A treatise of the necessity of humane learning for a Gospel-preacher shewing the use of I. Languages, II. Rhetoric, III. Logic, IV. Natural philosophy, V. Moral philosophy, VI. History, VII. Chronology, VIII. Arithmetic, IX. Geometry, X. Astronomy, XI. Geography, and the benefits of learning in all ages : also this question is determined, whether grace be essential to a minister of the Gospel? / by Edward Reyner ...

CHAP. X. Of the Ʋsefulness of Astronomy.

AStronomy is useful for a Minister of the Gospel upon a double ac∣count:

First, To know the Nature, Light, Motions, Magnitudes, Influences, and Operations of the Celestial Bodies, the Sun, Moon, and Stars; and of their Con∣stellations. —And how they serve (ac∣cording to God's appointment) for signs and seasons, for days and years, Gen. 1.14. —To know the Ordinances of Heaven, * 1.1 the various Motions, and the marvellous and unspeakable Order of the Heavenly Bodies, which they keep as constantly, as if they walked by a Rule, Jer. 31.35. —As also to understand Eclipses. It is onely an Astronomer that can demonstrate that famous Eclipse of the Sun at Christ's passion to be miraculous, * 1.2 since it happened about the full Moon, for then was the Passover celebrated: but Solar Eclipses in the Course of Nature must be at the new Moon.

Secondly, To understand the Jewish Years, Moneths, Days, and their several Accounts hereof, and the dependences thereupon, as the Jewish Feasts:—and the Prophecies, Histories, Chronologies, that are in the Scripture:—and the clear∣ing and reconciling of diverse Places, or Passages in Scripture; as the difference between the Jews and the Romans in fix∣ing the beginning of their Hours, the Jews reckoning them from Sun-rise, the Romans from midnight, the clearing where∣of will make those Places agree, which speak of the time of Christ suffering, and the circumstances of it.

In the night Christ was in the High Priests Hall, denied by Peter at the Cock-crowing, at the break of the day he was delivered to Pilate, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Mark 15.1. then accused before him till the sixth hour, Joh. 19.14. to wit, of the Romans, which was the first hour of the Jews. Af∣ter that he was condemned and delivered to the Soldiers, and all things prepared for his crucifixion, which by Mark is said to be at the third hour, to wit, of the Jews, cha. 15, 25. but the ninth hour of the Romans, and the darkness from the sixth to the ninth hour is to be understood of the Jewish hours, that is from noon to three

of the clock. See De Dieu on Mark 15.25.

And as John useth the Roman hours, cha. 19.14. so the Roman day, cha. 20.19. The same day at evening being the first day of the week, Jesus, &c. that could not be the evening before Sun-set: for when the two Disciples went with Christ to Emmaus, it was towards evening, and the day far spent. Now they supt there, and returned to Jerusalem, which was sixty furlongs di∣stant from Emmaus, and (Luk. 24.13, &c.) told the Disciples what had happened to them, then Christ appeared in the midst of them, which must be at the evening after Sun-set, and that not taken after the custom of the Hebrews (for then he should not have appeared on the first day of the week, but on the second, because they begin their natural day at evening) but of the Romans, who reckon their natural day from midnight.

Hence also may that difficulty be clea∣red of the Evangelists, calling that day, * 1.3 which was the preparation to the Pass∣over the first day of unleavened bread, Mat. 26.17. Mark 14.12. for the even∣ing after they are the Paschal Lamb with unleavened bread was, after the Jewish account, the beginning of the fifteenth day of the Moneth Nisan, which was the

first day of unleavened bread, Numb. 28.16, 17. but, according to the Roman ac∣count, that evening was the end of the fourteenth day, which was the day of Pre∣paration.

The Jews divide their night into four watches, each three hours long. Their day had in it twelve hours Common, and three Temple hours, or hours of Sacrifice and Prayer, (which on their Feasts-days were signified by sound of Trumpet, Numb. 10.10. Grotius on Matth. 27.45.) which were most famous and notable distinctions of the time of the day. We read of them, Acts 2.15. and 3.1. and 10.3, 9. Matth. 20.3, 5. so that after this account what∣soever was done after the third, and before the sixth hour, might be said to have been done the third hour, and so some recon∣cile Mark 15.25. with Joh. 19.14. Christ was crucified the latter end of the third hour, a little before the sixth, for these was no Temple-hour between the third and the sixth.

I may give four Reasons of the use of Astronomy to a Minister of the Gospel.

Reas. 1. Because the heavens declare the glory of God. &c. Psal. 19.1, 2. his Ma∣jesty, Power, Wisdom, Goodness, which shine brightly in them, and demonstrate

his Deity, and the knowledge of them, is a means to come to the knowledge of God, and to the acknowledgement of a Deity. See how the site and course of the Sun evinceth the wisdom of God, made out in Doctor Browns Vulgar Errors, lib. 6. cap. 5.

Reas. 2. Scriptures have much of Astro∣nomy in them: as Gen. 1.15, to 19. Job 38.31, 32, 33. In two respects especially.

1. Of their natural motions and revolu∣tion in themselves; of the Sun and Moon es∣pecially, Psal. 104.19. Psal. 19.5, 6, 7, and of the effects, and concomitants there∣of, as the vicissitude, or continual succes∣sion of night and day, of Summer and Winter, Gen. 8.22. and of the influences of the Sun, and of the Moon, and of the Stars, Deut. 33.14.

2. Of spiritual allusions to the Hea∣vens, the Stars, their Light, Motion, and many other things, of which the Holy Scriptures are very full.

I might multiply Instances hereof. Psal. 84.11. Cant. 6.10. Dan. 12.3. Phil. 2.15. Jude 13. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Without the knowledge of Astronomy we cannot ex∣plain these things to others, nor make use of them for our selves, or draw forth the sense of many Scriptures, or the meaning

of the Holy Ghost in them fully, and clear∣ly; nor teach those spiritual things by them, which are hinted to us in them.

Ignorance in Astronomy buries many sweet and excellent points in Divinity, that may be learned from the Heavens, the Stars, &c.

Reas. 3. From Examples. Moses, & Da∣niel imbuti fuerunt Astrologia, saith Calvin on Dan. 1.4. they were both indued with skill in Astrology, because Moses was lear∣ned in all the learning of the Egyptians, and Daniel in all the learning of the Chal∣deans, both which were skilful in true and genuine Astrology. Some think they of the East Country (as the Chaldeans) were the first that found out the courses of the Stars, and the rules of Astronomy; and give this reason, quod null a regio in mundo esset tam plana ad patefaciendum quaqua versus Horizontem, therefore they were more propense to learn that Science, to which al∣so the Egyptians were disposed, having the advantage of open fields, and serene nights, fit for such contemplation. Coelius Rhodig. lib. 16. cap. 4. But sure this Sci∣ence had a more early Original, it was known to those before the Flood; being requisite for the ordering of their Moneths and Years, and the computation of Time,

which receives its measures from the mo∣tion of heavenly Bodies.

Hence we have the years of the Patri∣archs before the Flood summed up; and we read of the seventeenth day of the se∣cond Moneth, when Noah entred into the Ark, and of the seventh, tenth, and first Moneth, Gen. 7. and 8 chap.

Besides, that the length of their Lives in that first Age of the World made them more capable of observing and de∣termining the various Motions, and Peri∣ods of the heavenly Bodies.

Reas. 4. Astronomy is a sublime part of natural Philosophy, lost by our fall in Adam, recoverable by observation, reading and study; and as light is sweet, and a plea∣sant thing is it for the eyes to behold the Sun, Eccles. 11.7. so the knowledge of Light, of the Sun, Moon, and Stars is very pleasant and delightful to the Minde, and makes us more useful and profitable unto others.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Job 38.33.
• * 1.2

  Luke 23.45.
• * 1.3

  De Dien in Matth. 26.17.