saieth speakyng of certaine signes whiche shall goe before the commyng of Christ to Iudgement Luke 21.25 There shall bee signes then saieth he in the Sonne and in the Moone and in the starres And againe Math. 24. â—9 immediately after the tribulation of those daies shall the Sunne be darkened and the Moone shall not giue her light and the starres shall fall from heauen and the powers of heauen shal be shakeÌ„ Esay 13.9 The Prophet Esay also saieth thus Behold the daie of the lorde commeth cruell with wrathe and fearce to anger to laie the lande waste and he shall destroie the synners out of it For the starres of heauen and the Planettes thereof shall not giue their light the Sonne shal be darkened in his goyng sorthe the Moone shall not cause her light to shine Of this read more Ezechiell 32.7 Daniel 7.13 1. Cor. 15.2 c. Iol. 2.31 Also the Prophete Ioell saieth that the Sonne shal be tourned into darkenesse and the Moone into bloud before the greate and terrible daie of the lorde come By all whiche sondrie testimonies is signified that all the creatures of God as well in heauen aboue as in the yearth beneth whether it be the Sonne the Moone or the Starres or any parte of the hoste of heauen aboue or the yearth beneth shal be as it were summoÌ„s to summon the whole world vnto Christes tribunall feate of iudgement Whiche kinde of Sommons the vngodlie impenitent synners shall euery daie contemne more and more vntill the verie IudgemeÌ„t daie Before whiche tyme bothe heauen earth notwithstaÌ„ding shal after a sorte resemble the countenaunce of an angrie Iudge the rather to stirre vp all wicked synners to repent their vngodlie liues and to tourne vnto the Lorde Beeyng mooued thereunto by these and suche like signes and tokens of Gods wrathe whiche shall euidently appeare vnto all the whole worlde before the ende and consummation of thesame as hath been before declared And then shal thei see the Sonne of manne come in a Cloude with power and greate glorie Wherefore let vs diligently call to our remembraunce whether any of these forenamed signes bee passed yea or no that is to saie whether there haue been many and verie often Ecclipses of the Sonne and likewise of the Moone or whether the Starres haue seemed to fall from heaueÌ„ Or the powers of heauen haue been at any tyme moued or shaken yea or no It can not bee denied but that there hath been of late yeres more wonderfull and straunge sightes seen bothe in the Sonne and in the Moone and in the starres cleane against the order of nature then euer was seen in any age here tofore Haue we not read of twoo Moones that shined at one tyme in the seuenth yere of kyng Henry the first Did ye neuer heare tel of those fiue Moones that shined at once in the seconde yere of kyng Henry the seuenth Haue yee not founde in the Chronicles how that the Sonne hath appeared as red as bloud and so continued the space of sixe howers the laste daie of October in the fiftene yere of Kyng Edward the seconde But to come more nerer to our time haue ye not heard how in the yere of the Lorde 1543. And the xxxv yere of the raigne of king Henry the eight there chanced fower Eclipses one of the Sonne the 24. of Ianuarie and three of the Moone whiche was a marueilous thyng to behold That I maie omit to speake of the strange Eclipses of the Sonne and Moone these yeres laste paste But because I haue hetherto spoken sufficiently of signes and tokens whiche haue been seen in the Sonne and in the Moone for so muche as our Sauior Christ Math. 24.29 doeth make mention also that the Starres shall fall froÌ„ heauen I thinke it moste meete and conuenient for me to speake somewhat of blasing Starres And so muche the rather because at this present so iuste occasion is offered vnto me by the reason of a blasyng Starre whiche did appeare at the firste in the Iudgement of those whiche are learned Astronomers in the signe called Pisces the tenth daie of October 1580. and was left in Aquarius The motion thereof beeyng retrograde contrarie to the common course of other moueable Starres and yet doeth it continue still to bee seen and vewed of all men albeit it doeth not lighten the aire with her glimmering beames and glistring brightnesse so muche as it did at the firste appearyng thereof beyng set on fire by Gods diuine councell and prouidence that by the sight thereof we might be aduertised of after clappes And so to prepare our selues spedely to turne vnto God by faithfull and vnfeigned repentaunce that wee maie bee the more readie to meete hym in the cloudes with ioye at his commyng or els through the hardnesse of our harte whiche can not repent iustly to suffer the bitternesse of his sharpe iudgement and so heape vp as a treasure vnto our selues wrathe against the daie of wrathe and of the declaration of the iuste Iudgement of God Therefore in the title of this treatise I doe tearme this Starre whiche is seene at this present A blasyng starre or a burning Beacon c. set on fire by gods prouidence to warne the whole worlde of dreadfull warres betweene God and those that doe goe on still in wickednesse and will not bee touched and moued to repentaunce And I was partely moued so to name it for this consideration For as in Englande and in moste places of the whole worlde besides Beacons are placed vppon the stipest and highest hills that maie be sene farthest of in tyme of warre and of the inuasion of the enemie into any Nation are night and daie watched and set on fire to signifie and declare vnto the inhabitantes thereof that some greate perill and daunger is nigh Euen so this Comet is as it were set on fire in the height of the aire by the Almightie power and prouidence of our eternall God to the ende that so many as shall behold the same maie be admonished and stirred vp by the consideration therof to auoide suche after clapps by their faithfull repentance as should otherwise fall vppon them in the iuste Iudgement of almightie God Aristotle I am not ignoraunt how Aristotle and diuers other Philosophers dooe define a blasyng Starre to bee but an yearthly vapour somewhat thicke and clammie and fatte in substaunce whiche beeyng drawne vp by little and little from the bowelles of the yearth into the vpper region of the aire nigh to the Sphere of the fierie element is there set on fire and through heate made thinne till it be cleane dissolued c. Whiche opinion of Aristotle albeit it bee thought to bee worthie of credite and subscription in the iudgement of moste Philosophers who with one consent and assent doe agree that blasyng Starres dooe spryng of naturall causes yet notwithstandyng all godlie diuines for the moste part are of
⧠A blazyng Starre or burnyng Beacon seene the 10. of October laste and yet continewyng set on fire by Gods prouidence to call all sinners to earnest speedie repentance Written by Francis Shakelton Minister and preacher of the worde of GOD. ¶ I will shewe wonders in heauen and in the earth bloud and fire and pillers of smoke Ioel. 2 30. ¶ Imprinted at London by Ihon Kyngston for Henry Kirkham and are to bee solde at the signe of the blacke boye adioynyng to the little Northdore of sainct Paule 1580. To the right Honorable sir Thomas Bromley knight lord Chauncellour of Englande and one of her Maiesties moste honourable priuie Councell long life and health with increase of honor and all maner of spirituall blessynges IT maie be demed in the iudgement of the worlde a great presumptiō in me right Honourable thus vnaduisedly to aduēture the discourse of this late blazing Starre whiche appeared the x. daie of October laste 1580. whereof verie small or rather no accompt at all is made emong the vulgare sort for that it hath not altogether suche splēdant brightnesse and glisteryng radiation as some other Cometes heretofore haue had I knowe I say I shal be launced with the bitter reproofes and Zoilous reprehensions of certaine fine mouthed mates who looke for finer phrases and more mellow and sugred sentences then my poore skill or habilitie will aford My onely drift herein right Honourable is to disswade the worlde from freezing in the dregges of their synnes by admonisheyng them of the finall dissolution of the Engine of this worlde and seconde commyng of Christ in the cloudes whiche by many manifest and ineuitable reasons J gather can not bee farre of Jn respecte whereof accordyng to the duetie of my profession J exhort all men to awake out of their slepe by earnest repentance whiche is the perfecte and plain path waie to auert Goddes iuste plagues deseruedly threatened vnto vs. The artificiall description of whiche Starre together with his appearance motion colour continuance matter forme significatiō and effect as J by the aduise of some right skilfull in the Mathematiques haue by the waie superficiallie touched So dooe J leaue the fuller delineation thereof to them who professedly dwell in the same Art Astronomie I meane are best hable to yeeld their learned resolutions My profession drawyng me an other waie requireth an other maner of methode which as J haue here to my poore skill discouered So am J with all humilitie moste duetifully to craue your Honors pardō for the acceptance thereof at my handes till it shall please God to enhable me with other opportunitie to preferre vnto your Lordshippes censure some other woorke of greater momente importance Till then alwaies J shall humblie beseeche the Almightie lōg to preserue your good Lordshippe with honour healthe and all felicitie to his Diuine will and pleasure Amen Your Honors moste humble Francis Shakelton ¶ Jn hanc Francisci Shakeltonj Cometologiam Ogdoastichon ECce Shakeltonj non parua volumine paruo Commoda Brutigenis hexapla certa suis Eia agè lector in hoc forsan reperire libello Multa potes tibi quae vix aliunde patent Vt tibi vt patriae prodesset amicus amicae Participem tersi te facit esse styli Tu tantùm grates memor esto rependere dignas Sic fructum studij demetet ipse sui Thomas Newton Cestreshyrius SO often as there hath been at any time sene eclipses of the Sōne or the Moone either any Comette or blasyng Starre in any parte of the Heauen Those that are Christians haue forthwith been taught by Christe hymself to lifte vp their heades Luke 21.28 knowyng that their redemption draweth nigh that is to saie Christians are admonished thereby that the daie of Iudgement is at hande When thei shall see the Sonne of manne commyng in the Cloudes with power and greate glorie to iudge the quicke and the deade and to giue to euery man accordyng to his deedes that thei haue doen in their bodies be thei good or euill 2. Pet. 3.10 Whose comming shal be as Peter saith as a theefe in the night In the which daie the Heauen shall passe awaie with a noyce and the Elementes shall melte with heate and the yearth with the workes that are therein shall bee burnt vp whiche is as muche to saie that all the worlde shall bee consumed accordyng to the saiyng of our Sauiour Christe Math. 24.35 Heauen and yearth shall passe awaie but my wordes shall not passe awaie Arist lib. de caelo lib. 8. Phis Yet notwithstandyng I am not ignorant how that Aristotle the Prince of all those Philosophers whiche the Latinistes doe call Peripatetici doth labour very earnestly to proue that the worlde is eternall meanyng thereby that it hath no beginning neither shall it haue any endyng Of this opinion is Galenus also that moste experte Phisition of Pergamus a citie of Asia who liued in those daies that Marcus and Commodus were Emperors Galenus and dreamyng also of the perpetuitie and continuance of the worlde saith after this maner Sēper ita stetit sic igitur perdurabit Moreouer Manilius writeth thus Manilius Non alium videre patres alumne ne potes aspicient that is to say our Fathers haue seene no other worlde and shall our Nephewes see any other c. Moreouer you shall vnderstande that among the Latinistes Plinie Plinie doth also maintaine this opinion affirming Mundum esse aeternum immensum neque genitum neque interiturum vnquam Auerrois lib. 1. de caelo And in like maner Auerrois a follower and imitator of Aristotle doeth tread so right in his Maisters steppes that in his firste booke De caelo Idem super 8. Phis Arist he disputeth earnestly against those who doe acknowledge that the worlde was created c. Declaryng also the same thyng in his Commentaries where he doeth expounde and defende the argument of his Maister Aristotle concerning the eternitie and perpetuitie of the worlde I am not vnmindfull also of those wordes whiche Peter doeth alledge in the person of the vngodly and wicked worldlinges 2. Pet. 3.4 saiyng Where is the promise of his commyng For since the fathers dyed all thinges continue alike from the beginnyng of the creation But ye shall vnderstande that all these prophane and wicked reasons and Heathnishe and vnfruitfull questions shall bee confuted orderly God willyng in their places by the authoritie of the holy Scriptures Knowe ye therefore first deare Christians that almightie GOD hym self doeth teache vs by his holie Prophettes and Apostles but moste specially by his onely begotten Soonne Hebr. ◠2 whom he hath made heire of all thinges that the worlde was created of nothyng and shall returne into nothyng againe And therefore wee must not onely beleeue it Read Gene. 14.19 cap. 20.11 cap. 31.17 but also defende the same to bee so as he hath vndoubtedly spoken it And to the ende
that out of many testimonies a fewe maie bee recited the Prophet Moises beyng a liuely witnesse of this matter hath described the woorke of the creation of the worlde after this maner saiyng Nehem. 9.6 Iob. 2.9 Gene. 1.1 In the beginnyng GOD created the heauen and the yearth c. The Prophetes also followyng Moises maintainyng the same truth doe affirme God to be the creator of heauen and yearth Especially Dauid saiyng Psal 89.11 The heauens are thyne the earth also is thyne thou hast laied the foundation of the worlde and all that therein is Thou haste created the North and the South c. And againe Psal 102.25 Thou hast aforetyme laied the foundation of the yearth And the heauens are the worke of thy handes Thei shall perishe Reade more of this Psal 115.16 Psal 135.6 but thou shalt endure euen thei shall all waxe olde as doeth a garment and as a vesture thou shalte chaunge them and thei shal be chaunged but thou art the same and thy yeres shall not faile c. And as the Prophetes haue made mention of the creation of the worlde Iere. 27.5 and cap. 32.17 Amos. 4.13 Esay 43.5 ca◠45.12 Zacharie 12 Actes 4.24 cap. 24.15 Apoc. 10.6.8 Gene. 7. vers◠19.20.21.22 ◠24. Luke 17.26 so haue thei made rehersall of the consummation of the same Especially Moises in the deluge or the vniuersall floode doeth verie notablie describe vnto vs the type or figure of the consummation of the world And therefore our Sauiour Christe alludyng vnto the same generall destruction by his Euangelist Luke saieth That as it was in the daies of Noe so shall it bee in the daies of the Sonne of man The eate thei dranke the married wiues and gaue in marriage vnto the daie that Noe went into the Arke And the flood came and destroied them all Likewise also as it was in the daies of Lot thei eate thei dranke thei bought thei sold thei planted thei builte But in the daie that Lot went out of Sodome it rained fire and Brimstone from heauen and destroied thē all After these ensamples shall it bee in the daie when the Sonne of man shal be reuealed c. And therefore Christ saieth that the haruest is th ende of the worlde Math. 13.39 Cap. 28 20. And in like maner Beholde I am with you alwaie vntill the ende of the worlde Rom. 8.21.22 1. Cor. 10.11 Reade more Rom. 8.21.22 c. And againe All these thynges were written to admonishe vs vppon whō the endes of the worlde are come Apoc. 21.1 2. Pet. 3.13 Out of all these testimonies whiche I haue hetherto alledged that in the meane season I maie omitte that whiche is written of a newe heauen and a newe yearth this maie be concluded viz. That whatsoeuer God by his holie Prophetes and sainctes hath reuealed vnto the worlde must of necessitie bee iuste and true But he hath taught vs by their Ministerie that the worlde was not onely created by God but also shall hee consumed by hym Therefore wee must beleeue that the worlde had a beginnyng and shall haue an endyng But that I maie omitte many other reasons Aug. in 28. quest in vet Testam that I could alledge for the maintenaunce of the same thyng I will onely alledge the argumētes that Augustine vseth in his 28 question of the newe Testamente whose woordes are these to the vtter confutation of all those that doe affirme that the worlde is eternall The wordes of S. August Res aeterna diuersitatem abhorret cum sit nec tactu nec visu capienda c. That is to saie That thyng whiche is euerlastyng doeth abhorre all cōtrarietie because it can neither bee felt nor sene seeyng that it is without a bodie But the worlde is subiect to passiōs because that water doeth striue against fire and fire if it doe aboūde dooeth ouercome the water And for as muche as the yearth is colde and drie and maie bee burned because it is Res coporalis therefore it is a foule absurditte to affirme that the worlde is eternall c. But lettyng these thinges passe it shall manifestly be proued that this worlde shall perishe and passe awaie if wee doe but consider the partes whereof it doeth consist for doe we not see the yearth to be changed and corrupted Sometymes by the inundation of waters Sometymes by fiers And by the heate of the Sunne And doe we not sée that some partes of the same doe waxe old and weare awaie euen for verie age Doe wee not in some places also read that moūtaines haue falne doune by reason of earth quakes And Rockes haue been cracked and broken so in peeces that by the meanes thereof certaine Riuers haue been as it were dronke vp or els haue had recourse an other waie Also haue ye not read that the seas haue rebounded backe ouerwhelmed whole Cities and vtterly drouned whole Prouinces And what are these strange alterations els but euident argumentes that the worlde shall one daie haue an ende Naie I dooe saie moreouer that if wee will giue credite to the Mathematiques that constitution of the celestiall worlde is not thesame that it hath been in tymes paste for so muche as the Sunne is not so farre distant from vs now as it hath been heretofore So that some dooe affirme that the distance betwéene the Sonne and the earth whiche is the centre of the worlde is lesse now by the fourth part almost then it was in the tyme whē Ptolomeus liued Where hence thei dooe coniecture and gather that the Sūne at this daie is nerer vnto vs by 9976. German miles then it was before Wherefore if there be so greate alteration in the superior worlde what shall wee saie of the inferiour Let this therefore be a forcible argument to proue that the world shall haue an ende for so muche as it doeth waxe old and euery part thereof doeth feele some debilitie and weakenesse For there is lesse vertue in Plantes hearbes then euer was before And more feeble strength in euery liuing creature then euer was before And lesse age in men then euer was before It remaineth therefore of necessitie that shortly there shall be an ende and consūmation of the worlde because it is as it were subiecte to olde age and therefore feeble in euery parte But it is not sufficient for me to affirme that there shal bee an ende but I must also proue the maner of the ende of the worlde whiche shall bee by fire accordyng as it is written 2. Peter 3.7 1. Cor. 7.31 The heauens and the earth whiche are now are kepte by the same worde in store and reserued vnto fire against the day of Iudgemēt and of the destruction of vngodlie men But if ye doe demaunde of me how the heauen that now is and the yerth shal be burned with fire The aunswere is easily made that it shal bee Secundū formam non secundū essentiā
As the Philosophers and the Diuines dooe affirme Accordyng to the saiyng of Paule Praeterit sigura huius mundi 1. Cor. 7.31 Whereunto I might adde the Iudgement of Heathen writers whiche shal bee verie profitable to be considered of those that are conuersant in the readyng of Ouide Ouid. lib. 1. metamorp lib. 1. Metamorpho where speakyng of Iupiter he saith thus Esse quoque in fatis reminiscitur affore tēpus Quo mare quo rellus correptaque regia coeli Ardeat mundi moles operofa laboret Of the same thyng reade Lucane also lib. i. Who dooeth as it were appoint a certaine hower wherein all the worlde shal bee consumed and brought to nothyng saiyng Sic cum compage soluta Saecula tot mundi suprema coegerit hora Antiquum repetens iterum chaos oīa mistis Sydera syderibus concurrent ignea pontum Astra petent c. Wherunto I doe referre that whiche Peter doeth set doune vnto vs saiyng 2. Pet. 3.20 The heauens shal passe awaie with a noise and the Elementes shall melt with heate and the yearth with the workes that are therein shal be burnt vp by sire as hath bin before declared Vbi figura mūdi praeterit non natura For whiche cause the master of the Sentences dooeth affirme Magister sententia lib. 4. dist 47. that the qualities of the corruptible elementes whiche were somtymes agreable vnto our corruptible bodies should bee burnt vp vtterlie in the generall consummation And the substance of those Elementes shall haue thesame qualities whiche through a maruelous mutation shall agree with immortall bodies This sentence was borowed out of Augustine lib. xx cap. xvj de ciuitate Dei August lib. 20 cap. 16. de ciuitate dei And seeyng that wee haue proceaded thus farre I thinke it not to bee muche amisse for me to speake somwhat of the time when this daie of Doome or generall consummation of the worlde shal be Knowe ye therefore that the Mathematiques dooe dreame of a greate yere after the whiche all the Starres shall retourne Ad sua principia And then thei saie that the ende of the worlde should immediatly followe And their opinion is that heauen and yearth shal be burned when all the Starres whiche doe now obserue diuers and sonderie courses shall mete together in the signe Cancer Euen as Berosus that Chaldaean Astronomer dooeth affirme that the firste age in the daies of Noe was drouned when all the Starres had their concurse and meetyng together in the signe called Capricornus Naie there haue been some in this our age that haue gone about to appoint a certaine yere when this daie should bee As Hosiander and Stiphelius did but thei wer deceiued Hosiander Stiphelius by the erronious spirite of the Anabaptistes inspired into them by Sathan who is altogether delighted in lyes erronious opiniōs thereby if it were possible entendyng to deceiue all those that thurste after the simple truthe whiche is onely founde in the sacred Scriptures wherein there is no mention made at all of the duration or the continuaunce of the worlde I knowe also that there bee certaine whiche doe deuide the worlde into sixe ages The firste from Adam vnto Noe. The second from Noe vnto Abraham The third from Abraham vnto Dauid The fowreth from Dauid vnto the transmigration into Babilon The fifte from the transmigratiō vnto Christ And the sixt and laste from the Incarnation of Christ vnto the ende of the worlde Wherefore thei alledge that seyng that age wherein now wee liue is the laste age it maie be verie fitly called aetas decrepita a crooked age Seyng that the Euangelist Ihon doeth terme it the laste howre 1. Ihon. 1.18 but yet neuerthelesse how long that age or howre shall endure is kept frō the knowledge of all men I am not ignoraunt yet notwithstandyng how some beeyng moued thereunto through certaine weake and feeble coniectures haue as it were appointed out the time of the daie of Iudgement and ende of the worlde Bringyng forthe the Oracle of Elias whiche thei borowe from the tradition of the Hebrewes whereunto many doe giue verie greate credite And these fellowes dooe affirme That the worlde shall endure 6000. yeres and thei dooe also deuide those yeres after this maner Affirmyng that 2000. yeres should bee consumed before the tyme that almightie God gaue the lawe to Moises to the rest of the children of Israell Thei acknowledge also that the other twoo thousande yeres should be spent vnder the tyme of the Lawe And the laste 2000. yeres should bee expired in the Kyngdome of Christe And thei adde moreouer that these twoo laste 2000. yeres shall not be fullie finished the synnes of the worlde should be so abundantly encreased and should appeare so abhominable in the sight of God I can not forget but that there are other some also who haue faigned that the world shall endure sixe daies euen as it was created in sixe daies But for so long tyme as it shall endure thei dooe giue to euery daie a thousande yeres whiche commeth all to one rekonyng as before As though the Prophet Dauid would haue it to be so Psal 90.4 whē he saieth for a thousande yeres in thy sight are as yesterdaie when it is paste c. Other some also are founde who dooe thinke that the misticall bodie of Christe that is to saie his Churche shall liue the space of 33. yeres vpon the yearth because Christe hymself liued so long in the worlde after he had taken his humaine bodie of the Virgine Marie but thei doe adde to euery yere fiftie lackyng one to make the yeres of Iubelaei But all these thinges are but the foolishe inuentions and dreames of mortall men And without all doubt it is a miserable and moste lamentable case that we hauyng so many plaine and manifest and cōfortable testimonies in the holie Scriptures concernyng Faithe Hope and Charitie and other Godlie and Christian offices and dueties wherein there is no obscuritie or darknesse at all that wee doe altogether neglecte I saie and despise them as matters not worthie the talkyng of and with so greate diligence and paines I will not saie superstition wil seme to prosecute and busie our heades aboute suche vnfruitfull questions as are no whit appertainyng to our Saluation But suche is the wretchednesse and curiositie of our age and tyme. That as the Apostle saieth 1. Tim. 6.4 Euery man is puffed albeeit he knowe nothyng in deede at all but doteth about questions and strife of woordes whereof commeth enuie strife railynges euill surmisynges vaine disputations of men endewed with corrupt mindes and destitute of the truthe c. Let vs therefore aunswere this question concernyng the time when the worlde shal be consumed with Augustine and conclude after this maner viz that this is altogether a vaine friuolous and vnfuitfull question For if it were conuenient and meete for vs to knowe the tyme who might more better