Thomas Gataker B.D. his vindication of the annotations by him published upon these words, Thus saith the Lord, learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signes of heaven, for the heathen are dismayed at them, Jer. 10. 2 against the scurrilous aspersions of that grand imposter Mr. William Lillie : as also against the various expositions of two of his advocates, Mr. John Swan, and another by him cited, but not named : together with the annotations themselvs : wherein the pretended grounds of judiciary astrologie, and the Scripture-proofes produced for it are discussed and refuted.

The principal Contents of this whole Discours; In the former Part.

THe Occasion of undertaking this Task.

Page 1

Lilies scurrilous aspersions of the Annotations on Jerem, 10.2. and the Autor of them,

p. 2

Answer brief to all his aspersions in general, and some of them in particular,

p. 3

Of ignorance charged on all that oppose him and his profession, p. 4. and further,

p. 82—86

Of Presbyterie and Independencie, how far they concur, and where they part,

p. 5

That those of either side, and others of neither, have unanimously agreed, as well in ancient times, as in latter dayes, in opposing and condemning his pro∣fession,

p. 6.7.87.

The Presbyterie cleared from imputation of sedition,

p. 8.9.21.

Lilies spite not so much against the Presbyterie, as against the Ministerie in general,

p. 10.11, 19.21, 22

His cunning predictions of things done, or in doing, p. 12. and compliance with the times,

p. 13.14, 58

Calvine, (tho not alone) grosly abused, and falsly charged, by him and others,

p. 14.15, 16, 17

The Genevian Discipline, by a Popish writer of Note highly com∣mended,

p. 17.18

Calvines judgement of Divinatorie Astrologie,

p. 18

The grounds of the late Warre by Lilie pretended, discussed and refuted,

p. 19.20

Lilies contradictions in his judgements,

p. 22.23

His pretended grief for some pious Priests unmasked,

p. 24.25. & p. 74.75

His reqirie to be heard, and tried according to his own principles examined,

p. 26.27

His censures of stupiditie, non-sense, dotage, crossing all antiqitie, rea∣son, and genuine sense of the Text, in the Annotations and their Autor, discussed▪

p. 28.29.32.33

Envie charged by him unjustly on the oppugners of his profession,

p. 30.31

Lilies predictions in some particulars concerning the last Solar Eclipse, con∣trolled,

p. 33—41

His consent with, and dissent from, an other of his profession, with the grounds thereof debated,

p 35—37

Reasons, why Eclipses cannot portend or produce such things as these men ascribe unto them,

p. 41—43

Ignorance and error the main causes that make Eclipses so dreadful,

p. 44-52

The true reason of them discovered hath freed people from fear,

p. 45.46, 47.51.

Which the Egyptian Astrologers therefore would not have imparted to the people,

p. 48

Two gross errors among the common sort of people concerning Eclipses,

p. 52—54

Eclipses no prodigies,

p. 52.53

How they should presage, as Lilie saith, much good to any, being deemed so dismal,

p. 54—59.71

Lilies Pictures, with his explications and applications of them, contrary to himself, and his own Autors, examined,

p, 59—64

His inabilitie to construe aright his own Autors,

p. 62

His various and self-contradicting assertions concerning the efficacy of Eclip∣ses,

p. 65

Peucers impious assertion concerning the efficacie of Stars in some genitures,

P. 66—68

Lilies Argument from the Rainbow refuted,

p. 68—70

Lilie pressed to make good his Assertions concerning the Original of his pre∣tended Art,

p. 70.71.91 92

His pretended experience debated and refuted,

p. 71—82

Whether more dangerous for Statesmen to advise with Gods Ministers, or with Wizards,

p. 88.89

Lilies manner of refuting such as write against him, and his pretended Art,

p. 89—91

Reasons rendred of the later. yet not unseasonable, appearance of this piece in publike.

p. 92.93.

The Contents in the latter Part.

THe occasion of dealing with Master Swans Sermon on Jerem. 10.2.

p. 94

Lilies charge of Ignorance upon his opponents by Mr. Swan renewed, p. 94. and satyrically pursued,

p. 115.147.178.179

Mr. Swan granteth the Text to speak, not of Idolatrie, but of Astrologie, such as the Chaldeans professed and practised, p. 95.96. as also that the one oft leadeth people to the other,

p. 96

Ke••ers judgement herein, and of that whole practise,

p. 97.98

The reasons rendred by Lilies two Advocates, why the dreading of the signs of Heaven is forbidden, discussed and rejected,

p. 100—110

Fatality and certainty in their Pred••ctions maintained by our Prognostica∣tors; yet condemned by both their Advocates as presumptuous and magicall,

p. 103—109

Astrologie, according to Mr. Swan, the Stars language,

p. 104.127

Our Astromancers pronounce one another palpable liers; which how it may well be deemed tru of them all,

p. 109.—111

The right Reason of the inhibition of dreading the Signs of Heaven, ren∣dred from the Text, to wit, the Vanitie of the Wizards dictates concerning them,

p. 111—115

The Poets sayings concerning them by M. Swan produced, sifted and shewed to be contradictory either to other, and unsound.

p. 115—118

The Stars set to rule persons and people, not by God, but by arrogant men,

p. 115.116

Signs in the Text what, and how said to be Vanitie,

p. 118.122—124

That it is not of the essence of a Sign to portend ought,

p. 119—122

Christs Words Matth. 12.39.40. discussed and cleared,

p. 121

M. Swans argument from experience examined, and rejected,

p. 124—126

His Argument from Gen. 1.14. discussed and refuted,

p. 126.127, 128.131

His Argument from Psal. 19.1.3. to back the former, of no force,

p. 127.130

His undeniable Axiome granted, concludes nothing for him,

p. 130.131

His frivolous distinction, to meet with an objection; and slight answer to as frivolous an Objection of his own framing,

p. 131.132

Psal 50.4. Inconsiderately and impertinently produced by him,

p. 132.133.

Judg. 5.20. To as little purpose alledged,

p. 133—135

His long and lacinious discours of the means whereby the Planet Mars hath power to subvert States unravelled, p. 135—140. and shewed to be ground∣lesse, p. 136. impious, p. 136.137. Insufficient to his intended Project, p. 138.139, 140. impertinent to his present purpose,

p. 140.141

The Cognisance of Questions, what it is; and being a new invention, and one of our Wizards their gainfullest engins, that it hath much need of good props,

p. 141—143

The judgement of Genitures how ridiculous; and whether M. Swans Prin∣ciples will reach it,

p. 144.145

Pericles defended against M. Swans harsh and groundlesse censure; and Thu∣cydides cleared from Lilies misreports,

p. 147—155

Job. 38.31, 32. by M. Swan alledged, discussed, and shewed not to say, what he should proov,

p. 106. and p. 156—158

Job 9.7. Cited to as little purpose, p. 158—160 making no more for Astro∣mancie, then Job. 37.7. for Chiromancie, or Revel. 2.17. for the Philoso∣phers Stone,

p. 160.161.

Luk. 21.25. Explained and shewed to have no place here

p. 161.162

Psal. 111.2. and 1 King. 4.11. to no purpose here produced,

p. 162.170

Wisdom. 7.17. Apocryphal, of no weight, because of no credit; nor coming home to the point in qestion.

p. 162—166

Of Adams knowledge, and Salomons,

p. 166—168

Of Thales, p. 168 169. Of Solon,

p. 169.170.

Of Tares or Weeds rather, sowen among the Wheat, and how to be distin∣guished,

p. 170.171.174—176

Of Eccles. 3.1. the genuine sense of the place; that it no way helps those for whom M. Swan pleadeth,

p. 171 172

Of the men of Issakers skil, 1. Chr. 12.30. to this purpose as litle,

p. 172.173

Of severing the drosse from the gold, and chaff from the Corn,

p. 176 177.180.181

The condemners of this Divinatory Astrologie not guilty of confounding and casting away the one with the other,

p. 177.178

The Patrones of it rather blend them, and would obtrude on us, the drosse with the gold, and the dregs with the liqor.

p. 179

The vanity of M. Swans pretense, that the discovery and opposition of such fanatical fancies and cheating practices, should either proceed from ignorance, or indanger the inducing of it,

p. 179.180

The Rule given by M. Swan, whereby to help us in discerning Christs God∣head by his Miracles, cutteth the throat of his Clients cause concerning the stu∣pendious efficacy of Eclipses,

p. 181

What disservice our Astrologers have done to God and Christ, by attributing the most miraculous works of either to the natural Operation of Stars and Constellations,

p. 182—185

The close of all with the L. Howards judgement, concerning the mischie∣vousnesse of this Fortune-telling Astrologie,

p. 186

The Contents in the Annotations.

AStronomie and Judiciarie Astrologie distinguished,

p. 187

That for the Original of this latter, its Patrons and Practicers, want∣ing ground from the light of Nature, or natural reason, are fain to fly as the Papists for their Purgatorie, to special revelation, some from good Angels, some from God himself, both without any sound proof of either,

p. 188.189

That they do falsly and impiously fasten upon the Stars such vile affections and malignant faculties as God never gave them,

p. 188

That the Names given them, to import such qalifications, taken from Hea∣thenish Deities, in which the Devil was worshipped, leadeth us to take notice of the first Autor of it,

p. 189

That if it had ben revealed by God or his Angels to any, it would have ben to his Prophets, who would in their writings have mentioned it, and not transmit∣ted it by Paynims to posterity,

p. 190

That it hath ben ever in the Christian Church liable to censure,

p. 190

That it is in Gods Word derided, disswaded, inhibited as a course impious, vain and frivolous; unbeseeming Gods people,

p. 190.192

Signs of two sorts; which to be dreaded, which not,

p. 191