Stand Still, Sermon · Part 2
Stand still, not Wavering.
2. All men by nature unstable, some more then others▪Passe we now to the second, Stand still, not Wavering. This men naturally are very apt to doe, being all by nature, ever since the first man left his standing, become very unstable: but some more then others: It is that which the Patriarch Iacob saith to, and of his sonne Ruben, Gen. 49. Gen. 49.4.Vnstable as water. Water, it is an unstable Element, seldome standing still, specially if there be any wind stirring; then we see how unequally and unevenly it moveth, being carryed this way and that way up and down. Such is the Instabilitie of some persons, they are (as Saint Iames saith of his double-minded man, Jam. 1.) …am. 1.8foreign, unresolved, uncomposed, unstable in all their wayes, carryed this way or that way as the tyde runnes, as the wind blowes, up and downe like waves of the Sea. It is the same Apostles comparison, and it is an elegant one, Iam. 1.6. Jam. 1.6.He that wavereth, is like a wave of the Sea, driven with the wind, and tossed. A wave, you know what the motion of it is; how it riseth and falleth; now a Mountaine, by and by a Valley; now lifted up, by and by as much depressed againe. So unconstant and unequable is the motion of some Christians up and down; As their condition change, so doe they: In prosperitie, (when things goe well with them, heaven and earth smile upon them) their spirits are alost, none higher: In adversitie, (when things runne crosse with them) as much dejected, none lower. Like men in a stresse at Sea (according to the Psalmists description of them,Psal. 107.27.) They mount up to heaven, they goe down againe to the depths, their soule is melted because of trouble. Thus farre are they moved, inordinately moved, not knowing how to Stand still.
But thus should it not be with the Lords people,D. Gods people ought not to be in ordinately moved, whatever their condition be. whatever their condition be, whatever their straits, dangers, difficulties be, (for that is the case which the Text leadeth us to) yet their Direction is, they must Stand still, not being inordinately moved.
…oved they …ay, & ought …o be at the …udgements of …od.Inordinately moved (I say) Moved they may be, nay ought to be. Christianitie doth neither require nor allow a Stoicall Apathy, a Bruitish stupiditie, that men should not be affected with the hand of God, striking or threatning. Not to be mov'd with the apprehension of imminent impendent evills;Perdifficite est …ominemexue…e Laert. what is it, but (as he saith) Hominem exuere, To put off the nature of man? Which seeing the Eternall Sonne of God was pleased to put on, the sonnes of men ought not to put it off.
…ut not Trou…led.Moved they may be, but not inordinately moved, not Troubled. So our Saviour giveth it in charge to his Disciples, Joh. 4. …oh. 14.1.Fore-telling them of sad times a comming, of great Tribulation that they should meet with, in and from the world after his departure; Let not your hearts be troubled (saith he) foreign. The word is emphaticall, taken from the royling and troubling of waters, where they are so stirred, as that the mud is raysed up from the bottome. That is properly foreign. Now Christians must beware that their hearts be not thus troubled. There is not the best heart but hath some mud, some corruption in the bottome of it, so as if it be stirred by inordinate passions, and perturbations, it will rise and roile the spirit. This was the case of the Israelites here in the Text; Apprehending the eminency of the present danger which they were in, their spirits were presently ro…led, troubled, inordinately moved. And therefore Moses for the setling of them, biddeth them Stand still, Ne commoveaminis, ac fluctuetis animo, (so Iunius (as I told you) glosseth upon the word) Be yee not stirred, troubled, disquieted, with anxious and dubious thoughts, what shall become of you and yours? Give not way to diffident and distrustfull thoughts, so much as to call in question either the power or presence of God: Stand you still, not doubting, not wavering. Thus should Christians doe in the like cases: In straits, in exigents, when they know not what to doe, nor which way to looke, then labour so to fix their soules by faith and confidence upon God, as that they may not stagger, they may not waver. It is Saint Iames his direction to him that would obtaine wisedome, or any the like mercy at the hands of God,Jam. 1.6. Let him aske in faith (saith he) nothing wavering. foreign, Nihil disceptans, haesitans, Christians very apt to be thus troubled.not reasoning, not scrupling. This Christians are very ready to doe. Wee see it in the Apostles and Disciples of Christ, when they apprehended any imminent danger, or met with any great difficultie, they were ready to give way to carnall reasonings and doubtings. So did Peter when he was walking upon the Sea, treading of the water, not finding his footing so firme as he made account of, he presently cryes out, Mat. 14.30.readie to give himselfe for a lost man, notwithstanding that he had his Masters warrant and command for that which he did. The Disciples the like in that stresse at Sea; notwithstanding that they had their Lord and Master with them, yet they cry out, Lord, save us, we perish. Mat. 8.25. …And afterwards comming unto a strange place, & having forgot to take Bread with them,Mat. 16.7. … they began to reason with themselves how that want should be supplyed to them, notwithstanding that they had twice before had experience of the miraculous power of their Lord and Master in multiplying of the loaves, as himselfe telleth them.vers. 9, 10. Such was their weakenesse: A weakenesse which our Saviour still reproveth them for, taxing their Infidelitie in giving way to those faithlesse feares, those carnall reasons and diffident doubts,Mat. 14.31. O thou of little faith (saith hee to Peter) Wherefore did'st thou doubt? Why are yee fearefull O yee of little faith? Mat. 8.26. Mat. 16.8O yee of little faith, why reason yee among your selves? They are his rebukes to his Disciples upon the occasions aforesaid: Christians in like cases, in cases of Danger and Difficultie, are very subject to such carnall disceptations and reasonings, whereby their soules come to be disquieted and unsetled. But these they must beware of, not giving way to them, but labouring for steady and stable hearts;Jam. 5.8. A stable heart a great blessing. Be yee also patient (saith Saint Iames) Stablish your hearts. A great blessing where it is. A Blessing which Paul prayeth for, for his Thessalonians, 2 Thess. 2. 2 Thess, 2 last.Now our Lord Iesus Christ, and God even our Father, &c. Comfort your hearts, stablish you. Saint Peter the like for the Saints to whom he writes; The God of all grace make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you, 1 Pet. 5. 1 Pet. 5.10.What they beg for others, Christians should all seeke for themselves; stable setled spirits, that they may Stand fast, and Hold fast; So Paul ex…orts those his Thessalonians in the place forenamed.2 Thess. 2.15 Heb. 10.23. Therefore Brethren stand fast, and hold fast the Traditions which you have beene taught, &c. Let us hold fast the Profession of our faith without wavering (saith the Apostle to his Hebrewes.) Thus should Christians Stand still, standing their ground against whatever opposition they meet with in respect of the faith which they professe. Paul could not but wonder to see his Galathians so inconstant and wavering this way. I marvell (saith he) that yee are so soone removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospell. Gal. 1.6.Such Weather-cocks are no ornament to the Temples of Christ. Such unstable, unsetled, wavering spirits, they doe not become those who have once given up their name unto God, and have his name called upon them. It is for them to Stand still, to have stable heads and hearts. Herein they shall be made like unto God himselfe, who is immutable, unchangeable, I am the Lord, I change not, Mal. 3. Mal. 3.6.Such he is in his nature,
And such he is in his promises;Reas. 1. The promises are stable. which may serve as a Reason why Christians should not waver; so the Apostle maketh use of it, Heb. 10.23. Let us hold fast the profession of the faith without wavering; why? (For he is faithfull that promised.) Gods promises, they are the gro…nd upon which a Christiā stands. Now if the ground were false and shaking, they which stand upon it could not be blamed for shaking with it. But that being firme, no Reason why they should waver, but Stand still: which unlesse Christians do, they cannot See the salvation of the Lord.
(Which may serve as a second Reason.Reas. 2. Wavering hearts cannot see the salvation of the Lord.) So much we may collect from the Text it selfe. Stand still, and see, &c. A man that wavers up and downe can never take sure aime. He that would See the salvation of the Lord, must stand steady, Stand still.
Vse. Applic. Labour we for a holy stability.And such a holy stabilitie let all of us in the feare of God be excited to seeke after, and labour for, that whatever changes come downe upon the world, yet wee may in our measure be like unto God himselfe, immutable, unchangeable. An Exhortation I thinke never more seasonable then at this day. I shall not need to tell you what unsetled and unsteady times we are fallen into; I shall onelyonly make this use of it; The more unsetl…d the times are, Speci…lly in in the…e unsetled times.the more setled spirits we had need to labour for: Unsetled spirits and unsetled times will not doe well together. A swimmering Brain and a seeling reeling-ship, will make but foule weather of it. If ever, now labour wee for stable hearts, steady and composed spirits, that whatever Herican…'s, whatever Stormes and Tempests come downe upon the world, upon the Kingdome, upon the Church, upon the State, upon the places where wee live, upon our selves, yet we may ride it out, and that in some measure steadily, not being inordinately moved, though moved, but like a good ship at Anchor, though moving, yet wee may Stand still.
Q. How the heart may be made steady in such tempestuous times as these.I know now what your thoughts are. How shall this stabilitie be attained? How shall the heart be made so steady as that it may Stand still? As that a Christian may come to ride steady in a stresse, and particularly in such a stresse as that which is now come downe upon this Church and Kingdome?
A. Illustrated by way of Allegory, from a ship riding at anchor in a stresse.A great and a usefull Question. In the resolution whereof, give me leave to take hold of that Metaphor which the Question (as I have propounded it) puts into my hand. A metaphor which many of you, (most of you) are familiarly acquainted with, and therefore I the rather make choice of it. You can tell me, by what meanes a ship may be made to ride steady: And let me tell you, that by the very like meanes the heart may be brought to be steady, so steady as that it shall not be inordinately moved in the greatest stresse of Temptation that can come downe upon it.
To make a ship ride steady, four things requisite.To make a ship ride steady, there are (as I take it) these foure things principally requisite. She must be well-built, downe-ballasted, low-masted, sure-anchored. If any of these be wanting, she will never ride steady; bring we home every of them, and make use of them (by way of Allusion) to our present purpose.
I. It must be well built, viz. strongly and artificially.First, The first requisite to make a ship steady, is, she must be well-built, which consisteth in two things. She must be built strongly and artificially; strongly, well-timbred, not weake; which if she be, she will give way in a stresse, and so prove leakie: Artificially, well moulded, not tender-sided; which if she be, shee will prove Waltrie, Applied to the soule, which must be well built.and so make soule weather of every ordinary gale. And thus must the soule be built that it may stand still, ride steadie in a stresse; It must bee
First, Well-simbered, well laid in with all requisite varietie of true, sound, substantiall, sanctifying Graces, I. Strongly, wellayed in with substantiall Graces.which are to the soule as Beames, and Timbers, and Ribs to the Ship; without these, it is not an outward formall profession that will serve the Turne: It is not the outward planke or sheading of the ship, that will make her keep up tithe in a stresse; If she be not well strengthned within, she will (as I say, and you know) give way, and prove leakie. It is not an outward profession (how glorious soever) nor yet any common Graces, that will beare up, and beare out the soule in the houre of Temptation. Unlesse there be aliquid întus, unlesse it be well laid in, and strengthned inwardly (in the inner Man (as the Apostle calleth it) with sound and substantiall sanctifying Graces, it will give way.Eph. 3.16. See an instance of it in Hymaeneus and Alexander, sometimes Pauls followers and companions, they made an outward profession of the faith, and (no question) for the time a glorious one, but having nothing but an outward profession, not being well laidin, foreign,1 Tim. 1.19. They made shipwracke of what they seemed to have. A truth which our Saviour illustrates (as you know) by the Parable of the stony ground, which receiving the good seed soone puts it sorth againe in a faire promising blade;Mat. 13.5, 6. but no sooner doth the Sun arise and lie hot upon it, but presently not having Earth and Root to beare it out, it withereth & commeth to nothing. I shall not need to make any interpretation of the Parable, our Saviour hath done it to my hand in the 20 ver. of the same Chapter,Vers. 20, 21. Hee that received the seed into the stonie places, the same is hee that heareth the word, and anon with Ioy receiveth it, (making in outward glorious profession) but having not root in himselfe, (the root of the matter being not found in him, Job. 19.28.(as Job speakes) hee indureth but for a while; for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by hee is offended. I might here minde you of that other Parable of the house built upon the Sand, Mat. 7.26.tending to the same purpose, shewing that the soule which is not strongly built, built upon a sure foundation (as Saint Luke explaines it) it will never indure the storme of temptation;Luk. 7.49. but it will fetch way, and totter and shake, and in the end fall downe to the ground. Would wee then stand still, would we be steady in times of triall, not being inordinately moved, much lesse over-turned, see that our soules bee well and strongly built.
I. First built upon a sure foundation.First built upon a sure foundation, and that is Iesus Christ: Other foundation (saith the Apostle) can no man lay then that which is laid, which is Iesus Christ: He must be to our soules as the foundation to the house,1 Cor. 3.11. or (to returne to the Metaphor in hand) as the Keel to the ship: If a ship have not a good Keel, A good Keele.all her upper-worke is to no purpose; If the soule bee not built upon Christ, all our super structures will prove nothing worth; And therfore (in the first place) make wee him our Keel, laying our soules upon him,Make Christ our Keele. resting upon him, as the floor-timbers in a ship doe upon the Keel, bottoming all our hopes in and upon him, laying all the weight of our soules for salvation and eternall life upon him; not resting upon any thing else besides him, what end else we rest upon besides Christ, wee shall finde it at the best but a Kelsie (as you call it) a false Keel, not able to beare any weight, any stresse. That our soules may be well, and strongly built, let them be built upon him who is the strong God, (as he is called Isa. 9. Isa. 9.6.) upon him who by his Power upholdeth the whole frame of Heaven and Earth, even as the Keel in a ship doth all the upper-worke, Heb. 1.3.with all the lading in it.
Having Christ for our Keel, 2. Then get the soul furnished with other graces. 1 Cor. 1.5, 7.our foundation being built upon him by faith, now see that our soules be well timbred, well furnished with other Graces, that (as Paul saith of his Corinthians) we may be in every thing inriched by Christ; not defective in any requisite Grace: bee it hope, or love, or zeale, or humilitie, or Patience, or the like: Let it be our care that our soules may bee laid in with some proportion of every of these. And here take heed that we doe not content our selves with showes and shadowes of Graces; These will prove but as sappie or rotten timbers in a ship, which will beare no stresse) but make sure that our Graces, what ever they be for the quantitie, yet for the quality they be sound and substantiall; Heart of Grace (as I may call it) That so we may be strengthned with all might in the inner man, according to the glorious Power of our God unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulnesse, Eph. 3.16. Col. 1.11.(as Paul prayeth both for his Ephesians and Colossians) here is the first Branch of this first Direction. The soul, that it may be steady, must be like a good ship, built strongly.
Secondly, And (as strongly) so (in the second place) it must be like a well-built ship, which is built artificially, 2. Built Artificially, well-moulded.well-moulded. Now (to follow the metaphor) when is a ship said to be well-moulded; why, when there is a due proportion observed in her Dimensions, a due proportion for length, an bredth, and depth, Which consisteth in a due proportion of Graces.which if it be not observed she will never ride well.
Thus must the soule be moulded (as I may say) that would ride well, and keep steadie, it must have a due proportion in her Graces; not a great deale of one, and little or nothing of another. As for instance, not a great deale of zeale, and little or no knowledge; this disproportion or defect the Apostle observed, & pitied in many of his countrimen the Iewes. Rom. 10.2.I beare them record (saith he) that they have a zeale of God, but not according to knowledge. And is not this the record (my Brethren) which the Ministers of Christ may as truly beare unto some and many, as in this, so in other places of the Kingdome at this day (otherwise well-meaning Christians) that They have a zeale for God, but not according to knowledge. There is no proportion betwixt their knowledge, and their zeale; they have a great measure of the one, little or nothing of the other. Now it being so, it is no wonder that they are many of them so unsteadie, so unstable, so unsetled as by sad experience we see them to bee; carried this way and that way into errours of the right hand, and of the left hand, rowling too and againe, like ill moulded vessels, which are no content either to those that stear them, or are Passengers in them. Would we ever have steadie, stable hearts, labour for a due proportion in our Graces.
And in particular, let me advise and perswade you to get a large proportion of one Grace,Get a large proportion of love. (a Grace wherein you shall not need to beare exceeding proportion) and that is that Grace of Graces, without which the Apostle will tell you,1 Cor. 13.2, 3: all other Graces are nothing, or as good as nothing, viz. the Grace of Love. Oh seek wee all of us after this Grace, that our soules may be (as I may say) well laid out with it: with love to God, love to his Truth, love to his Ordinances, love to his Ministers, love to our Brethre…. Without this, what ever other graces we have, we will never hold steadie; a truth which the Metaphor in hand illustrates very aptly. A ship, be shee never so well and comely built, as for all materials, so for all other her proportions; yet if shee be tender-sided (as you call it) not well laid out, but pinched in the sides, shee will never be steadie. A very lively Embleme (mee thinkes) of a straight-hearted Christian, one who it may be hath some other commendable parts and Graces, as of Knowledge and Zeale, &c. I, but he is not well laid out, his Bowels are straitned. It is Saint Pauls owne expression, 2 Cor. 6. 2 Cor. 6.complaining of want of love in his Corinthians towards himselfe, and his Ministerie;Vers. 12. O yee Corinthians (saith he) yee are straitned in your own Bowels; Their Hearts were not laid out, and inlarged towards his Person and Ministerie, as his was towards them in the unfeigned desire of their good. Vers. 13. One maine cause of unsteadinesse in these times, the want of love.Now where the soule is thus pinched in, the Bowels thus straightned for want of love, no wonder that Christians are so fickle and unstable, as at this day we finde them to be; so ready upon every sleight occasion to take the snuffe, and to fly off from the Ordinances of God, unlesse they bee dispensed by such hands, and after such a manner and fashion as themselves like best; so ready to forsake the fellowship and communion of the Saints in the publicke Assemblies, Heb. 10.25.….and to run out into Errors both in Doctrine and Practise. Certainly (my Brethren) were our soules but laid out with this grace of love in any measure proportionably to some other graces that we pretend unto, and presume to be owners (if not masters) of, we would not bee so unstable, so unsetled, so soone taken off, and turned aside. It is the nature of love (as the Apostle telleth us, reckoning up the propertie of it, 1 Cor. 1 Cor. 13.4.) foreign, to suffer long & much; to suffer much for God & from men; for God, in standing for his Truth against opposition;vers. 5. from men in bearing with the infirmities of Brethren. Neither is it easily provoked, foreign (as the Apostle there goeth on) it is not easily sharpned or edged; but it beareth all things (all things tollerable) it indureth all things: vers. 7.And therefore (to draw towards a conclusion of this poynt) would we have our selves steady, get them layed out, get them enlarged: It is that which Paul begs from his Corinthians in the place fore-named;2 Cor. 6.11, 13. O yee Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is inlarged. Now for a Recompence in the same (I speak as unto children) Be yee also enlarged. And give me leave, without either ostentation or flattery, to take up his words, and say unto you of this place, To you our mouth is open, (a mercy which I dare say) some of you, many of you, have heretofore begg'd at the hands of God; God hath heard your prayers, Our mouth is open to you) and (let me speake it as in the presence of that God, who is the searcher of hearts) Our heart is (in measure) inlarged towards you in the unfeigned desire of your good, your peace, your welfare, spirituall and temporall; your happinesse, your salvavation: Now for a recompence in the same (I speake as unto children, hoping that there are somehere present that wil owne that spirituall relation) Be yee also enlarged, inlarged in your affections towards that ministery which heretofore (through the blessing of God upon weake indeavours) you have found effectuall for the begetting of some, and for the nursing up of others.
And now, O that all our hearts were but thus layed in, and thus layed out; layed in with a due proportion of all requisite graces, layed out with a large proportion of this Grace of Love, Certainly they would then be more steady then generally in these unsteady times they are: I, so steady, as that though the whole world should turne round, yet we (like the Polar stars in the Heavens) should Stand still.
Secondly, A second Direction followeth:2. Downe-ballasted, viz. That a ship may be made to ride steady, she must be downe-ballasted, so bound downe to the water by some sad and pondrous lading, as that she may not be tossed with every blast or billow: In like manner the soule that would Stand still and be steady, it must be ballasted, downe-Ballasted; Ballasted, with what? Why with sound Iudgement, With judgement and discretion, which is the Salt of Graces.and true Christian Direction, A Grace (whatever any hot and violent spirits in these times may speake or thinke of it) both usefull and necessary, as Salt to our meat, (for so indeed it is, the Salt of all Graces, seasoning persons, actions, words, without which they are all unsavory.) And will you know what it is? It is a power or facultie to discernethings which differ: Judgement, what it is? 1 Phil. 9.This I pray (faith Paul to his Philippians) That your love may abound more and more, in all knowledge and judgement, that yee may discerne things which differ (so the old Translation reads it according to the Originall. A power or facultie to judge of things as they are, not according to apparance, Joh. 7.24. 2 Cor. 10.7.but according to truth; and that not onelyonly of the lawfulnesse or unlawfulnesse of them, but also of the expediency or inexpediency, conveniency or inconveniency of them, that so a man may order himselfe in his speeches and actions accordingly; which David maketh the property of a good man, he is one that steereth his course with this Rudder: A good man will guide his affairs with discretion, Ps. 112. Psal. 112.5.This is judgement, this is Discretion: A grace needfull for all, A Grace most requisite for the Ministers of the Gospell.specially for the Ministers of the Gospell, who being to goe before the Lords people, stand in need of a double portion of it, (specially in such times as these into which we are fallen that their whole carriage, all their actions, all their speeches maybe seasoned with it, specially those in publik, that so the word in their mouths may not (through want of this) be made unsav…ry to any,Sam. 2.17. nor any of the ordinances of God made to stink in the nosthrils of meere carnall men. Not onelyonly they, but all others, even all private Christians should looke out for their share and portion of it:Requisite for private Christians, specially in these times. It being a Grace so necessary to them, that without it they will never be stayed, never setled. What is it that maketh multitudes so heady, so unstable, so unsetled at this day as they are? So ready to cast off received truths? So ready to imbrace any noveltie that is obtruded upon them, specially if it have but a glosse of pietie set upon it? Alas, they are unballasted, they want judgement to discerne of things, to judge of them according to truth: And as for discretion, possibly some of them may take it for a Dull Grace, not fit for these active and busie times. (Foolish Pilots (who would not account them so?) That throw over their Ballaste in a stresse.) What wonder now if they heave and set, and are carried this way and that way with every billow, with every blast. S. Inde speaking of such, he fitly resembles them to empty clouds, foreign, clouds they are without water Jud. vers. 12. Jud. v. 12.carried about withwinde. It is so, you know, with light and emptie clouds; How are they hurried hither and thither according as the winds drives them? And all for want of water, which should be as Ballaste unto them to ballance them, (as Elihu phraseth it, Iob 37. Job 37.16.Do'st thou know the ballancings of the clouds?) Would we come to Stand still in these unsetled and tempestuary times, take we in every of us some of this Ballaste; get we our hearts ballasted with some proportionable measure of sound judgement, Take heed of putting to Sea without Ballast.and doe not dare to venter our selves upon the differences and controversies of the times without it, we would account him an unwise Pilot that should dare to put to Sea without his Ballaste: Vnballasted bottomes may lye safe in the harbour, but to put to Sea (specially in a stresse) they cannot without emminent hazard. Certainly it would be a great deale better and safer for private Christians to containe themselves within the bounds of knowne truths (a safe harbour to them) then to venter rashly, and heedily upon the controversies of the times, which they cannot doe without emminent danger both to themselves and others. Before you launch forth into this deepe, into this growne Sea, I meane engage your selves in Church differences, which are now risen to a height, get your hearts thus Ballasted, downeballasted, with sound judgement and true Christian discretion. This will be a meanes to keepe you steady, so as you shall not be tossed too and fro, Ephesi. 4: 14.nor carried about with every wind of doctrine, (as Paul speakes to his Ephesians) much lesse make shipwrack of that faith which you have imbraced & professed, which otherwise you are subject to and in danger of. Lamentable instances of this kind the present times afford many. Should we coast along the shoare of the English Church in this Kingdome at this day, alas! How many such wracks shall wee see? How many Vessells (which might otherwise have beene serviceable and profitable) have by this meanes of late miscarried? Some bilged upon this rocke, others upon that; some runne a ground upon this shelfe, others upon that; some fallen into quick-sand, others into that; some fallen upon Separatisme, others upon Anabaptisme, a third upon Familisme, a fourth upon Antinomianisme, all in hazard to be lost (at least to the Church) unlesse God be the more mercifull to bring them off; and all this for adventuring to put to Sea without their Ballaste. O that wee may all of us be warned by their miscarriages, not daring to make the like adventures before we have taken in some good proportion of this Ballaste, which may keepe downe our spirits unto truths received; So as whatever Errors breake in upon the Church, to the disturbing and disquieting of the Peace of it, yet wee may ride it out, and doe what Moses here requires from the people, Stand still. Here is a second Direction; Passe we to a third.
Thirdly, That a ship may be steady, and ride steady, she must be low-masted, 3. Low-masted and Low-built.(and I might adde low built too) high-carved, and Tante-masted ships, they will fetch way in a stresse; and therefore (as you know) the use at such times is, to strike the Top-masts, and if need be to cut all by the Board, that so the wind may have the lesse force and power over them. I know your thoughts here run before me in the application. That the soule may bee steadie, it must be humble and lowly, not high-minded, if so, it will be heady. It is not for nothing that Paul putteth these two together,A humble and lowly soule. heady, high-minded, 2 Tim. 3. 2 Tim. 3.4.seldome shall we finde them asunder. Surely it is none of the least causes why many in these dayes are so heady, foreign, praecipites, Rash and praecipitate in their courses, they are high-minded; foreign, inflati, puffed up, (which some (with no great mistake) read foreign,August. Aquin. Vid. Bez. ad loc. Excaecati, blinded) swollen with some high conceipts, high thoughts of themselves of their owne deserts, their owne parts, their owne gifts, it may be their owne perfections. In the meane time looking overby, and superciliously upon others, whom they apprehend to be inferiour to themselves; No wonder if such soules be unstable, running from errour to errour: Alasse the winde hath too much power over them for them to stand still; A stable soule must be a humble, a lowly soule.
And how steadily doth such a soule ride it out in all weathers, come what will come?A humble soul rideth steady in all weathers it rides snugge (as you say) lying under the winde, not feeling much of it; whilst in the meane time those high-carved and tall-masted vessels, men of high thoughts and conceipts, are tossed to and fro, and (it may bee) soone over-set, and over-turned. I shall not need to minde you how many (otherwise usefull) vessels have miscarried this way. I suppose there is scarce any of us but our owne experience can furnish us with some instances of this nature, making good this undoubted truth; that there is no one thing that sooner over-sets and over-turnes the soule then Pride; and amongst all Prides none so soone as spirituall Pride, when men shall be proud of the Graces of God: Would we in our owne particulars be secured from the like miscarriage, and would we be steady in these unsteadie times; O take the Apostles Counsell to his Colossions: Put wee on as the Elect of God, humblenesse of minde, Col. 3. Col. 3.12.In lowlinesse of minde each preferring others before our selves, Phil. 2.3.(as the same Apostle presseth it upon his Philippians.)
And thus thinking meanly of our selves,Seek not high things for others. doe not either promise or seeke high things to, or for our selves; It is that which the Lord bids Ieremie say to Baruch, Ier. 45. Ier. 45.4, 5.telling him what God was about to doe, viz. to breake downe what hee had built, and to plucke up what hee had planted, to bring desolation upon the whole Land; And (saith hee) seekest thou great things for thy selfe, seeke them not; Let it be spoken to every of us, as counsell very seasonable for the times into which we are fallen. God at this day amongst us, (who but seeth it?) he is breaking downe what he hath built, he is plucking up what he hath planted: Great are the desolations which he hath brought upon this Land already, yet threatning greater; And what do wee now seek great things, high things for our selves? Are our eyes upon great estates, high places, upon riches and honours, and dignities, and preferments? Doe wee seeke these, promising or propounding them to our selves? Alasse, doe it not in such times as these; if God may but doe that for us which he there promiseth Baruch to doe for him,Vers. …. viz. Give us our lives for a Prey to our selves, it is more then we deserve, and more then many of our Brethen elsewhere have found. Alas, how many thousands of them, have had not onelyonly their Estates, but their Lives also given as a Prey to others? How many of them have beene, and dayly are numbred to the Sword? O, if the Lord may but give us our lives as a Prey unto our selves, it is mercy, and a mercy beyond our deserts; I, and more then we can promise to our selves.Promise not great things to our selves. Take heed in the meane time of promising great things to our selv̄es. Take heed of building our nests on high. It is an expression which the Spirit of God is pleased to make use of more then once; Though thou shouldst make thy nest as high as the Eagle, I will bring thee downe from thence, (saith the Lord speaking to Edom) Jer. 49.] Jer. 49.16▪Though thou set thy nest amongst the Stars, thence will I bring thee downe, (saith the Lord, speaking to the same Edomites) Obad. 4.] Obad. v. 4:Woe to him that coveteth an evill covetousnesse to his house to set his nest on high (saith the Prophet Habucuck) Hab. 2.] Hab. 2.9.The Metaphor is elegant, and for the sense of it obvious enough: To build the nest on high, what is it but to propound and promise great things, high things to a mans selfe? Now this take we heed of, specially in such times as these: If we doe it, we will never be stable, we shall never Stand still. They which build their nests on high will never be stable.A Truth which that Metaphor illustrates very aptly. Birds which build their nests on high in the tops of the Cedars, or other Trees, wee see how they wave to and againe with every wind, ready to have nests and all over-turned; whilst in the meane time those Birds which build upon the ground, or in the shrubs and bushes, they sit quiet and still. Surely thus will it be with those who build their nests on high, that propound and promise great things unto themselves; if stormes come downe upon them, if they meet with troubles and disasters, if they be driven from their house and home (as many of our Brethren at this day are;) Alas, how doth this shake and disquiet them? To see all their designes dashed, their hopes made abortive, their expectations frustrated, they cannot beare it, they cannot brooke it, it commeth neere them, and shaketh them terribly.
It is the speech of the Prophet Ieremy unto the house of the King of Iudah, Jer. 22.23. Jer. 22. v. 1.O inhabitant of Lebanon, that makest thy nest in the Cedars, how gracious shalt thou be when pangs come upon thee,Vers. 23. the paine as of a woman in travell? The people of the Iewes generally (specially those of the Court) they were a secure people, promising peace and tranquillitie, and prosperitie to themselves; they made their nests amongst the Cedars, thought themselves out of the reach of what ever dangers. I, but what saith the Lord to them? How gracious shalt thou be when Pangs come upon thee? When sudden, unexpected, unlooked for evils and judgments over-take you, what will you then doe? Let it be spoken to all secure persons amongst us, the Inhabitants of Lebanon, those who make their nests amongst the Cedars, promise or propound great things, high things to themselves. O what will you doe when judgements come downe upon you as Pangs upon a woman in travell, suddenly, unexpectedly, unavoidably? That we may not be inordinately moved with such stormes that we may feele little of them;Learne of the Larke to flye high, but build low. learne we of that little bird the Larke; which though she flye high, as high as any bird (if not higher) yet she builds low, as low as any. Let we our soules rise high, mounting up a loft to heaven-ward in heavenly contemplations, but build low in regard of temporall expectations.
Specially in Evill times. Jer. 48.28.Specially in such times as these: It is that which the Prophet… Ieremy sayth by way of threatning against Moab, Jer. 48. O yee that dwell in Moab, leave the Cities and dwell in the Rock, and be like the Dove that maketh her nest in the sides of the holes mouth. Moab had beene proud and haughtie, vers. 29.so it followeth in the next words. Wee have heard of the Pride of Moab, he is exceeding proud, his l…ftinesse, and his arrogancy, and his pride, and the haughtinesse of his heart. Moab had built his nest on high. I, but the Lord by his Prophet there tells them, they should be brought downe, and made to build lower, to take up with a meaner condition. That which is there said against them by way of threatning, let it be spoken unto us by way of Counsell. What is there said of Moab may as truly be said of England: England through her long continued peace and prosperitie, she was become proud and haughtie. Who is there but hath heard of the pride of England? Not long since she was exceeding proud; Certainly so would our fore-fathers have thought, had they but seene this their daughter in her late Ruffe and Pompe, I, but now God (as he hath in measure already done) he seemeth to be about to pull downe the pride of England, having already stript her of many ornaments, many superfluities. O let all of us be now like the Dove, contenting our selves with lower and meaner Lockers, stooping to meaner conditions if God shall see them fitting for us. We know not how low the condition of the Kingdome in generall, or any of us in our own particulars may yet be. By way of preparation to what may come, let all of us be dealing with our owne hearts afore-hand, labouring to bring our spirits low, and so low as that yet they may be beneath our condition.Lay our Spirits beneath our condition. If a ship be over-masted, she will be top heavy, never steady. And thus is it with a man whose spirit is above his condition, he will never be stable. True it is, a ship that is under-masted will never be good for sayle, and so a man that hath not a spirit in some measure proportionable to his condition, he will never be active, nor very serviceable: But yet let it rather be under, then over, specially in such times as these.
Calamitous times, they are stooping times. Calamitous times, stooping times.When the winde is aloft, and the Sea is growne, and men ride for their lives, it is no time then to put out tops and top-gallants, & flags and streamers. Surely such are the times that are come downe upon us: No times to lift up our heads or hearts, no times to put out flags and streamers of pride and prodigalitie. If ever, now stoope, humbling our selves under the mightie hand of God, bring wee our hearts low, that (apprehending our selves unworthy of the least mercy) we may be contented with whatever condition providence shall please to allot us. Taking this course, we shall find it of singular use for the quieting and stablishing of our spirits in the midst of these tempestuous and unquiet times, (which threaten no lesse then ruine to all those that look upon them, and are imbarked in them) so as whatever stormes arise, yet wee may ride it out, and in our measure Stand still. I passe to the fourth and last Direction.
4. Sure-Anchored.Fourthly, That a ship may ride steady in a stresse, she must be sure-anchored. By that meanes, though moving, yet she keepeth her station, Standeth still. To prosecute the Metaphor.To sure-Anchoring, three things requi…ire. To the sure-anchoring of a ship, there are three things requisite. First, the Anchor it selfe must be sure: Secondly, the Ground on which it is cast must be good: Thirdly, the Cable wherewith it is fastned must be strong. And all these must the Soule have a regard unto that would ride it out, and Stand still in the stresse of Temptation and Tryall.
I. A sure-Anchor, viz. Faith. Heb. 6.19.First, It must have a sure Anchor: Now what that is, the Apostle will tell you in that place well knowne, Heb. 6. Which Hope (saith he)(or Faith, for they are neer a kin, so neere as that they are often taken the one for the other) Wee have for an anchor of the soule both sure and steadfast. The soule of a Christian in this world it is as a ship at Sea, subject to stormes and tempests of Temptations: In these stormes, unlesse it have an Anchor, and a sure Anchor to ride by, it will be driven too & fro to the great both disqui…t and danger of it. Now this Anchor is Faith or Hope, and very fitly may it be so called. An Anchor being let fall,Faith fitly compared to an Anchor. (as Calvin well applyes the Metaphor) it passeth through the waters, maketh way through all the waves and billowes, never staying till it come at the bottome; where taking hold of the ground which lyeth out of sight, by a secret and hidden force it stayeth the ship; so as though it be moved, yet it is not removed, but still keepeth her station: Of such use is Faith to the soule. When the soule is in a stresse: tossed with the waves and billowes of Temptations and Tryalls, threatning to swallow it up, Faith breakes through all, never resting untill it come at God himselfe, who is invisible, and taking hold upon him, by a secret force it stayeth the soule, keepeth it from being driven upon the rocks or sands of Desparation. An Anchor, and a sure Anchor, a Sheat-Anchor, an anchor which the soule may trust to, which it may ride by, and live by, in whatever stresse can come downe upon it. The just shall live by his Faith, 2 Hab 4.(saith the Prophet Habbacuck) live by it, even in the jawes of death; as a ship which riding at Anchor in a stresse is said to live by it. Would wee then have our soules stayed (as at all times so) in these tempestuous and troublesome times which are come downe upon us (wherein almost every day presents us with new feares, new dangers) make we use of this Anchor.
OnelyOnly taking heed that it be an Anchor like that which the Apostle there describes, foreign, a sure and steadfast Anchor that will not deceive us.
Q. But how shall we be sure that our Faith is such, and will prove such?
A. Not to goe from the Metaphor in hand.To make faith a sure-anchor, two things requisite. To make an Anchor sure and firme, there are two things requisite. It must be Good Iron, and well wrought. And such must our Faith and Hope be, if we would have it firme and sure.
First, It must be first a true, sound, solid, 1. It must be solid & substantiall.substantiall faith: Faith, not Fancy. Such, (and no better) are the Hopes which meere naturall men stay their soules with in times of danger; whatever befalls others, and threatens them, yet they hope well. But what is that Hope of theirs? Nothing but Fancy. A light imagination grounded upon some possibilities, at best some probabilities. They conceive a possibilite of escaping the danger, and happily they apprehend some probable wayes and meanes whereby they may secure themselves from it; and hence spring their Hopes wherewith they beare up their Hearts and Heads. Vaine Hopes, like brittle Iron that will never make good Anchor.Now alas these are but vaine and brittle hopes, like spalt and brittle Iron that will never make good Anchor. There is no trusting to them, they are Perishing Hopes. So Bildad in Iob saith of them, Iob 8. Job 8.13, 14.The Hypocrites hope shall perish; whose Hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be as the Spiders Web. A Spiders Web, it is spunne (as you know) out of the Spiders owne Bowells. And such are the hopes of Hypocrites, and meere carnall men, they are but webs spunne out of their owne Bowells, nothing but a Contexture (as I may say) of some probabilities and possibilities, which they fancy to themselves. No trusting to such Hopes. Spiders threads, though they were twisted never so many double, yet they would never make a good Cable. Had we never so many possibilities and probabilities represented to us, yet trust not unto them. Looke we out for better Hope then this, viz. a sound, solid, substantiall Hope or Faith: A Hope spunne (as I may say) out of Gods owne Bowells; or (to hold to the Metaphor) a faith digged (as I may say) out of the Mine of the Word. No other Mine will afford Iron to make this sure Anchor of: It must be Gods owne Mine, the Scriptures. There we shall meet with many rich veines of precious promises; these are (as I may say) the Mettall, the matter and ground-worke, out of which a true faith, a sound and sure hope is drawne.
2. A Faith wellwrought.First, Which then (in the second place) must be well-wrought, viz. by the Spirit through the Word. Even as in the forging of an Anchor, there is the Smith, the Fire, and the Hammer: so here in the working of this Faith, the worke-man is the Spirit, which is therefore called the Spirit of Faith, 3. Cor. 4.13.being the Principall efficient of it. The Fire and Hammer, that is the word in the ministery of it: Is not my word like as a fire, (saith the Lord) and like a Hammer? Jer. 23. …er. 23.29.Such is the Word in the mouth of Gods Ministers, being accompanied by the Spirit. Now it is as a fire for the so…tning of the heart, and as an Hammer for the forging and fashioning of it. Would we then have our Faith and Hope firme and sure, see we that they be thus wrought. And for that end put we our soules into the hands of this Work-man, by a constant and cons…ionable attendance upon the Word, which let us daily and frequently meditate upon, working the promises upon our owne Hearts. An Anchor, it is not forged at one heate, nor welded with one stroke: It must into the fire againe, and againe, and have stroke after stroke; and piece after piece. A sure and sound faith, it is not ordinarily wrought by one Act, but many. There must be an inculcating of the promises of God by frequent meditation and Application, laying on one promise after another, and working them on upon the soule. Here is the first thing requisite to this sure. Anchoring; the Anchor it selfe must be sure.
Secondly, The second requisite is,2. Good & firme Ground, neither Foule nor false. that the Ground on which the Anchor is cast be Good; good ground fit to Anchor in. Now to make it so, there are (as you know) two things requisite. It must neither be Foule nor False: Not Foule, but Cleare; free both from Rocks and Wrecks, which are subject to chase the Cable in pieces: Not false, but firme; so as the Anchor may not come home. And even such a ground must a Christian choose for his Faith and hope, that would ride it out, and Stand still. The ground of his Hope and Confidence must neither be Foule nor False.
First, Not Foule:I. Not foul …round. Such is the Hope and Confidence that wicked men put in their ill-gotten goods, got whether by Oppression or Fraud: neither of them to be trusted in. Trust not in oppression, Psal. 62.10.become not vaine in …obbery (saith the Psalmist.) This David there speaketh more, specicially to his Souldiers (as our Aynsworth observes upon it.A Lesson for Souldiers.) And indeed it is a Lesson very proper for men of that Profession: If there be any of them here present this day, let them carry it away with them, carrying it both into the field, and from the field to their owne Houses: Trust not ye in Oppression, in unjust Extortions, or fradulent Injuries; become not ye vaine in Robbery: make not your selves vaine and vile in the eyes of others, by violent and unwarrantable Plunderings, and Spoylings, and Robbings, seeking thereby to inrich your selves. Hereby (as you wrong others now) you will but deceive your selves in the end; specially if you put any confidence; any trust in goods so gotten, both waies becomming vaine. A Lesson for all.An Instruction very proper for them, and not improper for others. Let all of us this day carry it home with us. Are we the owners or possessors of any ill-gotten goods; goods gotten by Oppression or Fraud, by Violence or Deceit? Trust not to them, nay take we heed of them, they will be but as Rocks and Wrecks to chase in funder our Cables; confidence so placed will never hold. No more will that confidence which is placed in any indirect, unlawfull, and unwarrantable waies and meanes for the securing or delivering of our selves. That of the Wiseman is exprest, Prov. 12. Prov. 12.3.A man shall not be established by wickednesse. Would we ride Sure, take wee heed that we cast not Anchor upon Foule ground.
2. Nor false Ground.Secondly, No nor yet upon false ground. Such are Riches, though well-gotten, and truely come by, yet they are but false-ground, Vncertaine Riches (as the Apostle calleth them) and therefore (as he there presseth it) not to be confided in.1 Tim. 6.17. Charge them that be Rich in this world that they trust not in uncertaine Riches. So also the Psalmist in the place fore-named, prosecutes his charge. Trust not in Oppression, become not vain in Robbery;Psal. 62.10. If Riches increase set not your Hearts upon them.] If Riches, Cajil, (saith the Originall) a Power of Wealth, or Powerfull-Wealth, (as Aynsworth renders it) If they increase and flow in upon us, though it be at the right Channell, by honest and good wayes, (as Calvin and other Expositors interpret that Clause) yet set not our Hearts upon them, trust not in them; cast not Anchor upon this ground. If we doe, we shall find it no better then a quick-sand, false ground. Our Anchor thus cast, it will come home, so did the poore-Rich mans in the Gospell: Having heaped up a masse, and as he thought, a mountain of wealth, he casts anchor upon it, hoping to ride by it many dayes, nay yeares; Soule, Soule, take thy ease, Luk. 12.19.thou hast goods laid up for many yeares. I, but see, the ground being false, his Anchor comes home the first night.vers. 20. Thou foole this night, &c.
I might say the like of whatever it is that the soule can put any confidence in besides God. Be it out of our selves, in any creature in earth or heaven; or be it within our selves, in any Gifts, whether of nature, as strength or wit, or the like, whereby we may thinke we shall be able to shift for our selves; or Gifts of Grace, whether Common or Saving. In none of these may a Christian put any confidence. As for saving, Sanctifying-Graces, the Iesuite saith well;Bellarm A Christian may take up confidence from them, but not put any confidence in them: Take up confidence from them, as they are evidences of Gods love, and favour towards him; but not making them a ground of Confidence, not resting upon them. This if we shall doe, they may faile us, I meane as touching the sense and apprehension of them. The case is common and ordinary; In Satanicall Temptations, and Divine desertions; Gods dearest Saints come to doubt, and question whether they have any truth of Grace or no. Now in such cases, should wee make them the ground of our confidence, our Anchor would come home, our trust would faile us. And therefore, that we may ride it out in all weathers, taking heed of both these, foule-grounds, and false-grounds; cast wee our Anchor upon Good ground.
This good Ground onelyonly in Heaven.Q. And where is that to be found? A. Why in Heaven. Here is a difference, and a remarkable one, betwixt this and other Anchors, (as Interpreters upon that sixth of the Hebrewes, Calv. Paraeus.commonly observe) They are cast downewards, this upwards. Faith (or Hope) it is an Anchor (saith the Apostle there) which entreth to that which is within the vaile, entreth into heaven, whither Christ our High-Priest is gone to make Intercession for his people, as the High Priest under the Law was wont to go within the vaile of the Temple.Cast Anchor within the Vaile. And here we must cast Anchor if we would have it sure and steadfast, so as we may ride steady by it. Cast it within the vaile, in Heaven upon God himself. Shall we cast it upon any thing without the vaile, upon any thing of this side Heaven, or upon any thing in Heaven besides God and Iesus Christ (as poore deluded Papists doe upon their Saints and Angells? Making God alone our confidence.) It will come home and deceive us when we have most need of it. Learne we therefore all of us to make God, and God alone our Confidence, Psal. 65.5.He is the Confidence of all the ends of the earth (so the Psalmist calls him:) Make wee him our Confidence. So did David for himselfe. As what time I am afraid I will trust in thee, Psal. 56. Psal. 56.3.And he would have others to do the like, and that at all times. Trust in him at all times ye people, Psal. 62. Psal. 62.8.And this doe we, (as at all times, so) specially in these unsteady and unstable times. Resolve we to make not man, No trusting in man.but God our confidence. The former we have made tryall enough, (I feare too much) of. And we see how that anchor hath come home, how that confidence hath failed us. That which David hath written wee may signe to, Psal. 62. Psal. 62.9.Surely men of low degree are vanitie, and men of high degree are a lye; to be layed in the Ballance, they are altogether ligher then vanitie. Whatever they be, be they never so great, nay never so good, yet take heed how wee trust in them. If we doe, it is both possible and probable, at one time or other our Anchor will come home.Rom. 3.4. Let God be true, but every man a lyer. Such are all men as men, lyers both Actively and Passively, subject to Deceive, and be deceived. God alone is Immutable, Vnchangeable, like firme ground which will not, cannot give way. Would we ride sure, Anchor upon him. Here the Iesuite himselfe will yeeld us a Tutissimum est, Bellarm.that it is the safest course so to doe, Totam in sola, To place our whole trust and confidence in the alone mercy of God, and merits of Christ for Eternall Salvation. And doe we the like for Temporall salvation.Psal. 44.6. Vse meanes (as David would his Bow and Sword) but trust not in them. I will not trust in my Bow, neither shall my Sword save me: Make God alone our Trust. By that meanes may wee come to Stand still, to ride sure and steady in all weathers, not to be changed in the midst of changes. In the Lord put I my trust (saith David) how say ye then to my soule, flee as a Bird to your mountaine? Psal. 11. Psal. 11.1.They which trust in the Lord, shall be as Mount Sion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever, Psal. 125.Psal. 125.1.
3. A strong-Cable.Thirdly, The third and last Branch of this Direction is behind, I will dispatch it in a word. The Anchor and ground being good, now what wants but a strong-Cable to fasten the Anchor to the ship? Thus the soule having placed and pitched her confidence upon God, what wants now but a firme and strong-Resolution not to let that confidence goe?A firme Resolution. Heb. 10.35. Cast not away your confidence (saith the Apostle to his Hebrewes Heb. 10. Let not this Anchor slip, hold it fast. Whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence, (saith the same Apostle) Heb. 3. Heb. 3.6.If the Cable breake or slip, so as the ship be put from her Anchor, she is presently a drift in danger of running upon the maine, of striking upon Rocks or Sands. Thus if the soule have once let goe the confidence which it hath on God, and so be put from its Anchor, it is now driven too and fro like a Weafe, not knowing where to rest, being in continuall and eminent danger of miscarriage. And therefore whatever come, however God be pleased to deale with us, yet put on this Resolution, not to let him goe.Gen. 32.26. Psal. 42. last. I will not let thee goe, (saith Iacob:) But still to hope in him; Still hope thou in God (saith David to his disquieted soule) still to trust in him;…ob 13.15. Though he kill me, yet will I trust in him (saith Iob) A resolution (methinkes) most lively emblematized and shadowed forth by a ship riding at Anchor in a stresse: An Emblem of Faith conflicting with Ten…ation.Where the Anchor brings downe her head as if it would pull her under water, insomuch that the waves and billowes oft-times rake over her, it may be from head to stearne, as if they would sinke her, swallow her up; yet for all this she holdeth her hold, and will not let the Anchor goe: Come what will come she will ride it out, and if she sink, she will sink at Anchor. A most lively Emblem of a beleeving soule conflicting with Temptation. The stormes come downe upon it, the waves rise and beate upon it, I, it may be, goe over the head of it: (It is that which Ionah saith of himself in a literall sense; All thy billowes and thy waves passe over me, Jon. 2. Jon. 2.3.And wee may heare David saying the same of himselfe in a metaphoricall sense, All thy billowes and waves are gone over me, Psal. 42. Psal. 4….7.) Threatning to drowne, to sinke, to swallow it up. Yet for all this, the soule having cast Anchor, fined its confidence upon God, it will not let it slip: come what will come, what can come, it is resolved to hold its hold: If it sink, it will sinke at Anchor: If it perish, it will perish with God, and Iesus Christ in the Armes of it: A Resolution fit for a Christian.A Resolution fit for the Times. And such a Resolution let every of us put on at this day. A storme is come downe upon the Kingdome, (the ship wherein we are all imbarked) the waves are up, the Sea is growne, what shall we doe? Why, whatever we doe, let not our Cable runne out, let not our Anchor slip; let not goe the Hold which wee have of our God; cast not away our Faith or Confidence: Remember it is our Anchor, it is that we must live by; If that be gone, all is gone. It is not here with the soule as it is with a ship: If a ship be put from her Anchor, yet she m…y put into some harbour or other where she may be safe; But if the soule be wholly put from this Anchor, what harbour shall she put for? Now there is nothing but Seas, and Rocks, and Sands, nothing but present desperation, and future destruction to be expected. And therefore, (to close up this point which hath carried away my thoughts through the aptnesse and sweetnesse of the metaphor which I fell upon) having o…e cast this …ure Anchor upon this Cleare and firme Ground, having placed our co…fidence upon God, now hold the head of the soule to it, wit… the Cable of a firme and strong resolution, resolving solving not to let our confidence goe. By this meanes the soule being thus surely▪Anchored, it may come to ride it out in all weathers, and that in some measure steadily; so as though it be moved, yet it shall not be removed, but Stand still. And thus I have at length also done with this second Branch of this seasonable Counsell handled unto us in this word, Consistite, Stand still, not wavering. I passe to the third.