Nine Sermons upon sun●●●● Texts of Scripture: 

First, The Allegiance of the Clergy. The Supper of the Lord  
Secondly, The Cape of good Hope: Delivered in five Sermons, for the use and b●●●fite of Merchants and Mariners.  
Thirdly, The Remedy of Drought. A Thanksgiving for Rain.   By SAMVEL PAGE, Doctor in Divin●●●  
LONDON, Printed by Nicholas Oaks for Si●●●●●●●rson, 〈…〉 Church-yard, at the Sign of the Crown.   

THE ALLEGIANCE OF THE CLERGY. A Sermon preached, at the meeting of the whole Clergy of the diocese of Rochester, to take the Oath of Allegiance to his most excellent Majesty, at Greenwich, Novem. 2 1610. By SAMVEL PAGE, Doctor in Divinity.  
LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes for Simon Waterson, dwelling in Paul's Churchyard, at the sign of the Crown. 1616.   

¶ TO THE MOST Reverend Father in God, my most Honourable good Lord, the Lord Bishop of London.  
MOst reverend, and my honourable good Lord, in these fruitful times wherein so many painful in God's husbandry, do make daily Presents to the Church, of their profitable Labours: I thought myself behinde-hand too much, to sit out so long, without giving some testimony of my equal desire, to advance so good a work. I am too conscious of my insufficiencies, to press in with the first, and I fear to do nothing. These days afford plenty of readers, if plenty of writers overcharge▪ variety may delight. These my meditations have hope of welcome from the Argument, which is our own loyal Allegiance to his Majesty, who are the Preachers of Loyalty to our People: and from your Honourable protection and countenance, to whom the Church of God here owes many acknowledgements of honourable service by you performed to her, & to whom I best know how much myself in particulars do stand obliged. I pray God for the increase of his best blessings on you and yours, and rest wishing your Lordsh:  
S. P.   

THE ALLEGIANCE OF THE CLERGY.  
The first Sermon.  ROM. 13. 2. And they that resist, shall receive to themselves judgement. 
GOD is a God of Order, against the anabaptistical doctrine of Anarchy; and confusion: he hath made men on earth, as he hath distinguished the stars in the firmament, one star differing from another in glory: he hath taken the advancement of men into his own hands: his wisdom saith, By me Princes reign, Pro. 8. 15. and David saith, Preferment cometh not from the Est, etc. he confesseth that God's hand is in that work, as Paul in this chap. saith, the powers that be, are ordained of God. The Relative to these Powers, is Submission; the Extent of this Submission, omnis anima, every Soul. I think Saint Paul preventingly, and by prophetical spirit, provided in this caution against all Aequivocators and Mentalists, who are ready to tender their Sovereign's some outward and formal Submission, without the Soul, and inward affection, therefore he saith, Let every soul submit.  
The foundation of this Law of Loyalty, is laid in the conscience of a Christian man, not because of wrath only, but for conscience sake. The illation following on the premises, is my Text. The proposition whereof is indefinite, & equivalent to an universal; They that resist, all they shall receive judgement. If any ask, what is the Extent of this power, which God giveth to his anointed servants the Kings & Princes of the earth; let them learn of Israel, who tendered this Allegiance to joshua: All that thou hast commanded us, we will do, and whither-soever thou sendest us, we will go: as we obeyed Moses in all things, so will we obey thee: only the Lord thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses, Josh. 1. 16. 17. So far then, as GOD is with our Princes, and that their commands, be no prejudice to the superior ordinances of God: every soul doth own them submission, and must swear them their obedience: for whatsoever the person of the Prince is, the power is of God: even Pilates power is of God, though he armed it against Christ, by our saviours own testimony, john 19 11. saying, Thou couldst have no power against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore Christ submitted himself to that power▪ even he that could say, To me is given all power in heaven and in earth, Matt. 28. 18.  
Our gracious sovereign King, reading in the bloody practices of his rebel-Popish-subiects, the danger of his own royal person, & of his hopeful posterity, hath with the most honourable Parliament devised a shibboleth, even this oath of Allegiance (which is now tendered to us of his Clergy of this Diocese) to distinguish betwixt his Israelites and his Ephraimites, between his faithful, loving, and peaceable Protestant's, and the tumultuous, factious, and Popish Incendiaries, who desire to see our jerusalem turned to dust and ashes. This Oath will show him who hath most disciples in his kingdom: this Paul our Apostle that taught the Romans, omnis anima, let every soul submit; or Paul the fift that now teacheth the Romans, and all his Romish Catholics, the Contradictory to his doctrine. Non omnis anima, let not every soul be so obliged. I wonder at Burgese of Rome, that being so opposite to Saint Paul, he would usurp his name, at his investiture in the Papacy, except he meant to set Paul against Palu, Romans against Romans, his Breves against Saint Paul's Epistles; our Apostle cast off a name upon his conversion, that would become his Holiness of Rome much better.  
But concerning the power of Secular Princes, by this Paul the fift, and his usurping Predecessors strangely restrained to make their peace with S. Paul, they do thus understand my Text; They that resist; that is, They of the Laity that resist: for saith their Gloss, Ecclesiastical persons, and Ecclesiastical causes are exempt.  
The quarrel is well known between the Pope, and the State of Venice, for their judicial process pursued to the execution, and death of a fowl malefactor of their Clergy, and the Pope (if he had been strong enough to revenge such a quarrel) would have made it known much better. Therefore it concerneth his most excellent Majesty, to understand how his Clergy affect his government, and what subjection and Allegiance they will perform to him: which shall discover, whether we follow the example of the old Romans, who in their purer, and Primitive times gave unto Caesar that which was Caesar's, or whether we resist with the late Roman Catholics, turning Caesar all into Name, and divesting him of all his Royalties.  
Saint Bernard epist. 42. to the Archbishop of Senona urgeth that place of Saint Paul, omnis anima, Let every soul be subject: thus, Si omnis, & vestra, quis vos excipit ab universitate? Si quis tent at excipere, conatur decipere. If every soul must be subject, then yours, that is, those persons who are Ecclesiastical: who excepteth you when he nameth All? he that assays to except you (of the Church) goeth about to deceive you.  
Therefore to sort this Preface to the occasion, and to the present hearing more properly, I learn of S. Bernard thus to limit to myself; they of the Clergy, Ecclesiastical persons, that resist, shall receive to themselves damnation. And herein we have our high Priest for an example, of whom S. Bernard saith, Conditor Caesaris non cunctatus est reddere censum Caesari, exemplum enim dedit vobis, ut & vos ita faciatis. He that made Caesar, paid tribute to Caesar, for therein he gave ensample to you, (to you of the Clergy) that you should also do the like: thus did Saint Bernard teach, who flourished eleven hundred years after Christ.  
Origen interpreting this Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romans, upon this Chapter lib. 9 giveth a reason, why the Apostle in an Epistle to the Brethrens in Antiochia, Syria, and Cilicia, Acts 15. 29. doth only admonish them to abstain from things sacrificed to Idols, from the strangled, and from blood, not adding any prohibition of adultery, murder, theft, etc. Superfluum videbatur, ea divina lege prohibere, quae sufficienter humana lege plectuntur: It seemed to him more than needed by divine decrees to inhibit those things which human laws did sufficiently punish. His collection from hence is very notable, and sorteth with my present Argument: Ex quo apparet, judices mundi part maximam Dei legis implere, omnia enim crimina quae vindicari vult Deus, non per antistites, & principes Ecclesiarum, sed per mundi judices voluit vindicari. Hence it appeareth, that the Secular judges do fulfil the greatest part of the Law of GOD; for all crimes which GOD will have punished, he referreth to the vindication of these, and not of the Prelates, and chief Priests in his Church. And herein he hath met with the Church of Rome, in an evasion learned of the Donatists', and detected, and despised by Saint Augustine, contra Parmenianum Donatistam Episcopum. libr. 1. saying; Nisi fort (quemadmodum nonnulli eorum sane imperitissimi intelligere solent) de honoribus Ecclesiasticis dictum esse velint, ut gladius intelligatur vindicta spiritualis: cùm providentissimus Apostolus satis aperiat, quid loquatur, dicens, propter hoc tributa praestatis. Unless perchance (as some most foolishly are wont to interpret these words) they would understand Saint Paul, as speaking of Ecclesiastical powers, that by the Sword is meant Excommunication: whereas the Apostle wisely provided, to prevent any such interpretation, and expresseth himself plainly, when he saith, For this cause pay you tribute, and Tribute is not due but to Secular powers.  
And Saint Ambrose maketh good this interpretation Tom. 5. upon this place, saying; Principes hos reges dicit, qui propter corrigendam vitam, & prohibenda adversa creantur, Dei habentes imaginem, ut sub uno sint caeteri. The Apostle Paul in this place meaneth Kings, who are created for the correction of men's lives, and the defending of them from adversity, bearing the Image of God, that one should sit above the rest.  
And Theophilact (as for the most part he doth) followeth Saint chrusostom, in the interpretation of this Text, saying; Vniversos erudit, sive Sacerdos sit ille, sine Monachus, sive Apostolus, ut se principibus subdant.  
He teacheth all sorts of men, whether he be Priest, Monk, or Apostle, he must submit himself to his Sovereign Prince. And the holy Apostle Saint Peter whom the Roman Usurpers boast to succeed, taught the same general doctrine, 1. Pet. 2. 13. etc. Submit yourselves to all manner ordinance of man, for the Lords sake, whether to the King as superior, or unto governors as sent of him, etc. for so is the will of God.  
Saint Gregory the great who sat Bishop of Rome six hundred years after our Lord and Saviour Christ, knew no other, nor taught none other doctrine: for hereof, his Epistles give good witness.  
Mauritius the Emperor had made a Decree, That no old Soldiers should be admitted or received into any of the Monasteries, because he perceived that many of them used this as a shift to shun and escape from going to the wars, and he was thereby likely to be the worse served: such power had that Christian Emperor to decree in matters concerning the Church, and Gregory then Bishop of Rome, grieved at this constitution of the Emperor, did not convent the Emperor to his Consistory, drew not out against him the sword of Excommunication, did not menace him with interdiction, deprivation, or any other show of Papal jurisdiction, but as an humble and dutiful▪ subject, addressed to him his earnest petition, by an Epistle, wherein he pleadeth for the Church, and as if it become him ill to contest with his Sovereign, he bringeth in Christ jesus, thus expostulating with him. Ego te de notario comitem excubitorum, de comite Caesarem de Caesare imperatorem, & patrem imperatorum feci: In a word, I have advanced thee from low to high degree; Sacerdotes meos tuae manui commisi. I have given thee charge and government of my Priests, Registr. lib. 3. epist. 61.  
And to make his suit more possible, he wrote an earnest Letter to Theodorus the emperors Physician, to entreat him, who might best choose an opportune time, to solicit this request, in which he complaineth, saying; Epist. 64. Valde mihi durum videtur, ut ab eius seruitio milites prohibeat, qui dominari illum, non solum militibus, sed etiam Sacerdotibus concessit. It seemeth hard to me, that he whom God hath made to rule, not only Soldiers, but Priests also, should restrain Soldiers from doing service to that GOD: So making Theodorus his competitor to the Emperor, for repeal of that Law.  
But this Gregory the first of that name, was so far from the present Antichristian pride of his successor, as that he would not suffer the Title of Ecumenical Bishop to be put upon him; herein following Pelagius his most worthy predecessor. He writ an angry reprehension to Eulogius, Patriarch of Alexandria, for styling him Universal Bishop, in an Epistle sent to him: And when john Patriarch of Constantinople, had usurped that title, he wrote to him to rebuke him for it. And to Mauritius the Emperor, whose love to him and the Church could have afforded him so honourable a title, he said, whosoever assumeth to himself, or admitteth of any such title, Elatione sua Antichristum praecurrit, he doth forerun Antichrist in his pride. He calleth that title, Nefandum, stultum, superbum vocabulum, a wicked, foolish, and proud title. He saith that the counsel of Chalcedon offered it to his predecessors, to be so styled, sed tamen nullus sibi hoc temerarium nomen arripuit: none of them took this rash and in considerate name upon him.  
He would have stayed the pride of that Roman See at the first: for when in respect of the Empire seated at Rome, the chamber of that great Monarchy, there was given the first place in Counsels to the Bishop of Rome: the next ambition was to be chief Bishop: and then to be universal over all the Church, as heart saith, the Pope cannot be non resident, for all the world is his Diocese▪ and what was then left, but to intrude upon the rights of temporal Princes, as in succeeding times they did, and at this day do? But we hear God promising, Kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and Queens thy nurses; not Bishops, not Popes, and Prelates, Esay 49. 23. Two proofs let me but name, because we have them fully pressed by most learned and judicious Divines, which express the power of Princes over the Church.  
First, their invention of general Counsels, so Pighius himself confesseth, Constantinus primus auth●r fuit convocandi generalia consilia: Constantine was the first who devised to assemble general Counsels, but the power hereof was by GOD himself given to Moses, to whom he committed the making and using of the two silver Trumpets, and from him derived to all Princes and States imperial. And the Church story since Christ maketh it plain, how Emperors and Kings in their several dominions, have both called Counsels, and sat Precedents, to order the meeting, to censure and punish offenders, to keep them to the point that would digress, and in their absence to depute secular judges in their places, and at last to dissolve their meeting at their pleasure. Yea sometimes the great Bishop of Rome hath made request to the Emperor, as Leo for example, for the calling a Counsel in Italy, and prevailed not. And lastly, the Canons of Counsels were by the imperial power ratified, and without that sovereign approbation had no strength.  
Secondly, for Appeals, the Princes have been in the Church, the end of them all, even in causes Ecclesiastical. Moore, Socrates reporteth libr. 5. cap. 10. That many Bishops differing in judgement, concerning the Doctrine of the Trinity, Theodosius the Emperor convented them before himself, he took the several Copies of their Doctrines; and praying first to God to assist him, in that holy business, that he might choose and maintain his truth against all heretical opinions: after mature advice, he resolved upon the truth of Doctrine, and in the presence of all the Assembly, he tore in pieces all the rest: and this truth he did not measure by the depth of his own judgement, but by comparison with that Canon of Faith, which both holy Scriptures, and former Counsels had sufficiently maintained. And this was in a matter merely Ecclesiastical. And for Ecclesiastical persons; the law of Appeals in our Land, when Popery passed for true religion, in the reign of King Henry the second, had this Process, from the Archdeacon, to the Bishop of the Diocese, from the Bishop of the Diocese to the Archbishop of the Province, and from him to the King, which was the final hearing and determination, beyond which there was no further provocation, but to leave all to God. Therefore we determine, that our Causes and our People are all vassals, and subject to our Sovereigns; and the immunities and liberties which we possess, we hold them of the indulgence, and gracious favour of our most worthy, and loving Princes, and our Solomon, our Ecclesiastes requireth of his Clergy, no undue obedience, that the judgement remaineth most just. They that resist (even of the Clergy) shall receive unto themselves damnation.  
They resist this power, who refuse this Oath of Loyalty to his most excellent Majesty, as all Popish Recusants do, who set up a demi-god, as Bellarmine his Parasite fawneth, and feigneth, De Pontif. 5. 6. qui potest mutare, confer, & auferre principibus regna: who hath power to change, to give, and take away Kingdoms from Princes.  
Our Sovereign doth not set up an Inquisition, to find out Papists, as Rome doth to discover Protestant's: he doth not make bore suspicion quarrel enough to apprehended, convent, imprison, rack, and torture men, to force them to selfe-accusation: he only deviseth to know sheep from goats, loyal subjects from heretical rebels; he is the Image of that King of whom we read, Matt. 21. 5. Ecce, rex tuus venit tibi mansuetus: Thy King cometh to thee meek, and gracious. It is the glory of a King to pass by an offence. How many Princes of the earth would have put up such an attempt as the Gunpowder treason was, with such patience? Might not Christian Princes have thought his anger just, if it had drawn his Sword against all of that Religion, till none of them had been left, and it had been no more than the equity of my Text, for they that resist must receive judgement here, by just Magistrates, who bear not the Sword in vain, and hereafter damnation, by the Sentence of the great judge of Quick and Dead. The Israelites thought this Sentence just; for thus they say to joshua; Whosoever will rebel against thy Commandments, 
joshua 1. 18.  let him be put to death: And God gave a fearful example hereof in the rebellion of Corah. The reason is given by the Almighty himself in this case of opposition to sovereign dominion, why he taketh it so to heart: For he said to Samuel, They have not cast thee away, but they 
1. Sam. 8. 7.  have cast me away, that I should not reign over them.  
In these cases of resisting, GOD is most sensible, for his own Sceptre of Rule is touched in them: For by me Princes reign, saith his Wisdom. Therefore the usurping pride of Rome, struggling and wrestling with the Holy one of Israel for the Sceptre of Regiment, may now look, that the censure of Saint Gregory the Great than Bishop, given upon the Patriarch of constantinople's ambition of the name of Ecumenical, may turn into a prophesy of these times, and then Elatio tanto citius rumpitur, quanto magis inflatur. And we may all expect the breaking of the head of Leviathan in the great waters. David said, they that hate thee have lifted up the head. Saint Augustine upon that place saith, Nec capita, sed caput quando eo perventuri sunt, ut etiam illud caput habeant, quod extollitur super omne quod dicitur Deus, & quod colitur, quod Deus interficiet spirituoris sui: that is, he saith not their heads, but they shall lift up the head, seeing they shall come to that pass, that they shall have that head which is lifted up above all that is called God, or is worshipped, which GOD shall destroy with the breath of his mouth.  
The time of my warning to this place, and the time limited to this short Preface to a long business, are both impatient of prolixity. Let me therefore address my speech to you my reverend Brethrens, in the holy Ministry of the word of God, to stir you up, not only to express and approve your own undoubted loyalty to your Sovereign, by your oath publicly given for the same, but further, to employ the uttermost of your wits, and tongues, and pens, to recover so many of our recusant brethren, as are not frozen in their dregs of superstition, but led in blindness, for want of light, to the unity of our Church, and the obedience of our Sovereign: and withal, to stir up the Magistrate to zeal and fervour in the cause of God, to detect, and pursue recusant Papists, and to lay them at the foot of our gracious Lord the King: For Solomon saith right well; A King that sitteth in the throne of judgement, chaseth away all evil with his eye, Prou. 20. 8. or if they be so grounded in their disloyalty, that they dread not the power of that Sword which he beareth, and not in vain: if they be so blinded with superstition, that they cannot see in the Majesty of Sovereign government, the ordinance, and vicegerency of God. A wise King (as a wise King saith) scattereth the wicked, and maketh the wheel to turn over them: verse 26. Our King hath Wisdom like an Angel of God, to dispute with them, and confute them: Even a divine Sentence is in the mouth of our King, Prover. 16. 19 He hath justice like the Deputy of of the most High, to punish them that are obstinate, he hath mercy like the Son of God, to manage justice, with moderation, and to pardon those that offend, not of malicious and precipitate rebellion, but of ignorant and misled oversight. And his search tending to the detection of God's enemies, I wish my Text written by the finger of God's spirit, in the royal heart and hand of our most gracious Lord the King, that all his faithful subjects may read it in his practice; They which resist, shall receive to themselves judgement.  
For, what greater discouragement to our Ministry, than this, to see the bold freedom of recusant Papists, daring to affronted our Church, to impugn our doctrine, to despise our Bishops, to scorn our Ministry, and to pronounce us all damned to the second death without hope of redemption; and all this with such assurance, as if they had no law to contradict them, or no Magistrate to see the law executed upon them. God himself hath written a law against such, in their blood, and let Gods subordinate Deputies on earth from the King that sitteth upon the throne, to the lowest Magistrate trusted with the Sword of justice, lay to heart the speech of God by his Prophet to Ahab, 1. Reg. 20. 42. Because thou hast let go out of thy hand, a man whom I appointed to die, thy life shall go for his life. Let this sentence fall upon the King's enemies, and rather than one hair should fall from the head of the Lords anointed for his remissness herein to those whom God hath appointed to die: let his milk-white mercy be died into a crimson tincture of judgement. Exurgat Deus, dissipentur inimici. Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered. What their mercy is, the day shall declare it, the fift of November shall declare it to posterity, their vault, their powder, their bars of iron, their logs, and billets of wood, even all their instruments of sudden and cruel death, which if man should forget, God would remember, for though men wink and sleep, the holy one of Israel seethe, and God the avenger will arise, and They that resist shall receive to themselves condemnation. The Pope that absolveth others, herein cannot be absolved. Saint Paul hath sealed Paul the fift, now living & dying in his present Religion, to condemnation: and my Text is sufficient proof, that no Romish Catholic, living and dying in the obedience of the Bishop of Rome, and in difloyal rebellion, and resistance to their lawful Sovereigns, can hope by the revealed will of God to be saved: for his sin is resistance to God's ordinance, which is flat Th●omachie.  
Let us all therefore be instant and earnest in the maintenance of this truth: our tepidity and lukewarmness in religion maketh us justly tataxed to resemble the church of Laodicea, which is threatened to be cast out of God's mouth. It is the cause of God, it is the cause of jesus Christ, the cause of the Church, the cause of the Commonwealth. It is the cause of the supreme head of the Church and Commonwealth next under jesus Christ, our wise, learned, gracious, and peaceable Solomon. He is neither good Christian, nor good subject, that is not stowe, and confident, in so religious, and loyal a quarrel.  
I presume I have but spoken the thoughts and affections of all my reverend and learned brethren in the holy ministery; and I say no more but Amen. Let God ratify and confirm it: even so be it for jesus Christ his sake: to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit, be given all glory, and power, and dominion, now and evermore.  
AMEN.  
Laus Deo.   

THE SUPPER OF THE LORD.  
¶ A Sermon preached at Hampton. September 10. 1615. By SAMVEL PAGE, Doctor in Divinity.  REVEL. 19 9 Writ: Blessed are they which are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. 
LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes for Simon Waterson, dwelling in Paul's Churchyard, at the sign of the Crown. 1616.   

¶ TO THE RIGHT Honourable, the Lady Anne Howard of Effingham.  
Madam, these Meditations acknowledge themselves yours, as drawn from your first request, and addressed to your ear, and now returned to your eye. You were more than a Guest at this feast, for your ever-honoured Lord, and you, were also bidders, and you invited a gracious Congregation to this holy Supper in the house of Wisdom. You give an honourable evidence to the Church of God, of your love to Religion, affecting greatness in no way, but in the way of goodness. I pray God for your growth up to perfection, and the Crown of it, desiring your Honour to receive your own again, from him who shall reckon it amongst the great blessings of his holy calling, if he may add any fire to your zeal of God's glory, or speed to your pace in the ways of God.  
Your Honours in all humble service and acknowledgements of duty. S. P.   

THE SUPPER OF THE LORD.  
The second Sermon.  PROV. 9 5. Come eat of my Bread, and drink of the Wine, which I have drawn. 
In the beginning of this chapter, Wisdom buildth her an house, that is, Christ, a church, and it is not like to our great houses, without hospitality: here are three rooms expressed in it: a Slaughter-house: For she hath killed her beasts: 
Matth. 22. 4.  the Oxen and Fatlings in the Parable: here is her Winepress: for she hath mingled her Wine, saith the new translation, it is the phrase of Scripture, to express the making of wine of the juice of many grapes commixed: or it is her cellar, for the old reading was, that she hath drawn the wine. Hear is also her dining room, or place to eat in, which is not some close, thrifty parlour near the kitchen, but a very spacious room, where the table is provided: the largeness of the room is easily gathered, and guessed by the invitation.  
Wisdom sendeth forth her Maidens: that is, jesus Christ his Ministers: so called, not in respect of the virginity of Priests, so much urged in the Church of Rome, so little practised; for David doth not always esteem that happy: the fire consumed their young men, and their maidens were 
Psal. 78. 63.  not given in marriage: but in respect of their modesty, and courteous affability, lovingly bearing themselves in the business of this invitation.  
The Commission is large: for all that are simple and want understanding, are invited, so the house had need to be of good receipt, and the Table both large and well furnished, to entertain so many guests.  
All sin is folly, and all sinners are fools, these doth Christ our Wisdom invite: For he came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance: but they must be such, as will forsake their folly, and embrace understanding, that is, penitents.  
We will examine the Invitation to a word, there must not a crumb of this bread fall beside the Table; and the best Method, to handle these words in, is, to imitate and follow the order, in which they are set down to us, by Wisdom.  
The parts of this Text be as many (almost) as the words thereof.  

1 We must c●me.  
2 Being come, we must eat.  
3 The provision for eating is Bread.  
4 Not every bread; My bread.  
5 We must also drink.  
6 This drink must be Wine.  
7 This wine must be of Wisdoms own drawing or mingling.   
1 Come. We must come to wisdoms house, that is, to the Church of God. He that bids us, seems not to come home to our houses. Behold, I 
Revelat. 3. 20.  stand at the door and knock, and if any man open unto me, I will come in to him, and sup with him. He now desireth the like good fellowship from us, that we would come to his house: he will be our guest unbidden: let us be his. David was glad when they said unto him; Come let us go up to the house of the Lord, Psalm 122. 1. And when he was hindered in that liberty, his soul longed yea and fainted for the Courts of the Lords house. Psalm 84. 2.  
It is a pleasing resort to God's house, for there the Lord sitteth between the Cherubins: Psal. 99 1. 77. 13. 96. 6. God's way is in his Sanctuary: yea,  
God's power and beauty are in his Sanctuary, That was one of the great inducements to move David, so earnestly to desire that house, to behold the 
Psalm 27. 4.  beauty of the Lord This is no where more clearly, and cheerfully discerned then in the house of God. Blessed are they that awell in thy house, they 
Psalm 84. 4.  will ever praise thee. And, in his temple every one 
Psalm 29. 9  doth speak of his glory. The new Translation readeth in the margin, Every whit of it uttereth his glory: So full of majesty is the place itself, where God hath put his name: and, where his honour dwelleth. Therefore no place like unto the Church of God, to behold the beauty of the Lord  
Augustine upon the words of Solomon; Go to 
Prover. 6. 6.  the Ant thou sluggard, behold her ways, and be wise saith; Vide formicam Dei, surgit quotidie, currit 
In psal. 6. 6.  ad Ecclesiam, audit lectionem, recondit intus grana electa de horreo. Behold the Ant of our Lord, he riseth day by day, he speedeth to the church, there he heareth the reading of holy Scriptures, and he maketh his provision of choice grains out of that barn, which he layeth up in store. The use is this. In time of winter and tribulation. Comedit intus labores aestatis, he feedeth in fowl weather upon his summer labours.  
Beloved, this is absolutely the richest blessing of our Church, and Kingdom, under the religious government of our gracious Sovereign, the liberty of the Church, and our free and open access to the house of Wisdom.  
It is made a law and ordinance to Israel, that the Tribes shall all go up thither, even a Statute law enacted in the high Court of Parliament, That all of all sorts shall diligently resort to their Parish Churches, and a pain is set upon the heads of them that do refuse to Come. Therefore, they that Come not, do not only offend the law of God, but they also violate the ordinance of the Kingdom and State, and so show themselves, both in Religion, and in civil Obedience irregular. In this rank are all recusant Papists, who directly refuse our Church, and all negligent Professors, that care not for the public service of Almighty GOD, and all profane worldlings, to whom the Sabbaoth day is as a common day, and the house of God is despised; and all Separatists, that will go to their own Synagogues, and Parlour- Conventicles, but will not once come at the house of the Lord  
The Parable in the Gospel concludeth against all these: First, they are given over, and no more invited: Secondly, the Master of the Feast pronounceth against them, saying; Verily I say unto 
Matth. 24. 8. Luke 14. 24.  you, they are not worthy, they shall not taste of my Supper.  
These be the days of the son of man, wherein he showeth himself in the word of his holy Gospel, and is even Crucified in our sight. Let 
Galat. 3. 1.  us fear jest CHRIST JESUS beholding our negligence do say unto us: The days come, in which you shall desire to see one of the days of the 
Luke 17. 22.  Son of man, and shall not see it. Luke 17. 22. Come then whilst you may, and thank God that you may come and go safely.  

1. Come. Come then yourselves, and bring with you as much good company as you can; it is S. Augustine's counsel. Adduc eos ad domum Dei tecum, qui sunt in domo tuâ tecum: matter Ecclesia aliquos à te petit, aliquos repetit: petit quos inu●nit apud te: repetit quos prodidit per te, acquirat quos non habuit, non p●angat quos habuit: that is, Bring those with thee to God's house, who are with thee at thy own house: our mother the Church requesteth some of thee, some she requireth, she requesteth of thee those whom she findeth with thee, and she challengeth thee for those whom she hath lost by thy means: let her gain those which she never had, but let her not bewail the loss of those whom she hath had sometimes.  
Your own good example who have charge of families, is full of power, to fill the church of God, & the more eminent you are in your state and degree, above your brethren, the more inducing is your good example, and the fuller your families are, the fuller shall you make the congregation in the Lord's house, if you bring them all with you, thither.  
Is it not strange! playhouses, alehouses, and taverns have no steeples, nor rings of bells to toll men to them, and yet they have full resort. Churches are (for the most part) furnished with these loud voices to ring in our ears this duty, and to say to us, come, yet we come not so readily. Is it the Sign, that hath such virtue to draw multitudes together. Surely the house of God doth not want a Sign: if that will do it, Wisdom shall never want guests at her house.  
I read of four Signs in holy Scripture, and they do all belong to the house of God.  
1 jesus Christ himself is a Sign, God dwelleth at this Sign, and here is his Ordinary kept. 
isaiah 11. 10.  And in that day the root of Ishai shall stand up for a Sign to his people: the Nations shall seek to it, and his rest shall be glorious. Hear is a Sign. Here is good Company, and good Lodging: for here is rest.  
But this is that which maketh so many forsake the house of God, the Sign is not liked of many: so old Simeon prophesied of Christ, being then in 
Luke 2. 34.  his arms. This Child is set for a Sign that shall be spoken against.  
2 God dwelleth at the Sign of the Sabaoth, I am the Lord your God, hollow my Sabbaothes, and they shall be a Sign between me, and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God. Ezechiel chap. 20. verse 20. And indeed, what need is there of any other Sign, to summon us to appear before the Lord in his Sanctuary, than the name of a Sabbath, the day of God. Upon this Sign, Almighty GOD hath written a Memento; Remember that thou keep holy the Sabaoth day.  
3 The word of the Lord, is an other Sign: So doth the Prophet call it; An everlasting Sign, 
Esay 55. 13.  which shall not be cut off.  
4 The Ministers of this word are Signs: Lo I, 
Esay 8. 18.  and the children that thou hast given me, are for Signs: The Prophet and the Prophet's children: Signs and wonders, and such sights do draw company, but these signs do withal contract scorn and contempt, by the unwelcome message which they bring to sinners, and God's house is unfrequented by this means. Yet these are they whom Wisdom sendeth to invite her guests: yet their preaching is by the world called Foolishness. 
1. Corint. 1. 18.    

2. Eat.  
We are invited to eat, and that is good news to a good stomach; an evil stomach heareth of eating, with some loathing. And there are not many good stomachs to this eating: for we surffeited in Paradise, upon the forbidden Fruit, and there we lost our appetite. God's table is the best remedy against the danger of that surfeit; for his guests do ever get them a stomach with eating: for none do more desire to eat there, than they that eat most. They that make their meat their god, have nothing so good stomachs, as they that make God their meant. GOD'S guests do so, for they feed upon the flesh, and drink the blood of JESUS CHRIST, by faith in the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord: here is no danger of surfeit at this Table: for Wisdom maketh the Feast. The Master of the feast saith to every guest: Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. Psal. 81. 10.  
Come not to the Table of this eating without appetite: the Provision here is very great, and the Master of the house open handed. Thou openest 
Psal. 104. 28.  thy hand, and fillest all things living with plenteousness. Of him is said, Thou fillest the hungry 
Luke 1. 53.  soul with good things. There be some that will come to the house of GOD, but being come, they will not eat: such are our Church-Papists, who will lend us their company at the divine Service, but will not receive the Sacrament.  
There is also a great fault, which many are guilty of, and few are sensible, that they do evil: this is to come to a Church, where there is a Communion, and there to hear the word of God, and after to forsake the Congregation even at the Table of the Lord  
Our Church in our English Liturgy, hath appointed a special exhortation, to be used, and read publicly, when the Minister doth find the people negligent, in the receiving of the holy Sacrament, in which two things are severely, reproved.  
1 When men go away from the Communion, being present, where they may receive it, which is there called a great injury to God.  
2 When men go not away from Church, but stand, and look on, whilst others do receive the Sacrament, but do refuse to receive it themselves, this is there called Decision and Contempt of these holy mysteries. Therefore, Come, but eat also. Some do come for fear of the law, and eat also, to save charges, but it is against stomach, for they love not the meat.  
Others come, and they like the meat well, but they are loath to eat, in regard of the sauce which they like not the taste of, that is the Ceremonies of our Church, used in the administration of the Sacrament. Yet hath our Church protested sufficiently, that the Sacrament is entire, and pure without them, and there is no cause to require, and exact the reverent use of them, but for outward decency; of which it is more fit, that a Church should judge, than every particular person to have liberty to use his own form and fashion.  
Others keep state, they are willing sometimes to eat, but they are loathe to take the pains to Come, and eat: They look to have it brought home to their own houses. This will one day be judged, too much keeping of state: And, if God make strange, to admit them to his Eternal house, to eat with Abraham, Isaac, and jacob 
Matth. 8. 11.  there, they may thank their own idleness and pride for it. Me thinks that this eating should be a good reward of their coming so far, as to Church, and it should be no dishonour to any person on earth, to be seen often, at the house of God.  
Let us then do both: Come and eat. Christ cheereth up his guests. Eat OH friends! he accounteth 
Cantic. 5. 1.  them his friends, that will come and eat with him.  
When the three men passed by Abraham sitting at his Tent door, in the heat of the day, Abraham besought them earnestly, to come in and eat with him. If I have now found favour in thy sight, pass not away from thy servant. Genesis 1. 18. He would have taken it for a great unkindness, if they should have refused his entertainment, as he acknowledgeth it a favour done to him, for them to eat, and rest with him, but even a while. And no doubt but our Inuiter will as much take it to heart, if we shall neglect him, and will as kindly take it, if we Come and eat.  
This Food is not carnal but sacramental; it is Mentis, non dentis cibus. The food of the inward, not of the outward man. The Element is literal, and corporeal, the grace is inward and spiritual; Do this: that is, Eat in remembrance of me.  
The next circumstance showeth us what our fare shallbe.   

3 Bread.  
Our fare in the house of God is Bread; First, that David saith, that it strengtheneth the heart of man: The penitent sinner hath need of this: for he hath a broken heart, which doth want strength. The Bread of this Supper of the Lord, is the seal of our Faith, in the belief of our redemption, wrought & accomplished by Christ, the bread of life: The metaphysical faith of Rome, doth believe the very flesh and blood of Christ in this Sacrament; and affirmeth, that here is neither Bread nor Wine, but only the accidents thereof, the forms, colour, and taste, and they miraculously, and unnaturally subsisting without subject. I will not bid the adversary battle in this quarrel now, my business is the positive Divinity of our true Chucrh. We have heard with our ears, out of wisdoms invitation, that we must eat bread here, and our Fathers have told us so.  
This which we receive here, is Bread, common in the nature of it, sanctified in the use: but 
De nature. ser. 4.  as Leo saith, with the same difference that was between the Virgin Mary before the Annunciation, and after, for in both The holy Ghost came upon her, in the Annunciation, upon the Bread, in the Consecration, and the power of the Highest overshadowed both. Luke 1. 25.  
Or as Saint chrusostom; ut Saram non natura, sed Dei promissio fecit matrem: As Sara was not by Nature's way, made a mother, but by virtue of the promise: so it is not Nature but Grace, and the Ordinance of God, that maketh this Bread of the Supper, the body of Christ; yet, as Sara ceased not to be Sara, when she become a Mother, neither doth this Bread cease to be bread, when it is made and consecrated an holy Sacrament.  
Cyprian saith, Adest veritas signo, spiritus Sacramento: Truth cometh to the Sign, Truth doth not abolish the Sign, the Spirit cometh to the Sacrament, it doth not extinguish the Sacrament. For as iron heated read hot in the sire, hath the very heat and burning force of fire, yet it ceaseth not to be iron still: so the Bread of this Supper, by the virtue of the Spirit which cometh to it, is Bread of life, and is the Instrument to convey to every worthy receiver the force of the holy-Ghost, yet ceaseth not to be Bread: and so S. Paul calleth it: The Bread which we bless, is 
1 Corin. 10 16.  it not the Communion of the body of Christ?  
I conclude then with Wisdom; Come and eat Bread.   

4 But Wisdom addeth; My Bread.  
For they that feed at this Table, must feed of such Bread, as the son of God doth provide for his guests. We have Bread too. In the sweat 
Genes. 3. 19  of thy face, thou shalt eat Bread: And we do pray, Give us this day our daily bread. But this Bread of the Sacrament, is God's bread; so made in the consecration, by divine institution, in remembrance of Christ; yet so, that by our worthy receiving of it, we may make it our Bread: For, to unworthy Communicants, it is common Bread, and they find themselves after it, no more refreshed, than they were before: as a Deed sealed, is but Parchment and Wax to any, but them whom it doth concern: therefore if thou eat not of his Bread, that inviteth thee, it will not nourish thee.   

5 and drink.  
Wisdom maketh not a dry Feast, her guests shall drink too: it is so in our Saviour Christ's own Institution of this Sacrament: Drink ye all of this: And Saint Paul an Apostle of JESUS CHRIST 1 Cor. 11. 26. putteth them both together; So often as ye eat of this Bread and drink of this Cup.  
The Papists will come, and eat, but they will not drink: the Lay men and the Priests that do not Consecrated, may not drink. This is one of the most unprobable and weakest defended absurdities, in any real point of difference, between them and us. But they do affirm, that whole CHRIST, and the memorial of his whole Passion is comprehended sufficiently in either part, and therefore the Bread alone doth suffice, without the Wine. Yet Wisdom provideth both to eat and drink at her Feast, and Christ, who instituted the Sacrament, thought both necessary, and gave both to his Church in equal precept.  
But if they would needs separate whom the Lord hath joined together, had it go by most voices, the eating had rather been laid aside, than the drinking: For that doth not so much to the life express the Passion, with the benefits, as the drinking doth, but this will appear much more clearly in the next point. I will conclude this with Saint Basils' blessing, and let it light upon all them that violate the Institution of CHRIST, without repentance: Cursed be that man, that forbiddeth, where CHRIST biddeth, or biddeth where JESUS forbiddeth.   

6 Wine.  
God's provision is Wine. We may say of this Wine, In vino veritas. Hear is truth in this Wine; for it is the very soul of that saving Truth, the shedding of the most precious blood of our Redeemer for his Church. I can not found the Lay man left out in this Invitation, or in this part of it. All that are simple and destitute of understanding are bidden: and I am sure and certain they be not all Clergy men. He meaneth indefinitely, all that are sensible of their own defects, and imperfections, who see their own folly, and are ashamed of it, and desire amend it, whether Ecclesiastical or Lay persons.  
To them he offereth Wine, the fruit of the Grape, as himself calleth it, as the Sacrament of his Blood: and it is that seasonable Wine mentioned in the one and thirty chapter and the sixt verse of the Proverbs; Give Wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. Such are the true Penitents, bitter in their souls, for their trespasses committed against Almighty God. They that do refuse to drink of this Wine, shall taste of another cup: For in the hand of the Lord there is a Cup, the Wine is mixed: the wicked of the earth shall drink the dregs thereof, Psal. 75. 8. What shall they do amongst the rest, who mangle the holy Sacrament, and rob the guests of Wisdom of half their entertainment? So did the Conventicles of Trent. Hear their Canon. Si quis dixerit 
De Conc. sub unâ specie. cap. 2.  Sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam, non justis de causis & rationibus adductam fuisse, ut Laicos & etiam Clericos non conficientes, sub panis tantùm specie communicaret, aut in eo errâsse, Anathema sit. If any man shall say, that the holy Catholic Church was not led by just and reasonable inducements, to minister the holy Communion, only in the one kind, in Bread, to the Lay men, and also to the Priests, that do not themselves consecrated the Host, or that the Church hath erred in so doing; let him be accursed: whereas their own Gelasius calleth it Sacrilege to divide 
De Cons. dist. 2. Comperimus.  the Communion so; saying: Aut integra Sacramenta percipiant, aut ab integris arceantur: Let them either receive the Sacraments entire, that is, according to the Institution, or let them be denied them altogether. Tertullian saith rightly of them, Credunt sine Scriptures, ut credant contra 
De prescript.  Scripturas: They believe without Scriptures, that they may believe against Scriptures.  
The Counsel of Chalcedon determineth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
Euagrius lib. 1. cap. 17. Concil. Calced. Actio. 2.  Cursed be he that parteth, cursed be he that divideth the Sacrament.  
Saint Cyprian saith excellently well: Non iungitur Ecclesiae, qui ab evangelio seperatur: He is not joined to the Church, who is divided from the Gospel: Against those who pretend the authority of the Church, for the violation of that Institution, which is set down in the Gospel.  
The pouring out of Wine, hath a visible representation of the effusion of CHRIST blood: and, in the drinking of the Wine, which presently warmeth, and comforteth the stomach, more sensibly than in the eating of the Bread, is the powerful operation of the inward Grace, comforting the conscience to the receiver thereof expressed.  
So Hugo defining a Sacrament, requireth that 
Hugo de sancto Victore de Sacram. lib. 6. part. 9 citat. in Sum. Hug. in casibus Consc. tit. Sacramentum.  it be ex institutione figurans: it must be the sign of something, according to the institution; but in the denial of the Cup▪ the Institution hath wrong, and so the Figure imperfect. He saith also, that it must be, ex similitudine representans: that in the similitude to that whereof it is a Figure, it must make a visible representation: but the breaking of the Bread only, maketh no such sensible remonstrance to the outward sense of the shedding of CHRIST'S blood, as the pouring out of Wine, joined also with it doth. Therefore Wisdom saith; Eat of my Bread, and drink Wine.   

7 Which I have drawn or mingled.  
The Master of our Feast, will have the wine of his own drawing and mingling. He hath not thought it fit, to trust men with the drawing of his Wine, or the stopping of it up, at their pleasures. This cannot be understood better, then of the wine of this Sacrament. For it is the sole Institution of jesus Christ, the wisdom of God. He ordained it, and the purer Churches have ever received it according to his preparation.  
Where men have taken upon them to draw, and to furnish this Table with provisions, sundry fowl and gross aberrations have succeeded.  
Some have mingled water with this wine, it is a precept of the Romish church since the corruption of it: And Cyprian, otherwise a worthy Father of our Church, seemed to incline to this mixture.  
The Master of the Sentences saith, Aqua verò 
Libr. 4. dist. 11. Cyprian. epl. l. 2. epistola 3.  admiscenda est vino, quia aqua populum significat, qui per Christi passionem redemptus est: vino miscetur aqua, Christo populus. But water is to be mingled with the Wine, for water signifieth the people, redeemed by the passion of Christ; the wine is mingled with the water, Christ with the people. The people have the more wrong, who are forbidden the wine, saying, they who forbidden it, do give it out to be the Sacrament of their union with Christ.  
Others have ministered in water only, without 
Lib. de Heres. beres. 64.  wine: so saith Augustine, Some Heretics were called Aquarij: quod aquam offerant in poculo Sacramenti: Because they offered water in the Cup of the Sacrament. 
See the jesuits gospel by Master W. Crashaw De Consecr. dist. 2. Cum omne. Quo de divinis officijs.   
Others have ministered, not in wine, or water, but in milk; and I wonder that the jesuits of late times, have not preferred this practice, who ascribe equal efficacy to the milk of the Mother, and the blood of the Son of God: at lest, that they have not mingled wine and milk. Others have given bread dipped in the wine.  
The worst drawer of wine for this feast, was he who drew the wine, and mingled it for Pope Victor 
Act. & Mon. volum. 1. p. 168.  the second. Brazutus, who is recorded within the space of 13 years to have empoisoned six Popes, he mingled poison with wine in the Chalice for that Pope; as their own Story's report.  
All the mysteries of religion, and doctrines of faith, must be of Christ's own preparing for his Church: therefore we hold, that no counsel, nor all the Church hath power to altar any thing, in the doctrine of faith, or in the doctrine of the Sacraments, the seals of our faith, contrary to the ordinance of Christ. They must needs be fools that do not follow the directions of Wisdom.  
You my beloved brethren are now in the house of Wisdom, and you are invited to wisdoms Feast: Come therefore, & eat of wisdoms bread. Surely, this is your Father's house, and here is Bread enough: taste it, and you will be all ready to 
john 6. 34.  say; Lord give us evermore of this Bread: Drink of the wine now which wisdom hath drawn for you, 
Psal. 116. 13.  and say every soul of you within itself: I will now take the cup of Salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord  
Come eat (my friends) drink, and make merry, 
Cantic. 5. 1.  and much good may it do your souls,  
Amen, Amen.    

The Cape of good HOPE.  
¶ Five Sermons for the use of the Merchant and Mariner. Preached to the worshipful Company of the Brethrens of the Trinitie-House: and now published for the general Benefit of all Seamen. By SAMVEL PAGE, Doctor in Divinity.  
LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes for Simon Waterson, dwelling in Paul's Churchyard, at the sign of the Crown. 1616.   

¶ To the Honourable and Religious Knight, Sir THOMAS SMITH, Governor of the East-India Company, and to all the Honourable and worthy Adventurers in the same Society.  
THese Sermons, delivered in the hearing of our chiefest Mariners the Brethrens of the Trinity house, at their anniversary meeting, which they religiously observe, are especially addressed to the use of the Seamen. I have conceived hope, that they whom they most concern, may make some good use of these Meditations, even then, when they are far off from those many helps which our Church at home affordeth, both for Knowledge and Devotion. I have also made choice to recommend them by especial direction, to you, the honourable Governor, and worthy Adventurers of that Society, which sends forth the Seaman furthest from home, to the remotest parts of the known world, beseeching you to admit of this mine adventure amongst yours, with which you shall ever have my earnest prayers to God, for the prosperous success of your commerce & navigation. For this I rest God's petitioner for you all, humbly acknowledging my thankful duty to you, by whose unexpected and undeserved hounty, my Labours and Studies have been comforted and encouraged.  
S. P.   
THE Cape of good Hope.  

The first Sermon.  DEVT. chap. 33. vers. 18. 19 
Verse 18. And of Zebulun he said: Rejoice Zebulun in thy going out, and thou Issachar in thy Tents.  
Verse 19 They shall call the people to the Mountain: there they shall offer the Sacrifices of righteousness: for they shall suck of the abundance of the Sea, and of the Treasures hid in the Sand.  
I May with a little restraint of the words of the first verse of this Chapter, give you the contents and sum of my Text in a few words: Now this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the two Tribes of Zebulun, and Issachar before his death, and said; Rejoice, OH Zebulun, etc. The better welcome, may I hope to this Discourse, because the Argument of it is a Blessing, & he that breathed it was acceptable with God, even Moses, though a man, yet noted with that honourablest of all Appellations, a man of God. The meekest man, and the faithfullest in the house of God, that lived in his times upon the earth. And it is his dying farewell, prophetical, and pathetical. For it is the happy evidence of his wisdom in foreseeing, and of his charity in wishing all this good to the twelve Tribes, and to their posterity.  
Concerning Zebulun, whose blessing I have chosen for my Text, as best befitting this present hearing, and the occasion of this holy meeting; it consisteth of two parts.  

1 A well-wishing to that Tribe.  
2 A prophesy concerning that Tribe, which prophesy doth contain a double prediction. 

1 One is, of the service that they shall do to God.  
2 The other is, of the mercies which they shall receive from God.     

1 Of the well-wishing of Moses.  Rejoice OH Zebulun in thy going out. 
Zebulun was to help his estate by voyages at Sea, he was the Merchant-Aduenturer, and the Seaman; of his Tribe were the best Mariners, the greatest travelers. Moses by a Spirit of prophesy did foresee this, and remembering also what old Israel had prophesied of this Son, and his posterity. Zebulun shall devil by the Seaside, he shall be an Haven for Ships: he doth wish this Tribe good success, and joy in their doings out, that is, in their voyages by Sea.  
In which we are taught these things:  
1 That God hath long before, not only determined of us, but of all our courses of life, and vocations, and means of living: for Moses did read this future estate of this Tribe, in the Book of God's providence, opened and revealed unto him, by the mighty God of jaacob. Therefore, let us make this double use hereof.  
1 That no man ascribe it to fortune, or chance, that one man is a Scholar, another a Soldier, a third a Seaman, a fourth Mechanical; and that some by one, others by other means raise, and advance their estates. For this is the direction and ordination of divine Providence.  
2 That no man repined at his lot, in what ground soever it hath fallen, but let him with all thankfulness to God, endeavour himself diligently in the calling, whereunto God hath called him, to pursue both his own particular good, and the good of the state, in which he liveth.  
Secondly, we are taught, that this is a lawful, & honest vocation, to travel upon the great waters, and to practise and exercise Navigation: for otherwise, this man of God Moses, would not have wished them good prosperity in it. Yet it falleth out, that even this course of living also (as all other the most honest vocations that are in use on the earth) is often abused; yea it is thought somewhat more than the rest. The ancient Fathers do observe, that our Saviour Christ did express himself to this Sea-tribe, more than to any of the rest: For he was conceived at Nazareth, a city in the Portion of Zebulun, and in this city he was brought up: he began to preach first here: and Mount Thabor, upon which he was transfigured, was in the Tribe of Zebulun also. The reason which they give, is this, because he thought, that Tribe did most need this extraordinary direction of his doctrine, and example, of any of the rest. Indeed those places that do confine upon the Sea, and are Havens for ships, partly, in respect of the continual dangers that they do behold, and the grievous losses of men and goods, which happen in sight and hearsay, have their hearts more hardened then others: partly, in respect of the ready passage to convey away such as have deserved evil, and are pursued by the Sword of justice, and so by impunity are encouraged to offend, partly by the entertainment of such as come thither with the spoil of their Piracies, and Sea-robberies, which commonly are as wastefully rioted at Sea-towns, as they are desperately, and with hazard gotten upon the Seas, and partly by the importation of strange and corrupt manners brought out of other countries, which Apish imitation can scarce forbear to entertain and affect: surely, by some, or all these means, such places are so corrupt, that they needed all this mercy of the Son of God. Therefore these abuses in your calling, you that are grave experienced men, and that have eminent place of charge, and authority in these affairs, may do God good service, to make a conscience of admonishing those, that are under your command, of all these things: and here in let Almighty God give you both to will and to perform that, by which his blessed name may be glorified, both aboard, and ashore.  
Thirdly, we are taught by the holy, and charitable example of Moses the man of God, to wish Zebulun good speed in his Voyages, and surely the prayers and well-wishings of God's servants, and the breath of charitable benediction, is an happy gale for all that go to Sea. In us it is charity; for they are our Brother-tribe, bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh. The Church, and the Commonwealth do both bear a great Adventure in every vessel, that goeth to Sea, and therefore the Church doth teach us to pray For all that travel by land, or by water. The rather let us wish them all good, because Sea-losses are losses without recovery commonly, that malice itself (me thinks) should not be so malicious, to wish that to perish, by whose loss no advantage cometh to him that surviveth. Again, these Adventurers deserve our charity, more than others, because they seek their own poor means of bettering their petty estates, in the general advancement of the state, in which they are subjecteth: for what is the particular man's gain, in comparison of that good, which the Commonwealth recelueth by the service & employment of these men? Therefore it shall be very worthy of our Christian charity, to say to Zebulun, Rejoice OH Zebulun in thy doings out.  
And to Zebulun, that is, to the Seamen themselves; it is most necessary, that they have the holy and devout prayers of the Servants of God; the pains, the unrest, the wants, the dangers that they endure, are infinite, so that of all men that live, none are more often, or more seriously admonished to prepare themselves for death, than these men. I do not speak this, as though all were so well with us ashore, that here were no danger at all. For many do think, that it is little better than a desperate adventuring of one's self to go to Sea: they fear the closeness of the Cabins, the infectious air of the ship, the danger of drowning, they see no necessity to enforce this hazard. To such I say, and I speak with grief of heart, to see the judgements of God upon our Land, even in the compass of a few years. For, did not our last great plague teach us, that the open air of the Country, breathed no more health in her Inhabitants, than the close Cabins in a ship, or the thick▪ set houses in our greatest City? Did not the great floods in diverse parts of our Land show them, that dare not go to Sea, for fear of drowning, how God can bring home the Sea to our houses▪ and drown us in our beds? Did not the great Frost, which paved our waters, as the streets of our great City, teach us, that God can as well punish us with too little water, as too much. And did not the great dearth succeeding, in which we felt the hardness of men's hearts, not yet thawed, but keeping in provision of corn, till the poor bring forth their curses upon them, which God in Heaven heareth and ratifieth? Doth not this teach us, that our Land, as plentiful as it is, and though it seem surcharged with store, that it sendeth much away, yet it may need the help of other Countries, to supply her wants, and to put bread in the mouths of her children. To this purpose, let Zebulun weigh Anchor, and setsaile; and God give him joy in his going out, and his return.  Rejoice, OH Zebulun, in thy doings out. 
It is a lamentable thing, that any should be found in a Christian Commonwealth void of this charitable well-wishing to travailers, rather desiring that they might perish in their journey, and never return in peace to their own places of habitation. To discourage any such uncharitable heart, let me give you an example, even a fearful precedent of God's displeasure expressed on two men, two Christians, two Divines, two Preachers, two Bishops, they were in their times, 
Socr. eccl. dist. 6. 13.  great, clear and worthy Lights in the Church of God: the one was Epiphanius Bishop of Constance the Metropolitan city of Cyprus. The other was john chrusostom Bishop of Constantinople, who being at great odds, by reason of some difference in opinion; Epiphanius did sail from Cyprus, to Constantinople, to speak with chrusostom, and no accord being made there between them, rather their emulation and wrath mutually increasing, they parted, with this uncharitable exchange of most unchristian imprecation. Epiphanius said to john chrusostom, I hope thou shalt not die a Bishop: chrusostom said to Epiphanius; I hope thou shalt not return alive into thine own country. The Lord that dwelleth in heaven brought these two judgements upon them both; for Epiphanius died aboard the ship homeward bound: and john chrusostom was deprived of his Bishopric, and died in exile.  
far be this uncharitableness, and the success of it from the children of God, from all professed Christians, and in stead hereof, let Moses the man of God teach us, to wish Zebulun good passage, good success, good return in his voyages. And now the rather, because I have 
Anno 1609  not heard of any time, in our memory, which hath showed to us more heavy and sorrowful losses, then have happened of late. The Lord bless Zebulun in his voyages, the Lord bless his going out, and his return, the Lord hear him in the day of his trouble, and the God of jaacob mightily defend him.  
2 The Prophetical part of my Text, first doth foretell what service this Tribe shall perform to God: and that hath two parts of holy duty.  
1 Concerning themselves in their own particular duty to God: for they shall be religious, and shall go to the mountain: that is▪ to jerusalem, and Zion, and the holy Temple to worship there, though they do devil a good distance remote from it.  
2 Concerning others, They shall call the people to the Mountain, and draw others, not only of their own brethren, but of strangers also, to the same service▪ for their own affection in matters of religion. There must be a ground of Religion, and a love of religion, and a practice of religion in themselves, before they can win others: and the often threatening of their life, hath a notable force, and strength this way. For there is nothing doth more abet sin, then hope of long life. Nothing maketh a man more truly religious, than expectation of death; and therefore men of wise and settled judgement, do use before they go to Sea, to set their houses in order, to dispose of their estate, by their Will and Testament, to make even with God and the world, not because they must, but because they may die, they may die all together, and not one remain, as in the losses, and land-wrecks of blessed job, to bring word, and to tell the heavy tidings of their loss: and who can tell how Death found them? whether provided for it, or asleep? or drinking drunk? or swearing and cursing, and blaspheming the name of God? or any otherwise offending: so carrying them presently away to their judgement and answer for all these things.  
OH happy is their preparation then, to whom no death can be sudden, whensoever it cometh. And to this purpose it is most requisite, that Zebulun be well grounded in his Religion; because when he is at the Sea, he is divided from the Mountain of the Lord, from the holy Temple, and the Congregation, and the assembly of them which meet together, to hear the holy word of Almighty God: they that are thus removed from the ministery of the word of God, had need to consider, how they are now left to the exercise and practise of that, which they have learned already, and unto the continual reading, and meditation of the holy word of God.  
To this purpose it is a godly, and religious use that you have aboard, to pray to God morning and evening, with an united heart, and to sing holy Psalms, to praise the GOD of your help and trust, with a loud and cheerful voice, and privately, to bestow hours of leisure upon the reading of such good Books, as may stir up your zealous and religious hearts to a serious worship and service of your God. And blessed be the God which teacheth us, we have helps in this kind for our understanding, and for our comfort in so great plenty, that we cannot be without great and just blame, if we leave this duty to God undone. But it sufficeth not, that Zebulun be zealous himself, he must do good with his zeal, and by all good means endeavour to win others to the knowledge, & love, and obedient service of his God. That doth Moses also foretell.  They shall call the people to the Mountain. 
That is, they shall call sheep to the fold, or to the green Pastures, and sweet rivers of waters: and this fruitful piety in them, shall show strangers, the way to the house of the Lord, and shall tell them what things he hath done for the people that he hath chosen to be his inheritance.  
This were an happy benefit to our Church, and a great honour to our Tribe of Zebulun, if our Masters and Mariners were so expert in the managing of the holy word of God, that they could win others of foreign Countries to the love of our Religion, and the forsaking of their own superstition. This would be joy to both the jerusalems', the Church of God on earth, and the Congregation of Angels and Saints above. But it is much to be lamented, that our Sea-voiages, and the travels of our Protestant gentlemen and others to foreign parts, doth rather lose us many, to the two great agents for Satan's kingdom of darkness, the Turk, and the Pope, then gain us any from them; & that our men could but return home with the same Religion that they carry out with them, and that they would not buy the profits, and pleasures of foreign Countries, with the loss of their Religion, and the pollution of their consciences, and the shipwreck of their faith.  
When Epiphanius Bishop of Constance was to part from Costantinople, where he misliked many things, and that some of the City brought him to his ship, he took his leave of them in these words, Relinquo vobis hanc urbem, hanc regiam, hanc hypocrisin: Ego autem me hinc maturè expedio, valet. I leave you this your City, this your Court, and this your hypocrisy, and I make all the haste I can to be go away from you, far you well. So let all true English christian and religious hearts, take leave especially of our Popish adversaries: we leave you your great City of Rome, the seat of Antichrist your holy Father, the usurper of God's right, your ignorant devotion, your blind guides, your idle and superstitious ceremonies, your dissembling with God, and your deceiving of men, and we hasten from you with all speed we can make: Far you well.  
This would become our protestation of faith well, and there is need of all the caution that we can devise, to arm our travelers against the enticing and bewitching persuasions, and tiring importunities of the Church of Rome; for look upon the show, and Religion looketh more like devotion amongst them then amongst us, any man that cometh into their Towns, shall presently see a face of Religion, and shall find that the laws of their Church, do not creep fearfully the laws of their Church, do not creep fearfully upon the ground, amongst the common people only, but they are bridles for Princes, and the greatest States. They shall see that their grandes scorn not to forsake their horses, and their coaches, to kneel down in the streets and highways, in all weathers, to worship their sacrament, as it is Theatrically carried up and down, whilst all the many that are within the sight of it, are upon their knees, beating their breasts, and casting up their eyes to Heaven, muttering of some of their blind devotions in a tongue that they understand not. He shall see them fasting in good earnest, even to the weakening of their bodies, their hands full of alms, and their severe discipline drawing out of their own backs, with most cruel selfe-whipping, and many undertaking long Pilgrimages, in which they sustain exceeding great pains, and many wants. And they want not learned, and eloquent fair-spoken jesuits, and Friars, that can set forth all this, to the uttermost, to persuade strangers to come unto them. But amongst us, it is too much contrary, it is hard for a stranger to find out, whether we have any religion, or not: for it is not easily discerned by our conversation. For, do we not live, as if Bacchus were our God, in drunkenness and sensual superfluity? Do we not swear and blaspheme, as if there were no God to be angry with it; or as if the God whom we serve did delight in it, as a daily sacrifice? do we tremble at any sin? or, do we labour to win any to righteousness? how hath the prince of darkness benighted us, that we can see lewd and ungodly men, take upon them the fashions, and speeches, and behaviours of honesty, and religion, and conscience to serve a turn; and we fear to appear like ourselves indeed, righteous and religious in show, as our heart is true to God. Perchance, because men see Puritan so shaken up, and their teachers deprived, they are afraid to make any show of religion, for fear of being taken for Puritans. Not (beloved) let us never be ashamed of the gospel of Christ, though powers and principalities oppose it: that ever will be, The power of God to salvation to all that believe.  
Take heed of appearing what you are not, and take heed of concealing what you are. Si bonum 
If it be good to seem good, it is better to be so.  est bonum apparere, melius est bonum esse. And it is said of God, in him we line, move, and have our being, not our seeming, and show of what is not, but a reality of existence. Satan is all for the out side, and no more.  
I beseech you that are the heads of our tribe of Zebulun, that you would be careful of these things for yourselves, and for your companies, of which you do take charge; that wheresoever you come, you may be known to be Christians, and to be Protestant's, that it may be heard in the Psalms which you sing, that it may be seen in the devotion that you use, that it may be testified by all your carriage in bargainings, in your eating, and drinking, and universally in your whole conversation, that you may shun the devil, and those false jesuits and Priests which have belied our Land to the Adversary to be without Churches, our people without a God, or any form of religion. And if any could return home so fortunate, and successful in the cause of God, as to bring home but one of them from his superstition, to the sincere worship of our God, that one soul won from the servitude of Popish bondage, and reconciled to the Church of God, were the best, and worthiest freight that ever your vessel transported; and the Church of God should have very great cause to rejoice, and clap their hands, saying, Truth is great and it prevaileth.  
To this purpose let us bless Zebulun with the blessing of Moses the man of God, and say, Rejoice OH Zebulun, in thy going out, God of Heaven prospero thy voyage, that in it thou mayest call the people of other Nations to the Mountain of the Lord thy God.  
But what shall Zebulun, and what shall the people that he bringeth along with him do at the Temple and Mount of God? Surely they shall not come empty-handed: For they shall offer the sacrifices of righteousness to the Lord their God there.  
And this is that which David requireth in Psal. 4. Offer to God the sacrifice of righteousness, and call upon the name of the Lord Religion in these times of Moses, was very full of ceremony, and so it continued long at jerusalem, by direction from Almighty God, as may appear in the holy history of Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomie, etc.  
These Sacrifices are called Sacrificia justitiae, because they were Sacrificia justa, that is, due Sacrifices. For, seeing God required them, they that offered them, merited nothing by them at the bands of God; they did but give God his due, it was but the payment of a debt to him: or, they were called Sacrificia justitiae, Sacrifices of righteousness, in respect of God's eye upon them, which was not upon the Sacrifices so much, as upon the righteousness of the offerer of them to him. For God doth not respect quantum, but, ex quanto, not how much is in the hand, but how much is in the heart; not what is given, but with what zeal of God's glory, with what holy affection: or they are called Sacrifices of Righteousness, because all Sacrifices were types and representations of that true, and absolute propitiatory Sacrifice, which was once offered for all, even JESUS CHRIST our righteousness. For in them he was offered.  
But now to sort this Doctrine, and to persuade this duty to those times, in which old things are passed away, and all things are become new, let us learn our duty herein of the holy Apostle Saint Peter 1 Pet. 2. where he saith, Ye are made an holy Priesthood, to offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by jesus Christ: And of all the Sacrifices that in the old Law were offered to God, let the Holocaust, or burntoffering be our example, for that resembleth our holy and true mortification: for therein all was consumed to ashes, and nothing thereof was left. So saith Saint Gregory Sunt quidam qui nihil sibi reseruantes, totum Deo immolant. Again, Omne quod habent, omne quod viwnt, omne quod sapiunt, Deo offerunt. There be some that offer all to God without reservation, all that they have, whatsoever, is in their life, or in their knowledge. Of such a man he saith, Ipse qui sacrificat immolatur. He that sacrificeth, is the Sacrifice. This kind of immolation pleaseth Almighty God best, this resembleth the Sacrifice of JESUS CHRIST, who was Sacerdos & victima, for he offered up to the Father, himself, the price of our redemption. This is the Doctrine of Saint Paul; I beseech you Brethrens, that you offer up your bodies a lively Sacrifice unto God, etc.  
To this purpose is this your holy meeting in the house of God once by the year, that you may recount the manifold, and gracious mercies of God vouchsafed to you in your voyages, in the protection of your persons, and of your goods, in deliverance of you from perils of the Sea, from perils of the Winds, from perils of Rocks, and Sands, from perils of professed enemies, and of false brethren. And for that he hath blessed you with the blessings of the earth, both native and foreign, with the blessings of the Sea, and of the great Deeps. And that you may for this offer unto God sacrifices of righteousness and pay your vows to the most High, even your sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving. I will conclude this point with the holy benediction of the Prophet David, which I pray God to give to the whole Tribe of our English Zebulun, both at home and abroad.  
The Lord hear you in the day of your trouble, the name of the God of jaacob defend you.  
Sand you help from his Sanctuary, and strengthen you out of Zion.  
Let him remember all your offerings, even your offerings of righteousness, and turn your burnt-offerings into Ashes.  
And grant you according to your heart, and fulfil all your purpose.  
That you may rejoice in your salvation, and set up the banner in the name of your God, when he shall perform all your petitions.  
Concerning the second part of the prophesy which promiseth mercies to the Tribe of Zebulun: we see how blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, and walketh in his ways: For he shall eat the labour of his hands; his labours at home and abroad, ashore and aboard, wheresoever he laboureth: thus David putteth the service of God, and the mercies of God together. First, Let the people praise thee (OH God) let all the people praise thee. And Than shall the earth bring forth her increase, and God even our God shall bless us. Such is the consequence of my Text. Zebulun shall offer to God sacrifices of righteousness, and then shall the Sea bring forth her increase: for they shall suck of the abundance of the Sea, and of the Treasure hidden in the Sand.  
But I will reserve the handling of this Point, until it please Almighty God, we meet upon this like occasion: till then, The grace of our Lord jesus Christ, etc.  
Laus Deo.    

Zebuluns' Blessing: the second Part.  
To the same Audience, june the twelfth, being their Election day, as before. Anno 1609.  DEUTER. 33. 19 For they shall suck of the abundance of the Sea, and of the Treasure hid in the Sand. 
THE second Part of Moses his prediction to this Tribe, is in these words, and they are a good encouragement to them that adventure by Sea: for it assureth us of the lawfulness of that vocation, seeing God blesseth it. There be many on earth, that strive and struggle to increase their means, and to make themselves an estate, who because they work not in a lawful calling, fail of the blessing of God upon their labours, their treasures are hid in bottomless bags. Therefore let Zebulun go forth and prospero: God doth bless him, and Moses ministerially pronounceth it, saying, They shall suck the abundance of the Seas, and of the treasures hid in the Sands.  
In the meditation of which blessing let us consider these three things.  

1 That God hath filled the Seas with abundance:  
2 That God hath hid treasures in the Sands:  
3 That both these shall be Zebuluns' blessing.   

The first.  
In the first creation of the world God made the waters, and he called the gathering of them together, Seas; and God saw that it was good: Genesis 1. 10. And God, not loving a barren good, added this blessing; Let the waters bring forth in abundance every creeping thing that hath life, Genesis 1. 20. Than God created the great whales.  
David saith, There is Leviathan, who taketh his 
job 41. 24.  pastime therein. job saith of him, In earth there is none like him, his jaws are like to doors, his scales to shields, and the Sea is said to boil like a pot about him. For the use of this abundance of the Sea, Moses showeth, that God appointed man to be 
Verse 26.  the Lord over it: Let us make man, and let him rule over the fish of the Sea. Yea those great whales (by virtue of this dominion) are subject unto man, and he maketh them his prey.  
This abundance of the Sea was created for the use of man. It hath been an ancient practice in the Church to diet her children, appointing some days for eating of fish, and forbidding the use of flesh in those days.  
The reasons hereof in medicine, I am more ready to learn, then to teach. But because God's works are seen on the Seas, and his wonders in the deep waters, and that our Sea-fish doth come with more adventure of the fisherman, and with more seen providence of God, when men fish for an unseen prey: therefore even this diet adviseth us, to value the creature more, and to honour the bountiful giver thereof unto us. For Abraham's servant to fetch in a Calf from the stalls. jaacob to bring a Kid from the fold; Esau some venison from the field: this doth not so much express how God filleth us with plenteousness, as doth the unseen prey, which the fisherman bringeth from Sea: therefore they may say with jaacob most fitly and properly, Genesis 27. 20. Because the Lord my God brought it to my hand. Thus our meat may make us meditate on the good providence of God. So, whether we eat or drink, or whatsoever we do else, we shall take continual occasion to glorify our God.  
Some have made question, which is richest, the Land, or the Sea? we read of a blessing of abundance given to the great waters, God doth all abundantly; but this sea-aduenture is known to us but generally, and but little of it (in comparison) is yet discovered to men, the abundance of the earth is much more in sight. All Scriptures do testify that God is plenteous▪ abundant in goodness and in truth: he filleth the hungry with good things. He filleth every living thing with plenteousness: he gave Manna to Israel, till they cried out upon it, they were weary of that light meat, and he gave them flesh till it came out again at their nostrils.  
It is noted in the Son of this God, living on earth, that in the miracles which he wrought, he did work more abundantly in the quantity, and in quality made all things very good. Not better wine could be, then that at the Marriage in Cana of Galilee, and he caused the measures to be filled up to the brim.  
He turned the five Loaves, and two Fish; at another time, the seven Loaves, and a few little Fish into so plentiful a provision, that multitudes were sufficed, and great remains of the broken meat left, even more than the first proportion, when they sat down to eat.  
And not on earth only did he perform this plenty, but to show his power, even in the great waters, he coming to some of his Disciples when they were fishing, commanded Peter to cast his net into the Sea, and Peter doing it upon his word, contrary to the rules of fishing: there yet was so great a draft of fish, that the nets broke with the weight thereof. Thus hath God sown the great and boisterous element of waters, with the spawn of all sorts of fish, and crowned the deeps with abundance.  
Besides this blessing of the seas, God hath made the great waters pervious to our vessels, and hath taught us to found paths in those deserts of waters, to stranger shores, so leading us to a new abundance, by commerce and importation of commodities useful for the necessities of men.  
This tribe of Zebulun is the Merchant and Mariner, his goods and life are adventured to fetch in this foreign abundance, these transplant the plenty of other Nations into their own Land, and bring home abundance.  
Who can discern that our Land doth want the two rich commodities of Wine and Oil, and the fruits of neighbour-nations.  
Great is the distance of those Indieses, which furnish us with Spices of all sorts, yet our ships semicircle the world, going and returning rich fraights of those commodities: all this is the Abundance of the Seas.  
And we inhabiting these Countries of Great Britain and Ireland, being Islanders, and lying in the Sea, as Tyrus sometimes did, do much depend upon the Seas, for our store of many necessaries. This moat which the hand of God hath digged about our Lands, this girdle of great waters, wherewith he hath surrounded us, doth bring us also abundance of strength, that we may say of our God, he husbandeth and tilleth the Seas for our use, for our profit, for our pleasure, and for our defence, And I hope there is none amongst us, so unthankful, but he will confess, that as the wisdom and power of the Almighty: even so, the gracious providence of God, is, That Spirit which moveth upon our waters: so great is the extent of man's domination, not limited on the dry ground, but spread on the deeps.  
They who take use of these benefits of God, and taste of the abundance of the Sea, must either adventure their persons, or their goods, to fetch in this plenty there will be expected from them, very great industry. This earth on which we live without culture, and much pains of the Husbandman, yieldeth nothing but the curse of weeds, and great is his travel that diggeth or ploweth up the furrows thereof.  
The Seaman tasteth of the abundance of the Sea, but he earneth it with much loss of his rest, with many fearful conflicts with wind and water, and oftentimes, with the present horror even of visible death.  
So neither Land nor Sea feedeth the idle, both of them say nay to such, as would eat, and would not work.  
Yet there is a work, and travel to fetch in by Sea transmarine abundance, and this is much in use now: it is by Sea-theeving and piracy, illis robur & aes triplex: Surely their hearts are more hard than Adamant, who traveling in the continual fight of death, and hell. David saith of their Sea-tosses up to heaven, and down to hell; the Sea opening upon them like a grave, and their ships seeming to them but Coffins, in which they go down quick into the deeps: who having in continual sight, not the ordinary works of God, but his wonders: and seeing the right hand of God armed against them, yet do not fear to dare the Almighty with their professed rebellions, both against God, who hath given a contrary law, and against their neighbours, whose lives and goods, thou oughtest, by the law of true charity to tender, and preserve to the benefit of their brethren, as carefully, as their own to their proper use: and against the merciful loan of the creatures, the Sea, and winds, and shipping lent to us by our Maker, to make us more able to do him service, and to be more comfortable one to another. These gather in the abundance of the Seas, and engross the gatherings of their brethren, bought with the dear hazard of their lives, and with many sorrowful sufferings.  
Let me deliver my opinion and thoughts concerning these men, as I hold no life on earth that hath liberty, so full of gall, as is the Sea man's, nor any goods more dearly bought then what he fetcheth from far: so I hold no theft so mischievous, as to rob him, to strip him out of the fruits of his great labours, to take his victuals from him, and to spoil him of his munition: it is all life blood, that is so taken away, and no robber can deserve more severity of justice, than the pirate doth. In this world I may safely, and I justly do wish it; Let there be judgement without mercy to him that showeth no mercy. Therefore let Almighty God and man punish such in this world, that God may save their souls in the world to come.   

The second.  

1 Hidden. In the next place we considered, that God hath buried treasures in the Sands: And no doubt but Sea and Land have yet a plentiful store of riches undiscovered to man: Some may ask, were not all these things created for the use of man? how is it then that man hath them not?  
To this our answer is, that God is not pleased to let us have all those things in sight, both out out of his justice, and out of his wisdom.  
For the justice of God herein we may behold the strength of Adam's curse upon his posterity: Thou shalt eat thy bread in the sweat of thy face: God will put man to the pain, to seek out for this treasure: he loveth not that man should eat the bread of idleness; labour may be called Sacramentum maledictionis humanae, even the sacramental sign of man's curse; it putteth us in mind of our sin, and still calleth upon us to take heed, jest some worse thing fall out against us.  
Man (saith the Prophet) goeth forth to work, and to his labour till the evening: the Seaman doth hold it out often from morning to morning, he cannot call the night his sleeping time, but in the worst of weather, when all ashore hide themselves from the fury of a storm, he must bear the violence and rage thereof, in the darkest night he must say to his eyes, close not, and to the remples of his head, take you no rest.  
Thus hath the justice of God set man awork, hiding these treasures out of sight, to put us to pains to find them: and how many be there of our brethren, who have put their lives and their little All, that they have, into one adventure, in one Bottom, casting all upon the providence of God, to travel his paths in the Seas, and to search foreign Sands for these hidden treasures.  
OH that we were wise to understand this! and to behold the riches of the mercy and love of God to us; he hath hid our temporal treasures, but hath opened to us our spiritual riches, the treasures of grace are not kept under lock & key, the light of his countenance is not hid under a bushel: He spoke the word, & there were multitudes of Preachers: he hath given us his word, verbum faciens, in our creation, a making word, verbum loquens, in the mouth of all his Prophets, which have been since the world began, a speaking word: verbum factum a word made for us, even his Son, jesus Christ manifested in the flesh: verbum scriptum, a word written for us, which he hath left to his church. Neither is 
Deut. 30. 13.  it beyond the seas, that we should say, who shall go over the Sea for us, and bring it to us, and 'cause us to hear it, that we may do it. But the Word is very near 
14,  unto thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart to do it.  
And Christ bids, Search the Scriptures, for in them 
john 5.  you think to have eternal life. The word that is near to us let us search, the most fear we have, is, of the word brought from far, and of religion that is imported in strangers Bottoms.  
Thus God that opens his hand in spiritual graces, inhearteth it in temporal, so that these are hidden and our industry exacted to seek them out: yet a promise is annexed: Seek and ye shall found: Yea a caution is prefixed, Seek first the kingdom of God.  
God is a great hider, for even in spiritual favours, our faith beholdeth many things unseen: and we see in Anigmate, in a dark saying▪ and we know but in part. There is a great measure of loving kindness, which God hath laid up for them that fear him, beside that which he hath done before the sons of men. But where are the treasures here mentioned?   

2 Hide in the Sand.  
This concealment, hiding riches in Sand, is;  
1 parvum in magno: A little hidden in a great deal, the Sands are infinite, great treasures are hardly found: if hidden in them, this requireth a great search and industry. The vein and rich thread of gold in the earth is but little, yet it discourageth not men, for it to dig deep, and to remove great quantities of earth, to discover it, and to bring it forth.  
But indeed such are all the comforts of life: Dij omnia vendunt laboribus: God selleth men his treasures for their labours.  
2 It is Pretiosum in vili, in vile sands are hidden precious treasures; and it teacheth how these riches of the world are to be valued, their Maker thinketh the sands treasuries good enough for them. Whereas foolish man overweeneth them so much, as to think Cor Cordis, the in most chamber of his heart a place, scarce good enough, to lay up the love of these things: o that we would take notice where our God disposeth of these things, Dust in dust.  
3 It is Incertum divitiarum; these be discovered to be uncertain riches: o trust not in uncertain riches, you are unsure to found them, they be hid, the foundation of them is sands, & sands by the sea, subject to the wash and remove of the waterbreach, he builds on sands that trusteth them.  
4 It is Fructus in sterili, Fruit in a barren soil: For of the sand it is said, Plwium recipi, & fructum non facit: yet here hath God hidden treasure for us, so graciously turning all to our use, and benefit: Only man is a barren soil, he bringeth forth no fruit; and worse than these sands, for he hath no treasure hidden in his nature.  
Only some rich men are like these sands, that hide and heap up much treasure, yet neither bring forth any fruit, nor show it; except the wash of the sea, some troubles of life, discover it.  
Let the good servants of God take comfort of this; that God is so rich in his mercies, and hath so enabled all creatures to the service of man, that the barren sands of the sea shall be their storehouses, of rich treasures, to retain their wants.    

3 Moses blesseth Zebulun with these things: In which observe: first, that no Tribe nor people do better deserve to have hidden treasures revealed to them then the Mariners. Reuben is safe in the noise of the bleating of his Lambs. Issachar takes his rest in his tents. These men deprive themselves of the ease, and plenty, and pleasure of the earth, & endure all weathers: yet for all this Moses doth wish these treasures to them as God's blessings, and not as the deservings of their pains. They deserve of them that set them awork, but not of God, and therefore let them esteem the fruits of their labours, the free favours, and blessings of the Almighty: that this consideration may both make them more thankful, for the receipt, and less wasteful in the expense of these get: For is it not pity, that God's good treasures should be profusely squandered, which he had so carefully hidden. And that is to turn the good blessing of God into a curse.  
2. Note in the Phrase here used: They shall suck: The tenderness of God to his servants, of whom David saith, As a father hath pity on his children, so shall the Lord have compassion on all them that fear him.  
Here he putteth out his children to nurse, to the Sea, and this is a boisterous and rough nurse, but her milk is abundance: to the Sands, and this seemeth a dry and barren nurse, but her milk is Treasures. Thus are we all in this life like children at the breast, to be fed, and it is the gracious goodness of God to us, that when we beg of him nothing but panem quotidianum: Daily bread, he giveth us abundance, and enricheth us with treasures.  
This is the reward (my Brethrens) of your Labours, in your lawful vocation: let the Giver of every good and perfect gift be pleased to freight you with this abundance, and with these Treasures.  
But do not you withhold God's Custom from him, the humble and devout thankes-givings of your hearts, and voices, the calves of your lips to his praise: so shall you, by his favour, make many rich returns, and God shall give unto you the Blessing of peace.  
Laus Deo.    

Zebuluns' Blessing: The third Sermon.  PSAL. 37. 5. Commit thy way to the Lord, and trust in him, and he shall bring it to pass. 
THESE words lead us into four especial Considerations, fit for the occasion of this meeting:  

1 That the Sons of men have their ways, that is, their vocation, wherein they must walk [Thy way.]  
2 That true Christians, even all the faithful Servants of God, in these their ways, cast their care upon God, using the means, but depending upon God for the success: [Commit to the Lord]  
3 That they do this merely out of faith, and trust in God, not out of presumption, or idleness [and trust in him.]  
4 That this is done with good success, and most happy reward of faith: For [he shall bring it to pass.]   

Of the first, that is, The ways of men.  
Almighty God that gave a being to the sons of men, and wrote in the hearts of men, a Law of Nature, did not suffer his reasonable part to be so much decayed in the ruins of our first Parents, but that men, so soon as they grew up to the understanding of themselves, began to bethink themselves of, and shortly to apply themselves to means of promising likeliehoode to give them maintenance.  
God gave this light first, who turned Adam out of Paradise, to till the earth, and sold the sons of men, the fruits of the earth for the sweat of their brows.  
This made Adam's sons, and children's children fall to work, jubal in Tents, jubal in Music, Tubalcain in Brass and Iron.  
Thus was the world kept in breath, thus were wants supplied, and thus were many excellent things devised daily.  
All these be the ways of man, the several employments in this life: Issachar for Burdens, Zebulun an Haven for Ships: some travailing upon the Land, some upon the great Waters. In all these we behold;  
1. That God who maketh us, leaveth us not so, but being created, he taketh care to dispose of us also in the world: we do not come under the tree of Fortune, (as it pleaseth the Painter to set it forth) to take such choice as befalleth us, but God propoundeth unto us our course of life, and frameth our like to it, so that we give it the name of Vocation, because God calleth us unto it.  
This is given us in precept; Let every man abide in that calling wherein he was called.: Cor. 7. 20. And there is a gracious promise; He shall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee [in all thy ways.] This the Devil skipped in the quotation of this Scripture, when he tempted our Lord, that it might give us hope, even when we are out of our ways, and do things without the warrant of a lawful calling. If you be in any evil way, assure yourselves, that you are out of your way; for ye are not called by God to uncleanness, but to holiness, 1. Thessal. 4. 7. Therefore, whosoever live here by unlawful means, unjustifiable by the word of God, are all out of their way; and the faster they go, the further they flee from grace and glory.  
2. We may infer properly, that if God dispose men in all lawful callings, he doth enable so many as he doth dispose with understanding, judgement, and discretion in some suitable measure, to the business of that calling. For ways do imply walking: So he filleth Bezaleel, and Ahaliab with his Spirit to carve in wood, and brass, and for all curious needlework.  
So that a natural indisposition to such a course of life, or a natural unfitness in us, for it, is a great argument to discover our undertaking such a trade or profession; for it is via: but not via tua: it is a good profession, but not thy profession.  
Surely, the Lord faileth not them that do go aright: he maketh their feet like unto hinds feet. He prepareth their way, and enableth them in their expedition, and facilitateth their journey.  
3. This painful variety of industrious professions in the life of man, serveth to show us the reward of sin, for sin did put us to all this pains, and need found out Sciences, and Arts: this differs much from the pleasing exercise of Adam, in the state of innocency, which was, to walk the Garden of Eden, and to dress that.  
For he could have found himself work in that Garden, in the experience of many natural Conclusions, whereof he had the theory and contemplation, in the perfection of his Image, but now by sin expulsed thence, he was put into a courser and homelier service. Thank sin for the travel of your whole life: and when you groan under weary burdens, and feel the tedious length of painful journeys, cry peccavi: for that hath brought upon thee all this.  
4 Let us thank our God, who hath by these our callings, set us into a course: first, of thrift, both to relieve our necessities, & to gather something for posterity: secondly, of charity to supply the wants of our needy brethren, whom God hath cast upon our charity, & for whom we must labour: thirdly, of policy, to support the Commonwealth, in which we live: For the Plough helpeth to support the Crown, and all lawful vocations have as a particular & private gain to the industrious agents themselves, so also a most profitable resultance to the Commonwealth.  
In which kind the Merchant and the Mariner have their special right done them, to be esteemed men working bono publico, for the common good. They that blow the sea for an harvest, and go to a people whose language they understand not, to vent the overplus of our plenty: and to import into these Dominions, the rich exchange of foreign commodities: these give much content at home and abroad, and divide the benefit of their labours amongst us, and our neighbours: the fruits whereof are these two, Richeses, and Peace.  
5 Let the name of a way given to our calling, set us a going. Ways are not for sitting or standing, or lying, for eating, or sleeping, but properly for going: And let us walk in these ways, not as Fools, but as Wise, not in surffeting and drunkenness: For that turneth men into beasts: not in wantonness, for that softeneth the hard temper of validity, and melteth magnanimity▪ and high spirits into baseness: not in covetousness, for that maketh us Idolaters, to give our Gold the honour which is only due to him that hath made both it and us also:  
Not in pride, for that robbeth us of ourselves, and maketh us our own Idols: not in envy, for that maketh us fall when others rise: not in contention, for that armeth the right hand against the left, and teacheth the teeth to bite the tongue: not in idleness, for that is the rust of Virtue: not in disobedience to Superiors, for that is anarchy and confusion: not in disobedience to God, for that is theomachy and rebellion: and if thou do fall into any of these ways, thou art not in the way, wherein of right thou oughtest to walk.  
There was a rich young man and a Ruler, (for so the Evangelists do express him) who fearing that he went not in the right way, came running with all speed in his body, and with as much zeal in affection: and kneeling with humility and reverence in outward gesture, demannded of JESUS CHRIST, Master, what shall I do they I may inherit life everlasting?  
Let him be our example, seeing we must needs walk, let us go to JESUS CHRIST to inquire the way. I am the way (saith he) and no man goeth to the Father but by me. They that make their own reason and understanding, or their own appetite and will, the Bynosure or Polestar, by which they stir their course, in this Mediterrane Sea of human life. They that sound their depth with their own lead, their own leaden and misled judgement: they that fill their sails with the gale of popular breath, and have no better Anchors then earthly hopes, nor truer Compass then human forecast cast, wonder not if they founder in the Sea, or wrack in the haven where they think to sing Welcome home.  
6 The name of Ways here used, admonisheth us, that we are far from home, we are in via, traveling homeward, let the hope of homecheere, the tedious passages of our weary pilgrimage here on earth: and let the name of a way, put us out of desire to build Tabernacles here, or to seek residence where we have but our passage.   

2 We must commit these ways to God.  
Devolve te super jehovam: Cast thyself upon God; it is as much as, Cast your care upon God: it is a Precept much urged by our Saviour, in his Sermon upon the Mount, that we should not be too solicitous for the things belonging to this life. Many arguments are there urged: Consider,  

1 The power of God, who can provide for us.  
2 The goodness of God, who will do it.  
3 The evil that we suffer in the rack, the distraction of mind.  
4 The disabling of us in the service of God:   
For these cares do not allow us time to serve God: and they be those thorns that choke the good Seed in us. It was merrily spoken of the Cynic Philosopher, who being laid down to rest, & his purse by him, espied one who thought him asleep, secretly reaching at it, to whom he said; Aufer ut uterque securius dormiamus. Take it that we may both sleep the sounder. He found that a little money troubled his rest, and brought him care, and therefore easily parted with it: they that do know these things to be cares, stoop under them as burdens, they that esteem them as rich treasures, stoop to them, and adore them as idols.  
Let thy ways be honest and lawful, and commit them to the Lord boldly: let no man think, that God will bear him out in dishonest courses. And be thou moderate in the way, for it advauneeth the speed of thy journey. When jacob recommended his way to God, he made very few and moderate demands. If God will be with me, and will keep me in this journey, which I go, and will give me bread to eat, and clothes to put on, etc. Genesis the eighteenth chapter and twentieth verse. Such a way we may boldly cast upon God, and he will take charge of us.  
Agur the son of jakeh so desired to be limited by Almighty God: Give me not poverty, nor riches, feed me with food convenient for me, Proverbs the thirtieth chapter and the eighth verse: This he thought a safe way, between the danger of Fullness, which is The denial of God: and the danger of Necessity: which is, Taking of the name of God in vain.  
To speak more particularly to you, whose goods, and whose persons, in the eye of man, seem a great deal more endangered, being adventured on the Seas, than theirs, who abide on firm land: to you I say; Commit your ways to the Lord: his way is also in the Sea, and upon the great deep: and his providence is not confined to the shore, in the many fearful appearances of danger and death, in the hideous noise of the winds and waters, remember to cheer up yourselves as the Apostle doth. But I know whom I have trusted, I have committed my ways, and rested my hopes upon him that careth for me. To this purpose, it is an holy wisdom in the Adventurers, to make good choice of the Master, and Officers of the ships, that take charge: let them be such as fear God, that for their sakes God will be favourable to the voyage, and bring them to the Haven where they would be: and let God be earnestly solicited for his blessing upon the voyage. For (as Moses saith) so may you all say, at the setting sail first, & at your first weighing of anchor: If thy presence go not forth with us, carry us not hence, Exodus chapter thirty three and fift verse: So shall he bring you to the Haven where you would be.   

3 This is done by faith in God: trust in him.  
True faith is known by this note among many others, it trusteth God only, with the success of all our actions, but useth all the means that God affords for th'accomplishment of our ends. He that at Sea sits still, having charge of a ship, and commands his company to rest, saying God shall be Master of the Ship, and he shall bring it to the desired Port; shall never arrive.  
David expresseth Gods ready and gracious help, but it is when the Mariner hath done his best, and is now at his wits end, when all his Cunning is go, when the Sailors stagger like drunken men, than the Lord cometh between them and their danger, and maketh the storm to cease: Teaching that where we have used our whole endeavour, there we may safely cast ourselves upon Divine Providence.  
An excellent example hereof Saint Luke relateth in Paul's voyage, where the danger was great, the ship laden, and the souls above 276, they had so sore a tempest, that with their own hands they cast forth the very Tackling of the ship, Neither Sun, nor Star, for many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on them, all hope that they should be saved was taken away, then God, by his Angel, promised to Paul by night, that he would give him all that sailed with him: yet the same S. Paul did require, that they that could swim should cast themselves into the sea, and eseape so: others, should lay hold on boards and broken pieces of the ship; so trusting upon the promise of God that they did neglect no means of safety.  
That we may boldly trust to him in times of danger, it is required that we seek him in fair weather, lest he know us not in a storm: they that make no conscience to offend God in their mirth, do lop the tree which should shade them from the Sunbeams, and shelter them from a shower: they that provoke God to anger, cut the bough they stand upon, and make themselves fall. It is holy policy, to maintain friendship and love with our God, that in the most grown Sea of tribulation, we may Commit our way to the Lord, and trust in him.  
Saint Paul thinketh it the most reasonable service of God, for us to give up our bodies to him a living sacrifice, to make a Present of our selves to God, and we cannot lose by it.  
It is recorded of Socrates, that whereas he received great rewards of his Scholars, for his reading to them, Aeschines a poor Auditor of his having nothing to give him, said; Quod unum babeo, meipsum tibi dono, qui plus dederunt, tibi reliquerunt plus. Having nothing else to give thee in reward, I bestow myself upon thee; they that have given thee more, have left themselves more: and he did this to his own great advantage: for Socrates took it so kindly, that he answered him: Habebo curam, ut te tibi reddam meliorem quam accepi. I will have a care to restore thee to thyself better than I received thee. Our God requireth, saying, My son, glue me thy heart. And Danid saith, Thou shalt make me to understand wisdom in the secret in my heart: so gaining by the giving of himself away to God.  
But this is no sufficient trial of our trust in God, if we only trust to him in respect of the good which we receive from him. Satan will inform against us, that if Almighty God shall once punish us, Than we will curse God to his face. Therefore the trial of our Faith and Trust, is in affliction and want, when we are under the rod of God, when he smiteth, and yet we praise his name, even when we smart, and when our fear cometh.  
This will be a good evidence for us, that it is not because we are idle, that we do depend so confidently upon God. It was the false challenge of Israel by King Pharaoh, That they desired to go and serve their God, because they were idle; and therefore he put more work upon them. Certainly, the Elect trust in the Lord, so as they neglect no duty by him enjoined, but do mingle Obedience with their Faith: and although there be many things which we possess in this world, which do serve for good use; for help, for delight, for necessity, all of them ordained for our good; yet we find none of all these worthy to be trusted; Trust not in Princes, nor in any son of man: Cease from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for wherein is he to be esteemed?  
Trust not in riches; If riches increase, set not thine heart upon them.  
Trust in God only, he can add to thy stature, he is thy ancient acquaintance, he knew thee in thy first shapeless infirmity, he fashioned thee in the womb, he hath given thee breath and life to thy body, he hath taken account of every hair of thine head: he saith, Put all thy tears in his bottle: and only he can say to thy Soul, I am thy salvation.  
Thus did David recomfort his disconsolate Soul, why art thou so disquieted within me? trust in God: and such a trust it must be, as in this Psalm is followed with good life: For David having first persuaded to trust in the Lord, ver. 3. He exhorts to be doing of good, verse 4. He requires to delight in the Lord: showing that true Faith hath obedience to express it, and delight to encourage it.   

4. The success of this dependence: He shall bring it to pass.  
He that soweth, soweth in hope of an Harvest, the righteous are promised to eat, The fruit of their labours. How can he but prospero in his ways, who maketh his beginuing at him, who is the alpha, and beginning of all things? how can the tree be unfruitful, which the right hand of God hath planted, and set by rivers of waters, to water it at the root, and refresh it with showers of the early and latter rain? Learn then,  
1 To acknowledge God the author of the success of all thy affairs, that thou mayest entertain both prosperous & disastrous events, with equal thanksgiving. The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away, in both Blessed be the name of the Lord: take heed of Sacrificing to thine own net: or kissing thy own hand: in which two phrases is expressed our thanking ourselves, for the success of our delights.  
2 Learn to know how far thy care may stream itself, and where it must rest, the industry in the use, aswell as the wisdom in the choice, of lawful and likely means; both these are Gods gifts to thee, and he requireth of thee, that thou employ them in thine affairs and businesses of life, but the issue is the Lords; let not thy care disquiet thee for the event: take heed of that compass wisdom which so belaieth events, as if God should not interpose a Cross: this tasteth much of selfe-confidence, and distrust in God. The servants of God have ever found it safe, to cast their care upon God: it must needs be a way of thrift: for God which holdeth nothing from them that be of an upright heart. And the Apostle saith, That Godliness is great riches. There be few of us, but have experience sometimes, the Mariner more than the most, that God doth sometimes plunge us in such hopeless impossibilities, that our best reason can find no evasion, the Mariners cunning fails him, & we are lost in our bethinking, yet he giveth an issue, and all to make us acknowledge that it was he that he brought it to pass.  
To him be given all glory, of whom we beg all things necessary, and in him be all our trust and confidence, from this time forth and for evermore, Amen.    

Zebuluns' Blessing: The fourth Sermon.  PSAL. 95. 5. The Sea is his, and he made it. 
IN this Psalm, the faithful do provoke one another to praise the Lord: two things are especially urged, to induce this duty: First, the greatness: Second, the goodness of God: his greatness is 

1 proclaimed v. 3. for the Lord is a great God etc.  
2 exemplified 

1 on earth,  
2 at Sea: in my Text, in which, 

1 in profundis, the deep places.  
2 in sum. lati Sus, the highest mountain.       let us consider these three things;  

1 Opus, the work done, the Sea.  
2 Opificem, the Workmaster, he made it.  
3 Dominium, the sovereignty over it, it is his.   


1 The work  Concerning the work done, the Sea, it is a work of that nature, that it hath in it, opera, and mirabilia, both Works and Wonders: for here is.  
1 Miraculum in modo: a miracle in the manner of the operation. For as S. Ambrose saith: eodem modo producitur balaena, quo rana, non laborat Deus in maximis, non fastidit in minimis: he makes the whale as easily as the frog, he doth not travel in the production of greatest creatures, nor scorn the production, and creation of the lest.  
2 Miraculum in modo: a wondet in the knitting together of these two elements of water, & earth in one spherical and round body.  
There be four things which make the work of this creation of the Sea most admirable.  
1 Situs. The situation of the Sea, which God hath so wonderfully divided from the earth, that we may have a dry land to devil upon, and yet so joined it to the earth, that it is one Globe with it.  
2 Motus. The ebbing and flowing of the Sea, which is the natural Motion, and the violent Agitation of the great waters by the force of the winds: the first is rather disputed then resolved in the Schools of natural learning, and the wonder is of all confessed.  
Faetus. The breed of the Sea is yielded to be full of wonder, so many sundry sorts of fishes, & they multiplying so innumerably, that the Sea is thought more rich in the variety of creatures, than the earth, & in the number more populous, and many of our creatures on earth daily discovered to resemble those on the shore.  
4 Vsus The use of the Sea is another wonder, for it is divers, I will limit myself; it is fourfold: 1 Natural, 2 Artificial, 3 Moral, 4 Divine.  
In the naturali use of the Sea S. Ambrose noteth: 
1 Natural.   
CITIZEN It is Hospitium flwiorum, the receptacle of all rivers: for as all rivers come from the Sea thorough the secret passages of the earth, whereby the inward parts of the earth are humected, and the secret mines of the earth, which are hidden treasures, are hereby maintained: so do all rivers return again to the Sea, and here they exonerate themselves, whose overflow would else oppress the earth, that they seem rather ad sitim, to quench the thirst of the dry Land, then ad ebrietatem, to drown it: Thus the earth is drained, and the Sea is that common Sewer to carry away all the waste thereof.  
2 It is Fons imbrium; For from hence doth the Sun exhale those vapours which being bound up in clouds, by the almighty hand of God, are by the same hand let loose again, to water the earth, and to refresh the surface thereof, with the early and latter rain, whereby the inheritance of God is cheered and repaired.  

2 Artificial  Secondly, the Art of man hath made the sea useful, as S. Ambrose observeth further, for sundry purposes.  
The first is invectio Commeatuum, it yieldeth us for food sundry sorts of fishes, both wholesome, and delicate provisions, that the sea contendeth with the earth both for plenty, variety, and delicacy.  
The second is Copula distantium: For navigation hath by exportation and importation, made such exchange of commodities of several Nations, as hereby Merchandise, one of the strong sinews of commonwealths, the riches and peace of civil States is maintained, and distant Nations hereby confederate.  
The third is Compendium it ineris: For shipping doth make great burdens light, and long ways short: And Art hath scatce brought forth two more admirable inventions for common good, than the building of good ships, and the navigation in them.  
The fourth is partly natural, and partly artificial, and it is Furoris impedimentum; for nature having digged this ditch between diverse Kingdoms, they are so much the more out of one another's danger, seeing the preparation for Navigation, and sea-fight, ask time, and give the blood leave to cool, that passion cannot make sudden incursion, and the winds are at no man's command; and Art hath devised both defences at Sea fit for the propulsation of an enemy in equal correspondence, and fortifications ashore in fit landing places, to keep off the enemy; all serving to stop fury in the greatest and most violent pressure.  
3 The moral use of the Sea in Navigation, is also four fold.  
1 As Saint Ambrose saith, it is Secretum temperantiae; the secret of Temperance: for there do men live privately, content with small cabins, garments rather for necessary use, then unnecessary show; food no more than sufficient: utuntur mundo: men there do but use the world to serve their turns, and a little serveth them.  
2 It is Exercitium continentiae: the exercise of Continence: for ashore the eye doth evil offices to the heart, and it is the window of concupiscence: one of the best conservators of holiness in the heart, is privatio obiecti, the want of that object which is full of temptation. job made a covenant with his eye against tempting objects: at Sea men are removed from this danger, and deprived of the means to offend, so the temptation is disabled, & the tempter unweaponed: the things of this world turn often into facultates male agendi, instruments and abilities to offend, but the poor that want these, receive the Gospel: fair sights, full meals, soft lodgings, and leisure, be Satan's arms against the sons of men.  
3 It is Domus laboris, the house of Labour; men at Sea rest by turns, there is no shutting up of doors, and all to bed: this labour doth make their rest sweet, and their diet wholesome, and nourishing: surely work is no where done with more speed, and with less fear of wind and weather, then at Sea; and the labours of the body be armours of the soul against temptations. Here is labour necessitatis, Necessity maketh every man put hand to work: and labour charitatis: charity maketh some to spell others, that some do watch, whilst others sleep, and some labour whilst other rest.  
Some have compared a ships company to a Commonwealth; I would our Commonwealth were comparable to a ships company, even for this, that we would be content to watch and labour one for another, all for the safety of the whole body: if in a ship no man's safety is in single care for himself, but in the common good of the company; so is it in the Commonwealth also: therefore no politic body can prospero, or make a good voyage, where private respects make prize of public projects, where the little finger will wear a Diamond, though the stomach which feedeth all, do want meat to sustain the whole body. This S. Paul so earnestly dissuadeth, that he calleth the mutual love of Christians, the bond of love tying us together.  
4 It is Schola disciplinae,; the school of discipline, for in a ship all men know their places, and service: and there be two ways in which men go; faciendo bonum, every man doing his duty: or, patiendo malum, the offenders suffering worthy punishment. Discreet Masters and Captains have such encouragements for such as deserve well, and bilbowes, and the yard arm, and other punishments for foul offenders; they have spurs for the idle, and resty, & restraints for stay of the rash and over-hardy. They found order to be one of the well-fares of their voyages, and some storms within-boorde, as necessary to rouse up their men, as foulweather without.  
Many have compared the Church of God to a ship, both of our Protestant, and of our Aduersary-writers, but we do not both acknowledge one master thereof. Our master is a master of the Trinitie-house, the second Person in the holy Trinity: God the son, who hath called his Apostles & Evangelists, and Disciples, & their successors, the now ministers of the word of God, to be Maisters-mates in this spiritual Navigation. Their master is the Pope of Rome, who like a notorious Pirate, boards the ship, & then runs away with her.  
Let some of our own, who do not relish our church-government, see how they can like theirs in a ship, which is the model of a Church.  
4 The Divine use of the Sea, and the navigation 
4 Divine. 1 Contemplation.  upon it, is, 1 for Contemplation: 2 for Devotion: we have there a double contemplation: first, of God: in whom we do there behold; first of God: secondly, of ourselves.  
1 His power in the whole element itself, and the working of it, and the creatures in it, toawe us with fear of his so great Majesty.  
2 His wisdom, in the government of all, and his managing of the whole creature, and the furnishing of it with such admirable variety.  
3 His mercy, in addressing all this to the use and service of man: OH what is man that thou art so mindful of him: thou hast made him to have dominion over the Sea, and of the Fish thereof, thy paths are in the great waters, thy way is in the Sea: and thou hast taught man to found a way there.  
2 For ourselves; Two things fall into our contemplation: 1 There is no place that better showeth us whereof we are made, than the Sea doth. There is no difference of hands, but as all are made of the same stuff, so they go all to the same use; for in times of danger, every man putteth his whole strength▪ and wit to it to save the whole, and in want of victuals, every man's share is alike: the force of weather beats upon all alike: Nature ever carrieth an equal hand to all the sons of Adam, it favours none more than other: the world is a flatterer, and putteth difference.  
2 There is no place that better admonisheth us of our end, for it bringeth death so near the eye, and filleth the sense so full of it, that often dangers can not but be a means to set the house in order, and prepare for death. And expectation of death hath ever provided above all persuasions, to bring a man home to himself, and to God.  
2 For Devotion. Saint Ambrose calleth it Incentivum 
2 Devotion.  devotionis: The kindler of Devotion: for here is evermore matter for Divine Service, seeing occasions are often renewed for prayers and thanksgiving, much more sensible, then ashore: And the Service of God generally, is both more frequently, more reverently, and more hearty performed in well-governed ships at Sea, then on the dry Land: For ashore our zeal, is like fire in a chimney, which hath much cold air about it, to alloy the heat thereof: aboard our zeal is like fire in a Stoave, so enclosed and kept in, and out of the cold gale of temptations, that Devotion is ready to come and fall down, and kneel and worship before the Lord our Maker.  
The fault is, that this holiness and devotion in many doth live but the age of a storm, or some fearful danger; and in most, but the age of a voyage. The Farewell and Welcome home, are commonly as giddy and reeling as the storm at Sea: but the danger more, because the fear is less; the one seasoneth a Soul for Heaven, the other transformeth men into beasts, and robbeth them of themselves.   

Of the work thus far: The Sea.  

2 The workmaster.  2 God is the Creator of this work: He made it: even he alone, who standeth thus differenced from all other gods. Who is so great a God as our God? Lord, who is like to thee? The Sea was part of the work of the third day, and God saw it good: all inferior workmen have praise from their work, when it is well done: Gods works do praise him, but he them much more: it is the glory of the great and little world too, that God made both.  
The Sea remaineth of all things beneath the main most like to the Creation, for we read not of any special curse put upon the Sea, at the fall of man: and in the punishment of the old world, the Sea was the rod of God's wrath: & God honoured the Sea in a memorable Miracle of the Israelites passage through the midst of it on dry land.  
Saint Ambrose limiteth this work too much, Fecit mare Deus propter elementi pulchritudinem: God made this Sea for the beauty of that Elements sake, that is true, but not enough. For all is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The world is beauty: but he saith, Non ad navigandum: God did not make the Sea, to sail upon it. Dixit Deus, dominamini piscium maris, non, navigate in fluctibus. God said (saith he) bear rule over the fishes of the Sea: he said not, sail you in the way thereof. Alas! it were a poor dominion that man should have over the Sea, if there were not navigation; and God made it not for show, without use. It is enough to prove it good in the Creation, and good for the use of man, that he made it: for he made all things for man, & man for himself, and his own especial service. Hear David particularizing Gods words, & man's lordship: Thou madest him to have dominion over the 
Psal. 8, 6.  works of thy hands. thou hast put all things under his feet: all sheep and oxen, yea and the beasts of the field. The fowl of the air, and the fish of the Sea, & whatsoever passeth through the paths of the Seas. And from thence we hear of his glory, and they that use navigation, do behold it.  
S. Ambrose challengeth man most justly. God said to the waters: Be you gathered together in one place, and they were so: He often calleth upon men, saying; Congregamini, gather ye together in full congregations, to call on the name of the Lord, and they are slack in the performance of this duty. God loveth full assemblies in the house of his service, as all the waters run into the Sea. Schismatical conventicles be but ponds, and fens, they are not collectio aquarum, the gathering together of waters into one.  
Further, He made it, concludeth against the eternity of it, the dream of some Philosophers, who fancied an eternity of this lower world. Must we needs determine the world eternal, because we are not made privy to the operations of God before time? Here in is a sinful curiosity, to be over-busie-questionists, where there is a certain impossibility to be resolved. David saith he made the Sea; so doth Moses, let the Sea therefore do him all the honour it can; much more we, for whom he made the Sea, and who have found our paths in the great waters.   


3 The lordship and dominion of the Sea.  3 God is Lord and owner of the Sea. The Sea is his: he made not the Sea, as workmen on earth, who when they have finished their work, do then forsake it, but he retaineth the lordship, and he performeth governance and protection to it, and ever keepeth the possession of it; Man hath but the use and service of these inferior creatures.  
A great happiness is this to man, that the sea is his, and not ours: for what man on earth would, rather all the men on earth could not, rule and manage this unruly and boisterous element, only God can and doth, still the noise of the sea, and appease the waves thereof. The waves of the sea are wonderful, but God on high is more 
Psal. 65. 7. Psal. 9●. 4.  mighty.  
Thou rulest the raging of the sea, when the waves 
Psal. 89. 9  thereof arise thou stllest them: Of which David maketh this use: OH Lord of Hosts, who is a strong God like unto thee?  
This rule, which God doth exercise upon the sea, showeth, that we can go no whither out of God's Dominions: jonah fled from the presence of the Lord to sea, and God met him there in a violent storm, for the sea is his: Of all sorts of offenders God hath no fugitives to punish: For whither shall I fly from thy presence? If I abide on earth: The earth is the Lords: If I climb up into heaven, thou art there: If I go to sea, the sea is thine also: Thy,  
1 By right of creation.  
2 By right of Dominion, for none but he, and he can command it: He setteth it bounds which it shall not pass: He hath said: Hitherto 
job 38. 11.  shalt thou come, and here shall the pride of thy waves stay.  
3 He hath right of protection, for it is he that protecteth by his providence the Sea, and all that liveth in, or traveleth upon it. Therefore whatsoever good we expect at Sea, we must go to him for it: and whatsoever good we receive by the way of the Sea, we must thank him for it.  
Many do call Sea-aduentures, especially in long voyages, casual, and they think lives desperately hazarded upon great waters, let them remember, The Sea is his: it neither swelleth nor swalloweth without leave: he hath done whatsoever he will in the Sea, and in the great deeps. Therefore let God have glory of all our good successes there, let him have our devout prayers for all adventures both of goods, and especially of persons employed there: and when losses come, let us say with job: The Lord hath taken away, and I was dumb, and opened not my mouth, because thou Lord didst it. With David, The Sea shall give up the dead, which it hath swallowed, in the resurrection of all flesh, as well as the earth: and the Elect of God shall found as ready a way to the rest of God through these waters, as the people of Israel, found to Canaan through the read Sea. God give us all an happy and glorious meeting there. For we have here no abiding City;  
Amen, Amen.    

Zebuluns' Blessing: The fifth Sermon.  
Preached Anno 1610.  DEUTER. 30. 
Verse 13 Neither is it beyond the Sea, that thou shouldest say, who shall go over the Sea for us, and bring it us, and 'cause us to hear it, that we may do it.  
Verse 14 But the word is very near unto thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart for to do it.  
MOses, in this whole Chapter persuadeth Israel to Obedience of the Law and word of GOD: the Argument which he useth in this my Text to enforce this, is drawn from the facility of obtaining the benefit of this word: in the urging of which argument, Moses presseth two considerations.  
1 Of the travel that many men are put to for many necessaries, to go to Sea, and to seek them in foreign and remote parts.  
2 Of the benefit Israel had, who for the greatest and best commodity of all, even for the word of God, needed no such pains, for they had that near them. In which comparison he discovereth clearly to them, the mercy of their God in matters of most dear account, not to fail them.  
Of the first: In the division of countries one from another by the great sea, God makes Zebuluns' portion to border by the sea side, & sets men awork to study and practise the art & skill of Navigation, which both in religion and policy advanceth a common good: For since the curse of God for sin doth press sweat out of all men's brows: and seeing Saint Paul would not have them Eat that refuse to labour, and policy itself cannot dispense with idleness; this is one of the means by which many are set on work, both in the building of ships, and in the use of them at Sea, and in the necessary businesses of merchandise, or of war wherein they are employed. And therefore, if any man be so unwise, to think that the charge given to Adam, to till the earth, doth bind men, even all his posterity, to that only labour for their living upon the earth, and that all other travail is unlawful: let him, know, that when Moses said, The Lord made the Heaven and the Earth, he included the Sea also.  
And therefore their calling is also lawful, that till and blow the Seas for an Harvest, and thriftitily husband them, to their own private, and to the common good. So that saying of God to man, Vesceris pan● tuo, doth intent more than food, and more food than bread, as we do see the extent of that word in the lords prayer, where daily bread doth include all things of necessary use for the life of man, which things are not always on this side the seas; & where the great deep divides us from these things, we must travel & venture our goods or persons or both of them. Thus God will have it known that he hath set his right had on the floodss, that both land & sea might praise him. This division of kingdom from kingdom was not to divide so much, as to unite them, that too near neighbourhood might not make one troublesome to another, and that by exchange of commodities Princes & people of divided nations might maintain trading, which are the persuaders to, and the fruits and signs of peace.  
Yet it seemeth that men multiplied exceedingly, & it was very long before the art of Navigation was in any use; for most writers do agreed, that the Ark of Noah was the first flotie vessel, that ever was made, & a very ancient Greek author that writeth the Testaments of the Patriarches affirms, that Zebulun the Son of old Israel, was the first that ever devised, either to set masts aboard, or to spread sails: whosoever he were that first adventured it, the Poet thought him to be a man of a during spirit, and bold undertaking.  
Illi robur & as triplex circa pectus erat, qui fragilem truci commisit pelago ratem primus. The matter which Moses presseth in this Text, is the travel and peril that men endure on earth, especially Seamen, and Merchants that travail for the means of their maintenance upon the great waters. Yet even these men have these notable comforts of their life, accompanying them in these their ways. First, they see the works of God▪ and his wonders in the deep: and seeing this is the meditation of God's power, it breedeth in them the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of their wisdom: And the way to Obedience is, to begin at the fear of God's power, and to proceed to the love of his goodness and mercy: for we must begin at the consideration of our our sin, and that will bring us to the Court of God's justice, and from hence we shall very diligently seek out CHRIST our Redeemer appealing to the Court of God's mercy.  
Secondly, you that are Seamen, have a most notable & continual consideration of the good providence of Almighty God going in and out with you, and protecting you from dangers, and making his unruly and boisterous creatures, the winds, and the Seas to serve you, and teaching you to find out a path in the envious and vast waters.  
Thirdly, as amongst the ancient Romans this had wont to be a principle in experience that castra were scholae virtutum, Tents in war, were the Schools of Virtues, because men that lived there in continual expectation of their death, lived preparedly to entertain an end of their delights, and dangers: so me thinks we may as properly say that Naves be scholae virtutum: ships are the schools of Virtues: For therein are learned many notable virtues, Divine and Moral: For example.  
1 Diligence in the Service of God: For in all well-governed ships, they begin and end the day with Prayers, and hearing of the holy word read unto them, they sing Psalms with a most united cheer of heart and voice. They pray with affection and zeal, even with a full and perfect sense of their wants, and hereunto they have many provocations. For the rule of Almighty God is true eternally, I will smit● them, and they will call upon me. Perils and hazards of body and goods, will soon move us to seek the face of God, even as the Prophet David saith, right early.  
2 Sparing and contentment with a little both in diet and apparel for these be the Schools of temperance, and therefore those that do so far forget their own dangers,, and provoke God's displeasure by drinking immoderately, till they stand as unsteady as their Vessel, which is tossed upon the waters, sin presumptuously against Almighty God, and show that they despise the riches of God's mercy: inciting them by so many inducements to repentance and mediocrity.  
3 Vigilancy is taught here, for the charge of so much worth as the vessel that houseth them, and the goods that fill it, and the lines of those persons that menage and rule it is so great, that they share and divide the night, and time of rest, amongst them, to keep continual and careful watch to prevent such dangers as may encounter careless and sleepy negligence: OH that in our Spiritual Navigation, upon the seas of this troublesome world, our souls did keep so true, and unsleepy watch, to avoid all temptations that either, of our three dangerous enemies, the flesh, the world, and the devil, by the help of our own corrupt concupiscence shall at any time suggest, to withdraw us from the obedience which we own to our God.  
4 Expedition and dispatch of present business is notably taught aboard your ships, that which you do is directed and performed at once, and without delay: the counsel of the Master is seen in the hand of the company, and direction goeth the nearest way from the head to the hand: present peril, requires present advise, and execution: Make it your soul's case with almighty God, and delay not your repentance, for the gusts and storms of wrath and judgement, menace this vessel of frailty with foundering and oversetting.  
5 Your ships are the schools of hardness and patiented endurance, high winds, rough seas, raging waves, cold nights, wet skins, parching heats, thin diet, hard lodging, watchings, and untimely break of the hours of rest; these be the familiar and ordinary guests, which Seamen do entertain. And these they bear out with such easy sufferance, that they are fit for action and employment abroad, & their service is made by this means profitable to the commonwealth in which they live: And if you endure thus much abroad, to seek your temporal goods, let it not grieve you, nor any true Christian, to put up more sorrows for an eternal weight of glory, graciously provided for all them that serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice before him with reverence.  
One thing more I remember as a great comfort in the furthest distance from home, and from any land, consider how far God hath removed you from those many and dangerous temptations, which ashore do entertain your eyes and ears, and thoughts, with variety of false delight and pleasure, to divert and serve your thoughts from grace and goodness; and the better to give way to this happy weaning of you from vanity, it shall testify well of your holy desires that way, to make good choice of your company that go with you, that there be none of notorious evil condition: and for that, the example of king David in his house-governement is very notable, make it your own by imitation of it, and say; Mine eye shall be unto the faithful of the Land, that 
Psal. 101. 6.  they may go in my ship, he that walketh in a perfect way he shall serve me. There shall no deciptfull person lie aboard my ship, he that telleth lies shall not abide in my sight.  
A master thus accompanied, a company thus governed, a ship thus managed, give and take comforts by mutual exchange. To such a ship is the virtuous Woman compared by Solomon: She bringeth her Merchandise from far away.  
The scond part of my Text showeth the riches of the mercy and love of God, which in this comparison appeareth most gracious: for you take all this pains for the meat that perisheth, and for the clothes that wear out, and come to nothing; but there is yet a far more worthy and noble diet then this. For, Man shall not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. This Word of God is to be had and enjoyed at home, without our traveling to foreign and remote parts. Thus Israel had it: thus we have it: By the Word of God is meant in this place, the Law of God, and so by consequent the Gospel: for the Law is our Schoolmaster to CHRIST. These two be the Rod and the Staff of the great Shepherd of our souls, JESUS CHRIST, with which he doth correct and support his flock. This commodity must not, as others, be valued by the desire that men have to it: For Merchants employ their stock in those things that may yield them the best market, and their transmarine wares are valued, according to the want of them here with us: but the commodity of the Word of Almighty God is such, as the greatest part of the World do neglect and esteem no better of then Foolishness: only some few that have made proof thereof, have found it to be such an harvest, that like unto the covetous rich man in the Parable in the Gospel: they have not spared to pull down the old and narrow Barns, and have built new in their places; even new hearts, to receive in the Word of GOD, with an holy covetousness, striving to engross, and to stir up the commodity thereof.  
And this thrifty covetise, is an infallible mark of the Child of God, as CHRIST our Lord and Saviour hath expressed it, saying; He that is of God, heareth God's word: you do not hear because you are not of God, john chapter 8. David the Prophet had a perfect taste of this sweetness, and well understood how to value and esteem it, as the whole hundred and nineteenth Psalm doth testify for him; in which Psalm he preferreth it to the honey and the honniecombe in sweetness; above Gold, and that refined Gold in purity: and above precious and rich stones in worth and price: And we, if we will prise it according unto the necessity we have of it, must needs give the first place to this holy word of God. For there is no way to the Father, but that which it teacheth: there is no passage to life, but by obedience, that is taught in the word of the Law. No obedience openeth heaven, and satisfieth God's justice, and reconcileth man to God, but the obedience of JESUS CHRIST: that is the argument and sum of the word of the Gospel. Therefore ask CHRIST, What may I do that I may have eternal life? and he will presently sand me to the word; Keep my Commandments, Do this and thou shalt live.  
If then we value commodities by the necessary use of them, the word of God challengeth the first place, for there is no passage to the Father, but by JESUS CHRIST, and he is that word which was made flesh for us.  
If we value commodities by the profit, which they bring in to us, the word of God doth carry it away from all things else, seeing it is that which showeth to us the way of everlasting life. When the Angel of God had loosed the Apostles out of prison, their charge was this: Go your way and stand in the Temple, and speak to the people all the words of this life, that is, of life everlasting, Acts 5. 20.  
S. Peter being sent for to Caesarea, the man of the house told him, that he had seen an Angel which bade him sand for him, saying: He 
Acts 11. 14.  shall tell thee words whereby thou and all thy whole house shall be saved. And what commodity like the word then, seeing it were no purchase, to gain this world, and all the riches of it, and to forfeit our souls to judgement and death.  
If pleasure set price upon our commodities, what delight like to that which the word of GOD bringeth with it? David calleth it the very joy of his heart: and at such time as his heart had most need of joy. For Except thy Law had been my delight, I had even perished in mine affliction.  
Therefore when God threatened the sins of his people, to bring upon them the rod of his wrath. He threatened not a famine of bread, nor a famine of water, but of the word of God, meaning to deprive them of all spiritual comforts, and to expose them to temptations, taking from them the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, wherewith they should be armed to offend their enemies.  
We may therefore bless the God of mercies, who hath opened to us these rich treasures of grace, that we have both the word of God itself in plenty, and no Nation upon the earth hath more helps to advance Religion and pure Devotion than we have: so that we need not sand beyond the Sea for the word of God.  
Indeed we are all afraid of that word of God, which is brought into our Land from beyond the Sea: for that is falsely so called, it is the word which cometh thence, that breedeth treasons and insurrections, which pioneth in the earth, and under the Parliament house, which buyeth, and congesteth great quantities of gunne-poulder, which toucheth the Lords Anointed Princes, and doth his Prophet's harm, which turneth Religion into Policy, Verity into Acquivocations and lies, charity into robbery, this word is written in the blood of Princes.  
And in this particular you are men that may do good service to God and his Church, to our Sovereign and this State, if you establish religious orders in your ships, if you confirm your company in the true service of God, that they may take no infection abroad by the suggestion of contrary doctrine, if you keep your company aboard, so much as may be, in places of danger to our Religion, and keep watch upon them in your necessary employments of them a shore, that the fly of Egypt blow them not, that the Romish spider, which spreadeth unseen nets, entangle them not, to inspire them with the natural unnatural poison of their superstition.  
And further, if you have especial care that there be no importation of any dangerous books, or instruments of superstition, which being spread abroad in our Land, may infect the ignorant.  
And most of all, if you keep good watch upon such persons, as shall desire passage hither from beyond the seas; for an honest eye hath advantage of a dissembling presence, and the wisdom of a serpent, will soon detect the malice of a serpent: Take heart to you to do these things, for God and your Country may have most happy use of your good service herein: And your business herein is not great; for all idolaters, and enemies unto the truth of Almighty God, are Fools, and they may be taken in the crafty wiliness that they have imagined: All this to keep Idolatry out of our Landlord Remember the Israelites which sat weeping by the waters of Babel: They hung up their haps upon the Willows: for how should they sing the Song of the Lord in a strange Land? We shall have more cause of grief, and less patience to bear it, if ever those sons of strangers should come to sing their Songs in our Land to make Music in our Church, and to set up their Dagon, where we have now the Ark of God's Covenant so well settled.  
Blessed be Almighty God for it, never since joseph that buried the body of CHRIST JESUS our Lord in his own grave, did first preach the Gospel in this Land (as our Histories do make faith) had this Land less need to sand over Seas for the word of GOD: our Churches are many of them learnedly furnished with sufficient Pastors. I dare say boldly and truly, never yet so well. Our Universities the Seminaries of the Church, are like fruitful gardens, never more hopefully grown: our Libraries never so booked with all kind of learning.  
Thirdly, we have had Manna for gathering, now many happy years of peace together: the tempter is potent to assault, and cunning to take advantage, and ready to surprise: the word of God is that double-edged weapon which he feareth most. They that have it in a strange tongue, have it always sheathed, it will not, it can not cut; they that have it, and use it not, have it not, because they use it not. You see it is a blessing to have it near to you, there is no better light in obscurity, or bridle in prosperity, or spur in stupidity, or comfort in adversity, then to have this word near you: let Cor be Cordus; your heart your stourier, os promus, your mouth the dispenser of this word: for with the heart man believeth this word to righteousness, and with the tongue man confesseth to salvation: so shalt thou be a convert, and a converter, because thou believest, therefore thou wilt speak, and thou being converted shalt strengthen thy brethren. The God of this, and all other mercies, say: So be it.  
Laus Deo.   

THE Remedy of Drought.  
¶ Two Sermons, THE FIRST, Preached at Deptford, alias west-Greenewich, in the County of Kent, the thirty day of july. 1615. By SAMVEL PAGE, Doctor in Divinity.  
LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes for Simon Waterson, dwelling in Paul's Churchyard, at the sign of the Crown. 1616.   

¶ To my Honoured friend, Sir John Scot, Knight.  
Worthy Sir,  
TO keep fresh the memory of the mercy herein expressed, I have put these two Sermons into this way of surviving with posterity, here is our Semination in prayers: and our Harvest in prevailings. Hear is God's Semination in his benefit of rain: and his Harvest our devout Thanksgiving. These I have made bold to communicate to the Church of God under your well known and well-beloved name, as an acknowledgement of my debt to your love of me, who in short time have learned to be ever bound unto you. Deptford.  
S. P.   

THE Remedy of Drought.  
The first Sermon.  1. KINGS 8. 35. When Heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee: if they pray towards this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them, etc. 
THese words are a part of that holy Prayer which Solomon sent up to God, in the Dedication of his Temple: the Argument and Substance hereof is, a remedy against Drowth: and they are a Supposition of a special inconvenience, which may hereafter fall upon the people of Israel for sin: For in this Prayer the King wisely and carefully forecasteth, how the people may, in time to come, provoke God to displeasure, and so draw upon themselves several judgements, as corrections of their sin, wherefore he prayeth God, if any such thing befall, to receive all those into favour, who by repentance and prayer do seek to recover him again.  
The Supposition is double 

1 Mali, of evil: and that is also twofold. 

1 Mali poenae, of the punishing evil, in the shutting up of heaven: no rain.  
2 Mali culpae, of the evil of transgression, because they have sinned.    
2 Remedij: of the remedy which is, 

1 Prayer.  
2 Confession of his name.  
3 Repentance.     First, of the Supposition of the evil that is in punishment, when Heaven is shut up: that is, when there is no rain. For the Heavens are the storehouses of this lower world, containing those treasures wherewith God doth enrich the earth: so God speaketh by Moses: The Lord shall open to thee his good treasure, the Heaven to give thee rain 
Deut. 28. 12.  to thy Land in his season. But here he supposeth this treasure shut up: and this judgement is great: for God promised to his people; The Land whither thou goest to possess it, shall not be like the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a Garden of herbs▪ But the land of Canaan is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of Heaven.  
This Land suffered Drought in David's time, for the trespass against the Gibeonites, three years, which brought an heavy famine upon the Land, 2. Sam. 21.  
Again, in Ahabs' time, Heaven was shut up, three years; and six months, 1. Kings 17.  
Drought is one of the rods of God, whereby he scourgeth the Land, and maketh a fruitful Land barren: it is the sorrow of our Land at this present, and hath continued now many weeks upon us. I presume we are sensible enough of the evil which we suffer.  
That which I would urge, is, That as the drought in David's time, made him go to ask counsel of the Lord, that he might know both the cause and the remedy of it: so might we seriously and religiously bethink us how this evil hath come upon us, that we may quit the cause and embrace the remedy of so great smart.  
2 The cause is sin: Malum culpae; Because they have sinned against thee: in which consider,  

1. What is done amiss: they have sinned.  
2. By whom: The Israelites Gods people.  
3 Against whom: Against thee.  
4 How dangerously. Because of this; therefore is all this punishment come upon them: this is it which hath shut up Heaven against them.   

1 Of the offence, sin.  
It is not expressed what special sin it was that Solomon most feared, neither did he forecast particularities. There is but one way, all the rest are errors. There is but one good, all the rest is evil. We have a natural free will to that which is evil, we have a natural Antipathy, to that which is good. This made job fear his sons, and daughters at their feasts, jest they should offend God in their mirth, job 1. 5. Saint Gregory saith, In bono itinere contrahitur pulvis: Men gather dust, that travel upon occasion, and the best of our actions do relish of our corruptions. But this is not the sin which Solomon feareth, man's natural frailties: he feareth Crying sins, such as awake justice, and make the Father of mercies Reveal his wrath from Heaven. Not errors, but rebellions, of which sort is Idolatry, which setteth up a new god in the place of the true God, and it was one of the national trespasses of that people: Sensuality was another, eating, drinking, and rising up to play, requiring meat for their lust, and then both surffering upon it, and despising of it. Murmuring at God was another, and these were eminent sins amongst this people. For these was the care and fear of Solomon; and he had cause to dread this, in the posterity of Israel, seeing he found the present propension of the people to these sins. To come home to ourselves, our sins have not been of low growth, nor of a still voice, but shooting up high, and crying in the ears of God, horrible blasphemy, profane swearing, breach of the Sabaoth, contempt of the word, even treading under foot the blood of the covenant of grace, and despising the long suffering of God, inviting us to repentance: wantonness, contention, oppression, secret underminings. These things are done, & the Sun shines upon them, the Land mourneth for them, and the earth groaneth under the burden of them, and God held his 
Asal. 50. 21.  peace: and we thought him to be like one of us: but he hath uttered his voice now, and that a mighty voice. The sins which do deserve best this judgement of Drought, are the abuses of the fruits of the earth to sensuality, drunkenness, and gluttony: for doth not God do well, to withdraw from us the faculties of evil doing, and to deprive us of the means by which we do dishonour him? And we have cause to think these sins the present provocation of the wrath of God in this drought.   

2 They.  
The consideration of the persons supposed to sin, doth add weight to this matter. They, that is, the Israel of God: the people whom God hath singled out, to pour on them the riches of his mercy, of whom David saith; He hath not done so to every Nation. If they sin. Their sin is injury, and unkindness too, Thou, OH man, my companion and my familiar frieud.  
Hear Nathan pleading this quarrel of unkindness 
2. Sam. 12 7.  for God to David, after his double sin, Thus saith the Lord, I anointed thee King over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul etc. And if that had been too little, I would have done such and such things unto thee. Wherhfore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord? So might God say to Israel, I brought thee out of the land of Egypt: I saved thee from thine enemies that pursued thee: I divided the read Sea for thy passage out of Egypt: and the waters of jordane for thy entrance into Canaan; why hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord thy God?  
And semblably, may not personal considerations aggravate our sins, whom Almighty God hath delivered from the Pope, a worfe oppressor than was King Pharaoh: to whom God gave a religious, wise, virgin Sovereign, the wonder both of the rank and sex, to rule over us so many happy years of gracious peace at home, and glorious victories abroad: and with whom this favour of God did not die, but hath continued in the succession of our gracious King, under whom we continued to enjoy peace, and the holy liberty of the Gospel: to whom God hath given a plentiful land, and hath enriched us with the riches of neighbour and remote Nations: If we sin, can there be less than a fearful expectation of judgement?  
For Turks that have a Mahomet, a Mammet for their Messiah, for jews who know no JESUS yet in the Flesh, for Papists that worship Idols, for Indian's that worship the Devil, to despise the commandment of God, this God taketh not so much to heart, for brambles bear no figs. But he must needs take it unkindly, if we living amongst so many assurances of his tender love, whose sheep have brought forth thousands, and ten thousands in our Pastures, and have eaten the fat of the earth, and drunk of the river of his pleasures, if we turn the grace of God into wantonness, and abuse his mercy to provoke his anger. Nehemiah in chap. 6. vers. 11. said, should such a man as I fly? Consider what kind of man thou art; borne in the Church, and washed in the water of holy Baptism, taught in the word, fed with the body and blood of CHRIST, possessing the fruits of the Land in peace, should such a man as I live?   

3 Against thee.  
The next circumstance maketh the fault greater, the sin is supposed to be against God: contrary to him, and we do in some sins expose ourselves too God. Israel was guilty of two sins which were against God: one against the majesty of God; that was Idolatry in the worship of strange gods: wherein it is a wonder, that a people to whom the true God did so manifestly reveal himself, should be so led to the embracing of strange worship: an other against his mercy, in abusing the plenty of outward things, to their lust, until the wrath of God came upon them, even whilst the meat of plenty, was in the mouth of surfeit.  
For Idolatry, the light of the Gospel hath so long time shined upon this Land, that (except with those of the Popish strain) Idols are out of request: and we may say, The knowledge of God is amongst us: yet Drunkenness and Gluttony make their belly their god.  
But for abuse of the good Creatures of GOD, we are as much in fault, as if David, when Saul had armed him against Goliath, should have presently encountered Saul himself: So we fight against Almighty God with his own weapons, so that the Lord complaineth, All these things are against me.   

4 Because of this.  
Hear is the provocation. You see now where to lay the fault, because a people so much beholding to me, have made no conscience to commit sin, a thing so hateful to me, sinning against my Majesty, or my mercy; therefore I have shut up Heaven, and there is no rain. Sin then is found to be the cause of drought  
I deny not but there be natural causes, which produce drought, and the learned Students in the▪ Books of celestial bodies, give good account often of these accidents: but Nature is God's servant. Eliah telleth Ahab: As the Lord God of Israel 
1. Kings 17. 1.  before whom I stand, liveth, there shall be no dew nor rain these years, but according to my word: and CHRIST expresseth the time, three years and 
Luke 4 25.  six months. The Prophet was God's Prognostication to them, to tell them what weather they should have: for God took the matter into his own hand: and Nature sat all the while, and looked on. See what a Sequence here is at this foolish game of sin. First sin, than anger, than no rain, and no fruits of the earth, and the perishing of man and beast; God taketh it upon 
2. Chron. 7. 13.  him: If I shut up Heaven, and there be no rain.  
God saith to job, Hath the rain a father? or, 
job 38. 28.  who hath begotten the drops of dew?  
Canst thou lift up thy voice to the Clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee? Surely man 
job 37. 6.  cannot help himself in this. He saith to the snow, be thou on the earth, likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength.  
So Eliphaz, who gives rain upon the earth?, and 
job 5. 10.  sends waters upon the fields? Wonder not then seeing you know who is Lord of these treasures, if he be spare of them, and shut his hand, Because they sinned against thee.  
It is not enough to think upon our sins, but if we do think upon them, as the cause of this judgement, these have made the heavens above us as brass, and these have locked up the treasures of rain. The earth is sensible of this calamity, the face of it is discoloured, the grass is burnt up, the fruits fail, the green herb is withered, the earth openeth her mouth wide, and gapeth for thirst, and no clouds but of dust, have for a long time reigned upon us: the beasts of the field have felt this woe, who have wanted their necessary food: only we who know the cause of all this, and are too blame for all this, for whose sins, the earth, & the beasts of the field suffer, we do not change garment, or countenance for the matter, the drunkard drinks not a draft the less, nor comes to Church the more for it; the wanton abateth nothing of his delights, nor the worldly man of his desires: But ask the Rich man of the earth, will all the wealth which they have heaped up buy us one shower of rain now in this our extremest necessity: I say not to quench the great thirst, but to lay the dust thereof▪  
With what heart then can any considerate man sin against God, who bethinks himself, that if he sin, he shutteth up Heaven against him: that if men did regard things temporal only, this life can not be happy, but in the favour of God; nothing but Godliness hath the promises of ehiss life and of the life to come. And it is as easy to be happy in both worlds, as in this only, the fear of God doth it in both.  
2 The Supposition of the remedy.  
The means to be used to divert this judgement, are three.  

1 Prayer: If they pray toward this place.  
2 Confession of God's name: and confess thy name.  
3 Repentance: and turn from their sins when thou afflictest them.   
1 Prayer: Hear he supposeth,  

1 That they will fly to prayer.  
2 That they will perform this in their own persons.  
3 That they will direct their prayer to God.   

1 They will fly to prayer.  
Prayer hath ever been esteemed and approved the best remedy against calamity; and therefore the Saints of God have used it in all afflictions: so 
james 5. 16.  saith S. james, Is any man afflicted? let him pray: This medicine hath a probatum est: The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man prevaileth much: He proveth it thus: Eliah was a man subject to the 
Verse 17.  like passion that we are, and he prayed earnestly, that it might not rain, & it reigned not on the earth three years and six months: And he prayed again, and 
Verse 18.  the Heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. Hear is the force of Prayer, even in this point, concerning the watering of the earth, prayer openeth Heaven, and prayer shutteth it. Any man afflicted with any affliction, let him pray: but our prayer must be:  

1 Multiplicata: we must be frequent in prayer, Saint Paul biddeth us to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as put our whole strength of spirit into our prayers. Or as in another place; Pray continually. Our Saviour CHRIST prayed thrice in the Garden, the same words. john saw another Angel, who offered much incense with many prayers. Revelat. 8. 3.  
He requireth not here long prayers, but often, jest Devotion languish, and Zeal take cold. Augustine saith, That the brethren had in the wilderness, Crebras orationes, but breves: often, but short Prayers, for fear of wearing and wearying their intention, for flesh and blood are soon tired and out of heart.  
David used this frequent prayer, but his prayers were short, but they were effectual: one thing have I desired of the Lord that I will require. I will not be said nay. The Widow in the Gospel is made our example; not for the length, but for the importunity of her Petition: and the Apostle wisheth the Romans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to strive with God by their Prayers for him, that is, to wrestle with the Angel for a blessing, or to strive with Satan: For Origen saith, In oration daemons obsistunt: The Devils do oppose us when we pray. The Prophet biddeth, Keep not silence, give 
Esay 62. 7.  the Lord no rest, ye that make mention of the Lord: So he gave them example for Zion's sake, I will not 
Verse 1.  hold my peace, for jerusalems' sake I will not rest. In the common calamities of whole Nations, the Church of God hath used to set apart solemn days to the deprecation of God's wrath, in the public convenings of the faithful: and we do hear that this drought hath in some places, where Popery is professed, brought forth solemn and public Processions, and set Services to divert this woe.  
I expected all this while, the command of authority, to put this upon our general practice, but perceiving that their Wisdoms do cast this upon the holy discretion of particular Pastors in their several Charges: I have blamed my tardy, and behind hand omission of this duty: yet presuming that none of you in your private Devotions have neglected this good office, as you have joined also in the prayers of the Congregation, now I admonish you to stir up yourselves to give the Lord no rest, till he have mercy upon us, and take away from us this, even this calamity also. We have aerumnas multiplicatas, our sorrows multiplied, let our prayers be multiplied also.   

2 But our prayer must be praesentataper Christum:  
CHRIST our Advocate must present our prayers to God: for our prayers are but the fuel, CHRIST'S mediation puts fire into them, and maketh them incense. Prayer is Medicina, the Medicinal Antidote against misery; but CHRIST is vehiculum, the means to convey this Medicine into the inward parts, and therefore as, we begin our prayers, In the name of JESUS CHRIST, so we use to end them, thorough JESUS CHRIST our Lord We have no grace with God for our own sakes; CHRIST saith, Whatsoever you ask in my name, it shall be given you. Matt. 21. 22. For without me you can do nothing. john 15. 5.   

3 Our prayer must be acceptabilis Deo: Such as God will accept. God heareth not sinners pleading for themselves, either slightly, with a customary Miserere: Lord have mercy upon us, or 
Luke 18. 11.  proudly, I thank thee, I am not as other men are, as the Pharisee. But if we come to him by Christ, He cannot deny himself, as Diez a Portugal Friar 
2. Tim. 2. 13.  wittily noteth: If we beg of God the riches or honours of this world, these are not himself; if revenge, that is not himself: but if we beg mercy, that is God himself. He is called the Father of mercies; that is, the Father of CHRIST: For Christ is our righteousness to God, and God's mercy to us.    

2 They must pray themselves: If they pray.  
Although we are commanded to pray one for another, yet we are not thereby freed from praying every man for himself. Is the affliction common, let the prayer be also general: let every man solicit God in JESUS CHRIST for himself, every man for all, all for one another, even for the whole Land, of which we are parts: let us not only trust to the prayers of others for us. Saint Paul entreating the Romans to pray for him, desireth them also to pray with him.  
Popery hath the credit to have first devised this lazy and idle doctrine of borrowing, hiring, and buying prayers: so that rich men have turned praying into paying: But Solomon supposeth that they will pray for themselves that sin against themselves, and against God, and unless they so do, they have no part in these his prayers. Samuel, job, Daniel, all the holy men on earth, lose labour, if they pray for such as will not pray for themselves, God putteth them off thus: I will not hear them.  
Even in this calamity have not all and each of us our particular woe: let us therefore pray all and each of us.   

3 They are supposed to pray towards this place: i toward the Temple at jerusalem.  

They pray to God, & therefore address themselves toward the Temple, which is God's house, wherein God did put his name, and establish his worship, and wherein was the Ark of the Covenant, the Sacrament of God's real presence.  
Daniel being in a strange Land, went into his 
Dan. 6. 10.  house, and his window being open in his chamber toward jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees, and prayed three times a day.  
In Daniels example we see a frequent resort to God by prayer three times, not three set Canonical hours, but thrice, at times of fit leisure; and we found his worship directed to God, towards this place: peradventure as David did, Evening, morning, and at noon: for so we recommend 
Psalm 55. 17.  to God, Initium progressum, & exitum; the beginning, the proceeding, and ending, of businesses of the day.  
This unhurtful cerens any was in use amongst the jews.  
1 In respect of the promise which God made of his presence there.  
2 In a mystical reference to jesus Christ, for he was the fulfilling of all the ceremonies of that place, and all the Sacrifices offered there, were types of his one Oblation of himself. To this place their resort was commanded. But unto the 
Exod 12 5.  place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all the Tribes, to put his name there, even to his habitation shall ye seek and thither thou shalt come. This was too much for them to do often, because that many dwelled far off, therefore they did this. They worshipped and prayed towards this place.  
David did both. But as for me, I will come into 
Psalm 5. 7.  thy House in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship towards the Temple of thy Holiness.  
If the reverence of the house of God so far 
Ecclesiast. 4. 17  off, did make impression; Take heed to thy foot when thou interest into the House of God. The sanctification and use of this place calleth upon thee for holy preparation. Thank God (beloved) for the happy liberty that we have in the house of God, the Doors are open, the Bells invite us to it: God is at home, and at good leisure to hear our suits, and to give us remedy.   

2 They fly to Confession, and confess thy name.  
The name of any thing is that whereby it is known and distinguished from other things: the confessing the name of God here required, is the honouring of God, to the uttermost of our knowledge of him, and of his revelation of himself to us, and this is that which we beg of God, saying, Hallowed be thy name.  
And even in this, they that seek to God for remedy, when he hath brought any judgement upon the earth, must confess the name of God, & give him the glory due to him, which is done,  
1 By confession of their sins, for his name appeareth so much the more glorious, by how much our unworthiness is more in sight, so joshua 
joshua 7. 19  said to Achan: Give glory to God▪ and make confession unto him, and tell me now what thou hast done, hide it not from me.  
2 By confession of God's justice to be such, as that he will exact of us an account of our whole life, because all our ways are before him.  
3 By confession of his goodness and mercy, who is not so unplacable but that we may come to him with our prayers: many men provoked to anger, are so violent, that they can not brook any sight of the party with whom they are offended, they will not hear him, or any that plead his cause: God doth not so, but receiveth the petitions of sinners for his name's sake.  
4 By confession of his name, seeing the holy name of God is violated in our sins, and we have neglected him▪ whose name should have been a sufficient dissuasive, to have daunted us from unrighteousness, there is no better way then by confession of his name to declare to the world, that not in itself alone, but even in our estimation also, Holy and reverend is his name.  
5 By confession of his name in our punishments, acknowledging that it is God who hath brought upon our Land this general drought, it is he who sent the bitter Frosts to keep in the Spring, and the parching heat in the Summer, to burn up the food of our cattle, who opened the heaven in the Spring, and sent down such plenty, and continuance of Snow, that the earth was shut up against us, and the beasts of the field: and who hath now a long time shut up the Heavens, that no rain doth fall upon the earth, to refresh the withered beauty thereof.  
6 By confession of his name in the remedy: for we must also declare, that our help stands only in the name of the Lord, who hath made Heaven and Earth. For as we must bury all our murmurings in his name: Because thou Lord hast done it: so we must quicken and enlighten all our hopes at his name; for only the hand that wounded us, can heal us, and none but our God can renew the face of the earth.   

3 They fly to Repentance: This is called  

1 A turning from their sins.  
2 It hath Externum motiwm: an outward motive: affliction.   
The turning here mentioned implieth two terms.  

1 Terminus à quo: from what we must turn.  
2 Terminus ad quem: to whom we must turn.   

1 From what.  
1 That from which we must turn is sin, and this is hard to do, because sin hangeth so fast on, especially the sins of plenty, as gluttons, drunkards, and wantoness, sins committed with such delight, that men are loath to part with them, and we see very few recovered from them: Surely, many seem rather turned into these sins, then turned from them.  
And if God should not have mercy upon us out of the multitude of his own tender compassions, and for the favour that he beareth to a few righteous souls, that do make conscience of these sins, till the sensual drunkards, gluttons, and wantoness of the earth, do turn away from these sins, to seek his mercy, who of us should hope to see an other shower of rain fall down upon the face of the dry and thirsty earth again?  
The phrase of turning from sin, importeth a great mercy; for God knowing whereof we be made, and how frail the sons of men are, exacteth not a perfect integrity, a pure, and full separation from all our sins, only he requireth of us to turn away from them, as we do from those things which are loathsome to us, and that we do express our dislike and hatred of them.  
The phrase of Christ to Peter: Get thee behind me, doth show as much: Let us esteem our sins our enemies, that we may strive to leave them asterne of us. We say, They go far that never turn: They do indeed; so far, as they that would go thence to Abraham's bosom, cannot.  
But every turning will not serve the turn; thou mayst turn away thy hand from the action of evil, and turn not away thy heart from the affection to it: Many so far over rule desire, as to keep them from operation, but thou must turn away, not only the instruments of sin, the members and parts of thy body, but even the heart that setteth them all awork, from sin and iniquity.  
These evils which we would put behind us, will be still courting of us, and Satan will never leave tempting us to them, but God is our Terminus ad quem, we must turn to God.   

2 To whom.  
Repentance seeketh the face of God: the penitent go not backward to their Father, as Sem and japhet did, but forward, like the unthrift in the Gospel, who said within himself: I will go and say to my Father, Father I have sinned, etc. for he thought, no doubt, many others, even all that trace me and my evils, have go to my father, and said as much of me, and this cannot choose but be an extreme grief to him, now I will go myself and say so to him, and I hope it will please him well.  
This is that (Beloved) which would soon prevail with God, and obtain the opening of heaven. Thus Peter who had over-weened his own love of his Master, and whilst he warmed himself at the high Priests fire, lost the heat of his own zeal, and denied his Master, but he went forth, and when Christ looked upon him, He wept bitterly: so Mary Magdalen turned to Christ, and in his loving service she employed her eyes, her locks, her lips, her hands, her knees, her feetointment, which she had not always bestowed well, it is more than likely, most times ill.  
Turn thus to the Lord, and let those knees which have been bend in drunken Healths to the earth, devil upon the Earth in our prayers to Almighty God for forgiveness. Try now if you can surfeit upon the Fatness of God's house, who have forsaken the house of God to do service to your bellies, making them your gods, or have come hither so full of your own houses, that you have but come to take your rest here. Try if your tongues, used to blasphemous swearing, cursing, bitter jesting, slanderous reviling, lying, and filthy speaking, can change their tune, and turn into the Publicans Miserere; Lord be merciful unto me a sinner.  
We have great encouragement hereto, for the Lord to whom we turn, is gracious and merciful, 
joel 2. 13. 14  slow to anger, and of great kindness, and such a one as repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and leave a blessing behind him? And again, the sins from which we turn, are well forsaken, Repent and turn yourselves from all your transgressions, 
Ezech. 18. 30.  so iniquity shall not be your ruin.  
2 The eternal motive, when thou afflict est them.  
This cometh somewhat near the heart, for it seemeth an hard condition, that a man, a congregation, a kingdom & nation, should seek to him that afflicts them, yea even when he makes them smart. But such is the wholesome correction of God, that it draweth us to him when all his good mercies do but arm us against him: this commonly is God's last refuge, amongst his outward 
Hosea 5. 15.  means of man's conversion. Hear himself. I will go & return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early. And where this faileth, the Prophet seems to be out of hope of turning them to God. The people turneth not to him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord of Hosts: therefore 
Esay 9 13. 14.  the Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail: root and branch in one day.  
It is then a sign of the good presence of God's good spirit with us, if affliction do not put us into passion, and make us murmur against God, but that we have the grace to pray, and confess the name of God, even while the rod of God is on us.  
Thus did David, The sorrows of death compassed 
Psal. 116. 3.  me, and the pains of hell gate hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow: Than called I upon the name of the Lord: OH Lord, I beseech thee deliver my soul. Affliction first found out David, as he was wandering out of the way of God's commandments: then David found affliction, and made the right use of it, to put him to his prayers, that God would be his deliverance. Affliction found him in his prosperity, even then when he said; I shall never be moved: and suddenly he found himself in adversity, but still adversity was the best incentive to inflame him, with the zeal of Prayer: the best impulsive to put him on upon his God.  
This therefore is our season and fittest Seeds time for our prayers and our repentance, whilst our souls do find trouble and anguish. Yea but the heavens are shut up against us: how shall our Prayers ascend thither? Be of good comfort, The 
Psal. 34. 15.  eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers: and the penitent sinner is in the roll of the righteous: He also will hear their cry, and will help them. This is such a favour, that David saith; Blessed be God which hath not turned 
Psal, 66. 20.  my prayer from him, nor his mercy from me. This taketh away fear from us, even in the evil day: when the iniquity of our heels, which Bellarmine understandeth Iniquitas extremae vitae: The iniquity 
Psal. 49. 5.  of our last of life doth compass us about: or when iniquity follows me at the heels, to bring judgement on me: or when my heels offend God in running from him, & turning my back to him.  
The deathbed is not fearful to such: The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: he will make all his bed in his sickness. Pray then even whilst the soar is running, whilst all thy sins lie open before God, and Heaven is shut up against thee: pray and open the Heavens, and leave not thy God until he bow the Heavens and come down to thee. We have his promise. If you 
Levit. 26. 3. 4. 5  walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments to do them: then will I give you rain in due season, and the Land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit: and the threshing shall reach to the Vintage, and the Vintage shall reach to the sowing time, and you shall eat your bread to the full.  
Now beloved, you have heard both of your sin, the punishment of it, and the remedy of your grief, let me conclude with this earnest request unto you, That you be not like to the people of Israel, of whom God himself saith to the Prophet Ezechiel thus; They speak one to an other, every one to his brother, saying; Come I pray you, & hear what is the word of the Lord, that cometh to you: and they hear thy words, but will not do them: with the mouth they show much love: but their heart goeth after their covetousness.  
Your affection crieth for God, Seek ye the face of God, let your soul answer for you; I will seek thy face, OH Lord, right early. To that God, that is, to the Father, Son, and Holy-ghost be given all praise, and thanksgiving; now and ever,  
Amen.       

A Thanksgiving for Rain.  
The second Sermon.  PSAL. 68 9 Verse 9 Thou OH God didst sand a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thy Inheritance when it was weary. 
Beloved Brethrens; my last business in this place, was to call you to a consideration of the heavy judgement of God upon our Land, in the shutting up of rain, whereby the earth was parched and defaced: and thereupon I moved your Christian devotions, to sand up to the Throne of God, your humblest Supplications for remedy. Your prayers were no sooner go up to Heaven, but The Heaven heard the Earth, and God heard the Heaven: And thou (OH God) didst sand a plentiful rain upon thine inheritance, and didst refresh it when it was weary. When Christ had healed ten Lepers, & but one of them returned to give thanks, he inquired but Where are those nine? Thanksgiving is our duty, and his expectation. To this purpose I have made choice of this Text, which putteth into our mouths a Song of Thanksgiving, containing a thankful Commemoration of the mercy vouchsafed to us; In which,  

1 The benefit received is, Rain.  
2 The fullness of the benefit, a plentiful rain  
3 The nature of the benefit, Thou didst sand.  
4 The benefit of the benefit, Whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance when it was weary.   

1 Of the benefit, Rain.  
The people of Israel being in Egypt, where they had no rain, (for the earth is there watered once a year by the inundation of Nilus) had this promise; That the Land whither they went to possess it, should not be as the Land of Egypt, from whence they came, where they sowed their seed, and watered 
Deuter. 11. 12.  it with their foot, as a garden of herbs: but the land of Canaan, is a land of hills and valleys, which drinketh water of the rain of heaven. And David here confesseth that God hath performed that promise, and hath given them rain from Heaven, and saved them the labour of watering the earth. This Moses calleth Gods opening to us his good treasure: 
Deut. 28 12. isaiah 55. 10.  For the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth, and bud, that it may give seed to the Sour, and bread to the Eater: so the benefit of rain is bread for this year, and seed for the next year 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called a treasure, that is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it is provision for to day, and store for to morrow; rain is the milk of heaven, whereby the herbs, and grain, and 
isaiah 44. 14.  the plants of the earth are nursed: Man planteth the Ash, and the rain nurseth it: David expresseth this thankfully, observe his sequent: Sing 
Psal. 147. 7. 8 9  unto the Lord with thanksgiving, sing praise upon the Harp unto our God, who covereth the heavens with clouds; and therein, he prepareth rain for the earth; and thereby, he maketh grass to grow upon the mountains, and giveth to the beast his food: This is now our benefit, these must be our thanks: our sins deprived us of this blessing, our prayers have reobtained the same: It remaineth now, that by our thankfulness and obedience hereafter, together with our devout supplications, we keep heaven open, and continued upon us the showers of blessing, whereby the 
Ezech. 34. 26.  tree of the field doth yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase. What can we desire more of God? This is all that the holy Prophet wisheth to the King in name of the Church: The 
Ps. 20. 1. 2 3▪ 4.  Lord hear thee in the day of trouble, the name of the God of jacob defend thee; sand thee help from his Sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion, remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt Sacrifice: grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel. This, all this, hath God done for us; for in the time of trouble when we wanted rain, he heard our prayers: From heaven did the Lord behold the earth, he accepted the burnt sacrifices of our devotion, and zeal, & the offering up of our hearts, and the calves of our lips, and gave us rain according to the desire of our own hearts: We must add out of the next verse, We will rejoice in thy salvation: David's example is a good guide to us herein. I 
Verse 5.  love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and supplications, because he hath inclined his ear unto 
Psal. 116. 1.  me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live: Wherein two things by him promised are expected from us:  
1 To love God; this is the Law of our duty, and God doth exact this as debt, yet he also purchaseth, and buyeth, it of us with his benefits.  
2 To pray to him, and to this duty it is a good encouragement, Because thou hearest the prayers, therefore unto thee shall all flesh come.   

2 The fullness of the benefit.  
This rain is called in some readings, A gracious rain: the interlineary readeth, Plwium munificentiarum: The rain of bounty: Arst: Fel: plwiam liberarum voluntatum; the rain of free-willes: All express a full and free benefit: a rain of his free-will, to show how frankly his benefits come from him: or a Rain according to the full desire of our will, so seasonable for the time, so reasonable for the quantity, so gentle in the fall, as the heart of man could desire. Here then is plwia voluntatis divinae; Gods will was, that we should have it. And plwia voluntatis humanae: Man's desire is graciously satisfied: the thirst of the earth is quenched, and yet the harvest-man not hindered from gathering in the rich treasures of the ripe fruits of his fields with joy, even the joy of Harvest: For the Mower fills his hand, 
Psal. 129. 7. 8.  and he that bindeth his sheaves his bosom, and they which go by, say: The blessing of the Lord be upon you; we bless you in the name of the Lord Thus hath God renewed the face of the earth, and made the field rejoice, and all that is therein.  
Now, full benefits would have full thankes-givings: God hath sown plentifully, let him also reap plentifully: Plwia voluntatum; Raine according to our hearts desire hath go before: gratitudo voluntatum; the thankfulness of our willing hearts to praise God must follow it at the heels. God loveth a cheerful giver of thanks to him.   

3 The Author of this benefit: Thou OH God.  
Now we see that Solomon directed us well, to sand us to him, for here it appears, that he shut up Heaven before: and now we find that he is the only giver of Rain. Thou didst sand: And thy messenger did his errand faithfully. It is God that maketh the small drops of water, they power down rain according to the vapour thereof, which the clouds do drop and distill upon man abundantly, job 36. 27.  
And the Prophet inquireth, Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles, that can give rain, or can the heavens give showers? Art not thou he, OH Lord? Therefore we will wait upon thee, for thou hast made these things, jerem. 14. 22.  
You may know the Author by the plenty, for when God giveth, he stilleth abundantly. He is abundant in his goodness, and in his truth. He is never spare and reserved but in his judgements, there he is always slow to wrath, and behinde-hand with us, but he is prior in dilectione: we cannot prevent him in his love, he loved us first.  
This will make us both seek to him for rain, when we want it and thank him only for it, when 
De Ciu. Dei 2. 3.  we obtain it. Saint Augustine showeth the spite and malice of the heathen Romans of old, against Christians, who used this Proverb; Plwia defecit causa Christiani: The Christians is the cause that we have no rain. Tertullian complained of them that they thought omnis publicae cladis, omnis popularis incommodi, christianos esse causam. That the Christians were in fault, for all the destruction in the Commonwealth, for all inconveniences that befell the people. Si Tiberis ascendit ad moenia, si Nilus non ascendit in arua, si terra movit, si fames, si lues, statim Christianos ad leones acclamatur: If the River of Tiber swollen too high up to their walls: if Nilus did not drown their fields: if there were any Earthquake, any famine, or infectious disease, than they cried: Let the Christian be given up to the Lions to be devoured, for he is the cause of all, and for his sake all this evil is come upon us. So complaineth good Saint Cyprian, That the Christians are traduced 
Contra Demetr.  for the cause of all these evils, because they do not adore and worship the Gods of the Heathens: but he searcheth out the true cause, even Salomons cause, because they sin against thee: Heathens agreed that the cause is sin, and the judge is Almighty GOD: only they knew not the true GOD, that they might seek to him, nor the right worship and service, that should and aught to be done unto him, who only prepareth rain for the Earth, and watereth the dry furrows thereof: who also maketh a fruitful Land barren, for the iniquity of the people that devil therein. Take not then this benefit of God's gracious rain, as a natural and customary debt, which the Heaven doth own to the Earth, but as a special favour and bounty of Almighty God, and give unto him for it, the honour due to his Name.   

4 The benefit of this benefit: whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.  
The Author of this benefit of Rain hath bestowed it.  

1 Wisely: upon his own in heritance.  
2 Effectually: thou didst confirm.  
3 Seasonably: when it was weary.   

1 Wisely.  
The people upon whom God bestoweth this favour is called here God's inheritance: the Church of God: the children of Abraham: so called, because God made them the heirs of his promise, and under this title, all the Elect are comprehended, the children of Abraham's faith. Wherein we are taught: first, That none have right and interest in the good favours of God, but the Elect, those are heirs of the promises of God: so that the way of righteousness is the only way of prosperity, and there is no such thrift, as true religion: for godliness with contentedness is great riches, only that hath The promises of this life, and of the life to come. Daniel that feeds on Pulse, though he far worse, looks much better, than they that are fed at the King's Table: it is not the benefit received in outward things, but the blessing of God upon it, that maketh us fat and well liking: it was David's observation, The Lions do lack and suffer 
Psal. 34 10.  hunger, but they that seek the Lord, shall not want any good thing. Whereupon David readeth this Lecture of Thirst to the sons of men. Come ye 
Psal. 34 11.  children harken unto me, and I will teach you the fear of the Lord What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days that he may see good? Keep 
12. etc.  thy tongue from evil, and thy lips that they speak no guile. Departed from evil, and do good. Seek peace, and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry.  
Saint Augustine upon these words saith, Si ad literam accipias, videtur te fallere: If thou understandest this place literally, it seemeth to deceive thee: and therefore he thinks it safest to expound these words of the life to come. I think that the scope of the place will press another sense: namely, the goodness of God upon them: the just, even in this life, which doth not consist in riches, and outward things, but in the blessing of God, and in the watchful eye of his Fatherly providence, who faileth not to take care of the Elet, teaching them how to abound, and how to went: & in all the miseries of life still supporting them.  
This blessing is not so much in sight, as the outward things are, yet not altogether unseen. For have we not seen many men great in power, great in favour, great in revenue, and yet bore and needy, borrowing, and much indebted, yea borrowing of those, who have less means to enrich themselves: when some of poorer estates are still purchasing, and in cheerful vegetation. Some like ships with too much sail over-set in the Sea of this world, whilst others, that spread less cloth bring home their freight. The blessing of God is the cause of this difference. This seemeth a foolish doctrine to the worldling: but give me a little with this blessing, rather than Satan's offer of all the Kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, without it. David saith in the fourth Psalm and the eight verse, I will lay me down in peace, and take my rest, for it is thou Lord only which makest me devil in safety. And he chideth them that Rise early, and go late to bed, and eat the 
Psal. 127. 2.  bread of carefulness, for God giveth his beloved sleep.  
Set your rest upon this, be faithful in your service of God, and in the duties of your lawful callings, and then permit Deo caetera: Leave the rest to God. Cast your care upon him, for he careth for you. Your leaf shall not whither, and look whatsoever you do, it shall prtsper, Psal. 1. 3. Hear the word of your God by his Prophet jeremy 22. 13. Woe to him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong, that useth his neighbour's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work. And particularly he saith to the son of josiah; Shalt thou reign because thou closest 
Verse▪ 15.  thyself in Cedar? Did not thy Father eat and drink, and do judgement, and justice, and then it was well with him? Was not this to honour me, saith the Lord? Here is a fair example, they that make conscience of their lawful calling, have their portion in the favour and blessing of Almighty God. Strive then to be, and to declare yourselves the Inheritance of God: For the eye of God is upon such, and his ear always open to their suits. David instanceth, I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree: yet he passed away, and he was not: I sought him, but he could not be found. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright man, for the end of that man is 
Psal. 37. 35.  peace. That which deceiveth the world in the comparison of the just and unjust, one with an other, is the odds in quantity. The unjust hath much often: and the righteous but a little: against which, let us oppose that infallible rule of David, 
Psal. 37. 16.  A little that a righteous man hath, is better than the riches of many wicked.  
2 We are taught further out of this place, that seeing it is in respect of God's inheritance, that God is so plentiful in watering the earth, whereby the wicked of the earth grow rich, and their portion waxeth fat, by this means, surely we may conclude, that the wicked even in temporal things, do far much the better, for the sake of the righteous: for they have the greatest share in these outward and temporal things. A clear proof of this point is in Sodomes' case, in which, if but ten just men could have been found, the sinning cities had been spared: and in that story, the Angel of God said to Lot, Haste thee, escape thither, for I can not do any 
Genesis 19 22.  thing, till thou be come thither.  
And what is it that deferreth the day of judgemnent of all flesh, but God's expectation to accomplish the number of his elect? when his number is once full, he will come to judge the quick and the dead. Therefore it was a mischievous suggestion of Satan, that Christians were the causes of common calamities: Not (beloved) the righteous are they that hold Gods hands: good Kings such as Solomon was, who prayed for his people, good Samuels that say, God forbidden that we should cease praying for you: good David's, whose eyes do gush out in rivers of waters, for them that keep not the Law: good Daniels, that open their windows toward jerusalem, and pray thrice in a day to God: good Ieremies, that wish their heads fountains of tears, to bewail their people: good Obadiahs that hide, and feed the Prophets of the Lord in time of persecution. These be they that keep heaven open, and the mercyseat accessible; for the Son of God is their elder brother, and they are able to do all things through him, that strengtheneth them. This church of God is scattered over the face of the earth, and all the earth doth far the better for it. Abimelech confesseth to Abraham, God is with thee in all that thou dost: and therefore desired an oath of confederation 
Genesis 21. 22.  with him.  
Abimelech requireth the same of Isaac his Son: 
Genesis 26. 28.  For we saw certainly, that the Lord was with thee.  
Laban observeth, I have found by experience, that 
Genesis 30. 27.  the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake: and in josephs' story, both Potiphars' house, and the prison, and all the Land of Egypt, found the benefit of josephs' company: he was homo boni pedis: a lucky man, as the Proverb saith, where ever he came: therefore the Apostle saith of sundry worthy persons, of whom the world was not worthy, Hebrews 11. 38. For as God said to Abraham, Genesis 12. 3. Thou shalt be a blessing: So are all the servants of God, blessings to the place in which they live, and I have willingly embraced their pious judgements, who have thought, that when S. Stephan prayed for his persecutors (Saul by his own confession being one of them) the prayers of that holy Martyr were a most holy and helpful means of Sauls conversion, who was after that, shortly, Paul an Apostle of JESUS CHRIST, and preached the Gospel, which before he persecuted. And in this general over-growth of iniquity, in this Land, those few that watch, and fast, and pray, and make conscience of their ways, and of the service of our God; these are they that bind the hands of God, that he cannot smite the Land: if he shut Heaven, these open it again: Such a treasure is piety, such a liberty is in the service of God: Strive therefore to be the favourites of God. Prince's favourites have but their seasons, their great Masters may die, or their living love may run in another channel: Trust not in Princes, for there is no help in them: What a glory is this to religion, that it is not worldly pomp, and high Titles, full Tables, full Coffers, gay Garments, that prevail with heaven, but godliness, Which hath the promises of this life, and of the life to come.   

2 Effectually: Thou didst confirm thine inheritance: this is more than to refresh it; for he did settle and establish his favour upon it: such is the love of God in duration, whom he loveth to the end he loveth them; and the continuace of our service cannot fail of the continuance and confirmation of his love to us; and upon that condition do all his promises pass to his own Israel, to Abraham's seed, to David and Solomon, If they keep my Commandments: Do you desire that God should confirm and settle his mercy upon you and your children: Be you his children, serve the Lord in fear all the days of your life; for all the benefits of life depend upon the mercies of God to give them to us, and to settle them upon us. Thus was the inheritance of God, the people of Israel, confirmed in the assurance of God's favourable protection; they found now that God was good to Israel in the performance of that gracious promise of rain, whereby the land of their possession become friutfull unto them: and hereby the faithful in the Land were confirmed in the faith of his truth, and in the love of his mercy, and in the obedience of his will. Our Saviour required this good service of Peter: Thou being converted strengthen the brethren. Let not us unconstantly waver in his obedience, who doth constantly continued his loving kindness to us; but let us win as many by our experience of his love to us as we can: so did David: Come hither, hearken unto me, and I will show you what the Lord hath done for my soul: So shall we confirm ourselves and others in the mercies of God, which are called, the sure mercies of David.  
In this grievous drought which so long parched the face of the earth, we had now and then a gracious shower, which refreshed the face of the earth, and laid the dust of it; but we wanted two degrees of the favour now obtained, and in my Text expressed, for we had not liberatem plwiam: we had not a plentiful rain, neither had we that title confirmed, and settled upon us, but the Sun soon dried it up: But now God hath remembered us in the fullness of his mercy, for we have the early and the latter rain, plwiam voluntatum: even such, and so much rain, as we ourselves would have: What shall we tender to the Lord for this? let us pay our vows in the sight of the Lord, even now, in presence of all his people.   

3 Seasonably: when it was weary.  
The Earth was weary of suffering thirst so long, the cattle were weary with pining for want of necessary food. Men were weary with watering of the earth with the foot, weary with bearing the weight of God's long displeasure, weary with crying, and calling upon God for help; Because the 
jeremy 14. 4.  ground was chapped, for there was no rain upon the earth: the Blow men were ashamed, and covered their heads, and the eyes of the cattle did fail, because there was no grass: Even than did God visit us with a liberal rain, to refresh the earth, and to Confirm his inheritance: yet so moderately, as not to hurt our hopeful harvest, that all hands work cheerfully to gather in the riches of the earth. Now let me say to you: Behold you are made whole, sin no more jest a greater judgement fall upon you: jest he punish you with too much rain, as he hath done with too little: for God hath many Arrows in his quiver of Vengeance. Keep heaven open with your prayers, and sand up thither a morning and evening sacrifice of praises, and say unto your God as the Prophet doth; OH the hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in time of trouble, why 
jeremy 14. 8.  shouldest thou be as a stranger in our Land, and as a wayfaring man, that turneeh aside to tarry for a night? Thou (OH Lord) art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name. Leave us not.  
I conclude, and herein I desire your thankful hearts to join with me in all serious and sincere devotion: The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we rejoice. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy-ghost: As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end,  
Amen.     
FINIS.