Miscellaneous discourses concerning the dissolution and changes of the world wherein the primitive chaos and creation, the general deluge, fountains, formed stones, sea-shells found in the earth, subterraneous trees, mountains, earthquakes, vulcanoes, the universal conflagration and future state, are largely discussed and examined / by John Ray ...

CHAP. VIII.

The Fourth Question Resolved, Whether shall there be any Signs or Forerunners of the Dissolution of the World?

4. THE Fourth Question is, Whether shall there be any Signs or Fore∣runners of the Dissolution of the World?

In order to the Answering of this Que∣stion we shall distinguish Signs into natural and arbitrarious, 1. natural Signs, so the Au∣rora, or Dawning of the Day, is a Sign of the Sun-rising. Now if the Dissolution be effected in the course of Nature, and by na∣tural Means, there will be some previous natural Signs of it. An old House will threaten Ruin before it falls. The natural Death of Men and all Animals hath its Har∣bingers, and old Men before their Dissolu∣tion feel the Impression of Age; and pro∣claim to the World their approaching Fate by Wrinkles, Gray Hairs, and Dimness of Sight. But we have formerly shewn, that there is no Consenescency or Declension in

Nature: but that the World continues still as firm and staunch as it was three thousand years ago; and why hereafter it should founder and decay more than it hath done for so many Ages heretofore, what reason can be given? It is not therefore likely there should be any natural Signs of the Dissolution of the World; and consequently that it shall be effected by natural Means.

2. There are arbitrary Signs, as a Garland hung out is a Sign of Wine to be sold. Now if the Dissolution of the World be effected by supernatural and extraordinary means. (as is most likely) the Signs of it must be arbi∣trarious. For tho they may be natural Ef∣fects and Productions, yet would they not signifie the Destruction of the World, if they were not ordered by providence to happen at that time, and predicted as Forerunners of it; with which otherwise they have no na∣tural Connexion. Such Signs are Matth. 24. The Sun being darkened, and the Moon not giving her Light, and the Stars falling from Heaven, and the Shaking of the Powers of Heaven. These and many other Signs of his coming we find mentioned in Scripture: but what the meaning of these Expressions may be, is not so clear: For tho some of them may be taken in a Literal Sense, yet it is manifest that others cannot. The Sun may

indeed be so covered with a Macula, as to be quite obscured; and thereupon the Moon ne∣cessarily lose her Light, which she borrows only from the Sun-beams: But how the Stars should in a literal Sense fall down from Hea∣ven is inconceivable; it being almost demon∣stratively certain, that most of them are bigger than the whole Earth. We may therefore, keeping as near as we can to the Letter, thus interpret them. There shall be great Signs in Heaven, dismal Eclipses and Obscurations of the Sun and Moon; new Stars and Comets shall appear, and others disappear, and many fiery Meteors be su∣spended in the Air. The very Foundations of the Earth shall be shaken, and the Sea shall roar and make a noise. But I must not here dissemble a great Difficulty: How can such illustrious Signs and Forerunners be re∣conciled to the suddenness and unexpected∣ness of Christ's coming, and the end of the World? Luke 21.25. After the Evangelist 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 Con∣sequent thereof, Vers. 26. Mens hearts fail∣ing 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 Senselessness

and Security, as by such stupendious Pro∣digies not to be rowsed and awakened to an expectation of some dismal and tremen∣dous Event? How could he sing a Requiem to his Soul, and say Peace and Safety, when the World so manifestly threatens Ruin a∣bout his Ears? For the reconciling of these Expressions to this sudden coming of our Saviour to Judgment, it were most conve∣nient to accept them in the Figurative and Metaphorical Sense. For if we understand them of the Ruins and Devastations of Ci∣ties and Countries, the Changes of Govern∣ments, the Subversions of Kingdoms and Commonwealths, the Falls and Deposings of Princes, Nobles and Great Men; these happening more or less in every Age, tho 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 inconside∣rate, 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 an∣swered, that these Prophecies do belong to the Destruction of Jerusalem only, and so we are not concerned to answer this Objection.