The Magical-Astrological-Diviner Posed and Puzzled, To the reader – Table of contents
To the Readers, Intelligent and Orthodox.
HAving neither had the hap, to ſee two Magicall, or Aſtrologicall writers (old, or new) worthy to be called Authours; ſave only in ſome few fragments of theirs: nor yet the happineſs, to peruſe twice two juſt Treatiſes, of all that have been written againſt them; except only of ſome certain Godly and learned men, that have occaſionally and diſperſedly toucht upon them in brief, and as it were by the way. In regard hereof, I could neither plenarily confute them from themſelves (which otherwiſe might have been done with no great difficulty) nor yet ſufficiently argue againſt them from others; a thing of much facility. Now ſeeing their Sun hath been ſhrouded from me, or but appeared to me only in ſome kind of twilight; I have ventured to light my leſſer candle; by which I have waded through much of their black darkneſs: and not only ſo, but have been bold to ſet it up in a candleſtick; that others alſo may thereby take a view either of my progreſs, or my ſlips and faylings therein. In which, as I refer my ſelf to their judgment, ſo I implore their charity. Firſt, neither theſe kind of men, nor any elſe, ought to ſtumble at the new coynd name I have here prefixt; ſince the thing it ſelf is ſo old; For who hath read the Fathers, the Philoſophers, the Hiſtorians, the Poets, or but ſome of the Magicians, and Aſtrologers themſelves, but muſt obſerve and acknowledge Magick and Aſtrologie to be ſpoken of promiſcuouſly; and commonly joyned together in their operation; eſpecially in the practice of Divination? As for the way of poſing (queſtioning, interrogating, or examining) I dare be bold to propoſe it, as the moſt antient, juſt, ſound, direct, earneſt; yea moderate, innocent, conſcientious, and charitable way of arguing againſt them. The moſt antient; becauſe uſed ſo frequently by the primitive Fathers, and old Philoſophers. The moſt juſt; becauſe all arts and ſciences being founded upon reaſon, and ſubject to it, are obliged to render a reaſon a proper and ſufficient reaſon▪ of all that is delivered in them. The moſt ſound; becauſe a queſtion (a direct and pertinent queſtion) implys a forcible objection, and is a ſtrong argument againſt a thing, untill it be clearly and fully anſwered and reſolved. The moſt direct; becauſe it flouriſhes not about in a wild circuit of words, but comes cloſe home to the matter in hand. The moſt earneſt; becauſe an interrogation (in matters neceſſary, or contingent) either aff…irms, or denys with greater vehemence. The moſt moderate; becauſe it only ſeeks ſatisfaction, without any peremptory either affirmation, or negation. The moſt innocent; becauſe ſo a man may ſearch even into the worſt arts, and inventions, for an information of the underſtanding; without any contamination of the affections. The moſt conſcientious; becauſe the ſcruple is not at every fond error and opinion; but ſuch only as tend mainly to oppugn ſound doctrine, and good manners. And (laſtly) the moſt charitable; becauſe the perſon is ſpared, and the thing only is examined. But to tell you the cauſes either inviting, or rather provoking me to this undertaking; They were not (if you will take the word of a Chriſtian man, and a Miniſter) an itching humour of curioſity, to dive into a dark myſtery of error and impiety, ſo diſtant to my ſacred profeſſion: Nor that I took the leaſt pleaſure to divert my ſtudy from that of heavenly Divinity, to that of helliſh Divination: Nor that I therefore intended to excuſe my ſelf in the leaſt intermiſſion of my more neceſſary imployment in my ordinary calling: Nor that my Genius did naturally prompt me hereunto: Nor that I had many helps of others labours by me, for my readier furniſhing, and more incouragement: Nor that I thought my ſelf more able, or apt for the purpoſe; than many others: Much leſſ that I had any ambition to fight with beaſts after the manner of men; or to provoke the hornets; or delight to play with the waſpes; or to rave into the mudd. Only and indeed, I conceived my ſelf called to ſtand up, and ſpeak for God, for Chriſt, for the Holy Ghoſt; for the word, the Church, the Saints; againſt ſuch a preſs, and peſt of Magicall, Mag-aſtrologicall, Mago-manticall, Magephemeriall, Mag-philoſophicall, Mago-phyſicall, Mago-chymicall, Mago-mercuriall, Mag-hereticall, Mago ſchiſmaticall, Mag-hypocriticall, Mago-ſcripticall, Mag-atheiſticall, Mago-comicall, Mago-jeſuiticall, Mago-romanticall, Mago-quixaticall, Mago-ſacerdotall, Mago-politicall, Mago fanaticall, and Mago-diabolicall-Books: of late crept, nay crowded in amongſt us (ſome in their pampheletizing edition, ſome in their voluminous tranſlation) to the great diſhonouring of God, denying of Chriſt, deſpiting of the Spirit, cauponizing of the word, diſturbing of the Church, ſubverting of religion, diſtracting of the ſtate, ſcandalling of weak Chriſtians, and ſeducing of the common people. Yea to the promotion of Idolatry, ſuperſtition, hereſy, ſchiſm, ſedition, atheiſm, hypocriſy, profaneneſs: and to the ſuppreſſion of truth, faith, love, goodneſs, peace, order, liberty, conſcience, prudence, reaſon, and ſenſe it ſelf. It were eaſy to note more than a tack of Magick, in all I have named: but my peculiar task is againſt arrant Magick it ſelf. And therefore let me ſay unto you, whats there to be obſerved, and feared: yea although you look no further into them, than I have done. That is to ſay, what elſe? but exotick terms, barbarous words, rude characters, monſtrous figures, chymericall figments, Platonicall Ideaes, Cabbaliſticall fancies, Rabbinicall traditions, Philoſophicall dreams, paganiſh ſuperſtitions, phreneticall enthuſiaſms, empty ſpeculations, curious inquiſitions, obſcure nugacities, difficult follys, poor ſuppoſitions, fantaſtick imaginations, no demonſtration, weak proofs, frivolous evaſions, ridiculous fallacies, various opinions, mutuall oppoſitions, ſellf-contradictions, convicted confeſſions, depraved adulterations, ſacrilegious detorſions, hyperbolicall ratiocinations, ambiguous equivocations, affected decurtations, ſophiſticated expreſſions, paradoxall aſſertions, profane aſſeverations, peremptory pronunciations, execrable blaſphemies, abhominable impieties, deteſtable hereſies, vain obſervations, ſuperſtitious ominations, conſcious cautions, impure preparations, ſiniſter directions, idolatrous configurations, diabolicall invocations, adjurations, imprecations, adorations, immolations, prodigious erections, preſtigious deluſions, ſorcerous incantations, and maleficall operations. And now mark what is hence to be feared, or ſuſpected: what? but as followeth, viz. A turning of eternall predeſtination into fatall deſtiny; and the election of grace into ſydereall elections; and the divine covenant into a diabolicall compact; and all Divinity, into Divinations; and ſpirituall infuſion, into celeſtiall influence; and promiſes, into promiſors; and prophecies, into prognoſtications; and divine miracles, into natures miracles; and the oracles of God, into Apollo's oracles; and Ghoſpell predication, into goeticall prediction; and devout contemplation, into profane ſpeculation; and true religion, into idolatrous ſuperſtition; and religious obſervance, into vain obſervations; and lively faith, into dull credulity; and liberty both of conſcience, and will, into ſlavery, both to the creature, and to the Devill; and prudent counſels, into preſaging conſultations; and warrantable enterprizes, into tempting attempts; and contentedneſs in every condition, to contention on all ſides; and comfortable hopes, into ſecure preſumptions; and awfull fears, into diſaſtrous diſpairs. All this (if we look well about us) we have good cauſe to fear: not only from their arts, or Almanacks; but eſpecially from their acts, and emiſsaries; ſpreading through City, and Country to prognoſticate of variety in religions, preſage change of States, tell private perſons their fortunes, cure by words or charms, and deſcry things loſt or ſtoln. Thus I plainly and ſadly tell you, what you may fear. But now I tell them broadly and boldly, that I (having faith in a gracious covenant, and depending upon divine providence) fear them not at all. Not their genethliacall calculations, not their aſtrall prognoſtications, not their magicall operations; namely not their imprecations, conjurations, incantations, venefices, malefices, &c. and their envy, and calumny as little. And from both theſe, that old rotten objection of theirs, repeated even unto nauſeouſneſs (of all others ignorance in their art, or artifice) whereby they uſe proudly and vainly to wave and ſlight all that can be ſaid either to examin, or oppoſe them. How eaſy is it to object ignorance in a thing, not only which themſelves know not: but they know is not; and is not to be known? Methinks, they ſhould be more modeſt in upbraiding others ignorance: unleſs they were more able to demonſtrate their own ſcience. For my part, I reckon it thus; To be unknowing in a Deluſive art, or preſtigious artifice, is not culpable ignorance, but innocent ſimplicity. Becauſe neither God, nor nature bind to know: nay more, not ſo much as admit to know; and not only ſo, but forbid it. But (by their leaves) there may be a ſufficient knowledge of the truth, and integrity of an art, or a thing: although a man be not ſo preciſely and pedantically verſed in the obliquity, and vanity thereof. Learned and Godly men, though they be not altogether acquainted with the maleficall formalities and ceremonies of witch-crafts: yet can they diſcern of ſuch, better than the moſt expert can doe of themſelves. A prudent Magiſtrate knows well enough how to judge of a jugling gypſie, or preſtigious impoſtors: albeit he cannot tell how to cant with him exactly in his own foyſting gibboriſh. But I return to you, Judicious Readers; and what I preſent you, I ſubmit unto you: judge both of me, and of the Judiciary Aſtrologers. And fear not the ſigns of heaven, as heathens: but as Chriſtians, fear God, believe in his Son, and apply to his Spirit: and ſo, magre all their fatall, or fortuitous previſions, or predictions, Fare ye well.
Yours, JOHN GAULE.
To the ſober and skilfull Aſtronomers.
Learned Gentlemen,
YOu may be pleaſed to take notice all along this Diſquiſition, how that I had alwaies an eye to ſome wary moderation in diſtinguiſhing betwixt you, and Aſtrologers: who are no more able to diſtinguiſh themſelves really from Magicians; than Magicians can from Sorcerors. I doe verily believe, this name of Mag-aſtro-mancer cannot diſguſt you; becauſe it hath no intent to inure upon you, whoſe Aſtrall conſideration is ſo pure and moderate, as that it abhors to enter upon any thing that is Magicall; or to end with any thing that is Manticall. As for thoſe other, you are not ignorant what Authors (antient, and modern; ours, and their own) have recorded, and confeſſed that Magick and Aſtrologie are ſo mingled, or confounded together, as that they cannot be conſiſting, no nor operating one without another. It is not undiſcerned by you, how frivolouſly and fruitleſly ſome of them have gone about to diſcern Aſtrologie, from Magick; and both from Sorcery: nay how impiouſly and blaſphemouſly ſome have ſought to reconcile the Divinations of them all to Divinity. But let the Divines alone to commonſtrate the impoſſibility of communion with (their old enemies) the Diviners. As for your part, in the name of truth, doe both your ſelves, and your ſcience that right, as to pluck off your feathers from thoſe ominating Night-birds. Why ſhould they borrow, or rather purloign your principles, Hypotheſes, notions, terms: that altogether neglect, or exceed your ends? When the Apoſtle gives the caveat againſt the ſpoyling Philoſophie; what other means he, but the Mercenary, the ſacrilegious, the curious, the fallacious, the preſtigious, the ſuperſtitious, the contentious, the oraculous? I am perſwaded better things of your Philoſophie: That it praetends not to Divination; but contents it ſelf to attend on Divinity. And then, let the Hand-maid (on Gods name) be ſtill entertained, yea and reſpected in her place, ſince ſhe ſo wel knows her diſtance, and ſo modeſtly keeps her bounds, as ſhe is bound to doe. Believe me, I love and honour Nature, that is not adverſe to Grace; and Reaſon, that is not oppoſite to Faith; and Art, that is not contrary to the gift: and the ſtudious ſpeculation of all theſe, ſo farr forth as it may be conducing to devout contemplation. Wherefore, as I meaſure you by your Science, I pray you meaſure me by my Conſcience: and accordingly (for I muſt not paſs much upon the others account) conceive me to be
Yours John Gaule.
Πῦς-μαντία. THE MAG-ASTRO-MANCER, OR THE Magicall-Aſtrologicall-Diviner Poſed, and Puzzled.
Chap. 1. FRom the ſpirit of the Scriptures.
2. From the truth of Faith.
3. From the temptings of curioſity.
4. From the teſtimony of Authority.
5. From the vanity of Science.
6. From the obſcurity of Originall.
7. From the Law of Nature.
8. From the order of cauſes.
9. From the ſtrength of Reaſon.
10. From the preſtigiouſneſs of experiment.
11. From the pooreneſs of Suppoſition.
12. From the conſciouſneſs of Caveats.
13. From the contrariety of Opinions.
14. From the abſurdity of Errours.
15. From the abhomination of Hereſies.
16. From the curſedneſs of Conſequents.
17. From the propenſion to manners.
18. From the Fatuity of Fate.
19. From the affinity to Witchoraft.
20. From the ominating of vain obſervation.
21. From the ſingularity of Prophecy.
22. From the variety of Miracles.
23. From the fables of Mirables.
24. From the ceremonies of Preparation.
25. From the folly of Interrogations, and Elections.
26. From the conviction of Confeſſion.
27. From obſervation upon Story.