That it may be judged by the stars of a mans conscience of the most secret scruples and inward feelings of it 42. That by the stars it may be judged of mans love towards God and of Gods again towards him 43. That Astrologicall predictions may be made infallibly as concerning life everlasting 44. That every kind of Divination is to be received and honoured as a token of Gods benign providence 45. That Magicall and Astrologicall prediction is a gift of that nature as was the gift of healing and speaking with tongues 46. That prophecy the divine inspired prophecy is to be attributed to the influences of the stars 47. That that which in nature first exerciseth Magicall efficacy is the voice of God 48. That the Hebrew Letters are the most efficacious of all to Magicall and Astrologicall operation because they have the greatest similitude with celestials and the world and because of the vertues of their numbers which he that shall know shall be able in every language to draw forth wonderfull misterys by their Letters as also to tell what things have been past and foretell things to come 49. That the sign of the Cross hath very great power and that is the most firm receptacle of all the celestiall powers and intelligences and is inspired with the fortitude of the celestials 50. That the stars are most potent when they make a cross by the projection of their rayes mutually 51. That God ordained it so that men should live so long in the beginning of the world on purpose that they might perfect their Astrologicall observations and transmit them to posterity 52. That the Heavens are a Book wherein is written in legible Characters all things that shall happen in the world from the beginning to the end and not only so but that the names of good children and elect are there and thus written 53. That in the seaven Planets there are seaven Spirits governing the world by turns 354 years and four months a piece from the first creation to the last dissolution And those seven Spirits in those seven Planets working all changes and chances in the world 54. That mens sins and iniquities doe proceed necessarily from the stars for they not only signify but cause the same 55. That it is not mans will that commits adultery but Venus nor that commits murder but Mars nor that commits theft but Mercury 56. That all mens actions good or bad and the events of either doe by an indissoluble bond depend necessarily upon the motions of the stars as the Lords of fate and are therefore to be worshipped 57. That there are Angels or Spirits which have their residence in the stars and may not amiss be prayed unto 58. That the stars being prayed unto doe hear our prayers and bestow celestiall gifts not so much by any naturall agreement as of their own free will 59. That he who shall make any prayer the Moon conjoyned with Jupiter in Leo shall be sure to obtain of God whatsoever he askes 60. That the direfull and malignant Planets are to be appeased and made propitious by Sacrifices 61. That it is lawfull to conjure up Devils seeing they are ordained to be ministring spirits for the service of the Faithfull 62. That Mars being happily constituted in the ninth heaven gives power to expell Devils 63. That a man who hath Mars happily posited in a new Housâ—â— may by his sole presence expell the Devill out of the obsessed 64. That a man cannot overcome the Devils temptations but by Magicall experiments 65. That conjunctions and influxes of the stars are potent not only to raise dead bodies but to make their souls appear visible 66. That by Magicall and Mathematicall vertue the same body and the same soul are united together again in 440. years 67. That there be two Planets the authors of all humane felicity Venus of this present life and Jupiter of the life to come 68. That Saturn placed in Leo frees mens souls from afflictions here on earth and brings them to Heaven where they had their first beginning Now what naturall truth of a divining art that hath begotten and broached such Heresies and Blasphemies against the supernaturall and divine truth it self CHAP. XVI 16. From the Cursedness of Consequents 1. WHo dares deny but that as all manner of impieties and iniquities are the vile adjuncts and attendants so all manner of Plagues and judgments are the just consequents and issues not only upon those that profess and practise Divination but those also that assent and attend thereto Levit. 19. 31. Deut. 13. 12 〈◊〉 18. 12. Levit. 20. 6. Isa 19. 34. Jer. 27 15. 50. 35 36. Ezek. 13. 8. 9. 2. Whether through Magick and Astrologie the stars became not the first objects of Idolatry and consequently whether Idolatrous worship came not to be terminated upon other inferior creatures at first by the means of their constellated fabrication Nay whether Astrologicall Divination and Magicall Fabrication be not guilty of causing a double Idolatry both in making stars Idols and making Idols stars 3. Whether it was not the main end upon often record in profane Authors that the vaticinators and Soothsayers took upon them as it were a Religious office of interpreting prodigies and portents found or feigned in heaven or earth on purpose to injoyn and promote Idolatrous Sacrifices and Supplications 4. Whether the Mythologie or fabulous fictions of Poets the Paganish Theologie arose not meerly by the means of Magick and Astrologie and mens fanaticall opinions and commentations thereupon As of Saturn devouring his own children c. Of Atlas bearing the heavens with his shoulders c. It were long to instance particularly in all the fables of Saturn Jupiter Mars Apollo Mercury Venus Diana Orion Orpheus Tyresias Atreus Thyestes Daedalus Icarus Phaeton Endymion Pasiphae Castor Pollux Calisto Arcas Andromeda Aquila Ganymedes c. How numberless are the Poeticall fables that have risen from Astrologie or else Astrologie from those fables yea and the Astrologers stars themselves Else besides those of Aries Taurus Scorpio Aquarius c. Let them say if those be not most egregious ones of Orion Cassiope the Pleiades Hyades the Dolphin Eagle Swan the Goat that nourisht Jupiter Aridne's Crown Orpheus his harp Phrixus his fleece the Argonautes ship Silenus Ass and the Asses Crib all taken up to be stars 5. Whether more and greater superstitions have been begotten in mens minds by any things else than by Magick and Astrologie Making men so superstitious in marrying eating drinking buying selling sleeping rising riding giving comming besides believing assenting hoping presuming consulting fearing distrusting desparing c. 6. Whether Magâ—ck and Astrologie tend not utterly to rob and spoyl men of all Christian Liberty Rendring their very consciences scrupulous in the free and moderate use of the creature perplexed in naturall morall civill prudentiall and artificiall actions and timorous of fate destiny fortune casualty and the like 7. Whether fatidicall Astrologie work
intent to seduce therefrom The devils indeed have a faculty and sagacity both much enabled by long experience in things above us men and so may work in many things to amaze as well as delude us But such stupendous and prodigious â—acts as they by divine permission busie themselves about are no true Miracles because false either as touching the reality of the effect or else the sincerity of the intent And for the reality of effect it is not so much thanks to their admirable power or manner of working as to the natural though secret disposition of the matter they work upon Neither are they permitted often to work any reality of effect but onely to delude with prestigious appearances because God seldom suffers Nature or the creature to be so blemished or abused And though they had a liberty to effect really in things to be admired yet so false is their disposition they would chuse and labour to be prestigious And where they are tempted or urged as they say by Art to do those things that are not within their power or permission there are they forced to be prestigious and delusory for the saving of their credit amongst their own Now this prestigiousnesse or illusion whether freely from themselves or as it were forced by others is a signe of their impotency as well as their fallacy and either of them are a sufficient argument to exclude them utterly from a power of working Miracles And therefore if they will needs be contending for the devils power in and by Magicians Astrologers Necromancers Conjurers Witches c. We leave both them theirs to their lyingwonders 6. Whether there be any such secrets in Nature as whereby to work Miracles Although it be confest that there are sundry admirable secrets hidden in Natures bosome yet we must professe that her hand is here shortned Because it is the nature of a Miracle to exceed Natures power It must be above besides against Nature and not particular onely but universal or whole created Nature Though a Miracle be wrought in Nature yet it must be quite beyond Natures principles law order Nature of it self must not so much as incline or dispose to it Yea it must be in the very nature of the thing to be otherwise thâ—n the Miracle hath made it Alwayes the more alien the effect is to Nature and the more remore from Natures order the greater is the Miracle and the more to be admired Wherefore we conclude against those Mirions who would make themselves to be Natures Apes that not onely any particular nature is not able to worke a Miracle besides or against the order of whole Nature but the vertue even of whole Nature is not able to worke a Miracle upon any particular nature whatsoever 7. Whether Miracles may be wrought by Art The flat Negative is to be concluded upon these Arguments 1. Art cannot exceed Nature Now Nature in all her mirables is but Miracles Ape and Art is but Natures Ape what then are the Magical Mirabilaries at most but Apes of Art 2. The strength of Art is acquisite the vertue of Miracles is infusd 3. An Art operates onely according to reason and knowledge but a Miracle altogether above them 4. Art effects nothing but according to ordinary rules observations experiments customs but a Miracle is so extraordinary that it were no Miracle except it were effected contrary to all these 5. Art for the most part is of necessaries a Miracle for the most part is of contingents 6. If Art served to worke Miracles then were the power of them acquiâ—ite arbitrary of mans will and industry yea one man might do Miracles as well as another 7. None of Gods servants ever wrought Miracles by Art 8. If it were in the Artists power it should be a Miracle to one man and not to another 9. Prophane men and the greatest ten pters of God the Devil and Nature should so do most Miracles 10. Art rather serves to prevent many things for seeming Miraculous because it helps to finde out the suddain cause For either it lets to understand the cause or not if it doth not then it is no Art if it doth then it is no Miracle 8. Whether it be lawful necessary convenient not onely for the working of Miracles but for the finding out of Mirables to operate either by Art or violence against the order plac't in Nature Doubtlesse it is no furthâ—…r lawful then it may be either necessary or convenient That is probably and directly tending to some publike or private use or benefit Nature may have many pretty mirables which they title Admired Auditions Natural history Mirables of the world Occult Miracles of Nature Occult Philosophie subtilities and varieties of things secrets mysteries memorables unheard of curiosities c. Yet for all that are they not such as Magicians fain or fable in animals plants herbs stones c. Nor are they a many of them so mirable in themselves as either to mens fancies or ignorances Her actives and passives simpathies and antipathies are so â—ccult and profound as who can tell where to finde them or how to apply them so as to urge Nature by the help of Art to worke wonders Who can do such a thing especially make it his trade profession ostentation so to do and not be subject to or guilty of tempting God provoking the Devil tormenting Nature abusing the creature losing time disparaging himself and deluding the world It is for none but God to worke absolutely against the order of whole created Nature because he could have instituted another order of Nature And all things are subject to him not so much from a necessity of Nature and second causes as according to the absolutenesse of his own power and liberty of his own will And it is for none to undertake to alter the order of particular Nature but in by under and for God yea I may say according to God and not otherwise As. 1. God acteth not against the order of nature in any particular of it save onely upon just and weighty causes how then dare prophane men offer to do such a thing joculatorily jugglingly to make sport and pastime or yet for no other end or use but vain and idle experiments sake or onely to feed or satisfie vain and presumptuous curiosity 2. God though he may act against that order which one creature hath to another yet acts he not against that order which the creature hath to himself For should he act against the order of nature as it depends upon himself he should so act against himself in like manner neither ought man to act against the order of nature or of the creature so far forth as it depends upon God nor yet so far forth as it is not intended by God to be serviceable and useful unto men 3. God acts not against the law and course of nature so as to violate his own great Law sc that of his wisdome goodnesse justice
experimenting Augur And is not that such a Prognosticating Sooth-sayer or Sooth-saying Prognosticator as doth it only from his own conjecture and hath nothing to proove it but meerly the experiment 4. Who is a Witch Not only he that acts by a diabolicall compact and power but he that acts praestigiously and delusively upon any part of nature whatsoever Such were the Magicians of Egypt Exod 7. 11. And if they will rest with the Rabbinicall description of the word and the man that is meant by it it signifies such an one as professeth the art of the Stars to deduce a Genius down from heaven and inâ—ice it by certain characters and figures fabricated at certain hours and under certain courses of the Stars and so using or imploying it to any mans commodity or discommodity as he listeth yea and for the presagition and praediction of things hidden absent and future 5. Who is a Charmer He that useth spels figures characters ligatures suspensions conjurations or as the word it self speaketh conjoyneth conjunctions Now if you aske what kind of conjunctions I answer besides that with the Devill in a compacted confederacy and that with those of their own society why not those also amongâ—t the Starrs and Planets Seeing those also are conjunctions of mens own conjoyning that is made to conspire to those significations and events to which themselves were never yet agreed 6. Who is a consulter with familiar spirits What he that hath consociation with a wretched Imp or confariation with a petty Maisterell or that mutters and mumbles from a Spirit in a bottle in a bag or in his own belly or he that interrogates such a Familiar either mediately by consulting and assenting or immediatly by tempting and provoking Yea and he too that can whisper if not with the Spirits that rule in the ayr yet with those spirits which he sayes not only move but animate the celestiall bodyes And then proclame you a pleasing presage if you will but fill either his bottle or his belly or his bag For he tells you the Spirit will not speak to your advantage if these be empty 7. Who is a Wizzard A cunning man a wise-man a Magician an Artist or in truth a Sciolist That is one whose idle speculation of vain curiosities makes him arrogantly to presume or superstitiously to be presumed to know and foreknow that which in good earnest he knows not neither is well and throughly able to judge of it after it is now not unknown to all For saving the sagacâ—ty of Satans suggestions he knows as much by the understanding of a reasonable man as he doth by the corner of a Chimera-beast Ask the Rabbinicall Magician and he has so much understanding as to tell you what is meant by that I count the Jewish wizzardly fable not here worth the relating no though the wizzard himself be translated from it 8. who is a Necromancer He that takes upon him to Presage or Divine to the living from the dead idest Dead corps dead sacrifices dead idols dead pictures dead figures yea and dead or liveless Signes and Planets too The Holy Ghost uses other words plain enough expressing both their votes and feats or arts and acts Exod. 7. 11. Isay 47. 13. Ezek. 21. 21 22. Hos 4. 12. Dan. 5 11. to let them understand it is not in all their evasion to escape his comprehension yea and that in some such words as were otherwise of honest signification and laudable use To let them know again that it is not the arrogation or attribution of a good name or tearm that can make it a good art or lawfull profession And therefore they have small cause to glory in usurping to themselves such an appellation as the Scripture sometimes retains in a middle acception But have I not said enough both to include them according to the scope of the place as also to exclude them according to the tenour of the case I have here handled Isa 41. 21 22 23 24. Produce your cause saith the Lord bring forth your strong reasons saith the King of Jacob. Let them bring them forth and shew us what shall happen Let them shew the former things what they be that we may consider them and know the latter end of them or declare us things for to come Shew the things that are to come hereafter that we may know that ye are Gods yea doe good or doe evill that we may be dismayed and behold it together Behold ye are of nothing and you work of nought an abomination is he that chooseth you Whether the Devill and his prognosticating Divines be able to indure the disquisition and examination of God and of his divine Prophets Produce your cause make manifest if you can your whole art and profession Wherefore doe ye adjure one another to Sorcerie in your half-hinted mysteries are neither God nor good men capable of them nor worthy to receive them Come produce your causes let us hear what naturall causes there can be for your so peremptory predictions upon arbitrary notions and fortuitous events Bring forth your strong men your Artists and your strong reasons the true Demonstrations of your Art Let them the Idols their Oracles Augurs and all the aruspicate Presagers bring forth into reall art or effect and shew us by true propositions what shall happen by way of contingent or meer accident Let them shew the former things what they be For if they be ignorant of things past heretofore how can they be intelligent of things future or that shall be hereafter And if things past be not yet present to them doubtless things to come are farre absent from them But let them shew the former things that we may consider them How recollect them as if out of our mind and memory Nay that we may see whether their recollection of them be worth our consideration Or set our heart upon them to give credit or assent unto them And know the latter end of them For if they can recall things from the first they are the better able to inform us what shall become of them to the very last And if things be present to them from the beginning we may the rather believe them that things are not absent or hidden from them as touching their latter end Or declare us things for to come If they be blind behind so that they cannot look back but have only their eyes in their foreheads to see before them then let them even as concerning those things make us to hear sc both infuse a faith and bind a conscience to believe them as touching the futures which they take upon them to foretell What talk ye of some immediate and imminent probables such as even sense may ghesse at or present hopes or fears easily suggest Shew the things that are to come hereafter Manifest your prescience of things aâ—ar off as well as your present sense of things neer at hand But alas ye are not able certainly to
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
contingent if it once be plainly foreseen or certainly foretold Because the nature and property of a meer contingent is to be so both in respect of the active and of the passive power viz. unknown sudden indeterminate incogitate rare seldome alike potentiall not actuall not necessary from no naturall or necessary cause And all this yet more especially when the externall contingent or accident depends upon the internall contingent the arbitrariness or liberty of the will and actions 28. How can a contingent be foreknown or foreseen that is seen before it be seen In as much as the knowledge of such a thing is primarily and directly to the senses and but secondarily and accidentally to the understanding 29. How the positions and motions of the stars can either cause or sign a future contingent when as divine providence disposes of both these after a quite contrary manner For the positions and motions of the stars are disposed of according to a necessity that they must needs so be but future contingents are disposed of according to a contingency that they may be otherwise or may not be at all The Stars as they are so they work Now what congruity betwixt a necessary cause and a contingent effect 30. Are not Fate and Fortune two contraries and respectively two inconsistencies how then are the Stars the mistresses both of Fate and Fortune in one and the same effect And how can there be one way of predicting a thing of absolute necessity and of meer contingency 31. For as much as the same Starres or Planets have not the same aspects or conjunctions in all places and some starres are to be discerned in one place and not in another Now then must not the judiciall Astrologer make his judgement either from one place and not from another or else must he not be in many places at once to make his observation compleat Or else what judgement can he make 32. Seeing the heavens and starres are so distant the eye-sight so infirm and the senses so oft deceived in the proper object and the Artists observation tyed up to one single and weak sense Is it not now with starre-gazers peeping at the Planets as with Saylors to whom the Earth Castles Woods and Mountains doe seem to move and as things single afarre off seem double and black things white or white things black and as a straight oar part in the water and part out of it appears crooked and broaken what certain judgement then can here be to reason from a solitary sense so easily and oft deceived 33. Since things inanimate or livelesse are naturally subordinate and subject to things of life things lively to things sensible things sensible to things reasonable and things reasonable to things spirituall how comes it to passe that men should be bound and constrained by the starres and Devills through the starres bound and compelled by Men What reason can the Magician give for this binding of devills and Spirits and the Astrologer for this binding of men and wills For to me it seems unreasonable rhat unreasonable creatures such as the starres are should have the Dominion and power assigned over reasonable Souls 34. Whether both the swiftness and the slowness of the starres motions hinder not their influences and impressions upon inferior and sublunary matters at leastwise inhibit not the observation above all forbid not the prognostication thereupon For if as themselves have sayd the heavenly bodyes move with such concitation and celerity as to change their face ten thousand times a day how is it possible there should either be any impression on the starres part or observation on the Artists and art in a transiency so imperceptible 35. In as much as the starres move so rapidly as in a poynt or moment of time and every point or moment of time makes an immense alteration in the heavens and every point of alteration is of moment to alter the Constellation and the least altering of the Constellation occasions a vast aberration to the Calculator Adde to all these how hard it is to observe and compare the points and moments of the Childs birth What point of discretion was it then to make any matter of moment of a Genethliacks calculation 36. What naturall reason is to be rendred why the starres should be more notable for influentially operating and efficaciously inclining at the point of the edition parturition or birth and not rather in the generation conception formation delineation animation besides the whole course of life and conservation Since not in that but in these is the great operation of the vitall spirits the disposition mixture and temper of the Elements the composition constitution union and perfection of the whole Will they have their Planets to respect more an extrinsecall act than the intrinsecall more an accidentall and adventitiall than the essentiall and substantiall more a lesse principall than the more principall acts Is not this somewhat semblable to that superstitious observation for a man to measure his fortune or successe that day by his first setting his foot over the threshold or stepping forth of his own doors 37. Whether doe those starres bear more sway that rule at the beginning or those that rule at the end of a business would not one impute most to them that are in force at the making up of the match Wherefore then doe they teach men not only so superstitiously but so preposterously to look only to those starres that reign at the undertaking of an enterprize and not to heed those rather that have the dominion at the dispatch 38. Are the starres only signing things future and not designing things present And doe the ruling Planets enact decrees and make lawes contrary to all other Rulers only to be in force or take effect after their own deposition or decease Else how is it that the conjunction or constellation at the Birth should be so powerfull at the death it self being past and as it were decreast long before Suppose there be a malign and exitiall aspect at the Birth and a benign and auspicious in the life and so at the death why may not the fortunateness of the latter prevail so farre as to prevent the infortunity of the former Unless it be so that these Planetary dominations I mean Aspects Positions Conjunctions Constellations govern not by their present power but by the lawes of their predecessors 39. Whether the life and being of one mans nativity be depending not upon his own but upon the Constellation of another mans Nativity For if it be not so how then can the Caloulator or Birth-caster tell that such a man shall have so many wives or that such woman shall have so many husbands but that the very lives of the one must needs be subordinate and subjected to the fortunes of the other 40. Whether the Horoscope or the Ascendant in the birth of one particular person doth comprehend the judgement of the whole disposition of a Country Kingdome or
travell toyl plow sow obey submit c 32. Whether the prediction or prenotion of things future makes not men more careless and slothfull both in publick affairs and in the works of private callings For if they be evill does not the fear of them make men saint and if they be good does not the presumption of them make men secure How many have let goe the present substance with looking after the future shadow 33. Whether Physick or Medicine the ordinary means of health being applyed according to art hath not been greatly dishonoured yea and infected by the charming cures of words syllables sounds numbers characters configurations ligatures suspensions c And whether these have not provoked God to suspend his blessing and the naturall vertues of vegetables and minerals And what Magicall practitioner in Physick but tempted God tyred nature deluded minds bewitched bodies and endangered souls 34. What Husbandmen that regarded the Astrologicall Ephemerides in his rurall occupation of plowing sowing c. ever reapt the inward satisfaction of his conscience or an outward harvest answerable to his expectation but in stead of filling either his hand or his bosome sat down empty of them both 35. Whether the Magicall Astrologicall Daemoniacall Atheisticall abuse of the stars against nature and providence be not the most fearfull sign and prognostication that divâ—ne providence is putting an end even to the naturall use of the stars And that he is near about to shake the powers of heaven to make the stars fall from heaven to cause the Sun to be darkned and the Moon no more to give her light and to shorten these dayes and to bring to appearance the sign of the Son of man that the elect may not be deceived as the world hath been with the lying signs of the Sons of men CHAP. XVII 17. From the propension to manners 1. IF this be the order of Astrologicall judgement to proceed from the Planets to the temper from the temper to manners from manners to actions from actions to events Now say that this calculatory chain be not only crackt in every linck but quite broken in the midst must not then the way of genethliacall conjectation needs be totally interrupted 2. Is not the Probleme in Physicks become a sophism in Astrologie sc Whether the manners of the mind doe follow the temper of the body Which way doe they determine it in the most moderate science Naturally necessarily principally immediatly directly particularly effectually or else accidentally occasionally mediatly indirectly generally instrumentally potentially dispositively or how else Though something might be admitted as concerning rude sensuall appetites meer animal affections and inconsult or passions in their prime motions relishing altogether of the inferiour part and not yet brought within the power of reason But as for manners properly and exactly which are the elections habits customs acts operations of the rationall soul may not the morose judiciaries be thus urged If manners proceed from or depend upon the elementary temper or constitution Then are they not naturall principles both good and bad In things innate have we not the faculty before the function but in manners is not the act before the habit Doe not manners by their severall actions oppose their severall kinds Who sees not that the good actions correct the bad manners and the bad actions corrupt the good manners Now things that are generated and corrupted by extrinsecall actions how can they be intrinsecall and naturall Should not nature thus work to confound it self Should not men have innate and inâ—ite causes of vertues and vices which Grace institution education assuefaction c. could not alter till the naturall temper be altered A mans manners may oft times be contrary in the very extreams is his temper so too His manners may change with his age condition private preferment publick state of times in a day in an hour is his temper changed withall or else must not his morall disposition be contrary to his naturall constitution Must not the body consisting of an influentiall and elementary mixtion be the principall subject of ethicks or morality and not the soul that consists of an Understanding and a will Must not a man now be made and said capable of and prone to manners one or other more or less from sensible constitution not reasonable institution What need or use of exhortation dehortation praise dispraise reward punishment If manners grow wild and out of the nature of the soyl and be of no good culture what hope or credit can there be of such What labour of vertuous manners what struggle against the vitious Are not manners then most laudable and illustrious when they are clean contrary to a mans naturall temper or humour Are not the worst of manners thus made necessary violent involuntary ignorantly acted and so excusable Nay is not the principall cause of nature and naturall disposition thus accused And hath not the soul of man been thus thought materiall corporeall drawn out of the power of the matter living in and dâ—ing together with the body yea have not the souls of beasts been thus concluded for iâ—dewed with manners as well as the souls of men In a word have not the Physiognomists hereupon been bold to make their morall judgement not only from tempers but of statures figures features colours c. 3. If the elementary temperature were admitted for one of the generall remote imperfect and infirm causes of manners yet are there not many much more potent to correct and prevent both it and them As God Grace Religion conscience natures Law reason will Parents nutrition education institution care exercise custome company example humane Laws ayr climate soyl Physick some adde Musick and make it prevalent for the exciting or remitting of affections and manners above the modulation or harmony of the sphears to their efficacy upon blood choler plague melancholy and the like 4. Although there might be some generall operation of the heavenly bodies upon elementary tempers and humours and so some hability to passions and affections and so some proclivity to manners and actions yet how know they particularly and wherefore so pronounce they that it is Saturne that makes men sullen c. Jupiter merry c. Mars angry c. Mercury subtle c. Venus wanton c. 5. If there be a temperamentall consecution of inordinate passions and affections and so a naturall disposition or proness to bad manners that flow mainly from the sensuall appetite yet how can that be said of good manners which proceed from a rectitude of reason Neither doe bad manners arise properly from the appetite of the animal but from the assent of the rationall part So that good or bad what ever they be from the body or sense manners they are not but from the will and mind 6. Whether the naturall semination or insition of a propensity or inclination to manners good or evill be with a subordination unto mans liberty or freewill either
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
sufficient to moderate all fond hopes and fears Or what is able to doe that but a lively faith voyd of these heathenish superstitions and assuredly believing That there is an all-provident God that only foresees all things necessarie and to whom nothing is contingent or casuall That can will and doth work for the best of his both with second causes and exteriour means as also without them yea and against them That binds not the world much lesse tyes his Church unto them That hath written his childrens names in the book of life and much more then they may be assured hath numbred the hairs of their heads as concerning all earthly accidents That shines and moves in the Sun and Moon and starres and makes their generall influxes more or lesse effectuall as he is pleased to adde or abstract his speciall motion or oppose his immediate administration or interpose the office of his more excellent Ministers Angells and reasonable Souls CHAP. XIX 19. From the affinity to Witch-craft 1. WHat difference betwixt Astromancy Magomancy or Magastromancy as touching a sorcerous both superstition and operation and all these after-named viz. Stareomancy or divining by the Elements Aeromancy or divining by the ayr Pyromancy by fire Hydromancy by water Geomancy by earth Theomancy pretending to divine by the revelation of the Spirit and by the Scriptures or word of God Daemonomancy by the suggestions of evill Daemons or Devills Idolomancy by Idolls Images Figures Psychomancy by mens souls affections wills religious or morall dispositions Antinopomancy by the entrails of men women and children Theriomancy by Beasts Ornithomancy by Birds Icthyomancy by Fishes Botanomancy by herbs Lithomancy by stones Cleromancy by lotts Oniromancy by dreams Onomatomancy by names Arithmancy by numbers Logarithmancy by Logarithmes Sternomancy from the breast to the belly Gastromancy by the sound of or signes upon the belly Omphelomancy by the navell Chiromancy by the hands Paedomancy by the feet Onychomancy by the nayles Cephaleonomancy by brayling of an Asses head â—uphramancy by ashes Capnomancy by smoak Livanomancy by burning of Frankincence Carromancy by melting of Wax Lecanomancy by a basin of water Catoxtromancy by looking glasses Chartomancy by writing in papers Macharomonâ—y by knives or swords Chrystallomancy by glasses Dactylomancy by rings Coseinomancy by seives Axinomancy by Sawes Cattabomancy by vessells of brasse or other metall Roadomancy by starrs Spatalamancy by skins bones excrements Sciomancy by shadowes Astragalomancy by dice Otnomancy by Wine Sycomancy by Figgs Typomancy by the coagulation of cheese Alphitomancy by meal flower or branne Crithomancy by grain or corn Alectromancy by Cooks or Pâ—llen Gyromancy by rounds or circles Lampadomancy by candles and lamps And in one word for all Nagomancy or Necromancy by inspecting consulting and divining by with or from the dead The question is not about the difference of all these from the first to the last in matter instruments ceremonies or circumstances but whether they be not of like maleficall sorcery for main substance and formality And whether divining by the Starres and Planets be not a cause enclining and disposing at least an occasion inviting and encouraging what through imitation estimation toleration to all these sorts of sorcerous divination and the like 2. Whether there be any kind of Magick simply so naturall or laudably so arted as many serve to abstract it from the maleficall and diabolicall For though there be many occult qualities and miracles of nature and actives and passives there which perfectly known and fitly applyed might help to work wonders without either tempting of God or the Devill yet because of the difficulty of such things and not that alone but their uselessnesse and because of mens ignorance and for all that their curiosity and because of the Arts insufficiencie and besides that the fallacie and chiefly because of Satans privie suggestions and delusory seducements the study and search after these things proves very confused indiscerned unsafe and pernicious And because of all these the abuse of this astro-magicall art is as palpable as the practice but the use as occult as the Art it self But especially as touching the practice of this art if there be an artifice of doing wholly separate from malefice why then are the same things done by those that are altogether ignorant of the art so they have but a faith and why without such a faith is nothing to be done by the Art it self How many things have been done by all manner of Magicians that can have no naturall causes no true rules of art no power or comprobation from God and therefore must needs be acted by a confederation and familiarity with some evill spirit How many things have they presumed to predict or foretell which neither divine wisdome is pleased to reveal neither is it ordinarily for humane reason or art to find out but must only be done by a demoniacall sagacity or suggestion what sounds and syllables and words and sentences doe they murmure or pronounce and that to the very inanimates whom words can in no wise effect or move or else are so barbarous and insignificant as that if they were uttered to the intelligent they cannot conceive them their extent or use Now by whose invention is it that such words should be most operative in magick art that are operative upon no understanding How many rites solemnities ceremonies preparations doe they use which have naturally no force or vertue to the producing of the effect not yet can any way prepare the matter to the receiving thereof What sacrifices iâ—molations consecrations prostrations adorations invocations execrations imprecations attestations comminations exorcisms adjurations c. And none of all these commanded by God and therefore not done to him how easy is it then to suspect by whom all these are suggested and for whom they are intended 3. Whether if be in Magick and Astrologie that the art hath power over the heavenly bodies or the heavenly bodies power over the art not the first because for the Art to have power over the heavenly bodies so as to stop or turn the course of the stars or by odes and incantations to fetch down the moon from her orb as the old Magicians have boasted this is beyond the power of a Devill or an Angell and were not only against the particular order of nature but would utterly confound the whole course of it And by conjurations or confections so to prepare the matter as to allure or force down influences and to make it by art capable and sufficient both to receive and retain them this were to mingle heaven and earth to subjugate the superiour bodies to their inferiors to preferre accidents to substances and turn the whole universe upside down Not the second for not only the speculations but also the practicks of their art a many of them are meerly intellectuaâ—l rationall arbitrary over which theâ— stars and planets can have no power The stars are corporall things arts or sciences are mentall how come
whether are not their intermingled negations and affirmations disclaimings and acclaimings vowings and disavowings cautions and concessions distinctions and confusions an Argument of a consciousnesse or conviction of something in this kinde to be greatly suspected and censured 18. How many of them that have pretended nothing but nature and natural causes and boasted Art altogether and principles of mysterious Art yet when the mystery of delusion and iniquity hath been discovered and themselves straightly examined by prudent and careful Magistrates or the day of their disastrous and unfortunate ends or execution approaching I say how many of them have then confest and cryed out upon compacts confederacies Devils delusions perdition damnation 19. Whether the superstitions of Sorcery and Witchcraft be not taught and promoted countenanced and encouraged by the Printing and permitting such multitudes of Magical books Especially the translating of them by way of Vindication and Apologie into the vulgar tongue 20 Whether such books may be read unlesse with an inimical Science not a social Conscience not with an invitatory operation but an expugnatory refutation And whether their signes and ceremonies may be used or assented to by any either ignorantly or affectedly without great danger of being seduced and infected if not with the Sorcery yet with the superstition of the Art Let a man but well examine himself and observe others and he needs no Oedipus his own observation and experiment will soon teach him to resolve the case CHAP. XX. From the Ominatings of vain observation 1. WHether the superstition of vain observation and the more superstitious ominations thereupon have not been occasioned and increased by the prognostications predictions and divinations of Magick and Astrologie For besides the suggestions of Satan himself where is the source and root of all such vanity and su-perstition at least the imitation and example to be found save in those Arts and speculations that teach to observe creatures images figures signes and accidents for constellational and as they call them second stars and so to ominate and presage upon them either as touching themselves or others As namely to observe dayes for lucky or unlucky either to travail sail fight build marry plant sow buy sell or begin any businesse in to bode good or bad luck fortune successe from the rising up on the right or left side from lifting the left leg over the threshold at first going out of doors From putting on the hose uneven or a crosse and the shooe upon the wrong foot Item The Band standing awry the going abroad without his girdle on the bursting of the shooe latchet the tingling of the ear the itching of the eye the glowing of the cheek the bleeding of the nose the stammering in the beginning of a speech the stumbling at first going about an enterprise the meeting a begger or a Priest the first in a morning the meeting of a Virgin or a Harlot first the running in of a child betwixt two friends the justling one another at unawares one treading upon anothers toes to meet one fasting that is lame or defective in any member to wash in the same water after another to be over merry on a suddain to be given to sighing and know no cause why from the dreaming of gold silver eggs gardens weddings dead men dung c. From the snorting in sleep from the sneezing at meat the spilling of the wine the overturning of the salt the dogs howling the cats licking themselves the swine grunting the cocks crowing unseasonably the pyes chattering about the house the owles scritching the swallows falling down the chymney the crickets chirping behind the chimney stock or creeping upon the foot-pace A hare crossing the way a crow lighting on the right hand or on the left To collect or predict mens manners and fortunes by their names or the Anagram upon the name or the allusion to the name or the numbers in the name c. Who can reckon up all the vain observations and superstitious ominations of several Nations persons sexes ages conditions and occupations of men And what hope is there it should be otherwise while such artifices and practises are tolerated which teach to observe them from signal constellations and Magical operations 2. Whether the vain observation of vain dreams proceed not from the vain dream and phantastical of the coelestial influences upon the phantastick spirit For do they not say That as the coelestial influxes upon corporal matter produce diverse forms so from the same influxes upon the phantastical power which is organical phantasms are impressed by a coelestial disposition consentaneous to the producing of any effect especially in dreams because the minde is then more freed from corporeal and external cares or troubles and so more freely receives those divine influxes Whence it comes to passe that many things are made known to sleeping men in dreams which are hid to the waking And if this be their chief reason whereby they would reconcile an opinion of truth to Dreams why are they not agreed among themselves of the causes yea of the sydereal causes of them One will have the Intelligence that moves the Moon to cause them by the means of its light whereby mens phantasies are irradiated while they sleep Others refer them to the influxes of the superiors yet by the means of certain species whereby they continually flow from Heaven Another will have them to depend upon the powers of the soule the influxes of the Heavens together with certain images or resemblances whether of fantasie or configuration Others will have them wholly caused by their constellations And if they would bring in the Devil among the rest as some of them have confest he is not to be kept out they should finde him to be the greatest cause of all especially of the vain observation of them and superstitious omination upon them Who will deny that there may be some observation of some dreams and some interpretation made upon them as touching either the health or sicknesse of the body the vertuous or vitious inclinations and affections of the minde yea and though rarely and extraordinarily for the caution and encouragement as touching some special actions and events But I demand of Magical and Astrological men not so much whether there be one common rule to all for the interpretation of dreams As whether this taught by themselves be either a second cause of dreams or a safe rule to interpret them viz. That dreams are more efficacious when the Moon over-runs that signe which was in the ninth number of the Nativity or revolution of that yeer or in the ninth signe from the signe of perfection For it is a most true and certain divination neither doth it proceed from nature or humane arts but from purified minds by divine inspiration They shall do well not onely by true reason to resolve us fully of the truth they speak but also in good sense of the terms they speak withal 3. Whether the vain
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 brawâ—… 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
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
naturall Magick sometimes enclined towards Goetie and Theurgie is insnared very osten in the wiles and errours of evill spirits Of ceremoniall Magick there are two parts Goetie and Theurgie Goetie unfortunately began by the commerce with unclean spirits compacted of the rites of wicked curiosity unlawfull charms and deprecations is exerated banished by the verdicts of all Lawes These are they who carry about them familiar spirits doe feigne themselves to prophecy Some of them study to call and compell evill spirits adjured by some certain powers especially of divine names c. Others most wicked and by mischiefe detestable and to be punished with all fires submit themselves to devils sacrifice to them and adore them and are become guilty of idolatry and the vilest abasements to which crimes if the former be not obnoxious yet they expose themselves to manifest dangers For even compelled divels doe watch to the intent they may alwaies deceive us in our errours From this Sect or rather sinke of the Goeticks have issued all these books of darknesse c. excogitated by men of deplored wits Which books to him that more acutely looks into them and into the canon of their precepts the custome of rites the kind of words and characters the order of extruction and the insulsate phrase doe openly bewray themselves to containe nothing else but mere toyes and impostures and to be pulcht up in latin Hims by the forlorne artificers of perdition ignorant of all ancient Magick out of certain profane observations mixt with the ceremonies of our religion many unknown names and seales inserted that they might terrifie the rude and simple and be an amazement to the sencelesse and such as know not good Letters But this is the reason why these Goeticks onely make use of evill spirits because good Angels will hardly appeare for they expect the command of God and assemble not but with men of clean heart and holy life but the evill ones easily exhibite themselves to be invoked falsly favouring and belying a divinity are alwaies at hand to deceive by their subtilty to the intent they may be worshipped and adored Many think that Theurgie is not unlawfull as if this were governed by good Angels and a divine power when as very often under the names of God and Angels it is obstringed with the fallacies of evill spirits Of this schoole are the art Almadel the art Noterie the Pauline art the art of Revelations and many more of the same superstition which are so much the more pernicious as to the unskilfull they seem the more divine The Cabalie is an art as is reported very ancient and yet the name hath not been known among Christians but of later times This art of Cabalie which the Hebrews so boast of I sometimes have searched with much labour and I finde and confesse it to be nothing else but a meer rapsodie of superstition a certain theurgicall magick but if proceeding from God as the Jews boast it any whit conduced to the perfection of life to the salvation of men to the worship of God to the understanding of the truth verily that Spirit of truth which the Synagogue rejected came unto us to teach us all truth would not have concealed it from his Church until these last times which truly knoweth all things that are of God But that we try and see that by the revolutions as they call them of this art wonderful sentences of great mysteries are wrested out of sacred Letters the whole is nothing else but a certain playing upon Allegories which idle men busied in every letter point and number which this tongue and the manner of writing easily suffer do feign refeigne at their pleasure Therefore this Cabalie of the Iewes is nothing else but a certaine pernicious superstition which collecteth divideth transferreth words and names and letters scatteringly placed in the Scripture and as they list making one thing of another they dissolve the parts of truth the speeches the inductions and making parables here and there of their own fictions they would adopt unto them the words of God defaming the Scriptures saying that their figments do consist of them they calumniate the Law of God by their impudently extorted supputations of dictions syllables letters numbers they attempt to inferre violent and blasphemous proofe of their perfidiousnesse Furthermore being puft up with these trifles they boast themselves to finde out and to know the ineffable mysteries of God and secrets that are above the Scriptures by which they are not ashamed to lie with great boldnesse and without blushing that they themselves can prophecy and work miracles and mighty works But let us return unto Magick parcell where of is the artifice of prestigious things that is of illusions which are only done according to appearance by which Magicians shew phantasms play many miracles by circulatory frauds and cause dreams which is done not so much by Goeticall incantations imprecations and deceits of devils as also by certain vapors of perfumes lights phyltres collyries alligations and suspensions and besides by rings images glasses and such like drugs and instruments of magicall art and by a naturall and celestiall vertue Also many things are done by a prompt subtlety and industry of hand of which sort we see some are done daily by Stageplayers and juglers which therefore we call Chirosophists that is slight-handed And now by what hath been said it is plaine that Magick is nothing else but a collection or compact of idolatry Astrologie and superstitious Medicine And now also there is by Magicians a great company of Hereticks risen up in the Church who as Iannes and Iambres resisted Moses so have they resisted the Apostolicall truth All this is uttered against them by one Arch magician I mean Cornelius Agrippa not a little to the like effect might be collected out of another of them namely Johannes Trithemius yea undoubtedly he that had but the opportunity to peruse their Authors old and of late needs for their confutation to urge them with no more then their own confession Onely I would aske of them this one thing what doe they think of this one Magician for this one act of his Whether doe they conceive him in charity to have thus confessed retracted recanted repented returned c. or doe they uncharitably account him for it to be humorous cynicall satyricall invective distracted mad male content c And whether for this one undertaking of his will they have him called a Philosopher a Daemon an Heroe a God all things or nothing Does not he himselfe tell us what kind of censure he suspects from all kinds of Mag-astro-mancers Alas quoth he with how many of their machinations will they oppugne me with how many devices will they assaile me with what ignominies will they persecute me The impious Mathematician will prescribe me both earth and heaven The sortilegious Pythagorist will suppute for me unlucky numbers The pointing Geomantick will cast unhappy figures
search out what houre and day the nativity of Romulus was who having throughly considered the adventures acts and gests of Romulus how long he lived and how he died all these being conferred he did boldly judge that Romulus was conceived in his mothers womb in the first yeere of the second Olympiad the 23 day of the moneth which the Aegyptians call Câ—aeas and now is called December about three of the clock in the morning in which houre there was a totall ecclipse of the Sunne and that he was born into the world the 21 of the moneth of Thoth which is the moneth of September about the rising of the Sunne Now is not this old way of calculating a Nativity quite contrary to the new But of the twaine which is the most certain that a priori or a posteriori sc from the acts and accidents of life to the birth or from the birth to the acts and accidents of life The Historian notes the one for false and vaine what then is to be thought of the other In the time of Kenneth King of Scots appeared two dreadfull Comets one before the Sun-rising the other after the setting also armies were seen in the ayre and noyses of armes and horses heard Also a Bishops Crosier staffe was burned as he held it in his hand in time of service and could not be quenched But the prodigies were not so various as were the prognosticators interpretations whereof some were delivered for good some for bad but none for true When the Image of Apollo Cumanus wept some of the Aruspects were for the casting of it into the sea because of the terrible portent but other more skilful heruspicks were for the intercession because the Images weeping portended prosperous things Proteus is a proverb of versatile mutability And of him that part of story which is least fabulous is this Proteus was an Astrologicall magician and is said therefore to transforme himselfe into so many shapes because of his various and contrarious opinions vaticinations predictions and prestigious prankes A fit emblem of all such that are seldome like themselves Colophonius Xenophanes one who confessed there to be Gods denied all divination All the rest besides Epicurus babling about the nature of the Gods approved of divination although not after one way Dicaearcâ—us the Peripatetick took away all other kind of divination and onely left those of Dreams and Fury And besides those Cratippus rejected all the rest Panaetius indeed durst not deny the power of divining altogether yet he said he doubted of it Xenophon took all kinds of divination quite away The chiefe articles that were objected against Socrates were contempt and rejection of Oracles Eudoxus Gâ—idius was wont to say that the Chaldaeans were by no means to be credited in their observations or predictions upon the lives and fortunes of men from the day and houre of their nativity Two men before their contest at the Olympick games dreamed the like dream viz. that they were drawn by four swift coursers in a Chariot they both consulted one Prophet and he prophecied to the one that he should winne and to the other that he should lose the prize One told Vitellius that the circles which appeared in the waters like crownes were abodes of Empire another of them boded thereupon that either they signified no such thing or else but the instability thereof The fame is that Iulian on a certaine time inspecting the entrayles there appeared in them the signe of the Crosse invironed with a crown Some that partooke of the divination were cast into a feare hereat that the Christian Religion should gather strength and that the doctrine of Christ should be perpetuall taking it for a signe both of victory and eternity But the chiefe divining Artist among them bad the Emperour be of good cheere for the victimes portended prosperous things according to his own desire because the marke of the Christian religion was circumscribed and coarcted as a token that it should have no large spreading in the world Iulian again meditating warre against the Persians sent to the Oracles at Delphos Delos and Dodona and they all consented to incourage him promising him undoubted successe But there was an old prophecy of former diviners that utterly thwarted them all for it foretold that it should be exitiall to the Emperour and people of Rome whensoever he passed with his army beyond the River Euphrates and the City Ctesipâ—on And thereabouts was Iulian slain and his army overthrown 22. Of jugling predictions forged divinations and ludibrious mock-charms as operative as the rest and all alike effectuall not from themselves but from the Agents or Patients superstition and credulity SErtorius a notable Captaine was wont to faine visions dreams and divinations and pretended himselfe to be informed of many future events by a white Hinde that a skilfull friend had sent him to be his instructor in those mysteries and by these very devices kept his Souldiers in order and courage and so atchieved many notable feates and victories Two Countrey fellows came to Vespasian intreating his helpe in their cure as the Oracle of Serapis had shewed unto them One of them was blind and he was told that if Vespasian did but spit in his eyes that should restore his sight The other was lame of his thighs and he was told he should be cured if Vespasian did but touch the part affected with his heele The good Emperour was somewhat scrupulous to make experiment of a thing so vaine and improbable but at the importunity of his friends and earnest suite of the parties he was drawn to doe as the Oracle or vision had directed and the effect presently followed thereupon Namely upon their superstition and the divels illusion for the Serapidane Divel was aâ—raid that his divining Oracle would fall to the ground now that Christianity began somewhat to appeare in Aegypt and therefore he sent his patients to implore the help of Vespasian that by the rarity of the miracle he might hold up the majesty of the Oracle Alexanders souldiers being greatly terrified and disheartned because of a bloody Ecclipse of the Moon hereupon he secure of all events called for the Aegyptian presagers and commanded them to expresse their skill They concealed the cause of the Ecclipse and their own suspicions from the common sort but forged this interpretation That the Sunne was over the Gâ—eekes and the Moon over the Persians and as often as she was in an Ecclipse did portend the slaughter and ruin of that Nation The credulous souldiers hereupon conceived hope went on and prospered Pheron an Aegyptian King had a disease of a strange cause but of a stranger cure He was struck blind for casting a dart into Nilus and so continued for the space of eleven yeeres then consulting the Oracle about his recovery it was answered he must wash his eyes with the urine of a woman that had never known other then her own husband First he made tryall of that
he presumed himselfe most secure was taken captive by Ostanes And Hading such another of them after all his presumption was forced to hang himselfe Guido of Flanders was deceived by a Necromancer of whom he had learnt the Art by which he had promised him that whensoever he would he should passe invisible out of any perill But that immutation little availed to the safety of his life Fredericke Stupbius who maintained his army with magicall money was notwithstanding taken by Rudolph of Habspurge and burnt Reatius a praestigious operator being therefore convented confessed his circulatory frauds and afterwards was slain by one whom he had deceived by those his delusory waies Methotin an idolatrous Magician his frauds being detected was slain by a concourse of people and his body nayled to a stake And Hollerus such another was cruelly murdered by his own aemulators A great Calculator confesses that Sebastian Castalio shewed an Astrologer to his great admiration the genesis of his little sonne who died in his infancy and yet that genesis had all the aphaeticall places safe and sound which might promise a prolonged life or direct any judge for to pronounce thereupon An Earle of Aspremont would seem to entertaine all comers with all kind of dainties but they were no sooner out of his house but that horse and man was ready to die with hunger and thirst A curious inquisitor was carried out of his own house into a very pleasant place as it seemed but in the morning found himselfe laid upon thorns and almost starved One Mendoza would present his banquets but they proved nothing but coales and ashes Hamilear the Carthaginian Captaine led on by the Ariolists sacrificed all the while he was in fight in hope of better successe but finding it in the discomfiture of his party to fall out on the contrary he cast himselfe as a desperate sacrifice into the fire to quench it with his blood that had put him in so great hopes and stood him in so little stead Rhadagusus a King of the Gothes in warring against the Romans did nothing almost but immolate or sacrifice for auspication or divinations sake so that they began boastingly to spread abroad Rhadagusus who had reconciled to himselfe the protection and assistance of such Gods was sure to overcome But nevertheless he was taken and slain with above 100000. of his army Papyrius Cursor oppugning Aquilonia the Pullarian Auspicator would needs be presaging clean contrary to his tokens whose fallacie being found out the Consul praesumed a good omen notwithstanding and beginning the fight caused the lying Augur to be placed in the front and the first dart that was cast by the enemy struck him stark dead Eudemus being foretold by a cunning dream-speller that although he was now in exile yet he should return to his own Land within five yeares within which space he notwithstanding dyed in Syracusa but to make his prediction good he said he meant his grave which is every mans own land Constantia an honourable dame of Rome having received assurance from Astrologers of a long healthfull and most happy life fell sick within five daies after of a burning feaver and finding that there was no way but death she strained her husbands hand and concluded both her speech and life with these complaining words Behold what truth is in the vain pregnosticates of fond Astrologers Ninus who detested all Astrologers with their deceipts suppressed Zoroastes who would deale in nothing without their encouragement Pompey with his guard of prophets lost his head and Caesar by contempt of Oracles subdued his enemies Iustinian exiling all sorts of false Prophets with their bag and baggage did flourish as a Conquerour whereas Iulian admitting them with all their packs of falshoods and blasphemous lies did perish as a castaway At such time as Brittanicus waited for the great lot of the Roman Empire by the comfort and encouragement of a vaine Astrologer he lost both life and all by the rigour of a bloody Tyrant Thraâ—illus the Mathematician whom Tiberius had taken into familiarity presaging good things upon the sight of a ship but things falling out contrary to what he predicted Tiberius was purposed as they walked together to cast him down a praecipice for a falsary and an intruder into his secrets Seneca by a pretty fancy bringeth in Mercury perswading with the Gods that they would abridge the life of Claudius if not for any other cause yet even for pitty and compassion of the poore Astrologers who had already been taken with so many lies from yeare to yeere about this point as if the destinies were not more favourable then their grounds were sure the credit of Astrology would decay for ever St. Ambrose telleth of one that prognosticated great store of raine to fall after an exceeding drought but none was seen till it was obtained by the prayers of the Church Galen writeth that none of all those Prophets and Astrologers whose skill was commended and their depth admired in his time at Rome gave any perfect judgement either as touching the disease the continuance or cure thereof Manfredus a rare Doctor of Astrology assured Ordelaphius a Prince in Italy that that very yeere wherein he died if there were any certain knowledge by his art he should not end his life before extremity of age had made him lame and unweldy Paulus Florentinus lived till 85 yeeres of age and yet he would assure his friends in private that he never found one comfort that might promise long life in the figure of his birth but sudden death with many tragicall and most lamentable accidents The great dearth of Cattle which was so certainly expected by the Calculators Anno 1558. turned to a wonderfull encrease of all kinds of sustenance At the same time that the fond Bobemians were affraid to be consumed with sudden fire that should come down from Heaven as some preachers gave warning they were almost drowned with a second Flood by means of excessive showres spring-tides and store of land-waters that ranne down with immoderate abundance as if God had resolved to descry the falshood of their jugling At another time the people were so scared with an universall feare of waters scattered aboad by prophets of this kind as a certain Abbot seeking to prevent the worst built him a Tabernacle upon the top of Harrow on the Hill but the conclusion is that before Summer was halfe spent all the ditches were drawn dry and the castle perished for lack of water Paul Flerent noting two constellations under which the State of Florence was refreshed after long and bloudy warres findeth them so crosse and opposite one to another as himselfe is forced to confesse that small light of assurance may be taken from the blaze of this Beacon Peucer prognosticated upon the last Comet that our bodies should be parched and burned up with heat but how fell it out Forsooth we had not a more unkindly Summer for many yeeres in respect of