is more then the space of a Moneth what errour it may growe to by proces of time it is easie by this example to perceiue And so wee must confesse indeede that the olde Kalendare in this poynt hath neede of reformation As also that Cycle or count called the Paschall Cycle of Dionysius Now Lilius in his new Kalendar to restore that Cycle of Dionysius to the right reckoning maketh his counte by hundreths because every 304. yeares which is the space of sixteene Golden numbers one day being added to the Golden number of nineteene yeares supplieth the houres and Minutes of the course of the Moone But this counte by hundreths hath divers imperfectiones Namely because in his Epactes counting by hundreths no exact methode can be observed yea the variety of the course of the Moone can not so formally bee counted thereby as by the Golden number which conteineth lesse space besides that the Paschal tearms aggree not oftimes thereto wheranent you may reade Ioseph Scaliger in the end of his learned woork De emendatione temporum where also he setteth downe a more perfite reckoning by a Table of equall Epactes where-anent because it is hard to be conceived by them that are not wel acquainted with Astronomical reckonings I cease now further to speak Alwaies wee shall vnderstande it is very difficill to finde out ane Cycle that may make an absolute perfite reckoning of the course of the Moone to frame it to anie perpetuall Kalendar Yea as Io. Stoeflere wryteth in his greate Romane Kalendare no Paschall Cycle may exactly comprehend the same Which alwaise is best found out by the Epacts and by the Golden number receiving a juste correction Therefore for the instruction of the common â—orte of men best it is by Astronomicall counte to sette a Table or Almanacke conteining the right reckoning of the course of the Moone for manie yeares either by her midde motiones or by her appearing and true motiones as Io. Stoeflere did for certaine yeares in his dayes In the meane time it shall suffice for a grosse and common instruction of all men to place the Golden number in the Iuliane Kalendare vppon the precise dayes of the change of the Moone as it is nowe set downe in diverse Kalendars For that will serue to declare what daye everie change falleth out and whether it be before or after noone by adding of the letter B. or A. to everie particulare Golden number which maye serue for a long season without anie perceptible variation And who would knowe more exactlie the houres and Minutes of everie Change Full or quarter of the Moone let them gette once by ane Ephemeride or right Prognostication the chaunge of one Moone with the dayes houres and Minutes thereof and counte to the next change twenty nine daies twelue houres and fourtie foure Minutes And from the Change to the Full fourteene dayes eighteene houres and twentie two Minutes And for everie quarter seaven dayes nine houres and elleven Minutes proceeding so farre as you lyste it shall bee the true reckoning of the course of the Moone As to the Paschall Cycle we need not be carefull thereof But take heede to the first full Moone after the vernall Aequinoctium and ever the next Sunday thereafter should be Pasche or Easter day and thereby you may propagate an Almanacke for the moueables Feastes as farre foorth as ye please after the rule of the Nicene Councell But to bee too much curious concerning the observation of those Feastes it is not necessary for true Christians for wee know that concerning the resurrection of Christ which admonisheth vs to ryse in newnesse of life everie seventh daye in the yeare which wee call the Sundaie or Lordes day putteth vs in remembrance thereof And otherwise wee are forewarned by the Apostle Not to be supersititions in observation of times dayes and yeares that wee be not brought in Iewish bondage thereby And againe That no man shoulde iudge vs in Meate or Drinke or in respecte of an Holic-daie or of the newe Moone or of the Sabbothe dayes which were but shaddowes of thinges to come But the bodie is in Christe meaning the substance thereof was accomplished in Christe And wee haue no commandement nor ground out of the Scripture nor any example of Christ or his Apostles for observation of those daies For as to the typical Pasche or Passeover of the Iews it was finished in Christ when he our true Passeover or Paschal Lambe was sacrificed for vs And we as Paule sayeth haue now to keepe a feast spiritually al the days of our life putting away the olde leaven of malice and vvickednesse with vnleavened bread of sincerity and trueth And the other invented Paschetyde or Easter after the resurrection of Christe is but the invention of men how auncient soever it be So that the great contentiones and controversies that followed in the auncient Church for the day wherin the same was to be observed both before and after the Nicene councell are skarsely worthy to be recited And yet Victor Bishoppe of Rome as that seate was ever proude for not observing the same day which he and his adherentes kept did excommunicate al them of the churches of Asia that kept an other day For the which cause the godly Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons justly founde great fault with him Notwithstanding the Church agreeing to the observation of such a day as an indifferent thing in remembrance of the resurrection of Christ there is no necessity to counterfaite the lawe of Moyses in observing the time of the Moone but it may be fixed to a certaine day of the Moneth or else following the full Moone to finde it out after the maner before recited Alwaies our Christian libertye ought not to be prejudged herein And so I make an end SIXT PROPOSITION That there is a certaine merveilous Sympathie and aggreement of Periodes of times in reckoning by seauens and by Sabbaticall yeares And of the manifold mysteries of the number of seaven EVen as God the author and conserver of all things in a comely and decent order hath appoynted an succession and progresse of time for accomplishment of the naturall course thereof so hath hee appoynted certaine periodes and revolutiones of time wherein thinges returne to the same or like estate wherein they were of before So wee see in the motions of the heaven which are measured by time or rather which are the measures of time the Sunne the Moone and the starres to haue their peculiar and distinct revolutiones wherein they accomplish their courses and returne after a limitate and determinate space of time to the places from the which they did departe As the Sunne compleeting his course and revolution in the space of 365. dayes and neere sixe houres or the quarter of an day ascribeth vnto vs that space of time which we cal the yeare which returning in it selfe in Latine is tearmed Annus quasi annulus taking the similitude
manie doubtes wherein writers are involved that haue no regarde thereto and oft-times count by gesse especiallie in reckoning of yeares from the captivitie of Babylon to Christ and the right beginning and ending of the weekes of Daniel whereinto many learned men haue bene greatly troubled laboring by a just count to agree the Histories of times there with which cannot be vnlesse there be certaine weekes of yeares interjected betweene the beginning and ende thereof And thirdly I haue vsed this kinde of Sabbatical reckoning becaus one of the chief purposes that presenttie I haue in hand is to discover the vanitie and ignorance of the Papisticall reckoners concerning their counterfaited yeares of Iubilee by a preposterous imitation of the law of Moyses For the which cause it is expedient to haue the exact knowledge of Sabbaticall years For by them the yeares of Iubilee are reckoned and found out For thus layeth Moysâ—s Thou shalt also number vnto thee seaven Sabbathes of yeares even seven times seaven yeares and the space of seaven Sabbathes of yeares will be vnto thee nine and fourtie yeare Then thou shalt cause to blowe the Trumpet of the Iubilee in the tenth day of the seventh Moneth To witte in the beginning of the fiftieth yeare which was commanded to be hallowed and to be a yeare of Iubileâ— vnto the people But is not so to bee vnderstood that everie Iubilee conteined full fiftie yeares but that fiftie yeare wherein the Iubilee was proclaymed was also the first yeare of the next Iubilee for otherwise the reckoning by weekes of yeares should haue bene confounded and could not bee holden in just counte which is contrary to the minde of the Law-giver And yet the fiftieth yeare by a common Phrase of speaking was called the yeare of Iubilee As the Olympiades of Greece albeit they conteined but the space of foure yeares are called by Pindarus and other Poets the spectacles or vassallages of fiue yeares because they returned everie fift yeare And we commonly call the space of an week eight daies albeit it conteineth but seaven So it is evident that the right count of Iubilees proceedeth from everie 49. to other 49. yeares Now let vs considder the bastard Iubilees begotten and feyned by the Popes of Rome wherevnto they haue no respecte to Sabbaticall yeares whereof Iubilees as the law required are made vp But Pope BONIFACE the S. Pope of that name the first father and inventer thereof in the yeare of Christ 1300. tooke the whole compleit number of everie hundreth yeare conteining twise fiftie for his Iubilee And CLEMENT the 6. reduced the same to everie fiftie yeare compleete And after him PAVLE the 2. to everie 25. yeare And finallie IVLIVS the 2. to everie tenth yeare Ever diminishing the yeares to augment their Antichristian superstition and the vent of their vngodlie wares So vnstable and changeable is the estate of that vsurped Kingdome This then is the first errour of those counterfaited Iubilees concerning the times of the appoyntment thereof That they are nothing like in reckoning to the Iubilees of the Lawe which those Apish juglares pretend to imitate And as concerning this 1600. yeare from the Nativitie of Christ whether wee count by the number date of these yeares or by the yeares from the beginning of the Worlde it will neither be found a Sabbatical year nor yet a year of Iubilee For dividing 1600. by seavens it leaveth 4. odde yeares remaining ouer 228. weeks of yeares And dividing againe this quotient by 7. it leaveth 4. od weeks of years aboue and attour 32. Iubilees The like may be also found if we shal divide the whole yeares from the creation of the world to this present For 5548. being parted by seavens leaveth four odde yeares And the quotient againe which is 792. being divided by seavens after 113. Iubilees leaveth one od weeke of yeares And so the appoynted times of these new-invented Iubilees are no-wise rightlie reckoned to counterfaite the Iubilees of the Law The second greater errour is that they make their reckoning from a wrong ground to wit from the Nativitie of Christ wheras if any such reckoning were to be made it shuld be taken from the yeare of the suffring death of our Saviour Christ to the which Daniel reckoneth his Sabbaticall yeares For thereby Christ accomplished the true Iubilee putting ende to all the preceeding figuratiue Iubilees purchasing vnto the faithful ful libertie and remission from the Spirituall debt of sinne which was signified by the freedome and libertie graunted by the Iubilees of the Lawe And the Popes pretend to doe the like by their blasphemous indulgences and Pardones which is the thirde and worst errour of all So that others might be borne with if this followed not But when the substance the Satanicall inuention and false ground wherevpon these Iubilees are set vp is truly considdered There is no-well instructed Christian hart but must needes abhorre the impietie and abuse thereof And first let vs make a conference betweene these the olde Iubilees of the Iewes The year of Iubilee of the Iewes was called the yeare of remission because in it all debtes were remitted and the Landes that were solde returned to their former owners These thinges had the expresse commandement of God for their warrant The Papisticall Iubilees haue no ground of the word of God but haue bene latelie invented but 300. yeares agoe by Pope BONIFACE the 8. a man of extreame arrogancie and crueltie as a tryumphe of his pride when the Popedome was at the hight of tyrannie This was also he that set out the Sext booke of Decretales of the Cannon law and as is testify ed in his life regisirate in the same booke he obtayned the Papacie by wicked deceit and circumvention of one CELESTINE a simple man The pretence of this BONIFACE in the first institution of his Iubilee was vnder colour to dispense his Pardones but indeede to make manie people resort to Rome Princes Great men to adore the beast and kisse his filthy feete For it is reported in the Historie that there were gathered thereby vnto Rome such a multitude of people that hardly might men passe through the Cittie and ruipes thereof albeit being most large The Iubilees also in the policie of the people of Israel were institut for weightie causes and for a great benefite For besides that they figured our Spirituall libertie which we haue by Christ and were an instigation to the people more diligently to Sanctifie their Sabbathes by them also the fieldes and possessiones of everie man were reserved to their heires The licencious libertie of prodigall sellers and the avarice of greedie buyars was restrayned because they behooved to restore that which they had bought at the yeare of Iubilee The Papistical Iubilees to the contrarie are institute for no good cause but superstitiouslie to maintaine the pride and avarice oâ— the insatiable Courte and corrupt Church of Rome and to cause men
those ages now coÌ„pleetly passed by our reckoning before this 1600. yeare of Christ fiftie hundreth yeares which make 55. ages And we are now in the 56. age and at the 48. yeare thereof which may well be called an age of the decaying and fading worlde not onely because it appeareth to approche neere vnto the worlds end but also by reason greater mutatioÌ„s alteratioÌ„s are likely to fal out therein both in the visible heavens the earth other elements then in other ages before whereof I intend to speake more largely afterward But to intreat of particular accidents that fel out in the former ages it pertayneth to a more large discourse FOVRTH PROPOSITION That in our time the signes and revolutions of the heauen are changed and remooved from the olde accustomed places And therefore the vulgar Prognosticatorâ— are in an error And of the way to reforme the same LIke as I haue travelled heretofore by Sabbaticall reckoning to deduce finde out the perfite count of the yeares of the world how long it hath continued vnto this instant 1600. yeare of Christ And there with to discover the erroneous reckoning of the Papisticall Iubilees and their impieties So now might I enter into an other kinde of reckoning which is called Astronomicall gathered by the course and revolutiones of the Heaven the Sunne the Moone and the Starres For as the Sabbaticall reckoning whereof I haue spoken hath the grounde out of the Scriptures and worde of God So this Astronomicall count hath also the original out of the same And as thereckoning of Sabbathes and Sabbaâ—icall yeares beginneth at the seaventh daye of creation when God rested from all his workes so this Astronomical calculation hath the beginning froÌ„ the 4. day of creation when as God made those heavenly lights and placed them in the lyft of heaven not only for that cause that they should shine giue light vpon the earth separating the day from the nightâ— but also to be for signes and for seasons of times dayes and yeares that is by their motions and revolutions to distinguish times and seasons and therewith to signifie certaine effects following vpon their courses and motions So that thereby we may learne the difference of times and make distinction of the partes thereof as of yeares monethes dayes and of all seasons and appointed diettes Without the knowledge and reckoning whereof there should be nothing but extreame confusion in all the actions of men For neither could the memory of things by past be kept norrespect had of things to come nor the progresse of time be numbred without the same were defined and measured by the motion of these heauenly bodies and namely of the Sunne and Moone For the Sunne by his most equall and simple motion is as a most perfite rule to vs to appoynt and measure the yeares and seasons thereof The Moone also by her shorte motion to measure and distinguish the Monethes of the years So there is no more perfite way to measure the yeares of the World then by the course of the Sunne the Moone and the Starres which everie one haue their juste periodes of time within the which they compleit their courses revolutiones the which albeit they appeare sometime vnequall to vs that dwell on the earth yet they are most equall constant in themselues But because I think I haue prooven sufficiently already both by Sabbaticall and by Historicall reckoning the just count of the yeares of the World to our dayes I thinke it not necessarie in this short Treatise to set downe the Astronomicall reckoning al-be-it it would ratifie and confirme our former count For it should be both long-some tedious to them that are not well grounded in Astronomie and peradventure over difficill to be taken vp Therefore I refer the same to a more ample worke In the meane time by reason of the great errour I see fall forth among the vulgare Prognosticators for wronge taking vp of their groundes in judging the face of the heaven the weather and other accidents and influences thereof I haue thought good to discover their errour that they may amend the same and others be no further deceived by them But first I would informe them to amend their errour also that deny the heavenly influences to be effectual because the predictions of such as commonly set out the vulgare Prognostications oft-times take not effect I say these men declare them selues very ignorant in naturall Philosophie and are convict by experience and ensample of such things as daily fal out by vertue of the heavenly influences Yea by the Scripture it self Namely in Iob where the Lord himsele maketh mention of the pleasant influence of Pleiades which is the pleasant spring-time of the year when the Sunne commeth to those starres For these influences not onely make the earth to fructifie but also worke a great varietie in the seasons of the year so that they are not like one to another nor to themselues every yeare in many thinges And many evident signes are founde in the motiones configurations and interchangeings of the courses of the heavenly light where by men who are expert in divine science of Astrology may gather and conjecture many things to fall out not onely in the aire but also in the naturall inclination of earthly creatures For for that cause the eternall God appoynted them in the beginning not onely to shine and shew light vnto the world but also to be for signes of things to come as it is testified in Genesis So that by the great providence of God three excellent benefites are communicated to men by these heavenly bodies The one is to shine and giue light vnto the Earth The seconde to distinguish times dayes and yeares The third to forewarne men of many things profitable for this life not that wee should thinke that all things can be fore-told thereby or that the starres haue force to mooue the minds and willes of men as it were by constraint to this or that For this science hath certaine limittes and boundes over the which it ought not to be drawen For as the chiefe author in this arte Ptolemee himselfe affirmeth that part of Astrologie which is called Iudiciar exceedeth the weaknesse of mens apprehension which is aggreeable to that which God by his owne wordes objected vnto Iob in the place before cited saying Knowest thou the statutes of the heaven canst thou set downe the ruling thereof in the Earth And besides this obscure knowledge of the heavenly influences there are supersticious observations vsed by many in the artificial setting vp of the figure of the heaven applying the same without any sufficient natural cause or reason to every purpose which I for my parte altogether improoue coÌ„demne And yet it followeth not hereof that this divine science should be allutterly rejected or contemned as many that be ignorant of it do For by it many profitable things ar knowen which some for
the vtilitie of men edifie and namely for instruction of Physitiones labourers of the ground Sea-faring-men and other travellers observers of times to knowe and fore-see the falling out of windes tempest and other accidents of the aire and for releeving of infirmities of mens bodies by knowing the right times of applying medicines according to the dispositions of the complexions and humours over which the Moone is knowen by experience to haue great dominion For if it be granted as we know it is to certaine foules of the aire and beastes of the earth to fore know and feele the mutationes of the aire and tempestes to come how should we altogether denie fore-knowledgs to be graunted to men to conjecture of these accidents having reason judgement and experience to lead them thereto not as to come by absolute necessitie for God is aboue all second causes may stay them when he pleaseth but by probable reasones and appearance And yet I confesse that men of no evill inclination are mooved to haue those Astronomicall predictiones in greater contempt because of the errour and ignorance of many professores of this science and namely of such as set foorth the vulgare Prognostications that are yearely to be sold abroade For when the common sorte of men see that the accidents fore-tolde by them as namely concerning the mutationes of the aire fall not out according to the judgement of such Prognosticators they suppose the fault which is in the ignorance and evill-taking vp of the men to be in the science it selfe as though there were no probable certaintie in Astronomical predictiones But as it followeth not if an ignorant Physition kill a man when he professed to heale him that therefore no man should vse medicine so the vnskilfulnesse of the professor is no good cause to derogate authoritie to this divine science if it be lawfullie vsed and reteined within the right boundes Now because I perceiue one of the chiefe causes of the errour of those coÌ„moÌ„ Prognosticators to be that they take not rightly vp the grounds of their coÌ„jectures but follow the old rules of the Chaldeans Arabians and others auncient authors in that science which serue not for our dayes and time For the doctrine of the signes and houses of the heauens and placing of the Planets thereinto with their triplicities mutuall qualities in their applicationes and joyning with the fixt starres which served for the former ages cannot now serue nor be sufficient to ground solide conjectures vpon for they are altered and changed For the which it is to be vnderstood that the auncient out-letters of this science who divided the whole arche of the Zodiake in twelue equall parts and into twelue signes For that time considdered the qualities of every signe depending vpon the nature qualities of the sixt starres that were in such a signe so that when any of the Planets come to the stars or had aspect thereto they caused the alteration of the aire according to their naturall qualities and other accidents to fall out beg inning at the signe of Aries and so counting consequently from the Spring-time Aequincctium throughout the rest of the signes At which time the entring of the Sun in the Aequinoctiall poynt was iâ— the beginning of the signe of Aries of the eight sphere or not farre distant from the first starre of that signe which they peradventure thought to bee vnchangeable But by processe of time and experience it is found that the Aequinoctial poynt is moveable flitting and remooving back-wards contrary the order of the signes and the fixed starres that were in the signe of Aries remooued forwarde In so farre that from the first observation of the heauenly motions when the beginning of the signe of Aries aggreed in position situatioÌ„ with the first star of that signe in the 8. spheare vnto our dayes counting in the midde-motion of the Aequinoctial to witte to this 1600. yeare of Christ the fixed starres of the signe of Aries that were some time in the beginning thereof at the Acquinoctial poynt are now distant more then twenty seaven degrees and fifteene minutes from that poynt fore warde or rather the Aequinoctial poynt is slipped backe from them and preventeth their course in the motion of the heavens And so the stars that were in the signe of Aries of olde are now counting from the Aequinoctial point for the most part in the signe of Taurus they of the signe of Taurus in Gemini and so consequently of the reste Notwithstanding of this difference the common setters out of Prognostications and also the Mediciners in giuing of their medicine mak their counte after the olde maner as the signes were woont to be reckoned nearer to the poynt of the Vernall Aequinoctial where vpon followeth this errour that the signes taking their nature and properties from the fixed starres and having now changed their place render other influences to the aire and earth them they did of before So that they which sometime were hoat are now become colde and they that were drye humide and by the contrary cold hote and humide drie And so no certainty can folow to know the mutatioÌ„s of the aire or other accideÌ„ts thereby neither can the placing of theÌ„ in the twelue houses of the heaven after the old reckoning nor the compting of their triplicities or aspectes by that calculation be right and consequently all that is builded â—herupon by out common Prognosticators falleth to the ground and can haue no solidity So that it is no marvell albeit they erre in their predictions for the most part As to the cause of the prevention of the Aequinoctial and concerning the inequall variation thereof because it belongeth to a more subtil ample discourse for the present I leaue it Only to speak some what of the remedie of this errour in reckoning which falleth out by not-taking-heede to the anticipation of the Aequinoctial poynts In my opinion I think there may be two waies to remeid the same The one is to reckon and calculate the signes according to the eight spheare and fixed starres being therein as they were reckoned of old in the daies of Ptolemee not having respect to the vernall Aequinoctial poynte Albeit in describing the generall disposition of the year respect may be had thereto and likewise to the reste of the tropike poyntes and fixed starres being therein for the time with the configurationes of the Planets and the conjunction or opposition of the Lights being nearest vnto the same The other way is not far differeÌ„t froÌ„ the former that is without respect of the signes of the ninth spheare to begin to reckon at the twentie seuen degree fifty one minutes of Aries as if it were the first degree this present yeare and as the Moone flitteth her Mansiones froÌ„ the Aequinoctial poynt hereafter to follow the degree of the Zodiake where shee bâ—gouth her first Mansion and so to proceed with the rest
gathered the revpon with sobrieâ—ie of inquisition For our Saviour Christ himselfe in an other place willeth his Apostles to take heed when they shall see Ierusalem besieged with souldiers for then they shuld vnderstand that the desolation thereof was nere And againe as it is in an other Evangelist When ye shal see the abhomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet standing in the holy place Then let him that readeth meaning him that readeth the Prophecie considder And thereafter he giveth his Disciples a signe Saying learne ye the similitude of the Figge-tree when her bough is yet tender and bringeth foorth leaues ye know the Summer is neere So likewse yee sayth he when ye see all things which I haue foretold know that the Kingdome of God is neere euen at the doores With many other sayings to the like purpose Where hee vnderstandeth by the Kingdome of God his spirituall Kingdome and not as the Apostles in their question meant of a Temporal Kingdome For he came not to restore any such Kingdome Likewise Daniel and the rest of the Prophets are oftimes warned to marke the times when such things as were reveiled to them should come to passe And Iohn in his Revelation to write the same And expressely in Daniell wee haue set downe the periode of time whereof was spoken in the first proposition of the standing of the policie of the Iewes after the captivity of Babilon to wit of those 70. weekes which were prefixed to that people and to their cittie of Ierusalem to stand Now this space of 70. weekes of years set down by the Angel in Daniel for the time of the standing of the common-wealth of the Iewes after the restauratioÌ„ thereof so that thereafter it should come to a determinate desolation being a greate periode of time about 500 yeares to wit 490. yeares appeareth plainly by a certaine fatal lawe appoynted and determined by God to bring to all other kingdomes and great Empires a merveilous mutation as is evident and founde out by aggreemente of many examples not sticking vpon the precise daye nor year but about or neere such a revolution of time either kingdomes fall and are turned vp side downe or else are transferred and changed from their former estate in other newe formes for the moste parte And also other most notable accidentes fal out in the world both concerning the estate of the Church and earthlie policies either about such a time I saye which I call the great or more periode of 490. yeares conteining 70. weekes of yeares that is the space of ten Iubilees or else about the halfe space thereof which I call the lesse periode conteining 35. weekes of yeares and fiue Iubilees that is 245. yeares which is the space of the blast of everie trumpet reckoned by IOHN in the Revelation So that hereinto also the reckoning by seavens and by Sabbaticall years bringeth out a great sympathie and agreement to count the changeing of times thereby of the which I haue thought good here to shew many examples And first we do finde in the Scriptures and concerning the estate of the Church of God and of the olde Worlde that in the first halfe periode of time to witte about 245. yeares after the creation after the birth of Enosh the name of the Lord begouth to be called vpon that is the hearts of the godly begouth then to be mooved to restore the purity of religion which by Cain and his wicked seed before had bene suppressed About the end of the second great periode of time to wrtte from the creation 987. yeares Henoch was translated by God from this mortal life to immortalitie to coÌ„fort the faithfull of that age confirme them against the vngodlines of the world in hop of the general resurrection About the end of the third great periode when fell out in the 1470. yeare from the creation the world begouth vniversally to be corrupt when the seede of the godly begouth to be mingled with the vngodly For the which cause within the half period of time therafter God in his just judegmeÌ„t destroyed the whole race of man-kinde except Noah and his familie by that feareful invndation of waters Not many yeares after the fourth great period which ended in the 1960. yeare of the World was Abraham called out of his natiue cuntry by God to whom and his posteritie God promiseth the Land of Canaan that in his seede al nations should be blessed From the promise made to Abraham to the departing of the Isralites out of Aegypt we know were 430. yeares to the which adding 60. yeares of the former age of Abraham they will make out the fift great periode So that the next yeare after the departing of the people out of Aegypt to possesse the Land of Canaan will compleite the same which falleth in the 2450. yeare after the â—â—â—ation of the world We do know likewise that froÌ„ the departing out of Aegypt to the building of the teÌ„ple by Solomon ar 480. yeares which lack only 10. or 11. years of an other just great period For the sixt great period from the creatioÌ„ endeth in the â—940 year of the world which was the 15. yeare of the raigne of Solomon neere the time of the dedication of the Temple The seventh great period by exact calculation commeth justly to the yeare of the Worlde 3430. which was the first year of Cyrus wherein the people of the Iewes were delivered from the captivitie of Babylon in the which yeare there was a great concurrence of Sabbathes and Iubilees as was shewen before And if we wil count forward from this yeare we shall finde the eight great periodes to extend to the 3920. yeare of the world which is but 28. yeare before the birth of Christ. So wee see and gather by the Scriptures howe about the ende of these great periodes of 490. yeares or 70. weekes of yeares mentioned by Daniel greate accidents fell out in the Worlde and amongst the people of God even from the beginning vnto the birth of Christ. We shall finde also that about the space of one of these great periods the people of Israel were ruled by Iudges and thereafter about the like space by Kings And so long lasted the restored policie of the Iewes And to come to profaine histories many the like periodes of Empires and Kingdomes and great mutations may be founde out and commonly the greater dominions haue the more suddaine changes according to the saying of the Poet Summisque negatum stare diu It is not granted to highest things to haue long standing Concerning this matter we read of the Philosopher Cratippus that he being demanded by Pompeius after that hee was vanquished by Caesar at the fielde of Pharsalia If there were any divine providence seing that he who had the more just cause was so over-come The Philosopher answered that there were certaine fatal periodes of Empires whereby then the common-weale of Rome
in all ages periodes of time the beginning of the Preaching of the Gospell yet continue in ouâ— daies For the end is not yet come And the estate of the Church is like to the selfe almost in all ages But by the blowing of the seaven trumpets alluding to the Iubilâ—es of the lewes we vnderstand the particular estate of every periode of time since the first Preaching of the Gospel as partly was declared before Of the which periodes wee are now into the seventh and last to wit in the beginning thereof which hath affinitie and similitude with the ende of the former sixt periode and blast of Trumpet Therefore ceasing now to make discourse in particular of the first foure blasts of the Trumpet wherin the first plague of haile fyre mingled with bloud doth signifie a certaine vnmeete temperature of colde and heate of men in receiving the Gospell with mingled bloudy persecution of the tyrantes of the earth And the seconde of the burning mountaine cast into the sea may signifie the greate persecutor Diocletian being last of these emperors with his fierie rage against the wavering multitude of christians of whoÌ„ the third part were either destroyed or yeelded to his tyrannie The third truÌ„pet likewise making mention of a greate star falling from heaven doth properly signifie Arius who with his bitter heresie against the divinity of the Son of God infected the pure fountains of the word of God And wher it is said that at the blaste of the fourth trumpet the third parte of the Sunne the Moone and Starres were smitten Wee vnderstand the light of the pure Gospel with the Ministers therof to haue bin in a great part obscured in that foure periode of time Of these things I say I wil not nowe intreate in particular but come to the last three blastes of trumpet conteining three woes that is three more fearefull plagues then the former So commeth the fift blast and first woe about the 1051. yeare of Christ wherein a greate starre falleth from heaven to whom was given the â—eye of the bottomlesse-pit out of the which arose a great and dark smoke and out of the smoke Locustes which are described at length in the text This starre I take vndoubtedly to signifie the Pope with his feyned keyes whereby he pretendeth to haue power to hinde louse not only in the earth but also to deliver mens soules out of Purgatorie with the smoke of false doctraine and the â—ocustes to signifie his corrupted Clergie and swarmes of Cloysters who are set foorth with their liuely colours properties that no man can deny to agree wel vnto them This star may also signifie Mahomet that false prophet with his corrupted Alcoran and 〈◊〉 of his secte Alwaies the remanent of this first 〈◊〉 â—et troubleth the world albeit this Antichristiâ—â— and Papisticall kingdome in a parte hath gotten a great fal Therefore we come to the sixt trumpet which begouth to be blowen about the year of Christ 1296. wherein the foure Angels were loused from the floud Euphrates which is most conveniently interprete of the four great Mahometane nations comming from the East to witte the Arabianes Saracenes Turkes and Tartarianes with the infinite number of their Horsemen ay ready for battel with a furious and fyrie rage namly that bloudy Nation of the Turkes who now hath the dominion over the rest and over a great parte of the Earth This is the second woe whereof this day still we haue experience IOHN therefore sayeth hee saw these horses long before in a vision with them that sate vpon them having fyerie habbergeons and of Iacynth brimstome that of the fyery smoke brimstone the third part of men were killed which may wel signifie their goodnes artillery by the which devillish inventioÌ„ a great part of men of the world are daily murthered shutt out at their mouthes fyered at their tayles This plague then being one of the last plagues signifyed also in powring out of the sixt Viole vpoÌ„ the great river Euphrates to dry it vp that is to take away all impediments to giue place in the wrath of God to the kings of the East to invade Europe ceaseth not this day to continue is appearant to continue with great rage this instant 1600. yeare certain years hereafter concurring with the threatning signes of the heavens whereof I haue already spoken And the cause thereof is evideÌ„t Because as it followeth in the text The rest of men which are not already killed by these plagues repented not of their workes of their hands that they should not worship divels Idoles of God and of silver of brasse and stone and of wood which neither can see neither heare nor goe expressely damning the Papistes which yet remaine in their Idolatrie As also these repenteth not of their murthering of the Saints of God nor of their sorceries neither their fornications nor of their thieft In the which they and other feyned Christians amongs vs still are involved For the which causes followeth the third last woe with the blast of the 7. trumpet which begouth to blow about the 1541 year of Christ. But before this last woe fal out the Lord by the Angel of his covenant Iesus Christ of his great goodnes offreth to the world the book of his new Testament willeth the same to be preached by his Ministers with that to our great coÌ„fort the true church is measured the elect ar marked so that Satan the tyrants of the world caÌ„not hinder their salvation TheÌ„ finally commeth the last plague woe vpon infidels impenitent sinners suddenly vnlooked for when they with then head the divell shall passe with manie woes vnto everlasting torment but this shal not be till the second woe be vtterly consumed past with the dependances therof which aâ— signifyed in the seaventh blast by a wounderfull great Earth-quake with lighenings and voyces and thundrings with much haile The like whereof is repeated in powring of the seavent viole of Gods wrath where it is said also that the hail was great like talents that fell out of heauen vpon men so that thâ—y blasphemed God because of the plague of the haile it was so great By which figures the Spirite of God will vtter vnto vs the great destruction of his enemies with such as hold stil the beasts mark haue no grace to repente in these last daies For of before the thundring of Gods word called all men to repentance and to obedience of the Gospell with an amiable and loving voyce But now finally such as will not come out of Babylon nor repent their wicked lines by Gods just judgement are threatned with an other kinde of thundring to witte with horible punishmeÌ„t alluding by these similituds to the over throw of Sodome to the words of the Psalmist where he saieth vpon the wicked God shal raine snares fyre
bee lovers of themselues boasters proude cursed speakers dissobedient to Parentes vn-thankfull vn-holie vvithout naturall affection truce-breakers false accusers intemperat fearce despisers of them which are good Traitours heady high-minded lovers of pleasure more then of GOD hauing a shew of godlinesse but denying the power thereof Turne away therfore sayth he from such Surely if ever there was any time since the beginning of the world or any age where-into such corruptions and maners of men abounded this may bee holden the principall wherevnto charitie is waxed could and all kinde of iniquity waxed hoâ—e and hath full libertie And albeit the Apostle in this place by the last times meaneth in a manner the whole estate of Christs kingdome that was to follow his dayes yet the nearer the Sunne draweth to an ende the more danger and greater troubles no doubt were to ensew For as Christ himselfe doth forewarne vs In these latter dayes shall aryse warres and tumultes of warres famine pestilence persâ—cution for the Gospell with other calamities and inconveniences which fall out against mens bodies but the corrupt and evill maners of men also should infect the soules of those that bee not ware with them and that which is worse the Apostle here meaneth not only that such vices shal reign in these latter times amongst the vngodlie and enemies that are without the Church but even of domesticall professoures with the same that would be reckoned amongst the members of his Church for GOD will haue the same so exercised that she shall be subject to beare albeit not to foster such pestiferous corruptions within her bosome for which cause we haue al great neede in these daies of this fore-warning that wee should learne in time to beare patientlie our estate and to eschew the evil example of those men who are now mingled amongst vs whose companie is declared to be the more dangerous that he shewed that such men polluted with so manie erroneous faults should neverthelesse professe outwardlie and haue a shew of godlinesse for so is the nature of Hypocrites to cloke their sinnes with extreame impudencie Of such sorte were the Pharisees of old and in our time the filthie Papistical Clergie and over-manie of those who pretend aye reformed Religion For the Apostle here maketh a catalogue of such signes as appeare not outwardlie incontinent but lurk and are hid vnder a certaine feined holinesse For where shall wee finde an hypocrite but he is proude a lover of himselfe and contemner of others yea fearce cruell and deceitfull but fo hee will not appeare to mens eyes vnlesse he be more narrowâ—ie espyed by them that haue the spirit of discretion to know them by their fruits Of these Hypocrites the Apostle Paule in his other Epistle to Timothee giveth two examples which hee declared also shall be in the latter dayes wherein some shall departe from the faith taking heed to deceivable spirites yea teaching devilish doctrine to witte forbidding mariage and commanding to abstaine from meates which God created and ordained to bee received with thanks-giving Noting in speciall besides vther heretickes the Papistes with their superstitious decrees wherby they binde the consciences of men with these two errovrs many vthers contrarie to the libertie of the Gospel persecute by fyre sword true Christians that wil not assent to their devilish decrees therefore wee may well conclude these are the dangerous dayes whereof Paule meant and that the faithfull haue great neede to take heede to them selues And by all appearance this same present yeare of Christ 1600. with certaine fewe yeares immediatly following are like to be yeares of great troubles to the Church of God and persecution intended by the Papisticall tyrannie against all true professoures of Gospell wherein they may be able to invade as may witnesse that late League made in Ferrar at the mariage of the King of Spaine and that mis-made Cardinal Albertus Arch-duke of Austria celebrate by Pope Clement the eight which hath bene interprysed to be begunne and to take execution in some parts of Almanie and of the Low cuntries and great vowes and preparationes made as we heare not onely against those cuntries but against this Ile of Brittaine and inhabitantes thereof the which the Lorde in his mercie turne to the confusion of the interprisoures thereof as he did before And giue vs grace that wee may with watching and prayer depend vpon his majestie trustling and waiting for his deliverance occupying the time and ocasion offered to vs of peace and quietnesse in such sorte that suddane destruction apprehend vs not before wee beware according as wee haue bene forewarned of our maister Christ and of his Apostle Peter declaring that his latter comming to iudgement shall be as in the dayes of Noah when as they were eating and drinking marying and giuing in Mariage vnto the day that he was entred into the Arke and then came the floude and destroyed them al. So shall the comming of the Sonne of man be sayeth he We see now the worlde is in as great and greater securitie then it was then and al the sins that reigned theÌ„ in the world abouÌ„d now more then they did Therefore the sinnes that we reade of them of that age were two in speciall the one was the vnlawfull conjunction in mariage of the children of God or the faithfull seede with the cursed posteritie of CAIN and that there were then Gyants in the Earth to witte mightie oppressoures vsurping â—yrannicall dominion over men such as was not seene in the worlde of before And haue wee not these and manie moe greater sinnes and enormities raignning at all libertie in our dayes for who now seeketh allyance of mariage with the Godlie for vertue or Godlinesse cause But be they Godlie be they vngodlie the first question is what may they spend how much men may giue with their daughters as to tyraÌ„ny oppressioÌ„ was there ever greater since the world stood But besides these specials kindnes fidelitie and loue true feare of GOD which is principal where be they to be founde But in place thereof craft doublenesse deceite insatiable greedines and such other sinnes as was recited before and prophecied by PAVLE beare the swinge in such sorte that it is marvell howe a common societie can stande anie longer amongst men And if this were onelie amongst the Romane sorte of prophane menne it were more to be borne with but even they who will be in account haue place in the Church of God are no better for the most part And to cease now to speake in particular of other forrayne cuntries comming to our selues in this Iland what is there in England and Scotland but a naked profession of Religion with out fruites following In England a proude ambition both in Church and amongst the whole multitude Yea proude profanitie with contempt and disdayne of others In Scotland a sluggish securitie and in both the Landes a loath-some haiting of the worde