the Lords inclination and direction Again in the Proverbs we reade this that the heart of the King is in the hands of the Lord as the Rivers of water he directeth it whether he will Prov. 21.1 It will be said that although God properly and immediately inclineth the will of man yet also some small inclination must be given unto the Stars and that immediately For say some Constellations work upon the Elements by the four first qualities Elements work upon and alter the compound Bodies and humours Compound Bodies by their qualities change the Senses The Senses being altered the understanding is altered The understanding lastly altereth and inclineth the will of man Therefore Constellations incline the will This Reason is not much unlike that which the drunken man maketh serving as well for the defence of his Vice as the former for approving of truth in Divination He which drinketh well sleepeth well He which sleepeth well thinketh no harm He which thinketh no harm is a good man Therefore he which drinketh well is a good man The deceits and untruths which be in their Reasons are very many 1. The stars work upon mens bodies yet so that the nature of the Countrey and Soil the Meats and Drinks have most commonly greater force Why are the bodies of Gentlemen of England and poor labouring men of divers dispositions Are they not both in one Countrey Do not the Stars shew their force in them alike Yes truly but the kinde of life and diet prevaileth In the same Region why are they which dwell upon hills of other temperatures then they which dwell upon plain and champion ground why do not the same influences of Starrs make them of like natures is it not because the nature of the soil prevaileth So then when as there be many causes effectuall and differing in altering mens bodies to build an argument upon one cause is most unreasonable 2. The starrs work upon the Elements earth water air by making heat cold moisture driness The elements how work they on mens bodies They will also say by making heat cold moisture drinesse which is most untrue for the hotter and dryer the Elements be the colder and moisture by nature are mens bodies According to the saying of Empedocles Nature placed a hot Body in a cold Countrey and a cold Body in a hot Countrey 3. The Philosophers say that all causes are either per se or per accidens Now the heavens being causes of the alteration of the senses per accidens they must not be causes of the inclination of the will either per se or per accidens but per accidentis accidens which is most ridiculous 4. This long chain by which they link the will of man to the starrs if it shall be applied unto particulars it must needs break for the actions of the will is buying selling travailing lying heaping up wealth murdering spreading of fals ruomrs offering of discourtesies hating of kinsfolks and such like which our Heaven-gazers foretell have no coherent with the first qualities heat cold moisture drinesse neither can they any way proceed from them and therefore the stars cannot be causes of them for they work onely by these qualities 5. This reason is nothing to their purpose for because they grant that a man may freely resist the inclination of the starrs and he may hinder that unto which the starrs bend his will how dare they presume to say this or that will come to pass The heathen men gave up themselves to their own lusts and vanities and followed every little and vain inclination and of them in this order did ancient Astrologers among them divine that this or that time such actions such vices such enterprises such affaires should be among them In like manner our English wise men speak of us as though we were beasts not reasonable men as though we never heard the blessed Gospel of God never tasted of the grace of God never learned what is good and what is bad never laboured to subdue our lusts and affections alwayes turned too and fro with the blast of any influence working very slenderly in us Thus much of Civil Affaires They make mention also yearly of the diseases which shall reign but the way which they follow is taken forth of the barren and uncertain rules of the old Astrologers who do so ascribe unto every Planet certain Diseases that if need shall requite they may referre the same disease unto any signicatours as in the Plague the putrefaction of humours is attributed unto Jupiter the sharp Feaver unto Mars the madnesse which followeth unto Mercury the whole Plague unto Mars In the Plurisie the inflammation of the bloud between the skin called Pluritis and the ribbs is attributed unto Jupiter the suppuration of the Bloud unto Saturn and the whole Plurisie unto Jupiter In the Jaundies the inflammation and corruption of humours unto Jupiter the yelow humour in the gaul unto Mars the obstruction of the parts unto Saturn the whole Jaundies being white unto Mars blak unto Saturn And so in every disease they use this inconstancy and ambiguity in Prognosticating It is a rule among the Astrologers that if the Planets signifiers of diseases be well affected then there shall be no diseases but health if they be evilly affected then diseases follow Our Prognosticatours never mark this rule but howsoever the Planets be affected they straightwayes pronounce that such diseases shall reign For example the last winter quarter it was said by one of them that the diseases which should afflict mens bodies were rheums coughs cold lasks swelling of the face and throat falling of the Colmel sore eyes deafness the stone gout dropsie green-sickness madness quartern feavers c. And all the Planets signifiers of diseases in the quarter were indifferent well affected wherfore thou hast not one cause to fear their threatnings but rather to be sorry for their continuall deceits wishing them minds that they may one day see their own folly Concerning the time when the constellations take their effects our Prognosticatours say that some take their effects the same year some not the same year but long after as great Conjunctions and Eclipses for they say if the Moon be eclipsed one hour she worketh her effect a moneth after if two hours two moneths after and the Sunn for every hour it is eclipsed taketh his effect an whole year after Truely this rule which they follow must needs be against all reason For why should not all conjunctions and oppositions of the Sunne and Moon disserre their effects as well as those conjuctions and oppositions in which the Sunne and Moon is eclipsed if they show forth their power immediatly after why should not these also do the same Moreover the Epignosticall Astrologers who have conferred the course of the heavens with Histories shew very manifestly that Eclipses do not deferr the time of working their spite upon the Earth In the year of our Lord 1419 the Sunne was
♄ in every seven years comes either to □ or ☠of his place in the Radix of Nativities And further know that if there be no danger as we finde by experience of some mens lives at these years they have either some of the beneficial Planets in their eighth House or the direction of the ascendant or Aphetical places are free from all impediment and affliction of the interficient and malignant Constellations Seventhly and lastly for Military Discipline History is full of Examples herein and for brevities sake because I will hasten to conclude this first Chapter that I may proceed to M. Homes his second Section I will here content my self with this one which the Indian Histories shew forth unto us which is that Columbus having the Art of Astrology and being in a straight for want of Victual together with the whole Army of the King of Spain Ferdinand and foreseeing an Eclipse of the ☽ within few dayes to happen threatned the Indians he would send infinite Plagues amongst them if they speedily relieved them not in token whereof they should at such a time see the ☽ light taken from them which they at first slighted but when they saw according to the former words that the Moon began to be darkned and grew so more and more and being ignorant of the cause thereof did not onely send them the Victual they formerly retained from them but also threw themselves at Columbus feet asking forgiveness So then ye have had as brief as may be shewn unto you what Astrology is that it is an Art and a lawfull Art allowed of by Scripture the antiquity of it and the utility of it there is it may be some Arts that may be beneficial or helpfull to another but you see both positively and conclusively that Astrology is generally helpfull to all Arts and Sciences nay what other Study in the whole World in this point is like it or able to compare with it SURVEY Will. Ramsey in his Title might well have excepted Divinity and Religion if he hath any and have distinguished of Astrology For sure the Art pretending to tell that the Thieves that committed the Robbery about Brainsford the last Summer that such a way the womans Cows were gone That Mistris his Sweet-heart would prove a Shrew with infinite the like that may be produced in time do not at all conduce to Natural Philosophy Physick c. which VVilliam reckons up It s ill a signe by VVill. Ramsey's manners that Astrology is profitable for Morality unless VVilliam will deny he hath any Astrology And therefore nor our Philosophers nor Aristotle the Prince of them mixed any directions out of Astrology in their Moral Philosophy As for the disposition of the minde VVilliam assured us in his Epistle to the Reader That the will of man is not subject to the influence of the Starrs And learned Huet in his EXAM INGEN tells us a readier way then by Starrs And of the body we know the temper farr better by experience of the effect then by conjecturals from causes if Starrs were any certain cause But VVill. Ramsey's Ptolomy in his first Book tells us among other causes of the uncertainty of Astrologicall Predictions That though bodies are affected by the Starrs yet the seed of generation may alter the case As for the predicting what hope a man may have by his own industry or otherways to get goods it doth little tend to Moral Philosophy and doth less appertain to Astrology if VVilliam be an honest man of his word in his particulars he layes down in his Epistle to the Reader before enumerated of Natural Philosophy I have several times shewed VVilliam that the thing of natural Astrology is a part judicial non-ens or worse And without either thousands of people that are no Astrologers or Philosophers excellently well know God to be the Creator and upholder of all things whiles Philosophers and Astrologers have turned Atheists or worse Rom. 1. To say the Starrs alot every mans prefixed time of life is to intrench upon Gods Decree and Providence and to avouch a fatal necessity in the influence of the Starrs with which VVilliam promised us in his Epistle to the Reader his Astrology should not meddle His great Preamble of the usefulness of Astrology for Physick amounts to thus much upon experience 1. That there are in this Nation many Christian learned and succesfull Physicians who are neither well-skill'd nor well-will'd to VV.R. his Astrology If need be we can give him their names 2. That the matter of Will. Ramsey his Judicial Astrology being humane events as whether a man shall be rich and c. as before he expressed and his Brethrens writings and practise do testifie the natural judgement upon mens bodies is quite hereto general from it 3. That thousands of English men yea the most of the common people that are no Physicians do well know yea feel without the help of Ramseyan Astrology that the Canicular dayes c. are not the best times for taking Physick unless upon great extremity and therefore are no Fools His great clattering together of the names of Hippocrates Galen Fernelius and Ficinus is but a Scar-crow to scare silly birds I mean weak-headed Youths from the truth and a juggle to conjure them into his Circles by Charmes they cannot understand For William according to his manner of unfair dealing doth neither quote their words nor the place where they so speak as he intimates And though we have hunted after him and beat the thickets yet we can finde no such thing But this we finde 1. That Hippocrates saith of Astronomy nothing of Astrology that it is not altogether unusefull for the faculty of Physick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as his Dialect i◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But how doth he there make it out Surely onely thus Because saith Hippocrates together with the times of the year the ventricles of men receive a change and so goes on of the difference in health the variety of windes may make Now judge understanding Reader how little this makes for Judicial Astrology 2. Gallen the Commentary upon him to omit the Sophisticum quoted by Alsted in Astrology that doth so much anger Will. Ramsey saith onely this to that point Coelum in his verbis c. i. e. Hippocrates in these words doth put Heaven as the cause of all vulgar diseases yet De Aēere locis Aliquis Sect. 3. differt inquit Xenophon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Galen in 1. l. Hip. de morbis vulgaribus saith Gallen correcting his Master sometimes the drinking of corrupt water may cause an universal disease And then goes on to discourse of the severall diseases that befall men in the four quarters of the years distinguishing those quarters by the rising and setting of severall Starrs or Constellations proper to them Which is all the hint we have in Gallen to the point in hand 'T is true the Index puts high titles and
will plead any thing to help themselves herein from the slowness of other motions of the Stars that are natural to them viz. that the fixed Stars move with so slow a motion from North to South back again as that their courses are not finished in less then seven thousand years Now I would very fain know of any rational man how this Answer of his in the behalf of Astrologers is able to avail them a rush or himself in his purpose since they are also hurried with the like violence aforesaid every twenty four hours once about the Earth But as all these his Quirks are brought into his advantage as he thinks so the advantage he strives to gain hereby he may brag of as much as of the former for all this his gain is but the opportunity of this Question viz. How then can any age since the beginning of the world have experience what the conjunction of the Stars may produce This is a great Conquest indeed but how slender an Artist he herein renders himself let the judicious judge since it is most certain that these stars we call fixed move not at all Ergo are nominated fixed for they move unanimously together in their sphere which is about seven thousand years finishing its course not the Stars but suppose they do move yet they move not by several motions as the one being slower or swifter then another for they are all alike distant each from other continually and if these come not to aspect nor conjunction of the Planets yet the Planets come to configuration with them as Saturn commeth in configuration of them once in 29. years some odd moneths and dayes Jupiter in twelve years Mars in three years Sol in one year or twelve moneths Venus and Mercury in the like time or there abouts the Moon in twenty eight dayes and some odd houres I hope then this experience may be learned in a far shorter time then seven or eight thousand years and since these is so apparently and vulgarly known it is sufficient ground for any one to take the exact position of the heavens either in Twinns births or any others without the errour that these motions he speaketh of can cause which indeed is none at all SURVEY The annexing of the Doctours second Argument will be a sufficient reply to these extravagancies of Will. Ramsey The Doctours second Argument was word for word thus The second Argument is from cleer experience of Twins conceived at the same instant and born in the same houre or lesse and it may be put forth themselves in part at the womb interchangeably in that houre as Pharez and Zara did Gen. 38. yet before God put any difference by any inward change by grace the Twinns may be of an apparent vast difference of complexion as we see in Jacob and Esau And experience knowes of other Twins either both naturall or both spirituall that far different events in the world have befallen them Where then is the certainty of Star-predictions Where is the verity of Astrology It may be they will reade us a lecture of difference from magnitudes and motions of Stars that some are bigger then the earth some lesser again that some finish some motions in 24. hours others not other motions in so many scores of years or more But if this be their defence the matter of predicting Astrology is thereby made to be more incredible For if as they say with Keckerman the Moon be lesse then the earth at least twenty times and the rest of the Planets below the Sunne proportionably as Venus twenty seven times lesse then the earth and Mercury twenty two how then shall these at any posture at any one and the same time effect or signifie any thing to all the world For all the Astrologers in the World will undertake to prognosticate from these Planets upon all men on Earth born at one and the same houre If the Sunne as they confesse be about an hundred and sixty times bigger then the Earth and all the Planets above the Sun proportionably as that Saturn is fourscore and eleven times bigger then the Earth Jupiter fourscore and fifteen times Mars one time bigger with one third how then is it that there is difference of natures and events in thousands born at the same hour and especially n Twins as we said afore If they say that this is because of the swift externall violent motion of all the Stars Planets and Fixed that they are hurryed round the Earth by the first moveable from East to West c. in twenty four hours which is to run sixty times sixty miles in every houre then we demand how can the Stars have time to make any distinct impression by any particular influence on one houre cspecially on one who perhaps may lie in the mouth of the womb partly born partly unborn sometimes in the head and foreparts sometimes in the hinder parts for a quarter or half an houre or many hours Or what Astrologer upon the swiftnesse of those motions and the slownesse of the birth which cannot be born in an instant but at best gradually shall be able to prognosticate punctually that such Stars with such inflnence did so complexionate such an Infant at such a Minute of time For by the computation aforesaid the Stars run in the said motion in every minute of the houre sixty Miles If Astrologers will plead any thing to help themselves herein from the slownesse of other motions of the Stars that are naturall and internall to them as that all the fixed Stars which are known by their twinckling to our sight move from North to South as they say so Alsted in three thousand five hundred years and back again in three thousand five hundred years so that they finish not that motion under seven thousand years how then can any Age since the beginning of the World have experience what the Conjunction of the Stars may produce So for the motions of the seven Planets If they say as Keckerman c. affirm that the Sun hath three Orbs First that in which the Sun it self is fixed and is the middle Orb and is excentricall to the World that is The World or Earth is not just in the middle of it by reason whereof the Sun is sometimes in the Perige namely nearer the Earth for some moneths and sometimes in the Apoge to wit more remote from the Earth for other moneths And in this Eccentrick Orb the Sun moves as they say according to the succession of the twelve Signs from West to East not finishing that motion under three hundred sixty five dayes and about six hours And withall as they assert that by reason of this Orb the Sun moves as in relation to the centre of the earth one while swifter another while slower that is to say it moves slower whiles it is on the Northern part of the World lingering there an hundred eighty six dayes eight hours and twelve minutes but runs swifter
receive a double benefit viz. First admonition to refrain what may prove noxious and hurtfull to our health Secondly encouragement to apply our selves to that whereunto we are born apt by nature besides we may also be warned hereby of what may cause the minde by ill government to offend others And for felicity the chief end of Moral Philosophy no Art or Science can compare with Astrology for it teacheth a man what pertains to the goods of the body and minde and so also to moderate the unruly affections whose violence carrieth away the minde from that golden mean wherein vertue dwels and keeps her place so likewise in the external goods it resolveth a man what hopes or likelihood by his own industry or otherwise he hath to attain to the riches of this world and also teacheth him how to increase the same by what means at what time and in what place it wil be best for him or most profitable to this intent or purpose So that then ye see Astrology to comprehend more in one part then all the Arts in the World put together in any or all parts Secondly for Natural Philosophy it bringeth no less help hereunto then to the former for hereby the Philosopher cometh to know God the upholder and immoveable Greatour of all things by the constant inchangeable motion of the Heavens and the corruption and generation of all things by the motion of ☉ ☽ and other Planets in the Zodiack and that there is a certain prefixt time of every ones life that is born allotted by the Starrs and that this is divers according to the nature of every Constellation and the measure of every proper revolution as also the reason of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea by the motion of ☽ He comes also by Astrology to know the rising of Meteors the motion of Comets and innurnerable other things much conducing to the furtherance of his knowledge experience and skill But this is so clear I hasten to what is further to be said in the praise and utility of Astrology least I spend too much time in confuting such weak stuff as is this discourse of M. Homes against so apparent a noble and excellent Art Thirdly for Physick for all that knows any thing in Astrology can acquaint M. Homes as also his great friend Galen as most falsely he accuses him in his 115. page to condemn Astrology as Sophistical when indeed he himself appears no other at the best to wrong so worthy a man That he that shall administer Physick when the Sun comes to the Equinoctial points or in the Canicular or Dog-dayes and the like knows very little in the one or the other viz. Physick or Astrology and is rather to be accounted a fool then a Physician and further Galen admonisheth men not to trust themselves with that Physician that is not versed in Astrology and Hippocates also saith that that Physician which is ignorant in Astrology is not fully nor can he be perfectly known in his Art for without Astrology he shall never be able to give Physick safely viz. when to purge by evacuation or vomit or Phlebotomy or for what humours or in what quantity neither can he know or come to the understanding of the chief Piller of his Art viz. the true cause of the Malady without it neither with it if well learned therein can he err Besides Galen further affirmeth that Physick given at unseasonable times doth not onely little avail or help but oftentimes prove very hurtfull even to the endangering of the life of the Patient and that these times are onely to be known and judged by the Starrs Fernelius a learned Physician doth hereunto also condescend as also Ficinus for there is nothing more certain then that Astrology doth plainly deliver Rules for all the parts of Physick abovesaid which M. Homes I am confident if any whit read therein dare not but confess and not onely so but also teacheth the critical dayes without which they cannot be known with any certainty wherefore it is that those Physicians ignorant in Astrology conclude the seventh and fourteenth dayes to be dangerous when most times they are deceived and so consequently apply contrary Remedies to their Patients much to their prejudice if not absolute destruction the reason is the ☽ by her various motion cometh sometimes sooner and sometimes later to her □ and ☠or quadrat and opposite part of the place she was in at the beginning of the Disease viz. Sometimes she comes to her □ in seven dayes sometimes not till the eighth or ninth day other times at the sixth day and to her ☠sometimes at the fourteenth day sometimes at the thirteenth other times not till the sixteenth day I would fain now M. Homes you would shew what Art in the whole earth is more beneficial to Physick then Astrologie c. but I hasten to the remaining proofs Fourthly for Health which none but the most ignorant and malicious will deny since the constitution of the body is the onely ground wise Physicians go upon and look first to that that foundation being laid they may then fall to the rebuilding of the Patient otherwise as you have heard destruction like a house founded on the sand is to be expected Then consequently the most envious cannot but confess and acknowledge it to be the most profitable thing for our health under the Sun Wherefore then let us see whether the Husbandman will acknowledge it to be beneficial to him in the way of living viz. Husbandry Fifthly Husbandry and first let me ask him whether he lops his Trees from the time the Sun declines from our Horizon till he again re-enters the equinoctial point or if he knows not if he should that it will not grow again or whether he use to sow Pease in the increase of ☽ or if so whether they will then ever leave blooming or blossoming or whether therefore he doth not observe and remember to set them in the wain or decrease of ☽ Nay it is reported of the women in the North both of England and Scotland that they diligently observe a time of the Moon to set their Egges that they may all come to good and furthermore let me ask the Husband-man whether he observeth not a time to graff and prune his Trees but this is so common that to spend more time hereunto were to no purpose Sixthly for rendring a reason for Climacterical years it happening by the profection of the Planets and Horoscope ascendant or first House as ye may call it to the ☠or □ aspects or their places in Nativities or by the motion of ♄ if he have power in the Nativity for Ptolomy and the wisest in this Art give ♄ as much power in the decree of severall years as the Sun hath in moneths or the ☽ in dayes and if his course be observed it will be found finished much about the same number of years as the Moons is in dayes and further that
will say is fulfilled in the words following viz. And God made two great lights the one to rule the day the other to rule the night Gen. 1.16 To which then I answer by way of Quere to what end then are these invincible irresistable and innumerable hosts of Heaven were they made for no other use then to gaze on the Sun and Moon will sufficiently serve our turn for matter of light if we look no further into their uses but the Scripture further putteth this matter quite out of doubt if we will believe Gods own word Job 28.31 For he speaking of his Omnipotent power asketh his servant Job whether he or any one else Can restrain the influence of the Pleiades or loose the bands of Orion On which words S. Austin on Job referreth all men to the study of Astrology for the understanding of that place and not onely so but shews us that under these two constellations the Lord doth comprehend the influence of all the Celestiall host figuratively expressing pars pro toto and to shew you by experience the verity hereof if you will neither believe S. Augustine Moses nor God himself except you see and feel not to insist long on this point which is cleared by such strong and invincible witnesses one whereof is able to be sufficient testimony against all Master Homes his learned Judges and condemners of Astrology for confirming and clearing hereof then I might here again instance that palpable experience we have of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea by the influence of the Moon as abovesaid but to manifest it yet further let him call to mind the increase and decrease of Shel-fish the mutation and variation of times and innumerable other effects of the Stars which if time and conveniency would permit migh◠〈◊〉 recorded and let him then study the cause hereof and he will then without doubt be of another tenet let him observe also when ♄ and ☉ is in □ or ☠or when ♂ and ◠is in □ or ☠or ♃ and ☿ are so posited and let him tell me then what alterations they produce in the air both by Rain Snow Wind Tempests Thundering and Lightning and the like according to their severall positions the nature of signs and houses and mansions they are in which if he be not altogether ignorant of the Art he may daily see These and the like effects are most vulgarly known by experience so that therefore he might even as well have confessed those signs he speaketh of to be the Stars and causes their influence since he doth not nor cannot shew me any other thing they are without wronging and slandering the Art and contradicting the most learned therein as also the Father S. Austine Moses nay and GOD himself D. Homes might as well then have left out that other addition of Doctour Willets where he saith That the Stars have not the same influence in Summer and in Winter Spring and Autumn and so consequently will conclude them First not to be signs contradicting Moses and the word of God Gen. 1.14 as aforesaid Secondly Nor causes Quia ex unitate causae sequeretur similitudo effectûs Of the same cause there should follow the same effect but there followeth not the same effect from the same signs appears by experience As much to say the Stars are neither causes nor signs because they produce not fruits in Winter as well as in Summer or because they cause not snow in Summer or Buds and Blossoms in Winter O rare cavill but since he is already by what is abovesaid confuted I shall here adde nothing but this that since the question is whether they are causes and signs because that passage in the first of Genesis manifelts they are signs I will if he will be convinced by the word of God here give him to know they are also causes I will hear the heavens and the heavens shall hear the earth and the earth the corn and the wine c. Hos 2.2 And in another place the increase of the earth is referred to the Influence of the Sun and the Moon Deut. 33.14 By all which we may clearly see unless blinded with malice and wilfulness that they are both signes and causes of all our earthly injoyments and happinesses Et si Scriptura ipse Deus nobiscum quis contranos W. R. his SECT III. Wherein his allegations against the ground of the Art are condemned and his bringing S. Augustine and Galen against it proved fallacious SEeing then it is most clearly so that the Stars are signes and causes as abovesaid what need these envious carpers or malicious gainsayers of the truth be heeded or regarded but let these perverse rags of paper perish with themselves not worthy the least remembrance And indeed had it not been rightly to insorm the vulgar and to make them see that high language serveth not to condemn truth I had buried both them and their filthy rags in perpetual oblivion but I hope since they must be remembred it will be but for their disgrace not chronicled for their worthiness but perpetual infamy But this is not all he comes next to condemn Astrology by Keckerman and that with as weak Arguments as he did the rest Keckerman saith he a most learned Philosopher and Christian although he favours some things which men now a dayes call part of Astrology did not in all his two great Volumes in fol. of Arts and Sciences Jet forth any Astrology A wise story indeed because Keckerman writeth not of Astrology therefore there is no such thing but if Keckerman hath not yet as wise and as learned and greater Philosophers have as if the being of Astrology depended on his writing hereof Look the second Chapter of this Treatise or it were a whit farther from being an heavenly Science and a lawfull Art because he omitteth it fine Logick and rare reason if rightly understood and the depth thereof throughly searched because Aristotle knew not the reason of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea therefore no body else doth neither is there such a thing in Nature and because Moses writeth not of the Creation of Angels Ergo there is none O profound and invincible reason But to proceed he saith he is sure he hath these words against it Manent tamen c. The Starrs abide as of other sublunary effects so of effects in man the common and remote cause which many wayes may be hindred not onely by the first cause God but also by particular causes partly in the Heavens partly in the Air and other Elements so that the Predictions of Astrologers are with ifs and ands c. which is as much to the purpose as comes just to nothing for first that God can alter the course of the Starrs there is no Astrologer but will confesse but whether he will or no or ordinarily uses so to do is the question so that Master Homes gets little by this querk since he affirmeth nothing
before his resolution to the Countrey-man His words are these I have long studied this Art and was never quiet till I had seen all the secrets of it but at length it pleased God to lay before me the PROPHANENESSE of it nay I dare boldly say the IDOLATRY although it be covered with fair and golden shews Therefore that which I speak with grief I desire thee to note with some attention c. Eighthly Master Geree known to me to be a godly and learned man being Collegians in the University hath a learned Treatise against Astrology which if men read well they dare not if they have any truth of grace give themselves to Astrology His Treatise is called Astrologia-Mastix common to be had for a small matter Ninthly Master Geree avoucheth Master Brigs sometimes Geometry Reader at Oxford an eminent godly man a man I my self knew well and have been at his Lectures and a man for his skill in Mathematicks I think I may say saith Master Geree that he was second to none Of this Master Brigs Master Geree gives us this account This loving Friend of mine saith Master Geree upon a question moved to him by me touching Judiciall Astrology told me this remarkable Story of himself When he came to Cambridge first he thought it a fine thing to be of Gods Counsell to foreknow secrets and resolved to have that knowledge what labour soever it cost him and so early applyed himself to the study of the Mathematicks beginning with Arithmetick and so to Geometry and Astronomy and to lay a good foundation he left none of these Arts till he had attained exactnesse in them The foundation thus layd he then applyed himself to his main scope the search of Judiciall Astrology but there he found his expectation frustrate THERE WAS NO CERTAINTY in the rules thereof When he had tyred his body and wits in vain he was much dejected with the frustrating of his expectation At last he repaired to a man in Cambridge famous in that Art and a practitioner in Prognostications by it to him he made his moan what pains he had taken to be expert in Astrology and how the uncertainty of the rules of that Art did now defeat his hopes The Astrologers reply was that THE RULES OF THAT ART WERE UNCERTAIN INDEED NEITHER WAS THERE ANY CURE FOR IT whereupon Master Brigs relinquisht that study And he did then affirm to me that he would undertake to the skilfullest Astrologer in the VVorld that let him set down any conclusion touching any man or State yea or WEATHER and he would prove it CONTRADICTORILY that is Both that it would fall out so and that it would not fall out so from their own Rules and Principles whence saith he you may see apparently that there can be no certainty in the rules of that Art He further added that his opinion was To those that addicted themselves to the practises of Divining Astrology the Devill did at first secretly lend his assistance and at length gradatim that is gradually did unlesse God prevented entice them into contract Tenthly Dominicus Nanus Barthol Amantius Francisc Tortius Joseph Langius have gathered these collections touching Astrology Astrologia c. Astrology is the Speech of Stars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Astronomy is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law of the Stars as ascribing more certainty to Astronomy then to Astrology This Astrology is said to be invented by Atlanta King of Mauritanie witnesse Pliny l. 7. of his Naturall History which if true is no commendation of Astrology Contemplantur Astronomi c. that the Astronomers contemplate the Stars not as Judiciary Astrologers and Chaldeans condemned by the Prophers but that by the situation of them they may set forth the set or standing times of dayes moneths and years the Edipses of the Sun and Moon and other things most worthy to be known and most profitable for the life of man The vanity of Judiciary Astrology innumerable wife men of Old and in our Age have disallowed See what God pronounceth of Astrologers by Moses Deut. 18.10 Isa 44. Jer. 10. Phavorinus in A. Gell. lib. 14. cap. 1. was wont to reprove Judiciary Astrologers with this Dilemma Aut adversa eventura dicunt c. that is Either they foretell that things of adversity shall come to passe or those of prosperity If they say prosperous things and do frustrate or deceive men then thou shalt be miserable in hoping in vain If they say things of adversity and do lye then thou shalt be miserable in fearing in vain and without cause If true things answer to their Predictions but are not prosperous things from thence forward thou art miserable in thy mind before thou art so in the event If they promise happy things and they come to passe then plainly two inconveniencies will attend namely both the expectation of them in suspence of hope will weary thee and the hope thou hadst will now deflowre or take away the grace and beauty of the future fruit of joy Therefore by no means may we use those kind of men who presage future things Andr. Alciat Emblem cap. 3. Icare per superos qui c. Exemplo ut doceas dogmata certa tuo Astrologus caveat quicquam praedicere praeceps Nam cadet impostor dum super astra volat i. e. As Icarus flying too high melted his waxed wings and fell so the Impostour Astrologer by flying above the Stars Astrology judiciary or divinatory is to be exploded with all its Patrons So Epiphanius disputing against the Pharisees and Manichees So Basil Hex Hom. 1. and 6. So Chrysostome on Gen. Hom. 5. and 6. and on Matth. Hom. 6. Surely S. Augustine who had prospered in the businesse of Astrology after in his confessions lib. 4. cap. 3. lib. 5. cap. 3. and 7. and lib. 1. cap. 6. De Doctrina Christiana lib. 2. cap. 21.22 23. De Civitate Dei lib. 5. initio usque ad cap. 8. Contra Academ lib. 1. cap. 7. one while doth grievously complain that he was deceived in attributing any thing to that Art another while he doth sharply inveigh against it and the Professours thereof Likewise it is forbidden more then once in the Councils as in Concil Toletan 1. Can. 21. Concilio Barracens cap. 9.10.26 qu. 2.3.4 Thus and thus far the Doctours Section word for word Now let the prudent Reader judge whether Williams five Sections have confuted this or this them or at least unshaken by them So that I need add but little as to the substance but onely briefly to animadvert upon Will and to illustrate some brief expressions or intimations of the Doctour Not to stay upon that most improper speech of Will in his second Chapter to charge the Doctour with malice against things as with malice against Astrology Malice is of a person against a person let the Reader onely note there with a glance how professedly Will. doth slight Learned men if they do not speak so as having
Discourse about the Celestial Signes askt him if he ever were there he knew them so well or ever had any hope to come thither he did lye so much For is it possible saith he that you can truly know what is in Heaven or what is done there when in your absence you cannot see or know what is done at home But these are onely Jests put upon them not Arguments to confute them but I will prove there are no such things in Heaven as these they talk and shew the Reason why they feign such things to be in Heaven As the diversities of the Circles described in the Spheres are meerly imaginary so the division of the Zodiack is not material or of the first Creation but onely feigned by the will and arbitrement of Astrologers that thereby they may know the Beginnings and the End of the Heavens motion And the reason that they divide the Zodiack into twelve Signes neither more or less and that every Sign is divided into thirty Degrees and every Degree into sixty Minutes is because this Number is most fit for Calculations as the Astrologers themselves do witness as Hales Avenradon on the Exposition of Ptolomy and Abraham Avenozra in his Book of Astrological Reasons so that they might if it had pleased them have divided the Zodiack into more or fewer parts but they would not which Division is clean contrary to the Doctrine of the Caldeans for they teach that there are not twelve Signes but eleven Images so couple Libra and Scorpio together A man cannot alleadge a stronger Reason not to believe these Astrologers and artless Empericks then the strange opinions they hold and to hear how stoutly most of them will defend the gross absurdities of many Philosophers and Astronomers For do you not think Eudoxus and Aratus were mad when they would boldly affirm Aug. de Civ Dei that they knew how many Stars were in Heaven and the Names and Operation of them all Were not the ancient Astronomers out of their wits that held the Stars were stuck on the Roof of Heaven no otherwise then artificial Stars on the top of some sumptuous building Was it not a foundness in that Epicure that did certainly believe that when the Stars did shine in the Night that then they were but kindled of God and when they did vanish away by the approach of the Day that then they were quencht by him As if we would say when we see a man then he is born but when he is out of our sight then he is dead What an absurdity was it in Origen to affirm that the Sun and the Moon and the rest of the Stars were living Creatures being capable both of our Vices and Virtues grounding his wak argument upon the words of Job Laectant coufur hanc opinionem in lib. 1. Inst c. 5. who said That the Stars were not pure in in the sight of God which was not meant or spoken as they were rationable Creatures but as they were glorious Stars and of a most excellent and full brightness who although they were never so tralucent and bright yet they were but dim in the sight of their Maker Therefore in my minde what Astrologers or Astronomers soever they be that think Stars rationable Creatures are worthy to be accounted most unreasonable and sensless themselves What a vanity was it in that Astronomer that held that Stars had their motion from themselves which is most absurd for if a Star is moved by it self then Nature is defective which never gave any Figure or Organ to any Star for such a Motion But Nature never was defective in any thing doth not abound in superfluous things or doth any thing in vain Therefore we must conclude no Star hath the motion from it self but hath it from God Motue Stella rum that is the true prime Motor all the wise and learned Philosophers have so much talked of What an Errour is it in some again that doubt whether the World be Spherical or round or not which doubt is most vain and idle for this sensible World was made according to the example and similitude of the Intellectual the Arch Type and Idea of the Divine Minde in which is neither Beginning nor End Boetius de consolat lib. 3. Plato Mercus rius Tresmegistus such as you may perceive in a Spherical Figure Again it may be argued mathematically thus that it is a fit thing for that Body that contains within it all things should have the most capable Figure which is is Spherical Was it not a great oversight in Cicero Plato and many other Philosophers to believe that there is a musical consent and sound wrought by the ordinary motion of the Stars and Planets which cannot be Ambros lib. 2. for the celestial and superiour part of Heaven hath no Air in it without which there can be no sound made neither do celestial Bodies while they move in their Spheres touch any hard or harsh thing as the Finger doth the Lute or Harp which is the cause of such musical and harmonious Raptures Also to what purpose was it in many Writers to hold a difference whereabout the middle of the Earth should be But I fear I have erred too far out of the path I am bound to follow therefore I will come into it again There cannot be a greater argument of the falseness of Astrologers then the leadly Antypathy that is between them concerning the Art it self for some of them hold that the Degrees Planets Qualities Apparances Ends Exaltations Diversitatis qualtatum influentiarum Coeli ab effectihuâ— cognocuntur and Fallings they attribute to the Planets may be attained to by the diligent observation of the Effects of the Heavens who by degrees may come to the knowledge of the Causes for they think that in the beginning of the world God gave Men so long Lives that they might give their Mindes to Speculation whereby they might finde out Astronomy Astrology and such Arts and Sciences which require a long large and exact experience In this I believe they say true for some say it is a sin to bely the Devil by long observation they may learn many Experiments concerning Astrology yet if by meer experience they had attained to the Principles then not once but often they should have observed the same Constellation which is opposite to the Tenent of most of them who hold that the same Constellation cannot appear wholly again unless it be after the revolution of many thousand years and if they could perceive them sooner yet doth it not suffice to observe the same particular Constellation because seeing the influence of no Star tends upward it is decreed by Astrologers that it is uncertain whether the experimental effect is to be ascribed to this or that Planet unless by chance it be to the Sun or Moon which are often proposed to us in operation when oftentimes they are the influence of a lesser Star although
of the fourth to the Galathians by these words Ye observe moneths and times and years Therefore saith he let us not observe dayes and years and moneths and times lest we hear this of the Apostles I am afraid lest I have taken labour in vain with you for he rebuketh them which say I will not go because the Moon is thus or thus moved or I will take my journey that I may have good successe because there is such a position of Stars I will not do my businesse this moneth because such a Star governeth this moneth or I will do my businesse this moneth because such a Star ruleth How then shall a man do not to break the word of God Art thou a man that desirest to lead a Christian life Then take the example of Paul Rom. 1.10 as a pattern to govern all the actions of thy life without ceasing saith he I make mention of you in my prayers beseeching that by some means one time or other I might have proserous journey by the will of God to come unto you So thou if thou hast any businesse in hand any journey to take any thing to buy or sell or any other matter never regard the constellations of Heaven commit thy self to the onely providence of God in whom thou hast thy life and motion and being who directeth all thy steps pray unto him privately with thy self to blesse thee and all thy actions that they may tend to his glory thy welfare thou shalt find that all thy enterprises will have better successe then if the whole hoast of heaven and all the Prognosticatours of England had promised never so much prosperity Now let us shew their absurd folly in Prognosticating of the state of the yeare of which their predictions are either generall for the whole yeare or speciall for every day In their generall predictions are considered either the grounds of them or the matters which they foretell Their grounds are especially two 1. The figure of the revolution of the yeare erected when the Sun entreth the first minute of Aries 2. The figure celestiall for the time of the Eclipse of the Sun and Moon for upon these twain say they dependeth the whole state of the yeare In their celestiall figures they consider the erecting of them and the finding of the Lord of the figure The erecting of the figure containeth very many absurdities 1. They follow that way which Regiomontanus did invent never as yet proved by any experience and flatly differing from those wayes which of ancient Astrologers were used and were invented by Gazulus and Campanus Nay oftentimes it maketh the Planet or fixed Star to signifie a flat contrary thing to that which these two other do 2. The casting of the heavens into twelve parts signifying twelve distinct kind of matters is ridiculous because it being imagined and void of stars can have no force Yet some will say other stars being in those places may have and signifie such or such effects I answer that if Starres of divers natures coming to such an house alwayes signifying some one kind of thing then the house must of necessity give some force unto the Planet and so it shall have not onely an augmenting but also an effectually working power which Astrologers deny and no reason can prove 3. They make the twelfth and eleventh houses being higher above the horizon then the first to be of lesse force then it and the fourth house to be of greater power then any above the Horizon not Cardivall and the end of the ninth to be more in power then the beginning of the eleventh house all which are against reason because a Planet the more perpendicular his beams are the more is his force They answer although the force of the light be greater yet the secret influence is lesse and the first house hath more forcible influence then the twelfth or eleventh If the influence be secret how can they know it again they can by no good experience shew that those houses have more influence then the rest this influence maketh against them I say they cannot prognosticate because they know not one stars virtue For whereas they say that the Sunne and Moon and Planets have most force I answer that it is by reason of their light not their influence which is small and there is far greater in the smallest fixed Stars So that the fixed Stars although they have no light or very small light perceived yet they have most influence And so these men must needs dream because they judge by wrong causes Well their figure being framed and distinguished with fair characters then go they on to find the Lord of the figure that is that Planet which hath most dignitie in the figure The dignities of the Planets are found out by these means especially 1. Houses of Planets 2. Exaltation 3. Triplicity 4. Terms 5. Stars 6. Houses 7. Freenesse from Combustion 8. Directions 9. Velocity of course 10. Sazimi 11. Some aspects of other Planets These toyes be so foolish that a reasonable man would not vouchsafe to refute them yet a word or twain If the houses of the Planets shall be battered and puld down all the rest of their worship and dignity will lye in the dust Aries and Scorpius are appointed the houses of Mars Taurus and Libra the houses of Venus Gemini and Virgo the houses of Mercury Cancer the house of the Moon Leo the house of the Sunne Sagittarius and Pisces the houses of Jupiter Aquarius and Capricornus the houses of Saturn What reason do they give of this Leo and Cancer say they are the houses of the Sun and Moon because they resemble the nature of these Planets and because they come most near our heads such reason they give of the rest What feeble grounds are these As in the North part of the World Cancer and Leo resemble the nature of the Sunne so in the South part in the contrary Climats Capricornus and Aquarius do resemble their natures Also in every countrey some divers signs be either verticall or else come near the top of the countrey and so all signs shall be the houses of the Sun and Moon Now then the Sun being displaced I cannot find how the rest of the Planets can keep their hold To go further the exaltations of Planets in like manner are the very dreams They suppose Exaltations be those degrees in which the Planets were in the beginning of the world But why should those places give more force then any other And if they could give more force yet they have falsly assigned them For the Sun was not in Aries when it was created of God but was placed in Libra which I prove by this reason God created Man and Beast in perfect age giving unto them all kinds of fruits being then ripe so that in the beginning was the time of the year which we call Harvest Now because God never afterward changed the Seasons and we find that
Small love amongst Kinsfolks 11 Much unlawfull Lust this year and secret Fornication 12 Some Ecclesiastical Person shall be in trouble and some Nobleman shall die this is ever at one place or other 13 Many ship-wrecks and other stirs on the Seas 14 Many shall addict themselves to the study of Necromancy Thus far M. Perkins SECT IV. of CHAP. IV. Wherein the Doctour thinketh the ground of the Art wholly shaken and overthrown by affirming it meerly imaginary viz. the ninth and tenth Sphere and in them the Zodiack therein proveth and sheweth his own ignor ance the more apparently manifest BUt what doth this so phistical Cavil avail him to the subversion of the verity or certainty of Astrology when the motions and Effects of the stars are known but even as well may he condemn the Rules and Precepts of all Arts which are also gathered by experience and Reason as Astrology because the signes of the Zodiack are devised by men but the reason they attribute these Names as Aries Taurus Gemini and the like to the Constellations of the Heaven is by reason of their forms and particular virtues expressed under these figures for Ptolomy hath delivered the nature of the particular stars in them by themselves as also their particular Complexions and efficacies as also the Houses exaltations triplicities terms and faces and other Dignities of the signes as they follow the nature of the Planets and since these are known to what end are all these his Cavils whether there be a ninth or tenth Sphere for let there be none at all as he saith nor any think called a Zodiack as he would fain perswade the World yet since clear experience and practice evinceth him as also demonstration that there are such Constellations call them what you will his sophistical weak Argument will no wise serve his turn for I may as well deny there is a Dog a Bear both lesser and bigger a Swan a Crown a Waggoner and the like as he denieth there is not a Bull a Ram or a Lion in the Heavens when it is not desired literally by any Astrologer to be understood * ⎠* that not proved SURVEY First that men may see whether Will. Ram. hath not been impertinent in his Answer we will insert the Doctours third Argument The fourth and last Argument saith the Doctour against Astrology that I shall urge passing by innumerable others is that a main part of the Basis and bottome on which Astrologers build the structure of their Art of Prediction is but meet imagination for there is no such thing as the tenth or ninth Sphere and therefore the Zodiack placed by Astrologers in them is but a dreamed Fiction Yea and one of the quondam great Astrologers M. P. will dare to say that the twelve Signes bounded as they suppose within the dimensions of such a thing as a Zodiack namely the signes of Aries Taurus Gemini c. that is a Ram a Bull c. feigned to have power over the twelve parts of Man's Body are onely twelve imaginary Signes for in the Heavens saith he there is no such matter as a Ram a Bull c. And how saith he can it stand with reason that in a Firmament feigned by Poets and Philosophers a forged Sign which indeed is nothing should have any power and operation in the Bodies of men Again the very order of Government of these Signes in Man's body is found and without shew of reason for according to this Platform when the Moon cometh into the first Sign Aries she ruleth in the head and when she cometh into the second Sign Taurus she ruleth in the Neck and so descends down from part to part ruling two in some three dayes c. Where observe saith he that the Moon is made to rule in the cold and moist parts when she is in the hot and dry Signes whereas in reason a more consonant order were this that when the Moon were in hot and dry Signes as in Aries Leo and Sagittarius she should rule in hot and dry parts of the body and when she is in cold and moist Signes she should rule in the cold and moist parts of the Body and so still govern those parts which in temperature come nearest to the Signes wherein the Moon is Beside this some learned Physicians have upon experience confessed that the observation of the Sign is nothing material and that there is no danger in it for gelding of Cattell or letting of bloud And the vanity of the old conceit and imagination of them that have put much in the Signes appears in the common practice of men who commonly upon Stevens day use to let bloud be the Sign where it will The truth is saith he the Sign in its own nature is neither way available being but a phantasie grounded upon supposed premises and therefore ought to be rejected as meer Vanity Thus far he Now let me add some particulars suiting to what he hath said to illustrate the same and so I shall not onely confirm him but also what I affirmed my self in the beginning of this Argument First touching those feigned Firmaments or Heavens called the ninth and tenth Heavens besides that the ancient famous Astronomers Plato Aristotle Hipparchus and many others knew no such thing sense also doth evince that we can be sure of no more but eight For we see distinctly the seven Planets Sun Moon c. and their several motions in twenty four hours c. And we can perceive the eighth Heaven of the fixed stars known by their twinkling to move in one motion round the Earth in 24. hours because we can see the heels of the lesser Northern Bear adjacent to the North Pole to be downward towards the Earth in the Evening and to be upward in the Morning But we have no sure ground to conclude that there are more Heavens either the Chrystall Ninth or the first moving Tenth The grand reason brought to prove them from the two other motions of the eighth Heaven of fixed stars beside that from East to West in twenty four hours as that the eighth Heaven of fixed stars moves from West to East coming to be in the same posture as when they began that motion by the end of forty nine thousand years and that the same eighth Heaven hath another motion from South to North and thence to South again which process and recess is a finishing seven thousand years and therefore that that motion of the eighth Heaven from East to West in 24. hours must needs be violent as forced from some tenth Heaven naturally so moving and that from West to East in forty nine thousand years must be also violent as forced from some ninth Heaven naturally so moving and the last motion of the eighth Heaven viz. From South to North and back again in seven thousand years to be the natural peculiar innate motion of that eighth Heaven seeing that as they forme the Argument one simple single moveable
prosperity and wealth and argueth some kind of diffidence in God when thou readest these my words examine thine own heart if thou find my sayings true as certainly thou shalt never hereafter desire to know the state of the year before-hand except it be for the seasons of the year which I am perswaded thou mayst in some part without any skill even by thine own experience 2. Concerning the contempt of Gods providence thus much I say The Prognosticatour if he be asked whether he confesse the providence of God he will with all his heart confesse it but by his deeds he doth deny it for all the things whatsoever which can happen in a whole year he attributeth them to the stars and so he publisheth his predictions alwayes mentioning stars never or very slenderly making any signification of the power and justice mercy and everlasting wisdome of God And surely even for the very paring of thy nails for the cutting of thy hair for the putting on of thy shooes for taking a journey two or three miles from thine house for obtaining at Gods hands thy request for making thy bargain with thy neighbour for all thine actions be they never so small these wise men if thou wilt ask their advise will give thee counsell from the stars Now when these their irreligious predictions shall be had in thy bosome and read of thee daily thou being a man unlearned and worldly given never hearing any mention of the speciall providence and hand of God in every thing but long discourses of the virtues of Planets and signs doest never think upon the wonderfull and most infinite power of God working after a speciall manner in every matter but are drawn straight wayes into an admiration of the Astrologer and a great fear of the constellations of heaven An experience of this I found in thee about two years ago A learned man yet in this case far deceived wrote an Astrologicall discourse of the conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn wherein he shewed of great alteration in every thing to fall At this thou wast sore agast thy mind was incumbred with fettling thy goods to set them in order against that day thy song for half a year was nothing else but the conjunction the conjunction the day being come what staring was there and gazing into heaven to see the meeting of those two Planets Now all this while where was Gods providence where was that trust and rejoycing in him Wherefore me thinketh that in a Christian Common-wealth those onely books should be published for thy use which might beat into thy head and make thee every houre and moment to think on the providence of God Contrarywise to tell thee the means which God doth use to thunder out the aspects and constellations of stars and seldome to mention of his providence maketh thee to fear and admire and love the means quite forgetting the work of God in the means This fault was very rife amongst the Israelites who came yearly unto Astrologers and wise men Wherefore that which is spoken by Jeremy chap. 10. v. 12. unto them is also spoken unto thee Hear ye the word of the Lord that he speaketh unto you O house of Israel Thus saith the Lord learn not the way of the heathen and be not afraid for the signs of heaven though the heathen be afraid of such In like sort God forbiddeth his people of England to give credit or fear the constellations and conjunctions of Stars and Planets which have no power of themselves but are governed by him and their secret motions and influences are not known to man and therefore there can be no certain judgement thereof If thou wilt not hear and follow this which I say see what will ensue Thou seest that the greatest matters which these Diviners and Prognosticatours foretell fall out flat otherwise then they say to their perpetuall shame Truely I am perswaded that it is the judgement of God upon them although they cannot see it who maketh them when they think they are most wise to be most fools For so the Lord used the wise men and Astrologers of Chaldea as he speaketh by his Prophet Esay chap. 44. v. 24. I am the Lord that made all things that spread out the heavens alone and stretch out the earth by my self I destroy the tokens of Soothsayers and make them that conjecture fools and turn their wise men backward and make their knowledge foolishnesse Dost thou then O carelesse and miserable man think to escape the same or greater punishment being a cause of this fault for if none desired to know what is to come none would busie themselves in that vanity Wherefore reade the word of God in the 18. of Deut. verse 9. When thou shalt come saith the spirit of God into the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations In the words following Moses numbreth nine abominations As 1. To make his child go through the fire 2. To use witchcraft 3. To regard times this is thy fault 4. To mark the flying of fouls 5. To be a Sorcerer 6. To be a Charmer 7. To counsell with Spirits 8. To be a Soothsayer 9. To ask counsell at the dead All these horrible abominations being rehearsed mark what followeth Deut. 18.9 For all that do such things are an abomination unto the Lord and because of their abominations the Lord thy God doth cast them out before thee now seeing most of these abominations and especially the third is used of us why should we not fear the like judgements upon us unlesse we will repent and that with speed 2. The reasons which concern the Prognosticatour and may avail to the perswading of thee not to buy any more of their unprofitable books as these which follow First their unability in Prognosticating Secondly their manifest untruths Thirdly their impieties Fourthly their tricks of deceit What can they not foretell that which is to come can they not make conjectures of that which is like to ensue No surely And I will use arguments to confirm it unto thee The true use of the heavens consisteth in many points 1. To declare the glory of God The heavens saith David Psal 19.2 declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth the work of his hands It is an Alphabet written in great Letters in which is described the majestie of God and that by these four speciall points First the Majesty of the work it self 2. The infinite multitude of Stars 3. By the wonderfull variety of Stars 4. By the greatnesse of the Stars 2. Secondly it maketh sinners and wicked men inexcusable before the judgement seat of God Rom. 1.20 For the invisible things of him saith Paul that is his eternall power and God-head are seen by the creation of the world being consiaered in his works to the intent that they should be without excuse 3. Thirdly they serve to the appointment of times as day
night moneth year which are both measured and described by the course of the Sun and Moon and other Stars Gen. 1.14 And so the feast of the Israelites and the computation of the yeare in our Church dependeth thereupon and without them there would be great confusion both in the common wealth and Church 4. Fourthly they serve to be signs that is to foretell things to come And they are signs either of extraordinary things or things which be ordinary When they are signs of extraordinary things then there is and appeareth in them some extraordinary work of God as appeareth in these examples which follow At the suffering of Christ not onely the vail of the temple rent and the dead rose forth of their graves Matth. 27. but also the Sun was wholly eclipsed the Moon being in the full At which sight Dyonisius Areopagita a good Astronomer spake these words Either the frame of the world is destroyed or the God of nature suffereth The Prophet Ezek. cha 32. v. 78. being commanded to prophecy the destruction of Egypt he first putteth down such extraordinary signs Before the second coming of our Saviour Christ there shall be signs in the Sun and Moon and in the Stars Lastly the extraordinary going back of the Sun signified the lengthning of the life of King Ezekias Secondly the Stars are signs of generall things which happen ordinarily every year in nature among us As of 1. Approching and declining of 1. The Spring 2. Summer 3. Harvest 4. Winter 2. Ordinary weather in these quarters 3. Ebbing and flowing of the Sea 4. Seasons of 5. Plowing 6. Sowing 7. Setting 8. Planting 9. Cutting 10. Felling 11. Reaping I say generall because the particular estate and affairs of men can in no wise be fore-signified by the stars I say ordinary because the things which fall out seldome and are besides the common course of nature as plenty of all things famine plague war eversions of Kingdomes c. Do not depend upon the Stars For the confirming of this I have three reasons First in the 1. of Genesis v. 14 15. God saith that he made the lights to be signs and yet the same God in the 47. of Esay v. 13.14 saith he will destroy the signs of them which divine flatly forbidding us to use Stars as means to judge of any thing to come saving onely of those of which they are expresly made signs of God in the creation all which are put down before Secondly this is manifest by the order of the creation Gen. 1.12.14 The third day God created upon the earth hearbs and trees and the earth brought forth fruits and was fertile the fourth day God commanded lights to be made in the firmament of heaven to separate the day and the night and to be for signs and for seasons and dayes and moneths and then it was so and then God saw it was good Out of which I gather that it cannot be a sign causing famine or plenty and fertilenesse because fertility went before the creation of the host of heaven Also of warres and plagues and the particular estates of men they can be no signs because man was not yet created and yet even then they were signs Some will say they were no signs of those matters in the creation but now they may be and are No for the works which God created he now preserveth neither increasing nor diminishing any thing in them Philo Judaeus in his book de opificio mundi saith he was perswaded that God foreseeing the minds of men given to search strange matters to come did in this order create the heavens to confute and disprove their imaginations Thirdly the Heavens and Stars were made for the use of man and man is their end so that it is absurd to imagine they have any force in the affairs of man Now then Prognosticatours if they will foreshew of strange things to come they must undo the work of their Creatour and give unto it new uses otherwise they shall not be able to Prognosticate as they yearly do The providence of God is his decree by which he appointeth how every thing shall come to pass The continuall execution of this decree is ordinarily by meanes but often without meanes The means which God useth are either generall or speciall Generall are these by which he governeth all the whole world and every particular thing which concerneth this life unto this kind are referred spirituall creatures called Angels by whom the Philosophers say the heavens are governed and we see that whole Kingdomes Provinces and Citties have been kept and defended by them as also consumed and destroyed Again the starrs and heavenly bodies are used of God to govern and order things here below as it is the 19. Psal Nothing is hid from the beat of the sunne And by the Prophet Hosea the Lord speaketh thus I will hear the heavens the heavens shall hear the earth the earth shall hear the corn the corn shall hear Israel But this instrument is onely a generall instrument and hath his work in ordinary matters of nature Beside these means there be many other by which God ruleth the world In the beginning he set man over the whole world that he might have rule over fishes fouls and beasts and al things els He apointed husbands to govern their wives he set the first-born before their brethren as Cain before Abel Princes over Cities Kingdomes Common-wealths and therefore by reason of their dignity calleth them Gods There be Governours of Families Fathers over their Children Masters over their Servants Yet God hath more near care in preserving and governing his chosen as appeareth in the 43. of Esay Thus saith the Lord God that created thee O Jacob and he that formed thee O Israel fear not for I have redeemed thee I have called thee by my name thou art mine when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the flouds that they do not overflow thee When thou walkest thorough the very fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee for I am the Lord thy God the holy one of I srael thy Saviour This is also manifest by that Sympathy which is in the Lord when his children are afflicted as appeareth by the 11. of Zechariah He which toucheth you toucheth the appleof mine eye And in the 9. of the Acts Saul Saul why persecutest thou me that is my elect Wherefore therebe also speciall means by which he more carefully governeth the elact As be Angels whom Paul to the Hebrews calleth Ministring spirits it is certain they defend every one of the elect particularly Hitherto may be referred the preaching of the Word of God the ministring of the Sacraments All these means God's provid ence useth first that he might shew his goodnesse towards us secondly that he might be known to be the Lord over all thirdly that we might be thankfull because he not onely himself governeth us but also