Knowing that most seafaring people, and many serious characters on shore, have not leisure to read much at any one time, the writer has, in a few instances, brought forward some parts of the same truths under different heads. This to a person who should read all the Essays at one or two sittings, might appear like tedious repetition: but such will bear in mind, that many readers will take up the work, and peruse only a few pages, before duty, or some other circumstance, may cause them to lay it by. Hence it was thought better to give "line upon line, and precept upon precept," than to run the risk of not bringing sufficiently often before the reader what was considered of importance to be always on his mind. In the reflections on the battle of Trafalgar, the writer has pointed out some errors in religious sentiments, and some failures in Christian obligations; which, though found in men of exalted rank and public fame, he considered it his duty to notice, lest some officers in lower stations and of less distinction should be tempted rather to imitate the frailties and mistakes, than the virtues and commendable actions of these their superiors. Contents. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God; who made Page a Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.— Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven.-Matt. vii. 21. They that will be rich fall into temptation, and a snare, 58. Thou hast cast me into the deep, in the midst of the Thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a The Lord will command his loving kindness in the day- And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes ; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor This people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their Not unto us O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name |