The foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his (2 Tim. 2.19.) and he knoweth them that are not his: not his by the grace of election and regeneration: for all are his by the right of creation and dominion. Thus he knows all the fowls of the mountains, and the beasts of the field are his (Psal. 50.11.) David gives this glory to God in his own case (Psal. 139.1.) O Lord, Thou hast searched me and known me; God did not search him to know him, but he searched him ⟨p. 472⟩and knew him. The knowledge of God was not a consequent, but a concomitant of that search; or it is spoken in opposition to man; a man may search his neighbour, and yet not know him. There are depths and turnings in the heart of man, which no man can reach or find out; but God hath a thread which will lead him into all and through all the labyrinths, a line which will found all the depths of man. Hence David makes a particular of the knowledge of God; God knew him in all that he was, and in all that he did, Thou knowest my down-lying and my up-rising, and thou art acquainted with all my ways. God is the Judge of all men, therefore he knows all men, Heb. 4.13. There is no creature which is not manifest in his sight, 1all things are naked and open before him, with whom we have to do. The Apostle by two metaphors in these words teaches us, that as the out-members and lineaments of the body, together with their beauty or deformity are clearly seen, when the body is naked and unclothed; that as the bowels and entrails of the body, together with their soundness or diseases are perfectly discovered, when the body is dissected or cut up by the hand of a skilful anatomist, even so are we in all we do, and in all we are perfectly known, or as the same Apostle speaks (2 Cor. 5.11.) manifest unto God, even manifest with as much clearness to the knowledge of God, as the light is to the eye of man. He knows, 1. Our persons. 2. Our actions. 3. He knoweth the manner of our actions. 4. He knoweth with what hearts we act. 5. He knoweth not only the means we use, but the ends we propose in every action. 6. He knoweth what we have been as well as what we are. And 7. He knoweth what we will be, as well as what we are or have been; He knoweth what we have done, as well as what we do, and he knoweth what we will do, as well as what we do or have already done.
The foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his (2 Tim. 2.19.) and he knoweth them that are not his: not his by the grace of election and regeneration: for all are his by the right of creation and dominion. Thus he knows all the fowls of the mountains, and the beasts of the field are his (Psal. 50.11.) David gives this glory to God in his own case (Psal. 139.1.) O Lord, Thou hast searched me and known me; God did not search him to know him, but he searched him ⟨p. 472⟩and knew him. The knowledge of God was not a consequent, but a concomitant of that search; or it is spoken in opposition to man; a man may search his neighbour, and yet not know him. There are depths and turnings in the heart of man, which no man can reach or finde out; but God hath a threed which will lead him into all and thorow all the labirynths, a line which will found all the depths of man. Hence David makes a particular of the knowledge of God; God knew him in all that he was, and in all that he did, Thou knowest my down-lying and my up-rising, and thou art acquainted with all my waies. God is the Judge of all men, therefore he knows all men, Heb. 4.13. There is no creature which is not manifest in his sight, 1all things are naked and open before him, with whom we have to doe. The Apostle by two metaphors in these words teaches us, that as the out-members and lineaments of the body, together with their beauty or deformity are clearly seen, when the body is naked and uncloathed; that as the bowels and intrals of the body, together with their soundnesse or diseases are perfectly discovered, when the body is dissected or cut up by the hand of a skilfull anatomist, even so are we in all we do, and in all we are perfectly known, or as the same Apostle speaks (2 Cor. 5.11.) manifest unto God, even manifest with as much clearnesse to the knowledge of God, as the light is to the eye of man. He knows, 1. Our persons. 2. Our actions. 3. He knoweth the manner of our actions. 4. He knoweth with what hearts we act. 5. He knoweth not only the means we use, but the ends we propose in every action. 6. He knoweth what we have been as well as what we are. And 7. He knoweth what we will be, as well as what we are or have been; He knoweth what we have done, as well as what we do, and he knoweth what we will do, as well as what we do or have already done.
- 1[Greek or Hebrew].〈non-Latin alphabet〉.
