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SERM. without the labour of inveftigating truth by IX. reasoning, he discerns, by a fimple and direct intuition, the whole feries of caufes and effects. Thus we ought to conceive of the Divine knowledge, as altogether free from the imperfections and infirmities which cleave to ours; and tho' the intellectual powers which God has given to fome creatures, as they are a convincing proof of his own intelligence, and may be justly call'd the most excellent of his works, making honourable distinctions among the creatures, in the degree wherein they are poffefs'd, (for knowledge is neceffarily esteem'd by every rational being;) yet are they all, even the highest of them, but faint images of that original perfect understanding, from whence they are derived, which therefore justly challenges our higheft admiration and esteem. Human acquirements in knowledge, short and defective as they are, procure refpect; the men, who by diligent ftudy, have improv'd their minds in useful learning, are on that account in reputation: We think of the angels with greater veneration, as a far higher order of beings, and their fuperior excellence confifts in, at least one principal branch of it is, a more extensive knowledge. But even this ray deriv'd from the Father of eternal Fountain, who com

faint

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lights, the

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municates

municates light in various measures to the in- SERM. tellectual world, whereby it is animated, di- IX. rected and fitted to proclaim his praise, yet fuffers no diminution of his infinite understanding, as the fun illuminates, beautifies, and refreshes all things within its fyftem, without any abatement of its fplendor. To that pureft intelligence, that most perfect Wisdom, which has taught us more than the beafts of the field, and to whose inspiration we owe our understanding, which is the very capacity of all our enjoyments; to that blessed, underived fpring of knowledge, let our minds always give the highest honour, and pay the moft dutiful respect, adore him who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, and hath put wisdom into the heart, the image of his own perfection.

The 2d obfervation concerning the Divine knowledge is, that it reaches to all the actions of free moral agents. This is a point of the greatest importance to us, and should affect our minds in the moft fenfible manner, because we have to do with God, as our Lawgiver and our Judge. He has, by various methods, made their duty known to mankind; fome notices of his will are given to all men, the work of his law is written in their hearts, and he has fewed them that which is good,

by

SERM. by the light of nature: Some of them he has IX. favour'd with a clear and express revelation,

and will call them to account for their obedience to the law they were under. Now for this important part of his administration, as the fupreme Ruler of the world, he is perfectly qualified by his exact knowledge of men, of all their ways and all their works, even to the moft fecret of them. His knowledge of other things may excite our admiration; but this more immediately concerns us, and calls for our attention, because the greateft confequences depend upon it: Our happinefs in the enjoyment of his favour, if he sees that our works are perfect, and that we have walked before him in integrity and with upright hearts, or the lafting miferable effects of his difapprobation, if he knows that we have been workers of iniquity.

As no confideration can be more awful than that of the Omniscience of God, ex-. tending to all our works, and every circumftance which may heighten their moral goodnefs or malignity; fo it is particularly to be remember'd, that his eye penetrates into the fecret fprings of action, he fearches the hearts, and tries the reins of the children of men. And this is abfolutely neceffary in order to a perfect judgment of our moral behaviour. For

virtue and vice, religion and irreligion do not SER M. confift merely, or principally, in outward IX. acts, but in the intentions and difpofitions of the mind, of which every man's confcience is a witnefs, for it approves or reproaches him, not according to the external appearance of his works, but according to the inward affections and purposes of his heart. Human judicature cannot proceed fo far; works, as they appear in the view of men, and the fenfible effects of them, come only under its cognifance. Indeed intention is fuppos'd, without which an action cannot be faid to be rational, or properly human; but it is not known with certainty, and if it were, it is but a very imperfect judgment which could be made by it, concerning the morality of works. For all that civil judicature supposes, is, that a man is the voluntary cause of his own actions, or that he defigns to do what he does, it does not pretend to judge of his remoter views, of the prevalent affections of the heart, and the motives which influenc'd it, and of the regard had to the approbation of God and of confcience; all which are points of the greatest moment, in order to a precise determination of right and wrong in the moral fenfe. But God fees, not as man fees; he looks not to the outward appearance,

but

SER M. but the heart, difcerning all its moft fecret IX. imaginations and contrivances. And indeed

without this, he could not be the righteous Judge of the world, rendering to all men finally according to their works.

The direct proof of this point is the fame that has been already infifted on, for the perfection and univerfal extent of God's knowledge in general; namely, his being the intelligent Cause and Difpofer of all things, which fhews that the active powers of the rational creatures are as well known to him, with their utmoft exertions, as the paffive powers of matter and all its modifications. Thefe kinds of beings are effentially different, and fo are their powers; but they are equally the work of God's hands, and therefore must be equally known to him. The free agency of fome, wholly derived from, and depending on himself, does not place them out of his view; and fince he is the defigning Author of that faculty, and form'd it for certain ends, he muft understand all its exercifes, whereby it is fitted to answer those ends. And as the natural government of the Deity, from which the freeft created agents are not exempted, proves his perfect knowledge of all his creatures, and all their works, fo of his moral government over mankind, which requires a perfect

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