A discourse concerning prodigies: wherein the vanity of presages by them is reprehended. And their true and proper ends asserted and vindicated / By John Spencer, B.D.

John Spencer

Date:: 1663

Credit: A discourse concerning prodigies: wherein the vanity of presages by them is reprehended. And their true and proper ends asserted and vindicated / By John Spencer, B.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

39/150 (page 17)

$title it unto ? What Hiflory (almoil) js there of Comets hut what arrives at us Rain’d and defil’d by the iuperflition of the writers, able to iupport the confidence of this perfwafion ? How little able are we, after the obfervation of fo many'hundred years to afligne the cfreCls of the moil noted liars in heaven, except the Sun and Moon? 3. Our lail Argument was taken from the acknowledg'd altitude of thefe unwonted appeurences. They which marfhal them intheloweil place,aifign them very near the orb of firetNow how weak & feeble an lmpreiiion can a few exhalations kindled at fovail a diilance make upon this lower world ? efpecially confidering there is the middle region interpos’d, by its coldnefs fitted to temper and qua¬ lify the heated and exciccate ayr, before it mingle with that which we-here breath in. Befides how little able are thofe weaker impreflions upon the ayr, to Hand before thole more fenfible and vigorous alterations which the fucceeding feafonsof the year con¬ tinually make upon it? The Opinion which alferts Comets to be incens’d exhalations would carry fin my eye) more fair appear¬ ances of truth, if owing them rather the preiages of feafons health- full, and defireable, in regard it fuppofeth fo many noxious and im¬ pure exhalations confum d fat fo vail a diilance from Earth) by-fire, the moll potent corrective of an infe&ious ayr. Thefe Reaions feem fuificient to reach the proof of our firit ailer-' tion [that Comets are not fign* operative malorum] X am next to prove them not to be figna indicantia of them which 1 fhall endeavour From theindiffcrency and Univerfality of their afpefts and motions. They often pafs over the heads of many and different Countries, that in 161 F. was fuccefiively vertical to Arabia, Perfia, Turley, Barbary, Mo¬ rocco, China, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Mufcovie, (yr'C now which of thefe can it be prefum’d to level its malign afpeCisat?_ Which of thefe was moil concern’d in its prefages ? furely none ol them. But as the Sun and Moon being defign’d to declare the glory of God to tho world, their line therefore is gone forth through allthe Earth, prj jo ? fo(poifibly) Godintending thefe wonderfull appearances inhea- ‘ * ven, notfo much the monitours of hisanger, as of his glory, would have them thus Catholick in their motions,and ihew themfelves to fuch variety of people and languages. (z) I argue againil them from the aiery wealinefs of that foundation, the art of prefagingby them is bottom'd upon •, which we may take in the wordsof a Great mafter in all curious arts. Portendunt Cometa juxta Cardan.l.14, Saturnumpcftes&proditioncs,&fterilitatem; Circapfovem, legummuta- Derer.var. * tionem,mortem Ponlificu.m\ juxta Martem,- bclla; juxta Solem3 toti orbi q% magnam clxdem ; juxta Lnnxmmagnas inundationes, aliquando Jiccita- tes, Szc. juxta Coronam & in Tropicis rAquinocliifque, Rcgum interi- tum9&c. the cracks and flaws ofwdiich difeourfe appear fo wide and vifible, that ’tis needlefs to llrike it with any Reafon, to make a' more full difcovery of them. The Ajtrologers flike children) fet up in their fofc imagination, fome phantailical images of things, and then fear them as if they were great realities. Very follicitous they have ever appear’d . to lengthen their cords, (to draw all kind of$