A58039:34
A token for mariners
A token for mariners containing many famous and wonderful instances of God's providence in sea dangers and deliverances, in mercifully preserving the lives of his poor creatures, when, in humane probability, at the point of perishing by shipwreck, famine, or other accidents. much enlarged, with the addition of many new relations, one whereof happening this present year, and never before printed. Mostly attested by the persons themselves. Also The seaman's preacher, being a sermon on the right improvement of such mercies. And prayers for seamen on all occasions.A token for mariners containing many famous and wonderful instances of God's providence in sea dangers 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. much enlarg'd, with the addition of many new relations, one whereof happening this present year, and never before printed. Mostly attested by the persons themselves. Also The seaman's preacher, being a sermon on the right improvement of such mercies. And prayers for seamen on all occasions.
London: printed by Hugh Newman, 1698
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.
8. We have a very wonderful Deliverance recorded, an honest poor man in Maulden in Essex, one Gregory Crow, who with his man and boy, was in his Boat going to fetch Fullers-Earth; but by the way meeting with a Storm his Boat was driven upon a bank of sand, and there sunk; The men were glad to hang upon the Mast, but poor Crow seeing his New-Testament in the water, which he prized highly, caught it up, and took it into his Bosom; the tide being gone, they were left upon the sand, at least ten miles from land; now in this great Distress they made their Prayers to the Lord, that he would send some means of Deliverance, For now within half an hour it would be flood, but in this little time before Flood, they found a Chest wherein was five pounds six Shillings ⟨p. 28⟩eight pence, but honest Crow cast it into the Sea again saying, If the Lord will please to save our lives he will provide us a little food; and so they went again up the Mast, where they to Admiration hung by the Arms and Legs for ten hours together, only the Boy was so weary, and beaten with the Waves that he fell off, and was drowned; now their fears increase upon them, and they know not what to do. But Crow advises his man to cut down the Mast and when the F•ood comes again, to fit upon it, and so, says he, it may please God to drive us to some Ship; this Counsel was taken, they commit themselves to God upon this Mast, and thus continued Tuesday Night, Wednesday, and Wednesday Night; in which time the man was so tired out with Hunger, Watching, and Cold, that he dyed; now was Crow left alone in this sad and deplorable Condition, who prayed now the more earnestly for some Succour and Relief, but durst not Sleep, lest the Sea should beat him off the Mast; and when this distressed miserable object was almost spent, his flesh sodden with Sea water, and his eyes almost closed up with the Salt, now in his Extremity the Lord makes it his opportunity, and s••eps in by his Providence, presents a Ship going ⟨p. 29⟩for Antwerp: (observe here the Finger of God:) The Wind not being favourable was driven out of the way, and espying something a far off in the Sea, but supposing it to be some Fisher-boy steered from it. Crow seeing this, held up his Cap and shaked it over his head, whereby at length they were moved to go to him, and so they took him in;