Matthew Poole and continuators on Jeremiah 10:2

2 Thus saith the LORD, learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the heathen are dismayed at them.

The Iews being to live among the Chaldaeans in their Captivity, where many of them were already, the Prophet in this Sermon admonisheth them against the superstitions of the Chaldaean Idolatries, which he understands here by Heathen, who were also much addicted to Astrology and esteemed the original of Sciences; the Customes and their Manners he calls here their way as is frequent in Scripture, Lev. 18.3. and 20.23.

This was a practice, and study so common among them, that judicial Astrologers, of what Nation soever, were generally termed Chaldaeans; a practise so hateful to God, that sometimes he positively prohibites it, Deut. 18.10▪ 14. and sometimes in a way of scorn, and derision Sarcastically sends them to such, Isa. 47.13. and often labours to perswade against it: for though Astronomy be not only lawful, but useful, as being subject to reason, and the rules of art whereby many actions of humane Life are di[illegible: 1 letter]ected and guided, and proportioned, yet Iudicial Astrology is indeed originally Diabolical, and heathenish, and though God do suffer their predictions sometimes to fall out right, yet it is to punish the curiosity of the inquirer.

q. d. Leave this to Heathens, it doth not become Gods people, who do wholly depend upon him; for indeed the heathen, as many ignorant Christians do to this day, were more afraid of the signs of heaven and Astrological predictions, then of God, and what is foretold in his word of Prophesie, as if things were governed rather by the influences of the Stars, then the Providence of God, not, but that we may be affected with such preternatural appearances in the World, which God doth extraordinarily cause to appear, as some tokens of his approaching Judgments, Ioel 2.30, 31. Matth. 24, 7. Luke 21.11.