of Vine-yardes That libertie should bee granted vnto servantes and that it should be called a yeare of rest vnto the Lorde And by like reason it was also institute that the Israelites should number vnto them seaven Sabbathes of yeares conteining 49. years immediatlie in the beginning of the 50. yeare thereafter the trumpet of a Iubilee should be blowne the 10. day of the seuenth Moneth whereon fell the solemnitie of reconciliation proclayming libertie to all the inhabitantes of the lande so that everie man might returne to his owne possession as at more length is set foorth by MOYSES in the law Now albeit that the law specifyeth that these Sabbaticall yeares and Iubilees should be kept by the people of Israel when they were come in the Land which the Lord was to giue them obtayn rest therin because they could not wel keep the same before that time yet the reason of this sacred reckoning proceeding by the number of sevens hath a grounde in the naturall Lawe which was before the written Law of MOYSES and the ensample of GOD himselfe who was before all Lawes And thereby wee may well gather that this Sabbaticall reckoning hath respect even to the beginning of the world and is to be counted even from that first Sabbath wherin the Lord rested from all his workes So that as God rested the seventh day of creation in like manner the Sabbaticall yeares and yeares of Iubilee should proceede from that beginning For MOYSES himselfe who wrote the holy historie from the creation of the worlde to his dayes knew well ynough the just reckoning of these Sabbaticall yeares and by the Spirite of Prophecie also hee knew what time the people should obtaine peaceable rest and possession of the Lande of Chanaan that then they might begin to reckon by these Sabbatical years and yeares of Iubilee For an evidence whereof wee finde by just reckoning which hereafter is to be sette downe that the 6. yeare of the governement of IOSVA wherein the Israelites obteined peaceable possession of the Lande the same being devided amongst them was a Sabbatical yeare and also the complete 49. yeare of a Iubilee So that from the creation vnto that time there wil be 357. Sabbathes of yeares and 51. Iubilees And the next yeare thereafter which was the 7. yeare of IOSVA will be found a just beginning from the which forward the people reckoned both their Sabbaticall yeares and yeares of Iubilee whereupon it followeth that this manner of counting by Sabbaticall yeares is the most sure reckoning of the yeares and ages of the World and may wel be deduced brought to this present yeare commonly counted the 1600. from the birth of Christ. In the which reckoning wee haue to proceede after this manner First taking an fixed yeare out of the Scripture being surely a Sabbaticall yeare for an fixed stay or ground and then reckoning from the same backe to the beginning of the Worlde and like wise forward to the yeare of the Nativitie of Christ and so consequently to this presente yeare These stayes or rootes of time in Greek are called Epoche in Latine Aera temporum And wee shall take the ground therof for our present reckoning out of the 28. chap. of the Prophet IEREMY where he reckoneth the first yeare of K. Zedekiah wherein Hananiah the false Prophet prophecyed against him to be the 4. year of Sabbath or week of years So that the 4. year of Zedekiah by his reckoning was a Sabbatical year also the 11. yeare Next we haue to remember that the coūting of these Sabbatical yeares after the Law of Moyses is from the tenth day of the seventh Hebrew Moneth called Tishri which answereth for the most part to our September and not from Ianuarie which beginneth our yeare By reason whereof the one halfe of the Sabbaticall yeare preceedeth the beginning of our yeare and the other halfe or little more followeth after Therefore it is that some reckoning with the Iewes from Tishri or September count a year more then others that reckon from Ianuary But because the count made from Ianuary comprehendeth the most parte of the Sabbaticall yeare I. with the most number of Christian reckoners follow it Thirdly by this reckoning wee suppose the Worlde to haue bene created in this seaventh Moneth called Tishri which then probably was the first Moneth of the yeare albeit it was institute thereafter at the departing of the Israelites out of Aegypt that Nisan or the Moneth of Abib aunswering for a greate parte to our March should be the first Moneth Now comming to our counte let vs take the elleventh yeare of ZEDEKIAH which being a Sabbaticall yeare was called the yeare of desolation because from it begouth the captivitie of Babylon and let it be the ground of our reckoning That yeare I saye counting back was the 3360. yeare from the creation of the world which being divided by seavens hath for the quotient number as the Arithmetickes tearme it 480. Sabbathes of yeares no superabundant od years And to prooue historicallie this to be a just reckoning of the yeares of the Worlde by particular count of the Scripture wee haue first from the creation to the floud of NOAH 1656 yeares Then from the floud to the promise made to ABRAHAM 367. yeares And from the departing of the Israelits out of Aegypt 430. years And frō the departing to the buylding of the Temple by SOLOMON 480 yeares And last from the buylding of the Templ◠to the elleventh yeare of ZEDEKIAH 427. yeares The whole summe of these yeares collected come justly to 3360. years Now to trie other reckonings which haue not respect to Sabbaticall yeares not to bee right let vs take for example the supputation of them who suppose ABRAHAM to haue beene borne the 130. yeare of TERAH his father not as the Scripture speaketh in the 70. yeare By that count we must adde to the former reckoning 60. yeares moe And so the 11. yeare of ZEDEKIAH would be from the creation the 3420. yeare which yeares being divided by seavens there will remaine after the division conteining 488. Sabbathes of yeares 4. superfluous and odde yeares And so aggreeth not that the 11. year of ZEDEKIAH should be a Sabbaticall yeare as I haue proven it to be by reckoning of the Prophet IEREMY An other example Supposing as some others do that the children of Israel remayned in Aegypt the whole space of 430. yeares whereas by our former count which may be verifyed by Scripture their remayning there was onely 215. yeares By this their rekconing we must adde other 215 yeares to our former count and so the 11. yeare of ZEDEKIAH would be the 3575. yeare from the beginning of the world Nowe dividing the number by seaven there will remayne after the division of 510. Sabbathes of yeares 5. odde yeares whereby we may vnderstand that reckoning not to be right The like wee may perceiue in all other reckonings that
brimstone and stormie tempests It is more-over added in powring out of the seaventh viole in the aire wherby is signifyed a great perturbation of al the elements that there was such an Earth-quake that the like had never bene These tempestes in the aire may both be vnderstoode literallie and Spiritually For literally our Maister Christ fore-warneth vs of the like where he testifyeth that before his latter comming the powers of the heauen shalbe moved spiritually the moving of the aire the great earthquak signifie such a coÌ„fusioÌ„ of al things in the world that the lik hath not bin seene of before And by the much and vehement great haile is meant the great coldnes of loue that now wee see in the world as also it was fore told by our Saviour Christ And by his Apostle PAVLE speaking of selfe-loue and lack of zeale in Religion which maketh men to dispise God and godlinesse and to blaspheme against the Gospel and Preachers thereof which plague now alâ—s doth everie where increase And it is added futher in the text of IOHN that the great citie was divided into three parts By this citie no doubt is meant the externall face of the visible Church composed of true professors Papistes and Hypocrites so that we see there shall not be a full and perfite vnitie of religion to the end of the World But in the midde-time we haue this soliâ—â—e comforte that at the blast of the seaventh trumpet the mysterie of God shall be fulfilâ—ed toward his Saintes and great joye shal be among the Elect because the Kingdomes of this world are our Lords and his Christs and he shal raigne for evermore And with this shall come the end of this world which albeit it be vncertaine as touching the year day and houre when it shalbe yet certainely it is not farre off seeing al these tokens and others specified in the Scriptures are already fulfilled and the great Angell hath sworne that there shall be time no more The Lord make vs readie for his comming that wee may lift vp our heades from the vanities of this worlde and waite for that day of our Redemption Come Lord Iesus come FINIS A faithfull and godlie Admonition to al true Christians gathered vpon the words of the Apostle PAVLE Ephes. 5. vers 16. Coloss â— vers 5. To redeeme time because the dayes are euill GOD The creator and author of time as hee hath appoynted all things that are done in the World to be measured thereby so hath he ordayned certaine limites and bounds of time some short some longer vnto the life of every man in this earth according as it is written in Ioâ— where he sayeth Are not the dayes of man and the number of his Moneths appoynted with thee O Lord thou hast limited his bounds which he cannot passe ouer And a little before to declare the shortnes of these bounds he compareth the life of everie man that is borne of a woman to a flowre that suddenly shoteth vp and is cut down and vanisheth away as a shaddow and continueth not Likewise DAVID in the Psalme compareth his dayes to an hand breadth and sheweth how every man walketh as in a shaddowe disquieteth him selfe in vaine heapeth vp riches and cannot tell who shall gather them And Pindarus the Poet to expres to the vttermost the brevitie and vncertaintie of mans life compareth it not onelie to a shaddow but to the dreame of a shaddowe And yet so is the corrupt nature of the moste part of men that they imagine and dreame vnto themselues a certaine false opinion of immortalitie in this present most frayle and transitorie life And as the same Poet sayeth a certaine presumpteous hope so hath knit vp our mortall members that wee imagine manie great matters in our mindes and our fore sight hath farre endes To refrayne this vaine curiositie the Prophet Moyses in the ninetie Psalme after that hee hath distributed the frayle estate of mans life declaring how they passe awaie as a sleepe and as the Grasse that groweth in the Morning and at the euening is withered awaie And howe that commonlie the longest tearme of mennes yeares is about three score and ten yeares And if some of greater strength attaine to the age of foure-score yeares yet are they the more subject to laboure and sorrowe hee maketh his supplication vnto GOD that hee will teache vs to number our dayes that wee maie applie our heartes vnto wisedome Whereby hee sheweth that none but they whome GOD of his especiall grace doth illuminate by his Spirite canne rightlie applie their heartes to this true Wisedome to considder the brevitie of the shorte number of the dayes we haue here in this present life Therefore deare brethren and Christians wee haue great neede most earnestlieto call and crie vnto GOD that wee forget not this counte Forthere bee manie that can make great reckonings of long times and manie yeares that are paste before them And yet cannot rightlie reckon the shorte time and continuance of their owne liues yea men wil reckon and counte by Arithmeticke all things and even as the very distance betweene the Heaven and the Earth and the moste highest Starres And yet onelie the faithfull and they that put their confidence in God knowe the distance that is betweene this shorte and transitorie life and that blessed and immortall life which hath no ende vnto the which wee are created and to the which ende this presente life ought to bee directed For deare brethren let vs bat considder the vanitie of the moste parte of menne in this poynte how littele they esteeme of the shorte time they are to remayne in this presente and momentaneous life Not-with-standing moste of all their vayne pretences and imaginationes is to compasse the whole Worlde if it were possible and to doe greate wounders and actes therein For time being so precious and so highlie to be regarded in respecte of the shortnesse of this life that GOD hath lente vs in this wretched Worlde and as the Prophet DAVID sheweth vs moste plainely and evidently in the some score and tenth Psalme wee knowe not how soone the Lord shall saye vnto vs Returne yee sonnes of ADAM vnto corruption And more-over time once being lost cannot be againe recovered for no Gold not price yet is there not any thing where-of men are more prodigall in so much that there is nothing whereof they regarde lesse the losse yea that which is worse the greater parte of menne counte so little of time that for a shorte and transitorie passing of time in this life they lose the ioye and felicitie of that everlasting life and perpetuall time whereof commeth this speecâ—e coÌ„monly vsed of this world pas time but by corruptioÌ„ of maners of men who esteemlightly how time passeth awaie so they may haue some vaine pleasure in the drist thereof as a thing where with they be fasshed and wearied So wee see how the little time that men haue
of GOD casting off the yoke of discipline and licenceous liberty in all kinde of vngodlinesse yea meiting of the Lorde our God with extreame vnthankfulnesse in respect of his graces offered so long to both the Nationes Falsehood oppression murthers harlottries and all other such kinde of mischieuous dealing without hauing anie punishmente Yea filthie Swine and Dogges eating their owne vomite as was prophecyed in PETER and IVDE in their Epistles and namely such prophaine mockers of all religion hauing once professed the trueth aud now turning to Epicureisme develish Atheisme tanting at the promise of the coÌ„ming of the Lord Iesus to judgement saying that all worldlie things continue in the same estate they were froÌ„ the beginning so supposing the world never to haue ende that there shall neither be punishment for evill doing nor reward for wel doing after this life To whom Peter answered accordingly as in his second Epistle we may read howe they willinglie misknow howe the first worlde was destroyed by water and it resteth that the next which we are in be destroyed by fyre and that the long suffering of the Lord is if it were possible to bring al men to repeÌ„tance and howe a thousand years is with him as one day and one daye as a thousande yeares as indeede what is the time if wee shall reckon all the ages from the beginning of the worlde vnto this present but as it was not sixe daies expleit for giueing to everie age a thousand yeares as some do the six thousand vet it wil lack foure hundreth forty fiue years if we count by hundreths the ages of the worlde which is now commonly the longest time of mans life there will be but fiftie fiue ages paste and we are now in the fiftie sixtage wherein all tokens of the latter times appeares for the most parte to be fulfilled whereof we haue spoken in our Treatise before and if we shall beleeue the Astrologues Saturne being Lorde of the revolution of the great Circle this yeare signifieth Sectes changing of estates and Kingdomes Seeing then all these things threatten vnvnto vs the hastie cumming of the Lord to judgment it becoÌ„meth vs now not to neglect the occasion offred vnto vs so long as wee are in this present shorte life to do well for we know how occasion is paynted as the verse sayeth Fronte capillata est post hac occasio calva Occasion on the fore-head hath haire But ay behinde she is naked and baire Wishing al men therefore earnestlie as our Maister fore-warneth vs to lift vp their heades and waite for their approching redemption when the Lord shal appeare in the clowdes to the comfort of the faithfull And seeing there is no perpetuall remayning for vs in this world but after a certaine shorte space of time we all must needes change our dwelling place and compeare before that celestiall Iudge that wee learne to addresse our selues for that heavenly life while we haue time for it shall come to passe that time shall bee no more when as the seaventh Angel shal begin to blowe his trumpet For then as Iohn speaketh in his Revelation the mysterie of God shall be finished Let vs not therefore be like the foolish virgines but wheÌ„ the bridgroome commeth let vs haue our Lampes reddy prepared with oyle to meet him and the more thornie and dangerous the way of the jorney of our life is in these euil dayes let vs be the more diligent warily taking heed to the steppes of our feet that we may walke as in lighte and not in darknesse the Lord will come shortly and put an ende to our labors receauing vs in his everlasting kingdome euen the Lord Iesus Christ. To whome with his heauenly Father and the holy Ghost be al honour and praise for euer Amen Gen. 2. 〈◊〉 Exod. 2â— 11. Leuit. 2â— Exod. 1â— Gene 6. 7. 11. 12. 15. That to Exod. 12. Gal. 3. 1. King 4. Gal. 4. Lib. 4. â— 26 〈…〉 〈◊〉 C. Vâ—ige 〈◊〉 before ciâ—ed C Quemadmodum vb S. 1 Cor. 10. 1. Tim. 4. â— Pet. 3. Daâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 15. Iob. 3. â— Genâ— Propositiâ—â— 37. Gal. â— Col. 2â— Cor. 5. â—â—cles 1. Act. 1. Luk. 〈◊〉 Mat. 〈◊〉 Genesâ— Genes Gen 6 7. 8 Genes 1◠〈…〉 Aened 6. â—word 10 Apoc â— Exod. â—5 Zaâ—h 3. â— Act. â— Luk. ◠〈◊〉 12. Luke 11 〈◊〉 119 〈…〉 Apoc ◠〈…〉 Chap. 〈◊〉 Apoc. 〈◊〉 Mat. 〈◊〉 Mark 13. Luke 21. Matth. 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Act 〈◊〉 â—â—od 10. â— Tim. 3. Apocal. 7. Apoc. 8. Apoe â— Apoe 10. 11. Chap. 16. Psal. 1◠〈…〉 Phalm 〈◊〉 Rom. 〈◊〉 Colloss â— Math. 24 1. Tim. 4. 2. Pet. â— Iude. Math. 〈◊〉
the Poet beareth witnesse in his song or ode intituled Carmen seculare in these verses Certus vndenos dâ—cies per annos Orbis vt cantus referatque ludos The sense is That certaine circulaâ—y space Ten times elleven yeares in a race Must bring againe the songs and Playes At Rome of secular yeares and dayes So the Papisticall Romanistes are wrong wrested in their reckoning in this also Now it is trueth that albeit this secular Periode of time conteining the circulare course of an hundreth years was most diligentlie observed by the Romanes for diverse causes Yet we notwithstanding for the common reckoning of an age may well take the precise number of an hundreth yeares Because it is commonly the longest course of mans life in our dayes And because I am entred in to make mention of ages I thinke it good to discourse a little vpon the ages of the World and likewise of mens liues And to declare how many manner of waies the same are taken and of the diverse reckoning thereof For the which we haue to vnderstand that as al things in this visible world haue a certaine age and continuance of time so the Worlde it selfe hath the owne age which being taken generally signifyeth the whole space of the durance and continuance thereof Otherwise the age of the Worlde betokeneth the decaying parte thereof as the eeld or age of a man is called the latter paâ—te of his life And indeed it may well be saide now that we become to the decaying parte and latter age of the World For as the Apostle sayeth We are they vpon whom the ends of the World are come And in an other place hee calleth these our dayes the latter times Now the age of the Worlde taken in the former generall signification is divided againe in diverse particular ages and that by sundrie manners of reckoning For some distribute the whole ages of the World in three partes ascribing to everie age 2000. yeares Which commeth of that common opinion holden of maine and recited for the saying of the house of Elias not that great Prophet Elias but a certaine Rabbin of the Iewes so named that the World should stande 6000. years and thereafter should be dissolved Of the which they count 2000 yeare before the law called the voyd time 2000. vnder the law 2000. vnder Christ which shalbe shortned for the sinnes of the world which are many There be divers learned and godly fathers of this opinion supposing that as the worlde with all things therein conteined was created in sixe dayes so the same should endure 6000. years taking each thousand yeare for a day as it is taken in the second Epistle of Peter where he sayeth That one day before the Lorde is as a thousand yeares and a thousand yeares as one day And amongst others Augustine writing of these ages dividing them in six reckoneth the first age to be froÌ„ Adam to Noah The 2. from Noah to Abraham The 3 from Abraham to David The 4. from David to the captivity of Babilon The fifth from the captivitie to Christ The sixt and last vnder the Kingdome of Christ vnto the end of the World But this division not to be equall it may be evident by the supputation of yeares conteined in the first proposition and namely of the last age vnder Christ which now hath already indured sixteen hundreth yeares and it is not certaine how long the same shall yet further continue Albeit by all probable conjectures the world now appeareth to draw neare an end Alwaies I thinke it not altogether to be resused that is alleaged of the Iewes of this their Doctor Elias who-so-ever hee was For it lacketh not a reason counting 2000. years before the law For indeed from the beginning vnto Abraham with whom the first covenant was made and to whom the Law of circumcision was given wee finde to be about the space of 2000. yeares And likewise vnder the law to Christ about other 2000. yeares And now they lack but 452. yeares of the last 2000. vnder Christ. Therefore this authority being brought forth by the Iewes themselues maketh much against them who will not yet acknowledge the true Messias seeing they haue wayted in vaine for an other Christ about sixteen huÌ„dreth years aboue their ownereckoning Others there be that distribute the ages of the world in foure according to the nature of four kindes of mettalles The first they call the golden age or Golden world which was the most auncient best of all like as Gold is the chiefe amongst mettalles The second is next best the silver age The third the age of brasse and the fourth yron declyning ay from better to worse as the world doth indeed Of this division of ages the Poets oftentimes make mention And the originall thereof appeareth well to haue bene taken from the Prophecie of Daniel who in exponing the dreame of Nebuchadnetzar speaketh of that greate Image representing the foure chiefe Monarchies of the worlde whereof the head was of Gold signifying the Kingdome of the BABYLONIANS The armes of silver figuring the Monarchie of the Medes and Persians the wombe and sides being of Brasse betokeneth the Macedonian Monarchie obtayned by great Alexander The legges of Yron and feete partely of Yron partely of clay that of the Romanes or the feete as others interprete the Kingdome of the Greekes begun by Seleucus which being strong as yron and noysome against the people of God become thereafter mingled with clay declyning to weaknesse and being 〈◊〉 in the selfe And finally the Kingdome of Christ did rvse wholy after destruction of all those Kingdomâ—s shall endure for ever as at more length is specified in that prophecie VVho would know more of the foure ages represented by these foure metalles may reade aboundantly in Hesiodus and others Poets Others count the ages of the VVorld by seavens after the number of seaven Planets having a certaine periode and revolution amongst themselues whereof wee are to speake more in an other place There bee others also that distinguishe the ages of the worlde by the ages of menâ— And sundry others vse diverse other distributiones of the ages and times of the worlde whereupon I wil not now insist Alwaies I think the most facill common division of the ages of the worlde is by thousandes counting in the whole sex according to the analogy of the sex dayes of creation For to count by the liues ages of men hath rather a peculiar respect to the generationes of men then to the time of the continuance of the world So it is more proper to count the ages of the world by thousands because of the long continuance thereof in respect there was never no man that lived out compleitly a thousand years But this divisioÌ„ of the ages of the worlde by thousandes would appeare more proper if it were made by equall division of thousandes or at the leaste approaching neare to an equalitie then as it
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
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
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
what famine was in the Cittie of Ierusalem with pestilence and strange deathes ye may reade in Iosephus de bello Iudaico So in these latter daies what warres haue bene and yet continue Nation rysing against Nation and kingdome against kingdome even amongst vs Christians the fearefull effects can declare whereby we appeare to be made a pray to the Tyranny of the Turke vnlesse God of his mercy bridle his furie As to the Pestilence Famine and earthquaks such thinges were in the first comming of Christ as namely the famine whereof Agabus the Prophet fore warned as that terrible Earth-quake that was in the time that Christ suffered with other the like plagues So we haue seene daylie see many such feareful accidents more grieuously vexing the World nor ever they did manie yeares of before The third signe is persecution of the servants of God and especially of those that foreshewe faithfully the Gospell of Christ as it was in his first comming So is it notour what innocent blood hath bene shed for renewing the true Preaching of the Gospell in our dayes because these things are in recente memory vppon the particulars I need not to insist The fourth signe fore-tolde by our Maister Christ is the abundance of iniquitie that shuld accompany both his commings which with the reste of the signes of his first comming is properly to be applyed to the Nation of the Iewes whose iniquities 〈◊〉 to such exceeding measure that to overcome all the rest they regarded not to Crucifie the Sonne of God And nowe in these latter dayes vniversally amongst vs Christians what abundance of all impietie and wickednes what vnkindly dealing what vntruth Yea amongst the better sort who is not either cold or carelesse I neede not seeke examples they are so ryfe The first signe is the Preaching of the Gospell vniversally the which maketh all the other signes to worke effectually For these signs otherwise being natural or after a maner common being joyned with the Word are made Sacraments as was the Rayne-bow in the dayes of Noah signifying that there should not be an other like floud to destroy the whole world so in these latter times such signes preceeding Christ his latter comming and their significations declared by his Gospell prognosticate vndoubtedly his latter comming to judge the world by fyre For as it was in the dayes of Noah when a merveilous security was in the world notwithstanding the Preaching of Noah and preparation of his arke And as the Preaching of Christ and his Apostles was securely contemned by the Iewes So now a dayes the cleare light of the Gospell shining againe to the Worlde and making all men without excuse worketh no more in the minds of the most parte then 〈◊〉 were raw flesh which cannot digest vpō a lothsome stomack And as to the sixt token of signes in the Sun the Moone the stars concerning the shaking mooving of the powers of the heaven such thinges appeared in the first cōming of Christ when that most famous star appeared which declared to the Wise-men Christ his birth when that extraordinary darknes fel vpon the land of Iudaea in time of his suffring which albeit I take it not to haue bin an Eclipse of the Sun by interposition of the Moone between it the earth which could not then be without the whole motions of the heauen had bin changed yet was it an evidente darknes both in the Sun in the aire throughout all the Land of Iudaea The like whereof was in Aegypt vniuersally except where the Children of Israel remayned being the ninth plague wherewith the Lord smot that land Now likewise haue we seen in our dayes divers apparitions in the heaven namely that most notable star or comete which appeared in the yeare of our Lord 1572. most cleare without any spowting haires or beames from it the which the most learned did take for a signe of the approching of the Lord to judgemente against the bloudy tyrants of the earth namely that Herode of France We haue also seene now lately that great Eclipse of the Sunne the 1598. yeare whereof the effect yet continueth And as to the commotion or shaking of the powers of the heaven I shew of before how the signes are changed from their former places so that Aries is come to Taurus and Taurus to Gemini for the most parte and so foorth the reste To speake of the Triganes and great conjunctiones I will not now enter For I suppose the force thereof to be now greatlie debilitate by reason of the alteration of the signes and so leaue the discourse to others The seaventh and last signe is of the comming of the Sunne of man Christ himselfe who as hee appeared in his humanitie taking vpon him our nature wherein he suffered for our sinnes So is he to appeare in the cloudes in his seconde comming fearefull to the wicked and comfortable to the Electe The which seaventh signe resteth onelie to come For other sixe i◠a manner are come alreadie albeit it may be they appeare more evident hereafter Alwaies wee see howe the signes of the first and second comming of Christ do agree so farre as wee haue yet seene And as for this present yeare and yeares shortlie to come hereafter there appeares no lesse but rather greater mutationes yet to follow which may bee the thirde evidencie and argument of the approching of the latter daie For as to the signes of the heaven so manie and so greate Eclipses namelie of the Sunne haue not bene seene these manie yeares by-gane as shall be within sixe yeares to come What other heavenlie tokens wilbe annexed thereto the Lord knoweth But this I see that after or before the effecte of one Eclipse be ended immediatlie falleth out an other as this presente 1600. yeares at the ende of the effecte working of that Eclipse which was in the 1598. yeare signifying and bringing greate Windes and drought In the ende of Iune falleth out an other Eclipse of the Sunne and so foorth in the rest As to other particulars that are to fall foorth this yeare I will speake sparingly thereof for I pretend not the Spirite of prophecy neither do I depend much vpon the conjectures of Astrologues notwithstanding I shall recite that which I finde in others concerning the estate of this yeare and certaine yeares following thereafter shortely declare mine owne opinion following the grounds which I haue already laid I reade in the Treatise called The seconde comming of Christe whereof Scheltco a Geueren is the author his conjecture that about this 1600. yeare shall be the end of the periode of the Papisticall kingdome But he taketh vp his periods by full 500. years where as by our reckoning the greater period conteineth only 490. yeares And againe he counteth from the creation of the world to this 1600 yeare of Christ 5562. yeares more then our former count 14. yeares So that there will be a difference
in this life for the most part is spent to witte in vanitie idlenesse yea over often in vice and wickednesse and that little time which is bestowed in vertue or godlinesse is commonly most wearisome As when men are occupyed be they Magistrats or judges in hearing the plaintes of the poore and execution of justice be they inseriours or craftel-men or labourers in doing their handie worke and appoynted labour to the profit of themselues and their families But in spending of it which by that meanes they winne as in drinking playing or vaine games there is no hoe not falsherie to be occupyed night and day and in matters of godlinesse see we not what fassherie it is even to many not of the worst sort to spend the space of an houre or little more in hearing the word of God wherein standeth our salvation who will not like nor tire of sit at table thrise as long to feede the bodie yea oft-times to over-burden it with meate and drinke to whome it is so irksom shorter time to haue their soules fedde with that word which is the more precious an delicat food of everlasting life VVherfore seing the most part of this world regards so little of time but pas it over so lightly to their great damnage and perrill of their own soules we the faithful ought to be the more earnest to exhort admonish one another to occupy the short time we haue heare not as the common sorte of carelesse men vses but in such waies as wee may bee able at least in some measure to giue account to him that â—es placed vs in this earth as vppon a skaffold to play our parte and if we haue neglected or mispent the time by-past to take heede to recover the losse thereof in times comming Nowe this is the cause and ende wherefore Paule in the words of our text exhorted so diligently the faithfull of his daies to redeeme time by recovering the losse by-past making much of the time present of time to come so long as they haue it appreheÌ„ding greedely the occasioÌ„ offred vnto them to do wel And this the Apostle speaketh to the Gentiles of his time being newly converted to the knowledge of the Gospell having respect to their-by-past life and conversation spent in vanitie wickednesse and ignorance of God according to the which tendeth that saying of Peter in his first Epistle 4. chap. verse 3. as he writeth also of the same matter saying It is sufficient for vs that we haue spent the time past of the life after the lusts of the Gentiles walking in wantonnesse lustes drankennesse in gluttonie and in abhominaeble idolatries And this same our Apostle to the like purpose in another place sayeth We know the time that the houre is now to rise from sleep for our salvation is nearer then when we beleued the night is past the day is at hand Let vs therefore caste awaie the workes of darkenesse and put on the armor of light that we may walke honestlie as in the daâ—e not in gluttony drunkennesse nor in strife nor invying not in chambring wantonnes but to put on the Lord Iesus Christ take no thoght for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it So here the meaning of the Apostle is where he speaketh of redeeming of time that the faithfull take greate diligence in the recovering of that which is by-past and lost by walking more circumspectlie and diligently in the trad of godlines in times comming taking a similitude from worldly men worldly affairs As if a Merchant hauing slipt slept his businesse in not comming in due time to his market should be put in remembrance to be more vigilant in times comming and vse more diligence in vttring his wares in time to come or as if it were to fore-warne vs not to be like vnthriftie spenders wedde-setters of lande who spend ryotously the money they take vpon it haue taken no heed to pay the yearely duetie or annuel-rent to the creditors but let it slip over the longer they so do the Land is worse to redeeme vnlesse they take better heede in times comming So they that driue time to amende their liues from daye to daye and suffer themselues to be carryed awaie in a custome and habite of evill doing repent over-late when they cannot amend the former losse Therefore the Apostle in the words preceeding desireth the Ephesians to take heede to walk circum spectly not as such vnwise men but as the vvise and vnderstand what the vvill of the Lorde is And as wee are made light in the Lorde so wee walke in the Light and sight of him and his Angelles having them as witnesses of all our doings Al-be-it no mortall man should knowe the same and so to become wiser then the common sorte of the Worlde as being instructed in the Schoole of Christ the fountaine of all true wisedome This being the minde and meaning of the Apostle concerning the redemption of time wee haue to marke the cause of this his earneste admonition which hee addeth immediatlie saying Because the dayes are evill not that the dayes were evill of themselues but this hee speaketh in respecte of the time and daungerous estate of Christians in his dayes the worlde being also then full of corruption and offences and therefore more difficill to the faithful to walke warilie therein the Gospell then having so manie adversaries and the Divell himselfe occupying a tyrannie in the Worlde so that the time coulde not be dedicate and consecrate to the service of GOD vnlesse the same were in a manner redeemed the lost time by-past bought againe with the losse of worldlie pleasures and forsaking of the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse Seeking after newe occasiones of Godlinesse which the Worlde and worldlings by euill example would plucke awaie from vs. And therefore he admonisheth the Collossians likewise to walk warelie towards them that are without redeeming the time meaning toward the infidels that they being mingled amongst them might not onelie beware least they were defyled with their corrupt manner of living and so by processe of time become like to them but also to beware to giue them occasion of slander by any apearand evil ensample of life thereby to make them to speake evil of the Gospel and also to bee more cruell and bente to persecute them for the Gospelles sake therefore hee willeth them to redeeme the time by taking occasion of well dooing Wheresoever he same was offered and striue against all impedimentes and that because of the evill dayes and greate corruptiones that then reigneth in the World Now if the Apostle had neede in his dayes to vse this exhortation howe much more is it needefull in this corrupted age wherein we are of the which the same Apostle PAVLE speaketh vnto TIMOTHEE in the second Epistle the third Chapter in this manner Knowe thou this that in the laste dayes there shall bee perrellous times For menne shall