The Magical-Astrological-Diviner Posed and Puzzled, Treatise · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
13. From the contrariety of opinions.
IF that be not worthy to be called a Science, which conſiſts only in opinion; what then ſhall we call that, which is nothing elſe almoſt but a contrariety of opinions? A contrariety about the grounds of the art; about the operation upon thoſe grounds; and about the effects of thoſe operations. Such a contrariety as is irreconcilable: the Opinors, or Opinioniſts (old, and new) each of them contending to plant his own, and ſupplant the others opinions. And ſuch a variety of contrarieties; that (were all their Authors at hand) it might be inquired, if a glancing eye might not ſoon obſerve, and a running hand tranſcribe (about every point and particular of their art almoſt) ten, for one of theſe that are here ſet down?
1. About the nature and office of the Gods, Spirits, Angels, Demons, and Heroes. 2. About the principles of good and evill. 3. About the originall, and defect of oracles. 4. About the firſt Author and inventors of Magick and Aſtrologie. 5. About the cauſes in vaticinating good, and bad. 6. About the figure and durance of the world. 7. About the principles of all things; eſpecially of the celeſtiall bodies. 8. About the number, and ſite of the celeſtiall orbes. 9. About the ſolidity of the celeſtiall orbes. 10. About the order of the orbs, or ſphears. 11. About the motions of the eighth ſphear. 12. About the revolution of the ninth ſphear. 13. About the magnitude of the Stars. 14. About their number. 15. About their form. 16 About their order. 17. About their light. 18. About their diſtance, both one from another, and from the earth. 19. About their ſcintillation, or their trepidation. 20. About their fixation, and volitation. 21. About the motion of the fixed Stars. 22. About the variation of the latitude of the fixed Stars. 23. About the antick, and poſtick; the right hand, and left hand of Stars. 24 About the time, or ſpace of the Stars fulfilling their degrees or courſes. 25. About the names, numbers and order of the Planets. 26. About the magnitude, and diſtance of the planets. 27. About the influences of the Planets. 28. About the prime generation, and ultimate reſolution of thoſe influences. 29. About the benevolence, and malevolence of Planets; generall, and particular; corporall, and mentall. 30. About the proper Houſes of the Planets, and their efficacities there. 31. About the fabrefaction of the twelve Houſes. 32. About the Suns being the center of the viſible world. 33. About the latitude of the Moon. 34. About the Semidameters of the Sun, Moon, and ſhadow of the earth. 35. About the proportion and magnitude of the three great bodies, the Sun, the Moon, and the Earth. 36. About the tearms, limits, bounds, or ends of the Planets. 37. About the new Stars. 38. About Comets, their nature, ſubſtance, ſite, figure, portent. 39. About the appellations, and the operations of the twelve Signs. 40. About the aſſigning of the ſeverall parts of the body, to ſeverall Planets, and Signs. 41. About the ſubjecting of ſuch and ſuch Cities, and Countries, to ſuch and ſuch Stars, and Planets, and parts of the Zodiack. 42. About the viſible, and inviſible Sun, and Moon. 43. About the motion, and quieſcency of the Earth. 44. About the Earths being a meer Star, one of the Planets, and having her annuall motion round about the Sun. 45. About the propriety, and inconſtancy of the Moons light. 46. About the more powerfull acting of the Stars, whether from their light or motion. 47. About the Galaxia, or milkie way. 48. About the number of the zones; the torrid, the frigid; and their habitableneſs. 49. About the elevation of the Pole, and its inveſtigation. 50. About the Meridian, the conſtitution, elevation, and the difference thereof, from divers Cities, and places. 51. About the circumference of the ſenſible Horizon. 52. About the computation of times. 53. About the Kalendar, and its reformation, or correction. 54. About the beginning, and end of the year. 55. About the Solar year, and the quantity thereof. 56. About the beginning of the naturall day. 57. About the equation of civill dayes. 58. About the election of dayes to ſuch and ſuch actions. 59. About the planetary hours, and the diviſions of them. 60. About the inherency, and efficiency of the firſt qualities; heat, cold, drought, and moyſture. 61. About the effectualneſs of Symmetricall, and harmonicall proportions. 62. About the way of conſtituting the figures of Heaven. 63. About the erecting, and the correcting of theams, and ſcheams. 64. About the beſt and trueſt way of calculating. 65. About the Aſtrologicall Tables 66. About inequalities. 67. About elections. 68. About rectifications. 69 About the number of aſpects. 70. About the Lord of the geniture, and his election. 71. About the making choice of ſignificators. 72. About the deducing of the ſpace of life. 73. About judging of the morall diſpoſition of the mind. 74. About judging of the configuration, or ſtature of the body. 75. About the way of judging upon fortune and riches. 76. About the reſerving their yearly judgement, to the true, or apparent, riſing, or ſetting of the Stars. 77. About the ſearching out the Genius of a man by the Stars. 78. About matters to be more, or leſſe regarded, and eſteemed in aſtrological judgement. 79. About the reading of the Stars, by hieroglyphicks, characters, letters, ſyllables, words, ſentences, aſpects, conjunctions, conſtellations, oppoſitions, configurations, reſemblances, &c. 80. About the portents of prodigies, celeſtiall, or terreſtriall. 81. About the vertue and power of contract, ſight, ſound, voice, breath, numbers, characters, rings, ſeals, images, &c. 82. About the force of imagination. 83. About the cauſes (much more the interpretation) of dreams. 84. About the uſe, and ver…ue of lots. 85. About the authentiqueneſs of their own authors (old and new) out of whom might be collected many a century of contrary and contradictory opinions.
Now, ſince they themſelves are not agreed upon the grounds, and means of their art: why ſhould they expect that we ſhould conſent to ſuch effects and iſſues of it, as they pretend? Is it not juſt and meet, that they ſhould firſt reconcile one another to truth; ere they require our faith? who will believe a certain, or probable prognoſtication, or prediction; by ſuch means, and wayes, as they themſelves believe not: but contradict and impugn, not only as uncertain and improbable; but as vain, and falſe? While ſome of them are ſo modeſt as to plead only for a probability; what is this, but to confeſſe, that this art or ſcience, is nothing elſe but an opinion or conjecture? But while there are ſuch varieties, diverſities, contrarieties, and contradictions of opinions; what does this prove, but that all their conjecturings and opinings, are but opinions, againſt opinions; or but opinions, upon opinions; or elſe nothing at all?