IV. VI. Qeflions,andCafesofCvnfience Chap.15 Thirdly , more is afcribed toAftrolo:,ers in point of truth from fome tricks they, ufe , then indeed they deferve For, as the Devil tiled of old in his Ora- cles, fo theyde ambiguous exprefíionswhich admit of adouble conitru&ion, and men interpret them accordingto their events : they addalfo many ifs, and cautions to their predi &ions , whereby ifthe event anfwer not their predidtton, they dowith the vulk,ar avoid the flame of it ; but ifit fall out right, they go a- waywith credit. Fourthly, it's the opinion of judicious Divines , that muchof that truth that is in their prcdi6tions is fro:n the afíi(lance ofthe Devil , who either by an o= pen contract, or elfe in a voluntary fecret way infinuates hir.felf to draw on a league, and alfifts themwith his knowledge , and guelfes, which exceed any mans. Hence Saint o/fsgufline, Mafler Perkins, and others tell us of confciencious men who have becne gladto leave off this fludy , becaufe of the uncertainty 'they have found in the Rules of it. And Satan may help curious heads in this way , becaufe befides his own knowledge , which enables him oft-times to gueffe fhrewdly , he may be permitted by God in a judiciary way to be a true Spirit in the mouth cf liars , as he was a lying fpirit in the mouth of a/fLabs prophets. See for it , Dexter. 13. 1,'2, 3,45 5. Object. But it's faid, Mofes was learned in all the wifdome of the Eyp- tians, .4tis 7. zz. and Daniel sf the Chaldeans, Dan. i. 57, 20. and`19- Ftrology' was port of that learning , andtherefore either its lawful, or they learn- ed an unlawful Art ? Anfw. There be two thinesinAflrology. 1. The Theory. z. The Pradìife: Nowmany have flue-lied theTheory ,that have renounced the pra&ife,finding that nothingcouldbe done by it in a natural way. And it's very probable that all the learning that thereholy men had in this Art (if they hadany )was but in a The- oretical way : there is no footflep of their pra&ice of it in all their (tories, but of the contrary. For we read in the feccnd, fourth, and fifth chapters of Dani- el , that hewas never called in with the Magicians, but after them, which thews that hewas not oftheir fociety : Alfo when he went about fearching out fe- crets , he went not to his books but to his prayers : not to confult with the (tars, but with God, as Dan.z,17,&c. Objeét. But are not the .ftarres very powerful, and caufes of many orange effefts ? and are not effetis known by their caufes 1 why then may wenot divine by them? Anfw. Though they have a great influence upon inferiour bodies, yet we cannot divineby them touching humane affairs ; For, r. They cannot a&but within their own fpheare, which is in corporeal thins : but humane afiaires,thoughaeled bymens bodies , yet they are guided by their fpirits, which in nature areout ofthe fphereofthe Heavens operation: and their fucceffes and mifcarriages are from divine providence: therefore whatever may be pro n.ofticated by them concerning elementary bodies; yet for men, their virtue is fo thou inworkingon them, that it can give no light to judge of their future affairs. z. Where the power ofworking is acknowledged , yet our knowledge of their virtues, and operations is fo dim that we cannot divineby it: For the in- fluences of all, or molt ofthe Oars are unknown to us ; and when all of them have their influences conjoyned, whocan fay this effect is from the virtue of this flat, andnot fromanother. A fixth Argument to prove that Afcrological prediAions ought neither to be pra&ifed, countenanced, or tollerated, isthis. That which mollgodly and learnedmenupon experiencehave renounced, and repented of, that is neither to be praS ifed, countenanced,nor tollerated : But i izodly i
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