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CHAPTER VIII.
Touching the
Astrology of Saturn, of what kind it is,
and how
it ought to be Theologized.
SATURN, as to the description of his
substance and nature in the Macrocosm, is one of the chief of those seven stars,
which we call Planets, or Governors of the World walking next of all in the
aerial region under the Firmament or Zodiac, and ordained in a certain Sphere or
Circle, or Mansion; the circuit of circle he finisheth
he passeth over once in the space of thirty years
time, through the twelve celestial signs extent in the Zodiac. His body arising
from the element of Fire, and illuminating, that is cherishing, and governing
the earth, and what are in and on the earth, – his body is fiery and globulous, his astralic force,
which is the firmamental or Siderian Spirit, is
invisible.
Now Saturn is conditioned with that nature and propriety from the first
creation, that he may send forth and exercise the virtue and operation of his
splendor and light in his subjects existing here and there in the four elements,
as are vegetables, minerals, animals, properly, and in species, pertaining to
him, wherein he effects and frames such a nature and virtue, as he hath in
himself. Now Saturn hath his subjects appropriate to himself in
(p. 101)
(p. 102)
every kind of creature; amongst vegetables he hath
his young twigs, his herbs, his plants, his flowers, his trees, on which he
operates by his influence after his manner. So amongst
minerals and metals, also amongst animals, creeping, going, cattle, beasts,
watery and volatile creatures.
For the whole university of the creatures of this world, with us men, is divided
into seven kinds or assemblies, and dispersed into every region, which answer to
these seven Governors, in their natural virtues and proprieties, as well
internal as external.
But, touching the Astronomical condition of Saturn, and the rest of the Planets,
to wit, what kind of motion, position, course, quantity, distance, opposition,
conjunction, and other dimensions of this kind they have amongst themselves;
also touching, the difference of their weights in metals, etc., it is not our
purpose here to handle them; concerning such kind of things, consult
Astronomical books, and Chemical books and the like, publicly extant abroad; but
we rather handle and shew this: – How all the studies and offices and kinds of
life of all men have their original from the stars, and to which Planet every
thing is to be referred. Then, how the whole Astrology ought to be Theologized,
that is, how every one of us ought to know, discern, hate, put off, lay aside,
and deny the old man made of Astrology, with all his Wisdom, science, knowledge,
prudence, industry, art, and whatsoever a man hath, occupies and possesses of
the gifts of Nature; and in the denial of himself and all that he hath, as well
within as without, altogether to grow a child again, to be made an infant, yea a
fool; and to put on the new Man, which is created according to God, to walk in
newness of life, to die to sin, and to live to justice;
(p. 103)
to know that Babylonian harlot and her Beast,
and to preserve himself from her; to know the forbidden Tree, and to eat of the
Tree of Life, and to pass over from nature into grace, to be made a new
creature, to be born again, to transplant himself from the terrene Paradise into
the Heavenly; to labour six days, and rightly to
sanctify the seventh, and the like. This is the intention, end and scope of this
our work.
Therefore,
Saturnists, or the worshippers of Saturn, whose minds,
desires, wills, inclinations, affections, concupiscences,
pleasures, cogitations, speculations, inventions, actions, and labours are ascribed to Saturn, as to their study, and kind
of life, are men in whom is and flourisheth all kind
of science and industry.
1.
Cain was a husbandman; Abel a keeper of sheep. – Of all Agriculture; as
are husbandmen, countrymen, farmers, tillers of the ground; also mowers,
threshers, herdsmen, swineherds, pastors of cattle, purveyors of corn, or those
who exercise merchandise, with corn and pulse; also dressers of vineyards, that
purge wines, gardeners, and briefly, all agriculture, with all its species.
2.
Jubal was the father of inhabitants in tents, and
feeders of sheep. Tubal Cain found out every artifice
of brass and iron. – The whole art and science, edificatory, as under;
with all kind of artificers, and workmen, comprehended, as rough masons,
stone-cutters, carpenters, joiners, and in brief, the whole administration of
economy, or household affairs, joined with parsimony and frugality.
3. The whole art and metallic science, which teacheth
the manner of searching and trying the bowels of the earth, and of digging
minerals, metals and riches, the provocations of evils; also
Treasurers,
and whosoever seem to seek and take their livelihood from the earth by
(p. 104)
the the labours of their hands, as are potters, tile-makers, bearers
of dead bodies, fishmongers, root-sellers, colliers, and others of this kind;
and also clothiers, linen-weavers, shoemakers, cobblers, cardmakers, etc. Also solitary men, as monks, hermits, and
like to these.
As touching the mind, and vices, Saturnists are
avaricious men, covetous of gain, usurers, lenders for gain, Jews,
toll-gatherers or publicans, tenacious, livers sparingly,
Mammonists, altogether watching for their proper commodities. Also
thieves, robbers, makers of false money, sergeants, false judges, hangmen,
enchanters, evildoers; also men austere by nature, froward,
more sad than joyful, thoughtful, melancholic, fantastic, very silent, tedious,
infidels, sacrilegious, and what kinds of life soever
of this sort.
Likewise,
philoponoi, laborious, full of business,
tumbling, macerating and wearing themselves in continual cares, and furthermore
in whatsoever appears like to these.
As to the quality of the body, and external manners,
Saturnists
are men worn with years and age as well men as women, covered with gray hairs,
with a slender and lean body, thin beard, eyes lying deep in the head, with a
neglected form, and not amiable, always looking grimly
agelasoi, halting, beggars, often sick, etc.
All these studies, and all and singular kinds of life of men, as they are formed
and seen abroad amongst all nations, people, kindreds,
etc., of the whole compass of the earth, are referred to the heaven, region,
dominion, nature and inclination of Saturn.
I say, all these kinds of men, with all their studies and kinds of life, as well
honest as dishonest, as well good as bad, as well private as public, are
worshippers of Saturn, for that in the handling of Saturn, that is, in the
(p. 105)
drawing forth of the nature of the Saturnine
light, they spend their labour and time; and by
diligent study and inquisition they draw forth, search, produce and manifest
those things of Saturn which are in natural things.
All the industries, inventions, arts, actions and labours
of these men in every season, have proceeded and as yet do proceed, from
the internal invisible heaven, which is in the Microcosm; and are part
of the Light of Nature, in which man walketh, whether
well or ill, honestly or filthily, according to the diversity of his flexible
will and desire, as well to good as to evil; and men are busied about the
external subjects of the Macrocosm, without which, vain were the vigour and endeavour of the Light
of Nature in man. For every action of the Microcosm from within, tends to the
subjects of the Macrocosm without; because there the works of man are perfected
or performed. For indeed man hath from the Light of Nature in himself, the
science of ploughing and tilling the earth, and
fields, building houses, of seeking and handling metals, etc., but he hath not
in himself the subjects, matter and instruments; therefore he takes them from
the Macrocosm, and perfects his work, found out and excogitated by the Light of
Nature. Thus, seeing all the external works of men arise from within, from the
invisible revolution of the internal stars, ever and anon ascending and shining
forth by cogitations and imaginations, and are perfected by external operations
and labours, we may from every work of man, see and
know the constitution of the internal heaven, what kind of position, what
ascendants, what motions, constellations and inclinations every artificer hath;
where it is wonderful to behold the variety of the Natural Light. Hence, by how
much the more the artificer doth appear in external works, by so
(p. 106)
much the more and more perfect, hath the
constitution and influence of the internal heaven, been with the workman. (1)
Therefore we must know that every species, of whatsoever science, art and
faculty, is a singular constellation, star, inclination and influence, ascending
from the inward heaven, and shining, acting and operating one by one in man;
therefore all the cogitations, imaginations, inventions, desires, studies and
intentions of Saturnists bent or inclined to good or
evil, are the Astras or stars ascending from the
inward heaven, and are the operation of the Saturn, of the Microcosm, in the
soul, with his stars agreeable to himself, in which cogitations and operations
that crafty Serpent, which almost none in this our age seems to know, is
powerful and rageth, by leave permitted to him by God, to tempt and prove
man, (placed in the midst,) by these delights of the Light of Nature, and of the
things of this world, and to bend the will, love, desire, and concupiscence
thereof from good to evil, from God to the creature, whereunto man, (O
grievous!) is too ready and prompt.
Truly innumerable and infinite are the multitudes of men living on the earth
which are found in this kind or practice of Astrology. For it is, (which we
would have mystically spoken) one of those seven congregations or generations of
the World, or people worshipping the Queen of Heaven, or venerating, and
worshipping the Babylonian harlot, and adoring the Beast endowed with
(p. 107)
seven heads and ten horns. And this is the sense
which sleeps with wisdom, which will appear better by the following things.
Now, as the external heaven in the Macrocosm, always and ever and anon is rolled
and turned about with a perpetual motion; and always other and other stars are
seen to appear ascending and always descending, so as there is a perpetual
mutation and vicissitude of the actions of Nature, labouring
in the greater World, where now it is winter, now spring, now summer, now
autumn, now day, now night, now fair weather, now tempest, now snow, now rain,
now winds, now storms, now this, now that, etc., which are all the Astralic operations of the heaven of the Macrocosm: – so
also in like sort is the course, vicissitude, motion and revolution of the
stars, ever and anon ascending. and descending in the heaven or Soul of the
lesser world; that is, the soul, or our siderean
Spirit, is an unjust spirit, wherein the ascendant cogitations, new concupiscences, various desires, are always moved, excited
and felt, now willing this, now willing that, now so, now thus, now we rejoice,
now we sorrow, now we are beaten and agitated with these, and now those
affections, now we are occupied with these, now with those businesses and labours, all which are nothing else than the Astrology of
the Microcosm, to be Theologized in all of us that are willing to use them
piously.
But how and wherefore ought the Astrology of Saturn to be Theologized in Man? If
thou askest me, wherefore and how all the natural
sciences appertaining to the Astrology of Saturn, together with all the kinds of
the Saturnine life, ought to be and may be Theologized, I again ask thee, that
thou tell me the cause wherefore, according to that great precept of God, we
ought to
(p. 108)
labour and finish our work in six days, but
the Seventh day to sanctify the Sabbath? Or wherefore we cannot enter into the
The answer therefore is; – Therefore we ought to Theologize Astrology, therefore
we ought to labour six days and sanctify the seventh,
therefore we ought to be converted and become as infants, because nothing at all
but the New Creature, the new Man from Heaven, he that is regenerate from above,
he that is born again of immortal seed, is required to the possession or
acquisition of the Kingdom of Heaven. Not the old man from the earth, seeking
earthly things, gaping after earthly things, rejoicing in earthly things,
occupied and delighted in earthly things, loving, possessing, favouring earthly things. I say, not such, but as we have
now said, the man born again from above, seeking those things which are above,
and not those things which are below, not arising from the will of the flesh;
and not of the will of man, but of God.
But to the end that we may be the better understood of the ruder sort, first we
will handle a few things in general.
What
is the Theologization of Astrology?
Afterwards we will set upon our Saturn, with his professions and faculties,
where we shall demonstrate to the eye, that in the sole Theologization of Astrology is to be sought and found the
gate of Paradise, to eat of the Tree or wood of life, which is in the midst of
(p. 109)
many walk. Also, what is that
Babylonish
harlot, with whom all the people of the world commit fornication; and many, and
those the greatest Theological Mysteries are here shewn to the intelligent,
which otherwise are and abide hidden from the eyes of all mortals.
Therefore to Theologize Astrology is nothing else than to
labour
six days, and to sanctify the Seventh that is to rest and desist from labour, and to keep holy day in God, with the spirit, soul
and body, which God the Father seriously commanded to his people by the Law, in
the Old Testament in these words: –
Exod. 20 – Remember the Sabbath day that ye
may sanctify it. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work; but the seventh day shall be a
Sabbath to the Lord thy God; thou shalt not do any
work, neither thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy servant, nor thy
maid, nor thy beast, nor the stranger which is in thy gates; for in six days the
Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and whatsoever is in them, and rested the
seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it. Exod. 23 – Also, in six days thou shalt do thy works, but the seventh day thou shalt rest, that thy ox and thy ass may rest together, and
the son of thy hand-maid, and the stranger may be refreshed. And in all that I
have said to you, you shall be wary, (to wit, because of the Serpent.)
Deut. 5 – Also, observe the Sabbath
day, that ye may, sanctify, it, even as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee;
six days shalt thou labour
and do all thy work, but on the seventh day shall be the Sabbath of the Lord thy
God.
But although the divine commandment, amongst the vulgar, hath seemed, and yet
doth seem to be spoken only, touching the corporal and external
labour
and rest
(p. 110)
for repairing the strength of the body; yet
those to whom it is given, (as well amongst the Jews as Christians) to know and
understand the mysteries of the Mind of God, and of his Kingdom, they, I say,
have known a far more profound and better cause and reason of this precept, of
sanctifying the Sabbath.
In the New Testament, to Theologize Astrology is, according to the doctrine of
Christ and the Apostles, to receive the Kingdom of God, as a child or infant,
to be born again from above, having, renounced and left all things to deny
oneself and seek the
The labours of the six days are all the actions,
operations, studies, offices, businesses and occupations of all men in the whole
earth, and in all islands and in every sea, amongst all orders, states and kinds
of life, whatsoever all men everywhere, every time they act, study, handle,
operate; this they do by the Light of Nature, according to their divers
Sciences. Now the Seventh part of those labours,
studies and actions of men is referred unto Saturn, to wit, the several kinds
whereof we have before recited.
Moreover, the sanctification of the Sabbath, divinely ordained and commanded to
man on the Seventh day, is to cease once in a week from all
labour
and handling of natural things, and actual studies, to desist from the
Astrological life, that is, to lay aside every motion and action, as well of the
mind as of the body, by an absolute abnegation and oblivion of the whole
creature and of oneself, as well within as without; to give and offer oneself
wholly to God, with all that we are, within the six days we have known, studied,
gotten and gained by our labours, as well in the
internal gifts of wisdom, as in the
(p. 111)
getting of external things. Hither, hither
and to this Centre tends that divine Commandment touching the sanctifying of the
Sabbath, as by the following things will most pleasantly be laid open.
FOOTNOTE
(106:1) Our Author means that the vocation to, and
aptitude
for any special trade or prefession or study, are
predetermined by astrological influence: not that every man following such
trade, profession or study, has necessarily the vocation thereto. For many
mistake their vocation, and if a Mercurial man should set himself to a Saturnine business, or vice-versa, he would fail, or do
badly. A.K.
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