is necessary to excite you to the constant practice of this sacred duty. There are scripture PROMISES; these are abundant, and in which the Lord has pledged his faithful word, to deliver those that call upon him in the day of trouble. The word of God, is the best rope a sailor can lay hold of in a storm, his promises grasped by the hand of faith, will assuredly support or deliver you out of every distress. There are the divine ATTRIBUTES; God is omnipresent, never remote from them that call upon him, but always nigh at hand, a very present help in time of need. He is wise, no case however intricate, can baffle his unbounded knowledge. When you are at your "Wits end" and can see no way to escape, even then, the Lord has a thousand different expedients, to save you from the impending ruin. He is Almighty, his power can easily effect, whatever his wisdom dictates, for "His arm is not shortened that he cannot save," he controuls the stormy winds and seas, and to him nothing is impossible. He is faithful, and this secures the happy issue of the whole, he has never denied his succour to any, who asked it aright, but has always regarded their cries, and mercifully delivered them out of

their distresses.

And while the truth of God remains,
The goodness must endure.

There are scripturé EXAMPLES of his delivering mercy; a striking instance of which, is recorded in the book of Jonah; a ship bound for Tarshish, met with such a distressing tempest as forced them to heave her cargo overboard, and set the whole ship's company upon prayer; but at the moment in which they expected to sink, God, hushed the storm and saved them. Also, the disciples were just ready to perish at sea, when in answer to their prayers, the

Lord rebuked the storm and delivered them. And a still more remarkable instance of divine preservation, is found in the narrative of St. Paul's voyage to Rome; after encountering a most tremendous gale of wind that continued fourteen days, anni in which they suffered the severest distresses, they were at length wrecked upon the Island of Malta; when one hundred and sixty-seven persons by the providential interposition of God, escaped safe to shore, and not a single life was lost*! Thus you see, that when seamen are driven into the utmost extremity, the Lord, is able to save them. Then never despair, but from your own, and the abovecited deliverances, be encouraged to call upon his name in every future distress. For

The brink of ruin is the place,

Where God displays surprising grace. But

2dly, It has also been premised, that you are favoured with many strange deliverances; hence we conclude, that you should be truly GRATEful, Oh! seamen! How often you have beheld the saving power of God. Indeed the nature of your preservations has been so extraordinary, that it has placed you under the most uncommon engagements, to bless his sacred name. How can you do otherwise, than adore that gracious hand, which has so often saved you when you were ready to perish? But to assist your grateful praise of God, I would recommend the use of a JOURNAL; this is as necessary to seamen, as the log-book is to a ship. As you must give an account "For the deeds done in the body," when the voyage of this life is finished, you should carefully record every alarming danger you undergo, the guilty terrors you feel, the earnest *Acts, chap. xxix.

cries you utter, the solemn vows you make upon the occasion, and the surprising deliverances which you experience. This would preserve a due sense of them upon your hearts, and remind you, of the binding obligations that are upon you to be thankful to God. Likewise, this practice would be found of the greatest utility; when perused, it would be a mean of humility and consolation to the mind, and strengthen your christian confidence in every future exigence. It would also excite you to glorify God, by making those suitable returns to him, which his amazing goodness so justly demands. Alas! How sadly have you deprived the Lord of his honour, by forgetting his saving benefits. Therefore in future, record his wonderous loving kindness towards you, strive to impress your mind with an effectual sense of it, and then you will admire his unmerited mercy, and give the glory,-due to him. It has been remarked

Sdly, That you behold the ocean; this should always remind you of ETERNITY; that is the main sea. Oh! seamen, consider; that the vast ocean which you traverse, is but a faint emblem of that boundless sea. Eternity is a subject, which surpasses the utmost stretch of man's feeble conception, his transitory mind is presently lost in that unfathomable, and endless deep. Number the stars which fill the sky, reckon up the sands upon the sea shore, count the drops in the ocean, compute the atoms which compose the globe, multiply them all by millions of years, and when this amazing succession shall have been finished, and repeated as many times as are equal to its units; eternity will be but beginning! Verily, it knows no period; without beginning, and without end. Hence the

heathens have represented eternity by a circle. Remember SAILORS, that you are now under weigh for that awful port; the impetuous gale of time is driving you rapidly a-head, and soon you must enter that unknown world; in which the profane, will have to endure a perpetual tempest, while the pious, enjoy an endless calm. Prepare therefore to meet your God. When you are bound upon a long voyage, do not you fit out the ship accordingly? How careful you are to have her well rigged, full manned, suitably stored, and a good freight. And will you make no provision, lay in no spiritual stock, for that long eternity? For God's sake consider your egregious folly; now open a commerce with heaven, and get your hearts well stowed with the invaluable treasures of the gospel. Lay your souls close along-side "The throne of grace;" this is the Redeemer's key, from whence the Holy Spirit ships the divine goods, of repentance, faith, pardon, love, and obedience; which are the only articles of merchandise, in Immanuel's land above. Moreover we have noticed

4thly, That you often change countries. This circumstance should lead you to consider seriously, that the eventful day is fast approaching, when you must EXCHANGE worlds; this, for that to come. What is so certain as death? This fleet enemy is now giving you chase; and crowd all the sail you can, he will quickly come up, and bring you too; when you must strike, and own him conqueror. And to die, how momentous,-only once-often the work of an unexpected instant,-and which fixes immutably, your eternal state.

No matter, which thy thoughts employ,
A moment's misery or joy;
But oh! when both shall end.

Having considered the subject as was proposed, we shall now lastly, finish the whole with an appropriate address.

1st. To the MASTERS. And we advise you to consider seriously the vast importance of your TRUST. It is not our intention to enter minutely into that valuable merchandise, those ships and lives with which you are charged, nor the incessant dependance of the merchant upon your fidelity and constant care, of their importance you are deeply sensible, and equally concerned. But the trust of which we design to remind you, is of an infinitely greater consequence; namely, the care of SOULS, your own, and those of others. Momentous charge! Indeed a ship loaded with the richest treasures of the Indies, is but mere lumber in comparison of an immortal soul. Christ who bought them with his own precious blood, and who has the most complete knowledge of their superlative value, challenges their price; "What is a man profited, who gains the whole world and loses his own soul?" "Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Therefore be mindful 1st, of your own invaluable souls, for there is an alarming probability of your losing them. This world is a dangerous sea, it abounds with spiritual enemies and shoals, which are often more fatal to the souls of men, than the most perilous seas are to ships. Beside these immortal treasures are shipped on board of crazy vessels, tossed upon an ocean that is fearfully agitated by pestilential winds, and which ever threaten to sink them down to the grave. Hence the greatest care and skill are requisite, to bring the precious cargo safe to port. Consider for a moment, the great anxiety, peril, and fatigue, you incessantly undergo