Speculum mundi· Or A glasse representing the face of the world shewing both that it did begin, and must also end: the manner how, and time when, being largely examined. Whereunto is joyned an hexameron, or a serious discourse of the causes, continuance, and qualities of things in nature; occasioned as matter pertinent to the work done in the six dayes of the worlds creation.

Artic. 1. That the starres are signes of future events; and that by their naturall qualities, they work upon the infe∣riour world, and all the parts of the same.

IF I should expound the words of Moses so nicely as some have done, the starres must then either signifie nothing in the course of nature, or else be for signes one∣ly of seasons (as Spring, Summer, Autumne, Winter) and of dayes and yeares. Which exposition doth cer∣tainly tie up the sense in too strait bands: For it is plain enough that Moses very positively setteth down as a di∣stinct office by it self, that they were made for signes: And then he proceedeth, adding therewithall, And let them be for seasons, and for dayes, and for yeares.

In consideration whereof, the sentence certainly must be divided.

And first let us observe out of it, that the starres, by a divine ordination, were set in the heavens to be for signes of future events: wherefore it is said, Let them be for signes.

Secondly, they were appointed to be (as it were) heavenly clocks, and remarkable measures, by their mo∣tions defining and discerning Time and the parts there∣of, as dayes, weeks, moneths and yeares: And therefore it is also added, And let them be for seasons, and for dayes,

and for yeares. Of which two offices I purpose to dis∣course a while; beginning with the first, as being most pertinent to this Paragraph.

And lest it may be thought that Moses his meaning is here mistaken by me, besides other things that I purpose to remember, I would have him compared with the Prophet Jeremie, in the 10 chap. at the 2 vers. where, when the Prophet commands the people that they should not learn the way of the Heathen, he calleth the starres (like unto Moses in this very text) The signes of heaven. From whence * 1.1 Melancthon gathereth, that the Prophet doth not onely name them signes, but also sheweth that they were set to be signes of portending something. For, Non ait Ieremias, nihil esse signa coeli; sed, A signis nolite timere. Imò cùm nominat signa, portendi aliquid affirmat. And Luther also affirmeth, in his com∣mentarie upon the words of Moses, Simpliciter lunam cum sole & stellis in firmamento coeli Moses dicit positas, ut essent signa futurorum eventuum, sicut experientia de Eclipsibus, magnis conjunctionibus, & aliis quibusdam Me∣teoris, docet. Which is, Moses plainly saith, that the moon, with the sunne and starres, were placed in the firmament of heaven that they should be for signes of future events, as experience teacheth us in Eclipses, great conjunctions, Me∣teors, and the like. To which may be also joyned the testimonie of learned Philo, alledged by S^r Christapher Heidon in his defence of Judiciall Astrologie. This man (saith he) was familiar with Peter the Apostle, and with Mark: and in divers places, but specially in his book De Mundi fabricatione, in his exposition of that in the 1 of Genesis, viz. LET THEM BE FOR SIGNES, he thus speaketh, saying, They were created, not onely that they might fill the world with their light, but also that they might be for signes of future things. For by their rising, setting, defections, apparitions, occultations, and other dif∣ferences

of motion, they teach men to conjecture of the event of things: as of plentie and dearth; of the growing up or de∣cay of creatures animate; of cleare weather and storms; of calms and windes; of overflowings and of droughts; of the quiet motion of the sea, and the boisterous times of waves; of the anniversarie changes of times, either when the Summer shall be tossed with tempests, or the Winter scorched with heat; or when the Spring shall be clothed with the nature of Autumne, or Autumne imitate the Spring. Yea (saith he) by these some have foreshewed when there should be a shaking or trembling of the earth, with infinite other things which have certainly come to passe, insomuch that it may be truely said, The starres were appointed for signes and seasons. Thus farre Philo: then which what can be plainer?

Neither are we to take them as bare, naked, and simple* 1.2 signes onely, but as causes also of worldly events: which whilest some have denied, what do they but runne mad with reason, and plainly oppose themselves to more then common sense? For it is certain that the same thing may be both a signe and a cause: a cause, as it worketh to an effect; and a signe, as, being presented to the sense, it leadeth us to the knowledge of the effect: And there∣fore when the starres are called signes, their causalitie is not excluded. Howbeit, in some things, when they work upon a subject not immediately but by accident, they be then occasions rather then causes.

But let me enlarge my self upon this discourse a little more: and because some have denied that the starres have any vertue at all, or that we ought to attribute no more power to them then to the signes at an Inne-keep∣ers post or tradesmans shop, I purpose to shew the vani∣tie of that errour as plainly as I can, both by Scripture, and also by daily experience.

And first for Scripture; Those oracles tell us that great

is the force and dominion which the starres have; heaven being the admired instrument of the glorious God, whereby he governeth the frame of this corruptible world. For had the heavens and starres no force at all, the Scriptures would never distinguish between the sweet influences of the Pleiades, and the binding ver∣tues of Orion: but the Scripture makes such a distinction: therefore the starres have their power. The minor is pro∣ved out of the book of Job, chap. 38. 31. where the words are these, Canst thou binde the sweet influences of Pleiades? or loose the bands of Orion? by which speech the Almighty doth not onely shew that the starres have their vertues, but also declare that their power and ver∣tue is such as no man on earth is able to restrain, unloose, or binde it: and here S. Austin also teacheth us, that God comprehendeth all the rest of the starres, by the figure Synechdoche, putting the part for the whole; which is an intimation that the rest have their severall vertues, as well as these. For further proof whereof see, concern∣ing some of the other, in Deuteronomie, chap. 33. 14. Of Ioseph he said, Blessed of the Lord be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath, and for the precious things brought forth by the sunne, and for the precious things put forth by the moon: where we see that the sunne and moon have power to thrust forth the fruits of the earth. And again, * 1.3 I will heare the heavens, and the heavens shall heare the earth: where see last of all, that the vegetation of the fruits of the earth dependeth not upon one or two con∣stellations, but upon the whole heavens.

Also were the starres and lights without power, the Scriptures would never tell us of their dominion over the earth: but the Scripture speaketh of their dominion: therefore they be not destitute of power and vertue. The minor is proved in Genesis, chap. 2. 1. and in the second

book of Kings, chap. 17. 16. and chap. 21. 3. and chap. 23. 5. and in Jeremie, chap. 19. 13. and in Zeph. chap. 1. 5. and in the Acts, chap. 7 42. For in all these places the holy Ghost calleth the starres, the host and ar∣mies of heaven; thereby amplifying the divine power of God by the force and power of these glorious creatures: and this also is further confirmed by that in the song of Deborah, Judg. 5. 20. where it is expressely testified that The starres fought from heaven, the starres in their courses fought against Sisera. Thus farre Scripture.

And now let experience also speak, that thereby they who will not frame their understandings to be taught by the one, but will seek for strange expositions, may be forced to yeeld and acknowledge the truth by compulsion of this other: in the front whereof, I cannot but remember the noble * 1.4 Poets saying,

Senselesse is he, who (without blush) denies What to sound senses most apparent lies: And' gainst experience he that spits fallacians, Is to be hist from learned disputations: And such is he, that doth affirm the starres To have no force on these inferiours.

1. As for example, when the sunne shifts his habita∣tion, how diversly are the seasons differing! insomuch that although the frostie beard of winter makes us trem∣ble and shiver through extremitie of cold, the warm lustre of the summers raies causeth us on the contrary to sweat and as it were pant through heat.

2. Also the terrible accidents that succeed eclipses may not be forgotten nor vilipended: for these testifie that the sunne, by his heat and light, quickeneth, after an admirable fashion, all earthly creatures, being as it were the sourse and conserver of vitall heat; and that the moon also hath a great power over inferiour bodies. For if it were otherwise, such lights coming to be hidden

from the earth, where there is a continuall revolution of generation and corruption, could not cause after their eclipses the nature of inferiour things to be so al∣tered and weakened as they are, both in the elements, and also in bodies composed of them.

3. And furthermore, who seeth not how orderly the tides keep their course with the moon? of which I have spoken in the third dayes work.

4. Also, it is an observation that seldome faileth, viz. that we have thunder and lightning in the summer time at the meeting of Mars with Jupiter, Sol, or Mercurie; and for the most part great windes, when Sol and Jupi∣ter, or Jupiter and Mercurie, or Mercurie and Sol, are in conjunction.

5. And again, the increase and decrease of bodies, or of marrow, bloud, and humours in the bodie, according to the increase and decrease of the moon, doth speak for that horned queen, and signifie that her vertue is not little. For as she fills with light, the marrow abounds in bones, the bloud in veins, the sap in trees, the meat and moisture in the oister, crab, and creafish.

6. Moreover, experience also teacheth, that all such wood as is cut for timber, if it be not cut after the full moon, will soon be rotten.

7. Also those pease which are sown in the increase, never leave blooming. And (as some report) the pome∣granate will bear no fruit any longer then just so many yeares as the moon was dayes old when it was first set and planted. The Heliotropium, with certain other flowers and plants, we likewise see that they keep their course with the sunne. And Plinie reports in his 37 book at the 10 chapter, that the Selenite is a stone which hath the image of the moon in it, increasing and decreasing according to her course in the heavens. And doth not Cardan also report for certain (as Sir Christopher Heydon 〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉

it may be affirmed that the heavens in some sort do work upon mens mindes and dispositions. And hereup∣on it comes to passe that Mars doth sometimes sow the seeds of warre by his working upon adult choler, and the like. Or the aire being greatly out of tune, causeth not onely many sicknesses, but strange disorders of the minde; and they breaking out into act, do many times disturb states, translate kingdomes, work unluckie disasters and the like: of which I spake before in the * 1.5 se∣cond dayes work.

And now know that if the operation of the heavens in this, be but so farre forth as the soul depends upon the bodily instruments, all that is done to the soul is but an inclination: for there can be no compulsion where the cause is so remote. And therefore let it be observed that it is one thing to cause, another thing to occasion; or one thing to inferre a necessitie, another thing to give an inclination: The former we cannot averre to be in the power of the starres, forasmuch as mans will, which is the commandresse of his actions, is absolutely free from any compulsion, and not at all subject to any naturall necessitie or externall coaction. Howbeit we cannot deny a certain inclination, because the soul of man is too much † 1.6 indulgent to the body, by whose mo∣tion (as one worthily observeth) it is rather perswaded then commanded. There is therefore no Chaldean fate to be feared, nor any necessitie to be imposed upon the wills of men; but onely an inclination: and this incli∣nation is not caused by an immediate working of the starres on the intellectuall part or minde of man, but occasioned rather, mediately, or so farre forth as the soul depends on the temperaments and materiall organs of the bodie. In which regard I hope ne∣ver to be afraid of the signes of heaven, neither is there cause why I should ever curse my starres, seeing

I know in this the utmost of their power. And as it was said to that Apostle, My grace is sufficient for thee; so may every one take it for granted, that there is a second birth which overswayes the first. To which purpose one makes this an observation,

Iustè age—Sapiens dominabitur astris; Et manibus summi stant elementa Dei.

Do godly deeds, so shalt thou rule the starres: For then God holds the elements from warres.

Or, as another not unfitly also speaketh,

Qui sapit, ille animum fortunae praeparat omni, Praevisumque potest arte levare malum.

The wise, for ev'ry chance doth fit his minde, And by his art makes coming evils kinde.

And in a word, that pithie † 1.7 saying of Ioannes de Indagine shall close this Article, Quaeris a me quan∣tum in nobis operantur actra? dico, &c. Dost thou demand of me how farre the starres work upon us? I say, they do but incline, and that so gently, that if we will be ruled by reason, they have no power over us; but if we follow our own nature and be led by sense, they do as much in us as in brute beasts, and we are no better. For, agunt, non co∣gunt, is all that may be said.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Pr•…•…fat. in lib. Scho•…•…eri de juaiciis nativit.
• * 1.2

  The Starres are causes as well as signes.
• * 1.3

  Hoses 2. 21.
• * 1.4

  Du Ban.
• * 1.5

  Chap. 5. Sect. 2. Parag. 4. Artic. 1.
• † 1.6

  How our mindes do sym∣paih•…•…se with the body, see in the 2 day, Chap. 5. Sect. 2. Parag. 4. Artic. 1. prop•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• † 1.7

  ••hirons. lib. 5.