The Black Devil, Part 21
A Sea.
The World is not a materiall, but a Mysticall Sea. Time was, that the whole world was a Sea. Gen. 7. The waters preuailed exceedingly vponupon the earth, and Gen 7. 19, 20.all the high hils, that were vnderunder the whole Heauen, were couered. Fifteene Cubites vpward did the waters preuaile, and the Mountaines were couered. As a Poet according with the Scripture:
Omnia Pontus erant, deerant quo que littora Ponto. All was a Sea, and that sea had no shores. The Deluge of sin is no lesse now, then was thē the deluge of Waters. The floud of wickednesse brought that floud of vengeance. If their soules had not bene first drowned, their bodies had not bene ouerwhelmed. The same ouer-flowing of iniquity shall at last drowne the world in fire.
The World may be very fitly compared to the Sea in many concurrences.
1. The Sea is an vnquiet Element, a fuming & foming beast, which none but the Makers hand can bridle. Math. 8. What manner of man is this, that euen Math. 8, 27.the Winds and the Sea obey him? The world is in full measure as vnruly. It is the Lord that stilleth the noise of the Seas, the roaring of their waues, and the tumult Psal. 65: 7.of the people. Where the Psalmist matcheth roaring waues, and roaring men: the raging of the Sea with the madnesse of the world. And yet God is able to stil them both. The Prophet calles the Sea a raging creature, and therein yoakes it with the wicked. The wicked are like the troubled Sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast vp mire and dirt.Esay 57, 20.
Vnà Eurus que Notus que ruunt, creber que procellis…ncid. 1.
Affricus, et vastos tollunt ad littora fluctus.
Yet the Lord gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heape: and layeth vp the depth in store-houses. Heare God himselfe speake to this boystrous Element. Psalme 33, 7.Iob. 38. Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waues be stayed: Let me say truely of God, what Pliny of Nature, in this Element. Hîc ipsa se Natura vincit numerosis modis. God, who is maruellous in all his wayes, wonderfull in all his workes; is in the Sea most wonderfully wonderfull. It is called Aequor, quasi minimè aequum: so (I thinke) the World mundus, quasi minimè mundus. Sometime Fretum à fremitu; of a boysterous and troublesome nature. The VVorld is full of molesting vexations, no lesse then the Sea.
1. Sometimes it swels with Pride, as the Sea with waues; which Dauid saith, mount vp to heauen. Behold that Babilonian Lucifer, saying, I will exalt Psalme 107.my throne aboue the stars of God. I will ascend aboue Esa. 14, 13, 14the heights of the Clouds: I will be like the most High. Pride is haughty, and walks with a stretched out neck, Esay 3, 16.and with an eleuated head: as if at eueryevery steppe it could knocke out a starre in heauen. Especially the proud man, like the Sea, swels if the Moone inclines, if his Mistris grace him.
2. Vaineglory is the winde, that raiseth vp the billowes of this Sea. The off spring of the reuiued Genesis 11.world are erecting a turret, whose battlements were meant to threaten heauen. Did they it in an holy ambition of such neighbourhood? No: they loued not heauen so well. Did they it for security vponupon earth? Neither: for Feriunt summos fulgura montes; the nearer to heauen, the more subiect to thunder, lightning, and those higher inflammations of heauen. VVheras Procul a louelove, procul a fulmine, was the old saying: Far from Iupiter, far from his thunder. Their purpose was onelyonly glory in this world. And as the Psalmist saith, that the winde raiseth the billows of the sea. He commandeth & raiseth the stormy wind: which lifteth vp the waues thereof. So Ambition was Psal. 107, 25.the wind, that reared those waues and wals of pride.
3. The World like the sea, is blew with enuy, liuid with malice. It is the nature of worldlings to ouer-vexe themselues at the succesfull fortunes of others. God must do nothing for another man, but his euill eye thinkes himselfe wrong'd. He repines at that shower, which fals not on his owne ground. The pretions balmes distill'd from heauen on neighbours breake the malicious mans head. Hee hath in him no honesty, but especially wants an honest eye. He wounds himselfe to see others healed. Neyther are the blowes, he giues his owne soule, transient flashes, or lashes that leaue no impression behind them: but markes that he carries with him to his graue: a leane, macilent, affamished body; a soule selfe beaten blacke and blew.
4. Sometimes it boyles with wrath: and herein the world and the sea are very semblable. A mad & impatient element it is; how vnfit to figure man! Ye… such is his indignation; if in the rage and fury of the sea there be not more mercy.
There is a time when the sea ceaseth from her raging: but the turbulent perturbations of this passion in the world continue without remission or interruption. The angry man is compared to a Ship sent into the sea quae Daemonem habet gubernator…m; which hath the Deuill for the Pilot. Ira mortalium debet esse mortalis. The anger of mortal man should Lactant.be mortall, like himselfe. But we say of many, as Va…er. Max. of Sylla: It is a question, whether they or their anger dye first: or whether death preuents them both together. If you looke into this troubled Sea of anger, and desire to see the Image of a man: behold, you finde fiery eyes, a faltring tong, gnashing teeth, a heart boyling in brine, and drying vp the moysture of the flesh; till there be scarse any part lest of his right composition. The tumultuous rage of the world so reekes with these passions, that the company of those men is as ominous and full of euill bodings, as the foming Sea.
5. The Sea is not more deepe then the World. A bottomlesse subtlety is in mens hearts, and an honest man wants a plummet to sound it. Pollicy and Piety hauehave parted company; and it is to be feared, they will hardly euer meete againe. He is counted a shallow fellow, that is, as the Scripture commends Iacob, a plaine man, dwelling in tents. New deuices, trickes, plots, and stratagoms are only in Genesis 25, 27request. Doe you not know the reason hereof? The world is a Sea; and in this Sea is plaine-dealing drown'd.
6. There is foming luxury in this Sea: a corrupt and stinking froth, which the world casts vp. The steame of lust in this mare mortuum fumes perpetually; poysons the ayre we breathe; and like a thicke fogge, riseth vp to heauen, as if it would exhale vengeance from aboue the clouds. This spumy fome is on the surface of the world, and runnes like a white leprosie ouer the body of it. Commend the world, ye affecters and affected of it: there is a fome that spoiles the beauty. Praise it no further then Naaman was, 2. King. 5. He was Captaine of the hoast of the King of Syria, a great man with his 2 King. 5, 1.maister, and honourable, because the Lord by him had giuen deliuerance to Syria: He was also a mighty man in valor, but he was a Leaper. There is a blurre in the end of the Encomium: a blanke in the Catastrophe: a prickle vnderunder the rose. But he was a leaper. This veruntamen marres all. The world you say, is spaciosus, speciosus; beautifull, bountifull; rich, delightfull: But it is leprous. There is a Sed to it: a filthy some that defiles it.
7. The world, as the Sea, is a swallowing Gulfe. It deuoures more then the Sea of Rome: yea, and will deuoure that to at last. It swallowes those that swallow it: and will triumph one day with insultation ouer the hugest Cormorants, whose gorges hauehave bene long ingurgitated with the world; In visceribus meis sunt: They are all in my bowels. The Gentleman hath swallowed many a poore man: the Merchant swallowes the Gentleman: & at last this Sea swallowes the Merchant. There are foure great deuourers in the world, Luxury, Pride, Gluttony, Couetousnesse. The Prophet I…l speakes of foure horrible destroyers. That which the Palmer worme Ioel. 1, 1.hath left, hath the Locust eaten: that which the Locust hath left, hath the Canker-worme caten: and that which the Canker-worme hath left, hath the Caterpiller eaten. The Palmer is Luxury: the Locust Pride: the Canker Gluttony: and you all know that the Caterpiller is Couetousnesse. Luxury, like the Palmer, swallowes much in the world: that which luxury leaues vnspent, Pride the locust deuoures: the scraps of Pride, the Canker Gluttony eates, and the fragments of all the former, the Caterpiller Couetousnesse soone dispatcheth. These be the worlds foure widethroated Swallowers.
These circumstances hauehave demonstrated (the first instance of this comparison) the tumultuous turbulency of the world. There be many other resemblances of it to the Sea.
2. Mare amarum. The Sea is bitter, and therfore called the sea. A quo dominatio, denominatio. The waters therof are also salt and brinish. Al demonstrates the world to hauehave an vnsauory rellish. So it hath truely; whether we respect the works or the pleasures of it.
The workes of this sea are the waters of Marah. Exod. 15. If we be true Israelites, when we come to the waters of this Marah, we cannot drinke of the waters Exod. 15, 23.of Marah; for they are bitter. The workes of the world hauehave an vnsauory rellish. Would you know what they are? Aske S. Iohn. All that is in the world, 1 Iohn 2, 16.the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. Haec tria pro trino Numine mundus habet. Aske S. Paul. Adultery, fornication, vncleanesse, lasciuiousnesse, Idolatry, Gal. 5, 19.witch craft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, enuyings, murthers, drunkennes, reuellings: These opera tenebrarum are bitter workes: branches springing from that roote, which beareth gall and wormewood. Deut. 29. Sowre and Deut 29, 18.wilde grapes which the soule of God abhorreth. As the good Simon told the bad Simon. Act. 8. Thou art Acts 8, 23.in the gall of bitternesse, and bond of iniquity.
Nay euen the delights of the world are bitter, sowre, and vnsauory. For if medio de fonte lepôrum, there hap not surgere amari aliquid; yet knowest thou not, it will be bitternesse in the end? Reioyce, oh yong man, Eccle. 11, 9.in thy youth, & let thy heart cheare thee, &c. But know thou, that for all these things, God will bring thee into iudgmēt. It may be hony in the Palate, it is gal in the bowels. Iob. 20. Though wickednesse be sweet in his Iob. …0, 12.mouth, though he hide it vnderunder his tongue: Though he spare it, and forsake it not, but keepe it still within his mouth. Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of Aspes within him. He that swims in a full sea of riches, and is borne vp with whole flouds of delights, is but like a Sumpter-horse, that hath carried the Trunkes all day, and at night his treasure is taken from him, and himselfe turned into a foule stable; perhaps with a gall'd back. The rich worldling is but a hir'd Porter, that carries a great load of wealth on his weary backe all his day, till he grone vnderunder it: at night, when the Sun of his life sets, it is taken from him; and he is turn'd into a foule stable, a squallid graue: perchance with a gall'd shoulder, a raw and macerated conscience.
Say, the delights of this world were tollerably sweet; yet euē this makes them bitter, that the sweetest ioyes of eternity are lost by ouer-louing them. There was a Romane, that in his will bequeathed a Legacie of a hundred Crownes to the greatest foole. The Executors inquiring in the Citie for such a one, were directed to a Nobleman, that hauing left his owne faire reuenues, Mannors & manners, became a Hog-heard. All men consented, that he was the greatest foole. If such a Legacie were now giuen, the Heires neede not trouble themselues in scrutiny: there be fooles enough to be found eueryevery where: euen so many, as there bee worldlings: that refusing the honors of heauen, and the riches of glory, turne Hog-keepers, nay rather Hogges; rooting in the earth, and eating huskes.
But how bitter, saltish, and vnsauourie soeuer the Sea is, yet the Fishes that swim in it, exceedingly like it. The World is not so distastfull to the heauenly palate, as it is sweete to the wicked. Who hauehave learned, though with that woe and curse. Esa. 5. To call good euill, and euill good; bitter sweete, and Esay 5, 20.sweete bitter. They strip themselues to adorne it, as the Israelites did for the Golden Calfe; and so adorned, adore it with deuoted hearts. It is their Baal, their Idoll, their God. Alas! it is no God; more like, they will finde it a Deuill. M. Fox in his Martyrologie hath a story of the men of Cockeram in Page 1404.Lancashire. By a threatning command from Bon…r, they were charged to set vp a Rood in their church: accordingly they compounded with a Caruer to make it. Being made, and erected, it seemes it was not so beautifull as they desir'd it; but with the harsh visage thereof scared their children. (And what should a R…od serue for, but to please children and fooles?) Heereupon they refused to pay the Caruer. The Caruer complaines to the Iustice. The Iustice well examining and vnderstanding the matter, answeres the Townsmen. Go to, pay the workman; pay him: and get you home, and marke your Roode better. If it be not well-fauoured enough to make a God of; it is but clapping a paire of hornes on't, and it will serue to make an excellent Deuill. So adde but your superstitious dotage, couetous oppressions, and racking extortions to the World, whereby you gore poore mens sides, and let out their heart-blouds: and though it bee no God to comfort, you shall finde it Deuill enough to confound. The world then is extremely bitter in digestion, what euer it be at the first rellish.
Well yet, as salt and bitter as this Ocean the world is, there is some good wrought out of this ill. That supreme and infinite goodnesse deswades his Children from affecting it, by their experienced tartnesse of it. So the Nurse embitters the dugge, when she would weane the Infant. How easily had Solomon bene drowned in this Sea, had hee not perceiued the distastfulnesse? when his vnderstanding & sense concludes, All is vexations his affections must needs begin to abhorre it. Gods lets his looke into the world, as some go to Sea, to be Sea-sicke: that finding by experience, what they would not credit by relation, they may loath this troublesom world, and long to be in the Land of Promise. He that once throughly feeles the turbulencie of the Sea, wil louelove the …ry land, the better whiles he liues. Our better spirituall health is not seldome wrought, by being first Sea-sicke, disquieted with the worlds vexations. Salt water hath sometimes done as much good as sweet: hard things, as soft: as stones, as well as cotten, are good casting for a hawke. The crudities of sin in Dauids soule were vomited vp by a draught of this bitter water. That profuse Sonne would hauehave beene a longer stranger to his Fathers house; if the Luke 15.World had not put him to a Hogges dyet. Peter no sooner sees the billow, but he eiaculates to Christ, a short but substantiall prayer, Lord, saue me.
For this cause is the world made to vsus so full of afflictions. Christ promiseth to giuegive a reward, but not to take away persecutions. Blessed are they, which are persecuted for righteousnes sake: for theirs is the Math. 5, 10.Kingdome of heauen. He doth not subtract all suffering, but addes a recompence, God doth so mingle, and compound, and make them both of one indifferency and rellish: that wee can scarse distinguish which is the meat, and which the sawce; both together norishing our spiritual health. You see the alike distastfulnes of the world and sea. This is the second resemblance.
3. The sea doth cast forth her dead fishes; as if it labourd to purge it selfe of that which annoyes it: giuing onelyonly contentfull solace and nutriment to those that naturally liue in it. So does the world; cō tending to spew out those that are dead to it. 1. Cor. 4. We are made as the filth of the world, & the off-scouring of all things vntounto this day. No maruel if she pukes 1 Cor. 4, 13.when we lye on her stomack. A body inured to poisons, growes sicke & queasie at the receit of wholesome nourishment. Ioh. 15. If ye were of the world, the world would louelove his owne. But because you are not Iohn 15, 19.of the world, but I hauehave chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Not a piece of the world, but all the world. Math. 10. You shall be hated Math. 10, 22.of all men for my name sake.
The godly are indeed the very health of the world. The Family thriues the better, that Ioseph but serues in. The City is forborne so long as Lot is in it. The whole world stands for the Elects sake. And if their number were accomplished, it should bee deliuered to the fire. Yet: oh strange! Eliah is said to trouble Israel: and the Apostles are thrust out of Cities for turbulent fellowes. But saith Ambros. Turbatur illa nauis, in qua Iudas fuit. The Shippe was troubled wherein Iudas was. Christ was in a Ship with the other Apostles, without Iudas: behold the winds are still, the sea is calme, the Ship safe. Christ was in a Ship with Iudas amongst the rest, and Turbatur illa nauis: the winde blusters, the waues rore, and a tempest endangers the vessell to ruine.
Benefit multis ex societate boni. One goodman doth much good to many. He is not only as manacles to the hands of God, to hold them from the defulmination of iudgements; but is also a happy preuention of sin. He keepes God from being angry: he calmes him, when he is angry. A godly man is like Dauids Harpe; he chaseth away the euill spirit from the company: and he doth (as it were) coniure the Deuill. For in his presence, (as if he could worke miracles) Impudence growes ashamed, ribaldry appeares chast, drunkenesse is sober, blasphemers hauehave their lips seal'd vp, and the mouth of all wickednesse is stopp'd. This good comes by the good.
Yet because they are dead to the world, it casts them out. So the Gergesites did cast Christ out of their borders. Math. 8. So the Pharises did cast the Conuert that was born blind, out of their Synagogue. Ioh. 9. So the Antiochians did cast Paul and Barnabas Iohn 9, 34. Acts 13, 50out of their coasts. Act. 12. Like Confectioners, that throw away the iuyce of the Orenges, and preserue onelyonly the rindes: or as certaine Chymists, that cast all good extractions to the ground, and onelyonly make much of the poison. But if you will not bee picked vp of the world, you must adhere close to it, and with alimental congruence please his stomack. Wil you go to the Court? you must be proud, or you shal be despised. Wil you to the city? you must be subtle, or you shall be cheated. Will you to the Country? you must partake of their ignorant and blinde dotage, and ioyne in their vicious customes, or you shall bee reiected. If you liue in the world, and not as the world, this Sea will spew you vp, as too holy for their company. But let'hem. For God forbid that I should glory, saue in the Crosse of Galath. 6, 14.our Lord Iesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified vntounto me, and I vntounto the world.
4. The Sea is no place to continue in. No man sailes there to saile there: but as he propounds to his purpose a voyage, so to his hopes a returne. You hold him a prisoner, that is shut vp in close wals; the doore of egresse barred against him. He is no lesse a Prisoner, (though his Iaile bee as large as the Sea) that must not set his foot on drye ground. The banks and shores be his prison walls: & although he hath roome enough for his body, he is narrow'd vp in his desires. He findes bondage in liberty: the one halfe of the earth is but his prison; and he would change his walk for some little Iland.
The world in like sort, is no place to dwell in for euer. Selfe-flattering fooles, that so esteeme it. Psal. 49. Their inward thought is, that their houses Psal. 49, 11.shall continue for euer, and their dwelling places to all generations: therefore they call their lands after their owne names. As if the Sea were for mansion, not for transition. It was a glorious piece of the world, which rauished Peter desir'd to build Tabernacles on: Math. 17. yet it was perishable earth; and it might not be granted. Heauen onelyonly hath mansions. Ioh. Iohn 14, 2.14. (In my Fathers house there are many mansions; all the world else is but of tottering Tabernacles.) And immobile regnum. Heb. 12. a kingdome that cannot be shaken; when all the kingdomes and Principalities Heb. 1…, 28.of the earth shall be ouerturned. This world then onelyonly is for waftage.
There is one Sea to all men common, but a different home. We are all in this world eyther Strangers 1 Peter 2, 11.or Straglers. The godly are strangers. 1. Pet. 2. Dearely beloued, I beseech you as Pilgrims and strangers, abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule. So that aged Patriarch acknowledged to the Egyptian King. Few and euill hauehave the dates of thy seruant beene in his Pilgrimage. In that true golden legend of the Saints, it is said of them. They confessed Heb. 11, 13.that they were strangers & Pilgrims on the earth. The wicked are straglers too; and howsoeuer conentur figere pedes, and to take their portion in this life. Psal. Psal. 17, 14. Acts 1, 25.17. yet they must, with Iudas, to their owne home. We grow vpward, they goe forward, to heauen or hell, eueryevery man to his owne place. Let the rich man promise his soule a Requiem here. Lu. 12. 20. Let the Atheisticall Cardinal of Bourbon preferre his part in Paris to his part in Paradice: yet the sea is not to be dwelt on: It is but for waftage, not for perpetuity of habitation. This is the fourth Resemblance.
5. The Sea is full of dangers. To discusse the perils of the sea belongs rather to the capacity of a Marriner, then of a Diuine. I will onelyonly apprehend so much, as may serue to exemplisie this dangerous world.
1. The Sea is one of those fearefull elements, wherin there is no mercy. Oh that the world had but so much mercy, as might exempt and discharge it of this comparison. But if we take the world for the wicked of the world, we read that the very mercies of the wicked are cruell.
2. There be Pyrates in the Sea. Alas! but a handfull to that huge army of them in the world. Take a short view of them from our most excellent Postillist. Fury fights against vsus, like a mad Turke. Fornication, like a treacherous Ioab; in kisses, it kils. Drunkennes is the maister-gunner, that giues fire to al the rest. Gluttony may stand for a Corporall; Auarice for a Pioner; Idlenesse for a Gentleman of a company. Pride must be C…ptaine.
But the Arch. Pyrate of all is the Deuill; that huge Leuiathan, that takes his pleasure in this sea. Psa. 104. And his pastime is, to sinke the fraught of those Merchants, that are laded with holy traffique for heauen. Canst thou draw out this Leuiathan with an Iob. 41, 1, 2.hooke? or his tongue with a cord which thou letst down? Canst thou put a hooke into his nose, or bore his iaw th… rough with a thorne? Historians speake of a fish that is a speciall, & oft-preuailing enemy to this Whale; called by some Vihuella, or the Sword-fish. The most powerfull thing to ouercome this mysticall Leuiathan, is the sword of the Spirit: which to be seconded with the temporall sword of the Magistrate is of singular purpose. Whiles neyther of these swords are drawne against this Pyrate, & his malignant rabble; no maruel, if they make such massacres on the sea of this world. Let the red Dragon alone, & whilst himselfe comes tumbling downe from heauē, he will draw downe many stars with his tayle.
3. There be Rocks in the sea; which if a skilfull Pilote auoide not warily, he may soone hauehave his vessel dash'd in peeces. How many Ships hauehave bene thus cast away! How many Merchants hopes thus split? They call their vessels by many prosperous names: as the Successe, the Good speed, the Triumph, the Safeguard; How vaine doth one Rocke proue all these titiles! The Rocks of our Marine world are Persecutions and offences: which lye as thick, as those fiery serpents in the wildernes, with their venemous and burning stings. Numb. 21. Christs cause and Christs crosse go most commonly together: and who shall be sooner offended then his little ones? All that wil liue god…y in 2. Tim. 3, 12.Christ Iesus, shall suffer persecution. As if it were a fatall kind of destinie to them, not to be euaded. Woe Math. 18, ….vntounto the world, because of offences; saith He that is able to execute vengeance vponupon his aduersaries. It must needs be that offences come: but wo be to that man by whom the offence commeth. It were better for him, that with a Mil-stone hung about his necke, he were drowned in the depth of the materiall Sea: as his soule hath beene already drowned in this mysticall Sea of wickednesse. Well, put the worst: if these Rockes do shatter vsus, if these pensecutions shall splitte the Barke of our life, yet this be our comfort: our death is not Mors but immortalitas: not a death, but an entrance to life vncapable of dying. Rockes in the Sea vndoe many a Merchant; these Rockes euentually make vsus happy: and often we hauehave iust cause to take vp that saying. Perieramus, nisi perijssemus; we had bene vndone, had we not bene vndone.
4. Besides Rockes, in the sea there be also gulfes. In the Sicilian sea there is Scylla, a great Rocke: and Charybdis, a place of dangerous swallowes: whereout was drawne that prouerbe. Incidit in Scyllam, cupiens vitare Charybdim. Mystically, in this world there are not onelyonly Rockes of persecutions, but gulfes and swallowes of Errors and Heresies. Let vsus beware, lest auoiding the one, we be deuoured of the other. There is a perilous Gulfe in the Romane sea: (too too many of our nation hauehave found it.) Dangerous swallowes about Amsterdam. It is good to flye from the Gulfe of superstition; but withall to auoide the swallow of separation. It is ill turning eyther to the right hand or to the left: mediocrity is the safest way. VVhen Opinion goes before vsus, it is a great question, whether Truth will follow vsus. Stragling Dinahs seldome returne, but rauish'd home. Singularity in conceites concerning matters of Religion, are as perilous as to follow a plurality or multitude in euill customes. A man may perish as easily in the faire-colour'd waters of heresie, as in the mudde of iniquity. VVhat matters it, whether thou be drown'd in faire water or foule, so thou be drown'd. Beware of these gulfes and swallowes.
5. There be Straites in the sea of this world: those of Magellan or Giberaltare are lesse dangerous. The hard exigents of hatred, obloquie, exile, penurie, misery: difficult Straites, which all sea. faring Christians must passe by to the Hauen of blisse. Pyrates that care not which way they direct their course, but only watch to rob and spoile, are not bound to these passages. So worldlings, that neuer aime or intend for heauen, but to ballace themselues with the wealth of the world, from whomsoeuer, good or bad: or howsoeuer, by faire meanes or foule, they attaine it; may keepe the broad Ocean, and hauehave sea-roome enough. For broad is the way of destruction, Mathew. 7.and many there be that keepe it. But the godly are bound for the Coast, that lyes vponupon the Cape of Bona Speranza, and they must of necessity passe through these Straights. Straite and narrow is the way that leadeth vntounto life, and few there bee that finde it. But if, like those Argo-nautae, wee will saile for the Golden fleece of ioy and happinesse, we must be (militantes inter fluctus) content with hard Passages. It is our solid comfort, (as it was fabled of that Shippe, that it was made a starre in heauen) that we shall be one day, (inter syderatriumphantes) stars fixed in the right hand of God; and shining for euer in glory. This is the fifth danger of our mysticall sea; straights.
6. There be Sirens in the Sea of this world. Syrens? Hirens, as they are now called. Those in the materiall Sea are described to hauehave in their vpper parts the proportion or beauty of women: downewards they are squalid and pernicious. Virgo form… sa superne, Decidit in turpem piscem. They inchant men with their voices: and with sweet songs labour sopire nautas, sopitos demergere, to lull the Mariners asleepe, and sleeping to sinke and drowne them. What a number of these Sirens, Hirens, Cockatrices, Courteghians, in plaine English Harlots swimme amongst vsus, happy is it for him that hath only heard, and not bene infected.
Their faces, and their voices promise ioy and iollity; their effects are onelyonly to drowne and shipwracke mens fortunes, their credites, their liues, their soules. A Booke cald Opus tripartitum speakes of the Storkes; that if they catch one Storke leauing his owne mate, and coupling with another, they all fall vponupon him, and spoile him of his feathers and life to. But as if this sinne were growne a vertue by custome among vsus, there are not wanting, who knowing the iudgement of God (that they which commit such Rom. 1, 32.things, are worthy of death) not onelyonly do the same, but hauehave pleasure in them that do them. If in Authoritie subordinate to inferiour Magistrates (the perswasion of my heart excuseth the higher powers; and the impartiall proceedings of the trulie Reuerend and godly Prelates of this land testifie it) there were not some conniuence, (God forbid Patronizing) of these enormities for some sinister respects: the Sirens about our Riuer of Thames should bee (if not sent swimming to Graues-end, yet at least) taken in at Bridewell staires.
Perhaps a poore man incontinent may smart for it; but how often dares an Apparitor knocke at a Great-mans gate? If Lust comes vnderunder the ranke of Honourable, or Worshipfull, who dares tax it? But let as many as would bee one Spirit with the Lord Iesus, hate to be one flesh with a Siren. It is recorded 1 Cor. 6.of Vlysses, that he stop'd his eares to the incantations of these Sirens; and hauing put the rest vnderunder the hatches, bound himselfe to the Mast; to preuent the power of their tempting witch-crafts. Vlysses was held a wise man: sure then they are no lesse then fooles, that prooue and approoue their charmes. No man loues a Gally-pot for the paint, when he knowes there is poison in it. I end in the Epigram of a moderne Poet.
Si renum cupis inco…mem seruare salutem,
Sirenum cantus effuge, sanus eris.
7. Another perill in this mysticall Sea is the frequencie of tempests. Some hauehave tempestuous lookes, as Laban. Gen. 31. Some tempestuous hands, as Samballat. Nehem. 4. to hinder the building of Ierusalem. Innumerable hauehave tempestuous tongues, as Ishmael, Shimei, Rabshakeh. Such tempests hauehave bene often raised from the vapor of a malicious breath, that whole Kingdomes hauehave bene shaken with it. Maister Foxe mentioneth in his Booke of Martyrs, that one in the street crying fire, fire; the whole assembly Pag. 1180.in S. Maries in Oxford at one Mallary's Recantation, presumed it in the Church. Insomuch, that some laboured at the doores, where through the crowd of many, not one could passe: some stucke in the windores: al imagin'd the very Church on fire, and that they felt the very molten lead drop on their heads: whereas all was but a false fire; there was no such matter. In like sort scandalous slanders, and inuectiue contumelies begin at a little breach, one calumnious tongue; and get such strength, like mutiners which marching forward, that the world soone riseth in an vprore. These are called by Ambrose, Procellae mundi. And what world-faring Christian hath scaped these stormes! But saies Epictetus. Si rectè facis, quid eos vereris, qui non rectè reprehendunt? If thou do rightly, why shouldst thou feare them that blame wrongfully? Doe well, and be happy, though thou heare ill. This is another danger, Tempests.
8. There is yet a last perill in the Sea; which is the fish Remora. A fish… as it is described of no magnitude, about a cubit in length; yet for strength able to stay a Ship. It is recorded, that Caius Caesars Galley was stayed by this fish.
There are many Remora's in this world, that hinder the good speed of Christian endeuors. Would Herod heare and obey Iohn Baptists preaching? He hath a Remora that hinders him, Herodias. Would Nicodemus faine come to Christ? Feare of the Iewes is his Remora. Would Paul come to Thessalonica? The Deuill is his Remora. Wee would hauehave come to you once and againe, but Satan hindred vsus. Yea euen 1 Thess. 2, 18.doth Christ Iesus purpose in his infinite mercy to suffer for vsus, and pre-acquaint his Apostles with it? Euen Peter will be his Remora. Maister fauour thy Math. 16, 22selfe. This shall not bee vntounto thee. Hath that forward young-man any good mind to follow Christ? The parting with his goods to the poore is his Remora. VVould you hauehave him that is rich follow pouerty?
Such are our Remora's now; that hang vponupon our armes, like Lots wife, deswading our departure from Sodome. Are we inuited to Christs Supper, the Gospell? Some Oxen, or Farmes, or a wiues idlenes, the pleasures of the flesh retards vsus. Some businesse of our owne is a Remora to Gods businesse. Are we called to speake in the Truths cause boldly? The awefull presence of some great man is our Remora, we dare not. Doth our consciences prompt vsus to parle for the restoring of the Churches right? Our owne Impropriations, and the easie gaine of the tenth of our neighbours goods, are a Remora, wee cannot. Are we exhorted in the name of IESVS CHRIST, for Gods mercy to vsus, to shew mercy to his; to feed the hungry, succour the weake, releeue the poore, & make vsus friends of our vnrighteous Mammon by charity? Alasse! the world, couetous desire of gaine is our Remora; wee must not. Tell the Couetous man, that he is not Gods Treasurer, but his Steward; and blame him for peruerting the end of his Factor-ship; there is a Deuill plucks him by the sleeue, thirst of gaine, God hee confesseth his Maister; but the world his Mistrisse. If you aske him, why he doth not in charitable deeds obey his Maister; he answers, his Mistris wil not let him.
VVould the yong man repent? his harlot steps forth, and like a Remora, stayes his course. Let a Sermon touch a mans heart, and begin remorse in him, that he purpose reformation; good fellowship, like a Remora, stops him. Yea, let a man in an age, (for rare are the birds that drop such feathers) erect Hospitals: Piety and deuotion shall meete with some Remora's, that would ouerthrow them. You heare the dangers of the sea of the world; the fifth circumstance of this Comparison.
6. In the sea there be foreign, fishes that eate vp fishes: so in the world foreign, men that eate vp men. Psal. 14. HaueHave all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eate vp my people Psalme 14, ….as they eate bread. Hab. 1. The wicked man deuoureth the righteous. Thou makest men as the fishes of the Sea. The labours of the poore, euen his whole heritage is worne vponupon the proud mans backe, or swallowed downe into his belly. He racks rents, wrings out fines, extorteth, inhaunceth, improueth, impouerisheth, oppresseth; till the poore Tenant, his wife, and children cry out for bread: & behold, all buyes him scarse a sute of clothes; he eates and drinkes it at one feast.
Oh the shrill cry of our Land for this sinne, and the loud noise it makes in the eares of the Lord of Hoasts! The Father is dead, that kept good hospitality in the Country: and the Gallant, his sonne must liue in London; where if he want the least superfluity, that his proud heart desireth: (and how can he but want in the infinite pride of that City?) He cōmits all to a hard Steward: who must wrings the last droppe of bloud from the Tenants hearts; before the Land-Lord must want the least cuppe to his drunkennes, the least toy to his wardrobe.
If this be not to eate, swallow, deuoure men, bloud and bones, then the fishes in the sea forbeare it. Heare this ye oppressers! Bee mercifull: you will one day be glad of mercy. The yellings of the poore in the Country, are as loud as your rorings in the City. The Cups you drinke, are full of those teares, that drop from affamished eyes, though you perceiue it not. You laugh, when they lament: you feast, when they fast: you deuoure them, that do your seruice. God will one day set these things Psal. 50, …1in order before you.
7. The sea is full of Monsters. Innumerable, and almost incredible are the relations of Trauellers in this punctuall demonstration. As of Estaurus, a fish chewing the cudde like a beast: of the Manate, headed like an Oxe: and of certaine flying fishes, &c. And are there not in this world Men-monsters? I doe not say of Gods making, but of their owne marring.
You would thinke it prodigious, to see a man with two faces. Alasse: how many of these walke daily in our streetes? They hauehave one face for the Gospell, another for the masse-booke: a brow of allegiance for the King, and a brow of apostacy of treason for the Pope; whensoeuer he shall call for it. You would thinke it a strange defect in nature, to see a man borne without a head: why there are innumerable of these head-lesse men among vsus: who like brute beasts, hauehave no vnderstanding, but are led by the precipitation of their feet; follow their owne mad affections. Others redundantly hauehave two tongues, dissemblers, hypocrites: the one to blesse God, the other to cursse man made after his Image. Iames 3.They hauehave one to sing in a church, another to blaspheme and rore in a Tauerne.
Some hauehave their faces in their feete; whereas God (Os homini sublime dedit, caelum que tueri iuss it) gaue man an vpright countenance, and framed him to looke vpwards; these look not to heauen whence they did drop, but to hell whether they will drop. Insatiable earth-scrapers, couetous wretches; that would dig to the Center to exhale riches. Others hauehave swords in their lips, a strange kind of people, but common; raylers and reuilers: eueryevery word they speake, is a wounding gash to their neighbours. VVeigh it seriously. Are not these monsters?
8 On the Sea men do not walke, but are borne in vessels; vnles, like our Sauiour Christ, they could worke miracles. In the world, men doe not so much trauell of themselues, as they are carried by the streame of their owne concupiscence. So saith S. Chrysost. Hîc homines non ambulant, sed feruntur; Hom. 7. ope… impers.quia Diabolus cum delectatione compellit illos in mala. Here men doe not walke, but are carried: for the Deuill beares them vponupon his backe: and whiles he labours them to hell, winde and tide are on his side. VVhen he hath them in Profundis Abyssi, vponupon that bottomles depth, he striues to exonerate his shoulders, and doth what he can to let them fall & sinke into the infernall lake. So …aul saith, that temptations and snares, foolish and hurtfull lusts do (no lesse then) 1 Tim. 6, 9.drowne men in perdition. You thinke your selues on dry and firme ground, ye presumptuous wantons; Alasse! you are on the sea, an inconstant sea,
Digitis a morte remoti Quatuor, aut septem, si sit latissima taeda.
Soone ouer-boord. The windes will rise, the surges will beate, you will be ready to sinke: cry faithfully, and in time with the Apostles. Lord saue vsus, or we perish.
9. Lastly, the Sea is that great Cesterne, that sends waters ouer all the earth: conueying it thorow the veines, the springs; till those dispersed waters become Riuers, & then those Riuers run back againe into the Sea. This vast world scattereth abroad her riches; driues & deriues them by certain passages, as by Cunduit pipes vntounto many men. The rich man shall hauehave many springs to feed him with wealth: the east & west windes shal blow him profite: industry, policy, fraud, lucke shall contend to giuegive his dition the addition of more wealth. At length when these springs hauehave made a brooke, and these brookes a riuer, this riuer runnes againe into the Sea. VVhen the rich man hath sucked the world long, at last absorbetur a mundo, hee is sucked vp of the world. VVhatsoeuer it gaue him at many times, it takes away at once. VVarre, exile, prison, displeasure of greatnesse, sutes of law, death, emptie that Riuer in one moment, that was so many yeares a filling.
Mans wealth is like his life; long a breeding, soon extinct. Man is born into the world with much paine, nursed with much tendernes, kept in childehood with much care, in youth with much cost. All this time is spent in expectation. At last, beeing now (vponupon the point) a man, the pricke of a sword kils him. Euen so is our wealth piled, so spoyled: the world, like some politick Tyrant, suffering vsus to scrape together aboundant riches, that it may surprise vsus and them at once.
Innumerable other relations would the World and the Sea affoorde vsus. I desire not to say all, but enough: and enough I hauehave saide, if the affections of any soule present shall hereby distaste the world, and grow heauenly. Oh, what is in this Sea worth our dotage! what not worthy our detestation! The sinnes of the world offend our God: the vanities hurt our selues: onelyonly the good blessings serue for our godly vse, and to helpe vsus in our iourney. But we know that we are of God, and the whole world lyeth 1 Iohn 5, 19.in wickednesse. Pray we, that this Sea infect vsus not; especially drowne vsus not. Though wee lose, like the Mariners in the prophecie of Ionas, our wares, our goods, our vessell, our liberties, yea our liues, let vsus keepe our faith. It is the most dangerous shipwrack, that this naufragous world can giuegive vsus, the shipwracke of faith. They write of the serpent, 1 Tim. 1, 19.that he exposeth al his body to the blow of the smiter, that hee may saue his head. So lose wee our riches, our houses, lands, liberties, liues: but keepe we Faith in our Head, Iesus Christ.
Though we liue in the world, let vsus not louelove the world, saith S. Iohn. Not fashion our selues to it, saith S. Paul: hate the vices, the villanies, the vanities of it. Thinke it easier, for that to peruert thee, then for thee to conuert that. Water will sooner quench fire, then fire can warme water. A little wormewood embitters a good deale of honey; but much honey cannot sweeten a little wormewood. Call we then on our God to preserue vsus, that the euill of the world infect vsus nor. Aristotle saith, if a man take a vessell of earth new and raw, close vp the mouth thereof, throw it into the salt sea, letting it lye there a day or two; when he takes it vp, he shall finde fresh water in it. Though wee bee sowsd in this Ocean-world, yet if the Spirit of grace seale vsus vp, the brinish waters of sinne shall not enter vsus; but we shall be vessels of grace, here, heereafter of glory.
Amen.