Meditation XCVIII.
Meditation XCVIII.
ON BEING DRIVEN BACK TO HARBOR.
Lying off France, June 17, 1758.
There is an unseen rotation of circumstances accidental to all conditions of life, which we cannot provide against. Had we known yesterday that we would have been driven back today, we would not have left our station, nor undergone toil, danger, and damage. Even so, how many fruitless efforts have the sons of men made in pursuit of temporal things, where the people weary themselves for very vanity!
So is his fate who sets out for happiness below; for after a thousand tackings and turnings to the 'empty creature' for satisfaction, still the wind of vanity and vexation of spirit, which spreads over the whole universe, and blows in the face of every son of man, brings him back, with boisterous squalls, to where he first set out—to see his folly, and confess his mistake.
So must the Christian count on meeting with crosses in his course, for it is through much tribulation that we must enter into the kingdom. Often in the day of darkness and tempest, the believer is apt to doubt his progress heavenward, and to think himself still in the port of a natural state; but as the seaman, who would reach his desired haven, however often he be blown back, must still put to sea again. Just so, the Christian, whatever storms and tempests roar around him, must still endeavor to believe on his all-sufficient Savior, who with equal ease can save the sinner from hell, as the saint from falling away.
Again, as it is safer for a ship in a storm to remain at sea, than make the shore, lest she be wrecked upon the rocks that lie along. Just so, every disciple of Jesus is to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, is to hold fast the form of sound words, is to avoid lukewarmness, hypocrisy and defection—lest thereby he be undone forever. Finally whatever the seaman does, the Christian must still hold on his course through storms and tempests until he arrives at the heavenly shore.
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