23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 "They that go down

23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 "They that go down

The Seaman's Farewel

For your encouragement tothisduty,he hath affumed this title to himself, Pfalm lxv. 2. " O thou that heareſt prayer, unto

" thee ſhall all fleſh come."

You cry not as the Heathens do, to ſtocks and stones, that cannot help or hear them that feek to them, but to the living and trueGod,by whom never did any upright foul loſea prayer. And to come home to your caſemore fully, he is aGod that hears the prayers ofpoor diſtreffed men upon the feas, when allhope and humanhelp have utterly failed them. Soyou read in Pfalm cvii. 23, 24,

25, 26,27, 28. " They thatgodown tothe fea in ſhips, thatdo "buſineſs in great waters ; theſe ſee the works of the Lord,

" andhiswonders in thedeep: for he commandeth, and raif- " eth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof:

" theymount up toheaven, they go down again tothe depths ; " their foul is melted, becauſe oftrouble.

They reel to and " fro, and ſtagger like a drunken man,and are at their wits " end.

Then they cryunto the Lord intheirtrouble, and he " bringeth them out of their diſtreſs."

So that what the Pfalmiſt elsewhere ſpeaks of the mystical depths oftrouble, is true here even in a proper literal ſenſe : "Out of the depths

" have I criedunto thee,O Lord, hearmy voice," Pfal. cxxx.

1, 2.

Many a prayer hathbeen heard, and miraculouſly anfwered upon the fea.

There have men been convinced, and fully fatisfied,that it isnot invain tocrytothe Lord.

Soevident andclearhave beenthe appearances of God at the cry of thepoor diſtreſſed creatures, that they have ſenſibly and thankfully acknowledged him according to his name : " The hope

" of the ends of the earth, andthe confidence of them that " are afar off upon the fea," Pfalm lxv. 5. Who is there amongyou, that has not either heard of, or himselfbeenan example, and inſtance of this truth ? I might here infert many famous examplesto confirm it, but the cafe is too plain to needthem, and itwouldbe too great a digreſſion.

Motive 2. Prayer is certainly the best relief to the distreffed. Wemay ſay ofit, as Davidſaidofthe ſword ofGoliah, give me that, for there is none like it.

Youthat are ſeamen, knowwhat the use ofthepump is, when the waters leak into your ſhip, andofwhat usethe ſcupper-holes are to you,when waves break anddash over your necks : why, ofthefame uſe is prayer, when forrow leaks intoyour hearts, and diſtreſſes are ready to overwhelm your fouls.

This gives a vent to that which elfe would quickly fink you. " Your hearts ſhall live

" that ſeek the Lord," Pfalm lxix. 32.

Prayer will buoy up your fainting ſpirits; it will ſenſibly eaſe an oppreſſedheart.

The Seaman's Farewel.

No fear offainting,while aman continues praying.

Luther waswonttocallprayers the leeches ofhis cares andtroubles. O but iftroubles come in upon a man everyway, and hehave no vent, no outlet for them,when the ordinary vents ofreafon, courage, and reſolution are all choaked (as ſometimes they are) andthere is no fuccour or reliefcomingin from heaven; what awretched forlorn condition is ſuchapoor creature in ?

Otherefore get acquaintance with this excellent duty.

Motive3.Allfecondary means ofdeliverance and comfort neceffarilydepend upon the willand pleasure ofGod, andfignify nothing without him.

Whatthe Pfalmiſt faith ofanhorie, I mayfayofa ſhip, Pfalm xxxiii. 17. That it is a vain thing for fafety. Alas! what a poordefence is it againſt thoſe giantlikewaves ofthe ſea? And thatmen(eſpecially ſeamen)may be convinced ofthis,God hath manytimes cauſed thoſe ſtately and ſtrong-built ſhips to periſh, and be daſhedall topieces, andpreſerved thoſethatwere not ſafe inthemupon aplank or brokenpieceofthe ship, Acts xxvii. 44. which have carried them more ſafely tothe ſhore than it coulddo. Andwillyou not yet fee that means fignify nothing withoutGod, andthat yourdependance upon him is neceſſary in every condition, and the acknowledgment thereof ſo too? I am perfuaded there would notbehalfſo many ſhipwrecks and disappointments as there are, ifyour carnalconfidence inthemeanswere lefs,and your reliance upon the Lordmore. Therefore it is you ſo often receive the ſentence ofdeath in yourſelves, thatyou may leam not to truſt in yourſelves, but inGod. Oh ! were but your fails filled by prayer, how profperous would your deſignsbe?

Motive4. Whatever deliverancesfromdangers, orfuccefs in business, you receive out of the way ofprayer, can yieldyou but littlecomfort ;for they are notfanctified toyou. You maybedelivered,thoughyou pray not, and ſucceſs mayfollow thoſe that feek notGod for it ; but that which you call deliverance, is rather arefervation to future miſery; andthat you call ſucceſs, isbut a ſnare to your fouls.

You havethe things,butnot the comfort and bleſſing of them. Godmay give your defire to your ruin , your lives nay be reſcued for atime from death, that you may fill up the meaſure of your iniquities.

Your affairs may profper, and that profperity may destroyyou,Prov. i. 32. Atbeſt itis but an effect ofcommon providence; andof fuchdeliverances you can never ſay as Hezekiah faid ofhis ; and every one that receives the like mercy inthe way ofprayer, may ſay ofhis, Ifa. xxxviii. 17. "Butthou hast in love to

4برق The Seaman's Farewel

myfoul,delivered itfrom the pit ofcorruption ; for thou haft caft all my fins behind thy back."

I deny not, but a deliverance by the hand ofcommonprovidence is a mercy in itſelf; and itmayprove a very greatmercyto you inthe event, iftime thereby added to your life be a ſpace of repentance"; elſe it isbuta ſhort reprieval of your damnation, and leaves you to perish under greater guilt than was upon you before.

But, on the contrary, how ſweet are thoſe mercies that come inthewayofprayer ; thatdiſcoverGod's love to you, andinflame yours to him ? One ſuch mercy is worth athousand of the former.

Motive 5. Confider all you that go out without prayer, howfoon you may be out ofa capacity ofprayer. Now you will not, and ſhortly you may not, have one opportunityto prayfor evermore :,now unbeliefſhutsyour mouths, and ſhortly death maydoit. How foon may you be paſt your prayers, both your own andothers, and be fixedby death in yourunalterable condition? O ſeek the Lord therefore whilſt he maybe found, callupon him whilfthe is yet near. Now is your praying ſeaſon, hereafter there will be no uſe ofprayer. " For this,

" (faith the Pfalmiſt,) ſhall every one that is godly prayunto " thee, inatime whenthou mayſt be found: furely in the " floods ofgreat waters,they ſhall notcome nigh unto him."

Pfal. xxxii . 6. i. e. faith Deodateuponthe place, in the time ofthegeneral deſtruction of finners, as itwas inthe deluge ; then there is no coming nigh to God by prayer, nor can'tthou come nighhim in the day ofthy particular deſtruction, bythe : flood ofgreat waters. O therefore live notaday longer in the profaneand finful neglect ofthis greatduty of prayer !

Object, Why, but Iobfervethosethat pray not, generally efcapeaswellas they that do...

Anſw. This objectionwas once madebyaſoldier inthetime of fight, when he was preffedby his companion to pray ; and Godquickly ſtopped hisblafpheming mouth withamortal bullet. Have a care of ſuch bold atheiftical pleas ; they greatly provoke the Lord againstyou : Ihad rather die praying, than liveprayerleſs.

Object. But towhat purpose is itfor me topray, if Iam unregenerate ? God hears not fuch prayers, if I make them : and, besides, theprayers ofthewickedare an abomination to the Lord.

Answ . Labour therefore toget into a regenerate ſtate, and benot perfuadedto reſt aday longer in ſo ſada condition.

VOL . VI.

Eee

The Seaman's Farewel.

However, inthe mean time,you must know, thatprayer being a part of natural worship, all men, even the unregenerate, are obliged to it bythe light andlaw ofnature; otherwise, the neglect of it could not be their ſin.

Object. But many pray, and receive not : I myselfhave oftendonefo.

Answ. " You ask, and receive not, becauſeyou ask amiſs,"

Jam. iv. 3. Ifwe were diſpoſed to receive as God is to give, we should notbe long without the answer ofourprayers.

(1.) IfYourperſons wereacceptedthrough Chrift,yourprayers ſhouldbe accepted too,Gen. iv. 4. Butyou are in a ſtate ofnature,deſtitute ofthe Spirit, John xv. 7. Andſoyour voice is toGod not the voice ofa child, but a stranger.

"Ifwe (2.) Ifyour prayers were regulatedby the willofGod, they couldnot miſs ofthe defired ſucceſs ; I John v. 14.

" aſk any thing according to his will,he heareth us."

(3.) Ifyour prayers hadmorefaith andfervency,they would notreturn empty; ſee Jam. i. 6. and v. 16. Wellthen, object nomore against yourduty,but in the fear ofGod apply yourſelves to it, anddare not to go forth in any deſign, until thou haft by prayer recommended thyself, and thy affairs toGod.

Go alone, my friends,retire fromthe world;and fay not, you cannot fparetime for prayer ;better anything elsewere neglected than this.

Tellthe Lord, thou art now launching forth into the ocean, and knoweſt not what this voyage maybring forth.

Poſſibly thou mayest never return tothe land ofthy nativity any more; but however itſhallpleaſehim to diſpoſe theevent, beſeech him with all earneftneſs,that thou mayeſt have the pardon offin fealed to theebefore thou go. O beg him toſeparateguilt fromthyperſon, before thoube ſeparated fromthyhabitation and relations; left that ſtroke that ſhall ſeparate thy foul from thy body, ſhould eternally feparateboth foulandbody from God.

Defireofthe Lordthat hisprefencemaygo withtheewhereever thou shalt go.

Tell him, itisthe fountainboth ofthy fafety and comfort.

Deſire him, ifhis preſence may not go with thee, not to carry thee hence.

Allthe reliefthou hast againſt trouble, is wrapped upin that promise ofhis, Iwillbe withhim in trouble. Tellhim,thoſe willbe taſteleſs comforts, and fuccourleſs troubles, inwhich he is not.

Intreat the Lord,with all importunity, to keep thee, byhis fear, fromthe fins and temptations that are inthe world. Tell him, thou art ſenſibly affected with the danger which thy own corrupt heartwilleverywhere expoſe thee to: ſins inbuying

The Seaman in a Storm.

and ſelling, into which thou mayeſt easily be drawn by an earthly covetous heart : fins in drinking, wherein thou mayeſt be entangled (except he keep thee) by evil company, and an irregular appetite : fins of uncleanneſs, by which thou mayeſt be overcome in the abſenceof lawful remedies, and prefence of alluring objects, except his fear quench the temptation, and break the ſnare .

Be earneſt alſowith the Lord for his gracious protection of thee in all thydangers.

Tell him,thou canst not be in fafety any where, but underthe ſhadow ofhis wings.

Tellhim, at what time thou art afraid, thou wilt trust in him ; and beſeech him, that when thyheart ſhall be overwhelmed with fears and troubles, he will lead thee to the rock that is higher than thee.

Beſeech him alſo togive thee counſel in all thy ſtraits anddifficulties, that thou mayeſt not lean to thine own underſtanding, but that hewillmake thyway plain beforethee.

And if itbe his goodpleaſure, thathe wouldbleſs thyjuſt andhoneft enterprizes with ſucceſs and profperity : which if he ſhalldo, tell him, it is thy defire, and beg the aſſiſtance ofhis grace, thatthou mayeſt improve all thy mercies to his praiſe.

Ifthus you ſet forth inthe fearofGod, youmay expect a ſweet ſucceſs, and happy iſſue.

THE SEAMAN in a STORM.

SERMON II.

PSAL. cvii. 23, 24, 25, 26, 27,28. Theythatgo down tothefea inships, that do buſineſs ingreat waters : thesesee theworks ofthe Lord, and his wonders in the deep.

For he commandeth and raiſeth thestormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.

They mount up toheaven, they go down again to thedepths ; theirfoul is melted because of trouble.

They reel to andfro, andstagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits end.

Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and hebrings them out of their distress .

T HIS pfalm contains an excellent account of the myſterious and admirable effects ofprovidence : and this paEeez

The Seaman in a Storm. ragraphcontainsthatvein orbranch ofdivineprovidencewhich reſpects feamen ; a fort of men more immediately depending upon the favour of providence thanany men in the world ; though all do neceffarily and continuallydependupon it.

In theſe verſes we have a defcription, both ( 1.) of the per fons, (2.) ofthe danger, (3.) ofthe deliverance, by the wonderfulworking ofdivine providence for them.

F First, A deſcription of the perſons about whom this wonderful providence is exerciſed : " They that go down to the " fea in ſhips , that do buſineſs in great waters;" the periphrafis of afeaman.

Theſe are ſaid togo down to the seain Jhips, notbecauſe the fea is lower than the land, but becauſe it is lower thanthe ſhore, which isthe rampart raiſedby providence against its inundations. And their endordefigningoingdown into the fea, is not pleaſure and recreation,but todo buſineſs, (i. e. ) toexport andimport ſuch wares andcommodi ties as are neceſſary, ifnot to the being, at least, to the wellbeing of the ſeveral kingdoms and countries of the world.

Theſe arethe menhere ſpoken off, who " fee (more thanany) " the works oftheLord, and his wonders inthe deep." Works and wonders by an εν δια δύσιν, uſual figure, is as much ashis wonderful works ; namely, ofcreation, inthe ſtrange and monſtrous productions of the ſea ; and of prefervation, with reſpect to themſelves,inthe dreadfuldangers theythere encounter.

Thustheperfon or fubject is deſcribed.

Secondly, The danger is likewiſe deſcribed, in which theſe fea-faring men are ſometimes involved; and indeed the Pfalmiſt here gives us a very rhetorical and elegant deſcriptionof their conditionin the ſtormyſea; and ſhews us how deplorable their ſtate andcondition isat ſuch atime.

Where we are to note boththe cauſes and effects oftheſe tempeſts.

1. The causes ; and they are twofold.

First, The principalcauſe,the willandpleaſureofGod. He commandeth and raiſeth the ſtormywinds.

This isGod's prerogative; none can raiſewinds but himself; and if devils or witches do it atanytime,yetit isſtill byhis permiffion ; as you fee in Job i. 12, 19. the Lord is ſaid to hold thewind in his fifts, Prov. xxx. 4. as a man holds a wild fiercebeaſt in achain, orby a collar : and whentheyblow, "He brings them out of " his treaſuries," Pfal. cxxxv. 7. There is indeeda natural cauſe ofwinds, ofwhich philoſophers give us this rational account,

• That it is a hot anddryexhalation raiſedfromthe earth, by the power oftheheavenlybodies,whichbeing repelled orfor cedbackby the coldness ofthe middle region,moves oblique

The Seaman in a Storm.

lyor flantingly, and ſometimes very violentlythrough the air.

Butthough this be the natural cauſe ofthe winds, yet thisdoth not at all reſtrain the abſolute ſovereignty ofGod over them.

It is he that commands, and raiſeth them, as the text ſpeaks ; andthough it be faid, John iii. 8. " The wind blows where it lifteth ;" yet that expreſſion makes it not an arbitrary creature; butthe meaning is, either thus, Itblows where it lifteth, for any oppoſition that man can make to it, though it cannot blow where it lifteth in reſpect toGod.

Or thus, fuch is the great variableneſs andinſtabilityofthewinds, blowing now this way, now that, that it seems to move with a kindoffpontaneity, as a bird doth in the air ; though indeed it doth but feem ſo, for all its motions are ordered ofthe Lord.

Andyou cannot ſay in this ſenſe, as 1 Kings ix. 11. " That God isnot in the wind." Now when it pleaſeth the Lord to ſhew his power upon the great deeps, he fends forth theſe winds out of his treasure.

This isthe principal cauſe. Then next, 2. We have the inſtrumental, fubordinate and next cauſe of the ſtorm ; and that is, the winds lifting up the waves ofthe ocean.'

There is naturally in the fea a continual agitation, and rolling ofits waters hither andthither; it cannot reft, as the prophet ſpeaks it ; butwhenaviolent windblows upon it, theoceanis incenſed andenraged; and the winds roll, moving mountains ofwater before them.

Then, like wild beasts, the waves ſeem tobreak looſe and rage, notonly tobe latrantes

undas, as Virgil calls them, barking waves, butχυματα αγρία, raging waves, as Jude ſpeaks, ver. 13. Yea, roaring waves, as our Saviour ſtiles them, Lukexxi. 25.

Thus of the cauſes ofthe ſtorm principal and ſubordinate.

Nextwe have, Secondly, The terrible effects ofthe tempeſts, andthatboth upontheir bodies and their minds.

(1.) Externalupon their bodies ; it toſſes them up and down in adreadfulmanner, which the Pfalmiſt elegantly expreffes in the text, " They mount up to heaven, they go down to the " depths," a loftyhyperbolical expreffion ; very near unto itis thatofVirgil :

Tollimur in coelum, curvatogurgite ; et iidem, Subducta, admanes imos defcemdimuns, unda !

Aen. 3

Theyſeem tomix withthe very clouds, andthen open deep graves fortheminthebottomſands. Yea,itmoves themnotonly perpendicularly, lifting themup, and caftingthem down, but

The Seaman in a Storm. obliquely and circularlyalfo. "Theyreeltoandfro,andſtag- " gerlike a drunken man," or, as ſome tranflate, agitanturin gyrum, they runround :they are,indeed, movedaccordingto the unstable motion ofthe waves, on whoſe proudbacks they are mounted.

This is the external effect ofthe ſtorm upon theirbodies.

(2.) The internal effect ofitupon theirminds,which is far more terrible.

Forit is faidhere, Theirfoul is melted because oftrouble, and they are at their wits end.

Both which expreffions do import a greater commotion and ſtorm inthe paſſions ofthemind, than that is inthe waves ofthe ſea. The ſtouteft ſpirit quails and meltswhen itcomes to this; and thewifeft artiſt is at his wits end.

Thusyou have the deſcription ofthe perſons, and oftheirdanger, both inthe cauſe and effectsuponthebody and mind. Next,

(3.) We have theirdeliverancebythewonderfulhandofdivineprovidence, in ver. 27. " Then they cry unto the Lord- " intheir trouble, and he brings them out oftheir diſtreſs."

Theiruſualcryin ſuch extraordinary exigencies, is, mercy!mercy! Nowthey can pray, that could not praybefore. Extremitydrivesthem totheir knees, notonly with cries,butvows to the Lord, andhedelivers them out oftheir diſtreſſes: ſome des livered one way, and fome another, but all in a ſtupendous way, which cannotbut aftoniſh them thatare ſodelivered, and make them acknowledge the finger ofGodwas in it.

From all this we obferve, Doct. That the prefervations and deliverances ofSeamen in thedreadfulstorms and tempests atfea, is the wonderful work of divine providence.

" The works of the Lord are great, fought out of all them "thathavepleaſure therein;" Pfal. cxi. 2.And,amonghisprovidentialworks, none greater and more admirable, than thoſe which feamendailybehold in their great and marvellousprotections upon the fea.

Now, theglory ofdivineprovidencetowards ſeamen, ſhines anddiſplays itſelf inthree things: eſpecially,first, In making the ocean navigable for them at any time. Secondly, in prefervingthem from ſhipwrecks in the fury and ſtreſs ofweather.

Thirdly, In finding outways, and ſtrangely providing means offafetywhen their ſhips are loft, and brokenupon the fea.

1. It is a wonderful providence of God to make the ocean navigable formen at anytime ; that ſuch a fluidbody as water is, which cannot ſupport a stone or bullet ofan ounce weight, ſhouldyet, byreaſon ofits own faltneſs, andthe innate pro-

The Seaman in a Storm.

pertyoftimber, be able to fupport ſhips of ſuch vaſt burden, which arecarried from place to place, being mounted on the T backs of its proud waves. Who canbut acknowledge a moft wifeprovidence, in gratifying the natural wit anddefire of man, which fits him forconverſe and trafficwith foreignnations ; with inſtruments and materials ſo fit for his purpoſe as timber, iron,hemp,pitch, the load ftone, and whatever elſe is neceſſary for his purpoſe ? I cannot openthe wisdom ofGod's providenceinthis reſpect to betteradvantage than I find it done by the learned pen ofDr. More, in his Antidote against Atheiſm page 58. Navigation (faithhe) being ofſo greatconfequenceto thedelight andconvenienceofhuman life,andthere

•beingboth wit and courage in man to attempt the feas,were •he but fitted with right materials, and other advantages re- * quiſite ; when we ſee there isſo pat a proviſion made for him

'to thispurpoſe, in largetimber for the building of his ſhip, a ⚫thick ſea-water to bear the ſhip'sburden; in the magnet or • loadſtone for his compaſs ; inthe ſteady andparallel directi- ' on ofthe axis of the earth for his cynofura : and then obſerv- •ing hisnatural wit and courage to make use of them; and •how that ingenite defire ofknowledge and converſe, and of theimproving ofhis own parts and happiness, ſtir him up to ſo notable a deſign : we cannotbut conclude from fuch a 'trainofcauſes, ſofitly and congruouſly complying together,

⚫that it was really the counſel ofan univerſalandeternalmind, 'that hath the overſeeing and guidance of it,' &c.

2. But (to come home to the caſe before us) that men ſhould be preſerved at ſea fromimmediate ruin in the dreadful tempefts thatbefal them there ; this is a mysterious and admirable work of God : that a poor ſhip ſhould not be ſwallowed upbythe fúrious ocean, when mountains ofwatercome rolling towards itwith anhorrid noiſe,andgiveit ſuch dreadful ſtripes when ſeas roll over it, and ſo cover it with the waves, that for atime they know not whetherthey fink or ſwim ; to fee it emerge out offuch fataldangers, keep up its head, and mount uponthebacksofthoſe lofty feas that threaten immediately to overwhelm it : O how great is the power and care of providenceinſuch acaſe ! eſpecially ifyou confider theſe following particulars, among manyothers, which threaten ruin on everyfide: and ſhouldbut one oftheſemanycontingencies befal them, in the eye of reaſon, they are loſtmen.

1. Ofhowmanyparts, comparted together, doth a ſhip confift ? Theſe parts, indeed are fastened together with bolts of iron; butbeing in ſomanyplanks, what awonder is it that

The Seaman in a Storm. noneſprings, thatno bolt gives way, or ſeams open, whilſte very part works with fuch violence, and ſo great a ſtreſs of weather lies upon it.

Should ſuch a thing fall out, (as it isa wonder it ſhould not), how foonwould the ſhipſwim within aswell as without ?

2. How often are they put from their courſe by ſtreſs of weather, and know not where they are ; not being able, for manydays, to take any obſervation ? ſo that they must go whitherwinds andwaves willdrive them : forthere is nodroppinganchors in the main, nor refifting the course of the ſeas, towhichthey can make no more reſiſtancethan achild to a giant. Andhow is it theyare notdaſhed upon the rocks, or foundered in the ſands, ſeeing the winds ſhape their courſe, and not art ? But there is a God that ſteersyour courſe for you, when you cannot.

3. How often are you even fallenupon rocksand ſhoresbeforeyou feethem, and are almoſt paſt hope before you begin tofear? Sometimes almoſt imbayed, and asmuch as everyou can do to weather a rock or head-land, which you difcerned not until it was almoſt too late.

I rememberDr Johnſon, in that ingenious and wonderful, natrative ofhis voyage to the Sound, when he had ſurvived two ſhipwrecks, andwas embarked in the third ſhip,

We <hadnot (faith he) been above two or o three hours at fea, but ⚫therewas a fad diſtraction among us in the ſhip, and the ، mariners crying, mercy ! mercy ! for we had almoſt fallen foul

'on a rock, which lay ſo cunning in the water, that we did 'noteſpy it tillwe were upon it ; but, by the goodness ofGod,

•we failed cloſeby it, and ſo eſcaped it: the leaft touch of it had been our ruin.'

4. Howoftendo you ride at anchor in furious weather, near rocks and ſhores ? Your lives, underGod, every momentdepending upon a cable and anchor ; if the one break, or the othercomehome,you are loſt men. And howwonderful is it theydonot! what is a cable in a ſtorm, but as the new cords withwhich the Philiſtines bound Samſon, and as eafilywould

theybeſnaptaſunderlike athreadoftow,were itnot forthecare of providence over you ? Theſe, and an hundred other accidentswhich hourly threaten you, might, and would fendyou down to thebottom, but that the Lord permits itnot fo tobe.

5. Andyetmore wonderful than allthis; how often doth Godfuffer ſhips to founder and fink under you, and to be daſhed to pieces against the rocks, and yet preſerve youwhen the ordinary means of preſervation are cut off and gone?

The Seaman in a Storm.

Who liketheſe ſee the works ofthe Lord, and his wonders in thedeep?

For,first, ſometimes a ſmallboat ſhall fave them, when a Gout ſhip could not : thus many of them have beenwonderfullypreſerved; andthus theaforementioned author relates the manner of this wonderful preſervation.

Our ſhip (faith he) had ſprung a leak, or rather a plank, and was ready to fink : Ohow the face ofeveryman was changed at this af.

• frightment! one was at his prayers, another wringing his hands, a third ſhedding tears,when we had noneed ofmore falt-water.

After this fit, they fell towork, and (as it is ufual in ſuch extremes)we were all buſy in doing ofnothing, anddidweknow not what.

The master's mate, whom we • fentdowntoſearch out the leak, quickly returned tous with • a fad countenance, trembling hands, gnaſhing of teeth, a ⚫quiveringtongue, and words halfſpoken, ſignifying unto us, that the wound was incurable.

Herewas now no room for • counſel, neither had we time to afk one another what was beſt to be done; but we preſently caſt out our long-boat,

* andshot offeight or nine guns,which ſeemedtobe ſomany • tolls ofa paffing-bell before ourdeath.

I leaped into the boat, butleaped ſhort ; oneleg in the boat, Alterum in Charontis cymba. Now were we left inthe northfeas,which ſeldomwear a ſmooth brow; but at this time contending with • thewind, ſwelled into prodigious mountains.

It blewhalf a ſtorm, and we were now ina ſmall veſſel: what credit ⚫could we givetoour ſafetyin aſmall and open ſhallop,when

• ſo ſtatelya castle ofwood,whichwebut now loſt,could not • defend itſelfagainst the infolency of thewaves ? We were manyleaguesfromanyſhore,havingno compaſs toguideus ,

⚫norproviſions to ſuſtain us, and the nightgrew black upon usNothingbut amiracle could preſerve us, being

⚫outofthe reachofhuman help We fell to prayer, and ⚫ourextremity pleaded for us:

For inthis moment of death,when we were without the least expectation ofdeli 'verance,he ſenta ſhip to us, which we must needs confeſs

⚫to be the finger ofGod,' &c.

Thus he And this has been thewonderful door opened in extremityto multitudes ، more fortheir eſcape : but,oh ! how aftoniſhing are theſeways ofthe Lord ? Well maywe ſay, " His ways are in the fea,

" and his paths in the great deep, andhis footsteps arenot " known," Pfalm Ixxvii. 19.

Secondly, Sometimes they ſhallbe caſt upona rock inthe VOL. VI.

Fff

The Seaman in a Storm. ſea,where they ſhall be preſerved, until ſomeotherwayofdeliverance come; yea,preſerved ſtrangely,Godbleſſing aſmall matter of proviſion which they ſaved to ſuſtain them ; though theyfaidof it, as the widow of Sareptatothe prophet, 1 Kings xvii. 12. " I have but anhandful ofmeal,andalittle oil,and " I am gathering two ſticks, that Imay go in and dreſs it for " me and my fou, that we may eat it, and die."

Or ifthey could fave nothing, yet a few muscles or birds eggs, with God's bleſſing, have ſuſtainedthem until the timeofmercy come.

This hath been the case of many. Think upon this you that abuſe the good creatures ofGodby drunkenneſs : how ſweet would a cup of freſh water be to youwhen reduced to fuch extremity ? Oh! ifyour hearts be not harder than the rocks you lay upon, how would fuch extraordinary mercies meltyou intoloveandthankfulneſs?

Thirdly, Sometimes theyhavebeenwafted tothe ſhore fafely uponthe wreck *, orby making araft ofthe broken pieces ofthe ship, and toru fails, and ropes; andupon this (God knows,apoor ſecurity against the boiſterous waves) have they ventured themſelves : afinkingman (as wefay) will catch ar a bulruſh.

Paul, andthose that fufferedthipwreck with him, were thus faved ; " The centurion commanded, that they

" which could swim, ſhould caſt themselves firſt into the ſea, " and get to land ; and the reſt, ſome on boards, and fome on " broken pieces of the ſhip; and ſo it cameto paſs thatthey

" eſcaped all fafe to land," Acts xxvii. 43, 44.

Oh, the miraculous works of the Lord! to ſave by ſuch contemptible and improbablemeans ! Whocanbutwithgreat joyfee and acknowledgethe finger of God to be here ? " Lo,

" theſe are parts ofhisway ; but how little a portion is heard " ofhim ?" Job xxvi. 14.

1. Use ofreproof.

Ifyour preſervation in ſtorms at ſea,be thewonderful works ofdivine providence, thendivers ofyou deferves tobe ſharply reproved from this truth. AndI beſeech you fuiferthe word of reproofmeekly and penitently. I ſhall ſpeak nothing to reproach you; no, it is not toreproach, but to reform you: and ifyou hate reproof, and mock at counſel,

Godmay ſhortly ſpeak in fuch thundering language to your confciences, as will be terrible foryou to bear.

I remember, it is faid of St. Bernard, That whilſt he was feriouſly reprovingthe profaneneſs of one (and ifI miſremember not, it was his own brother) who was a ſoldier, and obſervinghow he

*Tabula poft naufragium.

The Seaman in a Storm.

lightedhisholyandſerious counſel,his ſpiritwas greatlygrieved at it, and hetold him,

Brother,God, I fear, will ſhortly • make way to yourheart with a ſword, to which my words

⚫can findnoacceſs : And the event ſoon verified theſadprediction.

I pray God none of you may betaught by captivities and ſhipwrecks, what it is to reject faithful reproofs, and wholeſome counſel,ſeaſonably given foryourgood.

You that read theſe lines, feriously aſk your own confciences theſe following queſtions.

(1.) Have you not foon forgotten theworks and wonders of theLord, whichyoureyeshave ſeen? It may be, for the preſent, you have been ſenſibly affected with your danger, andthe mercyofGod inyourdeliverance,but hath itremained upon yourhearts? Idoubt theſe mercies have been written in the duft, which ſhould have been engraven, as inthe rock, for ever.

Thus it was with Ifrael, apeople that faw as many wonders wroughtfor them bytheimmediate finger ofGod,as everdid any people inthe world; and yet it is faidof them, even after the red-fea deliverance, in which "God divided

" the fea for them, when the waves thereof roared," Ifa. li.

15. and withwhich, for the preſent, their hearts were greatly affected; for it is ſaid, Pfalm cvi. 12. " That they believed

" his word, andſanghis praiſes ;" but in the next verſe you read,that a little time eaſily wipedout the ſenſe of this mercy ; for it is faid,ver. 13. "They ſoon forgathis works, and waited

" not for his counſels."

I doubt this was not the fin of Ifrael only, butis the case of many ofyou at this day.

Well,God did not forget you in the time of extremity, though you fo quicklyforgothim. Think not toexcuſeyourſelves from this

: guilt, byſaying, you do ſtill rememberthe thing : you maydo fo, and yet be ſaid to forgethis mercy: for adeliverance may be remembered, byhim that received it, twoways; namely, fpeculatively, and affectingly. A ſpeculative remembrance is only tocall to mindthe ſtories ofſuch a danger, and preſervation ; this you maydo, andyetGod accounthimſelfforgotten, exceptyou ſo remember it, as ftill tofeel the powerful impreffionsthereofupon yourhearts, foftening, and meltingthem intothankfulneſs,love, anddependanceuponthe God ofyour falvations.

(2.) Haveyou not walked very unanſwerably to your deliverances,yea, and to the folemnengagementsyou made toGod in theday of your diſtreſs ? I fear fome ofyou have walked, afterGod hath rescuedyou by awonderful immediate hand

Fff 2

412 .

The Seaman in a Storm. from thejaws ofdeath, as ifyouhadbeen delivered todo all theſe abominations. As it is Jer. vii. 10. It maybe the laft week, ormonth, you were reeling toand fro upon the ſtormy ſea, and ſtaggering like drunken men; and this, reeling and ſtaggering along the ſtreets, really drunken. O horrid abomination! doye thus requite the Lord,who pitied you inyour diſtreſs, and, being full of compaffion, ſaved you, whenyou criedto him ? Is this the fruit ofyour wonderful falvation ? Ifa man ſhould have toldyou in thatday itwould havebeenthus, you yourſelves could nothavebelieved it, but would have anIwered as Hazaeldid to the prophet, 2Kings viii. 13. "What!

" is thy ſervant adog, thathe ſhoulddo ſuchthings?" Yet fo it was, and ſo it is ſtill :the Lord humbleyou forthis greatwickedneſs.

If this be all the fruit of mercy and deliverance, it had been better foryou that you hadgonedown to the bottom then, rather than to live only to treaſureup more wrath against the day ofwrath, and fill up your meaſure.

(3.) Are there not a fort ofAtheistical ſeamen,whoownnot providence at all, either in the raiſing of theſe horrid tempeſts, or intheir marvellous preſervationinthem! but look on allascoming ina natural way, andtheir eſcape tobe onlyby good fortune and chance ? Howwonderful athing is it, inthe eyesof all confidering men, that providence ſhould take any noticeofthem inaway offavour, that ſo wickedlydifown it, and ſo directly diſoblige it ? How canyou poſſibly ſhut your eyes againſt ſuch clear light, and ſtop your ears againſt ſuch loud andplain language, whereby the power and goodness of Godproclaims itſelf to you intheſe providences ? Ah ! methinks you should moſt readily and thankfully ſubſcribe that great truth, Pfal. lxviii. 20. "Hethat is our God, is the " God of falvation; and untoGod the Lordbelong the iſſues

" from death." But, thoughmenſee figns andwonders,they willnot believe; yea, though themselves become wonders to the worldby their miraculous deliverances, yet ſo brutiſh and ſtupid arethey, thatthey will not ſeethe handthat ſavesthem.

Takeheed whatyoudo: you ſet yourſelves in the directway todeſtructionbythis, and highlyprovoke theLord to abandon and caftyou out ofthe careofhis providence : and ifhe once doſo, you are loſt men.

(4.) Andyetmorevile (ifmore vileneſs canbe infin) than allthis : are there not ageneration of wretched men among you, that fall a ſwearing, curſing, and blafpheming God, evenwhenhe is uttering his terrible voice inthe tempeft, and everymomentthreatening to intombthem in thedeep ?When

The Seaman in a Storm.

you should beuponyour knees bewailing your fins, andpleadingwith God for mercy, (as Idoubt not but ſome ofyoudo) tobe yetmore and more provoking him, daring him to his face; and yetmoreincenfing his indignation,which is already kindled against you; who,that hears this, can chuſe but admirethe riches ofGod's patience and forbearance towardsſuch men? The veryheathen mariners in a storm called every man upon his God, Jonah i. 5. We ſay, extremitywill cauſe the worstofmento pray, and compoſethe vaineſt ſpirit unto ſeriouſneſs ; but it seems byyou, it will not.

Is this the frame andtemperyou willmeet death in ? What ! ſpeaking the language ofdevils anddamned ſpirits before you come among them; hafting on your own ruin, as ifit were too flackand lingering in its motion ? The Lord open the eyes of theſe miferable creatures,and convince them, thatthey are not only going to hell, as others are, butthat they are the forlorn ofall that wretchedcrewthat areboundthither; andproportionably will be their mifery, except theyrepent.

2. Ufe of exhortation. This point isyet farther improvablefor you byway ofexhortation, ſerving to preſs you to thofe

properduties whichGod calls you tobyhis terrible providential voice inthe ſtorms, and by your wonderful deliverances.

1. And the firſt leſſon you are to learn from hence is, To adore the power of God. O what a manifeſtation ofdivine power is here ! you arethemen thatfee morethan others the works ofthe Lord, and hiswonders in thedeep.

It is one of God's ends in ſhewingyou theſe wonders, " To make his " mighty power known," Pfal. cvi. 8. Owhat a terriblevoice dothGod utter upon the ſeas, when the heavens are black aboveyou, the furious winds and dreadful thunders rattling about you, the fea and waves roaring beneath you! Is not this voice ofthe Lord full of majesty? Doth itnot aweyour hearts, andmake them tremble? Inthreethings his infinite power is diſcovered toyou.

First, In raiſing theſe terrible tempeſts, and that from ſo ſmall andweak abeginning as a thinvapour fromthe earth is : this is thewonderful work ofGod,Pfalm cxxxv. 7."Hecauf- " eth the vapours to aſcendfromthe ends ofthe earth;hemak- " eth lightnings for the rain, he bringeth wind out of his

" treafuries."

F Secondly, In limitingand bounding theirforceandpower: whatprodigious effects elſe would follow: Thewind is a fierce andboisterous creature, andwould (ifGoddidnotby hispro-

The Seaman in a Storm. vidence reſtrain) deſtroy, and overturn all, bothby fea and land ; orifSatan, who is ſtiled The prince, or power ofthe air, were left at liberty toexecutehis malicebyfuch an inſtrument, not a ſhip ſhould croſsthe ſeas, nor ahouſebe ſafe at land; as is evident enough bythefurious haſte he made tooverturnthe houſe with an horrible tempeſt uponJob's children, as soon as he had receiveda permiffionfromheaven todo it.

And, thirdly, No leſs viſible isthe powerofGod in calming and appeafſing the ſtormy winds, and remanding them intohis treaſuries,Pfalm cvii. 29. "He maketh the ſtorm a " calm." Yea, hedoth ſoin the very nickoftime, whenall is concluded loft. Thus you read in Mark iv. 39. "Whenthe

" waves beat into the ſhip," ſothat itwas now full, andthe diſciples cried unto the Lord, " Maſter, carest thou not that " we perish ? He aroſe and rebukedthewind, and ſaid to the " ſea, Peace, beſtill ; andthe wind ceased, and there was a " great calm." Just as one wouldhush a child, Peace, bestill.

O the fovereign power of God! how should itbe reverenced and adoredbyall that behold it, intheſe marvellous effects of it?

2. The ſecond leſſon you are taught by this doctrine, is, To admirethemercy of God. Mercy is no leſs diſcovered than power ; yea, the power ofGod is put forth togive his mercy a fair occafion to ſhine forth in your deliverance. God ſometimes permits your dangers togrow to an extremity, anddelays your deliverances to the last moment, till all hopes of fafetyare gone, upon the like reaſon that Lazarus's refurrection was deferred, that the work of God in your preſervation may commend itſelf to you under the greatest advantage.Othatyou would view theſe mercies in alltheir endearing circumstances ! I can only hint your duty generally in this cafe; you may enlarge upon it, ifyou have hearts fit for fuch

ableſſedwork.

Andmark particularythe multitudes ofmer.. ciesthat are complicated and involved in one deliverance.

Obſerve the ſeaſon when, the manner how, the means by which your ſalvation was wrought. Itis athousand pities that fo much ofGod's glory and your comfort, as any one, even the ſmallest circumſtance, may contain, ſhould ever be loft.

3. Lastly, And above all, See thatyeanswerGod's ends in yourdeliverance: Ifthoſe be loft, God mayſay concerning you, asDaviddid ofNabal, I Sam. xxv. 21. " Surely, invain

"have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness; fo

The Seaman in a Storm.

" that nothing was miffed ofallthatpertained to him ; and " he hath requited me evil for good."

So here, invain have I kept this fellow upon the fea, when Ifufferedothers to fink ; in vain have I preſerved his life, liberty and eſtate ; fo often by an out-ſtretched arm of power and mercy to him, ſeeing he requites me evil forgood.

O let me intreat you to be careful to complywith thedeGgns and ends of God in theſeyour wonderful preſervations !

If you enquire what God's ends anddeſigns in your deliveranceare, I anſwer, First, It is to lead you to repentance. "The goodness of " God(faiththe apostle) leadeth thee to repentance," Rom. ii. 4. Doſt thou not know the voice ofmercy ? Why, it beſpeaks thy returntoGod. Itmaybe thou haft ſpent allthy life, to this day, inthe ſervice offin : Thou neverredeemeft one of all thy precious hours to confider thine own. eſtate, to bewail thy fin andmiſery, to ſeek afteran intereſt inChrift. Why, nowhere is aprovidence fallen in, thatdoth, as it were, take thee by the hand, and lead thee to this great and neceffary work. The end ofGod in raiſing this ſtorm, was todeliver thee fromthe more dreadful tempest of his wrath, which, without repentance, muſt ſhortly overtake thy foul inthe blackness of darkness for ever. Now God hath awakened thy confcience by this fright, made it chargehomethy fins upon thee, terrified thee with diſmal apprehenfions of death and hell. O whata fairopportunityand advantage hath he now put into thyhand for repentance, reformation, andgaining an intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt ! Ifthis ſeaſonbe loft, conſcience ſuffered againto fallinto anydead fleep, andthy heart be againhardenedbythe deceitfulness of fin, thou mayeſtnever have ſuch an opportunity for falvation opened to thee anymore.

Secondly, If this end be answered, then a farther deſign Godhath inthydeliverance, is to engage and encouragethy foul to a dependance uponGod in future ſtraits anddangers.

This is food for faith ; and nowyou are furnishedwith experience ofthe power, mercy, and goodness of God, to enable you to reſt yourſelves upon him when new exigencies befal you.

IfGodexerciſe you with fuch extremities anothertime, youmayſaywith the apostle, 2Cor. i. 10. "Who delivered

" us from ſo great a death, and doth deliver ; in whom we " truft, he will yet deliver us."

Ifyourfirſtdeliverancewereadeliverance withoutapromife, whenyouwere without Chrift, what encouragement have you todependuponhim, whenhisend is anſwered inyour repen

The Seaman in a Storm. tanceand converfion ? and, being inChriſt, are entituledto allthepromiſes.

Thirdly, and lastly, God's end inyour marvellous preſervations anddeliverances, is, to furnish you for, and to engage you to a life of praise. O how should the high praises of God beever in your mouths ! you haveſeenhis works and wonders in thedeeps ; and this is itwhich thePfalmiſt preſſes uponyou, as abecoming return for your mercies, inthewords followingmy text; " O thatmenwouldpraise the Lord for " his goodneſs, and for his wonderful works to the children

" ofmen !"

Owith what warm and enlarged affections ſhould you ex preſs your thankfulneſsto theGodofyourſalvation ! and ſay as David, " What am I, O LordGod,and what is my father's

" houſe, that thou ſhouldſt do ſuch great things for me ?"

Was ſuch a life as mine worth the working of fo manywonders to ſave it ? O Lord, thou knoweſt ithasbeena life fpent in vanity.

Thygloryhath notbeen precious inmine eyes, butmy life hath beenprecious inthine eyes. Many more uſeleful, and leſs ſinful than myſelf, have periſhed, andI am faved. O Lord, ſhew me the deſigns and gracious ends of theſe deliverances.

Surely there is ſome great thing to bedone by me, or elſe ſo great a falvation had not been wroughtforme. The Lord faw in what a ſadcafe my poor foul was, to be fummoned immediatelybefore hisjudgmentſeat; that if I had gonedownunder all my guilt, I had funk tothebottomofhell: Butthou, in love tomy foul, haftde. livered it from the pit ofcorruption, that I might yet enjoy a ſeaſon for falvation, andbe once more intrusted with the precious talents oftime and means. Othat I may not reject or abuſe the grace ofGod inthis new inſtrument, as I have toooftendone in the former ! let me not live as one delivered to commitalltheſe abominations !

Andnow afterallthat is come upon me formyevils, ſeeing thou, myGod,haſt punished me ſo much leſs thanmy iniquities deſerve; andhaftgiven me ſuch a deliverance as this, ſhould I again dare to break thy commandments ? Ezra ix. 13, 14. "O let this new mercyproduce a newheartand

" life !"

[ 417 1 THE

SE A MAN'S PRESERVATIVE

In FOREIGN COUNTRIES.

SERMON III.

PSALM cxxxix. 9, 10.

IfItake the wings ofthe morning, and dwell in the uttermost part of thefea ; even thereshall thy hand leadme, and thy righthandfballhold me.

INN this pfalm theomniprefenceandomniſcience ofGod are the ſubjects ofthe Pfalmiſt's meditation ; and theſe attributes are here promifcuouſlydiſcourſed, not onlybecauſeofthe near affinity that is betwixttheir natures,butbecauſethe one is the demonftration of the other : It is evident God knows all things, because he fills all places.

Touching the omniſcience ofGod, he diſcovers the infinite perfection ofthat attribute by the particular and exact notion ittakes ofall ourways : verſe

3. " Thou compaſſeſt my paths, and art acquainted with all my ways. " Of all our words ; verſe 4. " There is not a "word inmy tongue,but lo,O Lord,thou knoweſt it altoge- " ther." Yea, ofall ourthoughts ; and thatnotonly inthe inſtant oftheir conception,butlongbefore theywereconceived ; verſe 2. " Thou underſtandeſt my thoughts afar off," even from eternity.

Thus he diſplays the omniſcience ofGod :

And thentomakedemonſtration ofthe truth and certainty of this doctrine ofGod's omniſcience,he proves it from his omnipreſence : q. d. He that fills all things, cannot but know all things. NowGod's preſence fillsheaven, yea, and hell too, verſe 8. And all parts ofthe earth and ſea,even the remoteft, verſe9, 10. And therefore no creature, nor action ofany creature, caneſcape his cognizance. It is not here as amongmen ; if amalefactor be condemned by the laws of one kingdom, he may eſcape by flying into another ; butit is far otherwise here ; for faith thePfalmiſt,(perſonatinga guilty fugitive endeavouring to make an eſcape from the arreſt ofGod's juſtice), " If I " take the wings ofthe morning, anddwellinthe uttermoft

" parts ofthe fea; eventhere ſhall thyhand leadme, and thy " right hand ſhallhold me."

VOL, VI.

Ggg

The Seaman's Prefervative In which words, youhave theſe twothingsmainly remarkable.

1. Thegreatest ſecurity and encouragement toa finnerfuppofed.

2. That ſuppoſed ſecurity and encouragement utterlydeſtroyed.

1. The greatest ſecurity and encouragement to a ſinner ſuppoſed; " If I take the wings ofthe morning, anddwell intire

" uttermost parts ofthe ſea" *. Wheretwo things ſeem tooffer towards his protection.

First, The place; the remoteſt part ofthefea ; by which you are to understand the moſt obſcure nook inthe creation; farthest removedfrom an inspection or obſervation.

And,fecondly, his ſwift and ſpeedy flight, after the commiſſion of fin, to this ſuppoſed refugeandſanctuary : It is here ſuppoſed, that a finner ſhould fly as ſwift asthe lightofthe fun, which in a moment ſhines from the east to the wek: and ſo the meaning is, could I flee with a celerity equal to the ſun, orhis beams of light, which breaking forth in themorning, do inan inſtant enlighten the remoteſt parts of thehemisphere : Could I as ſwiftlyflee tothe moſtobſcure,remote, folitary place in allthe world. Thus the ſinner's ſecurityis ſuppoſed.

2.This ſuppoſedſecurity and encouragement is utterly deſtroyed; " Even there ſhall thy handlead me, and thy right

"hand ſhall hold me."

The leading hand ofGod is not here tobe understood, as a directing or guiding hand, to ſhew the fugitive ſinner the wayofhis eſcape;but contrarily, "Thy

" hand ſhall lead me," as a keeper leads his prifoner back to theplace of custody, from which he endeavoured toeſcape.

Andthe following clauſe is exegetical: " Thy right hand " ſhall hold," or detain me, viz. in ſtrict cuſtody.

So that the fum of all is this :

Doct. That the whole world affords noplace ofsecrecy orfecurityforafinnertoescapethe observing eye, and righteous hand ofGod.

Jonah fled from the Lord to Tarſhiſh; but could he eſcape fo ? No, the Lord ſent a ſtorm after him, which broughtback the fugitive, Jonah i. 3, 4.

We read, Ifa. xxix. 15. offuch " asdig deep, to hide their counſels from the Lord," i. e.

* He alludes tothe ſwifteſt ofallmotion,eventhat oflight,which fyringsin amoment from east toweſt.

Calvin.

+ Non accipitur deducerepro viam monftrare; feddeducet me xanus tua tanquemcuftos captivumfibi commiſſum deduxit, Varab.

inforeign Countries.

They plot, contrive and ſtudy to conceal theirwickeddeſigns, to fin with greateſt ſecrecy and ſecurity. But, what can poffi bly be a covering from him, to whoſe ſight allthings are naked and manifeft ? Where can a finner behidfromhim whoſe prefence fills heaven and earth ? Jer. xxiii. 25.

The ſcripture gives full proof to this great truth.

It is clear from Prov. xv.

3. "The eyes ofthe Lord are in every place, beholding the " evil and the good." And again, Job xxxiv. 21, 22. " For " his eyes are upon the ways ofman, and he ſeeth all his go- " ings; there is no darkneſs, nor fhadow of death, where the " workers of iniquity may hide themſelves."

Whoever goes about toconceal a fin in ſecret, attempts a foolish and impoſſibledeſign, Pfalm xliv. 21. " Shall notGod ſearch this out ? For " heknoweththeſecrets ofthe heart: Forthe eyes ofthe Lord

" run to and fro, through the whole earth," 2 Chron. xvi. 9.

Now in the handling ofthis point, I purpoſe to ſhew you, 1. That menare often induced to fin upon hopes offecrecy and concealment.

2. That to fin upon theſe encouragements, ſtrongly argues their natural atheism : They think they are ſafe, ifmen know it not ; they reckon not uponGod'sdiſcoveryofthem.

3. That theſe encouragements to fin are wainthings, it being impoſſible anyplace can hide a finnerfrom God ; and how itappears that the eye ofGod is, and nouſt needs be upon us, and our actions, where-ever we are, and how cloſely foever we endeavour to hide them : Andthen apply it.

First, Men are ofteninduced to commit ſim upon thehopes of ſecrecy and concealment.

Sin (eſpeciallyſome forts offin) carry ſomuch ſhame and odium inthem, that it reſtrainsmen from the open practice of them ; but if Satan can perfuade them they ſhall never be divulged to their reproach, they will. venture uponthem.

See that text, " Theeye of the adulterer " waiteth for the twilight, ſaying, no eye ſhall ſee me, and " diſguiſeth his face," Job xxiv. 15.

Reckoning himself fecure, ifhe can carry his wickedneſs under a vail of darkneſs, not caringwhat wickedneſs he doth,ſo he maydo it undifcerned: It is not theacting of fin,but the diſcoveryofit, that purs them into terrors .

So it is added with reſpect both to the adulterer and the thief, ver. 17. "The morning is to them as " the shadow ofdeath, if one knowthem ; they are in the ter- " rors ofthe ſhadow of death ;" i. e. If a man, eſpecially a man in authority, a magiſtrate meetthem, it is as ifthe image ofdeath paffedbefore them ina viſion.

So thoſe idolaters, Ggg 2

The Seaman's Prefervative Ezek. viii. 12. " Son ofman, haſt thou ſeen what the anti- " ents ofthe houſe of Ifrael do in the dark, everyman inthe

" houſe ofhis imagery ? Forthey ſay,theLordfeethus not."

They conclude allis well, ifnothing appear.

Thisencouragement of ſecrecy is the great argument bywhich Satan prevails with men to commit any finthathath ſhameordanger attending it : But his promiſes ofconcealment are usuallymade good, as his promiſes ofgreat wealth are towitches.

This is the encouragement.

Secondly, Next, Iwill make it evidenttoyou, that tofinuponthis encouragement, argues atheism in him that commits it.

This is plain ; for,didmen believe the omnipreſence and omniſcience ofGod, fuch an encouragement to fin as ſecrecy couldhave no force with them.

Thus, when the antients of Ifrael practiſed their idolatry in the dark, it is plain they thoughtGod fawthem not,Ezek. viii. 12. " For they say, the " Lord ſeeth us not, the Lord hath forſaken the earth ;" i.e.

Theydid not really believe God's omnipreſence and omniſcie ence. AndJob tells us, chap. xxxi. 26, 27, 28. " That ifhe

" had beheld thefun in his brightneſs," (i. e.) to admire and worſhip it as a God ; or, " his heart being fecretly enticed,

" he ſhouldhave denied theGodthat is above."

Every one that is enticedto finupontheencouragement offecrecy, doth fo far deny theGod that is above.

Ifſuch a mapdidreallybelieve there is a God that ſees him, "whoſe eyes are as flames

" offire," Rev. i. 14. "Towhom the darkness and the light " are both alike," Pfal. cxxxix. 12. it were impoſſible he ſhouldbe ſo terrified at the diſcovery ofa creature, and fo fecure andwhollyunconcerned at thediſcovery ofGod: Itcouldnot be, that theobfervation ofthe greatGod ſhould not ſo much trouble them, as the obſervation ofa little child.

Thuswe find the inward thoughts ofmens hearts concerning God, diſcovered bytheir bold attempts upon fecret fins, Ifa. xxxix. 15. " Woe tothem that ſeek deep tohide their counſel

" from the Lord, and their works are in the dark ; and they " ſay, who feeth us, and who knoweth us ?" They think if theirworks are ſhrouded under a veil ofdarkneſs, theyarefafe enough ; ifthey can eſcape the bar of an earthly god (a magiſtrate) they ſhall neverbe accountable at any otherbar. We have another fad inſtance ofthe ſame impietyin Pfalm lxxiii.

11. "And they ſay, how doth God know? And is there "knowledge inthe MostHigh ?" Ifmen did not fancy to themſelvesthere is no God, or (which is allone) that he is like untothemselves, one that cannot fee in darkness, they could

inforeign Countries

never encouragethemselves as theydo, to fin upon ſuch a foolish pretence..

Thirdly, But myproper buſineſs, in this place, istoprove; thattheſeencouragements to finare vainthings : 'That no finnercan hide himselffrom the eye ofGod.

This is plainboth from ſcriptureand reaſon.

The fcriptures fpeak full hometothis truth.

Prov. v. 21.

" The ways of a man are before the Lord, and he pondereth " all his paths."

To ponder orweigh our paths, is more than fimply to obſerve and fee them. He not only fees the action, butputs it intothe balances, with everycircumſtance belongingtoit, and tries how much every ingredient in the action weighs, and what it comes to. So that God hath not only anuniverfal inspection upon every action,buthe hath a critical inspection into it alſo.

" The Lord is aGod of knowledge, " and by him actions are weighed," 1 Sam. ii. 3. So Jer. xiii. 25. 27. " Thou haft forgotten me, and trusted in falfe- " hood : I have ſeen they adulteries, and thy neighings, the " lewdneſs ofthy whoredoms and abominations ;" q. d. Thou forgetteſt there is aGod in the heavens that beheld thee, and didſt verilybelieve all was fafe, becauſe ſecret from man,

In this falſehood or cheat put upon thee, by the devil, and thine own atheistical heart, thou didst trust.

But Ihave ſeen thee, andall thy fecret lewdneſs.

Itisa proverb among finners, Si non caste, tamen caute.

Carry the matter, ifnot honeftly, yet warily : Ifthou hast a mind to fin, yet order it fo, that the worldmaybe never the wifer. Buthow vain athing is this?

Ifmendo not, the Lord doth ſee it ; " I know, and am a wit- " neſs, faith the Lord," Jer. xxix. 23.

Thus the ſcripture ſpeaks roundly and fully to the point in hand.

But, becauſe the atheism of the world is ſo great, and it is a hard thing toconvincemen ofthis great truth, ſo as to overawe them from any fecret fin by it; I will, by rational arguments, demonſtrate the truth to every man's confcience, and giveyou plain and full evidence, that how ſecretly foever men carry their finful deſigns, yet the Lord muſt needs be privy to them ; anditis impoffible they ſhould eſcape his cognizance.

1. For, first, He that formed all, cannot but know all : theworkman cannot be ſuppoſed to be ignorant of any part of his own work. NowGod is the former of all things ; every place, and every perſon he hath made : where, then, ſhall the workers of iniquity hide themſelves ? You have folly, of finners, inthinking toconcealthemſelves from the eyeofGod, convincedand reprovedby this very argument, Iſa. xxxix. 1

The Seaman's Prefervative.

16. " Woe unto them that ſeek deep to hide their counſels " from the Lord, and their works are in the dark ; and they

" fay, who feeth us ? And who knoweth us ? Surely, your " turning ofthings upside down, ſhallbe eſteemed asthe pot- " ter's clay: for, ſhallthe work ſayto him that made it, he

" mademe not ? Or, ſhall the thing framed ſay of him that " framed it, he hath no understanding ?" q. d.

Think ye by deep-laid deſigns, by the advantage of darkneſs, by the moulding andnew mouldingyourcraftydeſigns inyourheads, as theclay is moulded now intothis, then intothat ſhape bythe potter's hand, to hide itfrom me ? O brutiſh creatures, and without understanding ! am not I the God that formed you ?

And can itbe ſuppoſed I ſhould not know the moſt fecret thoughts, plots and deſigns ofmine own creatures,who cannot contrive a deſign, nor conceive athought without me ? How abſurd is this ? Find out a place which God made not, or a creature which he formed not, and then your pretences to that creature's concealment fromGodinſuch aplace, may have ſome colour : and this argument is again urged to convince the brutiſh atheist, Pfal. xciv. 8, 9, 10. " Understand,

" yebrutish among the people, andye fools,when will you " be wife ? He that plantedthe ear, ſhall he nothear ? He

" that formed the eye, ſhallhe not ſee ? He that chaſteneth " the heathen, ſhall nothe correct ? He that teacheth man

" knowledge, ſhall not he know ? The Lord knoweth the " thoughts of man, that they are vanity;" ſo that it is the vainest ofall vanity inthe world, to think ofhiding your fins from the Lord.

2. He that ſuſtains all, cannot but know, and difcern all.

You that feek tohide counſel from the Lord, know ye not, " Thatin him you live, move, andhaveyour being ?" Acts xvii. 28.

Do notyou derive that verypower from him, which you abuſeby finning against him ? Anddo you depend neceffarilyand continually uponGodfor all? Must he give you thepower tomove, and by that powercan you move beyond bim, and get out ofhis reach ? You cannot think a thought withouthim, andyetcan excludehim from thoſe verythoughts whichyou had no power to conceive,but from him ? Exerciſe butcommonreaſon in the cafe, and it willhiſs atyour abſurd deſigns.

3. He thatgoverns all, can be ignorant ofnothing.

Theſe isa perpet. 1 influence of providence, ſwaying and governing allthe creatures, and all their actions; elſe the very ligaments ofnaturewould crack, andthe worldbreak up and diſband,

in foreign Countries.

This providence extends itſelf to the least and lowest ofcreatures and their actions, Luke xii. 6. a ſparrow falls not to thegroundwithout it. " The great God hath ſomething to " do about the moſt minute * and inconfiderable things ;" yea,themoſtcontingent anduncertain things, asis the diſpoſal of a lot, Prov. xvi. 33. And, indeed, this omniſcience of God is thatwhich is neceffary tothis univerſal government.

How ſhall he rule that perſon,or in that place, whichhe knows not? Indeed earthly governorsmay do ſo ; it is not neceſſary theyhave a perſonal immediate cognizance of each place and perſon in theirdominions: it is enough that they be virtually andmediatelygovernedbythem ; but it isnotſo withGod : it is neceffaryhiseye ſhould immediately fee allthe parts ofhis dominion.

Hecould not rule the world, ifhewere not anomniſcientGod.

Pfal. lxvi. 7. " Heruleth by hispower for ever ; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt

" themſelves ."

4. He that hath ſet a ſpy to obſerve and note what every mandoth, cannot butknow his actions,how ſecret-foever they be. Now, fo it is here ; God ſends aſpy with you, to obſerve and recordyour moſt ſecret actions, and thoughts, in every place, Imean your own confciences, from whoſe obfervation none ofyour ways can poſſibly be exempt. The ſenſe ofthis madethe heathen ſay, Turpequid anfurus, tefine tefte time.

Whenthou art attempting a finfulact, fear thyſelfwithout anyother witness ; confcience is privy to your moſtſecretdefigns and thoughts ; 1 Kings ii. 44. " Thou knoweſt all the " wickedness which thine heart (i. e. thy confcience) is privy

" to:" and if confcience know all, God must needs fee and know it.

So the apostle reasons,from the leffer to the greater, John iii. 20. " If our heart condemn us, (which is there put

" for confcience) God is greater than our hearts, and know- " eth allthings."

Ifthe ſpirit ofa man knows thethings of a man, much more he that formed that ſpirit, and endowed manwith it.

5. He that knows things more fecret and unſearchable than our moſt ſecret actions can be, must needs know them how ſecretfoever theybe. Now there are manythings more clofe andfecret than any action ofours can poſſibybe,and yetGod knows them .

The thoughts ofthe heart are more fecretthan any external action ; ſo ſecret, that no creature can ſearch them; thedevil himself hath but a conjectural gueſs at them :

" But the Lord tellethunto man what is his thought;" as in * Deus maximus in minimus.

The Seaman's Prefervative Amos iv. 13. SoJer. xvii. 1o. "ItheLord fearch theheart,

" Itrythe reins;" i.e. The most obſcure, inward and deep fecrets lodged intheheart; nay,which ismore, he notonly knows our thoughts whentheyare formedandconceived in theheart, but longbefore theirconception; Pfalm cxxxix. 2.

"Thou knowest my thoughts afar off."

Divines generally interpret it from eternity; evenſo long beforethey wereac. tuallythought, he foreknew everythoughtwe should think; and what canbe imagined more fecret, and undifcernible, than a futurethought!

Now ifthis be known to him, how much more are our thoughts formed into projects anddeſigns,andtheſe executed by external actions ? O deceive notyourſelves with hopes of fecrecy! Nothing canbe aſecretto himthatknows the counfels of all hearts.

6.Hethatprovidentiallybrings to light the moſt ſecret contrivances ofmen,andpubliſhes them before all Ifrael, and before the fun, must needs ſee them, and know them.

How cloſely hadAchancovered his wickedneſs: He never ſuſpected... adiſcovery, yet God brought it to light. With how much contrivancewas the fin ofDavid covered? yetGoddiſcovered it: " Thou didst this thing fecretly, but I willdo this thing

" before all Ifrael,andbefore the ſun," 2 Sam. xii. 12. Hiftories aboundwith examples ofGod's bringing to light murders, ſo ſecretly committed,that itwas impoſſible they ſhould ever be revealedin this world,without a miracleofprovidence; andyet so they have been brought to light.

Beſſus, having committedſuch a murder,fancied the ſwallows that were chattering inthe chimney, had said, Beffus killed a man, and thereupon confefſed the fact. How ſecure were the contrivers ofthe popiſh powder-plot, that Catholic villany, in adouble ſenſehaving fworn all theiraccomplices to ſecrecy, and managedthewholedeſign ſo cloſely, thatGuy Faux, upon the difcoveryof it, faid, The devil must needs be the discoverer ofit.

How eaſy were itto expatiate upon this theme ? But I willnot be tireſome in inſtances: allages are the witneſſes ofthistruth.

Who canthendeny or question thatgreat or confeffed truth, Dan. ii. 28. " There is aGod in heaven that reveals fecrets :" and ifhe reveals them,he must needs know them.

7. He that will judge all fecrets, cannot but knowthem.

" Now God will judge the ſecrets ofmeninthat great day,"

Rom. ii . 16. "God willbring everywork intojudgment,with " every fecret thing, whether itbe good, or whetheritbeevil,"

Eccl. xii. ult.

The Judge ofthe whole earth will notjudge

inforeign Countries.

" at random ; his judgment willbe infallible, becauſe his omniIcience is fo.

His eyes are upon the ways of man, and he " ſeeth all his goings ; for he willnot layuponman morethan

" right, that he ſhould enter into judgment with God," Job Xxxiv. 21 , 23 .

So that the truth of this point is beyond all controversy and contradiction, that the whole world affords no place of fecrecy or ſecurity for a finner toeſcape the obſerving eye, and righteous hand of God.

The uſes follow in theſe inferences.

1. Inference. If this be ſo, thentime,place, and opportuni. ty, how much foever they feem to promiſe ſecrecy and concealment, ſhould never further a temptation to fin.

Suppoſe all circumſtances concurring, ſo that inthe eye of reafon you feem ſecured from the ſhameful conſequences of fin ; yet, methinks, the confideration of this truth ſhould fufficientlydeteryou from awicked purpoſe; Prov. v. 20. " Andwhy

" wilt thou, my fon, be raviſhed with a strange woman, and " embrace the boſom of a stranger ?

For the ways of aman " are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings." There be four things which ſtrengthen temptations to fin, and particularly the finof uncleanneſs upon ſeamen.

First, The abſence of lawful remedies. Secondly, The prefence of alluring objects.

Thirdly, The inſtigation of wicked examples.

Fourthly, And the hopes of concealment, being remote fromtheir acquaintance: ſo thattheir ſins, in probability, ſhall neverdiſgrace them.

This last circumſtance is not the leaſt: Ohowmanyhath itprevailed upon! but I hope you will never yield to this temptation, whoſeheartand ſtrength are broken by this confideration of the eye of God upon you. A chaſtewomanbeingonce ſollicited tofolly, told him that follicitedher, the could never yield to the motion, until he could find aplace whereGod ſhould not fee.

Nay, my friends, it ſhoulddomore than reſtrain you from the groſs acts of fin; it ſhould powerfully curb the very thoughts and firſt motions of fin in your hearts.

That was the uſe holy Job made of this truth , Job xxxi. 1, 4. " Ihave " made a covenant with mine eyes ; why then ſhould I think

" upon a maid?

Doth he not ſee my ways, andcount all my " ſteps?"

Suppoſe you ſhouldcarry your wickedneſs ſo cloſe, that none on earth ſhouldknow it; yet the Lord fees it, and will bring it into judgment, and your own confcience is privy to it.

VOL . VI .

Hhh

The Seaman's Prefervative pray, firs, tell me, is it not a great comfort to amalefactor, that he acted his crime ſo cloſely, that none but the judge, and one authenticwitneſs more, (whoſe teſtimonyis as good as a thouſand) beheld it ? Why, this isthe case ofall ſecret finners.

But, to preſs home this great and neceſſarytruth moreparticularly, I beſeech you to confider,

1.Goddoth not onlybeholdyou, but beholds you withdeteftationand abhorrence in yourways of iniquity: It is a fight that grieves him to the heart, Gen. vi. 5, 6. "And the Lord faw

" the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that eve- " ry imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil

" continually." Here was wickedneſs, great wickedneſs, breaking out externally,andevil, only evil, andthat continually,working internally ; ſo that both heart and life were evil extenſively, intenſively,andprotenſively. Thisthe Lordſaw; andhow it affectedhim, the fixth verſe tells you ; "And itrepented the Lord

" thathehadmade man on the earth; and it grieved him at the " heart:" Ah ! it cuts him to the heart, to ſee your finful hearts and courſes.

Nothing can be ſo contrary to the pureand. holy nature of Godas this is this made the prophet admire howhis patience could endure ſuch a ſight,Hab. i. 13. "Thou

" art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canſt not look upon iniquity ; wherefore lookeſt thou upon them that deal τε treacherouſly ? " &c.

As if he ſhould ſay, Lord, how canst thou behold thyself affronted by vile creatures, and hold

" thy hands from avenging it ? O the ſtupendous patience of God!

2. Itdoth notonly grieve him tothe heart, but itputs his patience to thegreatest trial and exerciſe inbeholding it: thereforehe is faid " to endure with much long-fuffering," Rom. ix. 22.

It doth, as it were, create a conflict betwixt his pa tienceand juftice: he is fo provoked by your fin, thathe expreſſes it as a difficultyto bear it, Amos ii. 13.

Iampreſſed " under you, as a cart is prefſed that isfull of ſneaves ;" burdened till the axle-treeof infinite patience be readyto crack

" under theweight.

Nay, thirdly, Hedothnot only ſee your evils, but heregiſters and records them, in order to aday of reckoning withyou for all together, except ye repent ; Deut. xxxii . 34. "Isnot

" this laidup in ſtore with me, and ſealed up among mytrea- " ſures ?" A metaphor taken from the clerk of the affize, who feals up thebag of indictments, against the time of trial. You think if you canblind the eyes of men, all is well, you shall hearno more of it: ah! but it isſealed up amongGod's trea-

inforeign Countries.

Fares; (i. e.) thethings he records and referves for the day of account.

4. Goddothnot only ſee you, but he will alſo one day make you see yourſelves, and your ways, and that with horror and conſternation. You think you ſhall-taſte nothing but the ſweet andpleaſure of fin; but how are you deceived ?

The days arecoming, when fin, that is now pleasant, ſhall be turned into wormwood and gall.

You will not fee the evil of it ; and becauſe you fee it not, you thinkGod doth not.

" Theſe things " (faith God) haft thou done, and I kept filence, and thou " thoughtest that I was altogether ſuch an one as thyself; but " I will reprovethee, and ſet them in order before thine eyes,"

Pfal. 1. 21. God fees them now, and he will make you fee them too, byopening your eyes inthis world graciously, or in that to come judicially.

5. Goddoth not only fee your ways, but he will make all the world fee them too : For, " there is nothing hid that ſhall

" not be revealed, nor covered, that ſhall not be madeknown,"

Matth. x. 26.

" There is a daywhenGod will make manifeſt " the hidden counſels of the heart," 2Cor. iv. 5.

When " that which hath been ſpoken in darkness, ſhall be heard in " light ; and that which ye have ſpoken inthe ears in cloſets,

" ſhall beproclaimedupon the houſe tops," Luke xii. 3. Well

then, whenever the occaſions and opportunities of fin are prefented toyou, under this encouragement of ſecurity, I beſeech you remember this truth, that noplace can hide you from the eye of God.

He fees all your ways, yea, he fees them with abhorrence ; the fight of themisthe greateſt exerciſe of his patience.

His fightof them is not a tranſient glance, but he ſees and records your evils ; they are ſealedup among his treaſures :

He fees, and will make you see them too, with horror, when • he thall ſet them in order before you : he ſees them, and will make angels andmenſee them in the great day. O then, never let ſecrecy anymore encourage you to fin !

2. Inference. What prodigious ſinners muſt they be, that feek no covert for their fin in darkness, but with an impudent face declare, yea, glory in their ſhame ; who are not ashamed to fin openly with abare face, and a whore's forehead ?

Theſe are finners of the firſt magnitude.

They declare their fin " as Sodom, and hide it not, Ifa. iii. 9.

It is as natural to man to endeavour to hide his fin, as Adam, and you fee from the text, guilty finners fain would, if it were poſſible, fly to any obfcure corner from the obſervation ofGod and men; and Hhh2

The Seaman's Prefervative it is a mercyGodhath planted ſuch an affection, as ſhame is, inthe foul of man, tobe abridle to reſtrain his exorbitant lufts.

But yet there isageneration of monftrous finners, whohave fo farunmanned themſelves, " That they are not at all aſhamed

" when they commit abominations, neither can they blush,"

Jer. vi . 15.

If there be any remains of ſhame left in them, they exerciſe it upon a wrong object: they are ashamed of that which would be to their glory, andglory in that which is their ſhame; theyadd impudence to their fin, and blush not toproclaim that which others ſtudy to conceal.

Such a vile temperas this, ſhews aman even ripe for wrath; he hath even filled up his meaſure, and is come to the very culminating point and top of wickedness. Therebe fame men arrived to ſuch adegree of holiness, that allthat converfe with them, judge them even ripe for heaven: they ſpeak the dialect, andhave the very favour of heaven upon them .

Others are come to ſuch a prodigious height of impiety, that underſtanding men cannot but conclude they are nigh untodamnation; they ſpeak the very language, and have the very ſcent ofhell upon them.

Such are they that openly declare their fin as Sodom, and glory in their hame.

Thus we fee ſome drunkards will glory in their ſtrength, to pour down wine and ſtrongdrink, andcanboast of the number of their cups : ſome adulterers can glory in their acts of wickedneſs, not fufficing themselves todamntheir own fouls, but labouring to infect and corruptas many as theycanby their filthy tongues, that they maydraw them into the ſame miſery.

We can hardly tell how to ſcrewup fin one peg higher than this: first topractiſe ſin, thendefend it, then boast of it. Sin is firſt a man's burden, next his cuſtom, next his delight, and thenhis excellency.

Lord, whither is man fallen ! that holineſs ſhould ever, be his diſgrace ; and fin, yea, the vileſt ofſins, his glory ! O the power of divine patience !

3.Inference. If the eye of God ſearches every obfcure corner in the world, to behold the evil that is committed there, thencertainlythe eye of God cannot but look into every fecret placeintheworld, tofee the good that is donethere.

" The " eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and " the good," Prov. xv. 3. The good as wellas the evil ; yea, hebeholdswith delight the good done in ſecret.

Asſome ſinners ſeek corners to act their wickedness in, and cannot fatisfy themſelves tocommit ſin in the light, (for, as our

Saviour faith , John iii. 20. " He that doth evil hateth the " light;) ſo, on the contrary, a truly godlyman ſeeks corners

in foreign Countries.

topray in, tomeditate in, and to examine his own heart in, andthinks theſe duties ofgodliness canneverbe managedwith

100 great a privacy; not that he is in the leaſt aſhamed of his duty; no, that is not the reaſon, but he is afraid of hypocrify, when duties lie tooopen, andexpoſed tothe eyesof men. A finner takes his full liberty to vent his corruptions, whenhe cando it in ſecret; andafaint takes his full liberty to vent and exerciſe his graces, whenno eye but the eye of God fees him.

66 Thou, when thou prayett (faith our Saviour) enter into thy " cloſet, and ſhut thy door, and pray to thyFather which is in " fecret, and thy Father (which feeth in ſecret) ſhall reward

" thee openly." O how much better is it, both as, to your preſentcomfort, and future account, toget into a corner to pray, than towhore anddrink ?

To pour out your fouls to Godgraciously, than to pour out your lufts againtt God fo wickedly ? How contrary are the principles of grace and corruption? The study of ſinners is tohide their evils from the eyesof men; the ſtudy of afaint istohide hisduties fromthe eyesofmen: The finnerwouldnothave the worldſuſpectwhat he hathbeen about ; nor would thefainthave all the world know whathe hath been about.

The way of an adulterer is as the " wayof an eagle inthe air, or as a ferpentupon a rock ; " i.e. a ſecret way, where they leaveno prints or tracts behindthem.

So is theway of an adulterous woman ; the eateth andwip- " eth her mouth, and faith, I have done no wickedness," Prov.

Xxx. 19, 20.

By wiping the mouth, is theremeant preventing allfufpicion ; ſuffering no ſign of the action to remainupon them: So, contrarily, a gracious perſon that hath been with God in ſecret prayer, or faſting, when his duty is ended, he labours to avoid all oftentations.

And therefore you have the caution from Chriſt, Matth. vi. 17, 18. " Butthou, when thou

" faſteſt, anoint thy head, and wash thy face; that thou appearnot unto men to faſt, butunto thy Father which is in " fecret."

The meaning is, carry thy private duties ſo cloſe, that none may know what paſſeth between God and thee :

When thou hast been entertained in fecret with hidden manna, a feast of fat things, wipe thy mouth in aholy ſenſe, i. e. wipe off all fufpicion of hypocrify and vanity by aprudentandhumbleconcealment. * " Religion doth not layallopen, as we ſay :"

As finners have their ſecret pleaſures, their ſtolen waters which are ſweettothem; ſo the faints have their ſecret delights in God, their hidden manna, which no man knows but he that cateth of it. And as the eye ofGod vindictively beholds the *Non est religioubi omniapatent

The Seaman's Prefervative one, ſo itdelightfullybeholds the other; and ſo you find it,

Cant. ii. 14.

" O my dove, (faith Chriſt to the church) that " art inthe clifts of the rocks, in the fecret places of the " ſtairs : Let meſee thy countenance, let me hear thy voice ;

" for ſweet is thy voice, and thycountenance comely."

Let tois encourage you to fecret duties; let not others find more pleaſure in fecret lufts, than you candoinGod and ſecretduties.

4. Inference. Doth the eyeofGod ſee allthe evil and wickedneſs that is committed in all the secret corners of the world ?

How admirable then is the patience ofGod towards the world !

Whocan imagine how much wickedness is ſecretly practiſed in atown or city everyday ?

Or, if all the villanies that are perpetrated in a ſmall circumference in one day, were known to us, we should admire thatGoddoth not make us, like Sodom, for judgment anddefolation, before the next day. What then are the innumerable ſwarms of fin, which are as the ſands upon the feaſhore, from all the parts and corners of the earth !

Alas, there is notthe tenthousandth part of the groſſer fort of wickedneſſes committed in the world, thatever comes to our eye or ear; and if itdid, wecannot eſtimate the evilof ſin, as Goddoth; nor feel with that reſentment the burden of it, as he doth ; and yet the long-fufferingGod forbears it with infinite patience.

Surely his power was not more diſcovered in making the world, than it is in forbearing to deſtroy it again, for the wickedness that is init.

But the world ſlands for the church's fake that is in it.

" And were it not that the Lord " of hoſts had leftus aſmall remnant, we hadbeen as Sodom,

" wehad been like untoGomorrah," Ifa. i. 9.

There is alſo anelect remnanttobe called and gatheredby the goſpel out of it, in their ſeveral generations : andwhen that number ſhall be accomplished, God will fet fire to the four quarters of it, and it ſhall lie in white aſhes; till then the long ſuffering ofGod waiteth.

5. Inference. IfGod fees all the ſecret wickedneſs that is committed in every corner of the world; how clear is it, that there is a judgment to come, and that this judgment will be exact ?

That there is a judgment tocome, isby this manifeſt ; and alſo that there is abundance of ſin committed in the world, which never comes to light here, nor never will in this world.

It is true, mens fins are open ; and the judgments ofGoduponthem are as open ; but it is not ſo with all.

The apostle faith, 1 Tim. v. 24. " Some mens fins are openbefore hand, (

in foreign Countries.

goingbefore-hand to judgment, and ſome mens they follow " after."

Some mens fins are written, as itwere, intheir foreheads, every one fees them ; but others follow after, are nor diſcovered till the day of the revelation of the ſecrets of all hearts, and then that which is now done in cloſets ſhall be proclaimed as upon houſe-tops : Though they were never put to ſhame for their ſins, inthe places where they committed them, yetGod will ſhame them, before menand angels.

This is the dayto judge ſecrets, 1 Cor. iv. 5.

And, as it is certain there will be ſuch a judgment, ſo it is certain this judgment will be exact ; for the judge of all hath ſeen all : Whatever he charges any man with, hath been acted beforehis face, Pfal. xc. 8. " Thou ſetteſt our ſecret ſias in " the light of thy countenance."

Here can be no miſtake, the omnipotentGod will judge for whathe hath ſeen ; " For his eyesareupon the ways of man, andhe ſeeth all his goings,

" for he will not layupon man more thanright, that he should enter into judgment withGod."

The meaning is, he cannot mistake inhis judgment, being omniſcient, andhaving ſeen all theways of man ; ſo that there canbeno plea offeredby any man for a reverse of his fentence.

Othen let us be exact and careful, as well in our fecret as in our public actions; forGod ſhall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, orwhether itbe evil, Eccl. xii. ult.

6. Inference. Lastly, If theeye of Godbe in every place up- \on us, and all our actions ; then let thoſe whoſe condition of lifehath fent them outof the eyes andobſervations of their parents and maſters, keep the ſenſe ofGod's eye upon their hearts, as ever they would eſcape ſin and ruin.

It is no ſmall advantage to young unprincipled perſons, to live under thediſcipline of pious and careful governors ; but it. oftenfalls out, that they are early tranſplanted into another foil, ſent into foreigncountries in order to their education or employment ; and as often are there corrupted anddebauched by the evil examples of the places where they reſide; they learn another language, or drive another trade thanwhat their parents or maſters deſigned them for.

But ifthe ſenſe of this great truth might accompanythem where-ever they are, O what a ſovereign antidote might it prove against thoſe deadly poiſons of temptations ! This alone would be a ſufficient preſervative.

If our children and ſervants have but the awful ſenſe of God's eye uponthem, we may turnthem looſe into the wide world withoutfear.

The Seaman's Prefervative IfProvidence ſhalldirect this diſcourſe to your hands, m heart's defire and prayer foryou is, that the Spirit of theLord would imprint this great truth upon your hearts.

And I am themore moved to endeavour your preſervation, upon the con ſideration of the apparentdanger you are in, and the manifold diſappointments and miſchiets that muſt unavoidably follow the corrupting of your tender years.

The danger you are in is great, whetheryou confider, First, The infecting, catching nature of fin. No plague is more infectious and infinuating than ſin is. Many are the wiles, devices, Itratagems, and baits, Satan lays todrawyou into fin,

2 Cor. ii. 11 .

Or, Secondly, The proneneſsthat is in yourown nature, to cloſe withthe offers and temptations thatyou are tried with ; it is as greatawonder if you eſcape, as that one that lives in a peft. houſe ſhould remain healthy, or that dry tinder ſhould not catch, when thousands of ſparks fly about it, and light upon it.

Or, Thirdly, The abſence of allthoſe means bywhich you have formerly been preferved from fin.

You are nowwithout the ordinances of God, the family duties, the admonitions, counfels, examples, and obſervations of your parents, maſters, and friends: All which have been of great uſe to keep you from fin, and repreſs thevanitiesof youth. Or, laſtly,

Fourthly, The manifold furtherance or temptations which your age affords Childhood and youth are vanity.

Inconfiderateneſs, raſineſs, injudicioutneſs, and the want of experience, do all caſt you into the very ſnare.

See how the Holy Ghoſt hath ſignifiedthedangerof perſons at your age, inProv. vii. 7 .

All theſe things do greatlyendangeryou. And if any, or allof them together, prevail tothe vitiating and corrupting of you, then what a trainof fadconſequences will follow upon it! For, 1. The great Godwill bediſhonoured and reproached by you, even that God whoſe diſtinguiſhing mercies are now before your eyes, and ſhould be admired by you ; that cauſedyou to ſpring up in abetter foil, and not from idolaters in aland of darkneſs.

2. Confciencewill bewoundedand pollutedwith guilt; and though, at preſent, you feel not the remorſeand gnawings of it, yet now you are preparing for it. The fins ofyouth are complaints and forrows of oldage, Job xiii. 26.

in foreign Countries.

3. Thehearts of your friends, if godly, willbegrieved, and greatly troubled, to find their expectations and hopes diſappointed; and allthoſe prayers for you, andcounſelsbestowed on you, to come tonothing.

If an unequal match by Efau was fuch a grief of heart to Ifaac and Rebecca, what will prophaneneſs and uncleanneſsbe to your parents? Gen. xxvi.

34.

4. The ſerviceableneſs and comfort of your whole life, will, in all probability, be destroyedby the corruption ofyouryouth.

If bloffoms be withered, and buds nipt, what fruit canbe expected? To conclude, 5. Your precious and immortal ſouls are hazardedtoalleternity.

And " what ſhall it profit a man, togain the whole " world, and loſe his own foul ?

Or what ſhall a man give in " exchange for his foul? ' Matth. xvi. 26.

Allthismischiefmay be happily preventedbythe ſeriousconfideration of this point you have now been reading.

For, if God thall fix that truth inyour hearts by faith, then, First, Insteadof running with others into the fame excess of riot, you willkeep yourſelves pure andunspotted in an unclean defiling world.

You willanswer alltemptations to fin, as Joſeph did, Gen. xxxix. 9. " Howcan I do this great wickedness,

" and fin againstGod ? "

Secondly, Instead of joining with others in fin, you will mourn for the ſins of others. You will say with David, Pfal. exx. 5. " Woe is me, that I ſojourn in Meſhec, that I dwell in " the tents of Kedar ! "

Your ſoul, like Lot's, will be vexed, fromday today, with the filthy conversations of the wicked,

2Pet. i. 17, 18.

Thirdly, Insteadof returning toyour countrywithawoundędnameand confcience, you will return full of inwardcomfort andpeace, and to the joy of allyour friendsandrelations.

Fourthly, To conclude, You willgive fair encouragements to theexpectations of allthat knowyou, of becoming useful inſtruments for the glory ofGod, and benefit of the world in yourgeneration. O thereforebeg ofGod, that this truthmay bedeeplyengraven uponyour hearts.

VOL . VI.

Iii

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