on the Sabboth day and therefore in the Acts. 1 Acts. 1.12 Mount Oliuet is sayd to bee from Ierusalem a Sabboth dayes iourney which Sabboth dayes iourney contained in it as the writers do agree vpon it two miles in distance the which it was lawfull for them to walke on the Sabboth day and therefore in the place before cited in the 12. of Mathew Mat. 12.1 the Disciples were not found fault with by the Pharises for that they trauelled on the Sabboth day but for that they pluckt the eares of corne on the Sabboth day But yet it may bee demanded further for wee are fallen into a labyrinth of questions how comes this permission of a Sabboth dayes iourney seeing all iourneying in the law is expressely forbidden See Exo. 16.29 sayes Moses in Exod. 16. See sayes hee for that the Lord hath giuen you the Sabboth therefore he giueth you on the sixt day the bread of two dayes abide yee therefore euery man in his place let no no man go out of his place on the seuenth day If euery man were commanded to abide in his place on the seuenth day how then comes in this Sabboth dayes iourney Why certainly I can giue no other reason for it but what Oecumenius and Lorinus doe giue and that is that in the time of Ioshua hee commanded it to bee proclaimed that the Arke going before there should be a distance left between it the campe of two thousand cubites by measure as as it is Ios 3. Iosh 3.3 which was the iust distance of two miles whither it was lawfull for the people for to go to visite the Arke euen on the Sabboth day and so may come in our Sabboth daies iourney But yet wee are not thus quite of our question though for still it may be vrged further that this was more then a Sabboth daies iourney for it was aboue two miles that he was to trauell Mat. 4.18 Luke 5.1 Iosh 6.1 Saint Mathew calles it in his 4 chap. the sea of Galilee S. Luke in his 5. chapt the lake of Genesareth S. Iohn in his 6. chapt the sea of Tiberias a broad and large place so that howsoeuer he was still without the compasse of two thousand cubites his Sabboth dayes iourney how may this bee For this we say that our Sauiour Christ he did not iourney on the Sabboth day for the Iewes Sabboth it was our Satterday and that was the seuenth day but this was the first day afterwards changed by the Apostles in memory of our Sauiours most glorious resurrection who dyed vpon the Friday and rose againe the third day which was Sunday and therefore by Saint Iohn in his first of his Apoc. is called Dies Dominicus Apoc. 1.10 the Lords day I was saith he in the spirit on the Lords day that part then of the Commandement the Sabboth day it was but Ceremoniall not Morall for had it beene Morall it had bound vs perpetually to the obseruation of it but wee see it was altered and continues altered vnto this day and so wee haue a gesse of the time which is here set down indefinitely a certaine day though no definitue sentence to conclude it peremptory Now it came to passe on a certaine day It came to passe Heere haue our licentious Epicures and our vpstart Atheists a ground foundation as they thinke to build vp their Chance-medly doctrine in the world that things they come by chance and fortune not by the determinate and deliberate prouidence and disposing of the Almighty For what greater argument of chance can there be say they then that Christ himselfe should in his owne businesse admit of a casualty for the Text is plaine Now it came to passe or it chanced on a certaine day But their foundation it is laid but on a sandy ground for Aristotle long since though but a Heathen Phylosopher yet he could say by the twy-light of nature that ignorantia causarum the ignorance of man was that that made blind fortune a goddesse amongst men for when they saw no reason for many things that came to passe amongst them they did not conceiue that there might be a reason which they thēselues did not see but straight way they deified Fortune made her the author and bestower of thē all vpon the world her that is so brittle a goddesse quae cum spēdet frangitur which is dashed in peeces by the least accident whereas our Sauiour Christs rule is quite contrary for he teacheth vs another doctrine in the tenth of Saint Mathewes Gospell Mat. 10.29 for hee makes Prouidence reach vnto the smallest matters euen vnto the falling of a Sparrow vpon the ground Are there not saith hee two Sparrowes sold for a farthing and yet one of them shall not fall on the ground without the will of your heauenly Father Then much more the weightiest matters such as the Preaching of the Gospell is which is the saluation of the soule of man that shall not be done but by a particular prouidence indeed and that iourney resolued on with mature deliberation Fortune as the world esteemes it it is but an Idoll made for foolish man to worship and adore and he that will worship any thing euen the meanest of creatures will not neglect it wherein hee thinkes hee sees some shew but as it is indeed in it owne nature it is Ordinaria potestas Dei the ordinary prouidence and direction of Almighty God himselfe by which he brings to passe what himselfe intendeth This iourney here of our Sauiours it is vndertaken with a singular resolution to do good vnto all euen those that were most wicked and prophane So is it Gods goodnesse for to super-abound where the sinne of man seemes for to abound The heart of man for his wickednesse it is termed in Scripture Abyssus a bottomelesse pit according to that of Ezechiel in the 17. of his Prophecy Eze. 17.9 Prauum est cor hominis inscrutabile quis cognoscet The heart of man it is vnsearchable and who shall know it yet the mercy and goodnesse of God it is farre deeper then that that is so deepe as that Saint Paul in the 11. to the Romanes is faine to cry out O altitudo diuitiarum Rom. 11.33 Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God And in regard of his mercies he is termed by the Apostle 1. Cor. 3. Pater misericor diarum 1. Cor. 3.2 the Father not of one or two but of many mercies and the God of all consolation he is called the Father of mercies to pardon all the sinnes that man shall commit against him and the Apostle in the Ephesians tels vs Ephe. 2.7 that when we shall need them he has abundantet diuitia gratia exceeding riches of his grace in store for vs if we our selues will but willingly accept what he shall kindly offer vnto vs. Hee does not take this iourney heere vpon
vs likewise from sudden and vnexpected death because that commonly sudden death and vnprepared death they goe both together we cannot liue so warily here not the best of vs all but if God should take vs vpon the present wee might haue many things obiected against vs which we would bee all willing should be concealed in that great and generall day of Iudgement God grant vs all time of repentance here hee grant vs also that wee doe not mis-spend that time that he giues vs but in it heartily repent vs of our sins that so in the last and finall day of iudgement we may all haue that blessing pronounced vpon vs that the Prophet Dauid pronounceth vpon all the righteous Psal 32. Beatiquorum remissae sunt iniquitates Psal 32.1 blessed is the man whose vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen and whose sin is couered Then blessed shall they be vnto whom the Lord will impute no sin And as for those who thinke they liue so warily as that they are alwayes prepared for death let them stand vpon their owne innocency and haue no part in this prayer of ours The heathen I say they thought it a happinesse to haue a sudden death to light vpon them and so Plinie in his seuenth Booke and 53. Cpapter wisheth that that might bee his lot and the Poet is not farre behinde him when he saith Mitius ille perit subita qui mergitur vnda Quam sua qui liquidis brachia lassat aquis He dies easier saith he who at the first dop doth lose his life then hee that in swimming doth struggle to drawe breath But wee that are Christians wee must resolue our selues on the contrary opinion their ignorance it was that caused them to wish for it but we we know besides the manner of death we know I say of a great account which euery one of vs is to make when this life shall be ended a matter that the Heathen scarce euer dreamed of where wee must make answere not onely for those sinnes of old age which the Prophet in the 38 of Esay Esa 38.15 calles annos sinnes of yeares sinnes of great standing but as the Psalmist speakes in the 25 Psal Delicta inventutis Psal 25 7. sins of wanton and recklesse youth and not onely those neither but in the 19 Psalme Psal 19.12 for secret sins that is saith S. Augustine in his Confessions for the sinnes we haue committed in our nonage before we knew either good or euill that we may haue the fewer inditements preferred against vs in that great and generall day of iudgement therefore wee desire respite for repentance here in this world which God grant vs all Amen They came vnto him but how Non passibus sed precibus saith S. Augustine not so much by their earthly paces though we must conceiue that euen in those they hasted vnto him as by their winged prayers they poasted towards him they praied vnto him for had they not humbly supplicated as well as run vnto him they might all very well haue perished in the furious tempest To pray it is naturall for Man and so much Aristotle by the purblinde eye of nature could see Natura sairh he inseruit homini vt sacrificet Man by nature saith hee is made a continuall Beades-man vnto his maker alwayes to haue recourse vnto him and this propertie of nature grace hath confirmed from time to time in the righteous man to haue recourse vnto his Maker so Dauid in his distresse in the 68 Psalme Psal 68.16 when he is in-girt and compassed in about with his many enemies he turnes himselfe vnto the Lord Exaudi me Domiue heare me O Lord saith hee for thy louing kindnesse is good turne vnto me according vnto the multitude of thy tender mercies and hide not thy face from thy seruant for I am in trouble heare me speedily and draw nye vnto my soule and redeeme it deliuer me because of mine enemies c. So good Iehosophat in 2. 2. Chron. 20.13 Chron. 20. he saith cum ignoremus quid agere debeamus when we know not O Lord saith he what to doe then our eyes they are vpon thee And so S. Peter wishes that they alwayes should be 1. Pet. 5. Cast all your care vpon him for hee careth for you and if at any time they should haue recourse vnto God then most especially in their troubles and aduersities when mens soules are brought low vnto hell then they should call vpon his name heartily indeed and then aboue other times hee expects to bee called vpon Psal 50. Psa 50.15 Call vpon mee saith God in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me whereupon Saint Augustine notes that it is Gods Memorandum vnto men to call vpon him Voce te saith hee vt inuoces me behold O man saith hee I put thee in minde of it if thou haue forgotten that then aboue all other times thou haue recourse vnto me Nay many times Almighty God doth lay afflictions and troubles here vpon men that they might bethinke themselues of their Prayers and flye vnto him in their sore distresse We may easily see the course of it By aduersitie God brings men first into a doubt and feare and then by feare into an acknowledgement of their owne necessitie and weaknesse and so consequently into a despaire of succour in themselues and by despairing in their owne meanes to thinke of meanes that may bee profitable vnto them and so at the last to the consideration of Gods vnspeakeable loue and kindnesse to them-wards And out of this againe considering that his mercie is great and his goodnesse from euerlasting hee raiseth vs vp againe to an assured trust and confidence in his mercies and out of this confidence wee are bold to make our Prayers and Petitions vnto our Father And therfore if either voluptuousnesse or anger or pride or any other sin shall be ready to attempt vs our refuge onely must bee to pray against them with Dauid in the 44 Psalme Psal 44.23 Exurge Domine awake why sleepest thou O Lord arise and cast vs not off for euer wherefore hidest thou thy face and forgettest our affliction and our trouble And in our prayers I make no question but we shall finde comfort if not deliuerance speedily If then any perish it is as God himselfe speakes in the 13 of Ose Perditio tua ex te ô Israel Ose 13.14 his destruction it is from himselfe because hee hath neglected his dutie vnto the Lord in calling vpon him to be mercifull vnto him They came vnto him and good reason too for if we would any thing with the Lord it is all the reason that may be that we come vnto him we haue need of him not he of vs then we must call nay we must cry vnto the Lord Psalm 3.4 Clamaui ad Dominum saith the Prophet Dauid I cried vnto the Lord with my whole voyce and he heard me
of them for he made them all Dixit facta sunt saith the Psalmist he spake but the word and all things were made hee commanded and they stood all fast hee did but speake the word let the earth bring forth her increase and also the waters and presently both earth and sea they were replenished with all manner of varietie Brevis sermo sed valde vehement saith Saint Ambrose a short speech it was indeede saith hee that God spake but yet withall it was a speech that was full of power the efficacie of that speech it brought forth the greatest as well as the least creatures and in the same time too for in the same time the whole was made that hee was making of a Frogge Non laborat in maximis Deus non fastidit in minimis saith Saint Ambrose God saith hee did not labour in the making of the greatest things nor yet contemne the making of the meanest hee made all things by his power and therefore worthily is Master of all Was hee not worthy to bee Master of Man as well as of other Creatures when hee made such diuers and contrarie Elements for to meete together in one and the selfe same body and accord in one Fire and Water Aire and Earth Heate and Cold and all in one and the selfe same place and yet hath so tempered them together as that one is the defence and maintenance of the other Nay more then this saith Saint Bernard Mirabilis societas In man hee hath made a wonderfull societie for in him Heauen and Earth Maiesty and Basenesse Excellencie and Pouertie hee hath matched together What is higher then the spirit of life What is baser then the slime of the earth his soule it was infused into him the spirit of life his body it was made of the dust of the earth This was that that made Gregorie Nazianzen to break into that same exclamation of himselfe what great and wonderfull miracle was within himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I am litle and yet I am great I am humbled and yet I am exalted I am mortall and yet I am immortall I am earthly and yet I am heauenly little in body but great in soule humble as being earth but yet exalted aboue the earth mortall as he that must dye immortall as he that shall rise againe earthly as whose body was taken from the earth heauenly as whose soule was breathed feom aboue And will not all this then make him well deserue the Name and Title of Master amongst vs Yes But here hee hath a double Title Master Master What of that Why hee hath a double Mastership he was their Master Iure creationis by the right of their creation but much more Master Iure redemptionis by right and title of their redemption when man had lost himselfe and defaced that glorious image that God at the first had left within him then came our Sauiour Christ Iesus in a mercifull Redeemer and reconciled his Father and Man together againe Henceforth let vs not repine at the fall of our Grand-father for Christ our Sauiour hath made satisfaction for it Was he cast away for the price of an Apple Why yet he is redeemed for a great deale lesse he was redeemed in meere loue and pitie The sixth day of the weeke as it is thought Adam fell for it is thought that he fell the same day that hee was made the sixth day of the weeke againe Adam and his posteritie were redeemed from death The same day that he fell he was redeemed And as God in the beginning rested on the seuenth day so Christ our Sauiour saith Saint Augustine sabbatizanit in monumento kept holy the Sabboth euen in the graue to teach vs to make more account of that day then the world vsually doth in these our times For for all that belonged vnto the saluation of man he finished that vpon the crosse before his departure hence when hee cried Consummatum est all is finished Ioh. 19.30 Iohn 19. Then all was performed that was requisite for vs and hauing finished his worke he rested as securely in his graue as the most secure man of vs all doth rest in his bed And in this redemption which he so kindly performed for vs there are two things especially to bee considered of vs Modus and Fructus the manner and the fruit of our redemption The Manner it was wonderfull Exinanitio Dei saith the Apostle the emptying of God the fulnesse of all things The emptying of him I say and that in three regards First into the flesh Secondly vnto the death Thirdly lastly vnto the death of the crosse O who can worthily esteeme these three as hee ought to do his worth his humilitie his loue vnto mankinde That the God of all Maiesty should be cloathed with the garment of humane flesh That hee should consent to dye and that hee should dye so miserable and cursed a death Here speech must faile vs and our safest eloquence must bee admiration Let vs sometimes in the feare of God call our selues to account for these things and thinke what great things the Lord hath done for euery one of our soules and then let vs be ashamed at our owne vnthankfulnesse againe that he being Lord of all became obedient and seruant for the very worst of vs Of being rich in all things became poore and miserable in most that were necessary That of the word he became flesh Of the sonne of God that he should become the sonne of base and mortall man Let vs remember that though at the first we were made of nothing yet that afterwards we were not redeemed of nothing In sixe dayes at the first God made heauen and earth and all things that in them were contained but in the redemption of Man our Sauiour was three and thirty yeares and vpwards a working of it vpon the earth O how much in that time did he suffer for our sakes The necessities of the flesh the contempt and scorne of the world the temptations both of the Diuell and of mankinde Can wee thinke that pouerty in all that time did not oppresse him nor shame did not touch him nor yet the wrath and anger of his Father any whit amaze him Certainly certainly beloued the least of all these did touch him neere and the greatest that was the fury of his Father did make him make that lamentable cry vpon the Crosse the like wherof was neuer heard in Ages before nor euer shall be heard againe vnto the ending of the world My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Yet thus O Lord didst thou worke the saluation of Man and wonderfully towards him hath beene thy loue Let vs thinke of these things seriously let vs thinke of them often and then I make no question but we shall thinke we haue great reason to think him a double Master vnto vs. And they came vnto him and awaked him saying Master Master But yet the
cause of his double Appellation here in this place it was the feare of the Apostles that infused it selfe into them and the earnest desire that they had to be deliuered from their imminent danger was that that made them double their speeches vnto him Master Master What wee heartily wish for we often repeate Helpe Helpe we cry in time of danger Rescue Rescue in time of distresse So is it here with our Apostles in this place in this time of feare when the storme raged and the seas went high Volvuntur vt aequora montes as the Poet speakes one billow tossed them vp as high as heauen and another suddenly drenched them in the botome of the deep When life almost had quite forsaken them and death was ready to seize vpon them then they cry vnto him Master Master Qui nescit orare discat nauigare saith the Latine Prouerbe if there be any so pampred here vpon the land as I am afraid many thousands there are that haue forgot their duties vnto the Lord neuer think of him but when they borrow his name to sweare by let them go to sea and if they bee not past grace quite so that they haue not as the Apostle speakes Cauteriatam conscientiam a seared conscience that can feele no touch of remorse hee shall bee taught once a day at the least to call vpon the name of the Lord. And they came vnto him and awaked him saying Master Master we perish Our life though it be in a dangerous place as Saint Ambrose telles Quam diu in salo isto tam diu inter naufragia so long as we liue in the sea of this world so long also wee are in continuall danger of shipwrack to be spoyled and we our selues doe continually so ouercharge our soules and bodies both with sinne as that euery day we presse deeper and deeper towards the bottomlesse pit of hell Yet such is the friendship that is contracted betweene the body and the soule by the long familiarity and acquaintance each of other as that they are loath to part and leaue each others company They desire to continue longer together if longer it might be and they care not what shifts they vse for the enioying their desire That made Saint Peter to deny his Maister because hee thought it would call his life in question And all the Disciples for feare of death withdrew themselues from our Sauiours company because they saw those friends must part that had liued so long combined together Terrible and fearefull it is vnto man to thinke of the dissolution of soule and body Anima absoluitur corpus resoluitur as Saint Ambrose speakes where the soule is freed and set at libertie the body againe resolued into the first principles This is that which the natural man cannot endure to heare of and therefore vpon the very thought of it hee is ready with the Apostles to cry out for helpe Master Master wee perish indeed But yet this was not the onely cause though of their crying out in this place though that might helpe to set an accent vpon it for they knew that there was a necessity by nature laid vpon thē once for to dye Intrasti vt cocires was a condition annexed to our creation We must make roome for others as well as others before haue done for vs. And so much the Heathen Poet could say Omnes vna manet nox calcanda semel via lethi they must not thinke much to vndergoe that which all are enioyned necessarily vnto Equalitie is the chiefe ground-worke of equitie and who can complaine to be comprehended where all are contained especially when they shall consider the extraordinarie benefite that death shall bring with it viz. the taking away of sinning any further Death it was once laid vpon man as a punishment for sinning quo die comederis c. what day soeuer thou shalt eate of the forbidden fruit thou shalt certainly dye Death there is appointed as the punishment to sinne but now it is giuen as a benefite and remedy vnto man to keepe him from sinning any further Morere ne pecces dye soone that thou mayst not sinne more against thy maker Quod tunc timendum fuit vt non peccaretur nunc suscipiendum est ne peccetur saith S. Aug. what was once feared is now a benefite vnto mankinde But the feare of eternall death was that that did amaze them more then any of the other particulars spoken of before To perish both in body and in soule and that eternally too this is that that would make thē awake him quickly To perish when they were but Semi-christiani halfe Christians like Agrippa in the 26 of the Acts Act. 26.28 thou perswadest me almost saith hee to Paul to bee a Christian to perish when they were but newly initiated into the Schoole of Christ before they knew the mysteries belonging to their saluation necessarily was that that made them cry out aloud They were ignorant in the fundamentall poynts for the Holy Ghost doth testifie of them in diuers places That they knew not the Scriptures that they vnderstood not that saying of his that they knew him not yet to bee the Messias and then how fearefull a matter it was for them to dye vnresolued you your selues by your selues may easily iudge This feare here of eternall perishing made them cry so earnestly to bee deliuered from the feare of death Maister Maister we perish in our bodies but which is fearefull to be thought vpon also we perish euerlastingly in our soules in hell In our bodily conflicts here vpon the earth either the sence of paine is quite taken away by death or else if our nature bee strong and lusty it soone in wrestling ouercomes the paines of death but in this second death the death of the soule the griefe remaines for euermore that so our nature might be afflicted without any end and our nature indures also that for euer it might bee punished in the endlesse flames for transgressing against so infinite a God neither shall faile neither nature nor paine that so both may bee eternall vnto the wicked The first death doth separate the vnwilling soule from the body but the second death keepes the soule though much vnwillingly for euer in paine together with the body from which paine God for his Christ Iesus sake keepe vs all Amen And so we are come to the finall conclusion of these same words Then he arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water and they ceased and there was a calme Hitherto our Sauiour hath beene patient in these troubles and rested himselfe quietly in these stormy gusts both of winde and water but now he begins to bee a Master indeed and takes vpon him both the bridling of the one and of the other he rebukes the winde and appeases the raging of the troubled water and at his rebuke they both cease and there is a calme But before we come to the appeasing of this
out of his holy Hill we must come and pray vnto him Then they came vnto him c. What the Apostles here did in their persons that wee must do if we want any thing in our owne nay whether we want any thing or no it is our duty for to do it and the prayers of the righteous they are of no small force or efficacie with God to obtaine a blessing from him euery one of them is as a forcible Engine to open Heauen gates and to draw downe a blessing vpon the head of him that sent it vp So S. Bernard telles vs out of that place of the Gospell Luk. 18. concerning the poore Publican Dum non auderet oculos ad Coelos eleuare Luk. 18.10 ipsum Coelum potuit ad se inclinare saith hee Whilst the Publican durst not lift vp his eyes in his prayers vnto heauen such was the force of his prayers with God aboue as that hee bowed the heauens and made them descend downe vnto his prayers But yet by the way it were not amisse for to aske the question What prayers are these that are of such power efficacie with the Lord it is not euery one that is forged in his name Math. 7.21 so our Sauiour Christ himselfe telles vs Math. 7. Non omnis qui dicit Domine Domine not euery one that saith vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen much lesse euery time that he saith it shall haue his request But before our prayers we must prepare our selues to pray by serious meditation Meditatio docet quid desit oratio ne desit obtinet saith Saint Bernard by meditation we learne to know what is wanting vnto vs and by prayer we obtaine that it shall not be wanting That shewes which is the right way that we must walke this teacheth vs how to walke when we haue found the path By meditation wee know the dangers and the perils that hang ouer our heads and by prayer we auoyd them all and escape away scot-free And yet before we can come to meditate aright our heart it must be framed aright for it and that must bee by an earnest and hearty repentance for our sinnes which is Magna spongia as Saint Augustine calles it the great Spunge that wipes them all away out of the fight of the Lord. And herein lies an especiall duty of the Priest if he shall be required thereunto to know how dangerous the sinne is that a man is tainted withall not to flatter his patient in his sinne but to let him know the true weight and danger of it that so he may throughly repent him of his sin and learne to returne to God againe For as S. Cyprian speakes Imperitus est medicus c. he is an vnskilfull Physition saith hee and a worse Surgeon a great deale who seeing of a putrified sore will handle it gently and suffer the corruption to remaine in it still and so by his foolish pitie ouerthrowes his patient whilst he is afraid to apply either his cauteries or his searing medicines Aperiendum est vulnus secandum saith he the wound must be searched launced and the bottome of it felt let the patient in the meane time rage and rosre yet when hee is recouered hee will giue him thankes for his cruell loue Those that sow pillowes vnder mens elbowes and take away repentance for their sins make men beleeue their sinnes are but motes when the weight is so great that God himselfe is forced to groane vnder the burthen of them Amos 2. they doe as much as in them lies shut vp the gate of all true repentance so that whilst with the false Prophets they cry Pax pax non est pax peace peace when there is nothing lesse then peace to be expected whilst they promise a false peace vnto the sinner the hope of eternall peace is vtterly lost from them But in this case there are many vnskilfull euen of the great ones amongst vs who know not what to answere to a distressed wight that shall craue their aduise and helpe but the fault for the most part it lies in themselues Nemo nos interrogat so few there are that craue the aduice of their Teacher as that the case of Conscience lies quite neglected some one or two perhaps when they lye in a cold sweate they send for a Preacher and then hee must giue them a little Opiate Diuinitie that may skinne but not heale or helpe the fore a whit Let vs repent our selues whilst wee are lusty and strong and then wee shall feeele the fruite of it when we lye sicke and weake vpon our beddes And for this same late repentance is S. Augustines note Poenitentiaquae à moriente tantum petitur timeo ne ipsa moriatur he is afraid it will bee dead as soone if not sooner then the partie that lies sicke But true repentance it is the meanes to right meditation and right meditation to hearty prayer and without hearty prayer it is but in vaine to come vnto the Lord and yet againe it is but in vaine for vs to repent vnlesse withall we proceed to feruency of prayer Caine sorrowed for his sinnes when hee confessed his sinnes were so great as God could not forgiue them And Iudas when he cryed out I haue sinned in betraying the innocent bloud but yet they had neither of them grace to aske forgiuenesse for their sinnes which had they done heartily and as they ought I am fully perswaded they should haue found pardon for their great offences Repentance it is the Supersedeas that dischargeth all bonds of sinne and Prayer it is the bucket by which wee draw grace from the everlasting fountaine Let vs continue drawing then till we may assure our selues we haue a good measure of grace within vs and neuer leaue him who is able to adde more to him that hath the greatest aboundance of it in him Let vs flye vnto the Lord by prayer and since our many sinnes like so many fierce Samsons haue not sticked to murther the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah let our repentant teares and humble prayers like so many Bees come and sucke the hony at the flowers of his passion let them ascend vp early in the morning like incense into his nostrils and close the afternoone againe like an euening sacrifice then shall we truly come vnto the Lord and as we ought to do then shall they awaken him though hee bee fast asleepe and obtaine a blessing for vs that offered them vp Then they came vnto him and awaked him saying Master Master This Title of Master here will deserue a little pause you call me Lord and Master saith our Sauiour in the thirteenth of Saint Iohns Gospell Ioh. 13.13 and you doe well for so I am Is not hee Master of them who is Lord and Master of Nature it selfe vnto whom all things both in heauen aboue and in earth beneath doe willingly obey He is Master