aptnesses of whatever kind. There is nothing in creation, which is of use to render it subservient to the end for which it exists, but what is clearly and perpetually in the view of its author. The contrary would imply such a defect as would unfit him for the confidence of all reasonable beings. It being found so necessary, that the Judge of all the earth should be infinite in his understanding, we shall endeavour to bring the subject into distinct view, by observing the following things.

1. That God has knowledge of all things, as it respects their individuality. And 2. As it respects their powers, and relation to one another.

3. That this knowledge is eternal and indivisible. And then inquire

4. What may be considered as the principle of this knowledge.

Our first observation is, that God has a distinct knowledge of all creatures, who, or what, or where they be. He not only knows that there is a universe of dependent beings, that are very numerous, and diverse from one another; but he has a particular and full acquaintance with each one. He does not merely distinguish them by their kinds; but by the several individuals, of which each kind is composed. A general and superficial glance of his eye upon the world he has made does not come up to the true amount of his knowledge, Though

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his government, with his knowledge, extends to nations; yet this does not imply, that individuals, as such, are not regarded. But few, perhaps, will ever think, that so important a piece of divine workmanship, as a human creature, or a moral subject of any description, would be in danger of being overlooked by the Creator. A man's reason must get to a very low ebb indeed, before he will doubt, whether God may not have moral subjects within the boundaries of his kingdom, and not know any thing about them; though princes, among men, may have multitudes of subjects, of whose individual persons they have no knowledge. But a little consideration and judgment will bring a person over to the belief, that God must know of the existence of the most material and conspicuous parts of the created system; but the greatest difficulty will be with respect to little things, such as are deemed of small consequence, and are almost too obscure and imperceptible for the observation of man. The wicked are represented as saying, "Howdoth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud? Thick clouds are a covering to him that he seeth not, and he walketh in the circuit of heaven." A pertinent reply may be found in the following words; "Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his

understanding. He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know ?" When it is said, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it ?" it is immediately added; "I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." It is said of Jesus. Christ, the true God, that "he knew all men; and needed not that any should testify of man; for he knew what was in man." God not only takes knowledge of men indi. vidually, but of all their individual exercises. If "man looketh on the outward appearance; yet God looketh on the heart." But men, and the things belonging to them, are not the only creatures, with which God makes himself acquainted. "I know all the fowls of the mountains," saith he ; " and the wild beasts of the field are mine." And our Saviour reproves his faithless disciples by saying, "Not a sparrow falleth to the ground without your Heavenly Father." But those we have mentioned are not the least, and, to us, most unobservable, things, which attract the notice of Deity. "Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered." It is of the same importance, that God should know eyery hair upon the head of every man, as that his knowledge should extend to every individual person of the great body of mankind. The same may be observed of every spire of

grass that grows, of every particle of dust on the earth, of every sun-beam, that shoots through the atmosphere, of every falling leaf of autumn, and of every flying mote that is wafted from breeze to breeze. Individuation cannot be carried so far as to multiply objects beyond the knowledge of him whose understanding is infinite.

2. God knows all the properties of things, and their relation to each other. This is a branch of knowledge of so much importance, that all knowledge must be useless without it. The utility and value of things arises wholly from their relative state. Could they be entirely disconnected from all other things, it would reduce them to a mere nullity. It would be equivalent to their annihilation. Should that universal bond be severed, which binds all things together into one body, giving them offices and uses similar to those of our corporeal members, the great system of created being would degenerate into a trifle, or a mere blank. A professed mechanic, who should be found so completely ignorant of the laws of matter, as not to know what were the natural powers of the several materials to be used in the construction of some certain piece of workmanship, no one would suppose him capable of doing any thing to purpose in his profession; and of course, would make no dependence upon him for any thing belonging to his art. Things cannot be put together so as to subserve a good end, unless their several properties are

such as will harmonize and co-operate. Nebuchadnezzar's image was a fit representation of something exceedingly incoherent and imperfect; because it was composed partly of iron, and partly of miry clay. Iron and

clay are valuable articles, used aright; but when compounded together are of no worth. A workmanship, produced by such an im proper mixture, or combination, is good for nothing. Hence by analogy we see, that God, as the modification and good government of the universe depends upon him, must have infinite knowledge, with respect to the qualities and relations of things, in order to carry his work to the highest possible state of perfection. On no other supposition can jars and disfigurements be avoided.

It is

imposible for imagination itself to conceive how many, and how great a variety of things are brought in, to aid and help on, those providential events, of which we are often made witnesses. To particularize in a single instance: The transportation of Joseph into Egypt was brought about under the inAuence of a great many circumstances and incidents; and these, too, were severally dependent on others. But the series does not end here. Joseph's servitude, and even his advancement, in the land of Egypt, was but a step to some other event in providence, and this to another still, and so on, in succession, until the great end of providence is fully answered. Unless Deity discerns all that appertains to things, and what their