.---v 600 Thè K'nowledge' ofGod. Vol. I. it produce? what ,untoward Combinations of Effects would there be, ifinfinite Power were let look to a&without the Conduct of Knowledge and Underllanding And confequently we take away his Providence ; for without Knowledge there can be no Counfel, no fore-call of Events; no provifion for the future, no Govern- ment of the World. And this is notall, for without Knowledge there could be no Each thing as Goodnefs ; for he is not good that does good out of Ignorance, or from a blind necef ity. There could be no Veracity, nor 5iufliçe, nor Mercy in God ; for all thefe fuppofe Knowledge. He that fpeaks Truth muff know it ; he that is Jut} muff underltand right from wrong ; he that thews Mercy, mull know who are miferable, and how they may be relieved ; and not to labour in a thing fö plain and eafie, take away the Knowledge of God, and you render him inca- pable of any Honour from his Creatures ; for if we know not what Honour we do him, 'it is loft labour to give him any. And that we may fee thefe are the deduétions of Natural Reafol, without the advantage of Revelation, we fhail find the Heathens, who were deftitute of Divine Revelation, did attribute this Perfection to God. Tully tells us, that Thaler was wont to fay, Deos omnia cer- sere ; and we know the Heathens were wont to fwear, Diis immortalibus teflibus interpofitis, which is anowning of his Omnifcience : Quis enim non. timeat Deum am- nia pervidentem, ú cogitantem, animadvertentem, curiofum negotii plenum De- um, de Nat. Dear. 1. r. a. From Scripture and Divine Revelation. I will not heap up all thole Te ftimonies of Scripture which might be gathered together upon thisArgument ? I will only inftance in two or three. yob 36. 4. He that is perfebi in Knowledge, is with thee ; 37. 16. Doff thou know the wondrous" Works of him who is perfefl in Knowledge ? Hither we may refer thofe Texts which reprefent God by way of eondefcen- fion to our infirmity, as having Eyes and Ears, which fignifie his Knowledge of what is done in the World ; and thofe which fpeak of him as communicating to us all the Knowledge which we have ; hegiveth Wifdom to the Wife, andUnder- flanding to them that know Underflanding, Dan. z. at. And thofe which fpeakof God, as knowing the molt fecret things, the hidden things of Darknefs, theHearts and the Thoughts of Men and thofe things which are at the greateft diltance, as future,things; and of the greateft uncertainty, as the contingent Ads of free Creatures ; each of thefe I (hall particularly confider ; for in proving that God knows all thefe, his Knowledge of all other things will be proved with advantage ; for if any thing be out of the reach of the Divine Underfianding, it mutt in all probability be either thofe things which are fecret and hidden, as Mens fecret A&ions, or their Thoughts ; or elfe thofe things which are to come, and depend upon no certain caufe, as future contingencies ; and the provingof this may be of great ufe to us, as having a great influence uponPradice; it tends very much to the advancement of Religion, and the good Government of our Lives. I begin with the I. Of thefe, viz. That God takes very exact and particular notice of all the Actions of Men, even thofe that are molt fecret. And in handling of this I Iltall fpeak diftindly to thefe three Things. t. That God takes knowledge of all our Actions; his Eyes are upon the ways of Man, and hefeeth all his Goings, Job 34. z t. a. That he is a_curious obferver of them ; he feeth all his Goings, he marks all his Steps, takes very exact and particular notice of all that we do. 3. He takes notice of thofe A&ions which are molt fecret and hidden ; the: t is no darknefs nor fhadowof death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themfelves, Job 34. az. a. That God takes notice of all our Actions. And that this Notion was planted in the Mind of Man, and a Beam of. the Light which comes with us into the World, will appear by the general agreement of Heathens in it ; I wilt but produce one or two Teftimonies to this purpofe. Tully lays down this Prin- ciple, as that whichmakes Men regular and orderly, and fit for Society ; fit igi- tur hoc perfuafum civibus, qualir quifque fit, quid agat, quid in fe admittat deos intueri.
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