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.

59/150 (page 37)

$fuperftitionis & van* credulitatradix, the root of all fuperdition and vain credulity fin adrologie, Dreams, Omens, Prodigies, &c.) that which may derive fome ftrength and credit from what « Hero¬ dotus tells us, viz. That there Were more prodigies found out by the Egyptians fperhaps becaufe ofa traditional reverence of fignsand wonders continu’d among them from the very times ofMofes where¬ in fo many happened J then by any other Nation whatfoever: and their ufage was when any Prodigie hapned to write itdown, and obferve the event fucceeding; and if ever any like Prodigie hap¬ ned, they eafily concluded it would be idii’d in a fimilar event. The mind of man is apt to be greatly mov’d and affe&ed with obje&s which drike upon it drongly and unawares, and lead it into won- derand eclfacy; and eafily invited to believe fefpecially becaufe loath to bedodg d and abus’d with endlefs diflimilitudes and diver- fines among things^ that other things will fall like thofe few with which it is fo drongly affefted and prepofled. z. Becaufe any great evils (/% fome karjber paffages in MuficbJ ufe to make{trongimprejfionson our memories, and are generally made ufe of as a kind of little Epoc]mj whence we reckon our times. Whereas great bleflings Aide off from our minds, and arefoon deliver’d to fi- lence and forgetfulnefs : or elle fuch prodigious accidents would foon appear (if at all) to prophecy as oft fmooth, as harfli and evil tnings concerning us* Thirdly. (Hampluribm except ionibus uti, nemo prohibetur) this plea is (at belt) but very fallacious and uncertain; and that upon many accounts; 37 e T igyml 75 TThico fftpt [Ajyj7r]io/coJ ii rrola aKhoun cL7nr.cn dvd-pd- y^TieJl©-, - QV\day tun ye&<pb{jdj:oi tv fiduvop* K)tiV7rcl ZbSl- &V 7KL£CtJTShY\- Glov TfcTip Hvr)7vu3 y? TtSTO l Euterp. c. 8 2-. I. As many and great evils have been consequent to Prodigies fo alfo are they to many and great evils • the World is acquainted with any tiling better then confidence; its nature feems emblem’d in its figure, it is round, and accordingly in perpetual motion and turning from one fide, (date and condition) to another. And therefore as the Difci- f Undenam pies faid to our Saviour (in that great croud, Luk. 8-4 5.) whende- conftatCome- manding who touchtHim ? Seejt thou the multitude thronging thee, and m ad aliquid fay ft thou who toucheth me ? fo fay I, when we fee fuch a multitude of nobis fignif.- changes and evils in the world, thronging of Prodigies before and candumufur- arter,inal Wee be fo vain,as to ask what perfons death,or what event pari ? an ali- is roucht upon and pointed unto in their meaning and fignification ? unde quam -• Phi? plea builds upon a mo ft unfaithful l and finding foundationiz. exvanitate the credit of all thofe prodigious narrations which books and com- quamijcri mon difcourfe are duft out withall: which will fhrink to a mean turgeftimm* account, if we confider how prone a faith men have for fuch kind of dum digni relations as thefe, arifing either from a vain opinion of themfelves, nobis Ms vi- (as if worthy for whole fake God iliould be continually altering demur, or nature, and making oifigns) or too high a conceit of men and the propter quos concerns or this life, * hence they conceive a great man cannot be htec oftenta born without iome drange prefage, nor fall without fome fym- plant ? pathy appearing mthe very creation. Befides the minds of men Gaffend. hnding themfelves too great and large to be contentedly enter-r Meteor tam d with the dry and fcanty contemplation of things little and $,u G • vulgar,$