was yet in their mouthes when the wrath of God came vpon them and slew the strongest of them and smote downe the chosen in Israel So God gaue them a King at their request but in his wrath And the very diuels sometimes haue their request granted as vers 32. of this Chapter 2. It is not a signe of reprobation to haue our sute denied for the sonnes of Zebede are so serued and Paul himselfe was not heard at the first but was faine to pray three times God doth not grant presently to make vs to depend vpon him the more For the delaying of desires doth make men the more earnest and things easily granted are lightly esteemed but hee neuer denies any thing that stands with his glory and his Churches good And thus much of the occasion of their carnestnesse Now for the prayer it selfe it is very short but three words and I consider in it three things first the title they giue him Master or Lord. Secondly their request Saue vs. Thirdly the reason We perâ—sh In the first I obserue their humility in calling him Lord and Master In the second I obserue their weake faith yet calling to be saued In the third their faint hope and almost forlorne Wee perish 1 And first for the title or name wherby they call him The three Euangelists which all report this miracle doe all differ therein For the word here vsed by our Euangelist signifies Lord acknowledging his rule and authority ouer them Saint Marke vseth a word which signifieth Master or Teacher signifying that they had left their former trades of life to become his Disciples and depend on him as their master Saint Luke vseth a third word which signifies one that was set ouer and had taken care and châ—rge of others a terme giuen to shepheards in regard of their sheepe and to Commanders both in peace and warre In the comparing of which words we may conceiue that there was a kind of confused noyse among the Disciples striuing as it were by their outcries who should wake him first and who should giue him the best title whereby they might not only put him in minde of the dutie that belonged to him toward them as he was their Lord and Teacher and Master but also to shew that they in this misery depended vpon his only help and assistance to deliuer them And here seeing that our Sauiour Christ approuing of these titles saith vnto them in another place Ye call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am I might take iust occasion to speake of names and titles and shew that as God himselfe in the first giuing of names to the day and the night the heauens the earth and â—he seas And as Adam afterward in giuing particular names to all the creatures by Gods commission and appointment did make their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is did giue them proper names according to their seuerall proprieties of nature So it behoueth euery one in what place calling soeuer he be plaeed to consider what name doth properly belong to his place whether it be of rule and gouernment or of subiection and obedience and to be stirred vp by those names to performe those duties that belong to their seuerall callings whether in the Magistracie or in the Ministery whether as a husband as a father as a master and on the other side whether as a subiect a scholer a wife a childe a seruant That seeing seuerall duties doe belong vnto each of these places and they fitly expressed in the names giuen to euery one they may learne to make their names and dispositions answerable and sutable that the argument giuen by the Apostle preferring Christ aboue the Angels to wit That he was made so much more excellent then the Angels in as much as hee hath obtained a more excellent name then they might teach all men to studie to excell others in goodnesse as they are aduanced to higher places and receiue more honourable names but the especiall thing that I obserue in these titles is the humility of the Disciples acknowledging themselues to bee his vassals his scholers and seruants that being now in extreame misery do relie only on his mercy and goodnesse for their deliuerance that they may seeme to say with the Prophet Behold as the eyes of seruants looke vnto the hand of their Masters and as the eyes of a maiden vnto the hand of her mistrisse so our eyes waite vpon the Lord our God vntill he haue mercy vpon vs. Now for the vertue of humility as pride it was not onely the first sin both in the Angels and in man but was and is the mother and root of all sin and the bane and poyson of all vertue So humility it was the first lesson taught to Adam after his fall Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne And it was the principall lesson that our Sauiour taught his Disciples both by precept Learne of me that I am meeke and humble of heart and by his owne example Behold I haue giueâ— you an example And by demonstration setting a little child in the middest of them and telling them Except ye be conuerted and become as little children ye cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen But as this vertue is necessarie for all Christians at all times so is it most necessary in prayer of all other things as may appeare in the prayers of the Pharisie and Publican where the pride of the Pharisie ouerthrew al the good deeds that he boasted of and the humble confession of the Publican made him to goe away more iustified And indeede in the duty of prayer whether we consider 1. God and his excellencie his maiesty his omnipotency and other attributes 2. Our owne corruption our weaknessa our wickednesse euen of the best men in their best actions that euen our righteousnesse is as a filthie and polluted cloth That our best workes are fitly compared to starres which haue a little light but not of themselues but from the Sunne and that light may be discerned in the night and darke but when the Sunne ariseth doth not appeare So our workes if we compare them with the workes of the wicked the workes of darknesse they shew somewhat but compared with the Sonne of righteousnesse from whom wee receiue all the light we haue they vanish and are nothing I say if we either consider God to whom we pray or our selues wee cannot but in all humility acknowledge our selues to be but dust and ashes to bee nothing nor nothing worth to be base wretched miserable contemptible as the Heathen haue confessed not to bee worthie to looke vp to heauen nor to tread vpon the earth nor to call vpon his name considering our consciences doe accuse vs and he is greater then our conscience
â—o â—â—ie Abba Father But the formes of prayer by me set downe as they are intended for their helpe that for want of knowledge vnderstand not how to pray or in the time of feare be so distracted and astonished that they cannot vtter their mindes but confusedly and out of order so the best men may make good vse of the most of the Prayers being meditations gathered out of the booke of Psalmes to reade ouer that booke againe and againe and gather from thence such profitable meditations as may fitly be applied for comforts vpon all occasions My request to God for you all is that you may finde as great comfort in the reading and hearing of these meditations as I haue done in the writing of them And my request to you is that both before your Voyages while yee may enioy the ordinarie preaching of the Word you labour thereby to season your hearts with grace that yee doe not like Epicures say Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die and that hauing finished your Voyage you neither forgèt Gods merciful preseruation of you whilest you haue seene many of your fellowes perish before your faces nor your promâ—ses and vowes made to God in your greatest extremitieâ— So shall ye be sure to make a good voyage which I heartily desire for you at Gods hands and so commending you to his sacred prâ—tection I rest Your true Remembrancer vnto God IOHN WOOD. HOLY MEDITATIONS FOR SEA-MEN It is written MATTH 8.23 And when he was entred into the ship his Disciples followed him And behold there arose a great tempest in the sea so that the ship was couered with waues but he was asleepe Then his Disciples came and awoke him saying Master saue vs we perish And hee said vnto them Why are you fearful O ye of little faith Then he arose and rebuked the windes and the sea and so there was a great calme And the men maruelled saying What man is this that both the windes and the sea obey him IT hath euer bin the vse and custome of Gods best Saints and dearest children in their holiest meditations either of his creatures or of their owne or others actions to lift vp their mindes aboue their senses and to make spiâ—ituall vse to their soules of whatsoeuer they did see heare reade or doe The heauens saith the sweet singer of Israel declare the glory of God and the firmament shew forth his handie workes And in another place When I behold thine heauens euen the workes of thy fingers the Moone and the Starres which thou hast ordained What is man say I that thou art so mindfull of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him And this was the reason that the Prophets and Apostles and especially our Sauiour Christ himselfe taught the people so much by way of parable that the sight of a little child nay of the Oxe and the Asse nay of the Storke the Crane the Turâ—le the Swallow yea euen of the little Ant or Emmet may affoord vs holy and heauenly meditations and teach vs Christian and religious duties that the plowman breaking vp his ground may be put in minde of the necessity of repentance thereby to breake vp the fallownesse and hardnesse of his heart that the husbandman throwing his seed vpon the ground may therein consider the nature of the word of God the necessity and vtilitie thereof and the chiefe reason why many times it taketh no better effect that the beholding of tares and weedes in the field should instruct him of the state and condition of Gods kingdome in his Church militant that the Merchant searching diligently for pearles and precious stones and paying dearely for them should remember a more precious pearle to wit to haue Christ become his and be content to sell all he hath to get possession of him that a poore woman sowing a graine of mustard seede or laying her leauen may be taught therein the nature of the kingdome of heauen Master Bradford an holy Martyr in the bloody daies of Queene Mary hath left behind him many comfortable meditations for the particular actions of the whole day from the time of our awaking in the morning to our lying downe to rest at night There is a spirituall awakeing and a spirituall light more to be desired then the corporall There is spirituall arising from sin and clothing of our selues in our Sauiour Christ. There is spirituall talking to edification and a spirituall walking in loue There is spirituall meate and spirituall drinke to be laboured for and there are spirituall workes that were ordained for vs to doe our sleepe which we nightly deâ—ire should put vs in mind of our death and our beds of our graues and the rest we desire for our bodies of eternall rest But all these may seeme to bee meditations for men on land Indeed theyâ— bee such as belong both to land and sea â—nd the sea-trauelleâ— hath heere the aduantage that they haue many holy meditations proper to themselues They that goe downe to the sea in ships and occupiely the great waters They see the workes of the Lord and his wonders in the deepe And of such sea-meditations fit for sea-men I purpose to discourse Wherein if any shall taxe me as Hannibal the great Captaine did Phormio the Philosopher for reading a lecture of martiall discipline before him my selfe neuer hauing passed the seas and yet writing these things for their sakes and vse that are the greatest trauellers in the world My answere is that I onely purpose to relate the obseruations of the ancient Fathers and such as doe arise from the sea-voyage of our Sauiour Christ before propounded that accordingly all trauellers by sea especially may raise vnto themselues spiritual meditations from the seuerall occurrences that at any time they shall meet withall In the Text I obserue these two things The history The mysterie The history hath these foure parts First a sea voyage of our Sauiour Christ and his Disciples wherein 1. For our Sauiour Christ He entred into a ship 2. For his Disciples His Disciples followed him Secondly the danger of the voyage consisting in two things 1. A tempest arising wherein is to be obserued 1. A note of admiration or attention Behold 2. Secondly the nature of it in the name A Tempest 3. Thirdly the measure of it Great 4. Fourthly the place In the Sea 5. The effect it wrought The ship was couered with waues 2. In Christs being asleepe But he was asleepe Thirdly the miracle and in it two things 1. The occasion in the Disciples wherein I note 1. What they did viz. 1. They came to him 2. They awoke him 2. What they said Master saue vs we perish 2. The miracle it selfe wrought by Christ and in it 1. A preparation in a reproofe of his Disciples Why are ye fearfull O ye of little faith 2. The meanes 1. He arose 2. He
by their feare whereby they awoke him and indeede prayer in it selfe is so excellent that as the word of God is the foode of the soule so thiâ— is the exercise of the soule for the obtaining keeping and increasing of all spirituall grace So that as a man cannot keepe his body for any long time in health and strength vnlesse he vse some exercise yea though he fill it with good meate and feed it most carefully So although a man doe heare the Word of God euery day preached vâ—to him and so feede his soule with the foode of life yet vnlesse he doe by this spirituall exercise of praier draw the said heauenly food into the seuerall parts of his soule he shall sensibly feele his faith hope loue patience all other spirituall graces to decrease by little and little yea as â—he exercising of the body doth not onely preserue it in the naturall vigour but also â—ncreaseth the strength of it by keeping it from growing fat and foggy and preseruing it from sicknesse so by the daily vse of prayer we shall find that the Lord will increase in vs all spirituall graces farre aboue our owne expectation or the opinion of any other Yea euen in this life hearty and feruent prayer comming from a faithfull man is health in sicknesse riches in pouerty safety in danger comfort in aduersitie and makes supply of all temporall defects and wants whatsoeuer But aboue all the sea-man â—specially in long voyages being for the most part debarred of the spirituall food of his soule that is the Word of God ordinarily preached should labour to redeeme and recouer that losse both by reading the Word of God and learned mens workes but specially by hauing continuall recourse to God in prayer For it is the end of our preaching to teach men how to pray and there is not a more infallible signe of a true childe of God then the spirit or gift of prayer whereby a man is made able and willing and ready to pray aright vnto God as the present occasion doth require Art thou by distance of place imprisonment trauell or otherwise remoued from the ordinary hearing of the Word preached haue daily recourse vnto God by prayer three times in a day with Daniel seuen times in a day with Dauid alwaies as Christ teacheth and continually as Saint Paul commandeth Offer vp this sacrifice morniâ—g and euening and say with the Prophet Let my prayer ascend vnto thee as the incense and the lifting vp of my haâ—ds as the euening sacrifice Let it be thy first and thy last worke euery day for this is clauis dieâ— a key to open the day and it is Sera noctis a locke to shut vp the night it is Signaculum cibi that which makes thee looke for a blessing on thy meat thy prayer or grace before and after mâ—ales and whatsoeuer thou goest about though thou haue not time to conceiue a prayer in words yet learne of Nehemiah to lift vp thy heart vnto the Lord. Art thou tempted to any euill pray to God to giue theâ— grace and strength to ouercome the tentation and if thou receiue it not at the first pray with Saint Paul the second and third time Hast thou giuen way and art thou ouercome by the tentation pray for repentance and faith that thou maist bee reconciled vnto God againe Dost thou find that thou hast deserued Gods iudgements and that they hang ouer tâ—y head for sinne pray that if it be his will they may be turned away from thee Hath God found thee out and are his iudgements vpon thee rip vp thy heart consider thy former life confesse thy sinnes vnto him pray for deliuerance either to remoue his iudgements or to lessen them or to encrease thy strength and patience to beare theÌ„ Again dost thou find any want of any spirituall grace in thee pray to him that is only able and willing to bestow it vpon thee Dost thou find any comfort by any grace already receiued pray for the continuance and increase in it and for multiplying and increasing of more graces Giâ—â— alâ— diligence to ioyne vnto your faith vertue and with vâ—â—tue kâ—owlâ—dge and with knowledge temperance anâ— with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherly kindnes and with brotherly kindâ—esse louâ— c. Pray not only for thy selfe but for others both with thee and farre from thee Frater si prote solùm oras solus pro te oras si pro omnibus ores omnes pro te orant Brother saith Saint Augustinâ— if thou onely pray for thy selfe thou alone prayest for thy self if thou pray for all men all doe pray for thee A man in the remotest parts of the world should not onely remember his friends at home but his enemies abroad and pray for all that they all may pray for him Now for the necessity of this duty of prayer if we consider Gods commandement Call vpon me in the day of thy trouble This is all that he requires and therefore we say with Naamans seruants If the Prophet hâ—d commanded thee a great thing wouldst thou not haue done it how much rather then c. This commandement of God were a sufficient reason by the Centurions rule And Christ speaking of an obedient seruant Doth his Master saith he thanke him for doing this But secondly our owne wants and necessities do constraine vs for wee haue nothing of our selues but what wee receiue of him neither haue we any promise of receiuing any thing without prayer Aske and you shall haue Thirdly our enemies are first strong like the strong man armed that holdeth possession in peace Secondly many euen principalities powers worldlie gouernours princes of darknesse c. Thirdly crafty for the diuell is a deepe polititian And lest we should be circumuenâ—ed wee must not be ignorant of his enterprises As that sometimes hee transformes himselfe into an Angell of light And there is more heede to be taken of him when he comes in the wilie serpent then when he comes with open mouth roring like a Lion We see when he came to tempt our Sauiour Christ he comes as it weâ—â— with his Psalter in his hand and scriptum est in his mouth It is wâ—itten saith he as though he had Scripture for his warrant Seeing then God commands vs our necessities compell vs and our enemies are so strong so many and so craftie and wee can haue no helpe but of God and no meanes to obtaine helpe from him but by prayer to which he hath annexed his promise and he is faithfull that hath promised Seeing that which Saint Iames telles vs that the prayer of a righteous man preuaileth much is confirmed by examples in holy Scripture that no dutie hath wrought such miracles not onely in the Elements as the opening of the earth to swallow vp