Our food out of the sea God doth command; 1
A New Compass for Seamen: Or, And he no sooner speaks, but all is till, The storm is over, and the mind tranquil.
There goes a pow'r, with his majestic voice, Tohuth the dreadful storm, and still its noise.
Who would but fear and love this glorious Lord, That can rebuke such tempests with a word ?
CHAP.
Our food out of the feaGoddothcommand; Yet few therein take notice of his hand.
OBSERVATIΟΝ.
HE providence of God in furnishing us with such plenty T and variety of fish, is not lightly to be past over. We have not only several forts of fish in our own seas, which are caught in their seasons; but from several parts, especially the western parts of England, many fail of ships are sent yearly to the American parts of the world; as Newfoundland, New England, &c.
Whence every year is brought home, not only enough to supply our own nation, but many thousand pounds worth.alfoyearlyreturned from Spa in, and other countries ; by which trade many thousand families do fubfift.
APPLICATION .
But now, what returns do we make to heaven for these mercies ? Owhat notice is taken of the good hand of Providence, which thus supplies and feeds us with the blessings of the sea?
I fear there are but few that own, or act in submission to it, and are careful to return, according to received benefit. Men do not confider, "That their works are in the hand of God,"
Eccl . ix. 1. And even those that have the mostimmediatedependence upon Providence, as merchants and seamen, yet are very prone to undertake designs in the confidence of theirownwifdom and industry ; not looking higher for the blessing, Jam. iv.
13.
They often " sacrifice to their own net, and burn incense " to their drag, because by them their portion is fat, and their
66 meat plenteous," Hab. i. 16. viz.
They attribute what is due to God unto the creature : now this is a sinhighlyprovoking to the Lord ; for look in what degree the heartcleaves to the second cause, in the same degree it departs from the living
God, Jer. x. 5.
And how do you think the blessed God will take it, to fee himtelf thus debased, and the creature thus exalted into his place; to fee you carry yourselves to the creature as to a God, and to the blessed God as to a creature.
Surely, it is a great
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and common evil, and such as will blast all, ifnottimelydifcovered and lamented.
If we make flesh our arm, it is just with God to wither and dry up the arm. Do we not, my brethren, look upon second causes, as if they had the main stroke in our business ? Andwithaneglective eye pass by God, as if he came in but collaterally, and on the bye, into it ? But, certainly, all endeavours will be unsanctified, ifnotsuccessless, in which God is not eyedand engaged.
" It is in vain for you to rifeup early, and fit up late, and " eat the breadofforrows ; for so he givethhis beloved sleep,"
Psalm cxxvii. 2. (i. e.) It is to no purpose for men to beat their brains, tire their spirits, and rack their consciences for an estate.
The true wayofacquiring and enjoying the creature, is by fubmittingquietly to the will of God, in a prudent and diligent, yet moderate use of lawful means: Nothing can thrive with us till then..
REFLECTION.
Why then shouldIdisquiet myself in vain; and rob myself of my peace, by these unbelieving cares and distractions ?
Othishathbeen myfin! I have acted, as if my condition had beenatmyowndispose ; I have eyed creatures and means too much, andGodtoo little. How have my hands hanged down withdiscouragement,whenfecondcauses have disappeared, or wrought cross to my designs in the world, readytotransfer the fault on this thing, or that ! And again, how apt am I to be vainly lifted up in carnal confidence, when I see myselfcompetently furnished with creature munitionand provision ? Oh, whataGod-provoking wickedness is this ! How oft hath providence checked my carnal presumption, and dashed many hopeful projects ? Yet have I not owned it, as I ought, and
submitted to it. Oh,it is a wonder this hath not closed the hand of providence against me, and pulled down a curse upon all !
Ah Lord, let me now learn " to acquaint myself with thee, " then shall I decree a thing, and it shall be established," Job xxii. 28.
The POEM.
Nall the gifts of God we should advance His glorious name ; not say, itcamebychance.
Or to the idol of our prudence pay The tribute of our praise, andgo our way.
The waves do clap their hands, and in their kind Acknowledge God; and what, are theymoreblind
VOL. VI.
ANew Compass for Seamen : Ory That floatuponthem ? Yea, for what they get They offer sacrifices to their net.
This is your manner, thus to work you go :
Confess the naked truth ; is't not so?
This net was wisely cast, 'tis full, 'tis full:
Owell done mates, this is a gallant pull.
Thus what is due to God,you do apply Unto yourselves most sacrilegiously.
Icannotwonder such come empty home, That are so full offelf and fir : Yet some I hope look higher, and on God reflect Due praise. A blessing such may well expect.
J CHAP XXII.
Whilst thou by art the filly fifb dost hill, Perchance the devil's hook sticks in thy gill.
OBSERVATIO Ν.,
HERE is skill in fishing ;theythatgoto sea ina fithing TH voyage, use to go provided with their craft (as they very fitly call it) without which they can do nothing. They have their lines, hooks of several sizes, and their bait. They care fullyobservetheir seasons;when the fish fall in, then they piy their business day and night.
APPLICATION.
But how much more skilful and industrious is Satan to ensnare and destroy fouls ? The devil makes a voyage as well as you ; he hath his baits for you, as you have for the fith: He hath his devices andwiles to catch fouls,2 Cor. ii. 1. Ephef. vi. 11. He is a serpent, an oldferpent, Rev. xii.9. Too crafryfor man in his perfection, much more in his collapsed and degenerated state, his understanding being cracked by the fall, and all his facultiespoifoned, and perverted.
Divines observe four steps, or degrees of Satan's tempting power :
First, He can find out the constitution-evils of men ; he knows to what sin their natures are more especially prone, and inclinable.
Secondly, He can propoundsuitable objects to those lusts, he can exactly and fully hit every man's humour ; asAgrippina mixed her poison in that meat her husband loved best.
Thirdly, He can inject and cast motions into the mind, to
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close with those tempting objects ; as it is said ofJudas, John xiii. 2. " The devil put it into his heart."
Fourthly, He can follicit, irritate, and provoke the heart, and by those continual restless sollicitations weary it; and hereby he often draws men to commit such things as startled them in the first motion.
All this he can do, if he finds the work sticks, and meets with rubs and difficulties ;yet doth he not act to the utmost of his skill and power, at all times, and with all persons ; neither indeed need he do so, the very propounding of an object is enough to some, without any further follicitation ; the devil makes an easy conquest of them.
And, beside all this, his policy much appears in the election of place, time, and instruments to tempt by: And thus are poor souls caught, " as fishes in an evil net," Ecclef. ix. 12.
The carnalman is ledbysense, as the beast; andSatanhandles and fits him accordingly. Heuseth allforts of motives,not only internal and intellective;but external and sensitive also ; as the sparkling of the wine,when it gives its colourin the glass; the harlot's beauty, whose eye-lids are snares, hiding always the hook, and concealing the issue from them. He promises them gain and profit, pleasure and delight, and all that is tempting, with assurance offecresy:By these he fastens thefatalhook intheirjaws, andthusthey are led captive by him at his will.
REFLECTION.
And is Satan so subtil and industrious to entice souls to fin?
Doth he thus cast out his golden baits, and allure fouls with pleasure to their ruin ? Thenhowdoth itbehove thee, O-my soul, to be jealous and wary ! how strict a guard should I set upon every sense ! Ah, let me not so much regard how fin comes towards me in the temptation, as how it goes off at last.
Thedayinwhich Sodom was destroyed, began with a pleasant fun-thine,but ended in fire and brimstone. I maypromisemyfelfmuch content in the satisfaction of my lusts : But O how certainly will it end in my ruin ? Ahab doubtless promised himself much content in the vineyardofNaboth, but his blood paid for it in the portion of Jezreel. The harlot's bed was perfumed, to entice the simple young man, Prov. vii. 17.
But those chambers of delight proved the chambers of death , and her house the way to hell. Ah ! with what a smiling face doth fin come on towards me in its temptations ? how doth it tickle the carnal fancy, and please the deceived heart ? But Ppz \
A New Compass for Seamen : Oг, what a dreadful catastrophe and upshot hath it ? The delight is quickly gone ; but the guilt thereof remains to amaze and terrify the foul with ghastly forms, and dreadful representationsofthewrath of God. As finhath its delights attending it to enterandfastenit,so it hath its horrors and stings to torment and wound : And as certainly as I see those gobefore it ta make a way, so certainly shall I find these follow after, and tread upon its heels. No sooner is the conscience awakened, but allthosedelights vanish as a night-vision, or as a dream whenoneawakes; and then I shall cry, here is the hook, but where is the bait? Here is the guilt and horror, but where the delight that I was promised ? And I, whither shall I now go?Ah, my deceitful lusts ! you have enticed and left me in the midst of all miseries.
T The POEM:
Here's skill in fishing, that the devil knows ; For when for fouls Satan a fishing goes, He angles cunningly; he knows he must Exactly fit the bait unto the lust.
He studies constitution, placeandtime, He guesses what is his delight, what thine:
And so accordingly prepares the bait, Whilst he himself lies closely hid, to wait
When thou wilt nibble at it.
Dost incline Todrunkenmeetings ? then he baits with wine :
Is this the way ? If into this he'll smell, He'll shortly pledge a cup of wrath in hell.
To pride or lust is thy vile nature bent ?
An object suitable he will present.
Othink on this ! when you cast in the hook, Say, Thus for my poor foul doth SatanJook.
Oplay not with temptations, do not swallow The sugar'dbait, confider what will follow.
If once he hitch thee, then away he draws Thy captive foul close pris'ner in his paws.
CHAP.
XXIII.
Doth trading fail, andvoyagesprove bad?
If you cannotdifcern the cause, 'tisfad.
OBSERVATΙΟΝ.
THERE are many fad complaints abroad (and, I think, not without cause) that trade fails, nothing turns to
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account. And though all countries are open and free for traffic, a general peace with all nations, yet there seems to be a dearth, a secretcurseupon trading. You run from country to country, and come losers home. Men can hardly render a reason of it; few hittheright cause of this judgment.
APPLICATION.
That prosperity and success in trade is from the blessing of God, I suppose few are so atheistical, as once to deny, or question. The devil himself acknowledges it, Job i. 10. " Thou hast
" blessed the work of his hands,and his substance is increased " in the land." It is not inthepowerofany man togetriches,
Deut. viii. 18. " Thou shalt remember the LordthyGod, for " it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth."
It is his blessing that makes goodmenrich, and his permission that makes wicked men rich. That maxim came from hell, Quifquefortunefuaefaber : Everymanisthecontriver of his own condition.
Certainly, " The good of man is not in his own " hand," Job xxi. 16. " Promotion cometh not from the east
" or the west," Pfalmlxxvi.6, 7.
This being acknowledged, it is evident, thatinalldisappointments, andwantofsuccess inourcallings, we ought not to stick in second causes, but to look higher, even to the handanddisposal of God : For whose it is to give the blessing. his also it is to with-hold it. And this is as clear in scripture, as the other : It is the Lord that takes away the fishes of the sea, Hos. iv. 3. Zeph. i. 3. " It is he that curseth our blef- " sings," Mal. ii. 3.
ThisGoddoth as a punishment for fin, and the abuse of mercies ; and therefore in such cases we ought not torestingeneralcomplaints to, or of one another, but search what those fins are that provoke the Lord to inflict such judgments.
And here I must request your patience, to bear a plain, and closewordofconviction. My brethren, I am persuaded these are the sins, among many others, that provoke the Lord to blast all your employments.
1. Ourundertakingdesigns without prayer. Alas ! how few ofusbeginwithGod! interest him in our dealings, and ask counsel and direction at his mouth. Prayer is that which sanetifies all employments andenjoyments, 1 Tim. iv. 5. The very heathen could say, AJove principium, They must begin with God. Othatwe had more prayers, and fewer oaths !.
2. Injustice and fraud in our dealings. Afin to which merchants are prone, as appears by that expression, Hos. xii. 7.
This is that which will blast all our enjoyments.
A New Compass for Seamen : Or, 3. An over-earnest endeavour after the world. Men make this their business, they will be rich : and hence it is,they are not only unmerciful to themselves, in wearing and wasting their own spirits with carking cares, but to such also as they employ; neither regarding the souls orbodiesofmen: scarce affordingthem the liberty of the Lord'sday, (as hath been too common in our Newfoundland employments) or if they have it, yet they are so worn out with incessant labours, that that precious time is spent either in sleep or idleness. It isnowonderGod gives you more rest than you would have, since that day of rest hath been no better improved.
This over-doing hath notbeentheleastcause of our undoing.
Lastly, Our abuse of prosperity,when God gave it, making God'smercies the food and fuel of our lusts. When we had an affluence and confluence of outward blessings, "this made
" us kick against God," as, Deut. xxxiii. 15. " forget God,"
Deut. iv. 14. yea, grow grow proud of our strength and riches, Ezek. xvi. 13. and Jer. ii. 31. Ah !howfewofus in the days of our prosperity, behaved ourselves as good Jehofaphat did?
2 Chron. xvii. 5, 6. " He had silver and gold in abundance, " and his heart was lifted in the way of God's command- " ments ;" not in pride and insolence.
REFLECTION .
Are these the fins that blast our blessings, and wither our mercies ? O then let me cease to wonder it is no better, and rather admire that it is no worse with me ; that my neglect of prayer, injustice in dealings, earthly-mindedness, and abuse of former mercies, have not provoked God to strip me naked of all myenjoyments. Let me humbly accept from the Lord the punishment of my iniquities, and lay my handuponmy mouth .
And, O that these disappointments might convince me of the creature's vanity, and cause me to drive on another trade for heaven ! then shall I adorethywisdominrending from me those idolizedenjoyments. Ah, Lord! When I had them, my heart was a perpetualdrudge to them : howdidI then forget God, neglect my duty, and notmindmyeternal concernments ! Oh, if these had not perished, in all probability I had perished. My God, letmyfoulprosper, and then a small portion ofthesethings shall afford me more comfort than ever I had in their greatest abundance. " A little that a righteous man hath,
" is betterthanthe riches of many wicked," Psal. xxxvii. 16..
T The POEM.
HERE's great complaint abroadthattrading's bad, You shakeyourhead, and cry, "Tis sad, 'tis sad.
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Merchants lay out their stock, feamentheir pains, And in their eyetheybothmay put their gains.
Your fishing fails, you wonder why 'tis so, Tis this (faith one) or that; but I fay no ;
Twill ne'er be well,till you confess and say, It is our fin thatfrights the fish away.
Nowonderallgoes into bags with holes, Since so the gospel hath been in your souls.
We kick'dlike Jesurun,when the flowing tide Of wealth came tumbling in, this nourish'dpride.
"Twixt foul and body, now I wish it may Fare, as betwixt the Jews and us this day.
Othatour outward want and loss may be To us a soul-enriching poverty!
If disappointments here advance the trade For heaven,then complain not; you have made
'The richest voyage, and your empty ships Return deep laden with foul-benefits.
CHAP.
XXIV.
Infeasthegreaterfish the less devour :
Sofomemen crush all those within theirpow'r.
OBSERVATION.
Here are fishes of prey inthefea, as well as birds and beasts of prey on the land.
Our seamen tell us, how thedevouringwhales, sharks, dolphins, and other fishes, sol-low the caplein, and other smaller fish, and devour multitudes of them.
It is frequent with us, in our own seas, to find several smaller fishes in the bellies of the greaterones, yea, I have oftenheardfeamensay, that the poor little fry, when pursued,
! are so sensible of the danger, that they have sometimes seen multitudes ofthemcaft themselves upon the shore, and perish there, to avoid thedangerofbeingdevoured by them.
APPLICATION.
Thus cruel, merciless, and oppressive, are wicked men, whose " tender mercies are cruelty," Prov xxii. 10. We fee the like cruelty in our extortioners, and over-reaching sharks ashore,who grind the faces of the poor, and regard not the cries of the fatherless and widows,but fill their houses with thegainofoppression.
'These are,bytheholyGhost, compared to the fishes of the sea,Hab. i. 13, 14. This is a crying fin,yea, itsendsupaloud cry to heaven for vengeance,Exod.
A New Compass for Seamen : Or, xxii. 23. " If thou afflictthe widow and the fatherless,and they
" cry unto me, I will surely hear their cry." And ver. 27.
" I will hear his cry, for I am gracious."
Nay, God will not only hear their cry, but avenge their quarrel.
That is a remarkable text, Thes. iv. 6. "Thatnoman go beyond " and defraud his brother in any matter, because that the Lord
" is the [avenger] of all such."
This word * avenger, is but oncemoreused in the New Testament, Rom. xiii. 4. and there it is applied to the civil magistrate, who is to fee execution done upon offenders. But now this is a fin that sometimes maybe out of the reach of man's justice, and therefore God hinselfwill be their avenger.
You may over-power the poor in this world, and it maybe they cannot contend with you at man's bar, thereforeGodwillbring it before his bar.
Believe it, firs, it is a sin soprovokingtoGod,that he will not let it escape without severe punishment, sooner or later.
The prophet Habbakuk, chap. 1. ver. 13. wondered how the holy God could forbearsuch till the generaldayofreckoning, and that he did not take exemplary vengeance on them in this life.
"Thou art ofpurereyes than to behold evil, and canst " not look upon iniquity: wherefore then lookest thou upon " them that dealtreacherously, and holdest thy tongue when
" the wickeddevoureth the man that is more righteous than " he?" AndProv. xxiii. 10, 11. " Enter not into the fields of " the fatherless," (i. e.) of the poor and helpless. But why is it more dangerous violently to invade their right, than another's?
The reason is added, " for their redeemer is mighty, and he " shallpleadtheircausewith thee."
It may be they are not able to retainacounciltopleadtheir cause here; therefore God will plead their cause for them.
REFLECTION.
Turn in upon thyself (O my soul) and confider, hast thou notbeenguilty of this crying fin ? Have I not (when a servant) over-reached and defrauded others,and filledmymaster's house with violence and deceit ? and so brought myself under that dreadful threatning, Zeph. i. 9. Or finceI came to trade and deal upon mine own account, have not the balances of deceit been in my hand; I have (it maybe) kept many in my serviceandemployment'; have not I used their labours without reward, and so am under that woe ? Jer. xxii. 13. or not giventhemwages proportionable to their work ? Ifa. Iviii. 3 . erbybadpayment, and unjust deductions and allowances,de- * Εκδίκος.
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fraudedthemof apart of their due? Mal. iii. 5. or at least delayed payment, out of acovetous disposition to gain by it ; whilst their neceflities in the mean time cried a loud for it ; and fo finned against God's express commands,Deut. xxiv. 14,
15. Lev. xix. 30. or have I not persecuted such as God hath smitten? Psalm lxix. 26. and rigorously exacted the utmost of my due, though the hand ofGodhathgone out against them, breaking their estates? O my soul, examine thyself upon these particulars: rest not quiet, until this guilt be removed by the application ofthebloodof sprinkling. Hath not the Lord said,
Jam. ii. 13. " That they shall have judgment without mercy, " that have shewedno mercy ? And is it not a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, who hath said, He
" will take vengeance for these things ?"
The POEM .
follow The lesser fry, at one gulp do swallow Some hundreds of them, as our seamen say :
But we can tell far stranger things than they.
For we have sharks ashore on ev'ry creek, That to devour poor men do hunt and seek.
No pity, sense, or bowels, in them be, Nay, have they not put off humanity ?
Extortioners, and cheaters, whom God hates Have dreadful open mouths, andthro' those gates
Bravepersonswith theirheritages pass:
ر In fun'ral state, friends crying out, alas !
Ogive me Agur's wish, that Imaynever Besuchmyself, or feel the hands of either.
And as for those that in their paws are grip'd,
Pity and rescue, Lord, from that fad plight.
When I behold the squeaking lark, that's borne Infaulcon's talons, crying, bleeding, torn ;
I pity its fad case, and would relieve The prisoner, ifI could, as well as grieve.
Fountain of pity ! hear the piteous moans Of all thy captive and oppressed ones.
VOL. VI.