Virginia's God be thanked.
THE occasion of our present meeting (Right Honorable, Right Worshipfull, and dearely beloved in our Lord Iesus Christ) is to celebrate the goodnes of our [Page 2] good and gracious God, & to giue him publique and solemne prayses for the sa [...]e arriving of your Fleete of 9. Sayle of Ships in Virginia, in November, and December last: And for the happie (yea, and in a maner miraculous) landing o [...] 800. people M [...]n, Women, and children, all in health: As also for the hopeful and good successe, wherewith Almightie God hath crowned your Colony in that Heathen-now Christian Kingdome.
This Taske being layd vpon me (the vnworthi [...]st of many, who could and would haue performed it better) I haue endevoured to discharge, according to the scantling of time, and measure of grace vouchsafed vnto mee.
The Prophet in this Psalme, magnifying the Providence of God, against all prophane Epicures, and carnall Worldlings (who ascribe all [...]hings, either to blinde Fortune; or their owne Industrie) setteth downe foure kindes of men, which are most indebted vnto God for deliverance from Dangers: The first is of those, who in their Iourney by land haue escaped a Dearth, from the first verse to the tenth. The Second, is of Prisoners inlarged and set at libertie, from the tenth verse, to the seaventeenth. The Third, is of such, as are freed from a desperate and mortall Sicknesse, from the 17. verse to the 23. The Last, is of Mariners, Saylers, and Sea-faring men; who haue escaped a storme, and haue got into the wished haven, from the 23. verse to the 33.
This last part, being the Text appoynted for my present discourse; I haue for my better proceeding [Page 3] in it; and your Memories sake, reduced to these three heads, A Danger, A Deliverance, A Dutie.
The Danger is set downe verse, 25.26.27. (for the other two verses, are but as it were, an Introduction into it) for hee commaundeth, and raiseth the stormie winds &c. The Deliv [...]rance from the Danger is set forth by the Meanes that these Sea-faring men vse to bee freed from it, viz. faith [...]ull and fervent Prayer vnto God, verse 28.29. 30. Then they cry vnto the Lord in their trouble &c. The Dutie, is delivered verse 31. 32. Let them therefore confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse &c. To speake of these in order; the first thing wee haue to note is this, that Great is the Danger of Sea-faring men. D. Great is the danger of Sea-faring men. A liuely Image of their vncertaine and variable liues is heere set downe by the Prophet. And if we marke wel the comparison; It is next to famine, Imprisonment, and a deadly Disease to be a Sea-man: Pittacus. for as one sayth Navigantes ne (que) inter vivos, ne (que) inter mortuous. Saylers are neither amongst the living, nor yet amongst the dead: as having but a few inches of planke betweene them and Death, they hang betweene both; ready to offer vp their Soules to every flaw of wind, and billow of water wherein they are tossed. The immoveable rocks, and the mutable windes; the ouerflowing waters, and swallowing sands; the tempestuous stormes, & spoyling Pyrats haue their liues at their mercy and commaund. Mariners living in the Sea, almost as fishes, hauing the waters as their necessariest [Page 4] Element: are commonly men voyd of feare, ventrous and contemners of dangers: yet when God on a sudden commandeth a [...]orme, and sitteth himselfe in the mouth of the tempest: when their Ship is foundred with water vnder them; when Life and Soule are readie to shake hands, and depart this present world; then, euen these nought-fearing fellowes, these high stomaked men tremble for feare like faint-hearted women that shrink at euery stirre in a wherrie on the River of Thames in a rough and boysterous Tyde: or like vnto a yong Souldier, which starteth at the shooting off of a Gun.
I remember what Aeschi [...]es spak of Demosthenes at Rhodes when he read the Defence that Demosthenes had framed to his Accusation; the people wondring at the strength and validitie of it. Quid si ipsam andissetis bestiam sua verba pronu [...]cia [...]tem [...] What would you haue tho [...]ght (sayd he) if you had heard the Beast (for so hee speaketh disgracefully of Demosthenes) pronouncing it with his owne mouth?
You wonder at the hearing of the dangerous storme, described here by the Prophet; but what would you say, if you had seene it your selues with your owne eyes? Ionah, a Sea-faring man, when he writeth of the storme wherein he was; his pen wrote nothing so effectually, as his heart felt: and being the Scribe and Orator onely, hee is nothing so fluent and copious as when he is the Patient. The stile of his history is simple & plaine Ionah prayed v [...]to the Lord his God out of the belly of the fish. Ionah 1. 1. What one word therein is loftie and magnificent, [Page 5] and lifted aboue the common course of speech? But the stile of Ionah himselfe speaking from a sense and feeling of his owne woes, is full of Ornament and Maiestie, full of tr [...]nslated and varied phrases, as if a sentence of ordinarie termes were not sufficient to expresse his extraordinarie woes: for being in Affliction, and in the danger it selfe; verse 2. it is not sayd as before that he prayed, but that he cryed, praying is turned into crying; not from the belly of the fish, but fro [...] the belly of hell: a maru [...]ilous transformation: And the trouble he speaketh of, verse 3. is said to be a casting of him into the bottome of the midst of the Sea; and a compassing of him about with flouds, surges & waues, which went ouer and ouer his head: Nay, verse 5. a compassing about of his soule, and a very melting of it for tro [...]ble, as heere in this Psal. verse 26. and a wrapping about of his head with weedes, and a going downe vnto the bottome of the Mountaines. Let the Scriptures bee throughly searched againe and againe, from the beginning of Genesis, to the end of the Revelation; and wee shall hardly meete with the like description of Misery, so emphatically and pathetically set out as this of Sea-faring men, set downe both in that second Chapter of Ionah, and in this 107. Psalme.
The miseries of Iob, you all know how vehement they were, and he neuer more kind [...]ly expressed them then by this translation. Am I a Sea, or a Whale-fish that thou keepest me in ward? Iob 7.12.
Will you yet see the great danger of Sea men, I will leade you along to weigh it by an experience [Page 6] and tryal of mine own, In a Typhoon, or cruel tempest that I met with off of the Islands of Macqa [...], adioyning to the Continent of Chyna. In this Typhoon or storme, our goodly Vnicorne (a ship of 800 [...] T [...]nne) was cast away vpon the Continent of Chyna; but all the people (blessed be God) saued; and though at their first landing vpon the Chyna shore, they were rifled by some of the baser [...]ort of the Chynae [...]; yet vpon the comming of the Mandarins, or Governours, they had good entertainement of dyet & house-roome for their mony, and were very kindly vsed by those of better note. In this Tempest wee lost also our Pinnace, with 24 or 30 men in her which we had sent before vs to Firando (an Island adioyning to Iapan) to giue notice of our comming, of whom we never heard newes: wee cut off our long Boate, and let her goe; we sunke our Shallop with two men in her, who were swallowed vp by the waues. Such was this Storme, as if Ionah had been flying vnto Tharshish. The ayre was beclouded, the heavens were obscured, and made an Egyptian night of fiue or sixe dayes perpetuall horror: The experience of our Sea-men was amased; the skil of our Mariners was confounded; our Royal Iames most violently and dangerously leaked; & those which pumped to keepe others from drowning, were halfe drowned themselues with continuall pumping. But God that heard Ionah crying out of the belly of Hell; and who, heere is sayd to turne a storme into a calme; hee pitied the distresses of his servants; hee hushed the Tempest, and [Page 7] brought vs safely to Firando, our wished Haven. O that the Tempest of Macqau may never out of my minde, but that this wonderfull Deliverance and al other Gods mercies, may stil be iogging mee at the elbow, and putting me in minde to confesse before the Lord his loving kindnesse, and his wonderfull workes before the Sonnes of men; that I may exalt him in the congregation of the people, and prayse him in the Assemblie of the Elders.
But you will say, what needeth all this Discourse, touching the Danger of Sea-men; we are met together for another purpose, to giue thanks vnto God?
Beloued, I doe confesse indeed it is so, that the end of our present meeting is for Thankesgiuing. But how can wee [...]er be feelingly thankfull, as we should in word and deed, if wee know not the Danger wherein wee are, and the Deliverance vouchsafed vnto vs? Will not the true knowledge and deepe consideration of these, make vs put so many the more thankes into our Sacrifice of Prayse?
Wherefore I beseech you to take to heart, first, the Danger of your people in their passages both to Virginia, and after their landing. Secondly, the Danger of your whole Colony there. Thirdly, The Danger of your selues here at home. And left others, that are not of your Honourable Company, may thinke this point impertinent to them; Let all of vs consider the Dangers wherein we were, and still are; and the many Deliverances vouchsafed vnto vs (for I must intreat you to giue [Page 8] me leaue to joyne Danger and Deliverance together, for the better stirring of you vp vnto your dutie.) And then I doubt not, but all of vs shall haue cause to confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse, and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men.
And first, to touch the Danger of your people, both in their passage to Virginia, and after their landing there, may I not say in the words of Iob, Iob 16.3.4. Will yee giue the words of him that is afflicted to the winde? As if he had said, when affliction it selfe, and the inmost sorrowes of my heart tell my tale, will you not regard it? O that your soules were in my soules stead, that you felt as much sorrow as I doe: L [...]quor in angustia mea; quer [...]r in amaritudine animae mea, I speake that that I speake from a world of trouble; I make my complaint in the bitternesse of my soule. Surely, if some hundreds of those that mis-carried in the infancie, and at the first beginning of your Plantation, (which is exceedingly bettered within these 2. yeeres) were now aliue, I thinke they would speake no otherwise than Iob spake [...] Wil you giue the words of thē that are afflicted to the winde? Will ye not beleeue in what Danger we were, Summer Ilands. when some of vs made Shipwracke vpon the supposed inchanted Ilands; when others of vs encountred with bloudie enemies in the West Indies; when many of vs dyed by the way; and when those that were left aliue, some perished a shore, for want of comfortable prouisions, and looking vnto, and others were killed with the Bowes and Arrows of the Savages [Page 9] vpon our first landing there? I presume, I speake to melting hearts of flesh, as tenderly sensible of your brethrens woe, as heartily thankful for your owne good.
And now, beloued, since the case is altered, that all difficulties are swallowed vp: And seeing, first, there is no danger by the way; neither through encountring of enemy, or Pyrate; nor meeting with rockes, or Sholes (all which to Sea-faring men are very dangerous, and from all which your Ships and people are farre remoued, by reason of their faire and safe passage through the maine Ocean) nor through the tediousnesse of the passage; the fittest season of the yeare for a speedie passage, being now farre better knowne then before; and by that meanes the passage it selfe made almost in so many weekes, as formerly it was wont to be made in moneths; which I conceiue to be, through the blessing of God, the maine cause of the safe arriuall of your last Fleete of nine Sayle of Ships, that not one (but one, in whose roome there was another borne) of eight hundred, which were transported out of England and Ireland for your Plantation, should miscarry by the way; whereas in your former voyages scarce 80. of a 100. arrived safely in Virginia. And secondly, seeing there is no Danger after their landing, either through warres, or famine, or want of conuenient lodging, and looking too, through which many miscarried heretofore; for, blessed be God, there hath beene a long time, and still is a happie league of Peace and Amitie soundly concluded, [Page 10] and faithfully kept, betweene the English and the Natiues, that the feare of killing each other is now vanished away. Besides, there is now in your Plantation plentie of good and wholesome provisions for the strength and comfort, not onely of the Colony, but also of all such as after their passage doe land ashore. There is also convenient lodging, and carefull attendance provided for them, till they can provide for themselues; and a faire Inne for receiuing and harbouring of Strangers, erecting in Iames Cittie; to the setting vp of which, both your worshipfull Governour, Sir Francis Wyat, and your worthie Treasurer, Master George Sands doe write, that they doubt not, but there will be raised betweene fifteene hundred and two thousand pounds; to which euery man contributeth cheerefully and bountifully; they being all free-hearted, and open-handed to all publique good workes. Seing, I say, that now all former difficulties (which much hindered the progresse of your noble Plantation) are removed, and in a maner ouercome: And that your people in your Colony (through Gods mercy) were all in good health, euery one busied in their Vocations, as Bees in their Hiues, at the setting sayle of your Ship the Concord from Virginia in March last. O what miracles are these? O what cause haue you and they to confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse, and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men?
But to passe from the Danger and deliverance of your people, who indangered, yea, lost their [Page 11] liues in setling of your Plantation, consider, I beseech you, in the second place, the Danger wherein your whole Colony stood, at the time of Sir Thomas Gates arriving in Virginia from the Summer Ilands, when it was concluded a few dayes after his landing, by himselfe, Sir George Summers, Captaine Newport, and the whole Counsell, by the generall approbation of all, to abandon the Colony (because of the want of provisions) and to make for New-found-land, and so for England. And will not the hopefull setling of your Colony there, now vnder the Government of a worthy and worshipfull Commander; and a wise and wel-experienced Counsell, stirre you vp to confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse, and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men?
But, if neither the Danger of your people; nor the Danger of your whole Colony abroad, and the Deliverance vouchsafed to them both be enough to stirre you vp to confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse: Then I beseech you, in the third place, to consider the Danger of your owne selues here at home. What masse of money haue you buried in that Plantation? How many of you had it not made to wish that you had neuer put your hand to this Plough? Nay, how many of you had it not made to shrinke in your shoulders; and to sinke (as it were) vnder the burden, and to be quite out of hope for euer seeing penny of that you had so largely depursed?
And now, Beloued, is not the case altered? Are not your hopes great of seeing; nay, of feeling, [Page 12] within a few yeares of double, treble; yea, I may say of tensold for one? Doe not all of you know what that Religious and judicious Overs [...]er of your Colledge lands there writeth vnto you from thence? Master George Thorpe in his Letter written from Iames Citie May 17. 1621. No man (sayth he) can iustly say, that this Country is not capable of all those good things, that you in your wisedomes, with your great charge haue projected, both for her wealth and honour: and also of all other good things, that the most opulent parts of Christendome doe afford; neither are wee hopelesse, that this Country may also yeeld things of better value then any of those? And surely, by that which I haue heard and seene abroad in my travailing to India and Iapan, I am confirmed in the truth of that which he doth write. for Iapan, lying in the same latitude that Virginia doth; and if there be any ods, Virginia hath them, as lying more Southerly then Iapan doth: Iapan (I say) lying vnder the same latitude that Virginia doth, aboundeth with all things for profit and pleasure, being one of the mightiest and opulentest Empires in the world, hauing in it many rich Mines of Gold and Siluer.
And had you not a taste of some Marchantable Commodities sent vnto you from Virginia some yeeres agoe, whilest that worshipfull and worthy Gouernour, Sir Thomas Dale sent home vnto you samples of aboue a dossen severall good Commodities from thence? Haue you not now great hopes of abundance of Corne, Wine, Oyle, Lemmons, Oranges, Pomegranats, and all maner of fruites pleasant to the eye, and wholesome for the belly? And of plentie of Silke, Silke Grasse, [Page 13] Cotton-wooll, Flax, Hempe &c. for the backe? Are not you already possessed with rich Mines of Copper and Yron, and are not your hopes great of farre richer Minerals? Master George Sandes in his Letter written from Iames Citie March 3. 1621. Haue you not read what of late your worthie Treasurer doth write vnto you? If (sayth hee) wee ouercome this yeere the Yron-workes, Glasse-workes, Salt-works; take order for the plentifull setting of Corne; restraine the quantitie of Tobacco, and mend it in the qualitie, plant Vines, Mulbery-trees, Fig-trees, Pomegranats, Potatoes, Cotton woolles; and erect a faire Inne in Iames Citie (to the setting vp of which, I doubt not but wee shall raise fifteene hundred or two thousand pounds: for every man giues willingly towards this and other publique workes) you haue enough for this yeere.
And a little after, in the same letter [...] Maister Pory deserues good incouragement for his paineful Discoveries to the South-ward, as far as the Choanoack, who although he hath trod on a litle good ground, hath past through great forests of Pynes 15. or 16. myle broad and aboue 60. mile long, which will serue well for Masts for Shipping, and for pitch and [...]arre, when we shall come to extend our plantatiōs to those borders. On the other side of the River there is a fruitfull Countrie blessed with aboundance of Corne, reaped twise a yeere: aboue which is the Copper Mines, by all of all places generally affirmed. Hee hath also met with a great deale of silke grasse which growes there monethly of which Maister Harriot, hath affirmed in print many yeeres agoe, that it will make silke Grow-graines [...] and of which and Cotten woll all the [Page 14] Cambaya and Bengala stuffes are made in the East Indies.
Heard you not with your owne eares what M. Iohn Martin an Armenian by birth (that hath lived now 6. or 7. yeeres in Virginia, and is but very lately come from thence, and purposeth (as all others that are lately come ouer, who also farre preferre Virginia to England) to returne thither againe, with this resolution, there to liue and die) said in the audience of your whole Court the 8 th of this Instant? I haue travailed (said he) by Land over eighteene severall kingdomes; and yet all of them in my minde, come farre short of Virginia, both for temperature of ayre, and fertilitie of the soyle. All this throughly considered, O how great cause haue you to confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse, and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men?
And that all of vs here present may confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse, and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men; Let vs take to heart our private, our publique Dangers and deliverances: from how many Dangers eminent and imminent hath the Lord delivered vs and our whole Land in eightie-eight; and in the Gun powder-Treason? Haue wee not then all of vs good cause to exalt the Lord in the Congregation of the people, and to prayse him in the Assembly of the Elders? Nay, haue not Elders and Yongers, and all good cause so to doe?
But, alas, I am afraid, that we haue forgotten the louing kindnesse of the Lord, and his wonderfull [Page 15] Deliverances bestowed vpon vs. Beneficij memoria est brevissima; [...]. May not England justly be charged with Israels sinne, whose Prayers and Prayses ended so soone as they passed the red Sea? Amongst the Tribes, there was one named Manasse, which signifies, Forgetfulnes; I pray God the Tribes, euen the heads of our people forget it not; but that we and the whole Land, may confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse, and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men; and se [...]ke to exalt him in the Congregation of the people, and to prayse him in the Assembly of the Elders.
THus having spoken of the Danger, I come now to speake a word of the Deliverance, and the meanes which these Sea-faring men vsed to be freed from their trouble, which is faithfull & fervent Prayer, Then they cryed vnto the Lord, &c.
Faithfull and fervent Prayer vnto God, D. There is no daunger so great, out of which faithful and fervent prayer will not helpe a man. in the name of Iesus Christ, is a sure meanes to procure helpe in trouble, and to free vs from the greatest danger that is, or at least from the evill thereof. These Mariners going vnto God, not with a cold and carelesse devotion; nor with a dombe Spirit: but with as earnest and impatient a voyce, as the affection of their heart, and affliction of their body could send forth: they thus crying vnto the [Page 16] Lord in their trouble; hee brought them out of their distresse, he hushed the storme: he brought them to the haven of their desire, & made them glad at the heart. As David gaue charge to his Souldiers that they should not kill Absolom his Sonne, though hee sent them against Absolom to stay his rebellion: So God forbids his crosses to destroy his children, though he send them against his children, to purge out their corruptions. As Iohn after the voyce of Thunder heard the voyce of Harpers; so when the Saints haue heard the noyse of sorrow, they shall heare the sound of ioy. As the viper leapt vpon Paul, and leapt off againe: so troubles leape vpon the righteous and leape off againe, as though they had mistaken the partie, and rapt at the wrong doore. One calleth Affliction the Trance of the righteous, because they seeme dead for a while, but they wake againe.
Now all this commeth to passe, because the Lord sendeth the Spirit of Prayer into the hearts of his Children, whereby they cry vnto him in the time of their trouble, and therefore no marveile, when they cry vnto the Lord in their trouble, that he bringeth them out of their distresse.
The most ef [...]ctuall spe [...]ch to the secret eares of God commeth not from wordes, but from sighes and grones: he that heareth without eares can interpret our prayers without our tongues [...] hee that saw and fancied Nathaniel vnder the fig-tree, before he was called, hee that saw and sanctified [Page 17] Iohn Bap [...]ist in his mothers wombe before hee came forth, he s [...]eth, and blesseth our praiers fervently conceived in the bosome of our Consciences before they be vttered. But if they be faint and faithlesse, 1 King. 18. 26 [...] 27. &c. they shall be answ [...]red of God, as the Prayers of Baals Priests were, who though they cried lowd [...]rom morning to noone, and to the offering vp of the euening Sacrifice; and cut themselues till the bloud gushed out vpon them, yet there was none to heare, nor to regard their roarings.
Giue therefore but thy prayer a voyce to cry: for, it must not be dumbe, nor tong-tied; giue it an eye to seeke: for, it must not be wandring and carelesse; and giue it an hand to knocke: for, it must not feare to molest and disquiet; and not onely shalt thou bee freed from Dangers, but the doores, yea, all the treasures and jewels of the kingdome of Heaven shall be open vnto it.
But some, it may be, will say, My danger is great; yea, so great that it maketh my heart to ake within me, and my soule to melt for sorrow.
I answere, the greatnesse of our Danger cannot be a stop to our Deliverance; If we can but call and cry vnto the Lord in our trouble, Hee will bring vs out of our Distresse. The Sea-faring men here described, had their hearts to melt for sorrow, yet crying vnto the Lord in their trouble, He brought them out of their distresse? The word here translated, Distresse, Vmimmitskothebem. is by Arias Montanus translated [Page 18] de coarctationibus; and by Iunius and Tremellius, ex angustijs. So that the trouble here spoken of, is not properly trouble, but narrownes & straights. Be our case then never so desperate, the Lord can helpe it: for, nothing is vnpossible to him. The Israelites groaned vnto him in Egypt, he heard and deliuered them from the tyrannie of Pharaoh: The yong men in the Fierie Furnace called vpon him, and were deliuered: The cry of Daniel stopped the mouth of the roaring Lyons; Paul and Silas being in bonds, prayed, and their chaynes fell loose from them; the doores opened and gaue them passage. Although wee be plunged never so low, that we know not where to seeke, nor where to finde; although the floods of troubles runne cleane ouer and ouer vs; in so much that we seeme to our selues past helpe and recovery; yet are we not indeede past helpe, so long as we are not past desire to be holpen. Men indeed are altogether amazed, and in a maner bereft of wit and vnderstanding, when they feele themselues dangerously tossed too and fro, as here these Sea-faring men did; but when they cried in their trouble vn [...]o the Lord, he brought them out of their distresse. There was neuer affliction so great, but the hand of the Lord hath beene able to master it; There was neuer storme so fierce, but his power hath beene able to allay it. Therefore, if out soules doe euen melt for trouble within vs; wee must not take discomfort at it. The lord sitteth aboue the water-Floods; the Lord commandeth the [Page 19] Sea, and all that is therein; the Lord that turneth the storme to a calme (blessed be his name, and let the might of his Maiesty receiue honour for euermore) hee will neuer forsake his children that crie vnto him; neither in health nor sickenes, light nor darkenesse, stormes nor calmes; in the land of the liuing, nor in the land of forgetfulnes. Therefore, let vs resolue with holy Dauid, Psal. 23.4. Though I should walke thorow the valley of the shadow of death, I will feare no euill. I will feare no euill (saith Dauid) neither great nor small: for it is all one with God to deliuer from the greater stormes, aswell as from the lesser. Some difference there is indeed of Dangers and Deliuerances out of them, but it is only such as in Books printed on large and lesse letter and paper, the matter not varying at all; for example. Whē God brought some of the ships of your former fleetes to Virginia in safty; here Gods prouidence was seen & felt priuately by some; and this was a deliuerance, written (as it were) in quarto on a lesser paper & letter. But now, when God brought all of your 9. ships, and al your people in thē in health & safety to Virginia: Yea and that ship Tyger of yours, which had fallen into the hands of the Turkish men of war, through tempest and contrary windes, she not being able to beare sayle, and by that meanes drouen out of her course some hundreds of miles: for otherwise of it selfe the passage from England to Virginia, is out of the walke of Turkes, and cleere and safe from all Pyrates, who commonly lurke neere Ilands, and head-lands, and not in the maine Ocean. When this your Tyger had falne, by reason of this storme, [Page 20] and some indiscretion of her M [...]ster and people, who taking the Turkes to haue beene Flemmings, bound for Holland or England, bore vp the helme to speake with them: for they needed not if they had listed to haue come neere the Turkes, but haue proceeded safely on their voyage) into the hands of those mercilesse Turkes, who had taken from them most of their victuals, and all of their seruiceable sayles, tackling and anchors, and had not so much as left them an houre-glasse or compasse to steere their course, thereby vtterly disabling them from going from them, and proceeding on their voyage. When (I say) God had ransomed her out their hands, Esa. 43.4. as the Prophet speaketh, by another Sayle which they espyed, and brought her likewise safely to Virginia with all her people, two English boyes onely excepted, for which the Turkes gaue them two others, a French youth and an Irish. Was not there the presence of God printed, as it were, in Folio on Royall Crowne Paper and Capitall Letters, that, as Habacucke sayth, Hab. 2.2. They that runne and ride post may reade it. O then how great cause haue you and they, to confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse, and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men?
HItherto of the Danger and D [...]liuerance; now of the Dutie, which, in a word, is thanksgiuing.
The greater our danger i [...]; D. The more & [...]reater Gods blessings are vpō vs, the larger & heartier ought our prayses and thanksgiuings be vnto God for the same. the more ioyfull is our deliuerance, and [...]he more cheerfully ought wee to confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse, and his wonder [...]ull workes before the sonnes of men. Thanksgiuing is the end of our Deliuerance. This dutie carefully performed, is a singular exercise of faith, when men standing vpon the shore, and beholding the dangerous and tumultuous Seas which they haue passed, are stirred vp to sacrifice prayse and glory to him for the s [...]me. Gen. 8.20. Exod. 15.1 Psal. 50.15. This seruice is a further worke of faith then petition: for they which are but illightned [...]gainst death may serue in a sort to make some petitions to God; but they neuer bethinke them at-all of the dutie of thanksgiuing, when they haue receiued benefits from him. And for this cause, nine of the ten leapers which Christ cleansed, are defamed to all posteritie by the Holy Ghost in the Gospel.
Let vs labour to purge our selues of such a wickednesse, spending much of our time in songs of thanksgiuing, Confessing before the Lord his louing kindnesse, and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men. For thanksgiuing is, as it were, the homage or rent-charge, which wee are to returne to God for all his mercies, especially for our right to our inheritance in heauen. And wee know that if men refuse to do their homage, or pay their rent to [Page 22] their earthly Land-Lord, they shal deserue thereby to be turned out of their farmes, & others to be put in their roome, which shall discharge the duty better. So, if we proue vnthankfull to the Lord of heauen, shall wee not iustly deserue to lose our inheritance? Wherefore let vs doe as men, which are bound by bond to make tender of a sum of money vpon great penalty in a certaine place; and, at a certaine time named in the bond, they will be sure to tender the paiment in the place, and at the time appointed and specified in the bond, lest they incurre the penaltie. Euen so, &c. Let vs beware wee doe not forslow our thankfulnesse vpon light and slight excuses, lest we forfeit Gods louing kindnes, & our owne saluation. Let vs weigh, what God hath done for vs, & lay all Gods benefits together, thereby the be [...]ter to sti [...]re vs vp vnto thankfulnes. Leah beareth one son, & calleth his name Reuben; a second son, & called his name Simeon, Gen. 29.32. 33. &c. and a third, and called him Leni; but when aboue exspectation she conceiueth, and beareth the fourth time, she purposely cals his name Iudah, & expresly protests that she wil praise the Lord. If one benefit moue you not, many should if many haue not done it, yet this last & late mercy passing all the former. O call it Iudah, & now of set purpose praise the Lord, & confesse before him his louing kindnesse and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men.
Which that you may the better do, giue me leaue I pray you to shew you how your thanksgiuing ought to be qualified, that it may be a sweet sauour vnto God.
[Page 23]It must be accompanied, 1. with confessi [...]. 2. with exalt [...]tion. Confession againe, is either of Gods louing kindnes; or of his wonderfull workes.
There are two things in which Gods louing kindnesse is to be seene, 1. In giuing. 2. In forgiuing.
Gods louing kindnes in giuing, is to be praised: for is not God a great & good benefactor or ours, and do wee not greatly praise our benefactors? O let vs confesse his louing kindnesse as he is our Benefactor.
Gods louing kindnesse in forgiuing our sinnes is also to be confessed. I shewed you before the danger of your people sent to Virgini [...], the danger of your Colony planted there, and the danger of your owne selues here at home. And now if you looke to the Primitiue & original cause of al these your great Dangers, and many dis-asters that haue heretofore befalne to your plantation, I suppose you shall soon find the cause to be sin. The Marriners in the transportation of Ionah, Ionah [...] 1.7. made no question hereof. Let vs with these Marriners cast lots that wee may know for whose cause this euill came vpon your plantation in Virginia.
Was it for the sin of our land in generall, either because (as it is said of M [...]r [...]) it came not out to helpe forward this worke of the Lord with their Prayers and Purses; Iudg. 5.23. or was it because (as the Prophet speaketh Isay 1.5.,) The whole head is sicke, and the whole heart is heauy, from the sole of the foote to the crowne of the head, there is nothing whole therein, &c. Surely, surely, the sinnes of our land are crying sinnes; and is it any wonder if they doe awake the [Page 24] Iustice of God, and turne the mercies of Heauen into roddes of Indignation? Or was it for the sinne of your owne society at home; because you haue eyther too much affected your gaine? or too too seldome called vpon the name of God in prayer for giuing his blessing to your plantation? or too faintly depended vpon God by faith and patience for the issue? or too much neglected God in thankefulnesse for the successe? I can not excuse nor accuse you; you need not care to bee iudged by mans day: 1. Cor. 4:3 [...] your consciences can best tell you, whether the lot fall vppon you or not.
Or, was it for the sinne of such as you haue transported to your Plantation, because (most of them at the first, beeing the very scumme of the Land, and great pity it was that no better at that time could be had;) they neglected Gods worship, liued in idlenesse, plodded conspiracies, resisted the gouernment of Superiours, and caried themselues dissolutely amongst the heathens. If in any of these they haue offended, was not Gods rod of Mortalitie iustly vpon them for their sinnes?
But now (beloued) Almighty God hath graciously looked vpon you and your people, in passing by their and your sins; The Lord hath sayd to the destroying angel, 2. Sam. 24.16. It is sufficient, hold now [...]hy hand; the mortality of your people is ceased abroad: and the hope of your good returnes is increased at home: O [...]herefore, ought you not to confesse before the Lord his louing kindnes, both in giuing of mercies, and forgiuing of sinnes?
[Page 25]Another confession there must be, of Gods wonderfull workes. And both these confessions are againe and againe repeated in the amebe, burden or foote of this psalme.
It is most true, Ps [...]l. 40.5. & 66.3. & 10 4. 24. that all Gods workes are wonderfull (for he hath made them all in wisedome, in number, weight and measure) and that the Lord declareth himselfe to be great and wonderfull euen in the least of them amongest the sonnes of men. This Pharaohs Inchanters did confesse, This is the finger of God, Exod. 8.19. in the little lowse. But vnthankfull man taketh no notice of ordinary fauours, common protection, health, plenty, rest, pleasure, which are vsuall with them, and therefore Gods name is not praised for them: for except Christ worke miracles, they will not beleeue; Iohn 6.30. What signe (sayd the fleshly hearers of Christs word) shewest thou, that we may see it, and beleeue thee? What dost [...]hou worke? No signe, no faith: yea except God do great things for them, Psal. 147.20. Marke 2.12. that they may be able to say, that he hath not done so to any, and we neuer saw such a thing; they will not confesse his louing kindnesse, but rather smother both it, and his wonderfull workes.
Let vs therefore consider and weigh well the Wonderful workes of the Lord: for, is it not a work of wonder to command the creatures against the course of nature? as to cause the winde to cease with a word, and to quiet the Seas onely with a becke? To stay the fire that it doe not burne; and the hungry Lyons that they doe not deuoure? to mollifie the hearts of Saluages, and to make some [Page 26] of them voluntarily to remooue from their owne warme and well seated and peopled habitations, to giue place to Strangers, whom they had neuer before seene: as P [...]whatan at the first plantation of the English, to remoue from his owne station, and now of late the Mattaw [...]mbs to depart from their cleared and rich grounds; and to make others of them (as Opachancano) to sell to the English and their Gouernour sir George Yeardly the right and title they had to their possessions? Yet all these hath the Lord done, and are they not wonderfull works indeed? O then let vs stir vp our selues and others, and call vpon them, saying, Psal. 66.16. Come and hearken all yee that feare God, and I will tell you what the Lord hath done to my soule. O let vs confesse before the Lord, as his louing kindnesse, so also his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men.
But alas, I am afraid, that it is with vs concerning Gods wonderfull workes, as it was with the people of the Iewes, concerning the wonders of Gods Law, of whom God by his Prophet complayneth; Hosea 8.12. I haue written to them the great things of my Law, but they were accounted as a strange thing. God had vouchsafed to teach them the wonders of his word, what greater bounty? They passed by them, as things not worthy to be wondred at and regarded; what greater impiety? O that it were not with vs touching his wonderfull workes, as it was with them concerning the wonders of his law?
Our thankesgiuing, if it be good, must bee accompanied with exalting of the Lord. Now, to exalt the Lord none can properly be said to doe it; [Page 27] for who can exalt the Highest that exalteth all, and is exalted of none? To exalt the Lord then in the congregation of his people, is nothing else, but as Dauid expounds it, Psal. 122.8.9. to wish prosperity vnto Gods Church, & to procure the wealth of Gods people.
O then (beloued) would you haue God to accept of your thankes, and to giue a blessing to your Colony abroad, and your selues at home; studie to wish well, and to doe well to Gods Church and people.
Labour first, to procure faithfull, honest, and peaceable Preachers, and send them ouer to your people (as you haue sent some already, both of good learning and sanctified life, and many more such may you send,) that they may Open their eies, Act [...] 26.18. that they may turne from darknes to light; and from the power of Satan vnto God; that they may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes, and an inheritance amongst them which are sanctified by faith in Christ. If you prouide not spiritual foode for your people, aswell as corporall, what better prouision make you, then you doe for your bruite beasts which feede in your pastures? Nay, do you make so good? For, hath not an Oxe therein what he needeth; but a man without this, is hee not left vnprouided of the farre better part, euen his Soule? Yea, and if you haue no care to prouide good Preachers for your people, but send ouer vnto them such as offer themselues hand ouer head; you prouide not well for your selues: for, what assurance can you haue of them, who haue no assurance of themselues? what seruice can you expect from them which perfourme none [Page 28] vnto Almightie God? will they euer be faithfull vnto you, that are vnfaithfull vnto him? And how can they bee faithfull vnto God, if they haue not faithfull Preachers to bring them vnto him? Surely, the best you can looke from them, is but eie-seruice, which how good this wil be, I leaue it to yourselues well to consider of, who haue felt the smart of it by your slow returnes. Nothing can cast a sure knot vpon the hearts of your people, but the true knowledge and feare of God: so as when you aduance religion, you aduance together with it your owne profit. The neglect of this hath made your hopes in your long looked for Returnes, to this houre to bee frustrate. 1. Sam. 6.11. Deut. 28.5. Hag. 1.19.30. Obed Ed [...]m prospered the better for the Arke of God. The Iewes had no good harnest whilest they left off to build Gods Temple; and they amended in their estate when they amended that fault, and reformed themselues.
Amongst other of the causes, that it hath not pleased God to be succesfull vnto your Plantation at the beginning thereof, and in the infancy of the same. That worthy ouer-seer of your Colledge Lands before mentioned, giueth this as one; That you haue not as you ought (for these bee his very words) preferred Gods glory by your serious endeauo [...]rs of conuerting the Natiues, who (as he writeth) do liue so peaceably amongst vs, and round about vs, as they do euen seeme to groane vnder the burden of the bondage of Satan, and to want nothing but meanes to be deliuered. And this hee confirmeth by a discourse which he had with Opachankan [...], their great King, who hath succeeded Powhatan, whose daughter [Page 29] Pokah [...]ta [...], one maister Iohn Rolfe, an English Gentleman of good worth, married: for he found that the sayd Opachankano had more notions of religion in him, then could be imagined in so great a blindnesse, since he willingly acknowledged that theirs was not the right way, desiring to be instructed in ours: And confessing that God loued vs more then them; and that he thought the cause of his anger against thē, was their custome of making their children Blacke-boyes, or consecrating them to Sathan. Hee found also that the sayd Opachankan [...] had some knowledge of many of the fixed S [...]arres, and had obserued the North Starre, and the course of the Constellations about it, and called the great Beare Manquahanum, which in their language doth signifie the Sunne.
I might heere speake something touching my owne experience, of the willingnesse of the Heathens in gen [...]rall in all the Easterne parts of the world, where I haue trauailed, how ready they are to receiue the Gospel, if there were but Preachers amongst them that could and would instruct them by their Doctrine and Life. And of one of them in speciall, Peter Pope, so named by his Maiestie. which I brought with me out of India to England, and taught him (I not being able to speak otherwise to him, nor he to mee, but by signes,) to speake, to reade and write the English tongue and hand, both Romane and Secretary, within lesse then the space of a yeare, so that his Maiestie and many of the Nobilitie wondered at his hand; and within the compasse of three yeares, I taught him the grounds of Religion, and to learn most of [Page 30] Saint Pa [...]les Epistles by heart, and to giue a publique confession of his Faith the day hee was baptized in a famous assembly heere in the Cittie, before the right worshipfull the East India Company, and since to write the Latine Epistles heereunto adioyned.
I could heere say much of the double diligence of Iesuites their poysoning with the Coloquintida of Popery many thousand soules in the E [...]st I [...]dies and Iapan, and other the remotest parts of the world: All which might bee Motiues strong enough to stirre you vp to haue a greater care of the planting of the Gospell in your Plantations.
But Time now calleth vppon mee to excite you, as to labour to procure and send ouer honest and painefull Preachers, so in the second place to haue a care (as I know you haue) to procure and send ouer skilfull and pianefull Tradesmen and Husbandmen, to follow their trades, and to cultiuate the ground.
Our Countrey aboundeth with people; your Colony wanteth them: you all know that there is nothing more dangerous for the estate of Commonwealths, then when the people doe increase to a greater number and multitude, then may iustly parall [...]ll with the largenesse of the place and country in which they liue. For, euen as bloud, though it be the best humour in the body, yet if it abound in greater quantitie, then the vessell and state of the body will contayne and beare, doeth indanger the body, and oftentimes destroyes it: so although the honour of a King be in the multitude of people (as [Page 31] wise King Salomon speaketh) yet when this multitude of people increaseth to ouer great a number, Pro [...]. 14.28. the common wealth stands subiect to many perillous inconneniences, as famine, pouerty, and sundry other sorts of calamities.
Thus hauing falne into this point of exalting God in the congregation of the people, and the assembly of the Elders, I haue here good occasion offered to mee to blesse God for the prudence and prouidence of this honourable citie, the honourable Elders thereof, the honourable Lord Maior, and the right worshipfull the Aldermen his brethren; who seeing this Cittie to be mightily increased, and fearing lest the ouer-flowing multitude of inhabitants should, like too much bloud in the body, infect the whole Cittie with plague and pouertie; haue therefore deuised in their great wisdomes a Remedy for this Malady, to wit, the transporting of their ouer-flowing multitude into Virginia; which was first put in practise in the Maioralitie of that worthy & famous Lord Maior Sir George B [...]wl [...], who se [...]t ouer a hundred persons, the halfe of their charge being borne by the Citie; the other halfe by the Honourable Virginia Company; which worthy course was afterwards followed by the right worshipfull Sir William Cockins, in whose Maioraltie were sent ouer a hundred more in the like nature. And now likewise the right Honourable, the present Lord Maior, with the right worshipfull the Aldermen his brethren, intend to con [...]inue this course, that they may ease the Citie of a many that are ready to starue, and do starue dayly in our streetes (to the [Page 32] great griefe of all tender-hearted and mercifull men) for want of foode to put into their mouthes. This course, I say, they haue taken already, and meane to prosecute it, as I am informed, to the end they may preserue this famous Cittie in greater Peace and Prosperitie: Herein wisely imitattng the prudent and prouident husbandman, whom they see thus to deale with his grounds, when they are ouercharged with cattle: For, as he by remouing thē from one ground to another, prouideth well both for his cattle and for his ground: so they in their wisedoms, by remouing their super-increasing people from the Citty to Virginia, haue prouided well both for this Cittie and their people: for, whereas many of those which were sent ouer, were a burden to this Citty, they are now through the good gouernment there, and Gods blessing vpon the works their hands) become men able to liue of themselues in good sort and fashion in Virginia; being before their sending ouer like to vnconuerted Onesymus, vnp [...]ofitable vnto all; Philem. ver. 1 [...]. and now by their being there, like vnto the same Onesymus, but truely conuerted, profitable to the Plantation, and to the Cittie; to the one by their paines, to the other by their prayers, blessing God from the bottome of their hearts that they were sent from London to Virginia; yea, blessing also the Lord Maiors, in whose time they were sent ouer.
I may say of this singular prudence and prouidence of this honourable Cittie, what our Sauiour sayd of the fact of Marie Magdalen in powring her [Page 33] costly oyntment on his sacred head (howsoeuer some sonnes of Beliall maligne this worthy worke, as Iudas the Traitor, and some of hell, maligned [...]at act of Ma [...]ies anoynting of Christ, pretending [...]e good of the poore, but intending it as much as his owne saluation, which was little or nothing at all,) Ioh. 12.3.4. [...]c Mat. 26.13. Verily I say vnto you wheresoeuer this Gospell shall bee preached, throughought all the world, there shall also this that she hath done be spoken of, for a memoriall of her. So verily, I say of this honourable City and worthy Elders thereof, that so long as there shall continue any English in Virginia (and we hope their race shall continue there till the second comming of our blessed Sauiour) transported from this Citie thither, they shall not c [...]ase to pray for the prosperitie of this famous Citie, and worthy gouernours thereof. Wherefore let me beseech so many of the right. Worshipfull and worthy Gouernours of this famous Cittie, as are present, (and I humbly intreate them, to stirre vppe all such as are absent) to proceede as they haue begunne, Pro [...]. 4.18. that their Way may shine as the light that shineth more and more vnto the perfect day; that what was spoken of Ruth, may bee verified in them; Ruth 3.10. Thou hast shewed more goodnesse in the latter end, then at the beginning: and that that may bee their praise, which is recorded to be the commendation of the Church of Thy [...]tir [...]; Re [...]. 2.19. I know thy workes, and thy loue and seruice, and faith and patience; and how thy workes are more at the last then as the first.
[Page 34]Right Worshipfull, yee are plentifull in other good workes, the maintaining of your Ho [...]pitals, and other publike workes in this famous Cittie, preach your munificence through all the world, R [...] [...]. 8. & 16.19. as the faith and obedience of the Romans was published abroad among all. O be rich in well doing this way likewise, that it may be sayd of you, Many haue done worthily for the plantation in Virginia, but the honourable Citty of London surmounteth them all. Your Cittie (as I sayd) aboundeth in people (and long may it doe so) the Plantation in Virginia is capable enough to receiue them; O take cour [...]e to ease your Cittie, and to prouide well for your people by sending them ouer thither; that both they of that Colony there, and they of your owne Cittie here, may liue to blesse your prudent and prouident gouernment ouer them. For, I haue heard many of the painfullest labourers of your Cittie, euen with teares bemoane the desolate estate of their poore wiues and children; who though they rise earely, taw and teare their flesh all the day long with hard labour, and goe late to bed, and feede almost all the weeke long vpon browne bread and cheese, yet are scarce able to put bread in their mouthes at the weekes end, and cloathes on their backes at the yeares end; and all because worke is so hard to be come by, and there be so many of the same Trade, that they can not thriue one for another. Right Worshipfull, I beseech you ponder (as I know you doe) the forlorne estate of many of the best members of your Citty, and helpe them, O helpe them out of their misery; what you bestow vppon [Page] them in their transportation to VIRGINIA, they will repay it at present with their Prayers, and when they are able with their Purses; and GOD in the meane while, will plentifully reward your liberalitie this way with his blessing vpon your famous Citie, vpon your selues, vpon your posteritie: For doth not your mercifull God, the Lord of Hosts, Mal. 3. [...]0 bid you proue him, if hee will not open the windowes of heauen vnto you, and powre you out a blessing without measure?
And that I may bend my speech vnto all, seing so many of the Lords Worthies haue done worthily in this noble Action: yea, and seing that some of them greatly rejoyce in this (as I haue heard it from their owne mouthes) that GOD hath inabled them to helpe forward this glorious Worke, both with their Prayers and with their Purses, let it be your griefe and sorrow to be exempted from the Company of so many honourable minded men, and from this noble Plantation, tending so highly to the advancement of the Gospell; and to the honouring of our drad Soveraigne, by inlarging of his Kingdomes, and adding a fifth Crowne vnto his other foure: for, En dat Virginia quintam, is the Motto of the Legal Seale of VIRGINIA. And let mee, in a word, shut vp all, vnto you all, that hath beene spoken with that exhortation of the Apostle; 1. Cor. 15.5 [...]. My beloved brethren, [Page 36] be yee stedfast, vnmoueable, aboundant alwayes in the worke of the Lord: for as much as you know that your labour is not in vaine in the LORD.