An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…

Secondly, God hath a negative knowledge concerning the state of every man. This is a transcendent, beyond any knowledge which man hath of man. God doth not only know what is in us, but what is not in us, not only what we are, but what we are not. Thou knowest that I am not wicked. The reason why a negative oath is not admitted among men, is, because no man can swear so in knowledge. None can speak negatively of another, knowingly, but God alone. We may say of a man, there is that in him for which it is meet for us to judge him godly. But it is impossible from any outward evidence to conclude peremptorily, he is not wicked. It is more to say of a man, he is not wicked, then to say, he is godly. It is easier to know what is, then what is not. As it is in voting, so in knowing: Negative votes are strongest. To say such a thing shall not pass or be done, imports the greatest power: so negative knowledge is the highest, to say such a thing is not, or such a man did it not, imports a certain knowledge, a knowledge so certain, as is appliable to none, but God himself, Thou knowest that I am not wicked.

Secondly, God hath a negative knowledge concerning the state of every man. This is a transcendent, beyond any knowledge which man hath of man. God doth not only know what is in us, but what is not in us, not only what we are, but what we are not. Thou knowest that I am not wicked. The reason why a negative oath is not admitted among men, is, because no man can swear so in knowledg. None can speak negatively of another, knowingly, but God alone. We may say of a man, there is that in him for which it is meet for us to judge him godly. But it is impossible from any outward evidence to conclude peremptorily, he is not wicked. It is more to say of a man, he is not wicked, then to say, he is godly. It is easier to know what is, then what is not. As it is in voting, so in knowing: Negative votes are strongest. To say such a thing shall not passe or be done, imports the greatest power: so negative knowledge is the highest, to say such a thing is not, or such a man did it not, imports a certain knowledge, a knowledge so certain, as is appliable to none, but God himself, Thou knowest that I am not wicked.

And there is none that can deliver out of thine hand.