business that is Observ 4 now to bee done and followed on in the Seas England thou hast argumentum Aristotelicum argumentum Basilinum on thy side Three special things desire to bee seen and enjoyed in this world 1. The fall of Babylon the destruction of Antichrist 2. The destruction of Gog and Magog the Turkish Monarchy 3. The full conversion of the Jews is to pull down the house of Austria and the Pope of Rome That do business in great waters c. Amongst the many reasons that might be deposited take these for some 1. Because the time draws on that that which is prophecied shall bee fulfilled Rev. 11.15 And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voices in Heaven saying The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of the Lord Jesus and hee shall reign for ever and ever St. John saw the elders casting down all their crowns before the Throne 1600 years ago what may wee not expect now then saying thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power Apoc. 4.10 Hee that has but a seeing eye at nearer times may clearly discern What valiant spirits were they of in former times History tells us that the whole world was fought for thrice 1 Betwixt Alexander and Xerxes 2 Betwixt Caesar and Pompey 3 Betwixt Constantine and Lucinius Were they so valiant in those dayes Sailors and wil not you be as valiant in these dayes of ours that both Crowns and Kingdomes are staggering And soon after John heard every creature in heaven and in Earth and Sea saying Blessing Honour Glory and Power bee unto him that sits upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for evermore Chap. 5.13 And soon after he saw Christ with his Crown upon him going forth conquering and to conquer Chap. 6.2 And hee that hath a seeing eye may observe the approach of this day 2. Because it hath stood so many hundreds of years in the opposition of Christs and still remains and perseveres a malignant and peevish enemy unto the interest of Christ and the very life and power of godliness 3. Because God hath given the valiant Joshuahs of this age and generation a most wonderful magnanimous and undaunted courage and resolution to go on in their Sea-wars against them Yea they are admirably fitted with fighting spirits for the work Surely that universal and military spirit that is now in the fighting breasts and bosomes of the English do bee-speak the great things that God hath on foot in the world otherwise to what end is it that men should bee in these dayes so unknownly valorous and couragious if God had not some work for them to do 4. Reason may seem to bee this Englands late activeness and carefulness in building of so many famous brave What was said of Epeâ—s I wil say of England against Spain and Rome that he did Lignum facere equum in eversionem Troja England builds wooden horses that carry great Guns in their panches to ruine their enemies withall Divide the world into thirty equal parts nineteen of those thirty are Heathen six of the eleven Mahumetans five parts of the thirty Christians Of Professors of Christ most Papists few Protestants And of Protestants how few beleevers By this we may see that Christ hath but a little share in the world sumptuous warlike ships this be-speaks England ni fallor to bee an instrument in the hands of Christ to crush the Papal and Antichristian powers of the world No Nation under the whole Heavens look all the whole universe thoughout is in that gallant posture and warlike equipage by Sea that the Nation of England is in at this very day God preserve it To stir up your British blood that they would every one of them lend their helping hand to tear the scarlet Whore of Rome to peeces and those Papal powers and adherents of the world I think it convenient to press some ponderous and considerable motives For I know by experience that the Souldier prepares not to battel untill hee hear the sound of the Drum or Trumpet sounding an Horse Horse or a Stand to your Arms. Therefore to put you on brave Warriours in the Seas Nil desperandum Christo duce auspice Christo Bee not afraid Christ is your Captain and hee is resolved to have all the sinful powers and the irreligious Kings and Emperours and Princes of the world down and if you will not do it Generations after you will do Christs work for Christ will no longer bee crowded into a corner of the world but hee will have the world in his own hands Rev. 11.1 I would have Sailors to be of Themistocles metal against the Spaniard of whom Plutarch said that after he had heard once that Miltiades had got himself so much honour in the Marathonian battel he was not able to sleep because Miltiades was so far before him and he so short of him in honour 7 15. Hee will take unto himself his great power and reign c. Zach. 10.11 The pride of Assyria shall bee brought down and the Scepter of Egypt shall depart away It is usual to express the enemies of the Church by the names of old enemies as Assyria and Egypt was 1. That it is one special peece of Englands generation-work Therefore look to it and withdraw not till you have laid Babylon in the dust 2. That God is arising to recover his lost glory and honour in the world And will not you arise and bestir your selves then 3. Consider but seriously the soul-damning vassallage and infringed liberty that Southern Nations lye in and groan under What groans what cryes and what sighs bee there in Spain and yet dare not bee known in their secret disaffection to their impertinent and God-displeasing worship Gentlemen have you not fought out your own liberties in England yea fatis superque satis And why will you not now venture as deeply for Christs interest still as you have done I would have our English to overlook the greatest difficulties that are to be objected prima facie in a work of this like nature and resemble Hannibal in courage who said when upon the Alps with his Army Aut viam inveniam aut viam faciam I will either finde out a way over these cloud topping mountains or make my way through them Doth not the captived condition of forein parts call for help 4. Consider seriously that general disowning and denying of the Gospel of Christ either to bee read or preached in publick and private as it should be This is in Spain and Italy c. Will not this set your spirits on a fire against those subtil and soul-murthering adversaries of the Lord Jesus Christs 5. Consider seriously the damnable cruel and Diabolical Inquisition that they have in Spain which hath been hatched betwixt the Devil and two sophistical Spanish Jesuits By this they can take off any mans life for questioning of their Religion and that at
that use the Seas that these Water-Spouts come down from heaven in the form of a cloud and at the one end it is in the form and likeness of a funnel which will descend upon the surface of the water and suck till it bee full out of the Ocean and so returns ascending up again into the heavens These are daunting and dreadful unto the ships that pass on in the Seas for if the cloud rends then down falls that infinite massy weight of water into the Sea again which will make the Sea to flash and froth at a great distance but if it come directly upon any of the ships it will endanger to sink them and to break down their decks masts and boltsprits Many ships have come to sad losses and woful hazzards by the fall of Water-Spouts Certainly after this manner does the Lord call and send for the waters of and in the Seas to pour out upon the face of the Earth The Ordinances of the Heavens are not seen nor known by and to every one Job 38.33 But to such as go down to the Sea These water-carrying Tankards come out of the Heaven to fetch water out of the Seas at Gods appointment to distil in silver showers upon the face of the whole Earth even upon the face of every Nation and Country that is in the World Amos 5.8 Now these Water-Spouts are not seen to any but ships that sail in the Seas 8. That various view that they have of the several sorts and kinds of People that bee in the world how they differ one from another in form habit speech gesture and deportment The Indians are wont to paint themselves with divers and sundry colours some with white and othersome with red some with the characters of the Moon in white and othersome with the Sun in black upon their bodies c. 9. That burning Island Fogo Burning Fogo These are the lads now that do Ultimas Provincias terras peragere in Remotissimas mundi partes navigare which is of an unspeakable heat and in height computed to bee twenty miles and upwards At the top of this Mountain there is a burning fire that shews it self four times in an hour most terribly to all the ships that sail in the Seas neer unto it It flyes up in horrid flames as if the fire of it would not stay until it reached the heavens after this like manner I have seen burning Strumbilo very vehement which lies in the Austral parts of the world 10. The People in the Torrid zone is another sight that they have who are afflicted most sadly with the scorching heat of the Sun It is observed that if there were not all the day long in those scorching parts of the world as the Indies c. a cool breeze which blows for the greatest part of the day to moderate that excessive roasting heat that is there it were impossible almost either for man or beast to live there they are so tormented and rosted with the beams of the Sun that they curse the up-rising of the Sun every morning they get out of their beds yet notwithstanding this vehement heat they have these accommodations to allay the intemperateness of the Zone many sweet springs of cool water to refresh themselves in and goodly rivers to bathe in many great and pleasant trees for shade which yeeld them both meat and drinks and besides they want not for Spices Sugars Lemons Oranges and juyces to quench their thirst withall and cool their bodies c. 11. A sight of those many Orange Olive and Lemon besides many other trees which they see growing where none inhabit Job 38.26 27. even their boughs ready to break with plenty of fruit and no hand nigh to take them in their maturity before they fall to the ground and perish In these parts lies the Lords store-houses of Snow Hail and Ice Job 37.9 Out of the North comes forth cold 12. The Northern parts of the world into which parts they adventure sometimes as far as they can for extreamity of cold but there is such an intolerable frigidity in some parts under the Poles as that they cannot bee discovered nor approached unto Job 38.18 Hast thou perceived the breadth of the Earth declare if thou knowest it all Many will make great cracks and brags that the world is so many thousand in rotundity and so many thousand in breadth but it is none of my judgement to beleeve any such trifling assertions or computations Nova-zembla 13. Those Septentrional Zones that bee in Greenland and Nova Zembla c. which onely in Summer-time may bee spoke with but not in the Hybernal insomuch that many parts under the Poles are inhospitable by reason of that excessiveness of cold frost snow and ice that lyes in those parts which would kill people to live there Those Sunless Starless and Moonless nights and days that bee in the Winter-time in those parts have fetcht in that in Matth. 25.30 to my thoughts And cast yee the unprofitable Servant into utter darkness there shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth If a man were in those parts hee would find nothing else but darkness weeping Meditate the torments of hell Sea-man when thou goest Norward Thou durst as soon eat thy fingers as go into the Northern parts of the world as Greenland c. if thou thoughtest not that thou hadst a good ship under thee to bring thee back again Thou knowest full well that the cold in that place would kill thee and gnashing of teeth and with ten thousand times that hee were in England or in any part of the world than in that uncomfortable part and side of the world 14. Lapland A sight of that People which live in Finmark and Lapland c. who to avoid that extreamity of Winter-cold that commonly falls upon those parts turn Troglodites they delve themselves warm holes and caves in the Earth to shelter themselves from the rage of that brumale tempus that breaks out upon them in that bitterness 15. A sight of those huge Icy Mountains that bee in those Northern Zones which make such a dashing and crashing one against another making such hideous noises as if it were the very roarings of hell or those ear-deafing Cataracts that are to bee heard and seen in Egypt 16. This is one that is as remarkable as any thing that has been spoken of That in Island Greenland and in divers other Northern parts of the world that are destitute of wood scarce having one stick growing yet notwithstanding they are most miraculously provided for every year and though they have not vessels nor ships to fetch wood withall yet does the Lord supply them on this wise Many great trees and billets are carried unto them upon the waves and billows of the Seas both out of Norway and elsewhere which come and lie in their creeks It is no small wonderment to mee to think how prodigiously
they are provided for that are without fuel in Island and elsewhere In this Island there is another very remarkable passage that there bee several waters in it which are of such a vehement ardency that they will boyl both fish foul and beef in And in these waters the people both dress and cook all their victuals and bays which the people take up and reserve for winter Certainly hee that guided the Kine which bare the Ark 1 Sam. 6.12 guides and orders that these parcels of wood faggots or fuel should come unto those that would bee starved if they were not thus helped every year and besides if there were not a visible hand of providence appearing for this people that live in a Country where doubtless wood will not grow or otherwise for firing it has been destroyed these peeces that swim upon the floods of the Seas might go from them and into the middle of the Sea rather than unto them if not directed c. 17. Their aspect of the Sea which is sometimes of such an ignifluous lustre as if it were full of Starrs insomuch that if a peece of wood or any other ponderous thing should be thrown into it at such times in the night it will show it self as if it were full of firesparkles Whence that Proverb As true as the Sea burns 18. The sight of those two burning Islands Hecla and Helga is another these are often times covered over with Snow yet burn within and belch out very terrible and vehement sparks of fire 19. Their viewing and walking up and down in the goodly sumptuous princely and stately Cities that bee in the world viz. Constantinople Grand-Cair Genoa Venice Naples Rome c. 20. A sight of those fearful and unusual Lightnings and Thunderings that bee sometimes in the Occidental and Austral parts of the world which are with such vehemency and dreadfulness that one would think that the Heavens and the Earth would come together I have heard the honestest and godliest of men that use the Seas say that when they have been in the Indies if they did but see a cloud appearing in the bigness of ones hand they need no other warning but that a most dreadful storm would ensue Insomuch that they have been forced to make all the haste they could to get sails furl'd yards peak'd and their ships fitted to endure it as well as they could The Observation was this That the most or the greatest part of Gods glorious and wonderful works are seen by Sea-men The point then will afford us these two uses 1. Of Reproof And 2. Of Exhortation 1. Vse Reproof 1. Is it thus then that you that are Sailors and Sea-men do see most of the Lords works yea more than all the people in the world besides Platonists by the sight of Nature see more yea and will shame thousands of our Sailors for they could say that all that pulchtitude and beauty that shines in the creature was but Splendor quidam summi illius boni pulchrum coelum pulchra terra sed pulchrior qui fecit illa Surely this point looks with a sour look upon you that make no improvement nor application of things unto your selves for better amendment than you do I may say unto you in the words of Job 35.11 who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven that God hath taught us more than the beasts of the field and hath made man wiser than the fowls of heaven therefore God looks for another manner of glory and understanding from you that are men than hee doth from them and more from those that are Christians than from natural and carnal men It is a notable saying of Mr. Calvins Diabolica ist aec scientia said hee quae in natura contemplatione nos retinens a Deo avertit That is a Devillish kinde of knowledge that in the contemplation of nature keeps men in nature and holds them back from God After this manner may I speak unto you that it is a devillish kinde of knowledge that you have of the Seas and of the Creation if that all you see know and hear of keep you still in nature what better art thou than a beast for all thy travel Give mee leave to tell you thus much 1. That there is a seeing eye in the world an eye that is much in Quaelibet herba Deum stella creaturaque and upon Gods works Isa 40.26 Job 26.8 Hee bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds and the cloud is not rent under them A seeing eye looks on nothing that is either in Sea or Land but thinks of God in it I have read of one that was so spiritual and heavenly-minded that when hee was in the world where hee had a full view of many wonderful things hee said there was nothing that ever hee did behold but hee saw God in it When I cast mine eyes upon the Earth I saw that God was every where When I looked upon the Heavens I considered with my self that that was his Throne When I looked into the depths of the Sea I beheld the power and wisdome of God in the creating of them And when I looked upon the many creeping things that were in it they told mee that God was there I looked also into the breathing air with all the inhabitants of it and it told mee that God was there whose proper Attribute is to bee every where I looked up into the Starry sphere and spangled roof of heaven which glisters with innumerable stars from whence I learned that that is a Christians Country who is in Christ and from thence do I look for my Saviour and the longer I do look upon those glorious and burning and shining Tapers of the heavens which are estimated the very least of them to bee bigger than the whole earth I consider that God hath undoubtedly great and just expectations from man that hee will do some work and service for his Maker Most Masters will not allow their servants to sport and idle whilst their candles are burning but if they finde them so doing they will blow them forth Certainly Sea-men you may conclude that God looks for great things from you who see so much of the Creation that others see not Will it not bee tollerabler for the ignorant Indian c. and the miserable heathen that is in the world than it will bee for you who have no other light but the light of nature to walk by I may compare the generality of Sea-men unto a Traveller who doth in his vagaries leave all things behind him in his way he passes by stately Towers and comely Turrets brave buildings both of Marble Brick and hewn stone goodly Cities Towns and Countries comely and beautiful people and other some both black and tawny and these hee beholds for a while and admires them and passeth on and leaveth them afterwards he goes thorow the â—ields
going into a place many a Sea-man may bee sent out to Spain and France and do business there by proxie and yet not go into France nor into Spain and on this wise would I bee understood of the Sailors going to Heaven for it is my judgment 1. That none can enter into the kingdom of heaven but they for whom it is prepared now it is not prepared for filthy and unclean swearers cursers adulterers and drunkards 1 Cor. 9.10 All such shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Matth. 20.23 But it shall bee given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father Charon in Lucian requested Mercurius to shew him Jupiters palace above how quoth Mercurius would such a Catiff as thou whose conversation hath been in hell and altogether with black shades and impure ghosts thinkest thou to set thy foul feet in that pure palace Ah what a dishonour would it bee to Heaven that thou shouldest ever come there 2. None can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but such as are prepared for it Now all villanous deboyst and graceless wretches are not prepared for it therefore they shall never come there 3. None can ever come to Heaven but such to whom it is promised now Heaven is not promised to the wicked and abominable James 2.5 but to the godly 4. None can come to Heaven but the friends of God now I fear that God has few friends amongst the Sailors because they like not his wayes nor cannot endure his Word therefore unlike to come to Heaven 5. None shall enter into Heaven but such as are born again this is a sad word may some say I but it is a true one Then I may conclude that there bee hundreds if not thousands of Sailors that never were born again and therefore they shall never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven till they bee born again John 3.3 Except a man bee born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God What will become of you poor Sailors that have no hand-writing of the work of Grace and of the Image of God stampt upon you as yet for to shew for Heaven 6. None shall ever come to Heaven but holy ones whither shall such swearers as our Sailors go then whither shall such drunkards as our Sailors are go then Now the Sailors life is like King Eldred's reign prava in principio pejor in medio pessima in ultimo Nought in the beginning worse in the middest and worst of all in the end and therefore I fear unlike to come to Heaven whither shall that irreligious crew that goes in the Seas go surely to Hell Heb. 12.14 and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. 2. That they shall go to Heaven my meaning is if any will use the Seas they shall nolenti volenti climb the great water-mountains that are in it which are made by the stormy winds which will in David's sense mount them up to Heaven but neither hee nor I do say that they shall go into Heaven I will not take upon mee neither dare I flatter wicked wretches and therefore I have cleered up the proposition and yet again on the other hand I pitty them when I consider how much those that use the Seas are without the grace and fear of God Observation 3 That all Sea-men generally go to heaven against their wills They mount up to the heaven I would they were as unwilling to go to Hell as they are to go to Heaven in a storm I should then have great hopes that none of them would ever come there and David tells us that their souls are melted because of trouble from whence this point arises and is also firmly grounded that it is small pleasure for them to go to Heaven in a storm And as they have no mind to bee jetted up to the Heavens in a storm I fear that they have as little stomack to go to that Heaven in which God Christ Saints and his holy Angels live in I mean as to walk in that way that leads thither but truly it were the greatest piece of wisdom for all our Sailors let the wind bee never so cross and contrary to strive to get thither if they can by any means although they make a thousand yea a million or the greatest number of boardings that can bee reckoned up it will bee worth the pains so to do Observation 4 That when Sea-men are near to heaven they find no entrance or admission but are sent back again after a violent praecipitant and disrespected manner Sailers are like to Belerephon who got upon the back of his winged horse Pegasus and when thinking to ride in horse all at the gates of Heaven Jupiter looks out throws him down to the Earth again insomuch that hee had like to have broken both their bones They go down again to the depths c. I would I could or were able to perswade every soul in the Sea to look seriously into one text of Scripture which will tell them that Christ will disown and reject many that have strong hopes I and as good thoughts as any of you have of their Salvation Matth. 7.21 Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but hee that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven Then I fear that ther will be the fewest Sailors of any people under the Heavens that will come thither my reason is they do not Gods will but their own and the Devils I fear wee shall see but few Sailors saved at the day of Judgment Seaman call thy condition into question and debate the case with thy self and say what shall not I enter into Heaven Captain ask thy own heart this question Master say thou unto thy self shall not I enter into Heaven Boatswain Gunner Carpenter Vulcan left the Earth out of a dislike and went to Heaven but says the Poet the clown was no sooner there but Jupiter grew to be displeased with him and thereupon threw him down and before hee got unto the Earth a whole summers-day was run out from Sun to Sun and in Lemnos Isle he broke his leg I leave you to find out my meaning move this question ever and anone Christ says that every one shall not why mayest not thou doubt that thou shalt bee one of them Thou mayest justly fear it if thy life bee naught That Sea-men had need to have good Observation 5 heads and innocent hearts in respect that they are by the stormy Charriots of the winds so often times tossed and transported to the heavens They mount up to heaven c. It is not every head or brain that can brook and endure to soar into the volatile region of the air The Sea-man stands in much need to have such an head as Polyphemus had of whom it is said that hee was so tall that hee rubbed the hair of his skul off upon the Heavens A good head
They who â—oe really call upon the Name of the Lord in dreadful storms and dangers do acknowledge him to be omniscient one who knows best of all their wants and necessities 2. They acknowledge God to bee Omnipotent and one who is able to supply all their wants in their greatest straights that ever they are surrounded with 3. They acknowledge him to bee an all-good and one who is very merciful and bountiful and upon these considerations any one may take encouragment to pray That the Sea-man commonly makes the Observ 8 Lord many serious and solemn vows and protestations in the time of calamity I have read of some Mariners that vowed wonderful largely when their ship lives were at the stake what they would do for their God whom they served they told him if ever they got to shoar alive they would sacrifice a Candle to him that should have as much tallow in it as the main-mast was in length and substance but when got safe to Land they forgot their vow and one of them being more religious than the rest begun to tell them of it and to prompt them to itâ— push quoth the Sailors we are now at Land and onâ— small candle of eight in the pound will serve the turn which afterwards hee never performs Then they cry c. As if David should have said in time of danger they will both protest and vow nay and almost swear too that they will turn gratious and pretious souls but when the storm is over their vows are all forgotten and they are at their swearing again Jonah 1.16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly and offered a Sacrifice unto the Lord and made vows It seems that this is a very common thing amongst them Plato had perswaded Alcibiades to live justly and honestly in the world during the whole course of his life and when hee protested and vowed to him that he would do so I pray God said Socrates that hee would once begin So our Sailors make large vows in dreadful storms when the ship is upon Sands or when shee is leaky and half full of water and they tell God very largely what paenitents and what religious people they will bee if hee will but graunt them their lives but I may say unto them pray God they would once begin there is not a people under the heavens that are slower to good and that have a less skill in good than they are they are couzen Germans to Seneca's Semper victuri and I pray God that they hit on it before they dye Sailors are like Nebucadnezzar's image in storms whose head was all of pure gold the arms of silver the thighs of brass the legs of earth and clay They are gold and silver in storms but at Land and in calms meer dross and brass It is with Sailors in storms as it was with Israel at that dreadful time of Gods descending out of the heavens upon Mount Sinai Deut. 5.27 Go thou near and hear all that the Lord our God shall say and speak thou unto us all and wee will hear it and do it Here was a large protestation you will say Well vers 29. carries sad tidings in it Oh that there were such an heart in them that they would fear mee and keep all my Commandments alwaies that it might bee well with them and with their children for ever The Sea-mans large promise to his God in a storm is like to false fire to a great Peece which dischargeth a rich expectation with a bad report Siquidem vovens non solvens quid nisi pejero Bern. Hee that vows in storms and does not perform his vows when delivered out of them forswears himself before the Lord. If there were but such an heart in Sailors as they pretend to have when in storms I am confident that no people under the heavens would outstrip them in piety That the Sea-man never takes up the Observ 9 duty of Prayer but when hee sees himself involved in an unlikely estate and condition of his ever recovery Then they cry This was an unsavory saying of one of the Sailors to the rest of his companions when labouring under a most dolorous storm My lads bee of good cheer I will go take a turn at prayer both for you and for my self for I am very confident that the Lord will hear mee because I am nâ— common beggar I used prayer as little as any man in the world I have observed it that at such times when wee have been thrown on Sands and when our sails have been rent in pieces by the violence of storm even as one would tear careless paper and linnen that then they have prayed Jonah 1.5 Then the Mariners were affraid and cryed every man unto his God You should never have heard those Sailors at Prayer that Jonah was amongst if that their lives had not been in that dreadful jeopardy It was a graceless saying of one Sailor when in a most inevitable danger that hee had never used any prayer for seaven years together but hee was now fallen into that distress that hee must bee forced to do that which hee neither liked nor never used to do Sailors are not unlike to Agrippa's Dormouse that would not nor could not bee awaked till shee was thrown into the boyling Copper and then the kettle rang with her dolorous Sonnets Ego uror Ego uror Alass I burn I burn It is danger makes many in the Sea go to prayer and not grace conscience or the fear of God The Sailors life is not unlike to Herman Biswick's of whom it is said that it was his judgment that the world was eternal and that there was neither Angels nor Devils Heaven nor Hell nor future life but that the souls of men perished with their bodies And if our Sea-men hold but of this strain they may live as they please But grant they doe not their prayerless lives tell us that the thoughts of Hell and the thoughts of God and of another world is not in their minds they have not another place in their eye but only this present world One of the sadest things that my soul has mourned for and at whilst in the Sea was my serious consideration of the many Vessels that go in the great deeps that neither do nor never did and I fear never will take up the work of prayer Prayer at Sea is like to a poor Beggar or Traveller on Land who goes from Town to Town and from Country to Country but is never invited in or taken notice of by any strangers and travellers we usually say meet but with cold entertainment Oh the many ships both in the States Ah that I should be forced to say that of the ships that go in the Seas which the Lord complained of once in the sons daughters of men Rom. 1.29 Being filled with all unrighteousness wickedness covetousness maliciousness full of envy murther debate deceit malignity whisperers
his glorious Majesty hee is able to do all things that are works of power might and strength and are not things against his own nature or things that imply contradiction Reason 2 Because when things are impossible in mans eye then is it the fittest time for the Lord to appear in It is a common saying and a true one That mans extreamity is Gods opportunity Observ 6 That God in his Judgments upon the Seas often times remembers mercy And hee bringeth them c. God is slow to wrath I wish I may not say of the Lords indulgency to profane wretches in the Sea what Sigismund the Emperour used to say of his enemies Is inimicum occidit qui inimico parcit I am affraid Deus non nunquam parcendo saevit That the Lords long sparing will end in rageing and may I so speak hee is seen walking towards sinners in the shooes of Asher which were of ponderous brass Deut. 33.24 25. Observ 7 That the greatest dangers of the Seas and the proudest waves that ever elevated are and should bee no plea for unbelief And hee brings them c. Matth. 14.30 31. When Peter saw the wind boysterous his heart begun to fail him but was hee not reproved for his distrusting of the Lord Poop-lantern ship-covering and yard-arm-rising waves should not daunt and discourage faith in God Were the Seas in a storm as high as the mountains of Merionethshire in Wales whose hanging and kissing tops come so close together that the shepherds sitting on their several mountains may very audibly stand and discourse together but if they would go to one another they must take the pains to travel many miles Sailors should not bee apalled and terrified Dangers are faiths Element and in them it lives and thrives best Such was the high-raised valour of Luther that when hee was to go to the City of Worms they told him of strange things Faith like the Ivie the Hop the Woodbine which have a natural instinct in them to cling lay hold upon the stronger Trees laies hold on God in time of danger as many will doe fresh-water travellers at Sea but quoth Luther if all the Tiles that bee upon every House in the Town were devils they should not scare mee Sailors should have the like courage in storms which one had when in a great straight Certa mihi spes est quod vitam qui dedit idem Et velit possit suppeditare cibum Good hearts may say to the Sea when in a storm what Luther said to his enemies Impellere possunt sed totum prosternere non possunt crudeliter me tractare possunt sed non extirpare Haec est fides credere quod non vides dentes nudare sed non devorare occidere me possunt sed in totum me perdere non possunt Faith will put your heads into Heaven and your ships into an Harbour when in a storm it will set you on the top of Pisgab with Moses and descry the promised Land when you may come to bee denied the sight of Land in storms 1. Great Faith is seen in this as much as any one thing whatsoever that it both can and will beleeve in God as a man may say with reverence whether God will or no it will beleeve in an angry God in a killing God and in a drowning God Job 15.10 Great Faith is not easily shaken 2. Great Faith is never clearer seen than when in the midst of souzing storms and dangers there is great confidence and strength of heart in the soul at such times Observ 8 That God will have every thing wrested from him by prayer And hee bringeth c. Good Sea-men should play the part of Daedalus Templum Cybelis Deorum matris non manibâ—es sed precibus solummodo aperiebatur The gates of Cybeles Temples could not bee opened by hands but prayer quickly threw them open who when hee could not escape by way upon Earth went by way of Heaven and that is the way of prayer Five Motives to put Sea-men upon Prayer 1. Solemnly consider that in the creature there is nothing but emptiness and helplesness 2. Solemnly consider that you cannot have any hopes of winning ought from God but by prayer The Champions could not wring an apple out of Milo's hand by strong hand but a fair maid by fair means got it presently 3. Solemnly consider of God what hee is whom you serve naturally no other but goodness it self Nothing animated Benhadad so much as this that the Kings of Israel were merciful Kings It was said of Charles the great I would to God I could say so of every Tarpowling that goes in the Salt-waters that hee delighted so much in prayer that Carolus plus cum Deo quam cum hominibus loquitur That hee spake more and oftner to and with God than hee did with men Flectitur iratus voce rogante Deus And nothing encouraged Titus Vespatian the Emperour's Subjects so much as this that hee did nunquam dimittere tristem never send any away sorrowful 4. Solemnly consider how many in the Seas go upon the very same errand that you go on to him and mind how they speed and are carried securely out of all their distresses 5. Solemnly consider what Prayer is to God hee loves it Let mee hear thy voice for it is comly 6. Call to mind your former experiences did you ever pray in a storm but you fared the better by it Consider what cases you have been heard in That servent Prayer will prevail with Observ 9 God in the greatest storms I would all the States Tarpowlings were of James the Just's principle of whom Eusebius tells us Genua ejus in morem cameli obditrata sensum contactus amiserunt That his knees were hardned like the Camels by his frequent kneeling to Prayer Prayer is Optimus dermientium cuslos certissima navigautium salus tutissimum viatoribus scutum The slâ—epers best keeper the Sailors surest safety the Travellers protecting Shield And hee brings them out c. Witness the Mariners calm Jonah 1. and witness Christs disciples deliverance in the storm Impartial fire that comes from above has been often times seen to spare yeelding objects and to melt resisting metal to pass by lower roofs and to strike upon all high-Towered pinnacles I wish that our Sailors were as much given to Prayer as Anna the daughter of Phannel of whom it was said that shee never departed out of the Temple but served God night and day in prayer and fasting I wish it were the resolution of them that use the Seas to do as Ambrose the Bishop of Millain did when news came to him that Justina the mother of Valentinian intended to banish him hee told them that hee would never run away but if they had any purpose to kill him they should at any time find him in the Church praying for himself and for his people 1. Vse of Comfort For
inter vivos nec inter mortuos which was writ upon the cradel-rocking waves and surges of Neptune's restless and turbulent Ocean which was and is a place that is not for study or any other weighty undertaking of this nature I hope you will look for no extraordinary strains of wit and fancy from it because it is an impossible thing that the head should bring forth any extraordinary conceptions in such a confused and head-disturbing and brain-perplexing employment where the winds roar it over head Sailors rant it within board and guns roar it and thunder it without board and the Seas run on hills and mountains before the winds where there is nothing but reeling and staggering and staggering and reeling every day one uprises If there had not been an unwithstanding providence leading mee and stirring of me up dayly to the work Many are the Symbols and Emblems of true thankfulness and grateful acknowledgment In the Sun-dyal with all the hours thereon by distinct figures the motto is in umbra desino to the Sun onely I owe my motion and being The shel full of Pearl lying open to the Sun and the dew of Heaven with this word Rore divinâ— The Olive growing amidst the craggy clifts without rooting or moysture with this motto or wreath coming out of it A Coelo All these examples prompt me to express my thankfulness to you whom I shall live and dye admiring to that end I might do that generation of people some good that go in the Seas whom I find to have nothing writ too in any Subject I ever saw extant I should never a gone about such a work in such a placâ— which is onely for transportation and not for commoration and body-tyring lucubrations Worthy Sir I freely bestow upon you this my Nec inter vivos nec inter mortuos and withall I give you the highest interest in it that is possible for a man in the Dedication of a Book to bestow upon a person that it is dedicated to I humbly beg your acceptance of it and I will not doubt but that you will find some thing in it that will bee worth your perusal there is a great part I will assure you though not all of the sweet experiences that my soul has tasted of when in the Seas Such was the excellent condescending frame of Artaxerxes's spirit King of Persia that hee thought it as well becoming a Royal mind to accept of small things from others as to give great things unto them Worthy Sir your name is sweet fragrant savory and famous in our Israel and with and amongst the people of God and the Lord has bestowed a publick frame of heart and spirit upon you to do all the good you can in your generation both to Church and Commonwealth which is a thing I much bless God for in my spirit and admire My prayers shall bee for you and yours that God would blesse both you and them with the dews of heaven in this life and crown you and yours in the life to come In the interim my prayer shall bee that you may live and dye Adinstar Isabellae Arragoniae Reginae quae habuit duos flosculos unus vocabatur Scelenitropos i.e. Flos Lunae Alter Heliotropos i. e. Flos Solis cum lemmate sequor aeternum specto So prayeth he who resteth Sir Your worships devoted to serve you in the service of Christ DANIEL PELL From my Study at my Lady Hungarfords in Hungarford House upon the Strand London May 4. 1659. To the much Honoured Vertuous and most worthy Lady the Lady MARGARET HUNGARFORD Wife to the Right Worshipful Sr. EDWARD HUNGARFORD Now deceased Daniel Pell wisheth increase of all true Honour and Happinesse Madam I Take the boldness to present you with this small Treatise of my experience travel and hard pains I took during the time I was at Sea which is the very first printed fruits of my weak endeavours as induced to think that the goodness candor and dulce of your nature is such that you will bee pleased to accept of so small a present as a little monument of that great respect I oblidgedly and deservedly bear you Artaxerxes a Persian Prince was so humbly minded that hee thought it as well becoming a Royal mind to accept of small things from others as to give great things unto them I hope that your Ladyship will bee so minded too I wish this piece may prove as delightful to you in the reading and perusing as Orpheus's Musick was to the stones and beasts of the field to their hearing of whom History says that they were not able to stay in their center nor continue in their stations but start up and dance after it Historians relate how stones followed Amphion to the Theban walls That lofty Ossa and high Panchaia danced when they over-heard the Odrissian Lyre and Dolphins grew tame at the melody of Arions Harp couching their scaly backs to bear him out of Neptunes foaming surges Madam if I tell your Ladyship that I see these good things in you since I came into your family to whom I am much obliged and shall ever acknowledge you as an instrument of much good to mee God reward you let it not bee thought by you nor by the world that I am of that temper either to give you or the world flattering and daubing titles for that is very much inconsistent with my constitution Your motto may bee that of Solomons Prov. 31.26 Shee openeth her mouth with wisdom and in her tongue is the law of kindness and my Principle 1. I have observed that you are a very great follower countenancer and encourager of a holy good powerful and godly Ministry which these sad and black-nighted times of the world do so much undervalue Mee thinks I wonder why people are so sotitsh now a days I hear neither any in the City nor the Country say that they are weary of the Sun for its shining of the air in which they breath of their food from whence they have their nourishment nor of their rayment and apparrel which keeps off the cold from them why then of the Word What wrong has the Gospel done them or the painful and Godly Ministry in this Land who preach themselves to their graves for the good of soules certainly were the Gospel down as our English Atheists could wish it wee should long for it as much again as those people do for the Sun of whom Procopius reports that near to the Pole where the night continues many moneths together the Inhabitants in the end of such a long night when the Sun draws near to make its appearance to them will get up into the tops of all high trees and Mountains striving who should have the first sight of that glorious lampe and caelestial luminary that is set in the Heavens for the comfort of the world and no sooner do they see it but they dress themselves in their best apparrel as rejoycing
at its appearance filling the air with many loud acclamations 2. That there is a tenderness of heart and spirit in you mourning for and under sin which renders you Elect holy and beloved amongst the Saints that know you I would all the new upstarts in England were of this good old sin-mourning temper Rom. 7.24 Oh wretched man that I am who Acts 24.16 Herein do I exercise my self 3. That you make it your constant care and business to look to your life and conversation and I do know it that it is the desire of you soul that it should bee such and in such a way of holiness as does become the Gospel of Christ Philip. 1.21 4. That it is the great care and desire of your soul that all under you should bee engaged in the daily worship and service of God Joshua 24.15 But as for mee and my house wee will serve the Lord. 5. That you are a discourager of what you apprehend to bee evil in your family Psal 101.2 3 4 5 6 7. Hee that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight Were all Families so ordered it would bee better both in the City Country and the whole Land than it is at this day Prov. 14.1 Every wise woman buildeth her house 6. That you are exemplary in your Family and truly it is good so to bee if the Mountains overflow with waters the Valleys are the better for it and if the head bee full of ill humours the whole body fares the worse for it Give mee leave now my much Honoured Lady to present a few things to you which may tarry with you when Providence may call mee from you 1. Think of your dying day It is said that there stands a Globe of the world at the one end of the Library in Dublin and a Skeleton of a man at the other it seems they that go into that Library need not stand long to study out a good lesson What if a man were Lord or Lady King or Queen of all the known parts of the world yet must hee dye I like not the Proverb I no more thought of it than I did of my dying day It is written of the Philosophers called Brachmani that they were so much given to think of their latter end that they had their graves alwaies open before their gates that both going out and coming in they might bee mindful of their death There was once a discourse betwixt a Citizen and a Mariner my Ancestours said the Mariner were all Sea-men and all of them died at Sea my Father my grand Father and my great grand Father were all buried in the Sea then sayes the Citizen what great cause have you when you set out to Sea to remember your death I but says the Mariner to the Citizen where I pray did your Father and your grand Father die why saies hee they died all of them in their beds truly then saies the Mariner to the Citizen what a care had you need to have every night when you go to bed to think of your bed as a grave and the clothes that cover you as the earth that must one day bee thrown upon you You are wise and know how to apply it 2. Lay up treasure in Heaven God has done much for you in the bestowing the riches honours dignities and great things of this life upon you by making you taller by the head and shoulders than thousands both in City and Country are Matth. 6.19 20. Is a Scripture I would commend to your leasurable considerations 3. Take heed of the bewitching honors entertainments and the deluding and heart-insinuating great things of this world It was a good saying of Luther I hope your Ladyship will make it yours when offered great things that hee protested to the Lord hee would not bee put off with the things of this life for his portion Psal 17.14 Men of the world have their portion in this life That is all it seems that ever they are like to have The Rubenites Numb 23. having taken a liking of the Country which was first conquered because it was commodious for the feeding of their Cattel though it was far from the Temple where they might have fed their souls to enjoy it they renounced all interests in the Land of Promise It is said of the Locusts that came out of the bottomless pit that they were like unto Horses and on their heads were as it were Crowns of gold and their faces were as the faces of men their hairs as the hair of women their teeth as it were the teeth of Lyons c. Rev. 9.7 8. in which Scripture wee have quasi Horses quasi Crowns quasi faces quasi teeth and quasi hairs of men In part such are all the honours and comforts of this life 4. Bee much in prayer hard and private wrestling with God in your closer for Heaven and Salavation If a man were assured that there were a great purchase in Spain Turkey Italy c. or some other remote parts would hee not run ride sail and adventure the dangers and hazzards of the Sea and of his enemies also if need were that hee might come to the enjoyment and possession thereof Heaven is better than Earth and a life in glory than a life in this sinful World and that you may prefer that above this in this lower world and may also live and bee with the Father and the Lamb in the highest glory when this life is ended for ever more shall bee the hearty prayer of him Madam Who is your Ladyships most humbly devoted DANIEL PELL From my Study in your own most Honourable House and Family London May 6. 1659. To the Right Worshipful Mr. HENRY HUNGARFORD Esquire And one of the Members of the Honourable House of Parliament D. P. Wisheth the grace mercy peace and love of God the Father in this life and eternal bliss and glory in the life to come Reverend and Right Honourable Sir Uno non possum quantum te diligo versu Dicere si satis est distichon ecce duos If I cannot in one verse my mind declare If two will serve the turn lo here they are SO great an honourer and admirer am I of you and the House and Family that you are descended of and belong unto that I cannot praetermit you without the presenting of this small Tract and Treatise which is of no great worth or value but onely an act or an expression of that superlative respect and service I bear you Certainly if I should I should then bee an Adinstar Niciae cujusdam Pictoris of whom it was said tantam in pingendo diligentiam adhibuit ut saepe numero intentus arti cibum sumere oblivisceretur è famulo quaereret LAVINE pransus ne sum a very forgetful person I question not but that you will find some thing in it worth your reading although you have travelled all or the greatest part of all the known parts of the
Kings and Princes of the Seas and the Conquerours of all the Armadoes in the world that shall dare to meddle with you Inter caetera providentiae divinae opera hoc quoque dignum est admiratione c. Amongst other works of a divine providence this is very admirable that the winds lye upon the Sea for the furtherance of Navigation and that they may all strike and vail to you as forein Nations once did unto the Kings and Princes that were their Conquerors of whom it is said that at what time they sent their Ambassadors to them whom they both had subdued and would have subdued to them they desired of them Terram Aquam and in token of their subjection they sent them both Water and Earth because all command is either by Sea or by Land and all possessions and riches are either gotten out of the Sea or out of the Land And now after all that I have said in the high commendations of you I pray God bestow peace on our Nation both at Sea and Land for that is far better than these dreadful and heart-amazing Wars There is small comfort in it to see Nation rising up against Nation and an imbruing of their hands in one anothers blood It is a very sad sight in these our dayes the Lord amend it to see Nations running one against another like the two Mountains in Pliny of which hee tells Montes duo inter se concurrerunt crepitu maximo assultantes recedentesque inter eos flamma fumoque in Calum exeunte that they ran continually one against the other Plin. cap. 2.83 Nat. Hist from whom nothing but smoke and fire rise up and ascended towards the heavens with a great sonorous and formidable noise they that take delight to see it I wish they may have enough of it Give mee leave to take my leave of you in a few directions which I would have you to look upon as one of the highest expressions of my love and affection that a man can possibly bear you I speak not only unto you altogether that fear the Lord but unto the other prophane crew also shall I commend a word of counsel and this Treatise is one of the greatest Legacies of my love that I either have or know how to bestow upon you and truly I could wish that every Minister that goes in your ships and in the States service would endeavour to shew something of the improvement of his time that it may stand upon record for the good of you that use the Seas and so far would I have any from carping at what I have done that I would wish them to mend it if they can or shew something of their own I had no warm study to sit in nor no place that was free of noyse and tumult when I writ it Sirs You may visibly behold the great love I bear you who hath taken all this pains in the Sea for you What would you have mee to do for you I have gone a begging to all the good Ministers in the land to pray for your preservation conversion and sanctification I have gone a begging to all the Saints and servants of God to pray for you It was somewhat a soure saying of one concerning the viler sort of Sea-men when he said if you see them not in Sea-port Towns in November December January and March which are the windiest Months in the year then you may conclude that they are all gone to Heaven or else they will never come there They mount up to Heaven c. vers 26. I have exhorted all the Sea-ports in England to pray for you and to remember you that go in the turbulent deeps and I will assure you that I will never forget you neither in Pulpit nor in private but pray hard for your prosperity in the Seas and felicity in the life to come My hearts desire is that you may bee saved in the day of the Lord. The Rules I would commend to you that travel are such as these following and I would hand them not onely to every good and honest heart that goes in the Seas but to every prophane wretch whatsoever 1. Let not the irreligion of those places you travel into whether France Spain Italy Barbary or Turky c. breed in you a neglect of divine duties or a disgustion unto the pure and most reformed Religion that is amongst us in England 2. When you meet the Host or Eucharist in the streets through which it is often born to the houses of the sick get out of the way that you kneel not to it which if a stranger neglects hee is lyable to the Inquisitors or one mischief or other 3. Go no further into the Outlandish Churches in the world than the hand of your own Religion and conscience will lead you lest you dash upon the rocks of Atheism and Idolatry 4. Pitty rather than spurn scoffe and scorn at those you see prostrate before a Crucifix or a Saint It hath been matter of pitty unto my soul many and many a time when in forein parts 5. Neglect will sooner kill an injury than revenge If you meet with injuries in forein parts prudently and patiently put them up an ill turn in those parts is far cheaped passed over than revenged the endeavour of which many times is but Gentleman usher to a greater 6. Keep your selves out of all the Mercenary Harlot houses that bee in the Italian French and Spanish Cities or in any other parts of the world you traffick to Prov. 5.8 Remove thy way far from her and come not nigh the door of her house 7. Begin all your voyages with fear and sincere and hearty prayer unto God to go along with you through and over the Seas to carry you well out to return you wel back You go very rashly upon all your designs The Israelites usually asked counsel of God first and then they went The Grecians went to their Oracles Gentlemen and Sea-men in your perusal of this Treatise you will finde me sharply striking at prophaneness in the Sea and to those that are bad I speak to and those that are honest and godly are very silly and simple if they quarrel with it thereby they will bring upon themselves an evil name for let but me hear a man speaking against it and I shall conclude him to bee some Swearer or c. the Persians to their Magi the Egyptians to their Hierophantae the Indians to their Gymnosophista the ancient Gauls and Brittains to their Druides the Romans to their Augures It was not lawful to propound any thing of weight and moment in the Senate Priusquam de coelo observatum est before they had observed from heaven whether God would shine upon their proceedings and enterprises yea or no. 8. Abhor to go to Sea out of any Sea-port Town in England in a drunken posture I would have those that are naught in the Sea to say with
of being prayed for Job 9.26 They are called in that place Ships of desire 1. When a man sees a goodly and a stately ship that is then a ship of desire 2. A Merchants longing for his ships good return home is a ship of desire 3. A ship of desire is a swift Pinnace oâ— a Pyrats Bark or Vessel that is made on purpose for the prey to out-sail all others But to proceed Let mee tell thee Good Reader before I take my leave of thee that I can say of and by my going to Sea for which I had as clear a all to as ever man had to any place in this world as a good man once said who had lyon a long time in prison in the primitive times of persecution I have quoth hee got no harm by this No more harm hath all my troubles at Sea done my inward man than a going up to the rops of those mountains hath done them that have made the trial where neither Winds Clouds nor Rain doth over-top them and such as have been upon them do affirm that there is a wonderful clear skye over head though Clouds below pour down rains and break forth in thunder and lightning to the terrour of them that are at the bottome yet at the top there is no such matter Mee thinks I have heard the Seas say unto mee Vide hic mare hic venti hic pericula disce sapere See how ready the Winds and Seas are at Gods beck and wilt not thou fear him If I may tell thee my experiences of Gods doing of my soul good in the Seas then can I tell thee thus much bee it spoken to the praise of that sweet God whom I serve and honour that I have got no harm by going to Sea but a great deal of good both to my soul and also to my understanding and intellectual parts 1. I have learned by my going to Sea to love the world less than I did before Love not the world c. 1 Joh. 2.15 2. I have learned to know men and the world far better than I did before 3. I have learned to prize a life in heaven far before a reeling and staggering life here on earth 4. I have learned to bee far more shye and wary of sin than I was before because I found my self so fearful of death and drowning many times in storms when in the Seas I have read of a young man that lay on his death-bed and all that ever hee spoke whilst hee lived was this I am so sick that I cannot live and I am so sinful that I dare not dye It is good to keep clear of sin 5. I have learned to live upon God and to put my trust in him more than ever I did before so that I can comfortably speak it Psal 7.1 O Lord my God in thee doe I put my trust c. 6. I have seen more of the Creation by my going to Sea than ever I should have done if I had stayed on Land The Lord sets men the bounds of their habitations It is said of Lypsius that he took such delight in reading of a Book I wish that thou mayest as much in this that hee said Pluris faecio quum relego semper novum quum repetivi repetendum The more I read the more I am tilled on to read 7. I have learned to fear God more and to stand in awe of that God who hath the lives of all his creatures under his feet and is able to dispose both of a mans present and also future condition even as pleaseth him than ever I did before 8. I have learned to pray better and to ply the Throne of Grace oftner with my prayers for spiritual blessings than ever I did before 9 I have so learned Christ that I made it my work and businesse all the time I was at Sea to lead my life so as in the continual presence and aspect of the Lord Meer Heathens thought God to be every where as appears by their Jovis omnia plena Quascunque accesseris oraâ— Sub Jove semper eris c. Psal 16.8 I have set the Lord alwayes before me c. and so I lived and have lived both at Sea and also at Land that I shall give both foe and friend and friend and foe their liberty to speak and observe me as much as they can 10 I have learned to love my God more than ever I did before and if I had not I should appear to be a very rebellious Child As Demetrius Phalerius deceived the calamities of his Banishment by the sweetness of his Study so I the troublesome Seas and rude society by mine I know that this poor Peece of mine has in it its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naâ—vi its blacks and spots its Human frailties which the good Lord remit yet in it is there truths Divine and things very profitable and worthy to be embraced in respect the Lord has done so much for me to preserve me and mercy me as hee hath done in a cruel Sea which is a place as the Poet sings Luctus ubique pavor plurima mortis imago Good Reader doest thou live in times of trouble and daies of danger then turn over this Book and thou wilt finde that there is a wise and a powerful God in the Heavens that sits at the Helm both of Sea and Land to preserve poor souls in them Wouldst thou hear of those Sights and Wonders of the Lord that those that goe down into the Seas doe see then will I commend this small Treatise to thee what delight fuller thing canst thou read than a Theam or Subject of the Sea and Sea affairs here mayest thou read and peruse this my Nec inter vivos nec inter mortuos which cost me much pains and get some good out of it When Nebuzaradan burnt the rubbish of the Temple hee kept the Gold c. Though in reading thou meetest with Creature-defects which I will assure thee was never writ upon Land but drawn up as I studied it upon water Libentèr omnibus omnes opes concesserim ut mihi liceat vi nulla interpellante isto modo in literis vivere Tully I would freely give all the good in the world that I might sit down in the world live and lead a studying life But it was the Lords will that I should travel in the great and wide Sea yet wilt thou meet with many a savoury truth if thou hast but a gracious heart in the brest of thee Accept of it My sute to you Readers is that upon your perusal of it you would seek the Lord in its behalf that it may doe good to them that use the Seas I begge the prayers of every godly and gracious Minister into whose hands peradventure it may come that he would pray that it may be instrumental to reform these People that goe in the Seas who stand in need of
Age are infallibly Divine but I dare conclude it that this Psalm is and proceeded from God into Davids heart and herein is and lies the excellency and dignity of it For the Division of the words there be four things presenting and offering themselves unto our consideration 1. The Persons in this word They. 2. Their Posture in these words going down 3. Their Business or Occasions in these words that do business 4. and lastly Great waters in these words In the great waters The Persons they are to be considered under a threefold respect and denomination as they are most commonly 1. Juveniles 2. Cognoscentes 3. Servi These Lads are ad instar Halcyonis contra ventum like that bird Naturalists write of which evermore brests her self against the wind These are they that can live Fame frigore illuvie squalore inter saxa rupesque membraque saepe torrida gelu habent Juveniles They are then young men that use the Seas such as are robore nati full of manhood resolution strength and valour men that are of rugged and undaunted Spirits and dispositions Sea-headed Sea-brain'd Storm-proof hardy and stout to act and perform their hard and laborious Water-service even in all weathers that blows whatsoever And is there not a necessity now that they should be of this Tarpowling and Brass-pot-like metal who have perpetually the Freta indignantia froth-foming and hill-swelling Seas to ride over in their unruly and uncommandable wooden Chariots By these dangers are despised difficulties adventured on terrors contemned fears laughed at cowardize vanquished generosity and manhood is the onely thing that is in repute and esteem with them And is there not a necessity that it should be so and that every one that will take upon him to go to Sea should be a Ludibria rerum humanarum fortiter contemnens ac aleam fortunae novercantis ridens one that can pluck up a good heart in the midst of the stormiest Seas or proudest Waves that ever elevated Youth now is the prime time for the Sea because the body is in its best abilities to endure the Cradle-rocking Waves of restless Amphitrite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Old Age cannot brook the unkindness of the bouncing and rowling billows of the Seas for it makes their bones both to crack and ake and it s very frequently seen that when men that have used the Seas long The Sea is Navigandi locus ac tamen commorandi non It s good for navigation but bad for habitation and are come into yeers once that they betake themselves to their heels and bid farewell unto it as Gulls and Cormorants will hasten to banks or sheltring places when they see a storm a coming upon the Sea They can endure it no longer Let this word then ring in the ears of those many thousands of young and stout valiant and hardy pieces that go both in the Merchant and the States Service of England Had I but that faculty that Pericles that famous and learned Athenian Orator had I question not but it would take place of whom it s said that when ever he came up before the people ere he left them he did in animis Auditorum aculeos relinquere leave an itching upon their spirits I have read of Alphonsus King of Spain how that he was petitioned to succour a decaid Knight but inquiring into the reason of his poverty said Had he young spent his estate in my service I would supplied him when old It s well if God say not of you at last who forget God that you served the States the Merchant and the Devil and now when you come to dye you would have heaven and pardon of sin Go get you to hell So of Hermanius in the Bohemian History that that great Courtier when he came to die cried out most bitterly that he had spent more time in the Palace than in the Temple This will be the cry of Sailors one day that they have spent more time in the Seas and in the States and Merchants service than ever they spent in Gods Remember young men that as you are in your prime for States Common-wealths or Merchant Service that you are also in the same plight and equipage for Gods though you be now in your warm blood yet there is a time of infirmities a coming on wherein your fiery spirits will be cooled and your blood-shedding hands exceedingly weakned The time is coming when you shall say Eccl. 12.1 We have no pleasure in the gallant Ships that sail the Seas We take no delight in seeing the brave Gallies that go with Oars nor in the thundring and firing of Guns or in the sound of that ear-pleasing noise of Trumpets that play their Warlike Levets upon the gilded Poops of the State of Englands Ships Some there be though God knows very few amongst you which do both serve and really and sincerely fear and love the Lord and God will remember them and all their obedience Jer. 2.2 I remember thee the kindness of thy youth God is a great observer and notice-taker of the kindness of those that serve him in their youth and he takes notice also of the hard-heartedness of those that neither fear him nor obey him Isa 1.2 3 4. Hear O Heavens and give ear O Earth The Heavens and the Earth blush at the graceless lives that you live and lead in the Seas Lay it to heart I beseech you and consider how flexible and how obedient some young men are unto God and how vile stubborn rebellious and obstinate you are against him Serve God with as much vigour strength heartiness and cheerfulness as you serve the States or the Merchant you will hazard and venture your lives over and over for them what will you do for God then Will you throw out of doors all Religion and the worship and fear of God Will you do the hard Service of the Common-wealth of England and will you not do the sweet blessed and easie Service of the Lord which will in the end bring you greater Salary than they can give you Live then in Prayer Reading Meditating and all the good means that you may in time have that carnal part that 's in you killed and sacrificed unto God 2. Cognoscentes As none will say but that the Sea requires the yong mans Service What a learned man in one case said of the unlearned people of the world I may say of the unlearned unskilful Mariner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be destitute of learning is to dance in the dark To go to sea without Nautical accomplishments is the only way to throw the ships upon the Rocks So I think none will deny but that it calls for judicious knowing and understanding men to be employed in it And such as have good skill in the Mathematicks and in the use of those many Navigating Instruments which Mariners take to Sea with them viz. Square Cube Astrolaby c. and in all
ship up and down in the Seas from Land to Land or Port to Port is not fit to put into the place of government I remember a pretty passage of one of this sort who had got good friends to present his name and speak very well in his behalf at the Admiralty Court by whose means he got his foot into the stirrop of a Wooden Horse and rid as proudly over the waves and the bouncing billows of the Sea as any Commander in the salt waters whatsoever but wanting skill to sit this Horse and art to keep the Reins in his hand and withall which was the main a good Head-piece the Horse stumbled in the River of Thames and threw the Captain out of the Saddle Will and pleasure is the fools Card which he steers by all the Voyage and this makes so many ill-governed ill-ordered and ill-tutored ships as there be at this day in the Sea But to come unto particulars there be three things that are too apparent in Sea Captains 1. Negligence The Merchant sends to you to shelter them by Convoy from the Enemy as the Grapes in Babel did upon a time unto the Vines in Judea as the Jewish Talmud says desiring them to come and overshadow them otherwise the violence of the heat would consume them in such sort as that they should thereby never come unto any maturity But you deal by the Merchant sometimes as the Vines of Judea did by the Vines of Babel even let them perish in the Seas through negligence They that bear command should not yield to their men in their cousenage and fraudulency but say as Scipio said unto the Harlot when offered him Vellem si non Imperator I would if I were not Captain 2. Injustice 3. Vnfitness 1. Negligence Is there not many that have good ships to sail in and great Salary to live upon whose consciences serve them even to do very little service and good for it and had rather lie at an Anchor or with their Noses in a good Harbour than be out at Sea in the preserving of the Merchant and destroying of the enemy And is there not other-some that are as loth to encounter their enemies when they have opportunities for it in the Seas as the Welchman was to fight the Englishman of whom it s said that Her made the challenge and bid the Englishman take what Weapon he would and her would fight with him The battel begun the Englishman ripled her on the knee and her feeling the unkinde salutation of the Englishmans Weapon threw down her Buckler and her Sword and would fight no more What 's the matter now quoth the Englishman What said she Apploot apploot was not her Buckler broad enough but must hit her upon the knee Her will have no more of that What fair winds and opportunities do Commanders many times slip by loytering about the shores and coasts when they should be in the Seas to such let me say Ad rem Rhombum Go to your work go the Countrey maintains you not to idle Some Sea Captains are Thales like who contemplated heaven not for any devotion but to pick some gain out of it seeing by it that there would be some scarcity of Olives c. which he monopolized into his hands sold These fellows would make the world believe that they are godly men indeed this makes for the honour of Religion that these men love the name of it who cannot endure the nature of it Says many a Sea Captain If I be not seemingly religious I shall not attain to any great honour or preferment as the times go I must wear the garb of a Christian outwardly though I disown it inwardly and by this means counterfeit Religion is mads a meer stooping horse of to bring Vermin into authority Look about you do not you see how the Enemy spoils the Merchant 2. Injustice Remember that a little with right is better than great revenues without right Psal 37.16 Had I a voice of Brasse to make every Captain in the Sea to hear me I would tell them and all that use the Seas That Injustice will in time undo them and draw upon their heads the heavy severe and impatible wrath of God and throw them out of their ships and livelyhoods Jeremiah 9.19 How are we spoiled we are greatly confounded our dwellings have cast us out Unrighteous doings in the States ships will hurl Commanders out of them and make them stink in the nostrils of all that shall behold them You Captains of the Seas Look but upon your cogging now as it will appear hereafter look but upon your assigning of false and unjust Accompts now as they will appear hereafter and then tell me how you like it What shall a Boatswain a Gunner a Purser or a Carpenter intangle me to lie for them that they may pocket up the States goods God forbid What shall a Pursers maintaining of your Tables with fresh victuals The States of England values not the Sea Captain if once they find him but in some grosse insufferable error as there is righteousness in so doing 7 years service is an usual proverb amongst the Sailors is not looked on if but found in one hours displeasure So that the Sea Captain in one case is not unlike to the sumpter-horse who does good service carries the trunks all day but at night his treasure is taken from him and himself turned into a dirty foul stable Know you not the application of this engage and introduce you to give them the liberty to to be false God forbid that such doings should be found in my hand And yet where is that Great Cabbin in any or in all the Ships of England but there be these doings in it This may be for a time lucrum in crumena but in the end it will prove damna conscientiae 3. Vnfitness I would propound this question Whether or no there be not many in command that would make better Masters for navigating of ships too and again than of commanding guiding governing or fighting of them The great Salary that they have for their service is the thing they look at as to the ordering and well regulating of those many spirits that be under their command they know not what course to take in the steering of them Pro. 14.1 Solomon tells you that the wise woman looks upon it as her greatest policy to build her house and having building-materials both of wisdome understanding and instruction the building work went forward and the superstructure of it was most rare And so would you do too if you had but those brains and for want of them you bring many times an old house over your ears Seamen might be reclaimed reformed and reduced unto better carriage order and deportment than there is amongst them were there but wisdome prudence and a zeal for God in you to act and bestir your selves amongst them Your partial and ill managing of
no intimate or delightful converse with the wicked which are professed enemies unto God and Christ no they dare not doe it therefore blame them not when they look shily upon swearing Sailors and care not for comming amongst them They have the sacred Word and all the reason in the world on their sides and therefore let this stop every Bedlamite Sailors mouth 1. They dare not come into wicked mens company for fear of the infection of sin 2. Out of a fear of an infliction of punishment Hee that would keep himself unspotted in the Sea let him resemble the River Alphaeus of Elis in Arcadia Mocum est quicquid mihi nocere potest I finde that in me said Bernard that is apt to take fire How much more in Sailors Than shun prophane men as thou wouldst shun the devil orone that hath the plague running upon him I have often seen a parcel of ground once a fair Garden of flowers over run with stinking weeds so good men turned bad by stinking company These Sea-men are like Pharaohs seven ill favoured kine if they see but any amongst them that have grace and heavenly mindedness in them yhey will be sure to set their teeth in them They desire to eat up the wel-favoured which runs thorow the Sea but will not mingle with it Hee that will not take this counsel and resolvedly begin to shake off all prophane societies hee shall never be able to live or lead a godly life this is the first step to heaven Sailor and if thou hast not this resolution in thee let mee tell thee thus much thy foot is in the way to hell Now after this sweet word of Advertisement which I hope may prove profitable if the Lord set but in with it let mee tell you thus much that it is a very hard thing to live religiously at Sea and therefore evermore look for these two things 1. Wicked men will assault you and make onsets and invasions to shake you out of your profession and to fetter you in the same loosness of life they live in Set your eyes upon these sons of Belial and resist them with courage There bee many thousands of godless Sailors that bee too like that bird Pliny writes of which Naturalists call the Vulture that when shee beholds her young to thrive and feather and wax lively and strong that shee will clap them and beat them with her wings till they look lean and languish again It is thus at Sea you will meet with the like cruelty amongst them and finde Sea-men discouraging of you in the good wayes of holiness but bear up couragiously against all the storms and oppositions of good that ever you shall meet withall in the world 2. Wicked men are so far from God and his wayes themselves that instead of taking delight in you for that good that is in you you will finde hatred from them It was a divine saying of Seneca That no man did set a better rate upon vertue than hee that loseth a good name to keep a good conscience In die praelii naufragii tempestatis mortis plus valebat Conscientia pura quam Marsupia plena Boldly say unto all the wicked ones in the Sea as David said Psal 119.115 Depart from mee yee evil doers If it were not for the godly ones that be in the world the Sun would not shine long upon you the heavens would fall upon the wicked the earth would open her mouth to swallow them up and all the creatures of God would arm themselves against them and yet these are cruel haters of them by whom they are gainers for I will keep the Commandements of my God Bestow thy affections upon the godly whom thou shalt live for ever with in the Kingdome of heaven and not upon those whom thou shalt never see more in the world to come and never bee the better for in this life but an hundred times the worse There is yet a further word of Advertisement in my eye and I would gladly press it home upon all the Sailors in England if that I did not behold these things which I am now going to speak of amiss in them I would not trouble my self to take the pains in an uncomfortable Sea to write them down The first then is this You ought to love and tender godly men in their names and when ever occasion is offered you should willingly make report of that good that is in them and not throw dirt upon them 3 Joh. 12. Demetrius hath good report of all men and of the truth it self yea and wee also bear record and yee know that our record is true There is many a precious soul that is of great worth I would have men that are godly at Sea not to be daunted discouraged or disheartned from well-doing but to do as the Moon doth who follows her continual course task and labour though many Dogs Curs bark and leap at her En peragit cursus surda Diana suos credit repute and account amongst the godly on land that must not have a good word nor a good look from such wicked men as many of you are that go in the Seas 2. If you hear the godly that are or have been amongst you falsely charged with any thing and evilly spoken of you should stand up in their defence and bee contented to hazzard some part of your own credit to vindicate theirs 1 Sam. 20.32 And Jonathan answered Saul his Father and said unto him wherefore shall hee bee slain what hath hee done 3. Take heed of raising and laying slanders upon the godly Miriam did so by Moses I would have all the Captains in the Seas to do by their men when they find them slandering good men as Vespatian and Titus did to all the detractors and slanderers they heard of when ever any were taken that were guilty thereof they caused them to be whipt about the City that others thereby might be deterred from the like practices but consider Gods just judgement against her Numb 12.1 9 10. Miriam became leprous as white as snow Take heed Sailors of medling with the godly that shame you in this world by their innocency of life and conversation and wil rise up in judgement to condemn you in the life to come You are prone to fasten your fangs in the reputation of those that would scorn to bee like you nay think every hour that the Devil would come and fetch them alive out of the word should they but be in that degree of wickedness that is to be found in your hands Most of our English Sailors are too like those wee finde to bee reproved in Scripture Jer. 18.18 Come let us devise devices against him Psal 35.11 They laid to my charge things that I knew not of They are kindred to those that aspersed godly Mr. Luther of whom their lying tongues and graceless hearts would needs say that hee dyed despairingly and that in his grave
at Agincourt heard of the great warlike praeparations that the King of France made against him hee began to bee exceedingly perplexed One of his Commanders standing by made answer that if there were so many there were enough to bee killed enough to bee taken prisoners and enough to run away which resolute speech of his much cheered up the King I would not haue Sea-men to regard how many their enemies bee but where they are who by small and weak means does often times effect great and wonderfull things to that end the glory of all may bee his What the Lacedaemonians once sung of in their three dances I think it may bee sung of England The first was of Old men and they sung Wee have been young and strong and valiant heretofore Till crooked age did hold us back and bid us do no more The second of Young men who sang Wee yet are young bold strong and ready to maintain That quarrel still against all men that do on earth remain The third of Children who sang And wee do hope as well to pass you all at last And that the world shall witness bee ere many years bee past To sparkle our English spirits a little that go in the Seas against the Spaniard Look Look Sailors upon that brave Military and fighting spirit that breathed in Epaminondas who most nobly said that if all the riches of the world should be given him they should not draw him off from any the least duty and service that hee owed his Country Let me tell all the brave spirited Sailors in England that go in the wars against the Spaniard that Pulchrum est pro patria mori It is a very commendable thing for men freely and valiantly to venture and lay down their lives for the welfare safety and priviledges of the Countries they live in belong unto Look upon Reverend Mr. Calvin of whom Mr. Beza tells us that in the year 1556. when Perin had conspired against the State of Geneva that hee ran into the midst of their naked swords to appease the tumult well knowing that Nemo sibi natus that men are not born for themselves but for their Country Look upon brave spirited Cratisolea the mother of Cleomenes when hee was loth to send her for a pledge to Egypt she said unto him come come put mee into a ship and send mee whither thou wilt that this body of mine may doe some good for my Country before crooked age consume my life without profit Look upon King Edward of England whom the Chronicles of Flanders tell of when warring against Philip Valesius King of France hee couragiously sent him a challenge in his letters and offered him three Conditions 1. Either person to person 2. A thousand against a thousand 3. or Army against Army But the King of France durst admit of none of them Sailors you have to deal with an enemy that is like to Plutarchs Nightingale of whom it is said that shee sung purely and made a great busling in the woods as if shee had been some greater bird like the fly upon the Charet wheel who was heard to say Oh what a dust do I raise but when shee came once to bee handled and finding little meat on her hee raps out into discontent vox es praeterea nihil You know the applicatory part I may say of England now as a great Politician once said very well Nulla magna Civitas quiescere diu potest si foris hostem non invenit quaerit domi No Nation can long bee quiet or at peace for if it have no enemies abroad it shall and will so on find some at home I leave you to find out my meaning Gentlemen You have run valiantly upon the Swords Pikes Halberds Gun-mouthes Fire-ships and the ragged ship-sides of your enemies in former wars to purchase that peace that England is now in possession of but is your work all done now Shew your selves as hardy and as stout as ever against the enemies of Christ and following these rare Examples I have presented you with all to whet up your spirits Haec imitamini per Deos immortales qui dignitatem qui laudem qui gloriam quaeritis haec ampla sunt haec rara haec immortalia haec fama celebrantur monimentis annalium mandantur posteritati propagantur c. Vers 24. These see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the Deep IF I have trespassed in detaining you so long in the porch Let me tell you every thing that I have touched upon lay so fairly in my road that I could not otherwise chuse but let all ly by the Lee till I had sufficiently spoke with and to those things that I know stands in need of reprooving and correcting in the Seas I have done my part in speaking advertisingly unto the graceless crew that goes in the salt-waters Oh that the Lord would not bee unwilling to do his part upon them and to pitty them that have no pitty upon themselves And besides I have not onely laid them down many very good and profitable rules but I have also spoke of many other things which lay in my way My purpose is now to lead you into the Pallace where you shall have a clear and delightful view of all those various objects and scattered excellencies that lye up and down upon the face of the creation which are onely seen by those that go down into the Seas and by no other These see the works of the Lord c. in the Hebrew who see c. If the question bee demanded who sees them the answer is easily returned they that go down into the Seas in ships And who are those may the question be Answ They are Sea-men or Sailors and these bee the men that have the fullest and clearest aspect of the creation above all people under the Heavens whatsoever These see the works of the Lord c. As if David were a going to say It is not those that sit on land and travel no further than the Soil of their nativity no no but it is those that lanch off the shore into the Main to arrive in forein and far remote Countries that have the sight of those heart-ravishing varieties of Gods six days works and wonders Undoubtedly the Psalmist took great delight and pleasure in holding discourse with some of the best disposed It is worth the while to talk with Sea-men provided they be pious sober and civil for they have more admirable passages to tell you of than all the world besides What Plinie said of the Nightingale I will say of the Mariner Si quis adest auditor Philomela prius animus quam canius deficiet The Nightingale is a bird that if any one will but give her the hearing shee will sing her self sooner out of breath than out of tune and well-minded of the Mariners because this Scripture comes droppingly and admiringly from David as if he had been amongst
Miscelaneous Observations These stand by themselves like the Quoe genus in the Grammer being deficients or redundants not to bee brought under any rule because the Seas are a debilitating to my spirits onely give me leave to throw you in a few Miscelaneous yet I hope delightful and pleasing Observations and then I question not but that I shall have given you a taste and relish of every thing in order though not in that multiplicity that I might have done 1. They that go down to the Sea in ships Amongst the rest of that amaene bundle of novelty that they have in their travels those sundry and strange kind of sensitive creatures that be in the Indies are some in which God has kindled many kinds of living and going fire walking to and fro in the Earth some creeping under feet some flying over head viz. in the Snake Adder Cockatrice flying Serpents and other strange kind of Flies In the evening if any bee disposed to walk in the Woods Sea-men tell us that there bee great swarms of flies which will keep a very great buzzing and humming about the trees and cost such a light and lustre as if there were sparks of fire or lighted matches hanging upon the boughs which will sting and burn to death Numb 21.4 And the Lord sent fiery Serpents among the people and they bit the people and much people of Israel died 2. Amongst the rest of that eye-delighting and mind-contenting novelty that they have in their travels those great and many Woods that bee in the Indies and elsewhere are some there bee such vast and unknown wilderness-places in the world in which grow such a rankness and thickness of trees that they cannot bee travelled through nor known how great and how far they reach it is not known to the Indians themselves what is on the other side of them and who or what lives beyond them 3. Amongst the rest of that eye-delighting and mind-contenting novelty that they have in their travels the Magellan Straits is very wonderful in respect of those terrible winds that bee frequently in them and upon them which fall with such vehemency as if the very bowels of the earth would set all at liberty or as if the clouds under the Heavens were called together to muster their fury and lay on their force upon that one place the Sea in it self naturally is of a very heavy and ponderous substance History tells us that Ferdinando Megalanus was the first that compassed the world and found out this Southern passage call'd Fretum Magellanieum and after him followed Sr. F. D. yet notwithstanding in this place it is so rowld up with storms that the very roots of rocks are unbar'd so that ones eye may almost behold the bottoms of the deeps the Seas swell run and rage in such monstrous hills and mountaines sometimes there that it is no small terrour to the Mariner when hee is either under sail or at an anchor Anchors are like false friends give way and the wind is so violent as if the mountains would rend and the heavens and the earth would come together 4. Those wonderful cloud-climbing and heaven-aspiring Promontories that bee in many parts of the world many or the most of them lye in the view of the ships that go in the Seas and other some lye-upon the very skirts of the Sea These are Natures bulworks Some writers tell us that the Land of Canaan was but threescore miles in length and twelve score in breadth and that it is exceeding mountainous so the hillier mountainouser any Country is the greater it is in this little land were there 1 Chr. 21.5 A thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew sword and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword cast up as the Spaniard says at God Almighties charge and they call them heaps of rubbish or offals that were left at the Creation of the world and so remain as so many warts or pimples disfiguring the face and beauty of the earth the difficulty of their ascent is admirable the horridness of their craggs is wonderful and an uninhabited wilderness are many of them upon which and in which live nothing else but wild beast The Alpes Mount Ararat Mount Chego and Teneriffe c. are estimated to bee far higher than the clouds Upon these it is no matter of wonderment to see Snow lying all summer long although those parts have a greater heat from the Sun than wee have in England and the reason seems to bee this because that the Sun does leave its work as imperfect and has not that force and power to melt the Snows that bee upon them by reason of those chill aires that bee upon them Nay such an intollerable chilness is there upon some of their snowy and frosty tops Corpus-zant Sometimes Sea-men will aver that there will come down many of these Corpus-zants insomuch that they have seen upon evey yard-arme one as so many blazing lighted candles that they are altogether inhospitable and not to bee endured to breathe in for an hour 5. The Corpus-zant which is so called in the Spanish and Italian Language and in Latin Corpus Sancti which they say it is this is a very strange thing it seldom appears but before the ensuing of some dreadful storm It is like unto the light of a candle and is never seen but in the darkest and windiest nights upon the Sea It most commonly chuses to light upon the Truck of the Antient-staff about which the ships-colours do fly and there it will lye a long time like the light of a candle and what it is or from whence it comes or whither it goes none can well tell Sometimes Sea-men say that they will light in other parts of the ship and when they have endeavoured to touch them they would vanish away The sight of this thing did much admire mee 6. The Male-stream-well Male-stream-well which lies on the back of Norway this well draws water into it during the flood which continues for the space of six hours and twelve minutes with such an avarous indraught and force Mariners call this dreadful Gulph the Navel of the Sea that it makes a very hideous and most dreadful noise the waves tumble in with such a violence one upon the neck of another that would daunt the stoutest heart to hear it and suck up the strongest ships that should dare to come within a league of it and at the Ebb the water returns with the like violence that it went in in the Flood so that should the ponderousest thing that is bee thrown into it the strength of it is such that it would carry it up again 7. The Water-Spouts Water-spouts that bee to bee seen in the Southern parts of the world of which certainly David speaks of Psal 42.7 Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy Water-spouts It is observed by those
Meadows Vineyards flourishing Pastures upon which hee looks a while with great delight and on he goes again and meets with fruitfull Orchards green Forrests sweet Rivers with silver streams and behaves himself as before and at length he meets with Desarts hard wayes rough and unpleasant soul and overgrown with Bryars and Thorns here he is intangled for a time to stay labouring and sweating with grief to get out of them and after our he neither remembers his toyl nor the objects that he saw yet doth many of them learn out of it and from the creature that there is a God God upbraided Israel for their stupidity and will hee excuse you think you they had before them the Oxe and the Ass which were creatures that they might have learned wisdome enough out of Isa 1.3 The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Ass his Masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider The word consider comes of con and sydus and so signifies say some not one bare simple stella but a multitude of stars intimating that it is not a bare transient aspect or flash but an abiding and dwelling upon a thing that is to bee pondered and considered of as a Bee will stick upon the flower till shee extract honey out of it God complains again in Jer. 8.7 The Stork in the Heaven knoweth her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow observe the time of their coming but my people know not the judgement of the Lord. God puts an En ecce exprobrantis upon them for their Caecity and inobservantness of the works of God And will not the Lord say to you one day that go down into the Seas and see his creatures and store-houses that are both in the waters and on the land viz. Fish in the Sea Beasts of the field and Fowls of the air c. that in respect you have made no soul-profiting uses of them they shall bee bitter and tart aggravations of your future condemnation Oh lament lament your blindness and inexcusable stupidity that you can look upon the wonderful works of God and go so boldly and undauntedly and unaffectedly amongst them without wondring at the wisdome of God and reading of Divinity lectures out of them Can you look upon the Leviathan when hee playeth in the Seas or upon the Trunked Behemoth when hee feedeth upon the land and not stand admiring and blessing of the Creator of them Can you look upon the many and strange kinde of Fishes that bee in the Seas of creatures that bee on the land and Fowls that bee in the air and not bee affected and drawn out with new love new fear and new obedience to serve your good God Ah Sea-men Sea-men I will deal plainly with you If I should see the Lord feeding of Sparrows and cloathing Lilies I should bee both stupid and faithless if I learned not that his providence were the same over mee both to cloath mee and to feed mee If that I should look upon the Heavens and see nothing in them but that they are beyond my reach the Horse and the Mâ—â—e would see that as well as I. May not many Sea-men bee painted as the Egyptians were wont to set out an inconsiderate man by To set such an one out in his colours they pictured him with a Globe of the earth before him and his looking-glass behinde him What Solomon sayes in Prou. 17.24 I shall say unto those that travel Wisdome is before him that hath understanding but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth If that thou seest nothing in the earth but a place to walk in or to take thy rest on the Beasts of the earth and Fowls of the air sees that as well as thou If thou canst see nothing in the Sea to admire God for but a place to swim and sail ships in the fowls that daily sit upon the floods see that as well as thou If thou seest nothing in the Bee and Bird but that they are winged other creatures see that as well as thou doest though not to admire them how they sail thorow the vast sea of air that when the Bee is out in the flowry field shee should bee able to steer directly homewards again to her hive and the Bird when abroad to her nest though at never so a geat a distance What shall I say If thou seest nothing in gorgeous apparel but pride the proud Peacock sees that as well as thee Laudatus paevo extendit pennas If of all thy meat and drink that thou livest upon thou knowest nothing but the pleasure and the sweetness that is in them unto thy taste the Hog and the Swine have as great a portion as thou hast If of hearing seeing smelling tasting feeling bee all the delight that thou canst finde in the works of God the dumb creatures do far excel thee in this and thy heart is little better than the heart of a Beast 2 Vse of Exhortation If it bee thus that you that go in the Seas have the fullest and greatest aspect of the Lords works and wonders both in the Sea and Land suffer mee but to leave two things with you and I will pray unto my good God that they may bee profitable unto you and do some good upon you Oculi idcirco dati sunt corpori ut per eos intutamur creaturam ac per hujusmodi mirabilem harmoniam agnoscamus â—pificem 1. Labour for a conscientious eye There is an eye in the world that makes not a little conscience of that glorious sight and Chrystalline humour that God hath put into it for to behold his works with all What a large Book is the Earth that the eye ranges over and how large a Volume is the Sea thorow which you sail certainly you might learn more than you do and bee better scholars in Christs School than you are They that live pind up in one Nation or Country are far from the view of the Creation for they stand but as a man that comes to some great Earl's or Knight's house and stands in the Court now unless hee be invited in hee sees not the sumptuous rooms and places that bee within it onely at a distance hee sees a little of the outward superstructure but they that go into the Sea from Country to Country they see the riches of the Earth the beauties wealth honours and strength of Nations and Kingdoms and truly let mee say thus much that they that see all these things and learn nothing out of them as incentives to love and fear their God Creatio Mundi Scriptura Dei. Vniversus mundus Deus explicatus The whole Creation is nothing else but Gods excellent hand-writing or the Sacred Scripture of the Most high The Heavens the Earth and the waters are his three large Volumes or the three great leaves in which all the creatures are contained and the creatures themselves are as so many
lines by and out of which hee that has a seeing eye may read profitable and singular Divinity lectures that they are greatly to blame There bee many tender-hearted people on Land that would even melt into tears if they did either see or know but of the one half of what you both see and know But what is it I pray for a man to see nothing but whiteness in the Lilly redness in the Rose purple in the Violet lustre in the Stars or perfuming sweetness in the Musk c. other creatures see this as well as you if you make no better use of these things Plutarch's little Bee when it spoke could say Ex flâ—sculis succum mellis colligere cum alii non delectentur nisi colore odore I could gather hony out of any flower whilst others passed by and would not light upon it 2. Do what ever in you lyes to get a seeing eye for want of which some in their travels are but meer beetles Nycticoracis oculos habéntes or men that carry their eyes in their heels when they should have had them in their heads A seeing eye will affect the heart let a man go where hee will in the World Lament 3.51 Mine eye affecteth my heart I wish that every poor Sea-man in the world were so spiritual Sea-men might gather rare documents from the creatures as the little decimo seâ—tos that be both in the Sea and Land as the small fish that are in the Sea the Dove Aut that are on the Land as well as from the great folios of the Whale and Elephant c. that every thing that hee sees in the Sea or on the Land affected his heart Holy David was so heavenly that hee could lay his eye upon nothing that his heart was not affected with Psal 148.8 9 10. One while his eye was upon Fixe another while upon Hail one while upon Snow and another while upon Vapour one while upon the stormy Wind and another while upon the Mountains Hills Trees Beasts Cattel Creeping-things and flying Foul c. and none of these but his heart was exceedingly affected and taken in the thinking and beholding of them Again says Solomon Prov. 15.30 The light of the eyes rejoyceth the heart Give me leave to speak one concluding word unto you who are so much as it were in the heart and garden of the world as you are you might pluck many a sweet and savoury flower to make nosegays of I may say of the Sea and the forein parts of the world what one once said of the Sacred Bible that there was evermore aliquid revisentibus Something to see again again to serve you to smel on in your hearts all the dayes of your lives A gratious heart will evermore bee drawing out good observations out of the creature and will take an occasion to breathe after God in every strange thing it sees or enjoyes A goodly Ancient being asked by a prophane Philosopher How hee could contemplate high things sith hee had no books wisely answered that hee had the whole world for his book ready open at all times and in all places and that therein hee could read things Divine and Heavenly Bees will suck hony out of flowers that flies cannot do But to proceed 2. The next thing is to insist a little upon those singular and providential preservations and deliverances that Sea-men meet withall in their navigable employments My last work you know was to set before you a Praelibamen or a small parcel of the works of God that they behold in their travels and my next task is to prefix a few of those works which may very properly and pertinently bee called Opera conservationis works of mercy and preservation from and out of those many dreadful dangers and life-hazarding perils that they do run in the stormy and raging Seas And before I begin arenam descendere to enter upon them I will lay this proposition before you Observ 4 That the Sea-man of all the men under the whole Heavens none excepted is one that is both a partaker and a seer of the greatest and remarkablest of temporal deliverances These see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep The course that I shall shape and steer in the handling of this doctrine will bee in these following Corollaries that I shall lay down before you the divulging of which unto the world cannot but advance and exalt my Masters name And I hope it will lye as an engagement upon the hearts of the godly as it was upon Davids to love and fear that God the more that bestows such great and so many undeserved preservations upon them that go in the Seas For this reason is it that I do take upon mee to call their deliverances to mind because their dangers and their preservations are not known to every one the major sort of people that live on Land are not acquainted with the things that I shall sing of My Song shall now bee thâ—t of Virgils ab â—ove principium now I will make it my business to present you with some of them though indeed not the one half of what I might and what others who are more knowing in them might tell you of And if you will but give mee that audience and attention that the beasts of the field the fouls of the air gave unto Orpheus's musick that is all I will desire of you It is said of the Beasts of the field and of the Fouls of the aire that they forgot their several appetites who were some of prey some of game and othersome of quarrel some for one thing and some for another insomuch that they stood very peaceably and sociably listning to the Aires Tunes and Accords of the Harp and when the sound ceased or was drowned with some lowder noise then every beast returned to his own nature again To bee short the truth of it is they are very ear-delighting and heart-melting deliverances that I shall speak of and therefore they are both worthy reading and also hearing 1. They that go down to the Sea in ships are many times most dreadfully surprized and bewildered with dangerous and perilous leaks at which water comes gushing into their Vessels as it will out of a cistern or conduit-pipe when once the cock head is but turned about and it may bee when they are thus unexpectedly taken they are many an hundred mile from any port or Land to save their lives I and further to aggravate their misery they are not within the sight of any ship or ships to come and help them which is not onely an heart-akeing discouragement but an heart-casting-down condition Now goes the hand-pump and the chain-pump which they carry in their ships as fast as ever they can turn them about to throw out that water that springs in upon them and when they find the water to flow in upon them far faster than they can throw it
in the South-West and by West c. Psal 107.43 Who so is wise will observe these things 4. And lastly The other Army lies quartered in the South and this oftentimes is very commonly the fiercest and furiousest of them all This Army may be called neque manere finet neque navigare Sometimes it will neither suffer ships to sail nor to keep the Sea insomuch that it makes the Seas run mountain-high and lye all upon a bubling froth and curded foam This Army marches one while into the South and by East South and by and by into the South-East South-East and by South c. and is very ready and attentive to carry on the Lords designs either for good or evil There is both a wonderful vertibility and also variableness in the winds one while they are here and by and by they are there Eccl. 1.6 The wind goeth towards the South and turneth about unto the North it whirleth about continually and the wind returneth again according to his circuits Oh what quick eyes hearing eares ready feet strong arms may I say has these four-wind armies to go yea run If that an Italian General could say when one of his Nobleâ— complained unto him of their want of men I can have all Italy up in arms with one stamp of my feet upon the Earth What do you think then of the Lord cannot hee have all his forces both in Heaven and Earth up in arms Land sooner than Armies of men can bee at the sound of trumpet or at the beat of drum and fly upon Gods commands What more frequent than to hear this amongst the Mariners Wee were shipwracked when the Nothern wind-army lay in the North North-West and wee lost our ship says another when the Eastern wind-army lay in the East and by South c. and wee lost our ship says another when the Southern wind-army lay in the South and by East South c. and wee lost our ship seems another to say when the Western wind-army was upon its march in the West South-West c. But to proceed I will run on in a few more particulars as God has wind-armies at command so has hee many other strange unminded and unobserved armies to march into the field against a people when hee pleases 1. God has his Angel-fighting-armies some whereof are good and other some are bad 2 Sam. 24.16 And when the Angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it the Lord repented him of the evil c. 2 King 19.35 And it came to pass that night that the Angel of the Lord went out If one Angel could do thus much what could not Christs twelve Legions have done upon the wicked Jews and smote in the Camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand c. 2. The Lord has his Sun Moon and Star fighting Armies and this is another sort of army that the Lord has sometimes mustred up to shew his mighty Power and these are called the Hosts of Heaven Deut. 17.3 This Host was up in Arms in Joshua's time Josh 18.12 13. But some may object and say this is something strange how should the Sun the Moon or the Stars fight I answer God may take away the use the benefit the light and the influences of them and in this sense the battel will bee found too hard to escape in 3. The Lord has his men-fighting-armies at command Exod. 12.51 By these did the Lord bring Israel out of Egypt The wicked are Gods sword and his Armies Isa 10.5 6 7. Jer. 25.9 God has Armies of men both good and bad and when hee pleases hee can presently arm them and send them upon errands of ruine and destruction against a Nation 4. The Lord has his water-fighting-armies at command Gen. 6.17 And behold I even I do bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh wherein is the breath of life from under heaven and every thing that is in the earth shall die 5. The Lord has his fire-fighting-armies at command Gen. 9.24 2 King 1.10 Levit. 10.2 And this Army shall bee up in arms either in ships at Sea or Houses Towns and Cities on Land to set them on burning flames 6. The Lord has his air-fighting army at command and when hee is pleased and displeased with a people hee lets flye the arrows of pestilence out of the strong bended bow of his fierce wrath and irresistable indignation He can infect the aire Numb 16.46 and this arrow shall neither flye over nor short but hit the white the person or the persons that the Lord aimes at whether they bee Towns or Cities Nations or Countries this contagious air shall lay siedge unto them and over them and the Sun shall not bee able to drive it away nor the winds to sweep it away and this stinking aire is able to stifle all whether in Towns Cities or Countries if hee do but impower it and set it on 7. The Lord has his Hail-stone-army at command this Army was up and on foot for God in Joshua's time Josh 10.11 I would all the Drunkards and Swearers Take heed Sailors how you sail to and again in the Seas with hearts full of guilt hands full of blood tongues full of lies and heads full of sinful projects and unreconciled men to God that are either in the States or Merchants Service would tremble before the Lord and bee in fear lest their pates should bee broken with hail-stones out of the Heavens 8. The Lord has his Earth-fighting-army at command Numb 16.32 And the Earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up and their houses c. Take heed Godless man how you walk on Earth lest at every step thou takest the Earth open to bury thee alive for thy drunken and swearing life 9. God has his fighting Armies at command out of the meanest and contemptiblest minutila's that are and these shall come in as good regimental and warlike order as the Souldier at the sound of trumpet or beat of drum viz. Lice Frogs Worms c. How have these adventured into Kings Palaces and who gave them that boldness These broke in at the windows ranged like rude Soldiers into every room belonging to Pharaoh's house Exod. 8.6 16.17 Acts 12.23 10. God oftentimes makes Conscience a terrible gnawing and fighting Army and this the great God of Heaven has command of to send a tormenting Hell into it who is able to stand in the face of this battel This enemy shoots through and through Job could not stand in it for hee cryed out Have pitty upon mee have pitty upon mee Oh my friends for the hand of the Lord hath touched mee But to proceed There is one phrase in the words before us that would bee a little opened and explained 1. What wee are to understand by a Stormy wind 2. What the effects of it are 1. I find that Scripture is delighted to speak of this very vapour Of that
force some storms are known to bee of that they will overturn houses on Land and â—â—nd up trees by the roots 1 King 19.11 Sambelicus sets out the strength the force and the power of the winds when hee tells us how whilst Cambyses and his Army sate down to dinner in a sandy desart a dreadful storm arose and beat up the sandy mountains about their eats and became as so many Sextons to delve the graves of the greatest part of his Army for them This vapour sets forth the great power of God let those therefore that go upon the Seas learn to fear the Lord lest hee bury them in the deep Psal 148.8 The stormy wind fulfilling his word The fierceness of this creature is little known and as little understood supposed and imagined to bee so terrible as it is I mean to those that live on Land and are far from the view of the dreadful and military force and power that is in it but it is too well known to those that live in sailing and floting houses upon the Seas The word Stormy wind comes from a borrowed metaphor from the Soldiary and Land-Armies who will when they do assault and storm either Forts Towns Castles or Cities even lay on their greatest force of Men and Ordnance and then is there the greatest frowns in their faces and palpitations in their hearts It is called here a Stormy wind in opposition to smooth gentle and benign gales and winds as the Sea was but ev'n now in a fair temperate and moderate calm so that the smalest boat might have rowed to and again in the Seas now cannot scarce the greatest and strongest ships live in them but are in perpetual jeopardy of being drowned 2. What the effects of a stormy wind are and these are twofold 1. Lifters up of the waters 2. Sinkers or ruiners of ships 1. The word lifting up has its countenance the clear demonstration of this like borrowed Metaphor as it is with and amongst men that are proud high and haughty and of an Elephantinum hominis genus who wil lift up themselves strut look big speak loftily and magnify themselves or else from those Strapados which they have in the Austral parts of the world by which they will hoyst up their malefactors many fadoms high and then lower them down again with the greatest violence that their weighty bodies can descend withall After this manner are the ships lifted up in storms that use the Seas and as violently thrown down again As the potentest military power is seen to put his enemy unto flight as great So dreadful are the downfals that are made in storms that they seem to outstrip the deepest Vallies that sit under the cloud-topping and cloud-imbraceingest mountaines that bee in the world I and greater disorder doe the Seas run in and flye before the stromy winds 2. Ships are oftentimes cast away by them Acts 27.41 And falling into a place where two Seas met they ran the ship a ground and the fore-part stuck fast and remained unmovable but the hinder-part was broken with the violence of the waves And again storms end in the debilitating and disinabling of ships That all perilous storms and ship-wracking Observ 2 Tempests are both of the Lords raising and sending What are storms but the uttering of Gods voice in wrath and judgement upon the Seas If the winds blow harder at some times than their ordinary course is which is most useful profitable unto the Mariner it is no other but a curse a judgment and a token of the Lords displeasure But where is the Sea-man that beleeveth this for hee commandeth c. If this point stand in need of proving I will make it out both pregnantly and sufficiently that the Lord lays claim to it and challenges his propriety in it and so consequently that it is his act and none but his therefore that I may not put you off with words I will throw you in these inlightning and doctrine-confirming Scriptures Psal 147.18 Hee causeth his wind to blow and the waters flow Psal 148.8 Stormy wind fulfilling his word That word of his that God has and will fulfill many times may bee sinking and perishing for ought I know as well as floting and keeping above water The Lord has the winds at command to bee his executioners and administratours either of destruction or preservation hee it is and hee alone that finds them with employment 2 Chron. 20.37 And the ships were broken that they were not able to go to Tarshish May bee many of them were hurled into the bottom of the Sea and others of them thrown upon the Rocks and Sands But to speak shortly now and yet exactly unto the interest of this praegoing point I would then have all the Sailors in the world to conclude upon this ground of truth that all stormy and tempestuous winds are of the Lords raising and sending and that hee is to bee acknowledged in them and herein I would have you to soare far higher than the natural causes of things Hee that drove man out of Paradise both doth and can drive graceless wretches out of the Seas and hurl them upon Rocks Sands and Shore The Rocks the Sands and the Winds I may fitly resemble unto the Cherubins and the flaming sword that was placed at the East end of the Garden of Eden Gen. 3.24 Which turned every way these are ready at the Lords command to break ships in the East in the North and in the South or in the West It is said of the Earth that it is given by God unto the children of men Psal 115.16 But the winds the Lord keeps in his own hands to move and flye to and again this way and that way in the Heavens even as it pleaseth him best to do this and to do that and their dependency is in the heavens no creature has them at command but God solely and properly for every Tempest that comes has as it were an express command from the Lord and that under both hand and seal and if the winds should bee questioned and summoned in to give an accompt of the sad perils they throw the Mariners into and the many shipwracks and great and innumerable losses they put them to year by year they would tell such as should demand an answer of them that they had order from above for so doing and that sin which abounds in ships was the onely cause of those fatal and ominous ruins and desolations But that I may give you the grounds of this Proposition you will in the end I question not bee fully satisfied about the Lords proceedings in this manner 1. Because God would shew his Divine Reason 1 displeasure and indignation against that sinful and ungodly generation of people that go in the Seas Seamen you may conclude it that there is never a storm that comes down upon the Seas to endanger you but God is exceedingly angry with you what more frequent
than to hear this out of Scripture Psal 7.11 That God is angry with the wicked every day If God bee angry with the wicked every day then I will pawn my salvation upon it that hee is not pleased with you every day But Sea-men to fasten this truth upon your spirits and to drive it into your heads pray consider what a dreadful storm the Lord sent out after Jonah when hee sinned against him and provoked him to anger Jonah 1.4 But the Lord sent out a great wind into the Sea and there was a mighty Tempest in the Sea so that the ship was like to bee broken Did not Jonah now and those Heathen that hee sailed amongst acknowledge that that storm came upon them for their sins This was more than ever I heard English Sailor say or confess in all my life during that too long time I have spent amongst them where is the Sailor that wil say when the masts are a going down by the board in a storm or the ship is a going to bee cast away upon the Rocks or upon the Sands and shore what is the Lords design now Some iniquity or other is amongst us some carnal filthiness some stinking and abominable impurity that wee have not been humbled for nor turned from that has brought this misery upon us now are our lives jeoparded and at the very stake by reason of that swearing drinking and audacious gracelesness that is amongst us I dare bee bold to say it that the ungraciousness of that generation of People that goes down into the Sea and is amongst them does put the Lord many and many a time to rouse up his wind-Lyons Seems not this to bee the language of all storms Isa 1.24 Ah I will ease mee of mine adversaries and avange mee of mine enemies or wind-Eagles to flye about their eares with a raging austerity and heart-daunting cruelty yet notwithstanding this generation cannot bee got to abate in swearing reform in drinking and return from their filthy doings Sailors if ever you would travel the Seas with safety and freedom from storm and Tempest follow the Example of the wild-geese that fly over Caucasus where the Eagles roost lest they should bee heard in their gagling they will not take any such flight or voyage before their mouthes bee well crammed with pebbles and then they know that they are far enough out of danger If you would not now have God to send down storms upon you let him not see you drunk nor let him not see you profaning of his holy Name yea bee sure of this that you never let him hear you swearing I am confident were you but an humble and a godly sort of people neither beasts of the field the Seas you swim in and the winds that are above you would never hurt you so much as they do and so you should find more peace more quiet and less dread and terrour than now you do What is it that sin will not do it will batter down Cities I have read a notable passage of some Heathens who when at Sea and in a very dangerous storm where they were all like to bee cast away began every one apart to examine themselves what was or should bee the reason of so dreadful a storm and after they had cast up all by quaerying with themselves what have I done and what have I done said another that his occasioned this storm it amounted to this they remembred that they had Diagoras the Atheist on board and rather than they would perish they took him by the heels and hurled him over board and then the storm ceased and the Seas were at quiet with them If any one would ask mee now what is the reason that the State-ships meet with such hard storms and so many Sands and dangers I should tell them this it is because they are so full of filthy Swearers Drunkards and Atheistical Adulterers These have made my heart for to tremble more than all the dreadful storms that ever I have been in in all my life Nations Towns and Countries and lay them level with the ground and therefore well may your sins bring many ships to ruine Hos 4. vers 2 3. It is that profaneness that is amongst you that puts the Lord upon suffering of your ships to blow up and to fall upon Rocks and Sands c. Think not that the strongest ship or ships in the world are able to keep you from drowning when there is nothing but swearing and carnal filthiness amongst you It was but a foul mistake and also a carnal conceit that Dionysius was of that great Sicilian Tyrant when hee said that his Kingdome was bound to him with chains of Adamant for time soon confuted him Is there not now as strong a conceit in you about your valour and the strength of your ships Alas one sturdy storm will make them rock and tremble I and carry them unto the bottome or throw them upon the shoar if but licensed and impowred by God The strongest walled Cities in the world cannot keep judgement out if sin bee but within neither are they sufficient Canon-proof against the Arrows and Canon-bullets of an heavenly vengeance the height of a Cities proud-daring and out-braving Turrets may for a time keep the earth in awe but they cannot threaten heaven nor stand it out against the Lord the sinfuller a City a Nation a Country a Ship or Family is the weaker are they and the more do they lye open to Gods dreadful thundring and lightning upon them Isa 40.15 I will tell you of a story that will make your ears to tingle when you have heard it and it is of that famous City of Jerusalem which was the glory and beauty of the whole earth It thought it self so strongly fortified and manned within that there were an impossibility of ever being stormed and ruined but alas sin being in its full weight within set open the sluces and flood-gates of Gods displeasure and so let in the raging surges of cruel and intestine wars and brought it unto a heap of stones and to an uninhabitable place After Titus Vespasianus Souldiers had set the Temple on fire it was observed all the industry and skill that ever could bee used imagined or thought on could not quench it Titus sayes the history would gladly have preserved it What is it that God cannot do who is able to marshal and draw into a body even all the scattered forces that lye upon the face of the Creation together and draw forth their vigour vertue and so arm them and that which is more set on every degree of that vigour force that is in the creature according to the strength of his own powerful Arm Gods anger is able to change and alter the very nature of all creatures yea the smallest and the weakest and feeblest of them shall not onely go but run upon Arrands of Destruction in obedience to their chief Generalissimo who can
impower and commissionate for services of the bloodiest severity that may be as one of the worlds great wonders but it could not bee such was the fury of the fire and the rage of the Souldiers both of them undoubtedly set on by God so that the fire would not bee extinguished when they threw in both water and the blood of the slain into it Josephus tells us that Herod the King had for eight years together before the ruine of it imployed ten thousand men at work to beautifie it This was a very glorious thing yet how quickly brought down for the sinfulness of a people 1 Cor. 10.11 Now if these things came upon them for sin and security my application is this in short to you that use the Seas Take heed that your sins bring not storms shipwracks and fires upon you when you are in the Seas far from any land If you ask the reason why such a famous City was destroyed the answer is easily returned It was for sin And if you ask what is the reason of such and such Towns and Cities in the world have been fired the answer will bee That sin was the cause of it and so consequently of the ruine of all your ships 2. Because God will shew his power Reason 2 and let nothing-man know what a bubble a flower a helpless creature man is in the hands of his Maker Matth. 8.24 And behold there arose a great tempest in the Sea insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves but hee was asleep and his Disciples came to him and awoke him saying Lord save us wee perish Proud man is very prone to ascribe that to himself which is absolutely and properly due unto the Lord Proud man is oftentimes priding of himself with high thoughts of himself what he is in point of wisdome parts art and skill but when God puts him to the trial hee is a meer nothing Bulla vitrum glacies flos fabula faeuum Vmbra Cinis punctum vo◠sonus aura nihil and therefore God would undoubtedly teach man thus much in storms that there is no wisdome art skill or strength can carry him out of his dangers but it must be God alone that must do it for them But many Sea-men are like to Aprogis that Egyptian Tyrant in many of their storms and dangers of whom it is said that hee was grown to such an height of pride and impiety and contempt of God that hee professed that hee held his Kingdome so safe Ut à nemine Deorum aut hominum sibi eripi possit Behold what a weakling the Sailor is in a storm Isa 33.23 Thy tacklings are loosed they could not well strengthen their Mast they could not spread the sail that neither God nor men could take it from him but hath not God let you see an end of your vain thoughts and imaginations many and many a time and have you not run upon sands when you have purposed to come well home and have you not at other times run on rocks and gone into the very bottome amongst the dead when you have both confidently thought and said you would come safely to your Ports God oftentimes sufficiently convinces you what you are in your own strength and wisdome without him But to proceed 3. Because God would have some Reason 3 humbled God was forced to send a storm after Jonah before hee could get him to buckle to his work Jon. 2.1 Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the Fishes belly Nulli rei natus es nauta nisi paenitentiae Sailor thou and every one is born for no other thing but for repenrance and the Lord knows there is none in the world or under the whole heavens that repents less than thou doest Rugged storms will both dissolve men and cause their eyes to run down in rivulets of tears yea it is an argument of a good heart to bee afraid of Gods righteous judgements when the stormy winds are out upon the Seas Good people look upon them as no other but the sword of the Lord that is drawn out of the Scabberd of his indignation which hee waves to and again over and upon the face of the great deeps which puts them upon begging and praying upon the bended knees of their hearts that God would put it up again 4. Because God would have some Reason 4 converted It is very probable and apparent Jonah 1.16 that that storm that came down upon the Mariners proved their conversion Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord and made vows Now they feared God whom they never owned knew nor feared before Storms have been the first converting Sermons that many a man ever met withall Yea God hath met with them in a storm Truly God is forced to do and deal with Sea-men many times as Land-men do with unruly Jades and unbacked horses when they have a minde to take them they must drive them up against some hedge gate or bank where they can neither get forwards nor backwards or else they can never halter them If God do not send down rowsing storms upon the Sailors heads that even threaten to rend both heaven and earth I fear they wil I never return nor come home to God whom a Sermon out of the Pulpit could never take nor reach I many have been caught in a storm that have stood at as great a distance and in as much opposition to God and his word as Ataliba that Indian Prince once did to Fryar Vincents book which hee presented to him withall telling him that it was a small Treatise of all the mysteries of salvation heaven and hell hee looked upon it and told the Gentleman that hee saw no such thing in it asking him withall how hee knew it Many who have heard the word and have said in effect they saw no such matter in it as the Preacher tells them of have been taken napping in a storm God sometimes takes here one and there one napping in a storm that could never bee catched in a calm The word converts but few at Sea but a dreadful storm may fetch in them whom a Sermon could not reach All ground is not alike some must have a shower some a clodding neither is all wood to be used alike some will plain and other some must be taken in the head with wedge and beetle Truly one would think that one of those fearful and most dreadful storms that fall now and then upon the Seas were and should bee sufficient to turn the heathenest Sailor that is in them into a very good and gracious Christian Quaedam fulmina aes ac ferrum liquefaciunt Some Thunders will soften both Brass and Iron and that is an hard heart surely that is not melted and converted before the Lord in those loud thundring claps of storm and tempest Reason 5 5. Because Sinners Swearers and Drunkards are in ships It is nothing but the
and the rest of our feral and remote Antagonists 4. It is of wonderful use to the purifying of the air off and from its many infections and contagions the winds are the cleansing engines of the world or the airs sweeping-brooms by which the air is kept both sweet and salubrious and this they do by their oblique and ubiquitary motion which would otherwise corrupt and stench as standing pools Job 37.11 But the wind passeth and cleanseth them Jer. 4.11 This benefit every Land and Country hath of the winds both to fan and sweep the foul corners of the air that are amongst them 5. It is of wonderful use as to the scattering of the clouds here and there in this and in the other Country How are the clouds seen sometimes in a very pendulous manner to hang over the very heads of parched Countries as if unwilling to dilate and part with their watry liquor because of the sinfulness of those Countries Clouds fly and hang over them yet drop no fatness God allows all Countries excepting Egypt which is supplied in a wonderful manner by the River Nilus the benefit of the clouds and of the Heavens hee misses not the smallest of those many Islands that he has lying here and there up and down in the world but remembers them all yea the uninhabitablest place that is in the world both procul prope for the use and benefit and accommodement of mankind by these are the Lords water-pots or cloudy water-bowls of the Heavens shaked and poured down upon the dry and thirsty places of the Earth All Gardens Orchards Corn-fields valleys hils and desarts that bee in the world are watered by them Job 37 11. Hee scattereth his bright cloud The winds are of very considerable and important use as to the conducting and convoying of the aquatical clouds of the Heavens to water the many Islands Territories and Countries of the Lords that bee in and throughout the world It seems that God has a special care of every Country and corner in the world that none of his Gardens and Orchards should parch for want of water and therefore hee has cloudy tankards in the Heavens which flye upon the wings of the wind to fall upon what place hee pleases to supply them 6. It is of wonderful use in its various vertibility and instability Non ita Carpathiae variant Aquilonibus undae The wind is a very varying and turning thing in respect that all parts in the world are served by it one while it serves to carry some Mariners into the North some out of the East into the West and other some again out of the West into the South It stays not long in one quarter but is a meer Camelaeâ—nce mutabilior Eccl. 1.6 The wind goeth toward the South and turneth about unto the North it whirleth about continually and the wind returneth again according to his circuits And hereby is it the more commodious because if it should have its abode any long time either in the Eastern Southern Northern or Western parts of the world then the opposit parts would bee greatly obstructed in their sailing into those parts from whence the wind should blow Great is the Wisdom of our infinite and good God who has ordered and created all things for the good of man in that hee has thus appointed and disposed of the winds to bee one while in one place and another while in another both to fetch Mariners that are far from home and also to carry them out that are desirous and have busines and occupation to do from home 7. It is of wonderful use to alter Seasons it cannot bee gainsaled that the winds have not an altering influence in all Seasons because they bring in our heat and by and by comes in our cold Job 37.17 How thy garments are warm when hee quieteth the Earth by the South wind When the wind comes out of the South how is every one warm and cheerful both in City and in Country although but in a thin and Summers garment but when it comes out of the blustering North or the frigid and mordacious Oriental of the world how is every one then cold within doores and without doors I even in the thickest habit that they can put on Job 37.9 Out of the North cometh forth the cold Now undoubtedly that cold comes upon the wings of the winds out of and from under the Artick and also heat in the same manner from the Antartick of the world When the wind comes out of the North or out of the East how quickly is the heat of the Earth cooled and taken away but as soon as ever it comes out of the South how is the Earth warmed and all the Animals of the world revived Psal 107.43 Who so is wise will observe these things 8. It is of wonderful use to dry up the wetness and dirtiness that is upon the face of the Earth how are all foot-paths and all horse-rodes shoveled and cleansed by the winds It is wonderful to think how an Easterly wind will sweep all the beaten paths and corners that are in the world this wind is called in Scripture a supping wind Hab. 1.9 because it drinks up the moystures that have been laid upon the Earth by the clouds Psal 107.43 Who so is wise will observe these things 9. It is of wonderful use to clear the Heavens for us and to feed us with the light of those glorious lamps and luminaries that are hung up in the Heavens to make the world comfortable to us how would the Sun the Moon the Stars and the face of Heaven bee absconded over-shaddowed and obumbrated to us with clouds fogs mists and ascending vapours that are as so many curtains drawn over those great and glorious Lanterns of the Heavens if the winds did not sweep them and reduce them to an annihilation 10. It is of a wonderfull and most dreadful use in the hand of the Lord to break and ruine the greatest and the strongest ship or ships that ever crossed the salt-waters 2 Chron. 20.37 The ships were broken that they were not able to go to Tarshish And the great Spanish Armado that came against us to invade our Land were broken and scattered by the winds so that they were frustrated in their Dice-games and carried into the bottoms when that they thought they should have had the full possession and enjoyment of this English Island 7. Vse A word of Exhortation and that unto all you that go in the Seas Is it thus indeed that all perilous storms and ship-wracking Tempests are both of the Lords raising sending and impowering give mee leave then to commit three sweet words unto you and I will pray hard both in private and publick that they may be a heart-wining and an heart-perswading word but before I hand them unto you I will lay down a few of those natural symptomes prognosticks and common observations of the approaching of winds and storms only as
a good and a merciful God for you to rejoyce in that is better than ten thousand Sail cannot I live without that ship that I have lost There is a pretty story in Esop of the Goose that laid the poor man her Master every day a golden egg and finding such a benefit by her hee thought that his best course was to kill her and then hee should find them all and upon that conceit hee did but finding himself frustrated Ansere Aesopico invento vacuo stupebat miser ac plangebat rem spem periisse hee fell a weeping for the loss of his golden eggs because hee had taken away her life which if had been preserved would have laid him more Thus the Merchant mourns when he loses his goodly ships that brought him in his riches and upon the consideration of their ruine hee laments to think what accommodement they were unto him But I will let pass this discourse and hasten unto another Proposition that I will lay down and it is shortly this 3. That God threatens before he strikes Observ 3 For hee commandeth the stormy wind How cleer and undeniable is this point unto every ordinary capacity that goeth in the Sea where is the Mariner that is bet up to storms and Tempests but knows beforehand when a storm is coming in the Heavens Every Sailor is as perfect a scholar in the great volume of that over-head canopy of the skies I and knows as well by the Physiognomy of the skye out of what part the storm will come as the childe can tell you his A. B C. when posed in it Before the Lord sends out his stormy wind hee usually gives men that are in that employment notice of it Supra civitatem Hierosolymae stâ—tit sydus simile gladio perannum perseveravit When God was about to strike Jerusalem hee gave them warning by a Star that hung in the form of a sword in a perpendicular manner over their heads which dreadful sign hung over the City for a year together either by the strange flying of the clouds or otherwise clothing of the skies with the black thick and sable curtains of a nocturnal darkness or otherwise by laying upon the airy region a condensation of fogg and mist which are usually forerunners and contemporaneous messengers of what the Lord is above preparing to lay upon that Element and besides these they have many other familiar signs and observations to tell them that the storm is a hastening upon them When the Cormorants leave the Seas and betake themselves to the shore or any of the other Sea-foul that ship that is in the Sea would bee very happy if shee were but in the Harbour But to lay down the ground of this point 1. Because hee is not willing to execute judgment Alexander the Great when ever hee laid siege to any City he hanged up three flags 1. white 2. red 3. black if they compounded and surrendered not before the black flag was set up there was no mercy for them Take heed that God do not so with you Sailors if either threatning or fair means would but serve the turn The loving Father is very loth to lay the rod upon the childs back if admonition would but serve the turn And good Physicians that bear tender love to their Patients when upon the dye will shed tears when they will not take their potions prescribed for their health Luke 19.41 And when hee was come near hee beheld the City and wept over it Gen. 18.32 And hee said I will not destroy it for tens sake God takes little pleasure in the cutting off of souls hee is loth to destroy you Sailors but that you wrest judgments out of his hands to sink you 2. Because hee would let the world know that hee is full of patience Omnis minatio amica monitio Every threatning is a gratious warning Psal 103.8 The Lord is merciful and gratious slow to anger and plentious in mercy 3. The Jews when ever they see the Rain-bow in the clouds they will not stand gazing upon it but presently go forth and confess their sins acknowledging that they are worthy of being deluged and drowned with a second flood They are perswaded that that holy Name of Jehovah is written upon the Bow and therefore do they celebrate his Name at those times Oh that Sailors were in this posture to confess their sins to God when they see storms appearing by the heavens To that end men may bee left without all excuse does not the School-masters warning take off the Scholars excuse when hee comes to whipping A people proudly standing at defiance with their enemy when hee sends them in his summons and tenders of peace for a surrender may thank themselves and not blame the enemy when their streets run down with blood blame not God if hee split your ships in a thousand pieces upon the Seas so that your masts swim one way the rudder another and the broken parcels round about you God shewed you his wrath before it came in the face of the skies but you took no notice of it neither prepared you your selves to meet your God Vers 26. They mount up to the Heaven they go down again to the depths their soul is melted because of trouble FOr the division of the words you have three things that are very remarkable in them 1. Their ascension in these words They mount up to the Heaven 2. Their descension in these words they go down again into the depths 3. Their perturbations in these words their soul is melted because of trouble I will begin with the first and give you a brief explication of their ascending and mounting up The word comes of Mons a Mountain shewing that the Seas are oftentimes conglomerated or accumulated into great and dreadful pyramidical hills and mountains They mount up to the Heaven This phrase in the extent of it is but metaphorical and not really and absolutely so that any ship or ships should rise so high in the violentest storm that is but it is to shew that their elevation is exceedingly raised beyond their ordinary altitude usque ad sedem Hyperbole beatorum Olympicam far above and beyond that hight that calm Seas are of for when the Seas are of a virgin-like smoothness and clearness then are all the ships that go upon them at quiet there is no mounting then nor no going up nor no going down but when the ever-moving Ocean that is lyable to continual agitation and subject to every storm and blast is once raised and stirred up by the winds Storms are like to Ovids Chaos when hee sung that there was Tanta est discordia rerum There is an omnium rerum permixtio in them it flyes in rowling billows and raging surges upon the backs of which the great and weighty ships are tossed up as the ball that is jetted to and fro upon the racket In a troubled Sea ships may
bee compared to a man that runs up an high ladder and as soon as ever hee is got up to the highest stave of it down hee goes till hee comes unto the lowest and by and by hee returns unto the highest Solomon tels us Prov. 23.5 that the Eagle taketh wing and flyeth towards heaven but hee does not say that shee flies so high but it denotes that shee is one of the highest flying birds of any of the fouls under the Heavens Christ tels us also Matth. 11.23 that Capernaum was exalted unto Heaven when alas it was not so nor so because it was but an hyperbolical but rather an Ironical expression for Capernaum was so far from Heaven that her feet was rather upon the very threshold of Hell than Heaven as appears by the poynt shee steered by But this elegant Hyperbole of the Psalmists is to set forth the Sea-mans high soaring sursums and his down-falling deorsums They mount up almost as high as that caelestial 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is feigned to be Elemenci quarti nomen how that hee is one while carried upwards upon the swelling billows of the Seas even ad aulam astriferam as high as the starry mansions and bespangled roofs of Heaven and then by and by they are returned down again 2. They go down again to break up this word unto you there is nothing difficult in it onely wee may take notice that their descension in storms is not gradatim or pedetentim but rather in the violentest manner that can bee even as a stone that is hurled up in the air it will not tarry there any longer than the strength of the hand is upon it and then it will down again because it covets to bee at its Center So the weightier any thing is the speedier is and will bee the descent of it I am confident it would produce many a gallon of salt tears from the eyes of the godly that are on Land if there were but a possibility of their seeing of ships how they labour rock and reel ascend and descend in the restless Seas in time of storms for by and by they are to bee seen anon they are not to bee seen but as if they were covered all over in the Seas That Sea-men are the nearest Heaven Observation 1 of any people in the world when they are once got up upon the back of an high-rising water-billow They mount up to Heaven c. These are the onely cloud-climbing lads of the world Sea men are like to the pinnacles that are praefixed upon all high battlements which point upwards to Heaven but poyse downwards to their center Exod. 8.15 Whilst the judgments of God were upon Pharaoh he was some thing conformable but when the storm was over he was as vile as ever and none go so near or are so fair for Heaven as Sea-men are seems the Psalmist to say but let mee add this pray God they ever come there my prayers shall bee for them 1 Sam. 12.23 Moreover as for mee God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you but I will teach you the good and right way Vers 24. Onely fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart for consider how great things hee hath done for you For I fear that many an hundred Sea-man when hee is got up to the top of an high water promontory in the Sea that hee is as near Heaven as ever hee will bee It was once said of one that preached well and lived ill upon a time when in the pulpit some importunate messenger or other came for him to come out of the Church but one of his auditors made answer Oh let him alone for hee is as near Heaven as ever hee will bee So I may say it is a thousand pitties that ever some Sea-men should come off and down from the high-towering waves of the Seas because they are in those stormy times peradventure nearer Heaven than ever they will bee when they come on Land again Observation 2 That all Sea-men generally without all exception whether they bee young or whether they bee old both do and shall assuredly go to heaven They mount up to the heaven Me thinks the Sea-man likes mee well in the laying down of this proposition and the godly on the other hand look very strangely upon it and so consequently conclude I knovv Sea-men are as confident of going to Heaven the Lord help them as the Turks either are or can bee of that lock vvhich they keep upon the top of their crownes that they shall bee dravvn up into Paradise by Pray God Sea-men vvould once forsake their confidence and then there vvould bee some hopes of them that I have no warrant nor ground in Scripture to build it upon To clear up the point unto you I would have you to observe that there are two parts in it 1. That they do go to Heaven 2. That they shall all go thither For the first of these that they do go thither I would have you to understand mee rightly without any misconstruction I will have nothing to doe with their Salvation in this point for that is as doubtful to mee as Solomon's was to Toledo the Arch-Bishop who weighing that much-disputed controversie whether Solomon was saved or damned and not being satisfied with their arguments caused Solomon to bee pictured upon the walls of his Chapel the one half in hell and the other half in heaven There be three Heavens 1. Coelum Aerium 2. Coelum Astriferum 3. Coelum Beatorum It is not the latter novv they go to in storms but the tvvo former But to the point in hand that you may understand my meaning in it take notice that it is stormy and tempestuous weather that Sea-men go to Heaven in even then when the winds lift up the waves of the Seas by which and upon which thay are in this sense transported unto Heaven what they do or whither they go when dead I have nothing to do to judge and therefore whilst they are living wee need not credit that they go into Heaven Sailors are like to Grashoppers in goodness vvho make faint essayes to fly up to Heaven and then presently fall dovvn to the Earth again Sea-men that have their feet as it vvere in stormy vveather upon the battlements of Heaven should look dovvn upon all earthly happiness in the world as both base abject slight and slender waterish and worthless The great Cities of Campaniae seem but small cottages to them that stand on the tops of the Alps. for I never knew any of them so holy Enoch indeed Gen. 5.24 Walked with God and hee was not for God took him There is a vast difference betwixt going to Heaven and into Heaven the Eagle that Solomon speaks of flew towards Heaven but hee doth not say that shee went into it There is a vast disproportion betwixt a mans going to a place and
even as others did with their Hecatombs but did he prosper afterwards Dionisius was the great ringleader of that jovial crew that went against Proserpinas Temple in Locris which they both robbed and spoyled and in the head of that wretched company he made this out-braving speech Videcis ne amici quam bona navigatio abist is Diis sacrilegis tribuatur See you not my friends what a fortunate Navigation the gods have vouchsafed us in this our sacriledge but did hee ever prosper after Object 3 Mee thinks I hear many Sailors saying unto mee Good Sir There bee many ships that use frequent prayer according to the States Articles of War yet suffer shrewdly and also come to dreadful ruines I even when others go free and clear Ans I will not deny now but that such ships may suffer sadly yet not Gods sore anger many miseries may befall those ships that have good godly and religious people in them that are not the effects of Gods fury were not the Disciples of Christ soundly tossed in a storm and also the Apostle Paul Act. 27.41 And falling into a place where two Seas met they ran the ship a ground and the forepart stuck fast and remained unmoveable but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves And yet for all this God loved Paul never the less That trembling hearts in the time when Observ 10 Gods judgements are abroad upon the face of the great deeps are more acceptable unto the Lord than hard and flinty hearts are Matth. 14.26 But streightway Jesus spake unto them saying Bee of good chear it is I bee not afraid Psal 147.11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him Most Sea-men in the time of their greatest dangers are both void of fear tears and grace for I have observed that they are so inured and bet up to storms and wars that dangers are no dangers to them and storms no storms to them which are indeed no other than the visible tokens of Gods displeasure Are not many Sea-men Sigismund-like who was the young King of Hungary when hearing of the great Turks coming against him proudly said What need we fear the Turks who need not at all fear the falling of the heavens which if they should fall we were able with our spears and halberes to hold them up from falling upon us Sailors say what need we fear the Seas or the winds our ships are strong enough An humbler spirit would better become you but if I know any thing let mee tell them thus much that that frame of heart is not lovely in the eyes of God Jer. 5.22 Fear yee not mee saith the Lord will yee not tremble at my presence You may conclude upon it that God loves not not likes not such a judgement-out-braving temper The greatest plague that could bee seen in Pharaoh was his hardness of heart under all those judgements that God sent upon him and Egypt Sea-men God will not nay I dare tell you of it that hee likes not of you Observ 11 That the generality of the Sea-men are a very holy praying pious religious and precious kinde of people Then they cry c. Under favour I am but telling you of the Sea-mans piety as it was the Hebrews custome to give those that were vile and abominable good names and titles to make them the more despicable and contemptible When they would set out a whorish woman in the defamatoriest dress that they could devise they would call her a sanctified woman and so when they had a minde to set out wicked and prophane men and that unto the life Nautae plurimum in tempestate Deum advocant quem non crederent esse in caelis The Sea-man will call upon God in a storm and when out of it he lives as if he would tell the world that he beleeves that there is neither a God in heaven nor a Devil in hell What a many invocations be there amongst Sailors in time of storms what various devotions and general recourse to their prayers and how many absurdities are committed amongst them confessing themselves one to another others in a loud voyce making confession of their sins stretching out their throats towards heaven as if God were either deaf or thick of hearing they would call them holy men to that very end they might render them the more odious Alas Alas I may better say of the generality of Sea-men even that which was said of Basilides that great Russian Emperour who refused the celestial globe of gold wherein the cunning Artificer as it were in emulation of the Lord had curiously framed the model of heaven so that nothing was wanting of the number of the spheres or of the life and motion that was sent unto him as a very rare present and out of good affection from the German Emperour but his answer was I do not mean to busy my self in the contemplation of Heaven Is not this the Sailors resolution and also all their piety That bold and graceless wretches are Observ 12 made to quake and tremble in Tempestuous storms Then they cry c. Belshazzars mettal melts in the fiery furnace of a rugged storm Dan. 5. Tells us They that said but in now What I swim not in the Sea its air I tread At evey step I feel my lofty and advanced head To knock out a star in Heaven Sing another tune Those that out-faced the heavens and out-braved the stars and neither feared God nor man are now at their wits end Deut. 28.67 Would God it were morning for the fear of thine heart which thou shalt fear and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see that hee was impudently hardy to profess defiance against the God of Heaven by the prophanation of his holy Vessels and also by other external and visible testimonies of his enmity and despight but as soon as hee saw his doom written upon the wall down fell the high-hoysed proud vanting flag of his spirit It is at these times with the Sailors especially when the ship is leaky or upon and near to the Rocks and Sands that lye in the Seas as it was with that great worldly Roy or Monarch Dan. 5.6 Then the Kings countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joynts of his loyns were loosed and his knees smot one against another Now are the Sailors countenances as pale as clouts and their hearts as feeble and as full of fear as ever they can hold Now is it with them as it is said in Deut. 28.66 And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee and thou shalt fear day and night and shalt have none assurance of thy life The hearts of wicked men are as much down in storms as the Cucko's is at the going away of the Summer of whom Naturalists tell us that before they betake themselves to their winter-quarters they express their loth to depart by their faultering and doubling of
in this verse as the Taches and Loops were amongst the Curtains of the Tabernacle The Taches put into the Loops did couple the Curtains of the Tent and sew the Tent together that it might be one Exod. 26.10 11. So doth this very particle couple with the other phrase In the words you have these two things 1. An act of mercy 2. An object of misery And hee brings them out of their distresses Here is transcendent mercy shewed to them that are oftentimes drowned and plunged into irrecoverable misery There is nothing difficult in the words but the view of them is very obvious unto the meanest capacity that is Observ 1 That God loves not to give deliverance till it bee welcome Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble and he bringeth them out of distresses When the ship is upon the sand rapping and knocking as if at every blow shee takes upon the ground would make her flye into a thousand peeces then and not till then comes deliverance Act. 27.44 And the rest some on boards and some on broken peeces of the ship and so it came to pass that they escaped all safe to land When the ship is half full of water with dangerous leaks then and not till then doth the Lord many times appear for them by sending some ship or other into their sight unto which they will make and thereby miraculously they are delivered from drowning by flying out of theirs into that When the ship that Christ and his Disciples were imbarked in was covered all over with waves then and not till then did Christ appear to abate and asswage the storm even but then when there was in the very eye of reason little or no possibility of being saved When Israels Bricks were doubled then and not till then was Moses sent and this is Gods usual time and method to deliver when there is no visible helps or hopes within sight for deliverance 1. Because mercy will not be valued if men should not be thus dreadfully put to it The sound man cryes puff Reasons a fig for the Physitian the Souldier a rush for his enemy when in a strong hold and so the Mariner a straw for storms when in a good harbor but when in the hazards of their lives the mercy then is highly prized 2. Because God would have the glory of his power wisdome and free goodness clearly beheld Act. 27.30 31. And as the ship-men were about to flee out of the ship when they had let down the boat into the Sea under colour as though they would have cast Anchors out of the fore-ship Paul said to the Centurion and to the Souldiers Except these abide in the ship yee cannot bee saved God is tender of his glory power wisdome and honor he would have it seen by the eyes of men 3. Because hee will have the tribute of praise out of every salvation and this is one reason why mercy and deliverance is so oftentimes delayed in the Seas Observ 2 That God in his providence hath a special hand a seeing eye and a prudent care in and over all his creatures for good And hee bringeth them out of their distresses Psal 104.10.21 Psal 107.6 Beasts of the field Fowls of the air Fish in the Sea and all crawling and creeping things upon the face of the earth are preserved and cared for by him If God stept not out of heaven may I so speak to fetch poor souls out of the griping talons of the stormy Seas where no succour and relief can come unto them from the land except it come out of heaven When God would express the tenderness of his love and care to to his people he makes it out by naming the very tenderest part that is in the body Zach. 2.8 Every little thing you know will offend the eye that which wee call the eyes Apple Philosophers call the Chrystalline humour Isbon in Hebrew Ish in Latine Pupilla of pupa because within there is the pretty resemblance of man or otherwise because man is prized and preferred before and above all the creatures besides Heb. 13.5 the Seas and the winds would tear them and their ships to peeces They would soon take down the proudest high decked ships that ever came upon the Seas if God watched not over them both by night and by day How soon would the Sea drink them up even as that great water-drinking Behemoth in Job 33. who drinks up a River I could abundantly inlarge my self in and upon this point but it is such tedious writing in the Sea that I shall bee short and give you in a few inductions to the bargain 1. I would have Sea-men to minde how undeservedly God is with them in their distresses even many wayes A gracious soul spoke on this wise when in a storm and tempestuous night Surely I shall not perish there be so many stars eyes of providence over my head because it was a bright and clear night one while strengthening of you and another while comforting of you Act. 27.22 And now I exhort you to bee of good cheer for there shall bee no loss of any mans life among you but of the ship This was the Apostles experience This was Davids experience Psal 23.4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with mee thy rod and thy staffe they comfort mee 2. Minde how God doth deliver you out of storms and also the manner and means thereof and the very nick of time that God appears for you and works it in All which circumstances well heeded and observed will make your Sea-deliverances the more wonderfully Sea-men may well say of their deliverances as Moses said of the burning Bush Exod. 3.3 I will now turn aside and see this great sight Ah turn about souls and look with a thankful eye upon all your preservations and the more marvellously glorious in your eyes Paul was a great observer of the deliverance that hee and those that sailed with him partaked oâ— Act. 27.44 And the rest some on boards and some on broken peeces of the ship and so it came to pass that they escaped all safe to land Call to minde the times when you were shipwracked in Italy Spain or France c. and observe the manner of your deliverances 3. Minde how God delayes and defers sometimes to abate violent storms and to deliver you till that your wills bee conquered into a conformable contentment and obedience unto Gods will to bee delivered or not delivered This was Peters experience Matth. 14.30 31. that Christ reached him not his hand till he was a sinking And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him This was Abrahams experience Gen. 22.12 13 14. That God was not seen but in the Mount and Isaac was not delivered from being made a sacrifice of till the knife was at his throat Have you not found it many times that
before deliverance hath come Masts have broke upon your heads Sails have rent Cables broke and Anchors come home The Patient earnestly desires such and such things under his distemper but the Physitian wants nor will to give them him but resolves to give them him so soon as hee is fit and therefore makes him stay till hee hath purged for till hee bee made fit for it and for such a cordial and such a medicine it may prove very hurtful for him Ships half filled with water or by stress of weather thrown upon sands Psal 107.43 Who so is wise will observe these things 4. Mind how God Sounds the deeps for you in calm and serene weather when you are boldly sailing on in the Seas with a great deal of confidence and security that your depths of water are sufficient to swim your ponderous ships in that even then Qui scrutantur saepe marinas aranas nihil potest illudere They that will but sound the Seas carefully in dubious places cannot bee deceived but they that are overcome with laziness to throw the Lead over-board may quickly for ought I know run the ship on ground at such times God has struck some in the ship with a great fear putting it into their hearts that they were in great danger whereupon they have called for the Lead and made inquiry into the Sea and water has scarce been found to keep up the ship from the very bottom Who so is wise will observe these things 5. Mind how the Lord goes before you sounding of your depths in the darkest foggiest and mistiest weather that you are surprised withall when you are going on with strong confidence that there is no danger even contra improvisum omnem ictum then are you in very great peril It is with Sailors in black dark and foggy weather as the Poet tells us of Virg. Eclog. 3. Dic quibus in lymphis eris mihi magnâ—s Apollo Tres pateat coeli spatium non amplius ulnas There it little of the heavens to bee seen in the Seas at these times The fire that came down from Heaven upon the Altar was miraculous yet when it was kindled they kept it in with wood Sea-men let your deliverances never starve for keeping warm upon your hearts for having neither the benefit of the Sun nor of the Moon nor of the Stars you are so dreadfully bewildred that you know not how near you are to any Land nor how such and such sand-banks bear off you nor what course to shape and steer then does the Lord direct you and when you are near to Sands hee gives some or other amongst you secret and impulsory hints and warnings to make an examination of your depths by which you are many and many a time preserved Who so is wise will observe these things 6. Minde how God informs you when you are not aware of many in-Sea-lying sand-banks which are visible and obvious enough to a seeing and a watchful eye that is but careful to cast about for the preventing of danger yet when you have mindlessly been running on without either wit or fear holding a direct course upon them it has pleased the Lord to put it into the heart of one or other to look out of the ship It was a good saying of one at Sea when espyed a breach and making report of it the Mariners within said that they could not beleeve it and withall asked him where it was Ne quaeramus ubi sit sed quomodo illam fugiamus Let us not make inquiry where it is but let us strive how to avoid it who has cast his eye this way and that way and quickly observed the breaches that the waters make upon the sands by which means they have brought the ship with all the speed that ever in them lay upon the stayes and so gone cleer Who so is wise will observe these things 7. Minde how God directs you in your Navigations when you are not advised of those many in-Sea-lying Rocks that bee up and down in the great Ocean both North and West and South and East Ah how near have you come to these with your ships The Butterfly in the fable asked the Owle how hee should deal with fire which had singed her wings her counsel was this be sure thou never come so near it again nor as much as ever come within the sight of the smoak of it Your are prudent and want not the skil of applying of it many and many a time before you have been aware of them and when you have been steering upon a direct line to the hazzad of both your ships and lives upon them God has providentially put some or other upon the looking out who have seen the Seas breaking over them in most dreadful froth and presently have made report thereof by which means the ship has been stopped and altered in her course Ah Sea-men surely the Lord has a great care of you Who so is wise will observe these things 8. Mind how God does miraculously many times in misty and foggy weather when you are nearer to Land than you do estimate your selves to be One was lost when nearer Land than he was aware of but quoth the Ship-master It is but a fog-bank there is no danger when they came neer unto it it proved the white clifs of the Land there the ship perished in the storm All are not so favoured even pull by the obumbrated curtains that are drawn over the face of the deeps by which providential dispensation you have a cleer vision of the white clifts of the Land and thereby alter your course upon the sight of danger whereas otherwise you might have perished sundry times if God had not haled up the foggy curtains of the air and let you see that if you ran any neerer death would bee the conclude of that undertaking Who so is wise will observe these things 9. Minde how frequently I and what tender care the Lord has of you in the Seas by his often hushing of the winds when they are up in roaring and rampiant hostility against you at such times when you are irrecoverably run upon Sands and cannot get your ships off them again if the Lord did not thus appear for those that go in the deeps who are I fear very slow in the seeing and also in the acknowledging of this singular mercy many an hundred sail had been split to pieces at this day which have been at time and times preserved Do not you often see this favour undeservedly to bee bestowed upon you Theseus was never better guided by Ariadnes's threâ— which shee tyed at the entrance of Daedalus's labyrinth than those ships that fear the Lord are guided by their God from Rocks Shoars and Sands in the great and wide Seas May I not say of this frequent experienced mercy that the eyes of the Lord are as swift as the very shoots or flashes of Lightning
all that fear the Lord that when they cry they have a God to hear them when they call they have a God to answer them when they need they have a God to help when they mourn they have a God to pitty them when ready to bee overwhelmed with the great waves of the Sea they have a God to defend them So that I may say of such that go in the Seas blessed are the people that bee in such a case yea happy are all they that have the Lord for their God Psal 144.15 who is easily prevailed withall by Prayer That in tempestuous and ship-hazzarding Observ 10 storms it is every mans duty to stand still Charles the fifth gave the Emblem Vlterius stand noâ— still but go on further But in this case us amplius procedas and look up to God for life and for Salvation And hee bringeth c. If the Lord must bring ships out of their distresses then let Sea-men look up unto the Lord for deliverance and trust not too much to their own art and skill Vicount Hugo de Millains motto was on a ship without tackling to stay it with In filâ—ntio spe fortitudinem My strength is in silence and in hope Haedera undemis invenit quo se alliget 〈◊〉 Ivie being weak upon a time looked upon the Elme and spoke on this wise I am not able to stand of my self pray let mee lean on you Sailors you are not able to save your selves in storms lean upon your God That God is the great Saviour and deliverer Observ 11 of mankind Sailors are evermore hurling out of their mouths the demiculverin shot of their own praises Decempedalia sesquipedalia verba You shall seldom hear them say that God ever delivered them out of a storm in and out of all their storms and Tempests And hee bringeth c. The sweet singer of Israel quickly spies out the Sea-mans deliverer But this is more than many a beetle-headed Sailor can do Every eie observes not the stupendious and astonishing mercies of the Lord. Dextra mihi Deus est said a profane man my right-hand was my God or else I had lain my bones in the danger I was surrounded with Another said Haec ego feci non fortuna but never prospered after Wee see that Nebuchadnezzar trusted in his princely City Babel and that Babel became a Babel of confusion to him Xerxes trusted in his multitude of men and his multitude incumbered him Darius trusted to his wealth and his wealth sold him Eumenes in the valour of his Regiment called the Silver-shields and his Silver-shields sold him and delivered him up to Autigonus Roboam in his young Counsellors and his young Counsellors lost him the ten Tribes Caesar in his old Senatours and the Senate conspired against him Domitian in his Guard and his Guard betrayed him Adrian in his Physicians and his Physicians poysoned him so that the proverb ran Multitudo Medicorum perdidit Adrianum Imperatorem Observ 12 That although men at Sea in their dangerous storms seem as it were both forgotten and forsaken yet does the Lord at last very frequently make it evident unto them and to the world that hee does not forget them And hee brings c. Observ 13 That the evil and unworthy deservings of men at Sea does not alwaies interrupt the course of Gods goodnesse towards them And hee brings c. Vers 29. Hee maketh the storm a calm So that the waves therof are still THe words offer unto us two things to bee considered of 1. The Agent 2. The Act or the Effect 1. The Agent that is the Lord in these words Hee maketh the storm a calm 2. The Act or the Effect So that the waves thereof are still That the cessation of all storms and Observ 1 Tempests is by through and from an irresistable and an uncontroulable omnipotentiary power that is in God Hee maketh the storm a calm c. Xerxes finding Helespont to be a little unsmooth would needs throw Irons into it to fetter it so impatient Or if you will take the point thus That God is the great allayer and principal calmer of the raging winds and Seas Philosophers tell us that the winds are allayed several waies 1. When the air is over-burdened troubled and softned by vapours contracting themselves into rain 2. When vapours are dispersed and subtilized whereby they are mixed with the air and agree fairly with it and they live quietly then is the wind allayed 3. When Vapours or Fogs are exalted and carried up on high so that they cause no disturbance until they be thrown down from the middle Region of the air or do penetrate it 4. When vapours gathered into clouds are carried away into other Countries by high-blowing winds so that for them there is peace in those Countries which they fly beyond 5. When the winds blowing from their nurseries languish through their long travels finding no new matter to feed on then does their vehemency abate and expire 6. Rain oftentimes and for the most part does allay winds especially those which are very stormy Observ 2 That the insensiblest of creatures have an ear unto their makers speech It is said of Caesar that hee could with one word quel the discontentedest motion that ever rise in his Army What is the Lords power then in the stilling of the winds and do out of an obediential subjection yeeld to his will to carry on his purposes and designs whether of good or evil of preservation or of destruction towards a people He maketh the storm a calm c. If the Lord speak unto the winds they have an ear to hear him if to the Sea the Sea is attentive to listen to his divine pleasure and bee it good or bee it evil they are both of them loyal and fiducial Souldiers under Heavens Flag or Standard to execute his pleasure Jonah 1.4 Observ 3 That God can when hee sees it fit preserve a people from ruine in and after an incredible unlikely unexpected and miraculous manner Hee maketh c. Acts 27.20 When all hopes of being saved failed the Mariners then began the Lord to stir for them The Lord oftentimes keeps his hand for a dead lift That the great waters stilness and Observ 4 peaceableness at any time is by and from Gods calling off the flying and Sea-disturbing winds Hee maketh c. That it is the Lord that makes changes Observ 5 of conditions in the Sea and gives calmness out of his indulgent kindness and by and by storms for the abuse of the mercies of his calms Hee maketh c. The Seas are quickly alarm'd and beat up into dreadful waves even in all quarters at the commands of the Lord and shall puzzle and torment wicked men as much as those Ciniphes that bred in terra Egypti de fimo muscae quaedam sunt minutissimae inquietissimae inordinatè volitantes in oculos irruentes non permittentes homines quiescere
Virgils Hypotoposis of a storm at Sea is their condition Tollimur in coelum curvato gurgite iidem Subducta ad manes imos descendimus undâ Consider but what a bustling the winds sometimes make and keep in a stormy day upon your Houses and Trees that are in your Orchards insomuch that many times trees are rent up by the roots and out-housing dismounted and thrown down to the very ground Now if the wind have such an influence upon all high things at Land how much more upon the tall spired Masts and shipping that go in the shelterless Seas 5. Word is unto the godly and pretious Ministry that is in great plenty in this Nation Gentlemen you are by your profession 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rowers 1 Cor. 4. And beleeve it rowing is a very hard labour The Seas are as full of dangers to them that go down into them as Pandoras box was whom the Poet reports of that Prometheus the Father of Deucalion would needs pry â—nto out of which Mille morborum malorum genera â—rumpunt A thousand evils was in it for men in the Thames go with their dublets off all day their living is got by the sweat of their brows But your labour in the Lord 's Vinyard is far greater than theirs many have killed themselves by hard working to get the world and I am sure there lies many a pretious Preacher in the grave that might have lived longer if he had not preached himself to death and prayed himself to death though an unworthy world takes no notice of it I beg of you your publick and your private prayers for those that use the Seas Wee have a great number of ships frequently going to Sea above a thousand sail every year both of Merchants and Men of War and stand not these in need of being prayed for I fear many of them perish and finde it to go harder with them than it otherwise would bee did you but pray more for them Ah they stagger it in the Sea every day more then hee that has a cask a tankard Alas the Sea-mans life is a reeling to fro Nutant nautae vacillaâ—t cerebro pedibus may be their mottâ— or an hogshead of strong liquours in the belly of him And are in daily jeopardy of their lives Good Sirs bestow pulpit prayers study prayers family prayers and field-walking prayers upon them all is little enough to prosper Zebulun's Tribe in their goings forth and commings in But I proceed That God watcheth every opportunity Observ 3 and takes all occasions to do his people good Then hee bringeth them unto their desired Haven Very gladly would God have spared Jerusalem if there had but been one man in it that executed judgement and sought after the truth Jer. 5.1 Run thee to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem c. How compassionatly did the Lord affect any opportunity to cure Babylon Mans heart-daunting extremity is Gods goldenest opportunity Acts 27.23 For there stood by mee this night the Angel of God whose I am and whom I serve They all expected to be drowned but God looked out for them to preserve them The Sea is no delightful place to carry in for it is with them that use it as it is with travellers on Land who speed their pace through fields that afford no novelties though sometimes they bait their beasts rest themselves in places that are fruitful when hee intreated her with the best argumentative Oratory that the Heavens could compose till shee said I will not bee cured Jer. 51.9 How did God watch to spare Sodom for ten mens sakes Gen. 18.32 Ah were but Sea-men godly I durst undertake their safety in their well-going out to Sea and returning back from Sea Insomuch that they might bid defiance to the Seas and say unto them as Luther said of Henry the eighth's letters Agant quicquid possunt Henrici Episcopi atque adeo Turca ipse Satan nos filii sumus Regni So Agant venti freta c. What History sets out Neptune in in a statue of gold holding the two terrours of the Seas in his hands the one called Scilla the other Charybdes I may better say of the Lord and these hee has in chains and is feigned to call out aloud to the Mariners and ships that pass that way Pergite securae perfreta nostra rates Ships securely 〈◊〉 on Through our 〈◊〉 Ocean That when ships have been long out of Observ 4 the Land in forein parts their well coming home is evermore very delightful Italiam Italiam laeto clamore salutat Virg. and inexpressable pleasant to them Then hee brings them to their desired Haven It is said of Marcus Tullius that when hee was brought out of banishment it was with him as if hee had entered into a new world and had gotten Heaven for Earth he broke out into this language I am amazed to see the beautifulness of Italy Oh how fair are the Regions thereof what goodly fields what pleasant fruits what famous Towns what sumptuous Cities what Gardens what pleasures what humanity amongst Citizens and Country people It is said of the Trojans after they had been warring a long time in the Mediterranean Seas the like shall I say of our Warriours that as soon as they spied Land they cried out with exulting joyes Oh Italy Italy It is thus with our Sea-men Abigails bottles of Wine and frayles of Raisins were not more welcome to David in the hungry Wilderness of Paran nor the shady Juniper-tree more delectable to the Prophet when in the parching Sun nor Jacobs sat Kid more acceptable to his grave Father Isaac in his sickness than the Land is to the Mariner when he hath been long out of it when been a long tract of time out at Sea in the East or West Indies Oh England England poor Travellers that have been long out of their w◠〈◊〉 the night time wandring here and 〈◊〉 and ring there in a bewildered condition upon Hills and Mountains in vast and large Forrests far from any house destitute of monies and all comfortable refreshments weather-beaten with rain and wind terrified with thunder and lamentably starved with cold and hunger wearied with labour and almost brought to despair with a multitude of miseries if this man or those Travellers should upon a sudden in the twinckling of an eye I may write Epicharmes 's saying upon the Mariners calling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All good things are bought with labour bee fetched and placed in some goodly large and rich Palace that is furnished with all kind of rich accommodations warm fire sweet odours dainty meat downy beds pleasant musick fine apparrel honourable and noble company and al this prepared for them Oh how would they bee transported and over-joyed As great contentment and heart-ravishment as all this is the sight of England to the Mariner after a long voyage Observ 5 That every ships sinking and miscarying in
into the South but where are your thanksgivings all this time to God for your safe goings our and returnings home Go but to the Planets and they will tell you that they will not deal so with the Sun as you deal with your God wee say they receive much light from the Sun and for a testimony of our thankfulness wee do not detain it but reflect it back again upon the Sun Go to the Earth Sailors and shee will tell you that shee will not deal so with the Heavens as you do with your God shee will tell you that shee receives much rain from the Heavens and out of a testimony of much thankfulness shee detains it not but returns it back in Vapor again and after this manner may you hear her speaking Cessat decursus donorum si cesset recursus gratiarum Mercies from above would soon cease If my thanksgivings and returnings from below went not up It is said of the Lark that shee praises the Lord seven times a day with sweet melodious ditties Atque suum tiriletiriletiriletiriletirile cantat Alauda Isa 20. The beast of the field shall honour mee the Dragons and the Owls because I give waters in the Wilderness and rivers in the Desart to give drink to my people my chosen 1. Reason Because your lives were at the stake as Isaac's was upon the Altar's when the knife was at his throat yet did the Lord call and look forth very seasonably The Romans used to stick and bedeck the bosom of their great God Jupiter with Laurel as if they had glad tidings of fresh victories and that out of a testimony of their thankfulness for what they had out of the Heavens for you and spake to the winds when they were up in a rampant kind of hostility and rebellion against you and bid them be quiet and do you no harm otherwise you had perished in many a storm ere this day and is not this worthy a great many thanks Who can bee too thankful to that God that has been so careful and tender-hearted over you when in the Seas where there was no eye to pitty you 2. Reason Because in that storm if God had given it commission thou hadst been shortly after either in Hell I have met with a story of one when being risen from the dead therefore you that live ungodlily in the Seas think of it he was asked in what condition he was in when he was there he made answer No man will beleeve no man will beleeve no man will beleeve They asked him what hee meant by that he told them no man will beleeve how exactly God examines how strictly God judges and how severely hee punishes or Heaven or may I not leave Heaven out and thou hadst been in Hell where the Devils would have fallen upon thee to tear thee to peeces Ah Sirs your lives hang but upon small wyers and what would become of you if God should not spare you Bee affected with this mercy 3. Reason Because had the storm but had licence to have destroyed you and the ships you sailed in which the Lord would not suffer you had never come home with your rich lading nor never had that mercy granted you of ever seeing or enjoying of your loving friends wives children houses lands and acquaintance again and shall not all this move you unto thankfulness If this will not I know nothing in the world that will prevail with you I pray God that Sea-men do not with their deliverances at Sea as Pharaoh did with the miracles that were done before his face Exod. 7.23 Of whom it is said That hee would not set his heart to the miracle 4 Reason Because you have now at the present a still quiet and peaceable Sea to sail in and upon which in the storm you had not such was the proud vantingness of it that you durst not loose a knot of sail nor keep your Top-masts unlowred and un-peaked and the waves run mountain-high rageing and rowling on every hand you in such a miserable manner It seems strange to mee that Sea-men are not bettered by all the storms they meet with by all the calms God bestows upon them Iron is never cleaner than when it comes out of the furnace nor brighter than when it has been under the sharp file the Sun never shines clearer than when it comes from under a Cloud the Coale that has been covered with ashes is thereby the hotter the quicker every thing brightens betters but the rusty Sailor Gods mercies judgments in the Seas do not scour him as that you were at your wits-end but Oh what sweet peace and tranquil weather have you now insomuch that your Vessels go now upright without that nodding staggering and reeling which they were put to before How still are the waves how clear above bee the skies and Heavens how well escaped are you from the shore the Rocks and sands which you were so near to in the storm Are you not affected with this mercy The Lord soften your hard hearts then Give mee leave to present you with a few motives unto this duty of thankfulness 1. Consider Soul what an unspeakable mercy it is that God should hear thy Prayers in a storm when thou wast almost overwhelmed that God should hear prayers nay prating and babling rather than praying which is but an abomination unto the Lord that God should hear the prayers of the righteous that is nothing strange because hee hears them alwaies but that God should hear your prayers Sirs which are most sorry and sinful prayers The Stork is said to leave one of her young ones where shee hatched them The Elephant to turn up the first sprig towards Heaven when he comes to feed and both out of an instinct of gratitude to their Creator Sailors let not brute creatures excel you for whatsoever is not of Faith is sin this is wonderful Ah will not you bee thankful unto the Lord Sirs I have red of a Lyon that had but got a thorn in his foot as hee was walking and ranging in the Forrest for and after his prey and being exceedingly pained with it hee made after a foot-Traveller which hee spied in the Forrest making signs to him that hee was in distress which the Traveller seeing and apprehending that his case was dangerous if hee ran hee stood still to know the Lyons pleasure to whom the Lyon declared himself and the poor man pulled it forth and the Lyon to requite him followed him as guarding of him from all wrongs by other wild-beasts quite through the Forrest Ah Sirs will not you express your thankfulness to your good God 2. Consider the particular dealings of God with you he deals not so with every one Do you not see God in the winds Mercavab Velohaâ—ocheb how is hee to bee seen in the Chariot which he rides in though not the Rider says a Rabbi some goes down into the bottoms amongst the dead
most high God for delivering mercies is not onely a very acceptable duty with God but also the readiest way to obtain mercy in the like exigency and necessity again Oh that men would praise the Lord Psal 50.23 Who so offereth praise glorifieth mee and then it follows Hee that orders his conversation aright to him will I shew the salvation of God Munera crede mihi placant hominesque Deosq This Scripture now proves it to bee an acceptable performance in the sight of God and that such as give God the most and best of praises they shall have the greatest and the sweetest salvations Improve Neptunum accusat iterum qui naufragium fecit Hee is very injurious to Neptune that complains of being shipwracked when unthankfulness is the cause Alexander the Great by burning Frankincense frankly and freely to the gods gained by conquest the whole Kingdome of Arabia where all the sweet Aromatick trees do grow Ah Sirs you do not know how you might prosper at Sea would you but bee liberal in your praisings of God and thanksgivings to him The people in the Low Countries by giving the Stork leave to build and nest it in their houses to requite the house-keepers shee comes every year at her appointed time Wee read of small or no rain that falls many times in divers parts of Africa and the grand cause is supposed to bee the sandy nature of the soil from whence the Sun can draw no vapours or exhalations which ascending from other parts in great abundance resolve themselves into kinde benign showers refreshing and helping of the earth that yeeldeth none and this is the reason many times why God poures not down his blessings and benefits in such an abundance as sometimes hee hath been wont to do because your hearts are as dry and barren as the barren grounds and sands of Africa for if vapours of melting prayers tears prayses and thanksgivings go not up to heaven mercies will soon bee stopt in their passage down If Sea-men were not so much behinde hand with God in the tribute of praise and good life God would soon lay a charge upon all his creatures both in heaven and in earth that they should pay their tribute unto man the Sun his heat Ah Sirs I am afraid that many in the Sea do vitam gentilem agere sub nomine Christiano live even Turks under the name of Christians The Sailor sometimes is like a Rubrick or Sunday letter very zealously red and all the week after you may write his deeds and his unthankfulness unto his God for Sea deliverances in black the Sea his calmness the Winds their gentleness the Moon her light the Stars their influences the Clouds their moysture the Sea and Rivers their Fish the Land her Fruits the Mines their Treasures c. And when neglected God shuts up the windows of heaven and locks up the treasuries of his bounty and so lets Winds and Seas rage and roar and the creatures gnash and grin their teeth at a people for their ingratitude Ingratitude is a sin supposed to taint the very influences of the Stars it dries up the Clouds infects the very Air makes Winds terrible and boysterous blasts the very fruits of the earth Cyprian attributes the great dearth in his time to the want of thankfulness and truly I shal attribute the many ships that are cast away unto their unthankfulness unto their God for had they been more thankful more holy and humble for those storms God delivered them out of they had never gone so sadly to the pot as they have done Here is quoth Cyprian a very great and general sterility or barrenness of the fruits of the earth and what is the reason of it because there is such a sterility of righteousness and purity Men complain now a dayes that springs are not full Sea-men deal with God as the Heathen who would when they had served their torns upon their gods as Prometheus c. put them off with beasts skins stuffed with straw If they get but out of the storm they never look behinde them who sate upon the floods all the time to deliver them themselves not so healthfull nor the Seas so calm as formerly they have been nor the Winds so quiet and peaceable nor the showers so frequent the earth so fruitful nor the heavens so obsequious unto them as they have been to serve their pleasure and natural profit to God the creatures are obedient and on his errands they go Deu. 28.38 Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field and shalt gather but little in for the locust shall consume it It is sin that makes the Sea so dangerous and so dreadful sin that makes the heavens as iron over head and the earth to grow so full of thorns and brambles But to proceed I shall not adventure pluribus morari but rather bee tanquam Canis ad Nilum in a restless Sea where I can neither hold my pen in my hand nor keep my paper and ink upon board scarce The Arguments why Sea-men should praise God are briefly these 1. Because God had such a special Reason 1 eye and provident care over you in the preserving of you in all the unlikeliest and irrecoverablest dangers and calamities that you have been exercised withall in the Seas 2. Because God did so much for Reason 2 you which hee would not do for others That when God hath delivered men out Observ 4 of their Sea-streights and calamities Sceva told all his friends that at the siege of Dyrrachium where he so long resisted Pompeys Army that he had two hundred and twenty Darts sticking in his Shield Densamque tulit in pectore Sylvam Ah set your deliverances before people it is their duty not onely to praise God for his goodnesses towards them but also to set the fruit of those mercies before others to taste of Oh that men would praise the Lord c. Vers 37. Let them exalt him in the Congregation Portus Olympiaca vocem acceptam septies reddit If any knock or speak at the Gate or Portal of Olympus it returns a sevenfold Eccho of the knock or speech Your mercies should make you speak Sirs Observ 5 That although a man hath nothing to speak of Gods wonderful deliverances in the Seas but what is known unto others as well as to himself yet is it a part of Gods praise and of his thankfulness to make Gods works known and the continual matter of his talk and discourse Oh that men would praise the Lord Psal 105.2 Talk yee of all his wonderful works Talk not of one or two of some of them but of all of them which you have seen and known done and wrought for you in the Seas Observ 6 That freedome from perils in the Seas and injoyment of life are two mercies that call for many thanks at the hands of those that go down into them He that hath but a subjects purse may have
that men would praise the Lord. Psal 105.5 Remember his marvellous works that hee hath done his wonders and the judgments of his mouth A gratious heart files all the Lords dealings with his soul either at Sea or Land in his heart and steers the same course the Sea-man does in the great deeps who makes it his daily business in long Voyages to keep his Quotidian reckonings for every elevation hee makes whereby hee judges of his advancings and deviations Mens memories should bee deep boxes or store-houses to keep their pretious Sea-mercies in and not like hour-glasses which are no sooner full but are a running out Bind all your sea-deliverances and preservations as fast upon your hearts as ever the Heathen bound their Idol Gods in their Cities in the time of wars siedges and common calamities which they evermore bound fast with Iron chaines and strong guards and sentinels lest they should leap over the walls or run out of their Cities from them Ah Sirs look to those things which Satan will bee very prone to steal from you who is like unto a theef that breaks into an house but will not trouble himself with the lumber of earthen or wooden vessels A gratious heart will resolve that the Orient shall sooner shake hands with the West and the Stars decline the azured Skies than he will forget the Lords deliverances out of gloomy stormy tempestuous and heart-daunting Seas Sirs you stand in need to be called upon for your hearts are not unlike to the leads and plummets of a Clock that continually drive downwards and so stand in need of winding up but falls foul on the plate and jewels Hee does and will steal away your hearts from minding the precious jewels of your Sea-deliverances I find in Scripture that the people of God of old were very careful and heedful to preserve the memory of their mercies I wish all the States Tarpowlings were of the like temper 1. By repeating them often over in their own hearts Psal 77.5 6 11. I will remember the works of the Lord surely I will remember thy wonders of old Sea-men should say of their Sea-deliverances as Lypsius once did of the Book he took so much delight in pluris facio quum relego semper novum quum repetivi repetendum The more I read the more I am tilled on to read The more I think of what God hath done for me the more I still delight to think of it Vers 6. I call to remembrance my song in the night Paul when hee was amongst the Mariners writ down all their transactions in the time of their danger Acts 27.7 The wind not suffering us we sailed under Crete over against Salmone Vers 18. And being exceedingly tossed with a Tempest the next day they lightned the ship Vers 27. But when the fourteenth night was come as wee were driven up and down in Adria about midnight the ship-men deemed that they drew near to some Country Vers 28. And sounded and found it twenty faothms c. 2. By composing and inditing of pretious pious and melodious Psalms Remember the time of your inconsolabili dolore oppressi this was Davids practice Psal 38. which hee titles A Psalm of David to bring to remembrance Again in the 70. Psalm Wee have the very same title A Psalm of David to bring to remembrance In our late wars many had such a pretious spirit breathing in them that they have put the victories and battels of England into sweet composed meeter to the end they might bee remembred Ah Sirs call all your deliverances in this and in the other part of the world to remembrance 3. By giving names to persons times and places on purpose to remind them of Gods mercies This was Hannahs course in the 1 Sam. 1.20 And called his name Samuel saying The States ships resemble the tall Tree in Nebuchadnazzar's dream Dan. 4.20 Whose height reached unto the heaven and the sight thereof to all the earth They go into all parts in the world as much admired are they as Venus was by the Gods Who came flocking about her when shee went to heaven because I have asked him of the Lord to that very end shee might for ever perpetuate the Lords goodness towards her Abraham to keep alive the goodnesse of God towards him in the sparing of his Son would call the place where hee should have been sacrificed Jehovah-Iireth i.e. God will provide Gen. 22.14 The Jews that they might keep in remembrance the daies of their deliverance from bloody-minded Haman they titled them Purim i. e. Lots Esth 9.26 in memory of Lots cast by Haman which the Lord disappointed And very commendable is this Scriptural practice amongst us in England for I have observed it and I like it very well that our Military Grandees to perpetuate their dreadful Land and Sea-fights do give their warlike ships and battels such titles To keep alive that great and desperate engagement which our Army had with the Scots in Scotland one of their warlike ships is called the Dunbar Gentlemen Captains and Sea-men many of your Ships derive borrow their names from the stour-charged and fought Battels of the Souldiery in England to that end you may imitate their valour at Sea which they to the life performed on Land Some are called the Treddah some the Naseby and other some the Dunbar some the Plymouth some the Gainsborough and othersome the Massammore c. Be valiant Sirs the Souldiery fought apace when in those Battels To keep up the memory of Naseby great fight they have another ship which they call the Naseby To keep up the memory of Worcester fight they have a brave warlike ship which they call the Worcester To keep up the enemies defeating at Wakefield in Yorkshire they have a gallant warlike ship called the Wakefield To remember the fight at Nantwich they have a warlike ship called the Nantwich To remember their victory at Plymouth against the enemy they have a ship which they call the Plymouth To keep up the memory of that famous bout at Massammore when the three Nations lay at the stake they have a ship called the Massammore To remember that great fight that was fought at Treddah they have a warlike Vessel called the Treddah To perpetuate the memory of that great and hot dispute that was once at Selby in Yorkshire they have a famous ship they call the Selby To keep up the memory of that bout they had with the enemy at Portsmouth they have a warlike ship they call the Portsmouth To keep up the memory of their taking of Gainsborough they have a brave Prince-like ship called the Gainsborough To keep up the Memory of the dispute that they once had at Preston Bee valiant Sirs your ships have their names from valiant Exploits on Land and the States will deal as kindly with you as the Russians do by those they see behave themselves couragiously the Emperour
Omnium possessionum pretiosissimum esse amicum fide Corda bonorum aliquando concussa melius solidantur The hearts of good men are best setled after they have been well shaken with a dreadful storm the fitter to serve God prudentia praestantem Great kindnesses Sirs are greatly to be regarded and serious things ought to bee seriously minded Ah Sirs be affected with what God does and has done for you 2. Make a profitable use of all your deliverances for your own good 1. For Obedience Sirs I wish you all that use the Seas when in violent blustring storms a bottle of the Queen of Thebes rich Nepenthe which she upon a time sent to a great Graecian beauty incomparable Lady of the world by name Helena the vertue of which was such that it would over-power all griefs sorrows troubles fears cares and dangers and make one cheerful though never so miserable If you want this at Sea you have a good God that is all this and much more 2. For Comfort 3. For Holiness 1. For confidence in God in the time of storms and dangers Former Experiences of Gods deliverings of you should sinnew and strengthen future confidence in God it was so with David 1 Sam. 17.37 The Lord that delivered mee out of the paw of the Lion and out of the paw of the Bear hee will deliver mee out of the hand of this Philistin Conclude Hee that preserved mee in the last storm and carried mee out of those perils that beset mee about on every side will do so still 2 Cor. 1.10 Who deliverd us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom wee trust that hee will yet deliver us 2. For comfort in bitter storms and heart-striking blasts evermore compare your present condition but with the former and that will make it the more comportable and fordable unto thee hast thou not been in the same or in the like or in as great or greater yet God comforted thee and bore thee out of it and is not this God the same God still yesterday to day and for ever his arm is not shortened Canst thou not Nay dost thou not experience that God has been with thee in six troubles and also in seven No better refuge in the world It was a good saving of one when in a dreadful storm at Sea quoth he I shall not certainly perish there be so many eyes of Providence over my head meaning the Stars in the night than to flye to the strong Tower of a good old Experience in the time of distress Psal 143.4 5. When David was in a great storm in his Kingdom hee flies to experience I remember the dayes of old I remember what thou didst formerly And here hee cast anchor and found much comfort 3. For holiness your daily summerly and winterly experiences of your hardships and difficulties in the Seas should bee carefully spiritualized and improved to the amendment of your hearts and lives 3. And lastly for the good of others bring out your experiences and delivering-mercies upon the Seas and set that savoury dish upon the table for pious gracious and tender hearts to feed on It is reported that sorrow and pleasure and pleasure and sorrow were at strife and variance one with the other insomuch that Jupiter was sent for from Heaven to come and reconcile them and seeing that neither of them would yeeld to one another in respect they referred themselves to Jupiters arbitration quoth he since this is your resolution you shall for ever hereafter go together You have not all hony in your imployments It is reported of a ship that shee spoke on this wise in the commendation of one that had been instrumental to carry her well out of a dangerous place in the Sea which was full of rocks and sands in a dark night Nauta bonus qui manum ad clavum oculos ad astra habet My Helmsman kept one eye upon the Stars and another upon the Card and thereby I escaped And will not you bring forth your experiences Ah Sirs in this case you are too much like Joshuahs Sun that stood still or Hezekias Sun that went backward whereas you should bee as Davids Sun that rejoyceth as a Giant to run his race and turns not again till hee hath finished it I would have Sea-men in this case to resemble that sort of Fish in the Sea that is called an Aspidochelon which is a Sea-monster and when hee opens his mouth there issues out such an aromatick savour that all the by-standing spectators are allured to swim near unto him whereupon hee makes a prey of them Ah Sirs I would have your mouthes to pour out the sweet aromatick perfumes of the Lords deliverances of you in the Seas even in all companies and societies you converse with Ah! you might very much ravish the hearts of all that should hear you would you but undertake to bring forth your Sea-experiences how might you set your souls on a burning flame and heat of love unto your God again Your experiences at Sea are not like Numa Pompilius's feast where there were spectandae dapes non gustandae But every one that hath a gracious frame of spirit may relish them Ah Sirs May not you say to all that know you Deut. 3.24 Oh Lord thou hast began to shew thy servant thy greatness and thy mighty hand for what God is there in heaven or in earth that can do according to thy works and according to thy might you do not think what good you might do in this case People that live on land will bee glad to hear them 4. I could wish that all our Sea-men would put all their experiences of Gods delivering-mercies into a method 1. Consider the greatness of them both for number and measure how many deliverances and mercies God hath given and doth give unto you hee even gives unto you whole loads Psal 68.19 Blessed bee the Lord who daily loadeth us with his benefits even the God of our salvation Selah When God had done great things for Israel as hee hath done for you that go in the Seas hee bad them 1 Sam. 12.14 Consider what God had done for them The word comes of Con and Sydus which signifies a company of Stars and not one bare simple Stella denoting that many give more lustre than one shewing thereby that it is not a transient view of Gods mercies that do affect the heart I may say of your perilous imployment as one sayes of Teneriff they that will go to the top of it must go by night and not by day for as soon as the day begins once to break and come upon the world it is high time to be gone lest that the tenuity of the air as is supposed should dissolve suffocate and stifle their spirits You get your living as if you stole it This is your Proverb as a man that rides Post cannot well make a true Map of a Country