their wisedome haue professed the former then this latter sorcery of Astrology If they will speak to these points and acquit Astrology then they say somewhat But must warne the Knight or any other that hee will be pleased not to take for granted the contradictory of these positions and so runne along in a flourishing discourse but these be the things that you must proue Now Sir to proue these things will much trouble you First you will rake vp the Arabian dunghill but that will not serue your turne For I graut the Arabians did honor this profession but wee speake here of the ancient times wherein good learning stood amongst the Heathen Neither will it serue you to reckon vp Adam Seth Mahaleel Iared Henoch Zoroastes Methusaleth Lamech Noah Sem Arphaxad Abraham Isaac Iacob Albion Ioseph Homer Hesiod c. And to tell vs that these were Astrologers Take Zoroastes from that company and then wee yeeld him to you he is the Father of your Art You challenge him you shall haue him But then let the world know what a goodly Father this profession hath CHAP. VIII That the operations of the Celestiall bodies do not helpe the Astrologers in their predictions COncerning the operation of the Celestiall bodies vpon these inferior by influence there is an influence granted but not this which the Astrologers haue by their imagination without profe deuised First this position is taken amongst the learned for certaine that the celestiall bodies do signifie nothing which they do not also effect that which they effect is produced by them as by naturall causes And therfore the things which God doth by himselfe cannot be foreseene in the Stars but such things proceed from supernaturall causes And things supernaturall cannot be demonstrated by a naturall agent Neither can those things be foretold by the Starres which are of fortuitall euents for such things haue no naturall cause such are all things which are directed by mans will that is in a word all mens actions to foretell these things as from naturall causes is vayne to seeke and impossible to find For of things that rest in mans will a naturall cause is not to be sought the things being voluntary which things cannot be foretold but by reuelation It remaines then that predictions naturall are of such things as haue naturall causes The things therefore that may be certainely foretold by the Starres as hauing their naturall causes are all such things as belong to the Theory of Astronomy as that the Sunne moueth swifter then Saturne or when is an opposition or coniunction when an Eclipse will be These things may be certainely foretold forasmuch as they depend vpon naturall principles there be other things of that kinde which are vsually though erroneously foretold by Astrologers hauing indeed naturall causes but not so euidently knowne to Astrologers the cause is for albeit these things belong to nature yet they haue not determinate causes and so regulated to one Euent as those that are in the Theory And therefore their error is in these things vsually seene such things are the predictions of raine of faire weather of wet times dry For that there are times of wet and siccitic it is true true also that these things depend vpon the ordinary course of nature and of such things as are vnder the gouernment of the superior bodies yet are they not so determinate nor so ineuitable nor so euident to the Astrologer as are those of the Theory For in the one the Astrologer erreth not in the other hee erreth commonly Of this kind are all Meteors which proceed of naturall causes but not determinate and ineuitable so that the Astrologer cannot iudge of these by such certitude as of the things belonging to the Theory After this manner the corruption of the Aire is also of naturall superior causes commonly whence come sicknes dearth and such like as also the contrary followeth plenty and healthfulnes These are of certaine causes but not so certainely knowne that they may allwayes certainely be foretould True it is that these things sometimes come not by naturall causes and in a naturall course altogether but God doth send them at his pleasure either for the punishment of some people or for their deliuerance as it seemeth best to him When God doth so send them then are they further out of the knowledge of the Astrologer so that in these things the knowledge of the Astrologer is partly nothing at all partly little worth being taken at the best For in matters of this kind that Astrologers haue either small or no knowledge may be collected from their common errors in this kinde as also from some places of the holy Scripture where Astrologers are found ignorant in these things A question may be moued whether those seauen yeares of plenty and seauen yeares of scarsitie foretold by Ioseph in the interpretation of Pharaoh his dream were of naturall causes or sent by God without respect of naturall causes This is certaine that the foretelling of them was not by naturall knowledge but by reuelation for all the Astrologers of Aegypt could not fore-tell them but Ioseph did by reuelation from God And yet the Astrologers were acquainted with the encreasing of Nilus whose measurable rising was the ordinary cause of plenty and fertility in that country the inordinate rising thereof either in too great abundance or in too greate defect was both a signe also a cause of scarsity The measurs of the rising of Nilus was precisely kept by the Priests of Egypt and vpon the sight of the rising of the Riuer they could know the fertility or sterility of the yeare folowing But this was no part of Astrology it belonged rather to Geometry and some report that the vse of Geometry was first found out by that means Then vpon the measure of the rising of that riuer they that obserued it could fore-tell the plenty or dearth which should be in that country but I neuer read that any Astrologer did fore-tell the iust measure of the rising of that riuer before hand The Knight that is better read in them may helpe vs in this For that the rising of Nilus did some way depēd vpon the heauens it wil not I suppose be denyed because whatsoeuer was the immediate cause of the rising thereof that did depend vpon the superior bodies if any thing depend vpon them So then the Astrologers knowledge cometh very short when as he knoweth not nor is able to fore tell the euent of those thinges that are confessed to depend vpon the superior heauenly bodies Now if this knowledge be so short and vncertaine in things which depend vpon the superior bodies it must needs be far shorter or nothing at all in such things that depend not of them Another kinde of things foretold by Astrologers is of such things as haue partly a cause of nature partly of mans will and operation To vndertake to foretell in such things cannot be without superstition For
man thou consults withall or rather the Diuell by him hit on right at the first and satisfie thy desires in some vnlawfull and curious enquiry Well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from that day forward thou doest resolue with thy selfe to beleeue whatsoeuer he shall tell thee heereafter And though his Magicall Skill and Diabolicall Art fayle him many times as indeede it must for defuturis contingentibus non datur Scientia yet the opinion of Man and the Illusion of Sathan hath so besotted thee that sure the fault is in thy selfe when things prooue not true it is eyther by reason of thy heedlesnesse in mis-vnderstanding some words or mis-applying some meanes the blame must be layde on any thing rather then on the Diuell Is it not a shame that Christians who liue vnder such a bright Sunne-shine of the Gospell should suffer themselues to be led away with such superstitious Vanities Men forget that they haue Learned Christ when they will needes be beholden to the Diuell for his counsell in any matter If they would but remember that solemne Vow and protestation they once made before the face of the Church in holy Baptisme wherein they promised to forsake the Diuell and all his Workes it would readily prompt them to their dutie and what is that Not to regard them that haue Familiar Spirits neyther to seeke after Wizardes to be defiled with them as the Lord commandeth Leuit 19. 31. Where marke this by the way that you cannot seeke after these things but you must needes be defiled with them In which respect Saint Austine excellently cals this running after Wizards genus quoddam fornicationis A spirituall kinde of Fornication And the reason is euident because the vncleane Spirites are desirous to illude the Soule of man and to make a shew of Obedience to catch the Soule in their snares requiring a strong Credulitie and excessiue desire to learne So drawing the heart from Gods feare and bringing it by little and little in their Slauerie as is plaine by the following Discourse which is the grossest kinde of Spirituall Whoredome that can be deuised when the Soule goes a whoring from GOD after the Diuell But I feare I haue out of a zeale to the Church exceeded the bounders of an Epistle I will not trespasse further vppon you by keeping you any longer as it were at the Threshold from entering the Discourse it selfe Wherein you haue these things and the whole matter with sound iudgement and varieie of Learning perfectly hanled and the Aduersarie driuen from his starting holes by maine force of Argument And so ceasing to be further troublesome vnto you I humbly take my leaue Your assured Louing Cousin THO VICARS In Authorem eius Opera 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non ego te meis Chartis inornatum sileri Totue tuos patiar labores Impunè Praesul carpere liuidas Obliuiones Maiorum titulis magnus sed maior haberi Vis magè Musarum titulis dignissime Praesul Dordrechtum tua fama capit quòd missus ab oris Angliacis doctus Synodo consederis ampla Qui Characteres heroum legerit ipsum Vergilium versú ve parenâ—… legat ille Poetam Sacrilegos tuadocta manus prostrauit inde Laus tibi nec minor hinc quod ineptos Astrologastros Fuderis in terram docto conanime surgit Nempe condignos norunt tibi pendere honores Sceptra tuo calamo firmata referre molestum Non erit Et pleno meritas Ecclesia laudes Concinet ore tuas Consensum si bene seruat T. V. posuit S. T. B. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OR RECAPITVLATION of the Chiefe Passages in this Treatise CHAP. I. TO the Confusion of Astrologie one witnesse more is added by the writing of this Booke Iudiciarie Astrologie is no part of Naturall Philosophie nor of the Mathematickes neyther is it Media Scientia betwixt them CHAP. II. The meanes of knowing aforehand particular Euents is not Naturall but Diabolicall Those that haue beene most blockish in other Learning haue beene quick and sharpe-witted in Astrologie CHAP. III. Astrologie and Augurie in the iudgement of the learned are alike The trueth in a Prediction doth not make an Art warrantable CHAP. IV. The Astrologer foretelleth that is true by the helpe of Sathan Henry the second King of Fraunce and Ahab King of Israels death compared together Astrologicall Predictions depend not vpon Natural Causes Natural Effects are not Contigent but Necessary Of future Contingent Euents there is no certaine knowledge Astrologicall Predictions stand not by learning but by some instinct CHAP. V. Astrologie considereth the Fortunes onely of Fooles and the wicked The Knights inuincible Syllogisme dasht to peeces Naturall Effects must be distinguished from Contingent Euents CHAP. VI. No place for a definition in the beginning of a Controuersie Ars is not the Genus for Astrology and Astronomy CHAP. VII The first Inuenter of Astrologie was the Diuell The first spreader of it Zoroastes Eudoxus an Astronomer against Astrological predictioÌ„s Panaetius and Cicero Varro Pliny against Astrology Pythagoras Democritus and Plato studious of Magicke silent in Astrology A briefe rehearsal of the points deliuered in the Booke hitherto CHAP. VIII Those things which haue supernaturall Causes cannot be foretold by the Starres Diuers things depending on Naturall Causes cannot certainly be foretold by the Astrologer as Raine Weather Dearth Sicknesse Those things which depend partly on Naturall Causes on Mans Will cannot be foretold by Astrologers Those things which are meerely Contingent cannot bee foretold by the Starres CHAP. IX Magicke no part of Naturall Philosophy The Astrologer hideth his sleights vnder the name of Celestiall Influences The Influences conferre nothing to a Prediction without a strong Credulity and excessiue desire of learning in the heart of the Enquirer Astrologie and Magicke in practise inseparable The Astrologer attaineth not to his intended end in a prediction without the helpe of Magicke The learned Fathers of the Church namely Origen Augustine Cyril Theodoret against Astrologicall Predictions CHAP. X. That place Esay 47 12. cited by M. Chambers against Astrologers cleared where the destruction of Babylon there threatned is shewne not to haue beene myraculous against the Knights cauill Cicero denieth fatum Stoicum granteth fatum Physicum That place Iob. 38. 33. soundly interpreted That place Iudg. 5 20. opened and expounded That place Gen. 1 14. Catholically expounded and vindicated from abuse That place of Chrysost. in Math. 2. interpreted God worketh in some things against his reuealed will Blasphemy is not onely against God but against his truth and against the Saints that maintaine the truth Ignorance of Astrologie is tollerable in a Christian Knight but ignorance in Theologie cannot bee excused An irreligious speech of an Astrologer who thought by Numbers to attaine the Mystery of Saluation sifted punctually A place in Cicero Lib. 2. de Diuinat commended to the Knights reading The Kings Maiestie as Iudge of
eight House with a Trine or Sextile Aspect And the greater or lesse fortunes as Iupiter and Venus were cadent and not found in their Angles therefore hee shall die at such a time such a death For who will yeeld vnto you that these be naturall causes of that effect There is a dependence and coherence betweene the cause and the effect in naturall things in this none Before you can conclude you must coniure a man to beleeue these superstitious Sorceries which Satnan hath perswaded the Astrologer to beleeue The naturall man receiueth them not naturall reason doth not comprehend them For take any of these examples if you will the Example of Henry 2. to insist in one and tell vs by what meanes the Astrologer could see the wound in the head what humour did the Starres incline to this Or how was it possible by naturall meanes that in the Starres he should see the 41. yeare of Age The humour stirred by the Starres might haue carried him to many other courses to other kindes of death Wee would know by what naturall Reason the tilting was foreseene the yeare the stroake of the head And why are you so fearfull as to mince the matter as alwayes you doe when you reason of the causes The Starres are onely as you say causes of humours not of actions they haue no force directly ouer the will Here is a particular action that proceedeth from the will if this could bee seene in the Starres then what reason can be brought why the Starres doe not directly worke in the will I deny not but that Gauricus might foresee this and warne the King thereof but the question is by what knowledge hee did it whether by naturall knowledge or by other means For here is a particular euent and you know that one of your Maisters in his Centiloquie hath this position Fieri nequit vt qui tantum sciens est particulares rerum form as pronunciet soli autem numine afflati praedicunt particularia This testimony of one that was so great a Maister in your Art telleth vs thus much That if Gauricus in a particular Euent did make a true Prediction then hee was not therein tantum sciens But besides his skill in the Art he had another helpe namely the familiarity of some spirit Because particular euents saith he cannot bee foretold but by the help of a spirit In the narration of Paulus Tertius who warned his Son Aloisius of the day of his death the Knight doth not deale fairely and Knight-like For hee minceth the Narration and leaueth out a part of it which if it had beene fully declared would plainly open that though the Starres are there pretended yet that prediction was done by Necromancy or by Familiarity with a Spirit For Iohn Sleidan from whom the Knight hath taken that narration saith plainly that Paulus 3. was for certainty h◅ld not an Astrologer onely but also a Necromancer His words are these Sub hoc tempus Aloisio scribit Paulus tertius pater vt decima Septembris die sibi caueat Astra enim ei praenunciare cladem aliquam insignem Erat enim Paulus 3. Pontifex non Astrologiae modo sed Necromantiae sicut pro certo affirmatur admodum studiosus When Astrologie and the blacke Art are ioyned together then may some Predictions bee told But the Knight should produce examples of Astrological Predictions without the help of that Art which we say cānot be done because one best knowne in both Arts hath plainly told vs a Prediction of a particular Euent cannot bee made but by the helpe of a Spirit Now Sir if this bee the Art you glory so much in if the company of vncleane Spirits bee your naturall Principles and naturall causes this Philosophy wee intreate you to keepe to your selfe and not to reach it to others In the meane time wee haue the confession of one who was a principall man in the Profession of Astrology whereby as by a rule of that Art we iudge of all your former examples wherein you glory so much For they are of all particular euents and therfore if they were foretold your Maister hath opened to vs the means it was not by naturall but diabolicall meanes Thomas Aquinas saith as much Si quis consideratione Astrorum vtatur adprecognoscendos futuros casuales vel fortuitos euentus aut etiam ad cognoscendum per certitudinem futura opera hominum procedit hoc ex falsa vana opinione sic operatio daemones sese immiscet quare erit diuinatio superstitiosa illicita If it were not for these tricks who could not be an Astrologer The Knight saith that they who speake against Astrology are such as being grauelled with the difficulty of the Art before they were halfe thorough to excuse their owne dulnesse and lacke of industry haue broken into choller against it Let wise men iudge whether without the Church Eudoxus Panaetius Cicero Varro Plinie within the Church Origen Austin Ambrose Hierom with the rest of the Fathers In later times Picus Caluin Chambers Perkins and for Learning and Piety the honour of this Age King Iames. I referre it I say to the iudgement of all that are wise and learned whether all these who haue expressly written against Astrology were grauelled with the difficulty of this deepe Art or whether Sir Christopher Heydon bee able to pierce farther into learning then these could this wee leaue to iudgement my meaning is not to detract from the Knights Learning But I know such and could name them sauing that I will not touch the name of any man in that sort who through a blockish incapacity being iudged by their proofe in the Vniuersity vnapt for all good learning haue proued men of name and reputation in this sottish profession Shall I thinke that these wits can goe farther in the apprehension of any part of good Learning then others especially then they who I haue named before Will any man thinke that these men whose wits were exercised in all the parts of good Learning were grauelled with these difficulties when halfe-witted men goe thorough No no there is another thing in it For these men proceeding as farre as by the warrant of naturall Reason they could goe and finding in the end that by naturall Reason they could not come to the Conclusion of such Predictions but that they must leaue naturall Reason admit vnnaturall Principles proceeding from the illusion of Satan in the end to haue familiarity with Spirits This indeed grauelled them and will grauell the greatest wits in the world that seeke knowledge by lawfull meanes and no other CHAP. III. The Conclusions of Astrologers are not from Naturall Principles and are not to bee iustisied for truth in a Prediction HEere then either the Astologers must informe vs in the mysteries of their Art by better reason or bee contented to bee informed in the mystery of Truth When a Prediction Astrologicall falleth out true
albeit they challenge a cunning to foretell in things which hold a naturall course and subiect to the powers of the Heauens yet in things that are free as mansactions are nature hath no casualty but mans will They can challenge no skill in such things because these things are not gouerned by a naturall dependance from the Heauens but from other Causes of another nature As if an Astrologer should foretell that such a man shall bee sicke at such a time this iudgement is vaine and superstitious It is true that a Physitian may iudge of a mans health or sicknesse but not by Astrology but by the disposition of his body This thing depends vpon some natural Cause wherof notwithstanding the Astrologer can haue no knowledge by the Starres For in the order of actions if diuers Causes bee ordered to one Effect the Effect followeth the Cause deficient as may appeare in the actions of reason For if a dialecticall Syllogisme bee made of one true Proposition and another false the Conclusion is false vnlesse by accident And if it bee of one Proposition necessary and another contingent the Conclusion is contingent So is it in naturall operations if one Cause be naturall and another free the Effect is rather to bee said free then naturall And if one Cause bee contingent the other necessary the Effect is contingent Of such things there can bee no iudgement but as of things free and contingent An other kinde of things inquired by Astrologers is in those things which depend meerly of contingence in which things the connexion of the Cause and the Euent is a thing not knowne in which respect these things are said not to haue a naturall Cause because the connexion of such a Cause to such an Euent is not knowne in nature In such things to make Predictions is vtterly vaine and superstitious For as things haue their being so haue they their signification if then there be contingence in their being it must needs bee in their signification So that it is impossible to finde certaine signes or significations of things which are themselues contingent And yet in such things the Knight doth make especiall choyce to place Astrologie So it is in things that are meerely free For ouer a mans freedome the Positions of heauen haue no power And it is a most foolish thing for a man to seeke that without him whose cause is altogether within himselfe The Astrologers from such vncertaine grounds haue deuised foure wayes to seeke the Euents of things 1. By Reuolutions 2. By Natiuities 3. By Questions 4. By Elections In these things they are so vncertaine that some professing Astrologie are notwithstanding weary of the absurdities which they see in some of these and therefore disclaime them as the Knight doth some of these Yet such is the folly of others that they haue added a fift way to these former which they say is by Intentions If a man once giue way to vnnaturall grounds his minde can neuer be free from superstitious and absurd conceits which are impediments to faith and good manners and in the end make ship-wracke thereof CHAP. IX That Astrologie is an Instrument to Magicke FOr the better satisfaction of the Reader and clearing the truth Let vs here examine whether Astrologie hath any other vse then to bee an Instrument to Magicke Wee say there is no other vse thereof because wee finde that such Philosophers as did rest only vpon naturall Reason could finde no reason in Astrology And further because if any haue maintained Astrologie they haue beene such as were Magitians This question I rather moue because I am not ignorant how some learned men haue stumbled at this stone For albeit wee finde none that haue proued Astrologie to bee a part of Philosophy yet some haue thought that Magicke is a part of Philosophy And though that can helpe them little yet wee would not leaue the Astrologers that hole to hide themselues in Iohannes Baptista Porta hath written a Booke intituled Magia naturalis implying in the Title that some Magicke may bee a part of naturall Philosophy But in deliuering naturall Magicke as hee calleth it hee deliuereth diuers things which Philosophy reacheth not to but are done by the ministery of vncleane Spirits As of Elections to bee written in certaine stones whereby those stones are supposed to bee animated and to receiue an especiall grace from Heauen Et hoc saith hee fundamentum radicem statuunt omnium Lib. 4. Cap. 25. Coelius Rhodig a man of better name for Learning diuideth Magiam in infamem naturalem Lib. 3. Cap. 42. From him we adde another testimony for the honour of Astrologie Iam Magiae clauis commemoratur Astrologia Vnto this opinion of Coelius Iansenius seemeth to yeeld Com. in Concord Cap. 9. Perhaps not marking that Coelius hath that commendation of Magicke and euen those very words out of Cornelius Agrippa To fortifie their opinions because they are ashamed of Agrippa whose words they bring they send vs to Plato 1. Alcibiad who there saith That the Kings Sonnes of Persia were instructed therein If these things were true they make nothing for Astrologie But we take it by their fauour that these men though otherwise learned and iudicious yet herein were ouerseene For whereas they bring nothing for the confirmation of their opinion but the authority of Plato if any such thing bee found in Plato then wee yeeld that they might haue some reason for their opinion But in Plato wee finde the contrary for hee speaking of the Institution of the Kings Sonnes of Persia in Magicke describeth that Magicke which they learned thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In which words Plato telleth vs that the Magicke which the Sonnes of the Persian Kings learned was that which Zoroastes the Sonne of Horomasus taught and it is saith Plato the worship of the Gods Now if there bee no other naturall Magicke but that which can bee proued out of this place of Plato then assuredly naturall Magicke will neuer be proued For this Magicke Plato will not haue to consist in naturall knowledge but in the worship of their Gods which worship because it was Idolatry therefore from hence may be proued that Idolatry is a part of Magicke but nothing else from hence Then by this it appeareth it is not Naturall but Diabolicall Now these men resting vpon Plato his testimony can in this point stand vp no longer that staffe failing them whereon they leaned And howsoeuer it may bee suffered in an Heathen to giue an honourable testimony to Magicke as being a seruice that pleased their Gods yet is it not likewise tollerable in Christians to approue Magicke from the same reasons This hath deceiued diuers who looking more vnto a shew of Learning then into the study of the truth haue beene too easily carried away and deceiued by them that told them of a naturall Magicke These be but the opinions of men of latter times who were heerein deceiued by Agrippa
alwaies Trismegist Iarchas Brachmanus Hebraeorum mecubules He prooueth also out of Trismegist that by the right marking of Influence if an Image bee made of such things as properly agree to each Daemon that the image shall presently bee animated by a Daemon all this must wee take as from Astrologicall Influences Let vs proceed in these hid mysteries of Influences Hee saith further Nihil materiales numeri figures possunt in mysterijs rerum abditarum nisi representatiue per numeros figuras formales quatenus reguntur informantur ab intelligentijs quae nectunt extrema materiae atque spiritus at voluntatem animae eleuatae per magnum affectum operantis coelesti virtute potestatem accipiens a Deo per animam vniuersi coelestium constellationum obseruationes Thou must not require of mee good Reader the vnderstanding of these things For wee are now about the hidden secrets and mysteries of Influences which neither the Knight nor I vnderstand but their great Maister of the Art Agrippa calleth them hidden mysteries And hidden let them bee euer from me And hee telleth concerning these Astrologicall Influences that which I would haue the Astrologers to marke but they know it better then I can tell them And therefore I wish the Reader to marke these Deceiuers who in defence of Astrologie discreetly seeke to maintaine all the mysteries of Magicke For Agrippa one of the greatest Maisters in both the Professions or in one which includeth both further teacheth that no Diuination can bee perfited without Astrology and therefore hee calleth Astrogie Clauem ad omnium arcanorum noticiam pernecessariam Where hee saith further Omnia diuinationum genera sic in ipsa Astrologia suas radices fundamenta habent vt absque hanc parum aut nihil videantur adferre And againe Astrologica diuinatio quatenus coelestia sunt causae signa omnium eorum quae fiunt in inferioribus ex solo situ motu corporum coelestium quaecunque occulta aut futura sunt illorum certissimas largitur demonstrationes Here wee see from whence the Knight hath that learning which hee so often repeateth but neuer proueth that the Starres are Causes and Signes of those Euents which are seen in the actions of men For in such standeth Astrologicall Predictions Thou seest much good Reader but yet thou seest not all There is yet another secret that belongeth to these Astrologicall Predictions For it is not enough to beleeue without reason that the Starres are Causes of such Euents which the Astrologer would foretell whatsoeuer they bee but hee must beleeue with a strong credulity and earnest affection nay with the excesse of a desire otherwise they cannot come to their purpose So that it is not in the nature of the thing but in the vehement desire of him that seeketh to know these things This is plaine witchcraft and Idolatry in abusing men to place their highest desires their faith and aff◅ctions vpon these things And therefore hee teacheth farther thus Omnes res habent naturalem obedientiam ad animam humanam de necessitate habent motum et efficaciam ad id quod defiderat anima forti desiderio And again Quando fertur in excessum desiderij And speaking of the same thing he saith Et hac eadem ratio est etiam radix omnium Astrologicarum quaestionum quoniam anima eleuata in al◅cuius desiderij excessum arrepit ex se horam opportunitatem magis conuenientem efficacem super qua fabricata coeli figura potest tunc Astrologico in ea iudicare plane cognoscere de eo quod quaerens ipse scire cupit atque desiderat All this goeth currant amongst Astrologers for good naturall Philosophy But let vs turne a little to the Knight to whom from the heart we with sound heartpray that God wil deliuer him out of these snares hehath giuen vs cause to hope that he may be drawne to see all these vanities forasmuch as himselfe doth ingeniously confesse that that part of Astrologie which is about questions Elections hath in it apparant sortilegy p. 3. He giueth there some reasons of that opinion but I am perswaded that the greatest reason that moued him was because hee saw it so impiously taught in Agrippa that without apparant sortilegy it could not bee admitted Hee that doth confesse that which is true that as it is taught by these Maisters there is apparant sortilegy in this part may be drawn to see and confesse that in the whole there is the like to be found For this Astrologicall Influence without the which ground the Astrologer can do nothing is foūded vpon the Platonical conceit of anima mundi And this cōmeth not by a naturall Course of the light motions of the Stars but from the conceiued Idaea to the intelligence from the intelligence to the Sphere it commeth so to the Aspects of Heauen and to the Elementary Complexions reducing the Heathenish superstitions And yet all this will not serue vnlesse the Astrologer come to desire this secret knowledge of things to come with strong credulity and excesse of desire placing his faith and affections vpon those inuentions of Sathan which wee owe only to God his holy Scriptures truth This is that which being against all natural reason hath driuē away the most honest among naturall Philosophers frō this profession And hath driuen away all the holy Fathers of the Church and is able to driue all true Christians from it For when we finde by their owne confession that that these Predictions are not founded in the nature of things sought nor in the nature of the Starres but in an excesse of desire credulity in him that seeketh who will not be terrified from this search And where hee saith all things haue a naturall obedience to the soule of man his meaning is not that all things which they thus seeke haue a desire to bee knowne which is Witchcraft but that all vncleane Spirits are desirous to illude the soule of man and make shew of obedience to catch the soule of man in these snares requiring a strong Credulity and excessiue desire of the Soule and so drawing the seruice of the Soule to themselues from God and from godlinesse These be the trappes and snares that vncleane Spirites haue spred for Astrologers Our desire is to giue them warning hereof that they may auoyde them Let vs returne to Agrippa and marke his proceedings Non ab alia causa quam a Coelestiterenni orbis virtutes proueniunt Hinc Magus per illas operaturus vtitur incantatione astuta superiorum verbis Mysteriosis in locutione quadam ingeniosa trahens vnum ad aliud vitamen naturals per quandam conuenientiam inter illas mutuam Sir do you heare him When he hath laide downe a great secret of the Diuels craft yet he saith all is done Vi Naturali These bee the things that wee haue renounced in our Baptisme we renounce not Nature
and drunken People And must this be brought as a reason to make it a Miracle Your Cause wanted reason to maintaine it for shame giue ouer such a Cause as must be maintained by such reasons or else set better heads to it But he thinketh that he hath said much to it for proofe because the Prophet Esay nameth Cyrus 200. yeares before the accomplishment of the Prophesie If this be enough to proue a Miracle because God foresaw the thing long before and reuealed it to his Prophet then what thing in the world can the Knight name which by this worthy reason will not proue a Miracle Doth not God foresee euery thing as he did that If there were such Prophets amongst vs as had such reuelations of things to come as Esay had then should other Euents be likewise foretold But seeing wee haue not such reuelations God hath giuen to the Children of the Church that precious guift of Faith by which wee beleeue and know assuredly that all things in the world are ruled by Gods Prouidence and wee are taught to know that the knowledge of things to come not reuealed to vs is not needfull for vs When it it is needfull we shall haue it but from God and his Prophets not from Astrologers Thus wee rest in Gods Prouidence and we exhort the Knight to rest there But the Knight like a graue morall Diuine to winne some honour both of Cicero and of M. Chambers braueth it out thus Pag. 95. Tully profanely in his 2. de Diuinat and in his Booke de Fato denyeth and derideth the prouidence of God and yet saith he may M. Chambers goe to Schoole with him and learne manners But before wee haue done Sir it will appeare who they are that haue need to goe learne manners and the Doctrine of Gods prouidence which they may learne euen of Cicero For good Reader consider whether his wits bee not inchanted that writeth thus Cicero through all the 2. de Diuinat denyeth derideth nothing else but Predictions which are made by Auruspicine Augury Astrologie Sortiledge and such like This the Knights Booke calleth Gods prouidence Is not this good Diuinity Cicero in his Booke de Fato disputeth so as to take away fatum Astrologicum and leaue fatum Physicum that is a dependance betweene naturall Causes and their effects and this is all which is called fatum Chrysippus saith hee necessitatem effugere voluit retinere fatum This conceit pleased Cicero and therefore hee saith Quid afferripoterit cur non omnia fato fieri fatendum sit modo intelligatur quae sit causarum distinctio ac dissimilitudo Tully then taketh away fatum Stoicum and granteth fatum Physicum And herein he goeth as farre as the naturall man could goe holding naturall Principles which hee is euer carefull to hold But whether the Knight goeth so farre as a Christian should inspeaking of Gods prouidence or as one professing morall vertues fathering that vpon Cicero which hee ouerthroweth let others iudge Hee proceedeth still the same man handling the vndefiled word of God without reuerence without feare of checke M. Chambers acknowledging the power of the Starres in things subiect to their power but denying it to touch particular Euents or mens actions wherein the Astrologers wholly set it saith that the Starres haue no force at all in this sense the Knight speaking hereof saith that place of Iob 38. 33. vnanswerably refelleth that barbarous opinion which M. Chambers holdeth that the Starres haue no force at all vnderstand ouer mens actions for if they had no force God would not vainly tell vs of their Dominion ouer the Earth Pag. 48. Then blessed is M. Chambers and the Cause which hee handleth that cannot bee charged of Barbarisme but with him the liuing God must also bee charged of vanity It grees â—…eth mee to write these and such like blasphemies Shall a wretched man corrupt dust ashes lay vanity to the liuing God if the Dominion of the Starres reach not so farre as hee in his foolish heart imagineth These things need no resolution but a sharp reproofe Repent and weepe for this blasphemy and pray to God that these thoughts of thy heart may bee forgiuen This also is your pride and presumption that you thinke that you can see farther into a Text of Iob then all Diuines can In that place of Iob there is mention of the sweetnesse or amenity of the Pleiades the bands of Orion and the Dominion of the Heauens which the best Interpreters expound thus The sweetnesse or pleasures of the Pleiades Delitiae doth expresse the sweetnesse and amenity of the Spring which those Starres bring in The bands of Orion the constriction of all things procured by Winter which that Starre bringeth in The Dominions of the Heauens on the Earth is apparant in all things vegetable vpon the Earth And is not this a great Dominion which the Heauens haue ouer the Earth when all things spring and flourish at certaine positions of the Heauens And againe all things are bound vp and frozen and as it were deaded at some other Positions of the Heauens What worldly power is like this power Moreouer wee yeeld the influence of the Heauens ouer things vegetable And when we yeeld this dominion of Heauen wee yeeld nothing but that which is seene in Nature If you will haue more you must proue it The actions of men wee deny to bee ruled by this power And you if you cannot get the actâ—…onâ—… of Men and particular Euents to bee vnder this power you open your mouth against the Creator and charge him with vanity But how doth the Knight proue his imagined dominion of the Heauens Forsooth hee maketh some shew to proue that the Starres haue some force which thing is not denyed But the question betweene vs and him is not whether the Starres haue some force or no but wherein their force standeth After some wandring discourse at last hee will proue forsooth that the influence of the Starres reach to the successe of mens actions Now Sir you are welcome home proue this and there shall bee an end But how proue you this thus forsooth Pag. 49. The influence of the Starres extendeth to the successe of men which is yet more fully confirmed as if before hee had proued it whereas he hath said nothing to this point But how is this more fully confirmed Iudic. 4. 20. Where it is expressly testified that the Starres fought from Heauen in their Courses and order against Sisera By all which saith the Knights Booke it appeareth what Dominion they haue ouer all men as ouer all other creatures either vegetable or sensible But if M. Chambers obiect that this power is not vnderstood by men why doth Moses testifie that they were created to be signes whose significations if they be notvnderstood I affirme to be Barbarous or no signes to vs at all M. Chambers must be content to be charged with barbarous opinions Moses and God himselfe