pinions may be, about an Actual Plurality of Worlds; 'tis univerfally agreed that he can create Many worlds, if he pleaseth, and that, if he should create ever so great a number, his Capacity of Adding to that number would still be the Same, as now it is; His Power would ftill be as far from being Exhausted, as Before. And we cannot Doubt, that his Knowledge of fuch Power in himself is Infinite, or, Imagine that it is Different from the Knowledge, which he Eternally had of his Power to create This world, in any other respect than This, that his Will had Determin'd to exert his Pow

er,

in the Actual production of This World; Which Confideration does not relate to the Pure Knowledge of Power, as an Effential Attribute of the Divine Nature.

And, that we may carry on this Sacred and Sublime Subject a little further, let us look up to God's Knowledge of Another Attribute, which he hath Determin'd to demonftrate in an Infinite Variety of Effects; and Thofe fuch as may Justly challenge the First place in

our

our Thoughts and Contemplations, because They are of the Nearest Concernment to us. For as the Goodness of God is in it felf Inexhauftible, fo will the Actual Effects of it, in the Supply of our Happiness, be unlimited and Infinite. And must not that Knowledge be Boundlefs, which at once comprehends the Infinite Effects of God's Goodnefs? And the fame Obfervation might be applied to the Acts or Exercife of Divine Power alfo; without which, the Acts of Goodness would not be Infinite, as they will moft Undoubtedly be.

Since therefore a Finite Underftanding cannot comprehend an Infinite Object; fince the Nature and Attributes of God are Infinite, and fince he does Perfectly understand his own Nature and Attributes; 'tis Hence, as well as from the express Testimony of his Holy Word, Evident and Clear, that his Knowledge is Infinite.

When fuch Truths as this are spoken of, as Evident and Clear, 'tis not to be Imagin'd, that fuch Clearnefs is to be understood of the Mode, or Manner of R 3 the

the Things spoken of; For if we were to try the Strength of our Thinking, with the Manner of Things, we should quickly fall from our Clearness, even in our Thoughts of any the loweft Created Being. An Apprehenfion of the Certainty of Things is very Different from that Apprehenfion, which relates to the Modes of them. The first may be very Clear and Convincing, though the Latter be ever so Confused, Imperfect, or Obfcure. The Manner of God's Knowledge of Himself, and of all other Things, is not to be Conceived by Us; But, that notwithstanding, the Certainty of it, and of the Confequences drawn from it, is Clear beyond Exception. Though we cannot comprehend the Mode of God's Effence, or of any of his Attributes; yet fuch are our Natural Notions of the Things themselves, and of their Neceffary Relations to one another, that we are Plainly and Fully perfuaded of their Certainty, and of the Truth of those Arguments, which are built upon it.

This Diftinction betwixt our Conceptions of the Certainty, and of the Man

ner

ner of Things, feems neceffary to Prevent our running into the Errour of Thofe, who, because they cannot comprehend the Mode of God's Nature and Attributes, are therefore wont to Avoid and Neglect thofe Thoughts of God, which ought to be the Daily Employment of their Minds. And this brings me to the

II. Second thing propofed, namely, to draw fome Practical Obfervations from what hath been faid. And

Ift. Let the Perfection of God's Knowledge raise our utmost Admiration, and Honour, and Reverence towards Him, and the utmost Humility in our Thoughts of our Selves. There is Nothing Beyond the reach of His Knowledge, and scarce Any thing Within the reach of Ours. The Conceptions of Our Minds are Obfcure and Confused, Inadequate and Erroneous, and fuch as they are, Raised with Difficulty, and Eafily Loft: His are Clear and Distinct, Adequate and Infallible, Conftant and Immutable. His Knowledge, even of his own Infinite Effence and Perfections, is Pofitive and Complete:

R 4.

Complete: Our Notions, even of a Finite Spirit, are chiefly Negative, and very Defective; though indeed the Existence of Spirit is Undeniably deducible from Reason, as well as abundantly attested in his Holy Word. When we apply our Minds, even to Bodily Substances, our Knowledge creeps flowly on, through the Tract of Properties and Effects: His Knowledge at once Explores and runs through the Effences and firft Principles of all Things. Let us therefore be ever Diffident of our own Weak, and Narrow, and Imperfect Conceptions, and fubmit all our Thoughts, by a Stedfast Faith to the Perfection of Truth, which is plainly Revealed by Him, and may Therefore be Fully Depended on by Us. Let us be ever Deeply Affected with a Senfe of our own Infirmities, and Adore that Fountain of Exquifite Knowledge in Him, from which we hope to have Intire Knowledge Hereafter Derived upon our Selves.

2ly, The Thoughts of God's Omnifcience fhould Introduce into our Minds an Awful Senfe of Him, Fear, and So

licitude,