A39673:839
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 New Compass for Sea-Men: OR, Navigation Spiritualiz'd. › Chapter 22 › REFLECTION.
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.
REFLECTION.
And is Satan so subtle and industrious to entice Souls to sin? Doth he thus cast out his golden baits, and allure Souls with pleasure to their ruin? Then how doth it behove thee, O my Soul, to be jealous and wary! How strict a guard should I set upon every sense! Ah, let me not so much regard how ⟨p. 82⟩sin comes towards me in the Temptation, as how it goes off at last. The day in which Sodom was destroyed, began with a pleasant Sun shine, but ended in Fire and Brimstone. I may promise my self much content in the satisfaction of my Lusts: But O, how certainly will it end in my ruin! Ahab doubtless promised himself much content in the Vineyard of Naboth, but his blood paid for it in the portion of Jezreel. The Harlots Bed was perfumed to entice the simple young man, Prov. 7. 17. But those Chambers of Delight proved the Chambers of Death, and her House the way to Hell. Ah, with what a smiling face doth sin come on towards me in its temptations! How doth it tickle the carnal fantasy, and please the deceived heart? But what a dreadful Catastrophe and Upshot hath it? The delight is quickly gone, but the guilt thereof remains to amaze and terrify the Soul with ghastly forms, and dreadful representations of the wrath of God: As sin hath its Delights attending it to enter and fasten it, so it hath its horrors and stings to torment and wound: And as certainly as I see those go before it to make away, so certainly shall I find these follow after, and tread upon its heels. No sooner is the Conscience awakened, but all those Delights vanish as a Night vision, or as a Dream when one awakes; and then I shall cry, Here is the Hook, but where is the Bait? Here is the guilt and horror, but where the delight that I was promised! And I, whether shall I now go? Ah my deceitful Lusts! You have enticed and left me in the midst of all miseries.