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,〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 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, and2 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〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉it be put for Idumea (as S.**Hieron. in loc. Hierome doth underſtand it, and indeed the**Septuag. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. 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**〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, rubicundus, Gen. 25.24. & 30. Edom, ſo for his roughneſſe he was called**〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, piloſus,•…ſu•us, Gen. 27.11. Seir, the very word in the foregoing verſe. There be ſome of the Rabbines that inſtead of**Pro〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, legunt〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 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.〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, are by a Synecdoche3 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〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 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, a4 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〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 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 our6 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〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉ſaith the Originall, Cuſtos ſaith S. Hierome, a7 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,〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉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〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉he muſt be〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 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 the8 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〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉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〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 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〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 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,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〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 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. 10How 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;〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 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 21.6.11The Apoſtles themſelves were ſet as Watchmen immediately by God: And by authoritie from God, they with their own hands〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉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. 12.2912 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. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. 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. LikeActs 19.13,14. the ſeven ſonnes of one Sceva a vagabond13 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; But14 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,〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉;1. Sam. 9.9. Then they muſt〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, yea and (as their place may be) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; 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〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 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,〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉&〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. The Biſhops chait it is〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Watchmans15 Tower, Specula〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. 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〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, (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 his16 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〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉1. Tim. 3.2.muſt be〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; 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 fable17 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 lanternJohn 18.3. to betray18 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 to19 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,〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 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 other20 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,〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. 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,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? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 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,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. Lord23 teach us therefore ſo to number our dayes, that we may apply our hearts to wiſdome:Pſal. 90.12. And our wiſdome is not〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 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 behold24 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:25〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,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 of26 ſtone in Egypt, the very ſtone did ſpeak,〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉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 his27 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〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 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 non-Latin alphabet 〉, In which, relating to the Ark, (not to the Tabernacle, as Ribera thinks) is as much as〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, together with the Ark; or if you will,〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, cloſe or near unto the Ark: So the Hebrew〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉is ſometimes taken as well for that which is near about, as for that which28 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, BaroniusBaron. 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 quocunqueanni 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.
29God 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 unrighteouſneſſeRom. 1.18. and keep onely a form of godlineſſe but denie the power thereof;2. Tim. 3.5. Or if they ſhall30 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 people2. 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, not31 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. 32A 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 whether33 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 of34 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 theſe35 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.〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 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 him36 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,〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 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,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, my38 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 ſo39 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.How40 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 (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉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.〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 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 (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 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 with41 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.