blush that Bellarmine so well knowing what are the lives and conversations of men and women in that Church should not be ashamed of this and is sufficiently confuted by their owne iest of the Duke of Vrbins Painter who being hired by a Cardinall to picture the Images of Peter and Paul the Cardinall told him he had painted them too high-coloured in the face the Painter replied that when they were alive they looked pale with preaching and fasting but now they were so red with blushing at the wickednesse of their successors I will not deny but Rome was an holy Church when S. Paul did write his Epistle to it and during the continuance of 63 Bishops till Boniface the first Pope set up by Phocas who had killed the Emperour Mauritius and his wife and children Many of which said Bishops were Martyrs for Christ and his Gospell which they now persecute and sanctitas vitae is gone I need not reprove the Lay-mens lives wherein some live civilly and morally yea in superstition and blinde devotion severe and not sparing the body But if they would have the world beleeve Romanists are so holy they must not wipe expunge but burne Bernards Sermons Platina Baronius Annals Iansenius c. who have made it known to all the world that Popes themselves have beene convicted of Atheisme Sorcerie Heresie Blasphemie Sodomie Incest Whoredome Adultery Simonie as for Covetousnesse Pride Drunkennesse ordinarie faults `` Only let us marke that as they deceive the simple with glorious titles of Catholike and holy mother Church and honour the Pope with the like of Christ his Vicar and Peters Successour so doe they strangely gull the world in changing the Popes names The first was Sergius who because his owne name Bocca di Porco or Swines-mouth was not consonant to his dignitie hee was called Sergius and so ever since if any be an absolute Atheist he is called Pius if a bloudie Tyrant Clemens if a Coward Leo if a Rusticke Vrbanus if an harmefull man Innocens if a drowsie sluggard Gregorie if an earthly minded man Coelestinus if cursed of God and man Benedict Thus they take great paines to gild and decke their Pilot who sitteth at the sterne by which meanes they draw not a few passengers into their vessell and having put a faire Coape upon the Pope and made him in his name an holy blessed and good man then they stand for sanctitas vitae to be a note of the Church and might have done so with fairer pretence if they had also changed Pope Ioan the harlots name and have called her Casta or Matrona c. Was not Pope Ioan a fit Head for such an holy Church which having plaid the whore fell in travell in the midst of procession Was not the Cardinall of Crema a fit Legat from such an holy Church who in a Councell at London inveighing against the marriage of Priests and with these words It was a shamefull thing to rise from the sides of an whore to make Christs bodie was the same night following taken in bed with a notable whore Yea they must be sure also to burne all the Rolles and Records in England the suppression of their Abbeyes and Nunries here bringing to light such abominations as are not onely a shame to speake but rehearsall whereof would infect the aire yea they must be sure to burne the booke of Revelation too for that telleth us and wee finde true by experience that Rome is an habitation of Devils and a cage of all uncleane birds a sinke of sin and confluent of all uncleannesse and iniquitie I will conclude with the testimonies of two men the first one of their owne a famous Predicant in Turin in Savoy who comming to speake of Sancta Ecclesia he was so far from making it a note of the Church with Bellarmine that fearing hee should rather prove the Calvinists to be the true Church by that he thought good rather against all points of schollership and specially in the tongues to derive sanctam from sancio sancivi Sic Panegirolla ut in Car. Lett. pag. 118. The other a worthie Doctor of our Church having spent many yeeres amongst the throng of Papists in Lancashire professeth that fowlest disorders were ever in those parts where the people were most Pope-holy being generally buried in sinne swearing vncleannesse drunkennesse most dissolute fierce and inhumane behaviour ring-leaders in riotous companies drunken meetings seditious assemblies in profaning the Sabbath quarrels braules and all Heathenish customes But I purposely forbeare to rake in this filthie puddle which I would have passed by if they had not beene so shamelesse to make holinesse of life a note of the Church Let vs blesse God that in our Church and other Reformed Churches we have for a Pilot and Master one of the Trinitie House we have the holy Scriptures and Sacraments purely and sincerely preached and administred According to the foure first generall Councels and whatsoever the Fathers living within the first five hundred yeeres after Christ unanimously taught as needfull to salvation we beleeve and professe And though we have too many sins amongst us yet by the Word and Sword of Civill and Ecclesiasticall Magistrates they are so rebuked and reformed that if we stood to the triall of these two notes it would be found that our Church is the holy Church of God the true ship wherein Christ and his Disciples are and the Church of Rome an Antichristian Hereticall Apostaticall and prophane Synagogue a man of warre and ship of Pirats and therefore all men must take heed of passing in her VERSE 24. And behold there arose a great tempest in the Sea in so much that the ship was covered with the waves but he was on sleepe THe passengers being all shipped now we proceed to the hoyssing of the sailes and launching forth into the deepe and the whole storie of their voyage wherein three things are to be considered viz. First the great perill jeopardie they were in Secondly their deliverance out of it Thirdly The effects thereof Their perill and danger is reported in this 24. verse where we have First a note of attention Behold Secondly the Narration therof it selfe which hath two parts viz. First a Declaration of the cause of their danger and secondly an aggravation of the danger it selfe In the Declaration the cause of danger is first in one word expressed a Tempest secondly described by two things viz. First the qualitie it was sudden it arose secondly the quantitie it was great The danger is aggravated by two circumstances the first concerneth the cause of their danger the tempest was so great that even the ship was covered with waves the second concerned the meanes of their safetie and securitie Christ was on sleepe which in their conceit did not a little aggravate their perill Of these in order And first for the first part viz. The note of regard Such
is the goodnes of God in the desire of our good by causing attētion to his word cōtaining all our good that there is scarcely any memorable and transcendently excellent saying or worke but by some helps of attention regard or other we are provoked well to consider it These helpes that I may range them in order and yet but touch them are of two sorts viz. either from such as did speak or from such as did write the word The Prophets Christ his Apostles in preaching to the people how have they called on men to heare harken and consider what they said unto them Helpes from writing and specially some of these to such as are able to reade the originall copies wherein some of them only continue are of two sorts viz. in words or in forme words are principally two the one initiall or in the beginning which is the word in my Text Behold or finall and at the end which is the word Selah at the end of many sentences in the Psalmes and Habakkuk onely and retained in translations About which word learned men have much disputed and laid downe severall opinions with rehearsall whereof I will not now trouble you I take it to be derived from such a word as signifieth to lift up and the Septuagint Symmachus and Theodotion interpret it Diapsalma the change of the tune or song for by changing the tune extraordinarily lifting up the voice in singing such a streine they did signifie such were most remarkable sentences I told you that also there are helpes of attention from the forme of writing I meane in the Hebrew copies for Interpreters take no notice hereof but are most observable of all such as are learned and they are three-fold viz. in regard of letters prickes or blankes Letters are of two sorts viz. either in regard of location or of proportion In regard of location a very strange remarkable if not mysticall thing it is that mem clausum which is ever finall should onely in one word in all the Bible be found so written in the midst Secondly for proportion whereas the Hebrewes were most curious in their Orthographie yet in some places some letters are of extraordinary size and hold no proportion with the rest of the word or sentence As where Iacob reproved his sonnes Simeon and Levi for their cruell murthering of the Sichemites they answered him with bigge words Should he deale with our sister as with an Harlot And in the word Zonah the first letter is of an extraordinary proportion and where it is said That Abraham mourned for Sarah his wife Caph in Bachah is of a very little size and as in letters so also in prickes whereof I lately gave some instance in this place some words having such prickes as are neither Grammatical Rhetoricall nor Musicall and sometimes in blanckes breaking off and making a pawse in the midst of a sentence and a great space left emptie and onely an o in it as where it is said Cain talked with his brother and these things are preserved in all their copies and therefore could be no error in the Printer But the most common word of attention and regard thorowout the whole Scriptures of old and new Testament is this initiall word or Adverbe of demonstration Behold which is specially used in three cases First when some strange thing is presented to the eye as when Iesus came forth wearing a crowne of thornes and a purple roabe Pilat said to the people Behold the man the strangest thing that ever was presented to the eye of man never the like before nor since the Sonne of God who weareth the crowne of eternall glory crowned with thornes Secondly it is used when both some thing is to be seene with the bodily eye and the minde is to contemplate and consider something represented by that visible spectacle as when Christ rode into the Citie of Ierusalem the Prophet calleth Behold thy King commeth mecke and sitting on an Asse Oh see him ride with thine eyes oh consider his meeknesse with thy minde Thirdly when men are bid Behold when yet nothing can be seene with bodily eye and then it signifieth regard and consider So the Prophet saith Behold a Virgin shall conceive and beare a sonne that was many yeeres after fulfilled according to the letter therfore the people in those dayes could but consider it So here we are bid Behold there arose a tempest that tempest is many hundred yeers agoe calmed we cannot see it with our bodily eyes but wheresoever this storie is preached the people shall be called upon to muse and meditate hearken and consider the same The Vse of all that hath beene said is to move us with consideration of our dulnesse who need so many and such great helps to provoke us to the consideration of heavenly things Gods word and works Oh for earthly things as dignitie wealth honour preferment our profits or pleasures wee are watchful and carefull enough as quick-sighted as Eagles to see things a farre off and exceeding attentive to whomsoever shall talke of these things Yea many doe even weare away themselues with continuall care thought and meditation or if at any time we fall into a slumber about these matters yet the least whispering will make us to start up stand upon both legs looke round about us and over every bodies head yea ride and runne and what not but for the greatest works of God or mysteries of godlinesse wee have no eyes in our heads to see them no eares to heare them no mindes to consider them but please our selves in our spirituall sluggishnesse and drowsinesse like the sluggard in the Proverbs folding our armes and saying Yet a little more sleepe a little more slumber that the Holy Ghost in love of our salvation doth call upon us and stir us up to attend Behold behold So much for the note of attention In the narration we have first the cause of their great danger in one word expressed A tempest The word in the Originall signifieth a shaking or quaking with which words the Greeke Authors doe commonly expresse an earthquake which Varinus also describeth in the word of my Text yea we have it twice in one verse Whose voice shooke the earth Hebr. 12. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Christ saith There shall be earthquakes Matth. 24. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which also our Latine Translators follow Motus magnus Mont. valg Concussio magna Bez. which being caused by a sudden and vehement wind as we shall heare is well translated a storme wherein the ship was so shaken tumbled and tost as if there had been some mighty earth-quake The Hebrew word which Munster hath here is Sagnar the word which is in Ionah where it is said The Lord sent out a great wind into the Sea and there was a mighty tempest so that the ship was like to
neighbour either we flatter him and say All is wel or never rebuke saying Why doest thou so or else with scorne contemne despise and reject him never considering our selves that we also may be tempted But marke how meekely mildly and lovingly he reproveth them not one word of any sharpnes rigour or asperitie no nor so much as affirme This is your great sinne to be fearefull but as God asked Ionah a question about his anger Dost thou well to be angry So he only asketh them a question about their feare Why are yee fearefull intimating their feare was excessive and causelesse and so the reproofe tended rather to comfort and encourage them q. d. Be not so afraid you have no cause of such feare Oh it is the gentle reproofe the milde and loving objurgation and crimination which pierceth deepe The Lords servant must be gentle towards all This is the reproofe that David so much desired Let the righteous smite me friendly and reprove me And the Apostle biddeth us restore such an one as is overtaken in a fault with the spirit of meekenesse But for want of love it commeth to passe we reprove not at all or with such fiercenesse gall and bitternesse as tendeth not to restore but harden sinners Oh let us from this Example learne to be gentle and meeke towards poore and weake sinners and if any be too fearefull because themselves or the people of God are in any great danger let us labour to comfort them to strengthen the weake hands and comfort the feeble knees Speake to the heart of Ierusalem Feare not thou worme Iacob though thou be but a worme And againe Feare not ye men of Israel I will helpe thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer So much for generall observations Now more particularly consider what was it he reproved Fearefulnesse not simply feare for that is ingraffed in our nature neither did Christ goe about to rob them of their affections that they should no more feare danger than the mast of the ship yea Christ himselfe had our affections and namely this of feare but our Saviour reproveth the excesse of it called fearefulnesse The word in the Originall is of harsh signification both amongst prophane Authors as miserable weake and wicked and in the Scriptures for such as shall die the second death such a feare as God hath not given his children the Spirit of a feare which maketh men miserable weake and feeble in minde wicked in practise to use any meanes to escape the evill they feare the high way to hell and that timiditie which the wise Heathen have opposed to the vertue of Fortitude and therefore reproved Why are yee fearefull Wherefore this reprehension must teach us both by divine and humane praier and all worldly wise meanes to bridle and restraine our passions that they exceed not measure nor we be transported with the violence of them to say or doe that which is evill but to remember the Apostolike caution Be angrie but sinne not be merry but sinne not be sory but sinne not be afraid but sinne not If you give way unto it it is a most painfull passion yea as Saint Iohn saith Such feare hath torment and maketh men bondslaves Heb. 2. 15. Christ had passions but blamelesse because his nature was most holy and pure And therefore as a glasse of snow-water though never so much shaken yet abideth cleare and pure but the glasse of muddie water though whilest it standeth still the mud sinder to the bottome and the top is cleare yet no sooner is shaken but the mud ariseth and all is defiled So howsoever in times of peace health and prosperitie our passions be moderate and calme and seeme cleare yet no sooner are troubled but they grow muddie yea defile our selves and all that come neare the raging sea did not more cast up mire and dirt than their troubled affections spirituall defilements for which cause Christ here reproved them Why are yee fearefull The second particular observation is What was the object of this feare Was it God or his judgements No they did feare a temporall not the eternall death water but not fire sea but not hell drowning but not burning a creature not the Creator they may truly say with David The terrors of death are fallen upon us fearefulnesse and trembling are come upon us and horror hath overwhelmed us Which our Saviour reproveth Why are yee fearefull And he teacheth us that Gods people should not immoderatly feare no not any manner of death A lesson which it behoveth us in these daies specially to take out for as the Apostle said If the word spoken by Angels was sted fast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recoÌ„pence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation So if these Disciples having heard and seene but a little and being now in such great perill yet are reproved for immoderate feare how much more shall wee be reproved to whom the Gospell of Christ hath beene so clearely revealed who have seene so many workes of Gods goodnesse mercy power as the Passion Resurrection and Ascension of Christ into heaven Here is therefore a good lesson for us to labour that we be not immoderately afraid of death I say not not afraid of death at all for the best of Gods servants mentioned in holy Scripture as Moses David Iob Eliah Ezekiah and the rest have been I may say of them all as the Apostle saith of Eliah they were subject to this passion as wel as we Therefore he doth not say Why are yee afraid but fearefull yea as if the word were not sufficient to expresse the measure of their coÌ„sternation which yet is very significant as you have heard hee addeth thereunto an Adverb of affirmation So qâ—d Why are yee so exceedingly fearefull so fearefull beyond bounds and measure This being that he reproved in them and is reproveable in all his disciples viz. immoderate and excessiue feare of death Let us now see by what meanes Gods children may moderate the feare of death in them wherein I doe specially commend unto you these foure things viz. 1. A good cause 2. An honest life 3. A strong faith 4. Godly meditation on the good of Death First a great meanes to suppresse immoderate feare of death is to die if not for yet in a good cause Blessed is that servant whom his Master shall finde well doing Matth. 24. 46. It is a true saying It is not the punishment but the cause maketh a Martyr Christ hath not absolutely pronounced all blessed that suffer persecution but all such as suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake This was the joy of the Saints in old time that they could truly say Lord for thy sake are wee killed This caused the holy Martyrs of Christ in
our God we will set up our banners some put their trust in chariots and some in horses but wee will remember the name of the Lord our God Secondly God enableth poore weake base abject and contemptible meanes for the bringing of great and mightie things to passe When Gideon came at the first with a great armie to fight against the Midianites the Lord said unto him This people that are with thee are too many for me to deliver the Midianites into their hands lest Israel take to himselfe glory over me and say mine hand hath brought me salvation But when all were brought to 300. naked men and without armes only having trumpets pitchers and lamps By these saith God will I save you and deliver the Midianites into thine hands and he did so Vpon this groud Ionathan perswaded his Armour-bearer even them two to set upon a whole Garrison of the Philistims There is no let to Iehovah but that hee may save by many or by few That of the Prophet is most memorable The Lord is his name that strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong that distresse it selfe should be able to scale a Fort And the Prophet Ieremie biddeth the Iews not to deceive themselves because they had a little prevailed against the Chaldeans for if there were none left but wounded men and thrust thorow yet should they rise every man in his tent and burne the City with fire Most commonly if cause be good victory goeth with weakest side Thirdly for the full manifestation of the glory of his omnipotencie God many times worketh greatest things without meanes so as in the effecting thereof nothing can be looked on but God In the beginning God gave light before he made Sunne and made plants and herbes to grow before there was any raine in the wildernesse fed his people with bread and flesh from heaven in times of warre if God doe but rise his enemies are scattered yea if he doe but looke upon their hoasts they are discomfited In the confidence whereof King Asa seeing himselfe oppressed with a multitude of enemies even above a thousand thousands of Ethiopians comming up against him he prayed to the Lord Lord it is nothing to thee to helpe with many or no power If he had said with many or few great or small power it would have beene plaine but to say with many or no power bewrayed an excellent measure of faith that if God did but rebuke all such enemies it was enough The Prophet giveth this glory to God that hee createth peace He is a good Carpenter that having crooked and rough timber put into his hands can with axe and plane make it straight and smooth but the Creator can worke having no matter at all to work upon creating light out of darknesse peace out of warre a great calme out of a great storme only by a word of his mouth hee rebuked the winds and sea For further manifestation of Gods glory and our consolation seeing the Scriptures speake expresly of Gods rebuking of Kings Princes Spearemen and persecutors of his Church and people let us search the Scriptures that wee may finde out Gods manner herein How doth God rebuke Kings who are as boisterous and mightie winds causing great tempests of persecutions in the Sea of this world that when God doth it wee may give him the glory of it And that God doth two waies viz. Either inwardly or outwardly Inwardly by working upon their hearts or outwardly by working upon their bodies and estates As God hath the hearts of all men in his hands so specially of Kings and Princes and doth extraordinarily worke upon them either by inclining them to peace as we see in the example of Esau who threatning to kill his brother Iacob and Iacob exceedingly feared to heare that he came out with foure hundred men against him whose heart was so inclined to his brother that when they met he was so far from killing or offering the least wrong unto him in word or deed that he embraced him fell on his necke and kissed him see see how inwardly God rebuked that boisterous wind and there was a great calme or else he inwardly doth terrifie them so as they shall not dare to doe the evill which they would and intended Thus God rebuked Abimelech King of Gerar in a dreame by night Thou art but a dead man for the woman which thou hast taken for shee is a mans wife whereupon he returned to Abraham his wife and there was a great calme So Laban pursued Iacob and his wives and children blustering and stirring up a great tempest but God rebuked him saying Take heed that thou speake not to Iacob either good or bad whereupon followed a great calme So the Kings of Canaan intending to destroy the Israel of God were rebuked with the report that came unto them what God had done for them Drying up the Red-sea and destroying the two Kings of the Amorites Og and Sehon whereupon their hearts did melt and there was no courage in them they grew very calme Yea Kings assembling with their armies purposely to besiege Ierusalem At the very sight of it they marvelled and were troubled and hasted away feare tooke hold on them and paine as on a woman in travell Thus when they will not otherwise be inclined to peace God doth cut off the spirit of Princes and is terrible to the Kings of the earth Or else God doth rebuke them outwardly and that either in their persons or powers in their persons either by sicknesse or death By sicknesse or diseases Thus God plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sara Abrahams wiâ—e whereupon he restored her to her husband and there was a great calme Or by death and that is either naturall or violent Naturall thus wicked and Idolatrous Ahaz slept with his fathers and then goaly King Hezekiah reigned in his stead who was an hiding place from the wind a covert from the tempest as rivers of water in a dry place and as the shadow of a great rocke in a wearie land Violent death is either caused by themselves or others By themselves thus Saul killed himselfe and then there was a great calme Or by others thus that wicked King Amon being slaine by his servants godly Iosiah succeeded him in whose daies the Church had a blessed calme And thus in all ages by the miserable and wretched ends of cruell and bloudie persecutors God hath given peace to his Church Or if God spare their persons he doth often rebuke them in their powers and that chiefly three wayes viz. By diversion dissipation and destruction By diversion thus when David was in greatest danger of Saul for they had even compassed him round to take him there came a messenger and brought tidings to Saul the Philistims had
modum supererit gaudium Hoc obnixè obtestatur Frater Orator foelicitatis vestrae studiosissimus T. J. A Logicall ANALYSIS of the Text. IN the historie of Christ his passage by Sea two principall things are to be observed viz. 1. Their shipping in the 23. verse where note 1. The persons who and are made knowne by two things and 1. By their number who were and CHRIST and His Disciples 2. By their order Christ went before and hâ— Disciples followed him 2. The vessell wherein a ship 2. Their sailing where note 1. Their danger in vers 24. wherein observe 1. A note of attention Behold and 2. A Narration which hath two parts 1. A declaration of the cause and that is 1. 〈…〉 a Tempest and 2. 〈◊〉 by two things 1. Qualitie it rose suddenly and 2. Quantitie a great one 2. Aâ—aâ—gravation of the danger by two circumstances 1. The ship was even covered with waves and 2. Christ himselfe was on sleepe 2. Their deliverance which is 1. Procured in the 25. verseâ— where note and 1. The persons procuring it His Disciples 2. Of whom they procure it Him 3. What they doe being come to him they awoke him 4. What they said which being supplicatory hath two parts 1. Their suit Lord save â—s and 2. Reason We perish 2. Performed by a double reprehension viz. 1. He reproveth his Disciples and that for two saâ—â—ts and 1. Their excessive feare Why are yee fearefull and 2. Their defective faith O yeâ— of little faith 2. He rebuketh the winds and sea where note 1. A preparation He arose and 2. Reprehension it selfe He rebuked the winds and the sea 3. The effects which were of two sorts 1. In the winds and sea There was a great calme and 2. In the men and was twofold viz. 1. Admiration But the men marvelled and 2. Interrogations where note 1. A 〈◊〉 What manner of man is this and 2. A Râ—â—son thereof For even the winds and sea obey him THE RAGING TEMPEST STILLED MATTH 8. 23 24 25 26 27. And when he was entred into a ship his disciples followed him c. Comment lit THey that goe downe to the Sea in ships and occupie their businesse in great waters these see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deepe for he commandeth raiseth the stormie winde which lifteth vp the waues thereof they mount vpto the heauen they goe downe againe to the depths their soule is melted because of trouble They reele to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wits end then they cry to the Lord in their trouble and he bringeth them out of their distresses he maketh the storme a calme so that the waues thereof are still Then are they glad because they be quiet so he bringeth them to their desired hauen Psal 107. 23 31. mystic Navicula Ecclesia est quae mari i. seculo fluctibus i. persequutionibus inquietatur Domino per patientiam veluti dormiente dâ—nec orationibus Sanctorum suscitatus compescat seculuÌ„ tranquillitatem suis red dat Tâ—rt l. de Baptismo cap. 12. LORD IESV CHRIST who art ascended on high leadest captivitie captive and giuest gifts unto men captivate and bring into subjection mine understanding will affections furnish me with gifts and guide mine heart tongue and pen that I may thinke write and speake such things as may be for thy glory the edification of thy Church and the peace and comfort of mine owne soule Amen And when he was entred into a ship Amongst other coÌ„forts refreshings which trauellers have in their journeyes voyages in this world this is none of the least that being wearied with tedious land-trauell they may more easily passe by water one maine end of the sea of great riuers wherewith it hath pleased God to interlace the habitable world as the naturall bodie with veines of bloud We have travelled a long and wearisome journey by land and fetched home the prodigall from a far countrey now if it please God and you we will refresh our selues by water we have beene in travell with the Wise-men who came from the East we have beene in the High Priests house where Peter denied his Master we have beene in the Pharisies house where the penitent woman washed Christs feet with teares we have been in the Temple where Iudas cast downe his silver we have beene in the field both in seed time in the parable of the sower and in harvest in the parable of wheat and tares we have beene in the garden in the parable of the sowing and growing of mustard-seed we have beene upon Mount Tabor in the storie of Christ his transfiguration and on Mount Calvarie where one of the theeves penitently confessed we have beene in the wildernesse in the parable of the shepherd seeking his lost sheepe we have beene in the Indies in the parable of seeking for hidden treasure yea we have in our meditations beene in the joyes of Heauen and torments of Hell in the parabâ—e of Dives and Lazarus we have beene almost every where but upon the sea in all our travels we have not taken ship till now but now by Gods grace we will make a sea-voyage But as wise mariners though wind and weather be never so faire and calme provide for a storme so I wish you provide your tacklings for I assure you we shall have a great storme but feare neither wind nor sea rock nor sand for Christ is our pilot and every passenger though much weather-beaten yet shall in the end arrive safely at the wished haven only as Paul before he tooke ship kneeled downe and praied be not wanting in your private praiers that God would send us a prosperous journey If it please you I will first parallel this storie with some other both positive exemplary Scriptures the former is in the Psalmes where the Psalmist saith They that go downe to the sea in ships occupie their businesse in great waters these see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deepe for he commandeth and raiseth the stormie wind which lifteth up the waves thereof they mount up to the heaven and goe downe againe to the depths their soule melteth because of the trouble they reele to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wits end then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble and he bringeth them out of their distresses he maketh the storme a calme so that the waves thereof are still then are they glad because they be quiet so he bringeth them to their desired haven Oh that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse and declare his wonderfull works to the children of men Oh what an excellent Comment is that on this storie Other such examples the Scriptures afford as a like storie we have in Ionah when he flying to Tharsis from the presence of the Lord the Lord raised a wonderfull storme and tempest
mari .i. seculo fluctibus i. persequutionibus inquietatur Domino per patientiam velut dormiente donec orationibus sanctorum suscitatus compescat seculum tranquillitatem suis reddat I need not translate it it is but the summe of that you have heard before And so I hope that handling it according to letter and mysterie as if it were a reall parable it wil prove profitable unto us For our more orderly proceeding wherein we will first observe the Context and then the parts of the Text. For the Context In the former part of the Chapter the Euangelist shewes that Christ had wrought divers miracles he had cleansed a Leper restored a Centurions servant cured Peters wives mother of a fever cast out devils out of the possessed healed many that were sicke and instructed by word of mouth some that would have beene his disciples but all this was done upon the land Now he will to sea and there worke miracles and really instruct his Apostles that he may declare himselfe to be Lord both of sea and land In Christ his transfretation over the sea of Galilee with his Disciples two things are principally to be noted viz. first their shipping in this 23 vers and secondly their sailing in all the rest In their shipping two things viz. the persons and the means who and wherein the persons are knowne by their number He and his Disciples and their order Hee went before and the Disciples followed him the meanes or vessell wherein they passed a ship In their sailing or passage three things are to be noted viz. 1. their danger 2. their deliverance 3. the effect In declaration of their danger wee are to note the cause and greatnesse of it the ordinary cause of their danger was a tempest which is described first by the qualitie it arose suddenly and secondly by the quantitie it was great Secondly the greatnesse of their danger is declared by two circumstances viz. the ship was even covered with waves and secondly Christ was on sleepe As concerning their deliverance out of this danger two things are to bee noted viz. first the procuring and secondly the performing thereof In the procurement of deliverance three things are to be noted viz. first to whom in this distresse they seek for deliverance his Disciples came to Him secondly what they doe being come to him they awaken him thirdly what they say unto him wherin observe 1. a great Suit Lord save us 2. A weightie Reason wee perish In the performance of deliverance thus procured note a double Reprehension 1. Of his disciples and he reproveth them for two things viz. first excesse of feare why are yee fearefull 2. Defect of faith O yee of little faith In the second we are to note two things viz. Preparation he arose 2. Reprehension he rebuked the winds and seas The effect of this deliverance is two-fold first in winds and seas there was agreat calme secondly in disciples and beholders that is twofold viz. first admiration the men marvelled and secondly proclamation who is this that even the winds and seas doe obey him Thus I have made readie the ground laid the foundation proposed a modell laid in a readinesse the materials the halfe of my work is now over but the whole profit therof to you remains Of these parts therfore now orderly for our further instruction and edification And first of their shipping and therein first of the Passengers and of them the first and chiefest commeth orderly in the first place to be considered He. Who is that mentioned in the verse immediatly before my Text whereunto this is a relation Iesus And when Iesus was entred Our Saviour went divers times and on severall occasions into ships sometimes for more conveniencie in his preaching and ministery of the Word So when there were great multitudes gathered together to him he went into a ship and sate and the whole multitude stood on the shore And he spake many things to them in parables And at another time the people pressing upon him to heare the word of God as he stood by the lake of Gennezareth he seeing two ships entred into one of them and sate downe and taught the people out of the ship That as out of the ship they used to cast their nets and catch fishes he might by his example teach the Apostles how to cast the net of the Gospell and catch men as he said unto them Follow mee and I will make you fishers of men Sometimes also being weary with trauel and with preaching of the Gospell for the refreshing of himselfe and his Disciples As they withdrew themselves froÌ„ the multitude he saying unto them Come apart into a desert place and rest a while for there were so many comming and going they had no leasure so much as to eat so they departed into a desert place by ship privately So good and gracious Christ was knowing the bodies of his Disciples not to be iron nor brasse but flesh and bloud subiect to faintnesse and wearisomenesse to allow them refreshings and recreations though alas it was but a poore refreshing and for a little while For the people saw their departure and ranne on foot thither out of all Cities and he had compassion on them and began to teach them and healed all their sicke Thus could hee scarce ever take rest If he sit downe wearie on Iacobs Well to rest him by and by commeâ—â— a woman to â—raw water and giveth him occasion of a large discourse Though wearied with the labour of the day yet even on the night time Nicodemus commeth to him to be instructed If he goe into the desert the people are there as soone as he and he must teach and heale and feed them If he enter into a ship no sooner on sleepe but his Disciples awaken him because of a storme that as he had not whereon so he could no where rest his head Even such are the occasioÌ„s of doing good which God offreth to his servants who are his Stewards Husbandmen and labourers that their work goeth round with the yeare they must follow it in season and out of season labour to wearisomenesse and yet never be wearie of labour but as the proverb is lay weary to weary and comfort themselves with that of Saint Iohn Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for so saith the Spirit they rest from their labours and their workes follow them But it may seeme there were other two more special causes of his entring into ship going to sea with his Disciples at this time viz. First that he might proceed froÌ„ doctrine to miracles which may be observed still to be his manner As having preached upon the mountaine he was no sooner come downe but he cleansed a Leper healed the Centurions servant cured Peters wives mother and many that were diseased for his miracles were as the seale of
Calfe hee told Moses hee would not goe any longer before them as he had done whereupon Moses grew very importunate with him that he would never carry them thence if his presence went not with them and never left him till he prevailed that he would goe with them as he was wont It was an heavie sight and the forerunner of great destruction that the Prophet in Vision saw the glory of the God of Israel gone up from the Cherub whereupon it was to the very threshold of the house as ready to depart Christ telling his disciples that he must goe away their hearts were full of sorrow yea and though Christ laboured to giue them comfort that they might take his departure well as that it was expedient for them and that he went to send the Comforter yea that he went to prepare a place for them and that he would come againe and take them to himselfe and they should be with him for ever yet all would not serve it was an heavy sight to see their Master taken out of their sight and Christ after his resurrection tooke notice how the two disciples that travelled towards Emmaus were sad If the disciples were thus distracted with feare notwithstanding Christ went into the ship before them and was there in the storme though on sleepe how would they have beene affected if hee had not beene there but left them alone Wherefore it behoveth all Gods people in times of dangers to make very speciall search and inquirie whether Christ be present or no And here me thinketh I heare that of Gedeon commonly objected who being saluted by the Angell The Lord is with thee thou valiant man answered Oh my Lord if the Lord be with us why then is all this befallen us where be all the miracles which our fathers told us of If the Lord be with us why is all this befallen us our houses are burnt our goods and labours spoiled yea Gods temples demolished his servants slaine sword fire and famine prevaile I answer God testifieth his presence two waies viz. sometimes outwardly in the miraculous deliverance of his servants out of evils thus was God present with Daniel in the Lions den stopping their mouthes that they could not hurt him and with the three children in the fierie furnace not suffering an haire of their heads to be sindged Thus was God with his people in Egypt red sea wildernesse and Canaan a thing exceedingly to be wondred at that thrice a yeere viz. at their solemne feasts all the males going from all parts of the Land up to Ierusalem to worship and none left at home to keepe their frontiers from invasion Cities and houses from burning and goods from spoiling but only weake women and children yet so long as they continued in Gods feare and obedience he protected their lands houses and goods that no enemie invaded or offred the least violence for so God had promised at those times No man shall so much as desire thy land when thou shalt goe up to appeare before the Lord thy God Oh how marvellous was God in the famous victories which hee gave his people over their enemies in the daies of Moses Ioshuah Iudges David Iehoshaphat Ezekiah breaking the bow and arrowes knapping their speares and burning their chariots in the fire shewing his puissance and power making bare his right hand in the sight of the Heathen restraining the rage of enemies turning it to his praise and making himselfe terrible to the Kings of the earth But yet sometimes it pleaseth him when his ship is in a dangerous storme to sleep and only to testifie his presence another way suffering their enemies to prevaile to kill murther and spoile and only furnish his people with faith repentance patience humilitie zeale contentation comfort ioy and inward peace with other such like inestimable graces of his Spirit whereby his servants are inabled by suffering to prevaile and get most glorious victories howsoever flesh and bloud would perswade God hath forsaken that people in whose defense and preservation he doth not appeare yet the holy word of God teacheth us that it is an infallible Argument of Gods powerfull presence that his servants are able to suffer with patience and ioy whatsoever it shall please God to suffer their enemies to lay upon them The Apostle speaking of tribulation distresse persecution famine nakednesse perill sword yea that for Gods sake they are killed all the day long and counted as sheepe for the slaughter yet saith he In all these things we are more than conquerours through him that loved us Was not Christ with the Apostles when being scourged they went out of the Councel reioycing Was he not with Paul and Silas singing Psalmes of praise at midnight in the dungeon Was hee not with the Hebrewes suffering with ioy the spoile of their goods Was he not with those Saints of whom the world was unworthy though being destitute afflicted tormented wandring up and downe in wildernesses mountaines dens caves of the earth Was he not with Ignatius who being condemned to the beasts and hearing the Lions roare he cheerfully said he was Gods corne to be ground with teeth of wilde beasts that he might become pure manchet for God Was he not with those Martyrs in the Primitive Church who esteemed Tyrants as gnats and their torments but as flea-bitings Was he not with them who as Tertullian said to be accused wished and to be punished for Christ they accounted felicitie A certaine woman running in all haste with a childe in her armes towards the place of execution and being asked the cause of her haste O saith she I heare a great sort of Christians are to be martyred and I am afraid that I and my little one shall come too late How did many holy Martyrs in this land in the daies of Queene Marie most willingly forsake offices houses goods parents wives children libertie most cheerefully receiue sentence of death most gladly goe to place of execution and most comfortably kisse the stake embrace the faggots and clap hands in flaming fire And whence was all this Was it not from Christ who in that great tempest was in the ship with them Let the blessed Martyr Glâ—ver witnesse who having received sentence of death though the remembrance of the fire was so terrible that he was exceedingly perplexed made his dulnesse and heavinesse knowne which continued all that night and the morning till he came within the sight of the stake but then was suddenly filled with boldnesse and joy which made him call to his friend He is come he is come Oh this is a glorious victory indeed as one saith of the martyrdome of Saint Laurence God did more gloriously triumph in his patience and constancie when hee was broyled on the gridiron than if he had saved his body from burning by a miracle
to make Unitie one of the markes or their seventh note of the true Church and assume that to themselves and impute Division to us First for their Divisions it is strange but that men of that side will say and write any thing that Bellarmine should say they all joyne in obedience to their Head and that their Councels Popes Decrees and Writers doe wonderfully agree though writing in divers tongues places occasions whereas the world hath taken notice yea all must needs know that know any thing how Rome it selfe by her owne children hath beene sacked siedge laid to the Castle of Saint Angel and the Pope taken prisoner Is this their Canonicall obedience How divers Popes have challenged the Popedom and three stood at once Many battels have beene fought and thousands slaine Who was the head of their Vnity then and when a woman was Pope How Popes have cut off Cardinals heads one Pope abrogate and condemne the Decrees of others yea in extreme hatred digged up their bodies and cutting off two of the fingers to burie it againe and sometimes cut off head and cast the bodie into Tibur one Councell condemning what another had decreed What Writers euer more eagerly opposite than Dominicans and Franciscans Priests and Iesuits yea Schoole-men themselves about the bookes of Canonicall Scripture themselves the Virgins being without sinne Transubstantiation Purgatorie yea Iustification merit of workes worshipping of Images yea what point of difference is there betwixt them and us wherein some of their own side doe not side with us against them yea as the Church of Rome is wholly departed from that ancient faith it professed in the daies of the Apostles so the moderne Church is exceedingly declined from that faith it formerly professed even since it came to be the seat of Antichrist which being so abundantly cleared by divers of our learned Divines in their polemicall Tracts and Discourses and hoping that either you know or doe not doubt of the truth hereof I will not insist upon probation of particulars which were infinite and therefore if Unitie be a note of the true Church Rome cannot be it so divided as it must needs one day come to ruine and destruction For our owne divisions which we doe not denie have beene some and too many yet such as disprove not the true Unitie of the Church but are justified not only by the divisions of the Romish Church which are moe and greater and it is like will never be composed but the divisions which by Satans malice and subtill abusing of the weaknesse of some have ever infested the true Church of God even in Rome in her best estate Saint Paul saith There were therein that caused divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine And telleth the Corinthians there were among them envying strife and contention some holding of Paul some of Apollo some of Cephas Paul and Barnabas were at variance Paul Peter had iarres great strife betwixt East and West Churches about the keeping of Easter so as they excōmunicated each other no lesse broils in the Churches about Rebaptization What Tragicall troubles did Theophilus Patriarch of Alexandria raise against Chrysostome Bishop of Constantinople a chiefe adversarie to whom was Epiphanius Bishop of Cyprus The event was Chrysostome lost both Bishoprick and life in banishment many were flame in taking parts the Cathedrall Church and Senate-house in Constantinople burnt downe to the ground in pursuit of reuenge How did the Orthodox Bishops in the Councell of Nice fall at variance and complaine of one another to the Emperour so as Constantine had much adoe to compose the difference In the second Councell of Ephesus such eager contention that Flavianus the Bishop of Constantinople was not only deposed but also pitifully murthered Too too many such grievous contentions Ecclesiasticall stories witnesse to happen in the Churches of God in Councels and amongst the learned Fathers and Bishops so lamented by Cyprian and Basil as the cause of persecution and the turning away of many from embracing of the Christian religion and a great advantage to Arrius and such like Haeretikes to spread the poyson of their haeresies farre and neere Thus you see there have beene yea and as long as Sathan hath leave to compasse the earth to and fro and that Gods Saints be imperfect in knowledge and weake in affections there will be divisions they have beene and are greater than amongst our selves yet not disproving a true Church Secondly our divisions are not of the Church but of some in the Church our Church doth wonderfully accord in the unitie of faith and uniformitie of government and therefore are falsly imputed to the Church Thirdly not in matters of faith wherein as our Church doth accord with other Reformed Churches abroad in all fundamentall verities there being no fundamentall dissention betwixt any the Reformed Churches as the Harmonie of Confessions beareth witnesse so neither is the difference or dissention amongst such in our Church except Popishly affected about matters of substance but of circumstance not about the boords or bodie of the ship anchor cable card or who shall be Pilot but about the saile and ceremonies of blacke or white Fourthly though these differences have beene too hotly and eagerly followed of some yet God be thanked not pursued by fire or death nor to the pronouncing of each other Heretikes as both anciently as partly you have heard and might heare much more if I delighted in this Argument and would for this purpose search the Authentike histories of the Church and lately also in the Romish Church betwixt the Popes themselves and the Franciscans with all cruell extremitie persecuting the poore Dominicans Lastly blessed be God even in this happy calme our divisions and contentions are well slaked and composed notwithstanding they were kindled and nourished especially by the cunning of subtle and secret Papists lurking amongst us as the remnant of the Canaanites to be as pricks in our eies and thornes in our sides but a little storme would make us perfect friends as some of our learned forefathers who in time of prosperitie were much divided and abounded in their severall senses and opinions concerning such matters yet in the daies of Queene Marie went ioyfully to the stake and died together for that truth which they ioyntly beleeved it being most true of an ancient Father The communion of good things oftentimes breedeth envie and hatred but communion in miserie breedeth love and compassion Thus I have shipped the passengers I have given them their charge Looking upon the sea I see many ships when I come to handle the vessel wherein they passe It is a needfull question for these daies which is that ship wherein Christ and his disciples passe and how may it be infallibly knowne from all other When I come to that I hope to make it cleare to all whose eies the god of this
number of cast Pieces but Christ is not there nor his Disciples if Inquisition can finde them out they must over board They will suffer Iewes Atheists and all sort of wicked livers but not Christs disciples This shall suffer wracke And therefore we call to all Passengers therein Come out from amongst them And for this purpose I alledge the Testimonie of one of their owne whom I doe not name for honour being such a wretched and faithlesse Hypocrite and Renegade but because such as are Popishly affected it may be will regard his saying thus therfore hath he painted in paper the Romish Church It is a good Vessell well built not rotten nor fallen in peeces but indeed the Pilot who sitteth at the sterne hath throwne aside the ordinarie Compasse and left the vse of the approved Sea Map and out of his owne capricious conceit devised a new Card and contrived a new found Compasse of his owne whose Needle hath no aspect towards the Pole or touch at all of the Load-stone sutable hereunto he hath out of his owne head framed certaine Cardinal winds which serve only for his Card and propounding only one Port his owne greatnesse and temporall pompe hath in his devised Compasse quartered out his owne counterfet winds which must blow for that haven but he ring-leads them all to wracke And will you heare what testimonie he hath given of the Reformed Churches ship in the same Sermon The Reformed Churches saith he have cast out that strange intruding Pilot and yeelded up their ship to be governed by their owne true Steeres-man such as God himselfe hath ordained and so using the infallible Card of the holy Scriptures and the true Compasse quartered out into the foure ancient Cardinall winds of the foure first Generall Councels and seconded with the under winds of the Holy Fathers they make an happy Voyage and without wandring arrive at the appointed Haven of Salvation If he had beleeved this with his heart which in the name of God he preached with his mouth he had beene an happy man but dealing falsly with God God hath justly discovered him Let them take him we renounce him as an hypocrite and nullifidian and regard not what he hath said or written I will only produce the Testimonie of a Pope viz. Pius the fifth who offred to Q. Elizabeth to approve as good the whole publike service and forme of Religion in our Church with Sacraments and Bible and that hee would change nothing so her Majestie would receive it from him as Pope and Vicar of Christ which because shee refused to doe he presently excommunicated her Let Popishly affected note that how well pleased the Pope would be with all so hee might have the government For this are we such Heretikes I will ioyne issue with a man of greater worth dignitie and esteeme amongst them than Spalato was or now will be viz. Bellarmine himselfe who taketh upon him by certaine infallible notes to the number of foure to declare which is the true ship or Church wherein Christ his disciples are It would aske a great time to examine them all it hath been worthily done by famous learned men already I will only select one or twaine and first be it knowne vnto you that whereas there are only two infallible marks notes of a true visible church viz. the sincere preaching of the word and the administration of the Sacraments these are none of Bellarmines notes he doth with all his learning oppose them as no true notes I must therefore ioyne in some others of his owne coyning granting such to be as indeed are not that yet it may appeare even those doe more concerne our Church than theirs which though it might be made good in examination of them all yet I will only chuse two because I will not confound the memories of the weake and such two as are most visible that so the common people may see which is the true Church indeed The former of these but the eighth in Bellarmines number is holines of doctrine he addeth there is no sect of Pagans Philosophers Iewes Turks or Heretikes but teach errors but the Church of Rome teacheth no errour no turpitude nothing contrary to reason and therefore that is the only true Church I would to God Bellarmine meant as he saith that by this note of holy doctrine it might be without partialitie tryed which is the true Church for the Scriptures containing the most holy doctrine it would follow that what Church doth preach and professe that doctrine purely by this note must needs be the true Church of God But I doe wonder that Bellarmine should dare to offer such a note whereas they teach for doctrine their owne Traditions Ceremonies give authoritie to the Pope to dispense with the Law of God yea robbe Christ of all his offices as might be shewed by induction of particulars give men liberty to finne by their Auricular Confession Indulgences and Pardons and easie deliverance out of Purgatory Is that an holy doctrine which teacheth that the mariage of Ministers is the worst sort of Fornication That it is better to maintaine a Concubine than a Wife That alloweth swearing and blaspheming so as Saupanlinus but for reproving a man for swearing was suspected to be a Lutheran and thereupon examined condemned and burned Is that an holy doctrine which teacheth no more than a very Reprobate may beleeve and practise Is that an holy doctrine which teacheth killing and poysoning of Kings and Princes Is that an holy Religion which doth canonize for Saints Thomas Becket Garnet and such like notorious Rebels That teacheth lying equivocation mentall reservation breaking of oathes Is that an holy doctrine which teacheth the breach of all the morall Commandements In a word the Romish doctrine is a most prophane carnall and obscene doctrine and most pleasing to carnall wicked and unregenerate men a maine cause why it hath so many professors all the holinesse of it is but in Apish and mimicall gestures bowing of knee lifting vp of eyes and hands abstaining from some meats weeping knocking crossing whipping which are prescribed So that as a worthy Diuine amongst us hath truly said a great part of Popery is very Magicke and nothing else but a politike Atheisme being Divines without Scripture Religious but without Faith in the name of the Lord putting to death such as die for the name of the Lord. To conclude seeing the doctrine of Popery is a renuing and reviving of all ancient Heresies a doctrine of liberty and all licentious living teaching and allowing most filthy positions and practises the Romish Church is not the true Church of God or ship wherein Christ and his disciples passe because they have not holy doctrine The second but tenth note in Bellarmines account and number is Sanctitie and bolinesse of life the very naming of which note would make any man of grace and modestie
be broken So much for the sense of the word But as the Iewes said of Christ concerning the death of Lazarus Could not be that opened the eyes of the blinde have caused that even this man had not died So I say He that stilled the tempest and raging of the Sea could not he have caused it had not beene at all Yes verily Let us then search out for what causes it was his pleasure that this great tempest should arise Some of the Fathers tell us it was for Iudas his sake as the great storme arose for Ionas his sake But at this time Iudas had not betrayed his Master Doubtlesse he was a covetous wretch which gave Sathan the advantage to tempt him to that sinne but I suppose as yet Sathan had not so much as put it into his heart But because it is the Fathers I will not reject nor confute it Only by the way in a word make this use of it Let us so much as we can keepe out of the societie of wicked men as the Apostle biddeth Have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darknesse For as a Father saith Where sinne is there will be a storme The Scriptures are plaine to teach us that even for the sin of some one man the punishment whereof was neglected a whole familie tribe and people have beene punished As the making and worshipping of the Golden Calfe though it was not the sinne of all yet it endangered all and God told Moses he would consume them all For Achans sinne how did the people fall before their enemies Which made all Israel so afraid when the two Tribes and an halfe had erected an Altar as they conceived to offer sacrifice on contrary to the commandement of God and sent messengers to tell them that if they did rebell against the Lord that day to morrow he would be wroth with all the Congregation of Israel villanie committed by some of the Inhabitants of Gibeah in abusing the Levites concubine the heavy vengeance of God came not only upon the persons themselves but upon the whole Citie wherein such wickednesse was committed yea upon the whole Tribe because they delivered not up those wicked men to be punished but seemed to defend them yea not upon the Tribe alone which seeme justly to be condemned as accessarie but also on all such as came not up to warre and helped not to take vengeance for that wicked fact as upon all the Inhabitants of Iabesh Gilead And doe you not remember how for Sauls cruell fact in killing the Gibeonites there was a great famine in the Land for three yeeres together So good a thing it is if we can prevent it that Iudas be not in Ship House or Towne where we saile or dwell as S. Iohn fled out of the Bath where he saw the wicked Heretike was or at the least Ministers Magistrates people and all must endevour that sinne be punished and so taken away else the guilt and punishment may lie on all But I suppose there were other two principall Reasons for which Christ was pleased that this great tempest should arise viz. First for triall of his Disciples faith which is specially tried in times of danger distresse and perplexitie yea though he knew it to be weake yet themselves did not so and it was very profitable for them to know how weake their faith was Lastly that by this miraculous deliverance he might confirme their faith and teach them in all future dangers and perplexities to cleave unto him and trust in him which teacheth us that former experience of Gods providence power and goodnesse in ministring to our wants and delivering us out of evils should strengthen our faith in assurance of the like if it shall please God to bring us into them as we see David made that use of his deliverance from the paw of the Lien and Beare that that God would also deliver him out of the hand of the Philistim And so much for the Reasons Now for further instruction observe that as there is a manifold singular bodily or earthly vse of the Sea or Navigation so is there also singular Divine and heavenly use to be made and specially for contemplation There is no creature visible wherein in fairer capitall letters we may reade the goodnesse greatnesse power and Majestie of God than in the Sea that huge and uncontroulable creature and specially in a storme to see the waves how they rowle and rage and to heare them even many miles off how they roare in beating one against another and against the shore so true that is of David They that goe downe to the Sea in ships and occupie their businesse in great waters These see the workes of the Lord and his wonders in the deepe If God challenge such glory from the wings and feathers of Peacocks and Ostriches the wilde Goats Hindes Asse Vnicorne Hawke Eagle Horse Behemoth and Leviathan Iob 39. 40 41. Chap. Oh how great is his glory from creation and government of the Sea Therefore God himselfe often urgeth his Dominion over the Sea that unruly and boysterous Element for declaration of his great Majestie as unto Iob Who shut up the sea with doores who set barres and said Hitherto shalt thou come and no further and here shalt thou stay thy proud waves And againe Feare yee not me saith the Lord will yee not tremble at my presence which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetuall decree that it cannot passe it and though the waves thereof tosse themselves yet can they not prevaile though they roare yet can they not passe over it Who ever saw tempest on sea whose heart was not smitten with feare and reverence of the Majestie of that God who hath made and doth governe it And againe Thus saith the Lord who divideth the sea when the waves thereof roare the Lord of hoasts is his name As God himselfe doth urge it so holy David specially was very frequent in the meditation thereof He gathereth the waters of the sea together as on an heap layeth up the deep as in store houses Let al the earth feare the Lord let al the inhabitāts of the world stand in awe of him And againe It is God that stilleth the raging of the sea and the noise of its waves And again He turned the sea into drie land he ruleth by his power for ever And again I will meditate of all thy works and talke of thy doings thou art the God that doest wonders the waters saw thee O God the waters saw thee were afraid the depths also were troubled And againe God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are round about him O Lord God of hoasts who is a strong Lord like unto thee thou rulest the
Our mother Church may be an Example who found the truth of this Doctrine by wofull experience at whose doore Christ knocking and desiring to enter shee returning a sluggish answer I have put off my coat how shall I put it on but being better advised and arising to open unto him he was gone and as Shee was hardly perswaded to arise and open to him so was He as hardly perswaded to arise and helpe her but suffered her to run up and downe in the streets to seeke him and could not finde him yea to fall into the hands of cruell watchmen who did smite and wound her Oh see the bitter fuits of dallying and late repentance So his people having provoked him and calling to be delivered out of the hands of their enemies see what a cold answer he giveth Where are your gods the rocke wherein yee trusted that did eat the fat of your sacrifices and drinke the wine of your drinke-offerings let them rise up and helpe you and be your protection Oh poore is the helpe that Idols can give to their worshippers having eyes but see not eares but heare not feet but walke not The Prophet biddeth the people that would raise God to give him no rest Christ biddeth us aske seeke knocke and commendeth spirituall violence The Apostle requireth a labouring or striving in prayer and the King of Ninivie commanded his people to cry mightily unto God All which declare that God helpeth not his people till he be raised he is not raised but with violence and as it were by being pricked under the sides as the Hebrew word signifieth Shall I conclude this point with paralelling it with another The people of God being persecuted and much distressed by their enemies David penned that most excellent Psalme the 68. wherein first he directeth them what to doe in their wofull case viz. as the Disciples did here to goe to Christ for to him the Apostle applieth that Psalme And what must they intreat him to doe To arise Arise Lord and let thine enemies be scattered The Lord did arise and went forth before his people made Kings with their Armies to â—lie rebuked the companie of spearemen the multitude of Buls and Calves of the people and scattered them that delighted in warre And what are Gods people taught to doe then Even to praise God and mutually provoke one another thereunto Blessed be the Lord even the God of our salvation he that is our God is the God of salvation and to him belong the issues of death Oh blesse yee God in the Congregations oh sing unto God yee kingdomes of the earth oh sing praises to the Lord even to him that rideth upon the heavens the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people blessed be God And is this all No but when they have praised him for the good he hath done they are also directed to pray unto him to goe forward and perfect his good worke begun Strengthen oh God that which thou hast wrought for us for thy Temples sake at Ierusalem so shall Kings bring presents unto thee Oh how fit that Comment and this Theme and both of them for this time Many have beene the troubles of Gods people for these late yeeres in many parts of the Christian world and Christ hath slept long but loe by the importunate prayers of his people he is at last awakened his head is up from the pillow he is risen and hath begun a gracious calme Though I cannot say with the Psalmist Warres are ceased in all the world yet hath he beene marvellous to breake the bow knap the speare asunder and create a glorious peace for so many thousands and millions of his worthy servants in France and to give them the shadow of a great rocke in that weary land Oh let the voice of gladnesse be heard in righteous mens dwellings and let God be praised in the congregations of his Saints and let all men pray the Lord to finish that good worke he hath begun establish that peace in all truth and sincerity and give like comfort and breathing to all his servants in Germanie and else-where Yea be assured now he is risen he will in his good time doe some great worke and cause if his people now praise and pray a great calme I say then with Moses Stand still feare not and see the salvation of God and with the Prophet Zacharie Be silent ô all flesh before the Lord for he is now raised up out of his holy habitation So much for Preparation The Reprehension followeth He rebuked the wind and the sea All the Euangelists doe use one and the same word which in the native proprietie doth signifie to reprehend and chide and charge yea charge strictly even with threatnings and menaces and accordingly translated in some Latine Copies q. d. I charge you be still and calme upon your perill be it I will make you rue it else Which majesticall threatning intendeth three things viz. first Authoritie to command secondly Power to punish if he be not obeyed lastly An acknowledgment of that power For in vaine it is to command or threaten if the parties or creatures doe not regard us But as hee had power to command and threaten and punish so winds and seas had eyes and eares and heart to see heare feare and obey he no sooner commanded and threatned but presently they obeyed There was a great calme Heare â— heaven and hearken ô earth for the Lord speaketh Esay 1. 2. If the Lord speake heaven and earth and all creatures have eares to heare O earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord Ierem. 22. penult I say againe let it be marked that Christ did not pray intreat and beseech but with authoritie he commanded Peace and be still as if he were much provoked with their impetuous insolencie And no marvell What Winds and seas not know their Maker What Have they heretofore trembled and fled at his presence and doe they now rage and roare and conspire to drowne him What high treason against the Lord of heaven and earth is this It is well they escape with a rebuke that he doth not make them feele the power of his wrath and give all posterities occasion to say with the Prophet What ailed thee oh thou sea What didst thou Lake of Gennesareth that the Lord was so angry and displeased with thee What was thy transgression ô sea of Galile for which the Lord powred out upon thee the furiousnesse of his wrath Oh let it be written and let all posterities note the meeknesie and gentlenesse of the Lord towards his creatures who did no further punish such a treasonable conspiracie against his life but with a rebuke Peace and be still Here for our instruction let us learne what is the soveraigne Regall authoritie of this great
invaded his land whereupon he was forced presently to divert his forces so David escaped Secondly By dispersion Hee doth scatter the people that delight in warre Thus God caused the Syrians besieging Samaria to heare a noise of Horses and Chariots even of a great hoast they arose and fled When Gideon and his three hundred blew with the trumpets and brake their pitchers the huge hoast of the Midianites fled Lastly God many times rebuketh persecuting Princes by marvellously destroying their powers and that by sea and land By sea so David speaketh of God breaking the ships of Tarshish with an East wind By land either by themselves or others by others So God sent an Angel who in one night destroyed an hundred fourescore and five thousand in the hoast of railing Rabshekah whereby he was forced to returne and not so much as shoot an arrow against the Citie Yea rather then they should not be destroyed the enemies of Gods Church have destroied one another as in that great army which came up against Iehoshaphat and Iudah The children of Moab and Ammon stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir and thus they destroyed one another The consideration whereof serveth for these vses First That seeing Christ hath so many wayes and meanes whereby to rebuke even the most potent and puissant mischievous and malicious enemies not to be distractedly fearefull though we see never so great conspiracies or the Church in likelihood to be in extreme perill and danger but to commend us and others to God in fasting and prayer being assured that God can and in his good time will rebuke the enemies of his people They doe but kicke against the pricke Act 9 5. Their owne hurt is ever the greatest Si stimulos pugnis caedis manibus plus doles Plaut Who ever tried their strength in lifting at the stone and were not broken in peeces Zach. 12. 3. Secondly That when we see such great comfort and happinesse to redound to the Church of God partly for that Kings and Princes who threaten destruction of Wolves become Shepherds of persecutors become Patrons of destroiers defenders of murtherers nursing fathers and nursing mothers or that by naturall or violent death God cutteth off mercilesse Tyrants or that he doth divert by unlooked for occasions dissipate by land or sea with wind weather or other meanes or destroy by fire water pestilence famine their powers and forces Oh in all such cases let the people of God give all the honour and glory hereof unto Christ for it is he that so rebuketh the roaring winds and raging seas He that hath eares to heare may heare him in this dialect speaking to the winds and seas Peace and be still Yea howsoever it hath pleased God for a long time to suffer the wind to blow so loud and strong as if it would rent the mountaines and breake the rocks in peeces or discover the channels of the sea and suffer the sea to rage as if it would not onely tosse with tempest but even swallow up in furges the poore ship of his Church Yet Christ at last is awakened hee hath begun to rebuke the winds and the sea blessed be his name and if his people will beleeve and repent they shall see his salvation and he will rebuke them more And so much for his Reprehension The effects thereof follow And there was a great calme The effects of Christ his rebuking of the winds and sea are two the former the cause of the latter The former in the winds and sea There was a great calme The latter in the disciples who were hereby occasioned to wonder and proclaime What manner of man is this that even the winds and the sea obey him For the first And there was a great calme Sweetly hath David long since as it were commented on this story saying They that goe downe into the sea in ships and occupie their businesse in great waters these see the workes of the Lord and his wonders in the deepe For he commandeth and raiseth the stormie wind which lifteth up the waves thereof They mount up to the heaven they go down again to the depths their soule is melted because of trouble They reele to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wits end Then they cry to the Lord in their trouble and hee bringeth them out of their distresses hee maketh the storme a calme so that the waves thereof are still Then are they glad because they be quiet so hee bringeth them to their desired haven Oh that men would therefore praise him and declare the wonderfull workes which he doth for the children of men c Now then we are come to the joyfull Catastrophe of this story danger is over feare abated faith increased storme ceased And there was a great calme Whereof first for the sense of the words The Hebrew word in Munsters copie doth signifie To be still I finde the same word both in the forecited place in the Psalme and is translated quiet Then are they glad because they be quiet and in the story of Ionah where the Mariners asked Ionah What shall we doe unto thee that the sea may be calme unto us or as the Hebrew signifieth that the sea may be silent from us And indeed the word is very proper if either wee consider the nature of a storme wherein winds and waves doe wonderfully roare and lift up their voyce as David unproperly calleth it so as their noise is heard afarre off or consider the context for Christ bade the winds and sea Peace and be still and their obedience answereth like an eccho to the voyce and the winds and seas were still But the Greeke word which all three Euangelists use but no where else in all the new Testament is more significant which as some would have is derived from such a Greeke word as signifieth milke to note that the aire was as white and cleere as that in the firmament in the cleerest winters night which is called The milkie way But I rather subscribe to those Henricus Stephanus Scapula Chemnitius Piscator that derive it from such a theme in the Greeke as signifieth to laugh or looke marvellous cheerefully or merrily The word then signifieth that there was upon Christ his rebuking of the winds the sea not only a marvellous calmenesse stilnesse and quietnesse not so much wind stirring as would move a leafe no rising or rowling but sea as smooth and even as one might cast a die upon it as wee say but there was a wonderfull serenitie the heaven and sea did as it were smile and laugh upon them which before did so frowne and threaten to drowne them Yet as if the word in it owne native proprietie were not sufficient here is also another added There was a great calme