the lesse he seemeth to heare or regard the more doe they cry and never give over till they awaken him This doth the Prophet require Yee that make mention of the Lord keepe not silence and give him not rest till he establish and make Ierusalem a praise in the earth Christ biddeth vs aske seeke knocke Yea and commendeth such as offered violence to the kingdome of God and tooke it by force Where he speaketh not of any corporall or naturall but of a spirituall force and the strength of the soule specially consisteth in two things as the hands therof First in Faith which laieth hold on all the promised mercies and goodnesse of God and will not part with them or let goe as Iob professed Though the Lord should kill mee yet will I trust in him The second is fervent Praier which as it were striveth with God breaketh open the doore of heavenly treasures and enricheth it selfe with what it wanteth So the Apostle requireth the Romanes to continue instant in prayer Yea that they would strive together with him in prayers to God for him Thus did Iacob he wrestled with God and would not let goe his hold till the Lord blessed him though he received a blow which lamed him yet hee would have a blessing though it cost him a limbe he wept and made supplication and by his strength had power with God Moses so encountered God with his praiers that Hee intreated him to let him alone And the woman of Syrophaenicia would take no nay but in the end overcame and received both commendation and reward Oh woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt Dixeris nisi accepero non recedam prorsus accipies Chrysost If we make application whatsoever our owne estate be yet the Church of God standeth in need of our best praiers our brethren in France and Germanie are vnder the firie triall how calme soever our Sea be there is a great storme in theirs and the ship even covered with waves and Christ fast on sleepe Oh that he would arise as David praied Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered let them also that hate him flie before him as smoake is driven away c Yea oh that he would but awake yea lift up his eye-lids and but looke at his enemies as sometimes he looked vpon the hoast of the Egyptians thorow the fierie and cloudie pillar and then all the hoast of the Egyptians was troubled But alas no marvell that the Lord sleepeth and as it were void of sense and care suffer all to goe to wrecke and ruine seeing we doe not awaken him with our praiers the most pray not at all others though saying often the Lords praier or some other yet know not what they aske and the best pray negligently and coldly if they come neere to God with lips yet the heart is farre off Their praiers are but the labour of lips without fervencie of spirit earnest intention and contention of the soule our bodies in Church our mindes at home Gods Altar is without fire prayers without heat tongue and heart are strangers the one knoweth not what the other is doing Whereas he would have his blessings as it were wrung out of his hands by spirituall violence a sluggish and drowsie praier getteth nothing it is no better than babbling Oh would you be glad to see a calme Goe to Christ by praier pray pray pray for the peace of Ierusalem Many cannot otherwise helpe the Church but none so poore that cannot this way as I have lately shewed and be bold suiters God delighteth in an holy instancie and importunitie hee hath taught it by the example of a man comming to borrow bread of his friend at midnight and by the parable of the wicked Iudge being overcome by the importunitie of the poore widow yea sometimes the Lord maketh as though he did not heare and doth purposely deferre to helpe because he would set an edge on our desire and provoke us to pray more instantly and fervently So he suspended the Syrophaenicians suit as it were to hold her long in his companie his eares being more delighted to heare her redoubled obsecrations than the sweetest instrument of Musicke it tried faith won a soule occasioned a miracle Wherefore the Apostle requiteth so often not onely that we pray but that wee pray continually and that wee be instant and labour in them and that wee watch in them Iâ— ever wee will awaken Christ by praier wee must watch in them our selves a sluggish praier doth but â—ull him on sleepe And herein many come justly to be taxed and reproved for either they pray of custome and fashion without any sense or no sooner have kneeled down lifted up hands and eyes to heaven but forthwith if they go so far as if they were asleep or in an heavy slumber they have forgotten before whom they have presented themselves and what is the thing they have in hand or if for a while they hold out well yet by and by they will suffer Satan to carrie away their mindes and set them on other things The Disciples did not so here and dost thou thinke to awaken God when thou callest on him with yawning halfe asleepe halfe waking Or dost thou thinke to obtain any good blessing at Gods hands by a cold sluggish and drowsie praier No no as the praâ—er of faithfull fervencie is an excellent service to God both exceeding pleasing and available to bring downe many blessings from the Lord c. So an idle perfunctorie praier is exceeding displeasing and taking of his name in vaine and only mightie to pull downe curses Oh pray then but take â—eâ—d how you pray be fervent in praier and put up your supplications with sobs sighs grones teares and all earnest intention of soule and bodie Double treble yea multiply your praiers and supplications for your selves and for his people vncâ—ssanâ—ly importune him and as Moses Nehemiah and Daniel urge his mercies compassions promises glorie blasphemie of enemies c. Oh this is the way to awake him but cold suters prove cold speeders And because though the spirit be willing yet the flesh is weake even Moses his hands grew wearie as hee had Aaron and Hur to helpe to stay them up so quicken thy spirit by fasting and meditation and therein consider both how happy thou art if God heare and grant thee thy blessing thou desirest and how exceeding miserable and wretched thou art if he deny thee It is a true Proverb That life is sweet and no marvell for it is the greatest blessing unto man and whereon all earthly blessings have so farre their dependance as it ceasing all they also cease to be the Disciples considering their life and all earthly happinesse was now at stake if the storme
desire for God heareth no prayer that is not made in faith And againe He will fulfil the desire of them that feare him Christ hath pronounced Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse And againe To him that is athirst I will give to drinke of the well of life freely Hereunto I subscribe as unto the undoubted truth of God and Tenet of our Church which hath taught us thus to pray O God mercifull Father that despisest not the sighing of a contrite heart nor the desire of such as be sorrowfull Whereupon I inferre this comfort for the refreshing of any wearied soule Doest thou see thy sins many great and grievous whereby thou knowest thou hast offended God and standest guilty and liable to all his curses and punishments in this life and the life to come Though in strength of faith thou canst not say Christ hath redeemed me from the curse of the Law Christ hath by his obedience reconciled me unto God and all my sinnes are forgiven only thou hopest thy sins are pardonable and thou desirest unfainedly that God would pardon them and be reconciled c. Be of good comfort here is the bud and seed of faith and in Gods acceptation true faith and thou shalt have thy desire And for confirmation hereof marke these two things First the true desire of Grace as Faith and Repentance is a sanctified desire a sanctified affectiō Now where the Spirit of God once beginneth to sanctifie he doth sanctifie throughout the minde memory and will as well as affections and he that is sanctified doth beleeve and is iustified Secondly this holy desire is a plaine evidence and fruit of the Spirit which stirreth up fighes and grones These desires cannot proceed from the flesh For that which is from the flesh is flesh and being from the Spirit it is an infallible argument that Christ dwelleth in us as Saint Iohn saith Hereby we know that Christ dwelleth in us even by his Spirit which he hath given us And doth Christ dwell in us Then surely we have faith For he dwelleth in the heart by faith Oh then be of good comfort humbled soule these holy motions and desires may assure thee thou art truly sanctified thou hast the Spirit of God thou hast a true faith though very little weake and feeble But me thinketh upon the delivery of this doctrine I see both the Wicked to lift up head set up bristles saying Nay if good desires will serve the turne we are well and shall be saved for I am sure we have enow of them and the Godly yet still to be of a deject countenance saying Alas what wicked man is there in the world but hath sometimes good desires I answer It is true that God sometimes bestoweth common gifts on the Reprobate and so in the judgement of man they goe often farre in the way of salvation but never any Reprobate ever had or shall have the least measure of justifying and saving faith that is only of Gods Elect and of such as are ordained to salvation And therefore all the fleshly desires of the Reprobate may be discerned from this true spirituall desire of the Elect. First by the continuance of it for the desires of the Reprobate are but like a flash of lightning sudden motions arising from hearing of the Word or some heavie judgement of God that lieth on them as Herod heard Iohn Baptist gladly and did many things and had doubtlesse many good motions but all like the mornings dew if he be pleased with the dancing of a wanton Damsell he will cut off the Baptists head When the plague is on Pharaoh hee will send for Moses and Aaron and crie Pray pray but no sooner the plague removed but he is worse than before But the true desire abideth and increaseth as the light unto a perfect day Againe true faith is of an active and operative nature according to the measure of it it will work He that hath the true desire of peace and reconciliation with God by the merits of Christ it will make him use the meanes whereby the same is procured he that doth truly desire forgivenesse of sins and Gods favour will hate his sinnes and whatsoever he knoweth doth offend God The wicked cannot doe so Herod reverenced Iohn and heard him gladly but his heart was still set on Herodias and boiled in filthy incestuous lust Balaam would fain die the death of the righteous but careth not for their lives nor will use the meanes whereby such a blessed death is procured but his heart is still set upon the wages of ungodlinesse If then thou hast but the fore-named desire but thou feelest it powerfull within thee to worke more and more an hatred of thy sinnes and of all the meanes and occasions thereof and to use carefully the meanes which God hath appointed for the increase of faith and holinesse assuredly thou hast received the good seed of faith into thy heart and thou hast the bud which will in good time blossome knit and beare Thus that I have declared the least measure of saving faith let me for their further comfort that have it deduce a few most sweet conclusions The first is this The least and weakest true faith doth as perfectly justifie as the greatest and strongest The poore weake beleeving man that prayed Christ to helpe his unbeleefe was as perfectly justified as Abraham that was so strong in faith that he staggered not The Reason hereof is because faith doth not justifie in respect of it selfe as it is a gift or action or vertue inherent in us for then as it is more or lesse stronger or weaker so should we be more or lesse justified but faith doth justifie as it is the instrument whereby we apprehend and receive the object The object or matter of our justice is Christ and Christ is not received more or lesse according to the measure or degree of faith but Christ is either wholly received or refused and he that hath whole Christ hath his righteousnesse which is so perfect being the righteousnesse of God as cannot receive any augmentation or increase So that justification consisteth not in the strength and quantity but in the truth and quality of our faith God hath a touchstone to trie our faith 1 Pet. 1. 7. but not weights to weigh with regardeth the goodnesse not greatnesse heartinesse but not heavinesse The dimme and weake sighted were as well cured by beholding of the brazen Serpent as the cleare and strong the old poore sicke weake and palsie trembling hand may receive a precious pearle or a peece of gold as well as the young steddie and strong Oh what a comfort may this be to such as mourne and are grieved for the weaknesse of their faith that howsoever God may make a great difference and they may
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
no strength in him When wicked Belshazzir an enemy of Gods people and at that time he and his Wives Concubines and Princes carowsing in the Vessels of Gold and Silver which his father Nabuchodonezer had brought from the Temple of the Lord in Ierusalem and praised their gods of Gold and Silver Brasse Iron Wood and Stone no sooner cast his eye on death through the glasse of the Law which God set up on the wall over against the Candlesticke but his countenance was changed his thoughts so troubled him that the ioints of his loynes were loosed and his knees smote one against another and nothing could comfort him or still that raging storme This was signified by that dreadfull manner of giving the Law on Mount Sinai with such darknes thunder lightning and earth-quake that all the people fled and Moyses himselfe confessed I exceedingly feare and quake We see when wicked and ungodly men come to die how they fare either they die sullenly as Nabal whose heart was dead as a stone it being the righteous judgement of God upon them that such as refused grace in their life time when he offered it should in their sicknesse neither have grace nor crave it but die blockishly and senslesly The Lord knoweth our times are full of such men and women which as David saith have hearts as fat as brawne possessed with a spirit of slumber you might as well speake to the bed-sted as to them talke with them of the way of Redemption Iustification and Salvation alas how ignorant Tell them of Resurrection and last Judgement they have no apprehension Reprove them for their sinnes past they know no such matter Informe them in the doctrine of Repentance Contrition of heart longing after the righteousnesse of Christ the happinesse of heaven they wonder as if you were reading of Riddles to them You shall finde no sound knowledge no token of true repentance no fruit of lively faith no testimonie of a well-grounded hope no signe of Christian joy as looking for a better life nothing but dulnesse and deadnesse of spirit and all their desire is to live But others being awakened out of their sins their consciences accusing and they beholding death in the looking-glasse of the Law good Lord how are they affrighted What tossing sighing groaning sweating compassed about with the sorrowes of hell and he is overwhelmed with despaire Now are his sinnes set before him the sinnes of childhood youth age his swearing riot uncleannesse oppression contempt of Gods word and generall profanenesse such as hee made but a mocke and sport of but now they come in troopes and appeare so great that he is swallowed up of dismaiednesse and letteth his tongue be wray his despaire and utter blasphemie and let a man labour to comfort him he still holdeth Cains conclusion My sin is greater than can be pardoned And thus as his life was full of sinne his death is full of sorrow as in his health he had no conscience in his sicknesse he hath no comfort as in his life he mocked Gods counsell in his death God laugheth at his destruction and he is in hell whilest he liveth which to prevent he could wish the rocks and mountaines to fall on him and cover him Yea not only the wicked and reprobate but even the elect and most righteous having but a glimpse of death thorow this glasse have beene exceedingly daunted and brought into most fearefull fits Holy Iob a man by Gods owne testimonie that feared God and eschewed evill and all the dayes of his life did wait for his change Iob 14. 14. could in good measure beare the sudden strange losse of all his substance cattell servants and children and say The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord but let him be touched in his bodie sicke and sore from the crowne of the head to the soale of the foot let God withall write bitter things against him and make him possesse the sinnes of his youth let him see death in the looking-glasse of the Law and then he enjoyeth wearisome nights and is full of tossings yea will curse the day and all the services of his birth David a man after Gods owne heart will wade thorow a world of troubles and it is not the malice of Saul hatred of the Philistims envie of the Princes rebellion of Absolom trecherie of Achitophel no threatning of Goliah grapling with a Lion fighting with a Beare no hunger cold danger can discourage him but in all distresse he comforteth himselfe in his God but let him see death in the looking-glasse of the Law and hee will even roare for the disquietnesse of his heart his heart will be pained the terrors of death fall on him fearefulnesse and trembling come upon him and horror over whelme him Psal 55. 4. yea the feare of death doth undoe him then will he make his bed to swim and even water his couch with teares and then all his prayers are against death Oh spare me that I may recover my strength and Oh my God cut me not off in the midst of my dayes Oh save me for thy mercies sake for in death there is no remembrance of thee and who will give thee thanks in the grave Let King Ezekiah receive a message of death from God and behold in the glasse of the Law and hee will turne his face to the wall and weepe bitterly chatter like a Crane or Swallow mourne like a Dove and complaine that God like a Lion hath broken all his bones and all his prayer is for life The living the living shall praise thee But in Christ himselfe we have an Example of all Examples for this purpose who as Mediator beholding death in the glasse of the Law and the inferiour reason presenting it to the minde not with all circumstances he began to feare his soule was exceeding sorrowfull even to death yea the sorrowes of death compassed him about that he fell into a dreadfull agonie his thoughts were troubled his spirits affrighted his heart trembled his ioynts shooke his pores opened and a sweat of drops like bloud burst thorow and thorow his garments Oh this was a grievous storme in his soule And what doth he As his disciples came to him so he to his Father and in a sweet and solitarie place a Garden an Oratorie whither he had often resorted to pray there he powreth out his soule in an heavenly prayer most commendable both for substance and circumstance with earnest intention for he did double and ingeminate the title often Father Father with wonderfull fervencie of spirit every word afforded a drop of bloud in faith he said my Father with humblenesse for he kneeled downe with wonderfull reverence he fell downe groveling as it were kneeling
the Apostles and Disciples in the daies of Christ Christ generally in the spirituall and mysticall sense enjoyneth it unto all Whosoever doth not beare his crosse and come after me cannot be my disciple Yea lest any should yet thinke that this was only enioyned to all the faithfull in those daies the Apostle after Christ his Ascension biddeth the Ephesians and in them all Christians to the end of the world Be yee followers of God as deare children If any shall yet aske me wherein can we follow Christ Not in bodily manner as the Apostles and Disciples now did that is unpossible he is gone ascended above these visible heavens Henceforth the world shall thus know Christ no more As it is to us impossible so was it to some unprofitable it shall doe Iudas and many no good that they followed him from place to place for sinister respects as to see his miracles heare novell doctrine as himselfe said Verily yee seeke me because yee did eat of the loaves and were filled Some shall plead this at the last day saying We have eaten and drunken in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets but marke what answer shall be given them I know you not whence you are depart from me yee workers of iniquitie All cannot follow him in the Ministery and preaching of the Gospell none but such as are thereunto called How can any preach except he be sent Few or none can now follow him in working miracles as giving sight to the blinde speech to the dumbe hearing to the deafe cleansing lepers curing diseases and raising the dead for these were miraculous and tended to the confirmation of his doctrine with which power though some in the Primitive Church were endowed for a while that as they preached new doctrine they might doe new workes yet now that the doctrine of the Gospell hath taken root it needeth no such watering this gift is ceased Bellarmine may well challenge it for it is a marke of the Antichristian Synagogue The Apostle saith Antichrist his comming shall be with all deceiveable signes and wonders But now the true Ministers of Christ are knowne not because they do but because they doe not miracles And saith S. Augustine Miracles now adaies are either the prodigious workes of lying spirits or fables and lyes of deceitfull men But let us goe to the cited text and see what following of Christ the Apostle now requireth What the word is which the Euangelist here useth you have heard and the signification of it viz. requiring a bodily motion and action and very rarely used in any figurative or metaphoricall sense but the Apostle useth another word which is properly referred to imitation of vertues as Saint Iohn biddeth us follow that which is good And the Apostle Paul biddeth us follow faith The signification of which word the Apostle expresseth in the next verse adding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Walke in love as Christ hath loved us For the full clearing of this point know that man hath two feet whereby hee commeth to Christ and followeth after him the first is of faith whereby hee beleeveth his doctrine whereof Christ hath said He that commeth to me shall not hunger and he that beleeveth in me shall not thirst Where he sheweth to come is to beleeve And as we come so we follow which is by faith Secondly the practise of Christ his morall vertues he being therein the perfect copie and Exemplar To which purpose the Fathers have excellent sayings He saith not vnto thee Thou shalt not be my disciple except thou walke upon the sea or raise the dead But Learne of me because I am humble and meeke And againe the same Father expounding those words observeth That Christ doth not say Learne of me to make a world and create visible and invisible things But Learne of me I am meeke and humble And another Wee cannot follow Christ in power magnificence and the like but we may follow him in humilitie meeknesse charity And another saith No man is worthily called a Christian who so farre as he can doth not imitate Christ in his manners In this it is Christ biddeth vs learne of him and the Apostle biddeth vs be followers of him and another Apostle saith Christ hath suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps and a third Apostle saith He that abideth in Christ ought to walke as Christ hath walked Then looke unto your copie if you would be truly accounted Christians looke unto Christ the Author and finisher of your faith If you be true members of the Church vow and performe as shee did Draw me and I will runne after thee Behold his povertie who being rich for our sakes became so exceeding poore that he had not wheron to rest his head and if it be required of thee for his sake and the Gospels sticke not to forsake all and follow him in this behold his meeknesse who being reviled reviled not againe broke not the bruised reed nor quenched the smoaking flaxe whose voice was not heard in the street Behold his patience taking a reed in his hand wearing a crowne of thornes mocked buffetted spit on and saith not a word Behold his charitie praying for his cruell enemies Father forgive them they know not what they doe Behold his contentation thanking God for barley bread Behold his diligence preaching working miracles til he was weary yea and on the night time when hee should have slept Behold his devotions spending whole nights in prayer Behold his zeale purging the Temple scourging out buyers and sellers and overthrowing the tables of money-changers Behold his humilitie choosing poore fisher-men and tole-gatherers for Apostles Wearing a poore seamelesse coat Fleeing when they sought to make him King Ioh. 6. and riding on an Asse into Ierusalem Behold his constancie who never gave over till the worke was finished Oh that wee could doe thus when Satan tempteth vs to pride revenge idlenesse discontent how would it dash temptations to say Avoid Satan I must follow Christ and he did not so Oh that wee could doe this when like men we have failed in our duties and sinned how would it breake the heart with godly sorrow and make us smite on brest and thigh and say Oh wretched man that I am Christ did not so and I should have followed him oh follow follow And here give me leave to encounter our Adversaries who falsly and full spightfully cal us Calvinists and Lutherans and Zuinglians as if wee taught you to follow Calvin and Luther to beleeve every point of doctrine to conforme your selves in all poins of discipline and government as they have prescribed No no we leave that to the Papists whose faith manners are tied to the Popes
be the more grievous if Christ be on sleepe it will cause great calling and crying indeed Herein behold the example of Iob A man that feared God and eschewed evill Good Lord in what great and grievous stormes and tempests was he tossed and like to be swallowed up I meane not in regard of his body and estate but chiefly in regard of his soule when he so complained that God did set him as a But to shoot at that the terrors of God did set themselves in array against him Iob 6. 4. that hee did write bitter things against him made him possesse the sinnes of his youth would not suffer him to swallow his spittle and If I say my bed shall comfort me and my couch shall ease my complaint then thou skarest me with dreames and terrifiest me with visions thou appointest wearisome nights to me when I lie downe I say when shall I arise and the night be gone and I am full of tossings to and fro vnto the dawning of the day so as my soule chuseth strangling and death rather than life yea in weaknesse he cursed the day and all the services of his birth and was so weary of the tempest and not able to endure it any longer hee made his suit to the Pilot to cut asunder the Cable and let the ship runne against the rocks saying Oh that I might have my request and that God would grant me the thing that I long for even that it would please God to destroy me let his hand loose and cut me off Oh here was a tempest indeed so as if God had not kept him he would have leaped over boord into the Sea rather than have endured it In what a tempest was David when he said His spirit was in perplexitie and his soule amazed and that from his youth he had suffered the terrors of God with a troubled minde and as if he could afford to leape over boord too hath much adoe to perswade his soule to patience saying Why art thou cast downe oh my soule and why art thou so disquieted within me Ionah his bodie was not so tossed in the tempest as his soule in the tempest of Gods anger when he said All thy billowes and thy waves passed over me then I said I am cast out of thy sight In what a tempest were the lewes when they came in such consternation to Peter and the Apostles asking Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saved Yea Christ himselfe was in a greater tempest in his soule on the Crosse than now his bodie was on the Sea when he so cried out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee S. Paul was often in perils on the Sea but nothing did so much shake him as his inward terrors the inward tempests of his soule made him cry out Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me So true is this doctrine and by these few examples instead of many fully confirmed that into whose soule soever Christ doth once enter to live and dwell by faith they shall be sure of stormes and tempests whereof these two principall reasons may be rendred viz. First the extreme and unappeasable malice of Sathan who so long as he doth reigne in the soule and conscience and is obeyed in his lusts there is great peace but if Christ a stronger than hee come and dispossesse him he will rage and will make that soule to shake and tremble that entertaineth Christ he will besiege it and roare with his Cannons of temptations that howsoever such a soule may have sweet peace with God yet it shall have perpetuall warre with Sathan who will doe all the mischiefe hee can If the woman be with childe and nigh in her travell and bring forth the great red Dragon will stand ready to devoure the childe and if he cannot prevaile he will cast great water-flouds after her Though the Vision most properly concerne Christ yet is it most true in his members no sooner is any childe of God conceived in the wombe of the Church by the immortall seed of Gods word and that he is formed and brought forth but Sathan the great red Dragon will seek to kill and destroy it as Christ saith He is a murtherer from the beginning and as the Apostle saith Hee goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom to deuoure and if herein hee be restrained yet will he cast out great flouds of temptations lies slanders feares doubts perplexities hee will not faile to raise a grievous tempest The second Reason is the corruption of our nature for though the Regeneration Sanctification of Gods children be most true yet is it imperfect in regard of degrees and the best of God children are partly spirit and partly flesh and that throughout all the inward powers and faculties and outward parts and members as in the dawning of the day when it is neither altogether light nor darke and in luke-warme water it is neither altogether cold nor hot so there is some ignorance in their minds some hardnesse in their hearts some frowardnesse in their wills sinne though it reigne not yet it dwelleth in them to defile and staine their best workes and stir vp stormes and tempests in their Soules and Consciences Here then first is a sweet comfort to Gods Children who have experience of the truth of this Doctrine in their owne Soules me thinketh I heare them thus lament The time hath beene when I could have beene merrie and glad and had abundance of joy and comfort in God it was my greatest delight to heare reade and pray I was able to be a comfort and stay to others but now my Soule is heavie and pensive sad and sorrowfull I thinke on nothing but my sinnes but those though many yeeres agoe committed I doe as perfectly remember with the circumstances thereof as if they were but yesterday I can thinke of nothing but Gods anger and the punishments of the Reprobate neither have I any delight in godly exercises or if I doe performe them I finde no comfort in them but returne from Church as void of comfort as I went thither rise up from praier with as heavie an heart as I kneeled downe I am even oppressed with feares doubts and distrusts that I have not truly repented that I doe not truly beleeve that I am not sanctified that I am not Gods Childe that he loveth me not that my sinnes are not forgiven and that I have but served him in Hypocrisie Oh behold what waves surges and billowes of discomfort may cover a poore Soule But let all such be of good comfort for first this is no other than that all Gods Children first or last more or lesse have experience of Thou thinkest none ever were in such cōdition thou art deceived Secondly it is an argument of good estate for so
long as Satan possesseth the Palace all is in peace so long as a man is wholy vnregenerate all is in quiet Rebekah by the striving of the Twins in her Wombe knew she was with child the barren feele no such matter The Children of God know that there is Spirit within them as well as flesh because these doe so lust strive one against another There cannot be a greater argument that a man or woman are altogether carnall and unregenerate and earthly than that they have no experience of this spirituall warfare conflict but rather glorie that they never doubted of Gods love remission of sinnes and salvation but were ever assured of those things not doubting but if any be saved they shall Oh it is most wonderfull to heare the vild and strange presumption of men and women who yet are most sinfull and wicked in their lives and conversations and thereby proclaime that there is no true knowledge feare nor love of God in them Oh this is a fearefull condition indeed a flat argument of a reprobate sense of a benummed yea a seared and cauterized Conscience therefore tremble to thinke of this but reioice in the other Thirdly this storme will over it never endureth longer than this life seldome if ever so long Heavinesse may endure for a night but joy will come in the morning Christ hath said ye shall weepe and lament but the world shall rejoice and ye shall be sorrowfull but your sorrow shall be turned into joy and your joy shall no man take from you How many thousands of Gods Children who have beene in their times tossed with waves and billowes of discomfort and distresse who have now found eternall rest to their Soules and praise God day and night who lead them thorow fire and water into such a wealthy place Lastly know that Christ is in thy Soule in all this thy dolefull estate and condition he will not leave thee nor forsake thee no more than he did this Ship in the Tempest he may be as on sleepe and make as if he heard not and regarded not the more to try thy faith and patience but he is a sure and a faithfull friend never neerer than when he seemeth furthest off never will doe a man more good than when he seemeth least to regard him in his good time he will rebuke Satan and thy rebellious Lusts and send a most gracious calme That thou maiest say with David now returne to thy rest oh my Soule the Lord hath well rewarded thee Yea thou shalt be compassed about with Songs of deliverance Oh but how might we procure this happie calme I answer that many times it is the evill temper and disposition of the body as melancholy that causeth such troubles and stormes in the Soule and in such case the Physitian is to be aduised with and his counsell direction followed But which way soever it doe arise the context will teach you there are three waies and meanes for the quieting and calming of the troubled soule viz. First their owne prayers You see in this tempest the Disciples goe to Christ and pray to him So hath God commanded Call on me in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee Is any afflicted let him pray Iam. 5. 15. Thus did David in his distresse give himselfe to prayer and got him to his Lord right humbly and prayed My God my God looke upon me So did Christ My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and put up his supplication with strong crying and teares So did Ionah Out of the belly of hell I cried unto thee Neither let any of Gods children be discouraged though they cannot expresse their wants or desire supply of grace as they would or as they heare others The Apostles did but pray Lord save us we perish and Christ heard them and rebuked the winds and seas The Publican did but pray Lord be mercifull to me a sinner and went home iustified The penitēt theefe on the crosse did but pray Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome And Christ promised that night he should be with him in Paradise If thou canst but say feelingly fervently Lord save mee Lord have mercy on mee Lord give me peace of conscience Lord quiet my mind Lord rebuke Satan Lord helpe mine unbeleefe Lord assure my soule of thy love euen such are most powerfull prayers with God Neither yet let them be discouraged because they are not presently heard but many and many times they have prayed and receive no answer Remember it was Davids case I crie all the day long and thou hearest not It was the woman of Canaans case who received many discouragements from Christ and his Disciples yet still continuing her praier in the end received a gracious answer O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt Let us not prescribe God his time or meanes when or how but still with Iacob wrestle and resolve he shall still heare of us till he doe helpe us and assuredly he hath a good time when he will speake peace to our Soules The storme shall not continue for ever in the meane time he will be sure to keepe from drowning Secondly note that in this storme some one doth not goe of himselfe neither doe they make one or two as Peter or Iohn their Deputies or Committies to goe and awaken Christ and to pray him save them but the Text saith the Disciples went to him So the second way of comfort which God hath appointed that sinners sinke not into despaire is confession of our case and condition and to crave the helpe and comfort of others praiers and good counsels and above all the comfort of the Ministers absolution in the name of Christ pronouncing remission to everie true penitent Oh there is nothing more dangerous to the Soule or that Satan more laboureth than that a sinner should keepe his counsell and by no meanes make his griefe or disconsolate estate knowne for verily even in making it knowne the Tempest is halfe calmed Howsoever then the Papists namely a sometime rotten member of this body to make us and our profession odious to the world declaime against us as enemies to praying fasting virginitie good workes confession yea that the people in our Church are deprived of a great comfort that though their Soules be never so oppressed and disquieted through sinne they have none to goe and confesse unto that hath the seale of secresie We give all the world to understand that we neither write or speake against any of the former workes of pietie and godlinesse but against their corruptions not against praier but performance of it in a strange Tongue for custome not of conscience according to the number of Beads not sense of want Wee speake not against fasting but the Pharisaicall abuse of
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
pen of a Writer and note from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelation they cannot finde one directed to Cherub or Seraphim Gabriel or Raphael Abraham or Moses or Iohn Baptist after his death or any other creature in Heaven or Earth save only to the Lord and his Anointed yea for above two hundred yeeres after Christ Intercession of Saints was not heard of Origen was the first that broached it not as the publike doctrine of the Church but as his owne private conceit above three hundred that Basil Nyssen and Nazianzen gave some occasion of prayer to the dead by their Rhetoricall speaking unto them Yea till 500 yeeres Invocation of Saints was not received into the publike Liturgie of the Church For it was after 400 yeeres that S. Augustine said We doe not make gods of Martyrs they are named of the Priest but no prayer is made unto them And it is said that Petrus Gnaphaeus an Heretike did first put Invocation of Saints into the publike prayers of the Church See how new this corruption is which the Church of England hath godly reformed and in her approved Homilies requireth foure things in the parâ—ie to whom we are to pray viz. First that he understand whereof we stand in need Secondly that he heare our prayers Thirdly that he be willing And lastly that he be able to helpe Finde these in any but in the true God only and then wee may pray unto them otherwise wee may pray as fondly as the Papists who pray to the Virgin Mary for example to pray to Christ for them and then they pray to Christ that he would accept of Maries prayers for them Thus are men puckled when they follow their owne conceits and leave the light of Gods word Oh call on me saith God and come to me saith Christ So doe the Disciples here so doe we ever when we pray Lord save us Save Nothing so pleasing to the Saviour as to come to him for life and salvation He complained of his people Yoe will not come to me that yee might have life yea being a faithfull Creator and Saviour of all men he is well pleased that in times of danger men should call on him for bodily preservation Lord save us But let us learne from this Example if we desire to be heard to pray only for such things as are needfull Christ hath taught us to pray for bread not gorgeous apparell stately houses great livings and honours for howsoever according to severall places callings and charges some men may pray for much more than others yet if our desires be boundlesse and we proceed from necessaries to crave wanton superfluities we offend and as S. Iames saith Yee aske and receive not because yee aske amisse that yee may consume it upon your lusts Our learned Academick saith It is not lawfull nor doth stand with a good conscience to seeke for any more than is sufficient for preservation of us and ours If any thinke him too strict let him hearken what Saint Bernard saith Let thy prayers which thou makest for temporall matters be restrained ever to things necessarie If any yet thinke that devout and mortified Cloysterer too strait laced let them heare what S. Augustine a Bishop saith If any man shall say Lord increase my riches and give me so much as thou hast given to such an one and such an one I thinke that man in the Lords prayer will finde no such direction Iacob prayed but for bread to eat and clothes to put on Solomon prayed but for food conventent and neither for riches nor povertie Lepers to be made cleane blinde men to see and the Disciples to be preserved in the storme Christ heard them and was well pleased Oh let us be moderate and wise in our desires Indeed Christ his promises are very large and generall Whatsoever yee shall aske my Father in my name he will give it you And againe If you shall aske any thing in my name I will doe it But an ancient Father saith True prayer is a request of such things as are fit for God to give and us to have And another saith No man can aske in the name of the Saviour that which is against salvation For our better direction therefore we must note that if we will be heard we must only crave bona bene good things and for good uses and purposes Good things are of two sorts viz. absolute or respective Graces spirituall and necessarie for salvation as Faith Repentance Remission of sinnes c. are absolutely good never evill to any and therefore we may absolutely aske them but all corporall and earthly blessings as Health Wealth Honour are not absolutely but respectively good as it shall please God to sanctifie them and therefore are not absolutely to be asked but with condition submitting our selves to Gods will as the Leper did Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane if such or such a blessing be for thy glory and my good grant it unto me And as we must aske good things so to good uses and purposes as Solomon begged wisdome whereby he might goe in and out before the people For the Minister of the word to beg increase of knowledge preservation of health libertie that he may doe God and his Church service the Magistrate to aske understanding and courage that he may the better execute Iudgements betwixt man and man the man that asketh increase of wealth that he may more cheerefully serve God and be better able to help and releeve such as are in want this is to aske good things wel and to good purposes such may looke to receive what God knoweth to be indeed for their good but to aske exquisite knowledge and learning because they would excell in Poysoning Sorcery Witchcraft and such like damnable Sciences or wealth that they may oppresse their neighbours or compasse their sinfull desires or health and strength of body to revenge wrongs or devoure wine and strong drinke and follow their pleasures These aske good things amisse neither let such looke to receive yea it is great mercy in God to denie as a father in his love denieth a knife or sharpe-edged toole to his childe which he knoweth to be dangerous and hurtfull to him The Disciples knew not of what spirit they were that desired fire from heaven upon the Samaritanes Peter wist not what he said when he desired to have three Tabernacles built on Mount Thabor The Disciples that desired to sit one on the right hand and the other on the left hand of Christ knew not what they asked Whatsoever we aske let us aske according to his will and he heareth us if not according to our will yet to our profit and as is best for us Here wee see how earnest the Disciples
Iudas excepted but yee of little faith The widow of Zarephath had not a Cake but an handfull of Meale in a barrell and a little Oile in a Cruse That they followed him into the ship and feared no danger that in this extreme danger they come to Christ calling him Lord Lord and pray him to save them proveth that they had some faith but that they are so fearefull and awaken him so turbulently as if they were in greater securitie if he were awake or he lesse able to helpe them being on sleepe than awake this was poore and little faith and our Saviour reproveth it with admiration O yee of little faith Not of little courage or valour for these and all other vertues grow from faith as the Apostle saith Some through faith have stopped the mouthes of Lions quenched the violence of fire of weake have beene made strong waxed valiant in fight and have turned to flight armies of Aliens No vertue so usefull in dangers as faith the Apostie calleth it our shield and another faith In all dangers and distresses wee are to encounter withall in this world it is our victorie wherefore he wondreth they have so little of it And as another Euangelist expresseth it How is it that yee have no faith that is How is it that yee have no better or greater measure of faith Or as S. Luke vet in another phrase and forme Where is your faith Or as the Greeke Article intendeth Where is that your faith that measure and degree of faith which you have shewed to be in mee All which tend to one purpose viz. to declare the weaknesse feeblenesse and modicitie of faith in this their great danger when the strength of their faith should specially have supported them But some may object and say That after this time the Apostles are said to have no faith therefore they ahd no faith now So after his resurrection it is said Christ appeared to the eleven as they sate at meat and upbraided them with their unbeleefe And to Thomas hee said Be not faithlesse but beleeving I answer That infidelitie incredulitie or unbeleefe is twofold viz. absolute and comparative Absolute unbeleefe is when the heart is void of every even the least jot grain of true faith and beleefe as where the Apostle demandeth What part hath he that beleeveth with an Infidell Comparative infidelitie is in relation not with any true but with a strong measure of faith And thus a weake or little faith a faith which in the houre of temptation is assaulted with doubtfulnesse is comparatively called faithlesnesse and unbeleefe such was their faith now and after Christs resurrection for a time And now if we make Application Surely if it bewrayed a small measure of saith for them to be so fearefull when Christ was in humilitie weaknesse and infirmitie on sleepe and before they had seene many most glorious miracles which after this time hee wrought for confirmation of their faith and before they saw his glory in his resurrection from the dead and his ascension into heaven and the sending of the holy Ghost upon them according to his promise How much lesse is our faith yea how may wee justly thinke we have no faith but are most worthy to be reproved for our infidelitie if in any danger wee exceed in feare having seene all his miracles resurrection and ascension c. in the glasse of the Gospell Was their faith little because he being on sleepe they did exceedingly feare danger And shall not our faith appeare to be farre lesse if wee so exceedingly feare seeing we know he now sitteth at the right hand of God having received all power and authority in heaven and earth and never slumbreth nor sleepeth Oh then meditate on the promises performances and power of God the merit of Christ mercy of God his goodnesse and greatnesse who both will and can turne all to the best that in greatest perplexitie and distresse that can or may befall your selves or any Gods people you may have the commendation given to Abraham that contrary to hope he beleeved under hope and may avoid this reproofe Why are ye fearefull O ye of little faith Here first we may learne what great spirituall combats and conflicts Gods children in this world are subject unto Our life is a warfare on earth as a well-tried and expert Warriour keeping the termes of his owne Art called it and the Apostle a wise and valiant Captaine in Gods hoast doth not only furnish every Christian souldier from top to toe with compleat harnesse but also describeth their enemies We wrestle not with flesh and bloud but against principalities and powers against worldly governours the princes of the darknesse of this world against spirituall wickednesses which are in high places You see what enemies we have and how exceedingly furnished with strength in their hands and malice in their hearts having all gainfull advantages both from nature they spirits and we flesh and from place they being above we below and far beneath them In which combat of our soules faith is our principall armour both of offence and defence and therefore the Apostle biddeth us Resist Satan being stedfast in the faith to take the shield of faith and to fight the good fight of faith Oh it is our faith whereby we stand and get victory Wherefore there is nothing so much assaulted as our faith yea and many times is so exceedingly battered and shaken and brought to so low an ebb that even the best of Gods children have thought they have had no faith and at least in the exceeding weaknesse thereof have made bitter complaints My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and will the Lord absent himselfe for ever and will he shew no more favor Is his mercy cleane gone for ever Doth his promise faile for evermore Hath God forgotten to be gracious Doth he shut up his mercies in his displeasure Lord how long wilt thou hide thy selfe for ever and shall thy wrath burne like fire And Oh wretched man that I am Loe these these indeed are the grievous conflicts and foiles which even the chosen Captaines of the Lords Armies have received and if such Lions themselves have roared for the disquretnesse of their hearts what have silly Lambes experience of in their soules No marvell though they sigh and mourne and complaine and be brought very low as if they had no faith at all but their hearts were full of unbeleefe doubtings feares Oh let such know to their comfort that the very best of Gods children have had and have and shall have experience hereof and shall grone under the burthen of the remainders of corruption and lament the sinfull infirmities which cleave unto them and cry out of feare doubting and unbeleefe yea know because Regeneration is imperfect
in this life where there is no doubting at all no feare at all no striving against unbeleefe there is no true comfort no true faith but a proud presumption For the illustration of this point know first That corruption is not seene or discerned by corruption but by grace as foule things are discerned by the light not by darknesse and sicknesse discerned by health none being more desperately sicke than he that feeleth it not none in so dangerous case as they that see not the corruptions and feele not the wants of the soule but are in that spirituall Lethargie the Church of Laodicea was thinking shee was rich and increased in goods and had need of nothing when hee was poore and miserable wretched blinde and naked The more therefore we feele our infidelitie distrust rebellion the better our estate Secondly man must be considered in a double estate viz. as he is by nature and as he is by grace By nature he is altogether flesh That which is borne of the flesh is flesh he is wholly led by the flesh he delighteth in nothing but the works of the flesh and all the works of the flesh are his and if herein he continue he and they shall perish together But in the estate of grace though he live in the flesh he walketh not after the flesh he warreth not after the flesh he is led by the spirit Indeed the flesh doth continually lust against the spirit and many times prevaileth not only begetting evill motions purposes and desires but as a strong enemy leading the childe of God captive to doe that which hee should not he would not But these motions these actions they are not his they shall never be laid to his charge If Satan object them hee may renounce them and say Indeed these are the motions actions of the flesh and we were sometime all one but now we are separate and divided it only dwelleth as an inmate but I doe not partake with her never man and wife were more firmely divorced than I and my flesh therefore if the flesh have plaied the harlot and begot these brats cast them at her doore I will not owne them I will dash them in peeces against the stones Wherein you have the Apostle himselfe for a most excellent president Now if I doe that which I would not it is no more I that doe it but sinne that dwelleth in me If I should not have doubts and feares and discerne much evill in me I might then indeed justly doubt and feare I were all flesh but I doe dislike and detest them and lay them to the fleshes charge and even hereby I know that I have received the Spirit because it sheweth me the weaknesse of my faith and stirreth up holy grones sighes and desires to Heaven for the increase of it I say againe let none of Gods children be too much dejected or cast downe or grow out of heart with themselves much lesse call their estate with God into question because the remnant of corruption like a bold saucie inmate dwelleth in them and doth continually vex and disquiet them disturbe and trouble them crosse and hinder them in every good purpose and thing and still haling and pulling on to sinne with incessant importunitie and sometimes prevailing The experience of this made the Apostle so exclaime Oh wretched man With whom give thanks feelingly to God for victory through Iesus Christ for that hee hath delivered thee from the dominion bondage and slaverie of sin that it doth not reigne in thee also keep a very watchfull eye and ever give thy flesh a sowre look keep it under and in subjection make it not thy counsell be sure to make a covenant with eyes eares and all the senses they shall be strangers to it forbid thy strangers to be acquainted with it and then though sinne and corrupt flesh be such a shamelesse inmate to say as Ruth did to Naomie Whither thou goest I will goe where thou dwellest I will dwell where thou diest I will die and there will I be buried nothing but death can quite part and sunder us it shall not be able to hurt us Oh see what a sweet comfort the Gospell proposeth to Gods children even from sense and feeling of their wants and weaknesse of faith Concerning which I will not say as our Saviour did in another case He that is able to receive it let him receive it but I will even thrust it into the bosomes of weake and seeble Christians if any such be here present by removing two such Objections as are made against it and whereby as with both hands they even thrust it from them The first is this Oh I could comfort my selfe many waies if I had any faith though never so weake or small but I cannot discerne any at all but mine heart is full of infidelitie and rebellion I answer Great is the sense and assurance which commonly beleevers have of their faith otherwise the Apostle would never have said Prove your selves whether you are in the faith or not yet two times must be excepted viz. the time when God first giveth it and the houre or time of some great temptation Recount then the times which are passed and the yeeres of old yea remember the yeeres of the right hand of the most high Psal 77. 10. Hast thou at any time had the assurance and comfort of faith Be of good comfort it will revive againe Heavinesse may endure but for a night ioy will come in the morning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy faith may be cast downe but cannot be destroyed Deliquium pati non penitus mori may sownd but cannot die Or hast thou never had the sense of faith but now desirest it and art heartily sorry thou feelest it not it may be this graine of mustard-seed is but now sowen in the furrowes of thine heart water it with Word Sacraments and Prayer and doubt not but thou shalt in good time have the sense and comfort of it Oh but I have no sense of Gods love therefore I have no faith I answer Christ had no sense of Gods love and yet beleeved when he praied My God my God why hast thou for saken me How void was Iob of the sense of Gods love when hee complained God accounted him as his enemy and made him as his butt to shoot at How far was David from despaire when he complained Is his mercie cleane gone for ever No no that is but infirmitie as he confessed God changeth not nor hath any shadow of change whom he loveth he loveth to the end his covenant is more sure than that of the day and night It is but thy triall In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting compassion have I embraced thee The Sunne setteth and hath a time to
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