A42469:324
Thomas Gataker B.D. his vindication of the annotations by him published upon these words,…
Thomas Gataker B.D. his vindication of the annotations by him published upon these words, Thus saith the Lord, learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the heathen are dismayed at them, Jer. 10. 2 against the scurrilous aspersions of that grand impostor Mr. William Lillie : as also against the various expositions of two of his advocates, Mr. John Swan, and another by him cited, but not named : together with the annotations themselves : wherein the pretended grounds of judiciary astrology, and the Scripture-proofs produced for it are discussed and refuted.Thomas Gataker B.D. his vindication of the annotations by him published upon these words, Thus saith the Lord, learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signes of heaven, for the heathen are dismayed at them, Jer. 10. 2 against the scurrilous aspersions of that grand imposter Mr. William Lillie : as also against the various expositions of two of his advocates, Mr. John Swan, and another by him cited, but not named : together with the annotations themselvs : wherein the pretended grounds of judiciary astrologie, and the Scripture-proofes produced for it are discussed and refuted.
London: printed by J.L. for Richard Thrayle, 1653
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
I might demand, how Mr. S. can prove, that Adam knew the nature of every thing. his reason annexed will not necessarily evince it. his nomination of the creatures intimated rather his interest in them, and power over them, then an exact knowledge of the natures of them; of which we have discoursed more at large elsewhere. But if he knew the nature of every thing that he named; (for the reason subjoined will reach no further,) and the Stars come not within that compass; unless they be of the number of living creatures, as some both of the Jewish and Gentile Masters have held; and of those living creatures, that were convented before Adam, and presented to him, to be named by him, how is it hence proved that he knew the nature of the Stars? Again, suppose he did know the nature of them: what then? why? then he must needs be very skilful in our Wizards Art: and the art must needs then be very good. But to omit, that they presume the nature of the Stars to be such, as they pretend it to be; and Adam therefore knowing the nature of them, must needs know them to be qualified so as they say; which is nothing else but to beg the main point in controversy. Might not Adam know it, and know it to be vain and frivolous? as God, who knew it undoubtedly, doth pronounce it here to be, Jer. 10.3. as he is said to know the thoughts of wicked men, and withal to know them to be very vain. Psal. 94.11. But if Adam knew this their Art of Astromancy, as he knew the nature of the creatures, whom he gave names unto, as Mr. S. seems to import, how doth Mr. Johnson, another Master of that Science, but M. L. his antagonist and of the royal party, say, that God taught it Adam? for if he knew it before, what needed he be taught it? unless we shall say, that Adam by his fall forgot all that ever he knew before: as the Jews fable, that whosoever by stealth having gotten into the inmost recess of the Temple under the second House, had read the Four-lettered Name with its Vowel-points there engraven upon a stone, 1was so terrified at his coming out with that hideous noise that a couple of Dogs made of Brass, then made, which the Jewish Masters having by Magical Art framed, had on the top of two columns ⟨p. 168⟩at the door of the Sanctuary set for that purpose, that they clean forgot what they saw or read there. But not unlike to these fancies is that of Mr.