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The Cabal
of
The Twelve houses
Philosopher and Astronomer, Sir George Wharton,
Bar.
I shall not
dispute how much Astronomers differ among themselves concerning the
Number, Site, Motions, and Nature of the Heavens: Neither here undertake
to compose such a strike, nor to censure, any Man's judgment therein;
forasmuch as at least, in this, they do many of them agree [That there is
one supream Heaven and First Moveable, which by its own motion from East
to West, accomplisheth its Revolution about the Earth, in the space of 24
hours; and causeth such a force of stupend Motion, in the bodies
subordinate, that it manifestly carried with it, from East to West,
whatsoever is betwixt it and the middle Region of Air].
'Tis true, Kepler (the Lynceus of the last Age) denying (with Copernicus)
such a First Moveable, makes the Starry Heaven to be supream, and
immoveable: And maintaineth, that the Earth, (called a planet by
Pythagoras, and placed between the Sphaeres of Mars and Venus) performs by
its own motion from West to East an entire rotation about its Axis, in the
space of 24 hours, the Sun being placed in the Center of the World. Which
supposed to (as indeed it is by the most Learned of this Age) yet I this
doth the Starry Heavens perform the Office of the First Moveable, [That
the same part of the Earth, by the motion of the whole body thereof,
continually cometh into the Aspect of the New parts of the Stellified
Heaven, whereby that part of the Earth shall be forthwith changed de
novo, unless we deny it all power of operating thereupon.
Whether therefore there be no other Heavens above that of the Fixed Stars
(unknown I confess to the Egyptians, Chaldeans, Plato, Aristotle,
Hyparchus, and even to Ptolemy himself). Or whether More, according to
Aphonsins; yet this is most certain, and not contradicted by any, That in
mundane bodies, as in Earth, Water, Fire, and Heavens there is some first
and Supream, than which there cannot be any higher, otherwise should they
be infinite in Operation: And also that these very Bodies are the
universal Causes of Physical Mutations, and subordinate one another in
Operation: Therefore in that Subordination, there must likewise be one
first and supream power of Operation, and from that the Middle and from
these the Lowest do receive there vertue of Action: Otherwise, this
Subordination of Causes should it self be quite overthrown: For why should
the Middle be said to be Subordinate to the Supream, and the Lowest to the
Middle in their Operation, if that which is lower received no influx or
vertue from that which is Superiour unto it? And can the Lowest without
the Influence of the Middle, or these without the Highest, of themselves
produce any effect?
The First Cause, therefore, of all things can be no other than the Supream
Heaven, which if (according to the Doctrine of the Ancients) it move, it
moveth also the Bodies that be thereunto inferiour, yet is not it self
moved by any other Body superiour unto it. And if (according to Kepler) it
be immoveable, and indeed with Stars, it hath influence, at least, upon
the Bodies that be subordinate to it, but receiveth not influence from any
other. Thereof either way, the First Heaven shall be the First Cause, or
the first Physical beginning of Physical Effects and Changes. For, 'tis
but expedient that the First beginning in every kind, should be the most
perfect: Therefore shall the First Heaven be in the Lineage of Efficient
Causes, which are of the most universal and powerful Active vertue, (which
is the greatest perfection of an Efficient Cause) so that there is no
Inferiour Corporeal Cause, which it moveth not, or into which it
instilleth not a vertue of power of Operation; and nothing anew generated
in the whole World, which this vertue of it self toucheth not. Which being
granted, how can any Man doubt, but that every thing which is generated
and born de novo, should be referred to that First Cause thereof?
For it must be referred either to some part of that Heaven, or to that
whole Heaven: But it ought to be referred to the whole Heaven: For,
aliquam sui partem, according to some part of it, but secundum se
totum, according to the entire Body thereof: Therefore every Sublunary
Effect, so far as it may be considered secundum se totum, to wit,
in its Beginning, Vigour, Declination, and Destruction, must be referred
to the whole Heaven; yet not confusedly, but distinctly and orderly, as
the most orderly motion of the Heaven it self requireth.
For, as the whole Effect, and whatsoever doth happen from Heaven during
the same, correspond to the whole Heaven, and yet the Beginning is not the
end thereof: so what was in Heaven of it self the Cause of its Beginning,
this same thing shall not of itself be the Cause of the End thereof: (for
so no Effect should continue, nor indeed any be produced.) But as the
Beginning, Vigour, Declination, and End of things do differ and succeed
one another: So the Coelestial Causes of these likewise differ amongst
themselves, and must succeed one another. But in Heaven, Difference and
Succession are not, unless in respect of the parts thereof. Therefore in
Heaven are certain parts that be the Causes of the beginning of things, or
which do govern the same: Others succedent to those which rule the Vigour;
others that rule their Declination; and lastly, such as govern the End or
Destruction of things.
What part of Heaven then (Nature her self guiding and reaching us) shall
we call the First Cause of the Natural Beginning of every thing? Surely
that which in the very Beginning of the thing, ariseth above the Horizon
thereof and arising causeth the thing it self also to arise. For, certain
it is that of all the places of Heaven, the East is more powerful than the
rest, as is testified by all Astrologers, concerning the Rising,
Culminating, and Setting of the Stars; and as Experience it self
convinceth, in the Change of Air. But a cause is said to be only more
Powerful, in respect of a stronger, and more difficult Effect: Therefore,
the stronger and more difficult Effect of things must be attributed to the
Ascendant Par[t] of Heaven, which none will deny to the Rise or Production
of those things. But successively, that Part of Heaven, which is more
elevated above the Horizon, and possesseth the Mid Heaven, in the rise or
Beginning of the thing, shall have the Government of the vigour and
Operative vertue thereof; That which setteth at the same time, the
Declination of it, from its perfect estate: And lastly, That which obtains
the Bottom of Heaven, shall be taken for the Cause of Corruption.
And this is the simple, and (of all others) the first Division of Heaven,
whereby it is truly and rationally fitted for the Begetting, Increase and
Alteration of all Physical things from their own Nature, and, at length,
corrupting them: And which onely the Ancient Astrologers frequently used,
in their General and Particular constitutions of Heaven, as appears by
Haly, in the Figure of the Comet which happened in his time: For that
either a more scrupulous Division of Heaven was harder in those days for
want of Astronomical Tables: Or because this Division might generically
contain, whatsoever another could more specifically.
But when once some Astrologer had observed, that Heaven was both made and
moved, rather for the sake of Man, than any other Animate, or Inanimate
Creatures, and how many things agreed to Man himself, in respect of his
more Divine Nature, which did not in any wise to more ignoble Creatures:
He supposed, that for Man's own sake also the whole Circle of Heaven was
rationally Divided into Twelve parts (by great Circles drawn through the
intersections of the Horizon and Meridian, and cutting the Aequator in so
many equal parts) which he called Houses, the first whereof he placed in
the East, and delivered to Posterity, That it governed the Life of Man,
and from thence might be had and drawn a conjectural knowledge and
judgment concerning Life: that the 2. (which followeth the first,
according to the Motion of the Planets) did govern Riches: the third
Brethren: the fourth Parents, and so of the rest, as in the subsequent
Figure, the houses are Ordered and Named. And from him, until this present
time hath this division of heaven, and appellation of Houses, continued
uncorrupted: Howbeit Ptolemy and his Followers do dissent from this
Ancient Tradition, seeming to pervert the Division in many places: As when
(concerning Children) they principally judge, not from the 5. House, but
the 11. which is opposite thereunto: When (concerning the Mother) not from
4. but from 10. opposite unto it: So (when of Servants, and animals) not
from 6. but the 12. (the house opposing it) which apparent error shall
hereafter be Corrected.
The Order and Names of the
Houses Astrological

Now amongst all
other Foundations of Astrology, this of dividing the Heavens into 12
Houses, is the first and chiefest; in that thereupon principally depends
the whole Art of Predictions: And the Causes, Reasons, and first
Beginnings of this Division, furthest distant from our Understanding, and
far more hardly to be found out, by reason, than any other; in which
regard very few (if any at all) have undertaken the defence thereof, by
any true or probably Reasons, Ptolemy himself (so say the truth) being in
this particular very defective. For Lucius Bellantius (who took upon him
the defence of Astrology against Picus) in his 10. Book (written against
(c.5. of Picus 10. Book) after he had enumerated sundry of his own and the
Ancients trifles, not worthy the name of Reasons, is at length forced to
oppose Picus with Experience onely, and to conclude him from Objects very
ridiculous and unbeseeming an Artist of his Learning and Gravity, in these
words: Querere igitur quam ob causum haec vel illa domus hujus virtutis
sit, est quarrere, quare Sol sit Lucidus, cur Ignis calidus, Aqua frigida;
quae tamen ex principiis intinsecis pendent nobis ignotioribus, aut saltem
minime' notioribus: which but a little before he had called
Profunda Naturae secreta.
And indeed all others, who have endeavoured to give the Reasons of these
Houses, have produced nothing orderly, nothing of Truth, but mere figments
onely: So that if any-where they brought a reason which seemed but to
defend one House, the very same really destroyed all the rest. And
therefore Alexander ab Angelis, lib 4. cap. 19 after his Muster of all the
Arguments brought by Julius Firmicus, concerning these Houses, he justly
resells them, in these words: Ridiculus sit quicunque ridiculus bas
rationes nostra refutatione egrere exisimaret.
By which it plainly appears how easie and free it was for the Enemies of
Astrology to hiss and laugh at these Houses, and importunately and
impudently to demand, Why Heaven might not be divided into more than 12
Houses? Wherefore the First House is called the House of Life, and placed
in the East? Why the order and numeral succession of the Houses is from
East to West? And why the Second House is called the House of Riches or
Gain, the twelfth of Enemies and Imprisonment and misery? And so, why the
other Houses are called their Names, and disposed in that order? Seeing
(as they pretend,) as well their Order as Names, observe no Order at all,
but are rather a mere Chymera of Confusion, a plain hotch-potch of fiction
and fooler, as Picus (lib 10) and Alexander ab Angelis (1. 4) c. 27) do
variously but most wretchedly torment themselves in proving.
But know that the Division of Houses unto 12 houses, as before in the
Figure, ought not in any wise to be accounted feigned, or as wanting a
Natural Foundation: But rather for a happy conception of the most wise and
piercing intellect (provided any humane understanding can it self
apprehend it, and it be not of that universal knowledge God infused into
Adam at the Creation) as that which standing upon a real Foundation,
declares the universal state of Man in Heaven, wonderfully shadowed, like
as in his first Physical Cause. For this Division was by the first Author
thereof, Cabalistically conveyed to Posterity, who indeed have in no sort
changed the same; but yet its Mysteries (the spirit of the Cabal) they
have not understood, nothing at all being left us by any one concerning
them.
First then (for more illustrations sake) I say, That the former, first and
simple division of heaven into four Cardinal parts, is not feigned, but
natural, and upheld by a natural foundation, as before hath been
demonstrated. And that is every one of these parts in heaven of the same
Nature, viz those with whome it makes an Aequilateral Triangle in
the Aequator (the principal Circle of the Worlds first Motion) or which it
beholds by a partile Trine in the Aequator. For, the Eternal Trinity is of
infinite Love, and the fountain and substance of infinite and most perfect
Love, wherein the thing Loving, which is the First, the thing loved, which
is the second, and Love proceeding from both, which is the third, are one,
not in Genere, or in Specie, but in numero; and therefore the most simple,
and most Perfect: Whose Perfection is such, and so universal, that it
derives it self into every Trine: And therefore may every Trine be called
Perfect: not in any particular or special perfection, but in that first,
and most universal perfection of the First Trine, which cometh in Love,
and whereof all Trines do diversely participate, according to the Capacity
of the Nature.
Seeing therefore the Fixed Stars and Planets do (by reason of their
various Motions) oftentimes behold one another with different Aspects into
the Coelstial Circles, viz, a Sextile, Trine, and Opposition: The
first and wise Astrologers (as well for reasons taken a priori,
from the infinite and most universal perfection of the first Trine, as
a posteriori, from most evident Effects) do generally affirm, that of
all Aspects the Trine is the most perfect, and that therein the perfection
of the first Trine, viz Love, is so strong and lively it is called
by them an Aspect of perfect Friendship. Now forasmuch as this could not
be without a similitude of natures, or at least a generical Identity: They
rightly concluded the parts of the Aequator, which beheld one another by a
partile Trine, to be at least of the same generical nature, and to make up
a Triplicity of the same nature.
Wherefore seeing that each of the afore-mentioned Four Cardinal parts of
Heaven doth challenge to it self of its own nature; by these four
Triplicities Heaven is divided into 12 parts, called Houses: Neither was
it divisible into more or fewer parts by the Created Quaternary multiplied
into the Divine Ternary. And therefore this Division is accounted the most
absolute and truly perfect; as containing two Sextiles, two Squares, two
Trines, and also the opposition: Which are all the Coelestial Aspects,
from whence (not omitting the Conjunction) all variations of the general
Coelestial Influences do happen. And these Aspects do perfectly agree with
all the parts of the Number 12. which are 1,2,3,4,5 [sic],6. where 1. is
referred to Union or Conjunction; 2. (the 6. part of 12.) to the Sextile
Aspect; 3. (the 4. part thereof) to the Quartile; and 4. (the third part)
to the trine; and 6. (the middle part) to the Opposition: And as there are
not more Aspects in the Circle, so in the Number 12 not more parts. For
indeed all things were made by God, in Number, Weight, and Measure.
Thus much premised, I say that the Life of Man consists of 4. Ages;
Child-hood, Youth, Man-hood, and Old-age: And, that in Man there are four
different thing observable, unto which all the other [be] reduced, as it
were to their first beginning; Namely, Life, Action, Marriage, and
Passion. And these agree with the Beginning (or rise) Vigour, Declination,
and End or Death; which four were before insinuated generally agreeable,
to all the effects of Nature. For Man is said to Rise into the World, when
first he enjoys a Worldly Life: To be strong in Action, when he acteth, or
reduceth, his vigour of doing, more into action: To decline, so soon as a
plentiful dissipation of his innate heat and radical moisture beginneth,
as at the time of Marriage. And from Man-hood (the best time of Marriage)
he declineth toward Old-age, and at length Dyes, when he sustains the last
Passion of Life. Therefore, Man's Life, Action, Marriage, and Passion,
belong to the same Coelestial Principles, as do the Birth, Vigour,
Declination, and Death of all other things in the World: viz. Life
to the East, Action to the Mid-heaven, Marriage to the West-angle; and
Passion to the Angle of the Earth.
Whence do arise 4. Triplicites of the same generical nature; and 12.
Houses, as aforesaid.
The First Triplicity is of the Angle of the East, (which they name the
First House, and belongeth to Child-hood) called the Triplicity of Being
and Life: the other houses of this Triplicity are the Ninth and Fifth,
both which do behold the first house by a Partile Trine Aspects in the
Aequator, where is made this rational Division of the Houses.
For, Man liveth on a three-fold respect, in himself, in God, and in his
Posterity. But the First Life is onely given a Man for other Causes,
viz. That he might worship God, and beget his own likeness: Which is
the compleat intention of God in the production of Man.
1. Now as touching the Life of Man in itself (because it is the first of
all other things in the Order of Nature, and without it the rest could not
be: therefore) it justly challengeth the principal House of the Triplicity
viz. The Angle of the East
2. Life in God (the second in order) exists in the house of religion
viz. the Ninth, subsequent to the First House in this Triplicity
according to the Motion of the Aequator.
3. And lastly, Life in his Posterity, bestowed on the house of Children,
which is the fifth. Wherefore this whole Triplicity concerneth Life. But
herein one thing is very remarkable, viz. That by the motion of the
Aequator (the measure of Time) there is made an immediate ingress, from
the 9. house, into the 8. which is the house of Temporary Death: whereby
man is to understand That he must live to himself in God, until his
Temporal Death: so that betwixt this, and the Life in God, no part of time
intercede.
The second is the Triplicity of the Angle of the Mid-heaven, which they
name the 10. house and appertaineth unto youth. This is also called the
Triplicity of Action and of Gain or worldly goods flowing thence: because
every thing working Physically, worketh for some Physical good. For, as by
the motion of the Aequator, progress us made from the Angle of the East to
the Angle of the mid-heaven: so is there a progress made from Child-hood
unto youth, and from Being, or Life to Action. The two other houses of
this Triplicity are the 6. and 2.
But Gain, or the Physicall good arising to man from his Actions, is
threefold.
1. The first (in order of dignity) is Immaterial: as are Arts, Magistracy,
Dignities, and honours, unto which a man is raised: also Power and
Majesty: wherefore it hath the principal house of this Triplicity, viz.
The Angle of the mid-heaven.
2. The second, is the Material and Animated; as are subjects, servants,
and all other living creatures; and is placed in the 6. house, according
to the Motion of the Equator, in the subsequent Triplicity.
3. The last is Materiall-inanimated, as are gold, silver,
house-hold-stuff, and even all other Immoveable Goods, gotten by our own
labour: which are attributed to the second house, under the name of
Riches. Therefore this whole Triplicity is of Action and Gain thence
arising.
The third is the Triplicity of the West Angle, named the 7. House and
belonging to man-hood: This is called the Triplicity of Marriage or Love.
For, as by Motion of the Equator, progress is made from the Angle of the
Mid-heaven, to the West Angle: even so there is a progress from youth to
Man-hood, and from famous deeds, to Marriages and friendships of men which
thence are purchased. The two other houses of this Triplicity are the 3.
and 11.
But man is joined to another in a threefold respect.
1. The First Conjunction (in order of dignity) is that of the body, which
we call Matrimony, and therefore the principal house of this Triplicity,
viz. the West Angle is thereunto dedicated.
2. The second, is that of the Blood, which constitutes Brethren and
Kindred, in the Third House, according to the Motion of the Equator in
this following Triplicity.
3. The last, is that of simple Benevolence, or favor, whence do arise
friends, in the 11. house. Therefore, this whole Triplicity is of Marriage
and Love.
The fourth Triplicity, is that of the dark angle, (in the middle of the
night, or bottom of heaven) called the fourth house, and the Cave or Den
of the Planets; attributed to old-age, and the Triplicity of Passion,
Affliction, and Death; whereunto every man is subject, for the sin of
Adam. The two other houses of this Triplicity are the 12. and 8.
1. But the first Affliction of Man, in the order of nature, is a sorrowful
expectation of the Natural Death of his parents: or rather (speaking
Cabalistically) it is that strain of Original Sin, which our Parents
imprint in us, and through which we are from our very Births made
obnoxious to every misery, and at length, to death it self. And therefore
the Parents and their Condition, during the life of the Native, as also
Death, and heritages, left by them to the Native, do possess the principal
house of this Triplicity, viz The Angle of the fourth house.
2. The second Affliction consists in hatred deceipts, Machinations,
Treacherousness, and Injuries of Enemies, especially the Secret ones; So
likewise in Prisons, Servitude, Poverty, and all other the Miseries a man
suffereth in his whole life-time. Now, for that all these are Enemies to
Life, therefore they are contained under the onely consideration of an
Enemy, in the 12. house, which is truly called the valley of miseries, and
immediately followeth in this Triplicity, according to the motion of the
Aequator.
3. The last Affliction, inhabiting the 8. house, is the Death of Man
himself, which is an End of this Temporal, and the Beginning of an Eternal
Life: wherefore according to the second motion, or the motion of the
Planets, which is from West to East, there is an entrance made from the 8.
house into the 9. which is the house of Life in God; whereby man is given
to understand that he is to pass by the second motion of the Soul, which
is attributed to the mind or reason (as the first and rapt motion, is to
the Body or sensitive appetite) from a Temporary Death, unto a Life in
God: which is Eternal. Therefore, in these Triplicities, that which is
First in the order of nature, or dignity possesseth always the more noble
houses, viz. the Angular: That which is second, succedent houses,
according to the motion of the Aequator: And that which is last, Cadent,
which are also succedent according to the motion of the Ecliptick, or
Planets.
Now, I beseech you, what is he will suppose this Division of the 12
Coelstial houses by Triplicities, appearing in this so excellent a
consent, and in such wonderful order, to be in any wise feigned, or
casual? Or whether by chance such consents are wont to be in things so
abstruse and intermixed? Or if altogether fictitious, whether, therefore
altogether wanting a Natural Foundation: which before I have plainly
proved to be false, and now made that most orderly consent of the Houses
themselves manifest. Therefore is this Division Natural, and ordained by
great wisdom, as comprehending (at least generically) all worldly things
that can possibly be enquired of or concerning Man: forasamuch as the
knowledge of Contraries is the same, and that an affirmative or negative
may be sought belonging to any house.
For example, Seeing Man, by the force of natural light, knoweth, that
there is one God, who made and governeth the world, and therefore to be
worshipped and Loves above all (as the Trine aspect made from the first
house, (the cause of all inclinations) to the 9. which is the house of
Religion, by the first principles of nature, insinuateth) from the Stars
and Planets, (or their Aspects) resident in the 1. and especially in the
9. may judgment be given, whether the native shall be inclined to the
worship of God, and to Religion, or the contrary. And so concerning other
things of this nature.
In like manner, conjecture is made from the 7. house, whether he shall
lead a married or a single life. From the 5. whether he be fruitful, and
to have issue, or the contrary: and so of the rest of the other houses.
Moreover, this light of the Triplicites doth very clearly distinguish the
things which belong to every House per se; and manifests their
Errors who judge from the purpose by inconvenient or Repugnant Houses. For
example; In a manner all Astrologers do suppose (but erroneously) that
health and sickness belong to 7. and 6. Houses per se: whereas
indeed they depend upon the Temperament, which is the Seat of Life; and
therefore ought judgment to be given concerning them, from the First
House, per se: but the judgment deduced from the other Houses is
only per accident, that is, as you shall find the Malevolent Planets, or
their Beams, upon which the horoscope falls by Direction, or which shall
come by Direction to the horoscope it self, or to the opposition or Square
thereof, during the Life of the Native: And therefore if Saturn and Mars,
shall at the Moment of his Birth, be found in the 2. or 6. House, from
these Houses shall judgment be given (per accident) of a Saturnine or
Material disease; to happen when the horoscope comes by Direction to
Saturn or Mars, in the 2. Or when Saturn or Mars shall come by Direction
to the opposite of the horoscope in the 7. Therefore, judgment per se is
always referred to the horoscope. The like of other Houses, which Ptolemy
especially seems highly to pervert, but would have said otherwise, had he
known this Cabal of the Houses, which so perfectly distinguished the
proper house of every thing. Much more might be said concerning these
Triplicities, conducing to the natural light of Preadictions, which I here
omit; presuming I shall abundantly satisfie as well the Friends as Enemies
of Astrology, if from the Doctrine proposed, I do give a full and clear
Answer to the beforementioned importunate Questions, put to Astrologers,
concerning these houses.
Therefore to the first Question I say, that heaven is divided into 12
Houses no more; because every one of the 4 Cardinal parts of Heaven, which
govern the beginning, vigour, Declination, and Death of things do by a
Trine Aspect, behold two other Coelstial parts, which be of its own
Nature: whence shall arise three places out of each of the 4. Cardinal, of
he same nature, for three times 4 doth make neither more nor less than 12.
To the second, I say, that the first House is called the House of Life,
because a man is said first to Rise upon this Scene of the world, when
first he draws the Breath of this Life: and therefore seeing that the
first breathing of this Life is the beginning thereof, it must be placed
in the East, as the beginning of every other Physical thing.
To the third, I answer, that it matters not as to the instituting of
Coelestial Influxes or Praedidctions, what number any House be called by,
whether 2. 3, or 4. provided heaven be divided (as before) into four
Triplicities, and the nature of the Houses not changed. Yet the Physical
order of the Houses is from the East to the South, into the West,
agreeable to the Motion of the first and most universal Physical cause,
according to whose parts succeeding one another, by that motion, are the
principal Estates or Ages of all generable things contained (according to
their succession, before related) in the Equator the principal Circle of
the first cause: and so Physically the House Enemies is the second in
order; the House of Friends the third; the House of Magistracy, the
fourth, and so forth. But mystically, or Analogically, the Numerical order
begins from the East by the North Angle to the West: the reason whereof is
this. There are two Motions in the heavens; the first is of the first
Moveable, termed the Raptmotion: the second of the Planets, who
(notwithstanding the Rapt-motion, by which they are wheel'd about)
invariably observe the Laws of their own Moderate motion ordained to the
contrary of the former. There are also two Motions in Man, who is called
the Microcosme; one of the sensitive Appetite, which is the motion of man,
in as much as he is a Living creature, and the first in the order of
nature, and also rapid: the other is the Rational appetite, which is the
Motion of a man, as he is man, and contrary to the former, and also very
moderate in it self. But forasmuch as the first of these Motions of a man,
hath a greater Analogy with the Motion of the first moveable; and the
second with the Motion of the Planets: Therefore it was thought fit that
heaven should be divided according to the Succession of the Signs, or the
direct motion of the Planets (for these also are sometimes Retrograde, and
Stationary, even as is the Rational appetite, in its course, whilst it
suffers it self to be rapt or perverted by the Sensitive Appettite.) But
that was done only in an Analogical consideration, and not for any
Physical cause, as if the Motion of the first Moveable should by it self
have influence upon the Sensitive Appetite of man, and the Motion of the
Planets, by it self, upon the Rational: for the Planets insomuch as they
are carried by their own Motion, and even also the first moveable, have
not of themselves any influence upon the Sensitive Appetite, or on man, as
he is a Living creature, otherwise than upon other Animals. But neither
the Planets, nor First Moveable, have of themselves influence upon the
Rational appetite, or man, so far as he is Rational, for a reason arising
from no Natural, but a Supernatural principle.
Nevertheless, there are many things to be perceived in that mystical
Analogy, worthy our consideration, as conducing not a little to the
wholesome instruction of the Mind, and amongst others, this especially,
viz. That there are two ways which presently occur to a man at his Birth,
and even when placed in the first House of his Rising. One is of the
Sensitive Appetite, whereby he is brought, by the Motion of the first
Moveable, into the valley of miseries, viz. the 12. House, which
contains all the miseries of this Life, and also the House of the secret
Enemies, of the World , the Flesh, and the Devil, the way of whose Pride
this is; tending first and forthwith on high to the Angle of Honour and
Majesty; which House issueth from the Triplicity of Parents and Death, and
threateneth continual Imprisonments in the dark den of sorrow and horror.
But the other way is that of the Rational Appetite, whereby a man is
carried by the Motion of the Planets in the way of Decension and humility
to the House of Riches, or Goods gotten by a man's own virtues, viz. the
second, which springs from the Triplicity of the Supreme Angle or
mid-heaven, wherein Goodness, Power, and Majesty are seated; whereby it's
evidently manifested unto us, whether of those ways is the better, and
which we had best follow, the Motion of the Rational, or that of the
Sensitive Appetite.
Lastly, to the 4 Questions I say, that the reason why every House must be
called by its own, and not another Name; appears more clear than the
Sun-shine it self, in the Constitution, Distinction, and Explication, of
the Triplicities before posited. Wherefore I will put an end to this my
discourse of the Coelistial Houses, which although it be indeed new, and
hitherto unheard of, yet it is firmly established upon Physical Reasons,
and taking its Original from the most Glorious things, is thitherto
reduced; to the end that the invisible things of God from the Creation of
the world, might be clearly seen, being understood by the things which he
hath made.
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