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A Token for Mariners
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A TOKEN FOR MARINERS, CONTAINING Many Famous and Wonderful Inſtances of God's Providence in SEA DANGER, and DELIVERANCES, in Mercifully preſerving the Lives of his Poor Creatures, when, in Humane Probability, at the Point of Periſhing by Shipwrack, Famine, or other Accidents.

[...]uch Enlarg'd, with the Addition of many New Relations; Moſtly Atteſted by the Perſons themſelves.

ALSO The Seaman's Preacher, [...]ing a Sermon on the Right Improvement of ſuch MERCIES, And

Prayers for Seamen on all Occaſions.

LONDON, [...]nted for H. N. and S. H by the Bookſelle [...]s, 1708.

THE Preface to the Reader; And Particularly to Mariners and other Seafaring-Men.

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THO' God's Wonders are every where viſible, and his Mercies no where hid from the Eyes of Man; yet more particularly are they Evident to Seafaring-Men, whoſe Buſineſs is in the Great Waters, and their Lives expoſed more than others to Innumerable Hazards and Dangers, of Contending Winds and Seas, Rocks, Quick-ſands, and Inhoſpitable Shores: Theſe, as it were, carry their Lives in their Hands, and their beſt Security is wholly to rely on the Providence and Protection of him whoſe Power the Wind and the Waves obey: Seeing there is ſo ſmall a Partition between them and Eternity, the Striking on a treacherous Rock, over which many times the Flattering Waves ſmoothly glide, gives them their. []Winding-ſheet in a Rumpled Wave. Nor [...] this all their Danger, the Springing of [...] Plank, a Leak not to be found, nor ſuddenly ſtopt, running on a Shoal, or the falling of a Water-ſpout, frequently carry with them the ſame Inevitable Fate, and often makes them at their Wits End before they en [...] their Lives; for a certain Proſpect of Unavoidable Death muſt needs be Terrible to Fleſh and Blood, and, in a great meaſure, remove that Conſtant Preſence of Mind that ſhould ſupport their Spirits amidſt all Dangers: From this there is no way to ſecure themſelves, but by laying hold on him that i [...] Mighty, and able to ſave to the utmoſt, [...] God, who is a preſent help at need, whoſe Eyes are in all Places, in Heaven and Earth, and in the great Deep; and thoſe that Cry t [...] him in their Diſtreſs, he will ſurely hear them and deliver them out of all their Troubles, if they are ſincere in Heart, and walk uprightly with him. For a Praying-Paul's ſake w [...] find, tho' the Ship was broken, and periſhed on a Rock on the Coaſt of the Iſland, antiently Melita, now called Malta, all that were in it were ſaved, when they expected nothing leſs than to be ſwallowed up in that dangerous Ocean, as we find in the Acts, Chap. 27. Therefore the beſt thing I can recommend to Mariners, and others that Navigate the Deep, is to have a ſtedfaſt Reliance []on God in all their Dangers, nay at all times, for that is the beſt and ſureſt Anchor hold and Security that recourſe to can be had, and therefore I have furniſhed this Book with many Wonderful and Remarkable Sea-Deliverances, to ſhow them that their Hopes are not in vain; for the Wonders he has already wrought, he will doubtleſs continue to all that fear and put their Truſt in him.

This Collection is taken moſtly from the Mouths of thoſe who have experienc'd God's Mercy this way, and whoſe Dangers have been as great as any could be on this ſide the Grave; yet God, in his Mercy, delivered them out of all. The reſt are taken from ſuch Reverend Authors, that their Credit and Integrity is indiſputable, being purpoſely written to raiſe the Minds of Men to contemplate and adore the Love and Goodneſs of the All wiſe Creator of the Univerſe, and may indifferently ſerve to this end as well at Land as Sea, though chiefly intended for Sea-faring Men, to put them in Mind, when they read it, of their Danger, and what they may expect in their Danger from the Death they apprehend in it, if they apply their Hearts to true Wiſdom. When all Help or Hopes fail or ſeem to be at a loſs, then fix your Hearts and Eyes ſtedfaſtly on him who is able to do all things, and to whom nothing is impoſſible; on him, in whoſe Hands is all the []Breath of Life, who can ſtop the Shafts of Death in their winged Motion, check the Bellowing Thunder in the Mid Volley, and turn the Raging of the Winds to a ſudden Calm.

But not to be tedious in a Preface; I recommend this to you, as a ſuitable Companion in your Voyages or Travels, nay in your Houſes, or at all times, that you may know theſe things are the Lord's doing tho' they are Marvellous in your Eyes. And ſo conclude, ſubſcribing my ſelf,

Chriſtian Reader,
Your Friend and Servant. J.J.

REMARKABLE SEA Deliverances.

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THE Seaman's Preacher; OR, Sea-Dangers and Deliverances Improv'd; in a SERMON.

[104]
Acts 27.18, 19, 20.

18. And being exceedingly toſſed with a Tempeſt, the next day they lightned the Ship.

19. And the third day, we caſt out with our own hands, the tackling of the Ship.

20 And when neither Sun nor Stars appeared, and no ſmall Tempeſt lay on us, all hope that we ſhould be ſaved, was then taken away.

IN this Chapter we have a full Narrative of Paul's Voyage to Rome, in all the circumſtances of it; it ſeems Paul kept a Journal, and ſo Recorded this memorable Voyage for the uſe of ſucceeding Generations. 1. We have the Occaſion of his Voyage, (viz.) Paul being then a Sufferer [105]and a Priſoner, he appeals to Caeſar, and ſo is ſent to Rome, and there bears a faithful Teſtimony for Jeſus Chriſt, (verſ. 1.) 2. We have the Dangers that occurred in the Voyage, and theſe are alſo carefully Commemorated (ver. 9.) Now much time was ſpent, and Sailing was now dangerous, becauſe the Faſt was already paſt: This was the yearly Faſt of the Jews, on which the Atonement for all the people was made by the High-Prieſt, in the holy of holies; which day was the 10. of the 7th Month, (Lev. 16.29.) which partly agreed wi [...]h our September and October, in which time the Sea was not Sailed in by the Antients, until the beginning of March, becauſe of the ſhortneſs of the days, and violence of the Tempeſts, they were prone to in thoſe Parts; this is the ſenſe of Interpreters upon the place. The 1. Danger of the Voyage we read of, is this, the winds were contrary, (ver. 4.) this is ſpoken of the Voyage of the Diſciples, The winds were contrary. The 2. Danger, there aroſe, not only a contrary wind, but a violent wind, called an Euroclydon, (ver. 14.) ſome read it a Whirle-wind, but it is meant of an Eaſtwind, which raiſes the Sea mightily. 3. The Tempeſt was ſo great and violent upon them, they were glad to let the Ship drive, (ver. 15.)

[106]3. We have not only the Danger in this Voyage, but their marvellous Deliverance and Preſervation; for they came of [...] all of them with their lives, (ver. 44.) the particulars whereof you may ſee.

In the Text we have three things obſervable. 1. Their Endeavours in this grea [...] Diſtreſs to preſerve themſelves. 1. They lightned the Ship, and what was it ſhe was laden with? it was Wheat, (ver. 38.) They lightned the Ship, and caſt the Wheat into the Sea; thus did Jonah's Mariners caſt ou [...] the Wares. Alas, what are theſe things, but lumber to Lives? if it were Gold, i [...] muſt go for Life. Skin for skin and all tha [...] a man hath will he give for his Life. Then what ſhould a man give for his Soul? what will a man give in exchange for his Soul? The 2. Endeavour; they caſt ou [...] the Tackling of their Ship, any thing they part with to ſave their lives, though never ſo uſeful to them; even that which was neceſſary for their Voyage they are under a neceſſity to part with it, for the preſervation of their lives.

2. We have their Dangers as well as Endeavours. 1. It is expreſt in the violence of the Tempeſt; they were exceedingly toſſe [...] with a Tempeſt. 2. It was dark weather neither Sun nor Stars appeared, which uſed to be great comforts and helps to poo [...] [107]men at Sea. 3, Their Danger is expreſt [...]n this, they were brought to the brink of [...]he black pit of Deſpair; all Hope now was [...]aken away. O what a ſad diſtreſſed con [...]ition was this! their Hope, which is [...]alled the Anchor of the Soul, was loſt; [...]hey gave all their lives over for gone and [...]oſt: And oh, what could now a Com [...]any of Men do that had loſt their Hopes [...]nd Hearts? could theſe that had loſt [...]heir Hopes find their Hands? they were [...]ow ſaying, as the Jews did in the Cap [...]ivity, Our Hope is loſt, we are cut off for our [...]arts, (Ezek. 37.11.)

3. We have their Deliverance and Pre [...]ervation, coming in at ſuch a time and ſeaſon as this was; now that they are brought [...]o an extremity, God makes it his oppor [...]unity; and now that all hope of being [...]aved is taken away; Salvation will be moſt [...]eaſonable: and now the Angel appears to Paul, and tells him, all their lives are enſured, [...]nly the Ship ſhall be lost.

Obſervations are theſe:

1. Dangers and Deliverances are to be carefully recorded and remembred; therefore Paul takes an account of both, here in this Voyage.

2. Salvations and Deliverances many times are not ſent, until perſons be left hopeleſs in themſelves.

[108]I ſhall ſpeak a little to both theſe upo [...] this preſent occaſion, that what you rea [...] here, may be remarked and remembred,

  • 1. Dangers and Deliverances are to be carefully recorded and remembred. This Obſervation hath two paats: 8. Dangers are t [...] be remembred.
  • 2. Deliverances are to b [...] remembred.

Thus the Lord's poor people uſed to d [...] in all Ages: When Jacob was in danger o [...] his Brother Eſau, you ſee how he commemorates it, and gives us an exact narrativ [...] of it, and tells us how he feared him Lord I fear my Brother Eſau, (Pſal. 34.4. [...] How often was David in danger by Saul who was his ſworn Enemy? and how many Pſalms have we, taking occaſion to remember what danger he was in, and how comfortably he was brought off: I ſough [...] the Lord, and he heard me; and delivered m [...] out of all my fears. (2 Cor. 1.9.10.) As Paul tells the Corinthians what danger they were in; they were preſt out of meaſure, ou [...] of ſtrength, inſomuch that they deſpaired of life, &c. And ſo at Sea as well as Land, he would have dangers remembred; how that they go up to Heaven one while, and ſink into the deeps another; their Soul melted becauſe of trouble, and they were at their wits ends, &c. Peter's danger at Sea is recorded, when he began to ſink, and cried out, Maſter, ſave [109]me, or I pereſh, (Matt. 14.28, 29, 30.) And the Diſciples, when they cried out, Careſt [...]hou not that we periſh? (Mark. 4.38.) It [...]s obſerved the Ship now was full, and [...]ow comes Salvation and Deliverance. Here was their danger recorded, the Ship was full, and Chriſt aſleep in the hinder part of the Ship.

  • 1. Query is, How Dangers ſhould be [...]emembred?
  • 2. How Deliverances ſhould be remem [...]red?

1. Dangers ſhould be remembred, conſidering we may come into them again. Many when dangers are not, they ſing to their Souls that ſong, and delude themſelves, The bitterneſs of Death is paſt; they think they are out of one ſtorm, and they ſhall never come in ſuch another. Juſt as perſons do with their Sickneſs at Land, [...]o many do with their Dangers at Sea, if God bring them off: O they grow hard [...]ed and ſecure again. But if God hath brought us home one dangerous Voyage, we ſhould think, it may be the next will [...]e as dangerous; Have I eſcaped one at Sea, one at Land? if I do not improve it, if I do not walk ſuitable under it, O how eaſily can God bring me into another. You never were in ſuch Dangers, but you may come to the like again, whether at Sea or Land.

[110]2. Dangers ſhould be remembred with conſideration to the Greatneſs of them great things ſhould be remembred, a grea [...] God, great Mercies, great Deliverances great Sins, and great Dangers. How ſhould we think, O what a Danger was I in a [...] this time by ſuch a Storm at Sea! by ſuch a Sickneſs aſhore! not only my Life is danger? was I fit to die at ſuch a time [...] had I gotten an intereſt in Chriſt, if [...] had been caſt away at ſuch a time? Me [...] think dangers great for their Bodies, bu [...] they do not think them ſo for their Souls they think them great for their Ships, fo [...] their Eſtates, but they do not think them ſo for their Eternal condition; O had not my Body, Soul, Ship, and all periſhed together. And was not this a grea [...] danger? thy Souls danger was the greateſt danger; hadſt thou been drowned a [...] ſuch a time, thy Soul had been ſhip-wrackt to all Eternity.

3. Dangers ſhould be remembred with conſideration to their Suddenneſs; how many times do they come ſuddenly upon us? As there is ſudden Fear, ſo there is ſudden Danger. When the Lord ſend the Winds out of his Treaſury ſuddenly, and threatens Men at Sea with ſudden deſtruction, when deſolation ſeems to come as a Whirlwind, &c. We ſhould think, that if ſudden [111]death had come upon me, what a condition was my poor Soul in? what a dreadful thing would it have been if I had been ſurpris'd on a ſudden, and ſent into an Eternal condition, in the twinkling of an Eye? I, to be threatned to be ſwallowed up, only with a formal God have Mercy upon thee in thy mouth; not to have time to pray, repent, reflect upon thy paſt life: O what a ſad thing is this?

4. We ſhould think of our Dangers with conſideration to the frames of our hearts; what frames of heart we were then under. 1. To the frames of our hearts when in our dangers. 2. The frames of our herats when brought from under them. 1. The frames of the heart when in and under them: were not you under great fears and hurries of Soul? it may be, not knowing how it would go with your Souls, if you had gone off the ſtage of this life at the preſent. David when he was in danger, took eſpecial notice of the frame of his ſpirit; Innumerable evils have compaſſed me about. (Pſal. 40.12, 13.) He was compaſs'd about on every ſide with danger; and how was it with him then? he calls to mind, Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, ſo that I am not able to look up, (Pſal. 57.7.) And what then? O ſee how he prays; Be pleaſed, O Lord [112]to deliver me; O Lord, make haſt to help me Remember what the frames of our heart were in dangers, in reference to our fears, and ſecondly, what in reference to ou [...] faith; ſo alſo did David, when purſure [...] in danger by Saul. My heart is fixed; my hear [...] is fixed; I will ſing and give praiſe. We ar [...] to remember our fears under our dangers that we may be prepar'd better for futur [...] tryals; we are to remember our faith unde [...] dangers paſt, that we may be encourag'd for the time to come in after ſtraits.

2. We are to remember our frames o [...] ſpirit when God brings us out of our danger; how then we were melted with th [...] preſent ſenſe of the mercy; as thoſe Iſraelites, when God brought them out o [...] danger, they believed God, they ſang and gav [...] praiſe; O what reſolutions were ther [...] then upon the Soul to be given up anew to God; to walk before the Lord in th [...] light of the living. Thus alſo did David when brought out of danger; Thy vow are upon me, O God, &c. and at another time The Lord preſerveth the ſimple: I was brough [...] low, &c. and thou helpedſt me, (Pſal. 56.12 [...] 13.) And then what a frame of heart wa [...] upon him? Return unto thy reſt, O my Soul &c. (Pſal. 116.6, 7.) Then he was al [...] for returning to God. Theſe we are to remember, that we may not wear totally [113]the ſenſe of them off our Spirits.

5. We ſhould remember our Dangers, with conſideration to the frequency of them, how frequently we were in them. Paul remember'd this, in Perils by Sea often, in Perils by the Heathens, &c. (2 Cor. 11.26.) O how often have we been near Drowning, near Taking, near Sinking, near Dying, and yet God brought us off; theſe things we ſhould call to mind often who go out upon dangerous Voyages, and often come home; [...]he oftner and more frequent our dangers, the more ſhould we think upon them.

2. We ſhould Remember our Deliverances, but how? 1. We ſhould Remember them, ſo as to admire them; thus did the people of the Jews in Ezra, Who hath given them ſuch Deliverance as this? O! they admire it, and write a Non-ſuch upon the Head of it, as David admired the goodneſs of God, when he had ſpoken of his Houſe to come. Is this the manner of Men, O God? He was in an holy Extaſy of Heavenly admiration; ſo ſhould you ſay [...]ow; to carry out, and bring home, in ſuch a Dangerous time as this; To hide from Enemies, when ſought for in ſuch a time, ſuch a Voyage as this: Oh! who am I? And what is my Fathers houſe, that he ſhould bring me hitherto? You ſhould turn [...]he Deliverance on every ſide, and admire [112] [...] [113] [...] [116]the Goodneſs of God, the Wiſdom of God, the Mercy of God, the Power of God, the Faithfulneſs of God in it; and ſay, O Lord, what a Deliverance is this? What a Voyage is this? God loves to have his Mercies admir'd by us.

2. We ſhould Remember our Deliverances, to have our Hearts raiſed up it gratitude, and thankfulneſs to God for them; Thus did David, I will pay my vows unto the Lord, in preſence of all his people: I will take the Cup of Salvation, and will cal [...] upon the Name of the Lord, Pſal. 116.12, 13, 14. We are to remember to pay our Thank-offerings unto God, after our Deliverance from God: What forget ſuch a Deliverance as this? What, not be thankful for ſuch a Preſervation as this?

3. We ſhould Remember our Deliverances, ſo as to endear our Hearts to God Thus we find David, I will love thee, O Lord I will love the Lord dearly, (ſo the Heb.) The Lord is my Rock, my Fortreſs, and my Deliverer, &c. Pſal. 18.1. O! now how ſhould Souls, after their Deliverance, boil and burn in Love to God! How are we engaged to a Friend that is at any time but an Inſtrument in God's hand to Deliver us? And ſhall we be endeared to the Inſtrument, and not to the Author. O! how was David endeared to God [117]when he ſaid, He having Redeemed him, he would walk before the Lord in the Land of the Living, Pſal. 59. ult.

4. We ſhould Remember our Deliverances to improve them in a way of acting Faith, when the next danger and ſtraits come: I will remember thee from the Land of Jordan, from the Hill Miſſar, Pſal. 42.6, 7. This was to encourage him from his former Deliverances in his future ſtraits and exigencies. What, now diſtruſt God, who hath delivered in Six Troubles, and now ſhall we give way to Unbelief in the Seventh? Did not holy David thus! He hath delivered me out of the Paw of the Lyon, and out of the Paw of the Bear, and he wi [...] deliver me out of the hand of the uncircumciſed Philiſtine. Thus Paul remembers his Deliverance from Nero. And I was delivered [...]ut of the mouth of the Lyon, and the Lord ſhall deliver me from every evil work, 1 Tim. [...].17, 18.

5. We ſhould remember our Deliverances, to be often inculcating, and imprinting them upon our own hearts: A [...]s, when we receive them, they are a little freſh it may be upon our ſpirits, but O [...]ow ſoon do they die, becauſe they are [...]ot written upon our hearts; they are not [...]ngraven there as a Man that would Remember a thing, beit a Notion, or an [116]Reſolution, he will be often turning it over in his thoughts; Alas if we write o [...] Deliverances, Is it not in the Duſt? where as we ſhould write them in Marble: We ſhould write them with a Pen of Iro [...] and the point of a Diamond.

1. We ſhould commemorate our Dangers with our Deliverances, becauſe God gives them to that end. The Lord doth not give us our Deliverances to caſt them at our heels, nor brings us out of our Da [...] ers that we might forget them, as tho w [...] had never been in any of them. God expects that we ſhould faithfully Regiſte [...] and Record them; therefore it was a great. Provocation to the Lord, that the Children of Iſrael ſo ſoon forgot his works If you do but forget the kindneſs of Friend, you think it is diſingenuous; bu [...] O then, What is it to forget that God that hath delivered you out of ſix troubles, and in ſeven troubles? God loves and expects his kindneſs ſhould be kept upon Record,

2. We ſhould Commemorate our Dangers and Deliverances, becauſe it was freely of his grace to bring us out of the on [...] and put us under the other; Is it not o [...] his meer mercy that he reſcu'd and pull'd us out of our dangers? Might not we elſe have been ſwallow'd up by them? And [117]may not we all ſay in this caſe, as the Pſalmiſt in that? Had it not been the Lord who was on our ſide then, the waters had overwhelmed us, the ſtream had gone over our Soul, then the proud Waves, had gone over our Soul, Pſal. 124.4, 5. May not you who have been, ſo often deliver'd at Sea in imminent dangers ſing this Song; What, and now forget ſuch dangers? and caſt behind your backs ſuch Deliverances. Oh! the freer any favour is, the more it ſhould be remembred; Doth God ſee any thing in us, or in our Families, more than others, to beſtow ſuch deliverances for? One Man goes to Sea, and he is taken; another goes to Sea, and he is ſunk; another goes to Sea, and he dies the Time of the Voyage; And why doth the Lord preſerve you? Is not this Free-Grace? not becauſe you are more Righteous, but becauſe he is more Gracious; And ſhould not this be remembred?

3. Our Dangers and Deliverances ſhould be remembred, becauſe God hath gracious ends and deſigns both in the one and the other; What ends hath God to bring us into dangers? 1. He by this hath an end and deſign to quicken us up to duty; it may be there may be ſome ommitted duty; neglected duties often bring Men into great and imminent dangers; it may be [120]a Perſon is convinced of the duty of Prayer, but it may be neglected; Oh then God will bring him into danger to quicken him to his duty; Oh, ſays God, In their affiction they will ſeek me early. The very Heathen Mariners called out for Prayer in time of danger. Obſerve it, that Perſons convinced of duties, either Perſonal or Domeſtical, and yet neglected, God uſually whips them to their Duties, by one danger, affliction or another. The Proverb is good, if you wonld teach a Man to Pray, ſend him to Sea. 2. God by bringing us into dangers, hath a deſign upon us to convince us of ſin; many Convictions have come into the Soul at this door; Dangers have often proved inlets to Convictions. Oh! What Convictions have many poor Souls lain under while in danger, when it may be the dangers have given them a view of Eternity; when Dangers have preſented Death to the Man, and Conſcience hath cried, Now thou art ſinking, now there is but a ſtep betwixt thee and Eternity, betwixt thee and and another World? Oh then what Convictions hath the Soul lain under? and yet it may be when the Danger is over, the Conviction is over too. Well, though we may forget all, yet God remembers all. 3. God hath a deſign upon us in [119]our Dangers, to prepare us for our latter end. The danger thou wert in, and have eſcaped, calls for thee to prepare for thy Death, which muſt certainly come to paſs ſhortly. God by Dangers would have you prepare for Death: And Oh! What a cutting Conſideration will this be when thou comeſt to die? that thou who haſt been in ſo many dangers by Sea and Land, ſhouldſt have no more learned to die, nor art yet ready to die. Alas, you eſcaped the laſt, that you might prepare for the next. 4. God hath a deſign upon our Graces by bringing us into danger; Danger is to evert and draw forth Grace. Thus the Diſciples Dangers at Sea were to draw forth their Faith. Faith and Patience come moſt viſibly upon the ſtage in times of moſt imminent Danger.

5. God by bringing us into Dangers, hath a deſign upon our Souls; he ſometimes by danger of drowning the Body, hath ſaved the Soul, and hath cauſed it to ſay, Periiſſem niſi periiſſem: I had periſhed, if had not periſhed. Some have eſcaped Shipwrack of Soul, by Shipwrack of Body; And ſhall we forget ſuch Dangers, when God hath ſuch gracious deſigns in them upon us;

2. He drives on gracious ends and deſigns in our Deliverances, And ſhall we [120]then forget them? &c.

  • 1. He ſpares us, that we may account his long-ſuffering Salvation; he gives, by ſparing of us, ſpace to Repent; and Oh! What a dreadful thing is it not to remember wherefore we are ſpared and delivered? He gave her ſpace to Repent, but ſhe Repented not, Pſal. 56. ult. The Priſoner is Reprieved, that he might ſue out his Pardon, and will he forget the End for which he is Reprieved?
  • 2. He delivers, that we may live to him. Why were David's Feet deliver'd from falling? It was that he might walk before the Lord in the light of the Living. He gives us our Lives, that we might give them back again to God, Jer. 7.10. Men are not delivered from Dangers to live to themſelves, to live to their Luſts, to Drink, and Swear, and Rant, and Roar, as a great many poor Wretches do. That ſay as they did. We are deliver'd to do all theſe abominations, Pſal. 50.15.
  • 3. God hath another End of Deliverance, that we might glorifie him, in paying our Vows to him. I will deliver thee; And what then? When out of Trouble never remember it more, caſt it behind thy back; O no; And thou ſhalt glorifie me. He aims at a Revenue of Glory out of your Deliverances.
  • 4. God hath another End of Delivering of [121]us; that we might enter into New Engagements, to be more the Lord's; a in times of great Dangers, there uſe to be great Engagements betwixt God, and the Soul; ſo in times of Great Deliverances, there are great Engagements paſs betwixt God and the Soul; New Dedications to God; New Deliverances call for New Dedications of the Soul to God; now the Soul ſhould be ſet apart for God more than ever.
  • 5. God hath another End in Delivering of us, that we might break off our League with Sin; thus it was with them, ſhall we break his Commaandments, after ſuch great Deliverance as this?

APPLICATION.

Is it ſo, that our Dangers and Deliverances ſhould be remembred by us? Then it is a word of Information.

1. Learn we here how acceptable it is to God, th [...]t we thankfully congratulate our Mercies. No Muſick like a ſound of Trumpets off the Waters: So, O what ſweet Muſick doth it make in God's Ears, that you thankfully record Sea-Mercies. and Sea-Deliverances; this is the Muſick of the Waters; this makes Melody in God's Ears. Sea-Prayers, and [122] Sea-Praiſes come up acceptably before the Lord, he is ſo Pleaſed with them, that he hath called them Sacrifices, O that Men would offer the Sacrifice of Praiſe; this is the ſound of Trumpets you ſhould carry to Sea with yon, Outward bound, and Homeward bound.

2. Learn we hence what a Great Evil it is to loſe the remembrance of our Dangers and Deliverances. What do many Families? What do many Perſons with the Sea-Dangers, with the Sea-Deliverances? Do not they write them in Duſt? Do not they Bury them in the Grave of Oblivion? Do not they caſt them behind their Backs? Do not they trample them under Foot? O poor Souls! They little know what they do.

  • 1. Such Deliverances will have a Reſurrection in their Conſciences one Day: though they Bury them now, O they will Riſe again: And Oh! How will they then dread and terrifie a poor Soul!
  • 2. Such Deliverances will another Day be Witneſſes and Evidences againſt you. Oh! What a cutting teſtimony will they give in againſt the Soul? Haſt not thou been graciouſly and wonderfully delivered in ſuch a Voyage, in ſuch a Storm at Sea, is ſuch a Sickneſs at Shore, and yet walked unſuitably under all theſe? [123]To be caſt out by Mercy, O what a dreadful thing is this!
  • 3. Such Deliverances forgotten by us, harden us; either they ſoften or harden. Theſe Providences are like God's Ordinances in this reſpect, they either harden or ſoften. Oh! What a dreadful thing it is to be hardened by Deliverances and Preſervation, and yet many are. Sentence being not ſpeedily Executed, the Hearts of Men are fully ſet in them to do Evil.
  • 4. Such Deliverances will be great Aggravations both of Man's Sin and Miſery, if forgotten by them. The Goodneſs of God was the Aggravation of the Sin of David, ſays God, When I had done ſo and ſo for thee, nay, and I would have done more, wherefore haſt thou diſpiſed the Commandment of the Lord, to do Evil in his Sight, 2 Sam. 12.8, 9. What, for you that had ſuch Deliverances as theſe, to break his Commandment; as Ezra ſays; O this is an high Aggravation!
  • 5. Deliverances and Dangers forgotten, will cauſe the Lord to pull in his Hand in a way of Mercy, will cauſe God to give up Perſons, and take his Protecting Preſence from them, take them from the ſhadow of his Wings. Souls by forgetting paſt Dangers and Deliverances, may put themſelves from under God's Protection for the future.

[124] Uſe 2. Is it ſo that we are to Remember our Sea-dangers and Deliverances? then it is a word of Exhortation; be exhorted then to call to mind, and keep in mind, what God hath done for you; and in this Exhortation I addreſs my ſelf to Sea-faring Men, whoſe lives are a courſe and ſeries of Wonders in their frequent Salvations and Preſervations, (witneſs this Treatiſe) as you ſee the wonders of God in the Deeps, (viz.) The wonders of his Creation, ſo do you ſee the wonders of his Salvation: How often may Wonderful be Written upon the Head of Salvations that you are every Voyage receiving from God? you never go out, and come home, but God works Wonderfully, and appears Wonderfully for you; Is not he a Wonder-working-God for you every Voyage?

The Exhortation is to call to mind, and keep in mind, to Record and Regiſter your Dangers and Deliverances, and not to do as Iſrael is ſaid to do, who ſoon forgot his Works. How often doth God bring this ſin of theirs in one Pſalm? They forgot his works, and the wonders he had ſhewed them, Pſal. 106.13. Pſal. 78.11.

1. Keep them in mind, for they are wonderful Dangers and Deliverances; [125]They are Wonders, theſe are to be remembred. Marvellous things did he for them, in the ſight of their Fathers, &c. He divided the Sea, and cauſed them to paſs through, and he made the waters to ſtand as an heap, Pſal. 78.12, 13. And it is brought in again in that Pſalm, They remembred not his hand, nor the day when God delivered them out of the hand of the Enemy, &c. Pſal. 78.42. And in another place, They forgot God their Saviour, which had done great things in Egypt, Wondrous works in the Land of Ham, Pſal. 106.21, 22. This heightens the and ſin exceedingly to forget ſuch Great Wonderful Dangers and Deliverances.

1. Your Dangers are Wonderful in this Reſpect, they are often ſuch as threaten a ſentence of Death to be executed upon you. May it not be ſaid of poor Sea-men, as was of them; For we would not (Brethren) have you ignorant of our trouble, which came to us in Aſia, that we were preſſed out of meaſure, above ſtrength, inſomuch that we deſpaired of Life; but we had the ſentence of death in our ſelves, that we ſhould not truſt in our ſelves, but in him that raiſeth the dead, who delivered us from ſo great a Death, and doth Deliver, 2 Cor. 1.8, 9, 10. O how many Sea-faring [126]Men may ſay thus! Our Dangers have been ſuch, as we have often deſpaired of Life; there hath been but a little betwixt us and Death; nay, betwixt us and Eternity; And ſhall we forget ſuch dangers, when we have been ſo near death in them? As he ſaid to David, As the Lord lives, there is but one ſtep betwixt thee and death. O how often have you been near ſinking, near drowning, and yet God hath then appeared for you, with an outſtreached Arm, and in the Mount hath he been ſeen, And will you not remember this?

2. Your Dangers are Wonderful in this Reſpect, they are ſudden and ſurprizing, they are wonderfully ſudden; threatned with nothing but preſent Death and Deſtruction? It may be ſaid of Sea-men, as of thoſe in Job, Snares compaſſed them about, and ſudden fear troubled them, Job 22.10. It doth not only trouble them, but all on a ſudden trouble them, before they know almoſt where they are (as we ſay;) We read of ſome whoſe Calamity ſhall come ſuddenly. Suddenly ſhall he be broken without Remedy, Prov. 6.15. O how terrible is ſuch a caſe, or ſuch a danger! And hath not God often threatened to make this your caſe and condition? O then do not forget ſuch dangers that have ſo ſuddenly lookt you in the Face!

[127]3. Your Dangers are Wonderful in this Reſpect, they are not Dangers in which your Bodies are concerned only, but they are Dangers in which your Souls are concerned; It is not only the danger of a Shipwrack'd Veſſel, and a Ship-wrack'd Eſtate, and a Shipwrack'd Body, but a Shipwrack'd Soul. Here is the great danger, leſt thou make a loſt Voyage for thy Soul: If thou hadſt died in ſuch a Storm, or died in the Time of ſuch a Voyage; Oh! What would have become of thy Soul, thy precious, thy immortal Soul? Hadſt not thou died in a Carnal, in a Chriſtleſs ſtate and condition? Had not they poor Soul periſh'd to all Eternity, if thou then hadſt miſcarried? Waſt not thou then a ſtranger altogether to Chriſt, and a Work of Saving Grace upon thy Heart? Hadſt not thou then the guilt of all thy ſins upon the back of thy Soul unpardoned? And O what danger was this! And wilt thou forget ſuch dangers?

4. Your Dangers are ſuch at Sea, as none but a God can deliver from; all your skill cannot; O, then is the greateſt Artiſt at his Wits end! The Pſalmiſt tells us, (Pſal. 107.27.) the Mariners in their Storms, are at their wits end; (or as ſome read it) all their wiſdom is [128]ſwallowed up, they know not what courſe to ſteer, (the Dutch Annorators carry it,) Now their very Pilots are at a loſs: Now all their courage cannot contribute to their deliverance, though men of the greateſt natural courage and magnanimity in the world: Yet now their Hearts melt becauſe of troubles; as it ſaid of the Mariners in Jonah's Ship, The Mariners were afraid. O now, when Death and Eternity, the Grave and Judgment to come looks them in the face! Then they are Magor-Miſſabibs, terror to themſelves, and to all about them; O then, the danger is ſuch, it muſt be only the finger of God that can help! I have heard of a Ship in Yarmouth Road, that in a great Storm, they feared the Anchor would come home, and the Maſter diſcourſing with a Youth in the Ship, that God had begun lately to work ſome Convictions upon, O ſays he, Maſter, if God do but lay a Finger upon one Strand of the Cable, it will hold; and in the morning many Ships were loſt near them, and there was but one Strand in the Cable left. O the ſinger of God only can ſave in ſome dangers. It was a good ſaying of a Godly Commander of a Ship in imminent danger, None now but that God that ſaved the Children of Iſrael at the Red Sea, can ſave us out of this diſtreſs; and as ſoon [129]as he had ſaid it, the Wind altered, and ſaved them; And will you forget ſuch dangers as none but a God can ſave from?

5. Your dangers at Sea are ſuch as many thouſands have periſhed in; how many have gone to Sea, that never returned more? that have been ſwallowed up in the belly of the great Deeps? How many have periſhed by the Sword at Sea? how many by violent Storms? and that God ſhould put a difference betwixt you and others, and you ſhould forget it, this exceedingly heightens and aggravates the guilt. How many have loſt their lives? how many have loſt their limbs? and yet in ſuch dangers God hath brought you off; this is never to be forgotten.

2. Your dangers are not only wonderful, but your deliverances are ſo too, and therefore ſhould be remembred. There is never a deliverance, but you may read a wonder in it; ſo many deliverances and ſalvations at Sea, ſo many wonders. God ſaves you in a miraclous way.

1. Is not this a wonder, that perſons of ſuch great ſins and provocations, ſhould be perſons of ſuch great ſalvations and preſervations? that ſuch as ſin every Voyage, nay, it may be at an high rate ſin every Voyage, ſhould be ſaved and delivered at ſuch an high rate every Voyage? [130]is not this a wonder, that Men of ſuch ſins, ſhould be men of ſuch ſalvations? that men that ſin againſt theſe ſalvations, ſhould not have theſe deliverances ſhorten upon them. Oh what a wonder is this! We ſhould wonder if a perſon ſhould be continually diſobliging any of us, and yet we ſhould be ſtill heaping up kindneſſes upon him: This made the Prophet Ezra ſay, Shall we again break his Commandments, after ſuch deliverances as this? O do not you provoke the Lord every time that you go out and ſtill he delivers you, ſtill he returns you to your Relations, to viſit your habitations in peace! and is not this a wonder?

2 Your deliverances are wonderful, if you conſider your deliverances are great deliverances. We read of ſuch; And the Lord ſaved them with a great deliverance; or with a great Salvation. Thus ſaid Sampſon, Thou haſt given this great deliverance into the hand of thy Servant, (Judg 15.11.) Now any great tranſactions are remembred and recorded. Your deliverances are great, if we conſider theſe things;

  • 1. They are commanded deliverances by the great God; his word of command brings all our deliverances about, whether at Sea or Land. Which made the Church in diſtreſs pray, Thou art my King, O God, command deliverances [131]for Jacob, (Pſal. 44.4.) He commands every thing tending to deliverance at Sea; in order to deliverance, he commands the Winds; He maketh the Storm a Calm, (Pſal. 107, 29.) He alſo commands the Seas; He ſays to the proud Waves, So far, and no farthar. You read of a decree ſet to the Sea, to command the Sea, that it cannot paſs; Though the Waves thereof toſs themſelves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not paſs over it, (Jer. 5.22.) It is the great God only that rides Lord Admiral at Sea, to command the Seas and the Waves thereof. God is ſaid to ſhut up the Sea with doors, and ſet bars upon it, Hitherto ſhalt thou come, and no further; and here ſhall thy proud waves be ſtay'd, (Job. 38.8, 11.) Xerxes preſum'd he could tame the Helleſpont, for attempting his Bridge of Boats; but all this was in vain, this is a flower in God's Crown alone, to command the Sea. Your deliverances are a fruit and effect of God's commanding Power, therefore great.
  • 2. They are great deliverances, as they are the curious workmanſhip (as I may call them) of the Attributes of a great God. Deliverance is ſaid to be wrought for us, it is the handy work of God; If God will work, who can let? (as the Prophet ſaith, Iſa. 43.13, 14.) And he ſeems to ſpeak [132]it upon the account of the deliverance of his People: For your ſake I have ſent done to Babylon, and have brought down all their Nobles, and the Chaldeans, whoſe cry is in their ſhips. In every deliverance there is the excellent work of the Attributes of God; we may in ſuch a deliverance ſay, Here is the Power of God, and here is the Wiſdom of God, and here is the Wiſdom of God, and here is the Love of God, and here is the Faithfulneſs of God, &c. For as God in the confounding of the Languages at Babel, ſaid, Go to, let us go down, (as if he directed himſelf to his glorious Throne) Come, let us go down. Gen. 11.7. (Or as ſome take it of the Trinity, as in the Creation.) So when God ſends us deliverances in our diſtreſſes, he ſets his Attributes at work; Go Power, go Mercy, go Love, go Faithfulneſs, go and act your reſpective parts in this deliverance; and muſt not this be then an excellent and curious Piece that God's Attributes brings forth?
  • 3. They are great deliverances, if we conſider the great ſins and provocations they come over the heads of, the great unworthineſs of the received, heightens much the mercy and favour received; the reaſon why perſons do not greaten their deliverances, is becauſe they do not greaten their ſins, in [133]the deep ſenſe and aggravations of them. O ſuch a Soul would ſay, as David, is this the manner of Men? O God, is not this a great deliverance for ſuch a great ſinner to receive?
  • 4. They are great Deliverances, if we conſider the time and ſeaſon of their coming in; as this Deliverance of the Ships Company where Paul was, it was when all hope of being ſaved was taken away; and ſo were many of the Deliverances, mention'd in this Treatiſe. So Peter's Sea-Deliverance, when he began to ſink, Chriſt ſtretched forth his hand immediately; he was now ſinking and going, but ſee how ready Chriſt was to ſave; He ſtretched forth his hand and caught Peter, (Matth 14.28, 29, 30.) Our ſinking time, is Jeſus Chriſt's ſaving time. In the Mount is the Lord ſeen; our extremity is Gods opportunity; and are not then the great deliverances never to be forgotten?
  • 5. They are great deliverances, if we conſider they are not only Deliverances of the Bodies, and Ships, and Eſtates ſometimes, but Souls; and where the Ship is loſt, and the Eſtate is loſt, yet for the life to be ſaved, and the Soul delivered, is a very great Deliverance; a Reprieve when a Priſoner is under the ſentence of Death, is a great Mercy: O when God Reprieves a poor Priſoner, this is ſome Deliverance; we read of [134]ſome Deliverance God gave to Iſrael in the days of Shiſhak; a Reprieve is ſome Deliverance, but if it end in ſuing out the Priſoner's Pardon, then it is a great Deliverance. If it be ſuch a Deliverance in a Storm at Sea, as Hezekiah had from a Sickneſs at Shore, Thou haſt deliver'd me in love to my Soul, and caſt all my Sins behind thy back, (Iſa. 38.) This is a double Deliverance, and ſure ſuch Deliverances as theſe are worth Recording; Theſe are to be written in Marble and not in Duſt, with the Pen of Iron, (as the Prophet ſays) and not with the point of a Diamond.

3. Your Deliverances are wonderful, if you conſider the many thouſands that have periſhed in leſs Dangers to an Eye of Reaſon; they are diſtinguiſhing Deliverances, and therefore wonderful; hath God dealt with all Men that go to Sea as with you. Have not thouſand periſhed by the Sword at Sea in bloody Engagements? Miſcarried at Sea in dreadful and terrible Storms; Hath not the Sea been a Sepulchre for thouſands? Are not there Millions of the Dead that the Sea muſt one Day give up, and yet you Delivered, and yet you Spared? O what diſtinguiſhing Mercy is this! And ſhall this be forgotten by you? Should not you keep Records [135]of diſtinguiſhing Mercy? How many ſunk ſometimes, and periſhed by your ſides? How many that went out with you that never Returned? One taken, and another left; one ſunk, and another ſaved.

4. Your Deliverances are Wonderful, if you conſider the way that ſometimes God takes to bring them about; O what ſtrange ways doth God take to Deliver, when he hath a Mind to Deliver; ſometimes he brings down to the very Gate of the Grave, he brings to the Doors and Bars of the Sea, and then ſhuts theſe Doors; as Job ſpeaks, He brings to the next Door to periſhing, and then he Delivers; Maſter ſave me, or I periſh; and then he lends an Arm, witneſs many of theſe Deliverances here mention'd. Sometimes he doth it by ſtrange means; low and contemptible, as the poor Man that we Read of, that Delivered the City, (Eccleſ. 2.15.) ſometimes by unthought of and unexpected means, as he that Relieved Major Gibbons, as this Story mentions, he was a French Pyrate. As that Ship I have heard of, that when ſhe ſprang a Leak, and they all had like to have periſhed, and all on a ſudden the Leak ſtopt, and they knew no Reaſon, but when they came into the next Port [136]to ſearch her, there was a great Fiſh ha [...] wrought himſelf in the Leak, that they were glad to cut him out; was not here a Miraculous Deliverance? That Jona [...] ſhould be ſwallowed up by the Whale, [...] what a Miracle was this! And ſo he was preſerv'd! And how have ſome been ſaved by ſudden ſhifts of Winds when near ſinking and periſhing? Theſe are to be remembred to the Lord while you live Oh! Methinks this one Motive ſhould ſet on the Exhortation, if I ſhould uſe no more, to Remember your Dangers and your Deliverances.

But ſecondly, another Motive is this, to Remember your Dangers with your Deliverances; this will in your great Diſtreſſes and Extremities, contribute ſome Hope to you; to read over your Regiſter, your ancient Records, how good God hath been at ſuch a time, and ſuch a time; how ſeaſonably he ſtept in and Delivered in ſuch a ſtrait and ſuch a ſtrait; Oh then ſays the Soul, why then ſhould I Deſpair, and caſt off all Hope now? Hath not he appeared and ſaved in Deaths often before now? For paſt Experiences are good ſupports for Hope in preſent Exigencies and Extremities; thus David argues, when at a great ſtrait, Thou haſt delivered me, and [137]wilt deliver me; and thus St. Paul, Thou haſt delivered me, and wilt deliver me. Haman found this a good way to Remember the Years of the Lord's Right Hand.

3. Remember your Dangers and Deliverances, for God records them; they are filed up by God, and he will mind you of them another Day if you forget them now; he keeps his Journals and Records; he hath his Book of Remembrance of your forgotten Mercies, as well as your forgotten Sins; God will one Day read over all thoſe Deliverances you have forgotten; Oh poor Soul! Did not I deliver thee in ſuch a Danger, in ſuch a Diſtreſs, in ſuch a Death, when there was no Hope, when there was no Help, yet all this haſt thou forgotten; forgotten'thy Mercy, and forgotten the God of thy Mercy; Oh! will not this ſting you to the Heart, when God ſhall cauſe your ſtrangled, and murdered Mercies to walk in your Conſciences; when he ſhall give them a Reſurrection there?

4. Motive to Remember your Dangers and Deliverances: The Vows of God are upon you; Oh! What did you ſay to God in the day of your Diſtreſs and Calamity? Lord if thou wilt appear, and be a preſent Help in time of Trouble, it ſhall never be for gotten, it ſhall he Remembred [138]to the Lord as long as we have a Day to Live but when God brings poor Souls off many do not only forget their Vows but deny them: In Ancient times it was uſual in imminent Dangers, whether a [...] Sea or Land to make Vows; We read that Jonah's Mariners, they vowed Vows (Jonah 1.16.) David did thus, Thy Vows are upon me, O God! I will render praiſes unto thee, &c. Pſal. 56.11. (and in another place) I will pay thee my Vows, which my Lips have uttered, and my Mouth hath ſpoken when I was in trouble, (Pſal. 66.13, 14.) But becauſe this is ſo ordinary to make Vows at Sea, and break them a Shoar, let me enlarge a little upon it. 1. Why ſhould you forget your Vows after your Deliverances? They were not [...]aſh Vows, there might have been ſome Excuſe if you had made them raſhly, you might then have had a Plea, for ſaying it was an Error; but in times of Diſtreſs Men are ſerious, when Death and Eternity are ſet before them, and they upon the brink of another World; dare you Sinners raſhly Vow, in this day of your Diſtreſs; O no, your Conſciences will bear Witneſs againſt you, that you were in Sober-ſadneſs at that day. 2. Why ſhould you ferget your Vows after Deliverances, for God will require Payment? [139]Nay, this is not only the Reaſon why we ſhould not forget to pay, but why we ſhould not delay the Pay; When thou voweſt a Vow to the Lord thy God, thou ſhouldſt not be ſlack to Pay it, for the Lord thy God will require it, yea, will ſurely require it of thee, and it would be Sin in thee, (Deut. 23.21.) Take it for granted he will do it, ſo as to call to a Payment Day, he will demand it, he will ſend unto you a Summons to Pay the Vows you made to him in the day of your Diſtreſs. Oh! How often is Conſcience, God's Officer, that he ſends to you to demand Payment? O ſays Conſcience, Sinner, Pay what thou oweſt to the God of thy Deliverances; it not he a God to whom thy Vows muſt be Performed? 2. He will require it, ſo as to puniſh the Nonpayment; and ſo requiring is here taken, and in many other places, the Lord, doth very often ſeverely puniſh Vowbreaking; breaking of Vows doth cauſe God often to deſtroy the works of your Hands. Say not before the Angel, It was an Error, wherefore ſhould God be angry at thy Vows, and deſtroy the works of thy Hands? (Eccleſ. 5.4, 5.) Some Expoſitors refes this to the Prieſt, before whom the Sin of raſh Vows was to be confeſs'd; others carry it to Chriſt, the Angel of the Covenant, [140]who ſees through all our ſubti Excuſes and Equivocations, and puniſhe [...] them. O God is angry when Men go ſo flatly againſt their Vows; O ther God is angry, and deſtroys the work o [...] their Hands, viz. diſappoints their Endeavours, and denies their Succeſs.

Laſtly, to forget your Deliverances and Dangers, is the greateſt Ingratitude and Unthankfulneſs in the World; hath God given you ſo many wonderful Deliverances, ſo many miraculous Preſervations, to be buried in the Grave of Oblivion? Will you Murder your Mercies and then bury them? It is commonly ſaid, Murder will out. Murdered Mercies will one day make terrible work, in walking in your Conſciences.

The next Obſervation is this, That Salvations and Deliverances many times are not ſent until Perſons be left Helpleſs and Hopeleſs. I ſhall give you a touch of this. Now all hope of being ſaved was taken away, no ſmall Tempeſt lay upon upon them; now they were gulft in Deſpair of ever coming off with their Lives: Yet this often is the condition of Nations, Ship-Companies, and Perſons, where God intends to ſave and deliver. The Proofs of the laſt Obſervations about Dangers and Deliverances being recorded [141]and remembred, proves this alſo. Thus was Peter ſaved, the Diſciples ſaved, when juſt at ſinking.

But why doth God ſtay ſo long before he ſends Deliverances and Salvations? 1. Becauſe he delights to draw forth a Spirit of Prayer; if Men will not Pray when ſinking, when Drowning, when Dying, they will never Pray. O ſee how Jonah Prays in his diſtreſs: And Jonah Prayed to the Lord out of the Fiſhes Belly, and ſaid, I cried by reaſon of mine Affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the Belly of Hell cried I, and thou heardeſt my Voice, &c. When my Soul fainted within me, I remembred the Lord; and my Prayer came in unto thy Holy Temple, (Jonah 2.1, 2, 3, 7.) O Sirs, God loves Prayer ſo well, that he ſtays with his Deliverances, that he might ſue them out by Prayer. Out of the Depths have 1 cried unto thee, ſaith David, (Pſal. 130. 1.) Driven to it by deep and bottomleſs ſtraits, into which I am plunged. And it ſeems to be an Illuſion to Mariners, in their Diſtreſſes and Dangers of being Shipwrackt, crying unto the Lord. What, will any Man periſh, and never Pray for it? Die, and never Cry for it? What, and not ſay as Peter did, Maſter, ſave me, or I periſh? What was it that did draw [142]forth Prayer in many of theſe Diſtreſſed Ship Companies (in this Treatiſe mentioned) but their Dangers and Diſtreſſes?

2. God doth not bring our Deliverances and Salvations until we be Hopeleſs, becauſe he will exerciſe his Peoples Graces: Therefore the Diſciples were not ſaved until the Ship was full, that their Graces might be exerciſed. O now is a time for Faith and Patience to be exerted, there is nothing more pleaſing unto God, than to ſee how poor Souls exerciſe their Graces, when they are reduced to Extremities; God hath a great revenue of Glory ariſing to himſelf, out of the exerciſe of his own Grace in the Souls of Believers. O how doth Faith act its part when Mercy and Deliverance is delay'd! It was one of Luther's wonders, to believe for Mercy that was long delay'd. It is an high exerciſe of Faith, to look up to God long together, and nothing to come. To ſay with the Prophet Jonah, I will look again towards thy Holy Temple, (Jonah 2.4, 8.) And with the Prophet Iſaiah, Tho' he hide his Face from the Houſe of Jacob, I will wait upon him, and look for him, (Iſaiah 17.) What tho' thou be as the Prophet's Servant, who went down to the Sea to look, and he ſaid Maſter, there is nothing. But what [143]then? Doth he give over? O no, the looks again; and the ſeventh look he ſaw he Cloud. So Faith in its exerciſe, will look again and again, and never give over, until it eſpie the Mercy coming upon the wings of Prayer. So might I add of Patience; O how doth it act its part while the Deliverance tarries; it quietly waits for the Salvation of God; ſaying, as David, My Soul waits for the Lord, more than they that watch for the Morning, (Pſal. 130.6.) The Soul of the Believer poſſeſſes it ſelf in Patience until the Mercy come.

3. God doth not bring our Salvations and Deliverances, until we be brought to an Extremity; becauſe they are moſt prized and welcomed then. O now Deliverance will be prized: The longer that a Mercy tarries, the more welcome it is when it comes: God loves to make all his Mercies welcome to us. O how welcome is Life, to a Perſon under a Sentence of Death! O how welcome is a Diſcovery of the love of Chriſt to a poor Soul, that hath long groaned under the burthen of unpardon'd Guilt! O how welcome was the Prodigal's Father's Houſe, when he had ſo long been ſtarving in the Fields, with his Husks, amongſt the Swine!

[144]4. Becauſe God will have all his Salvations and Deliverances look like his own Hand and Arm, his Arm brings Salvation with him; he will have the print of his own Hand upon it, that poor Sinners may ſay, This is the Finger of God, the doing of God, and it is marvellous in our Eyes. Alas, Men would attribute it to themſelves, if Salvation did not come in ſuch a way, when all hope of being Saved is taken away. Oh! Every thing is beautiful in its Seaſon; is not Salvation and Deliverance now in Seaſon? Now they begin to Deſpair, as to probable or viſible hopes. O now, God works like himſelf, now he appears in a Deliverance to be God; which ſet the Diſciples a wondering, What manner of Man is this, that the Winds and the Sea obey him? Mark 4.41. And at another time, when he deliver'd his Diſciples at Sea, and calmed the Winds, then they that were in the Ship Worſhipped him, ſaying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God, 14.32, 33.

5. Becauſe he will by ſuch Salvations ſet off his Love to poor Souls: Was not the Love of Chriſt ſet off highly, in taking that Seaſon to ſave the Ship when it was full; to ſave them when they were ſinking; is not that great Love, that ſteps [145]forth to ſave in an Extremity? O what Love was this, to ſave this Ships Company, when all hope of being ſaved was taken away? Love always chuſes the fitteſt times to appear and evidence it ſelf.

Laſtly, Becauſe he will have his Deliverances, endearing Deliverances to Souls. O how doth ſuch an appearance of God, at ſuch a time, endear the Soul of the Receiver. Therefore, ſaith David, I will love the Lord, (or love the Lord dearly) my Rock, and my Deliverer, &c.

But I will proceed to give you alſo ataſte of the Application, and not to be large, becauſe I have been large upon the former, which was mainly intended.

1. Then learn we hence, that God may for gracious ends, known to himſelf, delay a Mercy or a Deliverance, and yet fully intend to give in that Mercy. Jacob may wreſtle all Night, and yet be put off; but in the break of Day the Mercy comes. The Woman of Canaan may cry to Chriſt for her Daughter, and at preſent be put off, yet at laſt ſhe ſhall carry it. The believing Soul may not have the Dove come with an Olive-Branch in her Mouth until Evening. Chriſt's manifeſting of his Love to poor Souls, is called his Supping with them; And I will Sup with you: Now Supper comes not up till Evening.

[146]2. Learn we hence, that God's timing our Deliverances and Salvations, is beſt for us; his Time is the beſt Time. Our time is always ready, (but ſaith Chriſt) My time is not yet. If we had our Mercies in our time, we ſhould not ſee that beauty in them; for every thing is beautiful in its Seaſon: And God chuſes the fitteſt Seaſons to ſend them, becauſe he will put a beauty upon them.

3. Learn we hence, that no caſe is deſperate to God, tho' it be ſo to Man: One would have thought this a deſperate caſe, in ſuch a Storm, lightning the Ship, the caſting cut of the Tackling of the Ship, neither Sun nor Stars appeared, and all hope of being ſaved taken away; yet all this was but deſperate to them, it was not ſo to God: Now their Extremity becomes God's opportunity, and he takes this Juncture of time to appear in. Thus David, Pſal. 42. 7, 8. all God's Waves and God's Billows had gone over him; a deſperate caſe! Yet God (then he believes) would command his loving kindneſs in the Day-time, and the Song ſhould be with him in the Night. Faith is an excellent Grace at a deſperate ſtand.

4. Learn we hence, that God's Thoughts are not as our thoughts; when [...] think of nothing but ſinking and periſhing, then doth God think of Saving and Delivering. [147]They thought all hope of being ſaved was taken away, but God looks through the Storm and Cloud, and Comforts them. As the Diſciples, when they thought it had been a Spirit in their Storm that appeared to them; No, ſaith Chriſt, be not afraid; be of good chear, it is I, Mark 6. 50, 51, 52.

Uſe 2. Is it ſo, that the Salvations and Deliverances that many of us have, are not until we are brought to Extremities? Then it is a word of Exhortation; Then look up to God in the moſt deſperate Caſe, when you know not what to do in your Storms at Sea, in your Straits at Land. O then let your Eyes be up unto the Lord; you ſee how many Deliverances have come down in Extremities, as anſwers to Prayer. O Pray hard; let going to Sea, being in Storms at Sea, being brought to Extremities at Sea, learn you to Pray.

FINIS.

PRAYERS To be Uſed by Seafaring-Men.

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The Mariners Prayer.

O GOD, the great Creator of Heaven and Earth, thou doſt whatſoever thou pleaſeſt in the Sea, and in all deep Places; I, the moſt unworthieſt of all thy Servants, am at this time called upon to behold thy Wonders in the Deep, and to perform my Duty in great Waters. Guide me, I beſeech thee, in all times and in all Places: Be thou our skilful Pilot to Steer us, and protect us from []all Dangers, and rebuke the Winds and the Seas when they Moleſt us; preſerve our Veſſel from being rent by the loud cracks of Thunder, or from being burnt by Lightning or any other Accident; keep us and ſave us from Tempeſtuous Weather, from bitter Froſts, Hail, Ice, Snow, or Whirlwinds, and from Captivity and Slavery.

Teach me, O God, to remember thee my Creator in the days of my Youth, to continually think upon thee, and to Praiſe thy Name for all thy Mercies: Bleſs all our Friends, I beſeech thee, that are on Land, and let their Prayers for us be acceptable in thy Sight, and grant that our next Meeting together may be for the better, and not for the worſe, even to the Praiſing and Magnifying of thy Holy Name, and Salvation of our own Souls in the great Day of the Lord Jeſus, to whom, with thee, and thy Bleſſed Spirit, be aſcribed all Honour, Power, and Glory, Adoration, and subjection, now and for evermore. Amen.

A Prayer before a Voyage.

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OETERANL God, even the God of our Salvation, the hope of all the ends of the Earth; and of them that remain in the wide Ocean, under the ſhadow of whoſe Wings we are always ſecure, and without whoſe protection we cannot expect ſafety. I have been, O Lord, preſerved by thee until this moment from many Dangers, for which I have not expreſſed my thankfulneſs in acknowledging thoſe Daily Bleſſings I have received from thee; but, O Lord, forget and forgive thoſe manifold Sins which I have committed againſt thee, and blot them out of thy Book of Remembrance.

Purge me, O Lord, I beſeech thee, from all vile affections; and grant I may bring forth the fruits of thy Spirit; go along with me with thy bleſſed Spirit in this my Voyage, preſerve me from Pirates, Robers and Enemies, defend me from Rocks, Sands and Shelves, and keep me from Thunder and Lightning, Storms and Tempeſtous Werther, or any other Danger that may diſmay me. To thee, O Lord, I commend my Body []and Spirit, to diſpoſe of me according to thy holy Will and Pleaſure; if thou art pleas'd to call for my Life upon the Surface of the Waters; I know thy Almighty Word can command the Sea to give up her Dead at the laſt and great Audit.

But if thou haſt determin'd to bring me Safe to my deſired Heaven, give me thy Grace which is ſufficient for me, to Walk according to thy holy Will in all things; make me to lay hold of Eternal Life, which as the Anchor of Hope, is both ſure and ſtedfaſt; keep me from all Temptations Ghoſtly and Bodily, and from ſudden Death, and in thy good time bring me to the Land of the Living, there to Reign with thee for evermore. Amen.

A Thanksgiving after a Voyage.

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OIMMORTAL God, I have ſeen thy Works O Lord, and thy Wonders in the deep; thou ſpakeſt the Word and the Stormy Wind aroſe, which lifted up the Waves thereof, but when we cried unto thee, thou madeſt the Storm to ceaſe, ſo that the Waves thereof were ſtill; then did we rejoyce becauſe we were at reſt, and thou broughteſt us ſafe to that Haven where we would be: O that Men would therefore praiſe thee, O Lord, for thy Goodneſs, and declare the Wonders thou doſt continually for them.

I Bleſs thy Holy Name, for Conducting me through thoſe many Dangers which Encompaſſed me, and Praiſe thy thy Mercy that the Deep hath not Swallowed me up, and that I am not gone down into the place of Silence. I alſo praiſe thy Holy Name, and Admire thy Loving Kindneſs towards me, that thou haſt not deliver'd up my Body and Goods [...]s a Prey into the Hands of unrea [...] [...]ole Men, but haſt brought me to my deſi [...]ed Haven, and at laſt returned me back in ſafety to my Habitation.

[]O Let me never forget to pay thoſe Vows I made to thee, when I was in trouble; but give me an awful ſenſe and apprehenſion of thy great Power, and poſſeſs my Soul with a true Reverence of thy Divine Majeſty; that I may evermore Serve thee in Holineſs and Righteouſneſs all the Days of my Life: Endue me with thy Holy Spirit; that I may become acceptable in thy ſight, and may be fitted at length for future Glories, this I beg for thy Son Jeſus Chriſt ſake, my only Saviour. Amen.

A Prayer in a Storm.

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O LORD our God, thou haſt commanded us in the Day of Calamity to call upon thy Name, and thou haſt promiſed to hear us; Lord, I fly unto thee, who art a ſure refuge; thy Floodgates are opened, and the Floods lift up their lofty Waves. But thou, O Lord moſt high, art mightier than the Noiſe of many Waters: yea, than the mighty Waves of the Sea: Thou canſt in a moment, if it ſtand with thy Divine will and pleaſure, rebuke the Winds and the Sea, and turn this Storm into a Calm.

I know I juſtly deſerve to be caſt away, and utterly to be rejected by thee; but Lord ſave us, or elſe we periſh; accept of my unfeigned Sorrow for all my Sins and Tranſgreſſons, and endue me with a ſtedfaſt reſolution to forſake them; be merciful unto us, O God, be merciful unto us, and Save us from Periſhing in theſe deep Waters; O refreſh us with thy Mercy, and that ſoon, leſt we go down ito the place of ſilence, O comfort us in this great diſtreſs, that though the Sea rage and ſwell, our Hearts may be quiet and ſtill in this time of our diſconſolation.

[]And as I earneſtly deſire to be protected from this great Peril and Danger which now terrifies us, ſo I earneſtly beſeech thee, that thou wilt for ever fill my Heart with ſuch an awful dread of thy Name, and praiſe thy power in the great Congregation; awake my dull and drowſie Soul, from the ſloth of Sin, and renew a right Spirit within me; fill me with the Gifts of Graces of thy Holy Spirit, that I may Live the Life of the Righteous, and never forget thy Lovingkindneſs; ſave us now from Death, I beſeech thee, from the Mercileſs Waves who are now ready to ſwallow us up, and bring us home in ſafety, for thy Son Jeſus Chriſt his ſake, our only Lord and Saviour. Amen.

A Thankſgiving after a Storm.

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I PRAISE and Glorifie thy Holy Name, O Lord, for all thy Mercies and Bleſſings vouchſafed unto me, eſpecially for this thy laſt great Deliverance, wherein I was incompaſſed in that wide Ocean, whom thou haſt ſet Bounds and Limits to; if thou, O Lord, hadſt not been on my ſide, the Sea had ſwallowed me up quick, and I had gone down into the deep ſilence; but thou haſt been my God and my Deliverer, and haſt put a new Song into my Mouth, a Song of Praiſe and Thankſgiving unto my God.

I acknowledge, O Lord, that thou art the God of all the Earth, and of them that remain in the broad Sea: Bleſſed for ever and magnified thy Name that thou haſt not caſt me out of thy ſight, nor turn'd thy Mercy from me; I have eſcaped the raging Sea, and the Noiſe of the proud Waves have done me no Harm, if thy Almighty Providence had not protected me, Streams had gone over my Soul. But the Stormy Wind and T [...]mpeſt I have narrowly Eſcap'd, the Storm is ceaſed, and I am ſafely Delivered.

[]And now what ſhall I render to thee, O Lord, for this, and all other thy great Benefits? I will offer up unto thee the Sacrifice of Thankſgiving, and will pay my Vows I ſo ſolemnly made unto thee, when I was in trouble; I will evermore remember, that my help is in the Lord, who made Heaven and Earth, and that thou art that God that can and will deliver me; let this thy Mercy and Loving kindneſs never depart my Memory, but let me Praiſe thy Goodneſs, and Sing of thy Power, unto my Lives end. Amen.

An Hymn of Praiſe and Thankſgiving after a dangerous Tempeſt.

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O Come, let us give thanks unto the Lord, for his mercy endureth for ever.

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praiſed; let the redeemed of the Lord ſay ſo; whom he hath delivered from the mercileſs rage of the Sea.

The Lord is gracious and full of compaſſion: flow to anger, and of great mercy.

He hath not dealt with us according to our ſins: neither rewarded us according to our iniquitirs.

But as the Heaven his above the Earth: ſo great hath been his mercy towards us.

We found trouble and heavineſs: we were even at deaths door;

The Waters of the Sea had well nigh cover'd us: the proud waters had nigh gone over our ſoul.

The Sea roared and the ſtormy wind lifted the waves thereof;

We were carried up, as it were to Heaven, and went down again into the deep: our ſoul melted within us, becauſe of trouble;

Then cried we unto the Lord: and []thou didſt deliver us out of our diſtreſs.

Bleſſed be thy name, who didſt not deſpiſe the prayer of thy ſervants; but didſt hear our cry, and haſt ſaved us.

Thou didſt ſend forth thy commandment: and the windy ſtorm ceaſed, and was turned into a calm.

O let us therefore praiſe the Lord for his goodneſs: and declare the wonders that he hath done, and ſtill doeth for the children of men.

Praiſed be the Lord daily; even the Lord that helped us, and poured his benefits upon us.

He is our God, even the God of whom cometh ſalvation; God is the Lord by whom we eſcaped death.

Thou Lord haſt made us glad through the operation of thy hands; and we will triumph in thy praiſe.

Bleſſed be the Lord God; even the Lord God who only doeth wondrous things.

And bleſſed be the name of his Ma [...] for ever; and let every one of us ſay, Amen, Amen.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son; and to the holy Ghoſt;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever ſhall be; world without end. Amen.

A Prayer to be ſaid before a Fight at Sea againſt any Enemy.

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O Moſt powerful and glorious Lord God, the Lord of hoſts, that ruleſt and commandeſt all things; Thou ſitteſt in the throne judging right: and therefore we make our addreſs to thy divine Majeſty in this our neceſſity, that thou wouldſt take the cauſe into thy own hand, and judge between us and our enemies. Stir up thy ſtrength, O Lord, and come and help us; for thou giveſt not always the battel to the ſtrong, but canſt ſave by many or by few, O let not our ſins now cry againſt us for vengeance, but hear us thy poor ſervants beging mercy and imploring thy help, and that thou wouldſt be a defence unto us againſt the face of the enemy. Make it appear that thou art our Saviour and mighty deliverer, through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord. Amen.

FINIS.
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Zitationsvorschlag für dieses Objekt
TextGrid Repository (2020). TEI. 5216 A token for mariners containing many famous and wonderful instances of God s providence in sea dangers and deliverances Much enlarg d Also The seaman s preacher And prayers for seam. University of Oxford Text Archive. . https://hdl.handle.net/21.T11991/0000-001A-5A13-A