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A17289
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The sea-mans direction in time of storme Delivered in a sermon upon occasion of a strong stormie wind lately happening. / By Ier. Burroughs.
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Burroughs, Jeremiah, 1599-1646.
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1640
(1640)
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STC 4130; ESTC S119540
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33,821
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96
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THE SEA-MANS DIRECTION IN TIME OF STORME Delivered in a Sermon upon occasion of a strong stormie Wind lately happening By IER. BURROUGHS MATTH. 8. 27. The Winds and the Sea obey him LONDON Printed by T. Paine and M. Simmons 1640. To the Reader IT hath been the way of God in speaking to men and drawing their hearts to him to apply himselfe to them in those things they have skill of and are acquainted with When Christ was revealed to the Wise men that came from the East it was by a Star they were Astronomers and conversed much in the contemplation of the Starres and God speakes to them accordingly When our Saviour called Fishermen to follow him he tels them Hee will make them Fishers of men hee expresseth himselfe unto them in their owne way Wherefore it being my lot to live where multitudes of Mariners especially of mine owne Countrey-men daily come and my Auditors being in great part of such I was willing to take the opportunity of that great worke of God that sore and grievous tempest that was lately so terrible as made the hearts of many to shake to adde the word sutable to Gods worke to labour to conveigh some spirituall truth by the advantage of that impression that was then upon their hearts little thinking then that such present thoughts hinted by such an occasion should ever be more publike then in mine owne Congregation but knowing what need Mariners have of Sermons and considering how few they heare because I could not preach to them where their chiefe businesse lies upon the Seas I was willing to send this Sermon to them that they might have it by them many Sabbaths they spend hearing none seldome hearing any It may be the sutablenesse of this subject may invite them to reade especially it being the desires of many of them who heard it and found some worke of God upon their hearts by it to have it by them at first I was unwilling to let such sudden things appeare so publike but after considering that some poore Saylors boy at least might get some good by them I yeelded I publish not this Sermon because I conceit any speciall excellency in it that cannot be expected it is the same for the frame and substance of it that was preached the next day after the occasion Some things are added and enlarged especially concerning the nature of the Winds But because I know nothing of this subiect published and some way it may be usefull and a little good is worth much of my time and labour who knowes what a truth what a hint fitted to the apprehensions of people in their owne way may doe therefore here you have it and the Lord prosper it to you Yours in Christ I. B. Imprimatur Jo. Hansley Octob. 14. 1640. THE SEA-MANS DIRECTION IN TIME OF STORME Psal. 148. 8. Stormy Wind fulfilling his word A Word spoken in season how good is it it is like Apples of Gold with pictures of Silver Silver pictures doe set out the golden Apples and the golden Apples doe grace the Silver pictures so words that are gracious fitted to their circumstances they are graced each by other A good word spoken at any time is a golden Apple it hath worth in it but fitted to circumstances it hath beauty added to it and not onely beauty but efficacie too for so it is in the Originall words upon their wheeles when they are rightly fitted to their circumstances being spoken in due season then they goe upon their wheeles and passe along like a triumphant Chariot whereas if these bee omitted they are drawne out as a Cart is drawne on without wheeles like Pharoahs Chariots when God tooke off their wheeles they drave heavily As Saint Augustine said of the outward element in the Sacrament let the word come to the element and it is made a Sacrament so I may say of Gods workes let the word be added to Gods workes and they are instructions great helpes to Godlinesse There is a great threat against those who regard not the workes of God Because they regard not the workes of the Lord nor the operation of his hands hee shall destroy them and not build them up Psal. 28. 5. That such a curse may not befall us for our regardlesnesse of this worke of the Lord in this dreadfull stormy wind I have chose this Scripture that as Job heard the Lord speaking out of the whirle-wind so you this day by this Scripture may heare the Lord speaking to you out of that stormy tempestuous wind that but yesterday was so terrible to you Sensitive things move much yet the impression of them holds not long it is good therefore to take the advantage of your hearts and that presently The title of this Psalme is Hallelujah praise ye the Lord it is a Psalme of praise by way of excellency above others it begins and ends with Praise ye the Lord all sorts of creatures in heaven and earth ayre and seas are called to joyne in this worke but especially man of all creatures in the world God expects his praise from man in a speciall manner the wayes of God towards man being the most glorious above that they are towards any of his other workes towards him his name indeede is excellent above the earth or heavens God will have active and passive praises from man and amongst men above all from his owne people his Church whom hee hath chosen to be a people neere unto him the high praises of God are to be in their mouthes Psal. 49. 6. They are not onely to rejoyce in their God and in his glorious workes but to bee joyfull in a glorious manner to rejoyce in glory not onely to sing the praises of the Lord but to sing aloud upon their beds vers. 5. God himselfe is the praise of his Saints as we have it in the 16. verse of this 148. Psalme not onely the workes of God but God himselfe hee is their praise both actively and passively he is their praise their glory their excellencie and he even he himselfe is the subject of their praise Gods people are his glory and God is the glory of his people They are his glory Psal. 78. 61. hee delivered his strength into captivity and his glory into their enemies hand God is their glory Psal. 3. 3. Thou art my glory and the lifter up of my head and thus God and his people glory one in another every where the Name of God is great but God is knowne in Judah and his Name is great in Israel Psal. 76. In his Temple every man speakes of his glory Psal. 29. 9. wherefore to him be glory in the Church Eph. 3. 21. The glory that God hath from his people from his Church is another manner of glory then hee hath from all the world besides wherefore let not us faile of giving God the glory of his great workes of this his mighty worke Our subject then at this time is
search out the causes of things wee must take heed we doe not stay â—ill wee arise to the supreme the highest cause Philosophers dispute of the inferiour causes It is devillish knowledge that in the contemplation of nature holds us in nature and keepes us from God saith Calvin upon the 29. Psalme and further he hath this expression If one desires to know a man hee neglects the looking upon his face and fastens his eyes upon his nayles his folly is to bee derided so saith he while men wholly mind the inferiour causes of things as workes of nature onely neglecting God the highest cause of all And in this our giving glory to God we must labour to be as spirituall as wee can then the worke will abide upon our hearts but if we be onely moved in a sensitive way the impression of all will soone vanish and come to nothing The second point followes Fulfilling his word Doct. Whensoever God sends a stormy Wind he sends it to fulfill his word The Winds you heard before were Gods messengers this is evermore their errand to fulfill his word There is a foure-fold word of God that they are sent to fulfill 1. The word of his decree what he hath purposed determined to bring to passe this is one creature the Lord calls forth out of his treasure to fulfill this and therefore it shall come at that time in that place and worke in that power and abide that time that shal be fittest for the accomplishment of this word of his Decree 2. The word of his command if God calls for it it must come if God speakes to it it shall goe and prosper to that he sends it for it is one of Gods Hosts at the beck of this great Lord of Hosts and for the fulfilling this and the other word the Winds are called for out of his treasure of Wisdome and power 3. The word of his threat what soever ill God hath threatned against sinners that comes under the power of this creature to be an executioner of it fulfils Hence Jer. 51. 1. it is called a destroying Wind and Ezek. 13. 13. a stormy Wind in my fury If there bee any threat against any man in a shippe or any that have interest in it the Lord many times sends his Winds to fulfill that word of his When Jonah sinned against God in flying from his presence the Lord raised a tempestuous Wind to follow after him as a Pursevant that would never downe untill it had arrested him and made him to know what it was to sinne against the Word of the Lord that Wind and tempest that is now up may be a fruit of Gods displeasure for such or such a sinne of thine it may be committed long since and so it comes out of the treasury of Gods wrath 4. His word of promise to convey a blessing and thus they come out of the treasury of Gods mercy to fulfill that word of promise All things shall worke together for good to them that love God Godlinesse hath the promise of this life and that which is to come When God enters into covenant with his people all second causes are linked together to work good unto to them as Hos. 2. 21 22. I will heare the Heavens and they shall hear the earth and so it is true of all others that which is said of the clouds driven about by the Winds is also true of the Winds themselves Job 37. 13. He causeth it to come whether for correction or for mercy sometimes for correction and sometimes for mercie For use and that first more generally 1. Here wee may learne to have high and honourable thoughts of the word of the Lord seeing God hath such glorious wayes for the fulfilling of it where the Word of the Lord is there is power Heaven and earth shall passe away but not one jot or tittle of his Word God prizeth every tittle of his Word above Heaven and Earth hee had rather lose Heaven and Earth then any part of his Word howsoever thou prizest it at a low rate and art not willing to lose a base lust the least outward advantage for the Word God will shake the Heavens and Earth for the fulfilling his Word yea rather dissolve them and bring them into nothing rather then he will not fulfill every particle of it If God hath made these his glorious worke to bee subservient for the preservation and accomplishing his Word then surely his Word is above them wherefore although much of Gods Name bee in these yet there is more of his name in his Word Hence is that excellent place Psal. 138. 2. Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name Gods worke is honourable and glorious Psal. 111. 3. But his Word is in a speciall manner the very glasse of his holinesse and glory in which we behold his glory with open face and so as we are changed into the same image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. and if Gods name be more in his word then in his works a gracious heart will see God more there and feare God as appearing there more then in any thing else as we read of Eliah 1 King 19 11 12 although the mighty wind and fire passed by yet his heart was not taken with feare so much as when the still voyce came because the Text faith God was there although the voyce was a still voyce yet because God was there more then in the other therefore Eliah feared more this place of Scripture is abused by many who bring it against Ministers preaching the Law in a zealous manner making God to appeare terrible to sinners they say God was not in the fire nor in the whirlewind but in the still voyce but it is cleare there can bee no such inference gathered from thence as many seeke to gather for even in this still voyce God came with a message of most fearefull wrath against the people Goe saith hee and anoint Hazael Jehu and Elisha that hee that escapeth the sword of Hazael Jehu may slay and him that escapeth the sword of Jehu Elisha shall slay See what a terrible threat was this that came from God appearing in that still voyce and Elias himselfe after Gods appearing thus in the still voyce was no lesse terrible in his Ministry then before for in the 2 of Kings 1. see how severe and fiery he was hee prayeth for fire to come downe from Heaven to destroy the Captaine and his fifty and againe the second time for fire from Heaven to destroy the second Captaine and his fifty he ceased not untill the third came in a way of submission and indeed that manner of Gods appearing to Elias first in the mighty wind then in the earthquake then in the fire and at last in the still voyce was to shew Elias how he would have him to appeare in his Ministry namely first in terrour and then more mildly and in that it is said that