is to bind Sampson with green wit hs whilst his locks remain upon his head I will shut up this with the Advice of that divine Poet Mr. George Herbert it may be it may affect thee and run in thy thoughts when thou art alone Take not his Name who made thy mouth in vain it gets thee nothing and hath no excuse Lust and wine plead a pleasure avarice gain but the cheap Swearer though his open sluce Le ts his Soul run for nought as little fearing VVere I an Epicure I could hate swearing VVhen thou dost tell another jest therein Omit the Oathes which true VVit cannot need Pick out of tales the mirth but not the sin He pares his apple that will cleanly feed Play not away the virtue of that Name VVhich is thy best stake when grief makes thee tame The cheapest sins most dearly punisht are because to shon them also is so cheap For we have wit to mark them and to spare O crumble not away thy Souls fair heap If thou wilt die the gates of Hell are broad Pride and full sins have made the way a road III. CAUTION THe next danger I shall give you warning of is the sin of Vncleanness with which I fear too many of the rude and looser sort of Sea-men defile themselves and possibly the temptations to this sin are advantaged and strengthened upon them more than others by their condition and employments Let no Man be offended that I here give warning of this evil I intend to asperse no Man's person nor raise up jealousie against any but would faithfully discharge my duty to all and that in all things It was the complaint of Salvian many hundred years ago that he could not speak against the Vices of men but one or other would thus object There he meant me he hit me and so storm and fret Alas as he replieth it is not we that speak to you but your own Conscience we speak to the Order but Conscience speaks to the Person I shall use no other Apology in this case That this Sin is a dreadful Gulph a Quick-sand that hath suck'd and destroyed thousands is truly apparent both from Scripture and Experience Solomon tells us Prov. 22. 14. That it is a deep ditch into which such as are abhorred of the Lord shall fall Oh the multitudes of dead that are there And if so I cannot in duty to God or love to you be silent where the danger is so great It is both needless and besides my intention here to insist largely upon the explication of the particulars in which uncleanness is distributed the more ordinary and common sins of this kind are known by the names of Adultery and Fornication the latter is when single persons come together out of the state of marriage the former is when at least one of the persons committing uncleanness is contracted in marriage This now is the evil I shall warn you of And that thou mayst never fall into this pit I shall endeavour to fence and hedge up thy way to it by these ensuing Arguments And Oh that the light of every Argument may be powerfully reflected upon your Conscience Many men are very wise in generals but very vain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the reasonings or imaginations as the Apostle calls them Rom. 1. 22. i. e. in their practical inferences They are good at speculation but bunglers at application But it is truth in the particulars that like an hot Iron pierces and Oh that you might find these to be such in your Soul To that end consider Arg. 1. The names and titles by which this sin is known in scripture are very vile and base The Spirit of God doubtless hath put such odious names upon it on purpose to deter and affright men from it In general it 's called Lust and so as one notes it beareth the name of its mother It is Vncleanness in the abstract Nuâ—b 5. 19. Filthiness it self An abomination Ezek. 22. 11. And they that commit are called abominable Revel 21. 8. Varro saith the word imports that which is not lawful to mention or rather abominable persons are such as are not fit for the society of men such as should be â—usht out of all mens company They are rather to be reckoned to beasts than man Yea the Scripture compares them to the filthiest of beasts even to Dogs When Ishbosheth charged this sin upon Abner 2 Sam. 3. 8. Am I a Dogs head saith he that thou chargest me with a fault concerning this woman And in Deut. 23. 18. The hire of a whore and the price of a dog are put together The expression of this lust in words or gesture is called neighing Jer. 5. 8. Even as fed horses do that scatter their lust promiscuously Or if the Scripture speaks of them as men yet it allows them but the external shape of men not the undeâ—standing of men Among the Jews they were called Fools in Israel 2 Sam. 13. 13. and so Prov. 6. 32. Whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding And sinners Luke 7. 37. And behold a woman that was a â—inner that is an eminent notorious sinner by which term the Scripture deciphers an unclean person as if among sinners there were none of such a prodigious stature in sin as they And we find that when the spirit of God would set forth any sin by an odious name he calls it Adultery so Idolatry is called Adultery Ezek. 16. 32. And indeed this spiritual and corporal Adultery oftentimes are found in the same persons They that give themselves up to the one are by a righteous hand of God given up to the other as it is too manifestly and frequently exemplified in the World So earthly-mindedness hath this name put upon it oâ— purpose to affright men from it Iam. 4. 4. Now certainly God would never borrow the name of this sin to set out the evil of other sins if it were not most vile and abominable It 's call'd the sin of the Gentiles or heathen 1 Thes. 4. 5. And oh that we could say it were only among them that know not God! Now then are you able to look these Scriptures in the face and not blush Oh what a sin is this Art thou willing to be ranked with Fools Dogs Sinners Heathens and take thy lot with them God hath planted that affection of shame in thy nature to be as a guard against such filthy lusts it 's a sin that hath filthiness enough in it to defile the tongue that mentions it Ephes. 5. 3. Arg. 2. It is a sin that the God of Heaven hath often prohibited and severely condemned in the Word which abundantly declares his abhorrence of it You have prohibition upon prohibition and threatning upon threatning in the Word against it Exod. 20. 14. Thou shalt not commit adultery This was delivered upon Mount Sinai with the greatest solemnity and terrour by the mouth of God himself Turn to and ponder the following
enjoy it The business you have to do in it is of unspeakable weight and concernment this great work this Soul-work and Eternity-work lies upon your hands you are cast into streights of time about it And if so Oh what an evil is it in you to waste it away thus to no purpose Arg. 3. It 's a sin that few are sensible of as they are of other sins and therefore the more dangerous It 's commonly committed and that without checks of Conscience Other sins as Murther and Adultery though they be horrid sins yet are but seldom committed and when they are Conscience is startled at the horridness of them Few except they be prodigious wretches indeed dare make light of them But now for idle and vain words there are inumerable swarms of these every day and few regard them The intercourse betwixt the heart and tongue is quick they are quickly committed and as easily forgotten Arg. 4. And then 4thly They have mischievous effects upon others How long doth an idle word or foolish jest stick in mens minds and become an occasion of much sin to them The froath and vanity of thy Spirit which thy tongue so freely vents among thy vain Companions may be working in their minds when thou art in the dust and so be transmitted from one to another for unto that no more is requisite than an objective existence of those vain words in their memories And thus mayst thou be sinning in the persons of thy Companions when thou art turned into dust And this is one reason that Suarez gives for a general Judgment after men have past their particular judgment immediately after their death Because saith he after this multitudes of sins by their means will be committed in the world for which they must yet be judged to a fuller measure of wrath So that look as many of the precious Servants of God now in glory have left many weighty and holy Sayings behind them by which many thousands of souls have been benefitted and God glorified on Earth after they had left it So thou leavest that vanity upon the mind of others behind thee by which he may be dishonoured to many generations And then 2. For PROPHANE OATHES thâ— corrupt fruit of a graceless heart Oh how common are these among you yea the habit of swearing 〈◊〉 so strengthened in some that they have lost all Sensâ—â—â— and Conscience of the sin Now Oh that I mighâ— prevail with you to repent of this wickedness anâ— break the force of this customary evil among you Will you but give me the reading of a few pageâ— more and weigh with the reason of men what yoâ— read If you will not hearken to counsel it is a fatâ— sign 2 Cor. 2. 15 16. and you shall mourn for thâ— obstinacy hereafter Prov. 5. 12 13. Desperate that evil that scorns the remedy And if you haâ—â— patience to read it the Lord give you an heart 〈◊〉 consider what you read and obey the Counsels of God or else it were better thine eyes had never â—een these lines Well then I beseech you consider Arg. 1. That prophane Oathes are an high abuse of the dreadful and sacred Name of God which should neither be spoken or thought of without the â—â—eepest awe and reverence It is the taking of that â—acred Name in vain Exod. 20. 7. Now God is â—xceeding tender and jealous over his Name it is â—ear to him his Name is dreadful and glorious Malac. 1. 14. I am a great King and my Name is â—readful among the Heathens The Heathen would â—ot ordinarily mention the names of such as they â—everenced Suetonius saith that Augustus proâ—ibited the common use of his name he thought it 〈◊〉 indignity to have his name tost up and down in â—very one's mouth Yea saies Dr. Willet on Exod. 〈◊〉 it was a use among them to keep secret such â—ames as they would have in reverence They durst â—ot mention the name of Demogorgon whom they â—eld to be the first God They thought when he â—as named the earth would tremble Also the â—â—me of Murcurius Trismegistus was very sparingly â—ed because of that reverence the people had for 〈◊〉 Now consider shall poor worms be so tender 〈◊〉 preserving the reverence of their names Shall 〈◊〉 Heathens dare to use the names of their Idols 〈◊〉 shall the sacred and dreadful name of the true 〈◊〉 be thus bandied up and down by tongues of his 〈◊〉 Creatures Will not God be avenged for these â—ses of his Name Be confident it shall one day 〈◊〉 sanctified upon you in judgment because ye did 〈◊〉 sanctifie it according to your duty Arg. 2. Swearing is a part of the Worship of 〈◊〉 and therefore prophane swearing can be no less than the profanation of his worship and robbingâ—â— him of all the glory he has thereby Deut. 6. 13. â— Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him and shalt swear by his Name So Jer. 4. 2. Thou shalâ— swear the Lord liveth in Truth in Iudgment and 〈◊〉 Righteousness If a man swear by God after thiâ— manner God is exceedingly glorified thereby Now that you may see what revenue of Glory Goâ—â—â— hath from this part of his worship and how it beâ—omes a part of Divine Worship you must know That an Oath is nothing else but The asking oâ— desiring a Divine Testimony for the confirmation of thâ— truth of our testimony Heb. 6. 16. For men verilâ— swear by the greater and an Oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife The corruption oâ— humane nature by the fall has made man such a falsâ— and â—ickle creature that his single testimony cannoâ— be sufficient Security for another especially iâ— weighty Cases to rest upon and therefore iâ— swearing he calleth â—od for a witness of the trutâ— of that he affirms or promiseth I say calleth Goâ— to be a witness of the truth of what he saith becauâ—â— he is Truth it self and cannot lie Heb. 6. 18. Noâ— this calling for or asking of a Testimony from Goâ— makes an Oath become a part of Gods Worshiâ— and gives him a great deal of Glory and Honour For hereby he that sweareth acknowledgeth 〈◊〉 Omnisciency and Infallible Truth and Righteousneâ—â—â— His Omnisciency is acknowledged for by this appeâ—â— to Him we imply and acknowledge him to be 〈◊〉 Searcher of the hearts and reins that he knows 〈◊〉 secret intents and meaning of our spirits His 〈◊〉 preme and Infallible Truth is also acknowledged 〈◊〉 this is manifestly carried in an Oath That thougâ— am a false and deceitful Creature and my affirmatiâ—â— cannot obtain universal and full credence yet that is greater than I by whose Name I swear cannot deceive And lastly his Righteousness is acknowledged in an Oath for he that sweareth doth either expresly or implicitly put himself under the curse and wrath of God if he swear falsely Every Oath hath â—n execration or imprecation in it Neh. 10. 29. They entered into a curse and an
Supreme Good in the enjoyment of whom all true happiness lies Psal. 4. 6 7. Mat. 5. 8. 18. 20. 3. That Life eternal lying in God and he being incomprehensible and unconceivable in Essence as being a Spirit our best way to eye him is in his Attributes Exod. 34. 5 6 7. and works Rom. 1. 20. and especially in his Son 2 Cor. 4. 6. 4. That as God is a Spirit so our chiefest yea only way of knowing enjoying serving and walking with him is in the Spirit likewise Ioh. 4. 24. Concerning Christ we must know 1. That he is the true Sun which ariseth upon the World by which all are enlightned Iohn 1. 9. Mal. 3. 2. Luke 1. 78 79. 2. That God alone is in him reconciling himself to the World 2 Cor. 5. 19. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Iohn 14. 6. 3. That Jesus Christ is only made ours by the union and in-dwelling of himself in us through the spirit 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. and 6. 17. Ioh. 16. 8 9. 1 Cor. 12. 3. 13. 4. That the way of the spirits uniting us to Christ is by an act of Power on his part and by an act of Faith on our parts Iohn 3. 16. last 5. 29. Eph. 3. 17. Concerning Holiness we must know 1. That whoever is in Christ is a new creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. 1 Cor. 6. 11. 2. Holiness is the Souls highest lustre Exod. 15. 11. when we come to perfection in Holiness then is our Sun at the height in us 3. Holiness is Christ filling the Soul Christ our Sun is at highest in our hearts when they are most holy 4. This Holiness is that which is directly opposite to sin sin eclipses holiness and holiness scatters sin Heb. 7. 26. Phil. 2. 15. 2 Pet. 3. 11. Concerning Death we must know 1. Death is certain the Sun of our Life will set in Death when our days come about to this Western-point it will be night Heb. 9. 27. Psal. 49. 7 9. 2. If we die in our sins out of Christ we are undone for ever Iob 8. 24. Phil. 1. 21. 3. It is our benighting to die but it 's not our annihilating 1 Cor. 15. Rev. 20. 12. 4. After Death comes Judgment all that die shall arise to be judged either for life or death the second time Heb. 9. 27. Mat. 25. Heb. 6. 2. These four heads and the particulars under them are as necessary to be known in Spiritual Navigation as the four Points of the Compass are in Natural Navigation The things which we ought to do in order to our arrival to our Happiness our Author makes as many as there be Points in the Compass And for an help to memory we may begin every particular with initial known Letters on the Points of the Compass 1. N. Never stir or steer any course but by â—ight from God Psal. 119. 105. Isa. 8. 10. 2. N. and by E. Never Enter upon any Design but such as tends towards Christ Act. 10. 43. 3. N. N. E. Note Nothing Enviously which thrives without God Psal. 73. 12 13. 4. N. E. and by N. Never Enterprize Not-warrantable courses to procure any the most prized or conceited advantages 1. Tim. 6. 9 10. 5. N. N. E. Now Entertain the sacred Commands of God if hereafter thou expect the soveraign consolations of God Psal. 119. 48. 6. N.E. and by E. Never Esteem Egypt's Treasures so much as for them to forsake the People of God Heb. 11. 26. 7. E. N. E. Err not Especially in soul-affairs Ia. 1. 16. 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. 2 Tim. 2. 18. 8. E. and by N. Eschew Nothing but sin 1 Pet. 3. 11. Iob 1. 7 8-31 34. 9. E. Establish thy heart with grace Heb. 13. 9. 10. E. and by S. Eye Sanctity in every action 1 Pet. 1. 15. Zech. 14. 29. 11. E. S. E. Ever Strive Earnestly to live under and to improve the means of Grace 12. S.E. and by E. Suffer Every Evil of punishment of sorrow rather than leave the ways of Christ and Grace 13. S.E. Sigh Earnestly for more enjoyments of Christ. 14. S.E. and by S. Seek Evermore some Evidences of Christ in you the hope of glory 15. S.S.E. Still Set Eternity before you in regard of enjoying Jesus Christ Ioh. 17. 24. 16. S. and by E. Settle't Ever in your soul as a principle which you will never depart from that holiness and true happiness are in Christ and by Christ. 17. S. Set thy self always as before the Lord Psal. 16. 8. Acts 2. 25. 18. S and by W. See Weakness hastning thee to death even when thou art at the highest pitch or point 19. S. S. W. See Sin Which is the sting of Death as taken away by Christ 1 Cor. 15. 55 56. 20. S.W. and by S. Store up Wisely Some provisions every day for your dying day 21. S.W. Set Worldly things under your feet before death come to look you in the face 22. S.W. and by W. Still Weigh and Watch with loins girded and lamps trimmed Luk. 12. 35 36 37. 23. W. S. W. Weigh Soul-Works and all in the ballance of the Sanctuary 24. W. and by S. Walk in Sweet communion with Christ here and so thou maist die in peace Luk. 2. 29. 25. W. Whatsoever thy condition be in this world eye God as the disposer of it and therein be contented Phil. 4. 11. 26. W. and by N. Walk Not according to the course of the most but after the example of the best 27. W.N. W. Weigh Not What men speak or think of thee so God approve thee 2 Chro. 10. 18. Rom. 2. 28 29. 28. N. W. and by W. Never Wink at but Watch against small sins nor neglect little duties Eph. 5. 15. 29. N.W. Never Wish rashly for death nor love life too inordinately Iob 3. 4. 30. N. W. and by N. Now Work Nimbly ere night come Ioh. 12. 35 36. Eceles 9. 10. 31. N. N. W. Name Nothing When thou pleadest with God for thy Soul but Christ and Free-grace Dan. 9. 17. 32. N. and by W. Now Welcome Christ if at death thou wilt be welcomed by Christ. A tender quick enlivened and enlightened Conscience is the only Point upon which we must erect these Practical Rules of our Christian Compass Heb. 13. 1. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our Memory that is the Box in which this Compass must be kept in which these Rules must be treasured that we may be as ready and expert in them as the Marriner is in his Sea-compass So much for the speculative and practical parts of the Art of Soul-Spiritual-Navigation The Affectionate part doth principally lie in the secret motions or movings of the Soul towards God in the Affections which are raised and warmed and especially appear active in Meditation Meditation being as it were the Limbeck or Still in which the Affections heat and melt and as it were drop sweet spiritual Waters The affectionate Author of the Christians Compass doth indeed in the third and last part of his Undertaking hint
wise men after the flesh c. But God hath chosen the â—oolish things of this world c. REFLECTION How inexcusable then art thou O my Soul and how mute and confounded must thou needs stand before the bar of God in that great day Thou hadst a Talent of natural parts committed to thee but which way have they been improved I had an Understanding indeed but it was not sanctified a Memory but it was like a Sieve that let go the Corn and retain'd nothing but Husks and Chaff Wit and Invention but alas none to do my self good Ah! how will these rise in judgment against me and stop my mouth What account shall I give for them in that day Again Are men otherwise prudent and skillful such sots and fools in spiritual things Then let the poor weak Christian whose natural parts are blunt and dull admire the riches of God's Free grace to him O what an astonishing consideration is this That God should pass by Men of the profoundest Natural parts and chuse me even poor me whose Natural Faculties and Endowments compared with theirs are but as Led to Gold Thus under the Law he past by the Lion and Eagle and chose the Lamb and Dove O how should it make me to advance Grace as Christ doth upon the same account Matth. 11. 25. I thank thee Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes And let it ever be an humbling consideration to me For who made me to differ Is not this one principal thing God aims at in calling such as I am that boasting may be excluded and himself alone exalted THE POEM One thing doth very much affect my mind To see the Sea-man husband every Wind With exc'llent Art he shifts the Sails and knows How to improve the barest VVind that blows If a direct or fore-right gale he want A side-wind serves his turn tho' ne'r so scant And will not this one day in judgment rise Against your Soul Ah! can you be so wise In smaller matters what and yet not know How to improve fresh gales of Grace that blow Fast mor'd in sin your wind-bound Souls can lie And let these precious gales rise blow and die Sometimes on your Affections you may feel Such gracious breathings Ab but hearts of steel They move you not nor cause you to relent Though able like Elijah's VVind to rent The Rocks asunder If you do not prize Those breathings other VVinds will shortly rise And from another quarter those once gone Then next look out for an Euroclydon A dreadful storm how soon no Man can tell But when it comes 't will blow such Souls to Hell CHAP. IX If Sea-men lose a gale there they may lie The Soul when once becalm'd in sin may die OBSERVATION SEa-men are very watchful to take their opportunity of Wind and Tide and it much concerns them so to be The neglect of a few hours sometimes loses them their passage and proves a great detriment to them They know the Wind is an uncertain variable thing they must take it when they may they are unwilling to lose one flow or breath that may be serviceable to them If a prosperous Gale offer and they not ready it repents them to lose it as much as it would repent us to see a Vessel of good Wine or Beer tapt and run waste APPLICATION There are also seasons and gales of Grace for our Souls golden opportunities of Salvation afforded to men the neglect of which proves the loss and ruine of Souls God hath given unto men a day of Visitation which he hath limited Heb. 4. 7. and keeps an exact account of every Year Month and Day that we have enjoyed it Luke 13. 7. Ier. 25. 3. Luke 19. 42. The longest date of it can be but the time of this Life This is our day to work in Iob 9. 4. and upon this small wyre the weight of Eternity hangs But sometimes the season of Grace is ended before the night of Death comes the accepted time is gone men frequently out-live it Luke 19. 44. 2 Cor. 6. 2. Or if the outward means of Salvation be continued yet the Spirit many times withdraws from those means and ceases any more to strive with Men and then the Blessing Power and Efficacy is gone from them and instead thereof a Curse seizeth the Soul Heb. 6. 7 8. and Ier. 6. 29. Therefore it is a matter of high importance to our Souls to apprehend these seasons How pathetically doth Christ bewail Ierusalem upon this account Luke 19. 42. O that thou hadst known at least in this thy day the things of thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes If a company of Sea-men be set a-shore upon some remote uninhabited Island with this advice to be a-board again exactly at such an hour else they must be left behind How doth it concern them to be punctual in their time The lives of those men depend upon a quarter of an hour Many a Soul hath perished eternally the Gospel leaving them behind in their sins because they knew not the time of their Visitation REFLECTION What golden Seasons for Salvation hast thou enjoyed O my Soul What Halcyon-days of Gospel-light and Grace hast thou had How have the precious Gales of Grace blown to no purpose upon thee and the Spirit waited and striven with thee in vain The Kingdom of Heaven being opened in the Gospel-dispensations hath suffered violence Multitudes have been pressing into it in my days and I my self have sometimes been almost perswaded and not far from the Kingdom of God I have gone as far as conviction of sin and misery yea I have been carried by the power of the Gospel to resolve and purpose to turn to God and become a new Creature but sin hath been too subtil and deceitful for me I see my resolutions were but as an early Cloud or Morning-Dew and now my heart is cold and dead again setled upon its Lees. Ah! I have cause to fear and tremble lest God hath left me under that Curse Rev. 20. 11. Let him that is filthy be filthy still I fear I am become as that myrie place Ezek. 47. 11 that shall not be healed by the streams of the Gospel but given to salt and cursed into perpetual barrenness Ah Lord wilt thou leave me so and shall thy Spirit strive no more with me Then it had been good for me that I had never been born Ah if I have trifled out this Season and irrecoverably lost it then I may take up that lamentation Ier. 8. 20. and say My Harvest is past my Summer is ended and I am not saved Every Creature knows its time even the Turtle Crane and Swallow know the time of their coming Ier. 8. 7. How brutish am I that have not known the time of my Visitation O thou that art the Lord of Life and Time command one gracious Season more for
the VVinds do rise The Storm increases Conscience gives Advice To throw those Lusts o're-board and so to ease The Vessel which else cannot keep the Seas The VVill opposes and th' Affections say The Master's Counsel they will not obey The case is dangerous that no man can doubt Who sees the storm within and that without Lusts and Affections cannot part no rather They are resolv'd to swim or sink together Conscience still strives but they cannot abide That it or Reason should the Case decide Lust knows what Reason in like cases still Determines well Then chuse ye whom ye will Shall 's make the Devil Iudge This case has been Before him and he judg'd That skin for skin And all men have they 'll part with for their life Then how unreasonable is this strife They that their sins do with their persons ship Do for their Souls prepare a dreadful whip CHAP. XX. Christ with a word can surging Waves appease His Voice a troubled Soul can quickly ease OBSERVATION WHen the Sea works and is tempestuous it is not in the power of any Creature to appease it When the Egyptians would by their Hieroglyphicks express an Impossibility they did it by the Picture of a Man treading upon the Waves It is storied of Canute an ancient Danish King That when a mighty storm of Flattery arose upon him he appeased it by shewing that he could not appease the Sea But one of his Courtiers told him as he rode near the Sea-side That he was Lord of the Sea as well as Land Well said the King we shall see that by and by and so went to the Water-side and with a loud Voice cried O ye Seas and Waves come no further touch not my feet But the Sea came up notwithstanding that charge and confuted the flattery But now Jesus Christ hath the command of them indeed It is said of him Mat. 8. 26. That he rebuked them And Mark 4. 38. He quiets them with a word Peace be still as one would hush a Child and it obeyed him APPLICATION Conscience when awakened by the terrors of the Lord is like a raging tempestuous Sea so it works so it roars and it is not in the power of all the Creatures to hush or quiet it Spiritual Terrors as well as spiritual Consolations are not known till felt O when the Arrows of the Almighty are shot into the Spirit and the Terrors of God set themselves in array against the Soul when the Venome of those Arrows drink up the Spirits and those Armies of Terrours charge violently and successively upon it as Iob 6. 4. What Creature then is able to stand before them Even God's own dear Children have felt such Terrours as have distracted them Psal. 81. 15. Conscience is the seat of Guilt It is like a Burning-glass so it contracts the Beams of the Threatnings twists them together and reflects them on the Soul until it smoke scorch and flame If the wrath of a King be like the roaring of a Lion then what is the Almighties wrath which is burning wrath Job 19. 11. Tearing wrath Psal. 50. 22. Surprizing wrath Job 20. 23. And abiding wrath Job 3. 36. In this case no Creature can relieve all are Physicians of no value some under these terrors have thought Hell more tolerable and by a violent hand have thrust themselves out of the World into it to avoid these gnawings Yet jesus Christ can quickly calm these mystical Waves also and hush them with a word yea he is the Physician and no-other It is the sprinkling of his Blood which like a cooling Fomentation allays those heats within That Blood of sprinkling speaks Peace when all other have practised upon the Soul to no purpose and the reason is because he is a Person in whom God and Man Justice and Mercy meet and kiss each other Eph. 2. 14. And hence Faith fetches in peace to the Soul Rom. 5. 1. REFLECTION Can none appease a troubled Conscience but Christ Then learn O my Soul to understand and daily more and more to savour that glorious Name even Jesus that delivers not only from the wrath to come but that which is felt here also Oh if the foretaste of Hell be so intolerable if a few drops let fall on the Conscience in this life be so scalding and insufferable what is it to have all the Vials poured out to Eternity when there shall be nothing to divert mitigate or allay it Here men have somewhat to abate those Terrours some hopes of Mercy at least a possibility but there is none O my Soul how art thou loaded with Guilt And what a Magormissabib wouldst thou be should God rouze that sleepy Lion in thy bosom My condition is not at all the better because my Conscience is quiet Ah the day is coming when it must awake and will lighten and thunder terribly within me if I get not into Christ the sooner O Lord who knows the power of thy wrath O let me not carry this guilt out of the World with me to maintain those everlasting flames let me give no sleep to mine eyes nor slumber to my eye-lids till I feel the comfort of that Blood of Sprinkling which alone speaketh Peace THE POEM Amongst the dreadful works of God I find No Metaphors to paint a troubled Mind I think on this now that and yet will neither Come fully up though all be put together 'T is like the raging Sea that casts up mire Or like to Aetna breaâ—hing smoke and fire Or like a rouzed Lion fierce and fell Or like those Furies that do howl in Hell O Conscience Who can stand before thy power Endure thy gripes and twinges but an hour Stone Gout Strapado Racks whatever is Dreadful to Sense is but a toy to this No Pleasures Riches Honours Friends can tell How to give ease in this 't is like to Hell Call for the pleasant Tymbrel Lute and Harp Alas The Musick howls the pain 's too sharp For these to charm divert or lull asleep These cannot reach it no the wound 's too deep Let all the Promises before him stand And set a Barnabas at his right hand These in themselves no comfort can afford 'T is Christ and none but Christ can speak the word And he no sooner speaks but all is still The storm is over and the mind tranquil There goes a power with his Majestick Voice To hush the dreadful'st storm and still its noise Who would but fear and love this glorious Lord That can rebuke such Tempests with a VVord CHAP. XXI Our Food out of the Sea God doth command Yet few therein take notice of his hand OBTERVATION THE Providence of God in furnishing us with such plenty and variety of Fish is not slightly to be past over We have not only several sorts of Fish in our own Seas which are caught in their Seasons but from several parts especially the Western parts of England many Sail of Ships are sent yearly to the
one anothers mind nor aimed at one end much less the end that God brought about by them one acts out of Revenge another for gain a third out of Policy yet all meet together at last in that issue God had design'd to bring about by them even Ioseph's advancement Even so it is here Christian there be more instruments at work for thine eternal good than thou art aware of REFLECTION Chear up then O my Soul and lean upon this Pillar of Comfort in all distresses Here is a promise for me if I be a called one that like the Phillosophers Stone turns all into Gold it toucheth This promise is my security however things go in the world My God will do me no hurt Jer. 25. 6. Nay he will do me good by every dispensation O that I had but an heart to make all things work for his glory that thus causeth every thing to work for my good My God dost thou turn every thing to my advantage O let me return all to thy praise and if by every thing thou work my eternal good then let me in every thing give thanks But ah How foolish and ignorant have I been even as a beast before thee How hath my heart been disquieted and apt to repine at thy dispensations when they have crossed my Will not considering that my God faithfully pursues my good even in those things that cross as well as in that which pleases me Blessed Lord What a blessed condition are all thy people in who are within the Line of this promise All things friendly and beneficial to them Friends helpful Enemies helpful every thing conspiring and conducing to their happiness With others it is not so nothing works for their good nay every thing works against it Their very mercies are snares and their Prosperity destroys them Prov. 1. 32. Even the blessed Gospel it self is a savour of death to them When evil befals them it is an only evil Ezek. 7. 5. that is not turned into good to them and as their evils are not turned into good so all their good is turned into evil As this Promise hath an influence into all that concerns the people so the curse hath a influence into all the enjoyments of the wicked O my soul bless the Lord who hath cast thy lot into such a pleasant place and given thee such a glorious heritage as this promise is THE POEM When once the Dog star rises many say Corn ripens then apace both night and day Souls once in Christ that Morning-star le ts fall Such influences on them then that all Gods dispensations to them sweet or sowr Ripens their Souls for Glory every hour All their afflictions rightly understood Are blessings every Wind will blow some good Sure at their troubles Saints would never grudge Were Sense deposed and Faith made the Iudge Falls make them waryer amend their pace When gifts puff up their hearts and weaken Grace Could Satan see the issue and the event Of his temptations he would scarcely tempt Could Saints but see what fruits their troubles bring Amidst those troubles they would shout and sing O sacred Wisdom who can but admire To see how thou dost save from fire by fire No doubt but Saints in glory wondering stand As those strange Methods few now understand CHAP. XXVIII Storms make discovery of the Pilots skill Gods Wisdom in affliction triumphs still OBSERVATION IN fair Weather when there is Sea-room enough then every common person can guide the Ship the Pilot may then lie down and take his rest but in great storms and stress of weather or when neer the dangerous shore then the most skilful Pilot is put to it Then he shews the utmost of his Art and Skill and yet sometimes all is too little They are as the Scripture speaks at their wits end know not what to do more but are forced to commit all to the mercy of God and the Seas APPLICATION In the Storms and Tempests of Affliction and Trouble there are the most evident and full Discoveries of the Wisdom and Power of our God It is indeed continually active for his people in all conditions Isai. 27. 3. Lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day Psal. 121. 4. He that keepeth Israel neither stumbereth nor sleepeth His peoples dangers are without intermission therefore his preservations are so too But now when they come into the Streight of Affliction and deadly dangers which threaten like Rocks on every side now the Wisdom of their God rides triumphantly and visibly upon the waves of that stormy Sea And this infinite Wisdom is then especially discovered in these particulars 1. In leaving them still somewhat in the lieu and room of those Comforts that they are deprived of so that they see God doth exchange their comforts and that for the better and this supports them So Iohn 14. 1 2 3. Christ's bodily presence is removed but the Spirit was sent in the room of it which was better 2. In doubling their strength as he doubles their burdens It is observed that the Saints have many times very strong and sweet Consolation a little before their greatest Trials And this is so ordinary that commonly when they have had extraordinary Consolations from God they have then looked for some eminent Trial. The Lord appeared to Abraham and sealed the Covenant to him and then put him upon that great trial of his Faith So the Disciples Luke 24. 49. It was commanded them that they should tarry in Ierusalem till they were endowed with power from on high The Lord knew what an hard providence they were like to have and what great oppositions and difficulties they must encounter in publishing the Everlasting Gospel to the World and therefore first prepares and endows them with power from on high viz. with eminent measures of the Gifts and Craces of the Spirit as Faith Patience Self-denial c. So Paul had first his Revelations then his Buffetings 3. In coming in so opportunely in the time of their great distress with relief and comfort 1 Pet. 4. 14. Then the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth on them As that Martyr cried out to his friend Austin at the very stake He is come he is come 4. In appointing and ordering the several kinds of afflictions to several Saints and allotting to every one that very Affliction and no other which is most suitable to his condition Which Afflictions like so many Portions of Physick are prepared for that very malignant humour that predominates most in them Peter's sin was self-confidence God permits him to fall by denying Christ which doubtless was sanctified to his good in that particular Hezekiah's sin was vain-glory therefore Spoilers are sent to take away his Treasures 5. In the duration of their Troubles they shall not lie always upon them Psal. 125. 3. Our God is a God of Judgment Isai. 30. 18. Knows the due time of removing it and is therein punctual to a day Rev. 2.
esteem'd ALthough Dedications are too often abused to a vain flattery yet is there an excellent use and advantage to be made of them Partly to encourage Persons of VVorth and Eminency to espouse the Interest of Religion themselves and partly to oblige those Readers for whom such Books are principally intended to a diligent perusal of them by interesting such Persons in them for whom they have great Respects oâ— on whom they have any dependance Vpon the first account a Dedication would be needless to you for I am perswaded you do not only in your Iudgment approve the Design I here manage viz. The Reformation of the prophane and looser sort of our Sea-men but are also heartily willing to improve your Interest to the uttermost for the promotion of it I cannot look upon you as Persons acted by that low and common spirit that the most of your Profession are acted by who little regard if they be good Servants to them whether God have any Service from them or no and if they pay them the Wages due for their work never think of the Wages they are to receive for their sin You are judged to be Persons of another spirit who do not only mind but advance Christ's Interest above your own and negotiate for his Glory as well as for your own gain And yet herein you consult your own Interest as well as God's Subordinata non pugnant Your Interest is never more prosperously managed or abundantly secured than when it is carried on in a due subordination to God's Their Reformation will apparently tend to your advantage Those sins of theirs against which I have here engaged are the Jonahs in your Ships 't is sin that sinks them and drives them against the Rocks One sinner destroys much good Eccles. 8. 11. How much more a leud Crew of them conspiring to provoke God! The death of their Lusts is the most probable means to give life to your Trade And as these Counsels prosper in their hearts so will your Business thrive in you hands Piety and Prosperity are married together in that Promise Psal. 1. 3. Onesimus was never so profitable a Servant to Philemon as when he became his Brother in a Spiritual as well as his Servant in a Civil Capacity Philem. vers 11. and 16. compared And yet if your Interest were forced to step back to give way to Christ's I hope you would notwithstanding rejoyce therein So that my present business is not so much to perswade you whose hearts I hope God haâ—h already perswaded to so good a work as to make your Fames and Respects which are great among them an innocent Bait to tempt them to their Duty And if either your Name or Interest may be useful to such an end I presume I may use them freely and welcome for sure I am they can never be put to a better use Well then I will make bould to send this small Adventure in your Ships and if the Return of it be but tke Conversion of one Soul to God I shall reckon that I have made a better Voyage than you let your Returns be never so rich How these things will affect them I know not I do suppose it will produce different effects upon them according to the different tempers of their spirits and according as God shall command or suspend the Blessing Possibly some will storm at the close and cutting Rebukes of the Word for most mens Lusts are a great deal more sensible and tender than their Consciences and will fondly imagine that this necessary plainness tends to their reproach But if none but the guilty can be supposed to be angry at them they will thereby reproach themselves a great deal more than ever I intend to do I confess it is a bitter Pill and compounded of many â—perative and strong Ingredients which do acute it â—ut not a jot more than is necessary I shall beg the â—ssistance of your Prayers to God for them and of your â—rave Admonitions and Exhortations to them for God â—hich will much help its Operation and facilitate my Design to do their Souls a piece of everlasting Service â—ith which Design I can truly say I even travel in pain 〈◊〉 them Your assistance therefore in this good Work â—ill put the highest Obligation upon Your most affectionate Friend and Servant to be commanded IOHN FLAVEL A Sober Consideration Of the SIN of DRUNKENNESS IN the former Treatise I have endeavoured to Spiritualize earthly Objects and elevate your thoughts to more sublime and excellent Contemplations that earthly things may rather be â—â— step than a stop to Heavenly You have therein my best advice to guide you in your Course to that Poâ—â— of your Eternal Rest and Happiness In this I have given warning of some dangeroâ—â— Rocks and Quick-sands that lie upon your left handâ— upon which millions of Souls have perished and â—â—thers are wilfully running to their own preditioâ—â— Such are the horrid Sins of Drunkenness Vncleanness profane Swearing Violation of Promises and Ingagements made to God and Atheistical slighting and coâ—tempt of Death and Eternity All which I have 〈◊〉 given warning of and held forth a Light to dâ—cover where your danger is If after this you â—â—â—stinately prosecute your Lusts and will not be â—â—â—claimed you perish without Apology I have freâ—â— mine own Soul Let none interpret this necessary plainness asâ—â— reproach to Sea-men as if I represented them 〈◊〉 the world worse than they are If upon thatâ—â— count any of them be offended methinks these three or four Considerations should remove that offence First that if this close and plain dealing be necessary in order to your Cure and you will be offended thereat it 's better you should be offendâ—d than God Ministers are often put upon lamentable streights they sail betwixt Sylla and Charibdis the wratâ— of God upon one side if we do not speak 〈◊〉 and home as the necessity of the Case â—equires and Man's wrath if we do What shall we do in this streight Either God or you it seems must be offended and if it cannot be avoided I shall rather hazard your anger than Gods and think it far more tolerable Secondly If you did but see the necessity and end of this manner of dealing with your Souls you would not be offended But put it into a more sensible case and you will see and acknowledge it presently If I should see an high-bult Wall giving way and ready to fall upon you would you be angry with me if by plucking you out of the danger I should pluck your arm out of joynt Certainly you would not Why this is the case here See Isa. 30. 13. Therefore this Iniquity shall be unto you as a breach ready to fall swelling out in a high Wall whose breaking cometh suddenly at as instant Thirdly What a madness is it to abide in a condition over which all Woes and Curses hang and yet not be able to endure to hear of it Why
curse upon themselves saith Ambrose Drunkenness slays more then the Sword Oh! what a terrible thing will in be to consider upon a Death-bed that these pangs and aches are the fruits of thy Intemperance and Excess VVho hath wo Who hath sorrows VVho hath contention VVho hath babling VVho hath wounds without cause VVho hath redness of eyes They that tarry long at VVine they that go to seek mixt VVine Prov. 23. 29 30. By this Enumeration and manner of Interrogation he seems to make it a difficult thing to recount the miseries that Drunkenness loads the outward man with for look as Vermine abound where there is store of Corn so do Diseases in the bodies of Drunkards where crudities do so abound Now methinks if thou have no regard to thy poor Soul or the glory of God yet such a sensible Argument as this from thy body should move thee Arg. 4. Drunkenness wastes and scatters thine estate Proverty attends excess the Drunkard shall be cloathed with Rags and brought to a morsel of bread Solomon hath read thy fortune Prov. 21. 17. He that loveth Wine and Oyl shall not be rich Luxury and Beggary are seldom far asunder When Diogenes heard a Drunkards house cryed to be sold I thought quoth he it would not be long ere he vomited up his house also The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifie Luxury the former is compounded of two words which signify Thou shalt be poor and the latter signifies the losing of the possession of that good which is in our hand The Drunkard and the Glutton shall surely come to poverty Prov. 23. 21. In the Hebrew it is He shall be disinherited or disposessed It doth not only dispossess a man of his Reason which is a rich and fair inheritance given to him by God but it also dispossesses him of his estate it wastes all that either the provident care of thy Progenitors or the blessing of God upon thine own industry hath obtained for thee And how will this sting like and Adder when thou shalt consider it Apicius the Roman hearing that there were seven hundred Crowns only remaining of a fair estate that his Father had left him fell into a deep Melancholly and fearing want hanged himself saith Seneca And not to mention the miseries and sorrows they bring hereby upon their Families drinking the tears yea blood of their Wives and Children Oh what an account will they give to God when their reckoning day comes Believe it Sirs there is not a shilling of your estates but God will reckon with you for the expence thereof If you have spent it upon your luâ—ts while the necessity of your families or the poor called upon you for it I should be loth to have your account to make for a thousand times more than ever you possessed O woful expence that is followed with such dreadful reckonings Arg. 5. Consider what vile and ignominious Characters the Spirit of God hath put upon the subjects of this sin The Scripture every where notes them for infamous and most abominable persons When Eli supposed Hannah to be drunken Count not thy hand-maid a daughter of Belial said she 1 Sam. 1. 16. Now a Son or daughter of Belial is in Scripture-language the vilest of men or women So Psal. 69. 12. They that sit in the gate speak against me and I am the Song of Drunkards i. e. of the basest and vilest of men as the opposition plainly shews for they are opposed to them that sit in the gate that is honourable persons The Lord would have his people shun the society of such as a pest Not to eat with them 1 Cor. 5. 11. Yea the Scripture brands them with Atheism they are such as have lost the sense and expectation of the Day of Judgment mind not another world nor do they look for the coming of the Lord Matth. 24. 27 28. He saith the Lord delayeth his coming and then falls a drinking with the drunken The thoughts of that day will make them leave their Cups or their Cups will drown the thoughts of such a Day And will not all the contempt shame and infamy which the Spirit of God hath poured on the head of this sin cause thee to abhor it Do not all Godly yea Moral Persons abhor the Drunkard Oh methinks the shame that attends it should be as a fence to keep thee from it Arg. 6. Sadly consider there can be nothing of the sanctifying Spirit in a soul that is under the dominion of this lust for upon the first discovery of the Grace of God the Soul renounces the Government of Sensuality The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation teacheth men to live soberly Tit. 2. 11 12. That is one of its first effects Drunkenness indeed may be found among Heathens that are lost in the darkness of Ignorance but it may not be once named among the Children of the Day They that be drunken are drunken in the night but let us that are of the day be sober 1 Thes. 5. 7 8. And the Apostles often oppose Wine and the Spirit as things incompatible Eph. 5. 16. Be not drunk with Wine wherein is excess but be filled with the Spirit So Jude 19. Sensual not having the Spirit Now what a dreadful Consideration is this If any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his Rom 8. 9. Sensual persons have not the Spirit of Christ and so can be none of his It 's true Noah a Godly man once fell into this sin but as Theodoret saith and that truly it proceeded ab inexperientiae non ab intemperantia from want of experience of the force and power of the Grape not from Intemperance and besides we find not that ever he was again overtaken with that sin but thou knowest it and yet persistest O wretched Creature the Spirit of Christ cannot dwell in thee The Lord help thee to lay it to heart sadly Arg. 7. It 's a Sin over which many direful woes and threats hang in the Word like so many lowring clouds ready to power down vengeance upon the heads of such Sinners Look as the condition of the Saints is compassed round with Promises so is yours with Threatnings Isai. 5. 11. Wo to them that rise up early in the morning that they may follow strong drink and continue until night until VVine inflame So Isai. 28. 1 2. Wo to the Crown of Pride to the Drunkards of Ephraim c. With many other too long to enumerate here Now consider what a fearful thing it is to be under these woes of God Sinner I beseech thee do not make light of them for they will fall heavy assure thy self not one of them shall fall to the ground they will all take place upon thee except thou repent There are woes of Men and woes of God Gods woes are true woes and make their condition woful to purpose on whom they fall Other