&c. of books of late crept, nay, crouded in amongst us, to the dishonour of God, de∣nying of Christ, despighting the Spirit, cau∣ponizing of the Word, disturbing the Church, subverting of Religion, distract∣ing of the State, scandalizing weak Chri∣stians, and seducing of common people, yea, to the promotion of Idolatry, Superstition, Heresie, Schisme, &c.
We see then, my brethren, this sinful Art of Starre-divining, as a concomitant of the sin after which we are enquiring, to be too evident in the midest of us: I shall a little, and very briefly note to you the fitnesse of this sinful Art, to chara∣cterize the sin of Altar-building, that to the quickening of your affections, you may more seriously heed it, though it hath beene but seldome hinted: and that in noting its nature, and the Churches ob∣servation concerning it.
First, as for its nature: not to stand upon it as erroneous, and heretical as it is in it selfe, the rules of it, and inferences from the same became directly contrary to the doctrine of faith: not its aptitude to engage needlesse scrupulosities and superstitious observations of this as omi∣nous, and that as lucky, to the enslaving