Christian resolution depending vpon Gods prouidence without which a haire shall not fall from their heads so to encounter the greatest difficulties by this that they know their hope to bee in Christ and if it were onely in this life then were Christians of all other the most miserable but now they are so farre from perishing that God so loued the world that he gaâ—e his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Hitherto we haue seene the occasions of the miracle Christ being fast asleepe and by reason of the extreme danger now newly awaked by the crie of his Disciples It remaines that wee come to the miracle and the meanes whereby it was wrought to wit his word onely rebuking the winds and the sea But yet our Sauiour makes no such haste but that first he reprehends his Disciples and â—aith Why are you fearefull O ye of little â—aith And yet some writing vpon this place doe thinke it to bee no reprehension but rather that before he will calme the sea hee doth onely strengthen and encourage his disciples in their faith and hope which was yet very weake and rid them of their feare and fainting And if we do so vnderstand it the meaning is that as in the apparitions of Angels to holy men and women botâ— in the old new TestameÌ„t they were strucken ordinarily with such feare that they could not deliuer their messages till they had rid theÌ„ froÌ„ that feare and therfore began their speeches so Feare not or Be not afraid Or as our Sauiour doth himselfe afterward to his Disciples at sea when they were troubled and cried out for feare thinking him to be a spirit He saith to them Be of good comfort It is I be not afraid So according to this interpretation it should be a speech to raise vp their deiected harts and spirits and to relieue and comfort them And if wee vnderstand the meaning in this sense then we learne here the difference betwixt this and other of Christs miracles for that in them he cured the bodily diseases of the leprosie paulsey blindnesse deafenesse lamenes but in this he cured the inward afflictions of the mind in immoderate griefe feare fainting and distrust of his mercie which are farre greater then bodily sicknesses And herein he teacheth vs that though their faith was very weake that he doth not breake the bruised reede nor quench the smoaking flaxe but comfort and nourish and cherish the least desires of goodnesse in his Saints and children And in that hee doth this before he worke the miracle he not onely sheweth that he hath more care of their soules then of their bodies but withall teacheth them and in them all Christians to be principally carefull for the health of their soules without which they are dead spiritually while they are aliue But I take it rather as the current both of the ancient Fathers and new Writers doe agree to be a reprehension or reproofe of the Disciples containing first a question Why are ye fearefull Secondly an answere O ye of little faith The question may seeme strange for how should they not be feareful that saw the danger of present death before their eyes as they verily thought They were men subiect to passions and imminent perils cannot but produce the passion of feare they must be either Stoicks or stocks that are not moued with such apparent danger But it was not their feare but the excessiue measure thereof that our Sauiour reprehends and therefore Saint Marke renders it so Why are you so fearefull that is though the danger be neuer so great yet you ought not thus to be faint-hearted and dismaied you might call vpon me but not with such exclamations you might awake me but not so ouercome with passion as if you were in despaire of helpe your extreame feare and want of faith doth you more harme then either the winds or the â—eaes Why are you so fearefulâ— Now to let passe the nature and necessity of feare in generall and to hold me to the text It was necessary at this time for them to feare For without it there would haue been little occasion and small vse of the miracle following neither could it haue wrought such impression in them as it did Neither are Christians to behold Gods iudgements but with feare The Lyon hath roared who will not be afraid And Moses at the giuing of the Law with lightnings and thunders said â— feare and quake much more the people of whom God saith O that there were such an heart in them to feare me alway Now howsoeuer the Scripture telleth vs that Christ hath deliuered vs from the hands of our enemies that wee being deliuered may serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the daies of our life And againe That we haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but we haue receiued the Spirit of adoption whereby we crie Abba Father And so Saint Iohn There is no fâ—are in loue but perfect loue casteth out feare In which respect our Sauiour giueth this charge Feare not little flocke for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome Yet these and all such places as they are to be vnderstood of a seruile and â—lauish feare not of that filiall and childlike feare wherby children stand in awe of their parents and dare not offend them especially while they are young for feare of correction yea for feare of disinheriting so as Salomon saith There is a time for all things there is a time in Gods children for seruile feare and that is in their first beginning of their repentance and conuersion vnto God For no man can truly repent vntill the Spirit of God by the shrill trumpet of the Law and the punishments due vnto the breakers of the law contained in that one sentence Cursâ—d is euery man that contiâ—ueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the Law to doe them which is a fearefull sentence if we obserue the words that they are not only miserable and wretched but accursed not onely some or many but euerie one not onely that doth not begin but that doth not continue and constantly perseuere vnto the end not onely in some points of the Law but in all things written in the booke of the Law not onely to affect and desire but to doe them This I say is a fearefull sentence and vntill it haue rowzed vp the â—inners drowzie conscience and both set before his eyes his manifold breaches and transgressions of Gods commandements and presented him with the fearefull spectacle of eternal death and condemnation due vnto him therefore so that the poore sinner holding vp his hand as it were at the barre of Gods iudgement seat being selfe-conuicted and condemned doth in a manner find himselfe in hell feeling the terrors of God fighting
wonderfull And as the due consideration of his birth could not but moue amazement and astonishment to men and Angels to see a new thing in the world The Word made Flesh God and Man in one person a Virgin and a Mother in one So the miracles that hee wrought such as neuâ—r any man did could not but worke admiration in those that saw them We say therefore with the Prophet Stay your selues and wonder and with another Prophet Behold among the Heathen and regard and wonder and maruell For all miracles are maruelous and wondrous workes It is therefore an ordinary thing that attended the miracles of Christ that his Disciples and the people wondred The second thing therefore is rather to be considered that is their confession What man is this c. Saint Iohn writing his Gospell last of all the Euangelists purposing thereby to confute Cerinthus and other hereticks that denied the Diuinitie of Christ after he had proued it by his essence and eternitie Secondly by his Creation and preseruation of all things doth set downe certaine excellent Sermons and notable miracles wrought by Christ and omitted by the other Euangelists and at last he concludeth These things are written that ye may beleeuâ— that Iesus is that Christ that sonne of God and that in beleeuing ye might haue life through his name thus wrought one strange miracle with Nathanael Rabbi thou art the sonne of God And in the blind man that was cured and instructed by him who said Lord I beleeue and worshâ—pped him And in another miracle at the sea They thaâ— were in the ship came worshipped him saying Of a truâ—h thou art the sonne of God And at his death the Centurion when he saw what was done and they that were with him saw the Earthquake they feared greatly saying Truely this man was the Sonne of God All these brought vnto it by Christs miracles made that good confession concerning his Diuinitie which when Saint Peter made saying Thou art that Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Our Sauiour told him That flesh and bloud had not reuealed it vnto him but his Father which is in heauen And further That vpon this rocke or true confession of him he would build his Church and the gates of hell should not preuaile against it Now howsoeuer the beholders of this miracle proceede not so farre in their confession and acknowledgement yet they are in a good way and doe in a manner confesse as much when they propound it by way of question Who is this that both the winds and the sea obey him For it is as much as if they had said It is impossible that he should bee but a meere man that hath these vnruly creatures at command to check and controle at his pleasure As therefore Christ himself in the next Chapter in another miracle vpon one that was sicke of the Palsey when he had first told him Sonne be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiuen thee And certaine of the Scribes said within themselues This man blasphemeth And Saint Marke addeth their reason Who can forgiue sinnes but God onely That hee might shew himselfe to bee God indeed and so to haue power to forgiue sinnes doth command him to arise take vp his bed and goe vnto his owne house And so thorowly curing the man by his word doth manifestly proue himselfe to be God and to haue power as well in the one as in the other So in this place though they giue him the terme of a man yet enquiring what man and so acknowledging him more then a man by the worke that he hath wrought in commanding the winds and seaes they doe in a sort confesse him to be God For conclusion therefore of the History the meditation rising to sea-men from hence is this that as in the vndertaking of their voyages they must if they haue any hope to make a good and prosperous voyage begin at Christ and be carefull and sure to take him along with them that is to examine the lawfulnesse of their callings and professions either as sea-men or as Merchants and Factors to doe seruice vnto God and to the state wherein they liue committing themselues to that vast element the sea and depending vpon Gods protection and defence and so expecting a blessing from him in all their honest labours so must they prepare themselues before hand especially in long voyages and amongst Infidels for many disasters and counterbuffes not onely of wind weather which our Sauiour Christs ship was subiect to in his short voyage but of many other dangers which cannot possibly be auoided and if Christ seeme to be asleepe in not affoording them present helpe by their earnest and hearty prayers to awake and stirre him vp by faith beleeuing his omnipotent power and by hope expecting and waiting his leisure submitting their willes to his will and ready as well at sea as at land and as well by death as by life to giue him praise and glory And thus much shall suffice for this history of Christs voyage and the meditations thence arising But I haue yet a further taske in the second generall part of the text that is the mysterie In the former I haue endeauoured to teach sea-men to be Christians but now I am to shew that all true Christians bee sea-men and haue a longer voyage in hand then to the East Indies for their whole life is but a voyage from earth to heauen In which voyage they haue a sea to passe thorough and a ship to passe in and in their passage they must looke for great tempests threatning to drowne both them and their ship and they shall find Christ in whom they trust to be asleepe as if he regarded not their danger but if they waken him by their deuout prayers he will arise quickly and not onely make all their enemies to vanish and secure the ship but neuer leaue them nor forsake them till he haue brought them to heauen the hauen where they would be This voyage cannot be performed by factors and seruants but euery Christian man and woman must vndertake it in their owne persons For â—ustus ex fide sua viâ—it in fide sua moriâ—ur that is the godly man doth liue and die doth begin and continue and make an end of this voyage according to his owne faith In this voyage 1. The sea is an image of the world 2. The ship an image of the true Church of Christ. 3. The tempest an image of the rage and fury of heretickes and schismatickes and persecuting tyrants against the Church 4. Christ his sleeping an image of his death 5. His arising an image of his resurrection whereby he subdued all his and our enemies And 6. The calme that followed is an image both of the peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost the first fruits of the spirit which the Church receiueth as the benefits by his
and looke for seeing the Apostle telleth vs That the feruent desirâ— of the creature waiteth when the sonnes of God shal be reuealed Because the creature is subiect vnto vanitie not of it owne will but by reason of him that hath subdued it vnder hope Because the creature also shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorius libertie of the sonnes of God For we know that euery creaâ—ure groaneth with vs also and trauâ—lleth in paine together vnto his present And not onely the creature but wee also which haue the first fruites of the Spirit euen wee doe sigh in our selues waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of our body Seeing then Saint Iohn telles vs Dearely beloued we are now the sonnes of God but yet it is not made manifest what we shall be And we know that when he shall be made manifest we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Seeing this world is as the sea as bitter as inconstant as full of dangers as full of monsters as full of deuouring fishes as the sea is and no place for vs to rest and abide in and yet we must passe through it before we can come to heauen seeing there is no hope except we can be assured that we are in Christs ship his Church and being in it we must looke for stormes and tempests either outward by persecution or inward by hereticks and schismaticks Let vs no way dismay our selues though Christ our Sauior died and seemed asleep as not regarding our miseries for hee is arisen and hath commanded the windes and seaes he hath captiued and subdued all our spirituall enemies and assured vs of eternall and euerlasting life Let euery one therefore that readeth or heareth this Treatise learne of the Apostle To deny vngodlinesse and wordly lusts and to walke soberly and righteously and godly in this present world Looking for that blessâ—d hope and appearing of that glory of that mighty God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. And so I conclude this Treatise as Saint Iohn doth his Reuelation which is the conclusion of the whole Bible He which testifieth these things saith Surely I comâ— quickly Amen Euen so come Lord Iesus The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all Amen FINIS PRAYERS FOR SEA-TRAVELLERS VPON SEVERALL OCCASIONS suited to the former meditations in this Treatise A Prayer to prepare Nauigators by Sea to true Christian resolution in the vndertaking any long Voyage among Infidels MOST mightie and glorious God the earth is thine and all that therein is the world and they that dwell therein For thou hast founded it vpon the seaes and established it vpon the Flouds And though the heauen and the heauen of heauens bee thine and the earth with all that therein is yet thou hast set thy delight vpon our fathers and made choise of vs their seede to bee thy people Thou hast in the darkenesse of ignorance and error ouer-spreading the world giuen vs thy word to bâ— a lanthorne to our feete and a light vnto our pathes thou hast not onely giuen vs thy Law to teach vs what to doe but thy Gospell also to teach vs what to beleeue to bring vs to euerlasting life And seeing the summe of it all is to know thee to be the onely very God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. And no man hath seene thee at any time but that onely begotten sonne which is in thy bosome he hath declared thee who is the brightnes of the glory and the ingraued forme of thy person bearing vp all things by his mighty word who being in the forme of God and thinking it no robberie to be equall with thee yet made himselfe of no reputation and tooke on him the forme of a seruant and was made like vnto men found in shape as a man And wheÌ„ the fulnes of time was come was made of a woman and made vnder the law to redeeme vs that were vnder the law that we might receiue the adoption of sonnes And seeing O Lord thou hast giuen thy spirit vnto all thy children to testifie vnto their spirits that they are thy sonnes And hereby wee know thy spirit that euery spirit that coÌ„fesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God we most humbly and heartily entreate thy maiestie that being now by our professions called to leaue our natiue couÌ„trie where thy Gospel is truly and sincerely preached by which meanes and by effectual working of thy spirit we haue had faith in thee and thy sonne Iesus Christ and in thy holy spirit one God in three persons begotten in our hearts and being to trauell through the great dangers of the vast and wide sea into the remote parts of the world amongst the heathen that doe not know thee nor call vpon thy name it may please thee so to increase and daily confirme that faith in thy sonne Iesus Christ which wee vndertooke at our first being receiued into thy Church by the Sacrament of Baptisme that we may euer acknowledge him to bee perfect God and perfect man in one person and thereby to bee our onely aduocate Mediatour and intercessor to thee for vs Giue vs grace wee beseech thee in our daily dangerous trauels by sea with Christian courage and resolution to be alwaies readie according to thy good will and pleasure to liue and dye in this faith Let vs not trust either in the goodnesse or strength of our ships or in prouisions of things necessarie made by those which set vs forth nor in the skill and valour of our Commanders nor in any other outward meanes but let vs acknowledge all these things to proceede from thy goodnesse and euermore depend vpon thy blessing vpon the meanes in our vse of them not for any merit of ours but for thy Sonne Iesus Christ his sake In all our troubles and extremities let vs by faith haue recourse to our Lord and Sauiour Iesus being assured he is God and therefore can and Man and therefore will deliuer vs if it stand with thy glory and our good And if it please thee to bring vs amongst either Infidels or Idolaters grant that we may not communicate with them in their sinnes but consider thy great goodnesse towards vs who are by nature no better then they and haue deserued worse at thy hands in abusing thy long suffering and patience that thou passing by so many and so great and populous Nations and leauing them in their incredulitie and vnbeleefe hast reueiled thy self and thy will vnto vs and made vs professors of the same euen to the farthest endes of the world Grant vs therefore good Lord that we may not staine our holy Christian profession by any vnchristian conuersation to make thy name which wee call vpon to be blasphemed or ill spoken off amongst the Heathen but that we may conscionably