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A09841	A newe treatise of the right reckoning of yeares, and ages of the world, and mens liues, and of the estate of the last decaying age thereof this 1600. yeare of Christ, (erroniouslie called a yeare of Iubilee) which is from the Creation, the 5548. yeare. Conteining sundrie singularities, worthie of observation, concerning courses of times, and revolutions of the heauen, and reformations of kalendars, and prognistications: with a discourse of prophecies and signes, preceeding the latter daye, which by manie arguments appeareth now to approch. With a godlie admonition in the end, vpon the words of the Apostle, to redeeme the time, because the dayes are evill. By M. Robert Pont, an aged pastour in the Kirk of Scotland. The heades are set downe in certaine propositions, in the page following.	Pont, Robert, 1524-1606.	1599 (1599)	STC 20104; ESTC S114916	62,367	102

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 Moys●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 Iubile● 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 o● the insatiable Courte and corrupt Church of Rome and to cause men

A NEWE TREATISE OF THE RIGHT RECKONING OF YEARES AND AGES of the World and mens liues and of the estate of the last decaying age thereof this 1600. yeare of Christ Erroniouslie called a yeare of Iubilee which is from the Creation the 5548. yeare Conteining sundrie singularities worthie of observation concerning courses of times and revolutions of the Heauen and reformations of Kalendars and Prognostications with a discourse of Prophecies and signes preceeding the latter daye which by manie arguments appeareth now to approch With a godlie admonition in the end vpon the words of the Apostle to redeeme the time because the dayes are evill By M. ROBERT PONT and aged Pastour in the Kirk of Scotland The heades are set downe in certaine Propositions in the Page following LVKE 17. As it was in the dayes of Noe so shall it be in the dayes of the Sonne of man EDINBVRGH PRINTED BY ROBERT WALDE-GRAVE PRINter to the Kings Maiestie Anno 1599. Cum Priuilegio Regio The propositiones and heads to be handled in this Treatise 1. THat the most sure reckoning of the ages of the worlde is by Sabbathes or weekes of yeares and that they who count without respect thereof are in an errour and that by iust account this 1600. yeare of Christ is from the beginning of the world the 5548. yeare 2 That this yeare of Christ 1600. by right reckoning is neither a Sabbaticall yeare nor yet a yeare of Iubilee and that the true Iubilee of Christianes is alreadie accomplished with detection of the abuse of the counterfaited Iubilees holden at Rome 3 That the Iubilee of the Papisticall Romanistes neither doth rightly counterfaite the Iewes neither the Seculare yeares of the auncient Romanes And of diverse manners of reckoning the ages of the Worlde and of mens liues 4 That in our time the signes and revolutiones of the heaven are changed and remooved from the olde accustomed places And therefore the vulgare Prognosticators reckoning by the olde rules are in an errour 5 That the Iulian or Romane Kalendare might receiue an easier reformation and that the late attempted reformation thereof is not well taken vp but giveth occasion of errour in reckoning 6 That there is a merveilous sympathie of periodes of times in reckoning by seuens by Sabbatical yeares and of the manifold mysteries of the number of seauen 7 That there is an appearant dangerous alteration to fall out this yeare within few yeares hereafter and of the Prophecies and signes declaring to vs the world to be neare an end 8 An admonition to all men to prepare themselues and to redeeme the time because the dayes are evill TO THE RIGHT REVEREND● NOBLE LORD ALEXANDER SEYTON L. Vrquhard and Fyvie President in the Senate of Iustice and Provest of Edinburgh c. All health and felicitie in Christ. YOur Lordshippes gentle humanitie toward all honeste and well-hearted men and namely towards me since my first acquaintance hath mooved mee to dedicate to your honour this parte of the fruite of my studies knowing that amongst the rare Mecenases of this Land your name is with the highest ranke vnder his Maiestie to be mentioned The first cause I confesse that mooved mee to publish this Treatise in our English tongue was to disswade the too curious conceites of certaine men desirous to be at Rome this approching 1600. yeare commonly called a year of Iubilee wherof they shuld receiue no profit but rather domage with losse of time expenses For your L. knows wel ynough the maners of Rome as I am perswaded allowes not of that pompose superstition yet if your L. wil take paines not being fashed with more weighty matters to reade this whole discourse I trust you shall finde other heads whereof you shal like verie well that haue troubled the heades of learned men and not bene so exactly found out Wishing your L. to accept of this smal token of my good fauor towards your honor and to accept of me amongst the clientele of your friendship wherfore God-willing ye shall not finde me vnworthie To whose almightie protection I commit your L. This last of October 1599. Your L. ever ready to power in God ROBERT PONT TO THE READERS HAVing in hand a more large work● concerning controllment and examination of times by occasion of this incident 1600. yeare of Christ which is reckoned by the Papistes and others applauding to their superstition to be a yeare of Iubilee I thought good to prevent that errour by this little Treatise discevering thereby the vanitie of divers men of this Ile of others far cuntries who with great los of time and hazard not onely of their substance and liues but also of their soules and consciences minde to visite that Idole the Pope and to be present in Rome onely to see his yeare of Iubilee falsely being counterfaited to the imitation of the Iubilees of the Iewes but indeede derogatory to the true Iubilee and spirituall libertie purchased vnto vs by our Saviour Christ. And for-as-much as this instante yeare is the ende of a great Period of time to witte sixteene hundreth yeares from Christ his nativitie wherein there appeares diverse great mutationes to fall out aswel in the estate of Religion as in civill affaires and common wealthes I haue herewith not onely discovered diverse erroures in reckoning of times and ages of the Worlde and laboured to finde out the right reckoning but also touched the revolution of the heauen and reformation of Kalendars and Prognostications and declared my iudgement concerning the Prophecies and signes of the latter day appearing nowe shortly to approche If any be not satisfied with the brevitie of this Treatise I re●●itte them to my more ample discourse to be set out in Latine if GOD graunt me abilitie and time wherein the proofe of these propositiones with other matters of the like arguments will be conteined at large Read learne-well and try Then judge advisedly OF THE DECAYING ESTATE OF THE worlde this instante 1600. yeare of Christ. FIRST PROPOSITION That the most sure reckoning of the age of the worlde is by Sabbath's of yeares and they that count not considdering the same are in an errour and that by iust account this 1600. yeare from Christ his birth is from the beginning of the worlde the 5548. yeare IN The beginning as the Spirite of God recordeth by MOYSES after that the Lord in sixe dayes had created the Heaven Earth with all the furniture thereof Hee rested vpon the seventh day Therefore hee blessed it and hallowed it This is also repeated in the fourth Commandemente for the perpetuall observation of that daye and because the number of seauen by that reason is a sacred nomber and most meete for al kinde of reckoning It was ordained also in the lawe that amongst the people of God everie seventh yeare should be holden holy wherin the land should rest frō labor so that therin there shuld neither be sowing of cornes nor cutting

exhaust and wast their substance who vainely mak long voyages to Rome to see that Idole the Pope false hope of remission by his Indulgences albeit they never learne to mortifie the sinfull lustes of the flesh that they may liue a licenceous life without controlment And so ever to proceede from worse to worse For as the profane Poet sayeth Omnes licentia deteriores sumus Over-great libertie and licence maketh vs all to become worse and worse Now where some of his Sophistes saye that these are onely Canonicall paines inflicted by men that he remitteth by his Indulgences His owne Canons testifie the contrary which speake generally of the remission of all sinnes and temporall paines or punishments due for sinne Ex plenitudino potestatis that is fulnes of power which the Pope presumpteously arrogateth to himselfe And supposing these Indulgences were extended onely to Canonical paines or satisfactions appoynted by men what absurditie is it to graunt the same fully and indifferently to all persones by him who never knew the persones for the most part to whom they are graunted nor the qualities of their offences nor the quantitie or causes of their Injunctions les nor more to whom he pretēds alwaies falsely to giue full remission neither suffiseth it to say the Papale indulgences are given to none but to them that are truely penitent and confesse their sins For by that argument the same might bene given to Iudas the traytour of whom our Saviour sayeth It had bene good for him he had neuer bene borne For it cannot be denyed but he was truly penitent and made publick confession of his sinne Yea and more over made Papistical satisfaction therefore returning againe the money which he had wrongeouslie received And for the more sure declaration of his repen●ance he● finally hanged himselfe But because he had no grace to turne to God by true faith to seek mercie and fi●mly beleeue to obtaine it for Christ his sake His repentance availed not Like as there will be many other desperates that wil repent confesse their faultes but haue no grace to seek mercie at Gods hand who hath only power to giue it with true fayth to obtaine the same Besides all this there is a greater impietie if greater may be in these Antichristian Indulgences whereby this man of sinne pretendeth to take away all corrections for sinne not onely in the name of Christ and by his blood the which as Iohn testifieth purgeth vs from all sinne but also in the name and merites of Peter Paule and other Martyrs and Saintes For so speaketh his Canon lawe That to the heape of the Thesaurie of Christes bloud the merites of the blessed Virgine Marie and of all the elect from the first just man to the last are knowen to be valiable And what can be spoken to greater derogation of the precious bloud merites of Iesus Christ then to mingle therewith the blood and merites of creatures sinful persons For the most iust man falleth seven times a day as the Psalmist testifieth ascribing a part of our salvation to them who had no temission of their owne sinnes but by the bloud of Christ onelie Whereto should I further insist in refelling these and the like blasphemies against the croce of Christ which be knowen well ynough to all them that haue eares to heare the true preaching of his Gospell Seeing the Popes officiares themselues who make vente of his Pardones at Rome and make their gaines in sheepe-skinnes and peeces of plombe appended thereto taunt and mocke the receivers of them holding them for verie fooles as they are indeed For who is indued with natural iudgement that seeth not that these counterfaited Indulgences serue for no other thing but to mocke and deceiue the people to make marchandise of their soules to bring in money to those vagabound pyke-parles called in their law Questores indulgentiarum that is Collectours of the money of these Indulgences What madde stupidity foolishnes is it then in this cleare light of Christs Gospel to men to hazard themselues with great daungers losse of time and expenses to raike to Rome either to behold or to be participant of these vnworthy wares For if they do it of blinde zeale beleeving them to be of any availe they are miserably deceived to the great hurt of their soules health And if they do it onely of curiosity to see such things as they never saw before they therein declare the lightnesse and vaine transportation of their minds not being selted in the true knowledge and feare of God For as the common Proverbe sayeth there is neither man nor horse that vseth to be better of the passing to Rome And so is seene indeede of many of them that returne from thence THIRD PROPOSITION That the Iubilee of the Papisticall Romanistes neither doth rightly counterfaile the Iewes neither the secular yeares of the auncient Romanes And of diverse manners of reckoning the ages of the Worlde and of mens liues And that reckoning by hundreths wee are now in the fiftie sixe age AS The papall religion in manie things is patched and made vp partly of the old rites and ceremonies of the Iewes and partely of the superstition of the Gentiles so counterfaite they by imitation sometime the one and sometime the other and when they lacke the one they take the other for their ground So it is concerning their Iubilees whereof I haue bene hitherto speaking and haue proven already that their imitation in times is not according to the institution of Gods lawe promulgate by Moyses Nowe then they being put from that grounde may alleadge that they having no necessitie to obserue Moyses law in al poynts haue appoynted thē Iubilees after imitation of their ancient Romanes whose degenerate posteritie they are to wit that as they had their stages or playes which they call their seculare solemnities every hundreth yeare once in memory of the antiquitie of their cittie where in it was proclaymed by founde of Trumpet that the people of Rome should see such pompes and guises as no man that was then living ever sawe before neither should see thereafter So Pope BONIFACE the eight did institute his Iubilees to be holden every hundreth yeare with solemne Proclamation of his Pardones Now graunting this to be true as their ground is vaine and profane so whatsoever is builded thereupon And yet let vs see how happely and circumspectly these Romanistes imitate the auncient Romanes supposing that they celebrate their secular solemnities at the precise end and periode of every hundreth yeare This their ground I say is false For it was the space of an hundreth and ten yeares betweene every one of the seculare solemnities according to the old institution thereof which 110. yeares were composed of twenty two of their Lustra wherein they did lustrate and muster their people every Lustrum conteining the space of fiue years which being 22. make eleven times ten year Whereof Horace

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 ●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

gathered the revpon with sobrie●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 restauratiō 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 cōfort 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 judegmēt 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 ●●●ation of the world We do know likewise that frō the departing out of Aegypt to the building of the tēple 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 creatiō endeth in the ●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

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 ho●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 pers●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 narrow●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 thē in the world aboūd 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 ●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 tyrāny oppressiō 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