BOoks, as Knives, are by the Learned esteemed Adiaphorous; and it is by our applying of them, that they become either good or bad. Ill Stomachs convert the wholsomest Food to Poyson; and what's design'd for Nourishments, through defect of our Consti­tutions, proves oftentimes pernicious, and helps to support our Distempers.

—Neither was it any design of mine, in what I wrote concerning the Turks, in my Ephemeris, Anno 1678. to bring them in [Prophetically] to destroy Christendom at this time, or that the Grand Seigneur should go into Italy, pull down the Pope, and exalt himself in his room, ruine the Emperour, &c. nor yet to doom the Puissant French-King to Death, ei­ther in this very year, or any other year: But my Book falling into some peoples hands, who, either out of prejudice to Me, have thus interpre­ted me, or not understanding me aright, have nois'd me to have been the Praedictor or Prophesier of these amazing and amusing matters.

It is true indeed, that, considering the notable and spreading Differences among Christians, and an advance of Atheism, to the great decay of Chri­stianity; as also, the sober Remarks made thereof by some of the most Learned in our Nation, I did signifie my Fears of a Turkish encroachment upon Christendom, Anno 1678▪ in these words following:—‘It is in Mundane Affairs as in a Watch, which when men would put out of order, they either stop the Ballance, or displace the Spring thereof: Religion is the Ballance or Spring of a Nation, the Soul of the Body-politick the whole World over; the true Spiritus Mundi; the Philosophers Stone in Government; and without it, all Empire woul [...] soon run to ruine.— [Page 2] How choice and curiously careful ought Nations, therefore, as well as Persons, to be in the preservation of their Religion!—Religio neglecta maximam Pestem in Civitatem infert, omnium scelerum senestram aperit, saith a learned Author: Religion neglected, despised, or brought into contempt, brings the greatest Plagues upon Kingdoms, Countreys, Cities and People, and opens a door to a Wickedness.’

‘The Stars not only in this Year, (as you have been told) but in this Age, do seem to direct their Beams of Influence more particularly and perpendicularly upon Religious Persons, Affairs, and Interests, &c. than in sundry Ages past. I would enlarge upon this Theme a little, if I thought I might not give offence. And here, I think it not amiss to mind the World of a Chronological mistake, which I find in the Writings of that Learned man du Plessis, concerning a Prediction of Albumazar, which he is pleas'd to urge against Astrology; 'Tis this, Albumazar wrote, That the Christian Religion should continue but 1460 years; and yet (saith he) God be thanked, it lifteth it self up, and shineth more and more.’

‘I could, and do earnestly wish, That du Plessis, as to this his Prediction were in the right, and Albumazar mistaken; But Albumazar, from his Skill in Astrology, understood that the Christian Religion first got ground God permitting it so to be, according to the course of second causes) under the Regency of the Sun, whose great years are 1460. (Cardan says, 1462.) which said number of years are not to be accounted from the Birth of our blessed Saviour, but from the time that Constantine mo­ved by God) first promoted Christian Religion by a Law; and that was above 300 years after Christ's Birth. For the Birth of Christ was but the Conception of Christianity, and Constantine was the happy Midwise of that Divine and Heavenly Production. So that the mistake, you see, is not (yet) in Albumazar, (whatever it may) but in du Plessis, who, I conceive, did not fully apprehend him. And if we shall add 1460 to 312. (the year wherein the Christians were first own'd by a Law) the sum will fall upon the year 1772 which clearly tell us, that we want 94. years of Albumazar's intended time.’

‘Spineus tells us, among other vain things, that the ☌ ♄ ♃, 1603. sig­nified the Destruction of Mahomet, and Glory of Christians; but we Christians have not so found it, but rather the contrary; for, as it is truly, though sadly, observed by the Learned Glanvill,—Providence seems now, by glorious Successes, to countenance the Alchoran, and the Tyrant Ottoman spreads his Victorious Arms, and is flesh'd in Tryumphs, vide Seasonab. Reflect. p. 126. And the Reverend Dr. Cave notes in his [Page 3] Epistle to Primitive Christianity,—That our Religion is ready to draw its last Breath, being stisled and oppressed with the Vices and Impieties of a debauch'd and prosligate Age. And▪ if we consider the great progress the Turks have made against Christendom these last 100 years, and observe therewith the present great Division among Christian Princes and Pre­lates, and how the Poles and Hungarians are distressed by that Potent Enemy,—we may (perhaps, without Astrology) be able to prefage,—That if they proceed for the next 100 years after the same manner, Al­bumazar may be found to be truer than we would be willing to have him; and a Turkish Barbarity may come to be planted in the place of true Christian Civility among us: which God of his Mercy avert.’

‘And here, I cannot but crave leave to collect a few Lines from the Travels of the Worthy Dr. Edw. Brown, Son to that University of Lear­ning, the Author of Religio Medici, viz. in p 111. he writes,—A great part of upper-Hungary (through which I travell'd) had a different face from that of Austria, and from what they formerly had been. Some places had been burnt or plunder'd by the Turks and Tartars in the late Wars, and divers pay Contribution to them: so that many live warily and meanly, to be less noted, even in parts of the Countrey better provided; and under the Em­perour, a great part of the People being of the Reformed Religion, are un­der such hard measure and fears, that they live in little content: and being of a stout and persevering temper, they may in time become so desperate, that if the Turk should powerfully break in, 'tis probable they would not fight so heartily against him as in times past.—And in pag. 82. of the same Book, he writes, I am apt to think or fear, if he who putteth bounds to the Sea, and saith, Hitherto shalt thou come, and no further, doth not put a stop to their further Incursions, they may probably obtain and conserve a far larger Empire, and even all Europe to the Western Ocean. Certain it is, they are not satisfied with their present bounds, and look beyond Hungaria; and I heard them say, We must in due time come to Beatch, (sor so they call Vienna) and try our Fortunes again. At this day the Star and Half-Moon are above the Cross upon the Steeple of the Cathedral-Church of St. Stephen, in the Emperours chief City, Vienna; and it griev'd me to see in all the Confines, a Cross which our Heraulds dream not of, which is, a Cross Luna­ted;—Whereby They, the Inhabitants, as they testifie their Christianity, so they acknowledge the Turkish Power.’ Thus far this ingenious Author.

‘Nay, that illuminate man Michael Nostredamus hath a Prophetical Quadrin somewhat leaning towards the present Argument; 'Tis this:’

‘Which seems to sound thus in English:’

‘I know the learned Garenciers is of opinion that this Prophecy was ful­fill'd Anno 1559. But I am of belief, that if it intend any thing, it must be of far greater consequence than any of the actions of that year could be: although I must allow, that Henry II▪ of France and Sultan Solyman were then concern'd in each others Affairs. But H. II. had Gemini for his Horoscope, a Sign not beholding the Palladium of the Mahumetan Faith: A Monarch of France therefore, of the same Horoscope with That, or in Trigonal Ray unto it, must be the Fulfiller of this ambiguous Prophecy. The former-quoted Spineus tells us, That there are yet two other Faiths to succeed viz. of Mercury and the Moon: But so to write, is not Praedi­ction, but Prophecy; there being no Rules in Astrology to countenance such Praesages. Howbeit, we have great cause to fear, that if the Turks should once more advance against Christendom powerfully, (and it is not the Valiant and Fortunate Sobietski can always live to prevent them) the grand Ecclesiastical Differences among us will not be so much be­tween Papist and Protestant, as between Turk and Christian; and the grave Mufti and Mussulman may (to the sorrow and loss of Christi­ans) vie it with the Venerable Bishop and Cardinal.’

‘And this possibility of enlarging the Turkish Power in Europe, thus pre­sumed from Natural and Political Causes, viz. the Influences of the Stars, and the grand Animosities among Christian Princes and Prelates, &c. together with the Universal, and (almost) remediless contempt of the Clergy, may reasonably suggest unto us, that the Ark of God, even Christianity it self, is nearly ready to depart from our Tabernacles. God willnot always be mocked; and the true Worship and Adoration of his Name shall not for ever be profaned, contemned, despised. They are the words of Horace:—’

‘When men abridge God of his Honour, God will shorten them of their Happiness, Omnia prospera eveniunt colentibus Deos, adversu supernenti­bus, [Page 5] saith Cicero. Those People that have a Reverence for Religion and the Worship of God, are ever prosperous; but the neglecters thereof are always unhappy. 'Tis Religion alone, as Plutarch witnesseth, that is the Ligature of all Communities, and Firmament of Laws: It is that which is the band of Families, and Foundation of Republick.’

‘Let every Christian, therefore, use all just means and ways to preserve his Religion, and implore Heaven, that the Horned Moon in a Turkish sence, may never be exalted above the Cross, the Ensign of our Religion & Salvation.—The alteration or shaking of Religion, is commonly the most desperate Paroxism that can happen in a sickly Empire, saith the learned Bishop of Down. And once dissolve the Snow of Religion, a great deal of dirty weather will infallibly follow, as the Divine Leontius Bishop of Antioch wisely observ'd, when he strok'd his Reverend Silver Head.’

‘Strive we then, I say, each of us in our proper place and sphere, to ad­vance the Peace of Christendom, against the menaces of the Stars, and motion of the Turks; and in so doing, we shall be able to continue in the rightful possessions of our minds, Honours and Fortunes: and as being born and bred Christians, we may hope so to die, leaving our Posterity to inherit what our Progenitors, by Gods Providence, and their great care and industry, had bequeath'd unto us.—Then shall we not need to be either afraid of the Turks Power, or yet of the Judgments inculcated to befal a wilful and obstinate People, as mention'd in the Wisdom of Solomon, chap. 18. 14, 15, 16.—For whilst all things were in quiet si­lence, and that the Night was in the midst of her swift course, thine Almigh­ty Word leap'd down from Heaven out of thy Royal Throne, as a fierce man of War, into the midst of a Land of Destruction, and brought thine unfeigned Command, as a sharp Sword; and standing up, fill'd all things with Death.’

Thus far in my Ephemeris 1678. which is all that I can remember I ever wrote concerning my fears of the Turks.

And then, concerning the great French Monarch, that I may compur­gate my self from any imprudent Predictions relating to him, as some have idly & falsly boasted me to have wrote, I shall here relate all again I have particularly mentioned of Him,—viz. Having some years since had a scribling Contest with an Anti-Scorpiouist, in defence of that my Theme, in my Oblequium Rationabile, I produc'd this Illustrious Princes Nativity, as it was printed by Morinus in his Astrologia Gallica, (that in the Collectio Geniturarum being wrong timed, as I have since prov'd to near 8 degrees in the Horoscope) and thence I wrote as follows,—‘Let (my Antagonist) but consider how he hath blasted persons of the highest Honour and Grandeur, and of the most glorious Fame in the World, by this his wic­ked and invidious charge exhibited against Scorpio, and all persons born [Page 6] under it, and then tell me whether he believes he hath done well in so doing: But Kings and Princes are his Tennis-balls, (as well as the Hea­vens and Stars) and must be toss'd and struck up and down as he is plea­sed to bandy them with his black and envious Racket, I mean his infa­mous Pen.’

And in an Encomium on the Caelestial Scorpio, printed in the same Book, I subjoyn'd these Verses,—viz.

And this is all that I have said about this glorious Prince's future Destiny, which I am sure must needs excuse me from having any hand in predicting His Destruction by a Stab, or otherwise, in this, or any other year. There are some indeed among us, that are a little too impudent with the Honour and Grandeur of Princes; and will be so still, unless Astrology have a Li­censer that understands it: Treason and Rebellion being to be spoken in Figures as fully and as mischievously (to some Peoples understandings at least) as in words at length.

But if, after all this, it should be expected that I give my opinion con­cerning the present matters before us, and that I may beg leave to do it without offence;—then I shall presume to say, (notwithstanding all En­thusiastick Prophets or Prophecies to the contrary) That,

• 1. The Grand Ottoman Power will, either upon Articles or Conditions, in short time retreat, or else be forced back. The Illustrious and Victorious Sobietski is yet alive; and God grant him long to live, to the Honour of Christendom, and terrour of its Enemies.
• 2. The French Monarch (if Morinus's Scheme of his Glorious Birth be true) will (according to Starry Edicts) out-live his present Menaces either by Death or a Stab, (which of late are dropt from foolish and Enthusiastick Pens) and survive yet (by Gods blessing) many years, advancing in Po­wer, Honour and Grandeur, to the success and support of Christians.

This I thought fit to publish now, (1.) to excuse my self from any pre­tence to Prophesie, or of being Author of any of those clamorous Reports, or yet any way privy to them, until their obtrusion upon the World. And (2.) to vindicate Astrology it self from the Infamy that such spurious Prae­sages must necessarily bring upon it.