The Elements were to serue and nourish the Plants and the Plants to serue the Beasts and the Beasts to serue Man and Man to serue God Before sinne there was no disorder or disquietnesse of any creature toward another but a generall quiet Calme through the whole world And therefore God may well bee called the God of peace and peace may be as well stiled the â—eace of God But man by sin breaking the peace with God as the Prophet speaketh Your iniquities haue separated betwixt God and you and your sinnes haâ—e hid his face from you consequently the creatures being thereby made subiect to vanity there arose stormes and tempests troubles and oppositions from all the creatures for the earth being cursed for mans sake brought forth thornes and thistles the Angels stood with a blade of a sword shaken to keepe him from the tree of life the water destroyed all the race of mankind by an vniuersall Floud except onely those eight that entred into the Arke The spirit of God was grieued And God the Father said It repenteth me that I haue made man I will destroy him from the earth Thus then these tempests being raised against man from God and his creatures by mans sinne and man hauing thereby a warre within himself in his owne conscience condemning him there was no calming of these tempests nor no peace to be made but onely by Christ who as he is truly termed the Prince of peace so likewise the Apostle calleth him our peace who hath not onely made peace beâ—wixt God and vs but hath also preached peace to all whether Iâ—wes or Gentiles This then is the great Calme that Christ brought into the world to reconcile all mans enemies That the water that before destroyed the world should in him by the Sacrament of Baptisme become Lauacrum regenerationis the Laâ—er of our new birth whereby we are entred into Gods Church That the earth instead of thornes and thistles should bring forth bread and wine which in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper doe not onely represent but exhibit spiritually to â—he faithfull receiuer the body and blood of Christ vnto saluation That a whole quire of Angels in stead of swords in their hands should haue a song of peâ—ce in their mouthes That the Spirit of God should descend in the likenesse of a mild Doue And God the Father acknowledge hiâ—selfe by a voice from heauen to bee in Christ well pleased with mankind This I say is that great Calme wrought by Christ whereby God and the Angels and the creatures are reconciled vnto man and man is at peace with his owne conscience that wee may say with the Apostle If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old â—hings are passed away Behold all things are become new And therfore our Sauior Christ when he sent forth his Apostles to preach yea and his seuenty disciples also charged them to begin at that Into what soeuer hâ—â—se ye eâ—ter first say Peace be to this house And if the Sonne of peace be there your peace shall rest vpon him if not it shall â—urne to you againe And when hee was to leaue them he left behind him this legacy My peace I leaue with you But specially after his resurrection his first salutation repeated againe and againe Peace be vnto you that we may say with Saint Bernard Miseros nos quos non penetrat pax toties repetita that it is a miserable thing for vs if we had rather continue out the storme then be in a calme sea which made Saint Paul begin his Epistles with Grace mercy and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ and conclude them with â—he peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding keepe your hearts and minds that we may say with Saint Bernard Domine pacem volo pacem desidero nil amplius Lord I wish and desire peace onely and nothing â—lse And yet all this peace and calme which we can receiue in this world is but a pledge and earnest of the perfect and compleate Calme and quiet which the Christian by faith beleeueth and by hope expecteth in the world to come when he shall rest from his lâ—bours and receiue the Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shâ—ll giue at that day to all that loue his appearing Now rest and quiet is the onely end of all labour God himsâ—lfe when hee hâ—d fâ—nished his worke of Creatioâ— in six daies he rested the seuenth day and sanctified it And Christ when he had finished the worke of our redemption by a painefull and troublesome life and death in this world was then receiued vp inâ—o heaâ—en to sit at â—he right haâ—d of God thâ— Fâ—thâ—r It hath pleased God not only to ordaine and appoint the night for man to take his rest in as well as the day to labor trauell in but also to appoint a seuenth day for a day of rest from bodily labours And Canaan the land of Promise where Gods people were to rest after their bondage in Egypt troublesome passage through the wildernesse was a type and figure of that rest and quiet which God hath prouided in heauen for his children after their deliuerance from the bondage of Satan and troublesome passage thorow the wildernesse of this world as the Apostle proueth at large For we saith he which haue beleeued doe enter inâ—o rest c. And in the next verse For he spake in a certaine place of the seuenth day in this wise And God did rest the seuenth day from all his workes And in this place againe If they shall enter into my rest And a little after he saith If Iesus â—hat â—s Ioshua had giuen them rest then would he not after this hâ—ue spoken of another day There remaineth thâ—refore a reâ—â— to â—he people of God For he that hath entred into his rest haâ—h also ceased from his ownâ— workes as God did from his let vs studie therefore to enâ—er into that rest c. By all which the Apostle doth proue that al the peace and rest which we can attaine vnto in this life should put vs in mind and prepare vs for the eternall peace and rest in the life to come that when the time of our dissolution comes wee may bee ready to say with old Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart part in peace The yere of Iubilie or reioycing which God ordained to be euery fiftieth yeere whâ—râ—in the whole land was to rest and liberty to be proclaimed to all the inhabitants and they were neither to sowe nor to reape nor gather grapes c. was a type also of this great calme and eternall rest purchased to all Gods people by the death and resurrection of Christ. And to conclude this eternall rest is that which al good Christians should long
â—o â—â—ie Abba Father But the formes of prayer by me set downe as they are intended for their helpe that for want of knowledge vnderstand not how to pray or in the time of feare be so distracted and astonished that they cannot vtter their mindes but confusedly and out of order so the best men may make good vse of the most of the Prayers being meditations gathered out of the booke of Psalmes to reade ouer that booke againe and againe and gather from thence such profitable meditations as may fitly be applied for comforts vpon all occasions My request to God for you all is that you may finde as great comfort in the reading and hearing of these meditations as I haue done in the writing of them And my request to you is that both before your Voyages while yee may enioy the ordinarie preaching of the Word you labour thereby to season your hearts with grace that yee doe not like Epicures say Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die and that hauing finished your Voyage you neither forgèt Gods merciful preseruation of you whilest you haue seene many of your fellowes perish before your faces nor your promâ—ses and vowes made to God in your greatest extremitieâ— So shall ye be sure to make a good voyage which I heartily desire for you at Gods hands and so commending you to his sacred prâ—tection I rest Your true Remembrancer vnto God IOHN WOOD. HOLY MEDITATIONS FOR SEA-MEN It is written MATTH 8.23 And when he was entred into the ship his Disciples followed him And behold there arose a great tempest in the sea so that the ship was couered with waues but he was asleepe Then his Disciples came and awoke him saying Master saue vs we perish And hee said vnto them Why are you fearful O ye of little faith Then he arose and rebuked the windes and the sea and so there was a great calme And the men maruelled saying What man is this that both the windes and the sea obey him IT hath euer bin the vse and custome of Gods best Saints and dearest children in their holiest meditations either of his creatures or of their owne or others actions to lift vp their mindes aboue their senses and to make spiâ—ituall vse to their soules of whatsoeuer they did see heare reade or doe The heauens saith the sweet singer of Israel declare the glory of God and the firmament shew forth his handie workes And in another place When I behold thine heauens euen the workes of thy fingers the Moone and the Starres which thou hast ordained What is man say I that thou art so mindfull of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him And this was the reason that the Prophets and Apostles and especially our Sauiour Christ himselfe taught the people so much by way of parable that the sight of a little child nay of the Oxe and the Asse nay of the Storke the Crane the Turâ—le the Swallow yea euen of the little Ant or Emmet may affoord vs holy and heauenly meditations and teach vs Christian and religious duties that the plowman breaking vp his ground may be put in minde of the necessity of repentance thereby to breake vp the fallownesse and hardnesse of his heart that the husbandman throwing his seed vpon the ground may therein consider the nature of the word of God the necessity and vtilitie thereof and the chiefe reason why many times it taketh no better effect that the beholding of tares and weedes in the field should instruct him of the state and condition of Gods kingdome in his Church militant that the Merchant searching diligently for pearles and precious stones and paying dearely for them should remember a more precious pearle to wit to haue Christ become his and be content to sell all he hath to get possession of him that a poore woman sowing a graine of mustard seede or laying her leauen may be taught therein the nature of the kingdome of heauen Master Bradford an holy Martyr in the bloody daies of Queene Mary hath left behind him many comfortable meditations for the particular actions of the whole day from the time of our awaking in the morning to our lying downe to rest at night There is a spirituall awakeing and a spirituall light more to be desired then the corporall There is spirituall arising from sin and clothing of our selues in our Sauiour Christ. There is spirituall talking to edification and a spirituall walking in loue There is spirituall meate and spirituall drinke to be laboured for and there are spirituall workes that were ordained for vs to doe our sleepe which we nightly deâ—ire should put vs in mind of our death and our beds of our graues and the rest we desire for our bodies of eternall rest But all these may seeme to bee meditations for men on land Indeed theyâ— bee such as belong both to land and sea â—nd the sea-trauelleâ— hath heere the aduantage that they haue many holy meditations proper to themselues They that goe downe to the sea in ships and occupiely the great waters They see the workes of the Lord and his wonders in the deepe And of such sea-meditations fit for sea-men I purpose to discourse Wherein if any shall taxe me as Hannibal the great Captaine did Phormio the Philosopher for reading a lecture of martiall discipline before him my selfe neuer hauing passed the seas and yet writing these things for their sakes and vse that are the greatest trauellers in the world My answere is that I onely purpose to relate the obseruations of the ancient Fathers and such as doe arise from the sea-voyage of our Sauiour Christ before propounded that accordingly all trauellers by sea especially may raise vnto themselues spiritual meditations from the seuerall occurrences that at any time they shall meet withall In the Text I obserue these two things The history The mysterie The history hath these foure parts First a sea voyage of our Sauiour Christ and his Disciples wherein 1. For our Sauiour Christ He entred into a ship 2. For his Disciples His Disciples followed him Secondly the danger of the voyage consisting in two things 1. A tempest arising wherein is to be obserued 1. A note of admiration or attention Behold 2. Secondly the nature of it in the name A Tempest 3. Thirdly the measure of it Great 4. Fourthly the place In the Sea 5. The effect it wrought The ship was couered with waues 2. In Christs being asleepe But he was asleepe Thirdly the miracle and in it two things 1. The occasion in the Disciples wherein I note 1. What they did viz. 1. They came to him 2. They awoke him 2. What they said Master saue vs we perish 2. The miracle it selfe wrought by Christ and in it 1. A preparation in a reproofe of his Disciples Why are ye fearfull O ye of little faith 2. The meanes 1. He arose 2. He
thy goodnesse ouer all the world whereby thou chearest and comfortest all things liuing but also beholdest all things and actions of the world which are naked and conspicuous in thy sight and dispellest and scatterest all thicke clouds and darke mists of ignorance infidelity and error and shewest vnto thy children the right way to heauen preseruing them from stumbling slipping and dangerous falling in that way Grant vs therefore that in thy light wee may see light And seeing thy Sonne Iesus Christ is the true life and light of men that enlighteneth euery man that commeth into the world who when the naturall light of rectified reason which thou gauest vnto man in his creation was by sinne extinguished and put out did supply the defect thereof by a better light the light of faith whereby thy children do vnderstand the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen O Lord make vs euery day more and more partakers of this light Enlighten our vnderstandâ—ngs by thy blessed Spirit and our hearts by the light of faith and our affections by thy Word that we being naâ—urally darkenesse may be light in thee and may shine as lights in a froward and peruerse generation and may let our light so shine before men that they may see our good workes and glorifie thee our Father in heauen And seeing the night of our ignorance is passed and the day is at hand and thy grace which bringeth saluation to all thy faithfull hath appeared teaching vs to denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to walke soberly and iustly and godly in this present world Grant vs thy grace whereby we may cast off the workes of darkenesse and put on the armour of light and walk as children of the light that thy Son being come a light into the world we may not loue darkenes more then light because our works are euil but Lord let the light of thy countenance shine vpon vs that the light of faith which we receiue of thee in this life may make vs liue in expectation of thy light of glory in the life to come being by thee made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light And now Lord we humbly intreate thy fatherly protection of our bodies soules from all dangers both outward and inward this day giue vs grace to make spiritual vse to our soules of all the actions and occurrences therein make vs conscionably carefull not to offend thee either in thought word or deede and prosper we beseech thee whatsoeuer wee vndertake in thy feare that wee may chearefully goe on in the seuerall workes of our places and callings so as we may seale vp our election by good workes and worke out our saluation in feare and trembling that whensoeuer this miserable and sinfull life of ours shall be ended wee may rest and raigne with thee in glory through the merits of thy deare Sonne Iesus Christ in whose name wee further call vpon thee as he hath taught vs saying Our Father c. An Euening Prayer WE present ouâ—â—â—lues again before thee most merciful Father acknowledging and confessing against our selues our manifold sins which wee haue daily multiplied against thy Maiestie and against our owne consciences from the beginning of our dayes and euen this day now passed We confesse O Lord that we were at first conceiued and borne in sinne and that from that originall corruption there haue euer since proceeded so many wicked and vngodly thoughts words and works that if thou examine what we haue done amisse we were not able to abide it or to answere one of a thousand of our actions for euen our best workes our prayers are accompanied with so many imperfections of wandring imaginations that when we haue done praying we had need to pray vnto thee againe to forgiue the scapes and negligences and ignorances of them Wee confesse further O Lord God that in respect of our sinnes wee are not worthy to looke vp to heauen or to call vpon thy name for we haue iustly deserued not onely to be depriued of all thy good blessings both concerning this and a better life which hitherto by thy mercies we haue enioyed and which we more fully expect hereafter by thy gracious promise but also wee haue deserued and doe daily deserue thy wrath and indignation to bee poured downe vpon vs vpon our bodies and soules in this life and in the life to come if thou shouldest enter into iudgement with vs. But there is mercy with the O Lord that thou maist be feared And we appeale therefore from thy seuere iustice against sinne vnto thy tender mercies in thine owne Sonne in whom wee know thou art well pleased Wee humbly beseech thee for his sake to be mercifull vnto â—s to pardon and to forgiue vs all our sinnes to wash them away in his blood to bury them in his death and passion so as they may neuer be imputed to vs either in this life to the terror and affrighting of our consciences or in the world to come to our vtter condemnation Good Lord giue vs euery day more and more the true sight of our sinnes the true sense and feeling of them and of thy great iudgements hanging ouer our heads in respect of them Giue vs a true sorrow and hearty repentance for all our sinnes past and a full resolution in the residue of our liues to be more wary and circumspect ouer all our words and actions that we may not onely striue to abstaine from sin but auoid those occasions which we haue formerly found to haue drawne vs thereunto And now Lord seeing the night is come vpon vs and hath not onely depriued vs of the light of the Sun but hath also brought with it darkenesse and terrors fearefull to our weake natures yet wee still depend vpon thy holy protection for as the day is thine so the night is thine Thou hast made darkenesse thy secret place and thy pauillion round about thee euen darkenesse of waters and clowds of the aire and yet the darkenesse hideth not from thee but the night shineth as the day the darkenesse and the light to thee are both alike Preserue vs therefore we humbly beseech thee from the perils and dangers of this night following giue our bodies rest and sleepe and let our soules continually watch for the time when our Lord Iesus Christ shall come for our full deliuerance out of this mortall life O Lord the sleepe wee now desire is an image of death while our senses being thereby bound vp from the performance of their functions and operations wee lye still as dead men not able to see or heare or doe any thing Let our beds therefore put vs in mind of our graues and the rest which we desire for our wearied bodies put vs in minde of the true rest and quiet both of body and soule which thou hast prouided for thy children after this life eâ—ded And