Chap. XIV.—Of the First and Last Times of the World.

Since we have spoken of the immortality of the soul, it follows that we teach how and when it is given to man; that in this also they may see the errors of their perverseness and folly, who imagine that some mortals have become gods by the decrees and dogmas of mortals; either because they had invented arts, or because they had taught the use of certain productions of the earth, or because they had discovered things useful for the life of men, or because they had slain savage beasts. How far these things were from deserving immortality we have both shown in the former books, and we will now show, that it may be evident that it is righteousness alone which procures for man eternal life, and that it is God alone who bestows the reward of eternal life. For they who are said to have been immortalized by their merits, inasmuch as they possessed neither righteousness nor any true virtue, did not obtain for themselves immortality, but death by their sins and lusts; nor did they deserve the reward of heaven, but the punishment of hell, which impends over them, together with all their worshippers. And I show that the time of this judgment draws near, that the due reward may be given to the righteous, and the deserved punishment may be inflicted on the wicked.  

Plato and many others of the philosophers, since they were ignorant of the origin of all things, and of that primal period at which the world was made, said that many thousands of ages had passed since this beautiful arrangement of the world was completed; and in this they perhaps followed the Chaldeans, who, as Cicero has related in his first book respecting divination,1362    i. 19.   foolishly say1363    Delirant.   that they possess comprised in their memorials four hundred and seventy thousand years; in which matter, because they thought that they could not be convicted, they believed that they were at liberty1364    Liberum esse.   to speak falsely. But we, whom the Holy Scriptures instruct to the knowledge of the truth, know the beginning and the end of the world, respecting which we will now speak in the end of our work, since we have explained respecting the beginning in the second book. Therefore let the philosophers, who enumerate thousands of ages from the beginning of the world, know that the six thousandth year is not yet completed, and that when this number is completed the consummation must take place, and the condition of human affairs be remodelled for the better, the proof of which must first be related, that the matter itself may be plain. God completed the world and this admirable work of nature in the space of six days, as is contained in the secrets of Holy Scripture, and consecrated the seventh day, on which He had rested from His works. But this is the Sabbath-day, which in the language of the Hebrews received its name from the number,1365    The word Sabbath means rest. [He derives it from שֶׁבַצ: but one wonders how these divers etymologies came into the use of Gentile believers. Compare vol. ii. Elucidation VIII. p. 443.]   whence the seventh is the legitimate and complete number. For there are seven days, by the revolutions of which in order the circles of years are made up; and there are seven stars which do not set, and seven luminaries which are called planets,1366    Errantia.   whose differing and unequal movements are believed to cause the varieties of circumstances and times.1367    [Efficere creduntur. Our author seems to guard himself against affirming the verity of the science of his times.]    

Therefore, since all the works of God were completed in six days, the world must continue in its present state through six ages, that is, six thousand years. For the great day of God is limited by a circle of a thousand years, as the prophet shows, who says1368    Ps. xc. 4; see also 2 Pet. iii. 8.   “In Thy sight, O Lord, a thousand years are as one day.” And as God laboured during those six days in creating such great works, so His religion and truth must labour during these six thousand years, while wickedness prevails and bears rule. And again, since God, having finished His works, rested the seventh day and blessed it, at the end of the six thousandth year all wickedness must be abolished from the earth, and righteousness reign for a thousand years; and there must be tranquillity and rest from the labours which the world now has long endured. But how that will come to pass I will explain in its order. We have often said that lesser things and things of small importance are figures and previous shadowings forth of great things; as this day of ours, which is bounded by the rising and the setting of the sun, is a representation1369    Speciem gerere.   of that great day to which the circuit of a thousand years affixes its limits.1370    Determinat. [Compare p. 220, infra.]    

In the same manner also the fashioning of the earthly man held forth to the future the formation of the heavenly people. For as, when all things were completed which were contrived for the use of man, last of all, on the sixth day, He made man also, and introduced him into this world as into a home now carefully prepared; so now on the great sixth day the true man is being formed by the word of God, that is, a holy people is fashioned for righteousness by the doctrine and precepts of God. And as then a mortal and imperfect man was formed from the earth, that he might live a thousand years in this world; so now from this earthly age is formed a perfect man, that being quickened by God, he may bear rule in this same world through a thousand years. But in what manner the consummation will take place, and what end awaits the affairs of men, if any one shall examine the divine writings he will ascertain. But the voices also of prophets of the world, agreeing with the heavenly, announce the end and overthrow of all things after a short time, describing as it were the last old age of the wearied and wasting world. But the things which are said by prophets and seers to be about to happen before that last ending comes upon the world, I will subjoin, being collected and accumulated from all quarters.  

CAPUT XIV. De Mundi temporibus primis ac postremis.

Quoniam de immortalitate diximus animae, sequitur ut doceamus quatenus homini et quando tribuatur, 0780A ut in hoc quoque pravitatis ac stultitiae suae perspiciant errores, qui mortales quosdam decretis placitisque mortalium deos esse factos opinantur, vel quod artes invenerant, vel quod usum quarumdam frugum docuerant, vel quod utilia vitae hominum prodiderant, vel quod immanes bestias interemerant. Quae merita quam longe ab immortalitate semota sint, et docuimus in prioribus libris, et nunc docebimus; ut appareat solam esse justitiam, quae vitam homini pariat aeternam, et solum Deum, qui aeternae vitae praemium largiatur. Nam illi, qui suis meritis immortales facti esse dicuntur, quia nec justitia, nec ulla in his vera virtus fuit, non immortalitatem sibi, sed mortem peccatis ac libidinibus quaesierunt; nec coeleste praemium, sed inferna supplicia meruerunt, 0780B quae pendent simul cum iis omnibus, qui eos coluerunt. Cujus judicii propinquare tempus ostendam, ut et justis merces digna solvatur, et poena merita impiis irrogetur.

Plato et multi alii philosophorum, cum ignorarent originem rerum, supremumque illud tempus quo mundus esset effectus, multa millia saeculorum fluxisse dixerunt ex quo hic pulcherrimus mundi extiterit ornatus: secuti fortasse Chaldaeos, qui (ut Cicero 0781A tradidit 0781A in libro de Divinatione primo) quadringenta septuaginta millia annorum monimentis comprehensa se habere delirant: in quo quia se posse argui non putabant, liberum sibi crediderunt esse mentiri. Nos autem, quos divinae litterae ad scientiam veritatis erudiunt, principium mundi finemque cognovimus, de quo nunc in fine operis disseremus; quoniam de principio in secundo libro explicavimus. Sciant igitur philosophi, qui ab exordio mundi saeculorum millia enumerant, nondum sextum millesimum annum esse conclusum: quo numero expleto, consummationem fieri necesse est, et humanarum rerum statum in melius reformari; cujus rei argumentum prius enarrandum est, quo ratio eluceat. Mundum Deus, et hoc rerum naturae admirabile opus (sicut arcanis 0781B sacrae Scripturae continetur) sex dierum spatio consummavit; diemque septimum, quo ab operibus suis requieverat, sanxit. Hic est autem dies Sabbati, 0782A qui lingua Hebraeorum a numero nomen accepit, unde septenarius numerus legitimus ac plenus est. Nam et dies septem sunt, quibus per vicem revolutis orbes conficiuntur annorum; et septem stellae, quae non occidunt; et septem sidera quae vocantur errantia, quorum dispares cursus, et inaequabiles motus, rerum ac temporum varietates efficere creduntur.

Ergo quoniam sex diebus cuncta Dei opera perfecta sunt, per saecula sex, id est annorum sex millia, manere hoc statu mundum necesse est. Dies enim magnus Dei mille annorum circulo terminatur, sicut indicat propheta qui dicit: Ante oculos tuos, Domine, mille anni tanquam dies unus. Et sicut Deus sex illos dies in tantis rebus fabricandis 0782B laboravit: ita et religio, et veritas in his sex millibus annorum laboret necesse est, malitia praevalente ac dominante. Et rursus, quoniam perfectis 0783A operibus requievit die septimo, eumque benedixit, 0783A necesse est, ut in fine sexti millesimi anni malitia omnis aboleatur e terra, et regnet per annos mille justitia; sitque tranquillitas, et requies a laboribus, quos mundus jamdiu perfert. Verum quatenus id eveniat, ordine suo explicabo. Saepe diximus, minora et exigua magnorum figuras et praemonstrationes esse; ut hunc diem nostrum, qui ortu solis occasuque finitur, diei magni speciem gerere, quem circuitus annorum mille determinat.

Eodem modo etiam figuratio terreni hominis coelestis populi praeferebat in posterum fictionem. Nam sicut perfectis omnibus, quae in usum hominis molitus est Deus, ipsum hominem sexto die ultimum fecit, eumque induxit in hunc mundum, tanquam in 0783B domum jam diligenter instructam: ita nunc sexto die magno verus homo verbo Dei fingitur; id est, sanctus populus doctrina et praeceptis Dei ad justitiam figuratur. Et sicut tunc mortalis, atque imperfectus e terra fictus est, ut mille annis in hoc mundo viveret: ita nunc ex hoc terrestri saeculo perfectus 0784A homo fingitur; ut vivificatus a Deo, in hoc eodem mundo per annos mille dominetur. Quomodo autem consummatio futura sit, et qualis exitus humanis rebus impendeat, si quis divinas litteras fuerit scrutatus, inveniet. Sed et saecularium prophetarum congruentes cum coelestibus voces, finem rerum et occasum post breve tempus annuntiant, describentes quasi fatigati et delabentis mundi ultimam senectutem. Quae vero a prophetis et vatibus futura esse dicantur, priusquam superveniat extrema illa conclusio, collecta ex omnibus et coacervata subnectam.