Universe THE CONTENTS 1. THe Celestiall Configurations devised by the Greeks permitted by the Church though Dangerous This New Doctrine of the Reading of the Stars no whit repugnant to the Christian Faith 2. This Reading proved out of the Scripture Diverse passages of Scripture tending to this purpose interpreted 3. The Opinions of the Ancient Hebrews Greekes and Latines in this Particular 4. The reason why so few Authors of these Later times have medled herein What our Modern Writers as Reuchlin Picus Mirandula Agrippa Kunrath Banelli and Flud have delivered of this Subject 5. Postell's Intention of bringing it into Europe 6. The Stars ranged not in the forme of Arabicke nor Samaritane but of Hebrew Characters The Superstition of the Arabians in reading some kind of words Their Letters borrowed from the Hebrews 7. The Hieroglyphicall Living Creatures of the Aegyptians placed in the Heavens are not to serve for Letters The Constellations Imperfect 8. What things are to observed that one may be able to reade the Heavens What the reason is that New Stars often appeare according to the Rabbins 9. A Continued Enumeration of the severall Meanes that must be used for the rendering a Man Capable of this Reading The Star in the Taile of Ursa Major the fore-shewer of the Change of Empires and how 10. On which side we are to begin this Reading of the Heavens and how we must Interpret the words we find there 11. Of those Celestiall Letters that have foreshown all the Great Mutations in States The Fall of two Potent Kingdomes in the East read in the Heavens by R. Chomer 12. The Authors Judgement concerning this Reading of the Heavens THose who have diligently examined the Choycest parts of the Learning of the Ancients have observed that there is nothing that is more Absurd in Appearance then the Figures of the Celestiall Constellations For what a Confused thing is it say They that in those places which are destined to be the place of abode for the Blessed Spirits only there should be lodged such numbers of Beasts and some of them so dreadfull as that we cannot thinke of them but with Horrour If they had placed only Men there and had allotted a Castor and a Pollux Dominion there this might have been interpreted an Error of Love which suffers us not to be content in wishing small Honours to those we Love This Consideration might also have satisfied those who complained that the Celestiall Figures were nothing else but the Representations of the severall Scapes of Jupiter that the whole Face of the Heavens was filled with the Notes of his Incestuous Prankes so that if any one should undertake to excuse these Amorous Signes he would be the lesse blame-worthy in that hee did it only in Defence of the most sweet and Powerfull of all our Passions The Excuse of those who imposed upon these Incorruptible Bodies the Figures of Brute Beasts that are most subject to Corruption and even of Things Inanimate also was most just seeing that in so doing they had no other Designe but what was Religious Thus we see Fishes there Censers and Eares of Corn in a Virgins hand And those who are skilled in the Secrets of the Ancient Theology know well enough that it was not without some Mysticall reason that they placed one Crowne in the South part of Heaven consisting of Thirteen Bright Stars and another in the Northern part containing eight stars in it But to place Dragons there and Serpents and Hydra's Reason can never endure And yet see the Strangenesse of the thing For Though the Ancienes had thus filled the Heavens with Brute Beasts and that according to this their Doctrine one would have imagined this Celestiall Paradise to have been an Habitation of Monsters and a Dreadfull Wilderness rather then the Seat of the Blessed a Place abounding with all manner of Pleasures yet notwithstanding neither hath the Church ever reproved it nor any of the Ancient Fathers disavowed it Now the Subject we treat of is much lesse Scandalous and by Consequence more Tolerable For what danger can there be in affirming that the diverse Figures of the Starres represent and make up the different Characters of the Hebrew Alphabet And that as These Letters have some Signification when they are Single as well as when they are joyned with others in like manner the Stars either alone or joyned with other Stars doe note unto us some Mysteries Yea rather this Doctrine of ours is so farre from being such as men should beware of and hold it Suspected as that on the Contrary it teacheth the Manifold Wonders of God and proveth that all these Stars have not their Order bestowed on them in vaine and that their Motions and different Aspects are not utterly uselesse and without any Designe Insomuch that in my Opinion it would be no lesse then Blasphemy in any man to affirme the Contrary or to say that they are placed there only for Ornament and to beautifie the Heavens and to give Light and for no other cause at all But what Madnesse is it to confine these Wonderful Lights to One only Operation seeing that besides that Experience teacheth us that the Moone is the Governesse of all Humours the Sun the Principle of Life Saturn a Malignant Star Jupiter a Benign the Signe of Taurus cold and dry that of Gemini Hot and moist Aries Hot and dry and so of the rest we do also see daily that one and the same Simple here below serveth to diverse and sundry Operations and therefore if the Properties of Hearbs are not restrained to the narrow limits of One Sole Effect why should we thinke so unworthily of the Stars as not to believe the same of them Wee conclude therefore that beside those Wonderfull Qualities which wee acknowledge to be in them they may also represent by their Diversity of Aspects certaine Figures or Characters by which we may have some Apprehension of the Greatest Changes that happen here below And this Truth we will now endeavour to prove out of the Holy Scriptures 2. If then we can any where find in these Holy Scriptures that the Heavens have been called by the Holy Ghost A BOOK then doubtlesse we may conclude that there are in this Booke Letters and Characters which may be Understood by some or other Now that it is called a BOOKE appeares out of the Prophet Isaiah who speaking of the Last Day wherein all things shall Cease Isa 34.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith Complicabuntur sicut Liber Coeli where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caph in Hebrew which the Latine translateth Sicut signifieth in the Originall Quia So that as Isaiah hath said that the Heavens shall be rolled together so hath he at the same time given the Reason of it also Because they are a Booke If it be Objected that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie Sicut as well I answer that those that are but meanely versed in the Holy Scriptures
and of Sad Omen I shall adde my Conjecture here that possibly they might point out these Two Names Cecrops and Codrus which are the names of those Two Kings under whom this Powerfull Monarchy had its Rise and Fall The Romane Consulate could not maintain Its Power beyond the Term of 500. years because that these Bounds were determinately prefixed to it in this Celestiall Booke by Eight Verticall Stars which composed this Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Raasch which bare this Sense Number Cacumen 501. The Monarchy of Julius Coesar which was built upon the Ruine of the Consulate as This also was upon the Ejection of the Kings was very neer of the same Continuance and the End of it was in like manner prefixed by Six Sars which made up these Three Letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scavar which signifies To Break the Number whereof is 502. But that we may produce something concerning Things Yet to Come R. Chomer assures us that it is now a good while since that this Celestiall Writing hath pointed out the Declining of Two great Empires of the East The First is that of the Turkes over which there are observed seven Verticall Stars which being read from the West to the East for it would be a great Blessing to see the Ruine of this Empire make up this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caah which signifieth to be Battered Feeble Languishing and Drawing to an End But now Aleph which in humbers signifieth 1. standeth also for 1000. as the rest of the letters also doe as may be observed out of Hebrew Grammars seeing it may be doubted at what time this Empire shall be reduced to this Extremity the same Letters doe clearly resolve this Doubt For the Middle Letter which is Aleph being made up of Brighter and more Sparkling Stars then the Others are sheweth saith Chomer that Its Number is the Greater so that in This place it standeth for 1000. and the First letter signifieth 20. and the Last 5. So that when this Kingdome shall have accomplished the number of 1025. years it shall then be overthrowne and brought to Ruine Now if we reckon from the year of our Lord 630. which was the year according to our Vulgar Compution wherein the Foundation of this Empire was laid we shall find that it is to last till the year of our Lord 1655. for the compleating of the aforesaid number 1025. so that reckoning from this present yeare 1650. this Kingdome is to last but Five years longer The Other Eastern Kingdome whose Declining is pointed out by the Stars according to K. Chomer is that of China but this Rabbin delivers himself in such an Obscure manner in discoursing of this last piece of Celestiall Writing as that till I understand it better I shall forbeare to set it downe Hee produceth also diverse Others which doe define the Particular Durations of most of the Kingdomes of Europe all which I may happily communicate to the World hereafter when I have first seene how these Curiosities are received 12. Now that I may freely deliver my owne Judgment concerning this Celestiall Writing I must take Liberty to propose some few Objections which I have found may be brought against it The First is that if so be by this Writing all the Great Mutations in the World may be known it is possible then that the End of the World may in like manner be found out by It as being the Greatest and most Important of all the rest so that Men may by a naturall Meanes attain to the knowledge of This Great Secret which is Contrary to the Holy Scriptures The Second is that Astrologers have been able to foretel many of these Mutations which have afterwards come to passe accordingly and yet have never had any knowledge of This strange Kind of Writing It is therefore Uselesse and Imaginary The Third is that the Position of the Stars is not so Essentiall to the Letter which it is brought to make up but that the same Star may as well make for Example a Resch as a Daleth and so of all the rest and Consequently Severall Men forming several Characters of the same Starres may draw from them Contrary senses the one to the other But to all these Objections I answer briefly thus To the First I say that it is not Necessary that this Celestiall Writing should foreshew the end of the World because that God may have reserved this Secret to Himselfe Or else Math. 24.29 Mar. 13.24 Luc. 21.25 that It will Really foretel This hereafter when those Other Signes set downe by the Evangelists shall shew it also it being all one to say that the Starres shall fore-shew it by some certaine Writing as to say that the Sun and the Moone shall foretell it by their being Darkned To the Second I answer that the Foure Grand Causes Card. 1. Aph. which according to the Opinion of Astrologers produce the greatest Mutations the First whereof is the Changing of the Apogaeum and Perigaeum of the Planets the Second the Changing of the Excentricity of the Sun of Venus of Mercury of Saturne of Jupiter and of Mars the Third the diverse Figure of the Obliquity of the Zodiacke and the Fourth the Conjunction cheifly the Great one of the Superiour Planets I say that all these Foure Causes may for the most part be comprized within this Celestiall Writing that is to say that it hath happened very often that at what time this Celestiall Writing did point out some great Change there was at the same time also a Conjunction of the Superiour Planets or else some one of the Three other forenamed Causes So that They not understanding any thing of this Celestiall Writing imputed those changes which they observed to come to passe to those Foure Reasons only But that it may clearly appeare unto us that These have not been the True Causes of all these Changes we need but have recourse to the Chronologies and Particular Annals of each severall Kingdome and compare them with the Astrologicall Observations and wee shall finde that the greatest part of all the Grand Mutations have happened without any Conjunction of the Greater Planets or any of the other Causes before specified So that we must necessarily flye to some other more Certain Means by which we may be able to foreknow by the Aspects and Motions of the Stars all these Events Now this Means can be no Other as it seemeth but this Celestiall Writing To the Third Objection which seemeth to have the most Weight in it it may be answered that it is true indeed that a Man may make a Resch of the same Star that another man perhaps will make a Daleth of but in This as in many other things wee are to follow the Tradition of the Ancients and to rest satisfied with what They have delivered unto us Otherwise there will not be any Certainty at all in any One of the rest of the Sciences especially in Astrology which requireth that those Stars which compose for Example the Constellation of Aries or the Ramme should be described rather in the Figure of this Beast then in that of an Oxe or a Horse and so in all the rest So that who ever should represent the Figure of a Bull among the Stars that belong to the Ramme and the Figure of a Ramme among those of the Bull he would destroy the very Principles of Astrology notwithstanding that the Stars of Taurus would as well bear the Figure of a Ramme as of a Bull. In like manner he that should make a Resch of such a Star as he should have made a Daleth of notwithstanding that the Star would beare it yet would he overthrow the Principles of this Celestiall Writing If it be now demanded who it is that is to judge of the vast number of New Letters that are made daily by the Diverse Aspects of the Planets I answer that it appertaineth to those Men who are Piously and Religiously versed in this Heavenly Writing and not to all kind of Persons indifferently But I shall as yet suspend my own Judgment as wel in This as in all the rest of these Curiosities which I have here delivered till such time as I shall have found either Weaker or Stronger Reasons THE END The First Table of the Celestial Constellations expressed by Hebrew Characters THe Characters of these two Tables are something different from those which Bonavent ure Hepburn a Scot hath out in Wood and from those 〈◊〉 other also which Duret hath set down in his History of Languages For I have made choice to follow those delivered by R. Chomer a man more skilâ—â—â— in this Particular then either of the former as being one of the most Learned amongst the Jewes of our times And yet I confesse some of the â—haracters are not right through the Gravers fault yet the difference is so little as that it cannot be of any great consequence or importance The two â—ables are divided by the Equator and the Stars are ranged here in the same order that they are in the Globe only those Stars which are under the Aspects of any of the Planets cannot be supposed to make up the same Letters now which you here find represented and which they made before because that these Planets which by reason of their Wanderings cannot be here set down do daily by their various Motions create New and Different 〈…〉 THE CELESTIAL HEBREW ALPHABET 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IERSEY Aetatis suae 10. From thy afflicted Vaile that Cypresse Bower still Watere'd fresh by thy Celestiall shower Come forth come forth Bright Captive Declare With a Full Orb the Innocent and Faire
of the Alphabet in the same manner expressing and distinguishing them as we do by the names of Aries Taurus c. And when all the Letters of the Hebrew Alphabet or what other soever they were for I shall cleare this Doubt some other time were ended they then went onto expresse the rest of the Stars by Two Letters together by this means making up a Word to which also they added a Third Letter the more perfectly to expresse the nature of the Star or Constellation And perhaps a man may be able by this Doctrine to put an end to that Long Dispute that hath been raised concerning the Signification of those names of Stars which we meet with in the Bible as for Example 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ahs in Amos which is Interpreted Arcturus or as Aben-Esra will have it Isa 11.6 Thren 2.3.9 Dan. 7.5 Vrsa Now we know very well that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ahs signifies not Vrsa neither in the Holy Scriptures nor in any other Author but the name of this Beast in Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dob as you may see in Isaiah Jeremiah and Daniel These two Letters therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joyned together might perhaps be only the bare Characters of the Constellation of Vrsa Major 2. And by this we may see that the Ancient Hebrewes fancied not the Figures of any Living Creatures in the Heavens as we do The Ancient Arabians imitated the Hebrewes in their Astrologicall Practises as Abarbanel testifieth till at length the Example of the Greekes made them make use of Living Creatures Yet notwithstanding they forbare to expresse any Humane Figures as having an Eye to the Zeale of the Hebrewes Thus they represented the Signe of Aquarius instead of the Figure of a Man pouring out of water by a Mule with a Pannell on it and laden with too Vessels or Barrels of Gemini by two Peacocks of Virgo by a Sheafe of Corne of the Centaure by a Horse of Ophiucus by a Crane or a Storke as is to be seen in some Arabicke Globes of Sagittarius by a Quiver of Andromeda by a Sea-Calfe and of Cepheus by a Dog and so of the rest The Egyptians also and Persians following herein the steps of the Hebrewes represented the Stars only by certaine Characters till that the Example of their Neighbours drew them also at length to set downe the Figures of Living Creatures as the same Author testifieth who saies that the Persians Chiefly and after them the Indians and Egyptians expressed by Figures not only the forty eight Constellations which are represented on the Globe but also all other Figures that they could imagine at the Beginning of every Principall Signe and in each Degree of it as appears out of Zadchir In Astr Ind. The Figure by which they expressed the Signe of Virgo is one of the most Remarkable and which hath also moved some of the More Learned Arabians to speak well of our Saviour Jesus Christ and of his Blessed Mother And indeed it is not without some Mystery that the Tradition of the East representeth this Constellation in the form of a Faire Damsell with a Comely long head of Haire which seems to adde much Grace to her while she reacheth forth two Ears of Corn to a young Child to whom she seemeth to give Suck Intentio est saith Alboazar who is falsly called Albumazar and is translated into Latine by Hermanus Dalmat quòd Beata Virgo habeat figuram imaginem infra decem primos gradus Virginis et quòd nat a fuit quando Sol est in Virgine et ita habetur signatum in Kalendario et quòd nutriet filium suum Christum Jesum in terra Hebraeorum Whence the Author of the Book which is intitled Vetula took occasion to say O Virgo foelix O Virgo significata Per Stellas ubi Spica nitet 3. The Indians then the Egytians Persians and Arabians having all thus introduced the Figures of Living Creatures into their Astrology the Hebrewes were necessitated to imitate them in some sort and to take up though not their Figures yet the Names of them at least Yet did they neverthelesse abstain from the very Names also of those Figures of Men which the Arabians made use of Thus they call Aquarius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deli which signifies not a Man but a Vessell to take up water with Sagittarius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keshet which signifies only a Bow Saturnē 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scautai Rest Mars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maadim Red which is the Colour of this Star Venus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nogah Brightnesse a name very suitable to this Planet Jupiter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tsedek Just because it makes them so that are born under its Influence Mercury 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cocab signifying only a Star or else 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Catab to Write or Writing because this Planet is very Favourable to Learning And there is but one only Signe of all those that have any Humane Figure that hath retained the Humane Name save only that of the Virgin which is called in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bethola not without some Designe in it although it is often called by the Rabbins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shiboleth the Eare of Corne. So true it is that those of This Nation are not only very free from Idolatry but even from the Name also of what ever they conceive to be an Idol which hath not been hitherto observed by any man Let us now return to their Fore-fathers who knew nothing of any of these Names in their Astrology 4. This way of Expressing the Celestiall all Constellations by Letters and Characters being presupposed the Ancient Hebrewes when they went about to erect a Nativity observed on what Day and under what Signe the Child came into the world and what Planet ruled at the houre of its Birth and which Particulars they afterwards set down in Twelve Places which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Machataloth that is to say Ligaturae Ben David saith that these were the same which the Astrologers now call Houses Now these Ancients had perfect knowledge of all the Particulars above specified by looking on the Table hereafter described which R. Kapol Ben-Samuel hath rescued from Oblivion in his Book intitled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ahmouk ahmoukim vecol devar kaschah Profunditas Profunditatum omnium rerum difficilium which was Printed at Cracovia An. 358. according to the Jewes Later way of Computation which answereth to the Year of our Lord 1498. I borrow of this Learned Jew a great part of these Astrologicall Curiosities and I do it with so much the more Confidence in that he was accounted one of the best Astrologers of his Nation having diligently examined all that the most Learned men had ever written of these kinds of Antiquities The 24 Hours of the Night and Day The Signes for the Beginning of the Night The Signes for
certaine Tracts added which are not found at all in the Hebrew Those Peices that are Legitimate are these that follow First a Tract entitled Initium Sapientiae which is called by the Conciliator Introductorium which is indeed a very Choyce Peice and containes in it what ever is necessary to be observed in the Nativity of a Child Another called Liber Rationum where he discourseth of the Natures of the Signes the Revolution of Daies and Ages and of those Angels which have the Government of the world in their severall Turnes which is a Position maintained by Robert Flud also in his Apology for the Brethren of the Rosy Crosse as we have observed in our Notes upon R. Elcha Then follow in order these other Books Liber Interrogationum Liber Luminarium et Cognitio dici Critici seu de Cognitione cause Crisis De Mundo vel seculo which the Translator calls Liber Conjunctionum Planetarum Revolutionum annorum Mundi where he makes a Repetition of many things which are set down only in the Second Book by the Author It appeares then by this Catalogue that those two Tracts which the Conciliator makes to follow these and intitles Liber Nativitatum Revolutionum earum and Liber Electionum are not found in the Hebrew neither could I ever meet with any such Tracts in any one of all those Copies that I have seen of this Rabbins Works nor yet with diverse other things which are handled in That Collection which the Translator calls Tractatus insuper Particulares ejusdem Abrahae in quibus tractatur de Significationibus Planetarum in duodecim domibus However the Learned are very much obliged unto him seeing that before this Translation of his came abroad into the World the Astrology of the Hebrewes was wholy Unknowne to the Latines But to returne 11. We have shewed what Stars these Ancient Astrologers accounted Malignant in the Nativities of Children Let us now see which were those they accounted Benigne and Favourable and from whose Aspects they Presaged all Good Fortune to the New-born Child Abarbanel then saith that Sol was the Chiefest from whom they took their Omens of Good and this was the reason saith the same Author that when God caused King Hezekiah to be borne again as it were the second time he made choise of the Sun to be the Sign by which this Miracle should be wrought Next after the Sun they accounted Venus to be most Propitious and perhaps from this Observation of the Ancients it was that next to the Sun and the Moon This Planet was most especially Worshipped throughout the whole East as it is affirmed by R. Kapol Ben-Samuel These Ancient Hebrews acknowledged also the Planet Jupiter which they sometimes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gad and sometimes also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mazal Tob and those that came after them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cocheb tsedek to be a very Favourable Star For which reason it was that the New-married Man was wont to give his Bride a Ring whereon was ingraved the fore-named words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mazal tob that is to say in the Natural signification of the Words A Good Star or Good Fortune desiring by this Ceremony that She might be delivered of all her Children under this Favourable Starre as it hath been observed both by Munster Aben-Ezra and Chomer Insomuch that the Later of these Authors affirmes that even in His time there were some that were so Curious as he calls them in these Observations or rather as we may justly say so Melancholick and Foolish as that they would not lye with their Wives but at some certain houres to the end that if they should prove with Child they might be brought to bed under this Starre whose Revolutions they were most diligent in Calculating But these Strange Fancies are found only among the Later Jewes and never entred so much as into the Thoughts of their Fore-fathers the Ancient Hebrewes as the same Chomer affirmes who observed only That which a certain Pure Innocence dictated unto them attributing no other Effect to the Stars then what were meerly Naturall and whose causes were imprinted on these Celestiall Bodies by Him who created all things in their Perfection 12. But it is now time that we answer this Weighty Objection that is made against us namely that seeing that the Holy Scriptures make not any mention of any of these Astrologicall Curipsities in the Lives of the Patriarks whom we affirm to have been Calculaters of Nativities a man may very well account them to be False if not Dangerous seeing they are grounded only upon the Fantasticall Conceits of the Rabbins who are known to have been of the Faction of the Judiciary Astrologers If I had not already elsewhere defended the Innocence of the Learned Jewes See my Advertisement to the Learned touching the Orientall Languages in this Particular I should in this place have taken an occasion to shew how much our Christian Writers have injured them by charging them unjustly with such things as they were never guilty of But now I shall only here make it appear that these Astrologicall Curiosities may be proved out of the Holy Scriptures For confirmation then of what we have here proposed we read in Genesis that Leah Jacobs Wife Gen. 30.11 called one of her Sons by the name of the Planet Jupiter which is called Gad under which no doubt he was born et peperit Zilpah saith the Latine following the Originall ancilla Leah ipsi Jacob filium et ait Leah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bagad et vocavit nomen ejus Gad. The Vulgar Translation and S. Hierome instead of Bagad translate Foclicitér which is the same with Cum Bona Fortuna as it is proved by S. Angustine who reprehendeth those that collected from this Text that the Ancients worshipped Fortune Vnde videtur Occasio saith he non benè intelligentibus dari tanquam illi homines Fortunam coluerint c. And that it may clearly and evidently appear that the Vulgar Translation understands by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gad Fortuna Bona which is one of the Epithets that is given to the Planet Jupiter as is acknowledged on all hands we need but turn to the 65. Chapter of Isaiah ver 11. where the same word is rendered by Fortuna Vos qui dereliquist is Dominum qui obliti estis montem Sanctum meum qui ponitis Fortunae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Legad mensam et libatis super eam The Sepuagint also had long before given the same Interpretation of this word rendering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bagad in Fortuna Now that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gad is the Planet Jupiter Aben-Esra testifieth expresly In Sphaet Iud. part 3. sec 5. col 2. where he saies that the Targum purposely retained this word as being the most proper for the expressing of this Star And Abarbanel upon the same Text of Genesis expounds this Passage without any Scruple
know well that this Latine word is not alwayes a Note of Similitude Facti sumus Sicut Consolati was the song of the People returning out of Captivity as Men that are Comforted shall we conclude hence that they were not Really so No But this word Sicut AS is Redundant in this place and might as well have been away So likewise in this passage Transivimus Sicut per Ignem and in many more the like Therefore Complicabuntur Coeli Quia LIBER sunt But if it be still Objected that for as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caph signifies sometimes sicut in the Originall there is no more reason why it should be rendered Quia then Sicut and Consequently it will still hold true that the Heavens are not a Booke but are onely as a Booke To this it may be answered that the Holy Scripture doth else-where fully decide this Controversie seeing that speaking of the Heavens it makes mention of Lines and Letters which are words that are most properly and Essentially spoken of a Booke and maketh no use of the word Sicut As at all which is an Infallible Argument that these words in the passage before cited Complicabuntur SICUT Liber Caeli are not expressions of Similitude Now that the Scripture speaking of the Heavens nameth expresly the word LETTER will appeare out of the very First Verse of the Bible where the Hebrew Text runnes thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bereshith bara Elohim ET haschamaim that is to say In the Beginning God created the LETTER or CHARACTER of the Heavens For this is the meaning of the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ET or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aot which signifieth a LETTER And as for the word LINE wee finde it much more plainely set downe in the 19. Psalme Vers 4. In Omnem terram exivit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kavam LINEA corum I shall not here enter into any tedious Dispute Whether it be to be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kolam Sonus eorum rather then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kavam Linea eorum and so consequently whether the Passage cited by St. Paul out of the Interpretation of the Seventy be corrupted or else the Hebrew Text. In my Advis sur les langues Orientales I shew with Titelmanns Bredembachius Malvenda Mercerus Genebrard that the Places are not at all Corrupted neither in the one nor in the other but that the Septuagint and St. Paul had regard to the Sense of the Words rather then to the Letter saying Sonus eorum to make it suite more aptly with the following Words Et in fines Orbis terrae verba eorum because that the Sound the Voyce and the Words doe very handsomely accord and suite together We may adde also that they made use of a Sublime and Allegoricall sense of these words applying them to the Preaching of the Apostles And thus St. Paul and the Septuagint being fully reconciled to the Hebrew Text we may the more boldly sticke to the Letter and read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kavam Linea eorum understanding it spoken of the Starres which are ranged in the Heavens after the manner of Letters in a Booke or upon a Sheet of Parchment For which reason also God is said in the Holy Scriptures to have stretched out the Heavens as a Skinne calling this Extension 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rachia from whence perhaps the Greekes might take their word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Skinne or Hide it being most proper to a Skin to be Extended or Stretched forth Now upon this Extension as upon a Skinne hath God disposed and ranged the Starres in the manner of Characters whereby as by a Sacred Book the wonderfull Workes of God are set forth to all those that know how to read them Coeli enarrant gloriam Dei saith the Psalmist And here peradventure some may say that the Wonderfull Workes of God are set forth by the Heavens in their Prodigious Extent Harmony Brightnesse Order and admirable Motion and not by way of any Writing But R. Moses a very learned Jew assureth us that the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saphar to Declare or Set forth is never attributed to Things Inanimate so that from hence He concludes that the Heavens are not without some Soule which is no other then that of those Blessed Intelligences who have the Conduct of the Starres and dispose them into such Letters as God hath ordained declaring unto us Men by meanes of This Writing what Events we are to expect And for this cause this same Writing is called by all the Ancients 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chetab hamelachim that is to say The Writing of the Angels And that this passage Coeli enarrant gloriam Dei is clearly meant of this Celestiall Writing appeares by the words immediately following In omnem terram exivit Linea eorum I know very well that according to St. Paul and the Septuagint a man may understand by the Heavens the Apostles or as some others will have it the Prophets But if pursuing the Allegory a man should take occasion to deny the Literall Sense this would be no small Crime in in the Judgement of the Fathers Scripturae Verba saies the Whole Schoole propriè accipienda sunt quando nihil inde Absurdi fequitur So that if we sticke to the Letter of the Text not onely this Passage alleaged but many others also which I omit that I may come to the Maine Matter in hand doe very much confirme this Writing 3. Now as the Prophets have done before so have all the Learned among the Ancients also after their Example called the Heavens SACRED BOOKES as among the Jewes R. Simeon Ben-Jochay in the Zohar on the Section Temourah which is the 25. Chapter of Exodus Cifr 305. where he speakes very largely of this Celestiall Writing Lib. Moreh Seps Kab Beres Theâ—il Maguid Misnah In Misn Milchamot Adonai Galg Hass in Beres though very Obscurely R. Abraham also in his Jetsira or Booke of the Creation delivers many Mysteries of it and after them R. Moses Aegyptius Moses Ben-Nachman Abraham the Sonne of Dior his Contemporary Aben-Esra David Chimchi Jom Tof Ben-Abraham Joseph the Sonne of Meir Levi Ben-Gerson Chomer Abarbanel and many others which I shall here omit that I may come to the Greekes and Latines who will peradventure be better received The Learned Origen interpreting after his manner that is to say Subtilly and Quaintly this Passage in Genesis Et erunt in Signa Praep. Evang. lib. 6.9 affirmes as he is reported by Eusebius that the Starres were placed in this Order in the Heavens for no other end but to shew by their diverse Aspects Conjunctions and Figures what ever is to happen while the World indures as well in Generall as in Particular yet not so as if they were the Cause of all these things never any such thing came into the Thought much lesse into the Writings of this Learned man For
the Gummes by the Lips by the Teeth and the Tongue together and also into some that are pronounced with a kind of Sibilation others with a certain Stammering and some with a gentle turning of the Tongue which They call Dsalqijetun and the Latines Flexae into others agen that are Short Long Radicall or Trancall and Servile I say that besides all these Divisions they doe yet divide them againe the better to accommodate them to this Celestiall Writing into Schemsijun and Kumrijum that is to say into Solar and Lunar which are particularly knowne by those that observe the Rules of the Zairagia it being unlawfull for them to devise them And perhaps it is in Observation to this Doctrine that the Mahometans doe never begin to write the first part of a word at the end of a Line and the rest of it at the beginning of the next Line as the Greekes and Latines use to doe but if the space be not sufficient to hold the whole word they draw a stroake from the last Letter of the Last word to the end of the Line Now we affirme that though these Letters are very much altered and corrupted yet may it notwithstanding very easily be discovered by the Figure of a great number of them that they have beene taken from the Hebrew and even Children may be able to judge of the Truth hereof by comparing but the Arabicke Hha with the Hebrew He the Cha with the Cheth the Ra with the Resch the Zain with the Zain the Sin with the Schin the Tha with the Teth the Ain with the Aghin the Pha with the Pe the Caph with the Caph the Lam with the Lamed the Vau with the Vau c. So that consequently if wee are to search after any Mysteries in these Letters it ought to be not in a corrupt Copy but rather in the Originall The same is to be said of the Samaritane Characters also which are corrupted from the Hebrew and this is so certaine a Truth as that it is a Point of Infinite Perversenesse to offer to doubt of it as I have proved else-where against Scaliger 7. The Reasons brought by the Ethiopians or Egyptians in the behalf of Their Letters is not so easily answered as those of the Arabians and Samaritans for as much as their Letters being only Hieroglyphicks expressing the figure of an Oxe of a Horse of a Lion of a Beare of an Eagle and in a manner of all other Living Creatures they doe say They represent in the Heavens whatsoever is to come to passe in this world And therefore if there be any thing to be read there above by meanes of the Stars we must reade it in these Hieroglyphicks and in this Language and not in any other since that in Ancient times in stead of Letters they made use of the figures of Living Creatures To this it is answered as we have formerly said that these Living Creatures have beene represented in the Heavens only by reason of a certaine Correspondency that the Stars of which these Constellations consist are observed to have with these Living Creatures upon the Earth and what other Reasons of it soever are given they are Vaine and Foolish Such as are those alleadged by the aforenamed Lazaro Banelli who accommodates the Properties of these Celestiall Animalls to severall Kingdomes over which they rule as for Example the Constellation of Aries rules over France Germany Syria Palestina minor Suevia and the Upper Silesia That of Taurus governs Persia the Isles of the Archipelago Cyprus the Maritime parts of Asia Minor Polonia major Russia alba Switzerland the Countrey of the Rhetres Franconia Ireland Lorraine and part of Swethland But to leave this Italian to please himselfe with these Trifles and likewise Albertus de Marchesijs de Cottignola Caeliloq Mor. a Franciscan Fryer who moralizeth this Astrology after a way of his owne we affirme that all these Celestiall Living Creatures signifie no more then what we have said before and doe therefore by the same reason conclude according to the judgement of the Rabbins that we must not search after any Mysteries nor any other Characters made up by the diverse disposition of the Stars but only in the Hebrew and consequently no Signification in any other Language but in the Holy Language it being most proper that That Language which was the First in the whole World and which was spoken by God himselfe should give us notice Above what things are hereafter to come to passe seeing it hath informed us here Below namely in the Holy Scriptures of all Things that are past And this Conclusion is a most true one say the same Rabbins for as much as in a cleare bright Night a man may see in the Heavens all the Hebrew Characters perfectly figured which one cannot doe of those severall Living Creatures that are placed there seeing that the Imagination cannot be any whit satisfied when for example in the Stars that make up the Constellation of Aries there are Five Other to be seene close about it which by reason that they are not comprised within the Figure of this Beast doe disturb the Fancy and hinder it from making up the Figure it desires The same also may be said of Taurus for there are Eleven Starres to be seene there which are Essentially of this Constellation and yet are not brought in in the Picture of it So likewise in the Constellation of Gemini there are Eleven Stars belonging to it which are distinguished from those Nineteen that represent the Figure of this Signe as Cancer also hath Foure bright Stars which lie Loose from those Nine which make up the Image of this Living Creature But as for the Hebrew Letters there is nothing to hinder us from finding them distinctly described and if any one doe chance to find either Arabicke or Samaritane Letters there this is still but to returne backe to the Originall from whence they were taken 8. First then we are to take notice that the Starres which make up these Letters are not disposed into the order they appeare in at all adventures nor in any confused way as they seeme to us to be but are placed thus with some Designe and in a Divine Order God having made all things in full Perfection Those that understand not the Play of Chesse seeing the Pieces stand here and there so confusedly will be apt to thinke no doubt that they stand in that confused manner by meere haphazard seeing that in some places there are a great many and in some very few and one side of the Chesse-board is full and the other side quite bare and in a third place perhaps you shall have but two or three In a word this Difference in the placing of the Pieces is so great as that hee will certainely conclude that the whole Businesse is clearely without any Designe at all notwithstanding that they are all ranked in very exact Order and that there is not the least Piece