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Prefatory Essay
Seguinte: II. Concerning the
Subject of Astrology
(p. 48)
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(p. 49)
ASTROLOGY
THEOLOGIZED. (1)
_________
CHAPTER I.
What Astrology
is, and what Theology;
and how
they have reference one to another.
THE
(p. 50)
and internal: external in the Macrocosm, internal
in the Microcosm. Or, Astrology is the very knowledge of good and evil, which
is, and bears rule in Things subject to Nature; which Science flourishing in
man, unless it be ruled and governed by Theology, that is Divine Wisdom, as the
handmaid by her mistress, is vicious. And by her specious appearance and concupiscible jocundity, Man seduceth
himself and, as it were by eating of the forbidden tree, or by whoring with the
Creatures, he maketh his soul the Babylonian Harlot
sitting upon the Beast, having seven heads and ten horns, and being sweetly
deceived of himself, obtains eternal Death to himself.
The
Astrology is so called because it ariseth from the
stars; as Theology is so called because it flows from God. To live
astrologically is, with a pleasing concupiscence, to eat of the Tree of the
knowledge of good and evil, and to bring death to himself.
To live theologically is to eat of the wood and Tree of Life by an intimate
abnegation of oneself, and thence to attain to oneself, Life and Salvation.
The Light of Nature in Astrology, with its incitative
fruits, is the probatory instrument whereby Man,
placed in the midst, that is, between God and the Creature, is
(p. 51)
proved which way he would direct or convert his
free will, desire, love and appetite; whether to God his Creator, by loving Him
above all things, with his whole heart, with his whole mind, with his whole
soul, and with his whole strength; which should be the Theological life. Or,
whether, casting God behind, he would reflect to himself and to the Creature by
love of himself, and arrogating of good things received, which was the
Astrological Life at the Babylonish fornication, as
will appear by that which followeth.
Astrology
possesseth our soul with the eternal body, wherein the
Light of Nature dwells and shines forth, in some more excellently, in others
less. And it contains in itself two things.
1st. All kind of Sciences, Arts, Tongues, Faculties, and natural Studies: all
the Gifts, as well of the mind, as of the body, and also all Negotiations,
Occupations, Actions, and Labours of Men, how many soever of them are found, exercised and used in all times
upon the whole Earth, everywhere amongst men, as well gross as subtle, as well
old as new, serving as well to good as to bad uses.
2nd. Under Astrology, are referred all Orders, States, and Degrees of men,
Distinctions of Persons, Dignities, Gifts, Offices, and every Kind of Life as
well naturally ordained by God Himself, as thought of and invented by human wit,
and found out in the whole world from the highest and most
honourable
to the lowest and most base.
All these are the fruits of the Stars, and have their original from Astrology,
and pertain to the body and soul, and may be as well good as bad, according to
the divers pleasures of the users and abusers.
But Theology possesseth our Spirit, which we have
(p. 52)
from God, which alone is
Theologus, that is the Speech of God, the Breath of God, the Word
of God, being and inhabiting in the Temple of our heart, from which alone
according to sacred letters, true Theology is to be drawn forth; that is, the
knowledge of God, of things divine and celestial and supernatural, arising from
within, from the illumination of the holy Spirit Itself dwelling within us.
According to Whose beck, will and command we ought to institute, direct and
finish all our Sciences, Arts, Studies, Actions, Offices, Vocations, Industries, Labours and Kinds of Life, invented and drawn forth on Earth
from the Light of Nature; so as whatsoever we think, say or do in the World, in
all Arts, Sciences and Labours, it all proceeds from
the Will of God, and seems, as it were, to be done and governed by God Himself
in us, as by His fit instruments.
For every astrological gift, coming from the Light of Nature ought to be ruled
and subjected to the Divine Will by the Theological Spirit dwelling in us, that
so the Will of the Lord be done, as in Heaven, so also in earth. For
all Wisdom, both Natural and Supernatural, is from the Lord.
Astrology is the Science of Tilling and
Perlustrating (PURIFYING or CLARIFYING) of the inferior terrestrial earth,
ground, garden,
(p. 53)
taken, created according to the similitude and image
of God, which garden man also hath in himself, to the culture whereof, the
seventh
Day alone, which is the Sabbath day, is appointed.
For so it was ordained between God and man from all eternity, that Man should be
God, and God, Man, neither without the other; that is, as God Himself is, and
will be, the Paradise, garden, tabernacle, mansion, house, temple, and Jerusalem
of man, so also was Man created for the same end, that he should be the
Paradise, garden, tabernacle, mansion, house, temple, and Jerusalem of God; that
by this mutual union and friendship of God with Man, and of Man with God, all
the wisdom, power, virtue and glory eternally hidden in God should be opened and
multiplied. For, God once made all things for Man, but Man for Himself.
FOOTNOTE
(49:1) For the convinience of the reader, I have throughout this work modernised the spelling of the author, retaining his
capitals and italics. A.K.
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