the elements shall melt with fervent heat Nevertheless we acccording to his promise look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness Wherefore beloved seeing that ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless And account that the long-suffering of the Lord is salvation even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you As also in all his Epistles speaking in them of these things in which are some things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction Ye therefore beloved seeing ye know these things before beware lest ye also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to him be glory both now and for ever Amen Of the Influence between a Planet or Comet and Men. FRom a wild discourse of the end of the world we are led into an account of the Influence that this Comet may have upon Men who do as much fear their own end from it as they did before the World as if it were a Torch onely lighted to lead to Funeralls Comets have no other Influence then that natural one we spake of elsewhere besides the vertue of their respective Planets nor the Planets any but in Conjunction with the Elements nor they but in their predominancie in every particular man whence this usual Table of Operation is made whence we may gather what we are to look in our particular capacities from this famous Meteor The sympathy of the twelve Signes with the four Elements ♈ Fiery Hot and dry Cholerick ♉ Earthly Cold and dry Melancholy ♊ Aerial Hot and moist Sanguine ♋ Watery Cold and moist Phlegmatick ♌ Fiery Hot and dry Cholerick ♠Earthly Cold and dry Melancholy ♎ Aerial Hot and moist Sanguine ♠Watery Cold and moist Phlegmatick ♠Fiery Hot and dry Cholerick ♑ Earthly Cold and dry Melancholy ♒ Aerial Hot and moist Sanguine ♓ Watery Cold and moist Phlegmatick The nature and qualities of the seven Planets in union with the four Elements ♄ Earthly Cold and dry Melancholy ♃ Airy Hot and moist Sanguine ♂ ☉ Fiery Hot and dry Cholerick ♀ ☽ Watery Cold and moist Phlegmatick Some influence no man will deny the Stars and those Exhalations that depend upon them that considereth Sir Walter Raleigh's words who would say that it could not be doubted but the Stars were instruments of some greater use than to give an obscure light and for men to gaze on after the Sun set it being probable that the same goodness that endued the meanest being with some virtue denyed not a bodies proportionable power to those glorious bodies which are created without question to the same end in heaven that plants flowers c. are in the earth not only to adorn but to serve it according to this Stanza I 'le never believe that the Arch-architect With all these fires the heavenly arches deck'd Only for shew and with these glistering shields To amaze poor shepherds watching in the fields I 'le ne're believe that the light flower that pranks Our garden borders or the common banks And the least stone that in her warming lap Our kind nurse Earth doth courteously wrap Hath some peculiar virtue of its own And that the glorious Stars of heaven have none But shine in vain and have no charge precise But to be walking in heavens galleries And through that Palace up and down to clamber As golden gulls about a Princes chamber But if the true and uttermost virtues of herbs and plants which our selves sow and set under our foot cannot be comprehended by us Hardly do we guess aright the things that are upon the earth and with labour do we find the things that are before us but the things which are in heaven who hath searched out Wisd 9.10 much less can reach the farthest power of these Stars of whose effects upon natural things skilful Astronomers may give a good account but for the things that rest in the liberty of mans will the Stars saith an excellent person have doubtless no power over them except the will be led by the sensitive appetite and that again stirred up by the constitution and complexion of the body as too often it is especially where the humours of the body are strong to assault and the virtues of the mind too weak to resist Incline a man they may force him they cannot reason and Religion may so alter the inclination of the first whereof Socrates was an eminent instance of old and Cardinal Pool was such of late the firsts nativity being calculated the Astrologer was laughed at for saying he was deboist and an ill-natured man till Socrates defended him saying He was such a one before education had changed him the other being certified by an acquaintance who pretended skill in the favours of the Stars that he should be raised and advanced to a great calling in the world made answer That whatever was portended by the figure of his birth or natural generation was cancelled and altered by the grace of his second birth or regeneration in the blood of his Redeemer The natural conclusion whereof is that in Buchanans words De Sphaera Quanquam moles omni sibi parte coherens Una sit nexis per mutua vincula membris Conspiret positusque semel Rectore sub uno Observet Leges c. Though there is some coherence in the series of things yet is it not so fatal and necessary but that Gods power our education or grace may change it and though guilty men fear where there is no fear and by that fear fall into what they feared that passion betraying the succor of teason yet good men knowing that the Stars are made to serve and not to rule them men were not made for Stars but Stars for men and that their prayers as did Eliahs Hezekiahs who were men subject to their infirmities can avail much against the heavens their influence and Stars settle themselves upon providential Principles against all events chusing rather a modest ignorance then a curious inquisition following the pithy counsel of Phavorinus apud A. G. l. 14. c. 1. with which we shall conclude Either they portend thee bad or good luck if good and they deceive thou wilt become miserable by a vain expectation if bad and they lye thou wilt be miserable by vain fear if they foretel true but unfortunate events thou wilt be miserable in mind before thou art by destiny if they promise fortunate success which shall indeed come to pass these two inconveniences will follow thereupon both expectation by hope shall hold thee in suspence and hope will devour and deflower the fruit of thy content This Discourse raised such expectations concerning this strange thing that we were
appearances above the Moon in the words of Varro as they are quoted by St. Augustine in 3 Books De civitate Dei and as I take it the eight Chapter In coelo mirabile extitit portentum nam in stella veneris nobilissima quam Plautus vesperruginem Homerus Hesperon appellat pulcherrimam dicens Castor scribit tantum portentum fuisse ut mutaret colorem magnitudinem figuram motum quod factum ita neque antea neque post fit hoc factum Ogyge rege decebant Aâ—â—rastus Cyzicenus Dion Neapolites Mathematici nobiles In Heaven saith he appeared a most marvellous great wonder the most noted Star called Venus which Plautus terms Vespurruga and Homer Hesperus the fair as Castor hath left it upon record changed both colour bigness figure and motion which accident was never seen before nor since that time the renowned Mathematicians Adrastus and Dyon averring that this fell out during the reign of King Ogyges of which he gives no other account then this This happened Quia ille voluit qui summo regit imperio ac potestate quod condidit That the world might acknowledge God its Creator and commander who can alter or destroy the natures restrain or suspend the operation of all things therein at his pleasure which keeps men from worshipping them as Gods since they cannor keep themselves from alteration But one absurdity follows not another so fast as one impertinent argument ingages another From the alteration of the world we proceeded to the end of it now approaching 666. was up that text There shall be signes in Heaven was urged not remembring the place where it is written An evil and an adulterous generation seeketh a sign Considering to what disorder these loose imaginations may reduce the more ignorant people it was not unseasonable to insert a just account of the end of the world which take thus briefly I. That the world shall have an end is not only an Article of the Christians faith but the very result of the Heathens reason Qualis est futura vita sapientis c. How shall a wise man live without friends if in prison or banished Saith Seneca in his ninth Epistle Qualis est Jovi cum resoluto mundo is his Answer as Jupiter shall live when the world shall be dissolved contenting himself within himself Quid enim saith the same Author mutationis periculo exceptum non terra non coelum non totus hic rerum contextus quamvis Deo agente ducatur non semper tenebit hunc ordinem sed illum ex hoc cursu aliquis dies dejiciet omnia sternet abducetque secum vetustas supprimet montes Maria sordebit unus omnia condet dies The curious may see Oecumenius in Collectaneis super 3. post Pet. out of Heraclitus Empedocles Anaxagoras Democritus yea and Aristotle himself Lucretius and Lucan in their excellent Poems the first De rerum Natura 3. the second in his Pharsal l. 1. Sic cum compagi solutâ c. See Euseb Demonstrat Evang. l. 3. Grot. de verit Relig. l. 2. Morney du Plessis ibid. II. That the World shall end by Fire is as certain among the Gentiles as among us as appears from the Stoicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seneca's exitus hujus mundi â—gnis humor primordium Panaetius the Stoicks fear Nè ad extremum mundus ignosceret Lucans Rant Communis mundo superest rogas ostibus astra misturus Ovid's great reach Esse quoque in fatis reminiscitur affore tempus quo mare quo tellus correptaque regia coeli ardeat The Sybills 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. in Clemens Alexandrinus and many more in Ludovicus Vives who made this Observation Exustionis ultimae odor quidam etiam ad Gentes manavit de Fid. l. 2. Magnis de exustione mundi and Eugubin de Perenni Philosophia l. 10. III. There is this reason why the World should burn by Fire because that as the waters above the Heavens and those under the Earth the moisture that dwell in the Fountains of the deep and that which was let out of the windows of Heaven prepared the Universe for the first Inundation so likewise the Fire that dwells notwithstanding the Noble Tychoes Arguments in the upper Region and the Starrs and the Sulphureous matter that is lodged in the Caverns of the Earth do prepare it for the last conflagration when he who dwells in everlasting burnings and is Consuming Fire shall come out of the Light invisible with ten thousands of his Angels waiting upon him and a thousand times ten thousand going before him those Angels that are Spirits and those Ministers that are a flaming fire casting a glance and glory over the amazed Universe that shall awake those Seeds and Principles of Heat and Fire that have insinuated themselves into this vast Frame to an universal combustion that shall make this all but one great Body Flame and Smoak of Fire and Darkness as is prepared for the Devil his Angels and Servants IV. It s confessed that the burning of Vesuvius and Aetna and the other flames mentioned by Dr Moor do intimate that last Fire yea and what is more to see an exhalation of 800 miles compass such as some say this is set on fire by the coelestial heat doth argue it for sure besides the divine power our Religion points us to its possible the Heavens may be placed in such a Position and Aspect as may burn as much more and so till we come to a possibility that a fiery Conjunction may burn the Universe yet because this is but wide and conjectural it should not trouble our heads with fear or disorder upon any strange appearance onely it should dispose us to some serious thoughts of that passage 2 Pet. 3. that as by the word of God the Heavens were of old and the Earth standing out of the Water and in the Water c. Whereby the World that then was being overflowed with water perished But the Heavens and the Earth which are now by the same word are kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of judgement and perdition of ungodly men But beloved be not ignorant of this one thing that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day The Lord is not stack concerning his promise as some men count slackness but is long suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in the which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and
anno Chr. 15. when there was no trust but a young Emperour was born and a Plot of Agrippa and Julia's defeated A Blazing Star like a sword hanging over Rome anno Christi 30. when Tiberius setled his Government and Otho was born A dreadful Comet six yards in bigness to common appearance for fourty days Anno Chr. 48. when Vespasian took onely the Isle of Wight and his souldiers overthrew the Picts The vast Star of thirty yards length lasting six months three weeks and four days anno Christi 56. betokened onely Nero's five years good Reign as did another three years after intimating his Conquest of the Jews and fifteen years after when Titus utterly subdued the Jews and seven years after when Adrian was born and Vespasian was setled Anno Christi 81. A Terrible Comet appeared The effect of it was no other but that Haldanus the Swede was restored to his Kingdom from which he was expelled Anno Christi 152. Three Suns appeared at Constantinople at the same time with a Star and a Rain-bow The effect was this Caesar seeing a wonderful fire at Rome causeth the persecution to cease by an Edict from himself Anno Christi 187. The Stars were seen all the day long at Rome And some Apparitions hung streaming down in the very middle of the Air. The effect of it was this Perennius and his Son were executed for Treason Hanno of France wars with the Romans Anno Christi 195. There were seen at Rome three Stars very glorious The effect of it was this Severus followed war against the Parthians Anno Christi 204. A Comet for many dayes together was seen at Rome The effect The Romans waste Arabia strange Heresies broached by Praxeus In the year of our Lord 237. A Blazing Star was seen at Rome that extended it self a very great length and was seen both to burn and blaze many nights together The effect The Goths at this time became terrible to the Roman Empire In the year of our Lord 323. There was a terrible Comet seen for many dayes together at Rome The effect Constantine and Licinius met at Chalcedon Octavian recovers Britain by the aid of Fincomore In the year of our Lord 377. A Comet of wonderful greatness was seen in Cicilia The effect of it That the Scots and Picts were set together by the ears by Maximus And the Goths turn Arrians In the year of our Lord 384. A fiery Pillar in the Heavens the influence whereof was remarked with no other product then that Maximus possesseth Britain France Spain and Africa And upon an Appeal from the Council of Bourdeaux setled France In the year of our Lord 392. The Graecians observed a new Star like a sword for three and forty dayes together The remarkable contingence that attended it was the crowning of Eugenius Emperor and the Romans imposing a Tribute upon the French A like action whereunto happened in the year 430. when a sword-like Star was seen at Rome And the History about that time mentioneth nothing more remarkable then the destruction of the Goths by division amongst themselves and the settlement of Christianity by the burning of the Sybils books and the overthrow of the Idol-Temples In the years 434. 454. Two dreadful Comets were seen the one for six weeks the other for ten weeks together the first whereof had no other honour then that wonderful Peace between the Emperor and the Vandals nor the other any more repute then the Britains confining of the Saxons within the Isle of Thanet In the famous year of our Lord 483. The world was amazed with the two wonderful blazing Stars seen in Russia which yet had gone out like a candle in snuff had not Clavis his no less wonderful Conquest innobled them to the renown of Prodigies And an eminent Comet was observed in the royal Sign Sagittarius by the incomparable Mathematician Almandus which yet had been forgotten as the last Christmas-candle had not it blazed a fresh with the glories of the then Emperour who shewed that Stars ruled the world and wise men Stars In the year of our Lord 590. The Roman Empire stood amazed at a blazing Meteor as great as it self which yet was no greater in its blaze I must confess then in its product A Famine so great in Britain that the people assembled themselves together in flocks to cast themselves into the Sea and a Plague so great in Rome that 800. men fell dead in one hour in the time of Procession And yet an horrible Comet in the same place in the year of our Lord 597. was so innocent that there is no other effect of it conveyed to posterity then that blessed one of St. Gregories redeeming the captive Christians in Greece from the Heathens and the more miserable captive Heathens from Heathenism it self nor that Meteor which Jerusalem for a month together doted on any other consequence then that Dagopart was sole Monarch of France and the Pope sole Arbiter of the quarrel between the Sarazens and the Emperor of Constantinople 'T is true in the year of our Lord 687. near Christmas time Christ must still be honoured with a Star a vast Comet was observed near the constellation which is called Virgiliae when the Emperor defeated the Sclavi and raised so great a controversie about the election of the Pope of Rome that for many years after he had the choice of him himself The years seven hundred twenty three and forty seven were honoured with two Comets together in Italy when Italy cantoned it self into Dukedoms and free States And another Comet like a sword which indeed was followed at Constantinople with a Plague for three years that they wanted men to bury their dead but withal with such a success of the Emperors against the Sarazens as gave Law to Cyprus and most of those neighbour Countreys 'T is true the blazing Star in the East might signifie said some Astronomers the expulsion of Telerick and yet why not the Emperors onslaught of 6000 Sarazens and Alphonsus his overthrow of seventy thousand more which happened about the same time The Comet in Aries in the year 840. might signifie the Moors waste of Italy and why not their expulsion out of it for both are in the Annals of one year The blazing Star vertical to Spain might import the Vandals and Sarazens incursions and yet might prognosticate as well their overthrows both happening in one month Three Comets for a fortnight vertical to Germany might foretel that Gonsalvus should have poysoned Sancho with an Apple and might likewise as well bode that the French King and the Emperor after their bloody War should play at Cards this year for these are the two most remarkable passages for this year A Comet very horrible to behold casting out flames on every side seen in the year of our Lord 1062. might portend Otho poysoned with a pair of Gloves and why not the flying of the Danes to the Church being there burnt when they were