O then let us be exact and careful, as well in our secret as in our public actions ; for God shall bring every work in judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil, Eccl. xii. ult.
6. Inference. Lastly, if the eye of God be in every place upon us, and all our actions ; then let those whose condition of life hath sent them out of the eyes and observations of their parents and masters keep the sense of God'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 the discipline of pious and careful governors ; but it often falls out, that they are early transplanted into another soil, sent into foreign countries in order to their education or employment ; and as often are there corrupted and debauched by the evil examples of the places where they reside; they learn another language, or drive another trade than what their parents or masters designed them for. But if the sense of this great truth might accompany them where-ever they are, O what a sovereign antidote might it prove against tliose deadly poisons of temptations ! This alone would be a sufficient pre- servative. If our children and servants have but the awful sense of God's eye upon them, we may turn them loose into the wide world without fear.
If Providence shall direct this discourse to 3^our hands, my heart's desire and prayer for you is, that the Spirit of the Lord would imprint this great truth upon your hearts. And I am the more moved to endeavour your preservation, upon the consideration of the apparent danger you are in, and the manifold disappointments and mischiefs that must unavoidably follow the corrupting of your tender years. The danger you are in is great, whether you consider.
384 THE SEAMAN'S PRESERVATIVE, &C.
FirsU The infecting, catching nature of sin. No plague is more infectious and insinuating than sin is. Many are the wiles, devices, stratagems, and baits, Satan lays to draw you into sin, 2 Cor. ii. 11. Or,
Secondly^ The proneness that is in your own nature to close with the offers and temptations that you are tried M^ith ; it is as great a wonder if you escape, as that one that lives in a pest-house should remain healthy ; or that dry tinder should not catch, when thousands of sparks fly about, and light upon it. Or,
Thirdly^ The absence of all those means by which you have former- ly been preserved from sin. You are now without the ordinances of God, the family duties, the admonitions, counsels, examples, and observations of your parents, masters, and friends : All which have been of great u.se to keep you from sin, and repress the vanities of youth. Or, Lastly,
Fourthly^ The manifold furtherance or temptations which your age afford ; Childhood and youth are vanity. Inconsiderateness, rashness, injudiciousness, and the want of experience, do all cast you into the very snare. See how the Holy Ghost hath signified the danger of persons at your age, in Prov. vii. 7.
All these things do greatly endanger you. And if any, or all of them together, prevail to the vitiating and corrupting of you, then what a train of sad consequences will follow upon it ! For,
1. The great God will be dishonoured and reproached by you, even that God whose distinguishing mercies are now before your eyes, and should be admired by you ; that caused you to spring up in a better soil, and not from idolaters in a land of darkness.
2. Conscience will be wounded and polluted with guilt ; and though, at present, you feel not the remorse and gna wings of it, yet now you are preparing for it. The sins of youth are complaints and sorrows of old age. Job xiii. 26.
3. The hearts of your friends, if godly, will be grieved and greatly troubled to find their expectations and hopes disappointed ; and all tliose prayers for you, and counsels bestowed on you to come to nothing. If an unequal match by Esau was such a grief of h^art to Isaac and Rebecca, what will profaneness and uncleanness be to your parents ? Gen. xxvi. 34.
4. The serviceableness and comfort of your whole life, will, in all probability, be destroj^ed by the corruption of your youth. If blos- soms be withered, and buds nipt, what fruit can be expected ? To conclude,
5. Your precious and immortal souls are hazarded to all eternity. And " what shall it profit a man to gain the whole vv'orld, and lose *• his own soul ? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul ^"^ Matth. xvi. 26.
All this mischief may be happily prevented by the serious conside-
THi: SUCCESSFUL SEAMAK« 585
TAtlon of this point j^ou have now been reading. For if God shall fix that truth in your hearts by faith, then,
First, Instead of running with others into the same excess of riot, you will keep yourselves pure and unspotted in an unclean defiling world. You will answer all temptations to sin, as Joseph did, Gen. xxxix. 9. " How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God .^'*
Secondly, Instead of joining with others in sin, you will mourn for the sins of others. You will say with David, Psal. cxx. 5. " Woe " is me, that I sojourn in Meshec, that I dwell in the tents of Ke- " dar !'" Your soul, like Lof s, will be vexed from day to day with the filthy conversations of the wicked, 2 Pet. i. 17, 18.
Thirdly, Instead of returning to your country with a wounded name and conscience, you will return full of inward comfort and peace, and to the joy of all your friends and relations.
Fourthly, To conclude. You will give fair encouragements to the expectations of all that know you, of becoming useful instruments of the glory of God, and benefit of the world in your generation. O therefore beg of God that this truth may be deeply engraven upoa your hearts.
And thou say in thine heart, My power, and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth ; hut tltou shalt remember the Lord God ; for he it is that giveth thee power to get wealth.
JL HIS context contains a necessary and very seasonable caution to the Israelites, who were now passing out of the wilderness straits into the rich and fruitful land of Canaan, which abounded with all earthly blessings and comforts. Now, when the Lord was about to give them possession of this good land, he first gives them some wholesome caveats to prevent the abuse of these mercies. He knew ho\v apt they were to forget him in a prosperous estate, and ascribe all their comfortable fruition to their own prudence and valour : to prevent this, he reminds them of their former estate, and warns them about their future estate: he reminds them of their former condition, whilst they subsisted upon his immediate care in the wilderness ; verses 15, 16. " Who lead them through the great and terrible wil-
888 THE SUCCESSFUL SEAMAN.