Chapter IX.—Professions of Some Kinds Allied to Idolatry. Of Astrology in Particular.

We observe among the arts45    “Ars” in Latin is very generally used to mean “a scientific art.” [See Titus iii. 14. English margin.] also some professions liable to the charge of idolatry. Of astrologers there should be no speaking even;46    See Eph. v. 11, 12, and similar passages. but since one in these days has challenged us, defending on his own behalf perseverance in that profession, I will use a few words. I allege not that he honours idols, whose names he has inscribed on the heaven,47    i.e., by naming the stars after them. to whom he has attributed all God’s power; because men, presuming that we are disposed of by the immutable arbitrament of the stars, think on that account that God is not to be sought after. One proposition I lay down: that those angels, the deserters from God, the lovers of women,48    Comp. chap. iv., and the references there given. The idea seems founded on an ancient reading found in the Codex Alexandrinus of the LXX. in Gen. vi. 2, “angels of God,” for “sons of God.” were likewise the discoverers of this curious art, on that account also condemned by God. Oh divine sentence, reaching even unto the earth in its vigour, whereto the unwitting render testimony! The astrologers are expelled just like their angels. The city and Italy are interdicted to the astrologers, just as heaven to their angels.49    See Tac. Ann. ii. 31, etc. (Oehler.) There is the same penalty of exclusion for disciples and masters. “But Magi and astrologers came from the east.”50    See Matt. ii. We know the mutual alliance of magic and astrology. The interpreters of the stars, then, were the first to announce Christ’s birth the first to present Him “gifts.” By this bond, [must] I imagine, they put Christ under obligation to themselves?  What then? Shall therefore the religion of those Magi act as patron now also to astrologers? Astrology now-a-days, forsooth, treats of Christ—is the science of the stars of Christ; not of Saturn, or Mars, and whomsoever else out of the same class of the dead51    Because the names of the heathen divinities, which used to be given to the stars, were in many cases only names of dead men deified. it pays observance to and preaches? But, however, that science has been allowed until the Gospel, in order that after Christ’s birth no one should thence forward interpret any one’s nativity by the heaven. For they therefore offered to the then infant Lord that frankincense and myrrh and gold, to be, as it were, the close of worldly52    Or, heathenish. sacrifice and glory, which Christ was about to do away. What, then?  The dream—sent, doubtless, of the will of God—suggested to the same Magi, namely, that they should go home, but by another way, not that by which they came. It means this: that they should not walk in their ancient path.53    Or, sect. Not that Herod should not pursue them, who in fact did not pursue them; unwitting even that they had departed by another way, since he was withal unwitting by what way they came. Just so we ought to understand by it the right Way and Discipline. And so the precept was rather, that thence forward they should walk otherwise. So, too, that other species of magic which operates by miracles, emulous even in opposition to Moses,54    See Ex. vii., viii., and comp. 2 Tim. iii. 8. tried God’s patience until the Gospel.  For thenceforward Simon Magus, just turned believer, (since he was still thinking somewhat of his juggling sect; to wit, that among the miracles of his profession he might buy even the gift of the Holy Spirit through imposition of hands) was cursed by the apostles, and ejected from the faith.55    See Acts viii. 9–24. Both he and that other magician, who was with Sergius Paulus, (since he began opposing himself to the same apostles) was mulcted with loss of eyes.56    See Acts xiii. 6–11. The same fate, I believe, would astrologers, too, have met, if any had fallen in the way of the apostles. But yet, when magic is punished, of which astrology is a species, of course the species is condemned in the genus. After the Gospel, you will nowhere find either sophists, Chaldeans, enchanters, diviners, or magicians, except as clearly punished. “Where is the wise, where the grammarian, where the disputer of this age? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this age?”57    1 Cor. i. 20. You know nothing, astrologer, if you know not that you should be a Christian. If you did know it, you ought to have known this also, that you should have nothing more to do with that profession of yours which, of itself, fore-chants the climacterics of others, and might instruct you of its own danger. There is no part nor lot for you in that system of yours.58    See Acts viii. 21. He cannot hope for the kingdom of the heavens, whose finger or wand abuses59    See 1 Cor. vii. 31, “They that use this world as not abusing it.” The astrologer abuses the heavens by putting the heavenly bodies to a sinful use. the heaven.

CAPUT IX.

0671B Animadvertimus inter artes etiam professiones quasdam obnoxias idololatriae. De astrologis ne loquendum quidem est. Sed quoniam quidam istis diebus provocavit defendens sibi perseverantiam professionis istius, paucis utar. Non allego quod idola honoret, quorum nomina coelo inscripsit, quibus omnem Dei potestatem addixit: quod propterea homines non putant Deum requirendum, praesumentes stellarum nos immutabili arbitrio agi. Unum propono, angelos esse illos desertores Dei (Gen., VI), amatores foeminarum, proditores etiam hujus curiositatis, propterea quoque damnatos a Deo. O divina sententia usque ad terram pertinax, cui etiam ignorantes testimonium reddunt. Expelluntur mathematici sicut angeli eorum. Urbs et Italia interdicitur mathematicis, 0671C sicut coelum angelis eorum. Eadem poena est exilii discipulis 0672A et magistris. Sed magi et astrologi ab oriente venerunt (Matth., II). Scimus magiae et astrologiae inter se societatem. Primi igitur stellarum interpretes natum Christum annuntiaverunt, primi muneraverunt . Hoc nomine Christum (opinor) sibi obligaverunt. Quid tum? Ideo nunc et mathematicis patrocinabitur illorum magorum religio? De Christo scilicet est mathesis hodie , stellas Christi, non Saturni et Martis et cujusque , ex eodem ordine mortuorum observat et praedicat. At enim scientia illa usque ad Evangelium fuit concessa, ut Christo edito nemo exinde nativitatem alicujus de coelo interpretetur . Nam et thus illud et myrrham et aurum ideo infanti tunc Domino obtulerunt, quasi clausulam 0672B sacrificationis et gloriae saecularis, quam Christus erat adempturus. Quod igitur iisdem magis somnium sine dubio ex Dei voluntate suggessit, ut irent in sua, sed alia, non qua venerant, via, id est, ne pristina secta sua incederent: nonne illos Herodes persequeretur, qui nec persecutus est, etiam ignorans alia via digressos, quoniam et qua venerant ignorabat. Adeo viam rectam et disciplinam intelligere debemus. Itaque magis praeceptum, ut exinde aliter incederent. Sic et alia illa species magiae quae miraculis operatur, etiam adversus (Exod., VII) Moysen aemulata, patientiam Dei traxit ad Evangelium usque (Act., VIII, 18). Nam exinde et Simon Magus jam fidelis, quoniam aliquid adhuc de circulatoria secta cogitaret, ut scilicet inter miracula professionis suae 0672C etiam Spiritum Sanctum per manuum impositionem 0673A enundinaret, maledictus ab (Act., VIII, 20) apostolis de fide ejectus est: et alter magus qui cum Sergio Paulo, quoniam iisdem adversabatur apostolis, luminum amissione mulctatus est (Act., XIII, 6 seqq.). Hoc et astrologi retulissent credo, si quis in apostolos incidisset . Attamen cum magia punitur, cujus est species astrologia, utique et species in genere damnatur. Post Evangelium nusquam invenias aut sophistas, aut chaldaeos, aut incantatores, aut conjectores, aut magos, nisi plane punitos. Ubi sapiens, ubi litterator, ubi conquisitor hujus oevi? Nonne infatuavit Deus sapientiam hujus saeculi (I Cor. I, 20)? Nihil scis, mathematice, si nesciebas te futurum christianum. Sin sciebas, hoc quoque scire debueras, nihil tibi futurum cum ista professione. Ipsa te de periculo suo instrueret, quae aliorum climacterica praecanit 0673B , Non est tibi pars neque sorsin ista ratione (Act., VIII, 21). Non potest regna coelorum sperare, cujus digitus aut radius abutitur coelo.