Astrologie theologized

Astrologie Theologized.

CHAP. I. What Astrologie is, and what Theologie; and how they have reference one to another.

AStrologie is Philosophie it self,* 1.1 or it is the whole light of Nature, from whence ari∣seth the universall naturall Wisdome, or a solid, sincere, and exquisite knowledge of naturall things: which light of Na∣ture is twofold, externall, and internall: Externall in the Macrocosm, internall in the Microcosm. Or, Astrologie is the ve∣ry knowledge of good and evill, which is, and bears rule in things subject to Nature; which science flourishing in man, unlesse it be ruled and governed by Theologie, that is, divine Wisdome, as the handmaid by her mistresse, it is vicious. And by her specious appearance, and concupiscible jucundity man seduceth himself, and as it were by eating of the forbidden tree, or by who reing with the creatures, he maketh his soule the Babylonian Whore sitting upon the Beast, having seven heads and ten hornes, &c. and being sweetly deceived of him∣self, obtains eternall death to himself.

But Theologie is the whole light of grace,* 1.2 happening to man from the holy Spirit effused from above, which is the universall wisdome of the Kingdom of Heaven, and the saving know∣ledge

of divine and supernaturall things, making chast and purging the soul from every defilement of sin abiding in the mortall body; in respect whereof that naturall Wisdome is but a shadow, which, when the world is blotted out and re∣moved, will together with it be blotted out and removed, and then Theologie alone shall reigne.

Astrologie is so called because it ariseth from the Stars. As,

Theologie, because it flowes from God.

To live Astrologically is with a pleasing concupisence to eat of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evill, and to bring death to himself.

To live Theologically is, to eat of the wood and Tree of life by an intimate abnegation of ones self, and thence to at∣tain to ones self, Life and Salvation.

The Light of Nature in Astrologie, with his incitative fruits, is the probatory instrument whereby Man placed in the midst, that is, between God and the Creature is proved which way he would direct or convert his free will, desire, love and appetite; whether to God his Creatour, by loving him above all things, with his whole heart, with his whole mind, with his whole soul, and with his whole strength; which should be the Theologicall life. Or whether casting God behind, he would reflect to himself and to the Creature by love of him∣self, and arrogating of good things received, which was the Astrologicall life, at the Babilonish fornication, as will appear by that which followeth.

Astrologie possesseth our soul with the externall body, wherein the Light of Nature dwells and shines forth, in some more excellently, in others lesse. And it contains in it self two things.

1. All kind of Sciences, Arts, Tongues, Faculties and natu∣rall Studies; all the gifts, as well of the mind, as of the body, and also all negotiations, occupations, actions and labours of men, how many soever of them are found, exercised and u∣sed in all times upon the whose earth, every where amongst men, aswell grosse as subtile, aswell old as new, serving aswell to good as to bad uses.

2. Under Astrologie, are referred all orders, states and de∣grees

of men, distinctions of persons, dignities, gifts, offices, and every kind of life as well naturally ordained by God him∣self, as thought of and invented by humane wit, and found out in the whole world from the highest and most honoura∣ble to the lowest and most base.

All these are the fruits of the Starrs, and have their origi∣nall from Astrologie, and pertain to the body and soul, and may be as well good as bad, according to the divers pleasures of the users and abusers.

But Theologie possesseth our Spirit which we have from God, which alone is Theologus, that is the Speech of God, the Breath of God, the Word of God, being and inhabiting in the Temple of our heart, from which alone according to sacred Letters true Theologie is to be drawn forth; That is, the know∣ledge of God, of things divine and celestiall and supernatu∣rall, arising from within, from the illumination of the holy Spi∣rit it self dwelling within us: According to whose beck, will and command we ought to institute, direct and finish all our Sciences, Arts, Studies, Actions, Offices, Vocations, Industries, Labors and kinds of of life, invented & drawn forth on earth from the Light of Nature; so as whatsoever we think, say or do in the world, in all Arts, Sciences and Labors, it all proceeds from the Will of God, and seems as it were to be done and governed by God himself in us, as by his fit instruments.

For every Astrologicall gift comming from the Light of Nature, ought to be ruled and subjected to the Divine will by the Theologicall Spirit dwelling in us, that so the will of the Lord be done, as in heaven, so also in earth. For all Wisdome both Naturall and Supernaturall is from the Lord.

Astrologie is the science of tilling and perlustrating of the inferiour terrestiall earth, ground, garden, Paradise, from which Man was taken and made, as to his body and his soul, in the labor and culture whereof six daies were ordained and ap∣pointed: But because this Science of it self confers not Salva∣tion, and eternall Beatitude, but alone belongs to this present life: it is necessary the Lady and Mistresse of all Sciences and Arts, Theologie, be added, which seeing it is Wisdome from a∣bove, it hath in it self the Science of tilling and perlustrating

the celestiall earth, ground, garden, paradise, from whence also man was taken, created according to the similitude and image of God, which garden man also hath in himself, to the culture whereof, the seventh day alone, which is the Sabbath day, is appointed.

For so it was ordained between God and man from all eterni∣ty, that Man should be God, and God Man, neither without the other: that is, as God himself is, and will be the Para∣dise, Garden, Tabernacle, Mansion, House, Temple, and Jeru∣salem of Man: So also was man created for the same end, that he should be the Paradise, Garden, Tabernacle, Mansion, House, Temple, and Jerusalem of God: that by this mutuall union and friendship of God with Man, and of Man with God, all the wisdome, power, vertue and glory eternally hid∣den in God, should be opened and multiplied. For, God once made all things for man, but Man for himself.

CHAP. II. Concerning the subject of Astrologie.

THe study of Astrologie or Philosophie is conversant a∣bout the universall knowledge of all the wonderfull and secret things of God, infused and put into naturall things from above in the first creation.

The exercise therefore of the light of Nature is the most sagacious perscrutation and enucleation of the abstruse, inter∣nall and invisible vertues, lying hid in externall, corporall and visible things; to wit,

What should be the first matter of this great world where∣of it was made.

What the Elements should be, and those things which are bred of the Elements, and consist in them; of what kind is their creation, essence, nature, propriety and operation as well within as without.

What might be in the Stars of Heaven, what their opera∣tion.

What in Volatiles, what in Fishes, Metalls, Mineralls,

Gemms; what in every species of Sprigs and Vegetables.

What in Animalls, beasts, creeping things, and in the whole frame of the world.

Lastly, what is in Man, who was made and created of all these; to wit,

What is that masse, or slime, or dust whereof the body of the first man was formed, and whence he received his soule, and what it is: and whence he hath the Spirit, and what he is: And so the light of Nature, or Astrologie comprehends in it self all the wisdome and knowledge of the whole Uni∣verse; that is, all these are had and learned in the Schoole of the light of Nature, and are referred to Astrologie, or are ra∣ther Astrologie it self: to wit,

The subject of Astrologie therefore is double; the Macro∣cosm and Microcosm, the greater World, and the lesser World.

The greater World is this very frame and great house, or this huge tabernacle wherein we inhabit and live; and it con∣sists of the foure Elements, Fire, Aire, Water and Earth; and is twofold, visible according to the body, invisible, accor∣ding to the soule or spirit.

The lesser World is Man, the off-spring, or some of the grea∣ter world, extracted and composed out of the whole greater World, who also in himself is two fold, visible and externall, as to his body, invisible and internall, as to his soul.

And as Man is made of nothing els but the world, so also is he placed and put no where els but within the world, to wit, that he might live, dwell, and walk therein, yet so as that he should take heed of that subtill Serpent, and should not eat of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evill, least he die; that is, that he serve not the soule of the world, and creatures sub∣ject to vanity: but as a wise man rule the Starrs, and resist the divell tempting him, by the concupiscence of the flesh, of the eyes and pride of life; and suppresse sinfull nature, living and walking in wisdom and simplicity of the Divine God head in∣spired into him, not in the subtilty of the Serpent by arrogan∣cy and love of himselfe. For it is most certain.

Of what any thing is born and procreated, from thence also it

seeks, desires and receives it's nourishments, convenient to it's es∣sence and nature for the sustentation of it self.

Now Man was taken from, and composed of the Macro∣cosme, and placed in the same: Therefore also necessarily he is nourished, cherished, receives his meat and drink, is clothed and sustained according to that, Gen. 3. v. 19. Thou art taken from the earth, and thou shalt eat thereof in labour all the dayes of thy life, and shalt eat the herbes of the field untill thou shalt return unto the earth, for from it thou art taken.

Seeing therefore Man, as to his body, is composed of the Elements, and as to his soul, of the Starrs, and each part is fed and sustained from that from which it was taken: The food or aliment of the body, wherby the body grows to a due sta∣ture, comes to a man from the Elements, the Earth, the Water, Ayre, & Fire; not that Man should take to himself for food the crude bodies of the Elements, but the fruit growing from the Elements: they are for nutriment. But the food of the soul in∣habiting in the Microcosmicall body, are all kinds of Sciences, Arts, Faculties, and Industries, with which she tincts and makes her self perfect.

Moreover, All aliment passeth into the substance of the user, and is made the same that he himself is; that is, whatsoever a man eats, and drinks, the same thing is essentially transmitted into the substance, nature, propriety and forme of Man, by the digestion of Arthens in the ventricle. I say, the food passeth and is converted into the nature of the eater, and drink into the substance of the drinker, and is made one and the same with him.

And in the first place, let these things be understood con∣cerning the body without wonder: because man is made of that which he eats and drinks.

So also whatsoever a man learns, studies, knowes in things that are placed without himself, that knowledge and intelli∣gence passeth into the very essence, nature and propriety of a man, and is made one with him.

The Light of Nature is made Man in Man, and by a mans di∣ligent searching, Man is made Light both in light and by light; and by the benefit of that light he finds out all things whatso∣ever

he seeks and desires: but one more and another lesse, be∣cause all do not seek with the like study.

Every Knowledge, Science, Art, Industry and Faculty pas∣seth into the nature of Man, penetrates him, occupies him, possesseth him, tincts him, is agglutinated to him, united with him, and perfected in him, and he in it. For, Whatsoever kind of aliment man useth, and whatsoever he endeavours to study, in∣quire, know, and understand, this is not strange or different from his essence and nature. The reason is,

Because whatsoever is without a man, the same is also within him, for that man is made of all those things which are without him, that is of the whole universe of things.

Therefore whatsoever Man takes from without from the Elements and Stars by meat, drink, knowledge, study and in∣telligence, this is the same that man is, and is made the same with Man: So man eating bread, and drinking water, wine, &c. from the Macrocosme, he eats and drinks himself; and Lear∣ning, Arts, Tongues, Faculties, and Sciences of externall things, he learns and knows himself.

And as he tincts his body by meat and drink, which passe into the substance of flesh and blood, so also his soul is tincted with whatsoever kind of Sciences, Arts, &c. eating and drin∣king he is united essentially with that which he eats and drinks: And learning and knowing he is united essentially with that which he studies, learns and knows: Wherefore this is a most certain rule,

Whatsoever is without us, is also within us. Which in this place, we, philosophising of the soul and the body, do thus de∣clare.

This whole world visible, as to the body, invisible as to it's soul, is without us. From this we are all essentially in and with the first man complicitly made and created, and incontinently after the Creation were put and placed into it. And seeing it is manifest,

That every thing that is derived retaines the essence, nature and propriety of it's originall: That although the Macrocosme is without us, yet neverthelesse it may also be found truly with∣in us.

I say the World is in us, and we are in it, and yet this is, as that is without us, and we without that. For indeed we have no existence or originall from any thing els, but from that which is without us, and which was before us: Nor are we, nor do wee inhabit, walk and live in any thing els, save in that weherof we are made. Neither do we seek and draw forth meat and drink from any other, either for the body or the sonl, but from that into which we are placed, and which is pla∣ced in us.

As to the Spirit, we are of God, move in God, and live in God, and are nourished of God: Hence God is in us and we are in God: God hath put and placed himself in us, and we are put and placed in God.

As to the Soul, we are from the Firmament and Starrs, we wove and live therein, and are nourished thereof: Hence the Firmanment with it's astralick vertues and operations is in us, and we in it. The Firmament is put and placed in us, and we are put and placed in the Firmament.

As to the Body, we are of the Elements, we move and live in them, and are nourished of them: Hence the Elements are in us and we in them. The Elements by the slime are put and placed in us, and we are put and placed in them.

So God is whole without us. and also whole within us, by the being of inspiration, that is, by his spirit communicated to us.

So the World is whole without Adam, and also the whole World is within Adam, by the being of extracted slyme.

So Adam is whole without us, and also whole within us, by the being of seed.

And so we bear God within us, and God bears us in him∣self. God hath us with himself, and is neerer to us, then we are to our selves. We have God every where with us, whether we know it, or know it not.

We bear the World in us, and the World bears us in it self. Therefore whatsoever we perceive, feel, touch, tast, smell, hear, see, imagine, think, speculate, learn, understand, savour, know, eat, and drink, and wheresoever we walk, this the very same from whence we have drawn our originall. We are alwaies

conversant in those things of which we are made. For,

Man is the centre of the whole universe. So we learn nothing els, but the very same thing that was before us, and whereof we are made, and which before we begin to learn, lies hid in us. Yea, we learn, search, and know nothing els then our selves: to wit, lear∣ning, searching and knowing that whereof we come, and whence we have received our being. So we eat and drink nothing els but our selves, to wit, eating and drinking that whereof we are made.

So our body hath it's hunger and thirst in it self from within, and desires perfection of it self by meat and drink taken fromthe Elements from without.* 1.3

So the soul hath it's hunger and thirst in it self, and desires the perfection of it self, by meat and drink from the Starrs, which is the wisdom and knowledge of naturall things; by Arts, Tongues, Sci∣ences, &c. Hence spring the Artificers and Wisemen of this world.

Moreover, as in meat and drink taken from the Elements, there is alwaies pure and impure conjoyned, which when they come into the stomach to the Fire of digestion, are by the internall Vulcan or Arthens of Nature separated from one another after a spagiri∣call manner, an that which is pure is retained and abides in us, that is the essence extracted from meat and drink, the pure is separated from the impure which passeth into flesh and blood: For it pene∣trates the body like unto leven, and is made one with it, and cau∣seth it to incrtase, that it may become greater and more solid in it's strength and nerves: but the impure differing from nutriment is cast forth into the draught, and that by the operation of Arthens labouring in the ventricle. By like reason the matter is even in all Sciences arising from the Light of Nature, where alwaies good and evill are joyned together. For in Nature all things are convertible, as well to good as to evill. Wherefore unlesse Astroiogie be Theo∣logized, that is, unlesse that which is good be retained, and that which is evill rejected, Man from thence acquires to himself eter∣nall death. And this the probation of Man.

CHAP. III. Of the three parts of man: Spirit Soule and Body, from whence every one is taken, and how one is in the other.

THe parts of the Universe, of which the whole Man is made, are three; The World of Eternity, the Evial World; and the World of Time: The parts of Man are three, Spirit, Soul, and Body: and these three parts spring and are taken from these three parts of the whole Universe.

The Spirit of Man comes from the Spirit of God, and partici∣pates with Eternity and Aevo.

The Soul in Man is extracted from the soul of the world, and participates with Aevo and Time.

The Body of Man is formed and composed from the body of the world, as Elements, and participates with Time only.

The Body extracted from the Elements, and constituted into this form, is the House, the Tabernacle, the seat of the Soul, and re∣sident chiefly in the heart.

The Soul of Man extracted from the soul of the world, and deli∣vered over to the heart, is the habitation of the Divine Spirit, and hath the Divine Spirit in it self.

So one exists inthe other, and dwells in the other, abides in the other, and operates in the other.

• The Spirit in the Soul, and by the Soul.
• The Soul in the Body, and by the Body.
• The Body in and by externall subjects.

Every thing which is without is as that which is within, but the inter∣nall alwaies excels the externall in essence, vertue & operation. For,

By how much any thing is more inward, by so much the more it is more noble, potent and capacious.

• Great vertue is in the Body, if it be excited.
• Greater in the Soul of the Firmament, if it be excited.
• Greatest in the Divine Spirit, if it be exhited.

By excitation all things are laid open, which are hidden and pla∣ced in Ignorance. For both Divine and Naturall Wisdom sleep in us, and each light shines in darknesse, and without excitation Man wants the having.

Great and excellent is the knowledgeof the humane body, ex∣tracted from the Elements and disposed into this form.

Greater and more excellent is the knowledge of the Soul, taken from the Firmament, and inserted into the body.

Greatest and most excellent is the knowledge of the Spirit in∣spired from the mouth of God into the first man, and by the myste∣ries of multiplication equally communicated to every one of us.

Wherefore is the knowledge of the humane body great? By reason of it's wonderfull composition, that is, because all the foure Ele∣ments are essentially composed in it. And moreover I say, the es∣sence, nature & propriety of all the creatures of the whole invisible world which are in the Earth, Water, Air, and Fire, are incorpora∣ted and scituate in Man: But seeing all things generally are con∣joyned and included into one skin, they are not altogether and at once discovered, nor can be revealed, but at least come forth and are known inspecie, as they are drawn forth and excited.

Wherefore is the knowledge of the Soul which is in the heart of Man greater? Because the whole Firmament, with all the essence, nature, vertue, propriety, inclination, operation and effect of all the Starrs is therein conjoyned and complicated, so as there is nothing in the whole power of the Spirit of the Firmament or soul of the world, which the soul of man also hath not in himself, and in the exaltation of it self, can give it of it self.

Yea, the whole Light of Nature is in the soul of the Microcosm, which is the wisdome and power and vigour of all things of the whole whorld throughout all the Elements and things procreated of the Elements. For she is the Astrologicall Spirit containing in her self all kind of Sciences, Magic, Cabalistic, Astronomic with all their Species, Chimistry, Medicine, Pahisic, all Arts, Tongues, all Workmanships and all Studies existent throughout the whole shop of Nature.

But because all these things are collected in one, and generally comprehended in the soul, they do not all lie open or can they be in act to gether, although they are in power; but are let out and pro∣duced one species after an other.

Wheresoever therefore these kinds of divers Sciences flourish & are exercised amongst men, there shines the Light of Nature, and the soul of the Microcosme is in her exaltation, that is the Firmament of the Microcosme is in his ascendents.

But why is the knowledge of the Spirit of God greatest in us? Be∣cause he from whom we receive this Spirit is greatest and most emi∣nent

above all. For in this same Spriit all the divine Wisdome and Power from whence that saving knowledge flowes forth, that is, Theologie, treating of supernaturall celestiall and divine things, and is conversant in the Magnalia and mysteries of God placed above Nature, and tends even to the inexhausted and unspeakable profundi∣ty of the Deity, in which profundity, the very origianll matter, cause & end of al the works of God, and of things acted in time from the beginning of the Creation even to the end of the consummation of the world, eternally and essentially lay hid. For all things came forth from him; all things were made by him, and all things consist in him.

By how much any thing is most inward, by so much it is more noble and excellent. This visible world is a body compacted of Fire, Air, Water, and Earth, which is without, hath in it self the Spirit of Nature which is the soul of the world which is within; to which soul this externall body be longeth: because it is inhabited, possessed and governed by it. Hence the soul of the world is more noble then the body.

This soul of the world hath in it the Spirit of God, which com∣prehendeth and possesseth it. For nothing is beyond God or the Spirit of God. Hence the Spirit is more noble then the Soul.

The more noble alwaies exists in the more ignoble, and internalls prevail over externells, as well in essence as in power. So our externall body is indeed great in it's stature and quantity, and a wonderfull creature.

Yet the soul dwelling in the body is far greater, and more won∣derfull, not in corporeall quantity, but in Essence, Vertue and Power.

But the Spirit is the greatest of all, not in the lump or corporeall quantity, but in Essence, Vertue, and Power; and therefore most wonderfull.

There is nothing greater then that in which are all things. And,

There is nothing lesse then that which is in all smallest things. There∣fore let us observe this rule well:

By how much any thing is more inward and more hidden from the externall senses, by so much the more it is more worthy, noble and potent in it's essence, nature and propriety. Which we will demonstrate by exanples.

There is not any house built for it self, but for the inhabitant.

Now the edifice is an externall thing, and the inhabitant and inter∣nall thing. The house is for the guest, and not the guest for the house. Therefore the inhabitant is far more noble, worthy and ex∣celllent in his essence then every edifice, although sumptuous. For, what is the house profitable, the guest being absent?

So garments are made and prepared for the body, that it might be and walk in them. Garments are externall things: the body is internall. Therefore the body in its essence is far more noble and worthy then all garments, although precious. For, what need is there of garments, if they are wanting which should put them on? Therefore garments are for the body, and not the body for gar∣ments.

So the Body, rayment, house and habitation is a certain exter∣nall thing to the soul, but the soul is internall.

And the body is for the soul, and not the soul for the body. Therefore the soul in her essence is a far more noble and worthy Creature then the body, although most comely and most excellent∣ly proportioned. For, what availeth the body, the soule being wan∣ting it is a carcasse.

So the Soul, made and created for an habitation of the Divine Spirit, is externall: but the Spirit is internall. And the soul is for the Spirit, and not the Spirit for the soul. Therefore the Spirit of God is found far more noble and excellent, and worthy in his ori∣ginall essence, nature, vertue, power and propriety.

So God is and abides the most inward, chief, great, potent, noble and worthy above all things: adn contains all things in himself, and he himself is contained of none. Moreover,

By how much any thing is more inward, by so much it is more nigh and neer to us, but also so much the harder to be found and known.* 1.4

Because of the too much aversion and abalienation of our soul from divine and heavenly things: and by reason of the too much tenacity and adherency of our love to the Creatures of the world. And on the contrary,

By how much any thing is more exterior, by so much the more it is re∣mote from us, and by so much the more strange. For example sake,

The Spirit of the Lord truly is and inhabiteth in my soul, whose seat is in the captula of my heart: But seeing every inhabitant is whthin and his habitation without, it followeth, That the Spirit of the Lord is more near to me then I am to my self. And so it most e∣vidently

appears, That the Kingdom of God is not to be sought without us, here or there, but within us: witnesse Christ himself, who saith, Luke 17. being asked of the Pharises when the Kingdome of God should come: The Kingdom of God shall not come with observa∣tion; neither shall they say, loe here, or loe there; For, Behold the Kingdom of God is within you. And the Apostle Paul 14. Rom. The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousnesse and peace, and joy in the holy Spirit. For by these he which doth service to Christ, is accepted of God and approved by men.

The Soul is and dwells in the heart, and the heart is in my body, therefore the soul is more neer to me then the body.

My Body is cloathed with garments: hence the body is neerer to me then garments, and the soul neerer to me then the body: and the Spirit neerer then the soul, and therefore more noble, more worthy, and of more moment.

And because it is true, That every internall is more noble and more worthy then his externall, in which it is and dwells; that even all of us do witnesse hilling or willing, knowing or not knowing.

For behold, if we are in danger of life by fire, by water, by per∣stilence, or wars, &c. these being imminent upon us, then indeed,

In the first place, we leave behind us all our edifices, as well sumptuous as vile, with our externall goods, and with few things, if there be any we can carry with us; we betake our selves to flight: so that the body being clad might be preserved safe and unhurt, with the life and soul. By which very thing we testifie, that the in∣ternalls are more desireable then externalls. For who would be so foolish, that he would neglect, lose and destroy his body for the retaining of his edifices and externall goods? when, the body being lost and destroyed, edifices and externall goods are much more lost and destroyed.

Furthermore, danger pressing, and necessity and straights ur∣ging us, and overwhelming us, we with John the Disciple of Christ, even leave and cast off our garments, with which we are covered, and whatsoever els is abounding to us of our substance, and naked and poor we commit our selves to flight, that the body only with the life and soul may be preserved, and kept safe and sure. Do we not by this very thing point out and shew that internalls are better and more greater then externalls? seeing that the body and life are internall, but vestments, externall.

And who would be of so perverse a mind, that he should imbrace vestments with greater love then the body and life, and would in that mind persist in danger, that he would retain and keep his garments, although he were compelled to loose, and to destroy his body and life.

Moreover, in persecutions for the name of Christ, or for the truth, putting our body and life in danger, we even leave those, and give them up to our enemies, to Tyrants, &c. with patience like the Lamb of God, whom all sheep imitate, only that the soul may be kept intire, strong, safe and uncorrupt, in the faith and know∣ledge of God and truth. Do we not signifie by this, that internalls prevail over externalls; because the soul is internall, the body ex∣ternall; and who would be of so foolish a mind, that he had ra∣ther neglect and loose his soul with Faith in God, and knowledge of the truth, only that he might keep his externall mortall body, and temporall life? For faith and the knowledge of the truth being destroyed & lost, the body with the temporall life is of no moment.

Finally, in extreme torments, anguish and infernall dolours of our Conscience for sins committed, even with David we leave and execrate the very soul it self, and we bring to nought, and empty our selves of al the so lace both of God and the creatures, and we are left unto our selves, crying out with the Son of God, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me: So that God only, and alone, might be, and reman in us, unhurt, inviolated, just and perfect in all things that he doth with us, both sweet, and bitter. So by ad∣verse things, we are alwaies reduced to internalls, and make a re∣gression to our selves, and unto God which is in us. Do we not therefore after this manner, testifie the truth of this rule. That every internall is more noble and more worthy then his exte∣rior.

Wherefore, seeing there is nothing in us so near & intimate as God is, it followes, that any other thing is not to be so esteemed, sought and loved, as God alone, who hath put and hid in us, the most ex∣cellent Treasure of his divine Wisdom, Light, Life, truth and ver∣tue taken from his own self, and hath commanded to ask him, seek, and knock in the hidden place of our heart, in Spirit, and in Truth, having given a testimony, that the Kingdom of God, first of all, to be sought, is not here or there without us, but is to be found most inward in us, as a Treasure hid in a Field.

From all these things it clearly appears to me, that God is not at all more remote or nearer to me in this life whilst I am in this world, and in this mortall body, then he will be to me in life eter∣nall, &c. But I have and feel my God equally now present and intimate to me, even as I shall have him in the other world, in a new body. For he is in me, and I in him, whether I am in a mortall body in this world, or without this body in that world. This alone makes the difference, that this thing even hitherto is hidden: but then it shall be manifest and open.

But that I am not so nigh and near to him, as he is to me, this is not to be imputed to him, but to my aversion, who do not sabathize in my God who is with me, that is, who by running up and down with my unquite and vagabond soul through the creatures, I am more delighted to be and to be busined in my proper will out of my internall Countrey; and I suffer that ever hissing Serpent to creep on to the creatures in the multifarious concupiscence and delectation of the flesh, of the eyes, and pride of life, or self-love: neither am I lesse frequent in the various discourse of my thoughts, ever and a non day and night ascending out of my heart, now de∣siring this, now that, speculating, willing, nilling, now this, now that; where moreover I weary and burden my self with all kind of care, and vex my self with various affections: All which things are the Astrologicall operation and revolution of the internall Starrs in our soul.

But if I could Theologize my Astrologie, that is, if I could desist sometimes from all these things, and study to be at rest in my God who dwells with me, that is, if I could accustom my mind to quiet and spiricuall tranquillity, that it should cease to wander in the variety of thoughts, cares, and affections, that it might be at leisure from the externall things and creatures of this world, and chiefly from the love of my self, that I might wholly die, and as it were be anihilated in my self, and could come into a loathing and oblivion, not alone of all the things of the whole world placed without me, and of mundane friendship, which I have with men, but also into a plenary dereliction of my self, that is, of my will, of mine, if there be any Wisdom, Knowledge, Science, Art, Industry, Prudence, of mine, if there be any dignity, praise, honor, authori∣ty, estimation in the world amongst men, of mine, if there be any Office, State, Degree, Order, and in brief, into an

absolute forgetfullnesse of all my negociations and occupations, and of my self as well within as without, which is nothing els then to Theologize Astrologie.

Then at length should I begin more and more to see and know the most present habitation of God in me, and so I should tast and eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of Paradise, which Pa∣radise I my self am, as a guest with whom God is, and ought to be, and I in like manner with God.

This I say, should be the exercise of my soul, the theologization of Astrologie, and a regression

From

• Externalls to Internalls.
• Nature to Grace.
• The Creature to God.
• The friendship of the World, to the friendship of God.
• The tree of Death, to the tree of Life.
• Terrene things to Celestiall.

So should I go again to my first originall, from whence I went forth, by arrogating to my self a liberty of willing, desiring, cove∣ting, thinking, speaking and doing what I pleased me, God in the mean time being neglected, without whom I ought not to do any thing.

Whatsoever therefore we have from the Light of Nature, all this with most humble self-deniall once in the week is to be laid down at the feet of the best and greatest God, whether it be Ma∣gic, or Gabalistic, or Astronomic, or Chimic, or Medicinall, or Phisicall Science: Also Liberall Arts, and Methanick work, and whatsoever Study, Office, State, Order, Dignity, Kind of life, also Wealth, Riches, Houses, and all kind of naturall gifts: All these appertain to this our Astrologie, and ought so to be Theologized, by the exercise of sanctifying the Sabbath, which is an universall forgetfullnesse of all things and of our selves, and the rest of our soul from all disquiet, in a sacred silence, a cessation from all will, thought, desire, affection, discourse, operation, &c. as well within, as without. And this is that only and principall cause of the Sab∣baths being divinely commanded to Man: to wit, that man should not eat death and perish to himself by the eating of the forbidden Tree.

To eat, is to be delighted in himself and in the creatures, rather then in the Creator himself.

To kisse himself in the gift received,* 1.5 neglecting the giver.

To love the world, and things which are in the world, negle∣cting God.

To serve Mammon neglecting God.

To use all things after his pleasure and will, dispising the Law of the Lord. Thou shalt not covet, thou shalt not eat, thou shalt not desire to turn himself from God to the creatures, and to himself. To commit whoredom with the creatures. To depend on himself, and on things created. To languish in love of terrene things, and tem∣porall good things; setting God aside, which may be described a thousand waies.

Hence the Doctrine of Christ, who came from above, and brings celestiall and divine Wisdom from the Light of Grace, sounds alto∣gether contrary, to wit,

That a man ought to be converted into a child, and to have so much of the knowledge of good and evill to live in him, as he had when he was but a child, or infant newly born.

I say the Doctrine of Christ commands a man to eat of the Tree of life, to live by the inspiration of the internall God-head, which is,

To fall off again from the creatures, and from himself to God.

To adhere to God, Mammon being left.

To be united with God, the love of the creatures being left.

To believe in God, to offer, and to give up himflef to God, to pray; thy will be done, &c.

To put off the old Man, and to put on the new Man.

To flie evill, and adhere to good, which in like sort may be explicated by a thousand manner of speakings, and phrases from the very writings of the Apostles.

But in what manner all, and singular kinds of sciences, and naturall gifts, and those vain studies, actions, businesses and differences of men, &c. arise from the Light of Nature, or the Starrs; and in what order they are referred to the seven Governours of the world, and how a man ought to use them: also how every one of us ought to Theologize his own Astrologie flourishing in himself, and to erect to himself a new nativity, from the heaven of the new Creature, and to institute and assume a new kind of life: and chiefly, what is the solid and the most certain cause of all of the holy Sabbath, that is, after what manner a man ought to labour six daies, and on the

seventh day to sanctifie the Sabbath rightly. All these things are most evidently set forth and propounded in the following Chap∣ters of this book.

CHAP. 4. Of the composition of the Microcosme, that is Man, from the Macro∣cosme, the great World

ADam the first parent of the whole humane kind, was pro∣duced and formed by the admirable wisdom, and workman∣ship of God, as to his soul and body of the slime, or dust of the earth; which slime or dust was such a Masse or matter, which had conjoyned and composed in it self the universall essence, nature, vertue and propriety of the whole greater World, and of all things which were therein. I say that Masse, slime or dust was a meer quintessence, extra∣cted from every part, from the whole frame of the whole world; from which slime or Masse, was made such a creature, with it's form ex∣cepted, was one and the same with the great world, of which it was produced. Hence that creature was called Man, who after∣wards his admirable creation & formation being revealed amongst the wise, was wont most fitly to be called the Microcosme, that is, the little, or lesse world.

The absolute description, and essentiall explication of this slime, dust or masse extracted from the whole macrocosme, we shall find every where abundantly and wonderfully declared, alone by The∣ophrastus Paracelsus in his most excellent writings.

Seeing therefore it is manifest, that every produced and compo∣sed thing, can take or assume his essence, nature and propriety from nothing els, but from that where of it is made and produced; which even that first Man, as an other and later World, made of the former World, by the Ens of that slime, is made pertaker of the same essence, nature & propriety, as the Macrocosme had in it self. For the whole great world existing and being compact in that quintessence of ex∣tracted slime, forthwith it followed, that the whole Macrocosme was complicitly collected and transposed into man, by divine for∣mation, the substance and nature of the Macrocosme remaining ne∣verthelesse safe and intire. For such is the condition in the universal production and generation of things, that every like of it self produ∣ceth his like, and that without destruction of its essence and nature.

Hence, that which hath its originall and derivation from God,

is the same that God is;* 1.6 The Spirit or breath of God which is in Man immidiately proceeds from God, therefore God is of a truth in Man by the Ens of inspiration.

That which hath its originall and derivation from the world, is the same that the world is. The soul and body of man are immediately taken, extracted, and composed of the World, therefore the world is of a truth in Man, by the Ens of slime.

So the first Man made of the Macrocosme, bears in himself the Macrocosme, with the essence and nature of all creatures compli∣cated, collected and compacted together: yet neverthelesse, he formed us to his body of the Elements and things elementated: as to his soul of the soul of the Macrocosme, or the Spirit of Nature which contains and comprehends in himself the whole Firmament, with all its Starrs, and astralique vertues and operations: So it comes to passe, That there is nothing without a man in the whole hea∣ven of Nature, and in all the Elements, with which man in his com∣position doth not participate, and is endued with its Nature.

But there are two things in which the Microcosme and the Ma∣crocosme differ and appear to be contrary, to wit,

The forme of the person, and the complication of things.

As to the form, it seemed good to divine wisdom to convert that Masse extracted from the Macrocosme, and to be con∣verted into a man, not to put and set it into the form of the Macrocosme, which is round and circular: Nor according to the animall form: But it pleased him to erect and apply it to the form of his own Image and similitude. Man neverthelesse in the mean time remaining the Macrocosme.

Therefore this difference doth not touch his essence.

The form doth not take away the truth of the subject, that man may not be believed to be the Macrocosme.

As to the complication or composition of all naturall things, into one body, or into one person; all things cannot be apparent and distinctly known together in a Man; one thing after an other, as it is excited and provoked,* 1.7 is manifest and flourisheth in the species, other things in the mean time remaining hid in the Macrocosme, all things are explicitly existing, living and operating in the spe∣cies: But in the Macrocosme all things are compact and conjoyned together.

Moreover after that Man the Microcosme was, and held all

things now in himself, out of which he was taken, behold the whole plenitude of Nature, as well corporally as spiritually was conjoy∣ned in him, and as a most rich Treasure collected and laid up in one Centre, yet so as man should be all things complicitly; and yet none of them all explicitly.

And from this Protop last, or first formed man and begetter of all, even in like manner are we constituted and formed:* 1.8 not of the same slime or Masse as that was in the beginning, whereof Adam was made: But by a Masse extracted from the substance of the Mi∣crocosme, which we with Paracelsus call the Ens of seed, which seed hath and bears in it self complicitly the whole Macrocosme, that is, Man, and thence the humane off-spring, as to the essence, nature and propriety in all things a like grows and comes forth to its begetter, as a most lively image, which truly could not be done if all these things did not lie hid, & were extant in the Ens of the seed. Hence e∣very one of us hath the same in himself essentially delivered over to himself by the Ens of the seed from his parent: which the first man re∣ceived and had from the extracted Macrocosme by the Ens of slime, to wit, an elemental body from the Elements, and a soul or sydere∣an spirit from the Firmament.

CHAP. 5. That all kinds of Sciences, Studies, Actions and lifes flourishing a∣mongst men on the earth and Sea do testifie, That all Astrologie, that is, naturall wisdom, with all it's species, is and is to be really found in every man: And so all things whatsoever men act on earth is produced, moved, governed and acted from the inward heaven. And what are the Starrs which a wise man ought to rule.

IT is manifest therefore by the abovesaid, how man appeareth to be made at length as to his Creation and Formation of slime, that is, from the Macrocosme.

1. Because Man the Macrocosme placed in the Macrocosme, a∣greeth altogether as well with the whole Firmament, as with all the Elements, and is one and the same (his form only excepted) as we see rednesse to be altogether one and the same in wine, & with wine, and whitenesse in snow and with snow.

Then it followeth: Seeing Man for himself and in himself is the

whole world, as he which hath his proper Heaven, his proper Fir∣mament, and Spirit of Nature, with the Sun, Moon, Planets, and all the Starrs with him in himself, of which from within he is con∣stellated, inclined, directed, moved, excited, drawn, turned, gover∣ned, taught, illuminated, made joyfull, made sad is fortunate, and affected: It is manifest, that he is in no wise forced and com∣pelled by the externall Firmament of the Macrocosme, our soul of the world, that he should assume and take a mind and affections, of willing, doing, and operating this or that from without, from the revolution, and inclination, or constellation of the celestiall Starrs in the Macrocosme.

For their opinion is of no moment, who not rightly knowing the Macrocosme, are fallen into that errour, that they doubt not to determin: That man by the externall influence of the Starrs, by a certain naturall necessity is conditioned, predestinated, constella∣ted, directed, compelled, and driven to this or that good, or evill, Hence those false Proverbs; the Starrs incline; the Starrs rule men. which is in no sort so, if according to their opinion it be understood of the externall Starrs.

But we must know, that all things whatsoever that are done by men, as well in soul, as in body, arise and proceed from within, from their own proper inclination and nature.

Within, I say, in man is that Heaven, that Planet, that Sydus or Starr, by which he is inclined, constituted, predestinated and signed to this or that, and not from without, by the constitution of the externall Heaven.

And that saying,* 1.9 a wise man shall rule the Starrs: is not to be un∣derstood of the externall Starrs, in the Heaven or Firmament of the great World; but of the internall Starrs, bearing sway and running up and down in man himself, which will more and more appear by that which followeth. But this we promise for the be∣ginning to be noted.

That the externall Heaven with it's continuall revolution, hath a most convenient correspondency with the inward Heaven in the Micro∣cosme, and this with that, which you may thus understand.

Whatsoever the sigure of the externall Heaven is, in the point of conception of any men, which happens in the matrix of the wo∣man by the Ens of seed, even now sent forth from Man; that Man which is born and grows from that seed, receiveth from within

such a constitution of his nature and life to be performed on earth.

Yet that constitution lies so long hid and unknown, that is, without act in a naked power, untill a man born into the world and educated to the use of free-will, and reason, putting forth it self, begins to be moved and incited. For then, and not before, that constitution of his heaven, begins by little and little, to roll, bring forth, move, and shew forth it self, when the Ascendants of that sigure, by the imagination and fantasie, newly sprung up in the will and reason, arise and proceed to the motion of the mind, and ope∣ration of the body. And so the internall Heaven in the Microcos∣me begins his motion and course, that a man from within, from the guidance of his own Nature, begins to imagine, think, desire, hear, speak, do the same thing which before was signified, from the posi∣ture of the externall Heaven, while he was conceived.

Therefore the externall heaven in the Macrocosme, as it hath re∣spect to Man, is at least a looking glasse and perludium, by which the Astrologer may look into, search, know, and describe what and what kind of nature and propriety shall happen, and rule in him, from the beginning of his nativity, to the end of his life, as he shall live Astrologically, and not Theologically; what and what man∣ner his imagination shall be, what his affections, what his cupidities, what his desires, what his manners, what his study, what his kind of life and death, with what things he shall be most delighted, and on the contrary, with what he shall be adverse, and all things whatso∣ever seem to belong to the condition of humane life. This I say, may from the position or erected sigure of the externall heaven be prognosticated & foretold, not that those things are so done by necessity or coactive force: but only that those things are presig∣nified, and as it were preludiated, and are indeed a certain picture of humane life, as in like sort a certain living man is painted by a painter on the wall, from which picture his species and proporti∣on with all his habit, is exhibited and declared to be known: So also we men living according to the course of nature, and not Theolo∣gizing our Astrologie are known, described and discovered by an Astrologer from the Table sigure, face and concordance of the su∣periour Firmament, as by a looking glasse.

For living naturally, we have from the figure of Heaven a natu∣rall description of our life, whether it be honest or dishonest, whe∣ther vertuous or vicious: Yet so as the impulsive or efficient cause

of living thus, or so, may not be thought to proceed and be impressed on man from the externall Heaven, but from within, from our internall Heaven, which is in our soul delighted, with this or that manner of living. For neither God nor the Macrocos∣me do compell or force man (placed in the midst) from without, to this or that good or evill kind of life, by a certain naturall ne∣cessity: but that very thing which is put into us by God, and by the Macrocosme, that is it whereby we are led, whereby we are con∣stellated, moved,* 1.10 instigated, stirred up, invited, governed and in∣clined.

The one is the Spirit of God, the breath of God, the deity and heavenly light, the holy Spirit, the mind of God.

The other is the Spirit of Nature, the breath of the World, the Light of Nature, the affections of the flesh, t••rrene Wisdom, the a∣nimall Man, the Syderean Spirit, the reason of Man.

Both leads to their originall, and sheweth what are theirs.

Our Nature instigates, moves, and leadeth to our naturalls: But the Spirit of God, which we have in us from God, instigates, moves, urgeth and leads us to supernaturalls, that is, thither whence he himself is.

There are I say, two Inspirers, two Governours, two Captains, two Lords in us, to whom none of us can equally serve. The one tends to the straight way, to inherit and possesse the Kingdom of Heaven, by contempt of the world, and deniall of our selves: the other neglecting the Kingdom of God, to enter into the broad way. The one is of God which is the Theologicall Spirit, propoun∣ding and perswading the Theologicall life to Man: the other is from Nature, from the World, which is the Astrologicall Spirit, propounding and perswading the Astrologicall life to Man.

The Theologicall Spirit, being endued with supernaturall Light, and Wisdom, shews the Kingdom of God, and eternall life.

But the Astrologicall Spirit endowed with naturall Wisdom and Light, shews the shop of Nature, and the glory of this world; therefore those which are acted by the Spirit of God, these are the Sons of God, that is, who live Theologically: But they which are acted and led by the Spirit of Nature (caring nothing for the King∣dom of God, and the eternall Countrey) these are the sons of Na∣ture, the sons of this world, animall men, not doing the will of God, but the will of the flesh: in which with all their glory and

magnificence, they whosoever they are, how great soever they are, and wheresoever they are, must perish. For without the Theologi∣zation of Astrologie, no mortall man can attain eternall salvation and beatitude. We must die once to flesh and bloud, and to the whole animall Man, and we must live to God; which life is alto∣gether contrary to the worldly life. Of which more largely in the Epistles of Paul, and other Apostles.

But the Starrs which a wise man is commanded to rule, are not those celestiall Starrs extant in the Firmament of the Macrocosme, which are set before the Creatour of the Elements, that they might illu∣minate the earth, and be for signs and seasons, and rule over the day and the night; those have their peculiar Regent, Lord and Go∣vernour, to wit, the Spirit or soul of the world diffused into the se∣ven Planets, and the rest of the Stars of the whole Zodiac, by which he exerciseth his rule, hath his influx into inferiour things: there∣fore there is no cause that any should through simplicity, think the dominion which a wise man hath over the Starrs, belongs to the moderation of the externall Firmament; as if a wise man ought to rule the course of the Celestiall Starrs and signs, and to reduce the frame of the Macrocosme under his power, to direct & govern the Sun, Moon, Planets, and Starrs according to his pleasure, and to make calme and tempestuous weather according to his will. Not so,

But the Starrs over which we ought to rule, if we wil be true wise men, are all the cogitations, speculations, cupidities, affections, &c. ascending by imagination out of our hearts, respecting the things and creatures of the world, and tending by free will and reason to abuse and pleasure: to them we ought not to be too much adicted, or overmuch to connive and indulge. For in these that deadly and infernall snake or serpent lieth hid, seducing man by all sort of con∣cupiscences into an unlawfull love, honour, and worship of the creatures, and thereof makes a Babilonish whore, as in the subse∣quent matter will be demonstrated.

CHAP. 6. Touching a double Firmament and Starr in every man, and that by the benefit of Regeneration in the exercise of the Sabbath, a man may be transposed from a worser Nature into a better.

FRom the abovesaid, there appears a most elegant Doctrine, to wit, although some of us by constitution and concordance of the externall and internall heaven, in the point of his conception and nativity, should happily have attained the most wicked con∣stellation and nature, ready and prone to commit any kind of ma∣liciousnesse: so as he should even bear in his face, in his counte∣nance, in his hands, and in his whole body, an evident signature or phisiognomie to every most wicked crime, all which, should shew most certain tokens that he should act, not only a most miserable and most wicked kind of life; but also should expect on himself the most cruell punishment and destruction: Yet neverthelesse we must not altogether despair of such a mans correction and salva∣tion. The reason is,

Because besides the naturall Heaven, and Astralic Firmament which is in our soul, we have another Heaven, another Sydus, ano∣ther Starr, another Light, another Constellation, which is the Spi∣rit of God, by whose power being supported, we may shake off, and drive away all the provocations of the evill ascendents of na∣turall Starrs, as an Asse is wont to shake off, and drive away flies and gnats stinging him on his back.

Therefore although nature is potent and strong in her self, in inciting and forcing a man in his proper will and reason, by her di∣vers and delectable concupiscences to any kind of crime: Yet the Spirit of the Lord in his vertue, power, and fortitude, is far superi∣our and exceeds nature in as great a measure as the Sun is seen to excell the Moon. Let a man then at length learn, and do his endea∣vour that he may know what that most profitable precept of God, touching the sanctification of the Sabbath to be exercised,* 1.11 every se∣venth day requires of him, in which exercise, neverthelesse, the worst of things may be corrected, and also transformed into the best things: For such a medicine lyeth hid in the holy exercise of the Sabbath, as whole Nature with her universall vertue is not able to exhibit to a man; for which medicines sake this book is written

A man therefore inclined naturally, to this or that vice, by oc∣casion of his generation, ought not to connive at himself, or to frame any excuse, as if he could by right accuse the externall heaven, that that is the cause, wherefore he cannot live honestly, and do that which is good, nor by any means can overcome, change, break, correct his sinful nature, or convert it into better, and so under the pretext of humane imbecillity, as it were, defend his spontaneous malice, avarice, lust, pride and intemperance, &c. and to go forward in a vicious life.

O opinion most worthy of refutation, and to be acursed! I pray what should the cry of Christ, the Prophets and Apostles avail? Re∣pent, repent, be ye converted unto me, and I will be converted un∣to you, put off the old Man, and put on the new Man, and flie evill, and cleave to that which is good, and lay aside the works of dark∣nesse, and walk in the light. I say to what end should these things be spoken and commanded, if our defence or excuse should have place in the divine Judgement?

Let such a man the refore so wickedly deceived of himself, suffer himself to be instructed and taught by this our most profitable The∣ologization of Astrologie, wherein we have found and tryed, not without the greatest joy of the mind, that besides the shop and o∣peration of nature, there is alwaies present in us something far more great and excellent, with the knowledge and vertue whereof we being fraught, have power of resisting not only one, but all vi∣ces, as well the greatest, as the least, whatsoever lie hid and are ma∣nifest in us: Yea, power not only of casting down, and drowning one stone, but also the whole mountain of the Macrocosme being in us, in the Sea of divine Power, or extirpating utterly, not only one leafe, but even the whole tree of the knowledge of good and evill extant in us, and of transplanting it into the garden of the celestiall Paradise.

For so all these things are manifest in Theologicall misteries, to those that understand these things. Truly it is evident, all things are essentially to be transferred unto Man, which are divinely written for Man.

I say, we have a power lying hid in us of over ruling whole na∣ture,* 1.12 of stopping the Serpent, and overcoming all his force, and of instituting in us a new, and that good, a better, the best nativity of erecting and instituting in us, from a new heaven, a new kind of

life, and a far more happy sigure, and that by the sole benefit of the Sabbath; by which from day to day we may put off the old Man, and put on the new Man, fall back from vices, and passe on to ver∣tues, that is, to shake off from us all the ascendent Starrs, or flames of divers concupiscences and desires to all kind of pleasures of this world, ever and anon provoking, drawing, and seducing us.

By this means we go forth safe and free from the house of E∣gipt, from the Babilonian Captivity, and we escape from the power of the great Creature, we overcome sinfull nature, we resist the Ser∣pent, we chase away the divell. And by how much the more fre∣quent we are in this exercise of the Sabbath, or in this Theologisa∣tion of Astrologie: by so much the more we are made strangers to Nature, that we are scarce any more known or touched by her, neither doth any Astrologer, Phisiognomour, Signatour, Divina∣tour, Artist how industrious soever, know any more to erect any certain nativity, or to prognosticate any thing to come. Because they which are frequent in familiarity with God, these are more and more alienated from the world, that they are not any more said to be of the world,* 1.13 but of heaven, although as to the body, they are as yet conversant in the world. And whatsoever any one doth by the Sabbath, in the introversion of his mind, he acts and orders with God, and God with him, in the hidden place of his heart, this cannot be seen or known by any Spirit: much lesse by Man.

In brief, by the Sabbath alone, the Phenix of our soul is renewed, who altogether denying, deposing, refusing and accompting for nothing, all the vanity of this world, and it self from within and without, plainly dies in the forgetfullnesse and contempt of all things,* 1.14 and of it self, and offers it self a living and pleasing sacrifice to God, and there being regenerate anew, becomes a new creature, a new off-spring from the seed of the woman, by conception from the holy Spirit is made a Son of God, a new Man, an imitatour of Christ, following his steps, is made a hater of evill, and a follower of good, a new plant, a new tree that is good, which brings forth good fruits, this is true repentance, true penitence, the true putting off the old Man, &c.

Here some Astrologers are to be admonished of their want of knowledge, who have not doubted to subject even the whole man, with all things which are in him, to the dominion of the world and Starrs, in erecting their nativities, as if a man were, or had no more

in himself then a bruit or beast, through ignorance passing by the constitution of Man in three parts, Spirit, Soul and Body; whose soul arising from the Firmamentall Zodiac, and whose body from the Elements, are altogether subject to the dominion of Nature: But not the Spirit which we have from God; and listning nothing to that, that every Disciple of Christ, and friend of God, regene∣rate from above, by faith and the death of sin in the most holy Sab∣bath, hath within himself, a most present medicine in his heart, a∣gainst all the poisonous and deadly wounds of nature, and the Ser∣pent; and also the divine Commandement of deposing, overcom∣ing, and conquering the old heaven, with his inclinations of divers concupiscences, and of walking in the newnesse of the Spirit, in the Light of Grace.

To wisemen therefore, that is, to those that know both God and themselves rightly, the matter is far better to be looked into, for they know both are in us.

• God, and Nature.
• The Kingdom of Heaven, and the Kingdom of the world.
• The Tree of Life, and the Tree of Death.
• The greater Light, and the lesser Light.
• The seed of the Woman, and the seed of the Serpent.

And also that man is placed between these two, to be exercised in this world in a perpetual war: whether of these should overcome, thence shall man have his reward, for God will render to every one, all crafty excuse and imbecillity being laid aside, &c. according to his works, whether they be good or evill.

Here you shall observe an example, touching the change of man from an inferiour and worser nature, into a superiour and better nature. If you take a certain stone, lying by chance in a sunny place, and very much heated by the too much parching heat of the Sun, and put it into water, or some river, then the Sun can no more make it so hot, or penetrate it with his heat; in like manner the case is, in the The∣ologization of Astrologie.* 1.15 Take or gather, and apprehend all thy evill nature, and thy unsincere affections, and unlawfull lusts, too much operating and flourishing in thee, I say take and put them by the Sabbath, into the mind or spirit of thy mind, which thou hast from God, who is the everlasting fountain and water of life, and sabathize in a solid and constant abnegation of thy self, and of all things known unto thee, which are within thee, as well as

without thee, that thou maist almost wholly die there; then will thy soul with all her adherent stones of concupiscences, fall down and be drowned in the depth of the supernall water, which is the Spirit of God infused in us, and the firmamentall o∣peration will more and more cease and be wearied in thee, and the ascendant Starrs of thy concupiscences, will no more afflict, urge, drive, carry thee as before: but from day to day, thou shalt ease thy self from that most hard yoke of the Zodiac, and of all the Pla∣nets, thy youth shall be renewed as an Eagle, and thou shalt be like an infant new-born, and shalt perceive in thy self new vertues, and affections to work and move in thee, arising, inclining, oecupying, leading and governing thee from the celestiall Starr, and influence of the divine Spirit, &c. So as where heretofore, thou hast bin the servant of sin, and hast given thy members weapons of unrighte∣ousnesse, and malice, now with trembling thou abhorrest the per∣formances of thy forepast life, and fraught with a new mind, heart, affections and desire, from the exercise of the Sabbath, by the Spirit of God; hereafter thou shalt serve God, and give up thy members weapons of justice, piety, charity, mercy, meeknesse, temperance, modesty, chastity, &c. and so thou shalt rightly Theologize thy A∣strologie, so shalt thou best overcome, correct, amend thy nature, so shalt thou rightly tread the head of the Serpent under thy feet, so shalt thou well silence in thy self the assaults of the divell, &c.

Hence the true Sabbath instituted and commanded of God, is the best care and medicine against all kind of evill, which quickly being death eternall to the soul, and temporall to the body, by which we may put off, bear and take off that great and most grie∣vous yoke and mountain of so great a Zodiac, of so great a Firma∣ment, of so great Governours. I say to take away the Kingdom or rule, and to precipitate into the immense Sea of eternall water, and ever and anon get new strength, and come out more vivacious, which was well known and used by the Patriarchs in the first age, whence also they could get to themselves the Enochian long life upon earth, by the exercise of this kind of mentall Sabbath, which indeed is altogether obliterated, abrogated in this our age, and seems to be a thing unknown.

But how every one of us ought, and may know, and try in him∣self, what and what kind truly is their Astrologie, or firmamentall action or operation of the Light of Nature; and how he may and

can Theologize the same, that is, overcome Nature be made the Son of God, &c. this the following Chapters will illustrate, and teach more clearly then the Sun.

CHAP. VII. Touching the distribution of all Astrologie, into the seven Governours of the world, and their operations and offices, as well in the Macro∣cosme, as in the Microcosme.

THe whole shop of Nature, with all her sorts of sciences and actions, is ordained and distributed into seven chief members, Kingdoms or Dominions, according to the seven Astra's of the Planets of the ☉, of the ☽, of ☿ of ♀, of ♂, of ♃, of ♄, who are the Governours of all naturall things, extant in the whole frame of the world, by the foure Elements.

But the Light of Nature which we call Astrologie, is nothing els, then the very life, vigour, vertue, action and operation of the whole world, in things which proceed and come forth from the soul of the world, or the spirit of the Firmament, whose seat is in the body of the Sun. For there the soul of the world, or the spirit of the Macrocos∣me dwells; as the soul of the Microcosme in the heart, and in the Sun it is most potent, whence it diffuseth his vertues, actions and powers, out of it self ever and anon into the other six Planets, the ☽, ☿, ♀, ♂, ♃, ♄: And moreover in all the other Starrs, being throughout the whole stelliferous Chaos.

By this only soul the whole world lives, is governed, agitated and moved, as a body by his spirit.

The Sun is the heart and light of the world, in this heart I say the soul inhabits, which illuminates all and every the Planets and Stars, upwards above it self, and downwards beneath it self, as well in the day as in the night time, and disperses his power into all and singular bodies, as well the superiour things to the utmost superfi∣cies of the frame, as also the inferiour things even to the inward Centre in the earth. Yea, the Sun by his vertue passeth through all corporealls like unto glasse,* 1.16 and operates in them without any im∣pediment.

So his force penetrates the whole body of the Sea as glasse, with∣out any obstacle, even to the lowest bottom thereof: So the whole

body of the earth, full of pores on every side, is passable to the Sun, even to the inward point of his Circle. So the Sun fills the sphear of Air: also the Sphears of Heaven; and enters into views, and possesseth with his power all the Angels of all the regions and parts of the world, as the soul doth his body of the Microcosme, and not only the Chaos and the bodies of Elements, but also all the genera∣tions and substances of all things whencesoever existing, as well subtile as grosse, as well light as heavy, as well soft as hard, mettalls, mountains, hills, gemms, rocks, stones, wood, and whatsoever is e∣very where, so as it reacheth to the very Centre of the earth, nei∣ther is his force and operation wanting, or deficient there: For all bodies though never so great, grosse, thick, are altogether as glasse, to the penetrative power of the Sun: and although our eyes do not so expressely know and see this present ingressive, penetrating, subtile and active power of the Sun in all things, but the grosse bo∣dies alwaies are and remain in our eyes grosse, dark, shady: Yet in respect of the Sun, and to the vertue of the Sun after their manner, all things are diaphane, and perspicuous, and penetrable. Which so∣lar vertue thrusts forth and produceth all things hid in the earth: and as the Air is such, that with the very vertue of the Sun, it doth essentially enter into all bodies, penetrate and fill all things. For fire is the life of things,* 1.17 no fire can burn, that is, live without Air, wheresoever therefore there is life or fire, or the vertue of the Sun, there also is Air.* 1.18 Now the whole greater world, as to its soul and body with all the creatures that are therein, is one Creature by it self, and one animall, and lives like an animall, having in it self its vitall spirit, endued with a sevenfold operation, or diffused into the seven Planets, into all the Starrs, and into all the Elements, and all vegetables, Mineralls and animalls generated of Elements. The Element of Fire hath his shop or seat in the body of the Sun, Pla∣nets, and all the Starrs: in that fire the Phenix of the world, or soul of the world dwells, which operates all things, and is the Light of Nature, the Vulcan of Heaven, the Arthens of Nature.

• The Air is it's respiration and balsome.
• The Water is it's blood.
• The Earth is it's flesh.

In like manner also it is in the Minor World in Man, who as to his soul and body (the form excepted) in all things answers to the Major World, as a son to his father, because taken out of him, and placed in him.

In the heart, is the seat or habitation of the soul of the little world, or the Syderean Spirits, whose vertue, life, motion, nature, force, operation, ever and anon by going forth, diffuseth it self in∣to the other six principall members of the Microcosme, the Brain, the Liver, the Lungs, the Gall, the Spleen, the Reins, and from thence into the whole body, and all the muscles, veins, nerves, parts and extremities of the whole Microcosme; and so that only soul resi∣dent in the heart, carries, governs, agitates, leads, moves the whole body, according to the nature and propriety of these seven prin∣cipall members; by which the body performs all his works, as well artificiall and subtile, as simple and rude. As the soule of the Ma∣crocosme labouring in the seven Governours of his body, and the rest of the Starrs produceth all created things.

Therefore as to the concordance of these seven Governours, Pla∣ners, Starrs, or vertues in the Major and Minor World, it is certain, that

• 1. The Heart. In the Microcosme is the same, and hath the same force, that as 1. ☉ In the Macrocosme.
• 2. The Brain. In the Microcosme is the same, and hath the same force, that as 2. ☽ In the Macrocosme.
• 3. The Lungs. In the Microcosme is the same, and hath the same force, that as 3. ☿ In the Macrocosme.
• 4. The Reins. In the Microcosme is the same, and hath the same force, that as 4. ♀ In the Macrocosme.
• 5. The Gall. In the Microcosme is the same, and hath the same force, that as 5. ♂ In the Macrocosme.
• 6. The Liver. In the Microcosme is the same, and hath the same force, that as 6. ♃ In the Macrocosme.
• 7. The Spleen. In the Microcosme is the same, and hath the same force, that as 7. ♄ In the Macrocosme.

And as to the Elements.

• 1. The Flesh. Hath his anatomy of the Microcosme. 1. The Earth. Of the Macro∣cosme.
• 2. The Blood. Hath his anatomy of the Microcosme. 2. The Water. Of the Macro∣cosme.
• 3. The Respiration. Hath his anatomy of the Microcosme. 3. The Air. Of the Macro∣cosme.
• 4. The Heat. Hath his anatomy of the Microcosme. 4. The Fire. Of the Macro∣cosme.

For in the Flesh of the Microcosme lyeth hid the essence, nature and propriety of all vegetables springing out of the earth, compa∣cted and dispersed throughout the whole body.

In the Blood, doth exist the essence, nature and propriety of all mineralls and mettalls bred of water, dispersed throughout the whole region of the blood.

In the Respiration, whose seat is in the Lungs, the Bowells, and the Veins, and all pores, mirscles, &c. is the essence, nature and pro∣priety of all the airy creatures, dispersed through the whole body.

In the Heat dwells the essence, nature, force, operation and pro∣priety of all the Starrs, and constellations of Starrs, dispersed-through the whole body.

Moreover, as to the concordance of either Light, as well in the Major as in the Minor world, thus it is.

Whatsoever things man living on earth hath found out, first the oretically, by speculating, meditating, searching and inquiring, excogitating from within in his heart, and after by his free will or desire produceth endeavours, attempts, institutes, handles, operates and transferrs to practice in whatsoever kind of Sciences, Arts, Fa∣culties, (Theologie excepted which is not a humane invention) studies, handyworks, labours and negotiations, whether they be re∣ferred to good or evill,* 1.19 all these comprehended under one name, are called the Light of Nature; or Astrologie or naturall Wisdome arising from the naturall heaven, or Firmament and Starrs: That wis∣dom and that light is in the soul of Man, dwelling and working in the heart, which if it be exalted in its power given to it, and created in it, can do the same, and more, then the soul of nature in the Ma∣crocosme, whose seat is in the Sun; because Man the Microcosme is the quintessence, extracted from the Macrocosme.

But seeing all and singular Sciences, Arts, Faculties, Orders, States, kinds of life, and studies flourishing amongst men on the earth a∣rise and proceed from an internall invisible Heaven, Firmament, Starr and Light of Nature, in the Microcosme, which is extracted from the Light, Heaven, Firmament and Starr of the Macrocosme, and hath his singular anatomy, distribution and conveniencie to the offices and operations of the seven Governours of the world with∣out: We as the order of those Governours extant in the Firma∣ment of Heaven, is exposed to our eyes, will first of all handle Sa∣turn, occupying the Supreme sphear, to wit, what is the Theorie and practise of his Heaven, Starr or Constellation, with his adjunct Starrs in the Macrocosme, that is, what is his condition, nature, proprie∣ty, vertue and inclination, what Science, what Art and Industry, what Order, what Study, what fortune, what good, and what evill men draw, and handle from him on the earth.

Whereby it will appear, that Saturn is not only without a man in the Major world; but also in man, with all the legion and incli∣nation of their adjunct Starrs.

Then how the whole Astrologie, that is, the nature, propriety and operation of this Planet ought to be Theologized, by the exer∣cise of the Sabbath.

CHAP. VIII. Touching the Astrologie of Saturn, of what kind it is, and how it ought to be Theologized.

SAturn as to the description of his substance and nature in the Macrocosme, is one of the chief of those seven Starrs, which we call Planets, or Governours of the world, walking next of all in the aiery Region under the Firmament or Zodiac, and ordained in a certain Sphear, or Circle, or Mansion; the circuit of circle he fini∣sheth, he passeth over once in the space of thirty years time, through the twelve celestiall Signs extant in the Zodiac. His body arising from the Element of Fire, and illuminating that, is cherishing, and governing the earth; and what are in and on the earth; his body is fiery and globous, his Astralic force, which is the firmamentall or syderean Spirit, is invisible. Now Saturn is conditioned with that nature & propriety from the first creation, that he may send forth & exercise the vertue & operation of his splend or & light, in his subjects existing here and there in the foure Elements, as are vegetables, mi∣neralls, animalls, properly and in specie pertaining to him, wherein he effects and frameth such a nature and vertue, as he hath in him∣self: Now Saturn hath his subjects appropriate to himself in every kind of creature, amongst Vegetables he hath his young twigs, his herbs, his plants, his flowers, his trees in which he operates by his influence after his manner: So amongst mineralls and mettalls, al∣so amongst animalls, creeping, going, (creatures,) cattell, beasts, watery and volatill (creatures.)

For the whole university of the creatures of this world with us men, is divided into seven kinds or assemblies, and dispersed into every region, which answer to these seven Governours in their na∣turall vertues and proprieties, as well internall as externall.

But touching the Astronomicall condition of Saturn, and the rest of the Planets, to wit, what kind of motion, position, course, quantity, distance, opposition, conjunction, and other dimensions of this kind they have amongst themselves; also touching the diffe∣rence of their weights in mettalls, &c. it is not our purpose here to handle them; concerning such kind of things consult Astrono∣micall books, and Chimicall books, and the like, publiquely extant abroad; but we rather handle and shew this. How all the studies, and

offices, and kinds of life of all men have their originall from the Starrs, and to which Planet every thing is to be referred: Then how the whole Astrologie ought to be Theologized, that is, how every one of us ought to know, discern, hate, put off, say aside, and deny the old man made of Astrologie, with all his Wisdom, Sci∣ence, Knowledge, Prudence, Industry, Art, and whatsoever a man hath, occupies and possesseth of the gifts of Nature, and in the de∣nial of himself, and all that he hath, as well within as without, alto∣gether to grow a child again, to be made an infant, yea a fool; and to put on the new Man which is created according to God, to walk in newnesse of life, to die to sin, and to live to justice, to know that Babilonian Whore and her Beast, &c. and to preserve himself from her, &c. to know the forbidden Tree, and to eat of the Tree of Life, and to passe over from nature into grace, to be made a new creature, to be born again, to transplant himself from the terrene Paradise into the Heavenly; to labour six daies, and rightly to san∣ctifie the seventh, and the like. This is the intention, end and scope of this our work.

Therefore Saturnists, or the worshippers of Saturn, whose minds, desires, wills, inclinations, affections, concupiscences, pleasures, co∣gitations, speculations, inventions, actions and labours are ascribed to Saturn, as to their study and kind of life, are men in whom is and flourisheth all kind of science and industry.

1.* 1.20 Of all Agriculture, as are Husbandmen, Countreymen, Far∣mers, Tyllers of the ground: also Mowers, Threshers, Heardsmen, Swineheards, Pastors of cattell Purveyors of corne, or those which exercise merchandise with corn and pulse: also dressers of Vine∣yards, that purge Wines, Gardners: in brief all agriculture, with all its species.

2.* 1.21 The whole art and science edificatory under; with all kind of Artificers and Workmen, are comprehended, as Rough Masons, Stonecutters, Carpenters, Joyners, and in brief the whole admini∣stration of oeconomie, or household affairs joyned with parsimony or frugality.

3.* 1.22 The whole art and Metallic science, which teacheth the man∣ner of searching, and trying the bowells of the earth, and of dig∣ging mineralls, metalls, and riches, the provocations of evills: also Treasurers, and whosoever seem to seek and take their livelyhood from the earth by the labours of their hands, as are Potters, Tile∣makers,

bearers of dead bodies, Fishmongers, Rootsellers, Colli∣ers, and others of this kind: and also Clothiers, Linnenweavers, Shomakers, Coblers, Cardmakers, &c. Also solitary men, as Monks, Hermits, and like to these.

As touching the mind and vices, Saturnists are avaritious men, cove∣tous of gain, usurers, lenders for gain, Jews, Tolgatherers or Publi∣cans, tenacious, livers sparingly, Mammonists, altogether watching for their proper commodities: Also theeves, robbers, makers of false money, Sergeants, false Judges, Hangmen, Inchanters, Evill∣doers: also men austere by nature, froward, more sad then joy∣full, Thoughtfull, Melancholic, Phantastic, very Silent, Tedious, Infidells, Sacrilegious, and what kinds of life soever of this sort. Likewise. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, laborious, full of businesse, tumbling, macera∣ting and wearying themselves in continuall cares, and furthermore whatsoever appears like to these.

As to the quality of the body and externall manners; Saturnists are men worn with years and age, as well men as women, covered with gray-hairs, with a slender and lean body, thin beard, eyes lying deep in the head, with a neglected form, and not amiable, alwaies looking grimly, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, halting, beggers, often sick, &c.

All these studies, and all and singular kinds of life of men, as they are formed and seen abroad amongst all Nations, people, kindreds, &c. of the whole compasse of the earth, are referred to the Heaven, Region, Dominion, Nature, and inclination of Saturn.

I say, all these kind of men, with all their studies and kinds of life, as well honest as dishonest, as well good as bad, as well private as publique, are worshippers of Saturn, for that in the handling of Saturn, that is, in the drawing forth of the nature of the Saturnine light, they spend their labour and time, and by diligent study and inquisition they draw forth, search, produce and manifest those things of Saturn, which are in naturall things.

All the Industries, Inventions, Arts, Actions and labours of these men in every season have proceeded, and as yet do proceed, from the internall invisible heaven, which is in the Microcosme, and are part of the Light of Nature, in which man walketh, whether well or ill, honestly or filthily, according to the diversity of his flexible will and desire, as well to good as to evill, and men are busied a∣bout the externall subjects of the Macrocosme, without which, vain were the vigour, and endeavour of the Light of Nature in man. For

every action of the Microcosme from within, tends to the subjects of the Macrocosme without; because there the works of man are perfected (or performed.) For indeed man hath from the Light of Nature in himself, the Science of plowing and tilling the earth, Fields, building houses, of seeking and handling mettalls, &c. but he hath not in himself the subjects matter and instruments, there∣fore he takes them from the Macrocosme, and perfects his work, found out and excogitated, by the Light of Nature. Thus seeing all the externall work of men arise from within, from the invisible re∣volution of the internall Starrs, ever and anon ascending and shi∣ning forth by cogitations and imaginations, and are perfected by externall operations and labours; we may from every work of man see and know the constitution of the internall heaven, what kind of positure, what ascendents, what motions, constellations and inclinations every artificer hath; where it is wonderfull to be∣hold the variety of the naturall light. Hence by how much the more the artifice doth appear in externall works, by so much the more and more perfect, hath the constitution and influence of the inter∣nall heaven, been with the workman.

Therefore we must know that every species, of whatsoever Science, Art, & Faculty, is a singular constellation, starr, inclination & influ∣ence ascending from the inward heaven, and shining, acting and o∣perating one by one in man; therefore all the cogitations, imagi∣nations, inventions, desires, studies and intentions of Saturnists bent or inclined to good or evill, are the Astra's or Starrs ascending from the inward heaven, & are the operation of the Saturn, of the Microcosm in the soul with his Stars agreeable to himself, in which cogitations and operations that crafty Serpent, which almost none in this our age seems to know, is powerfull and raigneth, by leave permitted to him by God, to tempt and prove man (placed in the midst) by these delights of the Light of Nature, and of the things of this world, and to bend the will, love, desire and concupiscence thereof from Good to Evill, from God to the Creature, where∣unto man (O grievous!) is too too ready and prompt.

Truly innumerable and infinite are the multitude of men living on the earth, which are found in this kind or practise of Astrologie: For it is (which we would have mistically spoken) one of those se∣ven Congregations or Generations of the world, or people wor∣shipping the Queen of Heaven, or venerating and worshipping the

Babilonian Whore, and adoring the Beast endowed with seven heads and ten horns. And this is the sence which sleeps with wisdom, which will appear better by the following things.

Now as the externall heaven in the Macrocosme, alwaies and ever and anon is rolled and turned about with a perpetuall motion, and alwaies other and other Starrs are seen to appear ascending, and alwaies descending, so as there is a perpetuall mutation and vici∣scitude of the actions of Nature labouring in the greater world, where now it is Winter, now Spring, now Summer, now Autumn, now day, now night, now fair weather, now tempest, now snow, now rain, now winds, now storms, now this, now that, &c. which are all the Astralic operations of the Heaven of the Macrocosme: So also in like sort is the course, viciscitude, motion and revolution of the Starrs, ever and anon ascending, and descending in the heaven or soul of the lesser world, that is, The soul, or our syderean Spirit, is an unquiet Spirit, wherein the ascendent cogitations, new concupiscences, various desires, are alwaies moved, excited and felt, now willing this, now nilling that, now so, now thus, now we rejoyce, now we sorrow, now we are beaten and agitated with these, now with those affections, now we are occupied with these, now with those businesses and labours, all which are nothing els then the Astrologie of the Microcosme, to be Theologized in all of us that are willing to use them piously.

But how and wherefore ought the Astrologie of Saturn to be Theo∣logized in Man? If thou askest me, wherefore and how all the na∣turall Sciences appertaining to the Astrologie of Saturn, together with all the kinds of the Saturnine life, ought and may be Theolo∣gized? I again ask thee, that thou tell me the cause;

Wherefore, according to that great precept of God, we ought to labour and finish our work in six daies, but the seventh day to sanctifie the Sabbath: or,

Wherefore we cannot enter into the Kingdom of God, and pos∣sesse beatitude in eternall life, unlesse we shall be converted and be made as infants. For these have one and the same reason and cause, tend to one, will one, belong to one.

The answer therefore is: therefore we ought to Theologize A∣strologie, therefore we ought to labour six daies, and sanctifie the seventh: therefore we ought to be converted and become as in∣fants, because nothing at all but the New Creature, the new Man

from Heaven, he that is regenerate from above, he that is born a∣gain of immortall seed, is required to the possession or acquisition of the Kingdom of Heaven, not the old Man from the Earth see∣king earthly things, gaping after earthly things, rejoycing in earth∣ly things occupied, delighted in earthly things, loving, possessing, savouring earthly things: I say not such, but as we have now said, the man born again from above, seeking those things which are a∣bove, and not those things which are below, not arising from the will of the flesh, and not of the will of man, but of God.

But to the end that we may be the better understood of the ruder sort, first we will handle a few things in generall.

What is the Theologization of Astrologie? afterwards we will set upon our Saturn, with his professions and faculties, where we shall demonstrate to the eye, That in the sole Theologization of Astrologie is to be sought and found the gate of Paradise, to eat of the tree or word of life, which is in the midst of Paradise, &c. Also what is that strait gate that leads to life, which few find; and that the broad way, which leads to hell which many walk; Also, what is that Babilonish Whore, with whom all the people of the world commit fornicati∣on, &c. and many, and those the greatest Theologicall misteries are here shewn to the intelligent, which otherwise are and abide hid∣den from the eyes of all mortalls.

Therefore to Theologize Astrologie, is nothing els then to labour six daies, and to sanctifie the seventh, that is to rest and desist from labour, and to keep holy day in God, with the spirit, soul and bo∣dy. VVhich God the Father seriously commanded to his people, by the Law in the old Testament in these words,* 1.23 Remember the Sabbath day that ye may sanctifie it, six daies shalt thou labour, and do all thy work; but the seventh day shall be a Sabbath to the Lord thy God: thou shalt not do any work, neither thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy servant, nor thy maid, nor thy beast, nor the stranger which is in thy gates: for in six daies the Lord made heaven and earth, the Sea and whatsoever is in them, and rested the seventh day: therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it, Also,* 1.24 in six daies thou shalt do thy works, but the seventh day thou shalt rest; that thy Oxe and thy Asse may rest together, and the son of thy hand maid, and the stranger may be refreshed (or take breath.) And in all that I have said to you, you shall be wary, to wit, because of the Serpent.* 1.25 Also observe the Sabbath day, that ye may

sanctifie it: even as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee: six daies shalt thou labour and do all thy work, but on the seventh day shall be the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.

But although the divine Commandement amongst the vulgar hath seemed, and yet doth seem to be spoken, only touching the corporall and externall labour and rest for reparing the strength of the body: yet those to whom it is given (as well amongst the Jews as Christians) to know and understand the misteries of the mind of God, and of his Kingdome, they I say, have known a far more profound and better cause and reason of this precept, of sanctifying the Sabbath.

In the new Testament to Theologize Astrologie is according to the doctrine of Christ and the Apostles.

To receive the Kingdom of God, as a child or infant, to be born a∣gain from above, having renounced and left all things to deny him∣self, and seek the Kingdom of God, which lyeth hidden in us as a Trea∣sure in a field.

The labours of the six daies are all the actions, operations, studies, offices, businesses and occupations of all men in the whole earth, and in all Islands, and in every Sea amongst all orders, states and kinds of life, whatsoever all men every where, every time act, study, handle, o∣perate, this they do by the Light of Nature, according to their di∣vers Sciences. Now the seventh part of those labours, studies and acti∣ons of men are referred unto Saturn, the severall kinds whereof we have before recited.

Moreover the sanctification of the Sabbath, divinely ordained and commanded to man on the seventh day, is, to cease once in a week from all labour and handling of naturall things, and actuall studies, to desist from the Astrologicall life, that is, to lay aside every motion and action, as well of the mind, as of the body, by an absolute abnegation and oblivion of the whole creature and of himself, as well within as without, to give and offer himself wholly to God, with all that we are, within the six daies we have known, studied, gotten and gained by our labors, as well in the internall gifts of wisdom, as in the getting of externall things. Hither, hither and to this Centre tends that divine Commandement, touching the sanctifying of the Sabbath, as by the following things will most pleasantly be laid open.

CHAP. IX. A specificall Declaration, how the Astrologie of Saturn in Man ought and may be Theologized.

FOr as much as hitherto we have heard, that all the sciences, actions, studies, & states of life of all men, by a certain inevitable necessity

ought to be Theologized, or by the exercise, or sanctification of the mental Sabbath be laid aside, denyed, put off & accounted for nothing: now we would particularly see, how the Astrologic of Saturn is to be Theologized in us. For because infinite is the multitude of men, only handling and exercising this Saturnine Astrologie. And we do set down first of all in a certain Paradoxicall sence, that is above the com∣mon intellect of the Vulgar: That no husbandman, Countryman, Far∣mer, Gardner, Herbeseller, Vinedresser, Steward, Builder, Mettleman, Potter, Weaver, Cobler, Shomaker, &c. can ever enter into the King∣dom of God, or come to the possession of a heavenly life, unlesse he learn to drive away, to subject this power, his Saturnine Heaven, with all his ascendent Starrs, and resist every inclination thereof, tending to evil, through the instinct of the Serpent, raign over it, & overcome it.

Good God, here will some ignorant say from the instinct of the Serpent, of what kind is this your Theologization of Astrologie, which you here handle? what mortal can believe, that a husbandman, a farmer, a steward, a vinedresser, a potter, a mettleman, a mechanick, a carpen∣ter, &c. cannot be made an heir & possessor of the Kingdom of heaven.

What is the Light of Nature, to be contemned and altogether reje∣cted, and must we cease from all labour? what ought we not at all to act, work, study, learn, search, but to be plainly idle? whence shall we receive food and rayment, and other necessaries, to the sustentation of life; seeing no man whosoever is busied in the studies, labours, and works abovesaid, can from them attain to eternall salvation? the sen∣tence of this book seems to be wonderfull indeed and estranged from truth.

I answer, these things do not seem strange or obscure but to the ig∣norant, nor are they indeed a hairs breadth estranged from truth, so that they be rightly received and understood. For nothing can be so truly spoken or written, that by the ruder and lesse intelligent may not be called into doubt, or be esteemed even for a lie.

But a lesson read (which) pleaseth, being repeated ten times it will please. Loe this our sence.

If thou art a Husbandman, a Countryman, a Farmer, a Steward, a Gardner, a Seller of herbs, a Vinedresser, a Potter, a Mettleman, a Car∣penter, a Builder, &c. or busied in some other like kind of life, then thou art constituted and walkest in the sphere of Saturn, and art go∣verned by the Saturnine Starrs (which are in thee) ever and anon as∣cending in thy imagination, cogitation, and sences, ruling thee, incli∣ning thee hither and thither, even as thy pleasure draweth thee by free will, and the inward serpent perswadeth thee.

Now unlesse thou as a wise man shalt be cautious and attent, and shalt over-rule thy Starrs running up and down, flourishing and ope∣rating in thee, or shalt Theologize thy Astrologie, that is, unlesse thou shalt learn to Sabbathize, and to cease from all thy work, and keep holy the Lords day, according to the mind and sence of the divine pre∣cept; it altogether is and abides impossible to thee, by any means to enter into the Kingdom of God, and come to the possession of eter∣nall salvation: For I will make it clear by a most manifest demonstra∣tion, That never any Husbandman, Farmer, Countryman, Steward, Mettleman, &c. could enter into the Kingdom of God, who neglecting and omitting the sanctification of the Sabbath departed out of this world. But I would thou shouldest take these things rightly.

My judgment is that no Saturnist, such as are before recited, can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but that he ought to be throughly con∣verted, and be made as an infant; then at length he is fit to take, enter and possesse the Kingdom of God, not indeed as a Husbandman, a Farmer, a Steward, a Builder, a Vinedresser, a Seller of herbs, a Met∣tleman, a Potter, &c. because there is no such thing to be done there for such workmen; but see thou be as a child, and infant, as a new Creature, as the Son of God. For no man hath ascended to heaven, but he which descended from heaven, the son of God which is Christ, and as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of God: Now to receive Christ requires an inevitable putting off & mor∣tification, yea destruction of the old Creature, of the old man created of earth, and the new birth of the same from above, from whence also Christ is arisen.

Therefore the reasons and causes, for which the Husbandman, the Far∣mer, the Steward, the Builder, the Vinedresser, the Mettleman, the Potter, the Weaver, &c. cannot come into heaven, are these:

First, because in the celestiall Paradise, or the Country of the Hea∣vens, there are no grounds, nor oxen, nor plows for Husbandmen, nor farms or Lands for Farmers, nor houses nor granaries for Stewards, nor stones nor wood for Builders, nor vineyards nor forks for Vine∣dressers, nor gardens, herbs, plants, seeds for Herbsellers, nor moun∣tains fertill in metalls for Mettlemen, nor loam, nor clay for Potters, nor flax nor wooll for Weavers, and therefore there is not any need of any Husbandman, Steward, Builder; Mettleman, Potter, Weaver, neither shall those which inhabit there, want such kind of science and industry. For all these things are, and are only to be found under the Zodiac in this corruptible world, where in the last day at one time to∣gether and at once, they shall be taken away and cease with the world.

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So far therefore my husbandman as thy field, thy oxe, and thy plow, shall be transported after the last day to the Kingdom of Hea∣ven: So far also shalt thou thy self with thy rustickscience and indu∣stry, after this life enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, that is never. Therefore put off the old earthly and naturall man, with all his science, prudence, craftinesse, which thou usest in the handling of natural things, and put on the new man which alone savours and desires hea∣venly things, and leadeth thee to heavenly things, by the exercise of the true Sabbath, to be had in the spirit of thy mind every week.

And so far my Vinedresser as thy Vine, and thy fork shall be found after the last day, in the Kingdom of Heaven: so far also shalt thou appear there with thy vinitory science and industry, that is never. For then all old things are passed away.

And so far my steward as thy houshold-stuffe and granaties, shall be found out in the Kingdom of Heaven, after the world is blotted out: so far also shalt thou thy self be there with thy science and in∣dustry of domestick parsimony, that is never. For we do not act those things there, which we are wont here.

And so far as my Gardner, my Potter, &c. thy colworts, herbs, plants, trees, with thy garden, and thy loam and clay shall after the world is defaced, remain, and be transferred into the perpetuall hea∣ven, so far also shalt thou thy self with all thy plantatory and pot-making science, be promoted to the heavenly mansion, that is never. For the subjects and matter being wanting, what can thy science pro∣fit thee?

So also it is with all the rest of the kinds, and Sciences, and Arts ap∣pertaining to the Astrologie of Saturn, as are, Mettlemen, Rough Ma∣sons, Stonecutters, Smith and Carpenters, all kind of Mechanicks, Colliers, Cornsellers, Mowers, Heardsmen, Clothiers, Weavers, Sho∣makers, Coblers, and the like.

All these have their matter and subjects about which they are con∣versant, and with which they are occupied without them in the Ma∣crocosm, which being taken away & withdrawn, all things wil be taken away & withdrawn with them: & they have within themselves in their soul, in which the light of Nature, the wisdom, industry, art, and under∣standing rightly to instute, handle & perform their works, which soul, and which light are nothing els, then the Astralic Heaven and Firma∣ment in the Microcosm, where every science, art & work, hath his pecu∣liar starr with the ascendants convenient to it self.

Therefore this science and operation is once a week to be laid aside and put off: and we must sabathize in God, that God may act and o∣perate

his work in us, to wit, the work of our conversion, repentance, amendment, newbirth, and of the new Creation, that we may be made fit to enter into his Kingdom after death and the resurrection.

Furthermore, also for this cause none of the aforesaid can see, enter, possesse the Kingdom of Heaven; because such a workman is only born of flesh and blood: is the old Creature of the earth of this world, and is the son of the Firmament, the off-spring of Nature; and al∣though he excells in the knowledge of naturall things: yet all his sci∣ence and knowledge is to take an end with the life of time. He that would be capable of heaven, ought to be the new Man born again of God, regenerate, the new Creature. For nothing that is earthly can take or possesse heaven: therefore none of those which we have hi∣therto recited, and shall recite in the following things shall come thi∣ther, unlesse ye be converted and become as an infant, who knows none of these things. There shall be a new Heaven and a new earth, old things are passed away, saith he which doth it, all things are made new. A new heaven therefore requires new inhabitants, fit for it, and capable of it, for as man at first was created of the old heaven, and of the old earth, and was born of mortall seed, in which earth he now temporally dwelleth: So it also behoveth him to be created of that new heaven, and of that new birth, and to be born again, to be rege∣nerated of the immortall seed, in which earth he would be and inha∣bit eternally.

The third reason is, because the Light of Nature, with all kinds of their Sciences is given to man, for this life only to till the earth, for the labour of his hands, to eat his bread in the sweat of his counte∣nance, &c. and belongs only to the sustentation of the naturall and temporall life, living in the mortall body, and the body being dead, and the world blotted out, no such thing remaineth, therefore we have no need of corn, vines, buildings, tents, houses, garments, meat, &c. therefore neither knowledge nor desire of getting or labouring for such things, the cause ceasing, the effect ceaseth.

The fourth reason is, because man was not made of God finally for this world, or for those things which are in this world: but chiefly for the Kingdom of God, where none of these things is found or is in use, which in this life are every where agitated and handled with men, throughout the divers shops of the light of Nature.

The fifth is, because man was therefore constituted for a time only in this world, that he might ascend from the inferiour things, and seek after the superiour things, that is, that by naturall light and wisdome, as it were from a looking glasse or shadow, he might learn to know

and apprehend the heavenly light and wisdom, at whose Majesty and Glory, all naturall things, although glorious, might plainly vanish and be annihilated; and so leaving the inferiour and lesser light, he should suddenly betake himself to, and follow the greater and superi∣our light, and departing from this transitory world, forsaking and accompting all things for nothing, which he receiveth, hath and posses∣seth in this time from the world, and having denied himself as a naked and new-born infant, depart into that eternall mansion, and region of the eternall Country, and so come thither fasting and empty from the possession of all naturall science, as if he had never at all been in this world, or had not known any the least state of this world.

But these things are not propounded and written to that end, that they should happen in contempt of Philosophy, or of naturall sciences, arts and faculties, which are and flourish amongst men, and which in this life cannot but be, but rather that we being fraught with the sagacity of the Light of Nature, may be led further, may go forward and be ex∣cited to the knowledge of the greater light, which may confer upon us a new birth, eternall life and salvation. For to all that covet and desire the Kingdom of God, is the old man made of nature to be put off, and laid down; yea to be buried in an absolute abnegation and ob∣livion, as well of himself as of all those things which he hath, posses∣seth, studieth, knoweth, learneth; and the new Man is to be put on, which is created according to God, where there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither male nor female, neither bond nor free, but the new Creature.

I say, the new Creature is required to possesse the Kingdom of God, wherein there is nothing left of the old leven. The old leven is the knowledge of good and evill, beginning to spring in man from the forbidden tree, and is the prudence or subtilty of the serpent: But the new heaven is the heavenly wisdom, the simplicity of the dove, from whom alone true life and beatitude flowes, and which also only shall bear rule in the elect heirs of the Kingdom of God, the naturall and terrene wisdom, being then utterly together and at once swal∣lowed up, blotted out and extinct.

For the Kingdom of God is of such only, who are converted from the old Creature into the new, and become as children, who never knew neither good nor evill. Matth. 18. John 3.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Kingdom of Nature.
• * 1.2

  The Kingdom of grace.
• * 1.3

  See Para∣celsus of the Load∣stone of Nature in the Ma∣crocosme and Mi∣crocosme.
• * 1.4

  Every thing that is most in∣ward is most preci∣ous and most noble.
• * 1.5

  Rom. 1. 1. Cor. 2. 1. John 2.6. Mat. 2. Gen. 20. Exod.
• * 1.6

  3. John That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. That which is born of the flesh, is flesh.
• * 1.7

  See concer∣ning this this Foun∣dation of Wisdom by Paracelsus.
• * 1.8

  Adam 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.9

  A wise man will rule the Starrs.
• * 1.10

  Rom. 6. Galat. 5.
• * 1.11

  Sibi velit
• * 1.12

  See the Scripture of Rege∣neration and New∣birth.
• * 1.13

  John 17.
• * 1.14

  Rom. 12.
• * 1.15

  The exer∣cise of the Sabbath, or Theolo∣gization of Astrolo∣gie, is to dic to thy self and the whole creature, to offer thy self wholly to God, with all things which are within and with∣out us. Hither be∣long all the Scrip∣ture, and all books, speaking of the mortifica∣tion of Man.
• * 1.16

  The power and work∣ing of the Sun.
• * 1.17

  Lise is fire.
• * 1.18

  The world a great Creature.
• * 1.19

  Or also the fruit of the Tree of the know∣ledge of good and evill, which is evident only to Magies.
• * 1.20

  Cain was a hus∣bandman. Abell a keeper of sheep.
• * 1.21

  Jabal was the father of inhabi∣tants in tents and feeders of sheep.
• * 1.22

  Tuball Cain found out every ar∣tifice of brasse and iron.
• * 1.23

  Exod 20.
• * 1.24

  Exod. 23.
• * 1.25

  Dent. 5.