Book I. Ti&e Temple ^/VVifdome. ' 159

Chapter of Exodm\ Cifr. 305. where he fpeaks very largely of this Celeftial Writings though .very Ob- fcurely K* Abraham alfo, in his Jetfira^ or Book of the CreationjdeUvers many Myfterics of it ; and af- ter thcm^^K.Mofes JUgypm 3 Mofes BeK-Nachman-, A- hraham^tht fon of Vior , his Contemporary ; Aben* Efr ay David Chimchij Jom lof Ben- Abr ah am^ Jo fefh the. Son of M«>, Levi Ben-Gerfon^ Chomer^ Aharbanel^ and many others; which I (hall hereomit^ that 1 may come to the Greekjf and Latines^ who will peradven- tiire be better received.
The Learned Origen^ interpreting after his man- ner, that is to fay, bubtiUy and Quaintly, this Paf- fage in Genefis^ Et erunt in Signa ; affirms , ( as he is reported by Etifebtus^") that the Stars were placed in this Order in the Heavens, for no other end, but to (hew, by their diverfe Afpefts , Con junftions and Figures^whatever is to happen, while the World in- dures, as well in General,as in Particular ; yet not fo,as if they were the Caufe of all thcfe things ; ne- ver any fuch thing came into the Though t,muchlefs into the Writings, of this learned man, For,as the Prophecies , that are written in Books, are not the Caiife of thofe Events, which they foretell (hall hap- pen ; but onely, the Signe ; in like manner, faith he, may the Heavens very juftly be called a 8ook,wherc- in God hath written,ail that isjhath been,and here- after fnall be. And, for confirmation of this , he citeth a pafTage cut of a Book , the Title whereof is, Narratio Jofeph^ a Book in his time highly cfteemed by all men : Wherein the Patriarch Jacob ^ givuig his blcfling to all his Children, tells them , That he had read in the Tables of Heaven, all that ever was to befall them and their Pofterity . Legi, faith he, i« tabulis Cdiy qu£Cunq:ts contingent Vohisy & filiis vejlrif.
Whence
1 40 The Temple of Wifdome, Book I.
Whence the fame Origen concludes, as well in his IraB on this Queftion ^ VtrktHjlella aiiquid agant ? as in his BcokjP^ Fato^Cap. 6. that fome Myfteries may affuredly be read-in the Heavens ; by reafon,that the Stars are difpoled ^ and ordered there^inthe form of Charafters. The Conclufion of this learned Fa- ther is fo much the ftronger, in that, where the vul" gar tranjlation reads^ Sint in Signa^ the Original He- brew is, nnfci'7 Vr\\ vehaiou leototh ', thatistofay, word for word, Etfint in Liter m. This Do£krine is of fo great importance , as that Julius Sirenm hath un- dertaken the Defence of it ; and maintains, that it is a moft True and Safe Opinion , and fuch as hath been entertained by moft Religious men. Nequeiit iHis corporihus Cxlefiihus^ (faith St* Auguftine ) hie U' terepojfecogitationes credendum efi^ quemadmodum in hk corporihus latent , fed^ficut mnnuUi motus animorum af^ •parent in vultu^ & maxime in oculU'^pc in ilia perfpicul- fate ac fimplicitate cceleftium corporunty omnes omninc fHo.- tuf animi latere non arhitror. 1 am not ignorant, that P^rmwf endeavours to fiade out another fenfe, in thcfe words of St, Augujline : but it is an eafie mat- ter to fay, what one pleafeth, in interpreting the words of a man that is Dead. Now this Celeftial Reading mav the more ealily be believed to have been the Reall meaning of this Learned Father, fee- ing that many others of the Fathers have flrongly confirmed it : As,5t Ambrofe and Prcfper -, who call the Heavens by the Epithets .^^f Pages. , and wonder^ full Imlr unions : Albertus Magnus ^'\\t^ them, an Vnir verfall Book^ And John Vamafcene goes yet farther, and fayes thar they are dear Mirrours •, ntimating, that we may fee, diftinftly There , even as fit as to the moft fecrct and weigh tieft Motions of our Soul : which gave occafion to 5t. ^?/^«J?i^^ to utter thefe
words