THE Seaman's Spiritual Companion: OR, Navigation Spirituallized. BEING A NEW COMPASS FOR SEAMEN.  
CONSISTING Of Thirty-two Points; Directing every Christian how to Steer the Course of his Life, through all Storms and Tempests; Fit to be Read, and seriously Perused by all such as desire their Eternal Welfare.  
Published for a general Good; but more especially for those that are exposed to the Danger of the Seas.  
By William Balmford A Wellwisher to Seamen's Eternal Welfare; And Recommended to the Christian Reader by J. F.  
To which is prefixed, a Preface by Benj. Keach, the Author of W●r with the Devil  They that go down in the Deep, and occupy in the Waters, ●e● Thy Wonders, Psal. 100LS. 22. 
London, Printed for Benj. Harris; and are to be Sold at his Shop at the Stationer's Arms in Sweetings-Rents in Cornhill, near th● Royal-exchange, 1678.   

Licenced,  
January 3d. 1678. ROGER L'ESTRANG.   

TO THE Ingenious SOCIETY OF SEAMEN, The Author wishes all Happiness in this World, and Eternal Felicity in the World to-Come, through Jesus Christ, our LORD, etc.  

INgenious Seamen, who for honest Gain,  
Oft rides Triumphant o'er the Liquid Main;  
Whence doth a far more plenteous Harvest flow,  
Than from the Husband-Man's industrious Blow:  
To You, who through the Winds and Waters pierce,  
To you alone, I Dedicate my Verse.  
If this small Piece but so effectual prove,  
As 'tis from me the pure Effects of Love;  
Then shall I think my Labour, Cost, and Pain,  
Will be rewarded with a triple Gain.  
And that my Love and Labour may be blest,  
One thing, kind Friend, I humbly do request,  
That once a day thou wilt devote thy Heart;  
One Quarter of an Hour s●t apart,  
To think of God, from whom thou hast thy Breath  
And seriously to ponder of thy Death.   

1.  
Concerning God, think 'twas his mighty hand▪  
Which did Create both Heavens, Sea, and Land:  
Think that it's God, to all Things Being gives;  
Yea▪ ends the World, while he for ever lives:  
Without Beginning, yea, or end of Days;  
Both was, and is, and shall remain always.   

2.  
Add to thy Thoughts of God's Eternity,  
Some serious Thoughts of thy Mortality:  
Think with thyself; My Father's gone to Dust  
With all mine Ancestors; and thither must  
Myself return; I see there's no Redemption  
Of High and Low, all dye without Exemption:  
The High and Mighty, all expires and dies;  
The Wicked, and the Godly Man, likewise.   

Concerning Death, think in the second place,  
How short; Ah, how uncertain is my Race!  
Both Health & Strength to day, a Man may have  
Yet ●n the Morrow, followed to the Grave.  
Man's Life's uncertain, shorter than a Span;  
In one poor Hour, the strongest stoutest Man  
Is by an unexpected stroke of Death,  
Commanded to surrender up his Breath:  
No Man that ever lived on Earth, had Power  
To limit Death one Minute of an Hour.   

But Seamen are (Alas!) of all Men, most  
Uncertain of their Lives; for Death Rides Post  
Upon the Wings of every churlish Wave;  
Our Cabins, oftentimes, becomes our Grave.  
Death's Soul-amazing Aspects in the Skies;  
Seamen behold when Tempests do arise;  
Then Death doth threaten loudly every Minit,  
To sink our Ship, with every thing that's in it.  
Rocks, Seas, and Sands, and Tempests, seem to strive  
Which sh●●ld be first to bury thee alive.   

Unto thy Thoughts of Death, with Soul's Affection,  
Add thou some serious Thoughts of Resurrection:  
Think neither Earth nor Waters can detain  
One Soul; for all that Dies, shall Rise again,  
And come to Judgement, all both High and Low;  
For God hath said it, and it must be so.  
The serious Thoughts of this, will profit more  
T●an all the Treasures of the Indian-Shore.   

The serious Thoughts of future Resurrection▪  
Leads thee to Faith, and Faith unto Perfection;  
When Unbelief of Glory will bereave thee,  
And all the Golden Mines of Indies leave thee.   

How did our blessed Saviour confute  
The Sadduces, who ventured to dispute  
With Him about the Resurrection? They  
Can not bring forth another word to say.  
You err (saith Christ,) and do not understand  
The holy Scriptures, nor God's mighty Hand.   

But Seamen do behold his boundless Power,  
And see his Wonders almost every Hour:  
Oh! may the Power of God inflame your Hearts,  
And make you credit what his Word imparts?  
Oh! spend each Day one quarter of an Hour,  
In thoughts of Death, and God's-Almighty Power  
To make you live again, and Conquer Death,  
As well as at the first to give you Breath:  
So shall this Poem have its Wished-end,  
And you'll rejoice his Heart, who is your Friend.   
William Balmford   

In Commendation of this ensuing Poem.  

COme you brave Souls that love to cross the Main,  
Who run sad hardships for a little gain▪  
Would you at last, a Voyage undertake,  
Which will you Crown, and ever happy make?  
Let me kind Sirs, then like a Cordial Friend,  
This little Poem to you Recommend;  
'Twill teach you how to Sail to th' Land of Light,  
Whose glory's such, it will amaze thy sight:  
'Twill bring you to a City paved with Gold,  
Whose sparkling beauty Mortals can't behold.  
Sirs; never any Souls did thither Steer,  
But Crowned was as soon as they came there▪  
And I'll assure thee, canst thou thither get,  
A Crown of Glory on thee shall be set.  
Ah, who is it that would not look about,  
When such a Voyage they may all find out?  
Read thou this Book with Scales pulled off thine eyes,  
And thou may'st know which way thy Country lies:  
Oh then I'll tell thee, that thou may'st not fail▪  
That through the Straits thou must resolve to Sail▪  
With Grace, thy Ship must balanced also be,  
Or soon thou'lt sink to th'bottom of the Sea.  
And Christ too for thy  thou must take,  
Or never else wilt thou this Voyage make:  
And of two dangerous Rocks thou must beware;  
The one's Presumption, the other is Dispair.  
Another thing, expedient is to know;  
Thou must set out whilst Winds of th' Spirit blow.  
Faith is the Cable-Rope, to which make fast  
The Ancher, Hope; which rightly thou must cast  
Into the Rock of Ages, in the Veil,  
And you'll be safe in time of strongest Gale;  
And never a loss by Shipwreck you'll sustain,  
Till you the Crystal-shore with Triumph gain.   

Hast thou a mind to Traffic for Salvation?  
Then learn the Art of Sacred Navigation:  
This Art well learned, and also understood,  
Thou may'st ride safely o'er the Mighty Flood:  
Thy Wether▪ beat Vessel may be tossed  
Upon the Waves, but never shall be lost:  
Yea, though upon the churlish Rocks it hit,  
Yet shall thy Vessel neither sink nor split;  
Steer but by Heaven's appointed Compass, and  
Fear neither Winds nor Waves, nor Rocks, nor Sand:  
Here's all things for thy Voyage necessary,  
That thou may'st Sail, though winds be quite contrary:  
Here is a Prospect for thee, to descry  
Thy Sacred Port, and view thine Enemy;  
Satan, that Pirate that doth most annoy thee,  
Yet shall he have no power to destroy thee:  
And that thou may'st be in thy Voyage blest,  
(And come at last to thy desired rest)  
Is his desire, who doth here recommend  
T●●s Poem to thy use, who is thy Friend.   
Benjamin Keach.   

TO THE READER By a Gentlewoman, who was an intimate Friend of the Authors, in Commendation of this Poem  

IT is not common for the Female-kind,  
In Printed papers to expose their mind  
To public view; yet if I here transgress,  
I hope my fault will seem so much the less,  
Because I never did so much before,  
And, Peradventure, never may do more.  
These lines, kind Reader, that I hear commend,  
I had th'advantage first to see them Pend,  
And hear them read; the matter so delighted  
My ravished Senses, that it has invited  
Me, to commend these Poems which I know,  
To be of Soul-concern to High and Low:  
There's not a Man upon the Earth so high,  
But may upon this Subject cast an eye:  
He that doth think himself too high to know  
His Maker, while on Earth, will be too low  
For God to know, when he would be regarded;  
While such as knows God here, will be rewarded.  
He that doth think himself to know so much,  
That he need know no more; 'tis unto such  
That Paul, that good Apostle, is so bold  
To tell them, they know nothing as they should,  
Who think themselves too high to be concerned  
With any thing that here is to be learned;  
Will be too low to offer his Repentance,  
Or stand in Judgement, or reverse the Sentence  
Of, Go you Cursed; Wherhfore let none disdain  
To look upon this Piece, because 'tis plain;  
So much the rather may you be contented,  
To look upon this Piece that's here presented;  
Because the matter that it doth contain,  
Is no new Doctrine, no fanatics strain:  
'Tis Catholic, Apostolic likewise,  
That, which no sober Christian-man denies;  
It is the knowledge of the Lord most high;  
One God in Essence, three in Trinity:  
To know that God made Man upright and good▪  
To know likewise that Man no long time stood  
In this so just, so perfect good Estate,  
Before he did from thence degenerate;  
To know that Man was tempted by the Devil,  
To break God's Law, till when he knew no Evils▪  
To know that Man was sentenced to Die,  
And Christ was promised immediately   

To wound the Serpent, by whom Man was slain,  
And to restore fallen Man to Life again;  
To know that Christ was very God indeed,  
And very Man, made of the Woman's Seed,  
To know that Christ by God's appointment died,  
And was by Pontious Pilate Crucifi'd;  
And in the Grave did for a time remain;  
And on the Third Day He did Rise again:  
That unto Christ all Sovereign Power was given,  
Both in the Earth, and also in the Heaven,  
To know I say, and rightly understand,  
That all the World is now at Christ's command:  
To know the Father and the Son likewise,  
To know the Holy-Ghost, that Sanctifies,  
And fits the Soul for Death and future Glory;  
These are the things the Author spreads before ye.   

My heart's desire is, the Author, he  
May be rewarded in Eternity;  
In everlasting Joy, where Saints shall sing  
Continual Anthems to their Heavenly King,  
Where God himself▪ will wipe away all tears;  
Where he no more shall be perplexed with fears;  
Of steering right unto that Holy Land,  
Where Saints and Angels in God's presence stands:  
Yet while he on these restless Seas remains,  
That he might be assisted in his pains,  
My heart's desire is, he may Inherit  
The gifts and graces of God's holy Spirit,  
That may descend into him like a flood,  
That he thereby may do his Country good.  
Thus, with my hearty prayers to God, I rest,  
Desiring his endeavours may be blest,  
Unto that use for which they were intended▪  
Then shall I think my Friend is well be-friended.    


SHe that doth this Unpolished piece commend,  
Was willing that it should obtain its end:  
No pains she spared to give these Poem's Birth,  
But with desire sought to bring it forth;  
And to that end that nothing might prevent,  
Gave her assistance for encouragement:  
May these my labours to thy use be blest,  
For which her Love, her Zeal, her Heart expressed.    

Courteous Reader,  
I Have for thy ease and pleasantness in Reading, drawn up this brief Table; containing in it the chief Heads that is Treated on in the First Part of this Book, because the first part is not divided as it ought to have been, nor as the Second a●d Third Part is: I have therefore used this Method to every particular matter that is Treated on in this First Part; I have given thee Directions in what Page to find them, that so thou may readily turn to that matter thou art most desirous to inspect. The First Part of this Book is an Introduction to the Art of Soul-Navigation, and aught to have been so Entitled.   

The TABLE.  

THat there is a true resemblance between a Ship at Sea, and a Christian in this World, and between the Sea and the World, pag. 1, 2, 3▪  
The like true resemblance between the Word of God and the Seaman's Compass, the Seas resemble this world in three particulars. 1. In the unconstancy of its motion. 2ly. In the Salt gus● the waters of the Sea hath. 3dly. In the Violence of the Waves, p. 4, 5▪  
A Ship at Sea resembles a Christian in this world, in three particulars; First, In being liable to Leaks, p. 6, 7, 8.  
In being liable to run upon Sands, and so broken, p. 9, 10.  
In being liable to be split upon Rocks, p. 11.  
●e Rocks explained, p. 12, 13.  
● the Second Part, called Speculation, gins with an Introduction to Speculation, p. 14, 15, 16.  
●e four Cardinal Points Treated of: The North compared to God; the West to Christ; the South to Holiness; West to Death. p. 17.  
●ripture grounds for this Allusion, p. 18, 19  
peculation explained; the first part of it, being the true knowledge of God, p. 21, 22, 23.  
●ow Christ must be known, p. 24, 25, 26.  
●f Holiness, p. 27, 28.  
●f Death, p. 29.  
●he certainty of the Resurrection from Death to Life again, as the Sun moves from West to North, and from North to East again; so Man rising from the Grave, goes to God, from God to Christ his Judge, p. 30.  
The Blessed Estate of the Righteous, p. 31, 32, 33.  
The sad State of Sinners, after Resurrection, they must return back again from Christ their Judge, to their Western Point, which is the Second Death, p. 34, 35, 36.  
A general Application, p. 37, 38.    

ERRATA.  
Reader,  
THere is some (but not many) Faults escaped the Press; which, because som● wrongs the Sense, I have noted, omitting suc● Literal Mistakes as do not wrong the Sense.  
PAge 2 line 12 for worth read World p 9 l. ●9 f hi● r. God. p. 10 l 2 f. sold r S●uls. Ibid, ●. S●●● Some's. p 11 l. 7 r. It is a sign of Death. p. 57 l. 22. ● ●●ssuated. p. 68 l. 27 r. External.   

THE seaman's Spiritual Companion: OR, Navigation Spiritualised.  

A Ship at Sea that on the Waves is tossed,  
In danger every moment to be lost,  
●a true emblem of man's restless state,  
●ce he by sinning did degenerate.  
Ship for aptness as it doth excel,  
● is it anciently approved well.  
●ot only for its rareness of invention,  
●t for its plainness to our apprehension.  
●ere be but few, if any, that's so low,  
●d shallow of Conceit, but see and know.  
●at as it's with a Ship whose Costly prize,  
●he Rich Lading of some Merchandise.  
●ating at Sea when Dark and Silent Night,  
●s Stained the Heaven and obscured the Light.  
without its Card, Compass, and likewise,  
●t knowing where its Port or Haven lies.  
Nor how to steer or bend his Course thereto,  
Being bewildered in the dark. Just so  
It is with Man since his unhappy fall,  
Without a guide can find no path at all.  
Man's body is the Ship his Soul likewise,  
Is that unvaluable Merchandise.  
A Pearl whose worth exceeds both weight an● measure●  
Its price is far above all earthly treasure.  
He that shall lose his Soul, although he gain  
The world with all its wealth, he will sustain  
A loss far greater than can be esteemed  
By earthly man or by the worth redeemed.  
Of all the treasures that is under heaven,  
Nought for the Soul can in exchange be give▪   

This World's the Sea, and as by Nature we●  
Come into it, we neither know nor see  
Our Haven, unto which we ought to bend  
And steer our Course; nor can we apprehend  
The usual means by which we are directed  
In this our Voyage, till it be perfected.  
Heaven is our proper Haven, 'tis the end  
Of all our Labours, thither we ought to bend  
And steer our Course, that we the better might  
With hope of happy issue steer aright.  
To be our perfect Rule, God doth afford  
The blessed Counsel of his Holy Word:  
And to his Holy Word he adds beside  
His Holy Spirit for our perfect Guid.  
Lo thus as with a Compass night and day,  
We are directed to find out our way.  
Sail by this Compass, and we shall be sure  
Whatever Storms and Tempest we endure,  
Our Voyage will be crowned with good success▪  
We shall not miss our Port of Happiness.  
'Tis an unerring Rule, but yet alas  
By Nature we are blind the time we pass  
Upon this Earth, as in a Sea of Trouble,  
Till Death dissolve our Bodies; and this bubble  
●f we compare it with the splendid light  
Of everlasting day, it's but a night;  
A night of darkness rather than a day  
Of perfect light; we cannot find our way,  
Without our Compass, whence this may be learned;  
That as a Merchant thinks himself concerned  
To use his best endeavours to secure  
●is floating Vessel, that he may insure  
●is Merchandizes: So he that bears the prize  
●f his Immortal Soul's, concerned likewise  
●bove all things to use his best endeavour  
●o save his Soul, which lost, is lost for ever.  
A Christian in the Gospel is compared  
●o Merchants that do seek no less reward  
●han precious Pearls; which that he may find out,  
●oth compass Sea and Land, whirls round about  
●he Massy Globe through many a stormy blast▪  
●nd thinks himself well satisfied at last,  
● obtains the treasure that he craves;  
●hough he endures the fury of the Waves,  
●n he but bring his Vessel safe to Shore  
● his desired Port, he seeks no more.  
Man is the Merchant, and his Port doth lie  
Within the Confines of Eternity.  
This World's well termed a Sea, and if we eye  
It as a place of Waters, we may spy  
The same unconstant and unstable motion,  
As men behold within the restless Ocean.  
The various changes that this World affords,  
With Neptune's often changes well accords.  
The tossing to and fro of its affairs,  
Filling men's hearts with daily fears and cares,  
Is like the raging waves resistless might;  
Which often puts the Seaman to a fright.  
Threatening to rend his crazy Vessel, and  
Entomb his Carcase in the restless Land.  
The feared evil and the hoped for good  
In worldly things, is like the ebb and flood;  
They go and come, their flux and reflux we  
To turn and return like the Tide we see.  
Sometimes this world doth promise present go●  
And then it seems like to the Sea and flood.  
And when we think we shall some good obtain  
Is like the Tide, returneth back again.  
Nothing so certain as uncertainty,  
Earthly enjoyments make them wings and 〈◊〉  
And as the waters of the Seas retains  
A brinish taste, the same Salt just remains  
In earthly things in great or lesser measure  
Abates the sweetness of all earthly pleasure.  
Sometimes the waves mounts up our Ship on  
As if its Top-mast-head would pierce the Ski●  
And presently its tumbled down again,  
●s if in Hell it now were to remain.  
● such a case a Saint that's in this world  
●ost to and fro in such a fury hurled,  
● made Sea sick, and nothing now is more  
● Saints desire than Heaven its happy Shore.  
● Saint sometimes may have a present gale,  
●he Waters smooth, the Wind fills out his fail;  
●he Wind stands fair, the Raging Seas likewise,  
●re all at peace, and now the Seamen lies,  
●nd quickly comes to his desired shore,  
●hen others that perhaps set out before,  
●eeting with Tempest at the Sea, was driven  
●uite from their Port & lost. Some go to heaven  
●s with a prosperous wind is quickly hurled  
●ut of the trouble of this evil world;  
●nd of such sort young infants be, whose stay  
●on this Sea sometimes is not a day.  
children also that leave this world before  
●ey have committed sin, comes to the shore  
● a short time, and meets with never a storm;  
●ey neither do nor think of any harm:  
●ay we believe record that is given,  
●ese are undoubtedly the heirs of heaven.  
●eed from all sorrows & tempestuous weather,  
●rist as their Pilot doth conduct them thither;  
whilst men and women, being more mature,  
● these tempestuous Seas great storms endure:  
●hich gives them cause sufficient to desire▪  
● leave these troubled Seas, for fear they tyre  
In length of time, and upon Rocks be driven  
And split themselves, & lose their way to heaven▪   

2. And in the second place our bodies may  
Be fitly termed a Ship, because as they  
When floating on the Seas do spring a leak;  
So't fares with man, so frail he is and weak;  
As through a leak the Sea doth make its way,  
Forcing the weary Seaman night and day  
To ply the Pump, lest if his strength should fai●  
The waters should so mightily prevail  
To sink his richly laden Vessel, and  
Bury both Ship and Lading in the sand.  
The Seaman therefore spareth not his pain,  
Till he his longed for Haven do obtain.  
So 'tis with Christians, Nature being weak,  
While in this world, are liable to leak.  
And if a Christian in his labour fail,  
The waters of this world will so prevail,  
That Ship and Lading will undoubtedly   

Endanger sinking to Eternity.  
The leaks are these, the Saints that shall inherit  
Eternal life, is flesh as well as spirit.  
The world presents thee with its golden pleasu●  
And would persuade thee there's no greater tre●su●  
To be enjoyed; the senses now invites  
The flesh to taste, which draws in these delight  
Like as a leak draws water at the Seas  
And sink the Ship, so do such leaks as these  
Draw in this worldly pleasure, until they  
Be fill▪ d so full the Vessel's cast away  
And Lading lost; which is the worst of all:  
And by this means came our first Father's fall.  
Eve's eye beheld the Fruit, and so admired,  
Presents it to the flesh, the flesh desired.  
Man being made of earth, by nature weak,  
Not minding as he might to stop the leak;  
He lost his Vessel as he well deserved,  
Although it's hoped his Lading was preserved.  
This leak sunk Achan, his eye-delighting pleasure,  
As by a leak, did let in such a measure  
Of Avarice, that using no endeavour  
To stop that Leak, his Ship was lost for ever.  
And in a word, the naked truth to speak,  
Most mischiefs makes their entrance at this leak.  
The sense of Seeing first doth act its part,  
Presently brings the object to the heart.  
The heart, whose office 'tis to stop the leak,  
●f it neglects its part, these waters break  
●nto the Ship; runs in without control,  
And sinks the Ship and overthrows the Soul.  
Then keep thy heart with diligence and care,  
Let not thy eye nor ear thy heart ensnare.  
●fe'r thine eye invite thine heart to pleasure,  
Think how uncertain is this earthly treasure.  
What true content what solid joy can I,  
Take in this world, alas I am born to die.  
suppose I find some pleasure for too day,  
●oo morrow death tells me I must away,  
●o earth from whence I came; the grave must keep  
My mouldering body till I wake from sleep.  
I leave my pleasure and I leave my sorrow,  
I sleep too day and shall awake too morrow.  
And when I shall awake I shall be hurled,  
Immediately into another world.  
And then shall live again and stand before  
The judge of heaven and earth and die no more  
This state shall be a state of joy or pain,  
From which I never shall be moved again.  
If for this world's uncertain pleasures, I  
Should lose that joy that lasts eternally,  
How costly would these pleasures be? What rat●  
Should I pay for these toys, whose longest dat●  
Admits no longer measure than a Span;  
Whose largest confines is the life of man?  
Such serious thoughts as these they will no doubt  
Stop all these Leaks and keep vain pleasures out  
The third resemblance that there is between  
Man's Body and a Ship, may thus be seen,  
It's not the empty Ship, that men so prize;  
But for the sake of its rich Merchandise.  
And as a Ship contains within his hold  
The Merchant's treasure, so man's precious Soul  
That is far richer than the Golden Ore,  
The Merchant fetches from the Indian Shore,  
Is in his Body; wherefore man beware,  
Of Soul Shipwreck, use Diligence and Care.  
To keep thy Lading safe; Slack not thy pain,  
For that once lost thou'lt never find again.  
Thy Lading being lost, there's no endeavour  
Can save thy Vessel, but it sinks for ever.  
Into a burning Lake, a Lake of fire;  
Whose torments ceases not, nor flames expire.  
O man be careful whilst thou hast a day,  
Thy want of care will cast thy Ship away.  
The Carcase of a Ship, when all its store  
Is buried in the sand, is of far more  
Esteem and value, than the Body when  
It's precious Soul is gone from thence; for then  
The Body's nothing but a lump of Clay,  
Sleeping in Dust until the Judgement Day;  
When all must wake to joy or else to sorrow,  
Unto a dismal night or joyful morrow.  
A Ship at Sea is liable to harms,  
As well by Rocks and Sands as sudden Storms.  
A Chrstian while upon these troubled Seas,  
He hath his Rocks and Sands; and upon these  
He sometimes runs aground and sometimes hits  
Upon these Churlish Rocks until he splits.  
His slender Vessel, which with great endeavour  
Is hardly saved from perishing for ever.  
Sins and temptations is a Christians Sand,  
On which sometimes he runs aground and stands,  
And cannot move; the sins of Christians heels,  
Like red sea sands, takes off their Chariot wheels;  
Weakens a Christians Faith, he scarce can know  
Whether he moves one step for Heaven or no.  
A Christian that is with his Sin defiled,  
He's at a stand scarce thinks himself a Child.  
It is but faintly that he calls him Father,  
But like the prodigal he chooseth rather  
The name of Servant; unto such a stand  
Doth sin put sold Sons, lost on such a sand.  
And other sands there be of no less danger,  
To which a Christian must not be a stranger.  
They are temptations of every kind,  
That oftentimes do much afflict the mind.  
As when a Christian sees Blasphemers flourish,  
While Righteous ones is rather fit to perish.  
It runs the soul on ground, he scarce can say  
That he is in the right and perfect way:  
This sometimes made the best of men mistrust,  
And judge the generation of the Just.  
That soul that runs himself on such a sand,  
Is often times put to a perfect stand.  
'Twas this made righteous David thus complain,  
Surely, saith he, I've washed my hands in vain.  
O soul beware, this is a dangerous sand,  
This put good David unto such a stand.  
That till the springtide of God's love did flow  
Into his Soul, his faith was grown so low,  
He there stuck fast, in danger to miscarry;  
Until he went into God's Sanctuary.  
Whose holy streams Did give his soul such strength  
That he got off that dangerous sand at length.  
Christians have rocks as well as sands, and they,  
Do seldom miss to cast the Ship away.  
I'll mention two, but they shall be the Chief;  
And yet but two, because I will be brief.  
Presumption and Despair, on these two Rocks  
Whoever runs with violence and knocks,  
If on the first of these his soul but hit,  
'Tis very seldom but the soul is split.  
When men presume to sin, and yet will dare  
Presumptuously to promise equal share  
With best of Saints in everlasting joy;  
How many thousands thus themselves destroy.  
It is a sign, saith the Physician,  
Who when he minds his Patient's disposition,  
Finds him so stupefied, he doth not know  
Whether he be distempered or no,  
Though every one about him gives him over,  
And leaves expecting that he will recover.  
The dying man feels nothing, hath no fears,  
Whilst his relations dews his bed with tears,  
And sees him dying, though he sees no danger;  
Sees death approaching, while the man's a stranger  
Unto the thoughts of death, presumes all's well:  
And thus presumptuously some goes to Hell,  
Laughing at sin, while others under deep  
Sad apprehensions of their state, can weep;  
Beholds him dying, that sees no such thing.  
Sees death hath stung him, though he feels nothing.  
The choicest Christians floating on the Seas  
Of swelling pomp, may run himself with ease  
Upon this Rock; he is not fiercely driven  
By any storm or tempest sent from heaven,  
But with a soft, fair, sweet, and gentle gale  
Which drives him fairly, filling out his sail  
He sucks the sweetness of external pleasure,  
Gods temporal blessings & man's lawful pleasure:  
If well improved, he looks on every side,  
His Cup is full, he runs before the Tide,  
Meets with no tempest, neither dreads a storm;  
And if such pleasant gales as these do harm,  
It is because men think themselves secure,  
Neglect the making their salvation sure,  
For want of diligence and constant care,  
They're on this Rock before they be ware.  
When earthly favours, like a swelling Tide  
Puffs up the mind, and fills the heart with pride;  
Instead of thankfulness he now gins  
To cast a pleasant glance at smaller sins,  
And never sounds his heart, to see how nigh  
He is the Rock, but unadvisedly  
He still proceeds, takes not the least regard  
Unto God's Word, but as an useless Card.  
First smiles at sin, 'tis pleasant in his sight,  
At last he doth commit it with delight.  
Lo thus God's mercies may for want of care  
And due improvement, prove a hurtless snare,  
And run a soul upon this Rock, while he  
Is so becalmed, he doth no danger see;  
Wherefore dear hearts if God Almighty bless  
Your outward man, your care must be no less,  
No less in watchfulness, no less in prayer,  
Lest temporal enjoyments proves a snare.  
O search no less into God's Holy Word,  
Because the Lord such plenty doth afford.  
God's Word will tell thee, That where much is given,  
Much is required; poor souls may miss of heaven,  
When earth affords them such a plenteous store  
Of temporal things, their hearts can wish no more.   

A second Rock there is, of which beware,  
While some presume all's well, others despair  
Of being saved, and think it is is in vain  
To seek for that they never shall obtain:  
And being overwhelmed with despair,  
Neglect that sacred remedy of prayer.  
Neglects the use of Scriptures sweet direction,  
Which saith man must make sure of Election.  
'Tis not a holy sanctified life  
Will satisfy the soul, or end the strife  
Despair has made, despair will act its part,  
And like a Tyrant will usurp the heart;  
And tells the soul his sins is scored in heaven,  
And are too numerous to be forgiven.  
And thus torments the soul with endless grief,  
And leaves the soul quite hopeless of relief.  
'Tis not a smooth-faced but tempestuous Seas,  
That runs the soul upon such Rocks as these;  
It is some darling sin, some bosom evil,  
Some strong temptations that our Foe the Devil  
Doth with the best advantage that he can  
Make use of for the overthrow of man.  
But that thou mayst safely arrive at last  
At thy desired Port, and not be cast  
Upon the Churlish Rocks, and scape the sand,  
Thou must endeavour next to understand  
That holy Art of Sacred Navigation,  
Which is the Subject of our next Relation▪   

CHAP. II. Wherein is laid down the Three Principal Parts of Spiritual Navigation.  

Here Sacred Navigation is held forth,  
Fitted to th' Body of Divinity;  
That holy Seamen sailing on the earth  
May rightly steer to bless▪ d Eternity.   

Sigh to the World the term of Sea is given,  
Through which the soul must make its way to heaven▪  
And Christian Seamen, whose body is likewise  
Termed a Ship, their Souls the Merchandise,  
Saints then stands i'need to bend their meditation  
To learn the Art of Sacred Navigation;  
Or else they'll never rightly understand,  
To steer aright unto the Holy Land.  
A Seaman may be made to act his part,  
And be expert at Sea by humane Art;  
But Art makes not a Saint: Man may be taught  
By Art to whirl a Ship this world about,  
With speed and safety to the Indian shore.  
Whose pleasant banks abound with Golden Ore▪  
And yet unskilful, cannot understand  
To steer aright unto the Holy Land.  
Whose dust's more worth than pearl, whose sacred mould,  
Is far more excellent than Indian Gold.  
Whose treasure is not liable to rust,  
Like Gold, whose first Original is dust.  
To know I say, and well to understand  
To steer our course to fair Emanuel's land,  
Requires more Skill than humane Art can teach;  
It is a mystery Nature cannot reach.  
The Art's Divine and is divinely wrought,  
Yet God prescribes a way how't may be taught.  
Whoever then would learn this Sacred Art,  
He must deny, come out of, and departed,  
His Bark of Reason, he must lay aside;  
At least not trust to't, so as to confide  
In humane Wisdom; lest he should miscarry,  
He must repair unto the Sanctuary.  
The sacred Scripture must be thy Instructor.  
The holy Spirit also thy Conductor,  
The best Informer of a Christians heart  
In this so sacred soul-concerning Art.  
Or else he'll sink into that Deep Abiss,  
That Lake of Fire where no bottom is.  
Where endless misery and sore distress,  
Must be his Port, instead of happiness.  
He that would steer his course to heaven right.  
Must have a clear, a true, and perfect sight,  
Not only of that Sacred Mystery  
Christ's Glorious Kingdom, but of Divinity.  
The Art and Mystery of Soul Navigation,  
Is a divine and sacred Spectulation.  
This sacred Art doth teach the Soul to know  
Where heaven lies and how to steer thereto.  
The first part of this Sacred Art I call  
Speculative, the second Practical.  
The third Affectionate, with all these three,  
The Spiritual Seaman must acquainted be.  
As Light was made first in the Old Creation,  
So in the New the first is Speculation  
Or Sacred Knowledge. A man must first receive  
Thngs in his understanding, then believe;  
Then must he practise according to direction,  
Knowledge and Practice will inflame affection.  
Thus having opened each several part,  
Of this Soulsaving Navigable Art,  
Our next work will be to treat upon  
Each part distinctly, teach them one by one.  
The whole discourse no further will extend,  
But to unfold these three, and then 'twill end.  
The first part therefore of Soul Navigation,  
Being Divine and Sacred Speculation,  
Knowledge I mean, that precious beam of Light,  
Whose rising in the Soul doth put to flight.  
The evening mists, makes shadows fly away,  
And in the Understanding makes a day.  
Gives that being that ne'er yet hath been.  
Discovers that which never yet was seen.  
That Spiritual Seamen therefore may discern,  
What's necessary in this Art to learn,  
The Seaman's Compass shall the case decide,  
And for instructions shall be our guide.  
As in the Compass Four Points there be,  
Four Points in Christian Compass you shall see:  
●he Four general Points that's most of all,  
●oted by Seamen as the principal,  
● North, the first i'th' Compass, and the rest  
●ollows in order thus, East, South, and West.  
●od in our Christian Compass first of all,  
● to be eyed as the principal.  
●o God alone man first must cast his eye,  
●o Dread and sear his Sovereign Majesty.  
●y the North Star the Seaman is Directed,  
●o point i, th' Compass profits that neglected.  
●l our endeavours will be nothing worth,  
● first we eye not God, God stands for North.  
● is by Christ our mercies is increased,  
●e's next the Father; Christ stands for the East▪  
●om East to South the Sun doth make its way,  
●riving at the South 'tis perfect day.  
●e next to Christ that Christians must possess,  
●is the Spirit, South point is Holiness.  
holiness is our South, and Christ is then  
● height in Christians, when most holy men.  
●ext to the South is West, whither the Sun,  
●akes haste and sets, and then our day is done.  
●eath is our Western Point, doth terminate  
●r day, and put a period to its date.  
●ese be the Four Points all men must eye,  
●orth, East, South, West, than man prepare to die▪  
Now see our Scripture grounds for this allusion,  
●r upon that we'll bottom each Conclusion.  
●s a Notion generally received,  
●d as unquestionably it believed  
That fair Jerusalem that famous Town,  
Israel's Metropolis, the world's renown.  
Was placed i'th' midst o'th' earth and hence it wa●  
As most conclude it all was came to pass.  
All places bear their true Denomination,  
As they were placed or stood for situation  
Relating to that City, whose great name,  
Did fill the earth with its renowned fame.  
Jerusalem thus for the Centre eyed,  
I will remember that on its North side.  
The City of the mighty King was placed:  
The mount of Olives also on the East.  
Which mountains as it first did entertain  
Our blessed Lord, so when he comes again,  
Zachary the Prophet gives a full account,  
His feet shall stand upon that Eastern Moun●  
And on the Southside did mount Zion stand,  
The sacred mountain of that holy Land.  
Mount Calvery the place of Death, this mou●  
Was situate on the West; on this account  
I am encouraged to make this allusion  
Scriptures not contradicting this Conclusion,  
●hat East should stand for Christ, and Stouh ●le●  
without excepting stands for holiness,  
And West for death will never be denied,  
But why the North is unto God applied  
May at the first to some seem not so clear,  
But that the truth thereof may still appear,  
Mark what good David saith, observe the wor●  
Of that most faithful Servant of the Lord.  
When David sets Mount Zions Beauty forth,  
She is, saith he, the joy of all the Earth:  
She's beautiful, saith he, for situation,  
Which he makes out by this clear demonstration,  
The mighty King, saith David, doth ●eside.  
●n fair Jerusalem, on the North side  
Of sacred Zion; to whose glorious King,  
The Nations shall their wealth and glory bring.  
Hence 'twas that speech concerning Lucifer,  
Who would exalt himself above the Stars  
Of God Almighty; Esay adds besides,  
●s further Demonstration of his pride,  
That Lucifer presumed himself so great,  
That he would make the side o'th' North his seat.  
●ut he whose high aspiring thoughts did swell,  
● ' usurp God's place, is tumbled down to Hell.  
●he North, which if as some suppose to be  
●he Mount Moria, it will well agree.  
That Sacred Mount in Canaan's Holy Land,  
●id also on the North of Zion stand:  
●hat still the North in Scriptures is applied,  
●o God alone as properly his side.  
●hese words of David next I'd have you mind,  
●hich you in Psalm the 75 may find,  
David excluding both West, South, and East,  
●rom giving honours, making not the least  
Mention o'th' North, saith honours do proceed,  
●rom God alone as if it were agreed,  
●nd taken for a grant on every hand,  
●hat for God's proper place the North doth stand.   

Sith then the language of God's holy word,  
With this our notion doth so well accord;  
I hope I may presume without offence,  
With awful fear and holy reverence  
To make a serious and divine inspection  
Into the Sacred Art; taking direction  
From Holy Writ: which we will make our guide▪  
Not on the right or left to turn aside.   

And now with seriousness we will conclude,  
The North with God most fitly doth allude.  
'Tis God alone we first must seek to know,  
The Word and Spirit will direct us how.  
When first therefore thy Vessel launcheth forth▪  
Into these troubled Seas upon the Earth;  
Assure thyself thou art not like to make  
A happy Voyage if thou undertake,  
To steer thy Ship to fair Emanuels' Land,  
Before thou know and rightly understand  
God thy North Star, whom thou must always eye  
When thou sets forth towards eternity▪  
Know God is first, 'tis he first gave thee breathe  
And he is last and hath appointed death,  
That fatal messenger to call thee hence,  
To give account to him for each offence.  
Know God is merciful and just also,  
He sees thy ways and did thy secrets know.  
Let no such foolish thoughts possess thy mind,  
To think there is no God, be not so blind;  
The Heavens are his witness, day and night  
Do speak throughout the World; their beams ● light  
●ills every place: By this the Nations know  
There is a God, whether they will or no.  
The very Heathen do the same confess,  
●y light of nature they can do no less.  
●is acts of providence bespeaks the same,  
They all set forth the glory of his name:  
●is mighty hand that framed every Creature,  
●oth in the Earth, the Air, and in the Water;  
Gives food, as well as being, unto all;  
Of every thing he's the original.  
He feeds the Ravens, when to him they cry,  
He is and was from all eternity.  
●his knowledge, although true, is not alone;  
●e is not only God, but he is one.  
although there be Gods many, saith St. Paul,  
●o us there is but one, he's all in all.  
God must not only thus be understood,  
●ut we must know him for our chiefest good:  
That good thou dost, or ever shalt enjoy,  
Comes from himself alone; he'll not destroy  
His handy work: Man's ruin doth proceed  
●rom man himself; 'tis man that doth that deed.  
'tis in and by the Lord we must obtain  
●ternal Life, Life doth in him remain:  
●his thing is needful to be known by these,  
That sail for Heaven on these troubled Seas.  
To know God thus, is of as great concern,  
●s for a Seaman his North Point to learn:  
●nd in the third place, thou must learn to know,  
●od in his Holy Attributes also.  
His Attributes of Power, Mercy, and  
Of Justice; also thou must understand,  
We read, when God Almighty did proclaim  
His ever honoured and his Name;  
In Exodus the thirty fourth we find  
His Name is gracious, merciful, and kind:  
In him long suffering, patience, doth abound  
Sin pardoning grace in him is to be found.  
Reserved mercy is laid up in store,  
For such as love him, grace for ever more:  
As thou must know he's merciful, thou must  
Know as he's God Almighty, he is just▪  
To those that hate him, he will be severe;  
A guilty Conscience he'll by no means clear.  
Though Heavens in his right hand, is as reward  
To such as do his righteousness regard;  
Yet in his left hand is a flaming fire,  
Consumes the wicked in his burning ire.  
His wrath once kindled, he that reads his nam●  
Must read him then a soul-consuming flame;  
More bright than Phoebus in the Southern skies  
Like to devouring fire in his eyes.  
His voice is like a soul amazing thunder,  
That fills the massy earth with dread and wonder   

But now I think I hear some make reply,  
If thus I do behold his Face I die:  
His terror frights me, O I am undone,  
I am unclean, O whether shall I run?  
If Holy Angels be not pure, how then  
Can I be saved, that am a sinful man.  
If God be Holy, thou must be no less;  
Thou must behold God's Face in Righteousness:  
Then I'll assure thee when thou dost awake,  
His Image will full satisfaction make:  
By wake I mean thy being raised from Grave,  
When thou a full and perfect sight shalt have,  
Of that great glory Moses could not see;  
With which thou then shalt satisfied be:  
And that thou may his Beauty then behold,  
With joy remember that thou hast been told  
He is a Holy Spirit; wherefore he  
In Spirit and in Truth must worshipped be,  
By that pure Light that in the Soul doth shine;  
Proceeding from the Spirit of God Divine:  
And by the strength and vigour of thine own,  
Must thy unfeigned Love to God be shown.  
Alas, say some, this is but fruitless talk,  
For that no man can thus unspotted walk:  
Show me the man that never doth transgress,  
Or him who thus sees God in righteousness.  
●f none but man thus holy can enjoy  
This blessed state, God's presence will destroy  
The universe; the best of men do not  
Live without sin, none is without his spot.  
To this I say, the God of Earth and Heaven,  
Considering man's weakness, hath given  
His Son, his only Son, whom he hath set  
To be our Surety, and to pay our debt:  
Christ is our Eastern Point, he is that Light  
Whose morning brightness doth expel the Night.  
All you that sail for Heaven, be sure you learn  
To know this Eastern Point; 'tis your concern.  
And first remember, Christ hath quit that score  
That Adam left to pay; it shall no more  
Be reckoned for: for he hath paid that debt,  
Which on our score for Adam's sin was set.  
Behold the Lamb of God, behold I say,  
That blessed Lamb that took our sins away;  
That holy Lamb of God, the King of Kings,  
That did arise with healing in his Wings:  
He pleads the cause of such as do transgress,  
And willingly he is our righteousness.  
'Tis Christ alone, 'tis he alone, I say,  
That by his glorious rising made a day.  
Till this bright Eastern Morning Star did rise,  
All the whole world in dismal darkness lies.  
He like the glorious Morning Sun came forth,  
And visited all corners of the Earth.  
How dismal is the dark and silent night,  
How comfortable is the morning light:  
Here is thy comfort soul, do what you can,  
Christ is that pure, perfect, holy man;  
He ' as done exactly what thou shouldst have done▪  
And God accepts thy doing in his Son.   

Know for thy comfort God is reconciled  
To sinful man, by Christ that holy Child.  
A body was prepared him for thy sake,  
For nothing else could reconcilement make:  
Thy weakness in Christ is all supplied,  
By him alone thou must be justified,  
●hrist doth not only fill the world with light,  
●ut as a waymark guides thy steps aright  
●nto the Father; tells thee there is none  
●omes to the Father but by him alone.  
The third thing in this Point thou art to learn,  
●nd make thy chief concernment to discern  
●● is that ownness and sweet unity,  
●hat is between the Soul and Christ, whereby  
●hrist and thy Soul is made entirely one,  
●y the indwelling of the Spirit alone:  
●● is the Spirit alone that doth unite  
●hee unto Christ, the spirit gives thee light:  
●● fills thy soul with light, thy heart with praise,  
●y which thou mayst behold those golden rays  
●hich darts into thy soul, gives thee a glance,  
●f thy adoption and assurance.  
●hus knowing North and East, the South doth follow,  
●ext to be known; it is the spirit doth hollow  
●nd sanctify the soul and change the nature;  
Converts the man, and makes him a new creature.  
renewed in himself, he's born anew,  
●o all unholiness he bids adieu.  
●e that doth put on Christ will surely find,  
●o great an alteration in his mind:  
●here's nothing now with which he's so delighted,  
As holiness, which he before had slighted.  
The love of Christ casts such a warm reflection  
●pon the soul, it stirs up his affection.  
●his Soul like Mary's melted into tears,  
●ith which she washed Christ's feet, thought not her hairs.  
Although her ornament, too good to foul,  
To dry his Feet; his love so melts her soul:  
Her sins were many, made her love abound,  
Because so vile a wretch had mercy found:  
What I, saith such a soul, who no eye pitied,  
Defiled with sin, and are my sins remitted:  
Shall I be guilty of so great a folly,  
That's washed from sin; and shall I be unholy?  
He whose dear love did take away my sin,  
Will hate and loathe me if I sin again.  
When Christ did clear that sinful woman's score  
He gave charge she should sin no more.  
How miserable was thy state, when he  
At first had thoughts of pity upon thee?  
Polluted in thy Blood he passes by,  
Beheld thee, and did cast a gracious eye  
Of Pity: Did both grace and mercy give  
Said to thy loathed soul, O sinner live.  
Upon thy head he puts a crown of gold,  
And makes thee fair and lovely to behold;  
Then doth present thee as a Virgin clear  
Before the Father, doth espouse thee there.  
Thou must be holy now and sanctified,  
Laying thy former sins and lusts aside.  
You heaven born souls, think and remember how  
Unsuitable it is, how much below  
A Saint it is to sin; whose holy dress,  
Like to a sacred garment, must express  
Whose Spouse thou art. O do not give consent  
To live in sin; sin stains thy ornament:  
●o'iness is Saint's lustre makes them shine,  
●● tells thine enemies thou art divine.  
●ow high is Christ advanced in Christians, when  
●n mortified doth make them holy men.  
christ's like the glory of the Southern Sun,  
●t height in Christians when this work is done.  
● Christian now is in a line direct  
●o God the Father, may have full aspect.  
●ook from the South, the North is just before ye,  
●o Saints in holiness may see God's glory:  
●nd hence it was that Abraham did discover  
●he glory of the Lord: From hence moreover  
Moses that holy man of God, contemns  
●ll Egypt's glory; counterfeiting Gems.  
Moses by faith, sees holiness rewarded;  
●hinks Egypt's glory not to be regarded:  
●e did esteem of Israel's distess,  
Above the glory that he might possess  
●n Pharoahs' Court; his faith bore evidence,  
●nto that Heaven promised recompense.   

But secondly consider, as the light  
●s contrary to darkness, day to night:  
●o sin and holiness do hate each other,  
●nd in one place they cannot dwell together:  
●ut as the Sun, when shining bright and clear,  
Doth make nights sable shadows disappear.  
And as the gloomy shadows of the night,  
Doth put the Sun's fair pleasant beams to flight:  
●o where true holiness doth take possession,  
●here's no allowance for the least transgression.  
Nor is there any place for holiness,  
Where sins usurping power doth possess.  
Sometimes we see the Sun appears so bright,  
As if no darkness now could slain its light.  
But presently we see a Cloud arise,  
And then the Sun is hidden from our eyes.  
Just thus it's with a Saint, a little folly,  
O how it stains him that's reputed holy:  
If once a Christian do contract a blot.  
His former holiness is quite forgot.  
A Saint whose conversation is upright,  
'Twill put whole legions of his sins to flight  
Let Christ our blessed Eastern Star shine clear  
Within thy soul, and sin will disappear.   

Thus have we given thee a brief relation  
Of three first Points of Sacred Speculation:  
Of North, of South, of East, the next must be  
Our Western Point, which take with brevetie:  
God is our North, and Christ our Morning Sun;  
Holiness our South▪ at West our day is done.  
As Moses counselled Israel, so do I,  
First▪ learn to live, and yet prepare to die.  
That faithful servant of the Lord, whose breath  
Propounds to Israel both life and death.  
I have, saith Moses, set before your eyes  
This day, both life and death, may I advise  
Or give you council how to make your choice  
Can I persuade you to obey my voice,  
You should not die, saith he, for I would giv●  
You counsel to obey God's Word and live.   

●th life is but a momentary space  
●f times most fwift, yet most uncertain race!  
●nd that as certain as you draw your breath  
●th open air, so certain is your death.  
●nd yet your death, no other but a sleep,  
●our Grave no other than a place to keep  
●he broken pieces of your brittle clay,  
●hich are reserved till the judgement day:  
●hen your dead corpse shall live again, and never  
●hall be dissolved, but remain for ever:  
●hen do the thing, saith Moses, that may be  
●f soul concernment to eternity.  
Death is our Western Point, by death we pass  
●ut of this world; return to what we was,  
●o dust again: Sentence of death was given,  
●hen men transgressed the sacred will of Heaven.  
The certain wages disobedience brings,  
●● death our night of silence, whence four things  
●● to be noted, needful to be known,  
●y spiritual Seamen, which I thus lay down:  
First Death is certain, every soul must taste  
●f death, or else be changed first or last.  
●he stroke of death can never be avoided,  
however some may vainly be persuaded.  
●ur lives, our days, our Sun's resplendent light,  
●ill set in death, will terminate in night.  
●herefore in vain, some foolishly assay,  
●o flatter death and send it far away:  
●rom youth to manhood, and from thence to age,  
●or death must act its part upon this Stage.  
Though man would flatter death, it never stays  
Death strikes the child, the aged man; betrays  
The hopeful young man, even in his prime,  
And gives him not sometimes, a minute's time,  
Uncertain when, but certain death will strike  
Respecting Kings and Beggars all alike.   

But in the sccond place, it is as plain,  
Our Sun that sets i'th' West will rise again.  
From God we pass to Christ, and Christ doth bless  
That serious soul, brings it to holiness.  
Which fits man for his Western Point, from whence  
By death he's brought to God, his N. from thence  
He's brought unto his Eastern Point again,  
He's raised by God, through Christ, and doth remain  
Now in a state of perfect holiness,  
Which he shall then eternally possess.   

His Southern Sun is always now at height,  
'Tis always noon and never will be night.  
No Clouds shall now his perfect glory slain,  
His day is perfect and shall so remain.  
No Western Point, no dying any more,  
No setting of our Sun, as heretofore;  
No shadows nor eclipses shall obscure  
This glorious day, it always shall endure.  
Sin and temptations, which now interpose,  
Between the glorious Face of God, and those  
Which from some present glimpses of his Grace▪  
Like Moses longs to see his glorious Face;  
Shall now like Clouds disperse and fly away,  
By reason of the glory of the day.  
Those sighs, sorrows, and those clouds of fears,  
Which sin now raises, those soul-melting tears,  
Which sin now causes, for which Saints complain,  
They shall be all dispered and none remain  
No Satan then the tempter, now remains,  
●n darkness and in everlasting chains:  
O happy he, thrice happy he, I say,  
That doth arrive at this so glorious day.  
He now is freed from sorrow and distress▪  
From thirst and hunger, cold and nakedness:  
From all his persecutors he's set free,  
He's with the Lord, and evermore shall be:  
The glory that his eyes shall then behold,  
One thousand part thereof cannot be told.  
'Tis not in man that lives upon the earth,  
To find out words to set his glory forth.  
But that some glimpses Christians may behold,  
Scriptures compares it with refined gold:  
To precious Pearls, whose excellence and worth,  
Exceeds all other treasures in the earth.  
When John that Evangelical Divine,  
By Heaven's high appointment did design,  
To leave the Saints a copy of their joy,  
The Lord presents it to his Servants eye,  
Who in a Vision did behold such glory,  
That faith must help a man to read the story:  
The glory of this vision was so great,  
As that the highest pitch of man's conceit,  
Can hardly reach: the strength of man's desire,  
Can scarcely reach so high, but never higher.  
He sees a City that to ' th' Saints is given,  
Made by the wisdom of the God of Heaven.  
Nay furthermore, our Author adds beside,  
The City was adorned and beautified;  
Like to a Bride in splendent rich array,  
Decked for her Husband on her wedding day  
Strong is that place, glorious that habitation,  
Where God Almighty lays the first foundation  
Great must the splendour of that glory be,  
Where Gods most sovereign blessed Majesty  
Improves his sacred wisdom in adorning;  
Bright is that day that hath so clear a morning▪  
Blessed is he that feels this warm reflection,  
In the clear morning of his resurrection.   

Eye hath not seen, nor can man's heart conceive●  
This sacred glory, yet we may receive  
Some glimpses of this glory, if with care  
Spiritual with temporal things we do compare   

Suppose that all the world's united power,  
Should as one man attempt to build a Tower,  
Whose Heaven aspiring top should reach so high,  
As men might make their dwelling in the Sky.  
Should all the wisdom that the Lord hath given  
To all the world, residing under Heaven,  
Be now improved with united power,  
To beautify as well as build this Tower;  
With sparkling Diamonds and burnished Gold,  
Rich for their value, glorious to behold:  
With precious Jewels beautified all over,  
While pure Gold the Streets thereof did cover.  
How fair and beautiful with splendour clear,  
Would such a glorious place as this appear.  
That famous Temple Herod once erected  
● fair Jerusalem, how it affected  
Titus the Roman, when he did behold  
The Sanctum Sanctorum beautified with Gold:  
●e stood amazed, lifts up his hands to Heaven,  
Desires of the Lord to be forgiven  
His great offence; to God protesting still,  
That glorious Temple fell against his will:  
Wherefore he cries aloud, calls out amain,  
●o spare that Holy Temple cries again;  
● spare, saith he, that glorious place, 'tis pity  
● should be ruined with this wicked City.  
●et was this Temples glory not so great,  
●o answer to the height of man's conceit:  
●or may the height of man's conceit compare,  
●ith what this Vision did to John declare:  
●welve thousand furlongs was its measured height,  
●he glory of the Lamb did give it light.  
●he Suns resplendent rays, when shining clear,  
●ould give no light, it had no lustre there.  
●o night was there, no cloud nor sables shade,  
●his is the glorious day the Lord hath made.  
●hat tongue or pen can give a true relation  
●f new Jerusalem, the habitation  
●f glorified Saints; whose full perfection  
●all be completed at the resurrection.  
But last to the West, ●●ve this to say,  
●ere is eternal night as well as day.  
Thugh God in Christ, do bless the Sts. with light,  
God out of Christ prepares perpetual night,  
For wicked men and Devils no exemption:  
In life there is, in death there's no redemption,  
All men must die, we know it to be true,  
Daily experience doth this matter show.  
There's none exempt from death, the very best,  
Choicest of Christians, pass from South to West.  
The good man dies, the wicked dies also;  
Both good and bad from West to North must go.  
The good man shall be raised,▪ so will the evil,  
The Angel must be judged, so will the Devil.  
The difference lies here, the Saints perfection  
Is at the highest after resurrection.  
'Tis then their everlasting day gins,  
'Tis then they turn their backs of all their sins.  
But with the wicked it is nothing so,  
From their North Point to West again they go:  
Depart they must from God's eternal light,  
With go you cursed to perpetual night:  
But Oh! what heart can think, or tongue express  
Their endless woe, their grief remediless.  
Consider Christians joy, you need not borrow  
A better Pencil to paint forth their sorrow:  
Consider but the comfort of the light,  
From thence behold the terror of the night.  
If naught but darkness should their souls oppress,  
It would be sorrowful and comfortless:  
'Tis utter darkness, not the smallest beam  
Of light, which makes their sorrows so extreme.  
Those very eyes, while on the earth was blest  
With natural light, shall now be dispossessed  
Of all the incomfort; what they undergo,  
Being in darkness, aggravates their woe:  
The lustful eyes which in the earth delighted,  
In naught but filthiness; is now be nighted;  
Shall never see a pleasant object more,  
But weep and wail, and never shall give o'er.  
Be warned you swearers for these tongues of yours  
That in blaspheming spends your precious hour●:  
Uncessently shall then blaspheme God's name,  
For very anguish, in tormenting flame:  
And yet in darkness, you that can hear God cry  
Repent you sinners, wherefore will you die?  
That scorns his bounty, and refuse his grace,  
While God with patience waiting, gives you space.  
You that can hear the God of Heaven complain  
At your destruction, yet rebel again:  
You that have griev●d the Lord, you now must bear  
Your endless grief, your cries he will not hear.  
Your ears, which while on earth, could give consent,  
To hear God's name blasphemed and be content;  
Shall now hear sighs and lamentable cries,  
While you are sharers in these miseries:  
Your hearts, with which you hated every word  
Spoke to you by the Servants of the Lord;  
With horror and amazement shall be smitten,  
While all your former wickedness ●s written  
●n your tormented conscience, which will smite you,  
●nd with its aggravation shall affright you▪  
And in a dreadful manner shall present  
Before your face that hellish regiment  
Of all your former sins you have committed,  
From which you might have been acquitted.  
You than have time too much to see your folly,  
But none at all to labour to be holy.  
Your day is past, your dreadful night is come,  
Your Sun is set, and darkness is your doom.  
This is the last considerable thing,  
Relating to the West that I shall bring.  
But yet before we pass to th' Second part  
Of this soulsaving Navigable Art:  
These four things that we have lastly read,  
Shall once again before your eyes be spread;  
But very brief, and for no other end,  
But that I may more seriously commend  
Them to your thoughts; as highly your concern,  
Rightly to weigh, to understand and learn.   

North stands for God, and that you first must know  
From God to Christ your Eastern Star you go,  
God out of Christ is clothed all in ire,  
Behold God so, he's a consuming fire.  
To God by Christ, your souls must have access,  
And Christ conducts thee unto holiness  
Thy Southern Point; from whence cast but thine eye  
Unto thy Western Point, and learn to die.  
Four things is in thy Western Point laid down,  
All very necessary to be known.  
First thou must die, thy rising sun must set,  
I'th' West, 'tis certain, do not that forget.  
From West to North, from death to God you go,  
By God through Christ, thou'rt raised again also:  
After which time, thy sun will set no more,  
Nor yet decline, as it has done before:  
But if thou dost not die a holy man,  
Thou wilt be far more miserable than  
Thou wast before; thou must go back again,  
From North to West, for ever to remain  
In that black night, which never sees a morrow,  
Where thou wilt find no period of thy sorrow.   

One word of use and then I shall have done,  
Walk not in darkness while you have the Sun  
To be your guide. He that walks in light,  
May see to take and choose his steps aright;  
But he that walks in paths of darkness, neither  
Knows how to guide his steps aright, nor whether  
He is a going. God hath provided well,  
Why should your precious souls go down to hell.  
What pity 'tis, that man that noble creature,  
Whose well composed form and comely feature  
The Son of God did not disdain, I say,  
What pity 'tis he should be cast away.  
And that you may not want a full direction,  
To bring you unto Heaven, Saint's perfection;  
The next unto this Art of Speculation,  
Must be the practic of Souls Navigation:  
In which discourse I shall myself confine,  
To th' Seaman's Compass, only more divine;  
And shall accordingly present to view  
Our Practic Points, in number thirty two.   

Thus having given you a full relation  
Of the First Part of Sacred Navigation,  
Which is speculation; I now proceed  
Unto the Second Part, which is indeed  
The Practice of a Christian, after he  
Hath been instructed to a good degree  
In the true Knowledge of the Deity;  
One God in Essence, three in Divinity.  
Distinguished thus, the Father and the Son,  
And Holy Ghost, three yet entirely one.  
Having his understanding lightened.  
●o know therefore the Son of God must shed  
●is precious blood, be made a Sacrifice,  
And that it is the Spirit that sanctifies  
And fits the soul for Death. I say again,  
After a soul this knowledge doth obtain,  
He's fit for notion; these things being known,  
Which must be first, yet must not be alone.  
These be the Four Chief Points, we must divide  
Each Quarter into Seven Points besides.   

North.  
Your First Point being North, you must endeavour  
By Light from God to steer your Course, if ever  
You do intent to steer your course for heaven!  
Steer by this sacred light which God hath given  
The Holy Scripture; let them be thy guide,  
For want of which many hath turned aside.  
Make God's Commandments thy Compass and  
Thy light to steer to fair Emanuel's Land.  
We need not wonder why some do miscarry,  
Who lays aside their Compass. and contrary  
Unto the sacred Rule God's Word lays down,  
Doth steer their Course by fancies of their own.  
Good David steered by this, thy Word, saith he,  
Is both a Light and Lantern unto me.  
The Prophet Esay, speaking in the name  
Of great Jehovah, doth command the same,  
That from God's Law they should not turn aside,  
But make his Testimonies all their guide.  
Unto this sacred truth Paul testifies,  
Who saith the Scripture makes men wise  
Unto Salvation; and to this agree  
The say of our Lord: O search, saith he,  
The holy Scriptures, there thou'lt be directed;  
No safety where this Compass is neglected.  
It is the mischief of our present day,  
And the true Cause why many's cast away,  
Satan that roaring Lion goes about,  
To shipwreck souls his work it is no doubt;  
To make men question and at last deny  
The Holy Scriptures just Authority.  
The Holy Scripture is more useful far  
Unto a Christian, than the Northern Star  
Is to a Seaman; who sometimes can steer  
Some Leagues, although his Compass be not there  
But Christians cannot steer one course aright,  
If not directed by this Sacred Light  
Which doth proceed from God the mighty Lord  
And shineth forth from his most Holy Word.  
He that doth throw the Holy Scriptures by,  
Under pretence to steer more certainly  
By Nature's various and uncertain light,  
Instead of steering of his Course aright,  
Is like the man who throws his Compass by,  
That he may steer by the uncertain tide  
Of his conjectures, and when all is done,  
He doth but light a Candle to the Sun.  
The Scripture is that Light, whose glorious rays  
Proceed from God, by them direct thy ways.   

North by East.  
North by East the second Point must be,  
Learn this Point well, and thou shalt clearly see  
From that bright beam that from God's Word doth shine,  
Whose ever-blessed Authority's divine.  
When man by breaking Gods Command became  
The Author of his own rebuke and shame,  
Justly provoking God, who gave him breath,  
To lay on him the punishment of Death.  
Man though unworthy, so much favour found  
From God Almighty, that he did propound  
A way to save him, who had thus undone  
Himself by sinning: God propounds his Son  
To free poor man from Death's eternal stroke,  
And take from off his neck that heavy yoke;  
And to restore lost man to life again,  
That he for ever living might remain.  
In steering to this point it doth behoove  
Thee to remember Gods most precious love  
In all soul matters now direct thine eye,  
To Gods free promise and on that rely.  
The Sun whose glorious presence fills the earth  
With its desired light, moves from the North;  
So Christ our Rising Sun, whose glorious face  
Makes glad the earth, proceeds from Gods freed grace,  
The Sun's first differenced motion and the least,  
From his full Northern point is by the East.  
The first appearance of God's love to man  
Was in the promised seed; there first began  
God's love to show itself: this promised seed  
●s Christ, the Son of God, who is indeed  
Our Rising Sun; to him direct thine eye,  
To him do all the Prophets testify.  
Take Counsel of God's Word, let it advise,  
God's Word will teach thee to be truly wise.  
When worldly men, to get themselves possessed  
Of earthly treasures, run from East to West,  
●rom youth to age, until grim Death betrays  
Them to their graves; they pass away their days.  
To search the Holy Scripture let thy mind  
Launch forth into these deeps, and thou shalt find  
●uch treasures as on earth thou canst not have,  
●hough earth set open to thee her golden cave:  
Treasures that will endure after death,  
That will not leave thee when thou leav'st thy breath▪  
That man which labours for Earth's empty pleasure,  
While he neglects the seeking of that treasure,  
Is like a Merchant that to th' Indies trades  
Only for pebbles, while other Merchant's lads  
With Golden Ore; like him that trades for sand,  
While others with rich treasures fills the land.  
When thou hast learned this point, thou mayst proceed●  
And learn the third point with like care and heed▪  
Mind this third point as highly thy concern.   

North North East.  
'Tis North North East that thou art next to learn▪  
This point is just i'th' middle, placed between  
The North and North East point, as may be seen  
I'th' Seaman's Compass; it is five points at lest  
Nearer the Northern point than 'tis the East.  
God in propounding Christ for man's salvation,  
That Act of Grace sprang from his mere Compassion●  
Unto his Creature Man; that God I say  
In making Christ, that promised seed, the way  
Whereby poor man may be restored again  
To life eternal, ever to remain.  
He's the Chief Author of man's happiness,  
And Christ the way by which we have access  
Unto that glory: Do not envy then  
At the prosperity of wicked men;  
All their joy continues but a day,  
●Tis but a moment, and they must away;  
While vainly they imagine all is well,  
They leave their pleasures and go down to hell.   

North East by North.  
North East by N. this point is one point nigher  
Our Eastern Point, and therefore doth require  
That care and diligence be daily shown  
To learn this Point as Scripture lays it down.  
That God's the Author of our further joy,  
●n saving him who did himself destroy,  
He did not only thus propound his Son  
To be man's Saviour, but when that was done,  
That man the better might believe the same,  
●nd be supported while the promise came;  
That this his promise might be kept alive,  
●n every Age he did the same revive.  
●els Noah from whence the promised seed should spring,  
That unto man should this salvation bring.  
Confirmed the same to Abraham again,  
●n terms more full he did himself explain;  
That all the earth should of his love partake,  
●nd be redeemed for his mercy's sake.  
●ut yet more fully unto Israel,  
●ho did in Egypt under Pharaoh dwell:  
When by his powerful and mighty hand,  
He'd brought them forth from the Egyptian lan●  
He did present their Saviour to their Eye,  
In Types and Figures, that they might thereby  
Have real ground to exercise their faith,  
That all the world, as holy Scripture saith,  
Might look up unto him, and saved be  
By faith in Christ, whose blood was shed for the  
If thou be careless here and dost not learn  
To know this Point, thou hardly wilt discern  
The pleasant Banks of blessed Canaan's shore,  
Which if thou miss, thou'rt lost for ever more.   

North East.  
Now learn thy fourth Point 'twixt N. and Ea●  
For in thy Compass so thou'lt find them placed  
Man's saved by the Word of God indeed,  
Which Word of God is that same promised se●  
In God's appointed time this Word became  
Flesh in our form, St. John affirms the same  
He took not on him Blessed Angels nature,  
But Abraham's seed, the shape of humane Creature  
A sinless man into the world did come,  
Not by the will of man, but from the Womb  
Of a chaste Virgin, came he to fulfil,  
What was decreed in the Father's will;  
That he might purchase man's eternal good  
By no less price than his most precious blood.  
This is that Lamb of God to whom is given,  
All sovereign power both in earth and heaven  
●gels in heaven are at his Command,  
●d earthly Potentates shall not withstand  
●s mighty power; to him all knees shall bow,  
●gels above, and Mortals here below.  
●om this Point therefore thou may'st understand  
●at God the Father doth by Christ command  
●ee to submit unto his easy yoke,  
● else thou must submit unto the stroke  
● Gods offended Justice; which be sure  
●hether thou wilt or no, thou must endure.  
●ey Christ as thy Leader, O neglect  
●ot this Command, if e'er thou dost expect  
●at heavenly consolation from above.  
●t Christ, and not thy Lust, command thy love.  
erve not thy lusts, which leaves thee at thy grave;  
●t serve the Lord thy Saviour, that can save  
●y precious soul; and if thou dost rebel,  
●n cast both soul and body into Hell.  
stretch not forth thy hand, be not so bold  
● take a Comfort, touch not, take not hold  
●on a Gospel Promise in no case,  
still a Gospel Precept thou embrace.  
observe the word that holy David spoke,  
●e'll not adventure, nor presume to take  
●ld of a Promise, till he stretch his hand  
●rth to take up a Precept and Command.  
●y hand, saith David, while his heart consents,  
●e lifted up to thy Commandments.  
vain men cry for mercy, and expect  
●r help in storms, that do in calms neglect  
To yield obedience to that Sacred Word  
Of him whom God hath made our Sovereign Lor●  
God by his holy Prophets spoke his mind  
Once to the Fathers, but hath now confined  
The world to hear his Son; no other voice  
Is man to make the object of his choice.  
Therefore observe this Fourth Point with hee●  
And to the Fifth Point we will next proceed.   

North East and by East.  
North East and by East, this doth next ensue,  
All you that sail for Heaven take a view  
Of God and Christ, see how they both agree  
In ones eye how unanimous they be.  
In seeking after man's eternal good,  
God freely sends his Son, that by his blood  
Poor man might be redeemed from Death: likewise  
Christ freely did become a Sacrifice.  
How wilingly did Christ lay down his life,  
That he might put a period to the strife  
That sin had made 'twixt God and his Creation  
That freely brought about poor man's Salvation  
If God and Christ with such a joint consent  
Sought thus to free man from the punishment  
Of Death eternal, and that man might live,  
For ever happy, Christ did freely give  
His Life a ransom; was't the Father's pleasure  
At such a rate to purchase endless treasure  
For mortal man? Then suffer not thy lust  
To hanker after Egypt's Golden dust,  
●ich flies away like chaff before the wind,  
●hose place in seeking for thou canst not find.  
〈◊〉 longest date is but a mortal day,  
●st Threescore years and ten it will not stay.  
●d often times it threatens to bereave thee  
● heavenly treasure and at last doth leave thee,  
●member Moses, that holy man, how he  
●spised Egypt's wealth, thought the degree  
● Son in Phraohs Court was much below  
●e meanest servant in God's house; to know  
Crucified Christ's a glorious thing,  
impaired with any earthly crowned King.  
●ath puts an end to Kings and kingly glory,  
'cause their honours is but transitory.  
● longer King the body being dead,  
●ath sets the Crown upon the Christians head.  
Death a Christians Crown gins its date,  
●ich once begun will never terminate.  
●is Life is short, uncertain, and impure,  
● at Life is certain. holy, doth endure.  
●ell let not this Fifth Point neglected be,  
● not forget that God and Christ agree  
● bringing Man unto this life again,  
●o had himself by his trangression slain.  
●ristians that sail for heaven, do not fear  
●e raging Seas, for Christ your Pilot's there.  
● not afraid because thy Vessel's poor,  
●ou'rt safer there than if thou were't on shore  
● stately Palaces with sumptuous Feasts,  
longest thy sins, those soul devouring beasts.  
'Tis better go to heaven in foul weather,  
Through many dangers, if thou gettest but thither  
Than in a pleasant gale to swim to hell,  
Where gentle winds do make th' canvas swell.   

East North East.  
The next Point East North East learn carfully  
This Seventh Point doth bring thee very nigh  
To Christ thy East, mark what his servant saith  
Err not, be not mistaken in thy faith.  
Concerning Christ, that soul that here mistakes,  
Doth run himself upon a rock, and makes  
The worst of Shipwrecks; like to Alexander  
Who erring from the Christian faith, did wander  
In paths of Darkness: let Philotas be  
A mark of information unto thee.  
That by this Sea-mark thou mayst understand  
How nigh thou art the rocks, and scape the sand  
Remember well the greatness of God's grace:  
Do not forget his love in any case.  
Not to some few, but all without exemption▪  
God did propound his Son formans redemption  
No man shall die because God did not give,  
His Son to suffer Death that he might live.  
But for this cause God would have cleansed man's spot▪  
In Christ's dear blood but man believed it not  
'Tis unbelief that causes man to die,  
That, Christ himself doth plainly testify.  
God loves the World but all will not believe it,  
Christ died for all, but some will not receive it.  
This truth shines clearly, but some will refuse  
To walk therein and many rather choose  
To walk in Darkness: this is condemnation,  
Saith Christ our Lord, that purchased man's Salvation.  
That God is real in what he doth say,  
Shines like the Sun it is as clear as day.  
But that the Lord with words makes men believe  
Christ is there Saviour only to deceive  
Their understandings. Oh that men would see  
How dreadful dark such apprehensions be.  
He errs in faith that thus forsakes the light;  
He needs must fall that wanders in the night.   

But Secondly a man may err in faith.  
That make what men, not what the Scripture saith,  
Their rule to worship by, though God commend  
The Holy Scripture to us, to the end  
That man might search them and in searching find  
What's there revealed of the father's mind.  
And do the same, that so they may obtain,  
Eternal peace when they shall rise again.  
● err not here in faith, and that thou may  
Escape Shipwreck here, observe what I say.  
Search but the word of God, and thou wilt find  
The Apostles did foresee vain man inclined  
●o much to Atheism, there would arise  
●ain men that would Gods sacred Word despise▪  
●aving of Scripture man might live without them:  
●ea venture to deny the Lord that bought them.  
Which mock at Heaven, and without regard  
Of God or Christ, do scoff at Saints reward:  
Who of the Resurrection say, in vain  
Do men that die hope to rise again:  
These be the men of which th' Apostle saith  
theyare turned aside, and as concerning Faith,  
Have erred; here let thy Faith be sound,  
For want of care here thou mayst run aground  
And split thy Ship, and sink into that Lake  
Of everlasting Fire, and partake  
With damned Spirits in eternal woe,  
Where fearful and where unbelievers go.   

Thirdly, remember this a●d understand,  
That thou art to obey to christs command;  
It is not Moses nor Elias neither,  
Nor Holy Angels take them altogether;  
That God hath made thy Leader, to be brief  
Christ is thy Leader and Commander in chief:  
If I or Angels saith St. Paul do bring  
Another Gospel, teach another thing;  
Believe it not, whatever men shall say,  
See how't agrees with Christ ere you obey:  
Inquire if Christ command it first of all,  
In Person, or by Apostolical  
Decree; If neither of them do command,  
God never will require it at thy hand.  
Wherefore be sound in Faith, in all these three  
Forenamed particulars, as thou shall be  
Directed by God's Word, to which I'll leave thee  
As to a guide that never will deceive thee;  
And this be sure, if thou dost not steer  
Drectly on this Point, burr errest here,  
In matters of thy faith thou makes a poor  
And slender Voyage though thou comes safe to shore.   

But that I may these errors yet explain,  
In this short breviate read them once again.  
A man may err in faith in three respects,  
All which produce most dangerous effects.   

In not believing universal love,  
It is a dangerous error, and may prove  
The ruin of thy soul, but secondly   

He errs in faith, that doth presumptuously  
Deny the use of holy Scripture, and  
Presumes to say that men may understand  
God's mind without them, from a light within;  
This is an error and a dangerous sin;  
Denying use of Scripture is the ground  
Of all the erors that do now abound.   

Men err in Faith, that do not understand  
That they are wholly under Christ's command.  
But run to Moses Law to be directed  
In God's true worship, as if Christ neglected  
To leave his Gospel Churches a supply  
Of Laws to rule, and Rules to worship by.   

East by North.  
The next Point unto this thou art to learn,  
Is North by East, a Point of high concern.  
As Christ for man, by God's degree was slain,  
So Christ by God, is raised to life again.  
And as Chest by his Death did reconcile,  
Man who by sinning, did himself defile.  
Unto his maker, and hath now appeased,  
God's wrath, who justly might have been displeased  
With man for ever, but now reconciled,  
He doth in Christ adopt man as his Child,  
And make him heir with Christ in that possession,  
Whose endless glory is without expression.  
So Christ doth by his glorious Resurrection  
Raise man from death to life; his imperfection  
Is Changed into a pure perfect state,  
Which once begun, will never terminate▪  
Mortal shall put on immortality,  
And man thus raised to life shall never die.  
Christ by the Word of God he overcame  
Satan that was the cause of sin and shame.  
And that a Saint may do't God doth afford  
Every Child of his the self same sword.  
He that thus Conquered Satan by his breath,  
Hath by his Resurrection conquered Death,  
Man's fatal enemy that first anoy'd  
The Sons of Adam, is at last destroyed.  
The Son of God is Captain, King, and Head,  
And is the first that riseth from the dead.  
Whence we a certain testimony have,  
That we should be redeemed from the grave.  
The grave yields up her dead so must the deep,  
The Trump must sound and all must wake from sleep;  
Some unto dismal Darkness woe and sorrow,  
Some to eternal light and joyful mo●●ow.  
Sin causes Death, both temporal and eternal,  
Then fly from sin, as from a foe infernal.  
The Second Death, is a perpetual dying,  
Attended with Sorrow and continual Crying,  
Whoever then would wisely undertake  
A prosperous Voyage for his soul to make,  
And scape the second Death sin doth procure,  
And all the sorrows sinners shall endure,  
And would arrive at heaven: fear no weather,  
Storms is no hindrance in your Voyage thither.  
Fear naught but sin, there's nothing else can harm,  
You may get good advantage by a Storm:  
Eschew but sin, and storms will drive you faster  
To your desired Port; there's no disaster  
That thou canst meet with in this restless ocean:  
Fly but from sin, resist it in its motion,  
And do not fear, for thou art safe enough;  
Thou'lt find thy crazy Vessel weather proof.  
'Tis neither whistling Mast nor rattling Pum,  
The noise of storms or tempests that may come;  
▪ 'tis neither leaking Vessel or Lee shore,  
Nor sinking Ship, all these and many more,  
Like seeming dangers, that will lose thy prize;  
Or hurt or hazard thy souls merchandise.  
There's nought but sin I say that can deceive us,  
Of our souls traffic sin will quite bereave us.  
He that doth fear and fly from sin shall never  
Perish in sinking, no nor sink for ever.  
Although his body sink, his precious store,  
His soul I mean, shall surely come to shore.  
Then fly from sin as from a Serpent, lest  
Sin sink thy soul; which brings us to the East:  
To Christ I mean, whose precious blood was spilt  
To save thy soul and free thee from the guilt  
Of all thy sins, if thou wilt but obey  
His precious voice now while it is too day.   

East.  
Next is our Eastern point, that equal space  
▪ Twixt North and South; establish thy heart with grace  
Grace is the only ballast thou canst have,  
It is by grace that God will sinners save;  
Not of ourselves: so saith his servant Paul.  
Christ is the gift of God given for all.  
Establish thy heart with grace, & not with notion,  
Which fills the head and not the heart with motion.  
'Tis neither gifts nor high expressions can  
Upon right grounds establish any man.  
Grace is that ballast makes thy Ship go steady,  
But high aspiring notions makes men heady.  
How many floating and unwary Souls,  
Wanting this ballast, is tossed about and rolls.  
Now here, now there, no place of rest they find;  
Are tossed and turned about with every wind.  
And almost overset with every wave,  
And can no solid satisfaction have.  
Sometimes their curious fancies casts an eye  
Into God's Secret Counsel, thinks to spy  
Themselves enrolled there, without respect  
Unto the terms on which God doth elect.  
Not once remembering that the Lord doth choose  
The Godly for himself, and doth refuse  
Ungodly men: presumes they are elected,  
And therefore saved, while others are rejected  
By a divine unchangeable decree;  
And therefore must not, cannot saved be.  
Here eye all passages▪ and you shall find  
Where airy notions do possess the mind,  
Instead of Grace a Tempest doth begin  
Quickly to rise, the flesh doth lust to sin,  
While conscience tells the flesh it cannot be:  
Allow me this, saith flesh, it pleaseth me.  
Not so, ●aith conscience, thou wilt be defiled.  
O no, saith flesh, I'm an elected Child▪  
Can sin, can any thing that is in me,  
Dissolve, make void, or alter God's Decree?  
No no, saith flesh, my name is writ in heaven,  
My sins and weakness is all forgiven.  
In this confused hurry is the mind,  
That's filled with notions, tossed with the wind  
Of vain conceits. He sins at such a rate  
Till he concludes himself a Reprobate.  
And now he sinks, and in a dreadful case  
Despairs; but had this heart been filled with grace  
Instead of these his airy notions, he  
Had been from stroms and winds and tempests free  
Where grace doth fill the heart, it thus gins  
With every sinner, O forsake your sins  
And there is mercy; but grace tells him plain  
That being cleared he must not sin again.  
For sins against thy will, Christ entercedes,  
And at the throne of grace for mercy pleads.  
Be thou but faithful, do thou but act thy part,  
In hating sin, hate it with all thy heart,  
And God is gracious; if thou do persever,  
God freely will accept of thy endeavour.  
Faithful endeavours, though they be but poor,  
God will accept in Christ, who keeps the score.  
If thou presume to sin, thy former debt  
Shall on thy score the second time be set.  
Here doth the Riches of God's Grace appear,  
In setting Saints and sinners free from fear.  
Sinners that leave their sins, are not rejected,  
Such as presume to sin, are not elected.  
The Grace of God, that hath appeared to all,  
To Saints and sinners both, doth daily call  
First unto sinners, that they would repent,  
And then to Saints, that they be innocent,  
And persevere in holiness; and then  
In being holy they'll be happy men.  
O be established here, as't doth behoove thee.  
And neither wind nor weather will remove thee.   

East and by South.  
East and by South is next, and thus gins,  
Thou being taught before to leave thy sins  
By true repentance and by heart contrition,  
Christ now requires of thee heart submission  
To all his holy Ordinances, and  
To every Gospel Precept and Command.  
But first of all thou must believe that he  
Is very Christ that shed his blood for thee.  
Believe that God in Christ is reconciled,  
And freely doth accept thee as his Child.  
And willingly he sendeth none to hell,  
But wilful sinners, such as do rebel.  
Give up thy name to Christ, that thou may be  
One of that Noble sacred family,  
Come laden with thy sins and throw them down  
And Christ will give thee rest, he'll not disown  
The true repentance of a heart that's broken:  
Believe and be baptised, it is token  
That Christ hath washed thee and hath clear remitted  
Thy former sins and now thou stands aquitted.  
And by this means thou'lt be insinuated.  
Into the Church of Christ, and stand related  
To him as one of his; he will behold  
Thee now as one belonging to the Fold.  
He is thy Shepherd, and thou art his Sheep,  
thou'rt under his protection, he will keep  
Thy soul from danger, if thy heart be stayed  
And established with Grace, the Lord hath said  
Such shall be kept in perfect peace indeed,  
Whose minds are stayed on him Now let's proceed  
Unto our next Point East South East, let's see  
What is required next to Baptism.   

East South East.  
Sinner thou art conducted now by grace  
Into Christ's Church, that thou may keep thy place  
And be preserv●d unto the Judgement day.  
Observe therefore what the Lord did say  
To his Disciples, while he did remain  
Upon the earth; tells them he'll come again,  
But until then, saith he, I recommend  
You to the Comforter which I will send.  
The Holy Ghost in all things shall instruct you,  
And unto everlasting truth conduct you.  
The Spirit shall to your remembrance bring  
Each sacred truth, and teach you every thing:  
But this remember, Christ doth tell thee plain,  
Which way thou mayst the Comforter obtain.  
The way which Christ prescribed is fervent prayer,  
With faith unfeigned, these such companions are  
They will not miss, but will obtain the prize  
For which they seek; for God will not despise  
The earnest suit of humble contrite ones,  
Whose prayers are ushered in with sighs and groans,  
Prayer is I say Gods own appointed way,  
By which our Lord hath promised to convey  
The holy Spirit; ask and it shall be given,  
Saith Christ our Lord: your Father hears in heaven▪  
●f earthly Parents give out of there store,  
Good things unto their Children, how much more  
Will God out of his rich and boundless treasure  
Give those that ask his Spirit such a measure  
As he doth see sufficient to supply?  
The Spirits Office is to sanctify.  
●t's a true earnest that we shall inherit,  
Eternal life. He that enjoys the spirit,  
although the smallest measure, shall possess  
The matchless treasure of true happiness.  
●t fits the soul for future glory, and  
He sails directly to the Holy Land,  
That will observe this Point; and furthermore,  
Such shall discover fair Emanuels' Shore,  
By the white cliffs of holiness that lie  
Along the Coasts; let not thy watchful eye  
Behold another object. Wouldst possess  
The Holy land, mind naught but Holiness.  
While others do a saving Voyage make,  
Thou dost a sacred Voyage undertake.  
●t is affirmed by holy men of old,  
Unholy persons never can behold  
The face of God, but with great discontent,  
With dread, with horror, and astonishment,  
Unholy persons shall be sore affrighted  
With that with which the Saints shall be delighted.  
While Saints sing praises unto God on high,  
Delighting to be hold his Majesty;  
Unholy persons shall both cry and call,  
Unto the Rocks, say to the Mountains fall;  
Yea fall upon us, hid us from the face  
Of him whose counsel we would not embrace;  
Though oft he did entreat: this Lamb of Zion  
Is now become a soul devouring Lyon.  
His presence is a terror, doth affright,  
Oh that we might be hidden from his sight.  
When the Dark cliffs of sin thou dost espy,  
Say to the soul 'tis not the country  
That thou art sailing too; learn this Point well▪  
Dark ways of sin is the true paths of hell.   

South East and by East.  
This is a Point thou also must endeavour  
Rightly to be instructed in, if ever  
Thou dost intent the Port of happiness  
Shall crown thy Voyage with a fair success.  
Then fly from sin, as from a Serpent, and  
Let not thy Lusts bear rule nor have command  
Within thy heart; suffer not sin to sway,  
Take heed thou never dost thy lusts obey.  
Yield not thy members instuments unto  
Unrighteousness, but unto God, and know  
To whom thou givest ear with diligence,  
And dost submit and yield obedience,  
Thou art a servant there; whether it be  
Of sin to Death unto eternity,  
Or of obedience unto righteousness,  
Which with eternal life the Lord will bless,  
If to God's Holy Spirit, thou subject art,  
And suffer it to reign and rule thy heart.  
Thou art a Servant unto Righteousness,  
And God Almighty will in mercy bless  
●hy true endeavours, and thy sins will die,  
And grace will live, so shalt thou mortify  
All thy corruptions, there shall none remain  
●o harm thy soul, much less to rule and reign.  
●et there is one thing I would have thee mind,  
Know that the very best of men will find  
That Satan, that Degraded Seraphin,  
Will use all diligence to tempt to sin.  
●f Christ the Son of God was not exempted,  
●ut by the subtle Serpent must be tempted,  
●hen poor imperfect man may well be sure,  
●hat from his malice he is not secure.  
●ut God Almighty hath prepared a Sword,  
●hich Christ made use of; 'tis God's Holy Word.  
●ith that resist him and he'll fly away.  
●or where God's Word is used he dares not stay.  
●e can but tempt thee, he can do no more,  
●e cannot force thee, God hath shut that door▪  
●ill sin in its conception, let it never  
●ome to the birth; a very small endeavour  
●hen stops sins progress when it first appears,  
●nly t'entice the eyes or reach the ears;  
●re it convey its poison, or impart  
●s secret counsel to thy yielding heart.  
●ake David's Counsel, in my heart, saith he,  
●l hid thy word let this thy practice be,  
●en will thy sword be quickly at command  
●r thy defence. Good Joseph did withstand  
Sins early motion, when it first appears  
With soul-inticing words, t'inchant his ears,  
Fair beauty, that might captivate his eye,  
Good Joseph yields not, but makes this reply,  
How shall I sin, if thus I shall transgress  
Against the Lord, and do this wickedness?  
He nips sin in its bud before it spring,  
Behold sin here a subject, grace a King,  
Triumphant in his heart; but furthermore  
Let me advise thee daily to implore  
The Lord for help, give diligent attention  
To hear God's word, 'twill help thy apprehension  
When rightly 'tis divided, God will bless,  
And thus thou'lt steer thy course to happiness.   

South East.  
You that will traffic for the Holy Land,  
Must learn this Point also to understand,  
It lies directly 'twixt the South and East:  
And of as high concern as all the rest.  
This must be understood, thy righteousness  
Will stand thee in no stead at all, unless  
Christ to the Father do present thee holy,  
Thy best performance will be but folly.  
For he that doth the very best he can,  
Hath cause enough to say, Lord what is man,  
A poor imperfect Creature, whose endeavour,  
Comes short of what's required? Man can nev●  
Be capable the Kingdom to inherit,  
By all that his performances can merit.  
●is Christ whose righteousness must stand instead  
●is he that hath the kingdom purchased.  
●et must thou strive with all thy might & main,  
●nd then this benefit thou shalt obtain:  
●hrist is thy advocate at God's right hand  
●o plead thy Cause in Heaven he doth stand,  
●nd God beholds thee in a Holy dress,  
●nd beautifully clothed in Christ's righteousness;  
●nd neither spot nor wrinkle doth appear,  
●r Christ presents thee as a virgin clear,  
●otless and sinless; but lest thou from hence  
●ould think the good Apostle doth dispense  
●ith sin in Christians at the highest rate.  
because they have in heaven an Advocate.  
●o Answer this objection first of all,  
●e doth prohibit sin in general.  
children, saith he, for unto such I writ,  
●n not with approbation and delight.  
●n not, saith he, or do not let the fact  
●f any sin be properly your act.  
●t if against your will at unawares  
●ou be entangled in Satan's snares,  
●hose watchful eye observes when he may  
●ith best advantage silly souls betray,  
●inding in thee some want of watchfulness,  
●ere taketh advantage, tempts thee to transgress.  
● this despair not; but with heart contrition  
●umble thyself to God; thy heart submission  
●od will accept in Christ, who intercedes  
●nd with the Father for forgiveness pleads.  
Those be the souls Christ presenteth holy,  
Who are afraid to be defiled with folly.   

South East and by South.  
This Point i'th' Christian Compass also thou  
With care and diligence must learn to know,  
The more of Christ thou know'st & dost possess,  
The nearer art thou unto happiness.  
Sailing upon this Point, thou must beware  
And with all diligence thy heart prepare  
For Holiness, for now thou drawest nigh  
Thy Southern Point, the Sun grows very high.  
Esteem nothing for holiness that stands  
Directly opposite to Christ's Commands.  
Let Christ's directions ever be thy guide,  
And from his Precepts do not turn aside.  
Let no vain▪ shows of holiness allure,  
What man counts holy Christ accounts impure  
All Holiness is mere imagination,  
That is not built upon the true foundation.  
When Saul the first of Israel's Kings was sent  
By God to execute due punishment  
Upon the cursed Amalike, his eye  
Must pity none, all are condemned to die.  
Both man and Beast, God's great command was s●  
He must not bate one jot or add thereto.  
But here observe how he did miscarry,  
Pretending holiness he acts contrary  
Unto that dread Command that God did give▪  
He spares King Agag, suffers him to live.   

2. Let Christian boldness strengthen resolution,  
Not to comply, for fear of Persecution,  
With Forms of Holiness, that Men invents,  
Nor fear the Evil of Man's Punishments;  
But patiently endure, for Christ's Sake,  
Your Persecutor's Rage: Heaven will make  
Amends for All. Good Moses had regard  
Unto the Recompense: The Saints Reward  
Was more to him, than Egypt's painted Glory,  
Whose Pleasures fades; whose Joys are transitory.  
The Sorrows of few Years will soon expire;  
But who can dwell with Everlasting Fire:  
●ndure all things, rather than decline  
●he sacred Cause of Christ. The Golden Mine  
●ies deep: He that would find the smallest Measure,  
He must not pass for losing Earthly Treasure.  
The Seaman fears no Storms, shrinks not for Wether,  
●hat trades to th' Indies, if he gets but thither;  
●hough Mast and Yards be broke, and Sales be rend,  
●nd Vessel leaks, he's very well content:  
●he Riches of the Country makes amends;  
●uch less, must Spiritual Seamen, (that intends  
●'arrive with safety, at that happy Shore,  
●hose Treasures far exceeds the Golden Ore,)  
●rink back for fear of persecuting Hands;  
●r to please Man, neglect the Lord's Commands;  
Or mix God's holy ways with Men's inventions,  
To save thy Life, or scape Man's Reprehension.  
If Seaman venture Life for Indian Dust,  
That Thiefs may steal, or may consume with Rust;  
The Spiritual Seaman, then, may well lay down  
Both Life and all things, to obtain a Crown  
That never fades, but will endure forever,  
When Days shall cease to be: Wherefore, endure  
In sailing on this Point of Holiness;  
Upon the Law of Christ, to lay the stress  
Of all your Holiness; on that Foundation,  
Who ever build, shall never miss Salvation.   

South, Southeast.  
This fifteen Point o'th'Christian Compass, here,  
Is South, Southeast; on that, thou'rt now to steer▪  
Christ is thy Eastern-Point; let him Him possess  
Thy Heart, as Author of thy Holiness.  
'Tis not enough, to have Christ in thy Head,  
Brain; Knowledge will not stand in any stead.  
If in thy heart, Christ, as thy King, abide  
To Rule and Reign, thou wilt be sanctified.  
'Tis Christ in thee, the hope of Glory can knocks  
Make thee a holy, and a happy Man:  
Behold! he's at the door! he stands, and  
He calls and waits, till thou unboult these Locks  
That hinders his Admittance. 'Tis thy Part  
To open first; His, to possess thy Heart:  
If in thy heart, he finds Admittance, he  
Will enter in, and will abide with thee:  
He'll sup with thee, O Rich and bounteous Guest,  
That thus invites Himself, and makes the Feast!  
He that so sweet a Guest doth entertain,  
Will find his Interest trebled back again:  
For thou shall sup with him: the King of Kings,  
Will entertain thee, where the Angels sings  
Sweet Hallelujahs, to the God of Heaven▪  
To whom, all Honour, Laud, and Praise be given.  
Make sure of Christ, therefore; use diligence,  
To have by thee in store, good Evidence,  
That thou art Christ's, and he hath firm Possession  
Within thy heart; 'Tis not a bare Profession  
Will witness this; but if thou wilt, insure,  
Know where Christ truly dwells, the Heart's made pure:  
No Love there is to any Sin at all,  
Though in Appearance, it seems very small.  
If Sin, through weakness, such a Soul surprise,  
There's nothing, under Pardon, satisfies.  
He's not contented, till his Peace be made  
With Christ, whom he has grieved: He's now afraid  
Of sinning any more: Every offence  
Produces from him double Diligence.  
In temporal Merchandise, we use to say,  
It is a low and undervaluing way  
Of Trading, to insure: But in this Case,  
It is dishonourable, low, and base,  
Not to insure: They most this Trade advance,  
That is the deepest in Assurance.   

South by East.  
This sixteenth Point, i'th' Christian Compas● here  
Is South by East; when ever thou dost steer  
Upon this Point, thou must with Care endeavour  
To learn this Point i'th' Compass, right. If ever,  
With safety, thou arrive at Happiness,  
As Easts by South, know Christ by Holiness:  
So nearly's Christ to Holiness related,  
That by no means, they can be separated.   

Esteem such Principles, as do profess  
To set up Christ, apart, from Holiness.  
But frothy Notions, vain and fruitless, folly;  
None can Love Christ, that loves not to be Holy  
Holiness is Christ's Essence; Oh! how then  
Can he be served by unholy Men?  
Forms without Power, is but empty things,  
Mere Shadow, that no satisfaction brings,  
Stirs up Contention, and continual Strife:  
'Tis Acts of Piety, that is the Life  
Of all Religion. God charges Israel  
With wickedness; yea, while they did excel  
In all Eternal Forms of Worship, and  
Exact Obedience unto each Command:  
Observing all their Festivals; likewise,  
Observant in their dayly-Sacrifice,  
And in their solemn Meeting: Ne'ertheless,  
The Lord esteems not this for Holiness;  
For all this while, Equity was neglected,  
And with the Widow's Cry, they're not affected.  
The Poor and Needy still they do oppress,  
And are unmindful of the Fatherless;  
The Hungry (also) did refuse to feed;  
Nor clothed the Naked, when they stood in need;  
To Sick, and such as did in Prison lie,  
They showed no Pity in their Misery:  
And while they cry, The Temple of the Lord!  
Their Prayers and Sacrifices are abhorred;  
Their solemn Meetings finds no Acceptation,  
Their holy Incense is Abomination.  
And for this Cause, because they lay the stress,  
Upon these Forms, apart from Holiness;  
Unholy Persons knows not God aright,  
Nor are their Prayers accepted in his sight:  
But Christ, and Holiness, must go together;  
They're inconsistent, one without another:  
Take heed, I say, thou be not one of those  
That vainly think, and foolishly suppose,  
That if for Ordinances they appear,  
Christ of necessity must needs be there;  
Although they be unholy Persons, and  
Do daily in the way of Sinners stand:  
And some there are again, as full of Folly,  
Who vainly do suppose, if they be Holy,  
Christ in his Ordinance may be slighted;  
But know this Point, that Christ is so united  
Unto his own Appointments, that whoever  
Shall undertake Christ and his Laws to sever,  
Shall miss that Port, to which they did intent  
To Sail at first, and lose their wished End.  
Christ's sacred Laws is not within the reach  
Of Nature's Teaching: Christ in his School doth teach  
His own Appointments: Wouldst thou steer aright  
Upon this Point? 'Tis Christ must give thee Light▪   

Half of thy Compass thou hast now passed over▪  
Where Sixteen Points thou fully may discover▪  
To every Point thou hast a brief Direction,  
Until thou comes at South; where Sol's Reflection▪  
Most powerfully doth heat the barren Earth;  
By which it is made fruitful, and brings forth  
Fruit in abundance, to all such as dwell  
Upon the Earth: So, such as do excel  
In Holiness, hath Christ full risen there,  
And in his greatest splendour, shineth clear.  
The Southern-Sun doth cast his fair▪ Aspects  
Upon the North, who back again reflects:  
So God, in Christ, beholds with great Delight,  
The holy Man, as perfect in his sight:  
The holy Man, from this so sweet Reflection,  
Beholds the Face of God with true Affection.  
I have (saith David) set the Lord before  
My Face; I shall behold him ever more,  
As my Salvation, my Redeemer; and  
He is (saith he) always at my Right-hand.  
True Holiness fixes our sight upon  
No other Object, but one God alone.  
The Southern▪ Sun, did never yet send forth  
His pleasant Beams more strongly to the North,  
Than sanctify'd Souls do cast an Eye  
Unto God's Heaven enthroned Majesty:  
The Soul is then exalted in its height,  
When God is kept directly in its sight.   

South by West.  
Two Quarters of our Compass we have passed;  
And to the Third, we are arrived at last:  
This Point we're now upon, is South by West,  
As needful to be known, as all the rest.  
The Sun full South, makes Noon; 'tis then at height:  
But South by West, gives notice, that a Night  
Will quickly follow: The Sun will now decline  
Till't come at West, & then 'twill cease to shine.  
That Death's thy Western Point, do not forget;  
Thy Southern-Sun, 'twill have a time to set:  
There's none that lives, and shall not taste of Death;  
The Holiest of Men, must yield their Breath.  
'Tis the deserved Wages of our Sin;  
It was Transgression, that first brought it in.  
Death comes with such an Universal Stroke;  
The Holiest of Men, must bear its Yoke:  
Abram, that faithful Man, expires and dies;  
And so doth Jacob, and his Sons likewise;  
Moses and Joshua, and good Samuel,  
Elisha, David, all which did excel  
In Holiness; yet Death must act his part;  
Impartially must throw his fatal Dart:  
Pains are the Messengers that Death will send;  
Sickness and Weakness, brings thee to thy End:  
Yet when we look on Death Coelestially,  
In such a case, a Christian cannot die;  
He only sleeps, his Death is but a Night;  
The Trump will wake him in the morning light:  
The holy Fathers, all, are said to sleep;  
Their Graves, as in in a sacred Bed, doth keep  
Their breathless Bodies, which must there remain,  
Till God restore both Breath and Life again:  
Yet, with respect to Man, this is a Death;  
Because all Men surrender up their Breath  
To God, who unto Man (at first) did give  
A comely Form, and Breath to make him live:  
Yet wicked Men oft take away by force,  
That sacred Breath, contrary to the course  
That God appoints. If here you do not mind  
To steer aright, although against the Wind,  
Your weather-beaten Vessels may be driven  
Upon the Rocks, and split; but God hath given  
Such true Directions, that thou needs not fear;  
For Holiness directs thee how to steer  
Upon this dangerous Point, and not miscarry,  
Though Waves be rough, and Winds be quite contrary.   

South, South-West.  
Seventeen Points already is expressed;  
This Eighteen Point draws nigher to the West:  
An useful Point, and needful to be known  
By all that do the Christian Compass own.  
Death is the King of Terrors; doth arrest  
All sorts of Men, spares not the very best:  
●t is not Holiness that will excuse  
When Death sends forth his Summons: Men may use  
Means to prolong their days; but yet they must  
Direct or indirectly, come to Dust:  
Directly all Men taste of Death, we know,  
because the Lord hath said, it shall be so:  
●ut holy Men do often yield their Breath  
●t Tyrant's Pleasures, who conspire their Death.  
Abel a holy Man, and yet must die  
●y Cain's enraged causeless Cruelty.  
wicked Man cannot endure the sight  
●f him that's Just, because he brings to light  
●is wicked Deeds, and secretly reproves  
●hose sinful Lusts his Soul so dearly loves:  
●nd for this cause, did Herod lay his hand  
●pon John Baptist; and at his Command,  
●e holy Prophet must be put to Death,  
●d to the Cruel Tyrant, yields his Breath.  
●r my Names sake (saith Christ) you shall be hated,  
●en of those to whom you stand related:  
As Natural Brethren in the Flesh; or rather,  
As Children dear, unto a tender Father:  
Yet these Relations (being wicked) brings  
Their Children dear, before the Face of King  
And Governors, who with their Rulers, will  
Imprison some, and other some they'll kill:  
Thus did the best of Men, by wicked Force,  
Ere God's appointed time of Nature's Course  
Be fully spent▪— This Point well understood  
You may ride safely on the raging Flood  
Of earthly Troubles; but without Endeavour  
To learn this Point, you may be lost for ever,  
Both Ship and Lading: Holiness will guide y●  
Upon this Point, no danger shall betid you:  
For Holiness prepares the Soul for Death,  
When God directly takes away thy Breath,  
And frees thee from the fear of Death likewise  
Which wicked Men maliciously devise.   

South-West, and by South.  
South-West, and by South: Behold! how t● Point li●  
This Point you must be sure to learn likewise.  
Death is a Terror! it can be no less,  
When 'tis not usher'd-in with Holiness.  
If thou would die in perfect Peace, be sure  
Thou persevere in Holiness: Endure  
Faithful to Death, and thou shalt surely have  
A Crown of Life, on th'other side the Grave:  
But if upon this Point thou stears not right,  
Thy hope't-for Morning will be turned to Night:  
Thou wilt by storm beset, and fiercely driven  
On Rocks & Sands, and never come to Heaven.   

South-West.  
South-West's the 20th Point o'th' Compass, and  
Even between the South and West doth stand:  
●his is an useful Point; and therefore, thou  
Must labour to be skilled therein: And know,  
Tho Death with his impartial Sith cut down  
The best of Men, that ever yet was known;  
Yet to the Saints, Death's but an Agent, sent  
On an Embassage; and to this intent,  
To tell the Saint, That now the Sun grows low,  
And Night draws on; and now 'tis time to go  
To his desired Bed, where he must rest  
From all his Labours. Such a Saint is blest▪  
Who, while he lives, all Filthiness abhorred;  
And when he dies, Death finds him in the Lord.  
Store up therefore, before you go from hence,  
Some solid and well-grounded Evidence,  
That thou art in the Lord; and when you die,  
Then take this Cordial, that thou hast laid by;  
One dram thereof, will stand thee in more stead,  
Than all the World: Then, Blessed are the Dead,  
Will be a sweet and comfortable Sound;  
And make your Joys, though dying, to abound.  
Oh, what a Comfort is it now to die,  
When Souls can (rightly) to themselves apply  
The precious Promises God doth afford  
Within the Volumes of his holy Word;  
Even this Promise that the Lord doth grant  
To Man, as Terms of the New Covenant:  
Their Sins, and their Iniquities, no more  
Shall be remembered, as heretofore.   

In the first Legal Covenant, they were  
Still called to remembrance every Year.  
That Soul that sees himself by Christ remitted,  
And also knows, he freely stands acquitted;  
When others mourn, he can rejoice and sing:  
The worst that Death can do, is but to bring  
●im Tidings, that he's going to lay down  
An Earthly, to enjoy a Heavenly Crown.  
He freely in his arms can Death embrace:  
O happy he, that dies in such a Case!  
The happy Tidings that grim Death doth bring  
To such a one, doth take away the Sting.  
Death only is a Terror unto those,  
That do themselves to Righteousness oppose:  
When such a one doth look Death in the Face,  
O then he cries out for a longer space;  
But all too late: Death will not be denied:  
The Day of Grace is past, thou'st missed thy Tide   

Well, to this Point, I now shall say no more  
But only this; Get Evidence in store,  
That thou art in the Lord; that Death may be  
A Messenger of Joy and Peace to thee.  

South-West, and by West.  
South-West, & by West: this Point must also be  
Well taught; and also, learned by every He  
That Launcheth forth upon each raging Wave,  
●n hope he shall a happy Issue have.  
Oh, let me lodge this Errand in thy Breast!  
Now thou art drawing near unto thy West;  
Know, that as Righteousness will not excuse  
A holy Man from Death: So, they that use  
To spend their Hours in wickedness and strife,  
Shall not thereby prevent another Life:  
For, live they must; Man's Life is purchased  
By Christ's dear Blood, that on the Earth was shed:  
Yea, though their Lives have been so vilely evil,  
That they have striven to exceed the Devil  
●n Wickedness; yet shall not that prevent  
That Life, in order to their Punishment.  
Can Wicked Men, by Sin, prevent that Day,  
How would they sin their very Lives away?  
But that they cannot: For God did create  
Man in a pure, good, and perfect State:  
And God, who of Man's Life was the first Giver,  
Appointed means, that Man might live for ever;  
And gave to him the Tree of Life to eat,  
A sacred Fruit, a Life-preserving Meat.  
Man did procure his Death at second-hand,  
By wilful breaking of the Lords Command;  
But God, not willing to cast Man away,  
Prepared for his Life another Day:  
Christ, by the Name o'th' Woman's Seed, wa● give●  
That Man, who died on Earth, might live in Heaven  
If after this, Man stubbornly Rebel,  
Though Man shall live, yet it shall be in Hell;  
A Place prepared for Satan's Punishment;  
Yet must Rebellious, Disobedient,  
Be sharers with him, live in endless Woe;  
His Life being purchased, it must be so.  
Wherefore, mind this Point well, that so yo● may  
Steering by Compass, rightly find your Way.   

West, South-West.  
Beholding Death, as it at first came in,  
(As the deserved Wages of our sin)  
It hath a dreadful Sting, that none can bear:  
The Approach of Death, doth fill Men's Heart with fea●  
'Tis called, The King of Terrors! well it may!  
And therefore, Man from Death would fly away  
It is the Holy sanctified Man;  
Yea, such a One it is, that only can  
Say unto Death, Where is thy Sting, O Grave?  
Where is that Victory, thou'rt wont to have?  
True Sanctity is such a precious thing,  
Makes Death all Honey, takes away the Sting●  
'Tis not devouring Monsters of the Seas;  
Nor Sword, nor Fire by Land; 'tis none of these  
Nor Hell enraged Cruel tortures, can  
Make Death be stinging to a Holy Man.  
Death only stings with Poison, such as give  
Way to their Lust, and do corruptly live.  
●hat Man that lives and dies in wickedness,  
Death stings his Soul with Horror and Distress.  
●o live in hatred of thy sins is best;  
Which brings us very near unto West.   

West by South.  
And that thou might the better be directed  
●o learn this Point; let nothing be neglected,  
That may inform thee how to steer aright;  
●et Earthly things seem empty in thy sight.  
●'s the vain Pleasures of this World, entices  
●o frown on Virtue, and to smile on Vices.  
'Twas Acan's Golden wedges Beauty did  
●tice him to do that he was forbid:  
● was his Babylonish Garment gay,  
●hat made both Eyes, & Heart, & Hand to stray.  
●et not the World delude thee with its pleasure,  
And thereby rob thee of Eternal Treasure.  
When Men's affections are so strongly placed  
On Earthly things, which is but for a blast;  
●nd Death comes suddenly to call him hence,  
How bitter is it? Man would not dispense  
With Death's sharp Summons; but with might and main,  
strive to make Death call back his stroke again.  
How loath to bid those present things good Night,  
Which are so sweet and pleasant in thy sight?   
Gardens and Orchards, with rich Treasure, an●  
Fair sumptuous Houses joining to the Land.  
When Death the tydeings of departing brings,  
O, saith that Man that loves these present things▪  
Shall I now close mine Eyes, and lose the sight  
Of these Enjoyments wherein I delight,  
And sleep in Dust, until I rise again,  
And know not whether into Joy or Pain?  
O Death, forbear to strike me now, and give  
Me time t' enjoy these Pleasures here, and live.  
Thus bitter's Death to those that are in Love  
With Earthly things, and not with things above▪   

If therefore, on this Point thou wouldst stea● righ●  
Then let thy Heart by Earthly things set light:  
Love not this World, in which thou must no● stay▪  
But love that Treasure, that abides always.  
So wilt thou be, with holy Paul, resolved;  
'Tis better be with Christ, and be dissolved,  
Than live on Earth, where Sorrows never cease▪  
So shalt thou go unto thy Grave with Peace.   

West.  
Three Quarters of our Christian Compass passed▪  
It now remains, that we unfold the Last:  
We are passed the North, the East, the South; an● no●  
We're come to West; our Sun grows very low.  
The Evening of our pleasant Day is come;  
Our Sun is set, and we are hasting Home,  
●nto the Grave, the Earth; from whence we came;  
●or Dust we are, and must return to th' same.  
●arth is our Home, our very Home indeed;  
because from Earth, at first, we did proceed:  
●nd though we there a season do remain,  
●et from the Earth we must return again.  
●om West to North: From Death we go to God,  
●nd there takes up our Everlasting Bode.  
●he Body being dead, the Earth must have it;  
●he Spirit doth return to God, that gave it.  
●arth is our Home, but not our longest Home;  
●o Earth we be, yet first from God we come;  
●d thither 'tis, we must return again;  
●nd from that time, unchangeable remain:  
●ter the judgement's past, and Sentence given,  
●ur constant Home must be in Hell or Heaven.  
From North to East: Again we now must pass  
●om God to Christ, who now appointed is  
● be our Judge, who will uprightly deal;  
●d from his Judgement, there is no appeal.  
● Righteous Judgement he will have regard,  
● give to every one a just Reward:  
● those that in well-doing seek for Glory,  
●ernal Joy in Heaven's prepared for ye:  
●t unto those that stubbornly Rebel,  
●ernal Wrath, with damned Souls in Hell;  
●thing but anguish, trouble, grief, and sorrow,  
●hose dismal Night will never find a Morrow.   

But, forasmuch, as now we're come to th' We●  
We will divide this Quarter, like the rest,  
Into eight several Points, which we'll lay dow●  
All very necessary to be known.   

And forasmuch, as now we understand,  
We sail by West unto the Holy Land;  
From the first minute that we draw our Breath▪  
We're sailing towards West; draws on to Dea●   

Let's mind each Point in this last Quarter w●  
That in our Knowledge we may there excel.  
It is of absolute necessity  
For spiritual Seamen, that they learn to dy●  
This needful Lesson Balam understood;  
He knew it was both excellent and good,  
To learn this Lesson. O (saith he) that I  
Were like th● Righteous, when I am to die!  
O that my later End like his might be!  
Such Good in dying well did Balam see.   

To learn this Lesson well, this Rule I'll gi●  
If thou would learn to die, first learn to live▪  
Then take Directions from this sacred Truth:  
Remember thy Creator in thy Youth;  
Begin betimes; the Morning of thy Days,  
Is the fit Season to reform thy Ways.  
Give God thy strength, & serve him whilst tho● you●  
Thy Senses quick, thy Understanding strong:  
Defer not thy Repentance until Night,  
Or Evening of thy Days; but with Delight  
Let Childhood learn to live, and Youth likew●  
So wilt thou find sweet Comfort when thou d●  
●od calls betimes; and if thou dost delay  
●o hearken to his Voice while it is day,  
●n unexpected Storm may suddenly  
●end thee away unto Eternity,  
without th' advantage of another Season;  
consult then with Flesh, or fleshly Reason:  
●hy Flesh will tell thee, that thou may take Pleasure  
● little Season, and Repent at leisure:  
answer thy Flesh; thou cannot surely say,  
●hou mayst continue yet another Day:  
●nd to confirm this Truth, Experience says,  
●eath strikes the Child, the aged Man; betrays  
●he hopeful young Man, even in his Prime,  
●nd gives him not, sometimes, an hour's time.  
Death comes unheard, her Arrow's sharp and keen;  
●e strikes invisibly, & kills unseen;  
●ncertain when; but certain Death will strike;  
respecting Kings and Beggars, all alike:  
deaths stroke is dreadful, come it soon or late;  
●t being struck, Repentance out of date.  
Perhaps thou may take Pleasure for Today,  
●-Morrow Death doth take thy Life away.  
●e World, poor Soul, and all the Pleasures in it,  
●nnot secure thee now another Minute:  
●en hear Today, 'tis all the time that's given;  
eject Today, and lose thy Way to Heaven.   

West, and by North.  
The next Point in this Quarter, 's West by North;  
●learn this Point aright, is of great worth:  
Remember this, That if thou dost not take  
Time by the Forelock, when thou wast awa●  
Living on Earth (I mean) pale Death berea● th●  
Of Life, & of all means of Grace, & leaves th●  
In no Capacity to mend thy Ways:  
Living thou may; but dead thou cannot praise  
The sacred Name of God within the Grave;  
There's no Remembrance, that the Dead ● ha●  
King Solomon, whom God hath made more w●  
Than any Man (before or since) did prise  
A living Dog, though th' meanest one could set 〈◊〉  
Before a dead, although a Kingly Lion:  
And Solomon doth give this Reason why;  
The Living knows (saith he) that he must die▪  
The Dead knows nothing: Therefore, while t● li●  
Observe the Counsel that Christ Jesus gives:  
Work while it is today, the Night will hast▪  
In which the time of working will be past:  
'Tis in the Day Men work, not in the Night▪  
Wherefore, improve thy Day, with all thy mi●  
The Heavenly Hosts of Angels are delighte●  
When Sinners turn before they are benight▪  
Christ to Jerusalem was heard to say;  
O that thou didst but know in this thy Day,  
The things that do concern thy Peace! But no●  
The Day is past, and Darkness doth ensue:  
●ese things, which in the day God doth reveal,  
●e Night being come, thick darkness doth conceal.  
Well then, be careful, thou that art to star  
●on this Point; for if thou miss it here,  
●ou runs the hazard of th' approaching Night;  
●hen Heaven will refuse to give thee Light.  
● thou would have thy Soul-Endeavours blest,  
●en mind the next Point, which is West, North-west.   

West, North-west.  
●t not the greatness of the Numbers sway thee,  
●r let the Counsel of the most betray thee;  
●e most are careless how they spend their time,  
●ving their Lusts, and Satan, with their prime.  
steer not by most Examples; for thereby,  
●u'lt miss thy Point, and sink Eternally.  
● Paths of Death, is like the mighty Ocean;  
●en quiet, calmed, deny their Waves of Motion▪  
●en Seamen ride upon the smooth-faced Seas  
without disturbance: Many run with Ease  
●aths of Darkness, and are quite misled;  
● so have many thousands perished.  
● Way that leads to true Felicity,  
●ke the narrow Channel, that doth lie  
● at the Entrance of some Isle: A Stranger▪  
●nding out the Channel, meets with danger.  
●ell, thou art sailing to the Holy I'll,  
● not the smooth-faced Seas thy Soul beguile;  
The Pleasures of this World (I mean) which do●  
Bring many thousands to Eternal Woe.  
And with this Caution, I'll this Point conclude  
Go not to Hell, because the multitude  
Will not seek after true Felicity;  
But rather choose the Paths of Death, and die.  
'Tis better go to Heaven, though alone,  
Than go to Hell, 'cause thousands more are gon●  
This leads us to North-West by West, where we●  
Shall farther in our Christian Compass be.   

North-West by West.  
Instructed still, that so we may not miss  
That sacred Shore, where true Contentment i●  
We're still exhorting of you to prepare,  
To meet with Death, to mind your Western Sta●  
We having told you, You must learn to die,  
If you would live in Joy eternally:  
That you may learn to die, we also give  
You Notice, that you first must learn to live:  
But for as much, as some impediments  
Do threaten much, as if they would prevent  
All good Endeavours; I shall now asay,  
To take all such impediments away:  
The two next Points that follow, will I spend  
Alone, for the promoting of that End.   

Obj. The Flesh objects against our first Advice  
Supposing it to be a Point too▪ nice.  
Should thou (saith Flesh) refuse to own that w●  
Which most walk in, what is't Men will not say●  
Thou wilt expose thyself to all Men's scorn,  
And be as one forsaken and forlorn;  
And many troubles thou'lt find beside  
Thy Sorrows will be daily multiplied▪   

Ans. To this I Answer: 'Tis no matter what  
Man say or think, so God reject thee not:  
Man may revile, thy soul they cannot harm:  
Undaunted Seamen do not fear a Storm.  
'Tis not whom Man, but whom the Lord approves,  
That finds acceptance; wherefore, it behoves  
Thee not, to let the fear of Man betray  
Thy Soul, and keep thee from the narrow way.   

This Channel's narrow, and is hard to find;  
But Christ's thy Pilot, fear thou not the wind.  
Believe God's Word, and do thou not regard  
men's threaten, or their promise of reward:  
This is his Word; Whoever doth not hate  
Father and Mother, Life, for my Name's sake,  
He is not worthy of the smallest measure  
Of Sion's Glory, Christ the Eternal Treasure:  
What, shall the fear of mortal man, whose breath  
Is in his Nostrils, shall the fear of Death  
Cause thee to slight the way of God; deny  
His sacred Truths, and fall eternally?  
Let not thy life be precious in thine eyes,  
But freely give it for a Sacrifice,  
If God require it, as He often hath done,  
To bear a Testimony for his Son:  
What! did the Son of God freely lay down  
His Sacred Life to purchase thee a Crown?  
And shall a Christian think his life too dear  
To lose for Christ? Alas, thy stay is here  
But for a moment's time; the life of Man  
At longest, is compared to a Span.  
Suppose thou layest down thy life? thou dost  
But lay thee down to sleep awhile at most;  
And sleeping, thou wilt pass away the Night,  
To rise to Glory in the Morning-Light.  
Then fear not dying, but be moved thereby,  
To learn to Live, that thou may learn to Die.   

North-West.  
Our next Point is North-West; this Point doth give  
Some brief directions, how to learn to live:  
Wherefore give heed, for thus thy Point gins,  
Look not too lightly upon smaller Sins;  
And let small duties be in thy esteem,  
As much as these that greater duties seem.  
'Tis true indeed, there's no command at all,  
As it proceeds from God himself, is small;  
Nor any Sin against that Glory bright,  
Though it may seem but little in our sight,  
Can be accounted small, though there may seem  
Some difference in sin, in our esteem:  
An idle thought to us, not to the Lord,  
Doth seem a lesser Sin than idle words;  
Unprofitable thoughts, and words, they both  
Seem lesser Sins than doth a dreadful Oath:  
But in God's sight, the very lest offence,  
If with our Wills, is Disobedience;  
And Disobedience is a sin as great,  
As is the Sin of Witchcraft God doth threat:  
All Disobedience with Death Eternal;  
The smallest sin deserves the Lake infernal:  
If to the same we freely give consent,  
And live and die therein, and not Repent.  
So as to Duties, some may seem but small,  
Compared with others of no weight at all.  
Obedience to a Minister, appointed  
To feed the Flock of Christ, the Lord's Anointed,  
Seems but a little duty, when compared  
With that, Submission, Reverence, and Regard,  
We own to God; yet as we understand,  
This doth proceed from God as his Command:  
Our being found in wilful negligence,  
God will account it as a great offence;  
A bare profession, though indeed it be  
A Christian duty, 'tis the least degree:  
It seems indeed as nothing, if we bring  
It to be balanced with suffering,  
Compared with Charity; a bare profession,  
●s but like promised Gold without possession.  
And to be brief, Christians must not neglect▪  
The smallest duty shows the least respect  
Unto the smallest sin: a little leak  
Will find a passage for the Seas to break  
●nto thy Vessel; and without endeavour,  
To stop this Leak, thy Ship may sink for ever.  
A little negligence at Sea, when Storms  
Threaten the Seamen with approaching harms▪  
Neglecting to look out, the Ship is tossed  
Upon the raging Seas, broken and lost.  
Wherhfore that thou may scape eternal death▪  
Endeavour while on Earth thou drawest breath●  
By searching of God's Word, to understand  
What is thy duty, neglect no command;  
Hate every Sin, and quite forsake them all,  
Whether the Sin thou loves, be great or small;  
So shall not Death affright thee, thou shalt be  
From Death (as't hath a dreadful sting) set free▪   

North-West, by North.  
Our next's North-West by North: Wish not t● dy●  
Nor covet after Death immoderately.  
Some under torturing Pains, to ease their grie●  
Have wished for Death, thinking to find Relief  
Within the Grave; and in a Pet would cry,  
Let Death now strike his Stroke, that I may die▪  
Others again, finding themselves distasted,  
Perhaps, because some great Design was blaste●  
Will presently puff out their angry breath;  
And in a sudden Passion, wish for Death:  
Just like to Jonah, when the Lord designed  
The Ninevite's Destruction; yet inclined  
To Mercy, if the Ninevite's Repent;  
Jonah crossed in his Mind, was discontented,  
And wished to die; for which he was reprove▪  
Although a holy Prophet, and beloved.  
Alas, poor Souls! you that cry out so fast  
For Death, as if indeed you were in haste;  
Should God but grant your unadvised Petition,  
You quickly would bewail your sad Condition;  
And cry as fast, Oh that the Lord would spare  
My Life a little longer! Oh beware,  
Lest God, provoked, take away thy breath  
Against thy mind: Poor Soul, prepare for Death but dye.  
Before thou wish so unadvisedly,  
That when Death comes, thou'st nought to do  
If God be pleased to lengthen out thy days,  
Be then well pleased to spend them to his Praise:  
And if he's pleased thy Days shall be but few,  
Be thou content, and labour to eschew,  
All kind of Sin, whereby thou may'st offend  
Him that alone can Crown thy latter End  
With Happiness, unto Eternity:  
Thus learn to live, that thou may learn to die.   

North, North-West.  
Our next Points North, North-West: The art now launched forth  
Into the Deeps, and drawest nigh thy North:  
Thy Days is spent, and now thy Spirit must  
Return to God, thy Body to the Dust.  
God is thy Northern Star, from thence thou came,  
Who was, and is unchangeably, the same:  
'Twas He, who at the first did give thee Breath;  
'Tis He, for Sin, doth summons thee by Death:  
'Tis God, who in his Image first did make thee,  
And never since was willing to forsake thee:  
'Twas He that did appoint a Second Life,  
To put a Period to that deadly Strife,  
That Sin has made 'twixt Man and his Creator:  
'Twas God that did appoint a Mediator;  
Even Jesus Christ, to whom God doth direct thee,  
Because he is not willing to reject thee.  
From North to East, thou wast at first conducted;  
From God, to Christ his Son, to be instructed,  
And brought into the way of Life, where thou  
The things belonging to thy Peace might know:  
Thy time on Earth, that short (uncertain) Space,  
Has been the Day of Patience, and of Grace;  
Which if thou hast neglected till thy Sun  
Be wholly set, the Day of Grace is done:  
T'expect another Day of Grace is vain.  
From North to East, thou must be brought again;  
From God to Christ, thou once again must pass,  
Who is appointed (not as first he was)  
To be the Saviour of thy Soul; but He,  
By God's Appointment, now thy Judge must be.  
Your Consciences, whose Checks you now refuse,  
Will testify against you, and accuse  
Thee to thy Judge, and none will intercede;  
Thou'st not a Friend, in thy behalf, to plead:  
Christ was thy Friend, whose Counsel thou refused,  
And all his gracious Promises abused:  
Thou that rejected Counsel heretofore,  
Shall never have a Word of Counsel more.   

The Prince of Peace, that sacred Lamb of Zion,  
Is now become a fierce devouring Lion:  
He that being filled with Mercy and Compassion,  
Laid down his Life, to purchase thy Salvation;  
Is clothed with Fury now, and burning Ire,  
And is become a Soul-consuming Fire.  
This sacred Truth is left upon Record,  
Within the Volumes of God's holy Word:  
'Twill be a Soul-cousening Day of trouble,  
Wherein the Wicked shall become as Stubble,  
Which in an Oven is consumed away;  
So dreadful is that Soul-amazing Day  
To all the Wicked! such as do Rebel:  
Depart, depart, you Cursed into Hell!  
Will be the Sentence that the Judge will give  
Unto all such as in Rebellion live.  
Depart to Hell, where you Eternally,  
Shall be a dying, but shall never die!  
Go down to Hell! departed out of my sight,  
To utter Darkness, to eternal Night!  
Depart to Hell! for, as your Works are evil,  
So shall you now be Sharers with the Devil!  
Depart to Hell to everlasting Pain!  
From whence expect not to return again.  
You that can scoff at Resurrection now,  
Would then avoid it, if you knew but how:  
Your dismal Night will never find a Morrow;  
Your Merriments will all be turned to Sorrow:  
Who can express the dolorous Grief and Pain,  
That damned Souls shut, up in Hell, sustain!  
Where Fire goes not out, where Worm ne'er dies,  
Where cursed Oaths is turned to hidecous Cries!  
Sad is the Case with Hell-confined Souls;  
Who now, in stead of drinking Wine in Bowls,  
Gnashing their Teeth with anguish; they must spend  
Their doleful Hours in pain, World without end.  
You that have spent some time in sinful Pleasure,  
To satisfy your Lusts, shall find no leisure  
To fix your Eye on pleasing Objects; for,  
What ever you behold, you will abhor;  
You will abhor, and loathe yourselves, because  
Your former slighting of God's sacred Laws:  
Your stubborn Hearts refusing to Repent,  
Has brought you to this place of Punishment;  
From which most lamentable State, thou never  
Shall be released, although thou should endeavour.   

This is the Second Death; and certainly,  
It is a dreadful Death for Man to die.  
The first Death frees a Man from temporal Sorrow,  
And frees him from his Labour till the Morrow:  
The Second Death gins a Sinner's grief,  
And leaves him helpless, hopeless of Relief.  
Now, wouldst thou not be taken in the Snare  
Of Death the second time; Oh then, prepare  
For Death's first Summons; let not sin dis-arm thee;  
And then, the Second Death will never harm thee.  
There is no way to scape the Plagues of Hell,  
But in thy Living, and thy Dying well.  
Two things concerning Death, I'd have thee mind;  
Which if thou do, thou wilt the Comfort find.   

First, Death is certain either first or last;  
All living Creators of Death's Cup must taste.  
A●d Secondly, It is uncertain when;  
Children and Infants die as well as Men.  
Death is a Messenger, that's sent from Heaven,  
Hath both his Power, and his Commission given  
By God alone; and when he's sent to strike,  
Respects all Ages, and Degrees alike.  
Death when it doth arrest, will give no Day;  
Death will have nothing, under present Pay;  
Nor Years, nor Months, nor Weeks, will Death allow;  
Death will admit of no entreaties now:  
With ghastly Looks, he stairs thee in the Face,  
And tells thee, Thou hast here no longer space;  
This Night, by Death, the Lord requires thy Soul.  
Sad was the Message to that prosperous Fool,  
That in his own Conceit, had lately blest  
His Soul with Peace, and many Years of Rest:  
Deluded Man had not one Day to spend;  
This Night thy many Years is at an end.  
Thus unexpectedly are Souls ensnared▪  
But dreadful will it be, if unprepared.   

Well, Death is come; thy Barns, & all thy Store  
Thou must forsake, and never see them more:  
And true it is, we see it with our Eyes,  
That Death is certain, in uncertainties.  
There's not a Man among the Sons of Men,  
But knows that he must die, but knows not when.  
Death on his Cloudy Errand sometimes comes,  
And smites poor Children in their Mother's Womb.  
And sometimes he will venture to Arrest  
The Infant Sucking at the Mother's breast;  
And sometimes Death forbears to throw his Dart;  
Till Childish practice joys the Parent's heart:  
So in like manner Death is sometimes known,  
When Childhoods past, and Youthful Blossoms blown,  
To strike his Fatal stroke; and many a time,  
Death strikes us not till we are in our prime,  
When Strength & Manhood is upon the Stage:  
And sometimes Death stays till decrepit Age.  
Death blasts young Buds, fair Blossoms, dainty Flowers,  
At th'age of years, of months, weeks, days, and hours.  
How darest thou, in Sinning, take delight;  
And sin to day, that is to die at night.  
Poor Wretch! that at God's pleasure draws thy breath,  
How dare thou sin that's not secure from Death!  
In one moment's time, poor Soul, thou canst not tell,  
But that this Night thou shalt go down to Hell.   

North by West.  
Our two and-thirtieth Point draws near the North;  
To Steer aright upon this Point is worth  
Ten thousand worlds, ten thousand times told over;  
It's real worth no mortal can discover.  
As North's by West; so Death's by God, & He  
The First and Last of every Thing will be.  
It is from God we do receive our Breath;  
By God's appointment all must taste of Death.  
We told you lately, what a dreadful thing  
It was, to die the Second Death▪ but bring  
You better Tydeings now; and to be brief,  
This Point well learned, will expiate all Grief:  
It is the Tidings of a Second Life,  
Beginning Peace, and terminating trife.  
And that I may in this one thing, discharge  
Myself, bear with me Reader, if I do enlarge  
Upon this sacred Point: But what am I,  
To undertake a Task so much too high  
For any Man? Angels desire to 〈◊〉 it,  
And holy Prophets never fully knew it:  
When holy Men of old did steer their Course  
Upon this Point, the depth thereof did force  
Them to cry out, as Men astonished, and  
Confess it was too high to understand:  
Into which Mystery, when Paul inquires,  
Instead of Satisfaction, he admires  
At God's great Wisdom: Which (saith he) no doubt,  
Is over-high for Man to find it out.  
Eye hath not seen that excellent Reward,  
Which God Almighty hath of old prepared  
For such as Love him: Heart cannot conceive,  
Nor Tongue express the Glory they receive.  
Some Hints the holy Prophets have laid down,  
Which in the Scripture language is made known  
In such a Dialect, as may impart  
The Mystery of this Glory to the Heart;  
And also doth inform the Eye and Ear,  
That to Man's Sense this Glory might appear.   

These be the Terms it is discovered by;  
Riches and Honour, Princely Dignity;  
Silver & Gold, & precious Pearl, that Treasure  
In which the Princes of the Earth take Pleasure;  
Fair Houses, beautified with Gold,  
And precious Pearl, most lovely to behold;  
Cities whose Pavements (upon which we tread)  
Is pure Gold, whose Wall is garnished  
With precious Pearls, in comely order set;  
The Jasper, Amathist, and Crisolet;  
With Saphir, Tophas, Emerald, Chalcedon,  
The Jasinct, Sardius, and Sardonix-Stone.   

Thus in our Sailing upon West by North,  
By these Similitudes, the Lord sets forth  
The great Advantage of our Steering right  
Upon this Point; and yet this great Delight,  
(With which Man's captivated Eye's ensnared)  
Is less than nothing, if it be compared  
With Heavenly Glory, which exceeds as far,  
As Midday Phoebus doth the dullest Star.  
The greatest Beauty Mortals can behold,  
Is Gems and Jewels, with refined Gold;  
Which when th' Apostle Paul compares with th●  
In his Esteem (behold!) how vile it is?  
As if all Earthly Pomp had nothing been,  
Speaking of Heavenly, saith; Eye hath not se●  
Nor never could Man's highest Conceit impart  
This Heavenly Glory unto any Heart.  
Betwixt Heaven and Earthly Joy, the disproportion  
Is like one Drop of Water to the Ocean;  
For though one drop be real Water, yet  
It's not sufficient for Man's Benefit;  
There is no Substance in so small a Measure;  
And small's the Substance of all earthly Treasure:  
'Tis not unlike the pearled Dew of May,  
Whose Morning-Substance quickly ●ades away  
Like Jonah's Gourd, that sprang up in a Night;  
And in another, vanished out of sight;  
Exactly like a Shadow in the Water,  
Which seems a Substance, but is no such matter;  
Which, if a Man puts forth his Hand to take it,  
Finds it a Shadow, and doth straight forsake it;  
Or like a Man, that dreams he doth possess  
Great Substance; but awakes, finds nothing less.   

Can Man, with Alexander, say, My hand  
Hath made the Earth subject to my Command;  
And to my Pleasure I the World confine,  
And all the Treasures o● the Earth is mine.  
He that could make the World to bear his Yoke,  
Must in a Moment, ●eel the direful Stroke  
Of Death, which will remove him from his Treasure;  
And in a moment, levelly mighty Caesar  
With Beggars, that upon the Dunghill lies;  
So swiftly this conceited Substance flies.   

Where's now the Man, that 〈◊〉 so lately seen  
Subdue the Earth? He's as he had not been:  
The seeming-Substance, in the which he boasted,  
Is like a Shadow fled, and he has lost it.   

Then happy's he, that on this Point doth steer  
His Course aright, he has need to fear  
The Threats of Death; his Sins are all forgiven,  
And his enduring Substance is in Heaven;  
Where he shall need no Sword to keep his Right,  
Or Watchman to secure him in the Night;  
Where Tears shall never more offend his Eyes;  
And where he never more shall hear the Cries  
Of Souls oppressed; where Wickedness shall cease;  
Where all his Sorrows shall be turned to Peace;  
Where Sighing shall be turned to singing Praise;  
Where Nights are changed into perpetual Days;  
Where wicked Men shall never lay more Hands  
On such as do delight in God's Commands;  
Where all their threatening, & their cruel words,  
(Wherewith they ●ex Christ's little Flock) like Swords,  
Shall pierce their Souls with Sorrow, and their Heart  
Shall never more be freed from the smart;  
Whose haughty Looks the Lord will then abase,  
And they, with Horror, shall behold God's Face:  
They that to Mercy would not be inclined,  
Shall beg for Mercy, and no Mercy find:  
But they who shall in Heaven receive a Place,  
Happy are they, that are in such a Case!  
O happy are those Souls, whose God's the Lord!  
've squared their Lives according to his Word!  
Blessed's that Man in Death, who in his Life  
Hath loved Holiness, & hated Strife.   

Then Steer thy Course aright, on West by North,  
Where Treasures lie, whose excellence & worth  
Cannot be measured by me; nor can  
Its Height and Depth be valued by Man:  
It is, indeed, Man's Duty to inquire  
Into its Worth; believe, and so admire.   


THus in our Christian Compass we have passed  
From North to East, to South, to West; at last▪  
We're come to North again: Our longest Day  
On Earth, is measured to us by the Stay  
Of Heaven's great Lamp of Light, the glorious Sun,  
When it stays longest in o●● Horizon.  
But now our Sun will never lose its Light,  
We never more shall see a Cloudy Night:  
If while thou art on Earth, thou makest sure  
This sacred Treasure, thou lies down secure,  
And free from Fear, no Darkness will arise,  
To hid this sacred Glory from thine Eyes.  
Who then would make this World's uncertain Treasure,  
The Object of their Comfort, Joy, & Pleasure?  
Lay Treasure up in Heaven, that may be  
From Thiefs and Rust, from Death and Danger free.   

The height of Earthly Glory's like a Bubble,  
Filled with the wind, but tossed about with Trouble;  
It's at no certain; speaks thee fair Today,  
And of a sudden, it makes haste away.  
The Persian Monarch once could make his boast,  
His Branches spread themselves in every Coast,  
Throughout the Universe; and, in one Story,  
The World agreed to Crown him with their Glory;  
All People is contented he shall have  
What e'er his Eye could see, or Heart could crave:  
The Enjoyment of all this, the Reason why  
We cannot call it true Felicity,  
●●its Uncertainty: Man has no Power  
To keep himself in this Estate an Hour;  
The momentary Dangers that attend him,  
He cannot scape, though all the World be friend him:  
Sorrows, as well as Pleasures, do abound  
On every Hand; Dangers besets him round;  
His Enemies beholds him, and admire  
His prosperous State, and secretly conspire  
His sudden Death, hoping a Change in State  
May make an Alteration in their Fate:  
But if through Servant's watchfulness and care,  
He be preserved, and escape that snare;  
●here's other Dangers, that be incident  
To Man, as such Care never can prevent.  
The Sorrows that this Monarch doth sustain,  
As the true Product of some grievous Pain,  
Sometime is in less, sometime in greater measure;  
Bereaves him (though a Prince) of all his Pleasure.  
Death so impartially doth throw his Dart,  
Makes Prince & Peasant from his Pleasure's part.   

The Kings of Egypt, making of their Feasts  
(Fit to accommodate their Princely Guests)  
Did serve Death's-Head, as the last Course, whereby  
They were informed of their Mortality.  
Thus at the end of all their Dainty Cheer,  
They by Death's head, of Death admonished were.   

This is the Counsel therefore, that I give  
To such as do in full Enjoyment live  
Of Princely Pleasures; know for certainty,  
You are but Men, though Princes; you must die;  
You are but Clay, Death will dis-robe you quite,  
And bury all your Glory out of sight:  
Naked you shall arise, and stand before  
The Judge of Heaven & Earth, & have no more  
Advantage than the Beggar▪ All shall have  
One common Resurrection from the Grave,  
And no Respect of Persons will be there;  
No notice will be taken what you were  
In Men's Esteem; whether you were the Head▪  
Or such as was constrained to beg their Bread;  
But what your Works have been. O happy He,  
Tho Rich or Poor, of high or low Degree,  
Whose Works shall be accepted! He or they  
Shall stand in Judgement at the Judgment-Day.  
All those whom Death finds in the Lord are blest,  
They cease from Labour, enter into Rest.  
Thus have we run our Christian Compass round;  
And if our way Canaan, we have found  
Thorough the raging Seas of Worldly Trouble,  
Our Labours then will be rewarded double:  
If we have learned to scape the Rocks and Sand,  
And every Point o' th' Compass understand;  
And upon every Point can steer aright,  
Whether in pleasant Day, or stormy Night:  
If we each Point do so exactly learn,  
That whether we be at Mast, or Pump, or Stern,  
We can behave ourselves in every Place,  
Like Men accomplished; Happy is our Case!    


OUr Compass being finished, one thing more  
Is necessary to be known: Before  
Our Christian Compass we begin to con,  
We must erect the Point it turns upon.   

An Enlivened Conscience.  
THe PIN, on which our Christian Compass turns,  
which gives quick Motio to our lifeless Urns,  
It is a Conscience, touched with God's Word,  
That's quick & sharper, than a Two-edged Sword,  
Which entereth into the very Soul,  
And doth direct thine Eye unto the Pole.  
God's Word's the sacred Loadstone; & therefore,  
The Conscience touched therewith, will ever more  
Gently be moving upon thy Affection,  
With fixed Eyes to God, for true Direction.   

When as the Seaman's Compass is erected,  
And on his Part, no Labour is neglected;  
But that he daily cons his Compass over,  
Tho neither Sun nor Moon he can discover;  
Minding his Compass, he knows how to steer,  
And knows when either Rocks or Sands be there.  
Christians, that do erect their Compass right,  
(Though they be Storm beset, or in the Night)  
Can find their way, their Compass being laid  
Upon the Conscience; but when no use is made  
Of Conscience, in the things we undertake,  
We cannot think a happy Voyage to make.  
Observe that good St. Paul, and you shall find  
That Faithful Pilot in the selfsame Mind:  
His Compass he upon his Conscience lays;  
In all things, he makes Conscience of his Ways.  
Both towards God & Man, thou always must  
Make Conscience of thy Ways: 'Tis in vain to trust  
To any written Rule, though ne'er so good,  
And never so well known, and understood.  
If thou dost make no Conscience of the same,  
Thy Compass serves for nothing but the Name.  
Upon a painted Compass Men may look,  
Or read the Rule that's written in a Book.  
A Compass fairly painted on a Wall,  
(Though pleasing to the Eye) serves not at all  
To steer a Ship by: That must be effected,  
By such a Compass, as must be erected,  
And set upon a Needle, where it moves;  
By this erected Compass, Seamen proves▪  
Their written Rule: By this the Ship is guided,  
And through the raging Seas, her way's divided.   

Remember therefore, if thou dost intent  
Thy former Compass shall obtain its End,  
And thou, at last, may be secured from blame.  
Be sure that thou make Conscience of the same;  
That, out of Conscience unto God, thou never  
Neglect thy former Compass, but endeavour  
To steer according to it: Fix thine Eye  
On God, who is thy North; and come as nigh  
Unto thy Rule, as possible thou may;  
And, out of Conscience unto God, obey  
His Will in every thing, with true Affection,  
As from thy Compass, thou meets with Directions  
So shalt thou be made Happy in thy Choice,  
And from true ground of Comfort, may rejoice▪  
Having within thee, that which will endure  
The Testimony of a Conscience pure:  
That, from thy Dovelike Innocence, thy Conversation▪  
Has been, in truth, without Dissimulation,  
According to the Rule; unfeignedly,  
Serving the Lord in pure Simplicity,  
And true Sincerity; where I shall leave thee,  
As with a Rule, that never will deceive thee.   

A Good Memory.  
A Seaman that completely is supplied,  
Must with his Compass, have a Box beside,  
To place his Compass with security;  
The Box is therefore a good Memory:  
There let thy Rules be kept, like sacred Treasure,  
That thou may look them over at thy Pleasure.  
These Rules are few, these Few are very plain,  
●ot over numerous for thee to retain:  
● thou dost get these Rules into thy Head,  
● time of need they will thee stand in stead:  
When thy occasions have removed thee far,  
●nd Storms and Tempests at the Sea debar  
●hee from the good Appointments of the Lord,  
●he sacred Preaching of God's holy Word;  
●his being kept in Memory, lies by thee,  
●hat in a time of want, it may supply thee.  
I will not say, That thou wilt need no more,  
● in thy Head thou layest them up in store:  
●ut this I dare adventure to assert,  
●hy Head instructed well, informs thy Heart:  
●nd if thou knows these Rules, & dost endeavour  
●o do the same, Happy art thou for ever:  
● such a State thou never canst miscarry,  
●ho Seas be rough, & Winds be quite contrary;  
●ut safely shalt obtain that happy Shore,  
Where Pleasures do abound for ever more:  
●hen wilt thou find no Reason to repent thee,  
●hat for a time, thou hadst this Compass lent thee.     

CHAP. IX.  

The Third Part now of sacred Navigation,  
It is the Affections, lively Meditation:  
Affectionate Divinity, we find,  
Is principally seated in the Mind.   

DIvine Affection is a lively Motion  
O'th'Soul to God-ward, stirring up Devotion  
And this Affection, thus Divinely seated,  
By Meditations is both warm and heated:  
So that, through Heat, it now doth opperate,  
And sets the Affections in a working-state.  
Affections is the Soul's quick Motion, and  
Sweet Meditations also doth command  
The Soul's Affections; and doth strongly move  
And melts th' Affections in a Flame of Love:  
Where holy Meditations is but small,  
Th' Affection's cold, and scarcely moves at all  
That therefore, I shall further treat upon,  
Relating to Divine Affection;  
I shall endeavour to reduce them all  
Into some certain Rules that's Practical:  
Practical Rules, I mean, of Meditation,  
Whereby the Soul can make sweet Application  
Of God's sweet Promises in Scripture found,  
And that upon the best and safest Ground:  
●or Meditations, when 'tis sweetly felt,  
●s like a Limbeck, that doth Heat and melt  
●uch pleasant Flowers, as are put into it,  
●aking sweet Drops of Water issue from it.  
Those Meditations that I now intent  
●o lay before my Sea-devoted Friend,  
●hey're of two sorts, on which mine Eye is fixed;  
●ome purely Simple, other some are Mixt.  
●uch Meditations, as most properly  
●Ve here call Simple Meditations, I  
●raw from such Places of God's Word, as are  
respecting Seamen in particular.  
too Scriptures for that purpose I have chose,  
which Holy David did before expose  
●o public view; that such as fear the Lord,  
●ight be instructed from his Holy Word.  
In Psalm the Seventy-seven, & Nineteen Verse,  
●here David doth that sacred Word rehearse:  
●hy Ways, O Lord, are in the Seas (saith he)  
●hy Paths upon the mighty Waters be.  
●● from this Word thou bend thy Meditation,  
●o make a Spiritual use and Application;  
●his Word, which here the Holy Prophet says,  
●ay well refer unto his sacred Ways;  
●elating to the World (that restless Ocean)  
●r to the Saints: But if thou take this Notion,  
according to the literal Explication;  
● Seaman, then, may make this Application.   

1. If it be so, that God-Almighty please,  
●o make his Footsteps in the raging Seas;  
If God do walk upon the Waves indeed,  
And tread upon the Waters; then what need  
Have I to fear at Sea more than at Land,  
For God-Almighty doth them both command  
Or why should I, at Sea, be less in fear  
Of sinning, than at Land; for God is there?  
No, no; God rules the raging Waves, can sti●  
Their Fury, and restrain it when he will.  
Though Neptune's prouder Billows do out-brag  
And threaten still to make her Womb my Gra●  
Tho every moment Death come prancing by ●●  
I'll fear no Evil, for the Lord is nigh me:  
And yet I'll fear to sin, though Mortal Eye  
Cannot discover, for the Lord is nigh.  
I'll dread his holy Name that doth command  
The swelling Waves, and bounds them with t● San●  
I'll fear his Holy Name, whose sovereign Pow●  
Commands the Sea, that it shall not devour  
Their Neighbouring Earth again, & doth restra●  
Their Fury, making them turn back again:  
I'll reverence his Name, whose piercing Eye  
Sees all the World at once: His Majesty  
I will adore, and ever seek to please,  
Who rules the Earth, and walks upon the Se●  
I'll stand in awe at Sea, as well as Land,  
Of him, whose power doth them both command   

2. But Secondly, Upon this same Relation  
Thou mayest rightly form this Meditation:  
●ay to thy Soul; My Soul, thus stands the Case;  
●hese mighty Waters is God's dwelling Place:  
Here is God's Temple; O my Soul, adore him:  
●all down & worship God, & kneel before him.  
●ay not within thyself, O I may live  
●o come to Shore again, and then I'll give  
Him my Devotions: Say, God's House is here;  
●le worship Him at Sea: He's every where:  
Where is the Place in which a Man may hid  
Himself from God? Behold! He doth abide  
● Heaven above, where Angels hear his Voice,  
●nd in his Presence constantly rejoice.  
And on the Earth, O Lord, thou also art  
With those that are of pure and perfect Heart.  
If in the Deep (saith David) I should hover,  
Behold God's there, His Presence is all over:  
He rides upon the Winds▪ He's in the Clouds:  
There is no Place, my Soul, where Man may shroud  
Himself from God; His watchful Eye ne'er sleeps.  
●le worship God, like Jonah, in the Deeps.  
Though my Relations dear, be all on Shore,  
And I alone at Sea; I am before  
The Lord (my Maker) here, as well as they:  
●le worship God, whom Winds & Waves obey.   

3. And as thou see God rules both Wind and Waves,  
Know this my Soul, it is the Lord that saves  
This slender Vessel, that may in one Minute,  
Sink down into the Depth, with all t●at's in it.  
'Tis God who was, and is, and will be ever,  
That gives Man Wisdom, blesses his Endeavor▪  
Whereby poor Man is made an Instrument  
To save himself from Danger, and prevent  
Himself from Ruin. Did mine Eyes but see  
Into the Depth of this great Mystery,  
Doubtless, I should behold great streams of Lov●  
To fall like plenteous Showers from above,  
Upon poor Man, that brittle lump of Clay,  
That h●re has but a little time to stay:  
For if the Lord do let his Love run out  
Towards our Bodies, than there is no doubt,  
But that his Love doth very much exceed  
Unto our Souls, that did from him proceed:  
For what's our Bodies any more than Dust,  
Made of our Mother-Earth, whether we must  
Shortly return? We live a while, and die;  
And in our Morther's Womb, again must lie,  
Till God from Heaven once again do give  
His great Command; saying, Arise, and Live●  
And Dye no more. All this exactly proves,  
That Man's the Creature only that God loves;  
And gives Man Wisdom to prolong his Days  
On Earth, that so he might amend his ways,  
In order to his Life Eternally,  
That Man might live in true Felicity.   

Behold, My Soul, this Mystery Divine!  
How God preserving of this Life of thine,  
Chief intends thy future Preservation;  
Preserves thy Body for its Exaltation:  
Wilt thou improve that Wisdom God hath given  
To save thy natural Life? And is not Heaven  
Worth all thy pains? O use thy best Endeavor  
To save thy Soul; which lost, is lost for ever!  
thou'rt sailing (O my Soul!) to Canaan's Land;  
There's many a churlish Rock, & dangerous Sand.  
Improve that Understanding God hath given:  
Be careful (O my Soul!) thou be not driven  
On Rocks and Sands: Observe when Danger's nigh thee;  
And then be sure to have thy Compass by thee:  
Then, though thou be at Sea with Tempest tossed,  
And meets with many a Storm, and bitter Blast;  
Remember then, my Soul, the Lord is nigh thee,  
And with sweet calms of Comfort, will supply thee.  
Thus, if thy Meditations do run out  
Upon the sacred Word of God, no doubt  
'Twill bring thy Heart into a melting Frame;  
'Twill heat thy Soul with Zeal, and so inflame  
All thy Affections; till, at last, it prove  
A servant Fire of Faith, and Zeal, and Love.   

2. The second sacred Scripture, that I mind▪  
(Relating unto Seamen) you may find  
In Psalm one Hundred seven, there read on  
From Verse the Twenty▪ third, to Thirty-one:  
Which sacred Scriptures, as it doth relate  
Only to Seamen, they may Meditate  
On these choice Sayings; and with great content,  
Wisely improve each strange Experiment.   

To help thy Meditations, these two things  
If carefully observed, great profit brings:  
And first observe (as I did say before)  
These Words relates to Seamen: Furthermore,  
Consider to what end these Words are spoken;  
'Tis that they might behold each wondrous token  
Of God's great Power at Sea, so as to raise  
Up their Affections, fill their Mouths with praise,  
To him that walks upon the Waves; from whence  
They may store up each Day's Experience.  
Such Men (saith David) as in Ships go down  
Into the Seas, to such the Lord makes known  
His mighty Wonders, while within the Deep  
They do their Business: There the Lord doth keep  
A Court Imperial even in the Seas:  
There he commands the Tempests, who obeys  
His All-commanding Voice: There they advance  
Their prouder Waves, their threatening Billows dance;  
Whose raging Fury strikes all Hearts with fear:  
They cry in their distress, and God doth hear.  
That 'tis the Seaman's Duty, is most plain;   

1. To eye God in his Wonders; And again,  
To eye him in each Tempest; as indeed,  
He is the Author: From him Storms proceed.   

2. But Secondly, Seamen are nevertheless,  
To know that He's their Helper in distress.   

3. Thirdly, In every Storm thy are to eye  
The greatness of their Danger; and how nigh  
They are to Death.   

4thly, Seamen must know likewise,  
Their way to future Joy, through Danger lies.   

On these four Heads, now, let thy Contemplations  
Run out on these, or such like Meditations:  
Say to thy Soul; My Soul, Let not mistrust  
Perplex thy Mind at Sea; thy Way is Just:  
God made the Seas▪ and doth their Waves command,  
He prospers Sea-affairs, as well as Land.  
Is my Employ at Sea? I'll not forsake it;  
For there's no wickedness, unless I make it.  
God's Hand, his Eye, his Power, is all o'er;  
I am as safe on Sea, as on the Shore:  
Great Dangers is at Sea, it is confessed;  
And on the Shore, how many are distressed?  
How many Men we see upon the Shore,  
Leaves their Relations, never sees them more.  
Wild Beasts, the Winds, the Flood, the flames of Fire;  
All these, and many more, Man's Death conspire  
Dangers surround us upon every Hand;  
And Sin's the cause of Death by Sea and Land.   

Wherefore, my Soul, if thou would be secure  
From danger at the Seas, thou must be sure  
Thou carry not thy Sins to Sea: Bethink thee;  
The Seas are dangerous, and thy Sins will sink thee.  
It was a Righteous Noah, that first did float  
Upon the Seas; God saved him in his Boat:  
When all the sinful World was lost beside,  
This righteous Person rules both Wind & Tide.  
One Sin presumptuously allowed, may be  
The sinking here, and to Eternity.  
The Ship, indeed, may bear it knows not what,  
Because it hath no Sense; but thou art not  
To be so senseless: Thou must understand,  
That thou cannot possess that Holy Land,  
Fraught with thy sins: Sinners must not come thither,  
Sin raises Storms, and makes tempestuous Wether.   

2. But in the second Place: Doth Fear surprise  
Thy Soul, because a Tempest doth arise?  
Remember, then, whether thou art to fly:  
'Tis God must help; Lift up thy Voice, and cry  
To God for Help, who only can command  
The stormy Winds, & make the Waves to stand:  
But when the Tempest doth at first begin,  
Reflect upon thyself: Perhaps, some Sin  
Has raised this Tempest, some beloved Lust;  
Afflictions come, but not out of the Dust.  
Storms do not come by chance: While Jonah sleeps,  
His sin at Land-makes Tempests in the Deeps:  
The very Heathen did conclude no less;  
Therefore cast Lots, to see who did transgress.   

God raises Tempests to correct our Crimes,  
And for the trial of our Faith, sometimes:  
What ever 'tis, my Soul, some Cause is given;  
What e'er's the Cause, the Remedy's in Heaven.  
Is Sin the Cause, O then (my Soul) Repent;  
God hears the humble Soul, and penitent:  
Cry unto God, who only can appease  
This dreadful Tempest, and can calm the Seas.  
Hold all thy Sails, my Soul, with fervent sighs;  
●and all thy Cords with secret Prayers likewise:  
Let Faith be mixed with Payer; Faith will prevail  
Cast Anchor, O my Soul! within the Veil:  
And when thy hand's at Helm, thenlet thine Eye  
Look up to Heaven, from whence must come supply.  
Rouse up from Sleep, my Soul! for that intent,  
Perhaps, this Tempest was from Heaven sent,  
To rouse thy drowsy Soul: Awake, awake!  
Who sleeps in Sin, shall fall into the Lake.   

2. Be not Foolhardy, of an Atheist's mind,  
That scoffs at Tempests, and doth scorn the Wind;  
Laughing at Death, presumptuously out-braves,  
As if his Courage could withstand the Waves:  
But be thou humble (O my Soul!) and know  
'Tis God that makes the stormy Winds to blow:  
'Tis He alone, that makes the Seas to rage;  
And none but He, their Fury can assuage.  
Be not too foolish in thy Confidence,  
The next strong Gust that comes, may fetch thee hence.  
Say to thy Soul, the next proud Wave that comes  
May swallow this poor Vessel, and entomb  
Both It and Thee within the restless Ocean:  
Let Storms and Tempests stir up thy Devotion,  
In Prayer to God; who if he say, Be still,  
Both Wind, and Waves, and Seas obey his Will.   

3. But in the third place: Are thy Sorrows passed?  
And hath the Lord delivered thee, at last?  
Doth frothy Neptune's raging Fury cease?  
And are the Winds, and Waves, and Seas, at peace?  
And is thy trembling Heart set free from fears?  
Thy Hands from labour, and thine Eyes from tears?  
O then, my Soul! forget not Him whose Hand  
Hath given Rest; Praise him by Sea and Land.  
Forget not God, that helped you in Distress;  
Let not his Mercies make thee love him less.  
Was Sin the cause, that made the Seas to roar?  
Forsake thy sins (my Soul), and sin no more:  
Or was't to try thy Faith, God sent this Storm?  
Let this Deliverance then, thy Faith confirm.   

How did it fill your Hearts with joy & peace,  
When first the Tempest did begin to cease?  
Its first appearance was like precious Balm;  
So welcome was the tidings of a Calm.  
How was your Hearts refreshed, as with Wine?  
Your Souls revived, as if some Divine,  
Or holy Angel, had some Cordial given,  
Which God, to cheer your Souls, had sent from Heaven?  
You were as one now raised from the Grave;  
Such Soul-refreshments did you then receive:  
Your Breaches were built up, and all repaired;  
Wherefore (dear Souls) do not now disregard  
God's Goodness on the Seas, now you're on Shore;  
But magnify the Lord for ever more:  
And for his Goodness, do not prove unkind;  
Let not Sea-Mercies slip out of thy Mind:  
Tremble when ever you do entertain  
A Thought into your Hearts, to sin again;  
Or when you do forget the Lord, whose Hand  
Spared you at Sea, & brought you safe to Land.   

Now Courteous Reader, for whose sake I have  
Exposed these Lines to view; I only crave  
This at your Hands, That if these Meditations  
Be over brief for your large expectations,  
That you would use Industry, and enlarge  
Upon the Premises, and so discharge  
Your Christian Duty in this Exercise;  
And then what's writ, may very well suffice  
For Simple Meditations from this Text:  
Mixed Meditations now shall be the next.    

CHAP. X.  

Wherein you have a brief (but plain) Relation,  
What Seas and Ships afford for Meditation;  
Which is in twelve Particulars laid down,  
Pleasant and profitable to be known.   

AND first consider well, how near thou art  
Unto thy Death; 'tis but a Board doth part  
'Twixt Thee & Death; if that Board chance to hit  
Upon some churlish Rock, & so be split;  
Thou sinks into the raging Ocean, and  
Thy Burying-place must be the restless Sand;  
Thou needs no Sexton there to dig thy Grave,  
The Sand is all the Burying-place thou'lt have:  
Thy Body through the Waters make its way,  
And there must lie until the Judgment-Day.   

2. But Secondly, Consider with what care  
The Pilot to his Compass doth repair,  
Because from thence he is to take Direction;  
And with what careful Head & Circumspection,  
He doth observe his Landmarks; and likewise,  
See how the Steersman at the Helm applies  
Himself to hearken, with all diligence,  
Unto the Pilot's Voice; because from thence,  
He's to receive Directions how to steer:  
But Oh! How careless doth poor man appear,  
That is concerned in Soul-Navigation,  
Although it do respect his own Salvation.  
Although we hear the Pilot call and cry,  
What little heed takes Man to steer thereby.  
Oh▪ how industrious is Seamen here,  
To scape from Shipwreck; while we, void of fear,  
Hazard the Shipwreck of our Souls, and trust  
All will be well, though we obey our Lusts.  
Oh, what's the matter Souls! what doth condence  
Our Hearts? and why are we so void of Sense,  
To value less the shipwreck of our Souls,  
Than of our Ships, that carries in their Holds  
●othing, at best, but what is transitory▪  
●hose full Enjoyment's but a fading Glory.  
Now, let the Seaman's Diligence and Care,  
●o save his Ship, provoke thee to beware  
●hou dost not lose thy Soul through negligence▪  
●or loss of which, there is no Recompense.   

3. With what a strong unsatisfied Desire,  
●o all the Ships crew, after Land inquire:  
when he at Top-masts Head, at last, doth spy  
●and, though far off, How welcome is his Cry?  
● of good Cheer, dear Sirs, and faint no more!  
●onder's our Harbour! I discover Shore!  
●e're past the worst, our Danger now is over!  
●ear up, dear Hearts! Cheer up! I do discover  
Our wished-for Port, from whence our hoped-for Gai●  
Will recompense us for our toil & pain.   

Doth Seamen thus desire to des-cry  
Their Ports at Sea? O then, my Soul, say; Wh●  
Thou art so lazy, and dost not look out?  
Alas, my Soul! I fear, I am in doubt.  
thou'rt too secure. Dost not understand  
The Excellency of that Holy Land?  
Methinks thou shouldest much desire to hear  
The Watchman tell thee, That thou drawene●  
That happy Port of fair Emmanuel,  
Whose boundless-endless-Treasures do excel.   

Seamen have their prospective Glasses by them  
By which, things at a distance is drawn nigh the●  
Faith is that true Prospective Glass, whereby  
Things at a distance is drawn very nigh.  
Abram looks thorough his Prospective-Glass,  
And saw Christ's Day long time before it was.  
Through this Prospective-Glass thou may b●ho●  
Jerusalem, whose Streets is pure Gold;  
Whose Walls is precious Stones; whose Glo● brig●  
Is Christ, the Son of God, that gives it Light  
Whose Beauty, when thou sees it, will delight the●  
Whose Riches is sufficient to invite thee,  
To venture all the Loss thou may sustain,  
That thou that sacred Country may obtain:  
Abram did see't far off, and did rejoice;  
Moses beheld it also, and made choice  
●'endure Storms, abide tempestuous Wether;  
And, Happy Moses, if he gets but thither.   

Is not this Country worth thy observation?  
Or settest thou so lightly by Salvation?  
●ook out, dear Souls, and hear the Watch-man's voice!  
behold the Glorious Country! and rejoice  
●hat you can see the Country, though not nigh:  
observe your Compass well, and steer thereby;  
●ill thou arrives at Canan's sacred Shore,  
●here Pleasures will attend thee ever more.   

4. But in the Fourth place: Thou mayst there observe  
●hat Care the Seaman taketh to preserve  
●ch Rope and Cable, that it may hold fast  
●e Anchor, that the Ship may not be cast  
● Rocks, or Sands, or forced in any sort,  
● Storms or▪ Tempests, from their wished Port.  
Hope is the Anchor of the Soul: No Storm  
●here Faith to Hope's united, can do harm.  
●ith is the Cable; and if so be thou find  
●ith not sufficient to resist the Wind  
● strong Temptations; mark what Scripture saith,  
●y Hope is strengthened, when thou adds to Faith.  
●mptations (like a Tempest) raises strife.  
●d but the Virtues of a Holy Life  
●to thy Faith, thy Hope will never fail;  
● then thy Anchor's cast within the Veil:  
●ere will thy Anchor hold both firm and sure;  
●d this thy Anchor keeps thy Soul secure.   

5. How doth the Seamen, when the Wind's contrary  
Wait with Desire, and with patience tarry  
Till the unconstant Wind do change; no less,  
Doth want of Winds bring Seamen to distress.  
Calms & cross Winds, do both alike presage  
The ill success of an unprosperous V'age.   

A Spiritual Seaman's thus becalmed, when ●eac●  
Has this Effects, to make his Lust's increase▪  
Ephraim had Peace allowed him, as a fa●or▪  
But its Effects was, that an evil savour  
Made Ephraim to stink: Wherefore, the Lord  
His own Inheritance hath oft abhorred.  
Good David in a Calm did suffer more,  
Than he had done in all his Life before.  
When God gave David Peace instead of Strife,  
Then Lusted he after Vriah's Wife.  
When Israel was at Peace on every side,  
This was the time, that they did most backslide.   

Thus Calms, we see, have done us many harms  
As ever did cross Winds, or hasty Storms:  
Then pray, with Seamen, that you may be neither  
Harmed by Calms, cross Winds, or storm● Weather  
When thou art over-mastred by Corruptions,  
They are like cross Winds, making Interruptions  
Observe these cross Winds, and use Diligence  
Seamen, sometimes, can with cross Winds dispense.  
They'll work against the Wind, & so must thou;  
But yet observe when the Winds do blow  
With a fair Course; observe these gentle Gales,  
And then be sure thou spread out all thy Sails.   

By fair Winds here, I would be understood,  
To mean the Holy Ghost, that promised Good;  
Which breathes into thy Soul, & gently moves  
To every Good, and every Sin reproves.  
When ever thou perceives that sacred Wind  
To breath into thy Soul, be sure thou mind  
●ts holy Breathing: If it do invite thee  
To Holiness, let Holiness delight thee:  
●f it reproves at any time for Sin,  
Be sure thou takest no Delight therein.  
When Spirit's Breathing calls for thy Affections  
●nto the Scriptures, follow its Directions.   

Thus if each sacred Gale of Wind thou eye,  
And close with every Opportunity,  
And let no fair Wind slip in any sort;  
'twill hasten thee to thy desired Port.   

6 What Pains a Seaman taketh in a Storm,  
To keep his Vessel, and himself from harm?  
Some tend the Sails, while other some do stand  
By this and th'other Rope: There's not a Hand,  
At such an hour find a time to cease,  
But as the storm, their labours do increase.  
●ome ply the Pump, while others stand to sound,  
And all to keep themselves from being drowned.  
Why then poor soul dost thou securely sleep,  
Till thou with Jonah perish in the deep:  
How many a Storm poor soul hast thou been i●  
Yet not so much as wakened with thy Sin?  
How do the Waves like mighty Armies com●  
Threatening to send thee to thy longest home?  
How oft hath that pale Messenger of Death,  
Been threatening to take away thy breath?  
And sleeps thou yet, poor soul! O hear the noi●  
Of God in Judgement, whose tempestuous Voy●  
Once shook the Earth: If thou'lt not now awake  
 long he will both Earth and Heaven shake  
Then will it be Tempestuous round about him  
Then woe to them that now do live without hi●  
This Tempest now is sounding in thine Ears,  
And canst thou sleep with Jonah free from fears  
Awake poor drowsy Soul; at last bethink the●  
Or else thine own Iniquity will sink thee.  
Rouse up! rouse up! & ply thy Pump my Sou●  
My Vessel leaks, waters has filled it Hold:  
Empty thyself my soul of all vain pleasure,  
If ever thou intent to save that treasure;  
Thy precious soul I mean, that is more worth  
Than all the fading Treasures of the Earth.  
Seamen in Storms▪ they must be sure to mind  
Their Sails, or else some cross contrary wind  
May sink and over-set; they may be driven  
On Rocks or Sands: so you that sail for Heave● fil●  
Mind your Affections, labour to be skilled  
In these your Sails, and know with what they  
● with vain Pleasures, thy affections be  
●ill'd full, they'll sink thee to Eternity:  
●ut if with holy breathe, than no Storm  
●an be so strong to do thee any harm:  
storms drive thee faster to thy wished Shore,  
●here thou shalt never meet with Tempest more.   

7. How doth each Mariner, while he takes care  
●or the preserving of his own affair,  
●mprove his pains alike for all the Crew?  
●he safety of the whole is in his view:  
●f that provision any person makes,  
●o save his private , all partakes:  
●ach one's concern is so with others mixed,  
●hat it doth make a harmony betwixt  
●hat little Commonwealth. O then, what cause  
●ast thou my Soul, to slight the Sacred Laws  
●hich God hath in his Holy word made known?  
●hat is to make another's case thine own.   

When thou art seeking for thy own Salvation,  
remember, O my Soul, the whole Creation.  
●od hath to man an Universal Love,  
●nd would have none to Perish: Let this move  
●y heart to pity every one, that I  
●e walking in their own Iniquity:  
●et me, in using of my best endeavour  
●o save my soul from perishing for ever:  
●hink with thyself, my soul, 'twill not suffice  
●hat thou art saved alone; thou must likewise  
By Life and Doctrine, or  may,  
Seek to put others also in the way  
To save themselves: My Soul, thou canst not b●  
Rightly endeavouring thyself to free  
From Death's eternal Soul-amazing snare,  
But others of thy labours will have share.  
When wicked men behold thy good behaviour  
It makes impression, leaves a pleasant savour;  
Makes them in love with goodness, lets them se●  
The foolish madness of Impiety.  
Men truly brought unto a sight of sins,  
Soon sees the danger of it, and gins  
To take up resolutions, to forsake it;  
Hear now this Counsel, O my Soul! & take it  
Be like the Seaman, who, while he make sure  
To save himself, doth all the rest secure.  
Yet by the way, this one thing must be known  
While thou seeks others good, slight not thin● own●   

8. From these unconstant various mutations  
Which Seamen daily see these Meditations,  
Which under this eighth circumstance doth she●  
Itself, is here presented to our view.  
How do calm Evenings many times deceive  
The too secure Seamen, who believe,  
Perhaps, because they see no present Storm  
Before the Sun goes down, there will no harm  
Suprise their quiet rest, but that they may  
Lie down in safety, sleep till brake of day.   

But now behold, before the Night is spent,  
A sudden Tempest is from Heaven sent,  
That doth awake them; they are dispossessed  
All of a sunden of their quiet rest:  
Their Evening's Calm's turned to a Night of sorrow,  
In great distress they cry out for the Morrow;  
Hoping the Day, when come, will bring Relief;  
But Day, Alas! doth still increase their Grief.  
O sad disastrous Accident! most strange!  
O great Mutation! unexpected Change!  
Who would have thought, but some few Hours past,  
Those Calms would usher in so great a Blast?  
The Day is come, but yet no Hope remains;  
They call and cry, but yet their fruitless pains  
Goes unrewarded, till the dismal Night  
Comes on, & puts their slender Hopes to flight;  
Their Hope is at an end, their Day is done,  
Their sable Night has now obscured the Sun;  
And now they are expecting every Minit,  
Their Ship should sink, with every thing that's in it:  
But of a sudden, as the Night came on,  
The Tempest ceases, all their Fears are gone:  
They that were now with fear of Death possessed,  
Can now dispose themselves to quiet Rest;  
They, whose perplexed Thoughts the Storms did fright,  
(Who were in dread of a Tempestuous Night),  
Can now lie down in safety, sleep secure:  
These strange Mutations Seamen do endure.   

Thus stands the Case, my Soul! The same Mutation  
Daily attends upon Soul-Navigation.  
How calm sometimes, an Evening doth appear?  
The Soul goes on in sin, and doth not fear:  
He sins, and sins again, without relenting;  
And not so much as dreams of his Repenting.  
While others fear the losing of their Souls,  
He sins, and meets with nothing that controls;  
Can laugh at Vices, and can play with Sins;  
So great's the Calm: But suddenly gins  
An unexpected Alteration; and,  
He now gins to see, and understand,  
That God's an Enemy to Sin, and will  
Not clear the Guilty, but in wrath will kill  
All the Ungodly; such as do rebel,;  
He will cast down into the Pit of Hell  
Where Sinners shall be Subjects of his Ire,  
And live Eternally in Flames of Fire.   

O what a Tempest is there now begun!  
His Joy is over, and his Peace is done:  
Now every Sin seems like a mighty Wave:  
He now cries out▪ with Peter; O Lord, save  
A miserable Wretch, that am undone!  
O may I see the Morning! may the Sun  
Arise, and fill my darkened Soul with Light,  
And free me from the Terror of the Night!  
Thus with Soul-melting lamentable cries,  
My soul did long to see the Sun arise;  
But when the Morning came, alas, my grief  
Seemed rather more than less, and my relief  
Seems farther off, the Sun did shine so clear,  
That now my sins like Armies do appear.   

I saw God's Love in Christ, indeed, most plain,  
And understood, that he for Sin was slain:  
Yea, furthermore, I also understood,  
'twas for great Sinners, that he shed his Blood:  
But yet withal, I also did perceive,  
That such as did the Benefit receive,  
Were real Converts, such as did repent:  
But I beheld myself Impenitent;  
● disobedient Rebel: With Delight,  
Have I committed sin both day and night;  
●or could I see a Reason to expect  
●hat, which was only due to God's Elect.  
Thus in the Day, the Tempest did increase;  
●he more I saw, the further off from Peace.  
●he Tempest thus continued, till the Light  
●as quite obscured, and a dreadful Night  
●ame fast approaching on, my Watchful Eye,  
●ees nothing now but Death Eternally.   

Behold, My Sorrow's now at height, extreme!  
●ow all the World, for one refreshing Beam!  
●ut when I thought this dark and dismal Night  
●ould sink my Soul, I saw by Candlelight,  
spotless Dove, bringing a Branch of Peace;  
●id to the Seas, Be still: Their Rage did cease.  
was the sacred Candle of God's Word,  
●at did this precious Beam of Light afford:  
plainly saw from thence, that Christ was sent,  
● save the sinful, disobedient:  
I saw from thence, God never passed Death's Sentence  
On any Man, till he refused Repentance:  
I saw from thence, God never did respect  
Any Man's Person, nor did he reject  
The worst of Sinners, that were but content  
To leave his sins, and truly to repent:  
I saw from thence, God's Universal Love  
To every Man: This sacred Light did prove,  
That God loves all Men from his first Creation  
And from this Light, I saw his great Compassion  
Unto his Creature, Man, whom he did make  
In his own Image; for which Creature's sake,  
He made a gracious Promise of Redemption  
Unto his Creature, Man, without Exemption.  
I saw myself from thence, as one of those  
That God out of the whole Creation chose  
To bear his Image hence: I knew likewise,  
If any one that bears his Image dies;  
'Tis not because the Lord before hath said,  
This Man whom I have in my Image made,  
Shall die Eternally; he shall not have  
Sufficient Means allowed him to save  
His Soul from Death: But, 'tis because he chu●  
To walk in Paths of Darkness, and refuses  
That sacred Path of Light and Life, that's giv●  
Wherein all Men may steer their Course for H●v●  
All these bright Beams of glorious Light Divi●  
Forth from the Candle of God's Word did shine:  
Even in the Night, the stormy Wind did cease,  
Which filled my Heart with Comfort, Joy, and Peace.   

9 How beautifull's the Ship when under sail,  
Having th' advantage of a pleasant Gale?  
With how much Pleasure, Ease, & Cheerfulness,  
Do Seamen than attend their Business?  
How pleasant is their passage, when no Storm  
Puts them in fear of an approaching Harm?  
When neither Wind, nor Wether interpose,  
How well all matters in their Voyage goes?  
How beautiful's the Soul, when its Affections  
Is wholly guided by Divine Directions?  
When holy Breathe makes th' Affections swell  
With Love and Zeal for God, and to excel:  
When sacred Breathe thus possess the Mind;  
He's like a Ship that runs before the Wind  
Upon the smooth-faced Seas, when never a blast  
Is sent to interpose. O then, what hast  
The Soul doth make for Heaven, when its Corruptions  
Is all subdued, and makes no Interruptions?  
How pleasant, O my Soul, and with what ease  
Thou dost thy Work on these tempestuous Seas?  
Christ's Yoke's then easy, and his burden light;  
Then wilt thou serve the Lord with all thy might,  
And all thy Labour easy will become,  
Thy Works of Charity, not burdensome?   

How lovely Christians are in such a Case?  
Those holy Breathe beautifies the Face.  
When Passengers behold the Waves arise,  
As if they meant to grapple with the Skies,  
Behold the Waters in great fury strive  
To bury Ship and Seamen all alive;  
The Passenger concludes Seamen unwise,  
That for th'advantage of a slender Prize,  
Will run such Hazards: But when they behold  
Their Vessel laded with Rich Indian-Gold;  
And also fees the Seas affords Delights,  
As well as Terror: These things now invites  
The Passenger to think a Seaman's Life  
Is worth the seeking after: To be brief,  
When such a one as only is a Stranger  
Unto a Christian's Life, beholds the Danger  
That Christians are exposed to; and also,  
The Danger that they daily undergo,  
Some times from their Corruptions, and sometimes  
From Men that look at Righteousness a Crime;  
Whereby they daily are exposed to scorn,  
And looked upon as wretched and forlorn;  
Hated, forsaken, persecuted, and  
Beset with Sorrows upon every Hand:  
Upon the sight whereof, he will suppose  
'Tis worse than Folly, for a Man to choose  
To live so vile a Life, in expectation  
Only of future Glory, and Salvation.  
But if he sees a Christian in his Beauty,  
Freed from Temptations, to perform his Duty  
To God and Man: If ere this Stranger's Eyes  
Be so far oped, as to see the Prize,  
With which a Christian is at last rewarded,  
He'll think these Sorrow's not to be regarded:  
The Worth and Value of that sacred Prize,  
Makes him conclude a Christian only Wise.  
Improve thy Interest, use thy utmost Skill;  
●ntreat the Lord, my Soul, that he may fill  
Thy Spiritual Sails with Breathe from Above;  
That being filled with fervent Zeal and Love  
To God and Man, thy Beauty may invite  
Strangers to steer for Heaven with Delight;  
And so thou wilt adorn the Gospel, and  
Make many seek after the Holy Land.   

10. How useful's every Rope? there's none so small,  
But is of use; each Seaman knows them all;  
Can call them by their Names; do understand  
Both when, and why each Rope he is to hand:  
And, with what Strength, with what Dexterity,  
They hand and hale each Rope? My Soul, apply  
This to thyself: In sacred Navigation,  
There's not a Rope, but thou wilt find occasion  
To make use of it; There is not a Word,  
But something of benefit it will afford:  
The Promises is all of use, we know;  
And every threatening Vvords of use also;  
Every Experience of God's Faithfulness,  
Thou may lay hold on, with as great a stress,  
As Seamen do upon the Ropes they hale,  
When they would either keep, or force the Sai●  
To bear up Wind; that so they may,  
Taking advantage of the Wind, make way.   

Every Experience is like a Cord,  
That draws the Soul's Affections to the Lord;  
From whence these sacred Breathe do proceed  
That fills thy Sails, & makes thee run with spee●  
Every Work, or Act of Providence;  
Mercies, Afflictions, sudden Accidents,  
Steppings-aside, Miscarriages, Temptations;  
All these are useful in Soul-Navigation;  
Want of Industry, or spiritual Sloth:  
There's not a Word can slip out of thy Mouth;  
There's not an Act of Folly can be wrought;  
Nor yet a vain unprofitable Thought;  
All sins of Negligence, sins of Omission:  
All these may serve to stir up Heart-Contrition   

See'st thou thyself in every thing too blame;  
Be drawn thereby, into a humble Frame:  
The humble Man the Lord will teach his ways  
The Lowly he'll exalt to sing his Praise.   

By all that's said, it doth appear most plain,  
A spiritual Seaman, if well skilled, may gain  
By every Work and Action in his Life,  
Whether't be good or evil: To be brief,  
As every Rope is useful in its place;  
So nothing's useless in a Christian's Race.  
God's goodness, when compared with ours, ma● serum  
To let us see how little we deserve.  
●o see his Wonders both by Sea and Land,  
May let us see the Power of his hand,  
That of a suddain's able to consume  
Such as do live in wickedness, presume.   

11. As Ships within the Holds do bear the Prize;  
So on the Deck, they carry strength likewise;  
So that they may be able to oppose  
The strong Assaults of their enraged Foes▪   

Know also, O my Soul! thou must provide  
Weapons of War, of which thou'lt be supplied  
Out of that sacred Magazine, the Lord  
Has richly furnished from his holy Word.  
Seamen expect to meet with opposition;  
And Spiritual Seamen's in the same Condition;  
Beset with Pirates round on every side;  
World, Flesh, and Devil: O my Soul, provide  
Thyself with Armour, that thou may withstand  
The Force and Fury of this triple band.  
Thy Adversaries have both strength and skill;  
Resolved they are, and overcome they will,  
Unless thou make a very strong resistance;  
Which if thou wilt, thou shalt not want assistance.  
God's holy Word's the Magazine; wherefore,  
Go arm thyself out of that sacred Store:  
There's Weapons suitable for every Foe;  
The Sword, the Shield, the Helmet; and also,  
A sacred Breastplate, Paul esteems no less,  
Than pure Innocence and Righteousness;  
This piece of Armour will secure the Heart  
From being pierced with Satan's fiery Dart:  
A Breast that that's armed with Righteousness can never  
Be pierced with all the Darts in Satan's Quiver.  
'Tis neither Satan, nor his Instruments,  
Can with their Malice harm the Innocent.  
Satan improved all his Hellish Power  
Against poor Job, intending to devour  
That Righteous Person; and to that intent,  
That nothing should his Hellish Rage prevent,  
He makes Job's Wife an Instrument to cause  
Him to offend, and break God's sacred Laws;  
Persuading him to curse his God, and die;  
Stirs up his Friends t'accuse him wrongfully:  
But Job being armed well, resists them all;  
Their Darts rebound (as from a flinty Wall)  
Against themselves, as they could do no less,  
He being strongly armed with Righteousness:  
He could appeal unto the Lord most High,  
Who knew the Truth of this Integrity;  
That willingly he never did transgress;  
Muchless had he contrived Wickedness▪  
Thus Job was armed against the force and might  
Of Satan, armed with Hell-inraged spite.  
These three pernicious Foes were all consented  
To ruin Job, but they were all prevented.   

Poor Job upon the Dunghill sits him down,  
Beholds the former-smiling World to frown;  
●nd of a sudden, sees himself bereft  
●f all his Temporals, and hath nothing left.  
●ut what doth Righteous Job in this distress?  
●ow he has nothing left him to possess,  
●e takes him to his Weapon; draws his Sword.  
'tis God doth give (saith he,) it is the Lord,  
That when he pleases, takes away the same:  
●od gives, and takes; and, Blessed be his Name.  
Thus with his sacred Sword he puts to flight  
●he World with all its Pomp: But now in sight,  
●nother dreadful Foe, with Visage pale,  
encounters Job, and threatens to prevail:  
●● was his Flesh, that in▪ bred Enemy,  
●hat now against poor Job doth make reply.  
whence doth it come (saith Flesh to Job) that thou  
●rt of a sudden tumbled down so low?  
●nd what's the cause that thou art thus tormented?  
●nd why art thou so patiented & contented?  
what? is thy Righteousness no more regarded?  
●nd must thy Innocence be thus rewarded?  
was it but now that thou was so precise,  
●o offer for thy Sons a Sacrifice,  
●hat for thy Sons thou might make Intercession,  
●● case they had been found in some Transgression?  
●nd is this all th' acceptance thou must find,  
●o have thy Sons slain with a mighty Wind?  
●Vas't not enough to cast thee from thy Throne,  
●here like a Prince, thou wast accepted on;  
●ut that thy Flesh must tortured be at last,  
●nd thou thyself upon the Dunghill cast?  
If Pious Persons be rewarded thus,  
In vain, poor Job, hast thou been Righteous:  
Cease to be Righteous Job; thou can but die crying  
What's the Reward of thine Integrity?  
'Tis worse than Death: Thou sees thy consta● saith  
Bespeaks no less than a continual Dying.   

But now observe what this brave Champion  
See how he wealds the sacred Shield of Faith!  
What now my Flesh (saith he) art thou afraid  
To serve the Lord omnipotent, that made  
The Heavens, & the Earth, Sun, Moon, & Stars  
And all, because there doth remain some Scars  
Upon thy Body? What, though Torments fill me?  
I'll fear the Lord my Maker, though he kill me.  
I know (saith Job) that my Redeemer lives;  
Who, though he do afflict my Body, gives  
Me full Assurance, that these Eyes of mine,  
Shall yet behold him Gloriously Divine:  
And though my Flesh be tortured with Pain,  
I know my Flesh shall be restored again:  
I will not part with my Integrity,  
Nor lose my Righteousness until I die:  
The Grave within a little space receives me,  
And then my Tortures must be forced to leave me:  
Then cease my Flesh to tempt me any more;  
For while I live, my Maker I'll adore.   

Thus Job being armed with Helmet, Sword, Shiel●  
Did force his Enemies to quit the Field.  
Job like a skilful Seaman was so wise,  
He carries Weapons to secure his Prize:  
then, my Soul, be thou so wise to arm thee,  
●nd Satan, that grand Pirate shall not harm thee.   

12. But in the last place: Let thy Meditation  
●metimes be fixed on this Consideration:  
●ust by the Helm, thou sees the Compass stand;  
●o sooner doth the Seaman lay his Hand  
●pon the Helm, but that immediately  
●nto his Compass, he directs his Eye  
●ee with what Strength he holds the Helm, when he  
Would steer upon some Point. This aught to be  
The care of every Spiritual Seaman here,  
As up and down these trouble Seas they steer:  
As thou art steering up and down this World,  
Where many times thou'rt in a Fury hurled  
Into strange Countries, and sometimes is driven  
On churlish Rocks and Sands: What strength is given,  
Improve it to the utmost of thy Skill.  
Hold fast the Helm, but eye thy Compass still.   

This World's the Sea; thy Body is likewise,  
The floating Ship; thy Soul's the Merchandise;  
Th' Affections is the Sails; and also mind,  
The Spirit's Breathe is that sacred Wind  
That fills thy Soul, and gives it lively Motion  
Unto thy Vessel on this restless Ocean:  
Well-grounded Hope's the Anchor, makes thee able  
T'endure the worst of Storms: True Faith's the Cable,  
That holds the Anchor fast, it cannot slip:  
Thy Tongue's the Helm (saith James) that gu● the S●  
When David would prevent his doing wrong  
With force & might (saith he) I'll keep my Tongue  
With that we bless and curse; and ●o be plai●  
The Tongue unguided, makes Religion vain:  
Be careful what thou utterest therefore; and  
Before thou speaks, observe how it will stand  
Agreeing to the Compass, Rule, and Guide:  
Men by their Words (saith James) are justified  
And by their Words M●n are condemned saith he  
To Rule thy Tongue well, is a good Degree:  
He that hath gained the Conquest of his Tongu●  
He is both skilful, valiant, wise, and strong.   

Three things observe in guiding of thy Tongue  
And first, observe that it does speak no wrong  
Of God the Father; charge Him not foolishly,  
If He afflicts thy Soul: But rather cry  
With David; Search my Heart, purge out fro● then●  
What Sin so ere may slain my Innocence.   

But in the second place; I say again  
In guiding of thy Tongue, thou must re●rain  
From idle Words: Vain Jesting saith St. Paul  
Is not convenient; doth no suit at all  
With Heaven-expecting Souls: Vain Words defile  
The best of Men. Let not thy Tongue revile,  
Although thou be reviled: Do not render  
Railing for Railing; evil Words engender.  
● multitude of Sin doth purchase blame,  
And terminates in Everlasting Shame.   

Thirdly: In guiding of thy Tongue, thou must  
Be sure to speak the thing that's Right and Just.  
Speak no unsavoury Word in any Case:  
Let all thy Words be seasoned with Grace;  
That from thy Lips such gracious words may fall,  
That may be of sweet benefit to All;  
That Sinners may be drawn from Wickedness,  
And Saints may persevere in Holiness.  
These three things, if thou dost observe them well,  
●n guiding of thy Tongue, thou wilt excel.   

And to conclude our sacred Navigation:  
There is sufficient for thy Meditation  
●n every thing, that to the Ship pertains,  
Or to the Sea: It only now remains,  
That Ship, & Sea, & Sand, & Rocks, & Wind,  
With Heavenly Contemplations fill thy Mind.   

Thus having briefly run through every Part  
Of this Soulsaving Navigable-Art;  
I'll leave it with thee now, and say no more:  
But shall desire (as I have done before)  
That all these Rules, as I have here laid down,  
May be as fully practised, as known;  
That in this sacred Art, thou may excel;  
Which He desires, that bids thee now Farewell.    
FINIS.   

A Catalogue of some Books Printed for, and Sold by Benjamin Harris, at the Stationers-●rms in Sweetings-Rents, in Cornhill, near the Royal-Exchange.  
A Confession of Faith, put forth by the Elders and Brethren of many Congregations of Christians Baptised, upon Profession of their Faith in London, and the Country; newly Published: Price bound, One shilling.  
War with the Devil: Or, The Young Man's Conflict with the Powers of Darkness: In a Dialogue: Discovering the Corruption and Vanity of Youth, the Horrible Nature of Sin, and deplorable Condition of Fallen-Man: Also, a Definition, Power, and Rule of Conscience and the Nature of true Conversion: To which is added, An Appendix, containing a Dialogue between an Old Apostate, and a Young Professor Worthy the perusal of All; but chief intended for the Instruction of the Younger sort: The Fifth Impression: By Benj. Keach. To which is now added, a Second Part: Price bound, On● shilling Eight pence.  
The Causes and Cure of sad Disconsolate Thoughts in Christians: By William Traughton: Price bond Eight pence.  
The Seaman's Spiritual Companion: Or, Navigation Spirituallized: Price bound, One shiling.