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Wounds deadly from the efe£i of the Moon .
rAU parts feel the Moons wo* tlons.
whether that fart the Moon is in3may be cut
A [imile from outward cala¬ mity .
In acute difea- fes the Stars are to be negle&ed.
A Smile from Natures indu¬ stry .
rJl fimilefrom the induftry of the Husband¬ man.
Gen. i.
Mow the Stars are to be obfer- *ved.
Efaj 47.
Hier. i«.
torcc of the Moon rending it, or eiie by moving the humours that are in it5 and flick clofe to it. So all difeafesand diftempers are exafperated, and grow worfe by the Moons forces, when {he is in the joynts, fothat wounds will hardly grow well, or come to cica¬ trize, and fometimes become mortal, when they are made on that part the Moon then rules in. By the famereafon the head, Throat, Lungs, Breaft, Liver, Milt, Reins, Bladder, Bowels, alfothe Ner¬ vous parts feel hurt, or their diftemper becomes greater, when the Moon is in thofe Bowels. So the Breaft is narrow and {hort-win- ded, the Nerves, Membranes, Mufcles, are contra&ed and grow ftiff, when the Moon runs in them. For the humours wherewith all the parts are moiftned and fed, both thofe that are wholefome and the reft that are unwholefomeand faulty, are expofed and are under the rule of the Moons motions. But flnee the courfe of the Moon for the moft part brings hurt and danger to weak and feeble bodies, it may be made a difputablequeftion, whether in that part , wherein the Moon ftayes and governs a Vein may be opened $ for in this matter moft men are fearfull, and dare not adventure to do it, though the difeafe be urgent, and require this help prefen tly. But I think we ought to do it in time, and to go about it without fear, and with great confidence of bringing help, and driving away the difeafe : for acute and fwift difeafes will allow no truce, no delayes, or times to deliberate : but, as enemies in war, as fire in houfes. Plague in a City, andasfmootin Corn, haftento deftroy all. Nor muft a man be frighted or leave off from what he undertook, though he feem to go about it when the Star is ma¬ lignant, and is againft him 5 So in the Pleurefy,Quinfey, Inflam¬ mation of the Lungs, and Liver, we rauft negled the extream ob¬ servation of the Stars, and Afpeds of the Planets, and make hafte to open a Vein in time, though it be in that part that the Moon . then governs. For as when a Tempeftis coming, apd the winds rage, the Pilot though the Tide be againft him, and the wind not profperous, doth maturely provide for his fafety, and drives with Ores and Sails to gain a fafe harbour for his Ship to ride in : laftly as a husbandman at the feafon of fowing, or mowing difpatcheth all in hafte for fear of rain, for early fowing oft-times deceives us, but late fowing alwaies 5 fo the Phyfitian fupported by reafon and experience, at the firftoccafion and opportunity offered, affoonas he can, endeavours to apply a fafe remedy, looking more to the fuperfluity of humours and fierceneffe of the difeafe, than to the
Stars. “
The courfes of the celeftial bodies are indeed to be obferved, which God hath appointed for figns and feafons, for years and dayes, and moneths, but excluding all ra{h vanity and impudence ©^foretelling events, which Efaias and many more do blame and fpeak againft, and do utterly, difdain thofe that dare fpeak confi¬ dently, and deliver their Judgment concerning any mans fate, that is of that thing which God hath ordered and appointed for him,
and what fortune he {hall have, vyhat fuccefle and event {hall hap-
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Chap, i 5 Concerning the force of the Stars . # 281
pen to any man. Tnere are principall men, of greaccft refped that I have fometimes argued with* who refer to the revolutions and afpe&s of the Stars the progreffe and increafe of publick af¬ fairs, as alfo the deleft sand decay of them, the myftcry of Reli¬ gion innovated or reftored, and luch tumults as arife becaufe of it, and the perfections, great part whereof fall upon innocent men, that is fuch, who deftre to live godly in Chrift Jefusj whereas the 1 propagation of the Gofpel, whereby faith by the fpiric of the Lord, and confidence that we reft upon him by, are kindled in our minds by the freowill of God, doth proceed from the eternal will of the Father, which, as St. Paul faith, was hid with God, Eph ~ who created all things by jefus Chrift, and was revealed in his ^ time to thofe which he hath made heirs and partakers of the pro- Rel} • . , mife by Chrift. So truth being revealed, he thought good by the ruled by \heH bright fpiendour of his word and Gofpel at what time he pleafeth, stars, butty to root out errours, fuperftitions. Idolatries, and beat down impi- Qodsftmt' eties, and to eftablifh his true worfhip, and to write in mens minds the knowledge of himfelf 5 which was determined and appointed by God before the world was made, or the heavens adorned with Stars. ; 7 - : r. .
Wherefore let them that depend too much on the Stars, and flluidtiftii? look no higher, nor ever think of God that made them, forbear to their minds to make celeftial things, as their minds and Souls are, fubje
Star’s inclinations. For though the bloud and the other*humours, rbehmoun and the fpir its both vital and natural endure the influences and for- are ruled by the cesof the Stars manifeftly, yet the mind and Soul were taken from Stars* the Antient- pattern of the divine nature, and cannot be driven by force of the Stars, nor doth the Soul find any hurt or help from them 5 unleffe you will fay perhaps,that it is affe&ed by confent with the body. For the mind of man, his reafon, underftanding, Mans mind it will, knowledg,or Faith, and confidence that we rely upon God by, different from love of Religion, and adoration, wherein is contained the chiefeft tbgS(arf\ worfhip of God, and whereby itfubfifts, proceeds from that eter¬ nal mind that is immutable, nor is mans mind moved by any other force to do what is beft and good for mans falvation, than by Gods infpiration and inftind of his divine fpirit. So when ocher living Mansmindti creatures are carried on by force of nature, man alone is guided ruled by Gods by reafon and counfel,fo he keep within checompafTc of his con- dition, and do not wholly degenerate from that dignity and excel- ' e r° lehey God hath given him. "
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