BEtter a simple Cooke dresse the supper, then that the guestes go hungry to bed: better spread vp a Canuase sheete, then to be quite without a sayle, and make no way at all: better a small venture in a little Pynasse, then to sitte out for naught, and to be left quite without a share: and so I truste you will thinke, that sith this place can not now be so furnished as it should, yet better take that it may haue, then looke for that it cannot haue: assu­ring you that albeit my cookery bee simple, yet will I see that the meate shall bee good and wholsome▪ and albeit, my Barke be not stored with shift of Tackell, yet shall it bring [Page] you to a safe Hauen: and albeit, the bottome be but small, and nothing deepely laden, yet shall it share to e­uery man at least one good lesson.

They that goe downe to the Sea in shippes, Psal. 107.23.24. and occupy by the great waters, these see the workes of the Lorde, and his wonders in y ^e deepe. For at his word the stormy winde ariseth, and troubleth y ^e waues ther­of. In as much therefore as thys Towne is placed so nigh the maine, that it vseth the Ocean as an hand­mayde to bring in profit, whereby you become well acquainted with all the knackes & conditions of the salt Fome, how seruicable it is whē it is well pleased, & what bedlam leges it will fetch, when it begin­neth to be wanton: Therfore haue I chosen this text, euen from this Gospell, that you may confesse the might and meruailous power of Christe, by working such a miracle, and also he enstructed howe to order [Page] your selues that you may passe the waues without daunger of losse. If any man were able to vndertake▪ the safe landing of all your commo­dities, and warrant euery voyage that you make, I doubt not but you wold gather about him in a throng, and listen to all his wordes and ad­monitions. If therefore the preacher will warrant the safetye of your soules, with al the heauenly fraught and spirituall marchandize thereof, be not slacke to heare him, for it is the better parte: it is ware that ser­ueth in a deere yeere: yea it enrich­eth you and all your children.

Saint Mathewe hauing declared before y ^e wonders y ^t Christ wrought vpon the earth, not in the wildernes onely, where fewe perhaps might be to see them, but euen in y ^e townes and Citties, where euery mā might beholde them: and not in the Ual­leys alone among the people, but in the tops of the mountaines among [Page] his Disciples, now he proceedeth to declare a miracle y ^t Christ wrought vpon the water, that it might bee made manifest vnto them y ^t Chri­stes power was omnipotent, and that he was the very sonne of God, because all creatures were obedi­ent and subiect vnto him.

In this Gospel therefore are three thinges especially to bee obserued, The diuisi­on generall (that is to say) the person of the Dis­ciples, and such as sayled: the per­son of Christe that sat at the sterne, the occasion of the miracle, and the working thereof. The Disciples were they, for whose cause this thing happened, Christ was he by whose power it was doon, the miracle was that which made them all to won­der.

Of these three thinges, that I may speake breefely, and yet so speake as Gods name may bee magnifyed, our vnderstanding lightened, and our liues altered, being tempered a [Page] fresh, by Gods handy worke, and re­nued inwardly with a right spirite, let vs desyre of God the giuer of all goodnes, who teacheth vs thinges profitable, and guideth vs in y ^e way wherein we walke, that the church whom he hath sanctifyed in holines, purchased with his blood▪ and clen­sed with the washing of water in the word of life, may bee a glorious congregation without spot or wrin­kle, holy▪ and vndefiled, and accepta­ble before God, and that it may so be strengthened by the power of the holy Ghost, that the gates of hell may neuer preuaile against it, espe­cially let vs desyre God that the in­fant whom with paine of trauayle and displeasure of the great Dra­gon, shee hath heere childed in Eng­land and Ireland, may prooue a man of might & courage, boldly to fyght the Lordes battails, and that our Queenes Maiestie, Lady Elizabeth may marche with him in comforte [Page] and defence, as Debora marched with Baracke the sonne of Abinoa, against Sisera the cruell Cananite, & returne againe with like victory, and that she may stand vnto him as effectu­ally as Hester stoode to Mardocheus a­gainst the prowde Ammon, & with as much reioycing of the people of God, ouercome in the end.

And for the more happye successe in this spirituall fight, and the more assured conquest, let vs pray that our Bishops and ministers, may [...] a [...] in their syluer Trumpets, that we may bee remembred before the Lord our God, and y ^t they may hold vpp their handes in prayer as Moses did in the mountaine, when [...]sua fought against A [...]elecke vtter­ly to destroy him.

Let vs [...] God also to directe the Lordes of the [...] with his wisdome, that they may be such to vs, as Obed was to the Ephrami [...]es, and Ieh [...]ida the Priest to [...] and [Page] his people, because all warre (as sayth Salomon) is to bee enterprised by counsell, and in the multitude of them that can giue good aduise, is safety and health.

Let vs pray for all Schooles and Uniuersities, Oxforde and Cambridge, that as they are like mount Eph [...]a­im, where the Children of the Pro­phets be [...], so they may bee like Mount Syon, where the Lord is truely worshipped for euer, and that therein God of his mercy, wil beau­tify with vertue and learning the Colledge of Allsoules.

Let vs not forget to [...] vnto God, the protection and defence of all Citties, Magistrates and Iusti­ces, the Mayor of this Towne, and Bayliffes, y ^e Customer, Con [...], Sercher, and such what euer, be­seeching of God, that both them and we, and all the Commons may en­rowle to God, such an account of our liues in loue, and charitye, that [Page] he which searcheth the harts and the reines, may finde vs free from all gawle and bitternes, beeing full fraught with humility, bound for the lande of promise, hauing our sayles of heauenlie hope, fyl­led with the winde of Gods spi­rite, being dyrected by the com­passe of his worde, and gouerned by the roother of wisedome, with the ancker of faith, and the maine­mast of an vpright conscience and smothe conuersation in Christ Ie­su.

For these thinges and all other whereof our blessed Father kno­weth vs to haue neede, let vs with one hart and voice, powre out vn­to him, that prayer which Christe Iesu his fyrst begotten and best beloued sonne, hath taught vs say­ing. Our Father which art in hea­uen. &c.

I Tolde you that in this Gospell were thrée especi­all obseruations: The first whereof is the person of Christes Disciples, in whome this is woorthy the marking, that they béeing simple men and vnlear­ned, were admitted euen to the com­pany of our Sauiour Christe, being or­deyned [Page] before to be witnesses of those thinges they sawe and heard, and to be messengers of peace and of the glad tydings of saluation to all that beleeued, that the wisedome of this worlde might be confounded and quayled, through the apparaunt foolishnesse of the Crosse of Christe, which seemed such a iest to the Greekes, that they laughed it to scorne, and was such an eye sore to the Iewes, that they coulde not looke straight vpon it, and such a stumbling blocke in theyr way, that they fell headlong ouer it.

In these Disciples yet, though well ac­quainted and inured both in the maners and with the might of their master Christ Iesu, we maye behold an image of mans frayltie and weakenesse, that being but a lyttle. Seashaken with a storme, they were straight wayes at theyr wittes end, ready to giue vp the Ghoste for feare, not considering that so long as Christe was in the Shippe, let the windes rage, and the Sea roare, let the Cables cracke, and the Clowdes throwe downe lyghtening, let the surges mount vp to Heauen, and let the waues open and gape lyke hell, yet so [Page] long as Christ sitteth in the stearne, there is no danger: Si Deus nobiscum, quis contra nos, Roma, [...]. If God be on our side, who can pre­uaile against vs. If the sorrowes of death compasse vs about, and the snares of wic­kednesse make vs afrayde, yea, though the whole earth shoulde be mooued out of her place, and the Mountaines fall into the middest of the Sea, yet because God is with vs, we shall not feare, God shall helpe vs, and that right earlie: But the Disciples dyd, as doo commonlie other Saylers, and Seafayring men, naye, I praye God, all that goe to the Sea, doo no other wayes than did they: whyle the skie looketh cleare, and the water calme, and that they scoure the streame with a good forewinde, then all without care we scarce thinke vppon GOD, but let him once styrre the déepe out of his trea­sures, and ouer-cast vs with the blacke mantelles of the South, and powre the water out of his bottelles vppon vs, then our soule melteth for verie trouble, and we are euen harde at deathes doore.

But héere shall be a good lesson for vs [Page] to learne, that not onelie in fayre wea­ther we must looke for a storme, and ther­fore praye vnto God before it be throwne downe vppon vs, but also at the tyme of our affliction, wee must flie onelie vnto Christe, and crie vnto him, Helpe, helpe Maister, for vnlesse thou helpe we perish: The councell of man is windie to séeke, and all our labour is nothing woorth: Peter is héere, and cannot saue vs: Iames and Iohn haue no skyll to helpe vs: An­drewe is in as great feare as wee: And therfore helpe Maister, helpe vs O Christ, thou canst helpe, thou wilt heare. The Saints in Heauen (we know) doo loue vs, but theyr arme is too short to send vs suc­cour. Or if there were hope in them, as there is none, yet better flie to the head, then to the foote, especiallie, the head being so ready, so willing, so wel able, so gentle: At the head of the Spring, fayre water is swéetest, and at the fountayne of mercie, mercie is receyued with moste pleasure. Doubt nothing, it is better to trust in the Lord, then to put any confidence in Prin­ces.

[Page]An other note may you learne by these Disciples, that those whome GOD dooth most entyrelie loue, them dooth he exercise in most troubles and feares, tossing them from rocke to rocke, and from daunger to daunger, knowing that tribulation brin­geth foorth patience, and patience experi­ence, experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed, because the loue of God is shedde abroade in our hearts by the holie Ghost, and knowing that the man is bles­sed, whome the Lorde dooth chastice: for though he be sore thrust at, yet falleth he not, because the Lorde is his helpe: In two perrils shall he delyuer vs, and in the thirde, shall he quite set vs frée: heauines may endure for a night, but ioye commeth in the morning: Blessed be the Lorde that suffereth no man to be tempted a­boue his strength. And therefore (my brethren) if it please God to laye the bur­then of his Crosse vppon any, eyther through sicknesse, or shypwracke, or pyra­cie, or broken detters, or otherwayes, let him not therefore dispayre of Gods loue, but rather let him be glad, that it pleaseth [Page] him to picke him out as one from the peo­ple, in whome the might of his Maiestie might be glorified. For you may reade in the former Chapters, that so long as Christe was among the multitude, there fell no daunger or temptation, but all was quiet and peaceable, without trou­ble, without feare: but so soone as hée meant to make a tryall of theyr faith, hée calleth onelie the Captaines, euen his déerest Disciples▪ and suffereth none else to come with him in the Shippe, that they alone might be brought into feare. This is to vs no small comfort, that those he so well loued, he was content to haue them so much endaungered, but yet all for the best. Syluer is not Syluer, tyll it bee blowne and purged in the fyre: Golde commeth to no honour, tyll by long ham­mering and chasing, it be forged into a vessell méete for the Kinges seruice: The corne is grounde on a rough myll, and ba­ked in an hoate ouen, before it become good bread. The Lord make vs pure sil­uer, and fine golde, and wholsome breade to be serued on the table at the marriage [Page] feast of the Lambe, for his names sake▪ Amen. And thus much of the fyrst conside­deration, which is the personne of the Dis­ciples.

Next, commeth the consideration of Christes owne person, of whome we may reade, that for this cause was he borne, and for this cause came be into the world, to saue sinners. And because those that had long laboured without reléefe, vnder the burthen of the Lawe, not finding therein any saluation, might sette theyr eyes on him, which is the Lawe of righte­ousnesse, and well perceyue that he was the true Messias: he therefore dyd not onely preach vnto them a newe Doctrine of the Gospell, and gaue them a newe commaundement of loue, but also to their great comfort, and no lesse woonder, hée confyrmed all his doctrine by Myracles, healing all diseases, bothe of body and minde, euer applying the Myracle to make proofe of that which hee then prea­ched vnto them. As when hee woulde shewe that mans sinnes were so fowlie enfected with the contagion of leprosie, as [Page] that no workes of the Lawe could cleanse the same, but that it must be purified by his Merites, he letteth them héereof sée an outwarde signe, by healing that leaprous body with a touch of his finger, whome no Phisicke before could cure. When hee would haue vs to vnderstande howe shrewdlie we are all shaken with a bur­ning feauer, that distempereth the liuelie blood of our soules▪ and maketh our taste so bitter, that we cannot sauour the swéet­nesse of his doctrine in our selues without him, nor serue to minister in any necessa­rie vse: hée dooth héereof make euident demonstration, by curing of Peters mo­ther in lawe that was sicke of an Ague. And héere lykewise because hee woulde haue vs to consider, that in our selues there is no habilitie to resist the stormes and tempestes of this worlde, the rage of the fleshe, and the deuill, without his helpe: hée therefore bringeth his Dis­ciples into this perrill, and then delyue­reth them when they call vppon him, that they may knowe where to séeke helpe for theyr soules in tyme of affliction, by fin­ding [Page] such ready helpe for theyr bodies in tyme of distresse.

Yea, but Christe was a sléepe at the stearne, yea, but let Christe be awaked: if he heare not at the fyrst, call to him the second tyme: if not the second tyme, crie vppon him the thyrde tyme: yea, call and ceasse not, tyll ye haue awaked him: be sure, he wyll both heare and helpe at the last. Christe is not lyke one of these testie squiers, or those nice Dames that can abyde no noyse in the house, for brea­king theyr morning sleepe: no, Christe would be awaked with our early prayer, yea, with our earlie and earnest calling vpon him. Would he be glad to be awa­ked? Yea surely, and more glad to be kept waking styll. But howe shall we kéepe him waking that he sléepe not? Giue him leaue to talke vnto vs, and let vs dilli­gentlie hearken and lysten vnto him: for hee is willing to talke and tell vs of our saluation. But howe shall we set him a worke to talke? I will tell you. When wee praye (sayth Augustin) then doo wée talke with God: but when wee heare the [Page] Scripture read, then GOD talketh vnto vs: for the Scripture is the voyce and the woordes of GOD pearcing the eares of our heartes by the vertue of the holie Ghoste. If therefore you wyll heare Christe, talke and so kéepe him awake: Let the Bible be read vnto you, whether it bée on Shipboorde or on shoare, so oft as you can, hearken vnto it, and kéepe Christ waking: for it is daunger to let him fall a sléepe, because whyle he slept, the Say­lers were in ieopardie to bée drowned: Whyle the good man of the house slepte, the enuious man sowed tares among his wheate: whyle Ionas slepte vnder hat­ches, the tempest and storme with raging encreased. Let vs watche him well to kéepe him awake, naye, let vs set him to watch, and wake, and kéepe vs, and then will he not once so much as nodde: For he that keepeth Israell, shall neyther sleepe nor slumber.

Another good note in the consideration of the person of Christ, is this, that Christ is a verie good Maister to gouerne the Helme, and take him into the Shippe [Page] with you, and let him be Loades man, let him come who euer styres his course, whyle Christ is Maister, although the tide set on the weather bowe, yet the boate shall neuer by sincking to léewarde, fall on a wrong coast. And whyle Christe is Pilote, it shall neyther runne vppon the flattes by mistaking of the channell, nor make in against the current by misrecko­ning of the tydes, and therefore be sure to take Christ aboorde with you.

But howe shall we be sure to haue him with vs? Surelie, where two or three be gathered togeather in my name, there will I be also, sayth Christe. If therefore you would haue him in your company, then gather your selues in his name, take your voiage in hand in his feare: let the cheefe purpose, be first his honour, and then a profitable seruice of your Countrey in your calling, and then no doubt God will be with you: Let your talke be of him and of his woonderfull workes, by telling of his saluation from daye to daye: Let the elder sort shewe vnto the younger, the corners of the world, the North and the [Page] South, and prayse his name that layde the foundations thereof: Let them shew the pointes of the Compasse, and the store­house of the windes, and glorifie him which bringeth them in and out at plea­sure: Let him take his Starre with the Ballastéelie, and shewe howe the howres of the night are descried by the guardes: Let him shewe, howe the current follo­weth the fyrst mouing Heauen, and howe the tydes be attempered by the Epicicle of the Moone, and in euerie thing let him prayse the GOD of heauen, which hath created all this for the vse of man. To conclude, let no filthinesse, nor euyll spea­king, nor backbyting, nor blasphemie, nor corrupt communication procéede out of your mouthes, but that which is good to the vse of edifying, that it maye mini­ster grace vnto the hearers, and then be sure, Christe will be with you, as he was with the two Disciples that talked on him in theyr trauaile towarde E [...]aus. And thus much for the seconde considera­tion in this Gospell, which is the per­son of Christe, whose company bot [...]e at [Page] Sea and at lande, wée must chéefelie de­syre.

The last note that I promised, was a viewe and consideration of the Myracle, wherin I cal you my brethren to witnes, which haue béen in some desperate plun­ges on the water, whether it be not a work only appropriate to God, that when the stormy winde ariseth, and lifteth vp the waues of the Sea, when they mount vp to heauen, and descend againe into the déepe, and heare the horrible rage and rushinges of the byllowes, when the ve­hemencie of the flawe, renteth downe the tackle, and washeth awaye the labourers from the hatches, when they reele too and fro, and stagger lyke dronken men, and theyr cunning is windie to seeke. I report mée then to you, whether it bee not a worke bothe of mercie and might, to make glad on a suddayne the distres­sed Soule, by turning the storme vnto a caulme, and making the waues to bee still, by rebuking the winds and the Sea, to make all thinges so temperate and so quiet, that the Shippe shall slide towarde [Page] harborowe as yare as a Pyke.

Kinges maye boast in the multitude of theyr people, and Merchauntes reioyce in theyr ware and theyr money: hée thinkes himselfe some body that can commaunde a whole Cittie: and hée that hath but a boye to carrie his Swoord and Targette, would take skorne to be estéemed of small reckoning. The Captaine in a Shippe of warre, is a iollie fellowe, and thinketh himselfe a lyttle God, because hee spea­keth prowdlie to the Souldiors, and ma­keth them quayle at the shaking of his lockes: because at his woorde the Can­nons rattle, and the wylde fyre fléeeth through the stifeling smoake, the gunnes thunder and spewe out theyr pellettes, and the Souldiors muster themselues on the hatches: If any be vnrulie, hee ca­steth him ouerboorde, or if any be feare­full, hee bindes him to the Maste: if hée crie aloofe, the Helmes man dares not goe roomer: and if hée bidde shoote, the gun­ner dares not but giue fyre. But let the Prince or the Potentate, the King or the Captaine, the Merchaunt or the money [Page] man, saye to the South winde, ceasse thy blowing, or to the Clowdes, holde your selues drie: let him bidde the Sunne shyne in a gloomie day, and let him shew mée the Starres in a tempestuous night▪ let him commaunde the tyde, to staye tyll hée be readie, and charge the waters of the Sea to looke smoothlie, and then I will saye, hée is a Captaine in déede, and wyll confesse that hée is woorthy to be ho­noured and followed. And therefore if our Sauiour Christe, haue doone, and can doo it, and dooth it daylie, what is hée that wyll grudge to follow so good a Cap­taine: but take héede, if wée will fol­lowe him, wee must fyght vnder him: for wée cannot serue bothe God and Mam­mon.

It is written of Edgar, a King of the Englishe Saxons, that walking on the stronde for his recreation at an ebbe, so soone as the floodde beganne, and he lothe to leave walking, hée setteth downe his foote by the water syde, and thus began to speake: I charge thée thou Sea, to staye thy selfe, and you byllowes, that ye [Page] recoyle backe, touche not my foote, least I be angrie, and so thou perishe (for the dis­pleasure of the King is death to the Sub­iect.) I am thy Soueraigne, and Lorde of thy streames, and vnder mée thou hol­dest thy water channell. What? Dyd the Sea, thinke you tremble at his voice, or was the floodde quailed to heare him speake? no hardelie. For had hée not saued himselfe by flight, the salte foome would haue washed his tynsell Gowne. Which when the King had well espied, turning to his Bishops and Nobles that stoode by, hée charged them all straightlie, not to flatter him thencefoorth, with any loftie tytle of power or puissaunce, be­cause there was in him no might at all.

Cyrus King of Persia, thought so much of himselfe, that, because one of his great Horsses was drowned in the ryuer Oetis, hée swore in his rage hée would drie it quite vp, but yet could not. Well, the time weareth, and I wyll not holde you long▪. The marke that I shoote at, is the greatnesse of Christes miracle, which not without cause made the Saylers to woon­der, [Page] and to saye among themselues, Who is this, that hoth the winde and the Sea obey him.

But nowe to turne this Myracle vnto our profite. The Shippe maye well be resembled to a Cittie or common wealth: the Windes, be those whisperers that styrre vp stryfe, and spreade debate be­twéene man and man: the waues be such ambicious desyres, as doo trouble the peace of the Cittie, and make mennes mindes inordinatelie to swell in pride, in vaineglorie, in emulation, in debate: so wrastling and strugling togeather, as one byllowe dasheth against an other: which all doo fyll the Cittie with the wa­ter of theyr garreboyles, shaking it so sore, tyll it be readie to sincke againe: Surelie, where these things doo happen, eyther Christ is not at all in that Cittie, or else they haue let him fall a sléepe: wake him for Gods sake, that hee maye styll the tempest, or else the whole towne will be in daunger to perishe. You knowe the Shyppe maye hull for a whyle in fowle weather, and brooke the [Page] rough Sea for a season: but if the tem­pest of rage continew without ceasing, what hope is there other, then either to be supped vp of the wide yeaning waues, or to bee carried against a Rocke, and so spléeted in sunder. Dissention in a Towne is a sore tempest, take héede, vn­lesse Christe caulme it with loue, and styll it with agréement, what hope re­mayneth but a pittifull wracke. Yea, but why should the tyde yéelde ought to the winde: or why should not the winds so long strogle for the preheminence, tyll the tytle of Soueraigntie be alotted to some one of them? God dooth knowe, and not I, which winde hath most right to blowe: and I coulde wishe, there were no more bickering, tyll that were honestlie tryed. I meane, I coulde so wishe, and so I request, euen in Christe, that the Shippe bée not troubled with surges of debate, whyle the Marriners striue, who shall sitte at the Helme. If other meanes cannot bée founde (which Iwis might, if men would bée men) yet let the lawe trie the right of the quarell: [Page] and yet let the Gospell establish the quiet of your hearts. Let the controuersie in Gods name, be decided by the Lawe, but let your conuersation be approued by loue: and let that loue be without dissimulation. For I can tell you one thing, except wée loue one an other, wée cannot loue GOD: and if wée loue not him, howe shall wée looke, that he will loue vs.

More yet I maye saye somewhat, and more particularlie. This body of ours is lyke vnto a Shippe, wherein the reaso­nable soule, lyke a marriner sayleth: this world is naught else but a sea of wicked­nesse: and the prouokementes of the fleshe are tempestuous windes, which of our selues wee are not able to asswage: which if they be not in tyme appeased, will bring vs in daunger to be eaten vp of the Sea, and so to make a myserable shipwracke. Let vs therefore be sure, that Christe be in our shippes, yea, let his feare be euer before our eyes. If that through negligence wee haue let him sléepe, yet in tyme I praye you heartelie [Page] let vs awake him: naye, let vs awake him whyle tyme serueth, and that with fasting, with wéeping, with praying, and he shall surelie heare vs: For he is our fortresse and delyuerer: our God shall make caulme all the vnrulie motions of the fleshe, that striue against the spirite, whether pride or couetousnesse, or lust, or enuie, or whatsoeuer, and shall supple vs with the Oyle of his loue and heauenlie grace, to him there­fore be prayse for euer and euer. Amen.