Catastrophe magnatum, or, The fall of monarchie a caveat to magistrates, deduced from the eclipse of the sunne, March 29, 1652, with a probable conjecture of the determination of the effects / by Nich. Culpeper, Gent. ...

Part 5.

Of the oppositions of ♄ and ♃.

You may remember we told you before, that ♄ and ♃ made three oppositions during the effects of this Eclipse, and all three of them from ♌ and ♒; the first happens in the yeer 1652/3. Febr. 27. 0^h. 3'0. p.m. in 6^d. of ♌ and ♒.

The second happens the 10^th. of Iuly 1653. 3^h. 3'0. p.m. in 3^d. 1'4. of ♌ and ♒.

And the last happens in Ianuary 1653/4. the 17^th. day about 8. in the morning, in 24^d. of ♌ and ♒, ♄ being with cor, ♌ and ♃ with fomahand, I shall here speak of them all together, and in so doing, first Ile shew you what Authours have left to po∣sterity upon the like oppositions. Secondly, the judgement of Authours upon the effects of them. Thirdly, my own judgement upon them.

To begin with the first of these, namely, What Authors have left upon Record, to have succeeded such oppositions, Anno 1433. in Sept. there was an ☍ of ♄ and ♃ from ♌ and ♒ 13. ♂ joynes with ♄ in November, and opposeth ♃. Anno 1434 ♄ and ♃ make another ☍ in the latter end of ♌ and ♒, about which time appeared a terryfying Comet; and so there may doe now too for ought I know, or else other sights in the aire as bad.

Also Anno 1633. there happened a terrible Eclyps of the ☉ in the crab, which shewed his influence to some pur∣pose the yeere following; and now judge whether it bee not to some purpose to quote this example, there being such an admirable congruity betweene those and these oppositions; only the Eclyps of the ☉ was in the crab then, and in the ram now, and that an ☍ of ♄ and ♃, ♄ being in ♌, might never

bee said to come without having one touch at Rome, and to tell you the truth, It was never yet knowne by man, nor menti∣oned by Chronicle, that ever the tumbling & tossing of the bo∣dy of ♄ through the Lyon hapned, but it was a sufficient scourg to London. The Veneitans and Florentines, together with o∣ther Italian Princ•• made Warre against his holynes the Pope, Anno 1434. who seeing himselfe not able to resist, his Gutts and he ran away, and he was glad at heart he could escape so: A generall. Councell was held at Bazile, at which his holines the Bishop of Rome permitted the Bohemians to receive the Sa∣crament, in both kindes, whereas both before and since, the Priests drinke up all the Wine themselves, and leave the poore people ready to choake themselves with the breaden-god.

When those Princes wee told you of before, had routed the Pope out of his holy-Chayre, like a company of Asses, they goe together by the eares with one another; the Empe∣rour dyeth, and Albert, Arch-Duke of Austria is made Emperour, but hee held it but a small time, Death sum∣moning him to make his appearance in another world.

Anno 1493. was another opposition of Saturne and Jupi∣ter in ♌ and ♒ an Eclyps of the ☉ in ♉ then operating. The Romane Empyre is together by the Eares, whole Heards of Cattle dye of the Murraine; The King of Portingall falls off of his Horse and breaks his neck; now the Emperour dyes, and that veneriall disease (though called the French-Pox) began first in Naples; the King of France is full of trouble, his Ar∣my quits the Field; the King of Poland is beaten by the Turk; presently after this, as there doth now, hapned an Eclypse of the ☉ in ♌, which though it were but small, yet were the ef∣fects great, by reason the luminary was infested with the squares both of ♄ and ♂: Good Lord have mercy upon us! what will the effects of this next Eclips in ♌ be, when the Eclips it selfe is great, and the luminaries besieged by the bodies of ♄ and ♂? The Death of the King of France, and also of many Germane∣Princes succeeded in the effects of this. Anno 1552. there hap∣pened another ☍ of ♄ and ♃ in ♌ and ♒, an Eclyps of the ☉ in ♑ then stoutly operating, Caesare is at wars, the Bishops of

Germany are together by the Eares, so was the Duke of Saxo∣ny and the King of France; I had not mentioned this ☍ had not Edward, the last of that name, King of England, a most hopefull young man changed this life for a better; hee had the Virgin in the Horoscope of his Genesis, and the ☉ Eclipsed neer the degree ascending, and in the place of ♄: Warrs followed his death; and Religion mended just as sowre Ale doth in Summer. The Marquesse of Brandenburg must needs goe fight with the Duke of Brunswick: one battell hee gave him, and was handsomely beaten for his pains: As soon as ever he could get another Army hee must have the other bout with him, and was served the same sauce: the yeer after this great ☍ England was as full of troubles as the Sea is full of water.

Wyat Rebelled about the comming in of Phillip King of Spain, and many more were clapt up in the Goal, right or wrong, it matters not: Guilford Dudly and his wife Ioane, the Duke of Suffolk and his Daughter lost their heads: The Lady Elizabeth was clapt up in Prison; and Mary Rules the Na∣tion more like a Beast then a woman: I must transgres no lon∣ger in quoting what is past, but come to what Authors say of the ☍, which is the second thing promised.

Haly faith, The ☍ of ♄ and ♃ signifies many brawlings and contentions, both between man and man, and between Na∣tion and Nation; sets the Commonalty together by the ears against their Magistrates and Kings. Besides, according to Guido, It signifies that Kings and Magistrates shall bee depo∣sed, especially such whose Kingdomes are under ♌ and ♒; Ci∣ties thereunder shall bee consumed by Fire and Sword. Also, besides all this, Albumazar saith, That rich men shall be made equall with the poor.

De Malé quaesitis vix gaudet tertius Haeres.

Goods ill got soon scatter'd bee, The third Heir ne'er doth them see.

I come now to the third, which is my own judgement upon

the Oppositions, in which I shall bee very brief.

First, They signifie consumption of estate; let no thriving time (I mean, no time to grow exceeding rich) bee expected by English men yet these four or five yeers; God hath pro∣vided other Fish for them to fry, his determination upon the world is otherwise: Ier. 45. 4, 5. Iehovah saith thus: Behold, that which I have built will I break down; and that which I have planted I will pluck up; even this whole land: And seekest thou great things for thy self? seek them not: for behold, I will bring evill upon all flesh, saith the Lord; but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest. I hope such as fear God, and aime at the liberty of the Subject, shall have Baruchs promise made good to them; and let them thank God if they scape so too: and if they please to heare me, well and good; if not, I have my reward: God is a bringing to passe a great work in the world, which when you see it come to passe, it will make your hearts ake; and I am per∣swaded I can give you some reasons why hee doth so, for the God of reason doth nothing without reason, and if wee can∣not see a reason of Gods actions, 'tis to bee imputed to our blindnesse; let the Priests prate what they will The Saints are united to the God-head, by the person of our Lord Iesus Christ: Some of the Reasons may probably be these, or if you will not take them for reasons, take them for probable conjectures, 'tis no matter under what notion you take them, so you make good use of them.

First, one Reason may be to prepare the Saints for such Mise∣ries as hee will shortly reveale to them; Whilest the Bridegroom staied the wise Virgins, as well as the foolish, slumbred and slept; and in all probabilities these dreadfull times are but to awake them out of that sleepe; consider how unfit the best of Saints are to receive those wonderfull things which God will short∣ly reveale to them; if they please I'll draw them up a looking-glasse to behold a copy of their Countenances in, as they stand in statu quo, as their Disposition is at pre∣sent.

First, they minde riches much, and send their Hearts to

meete them before they come; they draw Maps of their own desires, and cut out such a kinde of life in their thoughts as pleases them, and by their owne thoughts put themselves into another condition then God hath ordained for them; as children, to exercise their houswifery, make clay-pies; and to expresse their desires make Babies of clouts; neither is there any better way for a man to know his owne heart then this, for though a mans condition bee not as hee would have it, and let the impossibilities or improbabilities bee never so great of being what they desire, yet their fancies will discover to them what their inclinations are, they will create a fooles Paradice in their own Brains; First what they would be. And second∣ly, what they would doe if they were so; and when they have created such a Paradise, then they walke up and downe in it with delight; First, how much money they would have. Se∣condly, what they would doe with it; what preferment they would have, and then how they would carry themselves in it, and though they want the things themselves they desire, yet will they please themselves with the Pictures of them drawne in their thoughts.

Secondly, I make no question but the Saints are guilty of sinns as well as other men, and delight to busie their time in thinking of those things that nothing at all concerns them; they long after curiosities, like Women with childe, that many times long for such things as cannot bee had: our thoughts are the buds of an immortall nature whithin us, and ought to bee spent about such things as are discovered in the works and word of God, and not to be spent about the idle Idea's of our own brains: What a madnesse were it for a Lady, instead of Pearls and Diamonds, to dresse her self up with Peacocks fea∣thers; and yet our thoughts, as familiarly as the Sun rises and sets, instead of feeding upon wholesome food, contained in the Book of the Scriptures and the Book of the Creatures, like Ca∣melions, they feed on the aire.

Thirdly, Their thoughts are spent in meditating of what is upon Earth, and not of what is in Heaven; and taking a survey of worldly hapinesse, which they enjoy, as Haman was taking

an inventory of his glory the night before hee was hanged, and Nebuchadnezer when hee was walking alone and talking to himself like a fool, Is not this great Babel that I have built? even at the very time when hee was taken with a Lycanthropia; for as men which desire alwaies to bee telling their money, 'tis a signe they are covetous; and women that alwaies delight to bee looking their faces in a looking Glasse, 'tis a signe they are proud: so men that are alwaies minding their earthly happinesse, and forget to bee thankfull to God, shews infinite pride and self flattery in them; therefore they shall have trou∣ble in the flesh that God may call them off from it.

Fourthly, Take a man that is ambitious, and so 'tis to bee feared are some of the best of men, though they cannot yet obtain what they desire, yet will they, feigning themselves to bee some great persons, and having erected a throne in their own brains, sit down very quietly in it.

Fifthly, A man that loves his guts well, and wants money to purchase such food as hee desires, will please himself with the delights of what hee would have, hee will set down within his own brain a bill of fare and what ingredients hee will have in it, and please himself with the conceit of it, although hee have none of it.

Sixthly, A man that is revengefull, and wants a sting, hee will please himself with his own revengfull thoughts, and take delight to conceit hee is plagueing his enemie, though hee bee twenty miles from him.

I am confident, if you look into your own conditions, you shall finde I have hit the nayle on the head in some of these; and then you cannot but see a reason of the troublesomenesse of the times, before the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ in power. This is my first reason.

Secondly, The Devill begins to grow a little troublesome, because hee hath but a short time to continue, as the Bishops in England were in the height of their pride before they fell, as Monarchy was most tyrannicall a little before its Catastro∣phe: So will the Devill also, if you beleeve the Scripture, Rev. 12. 12. Woe bee to the Inhabitants of the earth, and of the

sea, for the Divel is come down to you, having great wrath, be∣cause he knows he hath but a short time.

3. God may do it to leave the wicked without excuse: They have read, all these things shall come before the great and notable day of the Lord appear, before he pour out his spirit upon all flesh; and if they will neither beleeve what they read, hear, see, nor feel, I do not know what to say to them; As sure as a club, their consciences cannot plead one inch of excuse.

4. God may do it, to make the Saints attend more to pray∣er: When men are most in danger, then they pray hearti∣lyest, and walk closest with God; when they have a little rest, God is quickly out of their minds. And now I think of it, I care not if I incite here a couple of Verses which I heard from a Commander now at present in the Army;

Our God and Souldiers we alike adore, Even in the brink of danger, not before. After deliv'rance they are alike requited, Our God's forgotten, and our Souldiers slighted.

And to tell you the truth, Experience will tell us, that in that persecution under the late Bishops, the Saints walked more closely with God then now they do; they now walk as carelesly, as if the Divel were dead. I shall bring all home to the purpose I quoted it for, and conclude this reason with one place of Scripture; which, when you have read and se∣riously considered, tell me if prayer may not be a notable help to you in these times of trouble which are so manifestly threatned, and so near at hand, and so nearly concern you; it is Acts 2. 19, 20, 21. And I will shew wonders in heaven a∣bove, and signes in the earth beneath: bloud, and fire, and va∣pour of smoake: The Sun shall be turned into darknesse, and the Moon into blood, before that great and not able day of the Lord come. And it shall come to passe, that whosoever shall CALL upon the NAME of the LORD shall be saved.

5. It may be to call off the hearts of the Saints from the world, that so they may look up to God whether they will or no: when nothing but trouble is to be seen under the

Moon, such may the love of God to the Saints be, that he may move them to come to him by arguments of necessity. This is my first Axiome.

2 Magistrates walk in the clouds, neither will what the common people intend, quickly be known. Religion in one place, and execution of justice in another, will be made a couple of dainty cloaks to hide mens knaveries; (i.e. cover ambitious thoughts from the vulgar view;) frigidus latet anguis in herba: have a care you be not deceived that way; nay, have a double care, such as pretend your freedom and liberty, bring you not into a worse bondage. A seasonable warning is given you of it, not onely by the book of the Creatures, but also by the book of the Scriptures, Micah 7. 5, 6, 7. Trust yee not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosome: for the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against the mother in law; a mans enemies are the men of his own house: There∣fore I will look unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of my sal∣vation: My God will hear me. Here is your disease, here is your cure; the Scripture hath spoke enough, I need speak no more.

3. We told you before, That a murrein amongst beasts was threatned: and as amongst men in a pestilentiall time, all that are infected die not, neither is it probable will all the beasts; therefore men eating such corrupted food, taking their nourishment from it, must needs be defiled by its im∣purity. And if you will give me leave to digress a little, I will not transgress.

First, Hereby ye see, what a great part of the curse of God for sin was: Happy, yea thrice happy is hee to whom God reveals a redresse.

Secondly, By this you may see, if you be not stark blind, which takes a more laudable course to cure a disease, Gailen, who gives the medicine with its impurity; or Paracelsus, who substracts onely the medicinal part, and leaves the im∣purity, as terra damnata.

4. Violent storms, and unusuall, if not unheard of hail will be a great prejudice unto the earth, especially toward the later end of the Summer 1652, 1653, and its well if 1654 scape.

5. When the air is thus troubled, the spirits of the air must needs be troubled also; men conceive strange, ridicu∣lous thoughts of the Divel, namely, that he is an ugly, un∣quoth creature, with horns on his head, and cloven feet, with great eys like sacers: others that have a little more wit, know wel enough that he is a spirit; but they think he is tied up fast enough, either in hell, or in some other hole, neither I nor they know where; when the truth is, his residence is in the air; and therefore the Scripture calleth him, The Prince of the power of the air. Therefore I say, the air being disturb∣ed, the spirits of the air must needs be disturbed also; and such unusual sights may appear, as may terrifie both your eys and hearts, if not at the time of the Eclipse, yet within a short time after: Neither shall you see the midst of August 1652 over-past, but the world shall see what I have written is truth.

6. The Iew begins to take a spleen at Rome, and all the Nations in Europe begin to snarl at her; her finall Catastro∣phe approacheth, but not yet. However, till that time come, continuall sicknesses, fires, and tumults; either one of these, or all of these, or something else as bad, will molest her: And if her learned Jesuits cannot tell her the meaning of God from it, what are they good for?

7. One word or two I will speak concerning the 2^d oppo∣sition of ♄ and ♃, which happeneth in Iuly 1653; for then, and not quite till then, will the effects of the ☌ of ♄ and ♃, which we wrote of before, appear in their colours, that all the world may see what they are: For as Herostratus set the Temple of Diana at Ephesus on fire, that so he might get him∣self a name, that he might be talked of after he was dead, so the Iesuits, when no other good can be done, will set all the Princes in Europe that are priest-ridden, together by the ears, that so they may get themselves a name, though of infamy.

I had thought to have written concerning an Eclipse of the Moon 1653. on March 3. but for some reasons best known to my selfe, I shall passe it by here, and speak of it in my Ephemeris for that year.