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
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
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
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
who should waken others Simon sleepest thou What Ionah asleepe in a storme What meanest thou O sleeper But that which most troubleth if ever now Christ is asleep notwithstanding that the ship of his Church is in such great perill and jeopardie which as it above all things most perplexeth Gods children and causeth much godly sorrow and complaining so doth it above all things animate encourage the bloudy enemies of his people to insult threaten yea and triumph as if all were now in their hands to dispose as they lust and Gods people shall now for ever be swallowed up quick Whither shall I lead you to sweeten your soules in this gall of bitternesse nay whither can I lead you in all the Scriptures to a place of greater comfort to Gods people or of feare to all persecuting enemies then to this that Gods providence offreth to our consideration Oh what meat commeth out of this eater what honie out of this strong one what joy from this occasion of feare how doth it abound with comforts and specially these three viz. First note that it is said He was asleepe it is not said He was dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that is dead can by no meanes be awakned hee that sleepeth may which comfort affordeth three branches 1. The great securitie of Christ and his Church in greatest stormes and tempests A man that is in danger by water or land will not sleepe The Ship-master wondred that in such a storme Ionah would or could sleepe What meanest thou O sleeper How did David reprove Abner for sleeping when Abishai went and tooke the speare and cruse from Sauls head Our Saviour saith If the goodman of the house knew what houre the theefe would come he would watch and not suffer his house to be broken up Our Saviour knew of this Tempest before it rose by his appointment if there had beene any danger would he have slept No no he laugheth the waves and winds to scorne and when the sea most rageth and threatneth destruction he layeth him downe to rest falleth on sleepe and is angrie with his Disciples for so fearefully awakening of him he sleepeth soundly as it were contemning the danger Well if Satan could not drowne the ship when Christ was asleepe can he drowne it now hee is awake No no Caesar bade the Mariner in a storme be of good comfort he carried Caesar Let the Church of God be of good comfort for Christ is in it Oh let the people of God rest upon their securitie and say Gather your selves O yee people and yee shall be broken in peeâ—es gird your selves and yee shall be broken in peeces take counsell together and it shall come to nought speake the word and it shall not stand for God is with us And againe The Lord is my light and my salvation whom then shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid Though an hoast should encampe against me my heart shall not feare And againe God is our refuge and strength a very present helpe in trouble therefore will not we feare though the earth be removed and though the mountaines be carried into the midst of the sea though the waters roare and be troubled and the mountaines shake with the swelling thereof Oh the boldnesse and securitie of the faithfull that have Christ though he be asleepe Secondly though hee be on sleepe he taketh good notice of the plots and projects of enemies and of all the troubles and persecutions of his Church and people The Church said she was asleep but her heart was awake Christ in his Man-hood was asleepe but his God head was awake He that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleepe David saith His eyes behold and his eye-lids trie the children of men Saint Augustine saith there is apertio opertio oculorum God seeth with open eye when he discovereth a thing at first but when God suffereth the wicked to goe on and winâ—keth at their waies taking leasure and respite before he powre any judgement upon them then hee seemeth to sleepe yet even then his eye-lids trie the children of men Oh hee is never more intent than when hee seemeth to sleepe Thirdly in his good time he will awake and deliver his and punish such as have abused his patience Noah was asleepe but he awaked and cursed Cham who abused him in his sleepe Gen. 9. 24. Salomon saith He doth all things in number weight and measure much more doth he number weigh and measure the tribulations of his childreÌ„ To the Angell of the Church of Smyrnah he wrote saying I know thy tribulation and povertie Behold the Devill shal cast some of you into prison that ye may be tried and yee shall have tribulation ten daies be faithfull to the death and I will give thee the crowne of life Loe how he telleth before it come how farre tribulation shall extend and how long it shall last Note 1. The author the Devill 2. Persons some of them 3. Extent cast into prison 4. Time but for ten daies At another time we reade that the Disciples were in a great storme upon the sea and Christ was not with them but the Text saith Christ saw them toiling in rowing yea even tormented as Dives was in hell for it is the same word and he commeth unto them and delivereth them out of all their feare but it is long first even the fourth watch of the night he suffered them to toile all the night and came not till the dawning of the day teaching us in tribulations and persecutions to be patient and to plie our oares still waiting and being assured in the appointed time hee will awake and turne all into a calme he hath ever done so and he ever will doe so c. So much for the comforts that we gather from this first thing that Christ is said to sleepe Secondly let us observe the place where the Evangelist saith He slept viz. in the hinder part of the ship or in the sterne which is the place for the Pilot or Master the Navarchos or Nauclerus the Steereman or Governour who hath the care to governe the ship that in sailing it runne not on rocks or shelfs Which observation yeeldeth us a great comfort That Christ is our Pilot Governour Then need not the Passengers feare any danger How soever it is full of danger on the Sea for the Stereman to sleepe in places of danger yet no danger for Christ to sleepe for that he foreseeth all danger Therefore all care away seeing he is at the Helme and our Steresman though it please him sometime to sleepe The Papists would rob the Church of this comfort who would not have Christ sleeping or waking to be in the Sterne but place the Pope there put the Rudder in his hand
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
world hath not blinded that all the pinnaces of Heretikes and Schismatikes and specially that great Romish ship though painted and gilded faire and hath large sailes with top and top gallant tacklings and cordage is indeed no better than an hot man of war a ship of Pyrates It hath leaked long and though Bellarmine hath put to all his strength in pumping and the Iesuits like cunning Divers have used and doe use all their skill to stop this leake yet shall they not be able it shall one day sinke and make shipwrack In the meane time know that the Church of England is a glorious visible Church a faire ship wherein Christ and his disciples are and therefore for this time I discharge you with renewing of the former charge Take heed you depart not from her take heed you cause not division in her but every man seeke her welfare follow faith to the conservation of the soule and keepe the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace beware of Heresie beware of Schisme God for his Christ sake helpe us to keepe faith and a good conscience to the end and in the end Amen Followed him We have heard the number of passengers Christ and his disciples the Euangelist also noteth the manner or order of their shipping viz that Christ went before and his disciples followed him Christ ordinarily called the Disciples and Apostles in this forme and phrase of speech as to Simon and Andrew being fishing Follow me and I will make you fishers of men and in the verse before my text Follow me and let the dead burie their dead and to Matthew sitting at the receit of custome Follow me and to the young man If thou wilt be perfect goe and sell that thou hast and give to the poore and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come and follow me The reason why Christ would specially have the Apostles conversant with him during the time of his Ministerie here was that hearing his doctrine seeing his miracles and observing his manner of life after his departure they might be witnesses to the world of that which they had heard and seene and for this cause after the death of Iudas there was care had that such an one might be chosen into his roome as had accompanied with them all the time that the Lord Iesus went in and out before them Therfore the Apostles commonly followed him from place to place in City and Countrey field and house by water and land though sometimes for some speciall causes he admitted not all but some few of them as Peter Iames Iohn were only admitted to see the miracle of raising the Rulers daughter and his transfiguration on the Mount and his agonie in the Garden The words are sufficiently cleared for their literall sense The letter teacheth us to give due honour and respect to one another The impression of superioritie and subjection command and obedience domination and service is not only stamped on man a sociable creature a little map or modell as it were of the great world though never so barbarous subjects following Kings souldiers their Captaines servants their Masters children their Parents and wives their Husbands whereby that Eutaxie and decorum which is established by nature and fortified by Morall Law Honour thy Father and Mother is preserved and ataxie and confusion prevented but God hath also stamped in man the members subject to the head the bodie to the soule and appetite to reason yea this impression is stamped upon the whole face of nature in the heavens God hath placed a greater light to rule the day and a lesser to rule the night yea if we ascend higher amongst the Angels there are Principalities Thrones Powers and Dominions and Michael an Archangell If we come to the earth the very birds by instinct of nature are subject to the Eagle the beasts to the Lion and very Bees have a master whom they in their kinde doe reverence and follow else their Common-wealth could not subsist yea if we descend lower the very Devils of Hell have Beelzebub for their Prince if that kingdome were divided in it selfe it could not endure there must be precedencie and subsequencie a going before and following after in all creatures specially amongst men and women who as they are many wayes to testifie inferioritie and respect to Gods ordinance so this way specially Christ was their Lord and Master they his servants and scholars it was therefore comely that so often we heare in the Gospell and even in shipping that Christ entred first and his Disciples followed him And it is a perpetuall rule of Civilitie which the Apostle hath prescribed that in giving honour we should prefer or as some Translations have it goe one before another As men and women should not be proud and ambitious a thing reproved by Christ in the Pharisies for loving the chiefe places at meetings shuffling and thrusting being dry drunken in the opinion of their owne worth as if none knew them but themselves whereby in Gods iustice they make themselves vile and hated whereas the way to honour is to be bid sit up higher so neither should any but most willingly in gesture word and deed acknowledge the worth and dignitie of others and specially Christians should in all places carrie themselves modestly and humbly that amongst them all things may be done decently and in order This is the fosterer of love and the spur of vertue and nourisher of Arts for what doth more prick forward and enflame men to great and noble enterprises especially of learning and chivalrie than respect honour and glory All men naturally desire esteeme and regard and to seeke it by vertue and goodnesse is very lawfull It was no ambition or vain-glory in David to aske What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistim If there be any praise thinke on those things For Christ to goe before and disciples to follow him is a comely sight But I leave the letter In the mystery this doth concerne us all and in what the Disciples did bodily wee may see what we ought to doe spiritually viz. If we be Christ his disciples or Christians wee must follow him To follow is properly an Hebraisme and signifieth to serve and obey and imitate in such things as concerne us as it is said The men of Israel went from after David and followed Shebah the Sonne of Bichri and God reproving his people for Idolatrie asketh How canst thou say I have not followed Baalim And the Pharisies say one to another concerning Christ Behold the world is gone after him that is acknowledge him for the Messiah and submit themselves to receive his doctrine and obey his precepts and imitate his example as their onely teacher and patterne And lest any should thinke it concerned only
it not against true Virginitie but the fained shew of it when as the bodie is defiled with monstrous pollutions not against necessarie povertie but voluntary choise of it in opinion of more pleasing God not against good works but the proud conceit of meriting by them not against confession but against the abuses and corruptions thereof which are such as no Papist in the world can justifie by Scriptures Fathers or Reason as namely that it is enjoined of absolute necessitie and only of mortall sinnes and whatsoever such are not confessed are not forgiven That it must only be in the eares of his owne Priest and is of it selfe an act meritorious These foule corruptions being pared away we have Confession in right use amongst us As we begin our publike Service with confession of our sinnes and have remission of sinnes by Gods Minister pronounced to all such as truly repent and vnfainedly beleeve the Gospell So if any be troubled in Soule and cannot rightly apply the meanes of comfort on death-bead or at other times our Church in the second exhortation before the Communion exhorteth such to repaire to some godly and discreet Minister from whose praier counsell and advice they may receive comfort and the conscience may be quieted hath prescribed a forme of absolution and in the Canons of our Church are enjoined upon paine of irregularitie all lawfull secresie And this is a singular meanes which God and our Church hath prescribed for the quieting and calming of stormie and tempestuous Soules and which cannot be godly used without much comfort The third and last way for calming of these inward tempests in the minds of Gods Children is the voice and speech of Christ he rebuked the winds and Seas and so still doth speake to the troubled Soule Yea whatsoever benefits or friends or delights or pleasures any man have yet none nor all these can soundly comfort the distressed Soule but the word of Christ Therefore saith Ieremie Thy Word is the joy and rejoicing of mine heart And David saith The Statutes of the Lord are right and rejoice the heart And againe I had perished in my trouble if thy Lawes had not comforted me And againe This is my comfort in mine affliction for thy Word hath quickned me And therefore praieth Cause thou me to heare the voice of joy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice Much more might be said to this purpose but this may suffice and therefore if ever thou wilt have the storme and tempest in thy Soule stilled and calmed thou must diligently hearken to the Word of God read and preached But me thinketh I heare some object against this and say Oh I was never troubled till I began to hearken to the Word till I got a Bible and delighted in reading and tooke delight to heare Sermons I thinke it was the hearing of the Word raised the Tempest I answer that the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God hath two edges it hurteth with the one and healeth with the other it cutteth with the one and cureth with the other it humbleth and exalteth it terrifieth and assureth it afflicteth and rejoiceth the heart Wherefore if it have wounded thee stick to it it will heale thee if it have raised a storme it will also calme and still it Oh but I have read it much and heard it often and yet still I am as much troubled and as comfortlesse as ever I was I say with David Oh tarie the Lords leasure be strong and he will comfort thine heart Our mother Church having lost Christ sought him in bed and found him not in streets and found him not met with many discouragements but found not him whom her Soule loved yet in the end she found him and laid hold on him Never any sought constantly comfort from Word and Sacraments but in the end found it Wherefore say with David I will hearken what the Lord God will say for he will speake peace to his people and to his Saints The Wind and Seas which cause thy storme and tempest are within thee bring them to Gods house first or last the Lord will with his Word rebuke them and thou shalt have a calme and praise God for thy peace And so much for the cause of their perill viz. a Tempest both according to the letter and mystery and that both generally in the Church where Christ his Gospel is professed and particularly in the Soule where the same is beleeved Now let vs proceed to the description of this Tempest Wherein the first thing to be considered is the quality of it It was sudden in this word There arose or according to the originall It was made it did not arise or was made by little or little but on the sudden there came such a gust and the sea did so rage that in an instant the ship was even covered with waves Whereof something is first to be said according to the letter and then the mystery According to the letter let us consider the Author and the meanes who and how this Tempest was made For the first It is out of all doubt he made this Tempest that stilled it The Scriptures plainly shew that God is the Author of stormes and tempests by sea and land So saith David They that goe downe into the sea in ships and occupie their businesse in great waters these see the workes of the Lord and hu wonders in the deepe And againe At the brightnesse of his presence the thicke clouds passed haile-stones and coales of fire the Lord thundred out of heaven and the highest gave his voice haile-stones and coales of fire he sent out his arrowes and scattered them he shot out his lightnings and discomfited them then the channels of water were seene and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke O Lord at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils See how lively the Prophet describeth a Tempest and ascribeth the glorie thereof unto God And againe It is the glorious God that causeth the thunder the voice of the Lord is a powerfull voice the voice of the Lord is full of Maiestie it breaketh the Cedars even the Cedars of Lebanon shaketh the wildernesse even the wildernesse of Kadesh And he withall declareth the use of storms and tempests thunder lightning and raine Give to the Lord the honour due to his name in his Temple let every man speake of his praise And againe hee saith Fire and haile snow and vapour stormy wind and tempest doe fulfill Gods word Oh then it is a great sinne for men to impute the raising of stormes and tempests winds and foule weather to the Devill Conjurers Witches and Wizards Aeolus c. Indeed I will not deny but that Satan is called the prince that ruleth in the aire
slumber Whilest the bridegroome tarried long they all slumbred or as the word signifieth nodded with the head And David placeth this in the eye-lids I will not suffer mine eye-lids to slumber for this is only a heavinesse in the eies the lids falling downe and by and by lifted up againe it commeth not neere the heart as the Church describeth it I sleepe but mine heart awaketh and such are very easily awakened but there is a greater degree in sleeping when senses are fast bound and locked up and this is expressed in English many times by addition of some other word as deepe sound heavie fast and dead sleepe or as the Scripture phrase is A sleepe of God as when David tooke away the Speare and Cruse of water from Sauls head no man saw it nor knew it for a sleepe of God was fallen upon them Which kinde of sleepe the Poets call the Image and brother of death So it is said When God tooke a rib out of Adams side God cast him into a deepe sleepe and Stserah when Iael drove the naile of the tent into his head is said To be fast on sleepe and Eutichus whilest Paul continued long preaching is said to fall into a deepe sleepe And Ionah went downe into the ship and lay fast on sleepe fast indeed when in stead of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suadentia somnos that Ovid and Virgil speake of as silence c. neither the raging nor roaring of the Sea tumbling nor cracking of the Ship like to be broken with euery wave the crying of Mariners on their gods their noise in casting out their goods could awake him Well might the Ship-master say What meanest thou ô sleeper And verily our Saviours sleepe at this time was very fast deepe sound and as I may say a dead sleepe for that the word which is here in Saint Marke used signifieth His senses were well and fast bound he was fast asleepe But what Had hee any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Soporiferum Where was he or what meanes of sleepe did he use Was he betaken into some Cabin or with Ionah into the Ship and there laid upon some bed of Downe No indeed onely Saint Marke telleth us Hee was in the hinder part of the Ship asleepe on a pillow which yet if we beleeve good Authors was but a woodden pillow and indeed it is most true of the Apostle He that was rich for our sakes became poore poore in his birth borne in a stable poore in purse borrowing mony of a Fish to pay his tribute poore in his greatest triumph and solemnitie riding on an Asse into Ierusalem Matt. 21. poore in apparell wearing a Seamelesse coat poore in diet feeding on Barley bread poore in lodging not having where to rest his head poore in his Disciples not Princes and Philosophers but Fisher-men and Tole-gatherers of the poorest of the people Matthew 4. 18. poore in death dying on a Crosse poore in his buriall being laid in another mans toombe Ioh. 19. 41. And all because his kingdome was not of this world Ioh. 18. 36. Yet alwaies contented and thankfull and thereby teaching all his Disciples so to bee with what it pleaseth God to send But alas how proud are his Disciples Proud in their houses diet apparell lodging c. because they set their hearts on these things as if their kingdome were of this world But probable it was he was wearie with exercise of his Ministery amongst the multitude on the shore or had spent some night before in praier and therefore now fell so fast on sleepe But though these might be naturall meanes they were but subordinate to his good pleasure for though his sleepe was sound and not fained yet was it so by Divine providence and dispensation that the Faith of his Disciples might be the more throughly tried For even this did not a little adde to their feare that in this dangerous tempest hee was so fast asleepe Thus much be said for the opening of the Literall and Historicall sense From whence first according to the sense Literall we learne That Christ is true man Which some ancient Heretikes as Manichees and Marcionites denied But hee not onely tooke upon him the true nature and substance of our soules and bodies with the Essentiall properties of both as in Soule Will Understanding in Bodie dimensions but also the infirmities of both as ignorance of some things feare sorrow wearisomnes of body hunger thirst spitting on ground weeping sleeping paine ache sorenesse c. Even like unto us his brethren in all things except sin Which doctrine yet must be understood and qualified with a double caution First That infirmities of soule are either unblameable or sinfull Hee tooke the first onely and not the second Secondly That infirmities of body are of two sorts viz. either generall which accompany the nature of man and may be found in everie true man as hunger thirst sleeping wearisomnesse to be sicke or sore if beaten c. Or else such as are personall and particular arising from some priuate naturall causes or laid on some as the particular judgements of God As to be borne blinde deafe dumbe lame crooked deformed or to be sicke of a burning fever consumption dropsie plurisie Now Christ tooke but such as are generall and doe accompany humane nature not the particular for then hee could not haue beene our Redeemer no nor have liued one houre but hee need not take any personall infirmities no more than hee did any mans person And verily here is a matter of most sweet comfort to the children of God that wee have not a stranger to our nature for our Redeemer but as Iob calleth him a Goel a Kinsman a Shiliah as Iacob saith one that hath beene wrapped in the Secundine or Tunicle borne after the manner of men yea that hath had experience of our infirmities c. This comfort the Apostle laieth downe in these words Hee tooke not on him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham yea in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren that hee might be a mercifull and faithfull high Priest in things pertaining to God for in that hee hath suffered and beene tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted And againe We haue not a high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted as wee are yet without sinne Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of need Who can fully expresse the sweetnesse of this comfort that wee have such a Saviour to flie unto in all our wants and necessities as was true man not senslesse as yron and steele but sensible of miseries as having
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
and all that know not God doe behold it and thus to looke upon it is fearefull It is true that many Heathen men have seemed very valorous and have contemned it but it was rather rashnesse and desperate madnesse than true valour or courage The Prince of Philosophers himselfe hath said not only that Death is fearefull but of all evils the fearefullest What need we their testimonies when the Scripture it selfe is so cleare Iob calleth it The King of Terrors And the Apostle saith Without Christ all men through feare of death are subject to bondage Oh it is the enemie of Nature separater of soule and bodie most loving twinnes depriver of all earthly comforts which so sarre depend on life as it ceasing they also cease to be David saith When men die they must leave their wealth and honour to others God asked the foole Whose shall these things be And Abraham gave Dives begging but a drop of water a cold answer Sonne remember thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things Wherefore it is impossible for any man utterly ignorant of Christ and only seeing Death thorow the glasse of Nature but he must needs feare and either die sullenly or desperately The second glasse wherein death is seene I may with reverence to Gods providence call the glasse of Fortune as the goods of this world are called the goods of Fortune and in this glasse death appeareth more fearefull than in the former Circumstances doe greatly increase the feare of death as if a man be young healthy lustie and in strength of nature bloud runnes fresh in the veines and marrow in the bones Quanto natura fortior tanto dolor acerbior The sweeter the conjunction the more bitter the separation Also if a man be in high place of honour or great hope of preferment If a man be rich and have all things at his hearts desire how fearefull are such to die Oh death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liveth at râ—st in his possessions to the man that hath nothing to vex him that hath prosper it iâ— in all things Oh death how bitter is thy remembrance to him that with Peter thinketh it is good to be here that hath much to leave and little to hope for Againe a violent death more fearefull than that which is naturall and according to the meanes of violence and instruments of execution fearefull to die by the hands of man more fearefull to die by the mouths of wilde beasts but of all most fearfull to die by raging fire waters Which thing an Heathen Poet hath excellently expressed I feare not death but drowning a miserable kinde of death Againe to die suddenly and specially when God sheweth some token of anger doth wonderfully increase the feare of it This made such a cry thorowout all Egypt when at midnight their first-borne were slaine I doe not judge such as die suddenly and extraordinarily by water or land The wise man hath taught us not to judge of any mans estate before God by outward things God knoweth whose case it may be I am sure it hath beene the case of such as the holy Scriptures assure to have beene godly as Eli Ionathan Iosiah Sampson The Apostle saith Nothing can separate the Saints from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus not death not manner of death Sudden death to Gods children is but like the translation of Henoch and Elias which was in a moment yet let me say againe though we judge charitably of such yet to be suddenly and unlooked for surprized of death with any note of divine anger is both fearefull to the parties themselves and others For though we know we must die and ought alwaies to be ready yet who so prepared especially in times of health and prosperitie but hath many things to set in order And seeing all dependeth upon the last act the whole life being but as a levelling and drawing death as the discharge of the arrow our mother Church hath godly taught us to pray if it be his blessed will to deliver us from sudden death and to give us time of repentance and preparation with understanding memory hearing and speech to the last breath Did not Lot know that his wife should die Yes but to him and all that shall heare the storie it is fearefull that shee was suddenly turned into a pillar of salt Aaron well knew that his sonnes must die but to see two of them Nadab and Abihu consumed at once by fire from heaven it did strangely astonish him Iob knew so much too but to heare that all his children were suddenly destroyed with the downefall of their eldest brothers house wherein they were feasting made him rise and rent his clothes Yea and David knew so much and comforted himselfe after the death of another saying I shall goe to it but it shall not come to me But when he heard of the sudden death of his sonne Absolon it made his heart even turne and ouer-turne within him he never so bitterly lamented any thing as that Oh my sonne Absolon my sonne my sonne Absolon would God I had died for thee O Absolon my sonne my sonne Come we to our disciples They see death in the glasse of Nature and it is fearefull they see it in the glasse of their Fortune they are now in middle age strong and lustie in great hope of preferment by their Master and striving for supremacie and who shall sit on his right hand and who on his left in his kingdome death commeth upon them suddenly robbeth them of all they now are or hoped to be they have not leisure to set themselves or houses in order nor bid wife and friends farewell not leisure to swallow their spettle nor say their praiers but shortly and abruptly for life they are like to die by waters and become meat for the fishes and that by such a sudden and raging storme as if heaven meant to destroy them so as now their feare is much increased and they cry out Lord save us we perish The third is the glasse of the Law which representeth death as the wage and punishment of sin the demonstration of Gods displeasure and the gate of hell when all the curses and maledictions of God come fully and for ever to be powred out Oh in this death appeareth most fearefull and like that dreadfull and terrible strong beast which Daniel saw in his Vision which had great Iron teeth and ten hornes and devoured and brake in peeces and stamped the rest under feet Good Lord how greatly are the wicked and all guilty sinners affrighted at this sight of death Saul being a wicked man having a guilty conscience no sooner saw death at hand through this glasse but he fell straight-way all along upon the earth was exceedingly afraid and there was
this Land in the daies of Queene Mary so cheerefully to receive sentence of death so joyfully to sing in their prisons darke and loathsome dungeons so comfortably embrace faggots kisse stakes clap hands in flaming fire because all this was for a good cause even for Christ the Gospell and a good conscience sake and the holy Ghost hath pronounced Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord This made them rejoyce in death with joy unspeakable and glorious This was Iosephs comfort in prison that he was falsly accused And Daniels that he was cast to the Lions for the matter of his God Therefore Saint Peters charge is Let none of you suffer as a murtherer or as a theefe or as an evill doer or as a busie-bodie in other mens matters but if any suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God in this behalfe But how great is the horror of malefactors No doubt but it pierced Ahabs soule more than the arrow did his bodie that this was the just judgement of God upon him for his sinne How fearefull was death to all such whose carcasses God overthrew in the wildernesse and destroyed them with fiery Serpents and other fearefull meanes Who knoweth the unconceiveable dread and horror which wicked men have in their soules in their prisons death-beds or executions when their owne consciences tell them This miserie is come upon me for murther theft adultery riot and such like wicked courses I doe not deny but such malefactors may die sullenly or desperately Others may be deceived and thinke they die in a good cause when they doe not So the ancient Donatists and Arrians and in our times the Priests and Iesuits thinke they die for Religion and the true Catholike cause and deserve to be Canonized for Saints whereas they suffer deserved punishment for their rebellion and sedition yea they would in death be accounted Martyrs before they have led the life of a Christian yet being thus abused and deceived by Satan and God in his justice giving them over into a reprobate sense they may even astonish men to behold their seeming patience joy and Christian resolution but yet this standeth firme that no man suffering or dying for an evill cause and his minde be rightly informed can die with comfort and peace but with exceeding dread and horror such an one must needs be exceedingly fearefull to die Yea this that I have said must also be understood with exception of Repentance Many men justly suffer pressures and miseries tortures and torments for their sinnes and evill deeds yet upon true repentance finde peace and comfort in life and death Moses died in the wildernesse and might not enter into the promised Land because hee did not sanctifie God at the waters of Strife but repenting he died with comfort Iosiah fighting rashly and without warrant from God was wounded to death but repenting of his folly he died with comfort and was gathered to his Fathers in peace The theefe on the Crosse died justly for his sinnes but repenting he died with comport and went to Paradise Our Prodigall suffered hunger and misery justly for his riotous and luxurious dilapidating and wasting his goods but repenting he found comfort Many a man commeth to great misery poverty sicknesse ache imprisonment banishment death for his disordered life yet truly repenting findeth peace and comfort But these cases excepted no man that is rightly informed in his minde and continueth impenitent can but be exceedingly afraid to die wherefore every one that would moderate the feare of death must be sure to live and die in a good cause The second meanes for moderation of the feare of death is to live an holy and sanctified life The Apostle compareth death to some fierce and truculent beast or serpent which killeth all men that grapple with it with a poysonfull sting and telleth us the sting of death is sinne As a man then would not feare but with great boldnesse encounter that Serpent when he knoweth the sting is gone so may we boldly and comfortably die when we know the sting thereof is gone Oh it is the guilt of sinne maketh men so fearefull to die But great is the peace they have that love thy Law Mark the upright behold the just the end of that man is peace The righteous are bold as Lions Oh such as here live in the feare of God making conscience of their waies eschewing evil Walking in the Spirit Mortifying the flesh with affections and lusts having their conversation in heaven And ever beholding the face of God thorow the perspective of holinesse Setting their minds on those things which are above Being passed from death to life and alreadie entred into the first degree of glorification sanctification being glorification inchoate and glorification sanctification consummate What comfort joy boldnesse have such in sicknesse and death How comfortable to the living to visit such and to heare and see their cheerefulnesse patience prayers praises benedictions valedictions if infirmitie of flesh and bloud or strength of disease doe not hinder on the other side such as walke in their life time after the flesh drinke up iniquitie like water and are continually strengthening and adding poison to the sting of death How are they distracted with feare if they see that beast but gape upon them or hisse at them How comfortlesse to visit such see their impatience observe their worldly mindednesse and heare their words of discontent discomfort and distrust if God have not laid on them the spirit of slumber Therefore let him that calleth on the name of Christ depart from iniquitie And whosoever would with comfort and boldnesse looke for death or Christ to judgement Let him deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and live righteously godly and soberly in this present world The third meanes of moderation is by a lively and stedfast faith This is our victory even faith How can that man be immoderately afraid to die who doth in his heart stedfastly beleeve that Christ died for him and hath conquered Satan death and hell for him disarmed the strong man Satan deprived Death of its sting that it cannot hurt that the nature of it is changed an end of all evill the beginning of all true good It is not possible with the cleare eye of Faith to behold death in the Crystall-glasse of the Gospell and to be immoderatly afraid of it Here then was the Disciples want they had a good cause they followed their Master into the ship they lived honestly Iudas excepted but their faith was weake and therefore their feare so strong Why are yee so fearefull O yee of little faith Wherefore let all such as desire to moderate the feare of death pray for increase of Faith Oh see what an inestimable Pearle Iewel Faith is 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
and shall not see it Come then come I say whilest yee may and thanke God that ye may come and goe safely and pray for them that faine would and cannot Come but come not alone bring your companie say one to another Come let us goe up to the Mountaine the house of the Lord say with Ioshuah I and mine house will serve the Lord Bring those with thee to Gods House who are with thee in thine owne house Your owne good Example who have charge of families is full of power and the more eminent yee are in state and degree the more inducing is your good Example The Reason why the Lord hath prepared his table spred his servants invite so few guests come is because so few of the chiefe come and they come alone neither care they whether wives children or servants come at all or no. Oh come bring yours with you and come often yea the oftner the more welcome to Gods Table This the Apostle intended when he said As often as yee eat this bread and drinke this cup Enjoyning all such as live in a visible Church so often as the custome of the Church is to administer it and hee hath no lawfull impediment to hinder him as absence from home sicknesse so often to receive it if hee doe not it is a great neglect if not contempt of the holy Ordinance of God And how just were it in time of sicknesse and adversity such an one should be weak in faith and void of comfort seeing he neglected the meanes when he might have enjoyed them Give me leave then to reprove a common fault even in this renowmed Mother Church where the holy Sacrament at least every month is religiously and reverendly administred how few are there that come for all our calling As if to receive the Sacrament were but a thing arbitrarie once a yeare at Easter may suffice thrice a yeare a largis to what purpose oftner Thus in Paradise with eating of the forbidden fruit wee surfetted have quite lost our appetite and loath heavenly food as the Israelites did the Manna But let me tell you the only way to recover our appetite is to come and eat none have lesse stomack than such as eat least none more than they that eat most They that make their meat their God the more they eat the lesse appetite but they that make God their meat the more they eat the more they hunger This appeareth from the worthy examples of the Saints in Ancient times It appeareth from Saint Augustine That some faithfull did receive every day and make the Lords Supper their daily bread which though he neither reprehend nor commend yet he earnestly exhorted all to receive every Lords day and our Church hath godly appointed a speciall exhortation to be read when people are negligent in this kinde But me thinketh I heare some say Indeed my departure and seldome comming doth not proceed from neglect and contempt but the reverend respect I have to that heavenly and holy Sacrament fearing that if I should so often receive I should not receive it with that care conscience and preparation that is meet I answer If thine owne heart condemne thee not neither doe I Goe in peace The reverend respect that the Centurion had to Christ made him refuse to entertaine him I am not worthy thou shouldst come under my roofe But Zacheus his reverend respect of Christ made him come downe hastily and receive him ioyfully See the contrary effects of the same affect and both approved of Christ Some out of reverence come to every Sacrament and some out of reverence come seldome Charitie hopeth the best of all But take heed Sathan tempt you not and take heed that your owne consciences condemne you not if they doe God is greater than they and he is not mocked But now Communicants being prepared and come to the Lords Table what is more to be done Our Church godly prescribeth in a very short rule Lift up your hearts though knee be on ground let the heart be in heaven and the minde intently exercised in comparing the signes and spirituall things together When we see bread and wine which are for full refection of our bodies let us thinke what a perfect Saviour we have When we see them set apart for this use let us thinke how Christ the Sonne of God became man for our sakes and salvation When we see the bread and wine blessed and consecrated and as it were made fit for so holy and heavenly an use let us thinke how Christ his humanitie being united personally to the Word received all fulnesse of grace for the worke of Redemption When we see the bread broken and wine powred out let us thinke of the bitter passion of Christ the renting of his holy bodie and shedding of his most precious bloud for our sinnes When the Minister offreth these let us thinke how lovingly God offreth his Sonne to be our Saviour And as the Receiver taketh eateth and drinketh the bread and wine and it turneth into his substance so by the hand of faith we must receive and apply Christ unto us to dwell in our hearts who hath given himselfe for us Lastly let God have most hearty thanks and praise for all his mercies represented and exhibited to us in his holy Ordinances in regard whereof the Greekes call it an Eucharist Thus from a marvelling Text I have taken occasion to provoke you to marvell at the institution of this day and at the service of this day I desire that God may have the glory of all and that ye would say one to another Doubtlesse we have heard and seene and received strange things to day and the Lord make us thankfull Amen His Passiō most marvellous to say nothing of his hunger thirst wearisomnesse dangers persecution derision his whole life being a continuall passion yet can you reade and heare of his Agonie how without any violent exercise or bodily paine in an open Garden in a fresh aire in the moist dew and prostrate on the cold earth yet was in such an Agonie that his sweat was like drops of bloud trickling downe to the ground And doe yee not marvell Himselfe did marvell Is there any sorrow like my sorrow wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger Doe you reade and heare of the desperate and insolent behaviour of wicked men preferring a notorious murtherer before the innocent Sonne of God crying out to have him crucified and let his bloud be on them and their children crowning that head with thornes which is higher than the heavens spitting in that face which the Angels doe delight to behold nailing those hands to the Crosse which made heaven and earth piercing those feet which have walked on the sea but never stood in the way of
the great wisdome of God glory shame power and weaknes majestie infirmitie so twisted mingled together that if the one trouble and offend the other may comfort and content He was borne but it was of a Virgin He was borne in a stable and laid in a manger but the Angels proclaimed him Herod sought to kill him but Kings came from the East to adore him He was baptised of his servāt but his Father gave testimonie and the Holy Ghost descended from heaven in likenesse of a Dove and rested upon him He was hungry in the Wildernesse but rebuked Sathan He sate on Iacobs Well weary but told the woman of Samaria that came to draw water all that ever shee did He wept for Lazarus but bade him come forth of the grave and he did so He did spit on the ground and made clay but with it he cured a man that had beene borne blinde He hanged on Crosse betwixt two theeves but the Sunne was darkned and the earth trembled He slept but rebuked the wind and sea Remember your question What manner of man is this A man but an extraordinarie man Remember your answer This man is the Sonne of God and that doth the reason of the question shew which commeth now to be considered viz. That even the winds and the sea obey him In which words the Reason both of their Admiration and Interrogation as the cause and effect is rendred To which purpose the words in the Originall are very significant For first there is a double particle which in the former place is augmentative translated even etiam as else-where also With authoritie commandeth he even the uncleane spirits and they doe obey him q. d. What manner of man is this that not only men women children birds beasts but even the very uncleane spirits and even winds and sea obey him The word in the Hebrew copie translated obey doth also signifie to hearken diligently to intend earnestly and to obey readily and perfectly The Greeke word also signifieth no lesse that winds and seas did heare intend and speedily and faithfully obey the voice of Christ Here then is represented unto us the soveraigne dignitie power and authoritie that Christ hath over all creatures and which all creatures though never so sturdie rebellious or senslesse doe acknowledge It is a Doctrine I have already handled but suffer me suffer me willingly I beseech you to inlarge my meditations and ampliate my discourse What sweeter Argument can I handle or you heare What Subject doth not delight to speake of the majestie dominion power wealth and glory of his King And can I speake of any Argument more pleasing and delightfull than of his kingdome majestie dominion glory seeing all these he hath for our good Oh that my tongue were as the pen of a ready writer to indite his honour yea that I had the tongue of an Angell to speake of the glory of thy kingdome and to talke of thy power to make knowne to the sonnes of men thy mighty acts and the glorious majestie of thy kingdome Thy kingdome is an everlasting kingdom and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations Yea I should have an hand to write a tongue to speake if with Solomon I had an heart as large as the sand for of the abundance thereof both hand doth write and tongue doth speake Oh that I could say with the Apostle Mine heart is inlarged and my mouth opened but alas I am straitned in mine owne bowels Oh that I had the spirit of David when hee penned that most excellent curious Alphabetical and Encomiasticall Psalme How did he abound in zeale when he said I will extoll thee my God ô King and I will blesse thy name for ever and ever Every day will I blesse thee and praise thy name for ever and ever Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised there is no end of his greatnesse One generation shall praise thy works to another and declare thy mighty acts They shall abundantly utter the memoriall of thy goodnesse Oh that I had the spirit of S. Augustine when he wrote upon that Psalme wherein if ever he exceeded himselfe Shall Christ in such a famous miracle set forth his glorious majestie and dominion and shall wee thinke and speake so little of it We must be content here to wish and desire hereafter we shall enjoy here to serve God according to the weaknesse of the flesh hereafter according to the perfection of spirit here to praise God in briefes and semibriefes hereafter in larges and longs here but to tune our Harps and instruments when ever and anon a string breaketh or starteth and causeth an harsh jarre sweet shall be the musick in the Quire of heaven when Angels and Saints shall without wearisomnesse or end praise him whose glory and dominion hath no end As there is no end of his greatnesse number of his wisdome nor measure of his bounty so shall there be no end number or measure of our praise But now alas our spirit is strait wit dull speech dumbe that we may justly complaine with the Apostle when we take even the best dutie in hand To will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I finde not As Christ said of his Disciples it is most true in the best of us Though spirit be willing flesh is weake Wherein this is our comfort that we serve so good a Master as accepteth of that we have and so there be a willing minde it is accepted Let me then expresse my willingnesse striking once againe upon the same string for a close but varying in the descant from that you have heard already Herein Lord Iesu leade me with thy good spirit as thou art the King of Maiestie as well as of mercy untie my stammering tongue that thy name may be glorified by thy weakest creature and a worme of the earth may speake wisely of thy Maiestie who art King of Kings Prince of the Kings of the earth and hast on thine head so many Crownes yea the winds and seas obey thee Amen First let us see how this great King of heaven hath commanded all creatures to serve for the temporall good of his children according to his gracious promise They that feare the Lord shall want nothing that is good they that seeke the Lord and his kingdome shall have all earthly things even cast upon them Blessed are the meeke for they shall inherit the earth Being Christs all is theirs All will helpe nothing hurt them Doe they want bread or flesh The clouds shall raine it Do they want water The rocke shall be a fountaine Doe they want apparell Sheepe with fleece and skin shall clothe them Doe they want gold or silver God hath laid it up in veines of the
sinners yea pierced that heart with a speare which devised all good for man And doe yee not marvell Doe you reade that the fountaine of living water thirsteth the light of the world put out Truth oppressed by false witnesses Discipline scourged He that beareth up all things faint under the Crosse He that is Iudge of quicke and dead judged by a mortall man Justice condemned Foundation hanged on a Tree Salvation wounded and Life killed and doe yee not marvell But alas these were lamentable things and in the eye and wisdome of flesh and bloud base and contemptible Behold then such things as are full of glory and majestie The Sunne ashamed of their doings pulled in his beames covered it face and refused to give light to such a work of darknesse The earth trembled as not able to beare the weight of such a sinne The vaile of the Temple rent asunder from the top to the bottome in detestation of such wickednesse The Centurion confesseth truly This was the Sonne of God Pilat whose hands were embrewed with his bloud writeth his inscription and publisheth his glory to Hebrewes Greekes and Latines This is Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes And will you not marvell at it Yea open the eyes of your mindes and you shall see the benefits hereof He was apprehended that we might escape scourged that we might be spared bound that we might be loosed disgraced that we might be honoured wearied with the burthen of the Crosse that wee might be eased of the burthen of the Curse fainted that we might be refreshed thirsted that we might be satisfied wounded that we might be healed humbled to the Crosse that we might be exalted to Thrones died amongst Theeves that we may live amongst Angels condemned that we may be justified killed that we may live And doe yee not marvell and say What manner of man is this Moreover when Christ was truly dead and buried and all made sure as they thought the wicked triumph and rejoyce and his Disciples full of sadnesse and sorrow Luk. 24. 17. loe he that had power to lay downe his life had also power to take it up againe Ioh. 10. 18. Hee loosed the sorrowes of death whereof it was impossible for him to be holden Acts 2. 24. having thorowly conquered death even in the grave it strongest hold fortresse or castle It was not the great sealed stone could keepe him in Matth. 27. ult but Sampson-like carrieth on his shoulders the brasen gates Iudg. 16. 3. and declared himselfe mightily to be the Sonne of God by his rising from the dead Rom. 1. 4. Death and Grave confesse their weaknesse and his dominion they are weary of their prey and hasten with the Whale to cast up this Ionah they are oppressed with an intolerable burthen and have swallowed so bitter a morsell as they would faine be rid of the earth is in travell till it be rid of him Moreover after that he had beene conversant with his Disciples for the space of forty daies after his resurrection and had instructed them concerning his kingdome he was received up into glory from the top of Mount Olivet in the sight of his Apostles he ascended into heaven that is his humane Nature by the power and vertue of his Godhead was truly and locally translated from earth into the highest heavens of the blessed where he is said to sit on the right hand of God to make continuall intercession for his Elect from whence he sent the Holy Ghost in likenesse of cloven tongues of fire within ten daies according to his promise from whence he powreth out his spirit on all flesh and specially on such as he hath called to the work of the Ministerie doth gather and protect his Church bridle and confound his enemies and at the appointed time shall come from thence in his owne glory and the glory of his Father and of the holy Angels to iudge both the quicke and dead when all his Saints shall be gathered from the foure corners of the world shall meet him in the aire and be with him in happinesse for ever whose kingdome shall have no end Oh most marvellous Redeemer Oh most glorious mysteries of the Gospell How are we bound for ever to that good God who hath revealed them by his word and Spirit unto us How poore and simple beggerly base and contemptible are all the Religions in the world compared with this What is Moses and all the Legall service and worship though ordained of God yet the time of Reformation being come the Apostle calleth them weake and beggerly elements What is that Impostor Mahomet with his Alcaron though a Religion so generally received and professed how carnall filthy and obscene What are his best promises but such as a godly minde would despise abhorre How many great Kingdoms do worship Sunne Moone Starres yea foure-footed beasts and creeping things And some worship the Devil himselfe How in Poperie are poore people deprived of the Scriptures nusled in ignorance and implicite faith taught to beleeve lying Legends counterfet miracles fed with old wives fables and abused with cosening tricks of deceitfull men Oh stand fast in the faith marvell and praise God who hath made knowne the Saviour and the way of salvation unto you You have marvelled at many things but I pray you forget not that which is the burthen of all What manner of Man It is Man yea true Man that is so marvellous in birth life doctrine death resurrection ascension Oh how highly hath God exalted humane nature Some love their flesh for the beauty of it and some for the comely shape and proportion some for the strength Here is the ground of true love to love it because in Christ it is the flesh of God and herein exalted above the nature of Angels It was a great honour was given to man at the Creation when he was made after Gods Image but it is a far greater honour given in Redemption God himselfe becomming man flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone Oh Christian acknowledge thy dignitie and doe not defile with a lewd conversation what God hath so highly honoured But me thinketh I heare some object this is a matter of offense that Christ was a man yea a weake and poore man I answer Indeed it is true if we behold him with a carnall eye and looke upon no more but his bare humanitie and wrapped up in great infirmitie it is a matter of offense and therefore Christ hath pronounced Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me The Prophet foretold hee should be a stone to stumble at and a rocke of offense And the Apostle saith We preach Christ a stumbling blocke to the Iewes and foolishnesse to the Gentiles But whoso well observeth the Gospell shal see in