the like secrecies in Astrologicall Diuination This knowledge that thus flyeth the light sheweth euidently whence it commeth Iamblicus disputing against Porphyry telleth vs that Porphyry following Astrologicall diuination went not foundly to the way of foretelling but the Egyptian way was as hee thought the surer Both did seeke to know the Lord of the Figure which in truth was a Diuell but they were not well agreed to what Diuell to giue the place but the Egyptians saith hee went more directly to it Quidnam prohibet figurae dominum atque daemonem per Astrologiam quidem difficile inueniri facillime vero per diuinum vaticinium atque sacrificia Where hee plainly confesseth that Dominus figurae whom the Astrologers seeke so much is in truth Daemon a Diuell Sir you vnderstand by this how your Astrologie is censured There is no certainty in it till you come to Magicke that is the sure way so that Iamblicus telleth you that Astrologers doe but spend the time in vaine till they come to the Egyptian sacrificing that is to plaine Magicke Plotinus qui inscribitur si faciant astra saith as Macrobius citeth him Pronunciat Plotinus nihil vi vel potestate corum hominibus euenire sed ea quae decreti necessitas in singulis sanxit ita per horum septem transitum statione recessiue monstrari vt aues seu praeter volando seu stando futura pnnis vel voce significant nes ientes Whereby it appeareth that in his iudgement there is no more naturall cause of a particular Euent in the Starres then in the flying of Birds And therefore these things being shut out from naturall Causes are found onely amongst diabolicall Superstitions My purpose is heerein to refute Astrologicall Predictions as standing against nature by the voyce of the naturall man by Philosophers and the confessions of them that haue beene reputed most learned in that fession And I haue dealt little with Diuines I will adde a few Origen vpon the Booke of Numbers expounding those words There is no Sorcery in Iacob nor Diuination in Israell in due time it shall bee reuealed to Iacob and Israell what the Lord will doe speaketh of the curiosity which men by vnlawfull meanes vse in seeking the knowledge of things to come Hee sheweth that there are but two waies to know those things either from God as the Prophets spake or from the Diuell as all other doe that seeke the knowledge of particular Euents Est talis quaedam saith he in Ministerio praesciētiae operatio Daemonum qua artibus quibusdam ab ijs qui se Daemonibus maciparint colligitur And expounding the latter part of that Verse In tempore dicitur Iacobo Israeli quid perficiet Deus Quid est saith he in tempore dicetur cum oportet expedit hoc est in tempore Si ergo expedit pranoscere nos futura diceture Deo per Prophetam Dei per spiritum sāctum Si vero non dicuntur neque denuntiantur scito quia nobis non expedit futura pranoscere Quod si idcirco non dicuntur nobis quia nobis ea scire non expedit qui diuersis artibus daemonum inuocationibus gestiunt futura praenoscere quid aliud faciunt nisi ea cupiunt discere qua sibi scire non expedit And a little after after A solo Deo debemus de futuris discere neque diuinum neque augurem neque aliud quodcunque horum recipere The Knight would make Origen to stand for Astrologie and produceth a testimony of Origen as he dreameth out of the narration of Ioseph in which Iacob is said to tell his Sonnes that Heauen was a Booke wherein they might reade whatsoeuer should befall them This howsoeuer the Knight thought worthy his Relation yet I doe not account it worthy my Refutation It is grosse ignorance or wilfull collusion to thinke that Origen gaue credit to any such Booke or wrote any such thing it is true that many such tricks are put vpon Origen by deceiuers and thrust in amongst his workes of which Origen complained in his life time confessing that his workes were interpolated by couseners but for this particular 1. It is against the vsuall Doctrine of Origen in other places 2. It is reiected by the Church as fabulous 3. It is refuted by S. Augustine and others Augustine teacheth no otherwise speaking of Astrologie and of Diuination in generall He saith Omnes Artes huiusmodi vel nugatoria velnoxiae superstitionis ex quadam pestifera societate hominum Daemonum Hee calleth it pestifera curiositas crucians sollicitudo mortifera seruitus And reckoning all the kindes of Magicke haruspicum Augurum libros ligaturas remedia in praecationibus Characteribus and other things of that sort at last hee saith Nec ab hoc genere pernitiosae superstitionis segregandi sunt qui genethliaci propter natalium dierum considerationes nunc autem vulgo Mathematici vocantur For anciently these were not called Mathematici and therefore hee seemeth loth to giue them that name as a name vndue to their occupation For himselfe obserueth so much Non cos appellarunt Mathematicos veteres qui nunc appellantur sed illos qui temporum numeros motu coeli ac Syderum peruestigarunt This amongst the Ancients was the knowne Subiect of the Mathematickes the supputation of times by the motion of the Starres And anciently Predictions were neuer accounted any part of the Mathematickes The Knight vtterly scorneth this ancient vse as idle and vaine without Predictions For an answere to S. Augustine the Knight telleth vs that S. Augustine reproueth onely such as either follow the Idolatry of the Heathen or suppose a fatall necessity in those things that depend vpon our will in all things else confessing the gouernment of the Heauenly Bodies and both the Starres to haue their properties and the Astrologer to know the same This was soon said and boldly but when will it be proued The truth is that S. Augustine and the rest of the Fathers reproue Astrologie for the vaine curiosity of foretelling things to come which cannot bee foretold but by God and his Prophets or to the Diuell and his Prophets This is that which moued the Fathers against Prediction because a Prediction cannot bee foretold but by the Spirit of God This saith Origen this saith S. Augustine That the Predictions of those that are called genethliaci is nothing but pernitiosa superstitio Cyrill writing against Iulian the Apostate answereth an Obiection that Iulian hath made that Abraham was an Astrologer that hee did vse Diuination or Prediction by the Starres Cyrill answereth that there is no such Diuination or Prediction the Starres haue no such vse they were not made for any such thing but as hee saith Factum ab ipso Deo dicimus Astrorum chorum non quod sanctorum Prophetarum dignitatem habeat vel aliud quicquam preter quam vt luceant hominibus sint in signa temporum
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
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 thâ—…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 recouâ—…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
albeit they challenge a cunning to foretell in things which hold a naturall course and subiect to the powers of the Heauens yet in things that are free as mansactions are nature hath no casualty but mans will They can challenge no skill in such things because these things are not gouerned by a naturall dependance from the Heauens but from other Causes of another nature As if an Astrologer should foretell that such a man shall bee sicke at such a time this iudgement is vaine and superstitious It is true that a Physitian may iudge of a mans health or sicknesse but not by Astrology but by the disposition of his body This thing depends vpon some natural Cause wherof notwithstanding the Astrologer can haue no knowledge by the Starres For in the order of actions if diuers Causes bee ordered to one Effect the Effect followeth the Cause deficient as may appeare in the actions of reason For if a dialecticall Syllogisme bee made of one true Proposition and another false the Conclusion is false vnlesse by accident And if it bee of one Proposition necessary and another contingent the Conclusion is contingent So is it in naturall operations if one Cause be naturall and another free the Effect is rather to bee said free then naturall And if one Cause bee contingent the other necessary the Effect is contingent Of such things there can bee no iudgement but as of things free and contingent An other kinde of things inquired by Astrologers is in those things which depend meerly of contingence in which things the connexion of the Cause and the Euent is a thing not knowne in which respect these things are said not to haue a naturall Cause because the connexion of such a Cause to such an Euent is not knowne in nature In such things to make Predictions is vtterly vaine and superstitious For as things haue their being so haue they their signification if then there be contingence in their being it must needs bee in their signification So that it is impossible to finde certaine signes or significations of things which are themselues contingent And yet in such things the Knight doth make especiall choyce to place Astrologie So it is in things that are meerely free For ouer a mans freedome the Positions of heauen haue no power And it is a most foolish thing for a man to seeke that without him whose cause is altogether within himselfe The Astrologers from such vncertaine grounds haue deuised foure wayes to seeke the Euents of things 1. By Reuolutions 2. By Natiuities 3. By Questions 4. By Elections In these things they are so vncertaine that some professing Astrologie are notwithstanding weary of the absurdities which they see in some of these and therefore disclaime them as the Knight doth some of these Yet such is the folly of others that they haue added a fift way to these former which they say is by Intentions If a man once giue way to vnnaturall grounds his minde can neuer be free from superstitious and absurd conceits which are impediments to faith and good manners and in the end make ship-wracke thereof CHAP. IX That Astrologie is an Instrument to Magicke FOr the better satisfaction of the Reader and clearing the truth Let vs here examine whether Astrologie hath any other vse then to bee an Instrument to Magicke Wee say there is no other vse thereof because wee finde that such Philosophers as did rest only vpon naturall Reason could finde no reason in Astrology And further because if any haue maintained Astrologie they haue beene such as were Magitians This question I rather moue because I am not ignorant how some learned men haue stumbled at this stone For albeit wee finde none that haue proued Astrologie to bee a part of Philosophy yet some haue thought that Magicke is a part of Philosophy And though that can helpe them little yet wee would not leaue the Astrologers that hole to hide themselues in Iohannes Baptista Porta hath written a Booke intituled Magia naturalis implying in the Title that some Magicke may bee a part of naturall Philosophy But in deliuering naturall Magicke as hee calleth it hee deliuereth diuers things which Philosophy reacheth not to but are done by the ministery of vncleane Spirits As of Elections to bee written in certaine stones whereby those stones are supposed to bee animated and to receiue an especiall grace from Heauen Et hoc saith hee fundamentum radicem statuunt omnium Lib. 4. Cap. 25. Coelius Rhodig a man of better name for Learning diuideth Magiam in infamem naturalem Lib. 3. Cap. 42. From him we adde another testimony for the honour of Astrologie Iam Magiae clauis commemoratur Astrologia Vnto this opinion of Coelius Iansenius seemeth to yeeld Com. in Concord Cap. 9. Perhaps not marking that Coelius hath that commendation of Magicke and euen those very words out of Cornelius Agrippa To fortifie their opinions because they are ashamed of Agrippa whose words they bring they send vs to Plato 1. Alcibiad who there saith That the Kings Sonnes of Persia were instructed therein If these things were true they make nothing for Astrologie But we take it by their fauour that these men though otherwise learned and iudicious yet herein were ouerseene For whereas they bring nothing for the confirmation of their opinion but the authority of Plato if any such thing bee found in Plato then wee yeeld that they might haue some reason for their opinion But in Plato wee finde the contrary for hee speaking of the Institution of the Kings Sonnes of Persia in Magicke describeth that Magicke which they learned thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In which words Plato telleth vs that the Magicke which the Sonnes of the Persian Kings learned was that which Zoroastes the Sonne of Horomasus taught and it is saith Plato the worship of the Gods Now if there bee no other naturall Magicke but that which can bee proued out of this place of Plato then assuredly naturall Magicke will neuer be proued For this Magicke Plato will not haue to consist in naturall knowledge but in the worship of their Gods which worship because it was Idolatry therefore from hence may be proued that Idolatry is a part of Magicke but nothing else from hence Then by this it appeareth it is not Naturall but Diabolicall Now these men resting vpon Plato his testimony can in this point stand vp no longer that staffe failing them whereon they leaned And howsoeuer it may bee suffered in an Heathen to giue an honourable testimony to Magicke as being a seruice that pleased their Gods yet is it not likewise tollerable in Christians to approue Magicke from the same reasons This hath deceiued diuers who looking more vnto a shew of Learning then into the study of the truth haue beene too easily carried away and deceiued by them that told them of a naturall Magicke These be but the opinions of men of latter times who were heerein deceiued by Agrippa
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
and drunken People And must this be brought as a reason to make it a Miracle Your Cause wanted reason to maintaine it for shame giue ouer such a Cause as must be maintained by such reasons or else set better heads to it But he thinketh that he hath said much to it for proofe because the Prophet Esay nameth Cyrus 200. yeares before the accomplishment of the Prophesie If this be enough to proue a Miracle because God foresaw the thing long before and reuealed it to his Prophet then what thing in the world can the Knight name which by this worthy reason will not proue a Miracle Doth not God foresee euery thing as he did that If there were such Prophets amongst vs as had such reuelations of things to come as Esay had then should other Euents be likewise foretold But seeing wee haue not such reuelations God hath giuen to the Children of the Church that precious guift of Faith by which wee beleeue and know assuredly that all things in the world are ruled by Gods Prouidence and wee are taught to know that the knowledge of things to come not reuealed to vs is not needfull for vs When it it is needfull we shall haue it but from God and his Prophets not from Astrologers Thus wee rest in Gods Prouidence and we exhort the Knight to rest there But the Knight like a graue morall Diuine to winne some honour both of Cicero and of M. Chambers braueth it out thus Pag. 95. Tully profanely in his 2. de Diuinat and in his Booke de Fato denyeth and derideth the prouidence of God and yet saith he may M. Chambers goe to Schoole with him and learne manners But before wee haue done Sir it will appeare who they are that haue need to goe learne manners and the Doctrine of Gods prouidence which they may learne euen of Cicero For good Reader consider whether his wits bee not inchanted that writeth thus Cicero through all the 2. de Diuinat denyeth derideth nothing else but Predictions which are made by Auruspicine Augury Astrologie Sortiledge and such like This the Knights Booke calleth Gods prouidence Is not this good Diuinity Cicero in his Booke de Fato disputeth so as to take away fatum Astrologicum and leaue fatum Physicum that is a dependance betweene naturall Causes and their effects and this is all which is called fatum Chrysippus saith hee necessitatem effugere voluit retinere fatum This conceit pleased Cicero and therefore hee saith Quid afferripoterit cur non omnia fato fieri fatendum sit modo intelligatur quae sit causarum distinctio ac dissimilitudo Tully then taketh away fatum Stoicum and granteth fatum Physicum And herein he goeth as farre as the naturall man could goe holding naturall Principles which hee is euer carefull to hold But whether the Knight goeth so farre as a Christian should inspeaking of Gods prouidence or as one professing morall vertues fathering that vpon Cicero which hee ouerthroweth let others iudge Hee proceedeth still the same man handling the vndefiled word of God without reuerence without feare of checke M. Chambers acknowledging the power of the Starres in things subiect to their power but denying it to touch particular Euents or mens actions wherein the Astrologers wholly set it saith that the Starres haue no force at all in this sense the Knight speaking hereof saith that place of Iob 38. 33. vnanswerably refelleth that barbarous opinion which M. Chambers holdeth that the Starres haue no force at all vnderstand ouer mens actions for if they had no force God would not vainly tell vs of their Dominion ouer the Earth Pag. 48. Then blessed is M. Chambers and the Cause which hee handleth that cannot bee charged of Barbarisme but with him the liuing God must also bee charged of vanity It grees â—…eth mee to write these and such like blasphemies Shall a wretched man corrupt dust ashes lay vanity to the liuing God if the Dominion of the Starres reach not so farre as hee in his foolish heart imagineth These things need no resolution but a sharp reproofe Repent and weepe for this blasphemy and pray to God that these thoughts of thy heart may bee forgiuen This also is your pride and presumption that you thinke that you can see farther into a Text of Iob then all Diuines can In that place of Iob there is mention of the sweetnesse or amenity of the Pleiades the bands of Orion and the Dominion of the Heauens which the best Interpreters expound thus The sweetnesse or pleasures of the Pleiades Delitiae doth expresse the sweetnesse and amenity of the Spring which those Starres bring in The bands of Orion the constriction of all things procured by Winter which that Starre bringeth in The Dominions of the Heauens on the Earth is apparant in all things vegetable vpon the Earth And is not this a great Dominion which the Heauens haue ouer the Earth when all things spring and flourish at certaine positions of the Heauens And againe all things are bound vp and frozen and as it were deaded at some other Positions of the Heauens What worldly power is like this power Moreouer wee yeeld the influence of the Heauens ouer things vegetable And when we yeeld this dominion of Heauen wee yeeld nothing but that which is seene in Nature If you will haue more you must proue it The actions of men wee deny to bee ruled by this power And you if you cannot get the actâ—…onâ—… of Men and particular Euents to bee vnder this power you open your mouth against the Creator and charge him with vanity But how doth the Knight proue his imagined dominion of the Heauens Forsooth hee maketh some shew to proue that the Starres haue some force which thing is not denyed But the question betweene vs and him is not whether the Starres haue some force or no but wherein their force standeth After some wandring discourse at last hee will proue forsooth that the influence of the Starres reach to the successe of mens actions Now Sir you are welcome home proue this and there shall bee an end But how proue you this thus forsooth Pag. 49. The influence of the Starres extendeth to the successe of men which is yet more fully confirmed as if before hee had proued it whereas he hath said nothing to this point But how is this more fully confirmed Iudic. 4. 20. Where it is expressly testified that the Starres fought from Heauen in their Courses and order against Sisera By all which saith the Knights Booke it appeareth what Dominion they haue ouer all men as ouer all other creatures either vegetable or sensible But if M. Chambers obiect that this power is not vnderstood by men why doth Moses testifie that they were created to be signes whose significations if they be notvnderstood I affirme to be Barbarous or no signes to vs at all M. Chambers must be content to be charged with barbarous opinions Moses and God himselfe
and whosoeuer stand in his way are thus charged Sir bee contented and quiet your selfe and you shall sooner see the truth The Conclusion which you would proue is as you tell vs a thing naturall wee looked for a naturall reason of a naturall Conclusion You goe to proue it by Scriptures confessing thereby that you finde no reason in nature for it Wee need no Scriptures to proue things naturall they are for higher matters then nature can reach But you say the Starres haue Dominion ouer the successe of mens actions because it is said that the Starres fought from Heauen in their order against Sisera Did euer any Diuine expound this as you doe And what warrant haue you to make the word of God serue your fancy First you charge not onely the words but the sense of the place which thing either you should not haue done ot else not so rashly and without considering of your owne words charge M. Chambers of false suggestion or false translating as you doe Pag. 47. For whereas M. Chambers citeth the words of Iob thus Dost thou know the order of Heauen and wilt thou reduce the course of it to the Earth You say he doth falsly translate the words because the Originall hath Knowest thou the Lawes or Ordinances of Heauen and canst thou dispose the Dominion thereof vpon the Earth Let a man not transported with affection tell me the difference betweene your words and his and giue a sensible distinction betweene Dost thou know and knowest thou betweene the order of Heauen and the Ordinances of Heauen betweene reducing the Course of Heauen to the Earth and disposing the Dominion thereof vpon the Earth Is not one sense kept in both But now how the sense and words of the other place is chopt changed by you let vs consider The place which you cite in the originall and in all Translations certainly in all that I haue seene The Hebrew Text hath it the old Latine Translation the Septuagint Tremelius Leo Iuda the English all I say without exception reade the place thus They fought from heauen euen the Starres in their Courses fought against Sisera The Interpreters of this place old and new vnderstand it so that this fighting from Heauen was by Hayle Raine and tempest And true it is that the Starres by their Cosmicall rising or setting are obserued to further raine and tempest And thus wee haue the words of the Scripture faithfully translated in all Translations expounded by ancient and later Expositors shewing how the Heauens fought against Sisera This is confirmed by the circumstances in the Text. For in the next words it followeth The Riuer Kison swept them away The inundation of the Riuer is declared caused by the Hayle and Raine which fell from Heauen whereby the Canaanites were ouerthrowne by the tempest from Heauen and drowned in the Riuer Thus much is euident by the Text and confirmed by the testimonies of all that haue touched this place Against this the Knights Book for Alas the Knight himselfe may be guiltlesse of many things contained in the Booke against this I say this writer taketh vpon him to translate it anew and to expound it as him listeth That the Starres fought from Heauen in their Courses against Sisera and expoundeth it that the Starres by their Influences gaue successe to the Action against all Expositors But if the Influence of the Starres gaue successe in this Action wee would know whether the Astrologer could haue giuen Prediction hereof by looking vpon the Starres In the destruction of Babilon you say hee could not and why could hee more in this For in this a Miracle was shewed euidently Againe if the Starres did signifie successe whether was it good successe or euill For wee know the ancient cosenage of Astrologers and Oracles If the Astrologer should haue told the King of Canaan that the Starres signified good successe hee should haue but deceiued him as many doe Further if this be a good reason because the Starres did fight against Sisera therefore the Influence of Starres reacheth to successe in mens actions Why should not this bee as good The Riuer Kison helped the people of God against Sisera therefore the Influence of the Riuers doe the like For there is no more giuen to the Starres then to the Riuer It is true that all the Creatures of God are at his command and are vsed as Instruments to doe his will in the protection of his Church and against his enemies What is this to Astrologie But you say why did Moses testifie that they were created to bee signes whose signification you affirme to be barbarous or no signes at all to vs if they bee not vnderstood Your meaning is that Moses witnessing Gen. 1. 14. That whereas God in creating the Lights of Heauen said Let them be for signes for seasons and for dayes and yeares These words must bee so vnderstood let the Starres bee created to signfie particular Euents of warres of troubles of the Estate of Cities and Common-wealthes of the death of Kings of particular Euents of mens actions that the Astrologers by looking vpon them may foretell those things For if they bee made for signes they must signifie these things And if they doe not signifie these things then are they vainly created And is not this a great meruaile that the Diuell did not set some Astrologers a worke to interpret Scriptures For if you had the testimony but of some one Expositor of Scriptures you might haue some pretence to excuse the impiety but hauing none what Astrologicall Sorcery hath bewitched you to dare without reuerence offer force compulsion to Gods holy word to make it serue your turne All Expositors that euer I could see with one consent expound this place so that your Astrologicall significations are quite shut out August Lib. Imperf in Gen. ad literam Chrysost. in Cap. 1. Gen. Homil. 6. Beda in Cap. 1. Gen. Origen in Gen. 1. Theodoret in Gen. 1. Abeuleus in Gen. 1. Lyra in Gen. 1. Glossa ordinaria Caluin in Gen. 1. Franciscus Vatabalus not a Translator of the Bible as you call him but a diligent Expounder All doe agree in this that this signification is of things in the knowne Course of Nature for times yeares and seasons And some doe expressly reiect Astrologicall supposed significations The Knight will haue it only for Astrologicall significations Sir doe you thinke in your inward iudgement that God hath written a Booke in the Heauens onely for the vnderstanding of Astrologers If this signification bee such as you would haue it it is onely for Astrologers for none other can open the significations that you meane and yet you know many Doctors doubt whether the Astrologers can open them This is your Diuinity But we thinke that it may much better become a Christian Knight to take Diuinity as the Church receiueth it then to make it new Some expound these signes of the moments of times some of seasons
weather of which signes all Husbandmen take vse none as you doe Iunius translateth the place thus Vt sint in signa cum tempestatibus tum diebus annis Which translation if you receiue so agreeing to the vse of words in the Originall then are your significations gone Be contented farther to consider the manner of your Argument for thus you reason If the Starres bee not created for vaine and barbarous signes then they signifie the successe of mens actions but they are not created for vaine and barbarous signes Remember your selfe where you had this Argument for by the like kinde of reasoning Q. Cicero Lib. 1. de diuinat would maintaine the Prediction that you maintaine Si sint dij neque ante declarant hominibus quae futura sunt aut non diligunt homines aut quod euenturum sit ignorant c. And a little after Sunt autem dij significant ergo Et si significant nullas vias dant nobis ad significationis scientiam frustra significarent c. By which manner of reasoning hee would conclude that future Euents of mens actions may bee foretold by Augury Astrologie He would charge the Gods of vanity vnlesse these Predictions be admitted You are not affraid to apply the same manner of reasoning to the liuing God But what reason haue you to leaue out the whole Argument and conclude but for one part For the Conclusion followeth as well for Predictions by Augury as for these by Astrologie It were too long to trouble the Reader with all the Knights errors yet I must touch a fewe M. Chambers referreth to a place of Chrisostome in Math. 2. The Knight saith this maketh more for Astrologie then against it For this is all that Chrysostome saith Si Christus secundum legem sit nat us Astrorum quomodo Astrologiam dissoluit fatumque destruxit If Christ were vnder the law of the starres how then as the Knight translateth it did his comming dissolue Astrologie and destroy destiny To which I answere saith the Knights booke marke now his deepe Diuinity That hee hath so dissolued destiny and Astrologie meaning the power of the Starres ouer vs as hee hath dissolued death by his passion and resurrection not that wee are in this world freed from naturall death by the death of Christ but from the eternall damnation of death thus farre the Knight Hee saith that Christ hath dissolued the Dominion of the Starres as hee dissolued the Dominion of death But how did Christ dissolue the Dominion of death Verily that his Church might bee freed from it onely true Beleeuers the members of his body all other lye still vnder the dominion of death for none are freed but those whom hee soone maketh free Then where the Knight saith Christ hath dissolued Astrologie as the power of death ouer vs whom doth hee meane by vs If you meane vs that is all men then it is false For Christ hath not dissolued the dominion of death for all men but onely for his Elect. If you meane by vs vs that beleeue then how can you make your Similitude good making sense and keeping Diuinity As Christ hath dissolued the dominion of death to vs Beleeuers onely but not to all what will you make the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will you inferre so hath hee dissolued Astrologie to beleeuers and all other are vnder the Dominion of the Starres as they are vnder the dominion of death If this bee a true inference it proueth plainly that Astrologie is a part of the power of darknesse euill and wicked for true Beleeuers are deliuered from all such things and the things from which Christ hath deliuered them are such But then you say that except they which produce this place and otherwise interpret it can proue that Christ by his comming hath taken away the naturall vertue and efficacie of the Starres there is nothing said by Chrysostome It were good for him that wrote this to peruse that testimony which in the next Page hee citeth out of Salomon The foole multiplyeth words No man saith that Christ hath taken away the vertue of the Starres but that mens actions depend vpon the naturall vertue of the Starres But the question betweene you and vs is what is that naturall vertue of the Starres You say againe if Christ came to dissolue it hee could not dissolue that which was not Ergo of consequence it was and till it bee dissolued is effectuall And after this manner for want of better stuffe you trouble your selfe and your Reader with such as commeth in your head Wee answere Christ dissolued Astrologie as hee dissolued Idolatry yet S. Paul saith an Idoll is nothing Now will you Sir chop Logicke with S. Paul and say if Christ came to dissolue Idols hee came not to destroy that which was not Ergo by consequence it was But the Apostle will tell you that Christ came to dissolue those things that are not in truth but onely imagined by the superstitious conceipts of men illuded by Sathan For Christ doth not destroy the nature of the Starres but superstition which fancieth another power in the Starres then God hath giuen them whichsuperstition is the worke of the Diuell and therefore Christ dissolueth it as Saint Iohn saith For this purpose appeared the Sonne of God that hee might dissolue the works of the Diuell If the Starres haue such power ouer the actions of men then was your booke written vnder an vnfortunate Starre For as it is commonly said hee casteth euill that casting all day casteth not one good chance So may it well bee said hee writeth badly that writing so long a Booke writeth not one sound sentence Such is your Booke alwayes like it selfe And I suppose it were hard to cull out one sentence through the whole Booke that a man can iustifie who is resolued to maintaine nothing but truth After your manner you preach thus Pag. 393. I would know of him where hee learned this Diuinity that God hauing expressly forbidden any thing as is were against his reuealed will as hee affirmeth Astrologie neuerthelesse concurres to the effecting of that which shall aduance the credit of an vnlawfull practises to the derogating of his owne glory this is flat repugnant to all Diuinity And a little after That God doth not worke by such means as himselfe prohibiteth If need were I could amplifie by sundry reasons and authorities Because I am loth to enter into such a large Theologicall Discourse as this question which here you moue requireth I will briefly answere Sir did you euer care to vnderstand what were those famous Controuersies which that blessed Father S. Augustine held against the Pelagians It seemeth not And what doe the knowledge of these things belong to a Knight No more doth it belong to a Knight to moue such deepe questions and peremptorily toconclude in Diuinity these waters bee too deepe for him to wade in Briefly know thus much That God doth worke in many things against his