This Points at the Folly and Wickedness of Those Men that think to play
Fast and Loose with God Almighty, who sees the very Thoughts of our
Hearts. This way of Fooling in Holy Things is much a Bolder sort of
Impiety, then it is commonly Taken for. He that pretends to Doubt of an
_All-knowing_ Power, has as much Right to Doubt of an _Almighty_ Power
too, and the bringing of One Attribute in Question, Opens the Way to a
Dissidence of all the Rest. It would prevent a great Deal of Wickedness
in the World, if Men would but Live and Act in Religious Matters, so
as to Own, and to Recognize the Force, and Awe of a Deity in their
Practices, as well as in their Words: But when they come to _Querying_
and _Riddling_ upon’t, with an [_If_ it be so and _so_;] The Scandal
of the Supposition is not to be Born; for such a way of Seeming to
Affirm a Thing, is but one Remove from a Flat Denyal of it. Such was the
_Impostors_ Question here to the _Oracle_: which Implyes both the Doubt
of a _Divine Omniscience_, and a _Curiosity_ to Discover the _Truth_ of
the Matter, with a Banter at the End on’t; and so makes a Consummated
Wickedness.