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der Men from escaping the Danger of the Sea, or to put out falfe Lights to bring them into Danger, is Felony without their Clergy.

Goods that are loft, ftranded, or cast Ashore, if ftolen without any Circumftance of Cruelty, if they are but of fmall Value, the Penalty is the fame with that of Petty Larceny.

Juftices may iffue out Warrants to fearch for them when stolen, and carried away; and whoever conceals them, and they are found in their Poffeffion, not having legal Right to keep and with-hold them, and not delivering them up, or giving a fatisfactory Account how they came by them, fhall be imprisoned fix Months, or pay treble the Value.

If Goods are offered to Sale, that are fufpected to be stolen from a Wreck, they may be ftopt, and Notice given to a Juftice of the Peace; and if they cannot make out their Pro perty in them; they are to be returned to the Owner, and the Offender imprisoned fix Months, or pay treble the Value.

Perfons that fave a Veffel or Goods for the Owners, or that difcover where fuch Goods are wrongfully fold or concealed, are entitled to a reasonable Reward, the Quantum to be adjusted by the Juftices, according to the 12 Anna.

Publick Notice is to be given to the next Juftices, or Mayor, or Coroner, or Commiffioners

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fioners of Land-Tax; and any five of them are to appoint Salvors, and adjust the Salvage.

Oath being made of Theft, or breaking open the Ship, the Examination is to be delivered to the Clerk of the Peace, and he is to profecute, or forfeits 100l.

Affaulting any Magiftrate or Officer in his Duty at fuch Time and Occafion, is Tranfportation for feven Years.

All Perfons affembled are to conform to the Orders of the Mafter, or other Officers or Owners, or Perfons employed by them; and in Cafe there are no fuch Owners or Officers, or Deputy, appointed by them, then are they to conform to the Orders of the Officers of Customs; or if none, then to Excife-Officers; then to the Sheriff, or his Deputy; then to any Juftice of Peace; then to Mayors, or chief Officers of Corporations; the Coroner; Commiffioners of the Land-Tax; chief Conftable; petty Constable, or other Peace-Officers; and any Perfon knowingly and wilfully acting contrary to their Orders, forfeits 5. to be levied by Warrant from a Justice; and the Acts of 12 Anne, and 4 Geo. I. are in Force, where not altered by this Act; but it extends not to Scotland

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SERMON

PREACHED AT

FLEET and CHICKEREL,

ΟΝ ΤΗΕ

TWENTY-SECOND of December, 1754.

On Occafion of feveral Ships being at that Time ftranded on the Coaft.

And when we were escaped then we knew that the Inland was called Melita.

And the barbarous People fhewed us no little Kindnefs. For they kindled a Fire and received us every one, because of the prefent Rain and becaufe of the Cold:

And when we departed they laded us with fuch Things as were necessary.

N thefe Words the facred Hi

storian gratefully records the humane Treatment St. Paul

and his Companions met with

after their providential Escape from the Dangers of the Sea: In the Relation whereof

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whereof there are feveral Things worthy the Attention and Regard of all Men; but particularly of those who use the Sea, or occupy their Business in great Waters, and of those who live by the Sea-Side, and often fafe on Shore behold the dreadful Danger and Distress which others undergo. They who go down to the Sea in Ships may learn from the Practife of an Apostle how they ought to behave; who, when overtaken by a Storm at Sea, instead of curfing the Winds or Waves, or any fuch Language of Hell, addreffed himself to God in Prayer, as we find by the Event. For an Angel was dispatched to him in the Visions of Night to comfort and affure him that his Prayer was heard, and to reveal to him the Manner in which his Request fhould be accomplished. He had prayed not only for his own Life, but for the Lives of all that were embarked in the fame devoted Bottom with him, and the

Angel

Angel affured him, that the Ship should indeed be loft, but not à Soul fhould~perish with it; that they should be caft away upon an Island, but, fays he, Lo, God hath given thee all them that fail with thee; that is, He will fave their Lives at your Request. Here we see the great Effect of fervent and charitable Prayer, that it prevaileth much with God. For two hundred and feventy-fix Perfons were rescued from the Jaws of Death by the faving Ef ficacy of it.

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The good and pious Apoftle was no Doubt moved to it by a Principle of true Benevolence, and a Defire to promote the Glory of God by the Converfion of so many to Righteousness, expecting to find an Escape, quite providential, work mighti ly on the Hearts of all that were Par takers of it by his Means; producing in them a fincere Repentance and Amend

ment