And is there such a day approaching for the sons of God, indeed ! and have I [nuthorifi/] to call myself one of the number ! John i. 12.
0 then let me not droop at present difficulties, nor hang down my hands when I meet with hardships in the way. O my soul, what a joyful day will this be ! for at present we are tossed upon an ocean of troubles, fears, and temptations ; but these will make heaven the sweeter.
Cheer up, then, O my soul, thy salvation is now nearer than when thou first believedst, Rom. xiii. 11. and it will not now be long ere
1 receive the end of my faith, 1 Pet. i. 9- and then it will be sweet to reflect even upon these hardships in the way. Yet a few days more, and then comes that blessed day thou hast so long waited and panted for. Oppose the glory of that day, O ray soul, to thy present abasures and sufferings, as blessed Paul did, Rom. i. 18. and thou shalt see how it will shrink them all up to nothing; oppose the inheritance thou shalt receive in that day, to thy losses for Christ now ; and see how joyfully it will make thee bear them, Heb. X. 34). oppose the honour that will be put upon thee in that day, to thy present reproaches, and see how easy it will make them to thee, 1 Cor. iv. 5. What condition can I be in, wherein the be- lieving thoughts of this blessed day cannot relieve me ?
Am I poor, here is that which answers poverty : James iii. 5. " Hearken, my beloved brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of " this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom ?""
Am I tempted ? here is relief against that : Rev. xii. 16. " Now " is come salvation and strength : for the accuser of our brethren is " cast down,"" Sfc.
Am I deserted ? here is a remedy for that too, Rev. xxii. 5. " And " there shall be no night there,"** ^c. Come, then, my soul, let us enter upon our inheritance by degrees, and begin the life of heaven upon earth.
HEN Solomon in Israel first was king, Heaven's arches, earth's foundations, seemed to ring With joyful acclamations! How much more W^ill heav'n resound, when saints are come ashore I Vol. V. T
S9S A NEW COMPASS I Oil SEAMEN ; OR, kc.
How will the ravish'd souls transported be
At the first ghmpse of Christ ! whom they shall see
In all his glory ; and shall live and move.
Like salamanders^ in the fire of love.
A flood of tears conveyed them to the gate
Where endless joys received them. Now the date
Of all their sorrow's out ; henceforth they walk
In robes of glory. Now there's no more talk
Of fears, temptations, of that snare or this :
No serpent in that paradise doth hiss.
No more desertions, troubled thoughts, or tears ;
Christ's full enjoyment supersedes those fears.
Delights of princes courts are all but toys
To these delights, these are transcendent joys,
The joys of Christ himself; of what they are,
An anffePs tongue would stammer to declare.
Were our conceptions clear, did their tongues go
Unto their Ela, yet the note's too low.
What ! paint the sun too bright ! it cannot be ;
Sure heaven suffers no hyperbole.
My thoughts are swallow'd up, my muse doth tire,
And hang her wings, conception soars no higher.
Give me a place among thy children there,
Altho' I lie with them in dungeon here.
M. HAVE now done, and am looking to heaven for a blessing upon these weak labours ; what use you will make of them, I know not, but this I know, that the day is coming, when God will reckon with you for this, and all other helps and means afforded to you : and if it be not improved by you, be sure it will be produced as a witness against you. Sirs, I beg you, in the name of Christ, before whom both you and I must shortly appear, that you receive not these things in vain. Did I know what other lawful means to use that might reach your hearts, they should not be in vain to you ; but I cannot do God's part of the work, nor yours : only I request you all, both masters, common men, and all others into whose hands this shall come, that you will lay to heart what you read ; pray unto him that hath the key of the house of David, that openeth and no man shutteth, to open your hearts to give entertainment to these truths. Alas ! if you apply it not to yourselves, I have laboured to no purpose ; the pen of the scribe is in vain : but God may make such an application of them, in one storm or another, as may make your hearts to tremble. Oh, sirs ! when death and eternity look you in the face, conscience may reflect upon these things to your horror and amazement, and make you cry out, as Prov. v. 12, 13. «' How have I hated knowledge, and my heart despised reproof
THE EPISTLE DEDICATOIIY. 29
" aiul have not obeyed the voice of my teacher, nor inclined my ears *< to them that instructed me ?" And O what a dreadful shriek will such souls give, when the Lord opens their eyes to see that misery that they are here warned of ! But if the Lord shall bless these things to your conversion, tlien we may say to you, as Moses did to Zebu- lun, the mariners tribe, Deut. xxxiii. 12. " Rejoice Zebulun in thy " going out."" The Lord will be with you, which way soever you turn yourselves ; and being in the bosom of the covenant, you are safe in the midst of all dangers. O thou, that art the Father of spi- rits, that formedst and canst easily reform the heart, open thou the blind eye, unstop the deaf ear, let the world take hold upon the heart. If thou wilt but say the word, these weak labours shall prosper, to bring home many lost souls unto thee. Amen.
A PATHETICAL AND SERIOUS
Horrid and detestable SINS of Drunkenness, Swearing, Unclean- ness, Forgetfulness of Mercies, Violation of Promises, and athe- istical Contempt of Death.
Applied by way of Caution to Seamen, and now added as an Appendix to their New Compass.
Being an Essay toward their much-desired Reformation, fit to be seriously recom- mended to their profane Relations, whether Seamen or others, by all such as un- feignedly desire their eternal Welfare.
To the right worshipful Sir JOHN FREDERICK, Kt. one of the worshipful Aldermen of the City of London, and their ho- nourable Burgess in the present Parliament : and to the truly religious and ever honoured Mr. John Lovering, of the City of London, Merchant.
Much honmired and esteemed^
J\ LTHOUGH dedications are too often abused to a vain flattery, yet there is an excellent use and advantage to be made of them : partly to encourage persons of worth and eminency to espouse the interest of religion themselves; and partly to oblige those readers, for whom such books are principally intended, to a diligent perusal of them, by interesting such persons in them, for whom they have great respects, or on whom they have any dependence.
294 THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.