Existence and Attributes of God, Discourse 8 (4 of 4)

Existence and Attributes of God · Discourse 8 (4 of 4)

p. 322As the conſideration of Gods Omniſcience ſhould render him honourable in our eyes, ſo it ſhould render us vile in our own. God, becauſe of his knowledg, is ſo far from diſdaining his Creatures, that his Omniſcience is a Miniſter to his Goodneſs: No knowledg that we are poſſeſs'd of, ſhould make us ſwell with too high a conceit of our ſelves, and a diſdain of others. We have infinitely more of ignorance than knowledg. Let us therefore remember in all our thoughts of God, that he is God, and we are men; and therefore ought to be humble, as becomes men, and ignorant and fooliſh men to be; as weak Creatures ſhould lie low before an Almighty God, and impure Creatures before a Holy God, falſe Creatures before a Faithful God, finite Creatures before an Infinite God; ſo ſhould ignorant Creatures before an All-Knowing God. All Gods Attributes teach admiring thoughts of God, and low thoughts of our ſelves.

8. It may inform us, how much this Attribute is injured in the World. The firſt error after Adams eating the forbidden Fruit, was the denyal of this, as well as the Omnipreſence of God, Gen. 3.10. I heard thy voice in the Garden, and I hid my ſelf; as if the thickneſs of the Trees could ſcreen him from the eye of his Creator. And after Cains Murder, this is the firſt Perfection he affronts, Gen. 4.9. Where is Abel thy Brother, ſaith God? How roundly doth he anſwer, I know not? as if God were as weak as man, to be put off with a Lye: Man doth as naturally hate this Perfection as much, as he cannot naturally but acknowledg it; he wiſhes God ſtript of this eminency, that he might be incapable to be an inſpector of his Crimes, and a ſearcher of the Cloſets of his heart: In wiſhing him deprived of this, there is a hatred of God himſelf; for it is a loathing an Eſſential Property of God, without which he would be a pitiful Governor of the World. What a kind of God ſhould that be, of a Sinners wiſhing, that had wanted Eyes to ſee a Crime, and Righteouſneſs to puniſh it? The want of the conſideration of this Attribute, is the cauſe of all Sin in the World, Hoſ. 7.2. they conſider not in their hearts that I remember all their Wickedneſs; they ſpeak not to their hearts, nor make any reflection upon the infiniteneſs of my Knowledg; 'tis a high contempt of God, as if he were an Idol, a ſenſeleſs Stock or Stone; in all evil practices this is denyed: We know God ſees all things, yet we live and vvalk as if he knevv nothing: We call him Omniſcient, and live as if he vvere ignorant; we ſay he is all eye, yet act as if he were wholly blind.

In particular, this Attribute is injured, By invading the peculiar rights of it, by preſuming on it, and by a practical denyal of it.

1. By invading the peculiar rights of it.

1. By invocation of Creatures. Praying to Saints, by the Romaniſts, is a diſparagement to this Divine Excellency; he that knows all things, is only fit to have the Petitions of men preſented to him; Prayer ſuppoſeth an Omniſcient Being, as the object of it; no other Being but God ought to have that honour acknowledged to it; no Underſtanding but his, is infinite; no other Preſence but his, is every where; to implore any deceaſed Creature for a ſupply of our wants, is to ovvn in them a Property of the Deity; and make them Deities that vvere but men; and increaſe their Glory by a diminution of Gods Honour, in aſcribing that Perfection to Creatures which belongs only to God. Alas! they are ſo far from underſtanding the deſires of our Souls, that they know not the words of our Lips: 'Tis againſt reaſon to addreſs our Supplications to them that neither underſtand us, nor diſcern us, Iſa. 63.16. Abraham is ignorant of us, and Iſrael acknowledges us not. The Jews never called upon Abraham, tho' the Covenant vvas made vvith him for the vvhole Seed; not one departed Saint for the vvhole Four Thouſand Years betvveen the Creation of the World, and the coming of Chriſt, vvas ever Prayed to by the Iſraelites; or ever imagin'd to have a ſhare in Gods Omniſcience; ſo that to pray to St. Peter, St. Paul, much leſs to St. Roch, St. Swithin, St. Martin, St. Francis, &c. is ſuch a Superſtition that hath no footing in the Scripture.

p. 323Daillè Melang, part 2. p. 560. 561.To deſire the Prayers of the Living, with whom we have a Communion, who can underſtand and grant our deſires, is founded upon a mutual Charity; but to implore perſons that are abſent, at a great diſtance from us, with whom we have not, nor know how to have any Commerce, ſuppoſeth them in their departure to have put off Humanity, and commenc'd Gods, and endued with ſome part of the Divinity to underſtand our Petitions; we are indeed to cheriſh their Memories, conſider their Examples, imitate their Graces, and obſerve their Doctrines; we are to follow them as Saints, but not elevate them as Gods, in aſcribing to them ſuch a knowledg which is only the neceſſary right of their and our common Creator: As the invocation of Saints mingles them with Chriſt in the exerciſe of his Office, ſo it ſets them equal with God in the Throne of his Omniſcience. As if they had as much credit with God, as Chriſt in a way of Mediation; and as much knowledg of mens affairs, as God himſelf. Omniſcience is peculiar to God, and incommunicable to any Creature; 'tis the foundation of all Religion, and therefore one of the choiceſt acts of it, viz. Prayer and Invocation. To direct our Vows and Petitions to any elſe, is to invade the peculiarity of this Perfection in God, and to rank ſome Creatures in a Partnerſhip with him in it.

2. This Attribute is injured by curioſity of Knowledg. Eſpecially of future things, which God hath not diſcovered in natural cauſes, or ſupernatural Revelation. 'Tis a common error of mens Spirits to aſpire to know what God would have hidden, and to pry into Divine Secrets; and many men are more willing to remain without the knowledg of thoſe things which may with a little induſtry be attained, than be diveſted of the curioſity of enquiring into thoſe things which are above their reach; 'tis hence that ſome have laid aſide the Study of the common remedies of Nature, to find out the Philoſophers Stone; which ſcarce any ever yet attempted, but ſunk in the Enterpriſe.Amyraut. Moral. Tom. 3. p. 75. &c. From this inclination to know the moſt abſtruſe and difficult things it is, that the horrors of Magick, and the vanities of Aſtrology have ſprung, whereby men have thought to find in a commerce with Devils and the Juriſdiction of the Stars, the events of their Lives, and the diſpoſal of States and Kingdoms. Hence alſo aroſe thoſe Multitudes of ways of Divination invented among the Heathen, and practiſed too commonly in theſe Ages of the World. This is an invaſion of Gods Prerogative, to whom ſecret things belong, Deut. 29.29. Secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but revealed things belong to us and our Children. 'Tis an intolerable boldneſs to attempt to fathom thoſe, the knowledg whereof God hath reſerved to himſelf; and to ſearch that which God will have to ſurpaſs our Underſtandings; whereby we more truly envy God a knowledg ſuperior to our own, than we in Adam imagin'd that he envyed us. Ambition is the greateſt cauſe of this, Ambition to be accounted ſome great thing among men, by reaſon of a Knowledg eſtrang'd from the common maſs of mankind; but more eſpecially that ſoaring Pride to be equal with God, which lurks in our nature ever ſince the Fall of our firſt Parents: This is not yet laid aſide by man, though it was the firſt thing that embroyl'd the World with the Wrath of God. Some think a curioſity of Knowledg was the cauſe of the fall of Devils; I am ſure it was the foyl of Adam, and is yet the Crime of his Poſterity; had he been contented to know what God had furniſht him with, neither he nor his Poſterity had ſmarted under the Venom of the Serpents Breath.

All curious and bold enquiries into things not revealed, are an attempt upon the Throne of God; and are both ſinful and pernicious, like to glaring upon the Sun; where inſtead of a greater acuteneſs, we meet with blindneſs, and too dearly buy our ignorance in attempting a ſuperfluous knowledg. As Gods Knowledg is deſtin'd to the government of the World, ſo ſhould ours be to the advantage of the World, and not degenerate into vain ſpeculations.

3. This Attribute is injur'd by ſwearing by Creatures: To ſwear by the Name of God in a Righteous Cauſe,Cajetan. Sum. p. 190. when we are lawfully call'd to it by a Superior p. 324Power, or for the neceſſary deciſion of ſome Controverſy, for the ends of Charity and Juſtice, is an act of Religion, and a part of Worſhip, founded upon, and directed to the honour of this Attribute; by it we acknowledg the glory of his infallible Knowledg of all things; but to Swear by falſe Gods, or by any Creature, is Blaſphemous; it ſets the Creature in the place of God, and inveſts it in that which is the peculiar honour of the Divinity; for when any ſwear truly, they intend the invocation of an infallible Witneſs, and the bringing an undoubted Teſtimony for what they do aſſert: While any therefore Swear by a Creature, or a falſe God, they profeſs that that Creature, or that which they eſteem to be a God, is an infallible Witneſs, which to be, is only the right of God; they attribute to the Creature that which is the Property of God alone, to know the Heart, and to be a Witneſs whether they ſpeak true or no; and this was accounted by all Nations the true Deſign of an Oath. As to Swear falſely, is a plain denyal of the All-Knowledg of God; ſo to Swear by any Creature, is to ſet the Creature upon the Throne of God, in aſcribing that Perfection to the Creature, which Soveraignly belongs to the Creator; for it is not in the Power of any to Witneſs to the truth of the heart, but of him that is the ſearcher of hearts.

4. We Sin againſt this Attribute by cenſuring the hearts of others. An open Crime indeed falls under our Cognizance, and therefore under our Judgment; for whatſoever falls under the Authority of man to be puniſhed, falls under the Judgment of man to be cenſured, as an act contrary to the Law of God; yet when a cenſure is built upon the evil of the act which is obvious to the view, if we take a ſtep farther to judg the heart and ſtate, we leave the revealed rule of the Law, and ambitiouſly erect a Tribunal equal with Gods; and uſurp a Judicial Power, pertaining only to the Supream Governour of the World; and conſequently pretend to be poſſeſt of this Perfection of Omniſcience, which is neceſſary to render him capable of the exerciſe of that Soveraign Authority. For it is in reſpect of his Dominion, that God hath the ſupream right to Judg; and in reſpect of his Knowledg that he hath an incommunicable capacity to Judg.

In an action that is doubtful, the good or evil whereof depends only upon Gods determination, and wherein much of the Judgment depends upon the diſcerning the intention of the Agent, we cannot Judg any man without a manifeſt invaſion of Gods peculiar right; ſuch actions are to be Tryed by Gods knowledg, not by our ſurmiſes; God only is the Maſter in ſuch caſes, to whom a perſon ſtands or falls, Rom. 14.4. Till the true Principle and ends of an action be known by the confeſſion of the party acting it, a true Judgment of it is not in our Power. Principles and Ends lye deep and hid from us; and it is intollerable Pride to pretend to have a joint Key with God to open that Cabinet which he hath reſerved to himſelf.

Beſides the violation of the Rule of Charity in miſconſtruing actions which may be great and generous in their root and principle, we invade Gods Right, as if our ungrounded imaginations and conjectures were in joint Commiſſion with this Sovereign Perfection; and thereby we become Uſurping Judges of evil thoughts, James 2.4. 'Tis therefore a boldneſs worthy to be puniſhed by the Judge, to aſſume to our ſelves the Capacity and Authority of him who is the only Judg. For as the Execution of the Divine Law for the inward violation of it, belongs only to God, ſo is the right of Judging a Prerogative belonging only to his Omniſcience; his Right is therefore invaded, if we pretend to a knowledg of it. This Humor of men the Apoſtle checks, when he ſaith, 1 Cor. 4.5. He that judgeth me is the Lord, therefore judg nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will manifeſt the Counſels of all hearts. 'Tis not the time yet for God to erect the Tribunal for the tryal of mens hearts, and the Principles of their Actions; He hath reſerv'd the glorious diſcovery of this Attribute for another ſeaſon; We muſt not therefore preſume to Judge of the Counſels of mens hearts, till God hath reveal'd them by opening the Treaſures of his own Knowledg.

p. 325much leſs are we to judge any Mans final Condition. Manaſſeh may Sacrifice to Devils, and unconverted Paul tear the Church in pieces; but God had Mercy on them and called them. The Action may be Cenſur'd, not the State, for we know not whom God may call. In Cenſuring Men, we may doubly imitate the Devil, in a falſe accuſation of the Brethren, as well as in an ambitious uſurpation of the Rights of God.

2. This Perfection is injured, by preſuming upon it, or making an ill uſe of it. As in the neglect of Prayer for the ſupply of Men's wants, becauſe God knows them already, ſo that that which is an encouragement to Prayer, they make the reaſon of reſtraining it before God. Prayer is not to adminiſter knowledge to God, but to acknowledge this admirable Perfection of the Divine Nature. If God did not know, there were indeed no uſe of Prayer, it would be as vain a thing to ſend up our Prayers to Heaven, as to implore the ſenſeleſs Statue or Picture of a Prince for a Protection. We Pray becauſe God knows, for though he know our wants with a knowledge of Viſion, yet he will not know them with a knowledge of ſupply, till he be ſought unto. All the Excellencies of God are ground of Adoration;**Mat. 6.32.33. Matth. 7.11.Matt 6:32Matt 6:33Matt 7:11 and this Excellency is the ground of that part of Worſhip we call Prayer. If God be to be Worſhipped, he is to be called upon; Invocations of his name in our neceſſities is a chief act of Worſhip; whence the Temple, the place of ſolemn Worſhip, was not called the Houſe of Sacrifice, but the Houſe of Prayer.

Prayer was not appointed for Gods information, as if he were ignorant, but for the expreſſion of our deſires; not to furniſh him with a knowledge of what we want, but to manifeſt to him by ſome Rational Sign convenient to our Nature, our ſenſe of that want, which he knows by himſelf. So that Prayer is not deſign'd to acquaint God with our wants, but to expreſs the deſire of a Remedy of our wants. God knows our wants, but hath not made promiſes barely to our wants, but to our asking: That his Omniſcience in hearing as well as his ſufficiency in ſupplying, may have a ſenſible honour in our acknowledgments and receits. 'Tis therefore an ill uſe of this Excellency of God to neglect Prayer to him as needleſs, becauſe he knows already.

4. This Perfection of God is wrong'd, by a practical denial of it. 'Tis the language of every Sin, and ſo God takes it when he comes to reckon with Men for their Impieties. Upon this he charges the greatneſs of the iniquity of Iſrael, the overflowing of Blood in the Land, and the perverſneſs of the City; They ſay the Lord hath forſaken the Earth, and the Lord ſees not **Ezek. 9.9.Ezek 9:9: They deny his Eyes to ſee, and his Reſolution to puniſh.

1. It will appear, in forbearing Sin from a ſenſe of Mans knowledge, not of Gods. Open Impieties are refrain'd becauſe of the Eye of Man; but ſecret Sins are not checked becauſe of the Eye of God. Wickedneſs is committed in darkneſs, that is reſtrained in light; as if darkneſs were as great a clog to Gods Eyes as it is to ours; as though his Eyes were mufled with the Curtains of the Night**Job. 22.14.Job 22:14. This it is likely was at the root of Jonah's flight, he might have ſome ſecret thought, that his Maſters Eye could not follow him, as though the cloſe Hatches of a Ship could ſecure him from the knowledge of God, as well as the Sides of the Ship could from the daſhing of the Waves. What lies moſt upon the Conſcience when it is graciouſly wounded, is leaſt regarded, or contemned when it is baſely inclin'd. David's heart ſmote him not only for his Sin in the groſs, but as particularly circumſtantiated by the commiſſion of it in the ſight of God; Pſal. 51.4. Againſt thee, thee only have I ſinned, and done this ev l in thy ſight. None knew the reaſon of Ʋriah's Death but my ſelf, and becauſe others knew it not, I neglected any regard to this Divine Eye. When Jacob's Sons uſed their Brother Joſeph ſo barbarouſly, p. 326they took care to hide it from their Father; but caſt away all thoughts of God, from whom it could not be conceal'd.

Doth not the preſence of a Child bridle a Man, from the act of a long'd for Sin, when the Eye of God is of no force to reſtrain him? as if Gods knowledge were of leſs value than the ſight of a little Boy or Girle, as if a Child only could ſee, and God were blind. He that will forbear an unworthy action for fear of an Informer, will not forbear it for God; as if Gods Omniſcience, were not as full an Intelligencer to Him, as Man can be an Informer to a Magiſtrate. As we acknowledge the power of Men ſeeing us, when we are aſhamed to commit a filthy action in their view; ſo we diſcover the power of God ſeeing us, when we regard not what we do before the light of his Eyes. Secret Sins are more againſt God than open: Open Sins are againſt the Law, ſecret Sins, are againſt the Law and this prime Perfection of his Nature. The Majeſty of God is not only violated, but the Omniſcience of God diſown'd, who is the only Witneſs; We muſt in all of them, either imagine him to be without Eyes to behold us, or without an Arm of Juſtice to puniſh us. And often it is, I believe, in ſuch caſes, that if any thoughts of Gods knowledge ſtrike upon Men, they quickly damp them, leſt they ſhould begin to know what they fear, and fear that they might not eat their pleaſant Sinful Morſels.

2. It appears, in partial Confeſſions of Sin before God. As by a free, full, and ingenuous Confeſſion, we offer a due glory to this Attribute, ſo by a feigned and curtail'd Confeſſion, we deny him the honour of it: For though by any Confeſſion we in part own him to be a Soveraign and Judge, yet by a half and pared acknowledgment, we own him to be no more than a Humane and ignorant one. Achans full Confeſſion gave God the glory of his Omniſcience,**Joſh. 7.19.Josh 7:19 manifeſted in the diſcovery of his ſecret Crime. And Joſhuah ſaid to Achan, My Son give glory to the Lord God of Iſrael, and make Confeſſion unto him. And ſo Pſal. 50.23. Who ſo offereth praiſe glorifieth me, or confeſſion, as the word ſignifieth, in which ſenſe I would rather take it, referring to this Attribute, which God ſeems to tax Sinners with the denial of, Verſ. 21. telling them that he would open the Records of their Sins before them, and indite them particularly for every one. If therefore you would glorifie this Attribute, which ſhall one day break open your Conſciences, offer to me a ſincere Confeſſion. When David ſpeaks of the happineſs of a pardon'd Man,**Pſ. 2.1, 2. Camero, p. 89. col. 1.Ps 2:1Ps 2:2 he adds, in whoſe Spirit there is no guile, not meaning a ſincerity in general, but an ingenuity in Confeſſing. To excuſe or extenuate Sin, is to deny God the knowledge of the depths of our deceitful hearts: When we will mince it rather than aggravate it; lay it upon the inducements of others, when it was the free act of our own wills, ſtudy ſhifts to deceive our Judge, this is to ſpeak lies of him, as the expreſſion is, Hoſ. 7.13. as though he were a God eaſie to be cheated, and knew no more than we are willing to declare. What did Sauls transferring his Sin from himſelf to the People, **1 Sam. 15.15.1 Sam 15:15but charge God with a defect in this Attribute? When Man could not be like God in his knowledge, he would fancy a God like to him in his ignorance; and imagine a poſſibility of hiding himſelf from his knowledge. And all Men tread more or leſs in their Fathers ſteps, and are fruitful to deviſe diſtinctions to diſguiſe Errors in Doctrine, and excuſes to palliate Errors in Practice: This Crime Job removes from himſelf,**Job 31.33.Job 31:33 when he ſpeaks of ſeveral acts of his ſincerity; If I cover'd my tranſgreſſion as Adam, by hiding my iniquity in my boſom. I hid not any of my Sins in my own Conſcience, but acknowledg'd God a Witneſs to them, and gave him the glory of his knowledge by a free Confeſſion. I did not conceal it from God as Adam did, or as Men ordinarily do; as if God could underſtand no more of their ſecret Crimes, than they will let him, and had no more ſenſe of their faults, than they would furniſh him with. As the firſt riſe of Confeſſion is the owning of this Attribute (for the Juſtice of God p. 327would not ſcare Men, nor the Holineſs of God awe them without a ſenſe of his knowledge of their iniquities) ſo to drop out ſome fragments of Confeſſion, diſcover ſome Sins and conceal others, is a plain denial of the extenſiveneſs of the Divine Knowledge.

3. It is diſcover'd, by putting God off with an outſide Worſhip. Men are often flatterers of God, and think to bend him by formal glavering Devotions, without the concurrence of their hearts; as though he could not pierce into the darkneſs of the Mind, but did as little know us as one Man knows another. There are ſuch things as feigned Lips **Pſal. 17.1.Ps 17:1, a contradiction between the Heart and the Tongue, a clamour in the Voice, and ſcoffing in the Soul; a crying to God, thou art my Father, the guide of my youth and yet ſpeaking and doing evil to the utmoſt of our power**Jer. 3, 4, 5.Jer 3:4Jer 3:5. As if God could be impos'd upon by fawning pretences; and like old Iſaac, take Jacob for Eſau, and be couzend by the ſmell of his Garments: As if he could not diſcern the Negro heart under an Angels Garb. Thus Ephraim, the Ten Tribes, apoſtatized from the true Religion, would go with their Flocks and their Herds to ſeek the Lord **Hoſ. 5.6.Hos 5:6, would Sacrifice multitudes of Sheep and Heifers, which was the main outſide of the Jewiſh Religion; only with their Flocks and their Herds, not with their Hearts, with thoſe inward qualifications of deep Humiliation and Repentance for Sin: As though outſide appearances limited Gods obſervation, whereas God had told them before,Verſe 3. That he knew Ephraim and Iſrael was not hid from him. Thus to do is to put a cheat upon God, and think to blind his All-ſeeing Eye, and therefore it is called deceit, Pſal. 78.36. They did flatter him with their Mouths; The word foreign ſignifies to deceive as well as to flatter; not that they or any elſe can deceive God, but it implies an endeavour to deceive him, by a few diſſembling words and geſtures, or an imagination that God was ſatisfied with bare profeſſions, and would not concern himſelf in a further inquiſition: This is an unworthy conceit of God, to fancy that we can ſatisfie for inward Sins, and avert approaching Judgments, by External Offerings, by a loud Voice with a falſe Heart, as if God, (like Children) would be pleas'd, with the glittering of an empty Shell, or the ratling of Stones, the chinking of Money, a meer Voice and crying without inward frames and intentions of ſervice.

4. In cheriſhing multitudes of evil thoughts. No Man but would bluſh for ſhame, if the baſe, impure, ſlovenly thoughts, either in or out of Duties of Worſhip were viſible to the underſtanding of Man; how diligent would he be to curb his luxuriant and unworthy fancies, as well as bite in his words; but when we give the Rains to the Motions of our Hearts, and ſuffer them to run at random without a Curb, 'tis an evidence we are not concern'd for their falling under the notice of the Eye of God; and it argues a very weak belief of this Perfection, or ſcarce any belief at all. Who can think any Mans heart poſſeſſed with a ſenſe of this Infinite Excellency, that ſuffers his Mind, in his Meditations on God, to wander into every Sty, and be picking up Stones upon a Dunghill? What doth it intimate, but that thoſe thoughts are as inviſible, or unaudible to God, as they are to Men without the Garments of Words?**Drexel Nicetas, lib. 2. cap. 10. p. 357. When a Man thinks of obſcene things, his own natural Notions, if reviv'd, would tell him, that God diſcerns what he thinks, that the depths of his heart are open to him: And the voice of thoſe Notions are, Deface thoſe vain imaginations out of your Minds. But what is done? Men caſt away Rational Light, muſter up Conceits, that God ſees them not, knows them not, and ſo ſink into the Puddle of their ſordid Imaginations, as though they remained in darkneſs to God.

I might further inſtance.

In omiſſions of Prayer, which ariſe ſometime from a flat Atheiſm: Who will call upon a God, that believes no ſuch Being? Or from partial Atheiſm, p. 328either a denial of Gods ſufficiency to help, or of his Omniſcience to know, as if God were like the Statue of Jupiter in Crete framed without Ears.

In the Hypocritical pretences of Men, to exempt them from the ſervice God calls them to. When Men pretend one thing, and intend another; this lurks in the Veins ſometimes of the beſt Men; ſometimes it ariſeth from the fear of Man; when Men are more afraid of the power of Man, than of diſſembling with the Almighty: It will pretend a vertue to cover a ſecret wile: and Chooſe the Tongue of the Crafty, as the Expreſſion in Job **Job 15.5.Job 15:5.

The caſe is plain in Moſes, who when ordered to undertake an eminent Service, pretends a want of Eloquence, and an ungrateful ſlowneſs of Speech **Exod. 4.10.Exod 4:10. This generous Soul, that before was not afraid to diſcover himſelf in the midſt of Egypt for his Country-men, anſwers ſneakingly to God, and would vail his carnal fear, with a pretence of inſufficiency and humility; Who am I, that I ſhould go unto Pharaoh**Exod. 3.11.Exod 3:11? He could not well alledge an inability to go to Pharaoh, ſince he had had an Education in the Egyptian Learning, which render'd him capable to appear at Court. God at laſt uncaſeth him, and ſhews it all to be a diſſimulation, and whatſoever was the pretence, fear lay at the bottom: He was afraid of his Life upon his appearance before Pharaoh, from whoſe face he had fled upon the ſlaying the Egyptian, which God intimates to him, Exod. 4.19. Go, and return into Egypt, for all the Men are dead which ſought thy life. What doth this Carriage ſpeak, but as if Gods Eye were not upon our inward parts, as though we could lock him out of our hearts, that cannot be ſhut out from any creek of the hearts of Men and Angels.

2. The ſecond Uſe is of Comfort. 'Tis a ground of great Comfort under the preſent diſpenſation wherein we are;**Nov. 1678. When the Popiſh Plot was diſcover'd. We have heard the Doctrinal part, and God hath given us the Experimental part of it in his ſpecial Providence this day, upon the Stage of the World. And bleſſed be God that he hath given us a ground of Comfort, without going out of our ordinary courſe to fetch it, whereby it ſeems to be peculiarly of Gods ordering for us.

1. 'Tis a Comfort in all the clandeſtine contrivances of Men againſt the Church. His Eyes pierce as far as the depths of Hell: Not one of his Churches Adverſaries lies in a miſt, all are as plain as the Stars which he numbers; Mine Adverſaries are all before thee **Pſal. 69.19.Ps 69:19, More exactly known to thee, than I can recount them. 'Tis a Propheſie of Chriſt, wherein Chriſt is brought in ſpeaking to God, of his own and the Churches Enemies: He comforts himſelf with this, that God hath his Eye upon every particular Perſon among his Adverſaries: He knows where they repoſe themſelves, when they go out to Conſult, and when they come in with their Reſolves: He diſcerns all the Rage that Spirits their Hearts, in what corner it lurks, how it acts; all the diſorders, motions of it, and every Object of that Rage; He cannot be deceived by the cloſeſt and ſubtileſt Perſon. Thus God ſpeaks concerning Zenacherib and his Hoſt againſt Jeruſalem **Iſai. 37.28, 29.Isa 37:28Isa 37:29. After he had ſpoke of the forming of his Church, and the weakneſs of it, he adds, But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy Rage againſt me; becauſe thy Rage againſt me, and thy Tumult is come up into mine Ears, therefore will I put my Hook in thy Noſe, and my Bridle in thy Lips, and I will turn thee back, &c. He knows all the methods of the Counſels, the Stages they had laid, the manner of the Execution of their Deſigns, all the ways whither they turned themſelves, and would uſe them no better than Men do devouring Fiſh and untam'd Beaſts, with a Hook in the Noſe and a Bridle in the Mouth. Thoſe States-men in Iſa. 29.15. thought their Contrivances too deep for God to fathom, and too cloſe for God to fruſtrate; They ſeek deep to hide their Counſels from the Lord; ſurely your turning of things upſide down, ſhall be eſteemed as the Potters Clay, of no more force and underſtanding, than a Potters Veſſel, which underſtands not its own form wrought by the p. 329Artificer, nor the uſe it is put to by the Buyer and Poſſeſſor; or ſhall be eſteemed as a Potters Veſſel, that can be as eaſily flung back into the Maſs from whence it was taken, as preſerved in the Figure it is now endued with. No ſecret Deſigner is ſhrowded from Gods ſight, or can be ſhelter'd from Gods Arm; He underſtands the Venom of their Hearts, better than we can feel it, and diſcovers their inward fury more plainly, than we can ſee the Sting or Teeth of a Viper when they are opened for miſchief; and to what purpoſe doth God know and ſee them, but in order to deliver his People from them in his own due time; I know their ſorrow, and am come down to deliver them **Ex. 3.7, 8.Exod 3:7Exod 3:8: The Walls of Jeruſalem are continually before him, he knows therefore all that would undermine and demoliſh them; None can hurt Zion by any ignorance or inadvertency in God.

'Tis obſervable, that our Saviour aſſuming to himſelf a different Title in every Epiſtle to the Seven Churches, doth particularly aſcribe to himſelf this of Knowledge and Wrath in that to Thyatira, an Emblem or Deſcription of the Romiſh State:**Rev. 2.1…Rev 2:1 And unto the Angel of the Church of Thyatira write, Theſe things ſaith the Son of God, who hath his Eyes like to a flame of Fire, and his Feet like fine Braſs. His Eyes, like a flame of Fire are of a piercing nature, inſinuating themſelves into all the Pores and parts of the Body they encounter with, and his Feet like Braſs to cruſh them with, is explained, Verſe 23. I will k ll her Children with Death, and all the Churches ſhall know that I am he which ſearches the Reins and the Heart, and I will give to every one of you according to your works. He knows every deſign of the Romiſh Party, deſign'd by that Church of Thyatira **For the Evidence of it I refer you to Dr. More's Expoſition of the ſeven Churches, worthy every Learned and Ʋnderſtanding Mans reading, and of every ſober Romaniſt.. Jezabel, there, ſignifies a whoriſh Church, ſuch a Church as ſhall act as Jezabel, Ahab's Wife, who was not only a Worſhipper of Idols, but propagated Idolatry in Iſrael, ſlew the Prophets, perſecuted Elijah, murdered Naboth, the Name whereof ſignifies Propheſie, ſeiz'd upon his Poſſeſſion. And if it be ſaid that Verſe 19. this Church was commended for her Works, Faith, Patience; 'tis true Rome did at firſt ſtrongly profeſs Chriſtianity, and maintain'd the intereſt of it, but afterwards fell into the practice of Jezabel, and committed Spiritual Adultery: And is ſhe to be owned for a Wife, that now plays the Harlot, becauſe ſhe was honeſt and modeſt at her firſt Marriage;**Coc. in loc. And though ſhe ſhall be deſtroy'd, yet not ſpeedily, Verſe 22. I will caſt her into a Bed, ſeems to intimate the deſtruction of Jezabel, not to be at once and ſpeedily, but in a lingring way, and by degrees, as Sicknes conſumes a Body.

2. This Perfection of God fits him to be a ſpecial Object of Truſt. If he were forgetful, what comfort could we have in any Promiſe? How could we depend upon him, if he were ignorant of our State? His Compaſſions to pity us, his Readineſs to relieve us, his Power to protect and aſſiſt us, would be inſignificant, without his Omniſcience to inform his Goodneſs, and direct the Arm of his Power. This Perfection is as it were Gods Office of Intelligence: As you go to your Memorandum Book to know what you are to do; ſo doth God to his Omniſcience: This Perfection is Gods Eye, to acquaint him with the neceſſities of his Church, and directs all his other Attributes in their exerciſe for and about his People. You may depend upon his Mercy that hath promiſed, and upon his Truth to perform, upon his Sufficiency to ſupply you, and his Goodneſs to relieve you, and his Righteouſneſs to reward you, becauſe he hath an infinite Underſtanding to know you and your wants, you and your ſervices. And without this knowledge of his, no comfort could be drawn from any other Perfection; none of them could be a ſure Nail to hang our hopes and confidence upon. This is that, the Church alway Celebrated, Pſal. 105.7. He hath remembred his Covenant for ever, and the Word which he hath commanded to a thouſand generations; And Verſe 42. He remembred his holy Promiſe; and he remembred for them his Covenant **Pſal 106.45.Ps 106:45. He remembers and underſtands his Covenant, therefore his Promiſe to perform it, and therefore our Wants to ſupply them.

p. 3303. And the rather, becauſe God knows the Perſons of all his own. He hath in his infinite Underſtanding, the exact number of all the individual Perſons that belong to him; 2 Tim. 2.19. The Lord knows them that are his. He knows all things, becauſe he hath Created them; and he knows his People becauſe he hath not only made them, but alſo choſe them: He could no more chooſe he knew not what, than he could Create he knew not what: He knows them under a double Title; of Creation as Creatures, in the common Maſs of Creation; as new Creatures by a particular act of Separation. He cannot be ignorant of them in time, whom he fore-knew from Eternity: His knowledge in time is the ſame he had from Eternity: He fore-knew them that he intended to give the Grace of Faith unto; and he knows them after they believe, becauſe he knows his own act, in beſtowing Grace upon them, and his own Mark and Seal wherewith he hath ſtampt them: No doubt but he that calls the Stars of Heaven by their names **Pſal. 147.4.Ps 147:4, knows the number of thoſe living Stars that ſparkle in the Firmament of his Church. He cannot be ignorant of their Perſons, when he numbers the Hairs of their Heads, and hath Regiſtred their Names in the Book of Life. As he only had an infinite Mercy to make the choice; ſo he only hath an infinite Underſtanding to comprehend their Perſons. We only know the Elect of God by a Moral aſſurance in the Judgment of Charity, when the Converſation of Men is according to the Doctrine of God: We have not an infallible knowledge of them, we may be often miſtaken; Judas, a Devil, may be judged by Man for a Saint, till he be ſtript of his diſguiſe. God only hath an infallible knowledge of them, he knows his own Records, and the Counterparts in the hearts of his People; None can counterfeit his Seal, nor can any raze it out.**Turretin's Sermons, p. 3…2. When the Church is either ſcatter'd, like Duſt by Perſecution, or over-grown with Superſtition and Idolatry, that there is ſcarce any grain of true Religion appearing, as in the time of Elijah, who complain'd that he was left alone, as if the Church had been rooted out of that corner of the World,**1 Kings 19.14, 18.1 Kgs 19:141 Kgs 19:18 yet God knew that he had a number fed in a Cave, and had reſerved ſeven thouſand Men that had preſerved the purity of his Worſhip, and not bow'd their knee to Baal. Chriſt knew his Sheep, as well as he is known of them; yea, better than they can know him**John 10.14.John 10:14. Hiſtory acquaints us, that Cyrus had ſo vaſt a memory, that he knew the name of every particular Souldier in his Army, which conſiſted of diverſe Nations; Shall it be too hard for an infinite Underſtanding to know every one of that Hoſt that march under his Banners? may he not as well know them, as know the number, qualities, influences of thoſe Stars which lie conceal'd from our Eye, as well as thoſe that are viſible to our Senſe? Yes, he knows them, as a General to employ them, as a Shepherd to preſerve them: He knows them in the World to guard them, and he knows them when they are out of the World to gather them, and cull out their Bodies, though wrapped up in a Cloud of the putrified Carcaſes of the Wicked: As he knew them from all Eternity to elect them, ſo he knows them in time to cloth their Perſons with Righteouſneſs, to protect their Perſons in Calamity according to his good pleaſure, and at laſt to raiſe and reward them according to his Promiſe.

4. We may take Comfort from hence, That our ſincerity cannot be unknown, to an infinite Ʋnderſtanding. Not a way of the Righteous is conceal'd from him, and therefore they ſhall ſtand in Judgment before him; **Pſal. 1.6.Ps 1:6The Lord knows the way of the Righteous: He knows them to obſerve them, and he knows them to Reward them. How comfortable is it to appeal to this Attribute of God for our integrity, with Hezekiah, 2 Kings 20.3. Remember Lord, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart. Chriſt himſelf is brought in in this Prophetical Pſalm drawing out the Comfort of this Attribute, Pſal. 40.9. I have not reſtrain'd my Lips Oh Lord thou knoweſt, meaning his faithfulneſs in declaring the Righteouſneſs of God. Job follows p. 331the ſame ſteps, Alſo now, behold, my Record is in Heaven, and my Witneſs is on high **Job 16.1….Job 16:1: My Innocence hath the Teſtimony of Men, but my greateſt ſupport is in the Records of God. Alſo now; or beſides the Teſtimony of my own Heart, I have another Witneſs in Heaven that knows the Heart, and can only judge of the principles of my actions, and clear me from the ſcorns of my Friends and the accuſations of Men, with a juſtification of my Innocence: He repeats it twice to take the greater comfort in it. God knows that we do that in the ſimplicity of our Hearts, which may be judged by Men to be done for unworthy and ſordid ends: He knows not only the outward action, but the inward affection; and praiſes that which Men often diſpraiſe; and writes down that with an Euge, Well done good and faithful Servant, which Men daube with their ſevereſt Cenſures**Rom. 2.29.Rom 2:29. How refreſhing is it to conſider, that God never miſtakes the appearance for reality, nor is lead by the judgment of Man? He ſits in Heaven and laughs at their follies and Cenſures. If God had no ſounder and no more piercing a Judgment than Man, woe be to the ſincereſt Souls that are often judged Hypocrites by ſome. What a happineſs is it for Integrity to have a Judge of infinite Underſtanding, who will one day wipe off the durt of Worldly Reproaches?

Again, God knows the leaſt dram of Grace and Righteouſneſs in the Hearts of his People, though but as a ſmoking Flax, or the leaſt bruiſe of a ſaving conviction**Mat. 12.20.Matt 12:20; and knows it ſo as to cheriſh it; he knows that work he hath begun, and never hath his Eye off from it to abandon it.

5. The conſideration of this excellent Perfection in God may comfort us in our ſecret Prayers, ſighs and works. If God were not of infinite Underſtanding, to pierce into the Heart, what comfort hath a poor Creature that hath a ſcantineſs of Expreſſions, but a Heart in a flame? If God did not underſtand the Heart, Faith and Prayer which are internal works, would be in vain: How could he give that Mercy our Hearts plead for, if he were ignorant of our inward Affections? Hypocrites might ſcale Heaven by lofty Expreſſions, and a Sincere Soul come ſhort of the happineſs he is prepared for, for want of flouriſhing Gifts. Prayer is an internal work, words are but the Garment of Prayer; Meditation is the Body, and Affection the Soul and Life of Prayer; Give Ear to my words Oh Lord, conſider my Meditation **Pſal. 5.1.Ps 5:1. Prayer is a Rational act, an act of the mind, not the act of a Parrot: Prayer is an act of the Heart, though the ſpeaking Prayer is the work of the Tongue; Now God gives Ear to the words, but he conſiders the Meditation, the frame of the Heart. Conſideration is a more exact notice than hearing, the act only of the Ear. Were not God of an infinite Underſtanding, and Omniſcient, he might take fine Clothes, a heap of Garments for the Man himſelf; and be put off by glittering words, without a Spiritual Frame. What matter of rejoycing is it, that we call not upon a deaf and ignorant Idol; but on one that liſtens to our ſecret Petitions to give them a diſpatch, that knows our deſires afar off, and from the infiniteneſs of his Mercy, joyn'd with his Omniſcience ſtands ready to give us a return? Hath he not a Book of Remembrance for them that fear him, and for their ſighs and ejaculations to him as well as their diſcourſes of him**Mal. 3.16.Mal 3:16; and not only what Prayers they utter, but what gracious and holy thoughts they have of him? That thought upon his Name. Though millions of ſupplications be put up at the ſame time, yet they have all a diſtinct File (as I may ſay) in an infinite Underſtanding, which perceives and comprehends them all. As he obſerves millions of Sins committed at the ſame time by a vaſt number of Perſons to Record them in order to Puniſhment; ſo he diſtinctly diſcerns an infinite number of Cries at the ſame moment to Regiſter them in order to an Anſwer.

A ſigh cannot ſcape an infinite Underſtanding, though crowded among a mighty multitude of Cries from others, or cover'd with many unwelcome diſtractions in our ſelves, no more than a believing touch from the Woman p. 332that had the Bloudy Iſſue, could be conceal'd from Chriſt, and be undiſcern'd from the preſs of the thronging multitudes: Our groans are as audible and intelligible to him as our words, and he knows what is the mind of his own Spirit, though expreſt in no plainer language than ſobs and heavings**Rom. 8.27.Rom 8:27. Thus David cheers up himſelf under the neglects of his Friends, Pſal. 38.9. Lord my deſire is before thee, and my groaning is not hid from thee. Not a groan of a panting Spirit ſhall be loſt, till God hath loſt his knowledge; Not a Petition forgotten while God hath a Record, nor a Tear dried while God hath a Bottle to reſerve it in**Pſal. 56.8.Ps 56:8.

Our ſecret works are alſo known and obſerved by him; not only our outward labour, but our inward love in it, Heb. 6.10. If with Iſaac we go privately into the Field to meditate, or ſecretly caſt our Bread upon the Waters, he keeps his Eye upon us to Reward us, and returns the Fruit into our own Boſoms**Mat. 6.4.6.Matt 6:4Matt 6:6; Yea, though it be but a Cup of cold Water, from an inward Spring of love given to a Diſciple: He ſees your works and your labour, and faith and patience in working them**Rev. 2.2.Rev 2:2, all the marks of your induſtry, and ſtrength of your intentions, and Will, be as exact at laſt in order to a due Praiſe, as to open Sins in order to a juſt Recompence **1 Cor. 4.5.1 Cor 4:5.

6. The Conſideration of this excellent Attribute, affords Comfort in the Afflictions of good Men. He knows their Preſſures, as well as hears their Cries **Exod. 3.7.Exod 3:7: His Knowledge comes not by information from us; but his Compaſſionate liſtening to our Cries ſprings from his own Inſpection into our Sorrows; He is affected with them, before we make any diſcovery of them: He is not ignorant of the beſt Seaſon, when they may be uſefully inflicted, and when they may be profitably removed: The Tribulation and Poverty of his Church is not unknown to him, Rev. 2.8, 9. I know thy Works and Tribulation, &c. He knows their Works, and what Tribulation they meet with for him; He ſees their extremities, when they are toiling againſt the Wind and Tide of the World**Mark 6.48.Mark 6:48: Yea, the natural exigencies of the multitude are not neglected by him, he diſcerns to take care of them: Our Saviour conſidered the three days faſting of his Followers, and miraculouſly provides a Diſh for them in the Wilderneſs. No good Man is ever out of Gods Mind, and therefore never out of his Compaſſionate Care: His Eye pierceth into their Dungeons and pities their Miſeries. Joſeph may forget his Brethren, and the Diſciples not know Chriſt, when he walks upon the Midnight Waves and Turbulent Sea;**Barlow's Mans Refuge, p. 29, 30. but a Lyons Den cannot obſcure a Daniel from his Sight, nor the depths of the Whales Belly bury Jonah from the Divine Underſtanding: He diſcerns Peter in his Chains, and Stephen under the Stones of Martyrdom: He knows Lazarus under his tatter'd Rags, and Abel wallowing in his Blood: His Eye and Knowledge goes along with his People, when they are tranſplanted into Foreign Countreys, and ſold for Slaves into the Iſlands of the Grecians, for he will raiſe them out of the place, Joel 3.6, 7. He would defeat the hopes of the Perſecutors, and applaud the Patience of his People: He knows his People in the Tabernacle of Life, and in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, Pſal. 23. He knows all penal Evils becauſe he commiſſions and directs them: He knows the Inſtruments becauſe they are his Sword **Pſal. 17.13.Ps 17:13, and he knows his gracious Sufferer becauſe he hath his Mark: He diſcerns Job in his Anguiſh, and the Devil in his Malice: By the direction of this Attribute he orders Calamities, and reſcues from them. Thou haſt ſeen it, for thou beholdeſt miſchief and ſpight **Pſal. 10.14.Ps 10:14: That is the Comfort of the Pſalmiſt, and the Comfort of every Believer, and the Ground of committing themſelves to God under all the injuſtice of Men.

7. 'Tis a Cofmort in all our Infirmities. As he knows our Sins to charge them; ſo he knows the weakneſs of our Nature to pity us. As his infinite Underſtanding may ſcare us, becauſe he knows our Tranſgreſſions; ſo it may p. 333relieve us, becauſe he knows our natural mutability in our firſt Creation: He knows our frame, he remembers that we are duſt **Pſal. 103.14.Ps 103:14. 'Tis the reaſon of the precedent Verſes, why he removes our Tranſgreſſion from us, why he is ſo backward in Puniſhing; ſo patient in waiting, ſo forward in pitying; Why? He doth not only remember our Sins, but remember our frame or forming, what brittle, though clear Glaſſes we were by Creation, how eaſie to be crackt: He remembers our impotent and weak Condition by Corruption; what a ſink we have of vain imaginations that remain in us after Regeneration; he doth not only conſider that we were made according to his Image, and therefore able to ſtand, but that we were made of Duſt and weak Matter, and had a ſenſitive Soul, like that of Beaſts, as well as an intellectual Nature, like that of Angels, and therefore liable to follow the dictates of it, without exact care and watchfulneſs. If he remembred only the firſt, there would be no iſſue but Indignation; but the Conſideration of the latter moves his Compaſſion. How miſerable ſhould we be for want of this Perfection in the Divine Nature, whereby God remembers and reflects upon his paſt act in our firſt frame, and the mindfulneſs of our Condition excites the motion of his Bowels to us? Had he loſt the knowledge, how he firſt framed us; did he not ſtill remember the mutability of our Nature, as we were form'd and ſtampt in his Mint; How much more wretched would our Condition be than it is? If his remembrance of our Original, be one ground of his. Pity, the ſenſe of his Omniſcience ſhould be a ground of our Comfort, in the ſtirring of our infirmities: He remembers we were but Duſt, when he made us; and yet remembers we are but Duſt, while he preſerves and forbears us.

8. 'Tis ſome Comfort in the fears of ſome lurking Corruption in our Hearts. We know by this whither to addreſs our ſelves for the ſearch and diſcovery of it: Perhaps ſome Bleſſings we want are retarded, ſome Calamities we underſtand not the particular cauſe of, are inflicted, ſome Petitions we have put up, hang too long for an Anſwer; and the Chariot Wheels of Divine Goodneſs move ſlow and are long in coming: Let us beg the Aid of this Attribute to open to us the Remoras, to diſcover what baſe Affection there is that retards the Mercies we want, or attracts the Affliction we feel, or bars the Door againſt the return of our ſupplications. What our dim ſight cannot diſcover, the clear Eye of God can make viſible to us. Job 10.2. Shew me wherefore thou contendeſt with me. As in want of Pardon, we particularly plead his Mercy, and in our deſires for the performance of his Promiſe, we argue with him from his faithfulneſs; ſo in the fear of any inſincerity or hidden Corruption we ſhould implore his Omnſcience: For as God is a God in Covenant, our God, our God in the whole of his Nature; ſo the Perfections of his Nature, are employed in their ſeveral Stations, as aſſiſtances of his Creatures. This was David's Practice and Comfort, after that large Meditation, on the Omniſcience and Omnipreſence of God, he turns his thoughts of it, into Petitions for the employment of it in the concerns of his Soul, and begs a Mercy ſuitable to the glory of this Perfection, Pſal. 139.23. Search me Oh God and trie my heart, trie me and know my thoughts; Dive to the bottom, Verſe 24. And ſee if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way Everlaſting. His deſire is not barely that God ſhould know him, for it would be ſenſeleſs to beg of God that he ſhould have Mercy or faithfulneſs, or power or knowledge in his Nature; but he deſires the exerciſe of this Attribute, in the diſcovery of himſelf to himſelf, in order to his ſight of any wicked way, and Humiliation for it, and Reformation of it in order to his Conduct to Everlaſting Life. As we may appeal to this Perfection to Judge us, when the ſincerity of our Actions is Cenſured by others; ſo we may implore it to ſearch us, when our ſincerity is queſtion'd by our ſelves: That our Minds may be enlightned by a Beam from his Knowledge, and the little p. 334Thieves may be pull'd out of their Dens in our Hearts by the hand of his Power. In particular, it is our Comfort that we can, and our neceſſity that we muſt Addreſs particularly to this, when we engage ſolemnly in a work of ſelf-examination; that we may have a clearer Eye to direct us than our own, that we may not miſtake Braſs for Gold, or counterfeit Graces for true; that nothing that is filthy and fit to be caſt out, may eſcape our Sight, and preſerve its Station. And we need not queſtion the laying at the Door of this neglect, (viz. not calling in this Attribute to our Aid, whoſe proper Office it is, (as I may ſo ſay) to ſearch and enquire) all the miſtakes, ill ſucceſs, and fruitleſsneſs of our endeavours in ſelf-examination, becauſe we would engage in it, in the pitiful ſtrength of our own dimneſs, and not in the light of Gods Countenance and the aſſiſtance of his Eye, which can diſcern what we cannot ſee, and diſcover that to us, which we cannot manifeſt to our ſelves. 'Tis a Comfort to a learner of an Art, to have a skilful Eye to overlook his work, and inform him of the defects. Beg the help of the Eye of God in all your ſearches and ſelf-examinations.

9. The Conſideration of this Attribute is Comfortable in our aſſurances of, and reflections upon the pardon of Sin, or ſeeking of it. As God puniſhes Men for Sin according to his knowledge of them, which is greater than the knowledge their own Conſciences have of them; ſo he pardons according to his knowledge: He pardons not only according to our knowledge, but according to his own: He is greater than any Mans Heart, to condemn for that, which a Man is at preſent ignorant of; and greater than our Hearts, to pardon that which is not at preſent viſible to us; He knows that which the moſt watchful Conſcience cannot take a ſurvey of: If God had not an infinite Underſtanding of us, how could we have a perfect and full pardon from him? It would not ſtand with his Honour to pardon he knew not what. He knows what Crimes we have to be pardon'd, when we know not all of them our ſelves, that ſtand in need of a gracious Remiſſion; His Omniſcence beholds every Sin to charge it upon our Saviour. If he knows our Sins that are black, he knows every mite of Chriſts Righteouſneſs which is pure, and the utmoſt extent of his Merits, as well as the demerit of our iniquities. As he knows the filth of our Sin, he alſo knows the covering of our Saviour: He knows the value of the Redeemers Sufferings, and exactly underſtands every Plea in the interceſſion of our Advocate. Though God knows our Sins oculo indice, yet he doth not ſee them oculo judice, with a Judicial Eye: His Omniſcience ſtirs not up his Juſtice to Revenge, but his Mercy to Pity. His infinite Underſtanding of what Chriſt hath done, directs him to diſarm his Juſtice, and ſound an Alarm to his Bowels. As he underſtands better than we what we have committed; ſo he underſtands better than we what our Saviour hath merited; and his Eye directs his Hand in the blotting out Guilt, and applying the Remedy.

3. The third Uſe ſhall be to Sinners to humble them, and put them upon ſerious Conſideration. This Attribute ſpeaks terrible things to a Profligate Sinner. Baſil thinks that the ripping open the Sins of the Damned to their faces by this Perfection of God, is more terrible than their other Torments in Hell. God knows the Perſons of Wicked Men, not one is exempted from his Eye, he ſees all the actions of Men as well as he knows their Perſons; Job 11.11. He knows vain Men, he ſees wickedneſs alſo. Job 34.21. His Eye is upon all their goings. He hears the moſt private Whiſpers, Pſal. 139.4. the ſcope, manner, circumſtance of ſpeaking he knows it altogether: He underſtands all our thoughts, the firſt bubblings of that bitter Spring, Pſal. 139.2. The quickeſt glances of the Fancy, the cloſeſt muſings of the Mind, and the abortive wouldings or wiſhes of the Will, the language of the Heart, as well as the language of the Tongue; Not a fooliſh thought, or an idle word, not a p. 335wanton glance, or a diſhoneſt action; Not a negligent ſervice, or a diſtracting fancy, but is more viſible to him, than the filth of a Dunghill can be to any Man by the help of a Sun Beam. How much better would it be for deſperate Sinners, to have their Crimes known to all the Angels in Heaven, and Men upon Earth, and Devils in Hell, than that they ſhould be known to their Soveraign, whoſe Laws they have violated, and to their Judge, whoſe Righteouſneſs obligeth him to revenge the injury?

1. Conſider, What a poor Refuge is ſecrecy to a Sinner? Not the Myſts of a foggy Day, nor the obſcurity of the darkeſt Night, not the cloſeſt Curtains, nor the deepeſt Dungeon, can hide any Sin from the Eye of God. Adam is known in his Thickets, and Jonah in his Cabin. Achan's Wedge of Gold is diſcern'd by him, though buried in the Earth, and hooded with a Tent. Shall Sarah be unſeen by him, when ſhe mockingly laughs behind the Door? Shall Gehazy tell a Lye, and comfort himſelf with an imagination of his Maſters ignorance, as long as God knows it? Whatſoever works Men do, are not hid from God, whither done in the darkneſs or Day-light, in the Mid-night darkneſs, or the Noon-day Sun: He is all Eye to ſee, and he hath a great Wrath to Puniſh. The Wheels in Ezekiel are full of Eyes: A piercing Eye to behold the Sinner, and a ſwift Wheel of Wrath to overtake him. God is Light, and of all things Light is moſt difficultly kept out. The ſecreteſt Sins are ſet in the light of his Countenance **Pſal. 90.8.Ps 90:8, as legible to him, as if writ with a Sun Beam; More viſible to him than the greateſt Print to the ſharpeſt Eye. The Fornications of the Samaritan Woman, perhaps known only to her own Conſcience, were manifeſt to Chriſt**John 4.16.John 4:16. There is nothing ſo ſecretly done, but there is an infallible Witneſs to prepare a Charge. Though God be inviſible to us, we muſt not imagine we are ſo to him; 'tis a vanity therefore to think, we can conceal our ſelves from God, by concealing the Notions of God from our ſenſe and practice. If Men be as cloſe from the Eyes of all Men, as from thoſe of the Sun; yea, if they could ſeparate themſelves from their own Shadow, they could not draw themſelves from Gods Underſtanding: How then can darkneſs ſhelter us, or Crafty Artifices defend us? With what ſhame will Sinners be filled, when God, who hath trac'd their Steps, and writ their Sins in a Book, ſhall make a Repetition of their Ways, and unvail the Web of their Wickedneſs?

2. What a dreadful Conſideration is this to the juggling Hypocrite, that masks himſelf with an appearance of Piety? An infinite Underſtanding judges not according to Vails and Shadows, but according to Truth; He judges not according to appearance **1 Sam. 16.7.1 Sam 16:7. The outward Comelineſs of a work impoſeth not on him, his Knowledg, and therefore his Eſtimations are quite of another Nature than thoſe of Men. By this Perfection God looks through the Vail, and beholds the litter of Abominations in the ſecrets of the Soul; the true Quality and Principle of every Work, and judges of them as they are, and not as they appear. Diſguiſed Pretexts cannot deceive him; the Diſguiſes are known afar off before they are weav'd, he pierceth into the depths of the moſt abſtruſe Wills; all ſecret Ends are diſſected before him: Every action is naked in its outſide, and open in its inſide, all are as clear to him as if their Bodies were of Chryſtal, ſo that if there be any ſecret reſerves, he will certainly reprove us **Job 13.10.Job 13:10. We are often deceiv'd, we may take Wolves for Sheep, and Hypocrites for Believers; for the Eyes of Men are no better than Fleſh, and dive no further than appearance; but an infinite Underſtanding, that fathoms the ſecret depths of the Heart, is too knowing to let a Dream paſs for a Truth, or miſtake a Shadow for a Body. Though we call God Father all our days, ſpeak the language of Angels, or be endowed with the Gifts of Miracles, he can diſcern whether we have his Mark upon us; He can eſpy the Treaſon of Judas in a Kiſs; Herod's intent of Murdering under a ſpecious p. 336pretence of Worſhip: A Phariſees fraud under a broad Philactery; A Ravenous Wolf under the ſoftneſs of a Sheeps Skin; And the Devil in Samuels Mantle, or when he would ſhrowd himſelf among the Sons of God **Job 1.6, 7.Job 1:6Job 1:7. All the Rooms of the Heart, and every atome of Duſt in the leaſt chink of it, is clear to his Eye: He can ſtrip Sin from the faireſt Excuſes, pierce into the Heart with more eaſe than the Sun can through the thinneſt Cloud or Vapour; and look through all Ephraims ingenuous Inventions to excuſe his Idolatry **Hoſ. 5.3.Hos 5:3. Hypocriſie then is a ſenſeleſs thing, ſince it cannot eſcape unmasking, by an infinite Underſtanding. As all our force cannot ſtop his Arm, when he is reſolved to Puniſh; ſo all our ſophiſtry cannot blind his Underſtanding, when he comes to Judge. Woe to the Hypocrite, for God ſees him; all his juggling is open and naked to infinite Underſtanding.

3. Is it not alſo a ſenſeleſs thing to be careleſs of Sins committed long ago? The old Sins forgotten by Men, ſtick faſt in an infinite Underſtanding: Time cannot raze out that which hath been known from Eternity. Why ſhould they be forgotten many years after they were acted, ſince they were foreknown in an Eternity before they were committed, or the Criminal capable to practice them? Amalek muſt pay their Arrears of their ancient Unkindneſs to Iſrael in the time of Saul, though the Generation that committed them were rotten in their Graves**1 Sam. 15.2.1 Sam 15:2. Old Sins are written in a Book, which lies always before God; and not only our own Sins, but the Sins of our Fathers, to be requited upon their Poſterity**Iſai. 65.6. Behold it is written.Isa 65:6. What a vanity is it then to be regardleſs of the Sins of an Age that went before us; becauſe they are in ſome meaſure out of our knowledge, are they therefore blotted out of Gods remembrance? Sins are bound up with him, as Men do Bonds, till they reſolve to ſue for the Debt; The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up **Hoſ. 13.12.Hos 13:12. As his fore-knowledge extends to all acts that ſhall be done, ſo his remembrance extends to all acts that have been done. We may as well ſay, God fore-knows nothing that ſhall be done to the end of the World, as that he forgets any thing that hath been done from the beginning of the World. The former Ages of the World are no further diſtant from him than the latter. God hath a Calendar, (as it were) or an Account Book of Mens Sins ever ſince the beginning of the World, what they did in their Childhood, what in their Youth, what in their Manhood, and what in their Old Age: He hath them in ſtore among his Treaſures **Deut. 32.34.Deut 32:34: He hath neither loſt his Underſtanding to know them, nor his Reſolution to revenge them: As it follows,**Verſe 35. To me Vengeance belongs. He intends to enrich his Juſtice with a glorious manifeſtation, by rendring a due Recompence. And it is to be obſerved, that God doth not only neceſſarily remember them; but ſometimes binds himſelf by an Oath to do it; Amos 8.7. The Lord hath ſworn by the Excellency of Jacob, ſurely I will never forget any of their works. Or in the Hebrew, If I ever forget any of their works; That is, Let me not be accounted a God for ever, if I do forget; Let me loſe my Godhead, if I loſe my remembrance. 'Tis not leſs a Miſery to the Wicked, than it is a Comfort to the Godly, that their Record is in Heaven.

4. Let it be obſerved, That this infinite Ʋnderſtanding, doth exactly know the ſins of Men, he knows ſo as to conſider. He doth not only know them, but intently behold them;**Pſal. 11.4.Ps 11:4 His Eye-lids trie the Children of Men, a Metaphor taken from Men, that contract the Eye-lids, when they would wiſtly and accurately behold a thing; 'tis not a tranſient and careleſs look, Pſal. 10.14. Thou haſt ſeen it; Thou haſt intently beheld it, as the word properly ſignifies: He beholds and knows the actions of every particular Man, as if there were none but he in the World: And doth not only know, but ponder **Prov. 5.21.Prov 5:21, and conſider their works **Pſal. 33.15.Ps 33:15, He is not a bare Spectator, but a diligent Obſerver,**1 Sam. 2.3.1 Sam 2:3 By him actions are weighed; To ſee what degree of good or evil there is in them, what there is to blemiſh them, what to advantage p. 337them, what the quality and quantity of every action is. Conſideration takes in every Circumſtance of the Conſidered Object: Notice is taken of the place where, the minute when, the Mercy againſt which it is committed; the number of them is exact in Gods Book; They have tempted me now theſe ten times **Numb. 14.22.Num 14:22, againſt the demonſtrations of my Glory in Egypt and the Wilderneſs. The whole Guilt in every Circumſtance is ſpread before him: His knowledge of Mens Sins is not confuſed, ſuch an Imperfection an infinite Underſtanding cannot be ſubject to: 'Tis exact, for iniquity is markt before him **Jer. 2.22.Jer 2:22.

5. God knows Mens miſcarriage ſo as to judge. This uſe his Omniſcience is put to, to maintain his Soveraign Authority in the exerciſe of his Juſtice: His notice of the Sins of Men is in order to a juſt Retribution, Pſal. 10.14. Thou haſt ſeen miſchief to requite it with thy hand. The Eye of his Knowledge directs the Hand of his Juſtice; and no ſinful action that falls under his Cognizance, but will fall under his Revenge; they can as little eſcape his Cenſure as they can his Knowledge: He is a Witneſs in his Omniſcience, that he may be a Judge in his Righteouſneſs: He knows the hearts of the Wicked, ſo as to hate their Works, and teſtifie his abhorrency of that which is of high value with M n **Luke 16.15.Luke 16:15. Sin is not preſerved in his Underſtanding, or written down in his Book to be moth-eaten as an old Manuſcript, but to be open'd one day, and Copied out in the Conſciences of Men: He writes them to publiſh them, and ſets them in the light of his Countenance, to bring them to the light of their Conſciences. What a terrible conſideration is it, to think that the Sins of a day are upon Record in an Infallible Uunderſtanding, much more the Sins of a week; What a number then do the Sins of a Month, a Year, ten or forty Years ariſe to? How many actions againſt Charity, againſt Sincerity; what an infinite number is there of them, all bound up in the Court Rolls of Gods Omniſcience, in order to a Tryal, to be brought out before the Eyes of Men? Who can ſeriouſly conſider all thoſe Bonds, reſerv'd in the Cabinet of Gods Knowledge to be ſued out againſt the Sinner in due time, without an unexpreſſible horror?

4. The fourth Uſe is of Exhortation. Let us have a ſenſe of Gods Knowledge upon our hearts. All Wickedneſs hath a ſpring from a want of due Conſideration and ſenſe of it. David concludes it ſo,**Pſal. 86.14.Ps 86:14 The proud roſe againſt him, and violent Men ſought after his Soul, becauſe they did not ſet God before them. They think God doth not know, and therefore care not what, nor how they act. When the fear of this Attribute is remov'd, a Door is open'd to all Impiety: What is there ſo villanous, but the minds of Men will attempt to act? What Reverence of a Deity can be left, when the ſence of his infinite Underſtanding is extinguiſht? What Faith could there be in Judgments in Witneſſes? How would the Foundations of Humane Society be overturn'd? The Pillars upon which Commerce ſtands, be utterly broken and diſſolved? What Society can be preſerved, if this be not truly believed and faithfully ſtuck to? But how eaſily would Oaths be ſwallowed and quickly violated, if the ſenſe of this Perfection were rooted out of the minds of Men? What fear could they have of calling to Witneſs a Being they imagine blind and ignorant? Men ſecretly imagine, that God knows not, or ſoon forgets, and then make bold to Sin againſt him**Ezek. 8.12.Ezek 8:12. How much does it therefore concern us to cheriſh and keep alive the ſenſe of this? If God writes us upon the Palms of his Hands, as the Expreſſion is, to remember us, let us engrave him upon the Tables of our Hearts to remember him. It would be a good Motto to write upon our Minds, God knows all, he is of infinite Underſtanding.

1. This would give check to much iniquity. Can a Mans Conſcience eaſily and delightfully ſwallow that, which he is ſenſible falls under the Cognizance of God, when it is hateful to the Eye of his Holineſs, and renders the Actor odious to him? Doth he not ſee my ways, and count all my ſteps, ſaith Job **Job 31.4.Job 31:4. To what end doth he fix this Conſideration? To keep him from wanton glances, Temptations have no encouragement to come near him, that is conſtantly p. 338arm'd with the thoughts that his Sin is Book't in Gods Omniſcience. If any impudent Devil hath the face to tempt us, we ſhould not have the impudence to joyn iſſue with him under the ſenſe of an infinite Underſtanding. How fruitleſs would his Wiles be againſt this Conſideration? How eaſily would his Snares be crackt, by one ſenſible thought of this? This doth Solomon preſcribe to allay the heat of Carnal imaginations **Prov. 5.20, 21.Prov 5:20Prov 5:21. It were a uſeful Queſtion to ask, at the appearance of every Temptation, at the entrance upon every Action, as the Church did in Temptations to Idolatry;**Pſal. 44.21.Ps 44:21 Shall not God ſearch this out, for he knows the ſecrets of the heart? His Underſtanding comprehends us more than our Conſciences can our acts, or our underſtanding our thoughts: Who durſt ſpeak Treaſon againſt a Prince, if he were ſure he heard him, or that it would come to his knowledge? A ſenſe of Gods knowledge of Wickedneſs in the firſt motion, and inward contrivance would bar the accompliſhment and execution. The Conſideration of Gods infinite Underſtanding, would cry ſtand to the firſt glances of the heart to Sin.

2. It would make us watchful over our hearts and thoughts. Should we harbour any unworthy thoughts in our Cabinet, if our heads and hearts were poſſeſs'd with this uſeful truth, That God knows everything which comes into our minds **Ezek. 11.5.Ezek 11:5? We ſhould as much bluſh at the riſing of impure thoughts before the Underſtanding of God, as at the diſcovery of unworthy actions to the knowledge of Men; If we lived under a ſenſe, that not a thought of all thoſe millions, which flutter about our Minds, can be conceal'd from him; how watchful and careful ſhould we be of our hearts and thoughts?

3. It would be a good preparation to every Duty. This Conſideration ſhould be the Preface to every ſervice; The Divine Underſtanding knows how I now act. This would engage us to ſerious Intention, and quell wandring and diſtracting fancies: Who would come before God, with a careleſs and ignorant Soul, under a ſenſe of his infinite Underſtanding, and Prerogative of ſearching the heart? Oh thou that ſitteſt in Heaven, was a Conſideration the Pſalmiſt had at the beginning of his Prayer**Pſal. 123.1.Ps 123:1: Whereby he teſtifies not only an apprehenſion of the Majeſty and Power of God, but of his Omniſcience; as one ſitting above, beholds all that is below; Would we offer to God ſuch raw and undigeſted Petitions; would there be ſo much flatneſs in our ſervices; ſhould our hearts ſo often give us the ſlip: Would any hang down their Heads like a Bulruſh, by an affected or counterfeit Humility, while the Heart is filled with Pride, if we did actuate Faith in this Attribute? No, our Prayers would be more ſound, our Devotions more vigorous, our Hearts more cloſe, our Spirits like the Chariots of Aminadab, more ſwift in their motions: Every thing would be done by us with all our might, which would be very feeble and faint, if we conceived God to be of a Finite Underſtanding like our ſelves. Let us therefore before every Duty, not draw, but open the Curtains between God and our Souls, and think that we are going before him that ſees us, before him that knows us**Gen. 16.13.Gen 16:13. And the ſtronger Impreſſions of the Divine Knowledge are upon our Minds, the better would our preparation be for, and the more active our frames in every ſervice: And certainly we may judge of the ſuitableneſs of our preparations, by the ſtrength of ſuch Impreſſions upon us.

4. This would tend to make us ſincere in our whole Courſe. This preſcription David gave to Solomon, to maintain a ſoundneſs and health of Spirit in his walk before God; 1 Chron. 28.9. And thou Solomon my Son, know the God of thy Fathers, and ſerve him with a perfect heart, for the Lord underſtands all the imaginations of the thoughts. **Antiquit. lib. 1. cap. 3.Joſephus gives this reaſon for Abels Holineſs, That he believed God was ignorant of nothing. As the Doctrine of Omniſcience is the foundation of all Religion; ſo the Impreſſion of it, would promote the practice of all Religion. When all our ways are imagin'd by us to be before the Lord, we ſhall then keep his Precepts **Pſal. 119.…68.Ps 119:68. And we can never be perfect or ſincere, till we walk before God, Gen. 17.1. as under the Eye of Gods Knowledge. What we ſpeak, what we think, what we act is in his ſight: He knows p. 339every place where we are, every thing that we do, as well as Chriſt knew Nathaniel under the Fig-tree. As he is too Powerful to be vanquiſht, ſo he is too Underſtanding to be deceived: The ſenſe of this would make us walk with as much care, as if the underſtanding of all Men did comprehend us and our actions.

5. The Conſideration of this Attribute would make us humble. How dejected would a Perſon be, if he were ſure all the Angels in Heaven and Men upon Earth, did perfectly know his Crimes, with all their aggravations? But what is Created Knowledge to an infinite and juſt Cenſuring Underſtanding? When we conſider that he knows our actions, whereof there are multitudes, and our thoughts whereof there are millions: That he views all the Bleſſings beſtow'd upon us; all the injuries we have return'd to him; That he exactly knows his own Bounty, and our ingratitude; all the Idolatry, Blaſphemy, and ſecret enmity in every Mans heart againſt him; all Tyrannical Oppreſſions, hidden Luſts, omiſſions of neceſſary Duties, violations of plain Precepts, every fooliſh Imagination, with all the Circumſtances of them, and that perfectly in their full Anatomy, every mite of unworthineſs and wickedneſs in every Circumſtance; and add to this his Knowledge, the wonders of his Patience, which are miraculous upon the ſcore of his Omniſcience, that he is not as quick in his Revenge, as he is in his Underſtanding; but is ſo far from inflicting Puniſhment, that he continues his former Benefits, arms not his Juſtice againſt us, but ſollicites our Repentance, and waits to be Gracious with all this knowledge of our Crimes; ſhould not the Conſideration of this, melt our hearts into Humiliation before him, and make us earneſt in begging pardon and forgivenſs of him?

Again, Do we not all find a Worm in our beſt Fruit, a Flaw in our ſoundeſt Duties? Shall any of us vaunt, as if God beheld only the Gold, and not any Droſs; as if he knew one thing only, and not another? If we knew ſomething by our ſelves to chear us, do we not alſo know ſomething, yea, many things to condemn us, and therefore to humble us? Let the ſenſe of Gods infinite Knowledge therefore be an Incentive and Argument for more Humiliation in us. If we know enough to render our ſelves vile in our own Eyes, how much more doth God know to render us vile in his!

6. The Conſideration of this Excellent Perfection, ſhould make us to acquieſce in God, and rely upon him in every ſtrait. In publick, in private: He knows all Caſes, and he knows all Remedies; He knows the Seaſons of bringing them, and he knows the Seaſons of removing them, for his own Glory. What is contingent in reſpect of us, and of our fore-knowledge, and in reſpect of ſecond cauſes, is it not ſo in regard of Gods, who hath the knowledge of the futurition of all things: He knows all Cauſes in themſelves, and therefore knows what every Cauſe will produce, what will be the event of every Counſel and of every Action? How ſhould we commit our ſelves to this God of infinite Underſtanding, who knows all things, and fore-knows every thing, that cannot be forced through ignorance to take new Counſel, or be ſurpriz'd with any thing, that can happen to us? This uſe the Pſalmiſt makes of it, Pſal. 10.14. Thou haſt ſeen it, the poor committeth himſelf unto thee. Though ſome truſt in Chariots and Horſes **Pſal. 20.7.Ps 20:7, ſome in Counſels and Counſellors, ſome in their Arms and Courage, and ſome in meer vanity and nothing, yet let us remember the Name and Nature of the Lord our God, his Divine Perfections, of which this of his infinite Underſtanding and Omniſcience is none of the leaſt, but ſo neceſſary, that without it he could not be God, and the whole World would be a mear Chaos and Confuſion.