Several works of Mr. Iohn Murcot, that eminent and godly preacher of the Word, lately of a Church of Christ at Dublin in Ireland. Containing, I. Circumspect walking, on Eph. 5.15,16. II. The parable of the ten virgins, on Mat. 25. from ver. 1. to ver. 14. III. The sun of righteousness hath healing in his wings for sinners, on Mal. 4.2. IV. Christs willingness to receive humble sinners, on John 6.37. Together with his life and death. Published by Mr. Winter, Mr. Chambers, Mr. Eaton, Mr. Carryl, and Mr. Manton. With alphabetical tables, and a table of the Scriptures explained throughout the whole.

Verse 12.

But he answered and said, verily I say unto you, I know you not.

HEre is the sad Catastrophe of all the hopes of the Hypocrite in the Parable, and that wherewith I shall conclude my thoughts upon this Text; they would not be beaten off, though the door was shut against them; they come and bounce against it, with a Lord, Lord, open to us; to you, who are you, that I should open the Gate now it is shut upon you? upon what ac∣quaintance shall I do this for you? you are strangers to me ve∣rily, I say unto you, I know you not. In this similitude is held

out to us the doom of Hypocrites, and such as are not found ready for the coming of Christ; Or if you will, rather the rea∣son of the doom; the door was shut upon them, before they are excluded heaven, there is no entrance, there is a repulse; and here the reason of it is given, as there in Mat. 7. Depart from me, saith he, which is equivalent, it is as much as the shut∣ting the door at least, if not more; the same reason is there given for it, I know you not. So that here seems to be two or three things note-worthy in these words: I will speak briefly to them, and dismiss all, winding it up in one application.

First, That many that profess to know Jesus Christ, and to be his people, yet are not known of him; he knoweth them not.

Secondly, Such as he doth not know, shall not enter; the door is shut against them; and when they plead to have it opened, they have a denial, which is presupposed, and (as I may say) included in the exceptive particle but; Lord, Lord, open to us, But he answered, I know you not; therefore I will not open the door to you.

Thirdly, Whatever formal Professors may delude themselves with, as if known of God, then it shall be declared to them, that he knoweth them not.

For the First, That many that profess Jesus Christ, and to know him, yet are never known of Christ; That this is so, I think the Text is as clear as the noon-day; as for these foolish Virgins, they did go forth to meet the Bridegroom, had their Lamps, took pains to trim them when they were out, and you see they have a Lord, Lord, in their mouths, at the very last, and yet saith our Saviour, saith the Bridegroom, I know you not; do but add that other Text, and there will need no more proof; and that is in Mat. 7. Many shall say unto me at that day, Lord, Lord, open to us; just as here, as if the door was shut upon them there as well as here; but what is it they plead? O say they, We have prophesied in thy name, and done many wonderful works, wrought miracles in the name of Christ; thou hast eat and drank in our streets; surely prophecying and working miracles in the name of Christ, will amount to as much as profession of him; they must needs have his name called upon them, that could do such things in his name: and yet mark the return, Depart from me, I never knew you: never knew you, not before time, nor

since the world began did I know you; but chiefly I never knew you, (that is to say) when your profession was at the highest, when your Grace was most green upon the house-top, then I knew you not, therefore now I know you not.

Here I shall only endeavour to open to you what is to be un∣derstood by Christs knowing of a soul, and so come to the next Note from the words, because I would hasten to an end.

First then, it is not to be understood, as if the Lord did not under∣stand the wayes of an Hypocrite, and see the close contrivances of his heart, as if he did not know who they are: and properly to speak of knowledge, it is not the paint of the sepulchre can hide the rottenness within from his al-seeing eye; it is not the fair * 1.1 leaves that can deceive him, and cover the rottenness of the root from him; did he not understand Judas from the beginning, and knew he was a white Devil, a son of perdition, though he fol∣lowed him as his Saviour? well were it for Hypocrites, if in this sense the Lord did not know them; and surely their hearts do so conclude with those Atheists in the Psalm, The Lord be∣holdeth it not, and is there knowledge in the most high? but thus * 1.2 he doth know them, and that appears plainly by his not knowing of them, as afterwards we shall mention; and that appears by his declaration to them, that he knoweth them not; he know∣eth full well to whom he speaketh this fearful sentence, but this is but the first.

Secondly, Yet after the manner of men, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 yet we must understand it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, he may be said not to know them. I know you not, you are so deformed and dis-figured, so utterly unlike the men you were when you came out of my hands, that I know you not. As Jobs friends when they came unto him, his visage being so marred with the affliction, it is said, they knew him not; which some understand as a weak affirmative, (that * 1.3 is to say) they scarce knew him; is this Job their ancient friend? Is this Naomi? they scarce knew her to be the same person that formerly, she was so altered; paint will exceedingly deform * 1.4 them that use it, they say; but sure I am, Hpyocrisie is the greatest deformity, it is the picture of Satan, who changeth him∣self into an Angel of light, and therefore after the manner of men, we may look upon this speech of Christ as thus, I know you not, you have such strange apparrel on, you have

such paint, such deformity, so ugly have you made your selves, I know you not.

Thirdly, He is said not to know them, in that he doth not ap∣prove of them; in this sense knowing persons and things is often taken, Psalm 1. The Lord knoweth the way of the upright, the righteous, he approveth of it, though this be not all in that ex∣pression, as by and by you shall see; but this is one thing, He deligheth in his way, he knoweth his people, at the last day, as he knoweth not Hypocrites, and this is part of it, Well done, good and faithful servant, &c. he approveth of them. And so the * 1.5 Jews, that is, One inwardly and circumcised in heart, whose praise * 1.6 is not of men, but of God; he is approved to God, and approved by God. So the Apostle Paul, That evil which I do, I allow * 1.7 not; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, I know not, (that is to say) I approve not of it. I judge and condemn my self for it; I would not do it, because I allow not of it: and to come nearer, even to the same use of the expression, applyed to God himself, They set up Kings, but I * 1.8 knew it not, saith the Lord, it was not by me, by my advice, I approved not of it; They would needs have a King, and I yielded * 1.9 to them indeed, but it was in wrath and displeasure; I never knew it, (that is to say) never approved of it: else he did understand it, and reproved them for it also at that very time by the Prophet Samuel. And by Jeroboam, though there was his disposing hand in it, and in a way of providence he gave the ten Tribes to him, yet he approved not of their revolting; the people had no com∣mand from him, nor did they stay for it, to separate from the house of David.

Fourthly, He is said to know men, when he not only approveth of them in their wayes, but loveth and favoureth them; and not to know them, when he doth not love them nor favour them: as we are said to know God, when we love him, and keep his commandments; so he is said to know us, when he loveth us; and so that may be understood, He that loveth God, is known of God; (that is to say) is loved of him, favoured of him: For he * 1.10 that loveth me, my Father will love him, and I will love him, and manifest my self to him. In the Hebrew Verbs of knowledge, * 1.11 affection is included: and the ground of this seemeth to be, be∣cause we know Love breedeth familiarity, and familiarity breed∣eth knowledge and acquaintance: and so on the contrary, where

no love, there is estrangedness, and that ends in a not knowing of a Person; so then, he knoweth not many that profess, (that is to say) he loveth them not.

Fifthly, This knowing here spoken of, may be also an owning of them for his own; an acknowledging of them: You only have I known, (saith the Lord) of all the People and Nations of the earth, and * 1.12 therefore I will not pass by you unpunished; (that is to say) I have owned you of all the families upon the earth: you have been taken for my family: I have owned you, and therefore you shall be sure to be visited with the stripes and rods of men, not to destroy. So saith he to Moses, I know thee by name; (that * 1.13 is to say) I acknowledge thee, and own thee in a neer manner indeed; therefore that place of Amos is no more then that of the Apostle, I chastise every son whom I receive: this knowing them * 1.14 then, may be such an acknowledging of them for his own, they never were his children, never given of his Father, nor came to him, and therefore he acknowledgeth them not as his in so near a relation.

Sixthly, He knoweth them not by experience, (as I may say) he hath had no experience of them, they never came to him, to touch him, that vertue might go forth from him to heal them, and pardon them, and therefore he knoweth them not, (that is to say) he never had a touch of faith from them, whereby they are said to know him, for then he should have known them, and have known that vertue went forth from him to heal them; he had no acquaintance with them, they never acquainted them∣selves with him, but their hearts were alway estranged and far from Jesus Christ: though they drew near with their lips, their hearts never touched one with another; they rested in somewhat else, as gifts and miracles, and therefore he knoweth them not by experience of communion with him, and letting out his healing * 1.15 power upon them.

Seventhly, and lastly, He knoweth them not, (that is to say) he careth not for them, nor their souls, to defend them, save them: let them do what they will, be regardeth them not: As in that first Psalm, The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish: by the opposite, there it appeareth, that Gods knowing the way of the righteous, is to keep it from perishing, the antecedent including the consequent many

times in the Hebrew, and so the perishing of the way of the un∣godly, the Consequent including the Antecedent, his not know∣ing of their way, or else it is all on••, Thou hast known my soul in adversity; this is one part of the meaning, thou hast had a care * 1.16 of me in six and seven troubles, to see that no more were laid on then I could bear, to keep me that the Spirit that thou hast made did not fail &c. so the righteous man knoweth the life of his beast 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he knoweth it, he is tender of it, to keep it; and so some un∣derstand that, my sheep hear my voyce, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give them eternal life, I will know them to eternal life; now many professors he knoweth not, that is to say, he regardeth them not what becometh of them, let them sink or or swim, shift for themselves, take their own course, he regard∣eth them not.

Now who these are among professors that the Lord knoweth not, I believe you easily understand; they are such as are meerly formal, have a Lamp and no Oyl, a form and no power. But so much for this first.

Secondly, The next Note from the words, you may remem∣ber was, That such as he knoweth not, shall never enter into this Marriage-Feast, the door is shut upon them; and th••s is given as a reason, wherefore our Saviour would not open it to them upon their crying Lord, Lord; but he answered and said, I know you not, there is no reason you should expect to have the door opened, for I know you not; and so in that of Matthew, if he know them not, he sends them away from him, Depart from me, for I know you not.

First, Because many that profess Jesus Christ, yet are very strangers to him, and he to them, and therefore they shall not have the door opened to them, they never knew him, nor he ne∣ver knew them, there was never any acquaintance; now strangers that we never saw, who useth to admit to a Marriage-feast; they are the familiars and favorites; if Jesus Christ knew them not, surely they are strangers, for he knoweth all his own chil∣dren, his own sheep, let their condition be what it will, under never such desertions and cloudings, and questionings of his love, he knoweth them: A woman may forget her children, but God cannot forget his people, if once acquainted with them; he writes their names before him; yea, upon his very heart they are writ∣ten,

whither nothing can come to blot them out; now many a professor is a meer stranger to Jesus Christ, though he throng upon him, yet never toucheth him, he never had a sight of Christ, a touch of him, is a stranger to the righteousness of Christ, to the holiness of Christ, to the joy, and peace, & Kingdom of grace, and therefore surely he will not admit them, he knoweth them not it is no place ••or strangers, but ••or favourites; they must be friends of the Bridegroom, that must hear his voyce, & behold his bea••ty, & rejoyce in it for ever, which every professor, alas is not.

Secondly, Because of the pride of heart, which indeed is the great root of the former estrangedness of many a professor from Christ, and Christ from them; what was the reason the Prodi∣gal would feed upon husks rather then go to his Father? O his stomack was too big to acknowledge his failing to his father, as long as ever he could hold out; and you see it plainly in the poor woman that had spent all she had upon the Physitian, a stout heart would not down while she had a peny. And surely you see you see here these foolish Virgins, they never went to Christ for oyl, but up and down where they could beg or buy of any body, they were too stomachful and slout; so the Apostle, They submitted not to the righteousness of Christ, as if it were an * 1.17 act of submission and self-emptying indeed, as it is to close with the righteousness of another, to be righteous and stand be∣fore the Lord in; this they would not do, they would have heaven by their own works, or never have it: so the foolish Virgins would have oyl sowewhere short of Christ▪ or they would go without, and so they do. Ah, we are proud beggers, proud of rags filthy rags; and the Lord knoweth the proud indeed, but it is afar off, he will never admit them to the nearest com∣m••nion with himself for ever, therefore he will not open to them. This is the case of many a professor, who will spin his own web, and 〈…〉〈…〉lk by sparks of his own kindling, and not by the light of God, they will to their Herb to heal them, and not to Christ the Physitian of their souls; and therefore if they be so stout, let them take what followeth, he will not regard them, he knoweth them not near, as his friends, but afar off.

Thirdly. They are all of them workers of iniquity, and there∣fore he will not know them; he approveth them not, he careth not for them, he will not admit them. David that had but a

spark of the holiness that is in Jesus Christ, the holy one of God, * 1.18 and God equal with his Father, he would not know a wicked person, Depart from me ye workers of iniquity, away with you, I am not company for you, I am a companion to all that fear God, both small as well as great, though he were a King; and a vile person he contemned, be he as great as he would, away with him from me, what communion can light & darkness have? can they dwell together? surely no: Depart from me, I know you not, ye workers of iniquity; into that holy place none that defileth can enter: now in this we may understand two things. (1.) That they do work iniquity, some sin they live in, if not many, notwithstanding their profession of Christ, and therefore they are workers of iniquity. (2.) That the very form of godliness and all their shew, is but a working of iniquity.

First then, they are workers of some iniquity or other, and that either, in an outward gross manner, as gross hy∣pocrites, or else more closely and inwardly, as close hypocrites, and yet they are workers of iniquity, and the Lord Jesus will not know them, nor own them. First then, for gross hypocrites such as have their hands full of blood, full of bribes, their houses are builded by wrong, and their chambers by unrighteousnes•• and yet they bless themselves in being a people to God; surely the Lord will not away with this: such are the gross hypocrites, among us, that will all the week long make a trade of lying in their shops, in their callings, of swea••ing & forswearing, of drun∣kenness and adultery, and come and wipe their mouths with the Harlot, and say, hey have done no wickedness, they are pure in their own eys, yet not washed, &c. come upon these days and * 1.19 sit before the Lord as his people, as if they were delivered to do all these abominations; the drunkard will not believe, nor the swearer, but they are as good Christians as any, though all have their infirmities, and theirs are no more; well, th〈…〉〈…〉e are lying words you trust unto, they will deceive you; for saith the Lord, * 1.20 I will not hear when you make many prayers, your hands are full of blood; God doth not regard the services of such a people; he examineth mens hands, to see if they be hard with labouring in their iniquities, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, if so, it is not your words that are smo••∣ther then oyl, that shall serve your turn, Quid verba cum sacta videam? to cry Lord, Lord, and yet go and serve, and drudge

for the Devil, as if he were their good Lord; will not the Lord search this out? O surely he will not know such a person as this.

(2.) It may be it is more secret; there is not an hypocrite but * 1.21 he regardeth iniquity in his heart, and in heart he works wicked∣ness, if not with his hands; it may be he may wash his hands with Pilat, but not his heart. O how do mens mouths water after the pleasures of sin, the stoln waters and bread eaten in secret; if * 1.22 they durst do it for fear of being discovered and ashamed before men, or for a galled conscience▪ a secret lust, a secret wound which bleedeth inwardly, is not so visible, is as deadly as any other; now, I say, be it never so secret; let Judas cover his Treasury never so close, and Ananias and Saphira their double dealing, their covetousness, it is to no purpose; burning lips and a wicked heart, are like a Potsherd covered over with silver * 1.23 dross, it maketh a glorious shew, burning of lips with love, much love shewed with it, but the heart is wicked, and there∣fore base as a Potsherd, a vessel of dishonour fitted to distructi∣on, and shall never enter into glory, but be dasht in pieces.

But Secondly, the very form of godliness, though in it self materially it be good, yet as they use the matter, to make it a cloak for their sin, a fair skin over, a belly full of Garbidge and * 1.24 filthiness, it is iniquity; it is iniquity saith the Lord, even your so∣l••mn meetings, Incense is an abomination to me, I am weary to bear them. What was the matter? why, they did but flatterwith their mouths, their hearts were not with him, therefore the Lord hated it; this is working iniquity, working out a form of godliness with much pains, and sticking there; the prayer of the wicked is sin, it is an abomination, it will amount to no more then to filthy garments, filthy rags; and in these brethren, the * 1.25 Lord will not know us: O no, workers of iniquity shall not dwel with him, Dine and Sup with him in heaven, the feast of new Wine, he will not open to them; and what greater iniquity then hypocrisie? Simulata sanctitas, duplex iniquitas; an hypocrite when he thinketh he is at the best, is at the worst, then his hypo∣crisie is at the height, and God will not admit any, he knoweth them not.

Thirdly. Not our part of the Conclusion: that at that day it shall be declared openly to hypocrites, that the Lord Jesus

knoweth them not; that is to say, that he owneth them not, not∣withstanding all their seeming delight in his ways, and their fol∣lowing of him in a profession yet this is the doom they are like to receive, He knoweth them not; this is also plain from this Text, and also from that in Mat. 7. At that day, that is to say, the day of general Judgement, or the day of death, which is every particular souls. Dooms day they shall say, Lord, Lord, &c. and then will I say to them, Depart from me, I know you not, I never knew you.

First then, Why is this so, that at that day many Professors shall have this doom I know you not, I never knew you; it shall be thus declared from the mouth of the Lord Jesus himself; it may be taken from the Office of Jesus Christ to be Judge; God hath appointed to judge the world at that day by one, even by Jesus Christ, and therefore he shal pronounce the Sentence either with his own mouth, or the ministration of Angels; but rather * 1.26 me thinks with his own mouth this word shal go forth, which shal be as a flaming two edged Sword to enter into the bones & bow∣els of sinners, and divide them in sunder for ever here sinners are shut up under sin, they have chains of darkness upon their hearts already, and hypocrites are lyable to this condemnation, and are held with the cords of their sins, and then shall be the time of the doom, therefore then it shall be declared; a Prisoner fear∣eth what the sentence may be before he cometh to the triall; and so hypocrites sometimes may have some foretaste, some fearfulness may surprise them, but they skin it over again; but now it shall be declared by the Judge himself, he knoweth them not, and therefore they must depart from him.

Secondly, For a confirmation of the words of his servants, and an everlasting rebuke of their unbelief of his Word by them; for this hath been the message of Christ to formalists in the mouths of all his Messengers, your form of godliness will not carry you through all conditions, it will fail you sooner or latter; your fig leaves will not shadow you from the everlasting burn∣ings, the hope of the hypocrite shall perish and give up the Ghost, God loatheth no sort of sinners more, though they take themselves to be highly favoured, yet they are deeply ab∣horred of God; yet alas, there is scarce an hypocrite but hath his shifts to put by an hundred such thrusts as these, by the Sword

of the Spirit, the Word of God, and he hath a deceived heart within him, telling him he hath fruit as well as leaves, though it be not fru••t found from him, and he hath had so many testimonies of his love to him, he cannot conclude he is a person abhorred of God, his hopes are high, he will not believe, not a word fasteneth upon him, and he is apt to think the Minister too straite when he goeth to the quick, and tels them, if any iniquity be regarded in the heart, the heart is not right with God, they will not believe, but keep their sin, and doubt not of their salvation: well now the Lord will dash this presumption of theirs, the height of unbelief, though they will not see their hypocrisie, and their forlorn condition, now he will make them see; if the servants word will not convince them, his shall, and confound them also, therefore he pronounceth it with a Verily I say, &c. that in the sinners own conscience he may be justified: you see, let Ministers say what they can, be they never such Bonerges, thundring from heaven upon men, yet they will not be beaten off, but at the very last come bouncing at the gate of heaven, with a Lord, Lord, open to us. The Ministers have often enough told them, that when they cry, the Lord would not hear them, they would but appear before the everlasting burnings to be consumed; they will not be∣lieve, and therefore now the Lord Jesus himself he speaks, he declareth it, and with a full conviction to their consciences; for he with his Word reacheth the soul and conscience, so that now their confidence must needs be dashed, not a word more hath a sinner then to say for himself; and to confirm the words of his servants, his faithful Messengers, they have spoken as much as this cometh to before, and it hath been slighted, they thought God would be more merciful then those bloody Mini∣sters are, who wound and spare not; but the Lord will now make them know that whose sins they retain, clave non errante, by a right application of the threatnings and terrors of God, not * 1.27 one word of theirs shall fall to the ground, but that they had the mind of Christ what ever you thought of them; that is ano∣ther Argument.

Thirdly, For a Declaration and Vindication of his own Wisdom, and Justice, and Holiness; his Wisdom in that now hy∣pocrites shall see there was nothing could be hid from his eys, he knoweth through and through, even when they made the

most dazling profession to the eye of the world, that his piercing eye saw through all this, saith the sinner there in that Psalm, and it is the language of all hypocrites in heart, Tush, the Lord * 1.28 seeth not, neither doth the God of Jacob regard it? doth he look to the thoughts, to a mans ends, the secrets of his soul? if he carry fair outwardly, will not this pass the test? yea with men: but thou shalt know hypocrite, that thou hast not to do with men, but with God; you may juggle so, as to cast a mist before mens eyes, but not before his; and though you think you can, yet he will now manifest it, that you have all of you been a deceived peo∣ple, who have thought to deceive him; he will now appear to be a God of wisdom, and one that searcheth your hearts, and will recompence into your bosoms the very secrets of your iniquity. And so his justice and holiness; because an hypocrite hath flou∣rished long, and hath had the use of many common gifts, and flourished in the eyes of men, made a great shew, and God hath born with much patience; Justice hath been, as I may say, asleep, but now he will repay them into their own bosoms; and so his ho∣liness, * 1.29 they thought God was such a one as themselves, but he will reprove them, and set their sins in order before them. Now he will keep silence no longer, that it may appear how he hateth all their hypocrisie that hath been fathered upon him, and men have looked upon them as Saints, yet now his holiness will endure no longer, but shake them off; they shall now see that such impure hearts he cannot away with, to dwell with them, though with much patience he did bear them here, yet that he never knew them here, never owned them, cared for them here in the very height of their profession.

Fourthly, Because now is the separating time, nothing is hid that shall not be made manifest, saith our Saviour in another place, though chaff may go for wheat, and gilt for Gold, and alchimy for gold, and dross and tin for silver, now they shall be separated, it is high time now to unmask the hypocrite, he hath long enough deluded himself and others, now therefore he will make it known, himself will declare it, to put an end to their false imagi∣nations: but enough for this.

Now to wind up all in a word of Application: In the first place, then it shall be a terrible word to all Formalists, all gross and * 1.30

close hypocrites; the Lord search you out this day, and make it a word of terrour, a shaking in your bones, that you may be sha∣ken off your security. There are two or three things you shall see that are terrible to you herein, It is your portion, I must de∣liver it to you. Let not any poor trembling child of God catch at the dogs portion, no more then the dogs should at the chil∣drens bread, God would not have such sadned, nor would I speak any thing to the grief of such as God hath wounded. But for Hypocrites and Formalists let me speak it: 1. He knoweth you. 2. Therefore he doth not know you, because he knoweth you. And, 3. He will not know you at that day.

First, I say, He knoweth you; that is to say, he understands you, there are windows of Chrystal into your breasts, all is na∣ked before him with whom you have to do; it may be you are a little affected with hearing the death of Jesus Christ, that so in∣nocent a person should be so unworthily, treacherously and cruelly handled, and now you take your selves to be such as have received the Spirit of grace and supplication, and mourn over Christ whom you have crucified; and it is nothing but a natural tenderness, that would be as much affected or moved with hearing any sad story of another person: Believe it Brethren, whether you see this deceit or no, the Lord knoweth it. Your ends are deep in your actions which seem to be for Christ, and with much self-denyal sometimes, and yet even then in that self-denyal, there may be an end for self at the bottom, the com∣manding wheel that setteth all a work; it may be this is too deep for any other to discern, or for your selves sometimes, yet the Lord seeth it, he knoweth all the depth of your heart. You pray, and fast, it may be, when you are in any distress, but little think it is for carnal end, for your corn, and wine, and oyl; that you howl upon your beds, you little think, when you pray and seek after God, it is for ends meerly that you might spend these * 1.31 things upon your lusts, that you may appear to be some body, be esteemed among men, be of esteem among the Saints. Well, Brethren, carry it as covertly as you can, so that your own souls are juggled into a delusion it may be, yet be not deceived, God is not mocked; men are apt to be deceived, and think that their se∣crets of sinning, their bread eaten in secret, their morsels under the tongue shall never be discovered, but the Lord seeth all this, he

knoweth you throughly, he searcheth the hearts, and tryeth the reins of the sons of men.

Secondly, because he knoweth you, therefore he doth not know you, he approveth not of you; it may be men do approve of you, * 1.32 your praise may be among the Churches, among the Saints, but yet your praise may not be of God, he loveth you not, savours you not with that favour that he bears to his people; indeed some love Jesus Christ had to the young man in the Gospel that was but near to the Kingdom of God, he doth not disallow of a form and profession, it hath its use, the leaves of the trees of righteousness they may be for healing to others; an holy profes∣sion, and walking to the appearance of others, may * 1.33 win others to Christ, and yet a man may perish when all is done; and a profession may serve as a Motive to quicken up themselves to look to the power; if the power of godliness be not good and necessary, why do men take up a form? and if it be good, why rest they in a form and neglect it? but if there be no more, he will not know such a man, he doth not know him.

Thirdly, What ever you dream of now, he will pronounce that sentence upon you at that day, O that dreadful sentence, that he knoweth you not, he never knew you. Ah dear friends, if the Lord would but single out any one of us, and tell us we are the men, what agonies would it put us into? Ah Brethren, this will make sinners ears tingle to hear this word from the Lord * 1.34 Jesus: O let fearfulness surprize the hypocrites; yea I tell you, this will make your hearts to bleed, and your heart-strings crack within you, this will pierce you through with the sorrows of hell. Ah dear friends, if the voice of his Messengers, discoursing of righteousness, temperance, and Judgement to come, be so great as to make a Foelix, a great man, a stout hearted sinner tremble that was not converted. O what will it be when the * 1.35 sentence is pronounced against them from the Lord himself? for while you hear Preachers, though it be terrible when the con∣science is opened, yet there is a Cordial at hand, but when once pronounced by the Lord Jesus, there is no more remedy; if one word from the Lord Jesus, when the Souldiers came upon him, and he asked them whom they sought, I am he, saith he; this struck them to the ground; souldiers in such Garrisons in Coun∣tries * 1.36

kept by the sword they were won by, use to to be men of stoutest spirits, that would dare sometimes the very Devil him∣self, and yet one word from Jesus Christ's mouth struck them to the ground. O Brethren, surely this word of sentence will speak men not to the ground, but to the lowermost pit: It will speak them dumb forthwith, that they have nothing to say for themselves; It will speak them into confusion and amazement, it will speak them into the flames of hell in a moment: O this roaring of the Lyon of the tribe of Judah, who may abide? If the Law was so terrible in the giving, what will it be in the execution? You read how the Mountains shook, & Moses himself trembled, but the sentence of the Law is nothing to the sentence of the Gospel, as this condemnation of hypocrites will be; it is to men that have * 1.37 in appearance owned Christ, followed him, done much in his name, and yet he will profess he never knew them, they pretended acquaintance with him now, but he will never own them.

You then Brethren, that have only a semblance of holiness, you seem to have somewhat, and have nothing, then shall be ta∣ken from you that which you seemed to have, then your vizard will be pluckt off; you pretend to be friends of Christ, and of his people, to be his Father, Brethren and Mother, but now will he profess he knoweth you not; you that preach in the name of Jesus Christ, and do not preach for his name, for his glory, but for your own; he will not own you, he will say to you, he know∣eth you not, you rest in this your form, this you are ready to plead, and not stay your selves upon him, he will not know you, O but we do lean upon the Lord: so you say, but mark that of the Prophet, you lean upon the Lord, and say, the Lord is among * 1.38 us, and yet they build up Sion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity, the heads thereof judge for reward; and the Priests teach for hire: that is to say, their tongues may be hired to say any thing, pass any judgement right or wrong, and yet lean upon the Lord; say you lean upon the Lord, and yet will be drunk, swear, lye, cheat, over-reach, be filthy and unclean, allow your ••elves in c〈…〉〈…〉mplative wickedness, be sure the Lord will not know such. * 1.39 You that regard any iniquity, never so little, never so secret in your hearts, believe it, the Lord will not own you, he will not know you, he will not here own you, much less will he when it cometh ••o the judgement. It may be thou mayest soar a higher pitch in

respect of parts, and gifts, and confidence, and pretend to live higher then other men, as many men of higher dispensations, they say now do; but yet as the Eagle, when at the highest pitch, hath a learing eye after her prey below; so have they such a learing eye, a lingering heart after their iniquity, and their mouths water at it, but for shame. O surely, Jesus Christ will never own such, fear and tremble at this word, as many as it con∣cerneth. O how will such souls be filled with amazement, when they made no other reckoning but to come to heaven; if any men in the Countrey should be saved, a man would have thought they should have been the men; they have done much, suffered much, * 1.40 wrought wonders, &c. and yet when all comes to all, the heart was never right with God, and therefore the heart-searching Judge will never own them, never care for them, become of them what * 1.41 will, he will never know their souls.

Secondly, then it may be for a searching word to poor crea∣tures; O be not deceived, God is not mocked, he knoweth a Balaam to be a Balaam, though he profess never so much love to Israel: And O * 1.42 if he would give me a house full of gold and silver, I cannot go be∣yond the Word of the Lord; And O that my latter end might be as his: Yet the Lord can see he is but a wretch for all this: therefore Brethren, I beg of you, that it may be a searching word to us all, Whether ever we have known him, or be known of him; have you * 1.43 ever touched him with the touch of faith, for the pardon of your sins, for the healing of your corruptions? and have you found healing come from him, yea or no? have you known him, the power of his death, the power of his life, and Spirit, yea or no? * 1.44 If you have not the Spirit of Christ, you are none of his, whose ever you be, and he will not own you be sure, Brethren, for his sons, for his friends, to admit you to the feast, except you be his indeed. Ah dear friends, I doubt many of us will be found * 1.45 with the foolish Virgins, following after the creature, resting in somewhat else beside the Lord Jesus. Do not think your crying Lord, Lord, will do it, this you may do, and fall short; did not Judas come with his hail Master, and kiss him, and yet his heart full of treason against him? was this his kindness to Jesus Christ? and do not many of us kiss him, salute him with a kiss of love, and homage or obedience in shew, and yet in our lives deliver him up to be scourged by our loosness of carriage, that there is

no difference between us and other men, open the mouths of the wicked, and this constantly, and without a returning to him, will he own such a soul think you? O how can we be contented to be uncertain in our conditions, lest when all is done, we should be disowned, shut out at that day.

Thirdly, Then Brethren, let us all labour and be exhorted to it, to study to approve our hearts to God, more then to men; a needful lesson to us all, and it will be our wisdom surely; for alas, what if men know us, and own us, and favour us as Saints, and precious people, and Jesus Christ will not know our souls, will this countervail? O Brethren see to it, that your praise be * 1.46 not of men but of God! O how apt we are to be lifted up and cheared if men think well of us! and dejected if we suffer in their breasts, if they disown us, to be cast out of their hearts, would go to our hearts it may be, and we could not be quiet. Alas, what is this to that fearful sentence, I know you not: If Christ disown us, what is it if all the Saints should own us? and if he own us, what should it discourage us, though they none of them own us. O labour to be more inward Christians, and build your comforts upon the sure mercies of David in Jesus Christ. No matter what is the rising way in the world, which is the rising Sun; Look to the mind of Christ, keep a conscience void of of∣fence toward him, and make this your work, to be found in him when all is done, not in your gifts, not in your duties, not in your graces, but in Christ. O such a soul knoweth the Lord Je∣sus, and such a soul is known of him, and shall be known to all eternity.

Fourthly, Here is an encouraging word to poor doubting souls; It may be they are ready to pass this fearful sentence up∣on themselves, sooner then many a wretched hard-hearted hypo∣crite, to whom it properly belongs; No matter man, though thy gifts be not so great as another mans, thou canst do little, or hast not those sweet refreshings and enlargements which another hath; Is thy heart approved to Jesus Christ, canst thou approve thy soul to him, that thou lovest him? as Peter, Lord thou knowest that I love thee; though it may be not so much as other Saints do, nor so much as the great things he hath done for thee call for; yet thou lovest him, and wouldst fain love him more; be of good * 1.47 〈◊〉〈◊〉, for thou art known of him: If any man love God, he is

known of God. A Judas may be an open professor of Christ, and come to him in the day. And a poor Nicodemus at the first, dare but come in the night it may be, and was a very shallow Scholar in Christ's School, which is the discouragement of many a poor soul. And Judas in the mean time a renowned Teacher of others, and yet behold how the one betrayes the Lord Jesus, and the other sticks to him when he was dead, and professeth him openly * 1.48 at such a time as that, when there was most discouragement against it. O therefore, Brethren, though your grace be weak and little at the first, if there be the root of the matter in thee, if thou canst approve thy heart thou lovest him, there is nothing in heaven nor in earth thou wouldest have in comparison of him, though thy infirmities be many, temptations be many, thou art a poor wearied creature, it may be with thine own heart, be of good comfort, the Lord Jesus hath already owned thee, and he will own thee in that day. And me thinks, Brethren, as on the one hand when such bold confident souls, that make no other reckon∣ing but of salvation, but they reckon without Jesus Christ, when they meet with so sad a disappointment; in stead of an admittance, they meet with I know you not: O how will their hearts dye within them! So on the other hand, when a poor, trembling, doubting Thomas, that it may be knoweth not what to think of himself nor his condition, he is searching, and trying, and praying, and fasting, and humbling, & running, and pressing hard forward, and can get little ground of his corruptions, which much discou∣rageth him. O he walks tremblingly, lest he should receive this fearful sentence at the last, that the Lord Jesus knoweth him not, hath never had any thing to do with him; notwithstanding all his profession, sin is in strength, corruption prevails, though it is the bitterness of his soul. O when such a poor doubting crea∣ture that haply many times looks for nothing but a fearful sen∣tence, depart from me, shall have this pronounced, O come thou poor soul, I know thee, I have known thee from the beginning of the world; though thou hast been doubting of my love, yet I know thee; though thou hast been made black with affliction, and thy visage so marr'd, as others knew thee not, refuge failed thee, no man cared for thee, for thy soul, yet I know thee; though thou hast been wounded * 1.49 with many sins, many temptations, and walked under many a dis∣couraged heart, yet I know thee. O how will this be as everlasting

life from eternal death, to such a soul▪ So that the soul shall now have now more place for doubting, the satisfaction shall come with a mandamus, he will speak salvation to the heart, that it cannot refuse it, the desire accomplished is a tree of life, as hope deferred is a sickness of heart, but now where a man could * 1.50 scarce act hope, as it is the case of some poor creatures; O when the Lord shall against their hope, own them, and that to eternity, it will be unspeakably sweet, this will fill them with fulness of joy and glory for evermore.

But so much for this Time and Text.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ier. 17. 9.
• * 1.2

  Psal. 73. 11.
• * 1.3

  Iob 2. 12.
• * 1.4

  Ruth 1. 19.
• * 1.5

  Mat. 25. 21.
• * 1.6

  Rom. 2. 29.
• * 1.7

  Rom. 7. 15.
• * 1.8

  Hos. 8. 4.
• * 1.9

  1 King. 11. 13.
• * 1.10

  1 Cor. 8. 3.
• * 1.11

  Ioh. 14. 21.
• * 1.12

  Amos 3. 2.
• * 1.13

  Exod. 32. 12. & 17.
• * 1.14

  Heb. 12. 6.
• * 1.15

  Mat. 7. 23.
• * 1.16

  Prov. 12. 10. Ioh. 10, 27.
• * 1.17

  Rom. 10. 2. and 3.
• * 1.18

  Psal. 101. 4. 119. 115.
• * 1.19

  Prov. 30. 20.
• * 1.20

  Prov. 30. 12.
• * 1.21

  Psal. 66. 18. 58. 2.
• * 1.22

  Prov. 9. 17.
• * 1.23

  Prov. 26. 23.
• * 1.24

  Isa. 1. 13.
• * 1.25

  Prov. 28. 9.
• * 1.26

  Acts 17. 31.
• * 1.27

  Ioh. 20. 23.
• * 1.28

  Psal. 94. 7.
• * 1.29

  Psal. 50. 21.
• * 1.30

  Ʋse.
• * 1.31

  Hos. 7. 14.
• * 1.32

  Psal. 106. 4.
• * 1.33

  Ezek. 47. 12.
• * 1.34

  Isa. 33. 14.
• * 1.35

  Acts 24. 25.
• * 1.36

  Joh. 18. 6.
• * 1.37

  Acts 7. 32.
• * 1.38

  M••ca. 3. 11.
• * 1.39

  Psal. 66. 18.
• * 1.40

  1 Cor. 13. 2.
• * 1.41

  Mat. 7. 22.
• * 1.42

  1 Cor. 6. 9.
• * 1.43

  Gal. 6. 7.
• * 1.44

  Gal. 4. 9.
• * 1.45

  Rom. 8. 9.
• * 1.46

  Rom. 2. 29.
• * 1.47

  1 Cor. 8. 3.
• * 1.48

  Joh. 19. 39.
• * 1.49

  Psal. 142. 4.
• * 1.50

  Prov. 13. 11. 〈…〉〈…〉9.