Post by Admin on Oct 9, 2016 10:52:03 GMT
CHAP. XL.
Of Madness.
BUT though I had almost forgot it, let us with these Dreamers number those that give a kind of sacred Credit to the Prophesies of Mad-folks, who themselves have lost all knowledge of things present, memory of past, and indeed all humane sense, fondly imagining them to have the gift of Foreknowledg; as if what the wise and waking know not, Mad-folks and Dreamers should see; as if God were nearer at hand to them, than to the vigilant, watchful, intelligible, and those that are full of premeditation. Unhappy men that believe such Vanity, that give obedience to such Impostures, that cherish such Deluders, submitting their own Faith and Discretion to their Bellies. For what can we imagine Madness to be, but a departure of Reason persecuted by evil Spirits, convey'd through the Stars, or through the Inferiour Bodies by the bad Angels? which Lucan seems to intimate, when he brings in Arvus the Thuscan Prophet:
In Thunders motion skill'd, and Lightnings bright,
And in the downy Feathers airy flight.
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Then after the City-Procession, after the Offering slain, after the Entrails inspected, he brings in a Potter, thus delivering his judgment:
What rage, ye Gods, what w•es do ye prepar•?
If Saturn's baneful Star in topmost Air
Should kindle his dull Fires, we then should moan
To see Aquarius pour whole Rivers down,
And all the World in total deluge drown.
If Sol should mount the Nemaean Lions back,
In Flame would all the Worlds whole Fabrick crack,
And all the Skie with Sol's burnt Chariot blaze
These Aspects cease; but thou that burntst the claws,
And firk'st the Tail of threatning Scorpion.
What great thing breed'st thou Mars? milde Jove goes down
Oppressed in his fall, and in the Skies
The wholsome Star of Venus dulled is,
Mercury looses his swift motion,
And fiery Mars rules in the Skie alone.
Why do the Stars their Course forsaking glide
Obscurely through the Air? why does the side
Of Sword-breaking Orion shine too bright?
Wars rage is threatned, the Swords power all right
Confounds by force: Impiety shall bear
The name of Vertue; and for many a year
This fury lasts.
Therefore all these delusions of Divination have their root and foundation from Astrology. For whether the Lineaments of the Body, Countenance, or Hand be inspected, whether Dream or Vision be seen, whe∣the marking of Entrails or mad Inspiration be con∣sulted, there must be a Celestial Figure first erected, by the means of whose indications, together with the conjectures of Signes and Similitudes, they endeavour
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to finde out the truth of what is desired: So requisite is the use of Astrology to the Arts of Divination, as if it were the Key that opens the door of all their Mysteries. Therefore how much all these Arts are distant from Truth, is evident from this, that they make use of principles so absolutely false and feigned; which being such as neither are, ever were, or will be, and yet they will have to be the causes of future Events, what can appear to be more contrary to all Truth?
Of Madness.
BUT though I had almost forgot it, let us with these Dreamers number those that give a kind of sacred Credit to the Prophesies of Mad-folks, who themselves have lost all knowledge of things present, memory of past, and indeed all humane sense, fondly imagining them to have the gift of Foreknowledg; as if what the wise and waking know not, Mad-folks and Dreamers should see; as if God were nearer at hand to them, than to the vigilant, watchful, intelligible, and those that are full of premeditation. Unhappy men that believe such Vanity, that give obedience to such Impostures, that cherish such Deluders, submitting their own Faith and Discretion to their Bellies. For what can we imagine Madness to be, but a departure of Reason persecuted by evil Spirits, convey'd through the Stars, or through the Inferiour Bodies by the bad Angels? which Lucan seems to intimate, when he brings in Arvus the Thuscan Prophet:
In Thunders motion skill'd, and Lightnings bright,
And in the downy Feathers airy flight.
Page 108
Then after the City-Procession, after the Offering slain, after the Entrails inspected, he brings in a Potter, thus delivering his judgment:
What rage, ye Gods, what w•es do ye prepar•?
If Saturn's baneful Star in topmost Air
Should kindle his dull Fires, we then should moan
To see Aquarius pour whole Rivers down,
And all the World in total deluge drown.
If Sol should mount the Nemaean Lions back,
In Flame would all the Worlds whole Fabrick crack,
And all the Skie with Sol's burnt Chariot blaze
These Aspects cease; but thou that burntst the claws,
And firk'st the Tail of threatning Scorpion.
What great thing breed'st thou Mars? milde Jove goes down
Oppressed in his fall, and in the Skies
The wholsome Star of Venus dulled is,
Mercury looses his swift motion,
And fiery Mars rules in the Skie alone.
Why do the Stars their Course forsaking glide
Obscurely through the Air? why does the side
Of Sword-breaking Orion shine too bright?
Wars rage is threatned, the Swords power all right
Confounds by force: Impiety shall bear
The name of Vertue; and for many a year
This fury lasts.
Therefore all these delusions of Divination have their root and foundation from Astrology. For whether the Lineaments of the Body, Countenance, or Hand be inspected, whether Dream or Vision be seen, whe∣the marking of Entrails or mad Inspiration be con∣sulted, there must be a Celestial Figure first erected, by the means of whose indications, together with the conjectures of Signes and Similitudes, they endeavour
Page 109
to finde out the truth of what is desired: So requisite is the use of Astrology to the Arts of Divination, as if it were the Key that opens the door of all their Mysteries. Therefore how much all these Arts are distant from Truth, is evident from this, that they make use of principles so absolutely false and feigned; which being such as neither are, ever were, or will be, and yet they will have to be the causes of future Events, what can appear to be more contrary to all Truth?