ji4 A S X R O 
heavenly bodies, which, when exaflly underftood, conduce 
to an aimed: certain prefcience herein. For it is found, 
that he who corredtly knows the motions of the ftars, and 
their configurations with the fun and moon, and is not ig¬ 
norant of the times, nor the place, nor the afpedls, and is 
well fkilled in the fimple ways of nature, can admirably 
foretel, in any feafon, the proper ftate and temperature of 
the air, as that it will be hotter or moifter, or colder or 
drier, according to the nature and properties of the ref- 
pedtive rays of the (tars and moon configurated with the 
fun. And, as thefe fpeculations are founded upon the 
mod fimple principles of nature, as that the fun is hot and 
dry, and the moon is cold and moid, and the obfervations 
deduced herefrom are feldom known to vary ; fo, by fimi- 
]ar qualities and obfervations, and by rules equally well 
founded, we obtain an extenfive prefcience refpedfing man. 
For, from the natural (late of the ambient and heavenly 
matter at the time of the condrudtion of the body, it is 
eafy to know in general, the quality and temperature of 
each perfon born ; that Inch (hall be the formation of his 
body, and fuch the difpolition of his mind, and inch the fu¬ 
ture events, advantageous or difadvantageous, of his life, 
according to the date of the heavens at that particular time, 
whether qualified for the produftion of fuch a temper, or 
whether inimical to it. Thus, a prefage is not only poflible 
by the laws of nature, but proper and necedary to the 
vvifdom and well-being of fociety. The errors of thofe 
who do not underdand the fundamental principles of this 
learning, have doubtlefs afforded drong and plaufible rea- 
fons to the bulk of mankind for difcarding it altogether, 
and for conlidering thofe events which others have more 
fuccefsfully afcertained, to be the effects of mere chance. 
But furely a doftrine is not to be rejected, becaufe fome of 
its* followers are vicious or ignorant. In this (peculation, 
above all others, reafonable allowances diould be made, as 
well for the weaknefs of human comprehenfion, as for the 
great and ^indefinable extent of the contemplation. 
“ But that adrological predictions are pofiible, and to 
be defined with great precifion, when properly managed, 
is an adertion mod true and manifed. It remains, there¬ 
fore, that we Ipeak of the advantages of this benevolent 
difpenfation of Providence ; for, if a foreknowledge be ad¬ 
vantageous or necedary to the fafety and future happinefs 
of the foul, what can be more fo in refpeCt to the body, 
lince it affords not only temporal delight, happinefs, and 
pleafure, but enables us to underdand things'both divine 
and human ? Whatever happens in the courfe of nature, 
either necedarily or accidentally, that materially affeCfs 
our profperity or adverfity, and either prolongs life or de- 
droys it, if they happen fuddenly and unexpectedly, con¬ 
found with fear, or tranfport with joy; but, if they are 
foreknown, they fortify the mind by fuch foreknowledge, 
and prepare it for fudaining the bed or word occurrences 
with calmnefs and ferenity. In what refpedt therefore is 
man fuperior to the irrational part of the creation, if he 
cannot bear to know the hour of his dilTolution > The 
terms of our exidence, as every day’s experience repeat¬ 
edly (hews, are that we mud die. Where then, to minds 
fraught with reafon and integrity, can be the horror, the 
diftrefs, or calamity, of knowing nearly the time when that 
certain event diall take place ? To men of a virtuous ha¬ 
bit, fuch a knowledge mud be invaluable ; and to thofe of 
ieis fcrupulous principles, it cannot be unwelcome, provi¬ 
ded reafon or philofophy make up any part of their con- 
ftitution. And furely 1 need not mention a dronger in¬ 
dance of the advantages of prefcience, than what will na¬ 
turally arife from the obfervation of every man of experi¬ 
ence, when he looks back upon the occurrences of his pad 
life, and recollects but half the lodes and inconveniences 
lie has fudained, only for want of that foreknowledge in 
worldly affairs which the art of prediction fupplies. 
“ We are not however to believe, that the accidents and 
events of life fo befal men, as though a law were fet over 
them by fome indilfoluble caufe from above, by which 
they are of ncceffity brought to pals, no other caufe be- 
L O G Y. 
ing able to oppofe or prevent them. It were unphilofo- 
phical and abftird thus to imagine; for the motion of the 
heavenly bodies is immutable by divine law, and the mu¬ 
tation of earthly things is difpofed of and revealed by a 
natural generation and order, which the fuperior caufe fol¬ 
lows by accident. It is alfo to be obferved, that many 
things happen to man, not only by reafon of the natural 
and proper quality of the heavenly matter, but alfo by the 
operation of fome more univerfal caufes; as by great mu¬ 
tations and mixtures of the elements, plagues and pedilen- 
ces, and floods and conflagrations, are produced, by which 
multitudes are at once fwept away, and perifli under one 
common fatality. Thus greater caufes always overcome 
the lefs, and the ftronger the weaker; and, whenever the 
ffronger power prevails in any great mutation, the more 
general effects we have been (peaking of happen. 
“ Hence it is demonffrable, that, though fimple caufes 
have natural properties peculiar to themfelves, yet there 
are other caufes equally fimple, which operate in contact 
with thofe of the former, and by which the bare fimple 
nature of each is changed by mutation into a third quality, 
which differs in nature from either of the former ; accord¬ 
ing to which fuch fimple natural properties are either part¬ 
ly or wholly changed, or otherwife fruffrated or diverted. 
As for example, in the weather, the fun, in his own fimple 
nature, is the fountain of light and heat; but, being join¬ 
ed with Saturn, never fails, if not prevented by fome other 
apparent caufe, both in winter and Cummer, to produce 
cold and cloudy weather. But, if Mars happens to be 
joined in configuration with them, the cafe is altered, and, 
inffead of cold, the weather will not fail in fummer to be 
hot and fultry, though at the fame time cloudy, corruf- 
ciiotts, and diforderly; and, in winter, remarkably clofe 
and warm, though lowering and turbulent; more efpecial- 
ly if attended with a new or (till moon. Thefe are faCts 
founded upon a rational hypothefis, and proved by long 
experience and conffant obfervation. Calculators of na¬ 
tivities, therefore, when they Ipeak of thofe things which 
may come to pafs, can do it in no other way, conformable 
to truth and nature, but by the power and effects of the 
circumambient matter or afpefts, which, being more or 
lefs inclined to fuch a temperature, will produce fuch an 
accident, ftature of body, or difpofition of mind. 
“Thefe obfervations become clear and obvious, from a 
confideration of the planets and their afpeCts. The Sun 
is found by nature to caufe heat and drynefs in a moderate 
degree. His power and influence are mod vifible to our 
fenles, by reafon of his magnitude, and the manife.lt mu¬ 
tations of the feafons ; for, by how much the nearer lie ap¬ 
proaches to our vertical point, by fo much the more he ftirs 
up heat in us, and fubjects us to his nature. But the nature 
of theMoon ischiefly moilteiiing ; for,beingnearerthe earth, 
(he exhales the vapours of all moift bodies, and thus evidently 
affeCts all moilt things, and putrefies them; but, becaufe 
of her analogy with the Sun, fhe moderately participates 
of heat. The planet Saturn cools and dries, becaufe lie 
is far diftant from the heat of the fun and vapours of the 
earth; but iie cools mod abundantly, and dries mod mo¬ 
derately. The Georgium Sidus, though he might have 
great influence on Saturn and Jupiter, yet can have little 
or none upon the earth, on account of his vaft diftance, 
being fcarcely vifible to the naked eye. The other planets 
receive virtue alfo according to their difiance, and to the 
configurations they make witli the fun and moon. Mars 
drieth much, and burns, becaufe of his hot and fiery na¬ 
ture; but the influence of Jupiter is temperate, becaufe 
he moves between the coldnefs of Saturn and the heat of 
Mars. Venus hath nearly the fame temperature, but in 
a different meafure, becaufe of her vicinity to the lun; 
fhe moiftens mod, as does the Moon, through the greatnefs 
of their light, by which they a flu me the tnoiftiire of the 
vapours of tlie earth. Mercury fometimes dries, and fome- 
tinies moiftens ; according to his pofition and configuration 
with other liars. Hence arife the four principal humours, 
whence all bodies are engendered. Two of them are ge¬ 
nerative 
