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 trimâ—…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
that Fortune is made a God addeth thus Pars alia hanc Fortunam pellit Astroque suo euentus assignat nascendi legibus semel in omnes futuros vnquam Deo decretum in reliquum vero alium datum And againe Ecce fulgurum monitus oraculorum praescita Auruspicum Praedicta c. Somtimes as his manner is in the searching of Antiquities hee noteth the Professions with the Authors Auguria ex auibus Car monstrauit a quo Caria appellata Adiecit ex caeteris Animalibus Orphaeus Aruspicium Delphus ignispicia Amphiaraus Auspicia auium Tiresias Thebanus interpretationem ostentorum somniorum Amphiction Astrologiam Atlas Lybiae filius vt alij Aegiptij vtalij Assirij And thus ioyning Astrologicall Predictions with Predictions of Augury Auruspicine as Birds of a feather at last hee setteth downe all these as kinds of Magicke or Sorcery Vt narruit Osthanes species eius sunt speaking of Magicke nam ex aqua e Sphaeris ex Acre Stellis Lucernis ac peluibus securibus multis aliis modis diuina promittit praeterea vmbrarum inferorumque colloquia I omit the Censures of the Romane State against Astrologers as is obserued by Tacitus and others Thus wee finde that by the learned and iudicious amongst the Heathen these things were held as impious vanities So that the holy Scriptures and Fathers need not be vrged against this impiety We haue the voyce of Nature in the Consciences of the best affected naturall men thrusting these Predictions out of all the bounds of naturall Philosophy and good learning Let the Knight neuer plead that himselfe or any Astrologer hath proceeded farther in naturall knowledge and good Arts then these men haue done that thus haue ouerthrowne their Predictions for herein who will beleeue him Touching the Fathers of the Church we need not trouble the Reader with long citations for they are all ours sure And all sound Writers in the latter time vntill that Antichristian corruption came in which with many other doctrines of Diuels brought this also into the Church practised amongst some Church men in the smoake of the bottomlesse pit Before wee proceede wee must meet with the Knight in some passages touching the matter spoken of M. Chambers saith that Pythagoras Democritus and Plato hauing trauelled to conferre with the Magitians of Persia and Priests of Egypt either neuer learned of them this kind of Art meaning Iudic iary Astrology or if they did they seemed vtterly to haue contemned it as neuer vouchsasing to mention it in any writing Thus farre M. Chambers The Knight answereth this is ab authoritate negatiue But I tell you Sir if hee disproue it Negatiue from these authorities hee speakeâ—â— home to you for these are the Philosophers that you must make much of for you are like to haue none other to helpe you If we proue that these haue not maintained Astrologie nor written for it then sure all Philosophers are cleane gone from you All the hope of your Cause is in these or in none And therefore as loth to lose these hee telleth vs out of Lacrtius that Pithagoras honoured 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and out of Tully that hee did yeeld magnam authorità tem diuinaioni You may adde also out of the same I meane Cicero if you please that hee was Augur For so Cicero calleth him Lib. 1. de diuinat the like you say you could confirme of the others and after many words you conclude thus Because M. Chambers hath thought this an Argument to fauour his purpose I will adde the testimony of Pliny who expressly witnesseth against M. Chambers Lib. 30. Cap. 1. that as they all tooke vpon them an exiled and banished life rather then a trauell to learne it and all secret Arts so after they had attained it and were returned they did no lesse extoll it but esteemed the same as a secret not to bee reuealed This valiant Knight dare venture vpon any thing for the truth is these words of Pliny which hee citeth are directly and expressly spoken of Magicke M. Chambers saith That these Philosophers are 〈◊〉 in Astrologie the Knight reproouing this as an vntruth proueth out of Pliny that these Philosophers trauelled for the study of Magicke Which thing M. Chambers witnessed The truth is and we confesse it that these Philosophers were studious of Magicke and therefore so farre-forth their Philosophy hath not beene accompted pure Then are these the only men of whome the Knight had some hope Yet it cannot be proued that these men fauored Astrology but the Knight rather then he will loose them will confesse that Astrology is Magicke for otherwise he can haue no helpe of these If not of these then of no Philosophers Where then are the learned men that haue mayntained this Art whome the Knight mustereth in Armes When all search is made of Antiquity there wil be found only Zoroastes Mercurius Tresmegistus whome though wee could be content to giue him yet a doubt may be made of this man because in his Bookes extant vnder his name though there be manifest profes of Magicke wherein he excelled yet there is little or nothing to be found of Astrology Apollonius Thyanous Porphyrius Iulianus Apuleius and such Adde to these whome the Knight himselfe challengeth Spurain Theagenes Thrasyllus Ptolomy Seleucus and Ascletarion These wee yeeld you If you can proue that these or any of them for example take Apollonius because hee is more famous then the rest the other being obscure or lesse remembred If you can proue that this man whome you recken amongst your Astrologers or any other did performe these predictions by Philosophy or naturall knowledge then will wee confesse that you speake to good purpose till then you haue said nothing If any man will vndertake this cause he must be called within the bounds of certaine limitations For otherwise if hee shall write as much as would loade a horse either in commendation of Astrology or in euill speech against such as stand against his opinion I haue nothing to say but that Iubeo miserum esse libenter gratenus id facit Then he that will deale herein may do well to speake to these points 1. Wee say that it hath not hitherto bene proued by any Astrologer that the Art that is pretended to be in Astrologicall predictions is any part of naturall Philosophy 2. Wee say that it hath not been proued that it hath bene a part of Mathematicks 3. Wee say that as it standeth against the Iudgement of the most learned so neither can it be proued by any good reason that it is or euer amongst the ancient learned Philosophers was accompted a part of either 4. Wee say that all professors of Astrology of Ancient times were also professors of Magicke 5. That it was accompted more honorable to professe the skill in Augury Auspicia and Extispicia then to professe Astrologicall predictions and men of more honorable place and greater accompte for
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
rising of the Sunne should not know when it would bee day Either this instance is nothing worth or else hee holdeth that as the day followeth the Sunne-rising by such a naturall course which cannot bee broken without Miracle so the particular Euents in mens actions foretold by the Astrologer follow the Positions of the Starres in such a naturall course as cannot be broken without Miracle The operation of the Sunne and Moone that are naturall are confessed The Husbandman can tell when it will bee day as well as the Astrologer The Husbandmen and Fishers by marking the course of the Moone can foretell the full Sea and Eâ—…be more exactly then any Astrologer what then Are thâ—…se Astrologicall Predictions No verily no more then the foretelling of an Ecclipse For of these things that naturally follow and without a Miracle are not broken our question is not This M. Chambers granteth But what affinity hath this with your Astrologicall Predictions Or how will you conclude from this grant a particular contingent Euent in a mans life or state as that Henry 2. shall bee at such a time wounded in the head or that Ioh Medices shall bee Pope or any such like For M. Chambers by Astrologicall Predictions meant onely particular contingent Effects as your selfe say they are such Pag. 210. Now when as your selfe confesse that Astrologicall Predictions are in things contingent not necessary you grant directly with M. Chambers that the day following the rising of the Sunne naturally that is necessarily not contingently the ebbing and flowing following the Positions of the Moone necessarily not contingently the Eclipse following the interposition necessarily not contingently You must needs grant that these naturall and necessary Consequents haue no affinity with Predictions which are not naturall and necessary Consequences but contingent as your selfe doe acknowledge And yet you aske with what face can M. Chambers say this With an honest face and a learned head Wee will not vrge with what face you may looke vpon your ouer-sights Learne what it is wee grant and what wee deny Wee grant that the operations of the Sunne and Moone are euident that their Effects are naturall and therefore bound to naturall necessity no way subiect to Contingence Wee deny that the particular Euents foretold by Astrologers are naturall Effects or necessary but only contingent You confesse thus much How then can you refute these things If I grant the operations of the Sunne and Moone in things necessary by the ordinary Course of Nature must I needs grant the power of Starres in things contingent Yet this you thought to bee such a Syllogisme which all the Aduersaries of Astrology should neuer bee able to answere You deceiue your selfe and would deceiue others But who is not able to distinguish betweene naturall Effects and contingent Euents which poore distinction cutteth off all your hopes of this inuincible Syllogisme and sheweth the Cause to bee weake that cannot bee better supported And whereas you take pleasure to compare the influence of Starres towards a contingent Euent to the operation of Simples it is not worth the refuting your selfe granting the one contingent and the other naturall Now call you this a begging of the question the question being of Predictions in particular Euents What doe wee begge in distinguishing betweene naturall Effects and contingent Euents Doth not hee thinke you famously begge the question who answereth in euery passage of his Booke that the Astrologer containeth him within the bounds of naturall Philosophy that the Starres are naturall Causes of particular contingent Effects which neither you proue nor your selfe or any man liuing is able to proue Where you tell vs that M. Chambers is conuinced by the testimony of Moses who expressly witnesseth that the Stars bee created for Signes which words are often repeated in your Booke whereby you inferre that Moses doth warrant your Predictions Wee answere that you must not giue interpretations of Scripture to the Church but take them from the Church The Church hath interpreted these Signes to bee such as pertaine to naturall and politicall Orders and Seasons You draw the words to hidden secrets beyond the Course of Nature without warrant Further wee distinguish betweene generall Effects in nature and particuler contingent Euents Now if M. Chambers admit with Clem Alexandrinus and others that by the rising and setting of certaine Starres men may foretell the change of the Ayre plenty dearth plagues drought and that in this respect Mariners and Husbandmen haue vse of that knowledge Must hee that granteth this needs yeeld to your Predictions of particular contingent Euents No Sir wee admit the one and deny the other without any repugnance But whereas wee vrge your particular Euents you would gladly shift off the matter with a distinction of particulars The conceit good Reader if it bee worth the hearing is this Particulars saith the Knight are of two sorts either indiuiduall particulars or specificall For species specialissima and species subalterna are particulars saith hee First it is newes if wee speake properly that species and genera should bee particularia particulare in the proper acception thereof being alwayes opposed to vniuersale Secondly if a man should admit this goodly distinction yet will it doe the Knight no seruice For if any were so absurd to say that Astrologicall Predictions are in particulars that is in generals yet this speech differring altogether from the sense of the Learned cannot helpe them who set their Predictions in such particulars as that Henry 2. should bee wounded in his head in such a yeare of his age that such a man should bee Pope that Don Fredericke should bee King of Naples and such like which are all of those which hee calleth indiuiduall particulars And thus you see to what faire end you haue brought your Syllogisme which you told vs none could auoyd CHAP. VI. The Examination of the Knights Definition of Astrologie whereby as by a Rule hee would rule the question THe Knight fearing belike something before hee came to the Answeres of the Scriptures alleadged by M. Chambers setteth downe as hee calleth it a Rule whereby the Reader may leuell and direct his Iudgement as he saith This Rule is to compare all authorities that are brought against him with the definition of Astrologie by himselfe set downe This proceeding seemeth to vs strange First hee will make a Definition as it pleaseth him best Then hee will haue not onely Philosophicall truths which were absurd enough to bee leuelled according to his Definition and not his Definition to those truthes but he would also perswade vs to leuell and direct the authorities of holy Scripture to this Definition and to vnderstand the Scriptures by this Definition and not his Definition by them For these are his words Pag. 23. I haue thought good to forewarne the Reader not to bee discouraged with the shew of testimonies which he M. Chambers mustered out of the Scriptures Councells Fathers but still to compare his
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
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
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
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