The xvij. Chapter. Of the end of the world, of the last iudgement, of eternall life, of the equalitie of rewards, and of the restoring of the whole world.
¶ As touching eternall life, looke in the confession of the faith, at the end of the second part: and of felicitis, looke the 14. chapter of the first part, and all the whole commentaries vpon Aristotles Ethiks.
AS for the time of continuance of the world, 1 we haue no certeintie in the holie scriptures. 2 Augustine in his first booke vpon Genesis, against the Manicheis, reckoned six ages of the world. The first, from Adam vnto Noah; the second, from Noah vnto Abraham; the third, from thence vnto Dauid; the fourth, from that time to the transmigration into Babylon; the fift, from that time vnto Christ; the sixt, from Christ vntill the last iudgement. Wherefore that age, wherein we now liue, being the last, 3 may be called the decréeped or verie old age; and of Iohn it is called the last houre: but how long it shall continue, 4 we knowe not. Augustine vnto Hesychius, who had somewhat curiouslie questioned of the end of the world, answered; that He durst not either measure or reckon the spaces of times, vnto the end of the world; bicause it is written, 5 that Of that daie knoweth no man, neither the angels, nor yet the sonne of God himself. 6 Which place Epiphanius interpreteth, in the booke which he calleth Anchoratus; affirming a double knowledge, one of the execution or worke, & another of the inward science. And then (saith he) God the father hath both waies the knowledge of the last iudgement: of the inward science doubtlesse, in that he hath knowen the time thereof: secondlie of the worke; bicause he hath alreadie executed iudgement. 7 He hath giuen all iudgement to the sonne, and as touching himselfe, he hath sufficientlie iudged. And the sonne hath knowledge of that daie, as touching knowledge: but as touching execution, he hath not; bicause he is not yet come to iudge. But the angels in neither sort knowe of that daie. First, in verie déed, the houre & time of iudgement is hidden to them: further, the worke or execution God hath not yet committed to them, that they should go foorth and take awaie all offenses.
Howbeit, this exposition séemeth to be verie subtill and wrested. 8 Augustine hath more plainlie interpreted it; that The sonne knoweth not of that daie, not as touching himselfe, but concerning others, whom he causeth not to knowe that daie; neither hath he reuealed the same by his doctrine. But if thou wilt saie, that afrer this maner, the father also dooth not knowe it; bicause he hath not shewed the same daie, or instructed anie man as touching it: he answereth; Yes verelie, he hath reuealed it to the sonne. Howbeit I would yet more simplie vnderstand that sentence, as touching the humane nature of Christ, which by the ordinarie and naturall condition, knew nothing more, than was declared vnto him by the diuine nature.
2 Some haue had a mind to cauill, that albeit the daie and the houre is not knowne: yet that by coniectures we may atteine to the knowledge of the time, bicause that Christ did speciallie speake of that daie, but not of the time. But this subtill point nothing helpeth them, bicause it is written in the first chapter of the acts; 9 It is not for you to knowe the times and moments: which in Gréek is written. ⟨…⟩. And that, 10 which we read in Matthew; When the Gospell shall be preached ouer all the world, then shall the end be: 11 Augustine expoundeth; The Lord shall not come, before the Gospell shall be preached ouer all the world. But by this it is not knowne, how soone, after such preaching, he will come. In the epistle to the Colossians, 12 the first chapter, the apostle writeth, that Euen at that time, the Gospell was alreadie preached ouer all the world: and yet we sée that iudgement is still deferred. The Lord, in the Gospell of Matthew, 13 shewed of manie signes of the last times: but when we sée them, we vnderstand not whether as yet they be thoroughlie come to the iust measure, so as they should be reckoned euen for the verie same things, which the Lord hath foreshewed. But it is sufficient for vs to knowe, 14 that (as Paule said) This our age is the last; so as another age after this is not to be looked for. And touching this time of ours Christ said; 15 I will be with you, vntill the end of the world: wherein he sheweth, that the end of our age is the consummation of the world. And when he instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist, 16 he said; Ye shall shew the Lords death vntill he come: by which saieng he declareth, that our sacraments shall endure, vntill the end of the world.