Vindication of His Annotations, Title page – Table of contents
Thomas Gataker B. D. HIS VINDICATION OF THE ANNOTATIONS by him publiſhed Upon theſe words,
Thus ſaith the Lord, Learn not the way of the Heathen, and be not diſmayed at the ſignes of heaven, for the Heathen are diſmayed at them.
Jer. 10.2.
AGAINST The Scurrilous Aſperſions of that grand Impoſter Mr. William Lillie; AS ALSO Againſt the various Expoſitions of two of his Advocates, Mr. John Swan, and another by him cited, but not named:
Together with the Annotations themſelvs.
Wherein the pretended Grounds of Judiciary Aſtrologie, and the Scripture-Proofes produced for it, are diſcuſſed and refuted.
Eſay 47.12, 13.
Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy ſorceries, wherein thou haſt laboured from thy youth, if ſo be thou ſhalt be able to profit, if ſo be thou mayeſt prevail. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counſels; let now the Aſtrologers, the Stargazers, the monethly Prognoſticators ſtand up, and ſave thee from theſe things that ſhall come upon thee.
Imprimatur, Edm. Calamy. April 12. 1653.
London, Printed by J. L. for Richard Thrayle at the Croſſe-Keyes at Pauls gate entring into Cheapſide, 1653.
Some few material Eſcapes may thus be amended.
PAg. 7. lin. 31. do not without. pag. 13. l. 21. as much. p. 16. l. 39. ſuch as are. p. 25. marg. Adag. 2460. p. 43. l. 6. of the Ancients. p. 56. l. 32. Joſh. 6. p. 60. l. 10. of that breed. p. 84. l. 3. reſerved. p. 95. l. 15. Analyſis p. 101. l. 16. and be. p. 104. l. 32. have gained. p. 113. l. 12. particle. p. 123. l. 17. Eſay 44.25. p. 128. l. 37. and its. l. 38. in the. l. 39. right p. 159. l. 16. Joel 2.10. p. 161. l. 17. Cocceius. p. 143. l. 30. that, fight of p. 163. l. 15. witneſſes. p. 173. l. 35. and not.
The principal Contents of this whole Diſcours; In the former Part.
THe Occaſion of undertaking this Task.
Page 1
Lilies ſcurrilous asperſions of the Annotations on Jerem, 10.2. and the Autor of them,
p. 2
Anſwer brief to all his asperſions in general, and ſome of them in particular,
p. 3
Of ignorance charged on all that oppoſe him and his profeſſion, p. 4. and further,
p. 82—86
Of Presbyterie and Independencie, how far they concur, and where they part,
p. 5
That thoſe of either ſide, and others of neither, have unanimouſly agreed, as well in ancient times, as in latter dayes, in oppoſing and condemning his profeſſion,
p. 6.7.87.
The Presbyterie cleared from imputation of ſedition,
p. 8.9.21.
Lilies ſpite not ſo much againſt the Presbyterie, as againſt the Miniſterie in general,
p. 10.11, 19.21, 22
His cunning predictions of things done, or in doing, p. 12. and compliance with the times,
p. 13.14, 58
Calvine, (tho not alone) groſly abuſed, and falſly charged, by him and others,
p. 14.15, 16, 17
The Genevian Diſcipline, by a Popiſh writer of Note highly commended,
p. 17.18
Calvines judgement of Divinatorie Aſtrologie,
p. 18
The grounds of the late Warre by Lilie pretended, diſcuſſed and refuted,
p. 19.20
Lilies contradictions in his judgements,
p. 22.23
His pretended grief for ſome pious Prieſts unmasked,
p. 24.25. & p. 74.75
His reqirie to be heard, and tried according to his own principles examined,
p. 26.27
His cenſures of ſtupiditie, non-ſenſe, dotage, croſſing all antiqitie, reaſon, and genuine ſenſe of the Text, in the Annotations and their Autor, diſcuſſed▪
p. 28.29.32.33
Envie charged by him unjuſtly on the oppugners of his profeſſion,
p. 30.31
Lilies predictions in ſome particulars concerning the laſt Solar Eclipſe, controlled,
p. 33—41
His conſent with, and diſſent from, an other of his profeſſion, with the grounds thereof debated,
p 35—37
Reaſons, why Eclipſes cannot portend or produce ſuch things as theſe men aſcribe unto them,
p. 41—43
Ignorance and error the main cauſes that make Eclipſes ſo dreadful,
p. 44-52
The true reaſon of them diſcovered hath freed people from fear,
p. 45.46, 47.51.
Which the Egyptian Aſtrologers therefore would not have imparted to the people,
p. 48
Two groſs errors among the common ſort of people concerning Eclipſes,
p. 52—54
Eclipſes no prodigies,
p. 52.53
How they ſhould preſage, as Lilie ſaith, much good to any, being deemed ſo diſmal,
p. 54—59.71
Lilies Pictures, with his explications and applications of them, contrary to himſelf, and his own Autors, examined,
p, 59—64
His inabilitie to conſtrue aright his own Autors,
p. 62
His various and ſelf-contradicting aſſertions concerning the efficacy of Eclipſes,
p. 65
Peucers impious aſſertion concerning the efficacie of Stars in ſome genitures,
P. 66—68
Lilies Argument from the Rainbow refuted,
p. 68—70
Lilie preſſed to make good his Aſſertions concerning the Original of his pretended Art,
p. 70.71.91 92
His pretended experience debated and refuted,
p. 71—82
Whether more dangerous for Stateſmen to adviſe with Gods Miniſters, or with Wizards,
p. 88.89
Lilies manner of refuting ſuch as write against him, and his pretended Art,
p. 89—91
Reaſons rendred of the later. yet not unſeaſonable, appearance of this piece in publike.
p. 92.93.
The Contents in the latter Part.
THe occaſion of dealing with Maſter Swans Sermon on Jerem. 10.2.
p. 94
Lilies charge of Ignorance upon his opponents by Mr. Swan renewed, p. 94. and ſatyrically purſued,
p. 115.147.178.179
Mr. Swan granteth the Text to ſpeak, not of Idolatrie, but of Aſtrologie, ſuch as the Chaldeans profeſſed and practiſed, p. 95.96. as alſo that the one oft leadeth people to the other,
p. 96
Ke…ers judgement herein, and of that whole practiſe,
p. 97.98
The reaſons rendred by Lilies two Advocates, why the dreading of the ſigns of Heaven is forbidden, diſcuſſed and rejected,
p. 100—110
Fatality and certainty in their Pred…ctions maintained by our Prognosticators; yet condemned by both their Advocates as preſumptuous and magicall,
p. 103—109
Aſtrologie, according to Mr. Swan, the Stars language,
p. 104.127
Our Aſtromancers pronounce one another palpable liers; which how it may well be deemed tru of them all,
p. 109.—111
The right Reaſon of the inhibition of dreading the Signs of Heaven, rendred from the Text, to wit, the Vanitie of the Wizards dictates concerning them,
p. 111—115
The Poets ſayings concerning them by M. Swan produced, ſifted and ſhewed to be contradictory either to other, and unſound.
p. 115—118
The Stars ſet to rule perſons and people, not by God, but by arrogant men,
p. 115.116
Signs in the Text what, and how ſaid to be Vanitie,
p. 118.122—124
That it is not of the eſſence of a Sign to portend ought,
p. 119—122
Chriſts Words Matth. 12.39.40. diſcuſſed and cleared,
p. 121
M. Swans argument from experience examined, and rejected,
p. 124—126
His Argument from Gen. 1.14. diſcuſſed and refuted,
p. 126.127, 128.131
His Argument from Pſal. 19.1.3. to back the former, of no force,
p. 127.130
His undeniable Axiome granted, concludes nothing for him,
p. 130.131
His frivolous diſtinction, to meet with an objection; and ſlight anſwer to as frivolous an Objection of his own framing,
p. 131.132
Pſal 50.4. Inconſiderately and impertinently produced by him,
p. 132.133.
Judg. 5.20. To as little purpoſe alledged,
p. 133—135
His long and lacinious diſcours of the means whereby the Planet Mars hath power to ſubvert States unravelled, p. 135—140. and ſhewed to be groundleſſe, p. 136. impious, p. 136.137. Inſufficient to his intended Project, p. 138.139, 140. impertinent to his preſent purpoſe,
p. 140.141
The Cogniſance of Queſtions, what it is; and being a new invention, and one of our Wizards their gainfulleſt engins, that it hath much need of good props,
p. 141—143
The judgement of Genitures how ridiculous; and whether M. Swans Principles will reach it,
p. 144.145
Pericles defended against M. Swans harſh and groundleſſe cenſure; and Thucydides cleared from Lilies miſreports,
p. 147—155
Job. 38.31, 32. by M. Swan alledged, diſcuſſed, and ſhewed not to ſay, what he ſhould proov,
p. 106. and p. 156—158
Job 9.7. Cited to as little purpoſe, p. 158—160 making no more for Aſtromancie, then Job. 37.7. for Chiromancie, or Revel. 2.17. for the Philoſophers Stone,
p. 160.161.
Luk. 21.25. Explained and ſhewed to have no place here
p. 161.162
Pſal. 111.2. and 1 King. 4.11. to no purpoſe here produced,
p. 162.170
Wiſdom. 7.17. Apocryphal, of no weight, becauſe of no credit; nor coming home to the point in qeſtion.
p. 162—166
Of Adams knowledge, and Salomons,
p. 166—168
Of Thales, p. 168 169. Of Solon,
p. 169.170.
Of Tares or Weeds rather, ſowen among the Wheat, and how to be diſtinguiſhed,
p. 170.171.174—176
Of Eccleſ. 3.1. the genuine ſenſe of the place; that it no way helps thoſe for whom M. Swan pleadeth,
p. 171 172
Of the men of Iſsakers skil, 1. Chr. 12.30. to this purpoſe as litle,
p. 172.173
Of ſevering the droſſe from the gold, and chaff from the Corn,
p. 176 177.180.181
The condemners of this Divinatory Aſtrologie not guilty of confounding and caſting away the one with the other,
p. 177.178
The Patrones of it rather blend them, and would obtrude on us, the droſſe with the gold, and the dregs with the liqor.
p. 179
The vanity of M. Swans pretenſe, that the diſcovery and oppoſition of ſuch fanatical fancies and cheating practices, ſhould either proceed from ignorance, or indanger the inducing of it,
p. 179.180
The Rule given by M. Swan, whereby to help us in diſcerning Chriſts Godhead by his Miracles, cutteth the throat of his Clients cauſe concerning the ſtupendious efficacy of Eclipſes,
p. 181
What diſſervice our Aſtrologers have done to God and Christ, by attributing the moſt miraculous works of either to the natural Operation of Stars and Conſtellations,
p. 182—185
The cloſe of all with the L. Howards judgement, concerning the miſchievouſneſſe of this Fortune-telling Aſtrologie,
p. 186
The Contents in the Annotations.
AStronomie and Judiciarie Aſtrologie diſtinguiſhed,
p. 187
That for the Original of this latter, its Patrons and Practicers, wanting ground from the light of Nature, or natural reaſon, are fain to fly as the Papiſts for their Purgatorie, to ſpecial revelation, ſome from good Angels, ſome from God himſelf, both without any ſound proof of either,
p. 188.189
That they do falſly and impiouſly faſten upon the Stars ſuch vile affections and malignant faculties as God never gave them,
p. 188
That the Names given them, to import ſuch qalifications, taken from Heatheniſh Deities, in which the Devil was worſhipped, leadeth us to take notice of the firſt Autor of it,
p. 189
That if it had ben revealed by God or his Angels to any, it would have ben to his Prophets, who would in their writings have mentioned it, and not tranſmitted it by Paynims to poſterity,
p. 190
That it hath ben ever in the Chriſtian Church liable to cenſure,
p. 190
That it is in Gods Word derided, diſſwaded, inhibited as a courſe impious, vain and frivolous; unbeſeeming Gods people,
p. 190.192
Signs of two ſorts; which to be dreaded, which not,
p. 191