ment of Life, and Faith in that Redeemer whom he preached and prayed to, and who was thus mighty to fave,

And no Doubt but it had the defired Effect on many of the Paffengers as well as on the Islanders, to whom in this Manner Salvation was brought; but fad Experience teaches us, that fuch wonderful Deliverances work not alike on all: For they that live and converse with Sea-faring Men often obferve with Concern, that too many, who are ready enough to declare the Dangers they have escaped, are yet apt to forget the invifible Hand ftretched forth to fave them; and thus an Act of Mercy, intended to foften their Minds and produce pious Acts of Gratitude, is turned into an Occafion of hardening them in their Sins,

and prefuming still more upon the long Sufferings of God.

Oni# Such

Such is the Deceitfulnefs of Sin, that when it is grown into an Habit, it will defeat even the Purposes of Heaven for our Good, and harden a Man's Heart the more for its having been once melted by the Beams of Mercy, tempting Men to continue in it, that Grace may abound. A fad Symptom this of a Soul mortified and dead in Trespasses and Sins! And those 1 whom Mercy cannot reclaim, what can awaken but the terrifying Flames of Hell?

1

So that it greatly concerns all fuch Perfons

to beware how they contract an Habit of any Kind of Vice, left it deftroy that Tenderness of Heart by which the Goodness of God leads us to Repentance and Salva

tion.

Another Thing remarkable in this Relation is, The Duty of all Seamen in a Storm, with Regard to the Ship, and those

that

that fail with them: They are obliged to ufe their best Endeavours for the common Good and Safety of the Whole. Too many are like St. Paul's Mariners, for confulting Nobody's Safety but their own; and, when Danger preffes hard upon them, meanly contrive to escape, and leave the reft to the Mercies of the Sea, which often proves less cruel than those who had abandoned them.

Thefe Men had an Eye to the Boat, and privately launched it into the Sea, un der Pretence of mooring the Ship, but with a View to leave it and row Ashore: Which Paul perceiving, told the com

L

manding Officer, that if he suffered them to leave the Ship, their Lives would be in Danger; fince though Providence had engaged to protect them, yet not without the Condition of their best Endeavours, it was not to fave fome that the rest might

perish,

perifh, it was not to fave those only who would have all the reft deftroyed.

At fuch a perilous Time, when there is Need of all the Care and Skill, the Strength and Courage of Men, they are not to tempt God by withholding the Use of any poffible Means, or giving themfelves up to an idle Defpondency; fince this not only defeats the Succours that Reafon would offer, but is prefuming on a Miracle for their Deliverance. God often concurs with Men, and makes use of them as ordinary Means of accomplishing his Purpose, giving them Prefence of Mind, and as it were pointing out to them proper Measures to effect their Safety, directing them to a proper Place for it, a Creek or Bay with a bold Shore, where they may force their Veffel aground and get fafe to Land. And would Seamen enfure the Bleffing of God in a Storm, it must be done by joining their Prayers with their best Endeavours, trusting in God's Help,

E

2

yet

yet working with it; and this is the fureft Means to gain that Prefence of Mind and Power of Action fo neceffary on those preffing Occafions.

The next Thing obfervable is the Duty of those who live by the Sea-fide, and frequently behold the Danger and Distress of their Brethren; and that is, Compaffion, Affiftance and Relief according to their Abilities.

This is the pure Dictate of unbiaffed Nature, and therefore one would think fhould need no Arguments to recommend or enforce it.

Even these barbarous People, as they were called by the Greeks and Romans, not for being cruel, but uncivilized and Strangers to the Polity of Greece and Rome They called all Men Barbarians

but