CHAPTER IX.

A Specifical Declaration, how the Astrology of Saturn in Man ought to be and may be Theologized.

FORASMUCH as hitherto we have heard that all the sciences, actions, studies, and states of life of all men, by a certain inevitable necessity ought to be Theologized, or by the exercise or sanctification of the Mental Sabbath be laid aside, denied, put off and accounted for nothing; now we would particularly see how the Astrology of Saturn is to be Theologized in us. For, because infinite is the multitude of men, only handling and exercising this Saturnine Astrology. And we do set down first of all in a certain paradoxical sense, that is above the common intellect of the vulgar; that no husbandman, countryman, farmer, gardener, herb-seller, vine-dresser, steward, builder, metal-man, potter, weaver, cobbler, shoemaker, etc., can ever enter into the Kingdom of God, or come to the possession of a heavenly life, unless he learn to drive away, to subject this power, his Saturnine Heaven, with all its ascendant stars, and resist every inclination thereof, tending to evil, through the instinct of the Serpent ; reign over it, and overcome it.

" Good God," here will some ignorant say, from the instinct of the Serpent, "of what kind is this your Theologization of Astrology, which you here handle? What mortal can believe that a husbandman, a farmer, a steward, a vine-dresser, a porter, a metal-man, a mechanic, a carpenter, etc., cannot be made an heir and possessor of the kingdom of heaven?' What, is the Light of Nature to be contemned and altogether rejected, and must we cease from all labour? What, ought we not at all to act, work, study, learn, search, but to be plainly idle? Whence shall we receive food and raiment and other necessaries to the sustentation of life, seeing no man, whosoever is busied in the studies, labours and works above said, can from them attain eternal salvation? The sentence of this book seems to be wonderful indeed and estranged from the truth."

I answer, these things do not seem strange or obscure but to the ignorant, nor are they indeed a hair's breadth estranged from truth, so that they be rightly received and understood. For nothing can be so truly spoken or written that by the ruder and less intelligent may not be called into doubt, or be esteemed even for a lie.

But a lesson read which pleaseth, being repeated ten times it will please.

Lo, this our sense. If thou art a husbandman, a countryman, a farmer, a steward, a gardener, a seller of herbs, a vine-dresser, a potter, a metal-man, a carpenter, a builder, etc., or busied in some other like kind of life, then thou art constituted and walkest in the sphere of Saturn, and art governed by the Saturnine stars which are in thee, ever and anon ascending in thy imagination, cogitation and senses ; ruling thee, inclining thee hither and thither, even as thy pleasure draweth thee by free will, and the inward Serpent persuadeth thee.

Now, unless thou as a wise man, shalt be cautious and attent, and shalt over-rule thy stars running up and down, flourishing and operating in thee, or shalt Theologize thy Astrology; that is unless thou shalt learn to Sabbathize, and to cease from all thy work, and keep holy the Lord's Day, according to the mind and sense of the divine precept, it altogether is and abides impossible to thee, by any means, to enter into the kingdom of God, and come to the possession of eternal salvation. For I will make it clear by a most manifest demonstration that never any husbandman, farmer, countryman, steward, metal-man, etc., could enter into the kingdom of God, who, neglecting and omitting the sanctification of the Sabbath, departed out of this world. But I would thou shouldest take these things rightly.

My judgment is, that no Saturnist, such as are before recited, can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but that he ought to be thoroughly converted, and made as an infant then at length he is fit to take, enter and possess the Kingdom of God, not indeed as a husbandman, a farmer, a steward, a builder, a vine-dresser, a seller of herbs, a metal-man, a potter, etc., because there is no such thing, to be done there, for such workmen. But see thou be as a child and infant, as a new creature, as the Son of God. ' For no man hath ascended to heaven, but he which descended from heaven, the Son of God, which is Christ, and as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of God.' Now to receive Christ requires an inevitable putting off and mortification, yea, destruction of the old creature, of the old man created of earth, and the new birth of the same from above, from whence also, Christ is arisen.

Therefore the reasons and causes, for which the Saturnist cannot come into heaven, are these; First, because in the celestial Paradise, or the country of the Heavens, there are no grounds, nor oxen, nor ploughs, for husbandman; nor farms or lands for farmers; nor houses nor granaries for stewards; nor stones nor wood for builders nor vineyards nor forks for vine-dressers; nor gardens, herbs, plants, seeds for herb-sellers; nor mountains fertile in metals for metal-men; nor loam nor clay for potters; nor flax nor wool for weavers ; and therefore there is not any need of any such, neither shall those which inhabit there want such kind of science and industry. For all these things are, and are only to be found under the Zodiac in this corruptible world, where in the last day at one time together and at once, they shall be taken away and cease with the world.

So far therefore, my husbandman, as thy field, thy ox and thy plough shall be transported after the last day to the Kingdom of Heaven; so far also shalt thou thyself, with thy rustic science and industry, after this life enter into the Kingdom of Heaven,- that is, never. Therefore put off the old earthly and natural man with all his science, prudence, craftiness, which thou usest in the handling of natural things, and put on the new man which alone savours and desires heavenly things, and leadeth thee to heavenly things, by the exercise of the true Sabbath, to be had in the spirit of thy mind every week.

And, so far, my vine-dresser, as thy vine and thy fork shall be found after the last day, in the Kingdom of Heaven ; so far also shalt thou appear there with thy vinitory science and industry,— that is, never. For then all old things are passed away.

And, so far, my steward, as thy household-stuff and granaries shall be found out in the Kingdom of Heaven, after the world is blotted out, so far also shalt thou thyself be there with thy science and industry of domestic parsimony,— that is,never. For we do not act those things there which we are wont here.

And, so far as my gardener, my potter, etc., thy colworts, herbs, plants, trees, with thy garden, and thy loam and clay shall, after the world is defaced, remain and be transferred into the perpetual heaven, so far also shalt thou thyself. with all thy plantatory and pot-making science, be promoted to the heavenly mansion, — that is, never. For the subjects and matter being wanting, what can thy science profit thee ?

So also it is with all the rest of the kinds, and sciences and arts appertaining to the Astrology of Saturn; all these have their matter and subjects about which they are conversant and with which they are occupied, without them in the Macrocosm, which, being taken away and withdrawn, all things will be taken away and withdrawn with them; and they have within themselves in their soul, in which the light of Nature is, the wisdom, industry, art and understanding rightly to handle and perform their works which soul, and which light are nothing, else than the Astralic Heaven and Firmament in the Microcosm, where every science, art, and work hath its peculiar star with the ascendants convenient to itself.

Therefore this science and operation is once a week to be laid aside and put off; and we must sabbathize in God, that God may act and operate his work in us, to wit, the work of our conversion, repentance, amendment, new birth, and of the new creation, that we may be made fit to enter into his kingdom after death and the resurrection.

Furthermore, also for this cause none of the aforesaid can see, enter, possess, the Kingdom of Heaven, because such a workman is only born of flesh and blood, is the old creature of the earth of this world, and is the son of the firmament, the offspring of Nature; and although he excels in the knowledge of natural things, yet all his science and knowledge is to take an end with the life of time. He that would be capable of heaven, ought to be the new Man born again of God, regenerate; the new creature. For nothing that is earthly can take or possess heaven ; therefore none of those which we have hitherto recited, and shall recite in the following things shall come thither, unless they be converted, and become as an infant, who knows none of these things. "There shall be a new Heaven and a new earth, old things are passed away," saith he which doth it, " all things are made new."

A new heaven, therefore, requires new inhabitants, fit for it and capable of it, for as man at first was created of the old heaven and of the old earth, and was born of mortal seed, in which earth he now temporally dwelleth; so it also behoveth him to be created of that new heaven and of that new birth, and to be born again, to be regenerated of the immortal seed, in which earth he would be and inhabit eternally.

The third reason is because the Light of Nature, with all kinds of Sciences, is given to man, for this life only, to till the earth, for the labour of his hands, to eat his bread in the sweat of his countenance, etc.; and belongs only to the sustentation of the natural and temporal life, living in the mortal body; and the body being dead and the world blotted out, no such thing remaineth; therefore we have no need of corn, vines, buildings, tents, houses, garments, meat, etc.; therefore neither knowledge nor desire of getting, or labouring for such things; the cause ceasing, the effect ceaseth.

The fourth reason is, because man was not made of God finally for this world, or for those things which are in this world; but chiefly for the kingdom of God, where none of these things is found or is in use, which in this life are everywhere agitated and handled with men, throughout the divers shops of the Light of Nature.

The fifth is, because man was therefore constituted for a time only in this world, that he might ascend from the inferior things, and seek after the superior things; that is, that by natural light and wisdom, as it were from a looking glass or shadow, he might learn to know and apprehend the heavenly Light and Wisdom, at whose majesty and glory, all natural things, although glorious, might plainly vanish and be annihilated: and so, leaving the inferior and lesser light, he should suddenly betake himself to and follow the greater and superior Light; and departing from this transitory world, forsaking and accompting all things for nothing which he receiveth, hath, and possesseth in this time from the world; and having denied himself, as a naked and new-born infant, depart into that eternal mansion and region of the eternal country, and so come thither, fasting and empty from the possession of all natural science, as if he had never at all been in this world, or had not known any the least state of this world.

But these things are not propounded and written to that end that they should happen in contempt of philosophy, or of natural sciences, arts and faculties, which are and flourish amongst men, and which in this life cannot but be; but rather that we, being fraught with the sagacity, of the Light of Nature, may be led further, may go forward and be excited to the knowledge of the greater Light, which may confer upon us a new birth, eternal life and salvation.

For to all that covet and desire the kingdom of God, is the old man made of Nature, to be put off and laid down; yea, to be buried in an absolute abnegation and oblivion, as well of himself as of all those things which he hath, possesseth, studieth, knoweth, learneth; and the new man is to be put on, which is created according to God, where " there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither male nor female, neither bond nor free, but the new creature."

I say, the new creature is required to possess the kingdom of God, wherein there is nothing, left of the old leaven. The old leaven is the knowledge of good and evil, beginning to spring in man from the forbidden tree, and is the prudence or subtilty of the Serpent. But the new leaven is the heavenly wisdom, the simplicity of the Dove, from whom alone true life and beatitude flow, and which also only shall bear rule in the elect heirs of the kingdom of God, the natural and terrene wisdom being then utterly together and at once swallowed up, blotted out, and extinct.

Matt.18, John 3 - For the kingdom of God is of such only who are converted from the old creature into the new, and become as children, who never knew neither good nor evil.

FINIS.