Peter was come down out of the Ship he walked on the Water to go to Jesus But when he saw the Wind boysterous he was afraid and beginning to sink he cryed saying Lord save me And immediately Jesus stretched forth his Hand and caught him and said unto him O thou little Faith wherefore didst thou doubt And when they were come into the ship the Wind ceased Then they that were in the ship worshipped him saying Of a Truth thou art the Son of God And now here all Sea-men and others you may see it is Christ that saves and stills the boysterous Winds and Waves and makes them to cease and therefore ye are not to doubt but be stedfast in Faith in all Storms and Tempests and see and feel Jesus to lay hold upon you as he did upon Peter to save you from sinking in time of storms who stills the Waves of the Sea who is the same to day as he was yesterday and so for ever A Rock of your Age and a Foundation of your Generation as he was of former Ages as you may see Mat. 14. from verse 22. to verse 33. and John 6.17 18 19 20 21. And again in Mark 6. from 47. to 51. there you Sea-men may see When Christ's Disciples entered the Ship they had forgotten to take Bread neither had they in the ship with them more then one Loaf And Christ charged them saying Take heed of the Leaven of the Pharisees and of the Leaven of Herod And the Disciples reasoned among themselves saying It is because we have no Bread And when Jesus knew it he said unto them Why reason ye because ye have no Bread Perceive ye not neither understand Have ye your Hearts yet hardned having Eyes and see ye not And having Ears and hear ye not For do you not remember when I broke the five Loaves among five Thousand how many Baskets full of Fragments took ye up And they said Twelve And when the seven to wit Loaves among four Thousand how many Baskets full of Fragments took ye up and they said Seven And Jesus said unto his Disciples How is it that ye do not understand Now consider ye Seamen and Fisher-men and others that are not Disciples of Christ for sometimes in your Ships ye have been in scarcity of Bread and now here was Christ and his Disciples which had but one Loaf in the Ship and Christ convinceth them that they had enough by his former Miracles And therefore they that have Christ they have enough they have him by whom all things were made who gives the Encrease as you may see by his Miracles And therefore it is good for every one to see with the pure Eye and hear with the Pure Ear so that they may perceive and understand with the pure Heart what Christ did and doth do and what he is able to do in all Necessities and to take heed of Herod's and the Fair-sayers Leaven which are not the Doers but resist Christ who doth not only say but doth the Will of his Father and so do all them that follow him Mark 8.13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21. Mat. 16.6 7 8 9 10 11 12. And again Christ saw two Ships standing by the Lake but the Fishermen were gone out of them and were washing their Nets And he entered into one of the Ships which was Simon 's and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the Land and he sate down and taught the People out of the Ship Now when he had left speaking he said unto Simon Lanch out into the deep and let down your Nets for a Draught And Simon answered and said unto him Master We have toyled all Night and have taken nothing nevertheless at thy word I will let down the Net And when they had let down the Net they enclosed a great Multitude of Fishes and their Net brake and they beckoned unto their Partners which were in the other Ship that they should come and help them and they came and filled both the Ships so that they begâ—n to siâ—k And when Simon Peter saw it he fell down at Jesus's Knees saying Depart from me for I am a sinful man O Lord. For Peter was astonished and all that were with him at the Draught of Fishes which they had taken And so was also James and John the Son of Zebedee which were Partners with Simon And Jesus said unto Simon Fear not from hence forth thou shalt catch men And when they had brought their Ships to Land they forsook all and followed Jesus Now here all you Seamen and Fisher-men and others may see that you may toyl all night to catch outward Fish with the nets and take nothing And you that call your selves Fishers of Men you may toyl all the night and catch not a manin God's Net to him except it be with the Power of Christ and know his Voice and obey it and follow him by whom all things were made And so there is not a Sparrow that falls to the Ground nor a Fish in a Fisherman's Net but by the Will of the father And therefore all ye Fisher-men and others are to stand in the Will of God who gives the Encrease and fills the Nets and the Ships and therefore let him have the Praise and follow him And here you may see the Fisher-men and Seamen James and John and Peter and Andrew were Fishermen and Seamen and Partners together in Ships and Preachers of Christ Jesus and catcht a Multitude of outward fish and a Multitude of men which they fish'd out of the great sea of the World by the Command and Power of Christ Luke 5.2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. and Mat. 8.18 And after Christ was risen he shewed himself again to his Disciples at the Sea of Tyberius on this wise he shewed himself There were together Simon Peter and Thomas called Didimus and Nathaniel of Canaan in Galilee and the Sons of Zebedee and two other of his Disciples Simon Peter said unto them I go a fishing they say unto him We also go with thee They went forth and entered into a Ship immediately and that Night they caught nothing but when the Morning was come Jesus stood on the Shore but the Disciples knew not that it was Jesus Then Jesus said unto them Children have ye any Meat And they answered him No and he said unto them Cast the Net on the right Side of the Ship and ye shall find and they cast therefore and now they were not able to draw it for the Multitude of Fishes Therefore that Disple whom Jesus loved said unto Peter It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord he girt his Fishers Coat unto him for he was naked and did cast himself into the Sea and the other Disciples came in a little Ship for they were not far from Land but as it were two hundred Cubits dragging the Net with Fishes Assoon then as they were come
A TESTIMONY FOR ALL THE MASTERS of SHIPS and SEAMEN TO READ OVER. And to see whether they be in the True Faith that the True Christians and the Holy Men of God were in and if you be not then turn to the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Author and Finisher of the Holy Divine and Precious Faith and then by this Faith your Hearts may be purified and with your Hearts ye may believe and with your Mouths ye may make Confession unto Salvation Rom. 10. And Christ saith Every one that is of the Truth heareth his Voice John 18.37 And now every one that is not of the Truth heateth not his Voice and say there is no hearing of it now adayes And here you may see how Christ called Fisher-men and Sea-men to be his Disciples as followeth And how Christ commanded the Winds and they obeyed him and how that the Lord God holds the Winds in his Fist and raiseth a Storm and makes a Calm so that all are to serve and fear him Take unto me saith the Lord all the ends of the Earth be saved Reprinted the Second time with an Addition By George Fox Quench not the Spirit dispise not prophesying prove all things hold fast that which is good 1 Thes 19 20 21. Who quench the Spirit and dispise Prophesying are not like to prove all things nor hold fast that which is good Printed in the Year 1677. A TESTIMONY FOR ALL THE MASTERS of SHIPS and SEAMEN TO READ OVER c. AFter that John was put in prison Jesus came into Galilee preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and saying the time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand repent ye and believe the Gospel Mark 1. From that time Jesus began to preach and to say Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand And Jesus walking by the Sea of Galilee saw two Brethren Simon called Peter and Andrew his Brother casting a Net into the Sea for they were Fishers And Jesus said unto them Follow me and I will make you Fishers of men and they straitway left their Nets and followed him And Jesus going on from thence he saw two Brethren James the Son of Zebedee and John his Brother in a Ship with Zebedee their Father mending their Nets and he called them And immediately they left the Ship and their Father and followed Jesus Mat. 4.17.18 19 20 21 22. Mark 1.15 16 17 18 19 20. Now here all ye Sea-men and Fisher-men and all people may see these four Disciples of Christ their Call and what trades they were of Fisher-men and Sea-men these and such were more like to follow Jesus then and now then the High-Priests that had the Tythes and such as have great Benefices But Christ is the same to day as he was yesterday and so for ever for it was not many mighty and rich but the poor that received the Gospel And when Jesus was entered into a Ship his Disciples followed him and behold there arose a great Tempest in the Sea insomuch that the Ship was covered with the Waves but Jesus was asleep And his Disciples came to him and awoke him saying Lord save us we perish Mark in the time of a Storm these Fisher-men came to Christ and so should all Sea-men do now And he said to them why are ye fearful O ye of little Faith Then he arose and rebuked the Winds and Sea and there was a great Calm But the men marvelled saying what manner of man is this that even the Winds and the Sea obey him Now all ye Sea-men and Fisher-men let your Eyes be to Christ and your Faith in him that hath all Power in Heaven and in Earth given to him and can still the Storms and Tempests and Waves of the Sea and make it Calm And so Christ it is that saves you from perishing outwardly and eternally as you may see Mat. 8.23 24 25 26 27. and Mark 4.36 37 38 39 40 41. and Luke 8.22 23 24 25. For both the Winds and the Sea do obey Christ by whom they were made therefore fear God and let your faith stand in him who is the author and finisher of it And Jesus began to teach by the Sea Side and there was gathered unto him a great Multitude so that he entered into a Ship and sate in the Sea to wit in the Ship and the whole Multitude was by the Sea on the Land as you may see Mat. 13. Mark 4.1 and he taught them many things by Parables c. Now would not many say that it was not a consecrated place to teach the Word of God in but I must tell you Christ consecrates and makes all things and places holy Now Peter who was a Fisher-man Christ said unto him and the rest of his company of Fisher-men that he would make them fishers of men and bid them follow him which they did And you may see in Acts 2. how Peter the Fisher-man by one Sermon that he preached converted Three Thousand Souls as you may see from the 14th verse to the 41st the Beginning and End of his Sermon And now all ye Sea men and Fisher-men consider this Call of Christ who is the same to day as yesterday and so for ever to you if you will hear hear his voice for he stands at the door of your hearts and knocks and if any will hear my voice faith Christ and open his Door to wit of his Heart by joyning to his Grace Light Power and Spirit he will come in and sup with you and ye with him Rev. 3.21 And so the Sheep of Christ hear his voice and follow him John 10. for Peter the Fisher-man said to the Jews how in the last dayes God would pour out his Spirit upon all Flesh and your Sons and Daughters shall prophesie and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams and on my Servants and on my Hand maids I will pour out in those dayes of my Spirit and they shall prophesie saith the Lord c. And now if God hath poured out of his Spirit upon all Flesh and you grieve it and quench it and vex it then how can you prophesie or have any of these spiritual Dreams or visions or believe or receive this fisher-mans Sermon who was a Disciple of Christ And again in Mat. 14.24 c. And Jesus constrained his Disciples to go into a Ship and to go before him c. But the Ship was now in the midst of the Sea tossed with Waves for the Wind was contrary And in the forth Watch of the Night Jesus went unto them walking on the Sea and when the Disciples saw him walk on the Sea they were troubled saying it is a Spirit and they cryed out for Fear but Jesus spake unto them saying Be of good cheer it is I be not afraid And Peter answered him and sald Lord if it be thou bid me come unto thee on the Water and he said Come and when
see if they be not guilty of this and whether or no they have not sometimes cast some poor simple people into the Sea in pretence of being Witches And so let them and you see that hold such things and believe such things if you be not in Disobedience to the Power Spirit and Faith of God and in the Sin of Witchcraft your selves For you may see it was the Lord that sent out the Wind and raised that mighty Storm in the Sea and not your witches nor ill-tongued People as you vainly imagine as you may see Jonah 1.14 For if you were in the true saving Faith which Christ Jesus is the Author of that Faith gives you Victory over the Devil the Head of all your Witches and brings you to have Access to God who makes a Storm and makes a Calm For Lo He that formed the Mountains and created the Winds mark the Winds and declareth unto Man what is his Thoughts this is the Lord that created the Winds not your Witches Anos 4.13 And It is the Lord who layeth the Beams of his Chambers in the Waters who makes the Clouds his Chariots who walketh upon the Wings of the Winds Psalm 104.3 And the Lord commandeth and raiseth up the stormy Wind which lifteth up the Waves thereof and not your Witches nor ill-tongued People And David saith They that go down to the Seain Ships that do business in great Waters these see the Works of the Lord and his Wonders in the Deep For he commandeth and raiseth the stormy Wind which lifteth up the Waves thereof They mount up to the Heaven they go down again to the Depths their Soul is melted because of Trouble They reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their Wits End then they cry unto the Lord in their Trouble and he bringeth them out of their Distresses He maketh the Storm a Calm so that the Waves thereof are still then are they glad because they be quiet so he bringeth them unto their desired Heaven O that men would praise the Lord for his Goodness and for his Wonderful Works to the Children of Men Psalm 107. So ye may see it is the Lord that commands and raiseth the Winds and the Storms and allayes them again and not the Witches or ill-tongued People and that brings men to their desired Haven both outward and inward And again David saith He to wit the Lord causeth the Vapours to ascend from the Ends of the Earth He maketh Lightnings for the Rain He bringeth the Winds out of his Treasure Psalm 105.7 And now mark all ye Seamen when ye have Wind that maketh a Storm in the Sea the Lord hath brought it out of his Treasure But the disobedient and rebellious against God's Power Spirit and Faith and Enemies to his Truth and People say when a Storm or Wind is raised in the Sea some Witch or some ill-tongued People have raised it and these are erred from the true Faith as David was in who said Whatsoever the Lord pleaseth that does he in Heaven and in the Earth and in the Sea and all deep Places Psalm 105 7. And God causes the Winds to blow and the Waters to flow Psalm 147.18 And David saith Fire and Rain and Snow and Waters and Winds fulfil God's Words Psal 148.8 And now if the Witches raise the Storms and the Winds then the Winds and Storms must fulfil your Witches words and ill-tongued People But the Storms and the Winds fulfil God's Word and he raiseth up a Storm or a Wind that walks upon the Wings of the Wind. And your Witches cannot come into Gods Treasure to fetch his Wind out there for they be out of his power Nay have not some of your Faithless Seamen and you that think so pretended to buy winds Oh Darkness and Ignorance and a Shame to Christianity You are like to the Coluds and Winds without Rain and wells without water and Trees without Fruit as you may see in Prov. 25.14 and in Jude Who hath gathered the Winds in his Fist Who hath bound the Waters in his Garment Who hath established all the Ends of the Earth What is his Name and what is his Son's Name if thou canst tell Prov. 30.4 Who with thy dark Spirit imagines that the Witches can fetch or pluck the Wind out of God's Fist Oh abominable It is much if the Lord doth not let his Wind fly at you and raise a Storm against you who are erred from the Faith of the Holy Men of God For Christ commandeth the Winds and they obey him Luke 8.25 And where do you read in all the Scriptures that the Witches raised Winds or that any Seamen did go to buy Winds of them Let us see the Chapter and verse for it either among the People of God or among the Heathen and if you cannot stop your Mouths of such practises and be ashamed for dishonouring Christianity who are contrary both to the Law and Gospel And turn to the Lord who walks upon the Wings of the Wind and holds the Winds in his Fist and can let them fly out in Blasts to terrifie the wicked but the just live by Faith in God and Christ who is the Author of it who makes the Storm a Calm and commands the winds and brings them out of his Treasure at his Pleasure And the Righteous know that the stormy Winds obey and fulfil God's Word And so the Righteous can praise the Lord that created the Winds and all things in the Heaven and in the Earth and in the Sea and and renews man by Christ into his Image and gives him Dominion over all Praise and Glory Honour and Thanks be unto the Lord who is over all from Everlasting to Everlasting And all the Faithful know that A Sparrow shall not fall to the Ground without the Will of the Father much more a Man who is of greater Value then many Sparrows And therefore be not Faithless but believe in Christ the Light who commands the Winds and Storms by whom all things were made and are upheld by his Word and Power Heb. 1. The Law of thy mouth is better unto me then thousands of Gold and Silver Psa 119.71 G. F. Swarth-Moor in Lancashire the 28th of the 8th Month. 1676. Concerning how the World is called the SEA ANd God will dry up Babylon's Sea and make her Springs dry for God brought them like a Sea over the Jews when they transgress'd his Law and went from the Lord their Rock and Salvation And again it is said The Sea shall come upon Babylon and she shall be covered with the Multitude of her Waves So when the Medes and Persians came upon Babylon then the Sea came over them and the Jews had their Liberty Jer 15.42 So Spiritual Babylon is the Mother of Harlots she sits upon the Waters which are Nations peoples and Tongues But God will dry up her Waters which have overflown since the Apostles Days who hath persecuted the people of