ( for there was no other visible cause ) did by degrees prevail against , and impair it . what influence the lying so long of the water upon the earth might have upon the air and earth , in changing them for the worse , and rendring them more unfit for the maintenance and continuation of humane life , i will not now dispute . but whatever might be the cause of the longaevity of the antediluvians , and the contracting of the age of the postdiluvians , it is manifest , that the age of these did at the last settle , as i said , at or about the term of threescore and ten , and hath there continued for three thousand years without any diminution . i proceed now to the accidents which might possibly , in process of time , infer a dissolution of the world. . the possibility of the water , in process of time again overflowing and covering o● the earth . for , first of all , the rains continually washing down and carrying away earth from the mountains , it is necessary , that as wel● the height as the bulk of them should answerably decrease ; and that they do so , i● evident in experience . for , as i have else where noted , i have been informed by a gentleman of good credit , that whereas th● steeple of craich in the peak of derbyshire in the memory of some old men then living [ . ] could not have been see● from a certain hill lying between hopton an● wirksworth , now not only the steeple , bu● a great part of the body of the church may● from thence be seen ; which comes to pas● by the sinking of a hill between the church and place of view : a parallel example where to the learned dr. plot gives us , in a hill between sibbertoft and hasleby in northamptonshire , hist . nat. stafford . p. . and thu● will they continue to do so long as there fall● any rains , and as they retain any declivity , that is , till they be levelled with the plains . . by reason of the abundance of earth thus washed off the mountains by shots of rain , and carried down with the floods to the sea ; about the out-lets of the rivers , where the violent motion of the water ceases , settling to the bottom , and raising it up by degrees above the surface of the water , the land continually gains upon , and drives back the sea : the egyptian pharos or light-house of old time stood in an island a good distance from land , which is now joyned to the continent , the interjacent fretum having been filled up by the sill brought down by the river nilus in the time of the flood subsiding there . indeed the ancient historians do truly make the whole land of egypt to have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the gift of the river , and by this means gained from the sea. seneca in the sixth book of his nat. quest . chap. . gives this account , egyptus ex ●imo tota concrevit . tantum enim ( si homero fides ) aberat à continenti pharos , quantum navis diurno cursu metiri plenis lata velis potest . sed continenti admota est . turbidus enim defluens nilus , multúmque secum limum trahens , & eum subinde apponens prioribus terris , aegyptum annuo incremento semper ultra tulit . inde pinguis & limosi soli est , nec ulla intervalla in se habet ; sed crevit in solidum arescente limo , quo pressa erat & cedens structura , &c. that is , all egypt is but a concretion of mud. for ( if homer may be believed ) the pharos was as far distan● from the continent , as a ship with full sai● could run in a days time ; but now it is joyne● to it . for nilus flowing with troubled waters brings down a great deal of mud and silt and adding to it the old land , carries o● egypt further and further still by an annua● increase . hence it is of a fat and mudd● soil , and hath no pores or cavities in it . a● this reason he gives why it is not troubled wit● earthquakes . thus by reason of the gre● rivers , po , athesis , brenta , and others , whic● empty themselves into the lagune , or sha●lows about venice in italy , and in times o● floods bring down thither great store ● earth , those lagune are in danger to , be i● time atterrated , and with the city situate i● the midst of them , added to the firm lan● thus in the carnarg , or isle that the rive● rhosne makes near arles in provence , the● hath been so much lately gained from th● sea , that the watch tower had , in the memory of some men , been removed forwar● three times , as we were there informed and it seems to me probable , that the who● low countreys were thus gained from th● se● . for varenius in his geography tel us , that sinking a well at amsterdam , a● near an hundred foot depth , they met with a bed or floor of sand and cockle-shells ; whence it is evident , one would think , that of old time the bottom of the sea lay so deep , and that that hundred foot thickness of earth above the sand , arose from the sediments of the waters of those great rivers , the rhine , scheld , maes , &c. which thereabouts emptied themselves into the sea , and in times of floods brought down with them abundance of earth from the upper grounds . the same original doubtless had that great level of the fens , running through the isle of ely , holland in lincolnshire and marshland in norfolk . that there hath been no small quantity of earth thus brought down , appears also in that along the channels of most great rivers , as for example , the thames and trent in england , especially near their mouths or out-lets , between the mountains and higher grounds on each side , there are large levels and plains ; which seem to have been originally part of the sea , raised up , and atterrated by earth and silt brought down by those rivers in great floods . now the rain thus continually washing away , and carrying down earth from the mountains and higher grounds , and raising up the vallies near the sea , as long as there is any descent for the rivers , so long will they continue to run , carry forward the low ground , and streighten the sea , which also by its working , by reason of the declivity , easily carries down the earth towards the lower and middle part of its channel [ alveus ] and by degrees may fill it up . moreover , the clouds still pouring down rain upon the earth , it will descend as far as there is any declivity ; and where that fails , it will stagnate , and joyning with sea , cover first the skirts of the earth , and so by degrees higher and higher , till the whole be covered . to this we may add , that some assistance toward the levelling of the mountains , may be contributed by the courses and catarracts of subterraneous rivers washing away the earth continually , and weakning their foundations , so by degrees causing them to founder , subside , and fall in . that the mountains do daily diminish , and many of them sink ; that the vallies are raised ; that the skirts of the sea are atterrated , no man can deny . that these things must needs in process of time have a very considerable and great effect , is as evident ; which what else can it be , then that we have mentioned ? varenius in his geography putting the question , whether the ocean may again come to cover all the earth , and make an universal deluge ; answers , that we may conceive a way how this may naturally come to pass . the manner thus , supposing that the sea by its continual working doth undermine and wash away the shores and cliffs that are not rocky , and carry the earth thereof down towards the middle , or deepest parts of its channel , and so by degrees fill it up . by doing this perpetually , it may , in a long succession of time , carry all away , and it self cover the whole earth . that it doth thus subvert and wash away the shores in many places is in experience true . about dort in holland and dullart in friesland , and in zealand many villages , some say three hundred , have been drown'd by the encroachments of the sea , as some of their towers and steeples still extant above the waters do testifie . on the tuscan shore , kircher tell us , that not far from ligorn he himself had observed a whole city under water , that had been in former times drown'd by the inundation of the sea. and over against puteoli in the sinus of baia , he tells us , that in the bottom of the sea , there are not only houses , but the traces and footsteps of the streets of some city manifestly discernable . and in the county of suffolk , almost the whole town of donewick , with the adjacent lands , hath been undermined and devoured by the sea. this washing away of the shores is , i conceive , in great measure to be attributed to the fore-mentioned streightning and cutting short of the sea , by the earth and silt that in the times of floods are brought down into it by the rivers . for the vulgar have a proverbial tradition , that what the sea loses in one place , it gains in another . and both together do very handsomly make out and explain , how the earth in a natural way , may be reduced to its primitive state in the creation , when the waters covered the land. but this according to the leisurely proceedings of nature , would not come to pass in many ages , i might say , in ages of ages : nay , some think , that those vast ridges and chains of mountains , which run through the middle of the continents are by reason of their great height , weight and solidity , too great a morsel ever to be devoured by the jaws of the sea. but whether they be or not , i need not dispute though i incline to the negative , because this is not the dissolution the apostle here speaks of , which must be by fire . but i must not here dissemble an objection i see may be made , and that is , that the superficies of the earth is so far from being depressed , that it is continually elevated . for in ancient buildings , we see the earth raised high above the foot of them . so the pantheon at rome , which was at first ascended up to by many [ eight ] steps , is now descended down to by as many . the basis and whole pedestal of trajan's pillar there was buryed in the earth . dr. tancred robinson in the year . observ'd in some places , the walls of old rome , to lye thirty and forty foot under ground ; so that he thinks the greatest part of the remains of that famous ancient city is still buried , and undiscovered ; the prodigious heaps of ruines and rubbish inclosed within the vineyards and gardens being not half dig'd up or search't , as they might be , the tops of pillars peeping up and down . and in our own country we find many ancient roman pavements at some depth under ground . my learned and ingenious friend mr. edward lloyd , not long since inform'd of one , that himself had seen buried deep in the church-yard at wychester in glocestershire . nay , the earth in time will grow over and bury the bodies of great timber trees , that have been fallen , and lye long upon it . to which i answer , as to buildings , . the ruines and rubbish of the cities wherein in they stood , might be conceived to bury them as deep as they now lye under ground . and by this means it's likely the roman pavements we find , might come to be covered to that height we mentioned ▪ for that the places where they occur , were anciently roman towns subverted and ruined , may easily be proved ; as particularly in this we mention'd , from the termination chester ; whatever town or village hath that addition to its name having been anciently a roman town or camp : chester seeming to be nothing but castra . . it is to be consider'd , that weighty buildings do in time overcome the resistance of the foundation , unless it be a solid rock ; and sink into the ground . nay , the very soft water , lying long upon the bottoms of the sea or pools , doth so compress and sadden them by its weight , that the very roads that are continually beaten with horses and carriages , are not so firm and sad : and in the sea , the nearer you dig to the low water mark , still the sadder and firmer it is : and it 's probable still , the further the sadder ; which seems to be confirmed by the strong fixing of anchors . [ this firmness of the sand , by the weight of the incumbent water , the people inhabiting near the sea are so sensible of , that i have seen them boldly ride through the water cross a channel three miles broad , before the tide was out , when in some places it reacht to the horses belly . ] a semblance whereof , we have in ponds , which being newly dig'd , the water that runs into them , sinks soon into the earth , and they become dry again , till after some time , by often filling , the earth becomes so solid , through the weight of the water , that they leak no more , but hold water up to the brink . wittie scarborough spaw , p. . what force a gentle , if continual pressure hath , we may understand also by the roots of trees , which we see will sometimes pierce through the chinks of stone walls , and in time make great cracks and rifts in them ; nay , will get under their very foundations . the tender roots of herbs overcome the resistance of the ground , and make their way through clay or gravel . by the by , we may here take notice , that one reason why plowing , harrowing , sifting , or any comminution of the earth renders it more fruitful , is , because the roots of grass , corn , and other herbs can , with more facility , creep abroad , and multiply their fibres in the light and loose earth . that the rotting of grass and other herbs upon the ground , may in some places raise the superficies of it , i will not deny ; th● is , in gardens and enclosures , where th● ground is rank , and no cattel are admitte● to eat off the fogg or long grass : but elsewhe● the raising of the superficies of the eart● is very little and inconsiderable ; and not at all , unless in level grounds , which ha● but little declivity : for otherwise the so● would by this time have come to be of a ver● great depth , which we find to be but shallo● nor do i think , that so much as the trunk of fall'n trees , are by this means covered but rather , that they sink by their ow● weight , in time overcoming the resistance o● the earth , which without much difficult● yields , being soaked and softned by th● rains insinuating into it , and keeping i● continually moist in winter time . but ● these buildings be situate in valleys , it i● clear , that the earth brought down from th● mountains by rain , may serve to land the● up . again , the superficies of the earth may be raised near the sea coast , by they continual blowing up of sand by the winds ▪ this happens often in norfolk , and in cornwall , where i observed a fair church , viz. that of the parish called lalant , which is the mother church to st. ives , and above two miles distant from the sea , almost covered with the sand ; little being extant above it , but the steeple and ridge of the roof . nay , a great part of st. ives it self lyes buried in ●he sand : and i was told there , that in ●ne night there had been a whole street of houses so covered with sand , that in the morning they were fain to dig their way out of their houses through it . all along the western shoar of wales , there are great hills of sand , thus blown up by the wind. we observed also upon the coast of flanders and holland the like sandy hills or downs . but there are not many places liable to this accident , viz. where the bottom of the sea is sandy , and where the wind most frequently blows from off the sea ; where the wind sets from the land toward the sea this happens not ; where it is indifferent , it must in reason carry off as much as it brings on , unless other causes hinder . a digression concerning the d●luge in the days of noah . before i proceed to the second partic●lar , being as it were , led and invite thereto by what hath been said , i shall mak● a digression , to discourse a little concerni● the general deluge in the days of noah . ● shall not enlarge much upon it , so as t● take in all that might be said , but confir● my self to three heads . . i shall confir● the truth of the history of the deluge recorded in the scripture , by the testimonie of some ancient heathen writers . . i shal● consider the natural causes or means whereby it was effected . . i shall enquire concerning the consequents of it , what considerable effects it had upon the earth . first then , i shall produce some testimonies of ancient heathen writers concerning the deluge . the first shall be that of berosus , recorded by josephus , in the fifth chapter of his first book of jewish antiquities , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. that is , berosus the ●aldaean relating the story of the deluge ●ites thus . it is reported , that there is ●he part of the vessel [ the ark ] still re●ining at the mountain of the gordyaeans ; ●d that certain persons scraping off the bi●nen or pitch , carry it away ; and that ●n make use of it for amulets , to drive ●ay diseases . a second testimony the same josephus ●ords us in the same place , and that is , of ni●aus damascenus ; who , saith he , gives us ● history of the [ ark and deluge ] in ●se words , about minyas in armenia there a great mountain called baris ; to which ●s reported , that many flying in the time of deluge were saved , & that a certain person ●s carried thither in an ark , which rested the top of it ; the reliques of the tim● whereof were preserved there a long ●e . besides these , josephus tells us in the ●e place , that hieronymus the egyptian , who ●ote the phoenician antiquities , and mna●s , and many others , whose words he al●ges not , make mention of the flood . eusebius superadds two testimonies more . ●e one of melon to this effect . there de●ted from armenia at the time of the de●e , a certain man , who together with his ●ns had been saved ; who being cast out of his house and possessions , was driven aw● by the natives . this man passing over t● intermediate region , came into the mou●tainous part of syria , that was then delate . this testimony makes the delu● topical , and not to have reached ●menia . the other is of abydenus an ancient w●ter in the same eusebius , praepar . evang ▪ lib. . cap. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. ●ter whom others reigned , and then sisith● ( so he calls noah . ) to whom saturn fo● told , that there should be a great flood waters upon the fifteenth day of ● month desius ; and commanded him to h● all writings [ or whatever was commi● to writing ] in heliopolis of the syppari● . which sisithrus as soon as he had perform presently sailed away to armenia , wh● what god had predicted to him , imme●ately came to pass [ or came upon hi● the third day after the waters ceased , sent forth birds , that he might try whe● they could espy any land uncovered water . but they finding nothing but s● and not knowing whither to betake the●selves , returned back to sisithrus . in l● manner , after some days he sent out oth● with like success . but being sent out the third time , they returned with their feet fouled with mud. then the gods caught up sisithrus from among men : but the ship remained in armenia , and its wood afforded the inhabitants amulets to chase away many diseases . these histories accord with the scripture as to the main , of the being of a flood , and noah escaping out of it ; only they adulterate the truth , by the admixture of a deal of fabulous stuff . cyril in his first book against julian , to prove the deluge , alledges a passage out of alexander polyhistor . plato himself ( saith he ) gives us an obscure intimation of the deluge , in his timaeus , bringing in a certain egyptian priest , who related to silon out of the sacred books of the egyptians , that before the particular deluges known and celebrated by the grecians , there was of old an exceeding great inundation of waters , and devastation of the earth ; which seems to be no other than noah's flood . plutarch in his book de solertia animalium tells us , that those who have written of deucalion's flood , report , that there was a dove sent out of the ark by deucalion , which returning again into the ark , was a sign of the continuance of the flood , but flying quite away , and not returning any more , was a sign of serenity , and that the earth was drained . indeed ovid and other mythologist● make deucalion's flood to have been universal : and it 's clear , by the description ovid gives of it , that he meant the genera● deluge in the days of noah . and that by deucalion , the ancients together with ovid understood noah ; kircher in his * arca no● doth well make out . first , for that the poe● apollonius makes him the son of prometheus in his third book , — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . where prometheus the son of iapetus bega● the renowned deucalion . . berosus affirm● noah to have been scythian . and luci● in his book de dea syria tells us , tha● many make deucalion to have been so too . the scripture testifies , that men were generally very corrupt and wicked in the days o● noah . and andro teius a very ancient writer testifies , that in deucalion's time ther● was a great abundance of wicked men , which made it necessary for god to destroy mankind . . the scripture saith , that noah was a just man , and perfect in his generation . and ovid saith of deucalion , that non illo melior quisquam , nec amantior aequi vir fuit , aut illâ [ pyrrhâ uxore ejus ] reverentior ulla deorum . and a little after , innocuos ambos , cultores numinis ambos . . apollonius saith of deucalion , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the first ruled over men . which may very well be attributed to noah the father and restorer of mankind , whose right the kingdom was . . the sending out of a dove , to try whether the waters were abated , and the flood gone off , is ( we have seen ) by putarch attributed to deucalion . . lucian in his timon , and in his book de dea syria , sets forth the particulars of deucalion's , after the example of noah's , flood . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. deucalion was the only man that was left for a second generation , for his prudence and piety sake : and he was saved in this manner . he made a great ark , and got aboard it , with his wife and children : and to him came swine , and horses , and lions , and serpents , and all other living creatures , which the earth maintains , according to their kind● by pairs ; and he received them all , and they hurt him not ; for there was by divine instinc● a great friendship among them ; and they sailed together in the ark , so long as the w●ters prevailed . and in his timon he saith that noah laid up in the ark plenty of a● provisions for their sustenance . by all this it appears , that the notion o● a general flood was every where curren● among the people , especially in those cou●treys where the ark rested , and where noa● afterward lived . and hence it was , that th● apameans , whether of mesopotamia , or syri● or bythinia , ( for there were three cities ● name ) coined moneys in honour of th● emperours septimius severus , and philipp● arabs , having on the reverse the figure ● an ark , with a man and a woman standin● before it ; and a man and a woman lookin● out of it ; and two doves above it , one fl●ing with a branch of a tree in its mout● another resting upon it . the figur● whereof , and a learned discourse thereupo● out of falconerius , may be seen in kirche● * arca noae . which moneys though the● were coined long after our saviour's time , an● the divulgation of the scriptures ; yet bein● done by ethnicks , do shew that the story ● the deluge was known , and famous , an● generally credited among them , as being near the place where noah lived and conversed after the flood . howbeit i do not deny , that there was such a particular flood in thessaly , as they call deucalion's , which happened seven hundred and seventy years or thereabouts after the general deluge . i acknowledge also a more ancient flood in attica in the time of ogyges , about two hundred and thirty years before deucalion's , by which the countrey was so marred , that it lay waste and uncultivated without inhabitants for almost two hundred years . other particular deluges , and irruptions , or inundations of the seas , besides these , we read of in histories ; which i shall not stand to enumerate . he that desires an account of them , may consult sr. walter raleigh's history of the world , p. . howbeit the consideration of them may be of use to us , when we shall come to treat of the effects of the flood upon the earth . so i dismiss this first particular , and proceed to the second : what were the instrumental causes or means of the flood ? whether was it effected by natural or supernatural means only ? whether was god no further concerned in it , than in so ordering second causes at first , as of themselves necessarily to bring it in at such a time ? first , those that hold this deluge was altogether miraculous , and that god almighty created waters on purpose to serve this occasion , and when they had done their work destroyed them again , dispatch the business , and loose or cut the knot in a few words . and yet this hypothesis is not so absurd and precarious , as at first sight it may seem to be . for the world being already full , there needed not , nor indeed could be any creation of water out of nothing , but only a transmutation of some other body into water . now if we grant all natural bodies , even the elements themselves , to be mutually transmutable , as few men doubt , and some think they can demonstrate ; why might not the divine power and providence bring together at that time such natural agents , as might change the air or aether , or both together into water ; and so supply what was wanting in rains , and extraordinary eruptions of springs ▪ to them that argue the improbability o● such a change , from the great quantity o● air requisite to the make of a little water ; it may be answered , that if air , and al●● bodies commixt with it , were together changed into water , they must needs make a bulk of water of equal quantity with themselves , unless we will grant a peripatetical condensation and rarefaction ; and hold that the same matter may have sometimes a greater , sometimes a lesser quantity or extension . this cause [ the conversion of air into water ] the learned jesuite athanasius kircher , in his book de arca nooe , alledges as the undoubted instrumental cause or means of the deluge in these words , dico totum illud aereum spatium usque ad supremam regionem aeris , praepotentis dei virtute , in aquas , per inexplicabilem nubium coacervatarum multitudinem , quâ replebatur , conversum esse ; cujus ubertas tanta fuit , ut aer supremus cum inferiori in oceanum commutatus videri potuerit , non naturae viribus , sed illius cujus voluntati & imperio cuncta subsunt . that is , i affirm , that all that aereal space that reaches up to the supreme region of the air , was , by the power of the omnipotent god , and instrumentality of an inexplicable multitude of clouds amassed together , wherewith it was filled , changed into water , so that the upper and lower air might seem to be transmuted into an ocean , not by the strength of nature , but of him to whose will and power all things are subject . and he is so confident * that this deluge , in which the water was raised fifteen cubits above the highest mountains , was not , nor could be effected by natural causes ; but by the right hand of the most high god only ; that he saith , no man can deny it , but he who doth not penetrate , how far the power of nature can extend , and where it is limited . to conclude , this hypothesis hath the suffrages of most learned men. but because the scripture assigning the causes or means of the inundation , makes no mention of any conversion of air into water , but only of the breaking up the fountains of the great deep , and the opening of the windows of heaven , i suppose those causes may be sufficient to work the effect , and that we need not have recourse to such an assistance . as for those that make the deluge topical , and restrain it to a narrow compass of land ; their opinion is i think sufficiently confuted by the fore-mentioned ingenious author , to whom therefore i refer the reader . i shall not undertake the defence or confutation of any other hypothesis : only tell you which at present seems to me most probable , and that is theirs , who for a partial cause of the deluge , assign either a change of the center of the earth , or a violent depression of the surface of the ocean , and a forcing the waters up from the subterraneous abysse through the channels of the fountains that were then broken up and opened . first then , let us consider what causes the scripture assigns of the flood ; and they are two : . the breaking up the fountains of the great deep : . the opening of the windows of heaven . i shall first treat of this last . by the opening of the windows of heaven , is ( i suppose ) to be understood the causing of all the water that was suspended in the air to descend down in rain upon the earth ; the effect hereof here mentioned being a long continuing rain of forty , nay , perchance one hundred and fifty days . and that these treasuries of the air will afford no small quantity of water , may be made appear , both by scripture and reason . . by scripture , which opposes the waters that are above the heavens or firmament , to those that are under them ; which if they were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and in some measure equal , it would never do . gen. . . god is said to make a firmament in the midst of the waters , and to divide the waters which were under the firmament , from the waters which were above the firmament . and this was the work of a whole day , and consequently no inconsiderable thing . by the heavens or firmament in this place , is to be understood the inferiour region of the air , wherein the fowls fly : who gen. . . are said to fly above the earth , in the open firmament of heaven ; though elsewhere it be taken for the celestial regions , wherein the sun , and moon , and stars are placed . . the same may be made appear , by reason grounded upon experience . i my self have observed a thunder-cloud in passage , to have in less than two hours space powred down so much water upon the earth , as besides what sunk into the parched and thirsty ground , and filled all ditches and ponds , caused a considerable flood in the rivers , setting all the meadows on flote . [ and dr. wittie in his scarborough spa● tells us of great spouts of rain that ordinarily fall every year some time or other in summer , that set the whole countrey in a flood . ] now had this cloud , which might , for ought i know , have moved forty miles forward , stood still and emptied all its water upon the same spot of ground it first hung over , what a sudden and incredible deluge would it have made there ? and yet what depth or thickness of vapours might remain uncondensed in the air above this cloud , who knows ? now it is to be considered , that not only the air above the dry land , but also all that covers the whole ocean , is charged with vapours , which are nothing else but diffused water : all which was brought together by winds , or what other means seem'd good to god , and caused to distil down in rain upon the earth . and you may easily guess that it was no small quantity of water that was supplyed this way , in that it sufficed for a rain that lasted more than forty days , as i shall afterwards shew , if i understand the text a right . and that no ordinary rain neither , but catarracts or spouts of water ; for so the septuagint interprets the words , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the catarracts or spouts of heaven were opened . i return now to the first cause or means of the deluge assigned by the scripture , and that is the breaking up of all the fountains of the great deep . by the great deep in this place , i suppose , is to be understood the subterraneous waters , which do and must necessarily communicate with the sea. for we see , that the caspian and mediterranean seas , to mention no others , receive into themselves many and great rivers , and yet have no visible out-lets ; nay , this latter , receives also abundance of waters from the great ocean , running in at the streights of gibraltar : and therefore by subterraneous passages , must needs discharge their waters into the abyss of waters under the earth , and by its intervention into the ocean again . by the breaking up of the fountains of the great deep , is i conceive meant , the making great issues and apertures for these subterraneous waters to rush out . you will say ▪ how could that be , sith the water keeps its level , and cannot ascend to a greater height above the common center , than the superficies of the sea is , much less force its way ▪ remove obstacles , and break open passages ? i answer , according to them that hold that all rivers come from the sea by subterraneous passages , it is no more than daily happens . for they must needs grant , tha● the water in the subterraneous channels , is raised as far above the level of the ocean ▪ as are the heads and fountains of great rivers . which considering the height of their first springs up the mountains , the length of their courses , and swiftness of their streams for a great part of the way , is very considerable , a constant declivity being necessary to their descent . and therefore 〈◊〉 can by no means assent to the learned doctor plot , ( if i understand him alright ) * that the valleys are as much below the surface of the sea , as mountains are above it . for how then could rivers descend down to the sea through those valleys ; the sea would rather run into them , and make si●uses ; or else , if they were enclosed , the water would stagnate there , and make pools . if this be done by way of filtration ( which seems to be the most likely means of raising the water ) i do not see , but these filtres may suck up the whole ocean ; and , ●f apertures and out-lets large enough were made , powre it out upon the earth in no ●ong time . but i cannot be fully reconciled ●o this opinion , though it hath great advocates , especially the fore-mentioned very learned and ingenious person doctor robert plot. i acknowledge subterraneous waters : i grant a confluence and communication of seas by under-ground channels and passages . but this inferiour constant circulation and perpetual motion of water seems to me not yet sufficiently proved and made out . i think that the patrons and abettors of this opinion , have not satisfactorily demonstrated , how it is , or can be performed . to what is offered concerning the center of gravity being nearer to our continent , by reason of the preponderancy of the earth , and the waters lying as it were on an heap in the other hemisphere , i answer , . that though earth be inde● specifically heavier than water , yet considering that water is a close imporous body ( i understand greater pores ) but the earth● every where full of great and small pores and cavities , i know not but taking a bulk thereof equal to the ocean , the water may be as heavy as it . . in the present terraqueous globe , the new world which lye● between the two great seas , and almost opposite to our continent , doth in some measure counterpoise the old , and take off a great part of the advantage , which by reason of its preponderancy , it might otherwise have . moreover , i am of mr. brierwood● opinion , that there may be , and is a va● continent toward the southern pole opposite to europe and asia , to counterpoise the● on that side ; nay , i do verily believe , tha● the continents and islands are so proportionably scattered and disposed all the worl● over , as if not perfectly and exactly , yet very nearly to counterballance one another ; s● that the globe cannot walter or reel toward● any side : and that the center of the conve● superficies of the sea , is the true center o● the whole terrestrial sphere , both of motio● and of gravity . . the sea being no wher● above a german mile deep . ( for which w● have good authority ) in most places no● ●alf so much , taking then as a middle term ●alf a mile . suppose it every where half ● mile deep , ( the earth below the sea , we ●ave no reason to suppose of different gra●ity ) what proportion hath this two miles ●hickness of water , to the whole terraque●us globe , whose semidiameter , is by the ●ccount of mathematicians three thousand four hundred and forty italian miles . what ●ittle advantage then can it have of the earth opposite to it , in point of preponde●ancy ? . granting the center of gravity should be nearer our continent : the cen●er being the lowest place , and the water ● fluid body , unless stopped , where it found ●declivity , it would descend as near as it could to it , without any regard of the earths preponderancy . and though we should grant , that the driness of the shoars might stop it , and cause it to lye on a heap , yet would it run up the channels of rivers , ●till it came as near as possible to the center of gravity . indeed the rivers themselves could not descend , but must run towards the middle of the continent . all this i think will follow from this hypothesis by as good consequence , as the waters being forced through the subterraneous channels out at the springs . again , i do not peremptorily affirm , that all fountains do proceed from rain ; only i contend , th● rain may suffice to feed them , and that pr●bably it doth feed ordinary springs . th● the ingenious french author doth well d●monstrate in the river seine , and i believe is demonstrable in most other rivers . the little brook that runs near my dwe●ling , and hath its head or source not abo● four or five miles off , where there is ● extraordinary eruption of water , all alo● its course receives small rivulets on bo● sides ; which though they make a consid●rable stream at five miles distance from t● fountain-head , yet singly are so small , th● they may very well be conceived to dra● down from the higher grounds that ly● about them . and taking the whole tog●ther , it is a very considerable length a● breadth of land , that contributes to the mai●tenance of this little river . so that it ma● easily be believed , that all its water ow● its original to rain : especially if it be con●dered further , that in winter-time after t● rains are fallen , the ground sated , and th● ditches full , the stream of this river durin● the whole winter following , is for the mo● part , unless in frosts , double of what it wa● in summer . which excess can procee● from nothing but rain ; at least it woul● be rashness to assign any other cause , whe● there is so obvious and manifest an one . moreover , that rain affords no small quantity of water , is clear also from great floods , wherein it might be proved , that in few days there descends more water than would supply the ordinary stream for a good part of summer . now to compare great things with small : i have seen many of the biggest rivers in europe , the danow , rhine , rhosne and po ; and when i consider the length of their courses , the multitude of considerable rivers and brooks they receive ; and all these from their first rise , made up by degrees by little rivulets and gills , like my neighbouring brook ; the huge mountains and vast extent of higher grounds they drain : to me it seems ( and i have seen all their streams near their out-lets , except the danows , and it 's after four hundred miles descent ) that they do not bear any greater proportion to the rivers and rivulets they receive , and the immense tracts of land that feed them , than my brook doth to its small rills and compass of ground . but in this , i confess , i do not descend to the niceness of measuring and calculation , but satisfie my self with rude conjectures , taking my measures , as the cestrians say , by the scale of the eye . it will here be objected , that the rain never sinks above ten foot deep at most into the earth , and therefore cannot supply the springs . answ . this indeed , if it were true , would much enervate , nay , quite overthrow our opinion : and therefore we must fortifie this point , and effectually demonstrate beyond all possibility of denyal or contradiction , that rain-water doth sink down , and make its way into the earth , i do not say ten , or twenty , nor forty , but an hundred , nay , two or three hundred foot or more . first then , in pool-hole in the peak of darbyshire , there are in some places constan● droppings and destillations of water from the roof : under each of which ( to note that by the by ) rises up a stone pillar , the wate● precipitating some of those stony particles which it had washed off the rocks in passing through their chinks . these droppings continue all the summer long . now i● seems clear to me , that the rain-water making its way through the veins and chink● of the rocks above it , and yet but slowly by reason of the thickness of the mountain , and straitness of the passages , supplie● that dropping all the year round ; at least this is much more rational than any different hypothesis . if the water distills down faster in winter-time and wet weather , than it doth in summer ( which i forgot to ask ) the experiment would infallibly prove our assertion . in confirmation of this argument , albertus magnus ( as i find him quoted in dr. wittie's scarborough spaw ) tells us , that at the bottom of a solid rock one hundred and thirty fathoms deep he saw drops of water distilling from it in a rainy season . secondly , it is well known , and attested to me by the people at buxton when i was there , that out of the mouth of the same poole-hole , after great and long continuing rains , a great stream of water did usually issue forth . and i am sure it must make its way through a good thickness of earth or rocks , before it could come in there . thirdly , what becomes of all the water that falls on newmarket heath and gogmagog hills , i presume also salisbury-plain , and the like spungy grounds all winter long , where we see very little run off any way ? it must needs sink into the ground more than ten foot deep . fourthly , many , wells , whose springs lye at least twenty foot deep , we find by experience , do often fail in great droughts in summer time . fifthly , in coal delfs and other mines , in wet weather the miners are many times drown'd out ( as they phrase it ) though no water runs down into the mouths of their pits or shafts . nay , dr. wittie tells us in his description of the vertues of the scarborough spaw , pag. . that after great inundations of rain , the miners find the water frequently distilling through the solid earth upon their heads ; whereas i● summer or dry seasons , they find no interruption from thence at all . further , to confirm this particular , wrote to my honoured friend sr. thom●● willughby baronet , desiring him to examin● his colliers concerning it , and send me wo● what report they make ; and from him received this account . if there be springs ly● before you come at the coal , they carry the water away ; but if there be none , it falls into the works in greater or less quantity according as the rains fall . which answer is so much the more considerable , in that it gives me a further clear proof , that springs are fed by rain water , and not by any communications from the sea ; their original being above the beds of coal , they receiving the rain-water into their veins , and deriving it all along to their fountains or eruptions , above the coals . i might add out of him , fifthly , pag. . that the scarborough spaw , notwithstanding it breaks out of ground within three or four yards off the foot of the cliff , which is near forty yards high , and within a quarter of a mile there is another hill , that is more , than as high again as the cliff , and a descent all the way to the cliff , so as the rain-water cannot lye long upon the ground , yet it is observable , that after a long rain , the water of the spaw is altered in its taste , and lessened in its operation whereas a rainy day or two will not sensibly hurt it . and now i am transcribing out of this author , give me leave to add an observation or two in confirmation of rains being the original of springs . the first is ( pag. . ) this ; in england , in the years , , and . when our climate was dryer than ever it had been mentioned to be in any stories , so as we had very little rain in summer , or snow in winter , most of our springs were dried up , such as in the memory of the eldest men living had never wanted water , but were of those springs we call fontes perennes , or at least were esteemed so . he instances also out of a parallel story out of heylin's geography , in the description of cyprus , where the author relates ; that in the days of constantine the great , there was an exceeding long drought there , so as in thirty six years they had no rain , in so much as all the springs and torrents , or rivers , were dried up ; so that the inhabitants were forced to forsake the island , and to seek for new habitations for want of fresh water . the second is , pag. . that in the wolds or downs of yorkshire they have many springs break out after great rains which they call gypsies . neither is this eruption of springs after long rains , proper and peculiar only to the wolds of yorkshire , but common to othe● countreys also , as dr childrey witnesset● in these words : sometimes there breaks out water in the manner of a sudden land-flood , out of certain stones , that are like rocks standing aloft in open fields , near the rising of the river kynet [ in kent ] which is reputed by the common people a fore-runner of dearth . that the sudde● eruption of springs in places where they use not always to run , should be a sign o● dearth is no wonder . for these unusua● eruptions , ( which in kent we call nailbourns ) are caused by extreme gluts o● rain , or lasting wet weather , and never happen , but in wet years ; witness the year . when there were many of them : — and to our purpose very remarkable it was , that in the . several springs and rivulets were quite dryed up , by reason of the precedent drought , which raged most in , , and . as the head of the stour , that rises near elham in kent , and runs through canterbury , was dry for some miles space : and the like happened to the stream that crosseth the road-way between sittingburn and canterbury at ospring near feversham , which at other times ran with a plentiful current , but then wholly failed : so we see that it is not infrequent for new springs to break out in wet years ; and for old ones to fail in great droughts . i cannot also here forbear to add , the probable account he gives of the supply of the spring-well on the castle-hill at scarborough ; at which , i confess , i was somewhat puzzled . this well , saith he , though it be upon the top of the rock , not many yards deep , and also upon the edge of the cliff , is doubtless supplied by secret channels within the ground , that convey the rain and showers into it , being placed on a dependent part of the rock , near unto which there are also cellars under an old ruinated chappel , which after a great rain are full of water , but are dryed up in a long drought . as for what is said concerning the river volgas pouring out so much water into the caspian sea , as in a years time would make up a mass of water equal to the globe of the earth ; and of the hourly effusions of the river po in italy , which ricciolus hath computed to amount to . cubical paces of water . whence a late learned writer hath probably inferred , that all the rivers in the world together , do daily discharge half an ocean of waters into the sea , i must confess my self to be unsatisfied therewith . i will not question their calculations , but i suspect they are out in their hypotheses . the opinion of mr. edmund halley , that springs and rivers owe their original to vapours condensed on the sides of mountains , rather than unto rains , i acknowledge to be very ingenious , grounded upon good observations , and worthy of its author ; and i will not deny it to be in part true in those hot countreys in the torrid zone , and near it ; where , by reason of the great heats , the vapours are more copiously exhaled out of the earth , and its likely carryed up high in the form of vapours . the inferiour air at least is so charged with them , and by that means so very moist , that in some places their knives rust even in their pockets ; and in the night , so very fresh and cold , partly also by reason of the length of the nights ; that exposing the body to it , causes colds and catarrhs , and is very dangerous : whence also their dews are so great , as in good measure to recompence the want of rain , and serve for the nourishment of plants ; as they do even in spain it self . i shall first of all propose this opinion in the words of the author , and then discourse a little upon it . after he had enumerated many of the high ridges and tracts of mountains in the four quarters of the world , he thus proceeds : each of which far surpass the usual height to which the aqueous vapours of themselves ascend , and on the tops of which the air is so cold and rarified , as to retain but a small part of those vapours that shall be brought thither by the winds . those vapours therefore that are raised copiously in the sea , and by the winds are carried over the low lands to those ridges of mountains , are there compelled by the stream of the air , to mount up with it to the tops of the mountains , where the water presently precipitates , gleeting down by the crannies of the stone ; and part of the vapour entring into the cavities of the hills , the water thereof gathers , as in an alembick , into the basons of stone it finds ● which being once filled , all the overplus o● water that comes thither , runs over by the lowest place , and breaking out by the side● of the hills forms single springs . many o● these running down by the valleys or guts between the ridges of the hills , and coming to unite , form little rivulets or brooks . many of these again meeting in one commo● valley , and gaining the plain ground , being grown less rapid , become a river : and many of these being united in one common channel , make such streams , as the rh●e the rhosne , and the danube , which latter on● would hardly think the collection of wate● condensed out of vapour , unless we conside● how vast a tract of ground that river drains and that it is the summ of all those springs which break out on the south side of the carpathian mountains , and on the north-side of the immense ridge of the alps , which is one continued chain of mountains from switzerland to the black sea. and it may almost pass for a rule , that the magnitude o● a river , or the quantity of water it evacuates , is proportionable to the length and height of the ridges , from whence its fountains arise . now this theory of springs , i● not a bare hypothesis , but founded on experience , which it was my luck to gain in my abode at st. helena ; where , in the night time on the tops of the hills , about eight hundred yards above the sea , there was so strange a condensation , or rather precipitation of the vapours , that it was a great impediment to my celestial observations ; for in the clear sky the dew would fall so fast , as to cover each half quarter of an hour my glasses with little drops , so that i was necessitated to wipe them off of so often ; and my paper , on which i wrote my observations , would immediately be so wet with the dew , that it would not bear ink : by which it may be supposed , how fast the water gathers in those mighty high ridges i but now named . — at last he concludes : and i doubt not but this hypothesis is more reasonable , than that of those who derive all springs from the rain-waters , which yet are perpetual , and without diminution , even when no rain falls for a long space of time . this may , for ought i as yet see or know , be a good account of the original of springs in those fervid regions , though even there , i doubt , but partial ; but in europe , and the more temperate countries , i believe the vapours in this manner condensed , have but little interest in the production of them , though i will not wholly exclude them . for , first , the tops of the alps above the fountains of four of the greatest rivers i● europe , the rhine , the rhosne , the dano● , and the po , are for about six months in the year constantly covered with snow , to a great thickness ; so that there are no vapours all that while that can touch tho●e mountains , and be by them condensed into water ; there falls nothing there but snow , and that continuing all that while on the ground without dissolution , hinders all access of vapours to the earth ; if any rose , o● were by winds carried so high in that form as i am confident there are not . and yet for all that , do not those springs fail , but continue to run all winter ; and it is likely too ▪ without diminution ; which is a longer time than droughts usually last ; especially if we consider , that this want of supply , is constant and annual ; whereas droughts are but rare and accidental . so that we need not wonder any more , that springs should continue to run , and without diminution too , in times of drought . true it is , that those rivers run low all winter , so far as the snow extends , and to a good distance from their heads ; but that is for want of their accidental supplies from showers . nay , i believe , that even in summer , the vapours are but rarely raised so high in a liquid form in the free air , remote from the mountains , but ●e frozen into snow , before they arrive at ●at height . for the middle region of the ●ir , where the walk of the clouds is , at ●ast the superior part of it , is so cold as to ●eez the vapours that ascend so high , ●ven in summer time . for we see that in ●e height and heat of summer in great ●hunder-storms for the most part it hails : ●ay , in such tempests i have seen mighty ●howers of great hail-stones fall , some as ●g as nutmegs or pigeons egs ; and in some , ●laces such heaps of them , as would load dung carts , and have not been dissolved in day or two . at the same seasons i have ●bserved , in some showers hail-stones fall ●f irregular figures , and throughout pellu●id , like great pieces of ice , with several ●nags or fangs issuing out of them : which ●ow they could be supported in the air till ●hey amounted to that bulk and weight , is a ●hing worthy to be more curiously consi●ered . for either they must fall from an ●ncredible height , the vapours , they encoun●red by the way , condensing and as it were ●rystallizing upon them into ice , and in time ●ugmenting them to that bulk ; or else there must be some strange and unknown faculty ●n the air to sustain them . but to leave ●hem , it is certain , that the vapours after they are mounted up to a considerable height in the air , are congealed and turne● into the immediate component principles ● snow , in which form i conceive they acqui● a lightness , and are apt to ascend high● than they could do , should they retain t● form of a humid vapour ; as , we see , ice i● lighter than water , out of which it is froz● but whether this be the reason of th● ascent or not , i am sure of the matter of fa● that these snow-clouds do ascend far abo● the highest tops of the alps , in the gris● countrey , in the beginning of the sprin● it snowed very fast during my whole passa● for six hours ; and yet the clouds seemed ● be as far above my head , as they do here i● england ; and a great height they must b● for the snow to gather into so great flake and to continue so long falling ; nay , it ma● be three times so long . moreover , we s● that the highest pikes and summits of the mountains are covered with snow . . in the spring-time , when the snow disolves , some of these rivers that flow do● from the alpine mountains , run with a f● stream , and overflow their banks , in cle● sun-shine weather , though no rain falls , ● i my self can witness ; and therefore i pr●sume , that all the rest do so too , as the i●habitants affirmed . but in the summer tim● after the snow hath been some time melted , their streams decay again , notwithstanding any vapours condensed upon them , proportionably to the droughts ; neither are there any floods , but upon falls of rain . . that the snow dissolved and soaking into the earth , is the original of the alpine springs ; a probable argument may be taken from the colour of the water of those rivers which descend from the alps , at least on this northern side , which i observed to be of a sea-green , even to a great distance from their heads ; which whence can it proceed , unless from the nitrous particles of the snow-water , of which they consist ? another also from the bronchocele , or * gutturine tumour , an endemial disease of the natives of those parts , which physicians and naturalists atrribute to the water they drink , not without good reason ; because , say they , it consists of melted snow , which gives it that malignant quality , † scaliger speaking of this disease , saith , id ab aqua fit è nivibus liquefactis , quae multum terrestris & crudi continet . but because julius palmarius may possibly be in the right , who imputes this disease to the steams of the minerals , especially mercurial , wherewith these mountains abound , which infect the waters , and render them noxious to the nervous part i shall not insist upon this particular . what mr. halley saith of springs , th● they are perpetual and without dimi●●tion , even when no rain falls for a lon● space of time . if he understands it genera●ly of all springs , i add , that are accounte● quick ones too , i deny his assertion : th● some there may be of that nature , i gran● a reason whereof may be given , viz. th● the out-let is too small to empty the wa● of all the veins and earth that lye above in a long time . in our native countr● of england there are living and lasti● springs rising at the feet of our small h● and hillocks , to which i am sure the v●pours contribute very little ; which is so o●vious to every man , that i think i need 〈◊〉 spend time to prove it . yet must i not dissemble or deny , that the summer-time the vapours do ascen● or are carried up in that form by the sid● of the mountains to their highest tops , a● above them ; for there falls no snow the● in the heat of summer ; and that which lye there , is for the most part dissolved . b● that rain falls plentifully there , i my s● can witness ; having been on the two highe● tops of the mount jura , ( which keeps th● snow all winter ) on the one called thuiri ●n a thunder shower ; and on the other cal●ed la dolaz , in a smart and continuing rain . so that i will not deny , but in summer-●ime the vapours may contribute somewhat ●o the springs ; as i have elsewhere intimated . and now that i am discoursing of these ●hings , give me leave to set down an observation i made in the last great frost , the biggest that was ever known in the memory of man , which i had before met with in books , but did not give firm credit to , that ●s , that notwithstanding the violence of the frost , all the springs about us , brake out ●nd ran more plentifully , than usually they did at any other time : which i knew not what to impute to , unless perchance the close ●topping the pores of the earth , and keep●ng in that part , which at other times was ●ont to vapour away ; which account , i neither then could , nor can yet fully ac●uiesce in . to this i will here add an abstract of ● letter written by my honoured friend , dr. tancred robinson . yov may peradventure meet with som● opposition against your hypothesis 〈◊〉 fountains , tho indeed i am more and more co●firm'd in your opinion of them , and the ● of the mountains . father tachart in his second voyage to siam , says , when he went up the top of the table mountain at the cap● of good hope , the rocks and shrubs we perpetually dropping and feeding the spri● and rills below , there being generally clo● hanging on the sides near the top. the s● observation hath been frequently made by ● english merchants in the madera and can● islands , especially in their journies up to ● pike of teneriff , in which , at such and s● heights , they were always wet to the skin , the droppings of the great stones , yet no r● over head ; the same i have felt in pa● over some of the alps. the trees , which the islands of ferro and st. thomas , are s● to furnish the inhabitants with most of t● water , stand on the sides of vast mountai● vossius in his notes on pomponius mela , firms them to be arborescent ferula's ; i ●lieve there is something in the many relati● of travellers and voyagers concerning th● trees ; but then i fancy they are all mistak● when they say , the water issues out of ● trees : the vapors stop't by the mountains condense and distil down by the boughs . there being no mountains in aegypt , may be one reason , why there is little or no rain in that countrey , and consequently no fresh springs ; therefore in their caravans they carry all their water with them in great borracio's . this may be the cause that the vast ridge and chain of mountains in peru , are continually water'd , when the great plains in that countrey are all dry'd up and parch't . this hypothesis concerning the original of springs from vapours , may hold better in those hot regions within and near the tropicks ( where the exhalations from the sea are most plentiful , most rarify'd , and rain scarce ) than in the temperate and frigid ones ( where it rains and snows generally on the vertices of the mountains ) yet even in our european climates i have often observ'd the firs , pines , and other vegetables near the summits of the alps and appennines , to drop and run with water , when it did not rain above ; some trees more than others , according to the density and smoothness of their leaves and superficies , whereby they stop and condense the vapours more or less . the beams of the sun having little force on the high parts of mountains , the interrupted vapours must continually moisten them , and ( as in the head of an alembick ) condense and trickle down ; so that we owe part of our rain , springs , rivers , and conveniencies of life , to the operation of distillation and circulation by the sun , the sea , and the hills , without even the last of which , the earth would scarce be habitable . this present year in kent they have had no rain since march last ; therefore most of their springs are dry at this very day , a● i am assur'd from good hands . the high spouting of water even to three fathoms perpendicul● out of innumerable holes on the lake zirkni● in carniola after rains on the adjacent hills , exceeds the spirting gips or natural jet d'ea● we have in england . novemb. . . tancred robinson i have read of some philosophers , wh● imagined the earth to be a great animal , an● that the ebbing and flowing of the sea , w● the respiration of it : and now methinks , i● this doctrine be true , we have found on● the circulation of its blood , or somethin● like it . for the water must upon this supposition ▪ move , in proportion to its bul● faster through the veins of this round an●mal , than the blood doth through those ● other living creatures . but let us suppose , that the rivers ● daily carry down to the sea half an ocea● of water , and that the rain supplies all tha● as our opinion is , and see what we can i●fer from thence : i think it will be granted that ordinarily ( communibus annis ) the rain that falls in a whole year amounts not to above one quarters continual rain . now if this suffices for a daily effusion of half an ocean , it is clear , that if it should rain without any intermission all the year round , the rivers would pour out two oceans into the sea daily . and so in forty days continual rain there would distil down upon the earth eighty oceans of water . a prodigious quantity indeed and scarce credible , which if the water be carried off as fast as it comes on , infers a circulation of a quantity of water equal to the whole ocean twice in twenty four hours . supposing then thar so much water daily descends upon the earth , i argue thus , the water falling upon the earth must have some time to run down to the sea , and according to the small declivity of the continent , ( suppose the mountains pared off and the land levelled ) a considerable one too : and we see it actually hath , so that the floods in great rivers follow some days after the falls of rain upon the higher grounds . and so tho at the time of the general deluge the waters hastned down to the sea as fast as the declivity of the earth would permit , yet they breaking out of the fountains of the abyss , and falling down from the clouds abundantly faster than they could run down the gentle declivity of the earth , it deserves to be considered whether by the end of forty days there might not have been water enough amassed to cover the mountains fifteen cubits high . and yet rhe scripture doth not in plain terms say , that ever the waters of the flood arose fifteen c●bits above the tops of the highest mountains , as mr. warren well observes . moreover , to me it doth not seem clearly to limit the time of the rains descent to forty days : but it may import that the rain had continued so long before the ark was lifted up above the earth ; and that it ceased not till one hundred and fifty days were over : for so long the waters are said to have prevailed upon the earth , gen. . . that is continued and increased ; whereas had the rain ceased , and the fountains been stopped at forty day● end , the declivity of the land would in a● likelihood have sunk the waters much by the end of one hundred and fifty days : which it was so far from doing , that notwithstanding the help of the wind , the top● of the mountains were not seen till the beginning of the tenth month , that is till tw● hundred and seventy days were past . neither yet did the mountains help but rathe● hinder the descent of the waters down to the sea , straitning it into channels , obstructing its passage , and forcing it to take circuits , till it got above the ridges and tops of them . as to this argumentation and inference the case is the same , if we hold that the water circulates through the veins of the earth . for supposing the rivers pour forth half an ocean daily , and granting that in times of floods their streams are but double of their usual currents ( though i verily believe they are more than quadruple ) and that the effusions of the fountains be in like measure augmented , it will follow that the daily discharge of the rivers will amount to two oceans . now at the time of the general deluge both these causes concurred . for there being a constant rain of forty eight days , there must on that account be a continual flood , and the fountains of the great deep being broken up , they must in all likelihood afford as much water as the rain : which whither it would not suffice in forty natural days to produce a flood as big as that of noah , notwithstanding the continual descent and going off of the waters , i propose to the consideration of the ingenious . especially if we allow , as is not unreasonable to suppose , that the divine providence might not first cause a contrary wind to stop and inhibit the descent of the waters , as afterwards he raised an assisting one to carry them off . i have but one thing more to add upon this subject , that is , that i do not see how their opinion can be true , who hold that some seas are lower than others , as for example , the red sea than the mediterranean . for it being true that the water keeps its level , that is , holds its superfices every where equidistant from the center of gravity ; or if by accident one part be lower , the rest by reason of their fluidity will speedily reduce the superficies again to an equality . the waters of all seas communicating either above , or under ground , or both ways , one sea cannot be higher or lower than another : but supposing any accident should elevate or depress any , by reason of this confluence or communication it would soon be reduced to a level again , as might demonstratively be proved . but i return , to tell the reader what i think the most probable of all the causes i have heard assigned of the deluge , which is , the center of the earth being at that time changed , and set nearer to the cente● or middle of our continent , whereupon the atlantick & pacifick oceans must needs press upon the subterraneous abyss , and so , by mediation thereof , force the water upward , and at last compell it to run out at those wide mouths and apertures made by the divine power breaking up the fountains of the great deep . and we may suppose this to have been only a gentle and gradual emotion , no faster than that the waters running out at the bottom of the sea , might accordingly lowre the superficies thereof sufficiently , so that none needed run over the shores. these waters thus powred out from the orifices of the fountains upon the earth , the declivity being changed by the removal of the center , could not flow down to the sea again , but must needs stagnate upon the earth , and overflow it ; and afterwards the earth returning to its old center , return also to their former receptacles . if any shall object against this hypothesis , because by it the flood will be rendr'd topical , and restrained only to the continent we live in : though i might plead the unnecessariness of drowning america , it being in all probability unpeopled at that time ; yet because the scripture useth general expressions concerning the extent of the flood , saying , gen. . . and all the high hills that were under the whole heaven were covered ; and again , ver. . all in whose nostrils was the breath of life , of all that was in the dry land dyed . and because the americans also are said to have some ancient memorial tradition of a deluge ; and the ingenious author of the theory of the earth hath by a moderate computation , demonstrated , tha● there must be then more people upon the earth , than now : i will propose anothe● way of solving this phaenomenon , and that is , by supposing that the divine power might at that time , by the instrumentality of some natural agent , to us at present unknown , so depress the surface of the ocean , as to force the waters of the abyss through the forementioned channels and apertures , and so make them a partial and concurrent cause of the deluge . that there are at some times in the course of nature extraordinary pressures upon the surface of the sea , which force the water outwards upon the shores to a great height is evident . we had upon our coasts the last year an extraordinary tide , wherein the water rose so high , as to overflow all the sea-banks , drown multitudes of cattel , and fill the lower rooms of the houses of many villages that stood near the sea , so that the inhabitants , to save themselves , were forced to get up into the upper rooms and garrets of their houses . now how this could be effected , but by an unusual pressure upon the superficies of the ocean , i cannot well conceive . in like manner that the divine providence might at the time of the deluge so order and dispose second causes , as to make so strong a pressure upon the face of the waters , as to force them up to a height sufficient to overflow the earth , is no way unreasonable to believe . these hypotheses i propose , as seeming to me at present most facile and consonant to scripture , without any concern for either of them ; and therefore am not folicitous to gather together , and heap up arguments to confirm them , or to answer objections that may be made against them , being as ready to relinquish them upon better information , as i was to admit and entertain them . of the effects of the deluge . i come now to the third particular proposed , that is , to enquire concerning the consequents of the deluge , what considerable effects it had upon the earth and its inhabitants . it had doubtless very great , in ▪ changing the superficies of the dry land : in some places adding to the sea ; in some taking from it ; making islands of peninsulae , and joining others to the continent ; altering the beds of rivers , throwing up lesser hills , and washing away others , &c. the most remarkable effects it 's likely were in the skirts of the continents ; because the motion of the water was there most violent . athanasius kircher * gives us a map and description of the world after the flood , shewing what changes were made therein by it , or upon occasion of it afterward , as he fansies or conjectures . but because i do not love to trouble the reader with uncertain conjectures , i shall content my self to have said in general , that it may rationally be suppo●ed , there were then great mutations and alterations made in the superficial part of the earth : but what they were , though we may guess , yet can we have no certain knowledge of : and for particulars , refer the curious to him . one malignant effect it had upon mankind , and probably upon other animals too , in shortning their age , or the duration of their lives ; which i have touched before , and shewn , that this diminution of age , is to be attributed either to the change of the temperature of the air , as to salubrity , or equality , ( sudden and frequent changes of weather having a very bad influence upon the age of man in abbreviating of it , as i could easily prove ) or else to the deteriority of the diet ; or to both these causes . but how the flood should induce or occasion such a change in the air and productions of the earth , i do not comprehend . of formed stones , sea-shells , and oth● marine-like bodies found at great d●stances from the shores : another supposed effect of the floo● was a bringing up out of the sea , a●● scattering all the earth over an innumerabl● multitude of shells and shell-fish ; there b●ing of these shell-like bodies , not only o● lower grounds and hillocks , but upon t● highest mountains , the appeunine and alp● themselves . a supposed effect , i say , because it is not yet agreed among the learned , wh●ther these bodies , formerly called petrif● shells , but now a-days passing by the nam● of formed stones , be original productions of nature , formed in imitation of the shells of fishes ; or the real shells themselves , either remaining still entire and uncorrupt , or petrified and turned into stone , or at least , stones cast in some animal mold . both parts have strong arguments and patrons . i shall not ballance authorities , but only consider and weigh arguments . those for the latter part , wherewith i shall begin , are , first , because it seems contrary to that great wisdom of nature , which is observable in all its works and productions , to design every thing to a determinate end , and for the attaining that end , make use of such ways , as are most agreeable to mans reason , that these prettily shaped bodies , should have all those curious figures and contrivances ( which many of them are formed and adorned with ) generated or wrought by a plastic vertue , for no higher end , than only to exhibit such a form . this is mr. hook's argumentation . to which dr. plot answers , that the end of such productions , is to beautifie the world with those varieties ; and that this is no more repugnant to the prudence of nature , than is the production of most flowers , tulips , anemones , &c. of which we know as little use of , as of formed stones . but hereto we may reply , that flowers are for the ornament of a body , that hath some degree of life in it : a vegetative soul , whereby it performs the actions of nutrition , auction and generation ; which it is reasonable should be so beautified : and , secondly , flowers serve to embrace and cherish the fruit , while it is yet tender ; and to defend it from the injuries of sun and weather ; especially for the protection and security of the apices , which are no idle or useless part , but contain the masculine sperm and serve to give fecundity to the seed thirdly , though formed stones may be useful to man in medicine , yet flowers afford us abundantly more uses , both in meat and medicine . yet i must not dissemble , that there is a phaenomenon in nature , which doth some what puzzle me to reconcile , with the prudence observable in all its works ; and seem strongly to prove , that nature doth sometimes ludere , and delineate figures , for 〈◊〉 other end , but for the ornament of some stones , and to entertain and gratifie our curiosity , or exercise our wits . that is , tho●● elegant impressions of the leaves of plan●● upon cole slate , the knowledge whereof , 〈◊〉 must confess my self to owe to my learned and ingenious friend , mr. edward lloyd o● oxford , who observed of it in some cole pits in the way from wychester in glocestershire to bristoll ; and afterwards communicated to me a sample of it . that which 〈◊〉 found , was marked with the leaves of two o● three kinds of ferns and of harts-tongue . he told me also , that mr. woodward , a londoner shewed him very good draughts of th● common female fern , naturally ●●ormed i● cole , which himself found in mendip hills , and added , that he had found in the same pits , draughts of the common cinquefoil , clover-grass and strawberries . but these figures are more diligently to be observed and considered . secondly , there are found in the earth at great distance from the sea , real shells unpetrified and uncorrupted , of the exact figure and consistency of the present natural sea-shells , and in all their parts like them , and that not only in the lower grounds and hillocks near the sea , but in mountains of a considerable height , and distant from the sea. christianus mentzelius in his discourse concerning the bononian phosphorus , gives us a relation of many beds of them found mingled with sand in the upper part of a high mountain not far from bologna in italy . his words are these , non procul monte paterno dicto , lapidis bononiensis patria , unico forte milliari italico distanti ( loci nomen excidit memoriâ ) ingens mons imminet praeruptus à violentia torrentium aquarum , quas imbres frequentes ex vicinis montibus confluentes efficiunt , atque insignes terrarum moles ab isto monte prosternunt ac dejiciunt . in hac montis ruina , superiore in parte visuntur multae strages seriesve , ex testis conchyliorum omnis generis , plurimâ arenâ interjectâ , instar strati super stratum ( ut chymicorum vulgus loquitur . ) est enim inter hasce testarum conchylior● strages seriésve arena ad crassitiem uln●● ultra interposita . erant autem testae va●●rum conchyliorum , omnes ab invicem distin●●e nec cuiquam lapidi impactae , adeò ut sep●●tim omnia manibus tractari & dignosci p●●rint . effecerat hoc arena pura , nullo l● lutove intermixta , quae conchyliorum test ●s 〈◊〉 fervaverat per multa secula integras . i●●rea verò diuturnitate temporis omnes istae 〈◊〉 erant in albissimam calcem facilè resolubila fabius columna also observes , that in t●● tophaceous hills and cliffs about andr● in apulia , there are found various sorts 〈◊〉 sea shells , both broken and whole , unco●rupt , and that have undergone no change . a● ovid in metam . lib. . et procul à pelago conchae jacuere marine . i am also informed by my learned and w●● thy friend dr. tancred robinson , that s●nior settali shewed him in his museum ● milan , many turbens , echini , pearl-she● ( one with a pearl in it ) pectunculi , and s●veral other perfect shells , which he himse● found in the mountains near genoa , and a●terwards my said friend took notice al● of several beds of them himself , as he passe over mount cenis , above fifty leagues distant from the sea. moreover , my forementioned friend mr. lloyd sent me perfect escallop and sea-urchin shells , exactly resembling the like sea-shells , both for figure , colour , weight and consistency : which he himself gathered up near oxford . now that nature should form real shells , without any design of covering an animal , is indeed so contrary to that innate prolepsis we have of the prudence of nature , ( that is the author of nature ) that without doing some violence to our faculties , we can hardly prevail with our selves to believe it : and gives great countenance to the atheists assertion , that things were made or did exist by chance , without counsel or direction to any end . add hereto thirdly , that there are other bodies besides shells found in the earth , resembling the teeth and bones of some fishes , which are so manifestly the very things they are thought only to resemble , that it might be esteemed obstinacy in any man that hath viewed and considered them to deny it . such are the glossopetrae dug up in malta in such abundance , that you may buy them by measure , and not by tale : and also the vertebres of thornbacks and other cartilagineous fishes there found , and sold for stones ●mong the glossopetrae , which have no greater dissimilitude to the teeth of a living shark , and vertebres of a thornback , then lying so long in the earth , as they must needs have done , will necessarily induce . and if the very inspection of these bodies , is not enough to convince any man , that they are no stones , but real teeth and bones , fabius columna proves it by several strong arguments . . those things which have a woody , bony or fleshy nature , by burning are changed first into a coal , before they go into a calx or ashes : but those which are of a tophaceous or stony substance , go not first into a coal , but burn immediately into a calx or lime , unless by some vitreous or metallick mixture they be melted . now these teeth being burnt , pass presently into a coal , but the tophous substance adhering to them , doth not so ; whence it is clear , that they are of an osseous , and no stony nature . next he shews , that they do not shoot into this form after the manner o● salts or crystal , which i shall have occasio● further to treat of by and by . then h● proves it from that axiom , natura nihil f●cit frustra ; nature makes nothing in vai● but these teeth , were they thus formed i● the earth , would be in vain ; for they coul● not have any use of teeth ; as neither th● bones of supporting any animal . nature never made teeth without a jaw , nor shells without an animal inhabitant , nor single bones , no not in their own proper element , much less in a strange one . further he argues , from the difficulty or impossibility of the generation of glossopetrae in such places ; because , among tophi and stones in those dry places , there could not be found matter fit for to make them of . but granting that , ●he queries whether they were generated at first all of a sudden , or grew by little and ●ittle from small to great , as animals teeth , whose form they imitate , do . if the first be ●aid , he demands , whether the tophus , out of which they were extracted , were gene●ated before or after the teeth were perfected ? if it be said before , he asks , whether ●here were a place in it of the figure and magnitude of the tooth , or did the tooth make it self a place ? if the tophus were ●oncrete before , and without a cavity , the ●egetative power of the stone now in birth , ●ould not by force make it self a place in ●he hard and solid tophus ; or if it could and ●id , the tophus must needs be rent . if there were a place before ready made in the to●hus , then was not that figure excavated in ●he tophus by the vegetative nature of the tooth it self ; but the tophus by its own nature and precedent cavity , gave the form to the tooth . if the latter part be chosen , and it be said , that the stone by its vegetative power grew by degrees ; it may be answered as before , that could not be ; because the hardness of the tophus could not have yielded to the vegetative force of the tooth , but would rather have been rent or divided by it ; or rather the tophus it self must have vegetated , containing a cavity or uterus of the shape of the tooth , into which a● osseous humor , penetrating through the pores , and filling the cavity of the vterus , must there have coagulated , and taken the form thereof , as is observed in stones that have their original from a fluor . that both tooth and case might vegetate together he denies , because in all the teeth which he had seen , the basis or root was found broken , and that not with an uniform fracture but different in every one . which argument is not to be slighted , for that it shew● or proves , that there was no vegetation i● the case ; because in all other figured fossils it is observed , that they are never foun● mutilous , broken or imperfect . neithe● can it reasonably be said or believed , tha● these roots or teeth were by some chanc● broken within the tophi , but rather , tha● when they were casually overwhelmed an● buried in that tophous earth , they were broken off from the jaws of the animal in those volutations , and so in that manner mutilated . another argument to prove them to be true teeth and no stones , he brings from their various parts and figures , which must else have been so wrought and formed in vain . the tooth being not one homogeneous body , but compounded of parts of a different constitution , there must in the formation of it be made a various election of humors , one for the root , one for the inner part , one for the superficies of it . then for the figures , magnitude , situation or posture , and fitting of them ; some are great , and broad , and almost triangular ; others narrower and smaller , others very small and narrow , of a pyramidal figure , some streight , some crooked , bending downwards , or toward the nether side , some inclining toward the left , others toward the right side : some serrate with small teeth , others with great indentures ( which is observed in the lesser triangular ones ) some smooth without any teeth , as the narrow pyramidal ones . all which things are observed in shark's teeth , not only by the learned naturalists , but also by fisher-men and mariners . the first row of teeth in these animals hanging out of the mouth , bend forward and downward ; the second row are streight , especially toward the sides of the mouth , where they are triangular and broad , the other rows bend downward toward the inner part of the mouth . thus far * columna . fourthly , if these formed stones be indeed original productions of nature , in imitation of shells and bones , how comes it to pass , that there should be none found , that resemble any other natural body , but the shells and bones of fishes only ? why should not nature as well imitate the horns , hoofs , teeth , or bones of land animals , or the fruits , nuts , and seed of plants ? now my learned friend mr. edward lloyd above mentioned , who hath been most diligent in collecting , and curious in observing these bodies of any man i know , or ever heard of , tells me , that he never found himself , or had seen in any cabinet , or collection , any one stone that he could compare to any part of a land animal . as for such that do not resemble any part of a fish , they are either rock plants , as the astroites , asteriae trochites , &c. or do shoot into that form , after the manner of salts and fluors , as the belemnites and selenites . fifthly , those that deny these bodies to have been the shells and bones of fishes , have given us no satisfactory account of the manner of their production . for that they do not shoot into that form after the manner of salts , may be proved by many arguments . first , all salts that shoot their crystals or concretions , are of one uniform substance , and their figures are more simple , and may be owing to the figure of the principles whereof they are compounded : in other bodies that shoot , as the pyrites and belemnites , one may observe streight radii or fibres proceeding from one center . secondly , did those bodies shoot into these figures after the manner of salts , it seems strange to me , that two shells should be so adapted together at the heel , as to shoot out to the same extension round , and the upper and nether valve be of different figure , as in natural shells . thirdly , were these bodies produced in the manner of saline concretions , it 's strange there should be such varieties of them , and their shapes so regular , and exactly circumscribed : so great a diversity of figures , arguing a greater variety of salts , or of their modifications and mixtures , than are likely to be found in nature ; and the curvilineous concretions of salts never , that i have yet seen , appearing in that regularity of figure and due circumscription , as in these bodies : which is an argument of the government of some principle , superior to matter figured and moved , in their formations . ly , were these bodies nothing but concretions of salts or saline mixtures , it seems no less strange , that so many liquors impregnated with all sorts of salts and mineral juices , in all proportions , having been at one time or other industriously or accidentally exposed to crystallize , and let stand long in vessels , there should never have been found in them any such concretions . for if any had happened , we should doubtless have heard of them , and the observers would have improved such an experiment to the production of the like bodies at their pleasure . so i have finished what i have to alledge in defence of the latter part , that these formed stones , were sometimes the real shells or bones of fishes , i mean the figured part of them . i proceed now to set down , what may be objected against this opinion , or offered in assertion of the contrary , viz. that these bodies are primitive productions of nature , in imitation of the shells and bones of fishes . against the former opinion we have been pleading for , it may be objected , that there follow such strange and seemingly absurd consequences from it , as are hardly reconcileable to scripture , or indeed to sober reason : as , first , that the waters must have covered the whole earth , even the highest mountains , and that for a long time , there being found of these shells , not only in the most mountainous parts of our countrey , but in the highest mountains in europe , the appennine and alps themselves , and that not only scattered , but amassed in great lumps , and lying thick in beds of sand , as we have before shewn . now this could hardly be the effect of a short deluge , which if it had carried any shell fish so high , would in all likelihood have scattered them very thin . these beds and lumps of them necessarily inferring , that they must have bred there , which is a work of time . now the general deluge lasted in the whole , but ten months ; and it 's not likely the tops of the mountains were covered half that time . neither is it less repugnant to reason than scripture ; for if the waters stood so high above the earth , for so long a time , they must by reason of their confluence , be raised as high above the sea too . but what is now become of this huge mass of waters , equal to six or seven oceans ? may not the stoicks here set in , and help us out at a dead lift ? the sun and moon , say they , might possibly sup it all up . yea , but we cannot allow time enough for that ; for according to the moderate draughts they take now a-days , one ocean would suffice to water them many ages , unless perchance when they were young and hot , they might need more drink . but to be serious , i have no way to answer this objection , but by denying , that there are any beds or great lumps and masses of these formed stones to be found near the tops of the alps , or other high mountains ; but yet there might be some particular shells scattered there by the general deluge . another thing there is as difficult to give an account off , as of the shells getting up to the tops of mountains : that is , of those several beds or floors of earth and sand , &c. one above another , which are observed in broken mountains . for one cannot easily imagine , whence these floors o● beds in the manner of strata super strata ( as the chymists speak ) should come , but from the sediments of great floods , which how or whence , they could bring so great a quantity of earth down , when there was but little land above the sea , i cannot see . and one would likewise be apt to think , that such a bed of sands , with plenty of cockle-shells intermixt , as we mentioned before in the mountain near bononia in italy , must have been sometimes the bottom of the sea. but before one can give a right judgment of these things , one must view the mountains where such layers and beds of earth and shells are found : for perchance they may not be elevated so high above the present surface of the sea , as one would judge by the descriptions of them . secondly , it would hence follow , that many species of shell-fish are lost out of the world , which philosophers hitherto have been unwilling to admit , esteeming the destruction of any one species a dismembring of the universe , and rendring it imperfect : whereas they think the divine providence is especially concerned to secure and preserve the works of the creation : and that it is so , appears , in that it was so careful to lodge all land-animals in the ark at the time of the general deluge . the consequence is proved in that , among these petrified shells , there are many sorts observed , which are not at this day , that we know of , any where to be found . such are a whole genus of cornua ammonis , which some have supposed to be nautili , though to me they do not seem so to be , but a different genus by themselves , of which there have not any been seen either cast a shore , or raked out of the sea , at any time , that ever i heard of . nay , my very learned and honoured friend dr. lister proceeds further , and saith , that when he particularly examined some of our english shores for shells , as also the fresh waters and the fields , that he did never meet with any one of those species of shells found at - adderton in yorkshire , wansford bridge in northamptonshire , and about gunthorp and beauvoir-castle , &c. any where else , but in their respective quarries . what can we say to this ? why it is possible that many sorts of shell-fish may be lodged so deep in the seas , or on rocks so remote from the shores , that they may never come to our sight . thirdly , it follows also , that there have been shell fish in these cold northern seas of greater bulk and dimensions , than any now living ; i do not say in these , but in the most southernly and indian ; viz. cornua ammonis of two foot diameter , and of thickness answerable . to this i answer , that there are no petrified shells that do in bigness much exceed those of the natural shell fish found in our seas , save the cornua ammonis only , which i suspect to have never been , nor had any relation to any shells of fishes : or to imitate or resemble them , at least some of them . as for the nautili , they are much different from them . for the nautili , at least all the species of them known to us , are ( as dr. plot well observes ) extravagantly broad at the mouth , and have not more than two other small turns at the most , whereas the turns of the ophiomorphites are proportionable one to another ; and in number many times four or five , and sometimes six , if we may believe aldrovand . and there are nautili lapidei , which do as nearly resemble the nautilus shells as any other cochlites do their respective prototypes , as mr. lloyd assures me he had observed many in museums . and the learned and ingenious mr. richard waller then secretary to the royal society in a letter to me dated feb. . — . writes , that he had been lately at keinsham in sommersetshire , and making a search after the cornua ammonis , found one of the true nautilus shape , covered in some places with a shelly incrustation with the diaphragms to be seen to the center of the volutae , and in each diaphragm , the hole by which they communicate one with another , by a string or gut in the fish . this was of a very hard stone and large size , weighing at least twenty eight pound , though some part was broken off . another argument that they have no relation to the common nautili , is , that they break into pieces somewhat resembling vertebres , as i was first advised by the fore remembred mr. lloyd , and have since noted my self . i also received from that very ingenious and inquisitive gentleman , happy in making natural discoveries , mr. william cole of bristoll such an account of a sort or two of these ophiomorphus bodies , as is enough to stagger any mans belief , if not utterly to overthrow his opinion of their owning their original to any sea-shell ; which take in his words . among others of this kind of bodies which i have observed , i shall instance in one , which can be reduced to none but the ophiomorphites , which i found growing between the thin plates of a kind of brittle blew slate in large rocks , some a furlong within the full-sea mark , and in some where the water comes not at highest tides , only in great storms , when the waves break , it is dasht sometimes against them , being forced up by the winds ; which being broken with a convenient tool , will shiver all into very thin plates ; between which i have found in abundance of those stones , but as brittle as the slate in which they grew , and of the same consistence ; but so thin , that the broadest , being about four inches , are not so thick as a half-crown piece , some not half an inch broad , were as thin as a groat , and so proportionably up to the largest , covered with a superficies as thin , and exactly of the colour of silver foil : and where the sea water washeth them , and they are exposed to the sun and wind when the tide is gone , they are tarnished , and appear of a gold , purple , blew and red ; as any thing on which silver foil is laid , being exposed a considerable time to the sun , wind and weather , will do . these have the same spiral figures , and as regular as the other serpent-stones , and being taken off with a knife , leave the same impressions on both sides of the slate . in some such rocks of slate , but much harder , i found some of those stones of another kind , thick in proportion to their breadth , from an inch to twenty eight inches broad ; in the broadest one was at the great end ( on which some authors have fabulously reported the head to grow ) six inches thick : all of them covered over with a white scale , which will be taken off , one coat under another , as pearls or the shells of some fishes . i saw some impressions as big as the fore-wheel of a chariot , &c. what shall we say to this ? were there ever any shell-fish in ours or other seas , as broad as a coach-wheel ? others as thin as a groat ? what is become of all this kind of ophiomorphite shell-fish ? and yet ( which is strange ) both these kinds by mr. cole's description , seem to have been covered with shells . by what i have said concerning these ophiomorphous stones not to have been nautili , i would not be thought to reflect upon , or detract from the veracity or exactness of the observations of mr. robert hook , whom , for his learning and deep insight into the mysteries of nature , i deservedly honour . i question not , but he found in the keinsham ophiomorphites perfect diaphragms of a very distinct substance from that which filled the cavities , and exactly of that kind which covered the out-side , being for the most part whitish , or mother of pearl coloured . mr. waller fore-mentioned attests the same , writing in his letter to me of feb. . . that in the ordinary snake-stones there , the shelly diaphragms were very visible . in this respect they do resemble nautili ; though for their figure they are much different , and of a distinct genus . i never broke any of the keinsham stones ; but of those found about whitby in yorkshire many ; but could not observe in them any shell-like diaphragms , only they broke into such pieces as i mentioned before . and my dear and much honoured friend dr. tancred robinson writes me , that he had broken several cornua ammonis , but could never find any diaphragms or valves in them , though he confesseth mr. woodward shew'd him one with such in his curious collection of petrifactions . so that these diaphragms are not to be found in all the sorts of them . but if they be found in some , it is a strong presumption , that they were at first in all , however they come to disappear . in fine , these ophiomorphous stones do more puzzle and confound me , than any other of the formed stones whatsoever , because by mr. hook's description of these of keinsham , they seem to have been , or to owe their original to shells ; and yet there is nothing like them appears at this day in out or any other seas , as far as i have heard or read . thirdly , a second argument to prove these formed stones never to have been shells ▪ dr. plot affords us , * because that even those shells , which so exactly represent some sorts of shell-fish , that there can be no exception upon the account of figure , but that they might formerly have been shells indeed , at some places are found only with one shell , and not the other . thus in cowley common [ in oxfordshire ] we meet only with the gibbous , not the flat shell of the petrified oyster , and so of the escallop-stones in the quarries near shotover : which if they had once been the shells of oysters and escallops , had scarce been thus parted . to this i answer , that this argument is not necessarily conclusive ; because there may possibly be some reason of it , though we know it not , nor can easily imagine any . the like answer may be returned to his next argument . thirdly , because ( saith the doctor ) i can by no means satisfie my self , how it should come to pass , that in case these bodies had once been moulded in shells , some of the same kind should be found in beds , as the conchites at langley , charlton , adderbury ; an● others scattered as at glympton , and teynton , ● so the ostracites at shotover and cowley . n● how it should fall out ▪ that some of thes● bivalves should always be found with thei● shells separate , as the ostracites and pectines and others always closed together , as th● conchites in all places i have yet seen . fourthly , because many of these forme● stones seem now to be in fieri , ( which is th● doctor 's next argument ) as the selenites a● shotover and hampton-gay , the conchytes 〈◊〉 glympton and cornwell , many of which we● of a perfect clay and others of stone , & as for the selenites , i grant them to hav● been in fieri , because they are formed after the manner of salts by shooting or crystallization ; but concerning the clay cockles i say with the civilians , ampliandum . but to give these arguments their due , though they be not demonstrative proofs , yet they infer a great degree of probability , and shrewdly urge and shake the contrary opinion . the other arguments , the doctor alledges , admit a plausible solution , excepting such as we have already touched , and given as good an answer to , as either the matter will admit , or we were able to give . to the first , that there are found stones resembling shell-fish that stick to rocks : i answer , that many of them might by accident be rub'd off the rocks they stick to , or thrust off by birds insinuating their bills between the shell and rock , to feed upon their meat ; but by what means soever it be , that they are sometimes broken off , the matter of fact is certain ; for we find many patelloe cast upon the shores by the working of the sea , why then might they not be brought up by the flood ? to the second , why might not the bones of whales , sea-horses , all squamose fishes , the great shells of the buccina , murices , conche veneris , & solenes , and almost all the crustaceous kind , as crabs and lobsters , &c. as well have been brought up and left behind by the flood , and afterward petrified , as any of the testaceous kind ? i answer , of the great buccina , murices and conchae veneris , there are very few or none found in our seas : it may be there are of them in the mountains and quarries of the indies , were any man so curious as to search them out : though it's likely but few , because being great things , easie to be seen , and that part of the world having been fully peopled soon after the flood , their beauty might invite the inhabitants to search them out , and gather them up . but secondly , those other kinds may possibly be less durable , and more apt to be wrought upon , to moulder , decay and be dissolved in time by the weather rains and moisture of the earth , or were not so susceptive of petrifying juices . the third argument is already answered in the precedent discourse . to the fourth argument as to what concerns the selenites , astroites and belemnites we have answered already . that the species of brontiae cannot be the petrified shell● of echini spatagi , the arguments the docto● alledges out of aristotle and rondeletius d● not evince . for though in some seas the● may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , yet in other are they plentiful enough . in our own seas at llandwyn in the isle of anglesey we may reasonably conjecture , they are more plentiful than the common echini any where with us ; because we found more of their shells cast up there on the shore , than of the echini in any shore about england : nay , so common are they there , that even the vulgar have taken notice of them , and imposed a name upon them , calling them mermayds heads . and though their bristles or prickles were but small , yet were they not few or thin set , as rondeletius saith . how the snake-stones about huntly-nab and whitby in yorkshire came to be included in globular or centricular stones , is not difficult to make out : for the cliffs thereabout being allume-stone or mine , wherein these snake-stones lye ; the sea in spring-tides and tempestuous weather undermines and throws down part of the shore or cliffs , which by the fall break in pieces , and the ophiomorphus stone being harder than the rest of the cliff , is broken off from it by the fall , or its volutation in the sea afterward , with some part of the cliff or allume-stone sticking to each side of it where it is concave , and by reason of its figure and striae , cannot easily part from it . lastly , to dissemble nothing , i have my self observed some cockle-stones to have seemingly different impressions or striae upon the same superficies ; which phaenomenon it is very hard to give an account of . i have also observed a large stone almost as hard as marble , that was so marked every where throughout with the impressions of cockles and their striae , so crossing one another in every part of it , that if it were nothing but shells amassed together by a stony cement ; those shells must have before their concretion been broken into infinite small pieces or fragments , scarce any remaining entire ; which i do not see how any floods or working of the sea , could possibly effect . so i have finished what i had to say concerning this supposed effect of the deluge , the bringing in of shells , and scattering them all over the dry land. but yet i must not dismiss this particular , till i have said something to an objection that presently occurrs to any one who considers this matter . the waters of the flood having been supplied partly by rains , partly by the breaking up of the fountains of the great deep , and not by any irruption or inundation of the sea , how could any sea-shells at all be brought in by it ? to this i answer , that the great deep communicates with the sea ; and the waters rising up out of the subterraneous abyss , the sea must needs succeed , else would there have been an empty space left in the middle of the earth ; so that the shell-fish might as well come in this way from the bottom of the sea , as by an inundation : in like manner as the fish in the lake of carniola , called the zirchnitzer see do descend annually under gro●nd through many great holes in the bottom , and return again by the same holes . to all this i might add , that into the lands near the skirts of the sea , and lower hills , these shells might in part be brought by particular floods , of which many we read of , & more possibly than are recorded in any history may have happened since the general deluge . hence the chief champions of the opinion of mock-shells are not difficult to grant , that in some countries , and particularly along the shore of the mediterranean sea , there may all manner of shells be found promiscuously included in the rocks or earth , and at good distances too from the sea. which are the words of dr. lister , repeated and approved by dr. plot. but this will not serve their turn ; for we have before proved , that in the middle part , and near the center of our own countrey , at a great distance from the sea , viz. in oxfordshire , there are found not only shell-like stones , but real shells , or mock-shells ( as some esteem them ) for figure , colour , weight , consistency , or any other accident not to be distinguished from true shells ; and that not such as have been accidentally scattered there , but dig'd out of the ground in plenty , and of fishes that are rarely found in our seas : patterns whereof were sent ●e by my ingenious friend , mr. lloyd . who , i hope will ere long gratifie the curious , by publishing a general catalogue of all the formed stones found in england , and his remarks upon them . and i have likewise proved by good authority , that beyond the seas , in high mountains , and many leagues distant from the sea too , there have been beds of real shells . i might have added sharks-teeth or glossepetrae , as both goropius becanus and georgius agricola testifie ; if not in beds , yet plentifully disperst in the earth . there are several medical histories extant ( as dr. tancred robinson informs me ) of perfect shells found in animal bodies , in whose glands they were originally formed , which is a considerable objection , not easily to be removed . sect . . the second possible cause of the worlds destruction in a natural way , the extinction of the sun. . the possibility of the suns extinction . of which accident i shall give an account in dr. more 's words , in the last chapter of his treatise of the immortality of the soul. this ( saith he ) though it may seem a panick fear at first sight ; yet if the matter be throughly examined , there will appear no contemptible reasons that may induce men to suspect , that it may at last fall out , there having been at certain times such near offers in nature towards this sad accident already . pliny speaks of it as a thing not unfrequent , that there should be prodigiosi & longiores solis defectus , qualis occiso dictatore caesare & antoniano bello , totius anni pallore continuo , hist . nat. lib. . cap. . the like happened in justinian's time , as cedrenus writes ; when for a whole year together the the sun was of a very dim and duskish hue , as if he had been in a perpetual eclipse : and in the time of irene the empress , it was so dark for seventeen days together , that the ships lost their way in the sea , and were ready to run one against another , as theophanes reports . but the late accurate discovery of the spots of the sun by scheiner , and the appearing and disappearing of fixt stars and comets , and the excursions of these last , do argue it more than possible , that after some vast periods of time the sun may be so inextricably inveloped by the macule , that he may quite lose his light ; and then you may easily guess what would become of the inhabitants of the earth . for without his vivifick heat , neither could the earth put forth any vegetables for their sustenance ; neither if it could , would they be able to bear the extremity of the cold , which must needs be more rigorous , and that perpetually , than it is now under the poles in winter time ▪ but this accident , though it would indeed extinguish all life , yet being quite contrary to a dissolution by fire , of which the apostle speaks , i shall pass it over without further consideration , and proceed to a third . sect . . the third possible cause of the worlds destruction , the eruption of the central fire . . the possibility of the eruption of the central fire , if any such there be , inclosed in the earth . it is the hypothesis of monsieur des cartes , that the earth was originally a star , or great globe of fire , like the sun , or one of the fixt stars , situate in the center of a vortex continually whirling round with it . that by degrees it was covered over or incrustated with maculae , arising on its surface , like the scumm on a boiling pot , which still increasing and growing thicker and thicker , the star losing its light and activity , and consequently the motion of the celestial vortex about it growing more weak , languid , and unable to resist the vigorous incroachments of the neighbouring vortex of the sun ; it was at last drawn in , and wholly absorpt by it , and forced to comply with its motion , and make one in the quire of the suns satellites . this whole hypothesis i do utterly disallow and reject . neither did the author himself ( if we may believe him ) think it true , that the earth was thus generated . for he saith , quinimo ad res natural es meliùs explicandas , earum causas altiùs hic repetam quàm ipsas unquam extitisse existimem . non enim dubium est , quin mundus ab initio fuerit creatus cu● omni sua perfectione , ità ut in eo & sol , & terra , & luna , & stellae extiterint ...... hoc fides christiana nos docet ; hócque etiam ratio naturalis planè persuadet . attendend● enim ad immensam dei potentiam , non poss●mus existimare illum unquam quidquam fecisse , quod non omnibus suis numeris fuerit absolutum . that is , moreover , for the better explicating of natural things , i shall bring them from higher or more remote causes than i think they ever had . for there is no doubt , but the world was originally created in its full perfection , so that in it were conteined both sun and moon and earth and stars , &c. for this the christian faith teacheth us , and this also natural reason doth plainly persuade ; for attending to the immense power of god , we cannot think that he ever made any thing that was not complete in all points . but tho he did not believe that the earth was generated or formed according to his hypothesis , yet surely he was of opinion , that it is at present such a body as he represented it after its perfect formation , viz. with a fire in the middle , and so many several crusts or coats inclosing it : else would he have given us a mere figment or romance instead of a body of philosophy . but tho i do reject the hypothesis ; yet the being of a central fire in the earth is not , so far as i understand , any way repugnant to reason or scripture . for first of all , the scripture represents hell as a lake of fire , mark . , , &c. revel . . , , . and likewise as a low place beneath the earth . so psalm . . and deut. . . it is called the nethermost hell . prov. . . the way of life is above to the wise , that he may depart from hell beneath . . many of the ancients understand that article of the creed , he descended into hell , of our saviours descent into that local hell beneath the earth , where he triumphed over the devil and all the powers of darkness . and particularly irenaeus interprets that saying of our saviour , that the son of man should be three days in the heart of the earth , of his being three days in the middle of the earth , which could not be meant ( saith he ) of the sepulchre , because that was hewen out of a rock in its superficies , . it is a received opinion among the divines of the church of rome , that hell is about the center of the earth : insomuch as some of them have been solicitous to demonstrate that there is room enough to receive all the damned , by giving us the dimensions thereof . neither is it repugnant to the history ● the creation in genesis . for tho indeed moses doth mention only water and earth , a● the component parts of this body ; yet doth he not assert that the earth is a simple , uniform , homogeneous body ; as neither do we , when we say , upon the face of the earth , or the like . for the earth , we see , is a mass made up of a multitude of different species of bodies , mettals , minerals , stones and other fossils , sand , clay , marle , chalk , &c. which do all agree in that they are consistent and solid more or less , and are in that respect contradistinguished to water ; and together compound one mass , which we call earth ▪ whether the interior parts of the earth be made up of so great a variety of differen● bodies is to us altogether unknown . for tho it be observed by colliers , that the beds of coals lie one way , and do always dip towards the east , let them go never so deep ; so that , would it quit cost , and were it no● for the water , they say , they might pursue the bed of coals to the very center of the earth , the coals never failing or coming to an end that way ; yet that is but a rash and ungrounded conjecture . for what is the depth of the profoundest mines , were they a mile deep , to the semidiameter of the earth ? not as one to four thousand . comparing this observation of dipping with my notes about other mines , i find that the veins or beds of all generally run east and west , and dip towards the east . of which what account or reason can we give , but the motion of the earth from west to east ? i know some say , that the veins , for example , of tin and silver dip to the north , tho they confess they run east and west , which is , i confess , a thing i cannot understand , the veins of those metals being narrow things . sr ▪ tho. willoughby in his forementioned letter writes thus , — i have talked with some of my colliers about the lying of the coal , and find , that generally the basset end ( as they call it ) lyes west , and runs deeper toward the east , allowing about twenty yards in length to gain one in depth ; but sometimes they decline a little from this posture ; for mine lie almost south-west and north-east . they always sink to the east more or less . there may therefore , for for ought we know , be fire about the center of the earth as well as any other body , if it can find a pabulum or fewel there to maintain it . and why may it not ? since the fires in those subterraneous caverns of aetna , vesuvius , stromboli , hecla and other burning mountains or vulcano's , have found wherewith to feed them for thousands of years , and as there are at some , tho uncertain periods of time , violent eruptions of fire from the craters of those mountains , and mighty streams of melted materials poured forth from thence : so why may not this central fire in the earth , ( if any such there be ) receiving accidentally extraordinary supplies of convenient fewel either from some inflammable matter within , or from without , rend the thick exterior cortex which imprisons it , or finding some vents and issues break forth and overflow the whole superficies of the earth , and burn up all things . this is not impossible , and we have seen some phaenomena in nature which bid fair towards a probability of it . for what should be the reason of new stars appearing and disappearing again ; as that noted one in cassiopeia , which at first shone with as great a lustre as venus , and then by degrees diminishing , after some two years vanish'd quite away ? but that by great supplies of combustible matter the internal fire suddenly increasing in quantity and force , either found or made its way through the cracks or vents of the maculae which inclosed it ; and in an instant as it were overflowed the whole surface of the star , whence proceeded that illustrious light ; which afterwards again gradually decayed , its supply failing . whereas other newly appearing stars , which either have a constant supply of matter , or where the fire hath quite dissolved the maculae , and made them comply with its motion , have endured for a long time , as that which now shines in the neck of cygnus , which appears and disappears at certain intervals . but because it is not demonstrable that there is any such central fire in the earth , i propose the eruption thereof rather as a possible than probable means of a conflagration : and proceed to the last means whereby it may naturally be effected , and that is : sect . . the fourth natural cause of the world's dissolution , the earth's dryness and inflammability . . the dryness and inflammability of the earth under the torrid zone , with the eruption of the vulcano's to set it on fire . those that hold the inclination of the equator to the ecliptick daily to diminish , so that after the revolutions of some ages they will ●ump and consent , tell us , that the sun-beams lying perpendicularly and constantly on the parts under the equator , the ground thereabout must needs be extremely parch'd and rendred apt for inflammation . but for my part i own no such decrement of inclination . and the best mathematicians of our age deny that there hath been any since the eldest observations that are come down to us . for tho indeed ptolomy and hipparchus do make it more than we find it by above twenty minutes , yet that difference is not so considerable but that it may well be imputed to the difference of instruments or observations in point of exactness . so that not having decreased for eighteen hundred years past , there is not the least ground for conjecture , that it will alter in eighteen hundred years to come , should the world last so long . and yet if there were such a diminution , it would not conduce much ( so far as i can see ) to the bringing on of a conflagration . for tho the earth would be extremely dried , and perchance thereby rendred more inflammable ; yet the air being by the same heat as much rarified , would contain but few nitrous particles , and so be inept to maintain the fire , which , we see , cannot live without them . it being much deaded by the sun shining upon it ; and burning very remisly in summer time and hot weather : for thi●●eason in southern countries , in extraordinary hot seasons , the air scarce sufficeth for respiration . to the clearing up of this , let us a little consider what fire is . it seems to consist of three different sorts of parts . . an extremely thin and subtil body , whose particles are in a very vehement and rapid motion , . ( a supposed ) nitrous pabulum or fewel , which it receives from the air. . a sulphureous or unctuous pabulum , which it acts and preys upon , passing generally by the name of fewel . this forementioned subtil body agitating the ( supposed ) nitrous particles it receives from the air , doth by their help , as by wedges , to use that rude similitude , penetrate the unctuous bodies , upon which it acts , and divide them into ●heir immediate component particles , and at length perchance into their first principles : which operation is called the chymical anatomy of mix'd bodies . so we see wood , for example , divided by fire into spirit , oil , water , salt , and earth . that fire cannot live without those particles it receives from the air is manifest , in that if you preclude the access of all air , it is extinguished immediately : and in that , where and when the air is more charged with them , as in cold countries , and cold weather , the fire rages most : that likewise it cannot be continued without an unctuous pabulum or fewel , i appeal to the experience of all men. now then in the rarified air in the torrid zone the nitrous particles being proportionably scattered and thin set , the fire that might be kindled there would burn but very languidly and remissly , as we said just now : and so the eruptions of vulcano's , if any such happened , would not be like to do half the execution there that they would do in cold countries . and yet i never read of any spreading conflagration caused by the eruptions of any vulcano's , either in hot countries , or in cold . they usually cast out abundance of thick smoak like clouds darkening the air : and likewise ashes and stones , sometimes of a vast bigness ; and some of them , as vesuvius , floods of water , others , ( as aetna ) rivers of melted materials , running down many miles : as for the flames that issue out of their mouths at such times , they are but transient , and mounting upwards , seldom set any thing on fire . but not to insist upon this , i do affirm , that there hath not as yet been , nor for the future can be any such drying or parching of the earth under the torrid zone , as some may imagine . that there hath not yet been i appeal to experience , the countries lying under the course of the sun , being at this day as fertile as ever they were , and wanting no more moisture now than of old they did ; having as constant and plentiful rains in their seasons as they then had . that they shall for the future suffer any more drought than they have heretofore done , there is no reason to believe or imagine , the face of the earth being not altered , nor naturally alterable , as to the main , more at present than it was heretofore . i shall now add the reason , why i think there can be no such exsiccation of the earth in those parts . it 's true indeed , were there nothing to hinder them , the vapours exhaled by the sun-beams in those hot regions , would be cast off to the north and to the south a great way , and not fall down in rain there , but toward the poles : but the long and continued ridges or chains of exceeding high mountains are so disposed by the great and wise creator of the world , as , at least in our continent , to run east and west , as gassendus in the life of peireskius well observes , such are atlas , taurus , and the alps , to name no more : they are , i say , thus disposed as if it were on purpose to obviate and stop the evagation of the vapours northward , and reflect them back again , so that they must needs be condensed , and fall upon the countries out of which they were elevated . and on the south side , being near the sea , it is likely that the wind , blowing for the most part from thence , hinders their excursion that way . this i speak by presumption , because in our countrey for at least three quarters of the year the wind blows from the great atlantick ocean : which was taken notice of by julius caesar in the fifth of his commentaries , de bello gallico . corus ve●tus , qui magnam partem omnis temporis in his locis flare consuevit . as for any desiccation of the sea , i hold that by mere natural causes to be impossible , unless we could suppose a transmutation of principles or simple bodies , which for reasons alledged in a former discourse i cannot allow . i was then and am still of opinion , that god almighty did at first create a certain and determinate number of principles , or variously figured corpuscles , intransmutable by the force of any natural agent , even fire it self , ( which can only separate the parts of heterogeneous bodies ) yet not an equal number of each kind of these principles , but of some abundantly more , as of water , earth , air , ether ; and of others fewer , as of oil , salt , metals , minerals , &c. now that there may be some bodies indivisible by fire is , i think , demonstrable . for how doth or can fire be conceived to divide , one can hardly imagine any other way than by its small parts , by reason of their violent agitation insinuating themselves into compound bodies , and separating their parts ; which allowing , yet still there is a term of magnitude , below which it cannot divide , viz. it cannot divide a body into smaller parts than those whereof it self is compounded . for taking , suppose , one least part of fire , 't is clear that it cannot insinuate it self into a body as little or less than it self : and what is true of one is true of all : i say we can imagine no other way than this , unless perchance by a violent stroke or shock , the parts of the body to be divided may be put into so impetuous a motion as to fall in sunder of themselves into lesser particles than those of the impellent body are , which i will not suppose at present . now it is possible , that the principles of some other simple bodies may be as small as the particles of fire . but however that be , it is enough , if the principles of simple bodies be by reason of their perfect solidity naturally indivisible , such a simple body , i suppose , water separated from all heterogeneous mixtures to be : and consequently the same quantity thereof that was at first created doth still remain , and will continue always , in despight of all natural agents , unless it pleases the omnipotent creator to dissolve it . and therefore there can be no desiccation of the seas , unless by turning all its water into vapour , and suspending it in the air , which to do what an immense and long-continuing fire would be requisite ? to the maintenance whereof all the inflammable materials near the superficies of the earth would not afford fewel enough . the sun , we see , is so far from doing it , that it hath not made one step towards it these four thousand years , there being in all likelyhood as great a quantity of water in the ocean now as was immediately after the flood : and consequently there would probably remain as much in it , should the world last four thousand years longer . this fixedness and intransmutability of principles secures the universe from dissolution by the prevailing of one element over another , and turning it into its own nature ; which otherwise it would be in continual danger of . it secures likewise the perpetuity of all the species in the world , many of which , if their principles were transmutable , might by such a change be quite lost : and lastly bars the production or creation of any new species ; as in the forementioned treatise i have shewn . the mention of these principles or primitive simple bodies gives me a fair opportunity of making a second digression , to discourse a little concerning the primaeve chaos , and creation of the world. a digression concerning the primitive chaos and creation of the world. which yet i should not have done , had i not been thereto requested . the mention of these principles , i say , gives me an opportunity of making such a digression , because i take them to have been the effects of the first creation , spoken of in the first and second verses of genesis . in the beginning god created the heaven and the earth . and the earth was without form and void : and comprehended in the word earth . by the word chaos the ancients understood a huge mass of heterogeneous bodies , or the principles and seeds of natural bodies confusedly and disorderly mingled together in one lump : for so ovid describes it in the beginning of the first of his metamorphosis : quem dixere chaos , rudis indigestáque moles , nec quicquam nisi pondus inors , congestáque côdem non bene junctarum discordia semina rerum . i suppose therefore , that god almighty did at first create this terrestrial globe ( containing the seeds and principles of all natural , visible , sublunary bodies , variously and confusedly commixt together , which the ancients called by the name of chaos ) partly of solid and more ponderous , partly of fluid and lighter parts ; the solid and more ponderous naturally subsided , the fluid and watry , as being more light , got above them . that the waters did at first cover the earth seems to me clear from the testimony of the scripture . for in the history of the creation in the first chapter of genesis , vers . . it is said , darkness was upon the face of the deep , and the spirit of god moved upon the face of the waters , intimating that the waters were uppermost . and in ver. . and god said , let the waters under the heaven be gathered together into one place , and let the dry land appear . whence , i think , it is manifest , that before that time the land was covered with water . and that this gathering together of waters was not into any subterraneous abyss , is likewise clear from the text : for it is said , that god called this collection of waters seas , as if it had been on purpose to prevent such a mistake . so psalm . . it is said of the earth at the creation , thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment ; the waters stood above the mountains . and again ver. . that they turn not again to cover the earth . the more solid and ponderous parts , tho they were of various figures , and perhaps magnitudes , were all called by the common name of earth , and the fluid by the name of water . this solid part of the earth was made up of the principles of many simple bodies , variously commix'd , and irregularly disperst one among another ; yet tho they seem to be thus disorderly mingled , as tho they had been carelesly shaken and shuffled together , yet i do believe there was some order observed by the most wise creator in the disposition of them . the fluid part of this globe ( as we said , and as of its own nature it must needs do ) covered the solid , till it pleased god to separate them , and by providing great receptacles for the waters , to gather them together into one place . whether this were done by the immediate application and agency of his almighty power , or by the intervention and instrumentality of second causes i cannot determine . it might possibly be effected by the same causes that earthquakes are , viz. subterraneous fires and flatuses . we ●e what incredible effects the accension of gunpowder hath : it rends rocks , and blows up the most ponderous and solid walls , towers , and edifices , so that its force is almost irresistible . why then might not such a proportionable quantity of such materials set on fire together raise up the mountains themselves , how great and ponderous soever they be , yea the whole superficies of the dry land ( for it must all be elevated ) above the waters ? and truly to me the psalmist seems to intimate this cause , psalm . . for after he had said , the waters stood above the mountains , he adds , at thy rebuke they fled , at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away . now we know that an earthquake is but a subterraneous thunder , and then immediately follows , the mountains ascend , the valleys descend , &c. if there might be a high hill raised up near the city troezen , out of a plain field , by the force of a subterraneous fire or flatus , as ovid tells us . est prope pitthaeam tumulus troezena sine ullis arduus arboribus , quondam planissima campi area , nunc tumulus : nam ( res horrenda relatu ) vis fera ventorum , coecis inclusa caverni● ▪ expirare aliqua cupiens , luctatáque frustra liberiore frui coelo , cum carcere rima nulla fuit toto , nec pervia flatibus esset , extentam tumescit humum , ceu spiritus oris tendere vesicam solet , aut derepta bicor●● terga capri ; tumor ille loci permansit & alti collis habet speciem , longóque induruit a●● . a hill by pitthaean traezen mounts uncrown'd with sylvan shades , which once was level ground , for furious winds ( a story to admire ) pent in blind caverns , strugling to expire ; and vainly seeking to enjoy th' extent of freer air , the prison wanting vent , puffs up the hollow earth extended so , as when with swelling breath we bladders blow . the humour of the place remained still . in time grown solid , like a lofty hill. a parallel instance hereto we have of later date , of a hill not far from puzzuolo [ puteoli ] beside the gulph of baiae , which i my self have view'd and been upon . it is by the natives called monte di cenere , and was raised by an earthquake sept. . . of about one hundred foot perpendicular altitude ; though some make it much higher : according to stephanus pighius it is a mile ascent to the top , and four miles round at the foot : we indeed judged it not near so great . the people say it bears nothing ; nothing of any use or profit i suppose they mean : else i am sure there grows heath , myrtle , mastick tree , and other shrubs upon it . it is a spungy kind of earth , and makes a great sound under a mans feet that stamps upon it . the same earthquake threw up so much earth , stones and ashes as quite filled up the lacus lucrinus , so that there is nothing left of it now , but a fenny meadow . if such hills , i say , as these may be , and have been elevated by subterraneous wild-fire ; flatus or earthquakes : si parvis liceat componere magna , if we may compare great things with small , why might not the greatest and highest mountains in the world be raised up in like manner by a subterraneous flatus or wild-fire , of quantity and force sufficient to work such an effect , that is , that bears as great a proportion to the superincumbent weight and bulk to be elevated , as those under these smaller hills did to theirs ? but we cannot doubt this m●y be done , when we are well assured that the like hath been done . for the greatest and highest ridge of mountains in the world , the andes of peru , have been for some hundreds of leagues in length violently shaken , and many alterations made therein by an earthquake that happened in the year . mentioned by kircher in his arca noae , from the letters of the jesuits . you will say , if the mountains be thus heaved up by subterraneous fires , the earth must needs be hollow all underneath them , and there must be vast dens and caverns disperst throughout them . i answer , 't is true indeed , so there are ; as may undeniably be proved by instances . for the new mountain we mentioned at pute●li , that was thus raised , being of a mile steep ascent , and four miles round at the foot , a proportionable cavity must be left in the earth underneath : and the mountain aetna at the last eructation alone having disgorged out of its bowels so great a flood of melted materials , as if spread at the depth and breadth of three foot , might reach four times round the whole circuit of the terraqueous globe , there must likewise an answerable vault be left within . you will demand , how then comes it pass , that they stand so firm , and do not founder and fall in after so many ages ? i answer , that they may stand , appears by the foresaid new-raised mountain . for notwithstanding the cavity in and under it , it hath stood firm and staunch , without the least sinking or subsidency , for above an hundred and fifty years : neither is there any great sinking or falling in at aetna it self ; at least in no degree answerable to it s ejected matter . the reason is the strength and firmness of their vaulture and pillars , sufficient to support the superincumbent weight . and yet in some places there are sinkings and fallings in ▪ which have afterwards become valleys or pools of water . but as for the cavities that are lower than the superficies of the ocean , the water , where it could insinuate and make its way , hath filled them up to that height . i say where it could make its way , for that there are many empty cavities even under the sea it self , appears by the shaking and heating too of the very water of the sea in some places in earthquakes , and raising up the borders or skirts of it , so as to drive the water a great way back ; and the raising up new islands in the middle of the sea ; as delos of old , and therasia in the aegean in seneca's time , which was heaved up in the sight of many mariners then present and looking on . howbeit , i cannot positively assert the mountains thus to have been raised . but yet whether without means , or by whatsoever means it were , a receptacle for the waters was prepared , and the dry land and mountains elevated , so as to cast off the waters , on the third day , and which is wonderful , the cavities made to receive the waters , and the whole terra firma , or dry land with its mountains were so proportioned one to the other , as that the one was as much depressed below the shores , as the other was elevated above them . and , as if the one had been taken out of the other , the sea with all its creeks , and bays , and in-lets , and other appendants was made , and is very near equal to the whole dry land with its promontories and mountains , if not in superficies , yet in bulk or dimensions , though some think in both . which equality is still constantly maintained , notwithstanding all inundations of land , and atterations of sea ; because one of these doth always nearly ballance the other , according to the vulgar proverb we have before mention'd , what the sea loses in one place , it gains in another . if any shall demand , how the sea comes to be gradually depressed , and deepest about the middle part ; whereas the bottom of it was in all likelihood equal while the waters covered the whole earth ? i answer , the same cause that raised up the earth , whether a subterraneous fire or flatus , raised up also the skirts of the sea , the ascent gradually decreasing to the middle part , where , by reason of the solidity of the earth , or gravity of the incumbent water , the bottom was not elevated at all . for the enclosed fire in those parts where its first accension or greatest strength was , raised up the earth first , and cast off the waters , and thence spreading by degrees , still elevated the land , and drove the waters further and further ; till at length the weight of them was too great to be raised , and then the fire brake forth at the tops of the mountains , where it found least resistance , and disperst it self in the open air. the waters also , where they found the bottom sandy or yielding , made their way into all those cavities the fire had made and left , filling them up as high as the level of the ocean . neither let any man imagine , that the earth under the water , was too soft and muddy to be in this manner raised by subterraneous fire ; for i have shewn before , that the bottom of the sea is so saddened and hardened by the weight of the incumbent water , that the high-ways , beaten continually by horses and carriages , are not more firm and solid . but omitting this ( which is only a conjecture ) i shall discourse a little more concerning the equality of sea and land. it hath been observed by some , that where there are high cliffs or downs along the shore , there the sea adjoining is deep ; and where there are low and level grounds , it is shallow : the depth of the sea answering to the elevation of the earth above it : and as the earth from the shores is gradually higher and higher , to the middle and parts most remote from the sea , as is evident by the descents of the rivers , they requiring a constant declivity to carry them down ; so the sea likewise is proportionably deeper and deeper from the shores to the middle . so that the rising of the earth from the shores to the mid-land is answerable to the descent or declivity of the bottom of the sea from the same shores to the mid-sea . this rising of the earth from the shores gradually to the midland , is so considerable , that it is very likely the altitude of the earth in those mid land parts above the superficies of the sea , is greater than that of the mountains above the level of the adjacent lands . to the height of the hills above the common superficies of the earth do answer in brerewood's opinion the extraordinary depths or whirl-pools that are found in the sea , descending beneath the ordinary bottom of the sea , as the hills ascend above the ordinary face of the land. but this is but a conjecture of his , and to me it seems not very probable , because it is not likely , there should be in the sea extraordinary depths of that vast length and extension , as those huge ridges of mountains that run almost quite through the continents . and because i have observed the waters of rivers that flow gently , but especially of the sea to level the bottoms of their channels and receptacles , as may be seen in those parts of the sea whose bottoms are uncovered at low-water ; and in dry-lands that have been deserted by the sea , as the fens in the isle of ely , and the craux in provence in france , &c. which appear to be a perfect level , as far as one can ken . though possibly the motion of the sea may not descend down so low as those depths , and so may not level the bottoms of them . again , it is consonant to the best observations of the height of the earth and its mountains above the superficies of the sea ; and of the depth of the sea , that the one is answerable to the other . so varenius in his geogr. p. . caeterùm ex observata hactenus in plerísque locis profunditate oceani manifestum est , eam fere aequalem altitudini sive elevationi montium & locorum mediterraneorum supra littora , nimirum quantum haec elevantur & extant supra littorum horizontem , tantum alvei maris infra eum deprimuntur ; sive quantum assurgit terra à littoribus versùs mediterranea loca , tantundem paulatim magis magísque deprimitur usque ad medii oceani loca , ubi plerùmque maxima est profunditas . that is , from the depth of the ocean , as far as hath been hitherto observed in most places , it is manifest , that that [ profundity ] is near equal to the altitude or elevation of the mediterraneous places above the shores ; that is to say , as much as these are elevated , and stand up above the horizon of the shores ; so much are the channels of the seas depressed below it : or , as much as the earth riseth from the shores towards the mediterraneous places ; so much is it by little and little more and more depressed to the middle parts of the ocean , where the greatest depth for the most part is . and brerewood in his enquiries pertinently to our purpose , supposeth the depth of the sea , to be a great deal more than the height of the hills above the common surface of the earth . — for that in making estimation of the depth of the sea , we are not to reckon and consider only the height of the hills above the common superficies of the earth , but the advantage or height of all the dry land above the superficies of the sea : because the whole mass of the earth , that now appeareth above the waters , being taken , as it were , out of the place which the waters now possess , must be equal to the place out of which it was taken ; and consequently it seemeth , that the height or elevation of the one should answer to the depth or descending of the other . and therefore , as i said , in estimating the deepness of the sea , we are not to consider only the erection of the hills above the ordinary land , but the advantage of all the dry land above the sea. which latter , i mean the height of the ordinary main land , is in my opinion more in large continents above the sea , than that of the hills is above the land. for that the plain and common face of the dry land , is not level or equally distant from the center , but hath great declivity and descent towards the sea , and acclivity or rising toward the mid-land part , although it appear not so to the common view of the eye , is to reason notwitstanding manifest . because , as it is found in that part of the earth which the sea covereth , that it descendeth lower and lower toward the midst of the sea ; for the sea which touching the upper face of it is known to be level by nature , and evenly distant from the center , is withal observed to wax deeper and deeper the further one saileth from the shore towards the main ) even so in that part which is uncovered the coursings and streamings of rivers on all sides from the mid-land parts towards the sea ( whose property we know is to slide from the higher to the lower ) evidently declare so much . * this author with damascen supposes , that the unevenness and irregularity , which is now seen in the superficies of the earth , was caused either by taking some parts out of the upper face of the earth in sundry places to make it more hollow , & laying them in other places to make it more convex : or else ( which in effect is equivalent to that ) by raising up some , and depressing others to make room and receipt for the sea : that mutation being wrought by the power of that word , let the waters be gathered into one place that the dry land may appear . this proportioning of the cavities appointed to receive the seas , to the protuberancy of the dry land above the common superficies of the ocean , is to me a sufficient argument , to prove , that the gathering together of the waters into one place , was a work of counsel and design ; and if not effected by the immediate finger of god , yet at least governed and directed by him . so the scripture affirms the place to receive the sea , to have been prepared by god , psalm . . now in things of this nature , to the giving an account whereof whatever hypothesis we can possibly invent , can be but merely conjectural , those are to be most approved that come nearest to the letter of scripture , and those that clash with it to be rejected , how trim or consistent soever with themselves they may seem to be : this being as much , as when god tells how he did make the world , for us to tell him how he should have made it . but here it may be objected , that the present earth looks like a heap of rubbish and ruines ; and that there are no greater examples of confusion in nature than mountains singly or jointly considered ; and that there appear not the least footsteps of any art or counsel either in the figure and shape , or order and disposition of mountains and rocks . wherefore it is not likely they came so out of gods hands ; who by the ancient philosophers is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and to make all things in number , weight and measure . to which i answer , that the present face of the earth with all its mountains and hills , its promontories and rocks , as rude and deformed as they appear , seems to me a very beautiful and pleasant object , and with all that variety of hills , and valleys , and inequalities far more grateful to behold , than a perfectly level countrey without any rising or protuberancy , to terminate the sight : as any one that hath but seen the isle of ely , or any the like countrey must needs acknowledge . neither is it only more pleasant to behold , but more commodious for habitation , which is so plain , that i need not spend time to prove it . . a land so distinguished into mountains , valleys and plains is also most convenient for the entertainment of the various sorts of animals , which god hath created , some whereof delight in cold , some in hot , some moist and watery , some in dry and upland places , and some of them could neither find nor gather their proper food in different regions . some beasts and birds we find live upon the highest tops of the alps , and that all the winter too , while they are constantly covered with snow , as the ibex , and rupicapra or chamois among quadrupeds , and lagopus among birds . . the mountains are most proper for the putting forth of plants ; yielding the greatest variety , and the most luxuriant sort of vegetables , for the maintenance of the animals proper to those places , and for medicinal uses , partly also for the exercise and delight of such ingenious persons as are addicted to search out and collect those rarities , to contemplate and consider their forms and natures , and to admire and celebrate the wisdom of their creator . . all manner of metals , minerals and fossils if they could be generated in a level earth , of which there is some question , yet should they be dug or mined for , the delfs must necessarily be so flown with water , ( which to drive and rid away no adits or soughs could be made , and i much doubt whether gins would suffice ) that it would ●e extremely difficult and chargeable , if pos●ible to work them at all . . neither are the very tops of the high●st mountains barren of grass for the feed●ng and fattening of beasts . for on the ●idges of the high mountains of jura and ●aleve near geneva , and those of rhoetia or ●he grisons countrey , which are the highest ●f all the alps , excepting the vallesian and ●baudian , there are multitudes of kine fed 〈◊〉 summer time , as i my self can witness , ●aving in my simpling voyages on those of ●ra and saleve observed herds of cattel here , and many dairy houses built , where i have been more than once refreshed by their milk and milk-meats . nay there are but very few , and those of the highest summits of the alps that keep snow all summer : and i was told by the inhabitants , that one time or other , in seven or eight years space , for the most part there came a summer that melted all the snow that lay on them too . . anorher great use and necessity of mountains and hills is for the generation and maintenance of rivers and fountains , which ( in our hypothesis , that all proceed from rain-water ) could not be without them , or but rarely . so we should have only torrents , which would fail in summer-time , or any dry season , and nothing to trust to , but stagnating water reserved in pools and cisterns . which how great an inconvenience it would be , i need not take pains to shew . i say that fountains and rivers would be but rare were there no mountains . for upon serious consideration i find that i was too hasty in concluding , because i had observed no fountains springing up in plains , therefore there were , o● could be absolutely none ; and do now gran● that there is reason to believe the relations made of such . for the whole dry land being but one continued mountain , and ascending all along from the sea to the midland , as is undeniably proved by the descent of rivers even in plain countries ; the water sinking into the earth , may run under ground , and according as the vein leads it , break out in the side of this mountain , tho the place as to outward appearance be a plain . but some may say , granting there be some use and benefit of moderate hills and risings ; what necessity is there of such extended ridges of vast and towring mountains , hiding their heads among the clouds , and seeming for altitude to contend with the skies ? i answer there is very great use of them for repelling the vapours exhaled by the sun-beams in the hot regions , and hindring their evagations northward , as we have already shewn , and shall not repeat . i might add hereto , . those long series and chains of mountains are of great use for boundaries and limits to the territories of princes or commonwealths , to secure them on those parts from sudden incursions of enemies . as for the rudeness and confusion of mountains , their cragged and broken rocks and cliffs , and whatever other disorder there may be among them , it may be accounted for , from the manner of their first generation , and those other mutations they have been since obnoxious to , by earth-quakes , eruptions of vulcano's , foundering and falling in of their props and foundations , and by time and weather too , by which not only the earth is washed away , or blown off from the stones , but the very stones and rocks themselves corroded and dissolved , as might easily be proved by instances , could i spare time to do it . i should proceed now to say something concerning the rest of the works of the creation , but that would be too great a task , and swell this digression into a volume . i shall only add , that to me it seems , that the almighty creator did not only at first make the various principles of all simple inanimate bodies , and scattered them throughout the upper region of the earth ; but also the seminal principles of animate ones too , and disperst them also all over the earth and water , and of these were the first plants and animals created by the virtue of his omnipotent word ; and after all these were spent , there remained no more ability in those elements to produce any individuals , but all since them owe their their original to generation , god having given each species power to procreate their like . chap. vi. containing an answer to the second question , whether shall this dissolution be effected by natural or by extraordinary means , and what they shall be ? . as to the second question , whether shall this dissolution be brought about and effected by natural or by extraordinary means and instruments , and what those means and instruments shall be ? i answer in brief , that the instrumental efficient of this dissolution shall be natural . for it is clear both by scripture and tradi●ion , and agreed on all hands . that it shall be that catholick dissolvent , fire . now to the being and maintenance of fire there are four things requisite . . the active prin●iple or aether . . air , or a nitrous pa●ulum received from it : these two being ●ommixt together , are every where at hand . ● . fewel , which considering the abundance of combustible materials , which are to be ●ound in all places upon or under the surface of the earth , can no where be wanting . . the accension and the sudden and equal diffusion of this fire all the world over . and this must be the work of god , extraordinary and miraculous . such a dissolution of the world might indeed be effected by that natural accident mentioned in the answer to the precedent question , viz. the eruption of the central fire . but because it is doubtful , whether there be any such fire in the middle of the earth or no : and if there ever were , it is hard to give an account , how it could be maintained in that infernal dungeon for want of air and fewel . and because , if it should break forth in the consistency of a thin flame , it would in all likelyhood speedily like lightening mount up to heaven , and quite vanish away ; unless we could suppose floods , nay seas of melted materials , or liquid fire , enough to overflow the whole earth , to be poured forth of those caverns . for these reasons i reject that opinion , and do rather think that the conflagration shall be effected by a superficial fire . tho i must confess we read in tacitus , annal. . at the end , of a sort of fire that was not so apt to disperse and vanish . — the city of the inhonians in germany ( saith he ) confederate with us was afflicted with a sudden disaster : for fires issueing out of the earth , burned towns , fields , villages every where , and spread even to the walls of a colony newly built , and could not be extinguished neither by rain , nor river-water , nor any other liquor that could be employed , until for want of remedy , or anger of such a distraction , certain pesants cast stones afar off into it ; then the flame somewhat slacking , drawing near , they put it out with blows of clubs , and other like , as if it had been a wild beast ; last of all , they threw in cloaths from their backs , which the more worn and fouler they were , the better they quenched the fire . i use dr. hakewil's translation . chap. vii . the third question answered . whether shall this dissolution be gradual and successive , or momentaneous and sudden ? . the third question is , whether shall this dissolution be gradual and successive , or momentaneous and sudden ? i answer , the scripture resolves for the latter , the day of the lord shall come as a thief in the night : a similitude we have often repeated in scripture , as in the tenth verse of this chapter , in thessal . . . revel . , . and . . and the resurrection and change of things , it is said shall be in a moment , in the twinkling of a● eye : cor. . . consonant whereto both the epicureans and stoicks held thei● dissolutions of the world should be sudde● and brief , as lucretius and seneca in th● places forementioned tell us . and it i● suitable to the nature of fire to make a quic● dispatch of things , suddenly to consume an● destroy . and as it shall be sudden , so also shall it be unexpected , being compared to the coming of the flood in the days of noah , matth. . , , . but as the days of noah were , so shall also the coming of the son of man be . for as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking , marrying and giving in marriage , until the day that noah entred into the ark : and knew not until the flood came and took them all away ; so shall also the coming of the son of man be . and the raining of fire and brimstone upon sodom , luke . thessal . . . for when they shall say peace and safety , then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child . now if it shall be thus sudden and unexpected , it is not likely there should be in nature any manifest tendency to it , or remarkable signs and forerunners of it : for such must needs startle and awaken the world into an expectation and dread of it . that there is at present no such tendency to corruption , but that the world continues still in as good state and condition as it was two thousand years ago , without the least impairment or decay , hath been , as we before noted , without any possibility of contradiction clearly made out and demonstrated by dr. hakewill in his apology : and therefore , arguing from the past to the future , it will in all likelyhood so continue two thousand years more , if it be so long to the day of doom ; and consequently that day ( as the scripture predicts ) will suddenly and unexpectedly come upon the world. but if all these prophecies ( as dr. hammond affirms ) be to be restrained only to the destruction of jerusalem , and jewish polity , without any further respect to the end of the world ; then indeed from thence we can make no inferences or deductions in reference to that final period . chap. viii . the fourth question resolved , whether shall there be any signs or forerunners of the dissolution of the world ? . the fourth question is , whether shall there be any signs or forerunners of the dissolution of the world ? in order to the answering of this question we shall distinguish signs into natural and arbitrarious , . natural signs , so the aurora , or dawning of the day , is a sign of the sun-rising . now if the dissolution be effected in the course of nature , and by natural means , there will be some previous natural signs of it . an old house will threaten ruin before it falls . the natural death of men and all animals hath its harbingers , and old men before their dissolution feel the impression of age ; and proclaim to the world their approaching fate by wrinkles , gray hairs , and dimness of sight . but we have formerly shewn , that there is no consenescency or declension in nature : but that the world continues still as firm and staunch as it was three thousand years ago ; and why hereafter it should founder and decay more than it hath done for so many ages heretofore , what reason can be given ? it is not therefore likely there should be any natural signs of the dissolution of the world ; and consequently that it shall be effected by natural means . . there are arbitrary signs , as a garland hung out is a sign of wine to be sold . now if the dissolution of the world be effected by supernatural and extraordinary means . ( as is most likely ) the signs of it must be arbitrarious . for tho they may be natural effects and productions , yet would they not signifie the destruction of the world , if they were not ordered by providence to happen at that time , and predicted as forerunners of it ; with which otherwise they have no natural connexion . such signs are matth. . the sun being darkened , and the moon not giving her light , and the stars falling from heaven , and the shaking of the powers of heaven . these and many other signs of his coming we find mentioned in scripture : but what the meaning of these expressions may be , is not so clear : for tho some of them may be taken in a literal sense , yet it is manifest that others cannot . the sun may indeed be so covered with a macula , as to be quite obscured ; and thereupon the moon necessarily lose her light , which she borrows only from the sun-beams : but how the stars should in a literal sense fall down from heaven is inconceivable ; it being almost demonstratively certain , that most of them are bigger than the whole earth . we may therefore , keeping as near as we can to the letter , thus interpret them . there shall be great signs in heaven , dismal eclipses and obscurations of the sun and moon ; new stars and comets shall appear , and others disappear , and many fiery meteors be suspended in the air. the very foundations of the earth shall be shaken , and the sea shall roar and make a noise . but i must not here dissemble a great difficulty : how can such illustrious signs and forerunners be reconciled to the suddenness and unexpectedness of christ's coming , and the end of the world ? luke . . after the evangelist had told us , that there shall be signs in the sun , and in the moon ; and in the stars — the sea and the waves roaring , he adds , as a consequent thereof , vers . . mens hearts failing them for fear , and for looking after those things that are coming on the earth . and indeed how could any man possibly be buried in so profound a lethargy of senselessness and security , as by such stupendious prodigies not to be rowsed and awakened to an expectation of some dismal and tremendous event ? how could he sing a requiem to his soul , and say peace and safety , when the world so manifestly threatens ruin about his ears ? for the reconciling of these expressions to this sudden coming of our saviour to judgment , it were most convenient to accept them in the figurative and metaphorical sense . for if we understand them of the ruins and devastations of cities and countries , the changes of governments , the subversions of kingdoms and commonwealths , the falls and deposings of princes , nobles and great men ; these happening more or less in every age , tho the serious and inquisitive christian , who searches and understands the scriptures , may discern them to be the signs of the world's catastrophe ; yet the careless and inconsiderate , the vicious and voluptuous are not like to be at all startled or moved at them , but may notwithstanding , looking upon them as ordinary and insignificant accidents , dormire in utramque aurem , sleep securely till the last trump awaken them . or it may be answered , that these prophecies do belong to the destruction of jerusalem only , and so we are not concerned to answer this objection . chap. ix . the fifth question answered ; at what period of time shall the world be dissolved ? . the fifth question is , at what period of time shall the world be dissolved ? i answer , this is absolutely uncertain and indeterminable . for since this dissolution shall be effected by the extraordinary interposition of providence ; it cannot be to any man known , unless extraordinarily revealed . and our saviour tells us , that of that day and hour knows no man , no not the angels of heaven , &c. matth. . . and again , acts . . it is not for us to know the times and the seasons , which the father hath placed in his own power . and this dr. hakewyll brings as an argument , that the world decays not , neither tends to corruption ; because if it did , the time of its actual dissolution might be collected and foretold ; which , saith he , the scripure denies . we may invert this argumentation , and infer ; because the world doth not decay , therefore the time of its dissolution cannot be known . but yet notwithstanding this , many have ventured to fore-tell the time of the end of the world , of whom some are already confuted , the term prefixt being past , and the world still standing . lactantius in his time said , institut . lib. . c. . omnis expectatio non amplius quàm ducentorum videtur annorum , the longest expectation extends not further than two hundred years . the continuance of the world more than a thousand years since convinces him of a gross mistake . paulus grebnerus a high pretender to a spirit of prophesie , sets it in the year . induced thereto by a fond conceit of the numeral letters in the latin word judicium . other enthusiastical persons of our own countrey have placed it in the years . and . the event shews how ungroundedly and erroneously . others there are , whose term is not yet expired , and so they remain still to be confuted . as those who conceit that the end of the world shall be when the pole-star shall come to touch the pole of the equator , which ( say they ) ever since the time of hipparchus hath approached nearer and nearer to it . that it doth so i am not satisfied ; but if it doth , it is merely accidental , and hath no connexion with the end of the world. but the most famous opinion , and which hath found most patrons and followers even amongst the learned and pious , is that of the worlds duration for six thousand years . for the strengthening of which conceit they tell us , that as the world was created in six days , and then followed the sabbath , so shall it remain six thousand years , and then shall succeed the eternal sabbath . heb. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. there remains therefore a rest or sabbath to the people of god. here we see that the apostle institutes a comparison between the heavenly rest and the sabbath . therefore as god rested upon the seventh day , so shall all the world of the godly rest after the six thousandth year . for he that hath entred into his rest ceaseth from all his works as god did from his . of this opinion were many of the ancient fathers , as i shewed before , grounding themselves upon this analogy between the six days of the creation and the sabbath ; and the six thousand years of the worlds duration , and the eternal rest ; for saith irenaeus lib. . cap. ult . hoc autem ( that is , the history of the six days creation and succeeding sabbath ) est & praeteritorum narratio , & futurorum prophetia . dies enim unus mille annos significat , sicut scriptura testatur : pet. . . psal . . . the scriptures reckoning days of one thousand years long , as in verse . of this chapter , and in psal . . . this is likewise a received tradition of the jewish rabbins , registred in the talmud , in the treatise sanhedrim , delivered ( as they pretend ) by the prophet elias the tishbite to the son of the woman of sarepta , whom he raised from the dead , and by him handed down to posterity . i rather think with reuterus , that the author of it was some rabbi of that name . the tradition is , sex millia annorum erit mundus : & uno millenaria vastatio i. e. sabbathum dei : duo millia inane : duo millia lex : duo millia dies messiae . two thousand years vacuity : two thousand years of the law : two thousand years the days of the messiah . but they shoot far wide : for according to the least account , there passed a far greater number of years before the law was given , . saith reuterus , and on the contrary less time from the law ▪ to the exhibition of the messiah . all these proofs laid together do scarce suffice to make up a probability . neither do those rabbinical collections from the six letters in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first word of genesis , or from the six alephs in the first verse of that book , each signifying a thousand years ; or from the six first patriarchs in the order of the genealogy to enoch , who was caught up to heaven and found no more , add much weight to this opinion . s. austin very modestly concludes after a discussion of this point concerning the time of the worlds duration , ego tempora dinumerare non audeo : nec aliquem prophetam de hac re numerum annorum existimo praefinivisse . nos ergo quod scire nos dominus noluit libentèr nesciamus . but though none but presumptuous persons have undertaken peremptorily to determine that time , yet was it the common and received opinion and perswasion of the ancient christians , that that day was not far off : and had they been to limit it , they would hardly have been induced to set the term so forward , and remote from their own age , as by experience we find it proves to to be in their own times , or shortly after ; and many places of scripture seem to favour that opinion , so that some have presumed to say , that the apostles themselves were at first mistaken in this particular , till after further illumination they were better informed . but though this be too bold a conceit , yet that the churches , at least some of them , did at first mistake the apostles meaning in their sermons and epistles concerning this point , and so understand them , as to think that the end of the world and final judgment was at hand , appears from thess . . . i beseech you , brethren , that ye be not soo● shaken in mind , or be troubled , neither by spirit , nor by word , nor by letter , as from us , as that the day of christ is at hand . wee see the apostle labours to rectifie , and for the future to prevent this mistake : so likewise the apostle peter in the th and th verses of this chapter . and yet this opinion had taken such deep root in them , that it wa● not easie to be extirpated , but continued for some ages in the church . indeed there are so many places in the new testament which speak of the coming of christ as very near that if we should have lived in their time and understood them all as they did , of hi● coming to judge the world , we could hardly have avoided being of the same opinion . but if we apply them ( as dr. hammo● doth ) to his coming to take vengeance on hi● enemies , then they do not hinder , but tha● the day of judgment , i mean the genera● judgment , may be far enough off . so ● leave this question unresolved , concluding that when that day will come god only knows . chap. x. how far this conflagration sh●ll extend . . a sixth question is , how far shall this conflagration extend ? whether to the ethereal heavens , and all the host of them , sun , moon and stars , or to the aereal only ? i answer , if we follow ancient tradition not only the earth , but also the heavens and heavenly bodies will be involved in one common fate , as appears by those verses quoted out of lucretius , ovid , lucan , &c. of christians some exempt the ethereal region from this destruction : for the two following reasons , which i shall set down in reuterus's words . . because in this chapter the conflagration is compared to the deluge in the time of noah . but the deluge extended not to the upper regions of the air , much less to the heavens , the waters arising only fifteen cubits above the tops of the mountains , if so much . therefore neither shall the conflagration transcend that term . so beza upon pet. . . tantum ascendet ille ignis quantum aqua altior supra omnes montes . that fire shall ascend as high as the waters stood above the mountains . this passage i do not find in the last edition of his notes . the ordinary gloss also upon these words , thess . . . in flaming fire rendring vengeance , saith , christum venturum praecedet ignis in mundo , qui tantum ascendet quantum aqua in diluvio . there shall a fire go before christ when he comes , which shall reach as high as did the water in the deluge . and s. augustine de civit. dei lib. . cap. . petrus etiam commemorans factum ante diluvium , videtur admonuisse quodammodo , quatenus in fine hujus seculi istum mundum periturum esse credamus . peter also mentioning the ancient deluge , seems in a manner to have advised us how far at the consummation of time , we are to believe this world shall perish . but this argument is of no force , because it is not the apostles design in that place to describe the limits of the conflagration , but only against scoffers , to shew , that the world should one day perish by fire , as it had of old been destroyed by water . . the second reason is , because the heavenly bodies are not subject to passion , alteration or corruption . they can contract no filth , and so need no expurgation by fire . to this we answer , not in the words of reuter , but our own , that it is an idle and ill grounded conceit of the peripateticks , that the heavens are of their own nature incorruptible and unalterable : for on the contrary it is demonstrable , that many of them are of the same nature with the earth we live upon , and the most pure , as the sun , and probably too the fixt stars , suffer alterations ; maculae or opaque concretions being commonly generated and dissolved in them . and comets frequently , and sometimes new stars appear in the etherial regions . so that these arguments are insufficient to exempt the heavens from dissolution ; and on the other side many places there are in scripture which seem to subject them thereto : as psal . . , . recited heb. . . which hath already often been quoted , the heavens are the works of thy hands , they shall perish . mat. . . heaven and earth shall pass away . isa . . . & . . the heavens shall vanish away like smoke . yet am i not of opinion , that the last fire shall reach the heavens ; they are too far distant from us to suffer by it : nor indeed doth the scripture affirm it : but where it mentions the dissolution of the heavens , it expresses it by such phrases as seem rather to intimate , that it shall come to pass by a consenescency and decay , than be effected by any sudden and violent means . psal . . , . they all shall wax old as doth a garment , &c. though i confess nothing of certainty can be gathered from such expressions ; for we find the same used concerning the earth . isa . . . the heavens shall vanish away like smoke , and the earth shall wax old as doth a garment . the heavenly bodies are none of them uncorruptible and eternal ; but may in like manner as the earth be consumed and destroyed , at what times and by what means , whether fire or some other element , the amighty hath decreed , and ordered . chap. xi . whether shall the whole world be consumed and annihilated , or only refined and purified ? there remains now only the seventh question to be resolved , whether shall the world be wholly consumed , burnt up and destroyed , or annihilated ; or only refined , purified or renewed ? to this i answer , that the latter part seems to me more probable , viz. that it shall not be destroyed and annihilated , but only refined and purified . i know what potent adversaries i have in this case . i need name no more than gerard in his common places , and dr. hakewil in his apology and the defence of it , who contend earnestly for the abolition or annihilation . but yet upon the whole matter , the renovation or restitution seems to me most probable , as being most consonant to scripture , reason and antiquity . the scripture speaks of an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or restitution , acts . . whom the heavens must contain until the time of the restitution of all things . speaking of our saviour : and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or regeneration of the world , the very word the stoicks and pythagoreans use in this case , matth. . , . verily , i say unto you , that ye which have followed me , in the regeneration , when the son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory , ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones , &c. psal . . . as a vesture shalt thou change them , and they shall be changed . which words are again taken up and repeated , heb. . . now it is one thing to be changed , another to be annihilated and destroyed . cor. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the fashion of this world passeth away . as if he had said , it shall be transfigured , or its outward form changed , not its matter or substance destroyed . isa . . . behold i create new heavens and a new earth , and the former shall not be remembred , nor come into mind . isa . . . as the new heavens and new earth , which i shall make , shall remain before me . to which places the apostle peter seems to refer in those words , pet. . . nevertheless we , according to his promise , look for new heavens , and a new earth , wherein dwelleth righteousness . this new heaven and new earth we have also mentioned , rev. . . and i saw a new heaven and a ne● earth : for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away , and there was no more sea. these places , i confess , may admit of an answer or solution by those who are of a contrary opinion , and are answered by doctor hakewil : yet all together , especially being back'd by ancient tradition , amount to a high degree of probability . i omit that place , rom. . , . the creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of god : tho it be accounted the strongest proof of our opinion , because of the obscurity and ambiguity thereof . . for antiquity , i have already given many testimonies of the ancient fathers and doctors of the church , and could , if need were , produce many more , the whole stream of them running this way . and tho dr. hakewill saith , that if we look back to higher times before s. hierome , we shall not easily find any one who maintained the world's renovation : yet hath he but two testimonies to alledge for its abolition ; the one out of hilary upon the psalms , and the other out of clemens his recognitions . to this restitution of the world after the conflagration many also of the heathen philosophers bear witness ; whose testimonies mr. burnet hath exhibited in his theory of the earth , lib. . cap. . of the stoicks , chrysippus de providentia , ‖ speaking of the renovation of the world , saith , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . we after death , certain periods of time being come about , shall be restored to the form we now have . to chrysippus stobaeus adds zeno and cleanthes , and comprehends together with men all natural things , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . zeno and cleanthes and chrysippus were of opinion , that the nature or substance of things changes into fire , as it were into a seed ; and out of this again , such a world or frame of things is effected as was before . this revolution of nature antoninus in his meditations often calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the periodical regeneration of all things . and * origen against celsus saith of the stoicks in general , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the stoicks say , that at certain periods of time there is a conflagration of the vniverse ; and after that a restitution thereof having exactly the same disposition and furniture the former world had . more to the like purpose concerning the stoicks , we have in † eusebius out of numenius . nature , saith he , returns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the resurrection which makes the great year , wherein there is again a restitution made from it self alone to it self . for returning according to the order wherein it began first to frame and dispose things , ( as reason would ) it again observes the same oeconomy or administration ; the like periods returning eternally without ceasing . he that desires more authorities of the heathen philosophers and poets in confirmation of the world's restitution after the conflagration , may consult the same mr. burnet in the place forequoted ; where he also shews , that this doctrine of the mundane periods was received by the grecians from the nations they call barbarous . pythagoras , saith porphyry , brought it first into grece : and origen witnesseth of the egyptians wise men that it was delivered by them . laertius out of theopompus relates , that the persian magi had the same tradition : and berosus saith that the chaldeans also . in fine , among all the barbarous nations , who had among them any person or sect , and order of men , noted for wisdom or philosophy this tradition was current . the reader may consult the book we refer to , where is a notable passage taken out of plutarch's tractate , de iside & osiride , concerning a war between oromazes and arimanius , somewhat parallel to that mentioned in the revelation between michael and the drag●n . . the restitution of the world seems more consonant to reason than its abolition . for if the world were to be annihilated , what needed a conflagration ? fire doth not destroy or bring things to nothing , but only separate their parts . the world cannot be abolished by it , and therefore had better been annihilated without it . wherefore the scripture mentioning no other dissolution than is to be effected by the instrumentality of fire , its clear , we are not to understand any utter abolition or annihilation of the world , but only a mutation and renovation , by those phrases of perishing , passing away , dissolving , being no more , &c. they are to be no more in that state and condition they are now in . . there must be a material heaven , and a material hell left . a place for the glorified bodies of the blessed to inhabit and converse in ; and a place for the bodies of the damned , a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or prison for them to be shut up in . now if the place of the blessed be an empyreal heaven far above these visible heavens , as divines generally hold ; and the place of the damned be beneath , about the middle of the earth ; as is the opinion of the schoolmen , and the church of rome , and as the name inferi imports , and as the ancient heathen described their tartarus , — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . then when all the intermediate bodies shall be annihilated , what a strange universe shall we have ? consisting of an immense ring of matter , having in the middle , a vast vacuity , or space void of all body , save only one small point for an infernal dungeon . those that are of this opinion have too narrow and mean thoughts of the greatness , i had almost said immensity of the universe , the glorious and magnifick products of the creator's almighty power : and are too partial to themselves , to think the whole world was created for no other end but to be serviceable to mankind : but of this i have said somewhat in a former discourse , and therefore shall not at present enlarge upon it . but let us hear what they have to say for the abolition . their first and most weighty argument is taken from the end of the world's creation , which was partly and chiefly the glory of the creator , and partly the use of man , the lord deputy , as it were , or viceroy thereof . now for the glory of the creator , it being by the admirable frame of the world manifested unto man , man being removed out of the world , and no creature being capable of such a manifestation besides him , we cannot imagine to what purpose the frame it self should be left , and restored to a more perfect estate . the other end , being for man's vse , either to supply his necessity in matter of diet , of physick , of building , of apparrel ; or for his instruction , direction , recreation , comfort and delight ; or lastly , that therein , as in a looking-glass he might contemplate the wisdom , the goodness and power of god : when he shall attain that blessed estate , as he shall have no further use of any of these , enjoying perfect happiness and seeing god as he is , face to face , the second or subordinate end of the world 's being must needs be likewise frustrate . and what other end can be given or conceived for the remaining or restoring thereof ? &c. to this i answer , there may be an end of the restoring of the vvorld , tho we are not able to find out or determine what . vve are too short sighted to penetrate the ends of god. there may be a new race of rational animals brought forth to act their parts upon this stage , which may give the creator as much glory as man ever did or could . and yet if there should be no material ●nd visible rational creature made to inhabit the earth , there are spiritual and intel●ectual beings , which may be as busie , and ●s much delighted in searching out and con●emplating the vvorks of god in this new earth , and rendring him the praise of his vvisdom and power as man could be . these things we may conjecture ; but we must ●eave it to the only wise god to determine what use shall be made of it . it seems to me ●o be too great presumption , and over-valuing our selves to think that all this vvorld was ●o made for us , as to have no other end of its creation ; or that god could not be glorified ●ut by us . this first and principal argument being answered , the second admits of an easie solution . they enquire whether the vegetables and creatures endued with sense shall all be restored , or some only ? namely such as shall be found in being at the day of judgment . if all , where shall we find stowage for them ? surely we may in this case properly apply that which the evangelist in another useth figuratively , if they should all be restored , even the vvorld it self could not contain the things which should be restored . if some only , then would i gladly know , why those some should be vouchsafed this great honour , and not all , or how those creatures without a miracle shall be restrain'd from propagating and multiplying , and that infinitely in their kinds by a perpetual generation . or lastly , how the several individuals of these kinds , shall contrary to their primitive natures , live and dure immortality ? to all this i answer , that not only all animals , but all vegetables too , yea and their seeds also , will doubtless be mortified and destroyed by the violence of the conflagration ; but that the same should be restored , and endued with eternal life , i know no reason we have to believe ; but rather that there shall be new ones produced ▪ either of the same with the former , or of different kinds , at the will , and by the power of the almighty creator , and for those ends and uses for which he shall design them . this question being answered in this manner , all that follows concerning the earth remaining without any furniture or inhabitants , &c. falls to the ground . so i have dispatch'd these seven questions concerning the dissolution of the world , there remains now only the inference or use of the precedent doctrine . chap. xii . the apostles inference from the precedent doctrine . i come now to the inference the apostle makes from the precedent doctrine ▪ what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness ? one word here needs a little explication , and that is holy ; what is meant by a holy conversation . holiness is an equivocal term. it is attributed either to god , or to the creature . when it is attributed to god , it signifies either , . the unspotted purity of his nature , and the constant and immutable rectitude of his will. so it is taken john . . a● every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as he is pure : and pet. . . as he which called you is holy , so be ye holy i● all manner of conversation : because it is written , be ye holy for i am holy . psal . . ▪ the lord is righteous in all his ways , and holy in all his works . . his sovereign majesty and greatness , appearing in his transcendent wisdom and power , in his supreme and absolute dominion over all things : in respect whereof , he is called the holy one of israel , and his name is said to be holy : that is , to be invoked with the greatest reverence . holy and reverend is his name . because of this his greatness and excellency he is to be worshipped and adored with the most submissive humility and veneration , with a transcendent and incommunicable worship and devotion . when holiness is attributed to creatures , it signifies either an inherent and inward or a relative or outward , holiness . . inherent or inward holiness is a conformity of heart and life to the will of god : or as * others define it , an habitual frame of mind , whereby we are fitted for vertuous actions , but more especially for the duties of religion : indeed holiness doth always include a reference to god. . relative or outward holiness results from a separation and setting a part any thing from a prophane and common , and applying it to a sacred or religious use . for the majesty of god , who at first created , and continually sustains and governs all things , being so great and inviolable , all persons , things , and times , and places , and ceremonies separated and appropriated to his service and worship , are by all nations esteemed sacred , and to have a character of holiness imprinted on them . by holiness in this place , is to be understood an inherent holiness , which is well defined by dr. outram , a conformity of heart and life to the will of god. i shall not discourse at large concerning a holy conversation , nor instance particulars wherein it consists . that would be to write a body of practical divinity : i shall therefore at present suppose the reader sufficiently instructed in that . my business shall be to shew the strength of the apostles inference . it may be said , how doth this dissolution concern us , who may perchance be dead and rotten a thousand years before i● comes ? what have we to do with it ? i answer , it concerns us , . because it possible it may happen in our times ; it ma● surprise us before we are aware . the precise time thereof is uncertain . and it sha● be sudden and unexpected , coming as thief in the night , as we have befo●● shewn ; therefore we ought always to 〈◊〉 upon our guard , to have our loins girt ab● and our lights burning . this use the sc●pture in many places makes of the unc●●tainty of the time of christs coming . luke . . be ye therefore ready : for the son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not . luke . , . and take heed to your selves , lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and cares of this life , and so that day come upon you unawares . for as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the whole earth . parallel whereto are matth. . . and mark . , . that it shall come is certain , when it shall come is uncertain , and it every day draws nearer and nearer , therefore it is not wisdom to remove the evil day far from us : and as in reference to the day of death , it is an usual and prudent advice , so to live every day , as if it were our last day ; or at least , as we would not be afraid to do should it be so : because we are sure , that one day will be our last , and for ought we know the present may be it : so likewise is it rational counsel in respect of the end of the world , so to prepare our selves for it by a holy conversation , that we may get above the terror and dread which will otherwise attend the apprehension of the approach of ●t : and that we may be provided against the worst that may follow ; and be secure come what can come . secondly , it concerns us , should it be a thousand years to come , because then is the general resurrection both of the just and unjust , acts . . and the general judgment , when we must all appear before the dreadful tribunal of christ , that every one may receive the things done in his body , according to that he hath done , whether it be good or bad . cor. . . which , rom. . . is called the revelation of the righteous judgment of god who will render to every man according to his deeds , &c. upon this account , i say , it concerns us much how we have our conversation here . first , as we hope to be acquitted at that day , and to enter into those new heavens , in which dwells righteousness . holiness is a necessary condition and antecedent to happiness . necessary i say , . by gods appointment , heb. . . follow peace with all men , and holiness , with out which no man shall see the lord. rom. . . have your fruit unto holiness , and the end eternal life . psal . . ult . to him that ordereth his conversation aright , will i shew the salvation of god. eternal life is the gif● of god. he is not obliged to bestow i● upon any man. he may make what conditions he pleases for the obtaining of it . n● man hath any right to it ; no man can lay any claim to it , but from this donation , and from the performance of these conditions . rev. . . blessed are they that do his commandments , that they may have right to the tree of life , and may enter in through the gates into the city . for without are dogs and whoremongers and sorcerers , &c. all the right they have depends upon gods promise , which is conditionate , and accrues to them by the performance of the condition , which is the doing of his commandments . . necessary not only by gods appointment , but in the very nature of the thing . holiness is the very quality and complexion of heaven . no man without it is qualified to be a subject of that kingdom : for thereinto nothing that is impure or unclean can enter . revel . . . and there shall in no wise enter into it [ the new jerusalem ] any thing that defileth , neither whatsoever worketh abomination . in this new heaven dwelleth righteousness , pet. . . therefore john . . every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as he is pure . heaven would naturally spue out and eject a wicked person , as one heterogeneous to it . heaven and hell are not more distant in place , than they are in nature . there is not more antipathy between fire and water , between light and darkness , between streight and crooked , neither are they more incompatible , or do more naturally resist and expel one another , than holiness which is the quality of heaven , and wickedness which is the disposition and temper of hell. some do think heaven to be rather a state , than a place ; and that he that is partaker of the divine nature hath heaven within him : this is true , but this is not all . the whole notion of heaven comprehends both a state and a place . a man must be in a heavenly state , before the local heaven can receive him , or he brook it . heaven without him would be no heaven to the man who hath not heaven within him . a wicked person could find no business or employment in heaven ; nothing to satisfie his corrupt and depraved affections , inclinations , and appetites . he would there meet with no suitable company ; no persons whose conversation he could take any delight and complacency in , but rather hate and abhor . for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness ? or what communion hath light with darkness ? cor. . . like naturally loves like , and unites with it , and doth refuse , resist , and hate that which is unlike it . for every thing is made to love it self ; and consequently every thing that resembles and comes near it , and is as it were a replication of it ; and to hate the contrary . as therefore we would be glad to be partakers of the blessedness of the local heaven , so let us endeavour to get into our minds and spirits the qualities and conditions of heaven ; that so we may be fit subjects for that kingdom , fit companions for that society . this is the time allotted us to purifie our selves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit , and to perfect holiness in the fear of god. there is no invention in the grave whither we are going , eccles . . . vpon this moment depends eternity . as the tree falls so it lies ; and as death leaves , so will judgment find us . quando isthinc excessum fuerit , nullus jam locus poenitentiae est . hîc vita aut amittitur , aut tenetur : hîc saluti aeternae cultu dei & fructu fidei providetur . cyprian . serm. de immortal . after we shall depart hence there remains no more place for repentance . eternal life is here , either lost or won . here provision is made for everlasting salvation by the worship of god , and fruit of faith . we must work while it is day , the night [ of death ] cometh wherein no man can work . john . . and therefore the time our bodies shall rest in the grave , should it be a thousand years , will little avail us : for if the soul be mean while awake , the certain and dreadful expectation of the sentence of condemnation to an eternal hell at the day of judgment , will be little less afflictive than the torments thereof themselves . i might add by way of digression that sin and wickedness is naturally productive of . hell in the soul. a wicked man carries hell in his breast . sin necessarily infers misery : it is contrary to the nature of the soul , and whatsoever is so must needs be grievous . diversion and non-attention to his condition is the wicked man's only security : i have heard it often from a * great divine in his sermons , that there is but a thoughts distance between a wicked man and hell. for do but fix and bind his thoughts to the consideration of his life and actions , and he will anticicipate hell himself , he shall need no infernal furies to lash him , he will be his own tormentor : such a man's pressures will be heavy enough , should the divine nemesis superadd no more . the reason of this i have given in a former discourse , and therefore shall now omit what else might have been added on this particular . secondly , it much concerns us , upon account of the future judgment which shall be at the dissolution of the world , to have our conversation in all holiness , as we desire to avoid that shame and misery which will then otherwise certainly befall us . . as we desire to avoid that shame which will cover our faces at that day . if here shame and disgrace be more grievous and insupportable than death it self , what will it be then , when the soul shall be rendred more quick and apprehensive and sensible of such impressions ? there is nothing shameful but sin , nothing else hath any natural turpitude in it . shame follows sin as the shadow doth the body : he that will commit the one cannot avoid the other . therefore such wicked persons as have not quite renounced modesty , and lost all sense of shame , especially if guilty of secret crimes , the consideration of a future . judgment would be a powerful curb to restrain them from sin for the future : because then god will produce and bring to light the hidden things of darkness , and disclose and make manifest the counsels of all hearts : cor. . . then he will judge the secrets of men by jesus christ . rom. . . then will he bring every work into judgment , with every secret thing , eccles . . . for would they but consider and ponder what confusion will overwhelm them when this shall be done in the face of the whole world , and before all that knew them , and they not able to make any denyal , or excuse . this , i say , if any thing , would be a powerful curb to withhold them from those enormities to which this shame is appendant . it may be thou madest a great figure in the world for piety and religion , wouldst seem to be some body in the eyes of men , when thou wert false and unsound , didst harbour and nourish some viper in thy bosom , introrsum turpis , speciosa pelle decorus : when thy secret faults shall be exposed before thy neighbours , and friends , and children , and the shame of thy nakedness shall be made to appear , revel , . . how wilt thou then be confounded , and astonished , and unable to lift up thy head ? what horrour will then seize thee , when thy confusion shall be continually before thee , and the shame of thy face shall cover thee ? psalm . . it concerns thee therefore to look about thee in time , and search thy conscience to the bottom , to remove whatever grates , to cast out whatever offends , tho never so customary , never so pleasing to flesh and blood : to apply thy self to the merits and satisfaction of christ jesus for the expiation of what is past ; and for the future to resolve and endeavour the amendment of whatsoever hath heretofore been amiss in thee ; and to beg the assistance of the divine grace to strengthen in thee every good purpose and resolution of heart , and to enable thee to bring it to issue and effect . and for thy security , i think it good advice , to resolve so to behave thy self in thy retirements , so to live in the secret of thy chamber and closet , as though the doors were thrown open upon thee , and all the eyes of the world beheld thee ; as though thou were 't in the arena of a publick theatre exposed to the view of men and angels . i remember the ingenious writer of politick discourses boccalini , doth often divert himself and his reader with facetious reflections upon the contrivance of a window into the breast ; which , if i mistake not , he fathers upon lipsius . however he may deride it , i think it would be prudent counsel to give and take , for every christian . so to live and carry it in the secret of his heart , as if there were a window into his breast , that every one that passed by , might look in thereat , and see all the thoughts and imaginations that passed there , that found any en●ertainment or acceptance with him . for though indeed god searches the hearts and ●eins , and understandeth our thoughts afar off , psal . . . yet such is the hypocrisie of mankind , that they do for the most part more reverence the eyes of men , than of god : and will venture to do that in his presence , which they would be ashamed the eyes of man should see them doing . you will say , is it not better to be modest , than to be impudent ? is it not better to conceal , than to publish ones shame ? is it not better to reverence man , than neither god nor man ? doth not the scripture condemn a whores fore-head ? is it not a true proverb , past shame , past grace ? was it not good advice of a cardinal ( as i remember ) si non castè tamen cautè ? he that hath devoured shame , what bridle is there left to restrain him from the worst of evils ? i answer , that it seems indeed to me , that publick sins of the same nature , are more heinous than secret ; and that impudence in sinning , is an aggravation of the sin . for open sins dare god , and bid defiance to heaven , and leave the sinner unreclaimable , and are of more pernicious influence . i do not now speak of the hypocrisie of feigning holiness to serve our own ends , which is rightly esteemed duplex iniquitas , but that of concealing and hiding vicious actions , to avoid the shame of men . and yet there is a great obliquity in this too . because even this is a slighting and undervaluing of god , a preferring of man before him , setting a greater price and esteem upon the praise and commendation of men , than the praise and approbation of god. john . . god sees the secretest actions , yea , the most retired thoughts . they that believe this , and yet make bold to do in his presence , what the fear of man's eye would restrain them from , it is clear that they reverence man more than god , a poor , frail , impotent creature like themselves ▪ more than the most pure and ever blessed creator . nay , let the temptation to any sin be never so strong , and the natural inclination never so vehement , if the knowledge and conscience of men be a motive and consideration powerful enough to enable us to resist and repel them , had we but as firm a belief of the presence and inspection of god , and as great a reverence and dread of him , why should not these have the same influence and effect upon us ? let us then avoid the hypocrisie of desiring to be thought better than we are , by endeavouring to our utmost to be as good as we would be thought to be , and if possible , better . so shall we satisfie our selves that we seek the praise of god , more than the praise of men . but to return from whence we digressed , though * shame and everlasting contempt shall at the general resurrection be the portion of them who persist and die in their sins ; yet a serious and unfeigned repentance , attested by a holy conversation for the future , is an effectual means to deliver us from this shame , whatever our forepast sins have been . for they shall not be produced against us , they shall not be objected to us at that day ; they shall be buried in eternal silence and oblivion , and be as tho they had not been . and this opinion i hold . more agreeable to the scripture , which in this matter makes use of the terms of hiding , and covering , and blotting out , psalm . . blessed is the man whose trangression is forgiven , and whose sin is covered . esay . . i even i am he that blotteth out thy transgressions , and will not remember thy sins . so psalm . . hide thy face from my sins , and blot out all mine iniquities . jerem. . . i will forgive their iniquity , and remember their sin no more . ezek. . . all his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him . mich. . . thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. and as it is more consonant to the scripture , so is it . more grateful and consolatory to the penitents . for the mere mentioning and reciting of their sins before such an assembly must needs refresh their shame and sorrow , and so diminish their happiness and joy . to which i might add , that it is written that our ▪ saviour at the last judgment in pronouncing the sentence shall enumerate the good works of the godly to their praise ; but not a word said of producing their sins . i say i hold this opinion more probable upon these accounts , than theirs who affirm they shall then be published , for the magnifying and advancing , the declaring and illustrating the mercy and grace of god in pardoning so great and heinous offences . it concerns us much to live in all holy conversation in this world , as we desire to avoid that pain and misery , which we shall otherwise most certainly be adjudged to at that day : that indignation and wrath , tribulation and anguish , which god shall render to them that do not obey the truth , but obey unrighteousness : rom. . . that worm that dieth not , and that fire that is not quenched , mark . . and . and . that outer darkness , where is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth , matth. . . and . . and . . that furnace of fire , matth. . . . that lake of fire and brimstone , revel . . . or of fire burning with brimstone , revel . . . which places , tho they be not literally to be expounded , yet do they import at least a very sad and deplorable estate , a high degree of torment and anguish : and all this eternal and without intermission night and day . these shall go into everlasting punishment , mat. . . the state of the damned is supposed to be a state of absolute and complete misery , made up of the loss of the greatest good and a constant , fresh and lively apprehension of it ; which divines call poena damni . and . excess of bodily pain and sufferings , and sad distress of trouble and mind occasioned by all manner of frightful apprehensions , and vexatious perturbations and reflections , which they call poena sensus ; and this without any intermission or or hope of deliverance eternally . jude . it is called the vengeance of eternal fire . revel . . . the smoke of their torment is said to ascend up for ever and ever . and revel . . . it is said of the beast and false prophet , that they shall be tormented night and day for ever and ever . if this be so , is 't not our greatest wisdom to use our utmost diligence and endeavour to avoid so deplorable a condition , and to secure our selves an interest in a future estate of everlasting bliss and happiness when this life shall be ended ? but here the epicureans and sensual persons will be ready to object and argue , here are pleasures and delights in this world , which are very inviting and taking , and do highly gratifie my senses and appetites . i hear likewise of future rewards and punishments for those that deny or fulfil their carnal lusts and desires . these sensual pleasures i see , and taste , and feel , and am sure of , the other i do but only hear of , and therefore they do not , they cannot so strongly affect me : were heaven and the happiness thereof set before my eyes , and did i see it as plainly and clearly as i do these things below , then indeed i should not need many motives to provoke me to endeavour the obtaining of it . but alas , that is far above out of our sight , the joys of heaven are by the apostle termed things not seen . again , these outward and temporal enjoyments are present and easily obtainable ; the other at a great distance , future , and besides very hard to come by ; ●●d i love my ease , ut est ingenium hominum à labore proclive ad libidinem . should i deny my self good in this life , and then perchance cease to be , and so have no reward for my pains ; nay , on the contrary expose my self to the hazard of many afflictions and sufferings , which are the portion of the godly in this life , how unnecessarily shall i make my self miserable ? miserable i say , because by the apostles own confession christians , if in this life only they had hope , would be of all men the most miserable , cor , . . had i not better make sure of what is before me ? why have i these appetites within me , and such objects about me , the one being so suitable to the other , is it not more natural and reasonable to fulfil , than deny them ? surely it cannot be wisdom to lose a certain good for an uncertain hope ; and for an ungrounded fear of hell hereafter , to undergo a purgatory here . to this argumentation upon the false foundation of the uncertainty of a future estate of endless happiness or misery , accordingly as we have behaved our selves in this life , i answer , that for the futurity of such an estate , we have the best authority in the world , to wit , the holy scriptures and universal tradition . . the holy scriptures , whose authority to be more than humane , hath been by many so clearly and convincingly demonstrated , that i shall take it for granted , and not waste time to prove it . the testimonies herein contained concerning eternal happiness and misery are so clear and full , that it seems to me impossible without manifest distortion to elude or evade the force of them . some we have already recited , and might produce many more , isa . . . who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire ? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings ? dan. . . and many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake , some to everlasting life , and some to shame and everlasting contempt . thess . . . who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the lord , &c. speaking of them who know not god , and obey not the gospel of our lord jesus christ . isa . . . for their worm shall not dye , neither shall their fire be quenched . what more common notion among the grecians and romans , than of elisium and tartarus , the one to reward good men , the other to punish wicked ? which , as appears by what we have quoted out of lucretius , were esteemed to be eternal states . the origenists and others , that cannot be reconciled to the catholick doctrine of the eternity of the punishments of the damned , make the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , from which the latin aevum is derived , to signifie sometimes a determinate time , as might easily be proved by many examples , and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which we translate for ever , signifies when applied to this matter , a long indeed , but yet a finite time ; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which we render for ever and ever , may likewise signifie not an eternal duration , but a time to which some term may be set by god , though to us unknown . in the same sense they accept the adjective 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a long , but finite time . but i am of s. augustine's opinion , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth in the new testament signifie the same with aeternus in latin , and is appropriated to things that have no end : and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for ever and ever , doth in like manner always denote eternal or endless duration . that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when applied to the state of the damned , doth signifie eternal , s. augustine well demonstrates from the antithesis in that place of matth. . . and these shall go away into everlasting punishment , but the righteous into life eternal . where it is in the same sense attributed to that life which is the reward of the righteous , and that fire which is the punishment of the damned ; there being no reason to believe that the same word in the same verse , when applied to opposites , should be taken in a different sense . but by the consent of all christians it is granted , that the life of the blessed shall be eternal , therefore so must the punishment of the damned be too . this acception of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for eternal or endless , when it refers to the state of those miserable persons , receives a further and strong confirmation from the second particular we proposed , that is , vniversal tradition : it being a received opinion among the heathen , which must needs descend down to them by tradition from the ancients , that eternal punishments awaited the wicked after death . of this the epicurean poet lucretius is a sufficient and unexceptionable witness , for he living before our saviours time , could not derive it from any other source . he makes the fear of these punishments to be the cause of all the miseries of humane life , and the foundation of all religion , aeternas quoniam poenas in morte timendum . and because it may be objected , that aeternas may signifie only of long continuance , to put the matter out of all doubt , in another place he saith , — nam si nullum finem esse putarent , aerumnarum homines , nulla ratione valerent relligionibus atque minis obsistere vatum . — but if it once appear that after death there 's neither hope nor fear , then men might freely triumph , then disdain the poet's tales , and scorn their fancy'd pain . but now we must submit , since pains we fear eternal after death , we know not where . and that this opinion and belief generally prevailed among the people before epicurus his time , the same lucretius testifies in the beginning of his first book , humana ante oculos foedè cum vita jaceret in terris oppressa gravi sub relligione , &c. primùm graius homo , &c. long time men lay opprest with slavish fear , religion's tyranny did domineer , which being plac'd in heaven , look'd proudly down , and frighted abject spirits at her frown . at last a mighty one of greece began t'assert the natural liberty of man , by senseless terrors and vain fancy led to slavery , streight the conquer'd fantoms fled . for he makes ( as we saw before ) the fear of eternal pain and misery , to be the foundation of all religion . . now because these objectors do represent religion to themselves and others as a melancholick and disconsolate thing : and think and say , that those that enter into this state must bid adieu to all the pleasures of sence , and taste no sweetness in any worldly object . i shall endeavour to remove this prejudice . i say therefore , that our gracious god doth not envy us any real good that the creatures can afford us , and therefore hath not denied us a moderate use and fruition of any of them . and seeing he hath annexed pleasure to those actions that are necessary for the support of life , and continuation of kind , as a bait to invite us to the performance of them , it seems to me highly absurd and contradictious to affirm , that he hath forbidden us to partake or taste those enjoyments which himself had appointed as effectual means for the security of those great ends ; and which are so necessary consequents of those actions , that we cannot but partake them . where the appetite is eager , god hath indulged , i might say commanded , a moderate and regular satisfaction . and we know , nay , the blindness of atheism cannot deny , that the greatest pleasure results from a moderate and well circumstantiated use of pleasures . voluptates commendat rarior usus : now a religious man enjoys all the pleasures of these worldly and sensible goods , without any of the pain , which is annexed to the excessive and irregular use , or indeed abuse of them : and besides , his pleasure is enhansed , in that he beholds and receives them as blessings of god , and tokens of his favour and affection ; and is without all fear of a future sad reckoning for his participation of them . howbeit a denial of our selves for gods sake and cause in any thing which we might otherwise lawfully enjoy , though it be not commanded , yet is accepted , and shall be rewarded by him . others there are who grant , that these words grammatically signifie as we contend , and that eternal punishments are indeed threatned to the wicked ; but say they , these threatnings are intended only , as terriculamenta , or bug-bears to children , to terrifie and keep people in awe , and to preserve the world in some tolerable condition of quietness . and origen himself , though he be of opinion , that these threatnings signifie only temporary pains ; yet he saith , that such mysteries are to be sealed up and concealed from the vulgar , lest wicked men should rush into sin with all fury and licentiousness , if this bridle were taken off , who by the opinion and fear of eternal and endless punishments can scarce be deterred and restrained from it . to this i answer , . that it seems to me indecorous and unsuitable to the person and majesty of god , to make use of such sorry and weak means to bring about his ends , as grave men can hardly condescend to . . i do not see how it can consist with his veracity , in plain terms , absolutely to threaten and affirm what he never intends to do . indeed it is questionable , whether it be allowable in man : it being at best but an officious lye : for it is a speaking what we do not think , and that with an intention to deceive . secondly , i proceed now to a second objection against the eternity of the pains and sufferings of the damned , and that is , it 's inconsistency with the justice of god. what proportion can there be between a transient and temporary act , and an eternal punishment ? the most rigid justice can exact no more than a talio , to suffer as i have done . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . if i have hurt , or grieved , or injured any man , to be punished with the same , or an equivalent suffering : if i have taken any unreasonable pleasure , to compensate it with an answerable pain . indeed the enormities of my life cannot well deserve so much , if it be considered , that i have been strongly instigated and inclined , and as it were fatally driven upon all the evils which i have committed , by those affections and appetites , which i made not for my self , but found in my self ; and have been exposed to strong and almost inexpugnable temptations from without ; beset with snares , encompassed about with innumerable evils . to this i answer first , that every sin , injury , or offence is aggravated and enhansed by the dignity or merit of the person against whom it is committed . so parricide is esteemed a greater crime than ordinary murther , and by the laws of all nations avenged with a sorer punishment . the like may be said of laesa majestas or treason . now god is an infinite person , and sin being an injury and affront to him , as being a violation of his law , an infinite punishment must be due to it . this answer dr. hammond in his practical catechism , lib. . sect . . accounts a nicety and unsatisfactory , as also that other common answer , that if we should live infinitely , we would si● infinitely ; and therefore gives us another , which in his discourse of the reasonableness of christian religion , he thus briefly summs up . . that the choice being referred to us to take of the two which we best like , eternal death set before on the one hand , to make eternal life the more infinitely reasonable for us to chuse on the other hand , and the eternal hell ( whensoever we fall into it ) being perfectly our own act , neither forced on us by any absolute decree of god , nor irresistible temptation of the devil or our own flesh ; but as truly our wish and choice and mad purchase , nay , much more truly and properly , than eternal heaven is ( when our obedience is first wrought by gods grace , and yet after that so abundantly rewarded by the doner ) it is certain , if there be any thing irrational , it is in us unkind and perverse creatures ( so obstinate to chuse what god so passionately warns us to take heed of ; so wilfully to dye , when god swears he wills not our death ) and not in him , who hath done all that is imaginable to be done to reasonable creatures ( here in their way or course ) to the rescuing or saving of us . but to this may be replied , if the thing it self be unjust , how can our chusing of it make it just ? how can it be just to annex such a penalty as eternal hell to a short and transient offence ? suppose a prince should make a law , that whosoever did not rise up and bow himself before an old man , should be put to death with torments ; and one of his subjects knowingly should transgress this law upon some great temptation ; would it not be accounted cruelty in the prince to execute this law upon him ? laws may be unjust upon account of disproportionate penalties . neither doth our choice much help the matter , for that is but an effect of our error or folly , or , if you will , madness , which doth as little deserve eternal death as the sin committed doth . if any man be dissatisfied with the precedent answers , all that i have to add further , is , that before this sentence adjudging to eternal death be pronounced against him , and executed upon him , there shall be such a revelation made , as shall convince and satisfie him of the righteousness thereof . and this the apostle seems to intimate rom. . . when he calls the great day of doom , the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of god. then shall be made appear what now to our dimsighted reason is not penetrable ; how the justice of god can consist with the eternal damnation of the wicked . as for mans being as it were fatally determined to evil by the strength of temptation , and the violence of unruly and head-strong passions and appetites : i answer , that there are motives and considerations sufficient to enable a man to resist and repel , to conquer and overcome the most alluring and fascinating temptations , the most urging and importunate appetites or affections ; such are certain shame and disgrace , and that not long to come , eternal infamy and dishonour ; present death , strong fear and dread of approaching death , or sad and intolerable pains or calamities . now the divine threatnings are of the greatest and most formidable evils and miseries that humane nature is capable of suffering ; and therefore were they but firmly believed and apprehended , they would be of force sufficient to stir up in us such strong passions of fear and terror , as would easily chase away all temptations , and embitter all the baits of sensual pleasure . . there remains yet a third objection against an eternal hell , and that is , that it is inconsistent with the divine goodness . for the unbeliever will say , it 's contrary to all the notions and ideas i have of god , to conceive him to be so angry and furious a being . how can it stand with infinite goodness to make a creature that he fore-knew would be eternally miserable ? we men account it a piece of goodness to pardon offences : and all punishments are intended either for the reformation and amendment of the offender , or if he be unreclaimable to prevent the mischief which he might otherwise do , or for an example to others to deter them from the like enormities : but i do not see for what such end any man can be eternally tormented . so that of such inflictions one may rationally demand , cui bono ? what good comes of them ? how then can they come from god , who by all mens confession is infinitely good ? to which i answer : first , that god is just as well as good . you will say , what is justice ? it is an equal weighing of actions , and rendring to every one his right or due . a setting streight again what was perverted by the sins and extravagancies of men. now that the breaking of order and equality in the world , this usurping and encroaching upon others rights is a great evil and ought to be rectified , some may take an argument from the strong inclination and desire to revenge injuries , that is implanted in the nature of man , and of all creatures . you 'll say , all desire of revenge is absolutely sinful and unlawful . i answer , i am no patron of revenge . i know the very heathen by the light of nature condemned it . — infirmi est animi exiguíque voluptas vltio — revenge is the pleasure of a weak and poor spirit . yet let us hear what they have to say . . it is hard to affirm , that any innate appetite or desire is in it self simply and absolutely , and in all circumstances whatsoever unlawful , for this seems to reflect upon the author of nature . to which may be answered , that a well circumstantiated desire of revenge may not be in it self unlawful , yet for the evil consequents of it , it may be , and is prohibited by a positive law. . divine persons have prayed to god to avenge them , as david and the prophets . and s. paul himself , tim. . . prays god to reward alexander the coppersmith according to his works . to which may be answered , that those expressions are rather predictions of what should befal their enemies , than desires that they might . again , whereas it is said ▪ revel . . , . that the souls of them under the altar that were slain for the word of god and the testimony which they held , cryed with a loud voice , saying , how long , o lord holy and true , dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth : doctor hammond saith , it signifies no more , than that their blood cries to god for vengeance , as abel's is said to do . the nature of forgiveness seems to imply the lawfulness of some desire of revenge . for what is forgiveness but a parting with , and a renouncing the right i have to be avenged , and therefore before i forgive i do retain at least some will to be revenged . and i am not obliged by our saviour to forgive absolutely , but upon condition of repentance . luke . , . if thy brother sin against thee rebuke him , and if he repent forgive him , &c. and in the lord's prayer one petition is , forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us . but god forgives not without repentance . to which may be answered , that before repentance , i may retain a will of punishing an offender for his own good and reformation , but with no respect of avenging what is past . and if his repentance prevents his punishment , then i am to forgive him , that is , cease to desire his punishment . but all allow vengeance to be just in god , whose actions are not to be scanned by our measures . . if it be just with god to propose to us such a choice as heaven upon condition of our obedience to his law , or hell in case of disobedience ; as we see some wise men make no scruple to grant ; then it cannot be injustice in him to inflict the punishments of hell upon them that make it their choice . nay i cannot see how it can consist with his veracity not to do it ; why then should any argument from his goodness move us to distrust his veracity ? to which i shall add , that the very being of sin and misery in the world is as great an argument against the goodness of god , as the eternal punishment of it : sith we must needs grant , that god almighty blessed for ever , could , if he had pleased , have prevented it . if any man shall say , this was not possible without changing the very nature of man , and taking away the liberty of his will. to him i reply , how then can he confirm the blessed , reserving their liberty ? or must we say with origen , that they are in a mutable state too and that heaven will have an end as well as hell ? if any man remain still unsatisfied with what hath been said , i must refer him for full satisfaction to the revelation of the righteous judgment of god at that great day , of which mention hath been already made . i am as unwilling as any man to limit the mercies of god : but yet i must refer it to him , whether he will be more favourable than he hath threatened or no , whether he will remit something of the severity of his comminations . i am also willing to restrain and confine the sense of these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as far as the context will permit . but let our opinions and hopes of the mercies of god and a temporary hell be what they will ; a temporary hell , i say , or rather a purgatory instead of hell : for the word hell , according to the usual acception of it , includes eternity . i shall propose two things to be considered . . that origen the first broacher of this opinion of the determination of the punishments of the damned , doth acknowledge that the contrary doctrine is very useful to restrain the common people from sin : and that this is to be held as a great secret , and studiously concealed from them . now if it be of such eminent use to them , why may it not also be to the learned and noble ; who , i fear me , may want such a bridle as well as they ? . since god hath threatned eternal punishments , whether he intends to execute them upon us or no , it is clear , i think , he would have them be believed by us , else they cannot have that end and effect he designed them to ; and therefore it must be unbelief and presumption in us to deny or distrust them , tho upon supposition , that they are irreconcileable with his goodness ; with which yet perhaps they may accord well enough , tho we cannot at present discern it . all divine revelations are to be believed and accepted by us , as well threatnings as promises ; and if we may distrust the veracity of god in them , i know not but we may as well do it in these : if we deny the eternity of the torments of hell , i do not see but that we may upon as good grounds with origen deny the eternity of the joys of heaven . let not then the presumption of a temporary hell encourage thee to go on in sin : for , i fear , such a persuasion may have an ill influence on the manners of men. eternity is the very sting of hell : take that out , and the sinner will think it tractable enough . the very thought of an eternal hell intervening ( and it will often intrude it self ) strikes a cold damp to his very heart in the midst of his jollities , end will much qualifie and allay all his pleasures and enjoyments . rid him of this fear , and he will be apt to despise hell and all its torments , be they never so grievous or lasting . take off this bridle , and , as we hinted before , he will rush into sin as a horse rusheth into the battel . he will be ready thereupon thus to argue with himself , what need i take so much pains to strive against sin ? what need i swim against the stream , and resist the tide and eddy of my passions , my natural appetites and inclinations , and the solicitations of company ? what need i maintain such a constant watch and ward against my spiritual enemies , the devil , the world , and the flesh ? if i fall into hell at last , that is no eternal state , it lasteth but for a time , and will come to an end . i 'll venture it : i hope i shall make a shift to rub through well enough . let me ask thee , but how if thou shouldest find thy self mistaken ? if the event ftustrate thy hopes , and fall out contrary to thy expectation ? what a sad case wilt thou be in then ? how will the unexpectedness thereof double thy misery ? improvisa graviùs feriunt . how wilt thou be strucken as it were with a thunderbolt , when the almighty judge shall fulminate against thee a dreadful indeed , but by thee formerly undreaded sentence , adjudging thee to endless punishments ? how wilt thou damn thine own credulity , who by a groundless belief of a temporary hell , hast precipitated thy self into an eternal , which otherwise thou mightest possibly have avoided ? well , but suppose there be some shadow of hope of the determination of the punishments of the damned : it is by all acknowledged to be a great piece of folly to leave matters of the highest moment , and which most nearly concern us , at uncertainties : and a point of wisdom , to secure the main chance , and to be provided against the worst that can come . an eternal heaven or state of compleat happiness is the main chance , and is not to come into any competition , or so much as to be put into the ballance against a few short , transient , sordid , loathed , and for the most part upon their own account repented pleasures : to secure to our selves an interest in such a state is our greatest wisdom . and as for being provided against the worst that may or can come . what can be worse than an eternal hell ? which , there is i do not say a possibility , but the greatest probability imaginable , that it will be our portion ; if we persist in impenitency , and dye in our sins . but suppose the best should happen that we can hope or conceive , that hell should last only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for ages of ages , and at last determine : do we think this a small matter ? if we do , it is for want of consideration and experience of acute pains . should any of us be under the sense and suffering of a raging paroxysm of the stone , or gout , or collick , i doubt not but rather than endure it for ten thousand years he would willingly part with all his expectation of a blessed estate after that term were expired , yea , and his being to boot . but what are any of these pains to the torments and perpessions of hell ? or the duration of ten thousand years to those ages of ages ? if thou makest light of all this , and nothing can restrain thee from sin , but the eternity of punishment , thou art bound to thank god , who hath used this only effectual means , threatning an eternal hell. and it ill becomes thee to complain of his rigour and severity , who wouldest have made so pernicious an use of his lenity and goodness . but thou who hast entertained such an opinion , and abusest it to encourage thy self to go on in thy sins , though others should escape with a temporary punishment , surely thou hast no reason to expect any milder doom , than to be sentenced to an eternal . vpon a review of the precedent discourse , some things thought fit to be added and amended . pag. . lin. . add , which is made one great reason that such great numbers ( even whole woods ) of subterraneous trees are frequently met with and dug up at vast depths in the spanish and dutch netherlands , as well as in many places of this island of great britan. page . those words , ( nay this latter [ the mediterranean ] receives also abundance of water from the great ocean ; running in at the streights of gibraltar , and therefore by subterraneous passages must needs discharge their waters into the abyss of waters under the earth , and by its intervention into the ocean again ) were written without due consideration , in compliance with the common opinion , before i had seen mr. halley's * estimate of the quantity of vapour raised out of the sea by the warmth of the sun , &c. which upon second thoughts i find reason to revoke . for that the mediterranean sea doth not communicate with the ocean by any subterraneous passages , nor thereby impart any water to it , or receive any from it , may be demonstrated , from that the superficies of it is lower than the superficies of the ocean , as appears from the waters running in at the streights of gibraltar ; for if there were any such communications , the water keeping its level , the mediterranean , being the lowest , must by those passages receive waters from the ocean ; and not the ocean , which is ( as we have proved ) the highest , from the mediterranean . hence it necessarily follows , that the mediterranean spends more in vapour than it receives from the rivers ; which is mr. halley's conclusion ; tho in some of his premises or hypotheses he is , i think , mistaken , as . in that he enumerates the tyber amongst his nine great rivers , each of which may yield ten times as much water as the thames ; whereas i question whether that yields once so much ; and whereas he passes by all the rest of the rivers as smaller than it ; there are two that i have seen in italy it self , whereof the one , viz. the arnus , on which florence and pisa stand , seemed to me not inferiour in bigness to the tiber ; and the other , viz. the athesis on which verona stands , i could not guess to be less than twice as big . . in that he thinks himself too liberal in allowing these nine rivers to carry down each of them ten times so much water as the thames doth . whereas one of those nine , and that none of the biggest neither , viz. the river po , if ricciolus his hypotheses and calculations be good , affords more water in an hour , than mr. halley supposes the thames to do in a day ; the hourly effusions of the po being rated at eighteen millions of cubical paces by ricciolus ; whereas the daily ones of the thames are computed to be no more than twenty five millions three hundred forty four thousand cubical yards of water by mr. halley : but a geometrical pace contains five feet , i.e. ⅔ of a yard . now if the po pours so much water hourly into the sea , what then must the danow and the nile do ? each of which cannot ( i guess ) be less than treble of the po. tanau , borysthenes and rhodanus may equal , if not exceed it . howbeit i cannot approve ricciolus his hypotheses , judging them to be too excessive , but do believe that as to the whole mr. halley comes nearer the truth ▪ sure enough it is , that in the mediterranean , the receipts from the rivers fall short of the expence in vapour : tho in part of it , that is the euxine , the receipts exceed , as appears from that there is a constant current sets outward from thence through the thracian bosphorus , and hellespont . but tho the mediterranean doth indeed evaporate more than it receives from the rivers , yet i believe , the case is not the same with the caspian sea ; the superficies whereof seems to me not to bear any greater proportion to the waters of the rivers that run into it , than that of the euxine doth to it ; which we have observed not to spend the whole receipt in vapour . you 'll say , why then do not great floods raise the seas ? i answer , as to the caspian , if it communicates with the ocean , whether the rivers bring down more or less , it s all one ; if more , then the water keeping its level , the caspian raiseth the ocean ; if less , then the ocean communicates to the caspian , and raises that . but as to the mediterranean , we may say , that when it receives more on the one side , it receives less on the other , the floods and ebbs of the nilus and the other rivers counterbalancing one another ; besides by reason of the snows lying upon the mountains all winter , the greatest floods of those great rivers in europe do not happen when the mediterranean evaporates least in the winter-time ; but in the spring . you 'll demand further , if the mediterrarean evaporates so much what becomes of all this vapour ? i answer , it is cast off upon the mountains , and on their sides and tops is condensed into water ; and so returned again by the rivers unto the sea. if you proceed to ask what becomes of the surplusage of the water , which the mediterranean receives from the ocean , and spends in vapour ; i answer , it seems to me , that it must be cast further off over the tops of the mountains , and supply in part rain to these northern countries : for we know that the south-wind brings rain , with us and all europe over . as to the great ocean , i do not believe that it evaporates so much as the mediterranean ; both . because the whole mediterranean , excepting the euxine , lies in a hot climate , and a great part of it as it were in a valley , ridges of high mountains , atlas on one side , and the alps and apennine , &c. on the other running along it . and . because the surface of the whole ocean bears a greater proportion to the waters it receives from the rivers of at least this continent , than that of the mediterranean doth to its . and therefore i think also that mr. halley exceeds in his estimate of the heat of the superficies of the sea water . i cannot persuade my self , that were it all commixt , i mean the hotter part with the cooler all the surface over to such a thickness , it would equal the heat of our air in the hottest time of summer . but i leave that to further trial and enquiry . here give me leave to suggest , that we are not to think , that all the vapours that supply our rains and dews proceed from the sea ; no a great part of them , viz. all that , when condensed , waters the earth , and serves for the nutrition of plants and animals , ( if not the same individual water at least so much ) was exhaled out of the earth before , and returned again in showers and dews upon it . so that we receive no more from the sea , than what the rivers carry back , and pour into it again . but supposing mr. halley's hypotheses to be good , and that the ocean doth evaporate , and cast off to the dry land / of an inch thickness daily , and this suffices for the supply of all the rivers ; how intolerably extravagant must their hypotheses be , who suppose the rivers of all the world together to yield half an ocean of water daily ? though i must confess my self to be at a loss as to those vast rivers of america of ninety miles broad ; for if they should run with any thing a swift current , it is indeed inestimable what a quantity of water they may pour forth . all therefore that i have to say of them is , that we want a true history and account of their phaenomena from their fountains to their out-lets . pag. . lin . . and of gravity ; i add also of magnitude : which is exceedingly convenient , as well for the facility as the equability of the earths diurnal motion . this hypothesis of the continents being dispersed equally on all sides of the globe makes these centers concur in one point , whatever cause we assign of the raising up of the dry land at the first . whereas if we should suppose the dry land to have been raised by earthquakes only on one side of the globe , and to have cast off the water to the other , and also that the water could find no way into the caverns that were left within ; then the watery side must needs preponderate the land-side , and bring the center of gravity nearer to its superficies ; and so raise the land-side still a great deal higher , and make a considerable distance between the centers of magnitude and of gravity . in our hypothesis of the equal dispersion of the continents and islands no such thing would happen : but each continent , taking it with all its internal caverns , whether lighter or heavier than its bulk in water , that is , whether the water did make its way into the caverns thereof , or did not ; ( for in the first case it would be heavier , in the second lighter ) would have its counterpoise on the opposite side ; so that the centers would still concur . the case would be the same if the dry land were discovered , and the mountains raised by the immediate application of the divine power . pag. . after lin . . add , since the receipt of this letter , an experiment ( give me leave so to call it ) occurred to me , which much confirmed me in the belief and persuasion of the truth of those histories and relations which writers and travellers have delivered to us concerning dropping trees in ferro , s. thome , guiny , &c. of which before i was somewhat diffident ; and likewise in the approbation of the hypothesis of my learned friend dr. tancred robinson for the solving of that phoenomenon . the same also induces me to believe , that vapours may have a greater interest in the production of springs even in temperate and cold regions , than i had before thought . the experiment or observation is this , about the beginning of december . there happened to be a mist , and that no very thick one , which continued all day : the vapour whereof , notwithstanding the trees were wholly divested of leaves , condensed so fast upon their naked branches and twigs , that they dropped all day at such a rate , that i believe the water destilling from a large tree in twenty four hours , had it been all received and reserved in a vessel , might have amounted to a hoggs-head . what then may we rationally conjecture , would have dropped from such a tree ; had it been covered with leaves of a dense texture , and smooth superficies , apt to collect the particles of the vapour , and unite them into drops ? it is clear by this effect , that trees do destil water a pace when clouds or mists hang about them ; which they are reported by benzo constantly to do about the fountain tree in ferro ; except when the sun shines hot upon it . and others tell us , that that tree grows upon a mountain too : so that it is no wonder , that it should drop abundance of water . what do i speak of that tree ? all the trees of that kind grow on the sides of vast mountains , as dr. robinson hath noted . besides that in hot regions trees may in the night time destil water , though the air be clear , and there be no mist about them , seems necessarily to follow , from mr. halley's experiment . now if there be in mists thus much vapour condensed upon trees , doubtless also there is in proportion as much upon the surface of the earth and the grass : and consequently , upon the tops and ridges of high mountains , which are frequently covered with clouds or mists , much more , so much as must needs have a great interest in the production and supply of springs , even in temperate countries . but that invisible vapours , when the sky is clear , do at any time condense so fast upon the trees , as to make them drop , i never observed in england or elsewhere , no not in the night-season ; though i do not deny , but upon the appennine and southern side of the alps , and elsewhere in the hotter parts of europe in summer nights they may . however considering the penetrancy of such vapours , that in moist wether they will insinuate themselves deeply into the pores of dry wood , so that doors will then hardly shut , and chinks and crannies in boards and floors be closed up , i know not but that they may likewise strike deep into the ground , and together with mists contribute to the feeding and maintenance of springs , in winter-time , when the sun exhales but little ; it being an observation of the learned * fromondus , quod hyeme nec nivali , nec imbrifera fontes tamen aquam largiùs quàm aestate ( nisi valdè pluvia sit ) vomant . that in winters neither snowy nor rainy , yet fountains powre forth more water than in summer , unless it happen to be a very wet season . yet are their contributions inconsiderable , if compared with the supplies that are afforded by rains. and one reason why in winter fountains flow more plentifully may be , because then the sun defrauds them not , nor exhales any thing out of the earth , as in summer time he doth . therefore whenever in this work i have assigned rain to be a sufficient or only cause of springs and rivers , i would not be understood to exclude , but to comprehend therein mists and vapours ; which i grant to have some interest in the production of them , even in temperate and cold regions ; and a very considerable one in hot. though i cannot be persuaded , that even there they are the sole cause of springs , for that there fall such plentiful and long continuing rains , both in the east and west indies in the summer months : which must needs contribute something to their original . pag. . lin . . add , this end and use of mountains i find assigned by mr. halley in his discourse concerning the original of springs and rivers , in these words : this , if we may allow final causes , ( and why may we not ? what needs this hesitancy and dubitation in a thing that is clear ? ) seems to be the design of the hills , that their ridges being placed through the midst of the continents , might serve as it were alembicks to distil fresh water for the use of man and beast ; and their heights to give a descent to those streams , to run gently like so many veins of the macrocosm , to be the more beneficial to the creation . pag. . lin . . add , to summ up all relating to the division and disposition of the water and earth in brief . . i say , the water being the lighter element doth naturally occupy the upper place , and stand above the earth , and so at first it did . but now we see it doth not so ; the earth being contrary to its nature forcibly elevated above it ; being ( as the psalmist phraseth it ) founded above the seas , and established above the floods : and this because it was best it should be so , as i shall clearly prove and deduce in particulars in another discourse . . the dry land is not elevated only upon one side of the globe ; for then had it had high mountains in the middle of it , with such vast empty cavities within , as must be equal to the whole bulk raised up , the center of magnitude must needs have been considerably distant from the center of gravity ▪ which would have caused a very great and inconvenient inequality in the motion of the parts of the earth : but the continents and islands are so equally disperst all the globe over as to counterballance one another , so that the centers of magnitude and gravity concur in one . . the continents are not of exactly equal and level superficies or convexity . for then the parts subject to the course of the sun , called the torrid zone , would have been , as the ancients fancied them , unhabitable for heat and drought . but there are huge ridges and extended chains of lofty mountains , directed for the most part to run east and west ; by which means they give free admittance and passage to the vapours brought in by the winds from the atlantick and pacifick oceans ; but stop and inhibit their excursions to the north and south , either condensing them upon their sides into the water , by a kind of external destillation ; or by streightening and constipating of them compelling them to gather into drops , and descend down in rain . these are great things , and worthy the care , direction , and disposal of the great and wise creator and governor of all things : and we see they are accordingly excellently ordered and provided by him . some greek and latin quotations englished . pag. . lin. . those words of lactantius , ergo quoniam sex dierum , &c. signifie in english , therefore because all the works of god were persected ( or finished ) in six days , it is necesary ( or necessarily follows ) that the world shall continue in this state six ages , that is six thousand years ▪ for the great day of god is terminated in a circle of six thousand years : as the prophet intimates , who saith , a thousand years in thy sight , o lord , are but as one day . pag. . lin . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. he acutely calls the death of the elements their change into better . pag. . lin. . cùm tempus advenerit , &c. when the time shall come , that the world again to be restored ( or to recover it self ) shall perish , these things shall beat or mall themselves by their own strength , the stars shall run , or fall foul upon one another ; and all the matter flaming whatever now shines according to its settled order or disposition shall then burn . pag. . lin . . resoluto mundo & diis in unum confusis . when the world shall be dissolved , and the gods confounded into one . atque omnes pariter deos perdet nox aliqua & chaos . and in like manner a certain night and chaos shall destroy all the gods. pag. . lin . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. that there shall sometime be a change of the world into the nature or substance of fire . pag. . lin . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , then god not mitigating his anger , but aggravating it , shall destroy by fire the whole race of mankind . pag. . lin . . in plenum , &c. in summ , it is observed , that the measure of all mankind becomes daily less , and that there are few taller than their parents , the burning heat consuming the luxury of the seeds . ibid. terra malos , &c. the earth breeds now men bad and small . pag. . lin . . non procul , &c. not far from the mountain called paterno , where the bononian stone is gotten , about an italian mile distant , ( the name of the place is slipt out of my memory ) is a huge hanging mountain , broken by the violence of the torrents , caused by the confluence of waters descending from the neighbouring mountains after frequent showers , throwing down great heaps of earth from it . in the upper part of this broken mountain are seen many beds or floors of all kind of sea-shells , much sand interposing between bed and bed , after the manner of stratum super stratum , or layer upon layer , as the chymists phrase it . the beds of sand interceding between these rows of shells were a yard thick or more . these shells were all distinct or separate one from another , and not stuck in any stone , or cemented together , so that they might be singly and separately viewed and handled with ones hands . the cause whereof was their being lodged in a pure sand not intermixt with any mud or clay , which kept the shells entire for many ages . yet were all these shells , by reason of the length of time they had lain there , easily resoluble into a purely white calx or ash . pag. . lin . . prodigiosi , &c. prodigious and lasting defects of the sun , such as happened when caesar the dictator was slain , and in the war with anthony , when it was continually pale and gloomy for a whole year . pag. . lin . . ego non audeo tempora dinumerare , &c. i dare not calculate times , neither do i think , that concerning this matter any prophet hath predicted and defined the number of years : what therefore the lord would not have us to know , let us willingly be ignorant of . finis . a catalogue of books printed and sold by samuel smith , at the prince's arms in s. paul 's church-yard . the honourable robert boyl's new experiments phisico-mathematical , touching the spring and weight of the air and its effects . quarto . — considerations touching the usefulness of experimental natural philosophy , &c. quarto . — an experimental history of cold. quarto . — an essay about the origine and virtues of gems . oct. — experiments relating to flame and air , and about explisions . octavo . — essays of the strange subtilty , and nature of ess●uviums . octavo . — observations about the saltness of the sea , with a dialogue about the positive and privative nature of cold . oct. — suspicions about the hidden qualities of the air , &c. against hobbs . octavo . — experiments , &c. about the mechanical origine or production of divers particular qualities . octavo . — the sceptical chymist , or chymico-physical paradoxes and experiments about the produc●bleness of chymical principles octavo . — the natural history of human blood , and the spirit of that liquor . octavo . — experiments about the parosity of bodies , in two essays . octavo . — the natural experimental history of mineral waters . octavo . — of speci●ick medicines , and the advantages of the use of simple medicines . octavo . — great effects of languid and unheeded motion , with the causes of the salubrity and insalubrity of the air and its effects . octavo . — medicina hydrostatica , or hydrostaticks applyed to the materia medica , shewing how divers bodies used in physick may be discovered whether genuine or adulterate . octavo . . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * pet. . notes for div a -e * minut. felix . * lib. . notes for div a -e * l. . c. . * l. c. . * arcae noael l. . c. . * hist . nat. stafford , p. . * swoln throats . † de subtilit . exerc . . sect. . * de arca noae , p. * dissert . de glossopetra . * hist . nat . oxf. p. . ovid. metamorph . lib. . * de fide orthod . l. . c. . observat . physical , &c. notes for div a -e du moulin . notes for div a -e ‖ apud lactant. l. . c. . * lib. . † praep. evang. l. . hom. ii. hakewil's apol. l. . c. . sect . . notes for div a -e * bishop wilkin'svnivers . charact. de sacrif . l. . c. . i. * doctor witchcot . ii. * daniel . . notes for div a -e * philosophic . transact . numb . . * meteor lib. . c. . artic. . philos . trans . num . . a paraphrase and exposition of the prophesie of saint peter concerning the day of christs second comming described in the third chapter of his second epistle as also how the conflagration or destruction of the world by fire, whereof saint peter speaks, and especially of the heavens is to be understood / by ioseph mede ... mede, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing m estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; :e , no ) a paraphrase and exposition of the prophesie of saint peter concerning the day of christs second comming described in the third chapter of his second epistle as also how the conflagration or destruction of the world by fire, whereof saint peter speaks, and especially of the heavens is to be understood / by ioseph mede ... mede, joseph, - . [ ], p. printed by r. bishop for samuel man ..., london : . reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bible. -- n.t. -- peter, nd, iii -- prophecies. second advent -- early works to . end of the world -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - taryn hakala sampled and proofread - taryn hakala text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a paraphrase and exposition of the prophesie of saint peter , concerning the day of christs second comming ; described in the third chapter of his second epistle . as also , how the conflagration , or destruction of the world by fire , ( whereof saint peter speaks ) and especially of the heavens , is to be understood . by ioseph mede , b. d. late fellow of christs colledge in cambridg . london , printed by r. bishop , for samuel man , dwelling at the sign of the swan in pauls church-yard . . a paraphrase and exposition of the prophesie of saint peter , concerning the day of christs second comming , on the third chapter of the second epistle . verse , . saint peter exhorts the believing iews , unto whom he writes to bee mindfull of the words of the holy prophets , ( a ) esay , daniel , and malachi , concerning the comming of christ to judgement , and the restauration then promised , it being also confirmed by the apostles of our lord and saviour . ( a ) if that which st. peter here describeth were foretold by the old prophets , then must saint peter be so expounded , as it may be shewen in them , and agree with them . verse , . for howsoever it were then beleeved both by iewes and christened gentiles , yet in the last dayes should come those , who walking after their owne desires ( or humours ) should deny and deride the expectation of any such promise ( b ) of that day of christ , saying , where is the promise ( c ) of his comming ? where is the new heaven and new earth you talk of ? ( b ) this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or last dayes , should seem to be the time of the churches apostasie under antichrist , according to that of saint paul , tim. . . in the later times some shall depart from the faith , giving heed to spirits of errour , and doctrines of demons . for as the times of the fourth and last of daniels kingdomes were the last times in generall , during which christ was to come , and found his church and kingdome : so the latter times of the fourth kingdome , being the period of a time , times , and halfe a time , wherein the wicked horne should domineere , are the latemost times of the last times , or last times in speciall . ( c ) i take promise here for res promissa , the antithesis implying that to be the meaning , viz. the scoffers say , where is the promise of his comming ? neverthelesse we look for a new heaven and a new earth , according to his promise . but here is somewhat , ( reader ) in the application wherein thou maist erre ; but be not thou uncharitable in thy censure , nor thinke that i am . for although the crying downe and condemning the opinion of the chiliasts , will be found to be neere upon the beginning of the times of the antichristian apostasie , ( which i suppose to bee called the last times ; ) and that the utter burying of that opinion falls within these times : yet thou must know , first , that there is not the like reason of the first authours of crying down a truth , and of those , who led by their authority , take it afterwards , without further examination , for an errour . secondly , to scoffe , is one thing , and barely not to beleeve , is another . thirdly , it is one thing to deny a promise simply , and another to deny and question the manner thereof : as also , to reject a truth sincerely propounded , and when it is entangled with errours , as that of the later chiliast may seem to have been . verse . pars altera . the reason of this their unbeliefe being , because they imagine , there hath never yet , since the creation of the world , been any example of such a destuction and change ensuing it , as this at the comming of christ should be . for since the fathers fell asleep ( say they ) even since adam died , all things have continued as they were from the beginning of the creation . therefore the expectation of any such change of the world , and the state of things therein ( as is supposed ) is vain and frivolous , and never to be fulfilled . touching the jewes , and the impeachment of this opinion amongst them in the later times , i find amongst the doctors of the gemara , or glosse of their talmud , ( which was finished about . yeers after christ ) a tenet of one r. samuels , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that there was to be no difference between the present state of the world , and the dayes of messiah , but in regard of the bondage under the kingdoms of the gentiles onely ; thereby opposing the more ancient opinion and tradition of the renovation of the world . after this time there appeares to have been amongst the jewes a sect of the followers of the opinion of this r. samuel , which at length was greatly advanced by the authority of learned maimonides , who having drunk too deep of the philosophy of aristotle , ( wherein he was admirably skilfull ) became a champion against the opinion of the worlds renovation to be in the dayes of messiah ; and that upon this ground , quod mundus retinet & sequitur consuetudinem suam ; which saying he adscribeth to some other rabbins of the same opinion before him , which for the sense and meaning is the selfe same with that here of the scoffers : all things ( say they ) continue , as they were from the beginning of the creation . neverthelesse aben ezra , who lived not long after maimonides , maintained still ( as also others did ) the contrary ; & there are extant certain discourses and tractates amongst them , purposely written of this argument , and confuting the opinion of rambam and his followers ; as one called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coeli novi , proving the necessity of the renovation of the world , and directed against cap. . lib. . of maimonides his more nebochim . another by r. isaak abarbinel , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opera dei , ( ou● of psal . . . ) wherein all the arguments brought against the renovation are confuted . and no doubt there are more of the like nature , which we know not of . verse , . but those who suppose this ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) that there hath never yet any such destruction or change befallen the creation , and thence conclude , there is nor shall such ever be ; they weigh and consider not the universall deluge in the time of noah , ( when the curses laid upon the creature for mans sin first solemnly tooke place , ) brought as a like destruction , so a like change upon the world for the degeneration of the creature ; as this at the second comming of christ shall be for the restauration and renovation of the same in the glorious liberty of the children of god. for the heavens were of old , and the globe of the earth , consisting partly ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) of water , viz. that of the great deep ; and partly ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) amongst ( d ) water , to wit , the clouds and flood-gates of heaven hanging about it , all framed by the word of god : by the which waters ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) the world which then was , being overwhelmed with water , perished ; as it is written gen. . . seq . in the . yeere of noahs life , in the second moneth , in the seventeenth day of the month were all the fountains of the great deep broken up , & vers . . and the waters ; & . and all flesh died . ( d ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes signifies inter , amongst , or in the midst of , as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : so herodotus , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , inter insulas . howsoever we render the preposition , i suppose s. peter by his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 means the superiour water , which together with that of the sea , or great deep , concurred to the drowning of the world , as appeares by the place of genesis alledged . verse . but the heavens and the earth ( i. e. the world ) which is now , by the same word are kept in stare , reserved unto fire ( e ) at the day of judgement and perdition of ungodly men , according to the prophesie of daniel , cap. . who saw a fiery stream issuing and comming forth before the iudge of the world , and the body of the fourth beast burned therewith : and of esay , cap. . who saith of that day , that the lord shall come with fire , and with his chariots like a whirlwind , to render his anger with fury , and his rebukes with flames of fire : and that by fire and by his sword , ( i. e. by his sword of fire , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) the lord would plead with all flesh , and the slain of the lord shall be many . so also malachy cap. . that the great and terrible day shall burn as an oven , and all the proud , and all that doe wickedly shall be stubble , which at the comming of that day ( f ) shall be burnt up . ( e ) from this proportion which the judgement to come by fire , hath unto that which was by water in the deluge , irenaeus calls it diluvium ignis , lib. . c. . juxta edit . fevardentii . ( f ) it may be it is of this day that the prophet esay also speaks , cap. . . where he saith , that the battell of the messiah should not be as the battell of the warriour , with confused noise , and garments rolled in blood ; but with burning and fuell of fire . for the old prophets for the most part speak of the comming of christ indefinitely & in generall , without that distinction of first and second comming , which the gospel out of daniel hath more clearly taught us : and so consequently they spake of the things to be at christs comming indefinitely and all together , which we who are now more fully informed by the revelation of the gospel , of a two fold comming , must apply each of them to his proper time : those things which befit the state of his first comming , unto it ; and such things as befit the state of his second comming , to the second ; and what befits both alike , may be applyed unto both . verse . but whereas i mentioned ( saith saint peter ) the day of judgement , lest ye might mistake it for a short day , or a day of few houres , i would not , beloved , have you ignorant , that one day ( g ) with the lord is as a thousand yeers , and a thousand yeers as one day . ( g ) thus i expound these words by way of pre-occupation or premunition , because they are the formall words of the jewish doctors , when they speak of the day of judgement , or day of christ , as saint peter here doth , viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 una dies dei s. b. sicut mille anni . and though they use to quote that of the ninth psalme , ( mille anni in oculis tuis ut dies hesternus ) for confirmation thereof , yet are not these words formally in the psalme . so that saint peter in this passage seems rather to have had respect to that common saying of the jewes in this argument , than to the words of the psalme ; where the words ( one day with the lord is as a thousand years ) are not , though the later part of the sentence ( a thousand yeeres as one day ) may allude thither ; as the jewes also were wont to bring it , for a confirmation of the former . . these words are commonly taken as an argument , why god should not be thought slack in his promise ( which follows in the next verse : but the first fathers took it otherwise ; and besides , it proveth it not : for the question is not , whether the time be long or short in respect of god ; but whether it be long or short in respect of us ; otherwise not . but . yeers are in the eyes of god no more than one day is to us , and so it would not seem long to god , if the day of judgment should be deferred till then . . let the judicious consider it , whether this passage so prone to be taken in the exposition i have given , yea and alledged to that purpose , were not some part of a motive to the zeloticall anti-chiliasts ( whereof eusebius , whom we trust was none of the least ) to be so willing and ready to question the authority of this epistle , as they did also at the same time of the apocalyps . the pretence against this epistle was , that it wanted the testimonie of allegation by the first fathers . but ( dies domini sicut mille anni ) quoted both by iustin martyr and irenaeus , is not out of the ninth psalm , as they tooke for granted , ( for there are no such words , but out of the epistle of peter , who applyeth it to the day of judgment , which he calleth dies domini , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : consider it . verse . and though this day be deferred , yet is the lord not slack concerning his promise , ( as some men account slacknesse , as if he had altered his purpose , or meant never to performe it ) but the cause of this delay , is his long-suffering ( a ) towards as of the seed of israel , not willing that any should perish at that day , but that the whole nation should come unto repentance , ( b ) which , if that day should surprize them in their unbeliefe , must inevitably perish with the rest of the enemies of christ . ( a ) saint peter speaks and writes in this epistle to his brethren the jewes , as appeares by the first verse of this chapter . ( b ) so the same saint peter in his first publike sermon to his nation in the temple , after the sending of the holy ghost ( act. . , &c. ) exhorts them to repent and be converted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for the washing away of their sinnes , that so ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) those times of refreshing and restitution of all things which god had spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets , might come , which till then were to be suspended . object . but god could have hastened the jewes conversion , if it had pleased him . resp . but it stood with the oeconomy of gods justice , when the jewes had rejected christ , their expiation , to grant them this grace , untill they should have fulfilled a time of pennance for all the sins of their nation , even from the first time they were a people , untill the last destruction of hierusalem . for since they would none of their pardon and attonement by christ , ( with respect unto whose comming god had so long spared them ; for all their expiation by sacrifice looked unto him ) god would not bate them an ace of the judgment they had merited , but would visit all the former sinnes of their nation upon them , from the golden calfe , untill their crucifying , and finally rejecting of their messiah . verse . but as for the manner of the comming of this great day of the lord , it shall be suddenly and unawares , as a thiefe in the night , in which the heavens ( c ) with a crackling noise of fire shall passe away , and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( c ) or host of them shall melt with fervent heat ; the earth also and the workes thereof shall be burned . ( c ) what these heavens are , and why i render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the host of them ; and how this conflagration is to be understood , i will shew when i have done my paraphrase . ( c ) what these heavens are , and why i render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the host of them ; and how this conflagration is to be understood , i will shew when i have done my paraphrase . vers . , . seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved , what manner of persons ought we to be , in all holy conversation and godlinesse , to make our selves fire ▪ proof , and such as may abide the day of refining ? as namely becommeth those who by faith look for , and hasten the comming of the day of the lord , wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved , and the host of them melt with servent heat . for our life and conversation ought to be sutable to our faith , and we are so to walk , as if that were alwayes present which by faith we look for . verse . but this conflagration ended , ( whatsoever those scoffers say , who question the promise of christs second comming wee look according to his promise esa . . & . for a new heaven and a new earth , ( that is , a new and refined state of the world ) wherein righteousnesse shall dwell , according as the same prophet saith cap. . , . the lord shall be thine everlasting light , and the dayes of thy mourning shall be ended , thy people also shall be all righteous , they shall inherite the land , or earth , for ever . vers . , , . wherefore beloved ( seeing that ye look for such things at his comming ) be diligent that ye may be found in him in peace , without spot and blameless , and account the long-suffering of god , in the delay thereof to be salvation . even as our beloved brother paul also ( one of the apostles of our lord , who confirmeth these words of the holy prophets ) according to the wisdome given unto him , hath written unto you ; enforcing the like exhortation unto holinesse of life , from this our faith and experience of the lord iesus his appearing to judgement , which we now make unto you : viz. heb. . , , . as also in all his epistles , speaking in them of these things , viz. rom. . . coll . cum vers . . , . & cor. . , . & . . cor. . , , . in initio , & . . phil. . . & . , . & cap. . . coloss . . , . thess . . . & . . denique . . thess . . , . tim. . , . tit. . , . how this conflagration of the world , whereof s. peter speaks , and especially of the heavens , is to bee understood . for resolution of this question , i must premise some things , to make the way thereto the more easie . r. . that the old hebrew language wherein the scripture speaks , there is no one word to expresse the compages of the superiour and inferiour bodies , which we call mundus , but these two words heaven and earth ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) joyned toand put together , onely so that when saint peter saith ( the world that then was , perished by waters ; but the heavens and earth that are now , are reserved to fire : ) he might as well have said according to his meaning , the heavens and the earth which then were , perished by waters , as the world that now is shall by fire . for the words heaven and earth joyned , imply no more in the one ( according the scriptures notion ) than the single word mundus or world doth in the other , being applyed to the history of the great deluge : as also , a new heaven and a new earth is the same notion with that in our expression , where we say a new world ; that is to say , nova rerum facies , nova rerum conditio ; which we otherwhile apply to very small , and even particular and domesticall changes , when we say , here is a new world ; which the hebrew would or might expresse , here is a new heaven and a new earth . . that it is not like that any other world , or heaven and earth , shall perish by fire , than such a one as heretofore perished by water : for so the antithesis importeth , viz. the world , or heaven and earth that then was , perished by water , the heaven and earth which now is , is reserved for a destruction by fire . now the world which perished by water was no other than the sublunary world ; the heaven whereof is that which we call ayre , but the scripture heaven ▪ which sublunary heaven , together with the earth , was marred by that generall deluge ; and the creatures belonging to them both either wholly destructed , or marvellously corrupted from that they were before : such a world therefore , and no other heaven and earth , shall undergo the second deluge of fire for restauration , which before suffered the deluge of water for corruption . . observe also , for the better understanding of saint peters meaning , that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we in this place are wont to turn elements , is not like to be understood in the notion of the greek doctors , whose termes and notions the scripture useth not , but otherwise divideth the world. nay further , in this place it cannot be so understood , for that the hebrew division of the world into heaven and earth is here expressed , and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 distinguished from them both . but when the whole world is divided into heaven and earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by earth is meant the earthen globe , which saint peter saith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and so the water and earth are both included in the sole name of earth : in heaven the ayre is included . thus three of the physicall elements are bestowed . the fourth is the fire : but this is that which is to burn the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and so none of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee burnt . and if any of these elements could be exempted from this division into heaven and earth , besides the fire , viz. the aire , yet could not that , nor any of them alone be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in saint peter : for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes more than one . it must needs therefore bee , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here meaneth something else . let us see if we can finde out what it is . mark then saint peters order , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which correspondence it should seeme that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be some furniture belonging to coelum , as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the buildings & whole furniture of creatures belonging to terra ; which furniture of both , but especially that of the heaven the scripture calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the host of them , gen. . . the heavens and the earth were finished , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all the host of them : lxx . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . vulg. ornatus eorum . nay , seeing the whole world is nothing else but the heaven and the earth , and what is contained in them , ( i. e. ) exercitus eorum : and seeing heaven and earth are both here distinctly named , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put for the host of the earth ; it must needs be that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , named as distinct things from all three , should note the host of heaven : and so the meaning of saint peter should be , when he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as if hee had said , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the heavens and the host thereof ; or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as he sayes , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the earth and the workes therein . but how , will some man say , should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come to have this notion ? i answer thus , the hebrew verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth , in ordine militaristo , incedo , and so answers to the greek verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is expounded , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e. in ordine militari incedo , vide scap. ex etymolog . accordingly the lxx : render the hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e. in praecinctu sto , instructa acie sto . now if the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie the same with the greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , why may not the hebrew noune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( which we turne exercitus ) be rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; the hellenists or greekish jewes as in other words so here following the etymology from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and having eye more to their owne native language , than to the use of greece . it would be long to shew in how many words they , and the greek scriptures written according to their dialect , use notions which the greek used not ; ( viz. ) respecting some conformity or other in their owne tongue . the works of the learned in sacred criticisme are of late full of such observations , whereby many difficulties and obscurities in scripture become cleare and easie . neverthelesse the gentile-greekes themselves use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( which come of the same verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) in the same sense we plead for , viz. for ordo militaris , military array ; why may not then the hellenists ( so the * greek iewes are called ) doe so with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , being for the etymology every way as fit , seeing also they are otherwise wont to permute significations from vicinity of found . for a further confirmation of this notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i contend for , i will adde what i have met with to that purpose . schickardus , a learned professor of the orientall languages at tabingen , in his bekinath happerushim , pag. . hath discovered out of rambans , or r. moses ben nachmans preface in perusche hattaroth , two passages taken out of the chaldee copy of the wisdome of solomon , which that rabbi had seene : whereby the said schickard proveth against saint ierome , that the greek is not the originall , but was translated out of chaldee . the passages which this ramban quoteth thence are cap. . , , . and part of the . and again , vers . , , , , . in the last of which quotations , because there is in the greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i greedily looked what word in the chaldee answered here to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which i found to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which those who have skill know to signifie the planets , . signes or constellations of heaven , as being the same with the hebrew * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore here are stars and planets , which i shall not need prove to bee the host of the ethereall heaven : yea , and perhaps too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are derived of the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ire , as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . now wee know the scriptures make mention of three heavens ; first , the ayre or sublunary heaven : secondly , the ethereall and starry heaven : thirdly , the heaven of glory , or empyreall heaven . every of these heavens have their host or army : the host of the heaven of glory , or the third , are the angels and blessed spirits : the host of the ethereall heavens are the stars and planets : the host of the aereall , or sublunary heaven , are either visible , as the clouds of heaven , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and other meteors , as also the rest of the creatures mansioning therein , as the fowls of the heaven , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : or invisible , viz. the wicked spirits and devils , whose prince sathan , is called the prince of the power of the ayre , eph. . . and his host 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , rulers of the world , i. e. the sublunary world ; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , wicked spirits in heavenly places , viz. in the lowest or sublunary heavens , ephes . . . and whether saint paul , gal. . , . and col. . , &c. includes not some of those under his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i cannot affirme : let the learned further consider it , when namely he speakes to gentiles ; and of gentiles , and not jews . having hitherto prepared the way , let us now come closer home to s. peter , whose words evidently import , that some of these heavens , or all of them , shall suffer a conflagration at the day of christ . not all of them , for who ever put the empyreall heaven into that reckoning ? and for the ethereall heaven , he that considereth the supereminent nature and immensity thereof , and of those innumerable bodies therein , in regard of which the whole sublunary world is but a point or center ; and that it no way can be proved that ever those bodies received any curse for mans sin , or contagion by the worlds deluge , or that any enemies of god dwell in them to pollute them : he that considereth this will not easily be induced to beleeve that the fire of the day of judgement should burne them . it remaineth therefore that the sublunary heavens onely , with their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are to be the subject of this conflagration . these heavens ( saith saint peter ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e. solventur , and their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall melt with fervent heat : it is a metaphor taken from the refining of metalls , quae igne solvuntur ut purificentur : so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is as much as coeli igne adhibito conflagrabuntur . this to be the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appears , because saint peter himselfe interprets solvi to be liquefieri . for having in the tenth verse said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( i. e. ) solventur , he in the twelfth verse repeating it sayes , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( i e. ) liquefient ; now melting is for refining and purifying . nor is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 averse from this notion , the lxx . using 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in the psalms more than once : the words of the lord are as refined silver , lxx . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , psal . . and so elsewhere . but when the sublunary heaven shall be thus refined , even the ethereall lights of the starres , of the sunne and moone , &c. will appeare to those on earth much more glorious than now they doe , as sending their rayes through a purer medium ; so that all the world to us-ward shall be as it were renewed . as for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( or passing away ) verse . it is an hebraisme , signifying any change , or going of a thing from the state wherein it was , and answers to the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifieth both transire and permutari , as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in chaldianisme doth . and schindler notes , that psalme . the arabicke for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mutabuntur , hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transibunt . in the twelfth verse it is expounded by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i have already shewed is commuted with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; they therefore all three of them signifie one and the same thing ; and i see no reason why wee should imagine a greater emphasis in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for an utter abolition in the destruction by fire , than is before implyed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , when he spake of the destruction by water : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( inquit ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . but what shall become of the invisible host , which i named as part of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this fublunary heaven , viz. those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the army of wicked and uncleane spirits : shall the fire of the last judgement touch these ? i answere : though the operation of the fire shall not be upon them to burne them , yet shall they also suffer by this fiery judgement , being thereby to be exiled and dejected from those high mansions , and bestowed in some lower place : for so that of iude seemeth to imply , the angels ( saith he ) which kept not their first estate , but left their own ( or proper ) habitation , he hath reserved to ( be bound with ) everlasting chaines of darknesse , at the judgement of the great day . vide piscat . in hunc locum . and this seemes to me to be the most literall and unforced exposition of this description of saint peter , of the heaven and earths conflagration at the day of christ , and so to be preferred before any other . but if a propheticall straine or scheme may here be admitted , there is another way of explication , which yet in the conclusion will come to the same purpose the former did , although the way thereto be not the same . and certainly our saviour in the gospel describing the comming of this day , useth a propheticall expression : the sunne ( saith he ) shall be darkened , and the moone shall not give her light , and the starres shall fall from heaven , and the powers of heaven shall be shaken : for if this be taken literally , whither shall the starres fall from heaven , which are either as bigge , or many times bigger than the globe of the earth , where shall bee roome for them ? if such a scheme there be supposed in saint peters description , the explication may be after this manner . mundus , or the world , ( to omit other particular exceptions ) is according to the scriptures use , either mundus continens , or mundus contentus , ( give me leave to use those termes for distinction sake : ) by mundus continens i meane the compages and frame of the physicall heaven and earth , wherein the rest of the creatures are contained : by mundus contentus , the state or body of the inhabitants or kingdomes of the earth . now to whatsoever the notion of mundus is appliable , there is also supposed to bee an heaven and earth , as being the names and parts whereby the scriptures expresse the world. the heaven then of this politicall world is the soveraignty or soveraigne part thereof , whose host and starres are the powers ruling in the world : in the highest place gods and idols ; next , kings , princes , peeres , counsellours , magistrates , and other such lights shining in the firmament . and at such a meaning and no other ( it being an orientall notion ) may aime ( for ought i can see ) that supposed fastuous stile of sapores king of persia to constantius the emperour ; rex regum sapores , frater solis & lunae , particeps ( i. e. socius ) siderum , constantio fratri salutem . but to goe on : earth is the pezantry or vulgus hominum , together with the terrestriall creatures serving the use of man : of such an heaven , as this is , the lord speaketh in the prophesie of haggai , cap. . vers . . yet once it is a little while , and i will shake all nations , and the desire of all nations shall come . and againe verse . i will shake the heavens and the earth , and i will overthrow the throne of kingdomes , and i will destroy the strength of the kingdomes of the heathen , &c. of such an heaven and earth speaketh ieremy , chapter . verse . i beheld the earth , and it was without forme and void , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) and the heavens , and they had no light : viz. as if the world were turned into the old chaos againe genesis chap. . see the rest which followeth . of such heavens and earth speaketh the lord in esay , chapter . vers . , . namely , of the heavens and earth of the world , or state of israel . i am ( saith he ) the lord thy god , who divided the sea , ( to wit , the red sea ) when the waters thereof roared ; the lord of hosts is his name : and put my word ( i. e. my law ) in thy mouth , and covered thee in the shadow of my hand , ( i. e. protected thee in thy march to canaan ) that i might plant the heavens , and lay the foundation of the earth , ( i. e. make thee a state , and build the into a politicall world ) and say unto sion , thou art my people . of such a kinde of heaven speakes the same prophet , chapter . vers . , , . the indignation of the lord is upon all nations , and his fury upon all their armies , &c. and all the host of heaven shall bee dissolved , and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll , and their host shall fall downe , as the leafe falleth off from the vine , and as a falling figge from the figge-tree . for my sword shall be bathed in heaven : behold it shall come downe on idumea , &c. see the rest , and know that this destruction of edom is prophesied of in no lesse hyperbolicall a straine by obadiah , and ieremy chapter . from verse . to . ezech. . verse . and . . which i note , lest any man wondering at the hyperbole of this of esay , should thinke it applyable onely to the day of judgement . and that such schemes as these were usuall to the nations of the orient , may appeare not onely by the chymicall phylosophy derived thence , ( which makes heaven and earth and starres in every thing ) but from the testimony of moses maimonides , who ( more nebochim part . . cap. . ) affirmes that the arabians in his time in their vulgar speech , when they would expresse that a man was fallen into some great calamity or adversity , used to say , coelum ejus super terram ejus cecidit : compare lament . . . no question these schemes were as familiar to them as our poets straines and expressions are to us , though of another genius : ours are borrowed from fables , stories , places ; their 's more , from the frame of the world , the sunne , moon , stars , and elements , &c. if such a notion of coelum and terra may have place in this place of peter , ( and why may hee not uttering a prophesie borrow a poeticall straine ) it may easily appeare what heaven and earth the fire at christs second comming shall burne up and consume , viz. the heaven and the earth of the contained world , such as those which the former judgement by water overwhelmed and destroyed ; the world of wicked states and men , high ones and low ones , princes and pezants , man and beast ; according to that twice repeated passage , esay . , . ( which the ancient jewes interpreted of the day of judgement ) the loftinesse of man shall be bowed downe , and the haughtinesse of men shall be made low , and the lord alone shall bee exalted that day : and the idols ( these are part of the host of heaven wee speake of ) hee shall utterly abolish . and of such heavens and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as these , it mattereth not though we understand an absolute destruction ( viz. of so much as shall bee burned ) as was in the deluge of noah . and so likewise of the earth and workes thereof . but whereas by the universall deluge , though onely the mundus contentus perished , yet notwithstanding the mundus continens was therewith corrupted and depraved : in the destruction of fire it shall bee otherwise ; for the world of wicked ones being destroyed , the heaven and the earth which contained them shall bee purged and refined , for the righteous to dwell therein . this exposition i put but in the second place , because where the proper sense of the letter may be kept , i preferre it before any other . to conclude , if any there yet bee , whom neither of the former expositions can satisfie , but will needs have the fire and burning here spoken of , to bee that whereby the world is to bee utterly annihilated ; i could answer , that the day of judgment is a thousand yeares ; and this fire , though it be to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in that day , yet shall it not bee in the beginning , but end thereof , the beginning being but a destruction of the enemies of christ , and the kingdome of sathan , and then a restauration : the end , a destruction of the whole creature it selfe by utter annihilation ; and then saint peters words , verse . to bee construed after this manner ; that howsoever the heavens and the earth shall at length bee dissolved by fire , neverthelesse before that shall be , we look for a new heaven and a new earth ( i. e. a new world or restauration ) to precede this abolition , according to his promise , esay . & . but such an exposition , methinkes , would not suit so well with that which i take to bee saint peters chiefest scope in this passage ; nor with the words of the holy prophets hee pointeth at , which seeme to speake onely of such a fire , which should precede a restauration , and not of that which should cause an utter abolition of the world : and as concerning such an utter abolition of the whole frame of heaven and earth , after the oeconomy of the redemption and victory of christ shall bee finished , it seemeth to mee a mystery which hath no bottome . howsoever , i am not perswaded this place of saint peter should meane any such thing . those passages , iob . . psalme . . and apoc. . . may seeme to bee of more moment . and if any such annihilation shall bee , it stands more with reason it should bee by the immediate power of god , without the instrument of any creature , than by fire ; and that hee who at first brought it out of nothing without any creatures help , should reduce it to nothing again without the help of any creature . Δόξα τῷ Θεῷ ῷ̔ παντοκράτορι . london , printed for samuel man , and are to be sold at his shop in pauls church-yard at the signe of the swan . . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * see the syriack act. ● . where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are turned ludaei qui loquebantur graecé . * i have since looked in th● preface of r 〈…〉 ba● , where i found those chaldee passages mentioned , which the rabbin translateth into hebrew , and for the chaldee which answereth to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see the apostasie of the later times .