FOr coherence, we take our rise no higher then the foregoing verse: There this par­ticular prophesie begins, as in the Text it ends. It bears in title, [...], The burden of Dumah. A short Prophesie, but full of obscurity: S. Hierome styled it so of old, Hieron. in locum. Loca difficilia quae secundùm historiam mi­nime patent. And of late judicious Calvin hath said as much, Calv. in locum, ex quo Junius, Haec Prophetia quò brevior, eò obscurior. Haec Prophetia, quòd brevis sit, obscura est. And no marvell though it be obscure and dark, since (as you see) there is a Night in the Text: And such a Night, that if we call either to the ancient Expositours or the new, in the words of the man of Seir in the foregoing verse, Watchman what of the Night? Watchman what of the Night? Isa. 21.11. they lend us but little light to guide our steps. Yea rather as men benighted and in the dark them­selves, each Interpreter almost wanders a severall way. Quae, Quando, Quibus: What night this is that is here prophesied: When this night was to betide: Lastly, What people they are against whom it is threatned, are still in the dark, still in tenebris, though long disputed. But thus much (which may suffice our turn) is clear, and [Page 2]agreed on all hands; First, for the Quae, What night soe­ver it is, it is Nox atra, a night of horrour and confusi­on, a night of warre and desolation: This redoubled calling to the Watchman implyes no lesse, Virg. Aen. 6. Rebus nox abstulit atra colorem. Secondly, for the Quando, this sad night was Nox propinqua, not farre off, but hard at hand, a coming night, Nox ruit & praeceps coelo devolvitur. Lastly, for the Quibus, the people here concerned, they are Populus in vicinia: So much appears by this inter­course of speech, they are a people within Israels call, a neighbour Nation, in the confines of Judea, and of the seed of Abraham: and therefore here their sad doom is styled, The burden of Dumah. Dumah, if [...] it be put for Idumea (as S. Hieron. in loc. Hierome doth understand it, and indeed the Septuag. [...]. Septuagint do so translate it) then the people here meant are the Idumeans, as the Greeks call them, that is the Edomites, the posterity of Esau: who as for his rednesse he was called [...], rubi­cundus, Gen. 25.24. & 30. Edom, so for his rough­nesse he was called [...], pilo­sus, [...]su [...]us, Gen. 27.11. Seir, the very word in the foregoing verse. There be some of the Rabbines that instead of Pro [...], le­gunt [...], Hieron. Dumah reade it Roma, The burden of Rome, say they, telling us withall that the Romanes are not descended from Pius Aeneas and the Trojan race, but from these very Edomites, and the stock of Esau. I will not war­rant that pedigree, nor indeed allow that reading: But sure I am that the present Church of Rome, though it be the seat of his Holinesse, and talk much of piety, though it hath the voice of Jacob yet their hands are the hands of Esau. Their Roughnesse and their Rednesse, their bloudy persecutions (witnesse this day) do shew to all the world of what house they come. Psal. 137.7. Remember the children of E­dom, O Lord, in the day of Hierusalem; how they said, Down with it, Down with it, even to the ground. But if Dumah here meant be one of the sonnes of Ishmael, as most agree, for Gen. 25.14. amongst Ishmaels sonnes are reckoned up Misma, and Dumah, and Massa; then the people here aimed at in this Dumam ple­tique accipwat Synecdochicè pro Jishmahhe [...]itis abillo Du­ma, enjus fit men [...] Gen. 25.14. J [...]m. in loc. [...], are by a Syn­ecdoche [Page 3]the Ishmaelites, the Hagarens, who have since falsely called themselves the Saracens, that is, the Turks, and those whom we now call Mahumetans.

Were my errand unto you this day concerning either of these two; were the burden of this day in either of these senses the burden of Dumah, threatning or rela­ting a night of misery and desolation to the Edomites or Ishmaelites, to the enemies of the Gospel, whether of old Rome or Constantino­polis olim dicta nov a Roma, Ort. new, whether Papisme or Turcisme; I should bear that burden with more ease, and you might heare it with more alacrity. But, alas beloved! the burden of this day is Onus Aetnâ gravius, it is The burden of Ireland; poore Ireland is the burden of our sad ditty. Not Mahumetans, but Christians; nay not Papists, but Protestants: and therefore their burden is a heavie burden unto us; even Onus Dumah in another sense, The burden of similitude: so the word signifies from [...], saith S. Hierome. Hieron in locum. And surely the burden of Ireland is a bur­den of similitude to us both in regard of the sufferers, and also in regard of the sufferings. First, in regard of the sufferers, is it not a burden of similitude? Are they not our brethren? We and they children of the same father Abraham, and that not by Hagar, but by Sarah; not by the bondwoman, but the free, Hierusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us both. Gal. 4.26. Nay they and we children of the same father Jacob; not Edomites, but Israelites, not rough and bloudy Papists, but peacefull Protestants, true and humble Catholicks. We and they brethren in one God, of the same Religion: brethren in one Prince, of the same subiection under our most Gra­cious Sovereigne: and, for the most part, brethren in the same bloud, of the same extraction: are they not flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bone? Then surely this must make their burden a burden of similitude, even a heavie burden unto us in regard of the sufferers, thus Naturally, Civilly, and Spiritually near and dear unto us.

But this is not all; It is likewise to us Onus Dumah, a [Page 4]burden of similitude in regard of the sufferings. Be not deceived; Whatsoever poore Ireland now suffers in this cause, England hath cause to fear the like, unlesse by Gods great mercy, and our timely repentance, it be pre­vented. Jam proximus ardet Ʋcalegon: Virg. Ireland fla­meth, and is not England scorched? It is not all the wa­ter of the intervening sea can keep that fire from us, so long as the same firebrands are amongst us. The Au­thours and Actours of the Irish Tragedy who are they, but the common enemies of us as well as them, yea of our God and our Religion? Even the Ishmaelites and Edo­mites, the Romish shall I call them, or (for their cruelty) the Turkish Priests and Jesuites. They own it now, nay [...], with open face they proclaim it to the world: It is (say they) for Gods religion, and for the Kings Pre­rogative. Thus they dare to spit their poyson in the face of heaven; to blaspheme the Lord and his Annointed. O ye unhallowed Priests, sacerrimi sacerdotes! Is this your religion? Tantum Relligio potuit suadere malorum? Is this the unbloudy sacrifice you so much talk of? to offer up whole hecatombes of pious souls, by impious hands? To dishonour matrons, To ravish virgins, To dash out the childrens brains before the parents eyes? God blesse my soul from such religion. And, O ye traiterous and re­bellious Loyolists! Is this your loyaltie unto your King? Is this the maintenance of his Prerogative to torture, to murder, to massacre his subjects, to surprize his castles, to fire his Towns, to sack, to ransack, to ruine all? We were wont to say that no poysonous creature could live in Ireland; but now, it seems, no other must. Now behold a generation of vipers, that have even torn the bowels of their mother, laid that poore land weltering in her bloud, and brought a dismall night upon that Church and State; even the night of the Text, a night of horrour and con­fusion, a night of warre, yea of the worst of warres, and desolation.

O that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of Ireland. Jer. 9.1. And therefore are we met this solemne day, yea even all the congregations throughout this Land are met, Ad exequias Hiberniae & parentalia, to celebrate the funeralls of so many thousands of our poore brethren slain and made away in Ireland. If we be backward to send them other succours, yet let us at least afford the succour of our sighs, our groans, our tears: If we forbear timely to relieve the living, let us not forbear to bewail the dead: Or if we have no sense of them, let us not be senselesse of our selves. Here we are gathered together as the Israelites in Bochim (in the valley of tears) to lift up our voyce and weep: Judges 2.4.5. or as they were gathered unto Mizpeh, to draw water and poure it out before the Lord, 1. Sam. 7.6. to fast and to say, We have sinned against the Lord. We should weep for them, but weep not for them onely but our selves withall. England hath Ishmaelites and Edomites at home: I mean not onely the Priests and Jesuites; but our own distempers and di­stractions; our rents and our divisions, for the divisions of Reuben there are great thoughts of heart. Judges 5.15. Lord make up these breaches, and compose our differences, oc­casioned by our sinnes. O these, beloved, are our home­bred Ishmaelites and Edomites, even our sinnes, our sinnes; our open and our secret sinnes; our nationall and our personall sinnes; our common and our particular sinnes; even the sinnes of every mans own heart. We are all ready enough to cry out against the times; and indeed the times are bad: but they are the persons that infect the times; and where is one of a thousand that reflects upon himself, that duly considers what influence his particular hath unto the publick State; and whether his own sinnes help not forward the common wo. Who abates a plea­sure? who crucifies a lust the more? Well, for all our [Page 6]fastings and our prayers, except we turn from these, we cannot expect that God should turn to us, or turn away this dismall night that threatens us. England and Ireland lie at stake this day, and thy soul's ingaged for their redem­ption: be not carelesse then in a businesse of so great im­portance, but Inquire, yea Inquire while thou hast light to see, while it is yet morning, The morning cometh saith the Text. Be not obstinate to go on, but Return, yea Re­turn before it be too late, before it be full night, The mor­ning cometh and also the night. And if I shall prevail with you so farre as to Inquire and to Return; behold I have commission from my Text to invite you all; to invite you all this day to God; to bid you Come, Come with comfort, Come with confidence, Come and welcome. There is not a man amongst us, I presume, but sees him­self in the dark, and the world in a night; he often cries, O that Ireland were restored, and England safe, and my soul secure with God: Come this day and secure thy soul with God, it is the best means that thou canst use for both the other. We are very inquisitive, What news, what news? I do not come to stop your inquiries, but to di­rect them: Inquire on Gods name, but inquire of God; Inquire of whom you should; Inquire of what you should; Ask the question immediately before the Text, Custos, quid de nocte? Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? and behold there is a Watchman in the Text shall answer you, The Watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night; if ye will inquire, inquire; return, come.

In which words we may observe two generalls, The Watchman, and The Watchword: Or if you please Con­cionatorem & Concionem: To save my labour you have a Preacher and a Sermon in the Text. The first generall concerns the Preacher, Who he is, and What he doth. Who he is, His Charge and function: What he doth, his Discharge and execution. 1. For his Charge, he is [...] saith the Originall, Custos saith S. Hierome, a [Page 7]Keeper; Vigil, a Watcher, so saith Junius, and both say well; Nam & custodiendo vigilat, & vigilando custo­dit. He is so a Watcher, that he keeps a continuall watch, and therefore he is called The Watchman. 2. For his Discharge and execution, [...] saith the Hebrew; Di­xit, saith S. Hierome; Dicit, saith Junius; that is by an Hebraisme for Dicet, saith Vatablus: He hath said, saith the one; He doth say, saith the other; He will say, saith a third; and all say true; for he both hath said it, still doth say it, and ever must: while he is [...] he must be [...], while he is a Watchman he must be a Spokes­man, The Watchman said.

That he said we see, What he said we must see, The watchword. If you will have it in a word, in short (as watchwords for the most part are) it is the common watchword of all Gods Watchmen from the beginning of his Church untill this day, Repent. Ad poenitentiam semper hortatus est, & prophetan­do, universorum prophetarum e­misit ora, Tertull. de poen. cap. 2. So all the Pro­phets, praecones poenitentiae, all their prophesies were but so many echoes of this word Repent. So he that was not onely a Prophet but more then a Prophet, John the Ba­ptist, In those dayes came John the Baptist preaching in the wildernesse of Judaea and saying, what? Repent. Matth. 3.1. Nay so not onely all the Watchmen, vigiles, but praefectus vigilum, the great master of the watch Christ Jesus, From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, what? Repent. Matth. 4.17. All true preaching begins, yea and ends in this: Repent is the summe of every Sermon: I am sure it is the summe of our Preachers Sermon in the Text: so that Re­pent is the Text, and the Text the Sermon. A plain Ser­mon consisting of a Doctrine and the Ʋse: The Do­ctrine or monition in these words, The morning cometh and also the night. The best motive to repentance is the consideration of the motion of our time. 'Tis true in the generall, 'tis true of all times, of every Morning and of every Night; but especially of these times in the Text, of this Morning and of this Night: If This Morning co­meth, and also this Night, it is high time to fall to the [Page 8]Practice of Repentance, and that is the second particular, the Ʋse. The Practice of Repentance what is that? why, To Inquire, to Return, to Come. Three exquisitely well ordered steps of true Repentance; first Inquisition, se­condly Conversion, and lastly Accession. He that is per­fectly penitent is Come, even come home to God: but no man can ever come home to God, that doth not first Return from his sinnes: and no man will return from his sinnes that doth not first Inquire into himself and his condition: Therefore saith our heavenly Watchman first Inquire, then Return, then Come, The Watchman said, The morning cometh and also the night; if ye will inquire, inquire, return, come.

THese are the severalls whereon, by Gods assistance, I shall insist, so far as your Honourable patience shall give way: all together do fit the season and the occasion. you have a penitentiall Text in this twofold penitentiall day: The day is not onely a set day of Lent, a yearly fast; but a solemne day appointed by the State, a moneth­ly fast. I trust therefore that it will seem no solecisme (though at Court) upon a double solemne fast, to give you [...] more then the measure of a single Sermon: At least where your patience shall give me over, endure the rest as penance for the day. The Text, just as the day, is full, even full of tears: It is Domus luctûs, an house of mourning, where there are many rooms, but every room you will find to be hung with blacks. It is [...], Repentance Tower against sinne and Satan. Like Davids tower from whence he smote the Philistines: That there is called the tower of the Watch­men; He smote the Philistines from the Tower of the watchmen. 2. Kings 18.8. I am sure that ours is so, God grant that we may smite our enemies from hence. Nay like mount Sion (and [...], saith S. Hierome, Sion Arx Specula interpretatur, Hieron. in Hierem. cap. 6. signifies a Watch-tower too) it is a strong castle consisting of many towers: And therefore now, if you please, we will with David in the 48. Psalme, Psal. 48.11. Walk about Sion, and go round about her, [Page 9]and tell the Towers thereof. But not about her onely, but into her too; even into every Tower. And that we may get in we must make our entrance by the Watch­man, who stands Centinel, you see, even at the very gate of the Text, Custos dixit, The Watchman said: Where the first particular is the consideration of his Charge and Function, The Watchman.

The Watchman who is that? Deus Custos die ac no­cte, saith S. Hierome, Hieron. in locum. on the Text, He maketh this Watchman to be God. And most true it is that God is Custos a Keeper, a Watchman to his Church: Nay Vi­gil, a perfect Watchman, for he doth neither dormire nor dormitare, Behold,he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep; The Lord himself is thy Keeper: Psal. 121.4. An unspeakable comfort to every righteous soul in these times of danger. Was there ever more danger? Are not these S. Pauls very [...], Hard times, so it is in the Ori­ginall: Perilous times, 2. Tim. 8.1. as we translate it. In S. Pauls words in another place, Times full of perils, perils of wa­ters, perils of robbers, perils of our own Country-men, pe­rils of the heathen, perils in the Citie, perils in the wil­dernesse, perils in the sea, perils among false brethren. 2. Cor. 11.26. Why alas what comfort, what securitie can a pious soul have in such time of peril? Surely none (that I know) but this, Deus Custos, The Watchman is the Lord, The Lord himself is thy Keeper, the true Lord Keeper of his Church, and every faithfull member of it. And there­fore as it is in the Psalme, The lying lips shall be put to silence which cruelly, disdainfully, and despitefully speak against the Righteous. Psal. 31.20. But for them, Thou, O Lord, shalt hide them privily by thine own presence, Thou shalt keep them secretly in thy Tabernacle, from the strife of tongues. Thou shalt hide them by thine own presence: 23. O blessed and secure condition! unadvised Jonah, he be­ing troubled flyeth from the presence of the Lord; Jonah 1.3. but in the next verse, he falls into a storm; The Lord sent a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tem­pest. [Page 10]How much better is it, with David in a storm and tempest to flie for shelter into the presence of the Lord? Thou shalt hide them privily by thine own presence. Thou shalt keep them secretly in thy Tabernacle. The Cham­ber of Gods presence in their souls shall be their prote­ction; Gods Tabernacle shall be their Castle; and God himself shall be Custos, the Keeper, the Watchman.

Though this be most true and comfortable, that God is a Watchman; yet, with all reverence to S. Hierome, God (I take it) is neither the onely nor indeed the proper Watchman in the Text. And therefore in the second place, The Watchman, that is Minister Dei, saith Ʋrsine; Ursinus in Comm. Pro­pheta, saith Junius on the place, Jun [...]us in Notis. qui se custodem esse gloriatur & excubare pro salute populi, judiciáque Dei explorare. The Prophets, the Ministers of Gods Word and Sacraments, are Gods Watchmen in his Church, who are there set by him to watch over the peoples souls as they that must give account; Heb. 13.17. and timely to blow their trumpet, Ezek. 33.31. to descrie and discover Gods approaching wrath and judgements for the peoples sinnes. These are the pro­per Watchmen of the Text; not excluding God; for he, as you have heard, is Custos, nay Custos custodum, The Watchmens Watchman, Qui custodit ipsos custodes, He keepeth the Keepers; [...], saith S. Peter, 1. Pet. 5.4. The chief Shepherd, that is, the Shepherd of Shepherds; Cu­rat oves, oviúmque magistros; He feeds the shepherds and their flocks too; he watcheth both over the Watch­man and the Citie too. And it is well it is so, for Except the Lord keep the Citie, the Watchman watcheth but in vain. Psal. 127.2. But under God it is the Watchmans proper charge to watch; and no man must serve in that charge, but who is there set by God; either immediately by him­self, in extraordinary cases; so God set Ezekiel, Sonne of man, I have made thee a Watchman unto the house of Israel: Ezek. 3.17. Or mediately, in a settled and ordinary way, by men authorised thereto from God; as here at the sixth verse, Thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go set a Watch­man. Isaiah 21.6. [Page 11]The Apostles themselves were set as Watchmen immediately by God: And by authoritie from God, they with their own hands [...] set their successours to be Watchmen after them; that they should still lampada tradere, orderly succeed in the severall watches of the night, untill the morning of the resurrection, the great day, the day of the Lord: and so as it were from hand to hand continue a successive watch by imposition of hands. And blessed be God, that so it is still in this our Church. Let therefore no bold and common person without a cal­ling, dare to profane the ministerie of Gods holy ordi­nances; O let them not dare to sit in Moses chair, nor lay hands upon the Ark of Aaron. For Lay-men to teach and instruct their families at home, in the fundamentall grounds of pietie and Religion, such as they understand, God forbid I should open my mouth against it; nay let my mouth be for ever shut, when it shall not be ready to open it self in approbation of it, and exhortation to it. Ʋnusquisque paterfamilias est minister Christi, & erga suos Ecclesiasticus; & quodammodo Episcopale officium implere debet: Aug. in Psal. 50. Quomodo per­tinet in Ecclesia loqui vobis, sic ad vos pertinet in domibus ve­stris agere, &c. S. Augustine. Every man in this case is a Minister, nay if you will a Bishop, so he keep his Diocesse. But for the publick charge, the Pulpit, that is the chair of Moses: let Nadab and Abihu then take heed how they approach unto it; there to offer up the strange fire of their preposterous zeal, lest fire come down from heaven, and so devoure them. Lev. 10.2. The supper of the Lord is the Ark of the Covenant, committed to the charge of Aaron and his sonnes: let then no over-officious Uzzah dare to put forth his unhallowed hand and touch it, no, though hap­pily he intendeth no harm, though he think onely to hold it when the oxen shake it; 2. Sam. 6.6. Lest the anger of the Lord be kindled against Ʋzzah, and God smite him that he die before the Ark. O then as we love our souls, let us learn to know our selves, and know our charges: Let no man take this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God as Aaron was. Heb. 5.4. Are all Apostles? are all Pro­phets? 1. Cor. 12.29 [Page 12] are all Teachers? It is a known and admirable Climax of the Apostles: How then shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed? And how shall they be­lieve in him, of whom they have not heard? And how shall they heare without a Preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent? Rom. 10.14. God is my witnesse, I speak not this out of any spirit of pride, or contempt of the persons or gifts of others, be they never so mean; much lesse out of any spirit of envie at their parts, be they never so great. I can say (I trust) with Moses and in the spirit of Moses, that is in the spirit of meeknesse, Would God that all the Lords people were prophets; and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them. Numb. 11.29. But we must give God leave to be the Orderer of his own Ordinances; who being the God of order, 1. Cor. 14.33. [...]. will doubtlesse revenge the con­temptuous breach of order. And we must take leave to call upon men to keep their callings, Not to touch the mount lest they die. Exod. 19.12. Quam quisque norit artem: In the fear of God, let every man hold him to his trade. Né sutor ultra crepidam: Let not a taylour instead of a gar­ment cut out a Text; and it may be with some stolen shreds patch up a Sermon. Let him not mistake the Lords Board for a shopboard. No, let not every man as he list venter to be a Watchman, or meddle with the Watch­mans charge. Surely if this be suffered, we shall all suffer; God will never take it at our hands. He quarrelled once that the meanest or lowest of the people were made Priests by Jeroboam, 1 Kings 12.31. though the truth is that service was onely for calves, at the best but golden calves: what is it then for the meanest of the people to make themselves mini­sters of God? Nay, not themselves neither: Ministers of God they will be, yet neither so made by God nor man: It is easie then to guesse from whence they come, and by what spirit they are led. These are not Vigiles but Noctambulones: These are disturbers of the Watch, not Watchmen: These are not led by the spirit, but scared with sprites. Like Acts 19.13,14. the seven sonnes of one Sceva a vaga­bond [Page 13]Jew, that without commission would needs conjure out evil spirits in the name of Jesus. Such there are still amongst us of a vagabond and Jewish brood. Seven sonnes; I am sory that generation was so fruitfull. It may be the superstitious Jews thought the seventh sonne at least would do miracles, and cast out Devils: But you know what happened, The evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know, sed qui vos? but who are ye? and the man in whom the spirit was leaped upon them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them. Acts 19.15. Jesus I know, and Paul I know: Heb. 5.5. Acts 9.4. Jesus was called of his Father; and Paul of Jesus; both these had their war­rantable callings, you see the devil himself could not de­nie it. Sed qui vos? Who are ye? ye that have no calling; ye that pretend the spirit of Jesus against the ordinance of Jesus. O take heed lest the evil spirit, which you would seem to cast out, do not ipso facto, even by this very means, enter into you, overcome you, and prevail against you. Our Watchman here, as you may be assured from the president in this chapter at the 5. verse, hath a good commission for his charge; even a commission to the same which we lay claim to; Prepare a table, Watch in the Watch-tower. Isa. 21.5. The Pulpit, that is our Watch-tower; The Lords Supper, that is our Table; The officiating at these is ours, and we lay claim to it; procul, procul este profa­ni. For others, quoad hoc, hands off. If they will still presumptuously rush upon God, and his holy ordinances; If they (which I beseech God to stop, I say if they) with­out a warrant will still prepare the Table, and watch in the Watch-tower, I must go on with the rest of that verse, Arise ye Princes, and anoint the shield. Isa. 21.5. Let law­full authoritie force them to the obedience of the law of Christ. This is the Watchmans charge, For thus saith the Lord, Go set a Watchman. Isa. 21.6. But then what follows? Let him declare what he seeth. The Watchman that is set, he must declare; and so doth our Watchman in the Text. He was a Watchman, that was his Charge; But [Page 14] The Watchman said, Custos dixit, That is his Dis­charge, and our second particular.

His Discharge, Dixit, He said; So he Doth; and so he ought to do. Go set a Watchman, saith the Lord, and let him declare what he seeth. So then to make up this full discharge, The Watchman must see, He must declare, and He must declare what he seeth, and all is implyed in this He said. He must See, Away then with all blind, igno­rant, and unlearned Watchmen that cannot see. He must Declare, Away then with all dumbe, idle, and slothfull Watchmen that will not say. He must Declare what he sees, Away then with all false, all flattering, and treache­rous Watchmen, that see one thing, but say another.

Our Watchman must first see, or else (the truth is) he cannot say: He is a madman that trusts a blind man to be a watchman. A minister of Christ must not be ignorant of the mysteries of Christ; nor of those Arts and Sciences, of those tongues and languages that are now required thereunto. If the blind lead the blind, you know what becomes of both. The Prophets were of old called Seers, and speculatores, [...]; 1. Sam. 9.9. Then they must [...], yea and (as their place may be) [...]; not onely See, but Oversee, that is rule and govern. It is required there should be an order even among the Watchmen, or else the Watchmen will soon be out of order. Jer. 37.13. we find a Captain of the Watch; Jer. 37.13. and [...], the Captain of the Temple, Acts 4.1. that is, of the watch of the Tem­ple, as appears by S. Matthew. Matth. 17.65. And this Captain and his watch had their Watch-tower too, even Turrem Antoni­am, Joseph. antiq. 18.16. the Turret next the Temple, where the robes of the High Priest were kept, which was called the Tower of Anthony. And in the fettled government of Gods Church, both before and ever since our Saviours and his Apostles times, in the time of the Law and the Gospel, it cannot be denied but as there was a Watch, so in that Watch there was an order: Priests and chief Priests, [...] & [...]. The Bishops chait it is [...], the Watchmans [Page 15]Tower, Specula [...]. First, a Tower for strength a­gainst the adversary. Who, that pretends to learning, dare gainsay that in all former ages the famous Bishops have been the bulwarks of the Church of God; blessed Mar­tyrs, holy Confessours, and the profoundest Doctours. Witnesse their lasting monuments which shall outlive both time and envie. Ideo altior lo­cus positus est E­piscopis, ut ipsi superintendant & tanquam cu­stodiant popu­lum, Aug. in Psal. 126. Secondly, a Tower for eminency. It is most requisite that he who must see farre, should be placed high; the advantage of the place doth help the sight. God hath set the eyes which are, saith the Ora­tour, tanquam speculatores in corpore, Cicero lib. 2. de natura Deor. the bodies watch­men, not in the feet or any of the lower members, but in the head, in capite tanquam in Capitolio, in the Turret of the head. Qui Ecclesiae praesides corporis Christies ocu­lus, saith Origen. Hom. 7. in Jos. Since then the Bishop is the Churches eye, we may well afford him the eminency and honour of his chair. Yea, and a correspondency of means withall: since he is in a speciall manner to Watch; Let me use still the words of the Prophet, Prepare a Table that he may watch in the watch-tower. I saiah 21.5. Since he must watch, you must not make him fast too; take away his means: that would be too much; this is to make him not stand as a Watchman, but to lie perdieu. No; prepare a table, and then on Gods name let him watch in the watch tower, that is, not onely see but say: The second branch.

That is Preach: For I would not be mistaken: I con­fesse I reverence the Order, for the Antiquity, Universali­tie, and (where it is rightly ordered) the great Conve­niency of it; but I come no Advocate for pompous igno­rance, or learned silence. This particular prophesie, in the verse before the Text, is called (ye know) The burden of Dumah, and Dumah from [...], (from whence perhaps our English dumbe doth come) is silentium, silence. Duma vel simili­tudinem vel si­lentium sonat, Hieron. in locum. Du­mah interpretatur silentium, saith S. Bernard; then surely to an idle silence (wheresoever it is found) there doth be­long a burden, a heavy judgement is threatned from the mouth of God. Neither our Watchmans seeing nor his [Page 16]overseeing must stop his saying. Let the Watchman have his Watch-tower; but let not that tower be so high that his voice may not be heard below; Prepare him a table, but let not his table be made a snare unto him, to stop his breath. God as he hath placed the eyes in the head, so the tongue too. The Bishops chair is not a chair of state or chair of ease. S. Pauls [...] 1. Tim. 3.2. must be [...]; His chair is then Cathedra doctoralis, it is the chair of Moses; and thence they are to teach and preach, even by their ex­ample to encourage preachers, to preach up preaching. Praedicatio praecipuum munus Episcoporum, The very Councel of Trent determines it; Sess 5.10.2. Preaching is the chiefest flower in the Bishops garden. An unpreaching Bishop is an Idole in the Church, That hath eyes and sees not; at least, he hath a mouth and speaks not. It was a fearfull complaint, that of S. Gregory of his times, Ad exteri­ora negotia delapsi sumus, & aliud ex honore suscipimus, atque aliud ex officio actionis exhibemus. Ministerium praedicationis relinquimus, & ad poenam nostram ut video Episcopi vocamur, qui honoris nomen, non virtutis tene­mus. Greg. Hom. 17. in Ev [...]ng. I will not english it. But if we stop our mouths, it is no marvell if the people open theirs. When the watchmen were asleep (you know the story) Anseres clangore & alarum crepi­tu M. Manlium excitarunt. Liv. Dec. 1. lib. 5. etiam stri­derunt anseres, the geese once gagled to save the Capitol. The onely way to stop their clamours, is to use our own. Clama, nè cesses; Cry aloud and spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet. Isaiah 58.1. This voice will drown their cries: It is not all the learning in thy brain will do it, Scire tuum ni­hil est. Pers. It must be thy learning in thy tongue, The Lord hath given me the Tongue of the learned. Isaiah 50.4. It is the Priests lips, and not his head, that must preserve knowledge, and the people seek the Law at his mouth. Mal. 2.7. Good Zachary in­deed though a Priest was dumbe; Luke 1.22. but when his tongue could not, his pen did speak; He made signes for his wri­ting-tables. Luke 1.62,63. In that case his pen may be his tongue, but otherwise his tongue, like Davids, must be his pen; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. Psal. 45.2. They say in the fa­ble [Page 17]that when Argus was set a watch to Io, Mercury the feigned Deity of eloquence did charm him: Ovid. Our Watch­man must have the eyes of Argus, saith Hector Pintus, In Isai [...]. and the tongue of Mercury. He must open the doore of utterance by the key of knowledge; He must both see, and say, yea and say what he seeth. That is the third branch.

Otherwise he is but a treacherous Watchman, a false and lying Prophet. A Prophet, a true Minister of the Gospel (whatsoever the world now thinketh) is an Angel of light, an Herauld of heaven, an Embassadour of God. Especially an ancient and Reverend Father of the Church; he is the head, The ancient and honourable he is the head. Isaiah 9 15. But on the contrary, a lying, a flattering and seducing Prophet, he is the tayl, The Prophet that telleth lyes he is the tayl: (what more base?) Metaphora à canibus & serpentibus ducta; qui caudâ blandientes sensim illabun­tur & venenum evomunt. Cor. in locum. O take heed of these, the poyson of asps is under their lips, and the sting of death is in their tayls. These leaders of the people cause them to erre; and they that are led of them are destroyed. Isaiah 9.16. Such are Romes Scouts, their Emissaries, their Spies, even treacherous Watchmen; who hold out false fires to poore straying souls, and give false alarums to frighted consci­ences. You know who it is that is a lying spirit in the mouth of the Prophets. 2. Chron. 18.21. As for us, we have our light too and our alarum, even Gods word and the true preaching of that word: We have also a more sure word of prophe­sie, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place. 2. Pet. 1.19. But with the word must go the alarum. The faithfull Belman, the walking Watch­man of the night, commonly is furnished not onely with his lantern, but his bell: A Minister of Gods Church, he must have his lantern; Not one borrowed from Faux, not Romes lantern, not a dark one, the lantern of hu­mane Traditions, by which they can turn the light of Do­ctrine which way they please; no Judas lantern John 18.3. to betray [Page 18]Gods truth; but Davids lantern, the written word of God: Thy word (saith David) is a lantern unto my feet, and a light unto my paths. But as he must have Davids lantern, so he must have Aarons bells. We hardly think a Churchman possessed till he have rung his bells: That is but a supposed Ceremonie at his entrance; but the ring­ing of this bell, the constant and faithfull preaching of the true word of God, is the main substance of our per­formance. By this he rings all in; he rings the truth of Christ into the peoples eares and hearts; he rings both himself and all his auditours into heaven. Take heed to thy self, and to thy doctrine; continue in them; for in do­ing this thou shalt save thy self, and them that heare thee. 1. Tim. 4.16. Blessed are those watchmen whom the Lord when he cometh shall find thus watching. If he shall come in the second watch or in the third watch, blessed are those servants. Luke 12.37,38. And such we may suppose was the Watchman of the Text, a seeing, saying, faithfull Watchman. As it seemeth, he did not onely vigilare, but excubias agere, he kept both watch and ward; like Jacob, he watched his flock both day and night. Gen. 31.40. The Watchword doth import no lesse: Here are tidings of the Morning, and tidings of the Night; The morning cometh and also the night. Like the vigilant and spritefull cock (the native watch­man of the house) he no sooner perceiveth the morning dawn, but falls a crowing. Nay, like S. Peters cock, Matth. 26.75. he croweth, and crieth for our repentant tears; To Inquire, to Return, to Come; That is the note; The Watchman said, The morning cometh and also the night: If ye will inquire, inquire; Return, Come.

And now it is high time to dismisse our Watchman, and our first generall with him. The second followeth, and that is the Watchword, all tending to repentance, but it is partly Monitory, and partly Directory. VVe begin with the first, the Doctrine or Monition, Venit mane, The Morning cometh and also the Night.

Which in a twofold sense gives us a twofold motive to [Page 19]Repentance. VVe may take the words Naturally and Morally. Naturally, The Morning cometh and also the Night; that is, our time is fleeting, and our whole life is fading, the Morning of our life doth passe, our Night of death draweth on, therefore Repent. Secondly Mo­rally, The Morning of prosperity and of Gods mercies, that comes; The Night of adversitie and Gods temporall judgements, that cometh. Since therefore we are thus summoned both by the voice of Mercy, and the voice of Judgement, therefore Repent.

First Naturally, Repent, because our time passeth, our life fadeth, and our death approacheth. Our Saviour said it of himself, I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day, the Night cometh when no man can work. John 9.4. While it is day, that is, [...], saith S. Chry­sostome, Chrysost. in locum. while life doth last; Quamdin vita suppetit, Dies est, post mortem Nox: Bar. Our life is a Day, and our death a Night; a long night after a short winters day. If we neglect to work this Day, what followeth? Nox est perpetua una dormienda; Catul. a dismall and an eternall night. We fool away our time, (God knows) our pre­tious time either in not working, or in not working the works of him that sent us; in works of vanitie, works of curiositie, nay works of iniquitie. A Heathen could com­plain of this, Magna pars vitae elabitur malè agentibus; maxima, nihil agentibus; tota, aliud agentibus. Senec, ep. 1. ad Lucil. But we Christians practice it. How many of us spend the choice of our dear time in trickings and trimmings, in tirings and dressings? Dum moliuntur, dum comuntur annus est. Tere [...]. I dare say the morning is gone before many of us know it is come; at least by any serious work that we have done therein. And be there not that spend their Nights in revellings and riotings? O little do they think of that approaching night of death; that serious thought would damp their sport and spoil their play. How many are there of us that can spend an age in courting of some fair face, some beauty of the times, and think of no other [Page 20]heaven then the fruition of our Mistris favour; and her smile the onely vision beatificall. Why alas, vain man, death is courting that face as well as thou; and oftentimes he proves the more successefull, or at least the more re­vengefull rivall. In the heat of all thy pursuit, he either takes her from thee, or thee from her, and sends ye to an­other world, there to embrace; but what? eternall flames. Again, he saith it in the Comedie, Sic vita est hominum ac si ludas tesseris, Terent. The life of man is even as a game at Chesse or Tables. Many of us indeed make it so without a trope or figure. We spend our life, whole dayes and nights, even our best houres, at Cards, or Tables, or some such idle exercise; We sit down to eat and to drink, and rise up to play. Exod. 32.6. There is the model of our Gallants life; the summa totalis of his time laid out. I do not say that all games or playing are in themselves unlawfull. No, but this I say, At the best they are no otherwise lawfull then as recreations; to which he hath no right which hath not first seriously imployed himself in his Vocation: He hath no right to play, that doth refuse to work. In what condition then are they who scorn the very name of a Vo­cation? no, they would have you know, they are better born then so, to follow a Vocation and be bound to work. They have no other businesse but to enjoy their pleasure, [...]. 2. Tim. 3 4. Was this the end that God sent thee forth into the world? Doth God imploy us here as Claudius did his souldiers to gather cockles? Or will it be our last account, How many games we have played, or sets we have wonne? Wonne? There will appear but little winning then, I fear. He that in such sad times as these hath lost an houre at play, though haply he hath wonne a pound, nay hundreds of pounds, may put all his winnings in his eye; and so he must, and weep them out. Would we spend our time thus, if we knew our time to be so short, and our work so serious as Repentance is? Dies brevis, opus multum, opera­ [...] pigri, Rabbi Simeon. That is the work of him that sent us. Tertullian said it of himself, Tertul. lib. de poen. I say it of us all, Omnium notarum peccatores, [Page 21]nec ullae rei quàm poenitentiae nati sumus. We are born for this, and onely this. Plin. lib. 7. cap. 1. We come into the world with tears; though our tongues cannot speak, yet our eyes soon tell our errand. But we no sooner grow up to that which we miscall yeares of discretion, but (like Idiots) we presently forget the errand for which we are sent. No, it is true our lives are short; I know nothing shorter, but one, and that is our wits and memories. Ars longa, vita brevis, said Theophrastus: Theophrast. Give me leave to say, Vita brevis est ars longa: It is one of the hardest les­sons, and we are longest in learning it, To know that our lives are short. Every man almost would be a Macrobi­us, and flatters himself with the hopes of a long life. Why man, thy life (at most) is but a day. Be it so: Yet, be there not twelve houres in the day? at least, quatuor insigniores horae, as Tertullian calls them, Tertull. de jejun. cap. 10. specially men­tioned in the Gospel. There is, saith Origen, Orig. hem. 10. in Matth. Hora pueri­tiae, adolescentiae, virilis aetatis, & senectutis: A twy­light of childhood, a morning of youth, a noon of perfect age, and an afternoon of old age. All this before a night of Death: then time enough to repent. Yes; but when? Wilt thou begin in thy childhood? What? put a child un­to so harsh a master, to repentance school? [...], That age was made for sport, and not for work; gestit paribus colludere. Horat. Well, youth is come, shall repentance be welcome now? By no means; Re­joyce O young man in thy youth, &c. Eccles 11.9. Now let us fill our selves with costly wine and ointments; Let no flower of the spring passe by us; Let us crown our selves with rose buds before they be withered: Wisd. 2 7,8. And take our fill of love. Prov. 7.18. Shall I poyson the sweet flower of my youth with that bitter herb of grace, Repentance? No, away Repen­tance; Thou comest to torment me before my time. By this time thou art become a man, what sayest thou to Repentance yet? Quin importuna abi poenitentia; Un­mannerly Repentance; I never had more businesse in my life; Horat. de art [...]. Aetas animúsque virilis Quaerit opes & amici­tias, [Page 22]inservit honori. My head is wholly taken up with affairs of State; I am raising a family; I am contriving to get into some great Office either in Church or State. When I have got that, it may be I shall have more leisure, but certainly more cause to repent. Therefore, good Repentance, spare me for a while, Go thy way for this time, when I have a convenient season I will call for thee. Come to me somewhat about my Old age. Nay Old age it self will not be old enough, Nemo tam senex, saith the Oratour; Age hopes for an Evening even after an Afternoon. Thus we post off Repentance from day to day, from Age to Age, as if it were fit onely for our dotage. Well, I will not say that Repentance then is ei­ther impossible or unacceptable. But this I'le say, he is stark mad that trusts to that. O it is the most Incongru­ous, most Difficult, most Hazardous thing in all the world. Most incongruous: What? sing matins to the devil, and even-song to God? Hast thou nothing for him but the fag end of a life, the dregges of Age? Most Difficult: Dost thou think that thou wilt be fit to turn to God, when thou canst scarcely turn thee in thy bed? and that sinne and Satan, the sole companions of thy life, will shake hands with thee when thou art shaking hands with the world? But above all it is most hazardous. Fond men that we are, we talk of a noon, an afternoon, yea and an evening too; but my Text hath onely a morn­ing and a night, to teach us not onely the shortnesse, but withall the uncertaintie of life. Thou hast a Morning now; how soon mayest thou be overtaken with a Stulte hâc nocte. God hath not warranted thee a noon of life, much lesse a noon of Grace. O then take heed lest thou that neglectest this morning, beest not surprised by night. Be thy age what it will, haec hora est tua, Mart. this houre is thy morning, Gallicinium: When this Gospel sounds the cock doth crow; the next houre for ought thou know­est may be Conticinium, the dead of night; and thou heare no other musick but the scrichowls note. Lord [Page 23]teach us therefore so to number our dayes, that we may ap­ply our hearts to wisdome: Psal. 90.12. And our wisdome is not [...], but [...], it is not Providence, but Repentance. Let us therefore repent, for our life passeth, our death ap­proacheth; The Morning cometh and also the Night: That is the first motive from the words taken Naturally.

Secondly, Morally. The Morning of Prosperitie and of Gods mercie, that comes: The Night of Adver­sitie and of Gods temporall judgements, that comes; Therefore Repent. Per MANE praesentis vitae prosperit as designatur, saith S. Gregorie. Moral. 16. cap. 27. In prosperis & in adversis, hoc est in die ac no­cte. Hieron in locum. Every of Gods severall blessings which he bestows on any of us in this life, as Health, or Wealth, or Peace, or the enjoyment of his Word and Ordinances, they are a kind of Morning to a Christian: They bring light to his eyes, heat to his heart, they help to chear his spirits and to warm his bloud; Heavinesse may endure for a night, but joy co­meth in the morning. Psal. 30.5. Yet the truth is, there is none, no not all of these are more then a Morning: no blessing of this life can shine forth unto a perfect day; their light is never full, and often changing, ever in danger of a night. No, the perfect day is onely the blisse of heaven; Lux haec perpetua est, & sine nocte dies. All the best dayes of this life put together make but a Christians morning. Yet there is none of these morning rayes but should cause rorem matutinum, a morning dew upon our souls. Look how the lowly earth, when the early sunne salutes it first, sends forth her vapours and exhalations towards heaven; as it were in a due acknowledgement of her own base­nesse in her self, and in a reall thankfulnesse for those rayes of light: just so the humble soul, when it considers the undeserved blessings and mercies, of what kind soever, that God vouchsafeth unto it, cannot forbear to send forth some sighs and groans towards heaven. Lord I am a sin­full and a wretched creature, I was born in sinne and still live in it; as thou hast added dayes unto my life, so have I each day added sinnes to sinnes; and yet behold [Page 24]thou still dost visit me, even every morning, with thy lo­ving kindnesse. O adde this blessing to all the rest, give me an heart truly sensible of thy goodnesse, and my own unworthinesse; O let me spend my self in heavenly sighs and groans; O let thy grace bedew my soul; O let me melt into repentant tears; O let me live no longer in the fog of my old sinnes. The night is farre spent, the day is come, let us walk therefore as children of the light. 1. Thess. 5.5. God in this morning hath sent thee a ray of health, thou hast an able bodie, a firm and chearfull constitution: take heed thou dost not abuse that health to riot and intemperance, to surfeting and drunkennesse, to lust and lasciviousnesse; if thou dost, thou cloudest thy morning. God in this morning hath sent unto another a ray of wealth, thou hast riches in abundance: O then abuse not thy wealth to pride and vanitie, to avarice or worldlinesse; if thou dost, thou cloudest thy morning. God in this morning hath sent to others a ray of peace, they sit with quiet under their own vine and figtree: O then abuse not this peace to idlenesse and security, be not senselesse of thy poore bre­threns misery. Wo be to them that lie upon their beds of Ivorie, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; That chaunt to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick; That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments; but they are not grieved for the affli­ction of Joseph. Amos 6.4. What is this but to cloud thy morning? Above all, God sends unto us the sunshine of his Gospel, the light of his heavenly truth: O let us not shut our eyes against that light, and turn our backs upon it; O let us not loath our manna, and look back to Egypt; when light is come into the world, let us not love darknesse more then light: Heredian. lib. 4. Plato 10. de Leg. But as the Persians, Parthians, and other heathens were wont every morning to adore the Sunne: so let us look to our God through every severall bles­sing; every morning salute the sunne of Righteousnesse: [Page 25] [...], Rhodiginus lib. 15. the Grecians were wont to say at every ap­proach of light; then let every ray of Gods gracious light, every blessing direct thine eyes upward, even to the Father of lights, from whom comes every good and per­fect gift. James 1.17. Especially those whom God hath encompassed with his blessings; especially that Nation which above all others under heaven hath enjoyed health, and wealth, and peace, and truth, and all together; those to whom God hath given both the dew of heaven, and the fatnesse of the earth, the blessings of the right hand, and of the left too. When Gods countenance shines not onely on our souls, but even on our bodies and our estates withall; O surely this is a pleasant Morning; When the light of Gods favour does not onely appear bright in heaven, but even gilds our very earth; When with the Gospel we enjoy all besides; VVhen, as the voice of the turtle is heard in our land, Cant. 2.12. so the voice of joy and health is in our dwellings; Cùm prata rident, When our valleys do stand so thick with corn, that they even laugh and sing; Psal. 118.15. Cùm ipsa suas mirantur Gargara messes; Virg. when our garners be full and plenteous with all manner of store; when our sheep bring forth thousands, and ten thousands in our streets; when our oxen be strong to labour, and there is no decay, no leading into captivitie, and no complaining in our streets; Psal. 144.13. O this surely is a gladsome Morning; Jane clarum mane fenestras Intrat & angustas extendit lumine rimas. Stertimus? Pers. Sat. 3. O me thinks this Morning should invite even a drowsie soul to rise; to arise in thankfulnesse toward heaven. When our God appears to us, not as the Poets Jupiter to Semele, Ovid. but as to Danae; not in a crack of thunder, but in a showre of gold: when God speaks to us, not out of a whirlwind, as to Job of old, Job 38.1. and to our neighbour Countreys now of late; but as to Eliah, in a still small voyce; 1. Kings 19.12. VVhat is all this, but a sweet wooing of us to Repentance? Suidas tells us that when the morning rayes, when the beams of the rising sunne in the morning lighted upon Memnons statue, cut out of [Page 26]stone in Egypt, the very stone did speak, [...] Suidas. and lest we should take it for a fable, Tacitus affirms as much, Memnonis saxea effigies ubi radiis solis icta fuerit vocalem sonum reddit; Tacit. Annal. 2. there be that adde, that this voyce was both a melodious and a dolefull voice, neseio quid sonabat lacry­mabile. Nat. Com. Myth. 6. What though our hearts be hard? yea, hard as stone, corda lapidea, Ezek. 11.19. the Prophet called them so, harder then the nether milstone; Job 41.24. yet me thinks if there be any thing of Memnons statue, of Christs image engraven on them, this morning-light, the light of Gods countenance, the rayes of so many blessings, which in our Halcyon dayes he hath heaped upon us, should even make these stones to speak, to answer him, aut nescio quid sonare lacrymabile, at least, for our not answering, to mourn in sighs, and melt into repentant tears. Good David his heart even melted within him; yea, there was a heart of wax, My heart in the midst of my body is even like melting wax. Psal. 22.14. That is a sweet temper of a heart, when it melts in the sunshine of Gods favours. But what then is that heart that is hardned by them? O surely those are corda lutea, ex meliore, shall I say? or ex duriore luto. It is durt, it is durt that hardens in the sunne. And to be obdurate notwithstanding so many mercies, is impeni­tence died in ingratitude, a sinne in grain. What is this but to despise the riches of Gods goodnesse, and forbea­rance, and long-suffering; not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance. Rom. 2.4. But if thou wilt not lead, God will try if thou wilt drive; Ducunt volentem futa, nolentem trahunt: Sen. Trag. God hath not a Morning one­ly but a Night also; The Morning cometh and also the Night.

The Night of Adversitie, the Night of Judgements. For God, as in the midst of judgement he remembers mercy, so at the end of mercy he remembers judgement. If by the extending of the golden sceptre of his mercy, he cannot reclaim us; then he summons as with his [Page 27] Black rod, the Night of judgements and afflictions. It was ingratitude not to listen to the musick of his mercy; but it is open defiance to stand one against the thunder of his judgements. What is that but [...], giant-like to bid battel to the God of heaven? In what case are they then that outface both? Yet such there be. Thus God sent Moses with a message, and withall Aaron with a rod to Egypt; and if Pharaoh do still stand out, he turns that rod into a serpent. If his message take not place, God often sends his rod; not onely to his open ene­mies, but to his disobedient children; not onely unto E­gypt, but to Israel. If Israel break my statutes and keep not my commandments, then will I visit their transgressi­ons with a rod, and their sinne with scourges. Psal. 89.31. And the Prophet Jeremy speaks it of himself, I am the man that have seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. Lam. 3.1. And that rod, it seems, was the black rod too, for so it follows, He hath led me, and brought me into darknesse, and not into light. Lam. 3.2. There be that think that the same rod which God imployed in Egypt, he afterwards used in Israel: Rabbi Simeon apud Galat. 1.6. and that it is the same rod which is sometimes called in Scripture the rod of Moses, sometimes the rod of Aaron, some­times, and most properly, the rod of God. But sure I am if they be divers (whatsoever is become of the rod of Aaron, or of the rod of Moses) the rod of God is not yet lost. For the rod of Aaron the Apostle tells us that it was laid up in the Ark of the Covenant. Heb. 9 4. I know that place is much disputed by reason that we reade in the Kings, That there was nothing in the Ark save the two tables of stone. 1. Kings 8.9. How was the rod in the Ark, when there was nothing in the Ark but the tables? Not to trou­ble you with the conjectures of others, I conceive that the Apostles [...], In which, relating to the Ark, (not to the Tabernacle, as Ribera thinks) is as much as [...], toge­ther with the Ark; or if you will, [...], close or near unto the Ark: So the Hebrew [...] is sometimes ta­ken as well for that which is near about, as for that which [Page 28]is properly within. The rod of Aaron then might be said to be in the Ark, as being near unto the Ark. And so the truth is, that in the Tabernacle or Sanctum Sanctorum there was placed the Ark of the Covenant, in which was the Tables, over which was the Oracle and the Mercy-seat, and before it, or near unto it, was the rod of Aaron. Maimonid. tom. 3. in Bethhabchi­rah, cap. 4. For the rod of Moses, Baronius Baron. in anno 1008. tells us out of one Gla­ber, that in the yeare 1008, part of that rod was miracu­lously found in a citie of France; and that great multi­tudes, not onely of the French, but out of Italy and other Nations came to see it. I confesse this sounds loud of a legend, with which stuff those vast volumes are extremely furnished. But for certain, the rod of God is still forth­coming; God hath laid up his rod safe, even in his Ta­bernacle, in his Sanctum Sanctorum, not far from the Ark, the Oracle, and the Mercy-seat: both France, and Italy, yea and England, and poore Ireland too have seen this rod, yea and felt it now of late. If any people, though formerly never so dear unto God, begin once openly to break his Covenant, to despise his Oracles, to neglect his Mercy-seat; then let them know, that near unto the Ark of the Covenant, the Oracle, and the Mercy-seat, God still hath his rod, even the rod of Egypt. God hath given unto a Nation the blessing of Health, Clementiam coeli, salubritatem soli; Regio quocun (que) anni tempore temperatissima, Ortel. de Anglia. A great blessing, a fair Morning! But if that Nation do abuse that health, either to riot and ex­cesse; or else to lust and uncleannesse; If they be mighty to drink wine, & men of strength to mingle strong drink; Isa. 5.22. If when they are fed to the full they commit adultery; and assemble themselves by troups in the harlots houses; If, as fed horses in the morning, every one neighs after his neighbours wife: Jer. 5.7,8. then Cedo virgam, saith God, give me my rod of Egypt, I will stretch out my hand and smite that people with blains and botches, with the pox and purples, yea with the plague and pestilence. And was not this lately even our own case? or are we yet quite free? Be­hold your Morning turned into a dismal Night, the night of sicknesse.

[Page 29]God hath given a Nation the blessing of wealth and plentie; we have solum foecundum frugiferúmque, Ortel. de Angliae. our land doth feed us with the flower of the finest wheat; Psal. 81.16. our flocks do clothe us in the softest wools; our Seas bring in the spices of Arabia, and the Sabean gummes, the gold of Ophir, the pearls and gemmes of India, all the riches of Asia and America pay tribute to the British Ocean; A great blessing, a fair Morning! But if thou employest this wealth to pride or luxurie; or if thou beest still thir­sty after more, and therefore, forgetting works of pietie and works of charitie, hoardest up riches per fas nefásque, by hook or crook, by right or wrong; Cedo virgam, saith God, give me my rod of Egypt; he strikes upon the dust of the earth and it turns to lice, Exod. 8.16. to penurie and want; he strikes upon thy estate, thy bags, thy cofers, and behold all is empty; your trades decay, and stock does melt, Ye have put your money into a bag with holes; Hag. 1.6. Ye looked for much, and lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Hag. 1.9. Is it not our case? behold your Morning turned into a dismall Night; a night of scarcitie. God hath given unto a people the blessing of peace, peace abroad, peace at home, peace in Church, peace in State; A great blessing, a fair Morning! yet if we abuse this peace to pride, to oppression, to the neglect of our brethren that be in miserie, Cedo virgam, saith God, give me my rod of Egypt; God stretcheth out his hand upon the rivers and turneth the waters into bloud: Exod. 7.19. Make Proclamation, prepare warre wake up the migh­ty men, let all the men of warre draw near; beat the plow­shares into swords, and the pruning-hooks into spears: Joel 3.9,10. How near are we that case? Behold your Morning turning into a dismall Night; a night of warre. God gives a people the truth of his word and worship, the pure light of his Gospel; An unspeakable blessing, a glo­rious Morning! But if that people shall either detain that truth in unrighteousnesse Rom. 1.18. and keep onely a form of godlinesse but denie the power thereof; 2. Tim. 3.5. Or if they shall [Page 30]not so much as keep the form, but openly corrupt Gods truth through heresie, and pollute Gods worship with their own inventions; Cedo virgam, saith God, give me my rod of Egypt; I will stretch out my hand toward heaven, I will cause a darknesse through the land, a dark­nesse that may be felt, so that one man shall not see an­other, neither shall any rise from his place. Exod. 10.21,22. Behold your Morning turned into a dismall Night, a night of spiri­tuall darknesse. And surely this is of all others the most dreadfull night; the very dead of night, more then a Cim­merian darknesse, so grosse that it may be felt. When af­ter so much means of light, grosse ignorance doth pos­sesse a people; when in their ignorance they grope seve­rall wayes, some to Superstition and Idolatrie, some to Schisme and Separation, so that one does not see another; and all this with so much obstinacie, that prove and preach what you will, none will rise from his place, nor alter his resolution, it makes me fear, lest even for this cause God should send strong delusions amongst us that we should believe a lie. 3. Thess. 2.11. O let us pray to God to dispell this Night of spirituall darknesse, to keep off this rod; strike us with any rod but this: strike us with sicknesse, famine, warre, rather then with spirituall blindnesse. The sunshine of Gods truth will afford some light of comfort to pious souls even in the midst of sicknesse, want, and warre. But if the light of the Gospel be once put out, though we enjoy health, and wealth, and peace, we are but in a desperate darknesse. The Philosopher said well, If the sunne be once down it is night for all the starres. Well, beloved, there is one way, and onely one (I know) to keep off all these strokes, to remove whatsoever judge­ments do threaten us in this dismall night which comes fast upon us; and that is a stroke too: This stroke was Davids ward. When David had displeased his God by numbering the people 2. Sam. 24.2. (and have not we done so? whoso­ever, in such times as these, doth not daily number up his sinnes, he doth number the people; whosoever, not [Page 31]relying and daily addressing himself to God, trusts to his own plots and projects, to his wit and policie, he doth number the people) well, when David had thus offended, the Text saith, His heart smote him. 2. Sam. 24.10. If our hearts did truly smite us with a sense of our transgressions, God either would not strike us, or striking would not hurt us, His rod and his staffe should comfort us. Psal. 23.4. But if thy heart with David will not strike thee; then do thou as the Publicane, strike thou thy heart, percussit pectus, He struck his breast, and said, God be mercifull to me a sin­ner. Luke 18.13. If thy heart will not complain, complain of thy heart; grieve because thou canst not grieve. But if we be so hard hearted to our selves, and tender hearted to our sinnes, that we will neither strike our heart nor our heart strike us, then what shall I say? Nothing remains for me, but onely to pray to God to take away these hearts, and to give us new ones, Cor novum crea, &c. Make us a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within us. Psal. 51.10. In the words of Ezekiel, That God would take away these hearts of stone and give us hearts of flesh. Ezek. 11.19. Nay rather, with Bonaventure, that God would take from us these hearts of flesh and give us hearts of stone; Were our hearts of stone, they would surely feel the rod of God. When Israel was in distresse and in a night of judgement, ready for thirst to perish, God by the hand and rod of Moses struck the stonie rock, and the waters gushed out, and the streams flowed withall. Psal. 78.21. O that God, by that powerfull rod of his, would strike the stonie rocks of our obdurate hearts that those waters, the waters of repentance might gush out. Our Repentance, this is it which God expects, that he hath long called for, early and late, both in the morning, and in the night, even that we should inquire, return, and come: so saith the Text, The Watchman said, the morning cometh and also the night; if ye will inquire, inquire; return, come.

IF ye will inquire, inquire; return, come. That is the latter part, the Directory of our Watchmans Watch­word. [Page 32]A part that is rich in matter, and full of life, but must be strangled by the time. The steps are three; The Prophet hath expressed them in three words; I must dis­patch them in almost as few. Where our first inquirie is about Inquiry,; if ye will Inquire, Inquire. Inquire, of Whom, and of What? Of what? Inquire of thy own state to Godward: Then, of whom shouldst thou in­quire but of God and thee. Inquire of God in his Word; of thy self in thy Conscience; P [...]s. Nec te quaesiveris extrá. Let Gods Word tell thee what thou oughtest to do; Let thy conscience tell thee what thou hast done. The result of these two inquiries will tell thee truly in what state thou standest to God. Gods Word is speculum volunta­tis divinae, a perfect glasse of his ordinance concerning thee; and thy conscience is speculum vitae, the most per­fec glasse, where by reflection thou mayest see thy perfor­mance toward him. I see now adayes many much de­lighted in their looking-glasses; we will be sure to use them every morning, and every night; we dresse us and undresse us by them: Nay we are not onely dressed by them, but dressed with them; we wear them at our girdles, they are become part of our apparell. Nay no room almost is now dressed up without a looking-glasse; and that in folio, a glasse in the largest volume. It may be you shall not find a Bible there, no not in the least. O that the glasse of Gods word, the miroir of eternall life, were in half so much use and esteem amongst us. I will not say, as Tertullian seemeth, that they are Nundina­trices pudicitiae quae consiliū formae à speculo petunt; Tertull. de vel. vug. c. 12. That they set their bodies out to sale that dresse their faces by a glasse. No, Socrates long since gave way to it in his scholars; A fair face, saith he, may learn even from the glasse to beautifie the soul; that so either part may an­swer other; and those who are deformed may learn from thence the more to adde beauty to the soul to recompense defect. Apul. Apol. 1. Pharar. in prace­ptis conjug. Sen. 1. Natural. Quast. cap. 17. But this I will say, that they who more consult their glasse then they do their Bible, inquire more whether [Page 33]they be fair then good; and this is not the inquiry of the Text. No, if ye will inquire, inquire; that is, inquire to Godward. These inquire more into mans pleasure & their own pride, then into Gods will and their own duty. First look on Gods glasse, and then in Gods name look on thine. If thou once truly seest the deformity of thy soul, I dare trust thee, thou wilt never pride thy self more in the beau­ty of thy body. In Grac. Epi­gram. Lais, the famous Curtezan, the pride of her youth being past, when she saw her wrinckles threw away her glasse; alas! the fault was in the face, not in the glasse: And too many of us upon the consciousnesse of our own sinnes, we throw away our Bibles. In our Bibles we all, as in a glasse, with open face behold the glory of the Lord: 2. Cor. 3.18. But when by a glimpse in our own consciences we perceive that we have all sinned, and come short of the glory of God, Rom. 3.23. then we throw away the glasse, and then we either go on carelesly in a bold presumption, or fall suddenly into the pit of fearfull desperation. Now God forbid; No, inquire you must, nay and inquire you may. Search the Scriptures, yea and search your hearts; John 5.34. yea search them throughly, if ye will inquire, inquire; Psal. 4.4. search to the very bottome. Let me have no slight and su­perficiall inquiry; make not a pretence of inquiring & no such matter. Scrutemur vias nostras & studia nostra, & in eo se judicet quisque profecisse, non cùm non invenerit quod reprehendat, sed cùm quod invenerit reprehendit. Bern. Serm. 58. in Cant. Never cease to search till thou hast found that thou hadst cause to search. When Eliah sent his servant to the top of Carmel to report what he saw, the Text saith, He went up and looked, and said, Non est quicquam, There is no­thing. Well, go again saith Eliah, seven times; 1. Kings 18.43, and at the seventh time, the servant said, Behold, there ariseth a lit­tle cloud, Sicut vola hominis, like a mans hand; 44, But suddenly it came to passe, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. 45. When we first imploy our souls in this businesse of inquiry how things stand betwixt God and us, whether no cloud of [Page 34]known sinne do intercept his favour; what with self-flat­tery, & what with negligent inquiry, we have no other an­swer but all is well, Non est quicquam; There is nothing. How many here present be there that never as yet made so much as a scruple of their salvation? no, they think themselves as sure of heaven, and the blessed life to come, as of this present life; they count themselves as deep in Gods favour, as they are in their own. I pray God you have cause. But hast thou inquired, man, hast thou inqui­red throughly? hast thou inquired again and again, seven times? If thou hast, I dare say thou wilt discry a cloud; Shall I say a little cloud of the bignesse of a mans hand, Nubes sicut vola hominis? yes, all our clouds, all our sinnes are measured by our own hands, they are the works of our fingers, perhaps little at the first appear­ance: but soon after when the conscience is well awake­ned, the whole heaven is black with clouds and wind. Like S. Paul and his companions in the storm, neither sunne nor starres in many dayes appear, and no small tem­pest lieth on us, all hope that we shall be saved is taken away. Acts 27.20. Behold, I am overshadowed, saith one, with a cloud of ignorance; how negligent have I been all my life in the reading and meditating of Gods word? how have I profaned his day and despised his ordinances? Is there any hope that I should be saved? Behold, I, saith ano­ther, have been hurried with a tempest of wrath, envy, and maliciousnesse: I have imbrued my hands in my bro­thers bloud, for which Christ shed his own. Is there any hope that I should be saved? Alas, saith a third, how have I been benighted in a cloud of lust, and smothered my conscience for how long together in the unlawfull bed? Is there any hope that I should be saved? And I, saith a fourth, have been puffed up with a proud and ambiti­ous wind, as though in despight of God, I would climbe up to heaven by the same way that Lucifer fell down. What hope is there for us that we should be saved? Yes, poore souls, there is good hope; nay more hope of these [Page 35]that have thus upon inquiry found their state, then of a thousand carelesse wretches, or proud justiciaries, that ei­ther do not search, or will not find. What though the heavens be black with clouds and wind? Remember what follows in the Text, And there was a great rain. 1. Kings 18.44. Let that rain follow upon thy inquirie: Showre down thy tears, and they will spend the cloud, alay the storm, and clear the skie: I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sinnes; return unto me, for I have redeemed thee. Isaiah 44.22. If thou upon this inquiry wilt cry peccavi, God will cry veni; Do thou return, and God crieth Come; and therefore, If thou wilt inquire, inquire; Return, Come.

It is impossible to Return, unlesse we first Inquire; and it is unprofitable to Inquire unlesse we also Turn: And therefore, Let us search and try our wayes, and Turn, saith the Prophet Jeremy. Lam. 3.40. [...], Convertimini; so S. Hie­rome reads the Text: Revertimini, saith Junius. Be ye Turned, or Turnye, or Return. The truth is, there is all in the Text; We must be Turned; we must Turn; we must Return. There is a turning wherein we are onely passive; Et hîc cardo salutis vertitur, This is the main hinge of all. God must first turn us by breathing a new spirit into us, the Spirit of Regeneration; and that is gratia praeveniens, or gratia operans, saith S. Augustine; August. Turn thou me, and I shall be turned, saith the Prophet Jeremie. Jer. 31.8. Being thus turned by God, we together with him, must act, and turn our selves by the imployment of Gods grace in us; and that is gratia cooperans, or gratia subsequens. Now by the assistance of this grace we must so Turn, that we Return, even from our sinnes, and to­wards God. All this is included in our Conversion. The first of the three is here supposed: God doth not stirre us up to do his peculiar part, to work the first act of our conversion, that were mere Pelagianisme; No man hath quickened his own soul; Psal. 22.30. But you hath God quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sinnes. Ephes. 2.1. But being by him [Page 36]quickned, and turned from death to life, by the assistance and cooperation of his grace, he calls upon us to do the parts of living men, actually to turn. And a happy turn it is, though not so easie a matter as the world thinks. Most think to Repent with the turning of a hand. It is not the turning of our habits, the changing of our clothes from colours into blacks (if that were all, we had store of converts here this day) no not from silks to sackcloth. Rend your hearts, and not your garments; saith the Prophet. Joel 2.13. It is not the turning of our diets from flesh to fish; The kingdome of heaven consists not of meats and drinks, saith the Apostle. Rom. 14.17. It is not the change of our countenance, the turning up of our eyes. Philo­stratus tells us of a Rhetorician who committed a sole­cisme, spake false Latine with his finger, he cryed out, [...], O heavens, and pointed to the earth. Philostratus. Huc alludit Quin­til. lib. Instit. 11. Many, too many, look demurely, but live wickedly; Curios simulant, & Bacchanalia vivunt. No, it is not the bare turning or lifting up of our hands; the doing of some seeming chari­table good works. None of all these turnings will serve our turn: the reason is, because all these turnings may be, and yet we not Turn. If you will have it in a word, it is the turning of our heart, even of all our heart, Therefore also now saith the Lord, Turn ye unto me with all your heart. Joel 2.12. With the heart, and therefore sincerely, without hypocrisie; with all the heart, and therefore intirely, with­out partiality. A man is said to turn that way his face turns. The heart is the face of the inward man; that is his visage toward God. Man looketh upon the outward ap­pearance, but God looketh upon the heart. 1. Sam. 16.7. If thy heart do not turn, that is, the resolution and inclination of thy understanding, will and affections (whatsoever thy out­ward actions be) thou dost not turn. But if thy heart de­test the sinnes thou hast committed formerly; If thou seest their foulnesse; If thou abhorrest their vilenesse; If what was wont to be a pleasure to thee, be now a pain and grief to think on; If thou canst resolve for ever hereafter, [Page 37]not onely to forsake them, but to loath them: then thou Turnest, nay then thou Returnest, that is, thou dost Turn homeward from whence thou wert strayed by sinne: thou removest from sinne, and drawest home to God­ward. This is that Godly sorrow that worketh repentance to salvation, not to be repented of. For behold, this self­same thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulnesse it wrought in you? yea, what clearing of your selves? yea, what indignation? yea, what fear? yea, what vehement desire? yea, what zeal? yea, what revenge? 2 Cor. 7.11. Why what ado is here with these Corinthians? could they not repent without so great a stirre? O be not mista­ken! where true Repentance is, it sets the whole man awork, and so it had need; for it rendreth him a clean other man: new thoughts, new desires, new resolutions. Ask not me, ask your own hearts whether ye are returned or not. Ask thy self what was the last thought that went to bed with thee last night, and was up this day most ear­ly stirring in thy breast; Was it of heaven or earth? Was it a thought of vanity, or of pietie? Was it for the com­mitting, or the crucifying of some sinne? Did it savour of worldly pleasure, or godly sorrow? Didst thou think of thy old sinnes, as thy sworn enemies, or as thy sweet companions, which, though now asunder (for a Fast-day, or so) yet should meet ere long, and be as mer­ry as ever? If you can think of your old sinnes with pa­tience, I dare not tell you what I think of you. But if you be now truly grieved for them, seriously resolved to abandon them; Behold I come a messenger of good news: good news unto thy soul, good news to heaven; Heus tu peccator, bono animo sis; vides ubi de tuo redi­tu gaudeatur: Tertullian. Tertull. de poen. Heaven joyeth to see a return­ing sinner, it is tripudium coeli, The blessed Angels joy: Lacrymae poenitentium sunt vinum. Angelorum. Bernard. Serm. 30. in Cant. When thou returnest, they in troups come forth to meet thee. Nay, the blessed Trinity doth joy; God the Father joyes at thy return; Why this, saith he, is my lost sonne, my [Page 38]returning prodigall; Tam pater nemo, tam pius nemo, Tertullian. Tertull. ibidem. God the Sonne rejoyceth; Why this, saith he, is my lost sheep, returning to the fold; Ʋna pastoris ovicula, sed grex unâ carior non est. Idem ibidem. God the Holy Ghost doth joy; Why this, saith he, is my renewed tem­ple, returning to the beautie of its first erection. And therefore God the Father he crieth, Come: God the Sonne he crieth, Come: and God the Holy Ghost he cryeth, Come. The Father he crieth, Veni ad me, Come unto me; for I am the End: The Sonne he crieth, Veni per me, Come by me; for I am the Way: The Holy Ghost crieth, Veni cum me, Come with me; for I am the Guide: All cry Come, and all cry Welcome; And therefore, If you will Inquire, Inquire; Return, Come.

Come. This word onely remaineth of the Text; one­ly one word of it, and I have done. Ye have heard, that the penitent sinner now returning from his sinne, every person of the Sacred Trinitie inviteth him. God the Fa­ther, thy Creatour, he cryeth Come: God the Sonne, thy Redeemer, he cryeth Come: And God the Holy Ghost, thy Sanctifier, he cryeth Come. Thy Almighty Creatcur calleth thee by the voice of Nature; Therefore come in humilitie to so great a Majestie. Thy gracious Redeemer calleth thee by the voyce of Scripture; There­fore come in faith to so dear a Saviour. Thy blessed Sanctifier calleth thee by his secret motion in thy heart; Therefore come in holinesse and new obedience to thy holy guide. Behold a convoy of three heavenly virtues, Holinesse in life, Humilitie in heart, and Faith in Christ. If thou comest to God, thou must Come with these. Take heed thou leavest not Holinesse behind; Without Holinesse no man shall see the Lord. Heb. 11.6. Yet in no case for­get Humilitie, Blessed are the poore in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven. Matth. 5. But above all bring Faith: For without Faith it is impossible to please God; and he that cometh to God must believe. Heb. 11.6. These three Virgin-sister-Graces all joyn hand in hand, and make a ring, and so [Page 39]convey the Christian soul to heaven between them. Ho­linesse taketh fast hold of Humilitie; Humilitie takes hold of Faith; and Faith again of Holinesse. Be sure thou partest no hand; if thou dost, thou mayest fall out be­tween them; and they fall out between themselves. Ho­linesse without Humilitie will soon be proud: Humilitie without Faith will soon despair: Faith without Holi­nesse, without works, is dead. James 2.26. O let us labour for an humble Holinesse, a faithfull Humilitie, and a holy Faith. Come with these to God, and I dare be bold in his name to bid thee welcome: Come with these this day, and he will denie thee nothing. These never are denied accesse to the King of Kings. Holinesse, that is, a pure conscience within, an unspotted life without, it is the daughter of the King of heaven. The Kings daughter is all glorious within, her clothing is of wrought gold. Psal. 45.14. Shall she be denied accesse to her heavenly father? No, she shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needle-work. 15. But shall she come alone? No, the virgins that be her fel­lows (Humilitie and Faith) shall bear her company, and shall be brought unto thee. With joy and gladnesse shall she be brought, and enter into the Kings palace. 16. Blessed soul that comest thus accompanied! These are the Kings Daughters; Thou art more, thou art made his spouse, his bride, his wife. Heare how he wooes thee: My sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled. Cant. 5.2. When thou thus comest to God, what is it but even the marriage of thy soul with Christ? Let us be glad, and rejoyce, and give honour to the Lord; for the marriage of the Lambe is come, and his wife hath made her ready. Revel. 19.7. Made her ready; how? what hath she put on? It followeth in the next verse, She is arayed in fine linen, clean, and white; for the fine linen, is the righteousnesse of the Saints. 8. Why then is the righteousnesse of the Saints so clean, and white? I thought with the Prophet, That all our righteousnesse had been as a menstruous cloth, Isaiah 64.6. Stillamus quotidie super telam justitiae nostrae saniem concupiscentiae nostrae. Bernard. How [Page 40]then is our righteousnesse clean and white? Yes, all is true. Our holinesse, and inherent righteousnesse is fine linen, be­ing the work of the Holy Ghost; it must not be denied; but God knows how much soyled and spotted by the flesh, till it be made clean and white; and therefore Humilitie must be ever at hand to scoure our righteousnesse; and Faith to wash it. Humilitie doth daily rince it in a stream of tears, and makes it clean; Faith doth wash it in the bloud of Christ, and makes it white. These are they that have washed their robes, and made them white in the bloud of the Lamb. Revel. 7.14. Christs bride hath made her ready; she hath put on righteousnesse, that is, stolam sanctorum ( [...] is the word) the outward-garment, the righ­teousnesse of good works. But withall she must put on interulam humilitatis, the inward garment of humilitie; Be clothed with humilitie, 1. Pet. 5.5. [...], that is, saith Be­za, be ye inwardly adorned, estote intus ornati, be ye clothed inwardly with humilitie. Beza in locum. And over both, even in the sight of God to cover both, she hath put on velum, or peplum fidei, the veil of faith, whereby to Gods justice she presents Christs righteousnesse for hers. That is fine linen indeed, clean and white; And to the bride it is granted ( [...], that is the word) that she should be arayed in this. When she comes covered with this veil, she comes with boldnesse to the throne of grace. With this veil of faith she passeth through the veil, and hath boldnesse to enter into the holiest by the bloud of Jesus. Heb. 10.19.20.

The Spouse did once complain of the watchmen, that they robbed her of her veil. The watchmen that went about the citie found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me. Cant. 5.7. If we have any such Watchmen, that would take away from the Church the veil of Christs imputed righ­teousnesse (our righteousnesse by faith) O let such Watchmen watch no more, they smite, they wound Christs Spouse; so that she cannot do what the Watch­man in the Text doth bid her, she cannot come with [Page 41]confidence to God. But so she must; even Come with Holinesse, Come with Humilitie, and especially Come with Faith; or else she will never come home. As good not Come at all, as not come thus; and as good not Return, as not Come; and as good not Inquire, as not Return. Our Watchman therefore hath joyned all together, Inquire, if you will Inquire, Return, Come.

And now the Watchman hath said: You have seen the Watchman, and have heard the Watchword. You have seen the Watchmans Charge, and his Discharge. You have heard the Watchword as it is Monitory and Directory. As it is Monitory it tells us that the Morn­ing cometh, and also the Night; The Morning of Life, and Night of Death; The Morning of Prosperitie, and Gods mercie; The Night of Adversitie, and Gods judgements. As it is Directory it calls upon us to Inquire, Return and Come.

What remains, but that we practice what we have heard and seen? And that we may the better do it, that we turn the Sermon into a prayer, even to the Watch­man of Israel, That our Watchmen may stand where God hath set them; That our Watchmen may say what God doth shew them; That we all may be thankfull for our Morning and prepare for our Night; That we may Inquire into our selves, Return from our sinnes, and Come home to God: The Watchman said, The Morn­ing cometh, and also the Night; if ye will Inquire, in­quire; Return, Come.