miraculosa the miraculous Scripture This miracle is recorded for such as are either sicke or troubled or oppressed or beset with any daunger that whatsoeuer storme of aduersitie shall strike our sailes or what trouble soeuer we shall sustaine we may remember others haue tasted of the same whippe afore vs and none can harbor in the hauen of blisse that haue not first bin weather-bitten with many rough stormes and sharpe tempests Though our shippe happen to be couered with waues like the shippe in this place yet be not faithlesse but haue hope and know that Christ fits at the sterne and will not suffer vs to miscarry This text containeth sixe parts 1 The Apostles feruent loue in following him by sea and land 2 The Accident hapning viz. a great tempest applied to the casualties of this world that happen to the godly 3 The time when this tempest hapned viz. when Christ slept 4 The Apostles onely aide and helpe to run to Christ Master saue vs we perish 5 Christs reprehension why are ye fearefull O ye of little faith 6 Christs helping hand in staying the wind First of their loue in folowing Christ The felicity of the godly is to sticke to God and to follow his will and therefoee the Prophet Dauid saith it is good for me to cleaue 1. Sam. 12 14 vnto the Lord. Samuel also perswaded the Israelites that they should follow the Lord their God and not depart from him The children of God ought to carry so great an affection to God as Elishah did to Eliah who would not part from him til the 2. King 1 Lord diuided them Such was the affection of the Apostles in this place and at all times they followed the lamb whither soeuer he went to the mountaine to the desart to the sea and here to the shippe This must teach vs to follow Christ both by sea and land in time of persecution and else For as the separation of the soule from the bodie is the death of the body so the separation of Christ from the soule is the death of the soule therefore we must folow Christ euen vnto the sea What multitudes of people are recorded Luke 5. in the fift of Luke they pressed vpon him in such sort that for feare of the throng he was faine to enter into a shippe The like throng of followers is mentioned 2. Chr. 9. 7. in the eight of Luke If the Queene of Sheba could say of Salomons followers happy are thy men and happy are these thy seruants which stand alwaies before thee and do heare thy wisedome Much rather may it be spokē happy are Christs followers and his attendants that stande euer in his presence like the Apostles to heare his heauenly wisedome since a greater then Solomon is here for this is he that taught Salomon his wisedome There is vertue in Christ and it is an attractiue vertue to draw vs vnto himselfe like a load-stone He refuseth no seruant that will come to his seruice let vs then be willing to offer our selues to serue so good a maister for his burthen is light and his yoake is easie Mat. 11. 28. He calles vpon vs for our good Come to me all ye that are heauy loaden and I wil refresh you Other maisters vse to load their seruants but Christ is such a maister that takes the burthen from his seruants and carries it vpon his owne shoulders to ease them Ioseph his brethren were glad to haue Gen. 43. 21 corne for money but Ioseph returned them both their corne and mony too So if we will be the followers of Christ serue him wee shal find his seruice no seruitude for he will giue vs our freedome and our wages too In the eight of Luke a certaine scribe Luke 8. comes to Christ and saith master I will followe thee whither soeuer thou goest Loe this scribe who before he knew Christ had a whole common wealth in his head being a meere worldling now began to leaue the world and to cast away his olde liuery as the blind-man threw away his patched cloake in running to Christ and betooke himselfe to Christ his seruice In the ninteenth of Luke we find Zacheus Luke 19. running to Christ the world and Mammon did so hang vpon his backe till now that he could not trauell to Christ but now hauing come to the knowledge of Christ and Gods spirit calling vpon him he changeth his former resolutions and shooke from him his Exod. 3. 5 pillages and his exactions as Moses did put from him his shooes when the Angel called vpō him out of the flaming bush and now he was so light as Peter when his shakles fell from him and he runnes to Christ hastily who receiued him ioyfully Mark 10 In the tenth of Marke one comes running to Christ in like sort asking him what he might do to possesse eternall life Matt. 20 In the twenty of Mathew two blind men though they could not see Christ yet they could follow him and they gained that which they would not lose againe for more Mat. ◠gold than Gehezie tooke from Naaman euen their sight and now seeing him that salued them they follow him more egerly returning Christ more praises than the wise men did presents All these are so many summons to cite vs before the consistory of Christ the blind and lame and diseased scribe and publicane sicke and whole and all do call vpon vs to follow Christ like his Apostles And behold there arose a great tempest in the sea and the ship was couered c. Now we are to speake of the accidents hapning in the great tempest but euen now Christ and his Apostles had entered into the shippe and loe a storme so preuaileth that the ship that carried them is now couered with waues Euen now it was calme when the shippe ankered in the hauen and no sooner are the sayles hoist and they launcht into the deepe but ship and men and all are in ieopardie of drowning see an vnexpected sodaine alteration Here we may view the state of Christs church militant It is like the arke floating vpon the waters like a lilly growing among the thrones like the bush that burnt and was not consumed like Christs ship in this place couered ouer with waues and yet not sunk God suffereth his Saints to be oftentimes in danger either to shew his power in their deliuerance or to cause them by tribulation to come to him for succour and to make them the more thankfull So he humbled the Israelites before Pharaoh Exod. 5 and his Aegyptians So he humbled Iacob all the time he serued Laban He humbled Iob in a greater measure Iob. 1. suffering Satan to discharge at him all his darts at once thinking to make a full end of him He humbled Heliah in making him flie 1. Ki. 19. from Iezabel that sought his life How did he humble his owne Apostles that were so deare vnto
like the restlesse doue till we flie to God as the doue to the arke by an vnfained repentance This made Peter go out and this was his consideration and the same must be ours too if we wil haue rest to our soules or peace to our consciences He went out c. The place from whence he went was the high priests hall the place of iudgement where Christ was arraigned where the scribes and people were gathered together against Christ none but wicked men assembled in that place and here was no place for Peter Therfore he went out Good men must not companie with the wicked at any time and if they happen to light in their societie â—ike Dauid among the Philistins they ought then to make speede to go out from them according to the counsell of Solomon turne Prou. 15. away from the wicked man The Lord will haue the righteous to out goe from the wicked as Lot went out of Sodom to dwell in Zoar. Peter sate in denying his maister but now being brought to the knowledge of his sin he bestirred himselfe and went out when we are most secure and at greatest ease resting our selues as it were in the chaire of securitie and drowsinesse then is Satan most vigilant and watchful to snare vs. As when Iobs children were feasting and thought least of any daunger towards themselues Iob. 1. 19 the diuell spied his opportunitie to destroy them by throwing the house vppon their heads When Belshazar was sitting at the table carowsing wine among his nobles in vessels Dan. 5. of siluer and vessels of gold then were the hideous fingers vpon the wall readie to pen his tragical end and the ruine of his kingdome Lot had no sooner betaken himself to ease Gen 19. 33 in Zoar but Satan preuailed against him to cause him committe incest with his twoo Gen. 9. 21 daughters he tempted Noah the preacher of righteousnes after he had planted himselfe a vine-yard to take so deepe a taste of the grape that he became drunke he became ouerflowed with wine as the old world with water and this was a worse deluge then the first He that preached to others but a little before could not preach to himselfe a lesson of sobrietie but lay vncouered in his tent and was a rebuke to his owne children If these mightie ones haue bin ouerthrown how shal the weaklings stand No maruaile if the low shrubs be rooted out and supplanted since the tall Cedars in Lebanon are thrown down This securitie was farre from Iob who as he shewed himselfe in other things to be patient shewed himselfe in this to be vigilant in that he sayth I feared al my waies If Peter had watched Satan as Satan watched him lâ—e had not bin snared but when he sate Saâ—â—n saw he was carelesse and therefore the more subiect to be tempted and to be ouercome We reade of the cranes that when they Plinie flocke together to feede one of them vseth to feede a farre off and that crane so singled from the rest still as he feedes lookes round about him and obserues if any daunger be towards them if he spie any bodie drawing nigh then he giueth warning to the rest and so they saue themselues shall this pollicie rest in vnreasonable birds and shall it not â— found in man If when Peter his body haâ— taken it rest his soule had wakened and obserued Satan casting a net about him to inâ— tangle him he had deceiued the deceiuer bâ— while he sate his enemy walked round abouâ— him and circumuented him so as he had nâ— power to escape Peter sate when he fell like a man in â— slumber that falles beside his chaire but now he standeth vp like a man newly wakened out of a dream and he goeth out The godly are euer for the most part noted either going walking or running The Prophet Ps 119. 33. Dauid desired the Lord to teach him to go the path of his commandements hauing Ps 119. 32. learned to go he had also learned to run the way of his commandements I will runne the way of thy coÌ„mandements One comes Luke 10. running to Christ desirous to know what he must do to obtain eternal life he thought he Mar. 10. 17 could not runne fast enough being in the way to eternall life Zacheus ranne to meete Christ a certaine blind man in running to Christ threw away his cloake to the end he might runne the faster And Peter held his station no longer but Luke 19. 4. besturd himselfe and made haste to go out when he felt the liuely soule-stirring motion of Gods spirit calling him to repentance Samuel could not sleepe when the Lord 1. Sam. 3. called nor Peter sit any longer when the spirit of God called vpon him by the crowing of a cocke Let vs learne of Peter to yeeld to the woorking of Gods spirite now the cocke croweth and as many as are watchfull may heare it now then let vs prepare our selues to repent like Peter And he wept bitterly Here is the third degree or step of his repentance testified by his teares Plinie writeth that the teares of the vine doe cure the leprozie of the skinne So the teares of the faithfull grafted into the true vine Christ Iesus do cure the leprozie of sin S. Aug. sayth when the Eagle waxeth old she plungeth her wings into a fountaine of cleere water and so renueth her strength So we must wash and bathe this whole body of sinne so shall we become lustie and yong as an Eagle S. Cyril vpon this weeping of Peter sayth Locum flendo recepit quem negando perdidit he found that in weeping which he lost by denying and though he denied him saith Nazaianzene God is more merciful than mâ— can be sinfull if man will be sorrowfull â— 2. King 2 Elisha threw salt into the waters to maâ— them sauory and sweet so must we season oâ— prayers with salt teares to make them sauoâ— vnto God Great cause had Peter to weepe considâ— ring 1. Sam. 1. 7 the greatnesse of his sinne for if Annâ— had cause to weep for her barrennesse muâ— more cause had Peter for his barrennesse â— faith If Rachel wept for her children becauâ— Iere. 31. 15 they were not much more cause had Petâ—â— to weep for his graces because they were noâ— If Agar wept being turned out of her masters house should not Peter mourne mucâ— rather for turning himselfe out of his masteâ— house and denying his coate If Thamar wept being deflowred of heâ— 2. Sam. 13 19. virginitie hath not Peter cause to weepe foâ— beeing depriued of his faith and constanciâ— If the Virgin Marie wept for the death oâ— her Son as if her soule had bin pearced thoâ— row with a sword hath not Peter cause tâ— weepe for denying him that died for him Many causes we see may procure teares buâ— sure to deny Christ as Peter did is a causâ— that
Christ to our soules to nourish them to eternall life After we haue fed our bodies with bread and drinke we are hungry and â—hirsty again but Christ the liuing bread that came from heauen so feedeth our soules that they hunger and thirst no more Sampson could not see the hony dropping Iud. 14 9. but he must needes be licking so we cannot behold Christ inuiting vs to so heauenly a banquet but we long to be feeding and when we haue fed and disgested this spirituall foode we neuer hunger any more because our soule are still full as the Prophet Dauid saith my cup is ful and in the strength Psal 24 5. of this foode we are able to continue longer then Eliah did And when he had giuen thanks Christ did first giue thankes that 's the first action in this sacrament hee woulde not breake the bread nor giue it to his disciples till hee had sanctified it To teach vs what we must doe before we feede our selues He is ill woorthy of the creatures of God that will venture to vse them with greater liberty then the Sonne of God did In the twentie six of Mathew we find him not sitting downe til he had first saied grace nor râ—â—â—ng againe till hee had sung a Psalme Vnthankful people that notwithstanding this example of Christ in this place will yet forget God that feedes them deserue to die with meate in their mouthes like the Israelites â—â— 11 20 with quailes in their nostrilles Christ in giuing thankes calles vppon vs for gratitude and thanksgiuing in all matters whatsoeuer for what haue we that we haue not receiued for our food our health our liberty our peace All the creatures of God giue prayse to God that made them and shall ingratitude rest onely in men That which Christ here hath taught the children of God in all ages haue learned of him and practised The Prophet Dauid in the hundred and third Psalme calles vpon his soule and al that is within him to prayse the Lord. The very birds doo not feede themselues in the morning till first they haue chyrped and sung out prayses vnto God that made them Plâ—â—ie recordeth that there is not so fierce oâ— cruel a nature in the world but it is allured and wonne by benefites and stories do make report of strange examples in this kind as of lions and dogges towards their benefactors only an obstinate is he among all the sauage creatures that are whom neither benefits can moue nor curteâ—â—es can mollifie nor promises can allure nor gifts can gaine to the gratefull seruice of his Lord. We haue nothing from our selues but our sinnes all else comes from God yet we forget God that giues vs all things the bread to feed vs the earth to beare vs the light to comfort vs our cloathes to couer vs yea more than can be most his owne son to die for vs and yet our hearts will not call vppon our mouthes to acknowledge the author of all this So ingraâ—efull are we like those nine leapers ten were cleansed and but one returned Luc. 17. 17 to giue thankes So is it with vs scarce one of ten haue learned to be thankful Nature hath stampt in the very beasts of the earth a kind of gratitude Esay proueth it to reproue men for that they shew themselues so vnlike beasts Esay 1 The oxe knoweth his owner and the asse his maisters cribbe yet Israel knoweth not me Among these lepers aboue cited we find one better than nine and they were men one man better then many men but here wee finde beasts better then men If we will not learne of Dauid nor yet of Christ Dauids Lord learne of an oxe and an asse to be thankfull He brake it The breaking of the bread may not passe without his note It betokeneth the participation of his body as bread cannot be giuen nor diuided vnlesse it bee broken so the flesh of Christ cannot equally bee communicated nor imparted to the faithfull receiuers vnlesse first it be broke As we cannot eate whole loaues vntill they be cut into peeces and morselles that so wee may the better chew them and digest them so that other bread in the sacrament must be broken and diuided also because it cannot otherwise be redeemed Besides the breaking hath in it this mysterie it signifieth the breaking of Christes bodie viz. the torments and tortures and bitter paines that he indured for vs both in his bodie and soule As our eie then beholdes the breaking of the bread in the sacrament so let our spirituall eie the eie of the soule looke vppon Christ and his passion looke vpon him reuiled scorned spitted at whipped araigned crowned with thorne by false euidence conuicted and condemned and sentenced and executed betweene two theeues his handes and feete nailed through gaule and vinegar giuen him to drinke his most precious side goared and pearced through with a speare All this must bee seriously thought vppon with all other occurrences of his death and passion when thou seest the bread broken And gaue it After hee had broken it he giues it for now it was made fit for them and they were as capable to receiue it and as he gaue it so hee gaue not it alone but hee gaue comfort with it euen himselfe with it 2. Kin. 2. 13 as Elisha receiued at one time both Eliah his cloake and his spirit too Take eate this is my body As if he should haue said I haue alreadie fed your bodyes with materiall foode loe now receiue better meat food for your soules which shall feede them vp to eternall life Because Christ came to fulfill the lawe therefore he first ate the Passeouer with his Disciples and so finished that abrogated it in steede whereof he preseutly for the coÌ„fort of his Church ordained this sacrament of his bodie and bloud which should for euer bee vsed a speciall marke of the true Church being arightly administred In this sacrament we receiue Christ Iesus God and man we eate his bodie and wee drinke his blod so we beleene and teach but by his body we meane not that body which was at the table when this sacrament was instituted not that body which was crucified for vs vpon the Crosse not that bodie that was incarnate of the virgine Mary But by his body wee meane the force and fellowship and power of his bodie with all his goodnes and righteousnes This doctrine is as true as Christ is Christ and the Scripture is Scripture Howsoeuer the Papistes maintaine the contrarie by their doctrine of transubstantiation which is an execrable doctrine and a detestable heresie They hold that the bread and wine in the Sacrament is turned after the words spoken by the minister into the very flesh of Christ and the wine into his bloud A grosse and most absurd opinion that we should rent with our teeth the very flesh oâ— Christ our Sauiour This is euen to cruciâ—â—â— Christ againe like the
Christs body should be offered and his bloud powred out for our sinnes Giuen for vs. Here is all merite excluded the meere loue of God caused Christ to die for vs. So God loued the word that he gaue his only begotten Son that so many as beleeued on him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Hauing now the participation of his bodie and bloud we may sing with S. Paul now there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus God spared not his only sonne but gaue him for vs al to death and again who shall condemne it is Christ who is dead or rather who is â—isen for vs. This should make vs loue God and this should stirre vs vp to be thankfull vnto him for so inestimable a benefit And God doth call vpon vs for this thankfulnes in the following words Doe it in remembrance of me O it is a thing especially to be remembred this benefit of our redemption O it ought to be printed vpon our nailes and vpon our tables and vpon our beds that we might neuer forget it Let vs remember Christ his death for it is our life it saues vs from death euen eternal death Dauid could say of Ierusalem If I forget Psa 137. 5. thee O Ierusalem let my right hand forget her cunning yea lette my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth if I preferre not Ierusalem to my cheefest ioy So let vs say the same of Christ if we forget thee O our redeemer let our right hand forget her cunning yea lette our tongues cleaue to the roofe of our mouthes if wee preferre not thy death to our cheefest ioye Remember thy creator saith the Preacher Eccle. 12 1 so I say remember also thy Redeemer Thou oughtest sooner to forget thy selfe as Messalah did his name theÌ„ to forget him that died for thee Consider this you that forget God you that dwell in sinful Ierico leaue your sinnes they procured Christs death Christ hath died for vs that henceforth we should learne to die to sinne and walke in newnesse of life knowing that our olde man is crucified with him to thend the body of sinne should be destroyed You then remember him as yee ought when you lay all the storie of his Passion before you as if you looâ—ed vppon him nowe crucified and hanging on the crosse induring all the torments and paines of hell both in body and soule for our sakes consider of all the tortures and bitter pangs of his innocent passion which Nazianzene compriseth in three words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Buffets and blowes mockes and mowes railings and reuilings whips and scourges prickes and thornes hammers and nailes cordes and ropes crosse and gibbet thirst and vinegar reede and speare these were the instruments of our redemption Al this and more then can be vttered did he sustain patiently for our sakes in his most blessed body Which though they be now past in him ought not lightly to passe from vs but euer to be fresh in memorie as Dauid saide I will neuer forget these iustifications of thine so let vs say we will neuer forget these torments of thine The christian soules of men should liue Act. 7 55 and die in the meditation of Christs life and death like Stephan in the contemplating of his glory If the Philosophers call contemplation the greatest and chefest felicitie certainelie then in this contemplation consists the greatest felicity The forgetfulnes of this benefite driues vs blindfolded into al sin for wheÌ„ we forget Christ we straightwaies forget our selues too and so this proud flesh of ours wil not suffer vs to crucifie our crooked affections What flesh can be proud that beholdeth our Sauiour so poore and contemptible vpon the crosse or what soule hauing any spark of grace like the maimed faith of Agrippa caÌ„ nowe giue himselfe ouer vnto sinne considering the seueritie of Gods iustice vppon his owne naturall and only begotten Sonne for our sinnes which otherwise could not be cleered but by so deere a price euen the hart bloud of so glorious a person But of this inough although inough can neuer be spoken and it ought rather to bee mused vpon in our harts than amplified in words Here may wise men studie and wonder like the disciples gazing after Iesus ascending or like Elisha when his maister was taken from him I will end with the woordes of this shorte charge in this place Do it in remembraunce of Christ Remember Christ hath redeemed you Christ hath reconciled you his bloud hath purged you his faith doth iustifie you his appearing will glorifie you to him with the father and the holy spirite bee glory for euer Amen Christ Combating with Satan Then was Iesus ledde aside by the spirit into the Wildernesse to be tempted of the diuell And when hee had fasted forty dayes and fortye nights he was at the last an hungry Then came to him the Tempter and sayd if thou be the Sonne of God command these stones to be made bread c. Math. 4. 1. This Historye is recorded for our learning and for our exhortation for our learning to the end we should know that Christ by this his faste hunger temptation and victory ouer Satan did all this for our sakes and therein worketh our good and safetie The faithfull in Christ must know that they shall neuer be left in temptation nor ouercome in affliction because our head Christ Iesus hath in his owne person ouercome al these things for vs according to that sweete testimony of himselfe in the 16. of Iohn Be of good cheere I haue ouercome the world We are exhorted after this example of Christ to indure hunger temptation and any necessitie or crosse of affliction soeuer that God shal lay vpon vs when and so ofteÌ„ as it shall please God to exercise vs with any such triall arming our selues with patience and much constancie and we shall vndoubtedly be deliuered at Gods hands al in good time God wil comfort vs when we are most pinched as in this place hee comforted his sonne after his long fast by causing the Angels to minister vnto him In the time of trouble and heauines when wee combat with the diuel and our owne flesh comfort seemes for a time to be hid like fire that is raked vp in the ashes vntil the bellowes of Gods prouidence blowe vpon it and then it shewes it selfe vpon a sodaine like the sunne out of a cloude when the storme is past God requireth that we stay his leysure and at length though his helpe and succor seeme as farre from vs as Lazarus in Abrahams Luc. 16 22. bosome yet it wil come at last to do vs most good as the Sunne that was rising is risen and as the sheaues fell afore Ruth in the gleaning time If when wee bee no sooner downe God presently raiseth vs vp Ruth 2 16. why here can bee no triall of patience but God is woont to leaue vs for a time to the
full swallow of affliction that we seeme past all recouery like Lazarus nowe foure dayes already in the graue and when wee thinke Ioh. 11 17. least of daunger then God assisteth vs by a speedy deliuerance and all our troubles fall from vs on a sodain like the chaines that fell Act 12 7. from Peters hands and so before wee be aware we are cast vpon the shoare like Ionah The spirit of God led Christ into the cittie where hee wrought miracles and to the temple where he preached and to the mouÌ„t where he was transfigured In the former chapter afore this text the same spirit led him to lordan where hee was baptised and here in this place he leades him aside into the desart to the cittie to the temple to the mountaine sea and desart to fulfill Mat 3. 15. all righteousnes What needed Christ to go to the desart but to teach vs how to carrie our selues wheÌ„ we are driuen to the desart Men cannot alwaies liue among men they cannot still be in the citty but somtimes they must be driuen to the wildernesse as Moses was cast out among the flagges and therefore Exod. 3. since the desart is a place subiect to many incombrances and temptations a place remote from comfort we had the more need to bee armed against the dangers there As the Israelites could not passe to Canaan but through the desart of sin so we must not looke to passe hence to our spiritual Canaan the kingdom of God but through the wildernesse of sinne Nay some of vs are neuer out of this desart of sinne as many of the Israelites left theyr bones in the wildernes Lette Satan vse neuer so violent a reluctation with thee yet God will helpe thee in Gen. 32 31 thy wrastlings and make thee strong like Iacob so that thou shalt preuaile though thou go away hawlting as Ioseph went away with Ge. 39 13. a torne garment Be thou confident and strong flying to Gods prouidence onely for succor as the Doue fled to the arke for refuge and in the Gen. 8 9. end Satan shal haue the foyle and thou the victorie Learne of Iob to be of courage who had such strong consolation in the midst of his heauines that he could say though God do kill me yet will I stil trust in him How weak was Satan and how strong was Iob though Satan could weaken his body he could not weaken his soule and therefore being ashamed he could so little preuaile he gaue ouer both field and conquest to a sicke man Iob Iob. 13 15. though he could not stand vpon his feete for weaknesse gets the victory notwithstanding Let men in weaknesse then take courage since the victory sometimes falles to the weakest Be thou neuer so impotent and weake yet know that God is strong to helpe thee and confound the diuell First Christ is driuen to the desart that is he is left alone and as it were forsaken of God of Angells and of men and of al creatures which might seeme to minister any way vnto him Here we are to note the force and strength of this temptation he is for a time left destiâ—ute of helpe and comfort For what temptation were it if we were not forsaken and left alone to our selues and specially so to be left alone that we neither know nor can deuise how to releeue or sustaine our selues for that all meanes do seeme to faile vs. Here is the triall of a christian mans faith here it will appeare whether you haue faith like the Prince that vnbeleeuing wretch in the dearth of Samariaâ— or whether you haue faith almost like Agrippa or alogether like Paul eueÌ„ to scape vnconquered from the diuel as Paul scaped vnhurt fron the viper Ect. 28 5. when he shooke it into the fire God went farre with the poore widdow when he suffered her to come to so low an ebbe as that now she had but so much meale 1. King 17. as would suffize to make but one cake for her selfe and her familie and but a quantity of oyle in the bottome of the cruze but yet though she were now at the point to resigne vp her life God so blessed that little oyle and that little quantity of meale that it serued both her and her houshold all the time of the dearth so though it be long comfort comes at last and makes vp our mouthes likâ— Daniel his haruest dinner Peaury can be turned into plenty and Psa 23 5. 6. emptines to fulnes when God is determined to help vs and then we can sing with Dauid my table is well furnished and my cup runs ouer God went farre with Helias when in the. 1. king 17. time of three yeares dearth he sent him to the riuer Cherith yet the Lord caused thâ—re the rauens to bring him bread and flesh in the morning and bread and flesh in the euening too God went farre with the Israelites in the Exod. 17. desart when they could get no water for themselues and their cattel yet God had prepared there the rocke to streame forth water abundantly not to stand vpon examples which are infinite God went farre with his owne Sonne the brightnes of glory and the ingrauen forme of his person Christ Iesus in suffering him to indure this extremity of hunger full fortie daies before the Angels Ioh. 10 27. came and ministred vnto him In this it will be seene whether we be the children of God or the children of the world my sheepe saith Christ heare my voice let vs then heare his voice His voice Ioh. 1 6 33 hath sounded long agoe I haue ouercome the world so let vs say we haue ouercome the world and Goliah is neuer able to shrinke this stone but it must pearce into his temples to returne glorie to Israel and shame to the Philistins If when in thy greatest neede and most pinching extremitie when thou hast not so much as one mite to throw into the treasurie when al the substance thou hast cannot affoord to buy thee meate for one meale to satisfie thee and thine nor canst looke for any helpe from others and yet dost rely vpon God in his gracious prouidence why then know that he who susteyned his owne Son in the desart by the ministery of his Angells will sustaine thee too Before thou shalt starue and perish in that extremitie God will send his Angell to feede thee as he sent his Angell and Abacuk to feede Daniel in Babilon Indeede man is weake and flesh is fraile and Satan is busie to tempt as to tempt at all times so specially then when thou art in the desart when thou art alone Hunger is one of the straightest extremities and least able to bâ—ooke patience Adam continued in his righteousnesse and transgressed not till the houre of eating Genne 3. and then when hunger called for meate no meaâ—e could qualifie his vnbrideled appetite nor satisfie his lust
the skie was full of clouds and now the skie is cleere and the cloudes vanished and the calme is greater then the storm We may be in danger and trouble when Christ sleepeth but when Christ awaketh seeth the waues sowsing ouer our heads and the water flashing into the shippe he ariseth and rebuketh the waues as before he rebuked his Disciples and so the calme foloweth The windes blustred and the water violently swelled as long as Christ slept as if they had bin priuie to his sleeping but assoone as Christ awaked and considered of the tempest the windes and waues considered themselues and became quiet Here is a full president of Gods mercy and of his power he exerciseth both for the good of his Disciples his wil appeares in reprouing the waues his power in suppressing the rage thereof This made Tobit say thou scourgest and Tobi. 13 2. yet takest pittie thou leadest to hel and back againe And Gods owne testimony proues the same I kill and I giue life I wound and I make whole and in the sixteenth chap. of Iohn saith Christ ye are in sorrow nowe but your hearts shall reioyce and your ioye shall no man take from you Let vs pray vnto God to increase our litle faith and our shippe shal neuer miscarrie Thus you haue breefely seene the loue of the Apostles in following Christ to the shippe you haue also seene Satan tempting the wether storming the winds blowing the Disciples trembling and Christ sleeping yet he being cried vnto awaketh and ariseth and appeaseth the rage of the sea and so suffereth not his disciples to perish The Disciples loue towardes Christ must arme vs with like affection towardes him and their want of faith must stirre vp our weakenes and incredulity and make vs flie to Christ like the restlesse doue to the arke So we shall be sure to be safe amidst all stormes like his disciples when Christ rebuked the windes Vse this Card it will the better direct thee in thy compasse as the Angell lead Abrahams Gen. 24. 40 seruant a straight path by land so this will leade thee a right course by sea and if any storme beate against thy ship thou shalt be sure to come safe to shoare when others for want of this guide shal perish by shipwracke Amen The Sinners Bath If we acknowledge our sinnes God is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sins and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse Iohn 1. 9. THis is a lesson for all but Christ al besids him prince Prophet and people from the marchaunt to the porter from him that sittes on the throane to him that grindes â—n the mill all are weake and feeble and diâ—â—ased and sicke of one sore and therefore â—ust all apply to themselues one and the â—me kind of cure None but Christ alone could say which you can rebuke me of sinne Since all haue sinned al had neede to be â—eansed Luk. 3. 12. 14. The publicans and sinners and souldiers come to Iohn crauing to be salued And here a greater then Iohn proclaimes that all sinners that will be set free from their sinne shall be so soundly salued and cleansed in this so wholsome a Bath that they shall neuer neede a second cure no more than the lame cripple in the third of the Acts Acts 3. being once restored to his feete by Peter did euer any more betake himself to his crutches And this Bath as it is most precious for it cureth all diseases euen the most putrified and exulcerat sores so is it yet most highly to be reckoned because God offers it freely to all commers of all sorts like the poole Bethesda Ioh. â— 24 that freely healed all that washed in it Once God the father proclaimed to the thirstie ho euery one that thirsteth come to the waters and ye that haue no siluer come buy wine and milke without mony And here God the sonne proclaimeth speaking to the sicke as he to the thirstieâ— come to be bathed al ye that be leprous and sinfull come clense your soules and receiue Esay 55 11 soundnesse to your selues without money Other baths doe but wash and cleanse the bodies of men but this is the soueraigne Bath of the soule none but this can purifie the soule and take away the maladies of it by the secret vertues thereof The Disciples of Christ though they had the gift of healing and power giuen them to worke miracles yet they could not cure all diseases as they could not cast the diuell out of the lunaticke man in the seuenteenth of Mathew Christ alone did that so in this place though God hath giuen power and skill to men to heale diseases God alone will haue the prerogatiue in curing â—â—e diseases of the soule none may do that but he Howsoeuer the Pope will seeme by his counterfaite phisicke to purge mens soules and to cleanse their sins by his buls pardons and indulgences and such trumpery yet we know that his phisicke hath deceiued all his patients and hath wrought no more cure on the soules of men then Elisha his staffe did 2. kin 4 31. recouer the Sunamites child when Gehezie laid it vpon the face thereof The Popes pacients are sicke still and still dead in their sinnes for all the Popes drugge as the Sunamites child was dead still till Elisha came Not to amplifie a large discourse in the commendation of this Bath as Phillip saide to Nathanael when he was desirous to see Christ come and see so saye I vnto you come and see come and prooue this Bath I know that if you wash in it you must needs find the vertue of it as Naaman found the vertue of Iordan to heale that which all the riuers of Damascuâ— â—ould not cure When you shal haue â—â—actised it I know you will say as the Queene of Shebah said to Solomon I heard before of thy wisedome but the one halfe hath not bin told me so I haue heard the praises and the vertues of this Bath before now and loe the one halfe hath not bin told me If we confesse our sinnes God is faithfull to forgiue Confession of sinne must goe before and then forgiuenes of sins wil follow after The text admits this short diuision The sinners salue and the vertuous operation of it the salue if we confesse the effect or operation God is faithfull to forgiue As Christ told Martha one thing is necessary so here he telleth vs one thing is necessary that sinnes may be forgiuen We must note that there is a three-fold confession First there is a confession of faith which is the act of religion Secondly there is a confession of praise an act of gratitude Thirdly there is a confession of sin as here an act of contrition Confession of faith made by Peter when he said thou art Câ—â—â—t The answere 〈…〉 flesh and bloud haue not reuealed thesâ—â—â—ngs vnto thee Confession of praise is made by Dauid in the 106. Psalme praise
shall be woorthy of iudgement but he that saith thou foole shall be worthy to be punished with hel-fire these are the handmaides of murther and are all here condemned But if thou shalt being ouer ruled by thine own corrupt wil and Satan his suggestion at any time fall out with thy neighbor to quarrel with him and to hate him in thine heart oh beware yet how thou proceede to shead his bloud for then thou fallest into the extreamity of the breach of this commaundement Destroy not him whom God hath made and for whom Christ hath died for he that sheadeth mans bloud by man shal his bloud be shead Gain proued not a wanderer til he became a murtherer he neuer despaired of Gods Gene. 4. 14 mercy til he had slaine his brother but when his brothers bloud begâ—nne to crie out for vengeance to the Lord then he began to cry out also against himselfe mine iniquitie is greater than Gods mercy Let this wanderer be a warning to al them that carry bloudy mindes that hate their neighbours in their hearts and by his iudgement let vs grow wise let vs learne not to destroy life for God chargeth thee to preserue life Christ commaunds vs to loue euen our Mat. 5. 44. enemies The seueth commandement Againe if thou loue thy neighbour thou wilt not corrupt thy neighbour thou wilt not tempt him or her to any vncleannesse which is the matter of the seauenth commaundement for God wil haue vs glorifie him in our bodies and in our soules God requireth vs to be so prouident and careful in guiding our selues as that we suffer not so much as an vnpure thought or lust to passe from vs. In this commaundement all vnchaste demeanor loose cariage of our selues al idle talke foolish and scurrilous ieasting wanton songs garish or gaudy apparrel and al lewd pastimes inusing to such vncleanes are here forbidden For our bodies are the temples of the holieghost and God requireth vs to be holy as â—e is holy Know ye not saith Paul that your bodies are the temples of the holieghost which is in you whom ye haue of God and you are not your owne foâ— ye are dearly bought therefore glorifie God in your bodies in your soules for you are gods Behold the vialles of Gods wrath vppon transgressors of this commandement and by their falls learne to stand we reade that Phineas in his zeale slewe Zimry and Cosby for this sinne of adulterie Fiue and twenty thousands of the Beniamites Iud. 20. were slayne for the forcing of the Leuites wife The Sodomites for this sin among others were consumed with fire He that committeth adultery is voide of Pro. 6. vnderstanding he that doth it destroyeth his owne soule In the eight commaundement all stealing The eight commandement and robbing all violent wrongs fraudes and al desire of other mens goods are prohibited so we reade in Leu. 19. 11. Eph. 5. 9. 1. Thes 4. 6. The contrary to this is commanded viz. to be content with the portion that God hath giuen vs in labouring for our owne liuings and being helpefull to them that neede To proceede yet further if thou loue thy The ninth commandement neighbour thou wilt not accuse thy neighbor falsly in any matter by bearing false witnesse against him God is a God of truth and he requireth truth in his seruants If at any time thou shalt testifie against him looâ—â—e thy testimony be true All lying flattering and dissembling are here forbidden also all back-biting and slandering This commaundement hath many branches it impeacheth the iudge if hee giue false iudgement it impeacheth the counsailor if he carry himselfe to his clyent otherwise than he ought it impleades the recorder if he falsifie the record most of al it concernes him for the record being searched if it be false an hundred yeares after it may do harme it reacheth to the iurors if they giue not a true verdict according to euidence if these circumstances were duly considered there would be lesse swearing and forswearing than commonly is vsed To instruct you yet a little further in this commandement you must note there bee three sorts of testimonies Suggesti Fori Colloquij of the Pulpit of the Court of Conference False witnesse of the Pulpit is when the peacher deliuereth false doctrine if Christ be not risen then is our preaching vaine and 1. Cor. 15 14 15 Acts 5. we are counted false witnesses of God False witnesse-bearing in the Court is when one man shall falsely accuse an other before the iudge as Tertullus accused Paul calling him a pestilent fellow Act. 24â— or when the iudge himselfe shall giue corrupt iudgement as Pilat pronounced sentence against Christ thogh no crime could be produced against him Testimony of conference is when in priuat matters one accuseth another falsly by way of slaunder Alas if false witnesse may be committed so many waies who of vs is not a false witnesse We cannot certainely cleare our selues from the breach of this commandement no more than those lewes could cleare themselues when they accused the adulterous woman to Christ If thou hast but told a lie or hast flattered or hast slaundered thy neighbour thou hast violated this commaundement but how grossely do they trangresse and how haynous is their sin that in the face of a Court in the sight of God of Angells and of mens being produced to try the truth in matters of controuersie betweene neighbour and neighbour will dare most grossely and irreligiously to sweare an vntruth vppon their book-oathes Most daungerous and full of honour is the state of such a prophane wretch for it is a sinne in the next degree to blasphemie Wouldest thou but consider what an oath were and what a burden or clogge this is vnto thy conscience euen a more grieuous burthen to thy soule than the leprozie of Naaman was vnto Gehezie thou shouldst bee better aduised in laying thine hand vpon a booke and bearing false witnes against thy neighbor if after so many oaths thou hast not yet learned what an oath is learne it now and bee ashamed of thine ignoraunce as Adam was of his nakednesse What an oath is Iuramentum est contestatio diuini numinis cum oppigneratione boni imprâ—catione mali It is the calling of God the father God the sonne and God the holy ghost to witnesse with putting our saluation in gage that our witnes is true and wishing our condemnation if it be false Out of this definition may wee spell the substaunce of an oathe and the daunger of it if thou sweare truely thou hast saued thy gage saluation was the pledge or paine of thine oathes trial but if thou swearest falsely thy pawne thou thy selfe art forfeited not vnto God whom thou hast denied in denying his truth but to him who is the father of lies that tempted thee to lie against thine owne soule as he tempted Ananiab and Saphira that is the diuell and I
the new testament wherin we are washed with water in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost to signifie that we are receiued to grace by the vertue of Christs death that by bloud wee are clensed from our sinnes and are regenerate by his spirit and therin are bound to testifie a newnesse of life after our new birth This baptisine conteineth three things The signe water the ceremonie the sprinkling of the water and the things themselues viz. the sprinkling of Christs blood and the imputation of his righteousnes This other of the Supper of the Lord representeth likewise Christ crucified and assureth vs that by his death we are freelie saued from the malediction of the lawe assuring our selues that as our mouthes receiue the bread and wine so our soules receyue Christ and his righteousnes These Sacraments are as conduits to conueigh Gods graces vnto vs the one is to purge our soules from sinne the other is to feede vs after we be purged The first is a bath made of Christ his owne blood to wash and bathe our wounds therein thesecond is amost comfortable and rich garment to couer our soules after they bee washed In the first Christ hath substituted in his place his spouse the Church to pronounce in his name remission of sinnes In the second he hath left himselfe and his owne flesh and blood sacramentally to be a precious food to cherish her withall I purpose onely at this time to shewe you the comfort and edification that we receiue by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper For my text doth leade me thereunto In the night that he was betrayed Heere is set downe the verie Institution of this Sacrament with circumstances thereunto belonging The Lord Iesus There is the author of it In the night There is the time He tooke bread There is the signe He gaue thanks That is the first action in the sacrament Hee brake it There is the ceremonie Hee gaue it There is the vse of it Saying Take eate this is my body There is the fruit of it Do it in remembrance of mee There is the charge of it When Christ died the law ended and the Gospel reuiued after his death circumcision was abolished and the Pascal lamb no more vsed for that the law and ceremonies thereof were now to haue an end In steed wherof he instituted these two sacraments Baptisme for circumcision and for the Pascall lambe his last Supper so called for that it was instituted in the night that hee was betrayed Much neede not bee spoken concerning the Author of this institution onely wee are here called vppon for a most dutifull reuerence in the celebration thereof since it is heere noted by the Apostle to proceed immediatly from Christ If it had pleased God to haue vsed the ministery of an angel or of maÌ„â—in the deliuering forth of this sacrament we had notwithstanding beene pressed to a carefull obseruation thereof But to the end he might stamp in this holy mysterie a greater impression of excellencie in regard of the singular comfort lapt vp in the same therefore hee hath conueyed it vnto vs imediatly from himselfe It ought therefore to be more highly reckoned euen for his sake that was the authour of it For if the woord spoken by Angells was Heb. 2. 2. stedfast and euery transgression receiued a iust recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great saluation which first was preached by the Lord himselfe and was afterwardes confirmed by them that heard him The people of Israel did not omit to obserue the Passeouer throughout their generations because Moses the seruaunt of God had so commanded them Much more carefull ought we to be in the retaining of this Sacrament since not Moses but Christ himselfe hath coÌ„manded vs to obserue the same for euer throughout our generations For this man is counted more worthy of glorie than Moses inasmuch as he is more excellent then the Angells being the brightnes of the glorie and the ingraued forme of Heb. 1. 3. his person as we reade in the author to the Hebrewes In the night that he was betrayd at his betraying he ordained this sacrament comfort was reuealed vnto vs when christ was discoÌ„forted When he was in greatest heauines he prepared for vs a solemne feast euen a more sumptuous banquet then that of Ahaâ—uerus for whoso eateth of this bread shall liue for euer A better and more nourishing meate is here presented vnto vs than Sampson found in the dead lion Iudas and the scribes were this night deuising how to betray Christ how to destroy him that should haue saued them But Christ was deuising how to finish the worke of our redemption and to fulfill his fathers will Iudas was deuising how to take away his masters life but Christ was deuising how to giue them life who were dead in the life of grace Iudas as he was wont to carry the bagge so Ioh. 12. 6. he thought to mend the bagge as Gehezi thought to inrich himselfe with Naamans 2. Kin. 5. 22. gold He sold Christ in that night for mony but Christ bought vs with a deerer price than sâ—luer or gold for it cost him his heart bloud all this amplifieth the greatnesse of the loue wherewith he loued vs. In the night when he was betrayed It was a bitter night an heauy night vnto Christ as the history of his Passion declareth a night of sorrow and anguish a night of perplexity and feare a night wherein all the sorowes of death gate hold vpon him What a night was it to see his owne disciples forsake him how grieuously was he troubled in Gethsemaneh himselfe testified â—is exceeding sorow when he said my soule â—s heauy vnto the death Looke the twenty sixt of Mathew twise he repeateth his passionate prayer O lette this cuppe passe from me What a terror was it vnto him to see his owne Disciple Iudas come and betray him with a kisse a great multitude following him with swords and staues to take him And when they had takeÌ„ him what iniury did they not vnto him how was he mocked spitted at and beaten with fists Such a bitter night was it vnto Christ but it was to vs a night more comfortable than the day of our birth a night brighter than the brightest day â—a night more comfortable vnto vs then that night of deliuerance was to Exod. 12. the Israelites when they went out of Aegypt from Pharaoh and from the Aegyptians for in this night was the mystery of our redemption begun He tooke breade Now we are come to the institution As there is no substance with out his shadow so there is no Sacrament without his signe And the signe in this Sacrament is the bread and wine God in these familiar matters shrowdetâ— instruction of greater mysterie We are best acquainted with the vse oâ— bread and we well know what strength our bodies receiue by it the same and more is