2. An endangered mariner —
[Mariners for the most part are men of great intrepidity : but when ready to be overwhelmed in the tempestuous ocean, they sink like other men. " When God commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves of the sea, the mariners mount up to the heaven; they go down again to the depths ; their soul is melted because of the trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's ende." Such is the description given of them by God himself. But let us take an instance upon record. When Paul was " sailing by Crete, there arose a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon ; " and the ship becoming unmanageable, " they let her drive ;" and " fearing they should fall into the quicksands, they strake sail, and so were driven." " Being exceedingly tossed with the tempest, they lightened the ship, casting out with their own hands the very tackling" which they had stowed up for the management of the ship. In this perilous condition they continued a whole fortnight, not having taken during all that time so much as one regular meal. St. Paul, in the immediate prospect of having the ship dashed to pieces, and no hope remaining to any of them of safety unless on broken pieces of the ship, said to them, " This is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing : wherefore I pray you to take some meat ; for this is
bPs.lxiii. 1. c Ps.lxxxiv.2. dPs.xlii. 1 — 3. ePs.cvii.25 — 27.