A39673:1280
Navigation spiritualizedNavigation spiritualiz'd
Navigation spiritualized: or, A new compass for seamen consisting of XXXII points of pleasant observations, profitable applications, and serious reflections: all concluded with so many spiritual poems. Whereunto is now added, I. A sober consideration of the sin of drunkenness. II. The harlots face in the Scripture-glass. III. The art of preserving the fruit of the lips. IV. The resurrection of buried mercies and promises. V. The sea-mans catechism. Being an essay toward their much desired reformation from the horrible and detestable [sic] sins of drunkenness, swearing, uncleanness, forgetfulness of mercies, violation of promises, and atheistical contempt of death. Fit to be seriously recommended to their profane relations, whether sea-men or others, by all such as unfeignedly desire their eternal welfare. By John Flavel, minister of the Gospel.Navigation spiritualiz'd: or, A new compass for seamen consisting of XXXII points of pleasant observations, profitable applications, and serious reflections: all concluded with so many spiritual poems. Whereunto is now added, I. A sober consideration of the sin of drunkenness. II. The harlots face in the Scripture-glass. III. The art of preserving the fruit of the lips. IV. The resurrection of buried mercies and promises. V. The sea-mans catechism. Being an essay toward their much desir'd reformation from the horrible and destable [sic] sins of drunkenness, swearing, uncleanness, forgetfulness of mercies, violation of promises, and atheistical contempt of death. Fit to be seriously recommmended to their profane relations, whether sea-men or others, by all such as unfeignedly desire their eternal welfare. By John Flavel, minister of the Gospel.
London: printed for M. Fabian, 1698
Title page typeset from the transcription.
A Sober Consideration Of the SIN of DRUNKENNESS. › Caution 3: III. CAUTION.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Arg. 6. Oh stand off from this sin, because it is a pit out of which very few have been recovered that have fallen therein. Few are the footsteps of returners from this den. The longer a man lives in it, the less power he hath to leave it. It is not only a damning, but an infatuating sin. The danger of falling this way must needs be great, and the fall ⟨p. 44⟩very desperate, because few that fall into it do ever rise again. I shall lay two very terrible Scriptures before you to this purpose, either of them enough to drive thee speedily to Christ, or to drive thee out of thy wits: the one is that, Eccles. 7. 26. And I find more bitter than death, the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are bands: Whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her. The Argument which the spirit of God uses here to dissuade from this Sin, is taken from the subject; they that fall into it, for the most part, are persons in whom God has no delight, and so in judgment are delivered up to it, and never recovered by Grace from it. The other is that in Prov. 22. 14. The mouth of a strange woman is a deep pit; he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein. Oh terrible word! able to daunt the heart of the the securest sinner; your whores embrace you, yea, but God abhors you; you have their love, oh but you are under Gods hatred! What say you to these two Scriptures? If you are not Atheists, methinks such a word from the mouth of God, should strike like a Dart through thy Soul. And upon this account it is that they never are recovered, because God has no delight in them. If this be not enough, view one Scripture more, Prov. 2. 18, 19. For her house inclineth unto Death, and her paths unto the Dead: None that go to her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life. Reader, if thou be a person addicted to this sin, go thy ways, and think seriously what a case thou art in. None return again (i. e.) a very few of many: the examples of such as have been recovered are very rare. Pliny tells us, the Mermaids are commonly seen in green Meadows, and have enchanting Voices; but there are always found heaps of dead mens bones lying by them. This may be ⟨p. 45⟩