An Epistle to every Seaman failing Heaven-ward,
( 232 ) To every SEAMAN failing Heaven-ward.
Ingenious Seaman, T THE art of navigation,by which islands especially are elriched,and preserved infafetyfrom foreign invasions; and thewonderfulworks of God in the great deep, and foreign nations,are mostdelightfullyandfullybeheld, &c. is an art of exquisite excellency, ingenuity, rarity, and mirability: but the art of spiritual navigation is the art of arts. It isa gallant thing to be able to carry as hip richly laden round the world; but it is much moregallantto carry a foul (that rich loading, a pearl ofmoreworth than all the merchandize of the world) inabody(that is as liabletoleaks and bruises as any ship is) through the sea of this world (which is as unstable as water, and hath the fame brinish taste and salt gust which the waters ofthefea have)safe to heaven(the best háven)so as to avoid splitting upon any foul-finking rocks, or strikinguponanyfoul-drowningfands. The artofnatural navigation is averygreat mystery; but the art of spiritual navigation is by much a greater mystery. Human wisdom may teach us to carry afhip to the Indies; but the wisdom only that is from above can teach us to steer our course aright tothehaven of happiness.
This art is purely of divine revelation.
The truth is, divinity(the doctrine of living to God) isnothingelse but the art of foul-navigation, revealed from heaven. A mere mancancarrya ship to any defiredport in all the world,but nomeremancan carry a foul to heaven. He must be a faint, he must be a divine (so all saints are)that can be a pilot to carry afoul to the fair haven in Emanuel's land.
The art of natural navigation is wonderfully improved since the coming of Christ, before which time (if there be truth in history) the use of the loadstonewas never known in the world; and before the vir tueofthat was revealed unto the mariner, it is unspeakable withwhatuncertainwanderings seamenfloatedhere and there, rather thanfailedthe right and direct way. Sure I am, the art offpiritual navigation is wonderfully improved since the coming of Christ ; it oweth its clearest and fullest discovery to the coming of Christ.
This art of arts is now perfectly revealed in thefcriptures of the old and newteftament ; but the rules thereof are dispersed up and down therein. The collecting andmethodizing of the fame cannot but be a work very useful unto fouls : though, when all is done,there is anabsolutenecessityof
An Epistleto Seamen failing Heaven-ward.
the teachings of the Spirit, and of the anointing that is from above, to make souls artists in sailing heaven-ward.
The ingenious author of the Christian's Compass, or the Mariner's Companion,makes three parts of this art (as the schoolmen do of divinity) viz. speculative, practical, and affectionate.
The principal things necessary to be known by a fpiritualfeaman, in order to the steering rightly and safely to the port of happiness,he reduceth to four heads, answerable to the four general points of the compass; making God our north ; Christ out east ; holinefsourfouth ; and death our west points .
Concerning God, we must know, (1.) That he is, Heb. xi. 6. and that there is but one God, 1 Cor. viii. 5, 6.(2.) That this God is that supreme good, in the enjoyment of whom all true happiness lies, Psal. iv. 6, 7. Mat. v. 8.----xviii. 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. xxxiv. 5, 6, 7. and works,Rom.i. 20. andespeciallyinhisSon, 2Cor.iv. 6. (4.)That as God is a Spirit, so our chiefest, yea, only way of knowing, enjoying, serving, and walkingwithhim, is in the Spirithkewife, Job iv. 24. Concerning Christ,we must know, (1.) That he is the true Sun which arifethupontheworld,by which all are enlightened, John i.9.
Mal. iii. 2. Luke i. 78, 79. (2.) That God alone is in him, reconcilinghimselftothe world, 2Cor.v. 19. 1 Cor. i. 30. John xiv. 6. (3.) That Jesus Christ is only made ours by the union and in dwelling of himself in us through the Spirit, 1 Cor. ii. 9,
10. and vi. 17. John xvi. 8, 9. 1 Cor. xii. 3, 13. (4.) That the way of the Spirit'suniting us to Christ, is by an act of power on his part, and by an act of faith on our parts, John iii. 16, 36. andv. 29. Eph. iii. 17. Concerning holiness, we must know,
(1.) That whoever is in Christ is anew creature, 2 Cor. v. 17.
1 Cor. vi. 11. (2.) Holiness is the soul's highest lustre, Exod.
XV. 11. when we come to perfection in holiness, then is our fun at the height in us. (3.) Holiness, is Christ filling the soul ;
Christ our Sun is at the highest in our hearts, when they are most holy. (4.) This holiness is that which is directly opposite to fin; sin eclipses holiness,and holiness scatters fin, Heb. vii.
26. Phil. ii. 15. 2 Pet. iii. 11. Concerning death, we must know,(1.)Death is certain; thefunofour life willsetindeath ; when ourdayscome about to this western point, it will be night,Heb. ix. 27. Psal. xlix. 7, 9. (2.) If we die in our fus out of Christ, we are undone for ever, Job viii. 24. Phil. i.
21. (3.) Itisourbenighting to die,but it is not our annihilating, VOL. VI.
23:4
AnEpistle to Seamen failing Heaven-ward.
1 Cor. xv. Rev. xx. 12. (4. ) After death comes judgment ; all that die shall arise to be judged, either for life or death, the second time, Heb. ix. 27. Mat. xxv. Heb. vi. 2. These sous 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 therebepoints in the compass. And for an help to memory,we may begin every particular with initial known let-
ters, on the points of the compass.
(1.)N. Never stir or steer any course,but by light from God,Psalm exix. 105. Ha. viii.
10. (2.) N. and byE. Never enter upon any design, but such as tends towards Christ, Acts x. 43.
(3.) Ν. Ν. E. Note nothing envioufly, which thrives without God,Psalm Ixxiii. 12,
F3, (4.) N. E. and byN. Never enter prize not-warrantable courses, toprocureany of the most prized orconceitedadvantages, 1 Tim. vi. 9, 10.
(5.) N..E.Now entertain the sacred commands of God, if hereafter thou expect the sovereign confolations of God,Psal. exix. 48. (6.) N.E. and bye. Never esteem Egypt's treasures so much, as for them to forsake the people of God,Heb. xi.26. (7.) E. N.. E. Errnot; especially in foul affairs, Jam. i. 16.1Tim.ü.19, 20. 2 Tim. ii. 18. (8.)
E.and by N. Eschew nothing but fin, r Pet. iii. 11. Job i. 7, 8,-31, 34. (9.) E. Establish thy heart with grace,Heb. xiii.
9. (10.) E. and by S..Eye fanctityin every action, 1 Pet. i.
15. Zech. xiv. 29. (11.) E. S. E. Ever strive earnestly to live under, andtoimprovethe means of grace. (12.) S. E. and bye.
Suffer every evil of punishment of for row, rather than leave the ways of Christ and grace. (13.) S. E. Sigh earnestly for more enjoyments of Christ.
(14.) S. E. andbyS. Seek evermore some evidences of Christ in you the hope of glory.. (15.) S.
S. E. Still set eternitybeforeyou, in regard of enjoying Jesus Christ, John xvii. 24. (16.) S. and bye..Settle it ever in your soul, asa principlewhichyouwillnever depart from,,That hoLiness,and true happiness are in Christ, and by Christ, (17.) S.
Set thyself always as before the Lord,Psal. xvi.8.Acts ii. 25.
(18.) S. and byW. See weakness hastningtheetodeath,even when thou art at thehighestpitch or point. (19.) S. S. W.. See finwhich is the sting of death, as taken away by Christ, 1 Cor. xv. 55, 56. (20.) S. W. and by S. Store up wiselyfome 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, Luke xii. 35, 36, 370 (23 )
An Epistle to Seamen failing Heaven-ward.
W. S. W. Weigh soul-works, and all in the balance of the sanctuary. (24.) W. and by S. Walk insweetcommunionwith
Christ here, and so thou mayest dieinpeace, Luke ii. 29. (25.) W. Whatsoever thy conditionbeinthisworld,eyeGodasthe disposerof it, and therein be contented, Phil.iv. 11. (26.)W. and by N. Walk not according to the course of the most, but after the exampleofthebest. (27.) W. N. W. Weigh not what menspeakorthink of thee,so God approve thee,2Chron. x. 18.
Rom. ii. 28, 29. (28.) N. W. and by W. Never wink at, but watch against small fins, nor neglect little duties, Eph. v. 15.
(29.) N. W. Never with rafhlyfor death, nor love life too in-
ordinately, Jobiii. 4. (30.) N. W .. andbyN.Nowworknimblyere night come, Jobxii. 35, 36. Ecclef. ix. 10. (31.) Ν. Ν.
W. Name nothingwhenthou pleadeft with God for thy soul, but Christ and free-grace, Dan. ix. 17. (32.) N..and by W.
NowwelcomeChrift, if at death thou wouldst be welcomed by Christ. A tender,quick, enlivenedandenlightened conscience, is theonlypointuponwhichwemust erectthesepractical rules of our Christian compass, Heb.xii. 1. 2Cor. i. 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 mariner is in his sea-compass. So much for the speculative and practical parts of the art offoulspiritual-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 activeinmeditation ; meditation being, as it were,the limbec, or still, in which the affections heat and melt, and, as it were, drop sweet spiritual waters.
The affectionate author of the Christian'sCompays doth indeed, in the third and last part of his undertaking, hint at several meditations which the spiritual seaman is to be acquainted with, unto which thou hast an excellent supplement inthisNewCompassfor Seamen.
This collection is prefixed, that at once thoumayestview all the compasses (both speculative, practical, and affectionate) by which thou must steer heaven-ward. What further shall be addedbyway of preface, is nottocommendthis new compass, which indeed
(2 Cor. iii. 1.) needs no συςατικων επιςολων, letters of commendation, or anypanegyrick to usher it into any honest heart ; but to ftirup al!, especially seamen, to make conscience of using such choice helps for the promoting the sanctification and sal wationof their souls, for the making of them asdexterous in Gg2
An Epistle to Seamen failing Heaven-ward. the art of spiritual navigation, as any of them are in the art of natural navigation.
Confider therefore, 1. What rich merchandize thy soul is.
Christ assures us, one foul is more worth than all the world.
The Lord Jesus doth, as it were, put the whole world into one scale, and one foul in the other, and the world is found too light, Matth. xvi,
26. Shouldst thou by skill in natural navigation carry safe all the treasures of the Indies into thine own port, yea, gain the whole world, and for want of skill in spiritual navigation lose thy soul, thou wouldeft be the greatest loser in the world. So farwilt thou be from profiting by any of thy sea-voyages.
There is a plain μειωσιςin those words of Christ, " What is a " man profited if he shall gainthewhole world, and lose his
" own soul ? Or what shall am an give in exchange for his " foul ?" More is meant than is spoken. *
Thesmallestpore is a leak 2. What a leaking vessel thybowide enough to let in dyis, in which this unspeakable, inconceivable rich treasure, thy soul, is death,andfinkthy vessel. embarked themanydifcafesand distempers in the humours and passions thatthybodyis subject to ! It is above 2000years ago, that there have been reckoned up300 namesofdiseases;and there be many under one name, and many nameless, which pose the physicians not only how to cure them, but how to call them.
And for the affections and passions of the mind, thedistempers of them are no less deadly to some,than the diseases ofthebody; but besides these internal causes, there are many external causes of leaks in this vessel, as † poisonous malignities, wrathful hostilities, and casual mishaps ; very small matters may be of great moment to the sinking of this vessel. The least gnat in the air may choak one, as it did Adrian, a pope of Rome ; a little hair in milk may strangleone, as it did a counsellor in Rome ; a little stone ofa raisin may stop one'sbreath, as it did thepoetical poetAnacreon. Thus you feewhataleaking vessel you fail in. Now the more leakyany ship is, the more need there is of skill to steer wifely.
3. Confiderwhat a dangerous seatheworldis, in which thy soul is to fail in the leaking ship ofthybody. As there are not more changes in the sea,than are in the world, the world be
* Erasmi chiliad.p. 229.
+ In Ethiopia there isa certain poifonwhereofthe ten to part of one grain will kill a man, and for one grain tenmen. Dan, Sens mert. Hypom. Phys. cap. 2.2.47
An Epistle to Seamen failing Heaven-ward.
ingonlyconstant ininconstancy, " The fashion of this world " paffeth away," 1 Cor. vii. 31. So there arenotmoredangers inthefeafor ships,than there are in the world for fouls.
In thisworldfouls meet with rocks and sands, syrens and pyrates; worldly temptations,worldly lusts, andworldlycompany-cause many to"drown themselves inperdition," 1 Tim. vi. 9. The very things of this world endanger your souls. By worldly ob jectswe foongrow worldly. It is hard to touch pitch, and not be defiled. The lusts of this world stain all our glory, and the menofthisworld pollute alltheyconverse with. A man that keeps company with the men of this world, is like him that walkethinthefun, tannedinsensibly.
Thus I have hinted to you,thedangerousness of the seawhereinyou are to fail. Now themoredangerous the sea is, the more requisite it is the failorbeanartist,
4. Confider, what if through want of skill in the heavenly artofspiritualnavigation,thou shouldst not steer thy cou se aright! I will instance only in two confequents thereof. v.
Thouwilt never arrive at the haven of happiness.
2. Thou shalt be drowned in the ocean of God's wrath. As true as the word of God is true, as sure as the heavens are over thy head, and the earth under thy feet; as sure as thou yet liveft, and breathest in this air ; so true and certain it is, thou shalt never enter into heaven, but fink into the deep of the bottomless pit.
AmInotherein a messenger of the saddest tidings that ever yet thyearsdid hear ? Poflibly now thou makest a light mat terofthesethings, because thou dost not know what it is to miss of heaven, what it is for ever to lie under the wrath of God; but hereafter thou wilt know fully what it is to have thy foul loft eternally, so loft, as that God's mercies, and all the good there is in Christ, shall never save it ; and as God hath fetand ordered things,can never save it. Hereafter thouwiltbeperfectly sensible of the good that thou mightest have had, and of the evil that shall be upon thee (this is God's peculiar prerogative, to make a creature as sensibleofmisery as hepleaseth) then thou wilthave other thoughts of these things than thou now hast. Then the thoughts of thy mind shall be bufiedabout thy lost condition, both as to the pain of loss, and thepainofsensfe *, so that thou shalt not be able to take any ease one moment; then, that thy torments maybe increased, they acknowledge the truth of thy apprehenfions, yea, the strength of them shall be increased; thou shalt have the true
*The flames of hell shall shine about the damned, to let them feehowtheyare tormented. Infid. on the chief good. book.2.
An Epistle to SeamenJailing Heaven-ward. and deep apprehensions of the greatness of that good that thou shalt miss of, and of that evil which thou shalt procure unto thyself; andthenthou shalt notbeableto chuse, but to apply all thy loss, all thy misery to thyself, which will force thee to roarout, O my loss ! O mymifery ! O my inconceivable, irrecoverable loss and misery! yea, for the increasing of thy torments, thy affections and memory shall be enlarged.
Othat, to prevent that loss and misery, these things may now be known, and laid to heart ! O that a blind understanding, astupidjudgment, a bribed conscience, a hard heart, a bad memory, may no longer make heaven and hell to seem but trifles to thee 1 thou wiltthen easily be persuaded to make it thymainbusiness here, to become an artist in spiritual navigation. But to shut up this preface, I shall briefly acquaint
Seamen, whythyshould, of all others, be men of fingularpie-
tyandheavenlinefs, and therefore more than ordinarily study the heavenly art of spiritual navigation. O that Seamen wouldthenconsider, 1. How nigh they border upon the confines of death and eternityeverymoment;there is but a step, but an inch or two between them and their graves,continually: the nextgustmay over-set them, the nextwavemay swallow them up.
In one place lie lurking dangerous rocks, in another perilous sands, and every where stormy winds, readytodestroythem. +Well maythefeamen cry out,Ego craftinum non habui ; I have not had a morrow in my hands these many years.
Should not theythenbe extraordinary serious and heavenly, continually!
Certainly(as the reverend author of this new compass well observes)nothing morecomposeth the heart to fucha frame, than the lively apprehensions of eternity do ; and none have greater external advantages for that, than Jeamenhave.
2. Consider (seamen)what extraordinary help you have by the book of the creatures ; " The whole creation is God's
" voice; it is God's excellent † hand-writing, or the sacred *" scriptures of the most High," to teach us much of God, and what reasons we havetobewail our rebellion against God, and tomakeconfcience of obeying God only, naturally, and continually.
The heavens, the earth, the waters, are the three great leaves of this book of God, and all the creatures are so many lines in those leaves. All that learn not to fear and serve
† Terrorubiquetremor,timor undeque,&undique terror. Ovid.
†Mundicreatio eft Scriptura Dei. Clemens. Univerfus mundus eft Deus explicutus.
An Epiftle to Seamen failing Heaven-ward.
God by the help of this book, will be left inexcusable,Rom. ic20. How inexcusable then will ignorant and ungodlyfeamenbe! Seamen should, in this respect,be the best scholars in the Lord's school, seeing they do, more than others, see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the great deep,Psal. cvii. 24.
3. Confiderhowoftenyou are nearerheaventhan anypeopleintheworld. " They mount up to heaven," Psal. cvii. 26.
It has been faidofanungodly minister, that contradicted his preaching in his life and conversation,that it was pity he should ever come out of the pulpit,because he was there as near heaven as ever he would be.
Shall it be said of you, upon the same account, that it isapityyou shouldcomedown from the high toweringwavesofthe sea ? Should not seamen that in -stormy weather have their feet (as it were) upon the battle-
ments of heaven, look down upon all earthly happiness in this world but as base, waterish, and worthless? The great cities of Campaniaseem but small cottages to them that stand on the Alps.
Should notfeamen, that so oft mount up to heaven, make it theirmainbusiness here,once at last to get into heaven?
What (seamen) shall you onlygo toheavenagainst your wills ?
When Seamen mount up to heaven in a storm, thepsalmist tells us, That" their souls are melted because of trouble." O that you werecontinuallyasunwillingtogotohell, as you are in a storm to go to heaven !
4. And lastly, Confiderwhat engagements lie upon you to be fingularlyholy, from your fingulardeliverances andfalvations.
They thatgo down to the sea in ships, are sometimes inthevalleyofthe shadow of death, by reason of thespringingofperilous leaks ; and yetmiraculouslydelivered, either by some wonderful stopping of the leak, or by God's sending some ship within their fight,when they have been far out of fight of any land;or by his bringing their near-perishing ship safe to shore.
Sometimes theyhavebeeninverygreatdanger of being takenbypyrates,yet wonderfully preserved, either by
God'scalming of the winds in that part of the seawhere the pyrateshave failed,orbygivingthe poor purfuedship a strong gale of wind to run away from their pursuers, or by finking the pyrates, &c.
Sometimes their shipshavebeen castaway, and yet they themselves wonderfully got fafeto shore upon planks, yards, masts, &c.
I might be endless inenummeratingtheirdeliverances from drowning, from burning, from slavery, &c.
Sure (jeamen)your extraordinary salvations lay more than ordinary engagements upon you, to praise, love,