awaked in which regard the Prophet Dauid as weary of his long sufferings willing to be releiued in his distresse he is faine to cry aloude and earnestly as it were to wake him out of the sleepe that he is in to come vnto his succour Psal 44.23 For thy sake are wee killed all the day long we are counted at sheepe for the slaughter therefore awake why sleepest thou ô Lord Arise c. An earnest admonisher we see and one that will not be silent hee doubles and trebles his speech Awake sleeepe not arise that if he were fast indeed yet his earnestnesse at the last would cause him to awake and to speake truth God for the most part seemeth for to sleepe that so he might be awaked by our earnest intreaties for God as Saint Augustine notes amet nimium vehementes is so delighted with our prayers as that many times hee does deny vs our suites that he might heare vs continue earnest in our prayers And againe if he should vpon euery motion that we make vnto him grant vs our requests his benefites at the last would come to bee contemned of vs we know it here an ordinary practise among men cito data cito vilescunt wee accompt it scarce worth the taking that is not twise worth the asking therefore before he grant vs hee would haue vs bee earnest with him in deed to awake him with our prayers if perchance hee should seeme to bee a sleepe But when we haue awaked him what then is there any redresse to bee had at his hand Why yes furely euen the same party that we mentioned euen now hee found it at his hands he was deliuered out of his distresse Saul the persecutor fals deadly vpon his owne sword both to the destruction of soule and body and Dauid the distressed inioyes the Kingdome Daniel is made protector of the Kingdome and his accusers and enemies throwne into the Lyons den though he sleepe heere for a time amongst vs yet one day hee will awake againe and whereas all the time of his sleepe he hath plaid the Lambe bene patient in his reuenge yet when he shall awake he shall rouze himselfe like a Lion for to right himselfe of al his enemies which if it be not in this world yet in the world to come wee know it shall be to their greater condemnation Noah we know he slept a while and suffred the scoffes and abuses of his wicked sonne Cham but when he awaked what then then Maledictus Canaan then he pronounces a fearefull curse vpon him for his lewdnesse Gen. 9.25 Cursed bee Canaan seruant of seruants shal he be so I say if not in this world yet at the end of the world our Sauiour he shall curse his enemies with a terrible curse a curse of curses Ite mal dicti Mat. 25.41 Go yee cursed of my Father into euerlasting fire a terrible and a fearefull curse from which God keepe vs all But yet so he slept not here in this place his sleepe now it was a voluntary naturall sleepe But as they sayled hee fell a sleepe The reason of sleepe in naturall men it is yeelded by the Heathen Phylosophers and chiefly by Aristotle the eldest sonne of nature there are two causes saith hee of sleepe in man Fumus ascendens in cerebellum the ascending of the fumes and vapours vp out of our stomacke into our head and so surprizing of the braine or else Corporalis naturae fatigatio the ouerwearying of our body with labour and trauell both which were truely in our Sauiour and yet neither the cause of this sleepe of his he had them both truely in him because in deed hee was truely man but heere in this place as the Diuines teach he slept voluntary as being Lord and Commander of his Humane Nature As hee is then the Keeper of Israel the Creator and Preseruer of man-kind he cannot sleepe but as hee is a Man and himselfe made a creature sleepe was requisite and necessary for him But yet here I say hee slept voluntary he slept because hee would sleepe hee was Lord of his Nature and might commande it which is not in vs for many of vs oftentimes would sleepe but cannot and sometimes againe when wee would willingly watch our eies are most heauy and ouercharged with sleepe Illam noctem rex duxit in somnem saith the Text Ester 6. Ester 6.1 That night the King would faine haue slept but could not And againe the Disciples in the 26 of Matthew Mat. 26.43 they could not refraine from sleeping when they would haue watched and hee came and found them asleepe againe for their eyes were heauy But in Christ our Sauiour there was no such naturall imperfection in the Wildernesse as long as hee fasted so long it may bee credibily thought that hee watched also both which wee know to bee aboue the course of ordinary nature and in the sixt of Luke Luke 6.12 hee continued a whole night in prayer vnto his Father and yet wee do not reade that hee was ouercharged with heauinesse in the morning hee could sleepe when he list and hee could watch as long as hee list and yet no impediment vnto his body but heere hee sleepes voluntary that so he might giue way vnto a miracle But as they sayled hee fell a sleepe Mark 4.38 Saint Marke recording of this same Story tels vs that he did sleepe In puppi super ceruicale Hee was saith he in the hinder part of the Ship a sleepe vpon a pillow after his paines taking of Preaching the Gospell vpon the Land hee takes his reasonable rest in the ship vpon the water hee rested his head vpon a pillow not stretcht himselfe out at length vpon the Epicures bed of ease but onely laid himselfe downe that so he might bee vp againe vpon all occasions hee was like in this businesse vnto himselfe poore and wanting not hauing so much as a boulster of his owne to lay vnder his head but is faine to borrow the Marriners pillow so are his birth his life and death the one proportionable vnto the other and so much for this first Accident heere in the iourney Hee fell a sleepe The second followes And there came downe a storme of winde on the Lake What a storme of wind come downe on the Lake and Christ our Sauiour in the midst of it Credendumne est ea ventos fuisse audacia and is it possible that the winde should be so audicious as to disturbe either the Sea or the Ship in which the Lord both of heauen and earth was carried in that they should come violently rushing on and aske no leaue of their Lord and Maister Oh no but rather as it was in the tempest that Ionas was tossed in Iona 1.4 The Lord saith the Text there sent out a great winde into the Sea and there was a mighty tempest in the Sea so that the Ship was like to be broken So in
out of his holy Hill we must come and pray vnto him Then they came vnto him c. What the Apostles here did in their persons that wee must do if we want any thing in our owne nay whether we want any thing or no it is our duty for to do it and the prayers of the righteous they are of no small force or efficacie with God to obtaine a blessing from him euery one of them is as a forcible Engine to open Heauen gates and to draw downe a blessing vpon the head of him that sent it vp So S. Bernard telles vs out of that place of the Gospell Luk. 18. concerning the poore Publican Dum non auderet oculos ad Coelos eleuare Luk. 18.10 ipsum Coelum potuit ad se inclinare saith hee Whilst the Publican durst not lift vp his eyes in his prayers vnto heauen such was the force of his prayers with God aboue as that hee bowed the heauens and made them descend downe vnto his prayers But yet by the way it were not amisse for to aske the question What prayers are these that are of such power efficacie with the Lord it is not euery one that is forged in his name Math. 7.21 so our Sauiour Christ himselfe telles vs Math. 7. Non omnis qui dicit Domine Domine not euery one that saith vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen much lesse euery time that he saith it shall haue his request But before our prayers we must prepare our selues to pray by serious meditation Meditatio docet quid desit oratio ne desit obtinet saith Saint Bernard by meditation we learne to know what is wanting vnto vs and by prayer we obtaine that it shall not be wanting That shewes which is the right way that we must walke this teacheth vs how to walke when we haue found the path By meditation wee know the dangers and the perils that hang ouer our heads and by prayer we auoyd them all and escape away scot-free And yet before we can come to meditate aright our heart it must be framed aright for it and that must bee by an earnest and hearty repentance for our sinnes which is Magna spongia as Saint Augustine calles it the great Spunge that wipes them all away out of the fight of the Lord. And herein lies an especiall duty of the Priest if he shall be required thereunto to know how dangerous the sinne is that a man is tainted withall not to flatter his patient in his sinne but to let him know the true weight and danger of it that so he may throughly repent him of his sin and learne to returne to God againe For as S. Cyprian speakes Imperitus est medicus c. he is an vnskilfull Physition saith hee and a worse Surgeon a great deale who seeing of a putrified sore will handle it gently and suffer the corruption to remaine in it still and so by his foolish pitie ouerthrowes his patient whilst he is afraid to apply either his cauteries or his searing medicines Aperiendum est vulnus secandum saith he the wound must be searched launced and the bottome of it felt let the patient in the meane time rage and rosre yet when hee is recouered hee will giue him thankes for his cruell loue Those that sow pillowes vnder mens elbowes and take away repentance for their sins make men beleeue their sinnes are but motes when the weight is so great that God himselfe is forced to groane vnder the burthen of them Amos 2. they doe as much as in them lies shut vp the gate of all true repentance so that whilst with the false Prophets they cry Pax pax non est pax peace peace when there is nothing lesse then peace to be expected whilst they promise a false peace vnto the sinner the hope of eternall peace is vtterly lost from them But in this case there are many vnskilfull euen of the great ones amongst vs who know not what to answere to a distressed wight that shall craue their aduise and helpe but the fault for the most part it lies in themselues Nemo nos interrogat so few there are that craue the aduice of their Teacher as that the case of Conscience lies quite neglected some one or two perhaps when they lye in a cold sweate they send for a Preacher and then hee must giue them a little Opiate Diuinitie that may skinne but not heale or helpe the fore a whit Let vs repent our selues whilst wee are lusty and strong and then wee shall feeele the fruite of it when we lye sicke and weake vpon our beddes And for this same late repentance is S. Augustines note Poenitentiaquae à moriente tantum petitur timeo ne ipsa moriatur he is afraid it will bee dead as soone if not sooner then the partie that lies sicke But true repentance it is the meanes to right meditation and right meditation to hearty prayer and without hearty prayer it is but in vaine to come vnto the Lord and yet againe it is but in vaine for vs to repent vnlesse withall we proceed to feruency of prayer Caine sorrowed for his sinnes when hee confessed his sinnes were so great as God could not forgiue them And Iudas when he cryed out I haue sinned in betraying the innocent bloud but yet they had neither of them grace to aske forgiuenesse for their sinnes which had they done heartily and as they ought I am fully perswaded they should haue found pardon for their great offences Repentance it is the Supersedeas that dischargeth all bonds of sinne and Prayer it is the bucket by which wee draw grace from the everlasting fountaine Let vs continue drawing then till we may assure our selues we haue a good measure of grace within vs and neuer leaue him who is able to adde more to him that hath the greatest aboundance of it in him Let vs flye vnto the Lord by prayer and since our many sinnes like so many fierce Samsons haue not sticked to murther the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah let our repentant teares and humble prayers like so many Bees come and sucke the hony at the flowers of his passion let them ascend vp early in the morning like incense into his nostrils and close the afternoone againe like an euening sacrifice then shall we truly come vnto the Lord and as we ought to do then shall they awaken him though hee bee fast asleepe and obtaine a blessing for vs that offered them vp Then they came vnto him and awaked him saying Master Master This Title of Master here will deserue a little pause you call me Lord and Master saith our Sauiour in the thirteenth of Saint Iohns Gospell Ioh. 13.13 and you doe well for so I am Is not hee Master of them who is Lord and Master of Nature it selfe vnto whom all things both in heauen aboue and in earth beneath doe willingly obey He is Master
of them for he made them all Dixit facta sunt saith the Psalmist he spake but the word and all things were made hee commanded and they stood all fast hee did but speake the word let the earth bring forth her increase and also the waters and presently both earth and sea they were replenished with all manner of varietie Brevis sermo sed valde vehement saith Saint Ambrose a short speech it was indeede saith hee that God spake but yet withall it was a speech that was full of power the efficacie of that speech it brought forth the greatest as well as the least creatures and in the same time too for in the same time the whole was made that hee was making of a Frogge Non laborat in maximis Deus non fastidit in minimis saith Saint Ambrose God saith hee did not labour in the making of the greatest things nor yet contemne the making of the meanest hee made all things by his power and therefore worthily is Master of all Was hee not worthy to bee Master of Man as well as of other Creatures when hee made such diuers and contrarie Elements for to meete together in one and the selfe same body and accord in one Fire and Water Aire and Earth Heate and Cold and all in one and the selfe same place and yet hath so tempered them together as that one is the defence and maintenance of the other Nay more then this saith Saint Bernard Mirabilis societas In man hee hath made a wonderfull societie for in him Heauen and Earth Maiesty and Basenesse Excellencie and Pouertie hee hath matched together What is higher then the spirit of life What is baser then the slime of the earth his soule it was infused into him the spirit of life his body it was made of the dust of the earth This was that that made Gregorie Nazianzen to break into that same exclamation of himselfe what great and wonderfull miracle was within himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I am litle and yet I am great I am humbled and yet I am exalted I am mortall and yet I am immortall I am earthly and yet I am heauenly little in body but great in soule humble as being earth but yet exalted aboue the earth mortall as he that must dye immortall as he that shall rise againe earthly as whose body was taken from the earth heauenly as whose soule was breathed feom aboue And will not all this then make him well deserue the Name and Title of Master amongst vs Yes But here hee hath a double Title Master Master What of that Why hee hath a double Mastership he was their Master Iure creationis by the right of their creation but much more Master Iure redemptionis by right and title of their redemption when man had lost himselfe and defaced that glorious image that God at the first had left within him then came our Sauiour Christ Iesus in a mercifull Redeemer and reconciled his Father and Man together againe Henceforth let vs not repine at the fall of our Grand-father for Christ our Sauiour hath made satisfaction for it Was he cast away for the price of an Apple Why yet he is redeemed for a great deale lesse he was redeemed in meere loue and pitie The sixth day of the weeke as it is thought Adam fell for it is thought that he fell the same day that hee was made the sixth day of the weeke againe Adam and his posteritie were redeemed from death The same day that he fell he was redeemed And as God in the beginning rested on the seuenth day so Christ our Sauiour saith Saint Augustine sabbatizanit in monumento kept holy the Sabboth euen in the graue to teach vs to make more account of that day then the world vsually doth in these our times For for all that belonged vnto the saluation of man he finished that vpon the crosse before his departure hence when hee cried Consummatum est all is finished Ioh. 19.30 Iohn 19. Then all was performed that was requisite for vs and hauing finished his worke he rested as securely in his graue as the most secure man of vs all doth rest in his bed And in this redemption which he so kindly performed for vs there are two things especially to bee considered of vs Modus and Fructus the manner and the fruit of our redemption The Manner it was wonderfull Exinanitio Dei saith the Apostle the emptying of God the fulnesse of all things The emptying of him I say and that in three regards First into the flesh Secondly vnto the death Thirdly lastly vnto the death of the crosse O who can worthily esteeme these three as hee ought to do his worth his humilitie his loue vnto mankinde That the God of all Maiesty should be cloathed with the garment of humane flesh That hee should consent to dye and that hee should dye so miserable and cursed a death Here speech must faile vs and our safest eloquence must bee admiration Let vs sometimes in the feare of God call our selues to account for these things and thinke what great things the Lord hath done for euery one of our soules and then let vs be ashamed at our owne vnthankfulnesse againe that he being Lord of all became obedient and seruant for the very worst of vs Of being rich in all things became poore and miserable in most that were necessary That of the word he became flesh Of the sonne of God that he should become the sonne of base and mortall man Let vs remember that though at the first we were made of nothing yet that afterwards we were not redeemed of nothing In sixe dayes at the first God made heauen and earth and all things that in them were contained but in the redemption of Man our Sauiour was three and thirty yeares and vpwards a working of it vpon the earth O how much in that time did he suffer for our sakes The necessities of the flesh the contempt and scorne of the world the temptations both of the Diuell and of mankinde Can wee thinke that pouerty in all that time did not oppresse him nor shame did not touch him nor yet the wrath and anger of his Father any whit amaze him Certainly certainly beloued the least of all these did touch him neere and the greatest that was the fury of his Father did make him make that lamentable cry vpon the Crosse the like wherof was neuer heard in Ages before nor euer shall be heard againe vnto the ending of the world My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Yet thus O Lord didst thou worke the saluation of Man and wonderfully towards him hath beene thy loue Let vs thinke of these things seriously let vs thinke of them often and then I make no question but we shall thinke we haue great reason to think him a double Master vnto vs. And they came vnto him and awaked him saying Master Master But yet the
him vpon a giddy humour but a discreete deliberation to go vnto them and because he did go therefore here it is said it came to passe Factum est saies the Latine Text it was done so it came to passe Now it came to passe on a certaine day The second thing followes the meanes he went into a Ship with his Disciples Now it came to passe on a certaine day that hee entred into a Ship with his Disciples 1. Mac. 4.9 It is the speech of Iudas Maeccabaeus 1. Mac. 4. that when he was to encourage his Army against Gorgias his souldiers he wils them not to feare their multitude nor to be afraid of their assault mementate sayes hee qualiter facti sunt salui patres nostri Remember sayes he how our fathers were saued in the red Sea when Pharoah pursued them with an Army if euer we should be mindefull of any thing then this particular we should not forget Heere wee haue an example in this same Story of our fore-fathers the Apostles how they and we in them were saued from the danger of a tempest After that our Euangelist had shewed what miracles our Sauiour had acted on the the Land he sets downe now as great a miracle as any of the rest that hee did vpon the Sea that so both earth and Sea might witnesse with him the power and truth of the doctrine that hee Preached to the people Now it came to passe on a certaine day that he went into a Ship with his Disciples He went into a Ship Why what need now had he more of a Ship then at any time else we read he had Was not hee the Lord and God of the water as well as of the Land and could hee not command the one as well as the other Was not this hee that for his peoples sake dried vp the red sea and made them to go through as vpon dry land Exod. 14 Ex. 14.22 Is not this the same that when it pleased him walked vpon the water as vpon firme ground Mat. 14.29 and made his Disciple Peter tread there also Mat. 14. Why then but for the passage ouer of a little Lake would he haue a Ship for to ferry him ouer could hee go vpon the Sea when it was boysterous and rough and must he be passed ouer a Lake when it is calme and quiet what meanes this passage of his that he went into a Ship Yes Beloued he could haue done it as well without a Ship as within the Ship had it pleased him but hee saw it more conuenient for him for to do it otherwise Hee could haue either dryed the Lake with his word as hee did the red Sea or haue walked vpon it at pleasure as at other times he did but heere hee would neither of these hee would choose rather to go as a passenger then as a Lord and Commander of what was his owne To dry the Sea with his word or walke vpon it at his pleasure were arguments and tokens of his Diuinity but heere he would be knowne to be a naturall man he came into the world to take vpon him our infirmities and to cure vs by those who long before were wounded vnto death bee was our Physition and we all his Patients now a Physition that cannot skill of his Patients infirmities shall hardly be able to cure those diseases and how shall he be better skilled in our wants then by feeling of them himselfe hee would feele our wants in this as well as beare our infirmities in other matters the Prophet Esay tels vs what he hath done for vs in other matters in the 53 of his Prophecy where he sayes Esay 53.4 Surely he hath borne of our griefes and carryed our sorrowes he was wounded for our transgressions and by his stripes were we healed So heere hee would know our wantes in being passenger in a Fishers Ketch Had our Sauiour remained God alone as he was at the first what comfort on benefite had that bene vnto 〈◊〉 and or if he had taken humane flesh vpon him and not taken our infirmities withall he could not haue beene seene so well in mans miseries as he was but therefore he tooke them that he might be well skilled in them and being skilled in them hee might compassionate them and compassionating of them he might throughly cure heale them all In this one iourney then of our Sauiours he did such things as might truely shew he was truely man and withall he might demonstrate himselfe to bee the Son of the euerliuing God He went into a ship slept that by both he might instruct vs of the want of necessaries that bee in our nature hee rebuked the wind and appeased the Sea that so he might shew vs the power of his Diuinity He went into a Ship but not into the warspite no man of war to do mischiefe withall for though himselfe were come as himselfe professes Luk. 12.49 in Luke 12. I am come to send fire vpon the earth and what is my desire but that it were already kindled yet he would not as our Pirates now adaies do fetch his fire from hel to blow men quick vp into heauen that he hath left for those diuelish helhounds without their greater repentance that as they haue serued others so they thēselues at the last shold be serued blown vp with fire here and perpetually afterwards be burnt in euerlasting fire But he went into a poore Fishers ship a ship of trade and labour that so all things might answere in proportion both his birth life and death all should bee proportionable one vnto the other His birth it was poore and needy a Village for the place an Inne for his house a Stable for his chamber a cratch for his bed what poore beggar amongst men more miserably borne Ierusalē in Scripture is proclaimed to be the Citty of the great King what King greater thē this King of ours who hath both on his vesture on his thigh a name writtē Rex regum Dominus dominantium King of Kings and Lord of Lords yet this great Lord will choose rather to honor with his birth little Bethlem the least amongst the thousands of Iudah then famous Ierusalem the Metropolis of the world litle Bethlē I say shal be honored by his birth whē famous Ierusalem shall dishonor her self by his death passiō In this small village of Bethlem he neither commands Princely Pallaces nor great mans house but contents himselfe to bee borne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Greg. Naz. speakes in a base and a common Inne a place made for the receipt of the meanest company and in that Inne hee takes vp a Stable for his Nursery and a Cratch for his chaire of Estate a poore Carpenter and his wife for his priuy Counsellours an Oxe and an Asse for his common Courtiers thus the mighty God whose Seate is in heauen and the earth is his Footestoole must bee contented with
winde and the raging of the water and they ceased and there was a calme Now are wee come to the euident demonstration of our Sauiours Diuinity In the former parts of the Text wee saw him as a meere naturall Man meeke and gentle not striuing for superiority or desirous to command Hee enters into a Ship with his Disciples and being entred laies himselfe downe for his rest and quiet Hee opens not his mouth either to controule his owne company or any other that were in the ship So was His whole life meeke and gentle in his birth saith S. Ber. Parua lans quia parui laus there was but litle praise because it was but the praise of a little One Esay 9.6 Vnto vs a child is born there his Maiesty is not extolled but yet his humility is aboue all we are able to speake to be commended Exceedingly to bee commended indeed of vs especially if wee shall consider Him as hee hath deserued of euery one of vs. For Him that S. Paul saw in his owne nature the knowledge and wisedome of God himselfe Him for our sakes the Prophet Dauid saw lessened below the Angels Him that Daniel saw sitting on the Throne and thousand thousands ministring before Him Him the Prophet Ieremy saw againe conuersing vpon earth with wretched man Him that Ezekiel saw the Lord of Hosts Him the Prophet Esay saw in shape like a Leaper meeke and humble and all for our benefite and therefore aboue all to bee commended of vs. And in this gentle fashion not being prouoked by vs who hath deserued so much good at our hands He comes neerest vnto his owne Diuine Nature and Essence For God in his owne Nature and Essence is milde and gentle and if he be not ouermuch prouoked will not break forth into rage and fury The Disciples that were of a fiery Spirit they were most vnlike and contrary to their Master for hee does not delight in sending downe hurtfull fires Hee is called the Day-star to inlighten 2. Pet. 1.19 Gâ—n 3.8 not the Dog-star to scorch and burn And God is said for to haue walked in the Coole of the day not in the Heate of the day and as it were also to haue fetched many turnes thereby to coole himselfe before he would call his aduersary to account And when he would speake vnto Eliah Hee shewed himselfe neither in the strong wind 2. Kings 19.12 nor in the earth-quake nor yet in the fire but in a small still voyce And all this to teach meÌ„ what their duty is to do to be kind and mercifull as their heauenly Father of Himselfe is merciful and so the Saints in former times haue professed of themselues Dauid sayes of himselfe that he was like vnto a weaned childe Iacob compares himselfe vnto a worme Our Sauiour his Disciples vnto little Children Saint Paul would haue his Corinthians meeke and gentle forgiuing each other as God for Christs sake had forgiuen them In a word as God himselfe forgiuing our iniquities and pardoning all our sinnes Hee hitherto was meeke and gentle but now Increpauit ventis He rebuked the wind and the raging of the waters c. He rebuked the wind Why the wind wee all know is a lawlesse creature and will not be kept vnder and so our Sauiour Christ speakes of it where he saith spiritus spirat vbi vult Ioh. 3.8 The winde bloweth where it listeth and who is hee that shall controule it True indeed who is he that can controule it if hee be but onely man but if the wind shall be ouer-bold and saucy with his Lord and Maker and exceed the bounds and limits that hee hath appointed it it shall haue his due checke as well as any other of his creatures He rebuked the winds But how did he rebuke them may some man aske What did he send his letters of defiance vnto the windes as Xerxes did when they crossed his intendments Or did he cause fetters and shackles to be cast into the water as the same Xerxes did and make it take the Bastinado when the angry Hellespont would not grant him passage for himselfe and Souldiers How did hee rebuke them Why how should hee rebuke them but by his Word For Hee that made the windes and sent them out by his Word by his Word also was able to countermand them when it pleased him The Heathen Poets fancied to themselues a God of the winds Aeolus who in a Caue kept them all together and as hee was either pleased or displeased with Mankinde so he let them out and called them in againe either for their profite or to wreake his anger and displeasure on them But Christ the onely true Aeolus does not let them out to range at their owne pleasure but when they are forth he rules them as he lists so the Prophet Dauid tels vs Ps 104. Who laieth the beames of his Chambers in the waters Psal 104.3 and maketh the Clouds his Chariot and walketh vpon the wings of the wind Both winds and waters then are at his command and as it pleaseth him he forces them forwards or keeps them backe for the benefite of his The company of the righteous they are Gods especiall care that hee lookes after so much the Poet doth reueale Cura Deûm dî sunt qui coluere colantur and therefore rather then they shall take any harme hee will bee present to worke a miracle for their reliefe he will rebuke both the winds and the waters make them calme al for their sakes To work miracles now adaies amongst vs though it may seeme strange vnto vs because it is a commanding of the creatures against the course of nature as to cause the wind to cease with a word to quiet the Seas onely with a becke be beyond humane conceipt yet with God for his Elect sake they are as Philo Iudâ— speakes but Iudicra meere toyes and trifles nay he will do greater matters then these for such as be his he will diuide the Sea for his seruants to goe through and drowne his enemies that follow after Hee will raine down bread and flesh from heauen for them in a time of dearth when the earth will not affoord it them Hee will bring water out of the hard Rocke when they shall be in a barren and dry ground where no water is Out of very stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham is easy and at hand with him to do And if any man shall aske mee the reason of these so great and miraculous workes of his I answere suddainely againe with S. August Bonitas gratia Dei the mercy and loue of God wherewith from all eternity hee hath loued his Elect hath prouoked him to doe them all Let vs then all as many as professe our selues to belong to him magnifie this great God for this extraordinary goodnesse of his and as we weare the badges of Christ Iesus on our foreheads so let vs faithfully adore him in our hearts and then though dangers threaten and stormes arise yet there shall appeare at the last a quiet calme a calme and quietnesse of conscience here and an eternall calme in the world to come The which quietnesse both here and there that we all may be partakers of Hee grant vs that here caused this calme to his Apostles Christ Iesus the righteous to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit three Persons and one Eternall Almighty and Euerliuing God be all Praise Honour and Glory this day and for euer Amen Errata PAg. 2. line 9. for good reade God p. 16 l. 24. mementate r. mementote p. 22. l. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 29. l. 20. quae r. qua l. ead quae r. qua p. 35. l. 3. fugero r. fugere p. ead l. 27. to r. two p. 36. l. 24. loather r. loathest p. 57. s 2. summum r. summam p. 59. l. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 63. l. 2. iife r. life to p. 97. l. 26. whole r. whale FINIS