With ſuch a wind the faints have ever met, 31
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CHAP.
XXVIII.
Storms make discov'ry of the pilots skill :
God'swisdom-in affliction triumphsstill.
OBSERVATION .
Nfairweather, when there is fea-room enough, then every commonperfon can guide the ſhip ; thepilot maythen lie nown, and take his reſt; but ingreat ſtorms, and ſtreſs of weather, orwhennear thedangerous ſhore,thenthe moſt ſkilful pilot is putto it; then he thews the utmost ofhis artand
I fkill, and yet fometimes all is too little.
They are (as the fcripture ſpeaks) at their wits end, know not what to do more; but are forced to commit allto the mercy ofGod, and the feas.
APPLICATIO Ν.
In theſtorms and tempeſts ofaffliction andtrouble,there are the moſt evident and fulldiſcoveries of the wisdom and power of ourGod: it is indeedcontinually active for his people in all conditions, Ifa. xxvii . 3. " Leſt any hurt it, Iwillkeep itnight
" andday." Pfal . cxxi. 4. " He that keepeth Ifrael neither " ſlumbereth nor fleepeth." His people's dangers are without intermiſſion, therefore his preſervations are ſotoo. Butnow, whenthey comeinto thestrait of affliction, anddeadly dangers, which threaten like rocks on every fide; now thewifdom of theirGod rides triumphantly and viſibly upon the waves ofthat ſtormyſea: and this infinite wisdom is then eſpeciallydiscovered intheſe particulars :
1. In leaving them ſtill fomewhat in the lieu and room of thoſe comforts that they are deprivedof; ſo that they feeGod dothexchangetheir comforts, andthat forthe better ; and this ſupports then. So John xiv. 1, 2, 3. Chriſt's bodily preſence is removed, but the Spiritwas ſent inthe room of it, which wasbetter.
2. In doubling their ſtrength, as he doubles their burdens .
It is obſervedthat the faintshave manytimes very strong and ſweet confolation, alittle before their greatest trials : and this isſo ordinary, thatcommonly when they have had their extraordinary confolations from God, they have then looked forfome eminent trial. The Lord appeared to Abraham, and ſealed the covenant to him, andthenputhim upon thatgreat trial ofhis faith. So the diſciples, Luke xxiv. 49. itwas comVOL. VI.
ANew Compass for Seamen : Or, mandedthem thatthey " ſhouldtarry in Jerufalem, till they
" were endowedwith powerfrom on high."
The Lord knew what a hard providence they were like to have, and what great oppoſitions and dificulties they must encounter, encour inpubliſhing the everlasting gofpel to the world , and therefore firſt prepares andendows them with power from on high, viz. with eminent meaſures of the gifts and graces ofthe Spirit ; as faith, patience, felf-denial, &c. So Paul had firft his revelations, then his buffetings.
3. Incoming in ſo opportunely in the time of their great diſtreſs, with relief and comfort, I Pet. iv. 14. " Then the " Spirit ofglory and ofGod reſteth onthem." As that martyr criedout tohis friendAustin, at the very stake, Heis come, heiscome.
4. Inappointingandordering the ſeveral kinds ofafflictions to ſeveralfaints; and alloting to everyone,that very af fliction, and no other, which is most fuitable to his condition: which afflictions, like fo many potionsofphyſic, are prepared for that very malignant humourthat predominates moſt in them.
Peter's fin was felf-confidence, God permits him to fall by denying Chrift , which doubtleſs was fanctified to his good in that particular.
Hezekiah's fin was vain-glory, therefore ſpoilers are fenttotake away his treafures.
5. In the duration of theirtroubles, they ſhall not ly always upon them, Pfalm cxxv. 3. OurGod is a God ofjudgment, Ifa. xxx. 18. Knows the due time ofremoving it, and istherein punctual to a day, Rev. ii. 10.
REFLECTION.
If the wisdom ofGoddo thus triumph, and glorify itſelf in the diſtreſſes of the faints, thenwhy thould I fear in theday ofevil ? Pfalm xlix. 4. Why doth myheart faint at the forefight and apprehenfion of approaching trouble ? Fear none of thoſe things that thou shalt fuffer,Omy foul; ifthyGodwill thus be with thee in the fire and water, thou canft not perifh .
Though Iwalk through the valley of the ſhadow ofdeath, yet letme fearno evil, whilft myGod is thus with me. Creatures cannot do what they pleaſe, his wisdom limits and over-rules them all, togracious and ſweet ends. IfmyGod caftme into the furnace, to melt andtry me, yet I ſhall not be conſumed there; for he will fit by the furnace himſelfallthe while I am in it, and curiouflypry into it, obſervingwhen it hathdone its work, and thenwillpreſentlywithdraw the fire. O my foul, bleſs and adore this Godof wisdom ! who himselfwill feethe
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Orderingof all thine afflictions,andnot trust it in the hands ofmenor angels.
The POEM.
Hough toſt in greateſt ſtorms, I'llnever fear, T IfChriſtwill fit at th' helm to guide and ſteer :
Storms are thetriumph of his ſkill and art ; He cannot cloſe his eves, nor change his heart.
Wisdom and powerride upon thewaves, And in the greateſtdanger helps and ſaves.
Fromdangers itbydangers doth deliver, And wounds the devil out of his own quiver;
Itcountermines hisplots, and ſodoth ſpoil, Andmakehis engines onhimself recoil.
Itblunts the politician's rettleſs tool, Andmakes Ahitophel the verieft fool ; It ſhews us how our reaſon us miſled, And if he had not, we had periſhed.
Lord, to thy wisdom I will give the reins, Andnotwith cares perplex and vex my brainsCHAP.
Things in thebottom are unfeen : no eye Can trace God's paths, which in the deeps do lie.
OBSERVATIΟΝ .
HE ocean is ſo deep, that no eye can diſcover what lies TH inthe bottom thereof. Weuſe to ſay, proverbially, of athing that is irrecoverably loft, it is as good it were caſt into the fea. What lies there, lies obſcure from all eyes, but the eye ofGod.
APPLICATION.
Thus are the judgments ofGod, andthe ways ofhis providence, profound and unſearchable, Pfal. xxxvi. 6. " Thy righ- " teouſneſs is like thegreatmountains, thyjudgments are a " great deep;" (i. e.) his providences are ſecret, obſcure, and unfathomable ; buteven then, and in thoſe providences, his righteouſneſs ſtands up like the greatmountains, viſible and apparentto every eye. Though the faints cannot ſee the one, yet theycanclearly difcern theother, Jer. xii. f. Jeremiah was at a ſtand ; fo was Job in the like caſe, Job xii. 7. So was Afaph,
Pfal. lxxiii. and Habbakuk, chap. i. 3. Theſe wheels ofprovidencearedreadful for their height, Ezek. i. 18. There be deep
Rr2
ANew Compassfor Seamen : Or, myfteries ofprovidence, as wellas offaith. Itmaybe ſaidof fomeofthem, as ofPaul's epiſtles, Thattheyarehard tobeunderstood, darkneſs and clouds are round about the throne of God: nomancan ſaywhat will be the particular iſſue and event of ſome ofhis diſpenſations. Luther ſeemed to hearGod ſayto him, whenhe was importunate toknow his n.ind in ſomeparticularprovidence,Deusfum nonfequax : I am aGod not to be traced. Some providences, like Hebrew letters muſt be readbackward, Pfal. xcii. 7. Some providences pofe men ofthe greatest parts and graces. "His way is in the fea, his
"paths in thegreat waters,and his foot-ſteps are notknown,"
Pfal . lxxvii . 19. Who can trace foot-ſteps inthebottom ofthe ſea ? " The angels," Ezek. i. " have their hands under their
" wings." The hand is either,ſymbolim roboris,The ſymbol of ſtrength ; or instrumentatum operationis, The inſtrumentofaction: where theſe hands are put forth, theywork effectually, yea, but very ſecretly, they are hid under theirwings. There be ſome ofGod's works that are ſuch fecrets, as thattheymay not be enquired into; they areto be believed andadored, but not pryed into, Rom. xi. 33. Others that maybe enquiredaf, ter, but yet are ſo profound, that few can understand them,
Pfal. cxi . 2. " The works ofthe Lord are great, fought out of " all thoſe thathave pleaſure therein." When we cometo heaven, then all thoſe mysteries, as well in the works as in the word of God, will lie open to our view.
REFLECTION.
Othen, why ismyheartdiſquieted,becauſe it cannot ſome. times difcern the wayofthe Lord, and fee the connection and dependance on his providential diſpenſations ? Why art thou ſo perplexed, O my soul, at the confufions and diſorders that are in the world ! I know that goodness and wisdom fits atthe ſtern ;andthoughthe veffelofthe church be toflied and diſtreſſed in ſtorms oftrouble, yet it ſhall not perish:
Is itnot e nough for me, thatGod hath condefcended ſo far, for my fatisfaction, as to ſhew me plainlythe ultimate and general iſſue ofalltheſe mysterious providences, Eph. i. 22. Rom. viii. 28. unleſs I be able to take the height of every particular, ſhall I preſume to call theGod ofheaven to account ? Muſt he render a reaſon ofhis ways, and give an account of his matters to ſuch aworm as I am ? Be ſilent (O my foul) before the Lord, ſubſcribe to his wisdom, and submitto his will, whatſoever he doth. However it be, yetGod isgoodto Ifrael; the eventwillmanifeft it to be all over a defign oflove. I know not how to reconcile them to each other, or many ofthem
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to the promiſe; yet are theyall harmonious betwixt themſelves,and the certainmeans ofaccomplishing the promiſes.
Owhat a favour is this,that inthe midstofthe greatest confufions inthe world, God hath given ſuch abundant ſecurity to his people, that it ſhallbe wellwith them ? Amos ix. 8.
Ecclef. viii. 12 .
L The POEM.
ORD ! how ftupendous, deep, and wonderful, Are all thy draughts ofprovidence ? So full
Ofpuzzling intricacies,that they lie Beyond the ken ofany mortal eye.
Awheelwithin a wheel'sthe ſcripture notion, And all thoſe wheels tranſverſe,andcroſs inmotion.
Allcreatures ſerve it intheir place ; yet ſo, As thousands ofthem know not what theydo.
At this orthat, their aim theydo direct ; But neither this, nor that, is the effect :
Butfomething else theydo not underſtand, Which fets all politicians at a ſtand.
Deep counſels,at the birth, this handdoth break, Anddeeper things performeth by the weak.
Menare, like horſes, ſet at ev'ry ſtage, For providence to ride from age toage; Which, like a poſt,ſpurs on, and makes them run
From ſtage, to ſtage, until theirjourney's done ; Then take a freſh : but they the bus'neſs know,
No more than horsesthe poſt-letters do.
Yet tho' it's work be not conceal'd from fight, 'Twillbe a glorious piece,whenbrought to light.
CHAP.
XXX.
Millions ofmen arefunk into themain ; But itshallnot those dead always retain.
OBSERVATIΟΝ.
HAT multitudes ofmen hath the ſea devoured! thou ſands have madetheir graves in it. What numbers of menhavebeen ingulfed together in ſea-fights, or storms, or inundations, whereby whole towns have been ſwallowed up ! certainly thedead which are there, are innumerable.
APPLICATIΟΝ .
But though thefeahas receivedſomanythouſandbodies of meninto its devouring throat, yet it is not the abſolute lord,
A New Compassfor Seamen : Or, or proprietor ofthem,but rather a fteward intrustedwith them, till the Lord require anaccount ofthem ; andthenit mustde. liver up all ithath received, even to a perſon.
Rev. xx. 11, 12. "And I saw thedead, ſmall and great, ſtand beforeGod:
" Andthebooks were opened; and another book was opened, " which is the book of life ; and the dead werejudged out of " thoſethings which were written in thebook, according to " their works. Andthe ſeagave up the dead which were
" in it."
The doctrine of the refurrection ofthe body, is a doctrine full of fingular confolations to believers, 1 Cor. xv. and moſt clearlyafferted in Scripture, Acts xxvi. 8. Job xix. 25. 1 Cor. xv. &c. And it is well for us this point is ſoplainly revealed; becauſe as it is a moſt comfortable truth to the people ofGod, ſo there is ſcarce any truth that lies under moreprejudice, asto ſenſe or reaſon, and is more difficult to receive, than this is.
The Epicures and Stoics laughed Paul to ſcorn when he preached itto them, Acts xvii. 32. The Familiſts and Quakers at this day reject it as a fable. The Socinians ſaythe ſame body ſhallnot rife, but an ærial body. And, indeed, ifmen fet up reaſon as the onlyjudgeof fupernatural things, it is incredible to think, that a body ſhouldbe restored, that hath been burnt to aſhes, and thoſe aſhes ſcattered in the wind ; as hiſtory tells us was frequentlydoneby the bodiesofthefaints in Dioclefian's reign! or when drownedin the ſea, and there devoured by ſeveral fiſhes, and thoſe again devoured by others.
But yet this is notto be objected to the almighty power of God, that gave them their firſt being : difficulties and impoffibilities are for men, butnot for him. " Why ſhould itbethought a thing
" incredible with you, that God ſhould raiſethe dead ?" Acts xxvi . 8 .
REFLECTION .
Andmust Iriſe again, where-ever my body falls at death ?
Then, Lord, how am I concerned to get union with Chriſt while I live ? By virtue thereof only, my refurrection can be made comfortable,and bleffed to me. Ah! let my body lie where itwill, in earth or ſea; let mybones be ſcattered, and fleſh devoured by worms or fuh, I know thou canſt, and wilt re-unite my ſcatteredparts; and in thisbody I muſt ſtand beforethine awful tribunal, to receive according to what Ihave done therein, 2 Cor. v. 10. Thou that commandeſt me to ſtand forth among the nobleft rank of creatures, when I had no being, and faweſt my ſubſtance, being yet imperfect, cant as eafilyreduceme to thatbeing again.
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What though reaſon vote itimpoflible, and ſenſe incredible ?
Though all theſe difficulties andincumbrancesgrow uponmy faith, yet I know mybody is not loſt for ever; the foundof thy laſt and dreadful trumpet, ſhall awaken me ; and thy mighty power, to which all things are poſſible, ſhall bring me beforethybar.
O Lord, I know that I shall stand inthat great affembly at the last day, when multitudes, multitudes, even all the fons and daughters of Adam, ſhall appear together.
O if I die Chriſtleſs, it were good for me thatthere were no refurrection ; for thenthose eyes that have been windows oflust, muſt behold Chriſt theJudge, not as aRedeemer, but asa Revenger.
That tongue thathath ventedſo muchof the filthineſs ofmy heart, willthenbe ſtruck ſpeechleſs before him ; and this fleſh which I fopampered and provided for, condemned to everlafting flames. O my God, let me make ſure work for fuch a day! if I now getrealunionwiththySon, I ſhall awakewith finging out ofthe duft; and then, as thou ſaidſt to Jacob, ſoto me, whenI go down intothe fea,or grave, Gen. xlvi.3,4.
" Fear not to godown into the deep ; for Iwillfurely bring " thee up again."
The POEM.
I T should not ſeem incredibleto thee, That God ſhould raiſe the dead in ſeas thatbe:
We fee in winter, ſwallows, worms and flies Depriv'd of life,yet in the ſpring they rife.
Whattho' yourbodies ſev'ral fiſh devour, Objectnot that to theAlmighty pow'r.
Somechymiſts intheir art are fo exact, That from one herb they usually extract Four diff'rent elements ; whatthinkyethen,
Canpofe that God, who gave this ſkill tomen ?
The gard'ner candiftinguiſh thirtykinds Of feeds fromone another, tho' he finds Them mix'd together inthe felf-famediſh ;
Much morecanGoddiftinguiſh fleſh from fiſh.
They feem as loft,but they again muſt live ; The fea's a ſteward, and ſtewards account must give.
Lookwhatyou are, when in the ocean drown'd, The very fame atjudgment you'll be found.
Iwouldnot care wheremy vilebody lies, Were I aſſur'd it ſhou'd with comfort rife.