And every Christian that hath any of this Knowledge desireth more: It is his great desire to Know more of God, and to know him with a more affecting powerful knowledge. He that groweth in grace, doth accordingly grow in this knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ. The vigour and alacrity of our souls lieth in it: The rectitude of our actions, and the holiness of them floweth from it: God is the excellency of our Hearts and lives: Our advancement and our joy is here only to be found. All other knowledge is so far desirable, as it conduceth to the knowledge of God, or to the several duties which that knowledge doth require. All knowledge of words or things, of causes and effects, of any creatures, actions, customs, Laws, or whatsoever may be known, is so far valuable as it is useful; and so far useful as it is Holy, subserving the knowledge of God, in Christ. What the sun is to all mens eyes, that God is to their souls, and more: It is to Know him that we have understandings given us; And our understandings enjoy him but so far as they know him; as the eye enjoyeth the Light of the sun, by seeing it. The ignorance of God, is the blindness and part of the atheism of the soul, and inferreth the rest. They that know him not, desire not heartily to know him; nor can they Love him, Trust him, fear him, serve him, or call upon him, whom they do not Know. How shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed, Rom. 10. 14. The heart of the Ungodly saith to God, Depart from us: for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways; what is the Almighty that we should serve him? and what profit shall we have if we pray unto him? Job. 21. 14, 15. & 22. 17. All wickedness hath admission into that heart or land, where the knowledge of God is not the watch to keep it out: Abraham inferred that the men of Gerar would kill him for his wife, when he saw that the fear of God was not in that place: Gen. 20. 11. It was Gods controversy with Israel, because there was no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land; but by swearing, and lying, and killing and ⟨p. 7⟩stealing, they brake out, and blood touched blood, Hos. 4. 1, 2. They are called by God, a foolish people, sottish children, of no understanding, that knew not God; though they were wise to do evil, Jer. 4. 22. He will pour out his fury upon the heathen that know him not, and the families that call not on his name, Jer.
And every Christian that hath any of this Knowledge desireth more: It is his great desire to Know more of God, and to know him with a more affecting powerful knowledge. He that groweth in grace, doth accordingly grow in this knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ. The vigour and alacrity of our souls lieth in it: The rectitude of our actions, and the holiness of them floweth from it: God is the excellency of our Hearts and lives: Our advancement and our joy is here only to be found. All other knowledge is so far desirable, as it conduceth to the knowledge of God, or to the several duties which that knowledge doth require. All knowledge of words or things, of causes and effects, of any creatures, actions, customes, Laws, or whatsoever may be known, is so far valuable as it is useful; and so far useful as it is Holy, subserving the knowledge of God, in Christ. What the sun is to all mens eyes, that God is to their souls, and more: It is to Know him that we have understandings given us; And our understandings enjoy him but so far as they know him; as the eye enjoyeth the Light of the sun, by seeing it. The ignorance of God, is the blindness and part of the atheism of the soul, and inferreth the rest. They that know him not, desire not heartily to know him; nor can they Love him, Trust him, fear him, serve him, or call upon him, whom they do not Know. How shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed, Rom. 10. 14. The heart of the Ungodly saith to God, Depart from us: for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes; what is the Almighty that we should serve him? and what profit shall we have if we pray unto him? Job. 21. 14, 15. & 22. 17. All wickedness hath admission into that heart or land, where the knowledge of God is not the watch to keep it out: Abraham inferred that the men of Gerar would kill him for his wife, when he saw that the fear of God was not in that place: Gen. 20. 11. It was Gods controversie with Israel, because there was no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land; but by swearing, and lying, and killing and ⟨p. 7⟩stealing, they brake out, and blood touched blood, Hos. 4. 1, 2. They are called by God, a foolish people, sottish children, of no understanding, that knew not God; though they were wise to do evil, Jer. 4. 22. He will pour out his fury upon the heathen that know him not, and the families that call not on his name, Jer.
