Chap. r 8. An Expofition upon the Bookof o s. Vert. zi. And this it the placeof him that knoweth not God. In thefe words we have the cbara&er of a wicked man; the Terirh,ajr5.im man who knows not God, and the wicked man, are the fame. pìj qur dean No wicked man knows God, and every man that knows not nec rotit nec God is wicked. Thefe are termes convertible. This is the place `ur.' o!r4de of him that knower not god. There is a fourefold not knowing tumulus God. rt?; i +'IJ`1T Firft , There is anutter not knowing of God, or a total! igno- nit ens rance of God ; He mutt needs be wicked and walke in darkneffe, Dail" that bath no light at all ofthe knowledgeof Gad. Lecondly, They are Paid not to knowGod who have but a falfe or anerroneous knowledge of God ; wrong knowledge is a kindof ignorance, they who know not God as God, andas God hath declared himfelfe to be known, thefe know him not Now as they who are under a night of total! ignorance, fo they who have an unfound knowledge, and live under a falfe light are numbred with the wicked ; for %here there are falfe principles, and appre- henfionsofGod in the head, there cannot be a right frame of heart towards God. Thirdly , There is a prafticall not knowing of God , and that is moil proper to this place ( though both the former may be understood) force have a notional! knowledge of God, and that (pnflìbly ) a right notion , their underftanding is not wrapt up in errour ; yet they may be nnmbred among thofe that know not God, becaufe theyaft contrary to their know- ledge. Of thefe the Apoftle fpeaks, Tit. r. 16. They profe(fe that they know him, but in their works they deny him This knowledge is pra&icall ignorance. We readof fuch in the Epiítle of 7ude (ver. ro. ) who what they knownaturally ict bruit beafts, in thefe things they corrupt themfelver ; That is, they live not according to naturall principles : as they l/eake evil! ( the former part of the verfe rebukes that) cf thofe things which they knownot, fo they doe evill about, or in thofe things which they know. Their know- ledge is according to the light ofnature, but their a&ions are a- gainft the light ofnature. They knowonely as beafts doe, natu- rally, but they a& contrary to this knowledge, which beafts doe not. Now as awicked man corrupts himfelfe in that whch he knows by nature, fo he may corrupt himfelfe in that which he S knowes -
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