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A23638 Judicial astrologers totally routed, and their pretence to Scripture, reason & experience briefly, yet clearly and fully answered, or, A brief discourse, wherein is clearly manifested that divining by the stars hath no solid foundation ... published by J.A. for publick good. Allen, John, 17th cent. 1659 (1659) Wing A1032; ESTC R14258 18,944 38

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Judicial Astrologers Totally Routed And their Pretence to Scripture Reason Experience Briefly yet Clearly and Fully ANSVVERED Or a Brief DISCOURSE Wherein is clearly manifested That Divining by the Stars hath no solid Foundation In the First Part of this Book are several Cases of Conscience Answered both from the Word of God and from the Experience of Eminent Divines of different Judgments In the Second Part of it are the Maximes of Judicial Astrology Examined and Answered and many Eminent Examples added of the Frustration of the Tokens of these Liars Published by J. A. for Publick Good Jer. 10. Isai. 44. 25. Read the words Printed for John Allen at the Rising Sun in St. Pauss Church-yard 1659. THE BOOKSELLER to the READER Courteous Reader I Have once more by the Providence of God published a second Impression of this little Treatise against Judicial Astrology a practise if seriously considered doth not only undermine the Providence of God that works all things according to the counsel of his blessed Will but also cut in sunder the Sinews of common prudence laies a man open to the practise of the vilest wickedest actions The Book is divided into two Parts The first consisting of several Cases of Conscience concerning Judicial Astrology answered from the Word of God and from the experience of eminent Divines who in their generations were bright and shining Lights And how much the godliest Divines of our Nation of different judgments have spoken and written against the practice of it of late daies is very apparent The Second Part of this Book consists of several grounds and reasons by them alledged wch are clearly answered and their pretence to reason and experience of no value To which is added some rare examples of the frustration of the Tokens of these Liars whereby their pretended Art to all Generations has been rendred odious The former Part of this Book finding a general acceptation with the Judicious and Gods wonderful deliverance of me from so great a snare when I was for many years a Student in this abominable practice of Judicial Astrology These considerations with many others as so many Alarm's to awaken me to my duty viz. to manifest and declare to others the odiousnesse of this practise so much displeasing to God and a trouble to the Consciences of those that have the power of Godlinesse desiring to wait upon God in all those waies that are pleasing unto him and leave the successe of all dispensations to his wise Providence I have with relation to the premises published a second Impression with additions to the end that the reading over of this small Tract may be instrumental to recover such from the practise of it that are Students in it and to perswade others whose minds are too inclineable to the study of it my humble request to them both is that they would flee from the practise of it and shun all the occasions leading unto it knowing the waies of it lead to the Chambers of death That this little Book may through the Blessing of God attain these ends and purposes intended and that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ shall through his Gracious Assistance be the desires prayers and endeavours of him who is willing to acknowledge himself unworthy of the least of Gods Mercies yet is willing to subscribe himself Thy cordial friend to his power John Allen Octob. 19 1659. An advertisement to the Reader There is lately published a Book worthy of thy perusal called the Vanity of Judicial Astrology by that Learned Schollar and Mathematician Petrus Gassendus Mathematical Professor to the King of France Questions and Cases of Conscience about Astrology and Seekers to Astrology Quest WHO are Astrologers Answ. Such as gaze on the Heavens to read the fates and fortunes as they term them of men and States persons and people in them and to foretel from thence what good or evil shall befall them such were of old held in high esteem with the Babylonians Dan. 1. 20. 2. 2. 4. 7. 5. 7 11 15. Also with other Nations Dan. 2. 10. and with the ungodly Jews Isa. 47. 13 14 15. with whom they did consult about their weighty affairs because they took upon them to foretel things to come They are called Star-gazers and monethly Prognosticators Isa. 47. 13. They are joyned with Magicians Sorcerers Caldeans Dan. 2. 2 10. Soothsayers Dan. 4. 7. Wise men Dan 5. 15. Quest How may it be proved that this kind of Divination ' is unlawful Answ. First That which the Word of God condemns as a grand oftence is not to be practised countenanced or tolerated But divining by the Stars is condemned by Gods Word as Deut. 18. 10 11. There shall not be found amongst you any one that useth Divination or an Observer of times or an Enchanter or a Witch or a Charmer or á Consulter with familiar spirits or a Wizard or a Necromancer for all that do these things are an abomination to the Lord And the looking after them is expressed by going a whoring after them Lev. 20. 6. So Isa. 2. 6. Thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob because they are replenished from the East and are Soothsayers like the Philistines And Isa. 47. 13 14. Thou art wearied in thy counsels Let now the Astrologers the Star-gazers the monethly Prognosticators stand up and save thee from those things that shall come upon thee Behold they shall be as stubble the fire shall burn them God forbids his people to learn these Arts Jer. 10. 2. Thus saith the Lord learn not the way of the Heathen and be not dismayed at them They are called Liars Isa. 44. 25. That frustrateth the tokens of the Lyars and maketh the Diviners mad Such are reckoned up with other Diabolical Arts as being of the same kind Dan. 22. Acts 19 18 19 20. Many which used curious Arts such as this is brought their books and burned them before all men and counted the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver c. and this is ascribed to the power of the Gospel v. 20. Secondly That Art whereby men assume to themselves what is peculiar unto God must needs be sinful neither to be practised countenanced nor tolerated But this is done by such as take upon them to divine of events to persons Nations by the Stars therefore c. The Major is clear from Isa. 41. 22. Shew things to come hereafter that we may know that ye are gods where we see that knowing and declaring things to come is as peculiar a prerogative of God as to know mens hearts Thirdly That which withdraws the heart from God the Father and Christ the Son from considering the works of the one and heeding the words of the other is an evil not to be practised countenanced or tolerated But Astrological predictions draw from God and Christ Therefore c. The Major is evident Not to consider
I am more skilful in Divination than you are for I can foretel that you shall keep your Christmas in the Tower of London and accordingly commanded him to be sent Prisoner thither as a just reward of his impudence and besides the King did not die in the year predicted A Fifth Example It is memorable what we read in History that when some Astrologers had by some great Conjunctions of the Planets in watery signs predicted a general Deluge and so great calamities to men and beasts and that by the waters that never the like was seen aforetime and this deluge to happen in February 1524 the people in Spain France Italy and Germany being terrified with this Prognostication provided themselves of Shipping Beats Victuals and other necessaries for a long voyage it so fell out that all that moneth of February was fair and clear and more temperate than ordinary and we may take notice of a special Providence of God in it in regard of the great serenity that was at that time and we may justly deride the vain predictions of our star-Prophets for it is not usual to see February passe away without Rains That Cardan and Origanus themselves could not dissemble their sorrow for being so much disappointed in their expectations Example 6. There is another Remarkable Example recorded by Scaliger out of Rigordus who wrote that the Astrologers had foretold so general a destruction by the violence of winds and tempests because of a Conjunction of as well the Inferiour as Superiour Planets in Septemb. 1186 there being an Eclipse of the Sun on the 11th of May immediatly foregoing that many did expect the universal dissolution of nature then to come and yet when the time came there was not so much as a storm ensued So that the contrary event derided the skill of the Astrologers and foolish credulity of those that believed them Besides these Examples the commonnesse of every daies experience if diligently considered will produce the like Fallacies Do but read over the monethly Observations of several Astrologers in their Almanacks for this present year 1659 and you will find how grossely they are mistaken It s worthy of your noting There are many more examples recorded which I might have added but then my Book would have exceeded the Bounds I intended I shall only add the sayings of a worthy man and eminent Mathematician concerning Judicial Astrology and also add somthing by way of consideration and petswasion and finish this Treatise I am very credibly informed that Mr. Norwood a very worthy man and well known amongst the Merchants of Barmoodas should say speaking of Astrology to an eminent Friend of his that he thought that it was a very hard matter if not a thing impossible to be a noted man in Judicial Astrology and yet a good Christian This will be testified by two known witnesses But thus much I can say concerning it that the very Principles of Judicial Astrology are inconsistent with the lively and vigorous actings of the Grace of God and there can be no other agreement between them than between light and darknesse The considerations and perswasions against the study and practise of it are briefly these 1. It s a practise that the Word of God condemns Do not study it lest ye be found fighters against God For who is able to contend with the Almighty who is wonderful in knowledge and wise in Counsel 2. It s a practise that cuts in sunder the very Sinews of common Industry and makes a man carelesse and slothful in businesse for diligence is the life of businesse Solomon saith that its the diligent hand maketh rich 3. Consider how miserable the lives and terrible the deaths of those Kings and Princes have been that have confided in their predictions Histories are full of such Examples 4. Consider another example as notable as the former of some persons being told by Astrologers that they should die by a Rope to prevent the shame of a common Gallows were the horrible Executioners of themselves Then be advised in the fear of God to flee from all such abominable practises and have nothing to do with the Art or Artist in any thing you may be ensnared either by it or them I say flee from it as you would flee from the Plague or any other Infectious disease and in all your necessities make your addresses unto God through Jesus Christ and then whatever you want asking of it in Christs Name and according to his Will he will grant you your desire in it or some other thing that is better for you To his Care I commit you FINIS BOOKS sold by John Allen at the Rising Sun in St. Pauls Church-yard Viz. Mr. Caryl's 5th Vol. on Job 7th Vol. 8th Vol. 9th Vol. Beza Novum Testamentum Fol. Mr. Allens Scripture Chronology 4o Mr. Baxters Call to the unconverted 12o Mr. Lukins practice of Godliness 12o A Catechism of the chief Heads of Christian Religion by Mr. Davenport and Mr. Hooke of New-England 8o The Faith and Order owned and practised in the Congregational Churches in England agreed upon and consented unto by their Elders and messengers at the Savoy Octob. 12 1658. Mr. Cottons Treatise on the Convenant o● Grace Johannes Becoldus Redivivus the English Quaker the German Enthusiast revived A Defence and Justification of Ministers Maintenance by Tythes and of Infant-Baptism Humane Learning and the Sword of the Magistrate which some Anabaptists falsly call four sandy Pillars and Popish Foundations of our Ministry and Churches written by Immanuel Bourne Pastor to the Congregation at Waltham in the County of Leicester Presbytery and Independency vindicated in answer to Mr. John Tympsons Treatise of a free admission to the Lords Table Mr. Gattaker against Judicial Astrology The vanity of Judicial Astrology written by Gassandus Mathematical Professor to the King of France The Quakers Folly made manifest to all men in a publick dispute with Mr. S. Fisher G. Whithead and R. Hubberthorn to which is added a Narrative of their wicked and abominable practises by Tho. Danson Min. of Gods Word at Sandwich in Kent