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 2 PETER iii. 11. 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 1. An Antecedent or Doctrine All these things shall be dissolved 2. 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 1. Give you what I find concerning the dissolution of the World 1. In the holy Scripture 2. In Ancient Christian Writers 3. In the Heathen Philosophers and Sages 2. I shall endeavour to give some answer to these seven Questions which are obvious and usually made concerning it 1. Whether there be any thing in Nature which might prove and demonstrate or argue and infer a future Dissolution of the World 2. 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 3. Whether shall the Dissolution be gradual or sudden 4. Whether shall there be any Signs and Fore-runners of it 5. At what Period of Time shall the World be dissolved 6. 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 7. 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 1. 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. 10. 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. 12. 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. 13. 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. 10. 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. 11. 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. 12. 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. 13. 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. 10. 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. 16. many other places in S. Paul's Epistles and in the Gospel especially Matth. 24. 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 reâ—ated to have fallen upon them or indeed any other people which made it necessary â—or the Prophets which were to describe it 〈◊〉 and who use Tropes and Figures and not â—lain Expressions to set down their Predictiâ—ns to express it by these high Phrases of â—he passing away and dissolving of Heaven and Earth and Elements c. which sounding very tragically are mistaken for the great â—nd final Dissolution of the World So far the Doctor Two things there are in this Chapter which seem to contradict this Inâ—erpretation First That the Destruction â—ere spoken of is compared with Noah's â—lood and the Heaven and Earth to be disâ—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 7th Verse But the Heavens and the Earth which are now by the â—â—me word are kept in store reserved unto fire â—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 â— that place of the Psalmist Psal 90.4 Thaâ— one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day For thâ— Apostle seems to suppose that the time oâ— Christ's coming might possibly be a thousand years off and that they were not to thinâ— much or distrust the promise if it were so for though it were predicted as thinâ— shortly to come yet they were to consideâ— that a thousand years in God's sight is but very short time so that it might be fore tolâ— 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 thâ— was not twenty years to come Another place where mention is made â—â— Christ's coming to Judgment and the Dissâ—lution of the World is Matth. 24. to whicâ— may be added as parallel Mark 13. anâ— Luke 21. In which places you have conâ—â—derable 1. The Suddenness of Christ's coming v. 27. As the lightning comes out of tâ— East and shineth even unto the West so shâ— the coming of the Son of Man be 2. The Sigâ— of his coming v. 29. Immediately after tâ— 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 3. The manner of his coming v. 30. 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 4. 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. 24. 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 1. 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 2. 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 1 Cor. 15.52 mention is made of the Trumpets sounding at the time of Christ's coming and 1 Thess 4.16 it is said The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with the voice of the Archangel and with the trump of God and v. 17. 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. 24.30 31. 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 2 Thess 1.7 8. When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heave◠with his mighty Angels in flaming fire c Other parallel places may be seen Rev. 6 12 13 14. Rev. 10.6 Rev. 21.1 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. 12 26 27. 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 1 Pet. 4.7 But the end of all things is a◠hand James 5.9 Behold the Judge standet◠before the door 1 John 2.18 Little children it is the last time or as some translat◠it the last hour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10.37 Yet a little while and he that shall come wil◠come and will not tarry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 18.17 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. 2 Pet. 7.7 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 1. 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 34.9 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 4th 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. 13.8 9. 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 2. All the Predictions in that famous place Matth. 24. 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 34. 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 3. 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 18.7 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 3. 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 2 Thessal 1.8 9. 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 14.12 Man lieth down and riseth not till the Heavens be no more Psalm 102.5 6. quoted Heb. 1.10 11. 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 34.4 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 51.6 The Heavens shall vanish away like smoke and the Earth shall wax old like a garment Joel 2.31
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 2. 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. 9. 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 104.6 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. 9. 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 â—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 104.7 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 caverniâ— 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 bicorâ—â— Terga capri tumor ille loci permansit alti Collis habet speciem longóque induruit aâ—â— 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. 29. 1538. 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 mâ—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
as the Ibex and Rupicapra or Chamois among Quadrupeds and Lagopus among Birds 3. 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 4. 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 â—e extremely difficult and chargeable if posâ—ible to work them at all 5. Neither are the very tops of the highâ—st Mountains barren of Grass for the feedâ—ng and fattening of Beasts For on the â—idges of the high Mountains of Jura and â—aleve near Geneva and those of Rhoetia or â—he Grisons Countrey which are the highest â—f all the Alps excepting the Vallesian and â—baudian there are Multitudes of Kine fed 〈◊〉 Summer time as I my self can witness â—aving in my Simpling Voyages on those of â—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 6. 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 oâ— could be absolutely none and do now granâ— 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 7. 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 2. 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 Tradiâ—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 1. The active Prinâ—iple or Aether 2. Air or a nitrous Paâ—ulum received from it These two being â—ommixt together are every where at hand â— Fewel which considering the abundance of combustible Materials which are to be â—ound in all places upon or under the Surface of the Earth can no where be wanting 4. 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
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 2 Thess 2.2 I beseech you Brethren that ye be not sooâ— 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 8th and 9th Verses of this Chapter And yet this Opinion had taken such deep root in them that it waâ— 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 hiâ— coming to judge the World we could hardly have avoided being of the same Opinion But if we apply them as Dr. Hammoâ— doth to his coming to take vengeance on hiâ— enemies then they do not hinder but thaâ— the Day of Judgment I mean the generaâ— Judgment may be far enough off So â— leave this Question unresolved concluding that when that day will come God only knows CHAP. X. How far this Conflagration shâ—ll extend 6. 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 1. 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 2 Pet. 3.6 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 2 Thess 1.2 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. 20. cap. 18. 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 2. 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 102.25 26. recited Heb. 1.10 which hath already often been quoted The heavens are the works of thy hands They shall perish Mat. 24.35 Heaven and Earth shall pass away Isa 65.17 51.6 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 102.25 26. 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 51.6 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 3.21 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. 19.28 29. 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 102.26 As a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed Which words are again taken up and repeated Heb. 1.12 Now it is one thing to be changed another to be annihilated and destroyed 1 Cor. 7.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 65.17 Behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into mind Isa 66.22 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 2 Pet. 3.13 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. 21.1 And I saw a new Heaven and a neâ— 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. 8.21 22. 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 2. 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. 4. cap. 5. 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 Dragâ—n 3. 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 2. 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
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. 7.4 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. 1. The Division of the Words 2 Peter 3.11 and Doctrine contained in them viz. I. Testimonies concerning the future Dissolution of the World 1. Of the Holy Scriptures 2. Of ancient Christian Writers 3. Of Heathen Philosophers and Sages II. Seven Quotations concerning the Dissolution proposed pag. 1.2 3 Chap. 2. 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. 5 6 c. to 22 Chap. 3. Some Testimonies of the Ancient Fathers and Doctors of the Church concerning the Dissolution of the World p. 22 23 c. to 28. Chap. 4. The Testimonies of some Heathen Philosophers and other Writers concerning the Dissolution the Epicureans p. 28. The Stoicks who held certain Periods of Deluges and Conflagrations p. 29 to 34. That this Opinion of a future Conflagration was of far greater Antiquity than that Sect proved p. 34 35.36 The Antiquity and Vniversality of it argue it to have been derived from Noah and his Sons p. 37 38 Chap. 5. 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. 39 Sect. 1. The first is the possibility of the Waters again naturally overflowing and covering the Earth p. 39.44 45 c. to 51 The old Argument for the World's Dissolution viz. it s daily Consenescency and Decay rejected p. 40 41 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. 44 45 c. to p. 50. An Objection against the Diminution and Depression of the Land answered p. 51 52 c. A Digression concerning the general Deluge in the Days of Noah p. 56 57 c. Testimonies of Heathen Writers and ancient Coins verifying the Scripture-History of the Deluge p. 56 57 c. to 63. That the Ancient Poets and Mythologists by Deucalion understood Noah and by Deucalion's Flood the general Deluge p. 60 61. That there have been other particular Deluges p. 63 The Opinion of those who held that the Deluge was caused by a miraculous Transmutation of the Element of Air into Water p. 64 65. 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. 66. That all the Vapours suspended in the Air might contribute much towards the Flood proved p 67 68. Concerning the raising up the Waters out of the great Deep p. 69 70. An Occasional Discourse concerning the Original of Fountains p. 70 71 c. The Subterraneous Circulation and perpetual motion of the Water to the Author improbable p. 71. 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 72 73. That Rains may suffice to feed the Springs and do feed the ordinary ones proved p. 74 75. 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. 76 77 c. to p. 82. 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. 82 83 c. to 91. Observations communicated by Dr. Robinson concerning the Original of Fountains dropping Trees c. p. 92 93. The Question further discussed and proved that Vapours are a partial Cause of Springs even in temperate and cold Regions Addit 251 252 Inferences upon the Supposition of the Rivers pouring into the Sea half an Ocean of Waters daily p. 95 96. 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. 99 100. The Effects of the Deluge 1. As. to the Superficial Parts of the Earth p. 102 103. 2. 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. 104 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. 106 107 c. to 132 Sect. 2. The second possible Cause of the World's Destruction in a natural way the Extinction of the Sun p 133 Sect. 3. The third possible Cause of the World's Destruction the Eruption of the Central Fire p. 135. That the being of such a Fire is no way oppugnant either to Scripture or Reason p. 137 138 c. Sect. 4. 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. 141. That the Inclination of the Ecliptick to the Equator doth not diminish p. 142. That tho there were such a drying and parching of the Earth in the Torrid Zone it would not probably infer a Conflagration p. 142 143 144. 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. 44 45 46. The possibility of the Desiccation of the Sea by natural Means denied p. 146 147. The Fixedness and Intransmutability of Principles secures the Vniverse from Dissolution Destruction of any present Species and Production of any new p. 148 149 A Second Digression concerning the Primitive Chaos and Creation of the World p. 150 What the Ancients understood by it ibid. 151. 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
years For in one place it saith in these lasâ— days and in another Upon whom the ends of the World are come and in a third Wheâ— the fulness of time was come Now it iâ— evident that these things were spoken in thâ— sixth Millenary Irenoeus adv haeres lib. 5. cap. ult Whâ— gathers so much from tâ—â— Similitude of thâ— six days Creation after which six days waâ— the Sabbath that is the day of Rest Hâ—autem saith he est praeteritorum narrâ—tio futurorum prophetia Dies enim â—nus mille annos significabat sicut Scriptura testantur Mille anni ante Dominum sicâ— 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 subsequeturâ— 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 conâ—ummated within the space of six thousand â—ears and then shall follow the true and â—erpetual Rest To these I might add Lactantius in his Seâ—enth Book of Institut Cap. 14. who useth he same Argumentation with Irenoeus Ergo uoniam sex diebus cuncta Dei opera perfecta â—unt per secula sex id est sex annorum milâ—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. 20. De Civitate Dei S. Hieronymus Comment in Mich. cap. 4. Most clear and full to this purâ—ose is Eustath in his Comment in Hexaëâ—eron 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We reckon saith he that the Creation shall â—ontinue till the end of the sixth Chiliad beâ—ause God also consummated the Vniverse in six days and I suppose that the Deity â—oth account days of a thousand years long For that it is said A thousand years are in â—he sight of the Lord as one day Howbeit â—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 anâ— the World hath long outlasted this terâ— according to their Computation who followed the Septuagint or Greek account and recâ—ned that Phaleg lived about the three thoâ—sandth year of the World and had his Naâ— from his living in the division of Time theâ— being to come after him three thousaâ—â— years that is just so many as were past bâ—fore him As concerning the future Condition of tâ— World after the Conflagration I find it tâ— general and received Opinion of the Ancieâ— Christians that this World shall not be aâ—nihilated or destroyed but only reneweâ— and purified So Eusebius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The World shall not be wholly â—stroyed but renewed Divers passages I migâ— produce out of him to the same purpose Cyril of Jerusalem Catech. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He folds up the Heaven not that he might destroy them but thâ— he might rear them up again more beautâ—ful Again Cyril upon this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. So that this Renovation iâ— respect of the Creation shall be such a kinâ— of thing as the Resurrection in reference tâ— 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 21.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This he saith not denoting the Non-existence of the Creation but the Renewing In this manner he expounds Psalm 102.5 6. 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 102. 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 3. IT follows now than I give you an account what the Ancient Philosopher and Sages among the Heathen thought anâ— delivered concerning this Point Two oâ— the four principal Sects of Philosophers helâ— a future Dissolution of the World viz. Thâ— Epicureans and Stoicks As for the Epicureans they held that aâ— the World was at first composed by thâ— fortuitous concourse of Atomes so it should at last fall in pieces again by their fortuitouâ— Separation as Lucretius hath it lib. 5. 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 1. Because it was generated and had a beginning 2. 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 3. 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 â—ometimes with continued Showers and Inâ—ndations To those we may add 4. 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 â—ly on fire They were afraid nè
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. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 caerulâ— ponti Stagnáque tum fluvios fontes Ditémque severum Coelestémque polum coeli quoque lumina iâ— unum Fluxa ruent formâ deletâ prorsus eorum Astra cadent etenim de caelo cuncta revulsâ— 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 alâ— probability be derived down to both from the same Fountain and Original that is from the first Restorers of Mankind Noaâ— 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. â—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. â—he Waters again naturally overflowing and covering the Earth THE First Question is Whether there be any thing in Nature which may â—ove and demonstrate or probably argue â—nd infer a future Dissolution To which I â—swer That I think there is nothing in â—ature which doth necessarily demonstrate future Dissolution but that Position of the â—eripatetick Schools may for ought I know â—e true Philosophy Posito ordinario Dei conâ—rsu mundus posset durare in aeternum Supâ—sing the ordinary concourse of God with â—econd Causes the World might endure for â—ver But though a future Dissolution by Natural Causes be not demonstrable yâ— some possible if not probable Accidents theâ— are which if they should happen might iâ—fer such a Dissolution Those are Four Tâ— Possibility of 1. The Waters again overflowing and â—vering the Earth 2. The Extinction of the Sun 3. The Eruption of the Central Fire â— closed in the Earth 4. The Dryness and Inflammability of tâ— Earth under the Torrid Zone and the Erâ—tion of all the Vulcano's at once But before I treat of these it will not amiss a little to consider the old Argumâ— for the Worlds Dissolution and that is daily Consenescence and Decay which if can be proved will in process of time â—cessarily infer a Dissolution For as the â—postle saith in another case That which â—cayeth and waxeth old is ready to vaâ— away Heb. 8.13 That which continuaâ— wastes will at last be quite consumeâ— that which daily grows weaker and weakâ— will in time lose all its force So the Aâ— and Stature and Strength of Man and â— other Animals every Generation decreasiâ— they will in the end come to nothing Aâ— that all these and all other things do sâ—cessively diminish and decay in all Nature Perfections and Qualities as well as Moral â—th been the received Opinion not only of â—e Vulgar but even of Philosophers â—emselves from Antiquity down to our â—es Plin. Nat. Hist lib. 7. c. 16. In pleâ—m autem cuncto mortalium generi minorem â—dies mensuram staturae propemodum observaâ—r rarosque patribus proceriores consumente â—ertatem seminum exustione in cujus vices â—nc vergat aevum Terra malos homines nunc educat atque pu sillos Juvenal Sat. â—nd Gellius Noct. Att. lib. 3. c. 10. Et â—nc quasi jam mundo senescente rerum atque â—ominum decrementa sunt I might accumuâ—te places out of the Ancients and Moderns â— this purpose but that hath been already â—one by others But this Opinion how general soever it â—as formerly was inconsiderately and withâ—ut sufficient ground taken up at first and â—fterwards without due examination embraâ—ed and followed as appears by Dr. Hakeâ—il's Apology wherein it is so fundamenâ—ally confuted that it hath since been reâ—ected by all considerate Persons For that Author hath at large demonstrated that neiâ—her the pretended decay of the Heavenly Bodies in regard of Motion Light Heat â— Influence or of any of the Elements nâ—ther the pretended decay of Animals aâ— particularly and especially of Mankind iâ— regard of Age and Duration of Strengâ— and Stature of Arts and Wits of Manneâ— and Conversation do necessarily infer aâ— decay in the World or any tendency to Dissolution The only Objection agaiâ— this Opinion is the Longaevity of the Anâ—diluvian Patriarchs and of some also I meâ— the first of the Postdiluvian For immedâ—ately after the Flood the Age of Man dâ— gradually decrease every Generation in greâ— proportions so that had it continued so to â— at that rate the Life of Man had soon caâ— to nothing Why it should at last settle â— Threescore and Ten Years as a mean Terâ— and there continue so many Ages withoâ—â— any further Change and Diminution is confess a Mystery too hard for me to reveaâ— However there must be a great and extrâ—ordinary Change at the time of the Flooâ— either in the Temperature of the Air â— Quality of the Food or in the Temper anâ— Constitution of the Body of Man which iâ—duced this decrement of Age. That thâ— Temper and
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 1. The breaking up the Fountains of the great Deep 2. 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 1. 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. 1.6 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. 1.20 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 2. 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 Spaâ— 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 thaâ— 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 Siâ—uses or else if they were enclosed the Water would stagnate there and make Pools
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 Centeâ— 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. 1.19 And all the high hills that were under the whole heaven were covered and again Ver. 22. 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 thaâ— there must be then more people upon the Earth than now I will propose anotheâ— 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 suppoâ—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 othâ— Marine-like Bodies found at great dâ—stances from the Shores ANother supposed Effect of the Flooâ— was a bringing up out of the Sea aâ—â— scattering all the Earth over an innumerablâ— multitude of Shells and Shell-fish there bâ—ing of these shell-like Bodies not only oâ— lower Grounds and Hillocks but upon tâ— highest Mountains the Appeunine and Alpâ— themselves A supposed Effect I say because it is not yet agreed among the Learned whâ—ther these Bodies formerly called petrifâ— Shells but now a-days passing by the namâ— 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
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 Shellâ— of Echini Spatagi the Arguments the Doctoâ— alledges out of Aristotle and Rondeletius dâ— not evince For though in some Seas theâ— 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 groâ—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 â—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
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. 13. 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 3. 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 1 Thessal 15.2 Revel 3 3. and 16.15 And the Resurrection and Change of Things it is said shall be in a moment in the twinkling of aâ— eye 1 Cor. 15.52 Consonant whereto both the Epicureans and Stoicks held theiâ— Dissolutions of the World should be suddeâ— and brief as Lucretius and Seneca in thâ— places forementioned tell us And it iâ— suitable to the nature of Fire to make a quicâ— dispatch of things suddenly to consume anâ— 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. 24.37 38 39. 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 17. Thessal 5.3 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 4. 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 1. 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 2. 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. 24. 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 21.25 After the Evangelist had told us That there shall be signs