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A42502 Pus-mantia the mag-astro-mancer, or, The magicall-astrologicall-diviner posed, and puzzled by John Gaule ...; Pys-mantia the mag-astro-mancer Gaule, John, 1604?-1687. 1652 (1652) Wing G377; ESTC R3643 314,873 418

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many accidents fall out fatally that can have no second cause ordinatly assigned to them much less prospected in them but must be referred meerly to divine will and pleasure unless you will have accidentall instruments that interven inordinately to be such 13. The Physicall fate they will have to be a series of pure naturall causes c. viz. betwixt the stars the elements the temperament the inclination the manners the action and the issue or event now where are all these causes knit together in the efficient the form the matter or the end How are they worthy to be called causes or so proved How are they pure naturall and necessary causes when some of them are voluntary and contingent what connexion of them is that which carrys on prime and second causes naturall and voluntary necessary and contingent with one fatall force or inevitable agitation what series is that which as hath been said is so often interrupted what copulation betwixt the first and the last when as by their own confession the stars are not the causes of all events neither doe all those effects fall out necessarily whereof they are the cause How are they fatall then or their complement of fate 14. Whether in the series both of fate and of fortune although two contraries Astrologers have not delivered the same order and connexion of causes as the stars tempers manners actions events or else what difference doe they make between them Nay wherefore doe the same Authors speak of fate and fortune so promiscuously and indiscriminately especially in their prognosticating or predicting way Is it not because they are not able to distinguish them Or is it not because they are conscious of a fortuitousness of event even in their strictest fatality 15. Whether in the series of fatall causes the effect doth follow the universall indefinite equivocall and remote or else the univocall proximate specificall and particular cause And which of these is that which doth determine and distinguish the effect Does not a man generate a man and a Beast a Beast what ever the position of the stars be Those that have been borne in the same region at the same moment under the same position have they all been the same nay how divers have they been for all that in their ingenies their fortunes and fates And why so but because they have taken their severall affections and inclinations from their particular causes 16. As for second causes means agents instruments seeing God Almighty makes use of them to bring his own purposes to pass not out of any defect or necessity but to make his own efficiency the more perceptible Yee seeing he oft-times renders the most noble and convenient means ineffectuall and uses the meanest and unaptest of them to the producing of very eminent effects Why then should we be bound to lurke at that order which God himself observes not why should our faith be taught to respect or rest upon the middle things in a prejudice to that providence which is the absolute beginning and end of all 17. Whether the second causes be not ordained as the remedies rather than as the means of fate or fortune providence it self that has determined such an accident or event has it not also ordained second means to help and relieve in such a case wherfore are the creatures and their offices created to such ends if they be not to be used to such ends for which they were created what ever the fate or fortune be is there not a naturall Law imprest in every creature to labour for the conservation of it self both in its being and well being To what end hath God given men a mind will reason affections counsell deliberation science art observation experiment means instruments c. but as well prudently and diligently to discern procure fortify prevent remedy as thankfully to accept or humbly to submit Hath not the Spirit of God secretly and sweetly suggested to his dearest children in their sudden and extraordinary perils and perplexities even present advices and succours besides the inward consolations and confirmations of his grace yea is not this one cause why men are kept so ignorant of future accidents and of their utmost issues after that they are already happened that men might not only prepare for them but make use of such means as God himself hath prepared against them Otherwise should they not tempt God in a neglect of them 18. Whether there be not in the whole course of nature in the universall world and especially throughout the whole Church of Christ farre more effectuall causes means orders connexions rules guides guards helpes of life of health peace libertie society c. for counsell actions passions accidents events than the coelestiall bodies can possibly be ought these then to be respected more than all they or yet in comparison to them 19. Who is able to bring into one series or can reconcile to truth the old Philosophicall opinions about the exercise or execution of Fate by second causes As whether by Angels Spirits Geniusses Demons Devills by the Soul of the world by the Souls of men by the totall subservience of Nature by the motions and influences of the Starres and caelestiall bodies by sensible agents by artificiall instruments yea and by very accidents and casualties Christians know and acknowledge all these creatures to be the ministers or instruments of providence The Angells doing his will are the more eminent ministers both of his mercies and judgements administring not only in temporalls and in spiritualls but likewise to eternalls And if it be so as Philosophie sayes that they are the Intelligencies that move the caelestiall orbes then have they an ordination over the administration of the Starres The Devills are not only permitted but wisely and justly used in the execution of temptations tryalls judgements But how comes in Fate and Fortune who can tell unlesse they intrude among the Devills and be indeed of their foysting in As for the heavenly bodyes they are to be confest as of Gods ordination and employment in their order light motions and prodigious appearances But he makes speciall use of mens reason understanding wills affections memories counsells deliberations policies vocations societies arts artifices Lawes Customes actions and experiments in the government of the world and yet more especially their gifts graces duties offices services in the governing of his Church Last of all come in the whole hoste of creatures to act here as he hath ordained Now what fatation or fatall necessitation to man among all these Angels or Devills can but inject into the mind they cannot compell no nor yet incline the will That 's only for the infinite power of God himself to doe men as to naturall civill and morall acts are still actors in their own liberty As for bodyes Coelestiall or terrestriall they work directly but upon bodyes only and the terrestriall are held and found to be the more proximately particularly and sensibly disposing Besides
is the proximate cause in all arbitrary actions how can they prejudge of that Unless they take upon them to know the heart with its intentions and affections And if they could know it for the present yet how can they doe so for the future And indeed how is it possible for them to determine upon that which is indifferent and indeterminate in it self 9. Whether the causes of meer accidents and contingents be internall or externall If internall then either in a mans rationall will or in his naturall temper If in his will how come the Stars to necessitate that free faculty If in his temper such a disposition is easie to be foreseen without a Planetary Prognostication If externall it is either God or the Creature If God he is free to work both without the starres and against them If the creature how comes it to be comprehended in a particular constellation and so as prognostication may be made thereby 10. Whether the Stars work upon mans body mediatly or immediatly If immediatly how doe they that without a divine and infinite power If mediatly or by means sc of the ayr c. then whether the affections of the Stars be not varyed through the various affection of the ayr or means and whether the dis-affection or indisposition of the ayr or means may not hinder and prevent both the operation of the Stars and the discerning thereof 11. Whether the Planets be imperiall or ministeriall operators and effectors If they command necessitate enforce us absolutely universally what is become of our naturall liberty and free-will in all humane actions what praise have we for our well-doing and deserving among men what excuses have we not for our errors and offences both against God and men If they serve us why go they about to proclame us destinated to their fatall slavery 12. Whether there be any kind of necessity as touching the astrologicall predictions of sydereall effects If an absolute necessity how can a divine power prevent them If a Physicall necessity how are they so the naturall and ordinate causes of voluntary and free actions If a necessity of consequence By what certain causes and reasons doe they argue demonstrate and conclude it to follow 13. Whether the Planetary influences doe cause and rule nature and temper or else doe they only work upon it as they find it and so follow it If the first how can they be exempted or excused from being the Authors of their spoken-of Malefices and malignities Or how can they put off these to the disposition of the matter they work upon 14. Whether any thing can be determinatly prognosticated or predicted from the Stars being but universall causes at most the particular causes not considered Nay may not a truer and safer prediction be made from the particular causes the universall not considered Doe not severall creatures and severall seeds bring forth severall things for all the same conjunction or constellation 15. Whether the remote causes the most that the celestiall bodies can be may not in naturall generation constitutions complexions tempers humours both be directed and succoured and also corrected and prevented by the proximate causes yea and in other matters by externall and adventitiall causes by rationall and voluntary causes how much more by the prime cause of all 16. Whether the Planets have either actually and formally in themselves or virtually and effectively upon others those prime elementary qualities of hot cold dry moyst especially in such different measures and unequall degrees as to make some of them benign others of them malign in their influences and operations For all the Planets are but of one kind of substance and one kind of light all of them as they say themselves borrowing their light from the Sun why therefore should they not all be of one kind of influence and one kind of operation Since they have the same light in which is their main efficacy albeit in severall degrees why should they not have the same effects albeit in severall degrees 17. What are those influences of the Stars motion light or elementary qualities or else some occult insensible vertues sympathies antipathies c. And how operate they upon these inferior bodyes Generally or particularly simply or mixtly solitarily or conjunctly actually or potentially formally or virtually mediatly or immediatly instantly or successively partially or totally who can directly tell 18. Whether such Influences as Astrologers ascribe to the Stars be not contrary to the nature and understanding of causes viz. Such influences as proceed not from their naturall substance nor inherent quality but from their imagined aspects and supposed if not feigned conjunctions Such virtuall influences as must be made to operate clean contrary to their formall qualities Such influences as they make to be efficacious from the fictitious figure of the Planets Such influences as the antient pure Philsophers and Astronomers once dream't not of but are the dreams of later Planetarians or Magicall Astrologians Such influences as wherby they would pretend to deep insight and profound learning but in truth make no other advantage of them than as a painted plea of blind and lazy ignorance I say ignorance as indeed inhibiting the strict inquiry of all proper causes For aske them how come the Stars to work thus and thus upon inferiour bodies why say they by their influences And what are these influences Nay if you cannot conceive them in the grosse they cannot precisely discover them Unlesse you will be contented to have an obscure thing described by a thing more obscure Are not the true causes in occult qualities and in natures mirables all put off to more occult influences Why doth the load-stone draw the Iron why by reason of some Starry influence Why doth the little Remora stay the massy Ship Why by reason of some Starry influence Why are there such antipathies betwixt creatures such vertues of minerals and herbs plants stones such colours figures resemblances c Why all is by reason of some Starry influence And if you aske after any other cause or reason for these and many the like you may for them go seek it out your self 19. Whether the Magicall Astrologer make not himself to be the chief cause of the Stars influencies and their efficacies For if he hath not a power to compose them so as they may bee most suitable to his own purpose why then both practises and teaches he to make such a Sign or Image under such a Constellation to such intents To make choice of such a Star Sign Ascendant Aspect c. and then the Figure thus disposed the Stars impress streight-way and operate by resemblance to the desired end How shall we beleive it now that the Stars have a power over our wils when thus they make their own wils to have a power over the Stars 20. What certain effects or Prognosticks of those effects are to be made from the Stars in as much as their strengths and validities depend
the friendship and hatred the complyance and adversness of men is not the service or disservice of the brute creature the vertue or venome of an herb or minerall yea the defence or offence of a sword a knife a spear a gun a club c. are not all these more sensibly apprehended to be more neerly advantagious or prejudiciall to health or sicknesse riches or poverty honour or disgrace prosperity and adversity life or death than are all the joynt benevolences or malevolencies of the fatall Starres If therefore a fatidicall prognostication may be made from the Caelestiall why not rather from the terrestriall motions 20. Whether Fate be above the Starres as their governour or else under them as their minister If above them why make they the starres to be the causes of fate For so they must needs be superiour to it If under them how then are the starres themselves subject to fate for so they must needs be inferiour How then should the starres dispose of others fate that are not able to dispose of their own Is it for creatures terrestriall or caelestiall to perform that to others which they are not able to preserve to themselves Ought not therefore such a disposition to be referred solely to him that hath the ordination and gubernation of all things both in heaven and earth simply freely eternally and immutably in himself 21. How can the fatall series of causes be from the starres when as the starres themselves are not causes as in humane and arbitrary actions Not causes where they may be signes as of things already done and past Yea God himself may signifie many things whereof he is not the cause as in evill and sinfull actions Nay have not the fatidicall Vaticinators themselves made many fatall signes which could never be causes nor yet once come into any series or necessary connexion As in their aruspicies and anguries from the entrailes of beasts flight and noise of birds c. as also from lots dreams prodigies casualties yea and physiognomies c. 22. How can the starres be the first in the fatall series of second causes When as of all creatures the spirituall intellectuall or rationall are the supreme and the corporeall animate or inanimate their inferiours Now the starres are both corporeall and inanimate Spirits and souls as they have more similitude to so they participate more vertue of divine providence than all other creatures For they are both the cognoscitive and the operative instruments of providence which the other are not For these being but the executive only may either be directed or diverted by the iutellectuall and ordinative As acting of themselves with liberty deliberation discretion observation of right rules application of fit means and intention to a due end And therefore are the more eminent ministers of providence than all things else in heaven or earth 23. Whether any such cut as fatation may be properly sayd to be in or from the starres For fatation imports a primordiall law or decree not an influence only or effect what sacrilege is it then to ascribe that to the instrument which is only peculiar to the principall agent Since it is for instruments especially the inanimate not to ordain but execute only Yea it is a question whether there be any fatation even in fate it self it being accepted and discerned not for a seminall disposition but for an ultimate execution and that inherent in the moveable or mutable subject Wherefore seeing fatation is neither in the starres nor in fate it self whether can any thing be sayd to be fatall with respect to the starres For the starres are but second causes And with respect to all such some things may be sayd to be naturall some things arbitrary some things indifferent some things contingent some things uncertain some things casuall but few or none fatall 24 Whether it be in the power and validity of the celestiall bodyes to impose a fatall necessity either upon humane actions or yet upon naturall things For if the starres be any such causes then must they cause principally of themsel●es intentionally directly immutably Now how can they be principall causes when providence is above them how of themselves when they work not upon humane actions but by accident how intentionally since they want a mind or soul how directly when they operate upon humane actions but indirectly how immutably when their ordination or disposition may be impedited Again were they thus acting then should there be no contingents or accidents no libertie or free actions nor prevention of any events or issues no particular causes should be defective nor distance of place nor indisposition of the mean no neglect of the means no endeavour to the contrary or opposition should be available nay not only the understanding but the will should be tyed to corporall organs and matter yea and the starres should not only be of sufficient but of infinite power 25. How doe the celestiall bodyes work so fatally upon these inferiours when as they here operate not upon a necessity as to the producing of the effect For albeit their impressions be naturall yet are they not received but according to the manner of the receivers which are fluxible and not having themselves still after the same way Because of the matter that is in a potentiality to many yea and to contrary formes The matter also is movable and corruptable and may easily defect of it self may be intrinsecally indisposed and extrinsecally impedited And the starres themselves are but indefinite and remote causes to which the effect can never follow determinatly and necessarily unless the middle causes be necessary and then they follow them and not the other But in the foresaid series the middle causes are most of them contingent and from many contingent causes can come no effect of necessity because any one of them and all of them together may be defective and not attain unto their end 26. Seeing the heavenly bodyes act not upon these inferiours but by their light and motion and so communicate nothing to the matter they work upon but light motion and heat Now why may not all these flow from all the starres in generall And why then should such and such fatall inclinations be attributed to such or such positions or conjunctions And if there be any particular vertues of the light and motion of some stars contrary to the vertues of the light and motion of other starres how is that demonstrated And how comes it to passe that they should be operative and effectuall one way in their simple natures or qualities and yet another way in their relative aspects and positions Is an imaginary relation or respect of more validity than a reall substance or propriety 27. They seem to define fate more acurately that make it to be the ●eries or connext order of naturall causes Now till they can directly and successively deduce those naturall causes down from the starres to those fatall events what
use not in their preternaturall abuse In their works as obedient creatures not by their words as if they were intelligent creatures By clear and dilucide manifestations not by obscure and aequivocall predictions By Miracles and prodigies from the wise and powerfull God not by Oracles and prestigiousnesse from blind vain and prodigious men By the ministry of Divines Prophets and Apostles not by the magistry of Diviners Speculators Circulators Prognosticators Calculators c. By their proper natures numbers qualities quantities efficacies not by their Planetarian and genethliacall numbrings figurings erectings themes schemes tables and fables c. By admonishing the hearts and consciences not by enforcing the wills and reasons of men By orderly producing their effects from naturall causes not by confusedly ominating of future contingencies from arbitrary actions In a word all creatures in heaven and earth are declarations of Gods glory in themselves yet are they not so to us but as we are enlightened and sanctified so to apprehend and use them Isa 34. 4. The heavens shall be rolled together as a scroul What kind of scroul or book are the heavens said to be Are they a very book because of the comparison why then are they not also as really a Curtain Psal 144. 2. Isa 40. 22. a Garment Psal 101. 26. and Smoak Isa 51. 6. And why more really a book than a leaf a fig or a tree Since all are used here in a joynt comparison And what kind of book will they have them to be A book wherein are written all the contingent events that have been are or shall be in the world From the beginning to the end of it And so written in letters and legible characters that a man may fore-spell and fore-read them and all mens fates and fortunes in them Now in what kind of character or language is all this to be read In Hebrew Chaldee Arabick Syriack Aegyptian Greek or Latin c. And how are these coelestial or sydereal letters to be read backward or forward from the right hand or the left from the East West North or South If all this Magic-astrologicall reading be no more as it appears by the character but drawing a line or a circle or a square or a triangle from one Star to another what hindereth but that the characters of any language may be imagined or fancied to any purpose as they please Nay is it not as easie and arbitrary to imagine letters among the starres as for children and fools to fancie faces and figures in the clouds But to bring this their arrogated Text a little neerer to their refutation Doe we not well and aptly translate it a Scroul In as much as the antient books were like to extended skinnes or Parchments And then may not the comparison well be from the matter not from the form of their shrivelling like a skin or parchment before the fire How ever is not this Scroul or Book here said to be complicated or rolled up or together What 's here then for the magicall or astrologicall Lecturer to peep or pore upon whereby to spell or spie mens fates or fortunes Moreover are not the heavens here compar'd or described as passive and not as active And what Magician will account of them so in his way of lection or Astrologer in his way of configuration Furthermore if they will adde to this that place Revel 6. 14. then let them see and say whether that be to be understood of the materiall or of the mysticall starrs and heavens Lastly is not the Prophecy here a judgement Now though we may grant their judicious vaticinations to be grounded upon such a thing yet one would think they should not seek to ground them upon such a place Gen. 44. 5. Wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine Whether Joseph was such a Diviner as he seemed Nay the second question is whether he seemed to be such If he now pretended to augurising divination or soothsaying for the dissembling or concealing of himself from his Brethren this was not to be approved in him Much less can it countenance the pretenders hereunto who would dissemble with all the world so long as they can possibly conceal their jugling and prestigious unpostures Yet he sayes not I can divine but such a man as I he can divine Wherein he discovers the pravity not of his person but of those in place It being great like with the Egyptians as with the Persians the greater men the greater Magicians the greater Personages the greater Planetarians And why should he say Wott ye not if this very thing were not too notorious who can imagine that Joseph Would vainly boast himself in such a superstitious faculty that had so modestly denied himself in a true divine gift Chap. 4. vers 16. And therefore why may wee not accept the word in a good sense not for a superstitious and sorcerous but for a prudent and politick conjectation It is so taken Chap. 30. vers 27. and 1 King 20. 33. and why not so here rather than there Admit the same word from his own mouth be taken in an ill sense vers 5. yet is there not a difference betwixt the persons spoken of an heathenish Prince and an holy Patriark Likewise in the act and usage of Divination and an allegation As also in the thing it self and the manner of it a superstitious and sorcerous divining in or by a Cup and a prudent policy in making triall or sifting and searching to find out a Cup lost or missing Men of conscience taking Josephs practice and example here at the best think it not ordinarily imitable what conscience then are those men of that would make it worse than it was and yet make it imitable too Dan. 4. 9. O Belteshazzar Master of the Magicians c. Whether Daniel was a master in Magick and Astrologie Is a Name or appellation heathenishly and superstitiously imposed any argument of a thing The King here calls Daniel Belteshazzar after the name of his God vers 8. was he therefore a God So the King here calls him a Magician was he therefore so But does he call him simply a Magician nay but the Master of the Magicians Because he had committed to him a civill power over them as chap. 2. 48. and 5. 11. how does that prove that he was one of the same religious profession Doe not the King and the Queen chap. 15. 11 12. proclame him to be of a more excellent spirit than all the other Magicians Astrologers Chaldeans and Sooth-sayers And Chap. 1. 17. was not that the speciall gift of God And such a gift as he himself distinguishes and opposes to all the skill and power of Wise-men Magicians Astrologers and Sooth-sayers whatsoever Chap. 2. 27 28. Nay and the King himself so experiencing and accounting of it chap. 1. 20. After all this preferring and distinguishing who can now be so sensless as to compare and conjoyn them Say that he
to false ends Deut. 13. 1 2 3. Mat. 24. 24. 2 Th●s 2. 9 10. 11. If Magick or Astrologie be in accurate speaking a Science as they contend then let them see with the Schoolmen how the same thing can be at once the object of Science and of Faith And if they agree with some of them to say that the clearer part may be of Science and the obscurer of faith Then as the clear part must both be true and revealed by God so the obscure must be answerable to the first and not repugnant to the last But how prove they that 12. Whether a thing Contingent can be the object of Faith save only so farre forth as something necessary is included and supposed in it For a thing meerly contingent is indifferent to either part and not only so but uncertain to both it may be and it may not be And what faith can there be Indeed an Hypothesis of the divine ordination may make it to be necessary immutable inev●●able and in that relation only it pertains to Faith And therefore that remains to be proved ere it ought to be believed 13. Contingents especially singular contingents are directly known to the senses and but indirectly to the understanding but how fall they under faith 14. Is not this Faiths order in apprehending and assenting to the truth of things future and fortuitous 1 To believe that it is God sole property to know all things simply in himself whether past present or to come 2. That the blessed Angels which alwayes behold his face notwithstanding have not a perfect prescience even of naturall things whether in the heavens or in the earth much lesse of singular accidents and effects but so as God is pleased at the instant to reveal it to them 3 That the revevelation of things future to the Prophets and men of God was extraordinary temporary singular 4. Though the Devils by their experimental● sagacity and busie curiosity may presume to ghesse at many things altogether hidden to us yet they are for the most part deceived as well as deceiving in their presaging or predictory suggestions Because God many times does many things besides the ordinary way of his providence and contrary to the common order of Nature And much more disposes things contrarily in his speciall conversions of men to Grace Neither yet doth he permit the Devill a power over men free-wills to act necessarily or produce effects according to the Devils predictions 6. That God hath taught Men to look after things future no otherwise than temporally by a solid providence and eternally though a sound faith 7. That the Creatures in heaven or earth may be signes either naturall or prodigious and so tokens either of his mercies or judgements which although they may be particularly intended yet are not to be before-hand but universally apprehended 8. That no such Art is of Gods institution which teaches men to pry into his Secrets and to pronounce upon them otherwise than he hath revealed in his Word 15. How can a Faith in astrologicall Predictions be true and right when as by how much they are propounded or attended with more peremptoriness or confidence by so much they are the more superstitious and unlawfull For an indifferent opinion and a moderate suspicion in these things is nothing so inordinate as an anxious fear or vehemently affected expectation 16. With what faith or conscience can we believe their Astrologicall predictions In as much as God hath resumed the fore-knowledge and fore-shewing of things future to himself and hath discharged Angels Devills and Men from all such curiosities and presumptions and hath expresly forbidden us so often both the consulting with and assenting to them Levit. 26. 31. Isa 41. 22 23. Jer. 27. 9. Dan. 2. 27 28. Prov. 27. 1. Eccles 8. 7. Mat. 24. 23 24. Act. 1. 7. 17. How can we be perswaded that Divining Magicians or Astrologians are either profitable to the Church or tolerable in a Christian Common-wealth In that God himself hath not only given the expresse Law or Precept for their non admission but made it a peculiar promise to his Church for their utter exclusion even in all the kinds of them Numb 23. 23. Deut. 18. 10. 2 King 23. 24 Ezek 1● 24. Mich. 5. 12. Yea and hath made that to be the mark of separation and note of distinction betwixt his own people and other Nations Deut. 18. 14. Jer. 10. 2. Isa 2. 6. 18. Should we once but admit of Astrologicall Predictions to come into our Creed would they not infinitely prejudice the Prophecies and promises of the Word Would they not seduce us from destiny to predestination by the starres And from naturall inclinations to propensions to Grace as depending upon Constellations Would they not perswade us that the Miracles of Christ his Mysteries and Ordinances have all of them a reference to the Starres And the infusions of the Spirit to respect the influxes of the Planets Would they not make our Wills servile while their decrees are taught to inforce a necessitation to Good or Evill And then what praise what punishment either for one or other Yea how careless should we be in the one and how excusing in the other Nay would they not make us believe our very Souls to be mortall because thus acted by materialls and made passive under them and so what should Conscience of Religion be thought but a meer imagination or hope of slavation eternall but a vain dream 19. Whether it be lawfull for a Christian man to study for the attainment of that which his faith dares not pray for And how can he there pray with faith where he hath not a promise And if it be a tempting of God to invoke or desire the revelation of future accidents what is it then to seek to wrest the same from him by a conjuring at least by an over-inquisitive Art and over-daring practice thereupon 20. Whether God may not work by a speciall grace of illumination and sanctification even in the forming of Nature as in John the Baptist and then what have the qualitative influxes of the Planets or their dominion there to doe But ordinarily whether the forming of the new Creature be not alwayes wrought by speciall inspirations and immediate infusions How shall it then be believed that a mans religion or religious qualities may be genethliacally prognosticated from the Starres and their influentiall Constellations 21. Is the observation of the Sarres because of their force or their force because of their observation Is mens faith because of their vertue or their vertue because of mens faith For it hath antiently been doubted whether any such power as is ascribed to them or any such effects as are pretended from them would ever have followed but for mens superstitious observations affectations perswasions and expectations 22. For what cause are Magicians and Astrologers so earnest to require Faith as principall both in the Agent and Patient Is it not to help out
besides the Scriptures but besides all that God hath been pleased to reveal 5 In deserting of Gods known way to invent or prescribe their own way for the cognition acquisition or effection of any thing 6. In tempting the Devill to tempt God 7. In consulting diabolically yea and compacting with the Devill either explicitly or implicitly 8. Interrogating Angels Devils Daemons Spirits Geniuses Souls Dead men Planets Prodigies Sacrifices Carcasses Entrayls Beasts Birds Fishes Serpents Idols Images Figures Characters c. and so making them their tutours and instructers as concerning these things to which they themselves were never instituted by God 9. In assimilating and comparing men to God so mainly for such things as belong to no part of the image and similitude of God in man or else have but the least and most imperfect foot-steps thereof 10. In pretending those arts and acts to manifest and make known God yea and in peculiar manner to conduce and direct to him which in truth serve but to obscure him alien him and utterly seduce from him 11. In pretending to religion devotion conscience even in matters of more impiety and profanesse 12. In being irreverent in the exercise of a true and superstitious in that of a false religion 13. In asserting a true and due religion or adoration as well among Jews and Pagans as among Christian professors 14. In acting without faith or out of a presumption by placing faith upon a wrong object or to a wrong end 15. In having a faith in such things as God hath neither proposed nor revealed 16. In trusting to and being more affected with humane predictions and presages than divine promises and providence 17. In wavering in a truth and doubting of a thing most certain and yet being peremptory in a falsehood and making themselves most certain in things very doubtfull 18. In presuming to have such a knowledge extraordinarily infused which is ordinarily acquisite 19. In placing the deepest knowledge and boasting the highest learning to be in the lowest and meanest matters 20. In neglecting the acquisition of the greater truth and gift through a studious inquisition after a lesse 21. In prying or diving into profound sublime abstruse occult speculations without due application or true relation unto life practice state calling manners vertue conscience religion the Gospell or God himself 22. In seeking only that they may know to know or else for pride ambition vain glory faction contention policy covetousnesse or other sinister ends 23. In not referring the knowledge of the Creatures to their due and necessary ends 24. In referring the information of the intellect chiefly to the indulging and promoting of the sense 25. In being busily inquisitive after thing improper and impertinent and such as directly concern not Gods glory their own sanctification and the edification of others 26. In making professions of such arts and artifices as are neither necessary nor usefull either to Church or Common-wealth 27. In making it their main studies to know those things whereof a man may be innocently ignorant and can hardly be profitably instructed 28. In attributing much or all to those kind of sciences disciplines arts occupations which good men are little acquainted with and in which they that are most versed and occupyed are not good 29. In arrogating to themselves a knowledge above their proper ingenie capacitie facultie education office and so easily putting truth for error and error for truth Insetting up and admiring their own inventions and fancies for the secret gifts and peculiar inspirations of Gods spirit 31. In proclaming themselves for admitted unto Gods counsels ere they can endeavour themselves to be entred into his Court 32. In setting after the book of the Scriptures to the book of nature and of the Heavens 32. In thinking to imitate God and nature in those things for which they have neither precept nor liberty 34. In pretending a search and examination of nature where nature hath really neither being cause effect signes means nor end 35. In elevating and extolling nature as a soveraign deity or else in pressing and torturing her as a servile slave 36. In abusing the creatures to such end and uses as God never ordained them their own nature never inclined them neither is a power extraordinary working or consenting to apply them 37. In asking or requiring a singular sign without any singular inspiration or instinct or any just cause reason or necessity 38. In setting up their own signes and making them to signifie according to their own imaginations 39 In attempting to proove approove purge clear ratify conform find and find out by inordinate and undue explorations and tryals 40. In labouring long and much to make an experiment of those things whose utmost use and profit ends in the experiment 41. In still nothing but making experiment of what they have had already vain experiment enough 42. In making experiment a proof where experiment serves for no use In wasting or hazzarding the losse of time health substance credit conscience for the gaining an experiment of that which is no way reparable or proportionable 44. In expecting answerable effects from unapt and unlikely causes 45. In being sloathfull and impatient of Gods time and means 46. In presuming to attain to the end without the use of ordinary and lawfull means 47. In using inordinate and undue means 48. In looking for extraordinary and miraculous satisfaction where the ordinary means are sufficiently afforded 49. In applying grave and serious means to light trifling intents and purposes 50. In admitting and approving of such means and wayes as they cannot but be convinced must needs be of a diabolicall introduction 51. In acting out of their proper and laudable callings 52 In exposing themselves to Satans temptations 53. In not avoyding the occasion nay urging and exposing to it and neverthelesse presuming to escape the danger temptation infection participation 54. In being superstitiously affected with vulgar and vain observations 55. In attributing vertue and efficacy corporeall or spirituall to bare ceremonies circumstances forms figures words characters ligations suspensions circumgestations c. 56. In imagining discoursing practising against the light of nature sense reason conscience and the Scriptures 57. In an impiety or at least temerity of invoking provoking voting devoting imprecating deprecating execrating consecrating adjuring conjuring perjuring c. 58. In prying into what peradventure may befall others and never looking into what may worthily happen unto themselves 59. In making long discursations to learn strange tongues strange characters strange doctrines strange manners strange habits and then returning home to make long and strange discourses of them 60. In publishing studies and works of a light subject unprofitable use and dangerous consequence and that especially in times of publike calamity and judgments to take up mens minds with vanities when they ought every day to meditate upon and expect their deaths Now let them or any one else that can but read what hath lately been compiled
deny they that brought in Star-divining did they not also bring in Star-worshipping together with it 21. Whether the obscurity and baseness of Originall in Magick and Astrologie argue not sufficiently the vileness and abhomination thereof as well touching the doctrine as the practice in as much as the heavenly and holy truths either of nature in her integrity or of the Law in its morallity or of the Gospell in its spirituality are all of them of so eminent and evident originall or descent CHAP. VII 7. From the Law of Nature 1. WHether there be by nature imprest in the Soul of man a faculty proper for the presaging of things future or a naturall inclination tending to Divination Is not the prescience or praevision of future things convertible to the nature and essence of God and therefore incompatible to the nature of any creature in heaven or earth Can there be the species of things future comprehended in or by a mind that is not divine and infinite Since therefore the Soul is not of such infinite vertue but that nature hath limited her to her own Law of apprehending things either by speciall revelation common illumination of reason or sensible collection how then hath the Ideaes species or Images of all things especially things future lodg'd in her Those imperfect Ideaes species or images that are in the mind are they there properly and not rather accidentally sc from the apprehension either of some things present or else past we know there are in men senses to observe things present and memory to recollect many things past and understanding to preconceive some things that may come of certain causes or may peradventure fall out according to probable conjectures yea and Faith likewise to believe what shall be by divine revelation and promise But what naturall abstract faculty call they that that can foresee and foretell things future from imprest Ideaes species images c. What though there be in the Soul a naturall faculty called memory to record or recall things past is there therefore an opposite faculty called who can tell what whereby to divine of things to come If there were such a faculty or power opposite to memory why should it presage or predict one future thing and not another since the memory is able to recollect one past thing as well as another What tell they us of the naturall pretensions of Beasts and frequent predictions of Fools mad men Infants of men sleeping dreaming distracted dying will they make ordinaries of extraordinaries and universals of singulars and common motions of heroicall or else subtilties of phrenzies sagacities of imbecillities and direct presages of occult and confused instincts What if brutes have a naturall instinct or pretension of some future effects whose causes notwithstanding they understand not must a reasonable Soul therefore naturally divine of those things whose naturall causes it knows not But admit there were such a naturall imprest faculty of the Soul or mind as species abstracted or collected within it self to divine predict or prognosticate by we then urge their own argument against themselves what need it to look out to the Stars or to any other creature in heaven or earth to that end and purpose One thing indeed both we and they are convinced of that there is in all our Souls a naturall faculty called Conscience greatly addicted to presaging which if it be justly judging and not erroneously opining will presage more directly and certainly of effects and consequents temporall spirituall eternall good bad happy unhappy of hopes and fears than can all the Planets although they conspired to prognosticate in one conjunction Let our Planetarians therefore both actors and consulters see to it that they suppress not within themselves nor slight that true presaging power 2. Whether that humane Art can be lawfull and laudable as having the least part of Gods gift in it whose principles practices and profitable uses are not according to the Law and orders of nature For all things in nature as they are from a certain beginning so are they destinated by proper means to a profitable end Now though some such things may be yeelded to simple Astronomie yet who can make any of all these plainly appear in sophisticated Astrologie As nature in it self intends the conservation of every creature so all that it can intend in any Art is the usefulness and benefit to humane Society For it askes more than natures aym to make it advantagious to Christian comm●nion But let them prove the first otherwise why may we not conclude the Art to be as well unnaturall as irreligious 3. If from natures first beginning they of the least life among the lower creatures had their perfect being and flourishing without any influence of the Stars why then are they of the nobler life made so mightily both for their substance and quality to depend upon them Now who that is Christian or but read in Gods book of nature dares deny but that all the vegetables Grasse Herbs Plants Gen. 1. were and flourished in their naturall vigor and vicacity ere that the Sun Moon or Stars was created Now must the most excellent creature upon earth be made to consist by the Stars and his body to thrive or dwindle away according to the benefice or malefice of their influences Nay must his very will and affections thence take their inclination 4. Whether it be not according to natures law and order that the inanimate and irrationall creatures be subject and subservient to the animate and rationall and whether the contrary be not contrary thereunto Now if they had not been put to this plunge of natures irregularity peradventure we had never heard of those erronious nay and hereticall devices of the Stars being animate rationall divine But if they think to elude us with urging the naturall subjection or subordination of the Inferior creatures to the Superior we doe them to wit that the superiority and inferiority of the creature as pertaining to this point is to be reckoned not from the externall place or positure but from the internall gift or endowment The creature of Gods Image although walking here below upon the foot-stool is superiour to all those works of his singers although fixt in the firmament or wandring above Neither doth nature prefer any creature for its adventitials or accidentals but for its substantials or essentials By the Law of nature the lesse noble creatures are intended for subordinate to the more noble How came the Stars then to usurpe a jurisdiction over Man over the Soul of that Man nay over the arbitrary yea and religious actions of that Soul Who but a blind man would make the Master of the family to be subservient to the lights of his house Seeing the Law of nature is the dictate of reason how came the Stars that have no reason to give magisteriall and fatall dictates even to reason it self 5. Whether Nature be not as much abused in her occult
mirables by men diabolicall as she is in her obvious sensibles by men bestiall Nay is she not doubly profaned by such who are themselves as over-curious in the first so over-grosse in the last 6. Whether the naturall efficacies of the Stars can extend beyond their naturall properties which are to make hot or cold dry or moyst more or lesse and so to make second qualities consequent only to these first 7. If this be not all the influentiall motion of the Stars at least the main thereof not so much to infer or adde any quality of sympathy or antipathy which doe follow naturally the specifick or differentiall forms but rather to agitate them only as it finds them in the matter it works upon 8. Whether there be any thing in Nature whereby to determine of things by accident Since the operation of nature as it proceeds from one principle the form of the thing naturall so it also terminates upon some one thing Now things by accident are not simply one but many and therefore cannot be precisely of natures intent or design 9. Whether it be not quite contradictory to the nature of future contingents to be fore-comprehended by any created intellect without a speciall divine revelation o● permitted diabolicall suggestion either in their universall causes or particular effects 10. Whether Astrologicall divinations be not only against the course and order of nature in the inferior world but against the order of nature among the Stars themselves For God hath not in the order of nature instituted them to be signs where they are not naturall causes nor yet conjunct signs where they are not conjunct causes And who can possibly proove them to be such as concerning arbitrary actions and fortuitous events 11. Whether prognosticating Astrologers have not made to themselves more effects than ever were Signs more Signs than ever were Stars more Stars than ever were in heaven and more heavens than ever were in nature 12. Whether all the naturall motions of the Stars are prognosticall yea or no If so then doe they one contradict another If no them let them them shew us the reason why one and not another 13. Whether not only the benignity of the Planets but also the malignity be naturall to them If so how can that be without some reflexion of prejudice upon their nature nay upon their Author If not then work they not so and so of themselves but as they find the matter it self so and so disposed Are we then to respect either in congratulating or deploring the Planets efficacies or our own dispositions But are the Stars now of another nature than they were from the first creation For then they were wholy benign and naturally intended for the beauty and felicity of the universe And doe they now naturally promise good and good morall as well as naturall and naturally threaten evill and e●ill of infection as well as infliction How can this chuse but diminish the due respect both to Gods free grace and sins just desert 14. Whether the prodigious aspects in the heavens Planetary as well as Cometary be not besides the course and order of nature as well as the monstrous are upon the earth And whether a● these be seldome significative of things to come but for the most part of things past they be not so too 15. If the efficacies of the Stars be from nature and naturall causes why then have they not the like effects upon Godly and upon wicked men For natures law order operation is common to both alike If they have so wherefore is this old and late assertion of theirs That the Stars have not the dominion over those that be godly And if this holds wherefore are their Astrologicall predictions and genethliacall calculations more malignant and unfortunate as is frequent to be observed to good men than to bad 16. Whether the influences of the Stars be powerfull over the lives and deaths of all other living creatures Beasts Birds Fishes Worms Flys Herbs Trees as well as of men If on men only why should men be made more subject to the Stars than all other living creatures If otherwise why have some of them said the contrary Nay why goe they not about to calculate all other creatures nativities Think they it an abasement of their art to calculate the Nativity of a Frog or a Flye nay would it not much amplify the perfection of it But say both are subject men and Beasts Why then should not men as the rest of the creatures rest satisfied with a sensible prognostication within themselves and never trouble themselves to seek after a senseless Prognostication from any other 17. Whether the Stars have their influences as upon all naturall things so likewise upon all artificiall If not upon all artificiall things besides their own gain-saying then man hath many of his ordinary actions without any influence of the Stars If upon all artificiall things as Cities Houses Garments Instruments Utensils c. then must not their influences depend upon mens arbitrary actions as all these doe nay must they not have new influences daily according to the new inventions of art or devices of artifice 18. Whether the formative power of nature concurs most with the influences of the Stars or with the ●eed of generation And whether the first and greatest cause of tempers should not be observed first and most as the first and greatest cause of manners 19. Whether the influences of the Planets be more powerfull over mens nature before the Birth or after it or just upon it If just upon it how can those swift syderiall motions make so intimate and totall impression an once How can such an efficacy either be done or suffered in so short externall and accidentall an art If not just upon it why then is all the observation upon those points minutes or moments only If before it why goe they not about to calculate the conception as well as the Nativity If not before it why should the Planets have such influences upon externalls and accidentalls that had none upon the intervalls and essentialls If after it how can they beget humours and qualities answerable to their Constellations in a creature already compleated and furnished before-hand Yea why consider they not what constellations upon nutrition education and erudition If not after it then have nutrition education and erudition a power to change or alter both tempers and manners without beyond and against all influences of the Stars yea and religion more than all the rest 20. Whether the nativity of an Infant be under one or many the like or different constellations Seeing Nature ordinarily brings not forrh at once but by delayes and degrees First the head comes forth and so one part and member after another even unto the feet Now then seeing the parts of the body move not so swiftly out of the womb as the heavenly bodyes doe in their orbs why should there not be one Constellation upon the
head of the child that is born another upon the neck and so of the shoulders the breast the belly the thighs the legs the feet and they all as different in themselves so also in their significations 21. How comes it to pass that Twins as Jacob and Esau Proclus and Euristhenes are of different natures or constitutions conditions fortunes fates or ends although born under one constellation or conjunction If they have got Nigidius Figulus his device and so can allege that the swift motion of the heavenly bobies may alter the constellation and cause the variation May not the birth of one oft-times be as slow as the birth of twain and why not then the like variation also If it be from the delay that is between the birth of the Twins then whether is that delay alwayes alike and the difference accordingly or if it be sometimes in their birth whether is it likewise in their conception Nay how can there be any exact observation although it be but in the birth of one if the swiftnesse on the one part and the slowness on the other be well examined If they say the difference betwixt the Twins may be by reason of the difference in their conception why then doe they never bring that into their calculation Is not the moment of the conception more considerable for naturall impressions than the birth But how shall they know that since she that bears knows it not Or how pretend they to ghesse at it from the Nativity since that may fall out from the conception seven eight nine moneths more or less 22 Whether Astrologie be of any naturall use so much as to Physick especially according to the Magicall application of it by Periapts Amulets Charms Characters Words Figures Alligations suspensions c Likewise to cure the diseases of old or young by choosing a Planet convenient to their age As for the old men Saturn for young men Mercurie c. Likewise in choosing Signs convenient to the part affected As for the diseases in the head Aries for those in the feet Pisces c. As also in the superstitious observation of Criticall dayes in which such a Planet governs as may be most apt to repell the disease c. Concerning all which let them see to the refutations of learned Physicians CHAP. VIII 8. From the order of Causes 1. VVHether because Astronomicall observations and Predictions may be true and lawfull being Physicall and having their naturall causes therefore the Astrologicall must be so too Being as is their own word anaitiologicall or not having any naturall cause at all 2. Of all the causes of humane actions and accidents God Angells Devills the will of mans mind the temperature of his body externall violences accidentall occurrences and the starres influences whether these last of all the rest be not the most remote and feeble in their operation 3. Whether the Artists in their Predictions ought not to moderate themselves if the Art may admit of moderation according to this known order and received distinction of causes 1. Some Causes produce their effects necessarily and alwayes and those Causes being understood and discerned the effect may certainly be pronounced and prenuntiated as in Eclipses 2. Some Causes again produce their effects though not necessarily and alwayes yet for the most part and seldome faill and such may be Prognosticated only conjecturally but not peremptorily as the changes or alterations of Weather 3. Some Causes are only generall remote indefinite indeterminate partiall accidentall whose effects follow neither necessarily nor alwayes nor for the most part nor indeed scare at all as in tempers and manners and such as they cannot be foreknown so they are not to be foretold But as for more rationall and arbitrary actions and future contingents meerly fortuitous these can have no Causes all but in the secret and hidden will of God or else in the indiscernable will of man and therefore are in Gods power alone and not in mans art either to forknow or foresee 4. Whether the starres be not only Signes but Causes or whether Signes where they are ordinarily no Causes or Causes where they are no Signes or as they ask of Comets whether they be either causing or signing from their matter or from their form Especially to our purpose whethrr they be both Causes and Signes of things future and fortuitous Causes they cannot be but of naturall things and they generall only and indefinite And therefore cannot be Signes of determinate and particular effects For if they signe not the causes in particular how can they sign the effects in particular Again Signes naturall they cannot be but either as Causes or effects or else as proceeding from the same common cause and superiour to both And that common cause cannot bee corporeall because there is no bodily thing superiour to the heavenly bodyes That superiour Cause therefore upon which they both depend must needs be incorporeall even God not Angells because Angels have no such transient action common to them both If therefore they be so much as Signes they are only so according to divine ordinance and institution and not according to any humane art or invention 5. How the Stars can signifie such an effect whereof they are not the cause And especially whose speciall causes they signifie not at all And for as much as such astrall effects as have their naturall causes can be forecold but conjecturally and indefinitely upon what grounds then doe they particularly define and determine upon casualties and voluntaries whose events are not so much as probable as not having any such causes as aforesaid 6. Whether the Causes namely the second and particular causes of meer accidents and contingents are to be foreseen and foreknown by mortall men For how can things by accident be foreseen in their naturall causes when as Philosophie concludes there can be no naturall causes of things by accident 7. Whether the Starres are the causes or signes of any kind of Contingent as well those that follow from arbitrarious actions as those that depend upon more stated matters Nay whether those that have their ordinate cau●es and revealed signes can properly be called Contingents 8. Upon what grounds doe the Astrologers undertake to predict or foretell of future Contingents since they can no way fore-see them neither in themselves nor yet in their causes Not in themselves because they yet are not Nor in their causes for they are either God or the heavens or mans free will And first how are they able to foreknow those things that depend upon the prime cause Gods secret will and absolute pleasure without his speciall revelation Next how can they see any such things in the heavens which are but generall and remote causes and so nei●her cause nor signe any thing determinatly and particularly Yea are but materiall causes at most and therefore betoken or effect nothing of the actions of the mind or Soul Then for the will of Man which
upon so many and contrary causes and considerations Namely of Stars erratick and fixt and they more efficacious than these of rayes manifest and occult of influxes simple and mixt of light cognate and mutuatitious of motions proper and common and the proper more active than the common of Planets amicall b●nevolous auspicious fortunate and ●nimicall maleficall unfortunate exitiall as also ancipitous and indifferent to both and all these sometimes roborated and holpen sometimes infirmed and hindred one by another of Planets masculine feminine androgynous and these again now strengthning now weakning one another of Stars auc't and dimi●ute diurnall nocturnall and ambiguous ascending and descending slow swift and ●ean direct Stationary and retrograde Of the Signs of the Zodiack their Quadrants and Trigons and how they are masculine or feminine imperant or obedient right or crooked humane brute reptile vocall and without voyce fruitfull or barren beautifull or deformed happy-witted or unhappy conjunct or distinct of the essentiall dignities of the Planets or increments with their contrary dejections or detriments their houses exaltations triplicities tearms thrones decurions faces joys of the accidentall dignities of Planets in respect of motion positure aspect sc combust peregrine captive afflicted oppressed c. sextile quadrate triangular c. partile platick solitary ferall applicate defluent c. of the celestiall houses their number opposition representation and in every house the order nomenclature signification joy consignificator colour condition and temperament of the severall wayes of erecting Theams Scheams Figures c. All these generals considered besides infinite more particulars to be added what a wild wood or imaginary mist is here to find out a future contingent or fortuitous event For so clearly doe even the exactest of them make their grounds and means whereby to passe with great peremptoriness their prognosticating judgements upon all accidents Nay for as much as some of them say there are 120. divers conjunctions of the 7. Planets and moreover of them generally 13092. Considerations besides innumerable myriads of them in particular are not these direct to use their own word directions not only to ghesse at but conclude upon things future and fortuitous 21. Whether this order of arguing be with probability much lesse infer any causall necessity viz. From the constellation of the Nativity of a child to the naturall constitution from the naturall temperament to the humours of vegetation and growth from the humours of the body to the manners of the mind from the manners or naturall dispositions to the politick morall yea and religious actions and from the manners and actions to such and such determinate fortunes and events Seeing all these may bee quite otherwise altered by the constitution of the Parents by natures work different to both their constitutions by the complexion of the Nurse by adventitious nutriments by education by Art by Discipline by freewill and reason by grace and conscience by the wisdome power and goodness of Gods providence yea and by externall accidents or occurrents 22. If this way of argument were admitted in some part and probability that the Starres may have their vertue and efficacy upon this sublunary orb and so upon the inferior Elements and so upon Bodyes compounded of those elements and so upon the humours in those bodyes and so upon certain passions and affections of the mind that follow those humours or tempers would it therefore follow that they have the like though not as efficients yet but as instruments upon the Soul Spirit Understanding Will Conscience not only not to compell or enforce but so much as to incline or dispose them to actions rationall voluntary politick morall or religious and so bring them to reach the end or runne into the events of all those actions good or evill What rationall man can be perswaded that it is in the influences of the Starres to beget in a propension either to vertues or to vices and that it is in those vertues or vices as so begotten to hasten or prevent the hoped or feared effect However what Christian man will be brought to believe that wicked men and godly men their temporall prosperity or adversity is from their auspicious or their unfortunate starres how much lesse then their spirituall endowments or defects together with their eternall rewards or punishments 23. Whether in all Planetary Constellations Aspects Cojunctions there be a necessary conjunction betwixt all causes and all effects Though we may grant much of these in the Eclipses themselves yet what necessity of all these may move us to admit so much as touching the portents of those Eclipses And therefore I demand further of Eclipses as I doe of Comets also if they have no more but naturall causes and common apparitions whether have they then more than naturall significations and common effects If the significations and effects be to be thus doubted of in the eminent and visible what may we doubt of concerning the invisible or else but imaginable conjunctions 24. Why are the daily effects of the same starres as touching the weather so different in divers Horizons And why are the prognosticks of them so different although within the same Horizon Now if Prognosticators have so often hallucinated or deceiving been deceived about naturall effects or consequences of heat cold fair weather rain wind snow ha●l thunder c. how can they be credited in their Predictions upon arbitrary actions and fortuitous events 25. Whether there be not a sufficient end and use of the starres substance and motion in the ornament of the Universe the beauty of the heavens their rising and setting in their own order their light and heat upon inferiors their distinctions of times and seasons with other their unknown motions actions services all tending to the glory of the Creator and benefit of the creature although their Astrologicall and Genethliacall yea and magicall benevolences and malevolencies had never been excogitated or invented CHAP. IX 9. From the strength of Reason 1. ALthough some certain demonstrations or demonstrative reasons borrowed from Arithmetick Geometry and Opticks may be conceded to Astronomie because it is a Science that keeps it self to naturall motions and measures ends and uses yet whether all they ought to be usurped by or allowed to Astrologie in as much as it transgresses all these 2. Whether besides the exaction of a blind and implicite Faith the rejection and derision of sound and explicite reason and demonstration done by Magicians and Astrologers be not a necessary demonstration of the vacuity or want of reason to the Artists or their Art 3. Whether Reason be not superiour and predominant to the power of the Starres For say after their own order the starres may have their influences upon tempers and humours and so upon passions and affections and so upon manners and actions and so upon issues and events yet Reason is not destitute of such means and succours as may temper those humours moderate those passions prevent those
effects as they pretend whether is it created or uncreated If uncreated how comes it in or from the Stars If created where resides or remains it all the while untill it take effect In the Conjunction of the Planets Why that is not because gone and past In the party himself Then hath every one the cause of his own fortune within himself and so need thank no man but himself for his riches peace honour preferment nor yet blame any other for his impoverishing disgrace wounds and death 12. Whether the influences of the Stars be a simple extract or else a composirion as it should seem by their conjunctions And then for as much as they impend and operate at once how can they tell to which of them they should particularly and predominantly referre the effect 13. If the influences of the Stars incline either to vertue or to vice and their efficacies be propense either to recompense one or other why then are their constellations recorded to have been so malefick for the most part to the vertuous and so benefick to the vitious 14. What power can the Stars have either in the determination or discrimination of pure spirituall qualities sc affections honest or dishonest religious or profane in as much as they work but only from the matter and but upon it only And where they find the like matter temper constitution complexion c. Why incline they not to the like qualities and affections And if they incline alike why see we not in common the like actions and effects 15. If there be no Stars in the Heavens idle or vacant but that all of them have their influx and operation upon these inferiors and infinite of them as Astronomers acknowledge whose number nature and power are altogether unknown and the unknown aspects positures conjunctions possibly thwarting and impeding the known And the known not perfectly known and if they were known never so exactly yet not to be infallibly applyed to particulars No nor yet with fair probability to be prenuntiated or pronounced upon Can an effect be concluded for known certain probable particular from an unknown uncertain improbable generall cause or means Doe not they themselves say that the Stars operate by an occult quality like to that of the load-stane upon iron by a secret sympathie or antipathie by an insensible influx by a vertuall contract and after an inexplicable manner Wherefore then are they so peremptory in pronouncing or predicting where they are so impotent and confused in apprehending or expressing 16. Either the Stars doe inflow and imprest yea portend and signify perpetually or not If so how then is it that they are no more universally observed as concerning all or any nay why work and sign they not at one time as well as another in one place as well as another to one person as well as another in one action as well as another If not then how doe they it after natures ordinance and order which is not only constant and continuall but common and generall 17. If the Soul be not ex traduce or drawn out of the matter and consequently corruptible and mortall what power then can those materiall influences have over it and over the powers of it 18. Whether Magicall and Astrologicall Figures be quantity or quality If quality so much as logicall quality that 's not to be supposed but proved And so proved as that it arises not from a continuate quantity or can be considered at all without it Especially when we speak of such a Figure as is not an accident of a Body but a meer lineary and superficiall character If it bee quantity then as Logick concludes it moves or operates not not of it self because it only follows the sluggish matter save only as it is instrumentally acted 19. How configurations consisting only of intelligible angles can be objects to any sensitive power Or how the sensitive power imagined in the elements and all elementary things can apprehend without organicall instruments It is their own question let them answer one another 20. If the naturall and ordinary motions and conjunctions of the Stars be sufficient to prognosticate and prenuntiate all manner of mutations accidents events to what purpose then are all those prodigies or apparitions of Comets blazing-Stars doubled and tripled Suns and Moons apparitions in the ayr of Angels Devils Men Women Letters Cros●es Crowns Dragons Dogs Horses Birds Fishes Castles Houses Churches Ships Cities Chariots Armies Swords Spears Bows Arrows Guns Trumpets voyces monsters of sundry shapes and hews Besides showers of blood inundations earthquakes ●ore breaking out of the earth and monsters both of men and beasts 21. If Meteors Comets and apparitions in the clouds and ayr may be as some of themselves have affirmed but imaginary or else but meerly naturall and not only not portentous but not significant how much more then may it be so said of their conjunctions constellations configurations c. 22. Why are the new Stars such as have neither cause substance quality site nor motion like unto the rest sent as they say to portend great mutations both in Church and Common-wealth if the common Stars in their ordinary courses be sufficient to such a purpose 23. Whether the greatest mutations that have been in the world have not happened without the conjunction of the greater Planets If it be so as some of themselves have not let to say how are these then the proper causes of such effects and signs for such predictions 24 If there be a naturall or an ordinary Art teaching the presaging or predicting of things future why then did God supernaturally and extraordinarily inspire the gift of prophecy give his prophets an extraordinary call and office to that end ordain certain speciall means and instruments to that purpose the Ephod the breastlate the Urim and I hummim doe it by extraordinary wayes of Angels Revelations Visions Dreams Extasies Miracles c. And how chance the studying or reading of the stars if they be such a prophetick way or means are amongst none of these 25. If a man may read the stars as concerning all sublunary contingents in letters and legible characters as some of them contend what then need there any going about the bush or wandring up and down in a star-gazing by divine aspects conjunctions configurations c. But in truth can any of our magicall or astrologicall lecturers spell these things Nay doe they not rather both agree in this to make a spell of them 26. Whether of fortuitous events the stars be signes naturall or supernaturall If naturall why are they not causes or effects or connexed with causes and effects if supernaturall where is the Revelation whereby to fore-know and the promise whereby to believe and why are they not more infallible in the designation rather why are they so fallible in the success 27. Whether the prediction of a future contingent be not an absolute contradiction For how can it be properly called a
of his own art For is not the Devills main knowledge experimentall or gotten by long experience of times and men and things And glories he not in this that he may be permitted to set before mens eyes some externall experiment that so he may win their hearts to give credit to his prestigious delusions Yea may not the Devill be permitted to give an experiment in some things that so his disciples may become the more curious tempting credulous superstitious even in those things where there can be no experiment at all 3. Whether there can be any effect simply and purely reall wherein the Devill hath a hand I speak it not only of sinfull wayes in generall whereto he tempts men but of sinfull arts and artifices in speciall whereby men tempt him Because where he hath no power he is there forced to prestigious sleights to prevent the detection of his impotency and where he hath a power or permission yet there notwithstanding he chooses to be prestigious Because he loves to delude out of the prevarication of his own will but hates all reality as an imitation of Gods own acting 4. Whether a bare experiment be a good ground for a Christian mans Faith Not only because the Holy Ghost distinguishes betwixt Faith and sight but because even in this very particular he grants the experiment yet neverthelesse forbids the Faith Deut. 13. 1 2 3. Mat. 24 24 25 26. 2 Thes 29. to 13. 5. Whether such feats and pranks as Magicians call their experiments be not like to those playd or practised by Pharaohs Magicians Exod. 7. and 8. Wisd 17. 7. And what were all they but prestigious illusions and impostures or such Gypsy-tricks as gave the name to all the like feats for ever after For who will say although it seemed so that the Magicians of Egypt wrought really or experimentally in the production of Serpents Frogs c because that were verily to produce a thing in Nature which is not for an Angelicall much lesse for a Diabolicall power to perform God will not communicate this his power otherwise than as his instruments to those whom he hath called to imitate him and therefore not to those who set up themselves to counterfeit him Now then since the practices of these prime Magicians were not reall experiments but phantasticall illusions what then may we think of all the rest however they may seem or appear 6. Why should Magicians and Astrologians rejoyce and boast their art under this notion of Experiment rather than any other Seeing an effect is of a cause properly an Event is of a cause remotely A Consequent is of a cause indirectly an Accident is of a Cause unknown but an Experiment cannot be but of a known cause For an experiment properly is not so much of the thing as to the person And to the person as observing it comming to passe from a proper cause by proper means and to a proper end For if the proper cause be not observed then is it no experiment but an accident if the proper means be not observed then is it not an experiment but a consequent if the proper end be not observed then is it not an experiment but not an imposture Because it is the end that really denominates distinguishes and perfects rhe act or work Neither can he be sayd to have had experience of the end only because of the execution if he had it not first in his intention Now how much of all this is proper to them or their art 7. Whether as the grounds of their art are but bare suppositions so those they call the experiments of it be any thing else than meer accidents For of the many effects or experiments that were pretended what demonstration is there that all these or any of them were really and indeed from the influences and powers of the starres Because such mutations alterations casualties events followed after such not only aspects or conjunctions but even Comets and Eclipses does it therefore follow necessarily to conclude that they were the causes of them Nay how would they make it evident not only to a hard but to a wary faith that they were indeed so much as the prenuntiating signes of them 8. For as much as the most skilfull of them have ingenuously acknowledged that they have been greatly distracted and infinitely puzzled betwixt observation and experiment on the one part and cause or reason on the other So that that which hath been defective here hath made them difficult to assent and that redundant there ashamed to doubt Now how shall we assent or believe that can make no observation since they themselves can make no demonstration If we doe suppose them to be experiments or accidents or consequents at large yet how can we be vainly perswaded that they come from such causes or are signified by such signs which they themselves are not able to demonstrate 9. What a fond sophisticating fallacy is this so much in use among the historizing or exemplanizing Astrologers Who goe about to impose upon a●l men from former ages and events as if no man understood how to distinguish betwixt a causall and a consecutive I had almost said a casuall experiment For aske of themselves if this be not their way Anno Mundi Anno Domini c. viz. In such a year of the world of our Lord during such a Trigon Fiery Aery Watry Earthy there was such a conjunction of such and such Planets benefick malefick in such and such Houses and Signs of the Zodiack together with such Eclipses Comets and other prodigies or portents And there followed thereupon c. What in the name of God when where to whom and how Now marke them well what followed War and Peace discomfiture and victory captivity and liberty heresy and true doctrine prosperity and persecution innovation and reformation Sickness and recovery famine and plenty birth and death When followed they In the same year of the conjunction or the year following or else 3. 5. 7. years after nay and all these contraries oft times during the same conjunction or its effects Where followed they Here and there far and near so wide was the extent of the conjunction conjoyning severall Countries and Regions together To whom To Emperours Kings Princes Magistrates Noble-men Clergy-men Common people every body any body Lastly how why there followed or happened c. And that 's more properly plainly and truly spoken than all the rest And so let it rest from their own confession a conscientionall accidentall event and such it may be said in respect of any thing that preceded but no appropriate causate and observate experiment 10. What true and plain experience can the Planetaries possibly have or pretend when as themselves say the same conjunctions or constellations return not some in so many scores some in so many hundreds some in so many thousand years Now experience is properly of a thing frequently to be observed by the same man and
or rather of the arts integrity and the Artists imbecillity of the practices lawfulness and unlawfulness of the use and abuse c. be not indeed a consciousness and conviction of the worse part rather than any demonstration or declaration of the better 4. What 's the reason they advise so often to distinguish betwixt necessary and probable betwixt infallible and conjecturall but because ther 's no other discipline that is or can be invented that hath so little infallibility or certainty and so much contingency or uncertainty What certain judgement then of future contingents can be by such an art or discipline that is it self but a kind for contingency 5. Whether they themselves that would seem very scrupulous and precise in distinguishing and discerning truth and falsehood good and evill lawfull and unlawfull in Magicall Astrologie doe not in very deed commix and confound them in one kind or another and so impinge upon the self same rock they would pretend to avoid Is this caution or collusion For doubtless this is done not that they would be more wary and conscientious themselves of what they deliver but to make others more unwary and secure in receiving and approving what is delivered 6. Whether as with the Patrons and Advocates of Astrologie it seems to be a sober caveat among themselves to discern betwixt the use and the abuse it be also a sound plea to others that they should likewise distinguish them For is it not requisite that they themselves should first really sincerely and clearly discern ere that they injoyn others to distinguish Now in birth-spelling and fortune-telling Astrologie where is the use nay wherein is not an abuse Should not they first here undertake to satisfy us ere they take upon them to advise us How loath would they be we should be too severe in this imposed task which they truly perform not but only enough for conviction would seem to slubber over 7. Whether this cautelous conclusion and as they think sober sentence The Stars incline onely but necessitate not be verily delivered by Astrologers or craftily proposed in excuse For if they believe this their own saying how then dare they be so peremptory in pronouncing upon Fate and fatidicall destiny from the Stars But would they not thus evade the fallacy of the prognosticated event For others are easily Judges of the effect but if the execution fail they thus make themselves the sole Judges of the disposition And so from the hidden inclination think to save the credit of their Art against the palpable frustration of the effect As also by contriving who knows what opposites interventions obstructions impediments And if they know not how Stars are aversing how come they to know how they are inclining 8. Was there ever yet a judiciary Astrologer that duly observed that old caution given him by the Prince of his Profession not to mingle among his predictions nor at all to meddle with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. the Prognostication of all such things as can have no naturall causes 9. As concerning this caution or conviction by no means to subjugate the rationall will with its arbitrary acts to the power of the Stars how chance this is proposed by some of them admitted by many and yet observed by none 10. Whether their more than abundant cautelousness for the salving of the Phaenomena their many-fac't mistresse in all her dresses or apparitions be sufficient so to doe And how many ascensions and descensions risings and settings times and degrees c. must here be divined ere it can come to Divination 11. As touching Planetary events benevolous malevolent whether their usuall reservation for the time of their taking effect how far they shall extend how long last or for their utter impediting to be in God in nature in the prime cause and divine providence be not a conviction within themselves of their uncertain and doubtfull predictions if not rather used as a fallacy to save their skill in case of frustration 12. What 's the cause in their own aphorisms canons rites c. they are fain to admonish one another to such cautelousness in the reading of them much more in the apprehending of them most of all in the practising according to them Is not here a conscious and confest incidence to error not only in the Reader his apprehension and practice but even in the very rule or art it self 13. Whether it be not still the trick and guise of Magicall Astrologers to adjure and conjure after the old Heathenish manner their Disciples and Clyents to beware how they once so much as intimate their venerable mysteries and admirable secrets to unskilfull as they call them and profane ears And what is their intent in so doing Surely such kind of cautionary and conjuring secrecy as not to reveale to any save only among themselves the art rules tearms characters phrases figures fabrications operations intentions profections defects time place person habit instruments c. what can all this argue but a consciousness of superstition sorcery envy ignorance sophistry prestigious jugling and plain knavery 14. Wherefore advise they so earnestly both Agent and Patient to take heed however of all hesitation or doubting either in doing or receiving Doe they indeed reduce all the efficacy of their art to a Faith or strong imagination and to the saith of one as well as another Nay does all the vertue of the art consist more in the inferiors confidence than the superiors influence 15. Why bid they beware what associats they take to themselves in the art especially in the operation Does the efficacy of the art depend upon the dignity not only of the Excerciser but his Assistant also 16. To what purpose doe the Arch-Magicians and Astrologers make caution and admonish so strictly upon pain to forfeit all the fruit That the Pupill be naturally inclined to the art or easily disposible thereto by a faith in his Tutors sufficiency That he con such words tearms phrases characters figures though indeed insignificant or of no proper entent whereby he may preserve close the sublime Majesty of the art glory in his own profoundness of learning and upbraid others especially his opposites with ignorance and unskilfulness That he study other learning by others but this by himself That he glory in the multiplicity of his Authors more than their emendation That he boast of an extraordinary gift yet not beyond his Teachers till hee can correct them in the invention of a new and nearer way That he leave the order of superiors and inferiors of ascents and descents of similitude and dissimilitude of simple and compounds That he observe diligently matter form number degree time place order of operation and especially the Planet or Lord of the operation under whose dominion the spirit of the day and hour is for the effectuall operating And lastly that he operate with wisedome above all Were it not for this last to what purpose were all the rest of
the body is there not a medicine and meat to cure it but if it could intend any evill upon the soul or mind yet is there not education and discipline to prevent it Many things may be effected besides nature may they not much more then besides Fate If every man may fabricate his own Fortune why not also contrive his own Fate If Fate had never had name or nature or power would things have fallen out otherwise than they doe fall out why then should Fate be inculcated since without Fate there is Nature and Fortune to which all things necessary or casuall may be aptly referred In this old Philosophicall dispute what easie Moderator would not give this censure That either side hath said sufficient to overthrow his Adversaries opinion but neither of them enough to establish his own 7. Hath not the constellatory Fatation introduced so many starry Gods into the world Yea made so many providentiall and tutelary Gods and Goddesses some Select others Ascriptitious to have a hand in the whole administration of the Universe But particularly so many Geniall or Genitall Gods and Goddesses and their sundry ordinations and offices at every mans geniture As of Janus Jupiter Saturn Genius Mercury Apollo Mars Vulcan Neptune Sol Orcus Liber Pater Tellus Ceres Juno Lucina Fluona Luna Diana Minerva Venus Vesta Moreover Vitumnus Sentinus Mens Mena Iterduca Domiduca Abaona Adeona and Dea Fatua too not of the least ordination and operation either in the birth or life or death And no marvell that they make so many Consent-Gods goe to the fate of a Man when they will have so many to be busie about the fate of an herb As Seia fatally president of the sowing Segetia or Segesta at the comming up of the Corn Nodotus or Nodinus at the knitting or knotting Volutina at the involving of the leaves Batellina or Datellea at the opening of the blade Proserpina at the budding Hostilina at the equall shaping of the eare Flora at the flourishing Lasturtia at the nourishing Tutilina in the keeping Matuta or Matura at the ripening Messia at the mowing and Runcina not only at the weeding but at the plucking up by the roots 8. Whether Fate be one or many If it be one simply then what needs any reduction if it many why is it not reduced to one And then in vain is that done by many which may be done by one and it is prophane l to ascribe that to many which ought to be a scribed to one If it be one truly then is it undivided in it self and divided from all others which how can that which is a series or connexion of so many things be especially having its inherence in movables or mutables If it be but one accident why should it imply all under a necessity If it be but one by aggregation collection connexion so are things fortuitous as well as fatall Besides such an unity is in the meanest degree of entity Wherefore then should it order and subordinate things of a more perfect degree then it self If it be many or a multiplicity then is it unequall indeterminate uncertain and next to a nullity If it be one why then so they make it do diverse according to divers conjuctions and constellations If it be many how can they make any certain and particular pronouncing upon it 9. Whether that they call Fate be in the first or among the second Causes If in the first that is as much as to make it equall unto God If among the second then is it inferiour unto man For among second causes and especially in involuntary actions and all such as fall under humane counsell and deliberation the intellectuall mind and rationall will hath no superiour And what more contrary to the order of nature and creatures than that the lesse noble should be disposing and governing those more noble than themselves 10. Whether there be a fatall necessity upon all acts or events If upon all acts where 's Liberty if upon all events where 's contingency And whether upon these both good and evill and that whether naturall civill or spirituall If upon naturall acts and events good or evill then what use of means either to preserve or to prevent If upon acts civill and good what merit what praise if upon acts civill and evill what laws what punishments If upon events civill and good what thanks if upon events civill and evill what hopes If upon acts spirituall and good what free grace if upon acts spirituall and evill what free will If upon events spirituall and good what free bounty If upon events spirituall and evill what free mercy 11. How can there or why should there be such a thing as Fate imposing a necessity upon actions and events when as divine providence it self doth it not so as to exclude liberty contingency or casualty from things But works with second causes according to their own motion and manner Permitting sometimes their exuberancy sometimes their deficiency preserving to them their sundry orders offices and degrees of efficiency Suffering the remoter causes or agents to be impedited by the more proximate that all effects might not be taken for naturall and necessary but that his own free disposing might appear Although nature and every naturall agent be of it self and ordinarily determinated to one effect and to the producing of it after the same way yet he suffers it to be impedited by one debility and indisposition or another either to come to pass otherwise or else to be altogether prevented that so he might preserve a contingency in all naturall causes to the intent nothing might be thought absolutely necessitating but his own will and pleasure above Much more doth he confirm a freedom to the rationall will not only that good may the more chearfully be done and accepted but the evill also that is done or suffered may not unjustly be imputed to providence because of a necessity imposed 12. If fate be as they define it the Series order nexure ligation complication constitution disposition of second causes c. what feeble things are all those seconds put together without the first what can their own motion work to without his speciall concurrence what if he work not with them what if without them what if against them Leave them to themselves and what knot in a rope of Sand Can there be a perpetuall series or indissoluble connexion betwixt causes so disparate yea so adverse as naturall internall necessary and arbitrary adventitious accidentall yet after this order is fate oftentimes finished A languishing man not only consumes away within himself but the ayr meats drinks poyson act the fatall consummation To an ordinated destiny of an unfortunate end comes in inordinately fire water a fall a gun a sword an unlucky hand c. and hath not this necessitating fate now the complement by accident and is there not a casuall intervention of more force to the fatall effect than all the causall connexion How
God before and above all others They are the more principall parts of the whole universe to which the less principall are but subserving as intended for their sakes and working for their ends Intellectuall natures have more asfinity with the whole as apprehending all things else besides themselves whereas every other creature is but a part and capable of no more but a bare participation of its own particular entity Now it is not for the inapprehending part to have an ordaining power over the apprehensive whole By the course of nature the rationall creature uses all other things for it self as either for the perfection of its intellect the explication of its science the exercise of its vertue or else the sustentation of its body to which the intellectuall nature is united And therefore it is not for them to dispose rule govern impell necessitate him him but for him to observe rule govern dispence moderate and make use of them 34. Whether any thing can be sayd to be fatall with respect to us till it have taken effect For a fatality before it be is but a contingency to us and to us a concingency after it is is a fatality Why then should we be bound to believe the prognosticated things of Fate or Fortune before hand yea though they may have some naturall cause remotely necessary or of some indefinite probability yet is not all this sufficient for our faith in particular because as concerning many such naturall causes there is in us nevertheless besides the supreme a liberty and power to prevent 35. Suppose the Fates have destinated one man to be hangd or kill'd by another why should not that be prognosticated from another mans nativity as well as his own seeing he also comes necessarily into the series of second causes Indeed some of the old genethliacks have boasted to foresee or foretell a mans fate or fortune from the nativity of his parents Brethren children c. But have not others of them held it for a foolish fancy that the fate or fortune of one man should lye involved not only in his own but in the constellations of so many mens nativities 36. Whether they that suffer the same fate have the same starres coupling or compacting thereunto Et è contra Suppose them suffring and suffring to death the last line of Fate for Christ the Gospe●l religion and conscience Is this fatall destiny also from the starry order and connexion who ever heard that the starres made Martyrs or necessitated unto martyrdome How then hath it come to passe that young old men women of severall ages sexes nations and therefore not of the same constellations have all agreed to undergoe the same event 37. Whether that be true Fate which they would mingle together with providence and how can divine providence and Pagan Fate agree For Providence is the beginning and continuation of all things Fate is the end or utter confusion of them Providence is in the ordering of casuals as well as fatals Fate is opposing all things fortuitous and therefore not disposing them Providence is an act in God their Fate is no more but an event upon the creature Providence is a disposition impendent or out of the thing Fate is a disposition inherent or in the thing Providence comprehends all things past present and to come so does not Fate in her connexion of Causes Providence is in and over all things from the greatest to the least good evill celestialls terrestrialls spiritualls corporealls universalls singulars naturalls rationalls voluntaries necessaries contingents so is not Fate Providence is more speciall to one than to another but Fate is a necessity to all alike Providence can work immediately without and against means Fate can operate nothing but according to her series or connexion Providence can act with every creature reserving to it its own motion as with free agents freely with contingents contingently c. whereas Fate hath no way to work but fatally that is necessarily forcibly inexorably immutably inevitably The rules order successe of divine providence are either written in his own book or in his own breast and not in the Starres and Planets as Fate is The wisedome justice power goodnesse of his providence all this is written in his own book the particular successes issues events thereof all these are written in his own breast Even wise Providence it self is not herein to be discerned or determined before-hand what satuous thing is Fate then that is so obvious and triviall as for the Faticanes to foretell Is not this difference enough between them and never to be reconciled Providence is a prudent counsellor and will have the particular issues kept secret Fate is a silly babbler and will have them commonly foretold 38. Whether had it not been for the fictions of Fate and Fortune there had ever been hatcht opinions and heresies so prejudiciall to divine providence and that even amongst Pagans themselves that had experience sufficient to convince them of the truth and power of it and of the justice yea and goodnesse of it in great part Had the divine providence ever been denyed if Fate and fortune had not been held for Gods Had God himself been implanted under Fate or made subject to the decrees of it or slandered for a sloathfull careless spectator of humane things and terrene if they had not confined and limited God to content himself with the reiglement of the heavens as if it had veen beneath his dignitie and majestie to vouchsafe to look down to small things or once to take notice of of what was done here below but to commit the care and rule of all sublunary and inferiour things to the starres and celestiall bodyes as his substitutes and their superiours Had prophane and wicked men ever accused providence and excused their impieties had they not heard of fatall starres necessitating and inforcing both their wills and actions 39. Was not the constitution of Fate and Fortune first invented in a derogation to God and his divine providence and that through a paganish and infidelious scandall at good things happening to bad men here and evill things to good men which had never been excogitated or had soon vanished had they been thus Christianly instructed viz. That the all provident Creator dispenses these middle things with an indifferent hand as unto creatures That the best men upon earth are not worthy of the least of goods things may deserve to be involved in the utmost of evill things that can here befall them That the wise Disposer knows how to turn these outward good things to the evill of evill men and these outward evill things to the good of good men That this present world is no time of full punishing or rewarding but these two precisely pertain to the world that is to come 40. Admit that either Fate or fortune was so indeed as they presage or much more than they can imagine yet how is the best of them both
likewise of observation imagination affectation investigation invocation adjuration temptation Signs empty and delusory Feats jugling and prestigious wonders wrought without the command and approof of God creatures abused contrary to their nature and institution art pretended without any true principles words invented and muttered and they barbarous insignificant false absurd apocryphall yea though Canonicall and sacred yet applyed to such acts ends for which they were never ordained admirable efficacy attributed to syllables sounds numbers rites solemnities ceremonies circumstances of time place and person Fabrications of images statues figures characters circles rings seals c. Confections of herbs minerals waters oyls juyces spirits c. acting and effecting at an improportionate distance and without convenient means spectrous Phantasmes or apparitions to affright men into a credulity ludibrious pranks only to make sport and so feed mans curiosity and divining predictions of things lost absent future without either calling or cause 6. Whether Magicall feats be wrought by things corporeall or spiritual Not by things corporeal because of improportionate matter form cause effect means instruments distance c. How can a body work upon a body to make it sign and signify things hidden lost absent future to make a dead body walk speak c. To make a living body walk invisible transform its proper shape c. And if by things spirituall then whether by spirits good or bad Not by the good neither of Angels nor men for where 's the true and good cause Minister means object and end of Magicall operation Nay which of all these is not evill 7. Is it not the known property of God to know things future absolutely and exactly Wherefore then did the Devill arrogate to himself divination but in an emulation of Divinity Now whether of these two doe the Diviners imitate God or the Devill It cannot be God because they have no command to imitate him in these his powerfull properties no promise upon the imitation It must be the Devill then and to imitate him must needs be maleficall And they may imitate him many ways for he hath used himself to divination by spirits by men by living men by dead men by the celestiall bodies by the elements by things naturall by things artificiall yea and by things sacred and religious and may not they then be like him in all these 8. How easy is it for the Devill to predict those things which he intends to act himself As suppose he intendeth by Gods permission to practise the sickness death destruction of man or Beast is it not easy for him to suggest such his intention to his instruments and Ministers and so make them to predict the same Yea though it be done from him is it not easy for him and them to pretend it from some other cause albeit abused besides the naturall end thereof Is it a matter of much artifice for ve●eficks or witches to forespeak their own purposed and laboured malefice How readily may he presage anothers death or ruin that hath him in his own power and so hath already determined that such a day it shall be done In like manner how many have perished according to wizzardly predictions and that only because of wizzardly purposes and perpetrations And therefore it may not unjustly be doubted whether many of those prognosticated evill fates and fortunes against Princes Magistrates Ministers and other Christians especialy such as opposed them in their fatidicall way were not besides the Astrologicall speculation practised by goeticall Magick as by charms curses poysons treachery violence or by making maleficall images pictures figures constellated under the ascension of that man whom they would maliciously destroy or prejudice And why may not this be justly suspected of them since it is a thing not only of their own practising but of their teaching And it being so how can they themselves deny and what understanding man would not pronounce upon them for the most arrant inchanters sorcerers veneficks maleficks wizzards and witches in the world 9. Whether there may not be an effascination or bewitching by inspecting the stars as by imagination by breathing on by looking on by touching by fabricating of images c. We know none of these acts are malevolent or maleficall in their own nature but that any one of these as well as another may be abused to sorcery and witchcraft through a Satanicall stipulation or suffrage who can deny 10. What practice of sorcery or malefice more superstitious than the fabricating of Astrologicall and of magicall images pictures statues figures c. For as a tacite compact hath been suspected as touching the Astrologicall so hath an express one been concluded and confessed as concerning the magicall configurations And what is the one or the other of these but the making of an image or figure either of man or beast in gold silver brass copper wax wood stone clay under such a conjunction or constellation For the inviting and alluring of Angels for the expelling and ejecting of Devils for the procuring of love for the provoking of hatred for the atchieving of victory for the effecting of death for the raising or allaying of storms or tempests for the causing or preventing of pestilencies for the driving away of Serpents and vermine c. Now in such a compact what vertue or efficacy besides that of a compact only what similitude or resemblance betwixt the figure of a round star or Planet and a monstruous many-shap't magicall configuration The vertue of the celestials are but universall and indeterminate as to the producing of this or that effect neither but by naturall and particular causes And who will say that any such particular figures are either causes or naturall what preparation can there be of such a matter for the receiving and retaining such constellatory influences And what such kind of efficacies can it have thereby for the admitting of such effects The heavenly bodies operate no way but naturally these figures or fabrications operate no way but artificially being the artifices of humane invention and used arbitrarily how then should these modify and determine those How come their vast influences to be restrained only to such a figure and that only for such operations How come the stars and Planets so to neglect the matter and its disposition and so to respect the figure and its composition as accordingly to dart in their influences for the figures sake let the matter be what it will what vertue can there be for all the celestiall influences more than the matter is disposed unto what efficacy or aptitude of an artificiall form more than accidentall and instrumentall what principles of life and action from artificiall forms Is not the vertue of the matter still the same although of divers forms or figures why should artificiall figures be more apt to receive the starry influences than are naturall figures In all such configurations must not the efficacy of the Stars rather attend or depend upon
an hairy belly lustful light instable 21. Obs That strong ribs signe manly weak ribs womanish slender and short ribs pusillanimous malignant voracious puft and swollen ribs loquacious and nugatious fat ribs sottish lean ribs wily 22. Obs That a great back is a signe of a man strong and stout and a little back of one wretched and timerous a lean back witty a fat back lazy an hairy back rigid a bunch back malicious 23. Obs That broad shoulders signe valiant narrow shoulders illiberal high or out shoulders arrogant cromp shoulders malicious 24 Obs That long arms betoken a man ambitious short armes malevolous brawny armes dull and veiny armes venereous 25. Obs That short thighes signe envious and hairy thighes lustful and leane thighes peevish and thick thighes sluggish 26. Obs That loose kneed signifies lascivious and baker kneed effeminate 27. Obs That fat and fleshy hips signe mulierous leane and lank hips malignant 28. Obs That the spindle legd are fearful hairy legg'd lustful stump legg'd servile bow-legg'd various 29. Obs That the long footed are fraudulent and short footed sudden and splay footed silly club footed naughty 30. Obs That long and lean toes signe rude and unwise short and thick toes rash and heady toes that clinch together signe covetous and luxurious toes that start asunder signe light and loquacious Oh! Is not this a rare and profound art fit for none but Gipsies and Juglers to professe that teaches to judge of men as men judge of horses by their shape and making or as country swayns estimate their cattle by their horn and hide and hoof 4. As Metoposcopie or the inspecting of the front or forehead together with other parts of Physiognomie boasts it self for the Scholler so whether Chiromancy or Palmestry the inspecting of the hand or palme may not be accounted for a mistresse in observating and ominating Magick and Astrologie Why distinguish they betwixt Chiromancy Physical and Astrological As if physical conjectures were not enough there must also be Astrological divination And to this purpose what fictitious appellations of Minuts and Lines to be reckoned according to the number and explained according to the nature of the Planets What a Chyroscopical horoscope or a Planetarian Manual of jugling legerdemain and superstitious imposture From the Magical characters of the heavens in the hand what Astrological prognostications or ominations not of corporal motions and temper and not onely of civil actions and events but even of spiritual affections and manners Is it by the help of art that they here probably conjecture Nay is it not by diabolical instinct that they here peremptorily vaticinate or ominate of long life short life marriage single life fortunity infortunity vertue and vice Yet for all that what 's here that is not as vainly observed and as ridiculously ominated and portended as in any other part of Physiognomie As a great thick hand signes one not onely strong but stout a little slender hand one not onely weak but timerous a long hand and long fingers betoken a man not onely apt for mechanical artifice but liberally ingenious but those short on the contrary note a foole and fit for nothing an hard braw●… hand signes dull and rude a soft hand witty but effeminate an hairy hand luxurious long joynts signe generous yet if they be thick withal not so ingenious the often clapping and folding of the hands note covetous and their much moving in speech loquacious an ambidexter is noted for ireful crafty injurious short and fat fingers mark a man out for intemperate and silly but long and leane for witty if his fingers crook upward that shewes him liberal if downward niggardly the lines spreading at the bottom joynt of the thumb signe contentious the line above the middle of the thumbe if it meet round about portends a hanging destiny many lines transverse upon the last joynt of the forefinger note riches by heirdome and right lines there are a note of a jovial nature lines in the points of the middle finger like a gridiron note a melancholly wit and unhappy if the signe on the little finger be conspicuous they note a good wit and eloquent but the contrary if obscure equal lines upon the first joynt of the ring-finger are marks of an happy wit long nayles and crooked signe one brutish ravenous unchaste very short nails pale and sharp shew him false subtile beguiling and so round nails libidinous but nails broad plain thin white and reddish are the tokens of a very good wit I say no more but could they respect the heart as well as the hand and not the substance but the qualities of it they might learn to speak the words of truth and sobernesse 5. Which way go the Physiognomists Metoposcopists and Chiromantists to work for all this observation and omination of theirs but either as they pretend from the cause to the effect And how is that but first judging and pronouncing the man or the member to be Saturnine Jovial Martial Solar Venereal Mercurial Lunar Or else from the effect to the cause as they say by collecting their horoscope from the habitude of the body And thus what do they but trifle and delude which way they please by inspections observations ominations predictions of manners and fortunes to the great dishonour of God and reproach of Nature were it not that their art is proved to be an absurd imposture both by reason experience vertue and Grace For what can they say but that passions and affections may break forth and shew themselves in the alterations of some outward parts What then Because they may do so in some parts will they therefore make all to be signifying and signing Nay and even in those parts where those eruptions or significations are it is but upon a present provocation will they then make such collections and presagitions by them as if they were habitually seated there But I am weary of these frivolous Artists I will therefore only turn them over to their own fautors who tell them plainly that it is not necessary nor of any rational consecution that the condition manners and studies and institutes of mans nature together with the propensions and agitations of his minde should be accommodated to external marks neither yet to be measured by any signal lineaments of his body Because a man may conceive and agitate many things inwardly in his minde whereof there is not the least shew or appearance outwardly in his body And because a man may be of an enormous body and distorted members and neverthelesse possesse a minde excellent in all good culture and on the contrary be of a decent and compleat frame or shape and yet of manners ugly and ill-favoured enough And that there is not the least reason nor any rule of truth for these their conjectures observations and ominations neither are they agreed among themselves about their own absurd sigments And therefore it is to be suspected that these nugacious kinds of men
do onely dote through the instinct of the devil drawing them from errour into su-perstition and from that into infidelity 6. Whether Augurizing auspicating and aruspicinating and all such heathenish observations and ominations were not founded upon Magick and Astrologie For not onely these descended from the Chaldeans to the Greeks and from them to the Hetrurians and from them to the Latines But there had never been very like neither faith in nor practise of any such had not the Artists taught that there are certain lights of praesagition descending from the coelestial bodies upon all inferiour creatures as certain signes in their motion site gesture flight voice colour meat c. So that omination or divination may well be made from the similitude and convenience betwixt them and the stars For beast and birds their parts and entrails their flyings and cryings c. How can these considered onely in themselves be causes of future events Yea how can they be so much as signes Unlesse they be taken as effects of some other causes that may cause or signe future things And what can they be but the coelestial motions And therefore they must prenuntiate future events in their conformity to the coelestial bodies and subjection to the disposition of the stars So that thus it is that they are brought to presage besides out of a natural instinct such things as may concern themselves as in storms and showers out of a preternatural and astral disposition such ominousaccidents as may befal others To have observed an old Augur seated on the top of his tower the ayre being cleer and cloudlesse with his Lituus in his hand quartering out the regions of the heavens c. who would not have taken him to have been an Astrologer And who would not take our Astrologers to be Augurs and Auspicinators that can fancy no more apt and comparable motion of the stars then that the stars flit and hover in the heavens just as the birds flie and flutter in the ayre 7. Whether the Cabalistical art was not the tradition of Rabbinish Magicians and Astrologers And what a shame is it that Magicians themselves should tell us that although the art be old yet the name and appellation is but of later invention and not known till imposed by and among Christians But it is well that they themselves will acknowledge it to be a certain Theurgical Magick and nothing else but a meer rapsodie of superstition a play of allegories and speculation of idle brains And indeed who can think otherwise of it When they teach that he who is expert in this Cabalistical Magick of names numbers letters characters symbols figures elements lines points accents spirits and other minute things all significative of the profoundest secrets he shal foreknow and foretel things future have power over Angels and Divels command whole nature make all things obey him as he will work miracles rule the heavens make the Sun stand still and go back divide the Sea dry up Rivers remove mountains raise the dead c. and all this at his own will and with lesse then a word 8. Whether the paganish Oracles were not founded upon Magick and Astrology or by Magicians and Astrologers And whether it be not confest by them that they could not ominate or give answer because the stars made not way for them 9. Whether the art called the Art Notorie had ever been so notorious but for Magick and Astrologie A'notorio●… art indeed and worthy to be noted with a black coal or a piece of the blackest art for all the white pretext Which is to attain unto science or knowledge not onely of things natural and moral but spiritual and divine by inspection of certain figures and characters and prolation of certain unknown words yea and by some pact solemn or secret with the devil not without the vain observations of certain superstitious acts and ceremonies in fasting prayers confessions humiliations invocations adorations upon certain days of the new Moon about Sun rising either in Churches houses barns fields or woods And so start upon a suddain by some inspiration or infused suggestion of an evil spirit prompting the mouth to speak like a Parrot but not enlightning the mind to apprehend or understand a preacher a teacher an expounder a prophesier predictor wiseman artist and that without any study labor hearing reading conference or other ordinary way of acquisite learning And so to boast himself illuminated and instructed like any Prophet Apostle or Angel of God And now it is agreed among themselves their Art shall no more be called the Notorious for in truth they neither conceive what they say while they are uttering nor remember it after they have uttered nor are able to give any reason of their faith or science that is in them or comes from them but the art Spiritual the Angelical yea the Pauline art For they are now gotten beyond Solomons way of wisdome and have already attained to revelation after an extatick and enthusiastick manner not unlike nay not unequal to that of Paul himself when he was wrapt into the third heavens Of this Diabolical Magical Necromantical Sortilegious Fanatical Art or injection fame is common as concerning a young man at this day in our neighbouring Country which I but onely intimate from the generall report as not being particularly informed thereof Onely I would ask of our Magical Planetarians what is the reason that they are so furious for the rooting out of the Ministry Is it not because they would set up others in their stead according to this their own Art of Ordination 10. Whether Alchymie that enticing yet nice harlot had made so many Fooles and Beggers had she not clothed or painted her selfe with such Astrological phrases and Magical practices But I let this Kitchin Magick or Chimney Astrology passe The sweltring drudges and smoaky sc●llions of it if they may not bring in new fewel to the fire are soon taught by their past observed folly to ominate their own late repentance But if they will obstinately persist in hope to sell their smoak let others beware how they buy it too dear 11. Whether Pericepts Amulets Praefisoinals Phylacteries Niceteries Ligatures Suspensions Charmes and Spels had ever been used applyed or carried about but for Magick and Astrologie Their supposed efficacy in curing diseases and preventing of perils being taught from their fabrication configuration and confection under such and such sydereal aspects conjunctions constellations 12. Whether many of the fantastick errors and opinions concerning the coming of Antichrist of the thousand yeers of the end of the world and of the day of judgement have not at least been renovated and promoted by Astrologers and Magigicians For these have been suspected by their friends such is their arted fury for dropping into enthusiastical and fanatical prophecies and predictions And we know they have undertaken to determine the time of the worlds durance and to foretel the day of judgement from the stars
and were they but well interrogated about the other two surely their all-seeing Art would not sit out CHAP. XXI From the singularity of Prophecy 1. WHether as it hath been a great pretext of humane curiosity so it hath not been a great defect of humane incuriousnesse in not discerning divine Prophecy but confounding it promi●cuously and synonymously with other prophane names and mysteries As Divination vaticination praenotion omination ariolation praesagition praediction prognostication conjectation c All which tearms are either of a bad acceptation or not good save onely in a civil sense and that but as touching some particulars onely whereas Prophecy simply is alwayes taken in the best Part neither is the act of prophecying nor the appellation of a Prophet attributed to any the whole Scriptures throughout that are not ●alled and approved of God Unlesse it be so ironically as that the context yea and the very adjuncts set forth a plain note of difference that they are only so called from their own presumption or else from a popular repute 2. Whether these sundry differences have not been observed concluded confessed betwixt divine Prophecy and divination in all the names and kinds viz. 1. Prophecy is from God a gift inspired by the Holy Spirit Divination is from the Devil a delusion suggested by an evil spirit 2 Prophecy was never but according to Gods Covenant Divination is seldomwithout a pact or covenant with the Devil 3. Prophecy is Gods consulting with the creature Divination is the creature consulting with the creature Or one is a consulting with God and not with the creature the other is a consulting with the creature and not with God 4. Prophecy is first motioned and freely offered by God Divination is temptingly and sorcerously sought for as was Balaams own way and not onely provoked but presumed also 5. Prophecy hath been concerning some special persons and their extraordinary actions Divination even the Magical and Astrological is ordinary for all men their manners and fortunes 6. Prophecy hath never been but of matters weighty and serious Divination hath often been of things vain and ludicrous 7. Prophecy is of those things that are necessary to be known Divination Magical and Astrological is of those things that are not necessary to be known 8. Prophecy is of those things that are onely known to God and cannot be known to others without Prophecy or Revelation Divination is either of those things that cannot be known by divination or else of those that may be known without it 9. Prophecy is of things true certain infallible because immediately from God the first cause Dvination is of things false and uncertain and but probable at most because either from the Devil or but from the creatures and second causes 10. Prophecy considers things in God and therefore is immovable Divination considers things in the creature and therefore must be mutable 11. No Prophet ever made himself the author of his own Prophecy but Thus saith the Lord c. But the Devil and Diviners arrogate their predictions to themselves and to the absolutenesse of their own Art 12. The gift of Prophecy ceased in the act But Divination they wil have to remain still in the Art 13. Prophecy is not a permanent habit but a transient act that the prophets themselvs might know and confesse that they had it not but by gift and occasionally according to Gods good pleasure for the prophecy came not at any time by the will of man 2. Pet. 1. 21. but Divination or Astrological prediction is a stated Art as they say and they may not onely study it but practise it at their own wills and pleasures 14. It is not for every Prophet to know every thing that is prophecyable But for so they pretend it is for any prognosticator to know any thing that is prognosticable 15. Prophets besides the Spirit of Prophecy may have the instincts of their own spirits which might sometimes deceive them But Diviners and Prognosticators besides the instinct of their own spirit are obnoxious to Satanical delusion whereby they often both are deceived and do deceive 16. Prophecy is true in the ground although it may fail in the effect because the principle thereof is the prime verity Divination though it take effect yet is it false both because of falsity in the author and ground and means and end 17. The prevention of things prophecyed argues no falshood or defect in Prophecy because God may reveal some things to his Prophets as in their second causes which may be impedited and some things might be prophesyed conditionally and with intent that they might be prevented however to be referred to Gods good and wise dispensation yea and the Prophets themselves were instructed and enabled to prophesie as well of their prevention as of their consecution But who can say so much of Divination 18. God may in mercy suffer a true Prophesie to be frustrated and in judgement may permit a false divination to take effect 19. The Prophets were sometimes prevented as touching their predictions of evils and judgements But the diviners and false prophets were frustrated in their predictions of blessings and good things 20. The Prophets foretold Gods judgements with grief and condoling wishing that they might rather be accounted for false Prophets then that such heavy things should be●all Gods people transgressing the Diviners and Prognosticators glory to presage confusion to Nations Kingdomes Churches Christians and are very little touched with the destruction of all or any so their predictions may take place 21. That Prophecy hath been prevented or failed in effect was meerly because of the liberty of Gods will but Divination or Astrological prediction may be defeated ●ven by the liberty of mans will alone 22. Prophecy enlightens the understanding and perfects it so does not Divination but onely after a confused manner alters the imagination 23. In Prophecy it is the intellect that moves the phantasie but in Divination it is the phantasie that moves the intellect For Prophecy illuminates immediately beginning at the mind and heart which divination cannot do because it begins at the senses and so to the phantasie to the imagination So that a Prophet understands his own Prophesie so doth not a diviner his own divination 24. Extasies of Prophets did not so abalienate their mindes as that they apprehended not what they did or said as indeed it is in the dementating furies of divination For theirs was onely but an abstraction of the minde from outward sensible and terrene things not a distraction of it within it self as in these 25. The Prophets mingled godly and wise instructions together with their Predictions that they might not seem to neglect the present by prying into the future both which are both the sloath and businesse of all prognosticating predictors 26. Prophesies serve to instruct all ages divinations instead of instructing have onely proved to distract present times and that 's all 27. The gift or grace of Prophecy
but universal not vocational onely but personal not an act common to reprobates but an habit peculiar to the Saints Not of propounding things of future times but of expounding the future things of eternity Be it in heaven or earth Prophecies shall fail when that which is perfect is come 1 Cor. 13. 8. In heaven they must needs fail because there 's no future to be contemplated or expected all is an eternal present And in the Church of Christ they must needs fail because there is no future truth not another Gospel to be expected the present truth is eternal Prophecie failed in the Church as did the other extraordinary and temporary gifts viz. Working of miracles and speaking with Tongues Neverthelesse I conceive God hath absolutely denyed his Church none of all these but that the Spirit may be pleased to stir up some men at some times and to some particulars to act in any of them if just cause and necessity be Yet though a man should be raised to prophesie now and that by the same Spirit I cannot think it to be by the same degree or authority of the Spirit as the former Prophets were Because the authority of the Spirit in them was not onely prophetical or historical but sapiential and dogmatical And so their prophesies were recorded not onely for a particular and certain prediction of truth but for an universal and perpetual instruction of Faith And therefore either there must be no end of adding to the Scriptures or else none such must now be raised There may be some prudential predictings of good men and suspicious presagings of evil men and shrewd conjecturings of common men but what are all these to the prophesyings of holy men of God in old time Yet we say Gods hand is not shortned but that he can still raise up such but who can say that he will do it Or that there is just cause why he should so do We conclude therefore in the general that Prophecy is ceast And that of an extraordinary gift at first it is become more extraordinary to after ages What reason then have we to be so blind of Faith as to admit of a stated art of divination in its stead CHAP. XXII From the rarity of Miracles 1 WHether every thing that is affected above besides or against the course and order faculty and power hope and expectation of nature may truly be said to be miraculous Not every thing 1. Because it is not a thing effected against particular nature but against whole nature that makes a Miracle 2. Because in particular nature there are antipolliges or occult qualities of actives and passives naturally acting or disposed to act one against another 3. Because it is neither nature acting contrary to some part of her self nor is it Art urging or tempting Nature but it is God totally exceeding the law vertue and order of Nature that makes it to be a Miracle 4. Because many things may be done against Nature or natural propensity which notwithstanding are but ordinary and trivial as the causing of heavy things to ascend upwards c. 5. Because there are many sins and vices that are against Natures law and vertue which who will say that they are miraculous Therefore we conclude against Magical Mirabilaries that although every Miracle be an act or effect above Nature yet every act or effect besides or against Nature is not a Miracle 2. Whether that may absolutely be said to be a Miracle whose effect is manifest and whose cause is occult or unknown to us No. Except it be acted simply by the first cause and for causes onely known to him 2. Except it exceeds all mans exact knowledge indifferently one as well as another 3. Except the cause be altogether past such finding out even to sober and prudential observation art industry Otherwise it should not be a Miracle so as it is in itself but so as it appears to us Our ignorance should necessarily come into the cause of Miracles That should be miraculous to one man which is not so to another And a prophane curiosity of Art would boast of more light and experiment in divine works then indeed is vouchsafed to the perswasion of a pious faith 3. Whether the power of working Miracles be not proper to God alone This must be affirmed and cannot be denyed 1. Because He onely can work a Miracle of himself to whom nothing is a Miracle 2. Because He onely can work against the order of Nature and second causes whose will is sufficient to institute Order alter all things 3. Because God is a transcendent and is not under nor yet within the predicament of any part of the whole order of Nature as the creature is and therefore he onely can act that against and besides above the order of Nature which the creature cannot 4. Because a divine power requires not a subject to work upon for it is able to create all things of nothing neither looks it at the possibility or propensity of that subject to the producing of the effect as every created power doth 5. Because the proper cause of a Miracle must not onely be uncreated infinite omnipotent indeterminate c. But it must also be occult unsearchable incomprehensible now no cause is simply so but the hidden God himself 6. Because it cannot be a Miracle unless it be absolutely and universally wonderful or to be equally admired of all creatures of the same kinde Now it is onely for God and neither for Angels or men to do such things as shall be admirable to their fellows and not so to themselves 7. Because if any other could work Miracles but God or but by God then Miracles could not be the indubitable signes and proofs of a God nor of Gods Word and Truth 4. Whether the good Angels can do Miracles Ministerially and instrumentally they may but not principally and authoritatively For Angels are finite both in their nature apprehension and power And divine Miracles absolutely considered are as strange and wonderful to them as they are to us men Yet Angels out of the vertue and perspicuity of their own nature may know how to do many things that may seem miraculous or be marveilous to us Because they are a superior power or vertue unknown to us and may have a particular power over inferiours not known to us and therefore may act above besides against the particular order of Nature that is known to us But being part of whole created nature themselves they cannot act against it the main reason of a Miracle for so they should act against themselves 5. Whether Devils can do Miracles If not Angels much lesse devils Neither doth the Lord make use of the devils to be instruments of his mighty works as he doth of the Angels For Miracles were never intended or effected immediately or mediately but for the confirmation of the truth to which the devils are no apt instruments because all that they do is with
therefore in every work and application of things affect vehemently imagine hope and believe strongly for that will be a great help Therefore he that works in Magick must be of a constant belief be credulous and not doubt at all of the obtaining the effect 13. The Arabians say that mans minde when it is most intent upon any work through its passion and effects is joyned with the mind of the stars and intelligences and being so joyned is the cause that some wonderful vertue be infused into our works and things And according to this is verifyed the Art of Characters Images Inchantments and some speeches and many other wonderful experiments to every thing which the minde affects For all those things which the minde acts and dictates by characters figures words speeches gestures and the like help the appetite of the soul and acquire certain wonderful vertues as from the soul of the Operator in that hour when such a like appetite doth invade it so from the opportunity and coelestial influence moving the mind in that manner And it is a general rule in them that every minde that is more excellent in its desire and affections makes such like things more fit for it self as also more efficacious to that which it desires Every one therefore that i● willing to work in Magick must know the vertue measure order and degree of his own soul in the power of the universe 14. Those words are of greater efficacy then others which represent greater things as intellectual coelestial supernatural as more expresly so more mysteriously Also those that come from a more worthy tongue or from any of a more holy order for these as it were certain signes and representations receive a power of coelestial and supercoelestial things as from the vertue of things explained of which they are the v●hicula so from a power put into them by the vertue of the speaker 15. Proper Names of things are very necessary in magical operations Hence Magicians say that proper Names of things are certain rayes of things every where present at all times keeping the power of things as the essence of the thing signified rules and is discerned in them and know the things by them as by proper and living images According to the properties of the influences proper Names result to things Every voyce therefore that is significative first of all signifies by the influence of the coelestial harmony Secondly by the imposition of man although oftentimes otherwise by this then by that But when both significations meet in any voice or name which are put upon them by the said harmony or men then that name is with a double vertue viz. Natural and arbitrary made most efficacious to act as oft as it shall be uttered in due place and time and seriously with an intention exercised upon the matter rightly dispofed and that can naturally be acted upon by it 16. In compo●ing of verses and orations for the attracting the vertue of any star or Deity you must diligently consider what vertues any star containes as also what effects and operations and to infer them in verses by praysing extolling amplifying and setting forth those things which such a kind of star is wont to cause by way of its influence and by vilifying and dispraising those things which it is wont to destroy and hinder And by supplicating and begging for that which we desire to get and by condemning and detesting that which we would have destroyed and hindred And after the same manner he make an elegant oration and duely distinct by Articles with competent numbers and proportions 17. Moreover Magicians command that we call upon and pray by the names of the same star or name to them to whom such a verse belongs by their wonderfull things or miracles by their courses and waies in their sphere by their light by the dignity of their kingdome by the beauty and brightness that is in it by their strong and powerfull vertues and by such like as these Besides with the divers sorts of the names of the stars they command us to call upon them by the names of the Intelligences ruling over the starres themselves 18. Magicians command that in every worke there be imprecations and inscriptions made by which the Operator may expresse his affection That if hee gather an herbe or a stone he declare for what use he doth it if he make a picture he say and write to what end he maketh it 19. When thou art working any thing which belongs to any planet thou must place it in its Dignities fortunate and powerfull and ruling in the day houre and in the figure of the Heaven Neither shalt thou expect the signification of the worke to be powerfull but also thou must observe the Moon opoortunely directed to this for thou sh●lt doe nothing without the assistance of the Moon And if thou hast more patternes of thy work observe them all c. 20. Thou shalt observe that the Angles of the Ascendant and a tenth and Seventh be fortunate as also the Lord of the Ascendent and place of the Sunne and Moon and the place of part of the Fortune and the Lord thereof and the Lord of the foregoing conjunction and prevention c. 21. Magicians advise us that in casting or in graving Images we would write upon it the name of the effect and this upon the back when evill as destruction on the belly when good as love Moreover in the forehead of the Image let be written the name of the species or individuum which the Image represents or for whom or against whom it is made Also on the breast let the name of the signe or face ascending and the Lord thereof be written also the names and characters of its Angles Moreover in making the Image they advise that prayer for the effect for which it is made bee used Now they use the Images being made diversly according to the vertues thereof Sometimes they hang them or bind them to the body sometimes they bury them under the earth or a River sometimes they hang them in a chimney over the smoak or upon a tree that they may be moved by the wind sometimes with the head upward and sometimes downward sometimes they put them into hot water or into the fire For they say as the workers of the Images do affect the Image it selfe so doth it bring the like passions upon those to whom it was ascribed as the mind of the Operator hath dictated it 22. To make one fortunate we make an image in which these are fortunate viz. the significator of the life thereof the givers of the life the signes and planets Moreover to the Ascendant the middle of the heaven and the Lords thereof be fortunate also the place of the Sunne and place of the Moon part of Fortune and Lord of conjunction or prevention made before their nativity by depressing the malignant planets But if we will make an Image to procure misery
Moon and Mercury But Archimedes and the Chaldaeans place the Sunne the fourth in order Anaximander Metrod●rus Chius and Crates say that the Sunne is the supreame of all after which the Moon and beneath these the rest errant and inerrant Xenocrates thinks that all the Stars are moved in one and the same superficies and they discord no lesse about the magnitude and distance of the Sunne the Moon and the rest of the Stars Neither is there any constancy of opinion amongst them about the Celestials nor yet truth neither is that any marvell seeing the Heaven it selfe which they search is of all other most inconstant and most replenished with trifles and fables for the very Twelve signes and the rest of the Boreall and Australl images had never ascended up to heaven but by Fables And yet the Astrologers live by these Fables and impose them upon others and make a gain thereby But the Poats in the mean while the egregious inventors of them grow poore and hungry There remaines yet another species of Astrologie which they call the Divinatory or the Judiciary which treats of the revolutions of the yeers of the world of nativities of questions of elections of intentions and cogitations of vertues or powers for the foretelling casting up eschuing or repelling the events of all things future even of the secret dispositions of divine providence it selfe Hereupon the Astrologers doe mart or vent the effects of the Heavens and the Stars from yeers most remote and before all memory of things or the times of Prometheus or as they say from the great conjunctions before the Flood And they affirm that the effects forces motions of all living creatures stones metals herbs and whatsoever things in these inferiours doe flow from these same Heavens and Starres and doe altogether depend upon them and may be searched out by them Verely these are incredulous men and not lesse impious in not acknowledging this one thing that God had already made the Herbs Plants and Trees even before the Heavens and Stars Moreover the most grave Philosophers as Pythagoras Democritus Bion Favorinus Panaetius Carneades Possidonius Timaeus Aristoteles Plato Plotinus Porphyrius Avicenna Averroes Hippocrates Galenus Alexander Aphrodisaeus Cicero Seneca Plutarch and many more who have searched the causes of things from every Art and Science yet never remit us to these Astrologicall causes which although they were causes yet because they plainly knew not the courses of the Stars and their forces which is a thing most known to all wise men they therefore cannot give a certain judgement of their effects Neither are there wanting among them as Eudoxus Archelaus Cassandrus Hoychilax Halicarnassaeus most skilfull Mathematicians and many other modern and most grave Authors which confesse that it is impossible that any thing certain should be found out concerning the science of such judgements both because of innumerable other causes cooperating together with the Heavens which must be attended together for so Ptolomy bids as also because very many occasions doe hinder them as namely customes manners education shame command place geniture blood meat liberty of mind and discipline seeing these influxes compell not as they say but incline Furthermore they who have prescribed the rules of judgements doe for the most part determine such diverse and repugnant things of the same matter that it is impossible for a prognosticator to pronounce any thing certaine from so many and so various and dissonant opinions unlesse there be in him some intrinsicall sense of things future and occult or some instinct of presage or rather occult and latent inspiration of the Devill by which among these he may be able to discerne or may be induced by some other way to adhere now to this now to that opinion which instinct whosoever wanteth he as Haly saith cannot be a Tel-troth in Astrologicall judgements Wherefore now Astrologicall prediction must consist not so much of Art as by a kind of obscure lot or chance of things And as in the books or games of Lottery sometimes such an one is drawn forth as speaks truth and hits right yet not by art but by chance so it is by chance and not by art that vaticinations come forth truely either from the mind or the mouth of an Astrologer To which Ptolomy attests saying the science of the Stars is from thee and from them meaning that the prediction of things future and occult is not so much from the observation of the Stars as from the affections of the mind Therefore is there no certainty of this Art but it is convertible to all things according to the opinion which is collected by conjectures or imagination or an imperceptible suggestion of Devils or some superstitious lot or chance This art therefore is no other then a fallacious conjecture of superstitious men who through the use of long time have made a science of uncertain things in which for the beguiling men of their money they may deceive the unskilfull and may also be deceived themselves And if the Art of these men be true and be understood by themselves whence then bubble out so many and so great errors in their prognostications But if it be not so doe they not vainly and foolishly and impiously to professe a science of things that are not or not understood But the more cautelous of them pronounce not upon futures save obscurely and such as may be applied to everything and time and Prince and Nation Out of a versatile artifice doe they feyne ambiguous prognosticks and after that any of them shall happen then doe they gather the causes thereof and after the fact or effect then doe they establish old vaticinations with new reasons to the intent they may seem to have foreseen Just as the interpreters of dreames who when they have a dream understand nothing of it for certain but after that something is hapned unto them then doe they adopt the dream to that which hapned Furthermore seeing it is impossible in such a variety of Stars but to finde some of them well some of them ill posited hereupon they take occasion of speaking what they please and to whom they will they predict life health honours riches power victory soundnesse off-spring marriage Priesthood Magistracy and the like but if they be ill affected to any to them they denounce deaths hangings reproaches destructions banishments barrennesse desolation calamities c. not so much out of a wicked art as out of wicked affections drawing on to destruction those men that are credulous to these impious curiosities and oft times committing among themselves both Princes and people in deadly seditions and warres I● that Fortune fall in with their prognosticks and among so many ambiguous things if that one or other of them happen to be true it is a wonder then to behold how they bristle being crest-swolne and how most insolently they predicate their own predictions But though they lie daily and be convinced of lying then they excuse