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Anterior: VIII. Touching the Astrology of Saturn (…)
(p. 112)
CHAPTER IX.
A Specifical Declaration, how the Astrology of Saturn in Man
ought to be
and may be Theologized.
FORASMUCH as hitherto we have heard that all
the sciences, actions, studies, and states of life of all men, by a certain
inevitable necessity ought to be Theologized, or by the exercise or
sanctification of the Mental Sabbath be laid aside, denied, put off and
accounted for nothing; now we would particularly see how the Astrology of Saturn
is to be Theologized
(p. 113)
in us. For, because infinite is the multitude of
men, only handling and exercising this Saturnine Astrology. And we do set down
first of all in a certain paradoxical sense, that is above the common intellect
of the vulgar; that no husbandman, countryman, farmer, gardener, herb-seller,
vine-dresser, steward, builder, metal-man, potter, weaver, cobbler, shoemaker,
etc., can ever enter into the Kingdom of God, or come to the possession of a
heavenly life, unless he learn to drive away, to subject this power, his
Saturnine Heaven, with all its ascendant stars, and resist every inclination
thereof, tending to evil, through the instinct of the Serpent; reign over it,
and overcome it.
"Good God," here will some ignorant say, from the instinct of the Serpent, "of
what kind is this your
Theologization
of Astrology, which you here handle? What mortal can believe that a husbandman,
a farmer, a steward, a vine-dresser, a porter, a metal-man, a mechanic, a
carpenter, etc., cannot be made an heir and possessor of the kingdom of heaven?
What is the Light of Nature to be contemned and altogether rejected, and must we
cease from all labour? What ought we not at all to
act, work, study, learn, search, but to be plainly idle? Whence shall we receive
food and raiment and other necessaries to the sustentation of life, seeing no
man, whosoever is busied in the studies, labours
and works above said, can from them attain eternal salvation? The sentence of
this book seems to be wonderful indeed and estranged from the truth."
I answer, these things do not seem strange or obscure but to the ignorant, nor
are they indeed a hair's breadth estranged from truth, so that they be rightly
received and understood. For nothing can be so truly spoken or
(p. 114)
written that by the ruder and less
intelligent may not be called into doubt, or be esteemed even for a lie.
But a lesson read which pleaseth, being repeated ten
times it will please.
Lo,
this our sense. If thou art a husbandman, a countryman,
a farmer, a steward, a gardener, a seller of herbs, a vine-dresser, a potter, a
metal-man, a carpenter, a builder, etc., or busied in some other like kind of
life, then thou art constituted and walkest
in the sphere of Saturn, and art governed by the Saturnine stars which are in
thee, ever and anon ascending in thy imagination, cogitation and senses; ruling
thee, inclining thee hither and thither, even as thy pleasure draweth thee by free will, and the inward Serpent persuadeth thee.
Now, unless thou as a wise man, shalt be cautious and attent, and shalt over-rule thy
stars running up and down, flourishing and operating in thee, or shalt Theologize thy Astrology; that is unless thou shalt learn to Sabbathize, and to
cease from all thy work, and keep holy the Lord's Day, according to the mind and
sense of the divine precept, it altogether is and abides impossible to thee, by
any means, to enter into the kingdom of God, and come to the possession of
eternal salvation. For I will make it clear by a most manifest demonstration
that never any husbandman, farmer, countryman, steward, metal-man, etc., could
enter into the kingdom of God, who, neglecting and omitting the sanctification
of the Sabbath, departed out of this world. But I would thou
shouldest take these things rightly.
My judgment is, that no Saturnist, such as are before
recited, can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but that he ought to be
thoroughly converted, and made as an infant then at length he is fit to take,
enter and possess
(p. 115)
the
Therefore the reasons and causes, for which the Saturnist
cannot come into heaven, are these; First, because in the celestial
Paradise, or the country of the Heavens, there are no grounds, nor oxen, nor
ploughs, for husbandman; nor farms or lands for farmers; nor houses nor
granaries for stewards; nor stones nor wood for builders nor vineyards nor forks
for vine-dressers; nor gardens, herbs, plants, seeds for herb-sellers; nor
mountains fertile in metals for metal-men; nor loam nor clay for potters; nor
flax nor wool for weavers; and therefore there is not any need of any such,
neither shall those which inhabit there want such kind of science and industry.
For all these things are, and are only to be found under the Zodiac in this
corruptible world, where in the last day at one time together and at once, they
shall be taken away and cease with the world.
So far therefore, my husbandman, as thy field, thy ox and thy plough shall be
transported after the last day to the Kingdom of Heaven; so far also shalt thou thyself, with thy rustic science and industry,
after this life enter
(p. 116)
into the
And, so far, my vine-dresser, as thy vine and thy fork shall be found after the
last day, in the Kingdom of Heaven; so far also shalt
thou appear there with thy vinitory science and
industry, – that is, never. For then all old things are passed away.
And, so far, my steward, as thy household-stuff and granaries shall be found out
in the Kingdom of Heaven, after the world is blotted out, so far also shalt thou thyself be there with thy science and industry of
domestic parsimony, – that is, never. For we do not act those
things there which we are wont here.
And, so far as my gardener, my potter, etc., thy colworts,
herbs, plants, trees, with thy garden, and thy loam and clay shall, after the
world is defaced, remain and be transferred into the perpetual heaven, so far
also shalt thou thyself, with all thy plantatory and pot-making science, be promoted to the
heavenly mansion, – that is, never. For the subjects and matter being wanting,
what can thy science profit thee?
So also it is with all the rest of the kinds, and sciences and arts appertaining
to the Astrology of Saturn; all these have their matter and subjects about which
they are conversant and with which they are occupied,
without
them in the Macrocosm, which, being taken away and withdrawn, all things will be
taken away and withdrawn
(p. 117)
with them; and they have within themselves in
their soul, in which the light of Nature is, the wisdom, industry, art and
understanding rightly to handle and perform their works which soul, and which
light are nothing, else than the Astralic Heaven and
Firmament in the Microcosm, where every science, art, and work hath its peculiar
star with the ascendants convenient to itself.
Therefore this science and operation is once a week to be laid aside and put
off; and we must sabbathize in God, that God may act
and operate his work in us, to wit, the work of our conversion, repentance,
amendment, new birth, and of the new creation, that we may be made fit to enter
into his kingdom after death and the resurrection.
Furthermore, also for this cause none of the aforesaid can see, enter, possess,
the Kingdom of Heaven, because such a workman is only born of flesh and blood,
is the old creature of the earth of this world, and is the son of the firmament,
the offspring of Nature; and although he excels in the knowledge of natural
things, yet all his science and knowledge is to take an end with the life of
time. He that would be capable of heaven, ought to be the new Man born again of
God, regenerate; the new creature. For nothing that is earthly can take or
possess heaven; therefore none of those which we have hitherto recited, and
shall recite in the following things shall come thither, unless they be
converted, and become as an infant, who knows none of these things. "There shall
be a new Heaven and a new earth, old things are passed away," saith he which doth it, "all things are made new."
A new heaven, therefore, requires new inhabitants, fit for it and capable of it,
for as man at first was created of the old heaven and of the old earth, and was
born of
(p. 118)
mortal seed, in which earth he now temporally dwelleth; so it also behoveth him
to be created of that new heaven and of that new birth, and to be born again, to
be regenerated of the immortal seed, in which earth he would be and inhabit
eternally.
The
third
reason is because the Light of Nature, with all kinds of Sciences, is given to
man, for this life only, to till the earth, for the labour
of his hands, to eat his bread in the sweat of his countenance, etc.; and
belongs only to the sustentation of the natural and temporal life, living in the
mortal body; and the body being dead and the world blotted out, no such thing
remaineth; therefore we have no need of corn, vines,
buildings, tents, houses, garments, meat, etc.; therefore neither knowledge nor
desire of getting, or labouring for such things; the
cause ceasing, the effect ceaseth.
The
fourth
reason is, because man was not made of God finally for this world, or for those
things which are in this world; but chiefly for the kingdom of God, where none
of these things is found or is in use, which in this life are everywhere
agitated and handled with men, throughout the divers shops of the Light of
Nature.
The
fifth
is, because man was therefore constituted for a time only in this world, that he
might ascend from the inferior things, and seek after the superior things; that
is, that by natural light and wisdom, as it were from a looking glass or shadow,
he might learn to know and apprehend the heavenly Light and Wisdom, at whose
majesty and glory, all natural things, although glorious, might plainly vanish
and be annihilated: and so, leaving the inferior and lesser light, he should
suddenly betake himself to and follow the greater and superior Light; and
departing from this transitory world, forsaking and
accompting
(p. 119)
all things for nothing which he receiveth, hath, and possesseth
in this time from the world; and having denied himself, as a naked and new-born
infant, depart into that eternal mansion and region of the eternal country, and
so come thither, fasting and empty from the possession of all natural science,
as if he had never at all been in this world, or had not known any the least
state of this world. (1)
But these things are not propounded and written to that end that they should
happen in contempt of philosophy, or of natural sciences, arts and faculties,
which are and flourish amongst men, and which in this life cannot but be; but
rather that we, being fraught with the sagacity, of the Light of Nature, may be
led further, may go forward and be excited to the knowledge of the greater
Light, which may confer upon us a new birth, eternal life and salvation.
For to all that covet and desire the kingdom of God, is the old man made of
Nature, to be put off and laid down; yea, to be buried in an absolute abnegation
and oblivion, as well of himself as of all those things which he hath, possesseth, studieth, knoweth, learneth; and the new man
is to be put on, which is created according to God, where "there is neither Jew
nor Greek, neither male nor female, neither bond nor free, but the new
creature."
I say, the new creature is required to possess the
(p. 120)
(p. 121)
leaven. The old leaven is the knowledge of
good and evil, beginning to spring in man from the forbidden tree, and is the
prudence or subtilty of the Serpent. But the new
leaven is the heavenly wisdom, the simplicity of the Dove, from whom alone true
life and beatitude flow, and which also only shall bear rule in the elect heirs
of the kingdom of God, the natural and terrene wisdom being then utterly
together and at once swallowed up, blotted out, and extinct.
Matt. 18, John 3 – For the
FOOTNOTE
(119:1) This is not said to disparage the great value
of earthly experience, by which alone we gain virtue – better than
innocence, – for by such experience was Christ instructed, who also worked, both
as a carpenter and as a fisherman. But that such works must be wrought to the
glory of God, if they are to be fruitful. A.K.
FINIS.
_________________________________________________
DRYDEN
PRESS: J. DAVY AND SONS, 137, LONG ACRE,
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