Thus the fiercest element is repressed by the feeblest things : thou seest also how full of wrath and fury wicked men ai*e, how they rage like the troubled sea, and threaten to overwhelm thee, and all the Lord's inheritance : and then the floods of ungodly men make thee afraid ; yet are they restrained by an invisible, gracious hand, that they cannot execute their purpose, nor perform their enterprize. How full of devils and devilized men is this lower world? Yet, in the midst of them all, hast thou hitherto been preserved. O ! my soul, admire and adore that glorious power of God, by which thou art kept unto salvation. Is not the preservation of a saint in the midst of such hosts of enemies as great a miracle, though not so sensible as the preserva- tion of those three noble Jews in the midst of the fiery furnace, or Daniel in the den of lions ? For there is as strong a propension in Satan and wicked men, to destroy the saints, as in the fire to burn, or a lion to devour. O ! then, let me cheerfully address myself to the faithful discharge of my duty, and stand no longer in a slavish fear of creatures^ who can have no power against me but what is given them from above, John xix. 11. And no more shall be given than shall turn to the glory of God, Psal.lxxvi. 10. and the advantage of my soul, Rom. viii. 28.
A HIS world's a forest, where, from day to day. Bears, wolves, and lions, range and seek their prey ; Amidst them all poor harmless lambs are fed, And by their very dens in safety led. They roar upon us, but are held in chains ; Our shepherd is their keeper, he maintains Our lot. Why then should we so trembling stand ^ We meet them, true, but in their keeper's hand. He that to raging seas such bounds hath put, The mouths of rav'nous beasts can also shut. Sleep in the woods, poor lambs, yourselves repose Upon his care, whose eyes do never close. If unbelief in you don't lose their chain. Fear not their struggling, that's but all in vain. If God can check the waves by smallest sand, A twined thread may hold these in his hand. Shun sin, keep close to Christ ; for other evils You need not fear, tho' compass'd round with devils.
To sea ^ithoiit a compass none dare go : Our course without the ivord is even so,
Uf how great use and necessity is the compass to seamen ! thouj^o-
Qo6 A NF/.r COMPASS FOR SEAMEN; OE,
they can coast a little way by the shore, yet they dare not venture far into the ocean without it: it is their guide, and directs and shapes their course for them : and if by the violence of wind and weather they are driven beside their due course, yet by the help of this they are re- duced, and brought to rights again. It is wonderful to consider, how, by the help of this guide, they can run in a dh'ect line many hundred leagues, and at last fall right with the smallest island ; which is in the ocean comparatively, but as the head of a small pin upon a table.
What the compass and all other mathematical instruments are to the navigator, that and much more is the word of God to us in our course to heaven. This is our compass to steer our course by, and it is truly touched ; he that orders his conversation by it shall safely arrive in heaven at last. Gal. vi. 16. " As many as walk according " to this rule, peace be on them and mercy."
This word is as necessary to us in our way to glory, as a lamp or lanthorn is in a dark night, Psal. cxix. 105. that is a light shining in a dark place, till the day dawn, and the day-star arise in our hearts, 2 Pet. i. 19. If any that profess to know it and own it as a rule, miss heaven at last, let them not blame the word for misguiding them, but their own negligent and deceitful hearts, that shuffle in and out, and shape not their course and conversation according to its prescriptions.
What blame can you lay upon the compass, if you steer not exactly by it.? How many are there, that neglecting this rule, will coast it to heaven by their own reason ? No wonder such fall short,^nd perish in the way. This is a faithful guide, and brings all that follow it to a blessed end ; " Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and after- *' wards receive me to fflorv,"' Psal. Ixxiii. 24. The whole hun- dred and nineteenth psalm is spent in commendation of its transcen- dent excellency and usefulness. Luther professed that he prized it so highly, that he would not take the whole world in exchange for one leaf of it. Lay but this rule before you, and walk accurately by it, and you cannot be out of your way to heaven, Psal. cxix. 30. " I " have chosen the way of truth, (or the true way;) thy judgment ^' have I laid before me." Some indeed have opened their detract- ing blaspliemous mouths against it ; as Julian, that vile apostate, who feared not to say, there was as good matter in Phocillides as in So- lomon, in Pindarus's odes, as in David's psalms.
And the papists generally slight it,makingit a lame, imperfect rule; yea, making their own traditions the touchstone of doctrines, and foundation of faith. Montanus tells us, that although the apostle would have sermons and service celebrated in a known tongue, yet the church, for very good cause, hath otherwise ordered it. Gilford called it the mother of heresies. Bonner s chaplain judged it worthy to be burnt as a strange doctrine. They set up their inventions above it, and frequently come in with a non obstante against Christ's institu-
NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED. S5T
lions. And thus do they make it void, or, as the word r}}cvPco6ale, sitmifics, Matth. xv. 6. unlord it, and take away its authority as a rule. But those that have thus sUghted it, and followed the by-paths unto which their corrupt hearts have led them, they take not hold of the paths of life, and are now in tlie depths of hell. All other hghts to which men pretend, in the neglect of this, are but false fires that will lead men into the pits and bogs of destruction at last