598 The Ku,ozvdedge of God. Vol. Ie Nothing that is mutable can be a folid Foundation of Comfort and Confidence. Men are inconftant, and Riches are uncertain, and all other things which Men commonly trufl to, and therefore the Apoftle chargeth them that areRich in thit World, not to trail in uncertain Riches, but in the living God. He only that livesfor ever is a firm Foundation of Hope and Confidence. When God wouldcomfort the IJraelites in "'Egypt under their great Oppref¡ion; he bids Mofes only to declare to them his immutability, Exod. 3. 14. Say unto them, I am that I am, háth fent me unto you ; and .this .is the great comfort of Chriflians, that he who is their Saviour, and their hope, is the fameyejlerday, to day, and for ever ; he that was and that is, and that is to come, in all durations the fame. We are continually changing, and are not the fame we were ;. fome of us were Young and now are Old ; once perhaps flourilbed in great Profperity, but now are Poor and Needy ; were once Strong and Healthful, but now Sickly and Weak ; it fhould comfort us in all thefe Changes, that God isfull the fame, and he alone is inflead of all other Comforts and Supports ; when all other things fail, we may rejoyce in the Lord, andjoy in the Godof our Salvation. Youth, and Health, and Riches, and Friends, may forfake us ; but God hath promifed, that he will not leaveus nor forfake as ; that he willnot leave ús when we are' old, nor for- fakeus when our /lrength faileth; when ourflrength fails, and our heart fails, then is he the flrength of our Hearts, and our portion for ever ; and when our great change fhail come, and the terrors of Death ¡hall take hold of us, we have ftill the fame Comfort, theLord liveth, and bidedbe the God of our Salvation_ In a word, the Confideration of God's immutability fhould keep us fixed and unmoved in all the Changes and Accidents of this World, and not apt to be itartled and furprized at them, according to that of the Pfalmift, he (hall not b afraid of evil tidings, becaufe his heart isfixed, trailing in God. This fhould 'make us confiant to him and his truth, fledfafl and immoveable, andalways abounding in theWork of the Lord, for as much as we know, that our Labour flail not be invain in the Lord ; it fhould make us hold fall the Profeon of our Faith without waver- ing, in full affurance, that God will be as good to us as his word, and in a firm hope and perfwafion of that Eternal Life, which Godthat cannot lie hathpromifed. SERMON LXXX. The Knowledge ofGod. ìSAM. IL 3. 7-he Lord is co God of Knowledge. j Come now to fpeak of thofe Properties and Perfe Rions which relate to the Divine Underftanding, and Will, and Manner, and Power of aging. Know- ledge confiders things abfolutely, and in themfelves ; Wifdom confiders the re- fpeéts and relation of things one to another, and under the Notion of Means and Ends. The Knowledge of God is a perfe t comprehenfion of the Nature of all things, with all their Powers, and Qualities, and Circumftances ; the Wifdomof God is a perfect Comprehenfion of the Refpeás and Relation of things one to another; of their Harmony and Oppofition ; of their fitnefs and unfitnefs to fuch and fuch Ends. The Knowledge of God only implies his bare Underftanding of Things ;. but his'Wifdom implies the Skill of ordering and difpofng things to the belt Ends and Purpofes, to make every thing, and to govern and adminifter all things in 'Number, Weight, and Meafure. I ¡hall, at prefent fpeak of the frfl
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