THE TRUE HONOUR OF NAVIGATION AND NAVIGATORS: Or, HOLY MEDITATIONS FOR SEAMEN. Written upon our Saviour Christ his Voyage by Sea, MATTH. 8.23. etc. Whereunto are added certain forms of Prayers for Sea travelers, suited to the former Meditations, upon the several occasions that fall at Sea.  
By JOHN WOOD, Doctor in Divinity.  PSALM. 34.17. 
The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth; and delivereth them out of all their troubles.  
LONDON, Imprinted by Felix Kyngston, dwelling in Paternoster row, near the sign of the golden Cock. 1618.   

TO THE HONOURABLE AND WORTHY KNIGHT SIR THOMAS SMITH, GOVERNOR OF THE EAST-INDIA COMPANY: To the Right Worshipful Master Maurice Abbot, deputy; Master William Harison, Treasurer; The Committees, and all the rest of the Honourable and worthy Adventurers of the same Society.  
Having for many years together been an eye-witness of your great care, in providing all manner of necessaries both for the bodies and souls of those men that you have sent and employed in your several fleets into the East-Indies: I have longed to express my love for many favours received from you; but had no other means, but by adding to your great provisions for the Sea, these Meditations following, fitted especially for Seamen. A work wherein I know not any man that hath gone before me, and therefore I hope the better to be accepted: In which I have only broken the y●e, and given the onset, to encourage some more skilful workman to undertake it in some better fashion; seeing there is such variety and plenty of heavenly meditations in this argument, as in no other particular that I know of: And yet amongst the great multiplicity of learned works in all other matters, this only hath been neglected, and not thought of. The substance of these Meditations were purposed to have been Preached at the setting forth of your last fleet, aboard the ROYAL JAMES, as a farewell-Sermon (as I had divers times before, upon the like occasions, done the like office). But God then otherwise disposing of it: As our law condemneth malefactors that speak not for themselves, to be pressed to death; so I contrariwise have thought fit, to press this benefactor to Seamen (as I hope) to a further life: that the things that then escaped the ears of a few, may now be in the eyes and sight of all that please; and may not only be a means to them to beguile some idle hours, but teach them in all places of the world, to make spiritual use to their souls, of all occurrences that either by Sea or Land they shall meet withal. The great blessings of Almighty God upon our little Island; since the shaking off the superstitious Idolatry of the Church of Rome, and the sincere Preaching of the true Catholic Faith amongst us; as they appear in the uniting of the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland, and the uniting of the hearts of both the peoples, having One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, One God and Father of all: So by your means and Christian care, in the sending forth of your great Fleets unto the furthest parts of the earth, Our Faith is published thoròugh the World; and our Land made famous unto the remotest parts thereof: And ye cannot but thankfully remember and acknowledge, to the honour of our great God, how he hath poured out his blessings more abundantly upon your Fleets, then upon any of our bordering neighbours. I humbly beseech him not only to continue, but to increase and multiply his goodness and mercy every day more and more toward us, maugre the malice of all our enemies. I know that some secretly (through envy) do repine and murmur at your prosperous success: and some have publicly in Print taxed and traduced your Trading, laying foul and scandalous imputations and aspersions upon it, as prejudicial to the State and Commonwealth: and it were easy for me to show the ridiculous untruth of those cavils which they object: but that I am therein prevented both by a worthy Knight in his defence of Trade, 
Sir Dudley Diggs.  as also by a reverend Divine in his holy Pilgrimage; 
Mr. Purchas.  unto whose writings I refer them that desire satisfaction. I must needs set down what I know and see daily, of your great bounty and liberality, to the honour of God, and your further encouragement to do good: viz. that as God hath greatly increased your store, so ye have not been backward to impart much, and more than any other Society (that ever I could hear of) to the supply of the wants of his poor members: your daily relief of poor Ministers of the Gospel, your charity to Prisoners, to Widows, to Orphans, and to all well minded poor people that you find to stand in need of your help, cannot but plead for you in the eyes of God and all good men.  
Go on therefore (in God's name) in your noble designs, and rest ye still upon his blessing, who (I doubt not) hath many more in store for you, and so long as you conscionably seek to honour his name among the Heathen, and (under him) to advance the State wherein ye live; will (no doubt) afford you many comfortable assurances of his love and favour, both to your bodies and souls here in this life, and crown you with eternal glory with himself, in the life to come. And thus recommending yourselves, your ships, your men, your goods both abroad and at home to God's blessed protection; with my daily Prayers to God for you all, and more specially for that Fleet which is now shortly to be set forth, I beseech you kindly to accept of this little Newyear's gift, and I shall be bound to rest  
Ready to do you service, JOHN WOOD   

TO ALL HONEST PROFESSORS and practisers of Navigation, and more specially to all Navigators to the East-Indies.  
NOble Spirits, that dare every hour look death in the face, and run through the difficulties of the vast Ocean! I have in this short Treatise taught you, how to become truly religious, and thereby to be truly honourable and courageous: and my purpose in writing these meditations, was to instruct you, by these few, how to raise unto yourselves spiritual and heavenly meditations, in all other passages of your lives at Sea and land, so as you may reap the sweetest comforts to your souls and consciences, both in the whole course of your life, and especially at the hour of death. To this end I have set down at the end of the book certain forms of prayer and thanksgiving, fi●ted both to the former meditations in the book, and the most useful occasions that I could think of. I desire not to tie any man to those set forms, for, whosoever can in the inward feeling of his own misery and God's mercy, pour forth his soul's desires according to his sensible feeling ●ither of God's judgements in time of danger, or of his gracious promise in the time of his deliverance, shall certainly find the best assurance of God's gracious assistance, by the spirit of adoption dwelling in him, whereby he is brought ●o ●●ie Abba Father. But the forms of prayer by me set down as they are intended for their help, that for want of knowledge understand not how to pray, or in the time of fear be so distracted and astonished, that they cannot utter their minds but confusedly and out of order: so the best men may make good use of the most of the Prayers, being meditations gathered out of the book of Psalms: to read over that book again and again, and gather from thence such profitable meditations as may fitly be applied for comforts upon all occasions. My request to God for you all is, that you may find as great comfort in the reading and hearing of these meditations, as I have done in the writing of them. And my request to you is, that both before your Voyages (while ye may enjoy the ordinary preaching of the Word) you labour thereby to season your hearts with grace, that ye do not like Epicures say, Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we shall die: and that having finished your Voyage, you neither forgèt Gods merciful preservation of you, (whilst you have seen many of your fellows perish before your faces) nor your promises and vows made to God in your greatest extremities: So shall ye be sure to make a good voyage, which I heartily desire for you at God's hands: and so commending you to his sacred protection▪ I rest  
Your true Remembrancer unto God, JOHN WOOD   

HOLY MEDITATIONS FOR SEAMEN.  It is written, MATTH. 8.23. 
And when he was entered into the ship, his Disciples followed him: And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, so that the ship was covered with waves, but he was asleep. Then his Disciples came and awoke him; saying, Master, save us we perish: And he said unto them, Why are you fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and so there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, What man is this, that both the winds and the sea obey him?  
IT hath ever been the use and custom of God's best Saints and dearest children in their holiest meditations, either of his creatures, or of their own or others actions, to lift up their minds above their senses, and to make spiritual use to their souls of whatsoever they did see, hear, read, or do. The heavens (saith the sweet singer of Israel) declare the glory of God, 
Psalm. 19.1.  and the firmament show forth his handy works. And in another place; 
Psalm. 8.3.  When I behold thine heavens, even the works of thy fingers, the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained. What is man say I, that thou art so mindful of him, and the son of man, that thou visitest him? And this was the reason that the Prophets and Apostles, and especially our Saviour Christ himself taught the people so much by way of parable, that the sight of a little child, nay of the Ox and the Ass, 
Matth. 18.2. Esay 1▪ 3. jer. 8.7. Prou. ●. 6.  nay of the Stork, the Crane, the Tur●le, the Swallow; yea even of the little Ant, or Emmet, may afford us holy and heavenly meditations, and teach us Christian and religious duties; that the ploughman breaking up his ground, 
jer. 4.4.  may be put in mind of the necessity of repentance, thereby to break up the fallownesse and hardness of his heart: that the husbandman throwing his seed upon the ground, 
Matth. 13.3.  may therein consider the nature of the word of God, the necessity and utility thereof, and the chief reason why many times it taketh no better effect: 
Mat. 13.25.  that the beholding of tars and weeds in the field, should instruct him of the state and condition of God's kingdom in his Church militant: that the Merchant searching diligently for pearls and precious stones, 
Matth. 13.45.  and paying dearly for them, should remember a more precious pearl, to wit, to have Christ become his, and be content to sell all he hath, to get possession of him; that a poor woman sowing a grain of mustard seed, or laying her leaven, 
Mat. 13.31.33.  may be taught therein the nature of the kingdom of heaven.  
Master Bradford, an holy Martyr, in the bloody days of Queen Mary, hath left behind him many comfortable meditations, for the particular actions of the whole day, from the time of our awaking in the morning, to our lying down to rest at night. There is a spiritual awakeing, 
Ephes. 5.14.  and a spiritual light more to be desired then the corporal. 
Rom. 13.11.14.  There is spiritual arising from sin, and clothing of ourselves in our Saviour Christ. There is spiritual talking to edification, 
Ephes. 4.29. Ephes. 5.2.  and a spiritual walking in love. There is spiritual meat, and spiritual drink to be laboured for; and there are spiritual works that were ordained for us to do: our sleep which we: nightly de●ire, 
john 6.27. Ephes. 2.10.1. Cor. 15.18. Revel. 14.13.  should put us in mind of our death, and our beds of our graves, and the rest we desire for our bodies, of eternal rest.  
But all these may seem to be meditations for men on land: Indeed they● be such as belong both to land and sea: ●nd the sea-trauelle● hath here the advantage, that they have many holy meditations proper to themselves: They that go down to the sea in ships, and occupiely the great waters▪ They see the works of the Lord, 
Psal. 107.23.  and his wonders in the deep. And of such sea-meditations fit for seamen I purpose to discourse. Wherein if any shall tax me, as Hannibal the great Captain did Phormio the Philosopher, for reading a lecture of martial discipline before him (my self never having passed the seas, and yet writing these things for their sakes and use, that are the greatest travelers in the world); My answer is, that I only purpose to relate the observations of the ancient Fathers, and such as do arise from the seavoyage of our Saviour Christ, before propounded, that accordingly all travelers (by sea especially) may raise unto themselves spiritual meditations, from the several occurrences that at any time they shall meet withal.  
In the Text I observe these two things: 

The history.  
The mystery.    
The history hath these four parts:  
First, a sea voyage of our Saviour Christ and his Disciples: wherein, 

1. For our Saviour Christ, He entered into a ship.  
2. For his Disciples: His Disciples followed him.    
Secondly, the danger of the voyage, consisting in two things: 

1. A tempest arising, wherein is to be observed, 

1. A note of admiration or attention, Behold.  
2. Secondly, the nature of it in the name, A Tempest.  
3. Thirdly, the measure of it, Great.  
4. Fourthly, the place: In the Sea.  
5. The effect it wrought: The ship was covered with waves.    
2. In Christ's being asleep: But he was asleep.    
Thirdly, the miracle, and in it two things: 

1. The occasion in the Disciples, wherein I note, 

1. What they did, viz. 

1. They came to him.  
2. They awoke him.    
2. What they said: Master save us, we perish.    
2. The miracle itself wrought by Christ, and in it, 

1. A preparation, in a reproof of his Disciples: Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?  
2. The means: 

1. He arose.  
2. He rebuked the winds and the sea.    
3. The work: There followed a great calm.      
Fourthly, the success in the beholders, in 2. things: 

1. What they did: The men wondered.  
2. What they said: What man is this, that both winds and sea obey him?    
The second general part is the mystery. For by the judgement of the Fathers: 

1. The sea is an image of the world.  
2. The ship is an image of the true Church of Christ, militant.  
3. The tempest an image of the rage and fury of heretics, schismatics, and persecuting tyrants against the Church.  
4. Christ his sleeping, is an image of his death.  
5. His arising is an image of his resurrection.  
6. The Calm that followed, is an image, not only of that peace of conscience, & joy in the holy Ghost, which the Church receiveth as the benefits of his resurrection in this life: but also of that eternal rest and happiness which they receive thereby in the life to come.    
Before I come to the handling of the particulars, the whole history doth deliver unto us the truth of a general doctrine, concerning a chief Article of our Christian faith, of the conjunction of the two Natures, the human and the Divine in one person Christ, to make him a complete and absolute Mediator and Saviour of mankind. In that he entered into a ship, used it as a means to cross the sea, his ship was subject to the violence of the tempest, and himself so sound a sleep; all these showed him to be perfect man: and in that by his own only word, rebuking the Winds and the Sea, there presently followed a Calm; this showed him to be perfect God. Which point of doctrine is the sum and ground of the whole Gospel, which doth so set forth Christ unto us, that by it we may firmly believe, that the Word was made Flesh; 
john 1.14. Gal. 4.4.5.  that When the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his son made of a woman, and made under the Law, That he might redeem them that were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness, 
1. Tim. 3.16.  God manifested in the flesh. To this end the Evangelists in the whole history of his life & death do purposely intermingle such things, as may show the truth of both these Natures in one person; As, He was conceived, and so he was man: 
Luke 1.35.  but he was conceived of the holy Ghost, as no other man was, and therefore God. He was borne, and so he was man: 
Esay 7.14.  but He was borne of a Virgin, as no other man was, and therefore God. He was hungry, which showed him to be Man: 
Mark 11.12. john 6.10.13.  but he fed 5000 with five barley loaves and two fishes, & yet there remained of the broken meat twelve baskets full, which proved him to be God. He was thirsty, which showed him to be man: 
john 19.28. john 4.10.  but he had the water of life to give, of which whosoever drank should never thirst, and therefore he was God. He was weary, and so a man: 
john 4.6. Matth. 11.28. Mat. 22.42.43. john 19.30. john 10.18.  but he had ease to give to all that were laden▪ and so he was God. He was David's son, and so a man: but he was David's Lord as he was God. He died as he was a man: but he raised himself from death by the power of his Godhead. 
Luke 2.16. Matth. 2.2.  At his birth he was laid in a cra●ch as a man: but a star in the heaven shows him to be God. 
john 19.18.  At his death▪ though ●e suffered on the cross as a man: 
Luke 23.43.  yet he made a de●d of Paradise, as he was God. No marvel therefore if the Apostle call it a great mystery; for The Ancient ●f dai●s to be borne in time; 
Dan. 7.9. Gal. 4.4.  for him, by whom all things were created, to become himself a creature; 
john 1.3. jer. 31.22. jer. 23.24.  for him, whom the Heavens could not contain, to be contained in the womb of a Virgin; for him, that was equal with God the Father, to take upon him the form of a servant, to be made like unto men, 
Phil. 2.7.8. Heb. 4.15. Ephes. 3 9  and to be found in the shape of man, yea, to be tempted in like sort as we, yet without sin. This mystery it pleased God from the beginning of the world to keep hid in himself. And as it was beyond the compass of the devils knowledge (though he knew much), for he would never have endeavoured the fall of man, 
Genes. 3.1.  if he had understood the redemption of mankind by Christ to a more happy estate: so it was not fully revealed to the elect Angels, 
Ephes. 3.10.  no, not to the chiefest of them, the Principalities and Powers, until his manifestation in the flesh, when they were made the first Preachers of it. 
Luke 2.10.  And though it were in part revealed to the Fathers in the old Testament, both by the word of promise to Adam presently after his fall, 
Genes. 3.15. Genes. 12 3. Psal. 89.36.  and after to Abraham, and to David; as also by many types and shadows; and lastly by evangelical prophecies, 
Esa. 7.14.  that a Virgin should conceive and bear a son, and they should call his name Emmanuel, that is, God with us. Yet was this revelation made but darkly, 
john 8.56.  and they saw, and believed in Christ a far off: so that we say with the Apostle to our comfort, 
Heb. 11.13.  At sund●ie times, and in divers manner's God spoke in the old time to our Fathers by the Prophets; 
Heb. 1.1.  In these last days he hath spoken unto us by his Son●e, etc. Hence it comes, that the devil hath ever since laboured to stir up devilish minded men to oppugn this main article of our faith, 
Zanch. de operi●us Dei. lib. 4. cap. 2.  so that all heresies are reduced either to those that deny the truth of his Divinity or of his Humanity, or of the conjunction of both those Natures in one person, to be our only true Mediator. Some of these heretics granted him to be God, 
Samosa●enus.  but not before he was borne of the Virgin Marie, who were confuted by that of the Evangelist. 
john 1.1.  In the beginning was the Word, and that Word was with God, and that Word was God: and for confutation of them, was that clause added in the Nicen Creed; Begotten of the Father before all worlds. 
Sabellius.  Some affirmed him to be the same person with God the Father, who were confuted by his own speech; There is another that bears w●nes of me. 
Iohn●. 3 2.  Some thought him to be a kind of God, 
A●rius.  but not of the same substance with the Father: who are likewise confuted by himself, where he saith, I and my Father are one. 
john 10.30.  Some acknowledged the Father and him to be of one substance, 
Eutiches.  but yet that there was no equality between them, who were confuted by that of the Apostle; 
Phil. 2.6.  He thought it no robbery to be equal with God. These were the main Heresies touching his Godhead. 
Martion.  Some again denied him to be man, who are confuted by that of the Apostle; There is one Mediator between God and man the Man Christ jesus. 
1. Tim. 2.4.  Some thought and taught, 
Manicheus.  that he had no true, but a fantastical body, who are confuted by himself, saying; Behold my hands and my feet, 
Luke 24.39.  handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ●e see I have. Some held, that in respect of the manhood, 
Apollinaris.  he had no soul, but that the body was in animated by the Godhead, who are confuted, where he saith; 
Matth. 26.38.  My soul is heavy, even to the death: but his Divinity was not heavy, neither could it suffer. Lastly, 
Nestorius.  some deny the conjunction of these two natures in one person, that he was not perfect God and perfect Man, who were condemned by such proprieties of speech and phrase in the Scripture, where that is spoken of his Godhead, that belonged to his Manhood, and that of his Manhood, which is proper to his Godhead, as, Feed the Church of God, 
Acts 20.28.  which he hath purchased with that his own blood. There is blood attributed unto God, which he had not, but as he was man. 
john 3.13.  So on the other side he saith; No man ascendeth up to heaven, but he that hath descended from heaven, that Son of Man which is in heaven. Where that is ascribed to the Son of Man, namely, to be in heaven, which was proper unto him as he was God. This article therefore of our faith is the ground of Christian Religion, and affordeth many comforts to all Christians: but especially to Seamen, and those that undertake long voyages amongst Heathens & Infidels; and I could wish none might be admitted to go, until they be well grounded therein, which would afford many heavenly meditations.  
For first, whereas these men resolving to leave their native Country, and to travel to the furthest parts of the World, do expose themselves to more perils and dangers than other men; what sweeter meditation can they have for the arming of themselves, even against death itself, the last enemy, then to know, that they are in the right faith concerning their Saviour and Redeemer, 
1. Cor. 15.26.  that whatsoever shall become of their bodies, they have before provided for their souls, and so are ready ●o live or die in that faith?  
Secondly, when they see preparations made for them (by the Merchants and Adventurers) of goodly tall ships, with all manner of fit provisions; when they observe the skill and art of their chief Leaders and Commanders, that have been trained up by long experience, not only to guide and govern those great Vessels, but themselves also in their several places; that they trust not in any of these secondary means, but to God's blessing upon those means by and through Christ; for Except the Lord build the house, 
Psalm. 127.1.  they labour in vain that build it: Except the Lord keep the City, the watchman watcheth but in vain. It is Christ God and Man, 
Rom. 8.32.  by whom we receive all good.  
When they are in the greatest perils, to meditate, that Christ their Saviour is God, and therefore can; and Man and therefore will deliver and free them, if it stand with his glory and with their good.  
4 When they come to remote places, and find Infidels that have not heard of Christ, to remember that they themselves are such by nature, and that they have deserved no better at God's hand; nay, they have deserved much worse, because they have abused Gods blessings, yea, 
a Rom. 2.4.  his long suffering and patience that should lead them ●o repentance. And therefore to consider, of the great love of God toward them, that passing by so great and huge nations, and leaving them in incredulity, hath afforded them the means of salvation.  
5 To meditate, that the best way to make a good voyage indeed, is to labour by all means possible, to reduce those Infidels, or any of them, to the profession of the same faith in Christ: there being both 
b Luke 22.32.  a commandment from Christ to do it, and 
c james 5.19. Dan. 12.3.  great promises to them that obey that commandment.  
6 That above all they take heed, that leaving Christendom, they forsake not this faith in Christ, they prove not Apostates, they make not 
d 1. Tim. 1.19.  shipwreck of faith▪ and of a good conscience: for such 
e Heb. 6.6.  falling away is the high way to the sin unpardonable against the holy Ghost. And thus much of the general doctrine, we come now to the particulars of the history, wherein first ●as observed, a Sea by Christ and his Disciples. First, of him, He entered into a ship. Where it may be demanded, why Christ would pass the sea, when he might have stayed on land? For the Philosopher said, 
Anachar.  that a shipman had but four inches (the thickness of the board's of his ship) betwixt him and death. And it was one o●●●e 3 things that Cato in his old age repented him of, that he had traveled by sea, when he might have gone by land. It was the charge that Antigonus gave to his sons (having escaped a dangerous tempest at sea) that they should neither adventure upon any such danger again themselves, nor forget to advise their posterity after them, to take heed (by their example) of that which was like to have cost them so dear. 
Pittac. Mit.  It was the speech of one of the seven wise men of Greece, that Sailors at sea were neither to be reckoned for live men, nor for dead, but between both. And in Divinity it may seem (or at least the devil will suggest it) that to adventure to travel by sea, is a kind of tempting of God. And indeed without a lawful calling, and using the means which God hath appointed to preserve us, it is as unlawful for to travel by sea, as it is for a man in the time of the plague, wilfully to run into an infected house, or to thrust himself into any unnecessary danger. For answer therefore to the former objection, why Christ would enter into a ship, if he would needs go over the sea, who could by his word have divided the sea into two parts, that he and his might go over as upon dry land, 
f Exod. 14.22.  as he did the Read sea for his people's sake, by the ministry of Moses; or could have walked, as he did 
g Matth. 14.29.  anothe●●●me upon the water, as upon firm ground, yet he rather taketh the ordinary course to enter into a ship and sail over, for these reasons.  

Orig.  1 He having after his long Sermon on the Mount, in the three former Chapters, done divers great miracles in this Chapter upon the land, as the cleansing of a Leper; the curing of the Centurion's servant; the healing of Peter's wives mother; the ●●sting forth of devils out of many that were possessed with them, doth now (that he may show himself 
h 1. King. 20.23.  not only the God of the Mountains▪ but of the valleys; not only the G●d of the Land, but of the Sea) enter into a ship, that thereby he might show his authority and power on the winds and seas in this miracle.  

Cyril.  2 Having done the former miracles in his Apostles sight only, he thought now to do a miracle upon themselves, whereof being partakers, they might be more sensible.  
3 
i Mark. 4.36.3.  He was fain by ●his means to avoid the press of the multitude that followed ●im; and therefore upon such occasions sometime he withdrew himself into a Mountain, and sometime to the Desert, and sometime to a ship at sea, as his places of refuge.  
4 But principally (as I take it) he entered into a ship, and sailed in it, that by his example he might both give warrant to those that have a lawful calling, to adventure themselves and their lives at sea, depending upon God's protection; as also to show the necessity that his Apostles should be tied unto, to take that course afterward, when they received commission to 
k Matth. 28.19.  go preach the Gospel to all Na●ions; which they could not do (especially to Islanders) but by passing of the sea.  
Here than we observe the honour of the Art of Navigation, and of the professors and practisers thereof, graced (in this place) by the presence and practice of our Saviour Christ, and this miracle wrought by him at sea; for as we account it none of the least dignities of that honourable estate of Matrimony, 
l john 2.2.  that Christ adorned and beautified a Marriage with his presence, and first miracle that he wrought, at Cana in Galilee: so must we think it a great honour to Navigation and Navigators, that Christ himself vouchsafed to enter into a ship, and therein to work a greate● miracle: and certainly the honours of Navigators by sea are very great.  
For ●irst, howsoever they trade and spend the best part of their lives in another ●lement, than the ordinary course of other men do; yet is that element of water, nothing inferior, but rather more excellent than the earth, the lowest and basest of all the rest: and in the opinion of a 
m Thales Milet.  great Philosopher, this is the Element of Elements, or the first matter whereof all b●dies were made; whose opinion in the judgement of 
n Zanch. de op. dei par. 2. lib. 1. cap. 1.  one of the best Divines of our age, is most agreeable to the truth delivered by Moses; 
o Genes. 1.2.  That the Spirit of God moved upon the waters: where the word (mou●d) being a metaphor, ta●en from birds sitting upon eggs to hatch their young, doth show, that God 
p 2. Pet. 3.5.  out o● those waters, as out of the first matter▪ did produce all bodies as well celestial as terrestial: for the word heavens in original, being a compound, doth signify nothing else, but 
q Rab. Kimchi. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  (there water) answerable to that which followeth in the history of the Creation, of the waters beneath and above the firmament: unto which if we shall add for the dignity of this element, 
r Gen. 3.17.  That the earth was specially cursed for the sin of man: 
s Aug▪ Tom. 3. pag. 710.  That in the general destruction of all living creatures in the deluge, the fishes, the inhabitants of this element, escaped: 
t Mat. 4.13.18.  That our Saviour Christ did choose fishermen, for his principal Apostles: That he ordained this element, as the matter of the Sacrament of baptism: and that 
u Mat. 3.16.  by his own undertaking this Sacrament in ●his element: He sanctified the Flood jordan, and all other waters to the mystical washing away of sin. All these do show the dignity of this element above the earth.  
Secondly, whereas the difference of excellency in Trades, doth best appear in their dependence upon God's providence; insomuch as the greatest argument of the Fathers against Usury, is that the Usurer will not rely or depend upon God's blessing and providence, but upon such security as their wits can find out, of Bonds, Statutes, Mortgages and Pawns: This is the second honour of Navigators and Merchants: that of all other men, they most rest and trust upon God's blessing and protection. In which respect if we will call to mind, the blessings that God hath bestowed, especially upon this our Nation, in this last age of the world, more than ever since the beginning of the world, for the perfecting of the Art of Navigation, and for the discovery of new Nations (which may in comparison be called ne● worlds): so that those cold parts of the world, towards the Poles and hot Zone, under and near the Line, which by ancients were thought to be inhabitable, are now as familiarly gone unto, as from Dover to Calais; we cannot but admire God's mercy and goodness, to reserve this honour to this last and worst age of the world, that we may at last learn to cry out with the Prophet; 
x Psal. 116.12.  What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits which he hath given me?  
Thirdly, whereas amongst men the degrees of honour consist in the difficulty and hardness of the atchivement, so that the greatest honour is the hardest to be obtained, & is best esteemed by hardness in getting it: this is the third honour of Navigators, especially in great and long voyages, that they purchase their honour the hardest of any other, they endure and overcome more apparent difficulties and dangers, than any other men in the world, and therefore their honour so dear bought to be highly preferred,  
Fourthly, whereas in all professions, they are most honourable which bring most knowledge and understanding, (because reason, and the true use of it is held the specifical difference betwixt men and beasts.) And among all human learning the Mathematical sciences have had the precedence, both for certainty, because they are grounded on demonstration, and also because they acquaint us with all the courses, motions, & proportions of the celestial and elementary bodies. This is the fourth honour of Navigators, that they have the most and best use of all Mathematical discipline: Arithmetic, Geometry, Astronomy; and as it is set down as a commendation of Moses, 
y Act. 7.22.  that he was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and therefore powerful in words, and in deeds: and this wisdom of the Egyptians was in the Mathematical sciences, especially in Astronomy, whereby they observed, not only the distinction of the Planets from the fixed stars, but their site or place, their magnitudes, their conjunctions and oppositions, and their influences and forces upon bodies beneath the Moon; the engendering of all meteors, the cause of the ebbing, & flowing, and saltness of the sea, and such like: so this cannot but add to the honour of Navigators, that they not only examine the truth of former observations, but do daily increase knowledge in the world, concerning these most excellent speculations.  
Fifthly, antiquity hath ever been held a true badge of honour, especially in those arts and professions which were first found out by men famous & renowned in their times. And this is the fifth honour of Navigators: for howsoever profane historians in their histories, do ascribe both the invention of shipping, and the art of Navigation, to one of themselves, one Atlas, a Moor, (whom for his skill in Astronomy, the Poets feign to bear up the heavens with his shoulders) as if he were the first inventor, and in part a perfecter of this excellent Art; yet we Christians, (as we read in the Scripture) do hold, that the first use of shipping, and the Art of Navigation, came both immediately from God himself; and were revealed to Noah in form of an Ark, which he was not only 
z Gen. 6.14.15.16.  commanded to make, but had particular directions, both for the matter whereof, and ●he form or manner, the length, the breadth, the height, the cabins, the window, and the several decks, Seeing therefore Navigation hath so honourable an author, of such antiquity, it may not be despised, but highly esteemed.  
Sixthly, true religion is the best mark of true honour, as may appear in that 
a Act. 17.11.  noble title, given by the holy Ghost to the faithful of Berea. And we see that God himself hath passed his promise, 
b 1. Sam. 2.30.  Those that honour me I will honour. This then is the sixth part of the honour of Navigators, that they have the best means to be truly religious and sincere Christians, without hypocrisy: For howsoever it is true, that the ordinary means to beget faith, is 
c Rom. 10.17.  the word preached ordinarily: which many of these Navigators do want; yet (God be thanked) there is care had in those Fleets, that are sent into the East Indies, for the furnishing of them with honest Ministers to supply that want, so far as conveniently may be. And as I am persuaded, that God's blessings have been the more multiplied upon the Merchant's adventurers, for their Christian and religious care in this point: So I hope that the sense and feeling of those blessings from God, will cause them, not only to continue still, but to increase daily in that holy care. But howsoever, the thing, I aim to show, is, that the men that are sent to those parts, especially the Commanders, being men of wit and understanding, and having such helps and means as I know they have, not only of the Bible, which is the chief and principal, but of the best books that are now written in our own language, to help daily to increase their knowledge; as they cannot in perusing the great book of nature (the fabric of the world) by God, but break out into that holy admiration with the kingly Prophet: 
d Psal. 104.24.  O Lord, how manifold are thy works, in wisdom hast thou made them all, the earth is full of thy riches! So is the sea great and wide, 
25.  therein are things creeping innumerable both small beasts and great. There go the ships, 
26.  yea that great Le●iathan, whom thou hast made to play therein: 
27.  All th●se wait upon thee, that thou mayest give them foody in due season. And living in that element, 
e Eccles. 1.7.  from whence all rivers come and return into it again, and yet cannot fill it, how can they but meditate of him? 
f Prou. 8.29.  Tha● gave his decree to the sea, that the waters should not pass his command meant, when he appointed the foundations of the earth. 
g job 38.8.  That shut up the sea w●th doors, when it issued and came forth as out of the womb! That made the clouds as a covering thereof, 
9  and darkness as the swaddling bands thereof: That established his commandment upon it, and set bars and doors: And said, Hitherto shalt thou come▪ 
10.  but no further, and here shall it stay thy proud waves. 
11.  And if these considerations work not upon their hearts, God speaks by the Prophet jeremy, 
h jer. 5.22.  Fear ye not me (saith the Lord) or will ye not be ●fraid at my presence, which have placed the sands for the bounds of the sea by the perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it; and though the waves ●hereof rage, yet can they not prevail; tho●gh they roar, they cannot pass over it. And yet besides all these meditations, the Prophet D●uid telleth us, that, 
i Psal. 107.23.  They that go down to the sea in ships, an● occupy by the great waters; they see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep: 
24.  For he commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind, and it lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, 
25.  and descend to the deep, so that their soul mel●eth for trouble: 
26.  
27.  They are tossed too and fro, and stagger like a drunken man and all their cunning is gone, etc. This teacheth us, that Navigators cannot but see and acknowledge more than other men, the omnipotency, the infiniteness, the justice, the goodness, and mercy of God, both in the variety of creatures, exceeding them upon earth, and in the variety of administration of all things, himself remaining unchangeable; and how can these men then in re●ding good books (whereof they have plenty) but apply them to their hearts, and so live, as they should ever be prepared to die?  
Seventhly, it is a great honour to men, to supply the necessities, and to bring profit and renown to the state and Common wealth wherein they live. And this is the seventh honour due to Navigators, especially amongst us that are seated in an Island, and separated round about by the ocean sea, from the continent or firm land; that without the use of Navigation should be deprived from all commerce and trade with other Nations: whereas now, by the use thereof, our land is not only as famous as any other, to the remotest parts of the world; but those merchandizes wherewith we abound, and which we can well spare, are exported for the benefit of other countries: and those things which we want, and without which we could not conveniently live, are returned: as corn (in time of dearth) wine, oil, spices, drugs, silver, gold, precious stones; and that which must not be forgotten, fish, to the relief of many poor, as we daily see with our eyes.  
But lastly and above all, the honour of Navigation and Navigators appears in this, that Christ our Saviour living upon the earth, though he were borne at Bethlehem in jury, yet had his whole education at Nazareth, a town of Galilee, not far from the sea; and when he began to show himself to the world, he 
k Mat. 4.13.  for sook Nazareth, and went and dwelled at Capernaum, which is near the sea, in the borders of Zabulon and Nepthalim▪ and not only took pleasure to 
l Vers. 18.  walk by the sea of Galilee, and from thence to call Apostles, while they were casting their nets into the sea to catch fish▪ and promising to make them fishers of me: but likewise made choice of a ship, sometime as a pulpit, out of which he might 
m Luk. 5.3.  best instruct and reach the people: & here as a passenger, & as a place to rest & sleep in▪ and therein to wo●ke that great miracle that followeth in this story. The use whereof unto all Navigators is, that this honour done unto that profession then, doth not cease now: but as he was then, bodily and visibly present in this ship; so he is, as he is God, present in every ship, in what place of the world soever it be; and with his children, as a special protector in their societies, assembled in his fear and name, according to his promise, 
n Mat. 18.20.  Wheresoever two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them: or as he promised to his Apostles when he sent them to preach to all nations: 
o Mat. 28.20.  Behold, I am with you always to the end of the world. To teach Navigators when they enter into their ships, to take Christ along with them, and to be sure to keep him, not only in their ships, but in their hearts, without whom they can make no good voyage: for if they think to leave him behind them, or to fly from him: shall not God find them out? as he did jonah. 
p Psal. 139.9.  If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea: even thither shall thine hand lead me, and thy right hand hold me. And thus much of the first point: Christ entered into a ship.  
The second followeth, to wit, his company in this voyage: His Disciples followed him. For the Scripture is wont to describe his Disciples by that term of being his Followers, as of Simon Peter, and Andrew his brother, that he said unto them, 
q Mat. 4.18.  Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they strait way leaving their nets, 
19  followed him. 
20.  And of james and john the sons of Zebedee, 
21.  that were mending their nets, that he called them. And they without tarrying, 
22.  leaving the ship, and their father, followed him. So of Matthew, 
r Mat. 9.9.  si●ting at the custom, he said unto him, follow me. And he arose and followed him. It is Christ's own rule to his Disciples; 
s Mat. 16. 2●.  If any man will follow me▪ let him forsake himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. And it is Peter's profession of himself and his fellows: 
t Mat. 19 27.  Behold we have forsaken all and followed thee. And it is our saviours censure, 
u Luk. 14 27.  Whosoever beareth not his cross and cometh after me, cannot be my Disciple. So that it is no marvel, if he entering into a ship his Disciples followed him. For whom should the soldier follow, but his Captain? whom should the servant follow, but his master? whom should the disciple follow, but his teacher?  

Doct. 1.  This example of the Disciples here, and their obedience in following their Lord, doth teach us, that 
x 1. Cor. 14.33.  God is the God of order, and hath made degrees and differences amongst men; some to rule and govern, some to serve and obey, as well in the Church, as in the Commonwealth; as well in war as in peace; as well at sea, as at the land; as well in private houses, as in all public states; yea even in every particular body: 
y 1. Cor. 12.12.14 15.16. etc.  If all should be head, or any one member, it must needs become a monster. It was therefore a rebellious conceit and speech of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, against Moses and Aaron: 
z Numb. 16.3.  Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation is holy every one of them, and the Lord is among them: Wherefore then lift ye yourselves above the congregation of the Lord? And we see the fearful judgement of God against them, That the ground clave asunder that was under them: 
Vers. 31.  And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up, 
32.  with their families; and all the men that were with Corah, and all their goods: 
33.  So they, and all that they had went down alive into the pit, and the earth covered them, so they perished from among the congregation. It was the first tentation, whereby the arch-enemy of mankind, the devil, set upon our great grandmother Eve, and by it brought sin into the world, to draw her from her subjection to her creator, by insinuating unto her, that God had no good meaning toward her and her husband, in 
a Genes. 3 1.  abridging them of their free liberty to eat of all the trees of the garden, telling her, 
b Gen. 3.5.  that by eating she should be like to God. So doth he still suggest unto inferiors, the hard dealing of their superiors, that by procuring them to take some course for further liberty, he may bring them to disobedience, which breeds disorder, and is the high way to utter confusion. For as the fowlers lay not meat in the shrapes for birds; nor fishers so carefully bait their hooks, to feed those fowls or fishes fatter, but to catch and make prey of them: so the devil under these pretences and fair shows, doth aim to bring men to disobedience and destruction.  
Here therefore in this example, of Christ's Disciples following their Master into the ship, all inferiors are taught a lesson of obedience unto their superiors, that as the Centurion in this Chapter before, saith of himself, 
c Vers. 9  that he had soldiers under him; And he saith to one go, and he goeth, and to another come, and he cometh, and to his servant do this, and he doth it. So all that are under authority, should acknowledge subjection, and be directed by their superiors.  
But specially it is a fit meditation for Seamen, (for whose sake principally I have written this discourse) who in their ships and Fleets, are a body and a kind of Commonwealth severed from other men; consisting of divers orders and degrees, of which, some are to command and govern, and others (according to their several places) to obey and take direction: Amongst whom there cannot come a greater plague, than mutiny and rebellion in the inferior sort, which hath been the overthrow of many voyages and discoveries; and cannot be otherwise without careful and speedy prevention.  
As it is fit therefore that the Commanders in long voyages should have large Commissions, to repress disorders in this kind: so it is necessary for the common sort of sailors to be conscionably instructed in their duties of obedience, which they see practised and performed by the Apostles and Disciples of our Saviour Christ in this place, toward their Lord and Master.  
But yet secondly, the Apostles rule of obedience being this, 
d 1. Cor. 11.1.  Follow me, as I follow Chris●. And the bounds of obedience (as they are observed by Divines out of the fifth Commandment, Honour thy father and thy mother) being comprised in these two:  
1. First, that though the superior be never so wicked, yet his lawful commands are to be obeyed.  
2. Secondly, that though he seem never so good, yet if he command others to do that which is wicked, he is not to be obeyed. In this respect let us learn with the Apostles, in all things to follow Christ as our chief Lord and Commander; and so far as any of our superiors shall command nothing contrary unto Christ, we are bound to obey them; but if they command any wicked or unlawful thing, our answer is with the Apostles, 
e Act. 4.19.  Whether it be right in the sight of God, ●o obey you rather than God, judge ye? For our obedience 
f 1. Pet. 2.13.  to all manner ordinance of man, is for the Lords sake. And as 
g Ephes. 6.1.  children are bound to obey their parents but in the Lord: So 
h ●it. 3.1.  our obedience to principalities and powers, consists in this, to be ready to every good wo●ke. And yet it is expedient that we be not our own judges, and censurers of our superiors commands, carping at every light and slight thing; but rather obey, if it be in our power, though the thing be doubtful: as joab, 
i 2. Sam. 24.4.  though he saw no reason to number the people, yet obeyed David commanding. For sometimes to an unjust commandment, there may be just obedience. As it was more than 
k Mat. 17.  Caesar could require of Christ, being free, 
26.27.  to pay tribute; yet rather than he would break quietness, he gave it. So we must part with our own goods to our superiors, rather than break quietness, according to Saint Augustine's rule, ut illum reum facit iniquitas imperandi, me innoce●tem facit ordo parendi: that is, As he makes himself guilty by unjust commanding, so I preserve my innocency by orderly obeying. And thus much of the first general head of the history of Christ his voyage to sea in a ship, and his Disciples following him.  
The second followeth, which is the danger of the voyage, appearing in two things.  
1. First, the arising of a tempest in the Sea, so that the ship was covered with waves.  
2. Secondly, that Christ was asleep: both which put together, gave occasion to the Disciples both to be in great fear, and to awake and call upon their Master. Of both these it is the common received opinion of divines, that they were extraordinary, the tempest being either then raised by our Saviour Christ, and by the power of his Godhead; or at the least foreknown and foreseen of him, and his voyage purposely undertaken at that time, to show his power and command over it. And his sleep being voluntary and of purpose, thereby bringing his disciples into further danger, and so not only making trial of their faith, but arming them against future perils.  
First, for the tempest and the danger of it. It is first set down with a note of admiration, or at least of attention set before [Behold]. Secondly, the nature of it is comprised in the name here given it [A tempest]. Thirdly, the measure of it [great]. Fourthly, the place of it [In the sea]. Fifthly, the effect it wrought [the ship was covered with waves].  
First, Behold and wonder: for is it possible, the wind and tempestuous storm should be so audacious, as to disturb either the sea, or the ship, in which the Lord both of heaven and earth was carried? The Psalmist telleth us: 
l Psal. 11.6.  That upon the ungodly God shall rain snares, fire, and brimstone, and stormy tempest, this is th● portion of their cup: but for the Son of God, no sooner to be put forth to sea, but to be seized thus on by wind and weather, cannot but work amazement to all that consider it. Behold.  
2 Again, Behold and attend diligently: Here is a matter worth your consideration; for Divines observe of these two wor●s (ecce) and (absit), Behold, and God forbid; that wheresoever they be found in the Scripture, they are as Landmarks to seamen; as some Steeple, or Beacon, or high tree, by which Sailors do shape their course, to arrive safely in their haven, and escape rocks and sands. Wheresoever we find this word (behold), there is safe sailing without danger; there is some comfortable doctrine, to direct us to our haven Heaven, as 
m Esai. 7.14.  Behold, a virgin shall conceive a child; and, 
n john 1.29.  Behold the Lamb of God, etc. But where we find the other word (God forbid), there take heed, and fear danger; there is some rock, or sand, or shelf, to cast thee, and thy goods, and thy ship away. As, 
o Rom. 3.3.4.  What though some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid. And again: 
p Rom. 6.1.  Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid: and wheresoever we find this word used, it is to cross some position of wicked men, and give us warning to take heed of that. here then the other word (behold) doth stir and move us to attention, promising not only some strange and wonderful matter, wherewith the heart of man is naturally affected: but also some such excellent thing, as every one should desire to see and hear; from whence these two meditations do arise.  
1 First, to consider the hardness of man's heart, which neither God's promises, nor threatenings, neither his blessings, nor his judgements can work upon; but had need of him continually to call upon us, and stir us up.  
2 Secondly, the mercy and goodness of God, who not only doth great things for the good of his children, but useth all means, to rouse them up to the due consideration of what he hath done for them, that he may justly expostulate; 
q Esa. 5.4.  What could I h●ue done any more to my Vineyard, th●t I have not done unto it? And thus much of the note of admiration and attention (behold).  
Secondly, the nature of the danger is set down in the next word, A tempest. Now a tempest is a violent and furious wind bringing, or at least threatening danger and hurt wheresoever it cometh. And concerning the nature of the wind. If (with B●za and most of the Greek Fathers), we interpret that speech of our Saviour Christ to Nicodemus: 
r john 3.8.  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, or whither it goeth. It may seem that it is a secret which God hath reserved to himself, and not revealed unto men, what and whence the winds are. But as learned Zanch●us hath well observed that speech of our Saviour, (which the whole current of the Latin Fathers do not expound of the wind, but of the Spirit of God) if it be to be understood of wind, is only meant of a concealment of the nature of it, from the vulgar sort and ordinary men: for the Philosophers by the light of nature, have found out, that the winds be Meteors of the air, the matter whereof are dry exhalations, drawn out of the earth by the force of the Sun; which exhalations, when they come into the middle Region of the air, and are not only cooled, but beaten back by those thick clouds which they there meet withal, do not only trouble the air, but are caused to disperse and scatter themselves; and being hindered by those thick clouds from ascending higher, and kept by continual ascending of more exhalations from descending downward; according to the thickness of the clouds with which they meet, they are driven with some violence from one part of the air unto another, as from East to the West, and from the North unto the South; even as the rain that falleth upon the earth, when it can neither descend lower, nor yet ascend up again, is forced to seek a passage, and leaves not till it cau●e a violent stream or flood. It is true that a reverend Prelate of our Church hath observed, concerning the original of the winds, 
Doctor King upon jonas. Lict. 4.  that neither with the paynim it must be ascribed to Aeolu●, whom they made the god of the winds; nor with ignorant men to chance and fortune, which is nothing but the opinion of fools, that look not to the true causes of things; nor to Witches and Conjurers, and their compacts with the Devil: it is God only that is the true efficient cause both of winds, and of all other Meteors; as the Prophet saith, 
s Psal. 135.7.  He bringeth up the clouds from the en●s of the earth, and maketh the lightnings with the rain. He draweth forth the wind out of his treasures: but he doth ordinarily do all these by secondary means, so that the generation of the clouds, and of the lightnings, and of the winds, may be found out by them that search into them.  
And hitherto we have discoursed of the natural causes of all winds, which if they be temperate, do 
t Gen. 3.8.  cool and refresh the earth, and the creatures therein, and are things which the Seamen desire, and without whose help their ship can make no way, so that a fresh gale whereby they may sail before the wind, is that which gives them the best content: but here this wind, is called 
u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  a tempest, that is, a violent and furious wind, such an one (as the word in the original here signifieth) as if it get into the hollow parts of the earth, will make way before it, 
x Psal. 18.15.  and shake the very foundations of the earth, and make an earthquake, it will shake, yea, and rend the rocks asunder; and therefore for the measure of it, it is here called (which was the third consideration in this point of their danger) A great tempest; such as whereby the Prophets describe the fierceness of God's wrath against sinners; 
y Psal. 83.14.15  As the fire burneth the forest, and as the flame setteth the Mountains on fire: So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm●. And again, 
z Psal. 50.3.  Our God shall co●e, and shall not keep silence, a fire shall decoure before him, and a mighty tempest shall be moved round about him. So that we may say, 
a Nah. 1.3.  The Lord hath his wa● in the whirlwind, and in the storm. This made the Wise man in that sort to denounce the judgements of God against t●e wicked: 
a Prou. 1.27.  Destruction shall come upon them like a ●●●rl●wind. And it caused the Prophet David to wish, 
b Psal. 55.6,  O ●hat I had the wings of a Dove, then would I fly away a●d re●t. Behold, I would take my flight far off, and lodge in the wilderness, 
7,  
8.  He would make haste for my deliverance, from the stormy wind and tempest. By these phrases of the Scripture, we may gather the nature and condition of this great tempest.  
To which if we add that which is here set down in the fourth place, that it was in the sea, which is (as a reverent B●●hop hath observed) a champain and plain channel, an open ●l●●●e▪ where there was neither hill, nor forest, nor a●y other impediment, to break the force of it; this mu●● ne●des increase the greatness.  
But we nee●e ●ot seek for amplifications, when in the fifth place the effect of the storm is set down in the Text, tha● th● sh●p was couere● w●th wau●●; that is that it was so near sinking, that without Christ's present help, the Disciples themselves, that had been brought up at sea (at least some of them) saw no other way of escape. And seeing (as was said before) the fierceness of God's wrath against sinners, is usually in the Scripture set down in the terms of such tempests, no mar●ell if I●nah flying from the presence of God, and from the execution of the duties of his calling, were thus encountered: but that Christ himself 
c Luke 2.49.  going about his Father's business, and to whom 
d john 4 34.  it was meat and drink to do his will that sent him, and to finish his work: and for his Disciples, 
e Matth. 19.27  that left all to follow him▪ that they should be brought to such extremity of danger, may seem strange.  
For the first meditation therefore arising unto seamen from hence. As ●he woman of Samaria said unto Christ, 
f john 4.12.  Art thou greater than our Father jacob? So say I, Art thou greater or better than our Saviour Christ and his Disciples? we see what estate and condition he and they were subject unto, let us prepare ourselves for the like.  
Secondly, seeing the Apostle telleth us, 
g Heb. 2.17.  That it behoved h●● in ●l ●hings to b● ma●e l●ke vnt● his brothers, that h● might be merciful, and a faithful Highpriest in things concer●i●g God that he might m●ke reconciliation for ●he sinnes of the ●e●ple: 
18  For in that he suffered, and was tempted, he is able to secure them that are tempted. This is an excellent meditation for seamen, in their greatest dangers by storms or tempests, or any other means, not only to consider, that Christ himself did undergo the like dangers in the days of his flesh: but the reason why he did so undertake them, to wit, that he having had experience of them in himself, might be the more merciful to us, and the readier to make intercession for us, and as he is God, to help and deliver us. And this meditation, will breed Christian fortitude and patience, as the Apostle saith, 
h 1. Cor. 10.13.  There hath no tentation taken you, but such as appertain to man, and God is faithful, wh●ch will not suffer you to be tempted above that you be able: but will even give the issue with the tentation, that y●e may be able to bear it.  
The third meditation, is the extremity of danger that God doth suffer his children to fall into, that they may see and acknowledge themselves past all worldly help, before he free them. The Patriarch jacob, though 
i Rom. 9 11.13.  God loved him before he was borne: yet we see to what straits he is driven, before he could enjoy the blessing promised. His brother 
k Genes. 27.41.  Esau threatens to kill him. He is in Ishmaels' case, 
l Genes. 21.14.  ca●t forth of his father's house. For his mother that loved him dearly, 
m Genes. 27.42.  is fain to send him away privately▪ while his wicked brother stays at home to hunt at his pleasure. Neither goes he (as his grandfather 
n Gen. 24. ●0. 11  Abraham's m●n went ●o seek his father a wife) wi●h h●s Camels, and his furniture: but he is fain to 
o Genes. 28.11.  go alone over jordan with his staff in his hand, 
1●.  and to take up his ●●dging in the op●n field, and make a stone his pillow, 
1●  before he had that comfortable vision of the Angels, a●d God s●e●king to him. And yet all this comfort may seem to be but a dream: for after this he is fain to endure painful service in his churlish Uncle L●ba●s house, the space of twenty years, who as he deceived him of his daughter (whom he had promised him after seven years service) so jacob doth tell him to his face; 
p Genes. 31 40.  I was in the day consumed w●th heat, and with frost in the night, and my sleep departed from mine eyes. 
41  Thus hau● I been twent●● years in thine house, and served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy sheep, and thou h●st changed my wages ●en times. And yet for all this good service, 
vers. 20.  he was f●ine to steal away from h●m by God's command●ment, and was pursued by him, 
23  wi●h purpose to have done him hurt▪ if God himself had not prevented him. 
24  Neither did this holy Patriarches troubles thus end, for 
q Genes▪ 32.24.  he was after encountered by an Angel. And after that 
r Genes. 33.1.  by his brother Esau with four hundred men. Then was he troubled with the 
s Genes. 34.25.  murder of the Sichemites by his two so●nes: and after that 
t Genes. 35.16.  with the death of his beloved wi●e Rach●l in childbed. And yet more with the loss of 
u Genes. 37 33.  joseph his eldest son by her. And lastly, with 
x Genes. 45.11.  enduring two years of famine. No marvel therefore if he styled his whole life, 
y Genes. 47.9.  the days of his pilgrimage. And his good son joseph sped little better, who was 
z Genes. 37.8.  envied by his brethren, threatened to be killed: cast into a pit, 
20.24.  drawn forth and sold as a sl●●e to the Ishmaelites, carried by them into Egypt, and sold to Putaphar: 
28.36.  
a Gen. 39.17.20  falsely accused by the harlot his Mistress, unjustly cast into prison: 
b Psal. 105. ●8.  whose feet they h●ld in ●h● s●ockes and he was la●d in irons. And lastly the favour he did to the King's Butler, which was cast in prison, to him, 
c Genes▪ 40.14.  though he earnestly entreated to be remembered, was quite forgotten. 
23  This then is the state and condition of God's dearest children, and not to instance in any more particulars, we may observe it to be his dealing commonly with his Church: for thus he dealt with his people the children of Israel, when (by his mighty power and outstretched arm) he had made the Egyptians weary of them by those ten several plagues inflicted upon them by the ministry of Moses▪ insomuch that 
d Exo. 12.33.41.  they forced them to go away in haste, saying▪ we die all. And so delivered them from that slavery and bondage which they had endured four hundred and thirty years; yet let us consider to what straits they are brought: 
e Exod. 4 2.  They had the Red se● before them, the mountains on each side, and Phara●h with a great Host of Horses and Chariots pursuing them. 
6▪ 7,  So that the people are in despair of any escape, 
11,  and therefore say to Moses: Hast thou brought us to die in the wilderness, because there were no graves in Egypt? 
12,  Wherefore hast thou served us thus, to carry us out of Egypt? Did we not tell thee this thing in Egypt, saying: Let us be in rest, that we may serve the Egyptians, for it had been bet●er f●r us to serve the Egyptians▪ then that we should d●e in the wilderness: Then, and not till then, was it time for God to show himself; and therefore Moses doth then answer for God: 
13,  Fear ye not, stand still and behold the salvation of the Lord, which he will show to you this day; 
14,  for the Egyptians, whom ye have seen this day, ye shall never see again. The Lord shall fight for you, therefore hold you your peace. And presently he divided the sea, 
21,  so that the Israelites went through the midst of it upon the dry ground, 
22,  and the waters were a wall unto them on the ri●ht hand, 
28.  and on the left: but Pharaoh, and all his host were drowned in pursuing and following them. I have been the longer in this meditation, because it is of most use for Seamen, that finding it ordinary with God, to have dealt thus with his best Saints, 
f Heb. 12.3.  they m●y never faint (be the danger never so great) but wait and expect God's leisure for delivery. For God as he knoweth the best time: so he is the best observer of time; and though the ship be covered with waves: yet 
g Heb. 10.35.  cast not away your confidence. Say with holy Ilb: 
h job 13.15.  Though he ●ill me, I will trust in him: & resolve with the 3. children: 
i Dan. 3.17.  Behold our God whom we serve is able to d●li●er us, & when he please, he will. I would here end this first point, of the danger in respect of the tempest, but that, (by consideration of that which we find in the other Evangelists, reporting this history) we find in Saint Mark, that 
k Mar. 4.36.  there wer● with him other little ships: and yet we find not that those ships, or any of them were in the like danger; 
37.  for this ship was covered with waves, and both Saint Mark, and S. Luke say, that it was filled with water: 
l Luk. 8.23.  and they both use a word for the tempest, which (in the Original) signifieth 
m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  A whirlwind, which is a violent and strong wind, descending down right, and turning and winding round about; so that when such a wind shall light upon such a ship at sea, it carrieth it instantly round about, and wheels it underneath the water. So that this word imports, that though the whole sea were troubled, and so the other ships not free from danger: yet this tempestuous whirlwind did specially aim at this bottom, in which our Saviour and his Disciples were. And whether this tempest was raised by Christ himself as he was God; or whether Satan, whom the Apostle calleth 
n Ephes. 2.2.  The prince that ruleth in the air, was permitted to raise it, as he 
o job 1.19.  was to raise such another tempest, whereby he smote the four corners of the house, wherein jobs children were eating and drinking▪ and killed them. It is certain that the end, for which Christ thus suffered this tempest thus directly to seize upon his ship, was, not only for the trial of their faith, (which was yet but weak), but also for the confirmation and strengthening thereof, by that great miracle which he then wrought: To teach all men at sea and land, to depend upon God's providence in their greatest dangers, knowing that 
p Mat. 10.29.  a sparrow cannot fall ●o the ground▪ nor an hair from their he●ds without him; 
30.  and therefore submitting their wills to his will in their most extremities, to say with El●, 
q 1. Sam▪ 3.18.  It is t●e Lord le● him do what ●●eme●h him good. And thus much for the first point, of the danger.  
2. We come now to the second point, But he was asl●ep●. When Christ told his Disciples concerning Lazarus, 
r joh. 11.11.  Our friend Laz●rus sleepeth, b●t I go to w●●e h●m. Th●y answer▪ Lord if he sleep he shall be s●f●. But Christ spoke there of his death, 
11.  by the name of sleep. And here (in as great danger of death, as flesh and blood can imagine) the Disciples plainly se●, that their master's sleeping, is the greatest cause of their danger; for as Mar●●a saith of her brother, 
Io●. 11.32.  Lord if thou ●a●st b●en here▪ my brother had not been d●ad: so might the Disciples have said, Lord, if ●hou hadst not slept, we might have prevented all this danger. Strange it is therefore that ou● Saviour should be so sound asleep, when his Disciples were so watchful. It was not so with him in another da●ger, when indeed he was to die, when withdrawing himself from the rest, and making choice of his 
Gal. 2.9.  ●hree pillars of the Apostles, 
u Mat. 26.37.  Peter, james, and john▪ to wa●●h with him ●he ●ight before his passion: 
38.  as he could not, or would not sle●pe himself, 
40.  so he could not keep them awake, ●ho●gh he warned and charged them again and again; though he t●l● them of the danger of that right, that 
x Mat. 26▪ 31.  ●he shepherd should b● smitten, 
41.  and the shrepe scattered, yet he found, that h●wsoe●er the spirit was willing, yet the flesh was weak. The one (the spirit) was like a forward dog, that cannot be holden back from his game: but the flesh was like a cur in his couples, that will neither go himself, nor suffer his fellow (that is coupled with him) to go neither: It was fit for them as they were Christians, to be watchful at all times, but at that time especially it concerned them to be 
y Luk. ●6▪ 8.  as wise in their generation as the children of ●his world, who 
z Mat. 24.43.  if they kn●w certainly at what hour th● thief would come, would surely watch. But they (though forewarned) neither look to ●ndas 
a joh. 12 6.  who was a chief; nor to Satan, 
b Io●. 8.44.  who was a murderer f●om the beginning: for when they should assist their Master in his greatest agony, they are fast asleep. Alas our Saviour Christ knew, that the danger of this tempest was nothing; and although he took our nature upon him, that in it he might die, yet he was sure that his 
c joh. 7.30.  hour was not yet come: and when it did come, he knew what death he should die; as he told Nicodemus, 
d job. 3.14.  As Moses li●t up the serpent in the wilderness, so must ●he son of man be lift up: yea he told his Disciples directly, 
e Mat. 20.19.  tha● he must be delivered into the hands of ●he Gen●i●es, to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him. So that though his countrymen at Nazareth, 
f Luk. 4.29.  would have thrown him headlong from a sleep hill, whereon thei● town stood. Though the jews 
g joh. 8.59.  would ha●e stoned him, 
h Luk. 13.31.  Herod would ●●ue killed him, and here he be in a great tempest, to all shows in extremity of danger: yet no marvel if he sleep securely, knowing that no harm could come to him. And here (not to enter into any philosophical discourse, concerning the nature and causes, and necessity of sleep) it is certain, that as Christ thereby gave assurance of the truth of his humanity; so it was specially for the increasing of the danger to the greatest height, that thereby there might be 
i 1. Pet. 1.7.  a trial of their faith which is much more precious th●n gold (though tried with the fire): and that the Disciples might thereby be drawn more earnestly to call upon him for help and succour: for we have no promise of having without ask; or opening, without our knocking.  
The use then of this is to all Seamen in their greatest dangers, that as Christ did here, 
Vs●.  animate and encourage his Disciples, by these extremities, to endure whatsoever crosses afterwards might fall upon them: So we must know, that Christ doth suffer now also his best children many times to come in great danger, as the Apostle doth report of himself: 
k 2. Cor. 1.8.  Brethren, we would not have you ignorant of our affliction, which came unto us in Asia, how we were pressed out of measure, passing strength, so that we altogether doubted even ●f life: 
9  yea we received the sentence of death in ourselves, because we should not ●●u●t in ou● sel●es, but in God which raiseth ●he dea●▪ who delivered us from so great a ●ea●h, and do●h ●el●ue● 〈◊〉, etc. This is the case of all God's children: and howsoever we are apt in our extremities, to think that God is far from us, that he doth not see, nor know, or else would not suffer us to be in such danger: yet let us comfort ourselves with the consideration of this particular: that Christ (being present with his Disciples, in this great storm) would yet sleep, as though he regarded it not: And certainly as he was present with them, as he was man; so he is always present with his children, as he is God; as he promised jacob in his vision: 
l Gen. 28.15.  Behold I am with thee, and will keeps thee whither soever thou goest, and will bring thee back into this land, for I will not forsake thee, till I have performed that which I have promised thee. So also hath he promised, not only his presence, but his assistance, to all his children in their greatest necessities; as he speaketh in the Psalm: 
m Psal 91.1.  Who so dwelleth in the secret of the most high, shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty. And the issue thereof is set down in the same Psalm: 
Vers. 15.  I will be with him in trouble, and I will deliver him, and glorify him. He 
n Mar. 6.48.  that s●w his Disciples troubled in rowing, when the wind was contrary to th●m in the fourth watch of the night, and came himself to help them: he seeth and knoweth our troubles also, and when he seeth time will free us from them, though he seem to us to be asleep, and to have little care of us: for 
o Psal. 94.9.  He that form the eye, shall not he see? And though he seem to us to stay long before he help us, yet he will come quickly, and in convenient time: for 
p Psal. 145.9.  his m●rcy is over all his works. And therefore if in showing his judgements, 
q 2. Pet. 3.9.  he be not slack of his promise, as some men count slackness: But, 
r Heb. 10.37.  in coming he will come, and will not tarry. Then much more in his promises of mercy are we patiently to endure and expect the performance, knowing, that 
s Heb. 10.23.  he is faithful that hath promised. The conclusion therefore of this part is, that the resolution of all men (but especially of Seamen) in extremity of danger, must be that of the Prophet David: 
t Psal. 46.1.  God is our hope and strength, and help in tr●●bles ready to be found: Therefore will we not fear though the earth be moved, and though the mountains fall into the midst of the sea: Though the waters thereof rage and be troubled, and the mountains shake at the surges of the same. Sela●. And thus much shall suffice for the second general part: The danger of the voyage.  
We come now to the third general head, viz. the miracle wrought by Christ: and in it, first, the occasion thereof in the Disciples, both in that they did: They came and awoke him: And in that they said, Master save us, we p●rish.  
First, they came: and it may seem it was high time to come, for they were in great jeopardy. The winds whistled loud; the sea went high; their ship was full of water; both passengers and mariners were all at their wit's end. Their case seemed desperate, as may appear both by their cry to him, and his reproof of them in the next verse: no marvel therefore if they came. It is Christ's own precept: 
u M●tth. 11.28  Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden. And though the best coming to Christ be spiritually by faith, yet while he lived upon the earth there was also a bodily coming to him, commended in the Wise men, 
x Matth. 2.2.  that came from the East to jerusalem, by the conduct of a star, to see and worship him, presently after his birth, and 
y Luke 2.12.  commanded to the shepherds, by the ministry of an Angel▪ and a sign given them, by which they should find him. And it is noted as a fault in Nicodemus, that he came to Christ, 
z john 3.2.  but he came by night for fear of the jews, as not daring to avouch his coming to him. And there is yet an outward coming to Christ required of Christians, that although he be present in all places, and at all times, as he is God; yet having set apart certain places and times, to religious duties & services, our coming to those places, at those times, do declare & testify to the world, that 
a Matth. 10.33  we are not ashamed of him before men: but specially in cases of extremity, we must not only be ready ourselves, but stir up and provoke others, not only to come, but to run unto him for relief and succour. And indeed, whether, or to whom should they come in their necessities, but to him, as the text speaketh? For as the Psalmist saith, 
b Psalm. 73.25.  Whom have I in heaven but thee, and I have desired none in the earth with thee: 
26  My strength faileth, and my heart also: But God is the strength of my heart, 
27  and my portion for ever: For lo, they that withdraw themselves from thee shall perish; Thou destroyest all them that go a whoring from thee: 
28  As for me, it is good for me to draw near to God, therefore have I put my trust in the Lord God. As therefore when after the comfortable sermon to the Capernaites, 
c john 6.66.  Many of his Disciples went back, 
67  and walked no more wi●h him: And jesus said to the twelve: 
68  Will ye also go away? Peter answered: Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life: And we believe and know, 
69  that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. So in any extremity, whosoever seeks for help of any other, is deceived. We read in jonah, that in that great tempest, when the ship was like to be broken, and the mariners were sore afraid, that 
d jonas 1.5.  every man cried unto his several God: that is, either to Neptune, or some of their sea-gods, as they were held; or else to the gods of their several countries▪ And in Popery superstition hath brought in such imitation of the Heathen in this kind; that as they appointed to every several country their several Saints, to be prayed unto for help, and so in every sickness a sundry Saint. So they had also their Saints for the sea. Erasmus in a dialogue which h● entitles, The Shipwreck, doth prettily set down their superstitious idolatry in this kind: Some praying to the Virgin Mary, terming her the star of the sea, the Queen of heaven, the Lady of the world, the haven of health: some praying to the sea itself, pouring oil into it, and bestowing upon it many sweet phrases, thereby to calm it: some calling upon Saint Nicholas, Christopher, Vincent▪ Katharaine: Some making vows to the Lady of Walsingham, and james of Compostella; if they might escape. But the Disciples knew first, that as the Prophet saith, 
e Psalm. 96.5.  All the Gods of the Nations were either devils or idols: (for the word may be interpreted either way). And for the Saints departed, howsoever they knew, that Noah had been preserved a who●e year in the Ark from the danger of the Flood; and 
f Exod. 2.10.  Moses had his name given him, for his being saved or drawn out of the water; and jonah, though he were cast into the sea, yet 
g jonas 1.17.  God provided a great fish to save him: y●t they seek to none of these for help; for 
h job 5.1.  to which ●f the Saints should they turn? 
i Esay 63.16.  Abraham is ignorant of us, and Israel knows us not; and therefore they take a better course here, they come directly to Christ, whom they find able and willing to help them. But not content with coming, the text addeth, They awoke him.  
This is the second part of their action, wherein they may seem somewhat bold and saucy with their Master, to trouble and disquiet him; especially seeing he reproves them in the next verse: but it is not their awaking of him, but their too much timorousness joined with incredulity, which he reprehends in them, as we shall see in the handling of that place. In the mean time as it was a special commendation to the Master of jonahs' ship, that in 
k jonas 1.6.  a dangerous tempest, he was not only watchful, and careful, and painful in his calling, for the saving of his ship, himself, his men, and goods; but also would suffer none in the ship to be idle, no not jonah a passenger, but roused up the sluggard: So though it may seem a b●ld part in the Disciples here, to trouble and disease their Master; and (in a manner) to use force and violence towards him & disturb him; yet seeing in ships of all other places, and in the time of tempests of all other times, the safety of all doth depend especially, upon the careful vigilancy of the Commanders; who by their experience and authority, are able to do more good, than many other ordinary men, as this example of the Disciples doth give warrant unto inferior persons, if they find their superiors negligent and sleepy, not only dutifully to advise▪ but also to provoke and stírre them up, craving their aids and assistance in time of danger; so doth it teach the best Commanders, not to think scorn of good counsel from the meanest of their followers, and as 
l 2. King. 5.3.  Naaman, hearkening to the advice of a silly girl▪ was by that means freed from his leprosy; so they may by the service of some mean person (if God so see it good) 
m 1. Cor. 1.27.  who works his own purpose many times by very we●● means, free themselves and ships, and men from many dangers. But howsoever, the violence and force here used by the Disciples to their Master (coming by entreaty and prayer to crave his help) is such, as he cannot but well like and approve of. For himself telleth us, that 
n Matth. 11.12.  the kingdo●e of heau●n suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. And if 
o Hosea 12.4.  jacob meet with an Angel, or with God himself, offering to wrestle wi●h him, he must hold hi● hold fast, and say with him, 
p Gen. 32.26.28  I will not let thee go, except thou bless me, and this shall cha●ge his name to Israel▪ th●t is, a prevailer with God. Our Saviour telling his Disciples, 
q Luke 18.1.  That they ought always to pray, and not to wax faint: doth confirm it by a parable of an unrighteous judge, that neither feared God, nor reverenced man; who by importunity of a poor widow, was drawn to do her justice. Whereupon he infers, Shall not God a●●nge his elect, which day and night cry unto him? yea, though he suffer long. We read how the poor Cananitish woman is commended, that would receive no repulse at our Saviour Christ's hands, 
r Matth. 15.22.  neither by his silence, nor by his cross answers, telling her he was not sent to her, and calling her dog: yet she continuing her suit, had her desire granted, wi●h this commendation; O woman great is thy faith: contrary to the check given here to the Apostles, O ye of little faith.  
Now for the manner of their awaking him, whether the Disciples in coming to him touched him, as the 
s 1. King. 19.5.  Angel did Eliah, or smote him on the side, as the 
t Acts 12.7.  Angel did Peter, I cannot determine, because the Evangelists do not report any such thing: I think rather, it was their outcry in their prayer, occasioned by their fear, whereby they awoke him: and indeed prayer in itself is so excellent, that as the word of God is the food of the soul, so thi● is the exercise of the soul, for the obtaining, keeping, and increasing of all spiritual grace. So that as a man cannot keep his body for any long time in health and strength, unless he use some exercise, yea, though he fill it with good meat, and feed it most carefully: So although a man do hear the Word of God every day preached v●to him, and so feed his soul with the food of life, yet unless he do by this spiritual exercise of prayer, draw the said heavenly food into the several parts of his soul, he shall sensibly feel his faith, hope, love, patience, & all other spiritual graces, to decrease by little and little; yea, as ●he exercising of the body, doth not only preserve it in the natural vigour, but also increaseth the strength of it, by keeping it from growing fat and foggy, and preserving it from sickness; so by the daily use of prayer, we shall find, that the Lord will increase in us all spiritual graces far above our own expectation, or the opinion of any other. Yea, even in this life hearty and fervent prayer coming from a faithful man, is health in sickness, riches in poverty, safety in danger, comfort in adversity, and makes supply of all temporal defects and wants whatsoever. But above all the seaman (especially in long voyages) being for the most part debarred of the spiritual food of his soul (that is, the Word of God ordinarily preached), should labour to redeem and recover that loss, both by reading the Word of God, and learned men's works: but specially by having continual recourse to God in prayer. For it is the end of our preaching to teach men how to pray, and there is not a more infallible sign of a true child of God, than the spirit or gift of prayer, whereby a man is made able, and willing, and ready, to pray aright unto God, as the present occasion doth require. Art thou by distance of place, imprisonment, travel, or otherwise removed from the ordinary hearing of the Word preached? have daily recourse unto God by prayer, 
u Dan. 6.10.  three times in a day with Daniel; 
x Psal. 119.164.  seven times in a day with David; 
y Luke 18.1.  always as Christ teacheth, and 
z 1. Thes. 5.17.  continually, as Saint Paul commandeth, Offer up this sacrifice morning and evening▪ and say with the Prophet, 
a Psalm. 141.1.  Let my prayer ascend unto thee as the incense, and the lifting up of my ha●ds as the evening sacrifice. Let it be thy first and thy last work every day; for this is 
b Cypr. de orat. dom. Greg. de orat. Aug. ad Prob.  clavis die●, a key to open the day; and it is Sera noctis, a lock to shut up the night: it is 
c Chrysost.  Signaculum cibi, that which makes thee look for a blessing on thy meat, thy prayer, or grace, before and after meals, and whatsoever thou goest about, though thou have not time to conceive a prayer in words, yet learn of Nehemiah, 
d Nehem. 2.4.  to lift up thy heart unto the Lord. Art thou tempted to any evil? pray to God to give the● grace and strength to overcome the tentation: and if thou receive it not at the first, pray with Saint Paul 
e 2. Cor. 12.8.  the second and third time. Hast thou given way, and art thou overcome by the tentation? pray for repentance and faith, that thou mayst be reconciled unto God again. Dost thou find that thou hast deserved God's judgements, and that they hang over t●y head for sin? pray that (if it be his will) they may be turned away from thee. Hath God found thee out, and are his judgements upon thee? rip up thy heart, consider thy former life, confess thy sins unto him, pray for deliverance, either to remove his judgements, or to lessen them, or to increase thy strength and patience to bear them. Again, dost thou find any want of any spiritual grace in thee? 
f james 1.5.  pray to him that is only able and willing to bestow it upon thee. Dost thou find any comfort by any grace already received? pray for the continuance and increase in it, and for multiplying and increasing of more graces; 
g 2. Pet. 1.5.  Gi●● al● diligence to join unto your faith virtue, and with virtue knowledge, and with knowledge temperance▪ an● with temperance patience, and with patience godliness, and with godliness brotherly kindness, and with brotherly kindness lou●. etc. Pray not only for thyself, but for others, both with thee, and far from thee: Frater si prote solùm oras, solus pro te oras; si pro omnibus oars, omnes pro te orant: Brother (saith Saint Augustin●) if thou only pray for thyself, thou alone prayest for thyself; if thou pray for all men, all do pray for thee. A man in the remotest parts of the world should not only remember his friends at home, but his enemies abroad, and pray for all, that they all may pray for him.  
Now for the necessity of this duty of prayer, if we consider God's commandment, 
h Psalm. 50.15.  Call upon me in the day of thy trouble. This is all that he requires, and therefore we say with Naamans' servants; 
i 2. King. 5.15.  If the Prophet h●d commanded thee a great thing, wouldst thou not have done it? how much rather then etc. This commandment of God were a sufficient reason, by the 
k Matth. 8.9.  Centurion's rule. And Christ speaking of an obedient servant; 
l Luke 17.9.  Doth his Master (saith he) thank him for doing this.  
But secondly, our own wants and necessities do constrain us; for 
m 1. Cor 4.7.  we have nothing of ourselves, but what we receive of him; neither have we any promise of receiving any thing without prayer; 
n Matth. 7.7.  Ask and you shall have.  
Thirdly, our enemies are, first, strong like 
o Luke 11.21.  the strong man armed that holdeth possession in peace. Secondly, many, even 
p Ephes. 6.12.  principalities, powers, worldly governors, princes of darkness, etc. Thirdly, crafty, for 
q Revel. 2.24.  the devil is a deep politician. And 
r 2. Cor. 2.11.  lest we should be circumvented, we must not be ignorant of his enterprises. As that sometimes he 
s 2. Cor. 11.14.  transforms himself into an Angel of light. And there is more heed to be taken of him, when 
t Genes. 3.1.  he comes in the wily serpent, then when he comes with open mouth 
u 1. Pet. 5.8.  roaring like a Lion. We see when he came to tempt our Saviour Christ, he comes (as it we●●) with his Psalter in his hand, and 
x Matth. 4.7.  scriptum est in his mouth, It is w●itten (saith he) as though he had Scripture for his warrant.  
Seeing then God commands us, our necessities compel us, and our enemies are so strong, so many, and so crafty, and we can have no help but of God, and no means to obtain help from him, but by prayer, to which he hath annexed his promise, and 
y 1. Cor. 10.13.  he is faithful that hath promised. Seeing that which Saint james tells us, that 
z james 5.16.  the prayer of a righteous man prevaileth much▪ is confirmed by examples in holy Scripture, that no duty hath wrought such miracles, not only in the Elements (as 
a Numb. 16.31.  the opening of the earth to swallow up Corah, Dathan and Abiran, at the prayer of Moses). And in the waters at his prayer, 
b Exod. 15.25.  not only the making of bitter waters sweet, but 
c Exod. 14.21.  dividing of the sea in two. And in the air at the prayer of Eliah, 
d james 5.17.  the middle region shut up from rain for ●hree years and six months: and at his prayer the 
e 2. Kings 1.10.  fire descending to consume the Captains and their fifties): but also in the Heavens, the 
f Iosh●a 10.12.  Sun to stand still at the prayer of joshuah; and the 
g Matth. 17.21.  strongest devils to be cast out by this and fasting. Yea, seeing this duty doth work upon 
h Exod. 32.10.  God himself, to withhold him from pouring down his i●dgements. All those do not only excuse the Disciples, but commend them, in coming to their Master to awake him, and call upon him for help: and do teach all good Christians (by their example) never to forget, or neglect the performance of this duty.  
But we consider further here, the manner of the Disciples coming unto Christ, by the extremity of danger whereby they were driven, not only presently and suddenly to call upon him, but with exclamation and outcry to cry and roar to him, thereby to receive present help, lest it come too late: for in the great dangers of fire and water (which two elements are said to have no mercy) there must be neither dallying, nor delaying, but without present help there is no hope. As therefore if a man shall see his house on fire, he comes not coldly and faintly to entreat his neighbours help, & to yield them reasons: but breaks out into exclamations, Fire, fire! water, water! ladder's, ladders! help, help! we are all undone, etc. So in this place, in this extreme peril of water, it may well be presumed, that the Disciples being in great fear, skreeked, and made a pitiful noise to awake their Master. And howsoever the prayers of the godly are never unseasonable, and are therefore to be used at all times, and upon all occasions (as was said before), yet certainly they are never so earnest, so fervent, so hearty, and consequently so effectual, as in extremity of trouble. This therefore is a principal reason why God doth suffer afflictions in this life to seize upon, and even to be ready to overthrow his own dearest children. For though many other reasons hereof are given by the Fathers, as first, 
i Luke 16.25.  To show his justice against sin, of which no man is free in this life. Secondly, to terrify the wicked; for 
k 1. Pet. 4.17.  If justice begin at the house of God, what shall, etc. Thirdly, to exercise their patience, 
Heb. 10.37.  of which they have need: no patience but in afflictions. Fourthly, to make 
m Rom. 8.29.  conformable to the image of his son; for as Christ saith of himself; 
n Luke 24.26.  Ought not Christ to suffer these things, and so to enter into glory. So Saint Paul of his children; 
o 2. Tim. 3.12.  All that will live godly in Christ, must suffer persecution. Fifthly, to wean them from the world, as the nurse anoints the teat with bitter things. Sixthly, to make them know, that their disease is not incurable. As the Physician to a desperate patient, will give leave to eat what he list: but to him whom he hath hope to recover, he denies many things, he must keep diet. Seventhly, to assure them, 
p Heb. 12.8.  that they are sons not bastards, being partakers of correction. Eightly, to stop Satan's mouth, that is ready to say, 
q job 1.9.  Doth job serve God for nought. Ninthly, to purge us from the dross and corruption of our natures: for that which the 
r Greg.  flail is to the Corn, to bring it from the straw; that which the file is to the iron to take off the rust; that which the fire is to the gold, to purge it from dross: that is tribulation and affliction to God's children, to do them good. Tenthly, but above all other reasons, the last remaineth, that they may 
s Psal. 50.15.  call and cry unto the Lord, renouncing themselves, and resting and relying upon his protection. This is the reason that the Prophet David desireth of God 
t Psal. 141.2.  that his prayer may ascend as the incense. For as incense can send up no smoke or sweet perfume, till it come into the fire. So the prayers of the Saints, do never ascend so forcibly, as in their fiery trials: Oratio sine malis, est sicut avis sine alis: Prayer until affliction stings, is like a bird without wings: it cannot raise itself to mount and fly up to heaven: for if we examine our own hearts, we shall find, that even the best men that pray unto God ordinarily every day, either publicly with others, or privately by themselves (which duty is too much neglected by too too many), do while they are free from troubles, call upon God, but weakly and coldly, and faintly, rather for fashion and custom, then with any sound and sensible feeling of their own miseries, 
a H●s 14.3.  they offer the calves of their lips: And 
b Mat. 15.8.  draw near unto God with their mouths, but their hearts are far from him: and are therefore attended and accompanied with so many wandering imaginations, and vain and idle thoughts, even in the midst of this holy and religious duty, that when they have done praying, they had need begin to pray again, for forgiveness of their negligent and careless carriage therein. But in affliction when the judgements of God are upon us, and we are thereby brought, either to the true sense and feeling of our sin, and of the weight & burden of it pressing us down to hell, or to be dejected by any extremity of sickness, or any other danger that may threaten death: this cannot but work fear and terror: and howsoever many of the wicked, that never had care to serve God in the days of their peace, are thereby brought either to murmur and to repine against God, as 
Exod. 15.24.  the Israelites in the wilderness; or to revile the means, and seek revenge, as dogs, that bite at the stone that is thrown at them; or fall to open blasphemy against God, as julian the Apostata, crying at his death, 
d Niceph. hist. eccles. lib. 10. cap 34.  Vicisti Galil●e, O Galilean (meaning Christ) Thou hast overcome; Or lastly, fall into despair, and make away themselves, as 
e 2 Sam. 17.23.  Achitophel and 
f Mat. 27.5.  judas: yet if they be not past all grace and hope, the judgements of God will work remorse in them. We read of hardhearted Pharaoh, that at the first would not acknowledge God, and therefore said to M●ses and Aaron, 
g Exod. 5.2.  Quis est jehova, Who is the Lord that I should hear his voice? Yet afterward though he could not for the hardness of his heart pray himself, yet when the plagues of God were upon him, he 
h Exod. 8.8.  entreated Moses and Aaron to pray for him. And again, 
i 28.  Go not far away, but pray for me. It is admirable to consider, how the fear of God's judgements wrought upon the Ninivites at jonahs' preaching; for the text saith of them, that though they were a Heathen people that knew not God, and a great people; 
k jonas 3.3.  for their City was of three days journey, 
l jonas 4.11.  and there was in it six skor● thousand that knew not their right hand from the left. And they had 
m jonas 3.4.  forty days liberty to bethink themselves before the destruction should come: yet at one days preaching, of one Prophet, one short Sermon: The men of Niniveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, 
n I●nas 3.5.  and put on sackcloth from the greatest of them to the least of them; for the word came to the King of Niniveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his rob from him, and put one sackcloth, and sat in ashes, etc. No marvel therefore if our Saviour say of the men in his time, that 
o Mat. 12.41.  the men of Niniveh shall rise in judgement with this generation, and co●demne it: for they repented at the preaching of jonah. But much more may it be said of our generation now: for we are not Heathen as they were, we have heard not one only, but many jonahs', not one day, but many days, and years, preaching and threatening Gods judgements: We have not liberty of forty days granted us, before we are to expect his judgement except we repent; we have seen and felt many judgements, both upon our neighbours and ourselves, and yet we are so far from joining together from the greatest to the least, to repent and humble ourselves in prayer and fasting, for the diverting his judgements, and to 
p jonas 3.10.  turn from our evil ways (as they did); that we continue in sin, and daily multiply our sins, to provoke him to hasten his judgement: yea, many of us (I fear) may be accounted among those, that the Apostle prophesied of, that in the last days should be mockers which would walk after their own lusts, and say 
q 2. Pet. 3.4.5.  Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers died▪ all things continue alike from the beginning of the Creation. But to all such mockers of God's judgements denounced by his Prophets, let that one example of the jews (Gods own people) be sufficient; of whom we read, 
r 2▪ Chro. 36.15.  That the Lord God of their Fathers sent unto them by his messengers, rising up early, and sending: for he had compassion on his people, and on his habitation. But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his Prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, and till there was no remedy. We see how the good thief in the Gospel, rebuked the other thief that suffered with him, and railed upon our Saviour Christ; 
s Luke 23.40.  Fearest thou not God (saith he) seeing thou art in the same condemnation. The fear of which condemnation did so work with him, that in the next verse, after he had acknowledged his own sin, and Christ's innocency, he entreateth of Christ, Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom: And received this comfortable promise, This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Now if the fear of God's judgements work so powerfully upon the wicked to be in some of them, 
t Prou. 1. ●.  the beginning of wisdom; that is (as Saint Augustine compares it) 
u Aug.  as a needle to draw in the thread of the faith and love of God, whereby the rent is sown up betwixt God and them. How is it possible, but the judgements of God upon his own Saints, should make them cleave unto him, and call, and cry, and roar, and never give over, till they have deliverance? and if their griefs and sorrows be so great, that they cannot express them in words, it being true of griefs, Le●es loquuntur, ingentes tacen●, that light griefs may be uttered in words, but extreme griefs do astonish and deprive men of speech: yet even in the greatest, with Anna, the mother of Samuel, 
x 1. Sam▪ 1.15.  They do in their troubled spirit pour out their soul before the Lord: or with Hezekiah, 
y Esa. 38.14.  They chatter as a crane or a swallow, and mourn as a dove. And when we 
z Rom. 8. 2●.  know not what to pray as we ought; the spirit helpeth our infirmities, and maketh request for us, with sighs and groans which cannot be expressed. But he that knoweth the heart, knoweth what is the meaning of the spirit, for he maketh request for the Saints, according to the will of God. And thus we see how the devotions in our prayers are quickened and excited, and stirred up, by the sensible feeling of God's fatherly corrections, which all his children are partakers of.  
The use whereof unto seamen, (nay their advantage by occasion and necessity) is, that seeing they spend their lives in continual dangers: so that they may say with Saint Paul: 
a 2. Cor. 11.26.  In journeying often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of mine own nation, in perils among the Gentiles, in perils in the City, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren. The more perils they undergo, the oftener they should, 
Orare nescis? naviga, p●ecabere.  and shall repair to God by prayer, in jesus Christ, seeing he hath made two promises; the one, that 
b Mat. 7.8.  whosoever asketh shall receive: and the other, that 
c joh. 16.23.  whatsoever ye ask the father in my name, he will give it. If we join these two that whosoever asketh, whatsoever h● ask, shall be granted, that will make us like children, in all dangers to run unto our father, and call and cry to him with assured trust to be delivered. And if we 
d Ps●l. 73.28.  cleave fast to God, and have continual recourse unto him; and then most especially, when we are in most danger: then are we sure, that 
e Rom. 8.35.  nothing shall separate us from his love; neither tribulation, nor anguish, nor persecution, nor famine, nor nakedness, nor perils, 
38.  nor sword: No neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ jesus our Lord. But here may be demanded and objected, Shall any man whosoever, receive any thing whatsoever he shall ask of God in Christ's name? To this Saint james makes answer: 
f jam. 4.3.  Let him not ask amiss, to consume upon his own lusts. And again; 
g jam. 1.6.  Let him ask in faith and not waver: for a wavering minded man is like a wave of the sea: And as our Saviour Christ saith, 
h Mat. 20.22.  let him know what he asks: expounded by Saint ●ohn, 
i 1. joh. 5.14.  If we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. Not as the these that Saint Chrysostome speaks of, that going to rob, prayed that he might not be taken, and was taken so much the sooner: For conclusion of this point, we observe two things.  
1. That it is no certain sign of God's grace and favour, to have a request granted at God's hand. For when the Israelites would needs have flesh; the Psalmist tells us, 
k Psal. 78.27.  That he reigned fl●sh upon them as dust, and feathered fowls as the sands of the sea. And he made it fall in the midst of their camp, 
28.  round about their habitations. So they did eat and were filled, 
29.  for he gave them their desire: They were not turned from their lusts, 
30.  but their meat was yet in their mouths: when the wrath of God came upon them, 
31.  and slew the strongest of them, and smote down the chosen in Israel. 
l 1. Sam. 8.22.  So God gave them a King at their request, but in his wrath. And the very devils sometimes have their request granted, as vers. 32. of this Chapter.  
2. It is not a sign of reprobation to have our suit denied; for the sons of Zebede 
m Mat. 20.23.  are so served: and Paul himself was not heard at the first, 
n ●. Cor. 12.  but was fain to pray three times. God doth not grant presently, to make us to depend upon him the more. For the delaying of desires, doth make men the more earnest, and things easily granted, are lightly esteemed; but he never denies any thing that stands with his glory, and his Churches good: And thus much of the occasion of their earnestness.  
Now for the prayer itself, it is very short, but three words; and I consider in it three things: first, the title they give him, Master, or Lord. Secondly, their request, Save us. Thirdly, the reason, We perish.  
In the first, I observe their humility, in calling him, Lord and Master.  
In the second, I observe their weak faith, yet calling to be saved.  
In the third, their faint hope, and almost forlorn, We perish.  
1 And first for the title or name whereby they call him; The three Evangelists (which all report this miracle) do all differ therein. For the word here used by our Evangelist, signifies, 
o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Lord, acknowledging his rule and authority over them. Saint Mark useth a word which signifieth, 
p Mark. 4.38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Master, or Teacher; signifying that they had left their former trades of life, to become his Disciples, and depend on him as their master. Saint Luke useth a third word, which signifies, 
q Luk. 8.24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  one that was set over, and had taken care and charge of others: a term given to shepherds, in regard of their sheep; and to Commanders, both in peace and war. In the comparing of which words we may conceive, that there was a kind of confused noise among the Disciples, striving (as it were) by their outcries, who should wake him first, and who should give him the best title, whereby they might, not only put him in mind of the duty that belonged to him toward them, as he was their Lord and Teacher, and Master; but also to show, that they in this misery depended upon his only help and assistance, to deliver them. And here (seeing that our Saviour Christ approving of these titles, saith unto them in another place: 
r joh. 13.13.  Ye call me Master, and Lord, and ye say well, for so I am): I might take just occasion to speak of names and titles, and show, that as God himself in the first giving of names, to 
s Gen. 1.5 8.  the day and the night, the heavens, 
10.  the earth, and ●he seas. And as Adam afterward in giving particular names 
t Gen. 2.20.  to all the creatures, by God's commission and appointment, did make their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, did give them proper names according to their several proprieties of nature; So it behoveth every one, in what place & calling soever he be plaeed, to consider what name doth properly belong to his place; whether it be of rule and government, or of subjection and obedience, and to be stirred up by those names, to perform those duties that belong to their several callings: whether in the Magistracy, or in the Ministry; whether as a husband, as a father, as a master; and on the other side, whether as a subject, a scholar, a wife, a child, a servant. That seeing several duties do belong unto each of these places, and they fitly expressed in the names given to every one, they may learn to make their names and dispositions answerable and suitable: that the argument given by the Apostle, preferring Christ above the Angels, (to wit) 
u Heb. 1.4.  That he was made so much more excellent than the Angels, in as much as he hath obtained a more excellent name than they, might teach all men to study to excel others in goodness, as they are advanced to higher places, and receive more honourable names: but the especial thing that I observe in these titles, is the humility of the Disciples, acknowledging themselves to be his vassals, his scholars and servants, that being now in extreme misery, do rely only on his mercy and goodness for their deliverance, that they may seem to say with the Prophet: 
x Psal. 123.2.  Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their Masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until he have mercy upon us. Now for the virtue of humility: as pride it was not only the first sin, both in 
y Esa. 14.14. Jude, vers. 6.  the Angels, and 
z Gen. 3.5.  in man, but was, and is, the mother and root of all sin, and the bane and poison of all virtue: So humility it was the first lesson taught to Adam after his fall; 
a Gen. 3.19.  Dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt return. And it was the principal lesson that our Saviour taught his Disciples; both by precept, 
b Mat. 11.29.  Learn of me, that I am meek and humble of heart: and by his own example; 
c joh. 13.15.  Behold I have given you an example. And by demonstration, setting a little child in the midst of them, and telling them, 
d Mat. 18▪ 3.  Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. But as this virtue is necessary for all Christians, at all times, so is it most necessary in prayer of all other things, as may appear in the prayers of the 
e Luk. 18.  Pharisie and Publican; where the pride of the Pharisie overthrew all the good deeds that he boasted of: and the humble confession of the Publican made him to go away more justified: And indeed in the duty of prayer, whether we consider: 1. God, and his excellency, his majesty, his omnipotency, and other attributes: 2. Our own corruption, our weaknessa, our wickedness, even of the best men, in their best actions, that even 
f Esa. 64.6.  our righteousness is as a filthy and polluted cloth: That our best works are fitly compared to stars, which have a little light, but not of themselves, but from the Sun: and that light may be discerned in the night and dark; but when the Sun ariseth doth not appear. So our works, if we compare them with the works of the wicked, 
g Ephes. 5.11.  the works of darkness, they show somewhat; but compared with the 
h Mal. 4.2.  Son of righteousness▪ (from whom we receive all the light we have) they vanish and are nothing. I say, if we either consider God to whom we pray, or ourselves; we cannot but in all humility acknowledge ourselves to be but 
i Gen. 18.27.  dust and ashes; to be 
k Basile.  nothing, nor nothing worth: to be 
l Homer. Epictet.  base, wretched, miserable, contemptible: as the Heathen have confessed, not to be worthy to look up to heaven, nor to tread upon the earth, nor to call upon his name, considering 
m 1. joh. 3.20.  our consciences do accuse us, and he is greater than our conscience, 
n Psalm. 7.9.  he trieth the heart and the rains. He hath found, 
o Gen. 6.5.  that the cogitations of the thoughts of our hearts are only evil continually: 
p Psa●. 51.5.  that we were conceived and borne in sin. 
q 2. Cor. 3.5.  that we have not power of ourselves, as of ourselves, to think a good thought: How then can we dream or imagine, but to have 
r Psal. 109.7.  our prayer turned into sin; and in stead of 
s Gen. 27.12.  a blessing, to receive a curse? if we present not ourselves and our prayers unto him in humility, acknowledging him our Lord, our Father, and Master; and therefore denying and renouncing ourselves, and resting upon him; who as a Lord and Master is able; and as a tutor and teacher is willing to deliver us in his good time. And so much for the term given, Lord or Master.  
The second followeth, that is, the request, in these words, Save us. The sense whereof is plain, that the Disciples when they came to jesus, that is the Saviour of the world, when they cry unto him, save us; do not speak of eternal salvation of their bodies and souls: but only of the saving of their lives from that imminent danger wherein they now are; being ready to be drowned as they thought. And indeed this life is very sweet: and as the devil said of job, 
t job 2.4.  Skin for skin, all that a man hath will he give for his life. 
u Aristot.  The Philosopher can tell us, that death is of all terrible things the most terrible: and Christians do account of 
x 1. Cor. 15.26.  death as their last enemy: and we know how unwelcome such an enemy is to any, that spares no man, and hath a 
y Heb. 9.27.  statute for it, that all must become his subjects. They know also that 
z Rom. 6.21.  death is the reward of sin, and consequently, 
a 2. Cor. 5.10.  that after death must come a judgement, when as every man must receive the things that he hath done in the flesh, according to that he hath done, be it good or evil. As for this life, they know it to be a blessing of God, and the prolonging thereof promised to the observers of the 5. Commandment. Whereas judgements are denounced to the wicked, 
b Psal. 55.23.  they shall not live half their days. So that if 
c Psal 116.15.  the death of God's Saints be precious in his sight: and 
d Psal. 91.11.  He hath given his Angels charge over them, to keep them in all their ways, that they dash not their foot against a stone: no marvel if they call to Christ, for the saving of their lives. But on the other side if life be so sweet, and death so bitter, how cometh it to pass, that the godly many times desire death? not only in impatiency under the cross, as job 
e job 3.3.  cursing the day of his birth: and Eliah being persecuted by jezabel, 
f 1. King. 19.4.  that he desired to die, and said: It is enough, O Lord, take my soul▪ for I am no better than my fathers: And the Prophet jonah, after the Lord had spared the city of Nineveh, prays; 
g joh. 4▪ 3.  Now therefore, O Lord, take I beseech thee my life from me, for it is better for me to die then to live: But even in a Christian resolution, the Apostle Paul saith, 
h Phil. 1.23.  I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ: and old Simeon prays, 
i Luk. 2.29.  Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word. To this we answer; that for job, and Eliah, and jonah, they showed themselves to be men, subject to passion, and are not therein to be imitated and followed by us: and for Saint Paul, and Simeon, and all holy Martyrs, that have in their desire to be freed from sin, and to be with Christ, (waiting God's leisure, when it may best stand with his glory, and with their good) been desirous to die, that is a thing that we should labour and long for, 
k 2. Cor. 5.4.  not to be unclothed, but to be clothed upon: that is, not to be weary of this life, for any crosses or afflictions in it: but to have Christian resolution, patiently to endure all, that God shall think fit to lay upon us. But our hope of a better life, (with which we cannot be clothed, till we be unclothed of this) makes us desire, when God sees it good, to make us weary of the pleasures and delights of this life, which are vain and transitory in comparison of the other, which are eternal. I conclude therefore that it is not only lawful and convenient, but necessary for a man in extreme danger of death, to call upon God for deliverance from the danger; so that he refer his will to Gods will, and be resolved of a better life, if it please God to take away this. Every Christian, though weak, is willing to live, 
Note.  and patient to die, as God pleaseth: but the strong Christian is patient to live, and willing to die; for being assured of the mortality of the soul that it dies not, and of the resurrection of the body: he knows that 
l Revel. 14.13.  They are blessed that die in the Lord, they rest from their labours; and being wearied with the great burden of his sins, he desireth that rest. But here in these words, Save us, we have before observed, the faith of the Disciples, acknowledging his power to save them, and expecting it though very faintly. It was their faith, whereby they thought he was able to save them; but the weakness of their faith, that they imagined he could not save them, except he were awake. And no marvel if their faith were yet weak, (for the confirmation whereof this miracle was chiefly wrought) being young scholars, freshwater soldiers, newly entertained by our Saviour Christ, & not fit to be sent forth yet into the world as may appear in the tenth Chapter of this Gospel.  
Much more fearful seems to be the case of Saint Peter, who having seen this miracle, and in it the command that our Saviour had over the winds and sea; and having received commission as a chief Apostle, not only 
m Mat. 10.  to preach the Gospel, 
n Mat. 14.25.  but himself to work miracles, doth yet after all this, at another time being at the sea, and our Saviour Christ not with them, and the ship tossed on the sea with waves, and a contrary wind; when first he and the rest were afraid of Christ walking upon the sea, crying out for fear that he had been a spirit: and Christ had so comforted them, that Peter desired to walk upon the water to meet him, and had warrant from his Master so to do, and accordingly walked upon the water: yet the text saith, 
Mat. 14.30.  That when he saw a mighty wind, he was afraid, and as he began to sink, he cried, saying, Master save me: So immediately jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him, and said unto him▪ O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? If therefore Saint Peter, after many more experiences and trials of his Master's power, and after commission received from Christ, did not so venturously desire to walk upon the water, as cowardly stagger in his faith at the sight of a great wind, his Lord and Master being so nigh him and awake; though it cannot excuse, yet it may lessen somewhat the fault and weakness in the Disciples faith in this place, that may seem to be in greater danger, and their Master asleep.  
For the use of this point, I say with the Apostle. 
p 1. Cor. 10.11.  All these things came to them for ensamples, and were written to admonish us, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Our Saviour Christ would teach them, that they were but men, and so weak and feeble in themselves, that they ought both to acknowledge their weakness, and labour continually to increase their strength: but therein not to trust to themselves, but to depend upon him, and say with the man in the Gospel, 
q Mark. 9.24.  Lord I believe, help my unbelief. And if the case were so with them, that were specially called out of the world by our Saviour Christ, and enjoyed his presence, let us take heed, that we arrogate not too much unto ourselves, and whatsoever measure of grace we have received, remember the Counsel of the Apostle: 
r Rom. 11.20.  Be not highminded but fear. I write this the rather, because that which I find in S. Chrysost. 
Chrysost. de Resurrec.  concerning sailors and seamen in long voyages, that a tempest to them is nothing, they have seen and felt and overlived so many tempests, that they are grown familiar with them. They are as old beaten soldiers that fear neither blows nor bullets, and as David, because 
t 1. Sa. 17.34.35.  he had killed a Lion and a Bear persuaded himself that he could kill Goliath; So they having been in as great dangers in other voyages as may be, have now (they think) such resolution, that they cannot fear to meetwith death itself. But take heed thy resolutions be truly grounded in Christ, lest it prove presumption. Be not too rash, nor foolhardy under the name of courage (better called curre-rage); but know that thou art a man, and thy faith in God only makes thee truly courageous: rest therefore in his protection, and strive by all means to increase and strengthen thy faith; cry with the Apostles, 
u Luke 17.5.  Lord increase our faith, and then neither storm, nor tempest, nor 
x Matth. 7.25.  rain, nor wind, nor floods, shall hurt thee: for though thou be in a moving house, yet thou art builded upon the true rock●, against which 
y Matth. 16.18.  the gates of hell shall not prevail. But of the small measure of the Disciples faith, and the wants in it, more in the next verse Christ's reproofa.  
We come now to the third and last point of their prayer, the reason, We perish. Wherein was observed their faint, and almost forlorn hope of deliverance from their present danger: for they say not, we shall perish, or we are like to perish: but in the present, We perish. As if they should have said; We have hitherto waited and expected in hope, that the tempest would have overblown: we were loath to trouble and awake you so long as the danger was not desperate; but now the tempest continues, the ship is full of water, and is ready to sink, even at this instant; we have only time left to tell thee in a word we perish. It appears by this in what pitiful perplexity they break out into this complaint. The Prophet David endeavouring to express the great danger of the people of God, and God's mercy in delivering them, doth make choice of this comparison whereby to set it forth; 
z Psalm. 124.1.  If the Lord had not been on our side (may Israel now say), 
2.  If the Lord had not been on our side, when men rose up against us, They had swallowed us up quick, 
3.  when their wrath was kindled against us; Then the waters had drowned us, and the stream had gone over our soul: 
4.  Then had the swelling waters gone over our soul. As if the greatest danger that could befall men in this world could not be greater, then to be swallowed up quick, to be drowned and overwhelmed with water. But let the danger be never so great: a good Christian must be sure to retain hope, as 
a Heb. 6.19.  the anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast, as the Apostle speaketh, which laying fast hold upon Christ, can never be moved: for as the body lives spirando by breathing, so the soul liveth sperando by hoping, and as expirare to leave to breath, is the death of the body; so desperare to despair and leave to hope▪ is the most miserable estate of the soul. The Heathen man can say, Dum spiro spero, that is, while I breath I hope. But the Christian goeth further, & saith, Dum expiro spero, when I leave to breath I hope still. Holy job telleth us, 
b job. 27.8.  that the hypocrite hath no hope if God take away his soul: but of himself he is confident, 
c job 13▪ 15.  Though the Lo●d kill me ●et will I trust in him▪ And so speaks Solomon, The righteous hath hope in his death. And again, 
e Prou. 24.14.  There will be an end, and thy hope shall not be cut off. How comes it then to pass, that the Disciples here are so dismayed at the danger of death at the most? 
f Orig. in divers. bom. 7.  Orig●n writing on this place makes answer by way of dialogue, first speaking thus to the Disciples▪ How can you possibly fear danger, that have the Saviour of the world aboard you? you have life with you, and are you afeard of death? are ye afraid of a tempest, that have the Maker and Creator of tempest with you? Dare you awaken him, as if he could not deliver you while he slept? To this he makes answer in the Disciples names; We are weak and young Christians y●t; our tenderness makes us tremble; we have not yet seen Christ crucified, nor been confirmed by his passion, and resurrection, and ascending into heaven, nor by his sending, and the descending of the holy Ghost upon us; therefore we are weak▪ and hear that reproofs of our Lord, O ye of little faith, which we willingly bear and s●ffer. Thus far Origen. But to leave both him and them.  
The use that we are to make unto ourselves, is to be warned by them, never to forsake our hold for any danger, be it never so great: but 
g Heb. 10.23.  to keep the profession of our hope without wavering, for he is faithful that hath promised. And let us be assured, that there is no depth of danger either outward to the body, or inward to the soul so great, but if we sing with the Prophet David, a De profu●dis as he did, with a true heart, and cry, 
h Psalm. 130.1.  Out of the depth have I cried unto thee O Lord: Lord hear my prayer▪ etc. If when all other helps fail▪ we reserve the anchor of hope, to cast forth upon the Lord Christ, he will not leave us, nor fail us, nor forsake us, but our greatest crosses shall be our greatest comforts upon our deliverance, whether he see good to do it by life or death: for 
i Phil. 1.21.  Christ is our life, and death is to us advantage. And seeing seamen do, or should determine before they ship themselves, to see every day▪ death before their eyes, they ought to arm themselves with Christian resolution, depending upon God's providence, without which a hair shall not fall from their heads, so to encounter the greatest difficulties, by this that they know their hope to be in Christ, and 
k 1. Cor. 15.19.  if it were only in this life, than were Christians of all other the most miserable: but now they are so far from perishing, that 
l john 3.16.  God so loved the world, that he ga●e his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have life everlasting▪  
Hitherto we have seen the occasions of the miracle, Christ being fast asleep, and by reason of the extreme danger, now newly awaked by the cry of his Disciples. It remains that we come to the miracle, and the means whereby it was wrought (to wit) his word only, rebuking the winds and the sea. But yet our Saviour makes no such haste, but that first he reprehends his Disciples and ●aith, Why are you fearful, O ye of little ●aith? And yet some writing upon this place, do think it to be no reprehension; but rather, that before he will calm the sea, he doth only strengthen, and encourage his disciples in their faith and hope, which was yet very weak, and rid them of their fear and fainting. And (if we do so understand it) the meaning is, that as in the 
m Genes. 15.12. judg. 6.12. Luke 1.30. Luke 2.10.  apparitions of Angels to holy men and women bot● in the old & new Testament, they were strucken ordinarily with such fear, that they could not deliver their messages, till they had rid them from that fear, and therefore began their speeches so; Fear not, or Be not afraid. Or as our Saviour doth himself afterward to his Disciples at sea, when they were 
n Matth. 14.26.  troubled, and cried out for fear, thinking him to be a spirit. He saith to them, Be of good comfort: It is I, be not afraid. So according to this interpretation, it should be a speech, to raise up their dejected hearts and spirits, and to relieve and comfort them. And if we understand the meaning in this sense, than we learn here, the difference betwixt this, and other of Christ's miracles; for that in them he cured the bodily diseases, of the leprosy, dropsy, blindness, deafness, lameness: but in this he cured the inward afflictions of the mind, in immoderate grief, fear, fainting, and distrust of his mercy; which are far greater than bodily sicknesses. And herein he teacheth us, that though their faith was very weak, 
o Mat. 12.20.  that he doth not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax, but comfort and nourish, and cherish the least desires of goodness in his Saints and children. And in that he doth this before he work the miracle, he not only showeth, that he hath more care of their souls then of their bodies: but withal teacheth them (and in them all Christians) to be principally careful for the health of their souls, without which they are 
p Ephes. 2.1.  dead spiritually while they are alive.  
But I take it rather (as the current both of the ancient Fathers and new Writers do agree) to be a reprehension or reproof of the Disciples, containing, first, a question, Why are ye fearful? Secondly, an answer, O ye of little faith. The question may seem strange; for how should they not be fearful, that saw the danger of present death before their eyes, as they verily thought? They were men subject to passions, and imminent perils cannot but produce the passion of fear, they must be either Stoics or stocks that are not moved with such apparent danger. But it was not their fear, but the excessive measure thereof that our Saviour reprehends; and therefore Saint Mark renders it so, 
q Mark. 4.40.  Why are you so fearful? that is, though the danger be never so great, yet you ought not thus to be fainthearted and dismayed; you might call upon me, but not with such exclamations; you might awake me, but not so overcome with passion, as if you were in despair of help; your extreme fear and want of faith doth you more harm, then either the winds or the seas: Why are you so fearful? Now to let pass the nature and necessity of fear in general, and to hold me to the text. It was necessary at this time for them to fear. For without it there would have been little occasion, and small use of the miracle following; neither could it have wrought such impression in them as it did. Neither are Christians to behold God's judgements but with fear. 
r Amos 3.8.  The Lion hath roared, who will not be afraid. And Moses at the giving of the Law with lightnings and thunders said, 
s Heb. 12.21.  ● fear and quake, much more the people, of whom 
t Deut. 5.29.  God saith, O that there were such an heart in them, to fear me always. Now howsoever the Scripture telleth us, that 
u Luke 1.74.  Christ hath delivered us from the hands of our enemies, that we being delivered, may serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. And again; 
x Rom. 8.15.  That we have not received the spirit of bondage to fear again, but we have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba Father. And so Saint john; 
y 1. john 4.18.  There is no flare in love, but perfect love casteth out fear. In which respect our Saviour giveth this charge; 
z Luke 12.32.  Fear not little flock: for it is your father's pleasure to give you a kingdom. Yet these and all such places, as they are to be understood of a servile and slavish fear, not of that filial and childlike fear, whereby children stand in awe of their parents, and dare not offend them, especially while they are young, for fear of correction, yea, for fear of disinheriting: so as Solomon saith; 
a Eccles. 3.1  There is a time for all things, there is a time in God's children for servile fear, and that is in their first beginning of their repentance and conversion unto God. For no man can truly repent, until the Spirit of God by the shrill trumpet of the Law, and the punishments due unto the breakers of the law contained in that one sentence; 
b Deut. 27.26. Gal. 3.10.  Cursed is every man that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law, to do them: which is a fearful sentence if we observe the words, that they are not only miserable and wretched, but accursed; not only some or many, but every one; not only that doth not begin, but that doth not continue, and constantly persevere unto the end; not only in some points of the Law, but in all things written in the book of the Law; not only to affect and desire, but to do them. This (I say) is a fearful sentence, and until it have roused up the ●inners drowsy conscience, and both set before his eyes his manifold breaches and transgressions of God's commandments, and presented him with the fearful spectacle of eternal death and condemnation, due unto him therefore: so that the poor sinner holding up his hand (as it were) at the bar of God's judgement seat, being selfe-conuicted and condemned, doth (in a manner) find himself in hell, feeling the terrors of God fight against him, that he is fain to cry out 
c Rome▪ 7.24.  Miserable man that I am, who shall deliver me? Till than there is no place for repentance, nor no way for faith, to apprehend and lay hold of the sweet and comfortable promises of God in jesus Christ. And though where faith and love are entertained (after our conversion) according to the measure of grace which we receive in them, this servile fear of hell and condemnation, be expelled & cast out, as S. john speaketh: yet seeing we can have no perfection in any grace in this life, and God's best children do still carry with them concupiscence, the body of sin, and as they are daily subject to infirmities, so many times fall into gross ●innes. As a leaking ship had need of continual pumping; and a beggar's rotten coat of continual patching; ●o our lives have need of continual repenting, which cannot be without the beholding of God's judgements with fear: and therefore as the Prophet wills us, to 
d Psalm. 2.11.  serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice in trembling. So the Apostle adviseth us, 
e Phil. 2.12.  To work out our salvation in fear and trembling. And as Saint Peter and Saint Jude do propound the judgements of God against 
f 2. Pet. 2.4.5.6 jud vers. 6.7.  the Angels, against the old World▪ against Sodom and Gomorrha▪ because (as the Poet saith) Oderunt peccare mali formidine poenae, that is, Evil men abstain from doing evil for fear of punishment. And Saint Augustine; Si non potes propter amorem i●stitiae, fac propter timorem poenae: If thou canst n●t abstain from sin for love to righteousness, yet do it for fear of punishment. So the fear of punishment breeds abstinence from sin; and that abstinence a will and desire to do good; from thence a delight and pleasure in goodness. And thus God's best children do make good use of that fear, that proceedeth from the meditation of his judgements, as a bridle to restrain them from sin, and a spur to set them forward in the service of God. It was therefore the excess of fear that our Saviour here reproved in his Disciples, that they were so discouraged and dismayed, that they were even in a manner past hope of deliverance, notwithstanding his presence. The fear of death is natural, and so far from being sin, that our Saviour Christ himself had the sense thereof, when before his Passion Saint Matthew reporteth, 
g Mat. 26.37.  that he began to be sorrowful, and grievously troubled. And S. Mark saith, 
h Mark. 14.33.  He began to be troubled, & in great heaviness: which the Apostle expoundeth thus; 
i Heb. 5.7.  That in the days of his flesh he did offer up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears, unto him that was able to save him from death, and was also heard in that which he feared: and if this were the case 
k Luke 23.31.  of the green tree, what can we expect of the withered. If Christ himself were so affected with the sense of death, no marvel though his Apostles now in the time of their minority, do cry out with the Prophet, 
l Psal. 55.4.5.  Mine heart trembleth within me, & the terrors of death are fallen upon me; Fear & trembling are come upon me, & a horrible fear hath covered me. And again, 
m Psa. 88.15.16  I am afflicted & at the point of death, from my youth I suffer thy terrors, doubting of my life. Thine indignation goeth over me, and thy fear hath cut me off. So that our Saviour doth here not simply reprove them for their fear, but for the exceeding measure thereof, proceeding from their want of faith: as himself witnesseth in the words, following: O ye of little faith: wherein he answereth to the question before propounded by himself, and showeth, that in stead of their exclamation before (we perish), they should rather have said with the Apostle, 
n 2. Cor. 4.8.9.  We are afflicted on every side, yet not in distress: we are in doubt, but yet despair not: we are persecuted, but not forsaken▪ cast down, but we perish not. Now the question is, what faith it is, the want whereof our Saviour doth here charge the Disciples withal: and I understand it, not of justifying faith, but of the faith of working miracles, that they believed not in Christ, that he was able miraculously to deliver them out of the danger, though it were never so great. For as to work a miracle, there is faith required, as Christ speaketh to them afterwards: 
o Mat. 17.20.  Verily I say unto you, if ye had faith as much as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say to this mountain, remove hence to yonder place, & it shall remove, and nothing shall be unpossible unto you. So must there be faith in them upon whom the miracle is wrought: and therefore when the father of the child that was possessed, said to Christ: 
p Mar. 9.22.23.  If thou canst do any thing, help us, and have compassion on us: he answereth him: If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth▪ and therefore that which our Evangelist saith of Nazareth where our Saviour was brought up, 
q Mat. 13.58.  That he did not many great works there for their unbeleefes sake. S. Mark expresseth thus: 
r Mar. 6.5.7.  He could not there do any great works, save that he laid his hands upon a f●w sick folk, & healed them. And he marveled at their unbelief: for as faith 
s Mar. 5.30.  can draw virtue from Christ unawares for the working of miracles, And 
t Luk. 7.9.  make Christ wonder; So infidelity & unbelief doth not only eclipse and darken, but also let and hinder, the powerful working of God's grace, from doing us any good, either to our bodies or our souls. And therefore S. August. doth fitly compare faith, to the mouth of a vessel, whereby the sweet liquor of God's grace is poured in; and infidelity to a cover or stopple, that hinders the entrance of any such liquor. So that the meditation of this point is that of the Apostle: 
u Heb. 3.12.  Take heed brethren, lest at any time there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, to depart away from the living God: but exhort one another daily, while it is called to day, lest ye be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Let no man say in his extremity with the wicked; 
x Psal. 10.11.  Tush, God hath forgotten, he hideth away his face and will neu●r see: or with jobs wife: 
y job 2.9.  Curse God and die. But let us rather as the Apostle willeth us, 
z Heb. 10.23.  hold the profession of our faith without wavering. 
a Heb. 10.35.  Let us not cast away our confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. Let us, 
b Heb. 12.1.  being compassed with a great cloud of witnesses, cast away every thing that presseth down, and the sin that hangeth so fast on, let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking to jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, etc. And whereas miracles are ceased, and therefore in that kind no such faith required of us: yet our true justifying faith (which is proper to God's children) shall give us 
c Rom. 5.1.  such peace with God, and peace in conscience, that we shall be 
d Prou. 28.1.  as bold as Lions, and not fear any perils, nor death itself: 
e 1. Cor. 15.55.  whose sting is now taken aw●y by Christ: but as the fishes are fresh in the salt waters, so are we free from hurt in the greatest perils; and as the Apostle saith, 
f Rom. 8.37.  be more than conquerors. And thus much of Christ's reproof of his Disciples.  
Now followeth the miracle itself, wherein I observe these particulars: first, the time, Then: secondly, the manner, He arose. Thirdly, the means, He rebuked the winds and th● sea. Lastly, the work, There was a great calm.  
And first for the time: we see that howsoever our Saviour Christ hath hitherto carried himself like a mere man, and lay still, as if he neglected the danger, wherein both he and his Disciples were: yet now he will abide no longer, it is time, and high time that he show himself to be God, and give them deliverance. To teach all men in extremity of danger, as to fly to God by pra●er, and depend upon his help: so not to set or prescribe him a time, but to wait and expect his leisure; knowing, that as he best understands the most seasonable times; so he will not overslip one minute, when he sees it may most make for his glory, and his children's good. Divines do impute it for a great fault unto 
g judith 7.30.  Ozias, and the Bethulians, that would limit their expectation of deliverance at God's hand, to five days, and if they had not help by that time, 
31.  then to wait on God no longer, but to deliver their City into the hand of the enemy. But certainly Christians, as in all their necessities, they refer themselves to God's mercies; so likewise they refer the time to him when he sees best: and therefore Christ in the working of his miracles, would not be advised by his mother; for when she told him at the marriage in Cana of Galilee, 
h joh. 2.3.4.  They have no wine; his answer is, Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come. As if he should have said; Mother, I know that thou desirest that I should miraculously supply the want of wine whereof thou speakest, and my purpose and meaning is so to do; but I know my time best when to do it, and I will perform it in his due time: and so it may be said of this miracle, that till now his hour or or time wherein to do it was not come: but now all things being fitted and brought to an head: as we see in diseases many times, Vbi desinit medicus incipit Deus: that is, When the Physicians give over their patients for desperate, God will show his power to cure them. So when the Disciples were brought past all hope of life, (except by way of miracle) Then, and not till then, the text saith, He arose: which is the second part in the miracle, containing the manner. Now for this arising of Christ, the Prophet David, in the person of God, may seem to describe it. 
i Psal. 12.5.  Now for the oppression of the needy (saith he) and for the sighs of the poor: I will up saith the Lord, and set at liberty him whom the wicked hath snared▪ And as the Psalmist saith in another place, 
k Psal. 68.1.2.  If God arise, his enemies shall be scattered, they also that hate him, shall fly before him: As the smoke vanisheth, so shalt thou drive them away: and as the wax melteth before the fire, so shall the wicked perish at the presence of God: which Psalm Athanasius called flagellum diaboli, the scourge of the devil: as if the recital of it were able to make the devils in hell quake. The Prophet David doth therefore in his greatest crosses and distresses repose his chiefest hope in Gods arising: and to that end serve all those short ejaculations (as the Fathers call them) or piercing prayers, 
l Psal. 3.7.  O Lord arise, help me my God: and again, 
m Psal. 7.6.  Arise O Lord in thy wrath, and lift up thyself against the rage of mine enemies, and awake for me, etc. And in another place, 
n Psal. 9.19.  Up Lord, let no man prevail. And again, 
o Psal. 17.13.  Up Lord, disappoint him, cast him down. In all which places, and the like, (which are very ordinary in the book of Psalms) the Prophet doth call upon God, as if he were asleep, and had need to awake and arise. Indeed Eliah doth by an holy Irony, m●cke the Prophets of Baal with their God: 
p 1. King. 18.27.  It may be (saith he) that he sleepeth and must be awaked: But our Prophet tells us of our God, 
q Psal. 121.4.  That he that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleep: he doth not so much as slumber, much less sleep; but he doth seem to be many times as careless of his Church, suffering it to run into extreme danger, as if he were asleep, and to be awaked and called up, by the supplication of his distressed children. But here our Saviour (as we have showed before) was truly asleep as he was man (though he could not sleep as he was God); and being awakened, though he could have wrought the miracle and lain still; yet to show his readiness to do his Disciples good, and his authority over the winds and seas, He arose. Thereby both giving exceeding comfort to the dejected spirits of his Disciples, when they see him so you're and ready to bestir himself for their sakes; and in showing himself to the winds and the sea, not only as the commander, but the creator of them: daring (as it were) the one to blow, or the other rage and swell against him any longer: and thus he doth show his power and authority over them, which will be more fully expressed in the words following, containing the means of the miracle by his word only: He rebuked the wind and the sea: which was the third particular observed in the miracle.  
In which words we observe, that Christ doth not in this miracle as in the raising of Lazarus, 
r joh. 11.41.  betake himself to prayer to his Father; nor use any other means whereby to effect it, but only by his bare word, commanding these insensible creatures to be quiet; and Saint Mark sets down his words: 
s Mar. 4.39.  Peace and be still. So that herein he shows and proves himself to be God: according to that of the Prophet David, 
t Psal. 135.6.  Whatsoever pleased the Lord, that did he in heaven and in earth, in the sea, and in all the depths. And again, 
u Psal. 89 9  Thou rulest the raging of the sea, when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them. And in another place: 
x Psal. 93▪ 4.  The waves of the sea are marvellous, through the noise of many waters, yet the Lord on high is more mighty. From which places, and other such like, I gather, that the sea (especially being troubled by winds and storms) is an unruly creature, not to be controlled or kept under but by God only. It is true that Moses, 
y Exod. 14.21.  by stretching out his hand on the red sea, divided the waters: but the text telleth us in the same place, that Moses did it not by his own power: For the Lord caused the sea to run back by a strong East wind all the night, and made the sea dry land. 
z josh. 3.18.19.  The waters of jordan gave way also to the feet of ●he Priests, and were divided, till all the people went over upon dry land. And the same 
a 1. King. 2.8.14.  jordan was divided by the striking of it with Eliahs' cloak; both by Eliah himself, and by Elisha. But of these miracles we may well say with the Prophet, 
b Psal. 114.5.7.  What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fl●ddest, and thou jordan that thou wast turned back▪ And we may answer with him, The earth trembled at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of jacob. For all men that have received power from God to work miracles, must confess of themselves, as Peter and john after the curing of the cripple that lay at the gate of the Temple, called Beautiful: 
c Act. 3.12.  Ye men of Isra●l, why marvel ye ●t this? or why look ye so steadfastly on us? as though by our own power or Godliness we had made this man go. 
13.  The God of Abraham Isaac and jacob, the God of your fathers, hath glorified his son jesus, whom ye betrayed, 
16.  etc. And a little after: And his name hath made this man sound, whom ye see and know, through faith in his name: And the faith which is by him, hath given him perfect health in his whole body, in the presence of you all. So Paul and Barnabas, upon the like miracle wrought by them upon another cripple at Lystra, when the people and Priests would have honoured them as Gods; 
d Act. 14.14.15  rend th●ir clothes, and ran among the people, crying and saying, O men, why do you these things? we are even men subject to the like passions that ye be; and pr●ach unto you that ye should turn from these vain things unto th● living God, which made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them are etc. Now then as no man can work any miracle but as an instrument, by whose hand and ministry God worketh whatsoever he pleaseth in all places: so much less can any conjurers, or sorcerers, or witches, or the devil himself, work any miracle: for though the pharisees blasphemously charge our Saviour Christ in his working of miracles, 
e Mat. 12.24.  that he casteth out devils by the power of Beelzebub the chief of the devils: yet it is certain, that the devil, though he hath power to do many things which are wonderful to ignorant men (that understand not the causes of things, and 
f 2. Cor. 2.11.  seek not into the depth of his subtleties), yet he had never power to work any miracle: for the greatest extent of the devils power, is either in Illusions, or true works. By Illusions he may 
g Exod. 7.11.  deceive the senses of men, either by casting a mist before the eyes of men; or by tempering, or rather distempering of the humours in the eyes. For true works, he may 
h job 1. ●9.  move winds and thunder, not to create them, but the matter being before, he is able to stir them up; he is able to 
i Exod. 7.22.  infect the creatures, as the rivers, and the fishes in it: he is able to take 
k 1. Sam. 28.14.  the shape of a man being dead: yea 
l 2. Cor. 11.14.  to present himself like an Angel of light. He can 
m Mat. 13.19.  corrupt the understanding, by taking away the seed of God's word, that is sown, out of our remembrance. He can 
n 1. Thes. 2.18.  hinder the preaching of the word in God's Ministers. He can blind the mind of man, 
o 2. Thes. ●. 9.  by signs and lying wonders: he can 
p 1. Sam. 19.10.  work● outrageous affections in men▪ as in Saul, and in 
q Mar. 9▪ 22.  those that we read were possessed in the Gospel, as in the 18. verse of this Chapter. And lastly, he 
r 1. King. 22.22.  can be a lying spirit in the mouths of false prophets, to deceive wicked men▪ to bring them to their end; as in the case of Achab, persuading him to go fight against Ramoth in Gilead. But all this power of the devil is confined and limited within two bounds: the first▪ that he is able to do nothing without God's permission and sufferance; as appeareth in 
s job 1.12.  job, in 
t 1. Sam. 16.14.  Saul, in 
u 1. King. 22.22.  ●hab; and in the end of this chapter, that the devils could not enter into the herd of swine, until they had gotten leave of our Saviour Christ. The second is, that they can do nothing, but that is agreeable to nature, and therefore can work no miracles, which are above nature. The devils may, in respect of their great knowledge in natural things, being of a spiritual nature, not troubled mole corporis, by any hindrance of 
x Wisd. 9.15.  a body corruptible, to press down their soul; and by their long experience of the causes and effects in nature, they may know and foretell some natural things to come: but their knowledge is joined with much ignorance; they understood not how God did work the salvation of his elect in the fall of Adam, and in Christ: they were not sure when Christ came into the world, that it was he: they know not the thoughts of men's hearts, but only by their outward actions they judge of their inward inclinations: For 
y jer. 7.10.  God only is the searcher of the heart and rains; and though as God's ape, he do strive to imitate his miracles, yet could he never work any true miracle: as the raising of the dead; the staying of the course of the Sun: the causing of women that are past children and barren, to conceive: A Virgin to bear a son: the preserving of men from burning, being in a ho●e fiery furnace: or, the calming of the sea from tempest, as it is in this place. The which argument I have handled the more at large, because of a strange opinion of many men both at sea and land, concerning the power of the devil in this matter, especially of winds and tempests. For ordinarily, if any tempestuous weather do arise, it is presently ascribed to the devil; and men say, that there are some conjurers abroad: and I have heard some travelers avouch, that in Lapland, any man may for money buy what wind he please, at a witch's hand to serve his turn, and make use of when he list. For answer whereunto I say, that I never find in the Scriptures, that the devil hath any power either to create a body, or destroy a body, or transform any body; as of a man into a beast: and therefore the winds, the lightnings, the thunders, the tempests, and all other meteors, they are the creatures of God, as I have showed before, in the description of the nature of the winds and tempests: 
Pag. 24.  so that the devil is not the first cause of any of them; but they being engendered in the middle region of the air, and the devil being, as the Apostle saith, 
z Ephes. 2.2.  the prince that ruleth in the air: he can, when God will use his service, and gives him permission, hurry those winds together, and raise tempests, as a secondary means both at land and sea, both for a judgement and punishment of the wicked, and for the trial of the faith, patience, hope, and dependence of God's children upon him: who know, that a 
a Mat. 10.30.  hair shall not fall from their heads without his providence: and therefore where the devil doth most rage they receive the greatest comfort. As therefore the enchanters of Pharaoh, striving by their lying wonders to imitate the miracles wrought by God, by the hands of Moses and Aaron, were fain at the last, (even in a most vile creature, to wit, louse) constrained to confess, 
b Exod. 8.19.  that it was the finger of God. So much more should all Christians in the sensible feeling of any of God's judgements, and the serious meditation of them, confess with old Ely, 
c 1. Sam. 3.18.  It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good: and with Hezekias, 
d 2. King. 20.19.  The word of the Lord which thou hast spoken is good. far be it therefore from them, to run with Saul in their extremities, 
e 1. Sam. 28.7.  to a witch to ask counsel of the devil; against which sort of people, 
f Exod. 22.18.  the Law of God is plain, 
g Deut. 18.10.11  that they should be put to death. But let them know, that whatsoever power the devil falsely ascribeth to himself, as, 
h Luke 4.6.  that all kingdoms of the earth, and the glory of them are delivered to him, and are at his disposing: or whatsoever power the Scriptures ascribe 
i Mat. 25.41.  to him and his Angels; as that the Apostle calleth them 
k Ephes. 6.12.  principalities, powers, etc. yet as was said before, his power is restrained and limited by God. And though as 
l Luke 11.21.  a strong man armed he hath taken possession of all men by nature now corrupted, yet Christ is stronger than he, that takes from him the things in which he trusteth and divideth the spoils. To which the Prophet Esay alluding saith, 
m Esai. 27.1.  In that day the Lord with his sore, and great, and mighty sword shall visit Leviathan, that piercing Serpent, even Leviathan that crooked Serpent; and he shall slay the Dragon that is in the Sea. And that speech of the Prophet Zachary, 
n Zach. 3.2.  The Lord reprove thee Satan, showeth the power of Christ above his. And himself showing his victory over the devil, saith 
o john 16.31.  Now shall the prince of the world be cast out. And he not only expressed his power against Satan in word, but in deed; both casting out of devils out of the possessed himself, and giving power and authority to his Apostles and Disciples to do it also. Therefore do the Apostles, 
p 2. Pet. 2.4.  Saint Peter, and 
q Jude 6. verse.  Saint Jude tell us, that the devils are kept in chains, as Christ's captives, and cannot stir to do harm, further than he shall give them leave. And howsoever it is comfort enough to all God's children, 
r Psal. 91.11.  That he 〈◊〉 given his holy Angels charge over them to keep them, to pitch their tents about them, 
s Revel. 12.7.8.  to fight for them, and being stronger than the devils to overcome them. So that if they look to God by the eye of faith, 
t 2. Ki. 6.16.17.  they shall see as Elisha showed his servant, that there are more with them then against them, for they are compassed about with horses and chariots of fire, to defend them from all hurt, and to destroy their enemies. Yet they have a further comfort in God, who is always present with them; and therefore say with the Apostle, 
u Rom. 8.31.  If God be with us, who can be against us? Or with the Prophet David, 
x Psal. 23.1.4.  The Lord is my shepherd, therefore I shall want nothing; yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil▪ for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff, th●y comfort me. And thus we see, that God hath only absolute power in himself 
y Psal. 136.4.  to work miracles, and so that Christ in the working of this miracle by his word, only commanding the winds and the sea, doth thereby show himself to be God, by whose word as 
z Psal. 33.9. Psal. 148.5.  all things at the first were created of nothing so now all things and actions not only of men, but of all other creatures, yea, even of the devils themselves are ordered and directed; to teach all good Christians, in their greatest crosses not to be dismayed or discouraged, seeing they have God at hand, who hath promised to help them, and to whose word all the creatures must yield subjection and obedience, as it followeth in the next words, the last thing considered in the miracle, There was a great calm.  
This is the work itself, containing the obedience of these unruly Creatures to the word of Christ, that as the Centurion saith to him before in this Chapter, 
a Matth. 8.8.  But speak the word only▪ and my servant shall be healed: so here the word no sooner spoken, but a great Calm followed. By which we see the truth of that delivered by the Prophet; 
b Psal. 147.15.  He sendeth forth his commandment upon the earth, and his word runneth very swiftly. And a game in the same Psalm; 
19  He sendeth out his Ice like morsels, 
20.  who can abide the cold thereof? He sendeth out his word and mel●eth them; he causeth the wind to blow▪ and the waters to flow. So that as his word can raise a tempest; 
c Psal. 107.25.  At his word the stormy wind ariseth, and lifteth up the waves of the sea: Or as the Prophet Ieremi● speaketh; 
d jer. 10.13.  He giveth by his voice the multitude of waters in the heaven▪ and he causeth the clouds to ascend from the earth; he tur●eth lightnings to rain, and bringeth forth the winds out of his treasures: So at his word (as they that came to apprehend him, 
e john 18.6.  went backwards and fell to the ground). So (I say) all the creatures must yield obedience, and do his will, as the sea and wind do in this place. No marvel therefore, if the Apostle do call the afflictions that befall the children of God in this life 
f 2. Cor. 4.17.  light, and but for a moment: for we may say of them, as was said of julian, Nubecula est, cito transibit; It is but a little cloud, that will soon be blown over▪ for 
g Psal. 30.5.  Heaviness may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. After the storm there will come a calm, and though 
h job 41.22.  Leviathan do make the depth boil as a pot, and the sea like a pot of ointment, yet our trust is in God's word, as the Prophet speaketh, 
i Psal. 65.7.  He appeaseth the noise of the seas, and the noise of the w●ues thereof.  
The use whereof to all men both at sea and land, is to consider the obedience of these disordered creatures, to the word and command of their Lord and Master, and to compare it to their own disobedience, upon whom neither the word of God, nor his promises, nor his threatenings, nor his blessings, nor his judgements, can work so much, as his bare word did here on these insensible things. The Prophet jeremy to draw the jews to obedience unto God, doth propound the example of the Rechabites by God's commandment, and applieth it thus; 
k jer. 35.14.  ●he commandment of jonadab the son of Recha●, that he commanded his sons, that they should drink no wine, is surely kept, for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father's commandment. 
15.  Notwithstanding I have spoken vnt● you, r●sing early and speaking, but you would not obey me. I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early, and sending them, saying, Return now every man from his evil way, and amend your works, etc. but you would not obey m●▪ Now if the obedience of the Rechabites to their father, should be so great an argument to move the jews to obedience unto God; how much more may the example of these rough seas and stormy tempests, being calmed at the word of our Saviour Christ only, be a greater means (if we truly meditate upon it) both to consider how many words of his, in the mouths and writings of his Ministers, have been in vain unto us in former times, and to put us in mind of our duty of obedience, that we be not worse than other creatures, which are ready to obey and do his will, as it appeareth in this place? And surely the word of God which is so powerful in other creatures, should be of as great command in man: for the Apostle tells us, that 
l Heb. 4.14.  the word of God is lively and mighty in operation, and sharper than any two edged sword, and entereth through, even to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit, and of the joints, and the marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts, and of the intents of the heart. And this word will produce a work; for so saith the Prophet in the person of God, 
m Esa. 55. 10●  Surely as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it to bring forth and bud; and that it may give seed to the sour, a●d bread unto him that eateth: 
11.  So shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth, it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I will, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. It is true, that if we examine the working of this word in men, it hath not many times that success, to be 
n Rom. 1.16.  the power of God unto salvation, and the 
o ●. Cor. 2.16.  savour of life unto life: but if it fail of that, it is the savour of death unto death, unto them that perish: 
p Heb. 6.7.8.  for the earth (saith the Apostle) which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them, by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing of God: but that which beareth thorns and briars, is reproved, and is near unto cursing, whose end is to be burned. And (to apply this unto the text) the Prophet tells us, 
q Esa. 57.20.21.  That the wicked are like the raging sea that cannot rest, whose waters cas● up mire and dirt. There is no peace (saith my God) unto the wicked. That is, they are continually troubled with storms and tempests; for their exorbitant passions and affections, be as violent and contrary winds distracting them, on the one side to wanton lust, and on the other to hatred and malice; sometime feeding them with vain hopes, and sometimes renting and tearing them with desperate fears. So that these and all other passions of the mind are fitly termed perturbations, that corrupt the judgement, and seduce the will, causing wicked men never to be at rest and quiet. And the chief end of the word of God, preached, or read, is to quiet and calm these tempests of the soul, to moderate the violence of these furious passions and perturbations of the mind.  
The use whereof to all men, but specially to Seamen, when they see storms and tempests, and their ship in danger, is, to consider their souls, and the spiritual danger they are in by these outrageous winds, that sometime their ship or heart is driven a shore, and sticks fast in the mire and dirt of lust and uncleanness; which (I hear) hath been the wrack of many a poor soul in his travels, and sometime they are driven into the gulf of intemperance, whereby they are swallowed up quick, for want of calming that passion of their greedy appetite and desire; sometime they are driven upon the rock of desperate profaneness, swearing and cursing, and blaspheming God, until the ship of their soul be quashed in pieces; and sometime on the sands of self-love and self-conceit, which passions and all other so long as they be inordinate, doth drive their ship dangerously they know not whether. Saint Augustine writing upon that in the Psalm, 
r Psal. 55.8.  He would make haste for my deliverance from the stormy wind and tempest, showeth both the cause and the remedy, of all such tempests arising in thy heart and mind; 
s Aug. t●m. 8▪ in loc.  Forte navis tua ideo turbatur, quia Christus in te dormit, etc. Happily (saith he) thy ship is troubled, because Christ is asleep in thee. The ship in which Christ sailed with his Disciples was sore troubled and in danger: but the reason wa●, Christ was asleep; when his Disciples awaked him, ●e rebuked the winds and the sea, and there followed a Calm. Thy heart and mind are therefore perhaps worthily troubled because Christ in whom thou hast believed ●s not awake in thee: thou sufferest many perturbations, because thou hast forgotten Christ his Passion and suffering for thee. Recover thy faith in him, call upon him, awake him, and ●e will arise and rebuke the storm, and give thee a Calm. The cause then of all thy tempests in thy soul is, that thou sufferest Christ to sleep in thee; the remedy against them is to awake him, and call upon him for help and deliverance. Doth the tentation to lust and uncleanness seize upon thee as a tempest? say unto thy soul, I am a Christian, and have given my name to Christ, and am a member of his Mystical body; 
t 1. Cor. 6.15.  Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. Thus do thou rouse up Christ by thy spiritual meditation, the storm will blow over, and a Calm follow. And as in this, so in all other temptations if thou repair to Christ, his word will be as powerful to give thee peace and quiet, as it was here to appease the fury of the winds and waves. Thus much shall suffice of the third general part of the history, (to wit) the miracle.  
The fourth and last followeth concerning the success of it in the beholders, consisting in two things:  
First, They marveled. Secondly, They acknowledged, What man is this, that both the Winds and Sea obey him.  
For the first, we need not stand long (with interpreters upon this place) to inquire who they are that are that are here said to marvel and wonder. Our Evangelist calleth them [the men]; and Saint Mark and Saint Luke [they among themselves]; and seeing Saint Mark saith, There were also with him other little ships. It is plain, that both the Disciples, and all the rest that were the beholders marveled; for the Disciples (as was showed before) were yet but young beginners, raw fresh water soldiers, and are reproved before for their little faith, and therefore they as well as the rest, could not choose but wonder. The Prophet Esay speaking of the birth of Christ saith, that they shall 
u Es●y 9.6.  call his name wonderful. And as the due consideration of his birth could not but move amazement and astonishment to men and Angels, to see a new thing in the world, The Word made Flesh, God and Man in one person▪ 
x jer. 31.22.  a Virgin and a Mother in one. So the miracles that he wrought, such as neu●r any man did, could not but work admiration in those that saw them. We say therefore with the Prophet, 
y Esay 29.9.  Stay yourselves, and wonder: and with another Prophet, 
a Hab. 1.4.  Behold among the Heathen, and regard, and wonder, and marvel. For all miracles are marvelous and wondrous works. It is therefore an ordinary thing that attended the miracles of Christ, that his Disciples and the people wondered.  
The second thing therefore is rather to be considered, that is their confession; What man is this, etc. Saint john writing his Gospel last of all the Evangelists, purposing thereby to confute Cerinthus and other heretics that denied the Divinity of Christ; after he had proved it by his essence and eternity. Secondly, by his Creation and preservation of all things, doth set down certain excellent Sermons and notable miracles wrought by Christ, and omitted by the other Evangelists, and at last he concludeth. 
b john 20.31.  These things are written that ye may beleeu●▪ that jesus is that Christ that son of God, and that in believing ye might have life through his name? 
c john 1.49.  thus wrought one strange miracle with Nathanael: Rabbi, thou art the son of God. And in the blind man that was cured and instructed by him, who said, 
d john 9.38.  Lord I believe, and worshipped him. And in another miracle at the sea, 
e Mat. 14.33.  They tha● were in the ship came & worshipped him, saying, Of a tru●h thou art the son of God. And at his death, 
f Mat. 27.54.  the Centurion, when he saw what was done, and they that were with him saw the Earthquake, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this man was the Son of God. All these (brought unto it by Christ's miracles), made that good confession concerning his Divinity, which when Saint Peter made, saying, 
g Mat. 16.16.17.18.  Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. Our Saviour told him, That flesh and blood had not revealed it unto him, but his Father which is in heaven. And further: That upon this rock (or true confession of him) he would build his Church, and the gates of hell should not prevail against it. Now howsoever the beholders of this miracle proceed not so far in their confession and acknowledgement, yet they are in a good way, and do in a manner confess as much, when they propound it by way of question: Who is this that both the winds and the sea obey him? For it is as much as if they had said; It is impossible that he should be but a mere man, that hath these unruly creatures at command, to check and control at his pleasure. As therefore Christ himself in the next Chapter, in another miracle upon one that was sick of the Palsy, when he had first told him; 
h Mat. 9.2.3.  Son be of good comfort, thy sins are forgiven thee. And certain of the Scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. And Saint Mark addeth their reason, 
i Mark 2.7.  Who can forgive sins but God only? That he might show himself to be God indeed, and so to have power to forgive sins, 
k Mat. 9.6.  doth command him to arise, take up his bed, and go unto his own house. And so thoroughly curing the man by his word, doth manifestly prove himself to be God, and to have power as well in the one, as in the other. So in this place, though they give him the term of a man, yet inquiring what man, and so acknowledging him more than a man, by the work that he hath wrought, in commanding the winds and seas, they do in a sort confess him to be God.  
For conclusion therefore of the History, the meditation rising to seamen from hence is this, that as in the undertaking of their voyages, they must (if they have any hope to make a good and prosperous voyage) begin at Christ, and be careful and sure to take him along with them: that is, to examine the lawfulness of their callings and professions, either as seamen, or as Merchants and Factors, to do service unto God, and to the state wherein they live, committing themselves to that vast element the sea, and depending upon God's protection and defence, and so expecting a blessing from him in all their honest labours; so must they prepare themselves before hand, (especially in long voyages, and amongst Infidels) for many disasters and counterbuffs, not only of wind & weather, (which our Saviour Christ's ship was subject to in his short voyage) but of many other dangers, which cannot possibly be avoided; and if Christ seem to be asleep, in not affording them present help, by their earnest and hearty prayers to awake and stir him up, by faith believing his omnipotent power, and by hope expecting and waiting his leisure, submitting their wills to his will, and ready as well at sea, as at land, and as well by death as by life, to give him praise and glory. And thus much shall suffice for this history of Christ's voyage, and the meditations thence arising.  
But I have yet a further task in the second general part of the text, that is, the mystery. In the former I have endeavoured to teach seamen to be Christians: but now I am to show that all true Christians be seamen, and have a longer voyage in hand then to the East Indies: for their whole life is but a voyage from earth to heaven. In which voyage they have a sea to pass through, and a ship to pass in; and in their passage, they must look for great tempests, threatening to drown both them and their ship: and they shall find Christ (in whom they trust) to be asleep, as if he regarded not their danger; but if they waken him by their devout prayers, he will arise quickly, and not only make all their enemies to vanish, and secure the ship; but never leave them nor forsake them, till he have brought them to heaven, the haven where they would be. This voyage cannot be performed by factors and servants, but every Christian man and woman must undertake it in their own persons. For 
l Abak▪ 2.4.  ●ustus ex fide sua visit, in fide sua mori●ur: that is, the godly man doth live and die, doth begin, and continue, and make an end of this voyage according to his own faith. In this voyage: 1. The sea is an image of the world. 2. The ship an image of the true Church of Christ. 3. The tempest an image of the rage and fury of heretics and schismatics, and persecuting tyrants against the Church. 4. Christ his sleeping an image of his death. 5. His arising an image of his resurrection, whereby he subdued all his and our enemies. And 6. The calm that followed, is an image, both of the peace of conscience, and joy in the holy Ghost, the first fruits of the spirit which the Church receiveth, as the benefits by his death and resurrection in this life; as also of that eternal rest in the life to come, (whereof the other is but a pledge and earnest) when the godly shall be partakers of such joys, as 
m 1. Cor. 2.9.  the eye hath not seen, the ear hath not heard, nor c●n possibly enter into the heart of man to conceive.  
For the first, the whole current of the fathers tell us that the sea is an image of the world many ways.  
1. First, the sea hath his name of bitterness: 
n Isidor. lib. 13. cap. 14.  Propt●rea mare appella●um, quòd eius aquae sun● amarae: The sea hath his name, Mare in the Latin, of the Latin word, amarum, which signifieth bitter, because the waters thereof are bitter. The sea is very bitter, notwithstanding to the fishes that live and are nourished in it, it savoureth sweetly: So the world is very bitter, ye● to worldly men delighting in the fleshly lusts thereof, it seems sweet: and though at first it seem but 
o 2. Sam. 2.14.26.  as a sport or play: yet as Abne● saith to joab: Knowest thou not that i● will be bitterness in the l●tt●r e●d? For like a subtle serpent, it hath a sting in the tail, and insinuates and winds itself into us for to hurt us. And though worldly men flatter themselves, and say as Agag to Samuel, 
p 1. Sam. 15.32.33.  Truly the bitterness of death is p●ssed: yet they are as much deceived as Agag was, as may appear in samuel's answer in that place. It is the distemperate taste of worldly men, that makes the pleasures of the world seem so sweet unto them; but if ever God effectually call them, and they come to the true relish of them; they will say with Naomi the mother of Ruth: 
q Ruth 1.20.  Call m● no more Naomi or beautiful, but call me Mara, that is, bitter, for the Almighty hath given me much bitterness: For the greatest pleasures of this world are like 
r Exod. 15.23.24  the waters of Marah, whereof the Israelites (God's people) could not drink for the bitterness thereof. The waters of the sea of the world, are like those waters which Saint john saw by vision, 
s Revel. 8.11.  into which fell a great star, named wormwood, and the waters became wormwood, and many men died of the waters, because they were bitter. Let men therefore fear the curse denounced by the Prophet, 
t Esa. 5.20.  Woe be to them which make sour sweet, and sweet sour; which call evil good, and good evil; which make darkness light, and light darkness. For it were easy to show of 
u 1. joh. 2.16.  all the things in the world, (as Saint john reckoneth them up) the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, (that is), the unlawful desire of worldly pleasure, treasure; & honour; that they be all the bitter waters of the sea of the world: And it may be said of them all, as the Wise man saith of the first: 
x Prou. 5.3.4.  The lips of a strange woman drop as the honey comb, and her mouth is more soft than oil: But the end of her is bitter as wormwood, and sharp as a two edged sword. And that we may see the bitterness of these waters, in this sweet sin of uncleanness, (as the world is not ashamed to call it) and thereby to judge of the rest. First, Solomon tells us, that it is a punishment in itself, for such as God is angry withal: 
y Pr●u. 22.14.  The mouth (saith he) of strange women is as a deppe pit: He with whom the Lord is angry shall fall therein. It is therefore a sign of God's anger towards us, when he suffereth us to fall into it. Secondly, it bringeth men to infamy, reproach, dishonour: 
z Prou. 6.33.  He shall find a wound, and dishonour, and his reproach shall never be done away. Thirdly, it bringeth beggary with it: 
a Prou. 6.26.  for because of the whorish woman a man is brought to a morsel of bread. Fourthly, it bringeth filthy and loathsome diseases on a man, even 
b P●ou. 12.4.  rottenness to his bones. Fifthly, it destroyeth 
c Prou. 6 32.  not only his understanding, but his soul also. Sixthly, it 
d job 31.12.  is as a fire that will pursue and follow, not only him, but his increase, to ●heir utter destruction. Seventhly, the Apostle maketh it as 
e Rom. 1.24.  a punishment of Idolatry, to be given over to these unclean lusts. Let men therefore take heed of these bitter waters; and if either they be afraid of the anger of God, or their own infamy, or the wasting of their estates, or of the rotting of their bodies, or the destroying of their souls, o● the undoing of their posterity; let them take heed of that which (if they look) they may find, hath cost other men so dear, and given them sharp and bitter sauce to their sweet meat; knowing what a poisonful hook lieth under that pleasing bait to betray them. The same may be said of the rest of the vices that overflow the world; as pride, covetousness, intemperance in diet, murmuring, envy, hatred, disobedience to authority; they are all the bitter waters of the world: The wo●ld is a sea: The sea is bitter, Th● world is bitter.  
Secondly, the sea is inconstant, it ebbeth and floweth, sometime it is quiet, sometimes troubled: It followeth, the Moon: As the Moon changeth, so the sea changeth: The world is as inconstant, altering and changing every day, both in private men, and in whole states. Some borne, some die, some in health, some sick, some rising, some falling, some in favour, some in disgrace: and as Saint Gregory observed, all the actions of our life are but remedia taedij when we are weary of one thing, we seek for relief of the contrary: when we are weary of fasting, we eat; and being weary of eating, we fast; when w●e are weary of waking, we sleep; and being weary of sleeping, we wake: In nothing we continue at one stay; and as the day succeeds the night, and the night the day, so variety and contrariety must give content in all our actions. The use whereof is, to teach us to observe in the world, and ourselves living in the world, the mutability and change of all things under the Sun; God only being unchangeable. The Angels in heaven, and man in Paradise were subject to change, as they found by miserable experience: 
f jam 1.17.  In God only is no change, nor shad●w of change: but 
g 1. joh. 2.16.  the world passeth, and the concupiscence thereof. As the sea therefore is inconstant, so is the world inconstant.  
Thirdly, the sea is full of dangers, sometime by contrary wi●ds sometime by Pirates, sometime by enticing mermaids and sirens, sometime by rocks, sometime by quicksands, and many other ways. The world is a sea of dangers, yea hath more dangers than the sea. 1. It hath such contrary winds▪ that Christ's ship, (his Church) is fain with Saint Paul's ship, to cast anchor▪ lest it be driven back in her course to heaven. 2. It is full of pirates, that watch their opportunity to take and make prize of the rich commodities wherewith she is laden, 
h Act. 27.29.  to rob and spoil her of that 
i 1. Pet. 1.7.  most precious faith, which is much more precious than gold that perisheth: yea to deprive her of 
k 2. Pet. 1.4.  those mos● great and precious promises which they that sail in her have, to be partakers of the diu●ne nature: yea to pillage her of the benefit of 
l 1. Pet. 1.19.  that most precious blood of Christ, of much more value than gold and silver, and precious stones▪ 3. This sea of the world hath her Mermaids and Sirens, enticing lusts, and fleshly pleasures, alluring men to forsake the ship of Christ's Church, with 
m 2. Tim. 4.10.  De●as, and wilfully to leap into this sea to their utter destruction. 4. It is full of ●ockes on both sides, presumption of God's mercy on the one side, making men bold and foolhardy, to adventure upon any dangerous sin be it never so great: and on the other side, desperation of God's mercy after sin, to make the ship split and sink suddenly. And when we have escaped all these dangers, when we have even descried land, & think we have made our port; yet if we take not the direction of our good pilot, to steer a right course and keep the deep channel, there are such quicksands, that we may soon run aground, if not to loss of ship and goods, that it may be verified of us, procella ●nti, in portu naufragi, that we rid out the storm, and perish in the haven: which if ever it fall out, 
n 2. Pet. 2.21.  it had been better for us never to have known and begun the way to heaven: at least we shall recover our port, after so great danger, with so great loss, as we shall have good cause to repent our careless negligence: The sea than is full of dangers: The sea of this world hath more dangers.  
Fourthly, the sea is full of monsters: The Prophet 
o Dan. 7.3.4.5.6.7.  Daniel in a vision saw the four winds of the heaven strive upon the great sea: And four great beasts came up from the sea, one divers from another: the first a Lion with Eagles wings: the second a Bear that had three ribs in his mou●h, between his teeth: The third like a Leopard, which had upon his back four wings of a fowl, and had also four heads: The fourth was fearful and terrible, & very strong, and had iron teeth, and had ten horns. But the sea of the world hath more monsters: 
p 1. Cor. 15.32.  beasts after the manner of ●en: monstrous men, that are rather to be accounted for beasts than men: some as 
q Esay 59.5.  full of poison as serpents: some as 
r Psal 18.13.  full of rage as roaring Lions: some as 
s Psal. 80.13.  blood-thirsty as wild bears and boars: some as 
t Mat. 10.16.  ravening after their prey as wolves: some as 
u Luk. 13.32.  wily and crafty to beguile as foxes: some as 
x Mat. 25.33.  full of lust as goats: some taking as much pleasure in their filthy sins, 
y 2. Pet 2.22.  as swine to wallow in the mi●e: some 
z Mat. 3.7.  generations of vipers, that eat themselves forth of their mother's belly: as if some enchanting Circe in the world, had by her cup of sorcery metamorphized and transformed men so much, that Diogenes might well go at noon day into the market, with a lantern and candle light, to look a man amongst men, and lose his labour: The Prophet David telleth us, that 
a Psal. 49.20.  Man being in honour had no understanding, but is like unto the beasts that perish. And certainly all beastly minded men and women, are monsters in nature: Some having as many heads as they have noisome lusts, whereby they are led and directed: Some as many horns as they have means and opportunities to do mischief: Some having two tongues, as all flatterers and slanderers: Some having swords in their lips, as all railers, revilers, and ill-tongued persons: 
b Prou. 30.14.  There is a generation whose teeth are as swords, and their jaws as knives, to eat up the afflicted out of the earth, and the poor from among men. Of whom the Prophet David speaketh thus, 
c Psal. 57.4.  Their teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword: and again, 
d Psal. 59.7.  Behold they brag in their talk, and swords are in their lips. Some carry two faces, as all liars and dissemblers. Some are great giants, as all proud men. Some are crookbacked, as all rich covetous worldlings, for whom it is as 
e Mat. 19.24.  impossible to come to heaven, as for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. So generally all men, 
f Rom. 6.19.  that give their members servants of uncleanness and iniquity, to commit iniquity, are monsters, whereof the world is so full, as of Atheists, Idolaters, blasphemers, swearers, drunkards, or as the Apostle reckoneth them up, 
g Rom. 1.30.  Backbiters, haters of God, doers of wrong, proud, boasters, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, couenant-bre●k●rs, without natural affection, such as cannot be appeased, merciless: that I must conclude this point: As the sea is full of monsters: So is this sea of the world more full.  
Fifthly, the sea hath many devouring fishes, the great fishes devour the little ones: So in the sea of the world, the great and mighty men (like pikes in a pond) devour and undo poor men▪ 
h Amos 8.6.  They grind the faces of the poor, they swallow vy the needy: yea, 
i Amo● 2 6. Mat. ●8. 28.  Th●y sell the righteous for silver; and the poor for shoes: 
k Gen. 37.24.26  they take their poor fellow-servants by the throat (as our Saviour speaks in the parable) and say: pay that thou owest. In this sea as in the other, might overcomes right. For here we may many times see great malefactors sitting in judgement, and giving sentence of death (as 
k Gen. 37.24.26  judah was like to have done, and confesses it) against them that are more righteous th●n themselves. Here Anach●rsis may see Solon's laws like to cobwebs, which hold the little flies, but the great flies break through. Here Socrates may laugh to see petty thieves trust up at the gallows, and great thieves without punishment, ride up and down in state and pomp. Here Heracl●tus may weep, to see virtuous men despised, and virtue trampled under foot; if they speak the truth conscionably from their hearts: and vicious men extolled, for clawing and flattering great men, against their conscience. And if good men live in this sea, it must be as ●onas in the whales belly, which he calls 
l jonas 2.2.  the belly of hell. For good men have not only their purgatory, but their hell in this world: while with 
m 2. Pet. 2.8.  just Lot, their righteous soul is v●xed from day to day, with the unlawful deeds of filthy lust. So that the great fishes do not make th●ir pray more upon the small ones in the sea; then wicked men in their greatness, do v●on poor silly wretches in the sea of the world.  
Lastly, the sea is no place for men to dwell and abide in; but those that love it best, and live by trading in it, and through it, make their longest voyages in as short time as they can possibly; and are full of joy when they can descry the haven whither they shape their course: So the sea of the world is no place for Christians to dwell and abide in: for they are in it, and live in it, 
n 1. Pet. 2.11.  as stranger's and pilgrim's: 
o Heb. 13.14.  they have here no abiding City, but they loo●e for one to come. And 
p 2. Cor. 5.1.  they know when the earthly house of this their tabernacle is dissolved, they have an everlasting habitation in the heavens: and therefore like to seamen, they use the world, as seamen use the sea, as a way or place of passage to go through; never more joyful than when their voyage is ended by death, and they brought into their right port or haven, that they may leave their ship the Church Militant, and go ashore into the land of the living, the Church Triumphant in heaven.  
To conclude this point, and not to pass it any further in the things wherein the sea is a true resemblance of the world, as the vastness both of the one and of the other, and that the sea casteth up her dead unto the shore, and so the world casteth up those that are dead unto it, 
q 1. Cor. 4.13.  as the filth of the world, a●d the offscouring of all things, 
r 1. Cor. 4.9.  to make them a gazing stock unto the world, & to the Angels, and to men, and such like things wherein the sea, and the world are alike. We see, that as the sea is bitter, inconstant, full of dangers, full of monsters, full of devouring fishes, and no place to settle and abide in: so likewise is the world in all these respects; to teach all men so to use the world, as seamen use the sea; who in respect of the conditions and dangers before spoken of, do continually stand upon their guard; and watch day and night, and specially in the night, lest they should be suddenly overtaken. It is fit for all Christians to be as careful, and rather more for their souls then for their bodies, the loss being much greater if they should miscarry: for 
s Matth. 16.26.  what shall it profit a man to win all the world, and to lose his soul? or what shall he give for a recompense for his soul? And the danger greater, wherefore Christ chargeth us, 
t Matth. 10.28.  Fear not them that can kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but fear him, which is able to destroy both soul and bo●y in hell. And we having so many commandments and charges in these regards, to 
u Matth. 26.41  Watch and pray▪ lest we fall into tentation; 
x 1. Pet. 5.8.  to be sober and watch, because the devil goeth about like a roaring Lion, seeking whom he may devour. Let not 
y Luke 16.8.  the children of the world be wiser in their generation than we. But though we be upon the land, yet let us think ourselves to be at sea, seeing this world is to us as a sea: and let them that are at sea, compare the world and the sea together, and be as careful and watchful to prevent the dangers of the world, as the dangers of the other sea, or else there will be small comfort, in making never so speedy, prosperous and gainful a voyage, when their bodies shall return safe home, and their souls be drowned by the way, in the gulf of the world's pleasures. And thus we see the sea is an image of the world.  
Secondly, the ship is an image of the true Church of Christ Militant here on earth. So speaks Saint Chrysostome upon this place: It is not to be doubted (saith he) but this ship was a figure of the Church, according to which exposition the holy Ghost speaketh by Solomon. 
z Prou. 31.14.  She is like a ship of Merchants which fetcheth her goods from far: that is the Church which the Apostles sailing in, and the Lord guiding it; the Spirit of God blowing on them with a fresh gale, doth run through the sea of the world by the preaching of the Gospel, carrying in it the rich and inestimable iowell of Christ's blood, the price paid by him for the redemption of all mankind. In which words of Saint Chrysostome agreeing with the current of all writers, we observe another honour of Navigation: for as we account it a great honour to the holy estate of matrimony, that Christ, in the conjunction of the man and the woman, would mystically signify and represent the spiritual marriage and union betwixt himself and his Church; 
a Ephes. 5.32.  so may we not idly overpass the honour done here to Navigation, that our Saviour did make the ship here (as he 
b 1. Pet. 3.20.  did Noah's Ark before) a figure of his Church, by which all Christians might learn of travelers by sea, how to pass through the sea of the world.  
And certainly a ship may be the true resemblance of the Church of Christ in many respects.  
First, in the building, a ship must be made in the keel toward the water and the earth very close and tied, but is open aloft in the upper part toward heaven: so the Church of Christ is close, and shut up toward the world the sea; but open upwards towards God; for 
c Phil. 3.20.  our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, even the Lord jesus Christ.  
Secondly, in the form, a ship is made a Head and a Stern, that is, before and behind very narrow; but in the middle it is broad: so the Church of Christ in the beginning was very narrow, kept within the limits of judaea, and in the middle when Christ came it spread abroad by the Ministry of the Apostles and their successors: but in the end of the world it shall again be narrow: for 
d Luke 18.8.  Think you when the Son of man comes, that he shall find faith in the earth?  
Thirdly, a ship that intends to make a long voyage, must not only be built, but well furnished and provided of many necessaries; she must have her Ballast, her Mast, her Rigging, her Sails, her Victualling, her Ordinance, her Lading, and that neither too light, nor too heavy, and of such Merchandise as will best vent in the place whether she is to trade; she must have her Helm to be guided by, and her Compass whereby to steer a right course: and she must have skilful Commanders, and several Officers, and painful Sailors: she must have a Wind to carry her along, and instruments to take the height of the Sun, and the Stars, whereby she may be sure to steer a good course: And lastly, she must be provided of an Anchor, both in time of danger, and being arrived in the Port or Haven. But if I should prosecute this comparison in all things belonging to a ship, it would require a whole volume of itself; and I must confess, that I am out of my element, and that this task would require the help and art of a skilful Navigator. It shall suffice according to these short observations, that the ballast of Christ's ship is the fear of God, to keep it upright; That her Mast is the Cross of Chris●; That her Sails are the Faith of Christians; That her Rigging consists in application of the examples of the Saints that have gone before us; That her victualling is the 
john 6.27.  Flesh and blood of Christ, which will never perish, bu●●ndure to life everlasting; That her Ordinance are the threatening of God's Law, thundering out death to all malefactors; That her Lading is Good works; according to which every man shall make his voyage; That Sin is to heavy a burden, able to sink ●he ship, as in the case of jonah: and that hypocritical and pharisaical works, with opinion of merit▪ must all be heaved overboard; That the riches of this world can neither be carried w●th us to our haven that is heaven; and if they could, yet there they are no currant Merchandise; That the helm to guide this ship is a good conscience; And the compass whereby to direct our course, is the holy Scriptures; That the wind that carrieth us along, is 
f john 3.8.  the inspiration of the holy Ghost; That Christian Magistrates and Ministers are Commanders and Officers in this ship; and all true Christians are painful sailors to be ruled and directed by them; That Christ is our 
g Mal. 4.2.  Su●ne of righteousness, by true observation of whom we shall never fail of a right course in our voyage; And that hope is our anchor, not only in all perils and dangers in the voyage, but at our end, and in our end, bringing us safe on land into our haven.  
Fourthly, as no man is so foolish, as to think he can make a voyage and cross the seas, without the means, except he enter into a ship: and as none of all the world were preserved from the general deluge, but only 
h 1. Pet. 3.20.  Noah and his s●nnes, and their wives that entered into the Ark, which was a figure of the Church: So in the matter of the soul, no man may think that he can pass through the sea of the world to heaven, except 
Mark. 16.16.  by baptisms he enter into th●s ship of Christ, and be made 
k 1. Co. ●2. 13.27  a member of his Church; Neither doth the baptism consist in outward water, 
l 1. Pet. 3.21.  that puts away the filth of the flesh; but in a confident demanding, which a good conscience maketh to God.  
Fi●thly, as in a ship at sea, if any man wilfully leap out of the ship into the sea, or be thrown overboard, without present help, he must needs miscarry and die; so, extra ecclesiam nulla salus; there is no salvation to be looked for out of this ship of the Church: and if any 
m 1. I●hn. 2.19.  either by schism do forsake the Church; 
n 1.1. Cor. 5.7.  or be thrown out by the censure of excommunication; as Saint Paul saith of the incestuous person, purge out the old leaven: except such a one by repentance be received back again into the Church, there is no hope of salvation for him.  
Lastly, as there is great danger in keeping dead bodies aboard of infecting the rest; so in this ship of the Church, 
o 1. Cor. 5.6.  A little leaven will sour the whole lump; and a scabbed sheep will infect a whole flock. And therefore all such as 
p Revel. 3.1.  have a name to live▪ but are dead: that is; 
q Tit. 1.16.  that profess they know God, but by works deny him, and are abominable and disobedient▪ and unto every good work reprobate▪ are not to be kept in the ship of Christ, but to be cast into the sea of the world (to which they belong) as a prey to the devouring fishes, that are there ready to swallow them. And thus we see how this ship is an image of Christ's true Church, passing the sea of the world.  
Thirdly, the tempest is an image of the rage and fury of Heretics, Schismatics, & persecuting Tyrants against the Church: for as when the sea is never so calm, it can not continue long so, without some storm or tempest; so though the world look never so smoothly upon the Church, yet it will not long continue so, but send forth, 
r Amb. in Luc. 8.  procellas spiritualis nequitiae, the storms of spiritual wickedness: as Saint Ambrose calls them: or 
Cyp. de bono patientiae.  proce●●as mundi, the tempests of the world, as Saint Cyprian styles them. The heretics on the one side (as S. Paul speaks of Hymenaeus and Alexander) 
t 1. Tim. 1.19.  having themselu●s made shipwreck of faith, and of a good conscience, will labour (according to the example of the devil their master) to draw others into the same destruction. And Schismatics on the other side, will so rend and tear the sides of the Church, that it will be full of leaks, and draw in so much water, as may bring it in danger of drowning: and Tyrants will raise such bitter persecutions, that (like the Dragon in the Revelation of Saint john) 
u Revel. 12.4.  they will be ready to devour the Church's children, as soon as she is delivered. And these all roar, and rage, and storm against the poor Church of Christ. Christ had never his Church upon earth, but the devil had wicked men to raise storms against it. There was a 
x Genes. 4 8.  Cain to persecute Abel from the beginning: 
y Genes. 10.9.  a Nimrod of the offspring of Cam, a mighty hunter, and persecutor of the Church: there was an 
z Gal 4.29.  Ishmael to persecute Isaac in Abraham's house, though he were the father of the faithful: and an 
a Gen. 25.22.  Esau that began to wrestle and spurn at jacob in his mother's womb; and after 
b Genes. 27.41.  threatens to kill him, expecting only the time of his father's death. We read how 
c Genes, 37.20.  joseph was persecuted by his own brethren; and the 
d Exod. 3.7.  Israelites by Pharaoh in Egypt. And afterward even in the land of Promise, the 
e judges 3.5.  Israelites dwelled among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Ammorites, and the Perizites, and the Hiuites, and the jebuzites, all cruel enemies and persecutors of God's Church. What should I speak of 
f judges 4.2.  jabin and Sisera▪ of the Madianites, and the Philistims, and the rest of them? for not only 
g Act. 4.27.  Herod and Pilate are joined in a league to persecute Christ: but as the Prophet complaineth, 
h Ps. 83.6.7.8.  The tabernacle of Edom, and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Agarims, Gebal and Ammon, and Amaleck, the Philistims, with the inhabitants of Tyrus: Ashur also is joined unto them, they have been an arm to the children of Lot. And if we should make a catalogue of storms and tempests raised by heretics and schismatics against Christ his ship in the primitive Church, and the persecutions of it, by the Roman Emperors, Quis talia fando temperet à la●hrymis (as the Poet saith); they could hardly be either written or read, or spoken, or heard of, without tear●s. For that which the Apostle saith of the times before Christ, and their cruelty against the Church, to wit, 
i Heb. 11.35.36, 37, 38.  That they were racked and would not be delivered, that they might receive a better resurrection: and others were tried by mockings, and scourge, yea moreover by bonds and prisonment. They were stoned; they were hewn asunder; they were tempted; they were slain with the sword; they wandered up and down in sheeps skins, and goats skins, being destitute, afflicted and tormented: whom the world was not worthy of. All these (I say) may seem to be but little clouds, threatening somewhat, but soon blown over, in respect of the new devised savage cruelties of the Roman Emperors; and the tempestuous storms raised up from time to time, for the utter overthrow and ruin of this poor ship of Christ his Church; that they might set up their pillars ob deletos Christianos, as if they had utterly rooted out all Christians and Christianity: for the ten persecutions raised against this ship of Christ, by those wicked Tyrants, Nero, Domitian, trajan, Antoninus Verus, Severus, Maximinus▪ Decius, Valerianus, Aurelianus, and Dioclesian, were such great storms, that as Raban●s saith of the first of them, Some were slain with the sword, some scourged with whips, some stabbed with forks of iron. Some fastened to the cross or gibbet, some drowned i● the sea, some had their skin's pluck● over their e●res, some their tongues cut out, some stoned to d●ath, some killed with cold, some starved with hu●ger, some their hand● cut off, and dismembered, and left naked▪ etc. So Saint Augustine saith of the Christians to them all; 
k Aug. de civit Dei. lib. 22. c. 6.  They were in bonds and imprisonments; they were slain, th●y were tortured, they were beaten with cudgels. They were burned▪ they were torn in pieces, and yet they multiplied. Saint Jerome saith, 
l Hieron. Epist. ad Chromat. & Heliodor.  that there was no day in the whole year, unto which the number of five thousand and Martyrs might not be ascribed, except only the first day of Ia●uary. Eusebius writes of Nero's persecution of the Church, that 
m Euseb. hist. eccles. lib. 2. cap. 26.  in his time a man might see Cities lie full of dead ●●dies, the old lying together with the young, and the dead bodies of women cast out into the open streets, without reverence to their sex. This may serve for a taste of the tempests raised against this ship of Christ in the times of these persecuting tyrants.  
But the storms raised by Arrius the heretic, and his followers in good Constan●●ns time, were as much, if not more dangerous: of which Saint jerom complains, 
n Dialog. cont. Luciferianos.  Ingem●it orbis Christianus & miratur se subito factum esse Arrianum: That the Christian world did lament and wonder, how upon the sudden they were all bec●me Arians▪ And certainly heretics have as furiously assailed the Church, as ever did Tyrants.  
But when Heresy and Tyranny met together in 
o 2. Thes. 2.3.  the Ma● of sin, the Pope of Rome, especially when 
p Platin. in vit. Bonifacij 3.  Boniface the third, by the means of Phocas, that execrable murderer, that by treason & conspiracy (being but a common soldier) did betray and put to death his Lord and Master Mauritius the Emperor, having first slain his Empress, and his three sons before his face, and by this traitorous villainy aspired to the Empire; when Boniface (I say) by this perfidious Wretches means had gotten to be proclaimed, The Head of the Vni●e●sall Church, then and from that time 
q Revel. 20.7.  Satan being let loose, the poor Church or ship of Christ went to wrack, which was about six hundred and thirteen years after the birth of Christ. Since that time we may truly say; his arms are a ravening wolf; his sentence burn, burn, burn; his saying, Let us lay wait for blood; his head is blasphemy; his shield tyranny; his breast injury; his eyes fire; his girdle fornication; his breath poison; his tongue, the sting of death; his feet, ready to shed innocent blood; his sword, violence; his cross, persecution; his pardons, iniquity; his triple Crown, presumption; his keys, ambition; and all his doings, abomination. I write this the rather, because that 
r Revel. 3.9.  Synagogue of Satan do boast, and brag, and challenge to themselves, that they are this ship of Christ, and that out of their ship, there is no salvation; that Protestants are heretics that raise up storms and tempests against this ship. I confess the time was (to wit, in the times of the forenamed persecuting Tyrants) that the Church of Rome had her part in Christ's ship, & many of her Bishops were holy Martyrs, & all those storms raised by those tyrants, might happily fill the ship with water, but could not sink it. But 
s Esay. 1.21.  how is the faithful city become an harlo●? For when Constantine the Great, gave not only peace to the Church, but endowed it with worldly promotions; they shutting up their upper-decks to heavenward, and opening leaks beneath to the sea of the world, thinking they could never have enough of that bitter water, except they had the whole sea and world at their command. From that time, Rome is no longer a ship, but a sea for that proud Bishop to sit in (though he falsely term it the sea Apostolic) and from that sea have risen more tempests against Christ's ship, then from the persecuting tyrants, that we may justly say of Rome, as the Prophet said of Niniveh; 
t Nah. 3.1.  O bloody city, it is full of lies, and robbery, the prey departeth not, etc. for this 
u Revel. 17.5.6.  Whore of Babylon is drunken with the blood of Saints, and with the blood of the Martyrs of jesus. Let their own Authors speak for them; 
x joh. Villain. hist. Florent. 11.  john the twenty two did persecute t●e poor Christians of Armenia, and hired the Saracens to war upon them, b●cause they would not acknowledge his authority. A strange expense of the goods of the Church (as they call themselves) to hire infidels to cut the throats of Christians, and to invade Christendom. In the days of Queen Marie (saith the same Author) the Papists procured the slaughter of millions of Christians in France, Flanders, and other places: & in that time how many poor Christians were butchered and burned here in England? Natalis a Popish Writer saith, that 
y Nat. hist. li. 24.  threescore thousand H●gonites were murdered in the Massacre of France. An. 1572. and therefore he calls that execution cruel, and bitter. The Pope in his charity with his Cardinals hearing of it, rejoiced, went a Procession, sang Te Deum, and gave a jubilee. 
z Plat. in vit. eius.  Paul the second is reported▪ by divers torments to have vexed divers godly and learned men, for very small causes. 
a Plat. in vit. eius.  Alexander the sixth would put men to death for every light word spoken against him. Budeus calls julius the second, 
b Budaeus de ass.  Sanguinarium cleri magistrum; that is, A bloody Master of his Clergy. When Charles the Emperor was setting forward against the Turk (the common enemy of Christians) Cardinal Poole (an English Popish traitor) was sent to him from the Pope: and in an oration (extant in print) did persuade him to turn his forces from the Turk, against Henry the eight, as worse than any Turk. I need not speak of the Pope's Bulls, and tempestuous thunderbolts, sent out against Christian Princes, to set them together by the ears, and sometimes stirring up the subjects against their Princes, and sometime own son against the father. The Bull of Pius Quintus roaring thus against Queen Elizabeth (of happy memory); jubemus ut contra Reginam Angliae subditi arma capessant: We will and command that the Queen of England's subjects do rise up in arms against her. Neither need we to seek far to find, that the Jesuits (his dearest darlings) are the firebrands of all Kingdoms and States in Christendom (to go no further); and that they are both contrivers and patrons of the greatest conspiracies and treasons that ever were hatched in the world. The Spanish invasion of England intended in the year 1588., with their Invincible Navy (as they termed it); and the Gunpowder treason, intended against the Parliament-house, and the Estates of the land that were there to be assembled (a plot so horrible, as if all the devils in hell had conspired to join in consultation with them) can never be forgotten: for by this they thought to raise at once such thunder, and lightning and storm and tempest, if not from above, yet from hell itself, as should certainly drown this poor vessel, and ship of Christ, 
Flectere si nequeam superos, Acheronta movebo.  the Church of England. And for all this, they are not ashamed to arrogate the title to themselves of the ship of Christ, the Catholic Church; and in their mouths and writings to exclaim against us as heretics, and to complain of bitter persecution, as though we raised storms and tempests against them. But, Quis tulerit Gracchum de sediti●ne loquentem? Who can endure Gracchus a traitor, to plead against treason? or Verres a thief, to plead against theft? or the Pope and his followers to complain of persecution? We have here no cruel Spanish Inquisition to ●ift them out; neither have we made any Massacres of them. Since the receiving of the Gospel, no Papist ever suffered death, or loss of lands for his mere conscience (except he made it conscience not to commit or assent to treason); and for ourselves we say with Saint Paul, 
c Acts 24.14.  We confess that (after the way which they call heresy) so worship we the God of our fathers▪ believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets: And have hope towards God, 
15  that the resurrection of the dead, which they themselves also look for, shall be both of just and unjust. And this shall suffice for the tempests and storms, which the ship of Christ, that is his Church, must continually look for, while it passeth through the sea of the world.  
Fourthly, Christ his sleeping is an image of his death, by which the devil thought to have swallowed up Christ quite, that he might domineer in the world; 
d john 13.27.  therefore he entered into judas, to tempt him for covetousness of thirty silver pieces to betray his Master, and stirred up by all means he could 
e john 11.53.  the Scribes and pharisees to conspire his death, and 
f Mat. 27.23.  the people to be so earnest with Pilate; 
g Acts 4.27.  and Pilate and Herod to give consent unto it: for this death of his, was 
h 1. Cor. 54.23.  not only a stumbling block to the jews, and to the Gentiles foolishness: but his own Disciples could not abide to hear of it before; and therefore when Christ foretold it, saying, 
i Mat. 16.21.22  that he must go to jerusalem, & suffer many things of the Elders and High Priests, and Scribes, and be slain, and be raised up the next day. Peter took h●m aside to rebuke him, saying, Master▪ pity thyself, this shall not be to thee. And when his time and hour was come, 
k Mat. 26.56.  they all forsook him & fled. And indeed it was so strange a thing, that he should sleep this sleep, and die himself, that came to save others from death, 
l Mat. 27.51.52  that the earth trembled, the Sun was darkened, the graves opened, 
m Mat. 27.45.  the vail of the Temple rend in twain: and the Centurion confessed, Aut Deus naturae patitur, aut mundi machina diss●luetur: that is, Either the God of Nature suffers, or the frame of the whole world shall have an end. And when he was dead, the devil thought he would keep him fast enough, and therefore he caused the high Priests and pharisees 
n Mat. 27.62. Vers. 66.  to call him a deceiver, because he had foretold his resurrection; and to hinder that, they get commission from Pilate, and lay a great stone on the mouth of the sepulchre, and seal up the stone, 
Vers. 64. Vers. 66.  and watch not only him for rising, but his disciples also from stealing him away, which they made their greatest fear; and therefore the text saith, that they made their watch sure (as they thought). But it is no marvel if his enemies thought they had him sure when he was dead, and buried, and such a watch to keep them in his grave; when his bestfriends, his own Disciples and Apostles (notwithstanding all that he had told him while he was alive with them), yet were so dismayed at this his dead sleep, or sleep of death; that they do not as in the former history call upon him to awake him; nay, they are past hope of any good from him, as those two Disciples tell him that were traveling to Emaus; 
o Luke 24.21.  Nos sperabamus, We hoped, or trusted (that is) while he was yet living, it had been he that should have delivered▪ Isra●l: as if they should have said, Now that he is dead, our hope and trust is gone. And all the Apostles, when they heard the report of his awaking and arising, by the women that were certified thereof by Angels, yet 
p Luk▪ 24.11.  esteemed no better of it, then of an old wives tale, or a fable. And when all ●●e rest had seen him▪ and spoken with him, yet Saint Thomas still incredulous, told the rest, 
q john. 20.25.  Except I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, I will not believe. And therefore he was fain to 
r Mark. 16.14.  cast in their teeth, their unbelief, and hardness of heart. We see then into what excess of fear this sleep of Christ, did cast the Church; as if now the ship must needs sink, without hope of recovery: and yet as there was a necessity of this sleep of death in him, as he himself saith, 
s Luke 24.26.  Ought not Christ to suffer th●se things? So the Apostle giveth the reason, 
t Heb. 2.14.  That by death he might destroy him th●t had the power of death, the diu●l; & that he might del●uer all them, that for fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage; that he might say with the Prophet, 
u H●sh 13.14.  O death I will be thy death, or with the Apostle, 
x 1. Cor. 15▪ 54.  Death is swallowed up in victory. And therefore the night before he died, he did institute the Sacrament of his Supper, and told them, 
y Mat. 26.16.28  This is my body which is broken for you: This is my blood which is shed for you; of which the Apostle saith, 
z 1. Cor. 11.24.25.26.  So oft as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye show forth the Lords death until he come. And thus we see the correspondence of Christ's sleeping in the ship, and his death and burial, and the likeness of the danger, and fear of the Church both in the one and in the other.  
Fifthly, the arising of Christ, in the extremity of the ships danger, to show his command and authority over the greatest storms and tempests that trouble his ship, is an image of the resurrection of Christ from death to life, thereby 
a Ephes. 4.8.  leading captivity captive, and destroying all his, and his Church's enemies: that now we may truly say of this 
b Mal. 4.2.  our Sun●e of righteousness, as the Prophet speaketh of the Sun in the firmament; 
c Psal. 19.5.  He cometh for●h as a bridegroom out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a mighty man, to run his race. This is an article of our faith, as necessarily to be believed as the former, without which (as the Aponstle speaketh), 
d 1. Cor. 15.14.  All our preaching is vain, and your faith also is vai●. And yet it is so hard a matter to believe it, that not only the Athenians 
e Acts 17.32.  mocked Saint Paul for preaching it, and Festus told him (though he heard him well enough till he came to that point), 
f Acts 26 24.  Paul thou art besides thyself, much learning hath made thee mad. But the Apostles themselves (as was touched before) could hardly be brought to believe it. And the Prophet foretelling it, doth by way of dialogue, bring in the Church wondering (even when they saw him) who it should be, as suspecting him to be some Edomite, or enemy, that should raise some further storm: 
g Esay 63.1.  Who is this (saith the Church) that cometh from Edom, in red garments from Bosra? He is all glorious in his apparel, and walketh in his great strength. And when Christ had made answer; 
2.  I speak righteo●sne●●e, and am mighty to save. The Church replies; Wherefore is thine apparel red▪ and thy garments like to him that treadeth in the winepress? To which he answers; 
3.  I have trodden the winepress alone, and of all other, there is none with me. By which dialogue, we see in what fear the Church was of him (coming from among their enemies, the grave and hell; and in their enemies bloody colours), that he had been one of their enemies, and came to do them hurt: they thought it unlikely that it could be Christ, that was so despitefully handled but three days before, that was shorn and naked, (
h Matth. 26.35.  they deuidi●g his garments▪ & casting lots upon his vesture) and slain, and slain, and buried, should now so soon return in such pomp and triumph. An admirable sudden change, that he that but three days before was 
i Revel. 5.12.  agnus ●ccisus, a lamb slain, should now return 
k Revel. 5. ●.  Leo de tribu juda victor, The conquering Lion of the Tribe of juda: that he that was so lately 
l Esay 53.7.  Christus ovis, As a sheep led to the slaughter, and as a lamb dumb before the shearer▪ not opening his mouth should now be 
m Psalm. 60.8. Psalm. 108.9.  Christus ovans, Christ coming in triumph from the midst of his enemies, casting his shoe off over Edom, that is, trampling and 
n 1. Cor. 15.25.  trea●ing all his enemies under his feet: not only a● the Apostle expresseth it, 
o Col. 2. ●5.  triumphing o●er them all in his pers●n: but also having 
p Revel. 1.18.  been de●●, is now alive, and hath brought with him the keys of death, and the grave, to give life to our bodies; and the keys of hell, to give life unto our souls, in which respect the Apostle tells us, that he 
q 2. Tim. 1 10.  hath brought with him not only life, but immortality. This was the Lords doing, 
r Psal. 118.23.  and could not but be marvelous in the Church's eyes. And yet this was not only necessary to be so, but impossible to be otherwise: for so Saint Peter tells us, 
s Acts 2.24.  That God had raised him up, and loosed the sorrows of death, because it was impossible that he should be holden of it. For David saith concerning him, 
t Psal. 16.8.  I beheld the Lord always b●fore me, for he is at my right hand, that I should not be shaken; 
9  Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad, my flesh also doth rest in hope: for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, 
10.  neither wilt thou suffer thine holy o●e to see corruption, etc. This article therefore of our faith, being the greatest comfort unto Christians, and yet so hard to be believed, that Saint Augustine saith; Crede resurrectionem & esto Christianus; Believe this point of the resurrection, and thou canst not but be a Christian, hath had as many, if not more confirmations of it, than any other. The Law saith, 
u Deut. 19.15.  That in the mouth of two or three witnesses, every matter shall be established: but in this we have many more; for, first, 
x Mat. 28.5.6. Mark 16 6. Luke 24.7. Iohn●0 ●0. 12.  the Angels give their testimony, recorded by all the four Evangelists; He is risen, he is not here. Secondly, 
y Mat. 27.52.53  the Saints that rose with him, and appeared to many, to confirm his resurrection. Thirdly, 
z Mat. 28.11.  the very soldiers themselves that were set to watch him, and to keep him from rising do confess it, though 
a Mat. 28.7.  afterwards they were hired by the high Priests to tell an untruth. Fourthly, 
b john 20.17.  Marry Magdalen and other devout women, sent by the Angels, and by Christ himself, to certify the Apostles, that he was risen. Fifthly, the two Disciples that met him, as they were traveling to Emaus; 
c Luke 24.33, 34.35.  that made haste to return to jerusalem, and certify the Apostles thereof. Sixthly, the Apostles, though they doubted at the first (of which S. Augustine saith, Dubitabant ill●, ne does dubitaremus; that is, they doubted, that we might be out of doubt), yet after are 
d Luke 24.48.  made eye-witnesses, and eare-witness●s, and may say with S. john, 
e 1. john 1.1.3.  That which we have heard, which we have seen with these our eyes, which we have looked upon, and these hands of ours have handled of that word of life: that, I say, which we have s●ene and heard, declare we unto you. Seventhly and lastly, those 
f 1. Cor. 15.6.  five hundred witnesses which saw him at once, as Saint Paul speaketh, may serve to assure us. We see then the resemblance that this his resurrection from the dead (to secure his Church from all the dangers and perils, that by his death it was brought unto), hath to his arising from sleep in the ship, and showing his power and authority over the winds and seas. For as in the miracle wrought in the history, he proved himself to be God that had power to command his creatures at his pleasure: So much more in this his arising from death to life, and that so quickly within three days, and in the conquest that he made over death and the grave, and over the devil and hell, he showeth not only his divine power, but his tender care for his Church, being compassed here by a sea of dangers, that they may thereby not only believe the resurrection of their bodies in the end of the world, but in this life 
g Rom. 6.4.  die to sin, and live to righteousness; and 
h Re●el. 20.6.  having their part in the first resurrection, they are free from all danger of the second death. And let this suffice for the fifth observation.  
Sixthly and lastly, the Calm that followed after Christ's arising and rebuking the Winds and the Sea, is an image both of that rest and quiet, which they that are in the Church of Christ 
i Mat. 11.29.  do find in their souls and consciences here in this life, and of that 
k jer. 6.16.  eternal rest and quiet without fear of any storms, which they shall have in heaven, whereof the peace of conscience which we here enjoy is a pledge and earnest. Both these do depend upon the resurrection of Christ (before spoken of) as the fruit thereof to us.  
The first benefit that a Christian doth find by believing Christ's resurrection, and meditating upon it, is the peace of conscience, that is, peace with God, peace with the creatures, peace with other men, and peace with himself. God in the first Creation of the world, did set and settle all things in order and quietness. The Elements were to serve and nourish the Plants, and the Plants to serve the Beasts, and the Beasts to serve Man, and Man to serve God. Before sin there was no disorder or disquietness of any creature toward another, but a general quiet Calm through the whole world. And therefore God may well be called the 
l Heb. 13.20.  God of peace; and peace may be as well styled, 
m Phil. 4 7.  the ●eace of God. But man by sin breaking the peace with God, as the Prophet speaketh; 
n Esa. 59.2.  Your iniquities have separated betwixt God and you, and your sins ha●e hid his face from you: consequently the creatures being thereby 
o Rom. 8.20.  made subject to vanity; there arose storms and tempests, troubles and oppositions from all the creatures; for the earth being 
p Genes. 3.17.18  cursed for man's sake▪ brought forth thorns and thistles: 
q Genes. 3.24.  the Angels stood with a blade of a sword shaken, to keep him from the tree of life. 
r Genes. 7.11.  the water destroyed all the race of mankind by an universal Flood, except only those eight that entered into the Ark: The 
s Genes. 6.6.7.  spirit of God was grieved: And God the Father said, It repenteth me that I have made man, I will destroy him from the earth. Thus than these tempests being raised against man, from God and his creatures by man's sin, 
t Rom. 7.23.  and man having thereby a war within himself in his own conscience condemning him, there was no calming of these tempests, nor no peace to be made, but only by Christ, who as he is truly termed 
u Esa. 9.6.  the Prince of peace, so likewise the Apostle calleth him 
x Ephes. 2.13.14 15.16.  our peace, who hath not only made peace betwixt God and us, but hath also preached peace to all, whether I●wes or Gentiles. This then is the great Calm that Christ brought into the world, to reconcile all man's enemies. That the water that before destroyed the world, should in him by the Sacrament of Baptism become 
y Tit. 3.5.  Lavacrum regenerationis, the La●er of our new birth, whereby we are entered into God's Church. That the earth instead of thorns and thistles, should bring forth bread and wine, which in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper do not only represent, but exhibit spiritually to ●he faithful receiver, the body and blood of Christ unto salvation. That a whole choir of Angels in stead of swords in their hands, should have 
z Luke 2.14.  a song of pe●ce in their mouths: That the Spirit of God should descend 
a Mat. 3 17.  in the likeness of a mild Dove: And God the Father acknowledge hi●selfe (by a voice from heaven) to be in Christ well pleased with mankind. This (I say) is that great Calm wrought by Christ, whereby God, and the Angels, and the creatures are reconciled unto man; and man is at peace with his own conscience, that we may say with the Apostle; 
b 2. Cor. 5.17.  If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old ●hings are passed away, Behold, all things are become new. And therefore our Saviour Christ, when he sent forth his Apostles to preach, yea, and his seventy disciples also, charged them to begin at that, 
c Luke 10.5.6.  Into what soever h●●se ye e●ter, first say, Peace be to this house; And if the Son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon him; if not, it shall turn to you again. And when he was to leave them, he left behind him this legacy, 
d john 14.27.  My peace I leave with you. But specially after his resurrection, his first salutation repeated again and again, 
e john 20.19.21.26.  Peace be unto you: that we may say with Saint Bernard, Miseros nos! quos non penetrat pax toties repetita: that it is a miserable thing for us, if we had rather continue out the storm, then be in a calm sea; which made Saint Paul begin his Epistles with Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord jesus Christ; and conclude them with ●he peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds; that we may say with Saint Bernard: Domine pacem volo, pacem desidero, nil amplius; Lord, I wish and desire peace only, and nothing ●lse.  
And yet all this peace and calm which we can receive in this world, is but a pledge and earnest of the perfect and complete Calm and quiet which the Christian by faith believeth, and by hope expecteth in the world to come, when 
f Revel. 14.13.  he shall rest from his l●bours, and 
g 2. Tim. 4.8.  receive the Crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge sh●ll give at that day to all that love his appearing. Now rest and quiet is the only end of all labour: 
h Genes. 2 1, 2.  God himself when he h●d finished his work of Creation in six days he rested the seventh day, and sanctified it. And Christ when he had finished the work of our redemption by a painful and troublesome life and death in this world, was then 
i Mark 16.19.  received up in●o hea●en, to sit at ●he right ha●d of God th● F●th●r. It hath pleased God not only to ordain and appoint the night for man to take his rest in, as well as the day to labour & travel in; but also to appoint a seventh day for a day of rest from bodily labours. And Canaan the land of Promise, where God's people were to rest after their bondage in Egypt, & troublesome passage through the wilderness, was a type and figure of that rest and quiet, which God hath provided in heaven for his children, after their deliverance from the bondage of Satan, and troublesome passage thorough the wilderness of this world, as the Apostle proveth at large; 
i Heb. 4.3,  For we (saith he) which have believed, do enter in●o rest, etc. And in the next verse, For he spoke in a certain place of the seventh day in this wise: 
4,  And God did rest the seventh day from all his works: 
5.  And in this place again; If they shall enter into my rest. And a little after he saith, 
k Heb. 4.8,  If jesus (●hat ●s joshua) had given them rest, than would he not after this h●ue spoken of another day; There remaineth therefore a re●● to ●he people of God: 
9,  For he that hath entered into his rest, ha●h also ceased from his own● works, as God did from his: 
10.  let us study therefore to en●er into that rest, etc. By all which the Apostle doth prove, that all the peace and rest which we can attain unto in this life, should put us in mind, and prepare us, for the eternal peace and rest in the life to come; that when the time of our dissolution comes, we may be ready to say with old Simeon; 
l Luke 2.29.  Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart part in peace. The year of jubilee, or rejoicing which God ordained to be every fiftieth year, 
m Leuit. 25.10, 11.12.  wherein the whole land was to rest, and liberty to be proclaimed to all the inhabitants, and they were neither to sow, nor to reap, nor gather grapes, etc. was a type also of this great calm, and eternal rest, purchased to all God's people, by the death and resurrection of Christ. And (to conclude) this eternal rest is that, which all good Christians should long and look for, seeing the Apostle telleth us, 
n Rom. 8.19.  That the fervent desire of the creature waiteth, when the sons of God shall be revealed; 
20,  Because the creature is subject unto vanity, not of it own will, but by reason of him that hath subdued it under hope: 
21,  Because the creature also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorius liberty of the sons of God: 
22,  For we know that every creature groaneth with us also, and travelleth in pain together unto his present. 
23.  And not only the creature, but we also which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we do sigh in ourselves, waiting for the adoption, even the redemption of our body. Seeing then Saint john tells us, 
o 1. john 3.2.  dearly beloved, we are now the sons of God: but yet it is not made manifest what we shall be. And we know that when he shall be made manifest, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Seeing this world is as the sea, as bitter, as inconstant, as full of dangers, as full of monsters, as full of devouring fishes, as the sea is, and no place for us to rest and abide in; and yet we must pass through it before we can come to heaven: seeing there is no hope, except we can be assured that we are in Christ's ship (his Church) and being in it, we must look for storms and tempests, either outward by persecution, or inward by heretics and schismatics. Let us no way dismay ourselves, though Christ our Saviour died, and seemed asleep, as not regarding our miseries; for he is arisen, and hath commanded the winds and seas; he hath captived and subdued all our spiritual enemies, and assured us of eternal and everlasting life. Let every one therefore that readeth or heareth this Treatise, learn of the Apostle: 
p Tit. 2. 1●.13.  To deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to walk soberly, and righteously, and godly in this present world: Looking for that blessed hope, and appearing of that glory of that mighty God, and of our Saviour jesus Christ. And so I conclude this Treatise, as Saint john doth his Revelation, (which is the conclusion of the whole Bible) He which testifieth these things saith, 
Revel. 22.20.  Surely I com● quickly: Amen. Even so come Lord jesus. 
21.  The Grace of our Lord jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.  
FINIS.   

PRAYERS FOR SEA-TRAVELLERS UPON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, suited to the former meditations in this Treatise.  

A Prayer to prepare Navigators by Sea to true Christian resolution in the undertaking any long Voyage among Infidels.  
MOST mighty and glorious God, the earth is thine, 
Psal. 24. ●.  and all that therein is, the world and they that dwell therein. For thou hast founded it upon the seas, 
2.  and established it upon the Floods. And though the heaven, 
Deut. 10.14.  and the heaven of heavens be thine, and the earth with all that therein is; 
15.  yet thou hast set thy delight upon our fathers, and made choice of us their seed to be thy people. Thou hast, in the darkness of ignorance, 
Psal. 119.105.  and error overspreading the world, given us thy word to b● a lantern to our feet, and a light unto our paths: thou hast not only given us thy Law to teach us what to do; but thy Gospel also to teach us what to believe, to bring us to everlasting life. And seeing the sum of it all, is to know thee to be the only very God, 
john 17.3. john 1.18.  and whom thou hast sent jesus Christ. And no man hath seen thee at any time, but that only begotten son which is in thy bosom he hath declared thee: 
Heb. 1.3.  who is the brightness of the glory, and the engraved form of thy person, bearing up all things by his mighty word: 
Phil. 2.6.  who being in the form of God, and thinking it no robbery to be equal with thee: yet made himself of no reputation, 
7.  and took on him the form of a servant, and was made like unto men, & found in shape as a man: 
Gal. 4.4.  And when the fullness of time was come, was made of a woman, 
5.  and made under the law, to redeem us that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And seeing O Lord thou hast given thy spirit unto all thy children, 
Rom. 8.16.  to testify unto their spirits that they are thy sons: And hereby we know thy spirit, 
1. john 4.2.  that every spirit, that confesseth that jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God: we most humbly and heartily entreat thy majesty, that being now by our professions called to leave our native country, where thy Gospel is truly and sincerely preached, (by which means, and by effectual working of thy spirit, we have had faith in thee, and thy son jesus Christ, and in thy holy spirit, one God in three persons, begotten in our hearts) and being to travel through the great dangers of the vast and wide sea, into the remote parts of the world amongst the heathen that do not know thee, nor call upon thy name: it may please thee so to increase, and daily confirm that faith in thy son jesus Christ, which we undertook at our first being received into thy Church by the Sacrament of Baptism, that we may ever acknowledge him, to be perfect God and perfect man in one person, and thereby to be our only advocate, Mediator, and intercessor, to thee for us: Give us grace we beseech thee, in our daily dangerous travels by sea with Christian courage and resolution to be always ready (according to thy good will and pleasure) to live and die in this faith: Let us not trust either in the goodness or strength of our ships, or in provisions of things necessary made by those which set us forth; nor in the skill and valour of our Commanders, nor in any other outward means: but let us acknowledge all these things to proceed from thy goodness, and evermore depend upon thy blessing upon the means in our use of them, not for any merit of ours, but for thy Son jesus Christ his sake. In all our troubles and extremities, let us by faith have recourse to our Lord and Saviour jesus, being assured he is God, and therefore can; and Man▪ and therefore will deliver us, if it stand with thy glory, and our good. And if it please thee to bring us amongst either Infidels or Idolaters, grant that we may not communicate with them in their sins, but consider thy great goodness towards us (who are by nature no better than they, and have deserved worse at thy hands, in abusing thy long suffering and patience) that thou passing by so many, and so great and populous Nations, and leaving them in their incredulity and unbelief, hast revealed thyself, and thy will unto us, and made us professors of the same, even to the farthest ends of the world. Grant us therefore good Lord, that we may not stain our holy Christian profession, by any unchristian conversation, to make thy name which we call upon, to be blasphemed or ill spoken off amongst the Heathen: but that we may conscionably endeavour to reduce so many of them as we can possibly, to the embracing of the same Christian faith which we profess; and to that end may be earnest with thee by our devout prayers, to give a blessing to our endeavours, by enlightening their understandings, and opening their hearts, and inflaming their affections and desires, that so thy name may be more and more known upon earth, and thy saving health among all Nations. And lastly (O Lord) we entreat thee that leaving Christendom, we may hold fast our Christian faith; that we be not Apostates and backsliders to make shipwreck of faith, and of a good conscience, but may hold the profession of our hope without wa●ering, from the beginning to the end of this voyage. And thus commending ourselves to thy holy protection, we beg these things at thy hands, and whatsoever else thou knowest to be necessary or fit for us, in thy Son jesus Christ his name, and in that form which he himself hath taught us in his Gospel, saying, Our Father, etc.   

A Prayer for the conscionable warranting of Navigators to undertake long Voyages by Sea.  
WE do not presume (most gracious God and loving Father in thy Son jesus Christ) to adventure upon the great dangers, which we make account to have continually before our eyes in our travels by Sea: trusting either in our own skill, or in the means prepared and provided for us, to save us from those dangers: but in thy blessings which thou hast graciously promised, upon our lawful labours and endeavours in our honest callings and professions. For howsoever by our callings we are drawn to lead a great part of our lives in another element, than other men ordinarily do; yet seeing that element is nothing inferior to the earth, which was chiefly made subject to thy curse for man's sin: so that though once thou didst by this element for the sin of man drown all the world, except eight persons saved in the Ark, yet thou than promisedst never to destroy it so again, and to that end didst set thy Rainbow in the cloud to assure men thereof. And seeing thou hast made this Element, the matter of the Sacrament of Baptism. And thy Son jesus Christ by undertaking this Sacrament in this Element, hath sanctified all waters used in this Sacrament to signify the mystical washing away of sin; seeing it h●th pleased thee to reveal more in this latter age of the world concerning this art of Navigation then to our forefathers, and dost daily bring to light more certain means to give men further knowledge and experience therein; seeing by thy blessing upon Navigation and Navigators the greatest dangers and difficulties in the world are run thorough and overcome: and our little Island of England, where thy Gospel is truly preached and thy name called upon, is made famous to the remotest parts of the world. Seeing the knowledge of the Mathematical sciences (which for their certainty, standing upon demonstrations, and for their excellency making observations of the heavens and celestial bodies and their motions and influences have the precedence before other human learning) is by this art daily more and more increased. Seeing thou thyself (O Lord God) wast the first author of this Art; instructing thy servant Noah to build an Ark for the saving of himself, his family, and the rest of the creatures, from the waters of the great Flood. Seeing thou dost daily in our travels by sea, afford us more means and helps to devout and heavenly meditations, then to other ordinary men. Seeing that by this Art which we profess and practise, the commerce and trade betwixt Nation and Nation is preserved and maintained, and the knowledge of thy saving truth carried into those parts of the earth which formerly have not known thee. And seeing the sea through which we pass is an image of the world, and the ship in which we ●aile is an image of thy Church: and the whole course of our life at sea may teach us, spiritually how to behave ourselves in thy service. Lastly, seeing thy Son our Saviour while he lived upon the earth, did vouchsafe not only to approve and allow our profession, but to honour it in his own person by entering into a ship, and therein working a great miracle at sea, and thereby give certain testimony and assurance of his Divinity and Godhead. Grant that we may no way in this our intended voyage dishonour this our profession, which thou hast so many ways graced, but may acknowledge thee to be the God of the sea as well as of the land; and may depend and rely upon thy protection and defence, at all times and in all places; that the beholding of the waters, may put us in mind of the solemn vow and promise and profession, which was undertaken for us, by our Sureties, in this element, at our first admission into thy visible Church, when we received the Sacrament of baptism; that by thy blessing we may daily increase in the knowledge of those things that belong unto our profession, and cheerfully run through the difficulties and dangers of our voyage, and may raise spiritual comforts to our hearts from all blessings and crosses that may befall us; and above all that we may be sure to take thy Son our Saviour Christ along with us in our ship and whole fleet, and have him always present with us; not only as he is generally (as God) present in all places: but as he hath specially promised his merciful and helping presence, where two or three are gathered together in his name; that we may not suffer him to sleep in us, but by our devout prayers so awake him, that we may so begin, continue, and end this our now intended voyage, that withal our souls may continually be sailing, to our true port and haven which is heaven. Grant us these things, O merciful Father, and whatsoever else is necessary for us in our whole voyage, not for any merits of ours, but for thy Son jesus Christ his sake, in whose name we call upon thee further, as he hath taught us in his Gospel, saying, Our Father, etc.   

A Morning Prayer.  
WE give thee humble and hearty thanks (most merciful Father in thy Son jesus Christ) for thy gracious preservation of us this night passed from all the perils and dangers whereunto we were subject, giving us quiet rest and sleep for the refreshing of our bodies before wearied, and bringing us to the comfortable joy of the light of this day: we beseech thee; that the beholding of this corporal light (which was the first of thy creatures, and which before rested in thyself, and wherein thou seemedst to take such delight, 
Genes. 1.3.  that thou didst add to the light created the first day, those excellent celestial bodies of the Sun, 
14.  and Moon, and Stars the fourth day) may cause us to lift up our hearts spiritually to discern thee, 
1. john 1.5.  that art light, and in whom is no darkness, that not only dost as the light, disperse the beams of thy goodness over all the world, whereby thou chearest and comfortest all things living: but also beholdest all things and actions of the world, which are naked and conspicuous in thy sight, 
Heb. 4.13.  and dispellest and scatterest all thick clouds and dark mists of ignorance, infidelity, and error, and showest unto thy children the right way to heaven, preserving them from stumbling, slipping, and dangerous falling in that way. Grant us therefore that in thy light, 
Psal. 36.9. john 1.4.  we may see light. And seeing thy Son jesus Christ, is the true life and light of men, 
9  that enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world; who when the natural light of rectified reason (which thou gavest unto man in his creation) was by sin extinguished and put out, did supply the defect thereof, by a better light, the light of faith, whereby thy children do understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. 
Matth. 13.11.  O Lord make us every day more and more partakers of this light. Enlighten our understandings by thy blessed Spirit, and our hearts by the light of faith, 
Ephes. 5.8.  and our affections by thy Word; that we being naturally darkness, may be light in thee, and may shine as lights in a froward and perverse generation; 
Phil. 2.15.  and may let our light so shine before men, that they may see our good works, 
Matth. 5.16.  and glorify thee our Father in heaven. And seeing the night of our ignorance is passed, 
Rom. 13.12. Tit. 2.11.  and the day is at hand, and thy grace, which bringeth salvation to all thy faithful, hath appeared, teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to walk soberly, and justly, and godly in this present world. Grant us thy grace whereby we may cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armour of light, and walk as children of the light, that thy Son being come a light into the world, 
john 3.19.  we may not love darkness more than light, because our works are evil: but Lord let the light of thy countenance shine upon us, 
Psalm. 4.7.  that the light of faith which we receive of thee in this life, may make us live in expectation of thy light of glory in the life to come, being by thee made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light. 
Col. 1.12.  And now Lord we humbly entreat thy fatherly protection of our bodies & souls from all dangers both outward and inward this day; give us grace to make spiritual use to our souls, of all the actions and occurrences therein; make us conscionably careful not to offend thee, either in thought, word, or deed, and prosper we beseech thee, whatsoever we undertake in thy fear, that we may cheerfully go on in the several works of our places and callings, 
2. Pet. 10.  so as we may seal up our election by good works, and work out our salvation in fear and trembling, 
Phil. 2.12.  that whensoever this miserable and sinful life of ours shall be ended, we may rest and reign with thee in glory, through the merits of thy dear Son jesus Christ, in whose name we further call upon thee, as he hath taught us, saying, Our Father, etc.   

An Evening Prayer.  
WE present ourselves again before thee (most merciful Father) acknowledging and confessing against ourselves our manifold sins which we have daily multiplied against thy Majesty, and against our own consciences, from the beginning of our days, and even this day now passed. We confess (O Lord) that we were at first conceived and borne in sin, and that from that original corruption, there have ever since proceeded so many wicked and ungodly thoughts; words and works, that if thou examine what we have done amiss, we were not able to abide it, or to answer one of a thousand of our actions: for even our best works (our prayers) are accompanied with so many imperfections of wandering imaginations, that when we have done praying, we had need to pray unto thee again to forgive the 'scapes, and negligences and ignorances of them. We confess further (O Lord God) that in respect of our sins we are not worthy to look up to heaven, or to call upon thy name: for we have justly deserved not only to be deprived of all thy good blessings, both concerning this and a better life, which hitherto by thy mercies we have enjoyed, and which we more fully expect hereafter by thy gracious promise, but also we have deserved, and do daily deserve thy wrath and indignation to be poured down upon us, upon our bodies and souls in this life, and in the life to come, if thou shouldest enter into judgement with us. But there is mercy with the (O Lord) that thou mayst be feared. And we appeal therefore from thy severe justice against sin unto thy tender mercies in thine own Son, in whom we know thou art well pleased. We humbly beseech thee for his sake to be merciful unto ●s, to pardon and to forgive us all our sins, to wash them away in his blood, to bury them in his death and passion, so as they may never be imputed to us, either in this life to the terror and affrighting of our consciences, or in the world to come to our utter condemnation. Good Lord give us every day more and more, the true sight of our sins, the true sense and feeling of them, and of thy great judgements hanging over our heads in respect of them: Give us a true sorrow and hearty repentance for all our sins past, and a full resolution in the residue of our lives to be more wary and circumspect over all our words and actions, that we may not only strive to abstain from sin, but avoid those occasions which we have formerly found to have drawn us thereunto. And now Lord seeing the night is come upon us▪ and hath not only deprived us of the light of the Sun, but hath also brought with it darkness and terrors, fearful to our weak natures: yet we still depend upon thy holy protection; 
Psal. 74.16. Psal. 18.11.  for as the day is thine, so the night is thine. Thou hast made darkness thy secret place, and thy pavilion round about thee, even darkness of waters and clouds of the air; and yet the darkness hideth not from thee, 
Psal. 139.12.  but the night shineth as the day, the darkness and the light to thee are both alike. Preserve us therefore we humbly beseech thee from the perils and dangers of this night following, give our body's rest and sleep, and let our souls continually watch for the time when our Lord jesus Christ shall come for our full deliverance out of this mortal life. O Lord the sleep we now desire, is an image of death, while our senses being thereby bound up from the performance of their functions and operations, we lie still (as dead men) not able to see, or hear, or do any thing. Let our beds therefore put us in mind of our graves; and the rest which we desire for our wearied bodies, put us in mind of the true rest and quiet both of body and soul, which thou hast provided for thy children after this life e●ded. And as we are not afraid (the day being past, and the night now come) to adventure upon sleep, hoping to be awaked the next morning, and to rise again, and go about our labours. So (O Lord) when the time of our dissolution shall come by any kind of death. Let us be so prepared for it (certainly believing the immortality of the soul, and the resurrection of the body) that we may not be afraid of it, knowing it to be but a longer sleep of our bodies, till they be awakened and raised by thy trumpet at the last day. And whereas (O Lord) in our passage by ship through the sea, we dare not adventure (in respect of the many dangers therein) to sleep all at once, but to keep continual watch; yet O Lord we must needs confess, that except thou preserve and keep us, the watchmen watch but in vain. Do thou therefore (O Lord) watch over our watch, and over us, while we are asleep, and make us as watchful and careful for our souls, as we are for our bodies. And so we commend ourselves waking and sleeping into thy protection and defence; craving all things necessary for us, or for any of thy children at thy hands for thy Son jesus Christ his sake: in whose name we conclude our prayers as he hath taught us, saying, Our Father, etc.,   

A Prayer for Seamen in a Tempest.  
MOST mighty God, thou art wonderful in all thy works, and fearful, and terrible in thy judgements. Let it not seem strange unto us, that the sea is thus troubled, and that the storms and tempests do thus compass us, and that both we and our ship are brought thereby into great danger. Thou hast threatened (O God) to rain down upon the ungodly, snares, 
Psal. 11.6.  and fire and brimstone, and stormy tempest, as the portion of their cup. And we must needs confess, that we have many ways sinned fearfully against thee, and do daily so run on in sin, that we justly deserve thy fierce wrath, and the greatest measure of thine indignation. Besides (O Lord) we read in the Scripture, not only that the Prophet jonah when he fled from thy presence, 
jon. 1.4.5.  and the place whither thou sentest him, had his ship in great jeopardy, by that great wind and mighty tempest, which thou sentest after him into the sea. But that thy holy Apostle Paul also had his ship wherein he sailed, 
Acts 27.18.19.20.  so seized upon by an exceeding tempest, that neither Sun nor Stars appeared in many days, so that there was no hope of life left him, and those that sailed with him, until thou by thy holy Angel hadst given him comfort. But above all (O Lord) when we read and hear, that thy Son our Saviour Christ himself (when he took our nature upon him, and became Man for our redemption) being at sea with his Disciples was set upon by so great a tempest at sea, that his ship was covered with waves, and his Disciples in great fear. How can we (O Lord) look to be freed from such danger, but by thine only help? 
Psal. 18.4.5.  The sorrows of death compass us, and the floods of wickedness make us afraid. The sorrows of the grave do compass us about, and the snares of death have overtaken us. 
Psal. 18.11.  Thou makest darkness thy secret place, and thy pavilion round about, even darkness of waters and clouds of the air. At the brightness of thy presence the clouds pass, 
12,  hailstones and coals of fire. Thou hast thundered in the heavens, and given out thy voice. 
13,  
14,  Thou sendest out thine arrows, and increasest lightnings upon us. The channels of thy waters are seen, 
15.  and the foundations of the world are discovered at thy rebuking (O Lord), at the blasting of the breath of thy nostrils. 
Psal. 88.6.7.  Thou hast laid us in the lowest pit, in darkness and in the deep. Thine indignation lieth upon us, and thou hast vexed us with all thy waves. All this is come upon us, 
Psal. 44.17.  yet do we not forget thee, nor deal falsely concerning thy covenant. 
18.  Our heart is not turned back, neither are our steps gone out of thy paths. 
19  Although thou have smitten us down, into the place of Dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death; yet thou Lord art our rock, 
Psal. 18.2.  and our fortress ●o deliver us, our God and our strength, in thee will we trust; our shield, the horn also of our salvation and our refuge. Whom have we in heaven bu● thee? 
Psal. 73.25.26.  and we desire nothing in the earth with thee. Ou● flesh faileth, and our heart also: But thou art the strength of our hearts, and our portion for ever. We know (O Lord) that if thou please, thou canst presently by thy word still the rage and fury of these winds and seas, and deliver us from all dangers: but we submit ourselves to thy good will and pleasure; we depend upon thy fatherly goodness to dispose of us as thou pleasest. Give us patience (good Lord) in these our afflictions, to abide and wait both thy pleasure and leisure. Give us faith to lay hold upon thy promises made unto us in thy Son jesus Christ. And grant us that by hope we may expect the performance of them when thou seest good. O Lord we know that we owe a death unto thee, and we know not how soon thou wilt require it at our hands; prepare us therefore now for it, and let us not be dismayed at any peril that may threaten it. Give us grace to use all good means, and neglect no opportunity which thou offerest unto us for our preservation. But let our trust be in thy blessing upon our weak endeavours; for thou art our hope, and strength, 
Psal. 46.1.  and help in troubles ready to be found. Therefore will we not fear, though the earth be moved, and though the mountains fall into the midst of the sea: though the waters thereof rage and be troubled, and the mountains shake at the surges of the same. Into thy hands therefore we commend our bodies and souls, and whatsoever we have, and desire so to live and die in thy service, that whensoever death shall come, we may be partakers of everlasting life purchased for us by the death of thy Son jesus Christ. In whose name we call further upon thee, as he hath taught us. Our Father, etc.   

A Thanksgiving to God after deliverance from a Tempest.  
Gracious God and loving Father, as our necessities have enforced us, according to thy commandment to 
a Psal. 50.15.  call upon thee in the time of our trouble; so grant us now being delivered from it, by our giving thanks unto thee to glorify thy holy name. 
b Psal. 65.5.  O thou the hope of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are far in the sea. 
c Psal. 95.5.  The sea is thine, and thou madest it, thy hand prepared the dry land. 
d Psal. 77.19.  Thy way is in the sea, and thy paths in the deep waters, and thy footsteps are not known. 
e Psal. 104.24.  O Lord, how manifold are thy works, in wisdom hast thou made them all, the earth is full of thy riches? 
25.  So is the sea great and wide, for therein are things creeping innumerable, both small beasts and great. 
26.  There go the ships, yea, that Leviathan which thou hast made to play therein. 
27.  All these wait upon thee, that thou mayst give them meat in due season. 
28.  Thou givest it to them, and they gather it, thou openest thy hand, and they are filled with good things. But if thou hide thy face they are troubled; 
29.  if thou take away their breath, 
30.  they die. Again, if thou send forth thy Spirit, they are created, and thou renewest the face of the earth. 
f Psal. 93.3.  The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; 
4.  the floods have lift up their waves, the waves of the sea are marvelous, through the noise of many waters, yet thou Lord on high art more mighty. 
g Psal. 107.24.  We have seen thy works in the sea, and thy wonders in the deep. 
25.  For thou didst command and raise the stormy wind, 
26.  and liftedst up the waves thereof. Our ship hath mounted up toward heaven, and descended again to the deep, 
27.  so that our soul melted for trouble. We were tossed to and fro, and staggered like drunken men, and all our cunning was gone. 
28.  Then we cried to thee in our trouble, and thou deliveredst us out of our distress. 
29.  Thou hast turned the storm into a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. 
h Psal. 89.9.  Thou rulest the raging of the sea, when as the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them. 
i Psal. 68.22.  Thou hast (according to thy promise) brought us again from the depth of the sea. 
k Psal. 65.7.  Thou appeasest the noise of the seas, and the noise of the waves thereof. 
l Psal. 69.34.  Let heaven and earth praise thee therefore, the sea, and all that moveth therein. 
m Esa. 24.14.  Let us rejoice from the sea; yea, let us depend upon thy might and mercy, in thy time 
n Psal. 107.30.  to bring us to the haven where we would be. 
31.  Let us confess before thee thy loving kindness, and thy wonderful works before the sons of men. 
o Psal. 51.15.  Open our lips O Lord, that our mouths may speak thy praise: 
p jer. 31.35.  which breakest the sea when the waves thereof roar, thy name is the Lord of hosts. 
q Psal. 135.6.  Whatsoever it pleased thee thou hast done, in heaven, and in earth, and in the sea, and in all the depths. 
r Psal. 71.8.  Let our mouths therefore be filled with praise, and with thy glory every day. 
s Psal. 34.1.  Let thy praise be in our mouths continually, and 
t Esa. 52.10.  Let us sing unto thee a new song, and thy praise from the end of the earth. Let us never forget thy mercies and loving kindness to us miserable sinners: but seeing we have nothing else to render unto thee for all thy benefits, accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, and teach us evermore to ascribe and give unto thee O Father, with thy Son and the holy Ghost, all honour, glory, power, might, and majesty from this time forth and for ever. Amen.   

A Prayer before a Fight at Sea.  
O Lord God of Hosts, thou art the God of peace and the God of war, we confess that without thee we can have no true peace, nor make any just war. Grant us therefore first to be at peace with thee, and at peace with our own consciences, that so we may undertake in thy name, the fight now intended against thine and our enemies. O Lord we acknowledge, that our sins have separated between thee and us, and that in respect of our iniquities, thou mayst justly make our enemies thy rod and scourge to correct us, yea, even as a fire to consume and devour us. Thou hast many times suffered thine own people when they have sinned against thee with an high hand, and not humbled themselves before thee, but trusted to their own strength, to become a prey unto wicked and ungodly men, that have risen up against them. But Lord we confess our manifold sins, and that thereby we have justly deserved thy judgements, we repent us of our former lives, and resolve by thy gracious assistance to live and die in thy fear and faith. And now Lord, 
u Psal. 83.2.3.  Lo thine enemies make a tumult, and they that hate thee have lift up their head. They have taken counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy secret ones. They have said, Come and let us cut them off from being a people and let the name of Israel be no more in remembrance. Look down therefore O Lord from heaven, and behold their wicked imaginations against us. Confound their malicious and mischievous policies, give us courage and true Christian resolution to withstand the rage and fury of these idolaters, and fight for us, as thou art wont to do for thy children. 
x Psal. 144.1.  Teach our hands to war and our fingers to fight. 
y Psal. 58.11.  Let thy power and might, in thy merciful preservation of us be known among the Heathen, that they may confess; 
y Psal. 58.11.  Doubtless there is a God that judgeth the world. Let not these wicked men triumph over us, neither deliver us as a prey unto their teeth. It is thy mercy (O Lord) that bath afforded us many excellent provisions of warlike means, to defend ourselves, and to make them (if thou please to give a blessing) to fall into the same pit which they have digged for us. But our trust is not in these secondary means, but in thy mercies. 
z Psal. 20.7.  Some put their trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will trust in thy name. 
a Psal. 33.17.  A horse is a vain thing to save a man, and so are all other means without thee. Let the right of our cause fight for thee against thine and our enemies, put such life, and spirit, and courage into us, that we may be resolved to live and die thy servants, and let us so rely upon thy protection, that we neglect no means which thou hast given us for our preservation, but may manfully in our greatest extremities show our Christian resolutions, not to fear bodily death, which is every day before our eyes, being assured of everlasting life hereafter, purchased by the death and passion of thy Son jesus Christ: 
b Psal. 79.13.  So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture, shall learn daily to praise and glorify thy holy name for all thy mercies which we receive at thy hands here in this life, and publish them in the great Congregation, if thou give us safe return into our native Country; yea, we shall declare them unto the ages to come, and desire in all places to acknowledge, that 
c 1. Chro. 29.11.  greatness, and power, and glory, and victory, and praise are thine, for ever and ever. And thus submitting ourselves to thy good will and pleasure, and depending upon thy gracious protection, we commit and commend our souls, and bodies, and endeavours, in this dangerous fight, to thy mercy in thy Son jesus Christ, praying further unto thee as he hath taught us: Our Father which art in heaven, etc.   

A Thanksgiving after Victory.  
O 
d Psal. 140.7.  Lord God, the strength of our salvation, thou hast covered our heads in the day of battle: 
Psal. 124.2.  If thou Lord hadst not been on our sides when men rose up against us, they had swallowed us up quick when their wrath was kindled against us: 
3.  Then the waters had drowned us, 
4.  and the stream had gone over our soul. Then had the swelling waters gone over our soul. 
5.  Praised be the Lord which hath not given us over as a prey unto their teeth. 
6.  
7.  Our soul is escaped even as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers, the snare is broken, & we are delivered. Let us not therefore forget to offer the 
g Psal. 50.14.  sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving unto thee the true God, y● hast delivered us from the hands of our enemies; & let the holy examples of thy servants, 
h Exod. 1 5.1.20.  Moses, and Miriam, and 
i judg. 5.1.  Baruch, & Deborah, and the Prophet David in their Psalms of thanksgiving for their victories and deliverance from their enemies: incite and provoke us to 
k Psal. 146.2.  praise thy name as long as we live, yea, as long as we have any being. 
l Psal. 18.35.  Thou hast given us the shield of thy salvation, and thy right hand hath stayed us, and thy loving kindness hath caused us to increase. 
Psal. 18.39.  For thou hast girded us with strength to battle. Them that rose against us, thou hast subdued under us. 
m Psal. 18.46.  Let the Lord live, and blessed be our strength, 
47.  and the God of our salvation be exalted. It is God that giveth us power to avenge us, and subdueth the people unto us▪ 
48.  O our deliverer from our enemies, even thou hast set us up from them that rose against us: thou hast delivered us from the cruel men. 
49.  Therefore will we praise thee O Lord among the nations, and will sing unto thy name. 
n Psal. 34.1.  We will always give thanks unto thee, and thy praise shall be in our mouth continually, and our tongues shall utter thy righteousness, and thy praise every day. 
o Psal. 35.28.  Thou hast put into our mouths a new song of praise unto thee our God. 
p Psal. 40.3.  Many shall see and fear, 
4.  and shall trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust, and regardeth not the proud, 
5.  and such as turn aside to lies. O Lord our God thou hast made thy wonderful works so many, that none can count in order to thee thy thoughts towards us. We would declare and speak of them, but they are more than we are able to express. 
q Psal. 46▪ 9  Thou makest war to cease unto the ends of the world▪ thou breakest the bow, and cuttest the spear, and burnest the chariots in the fire. Let us therefore be still, and know that thou art God, and wilt be exalted among the Heathen, and wilt be exalted in the earth: Thou Lord of hosts art with us; thou God of jacob art our refuge. Let us therefore rejoice and be glad in thee, and tell and sing of thy greatness: 
r Psal. 72.17.  Thy name shall be for ever, thy name shall endure as long as the Sun; All Nations shall bless thee, and be blessed in thee. Blessed be the Lord God, even the God 
18.  of Israel, which only doth wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever, and let all the earth be filled with his glory: Amen, Amen.   

A Prayer in the time of Famine and Dearth.  
O Lord our God, 
s Leuit. 26.26.  thou hast broken the staff of our bread, and taken away the strength thereof, whereby it should nourish us; 
t Ezech. 4.16.17.  we eat our bread by weight, and with care, and drink our water by measure, & with astonishment, because our bread and water fail, we are astonished one with another: But thou hast taught us, that 
u Deut. 8.3.  Man liveth not by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of thy mouth. We know therefore that howsoever thou hast appointed 
x Psal. 104.14.15.  bread, and meat, and drink, as the ordinary means to maintain life; yet it is thy blessing upon those means whereby we are preserved, and as it is easy with thee, to 
y 2. King. 7.1.  turn penury and scarcity, into plenty and abundance, beyond the expectation of men: so thou canst give a blessing to 
z 1. King. 17.14.  a little meal in a bartell, and a little oil in a cruse, to continue and not waste, till thy servants are relieved. And though thou hast threatened the judgement of Famine, as a punishment to wicked men, yet we know that thy dearest children, the holy patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, have all of them been tried thereby, and yet after been relieved by thee. And seeing the Scripture teacheth us, that 
a Psal. 33.18.  thy eye O Lord is upon them that fear thee, and that trust in thy mercy: 
19  To deliver their souls from death, and preserve them from famine: And that our Saviour jesus Christ hath not only charged us, 
d Mat. 6.25.  not to cark and care for ourselves as the Heathen: 
26.  What we shall eat, 
32.  or drink, but to depend upon thy providence which feedest the fowls of the air, 
33.  and knowest that we have need of these things; but also hath promised, that they that seek the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, shall have all these things ministered unto them. Teach us to rely upon thy providence (O Lord) and to know, that when all outward means fail us, yet thou art still the same God, faithful in thy promises, and thy mercies cannot fail. Thou canst suddenly (by means unknown to us) supply our wants; thou canst make a little stretch far, and canst proportion our appetites to our store. Give us grace therefore to make use of this cross, when we see the great care taken for our provision, before we undertook the voyage, cannot help us, that it may cause us both to wait thy leisure, and expect supply in thy good time; and submit ourselves unto thee, without murmuring, grudging or repining at thee, and without mutining or falling out among ourselves: And if it please thee to supply our necessities, grant that we may thankfully acknowledge thy mercies therein, and keep ourselves in so sober a diet, that we may both avoid the sins of surfeiting and drunkenness, and may specially be stirred up 
Mat. 5.6.  to hunger and thirst after righteousness, and the spiritual meat and drink of our souls, 
f ●oh. 6.27.  which shall endure unto everlasting life: which now and ever we desire to be so careful of, that howsoever it please thee to dispose of our bodies, & the food belonging unto them; we may know that 
g 1. Cor. 6.13.  meat was made for the belly, and the belly for meat, but thou shalt destroy them both: but this 
h joh. 6.35.  bread of life, and 
i joh. 4.14.  water of life, shall last and never fail us, but even in death, bring us to everlasting life, purchased for us by the death of thy Son jesus Christ: in whose name and words we crave the supply of all our wants in that form which he hath prescribed, saying: Our Father which art, etc.   

A Prayer being arrived at a Port among Infidels.  
O Lord it is thy goodness and mercy that hath brought us safe through the many dangers of Sea unto this place: where we are to enter yet into more dangers, being to trade and converse with such, as neither know thee nor fear thee, and therefore can neither love thee, nor us that are professors of thy great name. We humbly entreat thee therefore to continue thy fatherly protection over us, that we make not ourselves a prey unto them: Watch thou over us (O Lord) and give us grace so to watch over ourselves, that we may not any ways so misbehave ourselves, that thy Gospel, which we profess, may by our means be evil spoken of amongst them. Let the fear of thee cause us to examine all our ways, to be directed both in our words & deeds by thy will: Let us take heed, that having endured some wants at Sea, and coming now to fresh victuals, we abuse not thy good creatures, by wasting & consuming them in intemperance in meat or drink, by which many before us have shortened their days: neither let us give way unto our fleshly lusts, which besot the wisest that take pleasure in them: But grant us the sober use of thy good blessings, with thanksgiving unto thee that art the only giver of them. Give us grace daily to call upon thee in whom only we trust, and let us strive to live in love and peace together, forbearing and forgiving one another, if any occasions of quarrel and discord arise amongst us. Make us true and trusty unto those that have employed us hither, and have provided carefully for the supply of our wants, and have put us in trust with the managing of their business: And let our whole carriage and conversation both toward them, and toward ourselves, and toward the Heathen, (while we live among them) be such, as may relish of true Christianity and godliness, as may win us favour in this people's eyes, and may give satisfaction at our return home (if it please thee to deal so mercifully with us) both to the Adventurers that sent us forth, and more specially to our own consciences, that in all our actions we have set thy fear before our eyes, and depended upon thy blessing on our honest endeavours. Let us not be overtaken with the sins of covetousness or pride; but both detest all filthy lucre, knowing it cannot profit us to win all the world and lose our own souls: and that the more blessings thou bestowest upon us, the more humble hearted we ought to be, and so to carry ourselves. Let us strive by all means to win and draw these Heathen to faith in thy name, and to that end let us deal faithfully and truly with them, so as we may give no scandal unto our profession. And teach us so to acknowledge thy goodness and mercy toward us, that we may ever be ready to publish and declare it unto others, and depending still upon thee (not for any merits of ours, but for thy Son our Saviour jesus Christ his sake) may ascribe unto thee all honour, praise, and glory for ever and ever. Amen.   
FINIS.