Selected quad for the lemma: nature_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A40275
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A testimony for all the masters of ships and seamen to read over Reprinted the second time, with an addition. By George Fox.
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Fox, George, 1624-1691.
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1677
(1677)
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Wing F1927A; ESTC R220251
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19,794
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24
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to the Land they saw a Fire of Coals there and Fish laid thereon and Bread And Jesus said unto them Bring of the Fish which ye have now caught and Simon Peter went up and drew the Net to the Land full of great Fishes c. And Jesus said unto them Come and dine c. And Jesus then cometh and taketh Bread and giveth them and Fish likewise c. And this was now the third time that Jesns shewed himself after he was risen from the dead John 21.2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. And now all ye Fishermen and Sea-men and others consider what kind of Disciples and Ministers the Lord Jesus Christ chose and you may see that Peter and the rest though they had been Disciples of Christ Jesus for some Years and such that Christ had sent forth to preach before he was crucified and after that he was risen Christ appeared the third time unto them and Peter had his Fishers Coat and the Disciples which were Fishermen and Seamen they were Partners together in a Ship And now was this a fit Coat think you to preach the Gospel in and to meet Christ in and to dine with him in I say Yes as good as any of the Canonnical Garments And consider ye Fishermen and Seamen and others how all these Disciples had been fishing all the Night but had caught nothing But when the Morning was come and they saw Jesus after he was risen at his Command they cast in the Net and drew it full of fish to the Shore So it is by the Will of God and Christ that every one doth catch who made all things and upholds all things by his word and power and fills all and knows what all have need of for as Christ saith A Sparrow shall not fall to the Ground without the Will of the Father so a fish cannot be caught in the Net without his Will And likewise you fishermen and seamen and others may see that Jesus by whom all things were made had provided these fishermen and seamen who were his Disciples a Fire and Fish upon it and Bread upon the Land when they had been fishing in the Sea And therefore you may see how that Christ that upholds all things and hath all power given unto him provides for his Disciples and Seamen and Fishermen for he gave them both Fish in the Sea and Fish and Bread upon the Land whom he sent forth and gave Commission to preach and said Freely ye have received freely give So here ye may all see how the Disciples of Christ were encouraged to trust in him and that their minds might be carried over all Distrust of carnal things and outward victuals And now ye Fishermen and Seamen and all others may see Christ's Words fulfilled unto his Disciples who said unto them Follow me and I will make you Fishers of Men for Peter at one Draught caught three Thousand in God's Net and ye may read Peter's two General Epistles which he freely gave forth And also ye may see John the Fisherman a Disciple of Christ his Evangelists his General Epistle and his two Epistles and his Revelations Come ye Seamen and Fishermen and others and see what ye can say for Christ that is the same to day as yesterday and so forever and come let us see what Nets ye have if it be the Power of God that will pluck them out of the Sea of Wickedness And if the Seamen had taken Paul's Counsel when he said Sirs I perceive that this Voyage will be for Hurt and much Damage not only of the Lading and Ship but also of our Lives But neither the Centurion nor the Master believed Paul's Words but his Words came to pass as you may see in Acts 27. But the Lord preserved Paul and their Lives And so you may see it is not the seamans skill but the Lord's Power which all are to have faith in and to obey him by which they are saved and preserved And James one of the fishermen and an Apostle of Christ in his General Epistle to the Twelve Tribes he saith Behold we put Bits in the Horses Mouthes that they may obey us and we turn about their whole Body Behold also the Ships which though they be so great and are driven of fierce Winds yet are they turned about with a very small Helm whither soever the Governour listeth even so the Tongue is a little Member and boasteth great things Behold how great a matter a little Fire kindleth and the Tongue is a Fire a World of Iniquity c. And now mark all ye seamen and all ye bridles of Horses and all others that tame other Creatures see that you can bridle and tame your own Tongues and turn about your Tongues in your passion assoon as you do your Horses and assoon as you do your great Ships when you turn them about so see that you can so soon turn your Tongues when the fierce Winds of Passion are up and tame your Tongues least that unruly Member defile your whole Bodies and Set on fire the Course of Nature and it is set on Fire of Hell James 3. For can you tame Serpents and all kind of Beasts and of Birds and things in the Sea and not tame your Tongue that unruly Member that is full of deadly Poyson Bridle it I say with God's Bridle his Power For The Tongue of the just is as choice Silver and the Tongue of the wise is Health Prov. 10.20 12.18 The Tongue of the wise useth Knowledge aright and a wholesome Tongue is a Tree of Life Prov. 15.2 4. And in a Virtuous Woman's Tongue is the Law of Kindness Prov. 31.26 And Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ who made Tents with Priscilla and Aquilla and wrought with his Hands that he might not be chargeable to others and he did not only maintain himself but he also helped others with his Labour who had received his Gospel not from man but by the Revesation of Jesus Christ which he preached freely as he had received of Christ freely after Christ was risen for Christ had given his Command to his Twelve Disciples before he was crucified Freely as they had received freely give And now consider Matthew who was called from his Custom and Luke who was a Phisitian and John the Fisher-man and Peter and the rest who were Disciples of Christ did not they give forth all their Evanglists and Epistles freely as they preached freely And did not Paul the Apostle of Christ who was a Tent-maker who said of the Jews Five times I received Forty Stripes save One Thrice was I beaten with Rods Once was I stoned Thrice I suffered Shipwrack A Night and a Day I have been in the deep in journying often in Perils of Waters in Perils of Robbers in Perils of my own Country-men in Perils by the Heathen in Perils in the City in Perils in the Wilderness in Perils in the Sea in Perils among false Brethren