And would perswade thee there 's no greater treâ—suâ— To be enjoy'd the senses now invites The flesh to taste which draws in these delighâ— Like as a leak draws water at the Seas And sink the Ship so do such leaks as these Draw in this worldly pleasure until they Be fill d so full the Vessel 's cast away And Lading lost which is the worst of all And by this means came our first Fathers fall Eve's eye beheld the Fruit and so admir'd Presents it to the flesh the flesh desir'd Man being made of earth by nature weak Not minding as he might to stop the leak He lost his Vessel as he well deserv'd Although it s hop'd his Lading was preserv'd This leak sunk Achan his eye-delighting pleasure As by a leak did let in such a measure Of Avarice that using no endeavour To stop that Leak his Ship was lost for ever And in a word the naked truth to speak Most mischiefs makes their entrance at this leak The sense of Seeing first doth act its part Presently brings the object to the heart The heart whose office 't is to stop the leak â—f it neglects its part these waters break â—nto the Ship runs in without controul And sinks the Ship and overthrows the Soul Then keep thy heart with diligence and care Let not thy eye nor ear thy heart ensnare â—fe'r thine eye invite thine heart to pleasure Think how uncertain is this earthly treasure What true content what solid joy can I Take in this world alass I am born to die â—uppose I find some pleasure for too day â—oo morrow death tells me I must away â—o earth from whence I came the grave must keep My mouldring body till I wake from sleep I leave my pleasure and I leave my sorrow I sleep too day and shall awake too morrow And when I shall awake I shall be hurl'd Immediately into another world And then shall live again and stand before The judge of heaven and earth and die no more This state shall be a state of joy or pain From which I never shall be mov'd again If for this worlds uncertain pleasures I Should lose that joy that lasts eternally How costly would these pleasures be What ratâ— Should I pay for these toys whose longest datâ— Admits no longer measure then a Span Whose largest confines is the life of man Such serious thoughts as these they will no doubâ— Stop all these Leaks and keep vain pleasures out The third resemblance that there is between Mans Body and a Ship may thus be seen It s not the empty Ship that men so prize But for the sake of its rich Merchandize And as a Ship contains within his hould The Merchants treasure so mans precious Soul That is far richer than the Golden Ore The Merchant fetches from the Indian Shore Is in his Body wherefore man beware Of Soul Ship-wrack use Diligence and Care To keep thy Lading safe Slack not thy pain For that once lost thou'lt never find again Thy Lading being lost there 's no indeavoâ— Can save thy Vessel but it sinks for ever Into a burning Lake a Lake of fire Whose torments ceases not nor flames expire O man be careful whilst thou hast a day Thy want of care will cast thy Ship away The Carcass of a Ship when all its store Is buried in the sand is of far more Esteem and value than the Body when It s precious Soul is gone from thence for then The Body 's nothing but a lump of Clay Sleeping in Dust until the Judgment Day When all must wake to joy or else to sorrow Unto a dismal night or joyful morrow A Ship at Sea is liable to harms As well by Rocks and Sands as sudden Storms A Chrstian while upon these troubled Seas He hath his Rocks and Sands and upon these He sometimes runs aground and sometimes hits Upon these Churlish Rocks until he splits His slender Vessel which with great indeavour Is hardly sav'd from perishing for ever Sins and temptations is a Christians Sand On which sometimes he runs aground and stands And cannot move the sins of Christians heels Like red sea sands takes off their Chariot wheels Weakens a Christians Faith he scarce can know Whether he moves one step for Heaven or no. A Christian that is with his Sin defil'd He 's at a stand scarce thinks himself a Child It is but faintly that he calls him Father But like the prodigal he chuseth rather The name of Servant unto such a stand Doth sin put sold Sons lost on such a sand And other sands there be of no less danger To which a Christian must not be a stranger They are temptations of every kind That oftentimes do much afflict the mind As when a Christian sees Blasphemers flourish While Righteous ones is rather fit to perish It runs the soul on ground he scarce can say That he is in the right and perfect way This sometimes made the best of men mistrust And judge the generation of the Just That soul that runs himself on such a sand Is often times put to a perfect stand 'T was this made righteous David thus complain Surely saith he I 've wash'd my hands in vain O soul beware this is a dangerous sand This put good David unto such a stand That till the spring-tide of Gods love did flow Into his Soul his faith was grown so low He there stuck fast in danger to miscarry Until he went into Gods Sanctuary Whose holy streams Did give his soul such strength That he got off that dangerous sand at length Christians have rocks as well as sands and they Do seldom miss to cast the Ship away I 'll mention two but they shall be the Chief And yet but two because I will be brief Presumption and Despair on these two Rocks Whoever runs with violence and knocks If on the first of these his soul but hit 'T is very seldom but the soul is split When men presume to sin and yet will dare Presumptuously to promise equal share With best of Saints in everlasting joy How many thousands thus themselves destroy It is a sign saith the Physician Who when he minds his Patients disposition Finds him so stupifi'd he doth not know Whether he be distempered or no Though every one about him gives him over And leaves expecting that he will recover The dying man feels nothing hath no fears Whilst his relations dews his bed with tears And sees him dying though he sees no danger Sees death approaching while the man 's a stranger Unto the thoughts of death presumes all 's well And thus presumptuously some goes to Hell Laughing at sin while others under deep Sad apprehensions of their state can weep Beholds him dying that sees no such thing Sees death hath stung him though he feels nothing The choicest Christians floating on the Seas Of swelling pomp may run himself with ease Upon this Rock he is not fiercely driven By any storm or tempest sent from
they sin their very Lives away But that they cannot For God did create Man in a pure good and perfect State And God who of Man's Life was the first Giver Appointed means that Man might live for ever And gave to him the Tree of Life to eat A sacred Fruit a Life-preserving Meat Man did procure his Death at second-hand By wilful breaking of the Lords Command But God not willing to cast Man away Prepared for his Life another Day Christ by the Name o' th' Woman's Seed waâ— giveâ— That Man who dy'd on Earth might live in Heaven If after this Man stubbornly Rebell Though Man shall live yet it shall be in Hell A Place prepar'd for Satan's Punishment Yet must Rebellious Disobedient Be sharers with him live in endless Woe His Life being purchased it must be so Wherefore mind this Point well that so yoâ— may Steering by Compass rightly find your Way West South-West Beholding Death as it at first came in As the deserved Wages of our sin It hath a dreadfull Sting that none can bear The Approach of Death doth fill Men's Heart with feaâ— 'T is call'd The King of Terrors well it may And therefore Man from Death would fly away It is the Holy sanctified Man Yea such a One it is that only can Say unto Death Where is thy Sting O Grave Where is that Victory thou' rt wont to have True Sanctity is such a precious thing Makes Death all Honey takes away the Stingâ— 'T is not devouring Monsters of the Seas Nor Sword nor Fire by Land 't is none of these Nor Hell inraged Cruel tortures can Make Death be stinging to a Holy Man Death only stings with Poison such as give Way to their Lust and do corruptly live â—hat Man that lives and dyes in wickedness Death stings his Soul with Horror and Distress â—o live in hatred of thy sins is best Which brings us very near unto West West by South And that thou might the better be directed â—o learn this Point let nothing be neglected That may informe thee how to stear aright â—et Earthly things seem empty in thy sight â—'s the vain Pleasures of this World intices â—o frown on Vertue and to smile on Vices 'T was Acan's Golden wedges Beauty did â—tice him to do that he was forbid â— was his Babylonish Garment gay â—hat made both Eyes Heart Hand to stray â—et not the World delude thee with its pleasure And thereby rob thee of Eternal Treasure When Men's affections are so strongly plac't On Earthly things which is but for a blast â—nd Death comes suddainly to call him hence How bitter is it Man would not dispence With Death's sharp Summons but with might and main â—trive to make Death call back his stroke again How loath to bid those present things good Night Which are so sweet and pleasant in thy sight Gardens and Orchards with rich Treasure anâ— Fair sumptuous Houses joyning to the Land When Death the tydeings of departing brings O saith that Man that loves these present things Shall I now close mine Eyes and lose the sight Of these Enjoyments wherein I delight And sleep in Dust until I rise again And know not whether into Joy or Pain O Death forbear to strike me now and give Me time t' enjoy these Pleasures here and live Thus bitter's Death to those that are in Love With Earthly things and not with things above If therefore on this Point thou wouldst steaâ— righâ— Then let thy Heart by Earthly things set light Love not this World in which thou must noâ— stay But love that Treasure that abides alway So wilt thou be with holy Paul resolv'd 'T is better be with Christ and be dissolv'd Than live on Earth where Sorrows never cease So shalt thou go unto thy Grave with Peace West Three Quarters of our Christian Compass past It now remains that we unfold the Last We are past the North the East the South anâ— noâ— We 're come to West our Sun grows very low The Evening of our pleasant Day is come Our Sun is set and we are hasting Home â—nto the Grave the Earth from whence we came â—or Dust we are and must return to th' same â—arth is our Home our very Home indeed â—ecause from Earth at first we did proceed â—nd though we there a season do remain â—et from the Earth we must return again â—om West to North From Death we go to God â—nd there takes up our Everlasting Bode â—he Body being dead the Earth must have it â—he Spirit doth return to God that gave it â—arth is our Home but not our longest Home â—o Earth we be yet first from God we come â—d thither 't is we must return again â—nd from that time unchangeable remain â—ter the Judgment 's past and Sentence given â—ur constant Home must be in Hell or Heaven From North to East Again we now must pass â—om God to Christ who now appointed is â— be our Judge who will uprightly deal â—d from his Judgment there is no appeal â— Righteous Judgment he will have regard â— give to every one a just Reward â— those that in well-doing seek for Glory â—ernal Joy in Heaven 's prepared for ye â—t unto those that stubbornly Rebell â—ernal Wrath with damned Souls in Hell â—thing but anguish trouble grief and sorrow â—hose dismal Night will never find a Morrow But forasmuch as now we 're come to th' Weâ— We will divide this Quarter like the rest Into eight several Points which we 'll lay dowâ— All very necessary to be known And forasmuch as now we understand We sail by West unto the Holy Land From the first minute that we draw our Breath We 're sailing towards West draws on to Deaâ— Let 's mind each Point in this last Quarter wâ— That in our Knowledge we may there excell It is of absolute necessity For spiritual Seamen that they learn to dyâ— This needful Lesson Balam understood He knew it was both excellent and good To learn this Lesson O saith he that I Were like thâ— Righteous when I am to dye O that my later End like his might be Such Good in dying well did Balam see To learn this Lesson well this Rule I 'le giâ— If thou would learne to dye first learn to live Then take Directions from this sacred Truth Remember thy Creatour in thy Youth Begin betimes the Morning of thy Dayes Is the fit Season to reform thy Wayes Give God thy strength serve him whilst thoâ— youâ— Thy Senses quick thy Understanding strong Defer not thy Repentance untill Night Or Evening of thy Dayes but with Delighâ— Let Child-hood learn to live and Youth likewâ— So wilt thou find sweet Comfort when thou dâ— â—od calls betimes and if thou dost delay â—o hearken to his Voyce while it is day â—n unexpected Storm may suddainly â—end thee away unto Eternity â—ithout th' advantage of another Season â—onsult then with Flesh or fleshly Reason â—hy Flesh will tell thee that thou
could make the World to bear his Yoke Must in a Moment â—eel the direful Stroke Of Death which will remove him from his Treasure And in a moment level mighty Caesar With Beggars that upon the Dung-hill lies So swiftly this conceited Substance flies Where 's now the Man that 〈◊〉 so lately seen Subdue the Earth He 's as he had not been The seeming-Substance in the which he boasted Is like a Shaddow fled and he has lost it Then happy 's he that on this Point doth stear His Course aright he has need to fear The Threats of Death his Sins are all forgiven And his enduring Substance is in Heaven Where he shall need no Sword to keep his Right Or Watch-man to secure him in the Night Where Tears shall never more offend his Eyes And where he never more shall hear the Cryes Of Souls opprest where Wickedness shall cease Where all his Sorrows shall be turn'd to Peace Where Sighing shall be turn'd to singing Praise Where Nights are chang'd into perpetual Days Where wicked Men shall never lay more Hands On such as do delight in God's Commands Where all their threatning their cruel words Where-with they â—ex Christ's little Flock like Swords Shall pierce their Souls with Sorrow and their Heart Shall never more be freed from the smart Whose haughty Looks the Lord will then abase And they with Horror shall behold God's Face They that to Mercy would not be inclin'd Shall beg for Mercy and no Mercy find But they who shall in Heaven receive a Place Happy are they that are in such a Case O happy are those Souls whose God 's the Lord Who 've squar'd their Lives according to his Word Blessed's that Man in Death who in his Life Hath loved Holyness hated Strife Then Stear thy Course aright on West by North Where Treasures lye whose excellence worth Cannot be measured by me nor can Its Height and Depth be valued by Man It is indeed Man's Duty to inquire Into its Worth believe and so admire THus in our Christian Compass we have past From North to East to South to West at last We 're come to North again Our longest Day On Earth is measured to us by the Stay Of Heaven's great Lamp of Light the glorious Sun When it stayes longest in oâ—â— Horizon But now our Sun will never lose its Light We never more shall see a Cloudy Night If while thou art on Earth thou makest sure This sacred Treasure thou lyes down secure And free from Fear no Darkness will arise To hide this sacred Glory from thine Eyes Who then would make this World 's uncertain Treasure The Object of their Comfort Joy Pleasure Lay Treasure up in Heaven that may be From Thieves and Rust from Death and Danger free The height of Earthly Glory 's like a Bubble Fill'd with the wind but tost about with Trouble It 's at no certain speaks thee fair To-day And of a suddain it makes hast away The Pâ—rsian Monarch once could make his boast His Branches spread themselves in every Coast Throughout the Universe and in one Story The World agreed to Crown him with their Glory All People is contented he shall have What e'r his Eye could see or Heart could crave The Enjoyment of all this the Reason why We cannot call it true Felicity â—â—its Uncertainty Man has no Power To keep himself in this Estate an Hour The momentary Dangers that attend him He cannot scape though all the World be friend him Sorrows as well as Pleasures do abound On every Hand Dâ—ngers besets him round His Enemies beholds him and admire His prosperous State and secretly conspire His suddain Death hoping a Change in State May make an Alteration in their Fate But if through Servant's watchfulness and care He be preserved and escape that snare â—here's other Dangers that be incident To Man as such Care never can prevent The Sorrows that this Monarch doth sustain As the true Product of some grievous Pain Sometime is in less somtime in greater measure Bereaves him tho a Prince of all his Pleasure Death so impartially doth throw his Dart Makes Prince Pesant from his Pleasures part The Kings of Egypt making of their Feasts Fit to accomodate their Princely Guests Did serve Death's-Head as the last Course whereby They were inform'd of their Mortality Thus at the end of all their Dainty Chear They by Death's head of Death admonisht were This is the Counsel therefore that I give To such as do in full Enjoyment live Of Princely Pleasures know for certainty You are but Men tho Princes you must dye You are but Clay Death will dis-robe you quite And bury all your Glory out of sight Naked you shall arise and stand before The Judge of Heaven Earth have no more Advantage than the Beggar All shall have One common Resurrection from the Grave And no Respect of Persons will be there No notice will be taken what you were In Men's Esteem whether you were the Head Or such as was constrain'd to beg their Bread But what your Works have been O happy He Tho Rich or Poor of high or low Degree Whose VVorks shall be accepted He or they Shall stand in Judgment at the Judgment-Day All those whom Death finds in the Lord are blest They cease from Labour enter into Rest Thus have we run our Christian Compass round And if our way Canaan we have found Thorow the raging Seas of VVorldly Trouble Our Labors then will be rewarded double If we have learn'd to scape the Rocks and Sand And every Point o' th' Compass understand And upon every Point can stear aright Whether in pleasant Day or stormy Night If we each Point do so exactly learn That whether we be at Mast or Pump or Stern We can behave our selves in every Place Like Men accomplisht Happy is our Case OUr Compass being finisht one thing more Is necessary to be known Before Our Christian Compass we begin to con We must erect the Point it turns upon An Enlivened Conscience THe PIN on which our Christian Compass turns which giv's quick Motio to our lifeless Urns It is a Conscience touched with God's Word That 's quick sharper than a Two-edg'd Sword Which entereth into the very Soul And doth direct thine Eye unto the Pole God's Word 's the sacred Load-stone therefore The Conscience toucht therewith will ever more Gently be moving upon thy Affection With fixed Eyes to God for true Direction VVhen as the Seaman's Compass is erected And on his Part no Labor is neglected But that he dayly cons his Compass over Tho neither Sun nor Moon he can discover Minding his Compass he knows how to stear And knows when either Rocks or Sands be there Christians that do erect their Compass right Though they be Storm beset or in the Night Can find their way their Compass being laid Upon the Conscience but when no use is made Of Conscience in the things we undertake
shadows of the night Doth put the Suns fair pleasant beams to flight â—o where true holiness doth take possession â—here's no allowance for the least transgression Nor is there any place for holiness Where sins usurping power doth possess Sometimes we see the Sun appears so bright As if no darkness now could stain its light But presently we see a Cloud arise And then the Sun is hidden from our eyes Just thus it 's with a Saint a little folly O how it stains him that 's reputed holy If once a Christian do contract a blot His former holiness is quite forgot A Saint whose conversation is upright 'T will put whole legions of his sins to flight Let Christ our blessed Eastern Star shine clear Within thy soul and sin will disappear Thus have we given thee a brief relation Of three first Points of Sacred Speculation Of North of South of East the next must be Our Western Point which take with brevetie God is our North and Christ our Morning Sun Holiness our South at West our day is done As Moses councell'd Israel so do I First learn to live and yet prepare to die That faithful servant of the Lord whose breath Propounds to Israel both life and death I have saith Moses set before your eyes This day both life and death may I advise Or give you council how to make your choice Could I perswade you to obey my voice You should not die saith he for I would givâ— You counsel to obey Gods Word and live â—th life is but a momentary space â—f times most fwift yet most uncertain race â—nd that as certain as you draw your breath â—th open air so certain is your death â—nd yet your death no other but a sleep â—our Grave no other than a place to keep â—he broken pieces of your brittle clay â—hich are reserved till the judgment day â—hen your dead corps shall live again and never â—hall be dissolved but remain for ever â—hen do the thing saith Moses that may be â—f soul concernment to eternity Death is our Western Point by death we pass â—ut of this world return to what we was â—o dust again Sentence of death was given â—hen men transgress'd the sacred will of Heaven The certain wages disobedience brings â—â— death our night of silence whence four things â—â— to be noted needful to be known â—y spiritual Seamen which I thus lay down First Death is certain every soul must taste â—f death or else be changed first or last â—he stroke of death can never be avoided â—owever some may vainly be perswaded â—ur lives our days our Suns resplendant light â—ill set in death will terminate in night â—herefore in vain some foolishly assay â—o flatter death and send it far away â—rom youth to manhood and from thence to age â—or death must act its part upon this Stage Though man would flatter death it never stays Death strikes the child the aged man betrayâ— The hopeful young man even in his prime And gives him not sometimes a minutes time Uncertain when but certain death will strike Respecting Kings and Beggers all alike But in the sccond place it is as plain Our Sun that sets i' th West will rise again From God we pass to Christ and Christ doth bless That serious soul brings it to holiness Which fits man for his Western Point from whence By death he 's brought to God his N. from thence He 's brought unto his Eastern Point again He 's rais'd by God through Christ and doth remain Now in a state of perfect holiness Which he shall then eternally possess His Southern Sun is always now at height 'T is always noon and never will be night No Clouds shall now his perfect glory stain His day is perfect and shall so remain No Western Point no dying any more No setting of our Sun as heretofore No shadows nor eclipses shall obscure This glorious day it always shall endure Sin and temptations which now interpose Between the glorious Face of God and those Which from some present glimpses of his Grace Like Moses longs to see his glorious Face Shall now like Clouds disperse and flie away By reason of the glory of the day Those sighs sorrows and those clouds of fears Which sin now raises those soul-melting tears Which sin now causes for which Saints complain They shall be all disper'd and none remain No Satan then the tempter now remains â—n darkness and in everlasting chains O happy he thrice happy he I say That doth arrive at this so glorious day He now is freed from sorrow and distress From thirst and hunger cold and nakedness From all his persecutors he 's set free He 's with the Lord and evermore shall be The glory that his eyes shall then behold One thousand part thereof cannot be told 'T is not in man that lives upon the earth To find out words to set his glory forth But that some glimpses Christians may behold Scriptures compares it with refined gold To precious Pearls whose excellence and worth Exceeds all other treasures in the earth When John that Evangelical Divine By Heavens high appointment did design To leave the Saints a copy of their joy The Lord presents it to his Servants eye Who in a Vision did behold such glory That faith must help a man to read the story The glory of this vision was so great As that the highest pitch of mans conceit Can hardly reach the strength of mans desire Can scarcely reach so high but never higher He sees a City that to ' th Saints is given Made by the wisdom of the God of Heaven Nay furthermore our Author adds beside The City was adorn'd and beautifi'd Like to a Bride in splendant rich aray Deckt for her Husband on her wedding day Strong is that place glorious that habitation Where God Almighty lays the first foundation Great must the splendor of that glory be Where Gods most soveraign blessed Majestie Improves his sacred wisdom in adorning Bright is that day that hath so clear a morning Blessed is he that feels this warm reflection In the clear morning of his resurrection Eye hath not seen nor can mans heart conceiveâ— This sacred glory yet we may receive Some glimpses of this glory if with care Spiritual with temporal things we do compare Suppose that all the worlds united power Should as one man attempt to build a Tower Whose Heaven aspiring top should reach so high As men might make their dwelling in the Sky Should all the wisdom that the Lord hath given To all the world residing under Heaven Be now improved with united power To beautifie as well as build this Tower With sparkling Diamonds and burnisht Gold Rich for their value glorious to behold With precious Jewels beautifi'd all over While pure Gold the Streets thereof did cover How fair and beautiful with splendor clear Would such a glorious place as this appear That famous Temple Herod once erected â— fair Jerusalem how it affected
real ground to exercise their faith That all the world as holy Scripture saith Might look up unto him and saved be By faith in Christ whose blood was shed for the If thou be careless here and do'st not learn To know this Point thou hardly wilt discern The pleasant Banks of blessed Canaans shore Which if thou miss th' art lost for ever more North East Now learn thy fourth Point 'twixt N. and Eaâ— For in thy Compass so thou'lt find them plac't Man 's saved by the Word of God indeed Which Word of God is that same promis'd seâ— In Gods appointed time this Word became Flesh in our form St. John affirms the same He took not on him Blessed Angels nature But Abraham's seed the shape of humane Creâ—tuâ— A sinless man into the world did come Not by the will of man but from the Womb Of a chaste Virgin came he to fulfil What was decreed in the Fathers will That he might purchase mans eternal good By no less price than his most precious blood This is that Lamb of God to whom is given All soveraign power both in earth and heaven â—gels in heaven are at his Command â—d earthly Potentates shall not withstand â—s mighty power to him all knees shall bow â—gels above and Mortals here below â—om this Point therefore thou may'st understand â—at God the Father doth by Christ command â—ee to submit unto his easie yoke â— else thou must submit unto the stroke â— God 's offended Justice which be sure â—hether thou wilt or no thou must endure â—ey Christ as thy Leader O neglect â—ot this Command if e'r thou do'st expect â—at heavenly consolation from above â—t Christ and not thy Lust command thy love â—rve not thy lusts which leaves thee at thy grave â—t serve the Lord thy Saviour that can save â—y precious soul and if thou dost rebel â—n cast both soul and body into Hell stretch not forth thy hand be not so bold â— take a Comfort touch not take not hold â—on a Gospel Promise in no case â—til a Gospel Precept thou embrace â—bserve the word that holy David spake â—e'll not adventure nor presume to take â—ld of a Promise till he stretch his hand â—rth to take up a Precept and Command â—y hand saith David while his heart consents â—e lifted up to thy Commandements vain men cry for mercy and expect â—r help in storms that do in calms neglect To yield obedience to that Sacred Word Of him whom God hath made our Sovereigâ— Lorâ— God by his holy Prophets spake his mind Once to the Fathers but hath now confin'd The world to hear his Son no other voice Is man to make the object of his choice Therefore observe this Fourth Point with heeâ— And to the Fifth Point we will next proceed North East and by East North East and by East this doth next ensue All you that sail for Heaven take a view Of God and Christ see how they both agree In ones eye how unanimous they be In seeking after mans eternal good God freely sends his Son that by his blood Poor man might be redeem'd from Death likewisâ— Christ freely did become a Sacrifice How wilingly did Christ lay down his life That he might put a period to the strife That sin had made 'twixt God and his Creation That freely brought about poor mans Salvation If God and Christ with such a joynt consent Sought thus to free man from the punishment Of Death eternal and that man might live For ever happy Christ did freely give His Life a ransom was 't the Fathers pleasure At such a rate to purchase endless treasure For mortal man Then suffer not thy lust To hanker after Egipts Golden dust â—ich flies away like chaffe before the wind â—hose place in seeking for thou canst not find 〈◊〉 longest date is but a mortal day â—st Threescore years and ten it will not stay â—d often times it threatens to bereave thee â— heavenly treasure and at last doth leave thee â—member Moses that holy man how he â—spised Egipts wealth thought the degree â— Son in Phraohs Court was much below â—e meanest servant in Gods house to know Crucified Christ's a glorious thing â—mpared with any earthly crowned King â—ath puts an end to Kings and kingly glory â—cause their honours is but transitory â— longer King the body being dead â—ath sets the Crown upon the Christians head Death a Christians Crown begins its date â—ich once begun will never terminate â—is Life is short uncertain and impure â— at Life is certain holy doth endure â—ell let not this Fifth Point neglected be â— not forget that God and Christ agree â— bringing Man unto this life again â—o had himself by his trangression slain â—ristians that sail for heaven do not fear â—e raging Seas for Christ your Pilot's there â— not afraid because thy Vessel 's poor â—ou'rt safer there than if thou wer 't on shore â— stately Palaces with sumptuous Feasts â—ongst thy sins those soul devouring beasts 'T is better go to heaven in foul weather Through many dangers if thou get'st but thitheâ— Than in a pleasant gale to swim to hell Where gentle winds do make th' canvass swell East North East The next Point East North East learn carfully This Seventh Point doth bring thee very nigh To Christ thy East mark what his servant saith Erre not be not mistaken in thy faith Concerninâ— Christ that soul that here mistakes Doth run himself upon a rock and makes The worst of Ship-wracks like to Alexander Who erring from the Christian faith did wander In paths of Darkness let Philotas be A mark of information unto thee That by this Seamark thou mayst understand How nigh thou art the rocks and scape the sand Remember well the greatness of Gods grace Do not forget his love in any case Not to some few but all without exemption God did propound his Son formans redemption No man shall die because God did not give His Son to suffer Death that he might live But for this cause God would have cleansed mans spot In Christs dear blood but man believ'd it not 'T is unbelief that causes man to die That Christ himself doth plainly testifie God loves the World but all will not believe it Christ died for all but some will not receive it This truth shines clearly but some will refuse To walk therein and many rather chuse To walk in Darkness this is condemnation Saith Christ our Lord that purchast mans Salvation That God is real in what he doth say Shines like the Sun it is as clear as day But that the Lord with words makes men believe Christ is there Saviour only to deceive Their understandings Oh that men would see How dreadful dark such apprehensions be He errs in faith that thus forsakes the light He needs must fall that wanders in the night But Secondly a man may erre in faith That make what men not what the Scripture saith Their rule to worship by though
all things to obtain a Crown That never fades but will indure forever When Daies shall cease to be Wherefore indure In sailing on this Point of Holiness Upon the Law of Christ to lay the stress Of all your Holiness on that Foundation Who ever build shall never miss Salvation South South-East This fifteen Point o'th'Christian Compass here Is South South-East on that th' art now to stere Christ is thy Eastern-Point let him Him possess Thy Heart as Author of thy Holiness 'T is not enough to have Christ in thy Head Brain Knowledge will not stand in any stead If in thy heart Christ as thy King abide To Rule and Reign thou wilt be sanctifi'd 'T is Christ in thee the hope of Glory can knocks Make thee a holy and a happy Man Behold he 's at the door he stands and He calls and waits till thou unboult these Locks That hinders his Admittance 'T is thy Part To open first His to possess thy Heart If in thy heart he finds Admittance he Will enter in and will abide with thee He 'll sup with thee O Rich and bounteous Guest That thus invites Himself and makes the Feast He that so sweet a Guest doth entertain Will find his Interest trebled back again For thou shall sup with him the King of Kings Will entertain thee where the Angels sings Sweet Hallelujahs to the God of Heaven To whom all Honour Laud and Praise be given Make sure of Christ therefore use diligence To have by thee in store good Evidence That thou art Christ's and he hath firme Possession Within thy heart 'T is not a bare Profession Will witness this but if thou wilt insure Know where Christ truly dwells the Heart 's made pure No Love there is to any Sin at all Though in Appearance it seems very small If Sin through weakness such a Soul surprize There 's nothing under Pardon satisfies He 's not contented till his Peace be made With Christ whom he has griev'd He 's now afraid Of sinning any more Every offence Produces from him double Diligence In temporal Merchandize we use to say It is a low and undervaluing way Of Trading to insure But in this Case It is dishonourable low and base Not to insure They most this Trade advance That is the deepest in Assurance South by East This sixteenth Point i' th' Christian Compasâ— here Is South by East when ever thou dost stear Upon this Point thou must with Care endeavouâ— To learn this Point i' th' Compass right If ever With safety thou arrive at Happiness As East's by South know Christ by Holiness So nearly's Christ to Holiness related That by no means they can be separated Esteem such Principles as do profess To set up Christ apart from Holiness But frothy Notions vain and fruitless folly None can Love Christ that loves not to be Holy Holiness is Christ's Essence Oh! how then Can he be served by unholy Men Forms without Power is but empty things Meer Shaddow that no satisfaction brings Stirs up Contention and continual Strife 'T is Acts of Piety that is the Life Of all Religion God charges Israel With wickedness yea while they did excel In all Eternal Forms of Worship and Exact Obedience unto each Command Observing all their Festivals likewise Observant in their dayly-Sacrifice And in their solemn Meeting Ne'rtheless The Lord esteems not this for Holyness For all this while Equity was neglected And with the Widdow's Cry they 're not affected The Poor and Needy still they do oppress And are unmindful of the Fatherless The Hungry also did refuse to feed Nor cloth'd the Naked when they stood in need To Sick and such as did in Prison lye They shew'd no Pity in their Misery And while they cry The Temple of the Lord Their Prayers and Sacrifices are abhorr'd Their solemn Meetings finds no Acceptation Their holy Incense is Abomination And for this Cause because they lay the stress Upon these Forms apart from Holiness Unholy Persons knows not God aright Nor are their Pray'rs accepted in his sight But Christ and Holiness must go together They 're inconsistent one without another Take heed I say thou be not one of those That vainly think and foolishly suppose That if for Ordinances they appear Christ of necessity must needs be there Although they be unholy Persons and Do daily in the way of Sinners stand And some there are again as full of Folly Who vainly do suppose if they be Holy Christ in his Ordinance may be slighted But know this Point that Christ is so united Unto his own Appointments that whoever Shall undertake Christ and his Laws to sever Shall miss that Port to which they did intend To Sail at first and lose their wished End Christ's sacred Laws is not within the reach Of Natures Teaching Christ in his School doth teach His own Appointments Wouldst thou stear arighâ— Upon this Point 'T is Christ must give thee Light Half of thy Compass thou hast now past over Where Sixteen Points thou fully may discover To every Point thou hast a brief Direction Untill thou comes at South where Sol's Reflection Most powerfully doth heat the barren Earth By which it is made fruitful and brings forth Fruit in abundance to all such as dwell Upon the Earth So such as do excell In Holiness hath Christ full risen there And in his greatest splendour shineth clear The Southern-Sun doth cast his fair Aspects Upon the North who back again reflects So God in Christ beholds with great Delight The holy Man as perfect in his sight The holy Man from this so sweet Reflection Beholds the Face of God with true Affection I have saith David set the Lord before My Face I shall behold him ever more As my Salvation my Redeemer and He is saith he alwayes at my Right-hand True Holiness fixes our sight upon No other Object but one God alone The Southern Sun did never yet send forth His pleasant Beams more strongly to the North Than sanctify'd Souls do cast an Eye Unto God's Heaven enthroned Majesty The Soul is then exhalted in it's height When God is kept directly in its sight South by West Two Quarters of our Compass we have past And to the Third we are arriv'd at last This Point we 're now upon is South by West As needful to be known as all the rest The Sun full South makes Noon 't is then at height But South by West gives notice that a Night Will quickly follow The Sun will now decline Till 't come at West then 't will cease to shine That Death 's thy Western Point do not forget Thy Southern-Sun 't will have a time to set There 's none that lives and shall not tast of Death The Holyest of Men must yield their Breath 'T is the deserved Wages of our Sin It was Transgression that first brought it in Death comes with such an Universal Stroke The Holyest of Men must bear its Yoke Abram that faithful Man expires and
dyes And so doth Jacob and his Sons likewise Moses and Joshua and good Samuel Elisha David all which did excell In Holiness yet Death must act his part Impartially must throw his fatal Dart Pains are the Messengers that Death will send Sickness and Weakness brings thee to thy End Yet when we look on Death Coelestially In such a case a Christian cannot dye He only sleeps his Death is but a Night The Trump will wake him in the morning light The holy Fathers all are said to sleep Their Graves as in in a sacred Bed doth keep Their breathless Bodies which must there remain Till God restore both Breath and Life again Yet with respect to Man this is a Death Because all Men surrender up their Breath To God who unto Man at first did give A comely Form and Breath to make him live Yet wicked Men oft take away by force That sacred Breath contrary to the course That God appoints If here you do not mind To stear aright although against the Wind Your weather-beaten Vessels may be driven Upon the Rocks and split but God hath given Such true Directions that thou needs not fear For Holiness directs thee how to stear Upon this dangerous Point and not miscarry Though Waves be rough and Winds be quite contrary South South-West Seventeen Points already is exprest This Eighteen Point draws nigher to the West An useful Point and needful to be known By all that do the Christian Compass own Death is the King of Terrors doth arrest All sorts of Men spares not the very best â—t is not Holyness that will excuse When Death sends forth his Summons Men may use Means to prolong their days but yet they must Direct or indirectly come to Dust Directly all Men tast of Death we know â—ecause the Lord hath said it shall be so â—ut holy Men do often yield their Breath â—t Tyrant's Pleasures who conspire their Death Abel a holy Man and yet must dye â—y Cain's inraged causless Cruelty wicked Man cannot endure the sight â—f him that 's Just because he brings to light â—is wicked Deeds and secretly reproves â—hose sinful Lusts his Soul so dearly loves â—nd for this cause did Herod lay his hand â—pon John Baptist and at his Command â—e holy Prophet must be put to Death â—d to the Cruel Tyrant yields his Breath â—r my Names sake saith Christ you shall be hated â—en of those to whom you stand related As Natural Brethren in the Flesh or rather As Children dear unto a tender Father Yet these Relations being wicked brings Their Children dear before the Face of King And Governours who with their Rulers will Imprison some and other some they 'l kill Thus did the best of Men by wicked Force Ere God's appointed time of Nature's Course Be fully spent This Point well understood You may ride safely on the raging Flood Of earthly Troubles but without Endeavouâ— To learn this Point you may be lost for ever Both Ship and Lading Holyness will guide yâ— Upon this Point no danger shall betide you For Holyness prepares the Soul for Death When God directly takes away thy Breath And frees thee from the fear of Death likewisâ— Which wicked Men maliciously devise South-West and by South South-West and by South Behold how tâ— Point liâ— This Point you must be sure to learn likewise Death is a Terror it can be no less When 't is not usher'd-in with Holyness If thou would dye in perfect Peace be sure Thou persevere in Holyness Indure Faithful to Death and thou shalt surely have A Crown of Life on th' other side the Grave But if upon this Point thou stears not right Thy hope't-for Morning will be turn'd to Night Thou wilt by storm beset and fiercely driven On Rocks Sands and never come to Heaven South-West South-West's the 20th Point o' th Compass and Even between the South and West doth stand â—his is an useful Point and therefore thou Must labour to be skill'd therein And know Tho Death with his impartial Sythe cut down The best of Men that ever yet was known Yet to the Saints Death's but an Agent sent On an Embassage and to this intent To tell the Saint That now the Sun grows low And Night draws on and now 't is time to go To his desired Bed where he must rest From all his Labours Such a Saint is blest Who while he lives all Filthiness abhorr'd And when he dies Death finds him in the Lord. Store up therefore before you go from hence Some solid and well-grounded Evidence That thou art in the Lord and when you dye Then take this Cordial that thou hast laid by One dram thereof will stand thee in more stead Than all the World Then Blessed are the Dead Will be a sweet and comfortable Sound And make your Joys though dying to abound Oh what a Comfort is it now to dye VVhen Souls can rightly to themselves apply The precious Promises God doth afford VVithin the Volumes of his holy VVord Even this Promise that the Lord doth grant To Man as Terms of the New Covenant Their Sins and their Iniquities no more Shall be remembered as heretofore In the first Legal Covenant they were Still called to remembrance every Year That Soul that sees himself by Christ remitted And also knows he freely stands acquitted When others mourn he can rejoyce and sing The worst that Death can do is but to bring â—im Tydings that he 's going to lay down An Earthly to enjoy a Heavenly Crown He freely in his arms can Death embrace O happy he that dies in such a Case The happy Tydings that grim Death doth bring To such a one doth take away the Sting Death only is a Terror unto those That do themselves to Righteousness oppose When such a one doth look Death in the Face O then he cryes out for a longer space But all too late Death will not be deny'd The Day of Grace is past thou 'st mist thy Tyde Well to this Point I now shall say no more But only this Get Evidence in store That thou art in the Lord that Death may be A Messenger of Joy and Peace to thee South-West and by West South-West by West this Point must also be Well taught and also learn'd by every He That Launcheth forth upon each raging Wave â—n hope he shall a happy Issue have Oh let me lodge this Errand in thy Breast Now thou art drawing near unto thy West Know that as Righteousness will not excuse A holy Man from Death So they that use To spend their Hours in wickedness and strife Shall not thereby prevent another Life For live they must Man's Life is purchased By Christ's dear Blood that on the Earth was shed Yea tho their Lives have been so vilely evil That they have striven to exceed the Devil â—n Wickedness yet shall not that prevent That Life in order to their Punishment Could Wicked Men by Sin prevent that Day How would
may take Pleasure â— little Season and Repent at leisure â—nswer thy Flesh thou cannot surely say â—hou mayst continue yet another Day â—nd to confirm this Truth Experience sayes â—eath strikes the Child the aged Man betrays â—he hopeful young Man even in his Prime â—nd gives him not sometimes an howers time Death comes unheard her Arrow 's sharp and keen â—e strikes invisibly kills unseen â—ncertain when but certain Death will strike â—especting Kings and Beggars all alike â—eath's stroke is dreadful come it soon or late â—t being struck Repentance out of date Perhaps thou may take Pleasure for To-Day â—-Morrow Death doth take thy Life away â—e World poor Soul and all the Pleasures in it â—nnot secure thee now another Minute â—en hear To-day 't is all the time that 's given â—ject To-day and lose thy Way to Heaven West and by North. The next Point in this Quarter 's West by North â—learn this Point aright is of great worth Remember this That if thou dost not take Time by the Fore-lock when thou wast awaâ— Living on Earth I mean pale Death bereaâ— thâ— Of Life of all means of Grace leaves thâ— In no Capacity to mend thy Wayes Living thou may but dead thou cannot praisâ— The sacred Name of God within the Grave There 's no Remembrance that the Dead â— haâ— King Solomon whom God hath made more wâ— Than any Man before or since did prize A living Dog tho th' mean'st one could set 〈◊〉 Before a dead altho a Kingly Lyon And Solomon doth give this Reason why The Living knows saith he that he must dye The Dead knows nothing Therefore while tâ— liâ— Observe the Counsel that Christ Jesus gives Work while it is to-day the Night will hast In which the time of working will be past 'T is in the Day Men work not in the Night Wherefore improve thy Day with all thy miâ— The Heavenly Hosts of Angels are delighteâ— When Sinners turn before they are be-night Christ to Jerusalem was heard to say O that thou didst but know in this thy Day The things that do concern thy Peace But noâ— The Day is past and Darkness doth ensue â—ese things which in the day God doth reveal â—e Night being come thick darkness doth conceal Well then be careful thou that art to stear â—on this Point for if thou miss it here â—ou runs the hazard of th' approaching Night â—hen Heaven will refuse to give thee Light â— thou would have thy Soul-Endeavours blest â—en mind the next Point which is West North-VVest VVest North-VVest â—t not the greatness of the Numbers sway thee â—r let the Counsel of the most betray thee â—e most are careless how they spend their time â—ving their Lusts and Satan with their prime â—tear not by most Examples for thereby â—u'lt miss thy Point and sink Eternally â— Paths of Death is like the mighty Ocean â—en quiet calm'd deny their Waves of Motion â—en Seamen ride upon the smooth-fac'd Seas â—thout disturbance Many run with Ease â—aths of Darkness and are quite mis-led â— so have many thousands perished â— Way that leads to true Felicity â—ke the narrow Channel that doth lye â— at the Entrance of some Isle A Stranger â—nding out the Channel meets with danger â—ell thou art sailing to the Holy I le â— not the smooth-fac'd Seas thy Soul beguile The Pleasures of this World I mean which doâ— Bring many thousands to Eternal Woe And with this Caution I 'le this Point concludâ— Go not to Hell because the multitude Will not seek after true Felicity But rather chuse the Paths of Death and dye 'T is better go to Heaven though alone Than go to Hell ' cause thousands more are gonâ— This leads us to North-West by West where weâ— Shall farther in our Christian Compass be North-West by West Instructed still that so we may not miss That sacred Shore where true Contentment iâ— We 're still exhorting of you to prepare To meet with Death to mind your Western Staâ— We having told you You must learn to dye If you would live in Joy eternally That you may learn to dye we also give You Notice that you first must learn to live But for as much as some impediments Do threaten much as if they would prevent All good Endeavours I shall now asay To take all such impediments away The two next Points that follow will I spend Alone for the promoting of that End Obj. The Flesh objects against our first Advicâ— Supposing it to be a Point too nice Should thou saith Flesh refuse to own that wâ— Which most walk in what is' t Men will not sayâ— Thou wilt expose thy self to all Men's scorn And be as one forsaken and forlorn And many troubles thou 'lt find beside Thy Sorrows will be daily multiply'd Ans To this I Answer 'T is no matter what Man say or think so God reject thee not Man may revile thy soul they cannot harm Undaunted Sea-men do not fear a Storm 'T is not whom Man but whom the Lord approves That finds acceptance wherefore it behoves Thee not to let the fear of Man betray Thy Soul and keep thee from the narrow way This Channel 's narrow and is hard to find But Christ's thy Pilot fear thou not the wind Believe God's Word and do thou not regard Mens threatnings or their promise of reward This is his Word Whoever doth not hate Father and Mother Life for my Name 's sake He is not worthy of the smallest measure Of Sion's Glory Christ the Eternal Treasure What shall the fear of mortal man whose breath Is in his Nostrils shall the fear of Death Cause thee to slight the way of God deny His sacred Truths and fall eternally Let not thy life be precious in thine eyes But freely give it for a Sacrifice If God require it as He often hath done To bear a Testimony for his Son What! did the Son of God freely lay down His Sacred Life to purchase thee a Crown And shall a Christian think his life too dear To lose for Christ Alas thy stay is here But for a moments time the life of Man At longest is compared to a Span. Suppose thou layest down thy life thou dost But lay thee down to sleep awhile at most And sleeping thou wilt pass away the Night To rise to Glory in the Morning-Light Then fear not dying but be mov'd thereby To learn to Live that thou may learn to Dye North-West Our next Point is North-West this Point doth give Some brief directions how to learn to live Wherefore give heed for thus thy Point begins Look not too lightly upon smaller Sins And let small duties be in thy esteem As much as these that greater duties seem 'T is true indeed there 's no command at all As it proceeds from God himself is small Nor any Sin against that Glory bright Though it may seem but little in our sight Can be accounted small though there may seem Some difference in
sin in our esteem An idle thought to us not to the Lord Doth seem a lesser Sin than idle words Unprofitable thoughts and words they both Seem lesser Sins than doth a dreadful Oath But in God's sight the very least offence If with our Wills is Disobedience And Disobedience is a sin as great As is the Sin of VVitchcraft God doth threat All Disobedience with Death Eternal The smallest sin deserves the Lake infernal If to the same we freely give consent And live and dye therein and not Repent So as to Duties some may seem but small Compar'd with others of no weight at all Obedience to a Minister appointed To feed the Flock of Christ the Lord 's Anointed Seems but a little duty when compar'd With that Submission Reverence and Regard VVe owe to God yet as we understand This doth proceed from God as his Command Our being found in wilful negligence God will account it as a great offence A bare profession though indeed it be A Christian duty 't is the least degree It seems indeed as nothing if we bring It to be ballanced with suffering Compar'd with Charity a bare profession â—s but like promis'd Gold without possession And to be brief Christians must not neglect The smallest duty shews the least respect Unto the smallest sin a little leak VVill find a passage for the Seas to break â—nto thy Vessel and without endeavour To stop this Leak thy Ship may sink for ever A little negligence at Sea when Storms Threaten the Sea-men with approaching harms Neglecting to look out the Ship is tost Upon the raging Seas broken and lost VVherefore that thou may scape eternal death Endeavour while on Earth thou drawest breathâ— By searching of God's Word to understand VVhat is thy duty neglect no command Hate every Sin and quite forsake them all Whether the Sin thou loves be great or small So shall not Death affright thee thou shalt be From Death as 't hath a dreadful sting set free North-West by North. Our next's North-West by North Wish not tâ— dyâ— Nor covet after Death immoderately Some under torturing Pains to ease their grieâ— Have wisht for Death thinking to find Relief Within the Grave and in a Pet would cry Let Death now strike his Stroke that I may dye Others again finding themselves distasted Perhaps because some great Design was blasteâ— Will presently puff out their angry breath And in a suddain Passion wish for Death Just like to Jonah when the Lord design'd The Ninevite's Destruction yet inclin'd To Mercy if the Ninevite's Repented Jonah crost in his Mind was discontented And wish'd to dye for which he was reprove Altho a holy Prophet and beloved Alas poor Souls you that cry out so fast For Death as if indeed you were in hast Should God but grant your unadvis'd Petition You quickly would bewail your sad Condition And cry as fast Oh that the Lord would spare My Life a little longer Oh beware Lest God provoked take away thy breath Against thy mind Poor Soul prepare for Death but dye Before thou wish so unadvisedly That when Death comes thou 'st nought to do If God be pleased to lengthen out thy dayes Be then well pleas'd to spend them to his Praise And if he 's pleas'd thy Dayes shall be but few Be thou content and labour to eschew All kind of Sin whereby thou may'st offend Him that alone can Crown thy latter End With Happiness unto Eternity Thus learn to live that thou may learn to dye North North-West Our next Point's North North-West Th' art now lanch't forth Into the Deeps and drawest nigh thy North Thy Dayes is spent and now thy Spirit must Return to God thy Body to the Dust God is thy Northern Star from thence thou came Who was and is unchangeably the same 'T was He who at the first did give thee Breath 'T is He for Sin doth summons thee by Death 'T is God who in his Image first did make thee And never since was willing to forsake thee 'T was He that did appoint a Second Life To put a Period to that deadly Strife That Sin has made 'twixt Man and his Creator 'T was God that did appoint a Mediator Even Jesus Christ to whom God doth direct thee Because he is not willing to reject thee From North to East thou wast at first conducted From God to Christ his Son to be instructed And brought into the way of Life where thou The things belonging to thy Peace might know Thy time on Earth that short uncertain Space Has been the Day of Patience and of Grace Which if thou hast neglected till thy Sun Be wholly set the Day of Grace is done T' expect another Day of Grace is vain From North to East thou must be brought again From God to Christ thou once again must pass Who is appointed not as first he was To be the Saviour of thy Soul but He By God's Appointment now thy Judge must be Your Consciences whose Checks you now refuse Will testifie against you and accuse Thee to thy Judge and none will intercede Thou 'st not a Friend in thy behalf to plead Christ was thy Friend whose Counsel thou refus'd And all his gracious Promises abus'd Thou that rejected Counsel heretofore Shall never have a Word of Counsel more The Prince of Peace that sacred Lamb of Sion Is now become a fierce devouring Lyon He that being fill'd with Mercy and Compassion Laid down his Life to purchase thy Salvation Is cloath'd with Fury now and burning Ire And is become a Soul-consuming Fire This sacred Truth is left upon Record Within the Volumes of God's holy Word 'T will be a Soul-cousening Day of trouble Wherein the Wicked shall become as Stubble Which in an Oven is consum'd away So dreadful is that Soul-amazing Day To all the Wicked such as do Rebell Depart depart you Cursed into Hell Will be the Sentence that the Judge will give Unto all such as in Rebellion live Depart to Hell where you Eternally Shall be a dying but shall never dye Go down to Hell depart out of my sight To utter Darkness to eternal Night Depart to Hell for as your Works are evil So shall you now be Sharers with the Devil Depart to Hell to everlasting Pain From whence expect not to return again You that can scoff at Resurrection now Would then avoyd it if you knew but how Your dismal Night will never find a Morrow Your Merriments will all be turn'd to Sorrow Who can express the dolorous Grief and Pain That damned Souls shut up in Hell sustain Where Fire goes not out where Worm ne'r dies Where cursed Oaths is turn'd to hidecous Cryes Sad is the Case with Hell-confined Souls Who now in stead of drinking Wine in Bowles Gnashing their Teeth with anguish they must spend Their doleful Hours in pain World without end You that have spent some time in sinful Pleasure To satisfie your Lusts shall find no leasure To fix your Eye
impression leaves a pleasant savor Makes them in love with goodness lets them seâ— The foolish madness of Impiety Men truly brought unto a sight of sins Soon sees the danger of it and begins To take up resolutions to forsake it Hear now this Counsel O my Soul take it Be like the Sea-man who while he make sure To save himself doth all the rest secure Yet by the way this one thing must be knovvn While thou seeks others good slight not thinâ— ownâ— 8. From these unconstant various mutations Which Sea-men daily see these Meditations Which under this eighth circumstance doth sheâ— It self is here presented to our view How do calm Evenings many times deceive The too secure Sea-men who believe Perhaps because they see no present Storm Before the Sun goes down there will no harm Suprise their quiet rest but that they may Lye down in safety sleep till brake of day But now behold before the Night is spent A sudden Tempest is from Heaven sent That doth awake them they are dispossest All of a sunden of their quiet rest Their Evening's Calm's turn'd to a Night of sorrow In great distress they cry out for the Morrow Hoping the Day when come will bring Relief But Day Alas doth still increase their Grief O sad disastrous Accident most strange O great Mutation unexpected Change Who would have thought but some few Hours past Those Calms would usher in so great a Blast The Day is come but yet no Hope remains They call and cry but yet their fruitless pains Goes unrewarded till the dismal Night Comes on puts their slender Hopes to flight Their Hope is at an end their Day is done Their sable Night has now obscur'd the Sun And now they are expecting every Minit Their Ship should sink with every thing that 's in it But of a suddain as the Night came on The Tempest ceases all their Fears are gone They that were now with fear of Death possest Can now dispose themselves to quiet Rest They whose perplexed Thoughts the Storms did fright Who were in dread of a Tempestuous Night Can now lye down in safety sleep secure These strange Mutations Seamen do endure Thus stands the Case my Soul The same Mutation Dayly attends upon Soul-Navigation How calm sometimes an Evening doth appear The Soul goes on in sin and doth not fear He sins and sins again without relenting And not so much as dreams of his Repenting While others fear the losing of their Souls He sins and meets with nothing that controuls Can laugh at Vices and can play with Sins So great 's the Calm But suddainly begins An unexpected Alteration and He now begins to see and understand That God's an Enemy to Sin and will Not clear the Guilty but in wrath will kill All the Ungodly such as do rebell He will cast down into the Pit of Hell Where Sinners shall be Subjects of his Ire And live Eternally in Flames of Fire O what a Tempest is there now begun His Joy is over and his Peace is done Now every Sin seems like a mighty Wave He now cryes out with Peter O Lord save A miserable Wretch that am undone O may I see the Morning may the Sun Arise and fill my darkned Soul with Light And free me from the Terror of the Night Thus with Soul-melting lamentable crys My soul did long to see the Sun arise But when the Morning came alas my grief Seem'd rather more than less and my relief Seems farther off the Sun did shine so clear That now my sins like Armies do appear I saw Gods Love in Christ indeed most plain And understood that he for Sin was slain Yea furthermore I also understood T was for great Sinners that he shed his Blood But yet withall I also did perceive That such as did the Benefit receive Were real Converts such as did repent But I beheld my self Impenitent â— disobedient Rebell With Delight Have I committed sin both day and night â—or could I see a Reason to expect â—hat which was only due to God's Elect. Thus in the Day the Tempest did increase â—he more I saw the further off from Peace â—he Tempest thus continued till the Light â—as quite obscur'd and a dreadful Night â—ame fast approaching on my Watchful Eye â—ees nothing now but Death Eternally Behold My Sorrow 's now at height extream â—ow all the World for one refreshing Beam â—ut when I thought this dark and dismal Night â—ould sink my Soul I saw by Candle-Light spotless Dove bringing a Branch of Peace â—id to the Seas Be still Their Rage did cease was the sacred Candle of Gods Word â—at did this precious Beam of Light afford â—lainly saw from thence that Christ was sent â— save the sinful disobedient I saw from thence God never past Deaths Sentencâ— On any Man till he refus'd Repentance I saw from thence God never did respect Any Man's Person nor did he reject The worst of Sinners that were but content To leave his sins and truly to repent I saw from thence God's Universal Love To every Man This sacred Light did prove That God loves all Men from his first Creation And from this Light I saw his great Compassioâ— Unto his Creature Man whom he did make In his own Image for which Creature 's sake He made a gracious Promise of Redemption Unto his Creature Man without Exemption I saw my self from thence as one of those That God out of the whole Creation chose To bear his Image hence I knew likewise If any one that bears his Image dies 'T is not because the Lord before hath said This Man whom I have in my Image made Shall dye Eternally he shall not have Sufficient Means allowed him to save His Soul from Death But 't is because he chuâ— To walk in Paths of Darkness and refuses That sacred Path of Light and Life that 's givâ— Wherein all Men may stear their Course for Hâ—vâ— All these bright Beams of glorious Light Diviâ— Forth from the Candle of God's Word did shine Even in the Night the stormy Wind did cease Which fill'd my Heart with Comfort Joy and Peace 9. How beautifull's the Ship when under sail Having th' advantage of a pleasant Gale With how much Pleasure Ease Chearfulness Do Seamen then attend their Business How pleasant is their passage when no Storm Puts them in fear of an approaching Harm When neither Wind nor Weather interpose How well all matters in their Voyage goes How beautiful's the Soul when its Affections Is wholly guided by Divine Directions When holy Breathings makes th' Affections swell With Love and Zeal for God and to excell When sacred Breathings thus possess the Mind He 's like a Ship that runs before the Wind Upon the smooth-fac'd Seas when never a blast Is sent to interpose O then what hast The Soul doth make for Heaven when it's Corruptions Is all subdu'd and makes no Interruptions How pleasant O my Soul and with what ease Thou dost
THE Seaman's Spiritual Companion OR Navigation Spirituallized BEING A NEW COMPASS FOR SEAMEN CONSISTING Of Thirty-two Points Directing every Christian how to Stear the Course of his Life through all Storms and Tempests Fit to be Read and seriously Perused by all such as desire their Eternal Welfare Published for a general Good but more especially for those that are exposed to the Danger of the Seas By William Balmford A Well-wisher to Seamen's Eternal Welfare And Recommended to the Christian Reader by J. F. To which is prefixt a Preface by Benj. Keach the Author of Wâ—r with the Devil They that go down in the Deep and occupy in the Waters â—eâ— Thy Wonders Psal 10â— 22. London Printed for Benj. Harris and are to be Sold at his Shop at the Stationers Arms in Sweetings-Rents in Cornhil near thâ— Râ—â—al-Exchange 1678. Licensed January 3d. 1678. ROGER L'ESTRANG TO THE Ingenious SOCIETY OF SEAMEN The Author wishes all Happiness in this World and Eternal Felicity in the World to-Come through Jesus Christ our LORD c. INgenious Seamen who for honest Gain Oft rides Tryumphant o're the Liquid Main Whence doth a far more plentious Harvest flow Than from the Husband-Man's industrious Plow To You who through the Winds and Waters pierce To you alone I Dedicate my Verse If this small Piece but so effectual prove As 't is from me the pure Effects of Love Then shall I think my Labour Cost and Pain Will be rewarded with a treble Gain And that my Love and Labour may be blest One thing kind Friend I humbly do request That once a day thou wilt devote thy Heart One Quarter of an Hour sâ—t apart To think of God from whom thou hast thy Breath And seriously to ponder of thy Death 1. Concerning God think 't was his mighty hand Which did Create both Heavens Sea and Land Think that it 's God to all Things Being gives Yea ends the World while he for ever lives Without Beginning yea or end of Dayes Both was and is and shall remain alwayes 2. Add to thy Thoughts of God's Eternity Some serious Thoughts of thy Mortality Think with thy self My Father 's gone to Dust With all mine Ancestours and thither must My self return I see there 's no Redemption Of High and Low all dye without Exemption The High and Mighty all expires and dyes The Wicked and the Godly Man likewise Concerning Death think in the second place How short Ah how uncertain is my Race Both Health Strength to day a Man may have Yet â—n the Morrow followed to the Grave Man's Life 's uncertain shorter than a Span In one poor Hour the strongest stoutest Man Is by an unexpected stroke of Death Commanded to surrender up his Breath No Man that ever liv'd on Earth had Power To limit Death one Minute of an Hour But Seamen are Alas of all Men most Vncertain of their Lives for Death Rides Post Vpon the Wings of every churlish Wave Our Cabbins often-times becomes our Grave Death's Soul-amazing Aspect's in the Skies Seamen behold when Tempests do arise Then Death doth threaten loudly every Minit To sink our Ship with every thing that 's in it Rocks Seas and Sands and Tempests seem to strive Which shâ—â—ld be first to bury thee alive Vnto thy Thoughts of Death with Soul's Affection Add thou some serious Thoughts of Resurrection Think neither Earth nor Waters can detain One Soul for all that Dyes shall Rise again And come to Judgment all both High and Low For God hath said it and it must be so The serious Thoughts of this will profit more Tâ—an all the Treasures of the Indian-Shore The serious Thoughts of future Resurrection Leads thee to Faith and Faith unto Perfection When Vnbelief of Glory will bereave thee And all the Golden Mines of Indies leave thee How did our blessed Saviour confute The Sadduces who ventur'd to dispute With Him about the Resurrection They Could not bring forth another word to say You err saith Christ and do not understand The holy Scriptures nor God's mighty Hand But Seamen do behold his boundless Power And see his VVonders almost every Hour Oh! may the Power of God inflame your Hearts And make you credit what his VVord imparts Oh! spend each Day one quarter of an Hour In thoughts of Death and God's-Almighty Power To make you live again and Conquer Death As well as at the first to give you Breath So shall this Poem have its VVished-End And you 'll rejoyce his Heart who is your Friend William Balmford In Commendation of this ensuing Poem COme you brave Souls that love to cross the Main Who run sad hardships for a little gain Would you at last a Voyage undertake Which will you Crown and ever happy make Let me kind Sirs then like a Cordial Friend This little Poem to you Recommend 'T will teach you how to Sail to th' Land of Light Whose glory 's such it will amaze thy sight 'T will bring you to a City pav'd with Gold Whose sparkling beauty Mortals can't behold Sirs never any Souls did thither Stear But Crowned was as soon as they came there And I 'le assure thee can'st thou thither get A Crown of Glory on thee shall be set Ah who is it that would not look about When such a Voyage they may all find out Read thou this Book with Scales pull'd off thine eyes And thou may'st know which way thy Country lyes Oh then I 'le tell thee that thou may'st not fail That through the Sâ—â—aits thou must resolve to Sail With Grace thy Ship must bâ—llanc'd also be Or soon thou'lt sink to th' bottom of the Sea And Christ too for thy Pilate thou must take Or never else wilt thou this Voyage make And of two dangerous Rocks thou must beware The one's Presumption the other is Dispair Another thing expedient is to know Thou must set out whilst Winds of th' Spirit blow Faith is the Cable-Rope to which make fast The Ancher Hope which rightly thou must cast Into the Rock of Ages in the Vail And you 'l be safe in time of strongest Gale And never a loss by Shipwrack you 'l sustain Till you the Crystal-shore with Tryumph gain Hast thou a mind to Traffick for Salvation Then learn the Art of Sacred Navigation This Art well learnt and also understood Thou may'st ride safely o're the Mighty Flood Thy Weather beaten Vessel may be tost Upon the Waves but never shall be lost Yea though upon the churlish Rocks it hit Yet shall thy Vessel neither sink nor split Stear but by Heaven's appointed Compass and Fear neither Winds nor Waves nor Rocks nor Sand Here 's all things for thy Voyage necessary That thou may'st Sail though winds be quite contrary Here is a Prospect for thee to discry Thy Sacred Port and view thine Enemy Satan that Pirate that doth most annoy thee Yet shall he have no power to destroy thee And that thou may'st be in thy Voyage blest And come at last