The Christians Compass, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
The things or duties neceſſary to be done by Chriſtians, reduced to as many practical Rules as there are points in the Compaſs.
LET us paſs now from the ſpeculative part of our Chriſtian Compaſs (in which we have ſeen the grand principles which are neceſſary to be known) unto the practical part thereof, and ſee what are the duties, or the things which he ought to do in order to the arrival to our happineſs. And here I ſhall keep me to my Compaſs, and mention as many points for practiſe as there are noted in our Compaſs, which are thirty two; and for a help to memory, I ſhall begin each point with the initial known Letters on the points of our Compaſs.
Our firſt point is North, which is thus cut out into its eight points,
1. Never ſtir or ſteer any courſe but by light from God. N.Let the Scriptures which are Gods word, be thy North-Star. This is the original cauſe of all our miſery and miſcarriage, that we make not Gods commandments our Compaſs: Thy word is a Lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my pathes, (ſaid David) Pſal. 119 105. To the Law, and to the Teſtimony, ſaith Chriſt by the Prophet Iſa. 8.10. They are the Scriptures which can make us wiſe unto ſalvation. I do no more wonder to ſee men ſplit on the Rocks of error, or ſunk in the ſands of ſin, who caſt off or neglect the Scriptures, then I do to ſee a man make ſhipwrack who wants, or uſeth not his Compaſs. This is the great device of Satan (who ſtrives to ſhipwrack our ſouls) in theſe dayes, to make poor creatures diſpute, deny, and depart from the Scriptures. The North Star is not ſo uſeful and neceſſary to the Marriner, as the written word of God unto a Chriſtian: And he who upon pretence of the Word within, doth lay aſide the word without, is as a mad Pilot that throws away the c…mpaſs, that he may ſteer by his conjecture.
2. Never enter upon any deſign but ſuch as tends towards Chriſt. N. & by E.Let Chriſt be the riſing-Sun which thy ſoul doth alwayes worſhip. While other men run from Weſt to Eaſt to gain riches, do thou lance forth in no bottom, or buſineſs which will not further thee in thy knowledge and en oyment of Chriſt. Chriſt is next to God, and the word of God principally and primarily points at him; to him gave all the Prophets wit…, Act. 10.…3. He that labours for other things, neglecting Chriſt, is like a Merchant that goeth to the Indies to fetch Pebbles, and in the mean time forgets the pearl of great price; or like one that digs for dirt, and neglects Gold; ſince 'tis Chriſt alone who is a precious pearl, and the tried Gold, which can inrich our ſouls.
3. Note nothing enviouſly wch thrives without God; N. N. E.indeed nothing can thrive truly without God, though ſometimes the wicked (who want him) do ſeem to proſper. Indeed 'tis a great remora or hinderance to a ſpiritual Sea-man, to a poor afflicted Saint, to ſee the proſperity of the wicked; eſpecially while he is under adverſity, that it ſhould be ſo fair weather with the ungodly, while it's ſo foul with the godly, hath often perplexed many. It made the Pſalmiſt once think his Voyage Heaven-ward was in vain, Pſal. 73.12, 13. but remember not to envy, becauſe of the proſperity of the wicked, Pſal. 37. They make a poor voyage that ſail with never ſo fair a wind, or never ſo ſmooth a ſea, and yet traffick for nothing but ſand or pebles. He that trades with Jewels; need not envy ſuch at all: Though he have foul weather, and rough ſeas, yet his Traffick will make amends for all. Many miſcarry for not eying this point of the Compaſs; therefore minde it, Note nothing enviouſly which thrives, or ſeems to proſper, without God.
4. Never Enter upon Notwarrantable courſes, N. E. & by N.to procure any the moſt prized or conceited advantages. Many a ſoul is caſt away, and ſunk into eternal perdition, by venturing upon unlawful and not-warrantable deſigns, to advance or inrich it ſelf, 1 Tim. 6.9, 10. What got Achan by his wedge of Gold? Joſh. 7. What got Gehazi by the talent of ſilver, and changes of raiments? 2 Kings 5. Nay, what ſhall it profit a man to get all the world, and loſe his ſoul? Any thing got in, or by a non-warranted way, may and will undo the ſoul, though it may pleaſe or profit the body.
5. Now Entertain the ſacred commands of God, N. E.if hereafter thou expect the ſoveraign conſolations of God. Many are willing to have comfort, who care not for command. My hands will I lift up to thy commandment, which I have loved: And I will meditate in thy Statutes, Pſal. 119.48. Many a ſoul is ready to lift up his hand to take a comfort, wch wil not ſtretch it forth, or lift it up to take a command. But in vain ſhall you cry for, or expect Gods comforts in a ſtorm, if you neglect his commands in a calm. You who ſwear and drink, and drab aſhore, or in a calm, how can you expect God ſhould hear you in a tempeſt? Meditate upon that place, Prov. 1.24 25, 26. He that tranſgreſſeth on Land the Lords commands, cannot expect at Sea either a calm or comfort; …onah's ſin at Land, made a ſtorm at Sea, Jonah 1.3, 12.
6. Never eſteem Aegypts treaſures ſo much, N. E & by E.as for love of them to forſake the people of God. It was the praiſe of Moſes, that he choſe rather to ſuffer affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeaſon. And he eſteemed the godly's reproaches greater riches then Aegypts Treaſures; as it is in that place, Heb. 11.26. In this imitate Moſes, rather to chuſe to ſuffer perſecution, diſgrace, &c. with the godly, then to injoy the pleaſures of ſin, or to live at eaſe with the wicked. Better is it to go, though a very boiſtrous voyage, in a poor Veſſel, with men, then to lye upon the ſhore, though in a brave Country, with wild Beasts. Better to go to Heaven through many Tempeſts, and with much hardſhip and fear, then to ſwim to hel with full ſails, and a fair gale of pleaſures and honors.
7. Erre Not Eſpecially in ſoul-affairs. E. N. E.Jam. 1.16. Errors in corporal affairs are not ſo dangerous as in ſoul-affairs. That ſoul which errs in faith; in love, in holineſſe, &c. makes the worſt of ſhipwracks; remember thoſe floating marks (which are ſet as ſo many boyes o're dangerous Sands) I mean Hymeneus, Alexander, and Philetus, 1 Tim. 1.19, 20. & 2 Tim. 2.18 Erroneous perſons are but bad Pilots; and he that errs in the matters of his ſoul will make but a hard Voyage, though at laſt his Ship come into the Haven ſale, their ſalvation will be as through fire, 1 Cor. 3.15.
8. Eſchew Nothing but ſin. E. & by N.He that will ever do good upon a ſoul-voyage, muſt fear nothing but ſin, I Pet 3.11. Job was a good ſteerſman who eſchewed nothing but what was evil, Job 1.7, 8 He did not fear a greas multitude, neither did the contem…t of familyes terrifie him, Job 31.34. Men that will be ſpiritual Sailors, muſt fear no wind or weather, ſin only, ſin (and that becauſe it provokes God) is to be feared It's not a whiſtling Maſte, not a ratling Pum…; not a Lee-ſhore; not a ſinking or leaky ſhip, (which are the great evils deprecated and prayed againſt in the Sea-mans verbal Letany) It's not, I ſay, any, or all of this that can hurt or hazard our eternal ſpiritual traffique; It is nothing but ſin which alone can hazard our ſoul. He that fears and flyes from ſin, ſhall never need fear to ſink or miſcarry: He that is freed from ſin, will ſave his Merchandize though he ſhould loſe his Veſſel: His ſoul wil come ſafe to ſhore, though his body ſhould ſink at Sea.