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
prevail â—â— was his Flesh that in bred Enemy â—hat now against poor Job doth make reply â—Vhence doth it come saith Flesh to Job that thou â—rt of a sâ—ddain tumbled down so low â—nd what 's the cause that thou art thus tormented â—nd why art thou so patient contented â—Vhat is thy Righteousness no more regarded â—nd must thy Innocence be thus rewarded â—Vas it but now that thou was so precise â—o offer for thy Sons a Sacrifice â—hat for thy Sons thou might make Intercession â—â— case they had bin found in some Transgression â—nd is this all th' acceptance thou must find â—o have thy Sons slain with a mighty VVind â—Vas't not enough to cast thee from thy Throne â—here like a Prince thou wast accepted on â—ut that thy Flesh must tortured be at last â—nd thou thy self upon the Dung-hill cast If Pious Persons be rewarded thus In vain poor Job hast thou been Righteous Cease to be Righteous Job thou can but dye crying What 's the Reward of thine Integrity 'T is worse than Death Thou sees thy constaâ— saith Bespeaks no less than a continual Dying But now observe what this brave Champioâ— See how he wealds the sacred Shield of Faith What now my Flesh saith he art thou affraid To serve the Lord â—mnipotent that made The Heavens the Earth Sun Moon Stars And all because there doth remain some Scars Vpon thy Body What tho Torments fill me I 'le fear the Lord my Maker tho he kill me I know saith Job that my Redeemer lives Who tho he do afflict my Body gives Me full Assurance that these Eyes of mine Shall yet behold him Gloriously Divine And tho my Flesh be tortured with Pain I know my Flesh shall be restor'd again I will not part with my Integrity Nor lose my Righteousness untill I dye The Grave within a little space receives me And then my Tortures must be forc'd to leave me Then cease my Flesh to tempt me any more For while I live my Maker I 'le adore Thus Job being arm'd with Helmet Sword Shielâ— Did force his Enemies to quit the Field Job like a skillful Seaman was so wise He carries Weapons to secure his Prize then my Soul be thou so wise to arm thee â—nd Satan that grand Pyrat shall not harm thee 12. But in the last place Let thy Meditation â—metimes be fixt on this Consideration â—ust by the Helm thou sees the Compass stand â—o sooner doth the Seaman lay his Hand â—pon the Helm but that immediately â—nto his Compass he directs his Eye â—ee with what Strength he holds the Helm when he Would stear upon some Point This ought to be The care of every Spiritual Seaman here As up and down these trouble Seas they stere As thou art stearing up and down this World Where many times thou' rt in a Fury hurl'd Into strange Countries and sometimes is driven On churlish Rocks and Sands What strength is given Improve it to the utmost of thy Skill Hold fast the Helm but eye thy Compass still This World 's the Sea thy Body is likewise The floating Ship thy Soul 's the Merchandize Th' Affections is the Sails and also mind The Spirit 's Breathings is that sacred Wind That fills thy Soul and gives it lively Motion Unto thy Vessel on this restless Ocean Well-grounded Hope 's the Anchor makes thee able T' endure the worst of Storms True Faith 's the Cable That holds the Anchor fast it cannot slip Thy Tongue 's the Helm saith James that guâ— the Sâ— When David would prevent his doing wrong With force might saith he I 'le keep my Tong With that we bless and curse and â—o be plaiâ— The Tongue unguided makes Religion vain Be carefull what thou utterest therefore and Before thou speaks observe how it will stand Agreeing to the Compass Rule and Guide Men by their Words saith James are justify'd And by their Words Mâ—n are condemn'd saith he To Rule thy Tongue well is a good Degree He that hath gain'd the Conquest of his Tonguâ— He is both skillful valiant wise and strong Three things observe in guiding of thy Tongue And first observe that it do's speak no wrong Of God the Father charge Him not foolishly If He afflicts thy Soul But rather cry With David Search my Heart purge out froâ— thenâ— What Sin so ere may stain my Innocence But in the second place I say again In guiding of thy Tongue thou must reâ—rain From idle Words Vain Jesting saith St. Paul Is not convenient doth no sute at all With Heaven-expecting Souls Vain Words defilâ— The best of Men. Let not thy Tongue revile Altho thou be reviled Do not render Railing for Railing evil Words ingender â— multitude of Sin doth purchase blame And terminates in Everlasting Shame Thirdly In guiding of thy Tongue thou must Be sure to speak the thing that 's Right and Just Speak no unsavoury Word in any Case Let all thy Words be seasoned with Grace That from thy Lips such gracious words may fall That may be of sweet benefit to All That Sinners may be drawn from Wickedness And Saints may persevere in Holyness These three things if thou dost observe them well â—n guiding of thy Tongue thou wilt excell And to conclude our sacred Navigation There is sufficient for thy Meditation â—n every thing that to the Ship pertains Or to the Sea It only now remains That Ship Sea Sand Rocks Wind With Heavenly Contemplations fill thy Mind Thus having briefly run through every Part Of this Soul-saving Navigable-Art I 'le leave it with thee now and say no more But shall desire as I have done before That all these Rules as I have here laid down May be as fully practised as known That in this sacred Art thou may excell Which He desires that bids thee now Fare-well FINIS A Catalogue of some Books Printed for and Sold by Benjamin Harris at the Stationers-â—rms in Sweetings-Rents in Cornhil near the Royal-Exchange A Confession of Faith put forth by the Elders and Brethren of many Congregations of Christians Baptized upon Profession of their Faith in London and the Country newly Published Price bound One shilling War with the Devil Or The Young Man's Conflict with the Powers of Darkness In a Dialogue Discovering the Corruption and Vanity of Youth the Horrible Nature of Sin and deplorable Condition of Fallen-Man Also a Definition Power and Rule of Conscience and the Nature of true Conversion To which is added An Appendix containing a Dialogue between an Old Apostate and a Young Professâ—r Worthy the perusal of All but chiefly intended for the Instruction of the Yonger sort The Fifth Imâ—â—ession By Benj. Keach To which is now added a Second Part Price bound Onâ— shilling Eight pence The Causes and Cure of sad Disconsolate Thoughts in Christians By William Traughton Price bound Eight pence The Seamans Spiritual Companion Or Navigation Spirituallized Price bound One shiling
â—a true emblem of mans restless state â—ce he by sinning did degenerate Ship for aptness as it doth excell â— is it anciently approved well â—ot only for its rareness of invention â—t for its plainness to our apprehension â—ere be but few if any that 's so low â—d shallow of Conceit but see and know â—at as it 's with a Ship whose Costly prize â—he Rich Lading of some Merchandize â—ating at Sea when Dark and Silent Night â—s Stain'd the Heaven and obscur'd the Light â—thout its Card Compass and likewise â—t knowing where its Port or Haven lies Nor how to steer or bend his Course thereto Being be-wildred in the dark Just so It is with Man since his unhappy fall Without a guid can find no path at all Mans body is the Ship his Soul likewise Is that unvaluable Merchandize A Pearl whose worth exceedes both weight anâ— measureâ— Its price is far above all earthly treasure He that shall lose his Soul although he gain The world with all its wealth he will sustain A loss far greater than can be esteem'd By earthly man or by the worth redeem'd Of all the treasures that is under heaven Nought for the Soul can in exchange be give This World 's the Sea and as by Nature weâ— Come into it we neither know nor see Our Haven unto which we ought to bend And steer our Course nor can we apprehend The usual means by which we are directed In this our Voyage till it be perfected Heaven is our proper Haven 't is the end Of all our Labours thither we ought to bend And steer our Course that we the better mighâ— With hope of happy issue steer aright To be our perfect Rule God doth afford The blessed Counsel of his Holy Word And to his Holy Word he adds beside His Holy Spirit for our perfect Guid. Lo thus as with a Compass night and day We are directed to find out our way Sail by this Compass and we shall be sure Whatever Storms and Tempest we endure Our Voyage will be crown'd with good success We shall not miss our Port of Happiness 'T is an unerring Rule but yet alass By Nature we are blind the time we pass Upon this Earth as in a Sea of Trouble Till Death dissolve our Bodies and this bubble â—f we compare it with the splendid light Of everlasting day it s but a night A night of darkness rather than a day Of perfect light we cannot find our way Without our Compass whence this may be learn'd That as a Merchant thinks himself concern'd To use his best endeavours to secure â—is floating Vessel that he may insure â—is Merchandizes So he that bears the prize â—f his Immortal Soul 's concern'd likewise â—bove all things to use his best endeavour â—o save his Soul which lost is lost for ever A Christian in the Gospel is compar'd â—o Merchants that do seek no less reward â—han precious Pearls which that he may find out â—oth compass Sea and Land whirls round about â—he Massy Globe through many a stormy blast â—nd thinks himself well satisfied at last â— obtains the treasure that he craves â—hough he indures the fury of the Waves â—n he but bring his Vessel safe to Shore â— his desired Port he seeks no more Man is the Merchant and his Port doth lie Within the Confines of Eternity This World 's well term'd a Sea and if we eye It as a place of Waters we may spy The same unconstant and unstable motion As men behold within the restless Ocean The various changes that this World affords With Neptune's often changes well accords The tossing to and fro of its affairs Filling mens hearts with daily fears and cares Is like the raging waves resistless might Which often puts the Seaman to a fright Threatning to rend his crasie Vessel and Intomb his Câ—rcass in the restless Land The fear'd evil and the hop'd for good In worldly things is like the ebbe and flood They go and come their flux and reflux we To turn and return like the Tide we see Sometimes this world doth promise present goâ— And then it seems like to the Sea and flood And when we think we shall some good obtaiâ— Is like the Tide returneth back again Nothing so certain as uncertainty Earthly enjoyments make them wings and 〈◊〉 And as the waters of the Seas retains A brinish taste the same Salt just remains In earthly things in great or lesser measure Abates the sweetness of all earthly pleasure Sometimes the waves mounts up our Ship on As if its Top-mast-head would pierce the Skiâ— And presently its tumbl'd down again â—s if in Hell it now were to remain â— such a case a Saint that 's in this world â—ost to and fro in such a fury hurld â— made Sea sick and nothing now is more â— Saints desire than Heaven its happy Shore â— Saint sometimes may have a present gale â—he Waters smooth the Wind fills out his fail â—he Wind stands fair the Raging Seas likewise â—re all at peace and now the Seamen lies â—nd quickly comes to his desired shore â—hen others that perhaps set out before â—eeting with Tempest at the Sea was driven â—uite from their Port lost Some go to heaven â—s with a prosperous wind is quickly hurld â—ut of the trouble of this evil world â—nd of such sort young infants be whose stay â—on this Sea sometimes is not a day â—hildren also that leave this world before â—ey have committed sin comes to the shore â— a short time and meets with never a storm â—ey neither do nor think of any harm â—ay we believe record that is given â—ese are undoubtedly the heirs of heaven â—eed from all sorrows tempestuous weather â—rist as their Pilot doth conduct them thither â—hilâ—st men and women being more mature â— these tempestuous Seas great storms indure â—hich gives them cause sufficient to desire â— leave these troubled Seas for fear they tire In length of time and upon Rocks be driven And split themselves lose their way to heaven 2. And in the second place our bodies may Be fitly term'd a Ship because as they When floating on the Seas do spring a leak So 't fares with man so frail he is and weak As through a leak the Sea doth make its way Forcing the weary Seaman night and day To ply the Pump least if his strength should faiâ— The waters should so mightily prevail To sink his richly laden Vessel and Bury both Ship and Lading in the sand The Seaman therefore spareth not his pain Till he his long'd for Haven do obtain So 't is with Christians Nature being weak While in this world are liable to leak And if a Christian in his labour fail The waters of this world will so prevail That Ship and Lading will undoubtedly Indanger sinking to Eternity The leaks are these the Saints that shall inheriâ— Eternal life is flesh as well as spirit The world presents thee with its golden pleasuâ—
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