I say general, because the particular estate and affairs of men can in no wise before signified by the stars. I say ordinary, because the things which fall out seldom, and are besides the common course of nature, as plenty of all things, famine, plague, war, eversions of kingdoms, &c. Do not depend upon the Stars. For the ⟨image 21⟩confirming of this, I have three reasons: first, in the 1. of Genesis, God saith that he made the lights to be signs, 1and yet, the same God in the 47. of Isaiah saith,2 he will destroy the signs of them which divine: flatly forbidding us to use Stars, as means to judge of any thing to come, saving only of those, of which they are expressly made signs of God in the creation: all which are put down before. Secondly, this is manifest by the order of the creation:3 the third day God created upon the earth herbs & trees, & the earth brought forth fruits and was fertile: the fourth day God commanded lights to be made in the firmament of heaven, to separate the day and the night, and to be for signs & for seasons, and days, and months, and then it was so, and then God saw it was good. Out of which I gather that it cannot be a sign causing famine, or plenty and fertilnes, because fertility went before the creation of the host of heaven. Also of wars, and plagues, and the particular estates of men, they ⟨image 21⟩can be no signs, because man was not yet created, and yet even then they were signs. Some will say they were no signs of those matters in the creation, but now they may be, and are: No, for the works which God created, he now preserveth, neither increasing, nor diminishing any thing in them. Philo, Judeus in his book de opificio mundi saith, he was persuaded that God foreseeing the minds of men, given to search strange matters to come, did in this order create the heavens, to confute and disprove their imaginations. Thirdly the Heavens and stars were made for the use of man, and man is they end, so that it is absurd to imagine they have any force in the affairs of man. Now then, Prognosticators if they will foreshow of strange things to come: they must undo the work of their Creator, and give unto it new uses, otherwise they shall not be able to prognosticate as they yearly do.
I say generall, because the perticuler estate and affayres of menne can in no wise before signified by the stars. I saye ordinary, because the thinges which fall out seldome, and are besides the common course of nature, as plentie of all things, famyne, plague, war, euersions of kingdomes, &c. Doe not depende vppon the Starres. For the ⟨image 21⟩confirming of this, I haue three reasons: first, in the 1. of Genesis, God saith that he made the lights to be signes, 1and yet, the same God in the 47. of Esay sayth,2 he will destroy the signes of them which diuine: flatly forbidding vs to vse Starres, as meanes to iudge of any thing to come, sauing onelie of those, of which they are expresely made signes of God in the creation: al which are put downe before. Secondly, this is manifest by the order of the creation:3 the third day God created vpon the earth hearbs & trees, & the earth brought forth fruites and was fertile: the fourth day God commaunded lights to be made in the firmament of heauen, to seperate the dai and the night, and to be for signes & for seasons, and dayes, and monethes, and then it was so, and then God sawe it was good. Out of which I gather that it cannot be a signe causing famyne, or plenty and fertilnes, because fertilitie went before the creation of the host of heauen. Also of wars, and plagues, and the particular estates of men, they ⟨image 21⟩can bee no signes, because man was not yet created, and yet euen then they were signes. Some will saie they were no signes of those matters in the creation, but nowe they may be, and are: No, for the woorkes which God created, he now preserueth, neither increasing, nor diminishing anie thinge in them. Philo, Iudeus in his booke de opificio mundi sayth, hee was perswaded that God foreseeing the mindes of men, geuen to search strange matters to come, did in this order create the heauens, to confute and dysprooue theyr imaginations. Thirdly the Heauens and starres were made for the vse of manne, and man is theii ende, so that it is absurde to imagine they haue anye force in the affayres of man. Nowe then, Prognosticatours if they will foreshowe of straunge thinges to come: they must vndoe the worke of their Creator, and giue vnto it newe vses, otherwise they shal not bee able to prognosticate as they yearelie doe.
- 1Gen. 1.14.15
- 2Isaiah. 47.13.14.Esay. 47.13.14.
- 3Gen. 1.12.14
