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
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
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
mari .i. seculo fluctibus i. persequutionibus inquietatur Domino per patientiam velut dormiente donec orationibus sanctorum suscitatus compescat seculum tranquillitatem suis reddat I need not translate it it is but the summe of that you have heard before And so I hope that handling it according to letter and mysterie as if it were a reall parable it wil prove profitable unto us For our more orderly proceeding wherein we will first observe the Context and then the parts of the Text. For the Context In the former part of the Chapter the Euangelist shewes that Christ had wrought divers miracles he had cleansed a Leper restored a Centurions servant cured Peters wives mother of a fever cast out devils out of the possessed healed many that were sicke and instructed by word of mouth some that would have beene his disciples but all this was done upon the land Now he will to sea and there worke miracles and really instruct his Apostles that he may declare himselfe to be Lord both of sea and land In Christ his transfretation over the sea of Galilee with his Disciples two things are principally to be noted viz. first their shipping in this 23 vers and secondly their sailing in all the rest In their shipping two things viz. the persons and the means who and wherein the persons are knowne by their number He and his Disciples and their order Hee went before and the Disciples followed him the meanes or vessell wherein they passed a ship In their sailing or passage three things are to be noted viz. 1. their danger 2. their deliverance 3. the effect In declaration of their danger wee are to note the cause and greatnesse of it the ordinary cause of their danger was a tempest which is described first by the qualitie it arose suddenly and secondly by the quantitie it was great Secondly the greatnesse of their danger is declared by two circumstances viz. the ship was even covered with waves and secondly Christ was on sleepe As concerning their deliverance out of this danger two things are to bee noted viz. first the procuring and secondly the performing thereof In the procurement of deliverance three things are to be noted viz. first to whom in this distresse they seek for deliverance his Disciples came to Him secondly what they doe being come to him they awaken him thirdly what they say unto him wherin observe 1. a great Suit Lord save us 2. A weightie Reason wee perish In the performance of deliverance thus procured note a double Reprehension 1. Of his disciples and he reproveth them for two things viz. first excesse of feare why are yee fearefull 2. Defect of faith O yee of little faith In the second we are to note two things viz. Preparation he arose 2. Reprehension he rebuked the winds and seas The effect of this deliverance is two-fold first in winds and seas there was agreat calme secondly in disciples and beholders that is twofold viz. first admiration the men marvelled and secondly proclamation who is this that even the winds and seas doe obey him Thus I have made readie the ground laid the foundation proposed a modell laid in a readinesse the materials the halfe of my work is now over but the whole profit therof to you remains Of these parts therfore now orderly for our further instruction and edification And first of their shipping and therein first of the Passengers and of them the first and chiefest commeth orderly in the first place to be considered He. Who is that mentioned in the verse immediatly before my Text whereunto this is a relation Iesus And when Iesus was entred Our Saviour went divers times and on severall occasions into ships sometimes for more conveniencie in his preaching and ministery of the Word So when there were great multitudes gathered together to him he went into a ship and sate and the whole multitude stood on the shore And he spake many things to them in parables And at another time the people pressing upon him to heare the word of God as he stood by the lake of Gennezareth he seeing two ships entred into one of them and sate downe and taught the people out of the ship That as out of the ship they used to cast their nets and catch fishes he might by his example teach the Apostles how to cast the net of the Gospell and catch men as he said unto them Follow mee and I will make you fishers of men Sometimes also being weary with trauel and with preaching of the Gospell for the refreshing of himselfe and his Disciples As they withdrew themselves froÌ„ the multitude he saying unto them Come apart into a desert place and rest a while for there were so many comming and going they had no leasure so much as to eat so they departed into a desert place by ship privately So good and gracious Christ was knowing the bodies of his Disciples not to be iron nor brasse but flesh and bloud subiect to faintnesse and wearisomenesse to allow them refreshings and recreations though alas it was but a poore refreshing and for a little while For the people saw their departure and ranne on foot thither out of all Cities and he had compassion on them and began to teach them and healed all their sicke Thus could hee scarce ever take rest If he sit downe wearie on Iacobs Well to rest him by and by commeâ—â— a woman to â—raw water and giveth him occasion of a large discourse Though wearied with the labour of the day yet even on the night time Nicodemus commeth to him to be instructed If he goe into the desert the people are there as soone as he and he must teach and heale and feed them If he enter into a ship no sooner on sleepe but his Disciples awaken him because of a storme that as he had not whereon so he could no where rest his head Even such are the occasioÌ„s of doing good which God offreth to his servants who are his Stewards Husbandmen and labourers that their work goeth round with the yeare they must follow it in season and out of season labour to wearisomenesse and yet never be wearie of labour but as the proverb is lay weary to weary and comfort themselves with that of Saint Iohn Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for so saith the Spirit they rest from their labours and their workes follow them But it may seeme there were other two more special causes of his entring into ship going to sea with his Disciples at this time viz. First that he might proceed froÌ„ doctrine to miracles which may be observed still to be his manner As having preached upon the mountaine he was no sooner come downe but he cleansed a Leper healed the Centurions servant cured Peters wives mother and many that were diseased for his miracles were as the seale of
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
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
who should waken others Simon sleepest thou What Ionah asleepe in a storme What meanest thou O sleeper But that which most troubleth if ever now Christ is asleep notwithstanding that the ship of his Church is in such great perill and jeopardie which as it above all things most perplexeth Gods children and causeth much godly sorrow and complaining so doth it above all things animate encourage the bloudy enemies of his people to insult threaten yea and triumph as if all were now in their hands to dispose as they lust and Gods people shall now for ever be swallowed up quick Whither shall I lead you to sweeten your soules in this gall of bitternesse nay whither can I lead you in all the Scriptures to a place of greater comfort to Gods people or of feare to all persecuting enemies then to this that Gods providence offreth to our consideration Oh what meat commeth out of this eater what honie out of this strong one what joy from this occasion of feare how doth it abound with comforts and specially these three viz. First note that it is said He was asleepe it is not said He was dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that is dead can by no meanes be awakned hee that sleepeth may which comfort affordeth three branches 1. The great securitie of Christ and his Church in greatest stormes and tempests A man that is in danger by water or land will not sleepe The Ship-master wondred that in such a storme Ionah would or could sleepe What meanest thou O sleeper How did David reprove Abner for sleeping when Abishai went and tooke the speare and cruse from Sauls head Our Saviour saith If the goodman of the house knew what houre the theefe would come he would watch and not suffer his house to be broken up Our Saviour knew of this Tempest before it rose by his appointment if there had beene any danger would he have slept No no he laugheth the waves and winds to scorne and when the sea most rageth and threatneth destruction he layeth him downe to rest falleth on sleepe and is angrie with his Disciples for so fearefully awakening of him he sleepeth soundly as it were contemning the danger Well if Satan could not drowne the ship when Christ was asleepe can he drowne it now hee is awake No no Caesar bade the Mariner in a storme be of good comfort he carried Caesar Let the Church of God be of good comfort for Christ is in it Oh let the people of God rest upon their securitie and say Gather your selves O yee people and yee shall be broken in peeâ—es gird your selves and yee shall be broken in peeces take counsell together and it shall come to nought speake the word and it shall not stand for God is with us And againe 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 my heart shall not feare And againe God is our refuge and strength a very present helpe in trouble therefore will not we feare though the earth be removed and though the mountaines be carried into the midst of the sea though the waters roare and be troubled and the mountaines shake with the swelling thereof Oh the boldnesse and securitie of the faithfull that have Christ though he be asleepe Secondly though hee be on sleepe he taketh good notice of the plots and projects of enemies and of all the troubles and persecutions of his Church and people The Church said she was asleep but her heart was awake Christ in his Man-hood was asleepe but his God head was awake He that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleepe David saith His eyes behold and his eye-lids trie the children of men Saint Augustine saith there is apertio opertio oculorum God seeth with open eye when he discovereth a thing at first but when God suffereth the wicked to goe on and winâ—keth at their waies taking leasure and respite before he powre any judgement upon them then hee seemeth to sleepe yet even then his eye-lids trie the children of men Oh hee is never more intent than when hee seemeth to sleepe Thirdly in his good time he will awake and deliver his and punish such as have abused his patience Noah was asleepe but he awaked and cursed Cham who abused him in his sleepe Gen. 9. 24. Salomon saith He doth all things in number weight and measure much more doth he number weigh and measure the tribulations of his childreÌ„ To the Angell of the Church of Smyrnah he wrote saying I know thy tribulation and povertie Behold the Devill shal cast some of you into prison that ye may be tried and yee shall have tribulation ten daies be faithfull to the death and I will give thee the crowne of life Loe how he telleth before it come how farre tribulation shall extend and how long it shall last Note 1. The author the Devill 2. Persons some of them 3. Extent cast into prison 4. Time but for ten daies At another time we reade that the Disciples were in a great storme upon the sea and Christ was not with them but the Text saith Christ saw them toiling in rowing yea even tormented as Dives was in hell for it is the same word and he commeth unto them and delivereth them out of all their feare but it is long first even the fourth watch of the night he suffered them to toile all the night and came not till the dawning of the day teaching us in tribulations and persecutions to be patient and to plie our oares still waiting and being assured in the appointed time hee will awake and turne all into a calme he hath ever done so and he ever will doe so c. So much for the comforts that we gather from this first thing that Christ is said to sleepe Secondly let us observe the place where the Evangelist saith He slept viz. in the hinder part of the ship or in the sterne which is the place for the Pilot or Master the Navarchos or Nauclerus the Steereman or Governour who hath the care to governe the ship that in sailing it runne not on rocks or shelfs Which observation yeeldeth us a great comfort That Christ is our Pilot Governour Then need not the Passengers feare any danger How soever it is full of danger on the Sea for the Stereman to sleepe in places of danger yet no danger for Christ to sleepe for that he foreseeth all danger Therefore all care away seeing he is at the Helme and our Steresman though it please him sometime to sleepe The Papists would rob the Church of this comfort who would not have Christ sleeping or waking to be in the Sterne but place the Pope there put the Rudder in his hand
cease they shall arive at the haven where they would be and enjoy many comforts but if the ship sinke they drowne and then farewell life and all earthly good this maketh them come to Christ and in this needfull time so importunately awaken him Secondly observe in Christ awakened opportunitie in helping though he slept soundly and long yet he awakeneth in good time to rebuke winds seas though he suffer great danger to be threatned and his disciples are exceedingly afraid yet he suffereth no hurt to be done in good time he awaketh and all is well Which teacheth us that howsoever it pleaseth God many times to turne the deafe eare to the prayers of his children and to delay and deferre to helpe them and let things come into desperate extremitie for the triall and exercise of their faith hope patience and godlinesse and that his blessings when they doe come may be the more welcome and thankfully received and he the more honoured and his glory seene yet he never failed nor will faile in his good time to awake heare and helpe He was on sleepe when his people were in such distresse at the Red-sea banke that they thought on nothing but graves and where to be buried but hee was awake when hee looked on the hoast of the Egyptians out of the fiery and cloudy pillar when the waters returned and drowned them all there was not one of them leâ—t and then his people praised God on the drie land He was asleepe when Samaria was besieged and there was so great a famine that an Asâ—es head was sold for fourescore peeces of silver but he was awake when he strucke the Syrians with feare and made them flie and crie and leave such plentie in their campe that a measure of fine flower was sold for a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel then said the Lepers This is a day of good tidings and doe we hold our peace God was asleepe when Ierusalem was besieged and Rabshekah so railed on the living God and those that trusted in him but he was awake when he sent an Angell who iâ— one night destroyed an hundred fourescore and five thousand of them He was on sleepe when there came such a multitude against Iehoshaphat and Iudah that he confessed We have no â—â—â—â—t against this great companie neither know we what to doe But he was awake when they destroyed one another and Gods people in the valley of Berachah blessed God saying Praise yee the Lord for his mercy endureth for ever He was asleepe when Haman obtained a Decree that all the Iewes should be destroyed oh then was Shusâ—an in perplexitie but he was awake when by meanes of Queene Hester that Decree was made void Haman and his sons hanged many of the people of the Land became Iews and they celebrated daies of feasting and joy Oh then let Gods people in all their distresses so plie God with their prayers as yet with patience to wait his good leasure for deliverance all times and seasons are in his hands and hee knoweth best when to helpe only be assured hee will not oversleepe himselfe but awake as one out of sleep and as a Gyant refreshed with wine he will smite his enemies in the hinder parts and put them to a perpetuall shame Psal 78. 65. Never any trusted and waited on him and were ashamed O Lord say his people wee have waited for thee in the way of thy judgements And marke the issue Loe this is our God wee have waited for him and hee hath saved us Oh then wait wait on God Even as the eyes of servants and hand-maids wait upon the hands of their masters and mistresses so in all distresses let us wait upon God till he have mercie upon us For blessed are all they that wait for him And here give me leave to reprove a common fault amongst men who take upon them to prescribe the Lord when he shall helpe and if they be not heard by and by and their hastie desires be not satisfied they grow impatient of delay and say with the King of Israels messenger What should I wait for the Lord any longer If he will sleepe let him sleepe If they have prayed once or twice and be not heard they fling away in a chaâ—e make shipwrack of patience forfeit their confidence in God rely upon other meanes yea seeke to the Devil and his instruments Yea even Gods owne children do sometimes grow impatient and doe wonderfully bewray their infirmitie in this kinde not only murmuring inwardly in their soules if they lye long under some great affliction and have powred out their suits unto God for ease comfort and deliverance but also speaking unadvisedly with their lips Alas I have many times called on God and made mine humble suit unto him for comfort but I finde none the Lord seemeth to hide his face from mee to turne the deafe eare What would you have me to doe I am cleane out of heart weary of praying I feare me the Lord is angrie with me Oh let us labour to strengthen our selves against this weaknesse in patience possesse our soules The vision is for an appointed time though it tary wait for it it will surely come and will not tary Yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarie Heb. 10. 37. Iacob wrestled long and was almost out of breath yea received a blow whereon hee halted all the daies of his life yet at last received a blessing The woman of Canaan received many a checke yet at last obtained her desire and â—rought a miracle by the force of her prayer saying to the eares and mouth of her Redeemer Ephata be yee opened so they were and he said Oh woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt The storme holdeth on that they are in exceeding perill and like all to be lost and perish but at last and in good time Christ awaketh I say then with David Wait on the Lord and he shall strengthen thine heart wait I say on the Lord So I proceed to the last part in the procuring of this calme viz. their prayer in these words expressed Lord save us we perish In the history of Ionah we reade that in the storme the sea by no meanes could be calmed or the Mariners safe till Ionah was cast into the sea Howsoever Ionah was a figure of Christ in his buriall yet not in his drowning As Saint Paul said of the ship-men seeking under a colour to escape Except these abide in the ship yee cannot be saved so I say Except Christ abide in the ship they cannot be saved Those Kings Princes and Governours who upon the storme goe about to cast Christ and his Golpell and those that professe it over-boord take the only course to â—uine their state Thâ—se Disciples were
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
were with Christ for the temporall good of their bodies Lord Lord save us How much more earnest should we be with him for the eternall good of our soules and importunately to beg those excellent gifts of Knowledge Faith Repentance Remission of sinnes Sense of Gods love Patience in adversitie Lowlinesse in prosperitie Peace of conscience Ioy in the Holy Ghost as Christ hath counselled First seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and as the Apostle counselleth Set your affections on and seeke those things which are above Was Christ well pleased with his Disciples that craved the saving of their bodies and is he not much more pleased we should call and cry unto him for the salvation of our soules seeing hence he hath his glorious name whereat every knee must bowe and is able perfectly to save such as come unto him But herein our great dulnesse and negligence commeth justly to be taxed We are very sensible of our bodily and senslesse altogether of our spirituali wants if wee be naked and cold wee are pinched with it and all our care is for fewell and apparell if we be hungry how greedy wee are for food In this time of Famine how the hungry poore runne from doore to doore pitifully and importunatly begging bread Whose heart doth not earne to see the ghastly countenances of poore prisoners in their chaines and thorow their grates craving releefe How doe such as have money plie the market for corne and if they have it not in one runne to another and strive who shall be first served How did the leprous blinde and diseased flocke to Christ for cure And if in these dayes there were a man knowne to cure all diseases how would they seeke to him by Sea and Land yea sell House and Land to get helpe And if the life be in danger by fire or water then what crying is there Lord save us But alas our soules are ready to starve and we doe not hunger are naked and we care not for garments sicke and diseased and we seeke not to the Physitian yea we are in danger every moment to sinke into the pit of perdition and for ever to be lost in hell and destruction and yet we cry not to Christ for helpe Lord save us And the reason hereof is because we doe not know our selves to be lost and ready to perish but with those of Laodicea say we are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing and know not that we are wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked Rev. 3. 17. That which caused the Disciples here to cry so earnestly to Christ to be saved was the sense of miserie they saw if he presently helped not there was no way but one with them they were drowned every mothers childe they must all presently perish certainly none can earnestly seeke and crave salvation that doe not feele themselves to be most miserable sinners under the wrath of God utterly lost in themselves looke every moment to be swallowed up of death hell and condemnation Christ came to seeke and save that which is lost and was sent only to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel came not to call the righteous but sinners to repent i. such as in their owne sense and feeling are miserable and lost sinners When Peter began to sinke he cried Lord save me and immediatly Iesus stretched out his hand and caught him When the ship was covered with waves then the Disciples cry Lord save us and he rebuked the winds Oh it is not possible for any to be earnest with Christ for salvation till with Peter their soules begin to sinke into Hell and the poore cockboat of their Consciences is even covered with the waves of Gods displeasure One deepe calleth on another Ps 42. 6. the deep of misery to the deep of mercy De profundis clamavi Ps 130. 1. Alas thousands of Protestants who professe Christ to be their Saviour yet never tasted now sweet the Lord is nor ever were earnest with him for salvation because they were never thorowly touched with the sense of their spirituall misery to say with David I have gone astray like a sheepe that is lost and from my youth up thy terrors I have suffered with a troubled minde Thou hast vexed me with all thy stormes and all thy waters are gone over me c. And never till then can any affectionately pray with David O Lord say to my soule I am thy salvation And with the Disciples here Lord Iesu save me Many doe wonderfully brag and boast that Christ is their Saviour shed his precious bloud for them if at that instant they should die they were sure to be saved and to goe to heaven to him I would aske such a question or rather desire them to demand it of their owne soules Didst thou ever see thy wofull misery and the wretched estate wherein thou art by reason of sinne Didst thou ever see what great need thou hadst of Gods favour and of the bloud of Christ Have thy sinnes ever mustred themselves against thee which hath made thine heart to tremble with feare Yea hast thou even bin at the brinke of hell and with sighs and teares intreated mercy and salvation They answer and I suppose truly No God be thanked they were never so troubled or disquieted but have ever had merrie and peaceable hearts and have beene ever assured of Gods love neither would they for all the world doubt of it they have heard Ministers preach much of distresses and perplexities of the soule but they know not what they meane Alas poore soules how are these deceived How are they carried away with a strange presumption What a dangerous lethargie spirituall are they sicke of Even of all men most to be pittied Oh know the high way to grace is to know our soules to be emptie of grace the high way to be saved is to know our selves in our selves to be lost and damned never shall any have the benefit of one drop of the bloud of Christ that as for life and death have not begged it Oh see then what a blessing of God it is to be faithfully told and reproved for sins and to see our damnable estate in the looking-glasse of the Law that so seeing our selves to be utterly lost and undone we may cry day and night vnto God with the Disciples here Lord Iesus save us So much for the blessing desired the third last word followeth for whom they desire salvation Vs. It is not said that Peter came and praied for himselfe Lord save me and Iames for himselfe Lord save me and Iohn for himselfe Lord save mee c. as if they cared not though all the rest were drowned if they themselves escaped but they pray in common each one being as desirous of his fellowes safeguard
on his face and praying out of the dust with great constancie he prayed three times with submissive obedience Not my will but thine be done and with great charitie for ever and anon he visited his Disciples and gave them good counsell and comfort and what was it he thus begged Take oh take away this cap and he was heard in that which he feared the storme was calmed an Angell sent and comforted him Oh man see in thy Saviour what it is to be a sinner If the righteous and deare Sonne of God having no sinne but by imputation was so affrighted with the terrors of death how would death distract with the terrors of it impenitent sinners if God did open their eyes and let them see it in the looking-glasse of the Law clothed with the red robe of Gods fiery indignation gaping with great Iron teeth ready to devoure having in the forehead written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the booke of the law to doe them and having the keyes of hell and the bottomlesse pit in his hand Thus we have seene death in the looking-glasse of Nature and it appeareth fearefull for therein the bodie perisheth We have seene it in the looking-glasse of Fortune therein it appeareth more fearefull for therein bodie and all the good things of this world perish We have lastly seene it in the looking-glasse of the Law and therein it appeareth most fearefull for therein bodie and soule perish for ever The fourth and last glasse is the glasse of the Gospell wherein through the death of Christ the nature of it is changed of a foe it is become a friend and from a curse and punishment of sinne is become a blessing from the doore of Hell it is become the portall of Heaven Christ hath spoiled principalities and powers and triumphed openly over them on the Crosse yea and hath pursued Death into the grave his Castle and there conquered him the sorrowes of death being loosed whereof it was impossible that he should be held and so hath performed what he anciently threatned O death I will be thy plagues oh grave I will be thy destruction which made the Apostle in the name of all the faithfull so to triumph O death where is thy sting ô grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law but thanks be to God who giveth victory through Iesus Christ our Lord I am the resurrection and the life he that beleeveth in me shall live though he die He that beleeveth is passed from death to life and shall not come into judgement Now then there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus and Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord Loe these are the comforts of the Gospell against death which all the faithfull have enjoyed from the beginning of the world though more plentifully revealed in these last dayes And hence it is that where-ever death is beheld through the glasse of the Gospell it is seene and spoken of with abundance of joy and comfort and as the nature so the name of it is changed God called Abrahams death a going to his fathers and the death of Isaak Iacob Aaron and Moses is called a gathering to their fathers Ioshuah calleth his dying the going the way of all the earth And David useth the same words Moses and Elias talking on Thabor of Christs death call it so too they talked of his departure Yea Christ called it his departing out of this world to his Father and Simeon prayed the Lord to let him depart in peace It is but a taste but a sight Lazarus death is called a sleepe Ioh. 11. Paul calleth his death a loosing as out of prison S. Peter calleth his a laying downe of his Tabernacle Thus comfortably doe the Scriptures phrase death for the incouragement of all mortall men who must die oh get into Christ and feare not death no more than thou wouldest feare to lie downe and sleep or to put off an old garment or to goe out of prison or of a rotten Cottage that thou maist dwell in a Palace a Paradise Oh death is not now terrible but desirable as S. Paul said I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ And againe Wee sigh desiring to be clothed on with our house which is from heaven Oh welcome death which to all Gods children through Christ is the end of hunger thirst sorrow care sicknesse ache paine temptations sin and all evills and the beginning of all good without end Whereof some of the learned Fathers have written most large and excellent Treatises If then these Disciples had beheld death in the glasse of the Gospel had had a strong Faith they would never have given it so harsh comfortlesse a title as calling it a perishing but as you have heard a sleeping going and gathering to fathers departing laying downe of Tabernacle c. and if their Faith had beene strong they would have said as the three children did to Nabuchadonozer O King our God whom we serve is able to deliver us Winds and Seas what meane yee to rage Our Master whom we serve is able to save vs whether he sleepe or wake but howsoever we feare not death be it sudden or looked for violent or naturall by sea or land by water or fire for if we die we shall goe to heaven and then shall we know misery no more To conclude these disciples call and pray to Christ for helpe but withall they doe their duties The Euangelist saith They did toile in rowing in another storme and so doubtlesse did they in this The heathen Mariners in Ionah as they did cry upon their gods so they cast their wares into the sea to lighten the ship and did even dig and delve or furrow the sea with their Ores if possibly they might have brought it to the land But herein appeareth a great deale of our folly that as most pray not at all so many pray only Lord save us and doe nothing else whereas God would have every one in such a storme to set to his hands to helpe to cast out the lading of the ship and lighten it What is it that ladeth the ship of the Church and endangereth it in a storme It is sinne which is heavier than sand or lead or any ballast It was too heavie for David to beare Psal 38. 4. It made the Sonne of God sweat Luke 22. 44. Yea made God himselfe complaine That hee was pressed as a Cart with sheaves Amos 2. 13. Oh Ministers Magistrates all Christian men and women set to your hands Over the boord with sinne in your selves and in others Were it not madnesse for Mariners in a storme to take in more lading And
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
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
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
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
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