MEDITATION XII.
MEDITATION XII.
THE SAILS.
Spithead, May 5, 1758.
Anchors are servants to us in the harbor—but are entirely useless at sea, where another kind of tackling is absolutely necessary, namely, the expansive sails which spread their friendly wings, and catch the favoring gales, to forward us in our intended voyage.
Even so, the spiritual seamen must to their anchors of faith, add virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity. These are the sails that bid fair for a prosperous voyage, and bring us daily nearer to the celestial land.
The Holy Spirit breathing on the public ordinances, and the more private duties of Christianity, is like a fair wind, and a brisk gale on a full spread sail, which answers the highest expectation of the homeward bound ship. No shipmaster could ever expect, without sails, to make the desired haven, though favored with a very fresh gale. If he did not both unfurl and stretch his sails in the best direction for the wind, he would look more like a madman than a mariner. In the same way, he who attends on no ordinances, attempts the performance of no duty, reads not the scriptures of truth, and prays not to the God of all grace—is not in the way of the heavenly gale which wafts the saints to glory.
Again, the sails may all be unfurled, by a skillful hand, and spread out to the wind, and yet the ship for a time make little way, because scarcely favored with a breath of wind. So the influences of the Spirit may be restrained for a time, and the saints, even in the use of every means, may make but little progress in their Christian course. But as the experienced seaman, in such a case, opens on all his sails—so we, with the spouse, should rouse up ourselves, rise from our sloth, ask anxiously after him, be earnest and importunate in every duty, until we find him whom our soul loves.
Nothing can be a more pleasant sight at sea than a fleet of ships, richly laden, with a moderate gale, steering a straight course to the port, at which they have long been expected, and which they have long desired to see. But a company of saints traveling Zionwards, rich in heavenly graces, and the hopes of eternal glory; and, under the influences of the Holy Spirit, steering a straight course to the church of the first-born, where they have been long expected by the souls under the altar, and which they have long desired to see, is a more noble sight.
Finally, as the ship never takes down her sails until arrived at her desired haven, so we should be always on our guard, keep every grace in vigor, never be weary in well doing—but press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, until we make the haven of bliss, the harbor of glory.