An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…

Lastly, Observe, That it is our duty to study the heavens, and be acquainted with the stars.

In them the wonderful works of God are seen, and a sober knowledge in nature may be an advantage unto grace. Holy David ⟨p. 221⟩was such a student (Psal. 8.3.) When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained. Consideration is not a transient or accidental, but a resolved and a deliberate act. Shall we think that God hath made those mighty bodies, the stars, to be past by without consideration? Shall men only pore upon a lump of earth, and not have their hearts lifted up to consider those lamps of light? Shall man make no more use of the stars then the beasts of the earth do, namely to see by them? When I consider thy heavens, saith David. Heaven is the most considerable of all inanimate creatures, and more considerable then most of the animate: and, Davids, when, when I consider the heavens, notes not only a certainty, that he did it, but frequency in doing it. Some of the Rabbins tell us, that when Isaac went out into the field to meditate (Gen. 24.63.) The subject of his meditation was the stars, or the heavens. It is good to take field-room sometimes to view & contemplate the works of God round about. Only take heed of the former folly, of Astrological curiosities, confining the providence of God to secondary causes; avoid that, and the heart may have admirable elevations unto God, from the meditation of the works of God. (Psal. 19.1.) The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handy work; if the heavens declare the glory of God, we should observe what that glory is which they declare. The heavens preach to us every day. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world, Psal. 19.4