A42469:337
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.
Where what he saith, is undoubtedly and undeniably true; according to what the Lyric saith,1 [Greek or Hebrew] seasonable performance is in every thing a principal matter. and that worthy Philosophical Emperor,2 [Greek or Hebrew] that is good only that is seasonable. and as Nazianzen well, [Greek or Hebrew], Even a good thing is not good, when it comes out of season; when it is unseasonably done. But neither is that place at ⟨p. 172⟩all to that purpose. howsoever by divers learned it be so understood and applied. the scope of it being, not to advise men to do all things seasonably, as may make most for their advantage; but to intimate the variety of Gods over-ruling providence; in the various dispensations whereof, there are times, and set times with him, tho uncertain to us, for men to come into the world, and to go out of it again, (of which things in what mans power is it, concerning himself seasonably to dispose?) sometime to grieve and mourn, by occasion of cross occurrents, and sometime to be merry and cheerful in regard of prosperous successes. that which other learned have observed to be the genuine sense of the place, whereof I have entreated at large elsewhere, and have showed that the words would rather be rendered, For all there is a set time, (so is [Greek or Hebrew] used, Neh. 10.34. & 13.31. and Est. 9.26, 31.) even a time (not, for every purpose; for what purpose can any man have, at such a time to be born, or at such a time to dye, but as the Greek well renders it, [Greek or Hebrew]) for every thing under Heaven. as the word [Greek or Hebrew] is used in the very same Chapter, vers. 17. and in the self same book again Chap. 8.6. So that neither doth the Scripture concern that, for which it is alleged; tho the thing it self be undeniable. Nor doth that for which it is produced being granted, concerning the observation of times seasonable in general for several occasions, prov the lawfulness of observing times as lucky or unlucky, out of respect had to the Aspects of the Stars, supposed to be benign or malignant, as these Wizards please to make them. as if one should thus reason; Some fish at some time, because not in season, is not wholesome to feed on: ergò some times of geniture are unseasonable, and it is an unlucky thing to be bred or born in them;