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
to thy desired rest Is his desire who doth here recommend Tâ—â—s Poem to thy use who is thy Friend Benjamin Keach TO THE READER By a Gentlewoman who was an intimate Friend of the Authors in Commendation of this Poem IT is not common for the Female-kind In Printed papers to expose their mind To publick view yet if I here transgress I hope my fault will seem so much the less Because I never did so much before And Peradventure never may do more These lines kind Reader that I hear commend I had th' advantage first to see them Pend And hear them read the matter so delighted My ravish'd Senses that it has invited Me to commend these Poems which I know To be of Soul-concern to High and Low There 's not a Man upon the Earth so high But may upon this Subject cast an eye He that doth think himself too high to know His Maker while on Earth will be too low For God to know when he would be regarded While such as knows God here will be rewarded He that doth think himself to know so much That he need know no more 't is unto such That Paul that good Apostle is so bold To tell them they know nothing as they should Who think themselves too high to be concern'd VVith any thing that here is to be learn'd VVill be too low to offer his Repentance Or stand in Judgment or reverse the Sentence Of Go you Curs'd VVherefore let none disdain To look upon this Piece because 't is plain So much the rather may you be contented To look upon this Piece that 's here presented Because the matter that it doth contain Is no new Doctrin no Fanaticks strain 'T is Catholick Apostolick likewise That which no sober Christian-man denyes It is the knowledge of the Lord most high One God in Essence three in Trinity To know that God made Man upright and good To know likewise that Man no long time stood In this so just so perfect good Estate Before he did from thence degenerate To know that Man was tempted by the Devil To break God's Law till when he knew no Evilâ— To know that Man was sentenced to Dye And Christ was promised immediatly To wound the Serpent by whom Man was slain And to restore fal'n Man to Life again To know that Christ was very God indeed And very Man made of the VVomans Seed To know that Christ by God's appointment dy'd And was by Pontious Pilate Crucifi'd And in the Grave did for a time remain And on the Third Day He did Rise again That unto Christ all Soveraign Power was given Both in the Earth and also in the Heaven To know I say and rightly understand That all the VVorld is now at Christ's command To know the Father and the Son likewise To know the Holy-Ghost that Sanctifies And fits the Soul for Death and future Glory These are the things the Author spreads before ye My hearts desire is the Author he May be rewarded in Eternity In everlasting Joy where Saints shall sing Continual Anthems to their Heavenly King VVhere God himself will wipe away all tears VVhere he no more shall be perplext with fears Of stearing right unto that Holy Land VVhere Saints and Angels in God's presence stands Yet while he on these restless Seas remains That he might be assisted in his pains My hearts desire is he may Inherit The gifts and graces of God's holy Spirit That may descend into him like a flood That he thereby may do his Country good Thus with my hearty prayers to God I rest Desiring his endeavours may be blest Vnto that use for which they were intended Then shall I think my Friend is well be-friended SHe that doth this Unpolish'd piece commend Was willing that it should obtain its end No pains she spar'd to give these Poems Birth But with desire sought to bring it forth And to that end that nothing might prevent Gave her assistance for encouragement May these my labours to thy use be blest For which her Love her Zeal her Heart exprest Courteous Reader I Have for thy ease and pleasantness in Reading drawn up this brief Table containing in it the chief Heads that is Treated on in the First Part of this Book because the first part is not divided as it ought to have been nor as the Second aâ—d Third Part is I have therefore used this Method to every particular matter that is Treated on in this First Part I have given thee Directions in what Page to find them that so thou may readily turn to that matter thou art most desirous to inspect The First Part of this Book is an Introduction to the Art of Soul-Navigation and ought to have been so Intituled The TABLE THat there is a true resemblance between a Ship at Sea and a Christian in this World and between the Sea and the World pag. 1 2 3 The like true resemblance between the Word of God and the Sea-mans Compass the Seas resemble this world in three particulars 1. In the unconstancy of its motion 2ly In the Salt gusâ— the waters of the Sea hath 3dly In the Violence of the Waves p. 4 5 A Ship at Sea resembles a Christian in this world in three particulars First In being liable to Leaks p. 6 7 8. In being liable to run upon Sands and so broken p. 9 10. In being liable to be split upon Rocks p. 11. â—e Rocks explained p. 12 13. â— the Second Part call'd Speculation begins with an Introduction to Speculation p. 14 15 16. â—e four Cardinal Points Treated of The North compared to God the West to Christ the South to Holiness West to Death p. 17. â—ripture grounds for this Allusion p. 18 19. â—eculation explained the first part of it being the true knowledge of God p. 21 22 23. â—ow Christ must be known p. 24 25 26. â—f Holiness p. 27 28. â—f Death p. 29. â—he certainty of the Resurrection from Death to Life again as the Sun moves from West to North and from North to East again so Man rising from the Grave goes to God from God to Christ his Judge p. 30. The Blessed Estate of the Righteous p. 31 32 33. The sad State of Sinners after Resurrection they must return back again from Christ their Judge to their Western Point which is the Second Death p. 34 35 36. A general Application p. 37 38. ERRATA Reader THere is some but not many Faults escaped the Press which because somâ— wrongs the Sense I have noted omitting sucâ— Literal Mistakes as do not wrong the Sense PAge 2 line 12 for worth read World p 9 l. â—9 f hiâ— r. God p. 10 l 2 f. sould r Sâ—uls Ibid â— Sâ—â—â— Some 's p 11 l. 7 r. It is a signe of Death p. 57 l. 22. â— â—â—ssuated p. 68 l. 27 r. External THE â—eaman's Spiritual Companion OR Navigation Spiritualized A Ship at Sea that on the Waves is tost In danger every moment to be lost
Titus the Roman when he did behold The Sanctum Sanctorum beautified with Gold â—e stood amaz'd lifts up his hands to Heaven Desires of the Lord to be forgiven His great offence to God protesting still That glorious Temple fell against his will Wherefore he crys aloud calls out amain â—o spare that Holy Temple crys again â— spare saith he that glorious place 't is pity â— should be ruin'd with this wicked City â—et was this Temples glory not so great â—o answer to the height of mans conceit â—or may the height of mans conceit compare â—ith what this Vision did to John declare â—welve thousand furlongs was its measured height â—he glory of the Lamb did give it light â—he Suns resplendent rays when shining clear â—ould give no light it had no luster there â—o night was there no cloud nor sables shade â—his is the glorious day the Lord hath made â—hat tongue or pen can give a true relation â—f new Jerusalem the habitation â—f glorified Saints whose full perfection â—all be compleated at the resurrection But last to the West â—â—ve this to say â—ere is eternal night as well as day Thugh God in Christ do bless the Sts. with light God out of Christ prepares perpetual night For wicked men and Devils no exemption In life there is in death there 's no redemption All men must die we know it to be true Daily experience doth this matter shew There 's none exempt from death the very best Choicest of Christians pass from South to West The good man dies the wicked dies also Both good and bad from West to North must go The good man shall be rais'd so will the evil The Angel must be judg'd so will the Devil The difference lies here the Saints perfection Is at the highest after resurection 'T is then their everlasting day begins 'T is then they turn their backs of all their sins But with the wicked it is nothing so From their North Point to West again they go Depart they must from Gods eternal light VVith go you cursed to perpetual night But Oh! what heart can think or tongue express Their endless wo their grief remediless Consider Christians joy you need not borrow A better Pensil to paint forth their sorrow Consider but the comfort of the light From thence behold the terror of the night If naught but darkness should their souls oppress It would be sorrowful and comfortless 'T is utter darkness not the smallest beam Of light which makes their sorrows so extream Those very eyes while on the earth was blest VVith natural light shall now be dispossest Of all the incomfort what they undergo Being in darkness aggravates their woe The lustful eyes which in the earth delighted In naught but filthiness is now be nighted Shall never see a pleasant object more But weep and wail and never shall give o'r Be warn'd you swearers for these tongues of yours That in blaspâ—eming spends your precious hourâ— Uncessently shall then blaspheme Gods name For very anguish in tormenting flame And yet in darkness you that can hear God cry Repent you sinners wherefore will you die That scorns his bounty and refuse his grace While God with patience waiting gives you space You that can hear the God of Heaven complain At your destruction yet rebel again You that have grievâ—d the Lord you now must bear Your endless grief your cryes he will not hear Your ears which while on earth could give consent To hear Gods name blasphemed and be content Shall now hear sighs and lamentable cryes While you are sharers in these miseries Your hearts with which you hated every word Spoke to you by the Servants of the Lord With horror and amazement shall be smitten While all your former wickedness â—s written â—n your tormented conscience which will smite you â—nd with its aggravation shall affright you And in a dreadful manner shall present Before your face that hellish regiment Of all your former sins you have committed From which you might have been acquitted You then have time too much to see your folly But none at all to labour to be holy Your day is past your dreadful night is come Your Sun is set and darkness is your doom This is the last considerable thing Relating to the West that I shall bring But yet before we pass to th' Second part Of this soul-saving Navigable Art These four things that we have lastly read Shall once again before your eyes be spread But very brief and for no other end But that I may more seriously commend Them to your thoughts as highly your concern Rightly to weigh to understand and learn North stands for God and that you first must know From God to Christ your Eastern Star you go God out of Christ is cloathed all in ire Behold God so he 's a consuming fire To God by Christ your souls must have access And Christ conducts thee unto holiness Thy Southern Point from whence cast but thine eye Unto thy Western Point and learn to die Four things is in thy Western Point laid down All very necessary to be known First thou must die thy rising sun must set I' th' West 't is certain do not that forget From West to North from death to God you go By God through Christ th' art rais'd again also After which time thy sun will set no more Nor yet decline as it has done before But if thou do'st not die a holy man Thou wilt be far more miserable than Thou wast before thou must go back again From North to West for ever to remain In that black night which never sees a morrow Where thou wilt find no period of thy sorrow One word of use and then I shall have done Walk not in darkness while you have the Sun To be your guid He that walks in light May see to take and chuse his steps aright But he that walks in paths of darkness neither Knows how to guid his steps aright nor whether He is a going God hath provided well Why should your precious souls go down to hell What pity 't is that man that noble creature Whose well composed form and comely feature The Son of God did not disdain I say What pity 't is he should be cast away And that you may not want a full direction To bring you unto Heaven Saints perfection The next unto this Art of Speculation Must be the practick of Souls Navigation In which discourse I shall my self confine To th' Seamans Compass only more divine And shall accordingly present to view Our Practick Points in number thirty two Thus having given you a full relation Of the First Part of Sacred Navigation Which is speculation I now proceed Unto the Second Part which is indeed The Practice of a Christian after he Hath been instructed to a good degree In the true Knowledge of the Deity One God in Essence three in Divinity Distinguish't thus the Father and the Son And Holy Ghost three
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
fancies casts an eie Into Gods Secret Counsel thinks to spie Themselves inrol'd there without respect Unto the terms on which God doth elect Not once remembring that the Lord doth chuse The Godly for himself and doth refuse Ungodly men presumes they are elected And therefore sav'd while others are rejected By a divine unchangable decree And therefore must not cannot saved be Here eye all passages and you shall find Where airy notions do possess the mind Instead of Grace a Tempest doth begin Quickly to rise the flesh doth lust to sin While conscience tells the flesh it cannot be Allow me this saith flesh it pleaseth me Not so â—aith conscience thou wilt be defil'd O no saith flesh I 'm an elected Child Can sin can any thing that is in me Dissolve make void or alter Gods Decree No no saith flesh my name is writ in heaven My sins and weakness is all forgiven In this confused hurry is the mind That 's fill'd with notions tossed with the wind Of vain conceits He sins at such a rate Till he concludes himself a Reprobate And now he sinks and in a dreadful case Despairs but had this heart been fill'd with grace Instead of these his airy notions he Had been from stroms and winds and tempests free Where grace doth fill the heart it thus begins With every sinner O forsake your sins And there is mercy but grace tells him plain That being clear'd he must not sin again For sins against thy will Christ entercedes And at the throne of grace for mercy pleads Be thou but faithful do thou but act thy part In hating sin hate it with all thy heart And God is gracious if thou do persever God freely will accept of thy endeavour Faithful indeavours though they be but poor God will accept in Christ who keeps the score If thou presume to sin thy former debt Shall on thy score the second time be set Here doth the Riches of Gods Grace appear In setting Saints and sinners free from fear Sinners that leave their sins are not rejected Such as presume to sin are not elected The Grace of God that hath appear'd to all To Saints and sinners both doth daily call First unto sinners that they would repent And then to Saints that they be innocent And persevere in holiness and then In being holy they 'll be happy men O be establisht here as 't doth behove thee And neither wind nor weather will remove thee East and by South East and by South is next and thus begins Thou being taught before to leave thy sins By true repentance and by heart contrition Christ now requires of thee heart submission To all his holy Ordinances and To every Gospel Precept and Command But first of all thou must believe that he Is very Christ that shed his blood for thee Believe that God in Christ is reconcil'd And freely doth accept thee as his Child And willingly he sendeth none to hell But willful sinners such as do rebel Give up thy name to Christ that thou may be One of that Noble sacred family Come laden with thy sins and throw them down And Christ will give thee rest he 'll not disown The true repentance of a heart that 's broken Believe and be baptis'd it is token That Christ hath washt thee and hath clear remitted Thy former sins and now thou stands aquitted And by this means thou 'lt be insinuated Into the Church of Christ and stand related To him as one of his he will behold Thee now as one belonging to the Fold He is thy Shepherd and thou art his Sheep Thou' rt under his protection he will keep Thy soul from danger if thy heart be staid And stablished with Grace the Lord hath said Such shall be kept in perfect peace indeed Whose minds are staid on him Now let 's proceed Unto our next Point East South East let 's see What is required next to Baptisme East South East Sinner thou art conducted now by grace Into Christs Church that thou may keep thy place And be preservâ—d unto the Judgment day Observe therefore what the Lord did say To his Disciples while he did remain Upon the earth tells them he 'll come again But until then saith he I recommend You to the Comforter which I will send The Holy Ghost in all things shall instruct you And unto everlasting truth conduct you The Spirit shall to your remembrance bring Each sacred truth and teach you every thing But this remember Christ doth tell thee plain Which way thou mayst the Comforter obtain The way which Christ prescrib'd is fervent praier With faith unfeigned these such companions are They will not miss but will obtain the prize For which they seek for God will not dispise The earnest suit of humble contrite ones Whose prayers are usher'd in with sighs and grones Prayer is I say Gods own appointed way By which our Lord hath promis'd to convay The holy Spirit ask and it shall be given Saith Christ our Lord your Father hears in heaven â—f earthly Parents give out of there store Good things unto their Children how much more Will God out of his rich and boundless treasure Give those that ask his Spirit such a measure As he doth see sufficient to supply The Spirits Office is to sanctifie â—t's a true earnest that we shall inherit Eternal life He that enjoys the spirit â—lthough the smallest measure shall possess The matchless treasure of true happiness â—t fits the soul for future glory and He sails directly to the Holy Land That will observe this Point and furthermore Such shall discover fair Emanuels Shore By the white cliffs of holiness that lye Along the Coasts let not thy watchful eye Behold another object Would'st possess The Holy land mind naught but Holiness While others do a saving Voyage make Thou do'st a sacred Voyage undertake â—t is affirm'd by holy men of old Unholy persons never can behold The face of God but with great discontent With dread with horror and astonishment Unholy persons shall be sore affrighted With that with which the Saints shall be delighted While Saints sing praises unto God on high Delighting to be hold his Majesty Unholy persons shall both cry and call Unto the Rocks say to the Mountains fall Yea fall upon us hide us from the face Of him whose counsel we would not imbrace Though oft he did intreat this Lamb of Sion Is now become a soul devouring Lyon His presence is a terror doth affright Oh that we might be hidden from his sight When the Dark cliffs of sin thou dost espy Say to the soul 't is not the country That thou art sailing too learn this Point well Dark waies of sin is the true paths of hell South East and by East This is a Point thou also must indeavour Rightly to be instructed in if ever Thou do'st intend the Port of happiness Shall crown thy Voyage with a fair success Then fly from sin as from a Serpent 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
on pleasing Objects for What ever you behold you will abhor You will abhor and loath your selves because Your former slighting of God's sacred Laws Your stubborn Hearts refusing to Repent Has brought you to this place of Punishment From which most lamentable State thou never Shall be released altho thou should endeavour This is the Second Death and certainly It is a dreadful Death for Man to dye The first Death frees a Man from temporal Sorrow And frees him from his Labour till the Morrow The Second Death begins a Sinner's grief And leaves him helpless hopeless of Relief Now wouldst thou not be taken in the Snare Of Death the second time Oh then prepare For Death's first Summons let not sin dis-arm thee And then the Second Death will never harm thee There is no way to scape the Plagues of Hell But in thy Living and thy Dying well Two things concerning Death I 'de have thee mind Which if thou do thou wilt the Comfort find First Death is certain either first or last All living Creatours of Death's Cup must tast Aâ—d Secondly It is uncertain when Children and Infants dye as well as Men. Death is a Messenger that 's sent from Heaven Hath both his Power and his Commission given By God alone and when he 's sent to strike Respects all Ages and Degrees alike Death when it doth arrest will give no Day Death will have nothing under present Pay Nor Years nor Months nor Weeks will Death allow Death will admit of no intreaties now With ghastly Looks he stares thee in the Face And tells thee Thou hast here no longer space This Night by Death the Lord requires thy Soul Sad was the Message to that prosperous Fool That in his own Conceit had lately blest His Soul with Peace and many Years of Rest Deluded Man had not one Day to spend This Night thy many Years is at an end Thus unexpectedly are Souls ensnar'd But dreadful will it be if unprepar'd Well Death is come thy Barns all thy Store Thou must forsake and never see them more And true it is we see it with our Eyes That Death is certain in uncertainties There 's not a Man among the Sons of Men But knows that he must dy but knows not when Death on his Cloudy Errand sometimes comes And smites poor Children in their Mother 's Womb. And sometimes he will venter to Arrest The Infant Sucking at the Mothers brest And sometimes Death forbears to throw his Dart Till Childish practice joyes the Parents heart So in like manner Death is sometimes known When Childhoods past and Youthful Blossoms blown To strike his Fatal stroke and many a time Death strikes us not till we are in our prime When Strength Manhood is upon the Stage And sometimes Death stays till decripped Age. Death blasts young Buds fair Blossoms dainty Flowers At th'age of years of months weeks days and hours How darest thou in Sinning take delight And sin to day that is to dye at night Poor VVretch that at God's pleasure draws thy breath How dare thou sin that 's not secure from Death In one moments time poor Soul thou canst not tell But that this Night thou shalt go down to Hell North by West Our two and-thirtieth Point draws near the North To Steer aright upon this Point is worth Ten thousand worlds ten thousand times told over It s real worth no mortal can discover As North's by West so Death's by God He The First and Last of every Thing will be It is from God we do receive our Breath By God's appointment all must tast of Death We told you lately what a dreadful thing It was to dye the Second Death but bring You better Tydeings now and to be brief This Point well learnt will expiate all Grief It is the Tydings of a Second Life Beginning Peace and terminating trife And that I may in this one thing discharge My self bear with me Reader if I do inlarge Upon this sacred Point But what am I To undertake a Task so much too high For any Man Angels desire to 〈◊〉 it And holy Prophets never fully knew it When holy Men of old did stear their Course Upon this Point the depth thereof did force Them to cry out as Men astonisht and Confess it was too high to understand Into which Mystery when Paul inquires Instead of Satisfaction he admires At God's great Wisdom Which saith he no doubt Is over-high for Man to find it out Eye hath not seen that excellent Reward Which God Almighty hath of old prepar'd For such as Love him Heart cannot conceive Nor Tongue express the Glory they receive Some Hints the holy Prophets have laid down Which in the Scripture language is made known In such a Dialect as may impart The Mystery of this Glory to the Heart And also doth inform the Eye and Ear That to Man's Sense this Glory might appear These be the Terms it is discover'd by Riches and Honour Princely Dignity Silver Gold precious Pearl that Treasure In which the Princes of the Earth take Pleasure Fair Houses beautify'd with Gold And precious Pearl most lovely to behold Cities whose Pavements upon which we tread Is pure Gold whose Wall is garnished With precious Pearls in comely order set The Jasper Amathist and Crisolet With Saphir Tophas Emrald Chalcedon The Jasinct Sardius and Sardonix-Stone Thus in our Sailing upon West by North By these Similitudes the Lord sets forth The great Advantage of our Stearing right Upon this Point and yet this great Delight With which Man 's captivated Eye 's ensnar'd Is less than nothing if it be compar'd With Heavenly Glory which exceeds as far As Mid-day Phoebus doth the dullest Star The greatest Beauty Mortals can behold Is Gems and Jewels with refined Gold Which when th' Apostle Paul compares with thâ— In his Esteem behold how vile it is As if all Earthly Pomp had nothing been Speaking of Heavenly saith Eye hath not seâ— Nor never could Man's highest Conceit impart This Heavenly Glory unto any Heart 'Twixt Heaven and Earthly Joy the disproportion Is like one Drop of Water to the Ocean For though one drop be real Water yet It 's not sufficient for Man's Benefit There is no Substance in so small a Measure And small 's the Substance of all earthly Treasure 'T is not unlike the pearled Dew of May Whose Morning-Substance quickly â—ades away Like Jonah's Gourd that sprang up in a Night And in another vanisht out of sight Exactly like a Shadow in the Water Which seems a Substance but is no such matter Which if a Man puts forth his Hand to take it Finds it a Shaddow and doth streight forsake it Or like a Man that dreams he doth possess Great Substance but awakes finds nothing less Could Man with Alexander say My hand Hath made the Earth subject to my Command And to my Pleasure I the World confine And all the Treasures oâ— the Earth is mine He that
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-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
We cannot think a happy Voyage to make Observe that good St. Paul and you shall find That Faithful Pilot in the self-same Mind His Compass he upon his Conscience layes In all things he makes Conscience of his Wayes Both towards God Man thou alwayes must Make Conscience of thy Wayes 'T is in vain to trust To any written Rule though ne'r so good And never so well known and understood If thou dost make no Conscience of the same Thy Compass serves for nothing but the Name Upon a painted Compass Men may look Or read the Rule that 's written in a Book A Compass fairly painted on a VVall Though pleasing to the Eye serves not at all To stear a Ship by That must be effected By such a Compass as must be erected And set upon a Needle where it moves By this erected Compass Seamen proves Their written Rule By this the Ship is guided And through the raging Seas her way 's divided Remember therefore if thou dost intend Thy former Compass shall obtain its End And thou at last may be secur'd from blame Be sure that thou make Conscience of the same That out of Conscience unto God thou never Neglect thy former Compass but endeavour To stear according to it Fix thine Eye On God who is thy North and come as nigh Unto thy Rule as possible thou may And out of Conscience unto God obey His VVill in every thing with true Affection As from thy Compass thou meets with Directionâ— So shalt thou be made Happy in thy Choyce And from true ground of Comfort may rejoyce Having within thee that which will indure The Testimony of a Conscience pure That from thy Dove-like Innocence thy Conversation Has been in truth without Dissimulation According to the Rule unfeignedly Serving the Lord in pure Simplicity And true Sincerity where I shall leave thee As with a Rule that never will deceive thee A Good Memory A Seaman that compleatly is supply'd Must with his Compass have a Box beside To place his Compass with security The Box is therefore a good Memory There let thy Rules be kept like sacred Treasure That thou may look them over at thy Pleasure These Rules are few these Few are very plain â—ot over numerous for thee to retain â— thou dost get these Rules into thy Head â— time of need they will thee stand in stead VVhen thy occasions have remov'd thee far â—nd Storms and Tempests at the Sea debar â—hee from the good Appointments of the Lord â—he sacred Preaching of God's holy Word â—his being kept in Memory lyes by thee â—hat in a time of want it may supply thee I will not say That thou wilt need no more â— in thy Head thou layest them up in store â—ut this I dare adventure to assert â—hy Head instructed well informs thy Heart â—nd if thou knows these Rules dost endeavor â—o do the same Happy art thou for ever â— such a State thou never canst miscarry â—ho Seas be rough Winds be quite contrary â—ut safely shalt obtain that happy Shore VVhere Pleasures do abound for ever more â—hen wilt thou find no Reason to repent thee â—hat for a time thou hadst this Compass lent thee CHAP. IX The Third Part now of sacred Navigation It is the Affections lively Meditation Affectionate Divinity we find Is principally seated in the Mind DIvine Affection is a lively Motion O'th'Soul to God-ward stirring up Devâ—tion And this Affection thus Divinely seated By Meditations is both warm and heated So that through Heat it now doth opperate And sets the Affections in a working-state Affections is the Soul 's quick Motion and Sweet Meditations also doth command The Soul's Affections and doth strongly move And melts th' Affections in a Flame of Love VVhere holy Meditations is but small Th' Affection 's cold and scarcely moves at all That therefore I shall further treat upon Relating to Divine Affection I shall endeavour to reduce them all Into some certain Rules that 's Practicall Practical Rules I mean of Meditation VVhereby the Soul can make sweet Applicatioâ— Of God's sweet Promises in Scripture found And that upon the best and safest Ground â—or Meditations when 't is sweetly felt â—s like a Limbeck that doth Heat and melt â—uch pleasant Flowers as are put into it â—aking sweet Drops of VVater issue fro it Those Meditations that I now intend â—o lay before my Sea-devoted Friend â—hey're of two sorts on which mine Eye is fixt â—ome purely Simple other some are Mixt. â—uch Meditations as most properly â—Ve here call Simple Meditations I â—raw from such Places of God's VVord as are â—especting Seamen in particular â—wo Scriptures for that purpose I have chose â—Vhich Holy David did before expose â—o publick veiw that such as fear the Lord â—ight be instructed from his Holy VVord In Psalm the Seventy-seven Nineteen Verse â—here David doth that sacred VVord rehearse â—hy Wayes O Lord are in the Seas saith he â—hy Paths upon the mighty Waters be â—â— from this VVord thou bend thy Meditation â—o make a Spiritual use and Application â—his VVord which here the Holy Prophet says â—ay well refer unto his sacred VVayes â—elating to the VVorld that restless Ocean â—r to the Saints But if thou take this Notion â—ccording to the literal Explication â— Seaman then may make this Application 1. If it be so that God-Almighty please â—o make his Foot-steps in the raging Seas If God do walk upon the Waves indeed And tread upon the Waters then what need Have I to fear at Sea more than at Land For God-Almighty doth them both command Or why should I at Sea be less in fear Of sinning than at Land for God is there No no God rules the raging Waves can stiâ— Their Fury and restrain it when he will Though Neptunes prouder Billows do out-braâ— And threaten still to make her Womb my Graâ— Tho every moment Death come prancing by â—â— I 'le fear no Evil for the Lord is nigh me And yet I 'le fear to sin though Mortal Eye Cannot discover for the Lord is nigh I 'le dread his holy Name that doth command The swelling Waves and bounds them with tâ— Sanâ— I 'le fear his Holy Name whose soveraign Powâ— Commands the Sea that it shall not devour Their Neighboring Earth again doth restraâ— Their Fury making them turn back again I 'le reverence his Name whose piercing Eye Sees all the World at once His Majesty I will adore and ever seek to please VVho rules the Earth and walks upon the Seâ— I 'le stand in awe at Sea as well as Land Of him whose power doth them both commanâ— 2. But Secondly Upon this same Relation Thou mayest rightly form this Meditation â—ay to thy Soul My Soul thus stands the Case â—hese mighty VVaters is God's dwelling Place Here is God's Temple O my Soul adore him â—all down worship God kneel before him â—ay not within thy self O I may live â—o come to Shore again and
then I 'le give Him my Devotions Say God's House is here â—le worship Him at Sea He 's every where Where is the Place in which a Man may hide Himself from God Behold He doth abide â— Heaven above where Angels hear his Voyce â—nd in his Presence constantly rejoyce And on the Earth O Lord thou also art With those that are of pure and perfect Heart If in the Deep saith David I should hover Behold God's there His Presence is all over He rides upon the VVinds He 's in the Clouds There is no Place my Soul where Man may shroud Himself from God His watchful Eye ne'r sleeps â—le worship God like Jonah in the Deeps Though my Relations dear be all on Shore And I alone at Sea I am before The Lord my Maker here as well as they â—le worship God whom Winds VVaves obey 3. And as thou see God rules both VVind and VVaves Know this my Soul it is the Lord that saves This slender Vessel that may in one Minute Sink down into the Depth with all tâ—at's in it 'T is God who was and is and will be ever That gives Man VVisdom blesses his Endeavor VVhereby poor Man is made an Instrument To save himself from Danger and prevent Himself from Ruine Did mine Eyes but see Into the Depth of this great Mystery Doubtless I should behold great streams of Lovâ— To fall like plenteous Showers from above Upon poor Man that brittle lump of Clay That hâ—re has but a little time to stay For if the Lord do let his Love run out Towards our Bodies then there is no doubt But that his Love doth very much exceed Unto our Souls that did from him proceed For what 's our Bodies any more than Dust Made of our Mother-Earth whether we must Shortly return We live a while and dye And in our Morther's VVomb again must lye Till God from Heaven once again do give His great Command saying Arise and Liveâ— And Dye no more All this exactly proves That Man 's the Creature only that God loves And gives Man VVisdom to prolong his Dayes On Earth that so he might amend his wayes In order to his Life Eternally That Man might live in true Felicity Behold My Soul this Mystery Divine How God preserving of this Life of thine Chiefly intends thy future Preservation Preserves thy Body for its Exaltation Wilt thou improve that Wisdom God hath given To save thy natural Life And is not Heaven Worth all thy pains O use thy best Endeavor To save thy Soul which lost is lost for ever Th' art sailing O my Soul to Canaans Land There 's many a churlish Rock dangerous Sand. Improve that Understanding God hath given Be careful O my Soul thou be not driven On Rocks and Sands Observe when Danger 's nigh thee And then be sure to have thy Compass by thee Then tho thou be at Sea with Tempest tost And meets with many a Storm and bitter Blast Remember then my Soul the Lord is nigh thee And with sweet calms of Comfort will supply thee Thus if thy Meditations do run out Upon the sacred Word of God no doubt 'T will bring thy Heart into a melting Frame 'T will heat thy Soul with Zeal and so enflame All thy Affections till at last it prove A servent Fire of Faith and Zeal and Love 2. The second sacred Scripture that I mind Relating unto Seamen you may find In Psalm one Hundred seven there read on From Verse the Twenty third to Thirty-one Which sacred Scriptures as it doth relate Only to Seamen they may Meditate On these choise Sayings and with great content Wisely improve each strange Experiment To help thy Meditations these two things If carefully observ'd great profit brings And first observe as I did say before These Words relates to Sea-men Furthermore Consider to what end these Words are spoken 'T is that they might behold each wondrous token Of God's great Power at Sea so as to raise Up their Affections fill their Mouths with praise To him that walks upon the Waves from whence They may store up each Dayes Experience Such Men saith David as in Ships go down Into the Seas to such the Lord makes known His mighty Wonders while within the Deep They do their Business There the Lord doth keep A Court Imperial even in the Seas There he commands the Tempests who obeys His All-commanding Voyce There they advance Their prouder Waves their threatning Billows dance Whose raging Fury strikes all Hearts with fear They cry in their distress and God doth hear That 't is the Seamans Duty is most plain 1. To eye God in his Wonders And again To eye him in each Tempest as indeed He is the Author From him Storms proceed 2. But Secondly Seamen are ne'rtheless To know that He 's their Helper in distress 3. Thirdly In every Storm thy are to eye The greatness of their Danger and how nigh They are to Death 4thly Seamen must know likewise Their way to future Joy through Danger lies On these four Heads now let thy Contemplations Run out on these or such like Meditations Say to thy Soul My Soul Let not mistrust Perplex thy Mind at Sea thy VVay is Just God made the Seas and doth their Waves command He prospers Sea-affairs as well as Land Is my Employ at Sea I 'le not forsake it For there 's no wickedness unless I make it God's Hand his Eye his Power is all o're I am as safe on Sea as on the Shore Great Dangers is at Sea it is confest And on the Shore how many are distrest How many Men we see upon the Shore Leaves their Relations never sees them more Wild Beasts the Winds the Flood the flames of Fire All these and many more Man's Death conspire Dangers surround us upon every Hand And Sin 's the cause of Death by Sea and Land Wherefore my Soul if thou would be secure From danger at the Seas thou must be sure Thou carry not thy Sins to Sea Bethink thee The Seas are dangerous and thy Sins will sink thee It was a Righteous Noah that first did float Upon the Seas God sav'd him in his Boat When all the sinful World was lost beside This righteous Person rules both Wind Tide One Sin presumptiously allow'd may be The sinking here and to Eternity The Ship indeed may bear it knows not what Because it hath no Sense but thou art not To be so sensless Thou must understand That thou cannot possess that Holy Land Fraught with thy sins Sinners must not come thither Sin raises Storms and makes tempestuous Weather 2. But in the second Place Doth Fear surprize Thy Soul because a Tempest doth arise Remember then whether thou art to flye 'T is God must help Lift up thy Voice and cry To God for Help who only can command The stormy Winds make the Waves to stand But when the Tempest doth at first begin Reflect upon thy self Perhaps some Sin Has rais'd
Gloâ— brigâ— Is Christ the Son of God that gives it Light Whose Beauty when thou sees it will deligâ— theâ— Whose Riches is sufficient to invite thee To venture all the Loss thou may sustain That thou that sacred Country may obtain Abram did see 't far off and did rejoyce Moses beheld it also and made choyce â—'endure Storms abide tempestuous Weather And Happy Moses if he gets but thither Is not this Country worth thy observation Or settest thou so lightly by Salvation â—ook out dear Souls and hear the Watch-man's voyce â—ehold the Glorious Country and rejoyce â—hat you can see the Country tho not nigh â—bserve your Compass well and stear thereby â—ill thou arrives at Canan's sacred Shore â—here Pleasures will attend thee ever more 4. But in the Fourth place Thou mayst there observe â—hat Care the Seaman taketh to preserve â—ch Rope and Cable that it may hold fast â—e Anchor that the Ship may not be cast â— Rocks or Sands or forc't in any sort â— Storms or Tempests from their wished Port. Hope is the Anchor of the Soul No Storm â—here Faith to Hope 's united can do harm â—ith is the Cable and if so be thou find â—ith not sufficient to resist the Wind â— strong Temptations mark what Scripture saith â—y Hope is strengthened when thou adds to Faith â—mptations like a Tempest raises strife â—d but the Vertues of a Holy Life â—to thy Faith thy Hope will never fail â— then thy Anchor 's cast within the Vail â—ere will thy Anchor hold both firm and sure â—d this thy Anchor keeps thy Soul secure 5. How doth the Seamen when the Wind 's contrary Wait with Desire and with patience tarry Till the unconstant Wind do change no less Doth want of Winds bring Seamen to distress Calms cross Winds do both alike presage The ill success of an unprosperous V'age A Spiritual Seaman's thus becalm'd when â—eacâ— Has this Effects to make his Lusts increase Ephraim had Peace allow'd him as a faâ—or But its Effects was that an evil savor Made Ephraim to stink Wherefore the Lord His own Inheritance hath oft abhorr'd Good David in a Calm did suffer more Than he had done in all his Life before When God gave David Peace instead of Strife Then Lusted he after Vriah's VVife When Israel was at Peace on every side This was the time that they did most backslide Thus Calms we see have done us many harms As ever did cross Winds or hasty Storms Then pray with Seamen that you may be neitheâ— Harmed by Calms cross VVinds or stormâ— VVeather When thou art over-mastred by Corruptions They are like cross Winds making Interruptions Observe these cross VVinds and use Diligence Seamen sometimes can with cross Winds dispence They 'll work against the Wind so must thou But yet observe when the VVinds do blow VVith a fair Course observe these gentle Gales And then be sure thou spread out all thy Sails By fair VVinds here I would be understood To mean the Holy Ghost that promis't Good VVhich breaths into thy Soul gently moves To every Good and every Sin reproves VVhen ever thou perceives that sacred VVind To breath into thy Soul be sure thou mind â—ts holy Breathing If it do invite thee To Holyness let Holyness delight thee â—f it reproves at any time for Sin Be sure thou takest no Delight therein VVhen Spirit 's Breathing calls for thy Affections â—nto the Scriptures follow its Directions Thus if each sacred Gale of VVind thou eye And close with every Opportunity And let no fair VVind slip in any sort T will hasten thee to thy desired Port. 6 VVhat Pains a Seaman taketh in a Storm To keep his Vessel and himself from harm Some tend the Sails while other some do stand By this and th' other Rope There 's not a Hand At such an hour find a time to cease But as the storm their labours do increase â—ome ply the Pump while others stand to sound And all to keep themselves from being drown'd Why then poor soul do'st thou securely sleep Till thou with Jonah perish in the deep How many a Storm poor soul hast thou been iâ— Yet not so much as wakened with thy Sin How do the Waves like mighty Armies comâ— Threatning to send thee to thy longest home How oft hath that pale Messenger of Death Been threatning to take away thy breath And sleeps thou yet poor soul O hear the noiâ— Of God in Judgment whose tempestuous Voyâ— Once shook the Earth If thou 'lt not now awakâ— E're long he will both Earth and Heaven shake Then will it be Tempestuous round about him Then woe to them that now do live without hiâ— This Tempest now is sounding in thine Ears And canst thou sleep with Jonah free from fears Awake poor drowsie Soul at last bethink theâ— Or else thine own Iniquity will sink thee Rouse up rouse up ply thy Pump my Souâ— My Vessel leaks waters has fill'd it Hould Empty thy self my soul of all vain pleasure If ever thou intend to save that treasure Thy precious soul I mean that is more worth Than all the fading Treasures of the Earth Sea-men in Storms they must be sure to mind Their Sails or else some cross contrary wind May sink and over-set they may be driven On Rocks or Sands so you that sail for Heaveâ— filâ— Mind your Affections labor to be skill'd In these your Sails and know with what they â— with vain Pleasures thy affections be â—ill'd full they 'l sink thee to Eternity â—ut if with holy breathings then no Storm â—an be so strong to do thee any harm â—torms drive thee faster to thy wished Shore â—here thou shalt never meet with Tempest more 7. How doth each Marriner while he takes care â—or the preserving of his own affair â—mprove his pains alike for all the Crew â—he safety of the whole is in his view â—f that provision any person makes â—o save his private Cabbin all partakes â—ach one's concern is so with others mixt â—hat it doth make a harmony betwixt â—hat little Common-wealth O then what cause â—ast thou my Soul to slight the Sacred Laws â—hich God hath in his Holy word made known â—hat is to make anothers case thine own When thou art seeking for thy own Salvation â—emember O my Soul the whole Creation â—od hath to man an Universal Love â—nd would have none to Perish Let this move â—y heart to pitty every one that I â—e walking in their own Iniquity â—et me in using of my best indeavour â—o save my soul from perishing for ever â—hink with thy self my soul 't will not suffice â—hat thou art sav'd alone thou must likewise By Life and Doctrin or what-ever may Seek to put others also in the way To save themselves My Soul thou canst not bâ— Rightly indeavouring thy self to free From Death's eternal Soul-amazing snare But others of thy labours will have share When wicked men behold thy good behaviour It makes