KNOWLEDGE. God planted in Paradise the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil; that is to say, of the Knowledge of all Things; for to know Good and Evil signifies a general Knowledge, at least in Morals. Some are of Opinion that this Tree of Knowledge was different from the Tree of Life, and that Eve was inclined to eat the Fruit of Knowledge, with the Hopes of becoming a little Deity, abounding with Light and Knowledge; ye shall be as Gods, knowing Good and Evil.
Gen. iii. 5. 1 Sam. ii. 3.The Lord is a God of Knowledge, says Hannah in her Thanksgiving Song. That is to say, he sees, perceives, and knows every Thing; what is past, present and to come lies open to his View; he penetrates our deepest Thoughts, and most concealed Inclinations; he is the Author of all Science and Knowledge.
Thy Knowledge, Lord, is infinitely too high for me, I cannot attain unto it. Mirabilis facta est Scientia tua ex me. It would be ridiculous for Man not only to pretend to equal the Knowledge of God, but even to believe that he Psalm cxxxviii. 6.can form a just Idea of it. We may easily discern, that our Notices of Things are very limited and imperfect, and that the Knowledge of God is without the Defects of ours; but to desire to learn how far it extends, is to aim at numbering the Drops of Water in the Sea.
The Knowledge of God, of Salvation, of the Saints, may denote those serious and useful Notices of Things relating to Religion, which guide us to God and Holiness; or the Knowledge which is given and inspired by God, and has Things holy for its Object.
There is no Knowledge or Wisdom in the Grave whither thou goest in the other Life: These Qualities of Wise and Learned which the World esteems, and procure you some Honour Eccles. ix. 10.and Reputation in this Life, will disappear at Death. There will be then no Question about any Thing but of a good Life and good Works. These are the only Advantages which will be of any Benefit or Use to us at the Hour of Death. It may be explained likewise as if it were an Objection offered by Libertines, Let us enjoy present Pleasure, for every Thing perishes with the Body; in the other Life there will be neither Work, nor Reason, nor Wisdom, nor Knowledge.
Knowledge puffeth up, but Charity edifieth. The empty Knowledge of Speculative and useless Things, which tend only to gratify Curiosity 1 Cor. viii. 1.and Vanity, the Object whereof is such Knowledge only as contributes neither to our own Salvation nor our Neighbours, neither to the publick Good, nor God’s Glory; such Sort of Knowledge is much more dangerous than profitable. The true Science is that of Salvation, to know God, and love him, to know and to despise our selves; to employ our Knowledge in sanctifying ourselves, in glorifying God, and edifying our Neighbour, this is the only sound Knowledge.
Saint Paul says himself that he was rude in Speech, but not in Knowledge; that he had none of that insolent and ostentatious Knowledge which consists in imposing upon others 2 Cor. xi. 6.with pompous, sublime and eloquent Discourses; his Knowledge was humble and simple, but solid, elevated, pure, and suited to the Capacity of those, who heard him with holy Dispositions, and with the Desire of being edified and instructed.
Our Saviour reproaches the Pharisees with having taken away the Key of Knowledge, and neither entring in themselves, nor suffering others to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Luke xi. 52. The Pharisees made particular Profession of studying the Law. They passed for the most learned of the Jews. They could not endure that others should be in any Reputation for Learning. In a Word, they seized on the Key of Knowledge, but what did they do with it? They did not live the better for it; they did not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; their Lives were nothing but Ostentation and Hypocrisy. The Traditions wherewith they had overloaded the Law, were rather a Corruption than a good Explanation of the Will of God. So that they not only did not follow the Way which leads to the Kingdom of Heaven, but farther misled others out of it by their bad Explanations.
Knowledge of the Egyptians, wherein Moses was instructed. See the Articles WISDOM and MOSES.