The navigator ſhifts his fails to take
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Tomendwhat is amiſs.
The gracious Lord, Inclin'd to pity, takes them at their word ; Thewinds into their treafures he doth call,
Rebukes the ſtormy ſea, and brings them all To their defiredhaven; once a-ſhore, And then their vows are ne'er remember'd more.
Thus foul's are ſhipwreck'd, tho' the bodies live, Unleſs intime thou true repentance give.
CHAP .
VIII .
Thenavigator ſoifts his fails to take Allwinds, but that which for his fouldoth make.
OBSERVATION.
HE mariner wants no skill and wisdom to improve ſeveral winds, and make them ſerviceable to his end ; a bare fide wind, by his skill in ſhifting and managing the fails, will ferve his turn: He will not loſe the advantage of one breath, or gale, that maybe useful tohim. I havemanytimes wondered to ſee two ſhips failing in adirect counter motion, byoneand the ſame wind : Their skill and wisdom herein is admirable.
APPLICATIΟΝ .
Thus prudent and skilful are men in ſecular and lower matters, and yethow ignorant and unskilful inthe great andeverlafting affairs of their fouls!
All their invention, judgment, wit, and memory, ſeem to be preſſed for the ſervice of the flesh.
They can learn an art quickly, and arrive to a great deal of exactness in it; but in foul-matters, noknowledge at all.
They can can understand the Equator, Meridian, and Horizon ; by the firſt they cantell the latitude of any place, fouth, or north, meaſuring it by the degrees in the Meridian ; bythe ſecond they can tell you the longitude of a place, caft andweſt, from the Meridian, measuring it by the degrees of theEquator ; andbythe third they candifcernthediversriſiags and fettings of the ſtars. And ſo in other arts and ſciences,we
find men endowed with rare abilities, and fingular ſagacity.
Some have piercing apprehenſions, folid judgments, ſtupendous memories, rare invention, and excellent elocution; but put them upon any ſpiritual ſupernatural matter, andthe weakest
Chriſtian, even ababe inChriſt, ſhall excel them therein, and give a far better account of regeneration, the work of grace, the life of faith, than theſe can.
I Cor. i. 26. " Not manywife レ
A New Compass for Seamen : Or, " men after the flesh, &c. ButGod hathchofen the foolif things of this world," &c.
REFLECTION.
How inexcuſable, then, art thou, O my fout ! and how mute andconfounded muſt thou needs ſtand before the bar ofGod, inthatgreat day ?
Thou hadtt a talentofnatural parts com. mitted to thee, but which way have they been improved ?
I hadan underſtanding, indeed, but itwas not fanctified ; a me mory, but it was like a ſieve, that let go the corn, and retainednothing but husks and chaff; wit and invention, but, alas ! nonetodomyself good. Ah ! how will theſe riſe in judgment against me, and ſtop my mouth ?
What account thall I give for them in that day ?
Again, are men (otherwise prudent and skilful) fuch fots and foolsinfpiritualthings ? Then let the poor, weakChriſtian, whoſe natural parts are blunt and dull, admire the riches of God'sfreegrace to him. O what an astonishing confideration isthis! thatGod ſhould paſs by menof the profoundeſt natural parts, and chuſe me, even poor me,whoſe natural facul. ties andendowments, compared with theirs, are but as leadto gold! Thus under the law hepaſſed by the lion andeagle, and choſe the lamb and dove. O how ſhould it make me to advance grace, as Chriſt doth upon the fame account, Matth. xi. 25.
" I thank thee, Father, Lord of heavenand earth, that thou " haſt hid theſe things from the wife and prudent, and reveals
" ed them tobabes." And let it ever be an humbling confideration tome; forwho made me to differ ?
Isnot this one principal thingGodaims at, incalling ſuchas Iam; that boaft ing maybeexcluded, andhimself alone exalted?
Ο The POEM.
NE thing doth very much affect mymind, To fee the ſeaman huſband ev'ry wind ; With excellent art he ſhifts the fails, andknows
Howto improve the faireſtwind that blows.
If a direct, or fore right gale hewant, A fidewind ſerves his turn, tho' ne'er ſo ſeant.
Andwillnotthis oneday in judgment riſe Against your fouls ? Ah ! can you be ſo wife .
InImallermatters ; what, and yet notknow How to improve freſh gales of grace that blow ?
Fastmoor'd in finyour wind-bound fouls can lie, Andlet theſe precious gales riſe, blow, anddie.
Sometimes on your affections you may feel Such gracious breathings : Ah, buthearts of ſteel,
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Theymoveyou not, nor cauſe you to relent; Tho' able, like Elijah's wind, to rent The rocks aſunder: If youdo notprize Thoſe breathings, other winds will ſhortlyrife,
And from another quarter; thoſeoncegone, Then next look out for an Euroclydon, Adreadful ſtorm : How foon, nomancantell;
> But whenit comes, 'twill blow ſuch ſouls to hell.
CHAP.
IX.
Iffeamen loseagale, there they may lie ; Thefoul, when once becalm'dinfin, may die.
OBSERVATION.
Eamenare verywatchful to take their opportunity ofwind S and tide, and it much concerns them ſo tobe; the ; the neglect or a few hours, ſometimes, loſes themtheir paſſage, and proves agreatdetriment to them.
They know the wind is anuncertain, variable thing ; they must take itwhen they may : they are unwilling to loſe one flow, or breath, that may be ſerviceable to them.
If aprofperous gale offers, and they not ready, it repents them toloſe it, as much as itwould repentus to fee aveſſel of good wine, or beer, tappedand run to waste.
APPLICATION.
There are alſo ſeaſons, and gales of grace, for our fouls, golden opportunities of falvation afforded to men, the neglect
ofwhichproves the loſs and ruin ofſouls, Godhath givenuntoman a day of vifitation, which he hath limited, Heb. iv. 7. andkeeps anexact account ofeveryyear, month, and day, that wehave enjoyed it, Luke xiii. 7. Jer. xxv. 3. Lukexix. 42.
The longest date of itcan bebut the time of this life; this is ourday towork in, Job ix. 4. and upon this ſmall wire the weight of eternityhangs. But ſometimes the ſeaſon of grace is ended, before the night of death comes; the accepted time isgone, men frequently out-live it, Luke xix. 44. 2 Cor. vi.
Or, if the outwardmeans of falvation be continued, yet the ſpirit manytimes withdraws from thoſe means, and ceaſes any more to ſtrivewithmen; andthenthebleſſing, power, and efficacy is gone from them, and instead thereof a curſe ſeizeth the foul, Heb. vi. 7, 8. and Jer. vi. 29.
Therefore it is a matter of high importance toour fouls to apprehend theſe ſeaſons. How patheticallydoth Chriſt bewail
Jerufalemuponthis account ! Luke xix . 42. " O that thou VOL. VI.
A New Compass for Seamen: Or, " hadſtknown, atleast inthis thyday, thethings ofthypeace !
" butnow they are hid from thine eyes."
If acompanyof ſeamen are feta-ſhore uponſome remote, uninhabited ifland, with this advice, to be aboard again exactly at ſuch anhour, elſethey mustbe left behind; how doth it concern them tobe punctual to their time ? The lives of thoſe mendepend upon aquarter of an hour. Many afoul hath periſhedeternally,the goipel leaving them behind in their fins, becauſe they knewnot the time of their viſitation.
REFLECTION.
What golden feaſons for ſalvation haſt thou enjoyed, O my foul ? what halcyon days of goſpel-lightand grace haſt thou had? How have the precious gales of grace blownto nopurpoſeuponthee I and the Spiritwaited and ſtrivenwith thee in vain ?
" The kingdom of heaven,(beingopened in the gof- " pel diſpenſation) hath ſuffered violence."
Multitudes have been preſſing into it in mydays, and I myself have fometimes been almoſt perfuaded, and not far fromthe kingdom ofGod :
Ihave gone as faras conviction for fin and mifery, yea, I have been carriedbythe powerofthegoſpel,to refolveandpurpoſeto turn toGod, andbecome anew creature ; but fin hathbeen too fubtle anddeceitful for me : I fee, my refolutions were but as an early cloud, or morningdew; and nowmyheart is coldand deadagain, ſettled upon its lees. Ah ! I have cauſe to fearand tremble, leſtGod hath left me under that curſe, Rev. XXII.
" Let him that is filthy, be filthy Aill." I fear I am become as that miryplace, Ezek. xlvii. 11. that ſhall notbehealed bythe ſtreams of thegoſpel, butgiven tofalt, andcurſed into perpetual barrenneſs.
Ah Lord ! wilt thou leave me ſo ! and thall thy Spirit ſtrive nomore with me ? Then it hadbeen good for me that I had never been born.
Ah ! if I have trifled out this feaſon, and irrecoverably left it, then Imaytake up thatlamen tation, Jer. viii. 20. and ſay, " My harvest is paſt, myfummer
" is ended, and I am not ſaved."
Every creature knows its time, even the turtle, crane, and fwallow, knowthetime of their coming, Jer.viii. 7. How brutiſh am I, that have not known the time of myviſitation!"
Othou, that art the Lord of life andtime, command onegracious ſeaſon more for me, and make it effectual to me, before Igohence, andbe ſeen nomore !
AF The POEM.
Freſh and whisking gale preſents today, Butnow the ſhip's notready; winds muſt ſtay,
...
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267:
Andwaitthe ſeaman's leisure.
Well, to morrow.
Theywill put out; but then, unto their forrow, Thatwind is ſpent, andby that means theygain
Perchance amonth's repentance, if not twain.
Atlast another offers, now they're gone; But e're they gain their port, the market'sdone.
For ev'ry work, and purpoſe, under heav'n, Apropertime andſeaſonGodhath giv'n.
The fowls of heaven, ſwallow, turtle, crane, Do apprehend it, and put us toſhame.
Man hath his ſeaſon too, butthat mif-ſpent, There's time enough his follyto repent.
Eternity's beforehim, but therein No more ſuch goldenhours as theſe havebeen:
When theſe are paſs'd away, thenyou ſhall find That proverb true, Occafion'sbaldbehind.
Delays are dang'rous, ſee thatyou difcern Yourproper ſeaſons : O that you would learn
This wisdom from thoſe fools, that come too late With fruitleſs cries, whenChriſt has shut the gate.
CHAP.
Bynavigation oneplace stores another, Andbycommunionwe must help each other.
OBSERVATION.
HE moſt wifeGod hath ſodiſpenſed his bounty tothe ſeveral nations of the world, that one ſtanding in needof another's commodities, there mightbe a ſociable commerce and traffick maintained amongst them all, and all combining in a commonleague, may, by the help of navigation, exhibit mutual ſuccours to each other. The ſtaple commodities proper to each country, I find expreſſedby the poet, Bart.Coll.
Hence comes our fugars from Canary ifles ; From Candy currants, muſkadels, and oils ;
From theMolucco's, ſpices; balfamum, From Egypt ; odours from Arabia come ; From India, gums, rich drugs, and ivory;
From Syria, mummy; black, red ebony, From burning Chus; from Peru, pearl, and gold ;
From Ruſſia, furs, tokeepthe rich from cold.
L12
A New Compass for Seamen Or, FromFlorence, filks; from Spain, fruit, faffron, facks;
FromDenmark, amber, cordage, firs, and flax; FromHolland, hops; horſe, from the banks of Rhine;
From France, and Italy, the choiceſt wine.
From England, wool; all lands asGod diſtributes, To the world's treaſure pay their fundry tributes.
APPLICATION
Thus hathGod diftributed the more rich and precious gifts andgraces of his Spirit among his people: fomeexcelling inone grace, ſome in another, thoughevery grace, infomedegree, be in them all ; evenas in nature, though there be all the faculties in all, yet ſome faculties are in ſome more lively andvigorous than in others ; ſome have a more vigorous eye, others a more ready ear, others a more voluble tongue, ſo it is inſpirituals. Abraham excelled infaith, Job inpatience, John in love.
Theſe were their peculiar excellencies. All the elect veſſels are not of one quantity; yeteven thoſethatexcel others inſomeparticular grace, come ſhort in other reſpects of thoſe theyto excelledin the former, and maybe much improved by converſewith ſuchas in fome reſpects are much below them.
The folid, wife, andjudicious Chriſtian may want that livelipeſsof affections, and tenderneſs of heart, that appears inthe weak; and one that excels in gifts and utterance, maylearnhumility from the very babes in Chriſt.
And one principal reaſon of this differentdiſtribution is to maintain fellowſhipamong them all, 1 Cor. xii. 21. " Thehead
" cannot ſay tothefeet, I have noneed of you." As in a familywhere there is much buſineſs to be done, even the little childrenbearapart, according to their ſtrength, Jer. vii. 18,
" The children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, the " women knead the dough."
So in the family of Chrift, the weakest Chriſtian is ſerviceableto the ſtrong.
There be precious treaſures in theſeearthenveſſels, forwhich we ſhould trade by mutual communion. The preciouſneſs of thetreaſure, ſhould draw out our defires and endeavours after it; and the conſideration of the brittleness of thoſeveſſels in which they are kept, ſhould cauſeus tobe themoreexpeditious nour trading with them, and make the quicker returns.
For whenthoſe veſſels(I meanbodies of thefaints) are broken by death, there isnomore to be gotten out of them.
Thattrea fureof grace, whichmade them ſuch profitable, pleasant, and defirable companions on earth,thenaſcendswiththem intoheaven, where everygrace receives its adolefcenceand perfection:
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and then, thoughtheybe tenthousandtimesmoreexcellentand delightful than ever they wereonearth, yet we can have no morecommunion with them, till we come to glory ourſelves.
Now therefore it behoves us to be enriching ourſelves by communication of whatGod hath dropt into us, and improvement of them, as one wellnotes : We should doby fainus, aswe uſe todoby ſome choicebook lent us for a fewdays, we ſhould fix in our memories,or tranſcribe all thechoice notionswemeet with in it, that they may be our own when the book is called for, andwecanhave itno longer byus.
REFLECTION.
Lord, how,ſhortdo I come of myduty in communicatingto, or receiving good by others ! My foul is either empty and barren, or if there be any treature in it, yet it is but as a treaſure locked up in ſome cheſt, whoſekey isloſt, when it ſhould be opened forthe use of others. Ah Lord ! Ihave finnedgreatly, not only byvainwords, but finful filence. Ihave beenof little uſe in the world.
How little alſo have 1 gottenby communion with others ?
Some, it maybe, that are of myown ſize, orjudgment, or that Iamotherwiſe obliged to, I candelight toconverfewith : but,
O, where is that largeneſs ofheart, and general delight Iſhould haveto, and inall thy people ? How many of my old dear acquaintance are nowinheaven,whoſe tongues were as choicefilver, while they werehere, Prov. x. 20. And bleſſed ſouls ! how communicativewere they of what thou gaveſt them ? O what animprovement had I made of my talentthis way, had I been diligent !
Lord pardon myneglect of thoſe tweet andbleſſed advantages. O let all mydelight be in thy faints, who are the excellent of theearth. Let me never go out of theircompany, without anheart more warmed, quickened, and enlarged, than when I came amongst them.
T The POE M.
O feveral nationsGoddoth ſo diſtribute His bounty, thateach one must payatribute
Untoeach other.
Europe cannot vaunt, And fay, Of Africa Ihave no want.
America and Aſia need not firive, Which of itſelf canbeſt ſubſiſt and live.
Each country's want, in ſomething, doth maintain Commerce betwixt them all.
Such is the aim :
* Mr. Gurnal.
A New Compass for Seamen : Or, AndendofGod, whodothdiſpenſe andgive Moregrace to fome, their brethren to relieve.
Thismakestheſunten thousand times morebright, Because it is diffuſive of its light ; Its beams are gilded gloriously; but then
This propertydoth gildthem o'er again.
Should fun, moon, ſtars, impropriate all their light, Whatdiſmaldarknesswouldthe world benight?
On this account menhate the verminbrood, Becausetheytake inmuch, butdonogood.
Whatharm, if Iatyours mycandle light ?
Except thereby I make your room more bright.
Hethat, bypumping, fucks and draws the ſpring, New ſtreams, and ſweeter, to the welldothbring.
Grace is atreaſure in an earthen pot; Whendeathhath daſht it, no more canbegot Outof that veſſel : then, while it iswhole,
Getout the treasure toenrichyour foul.
CHAP.
Therocks abide, though seas against themrage:
SeSballthechurch, which isGod'sheritage.
OBSERVATIΙΟΝ .
THE rocks, though ſituate inthe boisterousandtempestuous ocean, yet abide firm andimmovable from age to age.
The impetuouswavesdaſh against themwith great violence, but cannot remove them out of their place. And although ſometimes they waſh over them, and make them todisappear, yet theretheyremain fixed and impregnable.
APPLICATION.
This is a livelyemblem of the condition of the church, amidſtalldangers and oppoſitionswherewith itisencounteredand aſſaulted in this world. Theſe metaphoricalwaves roar andbeat with violence against it, butwith as little ſucceſs as the fea against the rocks, Matth. xvi. 18. " Upon this rock will I build
" my church, and the [gates] of hell ſhall not prevail against " it." The gates ofhell, are thepower and policy ofhell ; for it isconceived tobe an alluſive ſpeechtothegatesof theJews, wherein their ammunition for warwas lodged, which alſowere the ſeats of judicature, there ſat the judges; but yet theſe gates of hell ſhall not prevail.
Nay, this rock is not only in. vincible, in the midst of their violence, but alſo breaks all that dahagainst it, Zech. xii. 3. " Inthat day I will make Jeruſa
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lemaburdenſomeſtone forall people ; allthat burdenthem- " ſelveswith it, ſhallbecut in pieces, thoughallthe peopleof
" the earth be gatheredtogether against it. " An alluſion to onethat eſſays to roul ſome great stone againstthe hill, which at laſt returns upon him, and crushes him topieces.
Andthe reason why it isthus firmand impregnable, isnot from itſelf; for alas, ſo confidered, it isweak, andobnoxiousto ruin; but from the almighty power ofGod, which guards and preſerves itdayandnight, Pfalm xlvi 5, 6. "God is in the " midstof her, ſhe ſhall notbe moved: God ſhall help her,
"andthatrightearly." Vatab. Dum afpicitmane. Whenthe morning appears.
Which notes (faith Calvin)God's aſſiduous andconſtanthelp and fuccour, which is extended inalldangers, as conſtantly as the fun ariſes. And this affiduous faccourto his people, and their great ſecurity thereby, is ſet forth inthe
Scriptures by a pleasant variety of metaphors and emblems, Zech. ii. 5. " 1, faith the Lord, will be awallof fire rounda- "boutit." Some think thisphraſealludes tothecherubims, that kept the way of the tree of life with flaming ſwords: others, tothe fierychariots round aboutDathan,whereEliſhawas; bur moſtthink it to bean alluſion to an antient cuſtom of travellers inthe deſarts; who, to prevent the affaultsof wildbeasts in the night, made a circular fire round about them,which was as awall to them .
ThuswillGodbe tohis peopleawall of fire, which none can scale.
SoExod. iii. 3, 4, 5. we have an excellentemblem of the church's low and dangerous condition, and admirable preſervation.
You have hereboth a marveland amystery.
The marvel was to feea buſh all on fire, and yet not confumed. The mystery is this, the bush repreſentedthe fadconditionof thechurch in Egypt; the fire flamingupon it, the grievous afflictions, troubles, andbondage it wasinthere ; theremainingof the bush unconfumed, the orange and admirable preſervation of the church in thoſe troubles.
It lived thereas the three nobleJews,untouched inthe midstofa burningfiery furuace: and the angel ofthe Lord,inaflameof fire, in themidstofthe bush,was nothingelsebutthe LordJesus Chrift , powerfully and gracioufly preſent with his people, amidſt all their dangers and fufferings. The Lord is exceeding tender over them, and jealous for them, as that expreſſion imports,
Zech. ii. 8. " He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of " mine eye."
He that strikes at them, ſtrikes at the face of God; and at the moſt excellent part of the face, the eye, andat the moſt tender and precious partof the eye, the apple of the eye. And yet, as a learned modern obferves, this peo-
27호 ANew Compass for Seamen: Or, ple, of whom he uses this tender and dear expreffion, were noneof the beſt of Ifrael oeither; but the residue that ſtaid behind inBabylon, when their brethren were gone to rebuild thetemple ; and yet over thele, he is as tenderas a man is over his cyc.
REFLECTION.
And is theſecurity of the church ſogreat! andits preferva tion ſoadmirable, amidſt all storms andtempeſts! then whyart thou ſo prone and fubject todeſpond, O my soul, in theday
: ofSion'strouble? Senſible thon waſt, andoughtest tobe; but no reaſon to hang down the he d through diſcouragement, much lefs to forſake Zion innerautrels, for fear of being ruin edwithher.
WhatDavid ſpake to Abiathar, 1 Sam. xxii. 23. that may Zionſpeak to all her fons and daughters in all their diſtreſſes :
" Though he that ſeekeththy life, feeketh mine alfo; yetwith " me thalt thou be in ſafeguard." Godhath entailedgreat falvation and deliverances upon Zion; and bleſſed are all her friends andfavourers ; the Rock of Ages is its defence.
Fear not, therefore, O my foul, though the hills be removed outof theirplace, andcaft intothe midst of the fea. O let my faith triumph, and myheart rejoice upon thisgroundof comfort. I fee the fame rocks now, and in the ſame placeandcondition theyweremanyyears ago.
Though they have endured many ſtorms, yet therethey abide; andſo ſhall Zion,when the proud waves have fpent their furyand rage againft it.
M The POEM.
Eſopotamia, ſituatein the ſeas, May represent the church; or, if you pleaſe, Arock, o'er which the wavesdowash and ſwell,
May figure it ; chuſe either, which you will.
Winds ſtriveupon thoſe ſeas, and make a noife, The loftywaves ſometimeslift up their voice,
And, fwellinghigh ſucceſſively, dobeat With violence againſt it, then retreat.
They break themſelves, but it abides their ſhock; Andwhentheir rage is ſpent. there ſlands the rock.
Then they areout, that doaffirm and vote, Peace, pomp, and ſplendor, isthe church's note.
Andtheydeſerveno leſs reproof, thatare In Zion's troubles ready to defpair.
This rock amidst far ſtronger rocksdoth lie, Whichare its fence; ſo deep, fothick, ſohigh,