Acts 21:5-6 And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children… The scripture is an excellent pattern for all who go down to do business in the great waters. It is true Paul's business was not to get an estate, but to witness to the truth of Jesus, with the hazard of his life. Many discouragements he met with in this voyage, and not the least at Tyre, where certain disciples said to him, that he should not go to Jerusalem; but like that noble Roman, and upon a more noble account, he judged it necessary to go, but not to live. The disciples, seeing his unalterable resolution, express their affections to him at parting, by bringing him to the ship, and that with their whole families (ver. 5). In this farewell, their Christian affections are mutually manifested by two sorts of actions. 1. Prayers; the best office one Christian can do for another; in which we may note — (1) The place; upon the shore. And this was no unusual thing. tells us, "They sent their prayers to heaven from every shore"; and elsewhere he calls them "shore prayers." So customary it was for holy men to be taken into the ship from their knees, not from the tavern. (2) The posture — "they kneeled down." All postures have been used in prayer, but this is the common posture. (3) The scope of the prayer may with great probability be argued, for a prosperous voyage and Divine protection. 2. As their affections were mutually manifested by this sacred action, prayer, so by civil ones too, affectionate embraces and salutations. Hence note: Those that undertake voyages by sea, had need not only to pray earnestly themselves, but also to engage the prayers of other Christians for them. They that part praying, may hope to meet again rejoicing; and those designs which are not prefaced with prayer, cannot wind up with a blessing. I. WHAT THOSE SPECIAL MERCIES ARE THAT SEAMEN SHOULD PRAY FOR, WHEN THEY ARE TO UNDERTAKE A VOYAGE. 1. The pardon of sin. Guilt is that Jonah in the ship, for whose sake storms, shipwrecks, and ruin pursue it (Psalm 148:8; Numbers 32:23). If sin be pardoned, you are safe, you need fear no storms within, whatever you find without. But woe to him that finds at once a raging sea and a roaring conscience; ship and hope sinking together. 2. That the presence of God may go, with you (Exodus 33:15). If that be graciously with us, it will guard the heart against terror in the most imminent distress (Psalm 23:4). And indeed there is no room for fear; for with whomsoever God is present, these three mercies are secured. (1) That God's special providence shall watch over him in all dangers (Psalm 91:1, 4). (2) He appoints for them a guard of angels, whose office is to watch over and minister to them in all their straits (Psalm 91:11). (3) He readily hears their cries in a day of distress, and is with them to save and deliver them (Psalm 91:15). 3. That you may be kept from the temptations to sin you will meet with when you are abroad in the world. 4. That you may have Divine protection in all the dangers and hazards to which you shall be exposed (James 4:13, 14). 5. That you may have direction in all your undertakings, and lean not to your own understandings (Jeremiah 10:23; Proverbs 3:6). 6. That you may have. success upon your lawful employments and designs, and own it to be from the Lord (Genesis 24:12). II. WHAT INFLUENCE PRAYER HATH AS TO THOSE MERCIES YOU ARE TO PRAY FOR. 1. It is a proper and effectual means to obtain and procure them. God will have everything fetched out by prayer (Ezekiel 36:37). Though prayer be altogether needless to His information, yet it is very necessary to testify our submission (Jeremiah 29:11, 12). 2. As prayer hath an influence into the procuring of our mercies, for it hath a singular influence into the sweetening of them. 3. Prayer hath a sanctifying influence upon all our enjoyments, and therefore no. wonder it makes them so sweet (1 Timothy 4:5). One mercy of this kind is better than ten thousand promiscuously dispensed in the way of common providence. III. WHAT AID THE PRAYERS OF OTHERS MAY GIVE TO THE PROCUREMENT OF THE MERCIES WE DESIRE. It was the united prayers of the disciples with Paul, that on this occasion was judged necessary. There may be much zeal and strength in the prayer of a single saint; Jacob alone may wrestle with God, and as a prince prevail; but if one can do much, many can do more. IV. APPLICATION. 1. This may serve sharply to reprove the generality of our seamen, who mind everything necessary to their voyage except prayer, the principal thing. And here three sorts of persons fall under rebuke. (1) Such as do but mock God, and delude themselves by heartless, dead and empty formalities. (2) Such as wholly neglect prayer as a useless and vain thing. And it is justly to be suspected there are multitudes of such practical atheists among seamen, as well as other orders of men. Poor men! It was anciently said, "He that would learn to pray, let him go to sea." But now, how long may a man be at sea before he hear a praying seaman! The very heathens will rise up in judgment against you, and condemn you. Alcibiades asking Socrates how he ought to express his purposes, answereth: "Before every undertaking, thou must say, If God will." The Turks will condemn such as you are, for they fail not to pray five times a day, how urgent soever their business be. The blind and superstitious Papists will condemn you, with whom it is a proverb, Mass and meat hinder no man. (3) How much sadder and more deplorable is the case of those who, instead of going on board praying, as Paul here did, go cursing and blaspheming; not going from their bended knees, but drunken ale benches, to the ship. 2. This may serve to persuade all men, and particularly seamen, to be men of prayer; to imitate that noble pattern in the text. (1) God hath styled Himself a God hearing prayer (Psalm 65:2; Psalm 107:23-28; Psalm 65:5). (2) Prayer is certainly the best relief to the distressed. We may say of it, as David said of the sword of Goliath, "Give me that, for there is none like it." You that are seamen know what the use of the pump is, and of what use the scupper holes are to you, when waves break and dash over your decks. Why, of the same use is prayer, when sorrow leaks into your hearts. Prayer will buoy up your fainting spirits; it will sensibly ease an oppressed heart. Luther was wont to call prayers the leeches of his cares and troubles. (3) All secondary means of deliverance and comfort necessarily depend upon the will and pleasure of God, and signify nothing without Him. What the psalmist saith of a horse, I may say of a ship (Psalm 33:17): it is a vain thing for safety. (4) Whatever deliverances from dangers, or success in business you receive out of the way of prayer, can yield but little comfort, for they are not sanctified to you. You may be delivered, though you pray not, and success may follow those that seek not God for it; but that which you call deliverance is rather a reservation to future misery, and that you call success is but a snare to your souls. You have the things, but not the comfort and blessing of them. (5) Consider all you that go out without prayer, how soon you maybe out of a capacity of prayer. (J. Flavel.) Parallel Verses KJV: And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed. |
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