And whereas God did put into the heart of Nebuchadnezzar, to put them to difficult task, they said no man upon earth was able to do it, Dan. they would undertake the in∣terpretation of Dreams, if the dreams were related to them, nevertheless the expounding of dreams is of God only, vers. and did also ascribe so much to their influence, as they beleeved no power above them, and so drew the people a whoring after them, to make them forget God the Author of all things, and to Deifie the Creature and these Planetarians being meer Naturalists, and beleeving no power above the Pla∣nets, would bear a breast against the Prophets, and under∣take to do those things that were only proper to the Pro∣phets to do, and could be done by no other power but by the Spirit of God, Dan. God made the Lights of Heaven to be signs for seasons, and for days, and for years it seemeth then that judicial Astrology is not condemned in the Scripture, if it be not abused what then was a Planetarian in the sence of the text? and why were they forbidden by God, and set in the Catalogue of Witches? To this it is answered, That under the colour of Astrologie these Planetarians that are here forbidden did harbour them∣selves, that because there was somewhat in that Science for the knowledge of some future things, therefore in the pre∣tence of their knowledge in that Science they did take upon them to compare themselves with the Prophets, and to draw the people after their uncertain Predictions, as if they had been equal with the Prophets, and many of them having no knowledge at all in that Science, yet did under the colour thereof harbour their deceitful Oracles, or Divinations, a∣scribing a Deity to the Planets, calling them gods, as Mars the god of Warre, Venus the goddess of Beauty, &c. the Stars in their Rampires fought against Sisera it is not spoken of any thingīeyond nature, but the Prophets did observe that the stars in their natural places was Miraculous, and not any Natural Star, how then could the Wise men or Astrologians see the signification of that Star by their Science of Astrologie, where∣as if it reacheth not to the knowledge of future contingen∣sies, then much less to the knowledge of things supernatural or miraculous, and yet they saw that the Stars appearance did signifie the birth of that great King (although I deny not, that the motion of the star in the ninth verse might bee miraculous.) And to come farther, Iudg. And where∣as some have said, That the Star that shewed the birth of Christ, Mat.
Canst thou restrain the sweet influence of the Pleiades, or canst thou loose the bonds of Orion? &c. ae) and God himself speaketh of the influence of the Hea∣vens, Iob 38.31.The Firmament sheweth the works of his hands this is not to be understood only of the making of the Canopy of Heaven, for then it had been said the Firmament is the works of his hands (he that liketh not this exposition, let him read Cornelius Gemma de natura Co∣me is Planetarius, let there not be found among you a Planetarian some have thought by a Planetarian here is meant such a one as did observe the course and influence of the Planets, and from thence gave predictions of future events, that these were unlawful Arts, and ought not to be practised, and therefore have absolutely condemned judici∣all Astrology, but if they be right in this opinion, how then do they answer to Psal. THe Third description of a Witch in the text, Deut.
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