even as others did with their Hecatombs but did he prosper afterwards Dionisius was the great ringleader of that jovial crew that went against Proserpinas Temple in Locris which they both robbed and spoyled and in the head of that wretched company he made this out-braving speech Videcis ne amici quam bona navigatio abist is Diis sacrilegis tribuatur See you not my friends what a fortunate Navigation the gods have vouchsafed us in this our sacriledge but did hee ever prosper after Object 3 Mee thinks I hear many Sailors saying unto mee Good Sir There bee many ships that use frequent prayer according to the States Articles of War yet suffer shrewdly and also come to dreadful ruines I even when others go free and clear Ans I will not deny now but that such ships may suffer sadly yet not Gods sore anger many miseries may befall those ships that have good godly and religious people in them that are not the effects of Gods fury were not the Disciples of Christ soundly tossed in a storm and also the Apostle Paul Act. 27.41 And falling into a place where two Seas met they ran the ship a ground and the forepart stuck fast and remained unmoveable but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves And yet for all this God loved Paul never the less That trembling hearts in the time when Observ 10 Gods judgements are abroad upon the face of the great deeps are more acceptable unto the Lord than hard and flinty hearts are Matth. 14.26 But streightway Jesus spake unto them saying Bee of good chear it is I bee not afraid Psal 147.11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him Most Sea-men in the time of their greatest dangers are both void of fear tears and grace for I have observed that they are so inured and bet up to storms and wars that dangers are no dangers to them and storms no storms to them which are indeed no other than the visible tokens of Gods displeasure Are not many Sea-men Sigismund-like who was the young King of Hungary when hearing of the great Turks coming against him proudly said What need we fear the Turks who need not at all fear the falling of the heavens which if they should fall we were able with our spears and halberes to hold them up from falling upon us Sailors say what need we fear the Seas or the winds our ships are strong enough An humbler spirit would better become you but if I know any thing let mee tell them thus much that that frame of heart is not lovely in the eyes of God Jer. 5.22 Fear yee not mee saith the Lord will yee not tremble at my presence You may conclude upon it that God loves not not likes not such a judgement-out-braving temper The greatest plague that could bee seen in Pharaoh was his hardness of heart under all those judgements that God sent upon him and Egypt Sea-men God will not nay I dare tell you of it that hee likes not of you Observ 11 That the generality of the Sea-men are a very holy praying pious religious and precious kinde of people Then they cry c. Under favour I am but telling you of the Sea-mans piety as it was the Hebrews custome to give those that were vile and abominable good names and titles to make them the more despicable and contemptible When they would set out a whorish woman in the defamatoriest dress that they could devise they would call her a sanctified woman and so when they had a minde to set out wicked and prophane men and that unto the life Nautae plurimum in tempestate Deum advocant quem non crederent esse in caelis The Sea-man will call upon God in a storm and when out of it he lives as if he would tell the world that he beleeves that there is neither a God in heaven nor a Devil in hell What a many invocations be there amongst Sailors in time of storms what various devotions and general recourse to their prayers and how many absurdities are committed amongst them confessing themselves one to another others in a loud voyce making confession of their sins stretching out their throats towards heaven as if God were either deaf or thick of hearing they would call them holy men to that very end they might render them the more odious Alas Alas I may better say of the generality of Sea-men even that which was said of Basilides that great Russian Emperour who refused the celestial globe of gold wherein the cunning Artificer as it were in emulation of the Lord had curiously framed the model of heaven so that nothing was wanting of the number of the spheres or of the life and motion that was sent unto him as a very rare present and out of good affection from the German Emperour but his answer was I do not mean to busy my self in the contemplation of Heaven Is not this the Sailors resolution and also all their piety That bold and graceless wretches are Observ 12 made to quake and tremble in Tempestuous storms Then they cry c. Belshazzars mettal melts in the fiery furnace of a rugged storm Dan. 5. Tells us They that said but in now What I swim not in the Sea its air I tread At evey step I feel my lofty and advanced head To knock out a star in Heaven Sing another tune Those that out-faced the heavens and out-braved the stars and neither feared God nor man are now at their wits end Deut. 28.67 Would God it were morning for the fear of thine heart which thou shalt fear and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see that hee was impudently hardy to profess defiance against the God of Heaven by the prophanation of his holy Vessels and also by other external and visible testimonies of his enmity and despight but as soon as hee saw his doom written upon the wall down fell the high-hoysed proud vanting flag of his spirit It is at these times with the Sailors especially when the ship is leaky or upon and near to the Rocks and Sands that lye in the Seas as it was with that great worldly Roy or Monarch Dan. 5.6 Then the Kings countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joynts of his loyns were loosed and his knees smot one against another Now are the Sailors countenances as pale as clouts and their hearts as feeble and as full of fear as ever they can hold Now is it with them as it is said in Deut. 28.66 And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee and thou shalt fear day and night and shalt have none assurance of thy life The hearts of wicked men are as much down in storms as the Cucko's is at the going away of the Summer of whom Naturalists tell us that before they betake themselves to their winter-quarters they express their loth to depart by their faultering and doubling of
inter vivos nec inter mortuos which was writ upon the cradel-rocking waves and surges of Neptune's restless and turbulent Ocean which was and is a place that is not for study or any other weighty undertaking of this nature I hope you will look for no extraordinary strains of wit and fancy from it because it is an impossible thing that the head should bring forth any extraordinary conceptions in such a confused and head-disturbing and brain-perplexing employment where the winds roar it over head Sailors rant it within board and guns roar it and thunder it without board and the Seas run on hills and mountains before the winds where there is nothing but reeling and staggering and staggering and reeling every day one uprises If there had not been an unwithstanding providence leading mee and stirring of me up dayly to the work Many are the Symbols and Emblems of true thankfulness and grateful acknowledgment In the Sun-dyal with all the hours thereon by distinct figures the motto is in umbra desino to the Sun onely I owe my motion and being The shel full of Pearl lying open to the Sun and the dew of Heaven with this word Rore divinâ— The Olive growing amidst the craggy clifts without rooting or moysture with this motto or wreath coming out of it A Coelo All these examples prompt me to express my thankfulness to you whom I shall live and dye admiring to that end I might do that generation of people some good that go in the Seas whom I find to have nothing writ too in any Subject I ever saw extant I should never a gone about such a work in such a placâ— which is onely for transportation and not for commoration and body-tyring lucubrations Worthy Sir I freely bestow upon you this my Nec inter vivos nec inter mortuos and withall I give you the highest interest in it that is possible for a man in the Dedication of a Book to bestow upon a person that it is dedicated to I humbly beg your acceptance of it and I will not doubt but that you will find some thing in it that will bee worth your perusal there is a great part I will assure you though not all of the sweet experiences that my soul has tasted of when in the Seas Such was the excellent condescending frame of Artaxerxes's spirit King of Persia that hee thought it as well becoming a Royal mind to accept of small things from others as to give great things unto them Worthy Sir your name is sweet fragrant savory and famous in our Israel and with and amongst the people of God and the Lord has bestowed a publick frame of heart and spirit upon you to do all the good you can in your generation both to Church and Commonwealth which is a thing I much bless God for in my spirit and admire My prayers shall bee for you and yours that God would blesse both you and them with the dews of heaven in this life and crown you and yours in the life to come In the interim my prayer shall bee that you may live and dye Adinstar Isabellae Arragoniae Reginae quae habuit duos flosculos unus vocabatur Scelenitropos i.e. Flos Lunae Alter Heliotropos i. e. Flos Solis cum lemmate sequor aeternum specto So prayeth he who resteth Sir Your worships devoted to serve you in the service of Christ DANIEL PELL From my Study at my Lady Hungarfords in Hungarford House upon the Strand London May 4. 1659. To the much Honoured Vertuous and most worthy Lady the Lady MARGARET HUNGARFORD Wife to the Right Worshipful Sr. EDWARD HUNGARFORD Now deceased Daniel Pell wisheth increase of all true Honour and Happinesse Madam I Take the boldness to present you with this small Treatise of my experience travel and hard pains I took during the time I was at Sea which is the very first printed fruits of my weak endeavours as induced to think that the goodness candor and dulce of your nature is such that you will bee pleased to accept of so small a present as a little monument of that great respect I oblidgedly and deservedly bear you Artaxerxes a Persian Prince was so humbly minded that hee thought it as well becoming a Royal mind to accept of small things from others as to give great things unto them I hope that your Ladyship will bee so minded too I wish this piece may prove as delightful to you in the reading and perusing as Orpheus's Musick was to the stones and beasts of the field to their hearing of whom History says that they were not able to stay in their center nor continue in their stations but start up and dance after it Historians relate how stones followed Amphion to the Theban walls That lofty Ossa and high Panchaia danced when they over-heard the Odrissian Lyre and Dolphins grew tame at the melody of Arions Harp couching their scaly backs to bear him out of Neptunes foaming surges Madam if I tell your Ladyship that I see these good things in you since I came into your family to whom I am much obliged and shall ever acknowledge you as an instrument of much good to mee God reward you let it not bee thought by you nor by the world that I am of that temper either to give you or the world flattering and daubing titles for that is very much inconsistent with my constitution Your motto may bee that of Solomons Prov. 31.26 Shee openeth her mouth with wisdom and in her tongue is the law of kindness and my Principle 1. I have observed that you are a very great follower countenancer and encourager of a holy good powerful and godly Ministry which these sad and black-nighted times of the world do so much undervalue Mee thinks I wonder why people are so sotitsh now a days I hear neither any in the City nor the Country say that they are weary of the Sun for its shining of the air in which they breath of their food from whence they have their nourishment nor of their rayment and apparrel which keeps off the cold from them why then of the Word What wrong has the Gospel done them or the painful and Godly Ministry in this Land who preach themselves to their graves for the good of soules certainly were the Gospel down as our English Atheists could wish it wee should long for it as much again as those people do for the Sun of whom Procopius reports that near to the Pole where the night continues many moneths together the Inhabitants in the end of such a long night when the Sun draws near to make its appearance to them will get up into the tops of all high trees and Mountains striving who should have the first sight of that glorious lampe and caelestial luminary that is set in the Heavens for the comfort of the world and no sooner do they see it but they dress themselves in their best apparrel as rejoycing
the German Emperor Let us fight with our faults and not with them that tell as of them How knowest thou but God may meet with thee for that sin before ever thou return again 9. Have a care of entertaining all that doctrin that you hear preached by those that are brought into your ships by your Schismatical Sea-Captains under the notion of Chaplains who never had any true cal to usurp the Ministry Thales sent a golden Tripos which some Fisher-men took up in their Nets and the Oracle commanded that it should bee given to the wisest to Bias Bias to Solon c. when they had but seven wise men If you will but beleeve the times wee live in there are hardly so many fools now to bee found either on Sea or Land and if such a thing were now to bee had wee should all fight for it as the three Goddesses did for the golden Apple Wee are so wise now that wee have our women Politicians women Preachers preaching Souldiers preaching Sea-men and preaching Sea-Captains teaching Trades-men every silly fellow can now square a circle to an hair make perpetual motions finde out the Philosophers stone interpret the Revelation of St. John make new Theoricks new Logick dispute de omni scibili Town City Country Sea and Land are now full of these deified spirits and divine souls God bee merciful to us 10. Bee you respecters both of Ministry and Magistracy in the Land there is no greater nor higher baseness at this day upon Land or Sea than the dis-respecting of them such as live at Sea or live on Land let mee tell them they have a foul name in Scripture hee that is a despiler of these I desire to hear no more of the man for I am satisfied what hee is Jude's Ep. vers 9. Filthy Dreamers despisers of Dominions and speakers of evil against Dignities I would wish that every Seaman would get him one of these books that I have writ and that hee would minde the good wholesome directions that are laid down in it What if thou sparest three or four shillings out of thy wages to purchase it that is no great matter it cost the Author a far greater charge to set it out for the good of thee and every poor soul that goes down into the deeps 11. When you come on shoar into Sea-port Towns where there are week-day Lectures and good preaching hear all the good Sermons you can for you stand need of it and tarry not bezling in an Ale-house when you may have food for your souls 12. When you come into any Parts of this Land or go into the Ports in forein Nations let your outward carriage and deportment bee good and orderly A good name is soon lost else There is a pretty story how that Reputation Love and Death made a Covenant together to travel all the world over and each of them was to go a several way and when they were ready to depart a mutual inquiry was made how that they might meet again Death stood up an said that they might be sure to hear of him in Battels Hospitals and in all parts where either famine or diseases were rife Love bade them hearken after him amongst the children of poor people whose parents had left them nothing at Marriages at Feasts and amongst the professed servants of vertue the only places for him to bee in Reputation stood a long time silent when it came to her turn to speak and being urged to assign them places where they might finde her shee sullenly answered that her nature was such that if once shee departed from any man shee never returned to him again I wish you wise 13. Let your hearts and tongues go alwayes together it is a sad age wee live in they are not relatives neither on Sea nor Land It is well worth your observation of the Peach namely that the Egyptians of all fruits make choice of that principally to consecrate to their goddess and for no other cause but that the fruit thereof was like to ones heart and the leaf to ones tongue 14. Nothing but godliness will bee a target to you against your Aquarum confluges Bee not carried away with the damnable opinions that are in the heads of many of your Sea-men and Commanders There bee many sorry Solecismes amongst them 15. Lay aside all that vain talking that is amongst you in ships A prating Barber asked King Archelaus how hee would bee trimmed the King replyed silently Surely in much prate there cannot but bee much vanity 16. Many Sea-men deal by prayer as the Athenians did with their holy Anchor in time of danger they would throw it out never else whence the Proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. Sacram anchoram solvere dicimur quando ad extremum prasid um confugimus Erasm Use prayer every morning you uprise whether on Sea or Land if you would have God to bless you There are six seasons many Sea-men take up prayer and never else 1. When they are put to it to cut down their Masts by the board 2. When a Cable breaks 3. When the Rudder bands break off and leave them Rudderless in the great and wide Sea 4. When they are thrown irrecoverably upon Rocks and Sands 5. When they are put to it to pump night and day to keep up their ships from sinking 6. When the winds tear all their sails to peeces about their ears And this I like not 17. Get a spirit of meekness and humility detest a high and a proud spirit I wonder why many should bee so proud and surly as they are at Sea certainly if they did but recollect themselves their descent pedigree and lineage together with their imployment they would finde themselves to bee but carried up and down in the Sea by a fart at the best out of Aeolus's breech the god of wind 18. Shake off that rugged and churlish nature that is come onely amongst you and get a more affable and courteous disposition that will bee your interest 19. Pay the Lord all those solemn vows that you make unto him in the Seas when you are in deep distress and dangerous storms Not one of a thousand of you doth this I dare bee bold to speak it Erasmus's Colloquium in naufragio is very much like you In a storm the Mariner promises no less than golden Mountains to be sacrificed it but come safe to land another vows to go on pilgrimage as far as to St. James's of Compostella bare foot and bare headed in a shirt of male next his skin begging all the way a third promises St. Christophers Statue which is mons verius quam statua a Mountain rather than a statue and this is to be seen in one of the great Churches at Paris that hee would give him a wax Candle as big as himself whom one of his contemporaries checked saying if thou shouldest now go and sell all that thou hast thou art not worth so much
neither fearing God nor Man what havock will you make of their Wines Sugars Fruits c Consider with your selves that you are but hired servants for so much per Moneth and have no order nor allowance from them to drink their Wines or steal their Fruits c. you ought to be content with your Wages I would have Seamen to be of Fabritius his mind or else I will not give a button for ten thousand of them of whom it s said that one might as well turn the Sun from his course as sway him from honest and ingenuous dealing Know this one thing that Gods eye is upon you though the Merchants or the Trustees be at a vast distance from you He is said a Heathen totus Oculus all Eye this is more than thousands of Sailors will either say or believe as if a mans body were all eye to see as well backwards as forwards and forwards as backward Christ saw Nathaniel when he was under the Fig-tree when he thâ—ught that no eye was upon him Joh. 1 5â— and Gods eye is upon you in your ships in the Seas when the Merchants cannot behold you nor cannot tell what you have done Reade but these few Scriptures and consider but Gods All-seeing eye and then tell me if you can play the Thief Joh. 4.29 Psal 139.7 8 9 10 11 12. There be two things that would exceedingly adorn the Seamen of England and raise out of the dust their lost and crackt Credit and esteem with the good people of the Land could they but be found dwelling in them and they are these two 1. A working hand 2. An honest heart 1. A quick and working hand There should be a diligent and quick dispatching and expediting of their Masters businesses and commands without loytering and taking their own ease and pleasures Gen. 24.33 Abrahams servant was so conscientious in the stirring in his Masters business that he preferred it before his meat and would not eat till his errand was told them Send me away says he that I may go unto my Master I would have all the Captains and Mariners in the States service to be of that honest minde and upright spirit that Drusius Livius was of of whom it s said that this great Roman Counsellor bespoke a curious Artificer to build him an house in the City as curiously as Art could make it That I will said he and I will so contrive it that none shall ever see your coming into it or going out of it nor what you do at any time in your house God forbid says he I will have my house built so that the eyes of the whole City may run up and down every corner in it and may clearly see what I do in my house every day I up rise Tell the States that you would have them to build you such Frigots as that all the ships that sail by you in the Seas may see into your Cabins and what you do every day And this would bespeak you honest men Jacob also served Laban with all his might Gen. 31.6 night and day did he take care for his gain and profit Make the like conscience of your service and the discharge of those Trusts that are imposed in you whether in the Merchants or States service and say when you have got your sailing Orders or when your Ships are fraughted Let 's be going Send us away now whilst the wind and opportunity serves Loyter it not in Harbors 2. An honest heart You should do for your Masters as you would do for your selves Nay you should esteem of their business before and above your own Upright Jacob did thus in Labans service Gen. 30.30 And the Lord hath blessed thee since my coming as if he were a going to say I have followed thy business honestly and closely and my own have I neglected And now when shall I provide for mine own house also It s wonderful to think what Jacob endured in Labans service Gen. 31.40 41. Heat scorched him by day and frost nipt him by night besides his losse of sleep and nocturnal rest I confesse that Seamens service is full of danger hardship night-watching and day-labouring but to go through-stitch with all they do out of a good principle is the life of all that is that which makes the service venerable Put on put on Masters of Ships and Seamen for honest hearts and principles God knows you are people that are the furthest on stern of any people in the world Use all fidelity in the keeping employing and encreasing of Merchants goods for their gain and advantage that you can Purloin not nor waste them in riotous eating and drinking What care took Jacob that nothing might miscarry in his hand Gen. 31.38 39. when his Master thought that he had robbed him he could not finde a rag amongst all his stuff that was his And will not you take the like on the behalf of those that employ you 2. Vnto the State In this service there be five sorts of men that deserve sharp Reproof and they are those that go under the Notion 1. Of Captains 2. Pursers 3. Gunners 4. Boatswains 5. Carpenters 1. Of Captains The Sea Captain is a Lad that has his faults slips spots and blemishes as well as another Alexander was continent yet immoderate Sylla was valiant yet violent Galba eminent yet insolent Lucullus generous yet delicious Marcellus glorious yet ambitious Architus patient yet avaritious Is there not very many that are now employed in the Seas who are no more fit for that function than the suit of a Giant is for a short-grown Dwarf Many creep into the States service that are both a disgrace to it a dishonour unto God and a gravaminous burthen to the ships and men they go amongst Let me tell the States of England thus much That the entertaining and countenancing of heretical erroneous factious and unpeaceable persons in their ships has exceedingly hurt poisoned and infected the silly and ignorant Sailors There would not have been found those damnable Errours in the heads hearts and mindes of Seamen that be now to be seen with great confidence and boldness at this day amongst them had there but been a careful keeping out of Command all such worthless persons who leave nothing else but a stink in every ship and Countrey they breathe in In former times when there was as much Peace in England as there is now as much Piety as there is now as much Honesty as there is now nay more Honesty and Sincerity whatever any in this Age cry up and boast of none but well-bred and accomplished men both of parts and estates were put into Commands at Sea It s a true saying that Ex quolibet ligno non fit Mercurius Every log of wood will not make a Scholar and I may with as great verity say that every uncomb'd Sailor will not make a Captain every one that knows the Rigging or the navigating and carrying of a
ship up and down in the Seas from Land to Land or Port to Port is not fit to put into the place of government I remember a pretty passage of one of this sort who had got good friends to present his name and speak very well in his behalf at the Admiralty Court by whose means he got his foot into the stirrop of a Wooden Horse and rid as proudly over the waves and the bouncing billows of the Sea as any Commander in the salt waters whatsoever but wanting skill to sit this Horse and art to keep the Reins in his hand and withall which was the main a good Head-piece the Horse stumbled in the River of Thames and threw the Captain out of the Saddle Will and pleasure is the fools Card which he steers by all the Voyage and this makes so many ill-governed ill-ordered and ill-tutored ships as there be at this day in the Sea But to come unto particulars there be three things that are too apparent in Sea Captains 1. Negligence The Merchant sends to you to shelter them by Convoy from the Enemy as the Grapes in Babel did upon a time unto the Vines in Judea as the Jewish Talmud says desiring them to come and overshadow them otherwise the violence of the heat would consume them in such sort as that they should thereby never come unto any maturity But you deal by the Merchant sometimes as the Vines of Judea did by the Vines of Babel even let them perish in the Seas through negligence They that bear command should not yield to their men in their cousenage and fraudulency but say as Scipio said unto the Harlot when offered him Vellem si non Imperator I would if I were not Captain 2. Injustice 3. Vnfitness 1. Negligence Is there not many that have good ships to sail in and great Salary to live upon whose consciences serve them even to do very little service and good for it and had rather lie at an Anchor or with their Noses in a good Harbour than be out at Sea in the preserving of the Merchant and destroying of the enemy And is there not other-some that are as loth to encounter their enemies when they have opportunities for it in the Seas as the Welchman was to fight the Englishman of whom it s said that Her made the challenge and bid the Englishman take what Weapon he would and her would fight with him The battel begun the Englishman ripled her on the knee and her feeling the unkinde salutation of the Englishmans Weapon threw down her Buckler and her Sword and would fight no more What 's the matter now quoth the Englishman What said she Apploot apploot was not her Buckler broad enough but must hit her upon the knee Her will have no more of that What fair winds and opportunities do Commanders many times slip by loytering about the shores and coasts when they should be in the Seas to such let me say Ad rem Rhombum Go to your work go the Countrey maintains you not to idle Some Sea Captains are Thales like who contemplated heaven not for any devotion but to pick some gain out of it seeing by it that there would be some scarcity of Olives c. which he monopolized into his hands sold These fellows would make the world believe that they are godly men indeed this makes for the honour of Religion that these men love the name of it who cannot endure the nature of it Says many a Sea Captain If I be not seemingly religious I shall not attain to any great honour or preferment as the times go I must wear the garb of a Christian outwardly though I disown it inwardly and by this means counterfeit Religion is mads a meer stooping horse of to bring Vermin into authority Look about you do not you see how the Enemy spoils the Merchant 2. Injustice Remember that a little with right is better than great revenues without right Psal 37.16 Had I a voice of Brasse to make every Captain in the Sea to hear me I would tell them and all that use the Seas That Injustice will in time undo them and draw upon their heads the heavy severe and impatible wrath of God and throw them out of their ships and livelyhoods Jeremiah 9.19 How are we spoiled we are greatly confounded our dwellings have cast us out Unrighteous doings in the States ships will hurl Commanders out of them and make them stink in the nostrils of all that shall behold them You Captains of the Seas Look but upon your cogging now as it will appear hereafter look but upon your assigning of false and unjust Accompts now as they will appear hereafter and then tell me how you like it What shall a Boatswain a Gunner a Purser or a Carpenter intangle me to lie for them that they may pocket up the States goods God forbid What shall a Pursers maintaining of your Tables with fresh victuals The States of England values not the Sea Captain if once they find him but in some grosse insufferable error as there is righteousness in so doing 7 years service is an usual proverb amongst the Sailors is not looked on if but found in one hours displeasure So that the Sea Captain in one case is not unlike to the sumpter-horse who does good service carries the trunks all day but at night his treasure is taken from him and himself turned into a dirty foul stable Know you not the application of this engage and introduce you to give them the liberty to to be false God forbid that such doings should be found in my hand And yet where is that Great Cabbin in any or in all the Ships of England but there be these doings in it This may be for a time lucrum in crumena but in the end it will prove damna conscientiae 3. Vnfitness I would propound this question Whether or no there be not many in command that would make better Masters for navigating of ships too and again than of commanding guiding governing or fighting of them The great Salary that they have for their service is the thing they look at as to the ordering and well regulating of those many spirits that be under their command they know not what course to take in the steering of them Pro. 14.1 Solomon tells you that the wise woman looks upon it as her greatest policy to build her house and having building-materials both of wisdome understanding and instruction the building work went forward and the superstructure of it was most rare And so would you do too if you had but those brains and for want of them you bring many times an old house over your ears Seamen might be reclaimed reformed and reduced unto better carriage order and deportment than there is amongst them were there but wisdome prudence and a zeal for God in you to act and bestir your selves amongst them Your partial and ill managing of
round about him Now if these Tongue-libelling-lads in the Sea would look into Rev. 21.8 and pause a while upon that Scripture they would finde such sharp tart and sowre sawce that they would never love lying more I dare say there bee thousands that have been of your imployment that are now roaring as so many damned miscreants in hell that feel the verity of this Scripture which they would never beleeve nor credit when they were alive in the world as you now are Let God Christ and Scripture then bear and carry the highest and strictest rule and command over you in your hearts and consciences and not the Devil Eph. 4.25 Putting away lying speak every man the truth with his neighbour c. Woe bee unto you if this sin and your lives end together What one sayes of the Pea and Turky-cock I will say of the Sailor Quodvis rubrum gallo-pavos animat Every thing that is red inrageth the Peacock Make the application Sailors are much what of Lysanders moral the Lacedemonian of whom it s said that he was of such an implacable disposition that nothing could appease his malice but the death of the person with whom he was angry whereupon grew the Proverb That Greece could not bear two Lysanders And truly I would have Captains to say that our ships shal harbour no such Sailors 4. Choler passion and anger If I had a desire or that I did know of any that were desirous to see these three feral passions in their proper raging and predominating colours I would either go or send them unto the Sea amongst the Mariners and there they should bee sure in two or three hours expence of time on board with them to behold them both in their faces tongues and hands as so many sparks of fire in barrels of Gun-powder These are the three Faggots or ingredients that a Sea-man is made of There is scarce one in ten thousand of them but hee hath fire and powder in the mouth of him and the sight of this drives all good people away from holding any society or converse with them and makes it an intolerable penance to bee near them or within the smoak of their Chymnies God pitty you and in his good time bestow another manner of heart and spirit upon you than is to bee seen amongst you Therâ— is the greatest weakness of spirit and unmanliness of minde to bee seen amongst the Sailors of all the people under the heavens again What argues the disgrace and inferiority of the understanding part more which is the noblest power of the soul than passion Prov. 17.27 A man of understanding is of an excellent spirit In the Hebrew he is of a cool spirit The lowest men of parts are oftentimes the passionatest men But that now this unclean spirit may bee clubd down and kicked over-board out of all the Navy ships in England I would present all the Sailors in the Seas with these ensuing Consectaries and I dare promise them that the practising of them will procure them much peace comfort quietness whilst and in what ships soever they sail in The main reason why Sailors are so contentious and quarrelsome one with another is because they are either ignorant of their carriage and behaviour one towards another or else in respect of trivial and frivolous provocations that arise amongst themselves which wisdome would soon hurl out of doors and dash out of countenance 1. Sailor Sailor Immensae virtutis est non sentire â—e esse percussum It will vvell become thee if thou meerest vvith vvrong on shipbâ—â—â— to take notice of them If you would then live peaceably and comfortably on board your ships Trample under foot all delicate niceness of bearing wrongs If thou wilt not do thus go not to Sea for thou wilt meet with them Where there is an impetuous impatiency and an effeminate facility in men they will be moved at every trifle It is a special peece of manly wisdome to be able to pass by many petty provocations to wrath and anger without notice taking And it is no less also to digest the witless brawlings and clamours of silly foolish irrational and head-strong men with the same patience that Chirurgions will the injuries and blows of mad and frantick men When an inconsiderate fellow had stricken Cato in the bath and afterwards cried him mercy he replied I remember not that thou didst strike me Tu linguae ego aurium Dominus said one to another that railed on him I cannot be master of thy tongue but I will be master of mine own ears S. Paul Act. 2.8 shook off the affronts injuries offered unto him with as much ease as once he did the Viper One having made a long â—…ous discourse to Aristotle at last pleaded his prolixity to whom Aristotle replyed that he was not tedious unto him because he gave no heed to any thing he said 2. If you would live peaceably and comfortably on board your ships Trample under foot all credulity and lightness in beleeving whatsoever comes first to hand and ear If thou wilt not do thus never look to live quietly on board any ship thou shalt set thy foot into To beleeve every word tale and tattle thou hearest is the onely way to set thee on a fire Tale-bearers whisperers and Tongue-slanderers are the Devils bellows 3. If thou wouldest live peaceably and comfortably on board any ship Out a doors with all curiosity itching humour and needless inquisitiveness to know and hear of every thing that is done or said My reason is this If a man bee thus disposed hee shall finde matter enough to fill his gall and set his Irascible part on a burning fire That man shall never want wrath and woe that lets the doors of his ears stand wide open to listen to every one I have read of Antigonus a most famous Prince how that hee did when hee heard two unworthy subjects of his speaking ill of him in the night near his Tent door willed them to go further off lest the King should hear them That man that is of this temper is the best to pass let him bee at Sea or on Land 4. If thou wouldest live peaceably and comfortably on ship-board Out of doors with all timerousness of being wronged or contemned by others in word deed or countenance Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath Eph. 4.28 but many Sea-men suffer the Sun to go down rise again upon their anger yea again and again before they will part with it But let that man know that lets the Sun go down upon his wrath he takes the Devil to bed with him I have observed it that many men do needlesly fret and perplex themselves when they see but two talking or smiling and now and then casting an eye upon them they presently conceit within themselves that they are their discourse and the object of their scornful observation This argues great weakness and folly
is not onely all neither but hereby where such are either at Sea or Land there may the sooner bee a looking for a curse than a blessing in all their undertakings And again a war that is undertaken upon just and good grounds It is not unlawfull to use the help of those who fight out of a bad intention either out of hatred violence ambition honour or desire of plunder for their bad intention does not violate the righteousness of the cause Is there not many Sea-Captains that fight for nothing in the world but their 10 pound and 15 pound per moneth I may say of Sailors what one said of Law Logick Switsers They may bee hired to fight for any one Sea man Sea-man get better principle And is there not thousands of Sea-men that fight for their 18. shillings per moneth Nay may I not say that they would fight for the Devil would hee but give them better wages than the States do How many thousands bee there of them that are now fighting day by day in one part or other of the world and they know not what they fight for save onely this Saile ship and come pay-day They look not upon the glory of God nor the cause that is in hand against the proud opposers of Christ and his glorious and everlasting Gospel And now I will not deny but that these will serve to goe on in the wars to do Christs work in the world withall though hee hurl the rod into the fire after all is done It is well known in all Histories that the trash and trumpery of the world have evermore gone in the wars and indeed they are the fittest men to lose their lives for the godly and well-minded people in the world cannot well bee spared and should they bee slain the world would sustain great loss in their deaths But now what shall I say of all the wars that are on foot in the world whether in the North or in the East in the South or in the West May I not say that sin has made a man a very hurtful and harmful creature man is not now become hurtful to beasts and beasts to man but one man unto another and one Nation with and to another And this has been so of old and is no new thing still but likely to bee so as long as there is so much of the first Adam in the world both acting and ruling in the sons of men as long as Pride shall bee seen exalted above the grace of Humility Covetousness above Contentedness Lust above Chastity and Enmity above Love and Charity never look for better in the world Man till sinfull was never thus hurtfull Before hee sinned was hee not naked and neither feared nor offered wrong and will not his sinless estate ever bee known by the state of innocency When that lost Image of God comes once to bee recovered again in all men generally and when the Kingdoms of the Earth shall become the Kingdoms of the Lord Jesus Christ then shall there bee peace and quietness in the Earth that one may walk up and down in the world at pleasure but not till then When mankind shall become a lamb then will it bee a glorious age and never till then It is observed that all other creatures save the lamb are armed by natures providence but the lamb is sent into the world naked and un-armed comes into it with neither offensive nor defensive weapons When mankind comes once to receive the glorious Image of the Lord then will there bee no longer this fighting and contentious principle that is in the hearts of most men but they will bee as meek and harmeless as the Dove who in the Greek is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sine cornibus non feriens cornibus An hornless creature Phil. 2.15 But now Dii boni what indignities what affronts what pushing with the ten horns and with the little horn spoken of in Scripture When that you see once the Lyons Bears ravening Wolves and Tygers of the world to bee turned into Lambs and their wolvish and Lion-like natures changed and metamorphosed into a Dove-like meekness then may it be said that there is then new Heavens and new Earth and in the interim never look for a cessation of war in the world till there bee some great Gospel-work wrought in the Earth But fourthly That which now follows in order is the consideration of this word Great waters The Spirit of the Lord here takes great delight to put this distinguishing accent upon them and indeed it is a very famous and glorious title that God is pleased to set upon their heads Great waters calling them great in opposition to small Rivulets which the eyes of Inland dwellers are upon It is a well known axiom in Philosophy Set but contraries in the presence of each other Opposita juxta se posita magis elucescunt and the difference is quickly made Therefore in our speaking of the Great waters pray what are the Aquae Stagnantes in a Land and what are the Fontaneae Scaturigines sive Torrentes sive Fluvii maximi What are the great Rivers or the standing pools and running torrents of a Land in comparison to the great and wide Ocean As vast a disproportion and dissimilitude is there betwixt them as there is betwixt the shining Sun and a twinckling star or betwixt the massy Elephant and the little bodied Mouse The Spirit of the Lord titles them Great waters and to speak re vera Legere non intelligere est negligere in re tamen seria really they are so as I shall by and by declare upon several accompts They who have never seen the Seas nor ever sailed in them and upon them they cannot credit their magnitude latitude and longitude and when they read over that 1 Chap. Gen. 9. where God said Let the waters under the Heaven bee gathered together unto one place and let the dry land appear and it was so it is but transiently inconsiderately and at the best unponderingly for there is but few that mind or apprehend what they read Why These are waters indeed in respect they are little less in spatiousness nay if not greater than the whole Earth joyn all the small Ex pede Hereulem wee say The skilful Geometrician finding the length of Hercules foot upon the hill Olympus made the portracture of his whole body by it You may judge of the Seas though you never saw them and great Islands and Continents that be either in the East and West North and South together they are not so vast and large as the Seas bee Now I know that many are very prone to deem this assertion as a thing not credible because of the weakness of their judgements but that I may bring those into a beleef of it that may call what is laid down here into question I will tell them what they shall do to put the thing out of
business that is Observ 4 now to bee done and followed on in the Seas England thou hast argumentum Aristotelicum argumentum Basilinum on thy side Three special things desire to bee seen and enjoyed in this world 1. The fall of Babylon the destruction of Antichrist 2. The destruction of Gog and Magog the Turkish Monarchy 3. The full conversion of the Jews is to pull down the house of Austria and the Pope of Rome That do business in great waters c. Amongst the many reasons that might be deposited take these for some 1. Because the time draws on that that which is prophecied shall bee fulfilled Rev. 11.15 And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voices in Heaven saying The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of the Lord Jesus and hee shall reign for ever and ever St. John saw the elders casting down all their crowns before the Throne 1600 years ago what may wee not expect now then saying thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power Apoc. 4.10 Hee that has but a seeing eye at nearer times may clearly discern What valiant spirits were they of in former times History tells us that the whole world was fought for thrice 1 Betwixt Alexander and Xerxes 2 Betwixt Caesar and Pompey 3 Betwixt Constantine and Lucinius Were they so valiant in those dayes Sailors and wil not you be as valiant in these dayes of ours that both Crowns and Kingdomes are staggering And soon after John heard every creature in heaven and in Earth and Sea saying Blessing Honour Glory and Power bee unto him that sits upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for evermore Chap. 5.13 And soon after he saw Christ with his Crown upon him going forth conquering and to conquer Chap. 6.2 And hee that hath a seeing eye may observe the approach of this day 2. Because it hath stood so many hundreds of years in the opposition of Christs and still remains and perseveres a malignant and peevish enemy unto the interest of Christ and the very life and power of godliness 3. Because God hath given the valiant Joshuahs of this age and generation a most wonderful magnanimous and undaunted courage and resolution to go on in their Sea-wars against them Yea they are admirably fitted with fighting spirits for the work Surely that universal and military spirit that is now in the fighting breasts and bosomes of the English do bee-speak the great things that God hath on foot in the world otherwise to what end is it that men should bee in these dayes so unknownly valorous and couragious if God had not some work for them to do 4. Reason may seem to bee this Englands late activeness and carefulness in building of so many famous brave What was said of Epeâ—s I wil say of England against Spain and Rome that he did Lignum facere equum in eversionem Troja England builds wooden horses that carry great Guns in their panches to ruine their enemies withall Divide the world into thirty equal parts nineteen of those thirty are Heathen six of the eleven Mahumetans five parts of the thirty Christians Of Professors of Christ most Papists few Protestants And of Protestants how few beleevers By this we may see that Christ hath but a little share in the world sumptuous warlike ships this be-speaks England ni fallor to bee an instrument in the hands of Christ to crush the Papal and Antichristian powers of the world No Nation under the whole Heavens look all the whole universe thoughout is in that gallant posture and warlike equipage by Sea that the Nation of England is in at this very day God preserve it To stir up your British blood that they would every one of them lend their helping hand to tear the scarlet Whore of Rome to peeces and those Papal powers and adherents of the world I think it convenient to press some ponderous and considerable motives For I know by experience that the Souldier prepares not to battel untill hee hear the sound of the Drum or Trumpet sounding an Horse Horse or a Stand to your Arms. Therefore to put you on brave Warriours in the Seas Nil desperandum Christo duce auspice Christo Bee not afraid Christ is your Captain and hee is resolved to have all the sinful powers and the irreligious Kings and Emperours and Princes of the world down and if you will not do it Generations after you will do Christs work for Christ will no longer bee crowded into a corner of the world but hee will have the world in his own hands Rev. 11.1 I would have Sailors to be of Themistocles metal against the Spaniard of whom Plutarch said that after he had heard once that Miltiades had got himself so much honour in the Marathonian battel he was not able to sleep because Miltiades was so far before him and he so short of him in honour 7 15. Hee will take unto himself his great power and reign c. Zach. 10.11 The pride of Assyria shall bee brought down and the Scepter of Egypt shall depart away It is usual to express the enemies of the Church by the names of old enemies as Assyria and Egypt was 1. That it is one special peece of Englands generation-work Therefore look to it and withdraw not till you have laid Babylon in the dust 2. That God is arising to recover his lost glory and honour in the world And will not you arise and bestir your selves then 3. Consider but seriously the soul-damning vassallage and infringed liberty that Southern Nations lye in and groan under What groans what cryes and what sighs bee there in Spain and yet dare not bee known in their secret disaffection to their impertinent and God-displeasing worship Gentlemen have you not fought out your own liberties in England yea fatis superque satis And why will you not now venture as deeply for Christs interest still as you have done I would have our English to overlook the greatest difficulties that are to be objected prima facie in a work of this like nature and resemble Hannibal in courage who said when upon the Alps with his Army Aut viam inveniam aut viam faciam I will either finde out a way over these cloud topping mountains or make my way through them Doth not the captived condition of forein parts call for help 4. Consider seriously that general disowning and denying of the Gospel of Christ either to bee read or preached in publick and private as it should be This is in Spain and Italy c. Will not this set your spirits on a fire against those subtil and soul-murthering adversaries of the Lord Jesus Christs 5. Consider seriously the damnable cruel and Diabolical Inquisition that they have in Spain which hath been hatched betwixt the Devil and two sophistical Spanish Jesuits By this they can take off any mans life for questioning of their Religion and that at
a mile In some serene mornings I have seen many of them playing and sporting of themselves in the Seas Is not this a most formidable creature that sends out a smoak out of his Nostrils as if it were the smoak that flyes out of a great gun or a smoak that comes out of some great seething vessel when taken off the fire at a great distance one from another and sending forth such strange and prodigious smoaks and fumes as if there were some Town or Village of smoaking chimneys in the Seas Until I became acquainted with their postures I have been oftentimes put into no small wonderment what smoak it should bee that flyes so high above the waters Vers 25. When hee raises up himself the mighty are affraid by reason of breakings they purify themselves When hee is pleased to shew himself upon the waters and to come forth out of the deeps to the view of all that shall or dare behold him hee puts them into an astonishment and trembling fear and pavor Sword and buckler are no weapons to fight him withall for such is the fierceness of his motion in the waters that the great and burthensome ships cannot make their way with that speed that hee will do though they have the stiffest and strongest gale that ever blew This beast seems the Lord to say will make the boldest and the hardiest of men to betake themselves to flight and prayer and seriously to consider of their latter end before they can get clear of him after they have once encountered him Vers 31. Hee makes the deep to boyl like a pot of oyntment I have observed that when this creature is pleased to cut his sporting capers in the Seas and to take his frisks and skipping gambals or to dance his musical galliards in the waters The sight of this creature has put mee to a Me non tantum admiratio habet sed eâ—tam stupor being then in his pomp and grandeur all the waters forsooth fly round about him in fomeing froth and bubble which has oftentimes occasioned that in the Psalms to come into my mind Psal 104.26 There is that Leviathan whom thou hast made to play therein This creature is very much delighted in playing and sporting of himself in the waters insomuch that I have observed of them to curvet and rear themselves directly upwards out of the water so that the waters have flown this way and that way into the very aire at his falling down again he has been so much out of the water with his great and massy body Vers 32. Hee makes a path to shine after him one would think the deep to bee hoary This creature being of such an incredible magnitude latitude and longitude whose fins are like to the boughs or branches of the tallest Cedars and are the Oars which row and carry on the great vessel of his body withall from place to place at his pleasure The Whale puts as admirable a beauty upon that part of the Sea his body swims in as the Sun does upon the Rainbow by gilding of it with its golden and irradiating beams by which when hee comes and makes his princely appearance near unto the surface of the waters the Seas where hee is are of such a lustre verdancy and greenness as is most admirable to behold insomuch that if this creature never shewed himself at all one might know where hee is by the shining of the water were hee a mile or two in distance from the ship the Mariners sail in The often sight of this clear truth has not been a little delightful unto mee The sight of this creature 1. Meditation Naturalists tell us that the Whale never swims any way without his Pilot which is a small kind of fish called Musculus for hee being a deep drawing vessel stands in need of a guide to direct him lest hee should either run on ground shallows creeks rocks and sandâ— and when hee comes near any of these his Pilot gives him warning and intelligence thus beautifying of the Seas imprinted no less than this upon my heart that the Saints and servants of the most high God should shine with a bedazeling lustre and beauty in the several places of the world they live in Ezek. 43.2 The earth shined with the glory of the Lord. Holyness has a majesty in the countenance of it How should the people of God get and labour for shining lives shining faces and shining conversations hereby comes the Gospel of Christ to be honoured and others incouraged to come unto Christ and to bee won with the love of the truth and this is that which our Saviour expresly commands when hee says Matth. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may glorify God c. and that they may say yonder is a childe of God and yonder is a beleever and yonder is one that lives up in very deed to the height of his profession Vers 33. Upon earth there is not his like for hee is made without fear Look and range all the whole earth over look into all the store-houses of Gods creatures examine and run through the deeps and the earth round about from East to West and from the South into the North none shall or can bee found either in the Sea or on Land resembling this intremendous and fearless creature all creatures else are fearful and timorous and are not without something of fear in them but there is none at all in this This has imprinted upon my spirit 2. Meditation no less than a bewailing of thousands yea of millions of people that live in the world as if they would tell all round about them that they are of this Leviathan Metal without all trembling fear of God the fear of sin and the fear of hell as if they had neither sins to bee pardoned souls to bee saved heaven to look after nor a God to serve and please Vers 34. He beholds all high things he is King over all the children of pride This creature it seems is not without pride loftiness and arrogance swelling with selfe-confidence in his own strength who is of a conceited undauntedness of spirit out of a scornful opinionativeness that the mightiest and greatest of monsters either in the Seas or upon the Land are not comparable to him accounting them his inferiours and himself the supream and sovereign of all the elementary creatures whatsoever 7. I cannot but write this upon these three crearures Creaturae ego Creatorem admiror They have many times a frequent sight of that pleasurable and most delightful fish-combat that is betwixt the Sword-fish the Whale and the Thresher the manner of this Fish-fight is admirable and very contentful to behold for the Sword-fish is so weaponed Sword-fish and well armed to encounter his enemy that hee has upon his head a fish-bone that is as long and as like to a two-edged sword as any two things in the world
than to hear this out of Scripture Psal 7.11 That God is angry with the wicked every day If God bee angry with the wicked every day then I will pawn my salvation upon it that hee is not pleased with you every day But Sea-men to fasten this truth upon your spirits and to drive it into your heads pray consider what a dreadful storm the Lord sent out after Jonah when hee sinned against him and provoked him to anger Jonah 1.4 But the Lord sent out a great wind into the Sea and there was a mighty Tempest in the Sea so that the ship was like to bee broken Did not Jonah now and those Heathen that hee sailed amongst acknowledge that that storm came upon them for their sins This was more than ever I heard English Sailor say or confess in all my life during that too long time I have spent amongst them where is the Sailor that wil say when the masts are a going down by the board in a storm or the ship is a going to bee cast away upon the Rocks or upon the Sands and shore what is the Lords design now Some iniquity or other is amongst us some carnal filthiness some stinking and abominable impurity that wee have not been humbled for nor turned from that has brought this misery upon us now are our lives jeoparded and at the very stake by reason of that swearing drinking and audacious gracelesness that is amongst us I dare bee bold to say it that the ungraciousness of that generation of People that goes down into the Sea and is amongst them does put the Lord many and many a time to rouse up his wind-Lyons Seems not this to bee the language of all storms Isa 1.24 Ah I will ease mee of mine adversaries and avange mee of mine enemies or wind-Eagles to flye about their eares with a raging austerity and heart-daunting cruelty yet notwithstanding this generation cannot bee got to abate in swearing reform in drinking and return from their filthy doings Sailors if ever you would travel the Seas with safety and freedom from storm and Tempest follow the Example of the wild-geese that fly over Caucasus where the Eagles roost lest they should bee heard in their gagling they will not take any such flight or voyage before their mouthes bee well crammed with pebbles and then they know that they are far enough out of danger If you would not now have God to send down storms upon you let him not see you drunk nor let him not see you profaning of his holy Name yea bee sure of this that you never let him hear you swearing I am confident were you but an humble and a godly sort of people neither beasts of the field the Seas you swim in and the winds that are above you would never hurt you so much as they do and so you should find more peace more quiet and less dread and terrour than now you do What is it that sin will not do it will batter down Cities I have read a notable passage of some Heathens who when at Sea and in a very dangerous storm where they were all like to bee cast away began every one apart to examine themselves what was or should bee the reason of so dreadful a storm and after they had cast up all by quaerying with themselves what have I done and what have I done said another that his occasioned this storm it amounted to this they remembred that they had Diagoras the Atheist on board and rather than they would perish they took him by the heels and hurled him over board and then the storm ceased and the Seas were at quiet with them If any one would ask mee now what is the reason that the State-ships meet with such hard storms and so many Sands and dangers I should tell them this it is because they are so full of filthy Swearers Drunkards and Atheistical Adulterers These have made my heart for to tremble more than all the dreadful storms that ever I have been in in all my life Nations Towns and Countries and lay them level with the ground and therefore well may your sins bring many ships to ruine Hos 4. vers 2 3. It is that profaneness that is amongst you that puts the Lord upon suffering of your ships to blow up and to fall upon Rocks and Sands c. Think not that the strongest ship or ships in the world are able to keep you from drowning when there is nothing but swearing and carnal filthiness amongst you It was but a foul mistake and also a carnal conceit that Dionysius was of that great Sicilian Tyrant when hee said that his Kingdome was bound to him with chains of Adamant for time soon confuted him Is there not now as strong a conceit in you about your valour and the strength of your ships Alas one sturdy storm will make them rock and tremble I and carry them unto the bottome or throw them upon the shoar if but licensed and impowred by God The strongest walled Cities in the world cannot keep judgement out if sin bee but within neither are they sufficient Canon-proof against the Arrows and Canon-bullets of an heavenly vengeance the height of a Cities proud-daring and out-braving Turrets may for a time keep the earth in awe but they cannot threaten heaven nor stand it out against the Lord the sinfuller a City a Nation a Country a Ship or Family is the weaker are they and the more do they lye open to Gods dreadful thundring and lightning upon them Isa 40.15 I will tell you of a story that will make your ears to tingle when you have heard it and it is of that famous City of Jerusalem which was the glory and beauty of the whole earth It thought it self so strongly fortified and manned within that there were an impossibility of ever being stormed and ruined but alas sin being in its full weight within set open the sluces and flood-gates of Gods displeasure and so let in the raging surges of cruel and intestine wars and brought it unto a heap of stones and to an uninhabitable place After Titus Vespasianus Souldiers had set the Temple on fire it was observed all the industry and skill that ever could bee used imagined or thought on could not quench it Titus sayes the history would gladly have preserved it What is it that God cannot do who is able to marshal and draw into a body even all the scattered forces that lye upon the face of the Creation together and draw forth their vigour vertue and so arm them and that which is more set on every degree of that vigour force that is in the creature according to the strength of his own powerful Arm Gods anger is able to change and alter the very nature of all creatures yea the smallest and the weakest and feeblest of them shall not onely go but run upon Arrands of Destruction in obedience to their chief Generalissimo who can
infinite mercy goodness and undeserved kindness of the Lord that every day in the Seas is not a stormy Sailors the Seas are turbulent because of you the winds above thunder and roar more over our heads every day than they would the skies are cloudy thick and foggy because of you and the Sun doth not give his light unto the Sea we take not our enemies in our chases because of you neither do wee nor can we bring them down with that violency as we might if you were but good and gracious a gloomy and a dreadful day as long as our ships are full of Diagoras's and drunken Zeno's c. I am confident there is more danger in going to Sea amongst the unsavoury crew that is in ships in England whether Merchant or Men of War than there was for Lot to stay in a stinking Sodome and yet in very deed he had been burnt if the two Angels had not come down from heaven to give him warning and to usher him out of the City whilst fire-balls were making in heaven Gen. 19. The Mariners that carried Jonah had like to have lost their lives what then may one expect in going amongst Sailors that are as full of sin and filthiness as a Dog is full of hairs and fleas 6. To put faith on work Christ was Reason 6 resolved to try Peter Matth. 14.29 30. But when hee saw the wind boysterous hee was afraid and beginning to sinke hee cried saying Lord save mee The German drinks down his sorrows the Spaniard weeps it away the French man sings it away and the Italian sleeps it away all these are but sorry shifts but if thou hast faith in God in stormy times this will make thee sweeter melody in thy foul than all the fidling jigs of Musik in the world Christ soon saw the weakness of his faith It is a strong faith that God delights in and indeed the greater the strength and boldness of it is in God the more it makes for Gods honour declaring him to bee All-sufficient in the worst and greatest of dangers Hee that is faith-proof may go with comfort to Sea whether to the East or to the West to the North or to the South nay such an one ma adventure to imbrace the Artick an Antartick Poles when as a faithless person is but like a Souldier without hi arms Get this grace of faith and thou wilt then see that all thy safety is in God that hee is thy only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Resson 7 7. That patience may bee set on work What a rare speech was that of Paulinus when under that great trial when the savage Goths had invaded the City Nola and ransacked it and taken from him all his richest goods out of his house and coffers hee yeelded not unto the stream of sorrow which might have carried him down into the gulf of despair When Cato's Souldiers were discouraged in their march through the Desart of Lybia because of thirst heat â—â—d and â—â—â—nts he 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 unto 〈◊〉 Come 〈◊〉 friends and â—â—at my â—â—uldiers impâ— nt and d câ—uraged these are all pleaâ—â— to a valiant man and to all the storms hazzards and dangers that Sailors meet with all to them that are both valiant and patient but striving against it hee lift up his hands to heaven after this manner Domine ne excrucier propter aurum argentum ubi enim omnia sunt mea tu scis Lord sayes hee let not the loss of these things vexe mee for thou knowest that my treasure is not in this world here was patience exercised The grace of patience is evermore in this world both at Sea and Land upon the trial and sanctified trials both do and will evermore leave in the soul a tranquil calm and quietness Heb. 12.11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to bee joyous but grievous nevertheless afterward it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby This is Patiences language Plura sunt tolleranda there be harder storms to bee undergone Job 13.15 Though hee slay mee yet will I trust in him as if hee should have said Should an harder storm come upon mee I would bear it without murmuring Patience will bear every thing quietly and sit as mute in the Sea in time of storms as that Egyptian's goddess whom they call Constancy which they paint upon a rock standing in the Sea where the waves come dashing and roaring upon her with this Motto Semper eadem Storms shall not move mee Certainly all repining comes from an unmortified and an unsanctified spirit the fault lyes not in any condition how desperate soever but in the heart because the heart stoops not to it 8. To set prayer on work If fire bee Reason 8 in straw it will not long lye hid Bias the great Philosopher sailing over some small arm of the Sea amongst the Mariners at that very time there fell a most dreadful storm amongst them insomuch that the ship he was in was greatly endangered of being cast away and the Mariners falling to their strange and confused kinde of prayer and worship the poor Philosopher could not indure it but calls to them and intreats them to hold their peace lest the gods should hear them and he should thereby fare the worse for them if grace bee in the heart it will appear in time of storms and this is the method that God uses many times to put Seamen upon prayer Isa 26.16 Lord in trouble have they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them Isa 33.2 O Lord bee gracious unto us wee have waited for thee he thou our arm every morning our salvation also in the time of trouble Storms are like the tolling of a Bell in a ship and when they are dreadful and violent they call all that are in the Seas at those times to prayer and fasting The dumb Son of Craesus could then speak when hee saw the knife at his fathers throat Storms will open those mens mouthes at Sea that never opened them to God in prayer in all their lives The Sea-mans devotion is up in a storm but dead and down in a calm Hee is religious whilst the judgements of the Lord are roaring upon the face of the great deeps but as great a Swearer Drunkard and Adulterer is hee after they are over as ever hee was Reason 9 9. To urge them to seek unto God for pardon of sin There is none under the whole heavens that are more in debt to God than the Sea-man is yet is hee as little sensible of it and as little affected with it as the insensiblest thing in the world either is or can bee But gracious and penitent souls are much troubled for their sins in time of storms looking upon them as the products of their misery and so cannot sleep upon the pillow of worldly enjoyments without a pardon in their hands and hearts The hunted
calm but intricate and desperate perils and hazards do and must they run in your affaires through the Seas to accomplish the work that you have in hand against our forein and cruel enemies That pitcher that goes long to the well comes home crackt at last But ten thousand pitties it is to and upon my spirit that any of your golden warlike boats should either perish in storms What Taxaris said to his Country-man Anacharsis when hee saw him in Athens the very same will I say unto any either in or out of England I will says hee shew thee all the wonders of Greece Viso Solone vidisti omnia So visis navibus nostris Anglicanis vidistis omnia They that see Englands warlike ships see the greatest wonders that are either in it or belonging to it or in any other accidents But alas they are not exempted from those ruines no more than others there are but few Trees that have their growth in the world that are free'd from the Thunder save the Lawrel and alas there bee very few ships but the winds and the Seas will have a bout with them Bee ever and anon looking for some sublunary and temporary accidents or other befalling of your ships they are out in the Sea where there is a million of dangers and not in the Harbour I would have you of the like resolution that Anaxagoras was of of whom it was said when news came to him that his son was dead that hee told the messenger hee knew full well that hee had begot him mortal Conclude you in the like manner that your ships the very best and strongest of them are but made up of wasting and frangible materials and ingredients and the looking for the approaching of these like contingencies now and then will in fine tend to the setlement I and to the better establishment of an Heroical spirit under them When the great Naval or the inferior rank of your ships are in their Harbours they are in the greatest safety that can bee but when out at Sea they are not onely lyable but must stand to all the hazzards that shall happen and befall them 3. You that are the great Merchants of England stand in need of cautioning to look for storms Your ships are a meer uncertainty whilst in the perilous Sea an obscurity a fallacy one while they are and by and by they are not they are like to stars which for a while appear but by and by disappear or meteors in the air or as the black dive-dappers in the salt-waters or as the flock of birds that lighted in the husband-mans field and when hee thought they had been his they took wing and flew away Yea they are not unlike to Bajazet that ball of fortune as one termed him because it was one while well with him and another while it went most sadly you live its true in the brave accomplished and best Cities and Sea-port-Towns in the Land but whilst you are on Land your great adventures are in dreadfull dangers in the Seas in one bottom it may be that you have a thousand in another four and in another twenty and truly there is small wisdom of adventuring all in one bottom I have read of one that wittily said hee never liked that wealth that hangs in ropes meaning ships because where one ship came well home twenty perished and miscarried and have you not great reason to fear and look for losses do not think that all the ships that you have either in the East or in the West in the North and in the South shall come all safely home The country Shepherd that puts his Lambs Ews to pasture upon the great and wide forrests does not think to find them all the next day some are worried with the dog some with the wolf and othersome taken away by stealth Many times your interests are seised on by storms sometimes by Pyrats and other sometimes by Rocks and Sands Qui in immenso mari navigant valde turbantur The Seas are not unlike to an hilly and mountainous country through which they that travel after they bee in the bottom of one Valley they know not what danger of way-liers may bee in the next it is the very same at Sea for it is not many leagues that one can see upon a direct line and what Pyrats may bee in those places the eye cannot reach unto is not known to the Mariner but the proverb is Sub omni lapide dormitat Australis Scorpius There is a peevish Pyrat in every corner to fetch off your ships from comming to you But to proceed My speech is unto and towards all the Sea-men again that they would make sure of one thing that I would fasten upon them were I able to drive the nail of Truth to the head in all their hearts and that is shortly this 1. That they would prepare themselves for storms Whilst Sea-men loose from the shoar of life they lanch out into the main of mortality immortality and that you may follow this sweet and blessed counsel that the Spirit of my God has put into my heart for to tell you of I will give you directions what you should do 1. Get sin pardoned to you 2. Rest not either on Sea or on Land till God bee at peace with you And when you have accomplished these two things go whither thou wilt Me thinks Sea-men do not look like those whom God will bless for the want of their putting on for these two things and the God of Heaven go along with thy poor soul then mayst thou leave the Land for many daies with a great deal of comfort 1. Get sin pardoned to you or else it would bee better for thee that thou never wentest to Sea How darest thou that art a Captain a Master a Lieutenant a Boatswain a Gunner a Carpenter a Purser or a common Sea-man be so bold to venture to Sea with thy back burthen of sin unremitted Ah how ought you to stand in fear of that God whilst you are in the Seas that is ablest to set on and to call upon the winds to destroy you and when you go with sin unpardoned may you not daily expect the roaring storms of the Lords displeasure Isa 7.18.19 And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall hiss for the Flye that is in the uttermost parts of the rivers of Egypt and for the Bee that is in the Land of Assyria If it were my case now as it is yours I should verily fear every hour that I spent upon the Sea that God would hisse for the North South East or West winds to rear the vessel I were in to pieces should I venture to Sea without a pardon and an acceptation of my person with and from my God Take heed lest that the Lord do hear you swear c. If you give him occasion hee can presently hiss for the winds to overwhelm you and
night and so consequently is able at his pleasure to make it stormy or calm comfortable or dreadful It is the counsel of the Wise man and I present it to you for I know none stand more need of it than your selves Prov. 23.17 Bee thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long None knows what may happen unto them before the Sun goes down 4. If you would prepare for storms take fast hold on God by the hand of faith before they come and also when they come Job 13.15 Though hee stay mee yet will I trust in him Though hee should bring tempest after tempest upon thee let not thy hold go but take as fast hold of him as ever wrestling Jacob did upon his God and thou wilt finde both safety and comfort enough 5. Would you know now Sailors why the Lord sends many storms upon you And would you know also what Gods ends and aims are in storms I will give you in a few grounds to those preceding ones that I presented unto you and the first will bee this 1. That Gods aim in stormy winds is not alwayes for destruction but sometimes for trial Matth. 8.25 Gold is often thrown into the fire but what is the Goldsmiths end in so doing not that it should bee consumed but fined 2. God sits by his blowing blasts I know not whether it would bee worse or no that the heavens should alwayes look upon us with one face or ever varying for as continuall change of weather causes uncertainty of health so a permanent settledness of one season causeth the certainty of distempers perpetual moysture dissolves us perpetual heat evaporates or inflames us cold stupifies us and drought obstructs and withers us and stormy winds that are sent out upon the Seas you sit not more carefully by to hand in your Top-gallant Sails or Top-sails when winds blow high and fresh than hee doth sit by the winds to keep them from destroying of you The Goldsmith sits not more carefully by that precious metal to watch its first melting than hee doth by the winds lest that they should wrong your vessels This God doth for those that fear him in the Seas 3. Storms come for improvement God would have the grace of faith and of patience exercised Matth. 8.25 2. It will not bee amiss if that you that are the Great Statesmen of our land prepare for storms It is true you are out of the wind-blowing Sea blasts whilst on land but your gallant and sumptuous warlike Sea-boats are in them oftentimes at Sea Well all that I shall say unto your Honours is this Prepare to meet ill news and sad and dismal accidents to befall them now and then that comes in an hour that usually falls not out in an hundred And grant that ships bee cast away It was a brave minde that Antisthenes was of when hee desired nothing else in all the world to make his life either comfortable or happy with but the spirit of Socrates which was of that temper that it could cheerfully bear the saddest tydings that ever came or the greatest evills that ever befell man or that any other fatal Omen do befall them hee that trusteth in the Lord shall not bee moved at it Psal 112.7 Hee shall not bee afraid of evil tydings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. 3. It will not bee out of my way to give the great Merchants of our land the same advertisement to prepare for storms Gentlemen It is with your ships at Sea if but without Convoyes as it was with Aesops Geese and Cranes that were feeding in one Pasture altogether Venatoribus autem visis understand Pyrats the Cranes being light bodied volatiles betook themselves to their wings and would not stay to answer the reckoning but the Geese that were heavy bodied Sailors capti fuerunt were taken and knocked in the head by the Hunters The best Sailor escapes when the slowest falls into the Pyrats hands Great losses come upon you many times and how will you take and entertain the sad news that shall and oftentimes doth come to your ears of one ship lost in the North another in the South may bee one in the East and another in the West if you bee not prepared for this news it will bee too heavy a triall for you to bear When you send out your ships prepare for the worst and expect not alwayes the best and I will assure you that what ever contingencies befall you they will bee the more comportable for your spirits I have great ventures at Sea some in one bottome and some in another some in the Eastern parts of the world other some in the Western some in the Northern and some in the Southern and if the Lord will bee pleased to return them in safety I shall bee very thankful unto my God and if not I will pray for patience and strength to submit to his will As soon as ever the Souldier hath intelligence of the enemies advancing towards him hee prepares for the battel at the sound of Trumpet and the beat of Drum and on goes his best arms and armour for his defence and safeguard and the like provisions should you make in my apprehensions for the ships that you have out in perilous Seas But to proceed to the next words of counsel that I would present unto our Sea-men it will bee shortly this 3. And lastly Bear storms stoutly when dangerous and perilous sinking and shipwracking storms and tempests are upon you bear them couragiously with patience silence and without all murmuring or repining and without all passion choler distemper or any other unquietness of spirit or thinking hardly of the Lord. When David was under affliction wee hear no more of him but this Psal 39.9 I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou didst it Plutarch in a consolatory Epistle to his good wife on the death of a child amongst many other arguments sent her this Wee must alwayes think well of what the gods do And will not you Sea-men think well of the Lord when it goes either ill or well with you at any time Vlysses encouraged his companions thus when in a raging storm upon the Sea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Sirs saith he Wee are not now to learn what sorrows are When ill news came to Eli how did he bear it 1 Sam. 3.18 And hee said It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good Paul and Silas were so far from murmuring and repining that they were very cheerful when in the Dungeon and Philpot and his fellows when in the Cole-house and the many Martyrs when in the flames It was a gallant speech of Stilpo that great Philosopher when King Demetrius had sacked that famous City of Megaera to the very foundation hee asked the Philosopher what losses hee had sustained none at all quoth hee for war can make no spoyl of vertue Jewel when banished comforted himself with this
unreasonable thing for him to bee idle when the greatest and best of Citizens were in an Hubbub and in Arms Now then you that live on Land let mee tell you thus much it becomes you not to be idle spectators but rather pious abertors yea zealous cordial assisters of them that go in the Sea wars both with your purses and prayers and where are your prayers your thoughts and considerations of what God is doing and will do in the world Do not you see what changes chances alterations wars maladies mutations and eversions are falling upon many States Kingdoms and Commonwealths in these days and whence come they come they not from the Lord. Who so is wise will observe these things Psal 107.43 2. By Shipping And this I will lay forth in two things wherein wee may take our enimies down 1. In their Plate-Fleet 2. In their Merchandizings 1. In their Plate-Fleet This is another instrumental way and means under God to bring them down By keeping out an Annual and strong Armado we shall cut them off from sending out and receiving of their Plate-Fleet which indeed they would if we had not good store of shipping to lye in and upon the Southern Seas This Fleet brings them in such vast sums of money every year besides many other pretious and costly things that they prick up their ears both against and above all Nations Money we all know is the very sinnews of war take that away and there is an end of war and that Kings high stomack that is in and under the want of it In Siedges wee all know that an enemies aym is to deprive them of the benefit of their springs wells and fountains and if they can but draw these away from them let their Castles bee never so impregnable their Cities never so inaccessible and their Towns never so powerful and strongly walled they will soon bring them to a parly and a solliciting surrender If wee can but hold out some few years in keeping out Fleets to deprive the Spaniard of his Plate-Fleet that has come unto him year by year the failing of these mony-springs will greatly impoverish him and lose him many of his Provinces and also bring him into a better decorum of subjection unto England England is esteemed in by the world to bee but a shovel full of earth for so the great Turk said when hee looked in the Maps of the world asked some of his Nobles where it was to whom they said that his Thumb covered the sight of it Here is a shovel full of earth indeed quoth the Turk I will take it and hurl it into the Sea or husse it over the Moon The less thou art little England the more instrumental for ought I know in the hands of God to carry on his designs The Land of Canaan was far less and yet it became the terrour of the whole world If wee look into the wars that are now extant in the Holy Writ of God a handfull evermore under God did the work And if wee look into nearer times in our own wars and battels wee shall find that they have evermore been sought and purchased by a few and unlikely instruments Grudge not in the mean time my Friends at the costly and war-like ships that are built in England and now employed upon and about this very design which is both very excellent and superlative aiming at the bringing down of the Pope and Spaniard and of bringing England into the like liberty of trading which the Spaniard has in the Indies where Gold and Silver will bee as free for you as him Did not the well-affected in England formerly send in their Plate and their very Rings off their fingers and Bodkins out of their heads that the war might bee carried on against the enemy that would have grind the faces of the Godly unto powder And in so doing you did well for you have got the thing you desired even your back burdens of peace and sweet Christian liberty you may now bee as holy as you will consider then that other Nations are far from what you enjoy they are still under bondage and thraldom Oh remember them that are in bonds as though you were bound with them 2. In their Merchandizing By our carefull diligent and circumspect keeping out of war-like Fleets upon the Seas wee shall detain them from their trading from Nation to Nation which will prove a very great disadvantage and annoyance to bee deprived of it This will make them to bite upon the bridle What sorer punishment can there befall them than this in respect they cannot look out into the Seas with any ship or ships but wee have Men of War ready to snap them And this is the course that wee are now taking with the Spaniard for his cursed Inquisition and his denying of England a free trade into the Indies as well as himself Take notice of this well known proud speech of the Spaniards and you will soon see that there is good reason in keeping of them at the staffs end It is extant to this day Te veto ne pergas bello defendere Belgas Quae Dracus eripuit nunc restituatur oportet Quas Pater evertit jubeo te condere cellas Religio Papae fac restituatur ad unguem Englished These to you are our Commands I would hearten on all the Sailors in the States Service to bee as valiant against the Spaniard as the two Scipios Pub. and Cu. Cornelius was who were famous for their wars in Spain and against the Carthaginians so that they were ever called the Duo fulmina belli The two thunder-bolts of war Claudius Marcellus fought 51 Battels for whose valour they ever after stiled him Gladius Romani Populi The Sword of the Romans I would have our Sailors to take after these fighting praesidents Send no help toth ' Nether-lands Now they say by Blake Of the treasure took by Drake Restitution you must make And those Abbies build anew Which your Fathers overthrew If for any peace you hope In all points restore the Pope Unto which Ambassage the Queen of England the most famous Princess in the world returned this bold smiling and disregarding answer Ad Graecas bone Rex fiant mandata calendas Worthy King know this your will At latter Lammas wee 'l fulfill Thus much I dare promise all the Sailors in England that whilst they or any people fearing the Lord do walk in obedience and conformity unto God they shall have the upper hand of their enemies whether far off or near at home Levit. 26.7 8. And yee shall chase your enemies and they shall fall before you by the sword And five of you shall chase an hundred an hundred of you shall put ten hundred to flight and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword It appears now that the spirit of courage and valour is from the Lord When Henry the fifth King of England before the battel
at Agincourt heard of the great warlike praeparations that the King of France made against him hee began to bee exceedingly perplexed One of his Commanders standing by made answer that if there were so many there were enough to bee killed enough to bee taken prisoners and enough to run away which resolute speech of his much cheered up the King I would not haue Sea-men to regard how many their enemies bee but where they are who by small and weak means does often times effect great and wonderfull things to that end the glory of all may bee his What the Lacedaemonians once sung of in their three dances I think it may bee sung of England The first was of Old men and they sung Wee have been young and strong and valiant heretofore Till crooked age did hold us back and bid us do no more The second of Young men who sang Wee yet are young bold strong and ready to maintain That quarrel still against all men that do on earth remain The third of Children who sang And wee do hope as well to pass you all at last And that the world shall witness bee ere many years bee past To sparkle our English spirits a little that go in the Seas against the Spaniard Look Look Sailors upon that brave Military and fighting spirit that breathed in Epaminondas who most nobly said that if all the riches of the world should be given him they should not draw him off from any the least duty and service that hee owed his Country Let me tell all the brave spirited Sailors in England that go in the wars against the Spaniard that Pulchrum est pro patria mori It is a very commendable thing for men freely and valiantly to venture and lay down their lives for the welfare safety and priviledges of the Countries they live in belong unto Look upon Reverend Mr. Calvin of whom Mr. Beza tells us that in the year 1556. when Perin had conspired against the State of Geneva that hee ran into the midst of their naked swords to appease the tumult well knowing that Nemo sibi natus that men are not born for themselves but for their Country Look upon brave spirited Cratisolea the mother of Cleomenes when hee was loth to send her for a pledge to Egypt she said unto him come come put mee into a ship and send mee whither thou wilt that this body of mine may doe some good for my Country before crooked age consume my life without profit Look upon King Edward of England whom the Chronicles of Flanders tell of when warring against Philip Valesius King of France hee couragiously sent him a challenge in his letters and offered him three Conditions 1. Either person to person 2. A thousand against a thousand 3. or Army against Army But the King of France durst admit of none of them Sailors you have to deal with an enemy that is like to Plutarchs Nightingale of whom it is said that shee sung purely and made a great busling in the woods as if shee had been some greater bird like the fly upon the Charet wheel who was heard to say Oh what a dust do I raise but when shee came once to bee handled and finding little meat on her hee raps out into discontent vox es praeterea nihil You know the applicatory part I may say of England now as a great Politician once said very well Nulla magna Civitas quiescere diu potest si foris hostem non invenit quaerit domi No Nation can long bee quiet or at peace for if it have no enemies abroad it shall and will so on find some at home I leave you to find out my meaning Gentlemen You have run valiantly upon the Swords Pikes Halberds Gun-mouthes Fire-ships and the ragged ship-sides of your enemies in former wars to purchase that peace that England is now in possession of but is your work all done now Shew your selves as hardy and as stout as ever against the enemies of Christ and following these rare Examples I have presented you with all to whet up your spirits Haec imitamini per Deos immortales qui dignitatem qui laudem qui gloriam quaeritis haec ampla sunt haec rara haec immortalia haec fama celebrantur monimentis annalium mandantur posteritati propagantur c. Vers 24. These see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the Deep IF I have trespassed in detaining you so long in the porch Let me tell you every thing that I have touched upon lay so fairly in my road that I could not otherwise chuse but let all ly by the Lee till I had sufficiently spoke with and to those things that I know stands in need of reprooving and correcting in the Seas I have done my part in speaking advertisingly unto the graceless crew that goes in the salt-waters Oh that the Lord would not bee unwilling to do his part upon them and to pitty them that have no pitty upon themselves And besides I have not onely laid them down many very good and profitable rules but I have also spoke of many other things which lay in my way My purpose is now to lead you into the Pallace where you shall have a clear and delightful view of all those various objects and scattered excellencies that lye up and down upon the face of the creation which are onely seen by those that go down into the Seas and by no other These see the works of the Lord c. in the Hebrew who see c. If the question bee demanded who sees them the answer is easily returned they that go down into the Seas in ships And who are those may the question be Answ They are Sea-men or Sailors and these bee the men that have the fullest and clearest aspect of the creation above all people under the Heavens whatsoever These see the works of the Lord c. As if David were a going to say It is not those that sit on land and travel no further than the Soil of their nativity no no but it is those that lanch off the shore into the Main to arrive in forein and far remote Countries that have the sight of those heart-ravishing varieties of Gods six days works and wonders Undoubtedly the Psalmist took great delight and pleasure in holding discourse with some of the best disposed It is worth the while to talk with Sea-men provided they be pious sober and civil for they have more admirable passages to tell you of than all the world besides What Plinie said of the Nightingale I will say of the Mariner Si quis adest auditor Philomela prius animus quam canius deficiet The Nightingale is a bird that if any one will but give her the hearing shee will sing her self sooner out of breath than out of tune and well-minded of the Mariners because this Scripture comes droppingly and admiringly from David as if he had been amongst