The Right Reckoning of Years and Ages of the World, Proposition 3
THIRD PROPOSITION.
That the Iubilee of the Papisticall Romanistes, neither doth rightly counterfaile the Iewes, neither the secular yeares of the auncient Romanes. And of diverse manners of reckoning the ages of the Worlde, and of mens liues: And that reckoning by hundreths, wee are now in the fiftie sixe age.
AS The papall religion in manie things is patched and made vp, partly of the old rites and ceremonies of the Iewes, and partely of the superstition of the Gentiles, so counterfaite they by imitation, sometime the one, and sometime the other; and when they lacke the one, they take the other for their ground. So it is concerning their Iubilees, whereof I hauehave bene hitherto speaking: and hauehave proven already, that their imitation in times, is not according to the institution of Gods lawe, promulgate by Moyses. Nowe then they being put from that grounde, may alleadge, that they having no necessitie to obserue Moyses law in al poynts, hauehave appoynted thē Iubilees, after imitation of their ancient Romanes (whose degenerate posteritie they are) to wit, that as they had their stages or playes, which they call their seculare solemnities, every hundreth yeare, once in memory of the antiquitie of their cittie: where in it was proclaymed, by founde of Trumpet, that the people of Rome, should see such pompes and guises, as no man that was then living, ever sawe before, neither should see thereafter. So Pope BONIFACE the eight, did institute his Iubilees, to be holden every hundreth yeare, with solemne Proclamation of his Pardones. Now graunting this to be true, as their ground is vaine and profane, so whatsoever is builded thereupon. And yet let vsus see how happely and circumspectly these Romanistes imitate the auncient Romanes: supposing that they celebrate their secular solemnities, at the precise end and periode of every hundreth yeare. This their ground (I say) is false: For it was the space of an hundreth and ten yeares, betweene every one of the seculare solemnities, according to the old institution, thereof, which 110. yeares were composed, of twenty two of their Lustra, wherein they did lustrate and muster their people: every Lustrum conteining the space of fiue years, which being 22. make eleven times ten year: Whereof Horace the Poet, beareth witnesse in his song or ode intituled Carmen seculare, in these verses:
Certus vndenos d…cies per annos,
Orbis vt cantus referatque ludos.
The sense is.
That certaine circula…y space,
Ten times elleven yeares in a race,
Must bring againe the songs and Playes,
At Rome of secular yeares and dayes.
So the Papisticall Romanistes, are wrong wrested in their reckoning in this also. Now it is trueth, that albeit this secular Periode of time, conteining the circulare course of an hundreth years, was most diligentlie observed by the Romanes, for diverse causes. Yet we notwithstanding, for the common reckoning of an age, may well take the precise number of an hundreth yeares: Because it is commonly the longest course of mans life in our dayes. And because I am entred in to make mention of ages, I thinke it good, to discourse a little vponupon the ages of the World, and likewise of mens liues. And to declare how many manner of waies the same are taken: and of the diverse reckoning thereof. For the which we hauehave to vnderstand, that as al things in this visible world, hauehave a certaine age and continuance of time, so the Worlde it selfe hath the owne age: which being taken generally, signifyeth, the whole space of the durance and continuance thereof. Otherwise the age of the Worlde, betokeneth the decaying parte thereof, as the eeld or age of a man, is called the latter pa…te of his life. And indeed it may well be saide now, that we become to the decaying parte, and latter age of the World.1, Cor. 10. For (as the Apostle sayeth) We are they vponupon whom the ends of the World are come. 1. Tim. 4.And in an other place, hee calleth these our dayes, the latter times. Now the age of the Worlde, taken in the former generall signification, is divided againe in diverse particular ages, and that by sundrie manners of reckoning: For some distribute the whole ages of the World in three partes: ascribing to everie age 2000. yeares: Which commeth of that common opinion, holden of maine, and recited, for the saying of the house of Elias (not that great Prophet Elias, but a certaine Rabbin of the Iewes so named) that the World should stande 6000. years, and thereafter should be dissolved. Of the which they count, 2000, yeare before the law (called the voyd time) 2000. vnderunder the law, & 2000. vnderunder Christ, which shalbe shortned, for the sinnes of the world, which are many. There be divers learned and godly fathers of this opinion: supposing, that as the worlde, with all things therein conteined, was created in sixe dayes, so the same should endure 6000. years, taking each thousand yeare for a day, as it is taken in the second Epistle of Peter, where he sayeth, That one day before the Lorde, is as a thousand yeares,…. Pet. 3. and a thousand yeares as one day: And amongst others, Augustine writing of these ages, & dividing them in six, reckoneth the first age to be frō Adam, to Noah: The 2. from Noah to Abraham: The 3 from Abraham to David: The 4. from David to the captivity of Babilon: The fifth, from the captivitie to Christ: The sixt and last, vnderunder the Kingdome of Christ, vntounto the end of the World. But this division not to be equall, it may be evident, by the supputation of yeares, conteined in the first proposition, and namely, of the last age vnderunder Christ, which now hath already indured sixteen hundreth yeares; and it is not certaine how long the same shall yet further continue. Albeit by all probable conjectures, the world now appeareth to draw neare an end. Alwaies, I thinke it not altogether to be resused, that is alleaged of the Iewes, of this their Doctor Elias, who-so-ever hee was. For it lacketh not a reason, counting 2000. years before the law. For indeed, from the beginning vntounto Abraham, with whom the first covenant was made, and to whom the Law of circumcision was given, wee finde to be about the space of 2000. yeares. And likewise vnderunder the law to Christ, about other 2000. yeares. And now they lack but 452. yeares of the last 2000. vnderunder Christ. Therefore this authority being brought forth by the Iewes themselues, maketh much against them, who will not yet acknowledge the true Messias: seeing they hauehave wayted in vaine for an other Christ; about sixteen hūdreth years, aboue their ownereckoning. Others there be, that distribute the ages of the world in foure, according to the nature of four kindes of mettalles. The first they call the golden age, or Golden world, which was the most auncient & best of all; like as Gold is the chiefe amongst mettalles. The second, is next best, the silver age: The third, the age of brasse, and the fourth yron, declyning ay, from better to worse, as the world doth indeed. Of this division of ages, the Poets oftentimes make mention. And the originall thereof, appeareth well to hauehave bene taken from the Prophecie of Daniel, who in exponing the dreame of Nebuchadnetzar, Da…. …speaketh of that greate Image, representing the foure chiefe Monarchies of the worlde, whereof the head was of Gold, signifying the Kingdome of the BABYLONIANS: The armes of silver, figuring the Monarchie of the Medes and Persians: the wombe and sides being of Brasse, betokeneth the Macedonian Monarchie, obtayned by great Alexander: The legges of Yron, and feete partely of Yron, partely of clay, that of the Romanes or the feete, as others, interprete the Kingdome of the Greekes, begun by Seleucus, which being strong as yron, and noysome against the people of God, become thereafter, mingled with clay, declyning to weaknesse and being … in the selfe. And finally, the Kingdome of Christ did rvse, wholy after destruction of all those Kingdom…s, shall endure for ever, as at more length is specified in that prophecie. VVho would know more of the foure ages, represented by these foure metalles, may reade aboundantly in Hesiodus and others Poets, Others count the ages of the VVorld by seavens, after the number of seaven Planets, having a certaine periode and revolution amongst themselues, whereof wee are to speake more in an other place. There bee others also, that distinguishe the ages of the worlde, by the ages of men… And sundry others vse diverse other distributiones of the ages and times of the worlde, whereupon I wil not now insist. Alwaies I think the most facill & common division of the ages of the worlde, is by thousandes, counting in the whole sex, according to the analogy of the sex dayes of creation. For to count by the liues & ages of men, hath rather a peculiar respect to the generationes of men, then to the time of the continuance of the world. So it is more proper to count the ages of the world by thousands, because of the long continuance thereof, in respect there was never no man that lived out compleitly a thousand years. But this divisiō of the ages of the worlde by thousandes, would appeare more proper, if it were made by equall division of thousandes, or at the leaste, approaching neare to an equalitie, then as it is commonly parted by greate inequalitie, as was before recited out of Augustine. There fore it may be divided after this maner: The first thousand yeare, counted from the creation; to Noah, albeit it conteineth 56. yeares 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. yeares lesse. The fourth millenarie, from the Temple building to Christ, albeit there be fiftie two years lesse. The fift millenarie, from firist his nativitie extendeth it self to his 1052. year… but but I reckon the same to the 1000. yeares, when the Antichristian Papale kingdome, did vtter the selfe in the person of SYLVESTER the second, who by art Magick, and divelrie, made himself to be promoted Pope The Image of the Romaine Empire, being translated a little before, by Otho the Third, vntounto the Germanes. The sixt millenary, whereinto now we are, shal take end, when God pleaseth, if so be the worlde shall continue to the end thereof. The ages of the world being thus taken vp by thousands, wee may call the first age, The old age, or the Golden, because in it the worlde was governed in innocencie, in respect of the ages following, vnderunder Saturne, as the Poets recorde. And if we giuegive credite to the Astrologes, Saturne is the Planete of quietnesse and peace: But this age had the ende or the evening, thereof declining to darknesse, when the seede of the godly, mingled themselue with the vngodly, and al kinde of wickednesse begouth to abound before the floud. The second age or millenarie, may be called the renewed age of the world, and the poeticall silver age, worse then the first, but better then others that followed; wherein, after the destruction of mankinde, by that fearefull floud, the world was renewed and inhabite againe by Noah, and his sonnes; and succession, vnderunder the benevolent Planete Iupiter; but the same turned to a greate darknesse in the ende or evening thereof, when the whole posterity of Noah, for the most parte, declyned to Idolatrie, Nembroth begouth to vsurpe dominion over others, and to be the founder of the first tyranny in the worlde. The thirde millenarie or age, may be tearmed the age of the Law, or poetically, the brasen age: Because in it God seperated Abraham from the Idolaters, and gaue to him and his posterity, his Oracles, and a written Lawe, whereby they should knowe howe to serue him, and write his commandements in Tables of stone, hard as brasse, to declare the heard harts of the people of those dayes. The fourth age or millenary, we may call the age of the foure Monarchies, and the Poeticall yron age, because in it were al the foure Monarchies, succeeding one after an other. And then Martiall armour made of yron, troubled the whole world, & subdued it to those impotent dominators. The fift millenarie or age, we call the age of Christ, and the returning of the golden world againe. For in it not onelyonly externall, peace was restored to the world, vnderunder Augustus Caesar, but also peace from heaven, to the conscience and soules 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 vnderstandeth not) in his foure Eclogue. The sixt and last age, we may call the age of Antichrist and his kingdome. For in it both, Gog and Magog is hid and open Antichristian enemie, to witte, the Pope, and Mahomet, with their wicked lawes, chiefely hauehave troubled the worlde, and true professors of Christ, his true religion: But because these are kingdomes of darknesse, and not of light, after the darknesse thereof. God in his merciemercy hath made the light of his Gospel, as the Morning star to shine in our hearts, by which this darknesse is expelled. But the vnbeleevers hearts are more and more darckned, till the just judge shall come and put an end to all darknesse, whose comming we beseech the Lorde, in his greate merciemercy to hasten. As to insist longer vppon these ages, of the world, or the allegorical analogie thereof, with the sixe dayes of Creation: I think it not expedient, let them that delite therein, reade others, that hauehave discoursed thervpon. This much then for the ages of the world. As to the ages of mens liues, they are also diversly reckoned. For some there be that take the fourth part of an hundreth yeare, which is, twenty fiue yeares only for a mans age; and some take thirtie, 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 attayned to three ages, to be vnderstood of thrise thirtie yeares. But the Poet Ovid, vnderstandeth that place of Homer otherwise, to witt, of three hundreth yeares: saying in the person of Nestor, VIXI
Annos bis centum, nunc tertiae viu…tur aetas.…
Two hundreth yeares I hauehave over-past,
Now the third age my life doth last.
As indeed it is most probable, to hauehave bene so ment by Homer. For in those dayes it was no rare thing to see men liue thrise thirtie yeares. Others they be, that distribute the ages according to mens life-times, by seavens; but after divers manners. For in the 90. Psalme, whereof the title is ascribed to Moyses, the common age of mans life is counted to be ten-times seaven, that is, seaventy yeares. And the cause why the ages be reckoned by seavens, is, by reason that seaven is a perfite number, whereof hath bene spoken largely of before: And commonly, every seaventh yeare, some notable change or accident falleth out in mans life: And namely, at the age of nine times seaven, which make, threescore three yeares, called the Climacterick yeare, which many counte for a fatall yeare, and tearme of mans life in our dayes. Others (as Hippocrates) count seaven-times seaven yeares, for a mans age, which maketh 49. yeares, conforme to the Iubilee of the Iewes. Yet notwithstanding, these other reckonings, if we shall compare the ages of the world, with the longest age of mans life, the most perfite and convenient reckoning, is to counte by hundreths: ascribing 100. yeare in a full and perfite number to every age: for that is the farthest tearme of mans life, that we can now reckon to. Albeit a few men in some cuntries liue longer: And it appeareth well to be so taken in the Scripture. For (as it is written in Geneses) when God shewed vntounto Abraham by Orackle, That his seede should be a stranger in a Land that was not their owne: …. 15.The space of four hundreth yeares thereafter, he exponeth it of foure Generationes, saying, In the fourth Geneneration they shall returne thither againe: where he taketh foure generationes, for foure ages. The same may be approoven, by that which was cited out of Homer, concerning Nestor. So holding vsus at this division of ages by hundreths, there will be from the beginning of the World of those ages, now cōpleetly passed by our reckoning, before this 1600. yeare of Christ, fiftie hundreth yeares, which make 55. ages: And we are now in the 56. age, and at the 48. yeare thereof: which may well be called, an age of the decaying and fading worlde, not onelyonly because it appeareth to approche neere vntounto the worlds end, but also by reason greater mutatiōs, & alteratiōs are likely to fal out therein, both in the visible heavens, the earth, & other elements, then in other ages before: whereof I intend to speake more largely afterward. But to intreat of particular accidents that fel out in the former ages, it pertayneth to a more large discourse.