people expecting nothing but death, confessed all their most secret sins, "Here," says the old Canon of Valencia, "here may it be seen what sacred and salutary fruits of true religion Christians may gather from the storms and tempests of the sea! For it doth not only by the vomiting which it provokes purge the body of all choler and ill humours, but by the great terror which its fearful yawnings occasion, it roots out from the soul all the evil affections of sin, and with tears and bitter repentance washes with the current of firm and good resolutions all that had till now been defiled. So that every one recovers from his diseases both of body and soul far better at sea than upon shore. It is against all reason therefore to think that a tempest at sea is a sad and unhappy omen for Christian sailors when they begin their voyages and enterprizes; they ought rather to regard it as a fortunate prognostic, since having weather-
