Wesley Corpus

5. Hence then, from his works, particularly his works of creation, we are to learn the knowledge of God. But it is not easy to conceive how little we know even of these. To begin with those that are at a distance: Who knows how far the universe extends What are the limits of it The morning stars can tell, who sang together when the lines of it were stretched out, when God said, "This be thy circumference, O world!" But all beyond the fixed stars is utterly hid from the children of men. And what do we know of the fixed stars Who telleth the number of them even that small portion of them that, by their mingled light, form what we call, "the milky way" And who knows the use of them Are they so many suns that illuminate their respective planets Or do they only minister to this, (as Mr. Hutchinson supposes,) and contribute, in some unknown way, to the perpetual circulation of light and spirit Who knows what comets are Are they planets not fully formed or planets destroyed by a conflagration Or are they bodies of a wholly different nature, of which we can form no idea Who can tell what is the sun Its use we know; but who knows of what substance it is composed Nay, we are not yet able to determine, whether it be fluid or solid! Who knows what is the precise distance of the sun from the earth Many astronomers are persuaded it is a hundred millions of miles; others, that it is only eighty-six millions, though generally accounted ninety. But equally great men say, it is no more than fifty; some of them, that it is but twelve: Last comes Dr. Rogers, and demonstrates that it is just two millions nine hundred thousand miles! So little do we know even of this glorious luminary, the eye and soul of the lower world! And just as much of the planets that surround him; yea, of our own planet, the moon. Some indeed have discovered River and mountains on her spotty glode; yea, have marked out all her seas and continents! -- But after all, we know just nothing of the matter. We have nothing but mere uncertain conjecture concerning the nearest of all the heavenly bodies.