it not against true Virginitie but the fained shew of it when as the bodie is defiled with monstrous pollutions not against necessarie povertie but voluntary choise of it in opinion of more pleasing God not against good works but the proud conceit of meriting by them not against confession but against the abuses and corruptions thereof which are such as no Papist in the world can justifie by Scriptures Fathers or Reason as namely that it is enjoined of absolute necessitie and only of mortall sinnes and whatsoever such are not confessed are not forgiven That it must only be in the eares of his owne Priest and is of it selfe an act meritorious These foule corruptions being pared away we have Confession in right use amongst us As we begin our publike Service with confession of our sinnes and have remission of sinnes by Gods Minister pronounced to all such as truly repent and vnfainedly beleeve the Gospell So if any be troubled in Soule and cannot rightly apply the meanes of comfort on death-bead or at other times our Church in the second exhortation before the Communion exhorteth such to repaire to some godly and discreet Minister from whose praier counsell and advice they may receive comfort and the conscience may be quieted hath prescribed a forme of absolution and in the Canons of our Church are enjoined upon paine of irregularitie all lawfull secresie And this is a singular meanes which God and our Church hath prescribed for the quieting and calming of stormie and tempestuous Soules and which cannot be godly used without much comfort The third and last way for calming of these inward tempests in the minds of Gods Children is the voice and speech of Christ he rebuked the winds and Seas and so still doth speake to the troubled Soule Yea whatsoever benefits or friends or delights or pleasures any man have yet none nor all these can soundly comfort the distressed Soule but the word of Christ Therefore saith Ieremie Thy Word is the joy and rejoicing of mine heart And David saith The Statutes of the Lord are right and rejoice the heart And againe I had perished in my trouble if thy Lawes had not comforted me And againe This is my comfort in mine affliction for thy Word hath quickned me And therefore praieth Cause thou me to heare the voice of joy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice Much more might be said to this purpose but this may suffice and therefore if ever thou wilt have the storme and tempest in thy Soule stilled and calmed thou must diligently hearken to the Word of God read and preached But me thinketh I heare some object against this and say Oh I was never troubled till I began to hearken to the Word till I got a Bible and delighted in reading and tooke delight to heare Sermons I thinke it was the hearing of the Word raised the Tempest I answer that the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God hath two edges it hurteth with the one and healeth with the other it cutteth with the one and cureth with the other it humbleth and exalteth it terrifieth and assureth it afflicteth and rejoiceth the heart Wherefore if it have wounded thee stick to it it will heale thee if it have raised a storme it will also calme and still it Oh but I have read it much and heard it often and yet still I am as much troubled and as comfortlesse as ever I was I say with David Oh tarie the Lords leasure be strong and he will comfort thine heart Our mother Church having lost Christ sought him in bed and found him not in streets and found him not met with many discouragements but found not him whom her Soule loved yet in the end she found him and laid hold on him Never any sought constantly comfort from Word and Sacraments but in the end found it Wherefore say with David I will hearken what the Lord God will say for he will speake peace to his people and to his Saints The Wind and Seas which cause thy storme and tempest are within thee bring them to Gods house first or last the Lord will with his Word rebuke them and thou shalt have a calme and praise God for thy peace And so much for the cause of their perill viz. a Tempest both according to the letter and mystery and that both generally in the Church where Christ his Gospel is professed and particularly in the Soule where the same is beleeved Now let vs proceed to the description of this Tempest Wherein the first thing to be considered is the quality of it It was sudden in this word There arose or according to the originall It was made it did not arise or was made by little or little but on the sudden there came such a gust and the sea did so rage that in an instant the ship was even covered with waves Whereof something is first to be said according to the letter and then the mystery According to the letter let us consider the Author and the meanes who and how this Tempest was made For the first It is out of all doubt he made this Tempest that stilled it The Scriptures plainly shew that God is the Author of stormes and tempests by sea and land So saith David They that goe downe into the sea in ships and occupie their businesse in great waters these see the workes of the Lord and hu wonders in the deepe And againe At the brightnesse of his presence the thicke clouds passed haile-stones and coales of fire the Lord thundred out of heaven and the highest gave his voice haile-stones and coales of fire he sent out his arrowes and scattered them he shot out his lightnings and discomfited them then the channels of water were seene and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke O Lord at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils See how lively the Prophet describeth a Tempest and ascribeth the glorie thereof unto God And againe It is the glorious God that causeth the thunder the voice of the Lord is a powerfull voice the voice of the Lord is full of Maiestie it breaketh the Cedars even the Cedars of Lebanon shaketh the wildernesse even the wildernesse of Kadesh And he withall declareth the use of storms and tempests thunder lightning and raine Give to the Lord the honour due to his name in his Temple let every man speake of his praise And againe hee saith Fire and haile snow and vapour stormy wind and tempest doe fulfill Gods word Oh then it is a great sinne for men to impute the raising of stormes and tempests winds and foule weather to the Devill Conjurers Witches and Wizards Aeolus c. Indeed I will not deny but that Satan is called the prince that ruleth in the aire
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
and that he is very cunning and artificiall to worke strangely in all the regions of the aire to stirre up meteors lightning thunder wind raine haile as appeareth from the story of Iob neither will I deny but that Witches and Conjurers by the helpe of the Devill with whom they are in league may raise stormes and tempests in the aire which may easily be discerned from naturall tempests in respect of the sudden and violent raising thereof but this is certaine the providence of God ex endeth it selfe to all even most minutiall things and neither Devill nor Conjurer can doe any exploit but by limitation and leave not being able to exceed one haires bredth beyond that is granted unto them Wherefore whether we be letted hindred or hurt by sea or land with any storme or â—mpest let us assigne all to the providence of God depend on him for safetie and give him the honour due to his name for such great workes Herein was Iob well taught who said The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away But though God be the Author yet he hath ordinary meanes and instruments subserving to his pleasure in raising of stormes and those either supreme as by his permission Satan or inferiour as slaves and expirations from the cavernes and cranies of the earth where the aire being imprisoned and labouring to get out as it maketh a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and earthquake so on sea a great concussion and shaking but most commonly by wind which if it blow vehemently doth greatly worke upon that liquid and â—luid plaine patent body but specially if it be contrary to the naturall flâ—x and motion of it which wee call the Tide So David describing a tempest by sea saith Hee commandeth and raiseth the stormie wind which lifteth up the waves thereof And God sent out a great wind and there was a mightie tempest on the sea And Saint Paul describing the tempest he was in saith It was caused by a tempestuous wind called Euroclydon That this Tempest was caused by a wind is cleare for Saint Marke saith There arose a great storme of wind And S. Luke saith There came a storme of wind upon the lake And our Euangelist saith Christ rebuked the winds yea the other two Euangelists tell us the name of this wind which receiveth not denomination from the quarter from whence it bloweth as the Scriptures doe speake of East-wind West-wind and others both cardinall and collaterall but of the vehemencie of it yea not properly one wind but a conflict of many winds A whirle-wind such a wind as at once smote all the foure corners of the house wherein Iobs children feasted such a wind as was neither side nor contrary but at once smote every part of the ship and brought the waves every way upon it as if at once it would have buried it and all the passengers therein in the surges So much for the Sense Here for instruction we may learne that there is no creature so good and necessarie vsefull and serviceable for man but God can make it his scourge What more necessarie and comfortable than fire yet with it hee destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and two Captaines with their fifties What more necessary than water yet with it hee destroyed the old world and Pharaoh and his hoasts The wind also a most comfortable and usefull creature as it were Gods fanne for purging of the aire growth of all vegetables and passage by sea and God hath used it as an instrument in some of his most renowmsd miracles With a strong East-wind he dried up the Red sea Brought Quailes and God himselfe is said to flie upon the wings of the wind But with an East-wind God brought locusts upon the Land of Aegypt Overthrew the house on Iobs children Iob 1. 19. and brake the ships of Tarshish and like to have drowned Ionah and Paul yea Christ and all the passengers with them as it hath done many thousands Wherefore it behoveth us not to rest contented that we have the creature we stand in need of but to pray to God for the sanctified use thereof else we may eat of the best and yet not be nourished be clothed with the costliest and yet not be warmed yea our table become a snare and our prosperity our ruine that which may be to others a blessing may become to us a curse Secondly hast thou beene endangered by fire wind or water blesse God for thy deliverance Hast thou sustained losse cry not out on Chance or Fortune do not raile and curse but humble thy selfe it was Gods hand even the winds doe blow according to his pleasure So much for the Letter There arose By the rising of this tempest on the sea is shadowed out the arising of troubles in the Church of God As God was the Author of the one the winds and all creatures being subordinate to his pleasure so is he of this both Devils in Hell and Men on Earth being but his instruments who cannot move an haire from the heads of his children but according to his good pleasure There is no evill done in the Citie and the Lord hath not done it Even the Medes Persians are called Gods sanctified ones Esay 13. 3. Ashur that afflicteth and leadeth the people of God into captivitie is but the rod of Gods wrath And the mightie staffe of his anger The ungodly man is but Gods sword Rabshakeh said to Ierusalem Am I now come up without the Lord against this place to destroy it the Lord said to me Goe up against this land destroy it And Pharaoh Necho King of Egypt comming up to fight against Carchemish at Euphrates and Iosiah going out against him he sent Ambassadors to him saying What have I to doe with thee thou King of Iudah I come not against thee this day but against the house wherewith I have warre for God commanded me to make haste forbeare to meddle with God who is with me that he destroy thee not but Iosiah would not heare but went and fought with him in the valley of Megiddo and there was slaine Oh doth the providence of God extend it selfe to most minutiall things as the blowing of winds falling of raine flying of birds numbring of haires clothing of grasse growing of plants biting of wormes swimming of fishes Yea doth Gods providence order and dispose things most contingent and casuall as the flying off of the Axes head from the helve whereby a man is slaine and an arrow shot at random yet should hit the King Ahab betwixt the ioints of his Brigandine and slay him Yea if the Lot be cast into the lap even the whole disposition thereof is it from the Lord And shall any be so ignorant and faithlesse as to thinke that any stirres and troubles can arise in
Antichrist all light of Ecclesiasticall Order shall lie buried the Priests lament the Church emptie the Altars forsaken and none come to the Lambs solemnitie Many others as Pererius Suarez Ovandus and others speake to this purpose I conclude with that of the Rhemists It is verie like that the externall state of the Roman Church and publike entercourse of the faithfull with the same shall cease With what face then can the Romanists denie our Church to be the true Church of God because of the covering or obscuritie thereof whereas they doe acknowledge their owne subject to the same Thirdly note that it is said the ship was covered with waves but not broken or dashed in peeces or sunke into the waves No no the waves may tosse and shake and cover but cannot breake nor sinke this Ship Your third lesson then is Persecutors may by cruell and bloody practices warres murthers and massacres trouble and disquiet the Church lessen the number of professors hypocrites falling away as the Corne which wanteth moisture withereth when Sunne shineth hot They may destroy for a time the visibilitie of the Church and make such as have publikely served God in his Temple now either serve God privatly in their Houses or Chambers or in Wildernesses Woods Caves Dennes and solitarie places All this they may doe but to destroy the true people of God they cannot They may cut them off and put hundreds and thousands of them to death but as they fall by unities they will rise by multitudes The blood of the Mattyrs will be the seed of the Church Nothing more dangerous to the Church than prosperitie Herem is the Proverbe true the Daughter devoureth the Mother Religion bringeth prosperitie and prosperitie destroieth Religion Gods Church is like the Aire the more it is fanned with the Winds the sweeter it is like Water the more it runneth on Stones the wholsomer like Gold and Silver the oftner tried in the Fire the purer it is like Camomill the more troden on the deeper it rooteth and thicker it groweth like the Lawrell the more oppressed with waight the further it spreadeth like the Vine the nearer cut the more Fruit it beareth like Spice the more it is beaten and bruised the sweeter it smelleth The more the Aegyptians sought to destroy the more the people of God multiplied being like the Bush all in flaming fire but consumed not After the cruell decree of Haman that all the Iewes should be destroied many of the people of the Land became Iewes Never so glorious a Church for zealous profession in England as immediatly after the daies of Queene Mary in whose daies Gods people had beene as dry Stubble before the flaming Fire and one would have thought but few left Never more Protestants in France then since their massacre nor never more Protestants in the Christian world then since the league for to destroy them and that the Iesuites have so farre prevailed with Princes to seeke utterly to root them out and destroy them These are the Israel of God that may truly say Often they have afflicted me from my youth up but they have not prevailed against me Christ is in this Ship and though on sleepe yet it is great weaknesse in Faith to feare the drowning of it But all other Ships though sailing faire for a while shall suffer shipwrack Atheisme Arrianisme Turcisme Iudaisme Anabaptisme Libertinisme Papisme and if there were as many Religions in the world as there are Orders and sorts of Friers in Rome yet shall they all consume and vanish nothing shall continue and abide in the waves and outride all stormes and tempests but the pure Religion of the Gospell of Christ So saith Christ in another Metaphor Every plant which mine heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted out Such Trees may for a time yea a long time take deepe root and flourish and spread but the Axe is at the root they must downe and into the fire To conclude seeing Poperie is no plant of Gods planting but a wilding a composition of novelties a miscellanie of heresies brought in by packing and ambition of some God may suffer it to spread and flourish to saile faire for a while but it shall one day be overturned with the breath of God and sinke into the waves Christ is in the Feild with all his Armies the Beast and false Prophet shall be taken An Angel standing in the Sun hath bid the guests to the supper of the great King and told them their cheere even the flesh of Kings and Captaines All Kings that make warre against the Gospel must to it To shut up all in a word know that not one drop of water can come into the Ship but according to Gods pleasure and therefore that he suffereth such a storme and tempest as the Ship even to be covered with waves is doubtlesse for his glorie and the spirituall good of his Church No affliction saith the Apostle for the present is joyous but grievous Oh Lord how grievous and enough to draw teares from that heart which is not harder than the neather Mill-stone that enemies should come with Fire and Sword to ruinate and waste whole Countreys and Provinces take away the liues of so many and utterly undoe moe make many a widow and fatherlesse child But see the good of it by this meanes he hath made many smite on brest and thighes and shed many a teare breathe out many a sigh powre out many a praier which otherwise God had never heard of How doth the miserie of Gods Church covered with waves abroad cause in England Scotland Ireland and other places where by Gods mercy they enioy a calme to be thankfull and pray Verily if the covering of the Ship with waves do not wonderfully affect you and doe you good it is not well with you but I trust it doth and the Lord turne it to more good So much for the first circumstance aggravating their danger The ship was even covered with waves The second followeth But he was asleepe Sleepe properly taken signifieth the rest of the bodie and is a sweet blessing of God as David saith He giveth his welbeloved sleepe yet ordinarily caused by naturall meanes For as the Physitians say the evaporations of meats from the stomacke being condensate and thickned with the cold of the braine doe stop the passages of the spirits and so locke vp the senses from execution of their functions and stay all the parts and members of the body from their labour And this is that sweet dew of nature the repast of the body and the greatest comfort that nature hath and without which no liuing creature can long continue And sleepe hath two degrees either it is weake and remisse such as in sicke persons or aged people who as Salomon saith awake at the chirping of the bird this is called a
crueltie compared with the compassion of God God himselfe hath said Can a woman forget her sucking childe that shee should not have compassion on the sonne of her wombe Yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee Our Saviour therefore useth an argument from the lesser to the greater saying If yee that are evill give good gifts to your children how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that aske him The Lord professed of himselfe that his bowels were troubled for Ephraim his deare sonne and pleasant childe Yea that his heart was even turned within him and his repentings did roule together As if he had begotten mercy he is called the father of it Yea as if there were no end thereof he is called The Father of mercies Yea whereas he is called the God of many things as of Patience Comfort Hope Peace c But Father and in plurall of none but this as if he were nothing but mercy Christ had compassion on the multitude when he knew they were but hungry He had compassion when he saw them bring their sicke unto him and will he not have compassion when life is in danger Oh right deare and precious in his sight is the death of his Saints Hee wept when his friend Lazarus was dead and will he not prevent it in his disciples Yes assuredly if it be for his glory and their good they doe well therefore to goe to Christ but it is enough to tell him what is their danger and misery Lord save us we perish Is then the Church of God in danger through cruell rage of bloudy persecutors so as it cannot in likelihood subsist goe to Christ and pray for his people Lord save us we perish Art thou thy selfe in danger through hunger thirst by water fire sword pestilence c. Goe to Christ and say Lord save me I perish So did David I will cry unto God most high and he shall send from heaven and save me from such as would swallow me â—p Psal 57. 2. Yea and go to him with great comfort and confidence for he hath beene made like unto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and faithfull high Priest yea hath beene touched with the feeling of our infirmities therefore let us goe bolaly to the throne of Grace and specially in danger of death Let us with his Disciples here goe to him who hath himselfe both suffered and feared it and hath in nothing more declared his goodnesse and greatnesse love and power than in delivering his servants from it when their lives have beene for his glory as his people from rage of enemies and Red sea Moses from the water Ionah out of the Whales belly the three Children out of the fiery furnace Daniel out of the Lions den yea Paul out of the mouth of the Lion Oh the dangers that every where by sea and land at home and abroad by day and night we are continually subject unto and wherein we had long since perished if he had not mercifully by his good providence and powerful protection of his good Angels preserved us To him let us ever commend our selves Lord save us that we perish not But I heare some object against this Vse and say Doe not Gods people complaine For thy sake are we killed all the day long and as sheepe appointed for the slaughter Doe they not complaine that the enemies prevailed and gave the bodies and flesh of his servants to be meat to the beasts of the field and fowles of the heaven and shed their bloud like water And againe They breake in peeces thy people and afflict thine heritage they slay the widow and stranger and murther the fatherlesse The ungodly even for his owne hearts lust doth persecute the poore Never might such complaints be more justly made than in these daies wherefore it seemeth that Christ doth not care though his people doe perish but as the carelesse shepherd said That which perisheth let it perish Zach. 11. 9. I answer that sometimes God suffereth great havocke to be made of his Church and people for their sinnes and giveth the dearely beloved of his soule into the hands of their enemies Ierem. 12. 7. nor will heare his best servants for them Ezech. 14. 20. but casteth them off to sword pestilence captivitie Ier. 15. 2. And then the enemie groweth proud and blasphemeth Who is the Lord that he should deliver Ierusalem out of mine hands And there is no helpe for them in God and then even Davids feet had wel-nigh slipt And the Prophet Habakkuk is wonderfully offended and expostulateth with God Oh God why doest thou hold thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he Yea then such as are not sound at heart fall away and say It is in vaine to serve God what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hoasts I say to all such enemies Vnderstand ye bruitish among the people He that planted the eare shall he not heare he that formed the eye shall hee not see He heareth the sighes and groanes and seeth the misery of his people and when he hath sufficiently scourged his people and accomplished his great worke upon Sion and Ierusalem he will burne the rod and Ashur shall pay for it as he hath threatned I was wroth with my people and gave them into thine hand but thou didst shew them no mercy upon the Ancients hast thou very heavily laid the yoke Oh the persecuting enemies have an heavie day comming And I say to all such as feare God Stand still and see the salvation of God Never any father corrected his childe with more unwillingnesse than God doth afflict his people his bowels yearne He putteth all their teares in his bottell And as he will preserve them they shall never everlastingly perish so either their bodies shall not perish but be preserved from sword of enemie or if he give them for a prey he will fill them with patience comfort and joy and receive them to eternall happinesse so as they shall praise him and for ever confesse Thou hast tried us as silver thou broughtest us into the net thou layedst affliction upon our loynes thou hast caused men to ride over our heads we went thorow fire and water but thou hast brought us into a wealthy place Rest assured Most precious in the sight of God is the death of his Saints They may confidently pray they may not perish for he hath numbred their very haires Matth. 10. 30. He keepeth their very bones so as not one can be broken much lesse any one shal die but as it is for Gods glory and their good Our second
Iudas excepted but yee of little faith The widow of Zarephath had not a Cake but an handfull of Meale in a barrell and a little Oile in a Cruse That they followed him into the ship and feared no danger that in this extreme danger they come to Christ calling him Lord Lord and pray him to save them proveth that they had some faith but that they are so fearefull and awaken him so turbulently as if they were in greater securitie if he were awake or he lesse able to helpe them being on sleepe than awake this was poore and little faith and our Saviour reproveth it with admiration O yee of little faith Not of little courage or valour for these and all other vertues grow from faith as the Apostle saith Some through faith have stopped the mouthes of Lions quenched the violence of fire of weake have beene made strong waxed valiant in fight and have turned to flight armies of Aliens No vertue so usefull in dangers as faith the Apostie calleth it our shield and another faith In all dangers and distresses wee are to encounter withall in this world it is our victorie wherefore he wondreth they have so little of it And as another Euangelist expresseth it How is it that yee have no faith that is How is it that yee have no better or greater measure of faith Or as S. Luke vet in another phrase and forme Where is your faith Or as the Greeke Article intendeth Where is that your faith that measure and degree of faith which you have shewed to be in mee All which tend to one purpose viz. to declare the weaknesse feeblenesse and modicitie of faith in this their great danger when the strength of their faith should specially have supported them But some may object and say That after this time the Apostles are said to have no faith therefore they ahd no faith now So after his resurrection it is said Christ appeared to the eleven as they sate at meat and upbraided them with their unbeleefe And to Thomas hee said Be not faithlesse but beleeving I answer That infidelitie incredulitie or unbeleefe is twofold viz. absolute and comparative Absolute unbeleefe is when the heart is void of every even the least jot grain of true faith and beleefe as where the Apostle demandeth What part hath he that beleeveth with an Infidell Comparative infidelitie is in relation not with any true but with a strong measure of faith And thus a weake or little faith a faith which in the houre of temptation is assaulted with doubtfulnesse is comparatively called faithlesnesse and unbeleefe such was their faith now and after Christs resurrection for a time And now if we make Application Surely if it bewrayed a small measure of saith for them to be so fearefull when Christ was in humilitie weaknesse and infirmitie on sleepe and before they had seene many most glorious miracles which after this time hee wrought for confirmation of their faith and before they saw his glory in his resurrection from the dead and his ascension into heaven and the sending of the holy Ghost upon them according to his promise How much lesse is our faith yea how may wee justly thinke we have no faith but are most worthy to be reproved for our infidelitie if in any danger wee exceed in feare having seene all his miracles resurrection and ascension c. in the glasse of the Gospell Was their faith little because he being on sleepe they did exceedingly feare danger And shall not our faith appeare to be farre lesse if wee so exceedingly feare seeing we know he now sitteth at the right hand of God having received all power and authority in heaven and earth and never slumbreth nor sleepeth Oh then meditate on the promises performances and power of God the merit of Christ mercy of God his goodnesse and greatnesse who both will and can turne all to the best that in greatest perplexitie and distresse that can or may befall your selves or any Gods people you may have the commendation given to Abraham that contrary to hope he beleeved under hope and may avoid this reproofe Why are ye fearefull O ye of little faith Here first we may learne what great spirituall combats and conflicts Gods children in this world are subject unto Our life is a warfare on earth as a well-tried and expert Warriour keeping the termes of his owne Art called it and the Apostle a wise and valiant Captaine in Gods hoast doth not only furnish every Christian souldier from top to toe with compleat harnesse but also describeth their enemies We wrestle not with flesh and bloud but against principalities and powers against worldly governours the princes of the darknesse of this world against spirituall wickednesses which are in high places You see what enemies we have and how exceedingly furnished with strength in their hands and malice in their hearts having all gainfull advantages both from nature they spirits and we flesh and from place they being above we below and far beneath them In which combat of our soules faith is our principall armour both of offence and defence and therefore the Apostle biddeth us Resist Satan being stedfast in the faith to take the shield of faith and to fight the good fight of faith Oh it is our faith whereby we stand and get victory Wherefore there is nothing so much assaulted as our faith yea and many times is so exceedingly battered and shaken and brought to so low an ebb that even the best of Gods children have thought they have had no faith and at least in the exceeding weaknesse thereof have made bitter complaints My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and will the Lord absent himselfe for ever and will he shew no more favor Is his mercy cleane gone for ever Doth his promise faile for evermore Hath God forgotten to be gracious Doth he shut up his mercies in his displeasure Lord how long wilt thou hide thy selfe for ever and shall thy wrath burne like fire And Oh wretched man that I am Loe these these indeed are the grievous conflicts and foiles which even the chosen Captaines of the Lords Armies have received and if such Lions themselves have roared for the disquretnesse of their hearts what have silly Lambes experience of in their soules No marvell though they sigh and mourne and complaine and be brought very low as if they had no faith at all but their hearts were full of unbeleefe doubtings feares Oh let such know to their comfort that the very best of Gods children have had and have and shall have experience hereof and shall grone under the burthen of the remainders of corruption and lament the sinfull infirmities which cleave unto them and cry out of feare doubting and unbeleefe yea know because Regeneration is imperfect
also the blinde Heathen groped after acknowledging the worke though ignorant of the Worker The waters of Egypt had experience of his power when Moses lifting up the rod of God upon them all their rivers and streames and ponds and pooles became bloud The waters of the Red Sea also felt his power when Moses lifting up the rod of God they were divided whereof David saith He rebuked the red sea and it was dried up The river of Iordan felt his power when no sooner the Priests that bare the Arke of God came to touch it but though it was at such a time of the yeere when Iordan did overflow it banks the waters which came from above stood upon an heape the others failed and were cut off so as the people passed on dry land right over against Iericho Whereof the Prophet demanded a reason in this glorying manner What meant yee rowling and roaring streams of Iordans floud to recoile backwardly And now the Sea of Galile acknowledgeth his soveraigntie when being rebuked there was a great calme Yea that we may further extend and inlarge his dominion know that he hath all power and authoritie in Heaven Earth Seas and Hell it selfe For himselfe hath said I have the keyes of death and of hell and All power and authoritie is given me in heaven and earth And the Apostle saith Every knee must bowe unto him both of things in heaven earth and under the earth and every tongue must confesse that Iesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father As he here rebuked the winds and sea so he rebuked his Disciples who would have had fire to come from heaven and consume their enemies Yea he straitly charged his Disciples not to make him knowne He rebuked diseases also he stood over Simon Peters wives mother having a great Fever and he rebuked the fever and it left her Yea often he rebuked Devils sometimes to hold their peace and sometimes straitly charged them not to make him knowne and sometime to come out of such as they possessed which they did so as all the people were amazed With authoritie and power he commandeth the uncleane spirits and they come out Yea an whole Legion of Devils fell downe prostrate before Christ and acknowledged his power over them beseeching him not to torment them nor send them out into the deepe but suffer them to enter into the herd of Swine Wherefore Michael striving with the Devill about the body of Moses durst not bring against him any railing accusation but said The Lord rebuke thee Thus Heaven and Earth and Sea Men Diseases yea Devils and all Creatures must heare and tremble when this most high and soveraigne Lord commandeth as we shall further heare from the effect of this rebuke There was a great calme In the meane time for the use of that which we have alreadie heard what a sweet comfort and encouragement may this be to all the true disciples of Christ that where ever they become they are within the dominion and jurisdiction of Christ Whither can I flie saith David from thy presence Psal 139. 7. Of all sorts of offenders God hath no fugitives to punish Indeed Ionah fled from the land but God met him in a storme upon the sea and surely in his dominion neither wind water fire raine haile snow sicknesse disease ache paine nor Devill can hurt or vexe them but according to his good pleasure â—or they are all but his servants And if he say to one goe hee goeth to another come and he commeth Let then the world hate us the Devill like a roaring Lion seeke to devoure us yea if it were possible for heaven earth hell and all creatures to conspire our destruction yet can they doe nothing against us but what he will and when hee rebuketh all shall be calme and still And thus much for the Letter And rebuked the winds and the sea For the Mystery hereby is signified that God in his good time will still the rage and fury of persecutors against his Church To which purpose the Prophet hath an excellent saying Woe to the multitude of many people which make a noise like the noise of the seas and to the rushing of Nations that make a rushing like the rushing of mightie waters the Nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters but God shall rebuke them and they shall flie farre off and be like the rowling thing or thistle-downe before the whirlewind Oh see how easie a thing with God to still all the enemies of his Church be they never so mightie or malicious As he needed not Moses Rod nor Eliahs Cloake nor Xerxes his Fetters to still the Sea only he spake the word rebuked the winds and seae and there was a great calme so saith the Prophet If the Lord doe but rebuke the Nations they flie farre off like thistle-downe from the face of a whirlewind For the Illustration of which point be pleased to observe That for the procuring a peaceable calme unto his Church God sometimes disableth great meanes enableth small meanes yea sometimes worketh without meanes For the first because the Lord is jealous of his owne glory and man is foolish and prone to rob him of it both by trusting in great meanes and sacrificing to his owne net arrogating the praise and glory of the action Therefore doth God seldom doe any great thing by great and eminent meanes but pronounce a woe to such as trust in them as Woe to them that goe downe into Aegypt for helpe and leane upon horses which trust in chariots because they be many and in horsemen because they be multiplied but looke not to the holy one of Israel nor seeke after Iehovah When Israel upon just occasion and approved of God went to fight against Benjamin though the men of Israel were foure hundred thousand and the men of Benjamin but six and twentie thousand and odde yet the men of Israel received two foiles and lost fortie thousand til in the end they went up to the house of the Lord and there fasted and wept and learned not to trust in the multitude of an hoast but in the Lord of hoasts and then they prevailed Wherefore David from his owne experience saith godly A King is not saved by the multitude of an hoast neither is any mightie man delivered by his much strength an horse is counted but a vaine thing to save a man After whom Salomon his sonne a worthy graft of so Noble a stocke heire of his Fathers Vertues as well as of his Crowne led by the same Spirit saith in like sort The horse is prepared against the day of battell but salvation is from Ichovah And therefore let all Gods people looke unto the Mountaine from whence commeth their helpe in the needfull time of trouble and say in the name of
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
bed-chamber nor his bed no nor from off the Kings owne person as if they had said as Iehu did Come see the zeale that we have to plague the Tyrant that thus oppresseth Gods people Oh see the zeale of the Sea when God gave it commission to attach his fugitive Prophet it wrought and was troublous it wrought and was troublous The Mariners for their lives could not bring Ionah to shore if they had not cast him in the Sea would have devoured them all q. d. See the zeale we have to the Lord of hosts in pursuit of him who is so disobediently fled from the presence of his God The Apostle calleth the fire of hell a zealous fire devouring the adversaries which Dives found by wofull experience when hee complained that hee was tormented in that flame and craved a drop of water to coole his tongue But woe and alas that man is excepted out of the Catalogue of obedient and zealous creatures That man endued with Reason and shew of Religion that the Lord of the creatures should be set to schoole to learne of the poore Pismire that God should so call and command and he either doe nothing but cast his commandements behinde his backe or doe what he doth to halfes Oh that man should give God such just cause to complaine of him I have nourished and exalted children and they have rebelled against me And I have called and yee refused I have stretched out mine hand and no man regarded yee have set at nought all my counsels would none of my reproofe And I have spread out mine hands all the day to a rebellious people How did Christ complaine of the Iewes Yee will not come unto me that yee may have life And againe O Ierusalem Ierusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy children together even as an hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and yee would not How did Steven at his death complaine Yee stiffe-necked and uncircumcised in heart and eares yee doe alwaies resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did so doe yee Oh that man created after Gods image and little inferiour to the Angels should not only be compared to the beasts that perish but have the dullest and rudest of them preferred before him The Oxe saith God knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doe not understand Yea the Storck in the heaven Turtle Crane and Swallow know their appointed times but my people know not the iudgement of the Lord Oh let us now profit by this usefull Doctrine First let us learne ever to trust in him how extremely desperate soever things may be with us or Gods people it is an easie thing with him to remedie all He needeth not send Legions of Angels no nor muster troops of men and arme them with sword and speare hee is the Lord of Hosts and there are not the meanest and weakest souldiers in all his band not flies lice wormes excepted but if Christ command them they are armed with power to quell the pride of the greatest Monarchs and Monarchies in the world The second Use is that we feare this great God and commander of Sea and Land who is able to cut us downe like grasse to blow us away like dust to sweepe us away as dung Oh that men should not feare that mighty God but dare to blaspheme his Name being every where in the midst of his Armie and he able to make the least dust to be our death and the basest creature we see or with contempt doe tread upon to be our destruction This Use God himselfe presseth Heare now this ô foolish people and without understanding which have eyes and see not which have eares and heare not Feare yee not me saith the Lord Or will yee not be afraid at my presence which have placed the sand for the bounds of the sea And againe If I be your Lord where is my feare The Sea saw God and fled And David biddeth the earth to tremble at his presence Shall Earth and Sea those vast and senslesse creatures so feare and tremble and shall not man a worme of the earth stand in awe The third and last Use is that from the Example of all creatures in Heaven Firmament Aire Earth Sea and Hel we learne to obey the voice of Christ This is it David so urgeth To day if yee will heare his voice harden not you hearts Be doers of the word not hearers only The Sea did roare in the storme And even now that it is still it stil lifteth up the voice He that hath eares to heare may heare it call for obedience Habent miracula linguam si intelligantur factum verbi verbum nobis August in Iohan. tract 24. A learned man hath an elegant fiction of the world calling on man to serve and obey God in these words See how God loved thee that made me for thee I serve thee because I am made for thee that thou maiest serve him that made both thee and me me for thee and thee for himselfe Oh man if thou be disobedient all creatures even Devils will rise in judgement and condemne thee For the mysterie As by the storme persecution so by the calme the peace and tranquillitie of the Church is represented and teacheth First that in despight of Sathan and all enemies which he can raise Gods people in the end shall have a calme peace and quietnesse For illustration of which Doctrine note that the calme is twofold viz. externall and internall Externall is twofold viz generall or particular Generall concerning all or many of Gods people and particular in regard of some one or few mens persons and estates For the generall see what gratious promises God hath made to his Church The gates of hell shall not prevaile against it It is Gods house built upon a rocke though the raine descend flouds come winds blow and beat upon it yet it falleth not This was typically represented in the bush which burned but consumed not In Noahs Arke though the waters prevailed long yet at last the Arke arrived safely upon Mount Ararat and the Dove returned with an Olive leafe in her mouth an infallible token that the waters were abated from off the earth There hath beene a great tempest but our ship hath out-rid it it liveth and now there is a great calme Which promises and types have in all ages been verified The children of Israel were greatly oppressed in Egypt but could not be destroyed the more they afflicted them the more they multiplied and grew they endured a great tempest and in the end God sent a great calme when he brought forth his people with ioy and his chosen with
earth for them Doe they want Pearles and Iewels The rivers and streames shall afford them Are they heavy-hearted The Vine shall glad them with wine Have they cause of mirth and feasting Oile shall make their faces to shine Are waters cast out of the Dragons mouth The earth shall swallow them up Doe winds and waves roare and threaten to drowne If Christ doe but bid be still they are calme and obey him A point of Doctrine which one of the Ancient Fathers hath abundantly confirmed and illustrated by positive and exemplarie Scriptures if I would inlarge it Oh let us thankfully admire and extoll the mercy and goodnesse of God who is so bountifull in the donation of good condonation of the evill of guilt and preservation from the evill of punishment that hath saved us from so many and so great evils of bodie soule estate by water and land and hath given us all good things abundantly to enioy pertaining to life and godlinesse sendeth us daily manifold comforts from Heaven Aire Earth Sea Sunne Moone Starres Light Birds Beasts Fishes Fruits Herbes And if he have so liberally provided for us in the wildernesse what inestimable good things are provided for us in our owne Countrie If so great things in the prison what in the Palace If such a calme in this world what in heaven If such varietie of comfort in this vale of teares and in Christ his absence what at the mariage-feast Oh when your tables are richly furnished with varietie of good things from aire earth sea praise him whom winds and sea obey and let your harts be lifted up to meditate on those future and inestimable good things prepared in heaven for them that love him Our Doctrine from the Mystery is That all creatures at Christ his command are readie to serve his Church and people though never so contrarie to their nature If the Lord rebuke the winds will not blow nor waters flow nor fire burne nor hungrie Lions devoure nor Sunne move If all things were not thus at command it were impossible for the poore Church of Christ to subsist on earth to endure such cruell conspiracies and bloudie persecutions of mightie Tyrants for his poore little flocke to dwell in the midst of so many ravening Wolves for this little Cock-boat to ride out such grievous stormes and tempests but our God who was then in the ship and rebuked winds and sea and they obeyed he is now in heaven and doth whatsoever he will and he hath promised to be with his to the ends of the world and that the gates of hell shall not prevaile against them And therefore if in times of trouble and distresse when it pleaseth Christ to scourge and fanne his Church we be too weake in faith and too strong in feare and bewray pusillanimity and cowardize let us with David ingenuously confesse This is our infirmitie not regarding the Scriptures nor the power of God Let us be ashamed of it and learne more stedfastly to trust in the Lord as David counselleth Let the house of Israel trust in the Lord hee is their helper and defender O house of Aaron trust in the Lord he is their helper and defender yee that feare the Lord trust in the Lord he is their helper and defender he will blesse the house of Israel he will blesse the house of Aaron hee will blesse them that feare the Lord both small and great Yea let this Doctrine be remembred and it will wonderfully comfort and strengthen our faith in the resurrection For as winds and sea obeyed Christ now at the last day earth and sea shall heare and obey the voice of Christ yeeld up al the dead which they have received Marvell not at this for the houre is comming in the which all that are in the graves shall heare the voice of Christ and shall come forth Whereof he hath given us assurance in the raising of Lazarus Rulers daughter and widowes sonne only with his word Lazarus come forth Damsell arise Young-man arise This was of old most lively represented to the Prophet in vision hee was caried by the Spirit of the Lord and set downe in the middest of a valley which was full of dead mens bones and very drie and he was commanded to prophesie upon those bones which he did saying Oh yee drie bones heare yee the word of the Lord and immediatly there was a noise and behold a shaking and the bones came together bone to his bone and sinewes and flesh and skinne came upon them and covered them This as one of the Ancient Fathers saith was a most lively picture of the Resurrection of the dead which shall at the end of the world be effected by the omnipotent voice of the Sonne of Man Yea scarce any of the Fathers have written of the Resurrection but have made singular use of that Vision If at any time then our faith shall stagger at that Article which as a Divine saith is so farre above though not contrary to naturall Reason let us strengthen our faith with that excellent Vision Yea this was also represented to Saint Iohn in vision The sea gave up the dead which were in it and death and hell gave up the dead which were in them No matter then where we die by sea or land or where we bee buried in earth or water these are all but Gods Gaolors and shall faithfully bring forth all such as have beene committed unto them at that generall Assises If thy faith stagger let it rest upon the omnipotent power of Christ and for ever remember what you have heard from this storie Christ rebuked the winds and the sea and they obeyed him And therefore say I will lay me downe and take my rest for the Lord sustaineth mee I know my Redeemer liveth and I shall rise againe Our second lesson from mysterie is That the maine and principall end of all Gods word and workes is that from consideration thereof man may be provoked to admire and set forth the praise and glory of Christ What manner of man is this that hath done such things The Lord hath made all things for himselfe saith the Wise-man And the perpetuall exercise of the glorified Saints in heaven is day and night to praise Christ for the great worke of Redemption Thou wast slaine and hast redeemed us unto God by thy bloud out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation and made us Kings and Priests unto God Here then is an infallible touch-stone whereby to trie all Doctrines and I would to God with charitie and sobrietie all the matters in question betwixt the Papists and us were with meekenesse brought to this touch-stone Those Doctrines are ever soundest which doe give glory to Christ and provoke men to admire praise him What manner of man is he But whatsoever