Astronomy

Now, to proceed: Astronomy is a mathematical art which demonstrates the distances, magnitudes, and all natural motions, appearances, and affections proper to the planets and fixed stars: for any time past, present, or to come: with respect to a given horizon, or without respect to any horizon. By this art we are assured of the distance of the starry sky and of each planet from the center of the Earth, and of the size of any fixed star seen, or of any planet, in proportion to the Earth's size. Thus we are sure (by this art) that the solidity, bulk, and body of the Sun contain the quantity of the whole Earth and Sea a hundred and sixty-two times, less by one eighth part of the Earth. But the body of the whole earthly globe and Sea is bigger than the body of the Moon forty-three times, less by one eighth of the Moon. Therefore the Sun is bigger than the Moon 7000 times, less by 59 39/64—that is, precisely 6940 25/64 times bigger than the Moon. And yet an unskillful person would judge them alike in size. Therefore, necessarily, one is much farther from us than the other. The Sun, when it is farthest from the Earth (which now, in our age, is when it is in the 8th degree of Cancer), is 1179 semidiameters of the Earth distant. And the Moon, when she is farthest from the Earth, is 68 semidiameters of the Earth and ⅓. The nearest the Moon comes to the Earth is 52¼ semidiameters. The distance of the starry sky from us, in semidiameters of the Earth, is 20081½—twenty thousand, eighty-one and a half. Subtract from this the Moon's nearest distance from the Earth, and there remain 20029¼ semidiameters of the Earth—twenty thousand twenty-nine and a quarter.

So thick is the heavenly palace in which the planets have all their exercise, and so marvelously do they perform the command and charge given to them by the omnipotent majesty of the King of kings. This is that which in Genesis is called Ha Rakia. Consider it well. The semidiameter of the Earth contains, in our common miles, 3436 4/11—that is, three thousand four hundred thirty-six and four elevenths of one mile; so that the whole Earth and Sea round about is 21600, twenty-one thousand six hundred of our miles, allowing sixty miles for every degree of the greatest circle. Now if you weigh well within yourself but this little parcel of astronomical fruit, concerning the size and distances of the Sun, Moon, and starry sky, and the huge mass of Ha Rakia, will you not find your conscience moved, with the kingly prophet, to sing the confession of God's glory, and say, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament [Ha Rakia] shows forth the works of his hands." And so forth for those first five staves of that kingly psalm. Well, well, it is time for some to lay hold of wisdom and to judge things truly, and not so to expound the Holy Word all by allegories, as to neglect the wisdom, power, and goodness of God to be seen and learned in and through his creatures and creation. Through parables and analogies of their natures and properties, the course of Holy Scripture also declares to us very many mysteries. The whole frame of God's creatures (which is the whole world) is to us a bright mirror, from which, by reflection, beams and radiations bounce back to our knowledge and perception, representing the image of his infinite goodness, omnipotence, and wisdom. And we are by that taught and persuaded to glorify our Creator as God, and to be thankful for it. Could the heathens find these uses in these most pure, beautiful, and mighty corporeal creatures, and shall we—after the true Sun of righteousness has risen above the horizon of our temporal hemisphere, and has so abundantly streamed into our hearts the direct beams of his goodness, mercy, and grace, whose heat all creatures feel, spiritual and corporeal, visible and invisible? Shall we, I say, look upon the heaven, stars, and planets as an ox and a donkey do, no further caring or inquiring what they are, why they were created, or how they carry out the purpose for which they were created? Seeing that all creatures were created for our sake, and that both we and they were created chiefly to glorify the Almighty Creator, and that by every means possible to us. Do not be ignorant (says Plato in Epinomis) that astronomy is a thing of excellent wisdom. Astronomy was from the beginning commended to us, and in a manner commanded by God himself, since he made the sun, moon, and stars to be for us signs, and knowledge of seasons, and for the distinction of days and years. Many words are not needed. But I wish every person would weigh this word, signs. And besides that, compare it also with the tenth chapter of Jeremiah. And though some think that there they have found a rod, yet modest reason will be an impartial judge of who ought to be beaten with it, in respect of our purpose. Leaving that, I ask you to understand this: that without great diligence of observation, examination, and calculation, their periods and courses (by which the distinction of seasons, years, and new moons might be precisely known) could not be exactly established. To accomplish this is the art which we have here defined as astronomy. By it we may have the distinct course of times, days, years, and ages: both for the consideration of sacred prophecies foretold and accomplished in due time, and for the holding of high mystical solemnities, and for all other human affairs, conditions, and covenants made at a fixed time between person and person, with many other great uses: in which, truly, there would be great uncertainty, confusion, untruth, and brutish barbarism without the wonderful diligence and skill of this art, continually learning and determining times and periods of time by the record of the heavenly book in which all times are written, to be read with an astronomical staff instead of a pointer.

Now, to proceed: Astronomy is a mathematical art that demonstrates the distances, magnitudes, and all natural motions, appearances, and conditions proper to the Planets and fixed Stars: for any time past, present, and to come, with respect to a given Horizon, or without respect to any Horizon. By this art we learn the distance of the Starry Sky, and of each Planet from the Center of the Earth, and the size of any Fixed star seen, or Planet, in respect to the Earth's size. For example, we are sure, by this art, that the Solidity, Mass, and Body of the Sun contains the quantity of the whole Earth and Sea a hundred and thirty-two times, less by ⅛, one eighth part of the earth. But the body of the whole earthly globe and Sea is bigger than the body of the Moon forty-three times, less by ⅛ of the Moon. Therefore the Sun is bigger than the Moon 7000 times, less by 59 39/64, that is, precisely 6940 25/64 bigger than the Moon. And yet an unskilled person would judge them the same size. Therefore one of them must be much farther from us than the other. The Sun, when he is farthest from the earth (which now, in our age, is when he is in the 8th degree of Cancer), is 1179 semidiameters of the Earth distant. And the Moon, when she is farthest from the earth, is 68 semidiameters of the earth and ⅓. The nearest the Moon comes to the earth is 52¼ semidiameters. The distance of the Starry Sky from us, in semidiameters of the earth, is 20081½ — twenty thousand eighty-one and a half. Subtract from this the Moon's nearest distance from the Earth, and there remain 20029¼ semidiameters of the earth — twenty thousand twenty-nine and a quarter.

So thick is the heavenly Palace that the Planets have all their exercise in, and most marvelously perform the Command and Charge given to them by the omnipotent Majesty of the King of kings. This is what in Genesis is called Ha Rakia. Consider it well. The semidiameter of the earth contains 3436 4/11 of our common miles, three thousand four hundred thirty-six and four elevenths of one mile, and so the whole earth and sea round about is 21600 of our miles, twenty-one thousand six hundred, allowing sixty miles for every degree of the greatest circle. Now if you weigh well with yourself just this little portion of the fruit of astronomy, concerning the size and distances of Sun, Moon, and Starry Sky, and the huge mass of Ha Rakia, will you not find your conscience moved, with the kingly Prophet, to sing the confession of God's Glory, and say, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament [Ha Rakia] shows the works of his hands." And so on, for those first five stanzas of that kingly Psalm. Well, well, it is time for some people to lay hold of wisdom, and to judge things truly, and not to explain the Holy word all by allegories, so as to neglect the wisdom, power, and goodness of God that is to be seen and learned in and by his Creatures and Creation. Through parables and analogies of their natures and properties, the course of Holy Scripture also declares very many Mysteries to us. The whole frame of God's creatures, which is the whole world, is to us a bright mirror: from which, by reflection, beams and radiations bounce back to our knowledge and perception, representing the image of his infinite goodness, almighty power, and wisdom. And we are by that taught and persuaded to glorify our Creator as God, and to be thankful for it. If the Heathens could find these uses in these most pure, beautiful, and mighty bodily creatures, shall we — after the true Sun of righteousness has risen above the Horizon of our temporal Hemisphere, and has so abundantly streamed the direct beams of his goodness, mercy, and grace into our hearts, a heat that all creatures feel, spiritual and bodily, visible and invisible — shall we, I say, look upon the Heaven, Stars, and Planets as an ox and a donkey do, caring and inquiring no further about what they are, why they were created, and how they carry out what they were created for? Since all creatures were created for our sake, and both we and they were created chiefly to glorify the Almighty Creator, and to do that by every means possible to us. Do not be ignorant (says Plato in Epinomis) that astronomy is a thing of excellent wisdom. Astronomy was commended to us from the beginning, and in a manner commanded by God himself, since he made the Sun, Moon, and Stars to be for us Signs, and knowledge of Seasons, and for Distinctions of Days and years. Many words are not needed. But I wish everyone would weigh this word: Signs. And besides that, compare it also with the tenth chapter of Jeremiah. And though some think that they have found a rod there, yet Modest Reason will be an impartial judge of who ought to be beaten with it, as far as our purpose is concerned. Leaving that, please understand this: without great diligence of observation, examination, and calculation, their periods and courses — by which the Distinction of Seasons, years, and New Moons could be precisely known — could not be exactly certified. To do that is the art we have here defined to be astronomy. By it we may have the distinct Course of Times, days, years, and Ages: both for considering Sacred Prophecies foretold and accomplished in due time, and for holding high Mystical Solemnities, and for all other human affairs, conditions, and covenants at a set time between one person and another: with many other great uses: in all of which, truly, there would be great uncertainty, confusion, untruth, and brutish barbarism without the wonderful diligence and skill of this art: continually learning and fixing Times and periods of Time by the record of the heavenly book in which all times are written, and to be read with an astronomical staff instead of a pointer stick.