the teachings of the Spirit, and of the anointing that is from above, to make fouls artists in failing heaven-ward. The ingenious author of the Chriftian's: Compafs, or the Mariner's Companion, makes three parts of this art (as the schoolmen do of divinity) viz. fpeculative, practical, and affectionate. The principal things neceffary to be known by a fpiritual feaman, in order to the steering rightly and safely to the port of happiness, he reduceth to four heads, anfwerable to the four general points of the compass; making God our north; Chrift our east; holinefs our fouth; and death our weft points. Concerning God, we must know, (1.) That he is, Heb. xi. 6. and that there is but one God, 1 Cor. viii. 5, 6. (2.) That this God is that supreme good, in the enjoyment of whom all true happiness lies, Pfal. iv. 6, 7. Mat. v. 8.----xviii. 20. (3.) That (life eternal lying in God, and he being incomprehenfible and unconceivable in effence, as being a Spirit) our best way to eye him is in his attri butes, Exod. xxxiv. 5, 6, 7. and works, Rom. i. 20. and especially in his Son, 2 Cor. iv. 6. (4.) That as God is a Spirit, so our chiefeft, yea, only way of knowing, enjoying, ferving, and walking with him, is in the Spirit likewife, Job iv. 24. Concerning Chrift, we must know, (1.) That he is the true Sun which arifeth upon the world, by which all are enlightened, John i. 9. Mal. iii. 2. Luke i. 78, 79. (2.) That God alone is in him, reconciling himself to the world, 2 Cor. v. 19. 1 Cor. i. 30. John xiv. 6. (3.) That Jefus Chrift is only made ours by the union and indwelling of himself in us through the Spirit, i Cor. ii. 9, 10. and vi. 17. John xvi. 8, 9. 1 Cor. xii. 3, 13. (4.) That the way of the Spirit's uniting us to Chrift, is by an act of power on his part, and by an act of faith on our parts, John iii. 16, 36. and v. 29. Eph. iii. 17. Concerning holiness, we must know, (1.) That whoever is in Chrift is a new creature, 2 Cor. v. 17. 1 Cor. vi. 11. (2.) Holiness is the foul's highest luftre, Exod. XV. 11. when we come to perfection in holiness, then is our fun at the height in us. (3.) Holiness, is Chrift filling the foul; Christ our Sun is at the highest in our hearts, when they are moft holy. (4.) This holiness is that which is directly oppofite to fin; fin eclipfes holiness, and holinefs fcatters fin, Heb. vii. 26. Phil. ii. 15. 2 Pet. iii. 11. Concerning death, we must know, (1.) Death is certain; the fun of our life will fet in death; when our days come about to this weftern point, it will be night, Heb. ix. 27. Pfal. xlix. 7, 9. (2.) If we die in our fuus out of Chrift, we are undone for ever, Job viii. 24. Phil. i. 21. (3.) It is our benighting to die, but it is not our annihilating, VOL. VI.

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1 Cor. xv. Rev. xx. 12. (4.) After death comes judgment; all that die fhall arife to be judged, either for life or death, the fecond time, Heb. ix. 27. Mat. xxv. Heb. vi. 2. These four heads, and the particulars under them, are as. neceffary to be known in fpiritual navigation, as the four points of the compass are in natural navigation. The things which we ought to do in order to our arrival to our happinefs, our author makes as many as there be points in the compass. And for an help to memory, we may begin every particular with initial known letters, on the points of the compafs. (1.) N. Never ftir or fteer any course, but by light from God, Pfalm exix. 105. Ifa. viii. 10. (2.) N. and by E. Never enter upon any defign, but fuch as tends towards Chrift, Acts x. 43. (3.) N. N. E. Note nothing enviously, which thrives without God, Pfalm lxxiii. 12, F3 (4.) N. E. and by N. Never enterprize not-warrantable courses, to procure any of the most prized or conceited advantages, 1 Tim. vi. 9, 10. (5.) N.. E. Now entertain the facred commands of God, if hereafter thou expect the fovereign confolations of God, Pfal. exix. 48. (6.) N. E. and by E. Never efteem Egypt's treasures fo much, as for them to forfake the ple of God, Heb. xi. 26. (7.) E. N. E. Err not, especially in foul- affairs, Jam. i 16.1 Tim. i 19, 20. 2 Tim. ii, 18. (8.) E. and by N. Efchew nothing but fin, r Pet. iii. 11. Job i. 7, 8,-31, 34. (9.) E. Eftablish thy heart with grace, Heb. xiii. 9. (10.) E. and by S.. Eye fanctity in every action, 1 Pet. i. 15. Zech. xiv. 29. (11.) E. S. E. Ever ftrive earnestly to live under, and to improve the means ofgrace. (2.) S. E. and by E. Suffer every evil of punishment of forrow, rather than leave the ways of Chrift and grace. (13.) S. E. Sigh earnestly for more enjoyments of Chrift. (14) S. E.. and by S. Seek evermore fome evidences of Chrift in you the hope of glory. (15.) S. S. E. Still fet eternity before you, in regard of enjoying Jefus Christ, John xvii. 24. (16.) S. and by E.. Settle it ever in your foul, as a principle which you will never depart from,, That ho linefs, and true happiness are in Chrift, and by Chrifty (17.) S. Set thyself always as before the Lord, Pfal. xvi. 8. Acts ii. 25. (18.) S. and by W. See weakness hastning thee to death,even when thou art at the highest pitch or point. (19.) S.. S. W. See fin which is the fting of death, as taken away by Chrift, 1 Cor. xv. 55, 56. (20.) S. W. and by S. Store up wifely fome provifions every day for your dying day. (21.) S. W. Set worldly things under your feet, before death come to look you in the face. (22.) S. W. and by W. Still weigh and watch with loins girded, and lamps trimmed, Luke xii. 35, 36, 37. (23-)

W. S. W. Weigh foul-works, and all in the balance of the fanctuary. (24.) W. and by S. Walk in fweet communion with Chrift here, and fo thou mayeft die in peace, Luke ii. 29. (25.) W. Whatsoever thy condition be in this world, eye God as the disposer of it, and therein be contented, Phil. iv. 11. (26.) W. and by N. Walk not according to the courfe of the most, but after the example of the best. (27.) W. N. W. Weigh not what men speak or think of thee, fo God approve thee, 2 Chron. x. 18. Rom. ii. 28, 29. (28.) N. W. and by W. Never wink at, but watch against small fins, nor neglect little duties, Eph. v. 15. (29.) N. W. Never with rafhly for death, nor love life too inordinately, Jobiii. 4. (30.) N. W. and by N. Now work nimbMy ere night come, Job xii. 35, 36. Ecclef. ix. 10. (31.) N. N. W. Name nothing when thou pleadeft with God for thy foul, but Chrift and free-grace, Dan. ix. 17. (32.) N..and by W. Now welcome Chrift, if at death thou wouldst be welcomed by Christ. A tender, quick, enlivened and enlightened confcience, is the only point upon which wemuft erect these practical rules of our Chriftian compafs, Heb. xiii. 1. 2 Cor. i. 12. Our memory, that is the box in which this compass must be kept, in which thefe rules must be treafured, that we may be as ready and expert in them, as the mariner is in his fea-compafs. So much for the fpeculative and practical parts of the art of foulfpiritual-navigation. The affectionate part doth principally lie in the fecret motions or movings of the foul towards God in the affections, which are raised and warmed, and efpecially appear active in meditation; meditation being, as it were, the limbec, or ftill, in which the affections heat and melt, and, as it were, drop sweet spiritual waters. The affectionate author of the Chriftian's Compafs doth indeed, in the third and last part of his undertaking, hint at several meditations which the spiritual feaman is to be acquainted with, unto which thou haft an exceltent supplement in this New Compafs for Seamen. This collection is prefixed, that at once thou mayest view all the compaffes (both fpeculative, practical, and affectionate) by which thou must steer heaven-ward. What further fhall be added by way of preface, is not to commend this new compafs, which indeed (2 Cor. iii. 1.) needs no σvativ exisoλwv, letters of commendation, or any panegyrick to usher it into any honeft heart; but to ftir up al!, especially feamen, to make confcience of ufing fuch choice helps for the promoting the fanctification and fal wation of their fouls, for the making of them as dexterous in

the art of spiritual navigation, as any of them are in the art of natural navigation. Confider therefore,

1. What rich merchandize thy foul is. Chrift affures us, one foul is more worth than all the world. The Lord Jefus doth, as it were, put the whole world into one scale, and one foul in the other, and the world is found too light, Matth. xvi. 26. Shouldft thou by skill in natural navigation carry fafe all the treasures of the Indies into thine own port, yea, gain the whole world, and for want of skill in fpiritual navigation lofe thy foul, thou wouldeft be the greateft lofer in the world. So far wilt thou be from profiting by any of thy fea-voyages. There is a plain us in those words of Chrift, "What is a "man profited if he shall gain the whole world, and lofe his own foul? Or what fhall a man give in exchange for his foul?" More is meant than is fpoken. *

1

The fmalleft pore is a leak wide enough to let in death, and fink thy veffel. vessel

2. What a leaking veffel thy ba dy is, in which this unfpeakable, inconceivable rich treasure, thy foul, is embarked O the many difeafes and diftempers in the humours and paffions that thy body is fubject to! It is above 2000 years ago, that there have been reckoned up goo names of diseases; and there be many under one name, and many nameless, which pose the physicians not only how to cure them, but how to call them. And for the affections and paffions of the mind, the diftempers of them are no lefs deadly to fome, than the diseases of the body; but befides thefe internal causes, there are many external caufes of leaks in this veffel, as poisonous malignities, wrathful hoftilities, and ca fual mifhaps; very small matters may be of g great moment to the finking of this veffel. The leaft gnat in the air may choak one, as it did Adrian, a pope of Rome; a little, hair in milk may strangle one, as it did a counsellor in Rome; a little ftone of a raifin may ftop one's breath, as it did the poetical poet Anacreon. Thus you fee what a leaking veffel you fail in. Now the more leaky any fhip is, the more need there is of skill to fteer wifely.

3. Confider what a dangerous fea the world is, in which thy foul is to fail in the leaking fhip of thy body. As there are not more changes in the fea, than are in the world, the world be

Erafmi chiliad. p. 229.

In Ethiopia there is a certain poifon whereof the tenth part of one grain will kill a man, and for one grain ten men. Dan, Sen mert. Hypom. Phyf. cap. 2. p. 47.

ing only conftant in inconftancy, "The fashion of this world "paffeth away," 1 Cor. vii. 31. So there are not more dangers in the fea for fhips, than there are in the world for fouls. In this world fouls meet with rocks and fands, fyrens and pyrates; worldly temptations, worldly lufts, and worldly company cause many to "drown themselves in perdition," 1 Tim. vi. 9. The very things of this world endanger your fouls. By worldly ob jects we foon grow worldly. It is hard to touch pitch, and not be defiled. The lufts of this world stain all our glory, and the men of this world pollute all they converfe with. A man that keeps company with the men of this world, is like him that walketh in the fun, tanned infenfibly. Thus I have hinted to you, the dangeroufnefs of the fea wherein you are to fail. Now the more dangerous the fea is, the more requifite it is the failor be an artist,

4. Confider, what if through want of skill in the heavenly. art of spiritual navigation, thou fhouldft not fteer thy cou fe a right! I will inftance only in two confequents thereof. r. Thou wilt never arrive at the haven of happiness. 2. Thou fhalt be drowned in the ocean of God's wrath. As true as the word of God is true, as fure as the heavens are over thy head, and the earth under thy feet; as fure as thou yet liveft, and breatheft in this air; fo true and certain it is, thou shalt never enter into heaven, but fink into the deep of the bottomless pit. Am I not herein a meffenger of the faddeft tidings that ever yet thy ears did hear? Poffibly now thou makeft a light mat ter of these things, because thou doft not know what it is to mifs of heaven, what it is for ever to lie under the wrath of God; but hereafter thou wilt know fully what it is to have thy foul loft eternally, fo loft, as that Go D's mercies, and all the good there is in Chrift, fhall never fave it; and as God hath fet and ordered things, can never fave it. Hereafter thou wilt be perfectly fenfible of the good that thou mightest have had, and of the evil that fhall be upon thee (this is God's peculiar prerogative, to make a creature as fenfible of mifery as he pleaseth) then thou wilt have other thoughts of these things than thou now haft. Then the thoughts of thy mind shall be bufied about thy loft condition, both as to the pain of lofs, and the pain of fenfe, fo that thou shalt not be able to take any ease one moment; then, that thy torments may be increased, they acknowledge the truth of thy apprehenfions, yea, the ftrength of them fhall be increased; thou shalt have the true

The flames of hell fhall fhine about the damned, to let them fee how they are tormented. Infid, on the chief good. book. 2.