Sermon I
Acts xxi. 5, 6. And zee Tcneeled down on the shore, and
when we had taken our leave one of another, we tot they returned home again.
I I I I I i I t
THE SEAMAN S FAREWELL. I
xnd not the least at Tyre, where he met with certain disciples t said to him, by the Spirit, that he should not go to Jcrusalt though, in that, they followed their own spirit ; but he is not be dissuaded : Like that noble Roman *, and upon a more no
account, ' he judged it necessary to go, but not to live.' The di pies seeing his unalterable resolution, express their affections to 1 at parting, by bringing him to the ship, and that with their vfl families, wives and children, ver. 5. therein giving him the last m of their dear respects.
In the farewell, their Christian affections are mutually manife? by two sorts of actions, — viz. Sacred and Civil — in prayers and lu tat ions.
1. Prayers; the best office one Christian can do to another, prayer is the best preface, so certainly it is the best close to i business or enjoyment : In which prayer we may note the pi; posture, and matter or scope.
First, The place ; it was upon the shore, the parting place nea which the ship rode, waiting for Paul : And this was no unus
thing among them in those days. Tertullian -jtells us, " they j their prayers to heaven from every shore ;" and elsewhere, he c them, orationes littorales, " shore prayers." So customary it was holy men, in those days, to be taken into the ship or boat from tl knees, not from the tavern or ale-house.
Secondly, The posture ; " They kneeled down." As all place.' all postures have been used in prayer. Some have used one posti and some another ; but this is the common and ordinary postu Knees when they can (as an ingenious author speaks) then they xf be bowed.
Thirdly, The matter and scope of the prayer, which though il not expressed, yet may with great probability be argued from place and occasion, to be, as Erasmus speaks, Projuusta Navi tione, for a prosperous voyage, and divine protection. He kne^ what, and how many hazards of life they are hourly exposed, I border so near unto death, as mariners and passengers at sea do ; therefore would not commit himself to the sea, until first he had lemnly committed himself to God, whose voice the winds and : obey : Nor was he willing to take his leave of his friends, until had poured out his heart to God with them, and for them, wl
faces he might never see again in this world, and engaged tl prayers also for him.
2. As their affections were mutually manifested hy\\\\s sacred act
846 THE SEAMAN S FAUEWELL;
used among the Jews, both at their meeting and partini
ter consisted in words and gestures ; the usual words ^
" Lord bless you," Ruth ii. 4, " Peace be unto thee, " with you," 4'^- The gestures were kissing each ot were kisses which a Cato might give, and a Vestal recci^ these, viz. their prayers for, and salutations of, each manifested their Christian affections mutually, but espec prayers at parting. Hence note,
Doct. Those that undertake voyages hy sea, had nee
pray earnestly themselves, but also to engage th
other Christians Jbr them.
They that part praying, may hope to meet again re those designs which are not prefaced with prayer, cannot a blessing. There are two sorts of prayer, stated and
Stated prayer is our conversing with God, either public or secretly, at the constant seasons allotted for it, in t every week and day.
Occasional, is the Christian's address to God at any t traordinary emergencies, and calls of providence ; or, dertake any solemn business, (and what more solemn th;
then the chief matter and scope of prayer is to be suite
sent occasion and design in hand ; of this sort is that ' speak. Now in opening the point, I will shew,
(1.) What those special mercies are that seamen sho when tliey are to undertake a voyage.
(2.) What influence prayer hath upon those mercies must be qualified for that end.
(3.) What aid and assistance the prayers of other Cl contribute to the procurement of them.
And then make application of all.
(1.) We will inform the seamen, what those special he should earnestly pray for, when he undertakes a vc
And amongst those mercies to be earnestly requ€ by him, the first and principal is, the pardon of sin ; a must make a part of every prayer, and at this time to sued for. Guilt is that Jonah in the ship, for whose shipwrecks, and ruin pursue it. It is said, Psal. cxlvi
*' the stormy winds fulfil God's word." If the word thi be the word of God^s threatening against sin, as sc
it, then the stormy winds and lofty waves, are God's ■
THE seaman's farewell, 3
follows upon the scent wherever a man goes. And Indeed o sins are called debts, JMatth. vi. 12. Not that we owe them God, or ought to sin against him ; but metonymkaUy, because pecuniary debts obUge him to suffer that hath not wherewith to p£ and expose him to the danger of Serjeants and bailiffs where\ he shall be found ; so do our sins, in reference to God, who ha reckoned with many thousands of sinners upon the sea, there arre ed them by his winds and waves which he sent out after them, a laid their bodies in the bottom of the sea, and their souls in the bi torn of hell. Oh ! that is a dismal storm, that is sent after a m£
to dri%'e soul and body to destruction ! with what heart or coura can that man go down into the deeps, and expose himself amon<y t raging waves and roaring winds, that knows God hath a controvei with him ; and for ought he knows, the next storm may be sent
hurry him to the judgment-seat of the great and terrible'God ? C tainly, friends, it is your great concern to get a pardon, and be peace with God ; a thing so indispensable, that you cannot ha less ; and so comprehensive, that you cannot desire more. If i be pardoned, you are safe, you need fear no storms within, wh ever you find without : But woe to him that finds at once a ram
sea, and a roaring conscience; trouble \\ithout, and tcn-or wiihi ship and hope sinking together. You are privy to all the evils a wickedness of your hearts and lives. You know what treasures guilt you have been heaping up all your days ; and think you wh
distresses and extremities come upon you, conscience will be as qu and still as it is now ? No, no, guilt will fly in jour faces then, a stop your mouths. O therefore humble yourselves at the feet God for all your iniquities ; apply yourselves to the blood of sprir hng ; pray and plead witii Crod. tor remission of sin ; without whi you are in a woeful case to adventure yourselves at sea to th< imminent perils of life. r (2.) Another mercy you are earnestly to prav for is, That t M presence of God may go with you, I mean not his general preset}
which fills the world ; that Avill be with you, whether you prav : it or no ; but his gracious special presence, which was that Mo
so earnestly sued for in Exod. xxxiii. 15. " If thy presence tro i " with me, carry us not hence." He and the people were now ii waste howling wilderness, but bound for Canaan, that earthly pa disc; yet you see he chuses rather to be in a rcildemess with Gi than in a Canaan without him ; and no wonder, for this oracic presence of God, as to comfort, is all that a gracious soul hath
348 THE seamak's farewell.
*' shadow of death * i. e. (through the most apparent a *' dangers of death), yet will I fear no evil for thou a And indeed there is no room for fear ; for with whoms( in a gracious and special mauner present, these thr( mercies are secured to that man.
First y That God's special providence shall watch ov dangers, Psal. xci. 1, — 4. " He shall abide under the s " Almighty ; he shall cover thee with his feathers, an " wings shalt thou trust." As the hen gathers her bro wings, not only to cherish, but to defend them from a
God takes his people under his providential wings for tl
Secondly, He appoints for them a guard of angels, v^ to watch over, and minister to them in all their str
read, Psal. xci. 11. " He shall give his angels charge
*' keep thee in all thy ways." Many invisible service: us. Luther tells us the angels have two offices, — Sup et inferius vigilare ; — to sing above, and watch below, as a life guard to that man with whom the Lord is.
Thirdly, He readily hears their cries in a day of distres them to save and deliver them. So ver. 15. " He sh
*' me, and I will answer him, I will be with him in ti
*' deliver him, and honour him." O what a matchless n how many times, when poor seamen have seen deat before their eyes, have they cried, mercy ! mercy ! t is it for their eyes, on such occasions, to add salt-water there was too much before.'' But now to have God wit! an hour of straits, to hear, support, and deliver you : ( estimate the worth of such a mercy ! Pray therefort mercy indispensably necessary for you ; and say to hi
*' Lord, if thy presence may not go with us, carry us (3.) A third mercy you are specially concerned to b( that you may be kept from the temptations to sin you \ when you are abroad in the world. The whole world lies i 1 John V. 19. Every place, every employment, every c its snares and temptations attending it : And you know rupt natures, as much disposed to close with temptatior to catch fire : So that unless the preventing, restraining, ing grace of God be with you, they will but touch and ta were no devil to tempt you externally ; yet such a ( meeting with a suitable temptation and occasion, is enc come you ; Jam. i. 14. " Every man is tempted when
t I I I I
WKL THE seaman's farewell. S4
He that brings home a pack of fine clothes, infected with the plagu
hath no such great bargain of it, how cheap soever he purchast them. O therefore beg earnestly of God that you may be kept fro sin : pray that you be not led into temptation.
(4) Prav for divine protectian'maH the dangers and hazards to whi( you shall be exposed. You know not how soon your life and esta
shall be in jeopardy : This night you may sleep quietly in your cabi to-morrow you may be tugging at the pump, and the next night ta up your lodging upon a cold rock. How smartly doth the aposl James reprehend the security of trading persons ; Jam. iv. 13, 1 ♦* Go to now, ye that say, to-day or to-morrow Ave will go into su( " a city, and continue there a year, and bay and sell, and get gaii " whereas you know not what shall be on the morrow. For what " your life ? It is even a vapour, that appears for a little time, ai " then vanisheth away." How easily can God dash all your d signs, and hopeful projects in one hour ! You know you are eve moment as near death as you are near the water, which is but a i move of one or two inches. How poor a defence is the strongt ship against the lofty seas and lurking rocks .'' How innumerable a the accidents and contingencies in a voyage, which the most skill navigator cannot foresee or prevent .'*
They are, as the Psalmist speaks, at their wit's end, Psal. cvii. S But O how secure and safe amidst all dangers, is that man whom t Lord takes into his special protection ? And he will not shut c those that sincerely commit themselves to him : The winds and s( obey his voice : he can with a word turn the storm into a calm, Ps cvii. 29. or order means for your preservation, when you seem L
to the eye of sense and reason. I have heai-d of a young man, tl being in a great storm at sea, was observed to be very cheerful, wli
all the rest were as dead men ; and being asked the reason of
cheerfulness in a case of so much danger ? He replied, ' Truly.
' have no cause to fear, for the pilot of the ship is my father.' it is an unspeakable comfort when a man hath committed hims
unto the hands of God, as a Father, and trusted him over all !
(5.) Pray for counsel and direction in all your affairs and under
kings, and lean not to your own understandings. " I know, O Lo
*' (saith the prophet) that the way of man is not in himself, neithe " it in him that walks, to direct his own steps," Jer. x. 23. Und take nothing without asking God's leave and counsel. How ms tliat have stronger heads than you, have miserably ruined themsel ann tnpir rlp'Slorne ]^\r triictinnr to tVioJp mi-n i-vT-iirlcin/^o ? " A mf:
S50 THE SEAMAN*S FAREWELL.
dent. The Lord can blast your enterprize, thouo-h never so much wisdom and contrivance. You are^'no to God as the author of success, but as the director an
action. It is by his conduct and blessing, that all thinff
If your designs succeed not, you are presently ready to fortune, and say, you had bad luck ; when indeed you . selves, in the first moulding it, by undertaking it \^
counsel of God : « In all thy ways acknowledge him
(6.) Pray for success upon your lawful employment and own it to be from the Lord. You have an excell( Abraham's servant. Gen. xxiv. 12. « O Lord God of " servant, send me good speed this day." He reverei reignty of providence, and acknowledges success to be imperial crown, and the bridle that God hath upon t creature, to dispose of the success of human affairs. ] business or design in a fair and hopeful way to prospei have engaged God to be with us, by asking his counse mending the success to his blessing. These are the are to pray for.
Secondly, Next I will shew you what influence pra those mercies you are to pray for ; and it hath much ey be short, it hath a threefold influence into them.
(1.) It is a proper and effectual mean to obtain and t God will have every thing fetched out by prayer, Eze
« I willjet for this be inquired of by the" house of Isra^ "them." God gives not our mercies for prayers, nor will without our prayers. This is the stated method in whicl are conveyed to us ; and therein the wisdom and goo( are eminently discovered. His wisdom in making us to se of every mercy in the way of receiving it, and securing I in the dispensing of every mercy : His goodness to u's i every mercy this way to us, and raising its value in ou Prayer coming between our wants and supplies is a sing raise the price of mercies with us, and engage us to due ir of them. So that is an idle pretence for any to say, Go wants, whether we pray or not ; and if mercies be decree shall have them, though we ask them not : for though our Wants, yet he will have us to know them too, and se: the need of mercy. And though prayer be altogethei his information, yet it is very necessary to testify our And thoup-h if is triiP if riorl I'l
.A^r ,-.^„
) I t I I i •
THE SEAUAK^S FAREWELL. 3.
»t is plain, mercies must be expected in the way of prayer, that bei
Gcxi's appointed way, and stated method in the dispensing of die
(2.) As prayer hath influence into the procuring of our mercies, it hath a singular influence into the sweetening of them : no mere so sweet as those that are received upon the knee. There is a tv fold sweetness men taste in their earthly enjoyments : one is natur and that those that never eye God in them, may relish as much others; the other is spiritual and supernatural, resultingfrom the cc
f ideration of the way in which, and the end for which they are give and I am confident, such is the refreshing sweetness of mercies co ing in the way of prayer, that they derive a thousand times mc sweetness from the channel through which they come, than they ha in their own natures. So that it was rightly observed by him tl said, ' A believer tastes more sweetness in the common bread he e;
* at his own table, than another can do in the consecrated bread
* eats at the Lord's table.' And then, (3.) Praver hath a sanctifying influence upon all our enjoymen and therefore no wonder it makes them so sweet : what you obts this way, you obtain with a blessing, and that is the sweetest and b( part of any enjoyment. So you find, 1 Tim. iv. 5. every creature sanctified by the word of God and prayer. One mercy of this kii is better than ten thousand promiscuously dispensed in the wav common providence : bv these no man knows love or hatred ; b
these surely come from God's love to us, and end in the increase of o love to him. So that you see prayer hath a manifold influence up our mercies : But it is not any kind of prayer that doth thus pr
cure, sweeten, and sanctify our mercies to us : some men's praye rather obstruct than further their mercies ; but if it be the ferve
prayer of a righteous man, directed by the rule of the word to ti glory of God, we may say of such a prayer as David said of Sau
sword, and Jonathan's bow, it never returns empty *.
Thirdly, I shall shew what aid and assistance the prayers of othe may give to the procurement of the mercies we desire ; for you s this instance in the text, it was the united joint-prayers of the di iciples with Paul, that on this occasion was judged necessary. W Now considering prayer according to its use and end, as a mean 1 obtaining mercy from the Lord ; the more disposed, apt, and vig rous the means are, the more surely and easily the mercies are obtai ed which we pray for. There may be much zeal, fervency, ai strength in the prayer of a single saint : Jacob alone may wrestle wi God, and as a prince orevail; but much more in the ioint. united for
QL THE SEAMAX'S FAREWELL.
God delights in those acts of mercy most, by which nis ed and comforted; and where there is a common st
going, Uke a common adventure in one ship, there prayer, hke the return of such a ship, makes many gla
tainly it is of great advantage for the people of Goc many as they can to pray for them. When Daniel was secret fron/the God of heaven, Dan. ii. 17, 18. he m three friends to improve their acquaintance with Go( in God for him upon that occasion. " Then Dan
" house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, jNIis " riah his companions, that they would desire mercies " heaven concerning this secret"." Some Christians h; timacies with God than others, they are special favouri
of heaven ; and what an advantage' is it to be upon the: they are with God, judge ye. I remember St. Berna ken of the due frames and tempers that Christians si work their hearts into, when they are engaged in this v concludes with this request, Et quum talis Jueris, And when thy heart (saith he) is in this temper, then Oh ! it is a singular mercy to be interested in their p in special favour with God ! it is true, Jesus Christ i vourite, for whose sake all prayers are heard : and wi
cession, the intercessions of an Abraham, a Moses, a nothing, but in the virtue of his intercession, the ii
others may be singularly advantageous to us. Job' good men, but yet they must go to Job, and get h them before God would be intreated for them, Job x
And, indeed, upon the contrary, it is a sad sign thj not to give us that mercy which lie takes off our own
hearts of others from praying for. When he saith, such a man, or for such a mercy for him, the case
hopeless, the mercy is set, and there is no moving it But if once a spirit of prayer be poured upon you, an too in your behalf, you may look upon the mercy ; door, and count it as good as if it were in your ban
you see what the mercies are you should pray for ; - prayer hath upon them ; and what assistance the pr, Christians may contribute to the obtaining of them ; hearts may be excited and encouraged, not only to ] selves, but to engage as many as you can to seek the
as you see Paul here did, when he was undertakinff '
I I I i • « » «
THE SEAMAN S FAREWELL. 3^
First, Such as do but mock God, and delude themselves by hear less, dead and empty formalities. Some there be that dare n<
altogether slight and neglect prayei*?, but pro forma^ they will c something themselves ; and it may be as a compliment, or, at mos
as a customary thing, will desire the prayers of others : but, ala< Aere is no heartiness or sincerity in these things ; they are no W£ affected with the sense of their own wants, sins, or dangers ; tht never understood the use, nature, or end of prayer. We blame tl blind Papists, and that justly, for their blind devotions, who reckc their prayers by number, and not by weight ; and truly, there is bi little difference between theirs, and some of our devotions. It is
St Augustine's counsel, " Do you learn to have in your hearts wh
*' every one hath in his lips.'' O that you would once learn to be earnest with God ! to pray as men that understand with whom y(
. have to do ; and what great things you have to transact %\'ith Gck
lUi, my friends, you may believe it, that if ever you had felt tl weight of sin upon your consciences, and had had such sick days ai nights for it, as some have had, you would not ask a pardon so cold and indifferently as you do. If you did but know the benefit of Goc presence with you in troubles, how sweet it is ; or could but apprehei
how terrible a thing it is to be left of God, as Saul was in the day distress, you would weep and make supplication for his gracious pi
sence to go forth with you ; and would say, with Moses, " If tl
" presence may not go with me, then carry me not hence." Bi alas ! these things appear not to you in their reality and iraportani And hence is all that wretched formality and deadness of spirit.
Sccondlij, It rebukes much more such as wholly slight and negh prayer, as a useless and vain thing ; who undertake designs witho prayer, not at all acknowledging God in any of their ways. And it justly to be suspected, there are multitudes of such practical athei;
among seamen, as well as other orders of men. Poor men I mv hej mourneth over you ; you are certainly a forlorn set of men, who li without God in the world. It was anciently said, " he that wou
" learn to pray, let him go to sea-f*:"" But now, how long may man be at sea, before he hear a praying seaman ! Let your fami'l from which you part, witness wliat conscience you have made to se
God, as you have been here directed, before your outset : it is sai DeuL xxxiii. 18. to the tribe of seamen, " Rejoice, Zebulun, in tl
" going out." But m this case we may invert the words, and s£ Mourn, Oije seamen, in your going out. How deplorable a case this.'' Let your cabins witness what conscience you make of the diitv
3o4 THE SEAMAk'^S farewell.
deeps, wonders of creation, and wonders o£ preservati time you yourselves are the greatest wonders that ar the sea : men imediately dependhig upon God for th ties, and estates, every moment, and not once ownlno- < ing nun by prayer.
The very * Heathens will rise up in judgment ag condemn you. I remember Plato brings in Alcibia crates, How he ouglit to express his resolution and whom he thus answereth ; " Before every undertaking *' If God will." And we know the eastern nations wc nothing of moment, without first acknowledging G The Greeks auv &iu, by the leave or blessing of God i The Turks will condemn such as you are, for they f five times a day, how urgent soever their business be. superstitious Papists will condemn you, with whom i
Ma,'is and meat hinder no man. Oh ! M'hither will y( who shall comfort you when trouble comes upon you at crosses and disappointments in your business; how it should be otherwise, as long as God is neglected, }
Say not, this is the fruit of ill luck, but of your profai the success of all your business depends upon God (e theists dare deny) then certainly the directest and re; man can take to destroy all, is to disengage God by a s him. The most compendious way to ruin, is to forgel
off prayer. " Pour out thy fury (saith the prophet) up
*' that know thee not, and upon the famihes that cal
*' name," Jer. x. 25. Will nothing less than extrer cry to God ? Wonder not then, if God bring you u mity which your profaneness makes necessary for yoi
Thirdly and lastly. How much sadder, and more de case of those that not only neglect to call upon the na prayer, but do also wovuid his name through and th]
cursed oaths and blasphemies .'' who instead of going < ing, as Paul here did, go on board cursing, swearing, ing his great and dreadful name ; not going from theii but drunken ale-benches, to the ship.
O the admirable patience of God ! O the power of his 1 that ever that ship should swim one hour above watt such loads of sin and guilt within it ! It is noted in Gei days of Seth, " That then men began to call upon tl
I I I I i i I ( t
.'3^ .A£a£^^lca& ^ .s,.^.-
THE SEAMAN S FAEEWELL. .3
there is a vile generation in our days, that instead of calling up the name of the Lord by prayer, do call upon it profanely, rendii and tearing that great and terrible name with the language of he Poor man ! with what hope or encouragement can those lips thine, in the day of thy extremity, cry, Mercy ! mercy ! that ha struck through the sacred name of God so many times Avith bh phemy ! O that you would lay it to heart ! O that this day G( would set your sins in order before you.
Is this a beginning that promises a comfortable issue ? Do y( thus prepare yourselves to meet death and danger? O my sou come not thou into their secrets ! O let God rather strike me p(
fectly dead whilst I live, than afflict my soul through my ears wi these dreadful dialects of the damned.
Use 2. In the next place, this point is exceeding useful, by way exhortation^ to persuade all men, and particularly seamen, to be mi of prayer ; to imitate that noble pattern in the text, and no long to live in the neglect of a duty so necessary, so sweet, and so ber ncial to them, as the duty of prayer is. O that you did but knc
the excellency of this duty ! how would you give yourselves un prayer ! As David speaks, Psal. cix. 4. Now to persuade you be praying men, and no longer to live in the neglect of so excelle a duty, I will offer these motives to your consideration.
Motive 1. God hath st'iled himself a God hearing prayer. F your encouragement to this duty, he hath assumed this title to hii
self, Psal. Ixv. 2. " O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall j
" flesh come." You cry not as the Heathens do, to stocks and stone that cannot help or hear them that seek to them, but to the living ai true God, by whom never did any upright soul lose a prayer. Ai to come home to your case more fully, he is a God that hears ti prayers of poor distressed men upon the seas, when all hope ai human help have utterly failed them. So you read in Psalm cv
23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28. " They that go down to the sea in shij " that do business in great waters ; these see the works of the Lor " and his wonders in the deep : for he cdmmandeth, and raise " the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof: they mou " up to heaven, thev go down again to the depths ; their soul " melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagg " like a drunken man, and are at their wits end. Then they c: " unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of the " distress." So that what the Psalmist elsewhere speaks of tl mystical depths of trouble, is true here even in a proper literal sens
I I t 1 1
'^56
THE seaman's FAHEWELL.
Stressed creatures, that they have sensibly and thanll ledged him according to his name ; " The hope of th " earth, and the confidence of them that are afar off" i Psal. Ixv. 5. Who is there among you, that has not ei or himself been an example, and instance of this truth ? insert many famous examples to confirm it, but the ca
to need them, and it would be too great a digression.
Motive 2. Pra7/er is certainly the best relief to the di may say of it, as David said of the sword of Goliath, for there is none like it. You that are seamen, know of the pump is, Avhen the waters leak into your ship, an
the scupper-holes are to you, when waves' break and d. necks : why, of the same use is prayer, when sorrow le hearts, and distresses are ready to overwhelm your souls a vent to that which else would quickly sink you. '
«' shall live that seek the Lord," Psal. Ixix. 32. Praj up your fainting spirits ; it will sensibly ease an opp No fear of fainting, while a man continues praying, wont to call prayers the leeches of his cares and troubl
troubles come in upon a man every way, and he have outlet for them when the ordinary vents of reason, cou solution are all choaked (as sometimes they are) an( succour or relief coming in from heaven ; what a wre
condition is such a poor creature in ? O therefore get with this excellent duty.
Motive 3. All secondary means of deliverance and a sarily depejid upon the will and pleasure of God, and sis tvlthout hi?n. What the Psalmist saith of an horse, I ship, Psal. xxxiii. 17. That it is a vain thing for sa what a poor defence is it against those giant-hke wave And that men (especially seamen) may be convinced . hath many times caused those stately and strong-built sh -and be dashed all to piecfes, and preserved those that \
in them upon a plank or broken piece of the ship, A( which has carried them more safely to the shore than And will you not yet see that means signify nothing \ and that your dependence upon him is necessary in eve and the acknowledgment thereof so too ? I am persuaded not be half so many shipwrecks aud disappointments as your carnal confidence in the means were less, and a
upon the Lord more. Therefore it is that you so ofte"i
t I I ( I I I I
THE seaman's farewell. So
vou pray not, and success may follow those that seek not Go 1 for it but that which you call deliverance is rather a reservation to future m; serv; and that you call success, is but a snare to your souls. You ha\ the things, but not the comfort and blessing of them. God may gi\ vou your desire to your ruin : your lives may be rescued foratiniefrci Heath, that you may fill up the measureof your iniquities. Your affaii may prosper, and that prosperity may destroy you, Prov. i. 32. A best it is but an effect of common providence ; and of such delivei ances you can never say as Hezekiah said of his ; and every one tha receives the like mercy in the way of prayer, may say of his, Isi xxxviii. 17. " But thou hast in love to ray soul delivered it from th
" pit of corruption ; for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back
I deny not, but a deliverance by the hand of common providenc
is a niercy in itself; and it may prove a very great mercy to you i the event, if time thereby added to your life be a space of repent ance : else it is but a short reprieval of your damnation, and leave you to perish under greater guilt than was upon you before. JBu on the contrary, how sweet are those mercies that come in the wa
of prayer ; that discover God's love to you, and inflame yours t liini ? One such mercy is worth a thousand of the former.
Motive 5. Consider all you that go out without prayer^ hozc soo you may be out of a capacity of prayer. Now you will not, an
shortly you may not, have one op]X)rtunity to pray for evermore
now unbelief shuts your mouths, and shortly death may do it. Ho' soon may you be past your pravers, both your own and others, an be fixed by death in your unalterable condition ? O seek the Lor therefore whilst he may be found, call upon him whilst he is yet neai Now is your praying season, hereafter there will be no use of praye:
** For this (saith the Psalmist) shall every one that is godly pra " unto thee, in a time when thou mayest be found : surely in th " floods of great waters, they shall not come nigh unto him." Psa xxxii. 6. i. e. saith Deodate upon the place, in the time of the gent ral destruction of sinners, as it was in the deluge; then there is n coming nigh to God by prayer, nor canst thou come nigh him i the day of thv particular destruction, by the flood of great water 0 therefore live not a dav longer in the profane and sinful negle< of this great duty of prayer !
Object. Why, but I observe those that pray Hot, generally escap
as icell as they that do. ■- -
Ansic. This objection was once made by a soldier in the time c fight, when he was pressed by his companion to pray ; and Go
358 THE SEAMAN S FAREVTELL.
Answ. Labour therefore to get into a r^enerate stati persuaded to rest a day longer in so sad a condition. H mean time you must know, that prayer being a part of sliip, all men, even the unregenerate, are obliged to it and law of nature ; otherwise the neglect of it could no
Object. But many pray, and receive not : I mysel done so.
Answ. " You ask, and receive not, because you ask iv. 3. If we were disposed to receive as God is to gi^ not be long without the answer of our prayers.
(1.) If your persons were accepted through Christ, should be accepted too. Gen. iv. 4. But you are in a st destitute of the Spirit, John xv. 7. And so your voice the voice of a child, but a stranger.
(2.) If your prayers were regulated by the will of Go not miss of the desired success ; 1 John v. 14. "If we t
" according to his will, he heareth us."
(3.) If your prayers had more faith and fervency, th return empty ; see Jam. i. 6. and v. 16. Well then, o against your duty, but in the fear of God, apply you and dare not to go forth in any design, until thou hast commended thyself and thy affairs to God. Go alont retire from the world ; and say not you cannot spare tin better any thing else were neglected than this. Te thou art now launching forth into the ocean, and kno\ this voyage may bring forth. Possibly thou mayest to the land of thy nativity any more ; but however i him to dispose the event, beseech him with all earnestn mayest have the pardon of sin sealed to thee before beg him to separate guilt from thy person, before thou from thy habitation and relations ; lest that stroke th rate thy soul from thy body, should eternally separa and body from God.
Desire of the Lord that his presence may go with t thou shalt go. Tell him it is the fountain both of tl comfort. Desire him if his presence may not go with carrv thee hence. All the relief thou hast against troi ped up in that promise of his, / will he with him in tt him, those will be tasteless comforts, and succourlesj which he is not
Intreat the Lord with all importunity, to keep the(
( I I I I I
THE SEAMAN IX A STORM.
by which thou mayest be overcome in the absence of lawful rei dies, and presence of alluring objects, except his fear quench temptation, and break the snare. .
Be earnest also with the Lord for his gracious protecticm of t
in all thy dangers. Tell him, thou canst not be in safety any wh< but under the shadow of his wings. Tell him, at ichat time ti
art afraidy tJtou wilt trust in kim ; and beseech him, that when heart shall be overwhelmed with fears and troubles, he will 1
thee to the rock that is higher than thee. Beseech him also tog thee counsel in all thy straits and difficulties, that thou mayest lean to thine own understanding, but that he will make thy ^ plain before thee.
And if it be his good pleasure, that he would bless thy just and nest enterprizes with success and prosperity ; which if he shall do, him it is thy desire, and b^ the assistance of his grace, that tl mayest improve all thy mercies to his praise. If thus you set fc
in the fear of God, you may expect a sweet success, and happy isi
THE SEAMAN IN A STORM.