Section 8: God is Omniscient, nothing can be hid from him.

Book 2 Part 1 Chapter 2 Section 8 (p. 45-46)
God is Omniscient, nothing can be hid from him.

When we say God is Omniscient, we intend both his Prescience, and immediate observation of all things, whether projected or done. As to God's fore-knowledg, thus saith God by the Prophet, Isa 44.7. "Who, as I, shall call, and declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the Ancient People? and the things that are coming, let them shew unto them." By this Speech God proves himself to be the only true God, declaring hereby that no other could know these things as He, they being the things determined by his own Will, and wholly inscrutable as to any created being. To the same purpose is that passage, Isa. 45.21. "Tell ye, and bring them near, let them take counsel together; who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? Have not I the Lord? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and Saviour, there is none beside me." David setteth forth the Omniscience and Prescience of God very fully, Psal. 139 throughout; "O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me; thou understandest my thoughts afar off. - For there is not a word in my Tongue, but loe, thou knowest it altogether." And excludes all created Beings in respect of this Knowledg; Such Knowledg (saith he) is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. - Yea, the Darkness and the Light are both alike to thee. Herein is the Wonderful Wisdom of God held forth, in that he knoweth our Thoughts before they be ours, yea, hundred of years before the Creature hath any being at all; "Thine Eyes did see my Substance, yet being unperfect, and in thy Book all were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when yet there was none of them", vers. 16.

As to his present observation of all things, we do not suppose that God knoweth things gradually, or by degrees, for that would argue imperfection in God: But when we find things spoken to us, founding that way, as in Gen. 18.21. "I will go down now, and see now whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come up unto me; and if not, I will know." For these words are fitted to our capacity, and do teach us that God is slow to anger; and therefore seems to take no notice of many things; not that he is in any-wise ignorant, for it is written, Heb. 4.12. All things are naked and open before him with whom we have to do. And Prov. 15.11. "Hell and Destruction are before him," i.e. he knows whatsoever is there. "How much more the Hearts of the Children of Men." And what can be supposed more occult or hidden than Hell, Destruction, and the Hearts of Men? and if all things be naked and open before him, then nothing can be hid from him. And the same is confirmed by rational demonstration; He that made the Ear, shall not he hear? He that gives Man Understanding, shall not he know? And he that made the Eye, shall not he see? It is therefore irrational to think, that are Ignorance is incident to the most High; wherefore he is Omniscient.