know well that this Latine word is not alwayes a Note of Similitude Facti sumus Sicut Consolati was the song of the People returning out of Captivity as Men that are Comforted shall we conclude hence that they were not Really so No But this word Sicut AS is Redundant in this place and might as well have been away So likewise in this passage Transivimus Sicut per Ignem and in many more the like Therefore Complicabuntur Coeli Quia LIBER sunt But if it be still Objected that for as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caph signifies sometimes sicut in the Originall there is no more reason why it should be rendered Quia then Sicut and Consequently it will still hold true that the Heavens are not a Booke but are onely as a Booke To this it may be answered that the Holy Scripture doth else-where fully decide this Controversie seeing that speaking of the Heavens it makes mention of Lines and Letters which are words that are most properly and Essentially spoken of a Booke and maketh no use of the word Sicut As at all which is an Infallible Argument that these words in the passage before cited Complicabuntur SICUT Liber Caeli are not expressions of Similitude Now that the Scripture speaking of the Heavens nameth expresly the word LETTER will appeare out of the very First Verse of the Bible where the Hebrew Text runnes thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bereshith bara Elohim ET haschamaim that is to say In the Beginning God created the LETTER or CHARACTER of the Heavens For this is the meaning of the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ET or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aot which signifieth a LETTER And as for the word LINE wee finde it much more plainely set downe in the 19. Psalme Vers 4. In Omnem terram exivit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kavam LINEA corum I shall not here enter into any tedious Dispute Whether it be to be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kolam Sonus eorum rather then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kavam Linea eorum and so consequently whether the Passage cited by St. Paul out of the Interpretation of the Seventy be corrupted or else the Hebrew Text. In my Advis sur les langues Orientales I shew with Titelmanns Bredembachius Malvenda Mercerus Genebrard that the Places are not at all Corrupted neither in the one nor in the other but that the Septuagint and St. Paul had regard to the Sense of the Words rather then to the Letter saying Sonus eorum to make it suite more aptly with the following Words Et in fines Orbis terrae verba eorum because that the Sound the Voyce and the Words doe very handsomely accord and suite together We may adde also that they made use of a Sublime and Allegoricall sense of these words applying them to the Preaching of the Apostles And thus St. Paul and the Septuagint being fully reconciled to the Hebrew Text we may the more boldly sticke to the Letter and read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kavam Linea eorum understanding it spoken of the Starres which are ranged in the Heavens after the manner of Letters in a Booke or upon a Sheet of Parchment For which reason also God is said in the Holy Scriptures to have stretched out the Heavens as a Skinne calling this Extension 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rachia from whence perhaps the Greekes might take their word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Skinne or Hide it being most proper to a Skin to be Extended or Stretched forth Now upon this Extension as upon a Skinne hath God disposed and ranged the Starres in the manner of Characters whereby as by a Sacred Book the wonderfull Workes of God are set forth to all those that know how to read them Coeli enarrant gloriam Dei saith the Psalmist And here peradventure some may say that the Wonderfull Workes of God are set forth by the Heavens in their Prodigious Extent Harmony Brightnesse Order and admirable Motion and not by way of any Writing But R. Moses a very learned Jew assureth us that the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saphar to Declare or Set forth is never attributed to Things Inanimate so that from hence He concludes that the Heavens are not without some Soule which is no other then that of those Blessed Intelligences who have the Conduct of the Starres and dispose them into such Letters as God hath ordained declaring unto us Men by meanes of This Writing what Events we are to expect And for this cause this same Writing is called by all the Ancients 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chetab hamelachim that is to say The Writing of the Angels And that this passage Coeli enarrant gloriam Dei is clearly meant of this Celestiall Writing appeares by the words immediately following In omnem terram exivit Linea eorum I know very well that according to St. Paul and the Septuagint a man may understand by the Heavens the Apostles or as some others will have it the Prophets But if pursuing the Allegory a man should take occasion to deny the Literall Sense this would be no small Crime in in the Judgement of the Fathers Scripturae Verba saies the Whole Schoole propriè accipienda sunt quando nihil inde Absurdi fequitur So that if we sticke to the Letter of the Text not onely this Passage alleaged but many others also which I omit that I may come to the Maine Matter in hand doe very much confirme this Writing 3. Now as the Prophets have done before so have all the Learned among the Ancients also after their Example called the Heavens SACRED BOOKES as among the Jewes R. Simeon Ben-Jochay in the Zohar on the Section Temourah which is the 25. Chapter of Exodus Cifr 305. where he speakes very largely of this Celestiall Writing Lib. Moreh Seps Kab Beres Theâ—il Maguid Misnah In Misn Milchamot Adonai Galg Hass in Beres though very Obscurely R. Abraham also in his Jetsira or Booke of the Creation delivers many Mysteries of it and after them R. Moses Aegyptius Moses Ben-Nachman Abraham the Sonne of Dior his Contemporary Aben-Esra David Chimchi Jom Tof Ben-Abraham Joseph the Sonne of Meir Levi Ben-Gerson Chomer Abarbanel and many others which I shall here omit that I may come to the Greekes and Latines who will peradventure be better received The Learned Origen interpreting after his manner that is to say Subtilly and Quaintly this Passage in Genesis Et erunt in Signa Praep. Evang. lib. 6.9 affirmes as he is reported by Eusebius that the Starres were placed in this Order in the Heavens for no other end but to shew by their diverse Aspects Conjunctions and Figures what ever is to happen while the World indures as well in Generall as in Particular yet not so as if they were the Cause of all these things never any such thing came into the Thought much lesse into the Writings of this Learned man For
Universe THE CONTENTS 1. THe Celestiall Configurations devised by the Greeks permitted by the Church though Dangerous This New Doctrine of the Reading of the Stars no whit repugnant to the Christian Faith 2. This Reading proved out of the Scripture Diverse passages of Scripture tending to this purpose interpreted 3. The Opinions of the Ancient Hebrews Greekes and Latines in this Particular 4. The reason why so few Authors of these Later times have medled herein What our Modern Writers as Reuchlin Picus Mirandula Agrippa Kunrath Banelli and Flud have delivered of this Subject 5. Postell's Intention of bringing it into Europe 6. The Stars ranged not in the forme of Arabicke nor Samaritane but of Hebrew Characters The Superstition of the Arabians in reading some kind of words Their Letters borrowed from the Hebrews 7. The Hieroglyphicall Living Creatures of the Aegyptians placed in the Heavens are not to serve for Letters The Constellations Imperfect 8. What things are to observed that one may be able to reade the Heavens What the reason is that New Stars often appeare according to the Rabbins 9. A Continued Enumeration of the severall Meanes that must be used for the rendering a Man Capable of this Reading The Star in the Taile of Ursa Major the fore-shewer of the Change of Empires and how 10. On which side we are to begin this Reading of the Heavens and how we must Interpret the words we find there 11. Of those Celestiall Letters that have foreshown all the Great Mutations in States The Fall of two Potent Kingdomes in the East read in the Heavens by R. Chomer 12. The Authors Judgement concerning this Reading of the Heavens THose who have diligently examined the Choycest parts of the Learning of the Ancients have observed that there is nothing that is more Absurd in Appearance then the Figures of the Celestiall Constellations For what a Confused thing is it say They that in those places which are destined to be the place of abode for the Blessed Spirits only there should be lodged such numbers of Beasts and some of them so dreadfull as that we cannot thinke of them but with Horrour If they had placed only Men there and had allotted a Castor and a Pollux Dominion there this might have been interpreted an Error of Love which suffers us not to be content in wishing small Honours to those we Love This Consideration might also have satisfied those who complained that the Celestiall Figures were nothing else but the Representations of the severall Scapes of Jupiter that the whole Face of the Heavens was filled with the Notes of his Incestuous Prankes so that if any one should undertake to excuse these Amorous Signes he would be the lesse blame-worthy in that hee did it only in Defence of the most sweet and Powerfull of all our Passions The Excuse of those who imposed upon these Incorruptible Bodies the Figures of Brute Beasts that are most subject to Corruption and even of Things Inanimate also was most just seeing that in so doing they had no other Designe but what was Religious Thus we see Fishes there Censers and Eares of Corn in a Virgins hand And those who are skilled in the Secrets of the Ancient Theology know well enough that it was not without some Mysticall reason that they placed one Crowne in the South part of Heaven consisting of Thirteen Bright Stars and another in the Northern part containing eight stars in it But to place Dragons there and Serpents and Hydra's Reason can never endure And yet see the Strangenesse of the thing For Though the Ancienes had thus filled the Heavens with Brute Beasts and that according to this their Doctrine one would have imagined this Celestiall Paradise to have been an Habitation of Monsters and a Dreadfull Wilderness rather then the Seat of the Blessed a Place abounding with all manner of Pleasures yet notwithstanding neither hath the Church ever reproved it nor any of the Ancient Fathers disavowed it Now the Subject we treat of is much lesse Scandalous and by Consequence more Tolerable For what danger can there be in affirming that the diverse Figures of the Starres represent and make up the different Characters of the Hebrew Alphabet And that as These Letters have some Signification when they are Single as well as when they are joyned with others in like manner the Stars either alone or joyned with other Stars doe note unto us some Mysteries Yea rather this Doctrine of ours is so farre from being such as men should beware of and hold it Suspected as that on the Contrary it teacheth the Manifold Wonders of God and proveth that all these Stars have not their Order bestowed on them in vaine and that their Motions and different Aspects are not utterly uselesse and without any Designe Insomuch that in my Opinion it would be no lesse then Blasphemy in any man to affirme the Contrary or to say that they are placed there only for Ornament and to beautifie the Heavens and to give Light and for no other cause at all But what Madnesse is it to confine these Wonderful Lights to One only Operation seeing that besides that Experience teacheth us that the Moone is the Governesse of all Humours the Sun the Principle of Life Saturn a Malignant Star Jupiter a Benign the Signe of Taurus cold and dry that of Gemini Hot and moist Aries Hot and dry and so of the rest we do also see daily that one and the same Simple here below serveth to diverse and sundry Operations and therefore if the Properties of Hearbs are not restrained to the narrow limits of One Sole Effect why should we thinke so unworthily of the Stars as not to believe the same of them Wee conclude therefore that beside those Wonderfull Qualities which wee acknowledge to be in them they may also represent by their Diversity of Aspects certaine Figures or Characters by which we may have some Apprehension of the Greatest Changes that happen here below And this Truth we will now endeavour to prove out of the Holy Scriptures 2. If then we can any where find in these Holy Scriptures that the Heavens have been called by the Holy Ghost A BOOK then doubtlesse we may conclude that there are in this Booke Letters and Characters which may be Understood by some or other Now that it is called a BOOKE appeares out of the Prophet Isaiah who speaking of the Last Day wherein all things shall Cease Isa 34.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith Complicabuntur sicut Liber Coeli where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caph in Hebrew which the Latine translateth Sicut signifieth in the Originall Quia So that as Isaiah hath said that the Heavens shall be rolled together so hath he at the same time given the Reason of it also Because they are a Booke If it be Objected that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie Sicut as well I answer that those that are but meanely versed in the Holy Scriptures
some infected with this disease is because that here next to the Italians they eate more hogs flesh then any where else Neither do I say this but according to the opinion of Physicians without the least purpose of offending any either Strangers or those of my owne Nation In a word Courteous Reader I shall desire thee to interpret in good part whatsoever thou shalt find in this Book seeing that my purpose is to deale clearely as one exempt from passion In the 77. page of the same Chapter my intent is not to ranke Joseph's gift of Interpreting Dreames with the Art of Conjecturing at the meaning of Dreames Nor yet to reject the order of the Commandements established by the Church and to introduce that which is set downe page 291. for I there follow the Jewes manner of counting them Lastly I must intreat thee to correct the faults of the Presse and use mee as thou wouldst be used thy self A TABLE of the Chapters and their CONTENTS PART I. Wherein the Jewes and other Eastern Men are defended CHAP. I. That many things are falsely imposed upon the Jews and the rest of the Eastern men which never were THE CONTENTS 1. THe Arguments brought against the Eastern men whereon grounded 2. The Iewes falsely accused by Appion Plutarch Strabo Trogus Tacitus and Diodorus Siculus of worshipping Asses Vines and the Clouds 3. Whence these Fooleries sprung 4. The Syrians falsely said to worship Fishes Xenophon Cicero Aelian Ovid Martial Artemidorus and Scaliger refuted 5. The Idoll Dâ—gon not figured like a Woman or Siren as Scaliger would have it but in the forme of a Triton The Fable laid open 6. The Samaritans no Idolaters no more then Aaron and Jeroboam for having made Calves of gold according to Abiudan 7. The Cherubins of the Arke not made in the forme of Young Mea against the opinion of all both Greeke and Latine Authors and the greatest part of the Jewish too 8. Arguments in defence of the Samaritans 9. The reasons brought by the Iewes and Cajetan touching the figure of the Cherubins of no force 10. The Jewes falsely accused of burning their Children to the Idoll Moloc Whence the custome of leaping over the Fire of St. John hath been derived CHAP. II. That many things are esteemed ridiculous and dangerous in the Bookes of the Jewes which yet are without any blame maintained by Christian Writers THE CONTENTS 1. THat we ought not to rest on the bare Letter of the Scriptures 2. Authors that have treated of Ridiculous Subjects without being reproved 3. The books of the Jews lesse dangerous then those of the Heathens which yet are allowed by the Christian Fathers 4. The Feast that God is to make for the Elect with the flesh of a Whale how to be understood 5. Ten things created on the Even before the Sabboth and what they were 6. The Opinions of the Ancient and Modern writers touching the end of the world what Fathers of the Church have been of the Jews opinion in this Particular 7. Diverse opinions concerning the number of years from the Creation to our Saviour Christ and what wee ought to conclude as touching the end of the world 8. The Ancient Rabbins are falsely accused of speaking ill of our Saviour Iesus Christ 9. The Third Objection in the precedent Chapter answered and an Enumeration of some Errours of great Importance in Our owne Bookes PART II. Of the Talismanical Sculpture of the Persians or the manner of making Figures and Images under certain Constellations CHAP. III. THAT the Persians are unjustly blamed concerning the Curiosities of their Magicke Sculpture and Astrology THE CONTENTS 1. THe evill custome of blaming the Ancients is noted 2. The Reasons brought against the Persians and their Magicke examined and found of no force The Errors of the Counterfet Berosus Dinon Comestor Genebrard Pierius and Venetus concerning Zoroaster 3. The strange Statues of Laban and Micha called Teraphim perhaps allowed of God 5. The Errours of Elias Levita Aben-Esra R. Eliezer R. D. Chimehi Cajetan Sainctes Vatablus Clarius Mercerus Marinus and Mr. Selden concerning these Teraphim The grosse conceit of Philo Iudaeus touching this Particular 6. A Conjectnre touching these Statues what they were and an answer to what may be objected against it 7. Of certaine Strange Prodigious things which have foretold Disasters which have been seen to come to passe and which do yet foretell the same 8. The Conclusion of all before delivered CHAP. IV. That for want of understanding Aristotle aright men have condemned the power of Figures and concluded very many things both against this Philosopher and against all sound Philosophy THE CONTENTS 1. ERrors in Learning caused by the Ignorance of the Languages 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Specimen and not Species 3. The reading of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proved to be full 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ill translated and hence the Question of Universals not understood 5. The proper translating of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. The Errors committed in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The correcting of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rejected against Cicero 7. It is falsely concluded out of Aristotle that Fire is moist against du Villon 8. That Aristotle is abused by Interpreters by reason of their not understanding the force of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 9. The false Interpretation of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 given by Stapulensis 10. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rightly understood condemneth those that deny the power of Figures The proofe of this at large CHAP. V. The power of Artificiall Images is proved by that of those that are found Naturally imprinted on Stones and Plants commonly called Gamahe or Camaieu and Signatures THE CONTENTS 1. THe Division of Naturall Figures or Images Gamahe or Camaieu drawn peradventure from the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chemaia 2. Of divers rare Gamahes or Stones painted naturally and why they are more frequently found in hot Countreys then in Cold. 3. Of other curious Gamahes not painted mentioned by Pliny Nider Gesner Goropius Becanus Thevet and Mr. de Breves A new Observation on the Bones of Giants 4. Of Gamahes that are Ingraven and whether those places where ever any Fish shels are found have been formerly covered with water or not 5. Certaine admirable Figures and Signatures that are found in all the parts of Plants Many choyce Inquiries proposed on this Subject 6. The power of these Figures proved and the Objections answered that are brought against it 7. The Secret discovered why a Scorpion applied to the wound made by a Scorpions sting should not hurt rather then cure it 8. Of the Figures of Plants that represent all the parts of the body of a man and that cure the same when ill-affected 9. The Formes of all things admirably preserved in
their Ashes 10. The Ghosts of dead folks that appear in Church-yards and after great slaughter of Armies whence they proceed Certain choice Questions proposed touching this Argument 11. A new reason given of the Raining of Frogs which hath sometimes happened 12. Of Figures that are found in Living Creatures and what power they have CHAP. VI. That according to the opinion of the Eastern Men Figures and Images may be so prepared under certaine Constellations as that they shal have the power Naturally and without the aide of any Demon or Divel to drive away noisome beasts allay Winds Thunder and Tempests and to cure diverse kinds of Diseases THE CONTENTS 1. THe insupportable vanity of some Pretenders to Learning is noted 2. How these Talismanicall Figures are called in Hebrew Chaldie Greek and Arabick The Etymology of Talisman uncertain against Salmasius 3. By what meanes the power of Figures is proved and who they are among the Arabians that have defended it 4. Of certaine admirable Talismans found at Paris Constantinople and what happened to these places after the breaking of them 5. What the Dij Averrunci of the Ancients were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence derived and whence the custome of setting up Figures and Images in Ships came 6. The fable of the stone Bractan in Turky discovered and a Conjecture given concerning the Palladium and the Statues mentioned by Philo Judaeus 7. The Golden Calfe and the Brazen Serpent falsely said to be Talismans and why the Serpent was made of Brasse rather then of any other Metall 8. The Wonderfull Effects of 3. Talismans spoken of by Scaliger M. de Breves and the Turkish Annals and of what vertue those other were that were made by Paracelsus M. Lagneau and diverse Learned Italians 9. The Power of these Figures proved by the power that Resemblance is known to have in all Arts and Sciences and first in Divinity Why the Ancients placed Images in their Temples 10. In Philosophy Of the Power of Imagination 11. In Physicke Of some Animals Plants and Graines that doe good and hurt meerly by Resemblance 12. In Astrology A Certaine Meanes of foretelling Evils to come by the Colour of the Meteors that appeare 13. In Physiognomy The manner how to know the Naturall Inclination of any man according to Campanella 14. In the Art of Divination of Dreames Examples both Sacred and Prophane touching this Subject 15. In Painting Why our Saviour Christ is oftner pictured Suffering upon the Crosse then Sitting at the Right hand of his Father 16. In Musick Of some Diseases that are cured by it 17. The manner of making these Talismans 18. The Talismanicall Operations set downe by Thebit Ben-chorat Trithemius Gochlenius Albinus Villanovensis Marcellus Empiricus condemned 19. What power the Heavens have ever things here below 20. The reason of the names of the Celestiall Images 21. What Influence the Heavens have upon Artificiall things CHAP. VII That the Objections which are made against Talismanical Figures make not any thing at all against their Power THE CONTENTS 1. VVWhence the custom of using certain words and of applying certain Characters in the cure of Diseases hath sprung 2. An abominable Ceremony used by the Egyptians for to cause Haile to cease The reason of the Command given to the Jewes of not Graffing on a tree of a different kind 3. The Talismans delivered by Antonius Mizaldus condemned 4. The Objections brought by Gulielmus Parisiensis and Gerson answered The power the Sunne hath within the bowels of the Earth 5. A Fourth Objection answered The Stories of Sorcerers and of the Images of Waxe of very little credit 6. A Fifth Objection refuted Of the Weapon-salve that cures the wound by being applied to the weapon that made it 7. The Sixth Objection of no force A remarkable Story of two Twins 8. The Operation of these Talismans proceeds not from the secret vertue of the Stone 9. Cajetan and Pomponatius defended against Delrio touching the power of Figures 10. The vertue of the Stars descends as well upon a Living Scorpion as upon its Image 11. The forcible reasons brought by Galeottus in defence of Talismans 12. The Objection brought against Franciscus Ruëus answered 13. The Story of Virgils Talismanicall Fly and Horseleech a true one against Naudaeus Gervais his booke not fabulous as is commonly believed 14. Of some Admirable and curious Inventions of men that seem more Incredible then Talismans 15. Certaine Objections never before brought against the power of Figures with their Solution PART III. Of the Horoscope of the Patriarchs or the Astrology of the Ancient Hebrews CHAP. VIII That Idolatry is falsly said to have sprung from the Astrology of the Ancients THE CONTENTS 1. THE Arguments against Astrology ill grounded And how by the wayes of Nature it is possible to give judgment of the Good or Evill Fortune of a Child 2. The Resolution of Thomas Aquinas in the behalfe of Astrology 3. Gulielmus Parisiensis and Paracelsus refuted Astrology by whom found out the Errour of Pliny in this Particular 4. Astrology both Good and Evill and how Moses a Skilfull Astrologer 5. Idolatry whence sprung forth according to Marsilius Ficinus and Bechay a Iew. Hanni-Bal and Hasdru-Bal compounded Names and why 6. The Opinions of R. Moses and the Author of the book of The Wisedome of Salomon concerning the beginning of Idolatry The Conclusion of all before delivered 7. Fires used to be made by the Ancients to the Sun and the Moon and for what reason 8. Reasons given for the proofe of the Innocency of the Ancients in these Curiosities CAAP. IX Whether or no the Ancient Hebrewes made use of any Mathematicall Instrument in their Astrology and what the figure of their Instuments was THE CONTENTS 1. VVHat Instruments the Ancient Astrologers used The Fable of Atlas discovered 2. The Hebrewes Sphere described 3. Certain Doubts proposed concerning the Fabrick of it The strange conceit of R. Moses concerning the number of the Heavens 4. A Conjecture upon the Antiquity of this Sphere 5. Of the Diall of Ahaz and its description not yet seen 6. Conjectures on the figure of our Sun-dials CHAP. X. That the Astrology of the Ancient Hebrewes Aegyptians and Arabians was not such as it is delivered by Scaliger Augustinus Riccius Kunrath Duret and Vigenere THE CONTENTS 1. THE Holiest things are often mixt with Fables 2. The strange Fancies and Falshoods of Duret touching the Spirits of the Planets and touching the Astrologicall Cabale of the Iewes 3. The Fooleries of Carlo Fabri in his assigning of the Angels proper to the Seven Electors of the Empire 4. The Strange Doctrine of Riccius and Kunrath concerning the Planetary Zephirots 5. The Stars the cause of the diversities in Religion in the opinion of R. Chomer 6. The Nativity of our Saviour Jesus Christ erected by Bechai and Cardan 7. The Astrologicall Pictures or Figures at the Conjunctions of the Celestiall Signes falsly attributed to the Aegyptians and Arabians
of the Jewish too 8. Arguments in defence of the Samaritans 9. The reasons brought by the Jewes and Cajetan touching the figure of the Cherubins of no force 10. The Jewes falsly accused of burning their Children to the Idol Moloc Whence the custome of leaping over the fire of Saint John hath been derived THey that publish to the world any new and Unheard-of Doctrine that they may give it the greater Authority and make it passe with the more credit shew first of all the Integrity of the Man that was the first Inventor of it that so the good opinion that is conceived of the Author may take away all suspition or jealousie from the things that shall be delivered The choyce points of learning which we shall here lay down are so new that I have adventured to call them Vnheard-of It concerns me therefore for the better securing them from suspition to take upon me the defence of the Eastern men and chiefly of the Jewes who are the Authors of them and in point of Curious learning to defend their innocency hitherto so much injured 1. This nation is commonly abhorred for foure reasons The first is The 3. last Objections are answered in the following chap their Idolatry which all Authors make them guilty of The second is their foolish vanityes that their books are full of The third is by reason of their blasphemies they to this day vomit up against our Saviour Jesus Christ And the last is for the errors that they maintaine contrary to the Law The First of these conceits is grounded on a false perswasion for after that it was once believed that the Jewes worshiped the head of an Asse Hogs and the Clouds it was presently concluded that consequently their writings could not be free from these impieties The second proceeds from the little knowledge men generally have of the bookes of the Jewes The third from the hatred men beare to the Jewish Authors And the fourth from the Selfe conceitedness of those that accuse them 2. For the first of these Objections Appion as Josephus affirmes was the first that forged it out of his owne braine and notwithstanding that this excellent Author of the Jewish Antiquities hath learnedly confuted him Yet Plutarch takes it still up for a Truth Symp. 4. c. 5. Hist 5. and Tacitus also after him brings it in in his History as a Prodigious thing in so much that the Fable at length passing for a Truth it hath gone for currant even with the most serious Historians Now this worship of the Jewes say their Writers was after this manner There was an Altar erected under which having performed some certaine ceremonies a Golden Statue of an Asse was set up upon it some make mention of the head onely then the chiefe Priest having censed it all the People putting their hand to their mouth bowed down and worshiped it The very same Adoration in a manner they used as these Authors report to the Statue of a Hog Judaeus licet Porcinum numen adorat Sayes Petronius as also to a Golden Vine but with this difference sayes Plutarke with Strabo Trogus Pompeius and Diodorus Siculus that the Priests when they Sacrifised to Bacchus were crowned with Jvy and going with Flutes and Drummes sounding before them they bowed down before this Golden Tree which was religiously preserved within their Temple Concerning their worshiping the Clouds the opinions are divers some affirming that the Jewes had some Figures of them made in their places of Devotion others say not But these are meere Fancies So that to make it appeare more clear then the Noon-day that this Nation is no whit guilty of these Crimes even Tacitus himselfe who had before accused them of Jdolatry forgetting what he had said before addes presently after Nulla simulachra vrbibus suis nedum templis esse That they have no Images in their Cities much lesse in their Temples So farre are they from worshiping the Statues of a Hog or Vine or the figures of the Clouds And yet see what Juvenall reports of them Sat. 14. l. 16. Nil praeter Nubes Coeli numen adorant Strabo writes the very same and in the Reigne of Theodosius and of Justinian they were generally called Coelicolae Cod. lib. 16. Tit. 8. leg 18. and for this very reason as you may see in the constitutions of this Emperour But let us once teach the Ancients The first Objection answered since they have so often taught us and pretend forsooth to have delivered nothing over to us but pure Truthes If it be true that the Jewes should have given themselves over to the vanities of worshiping these Idols here spoken of how comes it to passe that their true God should never in all the Scriptures which he hath given them lay this Crime to their charge as well as any other And here we cannot say of This as we use to say of our owne bookes That a thing may have been and yet not have been spoken of For in this Law which all acknowledge to be most severe the case is otherwise For in point of Crimes not so much as the least is omitted Neither can any say that Idolatry hath sprung up since the writing of the Old Testament For besides that the enemies of the Jewes would have then cast it in their teeth as most abominable The above named Authors affirme that the Law forbidding them the eating of Hogs flesh had not been given them but meerely because they had worshiped this Beast But why then doe they not by the same reason conclude that this People had worshiped Conies Hares Camels Ostridges and Ravens Since the eating of these was also forbidden them 3. We say then that these are meere calumnies or rather Fantastick Opinions grounded upon the Jewes so religious abstaining from the flesh of this Beast in obedience to the Precept which was given them for their better preservation from the Leprosie a disease they were otherwise very subject unto and here you see the Originall of the Fable As for the Golden Vine and the Honours they are said to have paid to Bacchus I cannot discover I confesse in any Author the rise of this errour and I conceive the first that spake of this might happily mistake the name of the Jewes for some other People as we see it usually happen in Authors in the like case Or else some Apostate Jewes having been seen practising these acts of Idolatry it was consequently concluded that the whole Nation was guilty of the same But an account may more easily be given of the cause of the errour in the businesse of their worshiping the Clouds which might spring from that miraculous Cloud which was light on one side and darke on the other and was guide to the Children of Israell in the Wildernesse Or perhaps this other reason which I shall now give why the Jewes were called Coelicolae Worshipers of the Heavens or the Clouds may be more
was good yet neverthelesse there were among the People that worshipped them and this is the reason they are reproved by God Now that hee had no intention at all to set up Idolatry by this Act appeares clearly in this that the Kings his Successors who all were of the same Beliefe are not any where reproved for this crime untill the Reigne of wicked Achab who was seduced by his wife Jezabell the most Imperious woman that ever was Thus we read in the History of Kings that Jehu did that which was right in the sight of the Lord Yet neverthelesse Non reliquit vitulos aureos qui erant in Bethel 4. Reg. 10.30 in Dan. And I would faine know if this King should have worshipped these Calves how he could have done that which was right in the sight of God who never punished his people so severely as when they had given themselves up to worship Idols And how Asa in like manner King of Samaria could have walked in the wayes of David if he had beene tainted with this horrible Crime Et fecit Asa rectum ante conspectum Domini sicut David pater ejus and yet notwithstanding Excelsa non abstulit He took not away the High places that is to say Vitulos the Calves As if the Author of the holy Scriptureshad purposed to prevent the Objection which is usually made concerning the erecting of these Calves to an evill End for these words seeme to have been set downe so expresly meerly for the confutation of those men that are wedded to their owne wills and for the clearing of the truth of that which I have here delivered Cor Asa perfectum fuit cum Domino etsi Excelsa non abstulerit Which is an Infallible Argument that they acknowledged in these Calves or Cherubins the same which they of Jerusalem did in those of the Arke namely the presence of the Invisible God sitting there as on his Throne notwithstanding that many out of simplicity worshipped the bare figure of this Work of Mens hands And this is that which God so often complaines of As if this were the Literall meaning of this Passage to wit that the Kings of Israel had indeed done that which was right in the sight of God and had lived according to his Lawes yet that they might have done better if they had taken away these Cherubins which were the cause of the destruction of many who made other use of them then that for which they were intended I remember to have read somewhere to this purpose of a Bishop of Marseille who seeing that many of his people behaved themselves toward the Images that are usually placed in Churches with so great respect as that one day he observed some of their actions that came within the compasse of Idolatry he caused them all to be broken to pieces leaving only a very few in some certain places of his Diocess So true it is that we often abuse those things which were instituted only to good ends I shall only adde one word more for the defending of the Innocence of the Samaritans which is that when Salmonazar had ransacked their Country he sent into it Colonies out of Persia who falling to commit Idolatry as they had used to doe in their own Country God sent Lions among them to destroy them For remedy of which calamity 4 Reg. 17 they could finde out no better expedient then to send for one of the Jewish Priests whom they had lead away captives for to instruct these Idolaters in the Worship of the true God which being done they were freed from that calamity which is a certaine Argument saith Abiudan that all the Samaritans were not Idolaters This observation of Abiudan Moncaeus takes no notice of yet He hath also an Observation which Abiudan passes by out of the hate I conceave that he bare to the True Messias and because that the Testimony made against himselfe namely that when our Saviour Christ uttered the Story or Parable of the Travailer that fell among Theeves the Samaritan is there said to have had more pity on him then the Priest of Jerusalem I shall adde here that the same God being become Man did not at all deny himselfe to be a Samaritan when he was called so by way of reproach which doubtlesse he would have done if he had knowne this people to be wholy Idolatrous 9. But now in the progresse of this Discourse the Curious Critick who uses to leave nothing unsifted may happily propose this Question to me If the Cherubins of the Arke were made in the forme of Calves what should move almost all Writers to maintaine that they were in shape like young Boyes I confesse I could willingly have put off the answering this Question which neither Abiudan nor Moncaeus have taken any notice of or else have purposely passed it by to some other time But seeing that I write to the Learned it concernes me willingly to omit nothing that makes for my subject that so I be not ranked in the number of those men that when they write of any argument doe voluntarily slip over the choycest things in it I say then in two words and without making any long discourse on it since that I handle this very Question in another place that all the Authors both Greek and Latine and the greatest part of the Jewish too as Aben-Ezra Scelomoh and the Talmudists who have attributed the forme of young Boyes to these Cherubins have done it upon such weake grounds that we need but onely to rehearse them to shew their insufficiency There is nothing say many of these last named Authors cited by Kimchi which more confirmes the opinion of the Cherubins being made in the figure of Young Men or Lads then the Etymology of their name For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cherub is compounded of the servile Letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caph which signifies sicut and of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rabeia which signifies in Chaldee a Young Boy or Youth and in the plurall number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cherabaia that is to say sicut Adolescentes or Pueri Very good but Moses spoke not Chaldee but Hebrew and therefore if this controversie must be decided by the Etymology of the name why cannot I say with much more reason out of the Hebrew Etymology of the word that these two Cherubins were made in the form of Saddles seeing that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cherub is said to be derived by transposing the letters into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cherab which signifies equitare Cap. 15. v. 9. Cap. 22. v. 35. is in Hebrew a Saddle as you may see in Leviticus and in the first book of the Kings Or else we may say that these Cherubins were made in the form of Raine seeing that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cherabib a word that cometh very near Cherubin signifies sicut pluvia Let us now examine the Reasons
stately Building 1 Reg. 6. and also in the Commentary that Ben Maimon hath made expressely of this Insect The Eighth the writing of the Tables of the Law the Ninth Moses his Tomb and the Tenth the Ram that was sacrificed instead of Isaack Some adde to these the Devills and Evill spirits Now all these things seeme very ridiculous at the first sight which yet are in effect very Curious necessary and usefull as I shall in another place make it more plainly appear In nostro Cribro Cabbalistico it being too long a discourse to insert here In the meane time let us rely upon the judgment of Paulus Fagius in this particular who sayes In Pirke Auoth Haec quidem aliquo modo in speciem ridicula stulta esse videntur sed quae certè non carent suis mysterijs 6. I will next shew you a point of Doctrine of the Rabbins that is accounted a very ridiculous if not a very rash one These knowing men having considered the Order that God observed in the Creation of the world and how that having in sixe daies perfected all his workes he rested on the seventh they have peremptorily concluded from hence that according to this Mysterious Order Talmud tract Sanhedr in C. Helec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cseeset 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alaphim csanah bagholam sceue alaphim tohou csene alâ—phim Thorah csene alaphim jemot Hamâ—sciach the world should last but six Thousand yeares and in the beginning of the seventh and things should rest Six Thousand yeares say they is the Age of the world Two Thousand Voyd Two Thousand under the Law and Two Thousand under the dayes of the Messias So that according to this account there being One Thousand six hundred forty nine yeares passed since the Nativity of Christ till this present there should remain to the end of the World but three hundred fifty one yeares more Quod furor est cogitare saith Malvenda and Genebrard also finds this opinion to be so strange a one as that he cannot acquit it of Folly But see now how carefull it concerns a man to be in throughly examining all things when hee intends to accuse any one I say then that if the Iewes are to be accused as guilty of Folly for having prefixed a time for the end of the World we must also then in like manner accuse the most Learned of our Christians Vid. Hieronnym Wielmium in cap. 1. Genes lect 6. and even some too that shine like Suns in the Church I shall not here say any thing of Joachimus Abbas S. Brigitta Ubertinus de Casali Telesphorus Heremita Petrus de Aliaco Nicolas Cusanus Jo. Picus Mirandula Franeu Melet Ep. ad Bened. c. nor of those of whom Vincent Ferrier speaks who held that he number of yeares from the death of our Saviour Christ to the end of the World was to be just so many as there be Verses in Davids Psalter Neither shall I here speak of the ancient Philosophers as of Aristarchus Apud Consorin de die Notati cap. 15. who affirmed that the world should last but Two Thousand foure hundred eighty foure yeares of Aretes Dyrrachinus who assigned for it's Duration five thousand five hundred fifty two of Herodotus and Linus who allowed it ten thousand eight hundred of Dion who said it should continue Thirteen Thousand nine hundred eighty four yeares of Orpheus who believed it should last a hundred and twenty Thousand yeares as Cassander did eighteen hundred Thousand I shall only shew what the opinion was of the Learned Fathers of the Church whose lives are irreprovable as namely of Irenaeus who according to the opinion of the Jewes Lib. 5. advers Haeres c. 28. saies that Quotquot diebus hic factus est mundus tot et Millenis annu consummatur et propter hoc ait scriptura Geneseos et consummata sunt Coelum et Terra et Omnis ornatus eorum c. and afterwards hee concludes In sex autem diebus consummatâ— sunt quae facta sunt manifestum est quoniam consummatio istorum sextus millesimus annus est So St. Hilary who expounding those words of the Evangelist Et post sex dies transfiguratus est saith cùm post sex dies gloriae Dominicae habitus oftenditur namely in his Transfiguration upon Mount Tabor sex millium scilicet annorum evolutis regnicaelestis honor praefiguratur So St. Ambrose likewise who having the same conceit with St. Hilary In 17. Math. expresseth himselfe almost in the very same words This was the Opinion also of Saint Augustine in his booke de Civitate Dei lib. In Epist expos Ps 89. ad Cypr. 20. cap. 7. of St. Hierome on those words of David Quoniam mille anni ante oculos tuos sicut dies hesterna quae praeterist who saies Ego arbitror ex hoc loco et ex Epistola quae nomine Petri inscribitur mille annos pro una die solitos appellari ut scilicet quia Mundus in sex diebus fabricatus est sex millibus tantum annorum credatur subsistere et postea venire septenarium numerum Octonarium in quâ— verus exercetur Sabbatismus et Circumcisionis puritas redditur In a word it would aske it selfe a particular Volume but to set downe all that the rest of the Fathers have written concerning the end of the World conformable to what the Rabbins had said before them The Curious Reader that would be more fully satisfied in this particular may have recourse to Georgius Venetus Galatinus Harm Mund. Crnt. 3. ton 7. cap. 7. Lib. 4. cap. 20. Flag contra Iud. 9. c. 11. Lib. 5. Annot. 190. Lib. de oct Sph. In l. 20. de Civ dei Lib. de Exust mund de praed c. 11 De fine mundi Adr. Finus Sixtus Senensis Paulus Riccius Lud. Vives Hieronymus Magius Aegidius Columnus and Fridericus Emstius 7. The Objection that might be made in this Point would fall heavy as well upon the Rabbins as upon the Fathers who have followed them but that wee shall be able to make it appear to be of no weight at all For say they if the World be to last but sixe Thousand yeares then by consequence the Day of Judgment may be foreknowne which contradicts the Holy Scriptures I answer that those Learned men have not at all defined the dayes but only the yeares Now the number of the yeares that are passed since the Creation to this present is uncertain therefore are the Dayes also uncertaine Now that the number of yeares is uncertaine will appeare evidently by comparing the diverse Opinions of these following Authors who have with all possible Diligence computed the yeares from the Creation untill Christ and yet there is in their Computations above a hundred years difference Judg you then what the Consequence must be Those of the Jewes that have turned Christians as Hieronymus à Sancta Fide Paulus à Sancta Maris
Lyranus Brugensis and others which are followed by Georgius Venetus Galatinus Franciscus Georgius and Steuchus account from the Creation of the World to the Nativity of our Saviour Christ  3760 Paulus Forosemproniensis 5201 Arnaldus Pontacus 4088 Pererius Bellarmine and Baronius 4022 Genebrard 4090 Suarez 4000 Ribera 4095 Onuphrius Panvinius 6310 Carolus Bovillus 3989 Malvenda 4133 Joseph Scaliger 3948 Sixtus Senensis Massaeus and many others 3962 Jo. Picus Mirandula 3958 Peter Gallisard 3964 Joannes Lucidus and many others 3960 Garardus Mercator 3928 Jansenius 3970 Paulus Palatius 4000 Hence we may safely conclude that neither the number of daies nor yet of yeare passed since the Creation can be exactly knowne without some speciall Revelation notwithstanding the endeavours of the Learned Pererius to prove the contrary who In Gon. lib. 1. taking occasion from these words of the Wise man dies seculi quis dinumerat affirmeth that he speaketh not here of the Yeares but of the Daies and that though the number of These cannot be knowne yet the Other may Ergo sayes he after a long Discourse Numerus annorum Munditeneri potest dierum autem non potest But he ought first to have reconciled these Authors among themselves and to shew how they have erred in their Computations And when all is done the nearest that a man shall be able to come to the Truth will perhaps be about Twenty five or Thirty yeares over or under and no otherwise 8. The 3. Object The third Objection brought by those that will not admit the Jewes bookes to be read seemes to have more Reason in it then all the rest For if they be indeed full of scoffings against the Life of Him who hath given Us Ours if they accuse his Actions detest his Doctrine and condemne his Memory as ignominious in a word if they are full of nothing but Blasphemies against Jesus Christ who is he that could endure to read them And here Sixtus Senensis triumphs over his Enemies and reckons up all the Impieties the Israelites were ever guilty of and there is scarcely any one kind of wickednesse or villany that he layes not to their charge In a word he numbers up as well all the erroneous points of their Beliefe as their Reproachfull speeches which they vomit up against the Sonne of God so that one that had not read their bookes and knowne the Truth of the businesse would judge them to have been written rather by Divels then by Men. But this Author The Answer who had not written against this Nation but as almost all others have done meerely out of the hatred is generally borne toward these Deicides thought peradventure that after the burning so many Jewish Libraries in Italy and after that himselfe had beene an Eye-witnesse of Twelve Thousand Volumes burnt to Ashes at Cremona he thought I say that after so rigorous an Inquisition there could have been no more books left by which wee might have been able to satisfie our selves in the Truth of those things that are objected against the Jewes But he had forgot to burne the writings of Galatinus too or rather of Sebondus for I shall make it appeare in another place that Galatine was never the Author of that Learned Booke intituled de Arcanis Catholicae sidei He had I say forgot to burne these Learned writings too which doe make it clearely appeare that the greatest part of those things that are written in this Particular is false and prove that the Blasphemies which the Ancient Rabbins uttered against Jesus Christ were not meant at all of Christ our Redeemer but of another Jesus very far different from Ours And this is so known a Truth that the most furious among the Iewes dare not deny it unlesse they deny their Talmud So that this Confession being so much the more forcible because it proceeds from the mouth of our Adversaries it quite overthrowes all that Senensis and those of his Perswasion have brought to the contrary I will not say but that the Later Rabbins doe more perversely handle the Controversy which is betwixt Them and Us namely Whether Jesus Christ be the true Messias or not and that among the Heats of so weighty a Dispute they doe sometimes speake irreverently of our sacred Mysteries But which is a very wonderfull thing and which ought to convince all the enemies to the writings of these men among so great a number of Arguments that are brought against us by R. David Kimchi and R. Joseph Alboni two Iewish Rabbins which were both very learned and very zealous for their owne Religion you shall not find one Opprobrious speech uttered against Jesus Christ as that he was a seditious person as he was called in his life time or a Magician or an Impostor or a Malefactor or any other the like Blasphemous termes notwithstanding there is scarcely any of our Christian Writers that have written against the Iewes which give them not very hard language They dispute indeed Whether the Gospel be a Law or not but not Whether the Author of it were a Wicked Man or no. Nay on the contrary they rather confesse him to have religiously kept all the Commandements of the Decalogue They say indeed that he was but meere Man and not God being blinded by the Confession which this God of Love made of himselfe Ego sum vermis non homo but they doe not say that he was a Wicked Perfidious Person They accuse his Apostles indeed of Ignorance but not of Falsehood as when S. Paul saith that the Israelites demanded a King of Samuel who gave them the sonne of Cis being about the age of forty years whereas the Scripture seemes to say otherwise As also when Saint Stephen said that those that went downe with Jacob into Aegypt were seventy five soules in number whereas in Genesis it is said they were but seventy in all And so likewise in diverse other Passages which have been long since often reconciled and cleared of Errour They deny indeed that in the Eucharist a Great Body with all its parts can possibly be in so small a Morsell but they doe not say that the Institution and use of it in the Christian Church is Diabolicall as the Hereticks say In a word they deny indeed that Jesus Christ is the true Messias but the doe not say that his Doctrine is against God Those that desire to be more fully satisfied in this Controversie may have recourse to a Tract written by Genebrard against those two Learned Jewes above named To conclude then both against Senensis and all of his Opinion I affirme that the Ancient Rabbins are so farre from reproaching our Saviour Jesus Christ as that on the contrary they allow of his Doctrine and confirme the History which is delivered us as I doe clearly prove in my Advertissement aux Doctes touchant la necessite des langues Orientales which I shall God willing put forth very shortly 9. The 4. Object I come
of blaming the Ancients is noted 2. The Reasons brought against the Persians and their Magick examined and found of no force The errors of the Counterfeit Berosus Dinon Comestor Genebrard Pierius and Venetus concerning Zoroaster 3. His Magick what it was 4. The strange Statues of Laban and Micah called Teraphim perhaps allowed by God 5. The Errors of Elias Levita Aben-Esra R. Eliezer R. D. Chimchi Cajetan Sainctes Vatablus Clarius Mercerus Marinus and Mr. Selden concerning these Teraphim The grosse conceit of Philo Judaeus touching this Particular 6. A Conjecture touching these Statues what they were and an Answer to what may be objected against it 7. Of certaine strange Prodigious things which have foretold Disasters which have beene seen to come to passe and which doe yet forctell the same 8. The Conclusion of all before delivered 1. THere is nothing in the whole businesse of Learning which astonishes mee more then to see how many of the most Excellent Wits of this our Age make it their businesse to find fault with the Ancients and to load them with injurious speeches as if this evill custom had now grown into a Maxime with them that one can never passe for an Able man nor appeare to be Any Body without reprehending those which have gone before us and from whose Learned writings we have derived the most Curious and Choyse Points of Knowledge that we have The Persians or if you please the Babylonians that bordered upon the River Euphrates were the First as Rabbins report that found out the secret power of Figures The wonders that have been effected by them have been acknowledged by all the Ancients and approved of throughout all Aegypt in so much that those who were the first that have written of them have maintained that there was not any thing of more Excellency and Admiration within the compasse of the whole Universe These first Writers have been seconded by all those that have come after them even down to Our owne Daies and the Daies of our Fathers wherein we have at length seen this Secret condemned and the Persians accused of Sorcery so that to the end I may free from suspicion whatsoever I shall borrow from Themm it will concern me to shew Their Innocence here as I have already done for the Jewes their Neighbours and shall ground my Defence of them upon what I have found written in the Preface of a certaine Persian Astrologer translated into Hebrew by Rabbi Chomer a Modern Author and I shall adde to his Reasons what other I shall be able to find among the Writings of both Greeks and Latines to render them the more powerfull 2. The Curiosities therefore of the Persians that is to say their Figures and Magicke are usually condemned for foure Reasons The first is because they are said to have been derived from the most Wicked person next to Cain that ever was that is from Cham otherwie called Zoroaster The second is because the Learned men of this Nation acknowledged no other Deity save that of the Heavens and the Stars and by consequence their Doctrine must therefore necessarily be very Dangerous The third is that they teach the worshipping of Spirits or Divels that convey themselves into Statues The fourth is that they made certain Figures and Images from whence they received Benefits of all sorts by the use of Witchcrafts and Inchantments To the First of These Hamahalzel the Author of the Astrology above-named answers in one word and saies that the constant and unanimous tradition in Persia is that Zoroaster was so Good a Man that the most Religious sort of people of that Country are daily conversant in the reading of a Pious Tract that is said to have been of his Composing the Title whereof is Memlecheti Halaal that is to say The Kingdome of God But suppose he was not the Author of this Book it is very false however Vid. Bosium de hist Grae. saith R. Chomer that he was Cham the sonne of Noah and it is very Probable which he sayes for if we inquire but after the Originall of this Fable we shall find it to have had no other Author but even the Counterfeit Berosus that Annius hath foisted in upon the world And that this is not the True Berosus and therefore not to be believed besides many other reasons that are brought to confirme it this following is none of he worst namely that he makes Mention as well of the Libyans Almans and Italians as of the Chaldeans Lib. 1. contr Appion Apolog 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 19. c. 19. Lib 7. c. 37. Lib. 1. Chron. p. 51. Hist Scholast Gen. 39. Harm mūd cāt 1. ton 1. c. 8. Hierogl 49. fol 354. Lib. 7.16 30.1 or Babylonians whereas the True Berosus delivers the history only of these Last in three bookes as you may observe out of Josephus Tertullian Clemens Alexandrinus and Vitruvius In a word for a fuller satisfaction that this is not that Berosus to whom Ob divinas praedictiones saith Pliny Athenienses publicè in Gymnasio statuam inauratâ linguâ posuêre you need but read the Censure that Gaspar Vazerius hath given of This Booke This Forgery of Annius hath also lead Genebrard and Comestor into the same errour of believing Zoroaster to be the same that Cham. Georgius Venetus likewise and Pierius wrong themselves very much in maintaining that he was no other then the son of Cham and Grand-sonne to Noah and the same that is called in the holy Scriptures Misraim And indeed if it were so how comes it to passe that Pliny speaking so often of him makes no mention of it at all Hee saies indeed that the same day he came into the world he laughed and that his Braines beate so strongly that if any laid their hand upon his head this motion struck it back againe at the same instant which was saith he a sign that he would be a very Knowing man but that he was either Cham or the sonne of Cham is more then Pliny had ever met with and with him concurre-in opinion the two Justins St. Augustine Epiphanius and in a manner all the Fathers that have made any mention of him But suppose him may some one say to have been neither Cham nor the sonne of Cham yet it cannot be denied but that hee was a Magician and a Sorcerer If Naudaeus had not already Learnedly answered this Objection I should in this place have examined it but I shall now desire the Reader to see the Reasons he hath set downe Cap. 8. in his Learned and exquisite Apology which may hereafter serve for a Pattern to all Demonographers I confesse that Wise Persian addicted himselfe to the Contemplation of the Starres but worship them he did not although Dinon in Diogenes Laertius endeavours to prove it after a ridiculous manner Dinon saith he in quinto Historiarum libro Zoroastrem ex interpretatione nominis sui Astrorum asserit fuisse cultorem I have turned
conclude that if they are prepared with all these Circumstances observed which we have before delivered and ingraven upon some Matter that is Proper for the receiving of the Influences of the Starres they may Naturally retaine them and work those wonderfull Effects which we have before set downe This Conclusion will receive both more Confirmation and more Clearnesse by the Answers to the following Objections in the meane time Contra Cels 4. Advers Haeres l. 1. c. 23. De Civ Dei l. 10. c. 11. Hist Sclav L◠14. Contra gent. l. 4. Col. 80. De Error proph rel cap. 16. Pand. Turc cap. 230. Capitolo 4. for your satisfaction in the truth of these Influences of the Coelestiall bodies upon Artificial things you may have recourse to Tertullian Origen S. Irenaeus S. Augustine Thekel or the Author of the book intituled Liber Lapidum filiorum Israel Arnoldus Abbas Lubecensis Arnobius Olympiodorus in Photius Julius Firmicus and Leunclavius You may see also the little Pamphlet written by Barnerio an Italian the Title whereof is Regole sopra la Carta Marina where he proves learnedly and by Experience that many Cottons and Wools of the Eastern Countries and even of our Own Countries also do last longer or a less while if they be wrought in diverse Kingdomes and under certaine Constellations as it is also observed in Ships Vitruvius proves the same to be so in Buildings also notwithstanding that both the Stone and Morter be as good in the one place as in the other CHAP. VII That the Objections which are made against Talismanicall Figures make not any thing at all against their Power THE CONTENTS 1. WHence the Custome of using certaine Words and of applying certaine Characters in the Cure of Diseases hath sprung 2. An Abominable Ceremony used by the Egyptians for to cause Haile to cease The Reason of the Command given to the Jewes of not Graffing on a tree of a Different Kind 3. The Talismans delivered by Antonius Mizaldus condemned 4. The Objections brought by Gulielmus Parisiensis Gerson answered The Power the Sun hath within the bowels of the Earth 5. A Fourth Objection answered The stories of Sorcerers and of Images of Waxe of very little Credit 6. A Fifth Objection refuted Of the Weapon-Salve that cures the Wound by being applied to the Weapon that made it 7. The Sixt Objection of no Force A remarkable story of two Twins 8. The Operation of these Talismans proceeds not from the Secret Vertue of the Stone 9. Cajetan and Pomponatius defended against Delrio touching the Power of Figures 10. The Vertue of the Starres descends as well upon a Living Scorpion as upon its Image 11. The Forcible Reasons brought by Galeottus in Defence of Talismans 12. The Objection brought against Franciscus Ruëus answered 13. The Story of Virgil's Talismanicall Fly and Horse-leech a True one against Naudaeus Gervais his booke not Fabulous as is commonly believed 14. Of some Admirable and Curious Inventions of men that seeme more Incredible then Talismans 15. Certaine Objections never before brought against the Power of Figures with their Solution THe Wonderful Effects which have been alwaies observed to have been wrought by Talismanicall Figures have so perplexed the minds of those men who account every thing to be Magicke which themselves are not able to comprehend as that without making any Distinction at all betwixt Power which is Naturall and Lawfull and that which our Faith permits us not to meddle with they have boldly published that what Vertue soever proceeds from Figures is utterly Diabolicall But when they perceived that Knowing Men would hardly sit downe so and that it concerned them to produce some Reasons to prove that these Figures can have no Naturall Power at all they have at length brought These following ones though they are built on very weake foundations as we shall make it appeare 1. The First is that Reason it selfe tels us that these Operations cannot be Totally Naturall but rather superstitious and Dangerous seeing that to reduce them to a full and entire Effect there are some certaine words to be used which have no Power at all especially over things which have no Sense and that Therefore the Making of them ought to be forbidden and rejected as the Church hath ordained To answer fully and in Order both to This Objection and to the rest that follow I say that in the First place we are to take notice that in the matter of these Figures we have already condemned all Words and all other Superstitions so that to avoid a Tedious Repetition the Reader must call to mind what hath already been said to This. As for the Church it never yet rejected the True and Lawfull Power of Figures such as we have described it as may appeare out of the Writings of those two Learned Men Tho. Aquinas and Cardinall Cajetan And if the Fathers have sometimes condemned it it was not till they saw that it was so mixed with superstition that I say not Abominations that they conceived they should never otherwise be able to divert men from the Practice of it but by condemning it utterly as Moses likewise did in forbidding absolutely the Graffing on a Tree of a different kind only to keep them from that sinne which was usually committed at that Action as we shall shew hereafter And that it may appear that the bare Figures have not been used alwayes without any Application of Words and Ceremonies such as were not only Vaine but Ridiculous also we may take notice that in Aegypt when they would cause Haile to cease which might have been effected by the Vertue of a bare Talisman onely it was thought Necessary that Foure Naked Women should lye along upon the ground on their backs and lifting up their feet on high they were to pronounce some certaine words and so the Haile would cease Quatuor Mulieres said they as R. Moses reports jaceant in terra super dorsum suum nudae et erigant pedes suos et dicant talia verba et operentur istud grando descendens super locum illum recedet ab eodem loco This Ridiculous Ceremony was taken from the Posture of some Talismanicall Figure In Gen. which served to divert stormes of Haile whereon saith Chomer was graven the Image of Venus lying along Besides some Ignorant persons having lighted upon some of the Characters which the Ancients had invented that so they might conceale their Philosophical Secrets from the unworthy Rabble such as are those wherewith the Chymists bookes are full not knowing the Originall of them and believing that they had some secret Vertue in them they graved them on Talismans Such perhaps was the Aegyptians Serapis which had on its breast the so much Celebrated Letter Tau This inscribing of Cifres and Characters brought also along with it this Beliefe that seeeing there were Letters written upon Talismans they might certainly then be read also and hence did this Superstition take
him a man Worthy of Credit for as much as it highly concerned a man of his Ranke and Condition to publish nothing but what was both Grave Serious and True And certainly if he should have so much forgotten himselfe as to have presented the Emperour with a parcell of Absurd Impossible Fabulous stories as Naudaeus is pleased to call them this would have been the meanes to have made him been cryed downe for a Foole especially in a Princes Court where there are alwaies found some High Spirits that cannot flatter at all and some others who envying the Fortune of the Great Ones will be sure to examine their very Least Actions and will not pardon the Least Fault they commit How then would they have pardoned Those Faults which were Criminall such as are those which they would charge him with which are not fit to have proceeded I will not say from a Chancellour but from the most Wretched Poët that lives If it be said that Princes have oftentimes the like books presented to them which are full of Lies and other Impertinencies I answer that such bookes however are never presented by a Chancellour or by any Person of Note or Consideration in a State Neither yet do such Bookes by whomsoever composed escape from being answered by some or other but as for This of our Chancellour who hath ever refuted it nay rather what Historian hath not transcribed him and inserted his Stories into his owne writings as most True ones And whereas some may say that he hath some things which seem Ridiculous and Incredible I answer that they ought not to be so esteemed since that the Ages past and even these Our Owne Daies do produce the like So that Admirable Tower or Steeple which Necham reports to have been made by Virgil with such wonderfull Art as that the Tower which was built all of stone moved to and fro when the Bell rung out is not without Parallel for at Moustiers a City of Provence the Steeple whose stones are all mortaifed one within another hath in a manner the very same motion that the Bell hath in Ringing and that in so strange a manner as that sometimes those which are on the top of it knowing nothing of it when they perceive the Bells begin to ring are very much affrighted which I confesse happened once to my selfe 14. I could in like manner make good the greatest part of those other Stories which are reported of this Poet which the same Naudaeus accounts both False and Impossible but that I see on the other side that they come very farre short of those Admirable Inventions of some certaine Instruments Images and Figures which Our Owne Age hath brought forth As for Example those Admirable Clocks which are to be seen one whereof I saw at Ligorne brought thitherto be sold by a Germane which had so many Rarities in it as I should never have believed if my owne Eyes had not seen it For besides an infinite number of Strange Motions which appeared not at all to the Eye you had there a company of Shepheards whereof some played upon the Bag-pipe with such Harmony and Exquisite Motion of the fingers as that one would have thought they had been alive Others Daunced by Couples keeping exact Time and Measure whiles others capered and leaped up down with so much Nimblenesse that my Spirits were wholy ravished with the Sight I shall not here say any thing of that Admirable Instrument which is to be seen in the hands of Mr. de Peyresc one of the Kings Councell which sheweth the Houres of the Day and the Just Time of the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sea by the Motion of a little blewish Water which is shut up within a little Circular Pipe of Glasse in which you shall sometimes see this water quite conveyed away I shall also passe by Architas his Wooden Dove and the Artificiall Fly and Eagle A. Gell. Noct. Att. c. 12 which have in Our daies beene made by Artto flye at Norimberg the Author wherof hath also made very Admirable Hydraulickes and a Perpetuall Rainbow Lib. 15. Biblioth c. 1. as Antonius Possevinus reports as also the Burning-glasse which Proclus made in Imitation of that Strab. l. 17. Plin. l. 36. c. 7. Tacit annal l. 2. Cassiod variar l. 1. Ep. 45. wherewith Archimedes burnt the Ships of the Romans at the siege of Syracuse the Statue of Memnon which alwayes yielded a strange sound at the Rising of the Sunne and those of Severinus Boëtius so much admired by Theodoricus King of Italy who as Cassiodorus saith made Serpents of Brasse to hisse Birds of Brasse to sing and in a word gave as it were Life and Soule to all kinds of Mettalls The Art of Flying which Lucian affirmes that himself hath seen practised and which was publickly shewen upon the Theatre in Nero's time as Suetonius reports Iu Pseudo philo dial 69◠In vit Neron the Admirable Effects which Roger Bacon promised as of raising Artificiall Clouds and causing Thunder-claps to be heard and Flashes of Lightning to be seen and afterwards to have all this end in a Shower of Raine The Figure of the Heavens made in Brasse Ambros Mor. Narrat in descrip Hisp by Janellus Turrianus of Cremona which were much more admirably done then that of Archimedes and was to be seen not many yeares since in Spaine together with a little Mill which on one side made a Noyse as of a Mill-clack and on the other cast forth the Meale ground the Tree which they call Vegetall which is made to grow in a Glasse in lesse then a Nights space the Rose and all other Flowers which by Art are raised up out of their own Ashes the Burning Lamp which was found in the Temple of Venus S. Aug. de Civ Dei lib. 21. c. 6. which the Violence of Winds could not extinguish and that Other Candle made of a certaine Stone Lighted which was harder then any Iron Whereof Lucas Tudensis and Tostatus make mention In vit S. Isidor c. 22. Inc. 21. Numeror as also many other the like which the Learned Licetus hath lately made an Exact Discourse of in his Book De Lucernis Antiquorum Lastly I shall also omit to speak of the Invention of diverse kinds of Hydraulicks in Our Own times which are of so wonderfull Strange Contrivance as that there is nothing in the world which they doe not imitate as also those Statues of Men and Women that Speak although Inarticulately that Move of themselves and play upon divers Instruments Of Birds that Fly and sing of Lions that roare of Dogs that bark and others that fight with Cats in the very same manner as Living Dogs do and a thousand other wonderfull Inventions of Men which are enough to astonish our senses And now let the Reader judge if the Author of that bold rash Apology have any just reason to say as he does that this Learned Chancellour to
Hanni-bal by leaving out one Letter for the more smooth Pronunciation and so in Hasdru-bal and many others This Conjecture may give some light to that Passage of Heurnius in his Philosoph Barbar where speaking of the Philosophy of this People hee saith Ille apud Principes Babylonicos mos vigebat Tract 2. cap. 4. ut aut Dei alicujus nomen sibi assumerent aut plurium Divorum Heroumque et fortitudine Excellentium virorum nomina aliquot combinata 6. This Opinion though it seeme to carry very much Probability with it yet doth it no way satisfy R. Moses who is of this Perswasion that Idolatry took it's Beginning from the too much honouring of Those Statues that were permitted in the Ancient Law as we have formerly said of those of Laban and of the Golden Calves of Jeroboam The Author of the Book of Wisdome is of another Opinion affirming that the Worshipping of I dols tooke beginning from hence that a Father being very much grieved for the death of his sonne caused his Image to be made to the end that by seeing his Resemblance his griefe might be somewhat asswaged But he honouring this Image too passionately hee began at length to worship it as a God Sa. 14. v. 15. c. so great is the power of Love Acerbo enim luctu saith this Excellent Author dolens pater cirò sihi rapti silij fecit imaginem Et illum qui tunc quasi homo mortuus fuerat nunc tanquam Deum colere coepit et constituit inter servos suos sacra sacrificia You may see the rest in the Booke it selfe which the Liberunisme of these times hath expunged out of the Canon The Observation which Mr. Selder hath made upon the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aghtsabim seemes to confirme this Later Opinion for this word saith He signifieth both Idola and Dolores Quòd quotannis statuis et monumentis mortuorum dolore afficerentur Notwithstanding he is in an Errour afterwards in the prosecution of this Truth when he saies that Terah Abraham's Father was the First that ever worshipped Idols But this is to adventure to say more then the History of Moses gives warrant for and to be so Uncharitable that I say not Insolent and Rash as to accuse the Ancients without Witness For as for the Testimony of Cedrē who saies that Abraham threw his Fathers Idols into the Fire and that his brother Aram endeavouring to preserve them was burnt I find no such thing in any of the Hebrew Historians so that one may say of this Opinion as S. Gregory did of another as gross as this Eadem facilitate contemnitur qua probatur In a word we must even be content to satisfie our selves with Justin Martyr S. Cyprian S. Hilary R. Moses Advers Gent. De Idol van De Trin. l. 1. Moreh Neboch l. 2. Divin Instit Colat. 8. Lactantius and the Abbot Serenus in Cassian and Conclude that as the Black Art is certainly known to be though it's Beginning is not no more is that of Idolatry And indeed these same Authors now mentioned that we may look after no other Witnesses are of Opinion that this Abomination was on foot before the Floud and many others thinke that it was not till after while the Wonderfull Works of God were yet fresh in the Memories of Men. And this in the Opinion of Alexander Halensis was the reason of Idolatry Part. 11. quaest 138. Propter recentem memoriam ejus qui fecit Coelum terram quam ex disciplina Patrum habuerunt And when all is done an Argument to prove the Uncertainty of the Spring whence Idolatry is derived might very well be raised from the Uncertainty and Diversity of the Opinions here delivered concerning this Particular were not That out of the Book of Wisedome to be received as the truest by reason of the Sanctity of the Book However we doe not yet see any thing to the Contrary but that Astrology is Innocent and cleare from the Crime that it is charged with We will now by the way set downe that we may leave no doubt behind us that which no Author either of the Greeks or Latines hath yet discovered and which Reason must needs allow as most true 7. Bechai then saith that the Ancient Chaldeans are very falsly accused to have been such wicked men as people would make them and to have worshipped the Starres For saith he if the First Nazarenes he meanes the Christians were so good men as they have been reported to have been in the first Ages of their Belief why may we not aswell believe the same of the First Men who were created with a thousand times more Simplicity then ever hath been found in any of their Posterity since And who can believe that they should so give themselves over to those Vile Abominations wherewith they now stand charged This Argument is not much different from that of Alexander Halensis Neverthelesse Bodine is quite of another Opinion and scoffes at those Authors who will have the First Ages to have beene such Golden and Silver ones But if he had weighed the businesse rightly he would have found that those Vices which the Ancients are accused of are so small in comparison of those that the Corruption of the Times hath since brought forth that they deserved rather to have passed for Merry Pranks only and to have been ranked among Veniall sins But to return to Bechai That which he observes of these First Men and which I say hath been observed by no man else is that those Fires which they made in honour of the Sun and Moon were Lawfull and Kindled to a good End For saith He they testified the same thing to God which God testified to them by the Sun and by the Moon which is nothing else but a Great Light They kindled these Fires then by way of returning Him thanks for His and looking up to the Stars they prayed to the Angels which God had there placed for to move them about to the End they might be Favourable unto them But as the best things come at length to be corrupted Cham or his Posterity looking no higher then to this Fire began to worship it and so terminating their Adoration in the Sun and Moon they paid them those Honours which the First Chaldeans meant to None but to the Author of these Stars alone 8. This Opinion of the Learned Jew may be proved by two or three Conclusions The First is that the Wise men of the Former Ages had knowledge of the Invisible God by the Things that are Visible Now of the things that are Visible there is none that more powerfully proves that there is a God then the wonderfull Effects of the Sun and Moon and the rest of the Stars They had knowledge of God therefore by the Stars And whereas the Apostle saith that though they knew him yet they glorified him not afterwards he speaks of those Philosophers
were in use among the Egyptians But with all Respect to so great a Scholler be it spoken I must take leave to say that he was never so farre wide of the Truth as Here and if any be so Curious as to desire to be satisfied in this Particular he may be pleased to take notice that Scaliger hath transcribed them word for word out of a Second Book of a Worke entituled Astrolabium Planum where they are all represented by Figures cut in Wood and are the Invention of Petrus Aponensis otherwise called the Conciliator being the very same which he caused to be painted in the Great Hall of the Palace of Padua where they are yet to be seen The Truth of this may be proved by the fore-named Booke of Aponensis whose very words he hath also made use of but contenting himselfe with the bare Names of these Figures he would not trouble himselfe with the Graving of them I shall only adde for the greater Confirmation of what I have said that this Astrolabium Planum where these Figures of Aponensis his Devising are to be seen was printed at Venice by Emery de Spir An. 1494. I should not have here made this Observation but only that I might be the better able hereafter to make knowne the Vertue of the Astrology of the Ancient Hebrewes which was in a manner the same with that of the Aegyptians and the more Learned among the Arabians out of whose Bookes Scaliger vainely saies that he hath bestowed much paines in collecting the said Figures For there hath long since been such a World of Strange things which never had Being foisted upon this Science that people generally now adaies sticke not to say to the great Disadvantage of Antiquity that there is no Truth or Certainty in these kind of Studies I thinke it necessary therefore for the better Informing of those who are thus abused to declare what it was that moved Aponensis to represent these different Postures of Men Women and diverse kinds of Living Creatures This Learned Astrologer having observed that those that are borne under certaine Conjunctions of the Planets with the Signes of the Zodiack were alwayes inclined to one and the same thing as for example the Planet of Mars being the Ascendent in the First Degree of Aries those that are then borne are commonly Laborious and lovers of War he figured a Man as we have said holding in one hand a Sickle which signifies Labour and in the other a Bow the Hieroglyphicke of War In like manner those that are borne when the same Planet is in the Second Degree of the same Signe are Quarresome and Envious as Dogs and this made him represent a Man with a Dog's head holding a Cudgell in his hand The Figure of the third Degree shews that the Child will be a lover of Peace The Fourth that hee will hardly be Rich scattering about what hee shall have gotten which is signified by the Flail and the Hawk When Mercury is found in the First Degree of Taurus the Child will be addicted to Blood and Butchery and therefore he sigured a Man with a Cudgel driving an Oxe to the Slaughter-house If in the Second Degree he will be given to Idlenesse as the Woman that holds a Hors-taile in her hand If in the Third a Woman will desire to marry in her Old Age and endeavour to be thought young according to the Figure of the Old Woman that is covered with a Vaile or else wearing a Paire of Breeches If in the Fourth the Child will be Quarrelsome which is signified by a Woman figured with a Whip in her hand And so of all the rest as you may see in the Author himselfe We may conclude then that these Astrologicall Devises are no more of the Hebrewes and Egyptians inventing then the Brazen Horse is of mine CHAP. XI VVhat in Truth was the Course the Patriarkes and Ancient Hebrewes tooke in their Observations at the Erecting of a Nativity THE CONTENTS 1. THe Celestial Constellations were anciently marked with Hebrew Characters 2. How the Celestiall Signes are figured in the Spheares and Globes of the Arabians That of Virgo hath a Mystery in it 3. A new Observation on the Hebrew Names of the Planets 4. A Table by which the Jewes erected their Nativities The use of it 5. Demonstrative Reasons why the Daies follow not the Order of the Planets A Genethliacall Table of the Ancient Hebrews 6. The Difference betwixt the Ancient's manner of giving Judgement upon a Nativity and that of the Astrologers of our times The Fable of Lucina laid open 7. The Moon why called Lunus and Luna and the Heavens Coelus and Coelum 8. A new and Certaine Reason why the Poets report that Saturne eat up his Children 9. What Qualities the Ancients acknowledged to be in the Celestiall Signes 10. The Authors Judgement upon the Astrologicall Writings of R. Abraham Aben-Are translated into Latine by the Conciliator 11. What Planets were accounted Benigne by the Ancient Hebrews What Ceremony the New-married Man used toward his Bride 12. This Astrology of the Ancients is proved out of the Holy Scriptures Reasons which prove that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God which was the name of one of the sonnes of Jacob is the Planet Jupiter 13. The Aegyptians the First that corrupted this Astrology It is False notwithstanding that they were the Inventers of the Characters of the Planets Fables introduced into Astrology by the Greeks 14. Athlon a word in Nativities used by Manilius rightly interpreted contrary to Scaliger NOw that we have seen what is Falsly attributed to the Astrology of the Ancients it remains that we in the next place shew what we have discovered of the Purity and Truth of it in the Writings of those who have handled this Subject and which are such as have been esteemed the most Free from Trifling by the Learnedst Men of Our Own Nation I shall then make my Collection of these Secrets which the world hath hitherto had little knowledge of partly out of Rabbi Moses to whom Scaliger hath given this Testimony †In lib. Horaiot passim in li. Mis Thorab Mor. Neb. lib. Taamin Astag Haâ—izr Lib. Milbanâ—t haschem tract 4 5 6. contr Aver In Chocmet bacoc In Thor. Jessod laghol In aghmouq In Thecum Primus inter Hebraeos nugari desivit and partly out of R. Aben-Esra whom the same Scaliger calls Magistrum Judaeum Et hominem supra captum Judaeorum Out of R. Eli whom Augustinus Riccius cals Virum utique Scientiarum omnium plenum Out of R. Isaac Hazan whom the Jewes conceive to have been the Author of the Astronomicall Tables of Alphonsus Out of R. Abarbanel R. Isaac IsraeÌ„lita R. Jacob Kapol ben Samuel Aben-Aré R. Chomer and some others of the most Learned and Knowing men of This Nation as their VVritings testifie of them First then the Ancient Hebrewes represented the Stars of Heaven either All Together or severally by the Letters
as the Prophecies that are written in Bookes are not the Cause of those Events which they foretell shall happen but onely the Signe in like manner saith he may the Heavens very justly be called a Booke wherein God hath written all that is hath been and hereafter shall be And for confirmation of this he citeth a passage out of a Booke the Title whereof is Narratio Joseph a Book in his time highly esteemed by all men wherein the Patriarch Jacob giving his Blessing to all his Children tels them that he had read in the Tables of Heaven all that ever was to befall Them and their Posterity Legi saith He in tabulis Caeli quaecunque contingent Vobis et filijs vestris Whence the same Origen concludes as well in his Tract on this Question Vtrùm stellae aliquid agant as in his Booke De Fato Cap. 6. that some Mysteries may assuredly be read in the Heavens by reason that the Starres are disposed and ordered there in the forme of Characters The Conclusion of this Learned Father is so much the stronger in that where the Vulgar Translation reades Sintin Signa the Originall Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vehaio◠leototh that is to say word for word Et sint in Literas Lib. 9. de Fato cap. 35. This Doctrine is of so great Importance as that Julius Sirenus hath undertaken the Defence of it and maintaines that it is a most True and Safe Opinion and such as hath been Entertained by most Religious Men. Neque in illis corporibus Coelestibus saith St. Augustine hic latere posse cogitationes credendum est Lib. 2. contra Manich. c. 2. quemadmodum in his corporibus latent sed sicut nonnulli motus animorum apparent in vultu et maximè in oculis sic in illa perspicuitate ac simplicitate coelestium corporum omnes omninò motus animi latere non arbitror In Gen. l. 2. de Astron c. 4. I am not Ignorant that Pererius endeavours to finde out another Sense in these words of St. Augustine but it is an easie matter to say what one pleaseth in interpreting the words of a man that is Dead Now this Coelestiall Reading may the more easily be beleived to have been the Reall Meaning of This Learned Father seeing that many others of the Fathers have strongly confirmed it as St. Ambrose and Prosper who call the Heavens Ep. 8. ad Demetr De vera Rel. 3. in Ps 41. De Mirab De Fid. Orthod lib. 3. c. 1. by the Epithets of PAGES and WONDER FULL INSTRUCTIONS Albertus Magnus stiles them an UNIVERSAL BOOK And John Damascene goes yet farther and saies that they are CLEARE MIRROURS intimating that we may see distinctly There even as farre as to the most Secret and Weightiest Motions of our Soul which gave occasion to St. Augustine to utter those words which we have before cited All the Platonists in a manner were likewise of the same Perswasion and this is the reason that Porphyrie assures us that when he had resolved to have killed himselfe Plotinus having read his Intention in the Starres hindered him from doing it Orpheus also had knowledge of these Secrets as appeares by these Verses of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Certus tuus Ordo Immutabilibus mandatis currit in Astris 4. As for our Modern Writers it would even amaze a man to consider that among such infinite numbers of Books wherewith our Libraries are stuffed there is hardly Five or Six to be found that have taken any Notice at all of this Curious Piece of Antiquity concerning this Celestiall Writing I know very well that Ignorance will be presently ready with this Answer that the Vanitie of the Subject is the reason of this Their Silence But why then have such an infinite number of other Fooleries been taken into Consideration and thought a fit Subject for their Learned Pens which are a thousand times more Ridiculous in Appearance then This is whereas on the Contrary there is no Astrologer to whom this Science is not Necessary nor any Searcher into the Choiser Pieces of Theologicall Antiquity to whom in like manner it may not be usefull if at least it be True I am therefore apt to believe that the true reason is the Neglect rather of the Orientall Languages whereon these Curiosities do so necessarily depend as that without the knowledge of them they cannot possibly be explained or understood insomuch that we had no notice at all of these Mysteries till such time as they were brought into Europe by those men that addicted themselves to the study of the Eastern Languages Capnio was the First that De Art Cab. in an Age when Barbarisme reigned adventured to make some of these Choise Discoveries Picus Mirandula likewise who was the Phoenix of the Age he lived in took some pains in searching into these Secrets and also proposed the Question in hand in these terms Utrùm in Coelo sint descripta significata omnia cuilibet scienti legere Quest 74 Cornelius Agrippa also hath delivered His opinion herein Pierius Valerianus in his Hieroglyphicks Occult. Philos Lib. 44. fol. 366. c. hath these words Illa Extensio in modum pellis tanquam literis inscriptae luminaribus stellis dicitur Rakia c. Blaise de Vigenere in his Book Des Chifres makes a long Discourse on this Particular Banelli an Italian hath said more to this purpose then all the others upon those Words of S. Luke Gandete quòd nomina vestra scripta sint in Coelis Kunrath according to his usuall manner of Fooling makes a Riddle of it In Amphith In quo sunt pueri quotquot in Orbe Viri It seems that these kind of Authors write to no other end but that they may not be understood by this means seeming to make war against Nature which hath given us a Tongue and the use of Speech that we might be able to expresse our Conceptions whereas these men on the contrary Endeavour to be Obscure and Dark Robert Elud in his Apology for the Brethren of the Rosy Crosse hath gone on very far with this Celestiall Writing the Characters whereof he affirmes to be made in the same manner that Others are In Coelo saith He inserti impressi hujusmodi Characteres Apeloget Ed. Lug. Bar. An. 1617. qui non aliter ex stellarum ordinibus conflantur quam lineae Geometricae Literae Vulgares ex punctis Superficies ex lineis corpus ex superficiebus at length concluding that who so is able to read these Characters shall know not only what ever is to come but also all the Secrets of Philosophy Fol. 62. Quibus hujusmodi linguae Scripturae Arcanae Characterumque abditorum cognitio à Deo concessa est his etiam datum erit veras rerum naturas mutationes alerationes proprietates siderum omnesque alias operationes executiones oculis quaasi
and of Sad Omen I shall adde my Conjecture here that possibly they might point out these Two Names Cecrops and Codrus which are the names of those Two Kings under whom this Powerfull Monarchy had its Rise and Fall The Romane Consulate could not maintain Its Power beyond the Term of 500. years because that these Bounds were determinately prefixed to it in this Celestiall Booke by Eight Verticall Stars which composed this Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Raasch which bare this Sense Number Cacumen 501. The Monarchy of Julius Coesar which was built upon the Ruine of the Consulate as This also was upon the Ejection of the Kings was very neer of the same Continuance and the End of it was in like manner prefixed by Six Sars which made up these Three Letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scavar which signifies To Break the Number whereof is 502. But that we may produce something concerning Things Yet to Come R. Chomer assures us that it is now a good while since that this Celestiall Writing hath pointed out the Declining of Two great Empires of the East The First is that of the Turkes over which there are observed seven Verticall Stars which being read from the West to the East for it would be a great Blessing to see the Ruine of this Empire make up this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caah which signifieth to be Battered Feeble Languishing and Drawing to an End But now Aleph which in humbers signifieth 1. standeth also for 1000. as the rest of the letters also doe as may be observed out of Hebrew Grammars seeing it may be doubted at what time this Empire shall be reduced to this Extremity the same Letters doe clearly resolve this Doubt For the Middle Letter which is Aleph being made up of Brighter and more Sparkling Stars then the Others are sheweth saith Chomer that Its Number is the Greater so that in This place it standeth for 1000. and the First letter signifieth 20. and the Last 5. So that when this Kingdome shall have accomplished the number of 1025. years it shall then be overthrowne and brought to Ruine Now if we reckon from the year of our Lord 630. which was the year according to our Vulgar Compution wherein the Foundation of this Empire was laid we shall find that it is to last till the year of our Lord 1655. for the compleating of the aforesaid number 1025. so that reckoning from this present yeare 1650. this Kingdome is to last but Five years longer The Other Eastern Kingdome whose Declining is pointed out by the Stars according to K. Chomer is that of China but this Rabbin delivers himself in such an Obscure manner in discoursing of this last piece of Celestiall Writing as that till I understand it better I shall forbeare to set it downe Hee produceth also diverse Others which doe define the Particular Durations of most of the Kingdomes of Europe all which I may happily communicate to the World hereafter when I have first seene how these Curiosities are received 12. Now that I may freely deliver my owne Judgment concerning this Celestiall Writing I must take Liberty to propose some few Objections which I have found may be brought against it The First is that if so be by this Writing all the Great Mutations in the World may be known it is possible then that the End of the World may in like manner be found out by It as being the Greatest and most Important of all the rest so that Men may by a naturall Meanes attain to the knowledge of This Great Secret which is Contrary to the Holy Scriptures The Second is that Astrologers have been able to foretel many of these Mutations which have afterwards come to passe accordingly and yet have never had any knowledge of This strange Kind of Writing It is therefore Uselesse and Imaginary The Third is that the Position of the Stars is not so Essentiall to the Letter which it is brought to make up but that the same Star may as well make for Example a Resch as a Daleth and so of all the rest and Consequently Severall Men forming several Characters of the same Starres may draw from them Contrary senses the one to the other But to all these Objections I answer briefly thus To the First I say that it is not Necessary that this Celestiall Writing should foreshew the end of the World because that God may have reserved this Secret to Himselfe Or else Math. 24.29 Mar. 13.24 Luc. 21.25 that It will Really foretel This hereafter when those Other Signes set downe by the Evangelists shall shew it also it being all one to say that the Starres shall fore-shew it by some certaine Writing as to say that the Sun and the Moone shall foretell it by their being Darkned To the Second I answer that the Foure Grand Causes Card. 1. Aph. which according to the Opinion of Astrologers produce the greatest Mutations the First whereof is the Changing of the Apogaeum and Perigaeum of the Planets the Second the Changing of the Excentricity of the Sun of Venus of Mercury of Saturne of Jupiter and of Mars the Third the diverse Figure of the Obliquity of the Zodiacke and the Fourth the Conjunction cheifly the Great one of the Superiour Planets I say that all these Foure Causes may for the most part be comprized within this Celestiall Writing that is to say that it hath happened very often that at what time this Celestiall Writing did point out some great Change there was at the same time also a Conjunction of the Superiour Planets or else some one of the Three other forenamed Causes So that They not understanding any thing of this Celestiall Writing imputed those changes which they observed to come to passe to those Foure Reasons only But that it may clearly appeare unto us that These have not been the True Causes of all these Changes we need but have recourse to the Chronologies and Particular Annals of each severall Kingdome and compare them with the Astrologicall Observations and wee shall finde that the greatest part of all the Grand Mutations have happened without any Conjunction of the Greater Planets or any of the other Causes before specified So that we must necessarily flye to some other more Certain Means by which we may be able to foreknow by the Aspects and Motions of the Stars all these Events Now this Means can be no Other as it seemeth but this Celestiall Writing To the Third Objection which seemeth to have the most Weight in it it may be answered that it is true indeed that a Man may make a Resch of the same Star that another man perhaps will make a Daleth of but in This as in many other things wee are to follow the Tradition of the Ancients and to rest satisfied with what They have delivered unto us Otherwise there will not be any Certainty at all in any One of the rest of the Sciences especially in Astrology which requireth that those Stars which compose for Example the Constellation of Aries or the Ramme should be described rather in the Figure of this Beast then in that of an Oxe or a Horse and so in all the rest So that who ever should represent the Figure of a Bull among the Stars that belong to the Ramme and the Figure of a Ramme among those of the Bull he would destroy the very Principles of Astrology notwithstanding that the Stars of Taurus would as well bear the Figure of a Ramme as of a Bull. In like manner he that should make a Resch of such a Star as he should have made a Daleth of notwithstanding that the Star would beare it yet would he overthrow the Principles of this Celestiall Writing If it be now demanded who it is that is to judge of the vast number of New Letters that are made daily by the Diverse Aspects of the Planets I answer that it appertaineth to those Men who are Piously and Religiously versed in this Heavenly Writing and not to all kind of Persons indifferently But I shall as yet suspend my own Judgment as wel in This as in all the rest of these Curiosities which I have here delivered till such time as I shall have found either Weaker or Stronger Reasons THE END The First Table of the Celestial Constellations expressed by Hebrew Characters THe Characters of these two Tables are something different from those which Bonavent ure Hepburn a Scot hath out in Wood and from those 〈◊〉 other also which Duret hath set down in his History of Languages For I have made choice to follow those delivered by R. Chomer a man more skilâ—â—â— in this Particular then either of the former as being one of the most Learned amongst the Jewes of our times And yet I confesse some of the â—haracters are not right through the Gravers fault yet the difference is so little as that it cannot be of any great consequence or importance The two â—ables are divided by the Equator and the Stars are ranged here in the same order that they are in the Globe only those Stars which are under the Aspects of any of the Planets cannot be supposed to make up the same Letters now which you here find represented and which they made before because that these Planets which by reason of their Wanderings cannot be here set down do daily by their various Motions create New and Different 〈…〉 THE CELESTIAL HEBREW ALPHABET 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IERSEY Aetatis suae 10. From thy afflicted Vaile that Cypresse Bower still Watere'd fresh by thy Celestiall shower Come forth come forth Bright Captive Declare With a Full Orb the Innocent and Faire