Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	father_n	liar_n	lie_n	1,848	5	8.8730	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17971	Astrologomania: 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.	Carleton, George, 1559-1628.; Vicars, Thomas, d. 1638.	1624 (1624)	STC 4630; ESTC S107657	76,014	146

society and complot with Diuels the prudence and sagacitie of the Wizardes the folly and ouer-much credulity of the Inquisitors which he exemplifies very well in each particular We referre the Learned to the place it selfe because it is somewhat long and will take another course to giue satisfaction vnto this Argument by a three-fold Answere 1 First then we answer that to come to the knowledge of any thing by vnlawfull meanes does not make the practise warrantable Now it doth most manifestly appeare in this insuing Discourse that out of their owne mouthes who haue beene Masters and Professors in this Science that the cause why the Diuiner speakes true is not by vertue of his Skill and Learning but because it pleaseth God to deliuer him ouer to Sathans illusions from whom alone hee hath the knowledge of those particular Euents he doth vndertake to foretell either by an open compact with him or secret instinct at the least the Lord hauing by some meanes or other opened his will and made knowne his counsell touching that matter For this by the way must diligently bee obserued that vntill that time I meane till God haue disclosed his wil by some meanes or other neither the Wise man nor the Astrologer nor the Diuell himselfe is able to foretell any thing 2. Secondly I answer that those Predictions do not alwayes fall out iumpe and true as they would beare vs in hand but that either the Diuell doth misse somtimes or that his instrument doeth mistake his informations This I am able to iustifie and make good by a plaine story of my selfe when I was a child went to Schoole at Carleill where I was borne There came an odde Fellow about the Country He was reputed a Cunning man and so called for that he tooke vpon him to tell Fortunes The Fellow was dumbe or at least feigned himselfe speechlesse but certaine it was hee had an instinct or Familiarity with some Spirit This Fellow being on a time in my Fathers House there were some there more simply honest then Religiously wise made signes vnto him to shew what should be my Fortune and another Schoole-fellowes of mine that was then present Whereuppon this Wizard hauing looked earnestly vpon vs both and pawsed a little for my Schoole-fellow he takes mee a lowe stoole and gets vp vpon it with a Book in his hand and began to acte after his fashion signifying thereby that he should be a Preacher and for me he tooke a Penne and a scrowle of Paper and made as though hee would write signifying thereby that I should bee a Scriuener Now it so fell out that my Schoole-fellow proued the Scriuener and I proue the Preacher By which it is plaine to bee seene that either the Diuell himselfe did misse or his instrument was mistaken in his informations 3. Thirdly suppose that th●…se Predictions fall out true yet the wizard is neuer a whit the more to be beleeued as it is plaine in the 13. chap. of Deutro verse 1. If there arise amongest you a Prophet or a dreamer of Dreames and giueth thee a signe or a wonder the sign or wonder come to passe yet shalt thou not hearken vnto him for the Lord your God proueth you c. The Diuell in Samuels shape foretold those things that were true vnto Saul yet the Art by which he was raised presented was neuer a whit the lesse execrable The Pythonisse in the Acts of the Apostles gaue a true testimony to the Apostles of our Lord and Sauiour yet the vncleane Spirit wanne neuer a whit the more fauour by it The Diuell telleth truth sometimes and yet he is still the Father of Lyes and his Instrument at hap-hazard may light vpon a Truth and yet remain a Lyer still It is worth the while to obserue how that the Prophet Ieremie puts vpon these men their right name Chap. 50. verse 36. Indeed they are accounted of the world Wise men and so they are called verse 36. it is M. Caluins Obseruation vpon that place A sword is vpon the Chaldees and the inhabitants of Babylon vpon her Princes and vpon her Wise men A Sword vpon the Lyers and they shall dote a sword vpon the strong and they shall faint Where if we make a true resolution of the Text we shall find that God threatens his iudgements first in generall vpon Babylon the whole Country and then the Inhabitants of it are specified and parted into these rankes Princes and Wise men Lyars and Strong men Those which in the former Verse he calles Princes or principall men in the next are called Strong men and the Sword vpon them or their Iudgement is that they shall faint Those whom in the former Verse he called Wise men in the next are called Lyers and the Sword vpon them or their iudgment is that they shall dote That of the Psalmist is most true though it were spoken in haste All men are Lyers but for Astrologers and Figure-flingers and Natiuity-Casters and Fortune-tellers they are doting Lyers It is their Iudgement A sword is vpon the Lyers and they shall dote The Conclusion now I take it is cleare that Iudiciarie Astrologie is a superstitious Vanity and that the whole Art of Diuiners is an vnlawfull studie The Corollarie thereupon is as cleere that it is not lawfull to seeke vnto these men for their aduice or helpe in any matter whatsoeuer I could heere if I would take leaue to expatiate greatly inueigh against the common custome of the worlds too too rife in those parts and other blinde corners of the Realme For if there come about but a Gypsie or Canter or Fortune-teller presently you shal haue the whol country flock about him to learne somwhat If our little finger do but ake or be a little diseased presently we send with Ahaziah to Baalzebub the god of Ekron to know if we shall recou●…r If we be but in a little straight trouble either of bodie or minde we cannot rest till wee runne with Saul to the Wuch at Endor to know what will bee the euent of it And what hath bewitched the people thus to doe but a strong delusion of Sathan and a firme opinion conceyued of the Skill and Cunning that such a man hath to tell strange Farlyes They will say they know such an one well enough he is a verie skilfull man they haue had experience of him in other matters and he hath told them true and why should they not seek to him now I remember I haue read it of Archimedes the great Mathematician when he had by his dexterious Skill in his Profession made Hiero King of Scicilie draw a huge Ship along with his little finger which an infinite number of his Subiects with ioynt Forces were not able so much as to stirre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said the King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that from that day forward Archimedes was to be beleeued in whatsoere he said Say that the Wise

by naturall meanes Aristotle saith they cannot bee knowne being of Contingents and no man can say that such an Euent is true or false before it be accomplished therefore it cannot be foretold This Knight answereth that they are knowne to God The question is not whether they be knowne to God or to his Prophets when hee reuealeth them but whether they may bee knowne by naturall meanes Now how is the foreknowledge of God brought in here and his Reuelation to his Prophets Vnlesse that it be to proue that Astrologers are Prophets to haue this Knowledge by Reuelation as some of them confesse that without the helpe of a Spirit these things cannot bee knowne Either hee must confesse that Astrologers haue this knowledge by Reuelation not by naturall meanes or else hee answereth nothing to Aristotle For that which he addeth that these things are knowne also to such as are able to discerne Euents in their naturall Causes is but a begging of the question which Aristotle will not admit who saw Euents in their Causes as farre as the Knight Aristotle doth deny that these things can bee knowne in their naturall Causes and wee with him Remoue from your Answere that feeble begging of the question and then what else doe your words containe but that Astrologers foretell future Euents by Reuelation as the holy Prophets of God haue foretold such things by Reuelation Was not hee fore driuen trow you that leapeth at one iumpe out of the Course of Nature But Aristotle will not so bee satisfied For hee keeping still within the bounds of Nature made that Obiection The Philosopher thrusteth you on the one side from the Course of naturall knowledge The Prophets thrust you out of their company on the other side And the Church will neuer admit that you do these things by diuine Reuelation then looke you better to your standing What greater euidence against Astrologie can wee looke for vnlesse wee stay till wee heare themselues confesse against themselues that these Predictions cannot bee foretold by Art or from any naturall Principles but onely by the illusions of the Diuell If nothing can serue but their own confessions though this seeme hard to such as are brought to strict examinations as witches are betweene whom and Astrologers the difference is not great both being brought vp in the same Schoole sauing that the Astrologers vnder a pretence of more learning seek to hide themselues yet is it not impossible to wring it out of their owne Confessions The Knight telleth vs Pag. 203. That the Papacie was certainly presaged to Paul 3. by Paris Caeresarus as Cardan testifieth And by Richardus Ceruinus vnto his Sonne Pope Marcellus 2. as Panuinus and Garimbertus report and againe by one Erasmus a Germane and Marcilius Ficinus to Pope Leo 10. whereof I take to witnesse Paulus Iouius saith hee And thus forsooth he thinketh he hath answered an Obiection of M. Chambers of certaine false Predictions giuen by some Astrologers For if M. Chambers shew him false Predictions hee thinketh it enough that these whom hee citeth were not false And how doth hee proue them Forsooth because Cardan and Paulus Iouius witnesse so much This is very strange dealing Hee taketh exception Pag. 202. at the testimony of Cicero witnessing a thing of his owne knowledge that the Astrologers of his time were conuinced daily For Cicero knew them that they assared Pompey and Crassus and Caesar that none of them should dye till hee was old and of good reputation and famously This which Cicero speaketh of his owne knowledge the Knight will not receiue He saith that Tully his testimony is worthily suspected but none that liued in his time did euer charge him of such a crime yet must Cicero bee reiected But if Cardan or Paulus Iouius once say the word hee taketh that vp as an vndoubted truth Was not Cordan commonly noted throughout all Italy by the name of Cardan the Foole And who knoweth not that Iouius is of the learned noted that where he would haue spoken the truth that is in the Turkish and Persian affaires there hee could not But where hee could haue spoken the truth that is in the affaires of Europe and especially of Italy there hee would not They who speake most moderately of him say thus But M. Askham in his Discouery of Germany writeth much more sharply of him charging him with flattery lies forgery and that hee wrote his History to no other end but to deface the truth of the Story with lies Yet the Knight will reiect Cicero whose credit in reporting a matter Historicall was neuer in question but Cardan and Iouius are Authors for his tooth But let vs follow him a while in this humour and see what hee will make of this matter Admit all this true that hee saith that these were true Predictions What followeth Then saith hee these true Predictions proue the validity of the Art and maketh him confident in it But wee say if they speake true which thing wee deny till wee heare it better proued yet it was not from the knowledge of naturall Causes but from the Diuell If wee could make one of these Astrologers on whom the Knight so much glorieth cōfesse the truth whether these Predictions were done by Learning and naturall Knowledge or by the helpe of a Spirit could any proofe bee more pregnant then that But how shall wee wring this Confession out of them Paris Caeresaruis and Richardus Ceruinus and Erasmus the German are men not famous for any writings But Marcilius Ficinus is a man of name for his Learning he will tell vs the truth Wee will intreat him to cleare vs this doubt seeing the Knight taketh it vpon the report of Paulus Iouius that hee presaged the Papacy to Leo 10. Whether may this thing bee done by learning or no Let Ficinus answere Marcilius Ficinus answereth thus lib. 3. Aeneid 2. Platin. Such Predictions stand not by Learning but by some instinct And after some Discourse wherein hee sheweth that such Predictions are not by Learning but by an instinct hee saith thus Hinc efficitur vt plerique vel inertes vel minus in artibus eruditi praesagio doctiores excellunt And after speaking of the same knauery as he termeth it hee saith thus Quam fallaciam doctissimi quique Astronom●… deprehendentes iudicia neglexerunt In which place hee sheweth that diuers Astronomers well-known to him men of great Learning did scorne this folly And addeth that Paulus Florentius being a man of singular skill in Astronomy did vtterly scorn these Predictions who liuing till hee was 85. yeares old with all exactnesse considering the Figure of his owne Natiuity could finde therein no signe of long life Briefly Ficinus giueth this verdict of them Astrologi fingunt non docent This testimony is such against which the Knight can take no exception For hee hath commended Ficinus vnto vs for a great Astrologer Which thing for his pleasure wee will

When the Fathers reproue Astrologie this is their purpose to reiect it for Predictions of future things This Prediction cannot be done without the Spirit of God The holy Prophets did make Predictions by that spirit If any shall attempt such things by the Starres then they answere the Starres were not made to haue the honour of the holy Prophets which they should haue if by them wee should come to the knowledge of things to come The Fathers say the Starres haue no other vse or end but to giue light and by their motion to measure the times The Knight saith they should haue an idle and vaine creation if this were all their vse so hee saith Pag. 2. Behold how farre these men proceed to censure not onely all learned men that stand against their fancy but the very Creation of God must bee censured if it stand against their madnesse God giue them a meeke spirit To satisfie the Knight in this that the Fathers in reprouing or reiecting Astrology doe it in respect of the Predictions that their Diuination and Predictions are vnlawfull That this was the thing which so troubled the Fathers hee may vnderstand by that which wee haue said and if that will not satisfie wee could bring enough S. Augustine saith Planetarios quos Mathematicos vocant plane consulere non desistebam quod quasi nullum eis esset sacrificium nulla preces ad aliquem spiritum ob Diuinationem dirigentur Quod tamen Christiana vera pietas consequenter repellit damnat And againe Iam Mathematicorum fallaces diuinationes impia deliramenta reicceram And againe Inde certissime collegi ea quae vera consideratis constellationibus dicerentur non Arte dici sed sorte quae autem falsa non artis imperitia sed sortis mendatio And again His omnibus consideratis non immerito creditur cum Astrologi mirabiliter multa vera respondent occulto instinctu fieri spirituum non bonorum quorum cura est has falsas noxias opiniones deastratibus fatis humanis mentibus inserere atque firmare non horoscopi notati inspecti aliqua arte quae nulla est And to this purpose Theodoret saith Vniuersum Diaboli genus in medio proposuit diuinatores ex syderibus prognostica profitentes somniorum interpres corum mendacia reprehendit poenas constituit It would bee a worke to fill a Booke if I should write all which the Fathers haue obserued to this purpose Let the Knight satisfie himselfe in this that the especiall cause why the Fathers reproue Astrologie is for that they take vpon them to foretell particular Euents fortuitall Which thing cannot bee done but by a Spirit though many times that Spirit may lye But without a Spirit this cannot bee performed by the common consent and torrent of the Fathers CHAP. X. The Censure of the Knights Diuinity THe boldnesse of many men is much to bee maruelled at in these euill licentious times who in colouring of corrupt Causes dare presume to vse the pretence of holy Scriptures turning and forcing Gods truth sometimes to iustifie the forgeries of Sathan which impiety as it proceeded from the Diuell the first corrupter of the truth so wheresoeuer it appeareth in other it doth bewray it selfe and sheweth euidently whom they imitate that vse it For Gods holy truth cannot be so spoken of as a matter of common Learning may be For smooth tearmes and a trim●…ed speech without a religious heart opening the truthes of Gods word will presently bee descried Whether this religious heart bee in the Knight or that hee hath presumed with vnclean hands to handle holy things let the Children of the Church iudge I will not charge him with prophane words as where hee speaking of the immortality of the Soule of the diuine Prouidence of the Miracles and Mysteries of Religion calleth these things meerly Theologicall or Metaphysicall Pag. 94. 95. Religion is Metaphysicall as it dependeth vpon the immediate will of God and not vpon the order of nature This wee passe ouer and come to try his spirit and sound his iudgement in Diuinity Whereas M. Chambers citeth the Prophet Esay 47. 12. 13. where the Prophet foreshewing the destruction of Babylon derideth the Astrologers so much vsed and honoured there who tooke vpon them to foretell calamities because their Predictions herein could not help Babilon After a fruitlesse Discourse wherein hee telleth vs that those Astrologers were Magitians at last hee affirmeth That the ruine of this Monarchy meaning Babylon was extraordinary beyond the compasse of naturall things and did no lesse transcend humane knowledge by naturall meanes to speake his owne words then the standing of the Sunne in the Heauens in the dayes of Ioshua or the going backe thereof in the time of Hezekiah Which things being miraculous and not naturall the Astrologer cannot foretell And such hee affirmeth the destruction of Babylon to be Because God in his secret purpose had decreed to stirre vp the Medes against that people this determination depending as hee saith vpon the immediate will of God because Cyrus is named two hundred yeare before the accomplishment of that Prophesie because the Medes were subiect to the Babilonians and of small power because the surprise of Babylon was so sudden as Herodotus reporteth that the enemies found them eating drinking and dauncing And thus hee runneth on and telleth the Reader that these are reasons to proue that the destruction of Babylon was not naturall but miraculous depending vpon the immediate will of God what hee meaneth by the immediate will of God I know not But this we know that the Miracles that are wrought only by the Word or immediate will of God are such as being done without meanes causeth the naturall man to wonder whose knowledge can reach no higher then as it is led by meanes Therefore the standing of the Sunne in the time of Ioshua and the going backe therof in Hezekiah his sight such like works were Miracles because they were done without naturall meanes and against the ordinary Course of Nature and beyond the knowledge of the naturall man But what Diuines hold the destruction of Babylon to bee a Miracle Here were all the meanes vsed that are vsuall in other destructions the meanes are well vnderstood by the Heathen Historiographers that neuer found any Miracle herein The force of Men great Armies a valiant and politicke King Cyrus against a feeble and dissolute King Belshazzer a man without vertue and foresight What Miracle doe you see heere Herodotus recordeth as the Knight also noteth Pag. 36. when the Medes on a Festiuall day had entred on the one side of the City the other part was ignorant thereof being wholly giuen ouer to dancing and merriment This the Knight noteth to proue that this destruction was miraculous not by naturall meanes Did euer man reason thus before Is it a Miracle that a vigilant wise valiant Army should ouerthrow a carelesse