Vindication of His Annotations, Text (5 of 5)

Vindication of His Annotations · Text (5 of 5)

p. 148Pag. 21.Yea but, ſaith Maſter Swan, the effects of this Eclipſe brought not onelyonly miſerie upon his own Countreys and diſhonour upon himſelf, but did put even all Greece under the ſad calamities of a long laſting war. And Maſter Lilie his Client begins his Dark yeer with the ſame obſervation. [It was (ſaith he) as wiſely as truly obſerved by the learned Thucydides, that ſome yeers before thoſe three and twentie yeers Peloponneſian wars of the miſerable Greeks among p. 149themſelves; wherein every Citie or Common-Weale of Greece, was in one kind or other engaged; that thoſe things which in former times there went onelyonly a fame of, tho rarely in fact confirmed, were then made credible, by the enſuing wars of the Grecians one with another. the forerunners of which qarels he ſayes were theſe; Earthqakes generally to the greateſt part of the World, and moſt violent withall, Eclipſes of the Sun oftner then is reported of any former times, great droughts, &c.]

Our firſt work here ſhal be, to rectifie the relation, and deliver the truth of the Storie. Thucydides therefore endeavoring to ſhew, that the War, which he intended to write of, was in divers reſpects not matchable onelyonly unto, but even greater then any that had gone before it in Greece, whereof any record was extant, ſaith, that Poets by their Fictions uſed much to enhance the greatneſſe of thoſe Wars whereof they wrote; and Hiſtorians alſo themſelves oft times related many things upon bare reports beſides the truth of the things reported. But thoſe ſtrange occurrents before mentioned made this Story the more remarkable, not that were fore runners, as Maſter Lilie renders him, or, as he ſaith, went ſome yeers before, that is but his own gloſſe; but foreign, that did together with that VVar fall in or fall out, (for the Greek word will bear either, of Maſter Lilies notions neither) were not the forerunners, but the concomitants of it, or concurrent with it. But what do I talk to Maſter Lilie of Thucydides his Greek, who underſtands not ſo much as one of his own fellow Wizards Latine, as hath formerly ben ſhewed. Now among thoſe things that fell out during the time of that War, or that fel in with it, ar reckned up, Solar Eclipſes more freqent then in former times: the more in likelyhood then obſerved in regard of the preſent ſtate & condition of the times wherein they fel out; whereof a onelyonly ar by Thucydides mentioned, the one in the firſt, the other in the eight yeer of that War; Earthqakes; whereof one, thar did much miſchief, in the ſixth, & two other leſſe conſiderable in the tenth yeer of that War: droughts; p. 150and dearths following them, now and then lightly touched. But one of the moſt remarkable Occurrents of thoſe times was a Peſtilential diſeaſe ▪ which taking its riſe in Ethiopia, fell down from thence into Egypt: then out of Africa ſtrook over into Aſia; whence croſſing the Midland Sea into Europe, it arrived at Athens in the ſecond yeer of that Warre; where it continued for two yeers in great force; and in the fifth yeer breaking out again, continued about a twelve-monethmonth; yet not ſweeping away ſo many as formerly it had done; the manner of it being by obſervation, better diſcovered, and means of remedie and recoverie, accordingly deviſed and made uſe of with ſucceſſe.

Theſe Occurrents therefore, as appeares by Thucydides his expreſſe terms, ſeconded with his punctual Relations, were Comitants of that Warre; and fell within the limits of it, not forerunners of it, and that by ſome yeers forepaſt, as Maſter Lilie, or the partie from whom he had it, do miſreport and belie that Noble Hiſtorian. But with the reſt of thoſe Accidents at preſent we have nothing to do, with the Eclipſe onelyonly we now deal. The Effects whereof, ſaith Maſter Swan brought miſerie upon Pericles Countrey, diſhonour upon him, and the Calamities of a long laſting Warre upon all Greece. Where I might aske Maſter Swan what diſhonour it brought upon Pericles, who lived and died in high repute.

It is true, that after the VVarre was begun between the two prime States in Greece, jealous either of others greatneſſe, having now found occaſions to picke Qarrels either with other, and the Spartanes having invaded the Attike Territories, Peticles perſwaded the Athenians to ſit qietly, fortifie the Citie, ſend out onelyonly ſome to make light skirmiſhes, and intercept their ſtraglers, but to bend their main Forces by Sea to invade the Spartanes and their complices, which would make the Enemies Countrey the ſeat of VVarre, and enforce them to call home their Forces. To which purpoſe himſelfe in Perſon ſet out with a great Fleet: p. 151And howſoever Plutarch ſaith, that in that Expedition he performed nothing worthie of ſo great a Preparation, nor did anſwer the Peoples Expectation; yet doth Thucydides a judicious VVriter, approove of his Advice; and affirms that he did more dammage and detriment to the adverſe Partie, by waſting their Countrey, before he returned, then to his Countrey men they by their incurſion had done. Howbeit the people indeed more ſenſible of preſent loſſe, then of future emolument, and of their private affairs then of the publicke concernment, the VVarre ſtill continuing, began to mutinie, and to exclaime againſt Pericles; the poorer ſort, in regard of the dammage they ſuſtained, and the difficulties they were driven to in retiring to the Cittie, the richer ſort, becauſe their Countrey Farmes were ſpoyled, underhand inciting the rude multitude to crie out againſt Pericles, as if through his evill advice they ſuſtained all that they ſuffered. VVhereupon by the major number of Votes, (for it was a Popular State) Pericles was at the preſent put beſide his Command, and Fined in a great ſumme of money, which he inſtantly making no reckoning of it, did not unwillingly pay, but according to the mutable minds of the multitude, readie to turn to and fro as variably as either VVinde or Tide is wont, at a ſecond Court or meeting not long after was the ſame Pericles created the Commander in Chiefe, of all the Athenians Forces: in which Command he continued to his dying day; and ſo prudently mannaged the Affairs of that State, that Thucydides, tho a prime Man of a contrarie Faction, by Pericles prevailing exiled, and in that his Exilement writing his Storie, this part of it at leaſt, after Pericles his de…aſe, and no partiall Man conſeqently in his behalfe, ſticks not to affirme, that the ſwarving from thoſe courſes that Pericles had ſet on foot while he lived, by thoſe that ſucceeded him in place of Command, but not in Pollicie and prudent diſpoſall of Affaires, brought not diſgrace and diſhonour onelyonly, but deſtruction upon divers of them, and utter ruine almoſt p. 152upon that State. VVhichWhich the rather I obſerve, to ſhew the groſſe partialitie and malignitie of theſe men, that regard not what they ſay, or write to the diſgrace of thoſe, that have in any kinde deſcried, or diſcovered and oppoſed their Fancies. For why ſhould the Effects of this Eclipſe be ſaid to have fallen foul upon Pericles, of whoſe valour and integritie, prudent and eqall carriage of State Affaires; Thucydides himſelf, a Man as well judicious as ingenuous, tho of an other ſide ſometime in the State, and by means of him and his friends for a certain number of yeers ſeqeſtred, yet affords a moſt ample Teſtimonie, by evidence of Truth evinced; rather then on Cleo that baſe turbulent Fellow…, or Demoſthenes (not the Oratour, but another) that headie, raſh and unadviſed Commander, and others of the like ſtamp, who out of by-reſpects to their own private ends, fed the Peoples vain humours with ſpecious pretences, and while none durſt oppoſe their Propoſals, for fear of being deemed Malignants, and Enemies to the honour of the State, put them upon ſuch inconſiderate Deſignes, as brought not ſhame and diſhonour alone, but ruine and deſtruction alſo upon ſome of them; Why, I ſay, ſhould that Eclipſes diſmall Effects be ſaid to have lighted on him rather, then on them, but becauſe Pericles had manifeſted his contempt of thoſe ſuperſtitious Conceits, which afterward in that very Warre prooved fatall and deſtructive to Nicias and the forces under his Command, whereof mention is before.

Yea, but the Effects of this Eclipſe, whether they lighted ſo upon Pericles or no, brought miſerie upon Athens, and calamitie by a long and grievous War to all Greece.

p. 153Of the Original of that war we have ſaid ſomewhat before; & ſhewed that it was on foot before that Eclips, having ben alſo ſome good ſpace of time in brewing and breeding ere it brake out, as Thucydides declares at large throughout his whole firſt Book, the Preface introductory to it onelyonly excepted. Nor was Thucydides ſo ſelie as theſe men would make him, as to aſſcribe either the VVar it ſelf, or the continuance thereof unto ſuch occurrents as were but the concomitants thereof. Yea ſuppoſe we, that that violent earthqake, and that terrible Eclipſe, had both faln out before that war was begun. as it had ben abſurd to ſay of ſuch an Earthqake, or of any Earthqake whatſoever, that it had by an innate efficacy produced that VVar that then enſued; or that any earthqake hath an inbred faculty, by vertu whereof it is able to produce VVars, as drought doth dearth, yea and neceſſarily in the courſe of nature ſo doth: In like manner is it no leſſe abſurd for any man to attribute the like efficacie to that, or to any other Eclipſe, unleſſe he be able to render ſome reaſon as wel for the one as for the other. And he that ſhall conſider the occurrences of thoſe times, as they concern the Athenian State, looking on them, not with an Aſtrological, but a Theological eye, as it behooved Mr. S. to have done; when he ſhal have read in Thucydides, an eye witneſſe of what he wrote, how far that heavy viſitation, that ſeized on them at Athens, and from thence overſpread their whole Countrey, not much afflicting any other part of Greece, a ſtrange contagious diſeaſe never known the like before, that weakned them more then the war it ſelf had done; how far, I ſay, it had ben from working any good upon them,Thuc. l. 2. that the greateſt part among them took occaſion thereby to break forth into all manner of wickedneſſe, looſneſſe, and licentiouſneſſe, ſpoiling of others, and rioting with what they gat from others, without fear of divine vengeance or legal penalties:Idem. l. 3. as alſo what horrible outrages were in the ſeveral States and Cities committed; no place of ſafety leaſt to any, that was not as forward as others in acting of vilanies; no regard had of faith or oath, or of relations and tials natural, civil or ſacred; honeſtie ſcorned as ſimplicity, fidelity as folly, clemency as cowardiſe; and on the other ſide fraud cryed up as prudence, perfidiouſneſſe as p. 154policie, force as fortitude, cruelty as courage. This ſtate of things, whoſo ſhall ſeriouſly weigh, may with good ground and warrant from Gods Word, yea led by the very light of nature it ſelf alone, aſſcribe rather thoſe calamities, that afterward during that war befel the main body of Greece, that State of Athens more ſpecially (the pride and power thereof ſo impaired and puld down by the Spartan, and they brought ſo low,Diodor. l. 13. c. 107. that they were enforced to beg a peace in moſt ſubmiſſe and baſe manner; and to accept it on moſt diſhonourable and deſtructive conditions, of diſmantling Athens their mother City, and Pyreum their haven town, delivering up their whole Fleet, twelv ſhips onelyonly excepted; and receiving a new government by thirty ſuch as the Spartane then approved, who by them ſupported, ruled according to their own luſt,Xenoph. hiſt. Graec. l. 2. without regard of Law or right, and exerciſed ſuch extream cruelty upon them, that as Cleocritus avowed, they murdred more of their own countriemen within eight months ſpace, then their enemies the Spartans had in ten whole yeers.) unto the juſt judgment of God and his wrath incenſed againſt them, for their tranſcendent exceſſe of ungodlineſſe and wickedneſſe, not reſtrained, much leſſe reformed, but improoved and enhaunced upon thoſe forepaſt greivous judgments, then to an Eclipſe or two coming in a certain fixed courſe naturally at a ſet time, without regard had to any ſuperfluitie of wickedneſſe or ought of that nature in thoſe times. And I deſire any pious and judicious Reader to deem, whether of the two, either are guilty themſelvs, or make others guilty of Epicurean ſecurity, as M. Swan from Goclein is pleaſed to ſpeak, thoſe that teach men not to be afraid of a litle loſſe of Sunlight for a quarter of an hower more then they are of the total want of it for many howers night after night, coming in a known natural way as wel the one as the other; but to fear Sin, that may cloud the light of Gods countenance towards them, and may cauſe him to withdraw the bright rayes and gracious ſunſhine of his favor away from them; or thoſe who would make them beleiv, that every great Eclipſe, coming certainly in a ſet time, by ſuch a courſe as God ſetled theſe heavenly creatures in at firſt, draws ever at its tail a long train of inevitable evils by a natural power ſtampt upon them by God, as ſure to enſu, as p. 155night folowes the Sunſet, and day the Sunriſing, and to light upon ſuch people and places and perſons as theſe men have aſſigned them unto, without any regard of their doing wel or ill. For it is obſerved by Thucydides, that in that ſtrange infectious ſickneſſe, wicked wretches, when they ſaw that it ſurprized and ſwept away, as wel good as bad, all ſorts alike, they grew to this reſolution, Let us get what we can by hook or by crook, by right or by wrong, and make merry with what we have got while we may. and wil not men be prone to make the like inference from theſe Wizards principles? Theſe evils attend Eclipſes in as certain a courſe as the Eclipſes themſelvs come; and there is no means to eſcape or avoid them by any religious courſe or change of life, no more then by any ſuch courſe the coming of the Eclipſe it ſelf; and it is in vain therefore, whatſoever Mr. S. See Goclein before.elswhere tels us, to hope or aſſay by any ſuch courſe to avoid them. and ſo he takes off the edge, and debilitates the force of all his pious exhortations.

But pity it was, that Pericles had not ſome of theſe Wizards, as had Xerxes and Alexander, to have enformed him, which of the States, the Athenian, or Spartan, was under the Suns tutelage ▪ and which under the Moons, that he might thereby have ben better enformed of the iſſu of that VVar; which had his counſels ben folowed, and thoſe courſes inſiſted on, which before his death he adviſed, might have prooved more ſucceſſeful to his people,Thucyd. l. 8. then for want and neglect thereof it did; who after his deceaſe being encouraged by ſuch miſcreants as theſe, to engage themſelvs in a forain war, when they had their hands ful enough at home, wherein their forces miſcarried, and their State was thereby exceedingly weakned, were then, when too late, extreamly incenſed and enraged againſt all thoſe that had ſet them upon that deſign, and thoſe more ſpecially, that by their vain predictions had put them in hope of good ſucceſſe; ſome of whom alſo they might the rather curſe, becauſe by folowing their fooliſh, unadviſed and unſeaſonable advices, their Forces (which tho re infectâ, yet might have ben brought off with ſafety, as hath ben ſhewed formerly) were utterly deſtroyed. And thus much for the cleering of Pericles from, M.S. his inconſiderate and groundles p. 156aſperſions, and our ſelvs from the like, who profeſſe herein to concur with him; as alſo to free Thucydides from ſuch falſe and frivolous relations as M. L. hath endevored to faſten and father upon him, being in truth no other then baſtardly brats of his own adle brain.

But let us at length, after this long digreſſion, that Mr. S. by Pericles cenſured, and M. L. by Thucydides miſreported have put us upon, return to conſider of ſuch further Scripture-proofs as Mr. S. hath produced for the juſtification of his Aſtromancie.

Pag. 14.Theſe virtues and powers, ſaith he, were at firſt divinely ſtamped on them; and are called in Job 38.31. by the name of influences. The Greek word is foreign, from foreign & foreign, ſuper & fluo, that is, to flow into, or upon; which derivation implyes thus much, that they muſt have ſome object to flow into, or work upon, it would elſe be nonſenſe, to uſe that name of influence.

But 1. Sir, you ſhould do wel to tel us, where you find the word foreign, yea or influence in the Text. the Original, I am ſure, hath none of it. nor hath the Greek verſion any ſuch word at all there. that our Engliſh verſion hath, not influence barely, but ſweet influences, I acknowledge. but the epithet rather then the ſubſtantive, is ſuggeſted by, and deduced from the Hebrew, which hath no more then delights or pleaſances. the word is the ſame with that 1 Sam. 15.32. uſed there of Agag. howſoever the Jewiſh Doctors ſome of them▪ by a tranſpoſition of letters, a trick with them not unuſual, do in either place render it bonds. Beſide, that foreign, as your ſelf give the notation of it, ſhould ſignifie rather a flowing upon, then a flowing into: as in the Lords Prayer, foreign would rather be rendred, on, then in. foreign. as in heaven, ſo on earth alſo. Matth. 6.10. But this is not unlike, what you have elſewhere;Pag. 13. where ſpeaking of Arcturus, in Engliſh▪ the Bears tail, (for ſuch unruly creatures as bears and buls have they placed alſo in heaven) you tel us in your margine, it is a Star ſo called in Job, as if ſuch a term were found in Jobs text, Job 38.33.Sphaer. c. 10. wherein you follow alſo your Goclein to an hair, who tels us, that the names of Pleiades, Arcturus and Orion are found in Job, and may be retained therefore without impiety or ſuperſtition. p. 157What the Stars are there mentioned by the names of foreign and foreign or foreign or what Stars or Conſtellations are by thoſe terms particularly deſigned, neither the Hebrew Maſters, nor Chriſtian Writers, do generally agree, nor, I ſuppoſe, any the Wiſeſt man living is able certainly to determine. Not improbable is it, that by the delights or pleaſances of Cimah (be the Star or Conſtellation what it wil) are ment ſuch delights, or delightful ſeaſons, as the spring of the yeer making its entrance by the Suns neerer approach about the time at which that Star or Conſtellation (be it the Pleiades, or what other ſoever els) ariſeth, is wont to produce. as on the other ſide by Ceſil (whereof ſee on Eſay 13.10.) ſeems to be underſtood ſome ſuch Star or Conſtellation, at whoſe appeerance VVinter is wont to come on, that with ſtormy weather daſheth thoſe foregoing delights, and by froſt and ice cloſeth up the ſurface of the ground, which the spring had opened before. whence the Month Caſlew ſeems to have had its name, being the firſt winter Month in thoſe parts. And in like manner Mazzaroth, and Aſh, or Aiſh, ſeem the names of ſome Stars or Conſtellations, the one whereof aroſe toward the beginning of ſommer, the other of Autumn. Not that theſe Stars did by their appeerance above the Horizon through any innate qalitie or intrinſecal faculty by God ſtamped upon them, produce thoſe ſeaſons, or thoſe effects and ſymptomes of the ſame; which it is apparent that the acceſſe or receſſe of the Sun, unto and from ſeveral parts of the world doth reſpectively produce: whence it comes to paſſe, that by reaſon of his approach or remooval it is ſommer to ſome parts, when it is winter to others, and spring to a third, and Autumn to a fourth; and ſo backward again; but thoſe by their appeerances in Jobs time to thoſe parts of the World wherein he lived, did ſignifie and give warning of the neer approach of ſuch ſeaſons; and admoniſh people conſeqently to apply and addreſſe themſelvs unto ſuch works and employments, as in ſuch times were moſt ſeaſonable and ſuitable thereunto. So the coming of the Swalow, Jer. 8.7. and the ſprouting of the figtree, Matth. 24.32. argu and ſignifie the approach of spring and ſommer; but neither of them effect either: and ſo the Sirius, or Dog-ſtar, doth by his appeerance and continuance p. 158with us denote the moſt unſeaſonable time of the yeer with us for diſtemper of heat, and infirmities in mens bodies proceeding from the ſame; whereas yet that affection ariſeth not from any power of the Dog-ſtar, of which that great Mathematician M. H. Brigges ſometime occaſionally in conference averred unto me, that in the ancienteſt times it had riſen in the spring, and if the world ſhould continue for a certain number of yeers, the Dog-days, as we term them, would be in the very heart of winter, as they alſo in ſome part of the world are at this day: but the exceſſe of heat in thoſe dayes, is from the continuance of the ſun augmenting the heat of the ayer, tho upon his receſſe, at that time of the yeer; as in the ſame manner, and by the like proportion, enhancing the heat of the day, for ſome time an hower or two after noon, tho then entred upon and having made ſome progreſſe in his declination from the higheſt pitch of his exaltation with us.Piſc. in Gen. 1.14.Gen 1:14 And I encline therefore to the Judgment of that lerned Scholiaſt, who thus expoundeth thoſe words in Moſes concerning the Sun, Moon and Stars; Let them be for ſignes; (to admoniſh men of the Seaſons of of the yeer, and to direct them in their affaires and employments, concerning matter of voyage and tillage, yea and uſe of phyſick alſo) and for ſet times, (for ſo the word properly ſignifies, Gen. 21.2. 2 Sam. 24.15. Jer. 8.7. as are months) and for dayes and yeers. ſignifying or giving notice of thoſe; but producing theſe, as the Moon by her proper motion doth the Months, the Sun by his diurnal and common courſe the day, by his annual and peculiar cours the yeer. So that M. Swans argument from the word influence is of no force, being not at all in the Text: nor were it there, would it be of any validity to infer ſuch ſtrange malignant influences, as he and his Clients for whom he pleads, would groundleſly faſten upon the Stars.

But if all this wil not ſerve, which is all as light as a little thiſtle down or a feather, to infer or enforce ought that Mr. S. ſhould proov and would have, you ſhall have a convincing place, that wil hit the nail on the hed, and ſtrike all ded, and that out of the ſame Book, Job 9.7. where God is ſaid to ſeal up the Stars. And here indeed Mr. S. gives us the words of the Text aright: but with ſuch an expoſition, as neither he is able to prove, nor would at all avail him, albeit he could p. 159make it good. The ſenſe of the place is, as plain and familiar, ſo as ready at hand, as is rain-water in a ſhower. Let the ſimpleſt man almoſt, of any the meaneſt underſtanding, read but the whole verſe; To the Sun he ſaith, (to wit, ariſe not) or, he ſpeaketh, and it ariſeth not: he alſo ſealeth up the Stars; and he wil eaſily and readily at the very firſt ſight ſee, that clouding and darkning, withholding or withdrawing of light, is intended as well concerning the Stars in the one branch, as concerning the Sun in the other: It is a plain parallel to thoſe places, Eſay 13.10. The Stars of Heaven, and its Ceſilim (the brighteſt of them) ſhal not give their light: the Sun ſhal be darkned in his ſeting out: nor ſhal the Moon cauſe her light to ſhine forth. Ezek. 37.7, 8. I will cover the heavens, and make the Stars thereof dark: I wil cover the Sun with a cloud; nor ſhall the Moon give her light: all the lightſome lights of Heaven wil I darken over thee; that I may ſet darkneſſe upon thy land. and Joel 3.11. The Sun and the Moon ſhal be darkned; and the Stars ſhal withdraw their ſhining. It was to the very letter ſo in Pauls voyage from Jewrie to Italie; wherein neither Sun, nor Stars, for ſo many dayes appeered. Act. 27.20. To cite for this Interpretation a multitude of writers (which otherwiſe were not difficult) would be but a great deal of loſt labor, as much as to ſet up a torch or taper at cleer noon-day light, and to caſt ſome good ſtore of water into the Sea.

But let us hear M. Swans expoſition. God, ſaith he,Pag. 13. ſeals up the Stars, when he keeps back the rain from the watering the earth.

I will not preſſe Mr. S. to produce ſome Autors of note, that in this his expoſition concur with him. which yet if either the courſe of the context did back, or other Parallel paſſages of Scripture did ſecond, I ſhould not in that regard refuſe to admit and embrace. But I deſire to be enformed from Mr. S. where the giving of rain is attributed to the Stars, and the reſtraint thereof to the obſignation or cohibition of them. We read in this very Book of Job in Elihues diſcourſe, Chap. 36.27, 28. Drops of water the clouds do dril, diſtil, and pour down abundantly. And Chap. 27.10, 11. God in watering the earth wearies the thick cloud, and ſcatters the lightſome, or lightning, cloud as alſo in Gods own words to Job, Chap. 38.34. Canſt thou p. 160lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of water may cover thee? So Pſal. 77.17. The clouds poured down water. and Pſal. 147.8. who covereth the heaven with clouds, and prepareth rain for the earth. and Eccleſ. 11.3. When the clouds be full of water, they empty themſelvs upon the earth. and Eſay 5.6. I will command the clouds, that they rain no rain upon it. But I no where find it ſaid, that the Stars pour down rain; or that the Stars are forbidden to give it, or ſaid to be reſtrained from yeelding of it.

This Interpretation therefore having no ſtrength at all, either from the tenor of the context, or other paſſages of holy writ, cannot in reaſon be urged for ground of an argument. Nor again were it admitted, would it help Mr. S. or thoſe whoſe Advocate he is. For what manner of argument wil this be? God ſeals up the Stars, by keeping back the rain, from watering the earth: Ergò the Stars have a power to work upon the ſons of men, to diſpoſe them in their genitures, ſome to one vice, and ſome to another, to expoſe them to caſualties of divers kinds, and to deſign them unto ſundry ſorts of ill ends. Would it not be, as they uſe to ſay, to reaſon a baculo ad angulum, from the cudgel to the corner? What can from hence be averred of the Stars, that may not as wel thence be concluded of the clouds?

And indeed this place of Job is juſt in the like manner abuſed, wronged and wreſted by them to confirm their Aſtromancie, as is another in the ſame book to aſſert their Chiromancie or Palmeſtrie, which Mr. L. ſo much magnifies, and of which Goclein (the prints of whoſe footſteps are in Mr. S. freqent) tels us, it hath great concent with Aſtrologie, and the predictions of it are more firm then thoſe of Aſtrologie are. I rather beleiv both alike. The place alledged in defence of it, is Job 37.7. which Goclein reading according to the vitious Vulgar Latin thus renders; Qi ſignat in manu omnium hominum, ut ſinguli noverint opera ſua. Who ſigneth in the hand of all men, that each one may know his works. Now howſoever Gocl. acknowledgeth that the place is diverſly expounded as wel by ancient as later Divines, (and that by thoſe of them alſo who admit the Vulgar Verſion) especially, ſaith he, by thoſe that ſet light by Chiromancie, (as if any Divine of note, old or new, Jew or Chriſtian, Papiſt or Proteſtant, commenting on the Text made it look that way) yet if we look to the Original in the Holy toung, as divers very p. 161lerned Hebrews, whom he had adviſed with, had enformed him, it neither could, nor ought to be underſtood other wiſe then of the uſe and ſignification of the Chiromantical Art. Whereas on the contrary, unleſſe we will tear the words away from the Context; (which we ought not to do) and have no regard, either to the common uſe of the pauſes, or the ordinary rules of Grammatical conſtruction, they cannot at all imply, or hold out any ſuch thing; but as all generally underſtand thoſe firſt words, ſpeak of reſtraint of men from work abroad, & confinement of them to their houſes, by ſuch ſtormy, ſnowie and ſhowrie wether; of which in the verſe next before; as enforceth the beaſts to betake themſelvs to their covert, and keep cloſe there, as it is in the very next verſe after this. And Mercer therefore a man ſingularly verſed in the Hebrew toung and Hebrew Writers, ſaith, that whereas your Chiromantiks would writhe and wreſt it to their purpoſe, eo nihil facit & extra rem eſt; it makes nothing at all for them, but is clean beſide the matter. And Cocceias, one whoſe writings generally proclaim him, a man eminently skilled in that language, ſticks not to term them ſtark fooles that dream ought of Palmeſtrie in that place. Stulti ſunt, ſaith he, qi hîc de Chiromantia cogitant. But this obiter. the word of obſignation, or ſealing up, hath in either place a manifeſt notion of reſtraint. nor doth the one any whit concern Aſtromancie; no more then doth Chiromancie at all the other: which may as ſoon be found in the Book of Job; as the Philoſophers ſtone in the Apocalyps of John,Dilher. elect. l. 3. c. 21. where one ſometime told that lerned Divine of Norimberg, he had found a promiſe of it in the term of a VVhite ſtone, which could be no other then it, Rev. 2.17. So prone are men to wreſt and writhe the words of Gods ſacred Oracles for the gaining of credit to any fancy, that they inordinately affect.

Yea but it is certainly tru, that the time wil one day come, Pag. 12.when the whole world it ſelf ſhal go to ruine; before which time there ſhal be ſigns in the Sun, and ſigns in the Moon, and ſignes in the Stars, Luk. 21.25.

I remember to have heard a Court Preacher in Qeen Eliſabeths time, who having made choiſe of that Text to entreat of, began his Sermon with theſe word…; It is no ſtrange matter to have the Sun in the Sign; but it is a ſtrange matter indeed to p. 162have Signs in the Sun. I do not approve ſuch dallying with Scripture. Howbeit I ſuppoſe, it may ſeriouſly and ſoberly be ſaid, that it is one thing to have the Sun in this or that Sign, which in regard of the Sign is a matter of no moment; and another thing to have Signs, that is, dreadful and extraordinary apparitions, coming beſides or beyond the ordinary courſe and nature of the creature, in the Sun, or Moon, or Stars, conſpicuous and obvious to every ones eye. Within which compaſſe cannot be forced, either Eclipſes, becauſe coming in an ordinary ſet cours, and in a neceſſary natural way, nor conjunctions of malignant aspects (if any ſuch were) becauſe not apparent unto any but ſuch, as apply themſelvs unto this vain ſtudy. But becauſe Mr. S. frames no Argument from hence, we ſhal ſo let it paſſe. Suffice it ſhall, to have intimated, that the Signs there ſpoken of are much diſcrepant from thoſe Signs of Heaven, which we have now under debate.

Pag. 16.Yea but David ſaith, Pſal. 111.2. The VVorks of the Lord are great, ſought out of all thoſe who have pleaſure therein. And as was Davids doctrine, Pag. 17.ſo was Salomons practiſe, 1 King 4.11, &c. For he was wiſer then all men, then Ethan, and Heman, and Calcal, and Dardo; and he spake of trees, from the Cedar in Lebanon, to the Hyſſope that ſprings out of the wall; as alſo of beaſts, and fowl, and creeping things, and fiſhes,

But becauſe all this will not help to make Salomon a member of the ſociety of Aſtrologers, and a brother of their profeſſion▪ for all this skil is without their verge, and far beneath the Sphere of their ſublimated Science; yet to fetch him in, that he may grace the Society and Brotherhood of them, they fly to the Apocrypha ▪ and from the Book of the Wiſdome of Salomon, falſly ſo termed, the work of a Nameleſſe and unknown Autor, Chap. 7. v. 17, &c. in the perſon of Salomon, Mr. Swan ſings us the ſame ſong, that M. L. his Client before ſang in the very entrie of his Preface unto his Dark yeer; I know how the VVorld was made; Pag. 17.and the operations of the Elements; the beginning and the end, and the midſt of times; the alterations of the turning of the Sun, and the change of the ſeaſons; the circuit of yeers, and the poſitions of Stars. (for which M. Swans Printer hath put in poſſeſſions; he may mend it, if he pleaſe, in his next impreſſion; the Compoſer, it may be, dreamed of their houſes in heaven, p. 163that were not, he thought, fit to ſtand without tenants) But thus they both; and ſo far Mr. L. who tels us, that from the ſenſe of theſe verſes it may be inferred, that the Science of Aſtrologie, or influences of Heaven, are cleerly intended, and the Art lawful; elſe the wiſeſt among mortal men would not ſo ſignificantly have mentioned the Poſitions of Stars. for no man can know the operations and virtues of the Elements, except by Aſtrologie: and a Poſition or figure of Heaven is needleſſe, unleſſe from thence a judgment be derived. So Mr. L.

But, Sir, you ſhould proov that Salomon ever ſpake this. and unleſſe you be able to make good the authentick Autoritie of your Autor, (which we well know you cannot do) who makes Salomon ſpeak more, then he would ever have ſpoken, of himſelf; you may do wel to keep him by you, to talk out of him to thoſe, that wil admit for ſubſtantial witneſſer, againſt whom no exception lies, all ſuch Autors as you cite, your Grandſire Merlin, and Mother Shipton among the reſt; and not offer to obtrude them upon thoſe, qi norunt qid diſtent aera lupinis, that know how to diſtinguiſh between gold and copper, or laton, between currant monie, and comical coin, between baſe counterfait, and authentik records.

But ſuppoſe Salomon had ſpoken thoſe very words, that your counterfeit Salomon (not unlike that counterfait Samuel, 1 Sam. 28.) here gives him; yet is your inference thence of no force. for where is there mention of influences in the Text? So that as the common ſaying is, Plus habet rubrum qam nigrum. There is more oft in the Rubrik, then is in the Paragraph: ſo there is more here in the gloſſe, then is in the Text; there is more in the Concluſion then is in the Premiſſes, and your inference therefore is lame and feeble, vain and frivolous. Mr. S. his foreign, and your influences, may both be well returned you with a nevter inventus eſt: and ſhould it any where elſe be found, I ſhall for my anſwer thereunto, turn you over to what hath ben returned Mr. S. urging that term; for your arguings are both alike.

Yea but, the wiſeſt of mortal men would not ſo ſignificantly have mentioned, &c. what is that in Engliſh? think we. Some belike ſpeak ſignificantly, and ſome not ſignificantly, as M. L. now and than; and Salomon himſelf alſo, it ſeems, ſometime elſewhere, p. 164tho not here: but be it what it will be, So wiſe a man as Salomon was, would not in ſuch a ſignificant manner have mentioned the Poſitions of Stars; if the Science of Aſtrologie were not lawful. And who denies the Science of Aſtrologie, ſo far as it conſiders the ſite of the Stars to be lawful? But what is that to your Judiciary Aſtrologie, or Aſtromancie rather? (not unlike to your Chiromancie, its harmonious Conſort, Engliſhed by C.G. Wharton,Pag. 64. which you ſo highly extol) whereby you preſume and profeſſe to foretel certainly and undoubtedly (I give you your own words) future contingencies and caſualties; which Mr.Pag. 19. S. confeſſeth to be Gods peculiar. And in regard whereof you term your Grandſire Merlins magical and myſtical Predictions, whether he took them from the Stars, or had them from the Incubus his Sire, Prophecies: tho they may juſtly be deemed (as Eraſtus wel in defence of Savanarola againſt Stathmi… one of your patrones) rather mendacinia then vaticinia. But without ſuch Aſtrologie the operations and virtues of the Elements cannot be known; and Anaxagoras, and Plato and Ariſtotle therefore could not belike know or write ought to purpoſe of them, becauſe either they were not acqainted with, or did not regard, this magical part of divinatorie Aſtrologie: and to know the Poſitions of the Stars is needleſſe, unleſſe from thence a judgment be derived ▪ ſuch a judgment you mean, I hope, as you and your complices are wont thence to deduce. and ſo all thoſe obſervations of thoſe famous Mathematicians, ſo ſedulouſly verſed in the Contemplation of thoſe celeſtial bodies, and ſo deeply ſeen in the Sideral Science, ſuch as were Eudoxus of old, and of late our Mr. Brigges, and other of the ſame mind with them concerning your Aſtromancie, are wholy ſuperfluous and uſeleſſe; becauſe they receiv not, but reject your groundleſſe and fantaſtical judgments.

And here any ſimple Reader may eaſily diſcry the ſelineſſe of your Arguments: The Stars had influences, which Salomon knew: (tho you find no ſuch word either in Salomon himſelf, or in your counterfait of him) therefore ſuch influences as we aſſign them; to make men and women vitious and of a naughty diſpoſition. and, King Salomon knew the Poſitions of the Stars: therefore King Salomon was acqainted with and approved of ſuch a divinatorie Aſtrologie as we profeſſe and practiſe, in telling people p. 165their fortunes, and what misfortunes ſhall befal them in their life and at death. and, The knowledge of the Poſture of the Stars is not uſeful unleſſe ſome judgment be made by it, or derived from it: therefore unleſſe ſome ſuch judgment as we build upon it concerning caſual events to befal people and perſons, unto whom we have aſſigned them ſuch and ſuch special relations. What young novice, or punie freſhman, that hath travelled in Logik no further then his Seton, would not be aſhamed of ſuch Arguments? But I ſuppoſe Mr. Lilies Logik is much at one with his Greek and his Latine; which latter is ſo mean, that he is not wel able to Engliſh his own Autors aright, or to ſpeak tru Engliſh in Latine terms, as hath formerly ben ſhewed. And yet (which may wel be wondred at) M. Swans Arguments are moſt of them of the very ſame ſtamp, as if the one had taken them from the other. unto whom, leaving M. L. we ſhal now return. He ſuppoſing, it ſeems, that M. L. had not given us enough of his Alchymie ſtuff, preſents us with ſome more of it. Wherein Salomons Ape too palpably diſcovers himſelf, by vaunting in ſo high a ſtrain, as Salomons Wiſdome would never have ſuffered him to aſpire to, ſo long as it remained with him; to wit, inter alia, that he knew mens imaginations;Pag. 17. (which the Apoſtle ſaith, none can do but a mans own ſpirit, 1 Cor. 2.11. and Salomon himſelf, none but God onelyonly, 1 King. 8.39.) and all ſuch things as are either manifeſt or ſecret. more I beleive, am ſure, then any man is able to prove, that ever Adam did.

But Mr. Swans inference from it let us hear too; as much to the purpoſe as M. Lilies before was. All this, ſaith he, Salomon knew. and how doth Mr. S. know, that Salomon knew all this, but that Salomons counterfeit, one that never conſulted with Salomon about it, unleſſe it were as Saul with Samuel at Endor, hath ſo told him? whom we are not therefore bound to beleiv, nor Mr. S. conſeqently ſpeaking from him.

Yea but, ſaith Mr. S. further, God gave him this Wiſedome: Ibid.which had it ben diabolical and vain he ſhould never have had; but becauſe it was not, he prayed for it and had it.

But Sir, give me leave, I beſeech you, to mind you of two old ſaid ſaws; The former is, Debile fundamentum fallit opus. A faulty foundation wil fail the fabrik built on it: and a qaggie ground wil bear no weighty work. This is too ſandy a foundation p. 166to bear up ſuch a frame as you would build upon it: your bottome is unſound, it is but a meer qagmire; your autor is not authentick.

The other by-word that I would mind you of, is that which Nazianzen thus expreſſeth,Orat. de Paſch. Probl. Phyſ. Part 2. foreign. or as Simocat gives it, foreign. as we would ſay, Keep the horſe within the hedge. hold you cloſe to the point; ſpeak to the purpoſe. For Sir, you ramble too far from the point in qeſtion: which is not about the Sideral Science in general, concerning the motions and poſitions of the Stars; which who among us affirms to be vain and diabolical? and this therefore is but a figment of your own brain, which having vainly deviſed, you cunningly caſt in, concealing that which you ſhould defend, to divert your hearers and readers mind from eying that which is in preſent debate. For grant we your Witneſſe, or Advocate, whom you have ben pleaſed to call in and produce, as much credit as you can deſire, tho he ſhould ſtand rectus in curiâ, and were one beyond exception, yet he ſpeaks not a tittle for you, unleſſe this were a good Argument: God gave Salomon Wiſedome to know the alterations of the turning of the Sun, and the change of the ſeaſons; (which the Sun thereby produceth) and the circuits of yeers; and the Poſitions of Stars: Ergo, God taught him to erect Houſes in the Heavens of good fortune and bad fortune; and to foretel mens fortunes by their nativitie; and to help people by the Stars to their loſt goods again; and all thoſe fopperies and fooleries that Mr. L. and thoſe of his fraternity have deviſed and do practiſe to delude and cheat people with. the defence of whom Mr. S. hath here undertaken, and whom unleſſe he can herein maintain, he doth but leav them in the lurch. It is undoubtedly a ſtrong Argument of a weak and bad cauſe, that muſt be ſupported and born out with lies, with Solomon ſaith what he never ſaid, and backt with counterfeit Teſtimonies; and thoſe ſuch alſo, as being admitted to ſpeak, ſpeak nothing to the purpoſe.

Pag. 17.Yea but, Adam before he fel, knew the nature of every thing; inſomuch that he gave names to all the living creatures. and conſeqently as much as ever Salomon did, and this Art of theirs among the reſt. which muſt needs therefore be good (for this ſeems to be that, which Mr. S. drives to) and we may lawfully p. 167ſeek by all good means what Salomon prayed for, and had, for the making up of what was loſt in Adam.

I might demand, how Mr. S. can proove, that Adam knew the nature of every thing. his reaſon annexed will not neceſſarily evince it. his nomination of the creatures intimated rather his intereſt in them, and power over them, then an exact knowledge of the natures of them; of which we have diſcourſed more at large elſewhere. But if he knew the nature of every thing that he named; (for the reaſon ſubjoyned will reach no further,) and the Stars come not within that compaſſe; unleſſe they be of the number of living creatures, as ſome both of the Jewiſh and Gentile Maſters have held; and of thoſe living creatures, that were convented before Adam, and preſented to him, to be named by him, how is it hence proved that he knew the nature of the Stars? Again, ſuppoſe he did know the nature of them: what then? why? then he muſt needs be very skilful in our Wizards Art: and the art muſt needs then be very good. But to omit, that they preſume the nature of the Stars to be ſuch, as they pretend it to be; and Adam therefore knowing the nature of them, muſt needs know them to be qalified ſo as they ſay; which is nothing elſe but to beg the main point in controverſie. Might not Adam know it, and know it to be vain and frivolous? as God, who knew it undoubtedly, doth pronounce it here to be, Jer. 10.3. as he is ſaid to know the thoughts of wicked men, and withal to know them to be very vain. Pſal. 94.11. But if Adam knew this their Art of Aſtromancie, as he knew the nature of the creatures, whom he gave names unto, as Mr. S. ſeems to import, how doth Mr. Johnſon, another Maſter of that Science, but M. L. his antagoniſt and of the royal party, ſay, that God taught it Adam? for if he knew it before, what needed he be taught it? unleſſe we ſhal ſay, that Adam by his fall forgat all that ever he knew before: as the Jews fable, that whoſoever by ſtealth having gotten into the inmoſt receſſe of the Temple under the ſecond Houſe, had read the Fower-lettred Name with its Vowel-points there engraven upon a ſtone, Raymund. Pug. fid. part. 2. c. 8. Sect. 6.was ſo terrified at his coming out with that hideous noiſe that a couple of Dogs made of Braſſe, then made, which the Jewiſh Maſters having by Magical Art framed, had on the top of two columns p. 168at the door of the Sanctuary ſet for that purpoſe, that they clean forgat what they ſaw or read there. But not unlike to theſe fancies is that of Mr. Ramſey, another bird of the ſame feather, who making up a liſt of the Patriarks of their profeſſion, begins, as the Autor of the ſacred Annals doth, with Adam, Seth, Enoſh, and ſo on; as if all the Holy Patriarks had ben ſuch Wizards as they profeſſe themſelvs to be. And the truth is, with as good reaſon as any that is by Mr. S. or M. L. with the reſt of them, here alledged, a man might prove that Adam and Salomon had ſkill in Palmeſtrie, and Metopoſcopie, and Geomancie, and Sorcerie, and Auſpicie, and Aruſpicie, and Inchantments, and Necromancie, and Witcherie, and approved all theſe ſuperſtitious and impious vanities, as that they did the like of their divinatorie Aſtrologie. for the Argument wil folow as firmly for any one of thoſe as for this. So that to me it ſeems that theſe men write and reaſon, as if they intended, that none ſhould read or ſcan them, but Salomons ſimpletons; ſuch as wil beleiv every word, Prov. 14.15. admit and take in any thing upon their bare word, without any du proof or further enqirie, any tale whatſoever they ſhall liſt to tel them: they would never elſe ſtuff Sermons and Pamphlets with ſuch frippery traſh as this.

Pag. 18.But if Adam and Salomon were not ſuch VVizards as ours are; yet ſure Thales and Solon, two of the Wiſe men of Greece were. for to what other end ſhould Mr. S. hale them into his Sermon, ſave to juſtifie ſuch ſtudy of, and enqirie into the ſignes of heaven, as through the whole tenor of his diſcours he perſwades to, and pleads for?

As from Diogenes Laertius therefore, he tels us, that Thales was by the Greeks called a Wiſe man, becauſe he was the firſt among them, that found out the ſecrets and myſteries of the heavenly bodies. But, what think we, were thoſe ſecrets and myſteries? for theſe are not Mr. Swans Autors, but his own terms; whereby he would intimate to his hearers, when he preached it, to his readers, when he writ it, that Thales had diſcovered and delivered ſome of thoſe our Wizards hidden myſteries of genitures, and aſpects good and ill, and the like: Whereas all that his Autor reports of him is this, that Thales was the firſt of thoſe ſeven, that were ſtyled the VViſe men of Greece: and afterward, p. 169that he ſeems foreign, to have ben the firſt that diſcourſed of the Stars in Greece, and to have foretold the Eclipſes of the Sun, delivered the ſet time of the Suns courſe and recourſe from tropik to tropik; of which latter and the Eqinoctials, ſome ſay he wrote onelyonly; ſuppoſing other points of that Science not difficult to attain, theſe being rightly underſtood. moreover that Callimachus ſaith of him, that he diſcovered to his countreymen the uſe of the Conſtellation called the leſſer Bear, which the Phenicians, of whom he was deſcended, were wont to obſerve in like manner before: Others that foreign, he was the firſt that diſcourſed with them of Natural Philoſophie; that from the Egyptians he lerned Geometrie, wherein he excelled; that he delt alſo in Aſtronomie, and by help thereof took the magnitude of the Sun. And this is all of the ſecrets and myſteries, as Mr. S. terms them, and as they were indeed to thoſe who were before ignorant of them, and for which he was deſervedly among his Countreymen admired, as was Sulpitius among the Romans. All which I have the rather ſedulouſly ſcraped together out of Laertius his chaos or confuſed heap, to ſhew how litle therein is to Mr. S. his purpoſe; or to infer, what he would have men to deem, or ſuſpect at leaſt, of Thales, to wit, that he was ſuch another as our modern VVizards are. He might with as good probability raiſe and faſten the like aſperſion or ſuſpition of and on our Mr. Brigges and other Mathematicians of the beſt note with us, who in likelihood have gone as far beyond Thales in all theſe, as he is reported to have exceeded Euphorbus in ſome of them; and yet ſo far from approving theſe Fortune-tellers figments, that they even deteſt and abhor them.

From Thales Mr. S. proceeds to Solon. and here, I hope, he wil come neerer home to the mark he aims at. For Plinie, Ibid.ſaith he, reports, that Solon the wiſe Law-maker among the Athenians, did by the Eclipſes of the Sun and Moon foretel the defects and ſubverſions of certain States and Kingdomes in Aſia.

This were ſomewhat to the purpoſe indeed, if it could be made good, to prove that Solon had ſome ſmack of this Divinatory trade; tho not ſufficient to juſtifie the warrantablenes of it. But Mr. S. ſhould have done wel to have informed his Reader, in what place or part of Plinies Natural Hiſtorie, this of Solon is reported. for Plinies Natural Hiſtorie is a vaſt work, p. 170conſiſting of 37. large Books, divided each of them, into a multitude of Chapters. And tho I have taken more pains in ſearching into Plinie, as well where he entreats purpoſely of Eclipſes, as where he hath ought occaſionally of the ſubverſion of the Aſian Empire, then I took in picking up of Laertius his ſcattred ſcraps concerning Thales; yet can I meet with nothing in him concerning theſe predictions of Solon. This teſtimony therefore concerning Solon, is juſtly liable to ſuſpition. and that the rather, not onelyonly becauſe Laertius hath not a word of it, but much more, becauſe Plutarch a more diligent Autor, in the life of Solon written by him at large, reports of him, that he gave himſelf moſt to Ethik, or Moral Philoſophie, and herein to the Politik or Civil part of it especially; but that foreign, in Phyſiks, or Natural Philoſophie, he was very ſimple, and vulgar, or ſelie, rude and raw; for ſo the word foreign is oft uſed, and muſt needs be here, being joyned with foreign, as elswhere with foreign in Plato. This therefore is not likely of Solon, who was ſo meanly ſeen in Phyſiks, whereof Mr. S. from Melanchthon (if he alſo ſo ſay) tels us, this is a part, by the Stars to foretel the mutations of Common-Weals.

Pag. 16.Neither doth this tend, as Mr. S. would ſeem to intimate, to deter or diſſwade men, from enqirie into Gods works; which are moſt worthy to be ſought out, as David truly avows, Pſal. 111.2. But to blame theſe men for preſuming to be of Gods privie councel, further then he hath in his Word by his Spirit revealed it, and for arrogating that to themſelvs, which Mr. S. grants to be Gods peculiar; to frame particular judgments of a neceſſary certainty concerning future contingent events.Pag. 19.

Pag. 16.Mr. S. himſelf acknowledges, that the Divel hath always ben buſie, to ſow his tares among the Wheat, and into the profitable Knowledge of the celeſtial Influences.

And of theſe tares, or weeds rather, (as the word foreign would be rendred, Matth. 13.25. whereof more elswhere; for tares, or fitches are an uſeful grain) do we charge theſe Fortune-tellers predictions to be: ſince that the maintainers of them, being not able to make any good proof of them from the grounds of nature, principles of reaſon, or light of Gods VVord, are enforced with Mr. S. to have recourſe to Revelation, and to p. 171tel us, that by Angels they were revealed at firſt to the Ancients: which ſeeing of good Angels they cannot make good, we have juſt cauſe to deem, with divers of the Ancient Fathers, that they were revealed by the Apoſtatized Angels, if by any; and to be of thoſe Tares, or VVeeds, that ſuch have ſowen among the wheat of the lawful and laudable ſtudy and uſe of the tru and genuine Sideral Science, which is ſurely and demonſtratively grounded upon principles undeniable of nature and ſound reaſon, having no need of Angels good or bad to atteſt what it aſſerts.

But what would Mr. S.Ibid. have to be of theſe Tares of Satans ſowing? forſooth, the doctrine of Characters, and Numbers, and Charms, and Images made under ſuch and ſuch Conſtellations.

And are not the maintainers of theſe and the like ſuperſtitions, able to ſay as much for their devices, as you, or any of your Clients for their devices of malignant Aspects, and unfortunate Houſes, whereof one bears the name of Cacodaemon, (you may Engliſh it the Divel, if you pleaſe) to wit, that their figures, and numbers, and ſpels, and modules, have ſuch a power enſtamped upon them by God, and that ſome good ſprites have revealed ſo much to them, and taught them the right uſe of them? Now tel us, Sir, what you wil return in way of anſwer to them, and ſee if we cannot retort it upon you and yours.

Among other of the Tares of Satans ſowing, he ſaith,Pag. 24. is ſuch obſervation of times, as may bring any diſhonour to God. and here to ward off and avoid that foreign Deut. 18.10. by ſome rendred, an obſerver of times: and to juſtifie Aſtrological obſervations of times, of good and bad dayes, he produces that of Eccleſ. 3.1. There is a time for every thing, and a ſeaſon for every purpoſe under Heaven: which prudentially obſerved, and not ſuperſtitiouſly ſought after, and doted on, may conduce to the benefit of mankind.

Where what he ſaith, is undoubtedly and undeniably tru; according to what the Lyrik ſaith,Pindar. Pyth. 9. foreign ſeaſonable performance is in every thing a principal matter. and that worthy Philoſophical Emperor,M. Anton. l. 12. Sect. 35. Contr. Evnom. 1. foreign that is good onelyonly that is ſeaſonable. and as Nazianzen wel, foreign, Even a good thing is not good, when it comes out of ſeaſon; when it is unſeaſonably done. But neither is that place at p. 172all to that purpoſe. howſoever by divers lerned it be ſo underſtood and applyed. the ſcope of it being, not to adviſe men to do all things ſeaſonably, as may make moſt for their advantage; but to intimate the variety of Gods over-ruling providence; in the various diſpenſations whereof, there ar times, and ſet times with him, tho uncertain to us, for men to come into the world, and to go out of it again, (of which things in what mans power is it, concerning himſelf ſeaſonably to diſpoſe?) ſometime to greiv and mourn, by occaſion of croſſe occurrents, and ſometime to be merry and cheerful in regard of proſperous ſucceſſes. that which other lerned have obſerved to be the genuine ſenſe of the place, whereof I have entreated at large elswhere, and have ſhewed that the words would rather be rendred, For all there is a ſet time, (ſo is foreign uſed, Neh. 10.34. & 13.31. and Eſt. 9.26, 31.) even a time (not, for every purpoſe; for what purpoſe can any man have, at ſuch a time to be born, or at ſuch a time to dye, but as the Greek wel renders it, foreign) for every thing under Heaven. as the word foreign is uſed in the very ſame Chapter, verſ. 17. and in the ſelf ſame book again Chap. 8.6. So that neither doth the Scripture concern that, for which it is alledged; tho the thing it ſelf be undeniable. Nor doth that for which it is produced being granted, concerning the obſervation of times ſeaſonable in general for ſeveral occaſions, proov the lawfulneſſe of obſerving times as luckie or unluckie, out of reſpect had to the Aspects of the Stars, ſuppoſed to be benign or malignant, as theſe Wizards pleaſe to make them. as if one ſhould thus reaſon; Some fiſh at ſome time, becauſe not in ſeaſon, is not wholſome to feed on: ergò ſome times of geniture are unſeaſonable, and it is an unluckie thing to be bred or born in them; as under the Piſces or Fiſhes, and Aqarius or the VVater-bearer, becauſe watery Signs expoſe perſons ſo bred and born to hazard by water.

Pag. 25.To as little purpoſe is that of the Children of Iſſachar, spoken of as men of eminency, in regard that they had underſtanding of the times, to know what Iſrael ought to do, 1 Chron. 12.30.

Whereof the Jewiſh Maſters give two Interpretations, as David Kimchi reports them. Some, that they were men of great ſkil and experience in politik affaires, whoſe advice therefore the King made uſe of, for information in matter of Law and Judgement: p. 173alledging to this purpoſe that of Aſſuerus, who is ſaid Eſt. 1.13. to have ſpoken to the wiſe men that knew the times: and in the next words; for ſo it was the Kings manner towards all that knew Law and Judgment; to wit, to adviſe in all weighty affairs with ſuch, as by reading or obſervation of their own, were wel ſeen in ſuch occurrences. and this way go Tremellius, Junius, Lavater, and moſt Chriſtian Interpreters. Others of them, which may ſeem to come neerer home to Mr. S. expound it, men ſkilful in Intercalations, and fixing the New Moons. for being, ſay theſe, acqainted with the revolutions of the Signes of the Zodiak, or the Planets (for Mazzaloth is uſed by them for either) they were to determine the ſeaſons of the world and the times of the yeer. And this Kimchi the rather enclines unto, becauſe it is ſaid, to know, not what the King, but, what Iſrael ſhould do; tho withal he acknowledgeth, that according to Ezekias appointment, the King was to fix the Intercalations and the ſet ſeaſons. But what was the main end and principal uſe of this their skil, ſaith Kimchi? to let the people of Iſrael know the ſet times of their ſolemnities were they faſts or feaſts. And what is all this to Mr. L. his Clients teaching men to obſerve ſome as luckie, ſome as unluckie days? ſome unluckie Planet may ſeem to have reigned, what time Mr. S. penned this diſcourſe: for his Arguments are al very unluckily framed. Take them in the Enthymem, and they argu a genere indefinito ad ſpeciem definitam. A dog; therefore a hound: A deer; therefore a ſtag. Men eminent for knowledge of times; Ergo of good and evil, luckie and unluckie days and howers. or à specie ad ſpeciem, A luſorie Lot is lawful; therefore a Conſultorie Lot is lawful. or, A diviſorie Lot is warrantable; therefore a Divinatorie, So, There are ſome time… ſeaſonable for ſundry occaſions, and it is a point of prudence to obſerve ſuch opportunities. Ergò there are ſome dayes luckie and ſome unluckie, in regard of the aſpects of the Planets good or bad, and it is no ſmal point of wiſedome to obſerve ſuch And, Some men have ben eminent for their ſkil in fixing aright the ſeaſons of the yeer, and ſet times of ſolemnities; therefore men ought to be had in repute, not and juſtified onelyonly, but magnified, for telling men by the Stars, what wil befal them. as if the one were the ſame in effect with the other; or the one a neceſſary conſeqent of the other. Or frame them into an entire Syllogiſm, either they wil conſiſt all of particulars, p. 174or crowd into the Concluſion more then is in the premiſſes. So that when I conſider the levity and looſneſſe of Mr. Swans Arguments in ſo weighty a buſineſſe, I cannot but call to mind that of Seneca to Lucilius; Supereſt ex heſterno mihi cogitatio, qid ſibi voluerint prudentiſſimi viri, qi rerum maximarum probationes leviſſimas & perplexas fecerunt. He ſaith he wonders what very wiſe men ſhould mean, to bring ſo exceeding light proofes in matters of exceeding great weight.

But that you may perceiv, that Mr. S. himſelf could not but ſee the inconſeqence of his own Arguments; conſider we a litle further, what other Tares there be, that he ſaith the Divel hath ſowen amids the good wheat of lawful and praiſe-worthy Divination.

Pag. 23.1. To obſerv the flying of fowls, and thereby to judge of good or evil ſucceſſe in the wars; but not to obſerve the crying of crowes againſt rain. And why not this as wel as that? Becauſe, ſaith Mr.Pag. 24. S. hereof a reaſon or cauſe may be given; and it is not therefore ſuperſtitious. Obſerve ye not here, how Mr. S. can, when he liſts, deſcry the invalidity of his own inferences? For upon what ground but this do we reject and condemn their Fortune-tellings of diſaſtrous events from Eclipſes and Genitures under ſuch and ſuch malignant Aſpects, as ſuperſtitious, but becauſe no tru cauſe or ſound reaſon can be given of them; and the maintainers of them therefore are forced for the juſtifying of them to flee to revelations?

Pag. 24.2. Inſpection into the entrails of beaſts for the ſame purpoſe, as if God had written the ſecrets of his providence in the livers and bowels of ſuch creatures.

And I deſire Mr. S. to ſhew me, why the Inſpection into the Conjunction and Aſpects of the Stars for the very ſelf-ſame purpoſe, as if God had written the ſecrets of his providence in the Stars, ſhould not be bound up in the ſame bundle of Tares or weeds with that former for the fire: unleſſe its patrones be able to proov, (which they wil never do, tho they ſtrain till their heartſtrings break) that God hath written the ſecrets of his providence in theſe creatures. For as for the obſervation and experience of long times and numberleſſe ages, the Patrones of that practiſe wil prate and crake as loud for their heart-bloud as they.

p. 175Laſtly, to let paſſe the reſt,Pag. 25. that conceit that every day in the week hath a ſeveral Planet to govern it; and to aſsign a ſeveral Planet to every hower, called by the name of Planetarie howers. which in Mr. S. his judgment is no better then follie and ſuperſtition: and in this reſpect therefore to make choiſe of good or bad dayes, or luckie and unluckie howers deſerves to be exploded, and not to be harboured under the harmleſſe ſhelter of Aſtrologie.

But I demand of Mr. S. whence had people theſe frivolous fancies and ſuperſtitious conceits? or from whom did they at firſt ariſe? was it not from the ancient Egyptian Wizards, the Patriarks of our modern Aſtrologers, from whom this their Aſtromancie, or divinatorie Aſtrologie, by idolatrous Pagans, and ſuperſtitious Paynims hath ben handed down to them and others unto this day? For did not they at firſt dedicate the ſeven dayes of the week to the ſeven deified Planets? aſſigning the firſt day of the Week to the Sun; the ſecond to the Moon; the third to Mars, whom the Saxons our Anceſtors, called Teuto, or Twiſco; the fourth to Mercurie, whom they termed Woda, or VVeden; the fifth to Jove, whom they called the Thunderer; the ſixt to Venus, whom they called Frea, whence our Engliſh Frie; (as Verſtegan, if my memory fail not; for its long ſince I ſaw him) the ſeventh to Saturn. Hiſt. l. 37.Of which order obſerved in the aſſignation of them Dio Caſſius of Nice (relating withal, that not long before his time the Egyptians had ſo diſpoſed them) renders a twofold reaſon; and Joſeph Scaliger in his Theſaurus Temporum, or Treaſurie of Times hath exhibited a Scheme of it. And why might not thoſe antiq Wizards as well aſſign the days of the week to the government of the ſeven Planets, as our modern Prognoſtiks the parts of mans body to the regiment of the twelve Signs? framing a very maimed and mangled diſmembration and deartuation rather then diviſion and diſtribution of it into 12. unequal and diſproportionable parts to fit it to the twelve Signes: not unlike the counterfait Prochorus his tearing the Ancient Symbole or breif Summe and Syſtem of the Chriſtian Faith into 12. peices, to aſſign each Apoſtle his ſhot or ſhare to contribute p. 176toward the making up of the whole meſſe; miſtaking, it ſeems, ſymbolum for ſymbola, and ſuppoſing the one to ſignifie a ſupper-ſhot as well as the other. They may have as good ground for ought I ſee, or for ought you here alledge, and as good autoritie from antiqitie, for their Planetarie dayes, yea and Planetarie howers too, as M. Ls. Trithemius hath for his Planetarie Angels, or Mr. L. himſelf for his Horarie qeſtions; or your Aſtromancers in general, for their Planetarie genitures, and thoſe luckie and unluckie howers, wherein perſons are bred and born either to good fortune, or misfortune, or your Prognoſticators, for ſuch good or bad dayes, as in their trivial and trifling Almanaks, they are wont to warn people of.

For, Sir, why is this conceit of the Planetarie days and howers ſuch as is to be exploded? becauſe, ſay you, there is no reaſon for it, ſeeing the Stars were made all on one and the ſame day. And may not we much better ſay, that this conceit of malignant aſpects and miſchievous efficacies, and bad influences into mens ſouls and minds, to encline and enduce them to wantonneſſe and wickedneſſe, is to be exploded, and not to be harboured under the harmleſſe ſhelter of genuine Aſtrologie; becauſe there is no reaſon for it, ſeeing that the Stars were, not onelyonly made all in one day, but were alſo all made alike, not good alone, but very good? Gen. 1.30.

Pag. 22.And here I was about to lay down my pen, had not one paſſage more pulled me by the ſleev; wherein Mr. S. firſt admoniſhes us to purge away the droſſe, and keep the gold, waſh away the filth, and keep the cloth, fan out the chaff, and keep the corn. for, ſaith he, it proceeds either from ignorance, or from an overnice ſcrupuloſity, ſuch as no way ſorts with wiſe and lerned men, promiſcuouſly and without difference or diſtinction to confound lawful and praiſe worthy knowledge with that which is impious and diabolical, and to condemn lawful Arts in the right uſe of them for ſuch corruptios and ſuperſtitions as the Divel ſhuffles into them, wherewith wicked p. 177Knaves have done abomination. for if we confound Arts with the abuſe of them, we ſhal in ſhort time obſcure and burie all kind of good lerning, and drown the world in ignorance; and that is juſt as the Devil would have it, that he may lead men about which way he pleaſeth.

But I would gladly demand a qeſtion or two of Mr. S.

1. Why he hath not folowed this advice himſelf; and why he hath laboured ſo eagerly throwout this whole Sermon, to diſſwade men from diſregarding, and checked them for rejecting and deriding that which the Prophet in the very next words to his Text pronounces to be meer vanity, and ſuch chaffe, droſſe and filth conſeqently as himſelf ſaith, ought to be purged away and caſt out? alſo why he hath not more diſtinctly expreſſed himſelf whether he deem the doctrine of genitures ſuch as hath ben ſhewed, and courſe of profeſſing to tell by the Stars which way mens goods are gone, are of the chaffe and droſſe, or of the ſolid grain and pure oar of that praiſe-worthy Aſtrologie, which in a confuſed generality he ſeems to maintain.

2. What one ſound Argument he hath brought to proov thoſe practiſes which he pleads for, not to be chaff and traſh, and droffe, and dirt, that being reduced to the form of a Syllogiſm, wil not preſently appeer to be a meer Paralogiſm.

3. Who thoſe be, that promiſcuouſly, and without difference or diſtinction, out of ignorance or over-nice ſcrupuloſity confound lawful and praiſe-worthy knowledge with that which is impious and diabolical, and condemn indifferently the one with the other. It is tru indeed that a German Biſhop ſometime in the days of deep darkneſſe by one of the Popes, is reported either out of ignorance or malice to have ben condemned of ſuſpition at leaſt of Hereſie, for the ſtudying of Aſtronomie, and holding a very ſtrange point, and dangerous error, that there were Antipodes, men living on the other ſide of the earth, and ſtanding or walking with their heels againſt ours. But did any of thoſe ancient Philoſophers, Anaxagoras, Eudoxus, Panetius, Archelaus, Caſſander, and others that rejected this Aſtromancie or Fortune-telling Aſtrologie; or do thoſe Chriſtian Writers, that have profeſſedly handled this Argument either in former times, as Abulenſis, Picus and Savanarola; or of later times, p. 178as Sixtus, Pererius, Calvin, Eraſtus, Kepler, Salmaſius; or do any of our own Countreymen, that have delt in the ſame ſubject, the Lord Howard, Fulk, Perkins, Abbots, Chambers, Willet, Gerey, Holmes, Rouland, any of them, whether ignorantly, or out of any overnice ſcrupuloſitie, without difference or diſtinction promiſcuouſly confound and condemn all Aſtronomie or Aſtrologie? or do they not all approov of natural Aſtronomie or Aſtrologie, as an uſeful Science and a laudable ſtudie? condemning onelyonly this Aſtromancie, or that Fortune-telling Aſtrologie, that goes masked under the ſpecious Title of Judicial Aſtrologie, and with us now adayes more preſumptuouſly, of Prophetical Predictions, whereby Mr. Swans Clients, for whom he pleads, and in defence of whom, it appeers that he publiſhed this Sermon, (let him call them what he pleaſe, amd Mr. Calvin indeed in plain terms ſtiles them no otherwiſe then he here doth) do daily cheat and delude people, pick their purſes, and either commit, or make way for many abominable deſignes. And indeed ſo palpable is the diſtinction between the one and the other, that even thoſe blincking and blundering Grammarians Papias and Balbus, that lived in one of the obſcureſt ages, wherein all good literature almoſt was buried in oblivion, yet by that duskie twilight, that thoſe times afforded, were able to diſcry a difference between thoſe two above mentioned: whence that diſtribution in their vocabularia, as they termed them, annexed to their Grammars, Know, ſay they, that Aſtrologie, is partly natural, and partly ſuperſtitious: natural and tru, that handles the courſe of the Sun, Moon, and Stars, and the certain ſtations of the times: ſuperſtitious that which the Mathematicians folow, that divine by the Stars, dispoſing the 12. ſigns according to the ſeveral parts of ſoul or body, and by the courſe of the Stars foretelling mens nativitie, and their manners. which, tho ſomewhat rawly delivered by them, yet ſhewes that they conceived a diſtinction of theſe things; which the lerned in times of cleerer light, did both much more diſtinctly apprehend, and ever evidently expreſſe. As for his imputation of ignorance, he ſings but his own and Mr. Lilies old ſong, ſo oft chanted by them both over and over, again and again, and toward the cloſe of his work in a higher ſtrain and harſher tone then before,Pag. 26. Thus then, ſaith he, I ſee, that as p. 179Dogs bark at them they know not, ſo ſome among men condemn and hate the things they thoroughly underſtand not. which ſatyrical ſnarling cenſure, I eſteem no other then as ſuch another picture of a Dog ſet over the Poſtern, as we before ſpake of, when we met with this Motto in the Frontiſpice before; and ſo let it paſſe, yet preſuming that ſome at leaſt of the before mentioned who have oppoſed and condemned theſe practiſes, had as much skil and knowledge in the deep myſteries thereof as Mr. S. that doth maintain them. And for Scrupuloſities, thoſe that are any whit ſcrupulous concerning them, are like to find litle eaſe of their ſcruples from Mr. S. who is ſo far from giving ſatisfaction therein, that he may rather improov them, by ſuch reaſons as he renders for the condemning and rejecting of ſome other ſuperſtitious conceits, which (as hath ben ſhewed) wil hold as wel in the one as in the other, and conſeqently with eqal ſtrength conclude againſt either.

4. Whether it be not juſt as the Divel would have it, ſo to blend theſe things the one with the other, to induce men to admire and ſwalow down both together? as with the tru worſhip of God, and doctrine of Chriſt, he mingles many ſuperſtitious rites, idolatrous practiſes and erroneous conceits, ſuch as may eat out the very heart of ſound piety, and make the profeſſion of Chriſtianity a meer matter of formality, a ſhel without kernel, a ſhadow without ſubſtance, a title without truth, that under pretence of the one he may draw on the other. Nor are men to be blamed, becauſe they refuſe to receive both promiſcuouſly without diſtinction, as Mr. S. would here have us to do in the Doctrine of Star-Divinitie. Wil he needs enforce us, becauſe we like wel of the wine, to drink up the Dregs too?

For as for his fear of burying all good lerning, and drowning the world in ignorance, by condemning of lawful Arts together with the abuſe of them. (as Saravallius ſometime charged Sixtus of Sene as an enemy to all good Arts, becauſe he averred Aſtrologie to be no Art, but a fallacie, and a deteſtable impoſture) there is no ſuch matter intended, nor fear of danger thence to enſu, by diſcovery of abuſes in Arts and in the practiſe of them, or of Arts and Sciences falſly pretended to be ſuch, when as indeed they are no other then cheating tricks, having no matter of p. 180ſound Art, or Science truly ſo termed in them. far was it from thoſe good Chriſtians their intention to bury, or burn, al good lerning, that made a bonfire (we may well ſo term it) of thoſe their books of ſuch ſuperſtitions at Epheſus, Act. 19.19. And ſo far is it from that which Mr. S. would herein intimate, that the oppoſing and rejecting of theſe fanatical and ſuperſtitious fancies ſhould either ariſe from ignorance, or endanger the bringing in of ignorance, much leſſe drowning the world in it; that ſuch frivolous conceits and ſuperſtitious practiſes have ben never more rife, then in times of ignorance, and when the world was drownd in darkneſſe; whence it is, that ſince the light of Gods ſaving truth and knowledge hath ſhined more cleerly among us then among moſt abroad, and the ſtudy of Arts and Sciences in theſe later times ben improoved and flouriſhed with us, this pretended Art, or cheating Trade rather, hath lien till of late, ſo neglected and diſregarded among us, that Mr. Lilie is enforced pitifully to complain, (would to God we were ſo happy,Preface to Eng. Prophet Merlin. that he might ſtill have cauſe ſo to do) that we Engliſh of all Nations make leaſt uſe of this Art: inſomuch that Mr. Booker, another Atlas to underprop all good literature with us, ready to fall to the ground, unleſſe he bear it up, hath alone almoſt without help, until Mr. L. came in to eaſe him, by his own virtu and abilities (an admirable Scholler) for ſo many yeers maintained the reputation of the Art almoſt utterly decayed. Preface to Worlds Cataſtr.and howſoever it have begun to thrive and ſpread abroad with us, in theſe looſe and licentious dayes, yet it is the ſelie ſort of ignorant and profane people that flock moſt after it, and are Mr. Lilies and his felow practitioners moſt conſtant cuſtomers, and ſuch as could wel be content to have all Religion as well as lerning aboliſhed, whether drownd or burnt, ſo they might be freed from tithes and taxes they cared not with whom Mr. L. therefore labours to ingratiate himſelf, yet would have this Art upheld, and this Trade ſtand ſtill; whereas thoſe that plead for Lerning and Lerned Men, See Mr. Edw. Waterhouſe Apolog. for Lern. & Ler. men.as I perceiv by ſome that have lately taken good pains to that purpoſe, do juſtly and judiciouſly condemn it as pernicious and prejudicial both to Church and State, and wiſh it utterly abandoned.

Mr. Swans advice then of ſevering the droſſe from the gold, p. 181and filth from the cloth, and chaffe from the wheat, (tho he have not folowed it himſelf, as we wiſh he had) yet we readily admit and willingly imbrace, it is no other then what Salomon wils us to do, Prov. 25.4. And if it be demanded how we may here diſtinguiſh the one from the other. Mr. S. himſelf gives us a good rule, negative at leaſt, tho given for no great good end; where, to encite men to dive as far as they can into the depths of this ſtudie, he tels them,Pag. 22.23. It is a thing wel worth the noting, that by the underſtanding the uttermoſt activitie of Natural Agents, we are aſſiſted to know the Divinity of Chriſt; the works he did being thereby underſtood, to be beyond the terms and limits of Natural Power.

It is a good rule, I ſay, in the negative, tho not in the Affirmative. It is not conſeqent, that whatſoever a creature in his utmoſt activitie of natural power is able to do, that he ſhould do. For it is not neceſſary that a creature in working ſhould alwayes put it ſelf out to the utmoſt of his natural power. elſe the Argument would be good, A lazie man doth no more then as if he were aſleep: therefore he can do no more then he does. or, A faithleſſe frend, tho preſent, ſtands a man in no more ſteed, then if he were abſent: therefore he can do no more then he doth. But in the Negative it holds wel, for what the creature in its utmoſt activitie cannot do, that without miracle cannot be done. And this very conſideration furniſhes us with a weapon of ſteel to diſpatch that moſt frivolous and fabulous conceit of a Solar Eclipſes working ſuch diſmal effects ſo long after it is over, as Mr. S.Pag. 22. before informed us. for if it be beyond the uttermoſt activity of the total interception of the Sun-light for divers howrs from us, by any natural power to produce ſome diſmal effect a ſevennight, or fortnight, or a month after, then undoubtedly it is much more above and beyond the uttermoſt activity of the interception of the Sun-light for a far ſhorter ſpace, by its natural power to produce the like diſmal effects, a twelv-month or two after. No wiſe man, I think, wil deny the truth of the Antecedent, and no reaſonable man, I ſuppoſe, wil deny the neceſſity of the Conſeqence. If Mr. S. imagine he may, when he ſhal afford us his reaſon, if it appeer to be ſound, I ſhal begin to make doubt, whether I were in my right wits, or had any reaſon within my brain-pan, when I writ this.

p. 182But concerning what he addeth of helping us in the knowledge of Chriſts Divinitie by his Miracles. It ſhal be a thing worth the noting, as Mr. S. ſpeaks, to conſider, what good ſervice our Aſtromancers have done God and Chriſt, in aſſcribing and entituling their ſtrangeſt and moſt ſtupendious works of wonder to the Stars. Artapanus apud Diodor. Tarſ. Albumaſar apud H. L. Howard.For as ſome Heathen Writers have aſcribed Gods conduct of his people thorough the Red Sea, to Moſes his skil, in obſerving the time of an unuſual low ebbe, and making uſe thereof for his peoples paſſage: and the water that God by miracle gave them from the Rock in the Wilderneſſe, to Moſes his obſervation of an heard of Wild aſſes, Tacitus hiſt. l. 5.that were repairing to a ſpring, by tracing whom he found out a watering place for the refreſhment of himſelf and his people ready otherwiſe in that waſt and wild deſert to have periſhed with drought: and the Jewiſh Maſters all the Miracles that our Lord and Saviour Chriſt wrought here upon earth to the power of the Tetragrammaton:Raymund. pug. ſid. par. 2. c. 8. Sect. 6. whereof they tel us a tale, how by ſtealth having gotten into the Inner Temple, and found it engraven there on a Stone, that he might not forget it again, as ſome other had done, by the hideous barkings of the brazen dogs, that ſtood at the door, he writ it in a peice of parchment, which having cut and raiſed the skin about the calf of his leg; he there encloſed, as did Jupiter Bacchus his Mother Semeles abortive in his thigh; which afterward opening he drew out again, and by vertu thereof did all that ever he did. In like manner do theſe our Wiſe Maſters aſſcribe Chriſts Incarnation, his miraculous Birth, his Offices, what betided him, and was done by him in his life, together with the manner of his death ▪ unto the Conſtellations, the conjunctions of the Stars, and the poſtures of them at the ſuppoſed time of his Nativity. To this purpoſe have they erected a Scheme or Figure of Chriſts Nativitie, whereby they ſay the Wiſe men that came conducted by a Star, might wel have foreknown Chriſts Birth of a Virgin, the manner of his life, and the great alteration that he was to make in matter of Religion. and all this,Albert. nom. Specul. ex Al…umas. as ſome of them indeed ſay, by preſignification onelyonly, as the Stars might foreſhew it; God having written in the Book of Heaven, whatſoever from eternitie he had decreed ſhould be done here on earth. that which one of the Ancients, a man of great p. 183lerning, but mightily addicted to his own groundleſſe fancies had long before him delivered,Origen. tom. in Gen. apud Evſeb. praepar. l. 6. c. 11. and endevored to make good by an Apocryphal Writ, entituled Joſephs Prayer, wherein Jacob ſhould ſay, (which I cite the rather in the Autors words to amend a default in them) not foreign, Legit, but foreign, Legi, foreign, I have read in the Tables of Heaven, whatſoever things ſhall befal you and your children. for the words are ſaid to be ſpoken, not as foreign or foreign, of or concerning, but foreign, of, or by, Jacob, and related by Joſeph, as his ſpeech and in his perſon; as if Jacob by the Stars had ben enformed of all that by the Spirit of Prophecie he foretold his Sons concerning what ſhould befal either them or theirs. But ſuch counterfeit ſtuff muſt be ſet out under ſome ſpecious titles, that they may the better help to vend ſuch braided wares as thoſe are for which they are produced; unto which our Noble Countreyman not undeſervedly applies that of Lactantius concerning ſome qack-ſalvers, tituli habent remedia, pyxides vexena, Instit. l. 3.that their boxes had the names of ſoveraign ſalvs and receipts painted on them, when as there is nothing but traſh and venome or poyſon within them. Yet other of them go a ſtep further, and ſtick not to aſſert, that the Stars by vertu of an innate efficacie in way of effection, Petr. Alliac. in Gen. 30. & de Leg. & Sect. Vid. Sixt. Sen. Bibl. Sacr. l. 6. Annot. 10.Gen 30not of ſignification only produced all theſe things that of our Saviour have ben ſaid. for that all thoſe virtues and benign influences of the Stars wherewith Chriſt in their creation endowed them at firſt, did conspire and concur together to furniſh Chriſt as largely as poſſibly they could at his birth, doing what ſervice they were able then to him, from whom they had received them.

Yea Cardan, a great Autor with Mr. Lilie, (as the L. Howard reports him; for that work of his I have not) albeit they be not certain what yeer, much leſſe at what time of the yeer, or day of the month, and much leſſe yet in what hower of the night his Mother was delivered of him; yet having fixed the time of his birth, to ſuch a yeer, and time of the yeer, and day of the month, and hower of the night he pleaſed, folowing the groundleſſe tradition of his Romiſh Rabbines therein; doth from the Stars, as he conceives them diſpoſed at that inſtant, very ſolemnly and ſeriouſly deliver his judgement p. 184thereupon, not onelyonly that our Saviour was to be born of a Virgin, becauſe the firſt face of Virgo was then aſcending, whoſe proper image is a Virgin nurſing a Child; but that alſo he ſhould be both a Preiſt and a Prophet, becauſe Saturn was then in the ninth Houſe, and in the Sign of Gemini: (whereas yet, ſaith the L. Howard, their great Baſſa Abraham the Jew is of the mind, that whoſoever finds Saturn at his birth ſo conſorted, ſhal never proov a good Chriſtian) and that he was to ſuffer a violent and bloudy death, becauſe Mars was then in the houſe of death. In which both his calculations and obſervations upon them, although that Honorable Perſon control him, as miſtaken in the one, nor folowing the principles of his own Patriarks in the other: yet let them go for currant, be they right or wrong in either: it being nothing to the particular that we are now upon. OnelyOnly thus much, that if theſe grounds be firm and ſolid, we may through Cardanes miſreckoning miſſe of the aſſurance of our Saviour: and whether his reckoning be right or no, we may come to have many Saviors, that is, many ſo peculiarly qalified, as he was, who was alone to be our Savior; ſince that it is ſcarce imaginable but that ſundry ſhould be born in divers places at or about the ſame inſtant in which the Virgin his Mother was delivered of him, and conſeqently under the ſame ſituation of the Stars at his birth.

To this may be added that, whereas there are two univerſal and moſt miraculous deſtructions of the whole World, the one paſt by Water, the other future by Fier; there want not thoſe addicted to this pretended Star-divinitie, that attribute either to the Stars. Gvil. Pariſ. de Univerſ. part. 1. Petr. Alliac. ubi ſup. & in de Theol. & Aſtron. concord. Henr. Machlin. Comment. in Albumaſ. Vid. Sixt. Sen. l. 5. Annot. 81. Ever. Digbie in Theor. analyt.For ſo divers of them more then one or two have affirmed, that Noe might wel have foreknown the floud a long time ere God revealed it unto him, from the conjunctions of thoſe watery conſtellations and ſigns, whoſe concurrence then produced it, and whoſe influences are called the cataracts or floud-gates of Heaven. Gen. 7.11. And with us one ſometime Felow of S. Johns in Cambridge, a man mightily poſſeſſed with theſe myſterious profundities, hath confidently delivered, as treading in their ſteps, that as certain waterie ſigns and conſtellations meeting together brought in that general inundation and oecumenical deluge that drownd the whole world; p. 185ſo a number of fierie ones in like manner conjoyning ſhould after a certain ſtint of time, (which whether it be paſt or no, I know not, having not his book written above threeſcore yeer ago now at hand) produce that univerſal conflagration that ſhall ſet the whole world on a light fire.

Thus contrary to that which Mr. S here tels us, this their ſuppoſed Art, and the received principles of it, are ſo far from confirming Gods moſt ſtrange and remarkable works as miraculous; that they do rather directly infringe and remoove the miraculoſity of them; ſince that nothing is averred to have ben done in them, but what the Stars by vertu of an innate power were able to produce. And if it ſhal be replied, that yet they ſay, that God himſelf enſtamped that virtu in them, and furniſhed them with that power at firſt; yet it will ſtand firm, that thoſe acts, of a Virgin bearing a Child, the drowning of the world at one time, and burning all up at another, are no more miraculous, then the entercourſe of night and day, and the viciſitudinary courſes of the ſeveral ſeaſons of the yeer: the one being produced by an innate power ſetled in and enſtamped by God upon the creature at its firſt creation and conſtitution, as well as the other, and the creature working in a natural courſe, according to theſe mens principles in either.

But to draw to an end of this more prolix diſcourſe then at firſt I intended, while as in a wild gooſe race, I have ben enforced to folow, firſt Mr. Lilie, and then Mr. Swan: I ſhal only tell them what Lucilius an Epigrammatiſt, whom in the Greek Florilege they may find, ſaith of the Aſtrologers of his time that amuſed ſelie people by talking to them of a Ram, and a Dog, and a Bul, and a Bear, and a ramping Lion, and a ſhrewd ſtinging Scorpion, and a wry crawling Crab, and the like ſcare-bugs in the skie, by ſuch diſcourſe having wrought them into an amazement of them and their skil, to cheat and gull them, and pick their purſes, under a pretence of reading them their deſtinies, and foretelling their fortunes, juſt as our Wizards do at this day, foreign. which leaving to Mr. Lilie to Engliſh, either himſelf, being ſo wel acqainted with Thucydides, or elſe with the Aſſiſtance p. 186of Mr. S. or ſome other; I ſhall cloſe up all with the Verdict of that Noble Lord ſo oft formerly mentioned, who (in that work whereof foreign, ſaith, he never ſhewed leſſe lerning then in that diſcourſe, I mervail where he thinks he ſhewed any) ſticks not to averre it as a truth no leſſe cleer then the light it ſelf, that (not Aſtrologie ſimply, but) their Aſtrologie (ſuch Fortune-telling Astrologie as theſe men profeſſe) hath done, and is likely hereafter to do, more miſchief to the Church of God, then all other rotten branches, which not conſcience alone, but very ſhame enforceth them to lop and caſt into the furnace. That which the Lord open the Eyes of thoſe in Autoritie, to ſee, and take notice of, and take to heart, that ſome ſpeedy courſe may be taken for preventing of ſuch miſcheifs, as from ſuch abuſes ſuffred, unleſſe timely prevented, may accrew both to Church and State.