683 TnE CHURCH coMPARED ro A MERCHANT-SHIP. Book lV: lV. A Ship is f\eered by the IV. So the Church of God is guided in her Compafs from one Place to another. Pa!fage to Heaven, by the Campafs of God's Word, in refpeCt of DoCI:rine, DiCc(plinc, and Converfatior.: 'l'hy FVord is a Light unto my Paths, Pfcl. ex. 105. V. A Merchant-Ship takes in V. So the Church takes in many Chrifri2ns feveral Pa!fengcrs, of divers Kinds and Profe!fors, and thofe of feveral Sorts ar.d and Nations, who fail in her to their Def!rees, who all declare they ere b~und with the defired Haven. fpirirual Ship, ro the Land of, Promife. VI. Some Merchant-Ships have VI. So the Church of God hath the GofpeiNets belonging to them, which •re Net, which by the Hands of rhe Marin""• and caft into the Sea, to take up Fifhes, lkilful Fifhers of Men, is caft into the Sea, or and bring them inro the Ship. Multitude of People, by which tr.eans many Men · are converted, and taken into this lj:liritual Ship, VII. A Ship fails fweerly along, when fhe hath a profperous Gak; for unlefs the \Vind blow, fhe can– not fail. VI!!. \\'hat common Dangers a Merchant· Ship is expofed to, all the Fdfengers who fail in her are liable to alfo, viz. to the fameTem– pefts, the fame Pirates, &c. Let Joitah and the Mariners be rn the fame Ship together, and though the Storm arofe for Jonab's fake, yet all the wholeShrp'sCompany '~ere in danger. So it was inPaul'sC2fc, with thofe other Prifoners, Mari– ners, and Soldiers that were in the Ship with him. Let there be in the fame Ship, a Prince going to receive a Crown, and a MalefaCtor going to receive Punifhment, ac– cording to the Nature of his Of– fence; whilfl: they are in the Ship together, they are fu bjeCI: to the fame Storms and Toflings, to be Sea-fick together, to the lame l'i– rates, and alike ranfacked and fpoiled by them. IX. When a Ship is in a Storm, all the Marintr'i have their }l;wds and Hearts iL1ll, t 1 ey are at their \V it's End; every one rakes hold of a Rope, and <~deavors to the utmof\ to fave. nd fccure the Ship, if po!lible, from fi"king. X. l'vLr hant·Shps grearly en– rich thr !'laces, Cirre,, "nd King– doms to .~wm they belong, bring– jog to lhem rare and exet::\lent Merchandizes. which are offered to fale, or to be exchanged wTra– ders. XI. A Ship's great Safety con– lifts tn her being well bCJilt, having _a good Bottom, a ll<i!iul Pilot, and fllre Anchors, &c. 3 Matt. xiii. 47· lvlark i. 17. VII I. So the Church, under the powerful and fweet Influences of the Spirit, which is compared to the Wind, John ii1. 6, 7· is carried gloriou!ly along towards her deured Haven; bur if thrs fpirimal Wind blow not, !he is becalmed. Vll!. So "hat common Dangers befal God's Church, r.ll the Me mbers thereof are more or ltfs cxpofed and liable to the fame. Let Enemies come, let PLrftcution a.ri!C againfr ir, thae are no fort of Men or Members, whether fine ere or nor, whilfl they remain in the Church, or hold faf\ their Profdlion, let them promife themfelves what Safety they will, who can be !ccw·e, or exempted from Violence. Though as in a Ship, fame fpeed oft-times better than the ref\; as Barucb and Jere– miah, who had their Lives given them for a prey, when Thoufands were cut off, yet went into ~xik, ]er. xlv. 5· Whojoevcr, faith the Apt.!lle, will live godly in Chrifl Jefus, jhal/ fl1fer f'crfecution. 'l'hrough much 'l'ribulation we mujl enter into the Kingdom of God, 2 'Iim. iii. 12. Hypocrites, in a D01y of common Danger and Pcrfecution, are in the like Circumflances with thofe who truly fear God; Satan, that Arch-Pirate, and his C.mi!Ta– rie~;, will favor them no more than others, until they renounce their Religion, f.::c. IX. So in en Hour of Trouble and Perfecution, every Chriftian fhould do his befl to lecure and fave the Church ot God from fin king, or from be– ing cafl away, or lofl. Every one lhould have their Hearts up to God, and their Hands to work wifely, for her and their own Safety, Ifa.lxiv . r7· X. So the Church of God, by daily Trading to Heaven, greatly enrichetl1 poor Sinners. 'What fhe recetverh 1rom Chrifl:, her Merchants or Ml– nifters offer to bit, to the Na'ion or l"ations where fhe live.s : 'frurh, Pe.ace, _P.J.rdon, rhe Pearl of great Price, and other excellent Merchandize, lhe turniO;eth the \Vorld wirh , Prov. xxiii. 23. XI. So t'he Chnrch's Safeiy c·onGfleth in her being truly confiituted, according to the Apofto– lical Prefcriptions, or that Patrern li:ft in the Gof– _pel by Chnlt, and the.primltiveSainrs; Heb. vi. 1, zd. an
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