awakened A sleeping Lion troubles not But when this begins to wamble then the Sea waxeth turbulent and dangerous Esa 57.20 21. The wicked are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt there is no peace saith my God to the wicked Sometime the trouble enters in a Plague year sometime in the loss of a Dear Friend sometime in the approach of Death and sometime in other amazing occasions When ever God begins to reckon with a sinner or any way hides comfort from him on which he presumed now begins the Tempest to be black indeed A wounded spirit who can bear Let none therefore trust to the hardness or bigness of his spirit but learn to fear in a right and holy manner Use In vain to be hardned against God There is a false valour wherewith some set up their sails and swell above all reason against God his word and works It may be it lasteth for a long time till Death or in Death through self-delusion But this is not the way to prosper as to God and for safety to the Soul At farthest Job 9.4 Jer. 20.3 in the day of judgment he shall be Magor-Missabib fear round about astonied and swallowed up of despair The only safe way is to turn all Natural and worldly fear into Spiritual that is to fear God whom by sin we offended To take sin off the score by getting into Jesus Christ To follow the doggings of a guilty Conscience far enough namely to get washed in the Fountains of Israel By temporal judgments to take warning concerning eternal and prevent that great mischief Otherwise it is not a little tempest that will serve the turn or Pestilence or Pleurisie or the like but in Hell there will be seven times more vengeance yea seventy times seven All present Evils are nothing to this when God shall cast both Body and Soul into Hell therefore say I Fear him Luke 12.4 5. And if it be the right fear of God it will teach to depart from evil as Job Joseph and the Midwives of Egypt Job 28.28 It will introduce a real holiness Psal 111.10 It is the beginning of wisdâ—m And it will lead the man along in an holy way toward Perfection 2 Cor. 7.1 To perfect holiness in the fear of God Doctr. 2 2. Note how in great distress great sinners will pray after their fashion The worst will pray in great danger as these Heathenish Idolaters they knew there is a God and that he is to be called upon but let him alone till they be brought into this extremity of danger Notions of God and Prayer and Duty lie asleep in a natural man till roused by some extraordinary trouble and amazement Hos 5.15 In their affliction they will seek me early And here we see that when they miss of the true God they will betake themselves to gods of their own making Every one to his god they will have many gods rather then no god when reduced into straights Reason Self-love can do all this Nature is willing to escape out of great dangers or get out of great troubles or obtain his own ends Fruits of the Earth Peace Liberty other good things of the world Hos 7.14 They have not cryed unto me with their heart when they howled upon their beds they assemble themselves for Corn and Wine and they rebell against me so that not God is sought for Gods sake but meerly to serve ones own turn which when it is done God shall be let alone till they have more need of him Use Not the right kind of prayer Yet this is usually esteemed Prayer in death or deadly troubles call upon God and it is abundant Devotion though neither before not afterward live a sinner and die a sinner yet with a few good words he is sure to go to heaven Though he learn not righteousness nor the Laws and conditions of prayer Esa 26.10 11. There be numbers that make not one good prayer all their long life Know not what it is to ask according to the will of God which they mind not Ordinarily quench and grieve the Spirit and so cannot pray in the Spirit Jude â—0 Never take care to get into Christ and so cannot pray in the Name of Christ Never mind the main matters of Prayer as about Holiness Temptation doing Duty holily and spiritually living profitably in their places advancing Gods glory and the good of souls All for a present shift and to get out of a storm as well as they can Object What would you not have us to call upon God in our trouble is it not commanded Answ 1. It is commanded and so are many other conditions too Psal 50.14 Call upon me in the day of trouble but it follows ver 16. Unto the wicked God saith What hast thou to do to declare my statutes 2. There be many places of Scripture that discard the prayers of the wicked Prov. 15 8. John 9 31. they are abomination to the Lord God heareth not sinners Incense is abomination 3. There be many adjuncts of acceptable prayer v. c. to use the means of obtaining to use no indirect means to stand in a way of capacity for receiving such and such favours to use them well afterward and the like which numbers little think of and so their prayers are not accepted 4. There be many dayes of trouble beside these outward and worldly afflictions and if ye will pray ever when ye are in trouble ye must pray every day and several times in the day why a godly man every day finds himself troubled with Temptations and is never out of danger of the great Tempest nor of his own corrupt heart Paul besought the Lord thrice against the thorn of the flesh and approved himself on both sides by the armour of Rigteousness No part of our life is void of these dangers therefore every part of our life must be fenced with prayers And one condition of prayer is it must be constant Eph. 6.18 Col. 4.2 we must pray with all perseverance we must continue instant in prayer c. To the third point There be cases wherein a mans Doctr. 3 worldly wealth will be nothing set by as here in case of Shipwrack and Act. 27.19 They lightened the ship and with their own hands they cast out the tackling of it When the life comes into question let it all go or in times of war a man fares the worse because he hath something to lose Ezek. 7.19 They shall cast their Silver into the streets and their Gold shall be removed Or in a great fit of sickness all the wealth is lookt on with an heavy eye And in death what is all the wealth of the world to a man It is but the more vexation in parting Use 1 Yet this is the folly of many immoderately and inordinately to affect the wealth of the world They seek it and take pains for it though
Arise call upon thy God if so be that God will think upon us that we perish not In every Society of men there must be order Here in Note 1 a Ship there is a Ship-master in a Navy Order in every Society there is an Admiral in an Army there is a General in an House Town or Nation there is a Governour So in the Church there ought to be Order and Government or else all comes to Confusion We see what mischief is befallen since Government ceased and should see more mischief if Civil Government ceased as well as Ecclesiastical In both it is true better a bad Government then no Government Tyranny is very bad but Anarchy is far worse and more intolerable For our Ship-master he comes to Jonah and reproves him for sleeping It is likely that in this great distress of weather he bestir'd him to the uttermost to save the Vessel and all that were in it sometimes under Deck sometimes above sometimes among the Ropes and Cables sometimes in the Keel or sides of the Ship to see what must be done to that purpose And here in the side of the ship he finds Jonah fast asleep and rouseth him up What meanest thou O sleeper Note 2 Great diligence must be used of every one in his Place and Calling Look to the main chance to save the main chance for the Body for the present Life for the onward Estate but especially for the Soul and Eternity So for Church and Common-wealth do thy best to save a Barque ready to perish If Prayers can do any thing if Tears Sighs Zeal for Reformation Mourning for the Abominations let us not want thy helping-hand We should not give all for lost till there be no Remedy and we be now sinking This Ship-Master by his diligence saved his Vessel and so may we Note 3 What meanest thou O sleeper A secure sinner can have no good meaning with him Naturalists mean not well I suppose he hath no such meaning as to damn himself and his Companions or to ruine the Church and State It is not the thing which he doth purposely intend yet he may be well asked the question What meanest thou It is not yet in his thoughts and purposes to do any good either in publick or private In present he minds nothing but a sinful and sensual enjoyment Use Carnal people say they have good meanings but it is much to be doubted For how can meanings be good when they are only General Blind Lazie and not Operative according to the Exigents of Church and State or of the precious soul should these be called good meanings It is a meer delusion We shall further question them as here the ship-master what meanest thou O sleeper Arise call upon thy God It is our duty to rouse up secure Note 4 sinners Rouse up secure sinners that they may escape the great danger wherein they are as the danger of losing a Vessel Life and Goods so and much more the losing of a precious and Immortal soul Exhort Admonish Reprove pull them out of the Fire save them with Fear and use Compassion As we would call upon a sleeping Master when his house is all on Fire so and much more should we in soul-dangers Consider our Brethren whom we help now may help us another time in our drowsiness and sleepiness And none of us but is apt to be sleepy we are of a corrupt Nature and have taken a dram of hellish Opium so all possible help will be little enough Consider Charity requires helpfulness and this is a work of the truest Charity And why should not eternal danger quicken us as well as common danger Call upon thy God Carnal people can wish for a part in Note 5 all good prayers as here All would share in good prayers the Mariners before had cryed every one unto his god Possibly there might be an hundred Passengers in the ship and an hundred several gods that were called upon yet see how the ship master bespeaks Jonah for his Prayers too that if it be possible they may escape this danger And possibly they that never made good Prayers in all their Lives yet will beg the Prayers of the godly in their distress and God send them a part in all good prayers Take heed Christians and blunder not along in these Use 1 wild and idle wishes as ye desire the benefit of other mens prayers so ye must learn to pray your selves There is not only prayer in common suppose with a Family or in a Congregation but it is said distributively Every one that calls on the Name of the Lord shall be saved and personallly when thou prayest enter into thy Closet The reason is every one of us hath a soul to save and every one hath personal sins personal corruptions personal temptations wants afflictions and every one that is truly godly Zech. 12.10 hath the Spirit of grace and supplications poured upon him And why shouldest not thou make account to pray for others as well as that others should pray for thee is it not one duty of the Communion of Saints as Feeding and Cloathing are duties for the good for the Body No member in the natural Body but must help his Fellows and there is the same reason for the Members of the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ And why should any put so great a matter upon the Adventure whether others remember him in their prayers or no every one is his own nearest Neighbour And every one shall give account of himself unto God Rom. 14.12 Use 2 Every Christian therefore that is able to pray should stir up his gift Be much in prayer and improve his interest at the Throne of Grace for his own good and the good of others There is something in this advice to the ship-master Call upon thy God and in the other Every one in the Ship cryed unto his god Mic. 4.5 all people will walk every one in the Name of his god and we will walk in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and ever Why not we devout in a true way as they in a false Mot. 1 Consider the word of appropriation thy God Jehovah is thy God in a Covenant of grace bound to thee both by Promise and Oath and daily solicited by Jesus Christ to shew thee favour according to thy Prayers and Necessities Now then make bold with him every one may make bold with his own but Jehovah is thy God therefore go boldly to him and doubt not of acceptance It is a Miserly trick to have Gold and Silver in store and want Provisions of Food and Physick and it is worse to have a loving Lord God to pray unto and be a stranger to him Mot. 2 Consider also the Name of thy God it is lovely and invites thee to come to him As it is a glorious and terrible Name Deut. 28.58 Exod. 34.6 The Lord thy God so it is an
danger whereinto he was brought the fishes belly the belly of hell the deep the midst of the seas bottoms of mountains weeds floods and billows 2. By the anguish or straights arising out of the danger I cryed to the Lord I said I am cast out of thy sight my soul fainted within me 3 By the hope he nourished all the while I will look again toward thy holy Temple I remembred the Lord and my prayer came in unto theâ— into thine holy Temple 4. By the good speed he found at last The Lord spoke unto the fish and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land We must begin with Jonahs prayer and the Audience he found with God ver 1.2 In the first Chapter ver 9. he professed to fear the Lord the God of heaven which made the sea and the dry land and now to the same God as the only true God he addresseth his prayer not to Neptune as Heathens were wont to pray nor yet to true Saints who had traded much in waters as Noah was saved in the general flood of waters or Moses who was drawn out of the waters while an infant and led Israel through the red sea and through Jordan or Elias who parted the waters this way and that way whereby one would think they should have compassion on them that are in danger by water according to the carnal reason of Idolaters in other things No Jonah prayes only to the God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land God alone is an All-sufficient God and he alone ought to be called upon Prayer is one part of divine worship whereof it is said Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him alone shalt thou serve Mat. 4.10 And it stands with reason we must pray to none but one in whom we believe but we believe in God only therefore to God only must we pray Rom. 10.14 how shall they call on him in whom they believe not Use Mark this against the Papists and maintain the truth against them Note Pray earnestly Jonah prayed and cryed to the Lord This crying notes his fervency in prayer and it is twice set down I cryed I cryed to the same purpose Christians ought to be both frequent and fervent in prayer Rom. 12.11 12. fervent in spirit serving the Lord and continuing instant in prayer If one prayer will not fetch a mercy try what another will do and let the second be more earnest then the former and the third more earnest then that Paul besought the Lord thrice and obtained grace sufficient Jonah at last got out of the Whales belly Use It is not every sluggish and short-breathed prayer that will obtain a mercy Therefore continue instant in prayer Col. 4.2 But I aim at another point from the consideration of Jonahs prayer as being now in a distressed condition No doubt but in all this time three days and three nights he prayed often and earnestly for the pardon of his great sin for deliverance out of the Whales belly and for the employment he had refused of going and preaching to Nineve Oh that God would trust and enable him to do that seruice he would do it with all his heart if he might be put upon it again Let the point be this Doctr. In distress pray Gods children in their greatest and deepest afflictions should keep their hearts in a praying frame to obtain grace and mercy to help in time of need we read a prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed and poureth out his complaint before the Lord. Psal 102 1. and 130.1 Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee O Lord. For reasons thus 1. There is a Commandment to Reason 1 call upon God in the day of trouble Psal 50.15 Not only in prosperity but adversity not only if it be likely we shall get out of trouble but against all likelihood not only if means be present but if no means appear likely to be had 2. There cannot be such a case of sin unworthiness Reason 2 and misery but the mediation of Christ can help at a dead lift Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he will do it for you The Father can deny nothing to the Son nor to such as plead in his Sons merits 3. The spirit of grace and supplication is given them Reason 3 on purpose that they should alway pray Luke 18.1 Rom. 8.26 and not wax weary he helps their infirmities not knowing what to pray as they ought the bears up their spirit to hope to the end he raiseth sighs and groans which cannot be uttered 4. No affliction whatsoever can break asunder the Reason 4 tie between God and a Believer Jonah at this time wanted neither sin nor sorrow nor fear nor care what would become of him yet mark the word of appropriation he prayed to the â—ord his God 5. The covenant and promises are made so as to serve our turn in the worst condition that is either of sin or sorrow Of sins he hath said I will blot out thine iniquities I will scatter them as a mist I will forgive their sin and remember it no more Of sorrow he hath said I will be with thee in six troubles and in seven I will be with thee when thou passest through the fire and through the water and in a word I will not leave thee nor forsake thee 6. The greater a trouble or danger is the more we need to flee to God and keep close to him and hide with him as he that is cast upon a rock at sea the more the waves beat upon him the more careful he is to keep to his rock see Psal 61.1 2 3. so we We are weak but he is a strong God we are helpless but he is a friend good enough Use 1 A fault to faint in prayer All to reprove our foolishness who in great afflictions suffer our selves to be so afraid with amazements that we neglect the duty of prayer The heart is even bound up and so straightned with fear care and sorrow that we cannot lift up a prayer to the God of our life and mercy yet Jonah prayed out of the Whales belly and amidst all those incumbrances Moses cryed to the Lord at the red sea when the people so murmured and were discontented Daniel prayed in the den of Lions where every moment he was ready to be devoured David prayed in caves woods mountains in all his flight before Saul and Absalom He longed to come to the Temple and pray but could pray out of a Temple as well as in it and Jonah here in great distresse looked toward the Temple v. 4. no whit like those who can never pray but when they stumble into a Church or when they are in some hope to receive what they crave Ob. Oh but my case is higher then worldly afflictions I have many and great sins upon me and much guiltiness which puts me out of heart Sol. Answ
it be with the loss of their Souls and yet when they have it it is in much danger to be stollen or mastered by Fire or forfeited or to be cast away with ones own hands and Oh that I had never know peny of this ill-gotten Goods Mat. 16.26 what profit what recompence beside those cases of meeting a murderous Theef Take my Goods and save my Life And mark how expresly the way of worldlings is called folly Psal 49.13 This their way is their folly with Jer. 17.11 He that getteth riches and not by right shall leave them in the midst of his days and at his end shall be a fool Use 2 Take heed Christians and adventure not Souls for Goods It were no reasonable exchange 1. Mark these Heathens if they prefer their Lives before their Goods let not Christians who know better and higher things cast away their precious and Immortal Souls for a little Commodity no not if it were never so great Certainly there is no proportion between a Soul and the whole world 2. We read of some Philosophers that they cast away their wealth and worldly business that they might the better attend the getting of Learning and Wisdom so did Crates and Thales by buying up the Vineyards in the Country when he fore-saw a Scarcity by Philosophy and made good advantage of it shewed how easily a Philosopher might get wealth if he minded it And if such mind it not why should Christians mind it so much What then may some say Object Answ would you have me cast my wealth into the River I see no such need Sir Answ 1. There is need to make restitution of Goods that have been ill-gotten as did Zacheus 2 There is need to be free for pious and charitable uses according to ability 1 Cor. 16.2 as God hath prospered a man 3. There is need while we hold these temporals to hold them with a moderate mind and affection not to mind Earthly things but to have the conversation in Heaven Phil. 3.19 20. not to set the affections on things below but things above Col. 3.1 2. and our rule is not to Treasure in Earth but in Heaven Mat. 6.20 and when we have any riches to refer them to the right ends they were given for as is said Honour God with thy substance Prov. 3.9 And still they should be used as encouragements in his service Ver. 15. 4. There is need above all our getting to labour for the better and enduring substance Heb. 10.34 to be rich in faith and good works to get saving wisdom which is better then Rubies and Diamonds to have a stock of prayer going in Heaven without all question great is the gain of godliness 1 Tim. 6.6 though worldlings esteem it not Where note these two Loves do much hinder and waste one another If a man earnestly and as he ought shall mind the spiritual wealth it will in great part take him off from his mudling in the world Is he not in the prosecution of better things A Prince that seeks a Kingdom will purchase no Cottage On the other side he that eagerly pursues the world shall either neglect Religion altogether or pursue it very indifferently worldly-mindedness hath been the maâ—ring of many an hopeful Professor Demas embraced the world 2 Tim. 4.10 and left the Apostle To the fourth point We are apt to be very secure even Doctr. 4 in the greatest danger 1. Good men as Jonah In great danger apt to be secure who was very shortly to be cast into the Sea and yet fast asleep in the side of the Ship and David who after his sin with Batsheba lay securely for awhile without renewing peace with God till the Sword was threatned to come against his house and never go from it Only with this difference the security of a godly man is neither total nor final At the worst he hath some motions of God in his heart and at last he runs to him with full speed Cant. 5.2 I sleep but my heart waketh And oil is ready in his Lamp to go forth and meet the Bridegroom 2. Carnal and worldly men These say Peace and Safety when suddain destruction comes upon them unawares 1 Thes 5.3 And the man with gall of bitterness saith he shal have peace when the smoak of Gods wrath is arising against him Deut. 29. So said they of the old world till the flood came and drowned them all and the men of Sodom till the fire fell from Heaven and consumed them Every natural man sleeps the sleep of death and he never awakes till he be dropping into Hell Use 1 Whereby note a cursed and dangerous effect of sin as it brings a man into extreme danger of losing God and all happiness A fruit of sin and of falling into the everlasting torments of Hell so it is ready to make and keep him secure and altogether insensible of his danger till he know not what to do wâ—th himself Esa 6.10 He hath a gross heart eyes to see and not perceive ears to hear and not understand and he hath an impenitent heart Rom. 2.5 whom all the goodness and patience of God cannot lead to repentance so little cause there is to be in love with sin as many are or to refuse the Exhortations of zealous Ministers Use 2 2. Note and admire the wonderful mercy of God who watcheth over us for good The mercy of God and in due time awakenes us out of our deep and deadly sleep by giving faith and repentance O the rich and invaluable grace of Conversion how are we bound unto God that now we stand up from the dead Eph. 5.14 and live for ever We were asleep sometimes yea dead in sins and trespasses but now Christ hath given us the light of Life It is onely of his discriminating grace for which we must ever remember to be thankful 3. Awake unto duty Christian watchfulness is a duty Use 3 often commanded in Scripture Be sober be vigilant watch 1 Pet. 5.1 for ye know not the hour when the Son of man cometh Mat. 25.13 and saith Christ what I say unto you I say unto all watch Mar. 13.37 For Motives consider how it is made a Note of wisdom to watch till the Bridegrome comes as did the wise Virgins How the wise as well as the foolish are apt to slumber and sleep How the Bridegrome comes in a time when he is least expected at mid-night Ver. 5.6.10.12.13.14.19 How the wise Virgins enter with him into the glorious Bride-Chamber How others are excluded though they knock and call for admission And how hereupon our Saviour inferreth the Exhortation Watch therefore together with another Parable to the same purpose There will be a day of reckoning with the Servants about their Talents and Employments therefore watch and do duty Ver. 6. So the Ship-Master came to him and said unto him What meanest thou O sleeper
estate 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whâ—m I have believed the desire of our heart is to the remembâ—ance of thy name Oh but David remembred God and was troubled Ob. Sol. Psal 77.3 Answ David was now under a temptation as appears by ver 10. I said it is my infirmity But I say more there is something in God which may trouble even a good soul namely his justice his displeasure at sin his revence for sin sometimes upon his own children and these arm his other Attributes against the soul of a sinner viz. his holiness his power his wisdom his soveraignty his providence and government all terrible where the guilt of sin lies upon the soul which possibly might be Davids case at this time mine or thine But let weak believers take this instruction Use when ye find these fainting fits coming or already come upon you remember the Lord and stay your hearts on him remember him in that form in those relations as he stands to a Believer Remember him as the Lord in covenant as the Lord thy righteousness as the Lord merciful and gracious as the Lord pardoning iniquity transgression and sin as the Lord that bears a most watchful eye of care and providence over thy person and estate that remembers his covenant and thy frailty and knows when a deliverance will be most seasonable Though a Mother forget her Child yet will not I forget thee saith the Lord yea though we forget duty as Jonah did at this time yet will he remember to be gracious And though we know not what to do for our own deliverance in any kind yet he knows well enough and will do it for us he knows to deliver the righteous out of trouble My prayer came in unto thee into thine holy Temple Note Good prayers use to come up before God and get a merciful consideration as Jonahs Salomons Hezekiahs Cornelius others The reason is Christ takes the prayers and presents them to his and our Father Rev. 8.3 4. It is one chief part of his Priestly Office intercession as well as satisfaction and he will be sure to do it to the uttermost he appears for us and makes requests in our behalf Use 1 An encouragement to be much and often in prayer Is it not a speedy way Every good husband will insist in the way wherein he may thrive apace and so should a Christian in the way of praying Audience in prayer is one of the priviledges which belong to a Believer and one of Gods Attributes is that he is a God hearing prayer Use 2 And it teacheth a Believer when he hath made his prayer to the God of his life and mercy to rest assured he shall prevail one way or other as here My prayer came into thy Temple and elsewhere We know we have the Petitions we ask of him and he will speak peace to his people For why it is his promise Ask and ye shall receive seek and ye shall find c. Ver. 6.8 10. Thou hast brought up my life from corruption O Lord my God They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving c. Here the Prophet amplifies his prayer by the effect it had namely his deliverance out of that great danger Parts Thou hast brought up my life from corruption O Lord my God And this is farther illustrated 1. By the contray in Idolaters who misse of mercy because they seek not to the true God v 8. 2. By the thankfulnesse he means to shew for the deliverance v. 9. 3 By the particularizing of the deliverance and how it was effected v. 10. Thou hast brought up my life from corruption O Lord my God There be many in this company that may truly say Note God hath brought up my life from corruption at such a time I was very likely to die I had one foot in the grave I had made my Will and bid farwel to all the world yet it pleased God to add more time to my days I am yet in the land of the living among old friends and neighbours and the time that remains in the flesh I ought and partly have promised to spend in the service of God better then formerly But Whether do I speak those words in way of hearty and Use 1 real thankfulnesse or only in form Examine whether delivered in mercy have I serious purposes indeed to improve this life of mine for the service and glory of God or do I now think of those vows and purposes to perform them effectuaâ—ly If I do do I put forth my best and truest endeavours to bring them into act when Jonah had escaped his great danger he went and did the message though to as great a danger When Hezekiah had been sick and recovered he set to praise the Lord all the days of his life Now these examples are written for our instruction to do the like as bad examples are to be avoided so good examples are to be followed Whether by general mercy or special And if we do not the deliverance out of danger will prove only a common mercy that comes of the general providence of God whereby he saves man and beast and his Sun shines and rain falls on good and bad True Jehovah raised thee out of thy great fit of sickness or some other mischief but thou canst not yet say the Lord my God and yet that is the only right receiving of mercies when one is able to say Thou hast brought up my life from corruption O Lord my God There is a vast difference between these two Saved by the true God and saved by the Lord my God Consider the word especially in 1 Tim 4.10 he is the Saviour of all men especially of them that believe And let all fall closely upon this point to make it sure Use 2 to our own souls The Lord my God My Lord and my God said Thomas my Redeemer said Job he loved me and gave himself for me I pray what think ye is it not great difference to say A good summe of Gold and Silver and This is my Gold and Silver even so is it here A man may be poor enough though he see heaps and treasures of money so in spiritual treasure Know the only happiness stands in the appropriation my God Blessed are the people that have the Lord for their God Psal 144.15 In these Ordinances therefore the main design of Christians should be to make Christ sure to their souls and so be able to say my God my Saviour my Redeemer Him we preach as the chief matter of our pains-taking and in his Name we make offers of the favour of God to be thy God and thine 2 Cor. 6.1 and thine Now receive not the grace of God in vaiâ— be sure to do this business which is the main business to be done Heb. 12.29 and if it be not done this thy God will
Saints All such may help to stand in the gap and make up the breach that we perish not Ver. 6.7 8. Word came to the King of Nineve and he arose from his Throne and he laid his Robe from him c. This is a farther Declaration of the Ninevites repentance First it is declared by the good example of the King to whom the word of Jonahs preaching came and he humbled Not. 1 himself thus extreamly Great men must joyn with inferiors in the duties of humiliation yea rather then be wanting must go before them in good example The reason is Great men as well as others are sinners and have souls to save or to damne yea they sin double sins that is not only in act but by their bad example which causeth others to stumble and fall Consider this ye that are heads of the people and be throughly humbled for all your sins Be examples in humiliation and reformation as well as in transgression This is no place to exhort King and Nobles to those duties but an equity lies upon Magistrates of a lower size upon rich men and all whom God hath set above others to seek God by fasting and prayer for their good and the good of underlings Here is a special rule for that in Rom. 12.16 Make your selves equal to them of the lower sort Secondly the Ninevites repentance is declared by the Authority they had for their fasting namely The Decree of the King and his Nobles The people proclaimed a fast said the first verse but not of their own head they had the sanction and stamp of civil Authority for their doings Not. 2 It was ever yet in the power of the civil Magistrate to appoint publick Fasts for their people so did Jehosaphat and so did other good Princes and so they entermedled in ordering other matters of Religion as it is said The Christian Magistrate is the Keeper of both Tables Use Let us consider and be orderly in all our religious performances still see Authority going before us or if the Magistrate neglect to call a Fast when just occasion requires private Christians must betake themselves to their Families and Closets That the Father who seeth in secret may reward them openly Mat. 6.17 Certainly nothing may be done in Religion with contempt of Authority or so as to disgrace Magistrates before their people It is an evil and head-long devotion which out-faceth or shameth Gods Vicegerents Contents of the Proclamation Now in this Proclamation for a Fast at Nineve we have to consider 1. The abstinence enjoyned Not to eat or drink or wear soft Apparel 2. Prayer required and that in a fervent manner Let them cry mightily unto God 3. Reformation of life exacted Let every one turn from his evil way All amplified by an hope to over-intreat God as Jonah had preached Joel 2.14 just as the Prophet Joel framed his Motive Who knoweth if he will return and repent and leave a blessing behind him Categorical denunciations of judgements are with God secretly suspended with conditions for which see Jer. 18.7 8. Outward humiliation required of Penitents For the abstinence here required Heathens newly converted could see these outward observations to be necessary as judging themselves unworthy of comfort by the creatures and the Jews in their fasts did five ways afflict their souls saith Maymonides 1. By abstaining from meat and drink which are the allowance and maintenance of nature and nature will look for his due and refreshment but must sometimes be restrained so to give way to grace and to the more earnest seeking of Gods favour there being pain in the want and that pain provoking to the more devotion so here and Judg. 20.26 2. By putting off fine Apparel Ornaments and Shoos and wearing sackcloth which might put them to farther pain and was used only in way of modesty otherwise confessing they deserved to be stript stark-naked of all comforts so here and Exod. 33.4 6. 2 Sam. 15.30 Psal 35.13 3. By not washing themselves as they were wont and as was good for them in those hot Countries 2 Sam. 12.20 21. Abraham and Lot gave water to the strangers they entertained that they might wash after their sore and scorching travel 4. By not anointing themselves as was ordinary Dan. 10.3 God gives man Oil to make his face shine Psal 104.15 but now there shall be a forbearance where if any object that Christ bids anoint our face when we fast the answer is easie Mat. 6.17 Our Saviour speaks comparatively and in opposition to hypocrites rather then appear to men to fast anoint thy face and look pleasantly 5. By forbearing the use of the Marriage-bed and all those comforts which accompany that estate 2 Sam. 11.11 Joel 2.16 Zech. 12.14 1 Cor. 7.5 The order of grace must bear sway against the order of nature and all say A less good must give way to a greater Remember Use and do this on the day of a publick humiliation Object We have no such eminent occasion as the Ninevites had Yet forty days and Nineve shall be overthrown Answ Danger may be as much eminent to us as it was to them Ye know the contrary agitations of several parties bandying one against another and ye know our sins are much greater then theirs because of more abundant light means of grace offers of peace patience and long-suffering of God and offending after former humiliations But may I not eat a little on a fasting-day by reason of my infirmity Answ 1. In case of extraordinary danger all such infirmities should be forgotten and the matter put to an adventure and so men will do sometime for their pleasure in hunting or the like lose a meals-meat or more 2. In our ordinary fasts which come of course as it were it may be lawful for us to take some re-past against a notable infirmity as of colick or fainting fits In such cases God will have mercy and not sacrifie But were it not ridiculous to put sackcloth on our cattel or cause them to fast Answ 1. For the sackloth none urgeth it as necessary either for them or our selves nor yet ashes They were the transient actions of those Countries 2. If cattel were suffered to want for a while it would do them no hurt and in their mourning the Masters might well take notice of their own aâ— use of the creature their riot their excessive pleasure in hunting c. And if the cattel must be so pinched and pained for their sin what must they be for their own sin But in truth these are meer Ceremonies and no farther good then they testifie the humility of our spirits Fervent prayer needful to a Fast For the fervent prayer here required Let them cry mightily unto God Hearty and fervent prayer is a chief matter at a Fast the King of Nineve understood well that those naked ceremonies could do little unless such kind of prayer were added The like we are