grace for grace i.e. Every grace of Christ in thee answerable to what it is in him As little of the creature and as much of Christ as may be 6. Seek Evermore for some evidences of Christ in you S.E. by S. the hope of glory Let it not content thee to make out after Christ but strive to be sure thou hast attained unto him Many never come to good and grounded hope few come to sure earnests of Christs ir-being in them But look thou to see Christ dwelling in thy heart by faith Christ evidencing his abode in thy soul by the evidence of his spirit Be not if it be pâ—â—â—ible alwaies at a venture or peradveâ—… for Christ but go to the assuring 〈◊〉 to make sure that Christ is in thee of a truth Though to go to the Assurance-Office for a Venture at Sea is accounted by some an underly way of Merchandize yet it 's a good way and very noble in Christianity Indeed they are the noblest spiritual Merchants that are most and deepest in assurance The clearer our assurance is the more comfortable out voyage will be 7. Still Set Eternity before you in regard of enjoying of Jesus Christ S.S. E. To be ever with the Lord let that still sound in thy ears and be in thy eyes Entreat Christ not to tarry with thee a few dayes but covet to have him with thee alwayes even all thy voyage on earth and at thy Port at death Let Christ be in thy eye both in life and death Or if thou canst not be so happy as to have his sensible presence all the voyage in the time of life Be sure thou make it thy desire and design to have him for ever after death If Christ will have you put out to Sea as his disciples and tell you hee 'l come after Intreat him not to fail in that thou â—â— you have not his visible presence noâ—… yet desire of him to vouchsafe to you hereafter to be alwayes with him where he is as John 17.24 8. Settle it Ever in your soul as a principle which you will never depart from S. by E. that holinesse is in Christ South is by East and holiness is by Christ Christ was holy when a child and holinesse is as near to him as himself is to himself it 's his essence and therefore abominate all loose and lewd principles which would set up Christ without holinesse and possess or perswade thee that thou mayest have Christ though thou mind not holinesse or which would exalt holynesse without Christ and perswade that even Nature Reason Education Morality can make thee holy enough to enjoy God though thou never hear of nor know Jesus Christ Let Ranters and Socinians keep those poysons to themselves Be thou for Christ and Holynesse for Holynesse and Christ still together never asunder in points or practice CHAP. VI. The chird quarter of the duties in the Christian Compasse HAving past two parts of our Compass wee 'l hasten over the other two onely let me intreat you to mind and con these well e're you proceed to learn the other But when you have got by heart or rather into the heart this half then proceed unto the next which is our Southern quarter and here remember your eight points likewise 1. Set thy self alwayes as before the Lord Imagine nay believe it S. thou art alwayes as directly before the Lord as the South is just in a strait line before or in the face of the North I have set the Lord alwayes before me he is at my right hand I shall not be moved 'T was the saying of David Psal 16.8 nay of Christ who was David's Lord and ours as it 's clear by Act 2.25 This is the nature and life of holiness to eye God alwayes without holiness we shall never see God here nor hereafter And t is holiness which fixes our sight upon God The Southern Sun doth not more directly cast his beams upon the North then the sanctified soul doth cast his eyes and every glance of his soul upon God It 's the height of thy soul the Meridian point of thy piety always to have thy face and thy heart toward thy God 2. See weakness hastening thee to death S. by W. even when thou art at highest pitch or point Even the Sun at the height in the South moves immediately to the West and its first differenced motion from South is by West You remember in our points of knowledge chap. 3. I termed West our death point South our holiness point c. Now it 's in allusion to that notion that I make this my second practical Rule in this quarter of our Compass Even holy men at and in the height of holiness are by death It 's appointed for all once to dye As sin hath brought death upon all so holiness doth not exempt any I mean death natural 'T is true in a spiritual divine sense Saints do not shall not cannot dye but in a litteral humane sense even the highest Saints that have come up to highest degrees of Sanctity have and must drink of deaths cup and it 's much for the advance and strengthening of holiness in our hearts to see our selves alwayes stepping towards the grave going to set in the point or place of death 3. See Sin which is the sting of death as taken out S. S. W. and away by Christ if ever you expect to dye in peace Often mind and think upon that Scripture 1 Cor. 15.55 56. and search thy soul to see whether upon good ground thou canst say Oh death where is thy â—ing It 's not sword or plague or devouring Monsters at Sea or Land which can make death stâ—nging if the soul can see the blooâ— of Jesus to have cleansed it from all its sins Death onely stings with poyson and pain such as live and dye in their sins But to souls who are true believers who are washed with the blood of Jesus death is a Bee having much hony but no sting at all 4. Store up Wisely Some provisions every day for your dying day S. W. by S. Dying men need cordials and so do dying Christians search and lay up promises study and store up experiences How will you be able to see sin as gone except you be acquainred with sin-pardoning-promises and except you have eyes and taken notice of divine experiences Mark how and by what God at any time speaks peace to your soul in the blood of Jesus Treasure up every hint and intimation of Grace and Glory which at any Sermon in any duty upon or after any eminent danger deliverance which thou â—â—st had the Lord hath sweetly given in unto thy soul Oh what reviving comforts what conscience-cordials unto a dying soul are the râ—memembrances of such such discoveries and tasts of God at such and such a time Verily the experiencâ—s of our life are often choâ—ce refreshings in or at our death
meditate terror Yet rejoyce in this that we are within ken of the good land A few Watches more we must run and indeed we must watch as we sail and then we shall see eye to eye and discern the fair haven fairly open for us to enter and land where we long to be On an Anchor that lost its hold and came home and left the ship adrift This Anchor sure had not good ground For if it had it would have kept its hold and not have left the ship thus to drive I see the anchor of hope will not serve the turne to hold the soul in a tempest except the ground of that hope be good There is a hope which hath but an evill ground and in the day of distress it will fail and force the soul to drive O my soule look to thy Hope see where thou castest it Be sure thy Anchor be within the vaile Hope is not good nor grounded except on Christ and free-grace Now the Lord Jesus Christ himselfe and God even the Father who hath loved mee and hath given me everlasting consolation and good hope through grace even that same God comfort my heart and establisheth me in every good word and work that though my hope be singly grounded on grace yet it may bee accompanied with good words and works that I deceive not my self lest my anchor come home and I run afloat ful of fear without hopes or hold in the day of Tempest and tryals On a ship that was left by the Mariners upon the Goodwin-sands in a storm and fetcht off by some Seamen sent to relieve it by my Lord of VVarwick What fearful and unfaithful Mariners were these that left the Vessel to sink and shifted for themselves while their stay and pains might have secured themselves and it well enough Ah Lord may the ship of the state never meet with such Mariners But if that doth stir up some noble Warwicks to send relief to secure the ship which the perfidious Seamen cowardly and unconscionably desert Trust not in men Oh my soul who are unstable as the waters Rely only upon the living God who never forsakes his in a storm or tempest If they prove fearfull and false that ought to tend thy security God can raise up others if he pleases to fetch thee off at any time from any rocks or sands Yea if men fail Sands shall be so good as to keep thee from wracking till Jehovah send help from above to save thee from the waters on which thou sailest that thou sink not and perish On the parting of a ships company at the end of a voyage With what joy do these all part and how glad are these men to leave each other and yet without any malice or ill will They love each other as companions and yet are glad to part company this is indeed a friendly farewell of friends Why should it not be thus between thy soul and body O my heart at the end of thy voyage when death comes and calls upon thee to strike sail and part Why art so loath to leave the carkase thy companion when thou art to go ashore in thy spirit upon Emmannels land Come leap and skip O soul part with the carkase with joy Thy voyage is ended thy months are out Go take thy pay receive thy wages which yet is of grace and not of works Be as glad to go out of the body and to leave it as the Seaman is to leave his ship Yet remember you shall return to your ship again when Mortality shall have put on Immortality your body shall be new rigged and trimmed up And though at the end of time in the World to come John tells us there shall be no Sea yet the Psalmist tells us there shall be a River of Pleasures on which thy soul and body shall sail and swim in an eternall calm of unexpressable bliss in the presence of God in the company of Christ Angels and Saints for evermore Strike fail here O my soul and turmoyle thy self on the Sea of this World no longer THese were some occasional Meditations of my own in the yeer 1642. when I was at sea And I make them thus publike as a pattern that all spiritual Saylors if they have no better may by this imitate themselves upon the like occasions to raise up such Meditations as these are REader I have now ended my Voyage I 'le conclude my Navigation If thou by the help of this Compass arrive the Port I mean Heaven I have my ayme and end therefore I 'le add no more but this This is my desired Haven which I sail unto And while I sail I 'le sing Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse and for his wonderfull works to the children of men So it is in the Psalm which I commend to every Saylor to studie and to sing Ps 107.30 31. FINIS
God Concerning our next Cardinal point viz. Christ who is our star in the east I will name no more points in number concerning him neither but four 1. Christ is the first and clearest light the true Sun which ariseth upon the world by which all are enlightned Joh. 1.9 He is our Sun of Righteousness and till he arise there is no healing for us Mal. 3.2 He is that light which alone makes day as the Sun in the East doth Luke 1.78 79. The whole world lyes in a Night of dismal damnable darkness until Christ as the Day-spring from on high visite it to give light to them that fit in darkness 2. God alone is in him reconciling himself to the world 2 Cor. 5.19 We can never be reconciled justified adopted c. but in and by Jesus Christ and he is made all to us in these grand soul-saving matters 1 Cor. 1 30. Christ is the Way as well as the Truth the way of God to us as well as the light of God upon us no man cometh to the Father but by him as it is Joh. 14.6 3. Jesus Christ is onely made ours by the union and in-dwelling of himself in us through the spirit It 's the spirit alone who can annoint our eyes to see and behold this Sun 1 Cor. 2.9 10 c. It 's the spirit who uniteth us to Christ 1 Cor. 6.17 It 's the spirit who doth fit us for and bring us to Jesus Christ Ioh. 16.8 9 c. Where God intends to bring any to himself in his son he there giveth the Holy Ghost none can call Jesus Lord but by the spirit 1 Cor. 12.3 How then can any come by him and be one in Christs body but by the same spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 4. The way of the spirit uniting us to Christ is by an act of power on his part and by an act of faith on our part The spirit uses no other grace either to fasten Christ on us or us to Christ but Faith Believing is the all and the onely means of having Christ Other things may predispose but faith alone takes hold of and intitles us to Christ Other graces will follow but not as things joyning us to Christ but as fruits of our being united unto Jesus Christ Ioh. 3 16. last 5.29 Eph. 3.17 Ioh. 1.12 13. with others As Christ is the onely foundation so these things are fundamentally necessary to be known of him Now concerning our next point viz. holiness which is our South I would fain possess my self and others with these four principles about it 1. That whoever is in Christ is a new creature 2 Cor. 5.17 which new creature is renewed in holiness Eph 4.24 Although Christ in free-grace takes sinners when sinners yet he leaves them not so but makes them Saints or sanctâ—fied ones 1 Cor. 6.11 This know Though the unholiest soul may have Christ yet none but the holy soul can onely say I have Christ though Christ did not condemn or cast off that great sinner Ioh. 8.3 yet hee cautions her against sinne ver 11. 2 Holiness is the souls highest lustre it s the Sun in the South at the highest The holy soul is in the right and full aspect of God as South is towards the North God is and surely we are when we are holy glorious to holiness Exod. 15 11 When we come to perfection in holiness then is our Sun at the height in us and in order unto this we are to improve the promises 2 Cor 7 1 3 Holiness is Christ filling the soul As the Sun which passeth from East to South is highest in the South so Jesus Christ is at his highest in the heart when the heart is most holy A soul in the height of holiness hath Christ in the height in him 4. This holinesse is that which is directly opposite to sin as the clearest light is to the greatest darkness so is holiness to sin Sin eclipses holiness and holiness scatters sin Holy and undefiled are all one in Scripture they are all parallel expressions of one and the same thing Heb. 7 26 Phil. 2.15 2 Pet. 3.11 14 Our last principal point is the West that is our night-point our death-principle And certainly it 's necessary for us to know something of death Moses propounded the thought and sight of death to Israel as well as life Now with reference to death take four principles 1 Death is certain There is none that liveth and shall not see death It 's the certain wages of sin men do but deceive themselves when they put off the thoughts of death from themselves for all must dye The Sun of our life will set in death When our dayes come about to this Western-point it will be night Heb 9 27 Psal 49.7 9 2. If we dye in our sins out of Christ we are undone for ever Joh. 8 24 Miserable are the wisest the richest the greatest of men who cannot dye with Christ in their arms As to dye in Christ is gain so out of Christ it's loss yea the greatest loss Phil. 1 21 3 Death is but the souls or rather the bodyes night The setting-Sun will rise again It 's our benighting to dye but it 's not our annihilating All even the worst shall rise again and be brought to appeare before Jesus Christ As the Sun which sets in the West shall rise in the East So they that go hence by death shall rise by Christ 1 Cor 15 Apoc. 20 12 4. After death comes judgement Men that dye shall arise to be judged either for life or death the second time Good men shall arise to life wicked men to death Heb 9 27 Matth. 25 Do not slight this truth for it 's a principle in Religion Heb. 6 2 These are things all of them very necessary to be known As necessary as the four prints in the compass so necessary are these four heads and the particulars under them to be known I shall not passe from this without an addition of some other things from the connexion of these points in our Christian Compass 1 From the North-point we pass to the East God passeth forth to the world by Christ He comes only down to us by his Son No man cometh to God but by him Joh. 14 6 And as soon as we have thought of God it becomes us to passe on in our thoughts to Christ For God out of Christ is no lightsome nor chearing thought God out of Christ is a consuming fire 2. From East we proceed to South And indeed as Christ cometh into and advances upon the soul so holinesse appears even as the Sun doth as it riseth Southward Christs passage in the soul is in the Southern line of holinesse 3. From South we come to West Even the most Southern sanctified Saints that are must pass on to death Holiness fits for but frees not from death The warmth of Southern heat i e holinesse will enable us to bear the cold of death
the better but yet dye we must our holiness will not keep us from it To the West we must there the Grave and night of death waits for us all there our Sun must set and our dayes end 4. From the West we come to the North again and indeed so it is When we dye we return to God the spirit or every one returns to God Eccles 12.7 onely some go to him as a Judge others as to a Father Having looked upon the points of our Compass in their ordinary connexion consider it again in its opposition and remembring still our North point is God our East Christ our South holiness and our VVest death then consider and remember these things as worthy our noting and knowing 1. God and holiness are things not to be severed God looks not on any thing in a direct line of approbation but upon holiness Holiness brings the soul into a right light of aspect and communion with God 2. Even Christ himself as coming into the world for us must dye As the Sun which rises in the East must set in the West And indeed that Christ whose rising star was first seen in the East of Jerusalem Did set upon the West when he dyed upon the cross on Calvary which was on the West of the holy City The ' first of these things noted and known will teach us to labour and to press after holiness to perfect it in the fear and love of God for without it none shall see God The second of these remembred will sweeten death unto us for why should we fear to follow Christ Sith he hath tasted of death before us and for us why should we be so loath to dye To help your eye and thereby to fix these things the better look upon the following Compass as an Epitome of this part of our discourse NORTH God He is The supreme good Must be knowne This by the spirit EAST Christ The light of God The reconciler to God Inioyed by the spirit and by faith SOUTH Holiness It s the new creature The soules lustre Christ at height in us Is at enmity with sin WEST Death In is self certain Out of Christ sad shall have a resurrection brings to iudgment CHAP. IV. The things or duties necessary to be done by Christians reduced to as many practical Rules as there are points in the Compass LET us pass now from the speculative part of our Christian Compass in which we have seen the grand principles which are necessary to be known unto the practical part thereof and see what are the duties or the things which he ought to do in order to the arrival to our happiness And here I shall keep me to my Compass and mention as many points for practise as there are noted in our Compass which are thirty two and for a help to memory I shall begin each point with the initial known Letters on the points of our Compass Our first point is North which is thus cut out into its eight points 1. Never stir or steer any course but by light from God N. Let the Scriptures which are Gods word be thy North-Star This is the original cause of all our misery and miscarriage that we make not Gods commandments our Compass Thy word is a Lamp unto my feet and a light unto my pathes said David Psal 119 105. To the Law and to the Testimony saith Christ by the Prophet Isa 8.10 They are the Scriptures which can make us wise unto salvation I do no more wonder to see men split on the Rocks of error or sunk in the sands of sin who cast off or neglect the Scriptures then I do to see a man make shipwrack who wants or useth not his Compass This is the great device of Satan who strives to shipwrack our souls in these dayes to make poor creatures dispute deny and depart from the Scriptures The North Star is not so useful and necessary to the Marriner as the written word of God unto a Christian And he who upon pretence of the Word within doth lay aside the word without is as a mad Pilot that throws away the câ—mpass that he may steer by his conjecture 2. Never enter upon any design but such as tends towards Christ N. by E. Let Christ be the rising Sun which thy soul doth alwayes worship While other men run from West to East to gain riches do thou lance forth in no bottom or business which will not further thee in thy knowledge and en oyment of Christ Christ is next to God and the word of God principally and primarily points at him to him gave all the Prophets witâ—â—â— Act. 10. â—3 He that labours for other things neglecting Christ is like a Merchant that goeth to the Indies to fetch Pebbles and in the mean time forgets the pearl of great price or like one that digs for dirt and neglects Gold since 't is Christ alone who is a precious pearl and the tried Gold which can inrich our souls 3. Note nothing enviously wch thrives without God N. N. E. indeed nothing can thrive truly without God though sometimes the wicked who want him do seem to prosper Indeed 't is a great remora or hinderance to a spiritual Sea-man to a poor afflicted Saint to see the prosperity of the wicked especially while he is under adversity that it should be so fair weather with the ungodly while it 's so foul with the godly hath often perplexed many It made the Psalmist once think his Voyage Heaven-ward was in vain Psal 73.12 13. but remember not to envy because of the prosperity of the wicked Psal 37. They make a poor voyage that sail with never so fair a wind or never so smooth a sea and yet traffick for nothing but sand or pebles He that trades with Jewels need not envy such at all Though he have foul weather and rough seas yet his Traffick will make amends for all Many miscarry for not eying this point of the Compass therefore minde it Note nothing enviously which thrives or seems to prosper without God 4. Never Enter upon Notwarrantable courses N. E. by N. to procure any the most prized or conceited advantages Many a soul is cast away and sunk into eternal perdition by venturing upon unlawful and not-warrantable designs to advance or inrich it self 1 Tim. 6.9 10. What got Achan by his wedge of Gold Josh 7. What got Gehazi by the talent of silver and changes of raiments 2 Kings 5. Nay what shall it profit a man to get all the world and lose his soul Any thing got in or by a non-warranted way may and will undo the soul though it may please or profit the body 5. Now Entertain the sacred commands of God N. E. if hereafter thou expect the soveraign consolations of God Many are willing to have comfort who care not for command My hands will I lift up to thy commandment which I have loved And I
5. Set Worldly things under your feet before death come to look you in the face It s the world S. W. and the things of it which next to sin makes death bitter We therefore fear to dye because we are loath to leave the world houses trades lands relations c. make the thoughts of death dreadful where as were we weaned from those we should with much ease quiet of mind be willing to go down to the grave 6. Still wait and stand upon your watch with loynes girded S. W. by W. and Lamps trimmed Be not so mad as the foolish Virgins to have a Lmp without oyle nor so foolish as the wise were to slumber and let your Lamps be untrimmed But see your Lamp be ready your oile prepared and you your selves as wâ—se waking watchful ready servants who upon any call or knock can go out to open to your Lord and to meet your bridegroom study Christs words Luk. 12.35.36 37. and practice his counsel which he there gives in this particular 7. Weigh Soul-works and all W.S.W. in the Ballance of the Sanctuary lest when thou come to be weighed at the night of death thou be found to have deceived thy self and be too light Many never put their soul into the Ballance to see whether or no that be not as Belshazar found wanting and too light Others never weigh their works or words c. but do thou try all by weight allowing grains for infirmity which God permits Certainly it will be a dreadful word if it be said to thee in the night Thou art to dye as it was said to Belshazzar in his Thou art weighed and found too light Judge thy self by Gods weights his weights are internals sincerityes Christs Righteousnesse but word weigh nothing with God pretences semblances are too light with him all mans righteousnesse in his ballance weigh not as the dust of the ballance God loves truth in the inward parts and they alone hold weight in his Ballance that are found in his Sons Robes 8. Wind thy soul about Christs neck W by S. and so thou mayest dye in peace Simeon with Christ in his arms could sing and dye Luk. 2.29 Though the Papists hang about a Crucifix as many of them have done yet I am confident it hath been rather a hinderance than a help to them Superstition cannot be a solid comfort yet Christ embraced by faith and hugged with delight makes death very pleasant The Sun never set clearer in the fairest evenning when it came to its Western point then the soul can and doth when it lyes down with Christ in his arms and goes with him as it were in his bosom to his burial CHAP. VII The last quarter of a Christians practice according to his Compasse I Have thus run over three quarters of my Compass I must now finish the fourth yet I desire my Reader to stay and to proceed no further till he hath well learnt the former The points of our Christian Compass are not so soon learnt as our Sea-Compass is But yet to finish this I shall mention and pray mind well these eight points of our last quarter 1. Whatsoever thy condition be in this world W. eye God as the disposer of it and therein be contented Phil. 4.11 The turbulent Sea is not so restless as the discontented mind of man Man under discontent foams and rages and casts up nothing but mire filth whereas the contented soul sails alwayes as in smooth waters and makes all fair weather within even then when it is foulest without Did discontented souls but know remember how much they dishonor God by not resting in that which his providence brings upon them and how great enemies they are to themselves in fretting against or under that which they cannot help they would then wholly cease from their discontent and strive to rest in the will of God A contented mind may well be called and counted a Kingdom for it hath much of the Kingdom of God in it he hath learned much in spiritual practical Navigation that hath learned with Paul in all things to be content Certainly godliness with content is great gain Indeed godliness teacheth us to be content in all estates whether we get or lose 2. Wale Not according to the course of the most W. by N. but after the example of the best The most are the worst and the best are alwayes the fewest the broad way of the multitude leads to death whereas the narrow of the few that walk wisely leads to life Indeed it 's not easie to find out the narrow path or life and peace The broad way of death is open and obvious to every eye as the vast Ocean is to every one at Sea but the narrow way like the channel at the end or entrance of some Isle as it 's with ours in the West is hard to be discerned and to find out It 's thy wisdom to study to know exactly the narrow way which the fewest find in which thou mayest safely arrive the Haven of happiness and not to rowle up and down the broad Sea of the wide world with the multitude and so perish without any comfort albeit with many companions 3. Weigh not what men speak or think of thee W.N.W. so God approve thee Not he who commendeth himself is approved but whom the Lord commendeth 2 Cor. 10.18 Neither is he a Jew which is onely outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of men but of God Rom. 2.28 29 It 's the madness and misery of many they mind man more then God and so they may be well reputed of and reported by men they are not consciencious nor careful of their carriage towards God But be not deceived God is not mooved he knoweth what is in men and at the last day we shall be judged according to Gods Law and not according to mans judgment And he that studies to approve himself to God will be seen to have been wisest in that day 4. Never wink at small sins N.W. by W. nor neglect little dutyes Indeed no command of the great God is little nor is any sin against him little But comparatively we say and that aright that some sins and duties are small An idle word is a small sin in comparison of an oath and profession is a little duty if compared with doing or suffering for the Name of Christ Yet beware of little things in Religion A small leak if neglected may â—â—nk a ship And a little negligence in looking out at Sea may indanger all unawares walk therefore circumspectly Eph 5.15 Steâ—r to a hairs breadth in duty and flye from the appearance of evil make conscience of the smallest duty to do it and of the least sin to avoid it
5. Never wish rashly for death N.W. nor love life too inordinately Call not for death before its time neither hanker thou after life when thy time of death is come Jonah did evil to wish to dye Jon. 4.3 Men in a pet under a pain upon some cross or trouble are too apt to cry out O that they were dead Poor souls they know not what they say Are they fit for that which they so frowardly wish for what if death should come at I wish would not they cry out Lord take it away Beware therefore of this distemper Thy times are in Gods hand he hath numbered them neither substract nor add unto Gods number if God will have them many do not wish them few and if God will have them short do not desire them long Consider he is wise and good and supreme and knows what is best neither can any resist his will to lengthen or diminish the dayes which he hath determinedus O learn to live and to dye in his will 6. Now work wisely ere Night come N. W. by N. while you have the light and life walk in it before the night comes when none can work Joh. 12.35 36. Defer not nor put off the great things of eternal life unto the uncertain time of thy natural death How many are gone down to the place of the second death by putting off repentance and faith c. till their death came when they had not space nor grace to do either and so perished for ever for the defect of that which they did defer Remember therefore the wise counsel of Solomon Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it defer not stay not but do it with thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest Eccl. 9.10 The soul who puts off his great work till the last may dye ere he hath begun to do that which he can never sufficiently do should he work all his dayes Take the present time for every work which God by his word Spirit Providence or any other way doth call thee unto 7. Name Nothing when thou pleadest with God for thy soul N. N. W. but Christ and free Grace Prayer is and ought to be thy standing daily work and Christ and free Grace ought to be thy constant argument in thy prayers whatever thou wishest or wouldst have of God say as Daniel Do it for the Lords sake Dan. 9.17 Cast thy desires thy hopes thy soul and all upon the merits of a dying Christ and upon the tenders and promises of free Grace In the time of thy life at the hour of thy death and then when thou shalt be brought to thy tryal after death renounce all things and plead none but Christ Cry pardon Lord justification Lord peace Lord life glory all for thy Christs sake and upon the account of thy free grace 8. Now wellcome Christ N. by W if at death thou wilt be welcomed by Christ Entertain Christ in the world if thou wilt be entertained by Christ when thou goest out of the world Many say unto Christ depart now as those Job 21.13 To whom Jesus Christ will say Depart then Observe Christ in every approach and providence to thy soul to the world c. and say Oh welcome Jesus Let the Messengers in preaching of Christ be beautiful even in their feet to thee Let the providences and occurrences of the grand changes in the world by which Christ cometh to make way for and to set up his own kingdom let these be dear and welcome to thee Fret not against murmur not under any dispensation in which Christ comes neer to thee or others Welcom Christ in a sickness though sharp in a sermon though plain in providence though terrible In al things in ev'ry thing wherein Christ is O bid him welcome now so will he bid you weâ—â—ome when you come to dye If you ask where hee 'l bid you welcome Take it in a word Hee 'l bid you welcom to his fathers house and hee 'l carry you into a Mansion which he hath prepared for you in his fathers presence Thus are we come about our compass We have run from North to North in a round From God to Christ from Christ to holiness from holinesse to death and by death we are in our Christian circle come about to God again And thus we have our princiâ—al Points in our Sea or Saint-Compasse CHAP. VIII The points on which the Christian compass must turn and the box in which it must be kept I Had thoughts to have passed presently to my last head of spiritual Navigation But I must add a word or two more The occasion is this I perceive my Sea-Compasse is lifted up upon a point or pin which it turns and runs round upon and there is a box in which it 's kept and stands Hereupon I shall add two words answerable to these two things First for the point upon which our Compass must stand and turn I cannot think of any other but CONSCIENCE A tender quick enlightned and inlivened conscience is the only point upon which we must erect the practical rules of our Christian Compass Minde that therefore Herein imitate that great Pilot Paul Labâ—â— alwayes to have a conscience void of offence towards God and man That with him you may say We trust we have a good conscience Heb. 13.8 Indeed without this there is no trust to those rules What are the best rules if men make no conscience of them A painted compass upon the leaf of the book is of no use to stere by It must be an erected compass set on a needle which stirs and moves by which our ship at Sea is to be guided and cunned And written rules though never so full or few are of no profit if they be not laid upon the conscience and that conscience quick and tender Remember therefore this as an additional yet fundamental point That if ever you will be the better for the former compasse you must make conscience of the same Eye it therefore and out of conscience unto God endeavor to steer according to it In every point of thy compass eye God as the main and out of conscience unto him carry thy selfe in all things as neer as possible according to this compasse Then mayest thou rejoyce and expect that God upon thy endeavors should speak unto thee Well done steer away or steer thus And certainly it 's no smal rejoyceing in those things to have the testimony of our conscience that in all simplicity and godly sincerity by the grace of God we have had our conversation according to those rules and that compasse That may be and thus are agreeable to his own word Secondly For the box in which this compâ—sse must be kept I shall onely name our MEMORY O treasure ye these rules there and strive to be as ready and expert in this compasse as the Mariner is in his
their affairs observations and experiences in order to the raising of their hearts to see and praise God for his goodness see ver 3. But more express to help exact meditation remember that here is set forth 1. The man at Sea upon civill accounts verse 23. 2. The spiritual work or duty of him in that his businesse and this is set forth in many branches 1 He is to eye God in his works and wonders v 24. 2. He is to eye God in every storm and tempest 1 As the author of it v. 25 2 As the helper in it v 29 Therefore 3 He is to consider his danger in every storm how neer to death and how full of dread or fear v. 26 27. 4 He is to know his duty in that danger v. 28. 5 He is to consider his joy at the end of danger as ver 30. 6. He is to remember to praise the Lord for his goodness upon the whole verse 31. Now upon these heads meditate thus 1. O my soul the way in which thou art is safe for 't is lawful to traffick by Sea as by Land There is no wickedness in thy way unless thou thy self do make it The Lord as well allowes approves and prospers those whose business is to do in the great waters as whose callings are on the shore 2. But what of God do I see and eye in my way I am to walk with God Enoch-like Gen. 5.24 and as a childe of Abraham Gen. 17.1 So Noah did who was the first that ever swam in ship Hee walked with God righteously on the dry and God secured him in a ship of his own invention in the mighty waters I am not to be as the ship at sea a sensless instrument not kowing whether I sail or what I carry or where I am Neither am I only to eye Winde and Tide but I am to see God to contemplate him in all These waters are his work He made them and gathered them thus together Gen. 1.10 He holds these windes that blow in the hollow of his fist Prov. 30.4 he brings these windes out of his treasure Jer. 10.13 And he rides upon the wings thereof Psal 60.4 Mount my soul above these windes and waters and see thy God in them for they are his works And surely wonderfull is God in working vvhat wisdome in ordering vvhat power in bounding and ruling these unruly things Job 38.8 9 10 11. see the place and meditate thereon 3. Doth a tempest arise Sit down O my soul and see that it comes from God He made the tempest to finde out a sinful Jonah He permits this to try my saith to stir up my prayer to demonstrate his own power As afflictions arises not out of the dust so neither do Tempests come by chance A God is in all he raiseth and he can still vvhen he pleaseth the boysterous windes and waters 4. Yet consider what is thy danger How neer to death What a step what an inch between thee and the grave Bee not as the fool over-hardy nor as the hardened prophane Athiest that scoffs at windes and feareth no weathers Tremble O my soul the next gust may overset thee the next wave may swallow thee up O be not unaffected with nor inconsiderate of thy danger 5. Vp then and call upon thy God Jon. 1.6 That is thy duty in thy danger Slumber not but poure out prayers to him that made and can still the Tempest at his pleasure hold thy sails with fervent Sighs hand thy cords and tackling with a Heart secretly praying Let thy best anchor be within the vail pray in faith cry in hope The Almighty can with a word make a calm Psa 65.7 Christ can say Be still and Windes and Sea must and will obey him Mat. 8.27 Have thy hand at the helm and thy eye at heaven God it may be raised the storm to awake thee from thy soul-sleep Rise up therefore and call upon God hee 'l bring you out of your distresses 6. Reflect O man then what was thy joy when the winde began to slack and the storm to cease It 's good to eye what comforts God gave in at such a time Forget neither thy soul-meltings in a storm nor thy heart-cheering upon a calm O how did God as it were build up thy broken heart was not thy soul almost shattered as thy sails and were not all thy comforts broke as thy cords But what reviving after death and what a resurrection as from the grave hadst thou in such a place at such a time c. was not thy soul refreshed as with wine and thy spirit recovered as with a cordial when after that or the other Tempest God gave a calm 7. Then praise thy Lord O my soule and forget not ALL nar not ANY of his benefits Record recal to mind the great goodness of thy God and praise thou his miraculous mercy Set forth to others thy experiences and let the children of men know by thee what are the wonderful works of Jehovah Tremble at the thought of being as too many are altogether forgetful of deliverances Be not as those whose sinning at land evidences they forget every storm and danger every mercy and deliverance at Sea But Oh do thou my soul praise the Lord for his wonderfull works to thee the poorest of the children of men Inlarge these and the like Meditations upon this Scripture and by them try the like way of meditaring upon other Scriptures CHAP. X. Mixed maritine or Sea-meditations to stir up spiritual affections I Have hinted an example of meditation upon Scripture I will now offer some mixed Meditations relating to Sea-affairs such as may serve to excite and direct in this third and last part of Divinity viz. affectionate 1. What a little thing is between me and death It 's but this board of which the ship is made if that break I am gone my burial place is alwayes by me I shal need no Sexton to dig my grave my dead body will make its way to the bottom of the waters and there shall be my grave till the great day 2. With what care doth the Pilot eye the Compass to direct How exactly doth he observe and consider all his land marks And how careful is the steersman at the helm to hearken to and to follow his direction O what negligent creatures are we in our spiritual Navigation How short do we come of this care and circumspection As if the shipwrack of our souls were a lesser matter then the shipwrack of this vessel 3. How sharp do all the ships crew look out to espy land to discover shoar and harbour whereto they sail And what welcome newes is it to hear that he at the topmast head hath descryed or discovered Land though it be afar off Ah my soul why art thou so lazie to look out So backward to cast thine eyes to use thy Prospective to discover Emmanuels Land which is afar off What! is not the