the directions which are not only inobservable by the Attenders but in explicable and so confest by the propounders themselves But wee l take them at their word let wisedome be pursued to some purpose and then all their other cautions or conditions will prove to no purpose 17. Whether the confused cautions of dayes hours minutes points numbers measures degrees orders harmonies similitudes congruities dispositions compositions elections preparations observations fabrications c. argue not their art or artifice a difficult vanity an unprobable fiction an imposible operation 18. What fickle tickle fallible arts are Magick Astrologie Alchymie to have so many cautious directions ceremonies circumstances and they so difficult to be apprehended more difficult to be observed and yet the ignorance as they say neglect or miscarriage of the least circumstance enough to frustrate the whole substance or effect 19. Upon what pretexet is it that ther are such caveats in Magick Astrologie Alchymie yea and Sorcery it self for fasting abstinence cleanness of affections members garments habitation instruments c. since the arts themselves are unclean and the best of them by their own confession not throughly purged therefrom 20. Is it not well known that the Devill even in the most execrable arts and acts of conjuration inchantment sorcery witch-craft hath cautioned admonished and exhorted to fasting prayer chastity charity justice forbearing of certain sins frequenting of divine ordinances Now will any say these arts or acts were any whit the better or safer for those cautionings and conditionatings so pâ—erequired 21. What good end else can there be of their own counselling and warning that an Astrologer be a man both expertly Ethicall and Physicall Save that as he should not exercise his own so he should not Prognosticate of others manners beyond all grounds of morality And that he should correct or rather prevent his Astrologicall Prognostications by true physicall principles 22. Whether this be not a proper caution for all Astrologers to forewarn one another of gazing so long upon the stars till they fall as one of them did into the ditch 23. Whether it be not the best caveat that can be given to an Astrologer and so confest by some of them to account it most safe and sure after all inspection of the stars to look to the Parents for the constitution to the temper for qualities to the will for actions to industry and externall means for acquisitions and to divine providence for events 24. VVhether any sound Orthodox Christian ever did write in the approof of judiciary and predicting Astrologie And if any such have treated of the speculation if their recantation followed not after it then with what moderation and reiterated caution yea and that so severe so sincere as that a Christian Reader might easily perceive it was the caution which he intended through the main of the discourse and not the Institution CHAP. XIII 13. From the contrariety of opinions IF that be not worthy to be called a Science which consists only in opinion what then shall we call that which is nothing else almost but a contrariety of opinions A contrariety about the grounds of the art about the operation upon those grounds and about the effects of those operations Such a contrariety as is irreconcilable the Opinors or Opinionists old and new each of them contending to plant his own and supplant the others opinions And such a variety of contrarieties that were all their Authors at hand it might be inquired if a glancing eye might not soon observe and a running hand transcribe about every point and particular of their art almost ten for one of these that are here set down 1. About the nature and office of the Gods Spirits Angels Demons and Heroes 2. About the principles of good and evill 3. About the originall and defect of oracles 4. About the first Author and inventors of Magick and Astrologie 5. About the causes in vaticinating good and bad 6. About the figure and durance of the world 7. About the principles of all things especially of the celestiall bodies 8. About the number and site of the celestiall orbes 9. About the solidity of the celestiall orbes 10. About the order of the orbs or sphears 11. About the motions of the eighth sphear 12. About the revolution of the ninth sphear 13. About the magnitude of the Stars 14. About their number 15. About their form 16 About their order 17. About their light 18. About their distance both one from another and from the earth 19. About their scintillation or their trepidation 20. About their fixation and volitation 21. About the motion of the fixed Stars 22. About the variation of the latitude of the fixed Stars 23. About the antick and postick the right hand and left hand of Stars 24 About the time or space of the Stars fulfilling their degrees or courses 25. About the names numbers and order of the Planets 26. About the magnitude and distance of the planets 27. About the influences of the Planets 28. About the prime generation and ultimate resolution of those influences 29. About the benevolence and malevolence of Planets generall and particular corporall and mentall 30. About the proper Houses of the Planets and their efficacities there 31. About the fabrefaction of the twelve Houses 32. About the Suns being the center of the visible world 33. About the latitude of the Moon 34. About the Semidameters of the Sun Moon and shadow of the earth 35. About the proportion and magnitude of the three great bodies the Sun the Moon and the Earth 36. About the tearms limits bounds or ends of the Planets 37. About the new Stars 38. About Comets their nature substance site figure portent 39. About the appellations and the operations of the twelve Signs 40. About the assigning of the severall parts of the body to severall Planets and Signs 41. About the subjecting of such and such Cities and Countries to such and such Stars and Planets and parts of the Zodiack 42. About the visible and invisible Sun and Moon 43. About the motion and quiescency of the Earth 44. About the Earths being a meer Star one of the Planets and having her annuall motion round about the Sun 45. About the propriety and inconstancy of the Moons light 46. About the more powerfull acting of the Stars whether from their light or motion 47. About the Galaxia or milkie way 48. About the number of the zones the torrid the frigid and their habitableness 49. About the elevation of the Pole and its investigation 50. About the Meridian the constitution elevation and the difference thereof from divers Cities and places 51. About the circumference of the sensible Horizon 52. About the computation of times 53. About the Kalendar and its reformation or correction 54. About the beginning and end of the year 55. About the Solar year and the quantity thereof 56. About the beginning of the naturall day 57. About the equation of civill dayes 58.
in like manner obnoxious to vices 44. That the Stars are numerable and the number of them is 1600. saith one 1022. saith another 800. saith another more and less say others 44. That the least Star in the Heavens or the least visible is eighteen times bigger than the earth 45. That the Stars of the first honour and magnitude are bigger than the earth 107. times of the second 86. or 90. times of the third 72. times of the fourth 54. times of the fift 31. or 36. times of the sixt 18. times Have not they judged these old dimensions to be errors that have since altered them and whether theirs be not errors too let others judge or let them judge one another by their various opinions in this kind 46. That the Planets when they are lowest or are nearest the earth yet are they so many Semidameters distant from it viz. the moon 53. Mercury 65. Venus 167. The Sun 1122. or as some say 1124. Mars 1216. Jupiter 8854. Saturn 14378. 47. That when they are highest or most remote then are they thus distant viz. the Moon 64. Mercury 167. Venus 1070. the Sun 1210. Mars 8022. Jupiter 14369. Saturne 18500. 48. That the sphear of the fixed Stars is 14000. Semidameters distant from the earth others say 19000. others say 20081½ 49. That a Semidameter is 913. German miles 50. That the Moon is distant from the center of the earth 33. Semidameters or 30129. German miles so that the singular regions of the ayr have 11. Semidameters or 10043. German miles if the distance be computed from the center of the earth Likewise Mercury 64. Semidiameters or 58584. Germane miles Venus 167. semidiameters 152471. German miles the Sun 1120. semidameters 1022560. German miles Mars 1220. semidameters 1113860. German miles Jupiter 6678. semidameters 8103788. German miles Saturn 20100. semidameters or 18360430. German miles The eighth sphear 40220. semimidameters 36720860. German miles 51. That Saturn is 22. times bigger then the whole earth Jupiter 14. Mars lesser 13. The Sun greater 139 2 8. Venus lesse 6 1 â— Mercury 19. the moon 42. And again Saturn greater 91 1 â— Jupiter 95½ Mars 1â…“ The Sun 162. and 166 Venus lesse 37. Mercury 22. the Moon 1900. 52. That it is from the earth to the Moon 15150. miles From the Moon to Mercury 12812. miles From Mercury to Venus as many From Venus to the Sun 23438. miles From the Sun to Mars 15425. miles From Mars to Jupiter 68721. miles From Jupiter to Saturn as many From Saturn to the firmament 120485. miles 53. That for the order and placing of the Stars and Planets the Sun is in the midst of the Seaven and above that Mars and above that Jupiter and above that Saturn but beneath the Sun Venus and beneath that Mercury and beneath that the Moon 54. That Mercury follows next to Mars and next it Venus and next it the Sun and next it the Moon 55. That the Sun is in the last place but one or two and Venus above it and next after Mars 56. That Mercury is next to the Sun and under that Venus 56. That both Sun and Moon are above the fixed Stars 57. That the Sun is the Center of the world 58. That the Light of the Stars is materiall is a body is void of matter is a spirituall substance 59. That the Light of the Stars is of a middle nature betwixt corporeall and incorporeall 60. Is a substantiall form 61. Is a manifestation of colour 62. Is a fire 63. Is an accident reall or intentionall either or both 64. That the Light of the Stars is proper is mutuatitious is partly one partly another 65. That the Heavens are unmoveable 66. That the lower world turns round 67. That the moving Intelligences or Angles are the assisting forms of Stars 68. That the Stars fly like Birds in the ayr 69. That the Stars make a melodious harmony in their motion or revolution 70. That the celestiall bodies not only move with an insensible Musick but are moved by a sensible musick 71. That there is in sounds a vertue to receive the heavenly gifts and that the Heavens doe consist by an harmonicall composition and doe rule and cause all things by harmonicall tones and motions 72. That there are two half Orbes carryed about the earth the one all fire the other most ayr and they two as they wheel about make the day and the night 73. That the Stars erratile are some male some female yea sometimes male and sometimes female 74. That the Heavens and celestiall bodies are animated and have souls and souls properly so called 75 That the world the Heavens the Stars and the elements have a soul with which they cause a soul in these inferior and mixed bodies 76. That they have also a spirit which by the mediating of the soul is united to the body 78. That the souls of the Stars are not created together with their bodies but are extrinsecally added to them 79. That the world lives hath a soul and sense 80. That the above named souls have reason 81. That the soul of the world is placed chiefly in the Sun 8â— That the â—oul of the earth is not to be thought as it were the soul of some contemptible body but to be rationall and also intelligent yea and to be a 〈◊〉 83 That the souls of creatures and men are infuâ—ed into their bodies by the Stars 84 That Comets are the souls of famous 〈◊〉 triumphing in heaven 85. That Comets be fiery animals walking upon the superficies of the Elements 80. That the first principle of all things is water from which all things proceed and into which all are resolved 87. That all things are generated through the condensation and rarefaction of the ayr 88. That the Sun Moon and Stars have their originall from the earth 89. That the Sun and the Stars are begotten of clouds 90. That the whole body of nature hath the originall from the Sun and the Moon That the Sun makes Stars out of clean Chrystalline water 91. That the Heavens are a book in which the manners actions fortunes and fates of all are singularly written 92. That by the Mathematicall we receive the caelestiall vertues as motion sense life speech c. 93. That amongst all Mathematicall things Numbers as they have more of forme in them so also are more efficacious by which the next access to prophecying is had 94. That in Gestures there lyes the reason of numbers and great vertues c. 95. That the very elements of Letters have some divine numbers by which collected from the proper names of things we may draw conjectures concerning occult things to come 96. That by the number of Letters we may find out the ruling Stars of any one that is born and whether the husband or wife shall dye first and know the prosperous or unlucky events of the rest of our works 97. That the child cannot be long-lived that is born under the horned moon
of the Planets to the 12. Signes of the Zodiaek to the whole host of heaven and so to the troop of Starres And what of that place Isa 64. 11. Let it according the Septuagint the Chaldee Paraphrase the Fathers and others be interpreted of Idolls or of Devils of Fortune or of Fate or of their Epicurizing or their sacrificing to the Sarres in an auspication of the years fertility Is it not now most fitly applied for the confirmation of a Patriarks constellated nativitie If after ages more corrupt and idolatrous might invent an Idoll or a Daemon or a Paganish Planet of that name must it therefore be known to and approved by the Fathers in the Primitive times of their purer simplicity Judg 5 20. They fought from heaven the Stars in their courses fought against Sisera How the Stars are said to fight for or against Why may not the Stars here be metaphorically understood for Angels Howbeit who can deny but their fighting was metaphoricall For how fought they by a naturall influx and not rather by a supernaturall direction By their common position and not indeed by their speciall imposition Ordinarily nay but extraordinarily Formally nay but rather effectively Even so far forth as it pleased the Lord of Hosts to use them as his instruments for the prodigious producing of thunder lightning wind hayl rain storm or tempest c. So then the Stars fought externally by their own proper weapons in generating and producing of disturbing and distracting meteors not by their influences working internally upon the minds wils consciences counsels and courages of men In this generall muster or great conjunction which of them was the leader in chief or predominant Lord All those that perished in this slaughter did the Stars agree to design that in their births which they now executed at their deaths This fighting of theirs such as it was who foresaw it who foretold it was not the Prophetess her self ignorant of it save only after the event And when she understood the manner of it was she instructed by an arted speculation or by a divine revelation only Deborah is now ascribing the victory to the Lord of Hosts for his praise and worship and not unto the Stars For it is a Canticle and not an incantation So much is to be collected from them which way soever we point her words They fought from heaven so The whole Trinity as efficients or the holy Angels as instruments Take the clause so distinct and then it is easy to observe that there were others above them who fought first and not the Stars but secondarily at their command Their Commanders went before in the front and these the common Souldiers of Gods Hoste follow after in the rear And if we read thus the Stars from heaven fought That ntoes not only their place where it is but their power whence it is And then those following words they fought in their courses or in their orders paths degrees elevations exaltations mounts banks c. Doe note both their limitation and direction in their place and power Yet not that power from their naturall place or position but from a divine disposition and imposition at that present In short was not this case singular and extraordinary betwixt the Isralites and the Cananites wherefore then should it be drawn to any common and ordinary much less vain observation Job 38. 31 32 33. Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades or loose the bands of Orion Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons Knowest thou the Ordinances of heaven canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth Whether this portion of Scripture be a proof of the Stars potency and not rather of the Star-gazers impotency Is the naming of them a sufficient proof and approofe of their power and dominion on the one part and not rather the comparing of them or objecting of them the only scope and argument to prove the ignorance and inability on the other part who is it that speaks here and to whom speaks he Is it not God to Job the Holy Spirit to a just man advising and convincing him of his ignorance and imbecillity not only as touching celestiall but also terrestriall matters If it had been a Daemon to a Magician or a Familiar to a Sooth-sayer would he not have soothed him up in a flattering conceit of his art skill sufficiency vertue and power in these things But the Good Spirit free from the others fallacie and ambiguity expostulates plainly Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades That is canst thou make the seaven Stars to appear so in a knot together as if they were all bound in one band Or are they beholden to thee for that sweet delightfull harmonious concord or collection Or canst thou bind restrain or forbid their sweet influences their delights and pleasant vertues of flowers and fruits in Gardens and Fields from the opening of the Spring all Summer long Or canst thou so conjoyn them or observe any such conjunction in them as to cause or discern them to be nearer to one another at one time than they are at anorher On the contrary canst thou loose the bonds of Orâ—on that is cause or discern them to be further off one another at one time than they are at another Or canst thou dissipate the contractâ—ons of those Stars either by transposing their orders or inlarging their border or else dissolve the contractions of the Winter Stars and so make the earth to open her self in a flourishing way when she is now as it were bound up Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season Or make the twelve signs of the Zodiack each one of them to appear in his appointed time Or the remote Stars to shine at noon day Or Lucifer sometimes to preceed the Sun-rising and again to follow the Sun-setting Or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons sâ— Instruct or direct the whole generation or congregation of the Northern Stars Or canst thou lead the great Bear with all his Whelps to make them devour as thou prognosticatest Or lead him over his sons the sons of God yea or the common sons of men to devast according to the praedictions of vain humane art Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven thou by thy naturall reason as they by their arted skill either according to what Laws and Statutes they are governed by God or govern the world Canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth That is determine what power and vertue those Superiors have over these Inferiors in generall much less terminate it to particulars Now let the greatest Proselytes of the East consider well these words spoken to a great son of the East which although they were directed to his person yet they concern those of his kind I mean our orientall Artists and tell us what they can here directly observe in proof of the Stars influences upon souls wils actions and fortunes
and all such singular events as are contingent to humane state and affairs Are not the whole words a plain reproof of all such arrogance and a proof not so much of the Stars as of Gods own incomparable and incomprehensible power and providence as also of mans wretched ignorance and ignorant wretchedness while in this and divers other following Chapters he teaches Job to consider and that not only as touching the heavens but the earth the Sea and all that in them is Psal 8. 3. When I consider the heavens the work of thy fingers the Moon and the Stars which thou hast created What difference betwixt a divine contemplation and a Diviners speculation of the Heavens Are not these the main differences and most of them to be here observed 1. One reads them with the pure glass of Gods word the other by his own false and fallacious perspicils And must not he be blear eyed and weak sighted that undertakes to read the Heavens and Heavenly bodyes not with the eyes of his soul nor yet with his eyes in his head but with his eyes in or through a case 2. One beholds them as Gods Heavens the other as dame Natures Heavens 3. One sees and considers the other neither sees nor considers but gazes only and so conjectures 4. One looks upon them as a work an ordinary work the other pores upon them as working and extraordinarily working 5. One contemplates them devoutly and constantly at any time or all times whensoever the other speculates them superstitiously at stated planetary hours and moments 6. One considers them as the work of Gods fingers the other conceives them as working by his own figures 7. One doth it to meditate within himself the other doth it to presage and predict upon others 8. One regards them as Gods ordinance the other respects them as giving laws and ordinances to men 9. One takes occasion hereby to meditate both of mans frailty and his dignity as in some respects inferior yet in some respect superior to the heavenly bodyes the other feigns and muses upon the Stars superiority and domination and mans inferiority and subjection altogether 10. One admires the mercy of God in exalting man above the Stars the other at most but vaunts of his judgements in depressing him under them 11. One hereupon argues mans state to be little lower than that of Angels the other hereupon would make mans condition to be far worse than that of beasts 12. One so directs his meditation as that it is not without an expresse invocation of the Lord the other so directs his speculation as that very often it is not without some implicite invocation of the Devill 13. One magnifies God for so visiting man in mercy as to crown him with the glory and honour of a reasonable and a gracious soul the other dishonours him even in the visitations of his judgments in that he would rob man of this his crown and set it upon the Stars head making them to be rationall creatures nay and little less than God and man to be awed wholly under their irrationall and fatall necessity 14 One nevertheless concludes that God hath so made man as to have the dominion over the works of his hands the other concludes that the work of his fingers have nevertheless the inevitable and ineluctable dominion over him But it would not be unmentioned why no mention is here made of the Sun as is of the Moon and of the Stars was it because David composed this Psalme in the night time and is he therefore silent of it because it was now set Surely spirituall meditations require not the presence or appearance of sensible objects If he did compose it in the night season yet undoubtedly it was done in his Chamber and not on the top of a Tower This nightly meditation was clean another thing to their nightly speculation He could as they cannot perfect his consideration without any relation of or to the Sun Or therefore speaks he not of the Sun but of the Moon and the Stars only because these shine together Well then it is evident that he lookt not at such Aspects and Conjunctions as are fain to refer all chiefly to the Sun Or calls he the Sun his Heavens inclusively Why that in a peculiar manner is no more his creature than are all the other obscurer and inferior Stars they are all but the same work of his fingers But if he speak of the Sun thus involvedly it is not to countenance their involutions but reprove their involved praedictions who study to be ambiguons because they prognosticate from such things they plainly perceive not Or speaks he not of the Sun Because he speaks of seeing and that 's a thing cannot suffer it self to be over broadly gazed on Goe to if it doe indeed dazle the sensible eyes for whose naturall use it was intended how then will it dazle those curious eyes that are prying and searching into it not only for the supernaturall but preternaturall abuse of it and of all under it But to let pass these levities of conjecture save only that they have their weight against their lighter conjectures doth not the Psalmist in very deed therefore here passes over the Sun in silence because he is not now prognosticating but prophesying of the Sun of righteousness to whose brightness and glory the Sun in the firmament is but obscure darkness prophesying of his Birth and Death for which the Prince of the Planets hand no motion and hath therefore here no mention What sorcerous prophaness and wizzardly blasphemy then is that for Star-gazers to conclude our Saviour Christs Nativity Passion Resurrection and consequently the whole mysterie and work of our Redemption within the revolutions positions conjunctions aspects calculations configurations and prognostications of the Stars Psal 19. 1. The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-work How doe the heavens declare the glory of God Shall we believe the Rabbines or any magicall Reciter that the heavens declare the glory of God not as other inanimate creatures doe but that they doe it as things that have souls and prognosticating souls too Since they have no reason for their assertion but this because say they the word which here signifies to declare is never attributed in all the Scripture to things inanimate Say it were not so elsewhere is it not enough that it is so here Must we for the more common usage of the phrase change the proper nature of the thing In Job 12 7 8. that very word with others as rationall is attributed to the irrationall creatures shall we therefore say they are rationall creatures and so make a metamorphosis for a metaphors sake But wee believe the heavens do so declare the glory of God as the firmament sheweth his handy-work viz. after their own kind and way and not after ours In the simplicity of their nature not in the curiositie of an Art In their naturall end and
that all mens names should be changed upon their conversion or those that were were they changed because they were of ill signification or import or was the name of Magi not so because not then changed And what though Simon Magus and Elymas have some Paraphrases added to the name of Magician as it is said of the one that he bewitched the people Acts 8. 9 and of the other that he was a false Prophet Acts 13. 6. Does that argue that the Holy Ghost approves of the name without those Paraphrases Nay doe not those Paraphrases or Synonyma's further clear what the Holy Ghost intended by that name For how did Simon Magus bewitch the people but by his Magick or Sorceries Acts 8. 11. Oh! but Magus is the interpretation of Elymas Acts 13. 8. And Elymas sounds well both according to the Hebrew and Arabick derivation It may sound and signifie well or ill as the derivator pleases to fancy or labours to allude But is the good or bad signification of a name sufficient to make the thing signified either good or bad His name was Barjeu or Bar Jesas and did that approve him for the Son of God or of Jesus Magicians were wont to arrogate and usurp unto themselves good names or titles thereby to colour their wicked mysteries and practices Simon Magus gave out that himself was some great one 〈◊〉 and thereupon came to be accounted the great power of God Acts 8. 9. 10. Doe the Scriptures use to interpret an obscure thing by an obscurer And therefore why may we not interpret the interpreting to be no other but his own arrogating or others accounting But to be brief may we not rest satisfied with these interpretations of all his names at once A false Propphet ther 's the name of his profession a Jew ther 's the name of his nation Barjesus ther 's the name from his Parents Elymas ther 's the name of his education for might he not be brought up and instructed in Elymais a City in the Country of Persia where the Magicians were educated and Magus ther 's the name of his practice And thus the knotty interpretation is easily disolved interpreting Elymas Magus for an Elymaticall Magician 2. Whether the Magi were the first attendants our Saviour met withall in this world What say they besides the Angells to Mary and Joseph and the sheapherds of the same Country Certainly if they came not as some think till about twelve dayes after the Nativity or as others not till about two years after which they collect from verse 16. then met Christ with many attendants ere they came But what if they had been the first attendants was it their art Magicall that did dispose or invite them thereunto Or did they as they were Philosophers acknowledge him in the flesh before that he himself discovered it Without all doubt had not he himself first discovered it to them by his Spirit not only all their art but even the Star it self had been insignificant and altogether insufficient to such a purpose Grant they had been the first Converts and Confessors yet was it not in all their Magick or Philosophie to praeoccupate his own revelation nor his promises to his Church nor yet so much as the sense and experiment of his comming in the flesh already known and acknowledged by Saints of other natures much better than themselves Why may we not take Magi here not for an artificiall or a professionall but for a nationall and a gentilitiall name or appellation There are expresse promises for the calling of the Gentiles but not of the Magicians There the Evangelist proposes it as a thing stupendious Behold there came Wisemen from the East to Jerusalem making as it were a wonder considering their art for to see Magicians to come unto Christ Wherefore we conclude that nothing from their call or conversion was now praefigured in respect to their professions but to the Nations They being thus the first fruits of the Gentiles not of the Magicians Having relation to the promised calling not as Magi not as Wisemen Isa 33. 18. 1 Cor. 1. 20. 26. but as from the East Isa 41. 2. and 43. 5. Mat. 8. 1. 3. Why God would call the Magi or Magicians to Christ Not because they were Wisemen or men well morrallized nor because they were Priests and Prophets and Theologues and Divines teaching and serving God aright in their way of Religion nor because they were Kings and Princes and Magistrates and Lawgivers and Counsellours c. Nor that any their good use of naturall gifts and studies did any whit dispose them to supernaturall grace and dutie nor that they were the apter to heavenly contemplation for their Stars speculation nor that divining predictors had any affinity with Divine Prophets nor yet that all such as are worse Magicians than they were should thereupon presume to come to Christ as they did But because God would thus magnifie his good will and Christ his free grace and the Holy Ghost his blessed power to Sinners of all nations professions conditions that as none ought to presume so none might despair 4. Wherefore would he call them by a Star Not that the celestiall creatures set forth God and Christ otherwise than as the terrestriall doe For it is spoken of one as well as another the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are cleerly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternall power and Godhead Rom. 1. 2. Not that the mysteries of Grace are more to be read in the book of the Heavens but a book of nature as well as the earth although as it were of a whiter paper or a fairer character Not that the heavenly bodies are Gods Image as some of the earthly are neither yet bear it before them as they doe Not because the Stars have any peculiar attractive vertue in them to draw men to Christ or Christian profession For why then have the greatest Astrologers been living and dying the arrantest Jews and greatest Pagans Much less to commend to them their Star gazing art or to indulge them in the superstitious errors or countenance the prestigious practices of it No but to captivate them in their own wisedome and to condescend to their own capacities and to instruct them the vanity of them being laid aside from their own studies and exercises Namely that the creatures celestiall or terrestriall may become in their kind our tutors to God-ward if they be rightly used and not superstitiously or profanely abused That the Stars are not the Governours of the world but only serving as a guide to him that governs both them and the world That they are more than their naturall and common motions that bend to this end or can guide in this way That this new Representative was but the shadow to him who was the true bright Star Num. 24. 17. Revel 22. 16. to whom all the rest they found in the Heavens were not so
them which Moses himself in Deuteronomie calleth Gods of the earth To the which all Nations were attributed not signifying others than the heavenly starrs and their souls That the heavens and the heavenly bodies are animated with certain divine souls is not only the opinion of Poets and Philosophers but also the assertion of the Sacred Scriptures and of the Catholicks For Ecclesiastes also describeth the soul of heaven Coelestiall bodies are animated because they are said to receive commands from God which is only agreeable to a reasonable nature for it is written I have injoyned a command on all the stars Moreover Job seemeth to have fully granted that the starâ—s are not free from the stain of sin for there we read The stars also are not clean in his sight Which cannot verily be referred to the brightnesse of their bodyes The Masters of the Hebrews think that the names of Angells were imposed on them by Adam according to that which is written he Lord brought all things which he had made unto Adam that he should name them and as he called any thing so the name of it was Hence the Hebrew Meculiabs think together with the Magicians that it is in the power of man to impose names upon Spirits Many prophecying Spirits were wont to shew themselves and be associats with the souls of them that were purified examples whereof there are many in sacred writ As in Abraham and his bond-mayd Hagar in Jacob Gedâ—on Elias Tobias Daniel and many more So Adam had familiarity with the Angell Raziel Shem the Son of Noah with Tophiel Abraham with Zadkiel Isaac and Iacob with Peliel Ioseph Joshua and Daniel with Gabrâ—el Moses with Metattron Elias with Malhiel Tobias the younger with Raphael David with Cerniel Mannoah with Phadaâ—l Cenez with Cerrel Ezekiel with Hasmael Esaras with Uriel Solomon with Michael There is a kind of frenzy which proceeds from the mind of the world This doth by certain sacred mysteries vows sacrifices adorations innovations and certain sacred arts or certain secret confections by which the Spirit of their God did infuse vertue make the soul rise above the mind by joyning it with deities and Daemons So we read concerning the Ephod which being applyed they did presently prophesy Rabbi Levi affirmeth that no propheticall dream can be kept back from his effect longer than twenty two years So Joseph dreamed in the seventeenth year of his age and it was accomplished in the 39. year of his age A humane soul when it shall be rightly purged and expiated doth then being loosed from all impurity break forth with a liberall motion ascends upwards receives divine things instructs it self when happily it seems to be instructed elsewhere neither doth it then need any remembrance or demonstration by reason of the industry of it self as by its mind which is the head and Pilot of the Soul it doth imitating by its own nature the Angels attain to what it desires not by succession or time but in a moment For David when he had not learning was of a Sheepheard made a Prophet and most expert of divine things Salomon in the dream of one night was filled with the knowledge of all things above and below So Isaiah Ezekiel Daniel and the other Prophets and Apostles were taught If there be a deprecation a magicall deprecation made for the destruction of enemies let it be commemorated that God destroyed the Gyants in the Deluge of waters and the builders of Babel in the confusion of tongues Sodome and Gomorah in the rayning of fire the hoste of Pharaoh in the Red Sea and the like adding to these some maledictions out of the Psalms or such as may be gathered out of other places of Scripture In like manner when we are to deprecate still magically deprecate against dangers of waters let us commemorate the saving of Noah in the flood the passing of the children of Israel thorough the Red Sea and Christ walking dry shod upon the waters and saving a Ship from shipwrack commanding the winds and waves and lifting up Peter sinking in the waters of the Sea and such like But if a prayer be necessary for obtaining oracles or dreams whether it be to God Angels or Hero's there are many places offer themselves out of the old Testament where God is said to talk with men promising in very many places presages and revelations besides the propheticall dreams of Jacob Joseph Pharoah Daniel Nebuchadnezzar in the old Testament and the Revelation of John and Paul in the new In consecrations magicall consecrations of Fire Water Oyl Books Swords c. Read holy Writ and thence apply such attributes names words phrases examples as are suitable c. We call Daemonâ— holy because in them God dwels whose name they are often said to bear whence it is read in Exodus I will send my Angell who shall goe before thee observe him neither think that he is to be despised for my name is in him In like manner certain confections magicall confections are called holy into which God hath put the speciall beam of his vertue as we read in Exodus of the sweet perfume and Oyl of annointing We reverence the image of a Lamb because it representeth Christ and the picture of a Dove because it signifieth the Holy Ghost and the forms of a Lynn Oxe Eagle and a Man signifying the Evangelists and such things which we find expressed in the Revelations of the Prophets and in divers places of the holy Scripture Moreover these things confer to the like Revelations and dreams and therefore are called sacred pictures Amongst the Jews black dayes are the 17. day of June because on that day Moses brake the â—ables Manasses erected an Idoll in the Sanctum Sanctorum and the walls of Jerusalem are supposed to have been pulled down by their enemies Likewise the 9. of July is a black day with them because on that day the destruction of both the Temples happened And every nation by this way may easily make the like calculation of dayes fortunate or unfortunate to them And the Magicians command that these holy and religious dayes be observed no less than the Planetary dayes and the celestiall dispositions c. Whosoever rhou art who desirest to operate in this faculâ—y in the first place implore God the Father being one that thou mayst be one worthy of his favour be clean within and without in a clean place because it is written in Leviticus Every man which shall approach those things which are consecrated in whom there is uncleanness shall perish before the Lord. God accepteth for a most sweet odour those things which are offered to him by a man purified and well disposed and together with that perfume condescendeth to your prayer and oblation as the Psalmist singeth Let my prayer O Lord be directed to thee as incense in thy sight Moreover the soul being the off-spring and image of God himself is delighted in these perfumes and odours receiving them by
those nostrils by the which it self also entred into this corporeall man And by the which as Job testifieth the most lively spirits are sometimes sent forth which cannot be retained in mans heart A fortunate place conduceth much to favour Neither without cause did the Lord speak to Abraham that he should come into the land which he would shew him and Abraham arose and journyed towards the South In like manner Isaac went to Gerarah where he sowed and gathered an hundred fold and waxed very rich Make elections also of hours and dayes for thy operations magicall operations for not without cause our Saviour spake are there not twelve hours in the day Concerning that Phiolsophie which you require to know I would have you know that it is to know God himself the worker of all things and to passe into him by a whole image of likeness as by an essentiall contract and bond whereby thou mayst bee transformed and made as God as the Lord spake concerning Moses saying Behold I have made thee the God of Pharaoh This is that true high occult Philosophie of wonderfull vertues We must dye I say dye to the world and to the flesh and all senses and to the whole man animal who would enter into these closets of secrets occult Philosophicall Magicall secrets not because the body is separated from the soul but because the soul leaves the body Of which death Paul wrote to the Colossians Ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ And elsewhere he speaks more clearly of himself I knew a man whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God knows caught up into the third Heaven By this their theomancy they suppose that Moses did shew so many Signs and turned the rod into a Serpent and the waters into blood and that he sent Frogs Flys Lice Locusts Caterpillers fire with Hail botches and boyles on the Egyptians c. By this art of miracles Joshua commanded the Sun to stand still Elisah called down fire from Heaven upon his enemies restored a dead child to life Daniel stopt the mouths of the Lyons the three children sang songs in the fiery furnace Moreover by this art the incredulous Jews affirm that even Christ did so many miracles Salomon also very well knew this art and delivered charms against Devils and their bonds and the manner of conjurations and against diseases This is that Alphabetary and Arithmeticall Theologie which Christ in private manifested to his Apostles and which Paul speaketh to the perfect only 1 Cor. 2. 6 7. John 37. 7. He sealeth up the hand of every man that all men may know his work This place the Chirosophers or Câ—iromancers abuse to proove their Palmistry and their jugling Prognostications by the fictitious lines and mounts in the hand Isa 1. 16. Wash ye make you clean all this they apply to the ceremoniall emundations or purifactions which they prescribe as requisite to the operations of Theurgicall Magick 1 Kings 4. 33. Hereupon they believe that King Salomon exceeded in Magicall skill and that all those things here spoken of doe bear before them certain powers of naturall Magick Dan 4. 33. Nebuchadnezzar being driven from among men and eating grasse as Oxen c. This they urge as a proof of the possibillity of veneficall and metamorphosing or transforming Magick That the Brazen Serpent set up by Moses in the wildernesse was but a meer Talisman which drove away Serpents and healed the bitings of them And that the Iews made the Golden Calf to no other end than to serve as a â—alisman as their Astrologers think to aucupate the favour of Venus and the Moon against the influences of Scorpio and Mars which are adverse unto them I know not whether or no by the very same vertue of Resemblance which is found betwixt God and man Let us make man in our image after our likenesse it hath not rightly been affirmed by some Divines that the Son of God would nevertheless have become man yet without suffering death though Adam had not fallen The art of Divination of Dreams is grounded upon resemblance as may appear out of the holy Bible where Joseph foretold the Cup-bearer that within three dayes he should be restored to his office because he had dreamed that he pressed three clusters of Grapes into Pharaohs Cup c. So at the seven years of plenty and dearth by the seven fat and lean kine Eccles 1. 16 17. 7. 25. By the words spoken in the good sense sayes R. Salomon we understand Sciences divine under which he comprehends Astrologie and by the other words in the bad sense those that are unlawfull in which number he reckons the Magick of the Aegyptians to which some will also intitle Moses They the later Rabines say that Moses who was a learned Astrologer making use of his knowledge in these secrets gave the Jewes those Lawes which he grounded upon the harmony of the Planetary Zepheros As for example he instituted the fourth Commandement Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day because this day was governed by Saturn who might cause those works that were undertaken on this day to be unprosperous and that Moses therefore thought it fit that the people should rest on this day The fifth Commandement Honour thy father and thy mother hath reference to the Sphere of Jupiter which is benign The sixth thou halt not kill to Mars who hath the government of Wars and Murders The seventh thou shalt not commit adultery to Venus who rules over concupiscentiall motions and so of all the rest That our Saviour Christ Saturn having part in his Nativity and so rendring him sad and pensive seemed to be older than he was Whereupon the Jewes took occasion to say unto him Thou art not yet fifty years old c. Abarbanel saith that Sol was the chiefest from whom they the Rabbinicall Astrologers took their Omens of good and this was the reason saith the same Authour that when God caused King Hezekiah to be born again as it were the second time hee made choyse of the Sun to be the sign by which this miracle should be wrought Psal 19. 4. Their line is gone out through all the earth We may understand it spoken of the starrs which are ranged in the heavens after the manner of letters in a book or upon a sheet of Parchment Ier. 1. 14. Out of the North an evill shall break forth c. or shall be opened We may render this Prophecie in these words all evills shall be described or written from the northward And if written then certainly to be read from this side Most properly therefore doe wee in this coelestiall writing begin to read disasters and misfortunes from the Northern part Iesus Christ when he was on earth with the dust of that earth he made the blind to see and of meer water he made wâ—ne These were the visible elemenrs of his Physick or rather so the notion offend you not of
prescience 26. Whether all kind of starry conjunctions have been heretofore or whether some of them are not yet come or whether some of them that have already been shall ever be again And how can so long an art as their mathematicall is pretended be attained to in so short a life seeing as themselves say the same revolution position constellation happens not in so many ages nor in so many thousands and scores of thousand years Where 's then the observation memory comparison experiment 27. Whether the new Astrologers may ground their predictions upon the old or the domestick upon the forrain seeing all Stars their conjunctions aspects appearances are not for the same horizon meridian latitude region And therefore not semblably corresponding in every part how then serve they for the same or the like observation and collection 28. Wether there can be any universall rules principles demonstrations of this presaging or prognosticating art seeing the same Stars signifie not the same things to severall places especially the remoter regions 29. What certainty of presaging can there be by observation of the Stars when as there are infinite Stars altogether unknown and not only so but sundry motions of certain Planets not sufficiently known as they confess to the Star-gazers themselves 30. Whether the Stars in their constitutions constellations conjunctions aspects configurations progressions radiations influences significations portents respect not universalls rather then particulars And thereupon whether the skilfullest Astromantick even in his precisest observations be not convinced within himself of more causes of errour and doubting than ground of truth and certainty for peremptory and particular pronouncing 31. As there are infinite Stars whose names natures numbers motions vertues are yet altogether unknown so may not all those they know not to be opposite in all to those they know what certain judgement then can there be where although it were known what might incline or dispose yet it is unknown what may alter and impede 32. May not the positions of the Stars be such as may signifie some health some sickness some wealth some poverty some honour some disgrace some prosperity some adversity And then how can the Judiciall Astrologer certainly say which shall be more which less which first which last 33. Which of all the Artists is able to inform us directly what defluxions or effects the severall Stars have at this present in the divers and distant regions of the world And what influentiall vertues have they all jointly and severally upon all things either animate or inanimate 34. What convinc't and confest uncertainty of Astrologie and ignorance of Astrologers as concerning the substance quality magnitude multitude of the Stars the nature and quantity of the heavens the number of the celestiall orbes all their order their difference of dignity their variety of motion their comparison among themselves in greatness light power and effect their proper vertues upon elements living creatures Plants Herbs Stones metals and things artificiall Besides the new Stars and the unknown is not all their observation even of those they account to be more notorious and familiar tyed onely to one sense and that often deceived through the undiscoverable distance the imperceptible velocity of the heavenly bodies motion the indisposition and pravity of the mean the imbecillity of the eye the fault or defect of the Astrolabe and of other their Tables and tools or instruments Is not there in all this ignorance enough both argued and acknowledged and must there not then needs be errour accordingly 35. Whether not only the Planets may change their houses but the parts and Signes of the Zodiack in time change their places and so the severall Regions and coasts of the world may be now assigned under one of them and now under another and accordingly alter both their natures manners and religions As for our selves among the rest was it not judiciously and profoundly delivered by one that from the time of Ptolomie to his own the Spaniards the Normans and also we Britains were under the Scorpions heart and so were both crafty and covetous who before were both faithful and honest while we were under Sagâ—ttarius But belike Aries is now gotten over us or we gotten under the Ramme nay and one part of us about London under one Signe and another part of us about York under another I now doe but ask of them what shall be our natures manners fortunes and religions when we come under the next 36. What are all those influences they talk so much of whether palpable or occult vertues If palpable why not plain to sense if occult how known perfectly to the understanding And how far penetrate they whether to the surface of the earth and moving things there or else to the immoveable Center If to the surface by what property if to the center to what purpose 37. How prove they some Stars their conjunctions aspects influences operations to be benign and fortunate others Malignant and unfortunate If they talk of the inequalities of the first qualities heat cold moysture dryness may we not speak to such a purpose of a minerall or of an Herb as well as a Star But grant they be indeed so as they say yet when is the benignity of the one or malignity of the other verily predominant and upon what certain particulars and by what naturall causes and to what ordinate ends 38. Whether a Planet or a Comet be more significant and presaging future events Or say at the same time the Planet signifies one way and the Comet another which of them shall prevail Or what need the extraordinary portents of Comets if the ordinary significations of Planets be sufficient 39. Can an Astrologer as easily foresee and foretell a Comet as an Astronomer can an Eclips If so how chance it hath not been hitherto done if not then are they not ignorant of Prognosticating and presaging of and by those things that portend the greatest mutations 40. Whether Comets naturally portend effects or consequences good or bad If good how stands their own conclusion That there is no Comet but brings evill with it If bad how stands that story of Sybilla Tiburtina who they say shewed Augustus Caesar of Christs nativity from a stupendious Comet 41. Whether those they call the new Stars betoken not greater mutations than the old Stars and in that regard argue not a greater defect in the old Stars designs and especially in the old and new Star-mongers art 42. Whether those letters or characters composed of Stars by whose reading presagition may be made of all things future be Hebrew Arabick Samaritan Egyptian Ethiopick c And why not the letters or characters of other languages as well as these seeing the Stars signify to one Nation as well as to another But in truth if there be any such art as reading or spelling by letters and characters what need now of any such art as reading and spelling by aspects and conjunctions 43. Whether there
deny they that brought in Star-divining did they not also bring in Star-worshipping together with it 21. Whether the obscurity and baseness of Originall in Magick and Astrologie argue not sufficiently the vileness and abhomination thereof as well touching the doctrine as the practice in as much as the heavenly and holy truths either of nature in her integrity or of the Law in its morallity or of the Gospell in its spirituality are all of them of so eminent and evident originall or descent CHAP. VII 7. From the Law of Nature 1. WHether there be by nature imprest in the Soul of man a faculty proper for the presaging of things future or a naturall inclination tending to Divination Is not the prescience or praevision of future things convertible to the nature and essence of God and therefore incompatible to the nature of any creature in heaven or earth Can there be the species of things future comprehended in or by a mind that is not divine and infinite Since therefore the Soul is not of such infinite vertue but that nature hath limited her to her own Law of apprehending things either by speciall revelation common illumination of reason or sensible collection how then hath the Ideaes species or Images of all things especially things future lodg'd in her Those imperfect Ideaes species or images that are in the mind are they there properly and not rather accidentally sc from the apprehension either of some things present or else past we know there are in men senses to observe things present and memory to recollect many things past and understanding to preconceive some things that may come of certain causes or may peradventure fall out according to probable conjectures yea and Faith likewise to believe what shall be by divine revelation and promise But what naturall abstract faculty call they that that can foresee and foretell things future from imprest Ideaes species images c. What though there be in the Soul a naturall faculty called memory to record or recall things past is there therefore an opposite faculty called who can tell what whereby to divine of things to come If there were such a faculty or power opposite to memory why should it presage or predict one future thing and not another since the memory is able to recollect one past thing as well as another What tell they us of the naturall pretensions of Beasts and frequent predictions of Fools mad men Infants of men sleeping dreaming distracted dying will they make ordinaries of extraordinaries and universals of singulars and common motions of heroicall or else subtilties of phrenzies sagacities of imbecillities and direct presages of occult and confused instincts What if brutes have a naturall instinct or pretension of some future effects whose causes notwithstanding they understand not must a reasonable Soul therefore naturally divine of those things whose naturall causes it knows not But admit there were such a naturall imprest faculty of the Soul or mind as species abstracted or collected within it self to divine predict or prognosticate by we then urge their own argument against themselves what need it to look out to the Stars or to any other creature in heaven or earth to that end and purpose One thing indeed both we and they are convinced of that there is in all our Souls a naturall faculty called Conscience greatly addicted to presaging which if it be justly judging and not erroneously opining will presage more directly and certainly of effects and consequents temporall spirituall eternall good bad happy unhappy of hopes and fears than can all the Planets although they conspired to prognosticate in one conjunction Let our Planetarians therefore both actors and consulters see to it that they suppress not within themselves nor slight that true presaging power 2. Whether that humane Art can be lawfull and laudable as having the least part of Gods gift in it whose principles practices and profitable uses are not according to the Law and orders of nature For all things in nature as they are from a certain beginning so are they destinated by proper means to a profitable end Now though some such things may be yeelded to simple Astronomie yet who can make any of all these plainly appear in sophisticated Astrologie As nature in it self intends the conservation of every creature so all that it can intend in any Art is the usefulness and benefit to humane Society For it askes more than natures aym to make it advantagious to Christian commâ—nion But let them prove the first otherwise why may we not conclude the Art to be as well unnaturall as irreligious 3. If from natures first beginning they of the least life among the lower creatures had their perfect being and flourishing without any influence of the Stars why then are they of the nobler life made so mightily both for their substance and quality to depend upon them Now who that is Christian or but read in Gods book of nature dares deny but that all the vegetables Grasse Herbs Plants Gen. 1. were and flourished in their naturall vigor and vicacity ere that the Sun Moon or Stars was created Now must the most excellent creature upon earth be made to consist by the Stars and his body to thrive or dwindle away according to the benefice or malefice of their influences Nay must his very will and affections thence take their inclination 4. Whether it be not according to natures law and order that the inanimate and irrationall creatures be subject and subservient to the animate and rationall and whether the contrary be not contrary thereunto Now if they had not been put to this plunge of natures irregularity peradventure we had never heard of those erronious nay and hereticall devices of the Stars being animate rationall divine But if they think to elude us with urging the naturall subjection or subordination of the Inferior creatures to the Superior we doe them to wit that the superiority and inferiority of the creature as pertaining to this point is to be reckoned not from the externall place or positure but from the internall gift or endowment The creature of Gods Image although walking here below upon the foot-stool is superiour to all those works of his singers although fixt in the firmament or wandring above Neither doth nature prefer any creature for its adventitials or accidentals but for its substantials or essentials By the Law of nature the lesse noble creatures are intended for subordinate to the more noble How came the Stars then to usurpe a jurisdiction over Man over the Soul of that Man nay over the arbitrary yea and religious actions of that Soul Who but a blind man would make the Master of the family to be subservient to the lights of his house Seeing the Law of nature is the dictate of reason how came the Stars that have no reason to give magisteriall and fatall dictates even to reason it self 5. Whether Nature be not as much abused in her occult
mirables by men diabolicall as she is in her obvious sensibles by men bestiall Nay is she not doubly profaned by such who are themselves as over-curious in the first so over-grosse in the last 6. Whether the naturall efficacies of the Stars can extend beyond their naturall properties which are to make hot or cold dry or moyst more or lesse and so to make second qualities consequent only to these first 7. If this be not all the influentiall motion of the Stars at least the main thereof not so much to infer or adde any quality of sympathy or antipathy which doe follow naturally the specifick or differentiall forms but rather to agitate them only as it finds them in the matter it works upon 8. Whether there be any thing in Nature whereby to determine of things by accident Since the operation of nature as it proceeds from one principle the form of the thing naturall so it also terminates upon some one thing Now things by accident are not simply one but many and therefore cannot be precisely of natures intent or design 9. Whether it be not quite contradictory to the nature of future contingents to be fore-comprehended by any created intellect without a speciall divine revelation oâ— permitted diabolicall suggestion either in their universall causes or particular effects 10. Whether Astrologicall divinations be not only against the course and order of nature in the inferior world but against the order of nature among the Stars themselves For God hath not in the order of nature instituted them to be signs where they are not naturall causes nor yet conjunct signs where they are not conjunct causes And who can possibly proove them to be such as concerning arbitrary actions and fortuitous events 11. Whether prognosticating Astrologers have not made to themselves more effects than ever were Signs more Signs than ever were Stars more Stars than ever were in heaven and more heavens than ever were in nature 12. Whether all the naturall motions of the Stars are prognosticall yea or no If so then doe they one contradict another If no them let them them shew us the reason why one and not another 13. Whether not only the benignity of the Planets but also the malignity be naturall to them If so how can that be without some reflexion of prejudice upon their nature nay upon their Author If not then work they not so and so of themselves but as they find the matter it self so and so disposed Are we then to respect either in congratulating or deploring the Planets efficacies or our own dispositions But are the Stars now of another nature than they were from the first creation For then they were wholy benign and naturally intended for the beauty and felicity of the universe And doe they now naturally promise good and good morall as well as naturall and naturally threaten evill and eâ—ill of infection as well as infliction How can this chuse but diminish the due respect both to Gods free grace and sins just desert 14. Whether the prodigious aspects in the heavens Planetary as well as Cometary be not besides the course and order of nature as well as the monstrous are upon the earth And whether aâ— these be seldome significative of things to come but for the most part of things past they be not so too 15. If the efficacies of the Stars be from nature and naturall causes why then have they not the like effects upon Godly and upon wicked men For natures law order operation is common to both alike If they have so wherefore is this old and late assertion of theirs That the Stars have not the dominion over those that be godly And if this holds wherefore are their Astrologicall predictions and genethliacall calculations more malignant and unfortunate as is frequent to be observed to good men than to bad 16. Whether the influences of the Stars be powerfull over the lives and deaths of all other living creatures Beasts Birds Fishes Worms Flys Herbs Trees as well as of men If on men only why should men be made more subject to the Stars than all other living creatures If otherwise why have some of them said the contrary Nay why goe they not about to calculate all other creatures nativities Think they it an abasement of their art to calculate the Nativity of a Frog or a Flye nay would it not much amplify the perfection of it But say both are subject men and Beasts Why then should not men as the rest of the creatures rest satisfied with a sensible prognostication within themselves and never trouble themselves to seek after a senseless Prognostication from any other 17. Whether the Stars have their influences as upon all naturall things so likewise upon all artificiall If not upon all artificiall things besides their own gain-saying then man hath many of his ordinary actions without any influence of the Stars If upon all artificiall things as Cities Houses Garments Instruments Utensils c. then must not their influences depend upon mens arbitrary actions as all these doe nay must they not have new influences daily according to the new inventions of art or devices of artifice 18. Whether the formative power of nature concurs most with the influences of the Stars or with the â—eed of generation And whether the first and greatest cause of tempers should not be observed first and most as the first and greatest cause of manners 19. Whether the influences of the Planets be more powerfull over mens nature before the Birth or after it or just upon it If just upon it how can those swift syderiall motions make so intimate and totall impression an once How can such an efficacy either be done or suffered in so short externall and accidentall an art If not just upon it why then is all the observation upon those points minutes or moments only If before it why goe they not about to calculate the conception as well as the Nativity If not before it why should the Planets have such influences upon externalls and accidentalls that had none upon the intervalls and essentialls If after it how can they beget humours and qualities answerable to their Constellations in a creature already compleated and furnished before-hand Yea why consider they not what constellations upon nutrition education and erudition If not after it then have nutrition education and erudition a power to change or alter both tempers and manners without beyond and against all influences of the Stars yea and religion more than all the rest 20. Whether the nativity of an Infant be under one or many the like or different constellations Seeing Nature ordinarily brings not forrh at once but by delayes and degrees First the head comes forth and so one part and member after another even unto the feet Now then seeing the parts of the body move not so swiftly out of the womb as the heavenly bodyes doe in their orbs why should there not be one Constellation upon the
About the election of dayes to such and such actions 59. About the planetary hours and the divisions of them 60. About the inherency and efficiency of the first qualities heat cold drought and moysture 61. About the effectualness of Symmetricall and harmonicall proportions 62. About the way of constituting the figures of Heaven 63. About the erecting and the correcting of theams and scheams 64. About the best and truest way of calculating 65. About the Astrologicall Tables 66. About inequalities 67. About elections 68. About rectifications 69 About the number of aspects 70. About the Lord of the geniture and his election 71. About the making choice of significators 72. About the deducing of the space of life 73. About judging of the morall disposition of the mind 74. About judging of the configuration or stature of the body 75. About the way of judging upon fortune and riches 76. About the reserving their yearly judgement to the true or apparent rising or setting of the Stars 77. About the searching out the Genius of a man by the Stars 78. About matters to be more or lesse regarded and esteemed in astrological judgement 79. About the reading of the Stars by hieroglyphicks characters letters syllables words sentences aspects conjunctions constellations oppositions configurations resemblances c. 80. About the portents of prodigies celestiall or terrestriall 81. About the vertue and power of contract sight sound voice breath numbers characters rings seals images c. 82. About the force of imagination 83. About the causes much more the interpretation of dreams 84. About the use and verâ—ue of lots 85. About the authentiqueness of their own authors old and new out of whom might be collected many a century of contrary and contradictory opinions Now since they themselves are not agreed upon the grounds and means of their art why should they expect that we should consent to such effects and issues of it as they pretend Is it not just and meet that they should first reconcile one another to truth ere they require our faith who will believe a certain or probable prognostication or prediction by such means and wayes as they themselves believe not but contradict and impugn not only as uncertain and improbable but as vain and false While some of them are so modest as to plead only for a probability what is this but to confesse that this art or science is nothing else but an opinion or conjecture But while there are such varieties diversities contrarieties and contradictions of opinions what does this prove but that all their conjecturings and opinings are but opinions against opinions or but opinions upon opinions or else nothing at all CHAP. XIV 14. From the absurdity of Errours VVHether the grosse errours that have been and are and ever will be some or others of them in Magick and Astrologie arise from the evill disposition of the Authors or of the Arts And in the Arts whether from the misapplyed circumstances or ceremonies and not rather from the misimagined substance and scope For from some accidentall mistakes only how can it be credible or possible that such puerile hallucinations and anile delirations should once have sprung or spread in the world as touching the nature originall matter form quantity quality site orders numbers figures motions and effects of the celestiall bodies As namely 1. That the Sun is nothing else but an Oven or hollow furnace full of fire 2. That the Sun is a golden turf or clod 3. That the Sun is made either of burning stone or iron 4. That the matter of the Sun is glassey or made of glasse 5. That the sun is the compact of severall flames 6. That there are two suns in the firmament one archetypall and invisible and the other sun which we see but the image or shadow of that which we see not 7. That the sun rising out of the Sea and setting in the Sea is kindled in the East and quenched in the West 8. That the sun is no bigger than it seems 9. That the sun is of the same breadth as is the earth 10. That the sun is bipedall or hath two feet 11. That the sun is not above a foot broad 12. That the sun is sometimes bigger sometimes lesser 13. That the sun stands still and the earth moves round about it 14. That the sun was at first a mortall man and first reigned in Egypt and because of his common benefits was translated into Heaven and immortalized there 15. That the moon is in magnitude equall to the sun 16. That the moon is bigger than the earth about nineteen times bigger than it 17. That the moon is an earthy substance covered over with a mist 18. That it is inhabited by many huge living creatures 19. That it is planted in a much more flourishing manner with trees and herbs than is the earth in its prime 20. That there are in it Fields and groves and mountains and vallys c. 21. That the moon consists of an unequall constitution earthy and frigid 22. That it is of an hot and fiery constitution 23. That it is partly conspicuous partly obscure 24. That the moon is endowed with an intellectuall mind 25. That it is an half fiery sphear a fiery compacted cloud 26. That it is mingled of ayr and fire 27. That it is an ascension or rather an accession collected from the vapours of sweet waters 28. That it attracts to it earthly dregs 29. That in the globe of the moon as in a glasse the received species of mountains are represented 30. That the inequality of the moon is caused because of some bodies interjected betwixt it and the sun 31. That the moon sometimes leaves the heavens 32. That an Asse once dranke up the moon That a great Dragon devoured it 33. That the moon dyes when she is in the Eclipse 34. That there is another earth within the concave of the moon and that men live there after the same manner as they doe here 35. That the moon is made of green Cheese and that there is a man in the moon with a bush at his back this I adde from the vulgar which doubtless took it up from such authours and urge it with like authority 36. That the Stars are made of an earthy porish matter much like to that of a pumice stone 37. That every Star is a world by it self containing in it both ayr and earth 38. That the Stars are composed of fiery clouds which like coals are quencht all the day time and kindled again at night 39. That the Stars are formed of ayr and are turned about like wheels and being full of fire spit out flames 40. That the Stars are fiery stones and the Sun the great burning stone amongst them 41. That the Stars are nourished by vapours abstracted and ascending from the ayr and the earth 42. That the Stars are animate sensible rationall and intelligent creatures 43. That the Stars are capable of vertues morall vertues and
the friendship and hatred the complyance and adversness of men is not the service or disservice of the brute creature the vertue or venome of an herb or minerall yea the defence or offence of a sword a knife a spear a gun a club c. are not all these more sensibly apprehended to be more neerly advantagious or prejudiciall to health or sicknesse riches or poverty honour or disgrace prosperity and adversity life or death than are all the joynt benevolences or malevolencies of the fatall Starres If therefore a fatidicall prognostication may be made from the Caelestiall why not rather from the terrestriall motions 20. Whether Fate be above the Starres as their governour or else under them as their minister If above them why make they the starres to be the causes of fate For so they must needs be superiour to it If under them how then are the starres themselves subject to fate for so they must needs be inferiour How then should the starres dispose of others fate that are not able to dispose of their own Is it for creatures terrestriall or caelestiall to perform that to others which they are not able to preserve to themselves Ought not therefore such a disposition to be referred solely to him that hath the ordination and gubernation of all things both in heaven and earth simply freely eternally and immutably in himself 21. How can the fatall series of causes be from the starres when as the starres themselves are not causes as in humane and arbitrary actions Not causes where they may be signes as of things already done and past Yea God himself may signifie many things whereof he is not the cause as in evill and sinfull actions Nay have not the fatidicall Vaticinators themselves made many fatall signes which could never be causes nor yet once come into any series or necessary connexion As in their aruspicies and anguries from the entrailes of beasts flight and noise of birds c. as also from lots dreams prodigies casualties yea and physiognomies c. 22. How can the starres be the first in the fatall series of second causes When as of all creatures the spirituall intellectuall or rationall are the supreme and the corporeall animate or inanimate their inferiours Now the starres are both corporeall and inanimate Spirits and souls as they have more similitude to so they participate more vertue of divine providence than all other creatures For they are both the cognoscitive and the operative instruments of providence which the other are not For these being but the executive only may either be directed or diverted by the iutellectuall and ordinative As acting of themselves with liberty deliberation discretion observation of right rules application of fit means and intention to a due end And therefore are the more eminent ministers of providence than all things else in heaven or earth 23. Whether any such cut as fatation may be properly sayd to be in or from the starres For fatation imports a primordiall law or decree not an influence only or effect what sacrilege is it then to ascribe that to the instrument which is only peculiar to the principall agent Since it is for instruments especially the inanimate not to ordain but execute only Yea it is a question whether there be any fatation even in fate it self it being accepted and discerned not for a seminall disposition but for an ultimate execution and that inherent in the moveable or mutable subject Wherefore seeing fatation is neither in the starres nor in fate it self whether can any thing be sayd to be fatall with respect to the starres For the starres are but second causes And with respect to all such some things may be sayd to be naturall some things arbitrary some things indifferent some things contingent some things uncertain some things casuall but few or none fatall 24 Whether it be in the power and validity of the celestiall bodyes to impose a fatall necessity either upon humane actions or yet upon naturall things For if the starres be any such causes then must they cause principally of themselâ—es intentionally directly immutably Now how can they be principall causes when providence is above them how of themselves when they work not upon humane actions but by accident how intentionally since they want a mind or soul how directly when they operate upon humane actions but indirectly how immutably when their ordination or disposition may be impedited Again were they thus acting then should there be no contingents or accidents no libertie or free actions nor prevention of any events or issues no particular causes should be defective nor distance of place nor indisposition of the mean no neglect of the means no endeavour to the contrary or opposition should be available nay not only the understanding but the will should be tyed to corporall organs and matter yea and the starres should not only be of sufficient but of infinite power 25. How doe the celestiall bodyes work so fatally upon these inferiours when as they here operate not upon a necessity as to the producing of the effect For albeit their impressions be naturall yet are they not received but according to the manner of the receivers which are fluxible and not having themselves still after the same way Because of the matter that is in a potentiality to many yea and to contrary formes The matter also is movable and corruptable and may easily defect of it self may be intrinsecally indisposed and extrinsecally impedited And the starres themselves are but indefinite and remote causes to which the effect can never follow determinatly and necessarily unless the middle causes be necessary and then they follow them and not the other But in the foresaid series the middle causes are most of them contingent and from many contingent causes can come no effect of necessity because any one of them and all of them together may be defective and not attain unto their end 26. Seeing the heavenly bodyes act not upon these inferiours but by their light and motion and so communicate nothing to the matter they work upon but light motion and heat Now why may not all these flow from all the starres in generall And why then should such and such fatall inclinations be attributed to such or such positions or conjunctions And if there be any particular vertues of the light and motion of some stars contrary to the vertues of the light and motion of other starres how is that demonstrated And how comes it to passe that they should be operative and effectuall one way in their simple natures or qualities and yet another way in their relative aspects and positions Is an imaginary relation or respect of more validity than a reall substance or propriety 27. They seem to define fate more acurately that make it to be the â—eries or connext order of naturall causes Now till they can directly and successively deduce those naturall causes down from the starres to those fatall events what
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
in disposing the creature neither ought men so to do beyond the great Law of using the creature aright and to those very ends for which God ordained it For it can never be lawful or warrantable so to transgresse natures order as to abuse the creature in any kinde Now do they not know that the creature may as well be spiritually and speculatively abused by superstition and curiosity as practically and carnally by violence or sensuality 9. Why amongst all the Miracles that Christ wrought against the Devils among men and in the other creatures he did work none at all from or by the heavenly bodies the stars Besides the reason above mentioned why he refused to shew a signe from heaven this may now be added above all the rest It was because there now was a greater Miracle wrought upon the earth then ever was wrought in the Heavens Even the mysterious Miracle or miraculous Mystery of God and Man Doing such works upon earth as whereat the Angels and whole powers of heaven might well stand amazed with admiration Indeed there was a wonder in Heaven a star a new star at his birth and another wonder in Heaven an Eclipse of the Sun a new Eclipse at his death Such a star and such an Eclipse as were miracles in their nature site motion portent to all other stars and Eclipses Such a star and such an Eclipse as were the mysteries of all other stars and Eclipses Set apart to signifie his power in Heaven at the greatest instants of his infirmity upon earth Thus they testified of him and yet was not among these Miracles nor mighty works that were wrought by him 10 Whether Miracles may be wrought out of the Church Although we make not the power of working miracles to be the perpetual note of Gods Church yet we determine the Church to be the proper seat of them And in determining we do thus distinguish That God may be pleased to work miracles all the world over and that by his Angels as his Ministers in the Government thereof but employs not men to that purpose sâ—ve onely within his Church And do distinguish again that privative miracles or those of wrath and judgment may be wrought out of the Church but not positive or those of Grace and mercy And our reasons are 1. Because the main end of working Miracles is for the plantation and confirmation of the Gospel the truth of Gods word and that cannot be without the Church 2. The power of working Miracles is from a promise and that belongs to the Church alone 3. In a Miracle is considerable not so much the evident effect as the secret intent and this consideration is onely for the faithful in the Church 4. The truth of the word is not to be measured by miracles but the truth of miracles by the Word and where is that but in the Church 5. Miracles tend as to the glory of God so to the edification of the Godly and who looks for that or them out of Gods Church 6. Satans stupendous prodigies are mostly wrought out of the Church but Gods wonderful miracles within it 7. Though it hath been said that miracles were intended for Infidels yet were they not effected but by believers and by believers either to convince or to convert those Infidels 11. Whether wicked men and reprobates may be workers of miracles Not by Angelical assistance not by diabolical confederation not by the secret of Nature not by the study of Art but by divine dispensation they may 1. Because God may be pleased to employ them to this purpose and yet give them no more but a faith of miracles which is common to reprobates 2. Because that of miracles is a gift not simply making accepted but may be given onely for others sakes 3. God hath wrought miracles by dead instruments and why not by men of a dead faith and dead in trespasses and sinnes 4. Wicked men may be used in the working of miracles for a testimony of Gods truth yet not in a manifestation of their own graces 5. Bad men have been imployed in working of miracles that good men might not be proud or overweening of common gifts 6. The working of miracles is not appropriated to godly men lest ordinary Graces might be undervalued and weak Christians might take scandal and despair in their defect of the extraordinary gift 12. Wherein differ true and false miracles or divine and diabolical Theological and magical 1. The one kind are wrought by God by Angels Prophets Apostles and sometimes by the Saints the other not but by devils magicians Juglers ungodly men 2. The one are solid and real in effect the other are phantasmatical and praestigiously deceiveing the sense 3. The one God freely calls to do the other are not done but by tempting both God and the Devil 4. The one are serious and upon occasions of importance the other are ludicrous and serve to make vain men sport 5. The one tend to confirm the Church the other to seduce from it 6. The one are liberal the other mercenary 7. The one profitable the other pernicious 8. The one make humble and modest the other arrogant and full of ostentation 9. The one serves to instruct the other onely to astonish 10. The one are wrought with devout Prayer Supplication Thanksgiving the other by superstitious imprecation adjuration incantation with many ridiculous signes and execrable ceremonies nothing pertaining to the producing of the effect And thus they differ in their Authors instruments dignity quality duration utility end and effect 13. Whether Magicians Conjurers Inchanters Witches c work not their miracles or rather signes wonders prodigies portents by the devils means It is affirmed that they do so for these reasons 1. Because they do them not by God Angels Nature or Art as appears sufficiently by what hath been said already and therefore they must needs do them by the devil 2. Because they operate upon a compact which is evident in that invocation adoration sacrifice immolation c. is hereunto required 3. Because they operate by idolatrous superstitious sorcerous execrable ridiculous signes rites and ceremonies 4. Because they secretly invoke although they outwardly would seem to command which imploration and imperiousnesse yea and dissimulation between both these is to God and good Angels abominable 5. Because their Prayers and preparations are blaspheming railing execrating threatning prophane superstitious absurd ridiculous which neither God nor good Angel can indure 6. Because they seek either to allure or compel their operating power by things sensible 7. Because the fact exceeding Natures order and Arts efficacy yet there can be no reasonable cause why such an effect should be ascribed either to God or good Angels 8. Because the effect is by them ascribed to times places figures characters rites ceremonies c. 9. Because there are used hereunto words besides names of God and Angels barbarous unknown insignificant incoherent apocryphal superstitious sorcerous detorted absurd
each of theirs was the finger of Beelzebub 7. When the Magicians were smitten with boyls and blains so that they could not stand before Moses ch 9. 11. Why did they not conjure up all their Art and force to infect Moses again if that they had been able to do any thing really as Moses did 8. How stands the comparison of hereticks resisting the truth like as Jannes and Iambres withstood Moses 2 Tim 3. 8. But that these did it by fallacies or appearances of spiritual truth as they did it by phantasmes or appearances of corporeal truth Many Philosophical reasons might be added but these so clear from the Text are sufficient to prove them impostors What may we then judge of the later Gipsies since it it was no otherwise with their forefathers these Aegyptians 16. Whether the gift of working miracles be not now ceas't Miracles were never but extraordinary and temporary Their very gift not perpetual and simply no saving Grace but might instâ—umentally be acted even by reprobates as well as by the elect Having no principles of working habitually remaining in the Soul Were intended onely to be certain signes upon great occasions and present helps in the defect of ordinary means Needful in the beginning of the Church to strengthen weak Faith They have had their main end already the sufficient confirmation of the truth and the end accomplished that which was destinated to the end might well cease Christ was not onely the most eminent in miracles but in him they had their perfection and completion His Disciples believed in him before ever they saw him do a miracle how much more then may his Church without them that together with the memory of them hath the ordinances and ordinary means The permanency of miracles would but have diminished the efficacy of Faith because it would have been an occasion not to have believed without them The truth of the Gospel would still be called in question and thought dubious and uncertain if it always needed such confirmation The promises and faith would thus be evacuated because the walking would be not by Faith but by sight There would be no end of seeking after sensible signes and means and so prophane men would still be tempting unto them and weak Christians would be discouraged in their defect Not onely ordinary graces would so grow vile but even miracles themselves for they would be thought no miracles by being so commonly obvious and assiduous What need we to stand upon such when the greatest work of God and most profitable for man is not alwayes the greatest miracle Have we not perpetually Gods spiritual miracles in our vocation conversion justification regeneration sanctification c. And his ordinary miracles in our creation propagation conservation c. And what need we more To conclude was there no other cause our sinnes are sufficient to make divine miracles to cease shall we then look after Magical miracles signes and wonders such as are set up by the sins of men CHAP. XXIII From the fables of Miracles IS not the rarity of miracles already proved enough to prove the stories of Magical Mirables to be but meer fables We need not therefore their pardon to call them so nay they ought to gratifie us that we call them not worse then so Seeing the vertue of miracles and miraculous operation is in Gods word alone and neither in Nature nor Art nor Artifice What can we say lesse then that all such natural Mirables are onely for meere naturals to admire Whose Authors have been some of them spurious most of them obscure all of them in that particular vain and nugacious Who take up their authorities by tradition from paganish story poetical fiction and mythological relation of such wonderful things as were never in Nature or the world Who use to cite their mirables with such a they say as if they themselves were not onely ashamed to own them but afraid to report them Who stuffe up their legendary stories of magical mirables with tales of such strange things and they so incredible and under strange Names and they so unknown and in such strange places and they so remote as that they are not worth seeking after or if they were yet neither name nor thing nor place is to be found Who urge us onely with this that such their wonders are not to be proved by reason but referred to experiment and yet we are as far from seeing the one as from hearing the other Neverthelesse all these are impudently urged and imposing upon our Faith to admit and admire what wonderful effects of configurations constellations influences impressions seales characters upon Elements Minerals Stones Vegetables Animals yea and Rationals not excepted Nay and a many of these so imposed as tending effectually to Prophecy Divination Prediction Prognostication And therefore omitting the ridiculous rabble of magical mirabilariâ—s for I have neither list nor leasure to meddle with them at large I shall onely instance in a few of them which they not onely report confidently but impudently prescribe to this very purpose Advising the Reader by the way that for all this they cannot be believed without superstition nor practised without sorcery 1. There is an herb among the Chaldeans called Ireos among the Greeks Mutuchiol among the Latins Elitropia this herb is of so admirable vertue that if it be gathered in August while the Sun is in Leo and wrapt in a Lawrel leaf adding thereunto the Tooth of a Wolf and so at night laid under a mans head if any thing be stoln from him he shall see the Thiefe and all his conditions 2. The herb called by the Chaldeans Aquilaris by the Greeks Valis by the Latines Chelidonia if it be taken with the heart of a Mole and be laid upon the head of a sick man it may so be discerned or divined whether he shall dye of that disease or recover ye or no for if he now sing out it is a signe he shall die but if he weep then shall he not dye at that time By the like the conquering of an Enemy and recovery of a Suite is to be foreknown 3. The herb which by the Chaldeans is called Luperax by the Greeks Esifena by the Latins Viscus querei this herb with another herb called Martegon if it be put into a mans mouth and he begin to forethink who is a coming be it friend or foe if he shall come it will fixe upon his heart if he shall not come it will leap from it nay will it not leap out of his mouth 4. The herb which the Chaldeans call Tsiphilon the Greeks Orlegenea the Latins Centaurea this herb the Magicians say hath admirable vertue for if with the blood of a female Lapwing and oyle it be put into a Lamp it makes all that stands by believe themselves to be Magicians and that their heads are in heaven and their feet upon the earth and if the same be cast into the fire the stars shining