that out of many testimonies a fewe maie bee recited the Prophet Moises beyng a liuely witnesse of this matter hath described the woorke of the creation of the worlde after this maner saiyng Nehem. 9.6 Iob. 2.9 Gene. 1.1 In the beginnyng GOD created the heauen and the yearth c. The Prophetes also followyng Moises maintainyng the same truth doe affirme God to be the creator of heauen and yearth Especially Dauid saiyng Psal 89.11 The heauens are thyne the earth also is thyne thou hast laied the foundation of the worlde and all that therein is Thou haste created the North and the South c. And againe Psal 102.25 Thou hast aforetyme laied the foundation of the yearth And the heauens are the worke of thy handes Thei shall perishe Reade more of this Psal 115.16 Psal 135.6 but thou shalt endure euen thei shall all waxe olde as doeth a garment and as a vesture thou shalte chaunge them and thei shal be chaunged but thou art the same and thy yeres shall not faile c. And as the Prophetes haue made mention of the creation of the worlde Iere. 27.5 and cap. 32.17 Amos. 4.13 Esay 43.5 ca◠45.12 Zacharie 12 Actes 4.24 cap. 24.15 Apoc. 10.6.8 Gene. 7. vers◠19.20.21.22 ◠24. Luke 17.26 so haue thei made rehersall of the consummation of the same Especially Moises in the deluge or the vniuersall floode doeth verie notablie describe vnto vs the type or figure of the consummation of the world And therefore our Sauiour Christe alludyng vnto the same generall destruction by his Euangelist Luke saieth That as it was in the daies of Noe so shall it bee in the daies of the Sonne of man The eate thei dranke the married wiues and gaue in marriage vnto the daie that Noe went into the Arke And the flood came and destroied them all Likewise also as it was in the daies of Lot thei eate thei dranke thei bought thei sold thei planted thei builte But in the daie that Lot went out of Sodome it rained fire and Brimstone from heauen and destroied thē all After these ensamples shall it bee in the daie when the Sonne of man shal be reuealed c. And therefore Christ saieth that the haruest is th ende of the worlde Math. 13.39 Cap. 28 20. And in like maner Beholde I am with you alwaie vntill the ende of the worlde Rom. 8.21.22 1. Cor. 10.11 Reade more Rom. 8.21.22 c. And againe All these thynges were written to admonishe vs vppon whō the endes of the worlde are come Apoc. 21.1 2. Pet. 3.13 Out of all these testimonies whiche I haue hetherto alledged that in the meane season I maie omitte that whiche is written of a newe heauen and a newe yearth this maie be concluded viz. That whatsoeuer God by his holie Prophetes and sainctes hath reuealed vnto the worlde must of necessitie bee iuste and true But he hath taught vs by their Ministerie that the worlde was not onely created by God but also shall hee consumed by hym Therefore wee must beleeue that the worlde had a beginnyng and shall haue an endyng But that I maie omitte many other reasons Aug. in 28. quest in vet Testam that I could alledge for the maintenaunce of the same thyng I will onely alledge the argumētes that Augustine vseth in his 28 question of the newe Testamente whose woordes are these to the vtter confutation of all those that doe affirme that the worlde is eternall The wordes of S. August Res aeterna diuersitatem abhorret cum sit nec tactu nec visu capienda c. That is to saie That thyng whiche is euerlastyng doeth abhorre all cōtrarietie because it can neither bee felt nor sene seeyng that it is without a bodie But the worlde is subiect to passiōs because that water doeth striue against fire and fire if it doe aboūde dooeth ouercome the water And for as muche as the yearth is colde and drie and maie bee burned because it is Res coporalis therefore it is a foule absurditte to affirme that the worlde is eternall c. But lettyng these thinges passe it shall manifestly be proued that this worlde shall perishe and passe awaie if wee doe but consider the partes whereof it doeth consist for doe we not see the yearth to be changed and corrupted Sometymes by the inundation of waters Sometymes by fiers And by the heate of the Sunne And doe we not sée that some partes of the same doe waxe old and weare awaie euen for verie age Doe wee not in some places also read that moūtaines haue falne doune by reason of earth quakes And Rockes haue been cracked and broken so in peeces that by the meanes thereof certaine Riuers haue been as it were dronke vp or els haue had recourse an other waie Also haue ye not read that the seas haue rebounded backe ouerwhelmed whole Cities and vtterly drouned whole Prouinces And what are these strange alterations els but euident argumentes that the worlde shall one daie haue an ende Naie I dooe saie moreouer that if wee will giue credite to the Mathematiques that constitution of the celestiall worlde is not thesame that it hath been in tymes paste for so muche as the Sunne is not so farre distant from vs now as it hath been heretofore So that some dooe affirme that the distance betwéene the Sonne and the earth whiche is the centre of the worlde is lesse now by the fourth part almost then it was in the tyme whē Ptolomeus liued Where hence thei dooe coniecture and gather that the Sūne at this daie is nerer vnto vs by 9976. German miles then it was before Wherefore if there be so greate alteration in the superior worlde what shall wee saie of the inferiour Let this therefore be a forcible argument to proue that the world shall haue an ende for so muche as it doeth waxe old and euery part thereof doeth feele some debilitie and weakenesse For there is lesse vertue in Plantes hearbes then euer was before And more feeble strength in euery liuing creature then euer was before And lesse age in men then euer was before It remaineth therefore of necessitie that shortly there shall be an ende and consūmation of the worlde because it is as it were subiecte to olde age and therefore feeble in euery parte But it is not sufficient for me to affirme that there shal bee an ende but I must also proue the maner of the ende of the worlde whiche shall bee by fire accordyng as it is written 2. Peter 3.7 1. Cor. 7.31 The heauens and the earth whiche are now are kepte by the same worde in store and reserued vnto fire against the day of Iudgemēt and of the destruction of vngodlie men But if ye doe demaunde of me how the heauen that now is and the yerth shal be burned with fire The aunswere is easily made that it shal bee Secundū formam non secundū essentiā
saieth speakyng of certaine signes whiche shall goe before the commyng of Christ to Iudgement Luke 21.25 There shall bee signes then saieth he in the Sonne and in the Moone and in the starres And againe Math. 24. â—9 immediately after the tribulation of those daies shall the Sunne be darkened and the Moone shall not giue her light and the starres shall fall from heauen and the powers of heauen shal be shakeÌ„ Esay 13.9 The Prophet Esay also saieth thus Behold the daie of the lorde commeth cruell with wrathe and fearce to anger to laie the lande waste and he shall destroie the synners out of it For the starres of heauen and the Planettes thereof shall not giue their light the Sonne shal be darkened in his goyng sorthe the Moone shall not cause her light to shine Of this read more Ezechiell 32.7 Daniel 7.13 1. Cor. 15.2 c. Iol. 2.31 Also the Prophete Ioell saieth that the Sonne shal be tourned into darkenesse and the Moone into bloud before the greate and terrible daie of the lorde come By all whiche sondrie testimonies is signified that all the creatures of God as well in heauen aboue as in the yearth beneth whether it be the Sonne the Moone or the Starres or any parte of the hoste of heauen aboue or the yearth beneth shal be as it were summoÌ„s to summon the whole world vnto Christes tribunall feate of iudgement Whiche kinde of Sommons the vngodlie impenitent synners shall euery daie contemne more and more vntill the verie IudgemeÌ„t daie Before whiche tyme bothe heauen earth notwithstaÌ„ding shal after a sorte resemble the countenaunce of an angrie Iudge the rather to stirre vp all wicked synners to repent their vngodlie liues and to tourne vnto the Lorde Beeyng mooued thereunto by these and suche like signes and tokens of Gods wrathe whiche shall euidently appeare vnto all the whole worlde before the ende and consummation of thesame as hath been before declared And then shal thei see the Sonne of manne come in a Cloude with power and greate glorie Wherefore let vs diligently call to our remembraunce whether any of these forenamed signes bee passed yea or no that is to saie whether there haue been many and verie often Ecclipses of the Sonne and likewise of the Moone or whether the Starres haue seemed to fall from heaueÌ„ Or the powers of heauen haue been at any tyme moued or shaken yea or no It can not bee denied but that there hath been of late yeres more wonderfull and straunge sightes seen bothe in the Sonne and in the Moone and in the starres cleane against the order of nature then euer was seen in any age here tofore Haue we not read of twoo Moones that shined at one tyme in the seuenth yere of kyng Henry the first Did ye neuer heare tel of those fiue Moones that shined at once in the seconde yere of kyng Henry the seuenth Haue yee not founde in the Chronicles how that the Sonne hath appeared as red as bloud and so continued the space of sixe howers the laste daie of October in the fiftene yere of Kyng Edward the seconde But to come more nerer to our time haue ye not heard how in the yere of the Lorde 1543. And the xxxv yere of the raigne of king Henry the eight there chanced fower Eclipses one of the Sonne the 24. of Ianuarie and three of the Moone whiche was a marueilous thyng to behold That I maie omit to speake of the strange Eclipses of the Sonne and Moone these yeres laste paste But because I haue hetherto spoken sufficiently of signes and tokens whiche haue been seen in the Sonne and in the Moone for so muche as our Sauior Christ Math. 24.29 doeth make mention also that the Starres shall fall froÌ„ heauen I thinke it moste meete and conuenient for me to speake somewhat of blasing Starres And so muche the rather because at this present so iuste occasion is offered vnto me by the reason of a blasyng Starre whiche did appeare at the firste in the Iudgement of those whiche are learned Astronomers in the signe called Pisces the tenth daie of October 1580. and was left in Aquarius The motion thereof beeyng retrograde contrarie to the common course of other moueable Starres and yet doeth it continue still to bee seen and vewed of all men albeit it doeth not lighten the aire with her glimmering beames and glistring brightnesse so muche as it did at the firste appearyng thereof beyng set on fire by Gods diuine councell and prouidence that by the sight thereof we might be aduertised of after clappes And so to prepare our selues spedely to turne vnto God by faithfull and vnfeigned repentaunce that wee maie bee the more readie to meete hym in the cloudes with ioye at his commyng or els through the hardnesse of our harte whiche can not repent iustly to suffer the bitternesse of his sharpe iudgement and so heape vp as a treasure vnto our selues wrathe against the daie of wrathe and of the declaration of the iuste Iudgement of God Therefore in the title of this treatise I doe tearme this Starre whiche is seene at this present A blasyng starre or a burning Beacon c. set on fire by gods prouidence to warne the whole worlde of dreadfull warres betweene God and those that doe goe on still in wickednesse and will not bee touched and moued to repentaunce And I was partely moued so to name it for this consideration For as in Englande and in moste places of the whole worlde besides Beacons are placed vppon the stipest and highest hills that maie be sene farthest of in tyme of warre and of the inuasion of the enemie into any Nation are night and daie watched and set on fire to signifie and declare vnto the inhabitantes thereof that some greate perill and daunger is nigh Euen so this Comet is as it were set on fire in the height of the aire by the Almightie power and prouidence of our eternall God to the ende that so many as shall behold the same maie be admonished and stirred vp by the consideration therof to auoide suche after clapps by their faithfull repentance as should otherwise fall vppon them in the iuste Iudgement of almightie God Aristotle I am not ignoraunt how Aristotle and diuers other Philosophers dooe define a blasyng Starre to bee but an yearthly vapour somewhat thicke and clammie and fatte in substaunce whiche beeyng drawne vp by little and little from the bowelles of the yearth into the vpper region of the aire nigh to the Sphere of the fierie element is there set on fire and through heate made thinne till it be cleane dissolued c. Whiche opinion of Aristotle albeit it bee thought to bee worthie of credite and subscription in the iudgement of moste Philosophers who with one consent and assent doe agree that blasyng Starres dooe spryng of naturall causes yet notwithstandyng all godlie diuines for the moste part are of
And therefore this maketh moste men to doubt whether the laste straunge sightes whiche were sene in Rome 1580. Ianuarie 18. and in other places the reportes whereof are extante in print to bee sene bee true or no Also in the yere of our Lorde 1551. the 28. daie of Ianuarie there appeared a bloudie rodde and sondrie fearful fires séen in the ayre ouer Lisborne the cheef Citie of Portugall and there it rained bloud also after the whiche followed suche a fearfull yearthquake that about twoo hundred houses were greeuously shaken and throwne doune through the fall whereof aboue a thousande persones were slaine And here also I can not forget to speake of that greate blasing starre whiche was to see to in forme of a Broome or a bundell of roddes whiche appeared in the yere of our Lorde 1531. the ninth of September ouer Mentz a Citie in Germanie whiche did betoken a heauie burthen of Gods vengeaunce not onely to the state temporall but also to Ecclesiasticall persones But to proceade Anno 1551. the 21. of Marche at Madeburge in Germanie about seuen of the clocke in the mornyng seuen Rainebowes and three Sonnes were sene and in the euenyng the same daie thrée Moones Also Anno 1553. was heard a wofull crie saiyng Woe Woe twise together besides the sounde of Belles and the noyse of Trompettes And at the same tyme it happened that at Duryngia the Trees and Hearbes did not onely sweate bloud But fearfull noises were heard also euery night After the whiche Mauricius the Duke of Saxon fought in battell with Alberte of Brandenburge and at the same tyme beyng smitten with a Bullet died the thirde daie after the battell Moreouer Anno 1554. the firste daie of Februarie in the Citie of Catalane in Fraunce there appeared a marueilous sight aboute the Moone like vnto a greate fire arisyng from the Easte part and declinyng towardes the Weste and the Moone it self appeared like to a firebrand in sight And moreouer this fire in th aire did burne with a greate noyse and often tymes did caste forthe flames and sparkes of fire In the like sorte as a hotte burnyng Iron is wont to dooe beeyng beaten vpon a Smithes handuile And the 26. daie of Maie followyng it rained bloud also not farre from the toune of Dunckelspuell in Germanie Also there were seene three faire Rainebowes and so many Sonnes and Moones and two bloudie Crosses And the 11. daie of Iune followyng aboute fiue miles distaunce from Norinberge in Germanie there was sene in the Sonne a bloudie rodde and many companies of horsemen iustlyng together in the aire whiche so did continue for the space of twoo howers in so muche that it caused men greatly to feare that Doomes daie was at hand After the whiche strange sight Frederick the duke of Saxonie died the same yere And after that a notable toune in Germanie was wasted with fire Also in the yere of the lorde 1555. were sene in the Citie of Duringia three Sonnes the tenth daie of Februarie And moreouer at Lunēberge was seene in the aire a greate companie of Souldiers at the right hande of whom there stoode an Aungell holdyng a fierie sworde in his hande and a child was there seen sodainly emongst the people which did earnestly exhort the people generally vnto hartie repentaunce Affirmyng Goddes Iudgementes to bee at hande And when he had thus exhorted the people he vanished sodainly out of their sight and no manne could afterwardes tell where he was become And in the same yere within the boundes of Polonia were heard and seene a greate companie of Dogges barkyng and fightyng together and many of them were torne in peeces After the whiche fighte there followed greate warres and manslaughter betweene the inhabitauntes of Polonia and the Moscouites Also in Duringia the Sonne shinyng cleare there appeared in the aire a bright sworde like vnto a Turkie blade directing the poinct toward the South and the edge towardes the East Moreouer Anno 1557. on the nineth daie of Marche there were sene thre Sonnes and a verie faire Rainebowe and the 17. daie of the same monethe followyng there fell fire from heauen Also in an other place a fierie Globe was sene and it rained bloud in so muche that lumpes of bloud like to the bignesse of a mannes hande did droppe from heauen in the sight of many and in eche droppe were sene certaine figures like to mennes faces And vppon Sainct Laurence daie afterwardes the Sonne appeared all bloudie after the whiche the Frenche Kyng fought a greate battaill with Philip Kyng of Spaine And after that saincte Quintaines was taken c. Also Anno 1558. there appeared a verie fearfull Comet whiche continued burnyng many weekes After the appearance of whiche Comete was seene a straunge sight and no lesse fearfull to behold For the 21. of August the daie beeyng cleare and the weather calme twoo howers before Noone the Sonne beyng then verie clear also was enclosed about with a greate circle whiche was of many colours like vnto a Rainbowe and continued so in sight for fower howers and a halfe to the greate feare and amasement of all suche as beheld thesame And suche a fearfull sight as Plutarche reporteth was sene before the death of Caesar Moreouer Anno 1562. Heauen was sene to burne in many places of Germanie and a celestiall firebrande shined by night in the aire and stretched from the Northe vnto the Southe Also a greate bande of souldiers were seen in the aire whiche seemed to shed muche bloud doune And in the moneth of Aprill following the Sonne appeared maruelous bloudie as well at the risyng as at the settyng and continued so for three daies together Also Anno 1564. and in the sixth yere of the raigne of our gracious Queene Elizabeth the 7. of October at night all the Northe partes of the Element seemed to be couered with flames of fire proceadyng from the Northe Easte and North West towardes the middest of the firmamente where it staied afterwardes for the space of an hower and so descended West Also Anno 1572. and the 15. yere of the raigne of the Queenes moste excellent Maiestie the 18. daie of Nouember in the mornyng a Starre was sene Northward verie bright and cleare in the constellation of Cassiopeia and it semed so straunge as from the beginnyng of the worlde the like was neuer sene for in the iudgement of the moste experte Astronomers and suche as are moste skilfull in the Mathematiques in this our tyme and age that starre which did then appeare vnto our sighte was no Comete but mere supernaturall directly opposite to the Starre whiche appeared at the Natiuitie of our Sauiour Christe and placed in the verie intersection of Aequinoctium Terrestre and therefore maie worthely be tearmed or named a signe vnto the whole yearth As more at large appeareth in a Booke whiche was written by that worshipfull gentleman maister Thomas Digges called Alae seu Scalae Mathematicae where the miracle is by demōstrations