neither named nor knowne Yea thirdly thousands of Starrs cannot be so much as seen a minuit together as the Philosophers confesse in their discourse of Via lactea the Milky way in the Heavens to be seen in a most starry night especially in Winter Fourthly Because all the Starrs doe shine upon the earth at once joyntly and promiscuously so that they that are under them cannot by any rule from nature know what influences shall be predominant in their effects Fifthly They have more time to alter the Complexions of young people from the Cradle to manhood carryed and walking abroad I say to alter their complexion by radiation and influence then to stampe upon them an unchangable impression upon them in the secret Chamber of their birth as we see many natural men and Women not differenced by grace much altered from Melancholly to Cheerfulnesse c. So that if some Starrs in one position in an instant at birth have a power to imprint other Starrs and perhaps more prevalent have likewise a power to blot out that in many yeares and to instill a new one Sixthly There are many causes below between us and the Starrs to alter the influence of the Starrs or interrupt their native operation as the various complexion of the ayre diversity of windes the different postures and situations of men as somtimes under a direct sometimes under an oblique radation c. Seventhly Astrologers depend on Clocks and Dyals to know the posture of the Heavens at the houre of their prognosticating which Dyals and Clocks oft are false which may make a wide difference in a minuit in which as we heard some motions of the Heavens run sixty Miles Eightly The Astrologer cannot be able to allow exactly for the exaltation in the Apoge and descension in the Perige of the Planets with their swifter motion in the one then in the other so as to determine justly how much power of prevalence there may be in their influences at such changes Ninthly A man can never certainely conclude of a particular event from a cause that is most universal most remote and so but a partial cause of the thing predicted But the Starrs are no other but such a kinde of cause of mens complexions and actions and therefore are no sure grounds of prediction concerning the future afaires of men The Parents complexion Divine dispensations occasions and opportunities among men and a mans owne obedience or disobedience to God have farre more influence into man to dispose him to be or doe this or that then all the myriads of Starrs Tenthly Astrology contending for such a power of Starrs over the soule of man which is the principle of all actions inferrs as if the soule of man were ex traduce generated by the Parents First Contrary to many Scriptures Psalm 102.18 The people that shall be Created shall praise the Lord. Eccles 12.7 The spirit returnes to God that gave it whiles the body returnes to the Earth Heb. 12.9 We have had Fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of Spirits Secondly Contrary to the rules of art reason and experience Calum non agit in animam c. The Heavens cannot act directly upon the soule nor can a mans body complexionate alter or master his naturall spirit So that the To intelligere and To Velle the Acts of reason and wil doe not depend on sense For in sleep wee have strong actings of reason And when awake in the time of deepest rationall meditations the senses are uselesse and their acts suspended as if we did neither see nor heare The fourth and last Argument against Astrologie that I shal urge passing by innumerable others is That a maine part of the baâ—s and bottom on which Astrologers build the structure of their Art of Prediction is but meer imagination for there is no such thing as the tenth or ninth Sphere And therefore the Zodiack placed by Astrologers in them is but a dreamed fiction yea and one of the Quondam great Astrologers M. P. will dare to say that the twelve Signes bounded as they suppose within the demensions of such a thing as a Zodiack namely the Signes of Aries Taurus Gemini c. that is a Ramme a Bull c. feigned to have power over the twelve parts of mans body are onely twelve imaginary Signes For in the HEAVENS saith he there is no such matter as a Ram a Bull c. And how saith he can it stand with reason that in a firmament FEIGNED by Poets and Philosophers a FORGED Signe which indeed is NOTHING should have any power or operation in the bodies of men Againe the very order of Government of these signes in mans body is fond and without shew of reason For according to this platforme when the Moon commeth into the first Signe Aries shee ruleth in the head and when shee commeth into the second Signe Taurus shee ruleth in the neck and so descends downe from part to part ruling two insome three dayes c. Where observe saith hee that the Moon is made to rule in the cold and moyst parts when shee is in the hot and dry Signes whereas in reason a more consonant order were this that when the Moon were-in hott and dry Signes as in Aries Leo and Sagittarius shee should rule in hott and dry parts of the body and when shee is in cold and moyst Signes she should rule in the cold and moyst parts of the body and so still governe those parts which in temperature come neerest to the Signes wherein the Moone is Beside this some learned Physitians have upon experience confessed that THE OBSERVATION OF THE SIGNE IS NOTHING MATERIALL and that there is no danger in it for guelding of Cattell or letting of blood And the vanity of the old conceit and imagination of them that have put much in the Signes appeares in the common practice of men who commonly upon Stevens day use to let blood be the Signe where it will The truth is saith he the Signe in its owne nature is neither way available being but a phantasie grounded upon supposed premises and therefore ought to be rejected as meer VANITY Thus farr he Now let me add some particulars suiting to what he hath sayd to illustrate the same and so I shall not onely confirme him but also what I affirmed my selfe in the beginning of this Argument First Touching those feigned Firmaments or Heavens called the ninth and tenth Heavens besides that the ancient famous Astronomers Plato Aristotle Hipparchus and many others knew no such thing sense also doth evince that we can be sure of no more but eight For wee see distinctly the seven Planets Sun Moon c. and their severall motions in twenty four hours c. And we can perceive the eighth Heaven of fixed Starrs knowne by their twinckling to move in one motion round the Earth in twenty foure houres
because we can see the heeles of the lesser Northerne Beare adjacent to the North Pole to be downward towards the Earth in the evening and to be upward in the morning But we have no sure ground to conclude that there are more Heavens either the Chrystall ninth or the first moving tenth The grand reason brought to prove them from the two other motions of the eighth Heaven of fixed Starrs beside that from East to West in twenty foure houres as that the eighth Heaven of fixed Stars moves from West to East comming to be in the same posture as when they began that motion by the end of forty nine thousand yeares And that the same eighth Heaven hath another motion from South to North and thence to South againe which processe and recesse is a finishing seven thousand yeares and therefore that that motion of the eighth Heaven from East to West in twenty foure houres must needs be violent as forced from some tenth Heaven naturally so moving and that from West to East in forty nine thousand yeares must be also violent as forced from some ninth Heaven naturally so moving and the last motion of the eighth Heaven Viz. From South to North and back againe in seven thousand yeares to be the naturall peculiar innate motion of that eighth Heaven seeing that as they forme the Argument one simple single moveable body can have but one natural motion I say this Argument doth not evince my reason in the least to beleeve the existence and being of a ninth and tenth Heaven For God that by his Word at the beginning sayd to the Earth Stand thou still and to the Sea Move thou continually with severall motions as of flowing and reflowing twise every twenty foure houres and they obey his voice to this day the same God commanding the eighth Heaven to runn from East to West every twenty foure houres and withall to linger and slinck back every day a little from West to East as suppose with the Astronomer as much as comes to one Degree or sixty miles in an hundred yeares which is about three quarters of a mile in one yeare and halfe a quarter and also to roule forward from South to North and back againe from North to South so gradually till in seven hundred yeares it is as it was cannot choose but obey the voice of God and so move without ceasing And to throw away Traditions in Philosophy as well as in Divinity t is a readier way and surer to say God commanded the Heavens so to move at first creation and they obey then to say Primus motor God moves the Angels or Intelligences they move a tenth Heaven a tenth heaven moves the other heavens And to the clause of one natural body we say that there is hardly any naturall motion without some violent as the Philosopher cals violent For if fire ascends no more of the flame ascends in a pure natural motion but that which ascends in the Mathematical indivisible line in the point of the Pyramis pointing from the center-point of the earth to its correspondent point in the Sphere of the lowest Heaven Indeed if the Pyramicall forme of the flame were turned upside downe then all the flakes of flame might seeme to take their natural order proportionable from one center-point in the Earth to their severall correspondent points in the Sphere of the lowest Heaven So of any heavy body Stone or Bowle c. falling downe from some high places to the Earth no more of it moves naturally in a precise notion of naturally then the very middle of it tending downward in a Mathematicall strait Line to the Center-point of the Earth the corners of such a Stone or the circumference of that Bowle falling not with the like naturall motion because there is but one universal Center-point in the middle of the Earth to answer to all downward motions which is the Physicall demonstrative reason why naturally the Earth is round the heavy parts more pressing to the general Center-point the lighter lesser So the Water in its motion in a River it naturally tends downeward yet desires not to be so low as the Center of the Earth And the meane while it tends progressively forward and in this progressive motion no more is precisely naturall but what proceeds in a strait line For the water hath no minde of it selfe to goe out of its Line that being out of its way and besids its design So that either we must say one body may have many naturall motions or we must no more feigne more Heavens then eight to move the rest in their several motions then we dare feigne more Elements then foure to manage the severall motions that are in each one of them Secondly Touching the imaginarie Sphere the Zodiack this must needs be an infalible conclusion so far as the Heaven or firmament of the Zodiack is feigned so farr of necessity must the Zodiack supposed in that Heaven or firmament be a meer feigned thing We heard afore that most Learned Philosopher and Astronomer Keckerman lay it down for a sure rule That Astronomers may make and use Hypotheses that is Suppositions but Astrologers may not But the ninth and tenth Sphere or Heaven are feigned therefore the Zodiack imagined in them is also feigned T is worth the while to heare Alsted which is to our purpose what he sayth concerning the Zodiack The Zodiack saith he of the first mover that is the tenth Heaven is IMAGINARY of the eighth Sphere real The imaginary is Primaryly and ORIGINALLY in the first Mover or tenth Heaven in the inferior Spheres it is secondarily conceited The Reall changeth its situation the IMAGINARY doth note The signes also of the real Zodiack are wonderfull UNEQUAL but in the imaginary equall In accounts the imaginary Zodiack is more commodious but not so in predictions Thus you see how much fiction there is about the Zodiack and more honour ascribed to the feigned then to the reall Thirdly Touching the twelve imaginary Signes There is no such formes of Starrs as of themselves seeme such Compare Taurus and Aries And Aries lying under Balaena Tradition and Globes tell us such things but the Starrs of themselves cold never make us so imagine See the Celestial Globe Fourthly Touching the disorderly placing of the hott dry Signes in parts that are not hott and dry Note that Alsted a Learned Philosopher and was also an Astrologer at least in opinion affirmes in his System or Treatise of Astrologie that the twelve Signes are divided into foure Trigonos that is Ternions or Threes In primo trigono sunt signa ignea videlicet ARIES LEO SAGITTARIUS In his dominatur Calor siccitas quae dominantur cholerae sapori amaro that is In the first Ternion are the fiery Signes ARIES the Ram LEO the Lyon and SAGITTARIUS the Archer In these Signes are predominant heat and drynesse which have dominion and rule over Choler and bitternesse So Alsted
farr different events in the World have befallen them Where then is the certainety of Starr-predictions Where is the verity of Astrology It may be they will read us a Lecture of difference from magnitudes and motions of Starrs that some are bigger then the Earth some lesser againe that some finish some motions in twenty foure houres others not other motions in so many scores of yeares or more But if this be their defence the matter of predicting Astrology is thereby made to me more incredible For if as they say with Keckerman the Moone be lesse then the Earth at least twenty times and the rest of the Planets below the Sunne proportionably as Venus twenty seven times lesse then the Earth and Mercury two and twenty How then shall these at any posture at any one and the same time effect or signifie any thing to all the World For all the Astrologers in the World will undertake to prognosticate from these Planets upon all men on Earth borne at one and the same houre If the Sunne as they confesse be about an hundred and sixty times bigger then the Earth and all the Planets above the Sun proportionably as that Saturne is fourscore and eleven times bigger then the Earth Jupiter fourscore and fifteene times Mars one time bigger with one third how then is it that there is difference of natures and events in thousands borne at the same houre and especiall in Twins as we sayd afore If they say that this is because of the swift externall violent motion of all the Starrs Planets and Fixed that they are hurryed round the Earth by the first movable from East to West c. in twenty foure houres which is to runn sixty times sixty Miles in every houre then we demand how can the Starrs have time to make any distinct impression by any particular influence on one borne especially on one who perhaps may lie in the mouth of the womb partly borne partly unborne sometimes in the head and foreparts sometimes in the hinder parts for a quarter or halfe an houre or many houres Or what Astrologer upon the swiftnesse of those motions and the slownesse of the birth which cannot be borne in an instant but at best gradually shall be able to prognosticate punctually that such Starrs with such influence did so complexionate such an Infant at such a Minuit of time For by the computation aforesayd the Starrs run in the sayd motion in every minuit of the hour sixty Miles If Astrologers wil plead any thing to help themselves herein from the slownesse of other motions of the Starrs that are natural and internal to them as that all the fixed Starrs which are knowne by their twinckling to our sight move from North to South as they say so Alsted in three thousand five hundred yeares and back againe in three thousand five hundred yeares so that they finish not that motion under seven thousand yeares how then can any Age since the beginning of the World have experience what the Conjunction of the Starrs may produce So for the motions of the seven Planets If they say as Keckerman c. affirme that the Sun hath three Orbes First that in which the Sun it selfe is fixed and is the middle Orbe and is excentricall to the World that is The World or Earth is not just in the middle of it by reason whereof the Sun is sometimes in the Perige namely neerer the Earth for some moneths and sometimes in the Apoge to wit more remote from the Earth for other moneths And in this Eccentrick Orbe the Sun moves as they say according to the succession of the twelve Signes from West to East not finishing that motion under three hundred sixty five dayes and about six houres And withall as they assert that by reason of this Orbe the Sun moves as in relation to the center of the earth one while swifter another while slower that is to say it moves slower whiles it is on the Northern◠part of the World lingering there an hundred eighty six dayes eight houres and twelve minuits but runs swifter on the Southerne part of the World dispatching its race in an hundred seventy eight dayes one and twenty hours and twelve minuits and so stayes longer with some of the Signes as they say and lesse while with others And that secondly The Sun hath as they say a supreme Orbe contiguously adjoyned above to the aforesayd Orbe Thirdly an inferiour Orbe in like manner adjoyned beneath to the sayd middle Orbe both partly Concentrick partly Eccentrick the use of which two Orbs as held forth by Astronomers I shall not here stay to relate And the motion of those two extreame Orbs is as they confesse very slow so that they finish not their course which is like some motion of the eighth Sphere under forty nine thousands of years as Keckerman affirmes All which makes mee againe demand how any men could ever attaine to a certaine experience of Conjunctions of Starrs seeing this number of forty nine thousand extends it selfe to an age above seven times older then the creation of the Starrs It would be too tedious to recite all the severall Orbes and motions of all the other Planets according to the common opinion as that the Moone hath five Orbes some of which move swifter then those of the Sun putting her twice every moneth in her Apoge or exaltation and twice in her Perige or descention with differences in both that in the same Apoge it is somtimes higher and sometimes lower and so in the same Perige and hath one motion that is not finished under eighteen yeares seven moneths and about twelve houres That Saturne hath a motion whose course takes up thirty yeares Jupiter one of twelve Mars one of two Venus of one And Mercuries motion as Keckerman affirmes Est admodum varius imo magnâ parte adhuc incognitus that is it is wonderfull various yea for the most part yet unknowne Now lay all these varieties and uncertainties together and then judge what certainty of experience there can be had of the conjunctions of Starrs just so long and so much as to make such a sure impression of such influences and efficacies on men in the birth as may duely and truely prognosticate that so shal such a man be and doe but so anothér especially in Twins The third Argument All rules of Sciences and Arts by the fundamental Position of Artists are Axiomes Maxims Theoremes Canons c. that is Most worthy and most speciall principles experiments or rules for their verity and certainety But such are not the rules of Astrology First Because of the foresayd various varieties and uncertainties of Starrs both in their owne motions and in comparison with others Secondly Because no man knoweth the particular qualities or efficacies of all the Starrs No Artist yet ever undertooke to speake of more then the seven Planets and some few nominated Fixed Starrs of some few severall magnitudes leaving out millions that are
and consult with them These wise men came to Christ by the guidance of a Starr which may Justly blame the unwise who ascribe their not coming to Christ to fatal necessity or the influences of Starrs as Tertullian hath it Deonerant seipsos et malae mentis impetus vel fato vel astris imputant As Austin hath to the same purpose Falso de stellarū influxu conquerūtur mortales quod peccatū adeo voluntarium est quod si non voluntariū non est peccatū that is mortal men falsly complaine of the influence of the stars that sin is so voluntary for if it be not voluntary it is not sin Did we resist by grace our corruptions we should deceive the Astrologers by ruling over the Stars The highest God can and doth oft crosse the course of nature and often produceth that which could not be foretold by the observation of the Stars And therefore men should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to think beyond that wee may wisely think to be wise to sobriety Certainely to foretell contingencies is the property of God himselfe Thus farre for answer to the Orators for Astrology Next wee will give a short reply to them that are more Logicall Obj. God made the starres to be signes Gen. 1. 14. therefore the knowledge of the signification of those signes is lawfull Answ God made them to be signes of naturall effects or events not of arbitrary and morall that depend on mans will on which the Starrs have no power Corpus non agit in animam A body cannot act upon the spirit of a man no more then a materiall Sword can wound an Angell Againe the Starres are not signes to us of all naturall events as to wit not of naturall contingencies to us contingent as the lighting of a Crow neere us or c. but of naturall necessaries knowne by apparent common experience As that of Solomon when they cause a north wind it drives away raine c. And that of our Saviour Mat. 16.3 speaking according to the common experience men had When the skie is red in the evening ye say it will be faire weather But when the skie is red and lowring in the morning it will be foule weather Further The Starres may be signes in regard of their motions belonging meerly to pure Astronomie as when there wil be an ecclipse though they should never be signs of any events in regard of their influences or qualitative Vertues Obj. The Starres are causes of many things here below But it cannot be unlawfull to observe causes how they produce their effects Scire est per causas scire All true knowledge is by the causes And therefore Felix qui poterit rerum eognoscere causas he is happy that knows the causes of things Ans 1. Wee sayd but now the motions of the Starrs cause ecclipses somtimes of the Moon by the interposition of the earth exactly between it and the Sun somtimes of the Sun by the direct interposition of the Moone between us and the body of the Sunne which the Astronomer though he never knew the least of the inward influentiall qualities of any of the Stars can predict And therefore all this doth add nothing at all to countenance Astrologie Secondly wee demand what causes are the Starres Not particular causes of particular events but generall common causes that work in common and alike upon all things Now no man can divine of a particular event by a generall cause unlesse he know the particular causes subordinate and their particular vertues Some give this instance that a man cannot by setting many sorts of egges under a Hen foretell what will be hatcht by the meer sitting of the Hen in common upon them all unlesse also he know the particular qualityes of those egges so from the Starres being common causes no man can foretell events unlesse he knew the kinds and qualities of causes and things subordinate to them Obj. Experience shews that Astrologers somtimes hit right Answ To this Master Perkins and other pious Learned men and with appeale to many others and of those of as great antiquity as the times of the Apostles gives this answer and with great confidence that in this there is a secret Magick at least if not an open covenant with the Devill he making supply what is wanting in the vertue of Starres and rules of Astrologie And say they this is the judgment of those that have known this Art So farre they Consonant to which wee referr the Reader to what before was confest by Mastor Brigges Saint Austin and others he makes mention of Which is the more confirmed because if the Astrologers client comes tempting him and not confiding in him that is in his skill he can do nothing but if he can admire the Artist and rely upon his skill then he can answer his desires And this is confest by them that have been great Astrologers but now repenting have left it whom if need be I can name Obj. Moses and Daniel were greatly skild in this Art For of Moses t is sayd Act. 7.22 That he was learned in all the WISDOME OF THE EGYPLIANS And of Daniel Chap. 1.17.20 That he had skill in all Learning and wisdome of the CHALDAEANS Ans If they had practised it in their younger yeeres it doth neither follow nor appeare in the Bible that they continued to practise it For wee are sure at mans estate they were precious Godly men Secondly It is sayd they had skill not that they practised it They might have skill and to use it as Saint Austin Master Perkins and Master Brigges c. to abhor and testifie against the evill of it Thirdly It is plaine that Moses was opposite to the Egyptian Magicians c and by his skill conquered and shamed them and convinced them that the finger of God was in what Moses did And of Daniel it is said that he was in skill ten times BETTER then all the Astrologers or Magicians that were in all Nebuchadnezzars Realme Dan. 1.20 Therefore his skill must needs be divine and above Astrologie Obj. Wee see and feele that the Sun and Moon and other Srarres have great power on the ayre and so by it on the bodies of men as appeares even by this that in some weathers wee are more cheerfull in some more Melancholy in some more healthy in others more sickly Answ All this is nothing at all to Astrologicall prediction of naturall contingents much lesse of voluntary moralls Nor can wee tell so much in many naturall things as to which Starre to attribute which effect seeing they all at once co-operate As a man in a juice extracted mixtly out of severall hearbs pounded together and strayned cannot by all his sences distinguish the vertues of these acuratly much lesse foretell which being medicinably applyed shal operate most what peculiar effect it shal produce least of all if this compound juice must be mingled with some other liquors as the operative qualities
of the Starrs are mingled with the qualities of the Elements of them above in their radiation afore they reach to us and of them beneath by exhalation of them and reflection of the beames of the Starres which is a second mixture and so a further confounding of humane understanding how to judge of them what they will effect Obj. Sol Luna post Deum omnium viventium vita sunt Herm. Trism The Sun and the Moon next under God are the life of all living creatures Answ If they be the life of all living creatures then no more of men then of beasts or plants What is this then to the actings of their understandings and wills wherein they are distinguished from and sublimated above all corporal things whose formes are materiales materiall not Spirituall Food is the cause of mans life yet that hath no influence upon the soule The soule of man acts pure yea purest reason when the body is as dead by deep sleep Therefore all this objection makes nothing for Astrologie Obj. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. Jud. de mund Opif. Movings and Earthquakes proceed from the concussions of the Heavens c. because the Starrs are made for Signes This objection out of FORGED Philo as learned Broughton calls him is nothing for the praise of Astrologie In Meteorologie are handled earthquakes They are passions of the Earth not of men the earth hath a fitt of the winde and makes it in part to tumble for ease till it belcheth it up againe If the attractive Starrs that at least draw light things upward are become depulsive to make the Aire descend I wonder t is not so sayd in all the body of Philosophie And if any thing be ascribed to the Starrs in the ascent of that Earthquake-ayre t is needlesse for it would as surely ascend of its owne levitating quality as soone as the Earth gives way without the help of the Stars as without them water will descend If Starrs be sayd mediately to cause Earthquakes I know not how their Hosts and Myriads bespangled over the Heavens surrounding the Earth operate in common as well as constantly and the Earthquaks are so seldome in time and so particular to petty places in comparison of the Vniverse that no just reason can predict this event by them To say that because the Starres are signes of some things as of Day and Night Heat and Cold c. which are naturall therefore they are signes of all or most things even of Contingencies Arbitraries and Moralities and to a ground of prediction of such is such a grosse Non-sequitur that no man that hath and useth reason will or can beleeve it Obj. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Clem. Alex. Strom. l. 6. Democritus foretold many things by the Observation of things above and it was called Wisedome Answ By what things above For there are some Elements above and in them many ayrie fierie and watery Meteors as well as Starrs If by the Starrs then what things did he foretell If that in Clemens Alexandrinus That Starrs are instruments of time Or that of Thales Milesius to foretell Ecclipses of the Sun c. Or finde out Vrsa minor or the like Starrs to direct the Marriner in Navigation these belong not to Astrologie but to Physiologie and Astronomie Nor doe they conduce to predictions of humane actings If hee foretold any thing being an Heathen which is not cleerely pre-visible by nature or reason his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisedome was falsly so called But to doe him lawfull right as farr as we can know He was saith the Story an Astronomer which produceth nothing for the honour of Astrologie Obj. Augustin saith Astrologia perscrutanda est ad cognoscendum proprietates istorum syderum ut hunc locum intelligere possimus that is Astrology is to be searched into to know the properties of those Starrs that we may be able to understand this place Therefore in the judgement of Augustin there is a lawfull use of Astrologie Answ I have sought this place in Augustin most diligently but could not finde it Nor doth the Quoter of it direct me where I might If there be any such place in Augustin it can import no more but this That some place of Scripture speaking of some Starrs the knowledge of the qualities of those Starrs would further the fuller understanding of that place of Scripture But what makes this to predicting Astrology more then Meale Leaven c. Matth. 13. or the Precious stones a Jasper and Sardine and Emerald Revelat. 4. whose properties well understood helpe more fully to know the meaning of those Scriptures Surely Augustin never intended in that expression if any such be in his Workes to advance Astrologie or Astronomie or the consideration of Starrs and Constellations for understanding of the Scriptures or any other good use For in his Workes * he hath these expressions Edit Basil per Frob. A.D. 1569. opposite to any such intent Astronomia parùm aut nihil commodat Scripturae Aug. Tom. 3. Col. 38. that is Astronomie little profits or lends to the Scripture Syderum cognitio parù utilis Scripturae Aug. Tom. 3. C. 38. that is The knowledge of the Starrs or Constellations is little profit to the Scripture Augustin in his T. 1. C. 761. T. 8. C. 197. speaks against Astrologos eorum curiositates Astrologers and their curiosities In his 1 T. C. 90.100.102.126.418 Hee detests the vanity of Astrologie In his 4 T. C. 742. He pronounceth that Astrologi veritatis inimici Astrologers are enemies of the truth In his 5 T. C. 279 c. he abundantly disputes of the uncertainty of Astrologie And in his 5 T. C. 291. Augustin hath this terrible speech against Astrologers namely Astrologorum res ponsa ex malis esse spiritibus that is That the answers of Astrologers are from or by evill Spirits And in his 8. T. C. 165. Augustin affirmeth that Astrologie is not necessary to this life Astrologia huic vitae non est necessaria Augustin in his 10. T. C. 625. sheweth the vanity of Astrologers And in his 8. T. C. 197. is his INVECTIVE against the new Astrologers Augustin in his fifth Book ' De civitate Dei Cap. 1. to which some give this title Contra Astrologorum ineptias i. e. Against the FOOLERIES of Astrologers Jo. Crisp hath these words Illi verò qui positionem stellarum quodammodo decernentiùm qualis quisque sit quid ei proveniat boni quid ve mali accidat ex Dei voluntate suspondunt si easdem stellas putant habere hanc potestatem traditam sibi â summà illius potestate ut volentes ista decernant magnam Caelo faciunt injuriam in cujus velut clarissimo senatu ac splendidissimâ curiâ opinantur scelera facienda decerni qualia si aliqua terrena civitas decrevisset genere humano decernente fuerat evertenda Quale deinde judicium de
homirum factis Deo relinquitur quibus Caelestis necessitas adhibetur cum Dominous ille sit syderum hominum Aut si non dicunt stellas accepta quidem potestate a summo Deo arbitrio suo ista decernere sed in talibus necessitatibus ingerendis illius omnino jussa complere it ane de ipso Deo sentiendum est quod indignissimum visum est de stellarum voluntate sentire Quod si dicuntur stellae significare potius ista quam facere ut quasi locutio quaedam sit illa positio praedicens futura non agens non enim mediocriter doctorum hominum fuit ista sententia non quidem ita solent loqui Mathematici ut verbi gratiâ dicant Mars ita positus homicidam significat * sed homicidam facit veruntamen ut concedamus non eos ut debent loqui c. Qui fit quod nihil unquam dicere potuerunt cur in vitâ geminorum in actionibus in eventis in professionibus artibus c. adhumanam vitam pertinentibus at que in ipsa morte sit plerumque tanta diversitas ut similiores eis sint quantum ad haec attinet multi extranei quam ipsi inter se gemini Ita Aug. In cujus verba ad * ad hunc modum Erasmus Mars sydus est ardens violentum cruentum FIRMICUS Lib. 3. Martem in septimo ab horoscopo loco partiliter constitutum id est in occasu maxima mala immensa pericula scribit decernere FACERE scilicet homines homicidas sceleratos facinerosos Ita Erasmus è Firmico i. e. As for those that make these operations of the Starrs in good or bad to depend upon Gods will if they say that they have this power given them from him to use according to their owne wills they doe Heaven much wrong in imagining that any wicked acts or injuries are decreed in so glorious a Senate and such as if any earthly City had but instituted the whole generation of man would have conspired the subversion of it And what part hath God left him in this disposing of humane affaires if they be swayed by a necessity from the Starrs whereas he is the Lord of Starrs and of men If they doe not say that the Starrs are Causes of these wicked acts through a power that God hath given them but that they effect them by his expresse command is this fitt to be imagined for true of God that is unworthy to be held true of the Starrs But if the Starrs be sayd to portend this onely and not procure it and that their posirions be but signes not causes of such effects for so hold many Learned Men Truly the Astrologians use not to say Mars in such an house signifieth this or that no but Maketh the Childe born an Homicide But to grant them this errour of speech c. how commeth it to passe that they could never shew the reason of that diversity of life actions state profession art honour and such humane accidents that have befallen two Twins Nor of such a great difference both in the things aforesayd and in their death that in this case many strangers have come neerer them in their course of life then the one hath don to the other c. Upon which words at * Erasmus of himselfe and out of Firmicus saith Mars is a Starr bloody fiery and violent Being in the seventh House saith Firmicus l. 3. in a Partile aspect with the Horoscope that is in the West doth presage that is Maketh men murtherers wicked and heynous Augustin in the same Book Chap. 7. hath to this purpose Jam illud quis ferat quod in eligendis diebus nova quaedam suis actibus fata moliuntur Non erat videlicet ille ita nat us ut haberet admirabilem filium sed it a potius ut contemptibilem gigneret et ideo vir doctus elegit horam qua misceretur uxori Fecit ergo fatum quod non habebat sed ex ipsius fato cepit esse fatale quod in ejus nativitate non fuerat O stultitiam singularem Eligitur dies ut ducatur uxor credo propterea quia potest in diem non bonum nisi eligatur incurri et infeliciter duci Vbi est ergo quod nascenti jam sydera decreverunt An potest homo quod ei jam constitutum est diei electione mutare et quod ipse in eligendo die constituerit non poterit ab alia potestate mutaeri c. that is But who can endure this foolery of theirs to invent a now destinie for every action that a man undertaketh That wise man aforesaid it seemes was not borne to have an admirable son but rather a contemptible one and therfore elected he his hour wherein to beget a worthy one so thus did he worke himselfe a destiny more then his Starrs portended and made that a part of his fate which was not signified in his nativity O singular fondnesse A day must now be chosen for Marriage because otherwise one might light on an unlucky day and so make an ill marriage But where then is the destiny of your nativity Can a man change what his fate hath appointed by choosing this day or that and cannot the fate of that day which he chooseth be altered by another fate Againe if men alone of all the creatures on earth be under the starry power why doe they choose dayes to plant and dayes to sow and so forth dayes to tame Cattle dayes to put to Males for increase of Oxen or Horses and such like If the election of those dayes be good because the Starres have dominion in all earthly bodyes living creatures and plants according as the times doe change let them but consider how many creatures have originall from one and the same instant and yet have such diverse ends as he that but noteth will deride those Observations as Childrens toyes For what Sot will say that all hearbs trees beasts birds serpents wormes and fishes have each one a particular moment of time to be brought forth in Yet men doe use for trying of the Mathematicians skil to bring them the figures of the births of beasts which they have for this end diligently observed at home and him they hold the most skilfull Mathematician that can say by the figure this portendeth the birth of a beast and not of a man c. Thus far Augustin out of whom I might have quoted much more but they that list may in his Works easily find it of themselves CHAP. XI A PARALLEL of other particular sins of the present times with the prophesies of those Texts afore named of the last dayes demonstrating that these are the times forerunning Christs next appearance according to the Prophesies of the Scriptures T IS further prophesied in the first Epistle to Timothy Chap. 4. Vers 2.3 First That in those later times Vers 1. Men shal speake lyes in hypocrisie Two evil qualities to be Hypocrites and to