the body is there not a medicine and meat to cure it but if it could intend any evill upon the soul or mind yet is there not education and discipline to prevent it Many things may be effected besides nature may they not much more then besides Fate If every man may fabricate his own Fortune why not also contrive his own Fate If Fate had never had name or nature or power would things have fallen out otherwise than they doe fall out why then should Fate be inculcated since without Fate there is Nature and Fortune to which all things necessary or casuall may be aptly referred In this old Philosophicall dispute what easie Moderator would not give this censure That either side hath said sufficient to overthrow his Adversaries opinion but neither of them enough to establish his own 7. Hath not the constellatory Fatation introduced so many starry Gods into the world Yea made so many providentiall and tutelary Gods and Goddesses some Select others Ascriptitious to have a hand in the whole administration of the Universe But particularly so many Geniall or Genitall Gods and Goddesses and their sundry ordinations and offices at every mans geniture As of Janus Jupiter Saturn Genius Mercury Apollo Mars Vulcan Neptune Sol Orcus Liber Pater Tellus Ceres Juno Lucina Fluona Luna Diana Minerva Venus Vesta Moreover Vitumnus Sentinus Mens Mena Iterduca Domiduca Abaona Adeona and Dea Fatua too not of the least ordination and operation either in the birth or life or death And no marvell that they make so many Consent-Gods goe to the fate of a Man when they will have so many to be busie about the fate of an herb As Seia fatally president of the sowing Segetia or Segesta at the comming up of the Corn Nodotus or Nodinus at the knitting or knotting Volutina at the involving of the leaves Batellina or Datellea at the opening of the blade Proserpina at the budding Hostilina at the equall shaping of the eare Flora at the flourishing Lasturtia at the nourishing Tutilina in the keeping Matuta or Matura at the ripening Messia at the mowing and Runcina not only at the weeding but at the plucking up by the roots 8. Whether Fate be one or many If it be one simply then what needs any reduction if it many why is it not reduced to one And then in vain is that done by many which may be done by one and it is prophane l to ascribe that to many which ought to be a scribed to one If it be one truly then is it undivided in it self and divided from all others which how can that which is a series or connexion of so many things be especially having its inherence in movables or mutables If it be but one accident why should it imply all under a necessity If it be but one by aggregation collection connexion so are things fortuitous as well as fatall Besides such an unity is in the meanest degree of entity Wherefore then should it order and subordinate things of a more perfect degree then it self If it be many or a multiplicity then is it unequall indeterminate uncertain and next to a nullity If it be one why then so they make it do diverse according to divers conjuctions and constellations If it be many how can they make any certain and particular pronouncing upon it 9. Whether that they call Fate be in the first or among the second Causes If in the first that is as much as to make it equall unto God If among the second then is it inferiour unto man For among second causes and especially in involuntary actions and all such as fall under humane counsell and deliberation the intellectuall mind and rationall will hath no superiour And what more contrary to the order of nature and creatures than that the lesse noble should be disposing and governing those more noble than themselves 10. Whether there be a fatall necessity upon all acts or events If upon all acts where 's Liberty if upon all events where 's contingency And whether upon these both good and evill and that whether naturall civill or spirituall If upon naturall acts and events good or evill then what use of means either to preserve or to prevent If upon acts civill and good what merit what praise if upon acts civill and evill what laws what punishments If upon events civill and good what thanks if upon events civill and evill what hopes If upon acts spirituall and good what free grace if upon acts spirituall and evill what free will If upon events spirituall and good what free bounty If upon events spirituall and evill what free mercy 11. How can there or why should there be such a thing as Fate imposing a necessity upon actions and events when as divine providence it self doth it not so as to exclude liberty contingency or casualty from things But works with second causes according to their own motion and manner Permitting sometimes their exuberancy sometimes their deficiency preserving to them their sundry orders offices and degrees of efficiency Suffering the remoter causes or agents to be impedited by the more proximate that all effects might not be taken for naturall and necessary but that his own free disposing might appear Although nature and every naturall agent be of it self and ordinarily determinated to one effect and to the producing of it after the same way yet he suffers it to be impedited by one debility and indisposition or another either to come to pass otherwise or else to be altogether prevented that so he might preserve a contingency in all naturall causes to the intent nothing might be thought absolutely necessitating but his own will and pleasure above Much more doth he confirm a freedom to the rationall will not only that good may the more chearfully be done and accepted but the evill also that is done or suffered may not unjustly be imputed to providence because of a necessity imposed 12. If fate be as they define it the Series order nexure ligation complication constitution disposition of second causes c. what feeble things are all those seconds put together without the first what can their own motion work to without his speciall concurrence what if he work not with them what if without them what if against them Leave them to themselves and what knot in a rope of Sand Can there be a perpetuall series or indissoluble connexion betwixt causes so disparate yea so adverse as naturall internall necessary and arbitrary adventitious accidentall yet after this order is fate oftentimes finished A languishing man not only consumes away within himself but the ayr meats drinks poyson act the fatall consummation To an ordinated destiny of an unfortunate end comes in inordinately fire water a fall a gun a sword an unlucky hand c. and hath not this necessitating fate now the complement by accident and is there not a casuall intervention of more force to the fatall effect than all the causall connexion How
not to impugn free grace from God free will in men divine providence in governing religious conscience in exhorting or disswading humane prudence in consulting and justice divine and humane in punishing and so mercy in rewarding 8. Whether the audacious usurpation and proud intrusion of Magicians and Astrologers in Christian Churches and states have not signed them for the horns or at least the tayl of Anti-Christ sc either forerunning or following him whose comming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders 9. Whether these Artists operate not artificially to the inducing of Popery For as much as diverse of the Popes usurped the very Popedome intruding into it by these very arts And amongst the Monasticall crew he was heretofore accounted no body in learning that was not with Simon Magus some great one in these arts And if it had not been for such like prestigious artifices where had been all or most of their vaunted miracles And are not their Exorcists an Ecclesiasticall office among them at this day 10. Whether it be not a thing greatly to be suspected and feared lest the pretended science called Astrologie may introduce a pretending sect called Astrologus an heavenly society a celestiall fraternity and such like Nay whether the Art so believed and imbraced by Christians may not bring in the Religion as it was held and used among Pagans In as much I speak this sadly as the vulgar already are so effascinated as to begin to account their Planetary presages for divine prophecies and which is more to be lamented men such as would seem to have stept somewhat beyond the common sort stick not to accept them at least as the preadmonitions of divine providence yea and we of an order and calling above both these I speak it to our shame are some of us not sufficient to refute them some of us negligent to reprove them and some of us over easy to assent unto them 11. Whether the Magicall operators and Planetary predicters their notorious malice and envy in defaming disgracing deriding caluminating contemning opposing the true Ministers of the Gospell be not indeed of the same root with that of Jannes and Jambres resisting Moses and of Elymas the Sorcerer withstanding St. Paul And whether such their Disciples men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith full of subtlety and all mischief Children of the Devill and enemies to all righteousness doe it not on purpose that so they may more easily and uncontradictedly resist the truth pervert the right wayes of the Lord and so seek to turn away both Governours and people from the Faith 12. Whether Astrologicall predictings and presagings have not proved greatly to dishonour and disadvantage both the promises and thrâ—atnings in the word of God In as much as a fortunate presagition is by many more confidently expected than a precious promise and an unfortunate more sadly dreaded than a divine commination Yea have not their Astrologicall falsehoods too often prevailed both to instigate over daringly and dishearâ—en too shamefully in enterprizes politick warlike publick private without beyond against the Theologicall truth 13 Whether the secure expectati on or desperate fear of Astrologicall predictions doe not infinitly hinder mens Prayers Making them to become dull and slothfull in seeking after God in the way of his promises while they are taught to rest themselves contented in waiting for the promises of the stars or else forlornely to submit themselves unto the issue of their sullen and inevitable fate and seek no further 14. Whether the ascribing to the propitiousness of the fortunate and inauspiciousness of the unfortunate stars hath not alwaies proved to rob God Almighty of the honour both of his Mercy and Justice While men have been thus wholly diverted both from being duly thankfull for blessings and truly humbled under judgements Nay is it not thus come to pass that the profane phrase is grown to a profaner use of blessing and cursing their stars 15. Whether the fatall necessitations supposed from sydereall conjunctions and constellations have not brought people to this pass not only to excuse their iniquities from an astrall necessity of sinning but to cast the cause upon those kind of creatures and not only so but even upon God himself making him to be the author of evill as they have done heretofore 16 Whether the fatidicall predictions of manners and fortunes make not men slothfull and careless under the means both of eschewing evill and doing good For to endeavour is to doe nothing without the stars and to performe the thanks or blame is nothing to them but to the stars only 17. Whether judiciary Astrologie mightily impugn not divine providence implying God either carelesly to neglect all humane affairs or else to be limited in the government of the world as having committed all either to inevitable fate or valuable fortune 18. Whether it be not much to be feared if not already to be bewayled that the encroching doctrine of Magick and Astrologie is gotten into many mens faith and affections even above the heavenly doctrine of Divinity And so not by superstitious creeping only but by athesticall daring will Lord it over mens consciences at last Awing them so as that they shall not dare to act in matters naturall civill or religious without an Astrologicall prediction 19. If manners and Religion be admitted shall we not then have predestination in the acts of election and reprobation urged to depend upon the destinating stars At leastwise will not men be prying unto Gods secret Cabinet through starry spectacles What care or conscience but to act as the stars are foretold to dispose what meditation of death while the stars promise life what fortunate presumptions what fatall despairs And thence what credulity carnall security pride ambition lust covetousness slothfulness unthankfulness c And hence what stupidity forlornness discontentedness dissoluteness factions insurrections distractions c 20. If Astrologicall predictions have neither truth nor power but only over anâ—â—al men and uncalled nations as say some of their Apologists what use then can there be of all such among spirituall men and Gods people And moreover whether it be not from the malice of the Star-gazers rather than malignity of the stars that our Astrologicall Predictions are altogether from aspects and conjunctions so greatly malevolent so little benevolent either to Christian Church or state 21. When did Magick and Astrologie ever confer any thing to true piety It hath been an old question and was never yet answered To which we may adde another on the contrary what have not these conferred to all manner of impiety and it might easily be resolved in all kinds and degrees 22. Whether the word of God his Church or true Religion ever flourished or was established in any Kingdom or Nation where Magicians Diviners Astrologers Soothsayers Canters Gypsies Juglers c. were countenanced or connived at Nay where they were not condemned and suppressed 23. What good
and were they but well interrogated about the other two surely their all-seeing Art would not sit out CHAP. XXI From the singularity of Prophecy 1. WHether as it hath been a great pretext of humane curiosity so it hath not been a great defect of humane incuriousnesse in not discerning divine Prophecy but confounding it promiâ—cuously and synonymously with other prophane names and mysteries As Divination vaticination praenotion omination ariolation praesagition praediction prognostication conjectation c All which tearms are either of a bad acceptation or not good save onely in a civil sense and that but as touching some particulars onely whereas Prophecy simply is alwayes taken in the best Part neither is the act of prophecying nor the appellation of a Prophet attributed to any the whole Scriptures throughout that are not â—alled and approved of God Unlesse it be so ironically as that the context yea and the very adjuncts set forth a plain note of difference that they are only so called from their own presumption or else from a popular repute 2. Whether these sundry differences have not been observed concluded confessed betwixt divine Prophecy and divination in all the names and kinds viz. 1. Prophecy is from God a gift inspired by the Holy Spirit Divination is from the Devil a delusion suggested by an evil spirit 2 Prophecy was never but according to Gods Covenant Divination is seldomwithout a pact or covenant with the Devil 3. Prophecy is Gods consulting with the creature Divination is the creature consulting with the creature Or one is a consulting with God and not with the creature the other is a consulting with the creature and not with God 4. Prophecy is first motioned and freely offered by God Divination is temptingly and sorcerously sought for as was Balaams own way and not onely provoked but presumed also 5. Prophecy hath been concerning some special persons and their extraordinary actions Divination even the Magical and Astrological is ordinary for all men their manners and fortunes 6. Prophecy hath never been but of matters weighty and serious Divination hath often been of things vain and ludicrous 7. Prophecy is of those things that are necessary to be known Divination Magical and Astrological is of those things that are not necessary to be known 8. Prophecy is of those things that are onely known to God and cannot be known to others without Prophecy or Revelation Divination is either of those things that cannot be known by divination or else of those that may be known without it 9. Prophecy is of things true certain infallible because immediately from God the first cause Dvination is of things false and uncertain and but probable at most because either from the Devil or but from the creatures and second causes 10. Prophecy considers things in God and therefore is immovable Divination considers things in the creature and therefore must be mutable 11. No Prophet ever made himself the author of his own Prophecy but Thus saith the Lord c. But the Devil and Diviners arrogate their predictions to themselves and to the absolutenesse of their own Art 12. The gift of Prophecy ceased in the act But Divination they wil have to remain still in the Art 13. Prophecy is not a permanent habit but a transient act that the prophets themselvs might know and confesse that they had it not but by gift and occasionally according to Gods good pleasure for the prophecy came not at any time by the will of man 2. Pet. 1. 21. but Divination or Astrological prediction is a stated Art as they say and they may not onely study it but practise it at their own wills and pleasures 14. It is not for every Prophet to know every thing that is prophecyable But for so they pretend it is for any prognosticator to know any thing that is prognosticable 15. Prophets besides the Spirit of Prophecy may have the instincts of their own spirits which might sometimes deceive them But Diviners and Prognosticators besides the instinct of their own spirit are obnoxious to Satanical delusion whereby they often both are deceived and do deceive 16. Prophecy is true in the ground although it may fail in the effect because the principle thereof is the prime verity Divination though it take effect yet is it false both because of falsity in the author and ground and means and end 17. The prevention of things prophecyed argues no falshood or defect in Prophecy because God may reveal some things to his Prophets as in their second causes which may be impedited and some things might be prophesyed conditionally and with intent that they might be prevented however to be referred to Gods good and wise dispensation yea and the Prophets themselves were instructed and enabled to prophesie as well of their prevention as of their consecution But who can say so much of Divination 18. God may in mercy suffer a true Prophesie to be frustrated and in judgement may permit a false divination to take effect 19. The Prophets were sometimes prevented as touching their predictions of evils and judgements But the diviners and false prophets were frustrated in their predictions of blessings and good things 20. The Prophets foretold Gods judgements with grief and condoling wishing that they might rather be accounted for false Prophets then that such heavy things should beâ—all Gods people transgressing the Diviners and Prognosticators glory to presage confusion to Nations Kingdomes Churches Christians and are very little touched with the destruction of all or any so their predictions may take place 21. That Prophecy hath been prevented or failed in effect was meerly because of the liberty of Gods will but Divination or Astrological prediction may be defeated â—ven by the liberty of mans will alone 22. Prophecy enlightens the understanding and perfects it so does not Divination but onely after a confused manner alters the imagination 23. In Prophecy it is the intellect that moves the phantasie but in Divination it is the phantasie that moves the intellect For Prophecy illuminates immediately beginning at the mind and heart which divination cannot do because it begins at the senses and so to the phantasie to the imagination So that a Prophet understands his own Prophesie so doth not a diviner his own divination 24. Extasies of Prophets did not so abalienate their mindes as that they apprehended not what they did or said as indeed it is in the dementating furies of divination For theirs was onely but an abstraction of the minde from outward sensible and terrene things not a distraction of it within it self as in these 25. The Prophets mingled godly and wise instructions together with their Predictions that they might not seem to neglect the present by prying into the future both which are both the sloath and businesse of all prognosticating predictors 26. Prophesies serve to instruct all ages divinations instead of instructing have onely proved to distract present times and that 's all 27. The gift or grace of Prophecy