this Miracle might be the more which redoundeth to Christ froÌ„ causing this calme the Euangelist telleth us there was a tempest a sudden tempest a great tempest and it appeareth it was so from divers passages of the storie For first the instrumentall Cause was a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sudden and furious winde which God did cast upon the Sea for so the word in Ionah signifieth the waves also so lifted up and tossed with it that the very ship was covered with them or as the word signifieth was filled brim full for S. Marke useth the same word which is used in S. Iohn at the Mariage-Feast in Cana of Galile where the Water-pots are said to be filled up to the brim yea the passengers whereof some of them were Fishermen as Peter Andrew Iames Iohn were exceedingly fearefull they should be drowned Surely they had seene many a tempest before and were men inured and accustomed to such dangers of whom the Poet saith truly Their hearts are of brasse and oake to encounter dangers yet even they are as at their wits end as David saith and distracted with the greatnesse of this perill and cry out to their Master Saue vs wee perish All which declare the truth of my Text that this was a great dangerous tempest indeed wherof more hereafter wheÌ„l come to speake of the ship being covered with waves In the meane time receive this doctrine which coÌ„taineth both the History Mysterie viz. That God many times suffereth his people to come into great perills dangers extremities and very hard exigents before he deliuer them which being a doctrine lately and largely in this place handled from another Text I onely now barely propose it and proceed Vpon the Sea When God divided the waters from the dry land he called the dry land Earth and the gathering together of the waters Seas and ever since the Hebrewes have usually called all collections and gatherings together of waters Seas Yea that vessell which Solomon made for the vse of the Temple in stead of the Laver in the Tabernacle and was for containing of two or three thousand Baths of water for the Priests to wash with is called a Brasen Sea and Moulten Sea And howsoever my Text calleth this gathering of waters Sea and elsewhere it is called the sea of Galile because the promised Land being divided into three Provinces Galile Samaria and Iewrie this Sea was in the Province of inferiour Galile It is also called the Sea of Tiberias from a Citie on the banke of it of that name It is in the Old Testament called the Sea of Chinnereth and in the New Testament it is called the Lake of Genesarâ—th A lake and so it might more properly be called than Sea and so S. Luke calleth it even in recording this storie A storme of winde came on the Lake for that it was but a few leagues in compasse and the Lake of Genesereth because the countrey of Genesereth adioyned unto it Iâ— was a Sea that abounded with Fish and there was the place where Peter and Andrew Iames and Iohn were Fishers It was nourished with that sweet and pleasant Riuer of Iordan which rising at the foot of Mount Libanus running in a narrow channell did first inlarge it selfe in a small Lake called Merom where Iosuah discomfited the Canaanites Ios 11. 4 5 7. and then contracting it selfe againe kept channell till it came secondly more to inlarge it selfe in this Lake or Sea and then passing out of it againe did at the last emptie it selfe into the dead Sea a Sea though having no entercourse with the Ocean and dead because no fish or other creature doth liue in it because of the bituminous sulphureous matter I know no waters in the world comparably renowmed to this Riuer and this Sea Howsoever disgracefully Naaman once said Are not the riuers of Damascus Abanaâ— and Pharpar better than all the waters of Israel Yet hath God enabled the waters of Israel aboue all the waters of the world and the waters of Iordan aboue all the waters of Israel The waters of this Riuer betwixt this and the salt Sea did stand as on an heape at that time when Iordan overflowed all his bankes till his people Israel passed over it on drie ground into the land of Canaan right over against Iericho Eliah and Elishah divided the waters of this Riuer with their cloake and went over on dry ground Naaman the Syrian washing seuen times in it according to the word of the Prophet was clensed of his leprosie In this did the Prophet Elisha cause the Iron to swim Yea in this was Christ baptised and the Baptist saw heauen open heard the voice of the Father and saw the Spirit in likenesse of a Dove descend and light on Christ Oh that famous River of Iordan no Sea more ennobled than this thorow which it ran Here did Christ call â—oure of his first and prime Apostles On this sea Christ and Peter walked Here did hee calme the Tempest and here hee appeared after his Resurrection when they tooke an exceeding multitude of fishes On this famous sea now this great Tempest was So much for the Letter I having formerly shewed how marvellous God is in this Creature and provoked you to give him due glorie As the Ship representeth the Church so the Sea this world and may so fitly in a threefold respect First as the sea is alwaies in motion but specially tempestuous when the winds doe blow so this world is restlesse ever in action but then specially stormie and tempestuous when Tyrants and Heretikes doe blow upon it Againe as the sea is Dangerous for shelfes rocks sands unlesse men saile by a very good compasse and thousands doe make shipwracke to the losse of lives and goods So in this world are many dangers and perils and specially heresies and sins are as rockes whereon thousands even all that doe not saile by the true compasse of Gods word doe make shipwrack to the eternall destruction of soule and bodie as Saint Paul saith that Hymeneus and Alexander did Lastly as the â—ea is full of fishes and living Creatures there goe things creeping innumerable so is the world and as fishes in the sea are caught with nets so are men by the net of the Gospell as Christ said to his Apostles Follow me and I will make you fishers of men And the kingdome of heaven is like to a draw-net cast into the sea Matth. 13. 47. And as in the sea small fish are a prey to greater so in this world the poore and weake are as a prey devoured of the rich and strong In which respect the Lord by his Prophet calleth them Fishers for which and divers other respects if I would stand upon them the world may very fitly be compared to
be broken So much for the sense of the word But as the Iewes said of Christ concerning the death of Lazarus Could not be that opened the eyes of the blinde have caused that even this man had not died So I say He that stilled the tempest and raging of the Sea could not he have caused it had not beene at all Yes verily Let us then search out for what causes it was his pleasure that this great tempest should arise Some of the Fathers tell us it was for Iudas his sake as the great storme arose for Ionas his sake But at this time Iudas had not betrayed his Master Doubtlesse he was a covetous wretch which gave Sathan the advantage to tempt him to that sinne but I suppose as yet Sathan had not so much as put it into his heart But because it is the Fathers I will not reject nor confute it Only by the way in a word make this use of it Let us so much as we can keepe out of the societie of wicked men as the Apostle biddeth Have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darknesse For as a Father saith Where sinne is there will be a storme The Scriptures are plaine to teach us that even for the sin of some one man the punishment whereof was neglected a whole familie tribe and people have beene punished As the making and worshipping of the Golden Calfe though it was not the sinne of all yet it endangered all and God told Moses he would consume them all For Achans sinne how did the people fall before their enemies Which made all Israel so afraid when the two Tribes and an halfe had erected an Altar as they conceived to offer sacrifice on contrary to the commandement of God and sent messengers to tell them that if they did rebell against the Lord that day to morrow he would be wroth with all the Congregation of Israel villanie committed by some of the Inhabitants of Gibeah in abusing the Levites concubine the heavy vengeance of God came not only upon the persons themselves but upon the whole Citie wherein such wickednesse was committed yea upon the whole Tribe because they delivered not up those wicked men to be punished but seemed to defend them yea not upon the Tribe alone which seeme justly to be condemned as accessarie but also on all such as came not up to warre and helped not to take vengeance for that wicked fact as upon all the Inhabitants of Iabesh Gilead And doe you not remember how for Sauls cruell fact in killing the Gibeonites there was a great famine in the Land for three yeeres together So good a thing it is if we can prevent it that Iudas be not in Ship House or Towne where we saile or dwell as S. Iohn fled out of the Bath where he saw the wicked Heretike was or at the least Ministers Magistrates people and all must endevour that sinne be punished and so taken away else the guilt and punishment may lie on all But I suppose there were other two principall Reasons for which Christ was pleased that this great tempest should arise viz. First for triall of his Disciples faith which is specially tried in times of danger distresse and perplexitie yea though he knew it to be weake yet themselves did not so and it was very profitable for them to know how weake their faith was Lastly that by this miraculous deliverance he might confirme their faith and teach them in all future dangers and perplexities to cleave unto him and trust in him which teacheth us that former experience of Gods providence power and goodnesse in ministring to our wants and delivering us out of evils should strengthen our faith in assurance of the like if it shall please God to bring us into them as we see David made that use of his deliverance from the paw of the Lien and Beare that that God would also deliver him out of the hand of the Philistim And so much for the Reasons Now for further instruction observe that as there is a manifold singular bodily or earthly vse of the Sea or Navigation so is there also singular Divine and heavenly use to be made and specially for contemplation There is no creature visible wherein in fairer capitall letters we may reade the goodnesse greatnesse power and Majestie of God than in the Sea that huge and uncontroulable creature and specially in a storme to see the waves how they rowle and rage and to heare them even many miles off how they roare in beating one against another and against the shore so true that is of David They that goe downe to the Sea in ships and occupie their businesse in great waters These see the workes of the Lord and his wonders in the deepe If God challenge such glory from the wings and feathers of Peacocks and Ostriches the wilde Goats Hindes Asse Vnicorne Hawke Eagle Horse Behemoth and Leviathan Iob 39. 40 41. Chap. Oh how great is his glory from creation and government of the Sea Therefore God himselfe often urgeth his Dominion over the Sea that unruly and boysterous Element for declaration of his great Majestie as unto Iob Who shut up the sea with doores who set barres and said Hitherto shalt thou come and no further and here shalt thou stay thy proud waves And againe Feare yee not me saith the Lord will yee not tremble at my presence which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetuall decree that it cannot passe it and though the waves thereof tosse themselves yet can they not prevaile though they roare yet can they not passe over it Who ever saw tempest on sea whose heart was not smitten with feare and reverence of the Majestie of that God who hath made and doth governe it And againe Thus saith the Lord who divideth the sea when the waves thereof roare the Lord of hoasts is his name As God himselfe doth urge it so holy David specially was very frequent in the meditation thereof He gathereth the waters of the sea together as on an heap layeth up the deep as in store houses Let al the earth feare the Lord let al the inhabitāts of the world stand in awe of him And againe It is God that stilleth the raging of the sea and the noise of its waves And again He turned the sea into drie land he ruleth by his power for ever And again I will meditate of all thy works and talke of thy doings thou art the God that doest wonders the waters saw thee O God the waters saw thee were afraid the depths also were troubled And againe God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are round about him O Lord God of hoasts who is a strong Lord like unto thee thou rulest the
The Heathenish Mariners in Ionahs storme did cry every man to his god In nothing were the Gentiles more sottish than in this the multitude of gods and goddesses and ascribing particular tutelar gods to particular places Babylon had Belus Egypt Isis Athens had Minerva and Ephesus Diana the Caldeans had Baal Sidonians Ashteroth Ammonites Moloch or Milcom Moabites Chamos Syrians Rimmon and the Philistims Dagon Yea the Elements had their severall gods to rule over them As the Heaven had Iupiter the Aire Iuno the Sea Neptune and Hell Pluto The times of the Yeere had also their gods As Maia and Flora of the Spring Ceres of Autumne Pan was the god of Shepherds Aeolus of Winds Apollo of Fruit Bacchus of Wine Smiths had Vulcan Physitians Aesculapius Souldiers Mars yea and Harlots had Venus Yea for every purpose and occasion yea every sicknesse or disease they had a god to call upon Alas to what purpose should I fully discover the madnesse of the Papists who in this if it were possible outgoe the Gentiles having for every Country Place Calling Creature Disease some Saint or other to call upon Our Disciples are better taught Poperie was not then hatched nor this point of Invocation knowne in the Church for 300 yeeres after for it was 300 yeeres after Christ that the Fathers used this Argument against the Arrians Christ is invocated therefore Christ is God they doe not in this storme call upon Aeolus or Neptune Saint Nicholas or Christopher no nor Noah Moses Ionah or any other who had beene in danger of Seas and waters before but they come to Christ the true and only Lord of Sea and Land and all Whose example let us follow To pray to any other than the true God hath no commandement commendation promise nor warrantable example in all the Scriptures of God To pray to dead Saints is a dishonour to the living God and as great offence to make a new as to denie the true God God hath commanded Call on me in the day of thy trouble Christ hath taught us to pray Our Father which art in heaven David renounced all other Whom have I in heaven but thee Who are Peter or Paul Samuel or Moyses Gabriel or Michael or the Virgin Mary her-selfe though more excellent than they all yet who are any or all of these that we should give them divine honour of Adoration Invocation or Intercession Nay howsoever the Papists doe plead it as a matter of honour and say in denying this we dishonour the Saints it is not so we give to the blessed mother of God and all the glorified members of Iesus Christ all honour bounded with modestie and sobrietie and never any learned Protestant did with tongue or pen out of Pulpit or Presse once touch the hem of their garments to deprive them of the least reverence which the word of Truth hath taught us to give and specially consisteth in thankfull commemoration and carefull imitation of their renowmed vertues but to pray unto them in our wants and necessities is to give them such honour as is due unto God And if Olympias the Mother of Alexander the Great wrote to her sonne when he stiled himselfe the sonne of Iupiter not to doe it for feare of procuring the envie and displeasure of Iuno I dare say it is a matter not only displeasing to God but to the Angels and Saints themselves Did an Angell here on earth refuse that Iohn should bow the knee of his bodie to him and charge him See thou doe it not I am but thy fellow-servant worship God and will they be contented now that the knees of mens hearts be bowed and prayers powred out unto them No no if it were possible for them to heare such unlawfull prayers of men they would with both hands as we say put them from them and labour to purge themselves Not unto us Lord not unto us but to thy Name be such honour ascribed Shall prayer which one of their best Writers saith doth comprehend the whole worship of Religion and Piety shall this be given to creatures Oh keepe your soules unspotted of such a sinne when yee pray pray as the Disciples here by their examples have taught you pray unto God who only is able and willing to heare and helpe you Thirdly what doe they being come to Christ doe they sit leane or lie downe and dispose themselves to sleep with him No but as in the storme the Ship-master awakened Ionah so in this storme the disciples awakened Christ or as the word signifieth they raised him up Yea the word in many places is used where mention is made of the resurrection as Destroy this Temple and in three dayes I will raise it up and Many bodies of Saints which slept arose and If Christ be risen from the dead how say some among you there is no resurrection of the dead In which and many other places and specially in that Chapter to the Corinthians the word of my Text is used and not improperly for what is deep fast and sound sleep but the image and brother of death Now Christ was in a fast or dead sleep as we have heard and therefore the Disciples are said to raise him as it were from the dead For the letter it is probable that they awakened him very turbulently and irreverently for their feare was great and faith small Their words as we shall heare bewrayed a great deale of passion and as death is of all fearefuls the most fearefull to nature so doth it dispense with ceremonies and complements and take away all respect of persons What are the clamours vociferations and cursitations of men in perill of drowning We need not inquire of Seneca Virgil Ovid and other Heathen for the Psalmist witnesseth saying They are even at their wits end and cry to the Lord in their trouble and in Ionahs storme the Mariners being afraid cried every one to his god and cast out their wares Howsoever then at other times the Disciples carried themselves in words deeds and gesture humbly dutifully courteously yet feare of death now made them forget themselves and offer violence with tongue and hand they cried with their tongues and at least jogged him with their hands never ceasing till they had awakened and raised him But I leave the letter The word being fully opened in mysterie affordeth us two singular and usefull instructions and specially for these times the former from the Disciples awakening the latter from the Master awakened in them importunitie in him opportunitie They awaken him suddenly hee awakeneth seasonably they awaken him violently hee awakeneth voluntarily For the first From this Example of the Apostles wee learne to be importunate with God in our praiers and never give over till we do awaken him and that he doe heare arise and helpe us Christ is fast on sleepe the disciples come unto him and
as of his owne which sheweth that they praied in love Which as the Apostle saith seeketh not her owne things and without which in preaching and praying Wee are but as a sounding brasse and tinkling Cymball That which our Saviour intended in that forme of praier which he hath prescribed teaching us to pray in the Plurall Give us this day our daily bread forgive us our trespasses lead not us into temptation but deliver us from evill I doubt not but in particular cases we may make particular suit unto God for our selves As Iacob in his iourney vowed If God will be with mee and will keepe me in this way and will give mee bread to eat and raiment to put on And David Save me ô God for the waters are even entred into my soule And Peter when he was sinking into the sea cried Lord save mee Yea Christ himselfe praied Lord let this cup passe from mee But these were particular cases but in common cases we must have common hearts yea though our case be particular yet there may be others in our condition which we know not and therefore we are so to pray for our selves as yet explicitely or implicitely we crave the like blessings to all such as are in the like want with us Here then commeth a common fault worthy to be reproved for it marreth all such praiers as The wilde goord marred all the messe of pottage viz. We are strait laced full of love but it is self-love we wholly love our selves seeke our owne good what meaneth else that common wicked Proverb Every man for himselfe and God for us all Or if they bee ashamed to professe thus much with mouth yet they are not ashamed to wish it in their hearts yea they wish evill to others so any good may thence redound to theÌ„selves How many wish a famine if they have any corne to sell Yea how few but doe greatly reioyce to heare of pestilence sword shipwracke sedition or any manner of evill to befall their neighbours or brethren so they reape advantage from it Which sheweth that in their hearts they doe onely desire their owne particular good and as we say care not who hunger so their bellies be filled who goe naked so they be clothed who be poore and vndone so they grow rich who lie without doore so they lodge warme who dy so they live who sink or swim so they come safe to shore So few pray as lovingly and heartily for others as themselves as our Example teacheth us to doe Lord save us So much for the petition We perish Extreme passion commonly causeth either silence or that which is next unto it imperfect and defective speech whereunto God alluding saith I have sworne in my wrath if they shall enter into my rest The Disciples being in great feare speake imperfectly we perish the causall coÌ„junction is wanting it is in effect q. d. otherwise or else wee perish The originall word is of hard and harsh signification in best signification it is to die as it is expedient for us that one die for the people yea to die by some miserable meanes as with hunger I perish with hunger it is commonly translated to destroy as he will truly destroy those husbandmen Let us not tempt Christ as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of serpents yea it signifieth the destruction of hell They shall be punished with everlasting destruction In which respect Iudas is called The sonne of destruction and the Angell of the bottomlesse pit is called in Hebrew Abaddon and in Greeke Apollyon i. a Destroyer Here it is meant of the losing perishing or destroying of the bodie by waters which we call drowning or choking in the waters So much for the sense Hence first we learne That it is an effectuall motive of mercy in praier to declare unto God our misery How often doth David to this purpose in his praiers lay open his miseries before God as Save me ô God for the waters are come in even unto my soule I sinke in the deepe mire where is no standing I am come into deepe waters where the flouds over flow me I am wearie of crying my throat is dry mine eyes faile while I wait upon my God And againe Thou hast cast off and abhorred thou hast beene wroth with thine anointed thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant and hast cast his crowne to the ground thou hast broken downe all his hedges and brought his strong holds to ruine all that passe by spoile him and he is a reproach to his neighbours thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries and made his enemies to reioyce thou hast turned the edge of his sword and giuest him not victory in battell To this purpose also doth he declare the misery of Gods Church O God the Heathen are come into thine inheritance thine holy Temple have they defiled and made Ierusalem an heape of stones the dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat to the fowles of the heaven and the flesh of thy Saints to the beasts of the earth their bloud have they shed like water round about Ierusalem and there was no man to bury them Yea thus lamentably doe all Gods people complaine Thou goest not forth with our armies thou makest us to turne our backes upon the enemy they that hate us spoile our goods thou hast given us like sheepe appointed for the slaughter thou sellest thy people for nought takest no mony for them thou makest us a reproach derision by-word and shaking of the head c. The Reason of this doctrine is because God is a most mercifull God and it is the nature of mercy to be exceedingly moved with misery Misericordia Yea his mercy is called a tender mercy or bowels of mercy Great is the compassion of a brother as we see in Ioseph a godly man when he saw his brother Beniamin he made haste and â—ought where to weepe For saith the Text his bowels did yearne upon his brother Greater the compassion of a father towards his sonne as we have lately had an example when the father saw his hungry naked leane though a prodigall sonne yet he could not containe himselfe But ran and met him and fell on his necks and kissed him and commanded his servants with all speed to feed and cloath and decke him But greatest of all is the compassion of a mother towards her childe How the woman of Canaan plied Christ with praier for her daughter and would receive no answer but her cure Yea and Salomon in his wisdome discerned which was the true mother of the childe hereby for when she heard the sentence pronounced that it should be divided her bowels yearned on her sonne But the compassion of a brother father or mother is
Lord Paramount Christ Iesus over all creatures He is the great King over all the world though his kingdome be not of this world Aske of me said God and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession And againe I will set his hand in the sea and his right hand in the rivers and I will make him my first-borne higher than the kings of the earth And againe He shall have dominion from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth Many Kings have had large and great Dominions as Ahashuerosh who reigned from India to Aethiopia over an hundred and seven and twenty Provinces Some Kings have so far doted and beene besotted with admiration of their owne sublimitie and excellencie as to forget themselves to bee but Lords Paravall and in stomacke have asked Who is the Lord and have answered themselves with scorne and contempt I know not the Lord But the sea will know none but the Lord. There was a great storme when Ionah was in the ship and the Mariners thought to have mastered it and with their oares did digge and delve into the surges but the sea wrought and was troublous and would have drowned them all if they had not cast Ionah into it For God had given the sea a commission to fetch in that fugitive Prophet and it would execute it with effect There was a great storme when Paul was in the ship and they cast out both lading and tacklings as if they would have bribed the Sea to be still but it would not till it had broken the ship with violence of waves Some have beene angry with the Sea That great Persian Monarch Xerxes was in as great a rage as Hellespont it selfe who threatned to be avenged for breaking downe of the Bridge which he had builded for the passage of his numberlesse Armie yea he commanded three hundred stripes to be given it and so many fetters to be cast into it and others with hot Irons as it were to set marks upon it but Hellespont felt no hurt by all this nor cared for the Executioners words The Lord hath inflicted this punishment upon thee for the hurt thou hast done him Tush Hellespont knew not his Lordship but raged still and if they had come within it reach would have drowned both him and his Canutus a Danish King in this Land set his foot on the Sea shore close by the Sea whilst it was flowing commanded it not to rise and wet his feet or clothes but the Sea kept his course rose and wet both feet and thighes whereupon the King started away and said All men may know that the power of Kings is vaine and meere vanitie and none worthy to have the name of King but he that hath all things subject to his command and lawes and after this never wore Crowne on his head but set it on the head of a Crucifix at Winchester Ex Huntington Fox Martyrolog 1. Tom. p. 147. But let the Lord the great Iehovah come who is of man invisible and the Sea hath eyes to see him withall The Sea saw thee and fled Iordan was driven backe Let him rebuke and the Sea hath eares to heare let him say Peace and be still and there is as sudden and as great a calme as there was a storme Let him be pleased to walke and the Sea is as firme as a pavement Let him be angry and it hath an heart to feare The waters saw thee ô God and were afraid No winds doe so trouble it as the blasting of the breath of his nosthrils Yea let Moses but take the rod of God in his hand and the Sea divideth Elijah with his cloke shal divide Iordan and if the spirit of Elijah rest upon Elishah he shall doe so too and so long as Peters faith holdeth he shall walke on it that as the evill spirit answered the sonnes of Sâ—evah Iesus I know and Paul I know but who are yee so the Sea may say JESVS I know and Elijah Elisha and Peter and all the servants of the most High God but for Pharaoh Xerxes Canutus and others who are yee We regard not your rebukes wee feare not your threats Oh what can be more usefull than to speake and heare and meditate on the omnipotent soveraigntie of Christ over all creatures and namely over that huge boisterous uncontroulable and fearefull Element And therefore how often in the holy Scriptures is there mention made thereof and specially of the drying up of the Red Sea and Iordan giving passage to Gods people God himselfe asked Who shut up the Sea with doores Who set barres and said Hitherto shalt thou come and no further and here shalt thou stay thy proud waves And againe Feare yee not me saith the Lord will yee not tremble at my presence who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetuall decree that it cannot passe it and though the waves tosse themselves yet can they not prevaile though they roare yet can they not passe over it Holy David as he was much given to devout meditation and contemplation of the Heavens Sunne Moone and Starres Thunder Lightning Haile Meteors so very frequent in meditation of Gods power and providence in the creation and disposition rule and government of the Sea as He gathereth the waters of the Sea together as an heape and layeth up the deepe as in store-houses Let all the earth feare the Lord let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him And againe It is God that stilleth the raging of the Sea and the noise of it waves And againe I will meditate of all thy works and talke of thy doings thou art the God that dost wonders the waters saw thee ô God the waters saw thee and were afraid the depths also were troubled Againe O Lord God of Hosts who is a strong Lord like unto thee thou rulest the raging of the Sea and stillest the waves thereof when they arise And many such like in the Psalmes and Prophets whereof these are but a taste And lest any Atheist should object for the straitning of his dominion that Gods power is but over some few and small Lakes as this was as if he were but Vice-Admirall of narrow Seas note how Gods power hath appeared on many Seas Streams and Flouds yea when all the world was Sea at the first by the power of his word they were gathered into one place and the dry land appeared Whereof David thus rendreth the praise unto God Thou laiedst the foundation of the earth that it never should be removed at any time thou coveredst it with the deepe as with a garment The waters stood above the mountaines at thy rebuke they fled at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away Which
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
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
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
was famous throughout the world and affoorded so many Martyrs and let it be granted that this was Simon Peters ship which hee had left when Christ called him but not aliened the propertie but afterward used it for fishing Yet then let the Papists be pleased to note that if it were Peters it was but a fisher boat a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a navicula rather a cock-boat or small Barke Ascendente in naviculam Vulg. Mald. Band omnes Pontificij no man of war with flags streamers and abundance of cast peeces as theirs is a Beare with 3. ribs in his mouth Alas the Church of God is poore simple and abiect in comparison of other societies Witnes God himselfe who hath described it thus saying Oh thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted far unlike the Romish Church which challengeth Vnitie Visibilitie Antiquitie Vniversalitie Miracles and whatsoever may make her glorious in the world I beseech you let us not contend with them in this for the judgement of God is so upon them that nothing doth more disprove them from being the true Church of God than what they doe most challenge for themselves But why would Christ enter into a ship seeing he could walke upon the sea was it not he that led the people of Israel thorow the red sea himselfe walked on the sea and made Peter to doe so too If then he would not enable his Disciples to doe so yet why did he not compell the Disciples to enter into a ship but himselfe to walke after them upon the sea as at another time he did I Answer though he that made the sea could have walked on it yet for three causes specially he would now go in the ship First to declare the truth of his Humanitie which hee well fore-saw would be denied by Manechies Marcionites and other Heretiques and therefore as at other times so specially when he wrought any glorious miracle for declaration of his Deitie he also gave some testimonie of true Humanitie As man he did spit upon the ground as God with clay he cured him that was borne blinde as man hee wept for Lazarus his death as God he raised him that had been foure daies dead as man he entred into a ship and slept as God he stilled the raging of the winds and seas If the Disciples seeing him but once to walke upon the sea were troubled saying It is a spirit and they cried out for feare What would they have thought if he had used it ordinarily And if they were so terrified and affrighted supposing they had seene a spirit because the doores being shut hee stood in the midst of them What would they have thought if he had alwaies so supernaturally and miraculously so behaved himselfe Wherefore to declare the truth of his Humanitie hee would now enter into a ship with his Disciples Secondly for the confirmation of their faith and enabling them to greater trials first he would now be with them and but on sleepe but the next time he will be absent see how they profited by this Thus doth God proceed from lesser to greater seeing what use wee make of former providence helpe grace and goodnesse Thirdly that by his Example hee might teach us to use lawfull meanes in our callings and as wee trauell by water or land and not tempt God by rashnesse and presumption casting our selues into needlesse perils and dangers the Devill placed Christ on a pinacle of the Temple and bade him cast himselfe downe which hee could have done without hurt yet to teach us how to carrie our selves in the like case he answered It is written Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God So if men have occasion to passe over rivers or seas we must not with Peter strive to walke upon the sea lest we linke and be drowned as he might have beene if his Master had not saved him but by bridges ships and such ordinary waies and meanes as God by mans art hath appointed So much for the sense The letter teacheth vs that it is a thing lawfull and warrantable for Christ his Disciples as occasions serve to travell in boats and ships from place to place yea and if there arise a storme and they come into danger of life yet not to be out of heart as if they were not in their waies and therefore not to hope for protection yea though they might with more toile have gone to the same place on foot and by land for Christ and his Disciples might have gone from Bethsaida to Gaderen by land this sea being but a lake so as if they would have compassed the lake they had met with no water saving Iordan over which there were doubtles bridges and safe passages but Christ and his Disciples to avoid that toile and being wearie take ship and goe by sea warranting the like yea if any shall take ship but for pleasure and recreation it is lawfull as for pleasure to ride on horse or in coach Christ hath sanctified these things to his children I am not ignorant that this doctrine is gain-said and that wise men specially amongst the Heathen have disliked Navigation and declaimed against it and the invention thereof as one saith Goe and commit thy life to the winds trusting in wood not foure inches from death Horace admireth the boldnesse of him that first went in ship It was one of the three things that Cato repented Travell by sea when by land hee might haue gone And Antigonus gaue his sonnes charge that they never hazard themselues on such adventures and the Greeke Comicke saith It is better to be poore by land than rich by sea But these were Heathen men and though some fearefull Christians be little wiser thinking it ever safest to see raging waters from the shore yet wee are better taught in Gods Schoole viz. That as all other Arts are primarily and originally from God that first and most perfect intelligible so specially this of Navigation for God himselfe gave expresse direction to Noah how to build the Arke for the saving of the creatures in the Deluge which was the first vessell for any thing we know that ever floated on the sea and which resting upon the Mountaines of Armenia was the modell or Idaea for the building of ships the Phenicians and after the Aegyptians being the first that practised this Art which is growne to a wonderfull perfection specially since the invention of the Load-stone and it is primarily from God which by experience is growne to such perfection so exceeding vsefull and profitable for Man for this is first a singular meanes of provision for how doth the sea contend with the earth for plenty variety and delicacie how many sundry sorts of most wholesome delicate fishes for food and most usefull for their bones and oile doth the sea yeeld which we
raging of the sea and stillest the waves thereof when they arise The flouds O God have lift up their voice the flouds have lift up their waves but the Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters yea than the mightie waves of the sea Psal 93. penult Many such like there are in the booke of the Psalmes whereof these are but a taste But now if we come to our selves who but hath seene or heard of a tempest on the sea But who so religious and devout as thence to take occasion to meditate or talke of the greatnesse power and Maiestie of God Oh the Atheisme I say againe the Atheisme which lurketh in our hearts and then doth specially breake out and bewray it selfe when there are extraordinary winds stormes and tempests by sea and land with thunder lightning haile raine but specially if therein we sustaine hurt and losse in our houses lands cattell goods then as if God were on sleepe and minded no such thing they will say there is conjuring and witches are abroad or else fall to cursing and banning and blaspheming almost as mad as Herodotus reporteth Zerxes the Persian Monarch to have beene who having received a great losse by the tempestuous rage of Hellespont he caused abundance of fetters and manacles to be cast into it as if he would make it his prisoner and binde it with linkes of iron at his pleasure And another no wiser than he who because the River Ginde had drowned him a white horse threatned the River to divide it into so many streames that a woman great with childe should goe over it drie-shod Alas alas men may be more tempestuous raging and mad than the sea but the sea will know none but him that made it What manner of man is this that both winds and seas obey him Pharaoh King of Aegypt asked proudly Who is the Lord and the sea might aske Who is Pharaoh It did acknowledge the Rod of God in Moses his hand and gave way but drowned Pharaoh and his Hoast Oh looke we up unto God for from him all winds and weather by sea and land thunders and lightnings haile-stones and stormie tempests all are at his assignement be they for a blessing or a curse and therefore let all flesh give glory unto God and feare that Majestie which shineth herein And so much for the Letter A Tempest It is very frequent in the Scriptures to represent the persecutions of Gods Church by stormes and tempests David in such a storme thus prayeth Save me O God for the waters are come in even unto my soule I am come into deepe waters where the flouds overflow me And againe The flouds of ungodly men made me afraid and thus describeth the persecutions of Gods Church If the Lord had not beene on our side when men rose up against us then they had swallowed us up quicke then the waters had overwhelmed us the streame had gone over our soule even the deepe waters of the proud had gone over our soule So God threatning persecution by the King of Assyriah the Prophet delivereth it in this forme Because the people refused the waters of Shiloh which runne softly Behold the Lord will bring upon them the waters of the river strong and many even the King of Assyria and all his glory he shall come up over all his channels and goe over all his bankes And verily never did sea in a storme or tempest so rage and roare and foame as the enemies of Gods Church and people doe as the Prophet Esay saith The wicked are like the raging sea which casteth up mire and dirt Oh how outragious mercilesse cruell and bloudie were Pharaoh Moabites Amonites Idumaeans Canaanites Philistims Antiochus Herod Nero Domitian Dioclesian Iulian and those Kings and Princes who have the marke of the beast in their hands and fore-heads and abuse their power to persecute the Saints of God None so cruell bloudie barbarous yea inhumane as persecutors More mercie to be found of the sea in a storme or tempest than of persecutors in their rage when they can prevaile Never any tyrants devised such exquisite tortures and torments against Rebels as persecutors have against the Church of God You see the mysticall sense and how fit it is Now marke and receive your lesson for instruction Where Christ and his Gospell are truly preached and professed there commonly follow great stormes and tempests of anger troubles and persecutions Before Christ was borne there was a Generall peace and all the world was quietly taxed but no sooner was he borne and the Wise men enquired Where is he that is borne King of the Iewes but Herod was troubled and all Ierusalem in an vprore and many little children were slaine The sea was calme enough till Christ and his Disciples came upon it but then behold a tempest Good Lord what stirres were there upon Christ his preachings Some said he was a good man and some said no but he deceived the people some said he did all things well others said no but hee cast out Devils by the power of Beelzebub prince of Devils Good Lord the tumults and uprores that grew in Athens Corinth Ephesus Antioch Lystra Iconium and other Cities where the Apostles came and preached the Gospell But after God raised up his servant Luther to preach the Gospell oh what thundring and lightning from Rome How did the Popes Bulls roare and his Excommunications flie What a tempest in Germanie France England and almost in the whole Christian world What eager Disputations in Universities What part-takings some of the Princes with him some against him It is so still in every Kingdome Citie Towne or Parish where the Gospell is sincerely preached and professed there will be divisions and stirres and troubles some zealous followers others malicious opposers labouring to stop the passage of the Gospell and to pervert the straight wayes of the Lord and some neither cold nor hot It cannot be otherwise God hath put enmitie betweene the woman and the serpent and their seed and Christ hath said Thinke not that I am come to send peace on earth I came not to send peace but a sword I am come to set a man at variance against his father and the daughter against her mother And againe I am come to send fire on the earth You see our Saviour compareth the Gospell to fire the world is compared to water water is quiet but if fire come what a contention is there He hath againe compared the Gospell to a fanne the heape lieth quietly till the fanne come but then doth the chaffe flie The world is like unslaked lime but now and then a small cracke but if the water of the word be powred upon it then it heateth and smoketh and sparkleth and flieth as if it would set all on fire The word is like light and Christ compared to
and that he is very cunning and artificiall to worke strangely in all the regions of the aire to stirre up meteors lightning thunder wind raine haile as appeareth from the story of Iob neither will I deny but that Witches and Conjurers by the helpe of the Devill with whom they are in league may raise stormes and tempests in the aire which may easily be discerned from naturall tempests in respect of the sudden and violent raising thereof but this is certaine the providence of God ex endeth it selfe to all even most minutiall things and neither Devill nor Conjurer can doe any exploit but by limitation and leave not being able to exceed one haires bredth beyond that is granted unto them Wherefore whether we be letted hindred or hurt by sea or land with any storme or â—mpest let us assigne all to the providence of God depend on him for safetie and give him the honour due to his name for such great workes Herein was Iob well taught who said The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away But though God be the Author yet he hath ordinary meanes and instruments subserving to his pleasure in raising of stormes and those either supreme as by his permission Satan or inferiour as slaves and expirations from the cavernes and cranies of the earth where the aire being imprisoned and labouring to get out as it maketh a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and earthquake so on sea a great concussion and shaking but most commonly by wind which if it blow vehemently doth greatly worke upon that liquid and â—luid plaine patent body but specially if it be contrary to the naturall flâ—x and motion of it which wee call the Tide So David describing a tempest by sea saith Hee commandeth and raiseth the stormie wind which lifteth up the waves thereof And God sent out a great wind and there was a mightie tempest on the sea And Saint Paul describing the tempest he was in saith It was caused by a tempestuous wind called Euroclydon That this Tempest was caused by a wind is cleare for Saint Marke saith There arose a great storme of wind And S. Luke saith There came a storme of wind upon the lake And our Euangelist saith Christ rebuked the winds yea the other two Euangelists tell us the name of this wind which receiveth not denomination from the quarter from whence it bloweth as the Scriptures doe speake of East-wind West-wind and others both cardinall and collaterall but of the vehemencie of it yea not properly one wind but a conflict of many winds A whirle-wind such a wind as at once smote all the foure corners of the house wherein Iobs children feasted such a wind as was neither side nor contrary but at once smote every part of the ship and brought the waves every way upon it as if at once it would have buried it and all the passengers therein in the surges So much for the Sense Here for instruction we may learne that there is no creature so good and necessarie vsefull and serviceable for man but God can make it his scourge What more necessarie and comfortable than fire yet with it hee destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and two Captaines with their fifties What more necessary than water yet with it hee destroyed the old world and Pharaoh and his hoasts The wind also a most comfortable and usefull creature as it were Gods fanne for purging of the aire growth of all vegetables and passage by sea and God hath used it as an instrument in some of his most renowmsd miracles With a strong East-wind he dried up the Red sea Brought Quailes and God himselfe is said to flie upon the wings of the wind But with an East-wind God brought locusts upon the Land of Aegypt Overthrew the house on Iobs children Iob 1. 19. and brake the ships of Tarshish and like to have drowned Ionah and Paul yea Christ and all the passengers with them as it hath done many thousands Wherefore it behoveth us not to rest contented that we have the creature we stand in need of but to pray to God for the sanctified use thereof else we may eat of the best and yet not be nourished be clothed with the costliest and yet not be warmed yea our table become a snare and our prosperity our ruine that which may be to others a blessing may become to us a curse Secondly hast thou beene endangered by fire wind or water blesse God for thy deliverance Hast thou sustained losse cry not out on Chance or Fortune do not raile and curse but humble thy selfe it was Gods hand even the winds doe blow according to his pleasure So much for the Letter There arose By the rising of this tempest on the sea is shadowed out the arising of troubles in the Church of God As God was the Author of the one the winds and all creatures being subordinate to his pleasure so is he of this both Devils in Hell and Men on Earth being but his instruments who cannot move an haire from the heads of his children but according to his good pleasure There is no evill done in the Citie and the Lord hath not done it Even the Medes Persians are called Gods sanctified ones Esay 13. 3. Ashur that afflicteth and leadeth the people of God into captivitie is but the rod of Gods wrath And the mightie staffe of his anger The ungodly man is but Gods sword Rabshakeh said to Ierusalem Am I now come up without the Lord against this place to destroy it the Lord said to me Goe up against this land destroy it And Pharaoh Necho King of Egypt comming up to fight against Carchemish at Euphrates and Iosiah going out against him he sent Ambassadors to him saying What have I to doe with thee thou King of Iudah I come not against thee this day but against the house wherewith I have warre for God commanded me to make haste forbeare to meddle with God who is with me that he destroy thee not but Iosiah would not heare but went and fought with him in the valley of Megiddo and there was slaine Oh doth the providence of God extend it selfe to most minutiall things as the blowing of winds falling of raine flying of birds numbring of haires clothing of grasse growing of plants biting of wormes swimming of fishes Yea doth Gods providence order and dispose things most contingent and casuall as the flying off of the Axes head from the helve whereby a man is slaine and an arrow shot at random yet should hit the King Ahab betwixt the ioints of his Brigandine and slay him Yea if the Lot be cast into the lap even the whole disposition thereof is it from the Lord And shall any be so ignorant and faithlesse as to thinke that any stirres and troubles can arise in
the Sea Yet the Booke of the Revelation doth teach us that this world is a very strange sea and and that in two principall properties viz. First it is like a sea of cristall glasse Of glasse because it is most brittle no mans estate in this world being more certaine than the glasse which now being whole and usefull faire and beautifull anon with a rap is broken all to peeces How quickly hath many mens great and faire estates beene utterly broken in one night in an houre how wealth honour health libertie life and all lost as a glasse which is broken all to pieces And of Cristall for howsoever there are many workes of darknesse in the world which the eye of man cannot see and behold yet is the world as cleare as a Cristall-glasse before him that sitteth upon the Throne All things are naked and oâ—en before his eyes with whom we have to doe He discerneth the very least obliquity and irregularitie of thoughts no man can more clearely see a blot in a cristall glasse than God doth the sinnes of men be they in thought word or worke and therefore we should strive to be holy as being ever in the eyes and sight of God Secondly it is a sea mingled with fire It is ordinary in Scripture by fire to signifie tribulations as when thou passest thorow the fire I will be with thee I went thorow fire and water And brethren thinke it not strange concerning the fiery triall The sea of this world is mixed with abundance of that fire wheresoever Gods children become they shal meet with hot and sâ—orching tribulation and afflictions yet shal this fire but scoure away the drosse to make them shine the brighter in Gods eyes the bush burned with fire but consumed not Exod. 3. 2. This fire shall only consume the Reprobate And so much for the description of the Tempest now followeth the aggravation of it In so much that the ship was covered with waves Now the Euangelist doth aggravate the perils that Christ and â—iâ— Dâ—â—ciples were in by two maine Circumstances the first from the greatnesse of the tempest which was such that even the ship was covered with waves the word which Saint Marke useth signifieth to fâ—â—â— and is so translated so that the ship was now full Saint Luke also useth another word of the same signification and so also translated and they were filled for it is in the plurall They that is the ship which carried them by a Meâ—onimie of the adjunct and also by a Sinecdoche the ship for hatches which are but a part But our Euangelist useth another word which according to the proprietie of it signifieth to cover or hide a thing from sight as no man lighteth a candle and covereth it with a bushell and the Reprobate shall say at the day of judgement to the hills fall on us and cover us In which and many such like places in the new Testament we have the word of my text in it proper signification though the words be divers the sense and thing intended is all one viz. They were in so great jeopardie of drowning that the ship that is the upper part or hatches were even filled or covered that they could not be seene And wherewith was the ship covered not with wind but waves and in Saint Iude there is added an Epithite the raging waves of the sea And verily nothing in this world doth so rage and is so furious as the waves of the sea in a storme or tempest And so much be said of the Sense of the words Whether only that this ship wherein Christ and his Disciples passed was thus endangered and covered with waves and the rest safe or no is too hard â— question for me peremptorily to resolve because I am content to see no more than the eye of my Text hath described unto mee the Text saith The tempest came upon the sea therefore likely that all the ships on the sea at that time were endangered though possibly this ship was more endangered than the others both in regard of Christ his purpose and Satans malice The Letter teacheth us what great perils and jeopardies sea-faring men do many times fall into sometimes lifted up to heaven with one wave and sometimes falling even downe to hell and sometimes the ship as this even covered with waves that they see nothing but present death and are as David saith Even at their wits end and crie unto God in their distresse But of this sufficient From handling the Tempest the Circumstance according to Mysticall sense affording us three singular instructions concerning the state of the Church viz. First what ever hath beene is and will be the common condition of Gods Church and people viz. To be exercised with crosses tribulations afflictions publike and private yea and sometimes with sword of bloudie and persecuting foes and enemies which doctrine I have lately more largely handled with Reasons Vses Application and Exhortation and therefore doe now but barely propound it The second Doctrine is this That as this ship was covered with waves so as none but themselves knew they held out others might suppose they were drowned so a Church which hath beene visible in the publike ministrie of the Word and Sacraments may through persecution of Tyrants be so covered â—s become visible to most This is represented in the vision the Church resembled to a woman clothed with the Sunne and the Moone under her feet and upon her head a crowne of twelve Starres oh then was shee viâ—ible and conspicuous But at another time driven into the wildernesse out of the sight of men then was she covered Come to our owne Embleme A ship on the sea when it is calme is plainly seene yea it is one of the comely sights of the world a ship under saile in a prosperous gale but if there arise a great tempest it may be so overtopped with waves and for a time be betwixt them so as scarce the top of the mast is seene and most will thinke shee is drowned yet anon shee riseth upon the wave and is seene againe It is the condition of the Church of Rome sometimes visible and a glorious Church but now persecuteth the faith it professed the godly being covered with waves It is the condition of the Cities in Erance and it was the case of the Church of God in this Land which was glorious and visible in the daies of King Edward but covered with waves in the daies of Queene Mary but restored to former glory by Queen Elizabeth wherein for aboue sixtie yeeres it hath continued most eminent in the eyes of the world The Papists doe hold that the true Church of God is ever visible hath had and shall have a perpetuall Succession of Pastors and Ministers and of publike service and worship They also say that their
crueltie compared with the compassion of God God himselfe hath said Can a woman forget her sucking childe that shee should not have compassion on the sonne of her wombe Yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee Our Saviour therefore useth an argument from the lesser to the greater saying If yee that are evill give good gifts to your children how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that aske him The Lord professed of himselfe that his bowels were troubled for Ephraim his deare sonne and pleasant childe Yea that his heart was even turned within him and his repentings did roule together As if he had begotten mercy he is called the father of it Yea as if there were no end thereof he is called The Father of mercies Yea whereas he is called the God of many things as of Patience Comfort Hope Peace c But Father and in plurall of none but this as if he were nothing but mercy Christ had compassion on the multitude when he knew they were but hungry He had compassion when he saw them bring their sicke unto him and will he not have compassion when life is in danger Oh right deare and precious in his sight is the death of his Saints Hee wept when his friend Lazarus was dead and will he not prevent it in his disciples Yes assuredly if it be for his glory and their good they doe well therefore to goe to Christ but it is enough to tell him what is their danger and misery Lord save us we perish Is then the Church of God in danger through cruell rage of bloudy persecutors so as it cannot in likelihood subsist goe to Christ and pray for his people Lord save us we perish Art thou thy selfe in danger through hunger thirst by water fire sword pestilence c. Goe to Christ and say Lord save me I perish So did David I will cry unto God most high and he shall send from heaven and save me from such as would swallow me â—p Psal 57. 2. Yea and go to him with great comfort and confidence for he hath beene made like unto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and faithfull high Priest yea hath beene touched with the feeling of our infirmities therefore let us goe bolaly to the throne of Grace and specially in danger of death Let us with his Disciples here goe to him who hath himselfe both suffered and feared it and hath in nothing more declared his goodnesse and greatnesse love and power than in delivering his servants from it when their lives have beene for his glory as his people from rage of enemies and Red sea Moses from the water Ionah out of the Whales belly the three Children out of the fiery furnace Daniel out of the Lions den yea Paul out of the mouth of the Lion Oh the dangers that every where by sea and land at home and abroad by day and night we are continually subject unto and wherein we had long since perished if he had not mercifully by his good providence and powerful protection of his good Angels preserved us To him let us ever commend our selves Lord save us that we perish not But I heare some object against this Vse and say Doe not Gods people complaine For thy sake are we killed all the day long and as sheepe appointed for the slaughter Doe they not complaine that the enemies prevailed and gave the bodies and flesh of his servants to be meat to the beasts of the field and fowles of the heaven and shed their bloud like water And againe They breake in peeces thy people and afflict thine heritage they slay the widow and stranger and murther the fatherlesse The ungodly even for his owne hearts lust doth persecute the poore Never might such complaints be more justly made than in these daies wherefore it seemeth that Christ doth not care though his people doe perish but as the carelesse shepherd said That which perisheth let it perish Zach. 11. 9. I answer that sometimes God suffereth great havocke to be made of his Church and people for their sinnes and giveth the dearely beloved of his soule into the hands of their enemies Ierem. 12. 7. nor will heare his best servants for them Ezech. 14. 20. but casteth them off to sword pestilence captivitie Ier. 15. 2. And then the enemie groweth proud and blasphemeth Who is the Lord that he should deliver Ierusalem out of mine hands And there is no helpe for them in God and then even Davids feet had wel-nigh slipt And the Prophet Habakkuk is wonderfully offended and expostulateth with God Oh God why doest thou hold thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he Yea then such as are not sound at heart fall away and say It is in vaine to serve God what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hoasts I say to all such enemies Vnderstand ye bruitish among the people He that planted the eare shall he not heare he that formed the eye shall hee not see He heareth the sighes and groanes and seeth the misery of his people and when he hath sufficiently scourged his people and accomplished his great worke upon Sion and Ierusalem he will burne the rod and Ashur shall pay for it as he hath threatned I was wroth with my people and gave them into thine hand but thou didst shew them no mercy upon the Ancients hast thou very heavily laid the yoke Oh the persecuting enemies have an heavie day comming And I say to all such as feare God Stand still and see the salvation of God Never any father corrected his childe with more unwillingnesse than God doth afflict his people his bowels yearne He putteth all their teares in his bottell And as he will preserve them they shall never everlastingly perish so either their bodies shall not perish but be preserved from sword of enemie or if he give them for a prey he will fill them with patience comfort and joy and receive them to eternall happinesse so as they shall praise him and for ever confesse Thou hast tried us as silver thou broughtest us into the net thou layedst affliction upon our loynes thou hast caused men to ride over our heads we went thorow fire and water but thou hast brought us into a wealthy place Rest assured Most precious in the sight of God is the death of his Saints They may confidently pray they may not perish for he hath numbred their very haires Matth. 10. 30. He keepeth their very bones so as not one can be broken much lesse any one shal die but as it is for Gods glory and their good Our second
neighbour either we flatter him and say All is wel or never rebuke saying Why doest thou so or else with scorne contemne despise and reject him never considering our selves that we also may be tempted But marke how meekely mildly and lovingly he reproveth them not one word of any sharpnes rigour or asperitie no nor so much as affirme This is your great sinne to be fearefull but as God asked Ionah a question about his anger Dost thou well to be angry So he only asketh them a question about their feare Why are yee fearefull intimating their feare was excessive and causelesse and so the reproofe tended rather to comfort and encourage them q. d. Be not so afraid you have no cause of such feare Oh it is the gentle reproofe the milde and loving objurgation and crimination which pierceth deepe The Lords servant must be gentle towards all This is the reproofe that David so much desired Let the righteous smite me friendly and reprove me And the Apostle biddeth us restore such an one as is overtaken in a fault with the spirit of meekenesse But for want of love it commeth to passe we reprove not at all or with such fiercenesse gall and bitternesse as tendeth not to restore but harden sinners Oh let us from this Example learne to be gentle and meeke towards poore and weake sinners and if any be too fearefull because themselves or the people of God are in any great danger let us labour to comfort them to strengthen the weake hands and comfort the feeble knees Speake to the heart of Ierusalem Feare not thou worme Iacob though thou be but a worme And againe Feare not ye men of Israel I will helpe thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer So much for generall observations Now more particularly consider what was it he reproved Fearefulnesse not simply feare for that is ingraffed in our nature neither did Christ goe about to rob them of their affections that they should no more feare danger than the mast of the ship yea Christ himselfe had our affections and namely this of feare but our Saviour reproveth the excesse of it called fearefulnesse The word in the Originall is of harsh signification both amongst prophane Authors as miserable weake and wicked and in the Scriptures for such as shall die the second death such a feare as God hath not given his children the Spirit of a feare which maketh men miserable weake and feeble in minde wicked in practise to use any meanes to escape the evill they feare the high way to hell and that timiditie which the wise Heathen have opposed to the vertue of Fortitude and therefore reproved Why are yee fearefull Wherefore this reprehension must teach us both by divine and humane praier and all worldly wise meanes to bridle and restraine our passions that they exceed not measure nor we be transported with the violence of them to say or doe that which is evill but to remember the Apostolike caution Be angrie but sinne not be merry but sinne not be sory but sinne not be afraid but sinne not If you give way unto it it is a most painfull passion yea as Saint Iohn saith Such feare hath torment and maketh men bondslaves Heb. 2. 15. Christ had passions but blamelesse because his nature was most holy and pure And therefore as a glasse of snow-water though never so much shaken yet abideth cleare and pure but the glasse of muddie water though whilest it standeth still the mud sinder to the bottome and the top is cleare yet no sooner is shaken but the mud ariseth and all is defiled So howsoever in times of peace health and prosperitie our passions be moderate and calme and seeme cleare yet no sooner are troubled but they grow muddie yea defile our selves and all that come neare the raging sea did not more cast up mire and dirt than their troubled affections spirituall defilements for which cause Christ here reproved them Why are yee fearefull The second particular observation is What was the object of this feare Was it God or his judgements No they did feare a temporall not the eternall death water but not fire sea but not hell drowning but not burning a creature not the Creator they may truly say with David The terrors of death are fallen upon us fearefulnesse and trembling are come upon us and horror hath overwhelmed us Which our Saviour reproveth Why are yee fearefull And he teacheth us that Gods people should not immoderatly feare no not any manner of death A lesson which it behoveth us in these daies specially to take out for as the Apostle said If the word spoken by Angels was sted fast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recoÌ„pence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation So if these Disciples having heard and seene but a little and being now in such great perill yet are reproved for immoderate feare how much more shall wee be reproved to whom the Gospell of Christ hath beene so clearely revealed who have seene so many workes of Gods goodnesse mercy power as the Passion Resurrection and Ascension of Christ into heaven Here is therefore a good lesson for us to labour that we be not immoderately afraid of death I say not not afraid of death at all for the best of Gods servants mentioned in holy Scripture as Moses David Iob Eliah Ezekiah and the rest have been I may say of them all as the Apostle saith of Eliah they were subject to this passion as wel as we Therefore he doth not say Why are yee afraid but fearefull yea as if the word were not sufficient to expresse the measure of their coÌ„sternation which yet is very significant as you have heard hee addeth thereunto an Adverb of affirmation So qâ—d Why are yee so exceedingly fearefull so fearefull beyond bounds and measure This being that he reproved in them and is reproveable in all his disciples viz. immoderate and excessiue feare of death Let us now see by what meanes Gods children may moderate the feare of death in them wherein I doe specially commend unto you these foure things viz. 1. A good cause 2. An honest life 3. A strong faith 4. Godly meditation on the good of Death First a great meanes to suppresse immoderate feare of death is to die if not for yet in a good cause Blessed is that servant whom his Master shall finde well doing Matth. 24. 46. It is a true saying It is not the punishment but the cause maketh a Martyr Christ hath not absolutely pronounced all blessed that suffer persecution but all such as suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake This was the joy of the Saints in old time that they could truly say Lord for thy sake are wee killed This caused the holy Martyrs of Christ in
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
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