The second Capital point is; whether we can attain to know when the end of the world shall be? It is a case manifest whether we be all led with a desire to know when the end of the world shall be. For this affection even the Saints were taken withal, the Prophets and Apostles. Of Daniel it is manifest in Cap. 12. After that he heard of the Angel, that is, of Christ, touching Antichrist, and what things should be accomplished in the end of the World, he asked the Lord, saying verse. 8. O Lord what shall be the ••d of these things? as for the Apostles, it ⟨p. 11⟩appeareth Mat. 24. Act. •. Lord, when shall these things be? Therefore it is a natural inclination in all to desire the knowledge of things to come; specially when the end of the world shall be: Now the question is whether this can be known of us? The Lord Jesus taught that it no way can be known, when he said, Of that day & that hour no man 1knoweth, no, not the Angels of Heaven, but the father only knoweth; that is, the certain time, wherein these things, by me foretold to you, shall come to pass, the father only know eth, yet in all ages there have been some, and that in the Church of Christ, who have given out it might be known, some indeed certainly, and they have presumed to determine thereupon a certain number of years, (such is mans presumption) from the first unto the second coming of Christ; others probably and in such sort, as that in searching this time they did contend, that no great error could follow, and therefore ⟨p. 12⟩they used sundry conjectures, whereby they assayed to determine, in some fort, how much time as yet remained until the next coming of Christ. Although verily there be great difference between the •• merity of the one sort▪ and curiosity of the other; yet as the one is utterly to be disproved and condemned, so the other (for my part) I cannot give approbation unto. For true p• ety requireth that we be certain indeed that the end of the world shall be, and that the Lord will come, but when that is, what either day, or month, or year, or age, both it shall be and he shall come, we must of necessity confess ingenuously our ignorance, and that by no means it can be known according to the doctrine of Christ.
The second Capitall poynt is; whether we can attaine to know when the end of the world shall be? It is a case manifest whether wee be all led with a desire to know when the end of the world shall be. For this affection euen the Saintes were taken withall, the Prophets and Apostles. Of Daniel it is manifest in Cap. 12. After that he heard of the Angell, that is, of Christ, touching Antichrist, and what thinges should be accomplished in the end of the World, hee asked the Lord, saying verse. 8. O Lord what shallbe the ••d of these things? as for the Apostles, it ⟨p. 11⟩apeareth Mat. 24. Act. •. Lord, when shal these thinges be? Therefore it is a naturall inclination in all to desire the knowledge of thinges to come; specially when the end of the world shall be: Now the question is whether this can be knowne of vs? The Lord Iesus taught that it no way can be knowne, when he said, Of that day & that houre no man 1knoweth, no, not the Angels of Heauen, but the father onely knoweth; that is, the certaine time, wherein these thinges, by me foretold to you, shal come to passe, the father only know eth, yet in all ages there haue beene some, and that in the Church of Christ, who haue giuen out it might be knowne, some indeed certainely, and they haue presumed to determine therevpon a certaine number of yeares, (such is mans presumption) from the first vnto the second comming of Christ; others probably and in such sort, as that in searching this time they did contend, that no great error could follow, and therefore ⟨p. 12⟩they vsed sundry coniectures, whereby they assayed to determine, in some fort, how much time as yet remained vntill the next comming of Christ. Although verily there be great difference betweene the •• merity of the one sort▪ and curiosity of the other; yet as the one is vtterly to be disprooued and condemned, so the other (for my part) I cannot giue approbation vnto. For true p• ety requireth that we bee certaine indeed that the end of the world shall bee, and that the Lord will come, but when that is, what either day, or moneth, or yeare, or age, both it shall be and hee shall come, we must of necessity confesse ingenuously our ignorance, and that by no meanes it can be knowne according to the doctrine of Christ.
- 1Mat. 24
