Vindication of His Annotations, Text (3 of 5)

Vindication of His Annotations · Text (3 of 5)

p. 755. What he tels us ſo peremptorily, We know, I ſay, by experience▪ that Eclipſes are ever ſo attended. by what experience I would fain know, can this man come to know, that they are ever ſo attended? He tels us elſewhere indeed,Pag. 25. that for any memorable Eclipſe that fals out in the Ram, the event either for good or bad (of which clauſe before) is aſſuredly grounded upon the experience p. 76of twenty generations of men. which, tho it come far ſhort of his Ever here, yet is far more then he by his own knowledge and experience is able to reach unto. And doth not Plinie tel us,Plin. l. 28. c. 2. that the Heathen Wizards did as confidently avow the conſtant experience of 800 yeers and upward for their divinations by the flight of fowles, and bowels of beaſts, and the efficacie of their magical ſpels and charms? and we may wel beleiv, that Mr. L. can as wel proov the one, as they the other, and give as much credit therefore to the one as to the other. But his Ever here goeth far beyond either, and may wel come home to that tempus immenſum, that immenſitie of time, that time before all time,Diodor. l. 2. c. 31. that reckoning of 472000 yeers before Alexanders days, that the Chaldee Wiſards affirmed their obſervations of the courſe of the Stars to have ben continued; yea or that account, tho falling far ſhort of that, of 40000 yeers, Cic. de Divinat. l. 2.that the pleader for the Chaldeans, that is the Aſtrologers, their judgment of genitures in Tullie, would raiſe up their experience unto, affirming it to be reported, that the Babylonians had conſtantly made obſervation thereof in the birth of all children born with them for ſo many thouſands of yeers, before any indeed were bred or born. Unto which vain and hyperbolical aſſertion Tullie wiſely makes anſwer, (tho he had not that notice of the time of the worlds creation that we have) that that report was not poſſible to be juſtified and made good by any ſound proof. and to the Argument in general concerning their Aſtrologers taken from the conſtant experience of Events, he returns them a flat denial. Perspicuum eſt multa vera evadere. qid qod multo plura falſa? qota enim qae que res evenit praedicta ab iſtis? Cic. ibid.It is apparent, ſaith he, you wil ſay, that many of their predictions have prooved tru. but how many more falſe? for how ſmal a number of things by theſe men foretold hath fallen out accordingly as they foretold? And Favorine a great Philoſopher is ſo bold as to ſay,Gell. N. A. l. 14. c. 1. Prae eis qae mentiuntur, pars ea non fit milleſima; that not one of a thouſand things they foretel, prooves tru. That which alſo one Weidner a lerned Phyſitian ſaith of the VViſards of theſe times, that take upon them to foretel future events by the conjunctions of the Planets, as Kepler reports him,De nov. Stel. ſerp. c. 27. not diſſenting therein from him, Vera loqi caſu, mendacia mille locu…os. p. 77that they light by hap-hazard upon a few truths now and then, amongſt a thouſand lies they tel. Contr. Aſtrol. l. 2. c. 2. &And as that Noble Earl of Mirandula hath left upon record, a particular Regiſter of not a few of his neer kindred, allies, and familiar acquaintance, in whom theſe predictions, tho grounded upon ſuch calculations and applications, had of his knowledge failed:Cic. ubi ſup. So Tullie likewiſe gives many inſtances hereof, out of his own obſervation in theſe words, Qid plura? qotidiè refelluntur: What needs many words? they are by experience daily refuted. How many things do I remember to have ben told by them to Pompey? how many to Craſſus? how many to Ceſar? among other things, that no one of them, but ſhould live til he were old; ſhould die at home in his own houſe, and that with much honor. none of all which fel out accordingly. Ʋt mihi permirum videatur, qenqam extare, qi etiamnunc credat eis, qorum edicta videat re & eventis refelli. Inſomuch, ſaith he, that to me it ſeems very wonderful, that there ſhould any be extant, that would ſtil beleiv thoſe, whom by the things themſelvs and the events he may ſee daily refuted. Hence the Tragik

— foreign;Evrip. Iph. Avl.

foreign.

He defines a Wizard, one that tels a few truths among many lies. and by Seneca it appeers,In Apocoloc. that in his time it was grown to a common by-word, Patere Mathematicos aliqando verum dicere. Give Mathematicians leav ſometime to tel true. Yea concerning this particular of Eclipſes which directly croſſeth Mr. Lilies ever, Alſtedius obſerves, Experientiam teſtari, Encyclopaed. uranoſ: cop. par. 2. c. 12.viſis Eclipſibus, ſaepe fertiliſſimos, ſaluberrimos, & exoptatiſſimos ſubſecutos annos. that Experience teſtifies (and gives in evidence againſt him) that after ſuch Eclipſes ſeen, have enſued moſt fertile, moſt wholeſome, moſt deſirable yeers.

But wil ye know the reaſon, why ſo many croſſe events, and ſuch as theſe men have foretold, came to be upon record? Diodore the Sicilian Hiſtoriographer wil tel you,Diod. l. 32. Phot. Cod. 24. as by Photius he is related, who ſpeaking of one Eunus, deemed in his dayes a great Wizard, Among many things, ſaith he, that he gave out, ſome few fel out accordingly, and, dum vera qiſ que ſedulo notat, falſa nemo coarguit, while every one obſerved ſedulouſly what prooved tru, no man regarded to convince him of thoſe things p. 78that proved falſe, the man in ſhort time grew into great credit. In fewer words take it from the Lord Verulame,Eſſay 35. Men mark how they hit, mark not how they miſſe. that which that judicious Stateſman notes to be a principal cauſe, that hath procured to their predictions ſome grace and credit. but his Verdict of them he paſſeth in theſe terms, My judgment is, that they ought all to be despiſed, and to ſerv but for winter talk by the fire ſide. Tho, when I ſay despiſed, I mean it as for beleif. for otherwiſe the ſpreading or publiſhing of them is in no ſort to be despiſed. for they have done much miſcheif. (that which Agrippa a great Stateſman alſo minded Auguſtus of) and I ſee many ſevere Lawes made to ſuppreſſe them, Dio lib. 54.that which Mr. Calvin alſo hath obſerved.

Admon de Aſtrol.Laſtly when diſeaſes and ſad accidents come after Eclipſes, muſt it needs follow that they are produced by them? That we have had after this laſt Solar Eclips a ſcorching ſummer and a ſickly Autumn, muſt this great Eclips therefore needs be the cauſe of it? how many hot ſummers and ſickly Autumns, yea peſtilential both, without anie ſuch remarkable Eclips uſhering them in? have we not almoſt everie yeer towards the fall of the leafe, new diſeaſes, as they call them? yea, if as this our Wiſard enformes us,Pag. 43. the effect of an Eclips may not begin to take place, or the Eclips to produce its work untill eight moneths after, how can it be certainly ſaid, that ought which ſince that hitherto hath fallen out, (to wit) from March to November) hath from this Eclipſe proceeded,Pag. 9. and yet we muſt beleiv him, that the Eclipſe of the Sun, that was on the ſecond of October 1605. did produce that helliſh Powder plot, that had ben ſo long before in deſign, and ſhould have ben put in execution the fift of November next following. But theſe men are the drivers at the plough or harrow of their own contrivances, and can qicken or ſlacken the drift at their pleaſure. Mean while their ſophiſms are verie frequent for the moſt part in that fallacie of non cauſſa ut cauſſa. And their arguing from the events enſuing after Eclipſes, to prove them to be effects of thoſe Eclipſes after which they enſued, and the Eclipſes the Efficients or producers of them may wel be paralleled with the Judgment of that grave ſnowie-white hayred and goodlie long bearded Old man, who being demanded by Sir Thomas More ſent down into Kent, and then p. 78ſitting in Commiſſion, to make inqirie concerning the Obſtructions of Sandwich Haven, what he deemed might be the cauſe thereof, & whence he deemed the thing might proceed; as conceiving by his yeers, and long time of obſervation and experience, he might be able to ſay more in that matter then moſt of them then there preſent, did to that his demand verie ſolemnly and ſeriouſlie return this anſwer, that in his remembrance Tenderden pariſh Church had no Steeple, neither had it had anie time out of mind before, and the paſſage into the haven at Sandwich was then verie fair and cleere; But after the building of Tenterden Church Steeple the Haven began to be obſtructed and Choked; as then it was. Whence aroſe that by-word of Tenterden Steeple and goodwins ſands: not unfitlie appliable to theſe terrible Eclipſes and the pretended Effects of them. for the Argument, will be, as valide and vigorous in the one as in the other. Or we may wel yoak our Wizards herein with our Empirik qackſalvers, who having a ſet number of medicines, when they come to a Patient, of whoſe maladie they are ignorant, give him firſt one medicine, and after that another, and then it may be a third; and if it ſo come to paſſe, that by the ſtrength of nature over-maſtering the diſeaſe, or the matter that fed it being waſted and ſpent, or by ſome occurrent intervening, the party come to recover, the cure is by them aſcribed to the medicine laſt given, and that is pricked down with a probatum eſt upon it, albeit it effected nothing at all in it. and howſoever by this courſe they kil more then they cure;Heraclit. ep. 2. and where any chance to be cured, foreign, as he ſpeaks, they are cured rather by hap hazard then by any their skil. Yet there is a regiſter made of thoſe that recover, but no record kept uſually of ſuch as miſcarry, and the leſſe regard had, or notice taken, of the one then of the other, becauſe as one ſometime ſaid, foreign,Nicocles. Anton. meliſ. l. 1. c. 56. their luckie haps the Sun ſhewes, their miſhaps the grave covers. In like manner is it with theſe Wizards, whatſoever diſtemper in the ayr, or unſeaſonable weather, or bad harveſt, or ſtrange maladie, or great mortality, or war, or ſeditions, or ſad accident whatſoever falls out in a land, all is ſet upon the ſcore of the Eclipſe laſt paſt, tho it cannot be ſhewed to have had any hand in it, and by p. 80other courſes it were both procured and produced▪ and when ſuch things are by gues foretold of them, (according to the old ſaying,Evrip. apud. Arrian. Alex. l. 7. Appian. bel. civil. 2. Plut. de Pyth. Orac. & de Orac. deſit. Cic. divin. l. 2.

foreign.

He is the beſt Wiſard, that gives the beſt gues.)

tho their predictions fail oftner, then fall out aright, and what falls out aright, doth in regard of them come to paſſe rather, by meer conjecture and caſualtie, then by any certain fore knowledge, or wel-grounded rules of art; yet being obſerved to have faln out ſo in ſome Eclipſes that have ben regarded, that is reckoned to have proceeded from the Eclipſe, that was no more thereof guilty, then the Man in the Moon, or the thorns at his back; whereas tho never ſo oft it fall out otherwiſe, there is litle notice thereof taken, and a multitude of Eclipſes paſſe away (as in this regard they all wel may) without any regard at all. If after this or the like Eclipſe therefore, any ſtrange judgment ſhould enſu, any unuſual malady grow rife among us, or other diſmal event befal us, a vain thing twere to aſcribe it to the Eclipſes or defections of the Lights in the skie, that cannot be ſhewed in the nature thereof, to portend any ſuch event, or to produce any ſuch effect. Wel may we do rather to call to mind and conſider in ſuch caſes, what he ſometime ſaid,Sen. ep. 85. Morbos novos novi peperere mores: and, Morbos multos fercula multa fecerunt. that, New fangled devices bred many new diſeaſes: and, Variety of diſeaſes ſprang from variety of diſhes. implying, that the exceſſe and riot of the times were the main cauſe of many unuſual maladies, and ſtrange diſeaſes, that had not formerly ben ſo much known, or ſo rife in thoſe parts. And ſurely if we ſhal in theſe dayes look into mens minds, or caſt an ey upon mens lives and conſider, what variety of new and ſtrange conceits, tending to impiety and prophanenes, to looſnes and licentiouſnes ar rife in the one, and what an height of rancknes thoſe wicked weeds ſpringing up amain from ſuch curſed ſeeds are ſhot up unto in the other; and that accompanied with ſuch a ſhameful degree of ſhameleſnes that they do no more now, as in former times, skulk in the dark, but dare open faced without mask or veil ſtalk in the ſtreets, qaſi pudeat non eſſe impudentes, as he ſometime ſaid,Aug. confeſ. l. 2. c. 9. as if people were grown aſhamed of nothing ſave p. 81to ſeem aſhamed of any thing: we may with much better ground both from Reaſon and Religion, then any theſe Wizards give for their aſſertions herein, deem the procuring and producing cauſe of ſuch evils, to conſiſt not in defectibus & deliquiis, as they term them, in the defect of the light in thoſe glorious Luminaries above our heds in the heavens, as this Fortune-teller and his complices do, but in the abundance of defection from God and goodneſſe in mens hearts, and the boundles deluge of delinqencie in all manner of impiety and impurity, and that joyned with impunity, (matter of dreadful and direful preſage indeed) overflowing in mens lives, that may juſtly ſeem to **Extorqemus ut pereamus Sarum de provid. l. 6.wreſt and wring judgment out of Gods hand, leſt ””Suâ ſibi patientiâ de trahit. Tertul. de pat. c. 1.by his longer forbearance he ſhould wrong himſelf, and give wicked wretches occaſion to ““Pſal. 50.21. eſſe ſui ſimiles Deos putat. Plavt. Amph.Ps 50:21think, him to be like themſelvs, and to ††Mal. 3.17.Mal 3:17like wel enugh of their deteſtable practiſes and abominable deſigns.

But to what purpoſe doth this man talk to us of Antiqitie, and of Hali, and Ptolomee, and Plotinus, and Proclus, and Albumazar, and Baranzanus, or of Rigel, Origan, Cardan, Leovitius, Dafypodius, &c. or of long experience of former ages, when as he vaunts of himſelf, as Lucretius ſometime,Lucret. de rer. nat. l. 4. with alteration of a word,

Avia Signorum peragro loca nullius ante

Trita Solo.

Amids the Signs of Heaven I trace a way,

That no foot trode before me to this day.Aſtrolog. Predict. for. 48.49.50.

So he profeſſeth and glorieth, that he walks in thoſe uncouth paths, that no former Autor had troden in. and makes his brags, that he hath begun a new manner of Aſtrologie, either not known to the Ancients, or omitted in their writings.

And how can any of thoſe Autors, be they of never ſo great Autoritie, either ancienter or of later times, atteſt unto him, or he receiv any confirmation of his Aſſertions from them, that are wholy ſilent of, and not unjuſtly therefore hence deemed by him, if it be ſo, as he affirms it to be, utterly unacqainted with the way that he walks in? unleſſe they ſhould ſpeak by way of Prophecie, of his new manner of Aſtrologie, Alab. in Appar. ad Apoc.as Alabaſter ſaith that Salomon did of that new manner of Expoſition of Scripture, that ſhould come to light in theſe latter dayes and was p. 82revealed unto him. Or how could there be obſervations taken, and experiments made by other before him of that which before him no man (that appeers) was privie to, until either it was of late revealed unto him, or elſe he ſtumbled into unawares?

Howbeit to ſtop all our mouthes as he thinks, and make us keep our wind and pens for other purpoſes hereafter, he tels us he hath Ficinus that excellent lerned Preist (ſo he ſtyles him; and ſo they muſt needs all be, that write ought in defence or favour of him or his art) on his ſide; one belike that had dreamed ſomewhat of his way before; and the opinion of this man (which what it is, and how far forth M. L. therein either cloſeth with him or ſwarves for him, hath already ben ſhewed) he ſaith, he eſteems more, then a thouſand of our own Preiſts, who blame Aſtrologie becauſe it is above their capacitie.

We wil not ſtand to qeſtion Ficinus his excellent lerning; he was no doubt of much lerning for the times he lived in. Howbeit the lerned of theſe later times have eſteemed his tranſlations of Plato but barbarous peices;Jul. Scal. and ſome of them have pronounced them to be no other then Plato turned out of his choiſe purple robes into courſe beggerly rags. Nor doth M. L. ſpeak much out of him, which before ye heard: and I forbear to ſpeak what by others he is reported to affirm of the uncertainty of their predictions, not having his books by me. But let Ficinus be what Mr. L. pleaſeth. M. L. his Art, it ſeems, is a very profound Myſterie, ſuch an one, as our Engliſh Preiſts ſhalow capacitie is not able to comprehend. and he cloſeth up therefore his Diſcourſe, concerning the Effects of this Solar Eclipſe and his predictions thereof,Pag. 56. with this Motto, Qi poteſt capere, capiat. nor is it marvel, that his Aſtrologie ſhould ſo far tranſcend their ſcanty comprehenſion, when, as you have heard before, it conſiſts of ſuch new notions and ſtrange conceptions, as the former Maſters and Profeſſers of this Myſterious Art were altogether unacqainted withal. And a Myſterie be it. but ſure enough not that Myſterium pietatis; that Myſterie of piety or godlineſſe, that the Apoſtle ſpeaks of, 1 Tim. 3.16. rather Myſterium impietatis, a Myſterie of impiety or ungodlineſſe; or Myſterium iniqitatis; a Mysterie of iniqitie and wickedneſſe, as the ſame Apoſtle elswhere, conſiſting of lying ſigns and wonders, p. 83tending to deceiv and delude people, and by ſtrong deluſions to ſeduce them from the truth, and induce them to beleiv lies, 2 Theſſ. 2.7, 9—11. Such a Myſterie, as the ſcarlet whore carried in her forehed, the Mother of fornications, and witcheries, wherewith ſhe bewitched and infatuated the inhabitants of the earth, Rev. 17.5. Or ſuch a Myſterie, as thoſe were, the Gentiles uſed in the ſacrilegious ſervices of their counterfeit Gods▪ which Clemens of Alexandria in deriſion of them ſaid,In protrept. might well be termed foreign, qaſi foreign .i. foreign, muſcipulae, moustraps, invented to take and hold faſt ſelie people, like mice. nor indeed are theſe mens myſteries any other then meer decipulae, cheating gins, contrived and ſet on purpoſe, by cunning men, as people commonly cal them, thereby to coniecatch, ſelie ſouls, ſimple creatures, ſuch as Solomons harlot invites to her, Prov. 9.16. and by making their purſes lighter to make their own pockets the heavier.

But, Sir, ſuppoſe that our Engliſh Preiſts were all of ſuch ſhalow capacitie ▪ were all of them ſuch Wiſeakers in regard of you Wizards, that not one of them were able to conceiv or comprehend the abſtruſe ſecrets of your Science, is that the only reaſon why they blame Aſtrologie? Or were all thoſe ſuch blockheds and du…pated Dunces, who not blamed it only, but rejected, refuted, arraigned, and condemned it long before them? Or are they all ſuch as in like manner condemn it at this day? Or was it their ignorance in the fideral ſcience that enduced them all ſo to do? To look back to Antiqity, another manner of Antiqitie then M. L. can ſhew for his Magical Imagerie. And here not to repeat again what was before ſaid of Anaxagoras: we ſhal ad of Socrates,Memorab. l. 4· in whoſe ſteps Plato preciſely trod, only what Xenophon reporteth, that concerning Aſtrology or Aſtronomy (for he uſes thoſe terms promiſcuouſly) being demanded his judgment, he gave his advice, that men ſhould ſo far forth exerciſe themſelvs in the ſtudy of the Stars, as to attain thereby to an exact account of day and night, moneths and yeers; and as uſe might be made thereof for journey by land, or voyage by Sea; but for further curioſities for men to ſpend much time therein, he deemed not ſo profitable, (albeit, ſaith Xenophon, he were in ſuch things not unſkilful himſelf) partly, becauſe it might withdraw a man from the ſtudie of things more uſeful, p. 84and partly becauſe it would not be pleaſing to the Gods, for men to be enqiring into thoſe things, the knowledge whereof they had concealed, De Divin. l. 2.and reſerv to themſelvs. And as for thoſe that out of Platoes School ſucceeded him. Eudoxus, ſaith Tullie, one of Platoes auditors, and one for his skil in Aſtrologie by the judgment of the moſt lerned without difficulty deemed the cheif in thoſe dayes, was of this opinion, which he leaft alſo in writing, that unto Chaldeans in their predictions and deſignments of mens lives from the time of their birth there is no credit to be given. Ibid.Panetius alſo (ſaith he) a prime man among the Stoiks reporteth that Archelaus, and Caſſander the cheifeſt Aſtrologers of the age wherein he lived, tho in the other parts of Astrologie they excelled; yet this kind of prediction or foretelling by the Stars they uſed not; and theſe Aſtrological Predictions he himſelf alſo rejecteth. Ibid.Scylax alſo of Halicarnaſſe, a familiar frend of Panetius, an excellent Aſtrologer, and a cheif man in the government of that City, repudiated all this Chaldaiacal kind of prediction. Was it out of meer ignorance then that theſe men gave in their verdict thus againſt ſuch kind of predictions? or was it out of any inability and incapacity to attain unto any ſecrets in Nature, that theſe our late upſtart Wizards, who profeſſe to proceed in a natural way, have now attained, but were then beyond thoſe mens reach? or is it ſince their times, that thoſe good Angels, Mr. L. ſpeaks of, have revealed theſe myſteries, to ſuch holy men as Mr. L. and the like? of their rare skil in the genuine part of Aſtrologie, you hear what ample teſtimony and by whom it is given them. and if there be any other Eleuſinian rites, or Magitian Myſteries, that theſe our Wizards exerciſe, dealing with the Divel in the dark, I ſuppoſe had they ben acqainted with them, being judicious men and genuine Artiſts, they would never a whit have liked the better of their concealed, covert, and counterfeit art.

But come we down to lower and later times. Was Joannes Picus, that Illuſtrious Count of Mirandula, ſuch a dul pate? or was it out of meer ignorance of their profound myſteries, that he blamed Aſtrologie? he was for his piercing wit and depth of judgment in moſt Sciences, ſtyled in thoſe times the Miracle of the age he lived in. and he wrote twelve books, yet extant, againſt this Judicial Aſtrologie. of which Jerome Savanarola, (how p. 85acute and judicious a man, his works ſhew) gives this cenſure; Qi Pici Mirandulani libros de Aſtrologiâ legerit & intellexerit, De triump. cru… l. 4.ne que Aſtrologiam irriſerit, dignus ipſe eſt, qi ab omnibus derideatur. He that having with underſtanding read Picus his books of Aſtrologie, derides not Aſtrologie, deſerves of all men to be derided himſelf. Or is Claudius Salmaſius, one who in theſe times, for his extraordinary variety of lerning, as wel deſervs the Title given Picus, as either of the two Scaligers, Joſeph his Predeceſſor, or Julius his Father, either of whom ſome lerned men have ſo entituled, ſuch another ignoramus in this Wizards eſteem? who in his late elaborate diſcourſe of the Critical Dayes, and his Preface thereunto prefixed, hath ſhrewdly ſhaken the main foundations of their Suppoſititious Science; and it may juſtly be hoped, wil ſo utterly raze them, as that not onelyonly no coin, but no rag wil be leaft toward the raiſing and reedifying of it, when he ſhal go on with his promiſed work in that Argument.

Mean while he hath ſufficiently diſcovered the vanity and looſneſſe of their grounds and principles, and evidently ſhewed, how deep he hath dived into theſe their ſo much vaunted of, and highly eſteemed Myſteries. Or was John Kepler, the Emperor Rodolphs Mathematician, ſuch a ſelie felow, and of ſo ſhalow a capacitie,De Nov. Stel… Serpent. c. 11 that he could not reach their Myſteries? who charges them as ignorant and unskilful for the moſt part in regard of any exactneſſe in the genuine part of Aſtronomie, layes open at large the deepeſt of their Myſteries, diſcovers their errours and miſtakes in their own principles, that which Salmaſius alſo oft doth; yea writes as bitterly and tartly againſt them, as any other whoſoever, as hereafter ſhal be ſhewed: and freely profeſſeth, that being urged and importuned to write ſomewhat in that way,Praefat. ad li …und. his mind enured to Geometrical Demonſtrations, conſidering the unſoundneſſe and qaggineſſe of their grounds, it fared with it as with a reſtive jade, or hed-ſtrong horſe, that coming to a ſlow, hangs back, and cannot by any beating or rating of his rider, be brought, to ſet foot into it. But to come home to our ſelves; and here to paſſe by all other;Vid. Dr. Staughton in Felic. Noviſ. Sec. nor to recal the Lord Verulame, whom ſome lerned have conceived to be one ſpecially raiſed up to help to bring Arts and Sciences on in this latter age towards their perfection: and p. 86what his judgment was of theſe fopperies and fooleries, ye heard before. That Noble Lord Henrie Howard, after Earl of Northhampton, was he alſo a meer Wiſeaker, as well as all our Preiſts are? He treading in the ſame ſteps which that renowmed Italian Count before him had, tho undertaking a larger ſubject, in his Defenſative againſt the Poiſon of ſuppoſed Prophecies, grounded either upon the Warrant and Autoritie, of old painted Books, (one of Mr. Lilies engins, or gins) Expoſitions of Dreams, Oracles, Revelations, Invocation of damned spirits, Judicials of Aſtrologie, or any pretended knowledge de futuris contingentibus, that have ben the cauſes of great diſorder, and cheifly among the ſimple and unlerned people, &c. He, I ſay, in that worthy Work of his, for elegancie of phraſe and fluencie of ſpeech▪ mixt with great variety of lerning and reading, very delightful to any lerned reader, as he hath evidently manifeſted how wel ſeen and verſed he was in the writings of the grand-Maſters of that Myſterie, and how wel acqainted with their abſtruſeſt Doctrines, as alſo Picus before him was; ſo he hath with that eagerneſſe and vehemencie of ſpirit, together with ſuch ſinewie ſtrength and force of reaſon, purſued this pretended Art of Judiciarie Astrologie, that none of its Profeſſors or Patrones that ever I could yet hear of, have had the heart, by any juſt Replie to turn face again upon him,Preface to Worlds Cataſtr. or to make hed againſt him. And it is but a ſory Exception, for Mr. L. to tell us, that the Gentleman was lerned, but never made it leſſe appeer then in that diſcourſe, intending to confute that ſubject, of which he knew very litle, and his book therefore was never thought worthy of anſwer. a very handſome and eaſie put off. but any impartial lerned, that ſhal read the diſcourſe, wil, I doubt not, conclude, that Mr. L. for this his cenſure deſervs, as one of his Antagoniſts faith of him, to ride blind Bayard.

Hereby then it may appeer, that it is not our dul Engliſh Preiſts or Preſbyterians onelyonly, that out of meer ignorance and incapacity find fault with their Aſtrologie; but that other then they, ſuch as for skil as wel as for their rank otherwiſe would have ſcorned to have M L. one that lives by ſuch cheating, and makes a trade of it, ſit on the ſame form with them, have as vehementlie oppoſed it, and as deeplie damned it as anie of thoſe do.

p. 87For my ſelf, I profes not to have any great inſight into theſe depths of darkneſſe, nor do I deſire to pry over far into them.De Stel. Serp. c. 2. Kepler aſſures me if I waſt much precious time that way, I ſhall but bonas horas male collocare, ſpend good howers to ill purpoſe. and M. L. himſelf hath much diſcouraged me from attempting further in this kind, and made me utterly deſpair of doing ought therein with ſucceſſe, when in the very firſt of his worthie Aſtrological Aphoriſms, he intimates,Pag. 60. that a man ſhall not eaſilie give anie certain Judgment in theſe matters, unleſſe he be naturallie wel affected to Aſtrologie. which to this of theirs I confes I never was. Howbeit I was ſometime an unprofitable hearer of M. Henrie Brigges, when he was Mathematical Lecturer in St. Johns Colledge Cambridge, and continued acquaintance there begun afterward with him, when I was Preacher at Lincolns Inn, and he Reader at Greſham Colledge, during which time repairing now and then occaſionally to him, among other diſcours that paſſed between us, I deſired him ingenuouſlie to impart to me his judgment concerning this kind of judiciall Aſtrologie, whereunto he returned a verie rounde and readie anſwer, that he conceived it to be a meer Syſtem of groundleſſe conceits. and as M. L. ſaith of Ficinus, that excellent learned Preiſt in M. Ls. eſteem, ſo ſhal I ſay of M. Brigges, that excellent lerned Mathematician, not in mine alone, but in the unanimous repute and report of perſons of Prime note for Skil in thoſe Sciences both at home with us and abroad, I eſteeme the opinion of M. Brigges more then of a thouſand Lilies, and Naworths, and Bookers, and the reſt of that rank and rabble.

I ſhal conclude with the Verdict of M. Henrie Bullinger; the rather to ſhew that they ar not the Preſbyterians onelyonly, that have an ill opinion of Aſtrologie, or ar ill affected thereunto: He was a Miniſter of no ſmal note in the Helveti… Churches, who had not in his times admitted the Preſbyterian Government, nor do, for ought I can hear or learn, to this day. His verdict, which you may find in his Commentarie on Jer. 10.2. concerning this Kind of creatures is as ſharp as ſhort, this in plain down right tearmes.

Aſtrologos Impoſtorum omnium maximos; that theſe Aſtrologers ar of all Impoſters the greateſt: And we may indeed ſay p. 88wel of the trade they profeſſe and practiſe, as Tullie of that of the Sortiaries, whom he yoaks together with the Chaldees. Tota res eſt inventa fallaciis, De Divin. l. 2.aut ad qaeſtum, aut ad ſuperſtitionem, aut ad errorem. It conſiſts all of fallacies, invented, either for gain, or for ſuperſtition, or for maintainance of ſome error. Nor can it chooſe but much ſad the Spirits of thoſe that trulie love and Sincerelie fear God, to ſee the profeſſed Practiſers of ſuch Impoſtures, who in former times had wont to lurk & skulk in corners, like Bats and owls, night birds, ſhunning the light, for fear of being called in queſtion, and undergoing ſuch publik civil cenſures, as ſome of them ſometime did, ſhould in theſe pretended and profeſſed times of reformation take that boldnes to themſelves, not onelie, as ſome of them, to paſt up papers upon poſts, therein profeſſing to help people to goods loſt again, to tel if a ſervant be run away from his Maſter, which way he is gone, thoſe that intend mariage, whether their matches wil be ſuccesful, ſuch as are bound to Sea, whether their Voyage wil be advantagious, thoſe that have frends at Sea, or beyond Sea, where they are and in what condicion, and when they wil return, &c. and all this by the Stars (that which I ſince find M.Preface to England. Prophet Merlin. L alſo to profeſſe publickelie in print) but to dedicate to the State it ſelf, as this man preſumes to do, writings ſtuft with the like ſtuf for the nature of them, but ſoaring aloaft in an higher ſtrain, Fortelling the fortunes of whole Countries and Kingdomes, and endevouring thereby to enduce, if he may, thoſe that have the rains of Government in their hands to Patronize theſe his impious impoſtures, and taking upon him to direct them what courſes to take in the managing of State affairs. Whereunto he may be thought to have ben the rather encouraged, becauſe he ſaw his elder Brother M. Booker, whome yet he hath now got the ſtart of, ſo far forth countenanced by the State, as to be inſerted into the liſt of the Licencers of ſomewhat the like books. and in ſome Verſes therefore prefixed to this his Black Booke he makes his Brags, that they have leav now nudis Verbis, in naked words, or plain terms, to ſay that which before ſave in dark riddles they durſt not. and elſewhere that the Land doth now begin to abound with Aſtrologers, as Judea did with Soothſayers, Eſay 2.6. which made God to forſake his people. He tels us in p. 89his late Merlin, that this is Vox populi all over the Nation, (hath he that alſo by the Stars? if ſo. why is it not rather, Vox coeli? if not ſo, he is out of his element) that no good can be expected, while Preiſts meddle with State-affairs, or any of the Preiſthood (ye ſee whom his gal is moſt againſt, the Preiſthood as he terms it, that is, the Miniſterie, in general) are directing and counſelling the Parliament or Councel of State. But I ſuppoſe, it may much more truly be ſaid, that it is rather the general ſenſe of thoſe that are truly religious throughout the whole land, and that this their ſenſe is Vox Dei, being grounded upon his wil revealed in his Word, that litle good ſucceſſe can be expected in State-affairs, if the Governers thereof ſhal patronize ſuch as theſe are, whoſe courſes are ſo repugnant to the rules of Gods Word, or ſhal adviſe with them, as Saul did with the ſhe-wizard at Endor, making uſe of them as Pilots, to direct them what courſe to take in the ſteering of State affairs, in theſe ſtormie and turbulent times. I never heard, or found it before, either in Holy or Prophane Story, unles it were in ſome profeſſed enemies of Chriſtianity, that any Prince or State were taxed for adviſing with Gods Miniſters, in the ſettling of affairs for the publik good; but for refuſing to hearken to them, and conſulting with Witches and Wizards, and Stargazers, and Fortunetellers, and Magitians and Prognoſticaters, I find divers both in Holy Writ and other Writings reproved and condemned, and their giving heed to ſuch noted, both as an occaſion of their miſgovernment, and a main cauſe of their overthrow.

Now I make no doubt, if ever this Debate with him have the luck (good or bad, I ſay not) to light into his hands, whether he ſhal have the patience to read it or no, he wil in ſome one of his next Rabblements tel his Reader, that it is nothing but an other puddle of malice and non-ſenſe, as the former was: or if his laſt breath be once breathed out that ſits on his lips, when ought of his is got abroad, as he doth of Mr. Chambers, that the old worm-eaten Canon of VVindſore was killed with very greif upon ſuch a Leſſon as was returned him in anſwer of his follie. for that is his uſual manner of Refutation, in dealing with all that write ought againſt him; as ye may ſee in the Entrie of his late and laſt Birth. Wherein he ſaith indeed, that the good hand of God (ſo litle regard hath he to take that dreadful name up in p. 90vain) hath vindicated him from all the calumnies and aſperſions caſt upon him. which how, or what way the Lord had done, when he wrote this, is ſuch a myſterie, as for my part I muſt acknowledge my ſelf ignorant of, as wel as many more beſide my ſelf. But when he ſhal make it appeer unto us, that God hath ſo vindicated him from the charge of ſuch things, as have ben objected againſt him and his cheating trade, as he vindicated his ſincere ſervant Job ſometime from the wrongful cenſures of his miſtaken frends,Job 42.7, 8. Eſay 50.8, 9. Jer. 20.11. Rom. 8.33. Pſal. 37.6.Job 42:7Job 42:8Isa 50:8Isa 50:9Jer 20:11Rom 8:33Ps 37:6 and his renowmed Prophets Eſay and Jeremie againſt their adverſaries and oppoſites, and wil one day vindicate all his Elect, all his faithful folowers, thoſe his Miniſters and Meſſengers among the reſt, whom this wicked wretch hath ſo unworthily traduced, and ſo undeſervedly calumniated; when, I ſay, he ſhal be able to make it appeer unto us, that God in ſome ſuch or the like manner hath vindicated and cleered him from the charges commenced againſt him, (which I beleiv he wil then be able to do, when he ſhal be able to prove that ſome good Angel from God taught him and his great-great-grandfather Merlin, their pretended skil and profeſſed trade) we ſhal then freely profes our ſelvs guilty of impiety, unleſſe we juſtifie him whom God hath ſo acqited. but unles he ſhal ſo do, we ſhal juſtly take liberty to charge him with a further impiety, in preſuming to father ſuch an act without ground upon God, and therein abuſing his dreadful name. Mean while, how he hath there vindicated himſelf, is as ſoon there ſeen, as by him roundly and readily, but frivolouſly and ridiculouſly done; to wit, to give you a taſt of it, (tho enough to turn a ſtrong ſtomach) by telling his Reader only, that thirty thumping Presbyterian Preiſts did all in one day in ſo many ſeveral Sermons (belike he hard or read them all) belch out ſomewhat of Nonſenſe againſt him and his trade; that the Ghoaſt of John Vicars, the Vicar of Fools came tumbling out in print for Tom dunghil: that in 104. Verſes of a codled Elders, who ſo ſhal find half a line of ſenſe, ſhal be to him great Apollo, &c. that one of his adverſaries hath ſtoln almoſt all his book out of Agrippa de vanitate ſcientiarum: (almoſt, we ſay, ſaves many a lie; but I much doubt it wil not this) that another ſteals all he hath from one Melton: a moſt notorious untruth, onelyonly becauſe he hath adjoyned to his own work Mr. John Miltons Figure-caſter, as he hath done alſo M. Perkins his p. 92Prognoſticater. (and he might have done wel to remember that that ſecond felow hath ſufficiently confuted the main pith both of Sr. Chr. Heydons large diſcours, and Wil. Ramſies reply in defence of Dr. Holms, both which forſooth begin with Mr. L. to draw down their black Art, not from the good Angels alone, but in a farther fetcht frivolous and groundleſſe deſcent by Adam, Seth, Enoſh, from God himſelf:) that a third is a Homely Sermon, (Dr. Homes is the man whom he is pleaſed thus to play upon) a worthleſſe ſheet or two of paper, Pref. to Eng. Proph. Merlin.fit to be patronized by my Lord Mayors horſe. Perkins a peeviſh peice; Chambers (as you heard before) an old worm-eaten Canon. the Lord Howards a work not worth an anſwer. And ar not theſe, think we, very ſound Vindications and ſolide refutations? enough to ſtop any mans mouth from gaping any more over an ovens mouth, or over an open grave rather, that contains nothing but filthy Carion, and ſends out nothing but vile ſtench. But thus you ſee how like the vapouring Souldier in the Scene, as a ſecond Pyrgopolinices, the man can with one blaſt of his noyſome breath blow away a whole legion of Antagoniſts. Howbeit, tis a very ſory and ſelie conceit for him to imagine, that a litle ſuch rifraf, or a few ſuch ſcurrilous ſqibs wil ſerv to vindicate his credit, or wipe off any the leaſt ſpeck or ſpot of thoſe foul aſperſions, that have deſervedly taken hold of him, and ſtick ſtill faſt by him, in the minds and dooms of any endued not with reaſon and religion only, but even with civility and common ſenſe. As for mine own, either this or the former; howſoever he ſhal think good to deal with them otherwiſe; I ſhal adviſe him now as a frend, that he take heed how he make any mention, or have any word, of the good Angels he told us were the firſt Teachers of his Trade. For I can aſſure him, there ar not a few of the mind that he is as wel able to eat a whole cart-load of logs, as to make his word good concerning thoſe good Angels, by any ſound proof or authentick record. But their ſhalow capacities, it may be, ar not able to reach the vaſt extent of Mr. L. his abilities, or to conceiv, what great matters, eſpecially by the help of ſuch his good Angels, he is able to effect. And if he can do it, and wil be pleaſed ſo far to condeſcend to their weaknes, as to do us the favor, to make his power herein to appeer, I do aſſure him on mine honeſt word, that when he ſhal have ſo done, I wil both ſolemnly recant all that I have written againſt him, p. 92and by this my preſent hand-writing oblige my ſelf, never to open my mouth any more to ſpeak an ill word of him. Mean while, if he ſhal find, that either by his own skil, or by any ſuch aſſiſtance, in a work deemed ſo weighty, and in other mens eyes ſo difficult, he is of force ſufficient, to make that his aſſertion good, mine inſtant reqeſt then is to him, that it may be one with the firſt of his next Herculean labors, to do it, for the maintaining of his own credit, that avers it, and the repute of his Art, which for want of better grounds, is by him founded upon it, and the gaining of a Proſelyte, yea of many an one, I doubt not, to his Profeſſion, if the thing be once atcheived.

Now if it ſhal by any be demanded, how it comes to paſſe, that this Vindication of mine Annotations came no ſooner abroad, and why like Homers Litae it lags ſo long after M. Ls. Ate, that hath ſo blaſted it?

To this I anſwer; Firſt, as in the Entrance into it I formerly intimated, it was long, being confined and mured up, as I ſtill am, ere I heard ought of Mr. Ls. ſnarlings at my Notes; ſome ſpace of time after that, ere the Book came to my hands; and when upon view of it, I found that for Anſwer to it, I was put off to ſome Nameles Autor, or Autors that were to come out: and yet a longer time, ere by enqiry of frends I could come to be enformed of any of them that had appeered in print, much leſſe to gain the ſight of their works. Mean while thoſe that know, what the ſtate of my family then was, partly by a greivous and tedious malady, that having long afflicted my deer conſort and faithful yoakfelow, was then grown to an height with her; and partly through her deceaſe enſuing thereupon, that filled my heart with much greif, and my hed with many cares, wherewith in times paſt, while ſhe enjoyed life with health and ſtrength, and I her, I was altogether unacqainted, wil eaſily gueſſe, how litle mind, ſo affected and diſtracted, I might have to mind ought of this nature. Beſides that, I had other irons in the fire, that I was to look after. I had ſome Works of better uſe, I hope, in the Pres, both here in the City, and elswhere, which are now abroad: the one whereof drawing then neer to the birth, a new task unexpected, but by others much deſired, that it might more compleatly came forth to the light, and be the more uſeful, when it came out, I cannot ſay, interrrupted me, in the midſt of my work, but enforced me to p. 93lay it aſide, having not as yet made any great progreſſe in it, until that were diſpatcht. Theſe remoraes either keeping off at firſt, or breaking off afterward, together with mine own weakneſſe, ſlacking my pace, and the want of a Scribe that might have furthered the diſpatch, as alſo the work it ſelf growing under my hand, while one thing fetches in another have much retarded the finiſhing of it. And yet may it well come abroad timely enough, in regard of the Subject Matter that this man handles in this Book, wherein he falls foul on me and my Notes; to free mens minds from ſuch frivolous frights and groundles fears, as he ſeeks to poſſeſſe them with, from the ſeveral Eclipſes that have faln out this yeer, and that eſpecially of the Sun; ſince that he withal enformed us, that theſe Eclipſes begin not uſually to work theſe their diſmal effects till eight moneths after, and then continu for a two or three yeers, or ſo long as theſe their deſigners liſt. So that the main matter of thoſe fals fears, which he would affright people with, being as yet moſt of it come, according to his computation, the work comes ſeaſonably enough, if it ſhal prevail with any, by the diſcovery of the vanity of the pretended cauſes thereof, either to preſerv them from entertaining ſuch fond conceits, or to purge them out, where they have ben entertained already. And ſo I ſhall paſſe from Mr. W. Lilie, to Mr. John Swan, one, it ſeems, of his Advocates.

THis Sermon of Mr. John Swan (a man to me otherwiſe utterly unknown) on Jerem. 10.2. I had not ſo much as once looked after, much leſſe medled at all with; had I not ben advertiſed by Mr. Lilie, in his Preface to his Black Book dedicated to the Common Wealth of England, dated March 10. from his Corner houſe over againſt Strand-bridge; as ſome other formerly, from the three Flower deluces neer Somerſet houſe, in the Strand. (for it concerns thoſe that drive his Trade, to make it known where they dwel to tice Cuſtomers to them) that the Annotater ſhould have ere long the judgment of abler Divines then himſelf, and to better purpoſe on that Text. nor could I by help of frends, and their ſedulous enqirie, gain the notice, or attain the ſight of any, that had, ſince that time of Mr. L. his menacing prediction, publiſhed ought to that purpoſe upon that Scripture, ſave p. 94this of Mr. Swan, on which alſo it was long ere I lighted. Him therefore I deemed to be one at leaſt, if any more uncertain, foretold ſhould be Mr. Ls. Advocates or Patrons, unto whom as having undertaken the defence of him and his cauſe committed to them by him, againſt mine Annotations on that portion of Scripture, I found my ſelf by him there referred. That which the rather I had cauſe to beleiv, becauſe I found his diſcourſe concurring with a paſſage concerning the ſame Scripture by Mr. L. related out of a Nameles Autor much magnified of him, whoſe work yet, be it Sermon, or Commentarie, or what ever els, whether it ever ſaw the publick light, is to me as uncertain as what is at this day done at Rome. And if it be ſo, as may moſt probably be deemed, it may ſeem, that either M.L. about that time did by the Stars foreſee, that ſuch a Sermon on ſuch a Text ſhould be preached on the 28. of March, and ſhould afterward come out in print; or elſe that Mr. Swan before that time having penned it, and deſtinated it to that day, did tender a Copy of it to M.Laert. l. 2. L. his Client, (as Lyſias did an Apologie to Socrates penned for him, to make uſe, if he thought good at his Trial) with a purpoſe to diſpoſe of it, as he ſhould either like or miſlike it. With this Sermon of Mr. Swans therefore, and that parcel of that other party, whom M.L. ſo highly extols I ſhal deal in this preſent Diſcourſe, as with two of M.Ls. either Patrons or Advocates made choiſe of by him, to maintain him and his cauſe, againſt whatſoever in that fruitles and ſenſles Annotation (as Mr. L. ſtyles it) which I yet am not aſhamed to own, may concern either. wherein how they have either acquitted their Client, or acquighted themſelvs, the ſeqele ſhal ſhew.

In Mr. Swans Frontiſpice, he entertains his Reader with this Lemma, Multi reprehendunt, pavci intelligunt. Many reprehend; few underſtand. Wherein he doth but ſing over again his Clients old Cuckows ſong, ſo oft by him chaunted and cackled, in the ſelf ſame tune, tho in a divers toung, that many blame Aſtrologie for want of capacitie; and meddle with what they underſtand not. and in preciſe terms with Mr.Preface to Eng. Prophet Merlin. S. an Art reproved by many; underſtood by few. Nor make I any doubt. but that both M. L. the Client, and M.S. his Advocate, do both hold the Annotator without the verge of thoſe few, that underſtand their Art, and are capable of their profound Myſteries. Howbeit this ſcar-crow ſet up in the Entrie (which I deem no other then as the picture of a p. 95maſtive that one is by Varro reported to have ſet up over the porch of his houſe, with a Cave Canem, Beware the Dog, Var. Evmenid. vid. Popin. ad eund.under it, to fright folks from offering to open the door, or daring to enter, ſhal not a whit deter me from ſetting foot over the threſhold, to ſee what is in the houſe. the rather for that this being a Sermon (as may ſeem) prepared for, and preached unto a popular Auditorie, it contains (I preſume) ſuch matter as the Hearers might underſtand: otherwiſe to what end was it, to reqire their preſence, trouble their ears, and tire out their patience, with treating of that to them, which they were unable to apprehend? and if it were ſuch as they might underſtand, I hope I may, as wel as ſome at leaſt of his Auditors, be able to underſtand what he here ſaith.

Where firſt, letting paſſe all curious debate, about the ſeveral verſions, and the more accurate Grammar Annalyſis of the Text, whereof in the Annotation hereunto annexed enough; we ſhal take at preſent what M. Swan gives us, and we are both agreed upon. He ſaith aright, (for he renders a good reaſon for what he ſaith from the words of the Text) that the Prophet in theſe words, Be not diſmaid at the Signs of Heaven, doth ſpeak,Pag. 5, 6. not of an active fear, as fear is put oft for Worſhip, or of the worſhipping of the Stars; whereof he entreateth at large in the words enſuing; but of ſuch a paſſive fear and conſternation, as might ariſe in, and ſeiz on, mens minds,Pag. 15. from the apprehenſion of ſuch ſad, diſastrous and diſmal events, as might be preſaged from the motions, configurations, riſings, ſettings, aspects, apparitions, occultations, Eclipſes, conjunctions, and the like, of the Stars, and of ſuch direful effects, as from their malignant influences are threatned▪ even unto the ſubverſion of States and Kingdoms;Pag. 18. all which as the Chaldeans in thoſe daies took upon them thereby to foretel, ſo do our Wiſards alſo at this day; that is, in plainer terms; of fears ariſing from the dictates and predictions given out by ſuch; and conſeqently, that the Prophet ſpeaks here, not of Idolatry, but of Aſtronomie, or Judiciary Aſtrologie.

So that by Mr. Swans graunts, we have gained thus much ground againſt ſome other Patrons of this profeſſion and practiſe, Sr. Chriſtopher Heydon, and Caſpar Sanctius a Jeſuit, who to keep off the dint of this Text truly interpreted, which they were altogether unable otherwiſe to avoid, would fain turn it p. 96the other way; which M. S. hath wel ſhewed that the words wil not admit.

Mr. L. therefore was not ſo wel adviſed in making uſe of this Advocate, he might have done much better, to have conſulted with his Brother Booker,Epiſt. before Worlds Cataſtr. who, he ſaith, hath for ſo many yeers maintained the reputation of his Art almoſt then utterly decayed by his own vertu and abilities. (ſic mutuo muli.) he could have enformed him, that the genuine ſenſe of the place was, as in ſome company not long ſince with much confidence he is reported to have avowed, that by the Signes of the Heaven was here meant, ſuch figures of the Stars, as the Heathen uſed to draw or carve upon trees, and did thereby Worſhip them ▪ that which would have ſtood Mr. L. in a litle better ſtead, then ought that either of his two Advocates here ſay.

But to leav M. Booker with his novel Interpretation, to ſleep a while longer upon it, if ſo be he may dream ſome ſecond fancie a litle more probable then this his frivolous conceit; and return to Mr. Swan. We deny not, but willingly embrace, what he further ſubjoyns, that ſuch paſſive fears here ſpoken of drive ſuperſtitious perſons oft to an adoration of the creatures, Pag. 6.from whom they fear and expect ſuch diſmal events and diſastrous effects ▪ and ſo Nicias,Thucyd. l. 7. as hath ben already before ſhewed, trifled out his time in ſuperſtitious and idolatrous rites, upon an Eclips of the Moon, to avert ſuch diſmal accidents as thereupon, by his Magitians their ſuggeſtions, he had fancied to himſelf▪ and Alexander, as M.S. alſo relates, upon the like occaſion, ſacrificed to the Sun, Moon, and Earth; thereby to divert that evil, which the Eclips might portend, or rather to ſatisfie thereby the ſuperſtitious minds of his people, from whom thoſe cunning Gypſees, as Curtius obſervs, would by all means have concealed the tru cauſe and nature of that occurrent. And from this obſervation of M. Swan it may wel be further inferred, that ſuch vain apprehenſions of diſmal effects by Eclipſes and malignant aſpects of the Stars portended, as they fil mens heds with diſmaying fears; ſo they lead them into ſuperſtitious conceptions that produce practiſes correſpondent: and that conſequently Judiciaarie Aſtrologie (at leaſt as it was then profeſſed and practiſed by the Chaldeans; from whom by a lineal ſucceſſion it hath ben derived unto our Wizards) doth pave a plain and proclive path to Idolatry▪ and it is not therefore without cauſe that our Prophet here doth ſtep immediately from the one to the other, paſſing the ſelf-ſame verdict of Vanity upon either. Verſ. 3.

p. 97And here, I hope, it will not be deemed amiſs, or out of the way, to inſert the judgement herein of a great and eminent Aſtronomer, or Aſtrologer, call him whether of the two you pleaſe. John Kepler the Emperors Mathematician, in his Treatiſe of a New Star diſcovered in the Foot of the Serpentarie, Chap. 14.Impreſ. Pragae an. 1606. in 40. hath this paſſage: Moſt kinds of Divination among the Heathen were botomed upon this foundation, that by Dreams, by the entrails of beaſts ſlain for ſacrifice, by the occurrences of ſome creatures, by monſtrous births, by thunder and lightning, by tempestuous winds, by extraordinarie inundations, by earthqakes, by celeſtial prodigies, comets, and the like, the Gods were deemed to give men anſwers, and the power and direction therefore of theſe creatures or occurrences, whereby ought in that kind was ſignified, was tranſcribed to thoſe Gods, who thereby were deemed to diſcover their mind to men. But on the other ſide, if it were made to appeer, that the motion or apparition of creature or occurrence ſuppoſed to portend ought, did proceed from a natural cauſe, ſo as there was no ſuſpition of a ſupernatural gubernation or direction, they were freed from any further ſolicitude of mind, and compoſed themſelves to qietnes: unles peradventure ſome natural connexion were found between the ſign and the thing ſignified, for diſpoſal whereof there were no need of any free and reaſon-uſing cauſe. From the neglect of this foundation ſprung up a great part of Aſtrologie, or ſuperſtitious divination from the Stars. For when many ſtrange ſigns had br…d a belief, that the Gods did by ſuch ſpeak unto men; unskilful perſons began promiſcuouſly to tranſcribe, whatſoever came to pas in the Heavens, unto the Gods free diſpoſal, and to make an omen of it; eſpecially if by the noveltie or raritie of it, it did much amaze their eye-ſight, as the Eclipſes of p. 98the Luminaries, and the Conjunctions of manie Stares. VVho if they had at firſt well weighed, or duely conſidered, that all theſe things ar brought about by a ſet Law, or courſe of Nature, then they would either have ſought in Nature a connexion of theſe celeſtial occurrences with thoſe events that ar wont to follow thereupon, or if they could have found none, they would not have fallen into this lightnes of belief. But others proceed…d to worſe matters, from foolerie to impietie. For when they ſaw that the motions of the ſtars depended on a natural neceſsitie, they brought in a new device; not that ſhould freely conform and frame the motions of the celeſtial bodies; but that ſhould in an ex…mplary way make uſe of their motions in framing and adminiſtring humane affairs. Hence came thoſe many thouſands of Star-ſpr…tes, (far beyond the number of Mr. Lillies ſeven Planetarie Angels, which from Trithemius and Napeir he told us of: and indeed why ſhould not the reſt of the Stars have their Rulers as well as the 7. Planets?) but m…re truly (ſaith Kepler) Legions of infernal Devils, unto whom this execrable Magike falſlie termed celeſtial, taught men to offer certain ſacrifices, powr out certain prayers, keep certain feaſts, light Tapers on certain Planetarie dayes and houres, and wear garments of ſome peculiar colour By this means came at length to be averred, the Devils themſelves being their fellow workmen therein, thoſe moſt fooliſh and ridiculous Decrees of the Aſtrologers concerning the Houſes and Dominations of the Planets. It were expedient at length to grow wiſe again. The firſt inventers of theſe trifles w…re not ſo unskilful as we blamed thoſe before▪ impietie brought in this skil. But you Chriſtian Aſtrologers ar verie children to them; when letting goe the kernel, ye p. 99hang about the ſhell, when ye imbrace the body, leaving the ſoul, when without Magik ye exerciſe this fooliſh trifling Astrologie, that makes uſe of the Planets houſes. (alone, I ſuppoſe, he means, without making uſe of thoſe Inhabitants the Star-ſpirits: which error I hope, Mr. Lilly in his Novel way hath reformed) well fare ye, that can ſo waſh a lether pilch, that it ſhall ta…e in no moiſture. Thus he; whome the rather I cite thus at large, partly becauſe his works are not ſo obvious; and partly becauſe he is one, againſt whom that Exception will not hold, that he blames and condemns Aſtrologie, for want of capacitie to underſtand it, or for ignorance therein: as alſo becauſe in this paſsage of his we have divers points hinted, that may be of much uſe in our future diſcours and debate, as:

1. That things deemed to come beſides the cours of nature were uſually deemed ominous.

2. That when known to come in a ſet cours, as eclipſes and conjunctions of Stars do, they uſed not to trouble any underſtanding mans mind.

3. That through want of skil or regard to diſtinguiſh between the one and the other, men came to have promiſcuouſly a like conceit of either, and to deem Eclipſes and conjunctions of Stars ominous.

4. That ſome hence took occaſion to draw people to impiety; by making them believ, that their were certain Spirits, or inferiour Deities attending theſe Stars that did by them diſpoſe and order humane affairs; and t…ught them therefore to worſhip them; the ſtudy whereof was termed celeſtial Magike.

5. That hence ſprang that fooliſh and ridiculous Astrology of telling mens Fortunes by the Planets and their houſes.

p. 100And laſtly, that it is as fond a thing to imagine that any man can practiſe this kind of Aſtrology without ſome Magical ſuperſtition, as it is to undertake to waſh a lether pilch and not wet it: Yea that there can be no uſe of the one for ſuch ends and purpoſes as by them it is applyed unto, unleſſe the other alſo be admitted, which is the very ſpirit and life of it.

But to return to Mr. Swan again: wherein he and we agree here, ye have heard: to wit, that they ſhould not be afraid or diſmaid at the ſigns of Heaven, that is, the Stars, in regard of ſuch evil and diſmal preſages as the Chaldean Aſtrologers from the Conjunctions, Oppoſitions, Motions of them, &c. endeavoured to poſses their minds with.

Now the qeſtion is, what the reaſon ſhould be, why the Prophet; or God rather by the Prophet, would not have his people to be affrighted and diſmaid at the ſigns of Heaven ▪ And here Mr. Lilies two Advocates and we part: For paſſing by the reaſon expreſsed in the Text, they ſuggeſt us other reaſons to …uſtle that out. Not, ſaith the one of them,J.S. Pag. 10 becauſe they did not portend ſuch ſad matters, Pag. 14.or produce ſuch ſad and diſmal effects; (Take that away,Pag. 9. and the very ground of their Art is clean gone) that which they have from God, on whome his people are taught to have their trust ſo firmly fixed, that whatſoever diſaster the Heavens in the cours of nature ſhould at any time threaten unto them, Pref. to An. ten.they ought not to fear it. And ſaith the other, The ſcope and drift is, that they ſhould not ſo ſtand in aw of them, as the Heathen that looked no higher then the Firmament, and not knowing the God of Iſrael that overrules all, Ibid.ſo feared them, as if there were no way to eſcape them. To which purpoſe is alſo added, that the Chaldean Aſtrologers held, that ſuch things came to paſſe by a kind of p. 101fatality, which ours do not: and Oſiander therefore ſayes, that Aſtrological Predictions are not to be condemned, if they be eſteemed but as conjectures, not as certain Prophecies.

But, firſt, are theſe things the les to be feared of Gods People, becauſe God hath an hand in them, and they come by his appointment? for ar they not tokens then of his wrath? and doth he not then by them preach as much to the Sonnes of men, and more ſpecially to his people?

It is moſt tru, that Auguſtine wel obſerves,De Doct. Chriſt. l. 2. c. 2. & De Magiſtr. l. 1. c. 4. that Signa verba viſibilia, verba ſigna avdibilia. Signs ar as wel viſible words, as words audible ſigns ▪ and unto ſigns therefore is a Voice aſcribed; Exod. 4.8. and by the rod is God ſaid to ſpeak as wel as by the word to the underſtandings of thoſe that are ſpiritually wiſe. Mic. 6.9. Jer. 9.12. When the Lion roares, who feors not? ſaith Amos c. 3.8. and ſhal God then roar from heaven, Amos. 1.2. and men not fear, yea not exceedingly fear end be diſmaied here on earth? Pſal. 76.8.

Yea, but Gods people muſt not fear ſo much, tho others ſo do.

And do we not find it in Gods Book made a note of Gods children, ſuch as fear God, and even tremble at his word? Ezr. 10.3. Eſay, 66 2. The difference is very obſervable noted in Jehoiakims time, between the Princes of Juda, that were not yet ſo obſtinate in evil, and the King with his Courtiers wholy abandoned thereunto; upon the reading of thoſe dreadful denunciations by Jeremie delivered and compiled, by Baruc penned and publiſhed in the hearing of either; it is ſaid of the former, they were afraid, as wel the one as the other, as wel the better as the wors ſort of them; Jer. 36.16. but of the latter tis related that they were not afraid, nor did rent their garments, as was expected they ſhould have done. verſ. 24. And its tru therefore that Bernard ſaith,Epiſt. 256. Soli filii irae iram non timent. Its a note of a child of wrath, not to fear Gods wrath; not to ſtand in aw of his Fathers Rod, not to tremble when he hears his Father threaten, as by theſe ſigns theſe men ſay he doth, or when he ſeeth him about to take the rod in his hand, ready therewith to lay about him. Yea the truth is, when judgements ar by God or from God denounced and threatned, they uſually fear moſt, that have leaſt cauſe to fear. When God threatned by a deluge to drown the whole world, it is ſaid. Noah feared, who was to be ſaved; Heb. 11.7. but likely it is, as one of the Ancients p. 102ſaith, that the wicked of the world, who were thereby to be deſtroyed, ſcoffed at him and his ſonnes that laboured with him in the building of the Ark, noted as an effect of his faith and fear, imagining▪ Baſil. Sel. …rat. in No….and it may be telling them to their faces, that they ſhould ſooner come to ſee them by toiling ſo drownd in their own ſweat, then they to ſee them drownd in ſuch a deluge as they feared. David, a man after Gods own heart, 1. Sam. 13.14. ſays to God of himſelf; When thou takeſt away the wicked of the world, like dros; tho I love thy teſtimonies; yet my fleſh trembles for dread of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgements. Pſal. 119.119.120. I might ad religious Joſias his veſt rent and heart qailed at the hearing onelyonly of the menaces out of Gods Book therein recorded by Moſes. 2. King. 22.11, 19. But I ſhall with a lively repreſentation of a dread accompanied with a ſtrange conſternation of ſpirit, as by the ſymptomes of it may appeer, cloſe up this paſsage. Upon a dreadful Viſion of future events repreſented to the Prophet Habakkuk, when I heard it, ſaith he, My bellie qaked, my lips qiverd, rottennes ſeized upon my bones, and I trembled as if the ground had ſhooke under me. Hab. 3.16. Was not this think we, a diſmaying fear? or was it not ſuch as might well have ben expreſſed by the word uſed here in the Text? Yet neither is the Prophet reproved for this his ſo great fear: nor can any man juſtly be condemned, if on the like occaſion he be ſo affected as he was.

Nor is ſuch a meaſure or manner of fear, inconſiſtent with a firme conſtant relieng upon God for a never fayling ſtay and a gratious iſsu; nor doth neceſsarilie implie or import a diffidence and diſtruſt of Gods providence, or promiſes concerning ſuch ſuccor and ſafetie, or ſuch protection and proviſion, as God hath by his Word engaged himſelf for, unto thoſe that be his, as in Habakkuk by his own ſincere and ample profeſſion there ſubjoyned, it doth evidently appeer. Verſ. 18.

Neither therefore doth the term here uſed infer any neceſſitie of diffidence and diſtruſt. Pag. 10.Nor ar the places fitlie produced, as parallel to this, ſo taken as themſelves would expound it; wherein Gods people are incited not to fear death, when they are called to give teſtimonie to Gods cauſe, and to ſeal the truth of it with their blood, Matth. 10.28. There is a vaſt difference between death threatned by man for our ſticking cloſe to God, and death p. 103denounced by God for our ſlipping aſide from God, in whole or in part▪ there is matter of worth, valor, grace, honor, joy, and gloriation in the one, 2. Theſ. 1.5. Rev. 12.11, Phil. 1.29. Act. 5.41. Phil. 2.17. Rom. 5.3. matter of wrath, diſgrace, ſhame, grief, horror, and confuſion of face and spirit in the other. 2. Sam. 24.1. 1. Sam. 2.30. Pſal. 44.13. Ezr. 9.6. Jer. 9.1. and 4.29. Ezr. 9.15. Jer. 23.9. Dan. 9.7, 8. David was afraid of the ſword of the deſtroying Angel, Pag. 12.and it had ben an height of impietie far above the ſin committed by him in numbring of the people, not to have ben ſorely afraid of it, knowing whoſe ſword it was, and for what cauſe it was unſheathed. 1. Chron. 21.16, 30.

Nor ar the ſigns foreſhewing the neer approach of the laſt day▪ Luk. 21.28. no more then ſuch as gave aſsurance of the ſpeedie ruine of Babylon, Jer. 51.46. (the ful redemption of Gods people depending upon the one, as their temporal deliverance out of captivitie on the other) to be paralleled with ſuch ſigns as give warning of Gods wrath here to be executed upon people for their wicked cariages, whether in way of vengeance and judgement, or of correction and chaſtiſement; and that upon Gods people ſometimes, as wel as upon others; Amos. 3.2. yea even upon good and bad together. Ezek. 21.3. Its no reaſon therefore to imagine, that God ſhould forbid his people to be affrighted with ſuch ſigns of Heaven, as do from Heaven denounce ſuch diſmal judgements ready to be inflicted upon people for their ſins. Yea tis rather to be expected, as a thing juſtly reqired, that if nations more remote from God, as wel in heart, in regard of their ignorance of him as in diſtance of ſpace from the place of his ſpecial reſidence, ſhould be afraid of ſuch tokens of his diſpleaſure; Pſal. 65.8. then ſurely they that are a people in either reſpect neerer unto him, much more. Pſal. 147.19, 20. and 148.14. Jer. 5.22.

Again, for what they ſubjoyn▪ of a conceit,J. S. pag. 9 Pref. An. ten that Heathen people ſhould have, of the unavoidablenes of the Evils by theſe ſigns portended; and of the fatalitie, whereby their Wizards held that they fel out.

I demand; do not our Wizards hold and profes as much? or do not ſuch conceits flow and folow neceſſarily from the grounds that they maintain?See Lilies Dark yeer▪ p. 55. and Title page to worlds Cataſt…

For, (to let pas that our Wizards themſelves forbear not the term of Fate) if we ſhall take the word Fate, or▪ Fatum, in a large p. 104ſenſe, according to the Latine notation of the word. Fatum à fando; Qid aliud eſt Fatum, qam qod de unoqoqe noſtrum fatus eſt Deus?Franc. ſaith Minutius in Octavio. What is Fate els, but what God hath spoken concerning every one of us? whence one of our own Poets; Fatur, & eſt fatum. What God ſpeaks, is Fate. And do not our Wizards hold, and theſe alſo their Patrons, that God by theſe Eclipſes, Conjunctions and Aſpects ſpeaks to us, and foretels us ſuch ſad and diſmal matters, as they affirm them to portend?Pag. 25. So Mr. Lilie, in his Black-Book; VVhen any memorable Eclips happens in Aries, God acqaints us with what good or evil he intends us neer upon thoſe times. And in his New Diurnal, ſuch and ſuch Conjunctions and Eclipſes, are ſtyled Meſſengers of Gods wrath. Pag. 14.Nor doth Mr. Swan herein deſert his Client, where out of an unmamed Autor he tels us, that God ſpeaks with men, not with tongues of men onelyonly, Ibid.by Prophets and Apoſtles and Teachers; but ſometimes alſo by the very Elements compoſed and wrought into divers forms and ſhapes: and thence infers; If by the Elements, then by the ſtars and lights. Pag. 15.in ſuch manner, ye muſt believ, as his Clients enform him; to wit, by their Motions, Configurations, Conjunctions, Aspects, Eclipſer, &c. As ye heard him of late before, and this he proves from Pſalm. 19.1, 3. of which alſo more hereafter. So that what theſe Wizards tell us, as his Client Mr. Lilie of himſelf, that he reads all his predictions in the Book of the Heavens, is not Aſtrologie as we commonly have taken it, a company of dulpated dunces, that is, foreign, a conſideration or diſcours, or doctrine concerning the ſtars; but it is foreign, the ſpeech or language of the ſtars;Pag. 25. of which the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks, or rather ſuch as they have taught them to ſpeak: for that God ever ſet them ſuch leſſons as they have learned them, we ſhall then believe, when they ſhall be able to prove, that he hath taught them to ſpel and conſtrue thus in that goodly great Book as they do, Meanwhile we novices in the Greek tongue, hath gained a New Notation, that we never once dreamed of, nor had learned from any Grammar or Gloſſarie before: to wit that foreign in Greek is foreign the ſtars language, or what the ſtars talk; and ſo foreign, or King James his Book of Demonologie, ſhall be a Book of the Divels language, or ſuch language as the Divels talk. Mr. Swan ſhould have done wel to have acqainted Mr. Lilie with p. 105this abſtruſe Myſtery, and ſubtil Criticiſm; it would have ben an excellent ſqib, exceeding fit to have ben caſt into Dr. Holmes his diſh, enough by the very Title of Demonologie to have utterly daſht him out of countenance, and refelled his whole work, by telling him that his Book conſiſts all of nothing but the Devils language, as the Title it ſelf ſayes: it might at leaſt helpt to ſalv that palpable untruth in his Preface to his laſt Diurnal, concerning thoſe that have lately written againſt Iudicial Aſtrologie, that not one of them have defined it, nor understand any thing of it. That is, that none of them have ſo defined it, as Mr. Swan hath done, nor did ſo much as underſtand, what the very word it ſelf ment,; no more then for him, I ſuppoſe, yet they do any better then before they did▪ for my part, I ſhould have deemed it not unfit or unworthie to be put into ſtuttering Iohn of Genoaes Catholicon ſet there cheek by joll next to Aſtericus, ab aſter qod eſt ſtella, & icon, qod eſt imago, but that I find Balbus herein the better. for, Astrologus, ſaith he, ab aſtron, qod eſt ſtella, & logos, qod est ſermo, loqens de ſtellis. But thus then by Fate, if they underſtand what God ſpeaks, deſigns or intends, it implies no more then the Clients and their Advocates do in the preſent caſe avow.

Or if by Fate in a ſtricter notion, they will have to be underſtood that which is by the Stoiks called foreign, that is, according to rhe Greek notation of the word; a continued ſeries, or concatenation of cavſes by a neceſſary conſeqence ſucceſsively enſuing one upon an other, as links of a chain, and depending upon that natural cours, whereinto by the first cauſe of all things they were entred at the firſt: neither ſo can they avoid the term of fatality. For as we all grant that the motions of the Celeſtial bodies do hold on conſtantly in an unvariable cours according to that which they were entred into by God their Creator, when he created them at firſt; in regard whereof their riſings and ſettings, oppoſitions and conjunctions, applications and ſeparations, aspects and respects, may be undoubtedly foreknown and infallibly foretold: ſo withal theſe men maintain, that thoſe virtues and powers by which they work, (they are Mr. Swans own words; and in ſuch manner you muſt underſtand him to mean as they maintain;Pag. 14. otherwiſe he ſaith nothing either to his Clients cauſe, or his own entendment) were at the first divinely ſtamped in them; and ar p. 106in Iob called by the name of influences, which no man is able to reſtrain, Job 38.31. whereof further in its place. And yet the ſame man refuſeth to acknowledge the old Chaldeans fatality, Pag. 19.and would fain free his Clients from the admittance of it: which yet by his and their grounds can not be avoided. For if theſe things be effected of them and produced by them through a natural power enſtamped on them by God their Creator, the operation whereof neither is it in their power to intermit at their pleaſure, being no voluntarie but mere natural agents, neither can it by any other created power be reſtrained or ſuſpended; no more then their motions, meetings or entercourſes can by any ſuch means be interrupted; then are they as ſure to produce theſe their effects; and men may as undoubtedly before hand be aſſured-of them, as they may that the Sun will at ſuch a certain time ſet at even, or riſe the next day.

Or, if ye ſhall pleaſe to turn the word of Fate and Fatalitie into plain Engliſh, and call it Deſtinie; if ſuch a kind of power were conferred upon the ſtars, by virtue of ſuch Conjunctions and Aſpects, in relation to mens Nativities and Ʋndertakings, to make them luckie or unluckie, to be neceſſarily wel or ill affected, to deſign them to ſuch diſaſters, and to come to ſuch ends, which by no wit or might,See Goclein hereafter. power or Policie they are able to avoid, then why may not one ſay, as the knave told the Stoik his Maſter, when he whipt him for filching,Laert. Z…non. it was my destiny to filch; or, as his Maſter anſwered the knave again, and it is thy deſtiny to be whip…. So the theif, that it was his deſtinie to betake himſelf to that trade; and the ſtrumpet, that it was her deſtinie to lead ſuch a life, being bred and born under ſuch a ſtar; and that it was ſuch an ones deſtiny to be hanged, and anothers to be drowned, and an others to be torn in pieces with dogs; becauſe by ſuch and ſuch conſtellations at the time of their Nativitie they were deſigned thereunto; and ſuch things ar as ſure to befall them, as they are ſure, nay more ſure, then they ar or can be, to go to bed at night, or to riſe again the next day; ſince that the one by ſome humane power or natural cours, or their own will and act, may be intercepted and altered; whereas the other ſave by a ſupernatural power, cannot be altered or avoyded. So that conſtru Fate and Fatalitie which way you pleaſe, theſe mens own grants preſumed, and grounds admitted, a fatality of neceſſitie p. 107muſt be concluded. and what impietie wil thence neceſſarily follow, we have in part formerly ſhewed; and ſhall (by Gods aſſiſtance) again further hereafter.

But here Mr. Lilies Advocates falter with him, as ſome of them alſo with themſelves. For firſt Mr. Swan tels us, with good ground from Gods Word, that certainly to foretel contingent events belongs to none but to God himſelf. Eſay 41.23.Pag. 19. and his other Advocate, whom he ſo much magnifies, concludes as himſelf relates him, with theſe words of Oſiander concerning Aſtrologie, Nihil habet de Magiâ▪ ſi modò qis Aſtrologicas praedictiones pro conjecturis, non av…em pro vaticiniis certis habeat. It hath nothing of Magike, (otherwiſe then it hath, and Aſtrologers ar Magitians, Wizards no other then he-witches) if ſo be one have, or account, Aſtrological predictions for conjectures, and not for certain Propheſies.

I Stand not now to diſcuſs or debate, how theſe ſayings will conſiſt, which what from Mr. Swan we have above heard. We will conſider onelyonly, what help Mr. Lilie hath from them, and whether he have ſo wiſely and adviſedly dealt in referring himſelf and his cauſe to them. Hear we Mr. Lilie what he ſaith of himſelf and his predictions; agreeably enough, I confeſs, to his own principles, as hinſelf ſpeaks, in part; and to thoſe grounds alſo, that theſe men, and other the like Patrons of his profeſſion have laid, howſoever here they palter with him, and leave their Client in the lurch. But hear we him and his own confident Aſſertions and peremptorie in his Black-Book.Pag. 18. Aſſuredly the vengeance of Almighty God is ready to be powred forth upon the Dutch. and, Aſſuredly thoſe actions, which will be agitated▪ Ibid.will be acted with an high and mighty hand. and, Pag. 19.certainly there is ſome eminent treaſon in or neer theſe parts in agitation, in or neer the time of this Eclipſe, or during its influence to break forth. and,Pag. 27. Qeſtionles thoſe People who ar intended to be made moſt ſenſible of this Eclipſes influence, ar Magiſtrates of the highest rank in every Nation of Europe, and thoſe ſo great alterations in this Macrocoſm ſhall be ſo glorious, and conſpicuous, Pag. 28.that there is no Nation or People of Europe, Aſia, or Africa, but they ſhall ſtand amazed and wonder at the eminency of them. and,Pag. 55. The influence of this Eclips ſhal operate upon the common Laws of our Nation; but ſure I am, not to its overthrow. and, Treaſurers muſt account ▪ and, p. 108We affirm; Pag. 54.there will be an appearance of ſome memorable actions, &c. And in his New Diurnal; I am confident we ſhall bring thoſe proud people the Dutch upon their knees, by deſtroying their Naval forces, Ibid.&c. And, I am confident, we of the Commonaltie joyning with the Souldier, ſhall endeavour to call them to an account, &c. as in the premiſes ye had it. What Prophet ſent immediately, and furniſhed with ſpecial commiſſion from God, ever did ſpeak, or could ſpeak more confidently, or more peremtorily then this Wizard doth?Ibid. Yea he tels us, He is ſure his judgement on the effect of this Eclips hath rather been Prophetical then Predictive; albeit by his own grounds he could not be ſure, that ought that had faln out within thoſe ſeven Moneths, were any effects at all of that Eclips; it being affirmed by him, that it is not neceſſary, that any ſuch Eclips ſhould begin to operate before eight months after it: and what ar they the moſt of them, but what he ſaw already either done, or in doing; or that any man but of ordinary ſagacitie, without help of Starlight, might as wel foreſee and foretel by probable conjecture? which is the moſt that his greateſt Patrons will by his own relation and acknowledgement allow him; unles he will be deemed of them, and condemned by them, as no pure Aſtrologer, but a meer Magitian ▪ in plain Engliſh, an He-witch. For ſuch they imply them to be, that give out their Aſtrological Predictions for any other then conjectures; for certain Propheſies much more. And doth not this man ſo? what more common with him, then to entitle his annual Predictions, his Prophetical Merlin, for ſuch a year and to cite them by ſuch a Title? Yea his great grandfather Ambroſe Merlins Predictions, (whereof he profeſſeth to have a Book of 28. ſheets by himſelf written; it may be many hundred yeers after the old Wizard was dead and buried, and paſt rotting in his grave) he pronounceth to be Propheſies, againſt which there can be no exception. of as undoubted autoritie belike as Scripture it ſelf. Thus this earth-worm, having thruſt his head out of ſome hole, and creeping below upon the ground, this Egyptian frog, crawling out of the mire and mud of ſome Nilotik mear, ſticks not to arrogate that to himſelf which his own Autors affirm truly to be Gods peculiar, to give out his own croakings and predictions for Propheſies, leſſons taken out of the Book of Heaven; to ſpeak as peremptorily of his own figments and fancies, as if he had received p. 109them from Gods own mouth, and to entitle ſuch baſe ſtuf, not his own rapſodies and rabblements onelyonly, bur the fond fopperies of the Son of an Incubus (if the ſtories of him be true) an harlots baſtard at the beſt, as if they were both divine Oracles, Prophecies the one, and irrefragable Prophecies, ſuch as no exception can be taken to, the other. And what an height of preſumtion, impietie and blaſphemy this amounts unto, even by the verdict of thoſe, whom by vertue of his Appeal to, he hath made his own Judges; I ſhall leav it to any underſtanding and religious Reader, having taken notice of the premiſſes, to conſider and conclude.

Howbeit withall here for a farewel, I ſhall mind Mr. Lilie,Diſcours of effects of Sat. & Jup. conjunct. 42. that whereas he is ſo bold, not onelyonly to ſtile himſelf Englands Prophetical Merlin, but in a Programme fixed over his dwelling houſe (as I am enformed) publickly to proclaim himſelf by the Title of Merlinus Verax, the Truth-telling Merline, In Anti-Merlinone of his own coat Mr. H. Johnſon affirms that his predictions (and he inſtances in divers particulars of ſundrie yeers) are ridiculous pieces, ſo full of follies, fooleries, contradictions, and lies, that an Artiſt would bluſh to own them; and he doth in them out-ly, if it be poſſible, the Devil himſelf the Father of lies. And the like aſperſions in effect doth Mr. L. and his freind the whipper caſt upon Mr. Wharton, ſometime Naworth, not anagrammatiſed, but ſtigmatiſed, as he ſpeaks, who had piped ſo long to the Kingdom▪ and never hit a true note. Mr. L. urging alſo againſt him that axiome, and a very good one, ſaith Mr. J. wherewith he laſhes Mr. W. for one onelyonly miſtake, and that a ſmal one, in regard of his own folio failings; He that lies commonly, and ſpeaks or wri…es but now and then a truth, is neither to be truſted, nor to be believed. It hath b…en ſometimes propounded in the Schools as a qeſtion of ſome difficult ſolution; Gorgias a Sophister himſelf, ſaid that all Sophiſters were liers; whether ſhould he be believed? And here the Aſtrologers ſay (as ye hear) one of another they are liers, and not to be credited. So ſpeaks Mr. L. of Mr. W. and Mr. J. of Mr. L. But I ſuppoſe the qeſtion here is not ſo hard to aſsoil: we may herein well believe each of them. For as it was grown ſometime to a by-word of Friers, and was deemed a good Argument p. 110holding in mood and figure. This man is a Frier; and therefore a Lier. So it may as truly be ſaid of an Aſtrologer, or (to take away the ambiguitie of the term, by reſtraining its latitude) An Aſtromancer; This man is an Astromancer, and therefore a lier. for Aſtromancers are liers, no les when what they foretel, fals out right, then when it fails. That is moſt tru that the Tragedian of old ſaid; (tho the Stoik ſeemed to be of another mind.)

…en. Med. 1.2. …eno. Vid. …lut. Stoic. …epugn. c. 2.Qi ſtatuit aliqid parte inavdita alterâ,

Aequm licet ſtatuerit havd aequs fuit,

He that one part unheard a doom did pas,

Tho eqal were his doom, uneqal was.

So here, he that ſhal tell a thing for a certain truth, which he hath no certain ground for, tho the thing it ſelf be never ſo certainly tru in it ſelf, yet is not thereby ſaved from being a lier. If I ſhall avow that at this inſtant the Pope at Rome is either ſinging Maſſe in S. Peters, or ſitting in Conſiſtorie with his Cardinals, tho the thing were never ſo tru, yet were I a lier in averring what I had no notice of. Nor will it therefore help Mr. L. to free him from lying and cheating, when having taken mens money that repair to him, to help them to their loſt linnen pewter, plate and other goods again, he telleth them it is ſuch a perſon that hath them, or they are in ſuch and ſuch a place, if it ſhall afterward fall out ſo as he told, ſince that he could not have certain notice of, or ground for any ſuch thing, unles from the Divel, or by compact from ſome other third partie. Nor will it proov him to be a true Prophet, or ſave him from being juſtly reputed a falſ Prophet and a liar, becauſe his judgement concerning the effects of ſome Eclipſes have proved as he ſaith, rather Prophetical then then predictive, unleſs he could upon good and certain grounds aſſuredly know that Eclipſes do neceſſarily produce ſuch Effects, which doubtles he neither could, nor will ever be able to do, much les any where hath done. for it is but a poor ſhift, to tel us, as the whipper his worthy friend doth for him, that he conceals his reaſons in Art for ſome of his judgements, (O envious creature, that charges the Clergie-men ſo deeplie with the ſelf ſame fault) that he may not make every man at wiſe as himſelf. The p. 111Prophet in Moſes not ſent by God; that had foretold a ſign or a Prodigis, tho it did come to pas, was not therefore to be deemed a true Prophet, when he came to be diſcovered, but to ſuffer as a counterf…it; God himſelf profeſſing, that he cauſes ſuch things ſometime to fall out, to prove his people, whether they will warp aſide unto ſuch, or cleave cloſe to the Lord their God, Deut. 13.1.3. Aſtromancers therefore ar, as the Prophet Eſay termeth them, liers, Eſay, 44.25. whether thoſe things which by the Stars they profeſs to foretel, fall out accordingly or otherwiſe, becauſe from the Stars they cannot have any certain notice of ſuch things; and Aſtromancie it ſelf no other then a ly; a ly in the tongue of the Aſtromancers, as the idol a ly in the hand of the idol-maker; Eſay, 44.20. both vanitie, ſo Eſay chap. 41.29. of the one, and ſo Jeremy alſo here verſe 3. of the other, which we ſhall now come to ſhew. and the Aſtromancer may well ſay of their fortune telling, as Lucian ſometime of a prodigious Story that he writ foreign, This onelyonly tel I tru, that I do nothing but lie.

Hitherto then we have examined the Reaſons rendred by Mr. Lilies two Advocates, why God by his Prophet ſhould forbid his People to be afraid of the Signs of Heaven, as the Heathen were. the one in regard of the qalitie of the fear; becauſe it was a diſmaying dread; which yet we have ſhewed it might juſtly have ben, were the Signs ſpoken of, Signs of Gods heavie indignation: the other taken from the unavoydable fatalitie, aſcribed by the Chaldee Wizards unto thoſe diſmal Events and Effects, that the Signs did preſage and produce, wherein we have ſhewed, that our Aſtrologers alſo go along in eqipage with them.

We ſhall now proceed to ſhew▪ what the true ground and reaſon is of this Prohibition; and why theſe Signs ought not at all to affright or trouble Gods People, expreſſed in the Text; which theſe men were very ſhie of, loath to take notice of, or once to touch upon. And this had Mr. Swan and his aſſociate eaſily apprehended, had they ben pleaſed ſeriouſly to have conſidered, either the firſt branch of this ſecond Vers, or the ſentence next enſuing, which the cauſal particle prefixed ſhews to belong unto this, tho in way of tranſition, as a middle term, coming between the ſubject matter of Aſtrologie here intimated, and that of Idolatrie entred upon in the third vers, it be in diſtinction of verſes faſtned unto the latter.

p. 112For the former Branch; Learn not, ſaith God, the way of the Heathen, where by the way of the Heathen, what can be ment, but ſuch courſes as the Heathen held and took, either concerning the Signs of Heaven, which they ſuperſtitiouſly regarded, or concerning their idols, which having framed they adored, and we ſee the learning of their way, and the dreading of the ſignes, to be two diſtinct branches of the preſent Prohibition, the former whereof theſe Patrons of Aſtrologie ſlightly paſs over, or ſlily paſs by, as a needleſs branch, or a luxuriant ſprig, not worthy of regard, but ſuch as might wel be ſpared, and would therefore the more handſomely to conceal it and keep it out of ſight, involv and wrap it up in the ſame ſentence with the next: as if the meaning were no more then this, Learn not the way of the Heathen, nor be diſmayed; that is, Learn not to be diſmaid. It is tru indeed, that ſometime two Verbs either ſtanding looſe, as Pſal. 51.2. and 106.13. Hoſh. 9 9. or knit together with a copulative, as Gen. 26.18. Dan. 9.21 may be combined into one ſentence; that which by many inſtances I ſhew both in ſome part of my Cinnus, and in divers places of mine Annotations among thoſe fruitleſs Criticiſms, that Mr. Lilie finds there. But that will not hold here for two cauſes. 1. It is not an Injunction, but an Inhibition. Its one thing to ſay, Learn, not to fear: another thing to ſay, Learn not, to fear ▪ the former is an injunction; and the negative particle therefore adheres not to the imperative precedent, but to the infinitive ſubſeqent, the latter is an inhibition, and the negative therefore muſt be joyned to the imperative; which being here done would produce a ſtrange ſenſe, inhibiting, not ſimply to be afraid, but to learn to be afraid; Do not learn to be afraid. But 2. the two Verbs here have two ſeveral ſubjects that they paſs unto. the Heathens way is the ſubject not to be learned; the Signs of Heaven ar the Subject not to be dreaded. and if any ſhall ask what is meant by the way of the Heathen, the other branch in the frontiſpiece of the 3 vers will tel us; to wit, that this foreign or way, is foreign the rules, the leſſons, the dictates, the documents, the precepts, the preſcripts (for the word will well admit any of theſe expreſſions) of the Heathen. and of what Heathen think we, but of the Heathen Aſtrologers? for of them it is agreed that the Prophet here ſpeaks. and concerning what, but concerning the Signs of Heaven? the Prophets own expreſs p. 113terms lead us to it. So that its clear enough to any the meaneſt capacitie that, by way is here ment, ſuch rules, documents, or leſſons, as the Chaldean Wizards taught the Heathen people concerning the Signs of Heaven, and their diſmal operations, which produced in them ſuch trouble and conſternation or amazement of mind. God would not have his people to learn or regard the one, that they might not be afrighted and diſmaid with the other. And this Branch therefore would not have ben either ſlily ſlighted, or wholy overſlipt by thoſe, who had profeſſedly undertaken the diſcuſſing of the Vers.