CHrist being won­derfull in his Na­tiuity, wonderful in his Ascension, and wonderfull in his Transfiguration, is here [...], beyond admi­ration by his miraculous works. [Page 2] In this Chapter are specified 4. seuerall miracles first, the clean­sing of a leprous man, 2 the cu­ring of a woman troubled with a feuer, 3 the healing of the Cen­turions seruant, and lastly, the strange appeasing of the wind: & therefore this is rightly called by S. Ambrose, Scriptura miraculosa. the miraculous Scri [...]. This miracle is record [...] [...] such as are either sicke, or troubled, or oppressed, or beset w ^th any dan­ger, that whatsoeuer storme of aduersity shall strike our sailes, or what calamitie soeuer shal be­fall vs, we may remember, that the blessed Disciples, euen the neerest and dearest to our Lord Iesus, haue tasted of the same whip afore vs; therefore in thē, as it were in a Christall Glasse, we may view the common state of Christs Church militant: It is like the Arke that floated vpon [Page 3] the waters, like the Lilly, that groweth among the thorns, like the bush that burnt, and was not consumed, like Christs shippe, in this place, couered ouer with waues, and yet not suncke, prae­muntur iusti, vt pressi clament, clamantes exaudiantur, exauditi glorisicent Deum, saith Leo the first, the righteous are therefore pressed with sore afflictions, that they might cry vnto the Lord, and crying might be heard, and heard might glorifie God, pessi­ma necessitas, optima or andi magi­stra, saith Bernard, the sharpest Bernard de pug spirit. perplexitie is the best Schoole­master or mistresse of Prayer. When the Disciples once per­ceiued, that there was [...]: a mightie storme, a shaking tempest, which strongly had inuironed them: when the Lord had sent forth [...], a vehement whirlewind, or as Lo­rinus [Page 4] termeth it, plurium confli­ctū ventorum, a conflict of many winds, which all at once smote the shippe on euery part, and broght the swelling waues euery way vpon it, as if in an instant they would haue buried both ship and passengers in the sur­ges: when the mercilesse Ocean vnder them was thus billowing, the brittle ship about them ree­ling, the Mariners for feare of shipwracke, lamentably shree­king, and Christ their only hope and helpe in the sterne fast slee­ping, when this great ieopardie had euen almost seized on them all, Then his Disciples came vnto him, and awoke him, saying, Lord saue vs, we perish. In which words (not tying my selfe to tread pre­cisely in the exact steps of logi­call rules) for our better instru­ction, and further light, we may obserue foure generalls; first, [Page 5] who procured this calme, (his Disciples) secondly, of whom Diuision, parts 4. Quis, à quo, quid, quomodo. did they procure it, of Christ, (they came to him) third­ly, the effect of their comming, (they awoke him,) lastly, the man­ner how they did awaken him, by prayer: the forme which they vsed being here expressed, Lord saue vs, we perish. Vpon all these I intend to treat somewhat or­derly and briefly, according to Gods assistance, and the times permittance. To begin with the first: Then his Disciples came to him, (then) that is, when the sea thus raged, the ship thus tossed, the tacklings thus shattered, the passengers thus trembled and shaked, then and not afore, the Disciples came to him: first, they would make tryall, whether the winds would cease or decrease naturally, and the stormes calme of themselues, but when they [Page 6] saw all dangers increased in greater extremitie, and more grieuous vehemencie, when they thought themselues past all hope of recouery, when they despaired of their owne safetie, [...], then, when the last waue was ready to sweepe them away, They came vnto him, and awoke him, saying, Lord saue vs, wee pe­rish. Discipulorum serotina mora, sit Christianorum maxima cura: twas an ancient Fathers obserua­tion vpon this place. 1 Obserua­tion.The Dis­ciples most dangerous delay, must minister a great caution to all Christians, willing them to be wary in the timous preuen­tion both of present and future euills. Time me thinkes should yeeld vs (in these our contagi­ous and deadly times) a strong perswasion of a timely returne vnto the right way: wee are all out by sinne, and therefore wee [Page 7] must beginne againe by repen­tance, that wee may regaine our peace with God in time: for when the time is past, periit spes nostra, our hope is gone, now it is time, yea time, the appointed time is come, momenti transitus, anni transitus, aeui transitus, once lost, and euer lost. Will you shew mercy to your soules, by repen­ting your sinnes? Deferre not from day to day, Deterrior poste­rior dies, saith deuout Bernard, delay is dangerous, the longer the worse: say not with thy selfe, I will amend hereafter, for how knowest thou, whether hereaf­ter thy heart shall be hardned, as was Pharaohs, Exod, 14, 4. or whether the grace of the Holy Ghost shall bee taken from thee as it was from Saul. 1 Sam. 16, 14. or whether thou shalt re­pent, and lament in vaine, as did Esau, Heb. 12. 17. or whether [Page 8] thou shalt crie peccaui too late with Iudas, Math. 27. 4. It is true, beloued, that our sins shall bee pardoned whensoeuer wee repent: but wee cannot repent, whensoeuer we will, because re­pentance is the gift of God, and wee haue not God at our com­mand, but as Saint Augustine truly saith, Qui dat poenitenti ve­niam, non semper dat peccanti poe­nitentiam. God which alwayes pardoneth the repentant sinner, doth not alwaies giue repentāce vnto sinners, but as they neg­lected him, so he reiecteth them, and suffereth them to heape vn­to themselues wrath against the day of wrath.

Strike therefore whilest the yron is hote, make hay while the Sun shineth, hoyse vp sailes whiles the wind bloweth, time and tide tarie for no man: Be­hold now the accepted time, be­hold [Page 9] now the day of saluation, 2 Cor. 6. 2. Now God calleth vs per beneficia, per flagella, per praedicatores, by his benefits, by his plagues and punishments, by his Embassadors, all continual­ly wooing vs, to apply that most soueraigne medicine of repen­tance to these bitter wounds, which the sting of sin hath made in our soules. Oh! let vs not deferre, and put off this necessa­rie cure! One hath said verie well: Qui veniam per poeni­tentiam Diez. loco de poeniten­tia. repromisit, diem crastinam ad poenitentiam non promisit. He that hath promised to pardon vs, if wee repent, hath not pro­mised vs, that to morrow wee shall repent. Wherefore let vs lay aside all excuses and delayes, lest by little and little wee grow key cold in loue, & rustie in sin: prolong not an houre, nay, not a moment, for the clouds of Gods [Page 10] ance may in an instant ouer-cast thy soule, and in ictu oculi in the twinckling of an eye, the plague tokens of the Lords wrath may take a deadly impression in thy body, and then furor arma mi­nistrat, his fierce anger will quickly afford him weapons, & as Lactantius saith, tarditatem irae, grauitate supplicij compensa­bit, he will requite the slownesse of his wrath with the seueritie of his vengeance: for quanto diutiùs Deus expectat, tanto grauiùs vin­dicat: Aug. serm. 102 de tempore. how much the longer God expects and waits for our conuersion, so much the more grieuously wil he be auenged vp­on vs, if we repent nor. Serior esse solet vindicta, seuerior: God vseth to come to punish on lea­den feet, but hee payeth home with iron hands, hee will reach them far, and he will smite them full. And therefore to day if you [Page 11] will heare his voice harden not your hearts, deferre not till the last gaspe, for, [...]: vnseasonable good is not good at all, vntimely sacrifice auaileth not, prayer, that commeth out of time, is like a messe of meat set vpon the graue when the dead is no what the better for it.

How might I (beloued) vrge vnto you in all your weightiest affaires the presentest prensati­on, and speediest apprehension of the very forelocke of Time, but Cintheus aurem vellit, Time calls mee to the pursuit of my text.

It followeth in these words, (his Disciples) then his Disciples came to him: Disciple, is pro­perly a Latine word, and doth signifie in English a Scholar, or learner: from the verbe Disco. The originall also is of the same [...]. Disco. expression: so that in a generall [Page 12] nification, all that professed the Gospel of Christ, were called his Disciples: but more strictly they onely did beare the name of his Disciples, who were learners of his Doctrine, Professors of his life & conuersation, & Preachers of both to others: and they were of two sorts; first, and of a lower order, the 70 sent forth two and two before his face, into euery city, & place, whither he himself would come to preach the Gos­pell, and worke miracles, as they are specified by the Euangelist, Lu. 10. 1. who these 70 Disciples were though Eusebius, Epiphani­us, and others, tell vs; yet in the Gospell their names are concea­led, and Christ bade them re­ioyce, that their names were written in Heauen, Luke 10. 20.

The other, and higher order, were the twelue Apostles, many times called his Disciples, and [Page 13] made knowne by their names. Mat. 10. 1. Mar. 315. Luk. 9. 1, 5. Tertullian, Ierom, and other lear­ned Diuines, say; herein the truth answered ancient types, Tertul. cont. Marci. l. 4. cap. 24. both of the twelue Patriarkes, and seuentie Elders, called their Sanedrim, as some, the 70 soules that came with Iacob into Ae­gypt: Ierom, Epist ad Fabi o­lam Man­sio. 6. others, the twelue foun­taines of Water, and seuentie Palme-trees in Elim. Who those Disciples were that came to Christ by Prayer in this extre­mitie of perill, is a question, be­cause the text doth not cleare it: but out of all doubt they were Disciples, not one, or two, but (as farre as may bee gathered) euen all the Apostles; and great reason, for as the penitent theife said to his fellow, they were all in the same condēnation: if the Luk 23. 40 ship had suncke into the waues they had all perished, Lord, saue vs, we perish. And therefore not [Page 14] onely Peter, Iames and Iohn, though counted Pillars, and in Gal. 2. 9. Mat. 17. 1. Mar. 5. 37. many things preferred before the rest, but all, goe to Christ to further the common good, and to helpe by their prayers to pro­cure the common saluation. Yet take notice by the way, that as all the Disciples came, so none but Disciples came, and their comming was not tam passibus corporis, quam fide cordis, saith venerable Beda: not so much with the feet of their bodies, as by the faith of their hearts: here­by giuing vs to vnderstand 2 Obserua­tion. whose prayers are so powerfull with God to remoue both a publike and priuate calamitie, either from thēselues or others: not the prayers of enemies to God, and alienates from the house of Israel, but of faithfull friends, fauourites and constant followers of our blessed Sauiour [Page 15] The Lord heareth the praiers of the righteous, and his eares are open to their cries, he will fulfill the desires of such as feare him, he is nigh to such as call on him in faith, Psal. 145, 18. quia juxta mensuram fidei, erit mensu­ra impetrandi, saith Ambrose, be­cause the more faith we haue, the more grace wee shall receiue: therefore Christ teacheth vs to say Our Father, to make vs con­fident of obtaining, and conclu­deth with Amen, significare indu­bitanter à Domino conferri, quod fide petitur, to signifie, that wee shall vndoubtedly receiue what­soeuer we faithfully desire, saith Saint Augustine.

It was Abraham the friend of Iam 2. 23. Gen. 18. Penult. Heb. 3. 6: Exo. 32. 10. God that preuailed so much w ^th his prayer for the Sodomites. It was his faithfull seruant Moses, would not let him alone, but stood vp in the breach, & turn'd [Page 16] away Gods anger, that he could not destroy the people, as he said Psal: 106. 23. It was religious Iosuah, that by his prayer com­manded the Sunne and Moone to stand in the firmament Iosh. 10. 12. It was feruent Elijah whose tongue was Froenum coeli saith Austin, the bridle of hea­uen; opening, and shutting it by Iam 5. 17. Numb. 25. 13. Psal. 106. 30. his prayer. It was zealous Phi­neas, that prayed and so the plague ceased. And the Apostle concludeth in generall, it is the praier of the righteous man that so much auaileth, Iam. 5. 16. Tū cor nostrum fiduciam in oratione accepit, cum sibi vitae prauitas nul­la contradicit, therefore the god­ly haue confidence that God will bee answerable to their re­quests, because they are corre­spondent to his will, and then doe they stedfastly rely vpon the grant of their Petitions, when [Page 17] there is no prauity of life, nor a­ny wickednesse of conuersation to contradict their profession saith Gregory in his Morals: and therefore St. Basil saith, that a prayer should bee filled vp, non tam syllabis, quam operibus, not so much w ^th words, as w ^th works; because God heareth not sinners Acts 12. 7. but their best pray­ers (as the Prophet speaketh) are Psal. 109, 6 turned into sin, and when they send thē vp to the Almighty for Oratio de carne pudi­ca, de anima innocenti, de spiritu sancto offe­renda. Ter­tul. Apolog. cap, 30. a blisse, they double but a curse, for vsing his sacred name in their mouthes, and hating to be reformed: no matter therefore whether the wicked pray or no? yea all their fasting, praying, and crying, not worth a straw, but oh ye meeke, ye true Disciples, yee that haue your hearts sprinkled from an euill conscience, and bo­dies washed with pure water; ye Heb. 10. 11. that haue cleane hands & a pure Psal. 24. 4. [Page 18] heart, yee are Gods fauourites, pray for a calme; ye are the Cha­riots 2 king 2. 12. and horsmen of Israel, stand in the gap day and night, keepe not silence, and giue the Lord no rest, till hee haue mercy on Esay 62. 6. Sion, and hath taken his sore plague from Ierusalem: So much for the first part, viz, the persons procuring this calme (his Disci­ples.)

Now secondly, to whom goe they? where doe they seeke it? (to him,) that is, to Christ, their Lord and Master. The Heathe­nish Ionah 1. 5. Mariners in Ionahs storme did cry euery man to his God. In nothing were the Gentiles more sottish then in this, ascri­bing particular tutelar gods, to particular places: Babylon had Belus; Egypt, Isis; Athens had Minerua; and Ephesus, Diana: The Caldeans had Baal; Sidoni­ans Ashteroth; Ammonits Moloch [Page 19] or Milcom; Moabites, Chamos; Syrians, Rimmon; and Philistims, Dagon: Yea, the Elements had Other Countries had other gods, the Reliques whereof are recor­ded by Ter­tullian in Apol. c. 23. Angelici quia in Angelorum cultum in­clinati. Ang. de bar. c. 39. Angelici vo­cati, quia angeles co­lunt. Isidor. Ori­gen. l. [...]. c. s. their seuerall gods, to rule ouer them: as the Heauen had Iupi­ter, the Aire Iuno, the Sea Nep­tune, & Hell Pluto: yea, for eue­ry purpose & occasion, for eue­ry time & season, they had one god or other to call vpon. And doe not the Antichristian An­gelites, or Angeliques rather (for so doth Saint Augustine, and Isidore name those heretiks, that either did adore, or were in­clined to the worship of An­gels) parallel the Ethnicks in e­uery respect? nay, doe they not transcend them in folly, as much as their Hyperdulia to the Vir­gin Mary, doth their Dulia to common Saints? Surely many learned Authors will make thē confesse no lesse: for what A­rithmetician is so perfect in the [Page 20] calculations of the Algebra, that I ooke Francis de Croy. G. ARTH. in his three Cōformities. cap 4, 5. he can number the infinitenesse of diuers Patrons, Aduocates, and tutelar Saints, whom they haue canonized, for the vse of euerie Countrey, place, creature, and disease. Our Disciples are better taught (Poperie was not then hatched, nor this point of invocation knowne in the Church, for the space of 360 yeares together after the birth of our Sauiour) they doe not in this dangerous storme and tem­pest, invocate Saint Grache, St. Barbara, Saint Alivirgo, Saint Andoche, or Saint Nicholas: no nor Noah, Moses, or Ionah, who had beene in dangered by Seas, and waters before, but they come to Christ the true and on­ly Lord of Sea, and Land, and all: whose President must bee our imitation, whose patterne 3 Obserua­tion. must be our direction, guiding [Page 21] vs to call on God onely in our dayes of trouble, that hee may heare vs, and we may praise his most glorious name. Rome would make vs beleeue, that during the time of Pestilence wee must pray vnto none but Saint Sebastian, and his successor Saint The latter pestilent God is wor­shipped in Venice. Roche, Saints inuented to inter­cede against such a deadly dis­ease: wilfully and directly op­posing & contradicting the cō ­mand and counsell of the Lord of Hostes, Psal. 50. 15. Call on me in the day of thy trouble, & I will deliuer thee: Athanasi­us hath obserued that Dauid, Athan. [...]rat. 4. cont. Ari­an pag. 260 though oftentimes plunged into many perplexities, and beset with those prim weapons of the Lords wrath, the sword, famine and pestilence, [...]: yet hee neuer prayed vnto any other, [Page 22] but God himselfe for his deliue­rance. Could Isis or any other God or goddesse haue freed Pharaohs land from those ten plagues, sent vpon them for open rebellion? surely then the Magicians might haue preuai­led: but that Iehouah who was the Egyptians onely punisher, was the Israelites onely deliue­rer: and the same Lord, whose iustice was the reuenger of our sinnes by this mortall disease; his all-sufficient mercy can one­ly succour, aide and deliuer vs. And therefore let vs all with weeping, fasting and praying, returne vnto God, and say with Saint Augustine, Cui alteri prae­ter Aug. Confess. lib. 1. cap. 5. te clamabimus; To whom else should wee cry in our sore afflictions besides thee: and with Chrysostome, [...]; Chrysost. in 1 Cor. Hom. 1. Let vs not mediate this Saint, or that [Page 23] Saint, this Angell, or that Angel, but onely the name of the Lord Iesus.

There are three vnanswera­ble Reasons 3. reasons why we should only pray to God; first, because hee 1. Because he is onely omniscient onely is omniscient, that is, such a one, as knoweth all things: he that heareth our prayers must be able to search the secrets of our hearts, and discerne the in­ward disposition of our soules, for the pouring out of good words, & the offering vp of ex­ternall sighes and teares, are but the carkasse only of a true praier; the life there of consisteth in the pouring out of the very soule it Psal. 62. 8. 1 Sam. 1. 13, 15. Rom. 8. 26. Rom 8. 27. selfe, and the sending vp of those secret groant of the spirit which cannot be vttered. But the God­head onely searcheth the hearts, and onely hee knoweth what is minde of the spirit: he heareth in Heauen his dwelling place, [Page 24] and giueth to euery man accor­ding to his wayes, for hee, euen hee onely knoweth the hearts of all the children of men, as So­lamon teacheth vs in the prayer, 2 Chron. 6. 30. which hee made at the Dedica­tion of the Temple. May not therefore Romish Doctors wor­thilie bee taxed, from whom mentall prayers are presented to the Saints as well as vocall: and with whom they are beleeued to receiue both the one and the other.

Me thinkes Anselmus Lau­dunensis in his interlineall Glosse vpon that Text, Abraham is Augustinus dicit, quia mortut ne­sciunt, eti am sancti, quid agant vivi, etiam eorum sil [...] Gloss. inter­lineal. in Esai. 63. ignorant of vs, and Israel knoweth vs not, (Esa. 63. 16.) should make them blush for shame, where he noteth, that Augu­stine sayth, that the dead, euen the Saints, doe not know what the liuing doe, no not their owne sonnes: with whom con­cordeth [Page 25] Hugo de Sancto Victore, in his booke de spiritu & anima, Aug de cura pro mortuis cap. 13. cap. 29. Ibi sunt spiritus defun­ctorum, vbi non vident quaecun (que) aguntur, aut eveniunt in ista vita hominibus. The spirits of the dead bee there, where they doe neither see, nor heare the things that are done or fall out vnto men in this life. And if they are ignorant of outward acts and gestures, then much more of inward requests and motions: therefore seeing, [...], God alone searcheth the reines, and behol­deth the hidden things, as A­thanasius speaketh; Let vs con­clude this reason with that gol­den sentence of Dauid, O thou that hearest prayer, vnto thee Psal 65. 2. shall all flesh come.

Secondly, we must call onely vpon God, because hee onely is omnipotent, which can onely [Page 26] helpe vs. None but the Al­mightie could haue deliuered Israel out of Egypt, that house of bondage and furnace of affli­ction: Exod. 13. 3 Daniel out of the Lions Dan. 6. 5, 13, 22, 28. Zach. 3. 2, [...]d 5. denne: Iehoshua out of that long Captiuitie of the Iewes: Ioseph out of the pit, slauery, and false slanders: Moses, Ieremie, Paul and Peter out of their varietie of persecutions and troubles: And therefore those Prophets, Apostles, and holy men of God did cry vnto God onely, to saue and deliuer them.

A third reason as pregnant and forcible as the two former, is obserued by Saint Augustine, Quoniam creaturae exhiberemus Aug lib. 1. [...]ont. Max. cam seruitutem, quae vni tantum debetur Deo: because in so do­ing we should wrong our selues in giuing that to creatures, weh is due onely to the Creator: but why should I alledge any mor­tall [Page 27] men, when as all Christi­ans haue beene taught from God himselfe, that no part of his worship is to bee commu­nicated vnto any creature: For it is written, Math. 4. 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him onely shalt thou serue. But prayer is such a prin­cipall part of this seruice, that it is vsually put for the whole, or at least, as Lactantius doth most truly say, Summus colendi Lactant. de vero cultu. l 6. c. 25. f. 399. Dei ritus est, exore iusti hominis ad Deum directa laudatio: the chiefest part of Gods worship is an humble faithfull prayer and praises out of the mouth of a righteous man: and therefore Saint Paul setting downe the whole armour of a Christian, putteth prayer as the chiefest part of all: and so Zanchius saith Zanch. in c. 6. ad Eph. that this is Optimum genus, ideo (que) vltimo ab Apostolo armaturae ex­plicatum; [Page 28] the best part of all our Christian weapons, and there­fore last expressed by the Apo­stle, because that vnlesse Gods helpe be craued by prayer, reli­qua arma parum prosunt, all the other armour will auaile vs no­thing: and therefore Clemens Alexandrinus might very well conclude, [...]; Clem. Alex. lib. 7. stro­mat. Wee doe not without cause honour God by prayer, and with righteous­nesse send vp this best and ho­liest sacrifice. Wherunto learned Ignatius hath added a monon in his sixt Epistle to Philadelphia, [...]; haue God alone before your eyes in your praiers: and great reason, for to be pray­ed vnto, is so proper vnto a Dei­tie, that to giue it to any crea­ture [Page 29] is truly iudged sacrilegious impietie, which robs God of his glorie, Christ of his office, & the agent himselfe of saluation: and God himselfe, to signifie no lesse to the whole generation of Adam, hath giuen the publike place of his worship the denomi­nation Esay. 56. 7. For deno­minatio fit à principa­liore causa. of the House of Prayer.

And therefore concerning the blessed Virgin, wee honor her name, wee reuerence her memoriall, and with all gene­rations wee call her blessed: but to pray vnto her wee may boldly say with Saint Bernard, libenter certe gloriosa Uirgo tali honore carebit, The glorious Virgin is willingly content to want such honour.

Likewise of the blessed An­gels and Saints, wee gladly confesse, that their commemo­ration, is like the composition [Page 30] of the perfume, that is made by the Art of the Apothecarie; it is as sweet as honey in all our mouthes, and more delightfull then Musicke at a banquet of Wine: and as for the trium­phant Saints, whilest that they were concumbitants in the Church militant, wee willingly did enioy them as our fellow­souldiers, [...] striuing Ro. 15. 30. together with vs, and [...], helping together with their 2 Cor. 1. 11. prayers to God for vs, yea, and being receiued vp vnto glorie, Honorandi sunt propter imitatio­nem, non adorandi propter religio­nem; they are to bee honoured for imitation, not to bee adored Vide Aug. lib. de quan­titale anima & de mori­bus Eccles. Catholica, et Manieh lib. 1. cap. 30. for religion, saith Saint Augu­stine: to inuocate any of them wee haue neither precept from God, nor practice in the ancient Church, nor promise in Gods [Page 31] word, to bee heard, and they themselues cannot possibly de­serue it, neyther doe they in the least manner desire it. But if it were possible for them to heare such vnlawfull prayers of men, they would with both hands (as wee say) put them from them, and labor to purge them­selues from such flat Idolatry, with their song of obedience, Not vnto vs Lord, not vnto vs, Psal. 115. 1. but to thy name be such honour a­scribed.

But our Romish Doctors, to maintaine their inuocations of celestiall Spirits, do cozen sim­ple people now a daies, (as their predecessors did the Christians in the Apostles times) vnder the Col. 2. 18. pretence of humilitie, saying, Uide Theod. ibid, that the God of al things was in­uisible & inaccessible, & incom­prehensible: and therefore (as [Page 32] Theodoret testifieth) they coun­selled their followers to procure Gods fauour by the meanes of Angels: like as the heathen Ido­laters, to couer the shame of their neglecting of God, were wont, miser a vti excusatione, di­centes, Ambr. in Rom. cap. 1. Per istos posse ire ad Deum, sicut per Comites pervenitur ad Regem, saith Ambrose, to vse this miserable excuse, that by these they might goe to God, as by Officers we goe to the King. The very selfe same rag our Ro­manists haue borrowed from them to couer their superstition with, that the wickednes there­of might not appeare. But Saint Ambrose hath met well with them, and sufficiently discoue­red the vanitie of such a grosse and carnall imagination: Men (saith he) go to Kings by Cour­tiers, quia homo vti (que) est Rex, be­cause [Page 33] the King is but a man; ad Deum autem quem nihil latet pro­merendum Copiosiùs le­gas apud Ambr. in Rom. cap. 1. suffragatore non opus est, sed mente devota; but as for the Lord, from whom nothing is hid, wee need no spokes man to make him fauorable vnto vs, onely there is required a deuout minde. But aboue all others, S. Chrysostome may suffice an in­different Reader, dashing all such replies with this full an­swer, [...], Chrysost. in dimission. Chananaea. Tom. 5. edit. Savig. pag. 195. Vide cund. Serm. 7. de poenitent. Tom. 6. edit. Savil. pag. 802. & in Psal. 4: &c. God is alwayes neere (saith he.) If thou wilt in­treat man, thou askest what he is adoing, and he is asleepe, hee is not at leasure, or the seruant giueth thee no answer: [...], but with God there is none of these things. Whithersoeuer thou goest and callest, hee heareth: there is no [Page 34] want of leisure, nor a mediator, nor a seruant that keepeth thee off: [...]; say, Haue mercy vpon mee, and presently God is with thee. For while thou art aspeaking, saith hee, I will say, [...], Behold here I am (Esay 58. 9.) but I haue beene ouer-tedious in the satisfaction of this point. I will conclude, and reduce all to that one question of S. Paul, Rom. 10. 14. How shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not belee­ued? Where it is manifest, that none must bee inuocated, but such as must be beleeued in: but none must bee beleeued in but God alone: for, Credimus Paulo, sed non credimus in Paulum: cre­dimus Aug. tract. 29. in Iohan Petro, sed non credimus in Petrum, Wee beleeue (saith S. Austin) Paul, but wee beleeue not in S. Paul: wee beleeue Pe­ter, [Page 35] but wee beleeue not in S. Peter. And therefore let vs all conclude with Origen, Soli Do­mino Deo; Let our prayers be of­fered onely to the Lord our God, who doth at all times hear vs, and will vndoubtedly deli­uer vs from this deadly Pesti­lence, if wee pray powerfully with a syncere faith and pure conscience.

And thus I haue vnuailed the party to whom the Disciples came for assistance in this their dangerous case.

I am in the next place to dis­couer the effect of their com­ming: the Text telleth vs, They awoke him. Fearfull death, of all miseries the last, and the most terrible: against which an holy Father hath made this exclama­tion; Apud Lud. Granatens. Exercit. de Orat. & Medit. O Death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee? how [Page 36] quickly and suddenly stealest thou vpon vs? how secret are thy paths and wayes? how vni­uersal is thy signiory and domi­nion? The mighty cannot e­scape thee, the strong lose their strength before thee, the rich with their money shall not cor­rupt thee. Thou art the ham­mar that alwayes striketh: thou art the sword that neuer blun­teth: thou art the snare wherein all must be taken: thou art the prison wherin all must lye: thou art the sea wherein all must pe­rish: thou art the paine, that all must suffer: thou art the tribute that all must pay. If thou com­mest but in thy naturall course, thou causest those two amorous twins, soule & body to tremble and quake & at their forced se­paration, to sweat euen drops of anguish: & if thou only seemest [Page 37] to offer thy vnresistable atache­ment to any accidentally, and in a violent manner, oh thou art dreadfull beyond comparison. This more then exceeding ter­ror vnawares looking the Disci­ples in the face, and being in all readinesse to seaze on them, cau­sed them suddenly to send forth a pitifull outcry to their Lord and Master, with such clamours and vociferations, euen as if they had been at their wits end: so that dispensing with all cere­monies and complements, they iogged him, saith Alphonsus Sal­meron, so long till they awake­ned him: and surely the origi­nall importeth no lesse, [...], suscitauerunt, they raised him vp: the same word is vsed in many places of Scripture, where mention is made of the resurre­ction, as, Destroy this temple and Ioh. 2. 19. [Page 38] in three dayes I will raise it vp: and Many bodies of Saints which Mat. 27. 52 slept arose: and, If Christ be ri­sen from the dead, how say some a­mong 1 Cor. 15. 12. you there is no resurrection of the dead? In which and many other Texts, and specially in that Chapter to the Corinthians the word of my Text is vsed, and not improperly: for what Stulte quid est somnus gelidus nisi mortis ima­go? Ouid. is deepe, fast, and sound sleepe, but mortis imago, and [...], the very image and bro­ther of death, as the Heathen could say, [...]. Homer. [...], saith Menander, Sleep is nothing else but a short kinde of death. Now Christ was in a fast and dead sleepe, for so much the word (which is here and in S. Marke vsed) sig­nifieth: his [...] ligo, vere sopera­tus, aut de­mersus som­no profundo senses were wel & fast bound, as if hee had no operation of life; and therefore [Page 39] the Disciples are said to raise him, as it were from the dead.

Behold here in the Disciples, importunitie! and in our Saui­our, opportunitie! they awaken him suddenly; hee awaketh sea­sonably: they awaken him vio­lently by reason of their fear­fulnesse; he awakeneth volun­tarily, to giue them a speedy de­liuerance. And are not wee plunged into greater extremi­ties, and more grieuous calami­ties then euer the Disciples were? Yes surely, for our sinnes haue provoked Bellatorem for­tem, the mighty warriour, the Icr. 20. 11. Lord of Hoasts, the righteous Iudge, to whet his sword and Psal. 2. 12, 13. bend his bow, and make them ready, to prepare the instru­ments of death, and arrowes to destroy vs: our eustomary sins haue forced out the Lords de­cree, [Page 40] and haue brought forth three deadly weapons; his Ferrum. Fames. Morbus. Sword, and Famine hover ouer vs, being ready to light vpon vs, and wee are already beset plurium conflectu febrium, with a conflict of many diseases; the Angell is a darting the right­ayming arrowes of the Lords wrath at euery mans doore: Gods deadly tokens, the onely markes of his displeasure, and our disobedience, are sent forth promiscuously to all sinners, es­pecially to wilfull and obstinate transgressors, and though thou­sands fall on the one side, and ten thousands on the other, and they neuer touch thee, yet sinne will bring them home to thy heart at last. For, like as one that shooteth at a marke, sometimes is gone, and sometimes is short, sometimes lighteth on the right [Page 41] hand, sometimes on the left; at length hitteth the marke: so the Lord of Hoasts being incen­sed with the generall wicked­nesse of this Citie, shootes at great men beyond vs, at meane men short of vs, at our friends on the right hand, at our ene­mies on the left; at length hit­teth our selues. The longer his hand is in practice, the more certainly he striketh.

What, were the Disciples in the iawes of such perils? were they thus beset with the Lords vengeance? out of all doubt they were not, and yet they be­ing conscious, that their sinnes were the cause of this raging tempest, they speed by feruent prayers to awaken their merci­full Sauiour: Faciamus nos simi­liter: Beloued, let vs doe the like. Culpae comes, iustissimè poe­na [Page 42] semper est, The companions Lyps de Con­stantia. lib. 2. cap. 16 of our sinnes, are many plagues, which continually attend vs, like so many hunger-starued Lions, euer gaping to deuour vs. [...], and our God is fallen into a deepe sleepe. So burdensome, so grieuous, so wearisome haue our sinnes beene vnto the Lord, that they haue awakened his slow anger, his righteous iu­stice, and lulled his long pati­ence, his forbearing mercy fast asleepe. We now finde that ve­rified which S. Austin long ago foretold: Tunc in te dormit Chri­stus, Aug. in Psal. 56. cum oblitus fueris passionis Christi, when thou forgettest the passion of Christ, then Christ sleepeth in thee: and then (saith hee) nauis tuaturba­tur, thy ship is troubled, thy heart is worthily troubled, be­cause [Page 43] excidit tibi in quem credi­dideris, thou forgettest him, on whom thou shouldst beleeue: thy passions are great, when thou art vnmindfull of Christs passion: and then art thou vn­sensible of his passion, when by sinne thou doest pierce thine owne soule, and crucifie thy Sauiour afresh; qui ex proprio & pretioso sanguine, who of his owne pretious bloud made a plaister to cure thy festred wounds. Et hinc illae lachrymae, hence our sorrowes and griefes, hence our plagues and punish­mēts. And dearly beloued what shall wee doe? The best aduice I can giue, is that which Christ giueth his Spouse in the Canti­cles, Chap. 6. 13. Returne, re­turne O Shalamite; Returne, re­turne that we may behold thee. I thus paraphrase it; Returne O [Page 44] my Spouse, Daughter of Ierusa­lem returne, returne to mee, returne to thy selfe, returne to thy former feeling of my grace, returne, that both my selfe, and all the Company of Angells, may see thee, and reioyce in thee.

This Spouse of Christ is the mother of vs all, the holy Ca­tholique Church, in whose bo­some wee are nourished: Take wee then the aduice giuen vn­to her, for an aduice vnto our selues. Returne wee from our euill waies, returne we from our all sinnes, returne we vnto the Lord our God, that both hee and all the company of Angels may see vs, and reioyce in vs.

Life is sweet vnto vs, mutet Aug. serm. 1. de tempore. vitam, qui vult accipere vitam, saith S. Augustine, If we are de­sirous to retaine this life, and [Page 45] enioy the blessed life of heauen, wee must change our wicked life on earth. Mortificemus pec­cata, Christum excitemus, & fi­dem recolamus: Aug. let vs mortifie our sinnes by vnfained Repen­tance, rowze vp Christ by a fer­uent and liuely prayer, and re­viue Gods worship in a more syncere, diligent, deuout, and constant manner, and all the stormes of our sore afflictions shall soone vanish away.

So I proceed to the last part in the procuring of this calme, viz. their praiers in these words expressed; Lord saue vs: wee pe­rish. The three Euangelists who doe record this story, vse three seuerall titles attributed vnto our blessed Sauiour in this compendious forme of prayer: all which (though the Latine and our English expresse not) [Page 46] are significant and emphaticall in their orginall propieties. S. Markes title is, [...], Master, carest thou not that wee perish? The Greeke word there specified signifieth a Teacher of letters, manners, or any art: in relation whereunto they were called Disciples, Scholars, or Loarners. Saint Lukes title is, [...], Englished a Defender, a present Helper; such as in times of warre are sworne bre­thren, to liue and die together, Commiles succenturiatus: and in times of peace, Guardians of In­fants. Shepheards haue the same title, who are [...], Defenders of their flocks. The title in the text is, [...], which importeth power, or might, answerable to that glo­rious Tetragrammaton, Iehouah, [Page 47] which the Septuagints constant­ly translate throughout the old Testament in this sacred word, an essentiall name neuer giuen to any but onely the true God.

The titles well weighed af­ford good vse of Instruction, and much matter of Consola­tion. In that they call him Lord, we are incouraged to pray with confidence, because hee is Ieho­uah, all-sufficient to deliuer vs: and in that they call him Teach­er and Defender, wee are certi­fied of the Lords willingnesse to heare vs, and forward readi­nesse to help and succour vs: in that hee is their Master, they pray in loue; in that hee is their Lord, they pray in feare: he be­ing their Master and Defender, they are not timidi, ouer-feare­full; hee being their Lord and Iehouah, they are not tumidi, [Page 48] ouer-bold. The same Lord and Master is our Iehouah, and rea­dy helper, and therefore wee likewise must pray (in this time of deadly pestilence) first confi­dently, not despairing: quia ir­risio Dei est, si quid illum ores, Pellie. in Mat. quod exor aturum te non certe con­fidas; because it is a mocking of God, saith Pellican, to pray vn­to him, and to doubt that wee shall not haue our requests: for this cause Christ tels vs, Marke 11. 14. that whatsoeuer we de­sire when we pray, beleeue that wee shall haue it, and it shall be done vnto vs, especially if it be petitio decentium, saith Damascen, Iames 1. 6. a request of such things as are fit for God to giue, and vs to haue. For these S. Iames bids vs Aske in faith, and wauer not, and wee shall receiue our desires. Se­condly, because their Lord is [Page 49] our Iehouah, therefore we like­wise must pray reuerently, not presuming. The very conside­ration of Gods greatnes should moue vs to supplicate with all humilitie.

Uarus Germinus was wont to say to Caesar, Qui apud te, O Caesar audent dicere, magnitudi­nem tuam ignor ant: qui non au­dent, humanitatem tuam nesciunt: They that dare speake to thee, doe not know thy greatnesse, they that dare not, are ignorant of thy humanitie and meeknes: I may say farre better, Our God is meek and lowly in heart, that we may speake vnto him; but hee is so great in Maiesty and power, that one ought to speake in all humilitie: and that not with the Gentiles, whose Hea­thenish fashion was adorare si­gillaria suaresidendo, to worship [Page 50] God as they sate; but meekly kneeling vpō our knees, that we may shew both inward and outward humilitie. For this was the practice not onely of great sinners, but of the holiest Saints, thousands of Angels do couer their faces, and Christ himselfe, the Sonne of God did often vse to fal down, to kneele, and prostrate himselfe vpon the ground, when hee prayed vnto his Father: Et prostratus in terra orat Medicus, & non inclinatur Cypr. 2. ad Don. agrotus: And shall this heauen­ly Physitian kneele, and wee thinke much to stoope? Con­sider with thy selfe saith Saint Bernard, quanta cum humilitate debet rana paupercula adorare eum: With what great humi­litie ought we poore wormes of the earth to adore him? And therefore as Eusebius reporteth [Page 51] of that most Christian Constan­tine, that it was his vsuall cu­stome, euery day to shut vp him­selfe close into some secret place of his palace, and there vp­on his bended knees, and with a most submisse humble voyce to make his deuout prayers and Soliloquies vnto Almighty God. Thus confidently, and thus reuerently let vs all draw neere vnto our Lord and Sa­uiour, and then our gratious Defender, our powerfull Ieho­vah will speedily take from vs this our great ieopardy.

Before I conclude, it is not amisse to giue you notice, that Saint Luke, to expresse the Di­sciples zealous deuotion, inge­minateth the title giuē to Christ in this short forme of prayer, with a double appellation, [...] Master, [Page 52] Master, wee perish, O gratious defender, O powerfull Iehovah, wee are ready to bee cast away and buried in the waues: here­by giuing vs to vnderstand, that breuis oratio, sifortis, penetrat calū, 4 Obserua­tion. a short prayer, (though but in 3 words, as was the Disciples) so it be feruent is most powerful, [...]. Domine salua nos, Lord saue vs. pierceth the skies, and is accep­ted of the Almighty Lord.

The prayer of the blinde men was short, O Lord, Sonne of Da­uid, haue mercy vpon vs, and yet preuailed, Math. 20. 31. The prayer of the Publican shorter, God bee mercifull to mee a sinner; and yet as auaileable, Luke 18. 13. The prayer of the penitent Thiefe very compendious, Lord remember mee when thou commest into thy Kingdome, and yet most forcible, Luke 23. 42. The prayer of the father of the sicke [Page 53] child most briefe Lord help mine vnbeleefe, and yet very effectuall: Marke 9. 24. Yea, many times wee find that an earnest seeking with the heart, hath preuailed without any words vttered by the tongue, as Moses when hee cryed to God with his heart, and yet opened not his mouth; For that is most true which Saint Gregorie saith, Tanto mi­nus quis clamat, quanto minus desiderat, & tanto fortius coelos pe­netrat, quanto fortius desiderat, the more earnestly wee desire any thing, the more lowdly we doe crie vnto God, and the col­der is our desire, the slower is our calling on him, and the har­der to obtaine it of him.

Luther to this purpose cal­leth prayers and supplications, bombardas Christianorum; the Christians Canons: and surely [Page 54] beeing well charged with faith and repentance, and fired with zeale and feruencie of spirit, they shoote farre, and pierce deepe. Here therefore wee may bee informed, what is the very bane and pests of our prayers, and what is the onely cause they are no more auaileable to remoue this mortall sicknesse: surely, because faintnesse, coldnesse, and boldnesse doe so much fre­quent our prayers. There is first, a faint, a fearefull, and distrustfull praying amongst vs; there is secondly, a cold, a for­mall and superficiall praying with vs; and there is thirdly, a bold, a proud, and presumptu­ous praying vnto dreadfull Ie­houah, and this last is the worst: trepida nec procedit quidem nedum ascendit; the faint and fearefull prayer, cannot get out, much [Page 55] lesse get vp: it sticketh so fast betweene the teeth, or in the throat rather: tepida procedit, sed in asconsu languescit & defecit, the cold and formall prayer cōmeth forth fast enough, but it cannot get vp it freeseth (for want of spirit and feruor) by the way, ere it come to appeare in Gods presence: temeraria as­cendit, sedresilit; the cold and presumptuous prayer flyeth vp apace, but it is as fast beaten backe againe, for presenting it selfe ouerboldly, and saucily in Gods sight: Nec tantum non obtinet gratiam, sed meretur offen­sam, and in stead of a blessing, it bringeth a curse with it: thus farre deuout Bernard.

I haue read of two ladders by which men climbe to hea­uen; seruent prayers, and cry­ing sinnes, the godly by the [Page 56] one, and the wicked by the other. By the sinfull Ladder did Sodome and Niniue climbe. Oh let not our sinnes bee such climbers! rather then they should presse into the Presence Chamber of Heauen, and grow acquainted with God, let vs keepe them downe, and here punish them: for Hoc nobis Deus insevit. God hath planted this principle in euery mans heart, that sinne must bee punished: must it! by whom? Saint Au­stin tells you, aut ab ipso homine Aug Enar­rat. in Psal. 58. poenitente, aut à Deo vindicante, either by man repenting, or by God reuenging. Now if any notwithstanding he remaineth impenitent, neuerthelesse shall hope for mercy, let him heare what Chrysostome saith, Quomo­do Chrysost. in 1 Cor. hom. 23. Deum rogas, vt tibi parcat, cum tu tibi minime parcas? How canst [Page 57] thou desire God to haue com­passion vpon thee; when thou hast no compassion vpon thy selfe? Aulus Gellius writes, that the Romanes sent the Car­thaginians, Hastam & caduceum, Aul. Gel. l. 10. c. 27. a speare and a white wand, the Ensignes of warre and peace, and offered them their choise: So deales the Lord with vs, vp­on our repentance; he offers vs conditions of peace, and prote­steth to repent himselfe of the euill intended, and to remoue farre from vs his iudgements al­ready inflicted. Ergofratres pu­niamus peccata nostra: therefore brethren let vs be our owne pu­rishers: punish we our selues, our sinnes, that God may haue mercy on vs: and turne this hea­uie plague from vs: hee cannot shew mercy vpon workers of in­iquitie, Quasi blandiens peccatis, [Page 58] aut non erudicens peccata, as if hee flattered men in their sinnes, or had no purpose to root out sin. Prorsus aut punis, aut punit, Be­leeue H [...]c Au­gustinus in loco prius citato. it either thou must punish thy selfe for thy sins, or God will punish thee: vis non puniat punitu. Wilt thou that God should not pun [...]sh thee, then punish thou thy selfe: and wash away thy sins with the bitter & brinish teares of vnfained repentance, through a liuely faith in the blood of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ: that forsaking the Ladder of our crying sins we may climbe vp to heauen with the ladder of our feruent prayers: and ha­uing all brought our selues into the same danger of mortalitie; Let vs all with one accord, sigh forth vncessantly, the Disciples powerfull and importunate re­quest; Lord, sauevs: we perish.

[Page 37] O Lord our God the giue of all graces, the forginer of all our sinnes, and the present helper and ready defender of them, that fly to thee for succor: grant vnto vs wee humbly beseech thee an vnfained remorse for all our misdeeds; that our heartie ropentance, may awaken thy mercy, and cause thy iustice to fall into a deepe sleepe: So then we shall with all Saints for euer­more sing Helleluja. Salua­tion, and glory, and ho­nor, and power vnto the Lord our God for euermore.

Amen.