could give Names to all the Beasts of the Field and to all the Fowls of the Aire Gen. 2. 16. But not a word do we read of his giving Names to the Stars of Heaven God saith expresly the Host of Heaven cannot be Numbred Jer. 33. 32. Hereupon Man is forced to call a whole House of Stars all by one Name such a Constellation containing each a Bundle of Stars The 3d. Remark is as the Stars are to be admired for their being above Name and Number so likewise no less admirable is both their Station and Motion The Great God hath set a Tabernacle in the Heavens for all those Nameless and Numberless Stars as well as for the Sun Psal 19. 4. 5. Each individual Star hath its distinct and particular Station as every great Cart-nail hath its proper place round about the Ring or Rimm of the Cart-wheel where it remains unmoveable every Star hath kept its Station ever since the Creation to this Day not one particular Star hath left its peculiar Place for almost 6000 Years Though some Angels left their first Habitation Jude v. 6. Yet never did any one Star forsake its own Tabernacle wherein its Creator at first placed it Indeed Metaphorical Lucifer did fall from Heaven Isa 14. 12. But the Literal and Real one to witt that call'd Venus the Morning and Evening star never yet did so The Stars are call'd the Host of Heaven Jer. 33. 22. They are Gods Army that have their Stands and Stations they all Stand in Battalia by the Appointment of their Maker and Master Jehovah is their Chief Lord General who hath set them in Rank and File by an Ordinance of Heaven Jer. 31. 35. c. No Star ever yet brake its Rank from the Foundation of the World Yet this Coelestial Host or Army hath not only its Stand and Station but also its March and Motion yea which is the more marvellous they both Keep their Station and hold their Motion at one and the same point of Time Their Station is certain and peculiar though their Motion be constant and perpetual This may be exemplyfied by a familiar Instance every Cart-nail in the Tire of the Wheel keeps its place where it is fixed while the Wheel runneth its Round and makes a progress T is not the Nail but the Wheel that makes the Circular Motion no more is it the Star that moves but the Orb or Sphere wherein it is fixed which carrys about the Star as the Wheel the Nail in its continual Circulation Thus likewise 't is further demonstrated by a well-disciplin'd Army every Soldier not only keeps to his own Colours but also marches orderly in his place whether a left Hand or a right Hand Man to his Rendezvouz he duly observing his Generals Order both for his Station where and his Motion whether at one and the same Time And no doubt but Gods Host of Heaven is a well disciplin'd Army every Star in Heaven is under a Law and Ordinance made by the God of Heaven God asks Job knowest thou the Ordinances of Heaven Job 38 33. Canst thou tell how to order the whole Host of Heaven as Master and Governor over them or canst thou guide or direct the Motion of that single Constellation Arcturus and his Sons ver 32. which ever whirleth Round about the Northern pole but never goes down the Horizon 't is the work of God alone to order every Star in its Course Yea to make the matter still more admired this motion of the Stars is made either without wandring or weariness 1st without wandring All the fixed Stars do constantly keep their way and their time as well as Place and Station in both their Nocturnal and Diurnal Motion 1 they do hold their way wherein their Maker hath confined them with so much exactnéss that they have no Epicycles as the Planets have nor any Eccentrick Motions but fulfil their Circles and Revolutions without the least Deviation Hence it is observed that those Inhabitants directly under the aequinoctial have a prospect of all and every Star equally for 12. Hours above the Horizon for there the Sphere is Direct but where it is oblique some Stars rise together yet do not set together yet none vary an Hairs-breadth from their appointed Lines of Circumference Neither 2 do they vary the time appointed them but do precisely observe it even to a Minute hereupon the Psalmist celebrates Gods Praise For the outgoings of the Morning and Evening Psal 65. 8. for the exact Vicissitude of Day and Night and the admirable Equipage the Host of Heaven marcheth in according to the Ordinances of Heaven from the Lord of Hosts Jer. 31. 35. The Sun Moon and Stars know and observe precisely their time both of going down and of rising up Psal 104. 19. 20. which all the Powers of Hell and Potentates on Earth can neither Hinder nor Hasten Job 38. 12. Psal 74. 16. 17. Yea so exact and regular is their Motion that Men who knows not where themselves shall be or what shall befall them to Morrow Prov. 27. 1. can write Ephemerides what Eclipses will be for many Years to come in what point of Heaven and what Hour of Day or Night such and such Positions Conjunctions Oppositions c. will happen yea not only when the Sun will rise and set all the Round Year but also that the Tail Star of the Great Bear will early and late point directly to Arcturus that Arcturus shall rise exactly when the Sun sets upon the 10th of March and that the great Star of the Lyon and of the Great-Dog though they rise together yet the Dog Star will set some Hours before Cor Leonis because their Sphere is oblique as to us this latter being neerer to the Tropick of Cancer as the former is to that of Capricorn these and many more Instances not mentioned may demonstrate how they all exactly observe their time and way without wandring Yea and 2dly All this the Stars do Without weariness also In an Host of men on Earth some Soldiers will be found both wandring and weary But in this Host of Heaven so called As none are found wandring in sano sensu So nor can we find one Star that may be reputed weary The Prophet compares God to a Chief Commander calling forth his Companies the Host of Heaven all in his Muster-Roll and laying his Commands upon them though some Soldiers may fail in their March either through Fear or Feebleness as that Aegyptian did 1. Sam. 30. 11. 12. 13. but not so much as one Star ever failed Isa 40. 26. though their March be many Millions of Miles round the Circumference and that without Rest and Respit Night or Day Yea and now for almost 6000 Years But one Instance for brevity to wit that afore mentioned 'T is a Matter of of great Admiration that Canis Major and Cor Leonis among the fixed Stars should Run a Race Round about the Globe of the Earth which the
Number of God our Creator who is one in Three and Three in one the Quaternary or Four is the Number of Man the Creature who is made up of the four Elements as are also all Sublunary things call'd Elementary compound Bodies hence it is that all things have a wonderful Harmony of Cohaerency and Rest in the Septenary Number hereupon Philosophy calls io Numerus primus Virgineus Sacer Quietarius 1 The first Number because it made up the first Week 2 The Virgin Number because great is its force and efficacy as a Virgin is in the Flower and Strength of Age so every Seventh Year is computed Climacterical and Seven Nines or 63. is accounted the great one as 7. Years in Law is the Term of a Mans life and 3 Sevens are aequivalent to 3 Lives 3 'T is call'd a Sacred Number because it flows from the Ternary which is the Number of God and the Quaternary the Number of the World as is abovesaid this Note savors not so much of Superstition as it Respects the Nature of Harmony hence the Poets Phrase Perfection of Prosperity by torque quaterque Beati a 3 sold and a 4 fold Happiness 4 'T is the Resting number because the Seventh Day and the Seventh Year in sacred Writ were Sabbatical Every week is call'd Septimana consisting of 7. Days and every Seventh Year produceth some material Alteration Beside the Seventh Number is call'd the Limit and Measure of all inferior numbers and any great number proposed whose Measure is Seven and may be divided by 7. exactly can by no other Means be more certainly sound out than by Division with 7. But above all the Holy Scriptures number all by Sevens accounting the 7th Hour Day Month and Year to be all Sabbatical and the Seven Seventh Year to be a Jubilee a Restitution of all c. And this Harmony between Hours Days Months and Years seems to be intimated Revel 9. 15. Thus also the Law required 7. washings or sprinklings of blood or water and the 7. Lamps in the Inner Court or Holy Place representing the 7. Planets in the Visible Heavens as the greatest Lamp stood in the middle of the other six having 3. on either side so the Sun is seated in the midst as Prince of the Planets having 3. above Him and 3. below Him all attending him as above All the walks of this glorious Sun are shadows of something within the Vail The Eve or Evening was as Eve was to Adam the Wife of the Morning the Jews and other Nations reckon the Beginning of Time as of the Sabbath at Evening and to them that are about the Aequator and to all ar either Aequinox the first 6 Hours brings the Sun to the Mid-night Nadir or Mid-Heaven of the Antipodes and six more to the Morning Horizon six more to the Zenith or noon of the upper Hemisphere six more to its setting again when the Sun hath taken all these Turns of Sixes 6. times over theh comes the 7th or Sabbath Day whereon the Cakes of the Shew-bread were changed 1. Sam. 21. 6. Every 7th Hour as well as every 7th Day made a Pauze or Rest the Sabbath of the Evening Ps 104. 23. of the Midnight or the Morning and of the Noon or Mid-day All Vsherd in by six Hours as the Sabbath is by six days and that 7th is the first Number wherein Heaven and Earth met together God and Man in the first Sabbath worship Numero Deus Impare Gaudet 7. is an odd Number and the 7th Day was not only a Resting but a Refreshing day to God Exod. 31. 17. would to God it were so to us above all the other 6. Days And I know not why this 7th Grand Revolution of those Planets may not bring in a blessed Sabbatism or some Extraordinary Rest and Refreshment seeing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Time of Refreshing or as the Gr. signifies or Cooling the Heat is promised Act. 3. 19. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Time of the Restitution of all things v. 21. wherein all Ruines by Sin shall be Repaired by our Saviour and Blessed Jesus shall take off the Curse and Corruption under which the Creature groaneth Rom. 8 19 20. 21. 22. This great Scripture Truth Divine Plato Hammerd at in his Great Revolution when after many Thousands of Years He saith all things shall be again in statu quo prius as they were at the Worlds beginning in a state of perfection The World waxeth worse and worse and the last being but Dregs are the worst of Times yea not only the Earth but Heaven also grows faint and feeble through old Age. Insomuch that the Sun as Ptolomy saith Runs much nearer the Earth many Thousand Miles now than at the Creation If so then by the same Rule the Planets must do the same and then neither of them have kept their first perfection from whence some Salvo's to arising Doubts may be deducted if this Hypothesis should be taken for Granted But whatever may be said to Ptolomys Assertion I shall endeavor to illustrate that of Noble Tycho Brahe saying that all the 6. Great Conjunctions which only have happened since the Foundation of the World Exclusive to this 16. Century have been Auspicious to the World and Vsherd in some signal Mercies to Man-kind So this 7th in our Century will certainly exceed them all c. as the 6. Days Creation had each of them their Tob Good but the 7th Days Rest was attended with Tob Meod very good So the 6. former Revolutions all brought Tob good to the Church but this 7th suppos'd to be the last will undoubtedly bring Tob Meod very good things with it The Bridegroom at the Marriage feast reserves his Best Wine for the Last Time John 2. 9. 10. Take a short Land-skip of all the former 6. The first under Enoch 800. Years of the World his Name signifies Catechised as Gen. 14. 14. Chanikau Catechised or Trained up in Religion as well as Warfare He was taught of God to walk with God Gen. 5. 24. Hebr. 11. 5. Ecclesiasticus 44. 16. and 49. 14 A great Type of Christ in his Ascension living 365 Years before his Translation after a God pleasing Life and just so long did Christ live in the Purity of the Primitive Church to Julian the Apostate in the Year 365 after Christ He was as all the Patriarks were the Chief Bishop of his Time by whose Labours the Church of God was preserved in that prophane Age He prophecyed of the Destruction of Sinners before Noah did of the Deluge foretelling the Day of Judgment and the Coming of our Lord. Syr. Maran-Atha hence the Jews make him the Author of the great Excommunication Jude v. 14. 15. As Enoch is call'd the 7th from Adam the Church had some Sabbath or 7th Time of Refreshing by him a Rest and Respit from that Vniversal Destruction which came upon the World afterwards Thus Elijah Enochs Brother candidate of Immortality is
AN ASTROLOGICAL AND THEOLOGIGAL DISCOURSE Upon this present Great Conjunction The like whereof hath not likely been in some Ages Usherd in by a Great COMET And so far upon the Heavens the Planets and fixed Stars as is a Necessary Introduction into a Distinct and full knowledg of the Principal Subject Herein Handled When I Consider thy Heavens O Lord Ps 8. 3. Look now toward Heaven and tell the Stars Gen. 15. 5. Lift up your Eyes on High and behold these things Isa 40. 26. Though we may not be Star gazers yet we must be Star-beholders Caril on Job LONDON Printed for Langley Curtis at the sign of Sir Edmond-bury Godfrey near Fleet-bridge 1682. The Figure of the Planets Application Towards their Conjunction which was Usherd in by this COMET ARCHIMEDES beholding both in his Jacobs Staff An Astrological and Theological Discourse upon this Great Conjunction and upon the Heavens the Planets and fixed Stars So far as is necessary to Unfold its Mystery AS this great if not greatest Climactericael Conjunction is Vsherd into the World by a great Blazing Comet so is this Discourse upon the Former by my Half sheet upon the Latter which falling into the Hands of a very Learned and Honourable Gentleman not only found most pleasing Acceptance notwithstanding the Notorious Omissions in it by its negligent Printer who left out two lines in two places of the First page and another most material One in the Second to wit the Third under Moses the Fourth under Solomon the Fifth under Christ so he curtaild my Copy if not made it Non-sense But also it brought forth a Request from Him to me for an Inlargement upon this great Conjunction Touching the Comet which was the Usher to this Conjunction I observed It quite left its Northern Latitude where it first Appear'd and is passed to the Southern posting away from Ursa Major by Arcturus to a little beyond the Aequinoctial line where it hath overtaken the Beams of the Sun and wherein it hath hid it self from our Sight for the present But may If its matter be not all spent before be seen again in the Morning when it hath out run the Sun so come neerer to its Signal Lord and Master the Superior Planets conjoyned to which as an Harbingger and Herald it hath sent out General Summons to look up and admire Leaving therefore the Servant the Comet who hath now Left us having done its Errand and we have Lost it by its Disappearance let us attend upon its Master the Conjunction which it attended upon and hath sounded its Trumpet both North and South to Rouze up Spectators of this so wonderful position of the Planets the like whereof hath not been for Twenty or Two Hundred or Eight Hundred Years past as the Sequel doth demonstrate in following Remarks the 1st Remark is Heaven according to Scripture notion omitting the distinct orbs found out by Philosophy is 3 fold Coelum expansum stellatum gloriosum 1 the Firmament wherein the Fowls do flye which is the Aerial Heaven and hence 't is said the Fowls of Heaven Math. 6. 26. 2 the Aetherial or Syderial Heaven wherein the Sun Moon and Stars are seated and do shine forth hence are they call'd the Stars of Heaven Gen. 22. 17. Deut. 1. 10 c. 3 the Empireal or glorious Heaven the uppermost of all the Seat of the Blessed into which the Apostle had his Rapture 2. Cor. 12. 2. where glorified Saints and glorious Angels dwell with the great God hence 't is said the Angels of Heaven Math. 24. 36. 't is hard to open so much as a Window or Casement for letting men see the Incomprehensible light of that glorious Lodging which is the Palace Royal of the Almighty Jehovah the Chief City and Court of the great King of Kings Omitting this and the first The Second is the Subject of our present Discourse The starry Heaven is but the Floor and Pavement of the glorious Palace though it be a Roof and Canopy over us 't is as it were the spangled Cartain of the Bride-grooms Chamber the glorious and glittering Rough-cast the Under cetling or at least the Utmost Court of the Coelestial Palace The Great Creator hath shew'd much Skill and laid out great Workman-ship upon Heaven a most curious accurate and elaborate Work therefore is it call'd the Work of Gods Fingers Psal 8. 3. a Metaphor from Embroiderers and workers of Tapestry choice Needle work or Watch work they must have nimble Fingers that work such fine Works with Expedition and Exactness and therefore is the Maker of Heaven call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an exact Artist as the word signifies Hebr. 11. 10. and not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Work man or Labourer whose courser Work requires more the Strength of his whole Hand than the Skill and Activity of his Fingers The Great God Erected this most Immense Coelestial Vault without any Ladders Scaffolds Tools or Engines and when He had so done He Garnish'd it with Stars as a Palace is adorned with stately Pictures Job 26. 13. If the Outside and Underceiling of Heaven be fo glorious how much more is the Inside unconceivably so Isa 64. 4. 1. Cor. 2. 9. Psal 31. 19. John the Divine in an extasie of the Spirit maketh search through all the Bowels of the Earth and Sea to find out all the precious Treasures hid in Both as Gold Pearls and precious Stones of all Sorts and all this is done only to be a Dim shadow of Heavens excellency Revel 21. 11. to 21. Yea to resemble the Glory of the new Jerusalem in the last times as to her Walls Windows Gates and the Pavement of her Streets upon which no dirty Dog shall ever trample Isa 54. 11. 12. Revel 21. 27. and 22. 15. When Moses and the Elders got but a glimps of Gods Glory they saw under the Feet of the God of Israel as it were the paved Work of a Saphir-Stone Exod. 24. 10. God dwells in inaccessible Light 1. Tim. 6. 16. Moses could only see the Back-parts of that Glory Exod. 33. 23. Yea such is that surpassing Splendor that the very Angels cover their Faces with both their Wings as with a double-Scarff just as men clap their Hands upon their Eyes when the Lightning flashes in their Faces Isa 6. 2. The 2d Remark is the Stars in the starry Heaven are Numberless and many of them Nameless Psal 147. 4. God can both Name and Number them which is an Exclusive Expression intimating God only but no Man can do it Augustin tells of Aratus and Eudoxus who vainly vaunted that they could both Name and Number them De civit Dei lib. 16. But a better Man than either of them Abraham one who was as the Rabbins say a great Astronomer could never count the Number of them as God saith to him If thou be able c. Gen. 15. 5. Implying it an Impossibility to do it Yea Adam himself in his State of Innocency
Hebrews say is distant from Heaven a 500. Years Journey rise together at their first Creation in one point of time yet though they have been Running their restless Course for neer 6000 Years now neither of them hath fainted or failed in the way so as at any time to outrun each other but still both of those Great Stars observe a precise point of time for their Rising together now as they did at their first setting forth yea and of setting together to those under the Aequinoctial though not so to us through the obliquity of their Circle and Circumference in our Horrizon The same may be said of the other Stars The 4th Remark is that the Great God hath created not only Innumerable and Unnameable Stars that are fixed in the 8th Sphere call'd the Starry Heaven but also seven Planets or wandring Stars as the word Planet signifies so called not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simply but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secundum quid or Comparatively If those Planets be Simply and by themselves considered they have made their several Revolutions in their own distinct Orbs at the most fixed and most unchangeable certain Periods from the Beginning of the World to this present day but to speak comparatively in Respect of the fixed Stars all these Planets are placed under them have a differing Motion from them and hold an unequal distance to them yea and one to another in Respect of their seeming Vagabond and Eccentrick Motion they have various Longitudes Latitudes Conjunctions Oppositions extile Square and Trine Aspects Sometimes they move more swiftly sometimes more slowly as they are higher or lower in their Epicycles sometimes Retrograde Direct or Stationary never keeping the same distance among themselves or to any of the fixed Stars nor holding one and the same Situation in the Firmament as the fixed do Notwithstanding all this no Stars wander less than they do but have a most certain constant stated and regular Motion Duely performing the precise points and periods of their compass in their appointed Times As the Sun knows his going down Psal 104. 19. So do all the other six Planets comprehended in one Verse Post Sum Sum Sequitur proxima Luna subest Wherein S is Saturn J Jupiter M Mars The next S is Sol the Sun V Venus and M Mercury with Luna the Moon All these 7 are call'd wandring Stars for the Reasons above named and this Denomination hath a Divine warrant from the Apostle Jude v. 13. where wandring Stars are mentioned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the sense only of the common Judgment of Sense which beholds them carryed about in a differing Course to the whole Circuit of Heaven beside Two of those 7. Planets are these 2. Great Luminaries or Lights of the World the Sun and Moon both which be a whole Bundle of Wonders The Sun is the Prince of Planets yet as his Hebrew Name Shemesh Signifies is a Servant to Gods Servants He cometh out of his Chamber as a Bridegroom with marvellous Splendor Pomp and Bravery when he first sheweth himself above our Horizon and Rejoyceth as a Champion to Run his Race Psal 19. 4. 5. This he Runs with such a wonderful Swiftness as exceedeth the Eagles Flight more than the Eagle exceeds the slow Motion of the Snail Bellarmine saith the Sun runneth seven Thousand Miles in the Eight part of an Hour Bell. de Ascens Mentis in Deum grad 7. and with such Incomparable Sweetness Eccles 11. 7. that Eudoxus the Philosopher profess'd his Willingness to be burnt up presently by the Sun so he might be but admitted to come so near it as to learn the admirable Nature of it and Chrysostom cannot but wonder at the Suns darting down its Rayes towards the Earth whereas all Fire shooteth and hasteth up toward Heaven I might mention many more Marvels in the Sun were it not besides my present Design As likewise in the other Great Light the Moon cal'd Hebr. Jareach of Rauach to Refresh or Refrigerate because she cools the Earth with her Influences and Moses mentioneth that as the Sun by warmth so the Moon by Moysture make the Earth fruitful Deut. 33. 14. as some will needs place Hell in the Hollow of the Sun so others conceit a World in the Moon the Thinner part to be the Sea and the Thicker which is easy to discern not all alike lightsom to be the Earth However no Planet hath such Changeable Aspects yet Astronomers Affirm she hath as much light in her Wane as in her Full only her bright side is turned toward Heaven Hence Dr Hackwel hath an Excellent Note that therefore God seem'd to set Her lowest in the Heavens and neerest to the Earth of all the 7. Planets to put us daily in mind of the Constancy in Heavenly and Inconstancy of Earthly things Herself in some sort partaking of both though in a Different manner of the one in her Substance and of the other in her Visage to say nothing of the Ecclipses which are the wonders of the World and which Metamorphose even the very Haters of Astrology to become stark-staring Star Gazers to say but little of the two Planets next above the Moon yet under the Sun to wit Venus and Mercury both which do attend alway upon the Sun as Courtiers do upon the King never going far from Him Venus never more than 48 degrees and Mercury but 30 which is the Reason why it is so seldom seen and why both have no other Aspect to the Sun but Conjunction whereas the other Planets have oppositions c. The Morning Star commonly call'd Venus for its Beauty and Bravery is the constant Companion of the Sun and next in bigness as to Appearance to the two Great Lights casting a shadow as the Moon 't is seen long upon the Day and is not darken'd by the Moon in the Night Sed ipsius Contactu fit luc dior Aureo colore in Candorem diffuso The neer Approach of the Moon Changes only its golden Complexion into a more splendid brightness These two in a word Venus and Mercury are call'd Homodromi that is Fellow-Runners because They Run almost in the same course together and fulfills their periods not far asunder never much Remote from the Pallace Royal or Presence Chamber of the Sun their King which is also the Reason why these two never have Ortum Occasum Cosmicum they do not Rise and set with the Sun in that part or point of Heaven c. which is opposite Both keep nigh the Sun sometimes going before it and sometimes following After But omitting the Inferior my main concern at present is the Superior Planets under which the Sun is eated as the Center of all the Stars and the Eye of the World God hath placed it in the midst of the Orbs that it might the more commodiously give light It self being the fountain thereof to both the Superiour and Inferiour Stars and that neither by its propinquity If in the Moons
Stiled the 7th from Adam also not in Respect of Degrees or Gradual Descent as was Enoch the 7th Patriarch not the 7th Person but by way of Computation and in Respect of so many Generations as some Reckon between them Elijah is computed the 7th Prophet from Adam and the first sent to the Gentiles a great Reviver of the Church as his Brother Enoch was and a Restorer of the Law Now here be two 7ths from Adam both Translated into Heaven which may intimate that after the 6000. Year of the World comes the 7th from Adam or 7th Millennium with its strange Translation likewise However this Translation of Enach is call'd Annus Sabbaticus Calvisius Opus Chronolog Page 3. Enoch predicts as a late Reverend writer saith Judicium matutinum the Morning part of the Judgment Day explain'd Dan. 7. 7. 8. 9. as if then to be seen behold he cometh which was not to be till the 7000. Year begin and the Vespertinum or Evening part is after it explained in Revel 20. 7. The Second Climacterical Conjunction by doubling the Number 8 here and all along was in the 1600. Year of the World under Noah in which Century the Universal Deluge destroy'd the wicked World which was then drowned in wickedness before it was drown'd in water Yet the Church had then her Annum Sabbaticum a compleat Year of Rest in Noahs Ark for from November when Noah had laid up all his Stores of the Earthly Fruits and entred the Ark with his Beasts Fowls and Family he remained there till the Beginning of November following As Enoch had been a Cooler to the Church when the wicked world was Hot in wickedness by his contrary Profession prophecying and Practice for which God took him up into Heaven as thinking no place good enough for him upon Earth and whose Translation gave to the Church the first Specimen or Proof that God had prepared another Life after this for his Saints wherein they should live with him in Glory for ever So Noah as his Name signifies was a Comforter to the Church saving her from the Deluge which Reduced the World to its first Chaos or Confusion Gen. 1. 2. when the Waters above the Firmament and the Waters under met again together and brings the Earth once more into her first posture to be covered with Water 'T was a peculiar priviledge that Noah brought the Church nigh God in this great Floud of Waters Psal 32. 6 Enoch was a Prophet foretelling Christs coming and Noah was a Preacher of Christs Righteousness had greater Blessings than Adam having the Promise I will no more destroy c. Gen. 8. 21. 22. the Bow in the Cloud and a new String to his Bow the Everlasting Covenant the pattern of all Covenants with Israel oft mention'd by the Prophets and the Floud made such a Baptism to the Earth also as help'd to wash away its Curse which Cursed Earth shall become so Renewed so Blessed of the Lord yea so much Christs Darling that He Resolves to make it the Centre of his Glory as some suppose at the 7th Millennium or last Revolution of the Superior Planets Revel 5. 9. 10. where the Saints or Angels Rejoice that they shall come out of Heaven to Reign upon Earth thus God tells Moses in the Mount that the Land shall enjoy her Sabbath of Rest not only a Temporal Levit. 26. 34. 46. and 2. Chron. 36. 21. and Levit. 25. 2. 6. But an Eternal one Hebr. 4. 9. which the Lord of the Sabbath Math. 12. 8. Mark 2. 27. 28. Rom. 9. 29. Jam. 5. 4. hath made for man The whole Earth shall be filled with his Glory Numb 14. 21. He will Cover or Atone it Deut. 32. 43. God not Adam named the Earth Erets which signifies of Ratsah to Delight as If He meant to take his pleasure upon it when the Heavens that Canopy and Curtain now hiding his Glory shall pass away as a Scroll of parchment before the Fire God will come to keep his Sabbath of Rest on Earth and here accept his People then the Land of Canaan more accursed than all Lands while possessed by the accursed Nations shall be most blessed the Glory of all Lands The place of Gods Residence and Delightful Rest Ezek. 26. 6. 40. and 34. 26. 30. Hos 2 20 23. c. The Third great Revolution still adding another 800 falls out in the 2400. y. of the World under Moses when the Church had again another Sabbath of Rest from her long and groaning slavery in the brick bondage of Egypt this is so plain in Scripture History I need not inlarge upon it as upon the 2 former a word only the blessed Messiah which the 7th Revolution may bring in is greater than Moses as much as a Son than a Servant c. Hebr. 3 3 4 5 6. He will plague the Pharaoh of mystical Aegypt with sorer and severer plagues his Vials of wrath Revel 16 till He make him yeeld and let go his People as Exod. 12. 31. He will not only bring his Church into the Wilderness which was all Moses could do leaving the conquest of Canaan to Joshua but bring her also into the Heavenly Country The fourth falls in the 3200. y. of the world adding another 8 to the 24. under Solomon and the Kings of Israel according to incomparable Tycho Brahe this is likewise evident enough in Scripture that the Church had her Sabbath of Rest under Solomon that peaceable King as his Name signifies yea and the Ark of God that had from Moses time hitherto no better harbor than in a Moving and Tottering Tabernacle found a Sabbath of Rest in a standing and stately Temple the wonder of the World not only for his time but for his Godly Successors also Still our Saviour whom the first Revolution ushers into the World in y. 4000. is greater than great Solomon Math. 12 42. He is the Prince of Peace the maker and matter of our peace our Sanctuary and Salvation in whom alone our Souls find a Sabbath of Rest Math 11 29. This needs still less Illustration Go forward then 800. y. more to the Sixth Epocha or Revolution in 4800 y. of the world which brings in Charles the great under whom as the Roman Empire was in its Zenith or most flourishing estate at Christs Birth so now it was translated from Rome into Germany This must be insisted upon a little because 't is beyond Scripture History 't is true the Church could have but a slender Sabbath of Rest in his Time for then Antichrist was Regnant and Leo was Rampant Leo the 3d was then Pope who prostituted his Keys to the Emperors feet for which the Popish People whipt him like a Rogue If not plucked out his Eyes and cut out his Tongue c. Prideaux Introduction pag. 96 yea in this 8th Century Pope Joane made a good proof that the Church of Rome was a Base Whore so that the â—â—st of the Church in this Age
yet must correct Saturns Malignity Halys comment on Ptolomy 63. Aphorism beside both Jupiter and Saturn are oriental and so is Mars which is a Situation judg'd the least obnoxious Saturn say Artists makes Plots but Jupiter above him spoils them both the Two and Mars are occidental to the Sun and therefore saith Almansor propos 30. They must give good at the latter End though the way to that End may be rough and rugged enough esp to the Northern Regions they being all so nigh to the Tropick of Cancer their Diurnal Ark or March in our Horizon pouring down their Influences for about 15 Hours and both Saturn and Mars being what Star soever they are joined with so mischievous to Mankind What their 2d Conjunction on January 30 in the Y. 83 and their 3d Conjunction again upon May the 2d in the same next Year 83. all Three in Leo though in 2 distinct Years immediatly succeeding each other and all 3 in theCompass of 8 Months which is far short of the distance of 20. years for this great Conjunction consists of all these 3 Meetings that a 3 fold Cord may not easily be broken Whereas as is abovesaid their least Conjunction hath the Interspace of 20 years may conduce hereunto time will best declare for Truth is the Daughter of Time Considering also that the Sun will lose its light so soon after this first Conjunction October the 9 82 so little before their second in January 30. in 83 for in the same Year and Month upon the 17th Day of January in the Y. 83. that great Luminary will be Ecclipsed and 9 Digits darkened in Aquarius about 3 a clock in the Afternoon much more might be added here but sat verbum sapienti c. I have duly and daily observ'd the Motion of these 2 great Planets every clear Morning since they came nigh each other and do wonder that they should be so swift in their Motion Saturn running 2 Millions 376 Thousand 261 Miles in an Hour and 3964 Miles in one Minute and Jupiter running 898 Thousand 700 Miles in one Hour and 14 Thousand 9 Hundred 78 Miles in one Minute yet are so slow in their Meeting For I find Saturn requires 12 Days in his Diurnal motion to go this one single Degree in Leo and Jupiter requires 7 days for the same before they can come through the 18th Degree of Leo to conjoin in the 19th distant only 2 Minutes whereof there be 60 in every Degree on the 9th of 8ber 82 then on the 10th Day Saturn marches off 6 Minutes and Jupiter 8 from their so near Application It must be considered also that the proper Motion of these 2 Planets as of all the other 5. is from West to East upon the Pole of the Zodiack though the primum mobile or upper Heaven hurry them upon the Northern Southern Poles from East to West as plainly appeareth in the Motion of the Moon one of the Planets which at her Change is setting West every Night falls backward and backward towards the East till at her Full she Riseth in the East in about 15. Days 2ly Theological that it may 1 appear This Discourse is not Chaldaization or the folly of the Chaldees so much condemned in Scripture for Astronomy and Astrology must not be confounded as too generally they are That the Stars have a 3 fold Excellency light Motion and Influence is granted by all that are Judiciously Learned All the Controversy is about the last Concerning their Influence there be 3 Opinions 1 in excess 2 in Defect and the 3 in the middle between both The 2 former extremes are offensive but the 3d is inoffensive 1 Those in the Excess were the Chaldeans Arabians Egyptians Stoicks and many Jews yea and Gentiles too both Heathen and Christian who Account the Heavens to be a Book wherein the Fates of All are written and who make their Schemes and Horoscopes from thence as Creditable as the Gospel 2 Those in the Defect are such as Censure all sorts of Astronomical prognosticks for Tables and Fooleries To say Heavenly bodies do produce no effects by their powerful Influence is to Deny both Scripture and Experience They both offend in Contrary Extremes in saying that the Stars either do all things or that they do nothing therefore 3 The middle way betwixt these two Extremes must be most Approved In Medio tutissimus Ibis Ecclipses may certainly and changes of Times may probably be prognosticated Job was Undoubtedly a great Astronomer yet a good man and Holy in his Astronomy knowing Arcturus Orion the Pleiades and the Chambers of the South Job 9. 9. Yea and the Dragon whose nodes have all the Ecclipses and Seated betwixt the 2 Bears not far from the North-pole Job 26 13. and God himself Discourseth with Job as with one Conversant in that study Job 38 31 32 33. Where the Lord Asserts an Influence in the Stars and that Irresistible as to Man Job cannot bind it up or loose it out and let it go the power of Binding and loosing pertaineth to the all powerful God who is the sole Guide and Governor of them and who hath placed a Dominion in them over all Elementary bodies which is expresly mentioned in these words canst thou set the Dominion of them on the Earth Job 38 33. God hath put a Power into the Stars to Rule the 4 Seasons of the year c. This is call'd The Powers of Heaven 3 Times Recorded by Christ himself Matth. 24 29. Mark 13 25. and Luke 21 26. and surely those powers cannot be Insignificant Deus Natura nil faciunt frustra God and Nature make nothing in Vain They have then a Power Dominion or Influence which no mortal men though never so many or mighty can either binder or hasten Thus Amos also that Heardsman and Summer-fruit-gatherer neither a Prophet nor the Son of a Prophet Amos 7. 14 yet was a most notable Astronomer discoursing notably upon the Stars Chimah and Chesil 2 years before the Noted Earthquake Amos 1 1. and 5 8. as likewise upon the Spheres those 3 Stories of Heaven one above another before the Famine of the Word Amos 9 6. and 8. 11. yea and Hosea brings in God Reckoning the Heavens to be next in power the next Vessel of Mercy to Himself Hos 2 21. where the Prophet sets down a Concatenation of Causes concerning Divine providence which the Wizzards of this World either denye or deride Lastly Moses when He blesseth Israel as their Civil Father as Jacob their natural Father had done before Him Gen. 49. Declares therein How the precious things of the Heavens do bring forth the precious Things of the Earth Deut. 33 13 14 15. So that Stars are not set and seated in the Heavens ornatus gratiâ merely for Ornaments sake as Baldwin in Cases of Conscience p. 780. excellently Demonstrates They are not only for Garnishing the Under-Ceiling and stately Vault above our Heads as Job says Job 26
13. but Moses Intimates that they are the Treasurys of God having Treasure laid up in them the Stars are Gods Store-houses out of which He scatters his precious things from his Heaven upon the Earth saying The Lord shall open to thee his good Treasure Deut. 28 12. Every Star saith one is as a purse of Gold out of which God casts down Riches that Good Men gather up by Honest means but the Evil scramble for by fraud or by Force that the Stars be Signs all do grant and in some sense Causes That they be Signs is grounded upon Gen. 1 14. Let them be for Signs yet some do narrow that word saying they are only Signs of Night and Day if so then the Sun and Moon had been enough to signify both these so all the Rest of the Thousands and of the Millions be altogether superfluous Frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora what need many where two will do 't is against Common sense as well as express Scripture to deny that those Celestial Bodies are not Signs of Times and Seasons also as of Summer and Winter Gen. 8 22. of Weather c. yea Learned and solid Pareus on Gen 1 14. Excellently Argues that the Stars could not be call'd Signs unless They did signify something and that something He saith is to warn mortals of may Matters such as be 1 Natural 2 Civil 3 Spiritual and He Approves of that 〈…〉 Verse of Aratus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Stars signify to men what matters are forged or framed for them As 1 Natural Signs they be of Heat Cold Dryness and Moisture c. 2 Civil the Sailor must Hoise up his Sails as the Word pleiades signifies when those 7 Sisters bring in the Spring with their sweet Influences So for setting sowing c. 3 Spiritual their Aspects and Passions saith he are Signs of spiritual Events as both Scripture and Experience teach such as Ecclipses Comets c. For though these things have their Causes in Nature yet do oft portend horrible Changes of publick Affairs Seditions Wars Droughts Inundations c. for so much as He saith they either do naturally excite those sore Judgments Through divine Pleasure or do certainly assist the Causes thereof therefore they do foreshew and are Signs of Gods Displeasure whereby Men are alarum'd to Repentance Though the Rainbow have a Natural cause as the Reflection of the Sun-beams in an opposit watery Cloud yet is it nevertheless a Sign of Divine Clemency Gen. 9. 8. for preserving the World How much more must those preternatural Passions of the Planets be Signs of either Gods Anger or Favor Pareus on Gen. pag. 54. Col. 12. All this He saith though in pag. 55. He shews himself no Friend to Judiciary Astrology which Dr. Willet likewise declares to be repugnant to Reason as well as Scripture and its practice in telling Fortunes and finding things lost c. to be Vain and Impious in his 20th Question Gen. 1. 14. My opinion is Astrology in the General is lawful provided it keep within its due Bounds and pry not too far into Gods Secrets Deut. 29. 29. 'T is only the allknowing God who can foretel future Events Isa 41. 21. 22. 27. 1. Eccles 8. 7. and 10. 14. c. Man knows not what shall be no nor the Devil not withstanding the Subtlety and Sagacity of his Angelical nature together with his long Experience to help Man therefore all his Oracles He deliver'd in ambiguous Terms that he might save his Credit when deceiv'd All Apollo's Oracles were made by Astrology saith Eusebius Depraeparat Evang. l b. 6. cap. 1. with lib. 5. cap 10. And they were not only directed by the Aspect of Stars but also ministred by Familiar spirits Yet the starry Heaven is a sacred Alphabet wherein the Wisdom Power Justice and Mercy of God are Lined out to us these all be written legibly yea Palpably as the word Act 17. 27. signifies in the Brows of the Firmament hence Clemens Alex Calls it the first Bible God made for Mans instruction 't is one of the 3 leaves of the Book of Nature which every mortal should read and consider Thus David did He read it because it declared the Glory of God Ps 19. 1. yea every line of that leaf he knew how far reached the length of those lines what David calls a line Faul calls a Voice Rom. 10. 18. quoted from Ps 19. 4 Reading Divinity-Lectures to all the Inhabitants of the Earth that they may make a serious contemplation of them and David considered as well as Read it Ps 8 3. All men as well as He should be much in this Consideration this Appears because 1 herein lays the Difference betwixt Men and Beasts which cannot consider any thing 2 The bolt upright figure of mans Body doth admonish him hereof The Heathen Poet Ovid could say thus Os Homini sublime dedit coelumque videre Jussit erectos ad sydera tollere vultus God with a lofty look did man Indue Commanding him the Heavens and Stars to View 3 We are taught this duty by the fift Muscle which God hath given to mans Eye whereas other Creatures have but four for drawing it upward ut ejus Auxilio Coelum Intueremur saith the Anatomist that by the help thereof we might Contemplate and Consider the Heavens some Heathens to the Shame of some Christians have said they were therefore Born that they might Contemplate the Heavens Alas many make more Delightful Contemplations upon Lumps of Farth than upon the Lamps of Heaven as Duke de Alva have so much business on Earth that they have no Time to Look up to Heaven let us consider them cry with David Lord what is man c Ps 8 3 4. in looking up we behold every Star Twinkling at us and as it were Beckoning to us to Remember our Creator Eccles 12 1. 'T is not presumption but Duty to Read the Face of the Firmament Matth. 16 2. Luke 12 56. 1 Kings 18 43 44. Read this Leaf while it is Expansum an open Leaf for it must be Rolled up and Folded together as a Scroll Isa 34. 4. and Rev. 6 14. yet rest not in Reading this Book of nature that only Declares Creation-Love 'T is the Book of Scripture in which Redemption love is Discover'd we are no where bid to search in the former as in the latter John 5 39. for Eternal life 'T is said Ubi definit Phtlosophus ibi incipit Theologus So where Nature Ends and can go no further there the Scripture begins and giveth more grace Jam 4 6. Isalm 19 1 2 7 8. 2 But the grand Question is though Stars be Signs whether they be also Causes seeing Mases calls them Signs Gen. 1 14 but never causes A. Baldwin saith Stars do incline irritate but do not necessitate p. 780 Cas Consc Amesius calls them common causes Cas Consc p. 191 Alsted stiles them Causae adiuvantes ibid
Orb it should scorch the Earth nor by its too much Distance in the 7th or Saturns Sphere Sublunary things should be starved through want of warmth from it The Sun is seated in the midst of Heaven 3 Planets above 3 below him as a King in the midst of his Kingdom that He may Diffuse his Influence on every hand and Keep all sides down in an equal poize and posture as Plutarch saith by his middle presence The Planet commonly call'd for Distinction-sake Saturn is the Highest above the Sun and next below the Starry Heaven or Sphere of the fixed Stars appearing of a dusky colour as a Star of the Second magnitude cold dry and Melancholiek and having the Highest and Widest Circumference cannot compleat his Circuit under the space of Thirty years Therefore 't is said to be of a slow Motion in his peculiar Cycle to say nothing of his Epicycle or Eccentrick Motion That call'd Jupiter is the next to Saturn exceeding splendid so that 't is oft mistaken by the Unskilful for the Morning Star or for the great Dog Star appearing as a Star of the first Magnitude that may Ecclipse Saturn when their latitude which seldom Happens be Equal at their Conjunction This Planet Accomplisheth his Zodaical period in the space of twelve years Having a narrower Sphere than Saturn yet a five times bigger body so that no Planet but the Sun is greater than it being 95. times Cardanus saith a 100 times bigger than the whole Earth The third Planet is call'd Mars less than Jupiter Higher Colour'd than Saturn of a Red Fiery Cholerick Complexion who still in a narrower Circle Finisheth his Revolution in two years Time The Wisdom of our and Their Creator may be much wonder'd at here in two Respects to mention no more now of the many Besides that i Saturn which cooleth much and Mars which Heateth much should have Jupiter placed betwixt them that it might temper and qualify those two Extreams with its more moderate Temperate and Benign Beams 2 that there should be such a Concreated Harmony betwixt the Sun and those 3. Superior Planets as is aforesaid That Supreme law which their maker laid and left upon those 3. was that they should observe a constant Congruity in all their Eccentrick Motions with the Sun whom they seem saith Alsted to Reverence as their King This Divine Command They have kept to the shame of us who frequently transgress that Law laid on us in Disowning Dishonoring and Disobeying Christ our King for almost 6000 years for as oft as they are in Conjunction so oft do they betake themselves to the top of their Epicycles as to their Chappel or closet in Reverence as it were of so Royal a Guests presence they Depart into the utmost borders of their own Dominions they give place to their Approaching King stands off at a due Distance and there Receives as it were commands and Influences from him And then when After the Conjunction the Sun whose Motion is swifter withdraws from thence these Planets do Descend from the Top or Tower of their Epicycle and like officious Courtiers Attend upon their Prince going his Progress and so they follow the Sun their Lord so far as till he is gone off through the third part of the Zodiack till by his quicker speed He hath out-run them the space of four of the Twelve signs Then at length as if they had fully Discharged their Duty and Homage they make a stand call'd at that time Stationary for some Days casting as it were their long looks after him and at that distance they throw him a Farewel when this is done They begin their Retrograde Motion Running back into the bottom of their Epicycle and letting themselves down into the lowest part thereof as oft as the Sun is gone from them into the opposite part of the Heavens to them and therefore as Alsted excellently observeth they seem to bewail the absence of their King and as it were Humbly Request his Return After this when they Discern the Sun drawing off from his opposition to them and Returning towards them again then they Ascending from the bottom the place of their bewailing still contrary to the order of the Signs Hasten out to meet their King and as with some Salutations they Entertain the Sun while He is yet distant from them the space of a Trigon 3 or 4 Signs by becoming Stationary or making another stand again this done and the Sun Approaching still nearer and nearer They then Run before him as his joyful Heralds and Harbingers in a right and Direct course according to the order of the Signs and as with great Gladness glide up to the Top of their Tower again that they might as it were resign up the nearest and most Commodious and Honorable place to the Sun their King This in short is the constant Harmonious Motion of these 3 Superior Planets and the Sun The Epiphonema cannot be less than an Heart Refreshing Admiration a Soul-Ravishing Adoration of the most mighty and only Wise Jehovah who Created and hath ordered these Astonishing Stars c. The works of the Lord are great sought out by all those that have pleasure therein Ps III. 2. If all the works of God be great those on the Earth and in the Sea then much more those in the Heavens no less than great works can fall from the hand of so Great a God they are all Magnalia so should all be magnifyed not neglected or slighted It should be a pleasure to us as it hath been no little to me to search and find out such wonderfull works Though they be Great yet are they to be seriously sought into and found out by those that Delight therein and the deeper they dive into them not for vain Curiosity but from solid Sanctity the sweeter they find them God hath shewn singular Skill in all Esp in these his works and He will have Men to admire him their Maker They all a centro ad Coelum are Tip'd and Guilt with a Glory upon them this the Brutish Man understands not Ps 92. 5. 6. Neither his ordinary nor extraordinary Handy-work whereas a woe is Denounc'd upon those that Regard them not Isa 5. 12. 15 Ps 28 4. 5. They shall have like for like c. God will Reward them according to the work of their hands because they Regard not the work of Gods Hands The 5th Remark to omit the Conjunctions of the Inferior Planets because the frequency thereof darkens the Significancy beside their Inferiority the Superior only are here to be handled and the other but Obiter as occasion offereth and Mars also though it carrys a correspondency with Saturn and Jupiter in the Quality of their Motions both as to Longitude and as to Laittude these three differ only in the Quantity thereof Mars fulfills his Cycle far sooner than the other so its Motion hath not so many Remarks upon it Saturn and Jupiter have many Aspects both towards
as if they were Auxiliaries the soundest Divinity saith they are general Causes only but not special so nothing can be infallibly foretold from their positions Moses did call them Signs not Causes to prevent Idolatry much less did He call them Prophets as if they could predict future Events with any certainty Hence Spineus candidly confesses that Astrologers can but conjecture none but those inspired by God can foretel as Amos 3 7. Catastrophe Mundi page 11. 12. The same say Kepler Tycho Alsted c. Kepler makes a more modest Observation than Cardan saying the wise Men who were led by a signal Star out of the East might by the Rules of their own Astrological Art make some Conjectures of an Eminent Event and of the Birth of a mighty Monarch because saith he that Comet as he calls it appeared at the very Time when their was the fift Climacterical Conjunction of the 2 superior Planets Saturn and Jupiter in the fiery Trigon Yea the Head Masters of that Mystery do grant that though the various Positions of the Stars have great Effects upon sublunary Bodies yet peremptorily to assign them is Presumption for the Efficacy of the Stars above our Heads and their Specifick virtues cannot be so well known to us as may be that of Herbs which we can take in our Hands and do tread upon with our Feet and therefore long Experience of such and such Effects following Comets and Conjunctions do teach more and better than all Astrological Rules Maxims or Aphorisms Indeed Sir Christopher Heydon steps a little farther saying that their Effects be by long Experience certainly known though the Causes be unknown and cannot be demonstrated I must confess this Assertion holds true in some other Cases more familiar to Man and such whose Causes and Effects are each of them equally more nearly conversant with us than are Celestial Causes and Terrestrial Effects as for Instance it hath been my own many Times Experiment how Harmony in Mufick upon musical well tuned stringed Instruments will strangely strongly Affect even at some considerable Distance As thus hang a little cooked Straw upon the Base or Remotest string upon your Base-Vial Lute or Harp make the trebble String either Unisons Diapasons or Dis-Diapasons that is either Ones Eights or Sixteens in which Notes do consist the highest Harmony in Musick and your stroke upon the Trebble either stop'd or open to make those Harmonious Sounds aforesaid will cause the Straw to cut Capers and to Dance a Gallyard leaping Levalto's all along till at last it falleth down which will not so much as move no not if it be placed upon the neareststring to the Straw as I have often tryed at any other Note No Reason can be rendred for this save only 't is from Harmony in Musick which is like the poor Shift of the Philosopher when Non-plus'd with the Sympathys and Antipathys in Nature both of Plants and Beasts his Retreat for a Solvo or Salvo is 't is an occult Quality which is Tantamont the great God hath posed me I know not the Reason The like is well known as to the Matter of Fact How Geometrical Symmetry in musical Sounds and Voices will marvellously Affect the Heart of all that are not Melancholick yet the manner of its Operation is hard to be Demonstrated As it is not doubted so neither must it be Denyed that those Celestial and Aetherial Stars do much Affect all Terrestrial and Elementary Bodies both Plants Beasts and Men that are upon the Earth and Subterranneal Mettals that are within the Earth by those powerful Influences which the great Creator did Concreate them with and placed in them otherwise we had never heard of the sweet Influences of the Pleiades or 7. Stars Job 38 31. those 7 Sisters or Lovers have an Irresistible Influence to produce the Spring-flowers c. nor ever have been call'd upon to pay our Tribute of praise upon our beholding the Garnished Heavens to the great Creator of them for mans good as we are Psalm 136 7 8 9. with ver 1. seeing they Thrust forth out of the Earth so many precious Creature-comforts for us Deut. 33. 14. nor ever have heard how the Stars fought in their Courses against Sisera Judg. 5 20. The Stars are call'd the Host of Heaven Psal 33 6. and in many more Scriptures where the Psalmist makes the first mention of this Host as the most glorious part of Creation work and how did this Host fight against Sisera Much like so many Soldiers that observed both Rank and File or rather like so many Regiments God their generalissimo call'd forth now one Regiment and then Another drawing up their extraordinary Influences to Confound his and his Peoples Enemies therewithal Some take these Stars Metaphorically for Angels as 2. Maccab 10 29 and 11 8. but the literal sense is more proper for God made those Hachochabim mimmisilotham Stars from their stations to stir up storms according to their Natural Influence and to Dash Hailestones Lightning and Thunderbolts in the faces of the Cursed Canaanites as Josephus saith Antiquit. lib. 5. chap. 6. Those Stars could more easily more strongly and more Hittingly cast their malignant Darts or Rayes from their High Stations as Misiloth signifies Downward upon those foes below than can possibly be cast from below upward for Killing work Esp God Directing these Darts to Hitt their appointed marks Notwithstanding all this we may not place the Stars in Gods stead as to Ascribe to them a Supreme Dominion Indeed these Superior bodies have expresly Job 38 33. a power or Dominion over our Inferior unto which we are Subject and must Submit yet is it only a Ministerial power a Dominion subordinate to the Appointment of God He may use their Ministry Respecting the mighty matters of this lower World as He did against Sisera yet may we not say that the lives and Fortunes of Men the Fates and Changes of States Depend wholly upon the Stars and may be foretold by the Temper figure colour and Posture of the Planets This is a Divination Condemned by the Word of God Deut. 18 10. Isa 47 13. c. and 't is a putting the Stars in Gods stead whereas All created beings yea the very Planets themselves are in the hand of God Indeed Plato in Timeao calls the Stars Gods such as the blind Gentiles and some Blockish Jews made so not only in observing them which all ought to do but also in Adoring them 2. Chron. 33 3. Jerem. 44 17. c. contrary to Deut. 4 19. c. I could wish that the names of those Planets were Reformed from those of Saturn Jupiter Mars Mercury c. Seeing all these were Names of the Heathen Gods which should be spetted out of Christians Mouthes with utmost Detestation Exod. 23 13. Psal 16 4 and Hos 2 17. Hereupon the Primitive Christians did dislike those names that Mercurius Trismegistus had given to the Days of the week such as Dies Saturni
Tu fuge ceu pestem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be too pragmatical and Inquisitive after matters unrevealed falls under a severe Reproof Acts 1 6 7 11. Judg. 13 18. God hath set us our Bounds as Exod 19 12. His Revealed will we must be wise to Sobriety not above what 's written The 2d Account is to oblige our Vigilancy Ideò latet vnus Dies ut observentur omnes saith Austin Christ would not tell his Disciples the day or time of his Return though he told them all that was expedient John 14 2 16 7. yet pronounces them 3 times Happy that are always upon their watch Luke 12 37 38 43. so Mark 13. 37. Nevertheless we may safely say this Day of Redemption Draweth nigh and must now be at the very Door as may further be Demonstrated as it is with the Microcosm or little World Man so 't is with the Microcosm or great World As Mans first Age is Infancy reckon'd from his Birth till he be 7y old His 2d Age is Childhood from 7 to 14. His third is Adolescency or his stripling Age from 14 to 21. His fourth is his Youth from 21 to 35. His fift is his middle Age or Fulness of Strength which lasts from 35 to about 50. these 2 last are uneven Numbers lasting longer in the Course of Nature than the former 3 wherein Natural Vigor is shooting up in growth as a plant till it come to its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or full Strength then comes the sixt his old Age wherein he declines daily and droops towards the Earth from whence he came therefore is it call'd the evil Age Eccles 12 1. senium malum are convertible Terms because it is attended with manifold Maladys and Miserys then he faith with Isaac Behold now I am old and I know not the Day of my Death Gen. 27 2. and with Jacob behold I dye and the Time draweth nigh that I must dye Gen. 47 29. and 48 21. and with Paul I protest that I dye daily 1 Cor. 15 31. Even so it is with the great World whose Infancy was to Enoch the first Climacterical Conjunction it 's Childhood to Noah at the second it 's Adolescency to Moses at the third it 's Youth to Solomon c. at the fourth it 's middle Age to Christ at the fift it 's old Age brings in Charls the Great at the sixt This is further illustrated thus Paul the Apostle adjusteth this Metaphor not only comparing God to a great Householder who disposeth of Times to his Family the World as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies in which Dispensation there is a Time of Tutorage Pupillage and Pedagogy which comprehends all those Times before Christ whose coming in the Flesh He calls the Fulness of Time twice over Gal. 4. 1 2 3 4. and Eph. 1 10. that is the full grown Age of the World and of the Church in the World to be freed from Wardship c. And the same Apostle calls the Times afterwards the Ends of the World 1. Cor. 10 11. which can signify no other than its old Age the very Lees and Dregs of Time So the same Apostle calls them the last and therefore the worst Days 2. Tim. 3 3. and the Lord is at Hand Phil. 4 5. the Author to the Hebrews calls them also the last Days Hebr. 1 2. and the End of the World Hebr. 9 26. and the Apostle James saith the Coming of the Lord draws nigh and the Judge is standing at the Door I am 5 7 8 9. and the Apostle Peter saith the End of all things is at Hand 1. Pet. 4. 7. and 2. Pet. 3. 3. and John the Apostle saith expresly it is the last Time and we know it is the last Time 1 John 2. 18. and He further addeth yet a little while and Christ will come quickly Revel 1. 7 and 3 11. and 22 7 12 20. So that all the Apostles seem to expect then the End of the World and Paul points to his own Body when he said this Corruptible shall put on Incorruption c. 1 Cor. 15 53. and expected by the coming of Christ to be Changed rather than to Dye 1 Thess 4 17 yet after other things were Revealed to him 2 Thess 2 2 3. c. And so to John likewise in his Seal and Book prophesy Wherein he discovers 1. The Fata Imperii 2. the Fata Ecclesiae as a Seal represents the State and a Book the Church All to be Accomplished before the End or they might have Respect to the 3 Ages of the World according to Elias's Distribution 1. before 2. under the law 3 under to Gospel no New Rule or Revelation was to be expected after the last Which they therefore callâ—d the end of the World However they had desired to know some Signs of Christs coming and of the End of the World Matth. 24 3. Thinking verily that the World could not stand longer than the Temple nor possibly out last it as if it had been the Atlas and principal Pillar to support it for Solomon had said at its erecting and Dedication I have surely built God an house to dwell in for ever 1 Kin 8 13. and 2 Chron. 6 2 that is so long as the World stands it shall stand which was but conditional Hence the Disciples jamble these 3 questions together 1. what be the Signs of the Temples Ruine 2 of Christs second coming and 3. of the End of the World The Lord Answers all the Three in declaring distinct Signs of Jerusalems Destruction and promiscuously mixing them with the other but in v. 30. He singles out a Sign of his own last and most glorious coming which some suppose may be some Extraordinary Comet or Blazing Star as his first Coming was by a Bright Star that led the Wisemen to Bethlehem and if so many prodigys attended Christs passion surely many more may attend his Return in Glory and the end of the World many strange Commotions in Heaven Earth and Sea Luke 21 25. and Matth. 24 6 7 29. Houses usually give a great Crack when they are Ready to fall and so will the Great House of the World yet may there be some space betwixt the Sign and the thing signisyed The end may be neer but not yet Matth. 24 68 33. Luke 21 9. Therefore 't is said That day and hour knoweth no man Matth. 24 36. nor Angels neither the Son but the Father only Mark 13. 32. Ordine videlicet sciendia a se non ab alio The Son knows it not in his humble State but from the Father as he subsisteth and worketh from him John 5 19. c. 20. Christ as man knew not all things at once but did grow in knowledge gradually Luke 2 52. till after his Ascension 't is said God gave the Revelation of all things to Him Revel 1 1. Yet some Men vea good Men have made bold to pry into this forbidden Ark of this unknown Arcanum