revealed from heaven. A mere man can carry a fhip to any defired port in all the world, but no mere man can carry a foul to heaven. He muft be a faint, he must be a divine (fo all faints are) that can be a pilot to carry a foul to the fair-haven in Emanuel's land. The art of natural navigation is wonderfully improved fince the coming of Chrift, before which time (if there be truth in hiftory) the ufe of the loadftone was never known in the world; and before the virtue of that was revealed unto the mariner, it is unfpeakable with what uncertain wanderings feamen floated here and there, rather than failed the right and direct way. Sure I am, the art of fpiritual navigation is wonderfully improved fince the coming of Chrift; it oweth its clearest and fulleft difcovery to the coming of Chrift. This art of arts is now perfectly revealed in the fcriptures of the Old and New Teftament; but the rules thereof are difperfed up and down therein. The collecting and methodizing of the fame cannot but be a work very useful unto fouls though, when all is done, there is an abfolute neceffity of the teachings of the Spirit, and of the anointing that is from above, to make fouls artifs in failing heaven-ward. The ingenious author of the Chriftian's Compass, or the Mariner's Companion, makes three parts of this art (as the fchoolmen do of divinity) viz. fpeculative, practical, and affectionate. The principal things neceffary to be known by a spiritu al feaman, in order to the fteering rightly and fafely to the port of happinefs, he reduceth to four heads, anfwerably to the four general points of the compafs; making God our north; Chrift our east; holinefs our fouth; and death our weft points. Concerning God, we must know, (1.) That he is, Heb. xi. 6. and that there is but one God, I Cor. viii. 5, 6. (2.) That this God is that fupreme good, in the enjoyment of whom all true happiness lies, Pfal. iv. 6, 7.. Mat. v. 8. xviii. 20. (3) That, life eternal lying in God, and he being incomprehenfible and inconceivable in effence, as being a Spirit, our best way to eye him is in his attributes, Exod. xxxiv. 5, 6, 7. and works, Rom. i. 20. and especially in his Son, 2 Cor. iv. 6. (4.) That as God is a Spirit, fo our chiefeft, yea, only way of knowing, enjoying, serving, and walking with him, is in the Spirit likewife, Job iv. 24. Concerning Chrift, we must know, (1.) That he is the true Sun which arifeth upon the world, by which all are enlightened, John i. 9. Mal. iii. 2. Luke i. 78, 79. (2.) That God alone is in him, reconciling the world to himself, 2 Cor. v. 19. 1 Cor. i. 30. John xiv. 6. (3.) That Jefus Chrift is only made ours by the union and indwelling of himself in us through the Spirit, 1 Cor. ii. 9, 10. and vi. 17. John xvi. 8, 9. I Cor. xii. 3, 13. (4.) That the way of the Spirit's uniting us to Christ, is by an act of power on his part, and by an act of faith on our part, John iii. 16, 36. and v. 29. Eph. iii. 17. Concerning holiness, we must know, (1.) That whoever is in Chrift is a new creature, 2 Cor. v. 17. I Cor. vi. 11. (2.) Holiness is the foul's higheft luftre, Exod. xv. 11. when we come to perfection in holiness, then is our fun at the height in us. (3.) Holiness is Chrift's filling the foul; Chrift our Sun is at the highest in our hearts, when they are most holy (4.) This holiness is that which is directly oppofite to fin; fin eclipfes holiness, and holiness featters fin, Heb. vii. 26. Phil. ii. 15. 2 Pet. iii. 11. Concerning death, we must know, (1.) Death is certain; the fun of our life will fet in death; when our days come about to this weftern point, it will be night, Heb. ix. 27. Pfal. xlix. 7, 9. (2.) If we die in our fins out of Chrift, we are undone for ever, Job viii. 24. Phil. i. 21. (3.) It is our benighting to die, but it is not our annihilating, 1 Cor. xv. Rev. xx. 12 (4.) After death comes judgment; all that die fhall arife to be judged, either for life or death, the fecond time, Heb. ix. 27. Mat. xxv. Heb. vi. 2. These four heads, and the particulars under them are as neceffary to be known in fpiritual navigation, as the four points of the compafs are in natural navigation. The things which we ought to do in order to our arrival to our happiness, our author makes as many as there be points in the compass. And for an help to memory, we may begin every particular with the initial, known letters on the points of the compafs. (1.) N. Never ftir or steer any course, but by light from God, Pfalm cxix. 105. Ifa. viii. 10. (2.) N. and by E. Never enter upon any defign but fuch as tends towards Chrift, Acts x. 43. (3.) N. N. E. Note nothing enviously, which thrives without God, Pfalm lxxii. 12, 13. (4.) N. E. and by N. Never enterprize not warrantable courfes to procure any of the most prized or conceited advantages, 1 Tim. vi. 9, 10. (5.) N. E. Now entertain the facred commands of God, if hereafter thou expect the fovereign confolations of God, Pfal. cxix. 48. (6.) N. E. and by E. Never efteem Egypt's treasures fo much, as for them to forfake the people of God, Heb. xi. 26. (7.) E. N. E. Err not, especially in foul-affairs, Jam. i. 16. 1 Tim. i. 19. 20. 2 Tim. ii. 18. (8.) E. and by N. Efchew nothing but fin, 1 Pet. iii. 11. Job i. 7, 8, 31, 34. (9.) E. Establish thy heart with grace, Heb. xiii. 9. (10.) E. and by S. Eye fanctity in every action, 1 Pet. i. 15. Zech. xiv. 29. (11) E. S. E. Ever ftrive earneftly to live under, and to improve the means of grace. (12.) S. E. and by E. Suffer every evil of punishment of forrow, rather than leave the ways of Chrift and grace. (13.) S. E. Sigh earnestly for more enjoyments of Chrift. (14.) S. E. and by S. Seek evermore some evidences of Chrift in you the hope of glory. (15.) S. S. E. Still fet eternity before you, in regard of enjoying Jefus Chrift, John xvii. 24. (16.) S. and by E. Settle it ever in your foul as a principle which you will never depart from, That holiness and true happiness are in Christ, and by Chrift. (17.) S. Set thyfelf always as before the Lord, Pfal. xvi. 8. Acts ii, 25. (18.) S. and by W. See weakness haftening thee to death, even when thou art at the highest pitch or point. (19.) S. S. W. See fin which is the fting of death, as taken away by Chrift, 1 Cor. xv. 55, 56. (20.) S. W. and by S. Store up wifely fome provifions every day for your dying day. (21.) S. W. Set worldly VOL. V. Ee ད་ things under your feet, before death come to look you in the face (22.) S. W. and by W. Still weigh and watch with loins girded, and lamps trimmed, Luke xii. 35, 36, 37. (23.) W. S. W. Weigh foulworks, and all in the balance of the fanctuary. (24.) W. and by S. Walk in fweet communion with Chrift here, and fo thou mayeft die in peace, Luke ii. 29. (25.) W. Whatfoever thy condition be in this world, eye God as the difpofer of it, and therein be contented, Phil. iv. 11. (26.) W. and by N. Walk not according to the courfe of the most, but after the example of the beft. (27) W. N. W. Weigh not what men speak or think of thee, fo God approve thee, 2 Chron. x. 18. Rom. ii. 28, 29. (28.) N. W. and by W. Never wink at, but watch against fmall fins, nor neglect little duties, Eph. v. 15. (29.) N. W. Never wish rafhly for death, nor love life too inordi. nately, Job iii. 4. (30.) N. W. and by N. Now work nimbly ere night come, Job xii. 35, 36. Ecclef. ix. 10. (31.) N. N. W. Name nothing when thou pleadeft with God for thy foul, but Chrift and free-grace, Dan. ix. 17. (32.) N. and by W. Now welcome Christ, if at death thou wouldst be welcomed by Chrift. A tender, quick, enlivened, and enlightened confcience, is the only point on which we muft erect thefe practical rules of our Chriftian compafs, Heb. xiii. 1, 2 Cor i. 12. Our memory, that is the box in which this compass must be kept, in which these rules must be treasured, that we may be as ready and expert in them as the mariner is in his fea-compafs. So much for the fpeculative and practical parts of the art of fpiritualnavigation. The affectionate part doth principally lie in the fecret motions or movings of the foul towards God in the affections, which are raised and warmed, and efpecially appear active in meditation; meditation being, as it were, the limbec, or ftill, in which the affections heat and melt, and, as it were, drop fweet fpiritual waters. The affectionate author of the Chriftian's Compafs doth indeed, in the third aud laft part of his undertaking, hint at feveral meditations which the fpiritual feaman is to be acquainted with, unto which thou haft an excellent fupplement in this New Compass for Seamen. This collection is prefixed, that at once thou mayeft view all the compaffes (both fpeculative, practical, and affectionate) by which thou must steer heaven-ward. What further thall be added by way of preface, is not to commend this new compafs, which indeed (2 Cor. iii. 1.) needs no συτατικών επιτολων, letters of commendation, or any panegyric to ufher it into an honeft heart; but to ftir up all, especially feamen, to make confcience of using fuch choice helps for the promoting the fanctifica tion, and falvation of their fouls, for the making of them as dexterous in the art of fpiritual navigation, as any of them are in the art of natural navigation. Confider therefore, Chrift affures us, one foul 1. What rich merchandise thy foul is. is more worth than all the world. The Lord put the whole world into one scale, and one foul in the other, and the world is found too light, Matth. xvi. 26. Shouldst thou by skill in natural navigation carry fafe all the treafures of the Indies into thine own port, yea, gain the whole world, and for want of fkill in fpiritual navigation lofe thy own foul, thou wouldeft be the greateft lofer in the world. So far wilt thou be from profiting by any of thy fea-voyages. There is a plain us in thofe words of Chrift, "What is "a man profited if he thall gain the whole world, and lose his own "foul? Or what fhall a man give in exchange for his foul?" More is meant than is fpoken*. 2. What a leaking veffel thy body is, † in which this unfpeakable, inconceivable rich treasure, thy foul, is embarked! O the many difeafes and diftempers in the humours and paffions that thy body is fubject to! It is above 2000 years ago, that there have been reckoned up 300 names of diseases; and there be many under one name, and many nameless, which pofe the physicians not only how to cure them, but how to call them. And for the affections and paffions of the mind, the diftempers of them, are no lefs deadly to fome, than the difeafes of the body; but befides thefe internal caufes, there are many external caufes of leaks in this veffel, as poisonous malignities, wrathful hoftilities, and cafual mifhaps; very fmall matters may be of great moment to the finking of this veffel. The leaft gnat in the air may choak one, as it did Adrian, a pope of Rome; a little hair in milk may strangle one, as it did a counsellor in Rome; a little ftone of a railin may stop one's breath, as was the cafe of the poet Anacreon. Thus you fee what a leaking veffel you fail in. Now the more leaky any fhip is, the more need there is of skill to steer wifely. 3. Confider what a dangerous fea the world is in which thy foul is to fail in the leaking fhip of thy body. As there are not more changes in the fea, than are in the world, the world being only conftant in in-conftancy, "The fashion of this world paffeth away," 1 Cor. vii. 31. So there are not more dangers in the fea for fhips, than there are in the world for fouls. In this world fouls meet with rocks and fands, fyrens and pyrates; worldly temptations, worldly lufts, and worldly company caufe many to "drown themfelves in perdition," 1 Tim. vi. 9. The very things of this world endanger your fouls. By worldly objects we foon grow worldly. It is hard to touch pitch, and not be defiled. The lufts of this world ftain all our glory, and the men of this world pollute all they converfe with. A man that keeps company with the men of this world, is like him that walketh in the fun, tanned infenfibly. Thus I have hinted to you the dangeroufnefs of the fea wherein you are to fail. Now the more dangerous the fea is, the more requifite it is that the failor be an artift. 4. Confider, what if through want of skill in the heavenly art of • Erafmi chiliad. p. 229 The fmalleft pore is a leak wide enough to let in death, and fink thy veffel. In Ethiopia there is a certain poifon whereof the tenth part of one grain will kill a man, and for one grain ten men. Dan, Sennert. Hypom. Phyf. cap. 2. p. 47. 4 fpiritual navigation, thou shouldft not steer thy course aright! I will inftance only in two confequents thereof. 1. Thou wilt never arrive at the haven of happiness. 2. Thou shalt be drowned in the ocean of God's wrath. As true as the word of God is true, as fure as the heavens are over thy head, and the earth under thy feet; as fure as thou yet liveft, and breatheft in this air; fo true and certain it is, thou shalt never enter into heaven, but fink into the deep of the bottomlefs pit. Am I not herein a meffenger of the faddeft tidings that ever yet thy ears did hear? Poflibly now thou makest a light matter of these things, because thou doft not know what it is to mifs of heaven, what it is for ever to lie under the wrath of God; but hereafter thou wilt know fully what it is to have thy foul loft eternally, fo loft, as that God's mercies, and all the good there is in Chrift, fhall never fave it; and as God hath fet and ordered things, can never fave it. Hereafter thou wilt be perfectly fenfible of the good that thou mightest have had, and of the evil that fhall be upon thee (this is God's peculiar prerogative, to make a creature as fenfible of mifery as he pleafeth) then thou wilt have other thoughts of these things than thou now haft. Then the thoughts of thy mind fhall be bufied about thy loft condition, both as to the pain of lofs, and the pain of fenfe, so that thou shalt not be able to take any ease one moment; then, that thy torments may be increased, they acknowledge the truth of thy apprehenfions, yea, the ftrength of them fhall be increased; thou fhalt have the true and deep apprehenfions of the greatnefs of that good that thou shalt mifs of, and of that evil which thou shalt procure unto thyfelf; and then thou shalt not be able to chufe, but to apply all thy lofs, all thy mifery to thyfelf, which will force thee to roar out, O my lofs! O my mifery! O my inconceivable, irrecoverable lefs and mifery! yea, for the increafing of thy torments, thy affections and memory fhall be enlarged. O that, to prevent that lofs and mifery, thefe things may now be known, and laid to heart! O that a blind understanding, a ftupid judgment, a bribed confcience, a hard heart, a bad memory, may no longer makt heaven and hell to feem but trifles to thee! thou wilt then eatly be perfuaded to make it thy main business here, to become an artift in fpiritual navigation. But to fhut up this preface, I fhall briefly acquaint feamen, why they fhould, of all others, be men of fingular piety and heavenlinefs, and therefore more than ordinarily ftudy the heavenly art of Spiritual navigation. O that feamen would then con 1. How nigh they border upon the confines of death and eternity every moment ; there is but a step, but an inch or two between them and their graves, continually: the next guft may over-fet them, the next wave may fwallow them up. In one place lie lurking dangerous The flames of hell fhall fhine about the damned, to let them fee how they arc tormented. Infid. on the chief good. Beck. 2, |