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CHAP. XXXI.
Of Judicial Astrology.
THere is another part of Astrology remaining, which they call the Divining or Fore-telling Part, other∣wise call'd Judicial Astrology, which Treats of the Revolutions of the Years of the World; of Nativi∣ties, of Horary Questions, and by what sort of means to foretel and know Future Events, and the Secrets of Divine Providence, thereby to avoid ill Success, and se∣cure
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the undertaker of Prosperity. Astrologers there∣fore borrow the Effects and Influences of the Stars from the most remote Ages of the World, beyond the memo∣ry of things, even before the days of Prometheus, and from Conjunctions that were before the Flood; pre∣tending themselves able to display the hidden Natures, Qualities and Effects of all sorts of Animals, Stones, Metals and Plants, and whatever else being part of the Creation; and to shew how the same do depend on the Skies, and flow from the Stars, and partake of their Influences. A most credulous sort of People, and no less impious, not acknowledging this one thing, That God made the Plants, Herbs, and Trees, before the Heavens and the Stars. The gravest Philosophers also, as Pythagoras, Democritus, Bion, Phavorinus, Pa∣netius, Carneades, Possidonius, Timaeus, Aristotle, Plato, Plotinus, Porphyrius, Avicen, Averroes, Hippocrates, Ga∣len, Alexander, Aphrodisius, Cicero, Seneca, Plutarch, and many others who have diligently laboured in the search of the Causes of Things through all Arts and Sciences, never do remit us to these Astrological Cau∣ses, which although they might be allow'd for Cau∣ses, yet when they themselves do not rightly under∣stand the Course of the Stars, which is most evident to all wise men, they can never be able to give a cer∣tain judgment of their Effects. Neither are there others wanting among them, as Eudoxus, Archelaus, Cassan∣drus, Hoychilax, Halicarnassaeus, and many others of later date, grave in esteem, who confess, That 'tis impossible that any thing of certainty should be found out by the Art of Judicial Astrology, by reason of the innumerable co-operating Causes that attend the Heavenly Influences; and so Ptolomy is also of Opi∣nion, both for that there are many occasions of Ob∣struction, as Customs, Manners, Education, Vertue, Empire, Place, Geniture, Blood, Diet, Libertie of Will,
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and Learning; as also for that, as they say, the Influ∣ences do not compel but incline. Furthermore, they who have prescrib'd the Rules of Judgments, set down their Maxims so various and contradictory, that it is impossible for a Prognosticator, out of so many various and disagreeing Opinions, to be able to pronounce any thing certain, unless he be inwardly Inspir'd with some secret and hidden instinct and Sence and of future things; or unless by some occult and latent Communi∣cation of the Devil, he be enabled with a discerning fa∣culty: which two means he that wants, can never be a true Prophet in Astrological Judgments; Astrologi∣cal Prediction not depending upon Art, but meerly upon obscure Chance: And as young People light up∣on such or such verses in Fortune-Books, not by Art, but by Chance: so Prophesies flow from the brest of an Astrologer by the same Chance, and not by Art; which Ptolomy witnesses, saying, The know∣ledge of the Stars is in thee, and thence proceeds; there∣by intimating, that the Prediction of hidden and fu∣ture things is not attain'd to so much by Observati∣on of the Stars, as of the qualities and affections of the Mind. There is no certainty therefore in this Art, applicable to all things according to Opinion; which Opinion is gathered and delivered from Conjectures, through an unperceiveable Inspiration of the Devil, or else by meer Chance: therefore is this Art no more than a fallacious Conjecture of Superstitious men, who by the Experience of long time have attain'd to some insight into uncertain things, wherewith to such out a little money; they many times deceive the ignorant, and are as often deceiv'd: for if their Art were true, and rightly understood by them, whence so many Er∣rors and Deceits continually swimming in their Prog∣nostications? and if not true, do they not vainly, foolish∣ly, and wickedly profess the Knowledge of things
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which are not, or are not rightly understood? But the more cautious among them will not utter their Prog∣nostications but in obscure and ambiguous terms, and which may be apply'd to all things, times, Princes, and Nations whatever. If any thing which they have said do come to pass, then they Collect together the Cau∣ses thereof, confirming after the thing is apparent, their old Prophesies by new Reasons, that they may seem to have foreseen: like your Interpreters of Dreams, upon the relation of a Dream know nothing of certainty, but apply their Interpretation to that which happens afterwards. Furthermore, seeing it is impossible in so great a number of Stars, but that we must find some in bad, some in good Positions; they take occasion from thence of speaking to whom and what they please: foretelling Life, Death, Health, Honours, Wealth, Power, Victory, Off-spring, Friends, Marriage, Magistracy, and many other things: To others, from a bad Position, foretelling Death, Hang∣ing, Shame, Overthrows, Barrenness, Sickness, and Misfortunes; not by the power of their wicked Art, but by a wicked stupefaction of the Mind, and forcing a necessity of Actions concurring to such Events, draw∣ing credulous people to their ruine, causing also among Princes and Nations most severe Wars and Seditions. Now if it happen that fortune jumps with any of their Prognostications, that among so many ambiguous Va∣ticinations one or other happen to prove true, how they strut and crow, and fall into raptures and high admiration of themselves! If they be found to lye continually, and be still convinc'd of falshood, then they excuse it with Blasphemy, fortifying one Lye with another, saying, That a wise man has power over the Stars: whereas in truth, neither the Stars are govern'd by wise men, nor wise men by the Stars; but both are govern'd by God: or else they cry, That
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the unaptness of the subject, or the solly of the party, was an obstruction of the Influences; but if ye require more of them, they are angry. Yet these Fortune-tel∣lers do finde entertainment among Princes and Ma∣gistrates, from whom they receive considerable Salaries; whereas there is indeed no sort or generation of men more pernicious to a Commonwealth, than those that undertake to prognosticate by the Stars, by Dreams, or any other Artifices of Divination, and scatter their Prophesies about: Men always enemies to Christ, and all that believe in him: Of whom Cornelius Tacitus complains: Your Mathematicians, for so they are vulgarly called, are a sort of men, saith he, treacherous to Princes, deceitful to those that believe in 'um; were al∣ways pro•ibited from our City, but never expell'd. Varro also a grave Author testifies, That all the Vanities of superstition flow'd out of the bosome of Astrology. There was a certain Tribute assess'd in Alexandria, which the Astrologers pay, being called Blacenomium, which signifies Folly, because that out of ingenious Folly they made a certain Gain, and because that none but rash and inconsiderate people were wont to con∣sult them. But if our life and happiness proceed from the Stars, what do we fear? why are we so sollicitous? Let us trust all these things to God, and the Stars, who can never erre, never do any evil. Let us not dive into things beyond our own capacities, but onely learn to know that which is onely in our reach; and being that we are Christians, let us leave the Hours to Christ, the Minutes to God the Father. But if the Stars have nothing of force, nothing of power, nothing of in∣fluence over our life and happiness, then is every Astro∣loger a very vain and idle person. But there are a sort of people so very timorous and credulous, that as Chil∣dren frighted with the stories of Hobgoblins, they be∣lieve and are more afraid of those things which are not,
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than of those things which are; and by how much a thing seems to be less possible to come to pass, so much the rather are they afraid thereof; and the less pro∣bable a thing is, the sooner they believe it; who if they were not Astrologers, might eat their nails, or die with hunger. And this strange credulity of theirs, forget∣ful of things past, negligent of the present, running headlong after future things, is so favourable to these deceivers, that though but one lye told, shall injure the credit and reputation of other men, so that they shall be scarcely believ'd again when they speak truth; On the contrary, among the Doctors of Lying and Falshood, one Chance-truth shall gain belief of a hun∣dred Publick lyes: In which they who chiefly confide, are the most unhappy of all men, such superstitious trifles always bringing their Adorers into ruine: Which Antiquity witnesseth of Zoroastes, Pharaoh, Ne∣buchadnezzar, Caesar, Crassus, Pompey, Diotharus, Nero, Julian the Apostate, who as they were most addicted to these Gugaws, so did they perish through their confi∣dence in them: All things falling out most unfortunate to them, to whom their Fortune-tellers promis'd all things favourable and auspicious. As to Pompey and Caesar, whom they both made believe that they should die aged, in their beds, and in great honour, yet both of them came to bad and untimely ends. A perverse and preposterous generation of men, who profess to foreknow future things, in the mean time altogether ignorant of past and present; and under∣taking to tell all people most obscure and hidden se∣crets abroad, at the same time know not what happens in their own houses, and in their own chambers: E∣ven such an Astrologer as Moore laught at in his Epi∣gram.
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The Stars, Ethereal Bard, to thee shine clear,
And all our future Fates thou mak'st appear.
But that thy Wife is common all men know,
Yet what all see, there's not a Star doth show.
Saturn is blinde, or some long journey gone,
Not able to discern an infant from a stone.
The Moon is fair, and as she's fair she's chast,
And won't behold thy Wife so leudly embrac't.
Europa Jove, Mars Venus, she Mars courts,
With Daphne, Sol, with Hirce Hermes sports.
Thus while the Stars their wanton Love pursue,
No wonder, Cuckhold, they'll not tell thee true.
In the next place, it is notorious how they differ from one another among themselves, Jews, Caldeans, E∣gyptians, Persians, Graecians, Arabians, about the Rules of giving judgment; and how Ptolomy quite lays a∣side all the ancient Philosophy; for which how Aven∣r•dan defends him; how Albumasar rails at him; and how Abraham Avenezra the Jew falls upon the bones of all these. Lastly, Dorotheus, Paulus, Alexandrinus, Ephestion, Maternus, Aomar, Tebith, Alchindus, Zahel, Messahalla, are all of another opinion; and when they cannot prove what they say to be true, they endeavour to defend themselves by Experiments, and yet they are not all unanimous in that neither. Neither is there less discord about the propriety of the Houses, whence they fetch the Predictions of all Events: wherein Pto∣lomy is of one opinion, Heliodorus of another, Paulus of another, of another Manlius, Maternus of another, of another Porphyrius, Abenragel of another, the E∣gyptians of another, of another the Greeks and Latins; the Ancients and Moderns alike dissenting. Neither can they agree where to place the ends, where the be∣ginnings of their Houses; which structures the An∣cients
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have built after one fashion; Ptolomy, Campanus, and Johan Regiomontanus, every one in another distinct manner; whereby they themselves take away all credit from their own observations, several ascribing several properties to the same persons. An impious Race of men, attributing that to the Stars, which belongs onely to God; making us that were free born, to be slaves of the Stars; and when we know that God created all things good, they will be appointing some Stars to be Malevolent in their Aspects, and the Originals of bad Influences; not without great contempt of God, and injury to the Heavens, in that Divine Senate make all mischiefs and misfortunes to be decreed; and what∣ever is done by us out of the depravity of our Wills, which nature cannot avoid, through the corruption of the Subject-matter, all that they Attribute to the fault of the Stars. Neither are they ashamed to teach men to be most pernicious Hereticks and Infidels, while they endeavour to make the gift of Prophesie, the pow∣er of Religion, the secrets of Conscience, dominion over Hell, the vertue of Miracles, the efficacy of Prayer, the state of future Life, all these mighty things to de∣pend upon the Stars; to be granted by them, and the knowledge thereof to be wholly deriv'd from them: For they say, that Gemini being the Ascendent, Saturn and Mars being in Conjunction in Aquarius, That a Prophet should be born in a new part of the World; and that Christ was therefore famous for so many Vertues, because Saturn and Gemini were together in that place. The several Sects of Religion they make to be govern'd by other mixtures of the Constellations; Jupiter being nevertheless their Lord and Patron. Jupiter joyn'd with Saturn, governs the Religion of the Jews; joyn'd with Mars, the Caldean; with the Sun, the Aegyptian; with Venus, the Saracen; with Mercury, the Christian, with Luna, the Antichristian.
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They say moreover, that Moses instituted the Sabbath among the Jews upon certain Logical reasons that urged him t•ereto; and that therefore the Christians Erre, that will not observe the Sabbath of the Jews, which is the true Saturday. Next they impugne all Faith both toward Religion, toward Men, and God himself; affirming, That the secrets of Conscience may be discovered from such a part of the Sun, being in the ninth, third, eleventh houses of the Heaven; and many have prescrib'd Rules, whereby they pretend to disclose the very thoughts and intentions of Men. Exalting the Coelestial Constellations, above the Mi∣raculous Works of God, as the superintendant Cau∣ses of the Universal Flood, the Law given by Moses, and the Child-bearing of a Virgin; and vainly attribu∣ting to Mars the occasion and necessary cause of Christs All-redeeming death. Yea they do affirm, That Christ himself did make choice of his hours wherein to work his Miracles; and when he rode in Triumph into Je∣rusalem, what times he knew the Jews could have no power to hurt him; which was the reason he chid his Disciples in these words, Are there not Twelve hours of the day? They say moreover, That if any one were happily placed under Mars, being in the Ninth House, such a one shall be able to cast out Devils with his presence only. But he that shall Pray to God, Luna and Jupiter being in Conjunction in the Mid-Heaven with the Dragons-head, shall obtain all his desires; and that Saturn and Jupiter do promise future pros∣perity of Life. Moreover, that he who hath Saturn happily constituted with Leo at his Nativity, shall when he departs this Life immediately return to Heaven again. Now who could think it? as silly and as idle as these Heresies are, yet want they not abettors, Petrus Aponensis, Roger Bacon, Guido Bonatus, Arnoldus de Villa Nova, Philosophers; Alyacensis Cardinal and Di∣vine:
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and many other famous Christian Doctors, who have not without great Infamy given their Assent to the same; and more than that, have been so bold as to testifie and defend the truth thereof. Against these Astrologers of later years, Johannes Picus Mirandula wrote Twelve Books so fully, that he hath scarce omitted one Argument, but with such a force of Elo∣quence, that neither Lucius Balantius a most strenuous Champion of Astrology, nor any other Hector of this Art could ever defend it from the ruine of those Argu∣ments that Mirandula hath brought against it. For he makes it out by most strong Arguments, That Astrology is an Invention not of Men, but of the De∣vil (which Firmianus confirms) by which he endea∣vours to exterminate and abolish all Philosophy, Phy∣sick, Law, and Religion, to the general mischief of Mankind: for first, it takes away the use of Faith in Religion, lessens the reverence of Miracles, takes away Divine Providence, while it teaches, That all things happen by force and vertue of the Stars, and from the Influences of the Constellations, by a kind of fatal Necessity. It patronizes Sin, excusing Vice as descen∣ding from Heaven; it defiles and subverts all good Arts, in the first place Philosophy, translating the Causes of things from right Reason to Fables; transla∣ting the practice of Physick from the application of Natural and Efficacious Remedies, to vain Observati∣ons and idle Superstitions deadly both to Body and Soul; Abrogating all Laws, Customes and Rules of humane Prudence, when Astrology must be only consulted at what time, how, and by what means to Act; as if she only held the Scepter that governs hu∣mane Life and Manners, together with all Affairs publick and private, deriving an uncontrolable Autho∣rity from Heaven, and accompting all things else vain and ridiculous that will not submit to her jurisdicti∣on.
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A most worthy Art! which the Devils heretofore Professed, in contempt of God, and to the deceipt of Men. Neither can we think that the Heresie of the Manicheans, which takes away all liberty of Free-will, had any other Original than the false Opinions and Doctrines of Astrology. From the same Fountain sprang that Heresie of Basilides, who believed that there were Three hundred sixty five Heavens, all made successively, and in the same likeness, according to the number of the days of the year; and assigning to e∣very one of them certain Qualities, Principles, and Angels; and also giving them names: he calls the su∣preme Ruler of them all Abraxas, which name accor∣ding to the Greek Letters contains the Numerals of Three hundred sixty five, to answer the Number of Heavens which he had invented. These things I have therefore set forth, that ye may understand Astrology to be the Mother of Heresie. Besides this same Fortune-telling Astrology, not only the best of Moral Philoso∣phers explode, but also Moses, Isaias, Job, Jeremiah, and all the other Prophets of the Ancient Law; and among the Catholick Writers, St. Austin condemns it to be utterly expell'd and banish'd out of the Territories of Christianity. St. Hierome argues the same to be a kind of of Idolatry. Basil and Cyprian laught at it as most contemptible. Chrysostome, Eusebius, and Lactan∣tius, utterly condemn it. Gregory, Ambrose, and Se∣verianus, inveigh against it. The Council of Toledo ut∣terly abandon and prohibit it. In the Synod of Mar∣tinus, and by Gregory the younger, and Alexander the third, it was Anathematiz'd, and punish'd by the Ci∣vil Laws of the Emperours. Among the Ancient Romans, it was prohibited by Tiberius, Vitellius, Dio∣clesian, Constantine, Gratian, Valentinian, and Theodosius, Ejected also, and Punish'd: by Justinian made a Capi∣tal Crime, as may appear in his Codex.
Of Judicial Astrology.
THere is another part of Astrology remaining, which they call the Divining or Fore-telling Part, other∣wise call'd Judicial Astrology, which Treats of the Revolutions of the Years of the World; of Nativi∣ties, of Horary Questions, and by what sort of means to foretel and know Future Events, and the Secrets of Divine Providence, thereby to avoid ill Success, and se∣cure
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the undertaker of Prosperity. Astrologers there∣fore borrow the Effects and Influences of the Stars from the most remote Ages of the World, beyond the memo∣ry of things, even before the days of Prometheus, and from Conjunctions that were before the Flood; pre∣tending themselves able to display the hidden Natures, Qualities and Effects of all sorts of Animals, Stones, Metals and Plants, and whatever else being part of the Creation; and to shew how the same do depend on the Skies, and flow from the Stars, and partake of their Influences. A most credulous sort of People, and no less impious, not acknowledging this one thing, That God made the Plants, Herbs, and Trees, before the Heavens and the Stars. The gravest Philosophers also, as Pythagoras, Democritus, Bion, Phavorinus, Pa∣netius, Carneades, Possidonius, Timaeus, Aristotle, Plato, Plotinus, Porphyrius, Avicen, Averroes, Hippocrates, Ga∣len, Alexander, Aphrodisius, Cicero, Seneca, Plutarch, and many others who have diligently laboured in the search of the Causes of Things through all Arts and Sciences, never do remit us to these Astrological Cau∣ses, which although they might be allow'd for Cau∣ses, yet when they themselves do not rightly under∣stand the Course of the Stars, which is most evident to all wise men, they can never be able to give a cer∣tain judgment of their Effects. Neither are there others wanting among them, as Eudoxus, Archelaus, Cassan∣drus, Hoychilax, Halicarnassaeus, and many others of later date, grave in esteem, who confess, That 'tis impossible that any thing of certainty should be found out by the Art of Judicial Astrology, by reason of the innumerable co-operating Causes that attend the Heavenly Influences; and so Ptolomy is also of Opi∣nion, both for that there are many occasions of Ob∣struction, as Customs, Manners, Education, Vertue, Empire, Place, Geniture, Blood, Diet, Libertie of Will,
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and Learning; as also for that, as they say, the Influ∣ences do not compel but incline. Furthermore, they who have prescrib'd the Rules of Judgments, set down their Maxims so various and contradictory, that it is impossible for a Prognosticator, out of so many various and disagreeing Opinions, to be able to pronounce any thing certain, unless he be inwardly Inspir'd with some secret and hidden instinct and Sence and of future things; or unless by some occult and latent Communi∣cation of the Devil, he be enabled with a discerning fa∣culty: which two means he that wants, can never be a true Prophet in Astrological Judgments; Astrologi∣cal Prediction not depending upon Art, but meerly upon obscure Chance: And as young People light up∣on such or such verses in Fortune-Books, not by Art, but by Chance: so Prophesies flow from the brest of an Astrologer by the same Chance, and not by Art; which Ptolomy witnesses, saying, The know∣ledge of the Stars is in thee, and thence proceeds; there∣by intimating, that the Prediction of hidden and fu∣ture things is not attain'd to so much by Observati∣on of the Stars, as of the qualities and affections of the Mind. There is no certainty therefore in this Art, applicable to all things according to Opinion; which Opinion is gathered and delivered from Conjectures, through an unperceiveable Inspiration of the Devil, or else by meer Chance: therefore is this Art no more than a fallacious Conjecture of Superstitious men, who by the Experience of long time have attain'd to some insight into uncertain things, wherewith to such out a little money; they many times deceive the ignorant, and are as often deceiv'd: for if their Art were true, and rightly understood by them, whence so many Er∣rors and Deceits continually swimming in their Prog∣nostications? and if not true, do they not vainly, foolish∣ly, and wickedly profess the Knowledge of things
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which are not, or are not rightly understood? But the more cautious among them will not utter their Prog∣nostications but in obscure and ambiguous terms, and which may be apply'd to all things, times, Princes, and Nations whatever. If any thing which they have said do come to pass, then they Collect together the Cau∣ses thereof, confirming after the thing is apparent, their old Prophesies by new Reasons, that they may seem to have foreseen: like your Interpreters of Dreams, upon the relation of a Dream know nothing of certainty, but apply their Interpretation to that which happens afterwards. Furthermore, seeing it is impossible in so great a number of Stars, but that we must find some in bad, some in good Positions; they take occasion from thence of speaking to whom and what they please: foretelling Life, Death, Health, Honours, Wealth, Power, Victory, Off-spring, Friends, Marriage, Magistracy, and many other things: To others, from a bad Position, foretelling Death, Hang∣ing, Shame, Overthrows, Barrenness, Sickness, and Misfortunes; not by the power of their wicked Art, but by a wicked stupefaction of the Mind, and forcing a necessity of Actions concurring to such Events, draw∣ing credulous people to their ruine, causing also among Princes and Nations most severe Wars and Seditions. Now if it happen that fortune jumps with any of their Prognostications, that among so many ambiguous Va∣ticinations one or other happen to prove true, how they strut and crow, and fall into raptures and high admiration of themselves! If they be found to lye continually, and be still convinc'd of falshood, then they excuse it with Blasphemy, fortifying one Lye with another, saying, That a wise man has power over the Stars: whereas in truth, neither the Stars are govern'd by wise men, nor wise men by the Stars; but both are govern'd by God: or else they cry, That
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the unaptness of the subject, or the solly of the party, was an obstruction of the Influences; but if ye require more of them, they are angry. Yet these Fortune-tel∣lers do finde entertainment among Princes and Ma∣gistrates, from whom they receive considerable Salaries; whereas there is indeed no sort or generation of men more pernicious to a Commonwealth, than those that undertake to prognosticate by the Stars, by Dreams, or any other Artifices of Divination, and scatter their Prophesies about: Men always enemies to Christ, and all that believe in him: Of whom Cornelius Tacitus complains: Your Mathematicians, for so they are vulgarly called, are a sort of men, saith he, treacherous to Princes, deceitful to those that believe in 'um; were al∣ways pro•ibited from our City, but never expell'd. Varro also a grave Author testifies, That all the Vanities of superstition flow'd out of the bosome of Astrology. There was a certain Tribute assess'd in Alexandria, which the Astrologers pay, being called Blacenomium, which signifies Folly, because that out of ingenious Folly they made a certain Gain, and because that none but rash and inconsiderate people were wont to con∣sult them. But if our life and happiness proceed from the Stars, what do we fear? why are we so sollicitous? Let us trust all these things to God, and the Stars, who can never erre, never do any evil. Let us not dive into things beyond our own capacities, but onely learn to know that which is onely in our reach; and being that we are Christians, let us leave the Hours to Christ, the Minutes to God the Father. But if the Stars have nothing of force, nothing of power, nothing of in∣fluence over our life and happiness, then is every Astro∣loger a very vain and idle person. But there are a sort of people so very timorous and credulous, that as Chil∣dren frighted with the stories of Hobgoblins, they be∣lieve and are more afraid of those things which are not,
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than of those things which are; and by how much a thing seems to be less possible to come to pass, so much the rather are they afraid thereof; and the less pro∣bable a thing is, the sooner they believe it; who if they were not Astrologers, might eat their nails, or die with hunger. And this strange credulity of theirs, forget∣ful of things past, negligent of the present, running headlong after future things, is so favourable to these deceivers, that though but one lye told, shall injure the credit and reputation of other men, so that they shall be scarcely believ'd again when they speak truth; On the contrary, among the Doctors of Lying and Falshood, one Chance-truth shall gain belief of a hun∣dred Publick lyes: In which they who chiefly confide, are the most unhappy of all men, such superstitious trifles always bringing their Adorers into ruine: Which Antiquity witnesseth of Zoroastes, Pharaoh, Ne∣buchadnezzar, Caesar, Crassus, Pompey, Diotharus, Nero, Julian the Apostate, who as they were most addicted to these Gugaws, so did they perish through their confi∣dence in them: All things falling out most unfortunate to them, to whom their Fortune-tellers promis'd all things favourable and auspicious. As to Pompey and Caesar, whom they both made believe that they should die aged, in their beds, and in great honour, yet both of them came to bad and untimely ends. A perverse and preposterous generation of men, who profess to foreknow future things, in the mean time altogether ignorant of past and present; and under∣taking to tell all people most obscure and hidden se∣crets abroad, at the same time know not what happens in their own houses, and in their own chambers: E∣ven such an Astrologer as Moore laught at in his Epi∣gram.
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The Stars, Ethereal Bard, to thee shine clear,
And all our future Fates thou mak'st appear.
But that thy Wife is common all men know,
Yet what all see, there's not a Star doth show.
Saturn is blinde, or some long journey gone,
Not able to discern an infant from a stone.
The Moon is fair, and as she's fair she's chast,
And won't behold thy Wife so leudly embrac't.
Europa Jove, Mars Venus, she Mars courts,
With Daphne, Sol, with Hirce Hermes sports.
Thus while the Stars their wanton Love pursue,
No wonder, Cuckhold, they'll not tell thee true.
In the next place, it is notorious how they differ from one another among themselves, Jews, Caldeans, E∣gyptians, Persians, Graecians, Arabians, about the Rules of giving judgment; and how Ptolomy quite lays a∣side all the ancient Philosophy; for which how Aven∣r•dan defends him; how Albumasar rails at him; and how Abraham Avenezra the Jew falls upon the bones of all these. Lastly, Dorotheus, Paulus, Alexandrinus, Ephestion, Maternus, Aomar, Tebith, Alchindus, Zahel, Messahalla, are all of another opinion; and when they cannot prove what they say to be true, they endeavour to defend themselves by Experiments, and yet they are not all unanimous in that neither. Neither is there less discord about the propriety of the Houses, whence they fetch the Predictions of all Events: wherein Pto∣lomy is of one opinion, Heliodorus of another, Paulus of another, of another Manlius, Maternus of another, of another Porphyrius, Abenragel of another, the E∣gyptians of another, of another the Greeks and Latins; the Ancients and Moderns alike dissenting. Neither can they agree where to place the ends, where the be∣ginnings of their Houses; which structures the An∣cients
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have built after one fashion; Ptolomy, Campanus, and Johan Regiomontanus, every one in another distinct manner; whereby they themselves take away all credit from their own observations, several ascribing several properties to the same persons. An impious Race of men, attributing that to the Stars, which belongs onely to God; making us that were free born, to be slaves of the Stars; and when we know that God created all things good, they will be appointing some Stars to be Malevolent in their Aspects, and the Originals of bad Influences; not without great contempt of God, and injury to the Heavens, in that Divine Senate make all mischiefs and misfortunes to be decreed; and what∣ever is done by us out of the depravity of our Wills, which nature cannot avoid, through the corruption of the Subject-matter, all that they Attribute to the fault of the Stars. Neither are they ashamed to teach men to be most pernicious Hereticks and Infidels, while they endeavour to make the gift of Prophesie, the pow∣er of Religion, the secrets of Conscience, dominion over Hell, the vertue of Miracles, the efficacy of Prayer, the state of future Life, all these mighty things to de∣pend upon the Stars; to be granted by them, and the knowledge thereof to be wholly deriv'd from them: For they say, that Gemini being the Ascendent, Saturn and Mars being in Conjunction in Aquarius, That a Prophet should be born in a new part of the World; and that Christ was therefore famous for so many Vertues, because Saturn and Gemini were together in that place. The several Sects of Religion they make to be govern'd by other mixtures of the Constellations; Jupiter being nevertheless their Lord and Patron. Jupiter joyn'd with Saturn, governs the Religion of the Jews; joyn'd with Mars, the Caldean; with the Sun, the Aegyptian; with Venus, the Saracen; with Mercury, the Christian, with Luna, the Antichristian.
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They say moreover, that Moses instituted the Sabbath among the Jews upon certain Logical reasons that urged him t•ereto; and that therefore the Christians Erre, that will not observe the Sabbath of the Jews, which is the true Saturday. Next they impugne all Faith both toward Religion, toward Men, and God himself; affirming, That the secrets of Conscience may be discovered from such a part of the Sun, being in the ninth, third, eleventh houses of the Heaven; and many have prescrib'd Rules, whereby they pretend to disclose the very thoughts and intentions of Men. Exalting the Coelestial Constellations, above the Mi∣raculous Works of God, as the superintendant Cau∣ses of the Universal Flood, the Law given by Moses, and the Child-bearing of a Virgin; and vainly attribu∣ting to Mars the occasion and necessary cause of Christs All-redeeming death. Yea they do affirm, That Christ himself did make choice of his hours wherein to work his Miracles; and when he rode in Triumph into Je∣rusalem, what times he knew the Jews could have no power to hurt him; which was the reason he chid his Disciples in these words, Are there not Twelve hours of the day? They say moreover, That if any one were happily placed under Mars, being in the Ninth House, such a one shall be able to cast out Devils with his presence only. But he that shall Pray to God, Luna and Jupiter being in Conjunction in the Mid-Heaven with the Dragons-head, shall obtain all his desires; and that Saturn and Jupiter do promise future pros∣perity of Life. Moreover, that he who hath Saturn happily constituted with Leo at his Nativity, shall when he departs this Life immediately return to Heaven again. Now who could think it? as silly and as idle as these Heresies are, yet want they not abettors, Petrus Aponensis, Roger Bacon, Guido Bonatus, Arnoldus de Villa Nova, Philosophers; Alyacensis Cardinal and Di∣vine:
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and many other famous Christian Doctors, who have not without great Infamy given their Assent to the same; and more than that, have been so bold as to testifie and defend the truth thereof. Against these Astrologers of later years, Johannes Picus Mirandula wrote Twelve Books so fully, that he hath scarce omitted one Argument, but with such a force of Elo∣quence, that neither Lucius Balantius a most strenuous Champion of Astrology, nor any other Hector of this Art could ever defend it from the ruine of those Argu∣ments that Mirandula hath brought against it. For he makes it out by most strong Arguments, That Astrology is an Invention not of Men, but of the De∣vil (which Firmianus confirms) by which he endea∣vours to exterminate and abolish all Philosophy, Phy∣sick, Law, and Religion, to the general mischief of Mankind: for first, it takes away the use of Faith in Religion, lessens the reverence of Miracles, takes away Divine Providence, while it teaches, That all things happen by force and vertue of the Stars, and from the Influences of the Constellations, by a kind of fatal Necessity. It patronizes Sin, excusing Vice as descen∣ding from Heaven; it defiles and subverts all good Arts, in the first place Philosophy, translating the Causes of things from right Reason to Fables; transla∣ting the practice of Physick from the application of Natural and Efficacious Remedies, to vain Observati∣ons and idle Superstitions deadly both to Body and Soul; Abrogating all Laws, Customes and Rules of humane Prudence, when Astrology must be only consulted at what time, how, and by what means to Act; as if she only held the Scepter that governs hu∣mane Life and Manners, together with all Affairs publick and private, deriving an uncontrolable Autho∣rity from Heaven, and accompting all things else vain and ridiculous that will not submit to her jurisdicti∣on.
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A most worthy Art! which the Devils heretofore Professed, in contempt of God, and to the deceipt of Men. Neither can we think that the Heresie of the Manicheans, which takes away all liberty of Free-will, had any other Original than the false Opinions and Doctrines of Astrology. From the same Fountain sprang that Heresie of Basilides, who believed that there were Three hundred sixty five Heavens, all made successively, and in the same likeness, according to the number of the days of the year; and assigning to e∣very one of them certain Qualities, Principles, and Angels; and also giving them names: he calls the su∣preme Ruler of them all Abraxas, which name accor∣ding to the Greek Letters contains the Numerals of Three hundred sixty five, to answer the Number of Heavens which he had invented. These things I have therefore set forth, that ye may understand Astrology to be the Mother of Heresie. Besides this same Fortune-telling Astrology, not only the best of Moral Philoso∣phers explode, but also Moses, Isaias, Job, Jeremiah, and all the other Prophets of the Ancient Law; and among the Catholick Writers, St. Austin condemns it to be utterly expell'd and banish'd out of the Territories of Christianity. St. Hierome argues the same to be a kind of of Idolatry. Basil and Cyprian laught at it as most contemptible. Chrysostome, Eusebius, and Lactan∣tius, utterly condemn it. Gregory, Ambrose, and Se∣verianus, inveigh against it. The Council of Toledo ut∣terly abandon and prohibit it. In the Synod of Mar∣tinus, and by Gregory the younger, and Alexander the third, it was Anathematiz'd, and punish'd by the Ci∣vil Laws of the Emperours. Among the Ancient Romans, it was prohibited by Tiberius, Vitellius, Dio∣clesian, Constantine, Gratian, Valentinian, and Theodosius, Ejected also, and Punish'd: by Justinian made a Capi∣tal Crime, as may appear in his Codex.