A Strange and Wonderful Trinity, Part 2

A Strange and Wonderful Trinity · Part 2

p. 3An Aſtrological and Theological Diſcourſe upon this Great Conjunction, and upon the Hea…ens, the Planets and fixed Stars; So far as is neceſſary to Unfold its Myſtery.

AS this great, if not greateſt & Climactericael Conjunction is Vſherd into the World by a great Blazing Comet, ſo is this Diſcourſe upon the Former by my Half-ſheet upon the Latter; which falling into the Hands of a very Learned and Honourable Gentleman, not only found moſt pleaſing Acceptance (notwithſtanding the Notorious Omiſſions in it by its negligent Printer, who left out two lines in two places of the Firſt page, and another moſt material One in the Second, to wit? the Third under Moſes, the Fourth under Solomon, the Fifth under Chriſt; ſo he curtaild my Copy, if not made it Non-ſenſe.) But alſo it brought forth a Requeſt from Him to me for an Inlargement upon this great Conjunction: Touching the Comet (which was the Uſher to this Conjunction) I obſerved, It quite left its Northern Latitude (where it firſt Appear'd) and is paſſed to the Southern, poſting away from Ʋrſa Major, by Arcturus to a little beyond the Aequinoctial line, where it hath overtaken the Beams of the Sun, and wherein it hath hid it ſelf from our Sight, for the preſent. But may (If its matter be not all ſpent before) be ſeen again in the Morning (when it hath out run the Sun) ſo come neerer to its Signal Lord and Maſter (the Superior Planets conjoyned) to which as an Harbingger and Herald it hath ſent out General Summons to look up and admire: Leaving therefore the Servant (the Comet) who hath now Left us, (having done its Errand) and we have Loſt it by its Diſappearance, let us attend upon its Maſter (the Conjunction) which it attended upon, and hath ſounded its Trumpet (both North and South) to Rouze up Spectators of this ſo wonderful poſition of the Planets, the like whereof hath not been for Twenty or Two Hundred or Eight Hundred Years paſt, as the Sequel doth demonſtrate in following Remarks the (1ſt. Remark is, Heaven (according to Scripture notion, omitting the diſtinct orbs found out by Philoſophy) is 3 fold Coelum expanſum ſtellatum & glorioſum. (1) the Firmament wherein the Fowls do flye, which is the Aorial Heaven, and hence, 'tis ſaid [the Fowls of Heaven] Math. 6.26. (2) the Aetherial or Syderial Heaven, wherein the Sun, Moon and Stars are ſeated and do ſhine forth, hence are they call'd the Stars of Heaven. Gen. 22.17. Deut. 1.10. &c. (3) the Empireal or glorious Heaven the uppermoſt of all, the Seat of the Bleſſed into which the Apoſtle had his Rapture. 2. Cor. 12.2. p. 4where glorifi…d Saints, and glorious Angels dwell with the great God, hence 'tis ſaid, the Angels of Heaven. Math. 24.36. 'tis hard to open ſo much as a Window or Caſement for letting men ſee the Incomprehenſible light of that glorious Lodging, which is the Palace Royal of the Almigh…y J…hovah, the Chief City and Court of the great King of Kings: Omitting this and the firſt. The Second is the Subject of our preſent Diſcourſe.

The ſtarry Heaven is but the Floor and P…vement of the glorious Palace, though it be a Roof and Canopy over us; 'tis (as it were) the ſpangl…d Curtain of the Bride-grooms Chamber, the glorious and glittering Rou…h caſt, the Ʋnder ceiling, or (at leaſt) the Ʋtmoſt Court of the Coeleſtial Palace. The Great Creator hath ſhew'd much Skill, and laid out great Workman-ſhip upon Heaven, a moſt curious, accurate and elaborate Work, therefore is it call'd the Work of Gods Fingers, Iſal. 8 3. (a Metaphor from Embroiderers and workers of Tapeſtry, choice Needle work, or Watch work, they muſt have nimble Fingers that work ſuch fine Works with Expedition and Exactneſs) and therefore is the Maker of Heaven call'd [foreign] an exact Artiſt (as the word ſignifies) Hebr. 11.10. and not only [foreign] a Work man or Labourer, whoſe courſer Work requires more the Strength of his whole Hand, than the Skill and Activity of his Fingers: The Great God Erected this moſt Immenſe Coeleſtial Vault without any Ladders, Scaffolds, Tools or Engines, and when He had ſo done, He Garniſh'd it with Stars (as a Palace is adorned with ſtately Pictures.) Job. 26.13. If the Outſide and Ʋnderceiling of Heaven be ſo glorious, how much more is the Inſide unconceivably ſo. Iſa. 64.4. 1. Cor. 2.9. Pſal. 31.19. John the Divine (in an extaſie of the Spirit) maketh ſearch through all the Bowels of the Earth and Sea to find out all the precious Treaſures hid in Both, as Gold, Pearls and precious Stones of all Sorts, and all this is done only to be a Dim ſhadow of Heavens excellency, Revel. 21.11. to 21. Yea to reſemble the Glory of the new Jeruſalem in the laſt times as to her Walls, Windows, Gates, and the Pavement of her Streets upon which no dirty Dog ſhall ever trample. Iſa. 54.11.12. Revel. 21.27. and 22.15. When Moſes and the Elders got but a glimps of Gods Glory, they ſaw under the Feet of the God of Iſrael as it were the paved Work of a Saphir-Stone. Exod. 24.10. God dwells in inacceſſible Light. 1. Tim. 6.16. Moſes could only ſee the Back-parts of that Glory. Exod. 33.23. Yea ſuch is that ſurpaſſing Splendor, that the very Angels cover their Faces with both their Wings as with a double Scarff (juſt as men clap their Hands upon their Eyes, when the Lightning flaſhes in their Faces) Iſa. 6.2,

p. 5The (2d) Remark is, the Stars in the ſtarry Heaven are Numberleſs and many of them Nameleſs: Pſal. 147.4. God can both Name and Number them, which is an Excluſive Expreſſion, intimating God only, but no Man can do it. Auguſtin tells of Aratus and Eudoxus who vainly vaunted, that they could both Name and Number them. De civit. Dei lib. 16. But a better Man than either of them, Abraham, one who was (as the Rabbins ſay) a great Aſtronomer could never count the Number of them, as God ſaith to him [If thou be able &c.] Gen. 15.5. Implying it an Impoſſibility to do it. Yea Adam himſelf (in his State of Innocency) could give Names to all the Beaſts of the Field and to all the Fowls of the Aire, Gen. 2.16. But not a word do we read of his giving Names to the Stars of Heaven: God ſaith expreſly the Hoſt of Heaven cannot be Numbred. Jer. 33.…2. Hereupon Man is forced to call a whole Houſe of Stars all by one Name, ſuch a Conſtellation, containing each a Bundle of Stars.

The (3d) Remark is, as the Stars are to be admired for their being above Name and Number, ſo likewiſe no leſs admirable is both their Station and Motion: The Great God hath ſet a Tabernacle in the Heavens for all thoſe Nameleſs and Numberleſs Stars as well as for the Sun Pſal. 19.4.5. Each individual Star hath its diſtinct and particular Station, (as every great Cart-nail hath its proper place round about the Ring or Rimm of the Cart-wheel) where it remains unmoveable, every Star hath kept its Station ever ſince the Creation to this Day, not one particular Star hath left its peculiar Place for almoſt 6000 Years: Though ſome Angels left their firſt Habitation. Jude v. 6. Yet never did any one Star forſake its own Tabernacle wherein its Creator at firſt placed it. Indeed Metaphorical Lucifer did fall from Heaven. Iſa. 14.12. But the Literal and Real one (to witt, that call'd Venus, the Morning and Evening-ſtar) never yet did ſo: The Stars are call'd the Hoſt of Heaven. Jer. 33.22. They are Gods Army, that have their Stands and Stations, they all Stand in Battalia by the Appointment of their Maker, and Maſter, Jehovah is their Chief Lord General, who hath ſet them in Rank and File by an Ordinance of Heaven. Jer. 31.35. &c. No Star ever yet brake its Rank from the Foundation of the World: Yet this Coeleſtial Hoſt or Army hath not only its Stand and Station, but alſo its March and Motion, yea (which is the more marvellous) they both Keep their Station, and hold their Motion at one and the ſame point of Time: Their Station is certain and peculiar though their Motion be conſtant, and perpetual: This may be exemplyfied by a familiar Inſtance, every Cart-nail in the Tire of the Wheel, keeps its place where it is fixed, while the Wheel runneth its Round, and makes a progreſs; p. 6'Tis not the Nail, but the Wheel that makes the Circular Motion, no more is it the Star that moves, but the Orb or Sphere (wherein it is fixed) which carrys about the Star (as the Wheel the Nail) in its continual Circulation: Thus likewiſe 'tis further demonſtrated by a well-diſciplin'd Army, every Soldier not only keeps to his own Colours, but alſo marches orderly in his place (whether a left Hand or a right Hand Man) to his Rendezvouz, he duly obſerving his Generals Order both for his Station where, and his Motion whether at one and the ſame Time: And no doubt but Gods Hoſt of Heaven is a well diſciplin'd Army, every Star in Heaven is under a Law and Ordinance made by the God of Heaven, God asks Job [knoweſt thou the Ord nances of Heaven:] Job. 38 33. Canſt thou tell how to order the whole Hoſt of Heaven? (as Maſter and Governor over them) or canſt thou guide or direct) the Motion of (that ſingle Conſtellation) Arcturus and his Sons, ver. 32. which ever whirleth Round about the Northern pole, but never goes down the Horizon, 'tis the work of God alone to order every Star in its Courſe. Yea, to make the matter ſtill more admired, this motion of the Stars is made either without wandring or wearineſs. 1ſt. without wandring All the fixed Stars do conſtantly keep their way, and their time as well as Place and Station) in both their Nocturnal and Diurnal Motion: (1) they do hold their way (wherein their Maker hath confined them) with ſo much exactneſs, that they have no Epicycles (as the Planets have) nor any Eccentrick Motions, but fulfil their Circles and Revolutions without the leaſt Deviation: Hence it is obſerved, that thoſe Inhabitants (directly under the aequinoctial) have a proſpect of all and every Star equally for 12. Hours above the Horizon) for there the Sphere is Direct, but where it is oblique, ſome Stars riſe together, yet do not ſet together, yet none vary an Hairs-breadth from their appointed Lines of Circumference: Neither (2) do they vary the time (appointed them) but do preciſely obſerve it even to a Minute, hereupon the Pſalmiſt celebrates Gods Praiſe: For the outgoings of the Morning and Evening. Pſal. 65.8. for the exact Viciſſitude of Day and Night, and the admirable Equipage the Hoſt of Heaven marcheth in according to the Ordinances of Heaven from the Lord of Hoſts. Jer. 31. 35. The Sun, Moon and Stars know and obſerve preciſely their time both of going down and of riſing up. Pſal. 104.19.20. which all the Powers of Hell and Potontates on Earth can neither Hinder nor Haſtem Job. 38.12. Pſal. 74.16.17. Yea ſo exact and regular is their Mation, that Men (who knows not where themſelves ſhall be, or what ſhall befall them to Morrow. Prov. 27.1.) can write Ephemerides what Eclipſes will be for many Years to come, in what point of Heaven p. 7and what Hour of Day or Night, ſuch and ſuch Poſitions, Conjunctions, Oppoſitions &c. will happen, yea not only when the Sun will riſe and ſet all the Round Year, but alſo, that the Tail-Star of the Great Bear will early and late point directly to Arcturus, that Arcturus ſhall riſe exactly when the Sun ſets upon the 10th. of March: and that the great Star of the Lyon and of the Great-Dog, though they riſe together, yet the Dog Star will ſet ſome Hours before Cor Leonis, becauſe their Sphere is oblique (as to us) this latter being neerer to the Tropick of Cancer, as the former is to that of Capricorn: theſe and many more Inſtances (not mentioned) may demonſtrate how they all exactly obſerve their time and way without wandring. Yea and (2dly.) All this the Stars do Without wearineſs alſo. In an Hoſt of men on Earth, ſome Soldiers will be found both wandring and weary: But in this Hoſt of Heaven (ſo called) As none are found wandring (in ſano ſenſu.) So nor can we find one Star, that may be reputed weary: The Prophet compares God to a Chief Commander calling forth his Companies (the Hoſt of Heaven, all in his Muſter-Roll, and laying his Commands upon them. though ſome Soldiers may fail in their March either through Fear or Feebleneſs (as that Aegyptian did. 1. Sam. 30.11.12.13.) but not ſo much as one Star ever failed. Iſa. 40.26. though their March be many Millions of Miles round the Circumference, and that without Reſt and Reſpit Night or Day, Yea and now for almoſt 6000 Years. But one Inſtance (for brevity) to wit, that afore mentioned. 'Tis a Matter of of great Admiration, that Canis Major and Cor Leonis (among the fixed Stars) should Run a Race Round about the Globe of the Earth (which, the Hebrews ſay, is diſtant from Heaven a 500. Years Journey) riſe together at their firſt Creation in one point of time, yet though they have been Running their reſtleſs Courſe, for neer 6000 Years now, neither of them hath fainted or failed in the way, ſo as at any time to outrun each other, but ſtill both of thoſe Great Stars obſerve a preciſe point of time for their Riſing together now, as they did at their firſt ſetting forth, yea and of ſetting together to thoſe under the Aequinoctial, though not ſo to us through the obliquity of their Circle and Circumference in our Horrizon: The ſame may be ſaid of the other Stars.

The (4th.) Remark is, that the Great God hath created not only Innumerable and Ʋnnameable Stars, that are fixed in the 8th. Sphere (call'd the Starry Heaven) but alſo ſeven Planets, or wandring Stars (as the word Planet fignifies) ſo called, not foreign Simply, but foreign Secundum quid, or Comparatively: If thoſe Planets be Simply and by themſelves conſidered, they have made their ſeveral Revolutions p. 8(in their own diſtinct Orbs) at the moſt fixed and moſt unchangeable certain Periods from the Beginning of the World to this preſent day; but to ſpeak comparatively (in Reſpect of the fixed Stars) all theſe Planets are placed under them, have a differing Motion from them, and hold an unequal diſtance to them, yea and one to another in Reſpect of their (ſeeming) Vagabond and Eccentrick Motion, they have various Longitudes, Latitudes, Conjunctions, Oppoſitions, Sextile, Square and Trine Aſp…cts. Sometimes they move more ſwiftly, ſometimes more ſlowly, as they are higher or lower in their Epicycles, ſometimes Retrograde, & Direct, or Stationary, never keeping the ſame diſtance among themſelves; or to any of the fixed Stars, nor holding one and the ſame Situation in the Firmament as the fixed do: Notwithſtanding all this, no Stars wander leſs than they do, but have a moſt certain, conſtant, ſtated, and regular Motion; Duely performing the preciſe points and periods of their compaſs in their appointed Times: As the Sun knows his going down. Pſal. 104.19. So do all the other ſix Planets comprehended in one Ver…e, Poſt [Sim Sum] Sequitur, proxima [Luna] ſubeſt: Wherein [S] is Saturn [J] Jupiter [M] Mars. The next [S] is Sol the Sun, [V] Venus and [M] Mercury with Luna the Moon. All theſe 7 are call'd wandring Stars for the Reaſons above named, and this Denomination hath a Divine warrant from the Apoſtle Jude v. 13. where wandring Stars are mentioned: [foreign] in the ſenſe only of the common Judgment of Senſe which beholds them carryed about in a differing Courſe to the whole Circuit of Heaven beſide: Two of thoſe 7. Planets are theſe 2. Great Luminaries or Lights of the World, the Sun and Moon both which be a whole Bundle of Wonders. The Sun is the Prince of Planets, yet (as his Hebrew Name [Shemeſh] Signifies) is a Servant to Gods Servants: He cometh out of his Chamber as a Bridegroom (with marvellous Splendor, Pomp and Bravery, when he firſt ſheweth himſelf above our Horizon) and Rejoyceth as a Champion to Run his Race. Pſal. 19.4.5. This he Runs with ſuch a wonderful Swiftneſs, as exceedeth the Eagles Flight, more than the Eagle exceeds the ſlow Motion of the Snail (Bellarmine ſaith, the Sun runneth ſeven Thouſand Miles in the Eight part of an Hour. Bell. de Aſcens. Mentis in Deum grad. 7.) and with ſuch Incomparable Sweetneſs. Eccleſs. 11.7. that Eudoxus the Philoſopher profeſs'd his Willingneſs to be burnt up preſently by the Sun, ſo he might be but admitted to come ſo near it, as to learn the admirable Nature of it, and Chryſoſtom cannot but wonder at the Suns darting down its Rayes towards the Earth, whereas all Fire ſhooteth and haſteth up toward Heaven. I might mention many more Marvels in the Sun, were it not Beſides my preſent Deſign p. 9Deſign. As likewiſe in the other Great Light, the Moon, cal'd Hebr. Jareach of Rauach to Refreſh or Refrigerate, becauſe ſhe cools the Earth with her Influences: and Moſes mentioneth, that as the Sun by warmth, ſo the Moon by Moyſture, make the Earth fruitful Deut. 33.14. as ſome will needs place Hell in the Hollow of the Sun, ſo others conceit a World in the Moon, the Thinner part to be the Sea, and the Thicker, (which is eaſy to diſcern, not all alike lightſom) to be the Earth: However no Planet hath ſuch Changeable Aſpects, yet Aſtronomers Affirm, ſhe hath as much light in her Wane as in her Full, only her bright ſide is turned toward Heaven: Hence Dr. Hackwel hath an Excellent Note, that therefore God ſeem'd to ſet Her loweſt in the Heavens and neereſt to the Earth (of all the 7. Planets) to put us daily in mind of the Conſtancy in Heavenly, and Inconſtancy of Earthly things, Her ſelf (in ſome ſort) partaking of both, though in a Different manner, of the one in her Subſtance, and of the other in her Viſage: to ſay nothing of the Ecclipſes which are the wonders of the World, and which Metamorphoſe (even) the very Haters of Aſtrology to become ſtark-ſtaring Star-Gazers: to ſay but little of the two Planets next above the Moon, yet under the Sun to wit, Venus and Mercury, both which do attend alway upon the Sun, as Courtiers do upon the King, never going far from Him, Venus never more than 48 degrees and Mercury but 30, which is the Reaſon, why it is ſo ſeldom ſeen, and why both have no other Aſpect to the Sun but Conjunction, whereas the other Planets have oppoſitions &c. The Morning Star (commonly call'd venus fot its Beauty and Bravery) is the conſtant Companion of the Sun, and next in bigneſs (as to Appearance) to the two Great Lights caſting a ſhadow as the Moon, 'tis ſeen long upon the Day, and is not darken'd by the Moon in the Night, Sed ipſius Contactu fit lucidior Aureo colore in Candorem deffuſo. The neer Approach of the Moon Changes only its golden Complexion into a more ſplendid brightneſs. Theſe two (in a word) (Venus and Mercury) are call'd Homodromi, that is, Fellow-Runners. becauſe They Run almoſt in the ſame courſe together, and fulfills their periods not far aſunder, never much Remote from the Pallac… Royal or Preſence-Chamber of the Sun their King, which is alſo the Reaſon, why theſe two never have Ortum & Occaſum Coſmicum, they do not R…ſe, and ſet with the Sun in that part or point of Heaven &c. which is oppoſite. Both keep nigh the Sun ſometimes going before it, and ſometimes following After.

But (omitting the Inferior) my main concern at preſent is the Superior Planets, under which the Sun is ſeated as the Center of all the Stars and the Eye of the World. God hath placed it, in the midſt of p. 10the Orbs, that it might the more commodiouſly give light (It ſelf being the fountain thereof) to both the Superiour and Inferiour Stars, and that neither by its propinquity (If in the Moons Orb) it ſhould ſcorch the Earth, nor by its too much Diſtance (in the 7th or Saturns Sphere) Sublunary things ſhould be ſtarved through want of warmth from it. The Sun is ſeated in the midſt of Heaven (3 Planets above. 3 below him) as a King in the midſt of his Kingdom, that He may Diffuſe his Influence on every hand, and Keep all ſides down in an equal poize and poſture (as Plutarch ſaith) by his middle preſence: The Planet (commonly call'd for Diſtinction-ſake, Saturn, is the Higheſt above the Sun, and next below the Starry Heaven or Sphere of the fixed Stars, appearing of a dusky colour, as a Star of the Second magnitude, cold, dry and Melancholick, and (having the Higheſt and Wideſt Circumference) cannot compleat his Circuit under the ſpace of Thirty years. Therefore 'tis ſaid to be of a ſlow Motion in his peculiar Cycle, to ſay nothing of his Epicycle or Eccentrick Motion: That, call'd Jupiter is the next to Saturn exceeding ſplendid (ſo that 'tis oft miſtaken by the Unskilful, for the Morning Star, or for the great Dog Star, appearing as a Star of the firſt Magnitude, that may Ecclipſe Saturn, when their latitude (which ſeldom Happens) be Equal at their Conjunction. This Planet Accompliſheth his Zodaical period in the ſpace of twelve years. Having a narrower Sphere than Saturn, yet a five times bigger body, ſo that no Planet but the Sun is greater than it, being 95. times (Cardanus ſaith a 100 times) bigger than the whole Earth.

The third Planet is call'd Mars, leſs than Jupiter, Higher Colour'd than Saturn, of a Red, Fiery, Cholerick Complexion, who (ſtill in a narrower Circle) Finiſheth his Revolution in two years Time: The Wiſdom of our and Their Creator may be much wonder'd at here in two Reſpects (to mention no more now of the many Beſides) that (i) Saturn, which cooleth much, and Mars, which Heateth much ſhould have Jupiter placed-betwixt them that it might temper and qualify thoſe two Extreams with its more moderate, Temperate, and Benign Beams: (2) that there ſhould be ſuch a Concreated Harmony betwixt the Sun and thoſe 3. Superior Planets (as is aforeſaid) That Supreme law which their maker laid, and left upon thoſe 3. was, that they ſhould obſerve a conſtant Congruity in all their Eccentrick Motions with the Sun, whom they ſeem (ſaith Alſted) to Reverence as their King, This Divine Command They have kept (to the ſhame of us who frequently tranſgreſs that Law laid on us in Diſowning, Diſhonoring and Diſobeying Chriſt our King) for almoſt 6000 years, for as oft as they are in Conjunction, ſo oft do they betake themſelves to the top p. 11of their Epicycles as to their Chappel or cloſet, in Reverence (as it were) of ſo Royal a Gueſts preſence, they Depart into the utmoſt borders of their own Dominions, they give place to their Approaching King, ſtands off at a due Diſtance and there Receives (as it were) commands and Influences from him: And then, when (After the Conjunction) the Sun (whoſe Motion is ſwifter) withdraws from thence, theſe Planets do Deſcend from the Top or Tower of their Epicycle and (like officious Courtiers) Attend upon their Prince going his Progreſs, and ſo they follow the Sun (their Lord) ſo far, as till he is gone off through the third part of the Zodiack, till (by his quicker ſpeed) He hath out-run them the ſpace of four (of the Twelve) ſigns. Then, at length, as if they had fully Diſcharged their Duty and Homage, they make a ſtand (call'd at that time Stationary) for ſome Days, caſting (as it were) their long looks after him, and at that diſtance they throw him a Farewel: When this is done, They begin their Retrograde Motion, Running back into the bottom of their Epicycle, and letting themſelves down into the loweſt part thereof (as oft as the Sun is gone from them into the oppoſite part of the Heavens to them) and therefore (as Alſted excellently obſerveth) they ſeem to bewail the abſence of their King, and (as it were) Humbly Requeſt his Return: After this, when they Diſcern the Sun drawing off from his oppoſition to them, and Returning towards them again, then they, Aſcending from the bottom, the place of their bewailing (ſtill contrary to the order of the Signs) Haſten out to meet their King, and (as with ſome Salutations) they Entertain the Sun, while He is yet diſtant from them the ſpace of a Trigon (3 or 4 Signs) by becoming Stationary, or making another ſtand again, this done, and the Sun Approaching ſtill nearer and nearer, They then Run before him (as his joyful Heralds and Harbingers) in a right and Direct courſe according to the order of the Signs, and as with great Gladneſs glide up to the Top of their Tower again, that they might (as it were) reſign up the neareſt and moſt Commodious and Honorable place to the Sun their King: This in ſhort is the conſtant Harmonious Motion of theſe 3 Superior Planets and the Sun. The Epiphonema cannot be leſs, than an Heart Refreſhing Admiration, & a Soul-Raviſhing Adoration of the moſt mighty and only Wiſe Jehovah who Created and hath ordered theſe Aſtoniſhing Stars &c. The works of the Lord are great, ſought out by all thoſe that have pleaſure therein Pſ. 111.2. If all the works of God be great, thoſe on the Earth and in the Sea, then much more thoſe in the Heavens, no leſs than great works can fall from the hand of ſo Great a God, they are all Magnalia, ſo ſhould all be magnifyed, not neglected or ſlighted: It ſhould be a pleaſure to us (as it hath been p. 12no little to me) to ſearch and find out ſuch wonderfull works, Though they be Great, yet are they to be ſeriouſly ſought into, and found out by thoſe that Delight therein, and the deeper they dive into them (not for vain Curioſity, but from ſolid Sanctity) the ſweeter they find them: God hath ſhewn ſingular Skill in all (Eſp. in theſe) his works, and He will have Men to admire him their Maker. They all (a centro ad Coelum) are Tip'd and Guilt with a Glory upon them, this the Brutiſh Man underſtands not Pſ. 92.5.6. Neither his ordinary nor extraordinary Handy-work, whereas a woe is Denounc'd upon thoſe that Regard them not Iſa. 5.12.15 Pſ. 28 4.5. They ſhall have like for like &c. God will Reward them according to the work of their hands, becauſe they Regard not the work of Gods Hands.

The (5th.) Remark to omit the Conjunctions of the Inferior Planets, (becauſe the frequency thereof darkens the Significancy) beſide their Inferiority) the Superior only are here to be handled and the other but Obiter (as occaſion offereth) and Mars alſo, though it carrys a correſpondency with Saturn and Jupiter in the Quality of their Motions (both as to Longitude and as to Laittude) theſe three differ only in the Quantity thereof: Mars fulfills his Cycle far ſooner than the other, ſo its Motion hath not ſo many Remarks upon it, Saturn and Jupiter have many Aſpects, both towards the other Planets and one towards another, as Sextil, Trine, Square, Oppoſition and Conjunction, waving all the other four, I ſhall inſiſt upon the Laſt named: Their Conjunction muſt needs of all their other Aſpects, be moſt Remarkable ſeeing then and therein only, thoſe two mightyeſt Planets (as it were) twiſt together their moſt powerful Beams, this they do, when they come near each, as do the Sun and the great Dog-ſtar from the 20th, of July to the 27th. of Auguſt, all which are call'd Dog-days from the Hot ſeaſon produced by the twiſted Rays both of Sol and Sirius: Indeed in true Propriety of Speech, a Cloſe Conjunction cannot be call'd an Aſpect, for when they have no diſtance wherein to look one upon another, but are in the ſame Degree and Minute of a Sign together; Thus may it ſometime come to paſs, that Jupiter may totally Ecclips Saturn, as being both in a lower Orb, (& coming 'twixt us and it) and of a larger Body, ſeeing Saturn is but as a Star of the 2d. Magnitude, whereas Jupiter as one of the firſt: Mr. Wing (in his Aſtron Britannica pag. 1280. writeth, that in the Year 1661. May the 3d. at 11. in the Night, he ſaw Saturn totally Ecclips'd by the Moon, which is a far leſſer Body than it, though it ſeem greater through its nearneſs to us, and the others great Diſtance from us: That theſe two Superior Planets (as alſo Mars) ſhould be ſometimes Direct (going ſtrait forward) ſometimes Retrograde p. 13(ſtepping backward) in their Motions, and ſometimes Stationary (ſtanding, as we ſay-ſtock-ſtill) while all the other Stars (call'd fixed) never do ſo, muſt needs be very marvellous; yet their ſtrange Conjunctions one with another is far more a greater marvel, their Conjunction is Threefold, 1. Minima. 2. Media. 3. Maxima. or (as Artiſts phraſe them) 1. Specialis, 2. Trigonalis, 3. Climacterica. Theſe 3. ſeveral ſorts of Conjunctions in the two Superior Planets are cauſed thus, (1.) Saturn is of ſloweſt Motion (as he is the higheſt Planet, and hath the largeſt Circle to run, ſeldom above 3. or 4. Minutes in a day, his mean Motion is (as ſome ſay) 2. Minutes and 11. Seconds, his ſwifteſt Motion is but 6. Minutes: And if his Diurnal Motion be ſo ſlow, his Annual muſt be accordingly, which (according to Keplers Tables improved by Maginus) is computed not above 12. Degrees in 12. Months. The ſlowneſs of Saturns Motion is further illuſtrated by his ſeveral Poſtures, Retrograde, Direct and Stationary. He ſtands ſtill (neither moving backward nor forward) for 3 or 4. (ſome ſay) five Days before he move backward, or contrary to the Order and Succeſſion of the 12. Signs, and as many days, before he go direct forward, that is, from one Degree of the ſign to two, and ſo on to the reſt, in which direct Poſture the Sun and Moon, are always found, marching …ndways, and never are Stationary (as the other Five Planets be) or Retrograde, but by a Miracle as they both ſtood ſtill in Joſhuahs time, and the Sun went back 10 Degrees in that of Ahaz: Beſide, Saturns Retrogradation continueth cuſtomarily (as ſome compute it) an 140. Dayes, all which conſidered, muſt conſtitute his Motion Annually to be very ſlow: (2.) Jupiter hath a ſmarter Motion, finiſhing his Revolution in about 12. Years, whereas Saturn doth require about 30. Years wherein to finiſh his Cycle. Yet Jupiters Motion (compar'd with that of all the other Planets) is very ſlow alſo, whoſe ſwifteſt Diurnal Motion is but about 14. Minutes (as Saturns, at the moſt, is but 7. and Mars but 31.) beſide his being (as well as Saturn) Stationary five Days before he be Retrograde, four Days before he go Direct, and his Retrogradation laſteth 120. Days. So that he likewiſe is of a ſlow Motion: Hence it comes to paſs, that theſe 2. Planets do ſeldom make Application each to other in their diſtinct Spherical Motions, they ſeldom meet together in Conjunction, and they may meet together ſometimes with their Beams when they do not exactly with their Bodies. The firſt ſort of thoſe three Conjunctions the 2. Superior Planets make, is call'd the Leaſt, Meaneſt or Special, which falls out only once in about 20. Years, reckoning in the round Number all along, and not troubling either my ſelf or the Reader with the Fractions or broken Numbers: This p. 14may be thus explained: Suppoſe Saturn and Jupiter do ſtart and begin their Courſe in the Sign Aries (the firſt chief, and cardinal Sign of all the 12, in the Zodiack) Jupiter muſt run through all the 12. Signs, before Saturn can run through 4. of them, therefore (through this Inequality and Diſproportion of theſe 2. Planets diſtinct Motion) before Jupiter can overtake Saturn, the Space of about 20. Years is required, that is the Time, whereat theſe 2. Planets do concur always in ſome one of the 12 Signs, and in ſome one Degree, and Minute thereof. This is call'd Conjunctio Minima: Their (2d) ſort of Conjunctions is the Mean or M…ddle, for underſtanding this, we muſt ſuppoſe, the 12. Signs are divided into 4. Trigons, Triplicities, or Triangularitiys, the Fiery, Earthy, Aery, and watery Trigon; Aries, Leo, and Sagittary make the firſt, Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn, the ſecond, Gemini, Libra and Aquarius, the third, Cancer, Scorpio, and Piſces make the fourth; now Saturn and Jupiter, having made 10 Conjunctions (as Modern Aſtronomers reckon them, though the Antiens ſay 12. but of that after) in ſome one of thoſe four Trigons, they then go off from that Triplicity, to make ſo many Meetings or Conjunctions (be it 10. or 12.) in the next Trigon, as out of the fiery Triangularity into the Earthy &c. Theſe many Meetings in each Trigon (before they can go through all the 3. Signs thereof) require the Space of 198. Years and 265. or (according to Alſted) 236. days &c. by the Modern computation of making only 10. Meetings, but if 12. (after the Antients) be taken, then the meaſure of time will be, not only almoſt 200. (as is the former) but altogether 240. Years before the planetary Conjunctions have accompliſh'd all their Revolutions in any one ſingle Trigon, for which it is call'd the Trigonal or Mean Conjunction. Laſtly the (3d.) Sort is the Great, Greateſt moſt ſignal and cl…macterical Conjunction which happeneth very rarely in the World, for as the firſt falleth out once and but once in every Twenty Years ſucceſſively, (as above) and as the ſecond ſucceeds only in every two Hundred Years (which is the round Number, within little more than one Year above the Fractions) according to the Modern computation: So this third cannot fall out, till Saturn and Jupiter have run out all their 10 (or 12.) Conjunctions in the Firſt (the fiery) Trigon, all the ſame Number in the ſecond the Earthy, all likewiſe in the Aery the third, and laſtly all in the laſt which is the watery by an orderly Progreſs. When theſe two ſuperior Planets have run through all theſe four Trigons in ſucceſſive Order, and at laſt comes to have another Conjunction after their laſt leaving the watery, and at the very beginning of their firſt meeting in the fiery Trigon, this is the full period of their whole Cycle, which is a Revolution (as Kepler computes p. 15it in the round Number) of 800. Years, by the Modern computation: But according to the Computation of the Antients, (who reckon not by 10. but by 12. the 203. the Compaſs of Time then amounts to 960. Years betwixt one Total, chiefeſt and climacterical Conjunction (as this laſt is called, and another. Becauſe this latter and antient account may ſerve us as ſome Salvo in the Sequel, let it be obſerved, that Men of great Name and Note, were of this Opinion: ſuch as Haly Rodoan, Albumazar, Guido Bonatus, Abraham Avenaris, Alcabitius and many others, none contemptible in Aſtronomical Arr, perhaps it was (as 'tis ſaid) their miſtake for want of thoſe exact Tables in thoſe antient Times, which our later Times (ſtanding as Pigmees upon thoſe Gyants ſhoulders ſo might ſee further than they) have found out by greater Art and Induſtry. And perhaps even theſe Later Tables are not found faultleſs, for Engl. prophetick Merlin finds fault with Origan, Kepler and Alſted in their computing thoſe Great Conjunctions ſhort both of Truth and Experience pag. 53.54. concluding, that there is not any certain Rule can be made, whereby without (a right) Calculation the true Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter may be found, for there will be Variation in Degrees, If no worſe Errour happen.

However this Third is the Great Conjunction, which all Aſtronomers (both Antient and Modern) have unanimouſly put the moſt Streſs upon in their Learned obſervations, not only becauſe theſe 2. Superiour Planets are (above all the other) moſt ſignificant and efficacious, but alſo becauſe this their climacterical Conjunction falleth out but once in almoſt every Thouſand Year of the World: This new Conſideration hath ſo tranſported (that Phaenix of his Age) Kepler and after him (that Ʋniverſaliſt for all ſolid Learning) Alſted as jointly to ſay, that the Great Conjunction of theſe 2. Planets in the Fiery Trigon did portend the Revolution of ſome new Empire. Alſted Theſaur. Chronolog. fol. 482, further ſaying, that the Force and Fire thereof would burn up and deſtroy all the Dregs and dirty Doings of Rome, but above all others is the Divine Rapture of the Noble Dane Tycho Brache foreign, who ſaith, It is worthy of our weightyeſt Obſervation, that as all the former uneven Revolutions of the Fiery Trigon (namely the Firſt, Third and Fifth▪ ) have ever been auſpicious to the World, as having Ʋſherd in ſome ſignal and ſingular Favors of the Almighty to Man-kind; ſo the Seventh Revolution is the Fore-runner of a more happy and glorious State, than all the former paſt Ages have ever yet enjoyed &c. Tycho Brabe Aſtronom. Progymnaſm: Tome the Firſt, not far from the End, where that Atlas of the Mathematick Heaven divinely argues and inlarges upon it: This ſame p. 16famous Tycho Brahe doth further ſay, that the firſt (Excluſive) Revolution of the fiery Trigon (and by conſequence the firſt climacterical Conjunction after the wordls Creation) happened under Enoch and under the (then) flouriſhing Eſtate of the Church as he calls it. The third he fixeth under Moſes, and under the Deliverance of Iſrael from the Aegyptian ſlavery: The fifth (he places) under Chriſt, and under the Reſtoration of faln Man into Gods favor by the Redeemers paſſion &c. And his own words follow thus [Septima hac. Trigonorum in integrum (ab orbe condito) Reſtitutio quandam Sabbatiſmi occultam Rationem obtinet, & praecaeteris peculiare, magni que momenti aliquid denunciat.] That is, the ſeventh Conjunction Climacterical, in the Compleat Return of the fiery Trigon from the Foundation of the World, brings along with it in its boſom a certain ſecret Sabbatiſm or State of Reſt, and ſomething in demonſtrates which is peculiar above all the Reſt of the ſix Revolutions, and what is a matter of mightv moment. Thus Tycho Brahe, d. 1. and much more to the ſame effect. Neither is this Atlas of ſound Aſtronomy (as Learned Authors call him) ſingular in this Opinion, but profound Kepler went before him in the ſame Sentiments, and Acute Alſted follow'd after; this appears in his Encuclopaed. Page 1105. Where he concurs with Keplers Tables (Reputed the beſt in the World) which, he relates, to run thus: (Though the period of each Climacterical Conjunction be computed to be compleated in the Compaſs of Seven Hundred Ninety four Years, two Hundred and fourteen Days, yet (ſaith he) for theſe Fractions or broken Numbers, Kepler reckoneth by a round Number, ſo that the Grand Revolution muſt be reckoned by the Round Number of Eight Hundred Years:] And he ſets down Keplers Tables thus. The firſt great Conjunction (Excluſive) from the beginning of time was in the 800. Year of the World, which was three Thouſand, two Hundred Years before Chriſt: The ſecond was in the Year of the World 1600, which muſt be two Thouſand four Hundred before Chriſt. The third did fall out in Antio Mundi 2400. which was one Thouſand fix Hundred before Chriſt: The fourth falls in the 3200. year of thé World, which muſt be before Chriſt Eight Hundred Years. The fifth was when Chriſt came in the Fleſh to work the Worlds Redemption, which was in the four Thouſand Year of the World. The ſixt falls out in 800. years after Chriſt, which was the four Thouſand Eight Hundred year of the World: And the ſeventh (ſtill multiplying by 8. from the firſt to this laſt) muſt fall out in the ſixteenth Century, 1600 Years after Chriſt at what time the World is five Thouſand ſix Hundred Years old: Alſted adds further (in Page 1215.) that the Antients did meaſure Time by theſe Revolutions as by infallible Rules, as thus from the Creation p. 17(1) to Arts, Cities and Robberies is 800. Years. (2) to the Ʋniverſal Deluge and the firſt Monarchy 1600. Years (3) to Abraham and his Seed going out of Aegypt, 2400. (4) to the Deſtruction of the Kingdom of Iſrael and Judah, 3200. (5) to Chriſt and the Riſe of the New Teſtament Church 4000. Years. (6) to the preſſures of Chriſts Church 4800. (7) to the Church's Deliverance from thoſe preſſures by Antichriſt &c. 5600. So that all theſe three moſt Eminent Authors did Vnanimouſly expect this ſeventh great Conjunction, or compleat Revolution of the Planets (which happeneth in this our ſixteenth Century) that great and vniverſal Changes would be the products thereof, ſeeing the Planets in this 7th. Revolution ſhall have run through their Circles, and then return to their firſt Beginnings again, which cannot but portend mighty things: This being ſuppoſed to be the laſt, ſundry Aſtronomers queſtions, whether there ever will be any other after this ſev…nth.

The (6th.) Remark is the pious Meditation of the Antients, that the Septenary or Seventh Number is a plenary, perfect and myſtical Number, which (in Scripture) hath a peculiar ſignification, 'tis compounded of 3. and 4. the Ternary or Three is the Number of God our Creator, who is one in Three and Three in one; the Quaternary or Four is the Number of Man (the Creature) who is made up of the four Elements as are alſo all Sublunary things call'd Elementary compound Bodies; hence it is that all things have a wonderful Harmony of Co…aerency and Reſt in the Septenary Number; hereupon Philoſophy calls it [Numerus primus, Virgineus, Sacer & Quietarius] (1) The firſt Number becauſe it made up the firſt Week (2) The Virgin Number, becauſe great is its force and efficacy (as a Virgin is in the Flower and Strength of Age, ſo every Seventh Year is computed Climacterical and Seven Nines (or 63.) is accounted the great one, as 7. Years (in Law) is the Term of a Mans life, and 3 Sevens are aequivalent to 3 Lives; (3) 'Tis call'd a Sacred Number becauſe it flows from the Ternary, which is the Number of God, and the Quaternary, the Number of the World, as is aboveſaid, this Note ſavors not ſo much of Superſtition as it Reſpects the Nature of Harmony; hence the Pocts Phraſe Perfection of Proſperity by ter que quater que Beati] a 3 fold and a 4 fold Happineſs: (4) 'Tis the Reſting number becauſe the seventh Day and the Seventh Year in ſacred Writ were Sabbatical: Every week is call'd Septimana, conſiſting of 7. Days, and every Seventh Year produceth ſome material Alteration: Beſide, the Seventh Number is call'd the Limit and Meaſure of all Inforior numbers, and any great number propoſed (whoſe Meaſure is Seven and may be divided by 7. exactly) can by no other Means be more certainly found out than p. 18by Diviſion with 7. But above all, the Holy Scriptures number all by Sevens, accounting, the 7th. Hour, Day, Month and Year to be all Sabbatical and the Seven Seventh Year to be a Jubilee, a Reſtitution of all &c. And this Harmony between Hours, Days, Months and Years ſeems to be intimated Revel. 9.15. Thus alſo the Law required 7. waſhings or ſprinklings of blood or water, and the 7. Lamps in the Inner Court or Holy Place, repreſenting the 7. Planets in the Viſible Heavens, as the greateſt Lamp ſtood in the middle of the other ſix, having 3. on either ſide, ſo the Sun is ſeated in the midſt (as Prince of the Planets) having 3. above Him and 3. below Him, all attending him, as above: All the walks of this glorious Sun, are ſhadows of ſomething within the Vail. The Eve or Evening was (as Eve was to Adam) the Wife of the Morning, the Jews and other Nations reckon the Beginning of Time (as of the Sabbath) at Evening, and to them that are about the Aequator, and to all, at either Aequinox, the firſt 6. Hours brings the Sun to the Mid-night Nadir, or Mid-Heaven of the Antipodes, and ſix more to the Morning Horizon, ſix more to the Zenith or noon of the upper Hemiſphere, & ſix more to its ſetting again, when the Sun hath taken all theſe Turns of Sixes 6. times over, then comes the 7th. or Sabbath Day, whereon the Cakes of the Shew-bread were changed. 1. Sam. 21.6. Every 7th. Hour (as well as every 7th. Day) made a Pauze or Reſt the Sabbath of the Evening Pſ. 104.23. of the Midnight or the Morning, and of the Noon or Mid-day. All Vſherd in by ſix Hours, as the Sabbath is by ſix days, and that 7th. is the firſt Number wherein Heaven and Earth met together (God and Man) in the firſt Sabbath worſhip: Numero Deus Impare Gaudet. 7. is an odd Number, and the 7th. Day was not only a Reſting, but a Refreſhing day to God. Exod. 31.17. (would to God it were ſo to us) above all the other 6. Days. And I know not why this 7th. Grand Revolution of thoſe Planets may not bring in a bleſsed Sabbatiſm, or ſome Extraordinary Reſt and Refreſhment ſeeing foreign a Time of Refreſhing (or as the Gr. ſignifies) of Cooling the Heat, is promiſed Act. 3.19. and foreign a Time of the Reſtitution of all things v. 21. wherein all Ruines by Sin ſhall be Repaired by our Saviour, and Bleſſed Jeſus ſhall take off the Curſe and Corruption under which the Creature groaneth, Rom. 8.19.20.21.22. This great Scripture Truth, Divine Plato Hammerd at in his Great Revolution, when, after many Thouſands of Years (He ſaith) all things ſhall be again (in ſtatu quo prius) as they were at the Worlds beginning in a ſtate of perfection: The World waxeth worſe and worſe and the laſt (being but Dregs) are the worſt of Times, yea not only the Earth but Heaven alſo grows faint and feeble through old Age. Inſomuch p. 19that the Sun (as Ptolomy ſaith) Runs much ne arer the Earth many Thouſand Miles now, than at the Creation: If ſo, then by the ſame Rule, the Planets muſt do the ſame, and then neither of them have kept their firſt perfection, from whence ſome Salvo's to ariſing Doubts may be deducted, if this Hypotheſis ſhould be taken for Granted: But whatever may be ſaid to Ptolomys Aſſertion, I ſhall endeavor to illuſtrate that of Noble Tycho Brahe, ſaying, that all the 6. Great Conjunctions which only have happened ſince the Foundation of the World (Excluſive) to this 16. Century, have been Auſpicious to the World, and Vſherd in ſome ſignal Mercies to Man-kind: So this 7th. in our Century will certainly exceed them all &c. as the 6. Days Creation had (each of them) their Tob, Good, but the 7th. Days Reſt was attended with Tob Meod, very good: So the…. former Revolutions all brought Tob, good to the Church, but this 7th (ſuppos'd to be the laſt) will undoubtedly bring Tob Meod very good things with it. The Bridegroom at the Marriage feaſt reſerves his Beſt Wine for the Laſt Time. John 2.9.10.

Take a ſhort Land-skip of all the former. 6. The (firſt) under Enoch 800. Years of the World, his Name ſignifies [Catechiſed] as Gen. 14.14. [Chanikan] Catechiſed or Trained up in Religion as well as Warfare. He was taught of God to walk with God. Gen. 5.24. Hebr. 11.5. Eccleſiaſticus 44.16. and 49.14. A great Type of Chriſt in his Aſcenſion living 365 Years before his Tranſlation after a God pleaſing Life, and juſt ſo long did Chriſt live in the Purity of the Primitive Church to Julian the Apoſtate in the Year 365 after Chriſt. He was (as all the Patriarks were) the Chief Biſhop of his Time, by whoſe Labours the Church of God was preſerved in that prophane Age, He prophecyed of the Deſtruction of Sinners (before Noah did of the Deluge) foretelling the Day of Judgment and the Coming of our Lord. Syr. Maran-Atha (hence the Jews make him the Author of the great Excommunication) Jude v. 14.15. As Enoch is call'd the 7th from Adam, the Church had ſome Sabbath or 7th Time of Refreſhing by him, a Reſt and Reſpit from that Vniverſal Deſtruction which came upon the World afterwards: Thus Elijah (Enochs Brother candidate of Immortality) is Stiled the 7th. from Adam alſo, not in Reſpect of Degrees or Gradual Deſcent (as was Enoch the 7th. Patriarch, not the 7th. Perſon) but by way of Computation, and in Reſpect of ſo many Generations (as ſome Reckon) between them: Elijah is computed the 7th. Prophet from Adam and the firſt ſent to the Gentiles, a great Reviver of the Church (as his Brother Enoch was, and a Reſtorer of the Law. Now here be two [7ths. from Adam] both Tranſlated into Heaven, which may intimate that after the 6000. Year of the p. 20World, comes the 7th. from Adam or 7th. Millennium with its ſtrange Tranſlation likewiſe. However, this Tranſlation of Enoch is call'd Annus Sabbaticus, Calviſius, Opus Chronolog. Page 3. Enoch predicts (as a late Reverend writer ſaith) Judicium matutinum the Morning part of the Judgment Day (explain'd Dan. 7.7.8.9.) as if then to be ſeen [behold he cometh] which was not to be till the 7000. Year begin, and the Veſpertinum or Evening part is after it, explained in Revel. 20.7.

The (Second) Climacterical Conjunction (by doubling the Number [8] here and all along) was in the 1600. Year of the World under Noah, in which Century the Univerſal Deluge deſtroy'd the wicked World, which was then drowned in wickedneſs before it was drown'd in water. Yet the Church had then her Annum Sabbaticum a compleat Year of Reſt in Noahs Ark, for from November (when Noah had laid up all his Stores of the Earthly Fruits, and entred the Ark with his Beaſts, Fowls and Family) he remained there till the Beginning of November following: As Enoch had been a Cooler to the Church, when the wicked world was Hot in wickedneſs, by his contrary Profeſſion, prophecying, and Practice, for which God took him up into Heaven (as thinking no place good enough for him upon Earth) and whoſe Tranſlation gave to the Church the firſt Specimen or Proof, that God had prepared another Life (after this) for his Saints, wherein they ſhould live with him in Glory for ever. So Noah (as his Name ſignifies) was a Comforter to the Church, ſaving her from the Deluge, which Reduced the World to its firſt Chaos or Confuſion Gen. 1.2. when the Waters above the Firmament and the Waters under met again together, and brings the Earth once more into her firſt poſture to be covered with Water. 'Twas a peculiar priviledge, that Noah brought the Church night God in this great Floud of Waters. Pſal. 32.6. Enoch was a Prophet foretelling Chriſts coming, and Noah was a Preacher of Chriſts Righteouſneſs, had greater Bleſſings than Adam, having the Promiſe [I will no more deſtroy] &c. Gen. 8.21.22. the Bow in the Cloud, and a new String to his Bow, the Everlaſting Covenant, the pattern of all Covenants with Iſrael (oft mention'd by the Prophets) and the Floud (made ſuch a Baptiſm to the Earth) alſo, as help'd to waſh away its Curſe, which Curſed Earth ſhall become ſo Renewed, & ſo Bleſſed of the Lord, yea ſo much Chriſts Darling, that He Reſolves to make it the Centre of his Glory (as ſome ſuppoſe) at the 7th. Millennium, or laſt Revolution of the Superior Planets Revel. 5.9.10. where the Saints or Angels Rejoice, that they ſhall come (out of Heaven) to Reign upon Earth, thus God tells Moſes in the Mount, that the Land ſhall enjoy her Sabbath of Reſt, not only a Temporal Levit. 26.34.46. p. 21and 2. Chron. 36.21. and Levit. 25.2.6. But an Eternal one. Hebr. 4.9. which the Lord of the Sabbath (Math. 12.8. Mark 2.27.28. Rom. 9.29. Jam. 5.4.) hath made for man; The whole Earth ſhall be filled with his Glory Numb. 14.21. He will Cover, or Atone it Deut. 32.43 God (not Adam) named the Earth [Erets] which ſignifies [of Ratſah] to Delight, as If He meant to take his pleaſure upon it, when the Heavens, that Canopy and Curtain (now hiding his Glory) ſhall paſs away as a Scroll of parchment before the Fire: God will come to keep his Sabbath of Reſt on Earth, and here accept his People, then the Land of Canaan (more accurſed than all Lands, while poſſeſſed by the accurſ d Nations) ſhall be moſt bleſſed, the Glory of all Lands: The place of Gods Reſidence and Delightful Reſt. Ezek. 26: 6.40. and 34.26.30. Hoſ. 2, 20, 23. &c.

The (Third) great Revolution (ſtill adding another 800) falls out in the 2400. y. of the World under Moſes, when the Church had again another Sabbath of Reſt from her long and groaning ſlavery in the brick bondage of Egypt, this is ſo plain in Scripture Hiſtory, I need not inlarge upon it as upon the 2 former, a word only, the bleſſed Meſſiah which the 7th Revolution may bring in, is greater than Moſes as much as a Son than a Servant &c. Hebr. 3, 3, 4, 5, 6. He will plague the Pharaoh of myſtical Aegypt with ſorer and ſeverer plagues (his Vials of wrath Revel. 16) till He make him yeeld, and let go his People as Exod. 12.31. He will not only bring his Church into the Wilderneſs (which was all Moſes could do, leaving the conqueſt of Canaan to Joſhua) but bring her alſo into the Heavenly Country.

The (fourth) falls in the 3200. y. of the world (adding another [8] to the 24.) under Solomon and the Kings of Iſrael according to incomparable Tycho Brahe, this is likewiſe evident enough in Scripture, that the Church had her Sabbath of Reſt under Solomon, that peaceable King, as his Name ſignifies; yea and the Ark of God, that had (from Moſes time hitherto) no better harbor than in a Moving and Tottering Tabernacle, found a Sabbath of Reſt, in a ſtanding and ſtately Temple (the wonder of the World) not only for his time, but for his Godly Succeſſors alſo. Still our Saviour whom the firſt Revolution uſhers into the World in y. 4000.) is greater than great Solomon. Math. 12, 42. He is the Prince of Peace, the maker and matter of our peace, our Sanctuary, and Salvation in whom alone our Souls find a Sabbath of Reſt. Math 11, 29. This needs ſtill leſs Illuſtration: Go forward, then 800. y. more to the (Sixth) Epocha or Revolution in 4800 y. of the world which brings in Charles the great, under whom, as the Roman Empire was in its Zenith, or moſt flouriſhing eſtate at Chriſts Birth, ſo now it was tranſlated from Rome into Germany. This muſt be inſiſted upon a little, p. 22becauſe 'tis beyond Scripture Hiſtory, 'tis true the Church could have but a ſlender Sabbath of Reſt in his Time, for then Antichriſt was Regnant, and Leo was Rampant, (Leo the 3d was then Pope, who proſtituted his Keys to the Emperors feet, for which the Popiſh People whipt him like a Rogue, If not, plucked out his Eyes and cut out his Tongue &c. Frideaux Introduction pag. (96) yea in this 8th Century, Pope Joane made a good proof that the Church of Rome was a Baſe. Whore; ſo that the Reſt of the Church in this Age, was like-the Reſt that the Ark of the Covenant had in the midſt of Jordan, and that of the Prieſts of the Lord who attended it Joſh. 4, 9, 10, 16. with 3, 13. The Feet of the Prieſts (that bare the Ark) did Reſt in the midſt of Jordan, there they ſtood and muſt not ſtir out of their ſtation until 600000 people were paſſed over the 4000. Cubits of dry Land within the banks, there they ſtand, they Reſt in the midſt of Jordan, with hideous Mountains of water hanging over their Heads, a moſt Ghaſtly and frightful ſight without all peradventure, yet there they ſtood (till God cal'd them off) betwixt the People and Danger, ſo do all good Miniſters in all Ages, the firſt ſhock falls on them: The Church hath ſuch ſhort Reſtles Reſts or Sabbaths ſometimes, as Act, 9, 31. then had the Churches Reſt, and ſuch a Sabbath ſhe enjoyed in this Emperors time, whom Eginardus (writing his life) calls a moſt pious and glorious Emperor, He waged his Wars principally to Extirpate Heatheniſm, and to propagate Chriſtianity, more than for Enlarging his Dominions Pareus. Med. Hiſt. Eccleſs. pag. 257 He trode in the path of his Father Pipin, and of his Grandfather Charles Martel of France, in that great Service of Chriſtendom againſt the Saracens, had an Averſenſeſs (though he Reconcil'd the Pope and People) from allowing the Popiſh upholding of Images, which appear'd in a Councel held at Franckford, and his writing againſt the 2d Councel of Nice He gave for his Motto, Chriſtus, Regnat, Vincit, & Triumphat; Chriſt, Reigns, Conquers and Triumphs. (This was much, even then when Antichriſt began to be both Regnant and Triumphant in this 8th Century) Prideaux Introd pag. 229, 230 as this Motto expreſſed his Chriſtian Humility in the midſt of his Grandeur and Greatneſs, to the great ſhame of the Popes Pride and Ambition in that time; ſo it Demonſtrated his prophetick Faith, that Chriſt (in due time) would Trample Antichriſt underfoot and Triumph over Him: He is ſaid to give unto the Empire not only a new Body, but a new Soul too by promoting Religion in all his Conquer'd Countries. Alſted, Encuclopaed. pag 3019. He made Amicable leagues with ſundry Infidel Kings and Princes, that they might be more Favorable to their Chriſtian Subjects Pareus Med. Hiſt. Eccleſ. pag. 258. Alcuinus (our Oxford man, and one of Venerand Bedes Pupils) p. 23was this Emperors Tutor, by whom he gave a large Teſtimony againſt Popiſh Errors, Illyr. Teſt. Verſ. pag. 704 and 724. and by whom the Holy Scriptures were tranſlated into the Mothers tongue, the Pope at that time not contradicting it Alſted 3020. and Pridea ux 230. pag. to conclude, though this Great Emperor had ſome Tincture of Superſtition with his piety, (ſaith Oſiandor) yet was he a Zealous promoter of Chriſtianity, inſomuch that Chriſt had his Churches, (in this 8th. Century) even in all Lands. Where they had a little Sabbath, or Reſt, and kept their Sabbaths (as the Centuriſt ſaith) in Falaeſtine, Aegypt, Greece, France, Germany, yea and in our Britain, as at London, York, Beverley, Crowland, Canterbury &c. All named. Oſiand: Epit. Hiſt. Eccleſ. Cent. 8. lib. 1. Cap. 12. pag. 5.6.7.8.9. would to God our King may become a nother Charles the Great to protect the Proteſtant Religion in all Lands: Helvicus ſaith Aaron King of the Saracens gave this Charls Mount Calvary in Jeruſalem, and the Sepulchre of Chriſt God give to our Charls a ſhare in Chriſts Kingdom. Now come we to the (7th.) or Sabbatical Revolution (which makes the former 8th. to be now the 16th. Century. The beginning of which makes the World five Thouſand ſix Hundred years old: As the ſixt climacterical Conjunction turn'd the Empire from Rome to Germany in the 8th. Century. So this 7th. may both turn it and burn it (with the Houſe of Auſtria and the Pope of Rome) out of the World. As the 8th, Cent. gave a little Reſt or Sabbath to the reformed Religion, which hath been miraculouſly Reſted, though Arreſted by the malice of Rome both before and ſince Charls the 5th, but this 16th. or laſt may be a Sabbath of Sabbaths, and proclaim a Jubilee of Triumph. To apply this General Diſcourſe particularly to our preſent purpoſe, as alſo to obviate Objections, ſome Obſervations (both Aſtrological and Theological) may be here uſefully added.

(1ſt.) Aſtrological, (1) obſerve in the General there is no Arrival at perfection in Aſtronomy, the beſt Artiſts have erred, even in their beſt works, Humanum eſt errare, the beſt Aſtronomer may ſay with the Man in Terence, Homo ſum, Humanum à me nil alienum puto. Men, as Men, yea the beſt of Men may miſtake: The very Maſters and chief Luminaries in the Aſtronomical orb (ſuch as Mercator, Maginus, Morinus of France, Lord of Knudſtrobe, Andrew Argol of Padua, learned Hecker and Kepler himſelf) are all found faulty, and in ſome things committing Errours, eſpecially in the places of the ſloweſt paced Planets as are Saturn and Jupiter: None agree in all points, nor is it one man, or one Age, that can ſet theſe Differences to the Rights: as Mr. Gadbury ingenuouſly acknowledgeth in his Epiſtle to the Reader both before his 10 y. and his 20. y. Ephemerides (2) obſerve p. 24ſerve in particular, neither do aſtronomers Agree among themſelves in Aſſigning the Time of this 7th. Clymacterical Conjunction in our 16th Century, but have differing ſentiments about it. Alſted (that aliquis in omnibus, Ʋniverſally learned in all Ʋniverſity Learning) ſays, that it happened in the Year 1603. December 24. ('tis 14. in another place) at Noon in Sagittary, Encuclopaed pag. 1105.1106. and 1215.1216. and 1285.1286. in the firſt of which places, he calls it the 8th. Conjunction ſince the Creation (Reckoning the firſt Incluſive at the Beginning of the World) as if it ſhadow'd out not only the Chriſtian Sabbath which is on the 8th. Day or firſt Day after the 7th. (on the 8th. Day was Circumciſion celebrated, and the Pſalms on Sheminiths or Eights) but alſo that Sab. of Sab baths, the Millennium Sab. to be V ſher'd in thereby: Yet in his ſecond place quoted, He calls it, but the 7th. Conjunction pag. 1216. where the firſt at the Creation is excluſive, and not Reckon'd in the Number, to Repreſent it more purely Sabbatical in the 7th Number. In his Third place He adds, that this 7th Revolution portends not only great and Univerſal Commotions (in Church and State) but alſo ſome glorious Reformations, which (be ſaith) cannot be accompliſhed without great Concuſſions in Kingdoms and Countrys. But Engl. prophetick Merlin contradicts this, not only in its Computation, as to time, (affirming it to be on Decemb. 7th & at the 7th. hour 45. minutes pag. 22.) but alſo in its Denomination, as to name, for (ſaith He pag. 57.) that Conjunction may properly be called Magna, and was no other, but it had been Abſurd to have call'd it Maxima, it was Great, but not the greateſt, or Climacterical, becauſe it was not in Aries (which is the firſt of the Zodiack a Cardinal ſign, &c.) but in Sagittary.

This is moſt certain, it muſt be one of thoſe 3 ſorts, Greateſt, Middle or Meaneſt, either that ſort of Conjunctions which returns not above once in 800. Years, or that of 200. Years, or that of every 20. Year, and this laſt is the more probable ſeeing we find that after the Conjunction in 1603. there was another after that 20. y▪ in 1623 another after that …0. y. in 1642/3. Another after that 20. y. in 1663. and now another after that 20. in this preſent year 1682. However The Author aforementioned doth well to call that in 1603. a great Conjunction, becauſe it was attended with very great and moſt memorable matter, that James King of Scotland ſhould become the Mighty Monarch of England, and of Ireland too, and that without either Blood or Blows; what was this but a ſetting up in effect (even by a Miracle) a New Monarchy, eſpecially conſidering that old Antipathy betwixt Scots and Engliſh: That prudent Prince, brought peace not only to England, but alſo to Europe: yet in ſome ſenſe, p. 25thoſe other Succeeding Conjunctions (in the Interval of 20. y.) before named, may be called great, as well as that in 1603. in Reſpect of either ſome great Good, or ſome great Evil attending them: For as that in 1603. was attended with the Death of good Queen Elizabeth: So was that in 1623 with the Death of King James, and that in 1642/3. with civil uncivil Wars, and that in 1663. had both the dreadful Plague and Fire following it: And God knows what great Matters may alſo attend this preſent Conjunction in 1682. whereof more afterward: As to that common Notion, that climacterical Conjunctions (which be but 7 in all as above) muſt be in Aries, becauſe it is the firſt of the Signs of the Zodiack, Chief and Cardinal, and under it the World (ſome ſay) was created, and therefore muſt be the chief Epoche of the mightieſt Matters and Mutations in the World: Againſt this I muſt enter theſe Exceptions (1) who told them that the World was created under Aries, ſurely Moſes (with all his Learning of the Aegyp…ians) did not tell them ſo, nor Abraham, nor Job who both are reckoned up as skilful in Aſtronomy, 'tis therefore gratis Dictum, and a being wiſe above what is written: (2) I find in the beſt Tables of Calculation (I can conſult with) that the (firſt) Conjunction (Recorded therein) was in the 3d year of the World, and that in Sagittary. The (2d) was 23d y. from the Creation in Leo. The very Sign of our preſent Conjunction) and the (3d) in the 43. y. to be in Aries Then the (4th) in 63. y. in Sagittary, and the (5th) in 82. in Leo, juſt as it is now in our (82 reckoning by 20s (or thereabouts) betwixt that and this all along from the Beginning of the World to this year. (3) In the Tables of Kepler (the beſt in the World, improved by Maginus) the Sign Leo bids fairer for the place of climacterical Conjunctions, than Aries, ſeeing the firſt in the Tables (excluſive) was in Leo, A. M. 23. and the first Revolution of 800 y. (which is the periodical Motion of Saturn and Jupiter) after that falls in 817 y. of the World in Leo again, as the Tables tell us: If we reckon this (as well we may) for the first climacterical Revolution, then we find there again, the ſecond to fall in 1611. in Leo too. As the first down from the Beginning to Enochs Time, ſo the ſecond reaches to Noahs Days, and to that vniverſal Deluge. The third to Moſes in the y. 2406. and Iſraels Deliverance from Aegypt, which was again in Leo. The fourth to the y. 3200. (as ſome ſay) to the Medes Monarchy, or (as others) to Solomon, and the Kings of Iſrael Then alſo was the Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in Leo alſo. The fift to y. 4034. the Time of Chriſts Reſurrection, and in the 34. of Christ theſe 2. Planets met again in Leo, as Repreſenting, that the Lion of the Tribe of Judah had then conquered Death, the Grave and Hell, who ſoon after Aſcended p. 26into Heaven. The ſixth to 829. y. after Christ, the Time of Charles the Great, whoſe Offspring poſſeſs'd the Imperial Throne for an 112. years, Pareus Medul. Hiſt. Eccleſ. pag. 260. and that Time alſo had a Conjunction in Leo of the 2 ſuperior Planets: The ſeventh (and poſſibly the laſt) brings us down to the 16th Century, wherein we find no Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in Leo till we come to 1682. therefore may we more probably conjecture that this 7th Conjunction preſent in Leo hath ſome ſecret Myſtery of Sabbatiſm in it, and promiſeth ſomething (in its ſignature) of more ſingular Moment to this World, than any of its Antecedents. (4) Aſtronomers do grant, that when the 2 ſuperior Planets do paſs out of the watery Trigon, and have their Meeting in the Fiery (be it in Leo, Sagittary, or Aries in which ſoever. their Conjunction is) 'tis a great Conjunction, and portends great Mutations, not only becauſe theſe 2 Interchanged Triplicitys are contrary as Fire and Water, but alſo their Abode in one Trigon is about 200, y. And if uſually 7. y. (the Term of Mans Life in Law) bring Changes, what may 20. y. (their leaſt Conjunction, and about 3 Mens Lives) do; much more may 200. Y. (the Time of their Mean) but moſt of all the 800. Y. which is their Climacterical Meeting: New Empires &c. may well ariſe in that Time. (5) Spineus Phyſitian to the Duke of Padna, who wrote Cataſtrophe Mundi. 1625. y. and Engl. ſhed by Squire Aſhmole, ſaith pag. 24. that of all the 3 Signs in the fiery Trigon, Aries is the weakeſt, then muſt it follow that Leo is ſtronger: And at this Time eſpecially conſidering, (6) This preſent Conjunction in Leo comes Notably corroborated in 3. Reſpects. (1) it is attended with 2 frightful Comets (the firſt eſp. the like whereof hath not been this 800. y.) as ſeal'd up in its ſignificancy with a double Signet, or Seal Royal. Alſted &c. affirm, that ſuch Con junctions, ſo ſeal'd, are moſt ſignificant. (2) their Conjunction is near Cor Leonis, (a Royal and Couragions creature, whoſe Heart is the Seat of his Courage) which muſt add to its ſignificancy, ſeeing thoſe 2 greateſt Planets go into this Regal ſign and ſo near the Heart of it, entring there (as it were) into a deep Conſult and there confronting the Sun: (3) That Mars ſhould meet firſt Jupiter upon the 7th of this laſt September, and Saturn upon the 12th to ſtrengthen them both with his conjoined Rays, as both paſs'd along in Tendency towards this their Great Conjunction all theſe Meetings are in the ſame Sign of Leo, though now Mars be going off from candâ Leonis, as dropping down from off the Lions Tail into the Sign Virgo, wiſhing them (as it were) an Happy Meeting, which (no doubt) will be ſo according to Rules of Art, for Jupiter, having the higher Elevation, and being above Saturn as yet, muſt correct Saturns Malignity. p. 27Halys comment on Ptolomy 63. Aphoriſm; beſide, both Jupiter and Saturn are oriental and ſo is Mars, which is a Situation judg'd the leaſt obnoxious, Saturn (ſay Artiſts) makes Plots, but Jupiter (above him) ſpoils them: both the Two and Mars are occidental to the Sun, and therefore (ſaith) Almanſor propoſ. 30.) They muſt give good at the latter End, though the way to that End may be rough and rugged enough, eſp. to the Northern Regions, they being all ſo nigh to the Tropick of Cancer, (their Diurnal Ark, (or March) in our Horizon pouring down their Influences for about 15 Hours) and both Saturn and Mars being (what Star ſoever they are joined with) ſo miſchievous to Mankind: What their 2d Conjunction on January 30 in the Y. (83 and their 3d Conjunction again upon May the 2d in the ſame next Year 83. (all Three in Leo though in 2 diſtinct Years immediatly ſucceeding each other, and all 3 in the Compaſs of 8 Months, which is far ſhort of the diſtance of 20. years, (for this great Conjunction conſiſts of all theſe 3 Meetings, that a 3 fold Cord may not eaſily be broken; Whereas, as is aboveſaid, their leaſt Conjunction hath the Interſpace of 20 years) may conduce hereunto, time will beſt declare, for Truth is the Daughter of Time: Conſidering alſo, that the Sun will loſe its light ſo ſoon after this firſt Conjunction October the 9 (82 & ſo little before their ſecond in January 30. in (83; for in the ſame Year and Month upon the 17th Day of January in the Y. 83. that great Luminary will be Ecclipſed, and 9 Digits darkened in Aquarius, about 3 a clock in the Afternoon, much more might be added here, but ſat verbum ſapienti &c. I have duly and daily obſerv'd the Motion of theſe 2 great Planets (every clear Morning) ſince they came nigh each other, and do wonder that they ſhould be ſo ſwift in their Motion (Saturn running 2 Millions 376 Thouſand 261 Miles in an Hour, and 3964 Miles in one Minute, and Jupiter running 898 Thouſand 700 Miles in one Hour, and 14 Thouſand 9 Hundred 78 Miles in one Minute) yet are ſo ſlow in their Meeting; For I find Saturn requires 12 Days in his Diurnal motion to go this one ſingle Degree in Leo, and Jupiter requires 7 days for the ſame, before they can come through the 18th Degree of Leo to conjoin in the 19th, diſtant only 2 Minutes (whereof there be 60 in every Degree) on the 9th of 8 ber (82, then on the 10th Day Saturn marches off 6 Minutes and Jupiter 8 from their ſo near Application: It muſt be conſidered alſo, that the proper Motion of theſe 2 Planets (as of all the other 5.) is from Weſt to Eaſt upon the Pole of the Zodiack (though the primum mobile or upper Heaven hurry them upon the Northern & Southern Poles from Eaſt to Weſt) as plainly appeareth in the Motion of the Moon (one of the Planets) which at her Change in ſetting Weſt, every Night p. 28falls backward, and backward towards the Eaſt, till at her Full ſhe Riſeth in the Eaſt, in about 15. Days.

2ly, Theological, that it may (1) appear This Diſcourſe is not Chaldaization or the folly of the Chaldees, ſo much condemned in Scripture; for Aſtronomy and Aſtrology muſt not be confounded as too generally they are: That the Stars have a 3 fold Excellency (light, Motion and Influence) is granted by all that are Judiciouſly Learned: All the Controverſy is about the laſt: Concerning their Influence, there be 3 Opinions (1) in exceſs (2) in Defect, and the (3) in the middle between both: The 2 former extremes are offenſive, but the 3d is inoffenſive, (1) Thoſe in the Exceſs were the Chaldeans, Arabians, Egyptians, Stoicks, and many Jews, yea and Gentiles too both Heathen and Chriſtian, who Account the Heavens to be a Book, wherein the Fates of All are written, and who make their Schemes and Horoſcopes from thence as Creditable as the Goſpel (2) Thoſe in the Defect are ſuch as Cenſure all ſorts of Aſtronomical prognoſticks for Tables and Fooleries. To ſay, Heavenly bodies do produce no effects by their powerful Influence, is to Deny both Scripture and Experience: They both offend in Contrary Extremes in ſaying, that the Stars either do all things, or that they do nothing: therefore (3) The middle way betwixt theſe two Extremes muſt be moſt Approved.

In Medio tutiſſimus Ibis.

Ecclipſes may certainly and changes of Times may probably be prognoſticated: Job was Undoubtedly a great Aſtronomer, yet a good man and Holy in his Aſtronomy, knowing Arcturus, Orion, the Pleiades and the Chambers of the South. Job 9.9. Yea and the Dragon (whoſe nodes have all the Ecclipſes, and Seated betwixt the 2 Bears, not far from the North-pole,) Job. 26, 13. and God (himſelf) Diſcourſeth with Job as with one Converſant in that ſtudy, Job 38, 31, 32, 33. Where the Lord Aſſerts an Influence in the Stars, and that Irreſiſtible as to Man, Job cannot bind it up or looſe it out and let it go, the power of Binding and looſing pertaineth to the all powerful God, who is the ſole Guide and Governor of them, and who hath placed a Dominion in them over all Elementary bodies: which is expreſly mentioned in theſe words [canſt thou ſet the Dominion of them on the Earth] Job 38, 33. God hath put a Power into the Stars to Rule the 4 Seaſons of the year &c. This is call'd [The Powers of Heaven] 3 Times Recorded by Chriſt himſelf Matth. 24, 29. Mark 13, 25. and Luke 21, 26. and ſurely thoſe powers cannot be Inſignificant, Deus & Natura, nil faciunt fruſtra. God and Nature make nothing in Vain. They have then a Power, Dominion, p. 29or Influence, which no mortal men (though never ſo many, or mighty) can either hinder or haſten: Thus Amos alſo that Heardſman and Summer fruit gatherer (neither a Prophet, nor the Son of a Prophet) Amos 7.14) yet) was a moſt notable Aſtronomer diſcourſing notably upon the Stars) Chimah and Cheſil] 2 years before the Noted Earthquake. Amos 1, 1. and 5, 8. as likewiſe upon the Spheres, thoſe 3 Stories of Heaven one above another, before the Famine of the Word. Amos 9, 6. and 8.11. yea and Hoſea brings in God Reckoning the Heavens to be next in power (the next Veſſel of Mercy) to Himſelf. Hoſ. 2, 21. where the Prophet ſets down a Concatenation of Cauſes concerning Divine providence, which the Wizzards of this World, either denye or deride; Laſtly Moſes (when He bleſſeth Iſrael as their Civil Father, as Jacob, their natural Father had done before Him, Gen. 49.) Declares therein How the precious things of the Heavens do bring forth the precious Things of the Earth, Deut. 33, 13, 14, 15. So that Stars are not ſet and ſeated in the Heavens [ornatus gratiâ] merely for Ornaments ſake (as Baldwin in Caſes of Conſcience p. 780. excellently Demonſtrates) They are not only for Garniſhing the Under-Ceiling and ſtately Vault above our Heads (as Job ſays, Job 26, 13. but Moſes Intimates, that they are the Treaſurys of God) having Treaſure, laid up in them, the Stars are Gods Store-houſes out of which He ſcatters his precious things from his Heaven upon the Earth, ſaving [The Lord ſhall open to thee his good Treaſure] Deut. 28, 12. Every Star (ſaith one) is as a purſe of Gold, out of which God caſts down Riches, that Good Men gather up by Honeſt means, but the Evil ſcramble for by fraud, or by Force: that the Stars be Signs all do grant, and in ſome ſenſe, Cauſes: That they be Signs, is grounded upon Gen. 1, 14. [Let them be for Signs] yet ſome do narrow that word, ſaying, they are only Signs of Night and Day, if ſo, then the Sun and Moon had been enough to ſignify both theſe, ſo all the Reſt (of the Thouſands and of the Millions) be altogether ſuperfluous, Fruſtra fit per plura quod fieri poteſt per pauciora, what need many, where two will do, 'tis againſt Common ſenſe as well as expreſs Scripture to deny that thoſe Celeſtial Bodies are not Signs of Times and Seaſons alſo, as of Summer and Winter, Gen. 8, 22. of Weather &c. yea Learned and ſolid Pareus on Gen 1, 14. Excellently Argues, that the Stars could not be call'd Signs unleſs They did ſignify ſomething, and that ſomething (He ſaith) is, to warn mortals of many Matters ſuch as be (1) Natural (2) Civil (3) Spiritual, and He Approves of that …k Verſe of Aratus.

foreign

p. 30The Stars ſignify to men what matters are forged or framed for them: As (1) Natural Signs they be, of Heat, Cold, Dryneſs and Moiſture &c. (2) Civil. the Sailor muſt Hoiſe up his Sails (as the Word pleiades ſignifies) when thoſe 7 Siſters bring in the Spring with their ſweet Influences. So for ſetting, ſowing &c. (3) Spiritual, their Aſpects, and Paſſions (ſaith he) are Signs of ſpiritual Events as both Scripture and Experience teach, ſuch as Ecclipſes, Comets &c. For though theſe things have their Cauſes in Nature, yet do oft portend horrible Changes of publick Affairs, Seditions, Wars, Droughts, Inundations &c. for ſo much as (He ſaith) they either do naturally excite thoſe ſore Judgments, Through divine Pleaſure, or do certainly aſſiſt the Cauſes thereof, therefore they do foreſhew, and are Signs of Gods Diſpleaſure, whereby Men are alarum'd to Repentance: Though the Rainbow have a Natural cauſe, (as the Reflection of the Sun-beams in an oppoſit watery Cloud) yet is it nevertheleſs a Sign of Divine Clemency (Gen. 9.8.) for preſerving the World: How much more muſt thoſe preternatural Paſſions of the Planets be Signs of either Gods Anger or Favor. Parcus on Gen. pag. 54. Col. 12. All this He ſaith, though in pag. 55. He ſhews himſelf no Friend to Judiciary Aſtrology; which Dr. Willet likewiſe declares to be repugnant to Reaſon as well as Scripture, and its practice (in telling Fortunes and finding things loſt &c.) to be Vain and Impious in his 20th. Queſtion Gen. 1.14. My opinion is, Aſtrology in the General is lawful, provided it keep within its due Bounds, and pry not too far into Gods Secrets Deut. 29.29. 'Tis only the all knowing God who can foretel future Events Iſa. 41.21.22.27. 1. Eccleſ. 8.7. and 10.14. &c. Man knows not what ſhall be, no nor the Devil (notwithſtanding the Subtlety and Sagacity of his Angelical nature, together with his long Experience) to help Man, therefore all his Oracles He deliver'd in ambiguous Terms, that he might ſave his Credit when deceiv'd. All Apollo's Oracles were made by Aſtrology ſaith Enſebius. De praeparat Evang. lib. 6. cap. 1. with lib. 5. cap 10. And they were not only directed by the Aſpect of Stars, but alſo miniſtred by Familiar ſpirits. Yet the ſtarry Heaven is a ſacred Alphabet, wherein the Wiſdom, Power, Juſtice and Mercy of God are Lined out to us, theſe all be written legibly, yea Palpably (as the word Act 17.27. ſignifies) in the Brows of the Firmament; hence Clemens Alex: Calls it the firſt Bible God made for Mans inſtruction; 'tis one of the 3 leaves of the Book of Nature which every mortal ſhould read and conſider. Thus David did, He read it. becauſe it declared the Glory of God. Pſ. 19.1. yea every line of that leaf, he knew how far reached the length of thoſe lines, what David calls a line, Paul calls a Voice, Rom. 10.18. quoted from Pſ. 19.4, p. 31Reading Divinity-Lectures to all the Inhabitants of the Earth, that they may make a ſerious contemplation of them, and David conſidered as well as Read it. Pſ. 8, 3. All men as well as He, ſhould be much in this Conſideration, this Appears, becauſe (1) herein lays the Difference betwixt Men and Beaſts which cannot conſider any thing (2) The bolt upright figure of mans Body doth admoniſh him hereof.,

The Heathen Poet Ovid could ſay thus,

Os Homini ſublime dedit, coelum que videre

Juſſit, & erectos ad ſydera tollere vultus.

God with a loſty look did man Indue

Commanding him the Heavens and Stars to View.

(3) We are taught this duty by the fift Muſcle, which God hath given to mans Eye (whereas other Creatures have but four,) for drawing it upward, ut ejus Auxilio Coelum Intueremur, ſaith the Anatomiſt, that by the help thereof we might Contemplate and Conſider the Heavens: ſome Heathens (to the Shame of ſome Chriſtians) have ſaid, they were therefore Born, that they might Contemplate the Heavens: Alas, many make more Delightful Contemplations upon Lumps of Earth, than upon the Lamps of Heaven, as Duke de Alva, have ſo much buſineſs on Earth, that they have no Time to Look up to Heavens let us conſider them, & cry with David. Lord what is man &c, Pſ 8, 3, 4. in looking up, we behold every Star Twinkling at us and (as it were) Beckoning to us to Remember our Creator Eccleſ 12, 1. 'Tis not preſumption but. Duty to Read the Face of the Firmament, Math. 16, 2. Luke 12, 56. 1 Kings 18, 43, 44. Read this Leaf while it is Expanſum, an open Leaf, for it muſt be Rolled up and Folded together as a Scroll, Iſa. 34▪ 4. and Rev. 6, 14. yet reſt not in Reading this Book of nature, that only Declares Creation-Love, 'Tis the Book of Scripture in which Redemption love is Diſcover'd, we are no where bid to ſearch in the former (as in the latter. John 5, 39.) for Eternal life: 'Tis ſaid, Ʋbi deſinit Philoſophus, ibi incipit Theologus: So where Nature Ends, and can go no further, there the Scripture begins, and giveth more grace Jam 4, 8. I ſalui 19, 1, 2, 7, 8.

(2) But the grand Queſtion is, though Stars be Signs, whether they be alſo Cauſes▪ ſeeing Moſes calls them Signs Gen. 1, 14, but never cauſes. A. Baldwin ſaith, Stars do incline & irritate, but do not neceſſitate, p. 780 Caſ. Conſc. & Ameſius calls them common cauſes, Caſ. Conſc p. 19 1 Alſted ſtiles them Cauſae adiuvantes ibid, as if they were Auxiliaries, the ſound eſt Divinity ſaith, they are general Cauſes only, but not ſpecial, ſo nothing p. 32can be infallibly foretold from their poſitions. Moſes did call them Signs, not Cauſes to prevent Idolatry, much leſs did He call them Prophets, as if they could predict future Events with any certainty: Hence Spineus candidly confeſſes that Aſtrologers can but conjecture, none but thoſe inſpired by God can foretel, (as Amos 37.) Cataſtrophe Mundi, page 11.12. The ſame ſay, Kepler, Tycho, Alſted, &c. Kepler makes a more modeſt Obſervation than Cardan; ſaying, the wiſe Men who were led by a ſignal Star out of the Eaſt, might by the Rules of their own Aſtrological Art make ſome Conjectures of an Eminent Event, and of the Birth of a mighty Monarch, becauſe (ſaith he) that Comet (as he calls it) appeared at the very Time, when their was the fift Climacterical Conjunction of the 2 ſuperior Planets, (Saturn and Jupiter) in the fiery Trigon: Yea the Head Maſters of that Myſtery do grant, that though the various Poſitions of the stars have great Effects upon ſublunary Bodies, yet peremptorily to aſſign them is Preſumption, for the Efficacy of the Stars above our Heads, and their Specifick virtues cannot be ſo well known to us as may be that of Herbs, which we can take in our Hands and do tread upon with our Feet, and therefore, long Experience of ſuch and ſuch Effects following Comets and Conjunctions, do teach more and better than all Aſtrological Rules, Maxims or Aphoriſms: Indeed Sir Chriſtopher Heydon ſteps a little farther, ſaying, that their Effects be by long Experience certainly known, though the Cauſes be unknown, and cannot be demonſtrated, I muſt confeſs, this Aſſertion holds true in ſome other Caſes more familiar to Man, and ſuch whoſe Cauſes and Effects are (each of them equally) more nearly converſant with us, than are Celeſtial Cauſes and Terreſtrial Effects; as for Inſtance, it hath been my own many Times Experiment, how Harmony in Muſick (upon muſical, well tuned & ſtringed Inſtruments) will ſtrangely & ſtrongly Affect even at ſome conſiderable Diſtance: As thus, hang a little crooked Straw upon the Baſe or Remoteſt ſtring upon your Baſe-Vial, Lute, or Harp, make the trebble String either Ʋniſons, Diapaſons, or Diſ-Diapaſons (that is, either Ones, Eights, or Sixteens, in which Notes do conſiſt the higheſt Harmony in Muſick) and your ſtroke upon the Trobble (either ſtop'd or open to make thoſe Harmonious Sounds aforeſaid) will cauſe the Straw to cut Capers, and to Dance a Gallyard, leaping Levalto's all along till at laſt it falleth down, which will not ſo much as move, no not, if it be placed upon the neareſtſtring to the Straw (as I have often tryed) at any other Note: No Reaſon can be rendred for this, ſave only, 'tis from Harmony in Muſick, which is like the poor Shift of the Philoſopher when Non-plus'd with the Sympathys and Antipathys in Nature (both of Plants and p. 33Beaſts) his Retreat for a Solvo or Salvo is, 'tis an occult Quality, which is Tantamont, the great God hath poſed me, I know not the Reaſon. The like is well known (as to the Matter of Fact) How Geometrical Symmetry in muſical Sounds and Voices, will marvellouſly Affect the Heart of all that are not Melancholick, yet the manner of its Operation is hard to be Demonſtrated: As it is not doubted, ſo neither muſt it be Denyed, that thoſe Celeſtial and Aetherial Stars do much Affect all Terreſtrial and Elementary Bodies, (both Plants, Beaſts and Men that are upon the Earth, and Subterranneal Mettals that are within the Earth) by thoſe powerful Influences which the great Creator did Concreate them with, and placed in them otherwiſe, we had never heard of the ſweet Influences of the Pleiades or 7. Stars, Job 38, 31. (thoſe 7 Siſters or Lovers have an Irreſiſtible Influence to produce the Spring-flowers &c.) nor ever have been call'd upon to pay our Tribute of praiſe (upon our beholding the Garniſhed Heavens) to the great Creator of them for mans good, as we are Pſalm 136, 7, 8, 9. with ver. 1. (ſeeing they Thruſt forth out of the Earth ſo many precious Creature-comforts for us. Deut. 33, 14.) nor ever have heard how the Stars fought in their Courſes againſt Siſera Judg. 5, 20. The Stars are call'd the Hoſt of Heaven, Pſal. 33, 6. (and in many more Scriptures) where the Pſalmiſt makes the firſt mention of this Hoſt, as the moſt glorious part of Creation work; and how did this Hoſt fight againſt Siſera: Much like ſo many Soldiers that obſerved both Rank and File, or rather like ſo many Regiments, God (their generaliſſimo) call'd forth now one Regiment and then Another, drawing up their extraordinary Influences to Confound his and his Peoples Enemies therewithal: Some take theſe Stars Metaphorically for Angels as 2. Maccab. 10, 29 and 11, 8. but the literal ſenſe is more proper, for God made thoſe [Hachochabim mimmiſilotham] Stars from their ſtations to ſtir up ſtorms (according to their Natural Influence) and to Daſh Haileſtones, Lightning, and Thunderbolts in the faces of the Curſed Canaanites, as Joſephus ſaith Ant…quit. lib. 5. chap. 6. Thoſe Stars could more eaſily, more ſtrongly, and more Hittingly caſt their malignant Darts or Rayes from their High Stations (as Miſiloth ſignifies) Downward upon thoſe foes below (than can poſſibly be caſt from below upward for Killing work) Eſp. God Directing theſe Darts to Hitt their appointed marks, Notwithſtanding all this, we may not place the Stars in Gods ſtead, as to Aſcribe to them a Supreme Dominion.

Indeed theſe Superior bodies have (expreſly) Job 38, 33. a power or Dominion over our Inferior, unto which we are Subject and muſt Submit, yet is it only a Miniſterial power, a Dominion ſubordinate to the Appointment of God: He may uſe their Miniſtry Reſpecting the p. 34mighty matters of this lower World (as He did againſt Siſera) yet may we not ſay, that the lives and Fortunes of Men, the Fates and Changes of States Depend wholly upon the Stars, and may be foretold by the Temper, figure, colour and Poſture, of the Planets, This is a Divination Condemned by the Word of God. Deut. 18, 10. Iſa. 47, 13. &c. and 'tis a putting the Stars in Gods ſtead; whereas All created beings (yea the very Planets themſelves) are in the hand of God. Indeed Plato in Timaeo, calls the Stars Gods, ſuch as the blind Gentiles, and ſome Blockiſh jews made ſo, not only in obſerving them (which all ought to do) but alſo in Adoring them 2. Chron. 33, 3. Jerem. 44, 17. &c. contrary to Deut. 4, 19. &c. I could wiſh that the names of thoſe Planets were Reformed from thoſe of Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, &c. Seeing all theſe were Names of the Heathen Gods, which ſhould be ſpetted out of Chriſtians Mouthes with utmoſt Deteſtation, Exod. 23, 13. Pſal. 16, 4 and Hoſ. 2, 17. Hereupon the Primitive Chriſtians did diſlike thoſe names that Mercurius Triſmegiſtus had given to the Days of the week, ſuch as Dies Saturni, Jovis, Martis and Veneris &c. Deſuing to ſhun all Semblances of Idolatry, and fearing to countenance thoſe Heatheniſh Dunghil Deities: Reverend Beza ſaith, he had rather ſtill Retain the Hebrew Names, [Has, Chefil, and Chimah, than call them Arcturus, Orion and the Pleiades, which have beenn ſo much Abuſed with the obſceen Fables of profane Poets: I am Conſtrained to call thoſe Planets by their common Heatheniſh Names for Diſtinction ſake and by way of Recital, as Baal Rom. 11, 4. and Caſtor and Pollux, Acts 28, 11. are mentioned by the Apoſtle, non Honoris gratiâ, ſed tantum Recitativè, not to pay them any Honor, but in the way of an Hiſtory only, it being there an Hiſtorical Relation. Gualtherus hath an Excellent Note-upon Zeph. 1, 5. &c. [them that Worſhip the Hoſt of Heaven upon the Houſe-top] ſaying, let thoſe that profeſs Judiciary Aſtrology obſerve this, they worſhip the Stars no leſs than did the Heathens of old, and do openly bring in Heatheniſm again, while (firſt) they call the Stars by the Names of thoſe Heatheniſh Deityes, which ought to be Aboliſh'd; as above: (2dly) they put the Event of all things in ſubjection to thoſe Stars, yea even of Man himſelf, as touching all his Manners and Fortunes which (as the Scriptures Affirm) do Depend upon the Eternal Providence of God Alone. I add a (3d) to Gualter, their putting the Government of the World under 7 Planetary Angels, giving names and Times of Government to them Unſcripturally. This is Intolerable Impiety, and they that fall into it, ſhall not eſcape the Juſt p. 35Judgment of God, Great Auguſtine calls this no better than the Doctrine of Devils, ſaying this kind of Divination was of the Devils Teaching: De Civit: Dei. lib. 5. cap. 1. pag. 70. par. 2dae. Yet in properiety of Speech, that is not Divination which ſpeaks from Signs and Cauſes, but from Impulſes and Inſpiration Beza Ep. 29. now to propoſe the Planets as both Signs and Cauſes not only of Natural, but alſo of Voluntary things (without any Reſpect either to the Free-Will of Man or to the Free-Grace of God) Reducing All under a Fatal Neceſſity and Determinations of Planets, This muſt needs be both great Folly, and groſs Idolatry. No Doubt, but the Flanets have a mighty power over the Bedies of Men, yet 'tis wicked to ſay that the Soul alſo is ſubject to Stars, and though they may have ſome Influence upon the paſſions and Affections of the Soul, which do naturally Ariſe from the Temper of the Bod, yet can they not Incline, much leſs Inforce the Will of Man, but leaſt of all the Will of God, and therefore cannot afford any Certain Divination: Beſides, the Planets are but Univerſal and Remote-Cauſes (at the moſt) and there be other more near, and more particular cauſes Intervening which may (having a power of their own) either Reſiſt or Remit that force deſcending down from the Stars.

This probablv may be the True Reaſon, why the very Conjecturers themſelves do ſo much diſagree among themſelves in their own Conjectures.

Suppoſe Pythagoras and Plato's Notion hold True, that the Motion of the Celeſtial Spheres (call'd Motus Tripidationis, a Trembling Motion) makes a moſt Melodious Muſick, and ſuppoſe that Muſick (being Celeſtial) ſhould make a greater Impreſſion upon the minds of Men (though they hear it not by a Virtual Contact, than any Terreſtrial Muſick (as is aforeſaid) can do) yet this occult Quality (as to the matter of its effects, as well as to the manner of its Operation) cannot Afford any better than an occult or obſcure Divination from the obſcurity both of the Cauſa and of the Cauſatum: which have the ſame Quality: Now if the Devil himſelf can foretel nothing but ſuch as are [in cauſis cognitis operantibus] in their Cauſes both known, and in their very working too, much leſs can any Mortal Man (far ſhort of his Subtlety, ſagacity and experience) Declare moral matters long before there is any working in their natural Cauſes by Aſtrological Rules, ſuch predictions muſt needs be Ʋncertain, Vain, if not falſe, yea ſometime Blaſphemous. There be ſome ſuch predictions, we would have gladly prove true [quod Volumus, facilè credimus] as this, That p. 36Mars never leaves Leo and goes into Virgo, but then the Enemies of the Proteſtants go down &c. on the contrary that of Cambden, that Saturn never paſſes through Leo but he leaves a plague upon this City of London: God forbid it.

To conclude then with (not peremptory Concluſions, but) ſome probable Conjectures partly Aſtrolog. and partly Theolog: (1) give me leave to ſay with Nuntius propheticus. Page 35 my Nature hath hitherto abhorr'd predicting Events by the Stars, yet ſeeing the Congreſs (or Conjunction) of the 2 Superior Planets have an I had of Evils moſtly attending them (to fall ſome where) ſo muſt portend great Matters, yet it is beyond the Knowledge of Man to make any poſitive Prediction from them upon whom it will fall, or preciſely when that Great Sabbath, or Time of Reſt ſhall come upon the Earth: He reckons many Reverend men (ſome that lived while the Bloud of Chriſt was yet warm) who taught freely and fully (of this Golden Age, or great Sabbath to come) with the Applauſe of all, and contradiction of none &c. Which future Felicity of Gods Servants upon Earth may well be portended by this 7th, Sabbatical and Climacterical Conjunction: (2) concerning the preciſe point of Time when this Day of Refreſhing. Acts 3, 19. and of the Reſtitution of all things v. 21 ſhall be, no mortal Man can determine, indeed, ſo many Men, ſo many Minds, One Author aſſigns this Year, Another that, a third differs in his Account from both: And (in truth) ſuch is the Vncertainty of Chronology, that it is impracticable if not impoſſible to fix any Certainty here…n: The Computation of Time from the Creation to Chriſt is made in that Variety, that Alſted reckons up about 24 ſeveral Accounts and Conjectures thereof in his Encuclopaedia. Page 2993. Now if there were ſo much Vncertainty in that Chronology before Chriſt (wherein the Records of the Old Teſtament run all along as a Thread for Guidance in that Labyrinth) how much more ſince Chriſt, which hath not a Scripture-Chronicle to direct us beyond the firſt Hundred years: And in the very firſt Century, there muſt be much Obſcurity; for the Pagans, who were ſo Cruel, as to Kill the Authors, would not be ſo Kind, as to Keep their Books: See my Diſcovery of Antichriſts Riſe, Reign and Ruine. pag. 147, 148, 149. &c. (3) Notwiſtanding the Variety of Minds in ſtating this great Matter as to Time, yet all do agree vnanimouſly, and there is a Concurrence of Sentiments on all Hands, that this thrice happy and golden Age is now at hand, & the Nearer we may well ſuppoſe it, becauſe the 7th Conjunction muſt be attended (as all the former 6 have been) with Great Revolutions: The great Champion of this Sabbatical Doctrine Alsted doth (confidently enough) determine the year of Chriſt 1694 (which is now p. 37about 12 y. hence) for the firſt Year of that Triumphant State or Happy Jubilee: And I cannot but wonder to find Trithemius Spineus, Cardan and Tycho Brahe all ſpeaking of a new erected Kingdom about the Year 1700. (which is about 5 or 6 years beyond Alsteds Account) In quo omnia Nutu Ʋnius Regentur &c And betwixt this great Conjunction (renew'd again Jan. 30 and May 2d of the next year) and in that 17 Century I find not any other of theſe 2 Superior Planets (nor will be, till their 20 y. Return from this Meeting) only as great an Ecclipſe of the Sun I find March 29 in the y. 1693 (about Alſteds year aforementioned) as was that in the y. 1652. which than gave the Denomination of Black Munday accompanyed with moſt Black Effects: (4) As to thoſe that have put ſo much ſtreſs upon the y. 1666 (a year fatal to London, not to Rome thàt myſtical Babylon) Time it ſelf (the beſt Interpreter of dark Myſteries) hath confuted: That was before this Great Conjunction (though not before a Great Comet in the y. (64) vnleſs we reckon from Chriſts (not Birth; but) Aſcenſion (for then was made Chriſts Viſible Conqueſt) which will be a fit Salvo for the aforeſaid, as adding 34 y. more to 1666, betwixt Chriſts Aſcenſion and Deſcenſion to Reſtore all things, which is not yet elaps'd, but falls upon the 17. Century. (5) there be others, who judge the Time vncertain, and certainly their Judgment (in my Judgment) is moſt certain: However this is a ſovereign Cordial againſt all our interveing Cordoliums, that our Redemption draweth nigh Luke 21, 28. therefore are we bid to look up, and to lift up our Eyes on high upon thoſe Heavenly Wonders (the Conjunctions and the Comets) Iſa. 40, 26. And lift up your Heads &c. (as before) or [exhilarate corda] cheer up your Hearts, as that Luke 21, 28. is interpreted: or ſtretch forth your Necks (as' foreign Rom. 8.19. ſignifies) which is either a Metaphor from Birds that thruſt forth a long Neck out of a Cage, or elſe from Men that earneſtly look and long for ſome ſpecial Friend a coming, as Siſeras Mother did, looking out at a Window and crying [why is his Charet ſo long in coming] Judg. 5, 28. when ye ſee thoſe things come to paſs, ſaith Chriſt, that is, when ye behold theſe Signs, Prodigies, Ecclipſes &c. Then know your full and final Deliverance is not far off, ſee Rom. 8, 19, to 22. (6) Whereas this Intimation cutts the Worlds continuance (in ſtatus quo,] ſhort of 6000 years, 'tis true, it ſeemeth to do ſo; The Hebrew Cabbaliſts do indeed obſerve, that in the firſt Verſe of the Holv Bible there are ſix Alephs, who from thence conclude, that the World ſhall laſt ſix Thouſand Years reckoning each Aleph (as it ſtands in Gen. 1.1.) for a Thouſand: Suitable to this (in point of Time) is that other Rabbinical Notion, that as Solomons p. 38Temple was finiſhed in the 3000 y. of the World, ſo the ſpiritual Temple ſhall be conſummated in three Thouſand more: According to this Tenure likewiſe, doth the known Prophecy of Elias (not the Tisbite, but a later Learned Rabbi) run in his Reckoning, that as there weree 2000 y. (plùs minùs) before the Law, and 2000 y. (more or leſs) under the Law: So there are to be 2000 y. alſo vnderunder the Goſpel: Agreable alſo to theſe 3 former Computations, is the Notion of comparing the ſix Thouſand years of the Worlds Redemption (whereof the firſt four Thouſand belong'd to the prophetical Office of Chriſt, and the laſt two Thouſand to his Sacerdotal or Prieſtly) unto the ſix firſt Days of the Worlds Creation. Becauſe both the Old and New Teſtament do teſtify, that a Thouſand Years with God are as one Day. Pſal. 90, 4. and 2. Pet. 3, 8. As likewiſe becauſe God promiſeth to ſhew Mercy to a 1000 Generations; that is, (as ſome interpret it) for 7000 y. For as after the 6 Days came the Sabbath, ſo after the ſix Thouſand comes the 7th or Sabbatical Millennium: And after the prophetical and priestly Offices be accompliſhed in the four and two Thouſand (as aforeſaid) then begins his Regal Office, wherein he takes to himſelf his great power and Reigns, Revel. 11, 15, 17. for which He hath been in long Expectation, Hebr. 10 13. with 1, 13. and Pſ. 110, 1. and 1. Cor. 15, 24.25. this is his Kingly Office. (7) Theſe aforeſaid Diviſions of Times are Indeed Fair and plauſible, but as they are not Divine and Scriptural, (wanting a Warrant from the Spirits Inſpiration) ſo there is (1) a plus and a minus, a more and a leſs Attending them; and if the two former periods, why not the latter: (2) Chriſt hath ſaid that this latter period ſhall be ſhortened for the Elects ſake, Matth. 24, 22. which words may have a ſpecial Relation to the world in general, as well as to Jeruſalem in particular. (3) There is a German Doctor, who tells us, we have loſt more in the Chronology of Time than Two Hundred years (4) Conſider that Tycho Brahe calls the Former Epoches of great Revolutions Ʋneven ones, and why may not this last be ſo: (5) Remember how the Antients make 960, y. betwixt one Climacterical Conjunction and another, this will Advance &c. (6) ſo will a Reckoning from Chriſts Aſcenſion, and not from his Birth: (7) This Planetary Revolution being the 7th we may expect the ſooner a Reſtitution of all things All Sabbatick Circulations are Reputed as Rings of Gold, and the 7th is the Diamond and Sparkling Jewel of Daily, Monthly and Annual Revolutions. I ſhall therefore Conclude with this precious double 7th (both in the paragraph and p. 39in the Subdiviſion) and with that old Hebrew prayer [Bimerah Bejamenu] let this 7th Millennium or Bleſſed Jubilee come quickly, and in our Day Before we be lodged in the ſilent Grave; even ſo, Come Lord Jeſus, come quickly. So prayeth C. N.

FINIS.