The Church Compared to a Merchant-Ship

    THE CHURCH COMPARED TO A MERCHANT-SHIP.

    "She is like unto Merchant-Ships," Pr 31:14.

    "O thou afflicted, and tossed with tempests, and not comforted" Isa 54:11.

    THE Church of God in these scriptures, as expositors observe, is compared to a Ship, to a Merchant-Ship.

    SIMILE

    I. A Merchant-Ship tradeth from one place to another; she fetcheth her merchandize from afar.

    PARALLEL

    I. The Church of God trades to heaven, she fetcheth her spiritual merchandize from thence: "Our conversation is in heaven," Php 3:20.

    SIMILE

    II. A Merchant-Ship hath a skilful pilot, to steer and guide her the right way, that so she may not split upon rocks or sands, or any other way miscarry in her voyage.

    PARALLEL

    II. The Church of God hath a most expert and skilful pilot, viz., Jesus Christ, to steer her course through the seas of this world, that so she may not be split upon, the rocks of human inventions, nor the sands of false doctrine, error, and heresy.

    SIMILE

    III. A Merchant-Ship is tossed oftentimes upon a troublesome and tempestuous sea, and yet keeps up, and is preserved in a wonderful manner, upon boisterous waves.

    PARALLEL

    III. So the Church of God is often tossed with tempests, or subject to, and vexed with the incursions of an envious and persecuting world, the ungodly being, compared to the troubled sea, Isa 57:20.

    SIMILE

    IV. A Ship is steered by the compass from one place to another.

    PARALLEL

    IV. So the Church of God is guided in her passage to heaven, by the compass of God's Word, in respect of doctrine, discipline, and conversation: "Thy Word is a light unto my paths," Ps 119:105

    SIMILE

    V. A Merchant-Ship takes in several passengers, of divers kinds and nations, who sail in her to their desired haven.

    PARALLEL

    V. So the Church takes in many Christians and professors, and those of several sorts and degrees, who all declare they are bound with the spiritual Ship, to the land of promise.

    SIMILE

    VI. Some Merchant-Ships have nets belonging to them, which are cast into the sea, to take up fishes, and bring them into the ship.

    PARALLEL

    VI. So the Church of God hath the Gospel-net, which by the hands of the mariners, and skilful fishers of men, is cast into the sea, or multitude of people, by which means many men are converted, and taken into this spiritual Ship, Mt 13:47; Mr 1:17.

    SIMILE

    VII. A Ship sails sweetly along, when she hath a prosperous gale; for unless the wind blow, she cannot sail.

    PARALLEL

    VII. So the Church, under the powerful and sweet influences of the Spirit, which is compared so the wind, Joh 3:6-7, is carried gloriously along towards her desired haven; but if this spiritual wind blow not, she is becalmed.

    SIMILE

    VIII. What common dangers a Merchant-Ship is exposed to, all the passengers who sail in her are liable to also, viz., to the same tempests, the same pirates, &c. Let Jonah and the mariners be in the same Ship together, and though the storm arose for Jonah's sake, yet all the whole Ship's company were in danger. So it was in Paul's case, with those other prisoners, mariners, and soldiers that were in the Ship with him. Let there be in the same Ship, a prince going to receive a crown, and a malefactor going to receive punishment, according to the nature of his offence; whilst they are in the Ship together, they are subject to the same storms and tossings, to be sea sick together, to the same pirates, and alike ransacked and spoiled by them.

    PARALLEL

    VIII. So what common dangers befal God's Church, all the members thereof are more or less exposed and liable to the same. Let enemies come, let persecution arise against it, there are no sort of men or members, whether sincere or not, whilst they remain in the Church, or hold fast their profession, let them promise themselves what safety they will, who can be secure, or exempted from violence. Though as in a Ship, some speed oft-times better than the rest; as Baruch and Jeremiah, who had their lives given to them for a prey, when thousands were cut off, yet went into exile, Jer 45:5. "Whosoever," saith the Apostle, "will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suifer persecution, through much tribulation we must enter into the kingdom of God," 2Ti 3:12. Hypocrites, in a day of common danger and persecution, are in the like circumstances with those who truly fear God; Satan, that arch-pirate, and his emissaries, will favour them no more than others, until they renounce their religion, &c.

    SIMILE

    IX. When a Ship is in a Storm, all the mariners have their hands and hearts full, they are at their wit's end; every one takes hold of a rope, and endeavours to the utmost to save and secure the Ship, if possible, from sinking.

    PARALLEL

    IX. So in an hour of trouble and persecution, every Christian should do his best to secure and save the Church of God from sinking, or from being cast away, or lost. Every one should have their hearts up to God, and their hands to work wisely, for her and their own safety, Isa 64:12.

    SIMILE

    X. Merchant-Ships greatly enrich those places, cities, and kingdoms to whom they belong, bringing to them rare and excellent merchandizes, which are offered to sale, or to be exchanged to traders.

    PARALLEL

    X. So the Church of God, by daily trading to heaven, greatly enricheth poor sinners. What she receiveth from Christ, her Merchants or ministers offer to sale, to the nation or nations where she lives: truth, peace, pardon, the pearl of great price, and other excellent merchandize, she furnisheth the world with, Pr 23:23.

    SIMILE

    XI. A Ship's great safety consists in her being well built, having a good bottom, a skilful pilot, and sure anchors, &c.

    PARALLEL

    XI. So the Church's safety consisteth in her being truly constituted, according to the apostolical prescriptions, or that pattern left in the Gospel by Christ, and the primitive saints; Heb 6:1-2. and having Christ for her governor, or chief Pilot, who, as Jerom observes, sits at the stern, and guides her course as he sees good: and lastly by having hope, that precious grace of the Spirit, for the Anchor: "Which hope we have as the Anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast," &c., Heb 6:19. The nature of which is opened under the fifth head of metaphors, concerning the graces of the Spirit, to which we refer you.

    INFERENCES.

    I. This may inform us, that trouble and persecution must be expected. No ship sets out to sea, but meets with storms and tempests at one time or another: and therefore the mariners look for them, and provide accordingly, to secure the ship, and save themselves; and so should spiritual sea-faring men do.

    II. It may also be matter of comfort to the godly. What assurance is here of safety! Christ, who guides the ship, can at his pleasure still the seas, and make the greatest storm in a moment to be calm. "He stilleth," as the Psalmist saith, "the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumults of the people," Ps 65:7. Therefore though Satan, that cruel pirate, and other malicious enemies of the Church, seek daily to sink this spiritual ship; and though he be a spirit, and therefore of great power against us, yet he is nothing to God, who is the creating Spirit. That which is said of Behemoth, is no less true of him: "He that made him, can make his sword approach unto him," Job 40:19. Let therefore the power and rage of our enemies be over so great, and their opposition at this day ever so fierce against us, yet we have an assurance from our blessed Saviour, that the gates of hell shall never prevail against the Church; she shall never be broken to pieces, nor suffer shipwreck. "thou tossed with tempests, and not comforted!"