An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-eighth, thirty-ninth, fortieth, forty-first, and forty-second,…

The Stars move as directed. God himself is the guide of the Stars, not Man. As a Shepherd guides his flock in the fields, so the Lord guides the Stars in that spacious field of the heavens; yea, he names and numbers them, as a Shepherd doth his flock. (Psal. 147.) He telleth the number of the Stars, and call's them all by their names. The Prophet exhorting the people to lift up their eyes on high, that is, to the heavens, presently adds, and behold who hath created these things? (Isa. 40.26.) that is, the heavens, and the furniture of them, he bringeth out their host by number (that is, the host of the Stars) As an Army is enrolled and numbered, how many thousands they are; so doth the Lord bring forth that host by number, and calleth them all by names, by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth. There's not one of the host of heaven, not one of the Stars that faileth, but comes forth at Gods call, and appears as it were in rank and file, when and where the Lord gives command. Thus the Prophet speaks of the Stars, as Gods host; and of the Lord, as a Commander or General of an army, knowing their number, nature, place, and office; mustering and marshalling them, ordering them out upon service as he pleaseth. And whereas in the best disciplined armies of men, many fail when drawn out to service, some for fear, others through unfaithfulness, not a few through weakness and sickness; here's neither weak nor sick, neither an unfaithful nor a fearful one in this host, not one faileth: Nor doth the Lords memory fail, for he calls them all by their names; which shows the perfect remembrance, and exact knowledge which the Lord hath of them all. It is reported, as a wonder,¹ of Cyrus King of Persia, that he having a vast Army, yet knew them by face, and was able to call every man by his name. What then shall we say of this wonder? The Lord who guideth Arcturus and his Sons, who leads out this innumerable Army of the Stars, knows every one of them by name, and sends them forth by name, upon what enterprise or service he pleaseth.

The Stars move as directed. God himself is the guid of the Stars, not Man. As a Shepheard guids his flock in the fields, so the Lord guids the Stars in that spacious field of the heavens; yea, he names and numbers them, as a Shepheard doth his flock. (