Chapter 19: Cast Away Rich Cargo to Save the Ship — The Soul Shipwrecked by Lusts

To save the Ship, rich Ladings cast away. Your Soul is Shipwrackt if your Lusts do stay.

OBSERVATION.

IN Storms and Distresses at Sea, the Richest Commodities are cast over-board; they stand not upon it, when Life and all is in jeopardy and hazard. Jonah 1. 5. The Mariners cast forth the Wares that were in the Ship into the Sea, to lighten it. And Acts 27:18, 19. they cast out the very tacklings of the Ship. How highly soever Men prize such Commodities, yet reason tells them, It were better these should perish, than Life. Satan himself could say, Job 1. Skin for skin, and all that a Man has, will he give for his Life.

APPLICATION.

And surely, it is every way as highly reasonable, that Men should mortifie, cast out, and cut off their dearest Lusts, rather than their Immortal Souls should sink and perish in the Storm of God's wrath. Life, indeed, is a precious Treasure, and highly valued by Men: You know what Solomon says, Ecclesiastes 9:4. That a Living Dog is better than a Dead Lion. And we find Men willing to part with their Estates, Limbs, or any outward Comfort, for the preservation of it. The Woman in the Gospel spent all she had on the Physicians for her Health, a degree below Life. Some Men indeed do much overvalue their Lives, and part with Christ and Peace of Conscience for it; but he that thus saves it, shall lose it. Now if Life be so much worth, What then is the Soul worth? Alas! Life is but a vapour, which appears for a little while, and then vanishes away, Jam. 4. 14.

Life indeed is more worth than all the World, but my Soul is more worth than Ten thousand Lives. Nature teaches you to value the first so high, and Grace should teach you to value the second much higher, Matthew 19:26. Now here is the case: Either you must part with your Sins, or with your Souls; if these be not cast out, both must sink together. If you live after the fl[•]sh, you must die, Romans 8:13. God says to you in this case, as to Ahab, when he spared Benhadad, 1 King. 20. 40. Because you hast let go a Sin, which God has appointed to destruction, therefore your Life shall go for his Life. Guilt will raise a Storm of Wrath, as Jonah did, if not cast out.

REFLECTION.

And must Sin or the Soul perish? Must my Life, indeed, my Eternal Life go for it, if I spare it? O then let me not be cruel to mine own Soul, in sparing my Sin; O my Soul, this foolish pity, and cruel Indulgence will be your ruine: If I spare it, God has said, He will not spare me, Deuteronomy 26:20. It is true, the pains of Mortification are sharp, but yet it's easier than the pains of Hell. To cut off a right hand, or pluck out a right eye, is hard; but to have my Soul cut off eternally from God, is harder. Is it as easie (O my Soul!) to burn for them in Hell, as to Mortifie them on Earth? Surely, it is profitable for me, that one member perish, rather than that all be cast into Hell, Matthew 5:24. I see the Merchant willing to part with rich Wares, if embarqued with them in a Storm: And those that have Gangreen'd Legs or Arms, willingly stretch them out to be cut off, to preserve Life: And shall I be willing to endure no difficulties for my Soul? Christ reckon'd Souls worth his Blood; And is it not worth my Self-denyal? Lord, let me not warm a Snake in my Bosom, that will at last sting me to the heart.

THE POEM.

Your Soul's the Ship, its Lading is its Lusts,

God's Iudgments stormy Winds and dang'rous gusts,

Conscience the Master; but the stubborn Will

Goes Supra Cargo, and does keep the Bill.

Affections are the Men, the Vvinds do rise,

The Storm increases: Conscience gives Advice

To throw those Lusts o're-board, and so to ease

The Vessel, which else cannot keep the Seas.

The Vvill opposes, and th' Affections say,

The Master's Counsel they will not obey.

The case is dangerous, that no man can doubt,

Who sees the storm within, and that without.

Lusts and Affections cannot part, no, rather

They are resolved to swim or sink together.

Conscience still strives, but they cannot abide

That it, or Reason should the Case decide.

Lust knows what Reason in like cases still

Determines well: Then chuse you whom you will.

Shall's make the Devil Judge? This case has been

Before him, and he judg'd, That skin for skin,

And all men have, they'll part with for their life.

Then how unreasonable is this strife?

They that their sins do with their persons ship,

Do for their Souls prepare a dreadful whip.