THE LATE Eclipse unclasped:  
Or the mistaken Stargazers UNMASKED.  
Wherein is manifested seven seve severall Reasons whereby these Astrolegers have deceived the People. By a learned Divine near London.  O! B●other Stargazer, what shall we do? Isa. 47. 13, 14. 
Let now the Astrologers, Stargazers, and monthly Prognosticators stand up and save thee; But they shall not be able to save themselves.  

Printed in the year, that many did fear,  
that Doomsday it was nigh:  
But now we do see, what Stargazers be,  
for they have foretell a Lye.   
1652.   
TEXT, Mark 13. 24: But in those days, after that tribulation, the Sun shall be darkened, and the Moon shall not give her light. 
THe Foregoing Verses show the destruction of Jerusalem, from whence Christ makes a Transsition of the destruction of the World.  
The Connexion of the Sun's eclipse, with the words, in those days after the Tribulation, do make all time to present with God, because time is not fluent to God, but always fixed; and because God would have us to wait for the Last Day, every day.  
Concerning the Sun's darkness, some Expositors expound it Mystically, and some Allegorically, as Ezek. 32. Chap. Is an elegant expression of Pharoahs' destruction; So by an Eclipse, they would understand the miserable events in the World, either by great perplexity on men's minds, or a darkening of the Truth by Error and Heresy.  
But it is a Rule in Divinity, where there is no necessity of a figurative construction, there the Literal sense may stand, and therefore the words as the Text are to be understood littelally; yet a Mystical sense is not quite excluded, but from an accurate consideration of the visible Signs which shall be in the Sun and the Moon, it cannot be figuratively applied to a general Apostasy from the true Faith; or a perplexity on men's minds, because Christ doth distinguish between Tribulation of time, and the times of perplexity on men's minds, Luke 21. 24.  
The best Interpreters though they understand these words literally, yet deny not, but by God's Ordination they may have a Metaphysical Interpretation, as the Rainbow, though it proceed from a Natural Cause, yet God designed it to a Spiritual use, viz. to signify the Covenant between God and all flesh, Gen. 9 So that the concurrence of Divine Providence is not seen nor considered in the World, because Astronomers may foresee Eclipses from Natural Causes, both by Rules of Art, and also because they have been from the Creation.  
The Eclipse at Christ's death was Praeturnaturall in two respects. First, because the Moon was then at the full, than the Passeover was kept on the fourteenth day of the Month, and therefore the Moon was at the farthest distance from the Sun. And secondly, because that Eclipse continued for three hours without increase or decrease of darkness, which is contrary to other Eclipses.  
Lucian a Martyr made the said Eclipse an argument to convince the Heathen of their Infidelity, and to bring them to repentance.  
At the death of Charles the Great, in the year 814. was a most horrid Eclipse, by reason of a fuliginous matter arising out of the Earth. And in Anno 1575. there appeared a new Star which Astronomers never knew before; therefore towards the end of the World God can show prodigious Sgnes as forerunners of his coming to judgement: and the terrifying of men's minds at this time, which is not usual in other Eclipses, confirms this Eclipse to be prodigious.  
When the eyes of the body grow dim, it is a sign of death approaching, as in Ecclesi. 12. so when the Eye of of the World, the Sun grows dark, it is a sign the world is near confusion.  
Let us not think that ordinary things in nature have no extraordinary signification in the mind of God; for God speaks somewhat to the world from natural bodies, as Micah 6.9. The Lord's voice cryeth to tae City, etc. hear ye the Rod, etc.  
I conceive that ordinary Eclipses are by Christ ordained, to foretell his coming to Judgement, for the signs praedicting the destruction of Jerusalem were natural, and why may not Christ deal so with the World now?  
Christ doth not call them prodigious, but only signs, which have a rise out of nature, and are not hyperphysical: And Christ says not that any one of these signs, singly considered, are signs of his coming, but all these jointly together; so that Eclipses, and roaring of the Sea, conjunctively considered, do foretell Christ's coming.  
Observation, Is there any aptness in the eclipse of the Sun to foretell Christ's coming to judgement?  
I answer, Gods clouding of light, seems contrary to his own institution, so that an eclipse may seem proeternaturall; therefore in Eclipses the Heathens used to heat Basins, and Kettles, and to make a great noise to aw●ken the Sun when it was eclipsed: and in respect of the alteration whi●● may fall out among men, this Eclipse is very fearful, for in Anno. 1645. followed the sweeting sickness here in England, whereof many thousands died; and prrsently after that, the disease called the Scurvy; so that which hath an aptness to cause great changes, may Prognosticate Doomsday.  
Secondly, An Eclipse may signify the future condition of wicked men, to be cast into utter darkness, and separated forever from the true light God.  
Quest. But what shall we think of this present Eclipse?  
Answer, We are not to neglect the influences of it, because it is a great work of God, and very visible to our eyes; now God speaks of his own great Works, Psalm. 111. 19, He hath made a Tabernacle for the Sun. And God acconts that man a Fool that will not heed bis Works, Psalm. 92. 2. and in Isa. 5. 12. God speaks against such as drink away their fear, and make merry, but regard not the works of his hands.  
Now God sets this Sign over our heads, and makes the Sun to be a more  Significator to England, than any other part of Europe; therefore we ought to take special notice of God's Acts in this matter, since our Fathers never knew the like; For whereas the Sun is divided into twelve parts, to morrow there will be but half a part of the twelve visible to our sight.  
Again, in respect of the Conjuncture of time: it is now a time of Change, Danger, and Trouble, at home, and abroad: and also a time of most grievous sins, as Blasphemy, Perjury, Libertisme, Oppression, Pride, Sensuality, Error, and Heresies, these may make us to shake at the shaking of a Leaf, much more, when God shakes his Rod over a Nation.  
In Philosophy, those things may be profitable in the General, which are not in the particular, as Frosty weather is good for the Earth, but it is pinching to Man; but I never read of any good effect that followed an Eclipse.  
But as the Jews were enjoined to make Battlements in building their Houses to preservemen from falling: so must Ministers give warning to their Auditors, what thoughts to entertain concerning the events of Eclipses, that they be not distracted with Curiosity, or Stupidity: but to conceive with Christian consideration of some great change to ensue; but whether this change will be from Health to Sickness, from Liberty to Slavery, from Truth to Heresy, or from Peace to War and Destruction; I will not take upon me to Divine or foretell; for foolish people give more credit to judiciary Astrologers, then to God's Word; but God's Ministers may aver, that it is not in the power of any ginger to foretell what the Events or Influence of this Eclipse will be in particular.  
Objection. 
 But do we not find by experience, and Histories do confirm it, that Astrologers have oftentimes spoken truth and foretell events, as one foretell that Nero should be Emperor, and should murder his own Mother, and another foretell that Augustus should be Lord over the whole World, and another praedicted that Picus Mirandula a very learned man should die in the thirty three year of his age, and so he did.  
Answer. 
 Grant they do tell truth sometimes, but how false are they ten times for once telling truth? and albeit they may speak truth, yet it is not out of rules of Art, but out of seven false ways they may ●roedict future events.  

As First▪ Out of a secret communion with the Devil in their Spirits, though the Party himself knows not the power of the Devil working in him and so Ambrose, Austin, and Origien d●e affirm, that by a secret impulse of the Devil, they may disclose Events.  
II. Out of a Natural Magic; as Thales the Philosopher, from the consideration of Waters then abounding, did foretell a great plenty of Oil in the World; and the Egyptians, from the observation of the Ebbing and Flowing of Nilus, could foretell Plenty or Scarcity.  
III. They do oftentimes foretell things, wherein they themselves are Actors, as in case of Marriage: when they are well rewarded for telling of a good Fortune to befall a Person by such a Match, they will labour to bring it to pass, and so it falls out.  
iv When a thing is doubtful how it will fall out, they may guess at that Contingence which is most probable: and so Old Men and Women may foretell by haphazard.  
V Because they speak in an Ambiguous sense, and so deceive the People: and so the Devil's Oracles at Delphos threatened many thousands in Oldtime.  
VI From a natural Segacity and observation of a Persons temper, and disposition, they may guess what will befall him.  
VII. From an over Credulity in the Consultors with these Astrologers: as if one were to fight a Duel, the ginger tells him he shall have the victory: and here-upon the Consulter hath his courage heightened and so prevails.   
By these seven false Ways, and not by Rules of Art, Events are foretell many times.  
Let us now make Holy use of this Eclipse, by considering it as a forerunner of Doomsday; and let us know, that He that Eclipses the Sun now, will ere long, take the Sun quite from us, or us from the Sun.  
And let the goodness of God in admonishing us by Signs and Tokens of the general Judgement, make deep impression on our Spirits.  
Christ gives warning to the World by his Sword, as well as by his Word.  
Now Christ is said to wear his Sword three ways.  
First, his Sword is girt to his Thigh, importing that he is ready to avenge himself upon the ungodly, Psalm. 45.3.  
Secondly, He is said to have a Sword in his Mouth, Revel. 1. 16▪ and this is his threatening Sword.  
Thirdly, He is said to have his Sword in his Hand, Psalm. 7. 12. to kill and slay. Now his Sword in his Mouth, he threatens, and to morrow he will shake it over our heads.  
This Eclipse affords matter of Meditation.  


I, Concerning the Nature of Sin; For if darkness (which is no physical Entity, but a privation of Light) be so uncomfortable to Sense: how Odious and Disconsolate a thing is Sin which is a privation of the Light of God's Countenance, even the very life of the Soul.  
Secondly, consider that as the Sun is not the cause of the darkness which will be to morrow (which is Black-monday, as our Astrologers is pleased to call it so▪) in our Horizon, but the Moon, by reason of the interposition between the Body of the Sun and our sight; So God is not the cause of Sin, which is the darkness of the Soul: neither can there be any efficient, but a deficient cause of Sin, but Sin being as it were interposed between God and the Soul, hinders the light of his Grace; Again, it is said Isa. ●9. 2●. 〈…〉 have made a 〈…〉 between God and your Souls.   
II. A second Meditation may be much of the misery of the Creature, when God hides his Face from it; for all our Strength and Joy is from the Light of God's Countenance: God therefore tells Moses▪ Deut. 31. 17. That He would hid his Face from the Israelites; 〈◊〉 that the hiding of God's Face from the Soul, is the Suburbs of Hell: and perplexity without the Light of God's Countenance, is but a Curse, And if it be so sad a thing to want the light of the Sun for a few hours, what a woeful thing is it to endure everlasting darkness in Hell.  
III. A third Meditation may arise from Christ's Death; then was the Sun of Righteousness Eclipsed, when Christ's suffering flesh was interposed between the Deity and the Eye of flesh; but as the Sun in the Firmament suffers nothing at all by an Eclipse, nor is rob of the least part of his brightness: no more did Christ's Deity suffer the least Diminution of Glory: for all the Passion fell on the Humane Nature. And as the Sun to morrow (as the Astrologers calls Black-monday.) after the Eclipse will be brighter than before, so Christ's Body after his Resurrection, was more vigerous than before.  
iv This Eclipse may be to our Meditation, as an Emblem of these Apostatical times, wherein God's Truth may be darkened with Heresies, and Persecution; And this should be matter of grief to us, that it should come to pass in our days.  
V We should study thankfulness for the Sun's light, and the benefit we enjoy by it; For if we be troubled at the absence of it, how great a blessing is the enjoying of it?   

Use. This should teach us to avoid all Superstitious fear in respect of Astrologers Predictions: for God forbids us to be afraid of the Signs of Heaven, Jer. 10. 2. But yet it is good always to have a fear of Evitation, but not a fear of Desperation.  
II. It is a dangerous thing to be regardless of of the operation of God's hands; therefore let the fear of God be always that Spiritual Antidote against the fear of all changes and events of the world.  
III. And as we ought not slavishly to be afraid of their Predictions, so we ought not to put any confidence in their cunning; For the Lord upbraideth the Israelites with their confidence in their Astrologers, Isa. 47. 13. Let now, (saith God) the Astrologers, Stargazers, and monthly Prognosticators stand up and save thee; and verse 13. God tells them they should not deliver themselves; for Balaam that great Sorcerer, who was slain with the Sword, could not foresee his own 〈…〉 to believe Astrologers.  
IU. And set not your affections on things beneath Eclipses; For sickness, or casualties may deprive us of all outward things in a moment; but to a pious Soul, as Crosses abound, so Comforts abound, 1 Cor. 1. 7. 〈…〉 your 〈◊〉 blotted out in the sense of your Conscience, and then no Trouble or Calamity will make you dismayed; For as that which is written with the juice of Lemmons is not legible, unless you hold it to the fire; so if your sins do remain unblotted out of the Book of Conscience at the time of Death, Hell-fire will make all the Sins that ever a Man hath committed in his life legible and plain to him, and what a ghastly sight will that be.   
Let us fear  Justitice, the Son of righteousness, and then we shall not fear the Sun's influence.  
FINIS.