DISCOURSE II. 561 And here let it be observed once for all, that I can hardly give myself leave to think that any created spirit whatsoever should know every individual circumstance of every being, and every action both in the world of bodies and the world of souls. Though Doctor Goodwin supposes the man Jesus capable of all this, 1 rather suppose it belongs only to the omniscience of God himself to take in with one infinite, simultaneous and extensive view all the shapes, sizes, situations and motions of every single atom of which this whole globe of earth is composed, with all its animal and vegetable productions, and all the other planetary worlds, the sun, moon and stars, with every action and circum- stance of all their inhabitants. I content myself rather to think it is a prerogative only of God the Creator, the infinite Spirit, to be perfectly acquainted with every motion of the mind, every inwardthought and manner of action that belongs to all the in- numerable. inhabitants of the intellectual world, both men and angels. Should it be granted that any creaturecould oversee and over-rule every minute affair that relates to the worlds of mind and matter, and every thought and atom that belongs to them all, sometimes I think this would approach so near to the distinguishing properties and prerogatives which God hath as- sumed and peculiarized to himself in this world, that it would seem to take away that plain and obvious distinction between God and the creature which ought to be maintained sacred and inviolable. Scripture seems to limit my thoughts about a crea- ture's power in this manner. Whatsoever therefore I mayspeak in this treatise according to the most, raised apprehensions I have of the " extent of the human intellectual powers of Christ," I can hardly suppose them to reach any farther than to take a just cognizance of all those greater and more important motions and actions, circum- stances and relations of the material and immaterial worlds on which the government of them chiefly depends ; and perhaps also even this may be impossible without his peculiar union to the divine nature. He may thus have a simultaneous and com- prehensive view of all the greater affairs of every inhabitant of the upper and lower norlds, and may also have a successive and particular knowledge of any minuter circumstances that at- tend them, whenever the indwelling deity sees it necessary to communicate it to him-for any special occasions. As the general of an army standing on a hill surveys the troops engaged in bat- tle, he can distinguish perhaps every regiment, and their changes, of ground, when they charge, and when they retreat, but can- not know every sword that is drawn, nor hear every groan yet some particulars of this kind which relate tb the single soldiers may be distinctly told him. Where that great author Doctor Goodwin, whose opinionsI cite at the end of this book, indulges VOL. vi. N N
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