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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A30719	Hagiastrologia, or, The most sacred and divine science of astrology 1. Asserted in three propositions, shewing the excellency and great benefit thereof, where it is rightly understood and religiously observed : 2. vindicated, against the calumnies of the Reverend Dr. More in his Explanation of the grand mystery of godliness : 3. Excused, concerning pacts with evil spirits, as not guilty, in humble considerations upon the pious and learned discourse upon that subject, by the Right Reverend Father in God, Joseph sometimes Lord Bishop of Norwich / by J.B., B.D. ...	J. B. (John Butler)	1680 (1680)	Wing B6268; ESTC R4462	159,576	280

this be the blame then woe as much be to all Astronomers who Calculate the Planets places for any time Secondly He aver's That as the Heavens were then posited by virtue of his readings with his own experience compar'd he found that such and such manners complexions and ordinary accidents were wont to follow as befel our Saviour And if this be Culpable then Woe be to all Physicians who out of the● Readings and Experiments collect Receits of Medicines from their skill in Herbs Thirdly He asserts That by virtue of his Astrological Experience in the nature of the position of the Heavens compared with the life of our Saviour he found some confirmation of the Truth of the Time of Christ's Nativity and that truth of Christ's time of Birth was some confirmation of the truth and worth of Astrology And if this be Blasphemy Pride and Malice c. then sure the Scriptures must needs be as much too which affirm the time of Christ's Birth and declare of the Wisemen how they found him out by their Starry intelligence or indeed by their Astrological skill But besides all this had Cardan been indeed guilty of these or any of these Crimes methinks the Doctor might have said wherein lay that guilt as what words made up the Blasphemy and what words acts or gestures they were which demonstrated his Pride and Levity Impudence Irreligion Sawciness or Presumption c. For he who saith and cannot prove what he saith is a Lyar and a Slanderer And the words of a Tale-bearer faith Solomon are as wounds which go down into the innermost parts of the Belly Prov. 26.22 But why hath the Doctor adventured his credit thus be it but to be suspected for a Tale-bearer why would he adventure upon the dead thus with accusations of crime and of such hainous crimes unless his proofs had been more certain and apparent For whose hatred is covered by deceit his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole Congregation saith the Wiseman Blasphemy Chap. 26. verse 26. is to speak evil of God or Christ Now where or with what words has Cardan done thus I am sure in his Calculation of Christ's Nativity he hath performed it with all possible reverence and respect to Christ and to the glory of God unless you 'l have it Blasphemy in that he hath asserted that Christ was Man as well as God and had an humane Body And if the Doctor beleives so too himself why crys he Blasphemy for alledging that That Body was submitted also to the influence of the Stars as well as other Bodies But has not the Accuser himself blasphemed Christ in his Members rather by heaping slander and reproach upon his Ministers And who is more proud and vainglorious than he who ungraciously contemneth and scorneth his Betters Who more wickedly sawcy and most unparalleldly presumptuous Prov. 26.17 than he who medleth with the strife which belongeth not unto him He it is who is like one who taketh a Dog by the Ears Who more insufferably impudent than he who casts abroad his reproaches lies and slanders without sense of shame or sorrow And who more light in mind than the giddy-headed liers And who more rampantly proud and malicious than those who envy the ashes of the dead their due praises And who is guilty of these things whether it be the Doctor or the Dead let the Doctor 's own Explanation be the Evidence as has been afore quoted Sect. 7 But what saith the Doctor to this in answer It is in his Epistle to the Reader Fol. 22. § 25. And if in my discovery of the reasonableness of things a more than ordinary heat has accompanied that light and may seem to have armed may style in some places with overmuch sharpness and vehemency I would desire so soft and prudent a Soul to consider with himself whether there be not men in the World as bad as I describe And whether he ought in charity to conceit I mean any other than those and being such as they are whether they can deserve less and if he be none of them himself why he should partake of their sins by disallowing of their deserved Chastisements and Rebuke You must note now that the Doctor had written his whole Book and all the Books and Chapters thereof before this Epistle to the Reader And it seems reading over what he had written he was sensible of more than ordinary heat and overmuch sharpness and vehemency in his writings But did he mend them or having seen them did he repent or was he any thing ashamed of what he had written No not in the least but rather as one who wipeth her mouth Prov. 30.20 and says she has done no hurt he brags of it and justifies it and calls it that light in his discovery of the reasonableness of things And can light be without heat yea though it be more than ordinary heat Ah but there are false lights in the World And it is good to look before we like if the Doctor 's be not of this sort of light The wisdom or light of Truth which is from above from Heaven and holy and heavenly men James 3.17 is pure and peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality without hypocrisie There 's no slandering and lying there no railing nor calling all to naught Why but what is that light then which does so Oh it is quite otherwise for saith the same Author Verse 13 14 15. if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts glory not and lie not against the truth saith he for such wisdom or light descendeth not from above but is earthly sensual and devilish For where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work But who shall lay this at the Doctor 's door Some soft and prudent Soul as he jearingly speaks of all whose better Education cannot aptly comply with his slanderous railings as if in good sooth they were seem●ly prudent but indeed meer silly Souls for so the word soft is ordinarily used in this kind of speech And these soft Souls must first consider before they blame his more then ordinary heats or overmuch sharpness If there be not men in the world as bad as he describes Well we have considered and we find there are such men But what then There was a bloody Cain in the World and therefore I may rail on innocent Abel for a Murderer There was a treacherous Judas in the World and therefore may I boldly say that Christ was a Traytor There was a proud and sawcy Doctor in Christ's-College in Cambridge And therefore Cardan was a rampantly proud and sawcy fellow Such is the Inference of his Answer Well but we must charitably conceit him that whoever he names yet still he means those really bad men in the World and when he talks of proud and sawcy Cardan yet it is the Doctor of Christ's-College whom he

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OR The most Sacred and Divine SCIENCE OF Astrology 1. ASSERTED In three PROPOSITIONS Shewing the Excellency and great Benefit thereof where it is rightly understood and religiously observed 2. VINDICATED Against the Calumnies of the Reverend Dr. More in his Explanation of the Grand Mystery of Godliness 3. EXCUSED Concerning Pacts with Evil Spirits as not guilty in humble Considerations upon the Pious and Learned Discourse upon that Subject by the Right Reverend Father in God Joseph sometimes Lord Bishop of Norwich By J. B. B. D. A Protestant Minister of the True Antient Catholick and Apostolick Faith of the Church of ENGLAND London Printed for the Author And are to be Sold by William Bromwich at the Three Bibles in Ludgate-Street M.CD.LXXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OR ASTROLOGY A Sacred SCIENCE SHEWING The Excellency and great Benefit thereof where it is rightly understood and Religiously observed As it is handled in the Display of Three PROPOSITIONS I. That there is an Astrology in the Heavens II. That this Astrology Man in this state of Corruption may attain in some measure to understand III. That this Understanding may be lawfully and fairly compassed by Natural means without any Diabolical Helps By J. B. B. D. A Protestant Minister of the true Antient Catholick and Apostolick Faith of the Church of ENGLAND London Printed M.DC.LXXX To the Honourable Sir THOMAS DOLEMAN Kt. One of the Clerks of His Majestie 's most Honourable Privy Council Worthy Sir WHen the Fisher-man in his Net took up the Golden Tripod out of the Ionian Sea with this Inscription thereon To the Wisest Man of Greece He sent it as his own wisdom directed him to Bias of Priene one of the Seven Famous Sages who though He sent it away again to another whom he esteemed wiser than himself yet was this no disparagement either to Bias or the Fisherman The one shewing himself by his Modesty to be the Wiser man and the Other by his Obedience according to the Inscription to the best of his Skill approving himself to be the honester man Good Sir I have taken up a Tripod too and I wish it were of Gold for your sake that with a truly rich Present worthy of your Noble and Candid Virtues I might be able to present you True it is that Learning is a Jewel of a worth beyond the price of Gold where the value of it is well understood But alas such is the fond humoursomness of this our Age that Learning is too much neglected but especially this sort of Learning wherewith I here present you and though it be a Jewel yet I see it may lye long enough in the Field as it were a common Pebble stone and many and many an one and that especially among the Rich and great Ones and more especially such as are conceitedly wise may go by and see and tread on it and yet not think it worth the Taking up Mat. 13.45 46. But Merchant-men God be thanked who know by Experience the Worth of Jewels will sell Land and Houses to buy that which Fools despise Of the number of these Merchants Sir my duty leads me to esteem your self in the foremost rank of mine Experienc't Acquaintance And though I am sensible your Modesty is apt enough to put by my Appellation yet I humbly beg your Pardon wherein my duty engages me But among those who perhaps may have Esteem for Learning of another quality many of them will put in exceptions to this of Astrology as if either it were a Discourse unworthy to be called Science or if not so yet such at least as they are apt to say we come not honestly by Now true it is Sir that this sort of Learning having been more unhappily than deservedly laid aside by some Learned men and as unworthily sullied and defiled by many rude and ignorant ones who have too rashly and saucily medled with what they bad not abilities either enough to understand or to make the best Vse of It is come to pass that this Excellent Pearl of sublime Science has appeared not without a Rust upon it that makes it seem as if it were not true Gold And truly there may happen as much of hard fortune to the richest Treasure that carrieth his Majestie 's Image and Superscription in its face when it falls into the hands of Clowuish Vsurers who out of a sordid Love of money had rather lay up their talents under ground in mire and dirt than put them into honest Exercise But good Sir I have this Confidence in your great Worth that however your excellency may lodge in other sorts of Learning in a degree above this yet it is not a little Rust can hide true Gold from your understanding skill or undervalue it in your eye And hence this little Tripod of Astrological discourse humbly begs your favourable Protection You have here Sir Three Propositions or a sacred Stool on three feet each of them carrying their several weight and you may sit safely thereon The first Legg bears this Position That there is An Astrologie certainly written in the Heavens And this Legg stands fast The second bears up What Skill in some measure may be attained in the Understanding of the same And the third upholds the Legitimacy of the means and shews how by true Art and without infernal help it may be lawfully compassed If Sir I may add Light to a Lawful and honest Science I hope I have done my God and my Countrey good Service especially in an Age where true Treasure is a scarce Commodity And as God shall bless mine Endeavours my hearty Prayers and good Wishes are That mine Honourable Patron may have an Honour worthy of his Name and Fame And that worthy Sir the good Blessing of God may crown with Honour and Felicity the whole Work of your Virtuous Life is the continual Prayer and Wish of SIR Your most humbly devoted John Butler A Preface to the Reader KNown unto God are all his Works from the beginning of the World saith St. James This Knowledg of God before the Creation was no where written but in his own Eternal Mind but after it was printed in a certain Book called Nature wherein all the Works of God that were to come to pass in Time were expresly written down as they were to follow in Order This Book of Nature was a certain Frame or Model of the World wherein what by Creation and Generation all Persons Things and Actions were to take their several courses and turns so as to come to pass in time from the Beginning unto the Ending of the World And so infinitely and wonderfully Well was this Model of the World contrived that though the Rise and Fall of Persons Towns and Countreys do depend upon the Virtues and Vices of the Men there inhabiting and those Virtues and Vices do depend upon the Free agency of those Men Yet such was the Contrivance that neither the Fall of the first

against us and endless it is to wipe away all the dirt which every man has to throw in our faces But I am as sensible that all Objectors are not equally to be blamed some are as eminent for Learning as for Malice and ill-will and these however they are not worthy of it for their own yet must have an Answer be it but to stop their mouths for those other mens sakes who admire their parts more then their worth Others are as eminent for Piety as Parts and yet are our Enemies we do confess but then withal it is apparent by what unhappinesses in the misunderstanding of us this Enmity has come about and these Adversaries therefore do justly deserve as well as challenge our answer to all whatever they have against us Now to answer all of all sorts of either of these who have been apt to open their mouths at us it is impossible I shall therefore single out certain of the most eminent of each kind and refer the rest to that reasonable satisfaction they may gain out of what I say to these well knowing that reasonable men will with a word be satisfied and as for the unreasonable I know no reason they can deserve And first to begin where most of merit claims I think it my duty to offer an humble word or two to the Right Reverend Father in God the most pious and learned Joseph late Lord Bishop of Norwich in answer to Case the 2d of his 3d. Decad in his Resolutions and Decisions of divers practical Cases of Conscience which inquires how far a secret Pact with evil Spirits doth extend and what Actions and Events must be referred thereunto Sect. 2 In handling this Case it seems as if this Holy Father had also drawn in Astrology amongst those other secret Pacts with evil Spirits which are utterly unlawful And the truth is it does appear that he was somewhat ill opinionating concerning this Science But yet it is plain that in the sum of his Resolution he commits the Student to his own care and wisdom whether to lay down or persue this Science whence it becomes most apparent that this ill opinion of his against us happened by some unhappy misunderstanding rather then of any experimental evil he knew by our Studies But however with Reverence to this learned and most judicious Father give me leave to discuss his whole Resolution of the Case Sect. 3 It is saith he a question of exceeding great use and necessity for certainly many thousands of honest and well minded Christians are in this kind drawn into the snares of Satan unwarily and unwittingly Thus far the Astrologer does heartily agree with his Honour's judgment and bewails the misfortune of Astrology which has not been a little abused by the Devil as a Cloak under pretence thereof to draw such honest and well minded Christians within the compass of Sorcery and Witchcraft But withal he hopes that no rational man will make a blame of its affliction For should we be so uncharitable the Sacred word of God also would be condemned because many times it also is by the Devils wiles made use on and wrested to draw in well meaning Christians to become notorious Hereticks But to return to the Case Sect. 4 The Father goes on saying For the determining of it these two grounds must be laid First That there is a double compact with Satan one direct and open wherein Magicians and Witches upon woful Conditions and direful Ceremonies enter into a mutual Covenant with evil Spirits The other secret and indirect wherein nothing is seen or heard or known to be agreed upon only by a close implication that is suggested and yeilded to be done which is invisibly seconded by diabolical operation These two Compacts or two ways of compacting with the Devil the Astrologer does acknowledg and is well aware of But withal he is sufficiently satisfied against all danger of any diabolical Compact in any of his figure-casting skill Sect. 5 The second ground is that whatsoever hath not a Cause in Nature according to God's ordinary way must be wrought either by good or evil Spirits That it cannot be supposed that good Angels should be at the command of ignorant or vitious Persons of either Sex to concur with them in superstitious Acts done by means altogether in themselves ineffectual and unwarrantable And therefore that the Devil hath an unseen hand in these effects which he marvailously brings about for the winning of Credit with the World and for the obliging and engaging of his own Clients Of this kind there is too lamentably much variety in common experience Take an handful if you please out of a full Sack as the Book and the Key the Sieve and the Sheers for discovery of the Thief The notching of a stick with the number of the Warts which we would have removed Words and Characters of no signification or ordinary form for the curing of Diseases in Man or Beast more then too many whereof we find in Cornelius Agrippa and Paracelsus Forms of Words and Figures for the stanching of blood and the pulling out of Thorns for easing pain for remedying the biting of a mad Dog Whistling for a Wind and many other such like All this the Astrologer readily subscribes to as most eminent truths And no farther desires he any dealing either in Calculatory or Figure-casting Astrology then there is a Cause in Nature according to God's ordinary way without either help of Angels or Devils for what he does All his whole skill in prediction he fathereth upon the Heavens and the Stars and Planets therein and as the Physician finds by the Herbs Roots and Flowers growing upon the ground what virtue and efficacy they have to cure Wounds and Sickness So the Astrologer has it from as strong experience of the natural force and virtue of operation in the Stars of Heaven concerning all that he says or knows There is a reason in Nature for it that a red Evening brings forth a fair Morrow and experience hath found it to be so and that it is so only and no act of Angel or Devil which makes it so And there is not a tittle in Astrology which we trust to but what we have as much and as true experience in as in the product of a red Evening And as for Charms and Spells and such like trashy Stories as have no cause in Nature for their Productions and Event the Astrologer sides with the Right Reverend Father and utterly abhors them Sect. 6 Of those many charming Stories reckoned up by this Holy Father as a good caution unto thousands of poor ignorant Souls who use to be thereby deluded there are only two or three which with submission to riper judgments I am not so fully satisfied in the unlawfulness thereof First As for the rubbing of Warts with raw flesh and after burying that flesh in a Dung-hill in order that the Warts may rot away insensibly as that flesh rots