every storm, and make the haven, the long wished-for haven, at last.

Even the ship at anchor is never altogether free from motion in the greatest calm, and at some times will roll in such a manner as to make some of the ship's company sick, and others believe that the anchor has lost its hold, and that all is in danger: Even so, the saints, though secured against utter ruin, may have many changes, may be much tossed with adversities, and various afflictions, and may have fears without, and fightings within.

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But, how much wiser is the mariner in a storm, than the children of wisdom themselves! The fiercer the tempest, and the greater the danger, they cast out the more anchors. But the saints, in times of greatest trouble, instead of acting the strongest faith, are apt to cry out, Lost, and undone!' and so cut their cables, and cast loose their anchors; and thus, and that always in a night of sorrow and anguish, are tossed on the rough sea of despondency and doubt for a time. Faith, however, has this advantage above all the cables ever made, and all the anchors ever fabricated, that it secures in spite of fiercest storms, and keeps safe in the midst of imminent dangers, relying more or less on him who cannot fail, even when providence contradicts the promise.

Now, as no ship goes to sea without her cables and anchors, though of no use till she come again near the land; so I should do every thing in faith; for without faith it is impossible to please God, or come to an anchor in the harbour of glory.

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MEDITATION XII.

THE SAILS.

Spithead, May 5. 1758.

ANCHORS are servants to us in the harbour, but are entirely useless at sea, where another kind of tackling is absolutely necessary, to-wit, the expansive sails that spread their friendly wings, and catch the favouring gales, to forward us in our intended

voyage.

Even so, the spiritual seamen must to their anchors of faith add virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly-kindness; and to brotherly-kindness, charity: These are the sails that bid fair for a prosperous voyage, and bring us daily nearer to the celestial land.

The Holy Spirit, breathing on the public ordinances, and the more private duties of Christianity, is like a fair wind and a brisk gale on a fullspread sail, which answers the highest expectations of the homeward-bound ship. No shipmaster could ever expect, under his bare poles, to make the desired haven, though favoured with a very fresh gale. If he did not both unfurl and stretch his sails in the best direction for the wind, he would look more like a madman than a mariner. So he that attends on no ordinances, attempts the performance of no duty, reads not the scriptures of truth, and prays not to the God of all grace, is not in the way of the heavenly gale that wafts the saints to glory.

Again, the sails, fore and aft, may all be unfurled by a skilful hand, and spread out to the wind, and yet the ship for a time make little way, because scarcely favoured with a breath of wind. So the influence of the Spirit may be restrained for a time, and the saints, even in the use of every mean, may make but little progress in their Christian course. But as the experienced seaman, in such a case, crowds on all his sails, adds a topgallant sail, and appends studding-sails; so we, with the spouse, should rouse up ourselves, rise from our sloth, ask anxiously after him, be earnest and importunate in every duty, till we find him whom our soul loveth.

Nothing can be a more pleasant sight at sea than a fleet of ships, richly laden, with a moderate gale, steering a straight course to the port, at which they have long been expected, and which they have long desired to see. But a company of saints travelling Zion-wards, rich in heavenly graces, and the hopes of eternal glory, and, under the influences of the Holy Ghost, steering a straight course to the church of the first-born, where they have been long expected by the souls under the altar, and which they have long desired to see, is a more noble sight.

Finally, as the ship never takes in her sails till arrived at her desired haven, so we should be always on our guard, keep every grace in vigour, never be weary in well-doing, but press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, till we make the haven of bliss the harbour of glory.

MEDITATION XIII.

ON THE COMPASS AND HELM.

Spithead, May 6. 1758.

ANCHORS and sails are both useful; but with. out something more, the mariner must steer an unsteady course, and traverse the ocean to little purpose, not knowing where he is, nor whither he goes. These handmaids of navigation are, the compass, the quadrant, and the helm. Without the compass, he durst never venture from the coast, because he would sail he knows not whither; without the quadrant, he must mistake his latitude; and without his helm, he might be driven whither he would not. Even so, all these, in a spiritual sense, are absolutely necessary to every one who would have a safe passage to the other world. Therefore, seeing I am on a long, but interesting voyage to eternity, much care should be taken what course I steer, since one point wrong, so to speak, instead of landing me safe in glory, will run me among the rocks of irretrieveable ruin. Did they not seem to bid fair for a prosperous voyage, and for making the very harbour, who could boast to Christ himself, "Lord, Lord, have we out prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works?" and yet he professes to them that he never knew them.

Now, I must direct the course of my life, and the end of my actions, by the sacred compass of divine revelation. This should be a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path; my counsellor in all diffi

culties, and my song in the house of my pilgrim age; yea, my daily and delicious food.

Here I must observe, that if the most skilful pilot cannot, without the compass, sail from England to the Indies; so the heathen, for all the blaze of natural parts, for all their refined manners, or excellent morals, yet, wanting the word of God, the volume of inspiration, can never reach the shore of happiness; for "how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher ? and how shall they preach except they be sent ?"

Again, like the spiritual mariner, I should take my altitude, and see what length I have run, what progress I have made in my course heavenward. Now, this is known by the height of the Sun of righteousness in my sky. If he enlighten the whole inner man, shine into my heart, irradiate every power of mind, cover me with his healing beams, fill my ravished eye, engage my attention, and excite me daily to adore and bask beneath my Saviour's gracious rays, surely I am well on to the meridian, well on to the land of rest.

Again, I should steer the helm by the compass of divine truth, guard against running out of my latitude, but be attentive to my life according to thy word, and have a zeal according to knowledge. Thus shall I at last, under a full sail, in a triumphant manner, have an abundant entrance ministered to me into the kingdom of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.