Miscellaneous Discourses, Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
How far this Conflagration ſh…ll extend.
6. A Sixth Queſtion is, How far ſhall this Conflagration extend? Whether to the Ethereal Heavens, and all the Hoſt of them, Sun, Moon and Stars, or to the Aereal only?
I anſwer, If we follow Ancient Tradition not only the Earth, but alſo the Heavens and heavenly Bodies will be involved in one common fate, as appears by thoſe Verſes quoted out of Lucretius, Ovid, Lucan, &c.
Of Chriſtians ſome exempt the Ethereal Region from this Deſtruction: for the two following Reaſons, which I ſhall ſet down in Reuterus's words. 1. Becauſe in this Chapter the Conflagration is compared to the Deluge in the time of Noah. But the Deluge extended not to the upper Regions of the Air, much leſs to the Heavens, the Waters ariſing only fifteen Cubits above the tops of the Mountains, if ſo much. Therefore neither ſhall the Conflagration tranſcend that term. So Beza upon 2 Pet. 3.6. Tantum aſcendet ille ignis quantum aqua altior ſupra omnes montes. That fire ſhall aſcend as high as the Waters ſtood above the Mountains. This paſſage I do not find in the laſt Edition of his Notes. The ordinary Gloſs alſo upon theſe words, 2 Theſſ. 1.2. In flaming fire rendring vengeance, ſaith, Chriſtum venturum praecedet ignis in mundo, qui tantum aſcendet quantum aqua in diluvio. There ſhall a fire go before Chriſt when he comes, which ſhall reach as high as did the Water in the Deluge. And S. Auguſtine De Civit. Dei lib. 20. cap. 18. Petrus etiam commemorans factum ante diluvium, videtur admonuiſſe quodammodo, quatenus in fine hujus ſeculi iſtum mundum periturum eſſe credamus. Peter alſo mentioning the Ancient Deluge, ſeems in a manner to have adviſed us how far at the conſummation of time, we are to believe this World ſhall periſh.
But this Argument is of no force, becauſe it is not the Apoſtles deſign in that place to deſcribe the limits of the Conflagration, but only againſt Scoffers, to ſhew, that the World ſhould one day periſh by Fire, as it had of old been deſtroyed by Water.
2. The ſecond reaſon is, becauſe the Heavenly Bodies are not ſubject to paſſion, alteration or corruption. They can contract no filth, and ſo need no expurgation by Fire.
To this we anſwer, not in the words of Reuter, but our own, That it is an idle and ill grounded conceit of the Peripateticks, That the Heavens are of their own nature incorruptible and unalterable: for on the contrary it is demonſtrable, that many of them are of the ſame nature with the Earth we live upon, and the moſt pure, as the Sun, and probably too the Fixt Stars, ſuffer Alterations; maculae or opaque Concretions being commonly generated and diſſolved in them. And Comets frequently, and ſometimes New Stars appear in the Etherial Regions. So that theſe Arguments are inſufficient to exempt the Heavens from Diſſolution; and on the other ſide many places there are in Scripture which ſeem to ſubject them thereto: As Pſal. 102.25, 26. recited Heb. 1.10. which hath already often been quoted, The heavens are the works of thy hands, They ſhall periſh. Mat. 24.35. Heaven and Earth ſhall paſs away. Iſa. 65.17. & 51.6. The Heavens ſhall vaniſh away like ſmoke. Yet am I not of opinion, that the laſt Fire ſhall reach the Heavens; They are too far diſtant from us to ſuffer by it: nor indeed doth the Scripture affirm it: but where it mentions the Diſſolution of the Heavens, it expreſſes it by ſuch Phraſes as ſeem rather to intimate, that it ſhall come to paſs by a conſeneſcency and decay, than be effected by any ſudden and violent means. Pſal. 102.25, 26. They all ſhall wax old as doth a garment, &c. Though I confeſs nothing of Certainty can be gathered from ſuch expreſſions; for we find the ſame uſed concerning the Earth. Iſa. 51.6. The Heavens ſhall vaniſh away like ſmoke, and the Earth ſhall wax old as doth a garment. The heavenly Bodies are none of them uncorruptible and eternal; but may in like manner as the Earth be conſumed and deſtroyed, at what times and by what means, whether Fire or ſome other Element, the Amighty hath decreed, and ordered.