A compleat history of the most remarkable providences both of judgment and mercy, which have hapned in this present age extracted from the best writers, the author's own observations, and the numerous relations sent him from divers parts of the three kingdoms : to which is added, whatever is curious in the works of nature and art / the whole digested into one volume, under proper heads, being a work set on foot thirty years ago, by the Reverend Mr. Pool, author of the Synopsis criticorum ; and since undertaken and finish'd, by William Turner...

4. Of the Stars and Planets.

WHich deserve to be considered, 1. As many. How many I know not. You have heard the Phrases, As the Stars of Heaven for multitude, and as the Sands upon the Sea-shore: Used pro∣miscuously, sometimes one, sometimes the other. Astronomers have long ago reckoned up 1022 of them that are visible; and 'tis concluded, those that are invisible are far the greater number, Psal. 147.4. He telleth the Number of the Stars, and calls them all by their Names. If the Stars of Heaven be so numerous, what are the Inhabitants that dwell beyond! I grant, 'tis a little Flock that goes to Heaven, compared with the many, many damned Souls that go to Hell, but as God said to Abra∣ham, Gen. 15.5. Look now towards Heaven, and tell the Stars, if thou be able to number them, &c. The number of them that stand about the Throne, is ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thou∣sands stand before him! Rev. 5.11. He sheweth Mercy to thousands of them that love him, and keep his Commands. And let not any think, that amongst so many Children, God will forget or overlook any of them, he knows them all, and will lose none of them. He calls his own Sheep by Name, and leads them out, John 10.3. He counts our wandrings, puts our Tears into a Bottle, the very Hairs of our Head are all numbred. There's not a Word in our Mouth, nor a Thought in our Heart, but he knows it altogether. Such Knowledge is too great for us; it may put us into wonder, and strike us with an awful Reverence of the Divine Omnipotence and Wisdom. Consider then a little Sinner, how many thy Sins are, how many the Mercies of God bestowed upon thee, how many Invitations thou hast had to Repentance, and how many Repulses thou hast given to the Messages of Heaven; and withal, how, if they were ten thousand times ten thousand more, God knows and remembers them all; and then say with Job, 9.2. How should Men be just with God?

2. Their Greatness: Indeed, they seem little to us, because they are a great way off: Distance of Place gives Disadvantage to the Prospect; but he that saith they are no bigger than they seem, is as wise as that Philosopher, that thought the Sun was no bigger than his Head. The Learned and most Skilful Astronomers, do generally conclude it for a demonstrative Truth, that the least Star in the Firmament is bigger than the Earth we live upon: And yet these so great Bodies are carried so high, supported only with the Hand of the Almighty, let not the penitent Sinner then say, can God raise me up from the Grave of Sin, from Things below, and set me up on high, and bring me safe to Hea∣ven. Thô thou liest now among the Potsherds, sunk deep into Sin and Misery, yet God is able to lift thee, and thousands more, and carry thee as upon Eagles Wings, and set you as Stars in Heaven, there to shine for ever and ever.

3. Distance from one another (especially the Planets) and from the Earth. The Moon is next to us, Mercury next, Venus in the third place, the Sun fourth, Mars the fifth, Jupiter the sixth, Saturn highest; the Fixed Stars above them all. Were they all in the same Orb, they would move together at the same time, and make no Distinction of Day and Night, of Winter and Summer, or not so much as would serve for our Necessities; And should they be all so low, as the lowest; or should he that holds them there, let them fall thence by the reverse of his Decree, or the withdrawing of his con∣stant Providence, they would soon set this World on Fire, and send us off the Stage, and burn the Universe into a Scroll: Should God draw back the Hand of his Omnipotence but one moment, the

Stars would fall upon our Heads, and make this whole World into a Hell in the twinkling of an Eye!

How necessarily do we depend upon the Divine Mercy for our Safety and Security every Hour we live.

More ways than one (than a thousand) doth he keep Death and Destruction from us. Let us consider a little, this excellent Favour: So many Globes as big as Worlds, and most of them far greater, hanging over our Heads all the Days of our Life, and we still walking safe under them; how much (methinks) do we owe to the Power and good Providence of God for saving our Lives in such immi∣nent Danger. Were those excellent Bodies subject to the like Irregularities as we are, apt to go out of their place, to leave their Orbs, to disobey the Will of him that made them, as Man generally is, what a dangerous Condition should we be in! Damocles, who sat down to Table at a Feast, with a naked Sword hanging over his Head, with a Horse-hair, had no such reason of an awful fear upon him, as we have, if he that govern'd the Stars were a Man, and not God.

4. Their Light: Which is so great in all, that if but one of the Stars or Planets (except the Moon, which hath none but borrowed Light) were not kept at a distance from us, they would certainly da∣zle our weak Eyes into absolute blindness; or if removed much farther off, would not serve our Ne∣cessities. But of this more hereafter.

5. Motion: Incredibly swift, insomuch, that, as Lessius saith, such Stars as are near the Equinoctial Line, do move every Hour Forty millions of Miles, every Million being 1000000, and so in one Hour move more than comes to 2000 times the Compass of the Earth. The Sun (saith the same Author) in the compass of one Hour, goes in its motion 1000000 Miles; whereupon 'tis certain, that in the same space of time it equals the Compass of the Earth in its Course, above Fifty times.

What an amazing Wonder of Omnipotence is this!

Let those Atheistical Sinners think of it, that call daily for a Miracle to prove the Being of a God. Here's a Miracle, that presents before us every Day! And every Man that hath Eyes in his Head (if he hath Brains too) may see it, and wonder! Why, what would Men have a God to do, more than this! If he should make a fresh Creation of a World every Hour, Men might still wink and disbelieve; and still call for fresh Miracles! As if the Almighty Je∣hovah had nothing else to do, than humour the silly Passions of Hard-hearted Sinners, of pitiful incre∣dulous Worms! Well! it will not be long, but God will justifie himself to these Men, before An∣gels and Devils, and shew that he did not leave himself without Witness in the World.

6. Influences: Which are divers, and some of them not known to us, or discoverable to us. I shall mention some.

1. Warming these sublunary Bodies, and infusing such a Heat into them, as is necessary for Life and Motion; insomuch, that without it, there would be no Generation, no Motion, no Life in the Crea∣tures of this World. Take away but the Sun out of the Firmament, and no Spring would appear, Man would be no more, the Acts of Accretion, Growing, Feeling, Moving, Seeing, Living, would all cease presently. Sol & Homo generant hominem. Nay, were the Sun removed but as far from us as the Fixed Stats, England would be Ireland, and all our Year prove a cold Winter; our very Senses would prove chill, and our Reasons follow hard after them: For, Temperamentum animi sequitur temperamentum Corporis:

What an excellent God have we to deal with, who accommodates us so kindly,

seasonably, suitably with Fire and Fuel from Heaven, not only to ferment the Clouds in order to Rain, to dissolve the Snow and Hail, to warm the Air that pierceth our Bodies, to foment the Earth, and make it fruitful, but also cherish our Human Bodies, and makes our Souls more pleasant which dwell in such warm Stoves. If all the Wood and combustible Matter on the Earth were heap∣ed together, to make one Pile, in order to a great Bonfire, for the benefit of the Earth, it would not do so much good (but would come infinitely short) as the Stars and Planets of Heaven. Besides, if the Warmth of the lower Orbs be so friendly and beneficial to our Natures,

What is the Grace of God that comes down from the Inner Heaven, the Light of his Countenance, to our Inner Souls!

If the Sun with its pleasant Rays makes the sublunary World smile, and laugh and sing, shall not the Special Grace and Favour of the Almighty, much more put Gladness into our Hearts! And make us chear∣ful in the Service of our Maker! If the presence of the Hosts of Heaven, the Sun, Moon, and Stars be so comfortable, what is the Presence of the Lord of Hosts, the blessed God, the Communion of the holy Jesus, the Influences of the Spirit of Grace, the Company of Angels, Cherubim, and Sera∣phim! Let us say as Psal. 4. Many say, who will shew us any good? —&c. Besides, if the outward Court of this World be so comforted with the Warmth of the outward Parts of Heaven; is there no∣thing in the Emperial Orbs, in the Inner Chambers to refresh and comfort the Church of God! Is the Atrium Gentium so pleasant, and is the Sanctum Sanctorum (the Holy of Holies) devoid and deso∣late!

2. The Flux and Reflux. Ebb and Flowing of the Sea; that indeed depends, as generally concluded, upon the Moon only: But that is such a Wonder in Nature, that it sufficiently illustrates the Power and Wisdom of God, Psal. 107.21, 22, 23. Oh that Men would praise the Lord, &c. Thus God who daily makes the great and wide Seas to Ebb and Flow, is able also to make the like Changes and Vi∣cissitudes in the World, in the Church! He turneth Man to Destruction; again, he says, return, ye Children of Men, &c. Psal. 90.3, 5, 6. Psal. 107.31, 32. &c.

3. Other secret Influences and Operations unknown to us, as to Weather, Health, Plenty, and it may be, Wars and Peace, Prosperity and Afflictions, Life and Death: For so far Astrologers go; but—I would be wise unto Sobriety; and not peer too far, lest I should be taxed for Curiosity; in all this the Glory of God appears.