The Right Reckoning of Years and Ages of the World

The propositiones and heads to be handled in this Treatise.

• 1. THat the most sure reckoning of the ages of the world, is by Sabbaths or weeks of years, and that they who count without respect thereof, are in an error, and that by just account this 1600. year of Christ, is from the beginning of the world, the 5548. year.
• 2 That this year of Christ, 1600. by right reckoning, is neither a Sabbatical year, nor yet a year of Jubiliee: and that the true Jubiliee of Christians is already accomplished: with detection of the abuse of the counterfaited Jubilees holden at Rome.
• 3 That the Jubiliee of the Papistical Romanists, neither doth rightly counterfeit the Jews, neither the Seculare years of the ancient Romans. And of diverse manners of reckoning the ages of the Worlde, and of men's lives.
• 4 That in our time, the signs and revolutiones of the heaven are changed and removed from the old accustomed places: And therefore the vulgare Prognosticators reckoning, by the old rules are in an error.
• 5 That the Julian or Roman Kalendare, might receive an easier reformation, and that the late attempted reformation thereof, is not well taken up, but giveth occasion of error in reckoning.
• 6 That there is a merveilous sympathy of periodes of times, in reckoning by seuens, & by Sabbatical years, and of the manifold mysteries of the number of seven.
• 7 That there is an appearant dangerous alteration to fall out this year, & within few years hereafter, and of the Prophecies and signs declaring to us, the world to be near an end.
• 8 An admonition to all men to prepare themselves, and to redeem the time because the days are evil.

TO THE READERS.

H AVing in hand a more large work • concerning controllment and examination of times, by occasion of this incident 1600. year of Christ, which is reckoned by the Papists and others, applauding to their superstition, to be a year of Jubiliee; I thought good to prevent that error, by this little Treatise: discevering thereby the vanity of divers men of this I will, & of others far cuntries, who with great loss of time and hazard, not only of their substance and lives, but also of their souls and consciences, mind to visit that Idole the Pope, and to be present in Rome, only to see his year of Jubiliee: falsely being counterfaited to the imitation of the Jubilees of the Jews, but indeed derogatory to the true Jubiliee, and spiritual liberty purchased unto us by our Savior Christ. And for-as-much as this instant year is the ende of a great Period of time, to wit, sixteen hundredth years, from Christ his nativity, wherein there appears diverse great mutationes, to fall out, as well in the estate of Religion, as in civil affairs and common wealths: I have herewith, not only discovered diverse errors, in reckoning of times, and ages of the Worlde, and labored to find out the right reckoning, but also touched the revolution of the heaven, and reformation of Kalendars and Prognostications, and declared my judgment, concerning the Prophecies and signs of the latter day, appearing now shortly to approach. If any be not satisfied with the brevity of this Treatise, I re •• itte them to my more ample discourse, to be set out in Latin (if GOD grant me ability and time) wherein the proof of these propositiones, with other matters of the like arguments, will be contained at large.

OF THE DECAYING ESTATE OF THE world this instant, 1600. year of Christ.

FIRST PROPOSITION.

I N The beginning (as the Spirit of God recordeth by MOYSES) after that the Lord in six days, had created the Heaven & Earth, with all the furniture thereof, He rested upon the seventh day; Therefore he blessed it, and hallowed it. This is also repeated in the fourth Commandemente, for the perpetual observation of that day; and because the number of seven, by that reason is a sacred number, and most meet for all kind of reckoning: It was ordained also in the law, that amongst the people of God, every seventh year should be holden holy: wherein the land should rest frō labor; so that therein there should neither be sowing of corns nor cutting of Vine-yardes: That liberty should be granted unto servants, and that it should be called a year of rest unto the Lord. And by like reason it was also institute, that the Israelites should number unto them seven Sabbaths of years, containing 49. years; & immediately in the beginning of the 50. year thereafter, the trumpet of a Jubiliee should be blown, the 10. day of the seventh Moneth (whereon fell the solemnity of reconciliation) proclaiming liberty to all the inhabitants of the lande, so that every man might return to his own possession; as at more length is set forth by MOYSES in the law. Now, albeit that the law specifyeth, that these Sabbatical years, and Jubilees should be kept by the people of Israel, when they were come in the Land which the Lord was to give them, & obtayn rest therein (because they could not well keep the same before that time) yet the reason of this sacred reckoning, proceeding by the number of sevens, hath a ground in the natural Law, which was before the written Law of MOYSES, and the ensample of GOD himself, who was before all Laws. And thereby, we may well gather, that this Sabbatical reckoning, hath respect even to the beginning of the world; and is to be counted even from that first Sabbath, wherein the Lord rested from all his works. So that as God rested the seventh day of creation, in like manner, the Sabbatical years, and years of Jubiliee, should proceed from that beginning: For MOYSES himself, who wrote the holy history, from the creation of the world to his days, knew well enough, the just reckoning of these Sabbatical years, and by the Spirit of Prophecy, also he knew what time the people should obtain peaceable rest and possession of the Lande of Canaan, that then they might begin to reckon by these Sabbatical years and years of Jubiliee. For an evidence whereof, we find by just reckoning, which hereafter is to be set down, that the 6. year of the government of IOSVA, wherein the Israelites obtained peaceable possession of the Lande, the same being divided amongst them, was a Sabbatical year: and also the complete 49. year of a Jubiliee: So that from the creation, unto that time, there will be 357. Sabbaths of years, and 51. Jubilees, And the next year thereafter (which was the 7. year of IOSVA) will be found a just beginning, from the which forward, the people reckoned both their Sabbatical years, and years of Jubiliee: whereupon it followeth, that this manner of counting, by Sabbatical years, is the most sure reckoning of the years and ages of the World, and may well be deduced & brought to this present year, commonly counted the 1600. from the birth of Christ. In the which reckoning, we have to proceed after this manner. First taking an fixed year out of the Scripture, being surely a Sabbatical year, for an fixed stay or ground: and then reckoning from the same back, to the beginning of the Worlde: and like wise forward, to the year of the Nativitie of Christ; and so consequently, to this present year. These stays or roots of time, in Greek are called Epoche, & in Latin, Aera temporum. And we shall take the ground thereof for our present reckoning out of the 28. chap. of the Prophet IEREMY, where he reckoneth the first year of K. Zedekiah (wherein Hananiah the false Prophet, prophesied 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. year. Next, we have to remember, that the coūting of these Sabbatical years, after the Law of Moses is from the tenth day of the seventh Hebrew Moneth, called Tishri, which answereth for the most part to our September; and not from January, which beginneth our year: By reason whereof, the one half of the Sabbatical year preceedeth the beginning of our year, and the other half, or little more, followeth after. Therefore it is, that some reckoning with the Jews, from Tishri, or September, count a year more then others, that reckon from January. But because the count made from January, comprehendeth the most parte of the Sabbatical year, I. with the most number of Christian reckoners follow it. Thirdly, by this reckoning, we suppose the Worlde to have been created in this seventh Moneth called Tishri, which then probably was the first Moneth of the year: albeit it was institute thereafter, at the departing of the Israelites out of Egypt; that Nisan, or the Moneth of Abib (answering for a great parte to our March ) should be the first Moneth. Now, coming to our count, let us take the elleventh year of ZEDEKIAH (which being a Sabbatical year, was called the year of desolation, because from it begouth the captivity of Babylon ) and let it be the ground of our reckoning. That year (I say) counting back, was the 3360. year, from the creation of the world, which being divided by seavens, hath for the quotient number (as the Arithmetickes term it) 480. Sabbaths of years, & no superabundant od years. And to prove historicallie, this to be a just reckoning of the years of the Worlde, by particular count of the Scripture, we have first from the creation, to the flood of NOAH: 1656 years. Then from the flood, to the promise made to ABRAHAM, 367. years. And from the departing of the Israelites out of Egypt 430. years. And frō the departing to the building of the Temple by SOLOMON 480, years: And last, from the building of the Templ • , to the elleventh year of ZEDEKIAH 427. years: The whole sum of these years collected, come justly to 3360. years. Now to try other reckonings, which have not respect to Sabbatical years not to be right, let us take for example, the supputation of them, who suppose ABRAHAM to have been borne the 130. year of TERAH his father, (& not as the Scripture speaketh) in the 70. year. By that count we must add to the former reckoning, 60. years moe. And so the 11. year of ZEDEKIAH, would be from the creation the 3420. year: which years, being divided by seavens, there will remain after the division, containing 488. Sabbaths of years, 4. superfluous and odd years. And so aggreeth not that the 11. year of ZEDEKIAH, should be a Sabbatical year, as I have proven it to be by reckoning of the Prophet IEREMY. An other example. Supposing, as some others do, that the children of Israel remained in Egypt, the whole space of 430. years, whereas by our former count (which may be verified by Scripture) their remaining there, was only 215. years. By this their rekconing, we must add other 215 years to our former count, and so the 11. year of ZEDEKIAH would be the 3575. year, from the beginning of the world. Now dividing the number by seven, there will remain after the division of 510. Sabbaths of years, 5. odd years, whereby we may understand that reckoning not to be right. The like we may perceive in all other reckonings, that bring not the 11. year of ZEDEKIAH, to a juste Sabbatical year, with out any superfluous odd years. And so for the back reckoning of years, to the beginning of the world, & from it, to the 11, year of Zedekiah, we have not only the just reckoning of Sabbatical years, but also the Scri •• ures for our warrant. And for further confirmation, the agreement of the Sabbatical years, & years of Jubiliee, with the 6. year of Joshua, from the which, the Israelites made that reckoning as was declared before. That year being from the Creation, the 2499. year. As also, by this our count, the year of the promise made to Abraham being of the world, the 2023. will be found a Sabbatical year. And likewise the year of the birth of Moses, being the 2373. year. And this much for the back-reckoning. Now to count forward, from this our stay of time, to 〈◊〉 , the 11. year of Zedekiah, being from the creation, the 3360. year: first we shall add thereto, the 70. years of the captivilie of Babylon (which we reckon from the 11. year of Zedekiah, being the year of desolation) and so there will be 3430. years, from the beginning of the World. The which years, we shall take for our second stay or root of reckoning, to wit, the first year of the reign of Cyrus; wherein liberty was proclaimed to the people to return, this 3430. year of the world, divided by seavens hathin the quotient 490. Sabbaths, or weeks of years, leaving no odd years. And the quotient again, being packed by seavens, hath justly 70. Jubilees of years, and there remain no odd years, nor odds weeks of years. So this 3430. year of the world is a most per • fite stay of time, and root or ground to reckon upon. And hath as many Weekes of years, as the 70. weeks mentioned in Daniel (whereof we are to speak) have of years, that is, 490. which laketh not a mystery. Then to go forward with this our second staying of time, I hold with some of the best learned, that from this first year of Cyrus, to the Nativitie of Christ, are 518. years, and from the creation of the World, 3948. years, by adding to 3430. these 18 years. And so the year immediately preceeding the birth of our Savior Christ, to be a Sabbatical year, containing in the q • otient 524. weeks of years, and leaving no odd years. Now to prove the forward reckoning to be right, we shall take two warrandes out of the Scripture, the one out of the ninth Chapter of Daniel, and the other out of the • . Chapter of John his Revelation. As to the former out of Daniel, it was revealed to him by the Angel that talked with him, that 70. weeks of years were determined, or (as the Hebrew word properly signifieth) decided and cut in partes concerning Danie • l his people, and his holy City: And thereafter the Angel divideth these 70. weeks, in seven weeks, and 62. weeks, and finally in one week. It is out of question, that this Prophecy is meant of the returning of the people of Israel, from the captivity of Babylon, and of the building again of the City of Jerusalem, after the captivity, and it cannot be without a special cause, that the Angel divided the first seven weeks of years, from the 62. weeks, and finally speaketh, of the last week of the seventy, by the self. I therefore thus take it up, that as there was four diverse liberties granted to the people, at four several times, so this prophecy hath respect to them all, and divideth the time according thereto. The first liberty was granted by Cyrus, in the first year of his reign, over the Babylonians, where of mention is made in the first of Ezra. The second liberty to proceed in building of the Temple (which work was impeded a certain time) was given by Da •••• , called Longimanus, whom Ezra in his fourth Chapter nameth King of Persia. The third and fourth liberties, were granted by Artaxerxes the Great, the one to Ezra, and the other to Nehemiah. As we read in Ezra the 7. and in Nehemiah, the 2. Chapter. Now where it is said in Daniel, that from the going out of the Comma • dement, to bring again the people, and to build Jerusalem unto Messiah the Prince; there should be seven weeks, and 62. weeks, and that after 62. weeks, Messiah should be slain, &c. Of these weeks, I take the first seven to begin immediately after the first liberty, granted by Cyrus to the people to return, and to end at the 6. year of Darîus, who in the second year of his reign, gave new liberty to build the Temple, which was finished in his sixth year. And this is called the going forth of the commandment, to bring again the people, containing the space of 49, years, which make an Jubiliee. The other 62▪ weeks of years, I take to begin between the two liberties granted by Artaxerxes, the one to Ezra, in the 7. year, and the other to Nehemiah, in the 20. year of his reign: To wit, the beginning of these 62. weeks, to be the 14. year of the King Artaxerxes, and to ende the 28. year of our Savior Christ his age. The which two last liberties, concern the maintenance of the service of GOD, in the Temple of Jerusalem, being already built, and the building again of the City and Walls thereof, by moyen of Nehemiah, and his assisters: For the Angel maketh a distinction, between the bringing again of the people, and bulding of the Temple, ascribing there to the first seven weeks; and between the building again of the City, and inhabiting therein, which he ascribeth to the other 62. weeks. Then, I say, having the beginning and endings of these weeks so distinguished▪ there will be found an interval of time between the end of the seven weeks, and beginning of the 62. weeks, containing the space of 63. years, that is, 9. weeks of years, the which space and interruption of years, is most probably meant by the Angel, where he saith, seven weeks, and 62. weeks • ere decided or cut in partes, concerning the bringing again of the people on the one part, and the building of the City and Walls thereof, on the other parte: so that there is a discontinuance of time, between the one and the other. As toward the last week of these 70 weeks of Daniel, it is to be reckoned from the 28. year of Christ his age, as may be taken up by the text, wherein it is said, that after 62. weeks, Messia • should be slain. And a little thereafter, that he should confirm the covenante with many for one Weeke: and in the midst of the Weeke, should make the Sacrifice and oblation to cease. The which thing, Christ accomplished indeed, by offering his own precious body, in sacrifice, about the midst, or near the ende of this last week of Daniel, which endeth in the 35. year of Christ his age. And as to the confirmation of the covenant, it is meant (no doubt) of the Preaching of the Gospel, which he begouth near the midst of this last week, about the 31. year of his age. Now to come to the year before the birth of Christ, we must take off 35. years; which will be five weeks of years: and so there will remain of the 70. weeks of Daniel, 65. weeks, which make 455. years, and add thereto, the 63. years, interlaced between the 7. weeks, and 62. weeks: The sum of years then, from the first year of Cyrus, or from the captivity to Christ, will come justly to 518, years, as I set down in the beginning of this reckoning, and add these 518. years, to 3430. years, which was our ground and second stay of time: The whole sum of years, from the creation, to the birth of Christ, are 3948. years. Now we have further to verify this forward reckoning, from the captivity to Christ to be just, and agreeable to the truth, which I sha •• do, both by reason and count of Sabbatical years, and years of Jubiliee; and also by Scripture, and best approved Histories of these times. First, for Sabbatical reckoning, it is manifest that Daniel hath respect thereto, in the count of his 70, weeks, which make 10 Jubilees of years count. Now it was proven before, that the 3430. year of the Worlde, endeth in an Jubiliee, to wit, counting 70. Jubilees from the beginning, and 490, Sabbaths of years, which is the same number that Daniel comprehendeth in his 70. weeks, to wit, 490 single years, so that there been as many years in this Periode of Daniel, as were weeks of years from the beginning of the World, to the beginning of his reckoning. And seeing he counteth by Sabbaths of years and Jubilees, his count upon 490. years, must needs follow immediately the other reckoning of 490 weeks of years, from the beginning of the world: & so must proceed from the 3430. year of the World, & consequently, from the first year of Cyrus. Secondly, we have to remember the seconde authority which I alleged out of the 8. Chapter of the Revelation, for the second warrant of Scripture, to confirm this our reckoning. In that Chapter, mention is made of seven Angels, to whom seven Trumpets were given by God to blow, and to declare things that were to fall out in the World thereafter. The blowing of Trumpettes (being figuratively spoken) hath respect to the blowing of the Trumpets, at the ende of every Jubiliee, as is mentioned in the Law, the 25 • Chapter of Leviticus, whereby it may be gathered, that the distinct times wherein these Trumpets, figuratively were blown, (that is, the Angels and Ministers of God declared, his will concerning the estate of the World, & his Church therein, after every Trumpet blowing) were years of Jubiliee: For Jubiliee taketh the name from Trumpets, & we know that the Preaching of the word of God is also figured by blowing of Trumpets, Isaiah 27. and 58. And in the beginning of that 8. Chapter of the Revelation, it is declared, that at the opening of the seventh seal of the closed book of the counsel of GOD, the first Angel prepared him to blow his Trumpet. Now, the opening of the seven seals of the Book, signifieth (as all godly writers expone it) the revelation and declaration of the hid counsels of GOD, which was when he sent his beloved Son in the world, first to Preach the Gospel by himself, and his Apostles, and thereafter, by the lawful Pastors and Ministers of his Word, declarers of his holy will unto the world: the space of opening of these seals, as they were seven in number, so every Seal opening, comprehendeth the space of seven years. And the first seavent year of the first Seal, is the last week of the 70. weeks of Daniel, called, The fullness of time by Paul: wherein the Gospel begouth first to be preached. From the which counting by sevens; we find the opening of the seauent Seal, to fall upon the 71, year, after the birth of Christ, as likewise the blowing of the first Trumpet: & consequently, the 70. year, to complete a Jubiliee of years: whereanent, who would know further, let them read that learned and divine work of JOHN NAPER, in the exposition of the Revelation, the 5. 6. 7. 8. & 9. propositions. Now having found the 70. year of Christ, to be the 49. and last year of Jubiliee: let us count back from the 71. year of Christ, to the first year of Cyrus, by Jubilees, and we shall find by our former reckoning, the space of 588. years, which make 12. Jubilees compleete, and leave no odd years. For the 70. weeks of Daniel, make ten Jubilees, and the 63. years interjected between the 7. weeks, and 62. weeks, together with 35. years, that are between the end of the weeks of Daniel, & the 71. year of Christ, being joined together, mak • 98. years, & two just Jubilees. So that they ar 12 Jubilees in the whole, frō the 3430. year of the world, to the 71. year of Christ. And from the beginning of the Worlde, to that 71. year 82. Jubilees: Yet further to make this reckoning good by Histories of the time: we find by count of the Kings of the Persian and Babylonian Monarchy, by Megasthenes (corruptly called Metasihenes ) the Persian Historiographer, whereunto Philo the the Jew, in his Chronology aggreeth, counting by the years of the Hie-Priests, and governors of the house of David, to wit, from Iehosua the Hie-Priest, & Zerubbabel Prince of Judah, and first Governor after the Captivitie; that between the first year of Cyrus, and the first year of Alexander the Great, conqueror of the Persian and Babylonian Empire, were 191. years: Whereof, 49. years are reckoned from the first of Cyrus, to the 6. year of Darîus Long • manus, who was the seconde that gave liberty to build the Temple, as was declared of before: For Cyrus reigned 22. years, Assu • rus Pris • us 20. years. Then there was the inter-reign of one year: Then add to those 6. years of Darîus, they make up these 49. years. And from the 6. year of Darîus Longimanus, to the 14. of Great Artaxerxes, called Mnemon, are 63. years: thus reckoned. Darîus reigned yet 31. years, Darîus Nothus 19. years, add 13. of Artaxerxes, the sum is 63. years. And from Cyrus, 12 years. So there resteth, from the 13. of Artaxerxes, to Alexander, 79. years thus reckoned. Artaxerxes, yet reigned 42. years, Artaxerxes Ochus 26. A • ses 4. and Darîus the last, vanquished by Alexander, 6. years. The sum is 79. years completing the 191. years before mentioned. Now least any should derogate the authority of Megasthenes and Philo, in counting of these years of the Persian Monarchy: I will affirm (for my part) them to be most authentic of all that I have read, whatsoever be said against them. And that they are to be prefer • ed to all the Greek authors, who are of light credit, and full of Fables; as I intend to declare at large, in my more ample discourse. For as to Combyses, whom they make one of the Persian Monarchs, if we read diligently the latter parte of the 10. Chapter of Daniel, we shall find him to have been Prince of Persia only, who ruled that Kingdom in place of his father Cyrus, he being occupied in the Scythian wars. And that this Cambyses was an enemy to the Church of God: And as for Xerxes, whom they count for another, albeit he invade Grecia, with an huge army, yet we read never that he did reign in Babylon, but in Persia, in the days of Darîus Longimanus. It resteth then, to go forward, with the years between Alexander and Christ: And by our count, they must be 327. years, which are to be reckoned after this manner. From the beginning of the Empire of Alexander in Asia, after that he vanquished Darîus, to the beginning of the Kingdom of the Greeks, by Seleucus Nicanor, after the reckoning of the Jews, are 18. years, as Josephus Scaliger proveth in his fifth book, De emendatione temporum. And from the beginning of the kingdom of the Greeks, to the Maccabees, are 145. years, as we have in the first book of the Maccabees, the second Chapter. And the Macchabes ruled, as witnesseth Josephus, in his Antiquities 127. years. And after them, King Her • de reigneth • 7. years complete, near the end of whose reign, Christ was borne. Join those years together, and they will make up, from the beginning of the Empire of Alexander to Christ, just 327. years: And adding thereto, 191. years, between Cyrus and Alexander, the sum will be 518. years, according to our first count. The same may be prooven by the Astronomical calculation of Piolemee, who in the ende of his third Book, reckoueth from the decease of Alexander, unto the reign of Augustus Caesar 294. years. And he counted the beginning of Augustus his reign, from the time that he begouth to reign himself alone, after his victory against Antonius: who slew himself in Alexādria, So we must separate the years that Augustus ruled with Antonius, from the rest of his Empire, which were fourteen years, as Josephus and the Roman Histories bear record • and he reigned 56. years. Now Christ was borne in the 42. year of his reign: So joining 27 years of the Empire of Augustus, and 6. year of Alexander, his Empire, to the 294. mentioned by Ptolemee: The sum from the beginning of Alexander to Christ, will be 327. years, as of before. I have insisted the longer upon this reckoning, because of the great variety amongst writers, namely, concerning the Monarchy of the Persianes and Kings thereof: Alwaise I think, I have proven sufficiently our reckoning by Sabbatical years, & years of Jubiliee to be juste: yet there remaineth one scruple; where as Josephus writeth in his Antiquities, that that King Herod besieged Jerusalem in the third year of his reign, and that then there was a great scarcity of victualles, because of the Sabbatical year: which appeareth not to stand with our count, to make the 37. year of Herod, to be a Sabbatical yearte: But we must understand, that Josephus meaneth not that the third year of Herod was a Sabbatical year, but the second year which preceeded, which made the scarcity in the third year following. So our counth oldeth just, that the • 7. year of Herod, was a Sabbatical year; at the end whereof, Christ was borne. For Herod lived till about the Passover thereafter, making the beginning of his reign, to have been in January, when he was made King at Rome. To this also aggreeth the count of the great Cycle of the Jews, who reckon the year that our Savior Christ was borne, to have been the first of their Semitah, that is, of the Sabbatical week. Now then we have the just reckoning of the years of the World unto Christ, to be 3948. years. And this year of Christ 1600. to be from the beginning, the 5548. years. In the which count of years (albeit by another manner of reckoning) I agree with the learned Josephus Scaliger, & some others more ancient then he. And as to others, I find only Erasmus Reynoldus, Peucerus and P. Crusius, with some others that follow their reckoning, to have had some apparent respect to the Sabbatical years, counting to Christ, 3962. years, but they will be two weeks of years, over our calculation, and so will not agree in the years of Jubiliee. Others, whosoever they be, that hold no count of the Sabbatical years, are further out of the way, as they that reckone to the birth of Christ, 3944. years, leave odd after division by seavens, three years. And likewise they that count 3974. years. And so is to be seen in others, who commonly are further from the mark, in not following the direction of Sabbatical years, which being thus justly taken up, make a strong bulwark against the obstinate Jews. For it being known by the weeks of Daniel, that the just count thereof, endeth about the time when Christ suffered upon the Cross, they are convict, will they, or will they not to know, that he is, of whom the Angel speaketh unto Daniel, who was appointed of God his Father, (as the text beareth) to finish iniqui ••• , to seal vpsinnes, and reconcile wickedness, and to seal up visiones and prophecies, bringing in ever lasting righteousness; and consequently, he is the moste holy anointed, and that true Me • ias promised to their fathers. And that in vain that miserable Nation so many hundredth years looketh for another.

SECOND PROPOSITION.

NOt without weighty causes, have I so long insisted upon Sabbatical reckoning of years: For thereby more sure way is found out, to come to the right acoūt of years, & progress of times, frō the beginning of the world, unto the last decaying age thereof, then by any other common manner of reckoning. And besides that, it is most facile and easy. And we know there is nothing more necessary for the knowledge of Histories, and divers estates of the Worlde, nor the right reckoning of years and times, wherein the same with the circumstances thereof fell out, that thereby men may be led to understand the antiquity of every thing; as also by conferring time with time, may know the difference of the manners of men, of one age from an other: without the which, not only great darkness and obscurity, both in civil government and actiones of men's lives, and in things concerning the estate of religion may ensue. And that which is worse, many may fall in that inconvenient, wherein Aristotle, & the Epicurians have fallen. For through ignorance of the antiquity of times, he esteemed the world to have been from all eternity, and these (to wit, the Epicutians) counted the nature of all things to have been by chance, and by, I wote not what, a concurrence of motes and invisible bodies. This reckoning also, resolveth many doubts, wherein writers are involved, that have no regard thereto, and ofttimes count by guess, especially in reckoning of years, from the captivity of Babylon, to Christ: and the right beginning and ending of the weeks of Daniel, whereinto many learned men have been greatly troubled; laboring by a just count to agree the Histories of times there with: which cannot be, unless there be certain weeks of years, interjected between the beginning and ende thereof. And thirdly, I have used this kind of Sabbatical reckoning, because one of the chief purposes, that presenttie I have in hand, is to discover the vanity and ignorance of the Papistical reckoners, concerning their counterfaited years of Jubiliee, by a preposterous imitation of the law of Moses. For the which cause, it is expedient to have the exact knowledge of Sabbatical years: For by them the years of Jubiliee are reckoned and found out. For thus layeth Moys • s: Thou shalt also number unto thee seven Sabbaths of years, even seven times seven years: and the space of seven Sabbaths of years, will be unto thee nine and forty year. Then thou shalt cause to blow the Trumpet of the Jubiliee, in the tenth day of the seventh Moneth: To wit, in the beginning of the fiftieth year, which was commanded to be hallowed, and to be a year of Jubilee • unto the people: But is not so to be understood, that every Jubiliee contained full fifty years, but that fifty year wherein the Jubiliee was proclaimed, was also the first year of the next Jubiliee; for otherwise the reckoning by weeks of years, should have been confounded, and could not be holden in just count; which is contrary to the mind of the Law-giver. And yet the fiftieth year, by a common Phrase of speaking, was called the year of Jubiliee. As the Olympiades of Greece, albeit they contained but the space of four years, are called by Pindarus, and other Poets, the spectacles or vassallages of five years, because they returned every fifth year; And we commonly call the space of an week, eight days, albeit it containeth but seven. So it is evident, that the right count of Jubilees, proceedeth from every 49. to other 49. years. Now let us consider the bastard Jubilees, begotten and feigned by the Popes of Rome, whereunto they have no respect to Sabbatical years, whereof Jubilees (as the law required) are made up. But Pope BONIFACE, the S. Pope of that name, the first father and inventer thereof, in the year of Christ, 1300. took the whole compleit number of every hundredth year, containing twice fifty, for his Jubiliee. And CLEMENT the 6. reduced the same to every fifty year compleete. And after him, PAVLE the 2. to every 25. year. And finally, IVLIVS the 2. to every tenth year. Ever diminishing the years; to augment their Antichristian superstition, and the vent of their ungodly wares. So unstable and changeable is the estate of that usurped Kingdom. This then is the first error of those counterfaited Jubilees, concerning the times of the appointment thereof: That they are nothing like in reckoning, to the Jubilees of the Law, which those Apish juglares pretend to imitate. And as concerning this 1600. year, from the Nativitie of Christ, whether we count by the number & date of these years, or by the years from the beginning of the Worlde, it will neither be found a Sabbatical year, nor yet a year of Jubiliee. For dividing 1600. by seavens, it leaveth 4. odd years remaining over 228. weeks of years: And dividing again this quotient by 7. it leaveth 4. od weeks of years, above and attour 32. Jubilees. The like may be also found, if we shall divide the whole years from the creation of the world, to this present. For 5548. being parted by seavens, leaveth four odd years. And the quotient again, which is, 792. being divided by seavens, after 113. Jubilees, leaveth one od week of years. And so the appointed times, of these new-invented Jubilees, are no-wise rightly reckoned to counterfeit the Jubilees of the Law. The second & greater error is, that they make their reckoning from a wrong ground, to wit, from the Nativitie of Christ: whereas, if any such reckoning were to be made, it should be taken from the year of the suffering & death of our Savior Christ; to the which, Daniel reckoneth his Sabbatical years. For thereby Christ accomplished the true Jubiliee, putting ende to all the preceeding figurative Jubilees, & purchasing unto the faithful full liberty and remission, from the Spiritual debt of sin, which was signified by the freedom and liberty, granted by the Jubilees of the Law. And the Popes pretend to do the like, by their blasphemous indulgences and Pardones; which is the third and worst error of all: So that others might be borne with, if this followed not. But when the substance, the Satanical invention, and false ground, whereupon these Jubilees are set up, is truly considdered: There is no-well instructed Christian heart, but must needs abhor the impiety and abuse thereof. And first let us make a conference between these & the old Jubilees of the Jews. The year of Jubiliee of the Jews, was called the year of remission, because in it, all debts were remitted, and the Lands that were sold, returned to their former owners. These things had the express commandment of God for their warrant. The Papistical Jubilees have no ground of the word of God, but have been latelie invented, but 300. years ago; by Pope BONIFACE the 8. a man of extreme arrogancy and cruelty, as a tryumphe of his pride, when the Popedom was at the hight of tyranny. This was also he, that set out the Sext book of Decretales of the Cannon law: and as is testify ed in his life, regisirate in the same book, he obtained the Papacie, by wicked deceit and circumvention of one CELESTINE a simple man. The pretence of this BONIFACE, in the first institution of his Jubiliee, was under color to dispense his Pardones; but indeed, to make many people resort to Rome, & Princes & Great men, to adore the beast, and kiss his filthy feet. For it is reported in the History, that there were gathered thereby unto Rome, such a multitude of people, that hardly might men pass through the City, and ruipes thereof, albeit being most large. The Jubilees also in the policy of the people of Israel, were institut for weighty causes, and for a great benefit: For besides that, they figured our Spiritual liberty, which we have by Christ, and were an instigation to the people more diligently to Sanctify their Sabbaths; by them also the fields and possessiones of every man, were reserved to their heirs: The licentious liberty of prodigal sellers, and the avarice of greedy buyars was restrained, because they behooved to restore that which they had bought, at the year of Jubiliee. The Papistical Jubilees, to the contrary are institute, for no good cause, but superstitiouslie, to maintain the pride and avarice o • the insatiable Courte, and corrupt Church of Rome, and to cause men exhaust and wast their substance, who vainly mak long voyages to Rome to see that Idole the Pope false hope of remission, by his Indulgences; albeit they never learn to mortify the sinful lusts of the flesh, that they may live a licenceous life, without controlment: And so ever to proceed from worse to worse. For as the profane Poet saith, Omnes licentia deteriores sumus: Over-great liberty and license, maketh us all to become worse and worse. Now where some of his Sophistes say, that these are only Canonical pains inflicted by men, that he remitteth by his Indulgences: His own Canons testify the contrary, which speak generally of the remission of all sins, and temporal pains or punishments due for sin: Ex plenitudino potestatis, that is, fullness of power, which the Pope presumpteously arrogateth to himself. And supposing these Indulgences were extended only to Canonical pains, or satisfactions appointed by men; what absurdity is it, to grant the same fully and indifferently to all persons, by him who never knew the persons, for the most part to whom they are granted, nor the qualities of their offenses, nor the quantity or causes of their Injunctions, les nor more, to whom he pretēds always falsely to give full remission: neither sufficeth it to say, the Papale indulgences are given to none but to them that are truly penitent, and confess their sins. For by that argument, the same might been given to Judas the traitor, of whom our Savior saith, It had been good for him, he had never been borne. For it cannot be denied but he was truly penitent, and made public confession of his sin: Yea, and more over, made Papistical satisfaction therefore; returning again the money which he had wrongeouslie received. And for the more sure declaration of his repen • ance, he • finally hanged himself: But because he had no grace to turn to God by true faith, to seek mercy, and fi • mly believe to obtain it for Christ his sake: His repentance availed not. Like as there will be many other desperates, that will repent & confess their faults, but have no grace to seek mercy at God's hand, who hath only power to give it, with true faith to obtain the same. Besides all this, there is a greater impiety (if greater may be) in these Antichristian Indulgences, whereby this man of sin pretendeth, to take away all corrections for sin, not only in the name of Christ and by his blood (the which, as John testifieth, purgeth us from all sin ) but also in the name and merits of Peter, Paul, and other Martyrs and Saints; For so speaketh his Canon law: That to the heap of the Thesaurie of Christ's blood, the merits of the blessed Virgin Marie, and of all the elect: from the first just man, to the last, are known to be valiable. And what can be spoken to greater derogation, of the precious blood & merits of Jesus Christ, then to mingle therewith, the blood and merits of creatures, & sinful persons, ( For the most just man falleth seven times a day, as the Psalmist testifieth) ascribing a part of our salvation, to them who had no temission of their own sins, but by the blood of Christ only: Whereto should I further insist, in refelling these and the like blasphemies against the croce of Christ, which be known well enough, to all them that have ears to hear the true preaching of his Gospel: Seeing the Popes officiares themselves, who make vente of his Pardones at Rome, and make their gains in sheepeskinnes, and pieces of plombe appended thereto, taunt and mock the receivers of them, holding them for very fools, as they are indeed. For who is endued with natural judgment, that seeth not, that these counterfaited Indulgences, serve for no other thing, but to mock and deceive the people, to make merchandise of their souls, & 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 mad stupidity & foolishness is it then, in this clear light of Christ's Gospel, to men to hazard themselves with great dangers, loss of time, and expenses, to raike to Rome, either to behold, or to be participant of these unworthy wares: For if they do it of blind zeal, believing them to be of any avail, they are miserably deceived, to the great hurt of their souls health. And if they do it only of curiosity, to see such things as they never saw before; they therein declare the lightness and vain transportation of their minds, not being selted in the true knowledge and fear of God. For as the common Proverb saith, there is neither man nor horse, that useth to be better of the passing to Rome: And so is seen indeed of many of them that return from thence.

THIRD PROPOSITION.

AS The papal religion in many things is patched and made up, partly of the old rites and ceremonies of the Jews, and partly of the superstition of the Gentiles, so counterfeit they by imitation, sometime the one, and sometime the other; and when they lack the one, they take the other for their ground. So it is concerning their Jubilees, whereof I have been hitherto speaking: and have proven already, that their imitation in times, is not according to the institution of God's law, promulgate by Moses. Now then they being put from that ground, may allege, that they having no necessity to observe Moses law in all points, have appointed thē Jubilees, after imitation of their ancient Romans (whose degenerate posterity they are) to wit, that as they had their stages or plays, which they call their seculare solemnities, every hundredth year, once in memory of the antiquity of their city: where in it was proclaimed, by found of Trumpet, that the people of Rome, should see such pomps and guises, as no man that was then living, ever saw before, neither should see thereafter. So Pope BONIFACE the eight, did institute his Jubilees, to be holden every hundredth year, with solemn Proclamation of his Pardones. Now granting this to be true, as their ground is vain and profane, so whatsoever is built thereupon. And yet let us see how happily and circumspectly these Romanists imitate the ancient Romans: supposing that they celebrate their secular solemnities, at the precise end and periode of every hundredth year. This their ground (I say) is false: For it was the space of an hundredth and ten years, between everyone of the seculare solemnities, according to the old institution, thereof, which 110. years were composed, of twenty two of their Lustra, wherein they did lustrate and muster their people: every Lustrum containing the space of five years, which being 22. make eleven times ten year: Whereof Horace the Poet, beareth witness in his song or ode entitled Carmen seculare, in these verses:

The sense is.

So the Papistical Romanists, are wrong wrested in their reckoning in this also. Now it is truth, that albeit this secular Periode of time, containing the circulare course of an hundredth years, was most diligently observed by the Romans, for diverse causes. Yet we notwithstanding, for the common reckoning of an age, may well take the precise number of an hundredth years: Because it is commonly the longest course of man's life in our days. And because I am entered in to make mention of ages, I think it good, to discourse a little upon the ages of the World, and likewise of men's lives. And to declare how many manner of ways the same are taken: and of the diverse reckoning thereof. For the which we have to understand, that as all things in this visible world, have a certain age and continuance of time, so the Worlde it self hath the own age: which being taken generally, signifieth, 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 pa • te of his life. And indeed it may well be said now, that we become to the decaying parte, and latter age of the World. For (as the Apostle saith) We are they upon whom the ends of the World are come. And in an other place, he calleth these our days, the latter times. Now the age of the Worlde, taken in the former general signification, is divided again in diverse particular ages, and that by sundry manners of reckoning: For some distribute the whole ages of the World in three partes: ascribing to every age 2000. years: Which cometh of that common opinion, holden of main, and recited, for the saying of the house of Elias (not that great Prophet Elias, but a certain Rabbin of the Jews so named) that the World should stand 6000. years, and thereafter should be dissolved. Of the which they count, 2000, year before the law (called the void time) 2000. under the law, & 2000. under Christ, which shall be shortened, for the sins of the world, which are many. There be divers learned and godly fathers of this opinion: supposing, that as the world, with all things therein contained, was created in six days, so the same should endure 6000. years, taking each thousand year for a day, as it is taken in the second Epistle of Peter, where he saith, That one day before the Lord, is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day: And amongst others, Augustine writing of these ages, & dividing them in six, reckoneth the first age to be frō Adam, to Noah: The 2. from Noah to Abraham: The 3 from Abraham to David: The 4. from David to the captivity of Babylon: The fifth, from the captivity to Christ: The sixth and last, under the Kingdom of Christ, unto the end of the World. But this division not to be equal, it may be evident, by the supputation of years, contained in the first proposition, and namely, of the last age under Christ, which now hath already endured sixteen hundredth years; and it is not certain how long the same shall yet further continue. Albeit by all probable conjectures, the world now appeareth to draw near an end. Always, I think it not altogether to be resused, that is alleged of the Jews, of this their Doctor Elias, who-so-ever he was. For it lacketh not a reason, counting 2000. years before the law. For indeed, from the beginning unto Abraham, with whom the first covenant was made, and to whom the Law of circumcision was given, we find to be about the space of 2000. years. And likewise under the law to Christ, about other 2000. years. And now they lack but 452. years of the last 2000. under Christ. Therefore this authority being brought forth by the Jews themselves, maketh much against them, who will not yet acknowledge the true Messias: seeing they have waited in vain for an other Christ; about sixteen hundred years, above their ownereckoning. Others there be, that distribute the ages of the world in four, according to the nature of four kinds of mettalles. The first they call the golden age, or Golden world, which was the most ancient & best of all; like as Gold is the chief amongst mettalles. The second, is next best, the silver age: The third, the age of brass, and the fourth iron, declining ay, from better to worse, as the world doth indeed. Of this division of ages, the Poets oftentimes make mention. And the original thereof, appeareth well to have been taken from the Prophecy of Daniel, who in exponing the dream of Nebuchadnetzar, speaketh of that great Image, representing the four chief Monarchies of the world, whereof the head was of Gold, signifying the Kingdom of the BABYLONIANS: The arms of silver, figuring the Monarchy of the Medes and Persians: the womb and sides being of Brasse, betokeneth the Macedonian Monarchy, obtained by great Alexander: The legs of Yron, and feet partly of Yron, partly of clay, that of the Romans or the feet, as others, interpret the Kingdom of the Greeks, begun by Seleucus, which being strong as iron, and noisome against the people of God, become thereafter, mingled with clay, declining to weakness and being 〈◊〉 in the self. And finally, the Kingdom of Christ did rvse, wholly after destruction of all those Kingdom • s, shall endure forever, as at more length is specified in that prophecy. Who would know more of the four ages, represented by these four metalles, may read abundantly in Hesiodus and others Poets, Others count the ages of the World by seavens, after the number of seven Planets, having a certain periode and revolution amongst themselves, whereof we are to speak more in another place. There be others also, that distinguish the ages of the world, by the ages of men • And sundry others use diverse other distributiones of the ages and times of the world, whereupon I will not now insist. Always I think the most facill & common division of the ages of the world, is by thousands, counting in the whole sex, according to the analogy of the sex days of creation. For to count by the lives & 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 divisiō of the ages of the world by thousands, would appear more proper, if it were made by equal division of thousands, or at the lease, approaching near to an equality, then as it is commonly parted by great inequality, as was before recited out of Augustine. There fore it may be divided after this manner: The first thousand year, counted from the creation; to Noah, albeit it containeth 56. years more. The second millenarie, from the birth of Noah, to the calling of Abraham, albei • there be twenty three more. The third milenary, from Abraham his calling, to the building of the Temple by Solomon, albeit they be 67. years less. The fourth millenarie, from the Temple building to Christ, albeit there be fifty two years less. The fifth millenarie, from firist his nativity extendeth itself to his 1052. year • but but I reckon the same to the 1000. years, when the Antichristian Papale kingdom, did utter the self in the person of SYLVESTER the second, who by art Magic, and divelrie, made himself to be promoted Pope The Image of the Romaine Empire, being translated a little before, by Otho the Third, unto the Germans. The sixth millenary, whereinto now we are, shall take end, when God pleaseth, if so be the world shall continue to the end thereof. The ages of the world being thus taken up by thousands, we may call the first age, The old age, or the Golden, because in it the world was governed in innocence, in respect of the ages following, under Saturn, as the Poets record. And if we give credit to the Astrologes, Saturn is the Planete of quietness and peace: But this age had the ende or the evening, thereof declining to darkness, when the seed of the godly, mingled themselue with the ungodly, and all kind of wickedness begouth to abound before the flood. The second age or millenarie, may be called the renewed age of the world, and the poetical silver age, worse then the first, but better then others that followed; wherein, after the destruction of mankind, by that fearful flood, the world was renewed and inhabit again by Noah, and his sons; and succession, under the benevolent Planete Jupiter; but the same turned to a great darkness in the ende or evening thereof, when the whole posterity of Noah, for the most parte, declyned to Idolatry, Nembroth begouth to usurp dominion over others, and to be the founder of the first tyranny in the world. The third millenarie or age, may be termed the age of the Law, or poetically, the brazen age: Because in it God separated Abraham from the Idolaters, and gave to him and his posterity, his Oracles, and a written Law, whereby they should know howe to serve him, and write his commandments in Tables of stone, hard as brass, to declare the heard harts of the people of those days. The fourth age or millenary, we may call the age of the four Monarchies, and the Poetical iron age, because in it were all the four Monarchies, succeeding one after another. And then Martial armor made of iron, troubled the whole world, & subdued it to those impotent dominators. The fifth millenarie or age, we call the age of Christ, and the returning of the golden world again. For in it not only external, peace was restored to the world, under Augustus Caesar, but also peace from heaven, to the conscience and souls of men; as the Angels in the Nativity of Christ did declare: Whereof, Virgile the Poet also maketh mention, in citing the Oracles of Sibylla, (which he understandeth not) in his four Eclogue. The sixth and last age, we may call the age of Antichrist and his kingdom. For in it both, Gog and Magog is hid and open Antichristian enemy, to wit, the Pope, and Mahomet, with their wicked laws, chiefly have troubled the world, and true professors of Christ, his true religion: But because these are kingdoms of darkness, and not of light, after the darkness thereof. God in his mercy hath made the light of his Gospel, as the Morning star to shine in our hearts, by which this darkness is expelled. But the unbelievers hearts are more and more darckned, till the just judge shall come and put an end to all darkness, whose coming we beseech the Lord, in his great mercy to hasten. As to insist longer upon these ages, of the world, or the allegorical analogy thereof, with the six days of Creation: I think it not expedient, let them that delight therein, read others, that have discoursed thereupon. This much then for the ages of the world. As to the ages of men's lives, they are also diversely reckoned. For some there be that take the fourth part of an hundredth year, which is, twenty five years only for a man's age; and some take thirty, because man of that age, is able to become a father: And they refer •• e that which Homer the Poet speaketh, of the age of N • stor that he attained to three ages, to be understood of thrice thirty years. But the Poet Ovid, understandeth that place of Homer otherwise, to wit, of three hundredth years: saying in the person of Nestor, VIXI

As indeed it is most probable, to have been so meant by Homer. For in those days it was no rare thing to see men live thrice thirty years. Others they be, that distribute the ages according to men's life-times, by seavens; but after divers manners. For in the 90. Psalm, whereof the title is ascribed to Moses, the common age of man's life is counted to be ten-times seven, that is, seventy years. And the cause why the ages be reckoned by seavens, is, by reason that seven is a perfect number, whereof hath been spoken largely of before: And commonly, every seventh year, some notable change or accident falleth out in man's life: And namely, at the age of nine times seven, which make, threescore three years, called the Climacterick year, which many count for a fatal year, and term of man's life in our days. Others (as Hippocrates ) count seven-times seven years, for a man's age, which maketh 49. years, conform to the Jubiliee of the Jews. Yet notwithstanding, these other reckonings, if we shall compare the ages of the world, with the longest age of man's life, the most perfect and convenient reckoning, is to count by hundreds: ascribing 100. year in a full and perfect number to every age: for that is the farthest term of man's life, that we can now reckon to. Albeit a few men in some cuntries live longer: And it appeareth well to be so taken in the Scripture. For (as it is written in Geneses ) when God shown unto Abraham by Orackle, That his seed should be a stranger in a Land that was not their own: The space of four hundredth years thereafter, he exponeth it of four Generationes, saying, In the fourth Geneneration they shall return thither again: where he taketh four generationes, for four ages. The same may be approoven, by that which was cited out of Homer, concerning Nestor. So holding us at this division of ages by hundreds, there will be from the beginning of the World of those ages, now cōpleetly passed by our reckoning, before this 1600. year of Christ, fifty hundredth years, which make 55. ages: And we are now in the 56. age, and at the 48. year thereof: which may well be called, an age of the decaying and fading world, not only because it appeareth to approach near unto the worlds end, but also by reason greater mutatiōs, & alterations are likely to fall out therein, both in the visible heavens, the earth, & other elements, then in other ages before: whereof I intend to speak more largely afterward. But to entreat of particular accidents that fell out in the former ages, it pertaineth to a more large discourse.

FOURTH PROPOSITION.

LIke as I have travelled heretofore, by Sabbatical reckoning to deduce & find out the perfect count of the years of the world, how long it hath continued unto this instant 1600. year of Christ: And there with to discover the erroneous reckoning of the Papistical Jubilees, and their impieties: So now might I enter into another kind of reckoning, which is called Astronomical, gathered by the course and revolutiones of the Heaven; the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars: For as the Sabbatical reckoning, (whereof I have spoken) hath the ground out of the Scriptures, and word of God; So this Astronomical count, hath also the original out of the same. And as thereckoning of Sabbaths and Sabba • icall years, beginneth at the seventh day of creation, when God rested from all his works; so this Astronomical calculation, hath the beginning frō 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 & give light upon the earth, separating the day from the night • but also to be for signs and for seasons of times, days, and years: that is, by their motions and revolutions, to distinguish times and seasons, and therewith, to signify certain effects following, upon their courses and motions: So that thereby, we may learn the difference of times, and make distinction of the partes thereof: as of years, months, days, and of all seasons and appointed diettes: Without the knowledge and reckoning whereof, there should be nothing but extreme 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 progress of time be numbered, without the same were defined and measured, by the motion of these heavenly bodies, and namely, of the Sun and Moon. For the Sun, by his most equal and simple motion, is as a most perfect rule to us, to appoint and measure the years and seasons thereof: The Moon also by her short motion, to measure and distinguish the Monethes of the years: So there is no more perfect way to measure the years of the World, then by the course of the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars, which everyone have their juste periodes of time, within the which, they compleit their courses, & revolutiones, the which, albeit they appear sometime unequal to us that dwell on the earth, yet they are most equal & constant in themselves. But because I think I have prooven sufficiently already, both by Sabbatical and by Historical reckoning, the just count of the years of the World to our days: I think it not necessary in this short Treatise, to set down the Astronomical reckoning: all-be-it it would ratify and confirm our former count. For it should be both long-some & tedious to them that are not well grounded in Astronomy: and peradventure, over difficill to be taken up. Therefore I refer the same to a more ample work: In the mean time, by reason of the great error I see fall forth among the vulgare Prognosticators, for wrong taking up of their grounds, in judging the face of the heaven, the weather, and other accidents and influences thereof: I have thought good to discover their error, that they may amend the same, and others be no further deceived by them. But first I would inform them to amend their error also, that deny the heavenly influences to be effectual, because the predictions of such as commonly set out the vulgare Prognostications ofttimes, take not effect: I say, these men declare them selves very ignorant in natural Philosophy, and are convict by experience and ensample of such things, as daily fall out, by virtue of the heavenly influences. Yea, by the Scripture itself, Namely in Job, where the Lord himsele maketh mention of the pleasant influence of Pleiades, which is the pleasant spring-time of the year, when the Sun cometh to those stars. For these influences, not only make the earth to fructify, but also work a great variety in the seasons of the year: so that they are not like one to another, nor to themselves every year in many things. And many evident signs are found 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 only in the air, but also in the natural inclination of earthly creatures. For, for that cause, the eternal God appointed them in the beginning, not only to shine and show light unto the world, but also to be for signs of things to come: as it is testified in Genesis. So that by the great providence of God, three excellent benefits are communicated to men, by these heavenly bodies: The one is, to shine and give light unto the Earth: The seconde, to distinguish times, days, and years: The third, to forewarn men of many things profitable for this life; not that we should think that all things can be fore-told thereby, or that the stars have force to move the minds and willes of men, as it were by constraint, to this or that. For this science, hath certain limittes and bounds, over the which it ought not to be drawn. For as the chief author in this art Ptolemee himself affirmeth, that part of Astrology, which is called Iudiciar, exceedeth the weakness of men's apprehension, which is aggreeable to that which God by his own words objected unto Job, in the place before cited, saying: Knowest thou the statutes of the heaven, & canst thou set down the ruling thereof in the Earth? And besides this obscure knowledge of the heavenly influences, there are superstitious observations used by many in the artificial setting up 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 improve & condemn. 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 known, which some for the utility of men edify, and namely, for instruction of Physitiones, laborers of the ground, Sea-faring-men, and other travellers & observers of times, to know and fore-see, the falling out of winds, tempest, and other accidents of the air, and for relieving of infirmities of men's bodies, by knowing the right times of applying medicines, according to the dispositions of the complexions and humors, over which, the Moon is known by experience, to have great dominion. For if it be granted (as we know it is) to certain fowls of the air, and beasts of the earth, to fore know and feel the mutationes of the air, and tempests to come, how should we altogether deny fore-knowledgs to be granted to men, to conjecture of these accidents, having reason, judgment, and experience to lead them thereto? not as to come by absolute necessity (for God is above all second causes, & may stay them when he pleaseth) but by probable reasons and appearance. And yet, I confess, that men of no evil inclination, are moved to have those Astronomical predictiones in greater contempt, because of the error and ignorance of many professores of this science, and namely, of such as set forth the vulgare Prognostications, that are yearly to be sold abroad. For when the common sort of men see, that the accidents fore-told by them, as namely, concerning the mutationes of the air, fall not out according to the judgment of such Prognosticators, they suppose the fault, which is in the ignorance and evil-taking up of the men, to be in the science it self: as though there were no probable certainty in Astronomical predictiones. But as it followeth not, if an ignorant Physician, kill a man, when he professed to heal him, that therefore no man should use medicine, so the unskillfulness of the professor is no good cause to derogate authority to this divine science: if it be lawfully used and retained within the right bounds. Now because I perceive one of the chief causes, of the error of those cōmō Prognosticators to be, that they take not rightly up the grounds of their cōjectures, but follow the old rules of the Chaldeans, Arabians, and others ancient authors in that science, which serve not for our days and time. For the doctrine of the signs and houses of the heavens, and placing of the Planets thereinto, with their triplicities & mutual qualities, in their applicationes, and joining with the fixed stars, which served for the former ages; cannot now serve, nor be sufficient to ground solid conjectures upon, for they are altered and changed. For the which, it is to be understood, that the ancient out-letters of this science, who divided the whole arche of the Zodiake in twelve equal parts, and into twelve signs: For that time, considdered the qualities of every sign, depending upon the nature & qualities of the sixth stars, that were in such a sign; so that when any of the Planets, come to the stars, or had aspect thereto, they caused the alteration of the air, according to their natural qualities, and other accidents to fall out, beg inning at the sign of Aries; and so counting consequently from the Spring-time Aequincctium throughout the rest of the signs: At which time, the entering of the Sun, in the Aequinoctiall point, was i • the beginning of the sign of Aries, of the eight sphere, or not far distant from the first star of that sign, which they peradventure thought to be unchangeable: But by process of time and experience, it is found, that the Aequinoctial point is moveable, flitting, and removing back-wards, contrary the order of the signs, and the fixed stars that were in the sign of Aries removed forward. In so far, that from the first observation of the heavenly motions, when the beginning of the sign of Aries, aggreed in position & situatiō, with the first star of that sign in the 8. sphere, unto our days, counting in the midde-motion of the Aequinoctial, to wit, to this 1600. year of Christ, the fixed stars of the sign of Aries, that were some time in the beginning thereof, at the Acquinoctial point, are now distant more then twenty seven degrees, and fifteen minutes from that point fore ward: or rather, the Aequinoctial point is slipped back from them, and preventeth their course in the motion of the heavens. And so the stars that were in the sign of Aries of old, are now (counting from the Aequinoctial point) for the most part in the sign of Taurus, & they of the sign of Taurus in Gemini; and so consequently of the rest: Notwithstanding of this difference, the common setters out of Prognostications, and also the Mediciners, in giving of their medicine, mak their count after the old manner, as the signs were wont to be reckoned, nearer to the point of the Vernall Aequinoctial: where upon followeth this error, that the signs taking their nature and properties from the fixed stars, and having now changed their place, render other influences to the air and earth, them they did of before. So that they which sometime were hot, are now become cold, and they that were dry humide; and by the contrary, cold, hot, and humide dry: And so no certainty can follow, to know the mutatiōs of the air, or other accidēts thereby: neither can the placing of thē in the twelve houses of the heaven, after the old reckoning, nor the compting of their triplicities or aspectes by that calculation be right; and consequently, all that is built • herupon, by out common Prognosticators, falleth to the ground, and can have no solidity: So that it is no marvel, albeit they err in their predictions for the most part. As to the cause of the prevention of the Aequinoctial, and concerning the inequall variation thereof, because it belongeth to a more subtle & ample discourse, for the present I leave it: Only to speak some what of the remedy of this error in reckoning, which falleth out by not-taking-heed to the anticipation of the Aequinoctial points. In my opinion, I think there may be two ways to remeid the same: The one is, to reckon and calculate the signs, according to the eight sphere and fixed stars being therein, as they were reckoned of old, & in the days of Ptolemee, not having respect to the vernall Aequinoctial point: Albeit, in describing the general disposition of the year, respect may be had thereto, and likewise to the rest of the tropike points and fixed stars being therein for the time, with the configurationes of the Planets, and the conjunction or opposition of the Lights, being nearest unto the same. The other way is not far different frō the former, that is, without respect of the signs of the ninth sphere, to begin to reckon at the twenty seven degree, & fifty one minutes of Aries, as if it were the first degree this present year, and as the Moon flitteth her Mansiones, frō the Aequinoctial point hereafter to follow the degree of the Zodiake, where she b • gouth her first Mansion, and so to proceed with the rest, and to count by the mansiones of the Moon, ascribing to every mansion, twelve degrees, fifty one Minutes, and thirty secondes, as the manner is throughout all the twenty eight ma • siones, which is a very sure way. For certain it is, that the affections and influences that flow from the Moon, especially concerning the alterations of the air, are of greater force and effect nor those that come of other planets, by reason of her propinquitie to the earth. As also in medicine, she worketh greater effects then all the rest of the Planets, because she is predominant in all humide things, as well in men's bodies, as in the Sea and the air: And she bringeth forth her effects, according to the qualities of the fixed stars that are found in everyone of her mansiones, when she is joined with them: And so commonly is the disposition of the air at that present time, unless some other great impediment stay the force thereof: Therefore, having respect to the mansiones of the Moon, a • d the aspects and applications of other Planets to her, and to her Mansiones, great conjecture may be taken of the wether that is to fall out at any time, according to the season of the year. Moreover, they that would Prognosticate rightly of the weather, should have more respect to the Moon then all the rest of the Planets, because, as the Moon setteth after the first evidente appearing after every change (which is commonly the third, or the fourth day) so followeth the course of that whole Moon: Therefore, considderation would be taken, what disposition the Moon hath the third and fourth day, and the fourth day especially, in what mansion she will be, to what other Planets she will be applied in a conjunct opposite or quadrate aspect: and namely, if she apply to Saturn soon after the change, or immediately before, for then besure of rough weather. But if she be rid the fourth day, of all malevolent aspectes, the mansion wherein she is, being of temperate nature, the whole space of that Moon, commonly for the most part will be fair: and generally note, that if any evil weather is to fall out in the Moon, it falleth with greater effect in the days of the quarters and full Moon. But to speak more particularly and exactly of these things, it belongeth to a more large treatise then this present, which serveth only for a taist of things that may be spoken hereupon. And my intent was principally, to show the error only of the common sort of Prognosticators, that deceive the people, founding them selves upon wrong grounds, and thereby make the divine science, of natural and lawful Astrology, to come in mockage and contempt.

FIFTH PROPOSITION

SEing we are entered in Astronomical reckoning of times; & there is nothing more necessary and profitable for all sort of people, that are not trained up in Astronomy, then to have a perfect Kalendar, whereby the right course of the Sun and Moon being counted and known, the true distinction of all times, may be particularly set down as in a Table, wherein all the actions of men, both concerning Ecclesiastical and civil affairs, may be ordered and done in due season. Concerning the which purpose, it is to be understood, that in all ages, men have travelled to find out such a perfect reckoning of the year, months, weeks, and days thereof, as might serve for this use: Some framing their Kalenders (for so we must cal them for doctrines cause) to the course of the Sun, to compt their years thereby, & some to the course of the moon, reckoning by Monethes, and some laboring to reduce both those reckoninges to an equality, & to make their Kalenders to agree to both. The which thread being the most perfect form of reckoning and most commodious for all affairs both holy and politick, was first used amongst the Godly patriarchs, even from greatest antiquity, whereof we have evident Testimonies in the book of God. For in the time of Noah mentiō is made of months of the year, which could not be counted but by a certain form of Calendar or Almanac, counting by moons so many Moneths (for months take their denomination from the moon) which we may gather then to have been 12. in number, to make out the space of an year. And that the same were ruled also according to the course of the Sun, we may have intelligence by the principal feasts appointed by God in the law, which were not only affixed to certain days, but also to such times as had respect to the seasones of the year ruled by the Sun, & to the times of growing & winning of the fruits of the ground, proceeding from the course of the Sun. As the first month named Abib, took the name from the first fruits, because in it was the barley harvest in the country of Palestine, as Plinius also testifieth. So was the feast of the Passover, celebrate the 15 day of the first month being the first full moon after the vernall Equinoctium, likewise the feast of Pentecost, was the fifth day of the third Moneth, wherein the first fruits that were made in bread of corn were offered. In like manner after collection of all the rest of the fruits, & namely of wine and oil, was the feast of Tabernackles, which was celebrat in the reauent month. All these feasts hade respect to the course of the Sun, as I said before. Now to make the course of the Moon to aggree with the Sun, so that the reckoning of the Moneths might be conformed to both, after two or three years as the count fell out. The Hebrews in their Calendar added a certain od month called their Intercalare month whereof mentiō is made in their almanacks & named it Ve-Adar: the second or posteriore Adar, whereupon I will not now insist. Always, because this form of agreeing the years, and framing them both to the course of the Sun and the moon was thought (as it is in deed) most pe • fite, Julius Caesar, a man of great magnanimity, & well seen in letters, by the counsel and instigation of Sosigenes, an expert Mathemat • cien in those days, where as the Roman years very confusedly were reckoned of before unto the course of the Moon, about the space of 45. years before the Natiuitie of Christ, divised a new form of Calendar: First framed after the course of the Sun, dividing the whole year in 365. days and six hours: and making it to contain 12 Moneths where of the names are yet in use. And because of the od six hours, which could not be brought to count every year, he ordained that every 4 year one day should be added to February, because fouretimes six hours make up an whole day of 24 hours. And the year wherein this od day falleth, we call commonly Leape year. And because it was added at the six Kalendas of March. it is named in latin Bissextus, or Biss • xtilis annus, for the Romans divided their months in Kalendas, Nonas and Idus. Now Julius Caesar begouth his year at the kalendes of January, which was then when the Sun entered in the eight degree of Capricorne, eight days after the winter Solstiti • m, which then being the shortest day of the year, fell upon the 25. day of December: And the Spring time Equiuoctium, when the Sun entered in Aries, after that old reckoning, fell upon the 25. day of March. And the Summer Sols • itium, making the longest day upon the 25. of June. And the harvest Equinoctium, about the 26. or 27. day of September: The which places of the Sun, are now changed and slyden back in the Julian Kalendar (by reason of the prevention of the Equ • noctial, whereof I spak in the fourth proposition) to the 12. 11. or 10. day of the said Monethes, and 13. or 14. of September. The chief cause hereof (besides the prevention of the Equinoctial ) is that the Julian year, reckoned by Caesar, to contain 365. days & six od hours, containeth somewhat more, then the just calculation For by true Astronomical reckoning, there will be every year, taking off the six odd hours, elleven minutes of an hour, and certain secondes: The which, in the space of 130. year, or thereby, will make up an whole day. And so in the space of 1645. years, which is the time since Julius Caesar set out his Kalendar, there will be • ore then the space of thirteen days accressed, to be taken away from the count of the odd six hours, about the 365. days of the Julian year. For this cause, sundry learned men of our memory and time, have earnestly desired, that some Reformation of the Julian Kalendar might be made to bring the same to the old estate and institution thereof, as it was first set forth, by reason of divers inconvenients, that by process of time, occur by neglecting thereof. And namely, that the aggreement of the course of the Sun, with the Moon (which two Planets, were ordained of God in the beginning, to distinguish times) cannot thereby, as it is now, be known. The which mater, being proponed to divers general councils, could not take effect; till now lately in our days, with favor of Pope Gregory the 13. his Cardinals & counsels, it was permitted in the 1582. year of Christ, to one Aloysius Lilius, professor in Mathematical Astronomy, to set down this long desired reformation: Who having performed the same after his manner, hath thereby purchased a merveilous assent of divers Princes & cuntries, to accept & authorize the same: Albeit not without divers contradictions. For in the year, 1584. in Auspurge of Rhaetia, there fell out a great commotion, both in the Church & civil government thereof. As also the 1585. year in Riga of Lituania, great trouble was raised, till finally it was agreed, that the old Kalendar should stand as it was before, without reformatiō. And many cuntries yet there be, that have nor accepted not allowed this pretended correction. Now as concerning this reformer Aloysius Lilius, albeit (as it is supposed) he would have brought the Julian Kalendar to the old estate, as it was in the beginning, or near thereby, yet they of the Papistical Clergy, & others to whom the reformation thereof was first proponed, would not agree that it should be drawn back any further, but to the time of the Nicene council, which was holden and concluded in the 328. year of Christ; herefore he was forced to begin thereat. And because there interveend between that time, and the 1582. year of Christ, the space of 1254. years, he brought back the reck • ning of the Julian Kalendar, only ten days, setting forth a new Kalendar, wherein he had respect to twelve hundredth years, with so many ods, to wit, 54. years: For the which cause, he was also forced to alter the Cycle of the Sun (the which is not compleeted, but in 28. years) and so to change the Sundays letter to another thē that which was found in the old Kalendar books, now this reformation of the old Kalendar. albeit it was exactly calculate to the time of the Nicene council, yet it maketh a great change from the reckoning of the old kalendar, and putteth many men in doubt what to follow, whether the old style of count or the new. And hath brought great controversy in diverse places (as partly I show before) seeing that the day of the nativity of christ & other festiual days (as they cal them) & days of holding fairs & mercates, are changed & holden ten days before the accustomed times. And merchandes and others in making their contractes and obligationes are often disappointed of their days of payment, with diverse others such inconveniences, where as it had been far easier, without any such perceptable change (if so great need had been to reform the old Kalendar) to have done, as yet it may bedone, if it please Christian Princes and countries to agree thereunto, after this manner, to wit, that for the space of 56 years following this 1600 year of Christ, there should be no leap year at all: But all years to be common & equal containing 365 days only, according to the quantity of the old Egyptian year. So that two cycles of the Sun should pass by continual progress in the Kalendar, by, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, wsthout any variation, during these 56 years, to bring it to the first institution, leaving out the fourteen od letters of leap year, which are now interlaced in every two Cycles of the Sun, for in them are fourteen times four, which make 14 leap years. So by this reckoning 14 days being left out in the space of 56 years, the year should come to the same estate wherein it was, at the first setting forth thereof by Julius Caesar, which was 45 years before the birth of Christ. And these forty five years, added to the fifty six years, before mentioned, make 101. years, which 101. years being added to 1600. years, which now have been from the birth of Christ, will make up in the whole, 1701. years, which being divided by 130. by true calculation, give in the quotient, thirtteene whole days: and there will remain after division, twenty odd hours, and forty six Minutes of an hour, laking only three hours, fourteen Minutes, to accomplish twenty four hours: For the fourteen day, which is no perceptible difference, and will be made up in the space of sixteen years thereafter. And giving this reformation, should not be made till sixteen years here after were past, it should make up the self: So by this manner of correcting of the Kalendar, it were easy to bring the Julian year, to the first institution: letting the Cycle of the Sun, after the 56. years before mentionate, return to the former estate, as it is now set down in our Almanackes, as for example: If this Reformation should be attempted to begin in the year, 1601. next following. The Sundays letter, that year being D. the Cycle of the Sun fourteen, the year of Christ. 1656. being complete, the same letter should be the Sundays letter, in the 1657. year: & the Cycle of the Sun, 14. And so consequently, the Cycle of the Sun, with the Sundays letter, should proceed as they stand in the old Almanacs, without any variation for many years; and, as may be supposed, should need no further reformation to the ende of the world, which appeareth now shortly to approach. At least, every 134. year, leaving out a leap year, should hold it at the old stand. And this should make no perturbation nor variety in the order of the Kalendar, nor in the dates of Obligations, or cōtracts; neither change any of those days, which are called, fixed Feasts, from the days whereon they are now placed in the old Kalendare. Let this much then suffice for reformation of the Kalendare, to the course of the Sun. There is also another alteration used in this late reformed Kalendare, concerning moveable Feasts, which cometh by occasion of the course of the Moon, and defection of the Golden number. For the which, it is to be understood, that they that first placed and set down the Golden number in the Kalendare, as it is now (for it was not Iulus Caesar ) set the number of the year thereof, directly against the day of each Moneth, wherein the Moon then changed: But now the course of the change is flitted forward from those places, four days with the more. Now this number, called the Golden number, by reason of the utility thereof, whereby it was worthy to be written in Golden letters, was placed in the Kalendar, to agree the course of the Moon with the Sun (as is supposed) by DIONYSIVS, called EXIGWS, a certain Roman Abbotte, who after the Nicene Council, about the year of Christ, five hundredth, thirty two years, set out that Cycle: which is called the Paschal Cycle, or rather corrected that which was set out of before, a two hundredth and nine years, by EVSEBIVS CAESARIENSIS: This Golden number (I say) which is very profitable indeed, containing the space of nine teene years, was believed by the ancients, to compryse in the periode or revolution thereof, the exacte course of the motion of the Moon: So, that after the accomplishmente of nine-teene years, the Moon did return to the same course, that she was in before at the beginning thereof: and so they thought it sufficient to agree the days of the Roman Kalendar, with the changes of the Moon precisely. Albe-it, it be of verity, that the true motion of the Moon, in the space of nine-teene years, is more then to agree exactlie to the course of the Sun, by the space of one hour and an half, or thereby, which in the space of three-hundredth and four years, or little more, will make up an whole day, wherein the reckoning of the course of the Moon, by the Golden number, exceederh the course of the Sun, and goeth forwards in our Kalendars. And so in the space of an thousand, two-hundredth, seventy two years, which is from the time of the Nicene Council, from the which DIONYSIVS reckoned, to wit, from the year of Christ, three hundredth twenty eight, vnthis present year, a thousand six hundredth years, are four times, three-hundredth and four years, and more-over, fifty six odd years, which, add four days (as was declared) and almost six hours of the forward passing of the course of the Moon, attour the reckoning of the Golden number. Now because this DIONYSIVS that placed the Golden number in the Kalendar, took no heed to this, or rather understood it not, by process of time, the changes of the Moon fall not upon the days of the Kalendare, where DIONYSIVS placed the Golden number, but four days, and some-times five days thereafter. And also those days, which are called moveable Feasts, and namely, the Feaste of Easter or Pasche day, cannot be rightly reckoned by the Cycle of DIONISIVS, called the Paschal Cycle, containing the number of five hundredth thirty two years, that is, nineteen times twenty eight years, by multiplying the Cycle of the Sun, by the Cycle of the Moon: for albeit this man, named Dionysius Exignus, a certain Abbot of Rome, who lived in the days of Justinian the Emperor, about 500. years after the incarnation of Christ, the author of the Romans Paschal count or Cycle, intended by setting out of that his Cycle of 532. years, to give a perpetual and infallible rule, to know the true day of the celebration of the Paschal feast, called Easter, after the mind and determination of the Nicene council, which decreed, that all times thereafter, the Feast of Easter should be celebrate upon that Sunday, which immediately followed the fourteen day of the Moon (which the Hebrews hold to be the fourteen day of their first Moneth, called Nisan ) next, after the Spring time, Equinoctium, which then fell out in March, as it doth now, but not upon the same day of the Moneth. Yet this Dionysius was deceived in two things. For first (as I have told) he took no heed, or understood not, that every ninteene year, the Golden number lacketh of the juste reckoning, an hour and half an hour, or thereby. Secondly, he remembered not the leap year in his reckoning, or else supposed the Moon to have a leap year, as well as the Sun, which very proposterously is called [Saltus lunae] the leaping of the Moon by some; For the Moon hath no leaping, but keepeth a constant course. Herefore it is, that the Cycle of Dionysius, serveth not exactly to count the course of the Moon, and those moveable Feasts: For Easter day, as it is commonly now counted by that Cycle, falleth out often-times a Moneth and more, after the just appointed time of the Nicene council. And if we shall follow, the old Roman Kalendar and Golden number, set down by Dionysius, there in minding to celebrate Easter day thereafter; we shall see a great variation from the decree of the council. For sometime, Easter day shall fall before the midst of March, the Tuesday called, Fastings even, shall fall in January: And Whit sunday sometime in April. And after the reckoning of the Hebrews, our Easter day, shall fall in the Moneth of Adar, the last Moneth of the year, and not in Nisan, the first Moneth. For the which, I will give you one example. In the year of our Lord 1598. lately by past, according to the decree of the Nicene Council, and late Kalendar, set outby Lilius, Easter day, fell upon the twelft day of March, in the old Kalendare and Almancks, whereby we yet reckon in England and Scotland: And Whit sunday upon the last day of April: And Fastings-even, upon the twenty four of January: Whereas after the vulgare manner and count, Easter day was celebrate that year, the sixteenth day of April, Whit-sunday, the fourth of June: And Fastings-even, the last of February. Ye see the distance between the one calculation and the other, is more then the space of a Moneth: what error it may grow to by process of time, it is easy by this example to perceive: And so we must confess indeed, that the old Kalendare in this point, hath need of reformation: As also, that Cycle or count, called the Paschal Cycle of Dionysius. Now Lilius in his new Kalendar, to restore that Cycle of Dionysius to the right reckoning, maketh his count by hundreds, because every 304. years, which is the space of sixteen Golden numbers, one day being added to the Golden number of nineteen years, supplieth the hours and Minutes of the course of the Moon. But this count by hundreds, hath divers imperfectiones: Namely, because in his Epactes, counting by hundreds, no exact method can be observed; yea, the variety of the course of the Moon, can not so formally be counted thereby, as by the Golden number, which containeth less space: besides that, the Paschal terms aggree not ofttimes thereto: wheranent you may read, Joseph Scaliger, in the end of his learned work, De emendatione temporum; where also he setteth down a more perfect reckoning, by a Table of equal Epactes; where-anent, because it is hard to be conceived by them that are not well acquainted with Astronomical reckonings, I cease now further to speak. Always, we shall understand, it is very difficill to find out ane Cycle that may make an absolute perfect reckoning, of the course of the Moon, to frame it to any perpetual Kalendar: Yea, as Io. Stoeflere writeth in his great Roman Kalendare; no Paschal 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 Astronomical count, to set a Table or Almanac, containing the right reckoning of the course of the Moon, for many years, either by her midde motiones, or by her appearing and true motiones: as Io. Stoeflere did for certain years in his days. In the mean time, it shall suffice, for a gross and common instruction of all men, to place the Golden number in the Iuliane Kalendare, upon the precise days of the change of the Moon, as it is now set down in diverse Kalendars: For that will serve to declare what day every change falleth out; and whether it be before or after noon, by adding of the letter B. or A. to every particular Golden number, which may serve for a long season, without any perceptible variation. And who would know more exactlie the hours and Minutes of every Change, Full, or quarter of the Moon, let them get once by ane Ephemeride, or right Prognostication, the change of one Moon, with the days, hours, and Minutes thereof, and count to the next change, twenty nine days, twelve hours, and forty four Minutes: And from the Change to the Full, fourteen days, eighteen hours, and twenty two Minutes. And for every quarter, seven days, nine hours, and elleven Minutes, proceeding so far as you lyste, it shall be the true reckoning of the course of the Moon. As to the Paschal Cycle, we need not be careful thereof; But take heed to the first full Moon, after the vernall Aequinoctium, and ever the next Sunday thereafter, should be Pasche or Easter day: and thereby, you may propagate an Almanac for the moveables Feasts, as far forth as ye please, after the rule of the Nicene Council. But to be too much curious, concerning the observation of those Feasts, it is not necessary for true Christians; for we know that concerning the resurrection of Christ, which admonisheth us to rise in newness of life, every seventh day in the year, (which we call the Sundaie or Lord's day) putteth us in remembrance thereof. And otherwise, we are forewarned by the Apostle, Not to be supersititions in observation of times, days, and years, that we be not brought in Jewish bondage thereby: And again, That no man should judge us in Meat or Drink, or in respect of an Holic-day or of the new Moon, or of the Sabbothe days, which were but shadows of things to come: But the body is in Christ: meaning the substance thereof, was accomplished in Christ. And we have no commandment nor ground out of the Scripture, nor any example of Christ or his Apostles, for observation of those days. For as to the typical Pasche or Passover of the Jews; it was finished in Christ, when he our true Passover, or Paschal Lamb was sacrificed for us: And we (as Paul saith) have now to keep a feast spiritually, all the days of our life ( putting away the old leaven of malice and wickedness ) with unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. And the other invented Paschetyde or Easter, after the resurrection of Christ, is but the invention of men, how ancient soever it be. So that the great contentiones and controversies that followed in the ancient Church, for the day wherein the same was to be observed, both before and after the Nicene council, are skarsely worthy to be recited. And yet Victor Bishoppe of Rome (as that seat was ever proud) for not observing the same day, which he and his adherents kept, did excommunicate all them of the churches of Asia, that kept another day. For the which cause, the godly Irenaeus Bishop of Lions, justly found 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 counterfeit the law of Moses, in observing the time of the Moon, but it may be fixed to a certain day of the Moneth, or else, following the full Moon, to find it out after the manner before recited: Always, our Christian liberty ought not to be prejudged herein: And so I make an end.

SIXT PROPOSITION.

EVen as God the author and conserver of all things, in a comely and decent order, hath appointed an succession and progress of time, for accomplishment of the natural course thereof; so hath he appointed certain periodes and revolutiones of time, wherein things return to the same or like estate, wherein they were of before. So we see in the motions of the heaven, which are measured by time (or rather which are the measures of time) the Sun, the Moon, and the stars, to have their peculiar and distinct revolutiones, wherein they accomplish their courses, and return after a limitate and determinate space of time, to the places from the which they did depart. As the Sun compleeting his course and revolution, in the space of 365. days, and near six hours, or the quarter of an day, ascribeth unto us, that space of time, which we cal the year, which returning in it self, in Latin is termed Annus, quasi annulus, taking the similitude from an Ringe. And for the like cause, the ancient Egyptians, made the figure thereof, in the similitude of a Serpent by ting his own tail. The Moon likewise, by her revolution in the lyft, determineth unto us the Moneths, and the Sun by his daily motion, showeth us the days and the hours thereof. The rest of the Planets also, have each of them their peculiar and determinate recourses of time, wherein they compleit their revolution, as Saturn in the space of thirty years, or thereby: Jupiter in twelve years, March, in two years, Venus and Mercury aggreeing with the course of the Sun. The fixed stars also have their peculiar motions and revolutions, whereof it is not now necessary more largely to speak. It is verified also by experience, that inferior things under the heavens have their appointed recourses and returnings: Wherevnto SOLOMON hath respect where in his book called the Preacher, he maketh mention of the Elements, the Sun, the air, and the water. The Sun [saith he] riseth and goeth to, and returneth again to the place from whence it did rise. The wind (which maketh the moving of the air) goeth compassing from the South to the North, turning round about, & 〈◊〉 by his curcuits. All the rivers go into the Sea, yet the sea is not filled • ver. The rivers return to the places from whence they come to flow. He giveth these examples, to show the revolutions of worldly things, and applieth it to declare the revolution of the estate of men's ages and lives. So a generation [saith he] passeth, and another cometh, and there is nothing new under the Sun, but that which is new, hath been in the ages before, and the like shall be hereafter: Signifying, that after certain Periods and courses of time, all worldly and earthly things shall return to their former, or to their like estate, according to the determination and appointed will of God, as the first cause, and as he directeth and governeth the second and inferior causes. And this falleth forth, not only in the ages and lives of men, but generally in all things worldly that have a generation, must needs also have a corruption. So that also in the common-wealths and policies, established by men, for holding up mutual societies amongst themselves, there be certain periodes of time, which make them to change and alter: which may be found out by experience and ensamples of Histories of all ages, as well Ecclesiastical, as profane. The cause thereof, cannot be ascribed to Chance and Fortune, as unskillful men do: for then all these changes should be most uncertain, neither is it altogether to be ascribed to the corrupt manners of men, that cannot long remain in one estate, but evermore seek novationes and changes: Albeit it be, from the better to the worse, although that may be as a concurrente cause, but it must needs proceed from an high ground. Some therefore there be, that make all these Revolutiones and changes, to depend and hange upon the Revolutiones of the Heaven, which is by the courses, and influences of the Planets and Stars, being therein moderate, and govern all inferioure things in the Worlde. Therefore, some of them parte the Circkle of the Zodiake in Four Threes, or Quarters, called Triplicities: And like-wise, the whole Heaven, and fixed Stars being therein, and according thereto, Prognosticate of the estate, and changeing of Realms, and Empyres of the Earth, attrybuting also unto every Region and Kingdom, certain fixed Stars, to bear particular rule and dominion there. Others have ane especial respect to the moste notable conjunctiones of the Plannets, And namely, of the superioure Plannettes, and to the Eclipses of the Sun and the Moon. Others also, more probablie respecting the manifold mysteries of the number of seven, divide in seavens, the whole periodes of time, according to the number of the seven Planets, making every particular Periode, to follow the nature of the Plannets that then reigneth, beginning at Saturn, and descending through the rest. So that the influence of things that fall out in every Periode, may be found agreeable therev-nto. It is not to be denied indeed, but there is great force and efficacy in the influence of the Heavens, and Heavenlie Lights, to alter and change inferioure things, but I cannot be persuaded, tha • men have yet so far attained to the knowledge thereof, as to find out perfitelie thereby, the general changes and alterationes of Kingdoms, and common-wealths: Al-be-it it may be, and is probable, that they have found out many particulars, concerning particular persons. Therefore that which is gathered thereby, is involved in great obscurity and imperfite: Albeit I confess, I have lately seen a Table, not yet set out in prente (the authors name I will suppress till he himself publish it) wherein, in the space of the side of an through of Paper, the less periodes of time, whereof we are to speak, aggree so concerning things falling out thereto, even from the beginning of the world unto our days, with the nature of the seven Planets in their revolutions and order, that it is merveilous, and appeareth not to lack a great mystery: where of I cease to speak further at this time. For I will not ascribe unto me, the praise of other men's labors. But to our purpose, it is to be granted also, that there be many other concurrent causes of the changes of Kingdoms and earthly governements, which make them to fall from their foundations, or at least to be translated from one estate to another, which may be spoken generally of the revolution of all worldly things: And namely, Plato, in the eight Book of his Republicque, maketh mention of three courses of the estates of common wealths, to wit, the rising, flourishing, and the decaying estate, and of four terms of their Periods: The precise time of the which Periodes, he involveth in an Aenigmaticall speech, of two harmonies of numbers. But unless we take a better and more sure ground then such Philosophical conjectures, we shall never attain to any sure knowledge of periodes of time, that bring great chances and alterations, either in Ecclesiastical or in civil affairs: Therefore we must come to the book of God, and first lay that general ground, whereof Daniel maketh mention: that it is he who altereth and translateth kingdoms, and giveth them to whom he pleaseth. And as concerning the periodes of times, of such translationes and mutationes, it is leisome to inquire and find out the same also by the Scriptures. For albeit, the Apostles proponing the like question to Christ, after his resurrection, if that was the time wherein he should restore the kingdom to Israel? received this answer, That it was not for them to know the times or the seasons, which the father had put in his own power: Yet that is not so to be understood, as though it were not lawful to search out and know those times and seasons, which the father hath revealed to be known by his Scriptures: or that may be gathered the revpon, with sobrie • ie of inquisition: For our Savior Christ himself in another place, willeth his Apostles to take heed when they shall see Jerusalem besieged with soldiers, for then they should understand, that the desolation thereof was nere. And again, (as it is in another Evangelist) When ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel, the Prophet, standing in the holy place: Then let him that readeth (meaning him that readeth the Prophecy) consider. And thereafter he giveth his Disciples a sign, Saying, learn ye the similitude of the Fig-tree, when her bough is yet tender, and bringeth forth leaves, ye know the Summer is near: So likewse ye (saith he) when ye see all things, which I have foretold, know that the Kingdom of God is near, even at the doors. With many other sayings to the like purpose: Where he understandeth, by the Kingdom of God, his spiritual Kingdom, and not as the Apostles in their question meant of a Temporal Kingdom. For he came not to restore any such Kingdom: Likewise, Daniel and the rest of the Prophets, are ofttimes warned to mark the times, when such things as were reviled to them should come to pass: And John in his Revelation to write the same. And expressly in Daniel, we have set down the periode of time (whereof was spoken in the first proposition) of the standing of the policy of the Jews, after the captivity of Babylon, to wit, of those 70. weeks which were prefixed to that people, and to their city of Jerusalem, to stand. Now this space of 70. weeks of years, set down by the Angel in Daniel, for the time of the standing of the common-wealth of the Jews, after the restauratiō thereof, so that thereafter it should come to a determinate desolation, being a great periode of time, about 500, years, to wit, 490. years, appeareth plainly by a certain fatal law, appointed and determined by God, to bring to all other kingdoms and great Empires, a merveilous mutation, as is evident and found out by aggreemente of many examples, not sticking upon the precise day nor year, but about or near such a revolution of time, either kingdoms fall, and are turned up side down, or else are transferred and changed from their former estate, in other new forms, for the moste parte. And also other most notable accidents fall out in the world, both concerning the estate of the Church, and earthly policies, either about such a time (I say) which I call the great or more periode of 490. years, containing 70. weeks of years, that is, the space of ten Jubilees, or else, about the half space thereof, which I call the less periode, containing 35. weeks of years, and five Jubilees, that is, 245. years, which is the space of the blast of every trumpet, reckoned by JOHN, in the Revelation. So that hereinto also the reckoning by seavens, and by Sabbatical years, bringeth out a great sympathy, and agreement, to count the changeing of times thereby, of the which, I have thought good here to show many examples. And first we do find in the Scriptures, and concerning the estate of the Church of God, and of the old Worlde; that in the first half periode of time, to wit, about 245. years after the creation, after the birth of Enoch the name of the Lord begouth to be called upon, that is, the hearts of the godly begouth then to be moved to restore the purity of religion, which by Cain, and his wicked seed before had been suppressed. About the end of the second great periode of time, to wrtte, from the creation 987. years, Enoch was translated by God from this mortal life, to immortality, to comfort the faithful of that age, & confirm them against the ungodliness of the world, in hop of the general resurrection. About the end of the third great periode, when fell out in the 1470. year, from the creation, the world begouth universally to be corrupt, when the seed of the godly begouth to be mingled with the ungodly. For the which cause, within the half period of time thereafter, God in his just judegmēt destroyed the whole race of man-kind, except Noah and his family, by that fearful invndation of waters. Not many years after, the fourth great period, which ended in the 1960. year of the World, was Abraham called out of his native country by God, to whom, and his posterity, God promiseth the Land of Canaan, & that in his seed, all nations should be blessed. From the promise made to Abraham, to the departing of the Israelites out of Egypt, we know, were 430. years, to the which adding 60. years of the former age of Abraham, they will make out the fifth great periode. So that the next year, after the departing of the people out of Egypt, to possess the Land of Canaan, will compleite the same: which falleth in the 2450. year, after the ••• ation of the world. We do know likewise, that frō the departing out of Egypt, to the building of the temple by Solomon, ar 480. years (which lack only 10. or 11. years of another just great period: For the sixth great period, from the creatiō, endeth in the • 940. year of the world, which was the 15. year of the reign of Solomon, near the time of the dedication of the Temple. The seventh great period by exact calculation, cometh justly to the year of the Worlde, 3430. which was the first year of Cyrus, wherein the people of the Jews were delivered from the captivity of Babylon, in the which year, there was a great concurrence of Sabbaths and Jubilees, as was shown before. And if we will count forward from this year, we shall find the eight great periodes to extend to the 3920. year of the world, which is but 28. year before the birth of Christ. So we see and gather by the Scriptures, howe about the ende of these great periodes of 490. years, or 70. weeks of years, mentioned by Daniel, great accidents fell out in the Worlde, and amongst the people of God, even from the beginning, unto the birth of Christ. We shall find also, that about the space of one of these great periods, the people of Israel were ruled by Judges, and thereafter, about the like space, by Kings: And so long lasted the restored policy of the Jews. And to come to profaine histories, many the like periodes of Empires and Kingdoms, and great mutations may be found out, and commonly, the greater dominions, have the more sudden changes, according to the saying of the Poet: Summisque negatum stare diu, It is not granted to highest things, to have long standing. Concerning this matter, we read of the Philosopher Cratippus, that he being demanded by Pompeius, after that he was vanquished by Caesar, at the field of Pharsalia; If there were any divine providence, seeing that he who had the more just cause, was so over-come: The Philosopher answered, that there were certain fatal periodes of Empires, whereby then the common-weal of Rome was to be changed in a Monarchy. And to indeed we find into the four Monarchies. For the first two Babylonian Monarchies, the former occupied by the Assyrians and Medes; the other, by the Medes and Persians, endured both but the space of 495. years. The kingdom of the Greeks, begun by Seleucus N • cator▪ lasted but the half space, or less periode, to wit, about 245. years. Rome was governed by Kings, likewise by one of these less periodes, to wit, about 243. year. The Concelles thereafter governed Rome by the space of an great period; to wit, about 462. years. Thereafter endured the Monarchy of Emperors, from Julius Caesar the First, to Valentinian the Third: one of these great Periodes, in whose time Rome was taken and sacked: First by the Gotthes, and thereafter by the Vandals: And albeit smaller Kingdoms ofttimes be not subject to great mutations, yet they have also certain fatal periods of time, wherein, either they are changed from their former estate, or else alluterly altered in new forms of government. For by the space of one of these great periodes, Kings did reign in Athens: By the like space flourished the common-wealth of Sparta: But the Kingdom of the Troianes, endured little more then one of the less or half great periodes. Many like charges may be found in other Kingdoms, who list diligently to read the ancient Histories. But in time of the last of the four Monarchies, according to the Prophecy of Daniel, was raised up, that everlasting kingdom, of the true. Messas Jesus Christ; which albeit it hath no end, yet in time of it, many changes and mutations have fallen, and are to fall out in the World, both in the estate of the Church, and of earthly policies. Concerning the which, we have set forth in figure, by the prophetical Spirit of John, in his Revelation, in seven Trumpets, blowing by seven Angels, the whole estate of the Church, under the kingdom of Christ, every blast of trumpet containing the space of one of those les periods, to wit, 245 years. And likewise, the troubles & plagues that were to fall forth in the world, under the figure of other 7. Angels, pouring our seven Viols of the wrath of God upon the earth and elements, for not obeying the Gospel of Christ, where-anent, I will remit the Readers to the profounde and learned Commentaries, of JOHN NAPER, upon the Revelation, wherein the accidents of evrie particular periode of time, both in the one estate and in the other, are set out at large. It shall suffice for this short Treatise, to have pointed out these matters, to prove this our sixte proposition, concerning the Sympathie of periodes of time, even from the beginning of the World, unto the end thereof. For with the last blast of the Trumpet of the seventh and last Angel, by all appearance, the world is to take an ende, as I mind to speak more particularly, in the seventh & last proposition. There are also other periodes of times used in reckoning of the years of the world, and of the right revolutions of the heaven: whereof, there be two that have a special respect to Sabbatical years: as that which is called, the great Cycle or period of the Jews containing the space of 6916. years, which is made up of 988. weeks of years, and 141. Jubilees, with a week of years, It hath also 364, Cycles of the Moon, and 247. of the Sun, and containeth 13. periodicall Cycles of Dionysius. By it the Jews count all their new Moons & week days, & they suppose it reacheth to the beginning of the world, but they ar deceved in the space of 190. years: alwaise this 1600 year of christ is the 5359 of that cycle: for the year of the nativity of Christ was the 3760. year of the same. The other cycle that hath respect to Sabbatical years, is that which is commonly called the cycle or period of Dionysius, containing the space of 532. years, which is made up by multiplication of the Golden number: by the cycle of the Sun, is contained 76 weeks of years. And by it the Paschal terms were reckoned. Now by taking up of this matter, we see always, that there are many great hid mysteries in the mumber of 7. not only by counting Sabbatical years & Jubilees, but also in reckoning of periods of years: as by the les period, whereby John reckoneth in his Revelation, containing 35. weeks of years, & 5. Jubilees: & the greater period containing 10. Jubilees, & 70. weeks of years, according to the reckoning of Daniel. Moreover, many of all the mysteries, both of the Old & New Testament, been cōprysed under the mumber of 7. As all the sacrifices for the most part wer offered by seavens, as commonly by 7. bullocks, & 7. Rams or sheep, which was observed amongst the people of God, but also by Balaam, that hireling prophet, as we read in the book of Numbers: & was also used by ancient imitation of the sacrifices of God's people, by the profaine Gentiles; wheranent, the Poet Virgil bringeth in Sibylla the prophetess, thus admonishing Aeneas, when he was to consult the Oracle of Apollo.

The principal feasts or solemnities of God's people, lasted 7. days, and on the 8. day were dissolved 7 days, the people did eat unleavened bread at the Passover, Seven weeks were counted between the Passover and Pontecost: Maniest Feasts were celebrated in the 7. 〈◊〉 . And in a misery also, the ark of Noah which was 〈◊〉 of the Church) in the seventh Moneth rested upon the Mountains of Ararat; signifying the restauration of all things, to be in the seventh estate of the Church. Likewise, Wisdom hath built her house, with seven Pillers: By her house, we understand the Church, and by her seven Pillers, the gifts of the Spirit; by which the Church is established: The which, albeit they be many, yet principally they are comprehended under the number of seven, which also, are figured, by seven burning Lamps; and in Exode, by the seven graved Candle-sticks. Likewise, in Zacharias, the stone, which is Christ, hath seven eyes, that go through the whole world. Which is to be understood of Christ, lightning the world by these manifold graces of the Spirit: Or as others expound it, by the watching eyes of God's divine providence. Many other like similitudes, taken from the number of seven, may we gather out of the old Testament, as from a divine number, and a number of perfection. Likewise, in the New Testament, by the seven Deacons, which were elected by the Apostles, may be signified a number of perfection. And the wicked spirits also are numbered by seavens, when it is said, that Christ ejected out of Marie Magdalene▪ seven Devils. And in another place, how when the unclean spirit goeth out of a man, he goeth about seeking rest, and when he findeth none, he passeth and taketh unto him, seven other Spirites worse then himself, and returneth to his former habitation. Not that in all places of Scripture, the number of seven is taken for a certain & precise number. For we know, when it is said in the Psalm, That the just man falleth, seven times a day: And when Christ said to PETER, That he should forgive his brother, not only seven times, but seventy times seven times, the meaning is of many times, yet the seven fold number ofttimes also is taken for a certain number, as in many places before cited, and namely, almost through the whole Revelation, the divine Spirit, in JOHN, setteth out the estate of the Church, by the manifold numbers of seven. As first, he is commanded to write to seven Churches in Asia, under the figure of seven Golden candlesticks, & to the seven Angels, are the ministers thereof figured, by seven stars in the right hand of Christ: Next, we have the book closed with seven seals, which signifieth, the hid mysteries of God opened by Christ, where the opening of every seal, containeth the precise space of seven years. As likewise, The seven Angels, with their seven Trumpets, and seven Viols, everyone of them (as was declared before) contain the space of five times seven weeks of years. As also may be understood of the seven thunders. By every of them, are at least, of the first three seven-time seven years, that is, the space of ane Jubiliee. There is amysterie also, in the seven heads and seven Crowns of the beast, set out in the twelft Chapter, which with the rest, I refer to the learned exposition of JOHN NAPER, upon the Revelation before mentioned, By all which similitudes & reckonings, & many moo, we may perceive not only of the number of seven, to contain great mysteries, but also to be a number of such perfection, that years, times and other accidents, be specially courted thereby. As also (if I would insist) the like may be found in many natural things, both in heaven and earth. As in the heavens, the seven Planets have their seven several courses, which work great operations in the inferior Elements: Likewise, amongst the fixed stars, there be 7. called Pleiades, and other 7. Hyades, and the two Polare Images, called Visa major & Vrsa minor, contain either of them 7. stars. And in the earth there be 7. principal habitable climates. The stature of man's body, is of 7. foot, with many other such-like. But it shall suffice here to make an end.

SEVENTH PROPOSITION.

THe estate of this present 1600, year of Christ in particular (which moved me to write this Treatise) is now to be considered which (as was declared) is from the creation of the world the 5548. year, containing 792. weeks of years: & for od years, it containeth also 113. Jubilees, & 11 single years. For before the 71. year of Christ, were passed 82. Jubilees: and from thence to our time, to wit, to 1589. year of Christ, 31. Jubilees. Signifyed by the Evangelist John, in his Revelation, by the space of the blowing of the 7. trumpets, every trumpet containing 245. years. So that this 1600. year, is the 60 year of the blast of the seventh & last trumpet: for to the compleiting of this 7. & last blast & years thereof, there will be from the creation of the world 117. Jubilees that is, 819. weeks of years, & 5733. single years, which will extend to the year of Christ 1785. years, if the world shall continue so long. But the time by great probability, & good arguments, is to be abbreviat, for the Elect sake. This 1600, year. then may justly be called a year of the decaying and fading age of the world for many reasons. First, because all things that approach near an end, are said to decaie and fail, as it cometh to pass in this year, by the preceeding reckoning. For if the reckoning fall not, the prophetie in the Revelation, cannot fail, where it is written, That the Angel that stood upon the sea and earth, having the book in his hand, sware by him that liveth forever more, which created the heaven, earth, and sea, and all things contained therein, that time shall be no more. But in the days of the voice of the seventh Angel, when he is to blow, even the mystery of God shall be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the Prophets. Now the seventh Angel hath begun already to blow his trumpet by our reckoning, in the 1541. year of Christ by-gan, and now the voice of that trumpet still soundeth in our ears, willing us to prepare us for that great day of the Lord's judgment. Secondly, because the signs & tokens fore-told, as well by our Savior himself, as by the Prophets, and namely, by the Spirit of God in the Revelation, that were to proceed that great judgemente, are for the most parte already come to pass and accomplished. Concerning the which, when as the Apostles asked of our Master Christ, he fore-warneth them of seven. For they demanded him of three questions, to wit, when shall be the destruction of the Temple and city of Jerusalem? What should be the sign of his coming? and of the ende of the Worlde? He maketh his answer in two, resolving all these three questiones, by the two-times of his coming in the Worlde: Whereof, the former was of his first coming in the flesh; & the other in his latter coming to judgment. For the signs, both of the one and the other, he declareth to be a like. Therefore (saith he) Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass til all these things be fulfilled: And again, there be some here standing, that shall not taist of death, til all be done. For albeit, the signs that precede the latter judgment by extraordinary, yet they were not to be unlike to them that were at his first coming in the flesh: as he deduceth them by the particulars. First (saith he) there shall come false Christ's and false prophets: So was there in his first coming, Benchobab, alias Barchosha • , who feigned himself to be Messias: And Judas Galilaeus and The • das, with other false Prophets: And in this last coming likewise, The Roman Antichrist, usurping Christ his authority▪ And the sect of the Jesuits, falsely taking their name from Jesus, but more worthy to take it from Judas Ischariot, with the Anabaptists, Libertines, and many other false Prophets. Secondly, where he saith, There shall be battelles, and rumors of battelles, with pestilence, famine and earth-quakes, in divers places. So was it found especially at his first coming among the Jews, rebelling against the Romans, by whom they and their common-wealth, were finally utterly over-thrown: And what famine was in the City of Jerusalem, with pestilence and strange deaths: ye may read in Josephus de bello Iudaico. So in these latter days, what wars have been, and yet continue: Nation rising against Nation, and kingdom against kingdom, even amongst us Christians, the fearful effects can declare, whereby we appear to be made a pray to the Tyranny of the Turk▪ unless God of his mercy bridle his fury. As to the Pestilence, Famine, and earthquaks & such things, were in the first coming 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 have seen, & daily see, many such fearful accidents, more grievously vexing the World nor ever they did many years of before. The third sign, is persecution of the servants of God, and especially, of those that foreshewe faithfully the Gospel of Christ, as it was in his first coming: So is it notour, what innocent blood hath been shed, for renewing the true Preaching of the Gospel in our days: because these things are in recente memory, upon the particulars, I need not to insist. The fourth sign, fore-told by our Master Christ, is the abundance of iniquity, that should accompany both his comings, which with the rest of the signs of his first coming, is properly to be applied to the Nation of the Jews, whose iniquities 〈◊〉 to such exceeding measure, that to overcome all the rest, they regarded not to Crucify the Son of God. And now in these latter days, universally amongst us Christians, what abundance of all impiety and wickedness, what unkindly dealing, what untruth? Yea, amongst the better sort, who is not either cold or careless? I need not seek examples, they are so ryfe. The first sign is, the Preaching of the Gospel universally, the which, maketh all the other signs to work effectually. For these signs otherwise being natural, or after a manner common, being joined with the Word, are made Sacraments; as was the Rayne-bow, in the days of Noah: signifying, that there should not be an other like flood to destroy the whole world: so in these latter times, such signs preceeding Christ his latter coming, and their significations, declared by his Gospel, prognosticate undoubtedly his latter coming to judge the world by fire. For as it was in the days of Noah, when a merveilous security was in the world; notwithstanding, the Preaching of Noah, and preparation of his ark: And as the Preaching of Christ and his Apostles was securely contemned by the Jews: So now a days, the clear light of the Gospel shining again 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 loathsome stomach. And as to the sixth token of signs in the Sun, the Moon, & the stars; & concerning the shaking & moving of the powers of the heaven; such things appeared in the first coming of Christ, when that most famous star appeared, which declared to the Wise-men Christ his birth: & when that extraordinary darkness fell upon the land of Judea in time of his suffering, which albeit, I take it not to have been an Eclipse of the Sun, by interposition of the Moon, between it & the earth (which could not then be, without the whole motions of the heaven had been changed) yet was it an evidente darkness, both in the Sun & in the air, throughout all the Land of Judea. The like whereof, was in Egypt universally, except where the Children of Israel remained, being the ninth plague wherewith the Lord smote that land. Now likewise have we seen in our days, divers apparitions in the heaven, namely, that most notable star or comete, which appeared in the year of our Lord 1572. most clear, without any spowting hairs or beams from it, the which the most learned did take for a sign of the approaching of the Lord to judgemente against the bloody tyrants of the earth, & namely, that Herod of France. We have also seen now lately, that great Eclipse of the Sun, the 1598. year, whereof the effect yet continueth. And as to the commotion or shaking of the powers of the heaven, I show of before, how the signs are changed from their former places: so that Aries is come to Taurus, and Taurus to Gemini for the most parte, and so forth the rest: To speak of the Triganes, and great conjunctiones, I will not now enter: For I suppose the force thereof to be now greatly debilitate, by reason of the alteration of the signs, and so leave the discourse to others. The seventh and last sign, is of the coming of the Sun of man, Christ himself, who as he appeared in his humanity, taking upon him our nature, wherein he suffered for our sins: So is he to appear in the clouds, in his seconde coming, fearful to the wicked, and comfortable to the Electe: The which seventh sign resteth only to come: For other six i • a manner are come already, albeit it may be, they appear more evident hereafter. Always, we see howe the signs of the first and second coming of Christ do agree, so far as we have yet seen. And as for this present year, and years shortly to come hereafter, there appears no less, but rather greater mutationes yet to follow, which may be the third evidencie and argument, of the approaching of the latter day. For as to the signs of the heaven, so many and so great Eclipses, namely, of the Sun, have not been seen, these many years by-gane, as shall be within six years to come: What other heavenly tokens will be annexed thereto, the Lord knoweth. But this I see, that after or before the effect of one Eclipse be ended, immediately falleth out another, as this present 1600. years, at the ende of the effect working of that Eclipse, which was in the 1598. year: signifying, and bringing great Winds and drought. In the ende of June, falleth out another Eclipse of the Sun, and so forth in the rest. As to other particulars, that are to fall forth this year, I will speak sparingly thereof: for I pretend not the Spirit of prophecy, neither do I depend much upon the conjectures of Astrologues, notwithstanding, I shall recite that which I find in others, concerning the estate of this year, and certain years following, & thereafter shortly declare mine own opinion, following the grounds which I have already laid. I read in the Treatise, called, The seconde coming of Christ, whereof, Scheltco a Geueren is the author: his conjecture, that about this 1600. year, shall be the end of the periode of the Papistical kingdom. But he taketh up his periods by full 500. years, where as by our reckoning, the greater period, containeth only 490. years. And again, he counteth from the creation of the world, to this, 1600 year of Christ 5562. years, more then our former count, 14. years. So that there will be a difference between our reckonings of 44. years, but the matter & space is not great in substance. For doubtless, that Antichristian kingdom, as it hath begun already to fall, so shortly shall it come to utter ruin. For Babylon must needs fall, according to the Prophecy of the Revelation. In the which, we find also, at the end of the 14. Chapter, this number of 1600. where it is said, That the Vine-press of God's wrath was trodden without the City, and blood come out of it, to the horse bridies, by the space of 1600. stades or furlungs. This number, some of the learned understand to be meant of years, as though after the out-running of 1600. years, the end shall be, when the wicked shall be tormented in hell, after the similitude of a woundrous great blood shed in the field. But in my judgment, that number is rather to be understood, of a space of ground, containing so many Fur-longs or stades. For there being eight Furlongs in a mile of our reckoning, they come to 200. of our common miles, which was the longest reaching of the bounds of the Land of Israel. For by the city, is signified Spiritual Jerusalem, the Church of God; within the which, the Elect and godly are contained: And the tredding of the vine-press without the City, is meant of them that are out of the true Church, which are in a far greter number, upon whom God's wrath doth fall, as it wer, comprehending the whole space of the Land, without the city: But to return to that Treatise, of the second coming of Christ, the author insisteth very much upon the number of 5555. from the creation of the world, which after his reckoning, endeth in the year of Christ 1593. years; but after our count, the 1607. year: of the which number, he gathereth a great mystery: Because it containeth, both an Arithmetical & Geometrical proportion of numbers, to wit, an Arithmetical, in proceeding by Four fiues, and a Geometrical, by reason the parts thereof are made up in progress, by multiplication of 10. As five-times ten, mak, 50. ten-times 50. mak 500. & ten times 500. make 5000. Or if ye like to proceed the contrary way, the tenth part of 5000. is 500 & the tenth part of 500. is 50. & the tenth part of 50. is 5. whereof he gathereth, that after the cōpleiting of 5555. years, frō the Worldes creation, there shall fall forth a merveylous change of the estate of the World, as indeed there was not such a concurrence of numbers, since the year of Christ 496. Neither shall the like so long as the World lasteth. Now because of the perfection of the number of five, above other numbers, it comprehendeth in it, all vanities, of the which, all other numbers do consist, be they eauen or odd: and because, distributive justice standeth in Geometrical proportion, he gathereth and supposeth, that the Lord God, maker and governor of all things, by this proportionable agreeing of numbers, would lead us to a certain deep consideration of a perfect expyring and ende of all things: So that he trusteth, the coming of the Son of GOD to judgment shortly thereafter to insue. To the which, he addeth many other arguments and conjectures to the same purpose. As to me, albeit I like not to follow any Pythagorical superstition, in observation of numbers, yet in so far as we may have any good ground out of holy Scriptures or evident reason. For such reckoning, I think it not altogether to be refused, having the concurrence of other good testimonies, to confirm the same. As indeed, there appears to be some great mystery in the conjoining of so many fiues to-gether. For before it, or with it, the manifold Eclipses that are to fall out, with their effects, and specially, that fearful Eclipse of the 1605. year, wherein the Sun shall be allutterlie darkened at Noone-day, whereof the effects shall▪ continue certain years thereafter; pretend great mutations and perturbationes to ensue in those few years following; As wartes, seditiones, pestilences, famine, with many other grievous calamities, and Tragicall eventes; such as treasons, conspiracies; so that few men may trust one another, wherewith the common society of men, is like to be dissolved, and all licentious liberty to wickedness to have place. And shortly, Love to wax cold, and self-love to wax hot, with all other such enormities and corruptions, as the Apostle PAVLE prophecieth to fall forth in the latter days in his Epistles: And namely, in matters of Religion, new sects and heresies, shall arise, with a merveilous defection from the faith, according to the words of our Master Christ, When the Son of man shall come, believe ye, he shall find faith in the earth? But the most evident testimony of all, is the agreement of those said heavenly signs, with the prophecies of the Revelation of the sixth and seventh trumpets. For the end of the sixth trumpet and Vi • le, and the beginning of the seventh (under which now we are) agree together, as they do in all the rest. Now the sum of all those tokens and signs, is to declare, how when God sendeth his Word, and Preachers of the Gospel in the world, men refusing the same, are tormented with wartes, and many other calamities, and that by his juste judgment. This is meant first generally, by opening of the seven seals of the closed book. For at the first seal opening, the white horse, and the ryder, with his bow bent, signifieth, the Preaching of the Evangel. At the second seal opening the red horse, with his rydar, betokeneth the sword, blood, and battle, which God sendeth in the World, being disobedient to the preaching of the Gospel. Like wise, the black-horse, with his ridar, and the balance in his hand, at the opening of the third seal, signifieth dearth & famine, sent for the same cause. And the fourth horse, being of pale color, with his ridar Death, at the opening of the fourth seal, declareth the plague of pestilence, and other deadly diseases, punishing men's rebellion and disobedience to the Gospel. At the opening of the fifth seal: The Saints & Martyrs, for the testimony of the truth, crave revenge at God hand, for the innocent shedding of their blood. At the sixth seal opening, the great earth-quake, with obscuratiō of the Sun, and the rest of the signs therein specified, declare great troubles in general, corruption & darkening of the truth, with bloody persecutiō, & throwing down of the Ministers of the Gospel, so that the Church did lurk in obscurity for a time, and many made defection from the Roman Empire. But in the mean time, GOD had his servants marked, as is specified in the seventh chapter. Finally, at the seventh seal opening the silence for half an hourse, signifieth, a little rest by God, granted to his Church, in the midst of these troubles: And there-with, is declared, howe GOD accepted the prayers of his Saints, offered by Christ. All these things (I say) testify in general the estate of the Church, and such troubles as have f • llen forth in all ages & periodes of time, the beginning of the Preaching of the Gospel, & yet continue in ou • days. For the end is not yet come. And the estate of the Church is like to the self almost in all ages. But by the blowing of the seven trumpets, alluding to the Iubil • es of the Jews, we understand the particular estate of every periode of time, since the first Preaching of the Gospel, as partly was declared before. Of the which periodes, we are now into the seventh and last, to wit, in the beginning thereof, which hath affinity and similitude, with the ende of the former sixth periode and blast of Trumpet. Therefore, ceasing now to make discourse in particular of the first four blasts of the Trumpet, wherein the first plague of hail & fire mingled with blood, doth signify, a certain unmeet temperature of cold and heat of men, in receiving the Gospel, with mingled bloody persecution of the tyrants of the earth. And the seconde, of the burning mountain, cast into the sea, may signify, the great persecutor, Diocletian being last of these emperors, with his fiery rage against the wavering multitude of Christians, of whō, the third part were either destroyed, or yielded to his tyranny. The third trumpet likewise, making mention of a great star falling from heaven, doth properly signify Arius, who with his bitter heresy, against the divinity of the Son of God, infected the pure fountains of the word of God. And where it is said, that at the blast of the fourth trumpet, the third parte of the Sun, the Moon, and Stars were smitten: We understand, the light of the pure Gospel, with the Ministers thereof to have been in a great part obscured in that four periode of time. Of these things (I say) I will not now entreat in particular, but come to the last three blasts of trumpet, containing three woes, that is, three more fearful plagues then the former. So cometh the fifth blast, and first woe, about the 1051. year of Christ, wherein a great star falleth from heaven, to whom was given the • eye of the bottomless-pit, out of the which, arose a great and dark smoke, and out of the smoke Locusts, which are described at length in the text. This star I take undoubtedly, to signify the Pope, with his feigned keys, whereby he pretendeth to have power to hind & louse, not only in the earth, but also to deliver men's souls out of Purgatory, with the smoke of false doctraine: and the • ocustes, to signify his corrupted Clergy, and swarms of Cloisters, who are set forth with their lively colors & properties, that, no man can deny to agree well unto them. This star may also signify, Mahomet that false prophet, with his corrupted Alcoran and 〈◊〉 of his sect. Always, the remanent of this first 〈◊〉 , • et troubleth the world, albeit this Antichristi •• and Papistical kingdom, in a parte hath gotten a great fall: Therefore we come to the sixth trumpet, which begouth to be blown, about the year of Christ 1296. wherein the four Angels were loused from the flood Euphrates, which is most conveniently interpret of the four great Mahometane nations, coming from the East, to wit, the Arabianes, Saracenes, Turks, and Tartarianes, with the infinite number of their Horsemen, ay ready for battle, with a furious and fiery rage; & namely, that bloody Nation of the Turks, who now hath the dominion over the rest, and over a great parte of the Earth. This is the second woe, whereof this day still we have experience; JOHN therefore saith, he saw these horses long before in a vision, with them that sat upon them, having fiery habbergeons, and of Iacynth & brimstome, & that of the fiery smoke & brimstone, the third part of men were killed: which may well signify their goodness & artillery; by the which devilish inventiō, a great part of men of the world, are daily murdered; shut out at their mouths & fyered at their tales. This plague then being one of the last plagues, signified also in pouring out of the sixth Viole vpō the great river Euphrates to dry it up, that is, to take away all impediments, & to give place in the wrath of God, to the kings of the East, to invade Europe; ceaseth not this day to continue, & is appearant to continue with great rage, this instant, 1600. year, & certain years hereafter, concurring with the threatening signs of the heavens, whereof I have already spoken. And the cause thereof, is evident: Because (as it followeth in the text) The rest of men which are not already killed by these plagues, repented not of their works of their hands, that they should not worship devils & Idols of God and of silver, of brass and stone, and of wood, which neither can see, neither hear, nor go: expressly damning the Papists, which yet remain in their Idolatry. As also these repenteth not of their murthering of the Saints of God, nor of their sorceries, neither their fornications nor of their thieft. In the which they, and other feigned Christians amongst us still are involved: For the which causes followeth the third & last woe▪ with the blast of the 7. trumpet, which begouth to blow about the 1541 year of Christ. But before this last woe fall out: the Lord by the Angel of his covenant Jesus Christ, of his great goodness, offereth to the world, the book of his New Testament, & willeth the same to be preached by his Ministers: & with that to our great comfort, the true church is measured, & the elect ar marked, so that Satan & the tyrants of the world, cannot hinder their salvation. Thē finally cometh the last plague & woe, upon infidels & impenitent sinners, suddenly & unlooked for, when they with then head, the devil shall pass with many woes unto everlasting torment, but this shall not be till the second woe, be utterly consumed & past, with the dependencies thereof, which a • signified in the seventh blast, by a wonderful great Earth-quake, with lighenings and voices, and thunderings, with much hail. The like whereof is repeated, in pouring of the seavent viole of God's wrath, where it is said also, that the hail was great like talents that fell out of heaven upon men, so that th • y blasphemed God, because of the plague of the hail, it was so great. By which figures, the Spirit of God will utter unto us, the great destruction of his enemies, with such as hold still the beasts mark, & have no grace to repent in these last days. For of before, the thundering of God's word, called all men to repentance, and to obedience of the Gospel, with an amiable and loving voice. But now finally, such as will not come out of Babylon, nor repent their wicked lines, by God's just judgment, are threatened with another kind of thundering, to wit, with horible punishment, alluding by these similituds to the over throw of Sodom, & to the words of the Psalmist where he saith, upon the wicked, God shall rain snares fire & brimstone, and stormy tempests. It is more-over added, in pouring out of the seventh viole in the air (whereby is signified a great perturbation of all the elements) that there was such an Earth-quake, that the like had never been. These tempests in the air, may both be understood literallie and Spiritually. For literally, our Master Christ fore-warneth us of the like, where he testifieth, that before his latter coming, the powers of the heaven shall be moved: & spiritually, the moving of the air & the great earthquak signify such a cōfusiō of all things in the world, that the lik hath not been seen of before: And by the much and vehement great hail, is meant the great coldness of love that now we see in the world, as also it was fore told by our Savior Christ: And by his Apostle PAVLE, speaking of self-love, and lack of zeal in Religion, which maketh men to despise God and godliness, and to blaspheme against the Gospel, and Preachers thereof, which plague now (all • s) doth everywhere increase. And it is added futher in the text of JOHN, that the great city was divided into three parts. By this city (no doubt) is meant the external face of the visible Church, composed of true professors, Papists, and Hypocrites so that we see there shall not be a full and perfect unity of religion, to the end of the World. But in the midde-time, we have this soli •• e comfort, that at the blast of the seventh trumpet, the mystery of God shall be fulfil • ed toward his Saints, and great joy shall be among the Elect, because the Kingdoms of this world, are our Lord's and his Christ's, and he shall reign for evermore. And with this shall come the end of this world, which albeit it be uncertain, as touching the year, day and hour, when it shall be, yet certainly it is not far off, seeing all these tokens and others, specified in the Scriptures, are already fulfilled, and the great Angel hath sworn that there shall be time no more: The Lord make us ready for his coming, that we may lift up our heads from the vanities of this world, and wait for that day of our Redemption: Come Lord Jesus come.

A faithful and godly Admonition to all true Christians, gathered upon the words of the Apostle PAVLE

G OD The creator and author of time, as he hath appointed all things that are done in the World to be measured thereby; so hath he ordained, certain limites and bounds of time; some short, some longer, unto the life of every man in this earth, according as it is written in Io • , where he saith, Are not the days of man, and the number of his Moneths appointed with thee [O Lord] thou hast limited his bounds, which he cannot pass over. And a little before, to declare the shortness of these bounds, he compareth the life of every man that is borne of a woman, to a flower that suddenly shoteth up, and is cut down, and vanisheth away as a shadow, and continueth not. Likewise, DAVID in the Psalm, compareth his days to an hand breadth, and showeth, how every man walketh, as in a shaddow; disquieteth him self in vain, heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them. And Pindarus the Poet, to express to the uttermost the brevity and uncertainty of man's life, compareth it not only to a shadow, but to the dream of a shaddow: And yet so is the corrupt nature of the moste part of men that they imagine and dream unto themselves, a certain false opinion of immortality in this present most frail and transitory life. And (as the same Poet saith) a certain presumpteous hope, so hath knit up our mortal members, that we imagine many great matters in our minds, and our fore sight hath far ends. To refrain this vain curiosity, the Prophet Moses, in the ninety Psalm, after that he hath distributed the frail estate of man's life, declaring how they pass away, as a sleep, and as the Grass that groweth in the Morning, and at the evening is withered away.

And howe that commonly, the longest term of men's years, is about three score and ten years: And if some of greater strength, attain to the age of four-score years, yet are they the more subject to labor and sorrow: he maketh his supplication unto GOD, that he will teache us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom: Whereby he showeth, that none but they whom GOD of his especial grace, doth illuminate by his Spirit, can rightly apply their hearts, to this true Wisdom, to consider the brevity of the short number, of the days we have here in this present life.

Therefore (dear brethren and Christians) we have great need most earnestlieto call and cry unto GOD, that we forget not this count: Forthere be many that can make great reckonings of long times, and many years that are paste before them: And yet cannot rightly reckon the short time and continuance of their own lives: yea, men will reckon and count by Arithmetic all things, and even as the very distance, between the Heaven and the Earth, and the moste highest Stars: And yet only the faithful, (and they that put their confidence in God) know the distance that is between this short and transitory life, and that blessed and immortal life which hath no ende, unto the which we are created, and to the which ende, this present life ought to be directed.

For, (dear brethren) let us bat consider the vanity of the moste parte of men in this point, how littele they esteem of the short time they are to remain in this present and momentaneous life: Not-with-standing, moste of all their vain pretences and imaginationes, is to compass the whole Worlde, (if it were possible) and to do great wounders and acts therein.

For time being so precious, and so highly to be regarded, in respect of the shortness of this life, that GOD hath lente us in this wretched Worlde, and (as the Prophet DAVID showeth us moste plainly and evidently, in the some score and tenth Psalm) we know not how soon the Lord shall say unto us, Return ye sons of ADAM unto corruption.

And more-over, time once being lost, cannot be again recovered, for no Gold not price, yet is there not anything where-of men are more prodigal, in so much, that there is nothing whereof they regard less the loss, yea, that which is worse, the greater parte of men count so little of time, that for a short and transitory passing of time in this life, they lose the joy and felicity of that everlasting life, and perpetual time, whereof, cometh this speec • e commonly used of this world (pas time) but by corruptiō of manners of men, who esteemlightly how time passeth away, so they may have some vain pleasure in the drist thereof, as a thing where with they be fasshed and wearied: So we see, how the little time that men have in this life, for the most part is spent, to wit, in vanity, idleness, yea, over often in vice and wickedness, and that little time which is bestowed in virtue or godliness, is commonly most wearisome: As when men are occupied; be they Magistrates or judges, in hearing the plaintes of the poor, and execution of justice; be they inseriours or craftel-men, or laborers, in doing their handy work, and appointed labor, to the profit of themselves, and their families: But in spending of it, which by that means they win, as in drinking, playing, or vain games, there is no hoe, not falsherie to be occupied night and day; and in matters of godliness, see we not what fassherie it is, even to many, not of the worst sort, to spend the space of an hour, or little more in hearing the word of God, wherein standeth our salvation, who will not like nor tire of sit at table thrice as long to feed the body? yea, ofttimes, to over-burden it with meat and drink, to whom it is so irksome, shorter time to have their souls fed with that word which is the more precious an delicat food of everlasting life. Wherefore, seeing the most part of this world, regards so little of time, but pas it over so lightly, to their great damnage and peril of their own souls: we, the faithful, ought to be the more earnest, to exhort & admonish one another, to occupy the short time we have hear, not as the common sort of careless men uses: but in such ways, as we may be able (at least in some measure) to give account to him that • es placed us in this earth, as upon a skaffold to play our parte: and if we have neglected or misspent the time by-past, to take heed to recover the loss thereof in times coming. Now this is the cause and ende wherefore Paul in the words of our text, exhorted so diligently the faithful of his days, to redeem time, by recovering the loss by-past, & making much of the time present, & of time to come, so long as they have it, apprehending greedely the occasiō offered unto them to do well: And this the Apostle speaketh to the Gentiles of his time, being newly converted to the knowledge of the Gospel, having respect to their-by-past life and conversation, spent in vanity, wickedness 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 us, that we have spent the time past of the life, after the lusts of the Gentiles, walking in wantonness, lusts, drankennesse, in gluttony, and in abhominaeble idolatries: And this same our Apostle, to the like purpose, in another place saith, We know the time, that the hour is now to rise from sleep for our salvation, is nearer then when we believed the night is past, & the day is at hand: Let us therefore caste away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, that we may walk honestlie as in the da • e, not in gluttony & drunkenness, nor in strife nor invying, not in chambering & wantonness, but to put on the Lord Jesus 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 faithful take great diligence in the recovering of that which is by-past and lost, by walking more circumspectlie and diligently, in the trad of godliness, in times coming, taking a similitude from worldly men, & worldly affairs: As if a Merchant having slipped & slept his business, in not coming in due time to his market, should be put in remembrance to be more vigilant in times coming, and use more diligence in vttring his wares in time to come, or as if it were, to fore-warn us not to be like unthrifty spenders wedde-setters of lande, who spend ryotously the money they take upon it, & have taken no heed to pay the yearly duty, or annuel-rent to the creditors, but let it slip over, the longer they so do, the Land is worse to redeem, unless they take better heed in times coming.

So they that drive time, to amende their lives from day today, and suffer themselves to be carried away in a custom and habit of evil doing, repent over-late, when they cannot amend the former loss. Therefore the Apostle in the words preceeding, desireth the Ephesians, to take heed to walk circum spectly. not as such unwise men, but as the wise, and understand what the will of the Lord is. And as we are made light in the Lord, so we walk in the Light and sight of him and his Angels, having them as witnesses of all our doings: Al-be-it, no mortal man should know the same, and so to become wiser then the common sort of the Worlde, as being instructed in the School of Christ, the fountain of all true wisdom. This being the mind and meaning of the Apostle, concerning the redemption of time, we have to mark the cause of this his earneste admonition, which he addeth immediately, saying, Because the days are evil, not that the days were evil of themselves; but this he speaketh, in respect of the time, and dangerous estate of Christians in his days, the world being also then full of corruption, and offenses, and therefore more difficill to the faithful, to walk warilie therein, the Gospel then having so many adversaries; and the Devil himself occupying a tyranny in the Worlde, so that the time could not be dedicate and consecrate to the service of GOD, unless the same were in a manner redeemed, & the lost time by-past, bought again with the loss of wordly pleasures, and forsaking of the unfruitful works of darkness: Seeking after new occasiones of Godliness, which the Worlde and worldlings, by evil example, would pluck away from us. 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 only beware, least they were defiled with their corrupt manner of living, and so by process of time, become like to them, but also to beware to give them occasion of slander by any apearand evil ensample of life, thereby to make them to speak evil of the Gospel, and also to be more cruel, and bente to persecute them for the Gospelles sake; therefore he willeth them, to redeem the time, by taking occasion of well doing Wheresoever he same was offered, and strive against all impedimentes, and that because of the evil days and great corruptions, that then reigneth in the World.

Now, if the Apostle had need in his days, to use this exhortation, howe much more is it needful in this corrupted age wherein we are of the which, the same Apostle PAVLE, speaketh unto TIMOTHEE, in the second Epistle the third Chapter, in this manner, Knowe thou this, that in the last days, there shall be perrellous times: For men shall be lovers of themselves, boasters, proud, cursed speakers, dissobedient to Parentes, vn-thankful, vn-holy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, intemperat, fierce, despisers of them which are good, Traitours, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more then of GOD, having a show of godliness, but denying the power thereof. Turn away therefore (saith he) from such. Surely, if ever there was any time since the beginning of the world, or any age where-into such corruptions and manners of men abounded; this may be holden the principal, whereunto charity is waxed could, and all kind of iniquity waxed ho • e, and hath full liberty: And albeit the Apostle in this place, by the last times, meaneth in a manner the whole estate of Christ's kingdom, that was to follow his days, yet the nearer the Sun draweth to an ende, the more danger and greater troubles no doubt were to ensew: For as Christ himself doth forewarn us, In these latter days shall arise wars and tumults of wars, famine, pestilence, pers • cution for the Gospel, with other calamities and inconveniences, which fall out against men's bodies, but the corrupt and evil manners of men, also should infect the souls of those that be not ware with them, and that which is worse, the Apostle here meaneth, not only that such vices shall reign in these latter times, amongst the ungodly, and enemies that are without the Church, but even of domestical professoures with the same, that would be reckoned amongst the members of his Church, for GOD will have the same so exercised, that she shall be subject to bear, albeit not to foster such pestiferous corruptions, within her bosom: for which cause, we have all great need in these days, of this fore-warning, that we should learn in time to bear patiently our estate, and to eschew the evil example of those men, who are now mingled amongst us, whose company is declared to be the more dangerous, that he shown, that such men polluted with so many erroneous faults, should nevertheless profess outwardly, and have a show of godliness, for so is the nature of Hypocrites, to cloke their sins with extreme impudency: Of such sort were the Pharisees of old; and in our time, the filthy Papistical Clergy, and over-many of those who pretend aye reformed Religion: For the Apostle here maketh a catalogue of such signs, as appear not outwardly incontinent, but lurk and are hid under a certain feigned holiness. For where shall we find an hypocrite but he is proud, a lover of himself, and contemner of others: yea, fierce, cruel, and deceitful: but fo he will not appear to men's eyes, unless he be more narrow • ie espied by them that have the spirit of discretion, to know them by their fruits. Of these Hypocrites, the Apostle Paul, in his other Epistle to Timothy, giveth two examples, which he declared also, shall be in the latter days, wherein some shall depart from the faith, taking heed to deceivable spirits; yea, teaching devilish doctrine, to wit, forbidding marriage, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God created and ordained, to be received with thanks-giving. Noting in special (besides other heretics) the Papists with their superstitious decrees, whereby they bind the consciences of men, with these two errovrs & many vthers, contrary to the liberty of the Gospel, & persecute by fire & sword true Christians, that will not assent to their devilish decrees: therefore we may well conclude, these are the dangerous days, whereof Paul meant, and that the faithful have great need to take heed to them selves: And by all appearance this same present year of Christ, 1600. with certain few years, immediately following, are like to be years of great troubles to the Church of God and persecution, intended by the Papistical tyranny, against all true professoures of Gospel, wherein they may be able to invade, as may witness, that late League, made in Ferrar, at the marriage of the King of Spain, and that mis-made Cardinal, Albertus, Arch-duke of Austria, celebrate by Pope Clement the eight, which hath been interprysed to be begun and to take execution in some parts of Almanie, and of the Low cuntries: and great vows and preparationes made (as we hear) not only against those cuntries, but against this I will of Britain, and inhabitants thereof, the which, the Lord in his mercy, turn to the confusion of the interprisoures thereof, as he did before: And give us grace, that we may with watching and prayer, depend upon his majesty, trustling, and waiting for his deliverance, occupying the time, and ocasion offered to us of peace and quietness, in such sort, that suddane destruction apprehend us not before we beware, according as we have been forewarned of our master Christ, and of his Apostle Peter, declaring that his latter coming to judgment, shall be as in the days of Noah, when as they were eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in Marriage, unto the day that he was entered into the Ark, and then came the flood and destroyed them all. So shall the coming of the Son of man be (saith he.) We see now the world is in as great and greater security, then it was then, and all the sins that reigned thē in the world abound now more then they did. Therefore, the sins that we read of them of that age were two in special, the one was the unlawful conjunction in marriage of the children of God, or the faithful seed with the cursed posterity of CAIN, and that there were then Giants in the Earth, to wit, mighty oppressoures, usurping • yrannicall dominion over men, such as was not seen in the world of before. And have we not these and many moe greater sins and enormities, raignning at all liberty in our days, for who now seeketh alliance of marriage with the Godly, for virtue or Godliness cause? But be they Godly, be they ungodly; the first question is, what may they spend, how much men may give with their daughters; & as to tyranny & oppressiō was there ever greater since the world stood. But besides these specials, kindness, fidelity, and love, true fear of GOD (which is principal) where be they to be found? But in place thereof, craft, doubleness, deceit, insatiable greediness, and such other sins, as was recited before, and prophesied by PAVLE, bear the swinge in such sort, that it is marvel howe a common society can stand any longer amongst men. And if this were only amongst the Roman sort of profane men, it were more to be borne with, but even they who will be in account & have place in the Church of God, are no better for the most part: And (to cease now to speak in particular, of other forrayne cuntries) coming to our selves in this Island; what is there in England, and Scotland, but a naked profession of Religion, without fruits following? In England, a proud ambition, both in Church, and amongst the whole multitude: Yea, proud profanitie, with contempt and disdain of others. In Scotland, a sluggish security, and in both the Lands, a loath-some haiting of the word of GOD, casting off the yoke of discipline, and licenceous liberty in all kind of ungodliness, yea, meiting of the Lord our God, with extreme unthankfulness, in respect of his graces offered so long to both the Nationes: Falsehood, oppression, murders, harlottries, and all other such kind of mischievous dealing, without having any punishment: Yea, filthy Swine, and Dogs, eating their own vomit, as was prophesied in PETER and IVDE, in their Epistles; and namely, such prophaine mockers of all religion, having once professed the truth, and now turning to Epicureisme, & develish Atheism, tanting at the promise of the coming of the Lord Jesus to judgment, & saying, that all wordly things continue in the same estate they were frō the beginning, & so supposing the world never to have ende, & that there shall neither be punishment for evil doing, nor reward for well doing, after this life: To whom Peter answered accordingly, as in his second Epistle, we may read, howe they willingly misknow howe the first world was destroyed by water, and it resteth, that the next, which we are in, be destroyed by fire, and that the long suffering of the Lord is (if it were possible) to bring all men to reap̄tance and howe a thousand years is with him as one day, and one day, as a thousand years, as indeed what is the time, if we shall reckon all the ages from the beginning of the world, unto this present, but as it was not six days expleit, for giueing to every age a thousand years, as some do, the six thousand; vet it will lack four hundredth forty five years, & if we count by hundreds, the ages of the world (which is now commonly the longest time of man's life) there will be but fifty five ages paste, and we are now in the fifty sixtage, wherein all tokens of the latter times, appears for the most parte to be fulfilled (whereof we have spoken in our Treatise before) and if we shall believe the Astrologues, Saturn being Lord of the revolution of the great Circle this year, signifieth Sectes, changing of estates and Kingdoms. Seeing then all these things threatten vnvnto us the hasty cumming of the Lord to judgment, it becometh us now not to neglect the occasion offered unto us, so long as we are in this present short life, to do well, for we know how occasion is painted, as the verse saith:

Wishing all men therefore earnestly, (as our Master fore-warneth us) to lift up their heads, and wait for their approaching redemption, when the Lord shall appear in the clouds to the comfort of the faithful. And seeing there is no perpetual remaining for us in this world, but after a certain short space of time, we all must needs change our dwelling place, and compear before that celestial Judge; that we learn to address our selves for that heavenly life, while we have time, for it shall come to pass, that time shall be no more, when as the seventh Angel shall begin to blow his trumpet. For then (as John speaketh in his Revelation ) the mystery of God shall be finished. Let us not therefore be like the foolish virgins, but whē the bridgroome cometh, let us have our Lamps reddy prepared with oil to meet him, and the more thorny and dangerous the way of the jorney of our life is in these evil days, let us be the more diligent, & warily taking heed to the steppes of our feet, that we may walk as in light and not in darkness; & the Lord will come shortly and put an ende to our labors, receiving us in his everlasting kingdom, even the Lord Jesus Christ. To whom with his heavenly Father, and the holy Ghost, be all honor and praise forever, Amen.