JHOW watchful and quick-sighted are seamen to prevent dangers ! if the wind die away, and then fresh up southerly : or if they see the sky hazy, they provide for a storm : if by the prospective-glass they know a pirate at a great distance, they clear the gun-room, prepare for fight, and bear up, if able to deal with him ; if not, they keep close by the wind, make all the sail they can, and bear away. If they suppose themselves, by their reckoning, near land, how often do they sound ? And if upon a coast with which they are unacquainted, how careful are they to get a pilot that knows, and is acquainted with it.''
Thus watchful and suspicious ought we to be in spiritual concern- ments. AVe should study, and be acquainted with Satan's wiles and policy. The apostle takes it for granted, that Christians are not ignorant of his devices, 2 Cor. ii. 11. " The serpent's eye (as " one saith) would do well in the dove's head." The devil is a cunning pirate, he puts out false colours, and ordinarily comes up to the Christian in the disguise of a friend.
0 the manifold depths and stratagems of Satan to destroy §ouls !
S30 A NEW COMPASS FOR SEAMEN ; OR,
though he have no wisdom to do himself good, yet he hath poUcy enough to do us mischief. He hes in ambush behind our lawful comforts and employments ; yet, for the generality of men, how su- pine and careless are they, suspecting no danger ? Their souls, like Laish dwell carelessly, their senses unguarded; O what an easy prize, and conquest, doth the devil make of them !
Indeed, if it were with us as with Adam in innocency, or as it was with Christ in the days of his flesh (who by reason of that over- flowing fulness of grace that dwelt in him, the purity of his person, and the hypostatical union, was secured from the danger of all temp- tations) the case then were otherwise ; but we have a traitor within, James i. 14, 15. as well as a tempter without: 1 Pet. v. 8. " Our " adversary the devil goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he " may devour f And, like the beasts of the forest, poor souls lie down before him, and become his prey. All the sagacity, wit, policy, and foresight of some men, is summoned in to serve their bodies, and secure their fleshly enjoyments.
Lord ! how doth the care, wisdom, and vigilance of men in tem- poral and external things, condemn my carelessness in the deep and dear concernments of my precious soul ! what care and labour is there to secure a perishing life, liberty, or treasure ! when was I thus solicitous for my soul, though its value be inestimable, and its danger far greater ! Self-preservation is one of the deepest principles in nature. There is not the poorest fly, or worm, but will shun danger, if it can: yet I am so far from shunning those dangers to which my soul lies continually exposed, that I often run it upon temptations, and voluntarily expose it to its enemies. I see Lord how watchful, jealous, and laborious thy people are ; what prayers, tears, and groans, searching of heart, mortification of lusts, guarding of senses ; and all accounted too little by them. Have not I a soul to save or lose eternally, as well as they ? Yet I cannot deny one fleshly lust, nor withstand one temptation. O how I am convinced and condemned, not only by other's care and vigilance, but my own too, in lesser and lower matters ?
AM the ship whose bills of lading come To more than man's or angel's art can sum, Rich fraught with mercies, on the ocean, now I float, the dang'rous ocean I do plow. Storms rise, rocks threaten, and in every creek Pirates and picaroons their prizes seek. My soul should watch, look out, and use its glass. Prevent surprisals timely ; but, alas I
^WVIGATION SPnilTlTALIZEn. 231
Temptations give it chace, 'tis grappled sure,
And boarded, wliilst it thinks itself secure.
It sleeps, like Jonah, in the dreadful storm,
Altho' its case be dangVous, and forlorn.
Lord, rouse my drowsy soul, lest it should knock,
And split itself upon some dangerous rock.
If it of faith and conscience shipwreck make,
I am undone for ever ; soul, awake !
Till thou arrive in heav'n, watch, and fear;
Thou may'st not say. till then, the coast is clear.
How small a matter turns a ship abouty Yet we, against our conscience, stand it out.
XT is just matter of admiration, to see so great a body as a ship is, and when under sail too, before a fresl> and strong wind, by whicli it is carried, as the clouds, with marvellous force and speed, yet to be commanded with ease, by so small a thing as the helm is. The scripture takes notice of it as a matter worthy of our consideration. Jam. iii. 4. " Behold also the ships, which though they be great, *' and driven of fierce winds ; yet they are turned about with a small *' helm, whithersoever the governor listeth." Yea, * Aristotle him- self, that eagle-eyed philosopher, could not give a reason of it, but looked upon it as a very marvellous and wonderful thing.
To the same use and office has God designed conscience in man, which being rectified and regulated by the word and spirit of God, is to steer and order his whole conversation. Conscience is as the oracle of God, the judge and determiner of our actions, whether they be good or evil ? And it lays the strongest obligation upon the creature to obey its dictates, that is imaginable ; for it binds under the reason and consideration of the most absolute and sovereign will of the great God. So that as often as conscience from the word convinceth us of any sin or duty, it lays such a bond upon us to obey it, as no power under heaven can relax or dispense with. Angels cannot do it, much Jess man ; for that would be to exalt themselves above God. Now therefore it is an high and dreadful way of sinning, to oppose and rebel against conscience, when it convinces of sin and duty. Con-» science sometimes reasons it out with men, and shews them the
* Aristot. SeciHid. MjjXav/xwv, c. 5.
S33 A NEW COMPASS FOn SEAMEN ; OA,
necessity of changing their way and course ; arguing it from the clearest and most allowed maxims of right reason, as well as from the indisputable sovereignty of God.
As for instance : it convinceth their Yery reason that things of eternal duration are infinitely to be preferred to all momentary and perishing things, Rom. viii. 18. Heb. xi. 26. and it is our duty to chuse them, and make all secular and temporary concernments to stand aside, and give place to them. Yet though men be convinced of this, their stubborn will stands out, and will not yield up itself to the conviction.