Manuductio ad ministerium. Directions for a candidate of the ministry

But you must also soar Upwards, to the Attainments of ASTRONOMY. For though of later Ages, the Voluminous Tostatus whom they complemented as having all the Learning in the World, ⟨p. 54⟩were no better an Astronomer, than Justin Martyr, and Ambrose, and Theodoret, and Chrysostom, and Austin himself, who in the more Early Ages declaimed violently against the Spherical Figure of the Heavens; I should be loth you should through' Ignorance in Astronomy, ever fall into what even a Jerome would call Stultiloquium in Ecclesia. Wherefore, I cannot but advise you to be well instructed in the Astronomical Lectures, as of an Accurate Keill, so of the Acute Whiston; while we are Mourning, that he who so excellently serves us in Astronomy, should so unhappily hurt us in Divinity, and call into Question, (as a Dubious Problem) the Infinite and Eternal Godhead of Him FOR whom, as well as BY whom, the Sun and the Stars were created.

But you must also soar Upwards, to the Attainments of ASTRONOMY. For though of later Ages, the Voluminous Tostatus whom they complemented as having all the Learning in the World, ⟨p. 54⟩were no better an Astronomer, than Justin Martyr, and Ambrose, and Theodoret, and Chrysostom, and Austin himself, who in the more Early Ages declaimed violently against the Spherical Figure of the Heavens; I should be loth you should thro' Ignorance in Astronomy, ever fall into what even a Jerom would call Stultiloquium in Ecclesia. Wherefore, I cannot but advise you to be well instructed in the Astronomical Lectures, as of an Accurate Keill, so of the Acute Whiston; while we are Mourning, that he who so excellently serves us in Astronomy, should so unhappily hurt us in Divinity, and call into Question, (as a Dubious Problem) the Infinite and Eternal Godhead of Him FOR whom, as well as BY whom, the Sun and the Stars were created.

At the same time, I hope, there is no need of my saying any thing to dissuade you from the Study of JUDICIAL ASTROLOGY: The most Injudicious Thing in the World: All Futility; All Impiety; All of a Piece with the ridiculous Whim of a Gaffarel, who maintains, That the Stars in the Heavens do stand ranged in the form of Hebrew Letters, and that it is possible to Read there whatever is to happen of Importance throughout the Universe. And yet perhaps, there may be some Need for me to Caution you against being Dismayed at the Signs of the Heavens, or having any Superstitious Fancies upon Eclipses and the like Occurrences, or thinking that if there were a Conjunction of all the Planets in Pisces, it would portend that the World should be Drowned. Yea, I am willing that the Cometomancy which has hitherto so much reigned, even in the most Honest