A treatise against iudicial astrologie Dedicated to the right Honorable Sir Thomas Egerton Knight, Lord Keeper of the great Seale, and one of her Maiesties most honorable priuie Councell. VVritten by Iohn Chamber, one of the prebendaries of her Maiesties free Chappell of VVindsor, and fellow of Eaton College.

CHAP. XIIII.

That none harken to Figure-flingers but Fooles, since God hath reserued the the knowledge of future things to himselfe.

Now if any, notwithstāding that which hath bin said, shalbe so fond, as still to rely vpon these prophesies, and pre∣dictions, let him consider that of S. Ambrose lib. 4. cap. 4. The art of figure-flingers is like a cobweb, in which if a flie, or gnat be, 'entangled, it cannot scape, but grea∣ter things hapning into thē, they teare & rush through all those weake and slender atercop nets. So it fareth with the figureflingers pursuits, wherin vnsetled giddy pates may easily be, and are snared, while men of soun∣der sence, & more staid iudgemēt go cleare away. Here haue we not only the figure-flingers, but also his gen∣tle auditour and client touched; for if there were no receiuers, there would be no theeues: if there were no wagling wits, these cogging figure-flingers might put vp their pipes. And so long as there is soothing, we shall neuer want southsayers. Farther, we are to consider, that all our knowledge is limited, and that we do but see as it were in aenigmate, that our vnder∣standing to the clearest things of nature, is but as the owles eye to the sunne, that veritas in profundo latet, that God hath reserued many things for his know∣ledge; which neither man nor angell can attaine to,

according to that of the poet, Nec scire fas est omniae, and therefore the same poet giueth vs this counsell for future things,

Tu ne quaesieris scire (nefas) quem mihi, quem tibi finem dij dederint Leuconoe, nec Babylonios Tentaris numeros, vt melius quicquid erit pati. Seeke not Leuconoe to know, what death, and when may thee befall, Looke not for help of wisards craft, for patience, their help is small.

This poet in this point is verie constant; for with this agreeth that. ode. 29. lib. 3.

Prudens futuri temporis exitum Caliginosa nocte premit Deus, Ridetque, si mortalis vltra Fas trepidat, quod adest memento Componere aequus. Diuinely God hath future things concealed from mankinde, And laughes whē men do quake for feare, for things that are behinde.

With this agreeth also that of Pindarus. od. 12. oly.

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No man euer as yet could get a trustie counseller for actions to come, for in future things our counsels, and consultations, are obscure and blinde. By which testimonies we see that God hath reserued to himselfe the knowledge of future things, & not imparted them to any whosoeuer. This derogation from God seemed so hainous to the Emperor Cōstantine, that he punished with losse of life whosoeuer went to aske counsell of

an Astrologer. And Iustinian saith, that it was good for the common wealth, to have geometrie taught, but of A••trology he saith it was damnable, a••d quite forbid∣den. Also Origen doth for the same cause as far censure thē which seeke to the Astrologers, as the Astrologers themselues, Hom. 3. in Hier. If any of you seeke after the follies of Astrologers, he is in the land of the Chalde∣ans. If any waying the day of his natiuitie, and, as if there were any thing in the diuersitie of houres, and times, admit this opinion, because the starres being thus and thus figured, make men riotous, adulterers, vnchast and such like, he is in the land of the Chaldeans.