see if they be not guilty of this and whether or no they have not sometimes cast some poor simple people into the Sea in pretence of being Witches And so let them and you see that hold such things and believe such things if you be not in Disobedience to the Power Spirit and Faith of God and in the Sin of Witchcraft your selves For you may see it was the Lord that sent out the Wind and raised that mighty Storm in the Sea and not your witches nor ill-tongued People as you vainly imagine as you may see Jonah 1.14 For if you were in the true saving Faith which Christ Jesus is the Author of that Faith gives you Victory over the Devil the Head of all your Witches and brings you to have Access to God who makes a Storm and makes a Calm For Lo He that formed the Mountains and created the Winds mark the Winds and declareth unto Man what is his Thoughts this is the Lord that created the Winds not your Witches Anos 4.13 And It is the Lord who layeth the Beams of his Chambers in the Waters who makes the Clouds his Chariots who walketh upon the Wings of the Winds Psalm 104.3 And the Lord commandeth and raiseth up the stormy Wind which lifteth up the Waves thereof and not your Witches nor ill-tongued People And David saith They that go down to the Seain Ships that do business in great Waters these see the Works of the Lord and his Wonders in the Deep For he commandeth and raiseth the stormy Wind which lifteth up the Waves thereof They mount up to the Heaven they go down again to the Depths their Soul is melted because of Trouble They reel 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 Storm a Calm so that the Waves thereof are still then are they glad because they be quiet so he bringeth them unto their desired Heaven O that men would praise the Lord for his Goodness and for his Wonderful Works to the Children of Men Psalm 107. So ye may see it is the Lord that commands and raiseth the Winds and the Storms and allayes them again and not the Witches or ill-tongued People and that brings men to their desired Haven both outward and inward And again David saith He to wit the Lord causeth the Vapours to ascend from the Ends of the Earth He maketh Lightnings for the Rain He bringeth the Winds out of his Treasure Psalm 105.7 And now mark all ye Seamen when ye have Wind that maketh a Storm in the Sea the Lord hath brought it out of his Treasure But the disobedient and rebellious against God's Power Spirit and Faith and Enemies to his Truth and People say when a Storm or Wind is raised in the Sea some Witch or some ill-tongued People have raised it and these are erred from the true Faith as David was in who said Whatsoever the Lord pleaseth that does he in Heaven and in the Earth and in the Sea and all deep Places Psalm 105 7. And God causes the Winds to blow and the Waters to flow Psalm 147.18 And David saith Fire and Rain and Snow and Waters and Winds fulfil God's Words Psal 148.8 And now if the Witches raise the Storms and the Winds then the Winds and Storms must fulfil your Witches words and ill-tongued People But the Storms and the Winds fulfil God's Word and he raiseth up a Storm or a Wind that walks upon the Wings of the Wind. And your Witches cannot come into Gods Treasure to fetch his Wind out there for they be out of his power Nay have not some of your Faithless Seamen and you that think so pretended to buy winds Oh Darkness and Ignorance and a Shame to Christianity You are like to the Coluds and Winds without Rain and wells without water and Trees without Fruit as you may see in Prov. 25.14 and in Jude Who hath gathered the Winds in his Fist Who hath bound the Waters in his Garment Who hath established all the Ends of the Earth What is his Name and what is his Son's Name if thou canst tell Prov. 30.4 Who with thy dark Spirit imagines that the Witches can fetch or pluck the Wind out of God's Fist Oh abominable It is much if the Lord doth not let his Wind fly at you and raise a Storm against you who are erred from the Faith of the Holy Men of God For Christ commandeth the Winds and they obey him Luke 8.25 And where do you read in all the Scriptures that the Witches raised Winds or that any Seamen did go to buy Winds of them Let us see the Chapter and verse for it either among the People of God or among the Heathen and if you cannot stop your Mouths of such practises and be ashamed for dishonouring Christianity who are contrary both to the Law and Gospel And turn to the Lord who walks upon the Wings of the Wind and holds the Winds in his Fist and can let them fly out in Blasts to terrifie the wicked but the just live by Faith in God and Christ who is the Author of it who makes the Storm a Calm and commands the winds and brings them out of his Treasure at his Pleasure And the Righteous know that the stormy Winds obey and fulfil God's Word And so the Righteous can praise the Lord that created the Winds and all things in the Heaven and in the Earth and in the Sea and and renews man by Christ into his Image and gives him Dominion over all Praise and Glory Honour and Thanks be unto the Lord who is over all from Everlasting to Everlasting And all the Faithful know that A Sparrow shall not fall to the Ground without the Will of the Father much more a Man who is of greater Value then many Sparrows And therefore be not Faithless but believe in Christ the Light who commands the Winds and Storms by whom all things were made and are upheld by his Word and Power Heb. 1. The Law of thy mouth is better unto me then thousands of Gold and Silver Psa 119.71 G. F. Swarth-Moor in Lancashire the 28th of the 8th Month. 1676. Concerning how the World is called the SEA ANd God will dry up Babylon's Sea and make her Springs dry for God brought them like a Sea over the Jews when they transgress'd his Law and went from the Lord their Rock and Salvation And again it is said The Sea shall come upon Babylon and she shall be covered with the Multitude of her Waves So when the Medes and Persians came upon Babylon then the Sea came over them and the Jews had their Liberty Jer 15.42 So Spiritual Babylon is the Mother of Harlots she sits upon the Waters which are Nations peoples and Tongues But God will dry up her Waters which have overflown since the Apostles Days who hath persecuted the people of
to the Land they saw a Fire of Coals there and Fish laid thereon and Bread And Jesus said unto them Bring of the Fish which ye have now caught and Simon Peter went up and drew the Net to the Land full of great Fishes c. And Jesus said unto them Come and dine c. And Jesus then cometh and taketh Bread and giveth them and Fish likewise c. And this was now the third time that Jesns shewed himself after he was risen from the dead John 21.2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. And now all ye Fishermen and Sea-men and others consider what kind of Disciples and Ministers the Lord Jesus Christ chose and you may see that Peter and the rest though they had been Disciples of Christ Jesus for some Years and such that Christ had sent forth to preach before he was crucified and after that he was risen Christ appeared the third time unto them and Peter had his Fishers Coat and the Disciples which were Fishermen and Seamen they were Partners together in a Ship And now was this a fit Coat think you to preach the Gospel in and to meet Christ in and to dine with him in I say Yes as good as any of the Canonnical Garments And consider ye Fishermen and Seamen and others how all these Disciples had been fishing all the Night but had caught nothing But when the Morning was come and they saw Jesus after he was risen at his Command they cast in the Net and drew it full of fish to the Shore So it is by the Will of God and Christ that every one doth catch who made all things and upholds all things by his word and power and fills all and knows what all have need of for as Christ saith A Sparrow shall not fall to the Ground without the Will of the Father so a fish cannot be caught in the Net without his Will And likewise you fishermen and seamen and others may see that Jesus by whom all things were made had provided these fishermen and seamen who were his Disciples a Fire and Fish upon it and Bread upon the Land when they had been fishing in the Sea And therefore you may see how that Christ that upholds all things and hath all power given unto him provides for his Disciples and Seamen and Fishermen for he gave them both Fish in the Sea and Fish and Bread upon the Land whom he sent forth and gave Commission to preach and said Freely ye have received freely give So here ye may all see how the Disciples of Christ were encouraged to trust in him and that their minds might be carried over all Distrust of carnal things and outward victuals And now ye Fishermen and Seamen and all others may see Christ's Words fulfilled unto his Disciples who said unto them Follow me and I will make you Fishers of Men for Peter at one Draught caught three Thousand in God's Net and ye may read Peter's two General Epistles which he freely gave forth And also ye may see John the Fisherman a Disciple of Christ his Evangelists his General Epistle and his two Epistles and his Revelations Come ye Seamen and Fishermen and others and see what ye can say for Christ that is the same to day as yesterday and so forever and come let us see what Nets ye have if it be the Power of God that will pluck them out of the Sea of Wickedness And if the Seamen had taken Paul's Counsel when he said Sirs I perceive that this Voyage will be for Hurt and much Damage not only of the Lading and Ship but also of our Lives But neither the Centurion nor the Master believed Paul's Words but his Words came to pass as you may see in Acts 27. But the Lord preserved Paul and their Lives And so you may see it is not the seamans skill but the Lord's Power which all are to have faith in and to obey him by which they are saved and preserved And James one of the fishermen and an Apostle of Christ in his General Epistle to the Twelve Tribes he saith Behold we put Bits in the Horses Mouthes that they may obey us and we turn about their whole Body Behold also the Ships which though they be so great and are driven of fierce Winds yet are they turned about with a very small Helm whither soever the Governour listeth even so the Tongue is a little Member and boasteth great things Behold how great a matter a little Fire kindleth and the Tongue is a Fire a World of Iniquity c. And now mark all ye seamen and all ye bridles of Horses and all others that tame other Creatures see that you can bridle and tame your own Tongues and turn about your Tongues in your passion assoon as you do your Horses and assoon as you do your great Ships when you turn them about so see that you can so soon turn your Tongues when the fierce Winds of Passion are up and tame your Tongues least that unruly Member defile your whole Bodies and Set on fire the Course of Nature and it is set on Fire of Hell James 3. For can you tame Serpents and all kind of Beasts and of Birds and things in the Sea and not tame your Tongue that unruly Member that is full of deadly Poyson Bridle it I say with God's Bridle his Power For The Tongue of the just is as choice Silver and the Tongue of the wise is Health Prov. 10.20 12.18 The Tongue of the wise useth Knowledge aright and a wholesome Tongue is a Tree of Life Prov. 15.2 4. And in a Virtuous Woman's Tongue is the Law of Kindness Prov. 31.26 And Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ who made Tents with Priscilla and Aquilla and wrought with his Hands that he might not be chargeable to others and he did not only maintain himself but he also helped others with his Labour who had received his Gospel not from man but by the Revesation of Jesus Christ which he preached freely as he had received of Christ freely after Christ was risen for Christ had given his Command to his Twelve Disciples before he was crucified Freely as they had received freely give And now consider Matthew who was called from his Custom and Luke who was a Phisitian and John the Fisher-man and Peter and the rest who were Disciples of Christ did not they give forth all their Evanglists and Epistles freely as they preached freely And did not Paul the Apostle of Christ who was a Tent-maker who said of the Jews Five times I received Forty Stripes save One Thrice was I beaten with Rods Once was I stoned Thrice I suffered Shipwrack A Night and a Day I have been in the deep in journying often in Perils of Waters in Perils of Robbers in Perils of my own Country-men in Perils by the Heathen in Perils in the City in Perils in the Wilderness in Perils in the Sea in Perils among false Brethren
God And out of her Sea hath risen the great storms of persecution and the Beast which rose out of the Sea with his storms of persecution And it is the power of Darkness which keeps the people in spiritual Aegypt Sodom and Babylon in this Sea But in Christ's peaceable Kingdom and on his Holy Mountain the Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leepard shall lie down with the Kid and the Calf and the Young Lyon and the Fatling together and a little Child shall lead them And the Cow and the Bear shall feed their Young Ones shall lie down together and the Lyon shall eat Straw like an Ox. And the Suckling-Child shall play on the Hole of the Asp and the weaned Child shall put his Hand on the Cockatrice Den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my Holy Mountain for the Earth shall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea And in that Day there shall be a Root of Jesse which shall stand up for an Ensign of the People to it shall the Gentiles seek and his Rest shall he Glorious And this is Christ who sets up his Ensigne for the Nations and shall assemble the Out-casts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four Corners of the Earth So he gathers them with his power Spirit and Light and his Ensigne is not set up for the Jews or a Nation only but for all Nations in general Who enlightens every Man that comes into the World that with his Light they may see him and his Ensigne Christ the Heavenly and Spiritual Man So the Gathering of all Nations is unto him by his Heavenly Light which he enlightens them withal And the Lord shall utterly destroy the Tongue of the Aegyptian Sea and with his mighty Wind shall he shake his Hand over the River and shall smite it in the seven Streams in the Perfection of it and men shall go over dry-shod Isa 11. And the Lord will destroy in this Mountain the Face of the Covering that is cast over all people and the Vail that is spread over all Nations mark all Nations not a Nation That all people may see the Salvation of God which the Light which comes from Christ their Saviour and if they do not believe in it it will be their Condemnation And this Covering must be taken off all people before the Knowledge of the Lord covers the Earth as the Waters cover the Sea For the Beast had his power from the Dragon and the Whore is erred from Christ the Truth And Aegypt in the Spirit and the spiritual Aegyptians will say Who is God or his Son the Light that they should obey him like the old Aegyptian and Christ was crucified in spiritual Sodom and Aegypt So here the Jews Scribes Pharisees and High-Priests who crucified Christ without the Gates at Jerusalem are called spiritual Aegypt and Sodom who are the greatest professors in the World But Christ is the Ensigne set up to the Nations who stilleth Mystery Babylon's sea and after Babylon is fallen and the Seas dryed up then the New Heaven and the New Earth is seen for the First Heaven and First Earth were passed away and then there was no more Sea So when the first Heavens and the first Earth are passed away then the New Earth and the New Heavens are seen and here is seen the Holy City New Jerusalem prepared as a Bride for her Husband Christ And here is the first and last seen their Husband Christ and the Marriage of the Lamb is come And the force of the Gentiles shall come to his Light and abundancâ— of the Sea shall be converted unto Christ Isa 60. So here is Abundance of the world which is called the Sea that shall be converted to Christ Jesus for the Gentiles are the Nations and the Gentiles shall come to Christ's Light from the Sea the world For Nations and Tongues are called Waters And The Sea saith Wisdom is not in me Job 28. Now the Wisdom that is pure is from above the Sea and them that fear God receive it And he shall pass through the Sea with Afflictions and shall smite the Waves of the Sea and all the Deeps of the Rivers shall be dried up And the Priae of Assyria shall be brought down and the Scepter of Egypt shall depart away And Christ's Scepter shall be set up his Scepter is a Scepter of Righteousness Zach. 10.11 Thuâ— saith the Lord which maketh a Way in the Sea and the Path in â—hâ— mighty Waters that this People may pass Glory to his Name for ever 〈◊〉 43. Aâ—d the Lord saith When I came was there no Man When I called was there none to answer Is my Hand shortened at all that I cannot redeâ—m or have I no Power to deliver Behold at may Rebuke I dry up the Sea And here the great Power of God and Christ is seen Isa 50. The wicked are compared to a troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose Waters cast up Mire and Dirt their Waters are foul There is no peace to the wicked saith my God for they are always roaring and wallowing and making a Noise Isa 1.57 And the Cruel People that have no Mercy their Voice roars like a Sea as in Jer 6.23 This Sea this Merciless cruel People which is like a roaring Sea was to come over the Jews for disobeying the Lord and therefore for all People to believe in the Light that Christ hath enlâ—ghtened you withal and walk in the Light that you may see Christ the Rock and build upon him who is sure against all weather Storms And Christ will bruise the Head of the Serpent for the Lord with his sore and great and strong Sword shall punish Leviathan the piercing Serpent even Leviathan that crooked Serpent which makes the World both men and women crooked And he shall slay the Dragon that is in the sea mark in the Sea for his Habitation is in the wicked like a roaring Sea and they plead for him and his sin till they go to the Grave and not for Christ that bruiseth his Head and the Lord that destroys him with his great sword But they that plead for Christ Can sing unto the Lord of his Vineyard for the Lord doth keep it and will water it every Moment lest any hurt it I will keep it Night and Day saith the Lord Glory to his Name for ever who is the Keeper of his People and this we witness who are his Vineyard as in Isaiah 27. POSTSCRIPT DAvid saith in the Lords hands are the deep places of the Earth the Strength of the Hills and the height of the Hills his his also and the Sea is the Lords and he made it and his hands formed the dry Land O come let us worship and bow down let us kneel before the Lord our Maker for he is our God and we are the people of his Pasture and the sheep of his hand hear his Voice
this day who speaks to you by his Son Christ Jesus Psalm 95. Heb. 1.3 David saith The Floods have lifted up O Lord the floods have lifted up their Voice The Lord on high is mightier then the noise of many Waters yea then the mighty waves of the Sea Psa 93. So in all outward storms floods and waves whether they be from the outward Sea or the seas of the World you are to look unto the Lord who is mightier and higher then them all and can deliver from them all The Lord he commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind which listeth up the waves thereof then do men cry unto the Lord in their troubles and he brings them out of their distresses for he maketh a storm and a Calm so that the waves thereof are still then are they glad because they be quiet So he brings them unto their desired Haven for God can turn Rivers into a Wilderness and the water springs into dry Land So in all storms and winds whether they be the outward Sea or seas of the World or troubles within you are to cry unto the Lord who is able to bring you out of all distresses and save you and bring you to your desired Haven For the Lord may raise up a stormy wind and to try his people may make a storm a Calm and they that go down to the Sea in Ships that do business in great waters these see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the Children of men Psalm 107. And again in Psalm 89.8 9. O Lord God of Host who is a strong Lord like unto thee c. thou rulest the raging of the Sea when the waves thereof arise thou stillest them So all are to look unto the Lord and trust in him who is the strong God all sufficient who ruleth the raging of the Sea when the waves thereof do arise and stilleth them And David saith The waters saw thee O God and they were afraid and the depths were troubled Psalm 77.16 Here they that trust in the Lord may see his authority and power for the Lord he brought streams out of the Rock and caused the waters to run down like Rivers to refresh his People and he divided the Sea and caused his people to pass through and he made the waters to stand on heaps Psalm 78. And again David saith Thy way is in the Sea namely the Lord and thy path is in the great waters therefore all are to mind the Lords presence where ever they are Psal 77.19 And David saith Praise him namely the Lord ye Heavens of Heavens ye waters and all deeps storms winds fulfill his word his glory is above the Earth and Heaven For his name alone is excellent Psalm 140. And David saith the Lord by his strength setteth fast the Mountains being guided with power which stilleth the noise of the Sea the noise of the Waves and the tumults of the People Psal 65.6 7. Therefore are all your eyes to be unto the strong God who can still the noise and waves of the Sea and the tumults of the people whose power is over all And in Psal 33.6 7. By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the hosts of them by the breath of his Mouth he gathered the waters of the Sea together as an heap he layeth up the depth in store Houses Here you may see the mighty God in his eternal power and trust in him for he ruleth by his power for ever His eyes beholds the Nations who turneth the Sea into dry land by the greatness of his power that his people went through on foot Psal 66.6 Therefore O that men would trust in the Lord God that changeth not for upon the wicked the Lord shall rain Snares sire and Brimstone and a horrible tempest this shall be the portion of the Cup of the wicked for the wicked and him that loves violence Gods soul hates and therefore take heed of violence and wickedness And Elihu saith in Job 36.26.27 28.30 Behold God is great c. he maketh small the drops of the water and poureth down rain c. and covereth the bottom of the Sea therefore it is good to behold the Lord in his works And the Lord shut up the Sea with doors c. Job 28.30 Who hath divideth the water course for the overflowing of waters Job 38. and Job saith He bindeth up the waters in the thick Clouds and the cloud is not rent under them he compasseth the waters with Bounds he divideth the Sea with his power and by his understanding the smiteth through the proud Job 26. And again Job saith Which alone spreadeth out the Heaven namely the Lord and treadeth upon the waves of the Sea Job 9.8 Here you may see the great and wonderful God Heaven is his throne and Earth is his Footstool and he treads upon the Waves of the Sea who dwells with a humble heart who beholds the Lord and can say Heaven is his throne and the Earth is his Footstool who treads upon the waves of the Sea So they are not afraid of the waves or storms or winds that may arise upon the Sea or Land but fear the Lord that hath the winds in his hand and makes a storm a Calm and treads upon the waves of the Sea who made it and the Earth his footstool Glory and Honour be unto the Lord God almighty forever who reigns over all his works and they praise him And Solomon saith Prov. 8.29 God established the clouds above he strengthened the foundation of the deep and gave to the Sea its decree that the waters should not pass his Commandment c. And so here you may see the great and mighty God his decree and Commandment over the waters who is to be seâ—ved worshipped and feared Prov. 8.28 29. Gen. 1.9 10. Job 38.10.11 Psalm 104.9 Who hath gathered the wind in his fist Who hath bound the waters in a Garment Who establisheth the ends of the Earth Prov. 30.4 And again David saith Who laid the beams of his Chambers in the waters Who maketh the clouds his Chariots VVho walketh upon the wings of the VVind namely the great God VVho is cloathed with honour and Majesty Psalm 104. And Isaiah saith the Lord who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and meteth out the Heavens with a span and comprehends the dust of the Earth in a measure Isaiah 40.12 Here you may see the infinite glorious eternal incomprehensible God in his infinite power And the Lord saith to his faithful people to encourage them when thou passeth through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shall not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee thus saith the Lord who makes a way in the Sea and a path in the mighty waters