The seaman's spiritual companion, or, Navigation spirituallized being a new compass for seamen consisting of thirty-two points : directing every Christian how to stear the course of his life through all storms and tempests : fit to be read and seriously perused by all such as desire their eternal welfare / published for a general good, but more especially for those that are exposed to the danger of the seas by William Balmford, a well-wisher to seamen's eternal welfare and recommended to the Christian reader by J.F. ; to which is prefixt a preface by Benj. Keach, the author of War with the Devil.

OUr Compass being finisht, one thing more Is necessary to be known: Before Our Christian Compass we begin to con, We must erect the Point it turns upon.

An Enlivened Conscience.

THe PIN, on which our Christian Compass turns, which giv's quick Motio to our lifeless Urns, It is a Conscience, touched with God's Word, That's quick & sharper, than a Two-edg'd Sword, Which entereth into the very Soul, And doth direct thine Eye unto the Pole. God's Word's the sacred Load-stone; & there∣fore, The Conscience toucht therewith, will ever more

Gently be moving upon thy Affection, With fixed Eyes to God, for true Direction.

VVhen as the Seaman's Compass is erected, And on his Part, no Labor is neglected; But that he dayly cons his Compass over, Tho neither Sun nor Moon he can discover; Minding his Compass, he knows how to stear, And knows when either Rocks or Sands be there. Christians, that do erect their Compass right, (Though they be Storm beset, or in the Night) Can find their way, their Compass being laid Upon the Conscience; but when no use is made Of Conscience, in the things we undertake, We cannot think a happy Voyage to make. Observe that good St. Paul, and you shall find That Faithful Pilot in the self-same Mind: His Compass he upon his Conscience layes; In all things, he makes Conscience of his Wayes. Both towards God & Man, thou alwayes must Make Conscience of thy Wayes: 'Tis in vain to trust To any written Rule, though ne'r so good, And never so well known, and understood. If thou dost make no Conscience of the same, Thy Compass serves for nothing but the Name. Upon a painted Compass Men may look, Or read the Rule that's written in a Book. A Compass fairly painted on a VVall, (Though pleasing to the Eye) serves not at all To stear a Ship by: That must be effected, By such a Compass, as must be erected,

And set upon a Needle, where it moves; By this erected Compass, Seamen proves▪ Their written Rule: By this the Ship is guided, And through the raging Seas, her way's divided.

Remember therefore, if thou dost intend Thy former Compass shall obtain its End, And thou, at last, may be secur'd from blame. Be sure that thou make Conscience of the same; That, out of Conscience unto God, thou never Neglect thy former Compass, but endeavour To stear according to it: Fix thine Eye On God, who is thy North; and come as nigh Unto thy Rule, as possible thou may; And, out of Conscience unto God, obey His VVill in every thing, with true Affection, As from thy Compass, thou meets with Directi∣on•• So shalt thou be made Happy in thy Choyce, And from true ground of Comfort, may rejoyce▪ Having within thee, that which will indure The Testimony of a Conscience pure: That, from thy Dove-like Innocence, thy Conver¦sation▪ Has been, in truth, without Dissimulation, According to the Rule; unfeignedly, Serving the Lord in pure Simplicity, And true Sincerity; where I shall leave thee, As with a Rule, that never will deceive thee.

A Good Memory.

A Seaman that compleatly is supply'd, Must with his Compass, have a Box beside, To place his Compass with security; The Box is therefore a good Memory: There let thy Rules be kept, like sacred Treasure, That thou may look them over at thy Pleasure. These Rules are few, these Few are very plain, ••ot over numerous for thee to retain: •• thou dost get these Rules into thy Head, •• time of need they will thee stand in stead: VVhen thy occasions have remov'd thee far, ••nd Storms and Tempests at the Sea debar ••hee from the good Appointments of the Lord, ••he sacred Preaching of God's holy Word; ••his being kept in Memory, lyes by thee, ••hat in a time of want, it may supply thee. I will not say, That thou wilt need no more, •• in thy Head thou layest them up in store: ••ut this I dare adventure to assert, ••hy Head instructed well, informs thy Heart: ••nd if thou knows these Rules, & dost endeavor ••o do the same, Happy art thou for ever: •• such a State thou never canst miscarry, ••ho Seas be rough, & Winds be quite contrary; ••ut safely shalt obtain that happy Shore, VVhere Pleasures do abound for ever more: ••hen wilt thou find no Reason to repent thee, ••hat for a time, thou hadst this Compass lent thee.