was yet in their mouthes when the wrath of God came vpon them and slew the strongest of them and smote downe the chosen in Israel So God gaue them a King at their request but in his wrath And the very diuels sometimes haue their request granted as vers 32. of this Chapter 2. It is not a signe of reprobation to haue our sute denied for the sonnes of Zebede are so serued and Paul himselfe was not heard at the first but was faine to pray three times God doth not grant presently to make vs to depend vpon him the more For the delaying of desires doth make men the more earnest and things easily granted are lightly esteemed but hee neuer denies any thing that stands with his glory and his Churches good And thus much of the occasion of their carnestnesse Now for the prayer it selfe it is very short but three words and I consider in it three things first the title they giue him Master or Lord. Secondly their request Saue vs. Thirdly the reason We perâ—sh In the first I obserue their humility in calling him Lord and Master In the second I obserue their weake faith yet calling to be saued In the third their faint hope and almost forlorne Wee perish 1 And first for the title or name wherby they call him The three Euangelists which all report this miracle doe all differ therein For the word here vsed by our Euangelist signifies Lord acknowledging his rule and authority ouer them Saint Marke vseth a word which signifieth Master or Teacher signifying that they had left their former trades of life to become his Disciples and depend on him as their master Saint Luke vseth a third word which signifies one that was set ouer and had taken care and châ—rge of others a terme giuen to shepheards in regard of their sheepe and to Commanders both in peace and warre In the comparing of which words we may conceiue that there was a kind of confused noyse among the Disciples striuing as it were by their outcries who should wake him first and who should giue him the best title whereby they might not only put him in minde of the dutie that belonged to him toward them as he was their Lord and Teacher and Master but also to shew that they in this misery depended vpon his only help and assistance to deliuer them And here seeing that our Sauiour Christ approuing of these titles saith vnto them in another place Ye call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am I might take iust occasion to speake of names and titles and shew that as God himselfe in the first giuing of names to the day and the night the heauens the earth and â—he seas And as Adam afterward in giuing particular names to all the creatures by Gods commission and appointment did make their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is did giue them proper names according to their seuerall proprieties of nature So it behoueth euery one in what place calling soeuer he be plaeed to consider what name doth properly belong to his place whether it be of rule and gouernment or of subiection and obedience and to be stirred vp by those names to performe those duties that belong to their seuerall callings whether in the Magistracie or in the Ministery whether as a husband as a father as a master and on the other side whether as a subiect a scholer a wife a childe a seruant That seeing seuerall duties doe belong vnto each of these places and they fitly expressed in the names giuen to euery one they may learne to make their names and dispositions answerable and sutable that the argument giuen by the Apostle preferring Christ aboue the Angels to wit That he was made so much more excellent then the Angels in as much as hee hath obtained a more excellent name then they might teach all men to studie to excell others in goodnesse as they are aduanced to higher places and receiue more honourable names but the especiall thing that I obserue in these titles is the humility of the Disciples acknowledging themselues to bee his vassals his scholers and seruants that being now in extreame misery do relie only on his mercy and goodnesse for their deliuerance that they may seeme to say with the Prophet Behold as the eyes of seruants looke vnto the hand of their Masters and as the eyes of a maiden vnto the hand of her mistrisse so our eyes waite vpon the Lord our God vntill he haue mercy vpon vs. Now for the vertue of humility as pride it was not onely the first sin both in the Angels and in man but was and is the mother and root of all sin and the bane and poyson of all vertue So humility it was the first lesson taught to Adam after his fall Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne And it was the principall lesson that our Sauiour taught his Disciples both by precept Learne of me that I am meeke and humble of heart and by his owne example Behold I haue giueâ— you an example And by demonstration setting a little child in the middest of them and telling them Except ye be conuerted and become as little children ye cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen But as this vertue is necessarie for all Christians at all times so is it most necessary in prayer of all other things as may appeare in the prayers of the Pharisie and Publican where the pride of the Pharisie ouerthrew al the good deeds that he boasted of and the humble confession of the Publican made him to goe away more iustified And indeede in the duty of prayer whether we consider 1. God and his excellencie his maiesty his omnipotency and other attributes 2. Our owne corruption our weaknessa our wickednesse euen of the best men in their best actions that euen our righteousnesse is as a filthie and polluted cloth That our best workes are fitly compared to starres which haue a little light but not of themselues but from the Sunne and that light may be discerned in the night and darke but when the Sunne ariseth doth not appeare So our workes if we compare them with the workes of the wicked the workes of darknesse they shew somewhat but compared with the Sonne of righteousnesse from whom wee receiue all the light we haue they vanish and are nothing I say if we either consider God to whom we pray or our selues wee cannot but in all humility acknowledge our selues to be but dust and ashes to bee nothing nor nothing worth to be base wretched miserable contemptible as the Heathen haue confessed not to bee worthie to looke vp to heauen nor to tread vpon the earth nor to call vpon his name considering our consciences doe accuse vs and he is greater then our conscience
thou Lord hadst not been on our sides when men rose vp against vs they had swallowed vs vp quicke when their wrath was kindled against vs Then the waters had drowned vs and the streame had gone ouer our soule Then had the swelling waters gone ouer our soule Praised be the Lord which hath not giuen vs ouer as a prey vnto their teeth Our soule is escaped euen as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers the snare is broken we are deliuered Let vs not therfore forget to offer the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing vnto thee the true God y◠hast deliuered vs frō the hands of our enemies let the holy examples of thy seruants Moses and Miriam and Baruch Deborah and the Prophet Dauid in their Psalms of thanksgiuing for their victories and deliuerance from their enemies incite and prouoke vs to praise thy name as long as wee liue yea as long as we haue any being Thou hast giuen vs the shield of thy saluation and thy right hand hath staid vs and thy louing kindnesse hath caused vs to encrease For thou hast girded vs with strength to battell Them that rose against vs thou hast subdued vnder vs. Let the Lord liue and blessed be our strength and the God of our saluation be exalted It is God that giueth vs power to auenge vs and subdueth the people vnto vs O our deliuerer from our enemies euen thou hast set vs vp from them that rose against vs thou hast deliuered vs from the cruell men Therefore will we praise thee O Lord among the nations and will sing vnto thy name We will alwaies giue thankes vnto thee and thy praise shall be in our mouth continually and our tongues shall vtter thy righteousnesse and thy praise euery day Thou hast put into our mouthes a new song of praise vnto thee our God Many shall see and feare and shall trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust and regardeth not the proud and such as turne aside to lies O Lord our God thou hast made thy wonderfull works so many that none can count in order to thee thy thoughts towards vs. Wee would declare and speake of them but they are more then we are able to expresse Thou makest war to cease vnto the ends of the world thou breakest the bow and cuttest the speare and burnest the chariots in the fire Let vs therefore be still and know that thou art God and wilt be exalted among the Heathen and wilt bee exalted in the earth Thou Lord of hosts art with vs thou God of Iacob art our refuge Let vs therefore reioyce and be glad in thee and tell and sing of thy greatnesse Thy name shall bee for euer thy name shall endure as long as the Sunne All Nations shall blesse thee and bee blessed in thee Blessed be the Lord God euen the God of Israel which onely doth wondrous things And blessed be his glorious name for euer and let all the earth be filled with his glory Amen Amen A Prayer in the time of Famine and Dearth O Lord our God thou hast broken the staffe of our bread and taken away the strength therof wherby it should nourish vs we eat our bread by waight and with care and drinke our water by measure with astonishment because our bread and water faile we are astonied one with another But thou hast taught vs that Man liueth not by bread only but by euery word that proceedeth out of thy mouth We know therefore that howsoeuer thou hast appointed bread and meat and drinke as the ordinary means to maintaine life yet it is thy blessing vpon those meanes whereby we are preserued and as it is easie with thee to turne penurie and scarcity into plenty and abundance beyond the expectation of men so thou canst giue a blessing to a little meale in a bartell and a little oyle in a cruse to continue and not wast till thy seruants are relieued And though thou hast threatned the iudgement of Famine as a punishment to wicked men yet wee know that thy dearest children the holy Patriarches Abraham Isaac and Iacob haue all of them been tried thereby and yet after been relieued by thee And seeing the Scripture teacheth vs that thy eye O Lord is vpon them that feare thee and that trust in thy mercy To deliuer their soules from death and preserue them from famine And that our Sauiour Iesus Christ hath not onely charged vs not to cark and care for our selues as the Heathen What wee shall eate or drink but to depend vpon thy prouidence which feedest the fowles of the aire and knowest that wee haue need of these things but also hath promised that they that seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse shall haue all these things ministred vnto them Teach vs to relie vpon thy prouidence O Lord and to know that when all outward meanes faile vs yet thou art still the same God faithfull in thy promises and thy mercies cannot faile Thou canst suddenly by meanes vnknowne to vs supply our wants thou canst make a little stretch farre and canst proportion our appetites to our store Giue vs grace therefore to make vse of this crosse when we see the great care taken for our prouision before we vndertook the voyage cannot helpe vs that it may cause vs both to waite thy leisure and expect supply in thy good time and submit our selues vnto thee without murmuring grudging or repining at thee and without mutining or falling out among our selues And if it please thee to supply our necessities grant that we may thankfully acknowledge thy mercies therein and keepe our selues in so sober a diet that we may both auoide the sins of surfetting and drunkennesse and may specially be stirred vp to hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and the spirituall meate and drinke of our soules which shall endure vnto euerlasting life which now and euer we desire to be so carefull of that howsoeuer it please thee to dispose of our bodies the food belonging vnto them we may know that meate was made for the belly and the belly for meate but thou shalt destroy them both but this bread of life and water of life shall last and neuer faile vs but euen in death bring vs to euerlasting life purchased for vs by the death of thy Sonne Iesus Christ in whose name and words we craue the supply of all our wants in that forme which hee hath prescribed saying Our Father which art c. A Prayer being arriued at a Port among Infidels O Lord it is thy goodnesse and mercie that hath brought vs safe through the many dangers of Sea vnto this place where we are to enter yet into more dangers being to trade and conuerse with
the sea great and wide for therein are things creeping innumerable both small beasts and great There goe the ships yea that Leuiathan which thou hast made to play therein All these waite vpon thee that thou maist giue them meate in due season Thou giuest it to them and they gather it thou openest thy hand and they are filled with good things But if thou hide thy face they are troubled if thou take away their breath they die Againe if thou send forth thy Spirit they are created and thou renuest the face of the earth The floods haue lifted vp O Lord the floods haue lifted vp their voice the floods haue lift vp their waues the waues of the sea are maruellous through the noise of many waters yet thou Lord on high art more mighty We haue seene thy workes in the sea and thy wonders in the deepe For thou didst command and raise the stormie winde and liftedst vp the waues thereof Our ship hath mounted vp toward heauen and descended againe to the deepe so that our soule melted for trouble We were tossed to and fro and staggered like drunken men and all our cunning was gone Then wee cried to thee in our trouble and thou deliueredst vs out of our distresse Thou hast turned the storme into a calme so that the waues thereof are still Thou rulest the raging of the sea when as the waues thereof arise thou stillest them Thou hast according to thy promise brought vs againe from the depth of the sea Thou appeasest the noise of the seas and the noise of the waues thereof Let heauen and earth praise thee therefore the sea and all that moueth therein Let vs reioyce from the sea yea let vs depend vpon thy might and mercy in thy time to bring vs to the hauen where wee would be Let vs confesse before thee thy louing kindnesse and thy wonderfull works before the sonnes of men Open our lips O Lord that our mouthes may speake thy praise which breakest the sea whē the waues therof rore thy name is the Lord of hosts Whatsoeuer it pleased thee thou hast done in heauen and in earth and in the sea and in all the depths Let our mouthes therefore bee filled with praise and with thy glory euery day Let thy praise be in our mouthes continually and Let vs sing vnto thee a new song and thy praise from the end of the earth Let vs neuer forget thy mercies and louing kindnesse to vs miserable sinners but seeing wee haue nothing else to render vnto thee for all thy benefits accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing and teach vs euermore to ascribe and giue vnto thee O Father with thy Son and the holy Ghost all honour glory power might and maiesty from this time forth and for euer Amen A Prayer before a Fight at Sea O Lord God of Hostes thou art the God of peace and the God of war we confesse that without thee we can haue no true peace nor make any iust war Grant vs therefore first to be at peace with thee and at peace with our owne consciences that so we may vndertake in thy name the fight now intended against thine and our enemies O Lord we acknowledge that our sins haue separated betweene thee and vs and that in respect of our iniquities thou maist iustly make our enemies thy rod and scourge to correct vs yea euen as a fire to consume and deuoure vs. Thou hast many times suffered thine owne people when they haue sinned against thee with an high hand and not humbled themselues before thee but trusted to their owne strength to become a prey vnto wicked and vngodly men that haue risen vp against them But Lord we confesse our manifold sinnes and that thereby wee haue iustly deserued thy iudgements wee repent vs of our former liues and resolue by thy gratious assistance to liue and die in thy feare and faith And now Lord Loe thine enemies make a tumult and they that hate thee haue lift vp their head They haue taken counsell against thy people and consulted against thy secret ones They haue said Come and let vs cut them off from being a people and let the name of Israel be no more in remembrance Looke downe therfore O Lord from heauen and behold their wicked imaginations against vs. Confound their malicious and mischieuous policies giue vs courage and true Christian resolution to withstand the rage and fury of these idolaters and fight for vs as thou art wont to doe for thy children Teach our hands to warre and our fingers to fight Let thy power and might in thy mercifull preseruation of vs be knowne among the Heathen that they may confesse Doubtlesse there is a God that iudgeth the world Let not these wicked men triumph ouer vs neither deliuer vs as a prey vnto their teeth It is thy mercy O Lord that bath affoorded vs many excellent prouisions of warlike meanes to defend our selues and to make them if thou please to giue a blessing to fall into the same pit which they haue digged for vs. But our trust is not in these secondary meanes but in thy mercies Some put their trust in chariots and some in horses but wee will trust in thy name A horse is a vaine thing to saue a man and so are all other meanes without thee Let the right of our cause fighting for thee against thine and our enemies put such life and spirit and courage into vs that wee may bee resolued to liue and die thy seruants and let vs so rely vpon thy protection that wee neglect no meanes which thou hast giuen vs for our preseruation but may manfully in our greatest extremities shew our Christian resolutions not to feare bodily death which is euery day before our eies being assured of euerlasting life hereafter purchased by the death and passion of thy Son Iesus Christ So we thy people and sheepe of thy pasture shal learne daily to praise and glorifie thy holy name for all thy mercies which wee receiue at thy hands here in this life and publish them in the great Congregation if thou giue vs safe returne into our natiue Country yea wee shall declare them vnto the ages to come and desire in all places to acknowledge that greatnesse and power and glory and victory and praise are thine for euer and euer And thus submitting our selues to thy good will and pleasure and depending vpon thy gracious protection wee commit and commend our soules and bodies and endeuours in this dangerous fight to thy mercy in thy Sonne Iesus Christ praying further vnto thee as hee hath taught vs Our Father which art in heauen c. A Thanksgiuing after Victory O Lord God the strength of our saluation thou hast couered our heads in the day of battell If