thing dishonourable. The consideration of God's omnisciency would, 1. Be preventive of much sin. The eye of man will restrtiin from sin; and will not God's eyes much more ? Est. vii. 8., " Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me ?" Will we sin when our judge looks on ? Would men speak so vainly, if they consi- dered God overheard them ? Latimer took heed to every word in his examination, when he heard the pen go behind the hang- ings : so, what care would persons have of their words, if they remembered God heard, and the pen is going in heaven? Would men go after strange flesh, if they believed God was a spectator of their wickedness, and would make them do penance in hell for it ? Would they defraud in their deal- ings, and use false weights, if they thought God saw them, and for making their weights lighter would make their damnation hea- vier ? 2. The setting ourselves as under the eye of God's omnisciency, would cause re- verence in the worship of God. God sees the frame and carriage of our hearts when we come before him ! How would this call in our straggling thoughts ? how would this animate and spiritduty ? It would make us ])ut fire to the incense, Acts xxvi. 7., " The tribes instantly served God day and night," — omnibus venibus, — with the utmost zeal and intenseness of spirit. To think God is in this place, he beholds us, would add wings to prayer, and oil to the flame of our devotion.
2. Is God's knowledge infinite? Study sincerity, be what you seem, 1 Sam. xvi. 7., ' The Lord looketh upon the heart.' Men judge of the heart by the actions, God judgcth of the actions by the heart ; if the heart be sincere, God will see the faith and wink at the failing. Asa had his blemishes, but his heart was right with God, 2 Chron. XV. 17. God saw his sincerity, and par- doned his infirmity. Sincerity in a Chris- tian, is like chastity in a wife, which doth excuse many failings. Sincerity makes our duties accej)table, like musk among linen, that perfumes it. As Jehu said to Jehona- dab, 2 Kings x. 15., " Is thine heart right?" —And he said " it is."—" If it be," said he, " give me thy hand;" and he took him up into the chariot. So, if God see oui' heart is
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right,— lliat we love him, and design liis glo- ry,—" now," saith he, " give me your pray- ers and tears ; now you shall come up with me into the triumphant chariot of glory." Sincerity makes our services to be golden, and God will not cast away this gold though it may want some weight. Is God omnisci- ent, and his eye chiefly upon the heart ? wear this girdle of truth about you and ne- ver leave it off.
Use 3d. 0/ Comfort. Is God a God of in- finite knowledge ? Then there is comfort, 1. To the saints in particular, 2. To the church in general, in three respects :
1. Incase of private devotion. Christian, thou settest hours apart for God, thy thoughts run upon him as thy treasure : God takes notice of every good thought, Mai. iii. 16 , " He had a book of remem- brance written for them that thought upon his name." Thou enterest into thy closet, and prayest to thy Father in secret : he hears every sigh and groan, Ps. xxxviii. 9., " My groaning is not hid from thee.'"' Thou watcrest the seed of thy piayor with tears : God bottles every tear, Ps. Ivi. 8 , " Put thou my tears into thy bottle." When the secrets of all hearts shall be opened, God will make an honourable mention of the zeal and devotion of his people, and he himself will be the herald of their praises: 1 Cor. iv. 5., " Then shall every man have praise of God."
2. The infiniteness of God's knowledge is a comfort, in case the saints have not so clear a knowledge of themselves. They find so much corruption, that they judge they have no grace, Gen. xxv. ^2., " If it be so, why am I thus?" If 1 have grace, why is my heart in so dead and earthly a frame ? O remember, God is of infinite knowledge, be can spy grace where thou canst not ; he can see grace hid under corruption, as the stars may be hid under a cloud. God can see that holiness in thee which thou canst not discern in thyself; he can sj)y the flower of grace in thee, though overto])])ed with weeds, 1 Kings xiv. 13., " Because there is in him some good thing." God sees some
good thing in his people when they can see no good in themselves ; and though they judge themselves, he will give them an ab- solution.