to all that call upon him in truth saith the Psalmist whereas Solomon tells us he is far from the wicked Nor is he onely prope but cum nigh but with his servants so he saith to Israel Thou art my servant I am with thee Nor is he onely cum but circa with but about his people as the mountains are round about Jerusalem so the Lord round about them that fear him saith David Nor is he onely circa but in about but in his people So the Psalmist God is in the generation of the righteous Nor is he only in but in medio in but in the midst of them I come and will dwell in the midst of thee saith the Lord To be with is more then to be nigh since nearnesse may consist with some distance To be round about is more than to be with since he that is onely on a mans right or left hand may be said to be with him To be in is more then to be round about since that doth onely note an adjacency this an inherency Finally to be in the midst is more than onely to be in the middle being the very centre And why all these expressions but to intimate Gods near speciall and gracious presence with his people This was that which Jacob desired and good reason For 1. Jacob had left his Fathers house where were his best friends on earth and what could now render his life comfortable but the presence of God in heaven It rejoyced David to consider that when his father and his mother forsook him yet the Lord would take him up And surely now Jacob was gone from his father and mother it would much revive him to have God with him Am not I better to thee then ten sons said Elkanah to Hannah God is better than parents or kindred and friends and his presence with us will sufficiently recompence their absence from us 2. Jacob was now in a journey and at such a time especially good company doth well Comes facundus in via pro vehiculo saith Publius truly a cheerfull associate speedeth a mans way and reddit iter leve breve makes a mans journey seem both easier and shorter But no company like to Gods Solus non est cui praesul adest Deus saith S. Ambrose sweetly Jacob though alone is not alone if God be with him It is an excellent note of S. Bernard upon those words of Christ to the Spouse Arise and come Non parū confortat quod audit veni non vade c. It was no smal comfort to the Spouse to hear that sweet word Come and not Go by which she understood that she was not sent but led and that her bridegroom would go with her Quid enim difficile sibi illo comite reputet For what way can be rugged to her whilest he vouchsafes to be her companion If God be with us in a prison it is no longer a confinement Neque enim poterit carcer videri in quo Socrates erat said he That cannot be a prison where Socrates is but I may much more truly say That cannot be a prison where God is If God be with us in a desart it is no longer solitary he cannot be lonely though alone who hath a God to cheer him Excellently S. Chrysostom if God please though we be in a wildernesse we need none else to accompany us 3. Homo gaudet de propinquitate amici every man is glad to have his friend near him If a man be on a journey the company of a stranger is acceptable but of a friend is most desirable Jacob knew the Lord his Grandfather Abraham his Father Isaac and himself had found him to be a sure a fast friend can you blame him to desire his society No friends to a man in any difficulty like a good God and a good conscience 4. Iacob made an account of troubles which might befall him in his way no wonder if he would have God go with him {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} saith the Greek Father sweetly When we have God propitious we are more secure in the open field than others are in walled cities The truth is I do not on the one hand much wonder at the fear of the Disciples in the ship when besides the darknesse of the night and vehemency of the storm I read that Iesus was not come to them on the other hand I lesse marvell at the confident resolution of David Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death yet will I fear no evil when I presently read for thou art with us If Gods presence go with us as we need not care who else is with us so neither need we fear who or what is against us It is moved as a Question Why whereas the Prophet foretold concerning the Messiah thou shalt call his name Immanuel the Angels precept is Thou shalt call his name Iesus To which this ingenuous answer is returned that the names Immanuel and Iesus though they differ in sound are much one in sense Immanuel signifieth God with us and Iesus a Saviour and if God be with us salvation cannot be far from us In one word as the presence of the Sun dispels all clouds so doth Divine presence prevent all troubles at least the evil of them 5. Iacob supposeth he might need supplies in his journey and he knew Gods presence would furnish him The Lord is my shepherd saith David therefore I shall not want whilest the shepherd is with his flock he will not let them want either pasture or waters Nihil ei deest cui adest omnium plenitudo saith S. Ambrose No good things can be absent where the fulness of all things is present 6. Lastly Iacob considered that the chief errand about which his Father sent him namely the taking of a wife was a matter of serious concernment besides it so fell out that he was intrusted by Laban with the managing of his estate and in all weighty undertakings who fitter than God to consult with To this accords Tostatus his glosse If God will be with me dirigendo negotium statum meum to direct and order my affairs It is no small content to a man when he hath a friend no lesse prudent than faithfull at hand to advise with the onely wise God is both the safest guide and the best Counsellour By all this it appeares how needfull the speciall presence of a propitious God is Indeed Moses made so great an account of it that being to conduct the Israelites to the land of promise he saith unto God If thy presence go not with me carry us not hence Oh let it be our wisdome as alwayes so especially when we are engaged upon perillous journeys and weighty businesses by earnest prayer to implore and so secure the Divine presence as here Jacob doth when he saith If God will be
THE PIOUS VOTARY AND PRUDENT TRAVELLER CHARACTERIZED In a Farewell-SERMON occasioned by the voyage of Nathanael Wych Esq. President to the East-Indies Preached in S. Dionys Back-Church Mar. 14. 1657. By NATH HARDY Minister of the Word and Preacher to that Parish PSAL. 76.11 Vow and pay to the Lord our God let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared BERN. de modo bene vivendi Serm. 62. Vos ipsos vovete reddite necesse est ut qui vovit etiam reddat quia vovendi se debitorem fecit LONDON Printed by J. G. for John Clark and are to be sold at his shop under S. Peters Church in Cornhill 1659. To my Honoured Friend NATHANAEL WYCH Esq. Chosen President by the Honourable English East-India Company Together with his Vertuous LADY ANNE WYCH the influence of Heavens dew the affluence of Earths fatness and confluence of all good things which concern the life that now is and that which is to come DId not the law of Thankfulness forbid me to deny what you are pleased to require these imperfect Notes had not been made thus publick But I had rather incur the censure of indiscretion than the brand of ingratitude and if the perusal of this unpolished discourse may adde to your comfort I shall be the lesse troubled if the publication of it detract from my credit especially considering that the concernment is very large and as I pray it may so I hope it will be of good use and benefit to Merchants Mariners Souldiers and all sort of Travellers who shall think fit to make it their Vade mecum And now worthy Friends give me leave to congratulate your mutuall happinesse in that matrimoniall union whereof you have honoured me to be the instrument Yours Noble Sir in your dearly beloved Anne whose name imports grace or favour and in finding whom according to Solomons assertion you have obtained favour of the Lord one who so fully retaliateth your love that she saith to you as Ruth did to Naomi Where thou goest I will go and where thou dwellest I will dwell having learnt the just extent of that first Institution which though it onely mentioneth the man no lesse truly reacheth to the woman who must leave Father and Mother and cleave to her Husband Yours Honoured Madam in your deservedly beloved Nathanael whom I doubt not but according to the signification of his name you thankfully accept of as Gods gift One who is the Third Brother of his Fathers house upon whom the Honour hath been conferred of being sent as Chief Officer into forraign parts about publick employments yea one whose singular dexterity and integrity rendred him no lesse acceptable to the Adventurâ—rs than his courteous affability doth to all who know him I have nothing more to adde but a Benediction May she whom you have taken into your bosom be a Leah for fruitfulness as well as she is a Rachel for amiableness May you do worthily in India and by a zealous care of Gods Honour together with a faithful discharge of your Trust be famous both in India England May that good hand of Providence which hath joyned you together bless and preserve you both at home and abroad by sea and land in your persons and relations in your going forth and coming home May you both live to return as you go forth with honor May you bring home what you cannot carry with you an hopefull Progeny In a word may you live together long on Earth comfortably and for ever in Heaven happily So prayeth Your most affectionate Friend and Servant Nath Hardy THE PIOUS VOTARY GEN 28.20 21. And Jacob vowed a vow saying If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go and will give me bread to eat and rayment to put on So that I come again to my fathers house in peace Then shall the Lord be my God HAving a great Journy to go in a little time I would not be long in setting out and therefore lest I should be prevented by the expiration of the hour before I come to my Journies end I shall not detain my self-or you with an introductory Exordium The words are a part of Jacobs Vow who is not unfitly called Pater votorum the Father of Vows This being the first Vow which we find upon Record in Sacred Writ That I may the better lead you into the several rooms of this excellent Fabrick it will be needful to ascend by Three Steps in the Resolution of Three Quaeres 1. What this meanes that Jacob vowed a vow saying 2. To whom this vow was made And 3. Upon what occasion In Answer to the first Quaere there are three things to be explained what it means that 1. Jacob vowed 2. That he vowed saying 3. That he vowed a vow saying 1. Jacob vowed To a Vow saith Aquinas there are three things required Deliberation Purpose and Promise The promise must proceed from the purpose and the purpose from deliberation A Vow must be a voluntary act which cannot be unless some deliberation precede it must be an unfeigned act and that cannot be where there is no true purpose Finally it must be an obliging act and this cannot be without a promise If you please we will reduce the three to two namely A deliberate Intention and A resolute Obtestation whereof the former brings on the latter and the latter fast binds the former 1. On the one hand if a deliberate intention do not go before either there will be no Vow made or if made it is not likely to be performed nay though performed it is no other than a mocking of him to whom it is made A Promise without a Purpose being no other than an illusion 2. On the other hand Though the intention be never so real yet if not seconded with a Promise it is no Vow In a Vow as a Casuist well noteth there is voluntas seipsum obligandi a man doth will to binde himself to the performance of that which he vows and that is not done by a bare intention but an obtestation Hence it is that whereas a purpose may be altered a vow cannot be recalled So that when it s here said Jacob vowed the meaning is that he did deliberately binde himself by promise with an intention of performance 2. He vowed saying That in a vow use should be made of words is not alwayes necessary since He to whom the Vow is made understands the language of the heart In which respect Peter Lombards definition of a Vow is somewhat redundant where he saith it is testificatio quaedam promissionis spontaneae a certain testification of a voluntary promise the testification being onely a circumstance not essential to a vow And accordingly whereas its here exprest Jacob vowed a vow saying it may very well be construed of saying in his heart for so in holy Writ the heart
and brought them safe not onely out of Egypt but through the sea and wilderness unto the land of Promise Indeed as S. Ambrose excellently ibi plus auxilii ubi plus periculi when danger is greatest then divine help is nearest and the more perillous the way is the more doth God glorifie his mercy in his servants safety He that keeps the sea from over-running the earth can keep us from miscarrying though it be by sea neither waves nor winds can hurt him whom God will preserve and therefore in our greatest straits let us not cast away our confidence but exercise our devotion praying to God with Jacob here that he would keep us in the way we go 3. The next branch of his desire is convenient provision in those words And give me I read to eat and rayment to put on It may be here enquired Whether Jacob had not provision of bread and rayment already with him And if so Why is this inserted in his petition When Abraham sent forth Eleazar his servant to find out a wife for Isaac he sent him forth with ample furniture and is it to be imagined that Isaac would deal worse by his Son than his Father Abraham did by his servant But to answer this know 1. That how well soever Jacob were provided this prayer was not needlesse even rich men must be Gods beggars and as will appear by and by have reason to pray for bread and rayment though they have it 2. It is not improbably conceived that Iacob was sent forth from Isaac but in a mean condition without any plentifull sustenance or attendance For this reason saith Mercer from the Rabbins Quò citiùs rediret anhelaret ad domum patris that he might think the sooner of returning and make the more haste home and perhaps withall that he might be the lesse envied and maligned by his brother Esau who was enraged against him 3. Besides the extent of Iacobs desire for bread and rayment was till he came back to his Fathers house and possibly his stay might be longer then he intended and so his provision fall shorter then he expected To let this go you may take notice in this request of these three things The matter of his desire bread to eat and rayment to put on The Donor from whom he desired them namely God and upon what account in that word Give 1. The things he here desires of God are bread and rayment Bread being the most generall and needfull food is by a Synecdoche in Scripture put for all kind of Aliment which is necessary to the sustentation of nature and rayment includes all things needfull for the clothing of the body Indeed some of the Rabbins conceive that Jacob having now got the birth right and blessing had an eye to the sacerdotall garment which the first-born did minister with in holy things But this is a far-fetcht conceipt the most genuine sense is that all things necessary for his feeding and clothing are here meant by bread and rayment That which would be taken notice of is the modesty of this good man who onely desires things necessary He doth not ask of God Quails or Manna but onely Bread he doth not beg purple and fine linen jewels and ornaments but onely rayment It is as easie for God to give his servants delicacies as bread silks as cloth superfluities as necessaries and if he be pleased to blesse our lawfull endeavours and throw in abundance upon us we must receive it thankfully and use it rightly Such no doubt was Jacobs resolve as appears by that part of his vow to give God the tenth of that state he should bless him with But still with Jacob we must not enlarge too much in our prayers for temporals This is that our Saviour hath taught us Christians in that excellent form of prayer Give us this day our daily bread upon which Ggregory Nyssen thus elegantly glosseth {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} c. Give us bread not dainties nor riches not golden ornaments nor silver vessels or precious stones not herds of oxen flocks of sheep or troops of horses not large revenues stately palaces or numerous attendants by all which the mind is too much withdrawn from better things no onely give us bread that which may support nature and preserve life Oh how doth this check our grasping soaring thoughts and desires know we not that riches and honours are things too great for our bodies and too little for our minds they are more than we can use and lesse than we would have we may be well enough without them and cannot be satisfied with them Let me then bespeak you in those words of God to Baruch Seekest thou great things for thy self Seek them not Or in that excellent counsel of the Apostle Having food and rayment let us therewith be content It is a known saying Cui satis non est satis nihil est satis our Proverb Englisheth it Enough is as good as a feast And if you would know what is enough let Juvenal answer In quantum sitis atque fames frigora poscunt That which is enough to keep off hunger thirst cold It was Agurs prayer to God Give me neither poverty nor riches both being like Scylla and Charibdis destructive but feed me with food convenient for me And if you would know what is convenient I answer in few words that which is necessary for our own preservation which is suitable to the present station wherein God hath set us and is justly requisie for the charge committed to us Within these bonds let us limit our desires so shall we be followers of this godly Patriarch who onely craveth bread and rayment 2. The Donor of whom he desireth this provision is God the Lord in heaven is the disposer of all things on earth we neither have them of our selves nor can have them from any other but him or at least by his appointment It were easie to instance in all the various comforts of this present life how it is he that builds the house wherein we dwell that makes the bed especially in our sicknesse whereon we lie that gives his Beloved sleep and rest upon her bed that causeth the sun to shine and the rain to fall that prepares a table for us and causeth our cup to run over But I shall confine my self to the present instances the bread we eat is out of his cupboard and the rayment we put on out of his wardrobe He gives us bread inasmuch as he blesseth the seed and giveth the earth strength to bring forth corn whereas the corn giveth bread to us he giveth as it were bread to the corn by the dews of heaven sendeth seasonable weather to ripen it and gather it in He giveth us rayment in that he giveth us sheep and covereth them with wooll
for though it be true that Almighty God do sometimes suffer for reasons best known to himself such wretches to prosper in their wicked wayes yet they cannot either justly expect or religiously desire it and by how much the more devoutly they seem to undertake such attempts by so much the more abominable they are in the eyes of God who never more abhorreth Robbery and Rebellion then when it is masked with Religion and devotion Let every one therefore who hopeth and craveth Gods blessing be carefull that he have Gods call nor let him think it sufficient that Gods providence seemeth as it were to open a door unlesse Gods word warrant him to go forth 2. Be careful together with thy prayer to God to joyn thine own endeavour God will be with us but then we must not be wanting to our selves He will give us bread to eat and rayment to put on without our merit but not if we be able without our labour He will keep us in the way we go and that so as we may come again in peace but then we must not needlesly thrust our selves into danger and use the best means we can to preserve our selves In vaine doth that scholar think to get learning who neglects his book or that husband-man look for an harvest who throwes his plough into the hedge Jacob was fain to serve Laban for that bread and rayment which he desired God to give him God can keep us by a miracle without means he hath done so where means have been wanting but he hath no where said he will do it whilest means is afforded Oculus ad coelum manus ad clavum is the Pilots practice as his eye is upon the star so his hand is upon the helm Orare is to little purpose without Laborare in all dangers as thou liftest up thy eyes to God for his succour so thou must put forth thy hand to the means of self-preservation 3. Before thou goest on thy way take thy farewell of thy sins by Godly sorrow and repentance your iniquities saith God by the Prophet have separated between me and you If any sin unrepented go with us God will leave us and if iniquity be found in our hands we cannot expect that his protection should be over our heads I wonder not if Israel turn their backs before their enemies whilst the accursed thing is in the Camp They are Gods own words I will not be with you any more except you destroy the accursed from among you 4. Resign thy self to God as by a voluntary submission to his dispose so by a willing subjection to his commands He taketh none to be of his charge whom he finds not to be of his family This of Jacob If God will be with me and keep me in that way which I goe c. then the Lord shall be my God may well be inverted If the Lord be thy God then he will be with thee and keep thee in thy way c. It is a false Maxime on the one hand that onely actuall protection obligeth to subjection I am bound to obey my parents whether civill or naturall though they be not able to protect me and much more my God though he will not preserve me But on the other hand Subjection onely is that which entitleth us to protection so that unlesse I serve and honour God I do in vaine expect that he should blesse and keep me 5. Finally Begin continue and manage thy whole journey with frequent and zealous prayers to God for these blessings Nor will it be amisse nay I would commend it as a very fitting preparative to all weighty undertakings that thou before hand engage thy self to God after Jacobs pattern by a vow of some eminent service to be performed in case he be pleased to give thee the successe desired and beseech him that he would prove and try thee whether thou wilt not faithfully make good the obligation thou hast made to him Having observed these rules go forth in Gods name cheerfully couragiously confidently expecting divine presence and providence to accompany thee And whereas because the generall promises of temporall blessings in Scripture are made cum exceptione crucis as Divines speak with the exception of the Crosse things may not altogether succeed according to thy desires yea it may so fall out that not onely troubles but death it self may befall thee in the way which thou goest let this be thy strong consolation that if thy life be at an end before thy way it is that which thy gracious God seeth best for thee and if he do not so keep thee as that thou shalt come again in peace to thy Fathers house on Earth it is that thou mayest so much the sooner go to thy Fathers house in Heaven where are many mansions and where thou shalt be in rest peace and blisse to all eternity And thus I have at length brought you through all the parts of my text and should now put an end to my discourse but that I have a worthy person in mine eye whose lately intended voyage is the occasion of this discourse and to whom in a few words I must crave leave to make a particular addresse It hath pleased Divine providence to call you forth from your friends and Fathers house The way you are to go is long to the remote parts of the world and in that respect may seem tedious your passage is by Sea and that may prove perillous the dangers of the Sea being probably more and greater then those of the land But withall your employment is not onely lawfull but laudable just but honourable you are intrusted with the goods and imployed for the good of many in which respect you are likely to be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a common good Besides which is no small comfort God hath provided for you a meet help a loving yoke-fellow to go with you one whose society wil recompense the absence of your other friends and beguile the tediousnesse of the way yea one who will help to bear a part with you as well in your trouble as in your enjoyments Nothing now remaineth but to make sure that God may be with you in the way you are to go in order to which the example of this holy Patriarch is well worthy your imitation as he did so do you bind your self to God by some solemn vow at your going forth to do some extraordinary act of piety of charity at your coming home and not onely so but while it is called to day consecrate your self to his service throughout the whole time of your voyage walk with him cleave to him ever remembring that of Azariah to Asa The Lord is with you while ye be with him and if ye seek him he will be found of you but if ye forsake him he will forsake you Nor let this onely be your personall care but what lieth in you take care that those who are