The stars are the servants of God, they receive orders and directions from him for all they do. And the reason why the Lord did so often call his people off from gazing upon the stars, and reproved star-gazers, was, because they looked no further than the stars, they thought the stars did all, they did not eye God that made Arcturus, Orion, &c. but they only eyed Arcturus, &c. Therefore he threatens the star-gazers and monthly prognosticators, who took upon them to resolve future events by the conjunction of planets, and planetary aspects; placing an uncontrollable power in the hands of the heavens, and stars, whereas I (saith the Lord) make Arcturus: I made him, and I make him do what I command, not what you fore-tell. Therefore (Isa. 44.24, 25.) the Prophet speaking of Gods work in making the heavens and the stars, presently adds, how he befools men, that will prophesy from the stars, as if they could tell infallibly what shall come to pass. I am the Lord that maketh all things, that stretcheth forth the heavens alone, that spreadeth abroad the earth by my self: What follows? That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad. I stretch out the heavens: some will needs prophesy out of the heavens, I have set the stars in the heavens, and they are for signs (Gen. 1.14.) but I have not set them for Prophets: If any presume to declare or resolve what shall be done, I resolve to punish their presumption. I take delight to frustrate men, who delight in this, and to befool them, who would be thus wise. This is my name, The God that stretcheth out the heavens alone, and that maketh diviners mad. Great disappointments enrage: and some men lose their reason, when they lose the credit of doing things above reason. Because they cannot be as Gods to fore-tell good or evil, they will not be so much as men, He makes the diviners mad. The Law was peremptory and severe against them (Deut. 18.9.) There shall not be found amongst you any one that useth divination, or is an observer of times; why not an observer of times? may we not observe times and seasons? May we not look up to the heavens and consider their motions?
The stars are the servants of God, they receive orders and directions from him for all they do. And the reason why the Lord did so often call his people off from gazing upon the stars, and reproved star-gazers, was, because they looked no further than the stars, they thought the stars did all, they did not eie God that made Arcturus, Orion, &c. but they only eied Arcturus, &c. Therefore he threatens the star-gazers and monethly prognosticatours, who took upon them to resolve future events by the conjunction of planets, and planetary aspects; placing an uncontrolable power in the hands of the heavens, and stars, whereas I (saith the Lord) make Arcturus: I made him, and I make him do what I command, not what you fore-tell. Therefore (Isa. 44.24, 25.) the Prophet speaking of Gods work in making the heavens and the stars, presently adds, how he befools men, that will prophesie from the stars, as if they could tell infallibly what shall come to passe. I am the Lord that maketh all things, that stretcheth forth the heavens alone, that spreadeth abroad the earth by my self: What follows? That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad. I stretch out the heavens: some will needs prophesie out of the heavens, I have set the stars in the heavens, and they are for signs (Gen. 1.14.) but I have not set them for Prophets: If any presume to declare or resolve what shall be done, I resolve to punish their presumption. I take delight to frustrate men, who delight in this, and to befool them, who would be thus wise. This is my name, The God that stretcheth out the heavens alone, and that maketh diviners mad. Great disappointments enrage: and some men lose their reason, when they lose the credit of doing things above reason. Because they cannot be as Gods to fore-tell good or evil, they will not be so much as men, He makes the diviners mad. The Law was peremptory and severe against them (Deut. 18.9.) There shall not be found amongst you any one that useth divination, or is an observer of times; why not an observer of times? may we not observe times and seasons? May we not look up to the heavens and consider their motions?
