A Body of Practical Divinity

It is not contaminated with the Object. Divina Natura non est immista r•bus aut sordibus inquinata, Aug. Though God knows sin, yet it is to hate and punish it. No Evil can mix or incorporate with his Knowledge, no more than the Sun can be defiled with the Vapours which arise from the Earth. 3. God's Knowledge is Facile; it is without any difficulty. We study and search for Knowledge, Prov. 2.4. If thou seekest for her as Silver. But the Lamp of God's Knowledge is so infinitely bright, that all things are easily intelligible to him. 4. God's Knowledge is infallible; there is no mistake in his Knowledge. Humane Knowledge is subject to error and misprision. A Physician may mistake the Cause of a Disease; but God's Knowledge is un-erring; he can neither deceive, nor be deceived. He cannot deceive, because he is Truth; nor be deceived, because he is Wisdom. 5. God's Knowledge is Instantaneous. Our Knowledge is successive; one thing after another. We argue from the Effect to the Cause. God knows Things past, present, and to come, uno intuitu, at once. They are all before him in one entire prospect. 6. God's Knowledge is Retentive; he never looseth any of his Knowledge; he hath reminiscentia as well as intelligentia; he remembers as well as understands. Many things elapse out of our Mind, but God's Knowledge is eternized. Things transacted a thousand years ago, are as fresh to him as if they were done but the last minute. Thus he is Perfect in Knowledge.

It is not contaminated with the Object. Divina Natura non est immista r•bus aut sordibus inquinata, Aug. Though God knows sin, yet it is to hate and punish it. No Evil can mix or incorporate with his Knowledge, no more than the Sun can be defiled with the Vapors which arise from the Earth. 3. God's Knowledge is Facil; it is without any difficulty. We study and search for Knowledge, Prov. 2.4. If thou seekest for her as Silver. But the Lamp of God's Knowledge is so infinitely bright, that all things are easily intelligible to him. 4. God's Knowledge is infallible; there is no mistake in his Knowledge. Humane Knowledge is subject to errour and misprision. A Physician may mistake the Cause of a Disease; but God's Knowledge is un-erring; he can neither deceive, nor be deceived. He cannot deceive, because he is Truth; nor be deceived, because he is Wisdom. 5. God's Knowledge is Instantanious. Our Knowledge is successive; one thing after another. We argue from the Effect to the Cause. God knows Things past, present, and to come, uno intuitu, at once. They are all before him in one intire prospect. 6. God's Knowledge is Retentive; he never looseth any of his Knowledge; he hath reminiscentia as well as intelligentia; he remembers as well as understands. Many things elapse out of our Mind, but God's Knowledge is eternized. Things transacted a thousand years ago, are as fresh to him as if they were done but the last minute. Thus he is Perfect in Knowledge.