THE VANITY AND IMPIETY OF Judicial Astrology WHEREBY Men Undertake to foretell future Con­tingencies, especially the particula [...] Fates of Mankind, by the Knowledge [...] the Stars, i. e. the Conjunctions, Motion Positions, and Influences of the Coelesti [...] Bodies on the Earthly.

By FRANCIS CROW, M. A. Minister of the Gospel.

LONDON, Printed for Iohn Dunton, at th [...] Raven in the Poultrey. MDCXC.

Price Sticht

TO THE Gentlemen, Merchants, And other Inhabitants of PORT-ROYAL IN Iamaica, That Attended on my Ministry in the Meet­ing there.

AS the Apostle found the Men of Athens too su­perstitious, so did I the Island [Page]of Jamaica too much addicted to Judicial Astrology: And several so fond of that fool­ish Art, as seldom to set out to Sea without consulting their Oracle of a Star-gazing Astro­loger for lucky Dayes, and happy Stars. And being well assured that there was no­thing of what was pretend­ed in that Art, so called, I was willing to undertake something while I was with you for undeceiving the de­luded, and repressing of that vain, prevailing Humour, of predicting by the Stars: For which end I searched the best Authors I could meet [Page]with in your illiterate World, and summ'd up in these few Papers the most con­vincing Arguments I could either find or think of, to make appear its Vanity and Iniquity.

I had thought first to Preach a Sermon or two upon the Subject; but judg­ing it not so fit for the Pulpit, I left at my coming away a Written Copy of it, for any de­sirous to see it, and now I send it you in Print: Not that your Society is any way chargeable with a good Opini­on of this Imposture, but to [Page]enable the more Judicious to refute its Propugnators, as they meet with them.

Neither may I be so inju­rious to you, as to let this publick Occasion pass without the Testimony of my Thank­fulness for all the Kindness and Respect you shewed me, together with your generous Bounty in bestowing upon me. And if you had not been more wanting to your selves (I mean your Souls) than to me, we might have yet been happy together. But I will not make the Causes of our Parting more publick [Page]than I made them in my Va­ledictory Discourse in the Congregation. I must needs acknowledge, the costly Kind­ness of many of you left me nothing to ask, but what was of higher con­cern than any thing you had of your selves to give. And if I should conceal this Goodness, I might be found to Offend on the same score with him that took the Mans one Ewe-lamb from him. And for the Blessing of Health I must needs commend your benign Climate, in which I enjoyed a greater measure thereof than ever I am like [Page]to do in the European Regi­ons. Sed multa majora deside­rantur. Now being perswa­ded that even in your Sardis Christ hath a few Names, and that thô they dwell where Satans seat is, (perhaps as eminently as in any Place where Christ is Named) yet have not defiled their Gar­ments with the Pollutions of the Place; to such I say, Watch and Pray, hold fast and Re­pent, abide in Christ, and Christ in you; and when you have secured well your own Souls, spare not to Sigh and Cry for Abominations done in the midst of you, and [Page]Weep over a perishing World about you, lamenting daily what you cannot amend, and so shall you be kept from other Mens sins.

And before I take leave, I begg one thing for you all, that the Lord of the Vineyard that sent me to labour among you, may grant that the many Sermons I have Preached with you may never rise up in Judg­ment against you at the great Day, but that the savour of the Knowledge of Christ you have had spread among you, may still in its gracious effects a­bide upon you, encreasing and [Page]blessing the Word yet with you, for bringing forth Fruit unto Eternal Life: So Pray­eth

The hearty Well-wisher of all your Souls, Fra. Crow.

THE VANITY AND IMPIETY OF Judicial Astrology.

PRetenders to this Astro­mantick Art, fortifie themselves from Gen. 1.14. And let them be for signs and for sea­sons: As if the Stars were given for Signs, whereby Astro­logical Diviners might by their Ob­servation [Page 2]be able to know and foretell future Events of things.

Luther in loc. Makes them to be signs of Eclipses and great Conjunctions of portentous things, whereby God in­timates either his Wrath or Mercy to the World, as by Comets, or some unusual Phoenomena.

Though they be for signs and sea­sons, yet for no Prophets; neither are they infallible, but ordinary signs of the change of Weather, (Mat. 16.2, 3.) and of a fit time to manure the ground, (Gen. 8.22.) The several seasons shall continually return, ac­cordng to the time of the Year, mea­sured by the Sun, Moon, and Stars.

Pareus in loc. giveth as good satis­faction as any I meet with, of the meaning of that place, and how the Stars are set for signs and seasons, thus, ‘The Lord hath set them to be Measures for numbering and distin­guishing fleeting time into certain parts; that one time may be called [Page 3]present, another past, and another to come: That one time may be called a Year, another a Quarter, a Month, a Day, an Hour. With­out this kind of numbering and di­stinction by Coelestial Bodies, we could not understand what Time is: There would be no remembrance in Man of things done, nor deliberati­on of things to be done, no hope of things to come, and scarcely a thought of things present: But we should be like them who sleep, who neither know that they sleep, nor how long, because they count not the time: Or we should be like In­fants who know not their Motion, Life, nor Age.’ Vid. plura in loc.

No Divine so much as Origen, (who followed Plotinus) hath helped them in this their pretended Art, refuted by Basil in an accurate Discourse on Gen. 1.14. And by many other Au­thors, as Aulus Gellius, Pererius, Picus Mirandula, who wrote twelve Books against them very learned and accu­rate.

Augustine likewise meets often with them in his Writings, especially l. 14. de Civitate Dei, dicit Daemonem inveni­re Astronomiam. He makes the Devil Master and Author of this Black Art. Vide Ludov. Viv. in loc. And in his 63 Sermon de Tempore, says, ‘The Power of Stars is nothing, that the advancement of humane Affairs should depend upon them: But all things are disposed of by the Will of the great King. And in Psal. 72. says, 'Tis an evil, impious Doctrine, that the Wills of Men are subject to the Stars. And in his 42 Confess. saith, Who fall into the desire of curious Magical Visions, are accounted wor­thy of being mocked.’

THE VANITY OF THIS ART.

1. THey know not the Stars; nay, not one of a thousand; far less their Influences; what is the Nature of the Heavens, Order of the Orbs, number of the Stars, variety of their Power and Influence. The great­est Philosophers have professed their Ignorance of these things, even their Prince Aristotle, l. 2. de Coelo. Alas, how far short are the most learned of understanding the present things of Creatures here below, as Stones, Plants, and Animals that are just before us, [Page 6]and lye exposed to our Senses daily: How much less can be known of those excellent Bodies above us, at such a di­stance; as the Book of Wisdom (in Apo­crypha) teacheth us, Ch. 9. v. 16. And hardly do we guess at things that are upon Earth, and with labour do we find things that are before us; but the things that are in Heaven who hath search­ed out? Nay, out of Canonical Scrip­ture Humane Knowledge of this is denied, Job 38.33. Knowest thou the Ordinances of Heaven? canst thou set the Dominion thereof in the Earth? Even where the Influences of these Heaven­ly Constellations, is plainly asserted in the two foregoing Verses; yet is our Knowledge hereof clearly denied as to their particular Influences.

2. If some Stars may have so fa­vourable and benign an Influence, so may others, for any thing they know, have as inauspicious an Effect at the same time.

3. There can be no Certainty in their Art, because of the swift Moti­on [Page 7]of the Heavens, that so suddenly alters the Face thereof, that it is not the same one Moment. And then the wandring Stars, that they make most Judgment by, of Humane Fate, are so uncertain, that the same posture, it may be returns not once in a hundred or a thousand Years.

4. You shall see Twins conceived and born together, to be of as diffe­rent Tempers, Spirits, Parts, and Lot in Life and Death as any: Instance Jacob and Esau.

5. If there be a necessity and fatali­ty upon Men, born under such Stars and Position of the Heavens, proper and peculiar to themselves; then how comes the Death of so many to be the same in time and manner, that are born and bred so different, as in Earthquakes, Fights, and Ship­wracks.

6. Let any Man shew why these Heavenly Bodies being Universal Cau­ses, should not have the same effects [Page 8]upon Brute Animals, as well as on Men: and if they fail in the lesser, we may well suspect them in the greater.

7. What is to be said of Jews all the World over? Whatever Clymat or Regiment of Heavenly Bodies they are born in, yet have they the same solemn Observation of Sabbath and Circumcision. And so Christi­ans scattered through the whole World, before they heard the Go­spel, in all Nations, were obedient to their Countrey Laws, and Cu­stoms; but when Christ was reveal­ed in them, and turned quite to ano­ther Mind and Life, was it by some peculiar Star, that prevailed in the sudden Universal change of Faith and Life all the World over?

8. It must needs be vain and un­certain, because it so frequently fails. These things, that they either say rashly or cunningly, which prove true, bear not proportion of one to a hundred, of what they say false; [Page 9]witness Almanacks. Now all Science or Art, is of these things, that ei­ther always, or for most part fall out true, according to the Rules there­of: Wherefore Luther on Gen. 1.14. says, Astrology can be no Science, because it hath no Demonstration, but uncertain Conjectures. Where­fore Cicero l. 2. de Divinatione, won­ders how any should believe the Sooth-sayers, who foretold generally such Untruths to Pompey, Crassus and Cae­sar, that they should all die in their Beds in a good Old Age, and in Ho­nour. And Cato said, he wondred how they that deceived the People so, could look on one another without laughing.

9. If they can by their Astrology tell of things that are lost, why could not the Chaldean Astrologers tell the King his Dream that was lost, Daniel 2.

10. If the same Stars (whereby they contend all Humane and Divine things are carried) produce various [Page 10]Effects of Heat and Cold, Mild and Tempestuous Weather, in different Countries at the same time, why not also different Events of things, and business in these Countries.

11. If nothing be done by the Will of Man, and Conduct of Reason, but all things come to pass by the influence of the Stars, then little things as well as great are governed by them. And if they can by their Art do the greatest, why cannot they do the lesser, viz. tell who shall get the Game at Cards or Dice, as well as who shall have the Victory, Caesar or Pompey, Alexander or Darius.

12. If the same Conjunction of the Stars returning, produce the same Ef­fects, why see we not many Socra­tes's, and Plato's brought forth, with the same Spirit, Form, manner of Life, and Death, and all things in the World falling out just as they did, under the same Position of the Heavens sometimes?

13. If there had been any Cer­tainty in Astrological Predictions of Futurities, certainly the greatest Phi­losophers, and Wisest Men would have embraced and practised it: But the greatest Scholars have still deri­ded it, as Socrates, Cicero, Cato, Ari­stotle, Plato, Pythagoras, Democritus, and Seneca. We read of their long Journeys to Persia, Chaldea, and E­gypt, to learn Wisdom and encrease Knowledge. Where they encreased their Skill in Mathematicks, Policy, and of worshipping their Gods: But for the Divination of Astrology, ei­ther they learned none of it, or con­cealed it from the World, their Writings manifesting nothing there­of.

14. If it had been indeed a true Art, and indeed usefull, it had been less ingrateful to Wise States, and the best Governours: For these Chal­dean Astrologers were banish'd Rome, not only in Tiberius and Dioclesians Time, but in Constantines, Theodosi­ans, [Page 12]and chiefly Justinians, not only as Vain, and void of all Truth, but as hurtful and pestilent to Cities and Societies. And to this may be add­ed the utter Aversion and Detestati­on all serious Christians, and Lovers of Divine Truth have to it. It's to be observed, that Haters of necessa­ry Truths, are most curious about knowing unnecessary forbidden things. Augustine calls Astrologers Veritatis Inimici, Enemies of the Truth, Tom. 4. c. 742.

15. The Vanity and Vileness of this Art, appears by the little Advantage the greatest Practitioners of it reap to themselves; most of them being but poor, despicable, and utterly ig­norant of their own Fate, and great­est Concerns, many of them dying dismally, without foreseeing it: As Balaam, that Notorious Soothsayer, could not presage the Evil that be­fell him in that wicked Expedition to Balak, to curse Israel. Qui sibi nequam cui bonus.

16. If Astrology be an Art or Sci­ence, why is it not studied as the Liberal Sciences are? as freely and openly; but it goes into by-places, and hides it self in secret Corners. And Pretenders to it are for the most shy of discoursing the Principles of it with Learned Persons.

THE IMPIETY OF Judicial ASTROLOGY.

THe Impiety as well as the Va­nity of Judicial Astrology, may be made appear many ways:

1. In that it is by many made a Cloak for Witchcraft and Consulting with the Devil: And no doubt some begin with no other Purpose, but use­ing the supposed Art; but finding it so foolish and unsatisfying, stay not there, but labour to eke out the scant­ness of their Understanding of the Stars with the Black Art of Hells help and [Page 15]Divination. And it is often God's righteous Judgment on curious Wits, that set themselves to the Study of things concealed and forbidden, to leave them unto sinful, and yet un­satisfying ways of ending the Trage­dy. Augustine in Tom. 5. c. 291. saith, Astrologorum responsa ex malis esse Spi­ritibus. The Answers Astrologers have, are of the Evil Spirits.

2. It's the Hereditary (and so the more dangerous) Disease of our first Parents, derived to us, to know more than we need, and to slight the needful revealed Points of Know­ledge. Deut. 29.29. The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but those things that are revealed belong unto us, and to our Children for ever, that we may do all the things of this Law. Man [...]y affecting Wisdom out of God's way, (saith a Learned Person) got [...] crack in his Head, which hath con­ [...]inued above 5000 Years; and ever [...]ince our own Wisdom and Know­ [...]edge hath perverted us. Bernard [...]aith, it's better, Apca quam alta sapere.

3. It's an ungrateful derogating from Scripture sufficiency, of impar­ting all things needful for Man to know; especially having so great [...] Prophet as Jesus Christ, sent from the Bosom of his Father with all the Counsels of Heaven; which greatly aggravates the Guilt of running into that Extravagancy of curious search­ing into concealed Trifles; nay, to take the Devil for our Teacher, when the Tabernacle of God is with Men as appeareth clearly from Deut. 18▪ 14, 15. For these Nations hearkened to Observers of Times, and unto Diviners▪ but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do: The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Pro­phet in the midst of thee, of thy Bre­thren like unto me; unto him ye sha [...] hearken; which passage being inter­preted of Christ, Acts 3.22. From al [...] which it's most clear, that hearken­ing unto these Diviners, is opposed to our hearkening unto Christ: And having so excellent a Prophet raised up, excludes all Applications unto [Page 17] [...]uch pretended Prophets, that the Heathens were seduced by, and de­ [...]oted unto. You shall likewise see, [...]sa. 44.25, 26. that the Word of the Lords Servants is put in oppo­sition to the Lying Diviners: That frustrateth the Tokens of the Liars, and maketh Diviners mad, — That confirm­eth the word of his Servants. And Sooth-saying in Israel is not only op­posed to a walking by the Light of God's Word, but recorded as the Cause of his forsaking of them, Isa. 2.5, 6. O House of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord. Therefore thou hast forsaken thy People, the House of Jacob, because they are sooth­sayers like the Philistines.

4. It takes Men off from Divine Providence, attributing nothing to God, and all to Fate and Destiny: as if they would ease God of govern­ing the World, and ascribe all to the Government of the Stars. Gual­ [...]her in Zeph. 1.5. saith, Observent [...]sta qui hodiè Astrologiam judiciariam profitentur; subjecting Events to Stars [Page 18]that belong to the Eternal Provi­dence alone.

5. It taketh off from the Exercise of almost all Religious Duties and Performances: For if the Stars and Constellations put us under a necessi­ty of believing such Events of Good or Evil, Life or Death, will such a Person call on God, and commend his Life to him? or will he praise under prosperous Gales? or impute any thing that falls cross to his sins, that God is hereby calling him to Account in Judgment, Jer. 10.2. Learn not the way of the Heathen, and be not disma [...]ed at the Signs of Heaven, for the Heathen are dismayed at them: Upon which, Calvin saith, this Divi­nation o [...] Judicial Astrology, extin­guisheth all Godliness, in that it brings all Daties of Piety to nothing, as Pray­er, Praise and Repentance, &c.

6. It takes away one of the Flow­ers of God's Crown, viz. to know things to come, even the most con­tingent, secret uncertainties, which [Page 19]are denyed to Man to know, as in Eccl 8.7. For he knoweth not that which shall be, for who can tell him when it shall be? And Ch. 10.14. again, saith the Wise Man. A Man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him who can tell? yea, the knowledge of these secret things to come, is so inherent a Priviledge in the Crown of Hea­ven, that if any of the Heathenish gods can claim it, he is content they be owned for true Deities, Isa. 41.23. Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may keow that ye are Gods. Now Astrologers pretend to know a Mans Thoughts long before he can know them himself, which is proper to God alone, 1 Cor. 2.11. Psal. 139.2.

7. God sets himself against such, and glories in defeating and infatua­ting their Devices, making the Divi­ners mad, by making their presump­tuous Predictions false, Isa. 44.25.47.13.

8. When the Gospel Converted [Page 20]Astrologers, they penitently and open­ly disclaimed their Art by burning their Books, Act. 19.19. An excellent Pattern for such unlucky Students, who would burn their Books of Magick, that they might not hurt others; and of their own accord did they bring them and burn them publickly, to testifie their sincere Repentance to the World, that they had so dangerously deluded: And thô the Books were of great Price, (esteemed to be worth 5000 Crowns) yet the Power of Grace and Truth pre­vailed over the Love of Money.

9. This Coelestial Fate and Power of the Stars either can be hindered, and so is uncertain, or not, and then takes away all Free-will in humane Actions, and involves into many ab­surdities. First, Arguing the Soul of Man to be material and mortal, that is so subject to created Bodies. Se­condly, The Will of Man is hereby ex­cused from doing evil by a fatal Ne­cessity the Conjunction of the Planets layes on Men not to be avoided. Thirdly, It makes God the Author of [Page 21]Sin, that sets the Stars in such Posi­tions, and gives them such Influence on Mens Actions that hath no Remedy or possible prevention on Mans part: Wherefore Augustine brings in an Astro­loger lying against God thus: That Adultery was not committed by the Mans own Will, but Venus; and Mur­der not by Mans Will, but by Mars, that angry Planet; and that God did not do Righteousness and Justice, but Jupiter the Planet.

10. And a last may be added from Cicero, that pretended Astrological Predictions for most part are evil, and so their Ignorance is much better than their Knowledge: And Seneca de Astris, says, Whether the Stars cause or sig­nifie Events, what profiteth it to see what cannot be evited? Luther of the same, says, It is much better to be al­ways in the Fear of God and Prayer, than to be tortured with the fear of future Events by lying Astrologers.

EPILOGUE.

AND yet I would not make light of the superiour Coelestial Bo­dies of these heavenly Phoenomena, so celebrated in Scripture, and so benefi­cial to the World; there being so much of God's Power and Wisdom attributed to his great and wonderful work of making the Stars of Heaven.

The most profitable Study of the Stars I take to be,

1. A serious consideration of their Magnitude; that so many Stars should be more than an hundred times bigger than all the Earth: What a vast Bo­dy must the Heaven be wherein they all are, if one of them so far exceed the whole Earth? yea, What are the Heavens we see, to the Heaven that is unseen, to which these are but a Pavement!

2. Let us consider their multitude, which cannot be numbred more than the Sand of the Sea-shoar; yet God telleth their Number, Psal. 147.4.

3. Their swiftness, that these migh­ty vast Bodies should be carried every Day so long a Journey, and never tire or are weary.

4. The exact Order of their Motion; so great, so many, so different Motions, and yet never one to move out of their course: The Stars in their courses or proper Paths or ranks are spoken of in Judg. 5.20.

Now these things considered, what can we do less than adore the Divine Wisdom and Power that made them, and with Galen compose Hymns of Praise to the Honour of the Creator! and especially with David wonder at that Divine Goodness and Bounty that made such great and glorious Orbs and Stars for the use of poor little mean Man — for having mentioned the Hea­vens and Stars, (Psal. 8.) he breaks out with What is Man? O then what greater and more glorious Provisions hath our God made for us above Moon and Stars!

Let not the pretended Masters of such an Art any more delude the World or themselves, to think that we disown or deny the Divine Philosophy in Scrip­ture, [Page 24]that asserts the Influence and efficacious Virtue of the Stars, in Job 38.31. The sweet Influences of Pleia­des, or the Constellation of the seven Stars; but only we deny Mans know­ledge of their particular Influences to be such as that thereby he can predict the future Events of Mens Lives and Actions. And we further assert, that to subject unto the Influences of the Stars the things that depend upon Con­tingencies and the Will of Man, so as to make Predictions from them, is a meer Folly founded upon fond suppo­sitions that have no Being in Nature, but are the Chymerical Fancies of ad­dle-brain'd Astrologers: For if they cannot tell what Weather it will be every day, by all their Skill, who will believe them in other things.

And because the Lord foresaw Men would dote much upon second Causes, and venture to Prognosticate by the Heavens the Fates of Men and the fruit­fulness of the Earth, therefore in his wise Providence made he the Earth fruitful in all its glory, before he put the Stars in the Heavens, that we might see that [Page 25]the Earths fruitfulness depends not so much on second Causes (as many vain­ly suppose) as on Divine Benediction Gen. 1.12. compared with v. 16.

And let me beseech such as these lines belong most unto, to read and consider well that Passage in Isa. 44.24, 25. I am the Lord that stretcheth out the Hea­vens alone, and that frustrateth the tokens of the Liars, and maketh the Diviners mad: From which observe, First, The Ti­tle Jehovah taketh to himself. Second­ly, That the Lord seems to take speci­al Delight to befool the Wisdom of such who would resolve future Events by the Conjunction of Planets, as if they could spell the secret Providences of God out of the Book of the Creatures, an end whereunto he never appointed them. Thirdly, That the God of Truth brands these Diviners for Liars. And Lastly, That such as pretend to such a kind of Wisdom, may fear the Al­mighty may smite them with Madness; which God in his Mercy prevent, by turning them in time to the Wisdom of the Just.

FINIS.

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