fame point; the Planets about them, that must make up an united Influence with them, have a different fituation in refpect of us and each other, from what they had the time before: and confequently the joint Influence must be perpetually varied, and never be reducible to any Rules and Obfervations. Or if the Influences be conveyed hither diftinct, yet sometimes fome of the Little Planets will eclipfe the Great one at any given point; and by that means intercept and obftruct the Influence. I cannot now infift on many other Argumentsdeducible from the late Improvements of Aftronomy, and the truth of the Copernican System; For if the Earth be not the Centre of the Planetary Motions, what muft become then of the prefent Aftrology, which is wholly adapted to that vulgar Hypothefis? And yet nevertheless, when they lay under fuch wretched miftakes for many Myriads of Years, if we are willing to believe them; they would all along, as now, appeal to Experience and Event for the confirmation of their Doctrines. That's the invincible Demonftration of the Verity of theScience: And indeed as to their Predictions, I think our Aftrologers may affume to themselves that in fallible Oracle of Trefias,

Q Laertiade, quicquid dico, aut erit, aut non.

There's

There's but a true and a falfe in any telling of Fortune; and a man that never hits on the right fide, cannot be called a bad Gueffer, but muft mifs out of design, and be notably skilfull at lighting on the wrong. And were there not formerly as great pretentions to it from the fuperftitious Obfervation of the Entrails of Cows, of the flying of Vulturs, and the pecking of Chickings? Nay, the old Augurs and Soothsayers had better reafon to profefs the Art of Divining, than the modern Aftrological Atheist: for they supposed there were fome Dæmons, that directed the Indications. So likewife the Chaldean and Egyptian Aftrologers were much more excufable than He. It was the Religion of their Countries to worship the Stars, as we know from unquestionable Authority. They believed them Intelligent Beings, and no other than very Gods; and therefore had some Reason to fufpect, that they might govern Humane Affairs. The Influence of the Stars was in their apprehenfions no less than Divine Power. But an Atheist, that believes the Planets to be dark, folid and senselefs Bodies, like the brute Earth he treads on; and the Fixt Stars and the Sun to be inanimate Balls of Fire; what Reasons can He advance for the Credit of luch Influences? He acknowledgeth nothing befides

Maimonides More Nevochim

De Zabiis&Chaldais. Plato Eufebius Demonft. Evangel. lib.1. c.6. doiveras Togager A 2 ó el

in Cratylo. Diodorus, lib.1.c.2.

γυπλίας πρώτες ἁπαντων κατεασέρας πεός αποφῆναι.

befides Matter and Motion; fo that all that he can conceive to be tranfmitted hither from the Stars, must needs be perform'd either by Mechanism or Accident; either of which is wholly unaccountable, and the latter irreconcileable to any Art or Syftem of Science. But if both were allowed the Atheist; yet as to any production of Mankind, they will be again refuted in my following Discourse. I can preserve a due esteem for some great Men of the Taft Age, before the Mechanical Philosophy was revived, though they were too much addicted to this nugatory Art. When Occult Quality, and Sympathy and Antipathy were admitted for fatiffactory Explications of things, even wise and vertuous Men might swallow down any Opinion that was countenanced by Antiquity. But at this time of day, when all the general powers and capacities of Matter are so clearly understood; he must be very ridiculous himself, that doth not deride and explode the antiquated Folly. But we may fee the miferable Shifts that fome men are put to; when that which was first founded upon, and afterward fupported by Idolatry, is now become the tottering Sanctuary of Atheism. If the Stars be no Deities, Aftrology is groundless: and if the Stars be Deities, why is the Aftrologer an Atheist? He may easily be no Chriftian; and 'tis difficult indeed to be both

-at

Laod. Can.

6. in Trul

lib. 9. tit.

Theodof.

at once: because, as I have said before, Idolatry is at the bottom; and by submitting Humane Actions and Inclinations to the Influence of the Stars, they destroy the very Effence of Moral Virtue and the Efficacy of Divine Grace: and therefore AftroConcil. logy was juftly condemn'd by the Ancient Fathers 36 Conc. and Chriftian Emperours. An Aftrologer, I say, lo. Can. 61. may very easily be no Chriftian; he may be an Cod. Juft. Idolater or a Pagan: but I could hardly think A18. Cod. ftrology to be compatible with rank Atheism; if I 1.9.tit.16. could fuppofe any great gifts of Nature to be in that lib. 6o. tit. perfon, who is either an Atheist or an Aftrologer, But let him be what he will, he is not able to do much hurt by his Reasons and Example. For Religion it felf, according to his Principles, is derived from the Stars. And he owns, 'tis not any just Exceptions he hath taken against Christianity, but 'tis his Destiny and Fate; 'tis Saturn in the Ninth House, and not Judgment and Deliberation, that made him an Atheist,

Βασιλικῶν

39.

A

A

CONFUTATION

OF

ATHEISM

FROM THE

Structure and Origin of Humane Bodies.

PART II

The Fourth SERMON preached June 6. 1692.

Acts XVII 27.

That they should feek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him; though he be not far from every one of us: for in him we Live, and Move, and have our Being.

I

N the former part of this Enquiry I have examin'd and refuted two Atheistical Notions opposed to the great Doctrine of the Text, That we owe our Living and Being to the power of God: The one of the Ariftotelian Atheists, who, to