be broken So much for the sense of the word But as the Iewes said of Christ concerning the death of Lazarus Could not be that opened the eyes of the blinde have caused that even this man had not died So I say He that stilled the tempest and raging of the Sea could not he have caused it had not beene at all Yes verily Let us then search out for what causes it was his pleasure that this great tempest should arise Some of the Fathers tell us it was for Iudas his sake as the great storme arose for Ionas his sake But at this time Iudas had not betrayed his Master Doubtlesse he was a covetous wretch which gave Sathan the advantage to tempt him to that sinne but I suppose as yet Sathan had not so much as put it into his heart But because it is the Fathers I will not reject nor confute it Only by the way in a word make this use of it Let us so much as we can keepe out of the societie of wicked men as the Apostle biddeth Have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darknesse For as a Father saith Where sinne is there will be a storme The Scriptures are plaine to teach us that even for the sin of some one man the punishment whereof was neglected a whole familie tribe and people have beene punished As the making and worshipping of the Golden Calfe though it was not the sinne of all yet it endangered all and God told Moses he would consume them all For Achans sinne how did the people fall before their enemies Which made all Israel so afraid when the two Tribes and an halfe had erected an Altar as they conceived to offer sacrifice on contrary to the commandement of God and sent messengers to tell them that if they did rebell against the Lord that day to morrow he would be wroth with all the Congregation of Israel villanie committed by some of the Inhabitants of Gibeah in abusing the Levites concubine the heavy vengeance of God came not only upon the persons themselves but upon the whole Citie wherein such wickednesse was committed yea upon the whole Tribe because they delivered not up those wicked men to be punished but seemed to defend them yea not upon the Tribe alone which seeme justly to be condemned as accessarie but also on all such as came not up to warre and helped not to take vengeance for that wicked fact as upon all the Inhabitants of Iabesh Gilead And doe you not remember how for Sauls cruell fact in killing the Gibeonites there was a great famine in the Land for three yeeres together So good a thing it is if we can prevent it that Iudas be not in Ship House or Towne where we saile or dwell as S. Iohn fled out of the Bath where he saw the wicked Heretike was or at the least Ministers Magistrates people and all must endevour that sinne be punished and so taken away else the guilt and punishment may lie on all But I suppose there were other two principall Reasons for which Christ was pleased that this great tempest should arise viz. First for triall of his Disciples faith which is specially tried in times of danger distresse and perplexitie yea though he knew it to be weake yet themselves did not so and it was very profitable for them to know how weake their faith was Lastly that by this miraculous deliverance he might confirme their faith and teach them in all future dangers and perplexities to cleave unto him and trust in him which teacheth us that former experience of Gods providence power and goodnesse in ministring to our wants and delivering us out of evils should strengthen our faith in assurance of the like if it shall please God to bring us into them as we see David made that use of his deliverance from the paw of the Lien and Beare that that God would also deliver him out of the hand of the Philistim And so much for the Reasons Now for further instruction observe that as there is a manifold singular bodily or earthly vse of the Sea or Navigation so is there also singular Divine and heavenly use to be made and specially for contemplation There is no creature visible wherein in fairer capitall letters we may reade the goodnesse greatnesse power and Majestie of God than in the Sea that huge and uncontroulable creature and specially in a storme to see the waves how they rowle and rage and to heare them even many miles off how they roare in beating one against another and against the shore so true that is of David They that goe downe to the Sea in ships and occupie their businesse in great waters These see the workes of the Lord and his wonders in the deepe If God challenge such glory from the wings and feathers of Peacocks and Ostriches the wilde Goats Hindes Asse Vnicorne Hawke Eagle Horse Behemoth and Leviathan Iob 39. 40 41. Chap. Oh how great is his glory from creation and government of the Sea Therefore God himselfe often urgeth his Dominion over the Sea that unruly and boysterous Element for declaration of his great Majestie as unto Iob Who shut up the sea with doores who set barres and said Hitherto shalt thou come and no further and here shalt thou stay thy proud waves And againe Feare yee not me saith the Lord will yee not tremble at my presence which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetuall decree that it cannot passe it and though the waves thereof tosse themselves yet can they not prevaile though they roare yet can they not passe over it Who ever saw tempest on sea whose heart was not smitten with feare and reverence of the Majestie of that God who hath made and doth governe it And againe Thus saith the Lord who divideth the sea when the waves thereof roare the Lord of hoasts is his name As God himselfe doth urge it so holy David specially was very frequent in the meditation thereof He gathereth the waters of the sea together as on an heap layeth up the deep as in store houses Let al the earth feare the Lord let al the inhabitāts of the world stand in awe of him And againe It is God that stilleth the raging of the sea and the noise of its waves And again He turned the sea into drie land he ruleth by his power for ever And again I will meditate of all thy works and talke of thy doings thou art the God that doest wonders the waters saw thee O God the waters saw thee were afraid the depths also were troubled And againe God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are round about him O Lord God of hoasts who is a strong Lord like unto thee thou rulest the
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
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
marke it was Christ that made this calme none can comfort and quiet the troubled and tempestuous minde and conscience but onely Christ till hee rebuke it will rage fome and fume still Seeke not then thy peace from carnall meanes as merry company pastime play feasting drinking c. For if any good come hereby it is but as deceitfull Surgeons heale the skin but leave corruption within But say with David I will hearken what the Lord God will say for hee shall speake peace to his people For till he speake peace there will be nothing but warre and trouble So much for the first Doctine Mysticall with the Illustration and Vse thereof Observe againe that as there was a sudden great storme so now there is as sudden and great a calme which in the mysterie affordeth us another lesson viz. That according to the measure of troubles and persecutions God sendeth peace and comforts as David saith According to the multitude of the sorrowes which I had in mine heart thy comforts have refreshed my soule And Saint Paul saith As the sufferings of Christ abound in us so also our consolation aboundeth by Christ Hereof also Iob had comfortable experience to whom after his patient triall the Lord restored double all he had Now let us winde up what hath beene said with Application to our selves How great a storme and tempest hath beene in the Christian world and specially in Germanie and France who so ignorant as knoweth not But behold what a great calme the Lord hath made in France wars are husht and gone and Gods servants restored to their former priviledges and liberties in the profession of the Gospel let us all heartily pray God to strengthen the good worke he hath wrought and to confirme it under the broad seale of Heaven that it may remaine inviolable and that the Iesuites who are the beilowes of sedition be never able to raise such a tempest againe and let us also pray that Christ would breake the bow knap the speare in sunder and burne the chariots in the fire and grant to all Nations unitie peace and concord and bid them be still and turne their swords and speares into mattocks and sythes or turne them against the common enemy the Turke who persecuteth and blasphemeth the name of Christ and his Gospell Amen Let us looke home what great stormes and tempests have beene in our Land through bloudy persecution and unnaturall civill dissention our fathers have told us and our Chronicles report to all posteritie but what a glorious calme have we enjoyed for almost so many yeeres as his people endured captivitie without either hostile invasion or civill dissention the Lord making fast the barres of our gates and so establishing peace in our borders that there is no crying nor complaining in our streets no leading into captivitie it being an harbour and sanctuary to the afflicted servants of God The Lord preserve our tranquillitie and rebuke them that would raise a storme Amen VERSE 27. But the men marvelled saying What manner of man is this that both the winds and the sea obey him WE have heard what effect Christ his rebuke had in the winds and sea those senselesse Creatures Now let us see what effect it wrought in the men that heard and 〈◊〉 being endued with reason and understanding The winds and sea obeyed But the men admired being more excellent Creatures it produced in them a more excellent effect which Montanus expresseth by a discretive particle a◠but the men marvelled Wherein two things are to be considered viz. Admiration and Interrogation And in their Interrogation two things first a Question What manner of man is this Secondly a Reason of that question Even the winds and sea obey him Their Admiration is the cause of the Interrogation for therefore they doe mutually inquire and search to know his person because they wonder to see his bare word to produce such strange effects Of them in order And first it is said The men marvelled Who is meant by men in this place is much disputed and the learned in their opinions much divided Some say the Mariners and others at that time on the sea in other vessels or that from the shore saw the tempest and sudden calme but not the Disciples Others by men vnderstand the disciples as well as others and hereunto I subscribe as the truth I doe not deny but many others on sea and shore might see and marvell but the Text speaketh specially of such as heard Christ rebuke the winds and sea for they demand Who is this that even the winds and sea obey him which none but such as were in the ship with him could do And that the Disciples did marvell seemeth to me very plaine from the other Euangelists who expressed it in one continued speech he said unto them Why are yee so feare full How is it that yee have no faith And they said one to another Whence it is plaine that such as were fearefull that were rebuked even those marvelled and they were the Disciples at least chiefly if not only And truly no marvell to us to heare that the Disciples marvelled though some of them fishermen and well acquainted with tempests for it was a most marvellous thing and no miracle that Christ wrought did more declare his Divine Majesty than this But yet for the further opening of the sense of the words the word in originall here translated marvell hath a double signification First verie earnestly and intently both with outward and inward senses to marke and observe a thing and so it fitteth this present place they did most intently with eyes of bodie and minde gaze upon the sea They did observe it well in the storme and it behoved them for they looked to be drowned with every wave but they never so observed it as now it is calme So the common people said of other of Christs miracles Doubtlesse we have seene strange things to day Secondly it signifieth to honour reverence and feare the person or thing wherein we discerne any strangenesse and the more strangenesse the more reverence and feare so the learned Septuagint translate those places of respecting or regarding of the persons of the mightie and aged in this word As also where Naaman the Syrian is said to be an honorable man Which phrase is also retained in the New Testament and translated the having of mens persons in admiration And in this sense also the Disciples may here well be said to marvel for this miracle procured in them a great deale of reverend awe honour and respect unto Christ The other Euangelists say They did exceedingly feare and all say They did aske one another What manner of man is this q. d. How glorious honourable and powerfull this man whom even the winds and seas doe obey And thus
borne or buried or whilst he lived whereon to rest his head And as quickly was he gone againe he did but sojourne or as the word signifieth pitch his Tent among us for the space of 33 yeers which compared with eternitie or long lives of the Patriarchs is nothing He was but as a Traveller which as for a nights lodging only turned in unto us and as a stranger he was used for his owne would not receive him but did lade him with all wrongs and injuries preferre a murtherer before him and most disgracefully crucifie him betwixt two notorious malefactors But it shall suffice only to touch these things The third and last is more largely to be handled as most fitting the Text the day the insuing service of this day whereunto with some few words to that purpose I would prepare you and is this This man is a strange man wonderfully qualified For they propound the question in way of admiration What manner of man is this q. d. Oh what a wonderfull man is this And well might they so marvell and demand for there was never such a man on earth before or since or shall be The Church saith Her beloved is the chiefest of ten thousand a finite number being put for an infinite All the thousands and millions of glorious Angels in heaven or men on earth cannot afford such another He is the only Standard-bearer as the word signifieth He is anointed with the oile of gladnesse above his fellowes He received not the spirit by measure In him were hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge yea all that fulnesse of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily that they may well marvell What manner of man is this For Christ hath said of himselfe he is a wonder and the Prophet maketh this one of his glorious titles He shall be called wonderfull And never any creature so answerable to his name as Christ to this For what he was said did suffered ordained was all most marvellous Let us retaile these things For wherein can I more edifie you than by provoking you to marvell which is the whetstone of knowledge And first let us consider his person and it will make us marvell yea be astonished with marvelling He that is true God from everlasting in time became true man not ceasing to be what he was before but beginning to be what he was not before assuming true manhood to subsist in the word by hypostaticall or personall union neither nullifying the Deitie nor deifying the Humanitie but reserving the essentiall properties of each nature severall and distinct without mixture or confusion The Apostle saith This is a great mysterie and to be much marvelled at God manifested in the flesh The word made flesh Manhood assumed into personall union with Godhead that so Godhead and Manhood make the person of one Redeemer as soule and body doe one man that seeing as God hee could not die which God hath threatned and as man not overcome death being God and man he could both suffer and overcome the one suffered and the other enabled By reason of which union and as I may call it association of divers natures a kinde of mutuall commutation there is whereby those concrete Titles God and Man when we speake of Christ doe take interchangeably one anothers roome and in the Concrete it is most holy and true which in the Abstract were horrible and hellish blasphemie to affirme We cannot say the Humanitie made the world or Deitie suffered but we may truly say the man Christ made the world and the God Christ suffered The Apostle saith The Iewes did crucifie the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2. 8. and that God hath purchased his Church with his bloud and Christ being on earth said at the same instant The Sonne of man was in heaven Where you see a bloudy death is attributed to God and Lord of glory and ubiquitie to manhood which humane nature admitteth not Therefore by God and Lord of glory wee must understand the whole person of Christ who died and shed his bloud but not in that nature for which he is called God and Lord of glory and in the other place by Sonne of man we understand the person of Christ who was in heaven as well as on earth though not in that nature for which he is called the sonne of man Yea without this caution the Fathers who were both sound in the faith and unanimous in defense thereof will seeme to be both corrupt and contrary For Theodoret disputeth with great earnestnesse that God cannot be said to suffer but he meant in the Abstract against Apollinarius who held the Deitie to be passible And Cyrill is as earnest saying Whosoever doth denie very God to have suffered death doth forsake the faith but he meaneth in the flesh and not in that substance for which the title God is given him But why doe I goe about to expresse and make cleare such a mysterie as is unconceiveable The strength of faith appeareth in those things wherein our wits and capacities are weake and therefore I must leave you reverendly and religiously to marvell at the person of your Redeemer and say What manner of man is this who is truly God-Man and Man-God And so I proceed to speake of his humane nature wherein he is more familiar unto us yet therein most marvellous also And first His conception is marvellous which was not according to the course of nature and by carnall copulation as Ebion blasphemed but as the holy Gospel teacheth and we professe to beleeve he was conceived by the Holy Ghost that as he was God of his Father without mother so he might become man of his mother without father and so be a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech who is said to be without father and mother And this comming of the Holy Ghost upon the Virgin effected a threefold worke First the fashioning of the body of a part of Maries substance that so he might be the true sonne of Adam Abraham and David according to the flesh and also the creating and infusing of the soule into the body which at the first was organized and fit to receive it which other bodies are not Secondly the sanctification of that matter that it had not the least staine or blemish of any originall sinne uncleannesse contagion or corruption Thirdly the union of the Godhead Manhood All which were wrought at the same instant of time Of all which the personal union is most marvellous That as in the Trinitie three persons are united in essence so in Christ three several and distinct substances viz. Deitie Soule and Flesh are united in one person And therefore the humanitie of Christ his soule and body did not make a person as in other men but so soone as
the sea wrought and was troublous the ship like to be broken so as the mariners were afraid and cried to their gods and cast forth their wares into the sea but the sea would not be calme till Ionah was cast into it A like we have in the New Testament in Pauls dangerous voyage towards Rome there rising so great a tempest that all hope to be saved was taken away and though they cast out the very tacklings and all yet upon boards broken peeces of the ship all came safe to land The letters of which storie afford many excellent and usefull instructions and specially to sea-men yea and to be laid up for future use of us all for howsoeuer we have beene borne and lived long upon the land yet it may be we have beene or we know not how we may be endangered and tossed upon sea before we die But specially the mysterie doth greatly concerne us all for preparation whereunto be pleased to note that there are many histories in the word which either are Allegoricall in signification or may be Allegorically compared and resembled we haue good warrant from the Scriptures for it It is a plaine storie that Abraham had two sons the one by a free-woman Sarai the other by a bond-maid Hagar yet the Apostle saith these things are an Allegorie and signifie the two Testaments or Covenants of Works and Grace Noahs Arke wherein eight persons were saved a true storie yet S. Peter maketh it a figure of Baptisme wherby we are saved The children of Israels passing thorow the red sea a true storie yet the Apostle maketh that also a figure of Baptisme The children of Israel did drinke of the water out of a rocke a true storie yet the Apostle saith that rocke was Christ God fed them with Manna from heaven a true storie yet Christ saith I am that bread of life which came downe from heaven Solomons mariage with Pharaohs daughter a true storie yet representeth vnto vs Christ his espousing of the Churches of the Gentiles Many such there might be produced of which nature this present storie is as all that I have seene commenting on the same doe unanimously affirme And therefore reserving the truth of the storie by sea here we may understand this world so it is compared by S. Iohn Before the throne there was a sea of glasse like Crystall like a sea for as it is sometimes calme so doth it many times rage is in wonderfull motion agitation full of rocks syrtes sands by allusion whereunto the Apostle speaketh of some tossed to and fro carried about with winds of doctrine yea and speaketh of some that haue made shipwracke but a sea of glasse for no glasse so brittle subiect to cracks as this world but a sea of Crystall too Sathan is the prince of darknesse and his children are children of darknesse and their works are works of darknesse such subtill and politick plots and projects against the Church as no eye can see or discerne them but as a mans eye will easily discerne the least spot yea or mote in Crystall so and a thousand times more clearely doth God see and discerne euen the secretest thoughts of mens hearts all things being naked and open before his eies with whom we haue to doe and the eyes of Christ being like a flame of fire carrying light which way soeuer it pleaseth him to look And as the Arke of Noah so this ship into which Christ and dis disciples entred may represent vnto vs the Church militant wherein Christ and all the faithfull do passe towards the haven of happinesse and in most resemblances is wonderfull fit as hereafter more fully Thirdly this great tempest upon the sea endangering the ship doth liuely represent the great troubles and persecutions which the Deuill and bloudie Tyrants raise in the world against the true Church of Christ threatning in mans iudgement the utter ruine destruction thereof whereof David thus speaketh in one metaphor The sorrowes of death compassed me the flouds of ungodly men make me afraid and againe If the Lord had not been on our side when men rose up against us the waters had overwhelmed us the streame had gone over our soule Then the proud waters had gone over our soule And the Lord thus threatneth I will bring upon them the waters of the river even the King of Assyria And David thus prayed Save me O God for the waters are come into my soule I am come into deepe waters where the flouds over-flow me Fourthly Christ his being on sleepe in this storme when the ship was in such danger doth represent Christ his seeming to neglect his Church in her persecutions and to leave his people in their enemies hands about which they thus expostulate Why doest thou absent thy selfe in this needfull time of trouble we crie and thou hearest not O God how long shall the Adversarie doe this dishonour how long shall the enemie blaspheme thy name for euer why withdrawest thou thine hand eve thy right hand plucke it out of thy bosome arise O God plead thine own cause Arise O Lord to save me c. And againe more plainly in the metaphor of my text Arise O God in thine anger lift up thy selfe because of the rage of mine enemies and awake for me to the iudgement that thou hast cōmanded c. And again Awake why sleepest thou O God arise cast us not off for ever wherefore hidest thou thy face and forgettest our affliction and oppression The like in other places whereof more hereafter The Disciples comming unto Christ and as it were with out-cries awakening him doth shadow out the prayers of the faithfull who in the distresses of the Church doe day and night call and crie to him to awake arise and defend his Church whereof I have even now alledged some examples out of the Psalmes Christ his arising and rebuking winds and seas and causing a great calme doth represent Gods entring into judgement with the enemies of his Church apparently rebuking them with sudden death or some great and visible judgement whereupon great peace commeth to Gods Church and people So that I know no Story which may be allegorized by greater authority frō the Scriptures than this And as by authoritie of the Scriptures so of the learned Fathers witnesse that short metaphrase of Tertullian lib. de Baptismo cap. 12. a very learned and one of the ancientest Fathers for there were but Iustin Martyr and Irenaeus before him Clemens Alexandrinus was his synchronos or coetaneus viz. within two hundred yeares after Christ so rarely qualified humanis divinis disciplinis that both Ierom and Lactantius commend him and Cyprian usually called for his works thus Da magistrum Sixtus Senens Navicula Ecclesia est quae
have therfore Verily I say unto you ye that have followed me in the regeneration when the Son of Man shal sit in the throne of his glory ye also shal sit upon twelve thrones and iudge the twelve Tribes of Israel andevery one that hath forsaken houses brethren sisters father mother wife children or lands for my names sake shall receive an hundred fold and shall inherit everlasting life And againe Yee are they that have continued with mee in my temptation And I appoint to you a kingdome as my Father hath appointed to me That yee may eat and drinke at my table in my Kingdome and sit on thrones iudging the twelve Tribes of Israel According to which promises the Apostle saith If wee suffer with him wee shall reigne with him It is a most true saying of the Apostle If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable But in regard of the reward to come such as follow Christ to the end are of all men most happie Moses had respect to this recompence of reward and it made him leave following of Pharaoh and his Court and chuse to suffer afflictions with the people of God rather than to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season This made the Apostles being scourged to depart out of the Councell rejoycing that they were counted worthie to suffer for the name of Christ This hath encouraged thousands and millions of holy Martyrs to suffer with patience and joy all the tortures and torments that the Devill and Tyrants could devise and by no meanes be pulled from following of Christ Oh then on on follow follow him let us all be Acolytes I neither meane it according to Philosophie the Stoicks being so called because they alwaies followed their opinions and did with obstinate pertinacie adhere to their doctrine and counted it a shame to forsake the same neither doe I meane it according to ridiculous Popery wherin Acolytes are one of their Ecclesiasticall Orders whose office is to light tapers and candles for there must be candles light whensoever the Masse is celebrated though at noone-day and Sunne shine never so bright and no marvell for it is a worke of darknesse but by Acolytes I meane according to the word in my Text let us follow Christ his doctrine and morall conversation and let our light so shine before men that they may see our good workes and glorifie our Father which is in heaven Oh follow him in troubles and temptations and you shall follow him in glory for so is the promise They shall follow the Lambe whither soever hee goeth Follow him on earth and you shall follow him in heaven follow him in momentanie misery and you shall follow him in endlesse felicitie follow him in temporarie death and you shall follow him in everlasting life then suffer with him and you shall reigne with him Now follow him that rideth upon the white horse and is gone forth to war and you shall follow him in triumph with Palmes in your hands and crownes on your heads when the Devill and all enemies shall be troden under foot But now give mee leave before I conclude this point to lament the paucitie the small number of those that follow Christ The time was whē it was said The whole world followed him but now may we complaine that all follow the world as the Apostle long since did All seek their own not those things which are Iesus Christs Good Lord how greedily and unweariedly doe men and women follow and even runne some after their pleasures of Hawkes Hounds Cards Dice some their profit and gaine some their honour and preferment some one sinne some another and in that pursuit will endure any hardnesse any discouragements but how few follow Christ in the way of obedience to the Gospell Which S. Bernard in his time lamented and discovered the folly of in a wittie descanting upon a Latine word The world saith I will deceive thee the flesh saith I will infect thee the Devill saith I will destroy thee but Christ saith I will refresh thee Yet how many follow the other and how few Christ They would come to Christ in heaven and are ready to say with Stephen at their departure Lord Iesu receive my spirit but will not follow Christ on earth they would with Balaam die the deaths of the righteous but cannot abide their lives they wish the end but not beginning or if they wil follow Christ on the shore they will not to sea with him can endure in times of libertie peace plentie and prosperitie to professe the Gospell but not in trouble and persecution they will bring him to the water-side and if he will preach out of the ship they will stand on shore and heare him but if it be rough they will not to sea with him But know you that the marke of a true disciple is to follow Christ in temptations tribulations perils and persecutions yea it is adversitie trieth and declareth a true disciple not like the Israelites to reioyce sing when they passed safely thorow the red sea but murmure when they wanted bread or water wherefore follow him in sicknesse povertie disgrace imprisonment death follow him to the sea let winds and waves rage never so horribly yea follow him into the sea if he call thee thereunto what hurt had the children of Israel by following the Cloud and Arke into the midst of the red sea The Lord is with his in all their temptations and tribulations hee will deliver them and bring them to honour Thus the passengers are all shipped we have observed both their number and their order Christ went in before and his Disciples followed him It now followeth to speake of the Vessell wherein they passed but for this time I conclude with that Prayer our holy mother Church hath taught vs in the Collect for this day Almightie God which by thy Sonne Iesus Christ didst give such grace to thy holy Apostle Saint Peter and commandedst him earnestly to feed thy flock make we beseech thee all Biships and Pastors diligently to preach thy holy word and the people obediently to follow the same that they may receive the crowne of everlasting glorie through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Into a ship We have observed the Passengers for their number and order of shipping Now let us consider the Vessell wherein they passe which is here said to be a Ship The Romish Peterlings say this was Peters ship and in that they have a great mysterie that Christ and his Disciples are in their Church Indeed that Christ once was in Peters ship taught out of it and drew a great draught of fishes the Text is cleare That also Christ and his Disciples were in the Church of Rome is as cleare when Saint Paul saith Their faith
is the goodnes of God in the desire of our good by causing attētion to his word cōtaining all our good that there is scarcely any memorable and transcendently excellent saying or worke but by some helps of attention regard or other we are provoked well to consider it These helpes that I may range them in order and yet but touch them are of two sorts viz. either from such as did speak or from such as did write the word The Prophets Christ his Apostles in preaching to the people how have they called on men to heare harken and consider what they said unto them Helpes from writing and specially some of these to such as are able to reade the originall copies wherein some of them only continue are of two sorts viz. in words or in forme words are principally two the one initiall or in the beginning which is the word in my Text Behold or finall and at the end which is the word Selah at the end of many sentences in the Psalmes and Habakkuk onely and retained in translations About which word learned men have much disputed and laid downe severall opinions with rehearsall whereof I will not now trouble you I take it to be derived from such a word as signifieth to lift up and the Septuagint Symmachus and Theodotion interpret it Diapsalma the change of the tune or song for by changing the tune extraordinarily lifting up the voice in singing such a streine they did signifie such were most remarkable sentences I told you that also there are helpes of attention from the forme of writing I meane in the Hebrew copies for Interpreters take no notice hereof but are most observable of all such as are learned and they are three-fold viz. in regard of letters prickes or blankes Letters are of two sorts viz. either in regard of location or of proportion In regard of location a very strange remarkable if not mysticall thing it is that mem clausum which is ever finall should onely in one word in all the Bible be found so written in the midst Secondly for proportion whereas the Hebrewes were most curious in their Orthographie yet in some places some letters are of extraordinary size and hold no proportion with the rest of the word or sentence As where Iacob reproved his sonnes Simeon and Levi for their cruell murthering of the Sichemites they answered him with bigge words Should he deale with our sister as with an Harlot And in the word Zonah the first letter is of an extraordinary proportion and where it is said That Abraham mourned for Sarah his wife Caph in Bachah is of a very little size and as in letters so also in prickes whereof I lately gave some instance in this place some words having such prickes as are neither Grammatical Rhetoricall nor Musicall and sometimes in blanckes breaking off and making a pawse in the midst of a sentence and a great space left emptie and onely an o in it as where it is said Cain talked with his brother and these things are preserved in all their copies and therefore could be no error in the Printer But the most common word of attention and regard thorowout the whole Scriptures of old and new Testament is this initiall word or Adverbe of demonstration Behold which is specially used in three cases First when some strange thing is presented to the eye as when Iesus came forth wearing a crowne of thornes and a purple roabe Pilat said to the people Behold the man the strangest thing that ever was presented to the eye of man never the like before nor since the Sonne of God who weareth the crowne of eternall glory crowned with thornes Secondly it is used when both some thing is to be seene with the bodily eye and the minde is to contemplate and consider something represented by that visible spectacle as when Christ rode into the Citie of Ierusalem the Prophet calleth Behold thy King commeth mecke and sitting on an Asse Oh see him ride with thine eyes oh consider his meeknesse with thy minde Thirdly when men are bid Behold when yet nothing can be seene with bodily eye and then it signifieth regard and consider So the Prophet saith Behold a Virgin shall conceive and beare a sonne that was many yeeres after fulfilled according to the letter therfore the people in those dayes could but consider it So here we are bid Behold there arose a tempest that tempest is many hundred yeers agoe calmed we cannot see it with our bodily eyes but wheresoever this storie is preached the people shall be called upon to muse and meditate hearken and consider the same The Vse of all that hath beene said is to move us with consideration of our dulnesse who need so many and such great helps to provoke us to the consideration of heavenly things Gods word and works Oh for earthly things as dignitie wealth honour preferment our profits or pleasures wee are watchful and carefull enough as quick-sighted as Eagles to see things a farre off and exceeding attentive to whomsoever shall talke of these things Yea many doe even weare away themselues with continuall care thought and meditation or if at any time we fall into a slumber about these matters yet the least whispering will make us to start up stand upon both legs looke round about us and over every bodies head yea ride and runne and what not but for the greatest works of God or mysteries of godlinesse wee have no eyes in our heads to see them no eares to heare them no mindes to consider them but please our selves in our spirituall sluggishnesse and drowsinesse like the sluggard in the Proverbs folding our armes and saying Yet a little more sleepe a little more slumber that the Holy Ghost in love of our salvation doth call upon us and stir us up to attend Behold behold So much for the note of attention In the narration we have first the cause of their great danger in one word expressed A tempest The word in the Originall signifieth a shaking or quaking with which words the Greeke Authors doe commonly expresse an earthquake which Varinus also describeth in the word of my Text yea we have it twice in one verse Whose voice shooke the earth Hebr. 12. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Christ saith There shall be earthquakes Matth. 24. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which also our Latine Translators follow Motus magnus Mont. valg Concussio magna Bez. which being caused by a sudden and vehement wind as we shall heare is well translated a storme wherein the ship was so shaken tumbled and tost as if there had been some mighty earth-quake The Hebrew word which Munster hath here is Sagnar the word which is in Ionah where it is said The Lord sent out a great wind into the Sea and there was a mighty tempest so that the ship was like to
be the more grievous if Christ be on sleepe it will cause great calling and crying indeed Herein behold the example of Iob A man that feared God and eschewed evill Good Lord in what great and grievous stormes and tempests was he tossed and like to be swallowed up I meane not in regard of his body and estate but chiefly in regard of his soule when he so complained that God did set him as a But to shoot at that the terrors of God did set themselves in array against him Iob 6. 4. that hee did write bitter things against him made him possesse the sinnes of his youth would not suffer him to swallow his spittle and If I say my bed shall comfort me and my couch shall ease my complaint then thou skarest me with dreames and terrifiest me with visions thou appointest wearisome nights to me when I lie downe I say when shall I arise and the night be gone and I am full of tossings to and fro vnto the dawning of the day so as my soule chuseth strangling and death rather than life yea in weaknesse he cursed the day and all the services of his birth and was so weary of the tempest and not able to endure it any longer hee made his suit to the Pilot to cut asunder the Cable and let the ship runne against the rocks saying Oh that I might have my request and that God would grant me the thing that I long for even that it would please God to destroy me let his hand loose and cut me off Oh here was a tempest indeed so as if God had not kept him he would have leaped over boord into the Sea rather than have endured it In what a tempest was David when he said His spirit was in perplexitie and his soule amazed and that from his youth he had suffered the terrors of God with a troubled minde and as if he could afford to leape over boord too hath much adoe to perswade his soule to patience saying Why art thou cast downe oh my soule and why art thou so disquieted within me Ionah his bodie was not so tossed in the tempest as his soule in the tempest of Gods anger when he said All thy billowes and thy waves passed over me then I said I am cast out of thy sight In what a tempest were the lewes when they came in such consternation to Peter and the Apostles asking Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saved Yea Christ himselfe was in a greater tempest in his soule on the Crosse than now his bodie was on the Sea when he so cried out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee S. Paul was often in perils on the Sea but nothing did so much shake him as his inward terrors the inward tempests of his soule made him cry out Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me So true is this doctrine and by these few examples instead of many fully confirmed that into whose soule soever Christ doth once enter to live and dwell by faith they shall be sure of stormes and tempests whereof these two principall reasons may be rendred viz. First the extreme and unappeasable malice of Sathan who so long as he doth reigne in the soule and conscience and is obeyed in his lusts there is great peace but if Christ a stronger than hee come and dispossesse him he will rage and will make that soule to shake and tremble that entertaineth Christ he will besiege it and roare with his Cannons of temptations that howsoever such a soule may have sweet peace with God yet it shall have perpetuall warre with Sathan who will doe all the mischiefe hee can If the woman be with childe and nigh in her travell and bring forth the great red Dragon will stand ready to devoure the childe and if he cannot prevaile he will cast great water-flouds after her Though the Vision most properly concerne Christ yet is it most true in his members no sooner is any childe of God conceived in the wombe of the Church by the immortall seed of Gods word and that he is formed and brought forth but Sathan the great red Dragon will seek to kill and destroy it as Christ saith He is a murtherer from the beginning and as the Apostle saith Hee goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom to deuoure and if herein hee be restrained yet will he cast out great flouds of temptations lies slanders feares doubts perplexities hee will not faile to raise a grievous tempest The second Reason is the corruption of our nature for though the Regeneration Sanctification of Gods children be most true yet is it imperfect in regard of degrees and the best of God children are partly spirit and partly flesh and that throughout all the inward powers and faculties and outward parts and members as in the dawning of the day when it is neither altogether light nor darke and in luke-warme water it is neither altogether cold nor hot so there is some ignorance in their minds some hardnesse in their hearts some frowardnesse in their wills sinne though it reigne not yet it dwelleth in them to defile and staine their best workes and stir vp stormes and tempests in their Soules and Consciences Here then first is a sweet comfort to Gods Children who have experience of the truth of this Doctrine in their owne Soules me thinketh I heare them thus lament The time hath beene when I could have beene merrie and glad and had abundance of joy and comfort in God it was my greatest delight to heare reade and pray I was able to be a comfort and stay to others but now my Soule is heavie and pensive sad and sorrowfull I thinke on nothing but my sinnes but those though many yeeres agoe committed I doe as perfectly remember with the circumstances thereof as if they were but yesterday I can thinke of nothing but Gods anger and the punishments of the Reprobate neither have I any delight in godly exercises or if I doe performe them I finde no comfort in them but returne from Church as void of comfort as I went thither rise up from praier with as heavie an heart as I kneeled downe I am even oppressed with feares doubts and distrusts that I have not truly repented that I doe not truly beleeve that I am not sanctified that I am not Gods Childe that he loveth me not that my sinnes are not forgiven and that I have but served him in Hypocrisie Oh behold what waves surges and billowes of discomfort may cover a poore Soule But let all such be of good comfort for first this is no other than that all Gods Children first or last more or lesse have experience of Thou thinkest none ever were in such cōdition thou art deceived Secondly it is an argument of good estate for so
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
and invest him with absolute authoritie to governe the ship every one must plie their tacklings according to his whistle and though he runne them all upon the rocke yet hath he that unlimited and transcendent authoritie that no man may once question him or say why doest thou thus Oh dangerous to passe in that Vessell wherein such ignorant and wicked Atheists are made sole Governours and Commanders But happy that Church wherein Christ is in the Sterne and hath the governing of the Helme continually viewing of the Compasse and sounding so as it is not possible for that ship to miscarry Thirdly how is he disposed there Hath hee there a bed of downe whereon to rest No the Euangelist saith he did but lay his head on a pillow yea and an hard one too as some conceive a woodden pillow little better than that of Iacobs which was of stone A sweet comfort also to consider how ready Christ is to helpe his in distresse The Church being called on answered I have put off my coat how shall I put it on Loe what a paine it is to rise out of the warme bed and put on cloathes Christ hath not put off his seamelesse coat and is in his warme bed that hee had rather all should be much endangered if not cast away rather than hee would arise and dresse himselfe No no hee hath but leaned his head on an hard pillow hee is ready to helpe in any need as David saith Hee is a present helpe in trouble Hee appeared unto Iohn walking in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks as ready to helpe any member of the Church that standeth in need of him And thus much bee said of the first generall part in their sailing viz. their great danger or jeopardie Now followeth to speake of their deliverance VERSE 25. And his disciples came to him and awoke him saying Master save us we perish COncerning deliverance out of this their great feare and danger the second part in the storie of their sailing two things are to be considered viz. first the procurement and secondly the performance of it How deliverance was procured the Euangelist expresseth in this 25 verse viz. when they were in greatest danger and extremest perill as you have heard the disciples goe to Christ give themselves to prayer and thereby procure it whereof I purpose first to speake generally and then particularly In generall from this example we learne according to the letter thereof where-ever we become what-ever we goe about to exercise our selves in prayer No dutie more often commanded more highly commended or abundantly rewarded Wherefore David was given to prayer Invocation of the name of God is made in the Scriptures the true note or marke of a Christian When Saul had got letters from the High Priests to persecute the Church it is said by S. Luke He received authoritie to binde all that call on the name of God S. Paul writing to the Church of Corinth and describing the saithfull he calleth them Saints and such as call on the name of the Lord Iesus On the other side the Prophet David noteth out the Atheist that saith in his heart there is no God by this marke that such an one calleth not on the Lord By which it appeareth that of many who desire to beare and be knowne by the name of Christians yet there are indeed very few sound and true Christians The world is full of Atheists very poore in heavenly graces because they have not the spirit of invocation or supplication whereby to aske what they want Oh it is the happinesse of Christians that they may in all places and at all times in Gods houses and their owne by sea or land within doores or without in field or bed on mountaines or in dungeons at midnight as well as at mid-day lift up their hearts and hands and call on God Oh let us be ashamed of our negligence herein both in Gods house with the assembly of Saints and in our owne and let us more inure our selves herewith let it be the first thing we doe when we awake the last thing we doe when we lie downe to sleepe yea throughout the day whether we eat or drinke labour or rest worke or play let our hearts be ever disposed to prayer and on every occasion lifted up if not with words yet with devout sighes and vehement desires if no larger yet in such short wishes as here and elsewhere Lord save us God be mercifull Christ blesse and prosper Lord increase our faith As Moses by familiar talking with God had his face to shine so assuredly he cannot but be a good man and have a shining soule and life too that talketh much with God and prayeth continually Secondly hence let us learne that times of necessitie and great distresse are both fittest for prayer and great furtherers thereof Yea this is a principall end that God respecteth in sending afflictions and perplexities viz. to provoke the praiers of his people wherein he delighteth So saith the Lord when his people grew wanton and ran after their lovers I wil go returne to my place til they acknowledge their offence and seek my face in their affliction they will seeke me early Let Iacob heare that his fierce brother Esau cōmeth out against him 400 men with him threatning to smite him the mother with the children then he will pray yea and wrestle with God and never let him goe till he blesse him Let the people of God be in danger at the Red Sea banke to be all destroyed and then Moses will cry Let Annah be barren and Peninnah upbraid her and then shee will up to the Temple pray weepe and powre out her soule before the Lord Let Ierusalem be besieged and Rabshekah raile and blaspheme and then Ezekiah will up to the Temple and spread the blasphemous letter before the Lord yea let him receive a message from the Lord that he shall die and not live and then he will turne his face to the wall and pray and weepe sore Let a great Host of Moab Ammon and Mount Seir come against Iudah that they know not what to doe and then King Iehoshaphat will proclaime a fast and pray O Lord God we know not what to doe but our eyes are unto thee Let David come into extreme miseries and out of the deeps he will cry unto God Few will when they goe to Sea pray with S. Paul we reade not that these disciples did but let there arise a storme which mounteth up to heaven and letteth them goe downe againe to the depths that their soule melteth because of the trouble and they are even at their wits end and then they will cry to the Lord in their trouble Let the ship be even covered with waves and then the disciples
will goe to their Master Yea let Ionah be cast into the Sea and be swallowed of a Whale and then he will cry to the Lord A strange thing saith one that he that slept in the ship should be awake in the Whales belly and he that fled from God on dry land should flie to God in the bottome of the sea Oh when men have all things according to their hearts desire they seeke not the Lord. Prosperitie dulleth devotion in the best as David found by experience In my prosperitie I said I shall never be moved but thou hiddest thy face and I was troubled then I cried to the Lord and made supplication to my God Oh to correct this dulnesse and negligence it is that God many times taketh away good things from his people and sendeth many evils both generall to the Church and Common-wealth as famine pestilence sword and particular on our families and persons as sicknesse ache paine death of friends losses and crosses and all because as we say God would be better acquainted with us and see us at his Court for in miserie he knoweth he shall heare of us but else let us alone and we let him alone So much in stead of much more be said from the letter and historie Now let us proceed to the mysterie You have heard that this storme so endangering this ship doth represent persecutions and troubles which in this world doe infest the people of God As then the disciples in this dangerous tempest went to Christ and by prayer to him procured a calme so when the Church of God is persecuted and in danger all the disciples of Christ must goe to him by prayer for it So doth David injoyne Pray for the peace of Ierusalem Luther calleth prayers the Christians Canons and surely being well charged with faith and repentance and fired with zeale and fervencie of spirit they shoot farre and pierce deepe yea it pierceth heaven and overcommeth enemies on earth As then Kings and Princes when enemies approach prepare their weapons armour swords and speares When Christians heare of warres and rumours of wars they must prepare themselves to prayer muster their petitions and set them in battell array as David saith Psal 5. 3. and not trust too much in earthly meanes as David saith Some trust in horses and some in chariots but we will trust in the name of the Lord And againe An horse is counted but a vaine thing to save a man neither is any mighty man delivered by his much strength and I will not trust in my bowe it is not my sword that can save me but in God we boast all the day long The horse is prepared for the day of battell but salvation is from the Lord By all which and many other places of Scripture which might be alledged to this purpose the use of meanes is not condemned but that they be not trusted in but be seconded with true and faithfull prayer David neglected not the meanes yet purposely penned a forme of prayer for the people to use when he went forth to battell The Lord heare thee in the day of trouble the name of the God of Iacob defend thee send thee helpe from his Sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Sion Moses neglected not the meanes when he sent forth Ioshuah with his Armies to fight with Amalek but himselfe went up to the top of the mountaine to pray and did more there with his prayer than all they with sword and speare For when he held up his hands Israel prevailed when he let them fall Amalek prevailed King Asa neglected not the means when there came up an huge Armie of Ethiopians even ten hundred thousands and three hundred Chariots He went out against them and set the battell in array and Asa cried to the Lord and the Lord heard his prayer and discomfited them Yea the greatest and most glorious deliverances and victories that ever the Church received from enemies were meerely obtained by prayer without a blow given Moses and the children of Israel crying to the Lord in their distresse at the Red Sea God hardned Pharaohs heart to pursue them into the Red Sea where he and all his hosts were drowned Gedeon with three hundred men only with trumpets and lamps in pitchers but sounding their trumpets breaking their pitchers and crying The sword of the Lord and of Gedeon not only the huge Armie of the Midianites ran and cried and fled but every mans sword was against his fellow and they slew one another When Samariah was in exceeding distresse by siege the Lord made the hoast of the Syrians to heare a noise of a great hoast in the feare whereof they arose and fled in the twilight and left their tents and horses and all the Campe as it was and fled for their lives When Ierusalem was besieged at the prayers of Esay and Ezekiah an Angell was sent who destroyed in one night an hundred fourescore and five thousand in the campe of the Assirians When such a great Armie came up against Iehoshaphat he commanded fasting and prayer and his forme of praier is recorded whereby they obtained that their enemies destroyed one another Oh the same God liveth still and is now as able and willing to helpe his people as ever but his people neglect him goe not unto him but trust in their owne meanes want the spirit of supplication like Ionah they are on sleepe in this great storme either pray not at all or very coldly Where is that disciple that feelingly and fervently zealously and faithfully publikely and privately at the least thrice a day with Daniel is on knee for Ierusalem helping devotion with abstinence and fasting that so they may cry mightily and wrestle strongly resolving as Iacob never to let the Lord goe and with the woman of Canaan to take no nay or deniall but they will awake him he shall never be rid of them Alas how are these things out of use Where is watching fasting striving in prayer How little are many moved being out of the storme and present danger themselves whether others doe sinke or swim but give themselves to riot and luxurie to feasting and playing Wherefore God hath sent me to you againe as this Scripture commeth not to my hand by chance so neither this passage wherewith to renue in his name the charge I have often already given There is a great storme and if ever you desire to see a calme away with his disciples here to Christ What meane yee oh sleepers arise and call on him and plie him with your continuall prayers he looketh for more earnestnesse than he hath yet found Oh pray pray pray for the peace of Ierusalem Resolve with David One thing I have desired of the Lord and that will I seeke after that the Lord will awake and have mercy on Sion
So much be said of this verse in generall Now let us view the words more particularly Wherein not tying my selfe to tread precisely in the steps of the former Analysis though perhaps more Logicall and exact for more plainnesse of teaching I observe in this verse these foure things viz. First who procured this calme the Disciples Secondly of whom did they procure it of Christ They came to him Thirdly the effect of their comming to him They awoke him Lastly how did they awaken him by prayer the forme which they used being here expressed Lord save us we perish Of which in order for their Sense Doctrines and Uses And his disciples The word hath beene sufficiently opened from the first verse of this storie his disciples followed him I will not now rehearse any thing was there said but come to raise the Doctrines from this place His disciples Here first we learne whose praiers are so powerfull with God for themselves and others not the prayers of strangers forreiners and enemies but of disciples friends and favourites that follow him The Lord heareth the prayers of the righteous and his eares are open to their cries u He is nigh to such as call on him faithfully He will fulfill the desires of such as feare him he will heare their cry and will save them Psal 145. 18. It is the prayer of a righteous man is so availeable Iam. 5. 16. If any man be a worshipper of God and doe his will him God heareth Wherefore in the great calamitie and distresse of the Church the Prophet calleth to the meeke of the earth to seeke the Lord It was Abraham the friend of God that prevailed so much with his prayer for the Sodomites It was his faithfull servant Moses would not let him alone but stood up in the breach and turned away Gods anger that he could not destroy the people as he said It was zealous Phinehas that prayed and so the plague ceased It was religious Ioshuah who said that he and his house would serve the Lord Iosh 24. 25. that by his prayer commanded the Sunne and Moone to stand in the Firmament It was fervent Elijah whose tongue was the bridle of heaven * opening and shutting it by his prayer It was holy Samuel who by his prayer in time of wheat-harvest obtained such a strange thunder and raine It was the Church by prayers obtained an Angell to be sent who brake off Peters chaines made the Iron gate to open of it owne accord and delivered Peter out of Prison c. But God heareth not sinners though such doe multiply their prayers he will not heare though such seeke him early they shall not finde him he will stand aloofe and laugh at their calamitie as their prayers turne to be sinne unto them so are they abhominable unto God And no marvell For how shall any call on him in whom they have not beleeved No matter therefore whether the wicked pray or no yea all their fasting praying and crying not worth a straw But oh yee meeke yee true disciples yee that have your hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience and bodies washed with pure water yee that have cleane hands and a pure heart yee are Gods favourites pray for a calme yee are the chariots and horsemen of Israel stand in the gap day and night keepe not silence and give the Lord no rest till he have mercy on Sion Secondly observe that it is in the plurall not disciple but disciples not one or two but as farre as may be gathered even all of them And great reason For as the penitent theefe said to his fellow they were all in the same condemnation If the ship had sunke into the waves they had all perished Lord save us we perish It is otherwise in many of Gods Iudgements upon the Land as pestilence famine sword Some are more subject to the evill and misery of some of these than the other The poore are most pinched with famine many rich men make great gaine thereof but the sword doth chiefly feed on the rich It is the rich mans wealth maketh him a prey to the poore hungry ravenous souldier The rich in other Countries are punished with sword the poore in our Country with famine and want But ye rich men know that this is Gods judgement for your sinnes as well as the sinnes of the poore and if not to the same yet without repentance yee are subject to greater condemnation God hath in store such Judgements as may more neerely touch you Wherefore put your necks under Gods yoke goe to Christ by prayer for the poore have compassion on them beyond your power be liberall unto them eat no pleasant bread your selves abstaine from feasting that you may be better able to feed the hungry and such as are forced to fast Observe lastly that the Disciples not Peter Iames and Iohn though counted pillars and in many things preferred before the rest yet all goe to Christ to further the common good and to helpe by prayers to procure the common salvation The godly poore man is sometimes out of heart to goe to Christ and pray and the rich man despiseth his prayer as Solomon saith The poore mans wisdome is despised but know that with Christ there is no respect of persons Hee hath taught the poorest man that beleeveth in him as boldly to call God his Father as the rich Yea for their incouragement David hath said God forgetteth not the cry of the poore he doth not abhorre nor despise the low estate of the poore nor hide his face from him but when he crieth unto him he heareth he will deliver the needy when he crieth the poore and him that hath no helper Let them then with good comfort pray and let not rich men despise but rather by their mercifull dealing towards them provoke them to blesse them and pray for them for David saith The man is blessed that considereth the poore and needy the Lord will deliver him in the time of trouble Therefore make you friends of the mammon of unrighteousnesse saith Christ to rich men If they be Disciples intreat them to goe to Christ for you Yea though you have never so great a measure of Knowledge Faith Zeale and Godlinesse your selves yet may you reape benefit by the poorest and meanest in the houshold of faith Yea S. Paul himselfe did often very instantly crave the prayers of all those to whom he did write whether great or small poore or rich and hoped to finde much good from such prayers So much for the first part viz. the persons procuring this calme his Disciples Now secondly to whom goe they where doe they secke it To him That is to Christ their Lord and Master
The Heathenish Mariners in Ionahs storme did cry every man to his god In nothing were the Gentiles more sottish than in this the multitude of gods and goddesses and ascribing particular tutelar gods to particular places Babylon had Belus Egypt Isis Athens had Minerva and Ephesus Diana the Caldeans had Baal Sidonians Ashteroth Ammonites Moloch or Milcom Moabites Chamos Syrians Rimmon and the Philistims Dagon Yea the Elements had their severall gods to rule over them As the Heaven had Iupiter the Aire Iuno the Sea Neptune and Hell Pluto The times of the Yeere had also their gods As Maia and Flora of the Spring Ceres of Autumne Pan was the god of Shepherds Aeolus of Winds Apollo of Fruit Bacchus of Wine Smiths had Vulcan Physitians Aesculapius Souldiers Mars yea and Harlots had Venus Yea for every purpose and occasion yea every sicknesse or disease they had a god to call upon Alas to what purpose should I fully discover the madnesse of the Papists who in this if it were possible outgoe the Gentiles having for every Country Place Calling Creature Disease some Saint or other to call upon Our Disciples are better taught Poperie was not then hatched nor this point of Invocation knowne in the Church for 300 yeeres after for it was 300 yeeres after Christ that the Fathers used this Argument against the Arrians Christ is invocated therefore Christ is God they doe not in this storme call upon Aeolus or Neptune Saint Nicholas or Christopher no nor Noah Moses Ionah or any other who had beene in danger of Seas and waters before but they come to Christ the true and only Lord of Sea and Land and all Whose example let us follow To pray to any other than the true God hath no commandement commendation promise nor warrantable example in all the Scriptures of God To pray to dead Saints is a dishonour to the living God and as great offence to make a new as to denie the true God God hath commanded Call on me in the day of thy trouble Christ hath taught us to pray Our Father which art in heaven David renounced all other Whom have I in heaven but thee Who are Peter or Paul Samuel or Moyses Gabriel or Michael or the Virgin Mary her-selfe though more excellent than they all yet who are any or all of these that we should give them divine honour of Adoration Invocation or Intercession Nay howsoever the Papists doe plead it as a matter of honour and say in denying this we dishonour the Saints it is not so we give to the blessed mother of God and all the glorified members of Iesus Christ all honour bounded with modestie and sobrietie and never any learned Protestant did with tongue or pen out of Pulpit or Presse once touch the hem of their garments to deprive them of the least reverence which the word of Truth hath taught us to give and specially consisteth in thankfull commemoration and carefull imitation of their renowmed vertues but to pray unto them in our wants and necessities is to give them such honour as is due unto God And if Olympias the Mother of Alexander the Great wrote to her sonne when he stiled himselfe the sonne of Iupiter not to doe it for feare of procuring the envie and displeasure of Iuno I dare say it is a matter not only displeasing to God but to the Angels and Saints themselves Did an Angell here on earth refuse that Iohn should bow the knee of his bodie to him and charge him See thou doe it not I am but thy fellow-servant worship God and will they be contented now that the knees of mens hearts be bowed and prayers powred out unto them No no if it were possible for them to heare such unlawfull prayers of men they would with both hands as we say put them from them and labour to purge themselves Not unto us Lord not unto us but to thy Name be such honour ascribed Shall prayer which one of their best Writers saith doth comprehend the whole worship of Religion and Piety shall this be given to creatures Oh keepe your soules unspotted of such a sinne when yee pray pray as the Disciples here by their examples have taught you pray unto God who only is able and willing to heare and helpe you Thirdly what doe they being come to Christ doe they sit leane or lie downe and dispose themselves to sleep with him No but as in the storme the Ship-master awakened Ionah so in this storme the disciples awakened Christ or as the word signifieth they raised him up Yea the word in many places is used where mention is made of the resurrection as Destroy this Temple and in three dayes I will raise it up and Many bodies of Saints which slept arose and If Christ be risen from the dead how say some among you there is no resurrection of the dead In which and many other places and specially in that Chapter to the Corinthians the word of my Text is used and not improperly for what is deep fast and sound sleep but the image and brother of death Now Christ was in a fast or dead sleep as we have heard and therefore the Disciples are said to raise him as it were from the dead For the letter it is probable that they awakened him very turbulently and irreverently for their feare was great and faith small Their words as we shall heare bewrayed a great deale of passion and as death is of all fearefuls the most fearefull to nature so doth it dispense with ceremonies and complements and take away all respect of persons What are the clamours vociferations and cursitations of men in perill of drowning We need not inquire of Seneca Virgil Ovid and other Heathen for the Psalmist witnesseth saying They are even at their wits end and cry to the Lord in their trouble and in Ionahs storme the Mariners being afraid cried every one to his god and cast out their wares Howsoever then at other times the Disciples carried themselves in words deeds and gesture humbly dutifully courteously yet feare of death now made them forget themselves and offer violence with tongue and hand they cried with their tongues and at least jogged him with their hands never ceasing till they had awakened and raised him But I leave the letter The word being fully opened in mysterie affordeth us two singular and usefull instructions and specially for these times the former from the Disciples awakening the latter from the Master awakened in them importunitie in him opportunitie They awaken him suddenly hee awakeneth seasonably they awaken him violently hee awakeneth voluntarily For the first From this Example of the Apostles wee learne to be importunate with God in our praiers and never give over till we do awaken him and that he doe heare arise and helpe us Christ is fast on sleepe the disciples come unto him and
wiser than so they lay not hold on Christ to cast him into the sea but seeke to awaken him by prayer Lord save us we perish Whensoever any storme ariseth in Church Common-wealth or soule they are safest that cleave fastest to Christ for he is the Saviour of all and specially of them that beleeve Now let us in the first place compare the three Euangelists who doe record this story wherein three things offer themselves to be observed First the forme and manner of phrase is varied Our Euangelist expresseth it in the forme of an humble prayer Lord save us we perish but S. Marke layeth it downe in manner of an angrie and pettish expostulation Master carest thou not that wee perish The same also that David used Will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more Is his mercy cleane gone for ever doth his promise faile for evermore Hath hee forgotten to be gracious and wil he shut up his louing kindnesses in displeasure Yea and all the people of God Vp Lord why sleepest thou awake and be not absent from us for ever And againe Why withdrawest thou thine hand why pluckest thou not thy right hand out of thy bosome O Lord how great is the weaknesse of Gods people How great their boldnesse that being but wormes and dust and ashes they dare so speake to the eternall Maiestie even quarrell with him that is able to destroy both body and soule David acknowledged it was his infirmitie It was these disciples infirmity it became them well to pray but very unseemely yeâ— and dangerous to expostulare and contest with Christ Let us strive to follow them in that which is good and leave them in that which is evill Secondly whereas our Euangelist hath it but single Lord save us Saint Luke expresseth it with a double appellation or with ingemination of the title Master Master which intendeth their earnestnesse and fervencie in prayer Thirdly they doe greatly vary the title which they give him yea the three Euangelists doe use three severall titles which though the Latine and our English expresse not are very significant and emphaticall in their originall proprieties S. Markes title is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in English signifieth a Teacher of letters manners or any Art in relation whereunto they were called disciples scholars or learners A reverend title which they often gave him and he assumed Yee call me Master and say well for so I am and presseth the use of it the disciple is not aboue his Master Saint Lukes title is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth in English a Defender a present Helper such as in times of warre are sworne brethren to live and die together commiles succenturiatus and in times of peace Guardians of infants Shepherds have the same title who are defenders of their flockes and Aristotle calleth Magistrates so who are to defend their subjects from wrongs or hurts A sweet title this is for how safe are they whose defender the Lord is The title in the Text is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth power or might Answerable to that glorious Tetragrammaton Iehovah which the Septuagint constantly translate thorowout the old Testament in this word an essentiall title and in the Hebrew not given to any but the true God and this in the Greeke is the most common title Christ had and by him acknowledged Yee call mee Lord and yee say well for so I am The titles well considered afford two waightie Arguments or Reasons why they pray to him and he is to heare and helpe them In that he is their Teacher and Defender sheweth his willingnesse for will such an one suffer his Scholars and Pupils to perish In that he is Lord and Iehovah he is able to deliver them So they pray unto him with Confidence because he is their loving Master and Defender And with Reverence because he is their Lord and God In that he is their Master they pray in love in that he is their Lord they pray in feare Hee being their Master they are not timidi over-fearefull He being their Lord they are not tumidi over-bold but pray with love and reverence as David counselleth they rejoyce with trembling So much for the Observations inlightning the Text and arising from comparing of the Euangelists Now for our more orderly proceeding note in this their prayer two parts viz. First a Petition Lord save us Secondly a Reason taken from their great jeoperdie we perish q. d. Lord save us for we are in danger now to be drowned Of the Petition first generally and then particularly The words are cleare and plaine for their sense Only by the way note in one word that to save in a strict sense is properly to deliver from the guilt and punishment of our sinnes as the Apostle saich There is no other name wherby to be saved this is the Reason why Christ was called Iesus or Saviour because he saveth his people from their sinnes But in a larger sense it signifieth to preserve from some bodily hurt and this appertaineth to Christ also in which respect hee is called the Saviour of all men that is in regard of this present life as Saint Ambrose expoundeth it For in him we live move and have our being without whose good pleasure not an haire can fall from our heads yea He saveth both man and beast Or as our last Translators more fully expresse the sense Hee preserveth both man and beast and that is the sense of this place Lord save us Lord preserve us from these raging waves which threaten imminent death unto us So much be said for opening the sense of thâ—â— their Petition Hence first in generall we learne that affliction distresse and perplexitie is the best school-master or mistresse of prayer Which thing the Prophet teacheth from his owne experience Lord introuble have they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them like as a woman with childe that draweth neare the time of her deliverie is in paine and crieth out in her pangs so have we beene in thy sight O Lord And another Prophet saith In time of trouble they will say Arise and save us Yea God himselfe hath said In their afflictions they will seeke me early Wherefore David prayeth for his enemies good in this forme Fill their faces with shame that they may seeke thy name O Lord Let Moses see the people of God in great danger and then he will crie to the Lord Let Annah be barren and Peninnah checke her and pro voke her and then shee will weepe and powre out even her soule in prayer Let God turne away his face from David and he will get unto his Lord right humbly Yea if hee come into the deepes hee will crie unto
God Let Ionah be cast into the sea and devoured of a Whale and he will pray out of the fishes belly and crie by reason of his affliction Let the woman of Canaans daughter be grievously vexed with a Devill and shee will pray to Christ yea follow after him and take no deniall Let there arise a storme that the Disciples are all like to be drowned and then you shall heare their prayers Lord save us c. Let Pharaoh be plagued and if he cannot pray himselfe he will intreat Moses and Aaron to doe it for him And surely amongst others this is one singular benefit of affliction that it provoketh prayer than which there is nothing more pleasing to God or profitable to our selves yea this is not the least benefit from the great troubles which have befallen the Church and people of God that God hath received many a sigh sob groane teare and prayer which else he had not knowne Well if Affliction be the Mistresse of Prayer surely never were Gods people more taught to pray than in these daies such warres and rumours of warres troubles distresses perplexities on everie side Oh pray for the peace of Ierusalem But alas herein we are generally too cold and negligent how are publike humiliations and solemne assemblies in fasting weeping mourning and confessing of sinnes laid aside and as it were worne out of date How justly may God complaine of us as sometimes he did of his owne people I called to fasting weeping mourning baldnesse and girding with sack-cloth But behold joy and glad nesse slaying oxen and killing sheepe eating flesh and drinking wine Let us eat and drinke for to morrow we shall die Or who in private is so affected with the calamities of their brethren as feelingly and fervently to pray for them in the words of my Text Lord save them No no in stead of fasting and praying we feast and play we wanton and riot it still we thinke our selves out of danger in sure harbour and are therefore senslesse of the miseries of our brethren few as they ought doe pray for them a sinne which once God threatned This is revealed in mine eares surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till yee die saith the Lord God of hoasts Oh arise and call upon God in this troublesome time that we perish not Secondly hence we may learne how powerfull even a short prayer is with God so it be fervent yea therfore short praiers commonly most powerfull because commonly most fervent The counsell of Salomon is Let thy words be few The counsell of Iesus the son of Swach iâ— Make not much babbling when thou prayest Yeâ— Iesus â—he Son of God and wiser than Salomon biddeth When we pray to use no vaine repetitions In all which long prayers are not simply forbidden discommended or disgraced so they be with fervenâ—â— of spirit and without opinion of being heard for much babbling sake A great part of the day at a publike fast was spent in prayers and confession of sins And though our Saviour Christ many times were very briefe yet he spent whole nights in prayer And a large Chapter is but one of his prayers therefore most sweet and powerfull are the long prayers of Gods people when time place and occasion serve but because even Moses his hands grew heavie and though the spirit be never so wiling the flesh is weake and quickly dulled and distracted and no prayer is further heard or pleasing to God than it is fervent therefore the Scripture prayers which have most prevailed with God are most short and but as holy ejaculations Moses cried but spake never a word Annah powred out her soule and wept sore but spake not The prayer of the Leper was Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane The prayer of the blind men O Lord Sonne of David have mercy on us The prayer of Christ for himselfe Father if thou wilt let this cup passe from me and againe the same words and for his enemies Father forgive them they know not what they doe The prayer of the Publican God be mercifull to mee a sinner The prayer of the father of the sicke childe Lord helpe mine unbeleefe The prayer of the penitent theefe Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome The prayer of Saint Stephen for his persecutors Lord lay not this sinne to their charge The prayer of the Disciples here because the time was short death at hand place inconvenient and distractions many they beg all in a few words and couch a great deale of devotion in a little roome Lord save us we perish All which I observe for the speciall comfort of such as mourne in their soules because of their want in this kinde and are much assaulted with this temptation that they cannot pray and therefore cannot be Gods children because they have not Gods spirit Indeed the Spirit of God is called the spirit of supplication and it is an excellent gift of the Spirit and much to be desired whereby a man or woman when times places and occasions serve are able to lay open their wants and in Scripture phrase to expresse their desires but yet the Apostle saith The Spirit doth helpe our infirmities with sighes and grones which cannot be expressed yea if thou canst say no more but as thou hast heard Lord save us Lord have mercy Lord remember Lord helpe mine unbeleefe If faithfully and fervently these are most powerfull prayers with God yet strive to increase in this grace for God may accept at the beginning what he will not afterwards be content withall yea whosoever useth this gift aright shall doubtlesse finde a gracious increase therein And so much be said of the petition in generall now let us view it more particularly It is short and in most languages that I know hath but three words I say in most for such is the elegancie of the Hebrew Language affixing the Pronounes that in it here are but two yet in Greeke Latine and English three Which three words containe so many vertues in this and in all godly composed prayers The first noteth the partie to whom all prayers are to be made Lord. The second the blessing they crave salvation The third communitie and love us Lord save us For the first they pray to the Lord not to the Lady to change the Gender is Popish wickednesse A Reverend Bishop hath truly observed that it is a sufficient challenge to all the Papists that in so many prayers of both ancient and righteous Patriarcks Prophets Iudges Kings registred in the Booke of God and in an hundred and fiftie Psalmes an hundred whereof at least are prayers and supplications and in all the devout requests that the Apostles of Christ and other his disciples sent into Heaven if they take the
pen of a Writer and note from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelation they cannot finde one directed to Cherub or Seraphim Gabriel or Raphael Abraham or Moses or Iohn Baptist after his death or any other creature in Heaven or Earth save only to the Lord and his Anointed yea for above two hundred yeeres after Christ Intercession of Saints was not heard of Origen was the first that broached it not as the publike doctrine of the Church but as his owne private conceit above three hundred that Basil Nyssen and Nazianzen gave some occasion of prayer to the dead by their Rhetoricall speaking unto them Yea till 500 yeeres Invocation of Saints was not received into the publike Liturgie of the Church For it was after 400 yeeres that S. Augustine said We doe not make gods of Martyrs they are named of the Priest but no prayer is made unto them And it is said that Petrus Gnaphaeus an Heretike did first put Invocation of Saints into the publike prayers of the Church See how new this corruption is which the Church of England hath godly reformed and in her approved Homilies requireth foure things in the parâ—ie to whom we are to pray viz. First that he understand whereof we stand in need Secondly that he heare our prayers Thirdly that he be willing And lastly that he be able to helpe Finde these in any but in the true God only and then wee may pray unto them otherwise wee may pray as fondly as the Papists who pray to the Virgin Mary for example to pray to Christ for them and then they pray to Christ that he would accept of Maries prayers for them Thus are men puckled when they follow their owne conceits and leave the light of Gods word Oh call on me saith God and come to me saith Christ So doe the Disciples here so doe we ever when we pray Lord save us Save Nothing so pleasing to the Saviour as to come to him for life and salvation He complained of his people Yoe will not come to me that yee might have life yea being a faithfull Creator and Saviour of all men he is well pleased that in times of danger men should call on him for bodily preservation Lord save us But let us learne from this Example if we desire to be heard to pray only for such things as are needfull Christ hath taught us to pray for bread not gorgeous apparell stately houses great livings and honours for howsoever according to severall places callings and charges some men may pray for much more than others yet if our desires be boundlesse and we proceed from necessaries to crave wanton superfluities we offend and as S. Iames saith Yee aske and receive not because yee aske amisse that yee may consume it upon your lusts Our learned Academick saith It is not lawfull nor doth stand with a good conscience to seeke for any more than is sufficient for preservation of us and ours If any thinke him too strict let him hearken what Saint Bernard saith Let thy prayers which thou makest for temporall matters be restrained ever to things necessarie If any yet thinke that devout and mortified Cloysterer too strait laced let them heare what S. Augustine a Bishop saith If any man shall say Lord increase my riches and give me so much as thou hast given to such an one and such an one I thinke that man in the Lords prayer will finde no such direction Iacob prayed but for bread to eat and clothes to put on Solomon prayed but for food conventent and neither for riches nor povertie Lepers to be made cleane blinde men to see and the Disciples to be preserved in the storme Christ heard them and was well pleased Oh let us be moderate and wise in our desires Indeed Christ his promises are very large and generall Whatsoever yee shall aske my Father in my name he will give it you And againe If you shall aske any thing in my name I will doe it But an ancient Father saith True prayer is a request of such things as are fit for God to give and us to have And another saith No man can aske in the name of the Saviour that which is against salvation For our better direction therefore we must note that if we will be heard we must only crave bona bene good things and for good uses and purposes Good things are of two sorts viz. absolute or respective Graces spirituall and necessarie for salvation as Faith Repentance Remission of sinnes c. are absolutely good never evill to any and therefore we may absolutely aske them but all corporall and earthly blessings as Health Wealth Honour are not absolutely but respectively good as it shall please God to sanctifie them and therefore are not absolutely to be asked but with condition submitting our selves to Gods will as the Leper did Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane if such or such a blessing be for thy glory and my good grant it unto me And as we must aske good things so to good uses and purposes as Solomon begged wisdome whereby he might goe in and out before the people For the Minister of the word to beg increase of knowledge preservation of health libertie that he may doe God and his Church service the Magistrate to aske understanding and courage that he may the better execute Iudgements betwixt man and man the man that asketh increase of wealth that he may more cheerefully serve God and be better able to help and releeve such as are in want this is to aske good things wel and to good purposes such may looke to receive what God knoweth to be indeed for their good but to aske exquisite knowledge and learning because they would excell in Poysoning Sorcery Witchcraft and such like damnable Sciences or wealth that they may oppresse their neighbours or compasse their sinfull desires or health and strength of body to revenge wrongs or devoure wine and strong drinke and follow their pleasures These aske good things amisse neither let such looke to receive yea it is great mercy in God to denie as a father in his love denieth a knife or sharpe-edged toole to his childe which he knoweth to be dangerous and hurtfull to him The Disciples knew not of what spirit they were that desired fire from heaven upon the Samaritanes Peter wist not what he said when he desired to have three Tabernacles built on Mount Thabor The Disciples that desired to sit one on the right hand and the other on the left hand of Christ knew not what they asked Whatsoever we aske let us aske according to his will and he heareth us if not according to our will yet to our profit and as is best for us Here wee see how earnest the Disciples
as of his owne which sheweth that they praied in love Which as the Apostle saith seeketh not her owne things and without which in preaching and praying Wee are but as a sounding brasse and tinkling Cymball That which our Saviour intended in that forme of praier which he hath prescribed teaching us to pray in the Plurall Give us this day our daily bread forgive us our trespasses lead not us into temptation but deliver us from evill I doubt not but in particular cases we may make particular suit unto God for our selves As Iacob in his iourney vowed If God will be with mee and will keepe me in this way and will give mee bread to eat and raiment to put on And David Save me ô God for the waters are even entred into my soule And Peter when he was sinking into the sea cried Lord save mee Yea Christ himselfe praied Lord let this cup passe from mee But these were particular cases but in common cases we must have common hearts yea though our case be particular yet there may be others in our condition which we know not and therefore we are so to pray for our selves as yet explicitely or implicitely we crave the like blessings to all such as are in the like want with us Here then commeth a common fault worthy to be reproved for it marreth all such praiers as The wilde goord marred all the messe of pottage viz. We are strait laced full of love but it is self-love we wholly love our selves seeke our owne good what meaneth else that common wicked Proverb Every man for himselfe and God for us all Or if they bee ashamed to professe thus much with mouth yet they are not ashamed to wish it in their hearts yea they wish evill to others so any good may thence redound to theÌ„selves How many wish a famine if they have any corne to sell Yea how few but doe greatly reioyce to heare of pestilence sword shipwracke sedition or any manner of evill to befall their neighbours or brethren so they reape advantage from it Which sheweth that in their hearts they doe onely desire their owne particular good and as we say care not who hunger so their bellies be filled who goe naked so they be clothed who be poore and vndone so they grow rich who lie without doore so they lodge warme who dy so they live who sink or swim so they come safe to shore So few pray as lovingly and heartily for others as themselves as our Example teacheth us to doe Lord save us So much for the petition We perish Extreme passion commonly causeth either silence or that which is next unto it imperfect and defective speech whereunto God alluding saith I have sworne in my wrath if they shall enter into my rest The Disciples being in great feare speake imperfectly we perish the causall coÌ„junction is wanting it is in effect q. d. otherwise or else wee perish The originall word is of hard and harsh signification in best signification it is to die as it is expedient for us that one die for the people yea to die by some miserable meanes as with hunger I perish with hunger it is commonly translated to destroy as he will truly destroy those husbandmen Let us not tempt Christ as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of serpents yea it signifieth the destruction of hell They shall be punished with everlasting destruction In which respect Iudas is called The sonne of destruction and the Angell of the bottomlesse pit is called in Hebrew Abaddon and in Greeke Apollyon i. a Destroyer Here it is meant of the losing perishing or destroying of the bodie by waters which we call drowning or choking in the waters So much for the sense Hence first we learne That it is an effectuall motive of mercy in praier to declare unto God our misery How often doth David to this purpose in his praiers lay open his miseries before God as Save me ô God for the waters are come in even unto my soule I sinke in the deepe mire where is no standing I am come into deepe waters where the flouds over flow me I am wearie of crying my throat is dry mine eyes faile while I wait upon my God And againe Thou hast cast off and abhorred thou hast beene wroth with thine anointed thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant and hast cast his crowne to the ground thou hast broken downe all his hedges and brought his strong holds to ruine all that passe by spoile him and he is a reproach to his neighbours thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries and made his enemies to reioyce thou hast turned the edge of his sword and giuest him not victory in battell To this purpose also doth he declare the misery of Gods Church O God the Heathen are come into thine inheritance thine holy Temple have they defiled and made Ierusalem an heape of stones the dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat to the fowles of the heaven and the flesh of thy Saints to the beasts of the earth their bloud have they shed like water round about Ierusalem and there was no man to bury them Yea thus lamentably doe all Gods people complaine Thou goest not forth with our armies thou makest us to turne our backes upon the enemy they that hate us spoile our goods thou hast given us like sheepe appointed for the slaughter thou sellest thy people for nought takest no mony for them thou makest us a reproach derision by-word and shaking of the head c. The Reason of this doctrine is because God is a most mercifull God and it is the nature of mercy to be exceedingly moved with misery Misericordia Yea his mercy is called a tender mercy or bowels of mercy Great is the compassion of a brother as we see in Ioseph a godly man when he saw his brother Beniamin he made haste and â—ought where to weepe For saith the Text his bowels did yearne upon his brother Greater the compassion of a father towards his sonne as we have lately had an example when the father saw his hungry naked leane though a prodigall sonne yet he could not containe himselfe But ran and met him and fell on his necks and kissed him and commanded his servants with all speed to feed and cloath and decke him But greatest of all is the compassion of a mother towards her childe How the woman of Canaan plied Christ with praier for her daughter and would receive no answer but her cure Yea and Salomon in his wisdome discerned which was the true mother of the childe hereby for when she heard the sentence pronounced that it should be divided her bowels yearned on her sonne But the compassion of a brother father or mother is
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
passe thorow the other Hemisphere but the next morning it riseth againe with greater comfort God is a sure friend and many times intendeth most good when he is least seene or felt Wherefore say Oh my soule beleeve thou hast faith though thou discerne it not and presume God loveth thee though thou hast no sense of it Our second lesson is Afflictions are a great triall of faith and commonly it doth greatly abate in them So S. Peter saith The faithfull went through many temptations that the triall of their faith being found much more precious than gold that perisheth Thus God tried Abraham i. his faith and Christ tried Philip i. his faith yea and many times the faith of Gods children shrinketh in tribulations Davids faith was strong when he said The Lord is my light and my salvation whom then shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid Though an hoast should encampe against me mine heart shall not feare yet Saul so long pursued him in the wildernesse and brought him to so many straits that in the end in weaknesse of faith he said I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul Peters faith was strong when there was no danger he would die rather than denie Christ but in the High Priests Hall where was danger indeed his faith was weake he denied and forsware him Andrew Simon Peters brother began well There is a lad here hath five barley loaves and two fishes he held not out no sooner cast his eye on such a hungry multitude but said What are they among so many Our Disciples were bold men on the shore and feared nothing but in the storme where is that faith Oh let us judge charitably of such as in times of temptation have bewrayed weaknesse and prepare our selves being ever suspicious of our weaknesse and praying God to increase our faith And thus much be said in generall Now let us more particularly view the word◠O yee of little faith Faith being one of the graces of infusion hath it measures and degrees I meane not one man compared with another as Abraham who was strong in faith compared with the father of the Daemoniack Lord helpe mine unbeleefe but in the same man it may be strong at one time and weake at another and the strength and weaknesse of it is in both the parts of it viz. Knowledge and Application so as one man may be strong in Knowledge and weake in Application and another may be weake in Knowledge and yet strong in Application What is the greatest and least degree of faith can hardly be determined by the Scriptures The strongest we reade of was that in Abraham the father of all them that beleeve whose faith is thus by the Holy Ghost commended Against hope he beleeved in hope And againe He was not weake in faith And againe Being strong in faith he staggered not at the promise through unbeleefe but gave glory unto God being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to performe Loe what an high commendation is here given to Abrahams faith He beleeved under hope against hope he was not weake he was strong he staggered not he was fully assured This is that great faith expressed by the Metaphor of a ship which commeth into the Haven with full sailes and is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a full assurance Heb. 10. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lapid in Rom. 14. 5. Which great measure of faith he had not nor any other ordinarily at the first of his conversion but attained unto it by great schooling many trials and great observation and experience of Gods mercy power goodnesse and greatnesse And this is the measure wee must all strive to attaine unto Oh happy that soule that can say truly with Iob I know that my Redeemer liveth whom I shall see and with the Apostle S. Paul I am perswaded that nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord There is also a lesser degree of faith which is called a weake or little faith resembled to a bruised reed smoaking flax and a graine of mustard seed which is the least of all seeds that bringeth up such a stalke or tree That it is very little these Similies intend but what is that least measure and degree which every one must have that will be justified and saved is a great question but behoveth us greatly to be resolved in Learned Divines say it is a serious and constant desire arising from an humbled and broken spirit to be reconciled unto God and to have sinnes forgiven Some seeme to hold that full assurance is essentiall to every true faith and therefore describe it To be a full perswasion of the heart grounded upon the promises of God that whatsoever Christ hath done for others he hath done for me But alas how far was that true beleeving father from this who prayed Lord helpe mine unbeleefe And many thousands of Gods children who in the instant of their conversion or by their negligence in the use of good meanes or by falling into some great sinne have so farre abated the power and efficacie of their Faith that they cannot say Christ died for them that their sinnes are forgiven and God their Father in Iesus Christ Oh such full assurance is only essentiall to a strong faith It may be a true faith which hath not that assurance but is rather in great combat with distrust and despaire Marke then your description of the least measure of faith It is but a desire yet a true and constant desire and a desire arising from an humbled and contrite spirit such a spirit as is cast downe and even broken with sight of sinne sense of Gods anger and feare of punishment And the object of this desire is not so much life and salvation which Balaam and every meere naturall man desireth as Remission of sinnes and Reconciliation unto God which no unbeleever careth for The ground of this Assertion is because the true desire of any Grace is as the bud of that Grace and in Gods esteeme the Grace it selfe So then the desire of pardon and reconciliation with God is as the bud of faith For as the bud includeth the blossome and fruit and as in the Spring time with the warmth and nourishment of Sunne ground the bud doth grow blossome knit and hold fruit so this true desire how little soever it seeme to be to him that hath it or others yet being nourished with Word Sacraments and Prayer it will grow stronger and stronger like the graine of Mustard-seed But let us I pray you see how the Scriptures wil warrant this comfortable description of a true faith by the least measure of it David saith Lord thou hast heard the desire of the poore then there is faith in the
discerne a great disparitie betwixt themselves and others in regard of the graces of infusion knowledge patience zeale wisdome yet if their faith be true though never so weake or small they are equall to the best in the greatest blessings of justification and adoption This that I have said is not for encouragement of the wicked who turne the grace of God into wantonnesse resting contented in the least measure and presume of justification thereby for even thereby it appeareth that their faith is not true because it doth not grow but this is spoken for the comfort of all such as doe carefully use the means and even hunger and thirst after the growth and increase of faith but are fearefull and even out of heart with themselves because they doe discerne their faith to be so little and weake Secondly the least true faith shall never fully nor finally be lost this is Gods promise I will put my feare into their hearts that they shall never depart from me all the daies of their life And Christ hath promised He that commeth to me shall never hunger and he that beleeveth in me shall never thirst Christ praied for Peter that his faith should not faile And so hath he prayed for all those that beleeve in him and promised that the gates of hell shall not prevaile against them And Saint Iohn faith Hee that is borne of God doth not commit sinne neither can he because hee is borne of God and his seed remaineth in him Hence it is that he that once truly beleeveth is said to have eternall life To be passed from death to life To be raised and seated in heavenly places Yea to be alreadie glorified From which and many such places of Scriptures which might be alledged we doe infallibly conclude and it is the doctrine of the Church of England and of Orthodox Divines even the conclusion of the whole late Reverend Synode at Dort against Papists Arminians and whosoever Heretiques that deny it That a true faith once had is never fully nor finally lost I doe not deny but all the graces of the Spirit are like to fire if it be not nourished with fewel but have water cast upon it a great fire may be exceedingly slaked and great brands come to some few embers or sparkes So faith through neglect of meanes and falling into some great sinne the Spirit of God may be grieved the power vertue and efficacie of faith may be greatly cooled and abated and the sense of saving grace lost A true beleever may fall into a spirituall sownd but cannot die he may demurre with himselfe whether he be living or dead yea may pronounce himselfe dead but as the Apostle pronounced of Eutichus after his fall life is in him his faith is as a sparke of fire under an heape of ashes and as sap in the root of the tree in Winter time It was Peters case whose fall did wound but not kill weaken but not utterly destroy his faith upon his Masters looking upon him and hearing the Cock crow his faith revived He went out and wept bitterly for his sinne Yea true faith is so farre from being utterly lost that by the use of good meanes it doth out-grow the Mustard-seed yea out-grow Ionahs Gourd Nichodemus who was once so weake in the faith that he came to Iesus by night for feare of the Iewes yet his faith so grew that when Christ was crucified and all the Disciples fled hee went in boldly and begged the bodie of Iesus embalmed and honourably buried it Peter so weake in faith that at the voice of a silly Damsell hee denied his Master yet his faith so grew that he boldly reproved the Princes to their faces for murthering the Lord of life Thomas his faith was so weake that he openly professed hee would not beleeve that his Master was risen from death unlesse he did see the print of the nailes and put his hand into his side but it did so grow when Christ appeared againe and bade him see and feele that he said in a strong faith Thou art my Lord and my God Yea it is many times seene in daies of persecution and of great trials that such as in peace and prosperitie have shewed a strong faith and great zeale abundance of graces have in adversity beene humbled with great feare and bewrayed great weaknesse of faith Whereas such as in times of peace have shewed small knowledge little faith and weake zeale yet in time of persecution in the strength of knowledge â—aith and zeale they have stood out against the enemies and have sealed the truth of God with their dearest bloud wherein is fulfilled that of the blessed Virgin in her Song Hee putteth downe the mightie from their seats and exalteth the humble and meeke he filleth the hungrie with good things and the rich he sendeth emptie away And all this is that such as are strong and have greatest measure of graces may not be proud and presumptuous but carry a low saile thinke basely of themselves and worke out their salvation with feare and trembling praying God not to tempt them above that which they shall be able And secondly that such as are but weake in faith may not be too much disheartened and dejected seeing the Lord is able to make them strong Yea that we thinke charitably and walke lovingly towards even the weakest they that are strong beare the infirmities of the weake Rom 15. 1. For if triall came the Lord knoweth whose saith would be strong But be of good comfort oh yee weake and tender ones for if your faith be true though never so weake it shall never be fully nor finally lost yea if God have any great service for you he will furnish you accordingly his power shall appeare in your weaknesse and your bruised reed shall become as strong as the Oake in Bashan so as no storme or tempest shall be able to overthrow it Yea here let us with wise eyes behold and with thankfull hearts give glory unto God who as in the firmament one starre differeth from another in his Church furnisheth his Saints with diversitie of gifts giving to some a great measure of knowledge faith zeale to others but a little of them that such as have greatest measure may be provoked to thankfulnesse and employ their gifts to the comfort of others and the weake may have cause both of humilitie and industrie striving to overtake such as goe before them but none have cause to envie or despise another though through Satans malice and our weaknesse it too often so fall out The third and last deduction for the comfort of weake beleevers is that God heareth and accepteth the prayers of the weakest beleevers and graciously helpeth them It was prophesied of Christ hee should not break the bruised reed nor quench the
smoaking flâ—x Let the comparisons be well marked and can the meeknesse of Christ towards poore sinners be more lively expressed How tender a plant is a reed yea at the strongest how doth it yeeld and bow with every puffe of wind but much more when it is bruised how easie a thing is it then to snap it asunder How weake is that sparke of fire which in flâ—x doth but cause smoake Now whereas it is said he will not break the one nor quench the other his meaning is he will noâ—ish and cherish them strengthen the one and kindle the other Againe He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he increaseth strength Christ was sent to binde up the broken hearted The Lord upholdeth all that fall and raiseth up all them that be bowed downe Christ hath called Come to mee all yee that travell and are heavie loaden and I will refresh you hath promised that he will cast away none that come unto him yea that hee will give them eternall life and none shall be able to plucke them out of his hand Indeed Christ gave great commendation to such as have had great faith as to the Centurion Verily I say unto you that I have not found so great faith no not in Israel and to the woman of Canaan hee said O woman great is thy faith But yet in all ages God hath witnessed his loving acceptance of small and weake faith and of the first beginnings of Conversion How weake a faith was that in the Ninivites Who can tell if God will returne and repent yet God did repent and spare them What a weake faith had the Leper Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane he received him and did make him cleane How weake that fathers faith who could scarce tell whether he beleeved or no and ceased to pray for his sonne and prayed for himselfe Lord helpe mine unbeleefe and he both helped his unbeleefe and cured his sonne Our Saviour did but heare a young man make profession of the practise of outward and civill righteousnesse All these I have observed from my youth and the Text saith he looked upon him and loved him And when he heard a Scribe utter but one good speech That to love God with all the heart is above all sacrifices he said unto him that he was not farre from the kingdome of heaven Oh now should the Apostles faith have shone bright as a lampe but the tempest had almost blowne it out that it did but smoake yet Christ quencheth it not he reproveth but accepteth of it He arose and rebuked the winds and seas These and many such Scriptures both Positive and Exemplarie of prophesie and promise are written for the comfort of all such as have but little weake and feeble faith and we had need to have them in remembrance for Satan is very skilfull in the Scriptures and hath them readie to assault weake ones with all as Faith is the evidence of things which are not seene And we are Gods house if we hold fast the reioycing of the hope firme unto the end and Faith is the anchor of the soule both sure and stedfast Doth not S. Iames bid every one that prayeth to pray in faith without wavering or doubting How canst thou thinke thou hast faith or make account that ever God will heare thee when thine heart is so full of wavering doubting Oh quench this fiery dart and say Avoid Satan it is true thou hast presented unto me a strong faith which I doe strive after but the Apostles had but a little weake faith yet were not rejected and Satan thou shalt never bee able to quench that little sparke which God hath kindled in my soule nor destroy that little graine of mustard-seed which is sowen in the furrowes of mine heart Lastly note that Christ said His Disciples had but little faith and surely as yet they had but little knowledge little honour little wealth and little of any thing that was esteemed and accounted of in the world being but poore Fisher-men Tole-gatherers and men of meane condition as Amos a great Prophet was before but an Herdman God many times bringeth greatest things to passe by weakest meanes Passing by the noble mightie rich and wise of the world and chusing the foolish weake and base and despised things of the world that no flesh may glory in it selfe To which purpose S. Augustine hath an excellent saying If God had chosen Kings to bee his Disciples they would have said We are chosen for our power If Orators for our eloquence Iâ— Philosophers for our wisdome If Senators for our dignitie If rich men for our wealth Wherefore he called Fishermen and Publicans Follow me you poore ignorant and simple you that have little or nothing worthy esteeme or admiration in your selves that you may be all in me Even so still the Lord many times passeth by such as are of great knowledge learning and wisdome of high degree in Schooles of eminent Bloud and Families by birth and calleth farre meaner men in these respects by whom he is most powerfull in the ministery of the Word So for the Church of God Christ told Iohns Disciples The poore receive the Gospell And God hath chosen the poore of the world that they may bee rich in faith and heires of the Kingdome This is it was intended in the parable where the great men that had their Farmes Oxen and Merchandise to follow were rejected and the poore maimed halt and blinde who lay in the Streets and Lanes of the Citie and High-wayes and Hedges were compelled to come in And this is it which the chiefe Priests and Pharises objected to the officers Doe any of the Rulers or Pharisies beleeve in him But this people that knoweth not the Law is cursed Indeed it is not said no wise no noble no mightie are chosen for Abraham Isaac Iacob Moses David Solomon Nicodemus Lazarus of Bethaniah Ioseph of Arimathea the two Centurions the Proconsull and many others were some of them noble some wise some mightie c. But as Andrew said of the loaves What are these amongst so many to the end that wee should not looke upon Gods people and servants with a carnall eye wherein they may seeme base and contemptible but behold them with a spirituall eye as they are in Christ and so most glorious And thus much for the first part in the performing of the calme viz. The reprehension of his disciples for their excessive feare and defective faith It followeth Then he arose Christ having stilled the greater and more dangerous tempest in the affections of his disciples and settled their soules in peace and tranquillity patience and comfort hee now proceedeth to still the roaring winds and raging seas which hee doth by powerfull and angry reprehension Wherein two things
are to be considered viz. A preparation then hee arose Secondly the reprehension it selfe hee rebuked the winds and seas Then he arose That is when by reprehension he had decreased the feare and increased the faith of his disciples and so prepared and fitted them to the fruitfull sight of this ensuing Miracle then hee arose Which teacheth vs That God is many times hindred from doing great works by the indisposition of his people Christ could as soone as ever he awaked have start up and rebuked the winds and seas but his disciples were in extreme passion which as the wise heathen man hath truly said destroieth judgement and understanding As the eye which is exceedingly troubled with humours and theumes cannot abide to looke on the Sunne no more can a passionate and troubled minde behold with content and comfort the great and glorious sworkes of God If then wee thinke it long ere God helpe us or his people let us not murmure and have thoughts of Belial concerning God and as though he had cast off all care and loving affection complaine That hee had forgotten to be mercifull and would for ever shut up his loving kindnesse in displeasure c But let us looke into our selves and know that something is amisse in us wee want Faith Repentance or Patience which when the Lord hath cured then he will arise and helpe us He arose Or arising To arise properly doth signifie such a gesture or motion of the body which hath sate or beene laied whereby it doth prepare and addresse it selfe to some other posirure disposition or actiō as standing walking running c. So Peter said to the Creeple that was laid at the Beautifull Gate of the Temple to aske almes of them that entred into the Temple In the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walke So here it is taken properly For at the least Christ had laied downe his head on a pillow and reposed himselfe but now he arose I leave the letter To arise in Scriptures is often used for preparation to some businesse doth not intend any bodily sitting or lying before as God called Arise Ionah and goe to Ninivie And to Ieremy Trusse up thy loines arise and speake unto them And to Ezechiel Sonne of man stand upon thy feet All which intend no more but goe about that businesse I have appointed you unto By figurative Translation of that which is proper unto man to God he is many times in Scriptures said To sleepe and wake Lie downe and rise up Where by rising is meant nothing else but Gods preparing of himselfe to declare visibly his Mercy or Iustice Love or Anger Greatnesse or Goodnesse in the punishing of his enemies or saving of his people The Lord thus promiseth his helpe for the oppression of the poore and deepe sighing of the needie Now will I arise and set him in safetie from him that puffeth at him And elsewhere with many moe words to this purpose Now will I arise saith the Lord now will I be exalted now will I lift up my selfe Seeing then God is pleased thus to speake of himselfe and in such a Metaphoricall phrase to promise his helpe his Church and people are bold in the same phrase to crave his helpe as Arise Lord and let thine enemies be scattered arise O God and judge the earth Arise Lord and save us So much for the sense Here for instruction we learne That howsoever Christ may seeme to sleepe long and then Satan and his instruments are busie and by God great but just permission bring the Church of God in generall and many Gods faithfull servants in particular into great extremitie and distresse yet in that needfull and best time when it shall bee most for his glorie and his peoples good hee will not faile to awake arise and helpe them This is it which David so plainly teacheth in the Psalmes saying He for sooke the Tabernacle of Shiloh he delivered his strength into captivitie and his beautie into the enemies hands Hee gave his people over to the sword and was wroth with his inheritance fire consumed their young men and their maidens were not given to mariage their Priests fell by the sword and there were no widowes to make lamentation Oh what havocke enemies make of Gods Church and people when God maketh as though he were on sleep and regarded not But marke what followeth when things were brought to this desperate extremitie then the Lord awaked as one out of sleepe and like a giant refreshed with wine he smote his enemies on the hinder parts and put them to a perpetuall shame The Lord seemed to sleep long when his Church and people sojourned in Egypt foure hundred yeeres Oh then their enemies oppressed them laid an iron yoke on their necks made them to tread in mire and clay gather stubble where they could finde it and every day felt the lash of the whip being not able to do what was commanded Yea then they tooke crafty counsell how to destroy them by the drowning of all their male children But at the last the Lord awaked and rose up to help them met with Moses at Horeb and told him I have seene I have seene the affliction of my people and then he brought out his people with ioy and his chosen with gladnesse and sent plague upon plague on their enemies till he utterly destroyed them in the Red Sea The Lord seemed to sleepe long when wicked Haman obtained a decrce that all the Iewes should be destroyed The Decree is written sealed published and day for execution appointed but he was awakened and raised up with the prayers and teares of his people and then the King could not sleepe readeth in the Chronicle of Mordocaies fidelitie bethinketh how to honour and reward him maketh Haman himselfe the instrument therein Hester is promoted Mordocat honoured Haman and his sonnes hanged the Decree disanulled the people of the Land slaine by thousands and the Iewes have dayes of feasting and ioy for their deliverance The like might be shewed in many other Examples The doctrine is most true That howsoever God may seeme for a time to sleepe and wholly to neglect the estate of his people and then they fall into great extremities yet ever in his good time he hath and will awake arise and helpe them Oh let Gods people trust in him and awaken and raise him up by Fasting and Prayer and sound Repentance Yet know that he is not easily awakened and raised When God for the sinnes of his people doth returne to his place and as it were betaketh himselfe to his chamber and couch it is no easie thing to a waken him It may cost many a heavy sigh many a bitter teare much smiting of thigh and knocking of breast It will cost deare
Our mother Church may be an Example who found the truth of this Doctrine by wofull experience at whose doore Christ knocking and desiring to enter shee returning a sluggish answer I have put off my coat how shall I put it on but being better advised and arising to open unto him he was gone and as Shee was hardly perswaded to arise and open to him so was He as hardly perswaded to arise and helpe her but suffered her to run up and downe in the streets to seeke him and could not finde him yea to fall into the hands of cruell watchmen who did smite and wound her Oh see the bitter fuits of dallying and late repentance So his people having provoked him and calling to be delivered out of the hands of their enemies see what a cold answer he giveth Where are your gods the rocke wherein yee trusted that did eat the fat of your sacrifices and drinke the wine of your drinke-offerings let them rise up and helpe you and be your protection Oh poore is the helpe that Idols can give to their worshippers having eyes but see not eares but heare not feet but walke not The Prophet biddeth the people that would raise God to give him no rest Christ biddeth us aske seeke knocke and commendeth spirituall violence The Apostle requireth a labouring or striving in prayer and the King of Ninivie commanded his people to cry mightily unto God All which declare that God helpeth not his people till he be raised he is not raised but with violence and as it were by being pricked under the sides as the Hebrew word signifieth Shall I conclude this point with paralelling it with another The people of God being persecuted and much distressed by their enemies David penned that most excellent Psalme the 68. wherein first he directeth them what to doe in their wofull case viz. as the Disciples did here to goe to Christ for to him the Apostle applieth that Psalme And what must they intreat him to doe To arise Arise Lord and let thine enemies be scattered The Lord did arise and went forth before his people made Kings with their Armies to â—lie rebuked the companie of spearemen the multitude of Buls and Calves of the people and scattered them that delighted in warre And what are Gods people taught to doe then Even to praise God and mutually provoke one another thereunto Blessed be the Lord even the God of our salvation he that is our God is the God of salvation and to him belong the issues of death Oh blesse yee God in the Congregations oh sing unto God yee kingdomes of the earth oh sing praises to the Lord even to him that rideth upon the heavens the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people blessed be God And is this all No but when they have praised him for the good he hath done they are also directed to pray unto him to goe forward and perfect his good worke begun Strengthen oh God that which thou hast wrought for us for thy Temples sake at Ierusalem so shall Kings bring presents unto thee Oh how fit that Comment and this Theme and both of them for this time Many have beene the troubles of Gods people for these late yeeres in many parts of the Christian world and Christ hath slept long but loe by the importunate prayers of his people he is at last awakened his head is up from the pillow he is risen and hath begun a gracious calme Though I cannot say with the Psalmist Warres are ceased in all the world yet hath he beene marvellous to breake the bow knap the speare asunder and create a glorious peace for so many thousands and millions of his worthy servants in France and to give them the shadow of a great rocke in that weary land Oh let the voice of gladnesse be heard in righteous mens dwellings and let God be praised in the congregations of his Saints and let all men pray the Lord to finish that good worke he hath begun establish that peace in all truth and sincerity and give like comfort and breathing to all his servants in Germanie and else-where Yea be assured now he is risen he will in his good time doe some great worke and cause if his people now praise and pray a great calme I say then with Moses Stand still feare not and see the salvation of God and with the Prophet Zacharie Be silent ô all flesh before the Lord for he is now raised up out of his holy habitation So much for Preparation The Reprehension followeth He rebuked the wind and the sea All the Euangelists doe use one and the same word which in the native proprietie doth signifie to reprehend and chide and charge yea charge strictly even with threatnings and menaces and accordingly translated in some Latine Copies q. d. I charge you be still and calme upon your perill be it I will make you rue it else Which majesticall threatning intendeth three things viz. first Authoritie to command secondly Power to punish if he be not obeyed lastly An acknowledgment of that power For in vaine it is to command or threaten if the parties or creatures doe not regard us But as hee had power to command and threaten and punish so winds and seas had eyes and eares and heart to see heare feare and obey he no sooner commanded and threatned but presently they obeyed There was a great calme Heare â— heaven and hearken ô earth for the Lord speaketh Esay 1. 2. If the Lord speake heaven and earth and all creatures have eares to heare O earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord Ierem. 22. penult I say againe let it be marked that Christ did not pray intreat and beseech but with authoritie he commanded Peace and be still as if he were much provoked with their impetuous insolencie And no marvell What Winds and seas not know their Maker What Have they heretofore trembled and fled at his presence and doe they now rage and roare and conspire to drowne him What high treason against the Lord of heaven and earth is this It is well they escape with a rebuke that he doth not make them feele the power of his wrath and give all posterities occasion to say with the Prophet What ailed thee oh thou sea What didst thou Lake of Gennesareth that the Lord was so angry and displeased with thee What was thy transgression ô sea of Galile for which the Lord powred out upon thee the furiousnesse of his wrath Oh let it be written and let all posterities note the meeknesie and gentlenesse of the Lord towards his creatures who did no further punish such a treasonable conspiracie against his life but with a rebuke Peace and be still Here for our instruction let us learne what is the soveraigne Regall authoritie of this great
Lord Paramount Christ Iesus over all creatures He is the great King over all the world though his kingdome be not of this world Aske of me said God and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession And againe I will set his hand in the sea and his right hand in the rivers and I will make him my first-borne higher than the kings of the earth And againe He shall have dominion from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth Many Kings have had large and great Dominions as Ahashuerosh who reigned from India to Aethiopia over an hundred and seven and twenty Provinces Some Kings have so far doted and beene besotted with admiration of their owne sublimitie and excellencie as to forget themselves to bee but Lords Paravall and in stomacke have asked Who is the Lord and have answered themselves with scorne and contempt I know not the Lord But the sea will know none but the Lord. There was a great storme when Ionah was in the ship and the Mariners thought to have mastered it and with their oares did digge and delve into the surges but the sea wrought and was troublous and would have drowned them all if they had not cast Ionah into it For God had given the sea a commission to fetch in that fugitive Prophet and it would execute it with effect There was a great storme when Paul was in the ship and they cast out both lading and tacklings as if they would have bribed the Sea to be still but it would not till it had broken the ship with violence of waves Some have beene angry with the Sea That great Persian Monarch Xerxes was in as great a rage as Hellespont it selfe who threatned to be avenged for breaking downe of the Bridge which he had builded for the passage of his numberlesse Armie yea he commanded three hundred stripes to be given it and so many fetters to be cast into it and others with hot Irons as it were to set marks upon it but Hellespont felt no hurt by all this nor cared for the Executioners words The Lord hath inflicted this punishment upon thee for the hurt thou hast done him Tush Hellespont knew not his Lordship but raged still and if they had come within it reach would have drowned both him and his Canutus a Danish King in this Land set his foot on the Sea shore close by the Sea whilst it was flowing commanded it not to rise and wet his feet or clothes but the Sea kept his course rose and wet both feet and thighes whereupon the King started away and said All men may know that the power of Kings is vaine and meere vanitie and none worthy to have the name of King but he that hath all things subject to his command and lawes and after this never wore Crowne on his head but set it on the head of a Crucifix at Winchester Ex Huntington Fox Martyrolog 1. Tom. p. 147. But let the Lord the great Iehovah come who is of man invisible and the Sea hath eyes to see him withall The Sea saw thee and fled Iordan was driven backe Let him rebuke and the Sea hath eares to heare let him say Peace and be still and there is as sudden and as great a calme as there was a storme Let him be pleased to walke and the Sea is as firme as a pavement Let him be angry and it hath an heart to feare The waters saw thee ô God and were afraid No winds doe so trouble it as the blasting of the breath of his nosthrils Yea let Moses but take the rod of God in his hand and the Sea divideth Elijah with his cloke shal divide Iordan and if the spirit of Elijah rest upon Elishah he shall doe so too and so long as Peters faith holdeth he shall walke on it that as the evill spirit answered the sonnes of Sâ—evah Iesus I know and Paul I know but who are yee so the Sea may say JESVS I know and Elijah Elisha and Peter and all the servants of the most High God but for Pharaoh Xerxes Canutus and others who are yee We regard not your rebukes wee feare not your threats Oh what can be more usefull than to speake and heare and meditate on the omnipotent soveraigntie of Christ over all creatures and namely over that huge boisterous uncontroulable and fearefull Element And therefore how often in the holy Scriptures is there mention made thereof and specially of the drying up of the Red Sea and Iordan giving passage to Gods people God himselfe asked Who shut up the Sea with doores Who set barres and said Hitherto shalt thou come and no further and here shalt thou stay thy proud waves And againe Feare yee not me saith the Lord will yee not tremble at my presence who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetuall decree that it cannot passe it and though the waves tosse themselves yet can they not prevaile though they roare yet can they not passe over it Holy David as he was much given to devout meditation and contemplation of the Heavens Sunne Moone and Starres Thunder Lightning Haile Meteors so very frequent in meditation of Gods power and providence in the creation and disposition rule and government of the Sea as He gathereth the waters of the Sea together as an heape and layeth up the deepe as in store-houses Let all the earth feare the Lord let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him And againe It is God that stilleth the raging of the Sea and the noise of it waves And againe I will meditate of all thy works and talke of thy doings thou art the God that dost wonders the waters saw thee ô God the waters saw thee and were afraid the depths also were troubled Againe O Lord God of Hosts who is a strong Lord like unto thee thou rulest the raging of the Sea and stillest the waves thereof when they arise And many such like in the Psalmes and Prophets whereof these are but a taste And lest any Atheist should object for the straitning of his dominion that Gods power is but over some few and small Lakes as this was as if he were but Vice-Admirall of narrow Seas note how Gods power hath appeared on many Seas Streams and Flouds yea when all the world was Sea at the first by the power of his word they were gathered into one place and the dry land appeared Whereof David thus rendreth the praise unto God Thou laiedst the foundation of the earth that it never should be removed at any time thou coveredst it with the deepe as with a garment The waters stood above the mountaines at thy rebuke they fled at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away Which
our God we will set up our banners some put their trust in chariots and some in horses but wee will remember the name of the Lord our God Secondly God enableth poore weake base abject and contemptible meanes for the bringing of great and mightie things to passe When Gideon came at the first with a great armie to fight against the Midianites the Lord said unto him This people that are with thee are too many for me to deliver the Midianites into their hands lest Israel take to himselfe glory over me and say mine hand hath brought me salvation But when all were brought to 300. naked men and without armes only having trumpets pitchers and lamps By these saith God will I save you and deliver the Midianites into thine hands and he did so Vpon this groud Ionathan perswaded his Armour-bearer even them two to set upon a whole Garrison of the Philistims There is no let to Iehovah but that hee may save by many or by few That of the Prophet is most memorable The Lord is his name that strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong that distresse it selfe should be able to scale a Fort And the Prophet Ieremie biddeth the Iews not to deceive themselves because they had a little prevailed against the Chaldeans for if there were none left but wounded men and thrust thorow yet should they rise every man in his tent and burne the City with fire Most commonly if cause be good victory goeth with weakest side Thirdly for the full manifestation of the glory of his omnipotencie God many times worketh greatest things without meanes so as in the effecting thereof nothing can be looked on but God In the beginning God gave light before he made Sunne and made plants and herbes to grow before there was any raine in the wildernesse fed his people with bread and flesh from heaven in times of warre if God doe but rise his enemies are scattered yea if he doe but looke upon their hoasts they are discomfited In the confidence whereof King Asa seeing himselfe oppressed with a multitude of enemies even above a thousand thousands of Ethiopians comming up against him he prayed to the Lord Lord it is nothing to thee to helpe with many or no power If he had said with many or few great or small power it would have beene plaine but to say with many or no power bewrayed an excellent measure of faith that if God did but rebuke all such enemies it was enough The Prophet giveth this glory to God that hee createth peace He is a good Carpenter that having crooked and rough timber put into his hands can with axe and plane make it straight and smooth but the Creator can worke having no matter at all to work upon creating light out of darknesse peace out of warre a great calme out of a great storme only by a word of his mouth hee rebuked the winds and sea For further manifestation of Gods glory and our consolation seeing the Scriptures speake expresly of Gods rebuking of Kings Princes Spearemen and persecutors of his Church and people let us search the Scriptures that wee may finde out Gods manner herein How doth God rebuke Kings who are as boisterous and mightie winds causing great tempests of persecutions in the Sea of this world that when God doth it wee may give him the glory of it And that God doth two waies viz. Either inwardly or outwardly Inwardly by working upon their hearts or outwardly by working upon their bodies and estates As God hath the hearts of all men in his hands so specially of Kings and Princes and doth extraordinarily worke upon them either by inclining them to peace as we see in the example of Esau who threatning to kill his brother Iacob and Iacob exceedingly feared to heare that he came out with foure hundred men against him whose heart was so inclined to his brother that when they met he was so far from killing or offering the least wrong unto him in word or deed that he embraced him fell on his necke and kissed him see see how inwardly God rebuked that boisterous wind and there was a great calme or else he inwardly doth terrifie them so as they shall not dare to doe the evill which they would and intended Thus God rebuked Abimelech King of Gerar in a dreame by night Thou art but a dead man for the woman which thou hast taken for shee is a mans wife whereupon he returned to Abraham his wife and there was a great calme So Laban pursued Iacob and his wives and children blustering and stirring up a great tempest but God rebuked him saying Take heed that thou speake not to Iacob either good or bad whereupon followed a great calme So the Kings of Canaan intending to destroy the Israel of God were rebuked with the report that came unto them what God had done for them Drying up the Red-sea and destroying the two Kings of the Amorites Og and Sehon whereupon their hearts did melt and there was no courage in them they grew very calme Yea Kings assembling with their armies purposely to besiege Ierusalem At the very sight of it they marvelled and were troubled and hasted away feare tooke hold on them and paine as on a woman in travell Thus when they will not otherwise be inclined to peace God doth cut off the spirit of Princes and is terrible to the Kings of the earth Or else God doth rebuke them outwardly and that either in their persons or powers in their persons either by sicknesse or death By sicknesse or diseases Thus God plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sara Abrahams wiâ—e whereupon he restored her to her husband and there was a great calme Or by death and that is either naturall or violent Naturall thus wicked and Idolatrous Ahaz slept with his fathers and then goaly King Hezekiah reigned in his stead who was an hiding place from the wind a covert from the tempest as rivers of water in a dry place and as the shadow of a great rocke in a wearie land Violent death is either caused by themselves or others By themselves thus Saul killed himselfe and then there was a great calme Or by others thus that wicked King Amon being slaine by his servants godly Iosiah succeeded him in whose daies the Church had a blessed calme And thus in all ages by the miserable and wretched ends of cruell and bloudie persecutors God hath given peace to his Church Or if God spare their persons he doth often rebuke them in their powers and that chiefly three wayes viz. By diversion dissipation and destruction By diversion thus when David was in greatest danger of Saul for they had even compassed him round to take him there came a messenger and brought tidings to Saul the Philistims had
It well beseemed the great God to doe a great miracle and greatly to shew his power and authoritie in turning a great tempest into a great calme Yea as hee is a great God above all gods so he commonly doth great things for his glory and his peoples good so as their enemies confesse the Lord doth great things for them Yea lastly as there was a tranquillitie stilnesse calmnesse a great one so was it also sudden And herein lieth the greatest part of the miracle for the winds though sometime blowing strongly yet by little and little falling and sea raging extremely by little and little to grow calme is no great wonder being commonly seene But that no sooner the word of rebuke passed forth of Christs mouth but the effect of it appeared presently there was a great calme hee no sooner spake the word but it was done loe herein lieth the miracle and matter of wonder And so much be said for the opening of the sense of the words I now proceed to raise your doctrines And first from the letter The first may be raised from the context First A calme then arose a great tempest and now is made a great calme againe Which representeth unto us the mutabilitie or changeable vicissitude of all earthly temporall and sublunary things as summer and winter day and night cold and heat so in mens bodies health and sicknesse ease and paine and in mens estates wealth and povertie gaine and losse honour and disgrace and imprisonment peace and persecution are oftentimes changed one for another The world is like the Moone ever variable nothing continueth in one stay Vanitie of vanities all is vanitie And as it is in these earthly and outward so in heavenly and inward things state and condition The best of Gods children in this life are well acquainted and exercised with changes and alterations stormes and calmes mirth and mourning laughing and lamentation singing and sighing doe many times change and keepe their turnes and seldome are of any long continuance Wherefore let not such as are in best condition presume with David Tush my mountaine is so strong it cannot bee moved but let every one walke in humilitie and prepare for crosses afflictions and temptations And let such as are under the rod not be too much dejected but in patience possesse their soules and wait upon God after a storme commeth a calme Heavinesse may endure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning Our second lesson is That even all yea the most senslesse creatures man excepted doth heare and obey the voice of God and are in their kinds as it were zealous of his glory If we looke up to heaven we shall see thousand thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand stand before him even an innumerable company of most glorious Angels standing about his throne readie to doe what hee commandeth most willingly speedily and faithfully Descend by the Firmament and the Sunne which every morning commeth as a bridegroome forth of his chamber and reioiceth as a giant to runne his race yet at Gods command it stood still yea went backe and at Christ his passion it â—id it face as if then God performed what he had threatned I will cause the Sunne to goe downe at noone and I will darken the earth in a cleare day And the very starres fought against Siserah God rained fire out of heaven to burne Sodom and Aarons sonnes and Captaines with their fifties but the fire could not would not so much as sindge an haire on the heads of the three children Descend lower by the Regions of the Aire and we shall see it is the glorious God that maketh the thunder It is his voice which maketh the wildernesse of Cades to shake and Hindes to calve Lightnings are Gods arrowes and when the Lord calleth for them they answer Here we are He is the father of the raine The clouds are his bottles He also bringeth the winds out of his treasures Haile Snow Vapour all fulfill his word The earth trembleth aâ— his presence Mount Sinai shaketh as if it would rent in sunder and openeth to swallow up Core Dathan and Abiram God sent Lions to teare the Samaritanes in peeces but they did not offer any violence to Daniel being cast into their Den He did sting the rebellious Israelites with Serpents He plagued Egypt with flies and poore contemptible creatures He prepared a worme to bite Ionahs gourd at the root that it withered The Grashoppers when God sendeth them are called a strong nation mighty people and an huge armie The birds of the Aire at his command feed his Prophet with bread and flesh He hisseth for the flies of Egypt and bees of Assyria Devoureth Herod with lice Yea he doth sit above the water flouds and ruleth the Sea At his pleasure the waters must stand on an heape to let his people passe and sometimes must overflow and drowne all creatures in whose nosthrils is the breath of life The river Iordan must open and let Israel passe but the ancient river Kishon with a violent streame must sweepe the Canaanites away Fishes swim in Sea at his pleasure He prepared a Whale to swallow Ionah and the great sholes of Herrings faile not at such a day to be on such a coast He calleth for a Famine and destroyeth the provision of bread and at another time causeth the clouds to drop downe fatnesse that the poore may be satisfied with bread All diseases goe and come at his pleasure as the Centurion intended in Matth. 8. Hee punisheth disobedience with consumption and burning fever and when he rebuked it Peters wives mother was cured He shutteth up the wombe and it is he that maketh the barren to beare and become a ioyfull mother of children He formeth the light and createth darknesse maketh peace and createth evill even the Lord doth all these things Yea this great King carieth his Mace in Hell the place of confusion so as the very Devils are subject and obedient to him He never threatned or commanded uncleane spirits to bee gone but they went whereat the people greatly wondred Yea not only all creatures in Heaven Firmament Aire Earth Sea and Hell are obedient but in their kinds zealous See the zeale of the Angels who are winged and called Seraphims because they burne with a zeale of Gods glory are as a flaming fire when he useth their ministery See the zeale of the Frogs though breeding feeding creeping croaking in marish grounds and farre from houses yet being sent of God to plague Pharaoh they assaulted the Kings Palace crept into his ovens and kneading troughes yea could not be kept out of the Kings
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
gladnesse there was not one feeble person and Egypt was glad Psal 105. 37. The Church had a great storme for 70 yeeres in Babylon when they sate by the rivers of Babylon and wept to remember Sion Psal 137. 1. but in the end a great calme when they had leave to returne then were their mouthes filled with laughter and their tongues with ioy Ps 126. 1. The Church had a great storme in the daies of Ahashuerosh when Haman had procured they should all be destroied then was fasting and mourning but in the end a great calme when Haman and his sonnes were hanged and the Iewes had Purim Great persecution in the daies of the Apostles but in the end God gave the Churches rest throughout Iudea Samaria and Galilee and the word of God increased and the number of disciples multiplied in Ierusalem exceedingly The Ecclesiasticall story witnesseth that howsoever God hath sometimes yea for a long time exercised his Church and people with hot cruell and bloudy persecutions yet in the end rebuking persecutors by death or otherwise as you have heard he hath given his Church peace and turned the tempest into a great calme For the outward estates of particular persons we have gracious promises I will not faile nor forsake thee Which though particularly and personally made to Ioshuah yet the Apostle teacheth every man how to make it his owne by the application of faith Call on me in the day of thy trouble and I will heare and deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me David saith Many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivereth out of all Psal 34. 19. And the Apostle saith God is faithfull who will not suffer his to be tempted above that they are able but will with the temptation make a way to escape that they may be able to beare it And Christ promised to turne his disciples sorrow into ioy which in all ages he hath most graciously performed to his servants yea commonly in this life As Ioseph endured a great tempest when his brethren sold him his impudent mistresse falsly accused him his master cast him in prison he endured hunger and cold and the iron even entred into his soule but there came a great calme when the King sent and delivered him the Prince of the people let him goe free made him ruler of his house yea set him over all the land of Egypt and every one cried Abrech before him Great was the tempest that godly Mordochai endured when proud Haman so despised and intended mischiefe against him having set up gallowes to hang him thereon but there came a great calme when the King commanded Haman to put on him royall apparell which the King useth to weare to set him on the horse the King used to ride on and set the crowne roiall upon his head and proclaime before him Thus shall it be done to the man whom the King will honour Great was the tempest that David endured in that long time that Saul persecuted him and by all meanes sought to take away his life hunting him as a partridge upon the mountaines that he confesseth the flouds of ungodlinesse made him afraid and he said in his infirmitie I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul but there came a great calme when Saul being slaine David was anointed King and died full of daies riches and honour Iob endured a great tempest when hee lost all his goods children and health but there came a great calme when all was restored double unto him againe Many a man hath endured a great tempest of povertie sicknesse ache imprisonment disgrace and God hath sent a great calme of wealth health ease liberty honour Oh that men would therefore praise the Lord and declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men What great and grievous conflicts have the learned Bishops and Fathers in their times had with Heretikes Athanasius and Hilarie with Arrius Basil with Eunomius Tertullian with Hermogenes Origen with Celsus Augustine with Faustus Pelagius Petilian Cyprian with Novatus yet painfully rowing with the Oares of Gods word these Doctors overcame all those boisterous and contrary winds and waves and used it as a proverbe After weeping commeth laughter and after banishment commeth Paradise After a tempest a calme Great also are the Internall tempests whereof Gods children have experience in their soules mindes and consciences but God hath promised most gracious calmes For a moment in mine anger have I turned away but with everlasting compassion have I imbraced thee Heavinesse may endure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning They that sow in teares shall reape in ioy Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted Yea the meeke shall be refreshed with abundance of peace Psalm 37. 11. And these promises God hath in all ages most graciously performed David had a great tempest in soule when hee complained That all Gods waves had gone over him and hee had beene vexed with all his stormes Yea he had suffered from his youth up the terrours of God with a troubled mind But there was a great calme when he said Now returne to thy rest O my soule the Lord hath well rewarded thee and againe Thou hast delivered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my feet from falling awaked at midnight to sing praises and called for his Lute and Harpe to awake Iob had a great tempest in his soule when hee complained God did write bitter things against him made him possesse the sinnes of his youth and Gods terrours came in battell ray against him but he had a great calme when hee k 〈…〉 Redeemer lived and would trust in God though he killed him and God gave him double all that he had There was as great a tempest in Ionahs soule as in the sea when he said I am cast out of thy sight and his soule fainted within him but hee had a great calme when the fish vomited out Ionah on the drie land and hee paid his vowes and sacrificed unto God the sacrifice of thanksgiving Oh many and great are the trials of Gods children in this kinde till the Lord rebuke Satan fearefulnesse distrust heavinesse c. and then sweet are the mercies and comforts wherwith the Lord refresheth their soules Oh then Art thou full of heavinesse mourning and sorrow in thy soule which maketh thee as a Pellican Owle in desart and Sparrow on house top alone thou minglest thy drinke with teares thy conscience doth rage in sight of sinne and sense of divine anger say as David did Oh my soule why art thou cast downe and why art thou so disquieted within mee still trust in God the storme will over and God will send a gracious calme But
some will that Christ himselfe marvelled at the Centurions faith hee honoured regarded and respected not his nobilitie power wealth but his faith The word being thus opened as signifying that the Disciples did very intently behold and marke this great worke and honour Christ the Worker hence first from the Letter we learne That Gods workes in the world are to be marvelled at observed and his great name to be glorified for them This is the maine end of al his works he doth all for him selfe Thus David with a divine eye could see Gods glory in the heavens Sunne Moone Stars Thunder Lightning Raine Winds Seas yea there is not the basest and most contemptible creature in the world but beheld with a spirituall eye doth declare the glory of the Creator and would make a godly man exclaime with holy David O Lord our governour how excellent is thy name in all the world Yea so great in the greatest as not lesser in the least Saint Basil convinced the bragging of Eunomius boasting of his knowledge with a few questions concerning the poore Emmet as whether it did breath how breed how long live whether it had an heart liver bones muscles arteries But why doe I wonder at her bodie how much more may wee marvell at her endowments She is very quicke and nimble in her path see her diligence shee layeth up in Summer against Winter see her providence if any of her fellowes be over-loaded shee helpeth to beare the burthen see her charitie if her heape and nest be stirred she first gathereth in her young see her naturall affection shee beareth a greater burthen than her selfe see her strength shee keepeth a right path see her order Oh is God so marvellous in this poore insectrodden vnder foot that God hath set man to schoole to learne of her how much more in the Heaven Firmament Aire Earth Sea and those great creatures therein Behemoth Leviathan So as every where by sea and land in field and house by day and night if we had wise hearts and cleare eyes we might see and marvell at Gods workes and say Oh what a glorious Creator is this Oh what a wonderfull Governour is this But alas as God complained of old of his people O foolish people and without understanding which have eyes and see not eares and heare not so we are a foolish blinde and deafe people It may be if we saw the Vnicorne or Behemoth in the wildernesse which are the chiefe of the waies of God if we could dive into the sea and see how the fishes measure out their particular habitations and keep their perfect paths if we could see what pastime the huge Whale maketh in the deepe making it to boile like a pot of oyntment the little Remora but halfe a foot long to be able to stay the greatest ship under saile or if we saw the strange motion and specially of some seas or the strange and hidden Sympathies and Antipathies discerned to be betwixt sensitive vegetative yea insensible things it may be we would marvell a little But at the motion vertue or Eclips of Sunne or Moone different glory situation position aspect or influence of Starres Thunder Lightning Raine Snow Haile the diligence and art of the Bee the admirable structure and frame of his owne bodie who marvelleth Because these things are ordinarily seene we marvell not at them God is not honored for them though indeed God is marvellous in all his workes and sought out of them that love him Oh let us from this Example learne to marvell and praise God for his great works lest we become subject to that fearefull imprecation of David Because they regard not the workes of the Lord nor the operation of his hands destroy them and doc not build them up But specially when God doth any great worke contrary to the course and order of nature established either to declare his mercie in saving his or his justice in punishing his enemies these are for all men that come to the knowledge of them to marvell as the drying up of the Red-sea dividing of Iordan feeding his people with Manna and Quailes from heaven giving fountaines of water out of the rocke preserving the three children in the fiery furnace and Daniel in the Lions den On the other side consuming Sodom and Gomorrah and Aarons sonnes with fire from heaven causing the earth to open and swallow up Core Dathan and Abiram plagued Pharaoh and all Aegypt with Flies Frogges Lice and destroyed Herod with Wormes These and many such are registred in the Booke of God that when men heare or reade the same they may marvell and say What a mercifull or just God is this who as he can arme all creatures to take vengeance on the wicked so also preserve his though as lambes in midst of wolves and his Church a poore ship in midst of Pirats and riding out all tempests Oh how marvellous is God in the subsistence of his Church The Doctrine mysticall is That God can turne all such things as the Devill or wicked men devise against him or his people to his glory and his Churches good Yea the greater is the assault and evill intended the greater is his glory from deliverance No sooner is Christ on sleepe but the winds roare and sea rageth now Satan bestirreth himselfe to drowne ship and passengers to breake off the worke of Redemption by Christ and utterly to destroy the poore and weake beleeving Apostles But see how contrary the issue is to his expectation though the Apostles be troubled and feare yet Christ awaketh rebuketh the winds and sea Christ is glorified and the Disciples faith confirmed When Christ his houre was come how did Satan bestirre himselfe to have him put to death How did hee tempt Iudas to betray him the Iewes to preferre Barabas before him Pilate to condemne him Souldiers to execute him But see how he was confounded for even herein Gods Councell tooke effect for by death he destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Devill turned the crosse into a chariot of triumph spoiled Principalities and Powers and openly triumphed over them upon the crosse That which Satan intended for Christ his greatest shame to crucifie him betwixt two theeves was his greatest glory the Crosse being as his Throne and some on his right-hand absolved some on his left condemned When Christ was buried then Satan no lesse bestirred himselfe to keepe him there provoking the chiefe Priests and Pharisies to move Pilate to make the Sepulchre sure and so it was for besides the great stone which Ioseph rolled to the doore of the Sepulchre it was also sealed and a watch set to keepe it But herein the malice and subtiltie of Satan and his limbes were confounded for the surer that the Sepulchre
was made the greater was the truth and glory of his Resurrection yea such as were set to watch did publish it Matth. 28. 11. So the greater is the power and the more violent the assaults which enemies make against the Church of Christ the greater is Gods glory in their deliverance which the people confesse in the Psalmes If the Lord had not beene on our side now may Israel say if the Lord had not beene on our side when men rose up against us they had even swallowed us up quicke when they were so wrathfully displeased at us the waters had overwhelmed us the deepe waters of the proud had even gone over our soule But praised be the Lord who hath not given us for a prey to their teeth Our soule is escaped even as a bird out of the snare of the fowler the snare is broken and we are delivered The greater the danger of Gods people at the Red-sea the greater their deliverance the greater the evill by Iesuits intended against the Protestants in France the more glorious their peace the greater mischiefe intended by the Gunpowder treason and the nearer to execution the more marvellous our deliverance in all which cases the Church is taught to praise God and say The Lord hath done marvellous things with his owne right hand and with his holy arme hath he gotten himselfe the victory Oh trust in God be the storme and threatned hurt to the Church never so great for all shall worke for good There is no wisdome counsell or strength against the Lord But he will turne the rage of man to his praise When all that see and heare shall marvell and say with reverend awe Who is this What manner of man is this The Greeke word is very emphaticall and of greater signification than another which is thus translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qualis For though this be often used in the New Testament yet ever translated what which one place only excepted Neither are they derived from the same root for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pavimentum as if it were written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cujas as if they had fully expressed the word thus What Countrey-man is this Which question bewrayeth their ignorance tendeth to the begetting of knowledge and is an effect of their admiration which may thus be described according to the rules of Philosophie Admiration is a painfull suspension of the minde proceeding from the knowledge of some great effects whereof the causes are unknowne I call it a painfull suspension because all men naturally desire knowledge and the more generously minded any are the more painfull it is for them to be ignorant Some say that Aristotle the Prince touchstone of Philosophers was so grieved that hee could not finde out the cause of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea that he died on it yea some say that he cast himselfe into the Sea saying Seeing I cannot comprehend thee thou shalt comprehend me but the other seemeth more probable Now admiration proceeding from ignorance of causes doth wonderfully provoke to the studie of causes that so they may be eased of that sorrow paine and griefe whereupon admiration is said to be the soule and life of Philosophie And Pythagoras being demanded what was the end of Philosophie answered To marvell at nothing intending that herein a learned Philosopher knowing the causes of things did not marvell whereas an ignorant rustick doth marvell at his owne shadow As in Philosophie so much more in Divinitie ignorance is a painfull thing to the godly disposed and therefore the more they admire the word and workes of God the more they enquire and search into the causes thereof as the Disciples here marvelling said one to another What manner of man is this Whose question intendeth three things viz. First That Christ is true man having a true soule and bodie in regard of their substance and their essentiall properties as in the soule will understanding in body true dimensions as length bredth thicknesse yea taking also the generall and blamelesse weaknesses and infirmities of both as ignorance of some things feare sorrow wearisomenesse hunger thirst sleepe ache paine sicknesse such as accompany the generall nature of man and are not repugnant to the perfection of science and grace as was more largely shewed from his being on sleepe This is it was anciently promised The seed of the woman shall breake the Serpents head And In thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed And afterwards prophesied A Virgin shall conceive and beare a Sonne A Childe is borne a Son is given A woman shall compasse a man Which promises and prophesies have bin most truly fulfilled as this day doth witnesse to the Christian Churches For the fulnesse of time being come God sent his Sonne made of a woman The word was made flesh Iohn 1. 14. Oh what a sweet comfort is this to us miserable sinners that our blessed Saviour and Redeemer is not a stranger to our nature but tooke upon him the forme of a servant did partake with his in flesh and bloud became that prophesied Shiloh wrapped in the Tunicle skinne or Secundine our kinsman as Iob calleth him If the Baptist did so spring for joy in his mothers wombe when Mary the Mother of Christ saluted his Mother and if the Angels did so rejoyce and sing at the birth of Christ what cause have we to rejoyce and sing yea our very soules to spring for joy that wee doe celebrate this Festivitie in commemoration of our Saviours birth Yea that our comfort may be full he hath not only taken upon him our nature but our infirmities also that he might become a mercifull and compassionate High Priest So as we may boldly goe to the Throne of grace and be assured we shall finde mercie and grace to helpe in time of need The second thing avouched by the proprietie of the word in this question as you have heard in opening the sense of it is That this true man is a stranger they aske whence he is whereunto Christ returneth a perfect answer Hee descended from heaven Saint Paul saith He is the Lord from heaven Not that he brought his humanitie from heaven which passed thorow the Virgins wombe as water thorow a conduit as divers Heretiques have dreamed for he was made of a woman and had the materials of his body from the blessed Virgin but he had not his beginning here on earth as men have but God came downe from heaven and was manifested in the flesh and as he came so here he lived but as a stranger not having where to be
they were they did subsist in the person of the Word So were there at once two great unions admirably singular and singularly admirable viz. 1. Manhood and Godhead 2. Motherhood and Maidenhood But because the wombe is a darke shop wherein every man is marvellously and fearefully made much more was Christ the Virgins wombe being called the shop of miracles Neither did it want mysterie that the Holy Ghost is said to overshadow her We will also beleeve with our hearts what we cannot fully comprehend with our mindes much lesse expresse with our tongues We will also religiously marvell at this and say What manner of man is this that was even conceived by the Holy Ghost and proceed to that was more visible and patulous viz. His birth S. Iohn saith He saw a great wonder in heaven a woman clothed with the Sunne and the Moone under her feet and upon her head a crowne of twelve starres and shee was with childe and cried travelling in birth He may well call it a wonder a great wonder it is the wonder of wonders and comprehendeth many wonders What! the inhabiter of eternitie subject to time and after certaine moneths in the wombe as this day borne into the world The everlasting Father a young childe The Word an Infant which cannot speake Wisdome it selfe not know good from evill He that beareth up all things by his omnipotencie borne in the armes of a woman He that is invisible in his owne nature whom no man ever saw nor can see now to be seene of any in our nature even of the country Shepherds He that hath heaven for his throne and the earth his footstoole borne in the stable of a common Inne and laid in a cratch He that filleth heaven and earth too finde no roome in an Inne He that hath girt the sea sand himselfe wrapped in swadling clothes Hee that openeth his hands and feedeth every living creature doth he sucke the breasts He that is Davids Lord is he become Davids sonne He that was before Abraham is he so long after him in the flesh and descended from his loines He that is the Lord of all is he become a servant unto all Whereas man in the nonage of the world was made after the Image of God now in the dotage of it will God be made after the similitude of sinfull man He that made woman of Adams rib will he now be made of a woman and shall his mother be a Virgin Well said God when he prophesied that the Lord will create a new thing in the earth a woman shall compasse a man He may well call it a new thing for there was never such a thing before nor since and he may well call it a Creation Yea some Divines hold the worke of Incarnation when God was made like man to be greater than the worke of Creation when man was made like God I am sure the greatest miracles that every eye saw may be seene of the spirituall man in the birth of Christ The Sunne in the Firmament hath beene seene to stand to be retrograde and goe backe divers degrees to be eclipsed or darkned at a plenilune and these were great miracles But in the birth of Christ thou shalt see the Sunne of righteousnesse come downe from heaven and the most glorious Sonne of God emptie himselfe and descend from the bosome of his Father into the wombe of a Virgin Moses saw the viriditie of a bush burning with fire preserved and in Christs birth we may see the virginitie of a mother preserved Esay 7. 14. Aarons dry rod did blossome and beare fruit and in the birth of Christ we may see the withered stock of Iesse flourish and beare fruit Manna fell out of the clouds Christ came from the bosome of his Father Elijah was taken up into heaven but a greater than he came now downe from heaven The consideration whereof made that learned and devout Father to breake out into admiration O Lord I doe not admire the stature of the world the stabilitie of the earth waxing and waning of the Moone perpetuall motion of the Sunne but I wonder to see God in the wombe the omnipotent in the cradle `` These things doe astonish me and make me say with Abacuck I have considered thy works and was afraid With whom let us marvell and say with these Disciples What manner of man is this who as this day was borne of a pure Virgin Surely this is a new and strange thing indeed which Iehovah himselfe hath created and it is marvellous in our eyes Oh rejoyce in this day which the Lord hath made yea rejoyce in this day wherein the Lord was made Rejoyce great grandfather Adam for as this day thy wife Evah hath brought forth the promised seed which shall bruise the serpents head Rejoyce grandfather Abraham This is the day thou so longedst to see Now is thy seed borne in which all nations of the earth shall be blessed Rejoyce father David this day thy Lord is become thy sonne which shall sit upon thy throne Rejoyce all yee Prophets for God hath fulfilled what he hath spoken by your mouthes Rejoyce yee men for the Sonne of God is now made man Rejoyce yee women for a woman is become the mother of God and all generations shall call her blessed Rejoyce yee Virgins for a Virgin hath conceived and borne a sonne Rejoyce yee children for the Sonne of God is become a childe Rejoyce yee that sit in darknesse for the day spring from on high hath visited yea the Sunne of righteousnesse is risen unto you Rejoyce yee that hunger for the bread of life is come from heaven Rejoyce yee that mourne for the consolation of Israel is come Rejoyce yee that are sicke in your soules the Physitian is come Rejoyce yee sinners for a Saviour is borne Let all that feare the Lord rejoyce and sing Glory be to God on high And so much for his birth He hath many most glorious high honourable titles given him as Iesus Christ Son of the most high Lord of glory Emanuel Wonderfull Counseller Mighty God everlasting Father Prince of peace Angel of Covenāt Redeemer Way Truth Life Resurrection Peace First last First begottē of the dead First fruits of them that sleepe Prince of the Kings of the earth Bright morning starre Amen Faithfull and true witnesse The beginning of the Creation of God Prince of Life The true Light Good Shepherd Vine Doore Lambe of God Only begotten Sonne of the Father Image of the invisible God second Adam Sonne of Man The true God Great God Mighty God The only God God over all King Everlasting Priest
doctrine As was his doctrine so was his life and conversation most holy for he never did sinne nor knew sinne his very enemies could not rebuke him of sinne He came not to breake but to fulfill the Law And he fulfilled all righteousnesse indeed His righteousnesse farre exceeded the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies For it was the righteousnesse of God Now was that fulfilled though hee lay among pots yet had he silver wings and his feathers like gold Psal 68. 13. He did converse with sinners and yet was separated from them he touched pitch and yet was not defiled As he was most holy so most meeke he did not strive nor crie nor lift up his voice in the streets most patient being led as a sheepe to the slaughter and as a lambe dumbe before the shearer he opened not his mouth most humble he did not ride into Ierusalem like an earthly Emperour in Skarlet Purple glistering roabes cloth of gold not mounted on a lustie Palfrey with stately saddle and Princely trappings attended on with great troopes and guard in soft garments and with chaines of gold but he rode on an Asse used to the yoake a poore base contemptible and ridiculous beast in his poore seamelesse coat and in stead of any rich saddle sate upon some poore garments that his Disciples had spread under him attended by a few fisher-men and others of base qualitie in the world yet all the Citie was moved and said who is this And when you heare these things will yee not also marvell and say What manner of man is this so holy harmelesse meeke patient and humble Againe How glorious were his miracles in the eyes of the beholders which hee wrought Giving sight to the blinde hearing to the deafe speech to the dumbe strength to the lame cleansing Lepers casting out devils raising the dead Rebuking Fevers healing all manner of sicknesses and diseases rebuking winds and seas whereat the beholders were astonished And when you heare it wil not ye also marvell and say What manner of man is this for even the winds and the sea obey him How marvellous also in the Sacraments which he hath ordained and instituted for the use of his new Testaments Church Did the Iewes so marvell at their Passeover when but the bloud of a Lambe was shed saying What meane you by this service Exod. 12. 26. And will not you marvell at the Sacrament of the body and bloud of the Sonne of God Did they at the Type and will not you at the Truth Did they at the shadow and will not you at the body Oh marvell inquire and I will informe you I purpose not to sound the Trumpet to warre and perplex your minds with intricate questions and fruitlesse disputes which are endlesse about this subject Christ ordained them for the comfort of our soules and not for the exercise of our curious and subtill wits to seale up a sweet union with Christ and communion one with another not to occasion division and contention yet through Satans malice and our weaknesse it is come to passe that in nothing are Christians more divided nor have more bitter conflicts than about these things I will briefly lay downe the positive truth according to the Scriptures and the Tenet of our Church and labour to prepare you to the worthy receiving thereof And first let mee provoke you to admire the love of Christ and his desire of our salvation who not contented to speake unto our eares in his word doth adde Sacraments as the seales thereof for confirmation of our faith and let us see with our eyes what we heare with our eares the Sacraments being a visible word yea whereas the Word conveyeth grace to the heart but by the one sense of hearing the Sacrament of the Lords Supper conveyeth grace by seeing handling tasting that as David saith We may see and taste how good the Lord is and with the Apostle That which wee have heard and seene and handled These Sacraments properly so called are but two as ours and the other Reformed Churches doe truly teach I say properly so called because the Greeke word Mysterie by some translated Sacrament is of larger extent in the Scriptures and the Fathers in their writings call all Articles which are peculiar to the Christian faith and all duties of Religion containing that which sense or naturall reason cannot of it selfe discerne Sacraments but none are properly called Sacraments but such as have these three things viz. First an outward and visible signe Secondly an inward and invisible grace Thirdly the word of Institution all which doe onely concurre in the New Testament in two viz. Baptisme and the Lords Supper both instituted of Christ both having outward signes in Baptisme Water in the Lords Supper Bread and Wine and both of them one and the same invisible grace Christ being the invisible grace represented and exhibited in the Sacraments both of the Old and New Testament For they did eat the same spirituall meat and drinke the same spirituall drinke that wee doe Yet have the Sacraments some things peculiar to themselves for by Baptisme we once receive Christ to new birth and Regeneration but in the Eucharist wee receive Christ to continuall nourishment of that spirituall life wee received in Baptisme and therefore that but once as we are but once borne this often as our bodies are often fed The outward Elements in the Lords Supper are but few and poore to the eye of flesh and bloud common and ordinary bread and wine in some Countries as common as bread and in all places of the knowne world to be had bread made of graine and wine without mixture of water a great corruption though ancient these continuing in their naturall substance to the end though the Papists in their metaphysicall faith beleeve Christ to be present I will not say really for that our learned Divines acknowledge and in candide construction as Reall is synonimall with truth and veritie I will not deny it may be warily and soberly used but corporally and that by Transubstantiation of the substance of bread and wine into the very flesh and bloud of Christ so as after words of Consecration there remaine not the substance of bread and wine but only the Accidents colour and taste No no the words of Consecration doe not change the nature or substance of the signes which once destroyed the Sacrament ceaseth but changeth the qualitie in separating them from a common to an holy use S. Paul to make that out of question doth in one Chapter after the Consecration thrice call it Bread Neither indeed is there any need that there should bee such a change as if Christ could not feed us or our soules be nourished without orall manducation for did the woman by her faith finde such good in touching but
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