alwaies Trismegist Iarchas Brachmanus Hebraeorum mecubules He prooueth also out of Trismegist that by the right marking of Influence if an Image bee made of such things as properly agree to each Daemon that the image shall presently bee animated by a Daemon all this must wee take as from Astrologicall Influences Let vs proceed in these hid mysteries of Influences Hee saith further Nihil materiales numeri figures possunt in mysterijs rerum abditarum nisi representatiue per numeros figuras formales quatenus reguntur informantur ab intelligentijs quae nectunt extrema materiae atque spiritus at voluntatem animae eleuatae per magnum affectum operantis coelesti virtute potestatem accipiens a Deo per animam vniuersi coelestium constellationum obseruationes Thou must not require of mee good Reader the vnderstanding of these things For wee are now about the hidden secrets and mysteries of Influences which neither the Knight nor I vnderstand but their great Maister of the Art Agrippa calleth them hidden mysteries And hidden let them bee euer from me And hee telleth concerning these Astrologicall Influences that which I would haue the Astrologers to marke but they know it better then I can tell them And therefore I wish the Reader to marke these Deceiuers who in defence of Astrologie discreetly seeke to maintaine all the mysteries of Magicke For Agrippa one of the greatest Maisters in both the Professions or in one which includeth both further teacheth that no Diuination can bee perfited without Astrology and therefore hee calleth Astrogie Clauem ad omnium arcanorum noticiam pernecessariam Where hee saith further Omnia diuinationum genera sic in ipsa Astrologia suas radices fundamenta habent vt absque hanc parum aut nihil videantur adferre And againe Astrologica diuinatio quatenus coelestia sunt causae signa omnium eorum quae fiunt in inferioribus ex solo situ motu corporum coelestium quaecunque occulta aut futura sunt illorum certissimas largitur demonstrationes Here wee see from whence the Knight hath that learning which hee so often repeateth but neuer proueth that the Starres are Causes and Signes of those Euents which are seen in the actions of men For in such standeth Astrologicall Predictions Thou seest much good Reader but yet thou seest not all There is yet another secret that belongeth to these Astrologicall Predictions For it is not enough to beleeue without reason that the Starres are Causes of such Euents which the Astrologer would foretell whatsoeuer they bee but hee must beleeue with a strong credulity and earnest affection nay with the excesse of a desire otherwise they cannot come to their purpose So that it is not in the nature of the thing but in the vehement desire of him that seeketh to know these things This is plaine witchcraft and Idolatry in abusing men to place their highest desires their faith and aff◅ctions vpon these things And therefore hee teacheth farther thus Omnes res habent naturalem obedientiam ad animam humanam de necessitate habent motum et efficaciam ad id quod defiderat anima forti desiderio And again Quando fertur in excessum desiderij And speaking of the same thing he saith Et hac eadem ratio est etiam radix omnium Astrologicarum quaestionum quoniam anima eleuata in al◅cuius desiderij excessum arrepit ex se horam opportunitatem magis conuenientem efficacem super qua fabricata coeli figura potest tunc Astrologico in ea iudicare plane cognoscere de eo quod quaerens ipse scire cupit atque desiderat All this goeth currant amongst Astrologers for good naturall Philosophy But let vs turne a little to the Knight to whom from the heart we with sound heartpray that God wil deliuer him out of these snares hehath giuen vs cause to hope that he may be drawne to see all these vanities forasmuch as himselfe doth ingeniously confesse that that part of Astrologie which is about questions Elections hath in it apparant sortilegy p. 3. He giueth there some reasons of that opinion but I am perswaded that the greatest reason that moued him was because hee saw it so impiously taught in Agrippa that without apparant sortilegy it could not bee admitted Hee that doth confesse that which is true that as it is taught by these Maisters there is apparant sortilegy in this part may be drawn to see and confesse that in the whole there is the like to be found For this Astrologicall Influence without the which ground the Astrologer can do nothing is foūded vpon the Platonical conceit of anima mundi And this cōmeth not by a naturall Course of the light motions of the Stars but from the conceiued Idaea to the intelligence from the intelligence to the Sphere it commeth so to the Aspects of Heauen and to the Elementary Complexions reducing the Heathenish superstitions And yet all this will not serue vnlesse the Astrologer come to desire this secret knowledge of things to come with strong credulity and excesse of desire placing his faith and affections vpon those inuentions of Sathan which wee owe only to God his holy Scriptures truth This is that which being against all natural reason hath driuē away the most honest among naturall Philosophers frō this profession And hath driuen away all the holy Fathers of the Church and is able to driue all true Christians from it For when we finde by their owne confession that that these Predictions are not founded in the nature of things sought nor in the nature of the Starres but in an excesse of desire credulity in him that seeketh who will not be terrified from this search And where hee saith all things haue a naturall obedience to the soule of man his meaning is not that all things which they thus seeke haue a desire to bee knowne which is Witchcraft but that all vncleane Spirits are desirous to illude the soule of man and make shew of obedience to catch the soule of man in these snares requiring a strong Credulity and excessiue desire of the Soule and so drawing the seruice of the Soule to themselues from God and from godlinesse These be the trappes and snares that vncleane Spirites haue spred for Astrologers Our desire is to giue them warning hereof that they may auoyde them Let vs returne to Agrippa and marke his proceedings Non ab alia causa quam a Coelestiterenni orbis virtutes proueniunt Hinc Magus per illas operaturus vtitur incantatione astuta superiorum verbis Mysteriosis in locutione quadam ingeniosa trahens vnum ad aliud vitamen naturals per quandam conuenientiam inter illas mutuam Sir do you heare him When he hath laide downe a great secret of the Diuels craft yet he saith all is done Vi Naturali These bee the things that wee haue renounced in our Baptisme we renounce not Nature
ΑΣΤΡΟΛΟΓΟΜΑÎΙΑ The Madnesse of ASTROLOGERS OR An Examination of Sir Christopher Heydons Booke INTITULED A DEFENCE OF Iudiciarie Astrologie Written neere vpon twenty yeares ago by G. C. And by permission of the Author set forth for the Vse of such as might happily be misled by the Knights Booke Published by T. V. B. of D. Esay 44. 24. I am the LORD that maketh all things that stretcheth the Heauens aboue that spreadeth abroad the earth by my selfe that frustrateth the Tokens of the Lyars and maketh Diuiners Mad that turneth Wise-men backeward and maketh their knowledge Foolish London Printed by W. Iaggard for W. Turner of Oxford 1624. To the Worshipfull my very good Cousin M. THOMAS CARLETON of Carleton Hall in Cumberland Esquire and one of his Maiesties Iustices of the Peace for the Couties of Cumberland Grace and Peace SIR THE Sun hath runne ouer the Zodiake in his periodicall Motion almost twenty times since this Learned Treatise was first penned During which time you haue not bin wanting with diuers other intelligent and Iudicious Schollers who had a sight of it what by Letters what by word of mouth to solicite the Reuerend and worthy Author for a publication And the Prayers of you and the requests of others well affected haue at the length preuailed Now then then that this Discourse hath gotten Feete to walke abroad in the Light it desires earnestly to runne into your embracements being assured of welcome vpon that good experience of your former loue kindnes towards it while it was but yet a breeding And for my selfe sithence I haue had the Honour vouchsafed me to conferre a little paines though it bee nothing to speake of in sending abroad of this worthy worke into the world for the good of Christians in general and more especially for their benefit who haue bene a long time bewitched with Sorcery and Astrologie I was verily induced to thinke that I could neyther please my selfe nor the Author better then if I should make choyse of you for the Dedication whose heart as it is truly touched with Piety to beare loue vnto the Saints of God such as excell in vertue so I perswade my selfe it is also affected with a Godly hatred of all such as imagine euill things and that hold of Superstitious vanities Superstitious vanity is a farre spreading Tree one maine branch of it is Astrologie Diuination whether it bee a more Artificiall delusion which Sathan worketh in the Learned and great Clearkes of the world or a more simple and grosse kinde of insinuation which he practiseth vpon the ruder and vn-lettered people the matter is not much neither is the difference substantiall but graduall the former exceeding onely in complement being a more formall imposture and refined Villainy Both are heere euicted to be impious both to be diuellish and the whole Art to be an vnwarrantable profession superstitious vanity And because we desire not to be mistaken in ipso limine to open our selues a little here we professe not to meddle with Astrologie as it is the same with Astronomia or Ouranoscopia which is an ingenuous part of good Learning and one of the seuen Liberall Sciences But take Astrologie for Astromantia or Genesiologia as the Knight doth in his Book and then we are right when we call it an Imposture Iugling Superstition Vanity Quae nulla solidaratione firmetur nullo certo experimento insistat nulla sapientum authoritate probetur sed quam Philosophi ceu ludibrium é scholis explodant Caesarea iura damnent pontisicum decretae Synodicaeque Sanctiones interdicant diuinae Scripturae detestentur omnium Theologorum iudicia reprobent Which I do find condemned by the Lord himselfe Deut. 18. in the Canaanites whom hee destroyed before the Israelites for this very abhomination condemned by the Lords Prophet Esay 47. in the Babylonians destinied to destruction condemned by the practise of those Conuerts in the prime Age of the Gospell Acts 19. who had vsed those curious Artes but they burnt all their Books and esteemed nothing of the great price of them though it amounted to fiftie thousand peeces of Siluer condemned by the iudgement of S. Austen other Fathers Councils and diuers famous later Diuines and lastly condemned by the neuer-too-much admired Pen of the most Noble and most Learned Prince incomparably that liues this day in Christendome and that is His most Excellent Maiesty our Gracious Soueraigne whose Iudgement is clearly this That the Diuell who is the Doctor and Teacher of the Blacke Art according to a double curiosity in his Schollers learned or vn-learned hath a double meanes to feede their Curiositie thereby to make them for to giue themselues ouer to this study and so at the last to his seruice These two meanes He cals the Diuels Rudiments and the Diuels Schoole His Rudiments are Charmes and Spels for simple and vn-learned people The Diuels Schoole is Iudiciarie Astrologie and that 's for the Learned onely The place is in HIS First Booke of Daemonol cap. 3. 4. where you may read more at large touching this point So then this impious and vaine Art hauing receyued such a faire Triall ful condemnation by competent Iudges what with-holdeth it from execution but the methods and slights of Sathan who worketh in the Children of Disobedience such a liking of the Art that notwithstanding all that can be said against it they will not stick to defend the Practitioners of it and applaud them many times in their sinnefull and mis guided speculations And because they will not be mad without Reason they haue a specious Argument whereof they boast very much which they are wont to produce for them selues in fauour of all Diuiners and it is taken for the truth of Astrologicall Predictions In breefe it is this The Euents fore-knowne and foretold by these wisemen fall out true therefore the Art of Diuining is not vaine but vsefull and profitable in the life of man Equidem haec est illa singularis ac praecipua diuinatorum demonstratio cui ceu immobili fundamento vniuersum diuinationis suae aedificium imponâ—…t But as a Learned Writer of our owne said in another dispute Miseri homines mendicant argumenta nam si mercarentur profecto meliora afferrent Silly men that they are that are faine thus to goe a begging for Arguments for sure if they went to the Market where there is choice they would bring home farre better Ware then this Let vs examine their reason and we shall finde it carries no weight at all with it Sixtus Senensis according to the opinion of Basil Chrysostome and other Christian Doctors saith That the truth of Astrologicall Predictions is not to be referred to the Constâ—…llations of Heauen but to foure other more apparant causes namely Ad sortem ad pacta ad prudentiam consultorum stultitiam consulentium the secret dispose of Gods Prouidence the
man thou consults withall or rather the Diuell by him hit on right at the first and satisfie thy desires in some vnlawfull and curious enquiry Well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from that day forward thou doest resolue with thy selfe to beleeue whatsoeuer he shall tell thee heereafter And though his Magicall Skill and Diabolicall Art fayle him many times as indeede it must for defuturis contingentibus non datur Scientia yet the opinion of Man and the Illusion of Sathan hath so besotted thee that sure the fault is in thy selfe when things prooue not true it is eyther by reason of thy heedlesnesse in mis-vnderstanding some words or mis-applying some meanes the blame must be layde on any thing rather then on the Diuell Is it not a shame that Christians who liue vnder such a bright Sunne-shine of the Gospell should suffer themselues to be led away with such superstitious Vanities Men forget that they haue Learned Christ when they will needes be beholden to the Diuell for his counsell in any matter If they would but remember that solemne Vow and protestation they once made before the face of the Church in holy Baptisme wherein they promised to forsake the Diuell and all his Workes it would readily prompt them to their dutie and what is that Not to regard them that haue Familiar Spirits neyther to seeke after Wizardes to be defiled with them as the Lord commandeth Leuit 19. 31. Where marke this by the way that you cannot seeke after these things but you must needes be defiled with them In which respect Saint Austine excellently cals this running after Wizards genus quoddam fornicationis A spirituall kinde of Fornication And the reason is euident because the vncleane Spirites are desirous to illude the Soule of man and to make a shew of Obedience to catch the Soule in their snares requiring a strong Credulitie and excessiue desire to learne So drawing the heart from Gods feare and bringing it by little and little in their Slauerie as is plaine by the following Discourse which is the grossest kinde of Spirituall Whoredome that can be deuised when the Soule goes a whoring from GOD after the Diuell But I feare I haue out of a zeale to the Church exceeded the bounders of an Epistle I will not trespasse further vppon you by keeping you any longer as it were at the Threshold from entering the Discourse it selfe Wherein you haue these things and the whole matter with sound iudgement and varieie of Learning perfectly hanled and the Aduersarie driuen from his starting holes by maine force of Argument And so ceasing to be further troublesome vnto you I humbly take my leaue Your assured Louing Cousin THO VICARS In Authorem eius Opera 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non ego te meis Chartis inornatum sileri Totue tuos patiar labores Impunè Praesul carpere liuidas Obliuiones Maiorum titulis magnus sed maior haberi Vis magè Musarum titulis dignissime Praesul Dordrechtum tua fama capit quòd missus ab oris Angliacis doctus Synodo consederis ampla Qui Characteres heroum legerit ipsum Vergilium versú ve parenâ—… legat ille Poetam Sacrilegos tuadocta manus prostrauit inde Laus tibi nec minor hinc quod ineptos Astrologastros Fuderis in terram docto conanime surgit Nempe condignos norunt tibi pendere honores Sceptra tuo calamo firmata referre molestum Non erit Et pleno meritas Ecclesia laudes Concinet ore tuas Consensum si bene seruat T. V. posuit S. T. B. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OR RECAPITVLATION of the Chiefe Passages in this Treatise CHAP. I. TO the Confusion of Astrologie one witnesse more is added by the writing of this Booke Iudiciarie Astrologie is no part of Naturall Philosophie nor of the Mathematickes neyther is it Media Scientia betwixt them CHAP. II. The meanes of knowing aforehand particular Euents is not Naturall but Diabolicall Those that haue beene most blockish in other Learning haue beene quick and sharpe-witted in Astrologie CHAP. III. Astrologie and Augurie in the iudgement of the learned are alike The trueth in a Prediction doth not make an Art warrantable CHAP. IV. The Astrologer foretelleth that is true by the helpe of Sathan Henry the second King of Fraunce and Ahab King of Israels death compared together Astrologicall Predictions depend not vpon Natural Causes Natural Effects are not Contigent but Necessary Of future Contingent Euents there is no certaine knowledge Astrologicall Predictions stand not by learning but by some instinct CHAP. V. Astrologie considereth the Fortunes onely of Fooles and the wicked The Knights inuincible Syllogisme dasht to peeces Naturall Effects must be distinguished from Contingent Euents CHAP. VI. No place for a definition in the beginning of a Controuersie Ars is not the Genus for Astrology and Astronomy CHAP. VII The first Inuenter of Astrologie was the Diuell The first spreader of it Zoroastes Eudoxus an Astronomer against Astrological predictioÌ„s Panaetius and Cicero Varro Pliny against Astrology Pythagoras Democritus and Plato studious of Magicke silent in Astrology A briefe rehearsal of the points deliuered in the Booke hitherto CHAP. VIII Those things which haue supernaturall Causes cannot be foretold by the Starres Diuers things depending on Naturall Causes cannot certainly be foretold by the Astrologer as Raine Weather Dearth Sicknesse Those things which depend partly on Naturall Causes on Mans Will cannot be foretold by Astrologers Those things which are meerely Contingent cannot bee foretold by the Starres CHAP. IX Magicke no part of Naturall Philosophy The Astrologer hideth his sleights vnder the name of Celestiall Influences The Influences conferre nothing to a Prediction without a strong Credulity and excessiue desire of learning in the heart of the Enquirer Astrologie and Magicke in practise inseparable The Astrologer attaineth not to his intended end in a prediction without the helpe of Magicke The learned Fathers of the Church namely Origen Augustine Cyril Theodoret against Astrologicall Predictions CHAP. X. That place Esay 47 12. cited by M. Chambers against Astrologers cleared where the destruction of Babylon there threatned is shewne not to haue beene myraculous against the Knights cauill Cicero denieth fatum Stoicum granteth fatum Physicum That place Iob. 38. 33. soundly interpreted That place Iudg. 5 20. opened and expounded That place Gen. 1 14. Catholically expounded and vindicated from abuse That place of Chrysost. in Math. 2. interpreted God worketh in some things against his reuealed will Blasphemy is not onely against God but against his truth and against the Saints that maintaine the truth Ignorance of Astrologie is tollerable in a Christian Knight but ignorance in Theologie cannot bee excused An irreligious speech of an Astrologer who thought by Numbers to attaine the Mystery of Saluation sifted punctually A place in Cicero Lib. 2. de Diuinat commended to the Knights reading The Kings Maiestie as Iudge of
the whole Controuersie pronounceth sentence against Astrologie Iudiciary Ennius apud Cic. Lib. 2. de Diuinat Non habeo denique Marsurn Augurem Non vicanos Aruspices non de circo Astrologos Non Isiacos coniectores non interpretes somnium Non enim sunt ij aut Scientia aut Arte diuini Sed superstitiosi vates impudentesque harioli Aut inertes aut insani aut quibus egestas imperat Qui sibi semitam non sapiunt alteri monstrant viam Quibus diuitias pollicentur ab ijs drachmam ipsi petunt De hisdiuitijs sibi deducant drachmam reddant caetera CHAP. I. Wherein the Grounds which the Knight taketh without proofe and vpon which hee buildeth his Booke are called in question M R Chambers a man for his Life and Learning worthily honoured of all that knew him by his learned Labours known fâ—…r and neere hath written against Iudiciary Astrologie as many of the best learned before him haue done Wherein hauing done no lesse then a Christian learned man ought to doe hee had reason to looke for another reward of his Labours then hee found For in stead of thankes and commendation for his learned Labours so well placed hee is roughly entertained by Sir Christopher Heydon Knight a man that hath taken much paines to hold vp a Cause which cannot bee holden vp by mans strength For albeit the illusions of Iudiciary Astrologie haue long beene maintained by the pollicies of Sathan yet when the light shineth vpon it it will neuer be able to stand And in truth in the hearts and Consciences of the godly in the Church or of the wise and learned without the Church was neuer yet thought able to stand Now after so many men my comming into this cause can adde nothing vnto it What can I bring hereto which hath not been brought by the Learned long since Yet that the same truth may be confirmed by the mouthes of many witnesses and that others may not bee abused by the Knights Booke and that himselfe also may haue occasion to consider the whole matter afresh I will examine this matter once more and open to the Knight the weakenes vnsound foundations of his vnprofitable Labours Wherin I leaue not onely the intemperancie of words with which hee hath so much enlarged his Booke but euen so much as the cause will suffer the multitude of words For the pleasure that some â—…ke in long writing neither can I allow in iudgement nor for my businesse practise I purpose to examine the grounds that the Knight hath brought or any other may bring for Astrologie wherein the Reader may know who they bee that stand against Astrology and who for it I shall also open to what part of knowledge Astrologie is referred that is to speake shortly to Magicke One principall ground vpon which he much resteth is that Astrologie is a part of naturall Pholosophy for thus hee writeth Pag. 18. concerning Natiuities and Predictions I confesse that Astrologers containing themselues within the bounds of Naturall Philosophy and reason doe take vpon them so much as lawfully they may c. And this is the common Answere almost to euery obiection Pag. 19. No man I thinke of indifferency or common sense will censure the Astrologer who iudgeth no farther of future effects then as they are contained and reuealed in the starres and second and remote causes to busie himselfe farther in Gods vnknowne Secrets Pag. 29. Astrologie professeth onely to foresee naturall mutations accidents Pag. 30. To place confidence in Starres as in diuine causes and powers is one thing and to esteeme them but as subordinate and second causes in Nature is another Pag. 36. The question betweene vs is whether the Starres be signes or second causes of naturall mutations or euents and whether the study thereof be vnlawfull It were too much trouble to recite euery place where hee repeateth thus much It is in a manner all hee saith take away this Answer and ye take away all from him Now Sir wee charge you for abusing your Reader in writing so long a Booke and throughout the whole Booke neuer once making offer to proue the thing in question For you confesse the question betweene you and vs is whether the Starres be second causes of naturall mutations which I admit to be part of the question but not all But by your owne grant if this bee the question then a man of your learning vnderstanding should haue spoken somewhat for the proofe of the question Could you finde in your heart to write so large a Booke and yet not once proue the question vpon proofe whereof all your Booke must rest And thought you Sir that men of iudgement would take these things at your hands It is an easie matter I perceiue to write Bookes if this liberty were granted were it not better with modesty to hold your peace then to be called to such a reckoning I say your Booke is idle and to no purpose as long as that is not proued which your selfe maketh the question betweene vs. But least this might seeme to be rather an imperfection in the man then in the cause it selfe For my meaning is not to take any aduantage of selected ouersights or slippes as he seemeth to feare Let vs consider this thing a little farther Then let this be the first question which you confesse is the question betweene vs whether the Starres as they are the subiect of Astrology be naturall causes remote or subordinate of such euents Or which is all one and deliuered likewise by himselfe whether the Astrologers in their Predictions containe themselues within the bounds of naturall Philosophy You hold the affirmatiue through al your Book though neuer prouing it whensoeuer you finde your selfe thrust to the wall and held hard then you runne continually to this help as the halting man to the horse and without this poore shift so often repeated you are not able to goe one foote forward First then let vs reason this point wee deny that the Starres are naturall causes of those euents which the Astrologers presume to foretell by them or that heerein the Astrologer containes himselfe within the bounds of naturall Philosophy That the truth may the better appeare in this point first wee moue this question To what part of learning Astrologie belongeth Wee looke for your Answere you tell vs it is a part of the Mathematickes And that Astrologie which you say is the same with Astronomy hath two parts the one speculatiue the other practicall which you call Iudiciary Astrologie pag. 2. I omit the escapes of this vnwarranted diuision We examine now to what part of Learning this Iudiciary Astrology is referred You tell vs sometimes it is a part of the Mathematickes sometimes you say it is a part of Naturall Philosophy These things are so diuers that you cannot bring them to any accord For the Mathematickes are distinguished from Naturall Philosophy so farre as when you set Astrologie sometime
eight House with a Trine or Sextile Aspect And the greater or lesse fortunes as Iupiter and Venus were cadent and not found in their Angles therefore hee shall die at such a time such a death For who will yeeld vnto you that these be naturall causes of that effect There is a dependence and coherence betweene the cause and the effect in naturall things in this none Before you can conclude you must coniure a man to beleeue these superstitious Sorceries which Satnan hath perswaded the Astrologer to beleeue The naturall man receiueth them not naturall reason doth not comprehend them For take any of these examples if you will the Example of Henry 2. to insist in one and tell vs by what meanes the Astrologer could see the wound in the head what humour did the Starres incline to this Or how was it possible by naturall meanes that in the Starres he should see the 41. yeare of Age The humour stirred by the Starres might haue carried him to many other courses to other kindes of death Wee would know by what naturall Reason the tilting was foreseene the yeare the stroake of the head And why are you so fearfull as to mince the matter as alwayes you doe when you reason of the causes The Starres are onely as you say causes of humours not of actions they haue no force directly ouer the will Here is a particular action that proceedeth from the will if this could bee seene in the Starres then what reason can be brought why the Starres doe not directly worke in the will I deny not but that Gauricus might foresee this and warne the King thereof but the question is by what knowledge hee did it whether by naturall knowledge or by other means For here is a particular euent and you know that one of your Maisters in his Centiloquie hath this position Fieri nequit vt qui tantum sciens est particulares rerum form as pronunciet soli autem numine afflati praedicunt particularia This testimony of one that was so great a Maister in your Art telleth vs thus much That if Gauricus in a particular Euent did make a true Prediction then hee was not therein tantum sciens But besides his skill in the Art he had another helpe namely the familiarity of some spirit Because particular euents saith he cannot bee foretold but by the help of a spirit In the narration of Paulus Tertius who warned his Son Aloisius of the day of his death the Knight doth not deale fairely and Knight-like For hee minceth the Narration and leaueth out a part of it which if it had beene fully declared would plainly open that though the Starres are there pretended yet that prediction was done by Necromancy or by Familiarity with a Spirit For Iohn Sleidan from whom the Knight hath taken that narration saith plainly that Paulus 3. was for certainty h◅ld not an Astrologer onely but also a Necromancer His words are these Sub hoc tempus Aloisio scribit Paulus tertius pater vt decima Septembris die sibi caueat Astra enim ei praenunciare cladem aliquam insignem Erat enim Paulus 3. Pontifex non Astrologiae modo sed Necromantiae sicut pro certo affirmatur admodum studiosus When Astrologie and the blacke Art are ioyned together then may some Predictions bee told But the Knight should produce examples of Astrological Predictions without the help of that Art which we say cānot be done because one best knowne in both Arts hath plainly told vs a Prediction of a particular Euent cannot bee made but by the helpe of a Spirit Now Sir if this bee the Art you glory so much in if the company of vncleane Spirits bee your naturall Principles and naturall causes this Philosophy wee intreate you to keepe to your selfe and not to reach it to others In the meane time wee haue the confession of one who was a principall man in the Profession of Astrology whereby as by a rule of that Art we iudge of all your former examples wherein you glory so much For they are of all particular euents and therfore if they were foretold your Maister hath opened to vs the means it was not by naturall but diabolicall meanes Thomas Aquinas saith as much Si quis consideratione Astrorum vtatur adprecognoscendos futuros casuales vel fortuitos euentus aut etiam ad cognoscendum per certitudinem futura opera hominum procedit hoc ex falsa vana opinione sic operatio daemones sese immiscet quare erit diuinatio superstitiosa illicita If it were not for these tricks who could not be an Astrologer The Knight saith that they who speake against Astrology are such as being grauelled with the difficulty of the Art before they were halfe thorough to excuse their owne dulnesse and lacke of industry haue broken into choller against it Let wise men iudge whether without the Church Eudoxus Panaetius Cicero Varro Plinie within the Church Origen Austin Ambrose Hierom with the rest of the Fathers In later times Picus Caluin Chambers Perkins and for Learning and Piety the honour of this Age King Iames. I referre it I say to the iudgement of all that are wise and learned whether all these who haue expressly written against Astrology were grauelled with the difficulty of this deepe Art or whether Sir Christopher Heydon bee able to pierce farther into learning then these could this wee leaue to iudgement my meaning is not to detract from the Knights Learning But I know such and could name them sauing that I will not touch the name of any man in that sort who through a blockish incapacity being iudged by their proofe in the Vniuersity vnapt for all good learning haue proued men of name and reputation in this sottish profession Shall I thinke that these wits can goe farther in the apprehension of any part of good Learning then others especially then they who I haue named before Will any man thinke that these men whose wits were exercised in all the parts of good Learning were grauelled with these difficulties when halfe-witted men goe thorough No no there is another thing in it For these men proceeding as farre as by the warrant of naturall Reason they could goe and finding in the end that by naturall Reason they could not come to the Conclusion of such Predictions but that they must leaue naturall Reason admit vnnaturall Principles proceeding from the illusion of Satan in the end to haue familiarity with Spirits This indeed grauelled them and will grauell the greatest wits in the world that seeke knowledge by lawfull meanes and no other CHAP. III. The Conclusions of Astrologers are not from Naturall Principles and are not to bee iustisied for truth in a Prediction HEere then either the Astologers must informe vs in the mysteries of their Art by better reason or bee contented to bee informed in the mystery of Truth When a Prediction Astrologicall falleth out true
wee seeke by what meanes the Astrologer came by that knowledge There are but two wayes to know the truth hereof By the light of Nature or by the word of God The Naturall men that haue beene guided by the light of Nature could neuer finde out the Affection of the Starres to such an Euent they could not vnderstand why the Starres should either cause it or incline it or signifie it more then the flying of a Bird and as many as wise and learned haue held the flying of Birds or the entrailes of Beasts to bee Causes or signes of such Euents Then it would trouble you to giue a good naturall Reason for your supernaturall superstitions wee reiect otherwise wee should receiue Aruspicine as well as Astrologie we look I say for one good reason from you why you should not iudge of Astrologie as you do of Augury One great Maister of this Profession Corn. Agrippa Lib. 1. Cap. 53. perceiuing such affinity betweene Astrologie and Augary both depending vpon Principles so like affected to the Conclusion seeketh likewise to confirme that Diuination which is from Augury and Auspicie The best learned in Naturall Philosophy and the best learned in Magicke haue adiudged these things like And because wee striue to doe this seruice to the truth wee must examine and follow you into these blind corners wherevnto you flye you must be holden vp to some particular Euent For the question is not whether the Starres signifie any thing but whether they cause or incline or signifie such a particular Euent as that of Henry 2. the time of his death or danger the wound in his head or any such as your other examples imply If they shew such particular Euents then all your Answeres of a generall inclination of the humour only but not of the actions of men which you euery where lay downe as grounds are in truth brought in by you but as cloakes to couer some secret to try whether in the mist of these clouds you can escape from such Arguments as presse you This is the very point that troubled Cicero and other Philosophers for when they came to this point they were at a stand and could proceed no further not through dulnesse of wit as you impute but because they following the matteras farre as the light of Nature did direct them would goe no further then naturall Reason could warrant It is agreed vpon betweene Cicero and his Aduersary in that disputation de Diuinatione that no naturall Reason can be giuen Cur à dextris coruus a sinistra cornix faciat ratum cur Stella Iouis aut Veneris coniuncta cum Luna ad ortus puerorum salutaris sit Saturni Martisuecontraria He ioyneth these together as alwayes his manner is the flying of Birds and Aspect of Starres because toward a particular Euent there is iust like affection in both these Causes And whereas the common reply of Astrologers is sometimes their Predictions fall out true may wee not answer them in Cicero his words Ipsa varietas fortunam esse causam non naturam docet Si tua Conclusio vera est nonne intelligis eadem vti posse Aruspicies fulgatores interpretes ostentorum Augures sorti legos quorum generum nullum est ex quo non aliquid sicut Praedictum sit euaseret Now if Augury Aruspicine and all such Sorceries are iustly condemned as not standing with Christianity yea euen by naturall men as not standing with Nature though their Predictions were sometimes true what reason hath any man to maintaine Astrology and condemne these Or to thinke that the truth of a Prediction should Priuiledge Astrologie more then these Neither is it any reasonable or tollerable Answere to tell vs of the truth of a Prediction when wee see the Cause And yet this Gentleman confesseth Pag. 195. I for my part saith hee doe freely confesse that there is no one thing that hath made me so confident in the validity of this Art as that which I haue seene to fall out true If no one thing haue made you so confident herein then you haue freely told vs that in your owne iudgement you doe not so much esteeme of your long Discourses of the naturall Causes that the Starres are naturall Causes of such Effects these bee not the things that moue you most but you are most of all moued by the Euents Yet the wise and learned are not carried to such a confidence vpon the sight of the Euents but vpon the knowledge of the Cause and Reason And therefore Cicero and before him as hee witnesseth Eudoxus a Platonicke whom hee and others much esteeme for Learning and Panaetius whom hee accounteth the worthiest of the Stoicks and diuers likewise after him men of great Learning in Philosophy did reiect this Art for that these Causes are not Naturall albeit some Euents fell out true For if the question bee of a thing determinable by the light of Nature that Rule of Cicero holdeth alwayes It is a foule shame for a Philosopher to speake any thing without a naturall Reason And if this bee a sufficient warrant to make a man confident in the validity of an Art because he seeth Predictions to fall out true then must this Gentleman be very confident in Witchcraft because hee seeth that all that which was foretold to Saul by Witchcraft 1. Sam. 29. fell out true And shall the truth of that Prediction make a man so confident in the validity of that Art They who are gouerned by the Spirit of God and seeke knowledge according to Godlinesse may not bee confident vpon the truth of Euents And seeing by this example wee see euidently that God in his iust iudgement against the wicked King Saul did suffer Sathan thus to deceiue and illude Saul euen by foretelling him a true Euent because by vnlawfull means he sought the knowledge of things to come They that would iudge the like of the like things must needs thinke that God in the like sort suffereth the Diuell to deceiue and illude Astrologers by suffering them to foretell true things sometimes that curious men that will not containe themselues within lawfull knowledge may bee deceiued and drawne into a great confidence of the validity of this Art Heerein Gods Iudgement is fearefull but iust against such as seeke the knowledge of things to come by vnwarranted meanes Now this Gentleman writing for Astrologie after so many Ages and comming to that very point which so much troubled Cicero and the rest and caused them vtterly to abandon the Art because by the light of Nature they saw no way to goe through this difficulty He comming I say to the same point is to be obserued well how he in his imagination goeth through where they all stucke For hee vseth no other means to informe vs in the Mistery but this Pag. 99. If Spice and other hot Simples are of force to stirre and alter our humours by their specificall qualities why
it bee applyed in due manner vpon supposition it must needs heate So hee saith presupposing that the matter or subiect whereof the Astrologer speaketh be conuenient and well disposed that which they conclude by the Position of Heauen will come to passe Before you can conclude any thing you must haue liberty granted to coyne a new Philosophy For how many errors are contained in these words Consider your wordes First whereas you would shew in these words the difference betweene absolute necessity and that which is called ex hypothesi It seemeth you were neuer carefull to vnderstand what is absolute and what vpon supposition And whereas you call it necessity vpon condition when the fire heateth or burneth this is not necessity vpon condition but it is necessity secundum consuetum naturae ordinem naturall necessity That the fire should heate or burne matter applyed to it is not necessary vpon condition For that which is necessary vpon condition doth infallibly follow the condition being admitted therefore is called necessitas infallibilitatis but fire doth not infallibly heate or burne the matter applyed for it is hindred by a Miracle if a Miracle cease then it heateth necessarily but this necessity is naturall necessity and not necessity vpon condition Consider yet another error in those words and in Philosophy not tollerable Hauing taught that Astrologicall Predictions are of things not necessary but contingent to proue this you giue instance in the fire whose effect is to heate yet it heateth you say not simply necessarily but vpon condition whereby you inferre that the Starres worke vpon that which you take to bee their Subiect as the fire worketh vpon his Subiect Then it must needs follow that either in the worke of the Starres there is naturall necessity or in the worke of the fire vpon an apt subiect there is contingence You impute to M. Chambers errors ignorance impiety absurdity forwriting that which agreeth with good Learning and will be iustified But are you Sir or any man in the world by disputation able to iustifie these things That the Starres worke vpon their Subiect as the fire vpon his yet that the Starres worke contingently or that the fire worketh contingently Or that a thing contingent is necessary Or that an Effect which is granted to be contingent is an Effect of a knowne naturall Cause These things neither your selfe nor any for you can make agreeable to Philosophy These are the nets wherein you haue wil fully intangled your selfe and your Astrologie cannot helpe you out Keepe the distinction of things that in themselues are distinct distinguish naturall necessity from absolute because the one may bee hindred the other cannot then distinguish it from necessity vpon coaction and from necessity vpon condition place naturall necessity in things that are according to the ordinary course of Nature distinguish all necessity from contingence that is of things Philosophicall speake like a Philosopher and then shall you neuer be able to answer these things whereunto the iniquity of your cause hath drawne you but by plaine confessing of your error Now least you might thinke that this was rather your euill lucke then any fault in the Cause and Art of Astrology wee will admit for your pleasure all these errors vnsaid againe And if you can take better aduice defend the Cause as you will you shall be brought about to the same absurdities againe For your Predictions are either of things necessary or contingent answer what you will you are caught If of things necessary then holding as you doe the Starres naturall Causes of such Effects this necessity must bee according to the ordinary Course of Nature the bond whereof is not broken but by Miracle then your Predictions cannot be hindred but by Miracle But you see they are hindred ordinarily and without Miracles and it is a greater Miracle to see them fall out true then to see them proue false which your selfe perceiuing dare not affirme to be of things necessary but of contingents onely But now when you say they are of things contingent you exclude them from the ordinary Course of Nature For those Effects that are produced according to the ordinary Course of Nature are not contingent but alwayes necessary by Naturall necessity Thus say what you will your Predictions fall to the ground Yet if words will hold them vp they want no helpe For hauing brought your selfe into a great perplexity concerning Contingents you goe through as though you would see no danger and you tell vs that Astrologers doe not meddle at all with rare Contingents or such as haue an indifferent respect to the Opposites which may happen one way or another Pag. 283. It is as if you should say Astrologicall Predictions are in things contingent not necessary and yet Astrologers meddle not at all with things contingent but onely with things necessary For you call that a rare Contingent which hath an indifferent respect to the Opposites Now the truth is there are no other Contingents but onely such For all Contingence is in respect of mans Will and purpose which hath his naturall freedome and liberty where some things fall out besides the purpose and Counsell of man there and there onely Contingence hath place This is alwaies in such Actions as in respect of the liberty of the Will haue an indifferent respect to the Opposites If you say true then they meddle with no Contingents But see good Reader when a man is once ouer the shooes how hee runneth through thicke and thinne This hee saith to perswade if he could haue a Reader that would beleeue him that their Predictions are not in such Contingents as these but in another soâ—…t of Contingents which hee dreameth to bee such as when the fire burneth this hee calleth Contingence But this is so hot and heauy that it would burne his fingers that maintaineth it it needeth no Refutation Moreouer whereas M. Chambers prouing that there can be no Predictions being of future particular Euents for that purpose alledgeth a sentence of Aristotle that of future Euents there is no certaine knowledge or things that are so to happen can neither bee said true nor false Thus Aristotle expresseth a thing contingent like a naturall man the Knight sore troubled with this sentence at last giueth that Answer which bruiseth Astrologie in pieces His Answer is Pag. 282. To affirme that there is no truth of future Euents contingent because it appeareth not to vs is erroneous for all things are present to God and all axiomes or affirmations of future Accidents appeare to him as they are either true or false Neither is it alone knowne to him but farther to such to whom hee shall vouchsafe to reueale it or otherwise to them that are able to discerne Euents in their determinate Causes Thus farre the Knight Were it not better vtterly to renounce the defence of Astrology then thus to defend it The question is whether future particular Euents can bee foretold
the best writers that haue spoken hereof that a plaine distinction may appeare betweene good learning and Astrologicall Sorcerics The first inuention of Astrology is by many learned men attributed to the diuels This is the iudgement of Tertullian lib. de habitu muliebri And againe Lib. de Idolatria And of Clemens Alexandrinus in Eclog And of Origen Hom. 13. in Num. Coelius thodig Lib. 2. cap. 12. hath obserued that Lactantius writeth Astrologia Auspicia Auguria et oracula esse Daemoniorum inuentum And that Apuleius a man of that profession confirmeth the same The Knight to remoue this odiousnesse of their originall telleth vs that Plato in Phaedro attributeth the Originall of Arithmeticke Geometry to a diuell that was called Theuth And others say that Philosophy and other Arts were so inuented The Knight by this answere would deceiue himselfe and others It is true that the Graecians did attribute the inuention of Arts and of other things that serue for the benefit of man to such as they held Gods as the inuention of Wine and Corne other things though we know by the truth of Gods word that these things were inuented before those Gods of theirs were borne It is also true that those Gods of theirs were men which had liued here before It is also true that the worship which they offered to such Gods was Idolatry and by exhibiting diuine worship to such they made them deuils Hereupon the Knight inferreth therefore they did attribute the inuention of good Arts to deuils This we deny For they did not hold their gods to be diuels or vncleane spirits as the knowledge of the truth teacheth vs to hold And the Heathen did account them Gods which once were men as the Knight himselfe confesseth of this Theuth which diuers thinke to haue beene Mercurius Trismegist Now when the learned Fathers of the Church speake of Deuils they haue an other sense then the Heathen speaking of those which they câ—…ld 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which words of Heathen are taken in good part but not of Christians And therefore his answer is nothing to the purpose vnlesse he could shew that the Heathen did attribute such inuentions to such as themselues accounted euill and vncleane spirits For from these euill spirits came Astrology and from these came no part of good learning And therefore Origen carefull long before to answer to this particular disputing of that which is called the wisedome of the Princes of this world saith Sapientiam principum huius mundi intelligimus vt est Aegyptiorum secreta quam dicunt et occulta Philosophia et Chaldaeorum Astrologia et Iudaeorum de scientia excelsi pollicentium sed et Graecorum multiplex variaque de diuinitate sententia Where hee doth distinguish Astrology from Philosophy and the actes which hee nameth presently before thus Poetica Grammatica Rhetorica Geometria Musica Medicina All which he maketh an other part of wisedome or learning much differing from Astrology For these Arts he calleth the wisedome of the world and of men But Astrology saith hee is not a part of the wisedome of the World but of the Princes of the World for so he calleth Deuils And to this purpose do many learned both Philosophers and Diuines distinguish betweene Astrology and good learning accounting the one to be profitable for mans vse the other to haue no vse in nature no place in good learning The first spreder of this Art as most men agree was Zâ—…roastes who being a man giuen to the familiarity of wicked spirits did first open to the world in writing the secrets of these illusions which curious men in a desire to know things to come beeing also inticed and drawen thereto by wicked spirits gathered into a kinde of Art and Profession The learning whereby these men sought to know particular actions to come was in one word called Magicke whervnto Astrology did serue as an instrument or pretense And therefore Zoroastes is famous or infamous for teaching of Magicke This man was a Persian and not as many thinke a Bactrian and from him the Persians had this learning Yea their Kings Sonnes were brought vp therein Plato tearmeth this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Magicke of Zoroastes the Son of Oromasius this is the worship of the Gods True it is that Plato speaketh honourably of it but no otherwise then of the worship of their gods Pliny witnesseth that Plato trauelled to learne it before him Pythagoras Empedocles Democritus but they trauelled to learne all Magicke not only Astrology as the Knight seemeth to say commending Astrology by their trauell For they were either Magitians or sought the knowledge therof in some measure And therefore by their trauell hee may as well commend Magicke as Astrology As also where hee saith that Kings and great Personages haue studyed this Art where he pleaseth himselfe with a pleasant conceit of this study which reacheth to the highest heauens and therefore should as it were through their secret influence aboue all other be embraced and aduanced by the Highest on earth But if you strip his speech out of his Rhetoricke into plaine Logicke then it will appeare that these Kings of whom hee glorieth so much were Students in Magicke as Pliny witnesseth speaking of Magicke In tantum fastigij adoleuit vt hodieque etiam in magna parte gentium praeualeat in oriente regum regibus imperet The Knight must eyther take all the commendation of this Art or leaue it Learned men haue trauelled for it it hath beene the study of Kings This he taketh as in the commendations of Astrology By which he yeeldeth that Astrology is a part of Magicke For certaine it is that the study for which these men are reported to haue trauelled and which those Kings haue studyed was Magicke And if vnder this name of Magicke hee commend Astrology then indeede we grant that he may to this purpose finde somewhat amongst the Ancients but otherwise he will find nothing for Astrology And hee will neuer finde that the Ancients referred it to any other part of learning then to Magick The Knight seemeth to helpe it well by taking that to Astrology which the Ancients spake of Magicke Aristotle seemeth to scorne this learning as not admitting it into any place of naturall knowledge For he going thorough all the parts of good learning medleth not with Astrology shewing thereby that he tooke it for no part of good learning After these Eudoxus a Scholler of Plato was much renowned for his learning who being a man of great skill in Astronomy vtterly reiected all this learning that standeth in Predictions Cicero saith of â—…im thus Ad Chaldaeorum monstra veniamus de quibus Eudoxus Platonis auditor in Astrologia iudicio doctissimorum hominum facile Princeps sic opinatur id quod scriptum reliquit Chaldae is in praedictione in notatione cuiusque
reuealed will His reuealed will was to Abraham that Isaac should bee offered in a Sacrifice yet God wrought against it Nay the case may bee so that the will of God and the will of man may bee contrary one to the other and yet both good The Father lyeth vpon his death-bed the Sonnes will and desire is that the Father should liue and this desire of the Sonne is agreeable to Gods reuealed will for that reuealed will containeth what wee ought to doe But Gods secret will is contrary to this desire of the Sonne and the Father dyeth will this Gentleman accuse God because hee concurreth to some effects against his reuealed will When Adulterie is committed and Bastards begotten it is against the reuealed will of God But hee that shall affirme that God hath no will nor power nor part in genegation shall take away part of his power and giue it to some other thing and so make moe Gods The people and principall of Israell conspired to put Christ to death this was an vnlawfull action Now hee that shall say that the hand and Counsell of God did not concurre in this action shall denye the plaine Scripture Act. 4. 27. Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israell gathered themselues together to doe whatsoeuer thy hand and counsell had determined before to bee done Neither doth it follow hereby that God doth aduance the credit of an vnlawfull practise to the derogation of his glory for God ordereth all things in nature himselfe being pure from sinne and punisheth all sinners punishing both Adulterers and Astrologers But when I say that God ordereth all things in nature this doth not teach Astrologicall Predictions which are out of the compasse of nature No better is that Theologie which hee vttereth Pag. 480. There is no place in Scripture in which blasphemy is named but doth describe it to be a verball iniury vttered in detestation of God Whence hee seeketh to proue that except it bee euill speaking of God himselfe it is no blasphemy His knowledge and sense in these things whereof hee is bold to speake is rather to bee pittied then refuted I tell you Sir that you doe nothing throughout your Booke but blaspheme when you speake euill of M. Chambers though then your intent is not to offer a verball iniury to God Yet when you speake euill of such as for conscience maintaine Gods truth and therefore speake euill of them because they maintaine the truth then you blaspheme This is true and if you repent not of this sinne you will finde it to bee true another day But therefore wee labour to doe this seruice both to the Truth and you that when the knowledge of your sinne is brought to your sight you may the sooner finde the way to repentance Now that blasphemy is not as you say onely a verball iniury vttered in detestation of God and so taken in euery Scripture where it is named but that it is also against the truth of God and against the Saints that maintaine the truth may appeare out of these places and many moe Act. 14. 45. When the Iewes saw the people they were full of enuy and spake against those things that were spoken of Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is contradicting and blaspheming Act. 18. 6. When they resisted blasphemed he shooke his rayment S. Paul speaking of himselfe and other his fellow Apostles saith Rom. 3. 8. We are blasphemed And 1. Cor. 4. 13. Being blasphemed we pray And 1. Cor. 10. 30. For if I through Gods benefit bee partaker why am I blasphemed for that wherefore I giue thanks To omit many places they are also said to blaspheme who dissemble in hypocrisie making shew of an holy Profession themselues being vnholy Apoc. 2â—…9 I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Iewes are not but are the Synagogue of Sathan Which placeâ—… I note the rather because the Knight out of his worâ—…ed confidence doth boldly giue it out that there is not one place of Scripture where blasphemy is named but it doth describe it to be a verbal iniury vttered in detesta tion of God If the places of Scripture were numbred there will be more found against this then for it But his aduantage is he is no professed Diuine therfore may erre in these points and we must pardon the imperfections of a Knight in Diuinity Which kinde of pleading as I would neuer deny to a man that did descry a sound minde or were compelled to write so if our Knight looke for the same fauour we may iustly answere him as Cato answered A. Posthumius Albinus who being Cos. wrote some Romane Stories in Greeke desiring all men to beare with his imperfections Because quoth he I am a Romane and therefore of me the exact knowledge of the Greek tongue is not to bee required But Cato told him that this was but trifling to intreat pardon when he might haue beene without fault For who compelled him to doe that for which hee thought fit to craue pardon so may we say to the Knight by silence hee might haue beene blamelesse By writing so vnskilfully of vnknowne tihngs vpon hope of pardon because his place requireth not such exact skill in Diuinity and of by vpholding a corrupt cause hee hath shut himselfe from the benefite of that fauour which otherwise he might looke for And if ignorance bee to bee excused in a Christian Knight I should rather excuse ignorance in Astrologie then in Diuinity But must wee pardon this also which followeth Where M. Chambers had found fault with one for ascribing so much to numbers tâ—…t therby he thought to attainâ—… 〈◊〉 mystery of hiâ—…â—…tion and to haue his name registred in the 〈…〉 God The Knight defending that irreligious speech writeth thus Pag. â—…19 It 〈…〉 to him that is not blind by malice â—…at hee intendeth nothing in that Hyperbolicall and excessiue speech but such a sequestration of our thoughts from all materiall things as thereby wee may the more freely contemplate the mystery of the Trinity in Vnity vntill through our whole conuersion to the same wee come to bee registred in the number of those that are sealed to saluation Thus farre the Knight If any man contradict this Gentleman he is presently charged to be blinded with malice And yet M. Chambers did not intend to contradict him but opened an irreligious speech of another But the Knight will take the defence of all vpon him It were to bee wished that hee would deale more aduisedly and not take vpon him the defence of euery foolish Astrologer Wee hope vpon better aduice hee will thinke least malice in such as deale most plainly with him And truely if wee should suffer such prophane speeches to passe without reprehension it were enough to spill him Wee reproue that prophane speech your Defence makes the speech no better but your selfe worse then wee tooke you For you tell vs that by that Hyperbolicall and excessiue