The true honor of navigation and navigators: or, holy meditations for sea-men Written vpon our sauiour Christ his voyage by sea, Matth. 8. 23. &c. Whereunto are added certaine formes of prayers for sea trauellers, suited to the former meditations, vpon the seuerall occasions that fall at sea. By Iohn Wood, Doctor in Diuinitie.

TO ALL HO∣NEST PROFESSORS and practisers of Nauigation, and more specially to all Nauigators to the East-Indies.

NOble Spirits, that dare euery houre looke death in the face, and runne thorough the difficulties of the vast Ocean! I haue in this short Treatise taught you, how to become truly religious, and thereby to be truly honourable and couragious: and my purpose in writing these meditations, was to instruct you, by these few, how to raise vnto your selues spiritu••ll and heauen∣ly meditations, in all other passages of your liues at Sea and land, so as you may reape the sweetest comforts to your soules and consciences, both in the whole course of your life, and especially at the houre of death. To this end I haue set downe at the end of the booke certaine formes of prayer and thanks-giuing, fi••ted both to the former meditations in the booke, and the most vsefull occasions that I could thinke of. I desire not to tye any man to those set formes, for, whosoeuer can in the in∣ward feeling of his owne misery and Gods mercy, poure foorth his soules desires according to his sensible feeling ••ither of Gods iudgements in time of danger, or of his gracious promise in the time of his deliuerance, shall certainly finde the best assurance of Gods gracious as∣sistance, by the spirit of adoption dwelling in him,

whereby hee is bro••ght ••o ••••ie Abba Father. But the formes of prayer by me set downe as they are intended for their helpe, that for want of knowledge vnderstand not how to pray, or in the time of feare be so distracted and astonished, that they cannot vtter their mindes but confusedly and out of order: so the best men may make good vse of the most of the Prayers, being meditations gathered out of the booke of Psalmes: to reade ouer that booke againe and againe, and gather from thence such profitable meditations as may fitly be applied for com∣forts vpon all occasions. My request to God for you all is, that you may finde as great comfort in the reading and hearing of these meditations, as I haue done in the writing of them. And my request to you is, that both be∣fore your Voyages (while yee may enioy the ordinarie preaching of the Word) you labour thereby to season your hearts with grace, that yee doe not like Epicures say, Let vs eate and drinke, for to morrow we shall die: and that hauing finished your Voyage, you neither for∣gèt Gods merciful preseruation of you, (whilest you haue seene many of your fellowes perish before your faces) nor your prom••ses and vowes made to God in your greatest extremitie••: So shall ye be sure to make a good voyage, which I heartily desire for you at Gods hands: and so commending you to his sacred pr••∣tection▪ I rest

Your true Remembrancer vnto God, IOHN WOOD.