The Seamans Direction in Time of Storm, Sermon

The Seamans Direction in Time of Storm · Sermon

p. 1THE SEA-MANS DIRECTION IN TIME OF STORME.

Pſal. 148. 8.

Stormy Wind fulfilling his word.

A Word ſpoken in ſeaſonPr. 25. 11. how good is it! it is like Apples of Gold with pictures of Silver: Silver pictures doe ſet out the golden Apples, and the golden Apples doe grace the Silver pictures; ſo words that are gracious fitted to their p. 2circumſtances, they are graced each by other. A good word ſpoken at any time is a golden Apple, it hath worth in it, but fitted to circumſtances, it hath beauty added to it; and notSo Arias Montanus. Super rotis ſuis. onelyonly beauty, but efficacie too; for ſo it is in the Originall, words upon their wheeles, when they are rightly fitted to their circumſtances, being ſpoken in due ſeaſon, then they goe upon their wheeles, and paſſe along like a triumphant Chariot; whereas if theſe bee omitted, they are drawne out as a Cart is drawne on without wheeles; like Pharoahs Chariots, when God tooke off their wheeles, they drave heavily.

As Saint Auguſtine ſaid of the outwardAccedat verbum ad elementum & fit Sacramentum: Accedat verbum ad opera Dei, & fiunt documenta pietatis adjumenta. element in the Sacrament, let the word come to the element, and it is made a Sacrament; ſo I may ſay of Gods workes, let the word be added to Gods workes, and they are inſtructions, great helpes to Godlineſſe.

There is a great threat againſt thoſe who regard not the workes of God, Becauſe they regard not the workes of the p. 3Lord, nor the operation of his hands, hee ſhall deſtroy them and not build them up, Pſal. 28. 5. That ſuch a curſe may not befall us for our regardleſneſſe of this worke of the Lord in this dreadfull ſtormy wind, I have choſe this Scripture; that as Job heard the Lord ſpeaking out of the whirle-wind, ſo you this day by this Scripture may heare the Lord ſpeaking to you out of that ſtormy tempeſtuous wind, that but yeſterday was ſo terrible to you: Senſitive things move much, yet the impreſſion of them holds not long; it is good therefore to take the advantage of your hearts, and that preſently.

The title of this Pſalme, is Hallelujah, praiſe ye the Lord: it is a Pſalme of praiſe by way of excellency above others, it begins and ends with, Praiſe ye the Lord; all ſorts of creatures in heaven and earth, ayre and ſeas, are called to joyne in this worke, but eſpecially man: of all creatures in the world God expects his praiſe from man in a ſpeciall manner; the wayes p. 4of God towards man, being the moſt glorious above that they are towards any of his other workes, towards him his name indeede is excellent above the earth or heavens; God will have active and paſſive praiſes from man, and amongſt men above all from his owne people, his Church whom hee hath choſen to be a people neere unto him, the high praiſes of God are to be in their mouthes, Pſal. 49. 6. They are not onelyonly to rejoyce in their God, and in his glorious workes, but to bee joyfull in a glorious manner, to rejoyce in glory, not onelyonly to ſing the praiſes of the Lord, but to ſing aloud upon their beds, verſ. 5. God himſelfe is the praiſe of his Saints, as we have it in the 16. verſe of this 148. Pſalme, not onelyonly the workes of God, but God himſelfe, hee is their praiſe both actively and paſſively, he is their praiſe, their glory, their excellencie, and he, even he himſelfe is the ſubject of their praiſe.

Gods people are his glory, and God is the glory of his people; They are p. 5his glory, Pſal. 78. 61. hee delivered his ſtrength into captivity, and his glory into their enemies hand; God is their glory, Pſal. 3. 3. Thou art my glory and the lifter up of my head, and thus God and his people glory one in another, every where the Name of God is great, but God is knowne in Judah, and his Name is great in Iſrael, Pſal. 76. In his Temple every man ſpeakes of his glory, Pſal. 29. 9. wherefore to him be glory in the Church, Eph. 3. 21. The glory that God hath from his people, from his Church, is another manner of glory then hee hath from all the world beſides; wherefore let not us faile of giving God the glory of his great workes, of this his mighty worke. Our ſubject then, at this time, is the praiſe of God in one of his great workes of Nature, the worke of God in the wind, the ſtormy wind fulfilling his word.

Wherein we have theſe two things: 1. What it is wherein God is to bee praiſed, the ſubject of his praiſe; the ſtormy wind.

p. 62 The reaſon why, from the effect, Fulfilling his Word. For the firſt, Stormy wind, the Wind of ſtorme or tempeſt, ſo the words are, the tempeſtuous Wind; the word is ſometimes uſed forVentus turbinis. a whirl-wind, Dan. 11. 40.

The Wind, eſpecially when it is in its ſtrength tempeſtuous and ſtormy, hath much in it to ſet out the glory of God.

God is to be praiſed in this great work of his, God glories much in this creature: The Scripture makes much uſe of it, to ſet out the greatneſſe and Majeſty of God by it, as:

1. God challenges his propriety in 1this, he calls it his Wind, Pſal. 147 18. Hee cauſeth his wind to blow, it is Gods Wind, and therefore the glory of it is peculiar to him, hee it is that is to bee acknovvledged in it, vvee are to riſe higher then the naturall cauſes of it. It is ſaid of the earth, that God hath given it to the children of men, Pſal. 15. 16. but he keepes the propriety of the Windes in his ovvne hand, they move in the Heavens, and depend upon p. 7the Heavens, ſo that the Heavens, vvith all that in them is, are the Lords in a ſpeciall manner, but the earth hath hee given to man, to ſubdue unto himſelfe for his uſe, this vvay or that way as he pleaſeth: he hath not given any ſuch power over any thing in the Heavens, nor over the wind, them he reſerves in his owne hands.

2 The Wind is one of the wonders 2of the Lord. in which his Name is wonderfull, Pſal. 107. 24. 25. they that goe downe to the Sea, ſee the workes of the Lord, and his wonders in the deepe; what wonders? he commandeth and raiſeth the ſtormy wind. Although ſomething may be knowne of this creature in the naturall cauſes of it, yet it is a wonder above all that we can know of it.

3 Hee is ſaid to walke upon the 3wings of the Wind, Pſal. 104. 3. and this is made one expreſſion wherein God appeares very great, clothed with honour and Majeſty.

4. God is ſaid to ride upon the 4wings of the Wind, 2 Sam. 22. 11. and p. 8to flye upon the wings of the Wind, Pſal. 18. 10. this is ſpoken after the manner of men, to ſhew his glorying in this creature, although God moves not from one place to another, much leſſe hath need of any thing to move upon, or to further any motion. In that it is ſaid hee rode upon the Cherub,Ʋt ſciamus ipſos ventorum Impetus ejus mandato per angelos gubernari. Calv. in Pſal. 18.Ps 18 ſome thinkes it implies, Gods governing of the force of the Winds by the Angels, for the Angels are repreſented by the figure of Cherubins, as Gen. 3. 24. God placed Cherubins to keep the way of the tree of life: Beſides, he is ſaid to ride upon the Cherub, alluding unto the Arke of the Covenant, where Gods ſpeciall preſence with his people in covenant with him was, where there were two Cherubins covering the Mercy ſeat, which was the place where God promiſed to meet with his people, and to commune with them, Exod. 25. 20, 21, 22. So that this expreſſion here in the Pſalme is to declare, that that God which appeares ſo glorious in the Wind, is the ſame God that ſits upon p. 9the Cherubins upon the Mercy-ſeate, that God that is in covenant with his people to be their God, and to doe them good for ever: it is a very uſefull note to conſider of, when the people of God ſee his glory in his great workes, and particularly in this of the Wind, they ſhould looke higher then other people, and ſee more of God in it then others can doe; others can ſee and acknowledge God to bee the ſupreme cauſe of it, but thoſe who are godly, ſhould looke upon God as their God betweene the Cherubins upon the Mercy-ſeate; this power, this glory, is the power and the glory of that God that is in covenant with me, my reconciled Father in Jeſus Chriſt: here would be a comfortable beholding God in the winds indeed.

And further here in a Song of praiſe, in the day when David was delivered from the hands of all his enemies, God is ſaid to ride upon the Cherub, and to flye upon the wings of the Wind, to ſhew the readineſſe and the ſwiftneſſe of Gods working for the helpe of his p. 10people, he rides upon his chariot, yea, he flyes ſwiftly to their deliverance; our motion is dull and heavie in our duty towards God, but God is lively and ſwift in his wayes of mercy to us. Hence we have that notable expreſſion, Iſa. 31. 5. As Birds flying, ſo will the Lord of Hoſts defend Jeruſalem, defending alſo hee will deliver it: As a Bird that ſees her young one in danger, flyes haſtily to deliver it: So the Lord haſteth to defend Jeruſalem.

Againe, he rides upon the Cherub: this notes the worke of God governing them this way or that way, as one riding in a Chariot: thus the Heathens feigned their God Aeolus to bridle the windes, and bring them up and downe whither he would.

5. He holds the Winds in his fiſts, 5Prov. 30. 4. The glory of God, Iſay 40. 12. is ſet out by meaſuring the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meting out the Heavens with his ſpan: it is as great in this, that hee holds the Winds in his fiſt; for what is more uncapable of holding then the p. 11Wind? yet ſo powerfull and mighty is the hand of God, that hee holds the Winds themſelves as it were in his fiſt. The Seventie tranſlate the words, in his boſome, and this is ſutable to a ſixth impreſſion the Scripture hath to ſet out the glory of God in the Wind.

6. He brings the Winds out of his 6treaſuries, Pſal. 135. 7. He cauſeth the vapours to aſcend from the ends of the earth, hee maketh Lightning for the Raine, hee bringeth the Wind out of his Treaſuries: That which wee treaſure up is of ſome worth, and wee therefore treaſure it, becauſe wee would keepe it ſure and ſecret. Thus the Wind is a creature, in which there is much excellencie, much of God in it, of great uſe, as wee ſhall further heare; and God keeps it ſure, although nothing ſeemes to be more uncertaine then the Wind, yet God hath every blaſt locked up in his treaſury, and it cannot ſtirre without him, and the nature and the motions of the Wind are very ſecret and hidden things. All the p. 12workes of Nature are in Gods treaſury, God hath a treaſury of Nature as well as a treaſury of grace: The ſnow and the haile are ſaid to come out of Gods treaſuries. Job 38. 22. Haſt thou ſeene the treaſures of the ſnow, or haſt thou ſeene the treaſures of the haile which I have reſerved againſt the time of trouble? The Lord promiſes in the 28. of Deut. 22. to them that obey him, to open unto them his good treaſure; the treaſure of Nature is a good treaſure, there are many good bleſſings in it, yet ſuch as hee gives ſometimes to the wicked, Pſal. 17. 14. Hee fills their bellies with his hid treaſure; but Gods people as they are a peculiar treaſure to God, Exod. 19. 5. ſo God hath a peculiar treaſure for them, a treaſure in Heaven, Luke 19. 22.

7. God weighes the Winds, Job 28. 5. He makes a weight for the Winds, this is made a ſpeciall evidence of Gods propriety, in underſtanding the way of wiſdome, as appeares, verſe 20. Whence commeth Wiſdome, and p. 13where is the place of underſtanding, ſeeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept cloſe from the Fowles of the ayre? by which Hierome underſtands, proud, lofty, aeriall, high ſpirits, who love to ſoare aloft, and to be above in the clouds; Wiſdome is hid from them: but rather thus, it is to be found in no place in the World, the Fowles of the aire never ſaw that place where it is: Deſtruction and Death ſay, we have heard the fame of it; that is, ſuch as are now ſwallowed up of deſtruction and death, the abſtract being put for the concrete, as we have often in Scripture, as Revel. 20. 14. Death and Hell were caſt into thePerditio pro perditis, mors pro mortuis. lake of fire. Theſe who are deſtroyed and dead, they now know ſomething what true Wiſdome is, they finde by wofull experience, what it is to neglect God, and to caſt off his feare, and to follow the vanity of their owne hearts; now they ſee what would have done them good, and what hath undone them for ever; but though men, neither living nor dead, know p. 14what true Wiſdome is, yet God underſtandeth the way thereof, verſ. 23. How doth that appeare, that only true Wiſdome dwels with God? amongſt other things this is one ſpeciall, hee maketh a weight for the winds, that is, either by ordering them in a juſt proportion, that there ſhall not bee the leaſt particle of them ſpent further then may ſerve his purpoſe; or thus, he maketh a weight for the Winds, he giveth to the Windes their poyſe, that they ſhould move this way or that way, according as hee pleaſeth.

8. The Lord makes the Wind his 8meſſengers, Pſal. 104. 4. Who maketh his Angels ſpirits, ſo it is in your bookes, but the word tranſlated ſpirits, ſignifies Winds, and is to be underſtood of them; for the ſcope of the Pſalmiſt is to ſhew the glory of God in his great workes of Nature. The word tranſlated Angels, ſignifies meſſengers in the Hebrew, as the Greeke: But the Apoſtle in the firſt of the Hebrewes quotes this Scripture, and applies p. 15it to the Angels, verſ. 7. And of the Angels he ſaith, he maketh his Angels ſpirits, and his Miniſters a flaming fire; to this, Calvin upon the 104. Pſalme, juſtifying the former interpretation, anſvvers, It is not the intent of the Apoſtle to expound the meaning of the Prophet, but ſets out an Analogie or likeneſſe betvveene that obedience the Winds yeeld unto God, and that vvhichwhich is performed by the Angels; and ſo the meaning is, that as God uſeth the Winds his meſſengers, to goe hither and thither, as he pleaſeth, for the fulfilling his Word, ſo hee uſeth the Angels for his ſervice, and they obey accordingly; ſo that this viſible ſenſible World is, as it vvere, a glaſſe of that glory the Lord hath in the higher World above in the Heavens, and vve may be the rather induced to conceive that the Apoſtle maketh uſe onelyonly of an Allegoricall ſenſe of that Scripture, becauſe vvee finde many times in the New Teſtament places quoted out of the Old, and applyed not according to their proper ſenſe, p. 16but ſome according to their typicall, and others their allegoricall ſenſe, as many might be named, I will onelyonly ſhew you one place quoted out of the Pſalmes, as this is, and that by the ſame Apoſtle, the place of the Pſalme that is quoted, is Pſal. 19. verſ. 4. Their line is gone out through the earth, and their words to the end of the World; it is apparent this is ſpoken concerning the heavens, their line, that is their rule or delineation, which is a meanes to teach the ſimple, as Iſay 28. 10. or by line is meant a building frame which is made by line and rule; Job. 38. 5. ſpeaking of Gods creating the earth, hee hath this expreſſion, Who hath ſtretched out the line therof? The Greeke Tranſlators tranſlate the word ſound, which word the Apoſtle alſo uſeth, quoting this place, Rom. 18. 18. And further, whereas it is ſaid, their words to the end of the World, is meant thoſe teſtifications that the frame of the Heavens have, together with their courſe and order, to witneſſe to the world the glory of God in p. 17them, whereby they doe, as it were, cry aloud to men, to behold the glory of the great God: Now the Apoſtle in the 10. to the Rom applies this place to the preaching of the Goſpel by the Apoſtles that were ſent out, he brings it to ſhew that unbeleevers could have no excuſe for their unbeleefe: But I ſay, have they not heard? yes verily, for their ſound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the World; wherefore, although that place in the 104. Pſalme, by way of Allegory may bee applyed unto the Angels, yet firſtly and properly it is to be underſtood of the Winds, every Wind is as a meſſenger of God ſent to us about ſome errand or other, and happy are wee, if wee have that care and skill, that may finde out what their meſſage is, what the meaning of God in them is, that they may never returne without doing the worke for which they were ſent, and certainely one way or other they will performe their worke, as we have it in the Text, they will fulfill his Word: In the 55. p. 18of Iſay, verſ. 10, 11. The Word is compared to the Raine that comes downe from Heaven, in that it returnes not in vaine; ſo neither will the winds that come from Heaven, yea as meſſengers from the God of Heaven, they will not, they cannot returne in vaine.

9. This is a creature that God delights 9to make uſe of, when hee would ſo ſpeake to men, as to humble their hearts before him; thus he did, when hee intended ſo to ſpeake to Job, as to humble him ſo thorowly, as hee might be prepared for deliverance, he ſpeakes againe and againe to him out of the Wind, chap. 38. and 40.

10. Chriſt makes uſe of this creature, 10in ſetting out the freeneſſe of Gods grace in the great worke of Regeneration, Joh. 3. 8. The Wind bloweth where it liſteth, and thou heareſt the ſound thereof, but canſt not tell whence it commeth, nor whither it goeth, ſo is every one that is borne of the Spirit; and God made uſe of this miraculous worke of his, in ſending p. 19the Holy Ghoſt upon the Apoſtles, Acts. 2. 2. There was the ruſhing of a mighty Wind, and filled all the houſe where they were ſitting, and they were filled with the Holy Ghoſt; here was a mighty, glorious, bleſſed breathing, that came in upon the Apoſtles with this mighty ruſhing Wind; although there cannot bee expected ſuch a filling with the Holy Ghoſt accompanying this mighty ruſhing wind that we have had; yet if God bleſſeth this his Word added to it, there may be ſome worke of the Holy Ghoſt upon the hearts of ſome, not onelyonly at this time, but occaſioned by this thing; yea, the worke of God in the Wind making way for the Word and Spirit to enter into you hearts. Thus you ſee what uſe the Scripture makes of the Windes, to ſet out the glory of God by.

But further, there are ſixe things wherein the Name of God is to bee praiſed in the Wind.

1. If wee conſider the nature of it, what it is, it is a creature, heard, felt, p. 20but little underſtood, ſome gueſſings there are at it, but what it is, is a greatAer motus. ſecret in nature: ſome ſay it is only air moved up and downe; others, vapours raiſed up to the middle Region, and there by the cold beaten back, and ſo moving in the aire collaterally: hence there are no winds above ſome mountains which reach beyond where theſe vapours aſcend, and are beaten back, as that mountaine Olympus, where the footſteps of aſhes ſtrowed abide from yeere to yeere, vapors thickned are clouds, vapors in the clouds rowling when they are heat incenſed and break forth they are lightning, and the breaking of the clouds by them the Thunder-crack; if the vapour be beat backe before it be thickned then it is Wind, if after the thickning then it is raine, if congealed on high then it is ſnow, if not congealed till it come to the lower part of the ayre then it is hayle. The reaſon that is given of the collaterall motion, is, the vapors, being ſo light as they cannot deſcend farre, yet being beat downe, and likewiſe met p. 21with by other vapors, hence they are forced to move in a collaterall motion in the ayre. Plinie a great ſearcher out of ſecrets of nature, in his naturall Hiſtory, l. 2. c. 45. ſpeaks very doubtfully of the Wind, whether it be, ſaith he, the ſpirit of Nature that ingendreth all things wandring to and fro, as it were in ſome wombe, or rather the ayre broken and driven by the ſeverall influences and rayes of the ſtraying Starres and Planets, and the multiplicitie of their beames; plaine it is that they are guided by a rule of nature, not altogether unknowne, although it be not yet unknowne. This great Diver into Natures ſecrets, confeſſes ignorance in this of the Winds, & although he had not confeſſed it, yet that which he ſayeth of the nature of them, would have diſcovered all his knowledge of them to be but a wilde gueſſing. There is much wiſdome in finding out the nature of creatures ſo farre as they may be knowne. God may have much glory by our ſight of his workings in them. Pliny in the p. 2246. chap. of the forenamed Booke, ſpeaking further of the Winds, marvels, that in ſo bleſſed and joyous a time of peace, as he ſaith his was, wherin they had a Prince that took ſuch delight in the progreſſe of all good arts, & gave ſuch great rewards to learning, that yet men ſearched after the knowledge of things no more then they did, whereas others before thē ſought out the ſecrets of nature, for no other reward, then to do good unto poſterity; but now, ſaith he, mens manners are waxen old, & decay, the minds of men are blinded and bent upon nothing but covetouſneſſe: This is his complaint, much more cauſe have wee to take up this complaint againſt Chriſtians, who have other manner of motives to provoke them to take paines to finde out the glory of God in the creature, then Heathens could have, and if wee labour to ſee God in his creatures, ſo as to give glory to him, to feare him, to magnifie him, there is another manner of reward that we may expect, then any they could have to encourage them: p. 23howſoever, if we cannot get the knowledge of the ſecrets of Nature in this creature, wherein certainely there would be much of God diſcovered unto us: yet we may all behold ſo much of the power and Majeſty of God in it, as to cauſe us to feare him, and this is true wiſdome beyond all the knowledge of the ſecrets of Nature: for ſo wee have it, Job. 28. v. 8. after the glory of God was ſhewne in the Winds, v. 25. as in other creatures. The concluſion is, unto man hee ſaid, Behold the feare of the Lord that is wiſdome, and to depart from evill is underſtanding.

2. God is to be praiſed in the riſe 2of them. The raiſing of the Winds is a great worke of God, wee can ſee no cauſe of the ſudden raiſings of them; how calme and ſtill is the ayre for the preſent, and how ſuddenly doe the Winds ariſe, Pſal. 107. 25. Hee raiſeth the ſtormy Wind. Our Saviour ſaith, Joh. 3. They blow where they liſt, no man knowes whence they come, nor whither they goe: We ſee the Winds ariſe many p. 24times when there are no clouds to beat backe any vapors by the thickneſſe and coldneſſe of them, the ſecond cauſes that God uſes in this, are hidden from us onelyonly, wee are ſure of the ſupreme cauſe, it is hee that raiſeth the ſtormy Wind.

3. God is to bee praiſed in the power 3of them, they are of mighty force, Pſal. 48. 3. Thou breakeſt the ſhips of Tarſhis with an east Wind; of power and force to turne over ſhips, houſes, rend Trees, to raiſe dreadfull waves, yea they rend the very Earth, the Mountaines and the Rockes, as 1 King. 19. 11. There was a ſtrong Wind that rent the Mountaines, and tore in pieces the Rockes. This is the hand of God, whereby hee overturneth the Mountaines by the rootes, of which Job ſpeakes, Chap. 28. 9. This is that voyce of the Lord that breaketh the Cedars, yea the Cedars in Lebanon, the ſtrongeſt Cedars of all. This is the voyce of the Lord that ſhaketh the Wilderneſſe, of which the Pſalmiſt ſpeakes, Pſal. 29. 5, 8. Sabellicus anL. 10. c. 5. p. 25Hiſtorian tells of many thouſands of Cambyſes his Souldiers, being at dinner in a ſandy place, of a ſudden a tempeſt aroſe and covered them over with ſand and choaked them, that they periſhed. That a vapor ſhould have ſuch ſtrength, ſets forth the mighty power of God; what is weaker then a vapor, therefore mans life is compared to a vapor, and yet many together, how dreadfull are they! The waters are called the mighty waters, and yet what is weaker then water, but much congregated hath a mighty force, that carries with it as much majeſty almoſt as any creature whatſoever; yet a vapor is a weaker thing then water, yet many of theſe joyned, how fearefull is the force of them in the Wind! God is able to uſe them for great things, to daunt the proudeſt, ſtouteſt ſpirit under Heaven, to ſhake, as the Pſalmiſt ſaith, the Cedars in Lebanon, not onelyonly literally, but metaphorically, the higheſt and loftieſt ſpirit that is: How dreadfull then is the power of God himſelfe, which hath nothing p. 26in it but infinite, and ſo much as no addition can be made, of many of the weakeſt things in the world hath ſuch an amazing ſtrength, then that which is ſo great, as no addition can be made, and all in it infinite; oh how full of glory and Majeſty is that power.

The naturall cauſe of the power of the Winds that men give, is from the kind of vapour, of which they are: the more earthy vapors are and hot, the ſtronger the Winds: Hence many times Summer Winds are exceeding ſtrong; and many times in hot countries, becauſe the earth is more open, and the Sun having power to draw up more groſſe earthy vapors, there are mighty tempeſtuous Winds, exceeding ſtrong whirle-winds, according to that, Job 37. 11. Out of the South commeth the whirle-wind, the ſoutherne parts are hot.

4. God is to be praiſed in the variety 4of the motions of the Winds: Eccleſ. 1. 6. The Wind goeth toward the South, and turneth about unto the North, it whirleth about continually, and returneth p. 27againe according to its circuits. It hath its various circuits appointed by God which way it ſhall turne, although their motion ſeemes exceeding unſteady and changeable, up and downe without any certaine rule, yet5. Quaeſt. nat. l. 5. c. 18. Ingens naturae beneficium. Dedit ventos, ut commoda cujuſque regionis fierent communia, non ut Legiones equitemque geſtarent, nec ut pernicioſ… gentibus arma trāſveberent. Non ideo non ſunt iſta natura ſua bona, ſi vitio male u…entium nocent. they obſerve their circuits wherein they runne their compaſſe, as God appoints them: In ſome places of the World their motions are ſteady and conſtant, which Mariners call their Trade Wind.

5. God is to be praiſed in the uſe of the Winds, God hath made them to be of great uſe in the World: Seneca calls them, a mighty benefit of Nature, although many times much hurt comes by them, as hee ſayes, De Caeſare majore, it was wont to bee ſaid of him, and hee brings in Livy for an Author, that it was uncertaine whether it had beene more profitable for the Common-wealth that ever he was borne, or that he had not beene borne; ſo ſaith he of the Winds, in regard of that harme comes by them, it may be queſtioned whether the good or the p. 28hurt be the greater, but hee meanes principally the hurt that comes by the abuſe of them in Navigation; for inſtead of furthering men to paſſe up and downe into one anothers countrey, they carry them to warre one with another: God gave the Wind, that the good of Countries might bee made common, not to carry Armies, Horſmen, weapons, pernitious to Nations; thus he, but howſoever as himſelfe ſaith, we muſt not account thoſe things to be good, which by ill uſe turne to hurt; it is true of this worke of God, as in all other creatures, they are of ſpeciall uſe many wayes, as great bleſſings to us, as,

1. For purging the ayre, much infection of the ayre is driven away by them, the ayre is cleanſed and kept ſweet with the motions of thē, which otherwiſe would corrupt as the ſtanding Waters do; Job 37. 21. The wind paſſeth and cleanſeth: ſo Jer. 4. 11. A dryed wind toward the daughter of my people, not to fan, nor to cleanſe: God threatens afflictions to come in wrath, not as p. 29the Wind comes to fan and cleanſe the ayre, but as a whirlewind to deſtroy.

2. For the ſcattering of the clouds here and there, up and downe▪ in the World, by them God ſhakes as it were his Waterpots, by which he waters the Garden of the Earth, as Job 37. 11. Alſo by watering hee wearieth the thicke cloud, he ſcattereth his bright cloud, and it is turned round about by his counſels, and this is done by the breath of God, as it is, verſ. 10.

3. For altering of ſeaſons, for bringing in cold or heare, as Job 37. 9, 10. Out of the South commeth the whirlewind, and cold out of the North, by the breath of God froſt is given, and verſ. 17. He quieteth the earth by the South wind, he brings warmth that way.

4. For Navigation in vvhichwhich Art there is much of the Wiſdome of God ſeene, and if it bee rightly uſed the goodneſſe of God to mankind is very great in it.

In the 28. of Eſa. from the 24. v▪ to the end, the Lord challenges to himſelf the glory of teaching the Plow-man the p. 30art of plowing the ground and threſhing out the corne; his God, ſaith the Text, verſ. 26. doth inſtruct him to diſcretion, and doth teach him, and verſ. 29▪ This alſo commeth forth from the Lord of Hoſts, which is wonderfull in councell, and excellent in working. Now if this art be from the Lord, and if God ſhewes himſelfe wonderfull in counſell, and excellent in working of this, how much more is that excellent Art of Navigation, whereby men come even to ſubdue the Seas to themſelves, to finde out and draw forth the riches of them, whereby they paſſe up and downe over the whole World, to ſee the wayes of God, and the riches of God, throughout the Earth, whereby the ſeverall parts of the world are knowne each to other, and communicate each to other the wonderfull bleſſings of God, ſurely it is God that inſtructs men in this, it is he that gives them underſtanding, and in this much more is the Lord wonderfull in counſell and excellent in working.

How little of God in the great p. 31workes of Nature ſhould we know and enjoy, were it not for the Art of Navigation; but what were mans skill or induſtry therein, if God did not further it by the uſe of the Winds, the worke of God is very obſervable in theſe two workes of Nature: The one in ſcattering of Springs and currents of waters up and down in ſecret veines and in open paſſages of the earth to make fit for habitation, and the other in appointing the various motion of the Winds to work up and downe upon the Seas, to make them fit for Navigation.

5. That uſe that we have here mentioned 5in the Text, Fulfilling his word, of which in the next point.

6. A great worke of God appeares 6in ſtilling the Winds, and calming them as hee pleaſeth, no man knowes whither they goe, when Chriſt rebuked the Winds, and bad them be ſtill, Mark. 4. 39. The Wind ceaſed, and there was a great calme, Iſa. 27. 8. Hee ſtayeth the rough Wind: Many times when it is moſt rough and boiſterous, he ſtaies p. 32it on a ſudden; ſo as Mariners may ſee much of the hand of God in it towards them, in which God is much to be praiſed, for by this the Lord ruleth the raging of the Sea, when the waves thereof ariſe hee ſtilleth them; and marke how the Pſalmiſt magnifies God in this worke, Pſal. 89. 8, 9. O Lord God of Hoſts, who is a ſtrong Lord like unto thee, or to thy faithfulneſſe round about thee. Thou ruleſt the raging of the Sea, when the waves thereof ariſe thou ſtilleſt them. How ſoever naturall cauſes may be uſed by God for this, yet we muſt acknowledge God in them, and his worke above them in ſtilling the Winds and ſeas.

The naturall cauſes that are given are the ſpending the vapors, or the vaniſhing of thoſe clouds that beate them downe, or the conſuming of thoſe vapors they meet with that kept them From falling or conſtringing the earth that no more ariſe: ſomething there is in theſe: Hence raine often aſſwages the Winds, by condenſing and preſſing downe thoſe p. 33vapors that before moved collaterally, but let God ſtill bee praiſed, and have the glory above theſe:

For Application firſt,

If God be ſo glorious in this creature, hence thoſe are juſtly rebuked, who heare, and feele, yea and ſee in the effect of it ſo much of God, and yet doe not give him the glory of it, they doe not praiſe him in the ſtormy Wind, they can ſpeake of it, and tell you how it was, how ſuddenly it came, how ſtrong it blew, how it rent their ſailes, and ſplit their Maſts, and tore their Cables, and burſt their Anchors, how it ſmote upon their houſes, and made their beds ſhake under them; how dreadfull the noiſe of it was, with what violence it came, as if the houſe would have falne upon them, how their hearts did even ſhake within them for feare, but not a word of God in all this, they ſay not in their heart, Let us now feare this God that raiſeth, continueth, calmeth theſe Winds, let us now feare him howſoever heretofore wee did not feare him, although heretofore we were p. 34prophane, and vile, and have lived without God in the World, yet let us now feare this God, who is great in power, glorious and excellent in his workings in the Heavens, and Earth, and Seas: when doth there any word come from men, to put one another on to the feare of God upon this? Brethren, God is to bee honoured in the leaſt of his workes, much more in thoſe that have power and majeſty in them: wee take Gods name in vaine, if when he appeares in his great workes, wee adore him not, we feare him not, wee magnifie him not, we praiſe him not in them: wee are much led by ſenſe, and if we take not notice of his glory, to have our hearts wrought upon when hee comes to our ſenſes, and that in ſuch a powerfull and glorious way, it is a ſigne that our hearts are exceedingly ſtupid, that they are much eſtranged from God. Thoſe workes that we ſee the ſecond cauſes of, wee ſcarce minde God in them at all (although God ſhould not be the leſſe minded, becauſe of ſecond cauſes, ſeeing all the work, all the p. 35power and efficacie of the ſecond cauſe, is in the vertue of the firſt; as it hath no being but by it, ſo it is not able to ſtirre without it) but now as for this creature, the ſtormy Wind, wee know but very little, ſcarce any thing of the ſecond cauſes; and therefore if God bee not acknowledged and praiſed in this, in what ſhall he be acknowledged and praiſed? workes that are ordinary wee little minde God in them, which is a great evill in us; hence the Lord, becauſe he would be minded by us, hee comes many times in ſtrange and terrible waies to us in his creatures, raiſing them higher then ordinary, putting more Majeſty and terrour in them then ordinary, as he hath done in this, and ſhall he not be magnified and praiſed in this? It is the loweſt honour that wee can give to God, to be moved by ſuch workes, wherein his glory comes apparently and powerfully to ſenſe; there are other manner of things of the glory of God, that appeares to raiſed reaſon, were it that the eye of reaſon were cleare, and but elevated in a naturall p. 36way to that height it is capable of; yea to that height it might be, were it not ſo much drowned in ſenſe as it is, there were high and glorious things of God to be ſeen by it, that might make us fall downe upon our faces and adore him: But how great then are the things that appeare to the eye of Faith? thoſe are things to take up the heart indeed, to fill the heart with aſtoniſhment, to draw it up with raviſhment, to over-power it with the glory and divine luſtre of them, to ſatisfie it with admirable infinite contentment, thoſe are things fit for Angels to pry into, for the moſt ſpirituall raiſed heart to contemplate in, for the moſt enlarged ſpirit to fill it ſelfe with; for by them the Saints are filled with all the fulneſſe of God, as the Scripture ſpeakes, Epheſ. 3. 19. In thoſe things eſpecially a Chriſtian ſhould be exerciſed. The glory of God in theſe creatures, is for the loweſt, the meaneſt, the dulleſt of all, for children, for thoſe who are not out of the Schoole of Nature; yea, for thoſe who are in the loweſt forme of Natures p. 37Schoole; and therefore it is a good obſervation of Jerome upon that place, Mat. 8. when Chriſt rebuked the winds, and calmed them, the Text ſaith, the men were afraid. The men, ſaith Jerome, that is, the Mariners and others which were in the Ship, not the Diſciples; or if any ſhall contend and think they were the Diſciples, yet they are called the men, becauſe yet they knew not our Saviour. The Workes of God have a voyce as well as his Words, as Exod. 4. 8. If they will not hearken to the voyce of the firſt ſigne, they will hearken to the voyce of the latter. God ſpeakes by this voyce to theſe who are the moſt dull of hearing; God hath another voyce to ſpeake to his Saints by, the voyce of his Word, yea a more inward ſecret voyce, the voyce of his Spirit, although hee ſpeakes to them likewiſe by his other voyce; wherefore not to heare the voice of his works, this argues a heart deſperately ſottiſh, and even altogether living as without a God in the World.

Thoſe who are exerciſed in the higheſt p. 38things of God, ſhould not neglect theſe, but they muſt be ſpirituall in beholding the glory of God in them, in a higher way then others are or can be, they ſhould fill their hearts with ſpirituall Meditations raiſed from them, they ſhould looke upon the power and glory of God in them, as the power and glory of that God in whom their ſoules have ſpeciall intereſt, the power and glory of their Father, as Pſal. 48. 14. This God is our God for ever and ever; the beginning of the Pſalme is, Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praiſed; and amongſt other ſubjects of his praiſes, verſ. 7. he inſtances in this, Thou breakeſt the ſhips of Tarſhiſh with an East wind, and his concluſion is this, God is our God for ever and ever. This power is that which is engaged to work all the good that God intends, or hath promiſed unto his people; this glory is that which ſhall put glory upon his Saints for ever, all contained in this, This God is our God for ever.

Queſt. But how are wee to praiſe God in this ſtormy Wind?

p. 39Anſw. The Name of God is great in it, and therefore ſurely hee is greatly to be praiſed,

1. By raiſing our thoughts to the 1contemplation of his greatneſſe and Majeſty in it, ſo as to feare and to tremble before him: O Lord how art thou cloathed with glory and Majeſty, who would not feare and tremble before ſuch a God as thou art? The voyce of the Lord ſhaketh the Wilderneſſe, Pſal. 29. 9. that is, the wilde beaſts of the Wilderneſſe, and ſhall it not ſhake our hearts; ſhall our hearts be more hard and ſtupid then the hearts of thoſe wild and ſavage beaſts in the Wilderneſſe? It ſhaketh the moſt lofty Cedars, what are our ſpirits? how loftie? how hardned with pride and folly, if they doe not ſhake, if they tremble not before ſuch a God as this?

It is a notable ſpeech of Elihu, Job 37. 1. At this alſo my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place at this; at what is it that his heart ſo trembleth? his voyce roareth, hee thundreth with the voyce of his excellencie, verſ. 4. p. 40God thundreth marvellouſly with his voyce, great things doth he which wee cannot comprehend, verſ. 5. Out of the South commeth the whirle-wind, verſ. 9. The Wind paſſeth and cleanſeth, verſ. 21. Wherefore upon this great worke of God, together with others, he concludes, verſ. 22. With God is terrible Majeſty, touching the Almighty we cannot finde him out. Hee is excellent in power, verſ. 23. Men doe therefore feare him, verſ. 24. It is a time now indeed to feare the Lord, to lye down with low humbled trembling hearts before him; its no time to vexe and fret, and rage, as it is the practiſe of ſome when grievous tempeſts and ſtormes ariſe, and put them to trouble and danger, they vex and rage againſt the Winds, when the Winds cauſe Seas to rage, their hearts are in as great a rage as the Seas, ſwearing and curſing moſt dreadfully in this their rage, their curſed hearts ſome out their filth, according to that deſcription of the wicked, which we have, Iſa. 57. 20, 21. the wicked are like the troubled Sea, when it p. 41cannot reſt, whoſe waters caſt out mire and dirt; there is no peace, ſaith my God, to the wicked. Oh the abominable mire and dirt that is caſt out by ſuch hearts at ſuch times, when God calls for the moſt feare of him, trembling before him, ſubjection unto him, what is this but even to dart up our arrowes againſt the Heavens, and to flye even in the very face of God himſelfe. I have readHerodotus lib. 2. of a people in Africa, who being troubled with ſtrong Winds, driving heaps of ſands upon their fields and dwelling places, they gathered an Army to fight againſt them, but with ſo evill ſucceſſe, that themſelves were buried under hils of ſands driven upon them by the Winds. It is no leſſe madneſſe in theſe who curſe and rage in times of tempeſts, theſe are fighters againſt God; it is the infinite patience of God, that that curſed breath that comes from them at thoſe times is not ſtopped.

2. Let us praiſe God in this ſtormy 2Wind, by conſidering what poore creatures we are, how infinitely wee depend upon this God that appeares p. 42ſo much above us in it, wee ſee how he can make a vapor terrible unto us, ſo that we cannot ſtand before it; we ſee at what advantage hee hath us by the Winds, to overturne our houſes, to daſh our ſhippes in pieces by it: Marke how Job was affected when God ſpake to him out of the Whirle-wind, c. 38. 1. compared with c. 40. 3, 4. Then Iob anſwered the Lord, that is, when the Lord had ſpoken to him out of the winds, Behold I am vile, what ſhall I anſwer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth: once have I ſpoken, but I will not anſwer, yea twice, but I will proceed no further: And againe, compare chap. 40. 6. with chap. 42. 5, 6. the Lord ſpeakes to him againe out of the Whirle-wind: that God delights to make uſe of this creature to ſpeake to men by, to humble them, you heard before; but here you ſee the effect of this, what power there is in it to doe that which God intends by it. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the eare, (ſaith Job) but now mine eyes have ſeene thee, wherefore I abhorre my ſelfe in duſt and aſhes: p. 43This makes a Job, a holy, godly man, to abhorre himſelf in duſt and aſhes before this great God.

3. Let us upon this labour to purge 3our hearts, and keep them cleanſed from guilt, that the terrours of God, in this and other of his workes, may not overwhelme them and ſinke them. It is a bleſſed thing to be able to looke upon God in theſe his glorious workes with comfort and peace, if there were no guilt within in our hearts (although they would be moved with reverence of God in his great workes) yet all the tempeſts in the World could not ſhake them with any ſuch terrour, as to hinder their comfort, peace, their ſweet reſt and repoſe in God, yea they would rather rejoyce the heart, they would raiſe it to bleſſe it ſelfe in this God, as the God of its comfort, and of all its good: were it not for vapors, for Wind got into the earth, all ſtormes and tempeſtuous Winds without, would never make an earthquake were our ſpirits cleare within: whatſoever comes without, would never cauſe any ſlaviſh deſpairing, p. 44ſinking heartquake in us. Pliny ſaith, that the Eagle is not afraid of Thunder, the greateſt tempeſts of Thunder doe not affright her, whereas other fowles ſhake and tremble at it, and the beaſts of the field get into their ſhelters: thus ſpirituall hearts who converſe much with God, and keep themſelves up on high, they are not terrified with ſuch things as fill the hearts of others with amazing terrors: hearts that are heavenly are like the ayre above the middle Region, free from tempeſts and ſtormes. It is very obſervable that which wee read of David, Pſal. 18. hee there ſets out the glory of God in the Earthquake and dreadfull Tempeſts; The earth ſhooke and trembled, the foundations of the hills moved and were ſhaken becauſe hee was wroth: there went up a ſmoake out of his noſtrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured, hee did flye upon the wings of the wind, his thick clouds paſſed, haile-ſtones and coales of fire. The Lord thundered in the Heavens, and the highest gave his voyce, &c. Yet obſerve, verſ. 16. David drawes comfort out p. 45of all this, He ſent from above, he tooke me, he drew me out of many waters. Theſe grievous Tempeſts, theſe dreadfull ſtormes were not to over-whelme me, to ſinke me in the waters, but the Lord tooke me, that God who appeared thus dreadful in theſe ſtormes and tempeſts, yet this God tooke me, and drew mee out of many waters, and verſ. 19. Hee delivered mee, becauſe hee delighted in mee.

4. Give glory to God in bleſſing 4his Name for deliverance from thoſe fearefull judgements that hee makes tempeſtuous Winds and ſtormes the executioners of upon many others; ſome of you it is like may ſay, and have ſaid, except the Wind had turned at ſuch a time I had beene loſt, we had certainely been all caſt away: and if you had beene caſt away, then where had you beene now, it may bee from thoſe dreadfull waters you might have ſunke into the lake of unquenchable fire, you might have beene ſwallowed up of that infinit ocean of Gods eternal wrath, but God hath preſerved you, & you are alive, p. 46and yet enjoy the day of grace: the goodneſſe of the Lord hath beene to you that which he promiſed, I ſay 32. 2. A hiding place from the Wind, and … covert from the tempest. It was the free grace of God towards you, onelyonly his goodneſſe that hath beene your ſafety, for what could you doe to helpe yourſelfe? it may be you cryed and prayed to God, but what could your prayers doe, who wert, and it may be ſtill art, a prophane wretched creature, the courſe of whoſe life is a way of enmity againſt the great God of the whole World?

It is reported of Bias the Philoſopher, who ſayling among a company of rude Mariners, they being in danger by a ſtorme, the Mariners fell on praying and crying out to their gods. Bias calls to them, to hold their peace, leſt the gods ſhould heare them, and ſo they ſhould all fare the worſe for their ſakes: The worſt that is in ſuch dangers, will cry out, and ſometimes fall on praying, but how ſhould that prayer be accepted that comes out of that p. 47mouth, out of which ſo many oathes came a while ſince, which is defiled with ſo many blaſphemies, and not yet purged by repentance? wherfore whenſoever thou haſt been delivered, and others have periſhed, admire at the free grace of God towards thee, give him the glory of it, and let God bee thus praiſed in the Stormie Wind.

5. Give God the glory of this work 5of his, by ſeeking him for the raiſing, ordering, and ſtilling the Wind, according as thy occaſion is.

I have read of a people who erected an Altar to the Winds, and once a yeerAlex. ab Alex. l. 3. c. 22. ſpent a whole night in their devotions to the Winds, to ſeeke calme winds, becauſe of the great hurt they often ſuffered by them: but wee have learned otherwiſe, namely to looke beyond the Winds, to ſeeke God, acknowledge him the raiſer and orderer of them; this is part of that divine worſhip that is due to God, that he ſhould be acknowledged and ſought in theſe things, although it be but a common worke of p. 48his providence, yet hee expects to bee ſought to in it; prayer hath ſhut the Heavens and opened them, prayer hath power over Heaven, and Earth, and Ayre, and Seas, and Winds: it hath power to prevail with God, much more power over any creature whatſoever. We reade, 1 Sam. 7. 9, 10. when Samuel offered to God but a ſucking Lambe, preſently a grievous ſtorme aroſe, The Lord thundred with thunder upon the Philiſtines: And Revel. 8. 4, 5. The ſmoake of the incenſe came with the prayers of the Saints aſcending before God, then the Angel tooke the cenſer and filled it with the fire of the Altar, and caſt it into the earth, and there were voyces, and thundrings, and lightnings. All the Devils in Hell have not that power over the Winds, that the prayers of the Saints have.

We have a famous ſtory of the power of the prayers of the Chriſtian Souldiers in Marcus Aurelius his Army,Lib. 5. 6. 5. recorded by Euſebius, who praying to God in time of great drought, when the Army was like to periſh for thirſt, p. 49they procured a great tempeſt againſt the enemies, which put them to flight, and overthrew them, and a refreſhing raine to their owne Armie, whereupon they were called the Lightning Legion; upon which Aurclius was much moved, and favoured the Chriſtians much after it, and wrote in their behalfe, acknowledging it the hand of God, as a fruit of their prayers. If prayers have power over the raine, over thundring and lightning, then ſurely over the ſtormy Wind: If therefore you ſeeke not God in this, if you thinke it is nothing that prayer can doe, you are more heatheniſh, and fuller of Atheiſme, then the moſt rude heathen. Matth. 8. 24, 25. When a tempeſt aroſe Chriſt was awaked: When a ſtorme ariſeth God muſt be ſought.

6. Conſider if ſtormes and tempeſts 6in the aire be ſo terrible, what then are the ſtormes and tempeſts of Gods anger in the execution of dreadfull judgements upon Nations and Kingdomes, and how terrible are Stormes p. 50and Tempeſts raiſed and raging in mens conſciences.

For the firſt, Iſa. 28. 1, 2. the Lord pronounceth a woe againſt the Drunkards of Ephraim, whoſe glorious beauty is as a fading flower. Behold the Lord hath a mighty ſtrong tempeſt, A deſtroying ſtorme, and a floud of mighty waters. The clouds gather apace, and hang exceeding blacke and dreadfull over many places, as if God had reſerved us to fearefull ſtormy dayes. Gods way hath beene in the ſweet calme of peace for a long time in the ſweet Sun-ſhine of his Mercies; but Nahum 1. 3. The Lord hath his way in the Whirl wind, and in the ſtorme; Yea, even that God that is ſlow to anger, yet hath his way in the ſtorm, and in that way God is ſeeming now to come. Eliah could foreſee a great raine by a cloud no bigger then a mans hand, we may fore-ſee not onelyonly raine, but the great ſtorme and tempeſt of Gods diſpleaſure gathering, neere by clouds that ariſe which are bigger then a mans hand, for behold even the Heavens are blacke: wee have feared the gathering p. 51them often, but becauſe they have bin diſpelled, wee have promiſed peace to our ſelves. God hath his times ſo to our ſelves. God hath his times ſo to gather them, that they ſhall not be ſcattered untill they have fulfilled his Word; The prudent man fore-ſeeth the evill, and hideth himſelfe, Pro. 22. 3. Evill men underſtand not judgement, but they that ſeeke the Lord underſtand all things. What are the thoughts, the feares of thoſe who doe moſt ſeeke the Lord? obſerve what they doe; if they underſtand any thing of Gods minde, then a ſtorme is comming. It is obſerved of the Bees, that before a ſtorme you may ſee them come apace to their Hives; what are the Hives of the Saints but the publike Temples of God: Theſe have the promiſe of God to be a place of refuge, a covert from ſtorme, Iſai. 4. 6. Theſe are the chambers that God now calls his Saints into, Iſa. 26. 20. Come my people, enter into your chambers, ſhut your doores about you, hide your ſelvss as it were for a little moment, untill the indignation be overpaſt; for behold the Lord commeth out of his p. 52place, to puniſh the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, the earth ſhall diſcloſe her bloud, and ſhall no more cover her ſlaine. Theſe are the Pellaes to which God calls you, if you think yourIte ad Pellam. ſelves ſo ſetled in your places, as that you cannot ſtir, take heed leſt the ſtorm be to you as it is threatned, Job 27. 21. The Eaſt Wind carrieth him away, and a ſtorme hurleth him out of his place. You know the ſpeech of Eliah to Ahab, when he ſee the clouds ariſe, make haſte leſt the raine prevent you, 1 King. 18. 44. ſo I to you, make haſte leſt the ſtorme prevent you. when an enemy takes in a Towne by ſtorme, it is very terrible. Oh how dreadfull then will it bee to that people whom the Lord ſhall come againſt as an enemy, and after many offers of conditions of peace rejected he ſhall take them in by ſtorm. It is the pride of mens hearts that is the cauſe they feare not this; wherefore, my prayer ſhall be according to that of the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 83. 15. Lord make them afraid of thy ſtorme: I doe not, I will not pray as in the former part of the p. 53verſe, Lord perſecute them with thy tempeſt: Oh no, if it may bee, the Lord keep it from them, neither doe I pray Lord make them afraid with thy ſtorme, but Lord make them afraid of thy ſtorme.

For the ſecond, how terrible are ſtormes raiſed, and raging in mens conſciences?

When the wrath of God in a mans ſoule ſhall perſecute him as the Wind, as Job complaines, chap. 30. 15. Terrors are turned upon mee, they purſue my ſoule as the Wind, and chap. 9. 17. Hee breaketh me with a tempeſt; When God ſhall ſay to Conſcience, goe perſecute them with thy tempeſt, and make them afraid with thy ſtorme; after great calmes there uſeth to ariſe grievous ſtormes: many of you have had a long calme of peace and proſperity, you may expectSed tranquillitas iſta tempeſt as erit. a ſtorme a comming. God who is ſaid, Pſal. 107. 29. to make the ſtorme a calme, can as ſoone make thy calme a ſtorme: the vapors that cauſe the tempeſt ariſe inſenſibly, but when they grow to a tempeſt they have mighty p. 54power; ſo ſinnes are committed and multiplyed inſenſibly, they lie by heaps in the conſcience; you feele nothing of them now, but at laſt if you looke not to it, they will cauſe a dreadfull tempeſt, and eſpecially when the hearts of men are moſt ſwelling with pride. Mariners obſerve, that uſually before great tempeſts there are great ſwellings at Sea; it is ſo uſually before great Conſcience-tempeſts, the more ſwelling any wicked mans heart is the neerer, the more dreadfull is the tempeſt like to be. Many of you have in your time beene in moſt fearefull tempeſts, that have made your hearts to ake within you, but you muſt looke for another manner, a more dreadfull tempeſt, when not vapors in the ayre, but the wrath of an infinite God in the Conſcience ſhall ſhake and rend your hearts, the terrors of the Lord following you will cauſe another manner of rage in the heart, then ever ſtormy wind cauſed in the mighty waters, Pſal. 11. 6. Ʋpon the wicked he ſhall raine ſnares, fire and brimſtone, and an horrible tempeſt, this is the p. 55portion of their cup. It is called the portion of their cup, ſaith Saint Auguſtine upon the place, becauſe of the juſt meaſure and proportion Gods Juſtice obſerves in the dealing out puniſhment to ſinners, as we heard before, God is ſaid to have a weight for the winds; ſo for this ſtorme and tempeſt that comes upon the wicked, the Lord weighes it, it comes upon them proportionable to their ſinne; were you ever ſtrucke with feare when you have ſeen the huge flouds of waters rowling and ranging in the Seas, being driven by mighty winds? what fear then will poſſeſſe your hearts, when you ſhall ſee the flouds of ungodneſſe comes in upon you, how will the terrors even of Hell then compaſſe you about? it is an expreſſion of David, Pſal. 18. 4, 5. The ſorrowes of death compaſſed mee, and the flouds of ungodlineſſe made me afraid: So Arias Montanus Impietatisturnes it, howſoever hee may meane of ungodly men, yet the word bearing the other reading, we may alſo apply it to the ungodlineſſe of men, then the ſorrowes of Hell compaſſed me. The Lord p. 56give you a heart to foreſee this ſtorme, and to prevent it. Wee read, Exod. 9. 20. when God threatned to ſend upon Egypt a fearefull ſtorme of haile, thoſe who feared the Word of the Lord, made their ſervants and Cattle to flee into their houſes; ſo this day you heare from the Lord a ſtorme threatned, let every ſoule that feareth the Word of the Lord ſeeke to flee into a ſhelter, there is no other ſhelter that can keepe it off, but onelyonly the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; that which is ſaid, Iſa. 32. 2. is true of him, a man ſhall be a hiding place from the Wind, and a covert from the tempeſt.

7. Let us yet riſe higher in praiſing God in the ſtormy Wind, by conſidering in our hearts, if God be ſo dreadfull now in this one creature, how dreadfull then will he be, when he ſhall appeare in all his power, in all his wrath, his Iuſtice and holineſſe, what ſhall the glory of the great God be hereafter, of which the Scripture ſpeaks ſo much? when he ſhall cloath himſelfe in glory and majeſty, in the full brightneſſe of p. 57them, when the Heavens ſhall depart like a ſcrowle, and the elements melt with fervent heat, when all the World ſhall be on fire about him, the voyce of the Lord hath ſhaken the earth; but he ſaith, yet once more I ſhake not the earth onelyonly, but alſo Heaven, that will be a dreadfull day indeed, when the ſtarres of Heaven ſhall fall unto the earth, as a Fig-tree caſteth her untimely Figges when ſhee is ſhaken of by a mighty Wind, when every Mountaine and Iland ſhall be moved out of their places, when the Kings of the earth, and the great and mighty men ſhall hide themſelves in the Dennes, and in the Rockes and Mountaines, Revel. 6▪ 13, 14, 15. A ſtormy Wind that ſhakes off the fruit of trees here, wee account great, but ſuch as ſhall ſhake the Heavens, and cauſe the ſtarres to fall as the fruit, the untimely fruit of a Fig-tree, how dreadfull muſt that needes be, beyond all apprehenſion? and yet in ſuch a ſtormy Wind will God one day appeare in his glory, when not onelyonly children and women, and a few fearefull p. 58people ſhalbe afraid, but the Kings, the Captaines, and the great ones of the earth ſhall tremble, and hide themſelves, and wiſh the Mountaines to fall upon them, and the hills to cover them from the Wrath of the Lord.

Thus I have endeavoured to ſhew you how you ſhould glorifie God in his worke: to be moved with it in a ſenſitive way, that is no more then the bruit beaſts are; the ſwine will runne up and down, and cry in a ſtormy wind, yea when it is comming, being ſenſible of it before you are, but Job 35. 11. God teacheth us more then the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiſer then the foules of heaven; therefore God lookes for another manner of glory from usSed Diabolica eſt baec ſcientia, ſaith Calvin upon the 29. Pſalm. quae in naturae contemplatione nos retinens a Deo avertit. men, then from them, and more from us Chriſtians then from men; God hath given to the reaſonable creature to ſearch out the cauſes of things, wee muſt take heed we doe not ſtay …ill wee ariſe to the ſupreme, the higheſt cauſe. Philoſophers diſpute of the inferiour cauſes; It is devilliſh knowledge that p. 59in the contemplation of nature holds us in nature, and keepes us from God, ſaith Calvin upon the 29. Pſalme; and further he hath this expreſſion, If one deſires to know a man, hee neglects the looking upon his face, and faſtens hisMerito ridebitur ejus ſtultitia. eyes upon his nayles, his folly is to bee derided; ſo, ſaith he, while men wholly mind the inferiour cauſes of things, as workes of nature onelyonly, neglecting God the higheſt cauſe of all.

And in this our giving glory to God, we muſt labour to be as ſpirituall as wee can, then the worke will abide upon our hearts; but if we be onelyonly moved in a ſenſitive way, the impreſſion of all will ſoone vaniſh, and come to nothing.

The ſecond point followes, Fulfilling his word.

Doct. Whenſoever God ſends a ſtormy Wind, he ſends it to fulfill his word.

The Winds you heard before were Gods meſſengers, this is evermore their errand, to fulfill his word.

p. 60There is a foure-fold word of God that they are ſent to fulfill.

1. The word of his decree: what he hath purpoſed, determined to bring to paſſe, this is one creature the Lord calls forth out of his treaſure to fulfill this, and therefore it ſhall come at that time, in that place, and worke in that power, and abide that time, that ſhalbe fitteſt for the accompliſhment of this word of his Decree.

2. The word of his command: if God calls for it, it muſt come if; God ſpeakes to it, it ſhall goe and proſper to that he ſends it for; it is one of Gods Hoſts, at the beck of this great Lord of Hoſts, and for the fulfilling this and the other word, the Winds are called for out of his treaſure of Wiſdome and power.

3. The word of his threat: what ſoever ill God hath threatned againſt ſinners, that comes under the power of this creature to be an executioner of, it fulfils. Hence, Jer. 51. 1. it is called a deſtroying Wind, and Ezek. 13. 13. a ſtormy Wind in my fury. If there bee p. 61any threat againſt any man in a ſhippe, or any that have intereſt in it, the Lord many times ſends his Winds to fulfill that word of his. When Jonah ſinned againſt God in flying from his preſence, the Lord raiſed a tempeſtuous Wind to follow after him, as a Purſevant that would never downe untill it had arreſted him, and made him to know what it was to ſinne againſt the Word of the Lord: that Wind and tempeſt that is now up may be a fruit of Gods diſpleaſure for ſuch or ſuch a ſinne of thine, it may be committed long ſince, and ſo it comes out of the treaſury of Gods wrath.

4. His word of promiſe to convey a bleſſing: and thus they come out of the treaſury of Gods mercy, to fulfill that word of promiſe. All things ſhall worke together for good to them that love God. Godlineſſe hath the promiſe of this life, and that which is to come. When God enters into covenant with his people, all ſecond cauſes are linked together to work good unto to them, as Hoſ. 2. 21, 22. I will heare p. 62the Heavens, and they ſhall hear the earth; and ſo it is true of all others; that which is ſaid of the clouds driven about by the Winds, is alſo true of the Winds themſelves, Job 37. 13. He cauſeth it to come whether for correction or for mercy; ſometimes for correction, and ſometimes for merciemercy.

For uſe, and that firſt more generally:Ʋſe. 1. Here wee may learne to have high and honourable thoughts of the word of the Lord, ſeeing God hath ſuch glorious wayes for the fulfilling of it; where the Word of the Lord is, there is power; Heaven and earth ſhall paſſe away, but not one jot or tittle of his Word. God prizeth every tittle of his Word above Heaven and Earth, hee had rather loſe Heaven and Earth then any part of his Word; howſoever thou prizeſt it at a low rate, and art not willing to loſe a baſe luſt, the leaſt outward advantage for the Word, God will ſhake the Heavens and Earth for the fulfilling his Word; yea, rather diſſolve them, and bring them into nothing, rather then he will not fulfill every p. 63particle of it. If God hath made theſe his glorious worke, to bee ſubſervient for the preſervation and accompliſhing his Word, then ſurely his Word is above them; wherefore, although much of Gods Name bee in theſe, yet there is more of his name in his Word: Hence is that excellent, place Pſal. 138. 2. Thou haſt magnified thy Word above all thy Name; Gods worke is honourable and glorious, Pſal. 111. 3. But his Word is in a ſpeciall manner, the very glaſſe of his holineſſe and glory, in which we behold his glory with open face, and ſo as we are changed into the ſame image from glory to glory, 2 Cor. 3. 18. and if Gods name be more in his word then in his works, a gracious heart will ſee God more there, and feare God as appearing there more then in any thing elſe, as we read of Eliah, 1 King▪ 19▪ 11, 12▪ although the mighty wind and fire paſſed by, yet his heart was not taken with feare ſo much as when the ſtill voyce came, becauſe the Text faith, God was there; although the voyce was a ſtill voyce, yet becauſe p. 64God was there more then in the other, therefore Eliah feared more; this place of Scripture is abuſed by many who bring it againſt Miniſters preaching the Law in a zealous manner, making God to appeare terrible to ſinners; they ſay God was not in the fire, nor in the whirlewind, but in the ſtill voyce, but it is cleare, there can bee no ſuch inference gathered from thence, as many ſeeke to gather, for even in this ſtill voyce, God came with a meſſage of moſt fearefull wrath againſt the people; Goe, ſaith hee, and anoint Hazael, Jehu and Eliſha, that hee that eſcapeth the ſword of Hazael, Jehu may ſlay, and him that eſcapeth the ſword of Jehu, Eliſha ſhall ſlay. See what a terrible threat was this that came from God appearing in that ſtill voyce; and Elias himſelfe after Gods appearing thus in the ſtill voyce was no leſſe terrible in his Miniſtry then before, for in the 2 of Kings 1. ſee how ſevere and fiery he was, hee prayeth for fire to come downe from Heaven to destroy the Captaine and his fifty; and againe the ſecond time, for p. 65fire from Heaven to deſtroy the ſecond Captaine and his fifty, he ceaſed not untill the third came in a way of ſubmiſsion; and indeed that manner of Gods appearing to Elias, firſt in the mighty wind, then in the earthquake, then in the fire, and at laſt in the ſtill voyce, was to ſhew Elias how he would have him to appeare in his Miniſtry, namely firſt in terrour, and then more mildly; and in that it is ſaid that God was not in the wind, nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire, but in the ſtill voyce, it was to ſhew you that Elias, and ſo other Miniſters of God ſhould be to the people as that mighty wind, as the earthquake and fire, till God appeares in them, and when they ſee God in them, then to be as a ſtill voyce unto them: but this by the way, for the clearing this Scripture from the abuſe of it.

Ʋſe 2. If the Winds be for the fulfilling Gods Word, and that in thoſe ſeverall wayes; Hence let us learne that when any great Winds and Tempeſts ariſe, it is not for nothing that they ariſe, there is ſome ſpeciall p. 66reaſon that God hath for the raiſing and continuing of them; God hath alwayes ſome ſpeciall aime in them for the fulfilling of ſome word or other of his; many people when they heare of and feele grievous tempeſts, boiſterous violent Winds, they thinke and ſay, there is conjuring abroad, and that is all the uſe they make of them; God is neglected, hee is not ſo much as once mentioned by them. I finde a CanonSi quis credit quod Diabolus tonitrua & fulgura & tempeſtates ſua authoritate facit ſicut Priſcilianus dixit Anathema, ſit Con. B…acarenſ. c. 8. in a Councell above 1000. yeeres agoe, made againſt ſuch as ſhall attribute tempeſts, thundrings, and lightnings to the Devill, as if he cauſed them; whoſoever beleeves this, ſaith the Councell, as Priſcillianus did, let him be Anathema. It is true, if God will permit the Devill, he hath much power over corporall things, to make great changes in them, to doe great things by them, as we know what he did by Gods permiſſion againſt Job, and when his children were feaſting, there came, ſaith the Text, Job 1. 19. a great Wind and ſmote the foure corners of the Houſe: It is obſerved by ſome, there was a ſpeciall p. 67worke of the Devill in drawing the Wind round about the houſe; how could one Wind elſe take the foure corners of the houſe? Origen thinkes thoſe Winds were onelyonly the Devils themthemſelves cluttering about the houſe, and ſtriving who ſhould doe miſchiefe ſooneſt: the ſame word in the Hebrew that ſignifies the Wind, ſignifies alſo a ſpirit. Certaine it is, if God ſhould let him looſe, hee were able to overturne our houſes every day, and ſuddenly to deſtroy us all; but howſoever God may permit him ſometimes as his executioner, yet the ſupreme cauſe of raiſing and ordering is God, for ſpeciall ends, which the Devill is forced againſt his will to further, and there is not the leaſt vapour, or any of the moſt contemptible creature that he hath any power over, but by permiſſion, and therefore, neither Angel, nor Devill, nor any power in Heaven and Earth can raiſe or continue any Wind, but as an inſtrument of God. When God hath ſome worke to doe for the fulfilling his Word, it were a great ſhame for p. 68any who profeſſe godlineſſe, to bee afraid of the Devill in this kinde: TheNec in porcorum gregem Diaboli Legio habuit poteſtatem; nec poteſtatem habet ut in oves Dei ſaeviat Tertul. de fuga in perſec. Devill, ſaith Tertullian, hath no power over Swine, much leſſe over Gods Sheepe: what God hath to doe in that proportion he raiſeth the Wind, according to that expreſſion you had before, that God had weights for the Wind, adde to this that place, Pſal. 78. 50. Hee weighed out a path for his anger; for ſo are the words: in your Bookes, it is onelyonly hee made a way to his anger; but conſider then theſe two places together, thus, God firſt weighes a path for his anger, how much hee intends to execute, and then he weighs the means, that is the Winds, according to the former expreſſion in Job; juſt enough for the execution of ſo much anger and no more, and ſo proportion them, and this beyond all ſecond cauſes makes the Winds greater or leſſe, continuing longer or ſhorter time, which few thinke of.

But thus much for the application more generally, but more particularly from theſe foure conſiderations of that p. 69word they come to fulfil, from the firſt, the word of his Decree.

1. Hence wee learne the certainty of the fulfilling of all Gods Decrees, all creatures worke for this end; wee may purpoſe and decree things, but every little thing is enough to hinder, but the word of Gods Decree ſhall ſtand for ever, Heaven and Earth, and Ayre, and Seas, and all creatures muſt worke and give forth all their power and efficacie for this, therefore certainely none can faile.

2. Whatſoever falls out by the Wind, take notice of it as the fulfilling of the word of Gods Decree, and make uſe of it accordingly: doe not thinke it came by ill hap, or chance, or onelyonly through unskilfulneſſe, or neglect of ſuch or ſuch, ſo as to thinke if theſe things be taken heed of another time, there need be no feare that ſuch things will fall out againe; yes, if this came to fulfill the word of Gods Decree, howſoever ſuch and ſuch meanes furthered it, although they had not beene, God could have have had many other p. 70wayes to have made theſe winds to have fulfilled this word of his, and ſo may do ſome other time when ſuch meanes ſhall not fall out.

From the ſecond, the Word of his command.

1. Here learne the Soveraignty and greatneſſe of God that hath theſe creatures at his command. Who is this, ſaid the Mariners concerning Chriſt, whom the wind and Seas obey? ſo let us ſay, who is this Lord, how great is his command? who are you then that dare reſiſt the command of this God? Shall Heaven and Earth, Seas and Winds fulfill Gods word, and art thou he that dareſt ſtand out againſt it, to reſiſt it, to rebell againſt it? Job 38. 1, 2▪ it is ſaid, that God ſpake to Job out of the whirle-wind, and ſaid, Who is this that darkneth counſell? Now the Lord ſpeake to your hearts out of every ſtormy Wind; who is this that dares ſtand out againſt my command, great things have yeelded and doe daily yeeld to Gods word, as Pſal. 29. 5, 6, 7. It breaketh the Cedars, it divideth the flames p. 71of fire. What a heart then haſt thou that dareſt, that canſt ſtand out againſt it?

2. Seeing the boiſterous Winds obey the word of command, when thou feeleſt boiſterous raging luſts in thy heart, looke up to this God, cry to him to give out a powerfull word of command to ſtill them: Likewiſe, O Lord, thou who ruleſt the raging Sea and tempeſtuous Winds, and they are ſtill, O that thou wouldeſt rebuke theſe raging diſtempers of my heart, which raiſe a grievous tempeſt in my ſoule, that they may be ſtill. Chryſoſtome upon the 8. of Matthew, ſpeaking of thoſe winds that raiſed tempeſt upon the Seas, which endangered the Shippe wherein Chriſt and his Diſciples were, makes uſe of an Allegoricall ſenſe comparing the Ship to the Church, and thoſe winds to the Devils that raiſe tempeſts to endanger the Church; certainly the luſts of a mans heart are more dangerous winds, they raiſe a tempeſt more dangerous then all the Devils in Hell are able to raiſe; but the Lord that is able to ſtill the one, is able to ſtill alſo the other. p. 72Pſal. 65. 7. Theſe two are put together, The ſtilling the noiſe of the Seas, the noiſe of the waves, and the tumults of the people: It is the ſame power of God that doth both, and the ſame power that muſt ſtill the tumult of a mans own heart.

3. From the third particular, The Winds are ſent to fulfill the word of Gods threat.

Ʋſe 1. How ſure then are Gods threats to be fulfilled, when all Gods creatures are appointed to ſee them fulfilled; every creature ſtands ready as if it ſaid, Lord ſhall I go to make good ſuch a threat gone out againſt ſuch a man, for ſuch a ſinne committed at ſuch a time? if God ſaith to the winds, goe purſue him, attach him, never ceaſe until my word be fulfilled againſt him, certainly they will go and will fulfill Gods word to the utmoſt, although it be for thy utter ruine, and ſending thee downe to thine owne place: although ſome word of Gods threat may ſeeme to lye as it were dead a while, yet God hath wayes to raiſe it up and to make it good p. 73to the full, and amongſt other meanes this creature is often uſed for this end. 1 Sam. 3. 12. In that day, ſaith the Lord, I will performe all the things which I have ſpoken againſt Eli. The words are, I will raiſe up all the words I have ſpoken againſt him: it may bee there hath beene ſome word of threat lien long againſt thee; now the Winds are ſent to raiſe up this word, let it lye never ſo long, it muſt riſe at the laſt, all the powers in Heaven and Earth will work to raiſe it up, rather then it ſhall alwayes lye thus, it certainly muſt riſe at one time or another, and, as it is, verſ. 19. None of the words of the Lord ſhall fall to the ground: The expreſſion is Metaphoricall from a dart caſt at an enemy, if it be caſt by a weak hand, or not directed right, inſtead of ſticking in the thing it is caſt at, it falls to the ground; but Gods words ſpoken by the Prophets ſhall not doe ſo, they will be as darts that ſhall certainly ſticke in the ſides of wicked men, and none of them ſhall fall to the ground, and amongſt other meanes, the mighty Winds are p. 74ſometimes uſed by God, to carry the dart of the Word of his threat ſtrongly upon Conſcience, to make it ſticke faſt and to abide untill it fulfills Gods purpoſe, and not fall to the ground.

2. Here you ſee what a dangerous thing it is to bee, eſpecially to goe to Sea under the power of a threat; as ſoone as God hath thee at Sea, if hee calls for a Wind out of the treaſures of his wrath, and bids it fulfill ſuch a threat, where art thou? it is a bold adventure for thee to put out to Sea before thou haſt cleared all with God and thine owne Conſcience: if all bee cleare, then the bleſſing of Zebulun, Deut. 13. 26. may be upon thee, Rejoyce O Zebulun in thy going out: Zebulun was the Mariners Tribe, and his bleſſing was to rejoyce in his proſperous voyages, in his expectation of them, to rejoyce when hee went out, when hee ſet to Sea: if before your going out you have made all peace betweene God and you, ſo that there be no word of threat to be fulfilled upon you, then, but not p. 75before, can you rejoyce at your going out.

3. When thou art in any danger in regard of ſtormy Winds, conſider, adviſe with thy conſcience what threat it is, againſt what ſinne of thine the word of the Lord is gone forth, that this ſtormy Wind comes to fulfill; conſcience will tell thee, here is a terrible tempeſt, and it comes to fulfill the word of the Lord, that word of the Lord that thou haſt ſleighted, contemned, deſpiſed; now comes this tempeſt to put honour and majeſty upon that word, and to fulfill it: it cryes out to thee, the word of the Lord, the word that thou heardeſt ſuch a day, againſt ſuch a ſinne, in ſuch a place, thou haſt eſcaped it all this while, thou thoughteſt thy ſelfe free from it, out of its danger, but now it purſues thee, it comes in this ſtormy wind to be fulfilled on thee.

Thou thoughteſt the Word was but as wind, and that that wind ſhould ſhake no corne, as Jer. 5. 13. The Prophets ſhall become wind, now they become Wind indeed. I remember I have read a ſtory, p. 76that Hoſpinian in his Hiſtory of Jeſuites relates of Henricus a Jeſuite at Ingolſtate, who ſaid in his Sermon, that it was no good ſigne of a Catholike to joy much in hearing of Sermons, but rather the ſigne of an Heretike, who delight themſelves with thoſe things as the Ape with a nut; for, ſaith he, Sermons paſſe away preſently as wind; but his delight is to heare many Maſſes: is this a diſtinguiſhing ſign between a Catholike and an Heretick, fit for a Ieſuite to give; ſuch vile unworthy thoughts have carnall hearts of the Word, but it is indeed and ſhall be Wind that ſhall ſhake thy heart one day, although for the preſent it ſeemes to be hardened as the Rocke, Iſa. 63. 6. we read of a threat that their iniquities like the Wind ſhould take men away; the guilt of thine iniquity, together with the ſtormy Wind, is like to take thee, and carry thee away to thine owne place: when the ſtormy Wind blew ſo as it endangered thoſe Mariners in the 1 of Jonah, the text ſaith, They conſulted to caſt lots, that they might know for whoſe cauſe it p. 77blew: It is good for thee when thou art in a ſtormy Wind to conſult with thine owne heart, is not this tempeſt raiſed againſt me for my ſinne? ſurely if thou wouldeſt aske the queſtion to thine owne heart, for what cauſe is it that it is ſo dreadfull; the anſwer will be, it is becauſe thou haſt not fulfilled the Word of the Lord, by thy humiliation before it, by thy obedience unto it, and therefore it comes now to fulfulfill the Word of the Lord upon thee.

4. If ever you have eſcaped dangerous Tempeſts, learne for ever to have higher thoughts of the Word of the Lord then you have had, to reverence it, to humble thy ſoule before it, to obey it: Oh let me fulfill the Word of the Lord now by humiliation, by obedience, that the ſtormy Wind do not doe it ſo as ſhall be more grievous to me; if yet thou dareſt reſiſt his word, when the Lord ſhall have raiſed againe another ſtormy Wind, and cauſed his terror to be upon thee, it may be then thou wilt cry, O Lord now I wil fulfill thy Word, p. 78Lord deliver mee, and I ſhall be more carefull for ever to fulfill thy word, thy word that commands mee to keepe thy Sabbaths, thy word that commands mee to ſanctifie thy Name, thy word that commands me to bee chaſt and ſober and religious; Lord if my life may be ſpared, it ſhall appeare I will regard thy word more then ever I have done; God may then anſwer, nay, this ſtormy Wind ſhall fulfill my word, I will rather have my glory out of thee by fulfilling my word upon thee by this tempeſt, then expect from thee what thou wilt doe to the fulfilling of it. It may be ſome of you have heretofore in your diſtreſſe thus promiſed the Lord, and the Lord hath heard your cryes, and hath ſpared you: if God hath beene gracious to you, doe not now returne to folly. The firſt time as I remember that Pharaoh acknowledged that he had ſinned, was upon the dreadfulneſſe of the Tempeſt, Exo. 9. 27. Though I have ſinned, the Lord is righteous, I and my people are wicked: So it may bee you have done, but take heed now it be not p. 79with you as it was with Pharaoh, verſ. 34. when he ſaw the tempeſt was over, hee ſinned yet more, and hardned his heart; you are delivered from the tempeſt, doe not now ſinne more, doe not now harden your hearts; Oh let conſcience now pleade with you for the fulfilling your owne word, take heede now, doe not thruſt away conſcience when it comes to you to put you upon what you have promiſed to God in your diſtreſſe. 1 Tim. 1. 19. the Scripture ſpeakes of ſome, who make ſhipwracke of faith, and put away their conſcience: when you have eſcaped one ſhip-wracke, take heed of a worſe ſhip-wrack, namely that of faith, and of putting away conſcience; the word that is there tranſlated, put away, is more then putting, it is thruſting away, caſting off with violence, the ſame word that is tranſlated in Rom. 1. 12. 13. caſt off the workes of darkneſſe, when temptations to the worke of darkneſſe come, it is good thruſting them away with violence; but take heed you doe not ſo with your conſciences, p. 80when they come upon you, urging on you the performance of what you engaged your ſelfe to God in the time of danger. It may be in time of danger you caſt out your goods to ſave your lives, now caſt out your luſts to ſave your ſoules, either your ſinnes or your ſoules muſt periſh: know that though you forget your promiſes, yet God lookes after them, and vvill call to account what becomes of them, they are to be ſeeds of a godly life; now then take heed that when you vowe to and covenant with God, you doe not ſowe the Wind, that phraſe the Scripture uſeth for loſing our labour, when nothing comes of our endeavours, as Hoſ. 8. 7. but that is not all, that no good comes of our promiſes, but certainly if in them you ſowe the Wind, there will ſomething come of them, if not a harveſt of a reformed life, yet reape you ſhall, you ſhall reape the Whirl-wind, they will be the ſeedes of moſt dreadfull miſeries to you afterwards. That which one Theodericus anſwered to Sigiſmund the Emperour when he would p. 81know of him what he ſhould doe to be happy, may I ſay to you; Conſider, ſayes he, what you would wiſh you had done at ſuch and ſuch times when you had grievous paine of the ſtone and gout, and doe that now; ſo I unto you, would you bee happy, conſider then when you have been in grievous ſtorms and dangerous tempeſts, what would you wiſh you had done, doe that now; when company, when temptations drawes to evill, conſider then, will this be my joy if ever God brings mee into the like grievous tempeſts againe, would I have done thus at that time? at ſuch times then men are convinced of the wayes of God, and could wiſh themſelves godly: Yea, I remember I have read of an expreſſion that Xenophon hath, that all men in their ſailings deſire for their companions to have men rather religious then Atheiſts, becauſe of their often dangers and feares, by reaſon of Tempeſts; now your hearts riſe againſt them, but at ſuch a time you could bee glad to bee with them, and to bee as they are, except you p. 82be Atheiſts your ſelves; O labour now to be, ſuch as then you are convinced is the beſt and moſt ſafeſt to be, religious: if it be good then, it is good now. There hath beene much feare ſtruck into your hearts at ſuch times, but know there may be much trembling at Gods great workes, and yet God not feared; As at the giving of the Law, the people were terrified vvhen they ſaw and heard thoſe terrible things at Mount Sinai, and yet afterwards God ſayes, Oh that there were a heart in this people to feare me. God does not owne all that skaring of theirs before for any true feare of his Name; the Lord therefore grant, that that feare which in ſuch times hath poſſeſſed your hearts, may prove and appeare to bee not ſo much the feare of dangers, as the true feare of the great God appearing to you in ſuch great and dreadfull workes of his; that if there were any ſtirrings in your conſciences before now by ſuch a ſight of God cauſing his feare to be upon you, thoſe beginnings may be brought forth to a good and bleſſed iſſue, that though p. 83your hearts ſtucke before, and could not be brought off without much adoe to any thing that was good, yet that now this vvorke of God may bring them off, and now there may be an everlaſting divorce between your hearts and thoſe evils which before did cleave ſo cloſe and faſt unto you; As we read, Pſal. 29. That the voyce of the Lord in tempeſt cauſeth the Hindes to calve; now they are creatures that doe not calve without great difficulty, but the feare that is upon them at ſuch times cauſeth them to bring forth their young: you have had many ſtirrings of heart, but yet nothing hath come of them, the Lord cauſe the feare of his great name now to be effectuall, that thoſe ſtirrings may bring forth ſomething for the honour of God and your owne peace.

5. Let us take notice of Gods fulfilling his Word by this ſtormy Wind: what word of his was fulfilled amongſt us, whatſoever hurt hath beene done by it, whatſoever judgement hath befalne any upon this, it is for the fulfilling p. 84ſome word of the Lord, the Lord give you all hearts to fulfill that worke of humiliation and obedience that this worke of the Lord calls for from you; there hath not beene knowne in theſe parts in the memory of man the like effect of a ſtormy Wind, as this hath brought forth: We read of that wind 1 King. 19. where the Text ſaith, God was not in the Wind; wee cannot ſay ſo of this, for verily God was in this wind, and that very remarkably; O that hee might▪ bee honoured in it; that as in nature ſtrong Winds cleare the ayre from corruption, ſo this may bee ſo bleſſed by God to cleanſe your conſcience from ſome defilement.

6. From the fourth particular, the word of his promiſe.

When you have proſperous winds, looke at them as comming to fulfill a word of mercy, Pſal. 89. 8, 9. Who is a ſtrong Lord like unto thee, or to thy faithfulneſſe round about thee: Thou ruleſt the raging of the Sea, the waters thereof ariſe, thou ſtillest them. The Pſalmiſt acknowledgeth the worke of God in the ruling p. 85and ſtilling the waves of the Sea (which hee doth eſpecially by the uſe of the wind, as a fruit of Gods faithfulneſſe) that is ordered by God for the fulfilling the word of his promiſe; if you can take this as a fruit of the promiſe, how comfortable will it bee unto you. Gods riding upon the Cherub, and flying upon the wings of the Wind are put together, Pſal. 18▪ 10. The Cherubins did cover the Mercyſeate, when he comes to us upon the wings of the Wind, this muſt needes be full of comfort; you Mariners if you be gratious and godly, whenſoever you ſee the Lord comming to you in the Winds, you may ſee him likewiſe upon the Cherub his Mercy-ſeat, and what encouragement is this in the wayes of God, others ſee him comming from his Throne of Iuſtice dividing the flames of fire in his wrath; if God hath fulfilled any word of Mercy by a proſperous Wind, let it engage thee to him for ever, and cauſe thee to improve that mercy thou haſt by it for God, we read, Deu. 33. 19. that Zebulun p. 86the Mariners Tribe, as you heard before, when they had a proſperous voyage, they ſhould call the people to the Mountaines of the Lord, there to offer ſacrifices of righteouſneſſe, becauſe of the fulfilling of Gods promiſe to them, that they ſhould ſucke of the abundance of the Seas; hath God given you the bleſſing of the Seas? then ſtirre up one another to come to the Mountaine of the Lord, that is, to the Church of God, to offer the ſacrifices of righteouſneſſe, to give God the praiſes due unto him▪ And to cloſe all, if a proſperous Wind bee comfortable, becauſe it fulfils a word of mercy, how comfortable then are the breathings of Gods Spirit in the ſoule fulfilling the good Word of the Lord, promiſing to give his Spirit to them that aske it, Luke 11. 13. and take onelyonly one note from hence, ſo we have done, when God gives his Spirit, hee gives all good: the comparing of this place of Luke with Matth. 7. 11. is very obſervable, there it is, How much more ſhall your father give good things to them that aske him; and in p. 87Luke, How much more ſhall your Father give his Spirit to them that aske him; ſhewing, that God in giving us his Spirit, gives us all good things; the Lord grant unto us evermore the bleſſed breathings of his Spirit.

FINIS.

End of the text · Jeremiah Burroughs, The Seamans Direction in Time of Storm (1640)