night moneth year which are both measured and described by the course of the Sun and Moon and other Stars Gen. 1.14 And so the feast of the Israelites and the computation of the yeare in our Church dependeth thereupon and without them there would be great confusion both in the common wealth and Church 4. Fourthly they serve to be signs that is to foretell things to come And they are signs either of extraordinary things or things which be ordinary When they are signs of extraordinary things then there is and appeareth in them some extraordinary work of God as appeareth in these examples which follow At the suffering of Christ not onely the vail of the temple rent and the dead rose forth of their graves Matth. 27. but also the Sun was wholly eclipsed the Moon being in the full At which sight Dyonisius Areopagita a good Astronomer spake these words Either the frame of the world is destroyed or the God of nature suffereth The Prophet Ezek. cha 32. v. 78. being commanded to prophecy the destruction of Egypt he first putteth down such extraordinary signs Before the second coming of our Saviour Christ there shall be signs in the Sun and Moon and in the Stars Lastly the extraordinary going back of the Sun signified the lengthning of the life of King Ezekias Secondly the Stars are signs of generall things which happen ordinarily every year in nature among us As of 1. Approching and declining of 1. The Spring 2. Summer 3. Harvest 4. Winter 2. Ordinary weather in these quarters 3. Ebbing and flowing of the Sea 4. Seasons of 5. Plowing 6. Sowing 7. Setting 8. Planting 9. Cutting 10. Felling 11. Reaping I say generall because the particular estate and affairs of men can in no wise be fore-signified by the stars I say ordinary because the things which fall out seldome and are besides the common course of nature as plenty of all things famine plague war eversions of Kingdomes c. Do not depend upon the Stars For the confirming of this I have three reasons First in the 1. of Genesis v. 14 15. God saith that he made the lights to be signs and yet the same God in the 47. of Esay v. 13.14 saith he will destroy the signs of them which divine flatly forbidding us to use Stars as means to judge of any thing to come saving onely of those of which they are expresly made signs of God in the creation all which are put down before Secondly this is manifest by the order of the creation Gen. 1.12.14 The third day God created upon the earth hearbs and trees and the earth brought forth fruits and was fertile the fourth day God commanded lights to be made in the firmament of heaven to separate the day and the night and to be for signs and for seasons and dayes and moneths and then it was so and then God saw it was good Out of which I gather that it cannot be a sign causing famine or plenty and fertilenesse because fertility went before the creation of the host of heaven Also of warres and plagues and the particular estates of men they can be no signs because man was not yet created and yet even then they were signs Some will say they were no signs of those matters in the creation but now they may be and are No for the works which God created he now preserveth neither increasing nor diminishing any thing in them Philo Judaeus in his book de opificio mundi saith he was perswaded that God foreseeing the minds of men given to search strange matters to come did in this order create the heavens to confute and disprove their imaginations Thirdly the Heavens and Stars were made for the use of man and man is their end so that it is absurd to imagine they have any force in the affairs of man Now then Prognosticatours if they will foreshew of strange things to come they must undo the work of their Creatour and give unto it new uses otherwise they shall not be able to Prognosticate as they yearly do The providence of God is his decree by which he appointeth how every thing shall come to pass The continuall execution of this decree is ordinarily by meanes but often without meanes The means which God useth are either generall or speciall Generall are these by which he governeth all the whole world and every particular thing which concerneth this life unto this kind are referred spirituall creatures called Angels by whom the Philosophers say the heavens are governed and we see that whole Kingdomes Provinces and Citties have been kept and defended by them as also consumed and destroyed Again the starrs and heavenly bodies are used of God to govern and order things here below as it is the 19. Psal Nothing is hid from the beat of the sunne And by the Prophet Hosea the Lord speaketh thus I will hear the heavens the heavens shall hear the earth the earth shall hear the corn the corn shall hear Israel But this instrument is onely a generall instrument and hath his work in ordinary matters of nature Beside these means there be many other by which God ruleth the world In the beginning he set man over the whole world that he might have rule over fishes fouls and beasts and al things els He apointed husbands to govern their wives he set the first-born before their brethren as Cain before Abel Princes over Cities Kingdomes Common-wealths and therefore by reason of their dignity calleth them Gods There be Governours of Families Fathers over their Children Masters over their Servants Yet God hath more near care in preserving and governing his chosen as appeareth in the 43. of Esay Thus saith the Lord God that created thee O Jacob and he that formed thee O Israel fear not for I have redeemed thee I have called thee by my name thou art mine when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the flouds that they do not overflow thee When thou walkest thorough the very fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee for I am the Lord thy God the holy one of I srael thy Saviour This is also manifest by that Sympathy which is in the Lord when his children are afflicted as appeareth by the 11. of Zechariah He which toucheth you toucheth the appleof mine eye And in the 9. of the Acts Saul Saul why persecutest thou me that is my elect Wherefore therebe also speciall means by which he more carefully governeth the elact As be Angels whom Paul to the Hebrews calleth Ministring spirits it is certain they defend every one of the elect particularly Hitherto may be referred the preaching of the Word of God the ministring of the Sacraments All these means God's provid ence useth first that he might shew his goodnesse towards us secondly that he might be known to be the Lord over all thirdly that we might be thankfull because he not onely himself governeth us but also
body can have but one natural motion I say this Argument doth not evince my reason in the least to believe the existence and being of the ninth and tenth Heaven for God that by his Word at the beginning said to the Earth Stand thou still and to the Sea Move thou continually with severall motions as of flowing and reflowing twice every twenty four hours and they obey his voice to this day the same God commanding the eighth Heaven to run from East to West every twenty four hours 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 years which is about three quarters of a mile in one year and half a quarter and also to roul forward from South to North and back again from North to South so gradually till in seven hundred years it is as it was cannot chuse 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 and a tenth Heaven moves the other Heavens And to the clause of one natural body we say that there is hardly any natural motion without some violent as the Philosophers calls 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 at the Centre-point of the Earth to its correspondent point in the Sphere of the lowest Heaven Indeed if the Pyramical form of the flame were turned upside down then all the flakes of flame might seem to take their natural order proportionable from one Centre-point in the Earth to their several correspondent points in the Sphere of the lowest Heaven So of any heavy Body Stone or Bowl c. falling down from some high places to the Earth no more of it moves naturally then the very middle of it tending downward in a Mathematical strait Line to the Centre-point of the Earth the corners of such a stone or the circumference of that Bowl falling not with the like natural motion because there is but one universal Centre-point in the middle of the Earth to answer to all downward motions which is the Physical demonstrative reason why naturally the Earth is round the heavy parts more pressing to the general Centre-point the lighter lesser So the Water in its motion in a River it naturally tends downward yet desires not to be so low as the Centre of the Earth and the mean while it tends progreffively forward and in this progressive motion no more is precisely natural but what proceeds in a strait Line for the Water hath no minde of it self to go out of its Line that being out of its way and besides its design So that either we must say one man may have many natural motions or we must no more feign more Heavens then eight to move the rest in their several motions then we dare feign more Elements then four to manage the several motions that are in each one of them Secondly touching the imaginary Sphere the Zodiack this must needs be an infallible Conclusion so far as the Heaven or Firmament of the Zodiack is feigned so far 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 or tenth Sphere or Heaven are feigned therefore the Zodiack imagined in them is also seigned 'T is worth the while to hear Alsted which is to our purpose what he saith 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 primarily and originally in the Mover or tenth Heaven in the inferiour Spheres it is secondarily conceited The Real changeth its situation the imaginary doth not The signes also of the real Zodiack are wonderfull unequal but in the imaginary equal 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 real Thirdly touching the twelve imaginary Signes there is no such formes of stars as of themselves seem such Compare Taurus and Aries and Aries lying under Balaena Tradition and Globes tell us such things but the stars of themselves could never make us so imagine See the Celestial Globe Fourthly touching the disorderly placing of the hot dry Signes in parts that are not hot and dry Nore that Alsted a learned Philosopher and was also an Astrologer at least in opinion affirms in his System or Treatise of Astrology that the twelve Signes are divided into four Trigonos that is Ternions or Three In primo trigono sunt signaignea videlicet Aries Leo Sagittarius In his dominantur calor siccitas quae dominantur cholerae sapori amaro that is In the first Ternion are the fiery Signes Aries the Ram Leo the Lion and Sagittarius the Archer In these Signes are predominant heat and driness which have dominion and rule over Choller and bitterness so Alsted Vranosc Par. 4. Cap. 4. Now that these Signes are thus affigned to have dominion Aries on the head and Leo on the heart and Sagittarius on the Reins and Loyns your Astrologers shew you in your ordinary and common Almanacks But your Philosophers and Physicians will assure us upon strong reason that a man hath the coldest Brain and moistest Heart and humid'st Reins Fifthly touching the imagined Signes and their supposed dominion over the parts of Man's Body this would be taken into consideration that the Traditions about them is such a Fiction in the eyes of some Astrologers that some of them omit them in their Almanacks others expresly deride them So that which goes under the name of Master Pond Should I but dare to omit the Anatomy Which long enough hath gull'd my Countrey Friend He with contempt would straight refuse to buy This Book and 't is no Almanack contend Ask him its use hee 'll say he cannot tell No more can I yet since he love'st so well I le let it stand because my Book shall sell And for my part I have of purpose tried the experiment of letting Bloud in that part where the Sign hath been as the Almanacks prescribe with good success Thus the Doctour which Will. Ram. hath in no measure answered neither in quantity nor quality either to M. Perkins or Alsted nor to the Doctour Will Ram. saith Let there be no ninth or tenth
prosperity and wealth and argueth some kind of diffidence in God when thou readest these my words examine thine own heart if thou find my sayings true as certainly thou shalt never hereafter desire to know the state of the year before-hand except it be for the seasons of the year which I am perswaded thou mayst in some part without any skill even by thine own experience 2. Concerning the contempt of Gods providence thus much I say The Prognosticatour if he be asked whether he confesse the providence of God he will with all his heart confesse it but by his deeds he doth deny it for all the things whatsoever which can happen in a whole year he attributeth them to the stars and so he publisheth his predictions alwayes mentioning stars never or very slenderly making any signification of the power and justice mercy and everlasting wisdome of God And surely even for the very paring of thy nails for the cutting of thy hair for the putting on of thy shooes for taking a journey two or three miles from thine house for obtaining at Gods hands thy request for making thy bargain with thy neighbour for all thine actions be they never so small these wise men if thou wilt ask their advise will give thee counsell from the stars Now when these their irreligious predictions shall be had in thy bosome and read of thee daily thou being a man unlearned and worldly given never hearing any mention of the speciall providence and hand of God in every thing but long discourses of the virtues of Planets and signs doest never think upon the wonderfull and most infinite power of God working after a speciall manner in every matter but are drawn straight wayes into an admiration of the Astrologer and a great fear of the constellations of heaven An experience of this I found in thee about two years ago A learned man yet in this case far deceived wrote an Astrologicall discourse of the conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn wherein he shewed of great alteration in every thing to fall At this thou wast sore agast thy mind was incumbred with fettling thy goods to set them in order against that day thy song for half a year was nothing else but the conjunction the conjunction the day being come what staring was there and gazing into heaven to see the meeting of those two Planets Now all this while where was Gods providence where was that trust and rejoycing in him Wherefore me thinketh that in a Christian Common-wealth those onely books should be published for thy use which might beat into thy head and make thee every houre and moment to think on the providence of God Contrarywise to tell thee the means which God doth use to thunder out the aspects and constellations of stars and seldome to mention of his providence maketh thee to fear and admire and love the means quite forgetting the work of God in the means This fault was very rife amongst the Israelites who came yearly unto Astrologers and wise men Wherefore that which is spoken by Jeremy chap. 10. v. 12. unto them is also spoken unto thee Hear ye the word of the Lord that he speaketh unto you O house of Israel Thus saith the Lord learn not the way of the heathen and be not afraid for the signs of heaven though the heathen be afraid of such In like sort God forbiddeth his people of England to give credit or fear the constellations and conjunctions of Stars and Planets which have no power of themselves but are governed by him and their secret motions and influences are not known to man and therefore there can be no certain judgement thereof If thou wilt not hear and follow this which I say see what will ensue Thou seest that the greatest matters which these Diviners and Prognosticatours foretell fall out flat otherwise then they say to their perpetuall shame Truely I am perswaded that it is the judgement of God upon them although they cannot see it who maketh them when they think they are most wise to be most fools For so the Lord used the wise men and Astrologers of Chaldea as he speaketh by his Prophet Esay chap. 44. v. 24. I am the Lord that made all things that spread out the heavens alone and stretch out the earth by my self I destroy the tokens of Soothsayers and make them that conjecture fools and turn their wise men backward and make their knowledge foolishnesse Dost thou then O carelesse and miserable man think to escape the same or greater punishment being a cause of this fault for if none desired to know what is to come none would busie themselves in that vanity Wherefore reade the word of God in the 18. of Deut. verse 9. When thou shalt come saith the spirit of God into the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations In the words following Moses numbreth nine abominations As 1. To make his child go through the fire 2. To use witchcraft 3. To regard times this is thy fault 4. To mark the flying of fouls 5. To be a Sorcerer 6. To be a Charmer 7. To counsell with Spirits 8. To be a Soothsayer 9. To ask counsell at the dead All these horrible abominations being rehearsed mark what followeth Deut. 18.9 For all that do such things are an abomination unto the Lord and because of their abominations the Lord thy God doth cast them out before thee now seeing most of these abominations and especially the third is used of us why should we not fear the like judgements upon us unlesse we will repent and that with speed 2. The reasons which concern the Prognosticatour and may avail to the perswading of thee not to buy any more of their unprofitable books as these which follow First their unability in Prognosticating Secondly their manifest untruths Thirdly their impieties Fourthly their tricks of deceit What can they not foretell that which is to come can they not make conjectures of that which is like to ensue No surely And I will use arguments to confirm it unto thee The true use of the heavens consisteth in many points 1. To declare the glory of God The heavens saith David Psal 19.2 declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth the work of his hands It is an Alphabet written in great Letters in which is described the majestie of God and that by these four speciall points First the Majesty of the work it self 2. The infinite multitude of Stars 3. By the wonderfull variety of Stars 4. By the greatnesse of the Stars 2. Secondly it maketh sinners and wicked men inexcusable before the judgement seat of God Rom. 1.20 For the invisible things of him saith Paul that is his eternall power and God-head are seen by the creation of the world being consiaered in his works to the intent that they should be without excuse 3. Thirdly they serve to the appointment of times as day
will deny that it is one of the Liberal Sciences if he will condemn it as none he must be content to lose one of them which were to render himself the eighth wise man what Science I pray will he place in the room of it since he thus indeavours to excommunicate it for he tels us it is as meer a phansie as Palmestry and yet Galen one of his learned that he brings to condemn Astrology with the word Sophisticum that it is Sophisticall page 115. l. 11. as Physitians themselves report teacheth to know the temperature of the body by the palm of the hand and his reason is because the mind commonly followeth the constitution of the body thus you may see how he carpeth and catcheth at any thing that he thinks will make in the least for his turn as also of Alsted's and Doctour VVillets Titles of Astrology when the question is whether either of them knew the common rules of the Art SURVEY This borrowed Axe borrowed of Sir Christopher is dull t is most true that that of Astrology which hath any truth of BEING is a Science not an Art but is to be referred to other Sciences and to be called by their name according to the matter handled as hath been often cleared in the Doctours Demonology And if it be a Science how then can it be an Art The learned know they are Species logically opposite Let VVilliam therefore learn it afore he believe this grosse non-sequitur to be good viz. T is a Science ergo 't is an Art And if Aristotle doth say for I can believe VVilliam in nothing but what I see we have found him so often tardy in notorious untruths that Astrology is Scientia Media and VVilliam will as he doth expound it to be A Science between the Mathematicks and Naturall Philosophy Sect. 〈◊〉 how then doth VVilliam Ramsey agree with himself afore where he will have Astronomy and Astrology to be all one For all liberall Artists do know that Astronomy is of the pure Mathematicks But VVilliam consents that Astrology is a Middle thing between the Mathematicks and Naturall Philosophy But in this VVilliam goes on as he began to TELL UNTRUTHS for there are no such words in Arist Phys lib. 2. cap. 2. in three severall editions in Greek and Latine which I carefully read over and some of them twice over But this I got and William hath lost by it in my reading that Chapter viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Arist. ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Sed omnes interpretes â—trovis modo legentes reddunt Mathematicarum scientiarum vel faculâ—atum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. those mathematicall disciplines or Sciences that are more the Physicks or nearer to Naturall Philosophy are the Opticks Musick and Astrology Let W. Ram. therefore cease his anger against the Doctour for saying Astrology viz. that which can be owned viz. naturall is in many respects to be referred to Physicks and to be called proportionably by the name of some parts of it as Meteorology c. That which W. R. affirms out of Averroes on the twelfth of Metaph. is nothing to Williams purpose Nor that on the second of Physicks but rather against viz. for us touching the onenesse of Physicks and allowable Astrology more justly therefore called Naturall Astrology if it must have any thing of the word Astrology in its name For as for the Judiciall 't is in the corrupt phantasie of men and devils according to the Scripture rather then in nature Nor is that on the 3. of Metaphys to Williams purpose We allow the knowledge of the stars to be a Mathematicall Art or rather a Science yet we allow not Judiciall Astrology to be a lawfull Science But do give that honour to Astronomy But cui bono to what purpose is all this waste of Williams words For if all were yielded that William speaks to prove Astrology to be a Science yet doth it not infer that any Astrology is a distinct Science much lesse Judiciall Astrology to be any thing at all in rerum natura From W. R. endeavour to justifie Palmestry by his confession he had received it by a report from the Physicians that Galen did teach to know the temperature of the body by the palm of the hand I inferre 1. as I afore suspected that VVilliam borrows his best Feathers that make any better shew then railing from other Fowles 2. That I feel VV. Ramsey's Pulse that he neither hath read much his Master Galen nor understands the meaning of such a speech as that it signifies no more but that by the Pulse or by the heat driness coldness or moisture of the Palmes may be discerned the temper of the Body without Palmestries canting upon the Lines of the Hands Lastly VVilliam Ramseys questioning Doctor VVillets and Doctor Alsteds knowledge of the common Rules of Astrologie RENDERS HIM SO IGNORANT NOW IN MY EYES THAT I BEGIN TO REPENT I HAVE GONE SO FAR IN ANSWERING SO WORTHLESS A MAN WHO KNOWS NOT THAT WHICH ALL INDIFFERENTLY LEARNED MEN DO KNOW viz. that Doctour VVillet in his learned Questions on the Pentateuch and Daniel touching Astrologie and Doctour Alsted in his learned Encyclopaedia of 27 Arts and Sciences and particularly his System of Astrologie do manifest to the World that they were not ignorant of the utmost of Astrologie W. R. his SECT IV. Proving the lawfulness of Astrologie being not impugned by the Scripture nor Councils but allowed of by the wisest and greatest men VVHat hath already above been said is clear to any judicious impartial eye that this Art is lawfull where I say The Heavens declare the Glory of God c. But to clear it more plainly the Psalmist in his very next words saith The Firmament sheweth the works of his hands Psalm 19.1 which is clear to me is meant thereby that he effecteth by them and no other thing though I must confess there are divers interpretations thereof my reason is that otherwise every thing which is created doth declare the handy work of God I believe Master Homes will finde Aquinas and Hierome of my opinion He hath heard also that there is no speech nor sanguage where the voice of the Starrs are not heard Psal 19.3 which may serve here again very well for the purpose in hand and to speak more plainly that God doth not prohibit mortals from the study of them you may see how the holy Ghost by Stephen in the 7. of the Acts vers 22. speaking in the commendation of Moses giveth him over and above the commendation that was aforesaid that he was learned in all the wisedom of the Egyptians and was mighty in words and deeds which is clear to any rational man that if it had been any wise sinfull diabolical or odious in the sight of God Moses would not have applied his study thereunto or at least it would never have been recorded in his praise
will say is fulfilled in the words following viz. And God made two great lights the one to rule the day the other to rule the night Gen. 1.16 To which then I answer by way of Quere to what end then are these invincible irresistable and innumerable hosts of Heaven were they made for no other use then to gaze on the Sun and Moon will sufficiently serve our turn for matter of light if we look no further into their uses but the Scripture further putteth this matter quite out of doubt if we will believe Gods own word Job 28.31 For he speaking of his Omnipotent power asketh his servant Job whether he or any one else Can restrain the influence of the Pleiades or loose the bands of Orion On which words S. Austin on Job referreth all men to the study of Astrology for the understanding of that place and not onely so but shews us that under these two constellations the Lord doth comprehend the influence of all the Celestiall host figuratively expressing pars pro toto and to shew you by experience the verity hereof if you will neither believe S. Augustine Moses nor God himself except you see and feel not to insist long on this point which is cleared by such strong and invincible witnesses one whereof is able to be sufficient testimony against all Master Homes his learned Judges and condemners of Astrology for confirming and clearing hereof then I might here again instance that palpable experience we have of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea by the influence of the Moon as abovesaid but to manifest it yet further let him call to mind the increase and decrease of Shel-fish the mutation and variation of times and innumerable other effects of the Stars which if time and conveniency would permit migh◠〈◊〉 recorded and let him then study the cause hereof and he will then without doubt be of another tenet let him observe also when ♄ and ☉ is in □ or ☠or when ♂ and ◠is in □ or ☠or ♃ and ☿ are so posited and let him tell me then what alterations they produce in the air both by Rain Snow Wind Tempests Thundering and Lightning and the like according to their severall positions the nature of signs and houses and mansions they are in which if he be not altogether ignorant of the Art he may daily see These and the like effects are most vulgarly known by experience so that therefore he might even as well have confessed those signs he speaketh of to be the Stars and causes their influence since he doth not nor cannot shew me any other thing they are without wronging and slandering the Art and contradicting the most learned therein as also the Father S. Austine Moses nay and GOD himself D. Homes might as well then have left out that other addition of Doctour Willets where he saith That the Stars have not the same influence in Summer and in Winter Spring and Autumn and so consequently will conclude them First not to be signs contradicting Moses and the word of God Gen. 1.14 as aforesaid Secondly Nor causes Quia ex unitate causae sequeretur similitudo effectûs Of the same cause there should follow the same effect but there followeth not the same effect from the same signs appears by experience As much to say the Stars are neither causes nor signs because they produce not fruits in Winter as well as in Summer or because they cause not snow in Summer or Buds and Blossoms in Winter O rare cavill but since he is already by what is abovesaid confuted I shall here adde nothing but this that since the question is whether they are causes and signs because that passage in the first of Genesis manifelts they are signs I will if he will be convinced by the word of God here give him to know they are also causes I will hear the heavens and the heavens shall hear the earth and the earth the corn and the wine c. Hos 2.2 And in another place the increase of the earth is referred to the Influence of the Sun and the Moon Deut. 33.14 By all which we may clearly see unless blinded with malice and wilfulness that they are both signes and causes of all our earthly injoyments and happinesses Et si Scriptura ipse Deus nobiscum quis contranos W. R. his SECT III. Wherein his allegations against the ground of the Art are condemned and his bringing S. Augustine and Galen against it proved fallacious SEeing then it is most clearly so that the Stars are signes and causes as abovesaid what need these envious carpers or malicious gainsayers of the truth be heeded or regarded but let these perverse rags of paper perish with themselves not worthy the least remembrance And indeed had it not been rightly to insorm the vulgar and to make them see that high language serveth not to condemn truth I had buried both them and their filthy rags in perpetual oblivion but I hope since they must be remembred it will be but for their disgrace not chronicled for their worthiness but perpetual infamy But this is not all he comes next to condemn Astrology by Keckerman and that with as weak Arguments as he did the rest Keckerman saith he a most learned Philosopher and Christian although he favours some things which men now a dayes call part of Astrology did not in all his two great Volumes in fol. of Arts and Sciences Jet forth any Astrology A wise story indeed because Keckerman writeth not of Astrology therefore there is no such thing but if Keckerman hath not yet as wise and as learned and greater Philosophers have as if the being of Astrology depended on his writing hereof Look the second Chapter of this Treatise or it were a whit farther from being an heavenly Science and a lawfull Art because he omitteth it fine Logick and rare reason if rightly understood and the depth thereof throughly searched because Aristotle knew not the reason of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea therefore no body else doth neither is there such a thing in Nature and because Moses writeth not of the Creation of Angels Ergo there is none O profound and invincible reason But to proceed he saith he is sure he hath these words against it Manent tamen c. The Starrs abide as of other sublunary effects so of effects in man the common and remote cause which many wayes may be hindred not onely by the first cause God but also by particular causes partly in the Heavens partly in the Air and other Elements so that the Predictions of Astrologers are with ifs and ands c. which is as much to the purpose as comes just to nothing for first that God can alter the course of the Starrs there is no Astrologer but will confesse but whether he will or no or ordinarily uses so to do is the question so that Master Homes gets little by this querk since he affirmeth nothing
Providence For when God would here comfort his people against Astrologers Predictions threatning evil to them the Lord that is most wise to order his words begins with this preface Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer and he that formed thee from the womb that maketh all things and that stretcheth forth the Heavens and spreadeth abroad the Earth Intending plainly thus much Fear not bondage under evil men and things as the Astrologers threaten for I am thy Redeemer that redeems thee from troubles in spite of all Astrology Fear not those Astrological Genethliacos that is Casters of Nativities for I formed thee from the womb Fear not their Predictions by the Starrs and Heavens for I spread and rowl them as I please Fear not their predicted evils for I make all things and spread the Earth as I please So that God pleads these of his Creation Redemption and providential preservation against the Astrologers that oppose these by raising false fears from their lying Arts in the hearts of his people The second intimation is that God doth call and can and will make those Astrologers and Diviners Lyars and mad men all their predictions shall prove but Lyes and madness and turn their pretended knowledge into foolishness Thirdly that the Lord will confirm the word of his Servants and the counsel of his Messengers that is the Prophesies of his Prophets in oppofition to all Astrologers Astrology opposeth the Word but that shall overflow it The fourth place against Astrology is Isai 47.12 13 14. It is spoken to Babylon v. 1. The words are these Stand now with thine Inchantments and with the multitude of thy Sorceries wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth if so be thou shalt be able to profit if so be thou maist prevail Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels let now the Astrologers the Star-gazers the Monethly Prognosticatours stand up and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee Behold they shall be as stubble the fire shall burn them c. We see in the general if we reade but according to the English how Astrologers under all names and titles are inveighed against by God himself and in a holy way of divine taunting of them The Original also is very full and home to the same effect the first word or name in the 13. Verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our English renders Astrologers is also by the ancient Greek Septuagint rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by Junius also Astrologi that is Astrologers whose business according to the Hebrew is to view and behold the Heavens for Predictions For the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his prime and native signification signifies to play the Astrologer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Pagnin and Schindler is the Root whence comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Astrologer Isai 47.13 Let not the Astrologers of Heaven c. stand up and save thee and this is the righter rendering of the word The Hebrew Doctours also expound it Astrologers R. Kimchi doth derive it from the Arabian Language in which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alhabram signifies the Decision of a matter as saith he the Astrologers are so called who decide and determine things by the prescript of the Starrs And to put the matter out of doubt that the Lord means Astrologers he useth another word by which he gives them a second name to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Gazers in the Starrs Astronomers look upon the Starrs to know their colour distance motion but Astrologers saith the Lord gaze in or into the Starrs that is their business is to know the influence and predictions by Starrs as they pretend The Chaldee Targum doth also so render it namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gazers in or into the Starrs and their third name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our English renders Monethly Prognosticatours Vatablus renders Those who declare what shall come to pass every several moneth The Arabian Version of this Verse renders them all three thus Let them arise and deliver thee who presage future things by the Starrs of Heaven who contemplate the Starrs and foretell thee what event shall be to thee All you see amounts to this that without fail Astrologers are here spoken against And how First as opposits to confidence in God as our Notes on the Bible affirm in these words He derideth say they their vain confidence that put their trust in any thing but in God condemning also such Sciences which serve to no use but to delude the people and to bring them from depending on God Secondly as of the same rank and much of the same abomination with Inchanters and Sorcerers Babylon useth both and as we heard afore from them that went farr in Astrology that Astrologers that usually hit any thing right cannot do it but by help from the Devil Thirdly as a thing to be derided that any man should undertake to presage good when 't is the counsel of God to bring evil upon a people Fourthly as a just thing with God to send such to their Astrologers in the day of evil of judgement on them to see if they can deliver them Fifthly as that God will the rather bring irresistible judgement on a people that besides their evils do believe Astrologers that they shall do well Sixthly that in the day of calamity especially Astrologers and those that believed them shall fall by the hottest fury of the judgement The fifth place of Scripture against Astrology is Jer. 10.2 3. Thus saith the Lord Learn not the way of the Heathen and be not dismayed at the Signes of Heaven for the Heathen are dismayed at them For the customes of the people are vain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sign or token doth sometimes and especially when joyned with Heaven signifies a prodigious portentous ominous sign The word is the same and the intent of the Text the same as in Isai 44.24 c. afore discussed that frustrateth the Tokens or signes of the Lyars The Geneva on our Bibles on the word Signes say thus God forbiddeth his people to give credit or fear the Constellations and Conjunctions of Starrs and Planets which have no power of themselves but are governed by him and their secret motions and influences are not known to man and therefore there can be no certain judgement thereof Deut. 18.9 And the same Geneva Notes on the word Customes say thus Meaning say they not onely the observation of the Starrs but their Laws and Ceremonies whereby they confirm their Idolatry so the Geneva Notes I quote them and others the more that ye may see not onely mine but the judgement of the generality of the godly and learned touching Astrology I add as Astrology and Idolatry are conjoyned here in the prohibition so also was it in the practise of men for they idolatrously made Gods of the Starrs as of Saturn Jupiter Mars c. as the names of our week-dayes do unhappily to this day
it self it may be easily admitted but long since By wicked Knaves it was made a prophane thing For that Art was adulterated among the Chaldeans That therefore the minde of the Prophet may be certainly clear to us let that Principle stand fixed that the Sun and the Moon the rest of the Planets and the fixed Stars which are in the Firmament are Signes But withall here must be noted the relation Wherefore would then God have the Sun and the Moon to be for Signes Namely that the course of the Moon might perfect one moneth the course of the Sun one year c. Again the Sun as it hath respect to the twelve Signes one while it makes Spring another while Summer c. and other things blonging to the Order of Nature But whosoever will stretch out these Signes beyond that doth utterly confound the order propounded of God Even as formerly when the Egyptians and Chaldeans would sware higher then reason did bear they would conjecture by the position of the Stars What should be the events of all Nations After that they durst descend to all particular men Hence sprung the Nativity-casters Therefore they first began to philosophize more subtilly that the Sun when it was under such a Sign it portended the ruine of the onely childe happy events to another But these things are without the bound of the accustomed course of Nature For instance to be Summerand Winter this is natural and ordinary but that warr is moved by one Nation against another this is not of the accustomed course of Nature nor from thence but from the ambition and covetousness of men Indeed a secret providence of God over-ruleth but we speak of causes which may be weighed and comprehended by us as falling under sense Albeit this also is to be noted The course of the Stars of themselves have no matter of moment For we see how God varieth times we have not equal Winters or Summers neither is there a constant temper no year but is unlike to the former and the third unlike to the second c. Sometimes the air will seem temperate yet the Plague will destroy Sometimes there cannot be found a reason why the year should bring scarcity and yet men may be pined So that God according to his own good pleasure tempers the world otherwise then any the acutest is able to divine by Stars But they that will transcend the bounds that God hath set will also conjecture by the Stars whether war should be in that countrey or peace in another They therefore that will collect by the Stars the things that are beside the course of Nature they surely mingle Heaven and Earth together Neither is there any doubt but that the Prophet chastiseth this madness whiles he forbids the Jews to attend unto the Signes of Heaven as to be afraid of them But withall the reason is to be attended why the Prophet so grievously condemneth that Fear which reigned among the Heathens to wit because where this opinion prevailed That all events of things depend upon the Stars the fear of God is taken away faith is extinguished c. For all Astrologers who falsely usurp that name to themselves I say those Knaves Lat. Nebulones istos dico who for their Impostures pretend the name of Judiciary or Judicial Astrology do conclude that a Judgement or determination or Prognostick touching the life of man ought to be made by the Horoscope as if both fortunes depended on the Stars If therefore any man be born at this hour according to their opinion that condition shall abide him so together they feign a fate to wit some necessity which may hold a man bound to the rule of the Sun and Moon and Stars For one born when the Sun was in the tail of such a Sign or when it was in the head of another this Nativity portends such or such a fortune this man shall be of a short life the other of a longer At length they also gather to themselves more boldness and will pronounce concerning every day such an event waits upon this expedition c. After that when or where the Nativity cannot be brought into consideration they subject all man-kinde to the necessity of the Stars behold if thou undertake any Expedition this or that day it shall be well with thee but if thou hasten afore noon ill success attends thee So therefore they divine of the whole life of man and each single action when as God would not have the Conftellations and Stars to be for Signes to this end or use Now as I said hence it follows God doth not govern as to reign so faith is extinguished and all duties of piety are reduced to nothing For whosoever is perswaded that he is bound by this necessity that because such is the Horoscope he must necessarily perish in that hour and also necessarily perish by this kinde of death he therefore being thus perswaded will he call upon God Will he commend his life to him Again if any adversity befall him will he impute it to his sins Will he acknowledge that he is called unto judgement by God Or if it be prosperous with him will he be excited to sing praises to God We see therefore how this Divination extinguisheth all Godliness because there will be no faith and then no acknowledgement of punishments no acknowledgement of the benefits of God no industry in praying If once that diabolical Errour hath possessed or surprized our mindes that we are subject to the Stars such is our Nativity and further that the Stars each single day and moment portend some kinde of death This therefore we ought chiefly to think upon when the Prophet forbiddeth the Jews to be afraid of the Signes of Heaven Neither is there any doubt but that the Chaldeans did predict that a new Empire was promised unto them so terrified the poor Jews far well to us For so the Astrologers spake among the Chaldeans And then on the other part the Egyptians saw this to be foretold by the position of the Stars so it was that the Jews sunck as spiritless or unsouled And so it came not into their mindes that God had so often and so many years threatened them by his Prophets whiles they ceased not to provoke his anger against themselves The judgement then of God they counted as nothing and yet the mean while this did astonish them that the Chaldeans had discerned by the Stars that there would be some change By this time we apprehend the minde of the Prophet where he saith We must not be afraid of the Stars I know how many at this day are foolishly curious and therefore some way given to Judicial Astrology and this Dotage hath violently curried away some men otherwise pious and very learned But we see what here God pronounceth by his servant And I wonder that some men are so addicted to the Stars who too too philosophically speak of free will Thus Calvin whom I
farther from us For another Constellation in superiour parts doth vary hinder and diminish the operation of Heaven in inferiour parts the disposition of the matter But suppose the influences of Constellations may be understood yet they are not sufficiently made manifest as may appear to him that reades the many doubts that arise about Astrology concerning the Motion of the Stars the Firmament and the Planets Some grant that there is a Heaven above the Firmament some late Writers make use of and practise another Heaven the Chaldeans and Egyptians one Motion that is to say Stellarum fixarum motus triâ— plex diurnal to the Stars Ptolomy adds a second which is from the East to the West Thebit a third which is from the North to the South but they all vary about the time And wonder not if they vary about the fixt Star seeing they differ about the Motion of the Sun and the Moon for the precise knowledge of the Solar Year and it is needless to report how much they differ about the declination of the Sun Therefore why should any man believe them when their Writings and Opinions differ so far from one another for it is certain that if Astrologers be deceived but in one Degree in taking an hour they err likewise in the Division of the Houses for the Degree will change the Sign then is it necessary that their experiments are deceitfull The Chaldeans the most ancientest Astrologers differ from the opinion of the Egyptians for the Egyptians divide the Zodiack into twelve Signes but the Chaldeans into eleven Images Again some of them disagree in their Degrees some of them will have this Planet placed in this House another in the third fourth fifth or fixth Thus is there such a deadly enmity between these heavenly Doctours that like so many Masters of the noble Science of Defence they strive to break the head of each others Reputation and stand at defiance with each other For when Ptolomy hath his Jacobs Staff in his hand he thought himself as skilfull at it as Turner was at his Rapier and Dagger and was assured that Hermes Tresmegistus durst not stand up against him When Alchibicius had got hold of his Astrolabe he was as safe as Robin the Devil with his Sword and Target and durst prognosticate that neither Albumazar nor Aboazar durst challenge him When Abraham Haly or Thebit were peeping through their Prospective Glasses they did believe that neither Avenozra nor Algazel durst look them in the face Nay do but look into the humours of our Modern Calculatours and you shall finde them rail one against another as bitterly as Nash against Harvy and why is all this but because they condemn each other for lying when Heaven and Earth God and Man know that he that lyeth the seldomest doth lie very often Some of them will prognosticate that on such a day very infallibly there shall be Rain when it is a thousand pound to a Farthing token but all the People dwelling in that Meridian his Almanack was calculated for but will finde them Lyars Yet howsoever they do often miss in their Prediction when they foretell of the disposition of the weather of war of sickness of the change of Times and of Laws yet I cannot deny altogether but that futures may be seen by the Contemplation of Heaven For there is none can doubt but that God Arist lib. Metere rum de Generatione the great Architect of this visible and invisible World infused a manifold virtue and operation in the Heavens but that many of these Qualities are secret and occult the kingly Prophet David telleth us saying God numbreth the multitude of Stars Corpora inferiora subjiciuntur superiorum influentiis and imposeth severall Names unto them Therefore it is manifest that things are named according to their properties which none but he that made them can perfectly and distinctly understand Yet many Philosophers by their Speculation knew and observed the general influence of Heaven by their Motion Heat and Light which made Aristotle affirm that this Elementary World is contiguous to Heaven and that the Sun under the oblique Circle or the Zodiack causeth Generations Which is not absurd to affirm for certainly the thick and gross Bodies are governed by the thin and that the influences of the Stars do rule the differences of Bodies as in the Suns rising or setting we see the times of the year do vary and by the increase and decrease of the Moon some Creatures are augmented and diminished as Shell-fish at the wonderfull flux and reflux of the Sea But to be of the Astrologers opinion that the Stars have a power over the Will of Man I never will believe for the Mind cannot be subject to the Position of any Star nor is it at all times true that the differences of Bodies are caused by the influence of Heaven Sexus diversitas for two Twins of divers Sexes may be conceived in the same instant a Man and a Woman And though many hold that there may be a general influence into Bodies yet not into the faculties of the Soul or Minde for a corporal substance cannot cause an operation in a spiritual essence But the Reason that many Astrologers and Prognosticatours err in their opinion although there be an influence in the Stars concerning the fertility of the year of pestilence of war of thunder hail rain fair or foul weather is because they do not keep themselves within the compass of Astrology but thirsty after vain-glory go beyond their limits thinking to presage that by the Stars which possibly they cannot do Again most Astrologers informer Ages held divers opinions concerning the Principles of Astrology and they though but Pupils in this Art presume to come in with their opinions because they would be thought Masters of their Art and although oftentimes they hit upon the disposition of the weather and future things by the observation of the Heavens yet at all times concerning the disposition of the Corn especially they cannot chuse but err because the four parts of the year are so different in quality so that it is impossible but that the excess of the heat in one part of the year and the excess of cold in the other doth distemper the Soil Concerning the Predictions of Diseases they may the easiest tell for by the corruption of the Air Physick teacheth us many Infections may putrifie the Brain This onely shall suffice for Astrologers Now I will come to the Art it self whereby they can calculate Deaths and Nativities tell Fortunes either good or bad which they fetch as far as from the twelve Houses they have built in Heaven The signification of the twelve Houses of Heaven THese twelve Houses are the Tenements most commonly such Astrologers as you your self do let out to simple people whereby they purchase to themselves much Money and to their Tenants much sorrow And to tell truth these twelve Signes placed
this to be the Spirit of their father or Kinsman would instantly go home and confirm those Lands on their Monastery Thus poor Souls they were often deluded by such counterfeit Voices of some subtle Frier or as knavish a Companion of their Fraternity Therefore if there be any in these Days especially old Men and Women that believe the Souls or Spirits of the Dead walk let them but reade the Scriptures and they shall finde it to be most false for that affirms that the Souls of the Good instantly go to Heaven and of the Bad to Hell therefore their Spirits cannot wander Again the Soul that is in Heaven mindes no earthly matter and it was never known that any Soul ever returned out of Hell for the Poets themselves say Nullus reditnrus ab Orco But these images and Tricks of the Friers do but resemble the statues of Negromancers made with great toil and labour For Frier Bacon was many years before he could make his Head speak And the image of Albertus Magnus was to be wondered at which he made in the full and perfect shape of a Man who with the wheels and other Engines that he had cunningly and artificially wrought in it made it speak and pronounce words as distinctly as if they did proceed from a Man indued with Sense and Reason This Statue when Thomas Aquinas was sent into his Chamber where it lay hid heard it speak very articulately which when he heard then looking for it and finding it and viewing it very seriously at last struck it with a Club and brake it all to pieces Which when Albertus heard and saw he cried out and said Thomas thou hast destroyed the Work of thirty years labour and pains Now can any man judge that either Bacon or Albertus made these under any Constellation or that it spake by the influence of any Star if they do they are wretchedly deceived for it was either by a material Engine or the Devil that spake within them brought into them by their Art Therefore we may perswade our selves that all these images made by the Art either of a Frier or Negromancer are unlawfull to be made of them or used of any other But if we must allow any statue or image they must be those of Pasquil and Morphirius on whose breasts were no Lie-Bills as the Popes called them Phil. Camp Medita Cent. but True-Bills of their Villanies statues were of stone and the Verses carved on their breasts were bitter and Satyrical sharply reviling the Sorcery Sodomitry Simony Incest Murther Witchcraft Poysoning and Sacriledge of the Popes and Cardinals whereupon the Gentlemen of Rome wittily said that it was not lawfull for men to speak there vices the stones did proclaim them But Pope Adrian would have taken an order and have them flung into Tyber if Suessanus the Legate of Charles the Emperour who favoured them had not prevented him who said to his Holiness that if they were flung into Tyber the Crocodiles and Rats and other monstrous Serpents would catch them and sing them To which Answer some report the holy Father stood as mute as one of his Cardinals Mules but some report that he began to be angry at Suessanus Answer and in a rage suddenly said that he would have them burnt to whom the Legate wittily replied again saying If you burn these images their Ashes will not be blown through the City but into other Countries so that the people will take occasion to celebrate and reverence those Ashes for the writing sake and so it will come to pass that they being dispersed through the world the sins of Rome will generally be known to all Nations At this second Answer his Holiness was more perplexed then before and seeing he could do no good either by Drowning or Burning he bid them stand in the Devils Name But I have made too long a Digression therefore I will return again to our Negromancers and now I have spoken of their images I will breifly and plainly lay open the viperous Generation of Negromancy which are Idolatry Divination and vain observation with all the hellish brood that proceeds from them The damnable Offspring of Negromancy I Dolatry is a divine worship attributed to idols which idols are statues or images which the Gentiles worshipped with divine honour believing there was some Divinity in them by reason of their Answers and wonderfull Effects the Devil wrought in them Such were the images of Hermes Tresmegistus otherwise called Mercury in which they did believe that by a kinde of Art the Souls of Devils and Angels were included under a certain Constellation which Divinity and Natural Philosophy doth reprehend for they hold that a Spirit cannot possibly be vegitable or can substantially inform artificial Bodies For the Soul as Aristotle saith De Anima is an Act of a natural Body not artificial for a man cannot by any matter as Herbs Wood Stone Words or Constellation expell a good or bad Spirit or being call'd that it can come presently and dwell in an idol because corporal things cannot by any natural order have any operation in incorporal things There have been some of the Gentiles that have not onely attributed divine honour to statues and images but believed them to be Gods for some virtue or magnitude of their Acts these statues represented as to Jupiter Hercules Venus and the rest and other Monsters of this kinde Also they did not onely honour corporal but incorporal things as intelligences Angels and the souls of heavenly bodies which they call Aeria Animalia and they did not separate the Souls of men from divine honour which is most devilish This kinde of idolatry at these daies is used among our Antagomsis the Papists for they pray to Iron Wood Gold Silver and wooden images that have neither sight feeling sense life or operation in them have as small influence in them after they are made either by the Carver or Gold-smiths hand as they had when they first were in a massie lump either in the Tree or Mine The second Daughter of Superstition is Divination by which our Astrologers miserably labour to know of future things Lib. 8. Eâ—ym either good or bad These are they I sidorus saith report themselves to be full of Divination who by craft and device foretell of things to come by the effects which proceed upon necessity from Causes unless they are especially hindred of God certainly proceeding from the cause of Nature as the Eclipse of the Sun and the Moon and the Effects which proceed from these Causes may be foretold of by as probable conjecture as well as a Mariner may foretell of a Storm that will arise by a dark Cloud that is either before or behinde him Have not many old women told by the unhappy conditions of a Boy that he would be hang'd and hath it not fallen out right Have not many grave Matrons foretold that young wanton Lasses would prowe Wag tails and hath
will plead any thing to help themselves herein from the slowness of other motions of the Stars that are natural to them viz. that the fixed Stars move with so slow a motion from North to South back again as that their courses are not finished in less then seven thousand years Now I would very fain know of any rational man how this Answer of his in the behalf of Astrologers is able to avail them a rush or himself in his purpose since they are also hurried with the like violence aforesaid every twenty four hours once about the Earth But as all these his Quirks are brought into his advantage as he thinks so the advantage he strives to gain hereby he may brag of as much as of the former for all this his gain is but the opportunity of this Question viz. How then can any age since the beginning of the world have experience what the conjunction of the Stars may produce This is a great Conquest indeed but how slender an Artist he herein renders himself let the judicious judge since it is most certain that these stars we call fixed move not at all Ergo are nominated fixed for they move unanimously together in their sphere which is about seven thousand years finishing its course not the Stars but suppose they do move yet they move not by several motions as the one being slower or swifter then another for they are all alike distant each from other continually and if these come not to aspect nor conjunction of the Planets yet the Planets come to configuration with them as Saturn commeth in configuration of them once in 29. years some odd moneths and dayes Jupiter in twelve years Mars in three years Sol in one year or twelve moneths Venus and Mercury in the like time or there abouts the Moon in twenty eight dayes and some odd houres I hope then this experience may be learned in a far shorter time then seven or eight thousand years and since these is so apparently and vulgarly known it is sufficient ground for any one to take the exact position of the heavens either in Twinns births or any others without the errour that these motions he speaketh of can cause which indeed is none at all SURVEY The annexing of the Doctours second Argument will be a sufficient reply to these extravagancies of Will. Ramsey The Doctours second Argument was word for word thus The second Argument is from cleer experience of Twins conceived at the same instant and born in the same houre or lesse and it may be put forth themselves in part at the womb interchangeably in that houre as Pharez and Zara did Gen. 38. yet before God put any difference by any inward change by grace the Twinns may be of an apparent vast difference of complexion as we see in Jacob and Esau And experience knowes of other Twins either both naturall or both spirituall that far different events in the world have befallen them Where then is the certainty of Star-predictions Where is the verity of Astrology It may be they will reade us a lecture of difference from magnitudes and motions of Stars that some are bigger then the earth some lesser again that some finish some motions in 24. hours others not other motions in so many scores of years or more But if this be their defence the matter of predicting Astrology is thereby made to be more incredible For if as they say with Keckerman the Moon be lesse then the earth at least twenty times and the rest of the Planets below the Sunne proportionably as Venus twenty seven times lesse then the earth and Mercury twenty two how then shall these at any posture at any one and the same time effect or signifie any thing to all the world For all the Astrologers in the World will undertake to prognosticate from these Planets upon all men on Earth born at one and the same houre If the Sunne as they confesse be about an hundred and sixty times bigger then the Earth and all the Planets above the Sun proportionably as that Saturn is fourscore and eleven times bigger then the Earth Jupiter fourscore and fifteen times Mars one time bigger with one third how then is it that there is difference of natures and events in thousands born at the same hour and especially n Twins as we said afore If they say that this is because of the swift externall violent motion of all the Stars Planets and Fixed that they are hurryed round the Earth by the first moveable from East to West c. in twenty four hours which is to run sixty times sixty miles in every houre then we demand how can the Stars have time to make any distinct impression by any particular influence on one houre cspecially on one who perhaps may lie in the mouth of the womb partly born partly unborn sometimes in the head and foreparts sometimes in the hinder parts for a quarter or half an houre or many hours Or what Astrologer upon the swiftnesse of those motions and the slownesse of the birth which cannot be born in an instant but at best gradually shall be able to prognosticate punctually that such Stars with such inflnence did so complexionate such an Infant at such a Minute of time For by the computation aforesaid the Stars run in the said motion in every minute of the houre sixty Miles If Astrologers will plead any thing to help themselves herein from the slownesse of other motions of the Stars that are naturall and internall to them as that all the fixed Stars which are known by their twinckling to our sight move from North to South as they say so Alsted in three thousand five hundred years and back again in three thousand five hundred years so that they finish not that motion under seven thousand years how then can any Age since the beginning of the World have experience what the Conjunction of the Stars may produce So for the motions of the seven Planets If they say as Keckerman c. affirm that the Sun hath three Orbs First that in which the Sun it self is fixed and is the middle Orb and is excentricall to the World that is The World or Earth is not just in the middle of it by reason whereof the Sun is sometimes in the Perige namely nearer the Earth for some moneths and sometimes in the Apoge to wit more remote from the Earth for other moneths And in this Eccentrick Orb the Sun moves as they say according to the succession of the twelve Signs from West to East not finishing that motion under three hundred sixty five dayes and about six hours And withall as they assert that by reason of this Orb the Sun moves as in relation to the centre of the earth one while swifter another while slower that is to say it moves slower whiles it is on the Northern part of the World lingering there an hundred eighty six dayes eight hours and twelve minutes but runs swifter
maketh his creatures to serve our turns But this must be noted as I said before that in all these secondary causes beside their naturall work which God hath given them there is also the speciall work of God his speciall hand shewed God worketh not by second causes as Magistrates govern their Common Wealths by their inferiour officers For they so govern by them that they do nothing or very little themselves and peradventure never know what is done God governeth not the world so but in every particular work he hath his particular stroke That the thunder burneth moveth hurteth it is the generall providence of God but that it burneth or hurteth this or that man on this or that part in this or that manner it is the special providence of the same God The Lord hath shewed his speciall providence in one excellent example If the hatchet saith God fall forth of the hand of him which loppeth the tree and kill a man in the way I the Lord have killed him God also governeth the world immediately and his providence worketh without means and many things he bringeth to pass against all means which is manifest by that of Matthew Man liveth not by bread onely but by every word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God Now to come to our Prognosticatours and Moon-prophets how shall they be able to know what will come to pass hereafter For first the Heavens being onely one particular Instrument of Gods providence amongst many they cannot certainly and truly say this thing or that thing proceedeth from the Heavens Secondly they cannot determine whether God in extraordinary matters as Plague Famine Barrenness distempered Weather Earthquakes Wars c. Doth work immediately or with means if with means they cannot determine whether the Heavens or Angels or men or any other things be the means of his providence Thirdly if they were able to know what the Heaven worketh naturally yet they were never the better for God beside the power of the Heavens hath in all things his particular working providence altering and framing and bending as Wax his Instruments to his good will The third Reason the want of experience If our Prognosticators have any means to foretell things to come they have those means either without experience or with experience if they have them without experience then must thou account all which they do to be foolish Dreams and deceit For all kinde of humane Learning which is profitable and hath use in the Life of Man is taken from often observations and experience If it be said that they have their Directions in prognosticating from experience and that of all times I will convince them thus True experience of the Causes of Things is an often observing of the Effects of the same Causes with this Ground that they can proceed from no other thing The Physician saith Rheubarde doth purge Choller Well how knoweth he this he hath often tried this and that in old men young men children and hath found that in the Bodies of all Men the Cause of purging this Humour could be ascribed to nothing else Wherefore he may peremptorily conclude Rheubarde purgeth Choller Our Prognosticatours in the Heavens can have no such experience For they cannot observe often the same position of Stars in the Heaven The order and cause of the fixed Stars and Planets which we finde in the Heavens this day the next day will be changed and never the like again They will say in deed although the same position of the whole Heaven never happen yet the same Conjunctions of notable Stars the same Risings and Settings and the same Constellations of the chiefest Stars are marked often I say again that when these Eclipses and great Conjunctions happen the rest of the Stars being otherwise affected then they were before and having new Positions may either increase or diminish their Effects or else hinder them and quite take them away As we see when the Sun casting his beams into a Chamber the light of Candles and Torches and Fires do make it shine dim yet these being absent it will shine bright Again they are not able to say that Constellations which they have marked are Causes of those Effects which follow as Wars Diseases distempered Weather Earthquakes Famine c. For in those things which happen together the one is not the cause of the other When Nero played upon his Harp Rome was on fire yet Nero's playing on the Harp was no Cause of the burning of Rome Also these Effects may have other Causes in the Heaven then those which they mark and they may come immediately from God they may come onely from the will of man wherefore seeing that they cannot assure themselves that those Eclipses and Conjunctions are the Works of such Effects upon Earth and they cannot have often Observations of the course of Heaven their Rules of Predictions are feigned and supposed and not built upon true experience Let a man which knoweth not one Herb take all kindes of Herbs and put them into a great Vessel yet so that there be more of some Herbs and less of other some let him beat them all together and make a compound virtue of all their virtues Can he now tell the nature and operation of every particular Herb Can he divide and sever by any help the virtue of one Herb from another No indeed The same thing may be said of the Stars of Heaven all their Lights and all their influences as they term it are in the lower Bodies more plainly every earthly Body hath in it all the secret powers and working of every particular Star so that they make as it were a compound operation rising of all or of the most of their virtues joyned together for the Astrologers hold that although the Light may be hindred by the thickness of the Body yet the heavenly influence pierceth through all Therefore they are not able to sever and learn the nature of these Stars except they can stop the influence of what Stars they list and bring them into what compass they will Yet thus much I will grant them that they may have a little knowledge of the virtue of the Sun and Moon and some other Stars as we see those Herbs in the former composition whose virtues be the chiefest though not fully yet somewhat do represent their nature and shew themselves above the rest But what is this to the purpose If I confess the operations of the Sun and Moon If I shall grant that Saturn is in nature cold and dry Jupiter warm and moist Mars hot and dry Venus cold and moist Mercury in nature mixt the notable fixed Stars in the Zodiack to be of the nature of the Planets and to have manifest operations as the rising of the Dog to make heat and tempestuous Seas the rising of Arcturus to make rain and showres Pleiades to be of the nature of Mars and the Moon c. what will all this suffice to make a
say that it is dangerous to box to sear that part or to let bloud in it which is subject to the dominion of that Sign All these are nothing but vain Fables as I will manifestly prove 1. Whereas they call it an Anatomy me thinks it is a butcherly Anatomy nay that of the Butchers is far better for they joyn Head and Appurtenance together these men being sparing give Aries the Head Leo and Cancer the Heart and Lungs As for the Liver I know not which Sign hath it peradventure in old time men had no Livers At the Anatomy of a Carrian Crows deal friendly for every one hath somewhat but in the division of Man's Body Signes play foul play for Capricorn hath got nothing but a pair of Knees It is like that the Signes scrambling for their portions Capricorn being slow got nothing hereupon compassion being had there was a gathering made and Sagittarius gave the lower part of the Thigh Aquarius the higher part of the Legg which both together make the Knee But to deliver thee without all doubt mark these reasons which follow I. The signs cannot have any such dominion over mans body I make it manifest thus There is no corporall heaven in deed above the firmament yet because the firmament or eighth Sphear hath many motions to give reasons to those motions the Astronomers have feigned two heavens above the firmament the Christaline heaven and the first moveable or tenth Sphear which they divide into twelve parts which parts they call signs Now I pray you tell me The 12. Signs feigned is it possible to conceive that an imagined part of any imagined heaven void of all stars shall either have in it self or give unto other Stars power to govern the parts of mans body More reasonable was that man who being asked what was the cause of the sands in Sandwitch haven he answered the building up of Tenterton Steeple Secondly the government of the Signs in the body is not taken from experience in nature but feigned long ago by some drowsie pate and now because it hath a cloak of antiquity it is allowed More naturall was this kinde of way that hot signs should govern hot parts cold signs cold parts earthly signs earthly parts So Aries should govern the heart and the vitall bloud not the head and the rest of the signs those parts which are of their nature and disposition Thirdly great experience of many men daily confuteth this rule For many learned Physicians and expert Chirurgians have by infinite examples found that if a man be let bloud in the sign or lanched or boxed or seared no harm ensueth nay they have given testimony that the patients have found even then great comfort Wherefore let not these things trouble thy mind any more but let them be numbred even amongst vain and unprofitable fables 2. Next after followeth Elections of dayes and hours necessary for all matters as followeth Speciall dayes to Prepare humours Let bloud Purge with Vomit Purge with Electuaries Purge with Potions Purge with Pills Cut hair Comfort the virtue Attractive Comfort the virtue Digestive Comfort the virtue Retentive Comfort the virtue Expulsive Bathe Put children to School Travell Marry Hunt Hauke Fish Plant. Geld Cattell Lay foundations Here I pray thee mark their naughty dealings how they abuse thy ignorance to make themselves skilfull and to do more then they can do For if the judgements of the best Astrologers may be taken certainly most of these elections cannot be prescribed to thee unlesse they know before hand the figure of thy Nativity For all Election which concern thy person must be moderated to speak as plainly as their toyes will suffer me by the direction of the root of thy Nativity and by the monethly and diurnall progressions of thy present Revolution If any of these pretend some evill the particular election may be a means to increase and to bring it to passe For example suppose thou being a man toward marriage in the Almanack thou findest a good day noted by the Prognosticatour to marry in thou takest thy opportunity after a while thou art weary of thy life the first day of thy marriage was the last day of thy joy What is the cause of this All the Planets which were signifiers of thy marriage in thy nativity were then evilly affected and peradventure also at the first thou wast born they received some disgrace So then thou mayest lay all blame partly upon thy self for believing and partly upon the Prognasticatour who deceived thee But to come unto particulars the elections of dayes to purge the body with any kind of purgation and to comfort the same are most rediculous Why do they not also prescribe hours of eating meat Why do they not appoint the kinds of meats and drinks which we must eat and use daily If thou see that God doth daily blesse the enterprises of those Physicians which never regard those elections in ministring to their patients never esteem of them let them go as lyes to the Devil from whence they came Concerning the elections of dayes to sowe to sett to plant to lop they are also foolish the generall observation of the season of the year in which these things are to be done is sufficient And S. Augustine in his book de civitate Dei laugheth at the folly of them which choose particular dayes to do their husbandry as though some certain positions of stars had some speciall influence to the things which are sown then His reason is because many grains of corn being cast into the ground together springing up together and riping all at one time yet some of them are blasted some are eaten of birds some are trodden down under foot some stand and are never touched The rest of the elections and especially that of laying foundations is most absurd They say that if an house a city a town have his foundation when the stars be well affected the inhabitants shall have prosperous and quiet living if when the starres be evil disposed then trouble and disquietnesse They have no experience of this but that onely which is most false for they know not the foundations of cities and towns neither the positions of the Stars when they were built Let Rome and Venice be examples because these are most alledged of Astrologers the time in which they were built is uncertain and the Planets are falsly set in the figure of the foundation of Rome because Mercury is contrary to the Sun a thing flat impossible Again the folly of this is thus manifest that an house or city or common-wealth may remain the people being gone as it is in the time of plague and banishment and conquests of Princes And the inhabitants also may be safe and remain the building quite ransumed and beaten down as we may see in Carthage the people and common-wealth remained the Citie quite defaced That all elections are unlawfull Saint Augustine wrighting unto Januarius proveth it forth
Small love amongst Kinsfolks 11 Much unlawfull Lust this year and secret Fornication 12 Some Ecclesiastical Person shall be in trouble and some Nobleman shall die this is ever at one place or other 13 Many ship-wrecks and other stirs on the Seas 14 Many shall addict themselves to the study of Necromancy Thus far M. Perkins SECT IV. of CHAP. IV. Wherein the Doctour thinketh the ground of the Art wholly shaken and overthrown by affirming it meerly imaginary viz. the ninth and tenth Sphere and in them the Zodiack therein proveth and sheweth his own ignor ance the more apparently manifest BUt what doth this so phistical Cavil avail him to the subversion of the verity or certainty of Astrology when the motions and Effects of the stars are known but even as well may he condemn the Rules and Precepts of all Arts which are also gathered by experience and Reason as Astrology because the signes of the Zodiack are devised by men but the reason they attribute these Names as Aries Taurus Gemini and the like to the Constellations of the Heaven is by reason of their forms and particular virtues expressed under these figures for Ptolomy hath delivered the nature of the particular stars in them by themselves as also their particular Complexions and efficacies as also the Houses exaltations triplicities terms and faces and other Dignities of the signes as they follow the nature of the Planets and since these are known to what end are all these his Cavils whether there be a ninth or tenth Sphere for let there be none at all as he saith nor any think called a Zodiack as he would fain perswade the World yet since clear experience and practice evinceth him as also demonstration that there are such Constellations call them what you will his sophistical weak Argument will no wise serve his turn for I may as well deny there is a Dog a Bear both lesser and bigger a Swan a Crown a Waggoner and the like as he denieth there is not a Bull a Ram or a Lion in the Heavens when it is not desired literally by any Astrologer to be understood * ⎠* that not proved SURVEY First that men may see whether Will. Ram. hath not been impertinent in his Answer we will insert the Doctours third Argument The fourth and last Argument saith the Doctour against Astrology that I shall urge passing by innumerable others is that a main part of the Basis and bottome on which Astrologers build the structure of their Art of Prediction is but meet imagination for there is no such thing as the tenth or ninth Sphere and therefore the Zodiack placed by Astrologers in them is but a dreamed Fiction Yea and one of the quondam great Astrologers M. P. will dare to say that the twelve Signes bounded as they suppose within the dimensions of such a thing as a Zodiack namely the signes of Aries Taurus Gemini c. that is a Ram a Bull c. feigned to have power over the twelve parts of Man's Body are onely twelve imaginary Signes for in the Heavens saith he there is no such matter as a Ram a Bull c. And how saith he can it stand with reason that in a Firmament feigned by Poets and Philosophers a forged Sign which indeed is nothing should have any power and operation in the Bodies of men Again the very order of Government of these Signes in Man's body is found and without shew of reason for according to this Platform when the Moon cometh into the first Sign Aries she ruleth in the head and when she cometh into the second Sign Taurus she ruleth in the Neck and so descends down from part to part ruling two in some three dayes c. Where observe saith he that the Moon is made to rule in the cold and moist parts when she is in the hot and dry Signes whereas in reason a more consonant order were this that when the Moon were in hot and dry Signes as in Aries Leo and Sagittarius she should rule in hot and dry parts of the body and when she is in cold and moist Signes she should rule in the cold and moist parts of the Body and so still govern those parts which in temperature come nearest to the Signes wherein the Moon is Beside this some learned Physicians have upon experience confessed that the observation of the Sign is nothing material and that there is no danger in it for gelding of Cattell or letting of bloud And the vanity of the old conceit and imagination of them that have put much in the Signes appears in the common practice of men who commonly upon Stevens day use to let bloud be the Sign where it will The truth is saith he the Sign in its own nature is neither way available being but a phantasie grounded upon supposed premises and therefore ought to be rejected as meer Vanity Thus far he Now let me add some particulars suiting to what he hath said to illustrate the same and so I shall not onely confirm him but also what I affirmed my self in the beginning of this Argument First touching those feigned Firmaments or Heavens called the ninth and tenth Heavens besides that the ancient famous Astronomers Plato Aristotle Hipparchus and many others knew no such thing sense also doth evince that we can be sure of no more but eight For we see distinctly the seven Planets Sun Moon c. and their several motions in twenty four hours c. And we can perceive the eighth Heaven of the fixed stars known by their twinkling to move in one motion round the Earth in 24. hours because we can see the heels of the lesser Northern Bear adjacent to the North Pole to be downward towards the Earth in the Evening and to be upward in the Morning But we have no sure ground to conclude that there are more Heavens either the Chrystall Ninth or the first moving Tenth The grand reason brought to prove them from the two other motions of the eighth Heaven of fixed stars beside that from East to West in twenty four hours as that the eighth Heaven of fixed stars moves from West to East coming to be in the same posture as when they began that motion by the end of forty nine thousand years and that the same eighth Heaven hath another motion from South to North and thence to South again which process and recess is a finishing seven thousand years and therefore that that motion of the eighth Heaven from East to West in 24. hours must needs be violent as forced from some tenth Heaven naturally so moving and that from West to East in forty nine thousand years must be also violent as forced from some ninth Heaven naturally so moving and the last motion of the eighth Heaven viz. From South to North and back again in seven thousand years to be the natural peculiar innate motion of that eighth Heaven seeing that as they forme the Argument one simple single moveable