The Seven Days, Meditation 5
A MEDITATION, VponUpon the LORDES fifth Dayes Worke.
THE Element of Water, which God created on the fifth Day, produceth vntounto vsus two Treaſures: The one, which filleth the Seas with Fiſhes: the other pleniſheth the Aire with Birdes and Fowles: for the Lord would leaue nothing emptie.…iſ…es neceſſarie for our na…ure.
As for the Fiſhes, wee know how neceſſarie they are for our nature, and conſtitution of our bodie, which of a part is humide.The prouidence of God, in ſending …iſhes to Scotland in dve ſeaſon. God hath furniſhed this Nation with ſuch aboundance of Fiſhes, that they hauehave obtained the names of Schooles, and Droues: he ſendeth them in the mouth of Harueſt in our Seas, both Eaſt and Weſt, in ſuch aboundance, that they may feede the poore Labourers in cutting downe their Cornes. Such is his rich diſpenſation in due time for the comfort of his people.
Daintineſſe of ſome, who contemne fiſh.How much are they to be blamed, who for delicateneſſe of their bellies doe contemne theſe good creatures, which God thought ſo neceſſarie for their nature? And herefore the Lawes of our Realme are better made than practized, whrein dayes are appointed, and dayes are forbidden for the eating of Fiſh, which men will violate, vnderunder the colour of Conſcience, becauſe all Meates are free.
I grant, the difference of Meates is taken away by Chriſt, but thou muſt not vſe thy libertie to the prejudice of thy Brother, and the whole Countrey: yea, to offende the Prince, who gaue not out that Law to ſtraine thy Conſcience, but for the benefite of his Subjects, whom to offende were great Conſcience in ſo lawfull commandements.
As for the ſuperſtitious difference for Conſcience, as though one were holier than another:Superſtitious differencie in Meats. Heb. 13.4. Pſal. 107.23. Gods power ſeene in the Seas. that is the worke of Antichriſt, who biddeth abſtaine from Meats which God hath created: and forbiddeth to marrie, which God hath ſaid is honourable amongſt all.
Further, they who goe downe to the Sea, hauehave experience of Gods power, to deliuer them from the ſtormie waues thereof; where they ſhould call to minde how oft they hauehave raiſed vp the waues of their ſin againſt God, and beſeech him to aſſwage his wrath againſt their ſinnes: that hee who hath power ouer the Windes and Waters, may rebuke them with the word of his mouth.Mat. 8.27
If thou be ſailing in the Diſciples Boate,Comfort to Sea-faring men in tempestes. Matth. 14.23. and be a true member of his body, remember Chriſt is in the mountaine of Heauen; look vp to him with apenitent eye of a ſinner, and he will looke vntounto thee with a pittifull eye of a Sauiour, and will pray to his Father for thine helpe. The Fiſhes come not to the Nettes, but by Gods direction. The Apoſtles were fiſhing all night, but receiued nothing, till Chriſt came, and then they drew out their Nettes full, to them & their partners.Luke 5.5. Iohn 23.1 Therefore, it is in vaine to riſe earlie, except the Lord builde thine houſe,Pſal. 127.1.2. & bleſſe thy worke. Herefore, whether we bee on Sea or Land, let vsus euer ſtudie to get Gods bleſſing.
Further, God declareth his power, not only in creating Fiſhes for our neceſſitie and pleaſure, which wee hauehave dayly, but alſo in creating Fiſhes both for quantitie, as the Leuiathan, (of whome Iob ſpeaketh) and in qualitie,Iob 40.20 21.22. &c. Plin. lib. 32 cap. 1 miraculous, as Echeyneris, or Remora, ſo called from her vertue, who being three foot long, will cleaue to a great Shippe, and hinder her to ſaile. And againe, the Mare-maides,Maremaids whoſe face and vpper parts are like a Womans, & the neather parts like a Fiſh. Many other might be brought in, which I omit, affirming this, that the Lord is maruelous in all his works.
Finallie,Allegorie of the Sea. Mat. 4.19. the Allegorie which our Sauiour bringeth in of the fiſhing, is remarkable: The Sea is the world: the ſurges of waues and windes are the tentations of the Deuil & his children: the Fiſhes are Men, who goe through the world: the Boate is the Church: the Fiſhers are the Apoſtles and Miniſters, who ſhould be fiſhers of men, who muſt ſpreade foorth the Nette of the Goſpell in the turbulent Sea. of this world, albeit with great hazard and perrill, to draw men from the Sea of this life, to the kingdome of Heauen. They are called Piſcatores hominum, Fiſhers of men:Matth. 4. and they are ſent to ſeeke men, and fiſh after the ſoules of men.
As for the Fowles of the Aire,Fowles. they are infinit in number, and there is ſuch variety in their colours, which is admirable, with ſuch heauenly notes and harmonies, as their coeleſtiall Muſicke ſhould prouoke vsus all to the praiſe of God, when the Birdes doe after their manner praiſe him.
The Peacoke is glorious in his colours,Iob 39.16 & 17. and he ſcorneth the glorie of Kinges. The Oſtridge an vnnaturall Fowle, like vntounto vnnaturall Mothers. The Doue is full of louelove & ſimplicitie,Matth. 13.16. which we ſhould imitate. The Turtle a patterne of chaſtitie, the contrarie whereof ſhe condemneth in vsus. The Eagle full of rapine,Iob 39.33 Matth. 10.29. Ierem. 7.8. which wee ſhould flee. The Sparow is an exāple of Gods prouidence; who will much more care for man. The Storke and the Swallow know their times, which wee doe not; neither can we finde that time wherein we ſhould turne from our wandring. The Swallow bringeth vp her little ones neare vntounto the Houſe of God,Pſal. 83.3. and we flee from it: yea, and the young Rauens ſeeke their meate at God, who giueth it them in due ſeaſon. So all theſe Fowles praiſe God, ſome by their voyces, & ſome by their example.Let vsus learne at the Birds to praiſe God. Let vsus then be aſhamed, to be inferiour to them, certifying our ſelues, that theſe ſame, if we doe it not, ſhal be witneſſes againſt vsus at the laſt day.
A PRAYER, VponUpon the LORDES Fifth Dayes Worke.
HEarken vntounto my Prayer, I beſeech thee, O mine heauenlie Father, and moſte mercifull God: Oh, I intreat thine heauenlie Majeſtie, that thou wilt bee mercifull vntounto mee, and forgiue me all mine ouertreadinges. Great and manie are thy benefires, O Lord, and I hauehave beene a great abuſer of the ſame. Thou didſt make the Light vponupon the firſt Day, & I hauehave abuſed it: yea, when thou ſent mee a better Light for my ſoule, I continued ſtill in the workes of darkneſſe. Thou vponupon the ſecond Day, didſt create the Heauens; but I hauehave ſinned againſt the Heauens,Luk 15.18 and againſt thee, and am not woorthie to looke vpwardes. Thou didſt make the Earth vponupon the thirde Day; but I am an vnprofitable burthen vntounto it. Thou didſt make the Sunne and Moone vponupon the fourth Day, to ſhine; but whileſt they were ſh…ning, I was ſinning: as though thoſe glorious Veſſels were appointed to carrie light to let mee ſee to commit iniquitie. And nowe vponupon the firth Daye, thou furniſheſt two extraordinarie great Commodities for mans vſe: the Sea is prepared with Fiſhes, and the Aire with Fowles and Birdes vntounto my neceſſitie. O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wiſedome haſt thou made them: all the Earth is full of thy Riches: thou haſt commaunded the Sea to giuegive mee Fiſhes, and the Aire Fowles: thou haſt put life into them, and they are appointed to die for the maintenance of my life.God letteth his creaturs die, that we may liue. Is not then my life precious vntounto thee, who makeſt ſo manie to die, that I may liue? But I am not onelie fed with them, but am the price of thy Sonnes Bloode. O Lord, what am I, that thou ſhouldeſt hauehave made them al to die, that I might liue? Then, I beſeech thee, let my life ſerue to thine honour: yea, if my death might honour thee, I deſire to liue no longer. Thou giueſt me daylie Fiſhes out of the Seas, and out of the R…uers. Manie are ſteruing with Hunger, and yet thou feedeſt mee. Oh, forgiue mee, that ſometimes I hauehave loathed thoſe thy good creatures: and abſtract them not from mee, although I hauehave contemned them heeretofore.
O Lord, what prooues of thy deliuerie hauehave I had! Thou broughteſt mee to the Hauen, and I forgot the Vowes which I promiſed vntounto thee in the bitterneſſe of mine heart. Nowe, Lord, I prayſe thee for thy notable deliueries whereby thou haſt kept mee: and hencefoorth let me not doe what I will, but what thou wilt; and commaund mee as long as I liue. Thou mighteſt hauehave made mee a baite, and foode for the Fiſhes; but yet thou haſt made them foode for mee. Let it bee, O God, to thy glorie, and for the good of thy people: for thou ſendeſt them to the Nette of thy prouidence. Let me therefore depende vponupon thee. I caſt me ouer vponupon the knees of thy fauour. The Lyon ſhall be hungrie,Pſ. 34.10. but thoſe that feare thee ſhall lacke nothing which is good for them. Oh, that if I could be allured, by theſe thy louetokens, to praiſe thee aright, and that I might bee ſtirred vp vntounto a duetie to the Poore, who are in neceſſitie. O liberall God, why ſhould I receiue ſo aboundantlie, and giuegive backe ſo niggardly, and ſparingly? Open & enlarge mine heart, O Lord,Pſal. 119. that mine hand may diſtribute theſe thy creatures to the hungrie, poore, and needie, as a ſure token which thou requireſt of my thankfulneſſe towardes thee.
Faythfull Fiſhers.O Lord, ſende foorth vntounto the Sea of this Worlde faythfull Fiſhers, who may drawe manie ſoules from it vntounto thine heauenlie kingdome. Purge thine holie Church, O God, from all Hyrelinges, and ſuch as are not fiſhers of men.
And againe, O Lord, as thou haſt prepared the Fiſhes in the Seas for my ſuſtenance, ſo haſt thou likewiſe commanded the Aire to furniſh all manner of feathered Fowles to my vſe: Therefore I giuegive thee thanks, with my whole heart, that thou ſacrificeſt thy creatures out of al places for me: beſeeching thee that I may ſacrifice the corruptions of my nature. Further, O Lord, I learn by the Fowles, that they flie in the Firmament, but they feed on the earth.Simil. Lord, howſoeuer that I muſt ſeeke my foode here, yet let my conuerſation be in the Heauens. When that in the Sommer I heare the ſweet voyce of theſe Birdes, which by their Angelicall Harmonie may juſtlie bee called the Miniſters of Muſicke, I beſeech thee to hauehave merciemercy vponupon me, thy poore creature, and open my Lips, and looſe my Tongue, that I may ſound foorth thy praiſes: and that by theſe thy creatures I may ſtill finde newe prouocations to bee ſtirred vp to proclaime thy goodneſſe: that I being initiate, & entered into thy praiſe here, may glorifie thee eternallie in Heauen, through Chriſt my Lord and Sauiour.
Amen.