AS the first Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in October the last, was ushered into the World by a frightful Blazing Comet, so their second Conjunction is attended with the two formidable Eclipses of the two great Luminaries of the Heavens. The first of the Sun going before it, upon the 17th of this present January; and the second of the Moon coming after it, upon the first of February follow­ing. Insomuch that this middle Conjunction (seeing these two superior Planets will again have their third and last Conjunction upon the second of May next) is made the more Illustrious by a double Deliquium, or ECLIPSE of both the Sun and Moon, within a few days of it, before and after, it happening betwixt the twentieth and thirtieth of this January. All which have this strange concurrency, to render this present Conjunction the more conspicuous, and to be of greater Observation and Authority to its Spectators.

I have early and late taken my strictest Prospect of the Progress and Re­gress that these two great Planets have made since their last October Con­junction; and I have observed they have been running Retrograde, untill at length they came into an equal distance each from other, and from the Lions Heart in a direct line, so that then these three great Stars in this posture and situation did represent the exact Form of Orions Girdle (which the vulgar call the Ladys Yard-wand) bright Jupiter being the middle Nail, Cor Leonis and sullen Saturn were the two end-Nails of that Coelestial Yard-staff. Then Jupiter marcheth off from his middle Sta­tion to a farther distance from that fixed Star the Lions Heart, and the two wandering Stars Saturn and Jupiter make a nearer approach each to other all December last, and all this January hitherto: I have beheld every clear Evening, these two Planets arising in a perpendicular posture, but in the Morning towards their setting, they have a traverse Aspect, running near the same line in the Heavens, where famous Arcturus runneth, and [Page 1]every Night, they come nearer and nearer each other, until they shall within a few days compleat their second Conjunction, which will happen near the same time that the two great Luminaries (the Sun and the Moon) shall have their compleat Conjunction also, so that the Body of the Moon interposeth it self betwixt our Sight and the Sun, and cover its Light and Lustre from us full nine Digits: yea, and the Moon shall be Eclipsed by the Interposition of the shadow of the Earth soon after it; and that which makes all this still more Marvelous, is, these three admirable Conjun­ctions (of the two superior Planets, of the two great Luminaries, and of the Moon with the Earths shadow) shall be all almost in Direct Opposition one to another.

All these prodigious Providences, thus admirably concurring at one Juncture of time, do sound a loud ALARM to us, to ponder both the Premises and the Consequences in our Minds, until they have a kindly Influence upon our Affections: To omit the Planets Conjunction upon which I am after so Copious, the Theme I here Handle is the Eclipses, which puts the World upon a Gaze: The Prophet Joel in the old Testa­ment, and our Lord Christ in the new, foretold of strange and stupendious Eclipses should be fore-runners of the Lords coming. Joel 2.31. Mat. 24.29. &c. Yea, both the Gospels and the Epistles in the Holy Scrip­ture do foreshew that there will be prodigious events and appearances both in the Heavens, on the Earth and in the Sea. Luke 21.25. and that the whole frame of the universe shall shake and tremble, &c. as Houses, when ready to Fall, give some great Cracks to fore signify it. 2 Pet. 3.10. &c. That Eclipse of the Sun at Christs Death, Math. 27.45. was certainly su­pernatural. For (1.) It was at Full Moon upon the fourteenth day of the Moons Age at the Pass-over, whereas natural and ordinary Eclipses of the Sun are always at New Moon in Conjunction with it and not in Oppo­sition to it. 2. That Darkness by a Total Eclipse, continued [ [...]] over all the Earth from the sixth hour to the ninth: which could not be natural, for the Body of the Sun being bigger than the Body of the Moon, doth soon wade from under its shadow, and never continueth totally darkned for one hour much less for three. (3.) That Eclipse was univer­sal, which no natural can be, being always particular to those Provinces which have the nighest propinquity to the Cone of that shadow; whereas this was not in Judaea onely (as Origen mistakes) but Tiberius ('tis said) was sensible of it at Rome, and Dionysius Writes to Policarp, That they had this Darkness in Aegypt, and he was so astonish'd at this Complication of many Miracles in one▪ That he cryed out [Naturae patitur Deus aut na­tura periclum] either Nature now determineth, or the God of Nature now suffereth. This dreadfdl Eclipse happened under the fift Climacterical [Page 2]Conjunction of the two same Superior Planets since the Creation, wherein the Sun hid his Head (as it were) in a black Mantle, as ashamed to be­hold those shameless Indignities done to the Sun of Righteousness (Mal. 4.2.) by the Sons of Men.

The next formidable Eclipse we read of in History, is under the sixt Great Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter, 800 years after this, upon the approaching Death of that famous Emperor Charles the Great, who dyed on the fift of the Kalends of February 814. Whereof Eginardus, writing that Emperours Life, saith thus [Signa multa praecesserunt mortem glorio­si & Sancti Imper. Caroli, nam Eclipsis solis & Lunae; ultra solitum fuit. Apparuit per septem Dies macula Nigri Coloris in sole.] Many strange Prodigies did preceed this Great Charles's Death, as Eclipses extraordina­ry both of the Sun and of the Moon, and a great back Spot was beheld in the Sun for seven days; which could not be Mercury (as some said) be­cause of his swift Motion; nor could it be a Meteor (as others affirm'd) because that is too high a place for these Exhalations, according to the known Rules of Phylosophy. It must therefore be [Digitus Dei] the Fin­ger of God, pointing at that great Providence, which removed the [...] or impediment which had thitherto hindred the further and fuller Revelation of the Man of Sin.

All Artists have held Eclipses to be the most precious Treasure of A­strology and Chronology, giving the certain and indubitable Characters of Time, as also that they have an irresistible Influence upon Countries, Cities and Inhabitants that lay under the Line of them. Thus mighty remarks have been upon them in all Ages, both before and after Christ. As (1.) Plutarch▪ Varro and Dionysius observe, that there was an Eclipse of the sun at Romulus's Birth, who was the first founder of Rome in the year of the World 3180. and Cicero says, There was another E­clipse of the Sun at Romnius's Death in the year of the World 3235. and may not we hope, that these Eclipses now may Prognosticate, that God will Reckon with Rome, and Eclipse her Glory, that the Vials of Gods Wrath shall be shortly poured down upon her, for her so long filling the Church with Heresy, all States with Blood, evil Men with Plots, Treache­ry and Treasons, but good Men with a due sense of the many Holy Cheats, of that ill Infalible Chair. I omit those Eclipses that Fore-ran Xerxes: over-running Greece in the year 3469. mentioned by Herodotus: that which portended the Peloponnesian Warr, recited by Xenophon and Thu­cydides; That of Great Alexander routing Darius, &c. and that of the Fall of Julius Caesar, and many other portentous ones.

(2.) All along since Christ, great remarks have attended them, as be­sides that afore-mention'd in the 8th Century, before great Charles his [Page]Fall: in the 11th Century so great an Eclipse of the Sun hapned at Noon, that the very Stars were seen in the Heavens, and then did the Sun of the glorious Gospel set at Noon upon the poor Waldenses, who were univer­sally Massacred by the cruel Croisadoes of the Roman Beast. Yet God re­serv'd an Holy Remnant for Royal Ʋse: but those that fall out near Cli­macterical Conjunctions (as is afore hinted) are most formidable, as was that in 1652. which wanted not its direful Consequences and Confusions.

(3.) The Inhabitants of China (who think themselves to have two Eyes, but other people of the World to have but one) are much affrighted with Eclipses. Looking upon the Sun and Moon, as Man and Wife, and that they are angry with them under these Deliquiums. &c.

(4) However 'tis the Threatning of an angry God, that the Sun shaell be turned into Darkness, and the Moon into Bloud, Joel 2.31. Mat. 24, 35. A Solar Eclipse especially towards its Declension (as this is about three a Clock in the Afternoon) portends Declensions to fall somewhere, and more especially being attended with a Lunar Deliquium, so soon after, &c. But most especially, when it ushers in two Conjunctions of the two superior Planets, the one in this Month of January, and the other in May follow­ing, (both in Leo) this year 83, a year, which Mr. Gadbury thought (in his Praediction on 78) would produce strange effects, &c. I heartily Pray, that this Declension may fall upon Rome and all its proud Helpers, and that this bright Sun of Righteousness may not set at Noon upon our Heads, as Amos 8.9. and our Land be not Darkned in a clear Day: Pray earnest­ly— Nobiscum, Christe, Maneto.

Are we not upon the very Tropicks and turning points of Time, &c. The effects of the Retrograde Motion of these two Planets were direful in the 8th Century, and they have been no less already in this 16th. God grant better, &c.

AS this great, if not greatest & Climactericael Conjunction is Vsherd into the World by a great Blazing Comet, so is this Discourse up­on the Former by my Half-sheet upon the Latter; which falling into the Hands of a very Learned and Honourable Gentleman, not only found most pleasing Acceptance (notwithstanding the Noto­rious Omissions in it by its negligent Printer, who left out two lines in two places of the First page, and another most material One in the Second, to wit? the Third under Moses, the Fourth under Solomon, the Fifth under Christ; so he curtaild my Copy, if not made it Non-sense.) But also it brought forth a Request from Him to me for an Inlargement upon this great Conjunction: Touching the Comet (which was the Usher to this Conjunction) I observed, It quite left its Nor­thern Latitude (where it first Appear'd) and is passed to the Southern, posting away from Ʋrsa Major, by Arcturus to a little beyond the Aequinoctial line, where it hath overtaken the Beams of the Sun, and wherein it hath hid it self from our Sight, for the present. But may (If its matter be not all spent before) be seen again in the Morning (when it hath out run the Sun) so come neerer to its Signal Lord and Master (the Superior Planets conjoyned) to which as an Harbing­ger and Herald it hath sent out General Summons to look up and ad­mire: Leaving therefore the Servant (the Comet) who hath now Left us, (having done its Errand) and we have Lost it by its Disappearance, let us attend upon its Master (the Conjunction) which it attended up­on, and hath sounded its Trumpet (both North and South) to Rouze up Spectators of this so wonderful position of the Planets, the like whereof hath not been for Twenty or Two Hundred or Eight Hundred Years past, as the Sequel doth demonstrate in following Remarks the (1st. Remark is, Heaven (according to Scripture no­tion, omitting the distinct orbs found out by Philosophy) is 3 fold Coelum expansum stellatum & gloriosum. (1) the Firmament where­in the Fowls do flye, which is the Aorial Heaven, and hence, 'tis said [the Fowls of Heaven] Math. 6.26. (2) the Aetherial or Syde­rial Heaven, wherein the Sun, Moon and Stars are seated and do shine forth, hence are they call'd the Stars of Heaven. Gen. 22.17. Deut. 1.10. &c. (3) the Empireal or glorious Heaven the uppermost of all, the Seat of the Blessed into which the Apostle had his Rapture. 2. Cor. 12.2. [Page 4]where glorifi [...]d Saints, and glorious Angels dwell with the great God, hence 'tis said, the Angels of Heaven. Math. 24.36. 'tis hard to open so much as a Window or Casement for letting men see the Incom­prehensible light of that glorious Lodging, which is the Palace Roy­al of the Almigh [...]y J [...]hovah, the Chief City and Court of the great King of Kings: Omitting this and the first. The Second is the Subject of our present Discourse.

The starry Heaven is but the Floor and P [...]vement of the glorious Pa­lace, though it be a Roof and Canopy over us; 'tis (as it were) the spangl [...]d Curtain of the Bride-grooms Chamber, the glorious and glit­tering Rou [...]h cast, the Ʋnder ceiling, or (at least) the Ʋtmost Court of the Coelestial Palace. The Great Creator hath shew'd much Skill, and laid out great Workman-ship upon Heaven, a most curious, ac­curate and elaborate Work, therefore is it call'd the Work of Gods Fingers, Isal. 8 3. (a Metaphor from Embroiderers and workers of Tapestry, choice Needle work, or Watch work, they must have nim­ble Fingers that work such fine Works with Expedition and Exact­ness) and therefore is the Maker of Heaven call'd [ [...]] an exact Artist (as the word signifies) Hebr. 11.10. and not only [ [...]] a Work man or Labourer, whose courser Work requires more the Strength of his whole Hand, than the Skill and Activity of his Fing­ers: The Great God Erected this most Immense Coelestial Vault with­out any Ladders, Scaffolds, Tools or Engines, and when He had so done, He Garnish'd it with Stars (as a Palace is adorned with stately Pictures.) Job. 26.13. If the Outside and Ʋnderceiling of Heaven be so glorious, how much more is the Inside unconceivably so. Isa. 64.4. 1. Cor. 2.9. Psal. 31.19. John the Divine (in an extasie of the Spirit) maketh search through all the Bowels of the Earth and Sea to find out all the precious Treasures hid in Both, as Gold, Pearls and precious Stones of all Sorts, and all this is done only to be a Dim sha­dow of Heavens excellency, Revel. 21.11. to 21. Yea to resemble the Glory of the new Jerusalem in the last times as to her Walls, Win­dows, Gates, and the Pavement of her Streets upon which no dirty Dog shall ever trample. Isa. 54.11.12. Revel. 21.27. and 22.15. When Moses and the Elders got but a glimps of Gods Glory, they saw under the Feet of the God of Israel as it were the paved Work of a Saphir-Stone. Exod. 24.10. God dwells in inaccessible Light. 1. Tim. 6.16. Moses could only see the Back-parts of that Glory. Exod. 33.23. Yea such is that surpassing Splendor, that the very Angels cover their Faces with both their Wings as with a double Scarff (just as men clap their Hands upon their Eyes, when the Lightning flashes in their Faces) Isa. 6.2,

The (2d) Remark is, the Stars in the starry Heaven are Number­less and many of them Nameless: Psal. 147.4. God can both Name and Number them, which is an Exclusive Expression, intimating God only, but no Man can do it. Augustin tells of Aratus and Eudoxus who vainly vaunted, that they could both Name and Number them. De civit. Dei lib. 16. But a better Man than either of them, Abra­ham, one who was (as the Rabbins say) a great Astronomer could never count the Number of them, as God saith to him [ If thou be a­ble &c.] Gen. 15.5. Implying it an Impossibility to do it. Yea Adam himself (in his State of Innocency) could give Names to all the Beasts of the Field and to all the Fowls of the Aire, Gen. 2.16. But not a word do we read of his giving Names to the Stars of Heaven: God saith expresly the Host of Heaven cannot be Numbred. Jer. 33. [...]2. Hereupon Man is forced to call a whole House of Stars all by one Name, such a Constellation, containing each a Bundle of Stars.

The (3d) Remark is, as the Stars are to be admired for their being above Name and Number, so likewise no less admirable is both their Station and Motion: The Great God hath set a Tabernacle in the Hea­vens for all those Nameless and Numberless Stars as well as for the Sun Psal. 19.4.5. Each individual Star hath its distinct and parti­cular Station, (as every great Cart-nail hath its proper place round about the Ring or Rimm of the Cart-wheel) where it remains un­moveable, every Star hath kept its Station ever since the Creation to this Day, not one particular Star hath left its peculiar Place for almost 6000 Years: Though some Angels left their first Habitation. Jude v. 6. Yet never did any one Star forsake its own Tabernacle where­in its Creator at first placed it. Indeed Metaphorical Lucifer did fall from Heaven. Isa. 14.12. But the Literal and Real one (to witt, that call'd Venus, the Morning and Evening-star) never yet did so: The Stars are call'd the Host of Heaven. Jer. 33.22. They are Gods Army, that have their Stands and Stations, they all Stand in Battalia by the Appointment of their Maker, and Master, Jehovah is their Chief Lord General, who hath set them in Rank and File by an Ordinance of Heaven. Jer. 31.35. &c. No Star ever yet brake its Rank from the Foundation of the World: Yet this Coelestial Host or Army hath not only its Stand and Station, but also its March and Motion, yea (which is the more marvellous) they both Keep their Station, and hold their Motion at one and the same point of Time: Their Station is certain and peculiar though their Motion be constant, and perpetual: This may be exemplyfied by a familiar Instance, e­very Cart-nail in the Tire of the Wheel, keeps its place where it is fixed, while the Wheel runneth its Round, and makes a progress; [Page 6]'Tis not the Nail, but the Wheel that makes the Circular Motion, no more is it the Star that moves, but the Orb or Sphere (wherein it is fixed) which carrys about the Star (as the Wheel the Nail) in its continual Circulation: Thus likewise 'tis further demonstrated by a well-disciplin'd Army, every Soldier not only keeps to his own Colours, but also marches orderly in his place (whether a left Hand or a right Hand Man) to his Rendezvouz, he duly observing his Generals Order both for his Station where, and his Motion whether at one and the same Time: And no doubt but Gods Host of Heaven is a well disciplin'd Army, every Star in Heaven is under a Law and Or­dinance made by the God of Heaven, God asks Job [knowest thou the Ord nances of Heaven:] Job. 38 33. Canst thou tell how to order the whole Host of Heaven? (as Master and Governor over them) or canst thou guide or direct) the Motion of (that single Constellation) Arcturus and his Sons, ver. 32. which ever whirleth Round about the Northern pole, but never goes down the Horizon, 'tis the work of God alone to order every Star in its Course. Yea, to make the mat­ter still more admired, this motion of the Stars is made either without wandring or weariness. 1st. without wandring All the fixed Stars do con­stantly keep their way, and their time as well as Place and Station) in both their Nocturnal and Diurnal Motion: (1) they do hold their way (wherein their Maker hath confined them) with so much exactness, that they have no Epicycles (as the Planets have) nor any Eccentrick Motions, but fulfil their Circles and Revolutions without the least Deviation: Hence it is observed, that those Inhabitants (directly under the aequinoctial) have a prospect of all and every Star equally for 12. Hours above the Horizon) for there the Sphere is Direct, but where it is oblique, some Stars rise together, yet do not set together, yet none vary an Hairs-breadth from their appointed Lines of Circumference: Neither (2) do they vary the time (ap­pointed them) but do precisely observe it even to a Minute, hereup­on the Psalmist celebrates Gods Praise: For the outgoings of the Mor­ning and Evening. Psal. 65.8. for the exact Vicissitude of Day and Night, and the admirable Equipage the Host of Heaven marcheth in according to the Ordinances of Heaven from the Lord of Hosts. Jer. 31. 35. The Sun, Moon and Stars know and observe precisely their time both of going down and of rising up. Psal. 104.19.20. which all the Powers of Hell and Potontates on Earth can neither Hinder nor Hastem Job. 38.12. Psal. 74.16.17. Yea so exact and regular is their Ma­tion, that Men (who knows not where themselves shall be, or what shall befall them to Morrow. Prov. 27.1.) can write Ephemerides what Eclipses will be for many Years to come, in what point of Hea­ven [Page 7]and what Hour of Day or Night, such and such Positions, Con­junctions, Oppositions &c. will happen, yea not only when the Sun will rise and set all the Round Year, but also, that the Tail-Star of the Great Bear will early and late point directly to Arcturus, that Arcturus shall rise exactly when the Sun sets upon the 10th. of March: and that the great Star of the Lyon and of the Great-Dog, though they rise together, yet the Dog Star will set some Hours before Cor Leonis, because their Sphere is oblique (as to us) this latter being neerer to the Tropick of Cancer, as the former is to that of Capricorn: these and many more Instances (not mentioned) may demonstrate how they all exactly observe their time and way without wandring. Yea and (2dly.) All this the Stars do Without weariness also. In an Host of men on Earth, some Soldiers will be found both wandring and weary: But in this Host of Heaven (so called) As none are found wandring (in sano sensu.) So nor can we find one Star, that may be reputed weary: The Prophet compares God to a Chief Commander calling forth his Companies (the Host of Heaven, all in his Muster-Roll, and laying his Commands upon them. though some Soldiers may fail in their March either through Fear or Feebleness (as that Aegyptian did. 1. Sam. 30.11.12.13.) but not so much as one Star ever failed. Isa. 40.26. though their March be many Millions of Miles round the Circumference, and that without Rest and Respit Night or Day, Yea and now for almost 6000 Years. But one In­stance (for brevity) to wit, that afore mentioned. 'Tis a Matter of of great Admiration, that Canis Major and Cor Leonis (among the fixed Stars) should Run a Race Round about the Globe of the Earth (which, the Hebrews say, is distant from Heaven a 500. Years Journey) rise together at their first Creation in one point of time, yet though they have been Running their restless Course, for neer 6000 Years now, neither of them hath fainted or failed in the way, so as at any time to outrun each other, but still both of those Great Stars observe a precise point of time for their Rising together now, as they did at their first setting forth, yea and of setting together to those un­der the Aequinoctial, though not so to us through the obliquity of their Circle and Circumference in our Horrizon: The same may be said of the other Stars.

The (4th.) Remark is, that the Great God hath created not only Innumerable and Ʋnnameable Stars, that are fixed in the 8th. Sphere (call'd the Starry Heaven) but also seven Planets, or wandring Stars (as the word Planet fignifies) so called, not [...] Simply, but [...] Secundum quid, or Comparatively: If those Planets be Simply and by themselves considered, they have made their several Revolutions [Page 8](in their own distinct Orbs) at the most fixed and most unchangeable certain Periods from the Beginning of the World to this present day; but to speak comparatively (in Respect of the fixed Stars) all these Planets are placed under them, have a differing Motion from them, and hold an unequal distance to them, yea and one to another in Respect of their (seeming) Vagabond and Eccentrick Motion, they have various Longitudes, Latitudes, Conjunctions, Oppositions, Sextile, Square and Trine Asp [...]cts. Sometimes they move more swiftly, some­times more slowly, as they are higher or lower in their Epicycles, sometimes Retrograde, & Direct, or Stationary, never keeping the same distance among themselves; or to any of the fixed Stars, nor hold­ing one and the same Situation in the Firmament as the fixed do: Notwithstanding all this, no Stars wander less than they do, but have a most certain, constant, stated, and regular Motion; Duely performing the precise points and periods of their compass in their appointed Times: As the Sun knows his going down. Psal. 104.19. So do all the other six Planets comprehended in one Ver [...]e, Post [Sim Sum] Sequitur, proxima [Luna] subest: Wherein [S] is Saturn [J] Jupiter [M] Mars. The next [S] is Sol the Sun, [V] Venus and [M] Mercury with Luna the Moon. All these 7 are call'd wandring Stars for the Reasons above named, and this Denomination hath a Di­vine warrant from the Apostle Jude v. 13. where wandring Stars are mentioned: [ [...]] in the sense only of the common Judg­ment of Sense which beholds them carryed about in a differing Course to the whole Circuit of Heaven beside: Two of those 7. Planets are these 2. Great Luminaries or Lights of the World, the Sun and Moon both which be a whole Bundle of Wonders. The Sun is the Prince of Planets, yet (as his Hebrew Name [Shemesh] Signifies) is a Servant to Gods Servants: He cometh out of his Chamber as a Bridegroom (with marvellous Splendor, Pomp and Bravery, when he first sheweth him­self above our Horizon) and Rejoyceth as a Champion to Run his Race. Psal. 19.4.5. This he Runs with such a wonderful Swiftness, as ex­ceedeth the Eagles Flight, more than the Eagle exceeds the slow Motion of the Snail ( Bellarmine saith, the Sun runneth seven Thou­sand Miles in the Eight part of an Hour. Bell. de Ascens. Mentis in Deum grad. 7.) and with such Incomparable Sweetness. Eccless. 11.7. that Eudoxus the Philosopher profess'd his Willingness to be burnt up presently by the Sun, so he might be but admitted to come so near it, as to learn the admirable Nature of it, and Chrysostom cannot but wonder at the Suns darting down its Rayes towards the Earth, where­as all Fire shooteth and hasteth up toward Heaven. I might mention many more Marvels in the Sun, were it not Besides my present De­sign [Page 9]Design. As likewise in the other Great Light, the Moon, cal'd Hebr. Jareach of Rauach to Refresh or Refrigerate, because she cools the Earth with her Influences: and Moses mentioneth, that as the Sun by warmth, so the Moon by Moysture, make the Earth fruitful Deut. 33.14. as some will needs place Hell in the Hollow of the Sun, so others conceit a World in the Moon, the Thinner part to be the Sea, and the Thicker, (which is easy to discern, not all alike lightsom) to be the Earth: However no Planet hath such Changeable Aspects, yet Astronomers Affirm, she hath as much light in her Wane as in her Full, only her bright side is turned toward Heaven: Hence Dr. Hackwel hath an Excellent Note, that therefore God seem'd to set Her lowest in the Heavens and neerest to the Earth (of all the 7. Planets) to put us daily in mind of the Constancy in Heavenly, and Inconstancy of Earthly things, Her self (in some sort) partaking of both, though in a Different manner, of the one in her Substance, and of the other in her Visage: to say nothing of the Ecclipses which are the wonders of the World, and which Metamorphose (even) the very Haters of A­strology to become stark-staring Star-Gazers: to say but little of the two Planets next above the Moon, yet under the Sun to wit, Venus and Mercury, both which do attend alway upon the Sun, as Courtiers do upon the King, never going far from Him, Venus never more than 48 degrees and Mercury but 30, which is the Reason, why it is so sel­dom seen, and why both have no other Aspect to the Sun but Con­junction, whereas the other Planets have oppositions &c. The Morning Star (commonly call'd venus fot its Beauty and Bravery) is the con­stant Companion of the Sun, and next in bigness (as to Appearance) to the two Great Lights casting a shadow as the Moon, 'tis seen long upon the Day, and is not darken'd by the Moon in the Night, Sed ipsius Contactu fit lucidior Aureo colore in Candorem deffuso. The neer Approach of the Moon Changes only its golden Complexion into a more splendid brightness. These two (in a word) ( Venus and Mer­cury) are call'd Homodromi, that is, Fellow-Runners. because They Run almost in the same course together, and fulfills their periods not far asunder, never much Remote from the Pallac [...] Royal or Pre­sence-Chamber of the Sun their King, which is also the Reason, why these two never have Ortum & Occasum Cosmicum, they do not R [...]se, and set with the Sun in that part or point of Heaven &c. which is opposite. Both keep nigh the Sun sometimes going before it, and sometimes following After.

But (omitting the Inferior) my main concern at present is the Superior Planets, under which the Sun is seated as the Center of all the Stars and the Eye of the World. God hath placed it, in the midst of [Page 10]the Orbs, that it might the more commodiously give light (It self being the fountain thereof) to both the Superiour and Inferiour Stars, and that neither by its propinquity (If in the Moons Orb) it should scorch the Earth, nor by its too much Distance (in the 7th or Saturns Sphere) Sublunary things should be starved through want of warmth from it. The Sun is seated in the midst of Heaven (3 Planets above. 3 below him) as a King in the midst of his Kingdom, that He may Diffuse his Influence on every hand, and Keep all sides down in an equal poize and posture (as Plutarch saith) by his middle presence: The Planet (commonly call'd for Distinction-sake, Saturn, is the Highest above the Sun, and next below the Starry Heaven or Sphere of the fixed Stars, appearing of a dusky colour, as a Star of the Se­cond magnitude, cold, dry and Melancholick, and (having the High­est and Widest Circumference) cannot compleat his Circuit under the space of Thirty years. Therefore 'tis said to be of a slow Motion in his peculiar Cycle, to say nothing of his Epicycle or Eccentrick Motion: That, call'd Jupiter is the next to Saturn exceeding splendid (so that 'tis oft mistaken by the Unskilful, for the Morning Star, or for the great Dog Star, appearing as a Star of the first Magnitude, that may Ecclipse Saturn, when their latitude (which seldom Happens) be E­qual at their Conjunction. This Planet Accomplisheth his Zodaical period in the space of twelve years. Having a narrower Sphere than Saturn, yet a five times bigger body, so that no Planet but the Sun is greater than it, being 95. times ( Cardanus saith a 100 times) bigger than the whole Earth.

The third Planet is call'd Mars, less than Jupiter, Higher Colour'd than Saturn, of a Red, Fiery, Cholerick Complexion, who (still in a narrower Circle) Finisheth his Revolution in two years Time: The Wisdom of our and Their Creator may be much wonder'd at here in two Respects (to mention no more now of the many Besides) that (i) Saturn, which cooleth much, and Mars, which Heateth much should have Jupiter placed-betwixt them that it might temper and qualify those two Extreams with its more moderate, Temperate, and Benign Beams: (2) that there should be such a Concreated Harmony betwixt the Sun and those 3. Superior Planets (as is aforesaid) That Supreme law which their maker laid, and left upon those 3. was, that they should observe a constant Congruity in all their Eccentrick Motions with the Sun, whom they seem (saith Alsted) to Reverence as their King, This Divine Command They have kept (to the shame of us who frequently transgress that Law laid on us in Disowning, Dishonoring and Disobeying Christ our King) for almost 6000 years, for as oft as they are in Conjunction, so oft do they betake themselves to the top [Page 11]of their Epicycles as to their Chappel or closet, in Reverence (as it were) of so Royal a Guests presence, they Depart into the utmost borders of their own Dominions, they give place to their Approaching King, stands off at a due Distance and there Receives (as it were) com­mands and Influences from him: And then, when (After the Conjun­ction) the Sun (whose Motion is swifter) withdraws from thence, these Planets do Descend from the Top or Tower of their Epicycle and (like officious Courtiers) Attend upon their Prince going his Progress, and so they follow the Sun (their Lord) so far, as till he is gone off through the third part of the Zodiack, till (by his quicker speed) He hath out-run them the space of four (of the Twelve) signs. Then, at length, as if they had fully Discharged their Duty and Homage, they make a stand (call'd at that time Stationary) for some Days, casting (as it were) their long looks after him, and at that distance they throw him a Farewel: When this is done, They begin their Retrograde Motion, Running back into the bottom of their Epicycle, and let­ting themselves down into the lowest part thereof (as oft as the Sun is gone from them into the opposite part of the Heavens to them) and therefore (as Alsted excellently observeth) they seem to bewail the ab­sence of their King, and (as it were) Humbly Request his Return: After this, when they Discern the Sun drawing off from his opposition to them, and Returning towards them again, then they, Ascending from the bottom, the place of their bewailing (still contrary to the order of the Signs) Hasten out to meet their King, and (as with some Salutations) they Entertain the Sun, while He is yet distant from them the space of a Trigon (3 or 4 Signs) by becoming Stationary, or making another stand again, this done, and the Sun Approaching still nearer and nearer, They then Run before him (as his joyful He­ralds and Harbingers) in a right and Direct course according to the order of the Signs, and as with great Gladness glide up to the Top of their Tower again, that they might (as it were) resign up the near­est and most Commodious and Honorable place to the Sun their King: This in short is the constant Harmonious Motion of these 3 Superior Planets and the Sun. The Epiphonema cannot be less, than an Heart Refreshing Admiration, & a Soul-Ravishing Adoration of the most migh­ty and only Wise Jehovah who Created and hath ordered these Asto­nishing Stars &c. The works of the Lord are great, sought out by all those that have pleasure therein Ps. 111.2. If all the works of God be great, those on the Earth and in the Sea, then much more those in the Heavens, no less than great works can fall from the hand of so Great a God, they are all Magnalia, so should all be magnifyed, not neglected or slighted: It should be a pleasure to us (as it hath been [Page 12]no little to me) to search and find out such wonderfull works, Though they be Great, yet are they to be seriously sought into, and found out by those that Delight therein, and the deeper they dive into them (not for vain Curiosity, but from solid Sanctity) the sweeter they find them: God hath shewn singular Skill in all (Esp. in these) his works, and He will have Men to admire him their Maker. They all (a centro ad Coelum) are Tip'd and Guilt with a Glory upon them, this the Brutish Man understands not Ps. 92.5.6. Neither his ordinary nor extraordina­ry Handy-work, whereas a woe is Denounc'd upon those that Regard them not Isa. 5.12.15 Ps. 28 4.5. They shall have like for like &c. God will Reward them according to the work of their hands, because they Regard not the work of Gods Hands.

The (5th.) Remark to omit the Conjunctions of the Inferior Planets, (because the frequency thereof darkens the Significancy) beside their Inferiority) the Superior only are here to be handled and the other but Obiter (as occasion offereth) and Mars also, though it carrys a correspondency with Saturn and Jupiter in the Quality of their Moti­ons (both as to Longitude and as to Laittude) these three differ only in the Quantity thereof: Mars fulfills his Cycle far sooner than the other, so its Motion hath not so many Remarks upon it, Saturn and Jupiter have many Aspects, both towards the other Planets and one towards another, as Sextil, Trine, Square, Opposition and Conjuncti­on, waving all the other four, I shall insist upon the Last named: Their Conjunction must needs of all their other Aspects, be most Re­markable seeing then and therein only, those two mightyest Planets (as it were) twist together their most powerful Beams, this they do, when they come near each, as do the Sun and the great Dog-star from the 20th, of July to the 27th. of August, all which are call'd Dog-days from the Hot season produced by the twisted Rays both of Sol and Sirius: Indeed in true Propriety of Speech, a Close Conjuncti­on cannot be call'd an Aspect, for when they have no distance where­in to look one upon another, but are in the same Degree and Minute of a Sign together; Thus may it sometime come to pass, that Jupi­ter may totally Ecclips Saturn, as being both in a lower Orb, (& com­ing 'twixt us and it) and of a larger Body, seeing Saturn is but as a Star of the 2d. Magnitude, whereas Jupiter as one of the first: Mr. Wing (in his Astron Britannica pag. 1280. writeth, that in the Year 1661. May the 3d. at 11. in the Night, he saw Saturn totally Ec­clips'd by the Moon, which is a far lesser Body than it, though it seem greater through its nearness to us, and the others great Di­stance from us: That these two Superior Planets (as also Mars) should be sometimes Direct (going strait forward) sometimes Retro­grade [Page 13](stepping backward) in their Motions, and sometimes Statio­nary (standing, as we say-stock-still) while all the other Stars (call'd fixed) never do so, must needs be very marvellous; yet their strange Conjunctions one with another is far more a greater marvel, their Conjunction is Threefold, 1. Minima. 2. Media. 3. Maxima. or (as Artists phrase them) 1. Specialis, 2. Trigonalis, 3. Climacte­rica. These 3. several sorts of Conjunctions in the two Superior Pla­nets are caused thus, (1.) Saturn is of slowest Motion (as he is the highest Planet, and hath the largest Circle to run, seldom above 3. or 4. Minutes in a day, his mean Motion is (as some say) 2. Minutes and 11. Seconds, his swiftest Motion is but 6. Minutes: And if his Diurnal Motion be so slow, his Annual must be accordingly, which (according to Keplers Tables improved by Maginus) is computed not above 12. Degrees in 12. Months. The slowness of Saturns Motion is further illustrated by his several Postures, Retrograde, Direct and Stationary. He stands still (neither moving backward nor forward) for 3 or 4. (some say) five Days before he move backward, or con­trary to the Order and Succession of the 12. Signs, and as many days, before he go direct forward, that is, from one Degree of the sign to two, and so on to the rest, in which direct Posture the Sun and Moon, are always found, marching [...]ndways, and never are Stationary (as the other Five Planets be) or Retrograde, but by a Miracle as they both stood still in Joshuahs time, and the Sun went back 10 Degrees in that of Ahaz: Beside, Saturns Retrogradation continueth customa­rily (as some compute it) an 140. Dayes, all which considered, must constitute his Motion Annually to be very slow: (2.) Jupiter hath a smarter Motion, finishing his Revolution in about 12. Years, where­as Saturn doth require about 30. Years wherein to finish his Cycle. Yet Jupiters Motion (compar'd with that of all the other Planets) is very slow also, whose swiftest Diurnal Motion is but about 14. Minutes (as Saturns, at the most, is but 7. and Mars but 31.) be­side his being (as well as Saturn) Stationary five Days before he be Re­trograde, four Days before he go Direct, and his Retrogradation lasteth 120. Days. So that he likewise is of a slow Motion: Hence it comes to pass, that these 2. Planets do seldom make Application each to other in their distinct Spherical Motions, they seldom meet together in Con­junction, and they may meet together sometimes with their Beams when they do not exactly with their Bodies. The first sort of those three Conjunctions the 2. Superior Planets make, is call'd the Least, Meanest or Special, which falls out only once in about 20. Years, reckoning in the round Number all along, and not troubling either my self or the Reader with the Fractions or broken Numbers: This [Page 14]may be thus explained: Suppose Saturn and Jupiter do start and be­gin their Course in the Sign Aries (the first chief, and cardinal Sign of all the 12, in the Zodiack) Jupiter must run through all the 12. Signs, before Saturn can run through 4. of them, therefore (through this Inequality and Disproportion of these 2. Planets distinct Moti­on) before Jupiter can overtake Saturn, the Space of about 20. Years is required, that is the Time, whereat these 2. Planets do concur al­ways in some one of the 12 Signs, and in some one Degree, and Mi­nute thereof. This is call'd Conjunctio Minima: Their (2d) sort of Conjunctions is the Mean or M [...]ddle, for understanding this, we must suppose, the 12. Signs are divided into 4. Trigons, Triplicities, or Triangularitiys, the Fiery, Earthy, Aery, and watery Trigon; Aries, Leo, and Sagittary make the first, Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn, the second, Gemini, Libra and Aquarius, the third, Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces make the fourth; now Saturn and Jupiter, having made 10 Con­junctions (as Modern Astronomers reckon them, though the Antiens say 12. but of that after) in some one of those four Trigons, they then go off from that Triplicity, to make so many Meetings or Conjuncti­ons (be it 10. or 12.) in the next Trigon, as out of the fiery Triangu­larity into the Earthy &c. These many Meetings in each Trigon (be­fore they can go through all the 3. Signs thereof) require the Space of 198. Years and 265. or (according to Alsted) 236. days &c. by the Modern computation of making only 10. Meetings, but if 12. (after the Antients) be taken, then the measure of time will be, not only almost 200. (as is the former) but altogether 240. Years before the planetary Conjunctions have accomplish'd all their Revolutions in any one single Trigon, for which it is call'd the Trigonal or Mean Conjunction. Lastly the (3d.) Sort is the Great, Greatest most signal and cl [...]macterical Conjunction which happeneth very rarely in the World, for as the first falleth out once and but once in every Twenty Years successively, (as above) and as the second succeeds only in every two Hundred Years (which is the round Number, within little more than one Year above the Fractions) according to the Modern com­putation: So this third cannot fall out, till Saturn and Jupiter have run out all their 10 (or 12.) Conjunctions in the First (the fiery) Trigon, all the same Number in the second the Earthy, all likewise in the Aery the third, and lastly all in the last which is the watery by an orderly Progress. When these two superior Planets have run through all these four Trigons in successive Order, and at last comes to have another Conjunction after their last leaving the watery, and at the ve­ry beginning of their first meeting in the fiery Trigon, this is the full period of their whole Cycle, which is a Revolution (as Kepler com­putes [Page 15]it in the round Number) of 800. Years, by the Modern compu­tation: But according to the Computation of the Antients, (who reckon not by 10. but by 12. the 203. the Compass of Time then a­mounts to 960. Years betwixt one Total, chiefest and climacterical Conjunction (as this last is called, and another. Because this latter and antient account may serve us as some Salvo in the Sequel, let it be ob­served, that Men of great Name and Note, were of this Opinion: such as Haly Rodoan, Albumazar, Guido Bonatus, Abraham Avenaris, Alcabitius and many others, none contemptible in Astronomical Arr, perhaps it was (as 'tis said) their mistake for want of those ex­act Tables in those antient Times, which our later Times (standing as Pigmees upon those Gyants shoulders so might see further than they) have found out by greater Art and Industry. And perhaps even these Later Tables are not found faultless, for Engl. prophetick Merlin finds fault with Origan, Kepler and Alsted in their computing those Great Conjunctions short both of Truth and Experience pag. 53.54. conclu­ding, that there is not any certain Rule can be made, whereby with­out (a right) Calculation the true Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter may be found, for there will be Variation in Degrees, If no worse Er­rour happen.

However this Third is the Great Conjunction, which all Astronomers (both Antient and Modern) have unanimously put the most Stress upon in their Learned observations, not only because these 2. Superi­our Planets are (above all the other) most significant and efficacious, but also because this their climacterical Conjunction falleth out but once in almost every Thousand Year of the World: This new Consi­deration hath so transported (that Phaenix of his Age) Kepler and after him (that Ʋniversalist for all solid Learning) Alsted as jointly to say, that the Great Conjunction of these 2. Planets in the Fiery Trigon did portend the Revolution of some new Empire. Alsted Thesaur. Chronolog. fol. 482, further saying, that the Force and Fire there­of would burn up and destroy all the Dregs and dirty Doings of Rome, but above all others is the Divine Rapture of the Noble Dane Tycho Brache [...], who saith, It is worthy of our weightyest Observa­tion, that as all the former uneven Revolutions of the Fiery Trigon (namely the First, Third and Fifth▪) have ever been auspicious to the World, as having Ʋsherd in some signal and singular Favors of the Almighty to Man-kind; so the Seventh Revolution is the Fore-runner of a more happy and glorious State, than all the former past Ages have ever yet enjoyed &c. Tycho Brabe Astronom. Progymnasm: Tome the First, not far from the End, where that Atlas of the Ma­thematick Heaven divinely argues and inlarges upon it: This same [Page 16]famous Tycho Brahe doth further say, that the first (Exclusive) Re­volution of the fiery Trigon (and by consequence the first climacteri­cal Conjunction after the wordls Creation) happened under Enoch and under the (then) flourishing Estate of the Church as he calls it. The third he fixeth under Moses, and under the Deliverance of Israel from the Aegyptian slavery: The fifth (he places) under Christ, and un­der the Restoration of faln Man into Gods favor by the Redeemers passion &c. And his own words follow thus [Septima hac. Trigonorum in integrum (ab orbe condito) Restitutio quandam Sabbatismi occultam Rationem obtinet, & praecaeteris peculiare, magni (que) momenti aliquid de­nunciat.] That is, the seventh Conjunction Climacterical, in the Com­pleat Return of the fiery Trigon from the Foundation of the World, brings along with it in its bosom a certain secret Sabbatism or State of Rest, and something in demonstrates which is peculiar above all the Rest of the six Revolutions, and what is a matter of mightv mo­ment. Thus Tycho Brahe, d. 1. and much more to the same effect. Neither is this Atlas of sound Astronomy (as Learned Authors call him) singular in this Opinion, but profound Kepler went before him in the same Sentiments, and Acute Alsted follow'd after; this appears in his Encuclopaed. Page 1105. Where he concurs with Keplers Tables (Re­puted the best in the World) which, he relates, to run thus: (Though the period of each Climacterical Conjunction be computed to be com­pleated in the Compass of Seven Hundred Ninety four Years, two Hun­dred and fourteen Days, yet (saith he) for these Fractions or broken Numbers, Kepler reckoneth by a round Number, so that the Grand Revolution must be reckoned by the Round Number of Eight Hundred Years:] And he sets down Keplers Tables thus. The first great Conjuncti­on (Exclusive) from the beginning of time was in the 800. Year of the World, which was three Thousand, two Hundred Years before Christ: The second was in the Year of the World 1600, which must be two Thousand four Hundred before Christ. The third did fall out in Antio Mundi 2400. which was one Thousand fix Hundred before Christ: The fourth falls in the 3200. year of thé World, which must be be­fore Christ Eight Hundred Years. The fifth was when Christ came in the Flesh to work the Worlds Redemption, which was in the four Thousand Year of the World. The sixt falls out in 800. years after Christ, which was the four Thousand Eight Hundred year of the World: And the seventh (still multiplying by 8. from the first to this last) must fall out in the sixteenth Century, 1600 Years after Christ at what time the World is five Thousand six Hundred Years old: Al­sted adds further (in Page 1215.) that the Antients did measure Time by these Revolutions as by infallible Rules, as thus from the Cre­ation [Page 17](1) to Arts, Cities and Robberies is 800. Years. (2) to the Ʋni­versal Deluge and the first Monarchy 1600. Years (3) to Abraham and his Seed going out of Aegypt, 2400. (4) to the Destruction of the Kingdom of Israel and Judah, 3200. (5) to Christ and the Rise of the New Testament Church 4000. Years. (6) to the pressures of Christs Church 4800. (7) to the Church's Deliverance from those pressures by Antichrist &c. 5600. So that all these three most Eminent Authors did Vnanimously expect this seventh great Conjunction, or compleat Revolution of the Planets (which happeneth in this our sixteenth Cen­tury) that great and vniversal Changes would be the products there­of, seeing the Planets in this 7th. Revolution shall have run through their Circles, and then return to their first Beginnings again, which can­not but portend mighty things: This being supposed to be the last, sun­dry Astronomers questions, whether there ever will be any other af­ter this sev [...]nth.

The (6th.) Remark is the pious Meditation of the Antients, that the Septenary or Seventh Number is a plenary, perfect and mystical Num­ber, which (in Scripture) hath a peculiar signification, 'tis com­pounded of 3. and 4. the Ternary or Three is the Number of God our Creator, who is one in Three and Three in one; the Quaternary or Four is the Number of Man (the Creature) who is made up of the four Elements as are also all Sublunary things call'd Elementary com­pound Bodies; hence it is that all things have a wonderful Harmo­ny of Co [...]aerency and Rest in the Septenary Number; hereupon Phi­losophy calls it [Numerus primus, Virgineus, Sacer & Quietarius] (1) The first Number because it made up the first Week (2) The Virgin Number, because great is its force and efficacy (as a Virgin is in the Flower and Strength of Age, so every Seventh Year is computed Cli­macterical and Seven Nines (or 63.) is accounted the great one, as 7. Years (in Law) is the Term of a Mans life, and 3 Sevens are aequi­valent to 3 Lives; (3) 'Tis call'd a Sacred Number because it flows from the Ternary, which is the Number of God, and the Quaternary, the Number of the World, as is abovesaid, this Note savors not so much of Superstition as it Respects the Nature of Harmony; hence the Pocts Phrase Perfection of Prosperity by ter (que) quater (que) Beati] a 3 fold and a 4 fold Happiness: (4) 'Tis the Resting number because the seventh Day and the Seventh Year in sacred Writ were Sabbatical: Every week is call'd Septimana, consisting of 7. Days, and every Seventh Year produceth some material Alteration: Beside, the Seventh Number is call'd the Limit and Measure of all Inforior numbers, and any great number proposed (whose Measure is Seven and may be divided by 7. exactly) can by no other Means be more certainly found out than [Page 18]by Division with 7. But above all, the Holy Scriptures number all by Sevens, accounting, the 7th. Hour, Day, Month and Year to be all Sabbatical and the Seven Seventh Year to be a Jubilee, a Restitution of all &c. And this Harmony between Hours, Days, Months and Years seems to be intimated Revel. 9.15. Thus also the Law required 7. washings or sprinklings of blood or water, and the 7. Lamps in the Inner Court or Holy Place, representing the 7. Planets in the Visible Heavens, as the greatest Lamp stood in the middle of the other six, having 3. on either side, so the Sun is seated in the midst (as Prince of the Planets) having 3. above Him and 3. below Him, all attending him, as above: All the walks of this glorious Sun, are shadows of some­thing within the Vail. The Eve or Evening was (as Eve was to Adam) the Wife of the Morning, the Jews and other Nations reckon the Be­ginning of Time (as of the Sabbath) at Evening, and to them that are about the Aequator, and to all, at either Aequinox, the first 6. Hours brings the Sun to the Mid-night Nadir, or Mid-Heaven of the Anti­podes, and six more to the Morning Horizon, six more to the Zenith or noon of the upper Hemisphere, & six more to its setting again, when the Sun hath taken all these Turns of Sixes 6. times over, then comes the 7th. or Sabbath Day, whereon the Cakes of the Shew-bread were changed. 1. Sam. 21.6. Every 7th. Hour (as well as every 7th. Day) made a Pauze or Rest the Sabbath of the Evening Ps. 104.23. of the Midnight or the Morning, and of the Noon or Mid-day. All Vsherd in by six Hours, as the Sabbath is by six days, and that 7th. is the first Number wherein Heaven and Earth met together (God and Man) in the first Sabbath worship: Numero Deus Impare Gau­det. 7. is an odd Number, and the 7th. Day was not only a Resting, but a Refreshing day to God. Exod. 31.17. (would to God it were so to us) above all the other 6. Days. And I know not why this 7th. Grand Revolution of those Planets may not bring in a blessed Sabbatism, or some Extraordinary Rest and Refreshment seeing [...] a Time of Refreshing (or as the Gr. signifies) of Cooling the Heat, is promised Act. 3.19. and [...] a Time of the Restitu­tion of all things v. 21. wherein all Ruines by Sin shall be Repaired by our Saviour, and Blessed Jesus shall take off the Curse and Corruption under which the Creature groaneth, Rom. 8.19.20.21.22. This great Scripture Truth, Divine Plato Hammerd at in his Great Revolution, when, after many Thousands of Years (He saith) all things shall be again (in statu quo prius) as they were at the Worlds beginning in a state of perfection: The World waxeth worse and worse and the last (being but Dregs) are the worst of Times, yea not only the Earth but Heaven also grows faint and feeble through old Age. Insomuch [Page 19]that the Sun (as Ptolomy saith) Runs much ne arer the Earth many Thousand Miles now, than at the Creation: If so, then by the same Rule, the Planets must do the same, and then neither of them have kept their first perfection, from whence some Salvo's to arising Doubts may be deducted, if this Hypothesis should be taken for Granted: But whatever may be said to Ptolomys Assertion, I shall endeavor to illustrate that of Noble Tycho Brahe, saying, that all the 6. Great Conjunctions which only have happened since the Foundation of the World (Exclusive) to this 16. Century, have been Auspicious to the World, and Vsherd in some signal Mercies to Man-kind: So this 7th. in our Century will certainly exceed them all &c. as the 6. Days Creation had (each of them) their Tob, Good, but the 7th. Days Rest was attended with Tob Meod, very good: So the [...]. former Revoluti­ons all brought Tob, good to the Church, but this 7th (suppos'd to be the last) will undoubtedly bring Tob Meod very good things with it. The Bridegroom at the Marriage feast reserves his Best Wine for the Last Time. John 2.9.10.

Take a short Land-skip of all the former. 6. The (first) under Enoch 800. Years of the World, his Name signifies [Catechised] as Gen. 14.14. [Chanikan] Catechised or Trained up in Religion as well as Warfare. He was taught of God to walk with God. Gen. 5.24. Hebr. 11.5. Ecclesiasticus 44.16. and 49.14. A great Type of Christ in his Ascension living 365 Years before his Translation after a God pleasing Life, and just so long did Christ live in the Purity of the Pri­mitive Church to Julian the Apostate in the Year 365 after Christ. He was (as all the Patriarks were) the Chief Bishop of his Time, by whose Labours the Church of God was preserved in that prophane Age, He prophecyed of the Destruction of Sinners (before Noah did of the Deluge) foretelling the Day of Judgment and the Coming of our Lord. Syr. Maran-Atha (hence the Jews make him the Author of the great Excommunication) Jude v. 14.15. As Enoch is call'd the 7th from Adam, the Church had some Sabbath or 7th Time of Refreshing by him, a Rest and Respit from that Vniversal Destruction which came upon the World afterwards: Thus Elijah ( Enochs Brother candidate of Im­mortality) is Stiled the 7th. from Adam also, not in Respect of De­grees or Gradual Descent (as was Enoch the 7th. Patriarch, not the 7th. Person) but by way of Computation, and in Respect of so many Generations (as some Reckon) between them: Elijah is computed the 7th. Prophet from Adam and the first sent to the Gentiles, a great Reviver of the Church (as his Brother Enoch was, and a Restorer of the Law. Now here be two [7ths. from Adam] both Translated in­to Heaven, which may intimate that after the 6000. Year of the [Page 20]World, comes the 7th. from Adam or 7th. Millennium with its strange Translation likewise. However, this Translation of Enoch is call'd Annus Sabbaticus, Calvisius, Opus Chronolog. Page 3. Enoch predicts (as a late Reverend writer saith) Judicium matutinum the Mor­ning part of the Judgment Day (explain'd Dan. 7.7.8.9.) as if then to be seen [behold he cometh] which was not to be till the 7000. Year begin, and the Vespertinum or Evening part is after it, explained in Re­vel. 20.7.

The (Second) Climacterical Conjunction (by doubling the Number [8] here and all along) was in the 1600. Year of the World under Noah, in which Century the Universal Deluge destroy'd the wicked World, which was then drowned in wickedness before it was drown'd in water. Yet the Church had then her Annum Sabbaticum a compleat Year of Rest in Noahs Ark, for from November (when Noah had laid up all his Stores of the Earthly Fruits, and entred the Ark with his Beasts, Fowls and Family) he remained there till the Beginning of November following: As Enoch had been a Cooler to the Church, when the wicked world was Hot in wickedness, by his contrary Profession, prophecying, and Practice, for which God took him up into Heaven (as thinking no place good enough for him upon Earth) and whose Tran­slation gave to the Church the first Specimen or Proof, that God had prepared another Life (after this) for his Saints, wherein they should live with him in Glory for ever. So Noah (as his Name signifies) was a Comforter to the Church, saving her from the Deluge, which Reduced the World to its first Chaos or Confusion Gen. 1.2. when the Waters above the Firmament and the Waters under met again together, and brings the Earth once more into her first posture to be covered with Water. 'Twas a peculiar priviledge, that Noah brought the Church night God in this great Floud of Waters. Psal. 32.6. Enoch was a Prophet foretelling Christs coming, and Noah was a Preacher of Christs Righteousness, had greater Blessings than Adam, having the Pro­mise [I will no more destroy] &c. Gen. 8.21.22. the Bow in the Cloud, and a new String to his Bow, the Everlasting Covenant, the pattern of all Covenants with Israel (oft mention'd by the Prophets) and the Floud (made such a Baptism to the Earth) also, as help'd to wash away its Curse, which Cursed Earth shall become so Renewed, & so Blessed of the Lord, yea so much Christs Darling, that He Resolves to make it the Centre of his Glory (as some suppose) at the 7th. Millennium, or last Revolution of the Superior Planets Revel. 5.9.10. where the Saints or Angels Rejoice, that they shall come (out of Heaven) to Reign upon Earth, thus God tells Moses in the Mount, that the Land shall enjoy her Sabbath of Rest, not only a Temporal Levit. 26.34.46. [Page 21]and 2. Chron. 36.21. and Levit. 25.2.6. But an Eternal one. Hebr. 4.9. which the Lord of the Sabbath ( Math. 12.8. Mark 2.27.28. Rom. 9.29. Jam. 5.4.) hath made for man; The whole Earth shall be filled with his Glory Numb. 14.21. He will Cover, or Atone it Deut. 32.43 God (not Adam) named the Earth [Erets] which sig­nifies [of Ratsah] to Delight, as If He meant to take his pleasure up­on it, when the Heavens, that Canopy and Curtain (now hiding his Glory) shall pass away as a Scroll of parchment before the Fire: God will come to keep his Sabbath of Rest on Earth, and here accept his Peo­ple, then the Land of Canaan (more accursed than all Lands, while possessed by the accurs d Nations) shall be most blessed, the Glory of all Lands: The place of Gods Residence and Delightful Rest. Ezek. 26: 6.40. and 34.26.30. Hos. 2, 20, 23. &c.

The (Third) great Revolution (still adding another 800) falls out in the 2400. y. of the World under Moses, when the Church had a­gain another Sabbath of Rest from her long and groaning slavery in the brick bondage of Egypt, this is so plain in Scripture History, I need not inlarge upon it as upon the 2 former, a word only, the blessed Mes­siah which the 7th Revolution may bring in, is greater than Moses as much as a Son than a Servant &c. Hebr. 3, 3, 4, 5, 6. He will plague the Pharaoh of mystical Aegypt with sorer and severer plagues (his Vi­als of wrath Revel. 16) till He make him yeeld, and let go his People as Exod. 12.31. He will not only bring his Church into the Wilderness (which was all Moses could do, leaving the conquest of Canaan to Jo­shua) but bring her also into the Heavenly Country.

The (fourth) falls in the 3200. y. of the world (adding another [8] to the 24.) under Solomon and the Kings of Israel according to incom­parable Tycho Brahe, this is likewise evident enough in Scripture, that the Church had her Sabbath of Rest under Solomon, that peaceable King, as his Name signifies; yea and the Ark of God, that had (from Mo­ses time hitherto) no better harbor than in a Moving and Tottering Ta­bernacle, found a Sabbath of Rest, in a standing and stately Temple (the wonder of the World) not only for his time, but for his Godly Succes­sors also. Still our Saviour whom the first Revolution ushers into the World in y. 4000.) is greater than great Solomon. Math. 12, 42. He is the Prince of Peace, the maker and matter of our peace, our Sanctu­ary, and Salvation in whom alone our Souls find a Sabbath of Rest. Math 11, 29. This needs still less Illustration: Go forward, then 800. y. more to the (Sixth) Epocha or Revolution in 4800 y. of the world which brings in Charles the great, under whom, as the Roman Empire was in its Zenith, or most flourishing estate at Christs Birth, so now it was translated from Rome into Germany. This must be insisted upon a lit­tle, [Page 22]because 'tis beyond Scripture History, 'tis true the Church could have but a slender Sabbath of Rest in his Time, for then Antichrist was Regnant, and Leo was Rampant, ( Leo the 3d was then Pope, who prostituted his Keys to the Emperors feet, for which the Popish People whipt him like a Rogue, If not, plucked out his Eyes and cut out his Tongue &c. Frideaux Introduction pag. (96) yea in this 8th Century, Pope Joane made a good proof that the Church of Rome was a Base. Whore; so that the Rest of the Church in this Age, was like-the Rest that the Ark of the Covenant had in the midst of Jordan, and that of the Priests of the Lord who attended it Josh. 4, 9, 10, 16. with 3, 13. The Feet of the Priests (that bare the Ark) did Rest in the midst of Jor­dan, there they stood and must not stir out of their station until 600000 people were passed over the 4000. Cubits of dry Land within the banks, there they stand, they Rest in the midst of Jordan, with hideous Mountains of water hanging over their Heads, a most Ghastly and frightful sight without all peradventure, yet there they stood (till God cal'd them off) betwixt the People and Danger, so do all good Mi­nisters in all Ages, the first shock falls on them: The Church hath such short Restles Rests or Sabbaths sometimes, as Act, 9, 31. then had the Churches Rest, and such a Sabbath she enjoyed in this Emperors time, whom Eginardus (writing his life) calls a most pious and glorious Em­peror, He waged his Wars principally to Extirpate Heathenism, and to propagate Christianity, more than for Enlarging his Dominions Pareus. Med. Hist. Eccless. pag. 257 He trode in the path of his Father Pipin, and of his Grandfather Charles Martel of France, in that great Service of Christendom against the Saracens, had an Aversensess (though he Reconcil'd the Pope and People) from allowing the Popish uphold­ing of Images, which appear'd in a Councel held at Franckford, and his writing against the 2d Councel of Nice He gave for his Motto, Christus, Regnat, Vincit, & Triumphat; Christ, Reigns, Conquers and Triumphs. (This was much, even then when Antichrist began to be both Regnant and Triumphant in this 8th Century) Prideaux Introd pag. 229, 230 as this Motto expressed his Christian Humility in the midst of his Grandeur and Greatness, to the great shame of the Popes Pride and Ambition in that time; so it Demonstrated his prophetick Faith, that Christ (in due time) would Trample Antichrist underfoot and Triumph over Him: He is said to give unto the Empire not only a new Body, but a new Soul too by promoting Religion in all his Con­quer'd Countries. Alsted, Encuclopaed. pag 3019. He made Amicable leagues with sundry Infidel Kings and Princes, that they might be more Favorable to their Christian Subjects Pareus Med. Hist. Eccles. pag. 258. Alcuinus (our Oxford man, and one of Venerand Bedes Pupils) [Page 23]was this Emperors Tutor, by whom he gave a large Testimony against Popish Errors, Illyr. Test. Vers. pag. 704 and 724. and by whom the Holy Scriptures were translated into the Mothers tongue, the Pope at that time not contradicting it Alsted 3020. and Pridea ux 230. pag. to conclude, though this Great Emperor had some Tincture of Super­stition with his piety, (saith Osiandor) yet was he a Zealous promo­ter of Christianity, insomuch that Christ had his Churches, (in this 8th. Century) even in all Lands. Where they had a little Sabbath, or Rest, and kept their Sabbaths (as the Centurist saith) in Falaestine, Aegypt, Greece, France, Germany, yea and in our Britain, as at Lon­don, York, Beverley, Crowland, Canterbury &c. All named. Osiand: Epit. Hist. Eccles. Cent. 8. lib. 1. Cap. 12. pag. 5.6.7.8.9. would to God our King may become a nother Charles the Great to protect the Protestant Religion in all Lands: Helvicus saith Aaron King of the Sa­racens gave this Charls Mount Calvary in Jerusalem, and the Sepul­chre of Christ God give to our Charls a share in Christs Kingdom. Now come we to the (7th.) or Sabbatical Revolution (which makes the former 8th. to be now the 16th. Century. The beginning of which makes the World five Thousand six Hundred years old: As the sixt climacterical Conjunction turn'd the Empire from Rome to Ger­many in the 8th. Century. So this 7th. may both turn it and burn it (with the House of Austria and the Pope of Rome) out of the World. As the 8th, Cent. gave a little Rest or Sabbath to the reformed Religi­on, which hath been miraculously Rested, though Arrested by the malice of Rome both before and since Charls the 5th, but this 16th. or last may be a Sabbath of Sabbaths, and proclaim a Jubilee of Triumph. To apply this General Discourse particularly to our present purpose, as also to obviate Objections, some Observations (both Astrological and Theological) may be here usefully added.

(1st.) Astrological, (1) observe in the General there is no Arrival at perfection in Astronomy, the best Artists have erred, even in their best works, Humanum est errare, the best Astronomer may say with the Man in Terence, Homo sum, Humanum à me nil alienum puto. Men, as Men, yea the best of Men may mistake: The very Masters and chief Luminaries in the Astronomical orb (such as Mercator, Magi­nus, Morinus of France, Lord of Knudstrobe, Andrew Argol of Padua, learned Hecker and Kepler himself) are all found faulty, and in some things committing Errours, especially in the places of the slowest paced Planets as are Saturn and Jupiter: None agree in all points, nor is it one man, or one Age, that can set these Differences to the Rights: as Mr. Gadbury ingenuously acknowledgeth in his Epistle to the Reader both before his 10 y. and his 20. y. Ephemerides (2) ob­serve [Page 24] serve in particular, neither do astronomers Agree among themselves in Assigning the Time of this 7th. Clymacterical Conjunction in our 16th Century, but have differing sentiments about it. Alsted (that aliquis in omnibus, Ʋniversally learned in all Ʋniversity Learning) says, that it happened in the Year 1603. December 24. ('tis 14. in another place) at Noon in Sagittary, Encuclopaed pag. 1105.1106. and 1215.1216. and 1285.1286. in the first of which places, he calls it the 8th. Con­junction since the Creation (Reckoning the first Inclusive at the Begin­ning of the World) as if it shadow'd out not only the Christian Sabbath which is on the 8th. Day or first Day after the 7th. (on the 8th. Day was Circumcision celebrated, and the Psalms on Sheminiths or Eights) but also that Sab. of Sab baths, the Millennium Sab. to be V sher'd in there­by: Yet in his second place quoted, He calls it, but the 7th. Con­junction pag. 1216. where the first at the Creation is exclusive, and not Reckon'd in the Number, to Represent it more purely Sabbatical in the 7th Number. In his Third place He adds, that this 7th Revolution portends not only great and Universal Commotions (in Church and State) but also some glorious Reformations, which ( be saith) cannot be accomplished without great Concussions in Kingdoms and Countrys. But Engl. prophetick Merlin contradicts this, not only in its Compu­tation, as to time, (affirming it to be on Decemb. 7th & at the 7th. hour 45. minutes pag. 22.) but also in its Denomination, as to name, for (saith He pag. 57.) that Conjunction may properly be called Magna, and was no other, but it had been Absurd to have call'd it Maxima, it was Great, but not the greatest, or Climacterical, because it was not in Aries (which is the first of the Zodiack a Cardinal sign, &c.) but in Sagittary.

This is most certain, it must be one of those 3 sorts, Greatest, Middle or Meanest, either that sort of Conjunctions which returns not above once in 800. Years, or that of 200. Years, or that of every 20. Year, and this last is the more probable seeing we find that after the Conjunction in 1603. there was another after that 20. y▪ in 1623 another after that [...]0. y. in 1642/3. Another after that 20. y. in 1663. and now another after that 20. in this present year 1682. However The Author aforementioned doth well to call that in 1603. a great Conjunction, because it was attended with very great and most me­morable matter, that James King of Scotland should become the Mighty Monarch of England, and of Ireland too, and that without either Blood or Blows; what was this but a setting up in effect (even by a Miracle) a New Monarchy, especially considering that old An­tipathy betwixt Scots and English: That prudent Prince, brought peace not only to England, but also to Europe: yet in some sense, [Page 25]those other Succeeding Conjunctions (in the Interval of 20. y.) before named, may be called great, as well as that in 1603. in Respect of either some great Good, or some great Evil attending them: For as that in 1603. was attended with the Death of good Queen Elizabeth: So was that in 1623 with the Death of King James, and that in 1642/3. with civil uncivil Wars, and that in 1663. had both the dreadful Plague and Fire following it: And God knows what great Matters may also attend this present Conjunction in 1682. whereof more after­ward: As to that common Notion, that climacterical Conjunctions (which be but 7 in all as above) must be in Aries, because it is the first of the Signs of the Zodiack, Chief and Cardinal, and under it the World (some say) was created, and therefore must be the chief Epoche of the mightiest Matters and Mutations in the World: Against this I must enter these Exceptions (1) who told them that the World was created under Aries, surely Moses (with all his Learning of the Aegyp [...]ians) did not tell them so, nor Abraham, nor Job who both are reckoned up as skilful in Astronomy, 'tis therefore gratis Dictum, and a being wise above what is written: (2) I find in the best Tables of Calculation (I can consult with) that the (first) Conjunction (Re­corded therein) was in the 3d year of the World, and that in Sagit­tary. The (2d) was 23d y. from the Creation in Leo. The very Sign of our present Conjunction) and the (3d) in the 43. y. to be in Aries Then the (4th) in 63. y. in Sagittary, and the (5th) in 82. in Leo, just as it is now in our (82 reckoning by 20 s (or thereabouts) betwixt that and this all along from the Beginning of the World to this year. (3) In the Tables of Kepler (the best in the World, improved by Magi­nus) the Sign Leo bids fairer for the place of climacterical Conjuncti­ons, than Aries, seeing the first in the Tables (exclusive) was in Leo, A. M. 23. and the first Revolution of 800 y. (which is the periodical Motion of Saturn and Jupiter) after that falls in 817 y. of the World in Leo again, as the Tables tell us: If we reckon this (as well we may) for the first climacterical Revolution, then we find there again, the second to fall in 1611. in Leo too. As the first down from the Be­ginning to Enochs Time, so the second reaches to Noahs Days, and to that vniversal Deluge. The third to Moses in the y. 2406. and Isra­els Deliverance from Aegypt, which was again in Leo. The fourth to the y. 3200. (as some say) to the Medes Monarchy, or (as others) to Solomon, and the Kings of Israel Then also was the Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in Leo also. The fift to y. 4034. the Time of Christs Resurrection, and in the 34. of Christ these 2. Planets met a­gain in Leo, as Representing, that the Lion of the Tribe of Judah had then conquered Death, the Grave and Hell, who soon after Ascend­ed [Page 26]into Heaven. The sixth to 829. y. after Christ, the Time of Charles the Great, whose Offspring possess'd the Imperial Throne for an 112. years, Pareus Medul. Hist. Eccles. pag. 260. and that Time also had a Conjunction in Leo of the 2 superior Planets: The seventh (and possibly the last) brings us down to the 16th Century, wherein we find no Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in Leo till we come to 1682. there­fore may we more probably conjecture that this 7th Conjunction pre­sent in Leo hath some secret Mystery of Sabbatism in it, and promi­seth something (in its signature) of more singular Moment to this World, than any of its Antecedents. (4) Astronomers do grant, that when the 2 superior Planets do pass out of the watery Trigon, and have their Meeting in the Fiery (be it in Leo, Sagittary, or Aries in which soever. their Conjunction is) 'tis a great Conjunction, and portends great Mutations, not only because these 2 Interchanged Triplicitys are contrary as Fire and Water, but also their Abode in one Trigon is a­bout 200, y. And if usually 7. y. (the Term of Mans Life in Law) bring Changes, what may 20. y. (their least Conjunction, and about 3 Mens Lives) do; much more may 200. Y. (the Time of their Mean) but most of all the 800. Y. which is their Climacterical Meeting: New Empires &c. may well arise in that Time. (5) Spineus Phy­sitian to the Duke of Padna, who wrote Catastrophe Mundi. 1625. y. and Engl. shed by Squire Ashmole, saith pag. 24. that of all the 3 Signs in the fiery Trigon, Aries is the weakest, then must it follow that Leo is stronger: And at this Time especially considering, (6) This present Conjunction in Leo comes Notably corroborated in 3. Respects. (1) it is attended with 2 frightful Comets (the first esp. the like where­of hath not been this 800. y.) as seal'd up in its significancy with a double Signet, or Seal Royal. Alsted &c. affirm, that such Con junctions, so seal'd, are most significant. (2) their Conjunction is near Cor Leonis, (a Royal and Couragions creature, whose Heart is the Seat of his Courage) which must add to its significancy, seeing those 2 greatest Planets go into this Regal sign and so near the Heart of it, entring there (as it were) into a deep Consult and there con­fronting the Sun: (3) That Mars should meet first Jupiter upon the 7th of this last September, and Saturn upon the 12th to strengthen them both with his conjoined Rays, as both pass'd along in Tendency to­wards this their Great Conjunction all these Meetings are in the same Sign of Leo, though now Mars be going off from candâ Leonis, as dropping down from off the Lions Tail into the Sign Virgo, wishing them (as it were) an Happy Meeting, which (no doubt) will be so according to Rules of Art, for Jupiter, having the higher Eleva­tion, and being above Saturn as yet, must correct Saturns Malignity. [Page 27] Halys comment on Ptolomy 63. Aphorism; beside, both Jupiter and Saturn are oriental and so is Mars, which is a Situation judg'd the least obnoxious, Saturn (say Artists) makes Plots, but Jupiter (above him) spoils them: both the Two and Mars are occidental to the Sun, and therefore (saith) Almansor propos. 30.) They must give good at the latter End, though the way to that End may be rough and rugged enough, esp. to the Northern Regions, they being all so nigh to the Tropick of Cancer, (their Diurnal Ark, (or March) in our Horizon pour­ing down their Influences for about 15 Hours) and both Saturn and Mars being (what Star soever they are joined with) so mischievous to Mankind: What their 2d Conjunction on January 30 in the Y. (83 and their 3d Conjunction again upon May the 2d in the same next Year 83. (all Three in Leo though in 2 distinct Years immediatly succeeding each other, and all 3 in the Compass of 8 Months, which is far short of the distance of 20. years, (for this great Conjunction con­sists of all these 3 Meetings, that a 3 fold Cord may not easily be brok­en; Whereas, as is abovesaid, their least Conjunction hath the Inter­space of 20 years) may conduce hereunto, time will best declare, for Truth is the Daughter of Time: Considering also, that the Sun will lose its light so soon after this first Conjunction October the 9 (82 & so little before their second in January 30. in (83; for in the same Year and Month upon the 17th Day of January in the Y. 83. that great Lu­minary will be Ecclipsed, and 9 Digits darkened in Aquarius, about 3 a clock in the Afternoon, much more might be added here, but sat verbum sapienti &c. I have duly and daily observ'd the Motion of these 2 great Planets (every clear Morning) since they came nigh each other, and do wonder that they should be so swift in their Moti­on ( Saturn running 2 Millions 376 Thousand 261 Miles in an Hour, and 3964 Miles in one Minute, and Jupiter running 898 Thousand 700 Miles in one Hour, and 14 Thousand 9 Hundred 78 Miles in one Minute) yet are so slow in their Meeting; For I find Saturn requires 12 Days in his Diurnal motion to go this one single Degree in Leo, and Jupiter requires 7 days for the same, before they can come through the 18th Degree of Leo to conjoin in the 19th, distant only 2 Minutes (whereof there be 60 in every Degree) on the 9th of 8 ber (82, then on the 10th Day Saturn marches off 6 Minutes and Jupiter 8 from their so near Application: It must be considered also, that the proper Motion of these 2 Planets (as of all the other 5.) is from West to East upon the Pole of the Zodiack (though the primum mobile or upper Heaven hurry them upon the Northern & Southern Poles from East to West) as plainly appeareth in the Motion of the Moon (one of the Planets) which at her Change in setting West, every Night [Page 28]falls backward, and backward towards the East, till at her Full she Riseth in the East, in about 15. Days.

2ly, Theological, that it may (1) appear This Discourse is not Chal­daization or the folly of the Chaldees, so much condemned in Scrip­ture; for Astronomy and Astrology must not be confounded as too ge­nerally they are: That the Stars have a 3 fold Excellency ( light, Moti­on and Influence) is granted by all that are Judiciously Learned: All the Controversy is about the last: Concerning their Influence, there be 3 Opinions (1) in excess (2) in Defect, and the (3) in the middle between both: The 2 former extremes are offensive, but the 3d is in­offensive, (1) Those in the Excess were the Chaldeans, Arabians, Egyp­tians, Stoicks, and many Jews, yea and Gentiles too both Heathen and Christian, who Account the Heavens to be a Book, wherein the Fates of All are written, and who make their Schemes and Horoscopes from thence as Creditable as the Gospel (2) Those in the Defect are such as Censure all sorts of Astronomical prognosticks for Tables and Foole­ries. To say, Heavenly bodies do produce no effects by their power­ful Influence, is to Deny both Scripture and Experience: They both offend in Contrary Extremes in saying, that the Stars either do all things, or that they do nothing: therefore (3) The middle way betwixt these two Extremes must be most Approved.

Ecclipses may certainly and changes of Times may probably be prog­nosticated: Job was Undoubtedly a great Astronomer, yet a good man and Holy in his Astronomy, knowing Arcturus, Orion, the Pleiades and the Chambers of the South. Job 9.9. Yea and the Dragon (whose nodes have all the Ecclipses, and Seated betwixt the 2 Bears, not far from the North-pole,) Job. 26, 13. and God (himself) Discourseth with Job as with one Conversant in that study, Job 38, 31, 32, 33. Where the Lord Asserts an Influence in the Stars, and that Irresistible as to Man, Job cannot bind it up or loose it out and let it go, the power of Binding and loosing pertaineth to the all powerful God, who is the sole Guide and Governor of them, and who hath placed a Dominion in them over all Elementary bodies: which is expresly mentioned in these words [canst thou set the Dominion of them on the Earth] Job 38, 33. God hath put a Power into the Stars to Rule the 4 Seasons of the year &c. This is call'd [The Powers of Heaven] 3 Times Recorded by Christ himself Matth. 24, 29. Mark 13, 25. and Luke 21, 26. and surely those pow­ers cannot be Insignificant, Deus & Natura, nil faciunt frustra. God and Nature make nothing in Vain. They have then a Power, Dominion, [Page 29]or Influence, which no mortal men (though never so many, or mighty) can either hinder or hasten: Thus Amos also that Heardsman and Sum­mer fruit gatherer (neither a Prophet, nor the Son of a Prophet) Amos 7.14) yet) was a most notable Astronomer discoursing notably upon the Stars) Chimah and Chesil] 2 years before the Noted Earthquake. Amos 1, 1. and 5, 8. as likewise upon the Spheres, those 3 Stories of Heaven one above another, before the Famine of the Word. Amos 9, 6. and 8.11. yea and Hosea brings in God Reckoning the Heavens to be next in power (the next Vessel of Mercy) to Himself. Hos. 2, 21. where the Prophet sets down a Concatenation of Causes concerning Divine pro­vidence, which the Wizzards of this World, either denye or deride; Lastly Moses (when He blesseth Israel as their Civil Father, as Jacob, their natural Father had done before Him, Gen. 49.) Declares there­in How the precious things of the Heavens do bring forth the precious Things of the Earth, Deut. 33, 13, 14, 15. So that Stars are not set and seated in the Heavens [ornatus gratiâ] merely for Ornaments sake (as Baldwin in Cases of Conscience p. 780. excellently Demonstrates) They are not only for Garnishing the Under-Ceiling and stately Vault above our Heads (as Job says, Job 26, 13. but Moses Intimates, that they are the Treasurys of God) having Treasure, laid up in them, the Stars are Gods Store-houses out of which He scatters his precious things from his Heaven upon the Earth, saving [The Lord shall open to thee his good Treasure] Deut. 28, 12. Every Star (saith one) is as a purse of Gold, out of which God casts down Riches, that Good Men gather up by Honest means, but the Evil scramble for by fraud, or by Force: that the Stars be Signs all do grant, and in some sense, Causes: That they be Signs, is grounded upon Gen. 1, 14. [Let them be for Signs] yet some do narrow that word, saying, they are only Signs of Night and Day, if so, then the Sun and Moon had been enough to signify both these, so all the Rest (of the Thousands and of the Millions) be altogether su­perfluous, Frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora, what need many, where two will do, 'tis against Common sense as well as express Scripture to deny that those Celestial Bodies are not Signs of Times and Seasons also, as of Summer and Winter, Gen. 8, 22. of Weather &c. yea Learned and solid Pareus on Gen 1, 14. Excellently Argues, that the Stars could not be call'd Signs unless They did signify something, and that something (He saith) is, to warn mortals of many Matters such as be (1) Natural (2) Civil (3) Spiritual, and He Approves of that [...]k Verse of Aratus.

The Stars signify to men what matters are forged or framed for them: As (1) Natural Signs they be, of Heat, Cold, Dryness and Moisture &c. (2) Civil. the Sailor must Hoise up his Sails (as the Word pleiades signifies) when those 7 Sisters bring in the Spring with their sweet Influences. So for setting, sowing &c. (3) Spiritual, their Aspects, and Passions (saith he) are Signs of spiritual Events as both Scripture and Experience teach, such as Ecclipses, Comets &c. For though these things have their Causes in Nature, yet do oft portend horrible Changes of publick Affairs, Seditions, Wars, Droughts, Inundations &c. for so much as (He saith) they either do naturally excite those sore Judgments, Through divine Pleasure, or do cer­tainly assist the Causes thereof, therefore they do foreshew, and are Signs of Gods Displeasure, whereby Men are alarum'd to Repen­tance: Though the Rainbow have a Natural cause, (as the Reflecti­on of the Sun-beams in an opposit watery Cloud) yet is it neverthe­less a Sign of Divine Clemency (Gen. 9.8.) for preserving the World: How much more must those preternatural Passions of the Planets be Signs of either Gods Anger or Favor. Parcus on Gen. pag. 54. Col. 12. All this He saith, though in pag. 55. He shews himself no Friend to Judiciary Astrology; which Dr. Willet likewise declares to be repug­nant to Reason as well as Scripture, and its practice (in telling For­tunes and finding things lost &c.) to be Vain and Impious in his 20th. Question Gen. 1.14. My opinion is, Astrology in the General is law­ful, provided it keep within its due Bounds, and pry not too far into Gods Secrets Deut. 29.29. 'Tis only the all knowing God who can fore­tel future Events Isa. 41.21.22.27. 1. Eccles. 8.7. and 10.14. &c. Man knows not what shall be, no nor the Devil (notwithstanding the Subtlety and Sagacity of his Angelical nature, together with his long Experience) to help Man, therefore all his Oracles He deliver'd in ambiguous Terms, that he might save his Credit when deceiv'd. All Apollo's Oracles were made by Astrology saith Ensebius. De praeparat Evang. lib. 6. cap. 1. with lib. 5. cap 10. And they were not only di­rected by the Aspect of Stars, but also ministred by Familiar spirits. Yet the starry Heaven is a sacred Alphabet, wherein the Wisdom, Pow­er, Justice and Mercy of God are Lined out to us, these all be written legibly, yea Palpably (as the word Act 17.27. signifies) in the Brows of the Firmament; hence Clemens Alex: Calls it the first Bible God made for Mans instruction; 'tis one of the 3 leaves of the Book of Nature which every mortal should read and consider. Thus David did, He read it. because it declared the Glory of God. Ps. 19.1. yea every line of that leaf, he knew how far reached the length of those lines, what David calls a line, Paul calls a Voice, Rom. 10.18. quoted from Ps. 19.4, [Page 31]Reading Divinity-Lectures to all the Inhabitants of the Earth, that they may make a serious contemplation of them, and David considered as well as Read it. Ps. 8, 3. All men as well as He, should be much in this Consideration, this Appears, because (1) herein lays the Difference betwixt Men and Beasts which cannot consider any thing (2) The bolt upright figure of mans Body doth admonish him hereof.,

The Heathen Poet Ovid could say thus,

(3) We are taught this duty by the fift Muscle, which God hath giv­en to mans Eye (whereas other Creatures have but four,) for drawing it upward, ut ejus Auxilio Coelum Intueremur, saith the Anatomist, that by the help thereof we might Contemplate and Consider the Heavens: some Heathens (to the Shame of some Christians) have said, they were therefore Born, that they might Contemplate the Heavens: Alas, many make more Delightful Contemplations upon Lumps of Earth, than up­on the Lamps of Heaven, as Duke de Alva, have so much business on Earth, that they have no Time to Look up to Heavens let us consider them, & cry with David. Lord what is man &c, Ps 8, 3, 4. in looking up, we be­hold every Star Twinkling at us and (as it were) Beckoning to us to Remember our Creator Eccles 12, 1. 'Tis not presumption but. Duty to Read the Face of the Firmament, Math. 16, 2. Luke 12, 56. 1 Kings 18, 43, 44. Read this Leaf while it is Expansum, an open Leaf, for it must be Rolled up and Folded together as a Scroll, Isa. 34▪ 4. and Rev. 6, 14. yet rest not in Reading this Book of nature, that only Declares Creation-Love, 'Tis the Book of Scripture in which Redemption love is Discover'd, we are no where bid to search in the former (as in the lat­ter. John 5, 39.) for Eternal life: 'Tis said, Ʋbi desinit Philosophus, ibi incipit Theologus: So where Nature Ends, and can go no further, there the Scripture begins, and giveth more grace Jam 4, 8. I salui 19, 1, 2, 7, 8.

(2) But the grand Question is, though Stars be Signs, whether they be also Causes▪ seeing Moses calls them Signs Gen. 1, 14, but never causes. A. Baldwin saith, Stars do incline & irritate, but do not necessitate, p. 780 Cas. Consc. & Amesius calls them common causes, Cas. Consc p. 19 1 Alsted stiles them Causae adiuvantes ibid, as if they were Auxiliaries, the sound est Divinity saith, they are general Causes only, but not special, so nothing [Page 32]can be infallibly foretold from their positions. Moses did call them Signs, not Causes to prevent Idolatry, much less did He call them Prophets, as if they could predict future Events with any certainty: Hence Spineus candidly confesses that Astrologers can but conjecture, none but those inspired by God can foretel, (as Amos 37.) Catastrophe Mundi, page 11.12. The same say, Kepler, Tycho, Alsted, &c. Kep­ler makes a more modest Observation than Cardan; saying, the wise Men who were led by a signal Star out of the East, might by the Rules of their own Astrological Art make some Conjectures of an Eminent Event, and of the Birth of a mighty Monarch, because (saith he) that Comet (as he calls it) appeared at the very Time, when their was the fift Climacterical Conjunction of the 2 superior Planets, ( Saturn and Jupiter) in the fiery Trigon: Yea the Head Masters of that Mystery do grant, that though the various Positions of the stars have great Effects upon sublunary Bodies, yet peremptorily to assign them is Presumption, for the Efficacy of the Stars above our Heads, and their Specifick virtues cannot be so well known to us as may be that of Herbs, which we can take in our Hands and do tread upon with our Feet, and therefore, long Experience of such and such Effects fol­lowing Comets and Conjunctions, do teach more and better than all Astrological Rules, Maxims or Aphorisms: Indeed Sir Christopher Heydon steps a little farther, saying, that their Effects be by long Experience certainly known, though the Causes be unknown, and cannot be demonstrated, I must confess, this Assertion holds true in some other Cases more familiar to Man, and such whose Causes and Effects are (each of them equally) more nearly conversant with us, than are Celestial Causes and Terrestrial Effects; as for Instance, it hath been my own many Times Experiment, how Harmony in Mu­sick (upon musical, well tuned & stringed Instruments) will strangely & strongly Affect even at some considerable Distance: As thus, hang a little crooked Straw upon the Base or Remotest string upon your Base-Vial, Lute, or Harp, make the trebble String either Ʋnisons, Diapasons, or Dis-Diapasons (that is, either Ones, Eights, or Sixteens, in which Notes do consist the highest Harmony in Musick) and your stroke upon the Trobble (either stop'd or open to make those Harmonious Sounds a­foresaid) will cause the Straw to cut Capers, and to Dance a Gally­ard, leaping Levalto's all along till at last it falleth down, which will not so much as move, no not, if it be placed upon the nearest­string to the Straw (as I have often tryed) at any other Note: No Reason can be rendred for this, save only, 'tis from Harmony in Mu­sick, which is like the poor Shift of the Philosopher when Non-plus'd with the Sympathys and Antipathys in Nature (both of Plants and [Page 33] Beasts) his Retreat for a Solvo or Salvo is, 'tis an occult Quality, which is Tantamont, the great God hath posed me, I know not the Reason. The like is well known (as to the Matter of Fact) How Geometrical Symmetry in musical Sounds and Voices, will marvellously Affect the Heart of all that are not Melancholick, yet the manner of its Opera­tion is hard to be Demonstrated: As it is not doubted, so neither must it be Denyed, that those Celestial and Aetherial Stars do much Affect all Terrestrial and Elementary Bodies, (both Plants, Beasts and Men that are upon the Earth, and Subterranneal Mettals that are within the Earth) by those powerful Influences which the great Creator did Concreate them with, and placed in them otherwise, we had never heard of the sweet Influences of the Pleiades or 7. Stars, Job 38, 31. (those 7 Sisters or Lovers have an Irresistible Influence to produce the Spring-flowers &c.) nor ever have been call'd upon to pay our Tribute of praise (upon our beholding the Garnished Heavens) to the great Cre­ator of them for mans good, as we are Psalm 136, 7, 8, 9. with ver. 1. (seeing they Thrust forth out of the Earth so many precious Creature-comforts for us. Deut. 33, 14.) nor ever have heard how the Stars fought in their Courses against Sisera Judg. 5, 20. The Stars are call'd the Host of Heaven, Psal. 33, 6. (and in many more Scriptures) where the Psalmist makes the first mention of this Host, as the most glorious part of Creation work; and how did this Host fight against Sisera: Much like so many Soldiers that observed both Rank and File, or rather like so many Regiments, God (their generalissimo) call'd forth now one Regiment and then Another, drawing up their extraordinary Influ­ences to Confound his and his Peoples Enemies therewithal: Some take these Stars Metaphorically for Angels as 2. Maccab. 10, 29 and 11, 8. but the literal sense is more proper, for God made those [Ha­chochabim mimmisilotham] Stars from their stations to stir up storms (according to their Natural Influence) and to Dash Hailestones, Light­ning, and Thunderbolts in the faces of the Cursed Canaanites, as Josephus saith Ant [...]quit. lib. 5. chap. 6. Those Stars could more easily, more strongly, and more Hittingly cast their malignant Darts or Rayes from their High Stations (as Misiloth signifies) Downward upon those foes below (than can possibly be cast from below upward for Killing work) Esp. God Directing these Darts to Hitt their appointed marks, Notwithstanding all this, we may not place the Stars in Gods stead, as to Ascribe to them a Supreme Dominion.

Indeed these Superior bodies have (expresly) Job 38, 33. a power or Dominion over our Inferior, unto which we are Subject and must Sub­mit, yet is it only a Ministerial power, a Dominion subordinate to the Appointment of God: He may use their Ministry Respecting the [Page 34]mighty matters of this lower World (as He did against Sisera) yet may we not say, that the lives and Fortunes of Men, the Fates and Changes of States Depend wholly upon the Stars, and may be foretold by the Temper, figure, colour and Posture, of the Planets, This is a Divination Condemned by the Word of God. Deut. 18, 10. Isa. 47, 13. &c. and 'tis a putting the Stars in Gods stead; whereas All created beings (yea the very Planets themselves) are in the hand of God. Indeed Plato in Timaeo, calls the Stars Gods, such as the blind Gentiles, and some Blockish jews made so, not only in observing them (which all ought to do) but also in Adoring them 2. Chron. 33, 3. Jerem. 44, 17. &c. contrary to Deut. 4, 19. &c. I could wish that the names of those Planets were Reformed from those of Saturn, Ju­piter, Mars, Mercury, &c. Seeing all these were Names of the Heathen Gods, which should be spetted out of Christians Mouthes with utmost Detestation, Exod. 23, 13. Psal. 16, 4 and Hos. 2, 17. Hereupon the Primitive Christians did dislike those names that Mercurius Trismegistus had given to the Days of the week, such as Dies Saturni, Jovis, Martis and Veneris &c. Desuing to shun all Semblances of Idolatry, and fearing to countenance those Hea­thenish Dunghil Deities: Reverend Beza saith, he had rather still Retain the Hebrew Names, [ Has, Chefil, and Chimah, than call them Arcturus, Orion and the Pleiades, which have beenn so much Abused with the obsceen Fables of profane Poets: I am Con­strained to call those Planets by their common Heathenish Names for Distinction sake and by way of Recital, as Baal Rom. 11, 4. and Castor and Pollux, Acts 28, 11. are mentioned by the Apo­stle, non Honoris gratiâ, sed tantum Recitativè, not to pay them any Honor, but in the way of an History only, it being there an Historical Relation. Gualtherus hath an Excellent Note-upon Zeph. 1, 5. &c. [them that Worship the Host of Heaven upon the House-top] saying, let those that profess Judiciary Astrology ob­serve this, they worship the Stars no less than did the Heathens of old, and do openly bring in Heathenism again, while (first) they call the Stars by the Names of those Heathenish Deityes, which ought to be Abolish'd; as above: (2dly) they put the E­vent of all things in subjection to those Stars, yea even of Man himself, as touching all his Manners and Fortunes which (as the Scriptures Affirm) do Depend upon the Eternal Providence of God Alone. I add a (3d) to Gualter, their putting the Govern­ment of the World under 7 Planetary Angels, giving names and Times of Government to them Unscripturally. This is Intolera­ble Impiety, and they that fall into it, shall not escape the Just [Page 35]Judgment of God, Great Augustine calls this no better than the Doctrine of Devils, saying this kind of Divination was of the De­vils Teaching: De Civit: Dei. lib. 5. cap. 1. pag. 70. par. 2dae. Yet in properiety of Speech, that is not Divination which speaks from Signs and Causes, but from Impulses and Inspiration Beza Ep. 29. now to propose the Planets as both Signs and Causes not on­ly of Natural, but also of Voluntary things (without any Respect either to the Free-Will of Man or to the Free-Grace of God) Re­ducing All under a Fatal Necessity and Determinations of Planets, This must needs be both great Folly, and gross Idolatry. No Doubt, but the Flanets have a mighty power over the Bedies of Men, yet 'tis wicked to say that the Soul also is subject to Stars, and though they may have some Influence upon the passions and Affections of the Soul, which do naturally Arise from the Temper of the Bod, yet can they not Incline, much less Inforce the Will of Man, but least of all the Will of God, and therefore cannot af­ford any Certain Divination: Besides, the Planets are but Universal and Remote-Causes (at the most) and there be other more near, and more particular causes Intervening which may (hav­ing a power of their own) either Resist or Remit that force des­cending down from the Stars.

This probablv may be the True Reason, why the very Conje­cturers themselves do so much disagree among themselves in their own Conjectures.

Suppose Pythagoras and Plato's Notion hold True, that the Mo­tion of the Celestial Spheres (call'd Motus Tripidationis, a Trem­bling Motion) makes a most Melodious Musick, and suppose that Musick (being Celestial) should make a greater Impression upon the minds of Men (though they hear it not by a Virtual Con­tact, than any Terrestrial Musick (as is aforesaid) can do) yet this occult Quality (as to the matter of its effects, as well as to the manner of its Operation) cannot Afford any better than an occult or obscure Divination from the obscurity both of the Causa and of the Causatum: which have the same Quality: Now if the Devil himself can foretel nothing but such as are [in causis cogni­tis operantibus] in their Causes both known, and in their very work­ing too, much less can any Mortal Man (far short of his Subtle­ty, sagacity and experience) Declare moral matters long before there is any working in their natural Causes by Astrological Rules, such predictions must needs be Ʋncertain, Vain, if not false, yea some­time Blasphemous. There be some such predictions, we would have gladly prove true [quod Volumus, facilè credimus] as this, That [Page 36] Mars never leaves Leo and goes into Virgo, but then the Enemies of the Protestants go down &c. on the contrary that of Cambden, that Saturn never passes through Leo but he leaves a plague upon this City of London: God forbid it.

To conclude then with (not peremptory Conclusions, but) some probable Conjectures partly Astrolog. and partly Theolog: (1) give me leave to say with Nuntius propheticus. Page 35 my Nature hath hitherto abhorr'd predicting Events by the Stars, yet seeing the Congress (or Conjunction) of the 2 Superior Planets have an I had of Evils mostly attending them (to fall some where) so must portend great Matters, yet it is beyond the Knowledge of Man to make any po­sitive Prediction from them upon whom it will fall, or precisely when that Great Sabbath, or Time of Rest shall come upon the Earth: He reckons many Reverend men (some that lived while the Bloud of Christ was yet warm) who taught freely and fully (of this Golden Age, or great Sabbath to come) with the Applause of all, and con­tradiction of none &c. Which future Felicity of Gods Servants upon Earth may well be portended by this 7th, Sabbatical and Climacte­rical Conjunction: (2) concerning the precise point of Time when this Day of Refreshing. Acts 3, 19. and of the Restitution of all things v. 21 shall be, no mortal Man can determine, indeed, so many Men, so many Minds, One Author assigns this Year, Another that, a third dif­fers in his Account from both: And (in truth) such is the Vncertain­ty of Chronology, that it is impracticable if not impossible to fix any Certainty here [...]n: The Computation of Time from the Creation to Christ is made in that Variety, that Alsted reckons up about 24 several Ac­counts and Conjectures thereof in his Encuclopaedia. Page 2993. Now if there were so much Vncertainty in that Chronology before Christ (wherein the Records of the Old Testament run all along as a Thread for Guidance in that Labyrinth) how much more since Christ, which hath not a Scripture-Chronicle to direct us beyond the first Hundred years: And in the very first Century, there must be much Obscurity; for the Pagans, who were so Cruel, as to Kill the Authors, would not be so Kind, as to Keep their Books: See my Discovery of Antichrists Rise, Reign and Ruine. pag. 147, 148, 149. &c. (3) Notwistanding the Variety of Minds in stating this great Matter as to Time, yet all do agree vnanimously, and there is a Concurrence of Sentiments on all Hands, that this thrice happy and golden Age is now at hand, & the Nearer we may well suppose it, because the 7th Conjunction must be attended (as all the former 6 have been) with Great Revolutions: The great Champion of this Sabbatical Doctrine Alsted doth (confi­dently enough) determine the year of Christ 1694 (which is now [Page 37]about 12 y. hence) for the first Year of that Triumphant State or Hap­py Jubilee: And I cannot but wonder to find Trithemius Spineus, Car­dan and Tycho Brahe all speaking of a new erected Kingdom about the Year 1700. (which is about 5 or 6 years beyond Alsteds Account) In quo omnia Nutu Ʋnius Regentur &c And betwixt this great Con­junction (renew'd again Jan. 30 and May 2d of the next year) and in that 17 Century I find not any other of these 2 Superior Planets (nor will be, till their 20 y. Return from this Meeting) only as great an Ecclipse of the Sun I find March 29 in the y. 1693 (about Alsteds year aforementioned) as was that in the y. 1652. which than gave the Denomination of Black Munday accompanyed with most Black Effects: (4) As to those that have put so much stress upon the y. 1666 (a year fatal to London, not to Rome thàt mystical Babylon) Time it self (the best Interpreter of dark Mysteries) hath confuted: That was before this Great Conjunction (though not before a Great Comet in the y. (64) vnless we reckon from Christs (not Birth; but) Ascension (for then was made Christs Visible Conquest) which will be a fit Salvo for the a­foresaid, as adding 34 y. more to 1666, betwixt Christs Ascension and Descension to Restore all things, which is not yet elaps'd, but falls upon the 17. Century. (5) there be others, who judge the Time vncertain, and certainly their Judgment (in my Judgment) is most certain: However this is a sovereign Cordial against all our interve­ing Cordoliums, that our Redemption draweth nigh Luke 21, 28. therefore are we bid to look up, and to lift up our Eyes on high upon those Heavenly Wonders (the Conjunctions and the Comets) Isa. 40, 26. And lift up your Heads &c. (as before) or [exhilarate cor­da] cheer up your Hearts, as that Luke 21, 28. is interpreted: or stretch forth your Necks (as' [...] Rom. 8.19. signifies) which is either a Metaphor from Birds that thrust forth a long Neck out of a Cage, or else from Men that earnestly look and long for some spe­cial Friend a coming, as Siseras Mother did, looking out at a Window and crying [why is his Charet so long in coming] Judg. 5, 28. when ye see those things come to pass, saith Christ, that is, when ye behold these Signs, Prodigies, Ecclipses &c. Then know your full and final Deliverance is not far off, see Rom. 8, 19, to 22. (6) Whereas this Intimation cutts the Worlds continuance ( in status quo,] short of 6000 years, 'tis true, it seemeth to do so; The He­brew Cabbalists do indeed observe, that in the first Verse of the Holv Bible there are six Alephs, who from thence conclude, that the World shall last six Thousand Years reckoning each Aleph (as it stands in Gen. 1.1.) for a Thousand: Suitable to this (in point of Time) is that other Rabbinical Notion, that as Solomons [Page 38]Temple was finished in the 3000 y. of the World, so the spiritual Temple shall be consummated in three Thousand more: According to this Tenure likewise, doth the known Prophecy of Elias (not the Tisbite, but a later Learned Rabbi) run in his Reckoning, that as there weree 2000 y. (plùs minùs) before the Law, and 2000 y. (more or less) under the Law: So there are to be 2000 y. also vnder the Gospel: Agreable also to these 3 for­mer Computations, is the Notion of comparing the six Thousand years of the Worlds Redemption (whereof the first four Thousand belong'd to the prophetical Office of Christ, and the last two Thousand to his Sacerdotal or Priestly) unto the six first Days of the Worlds Creation. Because both the Old and New Testament do testify, that a Thousand Years with God are as one Day. Psal. 90, 4. and 2. Pet. 3, 8. As likewise because God promiseth to shew Mercy to a 1000 Ge­nerations; that is, (as some interpret it) for 7000 y. For as after the 6 Days came the Sabbath, so after the six Thousand comes the 7th or Sabbatical Millennium: And after the prophetical and priestly Offices be accomplished in the four and two Thousand (as aforesaid) then begins his Regal Office, wherein he takes to himself his great power and Reigns, Revel. 11, 15, 17. for which He hath been in long Expectation, Hebr. 10 13. with 1, 13. and Ps. 110, 1. and 1. Cor. 15, 24.25. this is his Kingly Office. (7) These aforesaid Divisions of Times are Indeed Fair and plausible, but as they are not Divine and Scriptural, (wanting a Warrant from the Spirits Inspiration) so there is (1) a plus and a minus, a more and a less Attending them; and if the two former periods, why not the latter: (2) Christ hath said that this latter period shall be shortened for the Elects sake, Matth. 24, 22. which words may have a special Relation to the world in general, as well as to Je­rusalem in particular. (3) There is a German Doctor, who tells us, we have lost more in the Chronology of Time than Two Hundred years (4) Consider that Tycho Brahe calls the Former Epoches of great Revolutions Ʋneven ones, and why may not this last be so: (5) Remember how the Antients make 960, y. betwixt one Cli­macterical Conjunction and another, this will Advance &c. (6) so will a Reckoning from Christs Ascension, and not from his Birth: (7) This Planetary Revolution being the 7th we may expect the soon­er a Restitution of all things All Sabbatick Circulations are Reputed as Rings of Gold, and the 7th is the Diamond and Sparkling Jew­el of Daily, Monthly and Annual Revolutions. I shall therefore Conclude with this precious double 7th (both in the paragraph and [Page 39]in the Subdivision) and with that old Hebrew prayer [Bimerah Bejamenu] let this 7th Millennium or Blessed Jubilee come quickly, and in our Day Before we be lodged in the silent Grave; even so, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly. So prayeth C. N.