of many Wheels within that one and though he stand as it were but one Wheel in the frame of the great World yet within this One seem there to be many thousands of Wheels operating and thousands more within every one of those first thousands and more still within them and every of them almost ad infinitum especially in long-lived people and persons of great undertakings and all these moving within and one under another as they are carried by the Thread twined on the outmost and greatest Wheel do run on in their order until that Thread break or else be wound off and there they make a stop All these things God who made Man at the first perfectly knows and fore-knew from the beginning of the World and by this order of Mans life he perfectly knows and fore-knew exactly all passages of our lives yea even all the thoughts of our hearts both sleeping and waking Joh. 2.24 25. and how one thought drives off and brings in another and continues on in so doing until the last minute of life whereat the breath fails Now every man being as it were a particular Wheel of the great World it must needs follow that all men move in a certain Frame or Wheel above themselves by virtue of which the Master-wheel of every man's life is is set a going And this Wheel also is subordinate unto others and they also are the same unto still higher than they until we come at last unto the Master-wheel of the whole World which is the high and mighty Wheel of Heaven wherein the Sun Moon and Stars are set as so many Notches carrying on the great works of Nature unto the end How mans Will is an independent Wheel within the World 1 Cor. 9 26 27. Hence come the Originals of all Natural Qualities Passions and Accidents of our lives the motion of the Will and Reason onely excepted which as an independent Wheel within the Wheel of Nature has a kind of motion of its own and therefore however it may be inclined or allured by the Works of Nature How the Heavens are the great Wheel of Nature yet cannot be forced by them But now above and beyond this great Wheel of Nature there is yet one Wheel more within which the Heavens themselves are turned And here is it 2 Cor. 12.2 3 4 wherein is hid that great Line of Time whereby the whole World is made to hold on and continue its motion And how God ruleth over all Isa 40.22 23 c. and this Wheel is God himself who draws out the Line of Time and sitting upon the Circles of the Earth he stretches out the Heavens as a Curtain and beholdeth all the Inhabitants of the World as Grashoppers under his feet and hence sees he as it were with one view all the World naked before him both past present and to come Sect. 10 Now as it was the opinion of the Platonists Of the Soul of the World That there is such a Soul and many of the wisest Philosophers in old time That there was as well one General Soul of the Whole World as there is one Soul informing every mans Body so is it still the opinion of many very learned Christians and it seems with a great deal of reason that the World has such a Soul For were there not one and the same general living Virtue comprehending the whole Natural World from the outmost Circumference of the Heavens unto the innermost Centre of the Earth how possibly could the Sympathies and Antipathies of Nature work such compliances and differences at such distances as we see they do and that as far as it is from Heaven unto the Earth and too without any visible or imaginable contaction unless some such Animal Virtue be in the World to carry such an invisible correspondency between Creature and Creature Now where Life is these things are aptly effected Thus the Infant in the womb is nourished by the meat which the Mother eats Now be it so that there is such an Universal Soul yet is it questionable whether this Soul be Intellectual or merely Vegetive That there is an Intellectual Power informing the whole World as the Soul does the Body is not to be doubted for otherwise would the frame of Nature be no more but a huge blind lump But Nature being led by good eyes such an Intellect must there be somewhere And that it is not an Intellectual but a Vegetive Soul onely Jer. 23.23 24. that either gives or lends such Eyes to Nature But then should the Soul of the World carry this Intellect in its own Brain it would follow that this Soul is a God For to be an Intellectual Being filling Heaven and Earth with its presence is an Attribute of Gods And therefore I conclude that there is an Vniversal Soul in the World but it is onely Vegetive and not Intellectual yet in this Soul dwelleth the Spirit of Almighty God Acts 17.28 who filleth Heaven and Earth with his presence and from hence garnisheth the Heavens Job 26 1â— Deut. 4.19 and causeth the precious Virtues of the Sun Moon and Stars to be carried and distributed into all parts of the World Job 38.33 And thus immediately God ruleth in the Heavens and ruleth all the World mediately by the Heavens How Gods Spirit informeth the World in this Vegetive Soul not without means but by means Job 38.26 'T is true indeed that God is as well able to govern and maintain all things without means as he was at first to constitute and create the frame of Nature but such is his pleasure that he does work by means and not immediately in all things It is a common and a true Maxim that God and Nature have made nothing in vain and yet it is as true that Grass grows where nothing lives to eat it Now were the World governed by Gods immediate presence onely then is this Grass growing a work in vain because God's presence brings forth all things at list and with stints and increase as he listeth Rom. 11.36 and therefore his list being at all times and in all places able to cease its operation might have prevented this plenty in a desolate Countrey But Nature running her course in a constant track has no power to cease her work without a miracle and therefore however the Grass may grow in vain yet Natures operation is not in vain which by virtue of one and the same act produceth the Grass in all places and that as well in the populous as desolate Countreys Sect. 11 Next come we to Gods miraculous works Of Gods miraculous works and how they are foreseen by God in the frame of Nature from Eternity Josh 10.12 13. 2 King 20.11 Joh. 11.53 44. Ch. 9.6 7 c. which also from the beginning were known unto him These are such as have been contrary or at least divers to the course of Nature or other Supernatural Such a
their peculiar Offices other wayeâ— and 2. Though they are Subjects of Nature 〈◊〉 we are Shewing how it is wrought by means and that either by the Soul of the World or however by the Heavenly Influences yet are they no part of the frame 〈◊〉 Nature whereout all things in their order anâ— formed Now were it by the Soul of the World then for certain must there be such a Soul which as yet we are not sufficiently inform'd of and then must that Soul have its specâ—â— seat in the World worthy of it self where tâ— dwell and from whence to inform all thâ— whole Earth and if so then dwells it undoubtedly amongst the Celestial Matter and from thence supplies the Earth with such stoâ— of Virtue from the Heavens and Stars therein as brings to pass all that Shape Colour Smell Life and Increase which we see comâ— to pass Or if you deny this then must the Earth be supplied with all her wonderful Virtues from some Supernatural Material Substances and if so then name any thing besides the Heavenly Matter and the Stars of Heaven that can be that Substance and I have done Now either way will there be at Heavenly Astrology or an Astrology in the Heavens Onely the question is whether these Celestial Influences create the Earth immediately by God's blessing or whether there be a general Soul of the World between yea or not Vtrum horum mavis accipe I ask no more Gen. 1.1 2 3. In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth and the Earth was without form and void and darkness was upon the Deep and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters Here when there was nothing but Earth and Water and Darkness over all yet the Spirit of God maintained that rude lump the Earth did he manage by the Water and the Water in the Dark by himself But now both the Earth and Water are under the face of Heaven and the Light is upon this Heaven and the Spirit of God moveth upon the face of the Heavens in that Light and as he actuateth the Earth and the Waters by the Heavens so doth he actuate the Heavens by himself Sect. 8 Thus Reason complieth with Holy Writ More proofs of Scripture confirming our Rational Arguments to be true and both Scripture and Reason are Witnesses with our Experience That there is an Astrology for certain lodged in Heaven And yet â—arther the Scriptures also do confirm all that I have brought for Reason to be both truly Rational and Divine Deut. 33.13 Concerning Joseph it is said by Moses that his blessing shall be of the precious things of the Sun and Moon Now it is well known that amongst other of these precious things by that Tribe enjoyed was the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes whence follows it that it is in the power of the Sun and Moon amongst other precious blessings under God to influence a man unto the Dignity of a Crown and so to fortunate his affairs as to bring about the enjoyment of it Hos 2.21 God promiseth by the Prophet Hosea how he will hear the Heavens and they shall hear the Earth and be Earth the Corn and Wine and Oyl and they Israel Wherein he shews us that as Man lives by Corn and Wine so they by the Earth and so the Earth by the Heavens And if so then from the Heavens is it that the Earth receives that vertue whereby it brings forth all Smell Colour Deut. 28.12 and Virtue Moses tells us God shall open his good Treasure the Heaven and that not onely to give rain unto the Land but also to bless all the work of the hand Whence it is evident that there lodges in the Celestial Bodies a Faculty of fortunating Civil Affairs as well as of managing natural things and that the root of all Earthly Blessings is from Heaven Moses says again Deut 4.19 that the Sun Moon and Stars God hath distributed to all Nations under Heaven And the Psalmist speaking of the Sun and Heavens Psal 19.1 2 3 4 5. says They declare the glory of God and shew forth his handy-work Day and night do continually tell of them and that their voice is heard into all Languages and their words are gone into the ends of the world By which it appears that the Heavens and all the Stars therein are full of such Virtues as the whole World hath need of And these Vertues God hath given unto the Heavens for this purpose His Spirit saith Job hath garnished the Heavens Job 26.13 And by the Spirit of his mouth saith the Psalmist was the whole Army of Heaven made Psal 33.16 Sect. 9 Argumentation from Gods Eternal Prescience Acts 15.18 Known unto God saith St. James are all his works from the beginning of the world These Works are either Natural or Miraculous The Natural Works of God are that whole frame of the Creation together with all Circumstances and Concerns relating thereunto in times past present and future which as a most curious piece of Art The frame of Nature compared to a Watch. Ezek. 1.2 2 3 c. to the end consisteth of all the Story of the whole World and yet is all set together in one onely entire piece of Workmanship it is like unto a Watch made up of a world of small Wheels wrapt up together one within another and yet all taking one from another and working one by and under another until you come unto the Master-wheel or first Mover which being wound up at the Creation with the Line of Time How God foresees all passages of the World by a certain order as a Watch-maker knows the Wheels of his Watch. 2 Pet. 3. of a seeming infinite length of Thread wreathed up together upon the Wheel has ever since the beginning been winding off unto this present Age and yet is there still more Line upon the Wheel but how much remains is kept onely in the breast of the Almighty but when this Line shall be utterly wound off then will this frame of Nature find its period and all Wheels must cease their motion Now in the mean time as the Watch-maker knows all the Wheels Pullies and little Pins in the Watch as perfectly as a man knows the Cloaths on his back or how to put them on or off so knows the Great and Almighty God the whole World and all the Wheels Pullies and Pins contained in every part thereof and this infinitely better than we know the Fingers of our Hands or Toes of our Feet To every man that is born of a Woman there is a certain order or course of his life how he runs thorow Health and Sickness Honour and Dishonour and all the passages of his Life from his Cradle to the Grave For Man is of himself as it were a little World within himself How every man is compared to one Wheel of the great Worlds frame and a Work
men are not apt to beleive the Doctor that every seventh day they are so critical and stirring But rather say they sometimes that Stir and Alteration in the Patient happens on the third or fourth day or on the ninth and tenth day as the Moon happens to arrive at her â–¡ or ☠in so many days after the Patient fell amiss And however the Doctor happened to be sleepy or heedless when the story was told him he might have taken notice how generally the people cry out upon the full and new Moon for exasperating acute Diseases and how many there be who die about those times And had he heeded the World of experiments of this kind he had not been found so grossly â—ardy in calling the stirs and alterations in the Patient in dependent on the course of the ☽ And truly seeing the Doctor was so kind to us I am sorry he was so vilely slur'd in his intelligence with so many and so ugly mistakes But what 〈◊〉 the Doctor would have had from hence First That without fear or wit we have bestowed Houses two apeice upon the rest of the Planets though neither reason nor effect answerable Secondly That such small hints as these are the solidest foundations of the Phantastick structure of Astrology But how easily are these by-â—ows awarded off For First All the Doctor 's reasons for what he alledges I have shewed to have been started and brought in without fear or wit and therefore are no reasons Secondly Were they never so reasonable yet is there the very same reason why â™’ should be the one House of ♄ as he himself alledgeth why ♌ should be the House of ☉ And as much reason why ♑ should be the other House of ♄ as he affirms why ♋ should be ☽ 's House For if the hottest Planet may have that House where he is at hottest why may not the coldest Planet have that House where he is at coldest And if the ☽ who is a freind of Nature may be housed in the most vertical Sign why may not ♄ who is the Enemy of Nature dwell in the most unvertical And if so why then says the Doctor without fear or wit or without reason or effect answerable we have given houses two apeice to the other Planets whilst we have the very same reason for one as himself gives for the other And why will the Doctor thus shamelesly slur his own Worship with such unbecomeing stories to his own Reverence Thirdly Be the Structure of Astrology so phantastick as the Doctor says why then does he himself lay the foundation of it For does not he grant it to be truth which we alledg of the Houses of ☉ and ☽ And if so then it seems there is somtâ—ing in Astrology though not so much as we pretend to and this by the Doctor 's own Concession Why then crys he a phantastick Structure of Astrology Lastly Why does he charge us to have 〈◊〉 reason nor effect answerable for the Houses of the other Planets besides the Sun and Moon For if the Doctor knows of none we have yet had he asked we could have told him reason enough Or he might have understood it out of Sir Christopher Heydon And I doubt not but I have shew'd him in my foregoing Discourse of what Astrology is Sect. 11 Well all that has past hitherto were but the Doctor 's flourishes it seems Now comes this Battery henceforwards and that with such a menace of Shatter at us that woe be to poor Astrology it shall not so much as find room in the imaginations of men Ch. 16. § 7. ending Now therefore good Readers prepare to make clean and rid your imaginations for loe this Battery is planted First He begins in § 8. That they prefer the Planets before the fix't Stars is without all reason the Planets being but Heaps of dead matter much like that of Earth and having no light but what they borrow from the Sun For that which seems to be the innate light of the Moon is but the reflexion of the Sun 's beams from the Earth Wherefore their activity and influence may justly seem less then that of the fix't Stars which shine with innate and not borrowed light This is the first Battery have at your imaginations good people therefore For be the fix't Stars to be preferred above the Planets woe be to us we are gone But heark a little how does he argue The Planets are Heaps of dead matter much like that of Earth but the fixed Stars are not so But how came the Doctor to know thus much I trow was he ever up so high as the third or second Heaven to see these things that he is so peremptory at it that they are so Or has he had private conference with St. Paul concerning those things unspeakeable as he told us in publick in these Heavens so high Or if neither 2 Cor. 13.3 4. did not some wandering Daemons of the Air bring him the Intelligence Which if perhaps so yet good people take heed your imaginations be not fooled for the Devils are Liars never to be beleived But what seems most likely is as he said before some late Philosophers have said so Ch. 16. § 1. And the Doctor himself crys it 's highly probable or as much as to say I think so What tame imaginations I marvail aâ— those which must be cleared of all room for Astrology with such pitiful Batteries as the Doctor 's Think so 's But let me beg the favour of the Gentlemen before they clear the room to spend an Ha ha ha or two upon these pretty Batteries which are like throwing stones at the Wind and never touch it But what do we talk for it may be the Planets are but dead matter for some say it's like enough so Yea but says another will the Doctor himself swear it for else no body is able to witness it For in good earnest I am willing enough my self to have it so if it could be proved And it may be I think so too but what the better Well go on Doctor Secondly says he They have no light but what they borrow from the Sun But how proveâ— he this For that which seems to be the inâ—aâ— light of the Moon is but the reflexion of the Sun 's beams from the Earth But before we answer this let the Doctor remember Ch. 16. § 3. where his own Worship avers That it is an insufferable folly to argue from such reasonable and palpable effects of the Moon that the other Planets also are the same which yet we can deprehend by neither reason nor experience Here now it 's come home to him The Moon says he has no innate light but what she borrows this is reasonable and palpable but what reason or experience can deprehend that ♄ ♃ ♂ and ☿ must therefore have none also Oh the insufferable folly therefore of the Doctor 's own Worship and of these great Batteries Now therefore aware your
Man and the Corruption and the Crush which the World endured thereupon nor the infinite Sins of after-Mankind and the Desolations that do continually follow thereupon did necessarily require any correction or amendment of that first Frame But such was the infinitely to be admired and never enough to be adored Forecast and Providence of God that at one View appearing unto him all the several Turnings and Windings of all mens Wills and the total Sum and Upshot of of all Virtue and Vice He did at once so contrive that all Fates of Prosperity and Adversity of Reward and Punishment should so fall out and come to pass as to answer the Virtues and Prayers of the Righteous and the Vices and Villanies of the Wicked each according to their Works in due and fit suiting times Now the Substance of this great and glorious Frame which the Almighty hath made is that which we call the World And this World consisteth of the Heavens Gen. 1.1 and the Earth And the Form of it is as the Prophet Ezekiel hath described it after the manner of a Wheel Ezek. 1.15 16. and that so as One Wheel hath many Wheels within the same involved one within another And as the Prophet sayes so we find it by Mathematical Demonstration that the Earth is indeed a round Globe of Sea and Land and this Globe is circumscribed by the Air as within a greater Wheel which is globous too and the Heavens are as it were a great Workmanship of many Wheels wrapt up together one within another and the Earth and the Air wrap't up in the innermost of them all Such are the Subjects of Nature The Forms informing this Natural Substance Ezek. 1.10 as the Prophet also describes them are four Living Creatures immeasurably endued with Wisdom and Courage and Agility and Strength as they are described unto us Hieroglyphically in the shapes of a Man an Eagle a Lyon and an Oxe and all of them with Wings for our better Understanding of the same And that work which the Prophet ascribes unto These seems to be the same which Plato attributed unto the Soul of the World By These are all the Wheels of Nature put into Motion and actuated and hence comes Life and spirit and power and virtue into the Heavens and from the Heavens into the Earth and from the Earth into Man and Beast so as one Wheel moveth another and all of them do move one within another and these in and thorow all of them and hence come the Magnetical Wonders in Nature and all Virtues of Sympathy and Antipathy which work by invisible concoction of sucking and expelling Now beyond and above these four Angels as the Prophet sayes is Fire and Light Ch. 1.22 26 27 28. and dreadful Majestie of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost Rom. 11.36 Of whom and for whom and to whom are all things To whom be glory and honour and praise for evermore The great and chief Subjects of this World are Angels and Men the one in Heaven and the other upon Earth The Angels are either Good or Bad and do know their Reward or Doom But Mens Works are yet upon the Anvil and Time with them is still going on Alas we Mankind are very miserable by Nature as we may thank our selves for it but yet is there an happiness in store for us may we be so wise as to lay hold of it Alas we are utterly lost in our selves and no strength remaineth either to will or to do ought that is good Only in Civil Affairs we have a Will to do a little weak as it is and free to do evil But thanks be to our God who has sent a Saviour and with him Grace that loosens the Fetters of Will and puts strength into us that we may be able to accept of good things that are offered He forceth no mans Will only by Grace infuses power and so leaves us to chuse or refuse and hence some do embrace Life and others oppose Hence followes Virtue and Vice and after that Prosperity and Adversity Sickness and Health Life and Death and all the Vicissitudes of Nature And though the Accidents Good and Bad of one mans Life are innumerable and though the men who are the Subjects of those Accidents in One Age are also innumerable and though the ages of men since the Creation are innumerable too Yet all these Accidents which do befal all the men of all Ages do come to pass according to a certain Scheme or Method as God by Nature hath appointed And in this Method Men do live by the Earth and the Earth sucks Hos 2.21 22. and drawes all its Virtue from the Heavens and they from the four Angels and they from the Holy Ghost and He receiveth from Christ and Christ from God the Father Now all Mankind have every one of them a certain portion of Wisdom Power and Wealth Wherewith they occupy in this World and operate their Contrivances And many men do take courage grow mighty and purpose as if they would do what they list upon Earth And yet there are two things we do see overtop the wisest greatest and proudest of men in all their enterprizes and these are Time and Chance two mighty Lords upon Earth that do strange things Time is that Motion of Space which proceeded out of Eternity that was before the World began and holdeth on unto Eternity which is to succeed at the Worlds end And out of this one long Time are engendred infinite spaces of Time of great variety of sorts And these are either general or special and both of these sorts are either fortunate or unfortunate Times Eccl. 3.1 2 c. There is a Time of Pleasure and another Time of Pain and Grief a time to rise and a Time to fall a Time to be born and a Time to dy There is a lucky Time of mans life wherein if he go out to battel though with but few men Chap. 9.11 yet he carrieth the day and there is another Time wherein though he go out with forces never so great yet shall he be so unlucky as to lose all that he fights for So also is there a Time when Overtures of Marriage shall come luckily but a mans desires answer not and there is a Time when desires of Marriage shall strongly prompt but Overtures will prove unlucky but there is a Time too when desires and Overtures shall suit together And so also there is a Time when Riches shall offer themselves whether a man sleep or wake and anon again though a man pursue them with wings yet so unlucky a Time occurrs as shall render all his Endeavours fruitless Some men do come into the World in a lucky hour so as whether they be wise or foolish yet shall they be buoyed up upon the wings of fate for matter of Wealth or Honour or Pleasure in all that they take to while wiser and better men smitten
lawfully and fairly this Science may be attained The Introduction I shall first shew its Pedigree and Rise and thence its Essence and the true natural meaning thereof Sect. 2 Astrology is the most excellent part of that noble Science which is called Physiology Of Natural Philosophy and the meaning and order thereof or Natural Philosophy Physiology is a Science of Natural Bodies The Body Natural may be conceived either generally as it is but one great Body or else specially as it may be divided into two or subdivided into many thousand several Bodies The general Body of Nature is called the World or the whole World which as it is generally considered makes all of it but One entire Body This general Body admits of many special Divisions and Subdivisions And first it parteth into two Branches making one Body Natural called Coelestial and another called Terrestrial And hence arise two Sciences the one of which may fitly be called Oranology or Astrology and the other Geology Sect. 3 Of Geology or Natural Philosophy Terrestrial and the meaning thereof Geology is a Science that treateth of the Natural Body called the Earth and speaks either generally of the whole Earth or specially of the parts or some particular part thereof This Science of Geology is either meerly Speculative or else for practise also Odder thereof Speculative Geology consisteth in the meer knowledge of the Earth in whole or in part and of the Principles and Affections thereof and to this purpose it treateth either of the common being of any earthly thing meerly as it is a Being abstract from all manner of Matter both intelligible and sensible and as it acteth thus it is called Metaphysical or Supernatural Philosophy Or else it discourseth of a movable Being in its Matter and that as it is perfectly material and this is Natural Philosophy properly so called or else 3ly it handleth things conversant in matters intelligible but not sensible as they are the Abstracts of Matter and this is called Mathematical or Abstract Philosophy Of this sort of Science the subject is Quantity and this is either Continued or Discreet If of Continued Quantity the Science treateth then it is called Geometry or its subordinate Perspective But be the Quantity Discreet the Science treateth of then is it called Arithmetick or its subordinate Musick Natural Philosophy properly so called treateth of Terrestrial Bodies either Simple or Mixt. The Simple Bodies are the four Elements called Fire Air Earth and Water which among them do so fill all places of the Earth from the utmost and inferiour Bodies of the Heavenly matter unto the inmost centre of the Earth so as there remaineth no such thing as Vacuity any where under the cope of Heaven Mixt Bodies are compounded of the four Elements and are either Animate or inanimate Bodies Animate Bodies are either Vegetive Sensitive or Rational Now while the Learned Artist studies the Earthly Body Natural the Sciences of Geography History and Chronology do naturally flow from that Study The first of these describeth the situation of the Earth the second declareth the story of all that was ever seen or done in it and the third telleth how much time hath passed from the Creation unto every time present Subordinate to these are Topography and particular Stories of Places and Chronologies of particular Periods Practical Geology or Natural Philosophy consisteth in such a practise as maketh use of Speculation for the profit of Mankind so as to leave a track or fruit of its operation remaining after the act is past and gone And this is a sort of Study that is called Art rather than Science The Subject of this Art is either Man himself or something else If Man himself be the subject to be practised upon then is the business either to teach him Manners and this is called Ethical Philosophy or else to teach him the Art of Reasoning and this is called Logical Philosophy or else to teach him the Art of Speaking and this is called Grammatical or Rhetorical Philosophy If something else be the Subject then either it is the Earth or the Fruits of the Earth If the Earth then is the business to dress and till it and this kind of doing is called the Art of Agriculture If the Fruits of the Earth then the business is to prepare them so that they may become fit for Health or Wealth or Food or Cloth or a thousand things as Mankind hath need of If for Health then this doing is called the Art of Medicine if for Cloth or Food c. then it is called the Art of Cloathing Drapery Cookery or by as many names as Man has uses to employ the Fruits of the Earth about Sect. 4 Of Oronology or Astrology or Natural Philosophy Celestial and the meaning and order thereof Now after the manner of the Terrestrial World so is the Celestial Astrology or rather Oranology is a Science that treateth of the Natural Body called the Heaven and speaks either generally of the whole Heaven or specially of some particular part thereof This Astrology or Vranology as it is a part of Physiology so has it the same Principles whether Internal as Matter and Form or External as the Causes Efficient and Final Principles of their own nature and Chance and Fortune Principles by accident It hath also the same Affections Internal a Motion and Rest Finity and Infinity and External as Place and Time Vranology is either meerly Speculative or also Practical Speculative Vranology consisteth in the meer knowledge of the Heavens either in whole or in part and of the Principles and Affections thereof and to this purpose it treateth of these things either Metaphysically or Mathematically or meerly Naturally Mathematically it treateth of Astronomy or Vranometry which is a Science that treateth of the Magnitude or Measure or Number of the Heavens or of the Stars of Heaven Naturally it treateth of the Heavenly Bodies and their Nature Motion Aspects and Operations And hence follows the Science of Astrology or Vranology whose business it is to study and declare these things and the reasons thereof Practical Astrology or Natural Philosophy is That Art whereby a man does so imploy his skill in the Nature of the Heavenly Bodies as to make a lasting profit and advantage of it to the use of himself or of Mankind in general Hence follows Judiciary Astrology which is an Art that by certain known and long experienc'd Rules discerns future Contingencies how and when they are to come to pass by the situation of the Heavens and the Stars therein and by their Motions and Aspects compared with the knowledge of their Nature and Operations So as in the main Astrology is nothing else but a Bundle of Aphorisms or Experiments which the wisdom of all Ages hath gathered up together concerning the Nature and Acting of the Heavens and hath communicated and published for the common good of Mankind Some of these were brought to light
by Shepherds others by Husbandmen and Seamen and some by Scholars and all communicated together Sect. 5 These Experiments they have gained from the Heavens as Physicians do theirs concerning Medicine from the fruits of the Earth their way is to gather Herbs and taste them how they are hot or cold in the First Second or Third Degree and to try them what their effects are in Potion or Plaister and hence learn they to understand what each Herb or Flower Metall or Mineral is able to bring forth And after this manner by virtue of a muititude of Experiments and a constant observation from time to time and at all times have they invented and brought up the famous Art of Physic and Chyrurgery After this very same manner has the Astrologer gained all his whole skill of the Heavens Taste them indeed he cannot but he has his Eye and his Ear and his sense of Feeling and his reason of Apprehension and judgment to observe the effects of the Heavens and their influences upon Man and Beast and upon the whole Earth and hence he is able to argue from the Effect to the Cause what the Nature is of Heaven in general and in particular and of many of the Stars what they are able to produce And after this manner by virtue of a multitune of Experiments and a constant observation from time to time and at all times have Learned Men invented and brought to light this famous Art of Vranology commonly called Judiciary Astrology and there is no more of Diabolical Art in this than there is in the study and practice of Physic and Chyrurgery there being not a tittle in this but what is learned after the same manner as are they all being the progeny of Experience and Observation Of the Subject of Uranology the Heavenly Body Natural and its confiderations and be there any difference this is the eldest Sister and the most ingenious Art of them all Sect. 6 The subject of Vranology and that as well of the Speculative as of the Practical part of that Science is the Body Natural of Heaven Heaven is a Body Natural most simple solid spherical clear and moving constantly in a Circle and this by virtue of an innate power always within it self And thus far all the Learned Philosophers generally do assent and agree This Heaven waxeth old as doth a garment as witnesseth the holy Writ Moreover the Effects do shew as much the stature of Man in every Age decreasing and the fruitlesness of the Earth in general continually increasing as if the Heavens above failed to supply Natures off-spring below with their wonted stock of vertue The matter of this Heaven is not the same with that of the four Elements or either of them either simple or mixt but either is of a purer and more excellent mold than any of them or else is a most pure quintessential matter composed beyond all that Art or Earthly Nature was ever possibly able to contrive This Body Natural of Heaven is to be considered either in its own proper matter or in respect of the Codies therein moving Heaven in its own proper matter is to be considered in its Quantity Quality or Action The Quantity of Heaven consisteth in Number and Measure Sect. 7 The Quantity of Number seemeth to divide the great Body of Heaven into several and different Orbs. Some are of opinion Of the Number of the Heavenly Orbs. that there are ten or eleven of these distinct Orbs of the Heavens that is ten of them besides the Emperial Heaven whose immensity no mortal man is able to comprehend Others suppose there are but eight of these Orbs that is seven Orbs of the seven Planets besides that one of the fixed Stars all of them containing every one his inferiour Orb within his own Circle wrapping one about another like the several Coats of an Onyon and the Sun or the Earth inclosed in the Centre of all like the Ball in the midst of the Onion of which some say one and some say the other to be the innermost but Astrology makes little matter which and so whether there be eight or ten of the Heavenly Orbs or more or fewer Astrology makes but little of concern or whether there be but one general Orb wherein the Planets and fixed Stars do ride in their several Circuits loose from the Heavenly Body as Birds flying in the Air or as Fishes swimming in the Sea Astrology does not undertake to decide But howsoever or which way soever we do account either the Sun or Earth to be the Centre of the World or the Orbs to be more or fewer or to be fixed to the Planets and Stars or loose from them both as we cannot say certainly how they are seeing they are so much above our reach of reason and comprehension so we need not greatly care or concern our selves saving for recreation in our meer Speculations Yet sure it is by perfect Demonstration That from the Centre of the World unto the utmost limits of the Starry Heaven there is a vast and immense Body of Heaven consisting of that most simple solid spherical and clear matter so as if it were most excellent refined Crystal we are able to go thorow all all which St. Paul seemeth to account but one Body of Heaven the Air between that and us making the (a) Psal 8 8. Dan. 7.2 13. first Heaven and that vast Body a (b) Gen. 1 17. second beyond which that holy Man being wrapt up was in the Emperial Heaven above all where he saw and heard things unspeakable in the (c) 2 Cor. 12.2 Matth 6.9 chap. 24.36 third Heaven Sect. 8 The Quantity of Measure cuts out this whole Body of Heaven into several spaces of Heighth Depth and Width Of the measure and space of the Heavens as they are commonly divided These spaces of Measure are chiefly bounded by the Equinoctial Line and the two Polar Points The Equinoctial Line is a great Circle which we imagine to compass the whole World of Heaven and Earth in that space extending from the Orb of the Moon unto the Emperial Heaven where the Days and Nights are of equal length all the whole year about The Polar Points are those two Points in the immense Ball of the World which are equidistant from the Equinoctial Line the one in the utmost Northern and the other in the utmost Southern point Now this Equinoctial Line is conceived to be precisely 360 Degrees in its whole circuit or divided into so many equal parts of space and every one of those Degrees is divided into the space of 60 Minutes or 60 several parts of a Degree and every Minute into as many Seconds And as the Equinoctial is so is the Meridian conceived to be the space of 360 Degrees This is another great Circle extending from the one Polar Point unto the other and twice cutting the Equinoctial Line compasseth the whole World from North to South as the
For as much as the Earth as well as ♄ and ♃ moves about the Sun and is as much a Planet as any of them As the best Astronomers do not at all now adays stick to affirm Which do's utterly enerv◠the force of this first general pretence of the Astrologians Now I see the Doctor is in good earnest and does really think us Astrologers to be meer Fools who will aptly be bang'd out of our Argument with meer topical Arguments But who made this man a Doctor I marvel It is highly probable says he and that 's the utmost of his Argument and yet how confidently he concludes that this first general pretence is utterly enervated yea utterly cast down and lost But what if the Earth were certainly a Planet And the Planet ♄ ♃ c. were all Mothers of living Creatures as well as the Earth what 's all this to the purpose God made the Stars and Planets for us and to influence us and whatever Chimera's may dwell within them yet as the Argument says be there nothing in the Art of Astrology notwithstanding shall they be useless to us Thus see how this Reverend Doctor proves that there are Castles in the Air by eating of Apple-pies and he who has but a competent patience let him listen to his close way of reasoning or the way of his close reasonings as the Doctor calls for them to do Ch. 16. § 17. But it seems the Doctor was well enough aware what rotten legs his Argument stood upon For else why did he make such provision against its fall Though there were says he certain virtues and influences in every one of them yet it does not follow that they are discovered in their Art This is his reserve now in case his sore place should hap to be rubbed But neither will this help him For First It follows that for certain then there is a certain Art of Astrology But Secondly Whether our Art be that true Art I shall leave 'till I come to treat more fully of that subject Sect. 7 Next Ch. 16. § 2. He undertakes to answer to that of the various productions of Nature how they can be be it not for that infinite variety of the Coelestial Bodies the Stars and their several influences upon the Earth and Water which are such simple Bodies of themselves And he says That though there were this variety in them yet because this variety reacheth every point of the Earth the product would be the same unless the particles of the Earth were diversified by some other Cause Next that neither the variety of influence of the Stars nor of the Heavens if they are meerly material are sufficient causes of productions here below Again that the Coelestial matter is every where and that the Earth swim's in it as Wood does in Water so that we need not have recourse to so remote unknown activitiesr And lastly that the general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the spirit of Nature is every where ready to contrive the matter into such shaps and virtues as its disposition makes towards And this is enough and more then enough to take off the edge of the Knight's Argument Well fare a good forehead however right or wrong But be it so that the spirit of Nature is every where ready yet how knows he that the Coelestial matter is also every where We know that this Earth whether it be fixt or moveable however is wrapt up in the Air and swadled with Clouds and various Meteors And beyond that how it swims in the Coelestial matter the Doctor may aptly inquire and suppose and when he has done all it s but his opinion And therefore out of what he does not certainly know he can make no certain proof But be this Coelestial matter never so much as himself conceives or would have it yet he must remember that Nature operates not confusedly but in a just order and method and not according to any list or choice of her own but as she is ordered by her Maker in a certain Method and that not all immediately out of Coelestial matter as the Wood swimming in Water nor yet by one sort of Instrument but as she has a vast Fabrick or Work-house to work in and Millions of Tools to work by and all those have their several imployments and therefore are not intermixt as the liquid water mingling all together within it self in one entire Body but are situat each in their ranks and places so neither the Earth nor the Air about it can be so situat as to swim all parts of it at once in the Coelestial matter much less to apply every part of the Earth to its proper Instrument of Nature so as to be wrought by it with an immediate conjunction But these productions here below must necessarily be caused by the Activity of remote Instruments and their Influences but whether those Influences be material or immaterial I am not concerned to prove Yet whether they are the one or the other are they certain causes of productions at as great a distance as the Starry Heavens are from the Earth as may be seen in the influence of the Polar Star which draws the Magnetical Needles pointing upon it self from the utmost Southern Coasts But what is most to be admired with me is with what strange confidence or forgetfulness the Doctor can deny what he professes elsewhere to be a truth It is in his Immortality of the Soul B. 11. Ch. 10. § 6. Where he acknowledges that the Weapon-Salve applied to the knife that made the wound does cure the wound it self Now if Salve which is a material thing can operate thus at a distance from the wound and that as some say at a hundred Miles off from the weapon whereto it is applied why shall the Stars be rendred insufficient to do as much or more according to that degree they are in virtue beyond all that the Earth is able to produce But says the Doctor this is not by a Mechanical but by a Magical sympathy in a lawful sense And what does the Doctor know but this of the Stars may be so too Or rather how came the Doctor to understand that this sympathy of the Weapon-Salve is not Mechanical Has he an eye so curious as can watch the Air and that so as to be able to say what strings more subtil thin and fine then Air it self do run along between the knife and the wound and that so as to carry the sympathy between the one and the other and all this so exactly as to determine when there is no such matter I doubt rather the Doctor has some ill position of ♂ either upon his Ascendent or the ☽ in his Nativity which inclines him thus rashly to disgrace his Worship by so confidently asserting what is and is not before he half understands how ' t is Such another peice of Rashness is it when he asserts the variety of Coelestial influences reaching every point of the
Stars as well beneath as above the Horizon or only they above the Horizon shed their virtue on the Child If the former be true all Nativities are alike if the later why have they any more then six Houses and why any at all under the Horizon And in good sadness what is their meaning that their Horoscope and the 6th House being Houses of so great concernment should be under the Horizon especially when they are pleased at other times to pronounce that a Star or Planet that is vertical is most efficacious To this we answer The Earth is pervious to all the Rays of the Planets and Stars as well beneath as above the Horizon And yet does it not follow that all Nativities are alike For is it not plain that all kinds of Plants are pervious to the virtues and influences of the same Earth and yet how fat off are they from being all alike or from bringing forth their leaves or flowers alike Does the Vine bear Roses or the Rose-Tree Grapes speak good Doctor why do they not so seeing both are equally pervious to the influences both of the same Earth and the same Sun Now suppose we a man who talks thus contrary to the plain effects of Nature either he has not well studied and digested what he delivers upon Record and then is he one of those whom the World usually stiles temerarious Lack-wits aliàs Fools or else he delivers purposely what he knows to the contrary and then is one of them whom the World calls Cheaters and Knaves Vtrum horum mavis accipe But why the Horoscope under ground being an House of Consequence seeing a Planet is most efficacious when most vertical How strangely thick-skin'd this Doctor would fain seem unto the World Why he may understand that as to matters of honour a Star is most efficacious when vertical but as to matter of Life and Nature he is most efficacious as he ascends because as he says himself he arises from thence as if new born into the World Sect. 19 In his § 14. he flings at the time of a Nativity I say says he it is a curiosity nothing to the purpose to know the very moment when the Child is born First Because the thin covering of the Womb is penetrated continually by the power of the Stars the Child in the Womb is as much exposed to them as when new born This is utterly unnatural as much as for a Thistle to bring forth Violets For the Planets take their charge every one of them in order And unto every new imployment they receive a new charge A Child in the Womb is but an Appendix to the Mother and is nourished by the blood which nourishes herself as if a part of herself ' til separated from her At the time of Conception therefore the Stars can have no farther charge of their Nursery then while it is in the Womb fixed unto the Body of the Mother But so soon as the Child draws breath of its own the former imployment of the Heavens upon it being ended a new begins and so the imployment of the Stars upon the Child begins immediatly as it draws it's breath Secondly He urge's How hard and lubricous a matter is it to come to that exactness which they pretend to be requisite First Because they must know the exact longitude of the place a thing of extreme uncertainty or else the exactness of time does no good The exact Longitude matters us not therefore that 's false The Latitude does but that it is so extream uncertain as the Doctor alledges is false again Or if there were some small uncertainty of exact Minutes they break no squares as to any sensible Errors Secondly Because our affectation of the exact time is ridiculous in regard the Child is born by degrees But the Child does not draw it's breath by degrees nor is the Navil-string cut off from the Womb by degrees and therefore the objection is ridiculous only But how shall this moment be known says his Worship By a Minute Watch But how if they have none or be not in the same room Then must they beleive the Midwife Yes Mr. Doctor they must so and a very pleasant story your Worship tells and it 's true But how many Nativities have been cast without that say you Your Worship may go count them say I. And yet will they confidently predict Fates and Destinies upon a certain time given them you say And it may be so what 's next Well I know where his Shoo pinches It greives him it seems that we have rules and ways to find out a time uncertain as if it were most certain as it appears really to be by our rules of Art Sect. 20 In his § 15. he snuffles at these rules But because I would have some end of words let him abound in his own sense and suppose we the Trutine and Animodar as he exclaimes although we know the worth of those matters is beyond his reach and come we to treat with him of the way of correcting a Scheme by Accidents only This says he at first sight is Lubricous Because for his part he thinks it demonstrable from inward Sense Reason and Holy Writ that there is Free-will in men Whence it will follow Quod multa accidunt hominibus praeter naturam praeterque fatum and therefore Diseases Imprisonments Disgrace and Preferment may be brought upon us by the free Agency of others or our selves and that sooner or later according as mens Virtues or Vices act Which takes away all certainty of Computation by accidentia Nati This may most of it be granted unto the very last Consequence and Conclusion that therefore it takes away all certainty c. For thus far agrees our Maxim in Astrology Sapiens dominabitur Astris But to comply with the Doctor 's slackness of apprehension in this sort of learning I 'le make it appear to him by examples of his own challenging And First As for Diseases and particularly to instance in a Feaver as the malevolent Aspect of ♂ draws on it corrupts the Food we take in its turning into blood and thence working by this corrupted blood disturbances follow in the Heart and Head and the other parts of the Body all which no free Agency is possibly able to prevent But now besides this together with this corrupting influence the Planet also works a certain promptitude unto excess in taking in meats and that especially in desire after such kind of meats as naturally heighten and inflame the Distemper And here is it that the free agency of man lies Sapiens dominabitur c. A wise man can rule the Stars that is he can deny himself when he feels a promptness to such things as will certainly harm him and thus by striving against this part of the Influence he absteins and by accustoming himself thereto begets an habit of abstinence and by virtue of that habit he abates much of the Diseases force whence it becomes far