R. 3 3. Only the godly know God because they only are careful to obey his Commandments, and to walk in the way he requireth; 1 Joh. 2. If we say we know him, and keep not his Commandments, we are liars, and abide not in the Truth: Their knowledge of God and a careful obedience to his commands cannot be separated; The Apostle saith, all others are but liars and hypocrites; Dost thou boast of knowledge and yet break his Sabbath, wallow in the lusts of the flesh, Thou art a liar, thou dost not know God; Hence it followeth in my Text, I have manifested thy Name to my Disciples, and they have kept thy Word; Oh then never talk of thy knowledge, never speak of what thou readest, or what thou understandest, unless also thy obedience to Gods will be as manifest, so that when we see any profane, wicked man endued with great parts, you may say, Lo, there is such an one, though he knoweth all Points in Religion; though he knoweth every Chapter in the Bible, yet he knoweth nothing of God, for whereas God saith, Be not drunk with wine, &c. and Woe be to those that are strong to drink, yet every week if not every day he is drunk; Though God saith, Swear not at all, yet some cannot speak without an Oath scarce, Oh that these things might enter into you; If you know God you would obey him, you would say, I dare not, I must not do this or that, God whom I know and serve commands the contrary; Therefore the Prophet Hosea when he speaketh of much wickedness in a Land, swearing, and whoring, and injustice, he saith, There is no Knowledge of God in the Land, Hos. 4.1.
R. 3 3. Only the godly know God because they only are carefull to obey his Commandments, and to walk in the way he requireth; 1 Joh. 2. If we say we know him, and keep not his Commandments, we are lyars, and abide not in the Truth: Their knowledge of God and a carefull obedience to his commands cannot be separated; The Apostle saith, all others are but lyars and hypocrites; Dost thou boast of knowledge and yet break his Sabbath, wallow in the lusts of the flesh, Thou art a lyar, thou dost not know God; Hence it followeth in my Text, I have manifested thy Name to my Disciples, and they have kept thy Word; Oh then never talk of thy knowledge, never speak of what thou readest, or what thou understandest, unlesse also thy obedience to Gods will be as manifest, so that when we see any prophane, wicked man indued with great parts, you may say, Lo, there is such an one, though he knoweth all Points in Religion; though he knoweth every Chapter in the Bible, yet he knoweth nothing of God, for whereas God saith, Be not drunk with wine, &c. and Wo be to those that are strong to drink, yet every week if not every day he is drunk; Though God saith, Swear not at all, yet some cannot speak without an Oath scarce, Oh that these things might enter into you; If you know God you would obey him, you would say, I dare not, I must not do this or that, God whom I know and serve commands the contrary; Therefore the Prophet Hosea when he speaketh of much wickednesse in a Land, swearing, and whoring, and injustice, he saith, There is no Knowledge of God in the Land, Hos. 4.1.
