As this is an easy, so I do not doubt, but it is a true Account of that which was originally call’d the _Great Year_, or the Great Instauration; which Nature will bring to pass in this simple Method, by rectifying the Axis of the Earth, without those operose Revolutions, which some Astronomers have fancied. But however, this Account being admitted, how will it help us to define what the Age and Duration of the World will be? ’Tis true, many have undertaken to tell us the Length of this _Great Year_, and consequently of the World; but, besides that their Accounts are very different, and generally of an extravagant Length, if we had the true Account, it would not assure us when the World would end; because we do not know when it did begin, or what Progress we have already made in the Line of Time. For I am satisfied, the Chronology of the World, whether Sacred or Profane, is lost; till Providence shall please to retrieve it by some new Discovery. As to profane Chronology, or that of the _Heathens_, the _Greeks_, and the _Romans_ knew nothing above the _Olympiads_; which fell short many Ages of the Deluge, much more of the Beginning of the World. And the Eastern barbarous Nations, as they disagreed amongst themselves, so generally they run the Origin of the World to such a prodigious Height, as is neither agreeable to Faith, nor Reason. As to sacred Chronology, ’tis well known, that the Difference there is betwixt the _Greek_, _Hebrew_, and _Samaritan_ Copies of the Bible, make the Age of the World altogether undetermin’d: And there is no Way yet found out, how we may certainly discover which of the three Copies is most Authentick; and consequently, what the Age of the World is, upon a true Computation. Seeing therefore we have no Assurance how long the World hath stood already, neither could we be assur’d how long it hath to stand, tho’ by this _Annus Magnus_, or any other Way, the total Sum, or whole Term of its Duration was truly known; I am sorry to see the little Success we have had in our first Search after the End of the World, from Astronomical Calculations. But ’tis an useful Piece of Knowledge to know the Bounds of our Knowledge; that so we may not spend our Time and Thoughts about Things that lie out of our Reach. I have little or no Hopes of resolving this Point by the Light of Nature, and therefore it only remains now to enquire, whether Providence hath made it known by any Sort of Prophecy or Revelation. Which shall be the Subject of the following Chapter. CHAP. V. _Concerning Prophecies that determine the End of the World: Of what Order soever, Profane or Sacred; Jewish or Christian. That no certain Judgment can be made from any of them, at what Distance we are now from the Conflagration._