Answ. 2 Secondly: But though the Stars have a great influence upon this nether World, are signs of weather, and have a teaching power with them, as all other Creatures have: Yet if a man shall undertake by the Stars, to foretell future Events, which are accidental, depending on the Wills and Actions of Men, he doth plainly step into the Chair of God: this is Gods great Prerogative; therefore saith he, Isaiah. 41.23. Show the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods. Those men therefore, that will undertake to show the things that are to come hereafter, would be known to be gods. But though they would be gods themselves, yet why should they not let God be God stil? Qui fatum ponit, Deum tollit; he that sets up a Fate, doth destroy God; and if all things come to pass by Influence of the Stars (else they cannot pretend to foreknowledge of them) then all things must come to pass by a Fate. Yea, what doth this practice otherwise, ⟨p. 37⟩than (as Austin observes well) make God the Author of all the Sin in the World?1 For if these Astrologers can foretell future things, which depend on the Will of man, and that by the Stars, then the Stars, and their Influence, must be the cause thereof. For as Aquinas observes, If such a Constellation be a Sign of an Event, then it must be the Effect of it, or the Cause of it; the Effect it cannot be: And if the Influence of the Stars, be the Cause of all sinful Actions, then God must be the cause of all sin, for he hath made the Star, and given it such an Influence. This doth so clearly follow, that Austin (telling the Story of a mans converting from this wicked Art) saith, the man did confess that whilst he practiced that Art, he with others held, that Adulterium non faci•bat voluntas propria sed Venus; A mans own will was not the cause of Adultery, but the S•ar Venus; a mans own will, was not the cause of Murder, but the Star Mars. Thus, saith h•, doth this Art of Judicial Astrology, lay the Sin of all the World upon God himself; and it must needs do so: for the Cause of the causes, in things necessarily subordinate, must be the Cause of the caused: But can our hearts bear the thoughts of such Blasphemies as these? or can we think that a man can tell by the Stars, what shall come to pass hereafter, when the Scripture saith, Who can tell what a day will bring forth? And Eccles. 10.14.
Answ. 2 Secondly: But though the Stars have a great influence upon this neather World, are signs of weather, and have a teaching power with them, as al other Creatures have: Yet if a man shal undertake by the Stars, to foretel future Events, which are accidental, depending on the Wils and Actions of Men, he doth plainly step into the Chair of God: this is Gods great Prerogative; therefore saith he, Esai. 41.23. Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods. Those men therefore, that wil undertake to shew the things that are to come hereafter, would be known to be gods. But though they would be gods themselves, yet why should they not let God be God stil? Qui fatum ponit, Deum tollit; he that sets up a Fate, doth destroy God; and if al things come to pass by Influence of the Stars (else they cannot pretend to foreknowledg of them) then al things must come to pass by a Fate. Yea, what doth this practice otherwise, ⟨p. 37⟩than (as Austin observes wel) make God the Author of all the Sin in the World?1 For if these Astrologers can foretel future things, which depend on the Will of man, and that by the Stars, then the Stars, and their Influence, must be the cause thereof. For as Aquinas observes, If such a Constellation be a Sign of an Event, then it must be the Effect of it, or the Cause of it; the Effect it cannot be: And if the Influence of the Stars, be the Cause of al sinful Actions, then God must be the cause of al sin, for he hath made the Star, and given it such an Influence. This doth so cleerly follow, that Austin (telling the Story of a mans converting from this wicked Art) saith, the man did confess that whilst he practiced that Art, he with others held, that Adulterium non faci•bat voluntas propria sed Venus; A mans own will was not the cause of Adultery, but the S•ar Venus; a mans own wil, was not the cause of Murder, but the Star Mars. Thus, saith h•, doth this Art of Judicial Astrology, lay the Sin of al the World upon God himself; and it must needs do so: for the Cause of the causes, in things necessarily subordinate, must be the Cause of the caused: But can our hearts bear the thoughts of such Blasphemies as these? or can we think that a man can tell by the Stars, what shal come to pass hereafter, when the Scripture saith, Who can tell what a day will bring forth? And Eccles. 10.14.
- 1Malti hoc dicunt, fatum mihi fecit, stellae me fecerunt, ita jam per circuitum ad D••m volunt perveni•e, per circu•tum v•lunt pe•venire ad Deum accu•••dum, qui nolunt de c•mpendio venire ad D•um plac•ndum, ••dicunt fatum mihi •ecit, q id est fat•m? stellae mei c••••• quid •un• stel•ae? certe isiae qu•s […] C lo pe•spicimus; et quis e•s feci•? D•us, qui eas ordinavit? Deus, er•o vides q••d volu•tii dicere. Deus fecit ut peccatem, ita ille injustus tu justus, quod i•si ille f•cillet tu non peccass•s, tolle istas excu•ationes in peccatis memento illius Psalmi. Ne declines cor meum in verba maligna ad excusanda peccata &c. Ad haec magni viri sunt qui defendunt peccata sua, magni sunt qui numerant s•dera. Et computant stellas et tempora et dicunt quis quando. Vel peccet vel b•ne vivat et quando Mars facit homicidium et Venus adulterium magni Docti viri videntur in hoc saculo sed quid ait Psal. Ne declines cor &c. Austin in
