us, according to the bigness of our vessel, but not the immenseness of his nature. Adore, then, where you cannot fathom. Admire where you cannot fathom, heaven we shall see God clearly, Job xi. 7., "Canst thou by but not fully, for he is infinite; searching find out God?" Here he will communicate himself to we see some beams of his glory, -we see him in the glass of the creation, we see him in his picture, his image shines in the saints, but who can search out all his essential glory ? What angel can measure these pyramids? "Canst thou by search If God be infinite in all places, then let us not go to limit God, Ps. lxxviii. 41., "They limited the Holy One of Israel." It is a ing find out God?" He is infin- limiting God to confine him ite. We can no more search out within the narrow compass of our his infinite perfections, than a reason. Reason thinks God must man upon the top of the highest go such a way to work, or the mountain can reach the firma- business will never be effected. ment, or take a star in his hand. This is to limit God to our reaO have God-admiring thoughts! son; whereas he is infinite, " and Adore where you cannot fathom; his ways are past finding out," there are many mysteries in na- Rom. i. 33. In the deliverance ture which we cannot fathom, - of the church, it is a limiting why the sea should be higher God, either to set him a time, or than the earth, yet not drown it, prescribe him a method of de-why the Nile should overflow liverance. God will deliver Sion, in summer, when, by the course but he will be left to his own of nature, the waters are lowest, liberty; he will not be tied to a -how the bones grow in the place, to a time, to an instruwomb, Eccl. xi. 5. If these ment, this were to limit him, things pose us, how may the in- and then he should not be infinfinite mystery of the Deity tran-ite. God will go his own way,scend our most raised intellectu- he will pose and nonplus reason, als! Ask the geometrician, if he can, with a pair of compasses, measure the breadth of the earth: so unable are we to measure the infinite perfections of God. In wonder-working God. he will work by improbabilities, he will save in such a way as we think he will destroy; now he acts like himself, like an infinite, OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. "For the Lord is a God of forth. Among other of his orient knowledge, and by him actions excellencies, this is not the least, are weighed," 1 Sam. ii. 3. Glo- "The Lord is a God of knowrious things are spoken of God; ledge;" or, as the Hebrew word he transcends our thoughts, and the angels' praises. God's glory lies chiefly in his attributes, which are the several beams by which the divine nature shines is, a God of knowledges.' Through the bright mirror of his own essence, he hath a full idea and cognizance of all things. The world is to him a transparent body. He makes an heart 2. God's knowledge is pure. It anatomy; Rev. ii. 23., "I am he is not contaminated with the which searcheth the reins and the heart." The clouds are no canopy, the night is no curtain to draw between us and his sight, Ps. cxxxix. 12., "The darkness hideth not from thee." There is not a word we whisper, but God more than the sun can be defiled hears it, Ps. cxxxix. 4., "There with the vapours which arise is not a word in my tongue, but from the earth. object. Divina natura non est immista rebus aut sordibus inquinata, Aug. Though God knows sin, yet it is to hate and punish it. No evil can mix or incorporate with his knowledge, no lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether!" 3. God's knowledge is facile; it is without any difficulty. We study and search for knowledge: Prov. ii. 4., "If thou seekest for her as for silver." But the lamp of God's knowledge is so infinitely bright, that all things are intelligible to him. There is not the most subtle thought comes into our mind, but God perceives it, Isa. lxvi. 18., "I know their thoughts." Thoughts speak as loud in God's ears, as words do in ours. All our actions, though ever so subtilely contrived, and secretly conveyed, are visible to the eye of omnisciency, Isa. lxvi. 18., knowledge. Human knowledge "I know their works." Achan is subject to error and misprision. hid the Babylonish garment in A physician may mistake the the earth, but God brought it to cause of a disease; but God's light, Josh. vii. 21. Minerva knowledge is unerring; he can was drawn in such curious co- neither deceive, nor be deceived ; lours, and so lively penciled, that he cannot deceive, because he is which way soever one turned, truth; nor be deceived, because Minerva's eyes were upon him: he is wisdom. 4. God's knowledge is infallible; there is no mistake in his so, which way soever we turn 5. God's knowledge is instantaourselves, still God's eye is upon neous; our knowledge is succesus, Job xxxvii. 16., "Dost thou sive, one thing after another. know the balancing of the clouds! We argue from the effect to the the wondrous works of him that cause; God knows things past, is perfect in knowledge?" God present, and to come, uno intuito, knows whatever is knowable; he at once: they are all before him knows future contingencies. He in one entire prospect. foretold Israel's coming out of (1.) God's knowledge is retenBabylon, and the virgin's con- tive; he never loseth any of his ceiving. By this the Lord proves knowledge; he hath reminiscenthe truth of his Godhead against tia, as well intelligentia, he reidol gods: Isa. xli. 23., "Show remembers as well as understands. the things that are to come here- Many things elapse out of our after, that we may know ye are minds, but God's knowledge is gods." The perfection of God's eternized. Things transacted a knowledge is primary. He is thousand years ago, are as fresh to the original, the pattern, and him, as they were done but the prototype of all knowledge; others last minute. Thus he is perfect borrow their knowledge of him; the in knowledge. OBJ. But is it not said, Gen. xviii. 21., 'I will go down and see D whether they have done according full of eyes, and, as Austin saith, to the cry which is come up unto me, and I will know?' A. It could not be a nesciency, or that God was ignorant; because there is mention made of a cry; but the Lord speaks there after the manner of a judge, who will first examine the cause before he passeth the sentence. God, when he is upon a work "totus oculus," -' All eye.' 2. It ought to be so, for he is to be "Judge of all the world," Gen. xviii. 25. There are so many causes to be brought before him, and so many persons to be tried, that he must have a most exquisite perfect knowledge, or he could not do justice. An ordinary judge cannot proceed of justice, is not in a riot, as if without a jury, the jury must he did not care where he hits; search the cause, and give in the but he goes in a way of circuit verdict, but God can judge withagainst offenders. He "lays out a jury. He knows all things judgment to the line, and righ- in and of himself, and needs no teousness to the plummet," Isa. xxviii. 17. ОвJ. Hos. xiii. 12. The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up, their sin is hid? witnesses to inform him. A judge judgeth only matters of fact, but God judgeth the heart. He not only judgeth wicked actions, but wicked designs. He sees the treason of the heart, and punisheth it. Use 1st. Is God infinite in knowledge, 1 John i. 5. "He is light, and in him is no darkness;" then how unlike are they to God, who are darkness, and in whom is no light, - who are destitute of knowledge, such as the Indians who never heard of God? And are there not many among us who are no better than baptized heathens? Who are to seek in the first principles of the oracles of God? It is sad that after the sun of the gospel hath shined so long A. Not that his sin was hid from God, but his sin is hid, that is, it is recorded, it is laid up against a day of reckoning. That this is the meaning, is clear by the foregoing words, his iniquity is bound up as the clerk of the assizes binds up the indictments of malefactors in a bundle, and at the assizes, brings out the indictments and reads them in court, so God binds up men's sins in a bundle, and, at the day of judgment, this bundle shall be opened, and all their sins brought to light before men in our horizon, yet to this day and angels. the veil should be upon their heart. Such as are enveloped with ignorance cannot give God a "reasonable service,” Rom. xii. 1. Ignorance is the nurse of impiety; the schoolmen say, "Omne peccatur fundatum in ignorantia." Jer. ix. 3., "They proceed from evil to evil; and they know not me,' saith the Lord." Where ignorance reigns in the understanding, lust rageth in the affections: Prov. xix. 2., "That the mind be without knowledge, it is That God is thus infinite in his knowledge. 1. It cannot but be so; for he, who is the original cause, and gives a being to things, must needs have a clear inspection into them, Ps. xciv. 9., "He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not see?" He who makes a watch or engine, knows all the workmanship in it. God, that made the heart, knows all the motions and fallacies of it: He is like Ezekiel's wheels, not good;" such have neither find an hand to punish. faith nor fear. No faith, for "They have committed villany in Knowledge carries the torch be- Israel," " even I know, and am fore Faith: Ps. ix. 10., "They a witness, saith the Lord." Ay, that know thy name shall put but the hypocrite hopes he shall their trust in thee." A man can colour over his sin, and make it no more believe without know-look very specious! Absalom ledge, than the eye can see with- masks over his treason with the out light. Nor fear of God. How pretence of a religious vow; Judas can they fear him whom they do dissembles his envy at Christ, and not know? The covering of covetousness, with the pretence Haman's face was a sad presage of of charity to the poor, John xii. death. When people's minds are 5.; Jehu makes religion a stirrup covered with ignorance, this cover- to his ambitious design, 2 Kings ing of the face is a fatal forerunner x. 16.; but God sees through of destruction. these fig-leaves. You may see a 2. If God be a God of know- jade under his gilt trappings: Jer. ledge, then see the folly of hypo- xvi. 17., "Their iniquities are crisy. Hypocrites do not "vir- not hid from mine eyes." And tutem facere," but fingere, ME- he that hath an eye to see will LANCT. They carry it fair with men, but care not how bad their Use 2d. Of Exhortation. Is hearts are; they live in secret sin: God so infinite in his knowledge? Ps. lxxiii. 11., "They say how Then we should always set ourdoth God know?" Ps. x. 11., selves as under his omniscient "God hath forgotten, he hideth eye. " Sic vivendum est tanquam his face, he will never see it." in conspectu," SENECA. Let us But, Ps. cxlvii. 5., " His under- set David's prospect before our standing is infinite." He hath a eye, Ps. xvi. 8., " I have set the grate [crates that looks into Lord always before me." Seneca men's breasts; he hath a key for counselled Lucillius that whatthe heart; he beholds all the sin- ever he was doing he should imaful workings of men's spirits, as gine some of the Roman worthies in a glass-hive we can see the bees stood before him, and then he working in their combs. Matt. would do nothing dishonourable. vi. 4., " He sees in secret;" in The consideration of God's omimpios habet, RIVET. As a mer- nisciency would, 1. Be preventive chant enters down debts in his of much sin. The eye of man book, so God hath his diary or will restrain from sin; and will day-book, and he enters down not God's eyes much more? Est. every sin into the book; he makes vii. 8., "Then said the king, will a critical descant upon men's ac- he force the queen also before tions. Jeroboam's wife disguised me?" Will we sin when our herself that the prophet should judge looks on? Would men not know her, but he discerned speak so vainly, if they considerher: 1 Kings xiv. 6., "Why ed God overheard them? Latimer feignest thou thyself to be ano- took heed to every word in his exther?" The hypocrite thinks to amination, when he heard the pen prevaricate and juggle with God, go behind the hangings: so, what but God will unmask him: Ecc. care would persons have of their xii. 14., "God shall bring every words, if they remembered God Work into judgment, with every heard, and the pen is going in secret thing; Jer. xxix. 23., heaven? Would men go after strange flesh, if they believed God was a spectator of their wickedness, and would make them do penance in hell for it? Would they defraud in their dealings, and use false weights, if they thought God saw them, and for making their weights lighter would make their damnation heavier? 2. The setting ourselves as under the eye of God's omnisciency, would cause reverence in the worship of God. God sees the frame and carriage of our hearts when we come before him! How would this call in our straggling thoughts? how would this animate and inspirit duty? It would make us put fire to the incense, Acts xxvi. 7., "The tribes instantly served God day and night," omnibus viribus, with the utmost zeal and intenseness of spirit. To think God is in this place, he beholds us, would add wings to prayer, and oil to the flame of our devotion. "now," saith he, "give me your prayers and tears; now you shall come up with me into the triumphant chariot of glory." Sincerity makes our services to be golden, and God will not cast away this gold though it may want some weight. Is God omniscient, and his eye chiefly upon the heart? wear this girdle of truth about you and never leave it off. Use 3d. Of Comfort. Is God a God of infinite knowledge? Then there is comfort, 1. To the saints in particular, 2. To the church in general, in three respects: 1. In case of private devotion. Christian, thou settest hours apart for God, thy thoughts run upon him as thy treasure: God takes notice of every good thought, Mal. iii. 16., "He had a book of remembrance written for them that thought upon his name." Thou enterest into thy closet, and prayest to thy Father in secret; he hears every sigh and groan, Ps. xxxviii. 9., "My groaning is not hid from thee." Thou waterest the seed of thy prayer with tears: God bottles every tear, Ps. lvi. 8., "Put thou my tears into thy bottle." When the secrets of all hearts shall be opened, God will make an honourable mention of the zeal and devotion of his people, and he himself will be the herald of their praises: 1 Cor. iv. 5., "Then shall every man have praise of God." 2. Is God's knowledge infinite? Study sincerity, be what you seem, 1 Sam. xvi. 7., The Lord looketh upon the heart. Men judge of the heart by the actions, God judgeth of the actions by the heart; if the heart be sincere, God will see the faith and wink at the failing. Asa had his blemishes, but his heart was right with God, 2 Chron. xv. 17. God saw his sincerity, and pardoned his infirmity. Sincerity in a Christian, is like chastity in a wife, which doth excuse many failings. Sincerity 2. The infiniteness of God's makes our duties acceptable, like knowledge is a comfort, in case musk among linen, that perfumes the saints have not so clear a it. As Jehu said to Jehonadab, knowledge of themselves. They 2 Kings x. 15., "Is thine heart find so much corruption, that they right?"-And he said " it is."- judge they have no grace, Gen. "If it be," said he, "give me xxv. 22., " If it be so, why am I thy hand;" and he took him up thus?" If I have grace, why is into the chariot. So, if God see my heart in so dead and earthly a our heart is right, that we love frame? O remember, God is of him, and design his glory,- infinite knowledge, he can spy |