'Canst thou by searching find out God? canst Job 11. 7,9. thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? (referring to the incomprehensible nature of the decrees of God and His infinite wisdom.) The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.'

'The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.'

Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.'

O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches: so is this great and wide sea. . . . There go the ships.'

It is God who gives the knowledge requisite for navigating the sea, which is a mystery to mere landsmen; a ship's course being among the things that even Solomon declared to be beyond his comprehension.

'There are three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: the way of a ship in the midst of

the sea.'
'The Lord, which maketh a way in the
and a path in the mighty waters.'

sea,

'Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea.'

'Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are

Job 28. 14.

Psa. 77. 19.

Psa. 104. 24

26.

Pro. 30. 18, 19.

Isa. 43. 16.

1 Kings 9.

27.

James 3. 4.

they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.'

As no ship can hold ground without an Heb. 6. 19. anchor to secure it; so unless the soul has hope in Christ for its stay and support, it is at the

mercy of every kind of doubt and temptation, and ready to be driven on the rocks of sin and 1 Tim. 1.19. spiritual shipwreck. How sad that any rational being, especially any sailor, should remain undecided as to his position for eternity, seeing dangers surround him; and when salvation is freely offered, and such blessed promises of security the portion of all believers !

Heb. 6. 18

20.

1 Tim. 2. 5,

6.

Acts 4. 12.

'That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the vail; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever.'

Those for whom the Saviour pleads before the throne of God, have a never-failing friend, and need no other intercessor with the Father.

'For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all.'

'Neither is there salvation in any other: for

there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.'

'The gospel is the best news that can come to any sinner; the atonement made known to us by the gospel, does for us what the angel did for Peter: takes us out of prison. It is not only Acts 5. 19. good tidings, but good tidings connected with personal love.

'A boat on one of the American lakes was discovered to be on fire: it was crowded with passengers. The captain asked the pilot, "How long will you take to get the vessel ashore?" He replied, "I think if I had twenty minutes I could do it." So he kept at the helm, the fire still raging and spreading nearer to him. The captain called every little while through his speaking trumpet, "John, can you hold on five minutes more?" And back came the answer, each time more faintly, "Aye, aye, sir," till at last his voice was scarcely audible. The vessel touched the shore; and amid the flames, was seen the lifeless form of the faithful pilot, with his hand still on the helm. He sacrificed his own life to save the passengers, and he was a Christian man. Jesus did this in Pilate's Judgment Hall, and on the cross: He held on to John 19.30. the last. "It is finished!" was His latest breath; and He brings every one who enters the ship of salvation, safe to the Port of Glory.'

John 3. 16

'God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.'

'Eternal Father, strong to save,

Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,

Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep

Its own appointed limits keep;
O hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea!

O Christ, whose voice the waters heard,
And hushed their raging at Thy word,
Who walkedst on the foaming deep,
And calm amidst its rage did sleep;
O hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea!

Most Holy Spirit, who didst brood
Upon the chaos dark and rude,
And bid its angry tumult cease,
And give, for wild confusion, peace;
O hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea!

O Trinity of love and power,
Our brethren shield in danger's hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them wheresoe'er they go;
Thus evermore shall rise to Thee

Glad hymns of praise from land and sea!'

W. WHITING.

Chapter VIII.

The case of sailors in peril considered-Exhortation to seamen to sing praises to God-St. Paul's voyage-Sailor boy in a storm-Christians should seek to help others in the way to Heaven.

་

THERE
HERE is a graphic description of the
experiences of a storm-tossed crew:
'They that go down to the sea in ships, that
do business in great waters; these see the works
of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep. For
he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind,
which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount
up to the heaven, they go down again to the
depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken
man, and are at their wit's end. Then they cry
unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth
them out of their distresses. He maketh the
storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Then are they glad because they be quiet; so
he bringeth them into their desired haven.'

Psa.107.2330.1