326 HEAVENLY BODIES. 



By the word Nature, derived from a term signifying lorn, 

 or produced, in a general sense we mean all the works of God. 

 Using a figure of speech called Metonomy, we often put the 

 effect for the cause ; as, when we speak of the " works of na- 

 ture," meaning what the Almighty has brought forth, or we 

 often mean by nature the Deity himself: as when we say that 

 " nature produces plants and animals." 



With respect to the heavenly bodies, which manifest them- 

 selves to us with so much magnificence, we know them to be 

 matter, because we observe them to be subject to the laws which 

 govern matter ; and we have been able, by the discoveries of 

 astronomers, to understand their various revolutions : we have 

 in general, clearer ideas of their motions than even of our own 

 planet ; it is more easy for us to imagine them as moving, than 

 that our firm earth is whirling with inconceivable velocity. 

 Were it possible for us to conceive the quantity of matter which 

 even one world as large as" our sun contains, the thought would 

 be overwhelming ; and of all the worlds which we behold at 

 one view in a serene night, what finite being could imagine 

 their united extent ? They are suspended over our heads, each 

 one pursuing its destined course : why do we not fear that some 

 one may be precipitated upon our little world, and crush' it to 

 atoms ? It is because we know that they are all upheld by that 

 Power which "created the heavens and the earth," ,and who 

 governs the universe by regular laws. This universe is infinite 

 as the God who formed it ; our sun, with all its systems, is but 

 a point lost in immensity. Astronomers have proved that the 

 fixed stars are at such an immense distance from us, that moving 

 at the rate of 500 miles an hour, we should not reach the near- 

 est of them in 700,000 years, a distance of more than 200,000 

 times greater than that of the sun from the earth. The same 

 space probably separates all the fixed stars. Around those 

 stars revolve millions of opaque globes, as our earth revolves 

 around the sun, which is also one of the fixed stars. The 

 satellites describe around the primary planets almost circular 

 orbits ; they are carried with their primaries around the sun in 

 their annual motion ; the sun himself, with all his numerous 

 train of primary planets, each with its satellites, revolves 

 around the common centre of gravity of the fixed stars, of 

 which himself constitutes a part ; and these are supposed to 

 revolve around the centre of the universe. Here may be the 

 throne of the Almighty Creator and Director of all these stu- 

 pendous objects. 



Yet we need not fear that we shall be forgotten in the im- 

 mensity of creation ; the same Being who created and rules 



Definition of Nature The heavenly bodies. 



