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heaven_n	day_n	earth_n	light_n	7,461	5	6.5502	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15859	Speculum Christianum or, A Christian suruey for the conscience Containing, three tractates of that eminent, graue, and learned diuine, maister Hierome Zanchius. 1. Of the end of the world. 2. Of the perseuerance of the saints. 3. A summarie abridgement of his protections. Englished for the good of Gods church, and for a warning to wicked and impenitent men. By H.N.; Speculum Christianum. English	Zanchi, Girolamo, 1516-1590.; Nelson, Henry, fl. 1614.	1614 (1614)	STC 26121A.7; ESTC S111786	125,039	404

the things that are of God and to refute their reasons it is not worth the labour for wee haue nothing to doe with those Philosophers Others who deny that this world shall once haue an end are certaine Atheists and mockers of things diuine of whom Peter This know first 2. Pet. 3. v. 3. that in the last dayes shall come mo●kers which will walke after their owne lusts and say where is the promise of h●● comming For since the Fathers dy●d all things continue alike from the beginning of the Creation But th●se mens blindnes or madnes rather is refelled by the euident certaintie of the word of God S. Augustine t●m 2. ep 42. ad fratres Mandarenses doth thus dispute Al other things which the Holy Spirit in th● Scriptures by praediction foretold came to passe accordingly as the first comming of Christ the destruction of Hierusalem And the same Spirit in like manner hath foretold of the future end of this world of Christs second comming Therfore certainely it shall come to passe The argument indeed of these mockers doth Peter thus con●ute ver 5. For this they willingly know not that 2. Pet. 3. the heauens were of old and the earth that was of the water and by the wa●●● by the word of God ver 6. Wherefore the world that then was perished ●uerflowed with the water ver 7. But the heau●ns and earth which are 〈◊〉 a●● kept by●he same word in store and reserued vnto ●ire against the day of condemnation and of the destruction of vngodly ●en Thus much Peter The meaning of which words I wil make plaine because those mocking spirits doe endeuour from the continuing state of the world to proue the perpetuitie thereof and doe deride the word of God Peter doth ouerthrowe their argumentation by this reason The world as by the word of God it was of the waters and by the waters so also by the same word of God when indeede it seemed so good vnto the Lord being drowned with the same waters it perished and came to an end and after by the same word of God it was restored againe This Historie was most apparent and a thing most famous and of most certaintie vnto the whole World Therfore by the same Word of God as in the first turne by water so secondarily by fire when it shall so please the Lord it may bee dissolued and haue an end The Lord foretold the future end of the world and that himselfe would come the second time therefore this World must haue an end and the Lord will come For now are reserued these Heauens and Earth vnto fire for the day of iudgement and perdition of the vngodly wherefore from the continuing state of the world the consequence holdeth not That the world is vncorruptible and shall neuer haue end For that also before the Flood it lasted long and yet afrer for all that perished and euen by such things as from whom it had it originall and was supported that is by the waters so by fire an other Element of the World the same world shall be destroyed The third sort who vouch the perpetuity of the world are some who are neither absolute Philosophers which are destitute of the sacred writings neither yet scoffers and contemners of celestiall things but both men fearing God and most expert of holy writ of which kind amongst others was Philo Iudaeus Hee left a boòke written with this Title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ● Of the corruptible state of the world in which treatise he laboureth to make good by sundry arguments that the world is incorruptible But if Philo had in this sence vnderstood the world to bee incorruptible for that neither it should vtterly be dissolued into nothing nor yet changed into a worse estate we likewise would haue condiscended vnto him For we likewise acknowledge out of the word of God the renouation of the world and in the future a new Heauen and a new Earth And so certainely seemeth Philo to haue holden by his explanation whereby he declareth what he meant by the name of corruption For thus he holdeth in the entrance of his booke pag. 645. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For corruption is called an exchange into a better state It is likewise called the totall extinguishing of a thing in being which then necessarily is termed a thing without existence For as of nothing nothing is made that is naturally so neither can nothing be dissolued into nothing Philo had read the Psalmes and Prophets who writ of this matter but if he followed any other ●e●s● the godly Christians doe not accord with him For the testimonies of Scripture are most cleare touching the end of the world Psal 102 In the beginning thou l●●ds● the foundation of the Earth and the Heauens are the worke of thy handes they shall peris● but thou endur●st they 〈◊〉 shall wax● old as doth a garment and as a v●stimen thou shalt charge th●● and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy yeares shall not faile Mat. 5. Til Heauen and Earth shall passe away one iot or title shall not p●rish of thy la● 2. Pet. 3. That day of the Lord shal come as a thi●fe in the night wherein the Heauens shall passe away with a noyse the Elements shal melt away with fire and the Earth and all thinges therein shal be burned Againe the Heauens by burning shal be dissolued and the Elements shal melt away with heat but we looke for new Heauens and a new Earth according to his promise Thus Saint Peter Therefore this first Capitall poynt is to be vouched That this world as in case now it is shall finally come to an end that is be changed into a better condition and God only to be vtterly voyd of all variablenes or change To what purpose then tendeth this doctrine S ● Peter teacheth 2. Eph. 3. Seeing saith hee all these things shal be dissolued what manner of men ought we to be in holy conuersation and duty of piety expecting and ha●ting vnto the comming of the day of the Lord. The Argument is this in effect The Heauen and Earth shall bee renewed at the comming of Christ How much more therefore ought we to be renewed who presse on to meet Christ at his comming Therefore we are to endeauour for a perpetuall renouation and to adhere in heart to God onely who alone is vtterly vnchangeable as for other thinges they ought to be had in contempt because they all shal bee changed and shall all finally haue an end For this purpose out Apostle made mention first of the vanity of this world then he added Now are the last times that is where in is instant the comming of the Lord Christ And why these things that contemning the world and then auoyding those Antichrists we being fortified in the Apostles doctrine might watch and liue sobe●●y and iustly alwayes prepared to go meet Christ at his comming The second Capitall

poynt is whether we can attaine to know when the end of the world shall be It is a case manifest whether wee be all led with a desire to know when the end of the world shall be For this affection euen the Saintes were taken withall the Prophets and Apostles Of Daniel it is manifest in Cap. 12. After that he heard of the Angell that is of Christ touching Antichrist and what thinges should be accomplished in the end of the World hee asked the Lord saying verse 8. O Lord what shall be the ●●d of these things as for the Apostles it apeareth Mat. 24. Act. ● Lord when shal these thinges be Therefore it is a naturall inclination in all to desire the knowledge of thinges to come specially when the end of the world shall be Now the question is whether this can be knowne of vs The Lord Iesus taught that it no way can be knowne when he said Of that day that houre no man Mat. 24 knoweth no not the Angels of Heauen but the father onely knoweth that is the certaine time wherein these thinges by me foretold to you shal come to passe the father only know eth yet in all ages there haue beene some and that in the Church of Christ who haue giuen out it might be knowne some indeed certainely and they haue presumed to determine therevpon a certaine number of yeares such is mans presumption from the first vnto the second comming of Christ others probably and in such sort as that in searching this time they did contend that no great error could follow and therefore they vsed sundry coniectures whereby they assayed to determine in some fort how much time as yet remained vntill the next comming of Christ Although verily there be great difference betweene the ●●merity of the one sort and curiosity of the other yet as the one is vtterly to be disprooued and condemned so the other for my part I cannot giue approbation vnto For true p●ety requireth that we bee certaine indeed that the end of the world shall bee and that the Lord will come but when that is what either day or moneth or yeare or age both it shall be and hee shall come we must of necessity confesse ingenuously our ignorance and that by no meanes it can be knowne according to the doctrine of Christ And therefore according to the Commandement of Christ let vs watch and pray expecting daily and hourly our Lord Iesus Christ being alwayes prepared with our lampes burning with the light of faith and filled with the oyle of good workes to goe out to meet him But let vs now consider what haue beene the iudgements of men touching the time of the end of the world and the comming of the Lord. In the times of the Apostles some there were who said although the day and hower of the Lords comming could not be knowne yet that the day of the Lord and end of the world could not at that time be far off others that this was newly reuealed others said that this was the Apostles doctrine others did endeuour to perswade this by reasons and coniectures but the Apostle did surprise such saying I beseech you 2 Thes 1. euen by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ and by our assembling to him that yee bee not suddenly mooued from your minde nor troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as it were from vs as though the day of Christ were at hand The Apostle teacheth that these Impostors vsed three practises for perswasion that the Lords day was hard at hand First Reuelations for that they certainely know this by the spirit of Reuelation Secondly reasons and coniectures therfore he saith or by w●●● Thirdly counterfet letters and restimonies of the Apostle But what saith the Apostle that yee be not suddenly moued away as though the day of the Lord were at hand for that vnlesse 〈◊〉 departure come first c. hee taught that first there must be a generall Apostasie or as others will haue it a defection of the Roman Empire and Antichrist to bee reuealed with 〈◊〉 Kingdome before the day of the Lord shall come But how long after the comming of Antichrist shall succeed the end of the world and the day of the Lord 100. 1000. or moe yeares the Apostle hath not taught but why for that neither himselfe knew according to that of that day and houre c. Beholde Ma● 24. what was bruited abroad in the Apostles ages euen amongst the beleeuers touching the end of the world And that these men were deceiued the thing it selfe teacheth After the Apostles times there were not wanting euen some who did limit a certain number of yeares vntill the second comming of Christ and end of the world Amongst the prophane Gentiles it was vulgarly bruited as a Diuine Oracle That the Christian Religion after Christ began to be honoured should continue only for the space of 365. yeeres and then presently to haue an end Saint Augustine relateth this Tom. 5. de Ciuitate Dei lib. 18 c. 53 and sheweth how false this was cap. 54. And because after the end of Christian Religion vpon the Earth forthwith an end of the world shall be therfore some Christians perswaded by this Oracle were of opinion That after these 365. yeares were expired presently the end of the world shold be But it is apparant how fouly these likewise were deceiued In Cyprians time who flourished after Christ about the yeare 250. it was credibly held that the end of the world was at hand this is cle●●e out of Cyprians Epistles And which is more in a little Treatise ad For●●natum in an exhortation to Marty●dome if it bee Cyprians in the beginning pag. 244. these words are read Six thousand yeares are 〈◊〉 compleat since the Diuell did impugne man Although the book be not Cyprians yet is it plaine what was the opinion held in the Church with many touching the end of the World at what time this booke was published that is to say That then were 6000. yeares begun to bee accomplished and so consequently the end of the world instantly to draw neere But how fouly they also erred the thing it selfe declareth In Lactantius his time who was famous about the yeere after the birth of Christ 317. what opinion was maintained in the Church 〈◊〉 euident by his Institutions lib. 7. cap. 25. The whole expectation saith he s●●l of the end of the World seemeth not aboue the space of 200. yeares In the time of Augustine Hierome and such others that many were of opinion the end to be hard at hand appeareth by Aug. his bookes To. 5. de ciuit D●● lib. 18. c. 53. he reporteth some to haue determined from the Ascension of the Lord vnto the end of the world 400. yeares others 500. others 1000. But Augustine doth de●ide them all and refutes them by the saying of the Lord Christ Act. ● It is not yours to know the seasons which

Daniel 2. 7. The case thus standeth The foure Monarchies are described so that one doth succeed another The first is the Monarchy of the Chal●eans and Assyrians the second of the Persians the third of the Graecians the fourth of the Romans Those foure Monarchies beeing ruinated that is three of them vtterly desolate and the fourth as into seuerall parts diuided into seuerall Kingdomes Dan. cap. 7. prophecieth That a little hor●e shall arise amongst those ten other former hornes that is one Kingdome more potent and strong then the rest which shall vtter great things c. And when that Kingdome signified by one horne shall come to a consummate power so that it will thinke it selfe to alter times and lawes then presently shall bee the iudgement and Christ to raigne for euer And this horne which shall arise out of the Roman Empire they interpret to be the Turks Kingdome Thus therefore they gather Three Monarchies are vtterly extirpate the fourth Monarchie also is extinct because it is diuided into diuers parts Now the horne that is the Turkish Empire began to break out about the time of Hera●lius ●or at that time Mahome● began to raigne And this Kingdom of Turkes is now welnigh growne to the greatest height he preuailleth against the Saints and in a maner he doth make account that he hath power to change lawes and times When this shal come to passe then shall come the Ancient of daies Therefore the time is but short vntill the second comming of Christ shall be My answere is this If they vnderstand that lesse time now remaineth then before that is most true If also that which is remaining they shall affirme to be very little in comparison of the eternitie of the Kingdome of Christ this like wise wee will assen● vnto as most certainely true But if they should vnderstand a little remainder of time to be behinde that is that there is yet behinde either a hundred two hundred or three hundred yeares c. I say that nothing can be concluded from these places of Daniel which are diuersly expounded by interpreters For that I may follow the vsuall interpretation first he describeth in the second chapter the foure Monarchies and concerning the Empire of the Romans he prophecieth fiue things first hee setteth out the power thereof That verily as iron it should surprise all other Kingdomes then the di●ision thereof that is to say it should be diuided in it self thirdly the crueltie and fiercenesse thereof that without regard of consanguinitie or alliance it should not respect the bands thereof by reason of crueltie fourthly the variable calamities and ruines that is that it should bee afflicted with sundry Massacres and specially intestine or homebred dissensions and warres Fiftly the continuance thereof that although being diuided into many parts as it were ●wo feete into ten fingers it should be broken in peeces in respect the ●eere w●re of clay yet because the plants thereof were of iron it should endure euen to the second comming of the King of Heauen But after that Daniel had thus disputed of the Romane Empire presently he adioineth a prophecle of the Kingdome of Christ I say That Christ should so dai●ely ruinate all those Kingdomes and he alone should raigne for all eternitie And he prophecieth of the double comming of Christ of 〈◊〉 which was in the flesh with the preaching of the Gospell and of that which shall be in glorie And of the first he saith And in the daies of those Kings the God of Heauen shall set vp a Kingdome which shall 〈◊〉 be demolished He doth not say After the daies of those Kings but in the daies of those Kings c. For the Kingdome of Christ was raised 〈◊〉 vp on the Earth when as yet the Romanes reigned and did gouerne the world and endured almost six hundred yeares the Romanes ●●a●ing rule euen vnto the times of 〈◊〉 us and doth still and shall continue euen to the end of the world Afterward hee saith of the second comming of Christ when hee shal deliuer vp the Kingdome to God his father all enemies being put vnder his feet finally whereas thou ●●dst see that the stone cut out of the mountaine without handes doth breake in peeces Iron Brasse Clay Siluer Gold the great God did intimate to the King what should follow after these thinges Thus the Prophet And thus readeth and expoundeth that most learned man Oecolampadius citing withall Saint Hippolitus who saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The stone which shall quell and crush the Image in peeces is Christ who filleth the Earth comming frō Heauen and bringing iudgement to the world But in this place is put downe no praescription of time from the first vntil the second comming of Christ wherefore out of this prophesie which is in the second Chapter of Daniell nothing can bee concluded concerning the end of the world whether it shall bee from that time within a hundred or two hundred or more yeares Although as others would haue it the more sincere explanation of that place would bee if it should bee vnderstood not so much of the vprising of the person of Christ as of his Kingdome and the progresse thereof throughout the whole world vnto the end therof and of the endlesse continuance of the same for so it is interpreted of Daniel himself in the same Chapter But by this tenor what can then be collected touching the definite time of the end of the world the Kingdome of Christ as it was propagated by the preaching of the Gospel throughout the whole earth so likewise withall did it ouerturne the Empire of Rome that is the fourth Monarchy with the Idolatries thereof as also now the Image of that Monarchy the Kingdome of Autichrist it doth and shall continue to ouerthrow to the end of the world vntill it be totally abolished For it is infallible that the end of the world shall not be before the whole Kingdome of Antichrist be abolished as the Apostle teacheth Thes 2. 2. But who is able to determine of the time when the Kingdome of Antichrist shall totally come to an end Hee that can effect the one may likewise performe the other Besides some there bee who would haue the prophesie of Daniel in no case to bee vnderstood of the second but onely of the first comming of Christ and so also that which in the 7. chapter and therefore this to haue beene the counsell or purpose of God to giue signification to Nabuchadnezar what Kingdomes should succeed and which should be the last of all that is the Kingdome of Christ and that to continue perpetually all others being ruinated But how long it should endure vpon the face of the Earth is not heere debated neither that God intended by Daniel to giue notice vnto vs thereof seeing it was not his pleasure no not by his sonne to reueale it According to this interpretatiō nothing can be dēuised more fondly then out of this praediction of

that such like and so sodaine should be the comming of the Son of Man forthwith hee annexeth this exhortation saying Wa●●h therefore for you know not when the Sonne of Man shall come giuing instruction in these words that this is the cause why he would not haue vs know the certain time of the end of the world that is to say That beeing certaine the Lord will come and vncertaine of the time when hee will come wee might continually watc● and pray dayly and hourely being in expectation of him Therefore Augustine saith in Epist ad Hesychium The Lord was willing we should know his first comming for that the knowledge thereof was both necessarie and profitable for vs whereupon the Lord reproueth the Iewes Luc. 12. saying Ye can discerne the face of the skie but doe yee not discerue the day of your visitation for that who doth not acknowledge the first comming of the Lord cannot prepare himselfe for his second comming But he would not haue the day and time of his other comming to bee manifested for that it was not expedient for vs lest verily we should say with the euill seruant Luc. 12. My Master doth deferre his comming so let vs feast and beate our fellow-seruants c. The Lord will not haue vs promise much time to our selues before his comming but dayly to expect him for that hee would haue vs alwaies in a readinesse Therefore in the same chap. Mat. ●4 in the end he addeth saying But if that euill seruant did say in his heart My Master will defer his comming and shal begin to smite his fellow-seruants and shall likewise eat● and drinke with the drunkard● the Lord of that seruant shall 〈◊〉 in a day when hee looketh not and in an hours when 〈◊〉 knoweth rat and shall cut him off and give him his portion with hypocrites there shall be weeping and 〈◊〉 ●f●eeth Now wee perceiue the cause why the Lord would not haue vs know that time certainly for our own saluation lest promising a long time to our selues like those seruants wee should eate and drinke with drunkards c. Therefore praeposterously and contra●ie to the will of God they doe who pamper their belli● and delight in gluttony 〈◊〉 withall doe curiously dispute when the Lord shall returne The fift Capitall branch is touching the signes which are praece●●ne● before the end of the world and the comming of the Lord Christ and of the vse thereof For although wee can know no certaintie concerning the time wherein the Lord will returne for that his will was otherwise notwithstanding sundry signes doe fore-●●nn● the Lords comming and so the end of the world wherby both that the Lord will certainly returne and that hee is not 〈◊〉 distant shall be made manifest to the godly and honest hearted men But I will not recite all these signes only I will point out certaine places of Scripture where these things are to be read Mat. 24. which also are rehearsed Mar. 1● Lu● ●1 so like wise to the same effect L●c. 17. so somewhat of the pau●it●● of the the t●●e beleeuers Luc. 18. Rom. 11. of the calling or conuersion of the Iewes Likewise other things ● Tim. 4. 2. Tim. 3. 2. Th●s 2. But further some certaine distribution of these signes is to be holden some doe runne long before the end of the world and some are more ne●rely praeccdent To the first kinde apper●●ineth that securitie of the men of this age which is portrayed Mat. 24. Luc. 17 and elsewhere As in the 〈◊〉 of Noab c. Againe As it was in the daies of Lot c. Againe herevnto pertaineth that reuolting from the faith which is described ● Tim. 4. The Spirit speaketh euidently that in the last times some shall depar● from the faith c. ●hich also else where is remembred Likewise here vnto belongeth that corrupt state of the world which is painted out by Paul 2. Tim. 3. In the last daies shall perilous times be at hand c. for●en shall bee ●onars of themselues c. Hitherto likewise belongeth that defection or Apostafie and reuolting of the Kingdome of Antichrist which is read 2. Thes ● These signes long ago were begun and that a farre off did fore-runne the day of the Lord and the end of the World and so doe fore-runne continue their course vntill vpon a sodaine the Lords comming shall ouertake vs. But to the other sort which are more neerely praecedent doth belong that mysticall conuersion of the Iewish Nation to Christ which shall come to passe about the end of the World and which the Apostle setteth out Rom. 11. For I make no doubt but that the Apostle speaketh hereof when he calleth this a mysterie Hereunto also appertaine those things which the Lord recordeth Mat. 24. Their shall be signes in the Sunne and Moone and the Starres shall fall downe c. although also there bee difference betweene that signe which is Rom. 11. of the conuersion of the Iewes and those which are read Mat. 24 of the darkning of the Sunne and falling of the Starres c. for that shall come to passe before the Lord commeth but these things euen at his very comming and that shall bee praecedent before the end of the World but these things appertaine to the very end of the world when indeed as it is 2. Pet. 3. said the heauens shall passe away with a noise and they burning shall be dissolued and the Elements shall melt away for I doe beleeue that this renouation of the Heauens and the world is praesignified in those words of the Lord Christ The Sunne shall bee darkned and the Moon shal not giue her light the Stars shall fall from heauen c. Thus much shall suffice of the signes But in this place two doubtes doe arise the first how that can accord which the Apostle writeth Romans 11. of the conuersion of the Iewish Nation about the end of the world with that voice of Christ Luk. 18. When the Sonne of Man commeth shall he finde faith on the earth For if then little faith shal be found in the earth how then shall a full multitude of Iewish people bee conuerted viz. by the faith in Christ Therefore there shal be little and much faith vpon the earth I answere Augustine saith Disting●e tempora c. distinguish the times and the Scripture will accord Those two shall not fall out both at one time but in some distance of time I belieue therefore that these two places may thus hee reconciled first that principal● and last Antichrist which shall come about the end of the world and which shall excell all others in hypocrisie craft power and di●b●●i●●ll sleights for in him as the Fathers testifie shall dwell Sath●●as or all plenitude See D. VVhittakers confutation of this opinion and disallowance De Rom. Pont. pag. 568. of Satanicall malice as in Christ dwelleth all fulnesse of Diuinitie bodily I say that last Antichrist shall subuert all