The Magical-Astrological-Diviner Posed and Puzzled, Treatise · Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII.
4. From the teſtimony of Authority.
1. WHether (beſides the Divine) the teſtimony of all humane Authority, hath not agreed wiſely to condemn Magick, and Aſtrologie: and ſo the power of it, juſtly to puniſh Magicians, and Aſtrologers?
2. Whether the Artiſts themſelves are ſo unread, as not to obſerve, that any curſory Reader might (with no great buſineſs) make a voluminous collection of teſtimonies and authorities, profeſly againſt their Arts?
3. How many generall free Councils, and Eccleſiaſticall Synods, have devoutly and ſeverely anathematized, not only thoſe that profeſs or practiſe ſuch kind of arts and ſciences; but all thoſe like-wiſe that conſult with them or give credence to them?
4. How many antient Orthodox Fathers have given their unanimous judgment againſt the judiciary Aſtrologie? And which of them (Greek, or Latine) if ſometimes addicted but to the ſtudy, or curioſity of it, hath not retracted it? Or which of them, that peradventure hath erred, in admitting ſome ſlender part of it; notwithſtanding hath not vehemently inveighed againſt it in the main; and zealouſly maintained the truth, to the utter exploding of the whole errour?
5. How many Sects of Philoſophers (Stoicall, Epicurean, Academicall, Platonicall, Peripateticall) have rejected it; eſpecially in the ſortilegious and ſoothſaying way of it?
6. How many Hiſtorians (of all nations, and ages) have infamouſly branded both their perſons and their practices?
7. How many Poets have been ſmartly ſatyrizing; and facetiouſly deriding both their vice, and vanity?
8. How many School-men, Caſuiſts, and other Chriſtian Writers (Papiſts, and Proteſtants) have ſufficiently refuted, and reproved it?
9. How many wholſome Lawes (of Chriſtians, and Heathens) Imperiall, Eccleſiaſticall, Civill, Municipall, O…conomicall, have been enacted againſt Magicians, Mathematicians, Chaldaeans, Aſtrologers, Diviners, Arioliſts, Necromancers, Sortiaries, Soothſayers, Propheſiers, Predictors, Circulatours, Joculators, or Iugglers? And although it may be in the fate, or fortune of ſome of them, to eſcape the penalty of thoſe Lawes; yet whether it be in all their Art to elude them, as concerning the obnoxiouſneſs of guilt, crime, offence or malefacture?
10. How many Emperours, Kings, Princes, States, Magiſtrates, have decreed to baniſh, or otherwiſe puniſh them in all their kinds, as the very peſt of the Common-wealth?
11. Whether all thoſe arts, and artifices, ought not juſtly to be adjudged as evill, unlawfull, incommodious, pernicious, intolerable; which all kinds and degrees of authority have agreed to reprove, condemn, and puniſh?
12. Why doe not only the Divine, but all humane Authours (eccleſiaſticall and prophane) uſe to ſpeak of divining arts, offices, and operations ſo indiſcriminatly, and promiſcuouſly (yea, although they touch upon them but briefly and occaſionally) Is it not becauſe there is much of the vileneſs and vanity of any one kind, in every kind: and of every kind, in any one kind? And ſo, is it not to refell, or prevent the evaſions of any one kind of Divination, that it ſhould not preſume to ſet up it ſelf in an abſolute diſtinction, and perfect exemption from the ſuperſtitious errours and enormities of all the reſt?
13. Whether their Aegyptian, Arabian, Aethiopian, Chaldean, Jewiſh, or Heatheniſh Authors, have any jot adorned good learning: and not rather conſpurcated and depraved (beſides all other learning) even their own art?
14. How many are the ſpurious Authors of theſe Arts; that have uſurped to themſelves the names and titles of holy men, and of men more famous in their own way; on purpoſe to vend their nugacious fables, and preſtigious impoſtures with more eſteem?
15. How many Magicall books have been devoted to the fire, and burnt, not only by Chriſtians, but Pagans alſo?
16. Of what account are the Mathematicall Maſters among themſelves: when they are either ſwearing upon one anothers words, or elſe prejudicating one anothers opinions? And which of theſe two extremes does moſt diſparage a true Authority?
17. Whether the ſaying, or ſentence (if not hallucination and errour) of any Egyptian, Chaldaean, Arabian, Aethiopian, Syrian, Phoenician, Judean, Perſian, Barbarian, Graecian, Roman, Jewiſh Rabine, or Heatheniſh Philoſopher (for ſuch they account of as their Authors) be authentique, or of ſufficient authority, to be received, and cited as an univerſall, well known, and undeniable principle?
18. How many ridiculous Fables, abſurd Paradoxes, ſleight contradictions, fanatick opinions, and deteſtable hereſies, have been temerariouſly broached and pertinaciouſly maintained by Aſtro-magicall Authors, old and new?
19. Whether it be the vain pride, and arrogance of the Author; or the naturall defect, and obliquity of the Art; that (among Magicians and Aſtrologians) ſcarce ever ſtept forth, or crept up a Writer, or yet a Tranſlator, but held it to be his part, to refell, and reject ſome former; and to broach, and boaſt ſome new fancie, or opinion of his own?
20. Whether Magicall and Aſtrologicall Authors need any more confuting and confounding, than is to be obſerved among themſelves, by him that hath their books by him, and time to read and compare them each with other?