Chap.1 . Sect. 7· 1Looking unto jjefu.s. Book VL 6ot 1 , Philofophers, efpecially the Stoicks w<re ef this mind, Humorprimordium, ex– ituiignif, [aid Seneca,moijlure "'"' tiJeheginning, and fire [hall be the end of thit World, And fpcaking of 1he Sun, Moon, and Stars; mar!{ (fays ht) whatf"v" mwjhinet in comely anddecent order, ]hallat lafl bum together in one fire, 2 , The Poets grant this ; Lucan fpeaking of 1hofe whom Cefar left unburned at the Bauel of Ph•rf•lia; HosCefarpopulot ji nunc non urferit ignit, uret cum territ. If fire!hall not now burn thefc, when heaven, and earth, and all £hall burn, then mufl they burn.-·-Ovid in like manner,E.ffe quoque in fatif-quo mare,quotellzu-ordeat, A time fRail come, whm Sea, and Earth· and all the frame of this great World !lull be confumed in flame. 3 . The Sybillt grant thi<, to which the Roman mitral (eems to allude, _joyni~g them with theProphel Dav,d, though I know not by what warrant, Dtuor.e, dtet illa,[olvetJ.eculum infavilla,tefte David cum Sybilla. A day •f Wrath, a d•y of Fire, So David with the Sybills dotb confpire, But to wave all thefc, one Text of Scripture is to me more then all thefe, 2 Pet, 3· ,l 0 , The heavens Jhall pafs away with a great noife, a~dtheelementtjhaU melt withfer· 2:Pcr. 3• Io. vent beat, the earth a/fo, aHd the workt that are tberttn ]hall be burnt up. Hence all our Divines agree, that a lire !hall feaze on the Univtrfe, only fome difference is amongft Divines,whetber the World !lull be wholly annihilated, or renewed bylire ? [erome and .Auguftin, and many aftrr them fay, theend of this fire is for purifying and refining of the Heaven and Earth; for all corrupuble quahues £hall be burnt out of them, bul they in thcir fubi\ance !hall remain ftill : if we ask them, to what end !hall this neather _World be renewed? fame fay for an habitaclc of the reftor<d Beatrs; others for a fitter accommodation of men, • and the glorified Saints 1 others for a * M.ndll< in perpetual ~onumcnt of God's power and glory. PolanlU, ar:d fom~of our Modern<me/i••• immuta– are of Opmion, that * thife heavens •nd thH earth when purifird nmh thofe firct, and'"' aperu ac– J .. ptrinvefled with new end•wmentJ, they jha/J be theeverlatli.ngbabitationt efthe bltffed ch:;~tb::•:~· Sainu. But on the contrary, others are of the other opm1on, that all the World m•li"' immu· with all the parts and works (except men, Angels, and Devils, Heaven, and Hell, the tatu. Augufl. two manlions for the faved and damned) !!~all be totally and finally ditfolved and an· de civit. Dei. nibilated. And of this opinion were Hilary, Cltment, and all the ancients before 1• 20 • 1 <· 16 • d r •• I h 1. *Poan. Syn- 'ferome; and of our Mo erns not a .ew. <Or my part rat er enc mt th1s way, be- rag.J. 6 • ,, 7 o. caufe of the many Scriptures that are fo exprefs, I !hall only mention thefe.--Man lytth down and rifethnBI till the hravent he nomore.- Of oldth•,. bajt laid thefo~<n• d~tions of the Earth, and the heavms or< the worl{s of thy handt, fhey {hall perijh hut l~~· '4· 12 ' thou ]halt endure. All the hoaj!t of heavenfhall be dif[olved, and the htavtn /hakbe ;oUecl 26~ ' 102 ' 25 ' together ar afcrol, and aU the hofts ]hall faU down, tU theleaf falleth from the Vine,and Jfa. >4· 4• as a falling fig from the fig· tree, To which Pcophelie John feems to allude, .And the heavens departed at a (crow! when it it roOed together, and every Mountaifl and Rev. 0 • 14• 1jland were moved out of their placet. Again, heaven anJeart.h fhall pa{t away (faith Chrill) but my Wordjhall11ot pa{s away-Thed•yofthe Lord will come as a ThiefM~c. 2 4· 3 6• in the night, in,the "hieh the heavens jhall pa{s away with a great noife, and the Elf. 2 ec. 3· 10 ' menl! fh.JI melt with fervem beat. thtearth a/fo, a11d the worl{t that are therein, ]hall be burnt ~<p.-And the world.paf[eth away, andthe IH}!t thereof; h1<t hethat d•th 1he 1 John 2, 17. will of Godabidtthfor ever.-.And I jaw agreat white Throne, and him that fa te en it, from whofe face the Earth and Heaven fled away, and there WJt fonnd n• place for Rev. 20 ' 11 ' them. No I would d<mand whether being 110 more, as lob; and perijhing,as D<vid ; and rolling together, andfalli~tg down lik! a witheredleaf; as If ay: and paf]i~tg • way, as our Saviour , ~nd Pettr, and flying a..ay, as John ; do not include to uttrr abolitiDn ? If to thefe Scriptures I Chould add one reafon, I would argue from the end of the worlds Creation; was it not partly for the glory of God ? and partly for the ufe of mm? now tor the glory of God, the mamfeftation of it is occafiontd by the manifdlation of the World unto man; if man therefore £hould be removed out of the world, and no croature in it be capable of fuch a manifeftation, what would become of his glory ? And for the ufe of man, that is either to fupply his necdlity in matter of dyet, phyfick, building, apparel; or for his intlruClion, direction, recreation, comfort, delight; now when he !hall attain that blttfcd cRate of enjoying God, Tt t and
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