Three Physico-Theological Discourses, Discourse 3 · Chapter 4 – Chapter 7
CHAP. IV.
Containing an Answer to the Second Question, Whether shall this Dissolution be effected by natural or by extraordinary Means, and what they shall be?
2. AS to the Second Question, Whether shall this Dissolution be brought about and effected by natural or by extraordinary Means and Instruments, and what those Means and Instruments shall be? I answer in brief, that the Instrumental Efficient of this Dissolution shall be natural. For it is clear both by Scripture and Tradition, and agreed on all hands, that it shall be that Catholick Dissolvent, Fire. Now to the being and maintenance of Fire, there are four things requisite. I. The active Principle or Aether. 2. Air, or a Nitrous Pabulum received from it: These two being commixt together, are every-where at hand. 3. Fuel, which considering the abundance of combustible Materials, which are to be found in all places upon or under the Surface of the Earth, can no where be wanting. 4. The Accension and the sudden and equal Diffusion of this Fire all the World over. And this must be the Work of God, extraordinary and miraculous.
Such a Dissolution of the World might indeed be effected by that natural Accident mentioned in the Answer to the Precedent Question, viz. The Eruption of the Central Fire. But because it is doubtful, whether there be any such Fire in the middle of the Earth or no: and if there ever were, it is hard to give an account, how it could be maintained in that infernal Dungeon for want of Air and Fuel. And because, if it should break forth in the Consistency of a thin Flame, it would in all likelihood speedily like Lightning mount up to Heaven, and quite vanish away; unless we could suppose Floods, nay Seas of melted Materials, or liquid Fire, enough to overflow the whole Earth, to be poured forth of those Caverns. For these Reasons I reject that Opinion, and do rather think that the Conflagration shall be effected by a superficial Fire. Tho' I must confess we read in Tacitus, Annal. 13. at the end, of a sort of Fire that was not so apt to disperse and vanish. "—The City of the Inhonians in Germany (saith he) confederate with us was afflicted with a sudden Disaster: for Fires issuing out of the Earth, burned Towns, Fields, Villages every-where, and spread even to the Walls of a Colony newly built, and could not be extinguished neither by Rain, nor River-water, nor any other Liquor that could be employed, until for want of Remedy, or Anger of such a Distraction, certain Peasants cast Stones afar off into it; then the Flame somewhat slacking, drawing near, they put it out with Blows of Clubs, and other like, as if it had been a wild Beast; last of all, they threw in Cloaths from their Backs, which the more worn and fouler they were, the better they quenched the Fire. I use Dr. Hakewil's Translation.
CHAP. VII.
The Third Question answered. Whether shall this Dissolution be Gradual and Successive, or Momentaneous and Sudden?
3. THE Third Question is, Whether shall this Dissolution be gradual and successive, or momentaneous and sudden?
I answer, The Scripture resolves for the latter, The day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night: a similitude we have often repeated in Scripture, as in the tenth Verse of this Chapter, in 1 Thess. 15. 2. Rev. 3. 3. and 16. 15. And the Resurrection and Change of Things, it is said shall be in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, 1 Cor. 15. 52. Consonant whereto both the Epicureans and Stoicks held their Dissolutions of the World should be sudden and brief, as Lucretius and Seneca in the place 'fore-mentioned tell us. And it is suitable to the nature of Fire to make a quick dispatch of things, suddenly to consume and destroy.
And as it shall be sudden, so also shall it be unexpected, being compared to the coming of the Flood in the Days of Noah, Mat. 24. 37, 38, 39. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entred into the ark: And knew not until the flood came and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. And the raining of Fire and Brimstone upon Sodom. Luke 17. Thessal. 5. 3. For when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child. Now if it shall be thus sudden and unexpected, it is not likely there should be in Nature any manifest Tendency to it, or remarkable Signs and Forerunners of it: for such must needs startle and awaken the World into an expectation and dread of it. That there is at present no such Tendency to Corruption, but that the World continues still in as good state and condition as it was two thousand Years ago, without the least impairment or decay, hath been, as we before noted, without any possibility of contradiction clearly made out and demonstrated by Dr. Hakewill in his Apology: and therefore, arguing from the past to the page missing vangelist had told us, That there shall be Signs in the Sun, and in the Moon, and in the Stars—the Sea and the Waves roaring; he adds, as a Consequent thereof, Verse 26. Mens hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things that are coming on the Earth. And indeed, how could any Man possibly be buried in so profound a Lethargy of Senslessness and Security, as by such stupendious Prodigies not to be rowsed and awakened to an expectation of some dismal and tremendous Event? How could he sing a Requiem to his Soul, and say Peace and Safety, when the World so manifestly threatens Ruin about his Ears? For the reconcil…ng of these Expressions to this sudden coming of our Saviour to Judgment, it were most convenient to accept them in the Figurative and Metaphorical Sense. For if we understand them of the Ruin, and Devastations of Cities and Countries, and Changes of Governments, the Subversions of Kingdoms and Commonwealths, the Falls and Deposings of Princes, Nobles and Great Men; these happening more or less in every Age, though the serious and inquisitive Christian, who searches and understands the Scriptures, may discern them to be the Signs of the World's Catastrophe; yet the careless and inconsiderate, the vicious and voluptuous are not like to be at all startled or moved at them, but may notwithstanding, looking upon them as ordinary and insignificant Accidents, Dormire in utramque aurem, sleep securely till the last Trump awaken them. Or it may be answered, That these Prophecies do belong to the Destruction of Ierusalem only, and so we are not concerned to answer that Objection.