they were they did subsist in the person of the Word So were there at once two great unions admirably singular and singularly admirable viz. 1. Manhood and Godhead 2. Motherhood and Maidenhood But because the wombe is a darke shop wherein every man is marvellously and fearefully made much more was Christ the Virgins wombe being called the shop of miracles Neither did it want mysterie that the Holy Ghost is said to overshadow her We will also beleeve with our hearts what we cannot fully comprehend with our mindes much lesse expresse with our tongues We will also religiously marvell at this and say What manner of man is this that was even conceived by the Holy Ghost and proceed to that was more visible and patulous viz. His birth S. Iohn saith He saw a great wonder in heaven a woman clothed with the Sunne and the Moone under her feet and upon her head a crowne of twelve starres and shee was with childe and cried travelling in birth He may well call it a wonder a great wonder it is the wonder of wonders and comprehendeth many wonders What! the inhabiter of eternitie subject to time and after certaine moneths in the wombe as this day borne into the world The everlasting Father a young childe The Word an Infant which cannot speake Wisdome it selfe not know good from evill He that beareth up all things by his omnipotencie borne in the armes of a woman He that is invisible in his owne nature whom no man ever saw nor can see now to be seene of any in our nature even of the country Shepherds He that hath heaven for his throne and the earth his footstoole borne in the stable of a common Inne and laid in a cratch He that filleth heaven and earth too finde no roome in an Inne He that hath girt the sea sand himselfe wrapped in swadling clothes Hee that openeth his hands and feedeth every living creature doth he sucke the breasts He that is Davids Lord is he become Davids sonne He that was before Abraham is he so long after him in the flesh and descended from his loines He that is the Lord of all is he become a servant unto all Whereas man in the nonage of the world was made after the Image of God now in the dotage of it will God be made after the similitude of sinfull man He that made woman of Adams rib will he now be made of a woman and shall his mother be a Virgin Well said God when he prophesied that the Lord will create a new thing in the earth a woman shall compasse a man He may well call it a new thing for there was never such a thing before nor since and he may well call it a Creation Yea some Divines hold the worke of Incarnation when God was made like man to be greater than the worke of Creation when man was made like God I am sure the greatest miracles that every eye saw may be seene of the spirituall man in the birth of Christ The Sunne in the Firmament hath beene seene to stand to be retrograde and goe backe divers degrees to be eclipsed or darkned at a plenilune and these were great miracles But in the birth of Christ thou shalt see the Sunne of righteousnesse come downe from heaven and the most glorious Sonne of God emptie himselfe and descend from the bosome of his Father into the wombe of a Virgin Moses saw the viriditie of a bush burning with fire preserved and in Christs birth we may see the virginitie of a mother preserved Esay 7. 14. Aarons dry rod did blossome and beare fruit and in the birth of Christ we may see the withered stock of Iesse flourish and beare fruit Manna fell out of the clouds Christ came from the bosome of his Father Elijah was taken up into heaven but a greater than he came now downe from heaven The consideration whereof made that learned and devout Father to breake out into admiration O Lord I doe not admire the stature of the world the stabilitie of the earth waxing and waning of the Moone perpetuall motion of the Sunne but I wonder to see God in the wombe the omnipotent in the cradle `` These things doe astonish me and make me say with Abacuck I have considered thy works and was afraid With whom let us marvell and say with these Disciples What manner of man is this who as this day was borne of a pure Virgin Surely this is a new and strange thing indeed which Iehovah himselfe hath created and it is marvellous in our eyes Oh rejoyce in this day which the Lord hath made yea rejoyce in this day wherein the Lord was made Rejoyce great grandfather Adam for as this day thy wife Evah hath brought forth the promised seed which shall bruise the serpents head Rejoyce grandfather Abraham This is the day thou so longedst to see Now is thy seed borne in which all nations of the earth shall be blessed Rejoyce father David this day thy Lord is become thy sonne which shall sit upon thy throne Rejoyce all yee Prophets for God hath fulfilled what he hath spoken by your mouthes Rejoyce yee men for the Sonne of God is now made man Rejoyce yee women for a woman is become the mother of God and all generations shall call her blessed Rejoyce yee Virgins for a Virgin hath conceived and borne a sonne Rejoyce yee children for the Sonne of God is become a childe Rejoyce yee that sit in darknesse for the day spring from on high hath visited yea the Sunne of righteousnesse is risen unto you Rejoyce yee that hunger for the bread of life is come from heaven Rejoyce yee that mourne for the consolation of Israel is come Rejoyce yee that are sicke in your soules the Physitian is come Rejoyce yee sinners for a Saviour is borne Let all that feare the Lord rejoyce and sing Glory be to God on high And so much for his birth He hath many most glorious high honourable titles given him as Iesus Christ Son of the most high Lord of glory Emanuel Wonderfull Counseller Mighty God everlasting Father Prince of peace Angel of Covenāt Redeemer Way Truth Life Resurrection Peace First last First begottē of the dead First fruits of them that sleepe Prince of the Kings of the earth Bright morning starre Amen Faithfull and true witnesse The beginning of the Creation of God Prince of Life The true Light Good Shepherd Vine Doore Lambe of God Only begotten Sonne of the Father Image of the invisible God second Adam Sonne of Man The true God Great God Mighty God The only God God over all King Everlasting Priest
modum supererit gaudium Hoc obnixè obtestatur Frater Orator foelicitatis vestrae studiosissimus T. J. A Logicall ANALYSIS of the Text. IN the historie of Christ his passage by Sea two principall things are to be observed viz. 1. Their shipping in the 23. verse where note 1. The persons who and are made knowne by two things and 1. By their number who were and CHRIST and His Disciples 2. By their order Christ went before and hâ— Disciples followed him 2. The vessell wherein a ship 2. Their sailing where note 1. Their danger in vers 24. wherein observe 1. A note of attention Behold and 2. A Narration which hath two parts 1. A declaration of the cause and that is 1. 〈…〉 a Tempest and 2. 〈◊〉 by two things 1. Qualitie it rose suddenly and 2. Quantitie a great one 2. Aâ—aâ—gravation of the danger by two circumstances 1. The ship was even covered with waves and 2. Christ himselfe was on sleepe 2. Their deliverance which is 1. Procured in the 25. verseâ— where note and 1. The persons procuring it His Disciples 2. Of whom they procure it Him 3. What they doe being come to him they awoke him 4. What they said which being supplicatory hath two parts 1. Their suit Lord save â—s and 2. Reason We perish 2. Performed by a double reprehension viz. 1. He reproveth his Disciples and that for two saâ—â—ts and 1. Their excessive feare Why are yee fearefull and 2. Their defective faith O yeâ— of little faith 2. He rebuketh the winds and sea where note 1. A preparation He arose and 2. Reprehension it selfe He rebuked the winds and the sea 3. The effects which were of two sorts 1. In the winds and sea There was a great calme and 2. In the men and was twofold viz. 1. Admiration But the men marvelled and 2. Interrogations where note 1. A 〈◊〉 What manner of man is this and 2. A Râ—â—son thereof For even the winds and sea obey him THE RAGING TEMPEST STILLED MATTH 8. 23 24 25 26 27. And when he was entred into a ship his disciples followed him c. Comment lit THey that goe downe to the Sea in ships and occupie their businesse in great waters these see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deepe for he commandeth raiseth the stormie winde which lifteth vp the waues thereof they mount vpto the heauen they goe downe againe to the depths their soule is melted because of trouble They reele to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wits end then they cry to the Lord in their trouble and he bringeth them out of their distresses he maketh the storme a calme so that the waues thereof are still Then are they glad because they be quiet so he bringeth them to their desired hauen Psal 107. 23 31. mystic Navicula Ecclesia est quae mari i. seculo fluctibus i. persequutionibus inquietatur Domino per patientiam veluti dormiente dâ—nec orationibus Sanctorum suscitatus compescat seculuÌ„ tranquillitatem suis red dat Tâ—rt l. de Baptismo cap. 12. LORD IESV CHRIST who art ascended on high leadest captivitie captive and giuest gifts unto men captivate and bring into subjection mine understanding will affections furnish me with gifts and guide mine heart tongue and pen that I may thinke write and speake such things as may be for thy glory the edification of thy Church and the peace and comfort of mine owne soule Amen And when he was entred into a ship Amongst other coÌ„forts refreshings which trauellers have in their journeyes voyages in this world this is none of the least that being wearied with tedious land-trauell they may more easily passe by water one maine end of the sea of great riuers wherewith it hath pleased God to interlace the habitable world as the naturall bodie with veines of bloud We have travelled a long and wearisome journey by land and fetched home the prodigall from a far countrey now if it please God and you we will refresh our selues by water we have beene in travell with the Wise-men who came from the East we have beene in the High Priests house where Peter denied his Master we have beene in the Pharisies house where the penitent woman washed Christs feet with teares we have been in the Temple where Iudas cast downe his silver we have beene in the field both in seed time in the parable of the sower and in harvest in the parable of wheat and tares we have beene in the garden in the parable of the sowing and growing of mustard-seed we have beene upon Mount Tabor in the storie of Christ his transfiguration and on Mount Calvarie where one of the theeves penitently confessed we have beene in the wildernesse in the parable of the shepherd seeking his lost sheepe we have beene in the Indies in the parable of seeking for hidden treasure yea we have in our meditations beene in the joyes of Heauen and torments of Hell in the parabâ—e of Dives and Lazarus we have beene almost every where but upon the sea in all our travels we have not taken ship till now but now by Gods grace we will make a sea-voyage But as wise mariners though wind and weather be never so faire and calme provide for a storme so I wish you provide your tacklings for I assure you we shall have a great storme but feare neither wind nor sea rock nor sand for Christ is our pilot and every passenger though much weather-beaten yet shall in the end arrive safely at the wished haven only as Paul before he tooke ship kneeled downe and praied be not wanting in your private praiers that God would send us a prosperous journey If it please you I will first parallel this storie with some other both positive exemplary Scriptures the former is in the Psalmes where the Psalmist saith They that go downe to the sea in ships occupie their businesse in great waters these see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deepe for he commandeth and raiseth the stormie wind which lifteth up the waves thereof they mount up to the heaven and goe downe againe to the depths their soule melteth because of the trouble they reele 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 storme a calme so that the waves thereof are still then are they glad because they be quiet so he bringeth them to their desired haven Oh that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse and declare his wonderfull works to the children of men Oh what an excellent Comment is that on this storie Other such examples the Scriptures afford as a like storie we have in Ionah when he flying to Tharsis from the presence of the Lord the Lord raised a wonderfull storme and tempest
and invest him with absolute authoritie to governe the ship every one must plie their tacklings according to his whistle and though he runne them all upon the rocke yet hath he that unlimited and transcendent authoritie that no man may once question him or say why doest thou thus Oh dangerous to passe in that Vessell wherein such ignorant and wicked Atheists are made sole Governours and Commanders But happy that Church wherein Christ is in the Sterne and hath the governing of the Helme continually viewing of the Compasse and sounding so as it is not possible for that ship to miscarry Thirdly how is he disposed there Hath hee there a bed of downe whereon to rest No the Euangelist saith he did but lay his head on a pillow yea and an hard one too as some conceive a woodden pillow little better than that of Iacobs which was of stone A sweet comfort also to consider how ready Christ is to helpe his in distresse The Church being called on answered I have put off my coat how shall I put it on Loe what a paine it is to rise out of the warme bed and put on cloathes Christ hath not put off his seamelesse coat and is in his warme bed that hee had rather all should be much endangered if not cast away rather than hee would arise and dresse himselfe No no hee hath but leaned his head on an hard pillow hee is ready to helpe in any need as David saith Hee is a present helpe in trouble Hee appeared unto Iohn walking in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks as ready to helpe any member of the Church that standeth in need of him And thus much bee said of the first generall part in their sailing viz. their great danger or jeopardie Now followeth to speake of their deliverance VERSE 25. And his disciples came to him and awoke him saying Master save us we perish COncerning deliverance out of this their great feare and danger the second part in the storie of their sailing two things are to be considered viz. first the procurement and secondly the performance of it How deliverance was procured the Euangelist expresseth in this 25 verse viz. when they were in greatest danger and extremest perill as you have heard the disciples goe to Christ give themselves to prayer and thereby procure it whereof I purpose first to speake generally and then particularly In generall from this example we learne according to the letter thereof where-ever we become what-ever we goe about to exercise our selves in prayer No dutie more often commanded more highly commended or abundantly rewarded Wherefore David was given to prayer Invocation of the name of God is made in the Scriptures the true note or marke of a Christian When Saul had got letters from the High Priests to persecute the Church it is said by S. Luke He received authoritie to binde all that call on the name of God S. Paul writing to the Church of Corinth and describing the saithfull he calleth them Saints and such as call on the name of the Lord Iesus On the other side the Prophet David noteth out the Atheist that saith in his heart there is no God by this marke that such an one calleth not on the Lord By which it appeareth that of many who desire to beare and be knowne by the name of Christians yet there are indeed very few sound and true Christians The world is full of Atheists very poore in heavenly graces because they have not the spirit of invocation or supplication whereby to aske what they want Oh it is the happinesse of Christians that they may in all places and at all times in Gods houses and their owne by sea or land within doores or without in field or bed on mountaines or in dungeons at midnight as well as at mid-day lift up their hearts and hands and call on God Oh let us be ashamed of our negligence herein both in Gods house with the assembly of Saints and in our owne and let us more inure our selves herewith let it be the first thing we doe when we awake the last thing we doe when we lie downe to sleepe yea throughout the day whether we eat or drinke labour or rest worke or play let our hearts be ever disposed to prayer and on every occasion lifted up if not with words yet with devout sighes and vehement desires if no larger yet in such short wishes as here and elsewhere Lord save us God be mercifull Christ blesse and prosper Lord increase our faith As Moses by familiar talking with God had his face to shine so assuredly he cannot but be a good man and have a shining soule and life too that talketh much with God and prayeth continually Secondly hence let us learne that times of necessitie and great distresse are both fittest for prayer and great furtherers thereof Yea this is a principall end that God respecteth in sending afflictions and perplexities viz. to provoke the praiers of his people wherein he delighteth So saith the Lord when his people grew wanton and ran after their lovers I wil go returne to my place til they acknowledge their offence and seek my face in their affliction they will seeke me early Let Iacob heare that his fierce brother Esau cōmeth out against him 400 men with him threatning to smite him the mother with the children then he will pray yea and wrestle with God and never let him goe till he blesse him Let the people of God be in danger at the Red Sea banke to be all destroyed and then Moses will cry Let Annah be barren and Peninnah upbraid her and then shee will up to the Temple pray weepe and powre out her soule before the Lord Let Ierusalem be besieged and Rabshekah raile and blaspheme and then Ezekiah will up to the Temple and spread the blasphemous letter before the Lord yea let him receive a message from the Lord that he shall die and not live and then he will turne his face to the wall and pray and weepe sore Let a great Host of Moab Ammon and Mount Seir come against Iudah that they know not what to doe and then King Iehoshaphat will proclaime a fast and pray O Lord God we know not what to doe but our eyes are unto thee Let David come into extreme miseries and out of the deeps he will cry unto God Few will when they goe to Sea pray with S. Paul we reade not that these disciples did but let there arise a storme which mounteth up to heaven and letteth them goe downe againe to the depths that their soule melteth because of the trouble and they are even at their wits end and then they will cry to the Lord in their trouble Let the ship be even covered with waves and then the disciples
Our mother Church may be an Example who found the truth of this Doctrine by wofull experience at whose doore Christ knocking and desiring to enter shee returning a sluggish answer I have put off my coat how shall I put it on but being better advised and arising to open unto him he was gone and as Shee was hardly perswaded to arise and open to him so was He as hardly perswaded to arise and helpe her but suffered her to run up and downe in the streets to seeke him and could not finde him yea to fall into the hands of cruell watchmen who did smite and wound her Oh see the bitter fuits of dallying and late repentance So his people having provoked him and calling to be delivered out of the hands of their enemies see what a cold answer he giveth Where are your gods the rocke wherein yee trusted that did eat the fat of your sacrifices and drinke the wine of your drinke-offerings let them rise up and helpe you and be your protection Oh poore is the helpe that Idols can give to their worshippers having eyes but see not eares but heare not feet but walke not The Prophet biddeth the people that would raise God to give him no rest Christ biddeth us aske seeke knocke and commendeth spirituall violence The Apostle requireth a labouring or striving in prayer and the King of Ninivie commanded his people to cry mightily unto God All which declare that God helpeth not his people till he be raised he is not raised but with violence and as it were by being pricked under the sides as the Hebrew word signifieth Shall I conclude this point with paralelling it with another The people of God being persecuted and much distressed by their enemies David penned that most excellent Psalme the 68. wherein first he directeth them what to doe in their wofull case viz. as the Disciples did here to goe to Christ for to him the Apostle applieth that Psalme And what must they intreat him to doe To arise Arise Lord and let thine enemies be scattered The Lord did arise and went forth before his people made Kings with their Armies to â—lie rebuked the companie of spearemen the multitude of Buls and Calves of the people and scattered them that delighted in warre And what are Gods people taught to doe then Even to praise God and mutually provoke one another thereunto Blessed be the Lord even the God of our salvation he that is our God is the God of salvation and to him belong the issues of death Oh blesse yee God in the Congregations oh sing unto God yee kingdomes of the earth oh sing praises to the Lord even to him that rideth upon the heavens the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people blessed be God And is this all No but when they have praised him for the good he hath done they are also directed to pray unto him to goe forward and perfect his good worke begun Strengthen oh God that which thou hast wrought for us for thy Temples sake at Ierusalem so shall Kings bring presents unto thee Oh how fit that Comment and this Theme and both of them for this time Many have beene the troubles of Gods people for these late yeeres in many parts of the Christian world and Christ hath slept long but loe by the importunate prayers of his people he is at last awakened his head is up from the pillow he is risen and hath begun a gracious calme Though I cannot say with the Psalmist Warres are ceased in all the world yet hath he beene marvellous to breake the bow knap the speare asunder and create a glorious peace for so many thousands and millions of his worthy servants in France and to give them the shadow of a great rocke in that weary land Oh let the voice of gladnesse be heard in righteous mens dwellings and let God be praised in the congregations of his Saints and let all men pray the Lord to finish that good worke he hath begun establish that peace in all truth and sincerity and give like comfort and breathing to all his servants in Germanie and else-where Yea be assured now he is risen he will in his good time doe some great worke and cause if his people now praise and pray a great calme I say then with Moses Stand still feare not and see the salvation of God and with the Prophet Zacharie Be silent ô all flesh before the Lord for he is now raised up out of his holy habitation So much for Preparation The Reprehension followeth He rebuked the wind and the sea All the Euangelists doe use one and the same word which in the native proprietie doth signifie to reprehend and chide and charge yea charge strictly even with threatnings and menaces and accordingly translated in some Latine Copies q. d. I charge you be still and calme upon your perill be it I will make you rue it else Which majesticall threatning intendeth three things viz. first Authoritie to command secondly Power to punish if he be not obeyed lastly An acknowledgment of that power For in vaine it is to command or threaten if the parties or creatures doe not regard us But as hee had power to command and threaten and punish so winds and seas had eyes and eares and heart to see heare feare and obey he no sooner commanded and threatned but presently they obeyed There was a great calme Heare â— heaven and hearken ô earth for the Lord speaketh Esay 1. 2. If the Lord speake heaven and earth and all creatures have eares to heare O earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord Ierem. 22. penult I say againe let it be marked that Christ did not pray intreat and beseech but with authoritie he commanded Peace and be still as if he were much provoked with their impetuous insolencie And no marvell What Winds and seas not know their Maker What Have they heretofore trembled and fled at his presence and doe they now rage and roare and conspire to drowne him What high treason against the Lord of heaven and earth is this It is well they escape with a rebuke that he doth not make them feele the power of his wrath and give all posterities occasion to say with the Prophet What ailed thee oh thou sea What didst thou Lake of Gennesareth that the Lord was so angry and displeased with thee What was thy transgression ô sea of Galile for which the Lord powred out upon thee the furiousnesse of his wrath Oh let it be written and let all posterities note the meeknesie and gentlenesse of the Lord towards his creatures who did no further punish such a treasonable conspiracie against his life but with a rebuke Peace and be still Here for our instruction let us learne what is the soveraigne Regall authoritie of this great
also the blinde Heathen groped after acknowledging the worke though ignorant of the Worker The waters of Egypt had experience of his power when Moses lifting up the rod of God upon them all their rivers and streames and ponds and pooles became bloud The waters of the Red Sea also felt his power when Moses lifting up the rod of God they were divided whereof David saith He rebuked the red sea and it was dried up The river of Iordan felt his power when no sooner the Priests that bare the Arke of God came to touch it but though it was at such a time of the yeere when Iordan did overflow it banks the waters which came from above stood upon an heape the others failed and were cut off so as the people passed on dry land right over against Iericho Whereof the Prophet demanded a reason in this glorying manner What meant yee rowling and roaring streams of Iordans floud to recoile backwardly And now the Sea of Galile acknowledgeth his soveraigntie when being rebuked there was a great calme Yea that we may further extend and inlarge his dominion know that he hath all power and authoritie in Heaven Earth Seas and Hell it selfe For himselfe hath said I have the keyes of death and of hell and All power and authoritie is given me in heaven and earth And the Apostle saith Every knee must bowe unto him both of things in heaven earth and under the earth and every tongue must confesse that Iesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father As he here rebuked the winds and sea so he rebuked his Disciples who would have had fire to come from heaven and consume their enemies Yea he straitly charged his Disciples not to make him knowne He rebuked diseases also he stood over Simon Peters wives mother having a great Fever and he rebuked the fever and it left her Yea often he rebuked Devils sometimes to hold their peace and sometimes straitly charged them not to make him knowne and sometime to come out of such as they possessed which they did so as all the people were amazed With authoritie and power he commandeth the uncleane spirits and they come out Yea an whole Legion of Devils fell downe prostrate before Christ and acknowledged his power over them beseeching him not to torment them nor send them out into the deepe but suffer them to enter into the herd of Swine Wherefore Michael striving with the Devill about the body of Moses durst not bring against him any railing accusation but said The Lord rebuke thee Thus Heaven and Earth and Sea Men Diseases yea Devils and all Creatures must heare and tremble when this most high and soveraigne Lord commandeth as we shall further heare from the effect of this rebuke There was a great calme In the meane time for the use of that which we have alreadie heard what a sweet comfort and encouragement may this be to all the true disciples of Christ that where ever they become they are within the dominion and jurisdiction of Christ Whither can I flie saith David from thy presence Psal 139. 7. Of all sorts of offenders God hath no fugitives to punish Indeed Ionah fled from the land but God met him in a storme upon the sea and surely in his dominion neither wind water fire raine haile snow sicknesse disease ache paine nor Devill can hurt or vexe them but according to his good pleasure â—or they are all but his servants And if he say to one goe hee goeth to another come and he commeth Let then the world hate us the Devill like a roaring Lion seeke to devoure us yea if it were possible for heaven earth hell and all creatures to conspire our destruction yet can they doe nothing against us but what he will and when hee rebuketh all shall be calme and still And thus much for the Letter And rebuked the winds and the sea For the Mystery hereby is signified that God in his good time will still the rage and fury of persecutors against his Church To which purpose the Prophet hath an excellent saying Woe to the multitude of many people which make a noise like the noise of the seas and to the rushing of Nations that make a rushing like the rushing of mightie waters the Nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters but God shall rebuke them and they shall flie farre off and be like the rowling thing or thistle-downe before the whirlewind Oh see how easie a thing with God to still all the enemies of his Church be they never so mightie or malicious As he needed not Moses Rod nor Eliahs Cloake nor Xerxes his Fetters to still the Sea only he spake the word rebuked the winds and seae and there was a great calme so saith the Prophet If the Lord doe but rebuke the Nations they flie farre off like thistle-downe from the face of a whirlewind For the Illustration of which point be pleased to observe That for the procuring a peaceable calme unto his Church God sometimes disableth great meanes enableth small meanes yea sometimes worketh without meanes For the first because the Lord is jealous of his owne glory and man is foolish and prone to rob him of it both by trusting in great meanes and sacrificing to his owne net arrogating the praise and glory of the action Therefore doth God seldom doe any great thing by great and eminent meanes but pronounce a woe to such as trust in them as Woe to them that goe downe into Aegypt for helpe and leane upon horses which trust in chariots because they be many and in horsemen because they be multiplied but looke not to the holy one of Israel nor seeke after Iehovah When Israel upon just occasion and approved of God went to fight against Benjamin though the men of Israel were foure hundred thousand and the men of Benjamin but six and twentie thousand and odde yet the men of Israel received two foiles and lost fortie thousand til in the end they went up to the house of the Lord and there fasted and wept and learned not to trust in the multitude of an hoast but in the Lord of hoasts and then they prevailed Wherefore David from his owne experience saith godly A King is not saved by the multitude of an hoast neither is any mightie man delivered by his much strength an horse is counted but a vaine thing to save a man After whom Salomon his sonne a worthy graft of so Noble a stocke heire of his Fathers Vertues as well as of his Crowne led by the same Spirit saith in like sort The horse is prepared against the day of battell but salvation is from Ichovah And therefore let all Gods people looke unto the Mountaine from whence commeth their helpe in the needfull time of trouble and say in the name of
invaded his land whereupon he was forced presently to divert his forces so David escaped Secondly By dispersion Hee doth scatter the people that delight in warre Thus God caused the Syrians besieging Samaria to heare a noise of Horses and Chariots even of a great hoast they arose and fled When Gideon and his three hundred blew with the trumpets and brake their pitchers the huge hoast of the Midianites fled Lastly God many times rebuketh persecuting Princes by marvellously destroying their powers and that by sea and land By sea so David speaketh of God breaking the ships of Tarshish with an East wind By land either by themselves or others by others So God sent an Angel who in one night destroyed an hundred fourescore and five thousand in the hoast of railing Rabshekah whereby he was forced to returne and not so much as shoot an arrow against the Citie Yea rather then they should not be destroyed the enemies of Gods Church have destroied one another as in that great army which came up against Iehoshaphat and Iudah The children of Moab and Ammon stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir and thus they destroyed one another The consideration whereof serveth for these vses First That seeing Christ hath so many wayes and meanes whereby to rebuke even the most potent and puissant mischievous and malicious enemies not to be distractedly fearefull though we see never so great conspiracies or the Church in likelihood to be in extreme perill and danger but to commend us and others to God in fasting and prayer being assured that God can and in his good time will rebuke the enemies of his people They doe but kicke against the pricke Act 9 5. Their owne hurt is ever the greatest Si stimulos pugnis caedis manibus plus doles Plaut Who ever tried their strength in lifting at the stone and were not broken in peeces Zach. 12. 3. Secondly That when we see such great comfort and happinesse to redound to the Church of God partly for that Kings and Princes who threaten destruction of Wolves become Shepherds of persecutors become Patrons of destroiers defenders of murtherers nursing fathers and nursing mothers or that by naturall or violent death God cutteth off mercilesse Tyrants or that he doth divert by unlooked for occasions dissipate by land or sea with wind weather or other meanes or destroy by fire water pestilence famine their powers and forces Oh in all such cases let the people of God give all the honour and glory hereof unto Christ for it is he that so rebuketh the roaring winds and raging seas He that hath eares to heare may heare him in this dialect speaking to the winds and seas Peace and be still Yea howsoever it hath pleased God for a long time to suffer the wind to blow so loud and strong as if it would rent the mountaines and breake the rocks in peeces or discover the channels of the sea and suffer the sea to rage as if it would not onely tosse with tempest but even swallow up in furges the poore ship of his Church Yet Christ at last is awakened hee hath begun to rebuke the winds and the sea blessed be his name and if his people will beleeve and repent they shall see his salvation and he will rebuke them more And so much for his Reprehension The effects thereof follow And there was a great calme The effects of Christ his rebuking of the winds and sea are two the former the cause of the latter The former in the winds and sea There was a great calme The latter in the disciples who were hereby occasioned to wonder and proclaime What manner of man is this that even the winds and the sea obey him For the first And there was a great calme Sweetly hath David long since as it were commented on this story saying They that goe downe into the sea in ships and occupie their businesse in great waters these see the workes of the Lord and his wonders in the deepe For he commandeth and raiseth the stormie wind which lifteth up the waves thereof They mount up to the heaven they go down again to the depths their soule is melted because of trouble They reele to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wits end Then they cry to the Lord in their trouble and hee bringeth them out of their distresses hee maketh the storme a calme so that the waves thereof are still Then are they glad because they be quiet so hee bringeth them to their desired haven Oh that men would therefore praise him and declare the wonderfull workes which he doth for the children of men c Now then we are come to the joyfull Catastrophe of this story danger is over feare abated faith increased storme ceased And there was a great calme Whereof first for the sense of the words The Hebrew word in Munsters copie doth signifie To be still I finde the same word both in the forecited place in the Psalme and is translated quiet Then are they glad because they be quiet and in the story of Ionah where the Mariners asked Ionah What shall we doe unto thee that the sea may be calme unto us or as the Hebrew signifieth that the sea may be silent from us And indeed the word is very proper if either wee consider the nature of a storme wherein winds and waves doe wonderfully roare and lift up their voyce as David unproperly calleth it so as their noise is heard afarre off or consider the context for Christ bade the winds and sea Peace and be still and their obedience answereth like an eccho to the voyce and the winds and seas were still But the Greeke word which all three Euangelists use but no where else in all the new Testament is more significant which as some would have is derived from such a Greeke word as signifieth milke to note that the aire was as white and cleere as that in the firmament in the cleerest winters night which is called The milkie way But I rather subscribe to those Henricus Stephanus Scapula Chemnitius Piscator that derive it from such a theme in the Greeke as signifieth to laugh or looke marvellous cheerefully or merrily The word then signifieth that there was upon Christ his rebuking of the winds the sea not only a marvellous calmenesse stilnesse and quietnesse not so much wind stirring as would move a leafe no rising or rowling but sea as smooth and even as one might cast a die upon it as wee say but there was a wonderfull serenitie the heaven and sea did as it were smile and laugh upon them which before did so frowne and threaten to drowne them Yet as if the word in it owne native proprietie were not sufficient here is also another added There was a great calme
borne or buried or whilst he lived whereon to rest his head And as quickly was he gone againe he did but sojourne or as the word signifieth pitch his Tent among us for the space of 33 yeers which compared with eternitie or long lives of the Patriarchs is nothing He was but as a Traveller which as for a nights lodging only turned in unto us and as a stranger he was used for his owne would not receive him but did lade him with all wrongs and injuries preferre a murtherer before him and most disgracefully crucifie him betwixt two notorious malefactors But it shall suffice only to touch these things The third and last is more largely to be handled as most fitting the Text the day the insuing service of this day whereunto with some few words to that purpose I would prepare you and is this This man is a strange man wonderfully qualified For they propound the question in way of admiration What manner of man is this q. d. Oh what a wonderfull man is this And well might they so marvell and demand for there was never such a man on earth before or since or shall be The Church saith Her beloved is the chiefest of ten thousand a finite number being put for an infinite All the thousands and millions of glorious Angels in heaven or men on earth cannot afford such another He is the only Standard-bearer as the word signifieth He is anointed with the oile of gladnesse above his fellowes He received not the spirit by measure In him were hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge yea all that fulnesse of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily that they may well marvell What manner of man is this For Christ hath said of himselfe he is a wonder and the Prophet maketh this one of his glorious titles He shall be called wonderfull And never any creature so answerable to his name as Christ to this For what he was said did suffered ordained was all most marvellous Let us retaile these things For wherein can I more edifie you than by provoking you to marvell which is the whetstone of knowledge And first let us consider his person and it will make us marvell yea be astonished with marvelling He that is true God from everlasting in time became true man not ceasing to be what he was before but beginning to be what he was not before assuming true manhood to subsist in the word by hypostaticall or personall union neither nullifying the Deitie nor deifying the Humanitie but reserving the essentiall properties of each nature severall and distinct without mixture or confusion The Apostle saith This is a great mysterie and to be much marvelled at God manifested in the flesh The word made flesh Manhood assumed into personall union with Godhead that so Godhead and Manhood make the person of one Redeemer as soule and body doe one man that seeing as God hee could not die which God hath threatned and as man not overcome death being God and man he could both suffer and overcome the one suffered and the other enabled By reason of which union and as I may call it association of divers natures a kinde of mutuall commutation there is whereby those concrete Titles God and Man when we speake of Christ doe take interchangeably one anothers roome and in the Concrete it is most holy and true which in the Abstract were horrible and hellish blasphemie to affirme We cannot say the Humanitie made the world or Deitie suffered but we may truly say the man Christ made the world and the God Christ suffered The Apostle saith The Iewes did crucifie the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2. 8. and that God hath purchased his Church with his bloud and Christ being on earth said at the same instant The Sonne of man was in heaven Where you see a bloudy death is attributed to God and Lord of glory and ubiquitie to manhood which humane nature admitteth not Therefore by God and Lord of glory wee must understand the whole person of Christ who died and shed his bloud but not in that nature for which he is called God and Lord of glory and in the other place by Sonne of man we understand the person of Christ who was in heaven as well as on earth though not in that nature for which he is called the sonne of man Yea without this caution the Fathers who were both sound in the faith and unanimous in defense thereof will seeme to be both corrupt and contrary For Theodoret disputeth with great earnestnesse that God cannot be said to suffer but he meant in the Abstract against Apollinarius who held the Deitie to be passible And Cyrill is as earnest saying Whosoever doth denie very God to have suffered death doth forsake the faith but he meaneth in the flesh and not in that substance for which the title God is given him But why doe I goe about to expresse and make cleare such a mysterie as is unconceiveable The strength of faith appeareth in those things wherein our wits and capacities are weake and therefore I must leave you reverendly and religiously to marvell at the person of your Redeemer and say What manner of man is this who is truly God-Man and Man-God And so I proceed to speake of his humane nature wherein he is more familiar unto us yet therein most marvellous also And first His conception is marvellous which was not according to the course of nature and by carnall copulation as Ebion blasphemed but as the holy Gospel teacheth and we professe to beleeve he was conceived by the Holy Ghost that as he was God of his Father without mother so he might become man of his mother without father and so be a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech who is said to be without father and mother And this comming of the Holy Ghost upon the Virgin effected a threefold worke First the fashioning of the body of a part of Maries substance that so he might be the true sonne of Adam Abraham and David according to the flesh and also the creating and infusing of the soule into the body which at the first was organized and fit to receive it which other bodies are not Secondly the sanctification of that matter that it had not the least staine or blemish of any originall sinne uncleannesse contagion or corruption Thirdly the union of the Godhead Manhood All which were wrought at the same instant of time Of all which the personal union is most marvellous That as in the Trinitie three persons are united in essence so in Christ three several and distinct substances viz. Deitie Soule and Flesh are united in one person And therefore the humanitie of Christ his soule and body did not make a person as in other men but so soone as
Thus Christ hath shipped himselfe first and thereby assured vs that hee is with his Church and people in all their dangers and distresses and will witnesse that his presence either by miraculous deliverance or most mercifull supportance as he seeth it to be most for his glory and their true good The second sort of persons that were shipped are called his Disciples Disciple is properly a Latine word and doth signifie in English a Scholar or learner from the verbe Disco the Greeke also is of the same signification and is often so translated as where our Saviour saith Learne of mee And every one that hath heard and learned of the Father commeth unto me Let the woman learne in silence with all subiection In which and many other places which might be alledged but that these are sufficent for instance you have the word of the Text translated Learne as it properly signifieth So that every scholar or learner is called a disciple and of whom hee is taught or learneth he is called his disciple So we reade of Iohns disciples and of Moses disciples and so all Haeresiarches or Schismatickes that are factious and Schismaticall seeking to draw men to learne of them and embrace their opinions are said to draw disciples after them And thus all that professed Aristotle for their Master and were scholars in the schoole of the Peripatetickes Plato Pythagoras Zeno and others are said to have disciples that is scholars learners and professors of their doctrine and maximes The Hebrew also in Munsters Copie agreeth with both these And as from the Greeke word some speciall Sciences are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called the Mathematickes because of their deepnesse of learning and sharpnesse of wit and capacitie required in all the learners thereof so from the Hebrew word commeth the Iewes Thalmud that is Doctrinall a Systhema or composition of their doctrine The ancientest was composed about 230. yeares after Christ and was full of Iewish fables and Rabinicall Traditions but was afterwards refined and purged of many idle fables traditions and disputes by Moses the sonne of Maimon which is in great request amongst the Iewes unto this day and much alledged out of it by our best Writers You see then what the word Disciple signifieth according to the proprietie of holy languages Christ had two sorts of Disciples First in the largest sense all that professed the doctrine or Gospell of Christ were called his Disciples whether that profession was in sinceritie or but in hypocrisie so the Disciples were first called Christians in Antiochia And many of his Disciples went from him and walked no more with him Secondly and more strictly they were called his Disciples that not only learned and professed the Gospell but were also called and appointed of him to preach the Gospell to others And they were of two sorts first and of a lower order the seventie sent forth two and two before his face into every citie and place whither he himselfe would come to preach the Gospell and worke miracles And these both in Scriptures and Ecclesiasticall stories are known by the name of The seventy disciples Who these were though Eusebius Epiphanius and others tell us yet in the Gospell their names are concealed and Christ bade them reioyce that their names were written in heaven The other and higher order were the twelve Apostles many times called his Disciples and made knowne by their names The learned Divines say herein the truth answered ancient types both of the twelve Patriarches and seuentie Elders called their Sanedrim as some the seventie soules that came with Iacob into Aegypt Others the twelve fountaines of water and seventie Palme-trees in Elim Who those Disciples were that entred with Christ into the ship is a question because the Text doth not cleare it it is most probable that all the Apostles were there for confirmation of whose faith this miracle was wrought likewise that there were others as Mariners and it may be professours too for it is said the men marvelled but not the seventie I will not say none of those out of whom the seventie were chosen for that might be but not the seventie being chosen for by chronotaxie and harmonie of the Euangelists it appeareth that this miracle was wrought in the latter end of the first yeare of Christs Ministery the choosing and sending of the seventy was not till the third and last yeare of his preaching And this is all the light I have received from the Scriptures and Fathers concerning those Disciples that entred with Christ into the ship Now observe I pray you the passengers and observe it well that Iudas is gone aboord amongst the disciples a wicked man ever though as yet hee had not committed that transcendent wickednesse of betraying his Master What more observed by friends that stay behind Yea observe Christ hath a ship wherein Iudas was not but all passengers in it shall be saved beleeving one God one Faith one Baptisme one Church which is Holy Catholike and Apostolike out of which there is no salvation Therefore as the Lord added daily to the Church such as should be saved so every one that hath a care and desire of salvation must be sure that he be a member of that holy Church which is invisible an article of our Faith not but that wee see the bodies and professions of such but saving grace is not seene nor their election known but in iudgement of charity being that cōpany of the elect faithfull only gathered out of mankind by the Word and Spirit consenting in true faith here living and warring against the Devill world and flesh and this is called in Latine Ecclesia which yet is properly a Greeke word and commeth from such a theme as doth signifie to cal forth It was an ancient custome in Athens that a company of Citizens were called sorth by the voice of a Crier from the rest of the multitude to such an assembly wherein some publike speech was made or to heare relation of some sentence or iudgement of the Senate from whence it seemeth the Apostles translated the name Ecclesia to signifie such a congregation as commeth not together by chance but are called from the prophane multitude by the Crier of the Word and Spirit to professe God and true godlinesse I say againe that it is absolutely requisite to salvation that a man be a member of this Church called Company he that is not in this world a member of the Church Militant shall never in the world to come be a member of the Church Triumphant And therefore Saint Peter chargeth men to giue all diligence to make their calling and election sure Observe secondly that all the Disciples went into the ship where Christ was even Iudas amongst them for whose sake as some of the Fathers conceive this storme
have therfore Verily I say unto you ye that have followed me in the regeneration when the Son of Man shal sit in the throne of his glory ye also shal sit upon twelve thrones and iudge the twelve Tribes of Israel andevery one that hath forsaken houses brethren sisters father mother wife children or lands for my names sake shall receive an hundred fold and shall inherit everlasting life And againe Yee are they that have continued with mee in my temptation And I appoint to you a kingdome as my Father hath appointed to me That yee may eat and drinke at my table in my Kingdome and sit on thrones iudging the twelve Tribes of Israel According to which promises the Apostle saith If wee suffer with him wee shall reigne with him It is a most true saying of the Apostle If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable But in regard of the reward to come such as follow Christ to the end are of all men most happie Moses had respect to this recompence of reward and it made him leave following of Pharaoh and his Court and chuse to suffer afflictions with the people of God rather than to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season This made the Apostles being scourged to depart out of the Councell rejoycing that they were counted worthie to suffer for the name of Christ This hath encouraged thousands and millions of holy Martyrs to suffer with patience and joy all the tortures and torments that the Devill and Tyrants could devise and by no meanes be pulled from following of Christ Oh then on on follow follow him let us all be Acolytes I neither meane it according to Philosophie the Stoicks being so called because they alwaies followed their opinions and did with obstinate pertinacie adhere to their doctrine and counted it a shame to forsake the same neither doe I meane it according to ridiculous Popery wherin Acolytes are one of their Ecclesiasticall Orders whose office is to light tapers and candles for there must be candles light whensoever the Masse is celebrated though at noone-day and Sunne shine never so bright and no marvell for it is a worke of darknesse but by Acolytes I meane according to the word in my Text let us follow Christ his doctrine and morall conversation and let our light so shine before men that they may see our good workes and glorifie our Father which is in heaven Oh follow him in troubles and temptations and you shall follow him in glory for so is the promise They shall follow the Lambe whither soever hee goeth Follow him on earth and you shall follow him in heaven follow him in momentanie misery and you shall follow him in endlesse felicitie follow him in temporarie death and you shall follow him in everlasting life then suffer with him and you shall reigne with him Now follow him that rideth upon the white horse and is gone forth to war and you shall follow him in triumph with Palmes in your hands and crownes on your heads when the Devill and all enemies shall be troden under foot But now give mee leave before I conclude this point to lament the paucitie the small number of those that follow Christ The time was whē it was said The whole world followed him but now may we complaine that all follow the world as the Apostle long since did All seek their own not those things which are Iesus Christs Good Lord how greedily and unweariedly doe men and women follow and even runne some after their pleasures of Hawkes Hounds Cards Dice some their profit and gaine some their honour and preferment some one sinne some another and in that pursuit will endure any hardnesse any discouragements but how few follow Christ in the way of obedience to the Gospell Which S. Bernard in his time lamented and discovered the folly of in a wittie descanting upon a Latine word The world saith I will deceive thee the flesh saith I will infect thee the Devill saith I will destroy thee but Christ saith I will refresh thee Yet how many follow the other and how few Christ They would come to Christ in heaven and are ready to say with Stephen at their departure Lord Iesu receive my spirit but will not follow Christ on earth they would with Balaam die the deaths of the righteous but cannot abide their lives they wish the end but not beginning or if they wil follow Christ on the shore they will not to sea with him can endure in times of libertie peace plentie and prosperitie to professe the Gospell but not in trouble and persecution they will bring him to the water-side and if he will preach out of the ship they will stand on shore and heare him but if it be rough they will not to sea with him But know you that the marke of a true disciple is to follow Christ in temptations tribulations perils and persecutions yea it is adversitie trieth and declareth a true disciple not like the Israelites to reioyce sing when they passed safely thorow the red sea but murmure when they wanted bread or water wherefore follow him in sicknesse povertie disgrace imprisonment death follow him to the sea let winds and waves rage never so horribly yea follow him into the sea if he call thee thereunto what hurt had the children of Israel by following the Cloud and Arke into the midst of the red sea The Lord is with his in all their temptations and tribulations hee will deliver them and bring them to honour Thus the passengers are all shipped we have observed both their number and their order Christ went in before and his Disciples followed him It now followeth to speake of the Vessell wherein they passed but for this time I conclude with that Prayer our holy mother Church hath taught vs in the Collect for this day Almightie God which by thy Sonne Iesus Christ didst give such grace to thy holy Apostle Saint Peter and commandedst him earnestly to feed thy flock make we beseech thee all Biships and Pastors diligently to preach thy holy word and the people obediently to follow the same that they may receive the crowne of everlasting glorie through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Into a ship We have observed the Passengers for their number and order of shipping Now let us consider the Vessell wherein they passe which is here said to be a Ship The Romish Peterlings say this was Peters ship and in that they have a great mysterie that Christ and his Disciples are in their Church Indeed that Christ once was in Peters ship taught out of it and drew a great draught of fishes the Text is cleare That also Christ and his Disciples were in the Church of Rome is as cleare when Saint Paul saith Their faith
were with Christ for the temporall good of their bodies Lord Lord save us How much more earnest should we be with him for the eternall good of our soules and importunately to beg those excellent gifts of Knowledge Faith Repentance Remission of sinnes Sense of Gods love Patience in adversitie Lowlinesse in prosperitie Peace of conscience Ioy in the Holy Ghost as Christ hath counselled First seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and as the Apostle counselleth Set your affections on and seeke those things which are above Was Christ well pleased with his Disciples that craved the saving of their bodies and is he not much more pleased we should call and cry unto him for the salvation of our soules seeing hence he hath his glorious name whereat every knee must bowe and is able perfectly to save such as come unto him But herein our great dulnesse and negligence commeth justly to be taxed We are very sensible of our bodily and senslesse altogether of our spirituali wants if wee be naked and cold wee are pinched with it and all our care is for fewell and apparell if we be hungry how greedy wee are for food In this time of Famine how the hungry poore runne from doore to doore pitifully and importunatly begging bread Whose heart doth not earne to see the ghastly countenances of poore prisoners in their chaines and thorow their grates craving releefe How doe such as have money plie the market for corne and if they have it not in one runne to another and strive who shall be first served How did the leprous blinde and diseased flocke to Christ for cure And if in these dayes there were a man knowne to cure all diseases how would they seeke to him by Sea and Land yea sell House and Land to get helpe And if the life be in danger by fire or water then what crying is there Lord save us But alas our soules are ready to starve and we doe not hunger are naked and we care not for garments sicke and diseased and we seeke not to the Physitian yea we are in danger every moment to sinke into the pit of perdition and for ever to be lost in hell and destruction and yet we cry not to Christ for helpe Lord save us And the reason hereof is because we doe not know our selves to be lost and ready to perish but with those of Laodicea say we are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing and know not that we are wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked Rev. 3. 17. That which caused the Disciples here to cry so earnestly to Christ to be saved was the sense of miserie they saw if he presently helped not there was no way but one with them they were drowned every mothers childe they must all presently perish certainly none can earnestly seeke and crave salvation that doe not feele themselves to be most miserable sinners under the wrath of God utterly lost in themselves looke every moment to be swallowed up of death hell and condemnation Christ came to seeke and save that which is lost and was sent only to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel came not to call the righteous but sinners to repent i. such as in their owne sense and feeling are miserable and lost sinners When Peter began to sinke he cried Lord save me and immediatly Iesus stretched out his hand and caught him When the ship was covered with waves then the Disciples cry Lord save us and he rebuked the winds Oh it is not possible for any to be earnest with Christ for salvation till with Peter their soules begin to sinke into Hell and the poore cockboat of their Consciences is even covered with the waves of Gods displeasure One deepe calleth on another Ps 42. 6. the deep of misery to the deep of mercy De profundis clamavi Ps 130. 1. Alas thousands of Protestants who professe Christ to be their Saviour yet never tasted now sweet the Lord is nor ever were earnest with him for salvation because they were never thorowly touched with the sense of their spirituall misery to say with David I have gone astray like a sheepe that is lost and from my youth up thy terrors I have suffered with a troubled minde Thou hast vexed me with all thy stormes and all thy waters are gone over me c. And never till then can any affectionately pray with David O Lord say to my soule I am thy salvation And with the Disciples here Lord Iesu save me Many doe wonderfully brag and boast that Christ is their Saviour shed his precious bloud for them if at that instant they should die they were sure to be saved and to goe to heaven to him I would aske such a question or rather desire them to demand it of their owne soules Didst thou ever see thy wofull misery and the wretched estate wherein thou art by reason of sinne Didst thou ever see what great need thou hadst of Gods favour and of the bloud of Christ Have thy sinnes ever mustred themselves against thee which hath made thine heart to tremble with feare Yea hast thou even bin at the brinke of hell and with sighs and teares intreated mercy and salvation They answer and I suppose truly No God be thanked they were never so troubled or disquieted but have ever had merrie and peaceable hearts and have beene ever assured of Gods love neither would they for all the world doubt of it they have heard Ministers preach much of distresses and perplexities of the soule but they know not what they meane Alas poore soules how are these deceived How are they carried away with a strange presumption What a dangerous lethargie spirituall are they sicke of Even of all men most to be pittied Oh know the high way to grace is to know our soules to be emptie of grace the high way to be saved is to know our selves in our selves to be lost and damned never shall any have the benefit of one drop of the bloud of Christ that as for life and death have not begged it Oh see then what a blessing of God it is to be faithfully told and reproved for sins and to see our damnable estate in the looking-glasse of the Law that so seeing our selves to be utterly lost and undone we may cry day and night vnto God with the Disciples here Lord Iesus save us So much for the blessing desired the third last word followeth for whom they desire salvation Vs. It is not said that Peter came and praied for himselfe Lord save me and Iames for himselfe Lord save me and Iohn for himselfe Lord save mee c. as if they cared not though all the rest were drowned if they themselves escaped but they pray in common each one being as desirous of his fellowes safeguard
lesson is That even the Godly are sometimes much afraid of bodily death You see your example is plaine The disciples thinking they should presently be drowned crie out we perish so did Peter their mouth in that excellent confession of their faith seeing the wind boisterous he was afraid and when he began to sinke he cried Lord save me The Doctrine is sufficiently confirmed and so I might leave it But because many of Gods children are herewith greatly troubled and Satan assaulteth their soules suggesting that they have not faith nor true peace of conscience nor are in good estate with God because they are so fearefull to die give me leave a little to inlarge my selfe for their comfort and for illustration of this Doctrine present unto you foure glasses and thorow which it is that men and women looking Death is so fearefull or comfortable The first is the glasse of Nature the second of Fortune the third of the Law and the fourth of the Gospell In the three first Death appeareth fearefull only in the fourth comfortable Yea fearefull in the glasse of Nature more fearefull in the glasse of Fortune and most fearefull in the glasse of the Law God would have all the wicked to behold Death in the three first that through feare of Death they may repent of their sinnes and flie to Christ who saveth from it and hee would have the godly to behold Death in the glasse of the Gospell that having found grace to beleeve and repent they may die comfortably But Satan who seeketh mans destruction well knowing how remarkable the sicknesse and deaths of men are and what deepe impressions the last ends of the dead make in the minds of the living laboureth to invert this order And whereas God would have his children to behold death in the glasse of the Gospell he as much as he can hideth that from their sight and shuffleth in the other before them that he may terrifie them with the dread and horror of death and if it be possible draw them into impatience and to speake unadvisedly which the wicked hearing and seeing are thereby animated in their evill courses saying You see such and such an one great professors and holy men yet you see how impatient in sicknesse how fearefull to die And on the other side when the wicked are sick readie to die so much as he can he hideth the three first glasses and only presenteth the fourth and if in the time of health they have heard any comfortable sentences he will helpe their memories to rehearse them to the end they may lie patiently and die resolutely and cheerefully then doe such sinners boast Loe such a man though in his health a good-fellow a drunkard a whore-master gamester swearer c. yet he died like a lambe wagged neither hand nor foot I desire to make no better end which I hope I shall doe though I walke in his waies Oh see the juggling of Satan where God doth not over-master him Be wise yee that feare God Doe yee see a most wicked and prophane liver to die quietly and well condemne him not sometimes a good death may follow a bad life but it is to be feared Satan hath abused him and presented a wrong glasse before him therefore say I will not hazard mine estate upon so desperate a point I will not walke in his waies I will live well and then I shall die well and doe you see such an one as hath lived godly and well and approved himselfe to the consciences of such as knew him to be an honest man fearing God and eschewing evil yet lieth hardly impatiently bearing his visitation tossing tumbling sweating it may be talking idly and raving Alas this may befall the best of Gods children partly through the malice of Satan and partly through the weaknesse of flesh and bloud and strength of his disease But let not these things trouble thee That of Saint Augustine is most sure Non potest malè mori qui bene vixerit He cannot die ill that liveth well Yea Thou art thy selfe sick and in danger of death and thou art much troubled to thinke how soule and bodie must part friends and all be left thy body which thou hast kept so delicately clothed and fed so deliciously must be laid in a place of darknesse and cold become meat for wormes and see corruption but thou art more troubled to thinke how thou must leave thine houses lands offices wealth and honour thou knowest not to whom it may be to enemies leave a desolate widow and fatherlesse children to the mercy of the world thy selfe being cut off in the midst of thine age and deprived of all thine hopes but thou art most troubled to thinke how Death came into the world that it is the wage of sinne the seale of Gods anger malediction of the Law and portall of hell thy minde can thinke of nothing else so as now thou art even distracted with feare and wouldst give all that ever thou hast for life Oh if thou beest a penitent beleever suffer not Satan thus to abuse thee say unto him Avoid Satan thrust away these glasses from thee let not thy minde meditate on these things call for the glasse of the Gospell wherein thou shalt see the sting of Death taken away yea Death it selfe swallowed up in victory thou shalt see the nature of it changed being the end of sicknesse sorrow sinne labour and all miserie and the beginning of full happinesse and glory thou shalt see the Angels carrying soules into Abrahams bosome thou shalt see the happinesse of heaven into which the soule immediately upon departure hence entreth and such as all the wealth glory and comforts of this life are but dung in comparison of there shalt thou see God in his holy habitation a Father to the fatherlesse and Husband to the widow yea there shalt thou see thine owne mortall and corruptible body rise in glory Oh behold Death in this glasse of the Gospell and thou shalt die most comfortably and even desire to be dissolved and be with Christ I beseech you marke well my discourse of Death this day and labour to remember at the least the principal passages therof you know not how soone you may have occasion to make use of it It is appointed for all once to die but when this day or to morrow this yeere or the next where on sea or land at home or abroad how by fire or water ordinary sicknesse or pestilence naturally or violently we know not these things if preserved by you may stand you in some stead in time of need Wherefore what I have delivered in the grosse I will now more particularly unfold and from the holy Scriptures inlarge my Discourse severally The first glasse is the glasse of Nature I meane of Nature corrupted for it is the wage of sinne i◠Adam had not sinned there had not beene death Thorow this all the wise Gentiles and Heathen
It well beseemed the great God to doe a great miracle and greatly to shew his power and authoritie in turning a great tempest into a great calme Yea as hee is a great God above all gods so he commonly doth great things for his glory and his peoples good so as their enemies confesse the Lord doth great things for them Yea lastly as there was a tranquillitie stilnesse calmnesse a great one so was it also sudden And herein lieth the greatest part of the miracle for the winds though sometime blowing strongly yet by little and little falling and sea raging extremely by little and little to grow calme is no great wonder being commonly seene But that no sooner the word of rebuke passed forth of Christs mouth but the effect of it appeared presently there was a great calme hee no sooner spake the word but it was done loe herein lieth the miracle and matter of wonder And so much be said for the opening of the sense of the words I now proceed to raise your doctrines And first from the letter The first may be raised from the context First A calme then arose a great tempest and now is made a great calme againe Which representeth unto us the mutabilitie or changeable vicissitude of all earthly temporall and sublunary things as summer and winter day and night cold and heat so in mens bodies health and sicknesse ease and paine and in mens estates wealth and povertie gaine and losse honour and disgrace and imprisonment peace and persecution are oftentimes changed one for another The world is like the Moone ever variable nothing continueth in one stay Vanitie of vanities all is vanitie And as it is in these earthly and outward so in heavenly and inward things state and condition The best of Gods children in this life are well acquainted and exercised with changes and alterations stormes and calmes mirth and mourning laughing and lamentation singing and sighing doe many times change and keepe their turnes and seldome are of any long continuance Wherefore let not such as are in best condition presume with David Tush my mountaine is so strong it cannot bee moved but let every one walke in humilitie and prepare for crosses afflictions and temptations And let such as are under the rod not be too much dejected but in patience possesse their soules and wait upon God after a storme commeth a calme Heavinesse may endure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning Our second lesson is That even all yea the most senslesse creatures man excepted doth heare and obey the voice of God and are in their kinds as it were zealous of his glory If we looke up to heaven we shall see thousand thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand stand before him even an innumerable company of most glorious Angels standing about his throne readie to doe what hee commandeth most willingly speedily and faithfully Descend by the Firmament and the Sunne which every morning commeth as a bridegroome forth of his chamber and reioiceth as a giant to runne his race yet at Gods command it stood still yea went backe and at Christ his passion it â—id it face as if then God performed what he had threatned I will cause the Sunne to goe downe at noone and I will darken the earth in a cleare day And the very starres fought against Siserah God rained fire out of heaven to burne Sodom and Aarons sonnes and Captaines with their fifties but the fire could not would not so much as sindge an haire on the heads of the three children Descend lower by the Regions of the Aire and we shall see it is the glorious God that maketh the thunder It is his voice which maketh the wildernesse of Cades to shake and Hindes to calve Lightnings are Gods arrowes and when the Lord calleth for them they answer Here we are He is the father of the raine The clouds are his bottles He also bringeth the winds out of his treasures Haile Snow Vapour all fulfill his word The earth trembleth aâ— his presence Mount Sinai shaketh as if it would rent in sunder and openeth to swallow up Core Dathan and Abiram God sent Lions to teare the Samaritanes in peeces but they did not offer any violence to Daniel being cast into their Den He did sting the rebellious Israelites with Serpents He plagued Egypt with flies and poore contemptible creatures He prepared a worme to bite Ionahs gourd at the root that it withered The Grashoppers when God sendeth them are called a strong nation mighty people and an huge armie The birds of the Aire at his command feed his Prophet with bread and flesh He hisseth for the flies of Egypt and bees of Assyria Devoureth Herod with lice Yea he doth sit above the water flouds and ruleth the Sea At his pleasure the waters must stand on an heape to let his people passe and sometimes must overflow and drowne all creatures in whose nosthrils is the breath of life The river Iordan must open and let Israel passe but the ancient river Kishon with a violent streame must sweepe the Canaanites away Fishes swim in Sea at his pleasure He prepared a Whale to swallow Ionah and the great sholes of Herrings faile not at such a day to be on such a coast He calleth for a Famine and destroyeth the provision of bread and at another time causeth the clouds to drop downe fatnesse that the poore may be satisfied with bread All diseases goe and come at his pleasure as the Centurion intended in Matth. 8. Hee punisheth disobedience with consumption and burning fever and when he rebuked it Peters wives mother was cured He shutteth up the wombe and it is he that maketh the barren to beare and become a ioyfull mother of children He formeth the light and createth darknesse maketh peace and createth evill even the Lord doth all these things Yea this great King carieth his Mace in Hell the place of confusion so as the very Devils are subject and obedient to him He never threatned or commanded uncleane spirits to bee gone but they went whereat the people greatly wondred Yea not only all creatures in Heaven Firmament Aire Earth Sea and Hell are obedient but in their kinds zealous See the zeale of the Angels who are winged and called Seraphims because they burne with a zeale of Gods glory are as a flaming fire when he useth their ministery See the zeale of the Frogs though breeding feeding creeping croaking in marish grounds and farre from houses yet being sent of God to plague Pharaoh they assaulted the Kings Palace crept into his ovens and kneading troughes yea could not be kept out of the Kings
bed-chamber nor his bed no nor from off the Kings owne person as if they had said as Iehu did Come see the zeale that we have to plague the Tyrant that thus oppresseth Gods people Oh see the zeale of the Sea when God gave it commission to attach his fugitive Prophet it wrought and was troublous it wrought and was troublous The Mariners for their lives could not bring Ionah to shore if they had not cast him in the Sea would have devoured them all q. d. See the zeale we have to the Lord of hosts in pursuit of him who is so disobediently fled from the presence of his God The Apostle calleth the fire of hell a zealous fire devouring the adversaries which Dives found by wofull experience when hee complained that hee was tormented in that flame and craved a drop of water to coole his tongue But woe and alas that man is excepted out of the Catalogue of obedient and zealous creatures That man endued with Reason and shew of Religion that the Lord of the creatures should be set to schoole to learne of the poore Pismire that God should so call and command and he either doe nothing but cast his commandements behinde his backe or doe what he doth to halfes Oh that man should give God such just cause to complaine of him I have nourished and exalted children and they have rebelled against me And I have called and yee refused I have stretched out mine hand and no man regarded yee have set at nought all my counsels would none of my reproofe And I have spread out mine hands all the day to a rebellious people How did Christ complaine of the Iewes Yee will not come unto me that yee may have life And againe O Ierusalem Ierusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy children together even as an hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and yee would not How did Steven at his death complaine Yee stiffe-necked and uncircumcised in heart and eares yee doe alwaies resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did so doe yee Oh that man created after Gods image and little inferiour to the Angels should not only be compared to the beasts that perish but have the dullest and rudest of them preferred before him The Oxe saith God knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doe not understand Yea the Storck in the heaven Turtle Crane and Swallow know their appointed times but my people know not the iudgement of the Lord Oh let us now profit by this usefull Doctrine First let us learne ever to trust in him how extremely desperate soever things may be with us or Gods people it is an easie thing with him to remedie all He needeth not send Legions of Angels no nor muster troops of men and arme them with sword and speare hee is the Lord of Hosts and there are not the meanest and weakest souldiers in all his band not flies lice wormes excepted but if Christ command them they are armed with power to quell the pride of the greatest Monarchs and Monarchies in the world The second Use is that we feare this great God and commander of Sea and Land who is able to cut us downe like grasse to blow us away like dust to sweepe us away as dung Oh that men should not feare that mighty God but dare to blaspheme his Name being every where in the midst of his Armie and he able to make the least dust to be our death and the basest creature we see or with contempt doe tread upon to be our destruction This Use God himselfe presseth Heare now this ô foolish people and without understanding which have eyes and see not which have eares and heare not Feare yee not me saith the Lord Or will yee not be afraid at my presence which have placed the sand for the bounds of the sea And againe If I be your Lord where is my feare The Sea saw God and fled And David biddeth the earth to tremble at his presence Shall Earth and Sea those vast and senslesse creatures so feare and tremble and shall not man a worme of the earth stand in awe The third and last Use is that from the Example of all creatures in Heaven Firmament Aire Earth Sea and Hel we learne to obey the voice of Christ This is it David so urgeth To day if yee will heare his voice harden not you hearts Be doers of the word not hearers only The Sea did roare in the storme And even now that it is still it stil lifteth up the voice He that hath eares to heare may heare it call for obedience Habent miracula linguam si intelligantur factum verbi verbum nobis August in Iohan. tract 24. A learned man hath an elegant fiction of the world calling on man to serve and obey God in these words See how God loved thee that made me for thee I serve thee because I am made for thee that thou maiest serve him that made both thee and me me for thee and thee for himselfe Oh man if thou be disobedient all creatures even Devils will rise in judgement and condemne thee For the mysterie As by the storme persecution so by the calme the peace and tranquillitie of the Church is represented and teacheth First that in despight of Sathan and all enemies which he can raise Gods people in the end shall have a calme peace and quietnesse For illustration of which Doctrine note that the calme is twofold viz. externall and internall Externall is twofold viz generall or particular Generall concerning all or many of Gods people and particular in regard of some one or few mens persons and estates For the generall see what gratious promises God hath made to his Church The gates of hell shall not prevaile against it It is Gods house built upon a rocke though the raine descend flouds come winds blow and beat upon it yet it falleth not This was typically represented in the bush which burned but consumed not In Noahs Arke though the waters prevailed long yet at last the Arke arrived safely upon Mount Ararat and the Dove returned with an Olive leafe in her mouth an infallible token that the waters were abated from off the earth There hath beene a great tempest but our ship hath out-rid it it liveth and now there is a great calme Which promises and types have in all ages been verified The children of Israel were greatly oppressed in Egypt but could not be destroyed the more they afflicted them the more they multiplied and grew they endured a great tempest and in the end God sent a great calme when he brought forth his people with ioy and his chosen with
was made the greater was the truth and glory of his Resurrection yea such as were set to watch did publish it Matth. 28. 11. So the greater is the power and the more violent the assaults which enemies make against the Church of Christ the greater is Gods glory in their deliverance which the people confesse in the Psalmes If the Lord had not beene on our side now may Israel say if the Lord had not beene on our side when men rose up against us they had even swallowed us up quicke when they were so wrathfully displeased at us the waters had overwhelmed us the deepe waters of the proud had even gone over our soule But praised be the Lord who hath not given us for a prey to their teeth Our soule is escaped even as a bird out of the snare of the fowler the snare is broken and we are delivered The greater the danger of Gods people at the Red-sea the greater their deliverance the greater the evill by Iesuits intended against the Protestants in France the more glorious their peace the greater mischiefe intended by the Gunpowder treason and the nearer to execution the more marvellous our deliverance in all which cases the Church is taught to praise God and say The Lord hath done marvellous things with his owne right hand and with his holy arme hath he gotten himselfe the victory Oh trust in God be the storme and threatned hurt to the Church never so great for all shall worke for good There is no wisdome counsell or strength against the Lord But he will turne the rage of man to his praise When all that see and heare shall marvell and say with reverend awe Who is this What manner of man is this The Greeke word is very emphaticall and of greater signification than another which is thus translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qualis For though this be often used in the New Testament yet ever translated what which one place only excepted Neither are they derived from the same root for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pavimentum as if it were written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cujas as if they had fully expressed the word thus What Countrey-man is this Which question bewrayeth their ignorance tendeth to the begetting of knowledge and is an effect of their admiration which may thus be described according to the rules of Philosophie Admiration is a painfull suspension of the minde proceeding from the knowledge of some great effects whereof the causes are unknowne I call it a painfull suspension because all men naturally desire knowledge and the more generously minded any are the more painfull it is for them to be ignorant Some say that Aristotle the Prince touchstone of Philosophers was so grieved that hee could not finde out the cause of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea that he died on it yea some say that he cast himselfe into the Sea saying Seeing I cannot comprehend thee thou shalt comprehend me but the other seemeth more probable Now admiration proceeding from ignorance of causes doth wonderfully provoke to the studie of causes that so they may be eased of that sorrow paine and griefe whereupon admiration is said to be the soule and life of Philosophie And Pythagoras being demanded what was the end of Philosophie answered To marvell at nothing intending that herein a learned Philosopher knowing the causes of things did not marvell whereas an ignorant rustick doth marvell at his owne shadow As in Philosophie so much more in Divinitie ignorance is a painfull thing to the godly disposed and therefore the more they admire the word and workes of God the more they enquire and search into the causes thereof as the Disciples here marvelling said one to another What manner of man is this Whose question intendeth three things viz. First That Christ is true man having a true soule and bodie in regard of their substance and their essentiall properties as in the soule will understanding in body true dimensions as length bredth thicknesse yea taking also the generall and blamelesse weaknesses and infirmities of both as ignorance of some things feare sorrow wearisomenesse hunger thirst sleepe ache paine sicknesse such as accompany the generall nature of man and are not repugnant to the perfection of science and grace as was more largely shewed from his being on sleepe This is it was anciently promised The seed of the woman shall breake the Serpents head And In thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed And afterwards prophesied A Virgin shall conceive and beare a Sonne A Childe is borne a Son is given A woman shall compasse a man Which promises and prophesies have bin most truly fulfilled as this day doth witnesse to the Christian Churches For the fulnesse of time being come God sent his Sonne made of a woman The word was made flesh Iohn 1. 14. Oh what a sweet comfort is this to us miserable sinners that our blessed Saviour and Redeemer is not a stranger to our nature but tooke upon him the forme of a servant did partake with his in flesh and bloud became that prophesied Shiloh wrapped in the Tunicle skinne or Secundine our kinsman as Iob calleth him If the Baptist did so spring for joy in his mothers wombe when Mary the Mother of Christ saluted his Mother and if the Angels did so rejoyce and sing at the birth of Christ what cause have we to rejoyce and sing yea our very soules to spring for joy that wee doe celebrate this Festivitie in commemoration of our Saviours birth Yea that our comfort may be full he hath not only taken upon him our nature but our infirmities also that he might become a mercifull and compassionate High Priest So as we may boldly goe to the Throne of grace and be assured we shall finde mercie and grace to helpe in time of need The second thing avouched by the proprietie of the word in this question as you have heard in opening the sense of it is That this true man is a stranger they aske whence he is whereunto Christ returneth a perfect answer Hee descended from heaven Saint Paul saith He is the Lord from heaven Not that he brought his humanitie from heaven which passed thorow the Virgins wombe as water thorow a conduit as divers Heretiques have dreamed for he was made of a woman and had the materials of his body from the blessed Virgin but he had not his beginning here on earth as men have but God came downe from heaven and was manifested in the flesh and as he came so here he lived but as a stranger not having where to be
sinners yea pierced that heart with a speare which devised all good for man And doe yee not marvell Doe you reade that the fountaine of living water thirsteth the light of the world put out Truth oppressed by false witnesses Discipline scourged He that beareth up all things faint under the Crosse He that is Iudge of quicke and dead judged by a mortall man Justice condemned Foundation hanged on a Tree Salvation wounded and Life killed and doe yee not marvell But alas these were lamentable things and in the eye and wisdome of flesh and bloud base and contemptible Behold then such things as are full of glory and majestie The Sunne ashamed of their doings pulled in his beames covered it face and refused to give light to such a work of darknesse The earth trembled as not able to beare the weight of such a sinne The vaile of the Temple rent asunder from the top to the bottome in detestation of such wickednesse The Centurion confesseth truly This was the Sonne of God Pilat whose hands were embrewed with his bloud writeth his inscription and publisheth his glory to Hebrewes Greekes and Latines This is Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes And will you not marvell at it Yea open the eyes of your mindes and you shall see the benefits hereof He was apprehended that we might escape scourged that we might be spared bound that we might be loosed disgraced that we might be honoured wearied with the burthen of the Crosse that wee might be eased of the burthen of the Curse fainted that we might be refreshed thirsted that we might be satisfied wounded that we might be healed humbled to the Crosse that we might be exalted to Thrones died amongst Theeves that we may live amongst Angels condemned that we may be justified killed that we may live And doe yee not marvell and say What manner of man is this Moreover when Christ was truly dead and buried and all made sure as they thought the wicked triumph and rejoyce and his Disciples full of sadnesse and sorrow Luk. 24. 17. loe he that had power to lay downe his life had also power to take it up againe Ioh. 10. 18. Hee loosed the sorrowes of death whereof it was impossible for him to be holden Acts 2. 24. having thorowly conquered death even in the grave it strongest hold fortresse or castle It was not the great sealed stone could keepe him in Matth. 27. ult but Sampson-like carrieth on his shoulders the brasen gates Iudg. 16. 3. and declared himselfe mightily to be the Sonne of God by his rising from the dead Rom. 1. 4. Death and Grave confesse their weaknesse and his dominion they are weary of their prey and hasten with the Whale to cast up this Ionah they are oppressed with an intolerable burthen and have swallowed so bitter a morsell as they would faine be rid of the earth is in travell till it be rid of him Moreover after that he had beene conversant with his Disciples for the space of forty daies after his resurrection and had instructed them concerning his kingdome he was received up into glory from the top of Mount Olivet in the sight of his Apostles he ascended into heaven that is his humane Nature by the power and vertue of his Godhead was truly and locally translated from earth into the highest heavens of the blessed where he is said to sit on the right hand of God to make continuall intercession for his Elect from whence he sent the Holy Ghost in likenesse of cloven tongues of fire within ten daies according to his promise from whence he powreth out his spirit on all flesh and specially on such as he hath called to the work of the Ministerie doth gather and protect his Church bridle and confound his enemies and at the appointed time shall come from thence in his owne glory and the glory of his Father and of the holy Angels to iudge both the quicke and dead when all his Saints shall be gathered from the foure corners of the world shall meet him in the aire and be with him in happinesse for ever whose kingdome shall have no end Oh most marvellous Redeemer Oh most glorious mysteries of the Gospell How are we bound for ever to that good God who hath revealed them by his word and Spirit unto us How poore and simple beggerly base and contemptible are all the Religions in the world compared with this What is Moses and all the Legall service and worship though ordained of God yet the time of Reformation being come the Apostle calleth them weake and beggerly elements What is that Impostor Mahomet with his Alcaron though a Religion so generally received and professed how carnall filthy and obscene What are his best promises but such as a godly minde would despise abhorre How many great Kingdoms do worship Sunne Moone Starres yea foure-footed beasts and creeping things And some worship the Devil himselfe How in Poperie are poore people deprived of the Scriptures nusled in ignorance and implicite faith taught to beleeve lying Legends counterfet miracles fed with old wives fables and abused with cosening tricks of deceitfull men Oh stand fast in the faith marvell and praise God who hath made knowne the Saviour and the way of salvation unto you You have marvelled at many things but I pray you forget not that which is the burthen of all What manner of Man It is Man yea true Man that is so marvellous in birth life doctrine death resurrection ascension Oh how highly hath God exalted humane nature Some love their flesh for the beauty of it and some for the comely shape and proportion some for the strength Here is the ground of true love to love it because in Christ it is the flesh of God and herein exalted above the nature of Angels It was a great honour was given to man at the Creation when he was made after Gods Image but it is a far greater honour given in Redemption God himselfe becomming man flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone Oh Christian acknowledge thy dignitie and doe not defile with a lewd conversation what God hath so highly honoured But me thinketh I heare some object this is a matter of offense that Christ was a man yea a weake and poore man I answer Indeed it is true if we behold him with a carnall eye and looke upon no more but his bare humanitie and wrapped up in great infirmitie it is a matter of offense and therefore Christ hath pronounced Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me The Prophet foretold hee should be a stone to stumble at and a rocke of offense And the Apostle saith We preach Christ a stumbling blocke to the Iewes and foolishnesse to the Gentiles But whoso well observeth the Gospell shal see in
the great wisdome of God glory shame power and weaknes majestie infirmitie so twisted mingled together that if the one trouble and offend the other may comfort and content He was borne but it was of a Virgin He was borne in a stable and laid in a manger but the Angels proclaimed him Herod sought to kill him but Kings came from the East to adore him He was baptised of his servāt but his Father gave testimonie and the Holy Ghost descended from heaven in likenesse of a Dove and rested upon him He was hungry in the Wildernesse but rebuked Sathan He sate on Iacobs Well weary but told the woman of Samaria that came to draw water all that ever shee did He wept for Lazarus but bade him come forth of the grave and he did so He did spit on the ground and made clay but with it he cured a man that had beene borne blinde He hanged on Crosse betwixt two theeves but the Sunne was darkned and the earth trembled He slept but rebuked the wind and sea Remember your question What manner of man is this A man but an extraordinarie man Remember your answer This man is the Sonne of God and that doth the reason of the question shew which commeth now to be considered viz. That even the winds and the sea obey him In which words the Reason both of their Admiration and Interrogation as the cause and effect is rendred To which purpose the words in the Originall are very significant For first there is a double particle which in the former place is augmentative translated even etiam as else-where also With authoritie commandeth he even the uncleane spirits and they doe obey him q. d. What manner of man is this that not only men women children birds beasts but even the very uncleane spirits and even winds and sea obey him The word in the Hebrew copie translated obey doth also signifie to hearken diligently to intend earnestly and to obey readily and perfectly The Greeke word also signifieth no lesse that winds and seas did heare intend and speedily and faithfully obey the voice of Christ Here then is represented unto us the soveraigne dignitie power and authoritie that Christ hath over all creatures and which all creatures though never so sturdie rebellious or senslesse doe acknowledge It is a Doctrine I have already handled but suffer me suffer me willingly I beseech you to inlarge my meditations and ampliate my discourse What sweeter Argument can I handle or you heare What Subject doth not delight to speake of the majestie dominion power wealth and glory of his King And can I speake of any Argument more pleasing and delightfull than of his kingdome majestie dominion glory seeing all these he hath for our good Oh that my tongue were as the pen of a ready writer to indite his honour yea that I had the tongue of an Angell to speake of the glory of thy kingdome and to talke of thy power to make knowne to the sonnes of men thy mighty acts and the glorious majestie of thy kingdome Thy kingdome is an everlasting kingdom and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations Yea I should have an hand to write a tongue to speake if with Solomon I had an heart as large as the sand for of the abundance thereof both hand doth write and tongue doth speake Oh that I could say with the Apostle Mine heart is inlarged and my mouth opened but alas I am straitned in mine owne bowels Oh that I had the spirit of David when hee penned that most excellent curious Alphabetical and Encomiasticall Psalme How did he abound in zeale when he said I will extoll thee my God ô King and I will blesse thy name for ever and ever Every day will I blesse thee and praise thy name for ever and ever Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised there is no end of his greatnesse One generation shall praise thy works to another and declare thy mighty acts They shall abundantly utter the memoriall of thy goodnesse Oh that I had the spirit of S. Augustine when he wrote upon that Psalme wherein if ever he exceeded himselfe Shall Christ in such a famous miracle set forth his glorious majestie and dominion and shall wee thinke and speake so little of it We must be content here to wish and desire hereafter we shall enjoy here to serve God according to the weaknesse of the flesh hereafter according to the perfection of spirit here to praise God in briefes and semibriefes hereafter in larges and longs here but to tune our Harps and instruments when ever and anon a string breaketh or starteth and causeth an harsh jarre sweet shall be the musick in the Quire of heaven when Angels and Saints shall without wearisomnesse or end praise him whose glory and dominion hath no end As there is no end of his greatnesse number of his wisdome nor measure of his bounty so shall there be no end number or measure of our praise But now alas our spirit is strait wit dull speech dumbe that we may justly complaine with the Apostle when we take even the best dutie in hand To will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I finde not As Christ said of his Disciples it is most true in the best of us Though spirit be willing flesh is weake Wherein this is our comfort that we serve so good a Master as accepteth of that we have and so there be a willing minde it is accepted Let me then expresse my willingnesse striking once againe upon the same string for a close but varying in the descant from that you have heard already Herein Lord Iesu leade me with thy good spirit as thou art the King of Maiestie as well as of mercy untie my stammering tongue that thy name may be glorified by thy weakest creature and a worme of the earth may speake wisely of thy Maiestie who art King of Kings Prince of the Kings of the earth and hast on thine head so many Crownes yea the winds and seas obey thee Amen First let us see how this great King of heaven hath commanded all creatures to serve for the temporall good of his children according to his gracious promise They that feare the Lord shall want nothing that is good they that seeke the Lord and his kingdome shall have all earthly things even cast upon them Blessed are the meeke for they shall inherit the earth Being Christs all is theirs All will helpe nothing hurt them Doe they want bread or flesh The clouds shall raine it Do they want water The rocke shall be a fountaine Doe they want apparell Sheepe with fleece and skin shall clothe them Doe they want gold or silver God hath laid it up in veines of the
earth for them Doe they want Pearles and Iewels The rivers and streames shall afford them Are they heavy-hearted The Vine shall glad them with wine Have they cause of mirth and feasting Oile shall make their faces to shine Are waters cast out of the Dragons mouth The earth shall swallow them up Doe winds and waves roare and threaten to drowne If Christ doe but bid be still they are calme and obey him A point of Doctrine which one of the Ancient Fathers hath abundantly confirmed and illustrated by positive and exemplarie Scriptures if I would inlarge it Oh let us thankfully admire and extoll the mercy and goodnesse of God who is so bountifull in the donation of good condonation of the evill of guilt and preservation from the evill of punishment that hath saved us from so many and so great evils of bodie soule estate by water and land and hath given us all good things abundantly to enioy pertaining to life and godlinesse sendeth us daily manifold comforts from Heaven Aire Earth Sea Sunne Moone Starres Light Birds Beasts Fishes Fruits Herbes And if he have so liberally provided for us in the wildernesse what inestimable good things are provided for us in our owne Countrie If so great things in the prison what in the Palace If such a calme in this world what in heaven If such varietie of comfort in this vale of teares and in Christ his absence what at the mariage-feast Oh when your tables are richly furnished with varietie of good things from aire earth sea praise him whom winds and sea obey and let your harts be lifted up to meditate on those future and inestimable good things prepared in heaven for them that love him Our Doctrine from the Mystery is That all creatures at Christ his command are readie to serve his Church and people though never so contrarie to their nature If the Lord rebuke the winds will not blow nor waters flow nor fire burne nor hungrie Lions devoure nor Sunne move If all things were not thus at command it were impossible for the poore Church of Christ to subsist on earth to endure such cruell conspiracies and bloudie persecutions of mightie Tyrants for his poore little flocke to dwell in the midst of so many ravening Wolves for this little Cock-boat to ride out such grievous stormes and tempests but our God who was then in the ship and rebuked winds and sea and they obeyed he is now in heaven and doth whatsoever he will and he hath promised to be with his to the ends of the world and that the gates of hell shall not prevaile against them And therefore if in times of trouble and distresse when it pleaseth Christ to scourge and fanne his Church we be too weake in faith and too strong in feare and bewray pusillanimity and cowardize let us with David ingenuously confesse This is our infirmitie not regarding the Scriptures nor the power of God Let us be ashamed of it and learne more stedfastly to trust in the Lord as David counselleth Let the house of Israel trust in the Lord hee is their helper and defender O house of Aaron trust in the Lord he is their helper and defender yee that feare the Lord trust in the Lord he is their helper and defender he will blesse the house of Israel he will blesse the house of Aaron hee will blesse them that feare the Lord both small and great Yea let this Doctrine be remembred and it will wonderfully comfort and strengthen our faith in the resurrection For as winds and sea obeyed Christ now at the last day earth and sea shall heare and obey the voice of Christ yeeld up al the dead which they have received Marvell not at this for the houre is comming in the which all that are in the graves shall heare the voice of Christ and shall come forth Whereof he hath given us assurance in the raising of Lazarus Rulers daughter and widowes sonne only with his word Lazarus come forth Damsell arise Young-man arise This was of old most lively represented to the Prophet in vision hee was caried by the Spirit of the Lord and set downe in the middest of a valley which was full of dead mens bones and very drie and he was commanded to prophesie upon those bones which he did saying Oh yee drie bones heare yee the word of the Lord and immediatly there was a noise and behold a shaking and the bones came together bone to his bone and sinewes and flesh and skinne came upon them and covered them This as one of the Ancient Fathers saith was a most lively picture of the Resurrection of the dead which shall at the end of the world be effected by the omnipotent voice of the Sonne of Man Yea scarce any of the Fathers have written of the Resurrection but have made singular use of that Vision If at any time then our faith shall stagger at that Article which as a Divine saith is so farre above though not contrary to naturall Reason let us strengthen our faith with that excellent Vision Yea this was also represented to Saint Iohn in vision The sea gave up the dead which were in it and death and hell gave up the dead which were in them No matter then where we die by sea or land or where we bee buried in earth or water these are all but Gods Gaolors and shall faithfully bring forth all such as have beene committed unto them at that generall Assises If thy faith stagger let it rest upon the omnipotent power of Christ and for ever remember what you have heard from this storie Christ rebuked the winds and the sea and they obeyed him And therefore say I will lay me downe and take my rest for the Lord sustaineth mee I know my Redeemer liveth and I shall rise againe Our second lesson from mysterie is That the maine and principall end of all Gods word and workes is that from consideration thereof man may be provoked to admire and set forth the praise and glory of Christ What manner of man is this that hath done such things The Lord hath made all things for himselfe saith the Wise-man And the perpetuall exercise of the glorified Saints in heaven is day and night to praise Christ for the great worke of Redemption Thou wast slaine and hast redeemed us unto God by thy bloud out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation and made us Kings and Priests unto God Here then is an infallible touch-stone whereby to trie all Doctrines and I would to God with charitie and sobrietie all the matters in question betwixt the Papists and us were with meekenesse brought to this touch-stone Those Doctrines are ever soundest which doe give glory to Christ and provoke men to admire praise him What manner of man is he But whatsoever