A42469:90
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.
But to let these unwonted sights pas; for the greatness of the obscurity, many thousands, I doubt not, will avow, and my self among the rest, that they have full oft known the sky, through the thickness of clouds overspreading the places of their abode, much darker, upon some approaching storm especially, then they found it at the highest or deepest degree (choose whether you please to term it) of this dreadful Eclipse.
But to let these unwonted sights pas; for the greatnes of the obscurity, many thousands, I doubt not, wil avow, and my self among the rest, that they have full oft known the skie, through the thicknes of clouds overspreading the places of their aboad, much darker, upon some approaching storm especially, then they found it at the highest or deepest degree (choose whether you please to term it) of this dreadful Eclips.
Yea but, howsoever it was with the Eclipse here about London, our Merlin informs us, that by letters from Scotland and Ireland, and some of ours on ship-board, it appears, that the darkness was far more dreadful in those parts where they then were, so as they could not see to write or to barb without candle; and no man ever saw the like in those quarters: insomuch that in some places all the poor people cast themselves down on their backs (they might have done better to have lien grovelling on their bellies) with their eyes towards heaven, most passionately praying, that Christ would let them see the Sun again. They were some belike of the progeny of that people, that were wont to howl hideously, and make grievous lamentation at the daily setting of ⟨p. 41⟩the Sun, as misdoubting that he would never rise again with them. But, it seems, that spiteful Planet Saturn, whose malevolent aspect Mr. L. misdoubted might by clouding the day, hinder the sight of the Stars with us, did on the other side produce that hideous and dreadful darkness with them; and we may hope therefore, that those direful and disastrous effects, which this darkening of our day-light, either doth presage, or is to produce, will light upon those of Scotland and Ireland, or at the most and worst, on our shipping at Sea, where the darkness was so exceeding deep and dismal; not upon us in these parts, where it was nothing so dreadful. I might well add, that its to well known to be a common slight of our Mercuries (and why not of our Merlins?) to date and divulge letters from foreign parts and remote regions, that have indeed ben as well coined and indited, as printed and published here at London.