Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from [these things] that shall come upon thee.
Ver. 13. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels.] As all such are sure to be, with a woe to boot, as "take counsel, but not of God; and that cover with a covering, but not by his Spirit, that they may add sin to sin" Isa 30:1 Thus do those vain astrologers, that pretend to read men's fates and fortunes in the heavens, velut in Minervae peplo, and thence to foretell good and evil. But experience frequently confuteth them, as it did Abraham the Jew, who foretold by the stars the coming of their Messiah, A.D. 1464; and Albumazar, a Mohammedan wizard, who predicted an end of the Christian religion, A.D. 1460 at utmost. A great flood was foretold by these diviners to occur in the year 1524, cum planetae comitia in piscibus celebrarent. This caused the prior of St Bartholomew's, in London, wise manlike, to go and build him a house at Harrow-on-the-hill, for his better security. a
Stand up, and save thee.] Save thee if they can: but Belshazzar found they could not, though he called for them all, Dan 5:7-8 and they likely had promised him an everlasting monarchy - as some did the Romans imperium sine fine, but falsely; for now the Roman empire is at a very low ebb, and who shall be emperor is much questioned. b
a Hollinsh. in 1524.
b This was written, Sept. 19, 1637.