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
his good pleasure toward them In no point may the Name of God be taken in vain so not in this And as every creature must be sanctified by the word and prayer so must this Remember and fear the judgment of God upon them that take his Name in vain If any object that the occasion and Company will not bear prayer I answer at least let there be an Ejaculation 3. If it be so be thankful for any good that is received by lot looking up to the hand of God who hath cast it upon thee and not upon another The whole disposing of it was of the Lord therefore let him have all the glory It was not Luck and Fortune but God must be acknowledged Especially when the Lord himself is the lot and portion of thy soul as David said Thou art the lot of mine inheritance remember much and often to bless the Lord as he did Psal 16.5 6 7 8. Use 4 4 When lots cross a man let him learn to be as Jonah patient and contented Say it is the Lord that hath thus disposed of the business 1 Sam. 3.18 it is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good should I desire any thing which the Lord sees not good for me or when he hath declared his mind should I wriggle or murmure or carry my self otherwise then becomes the Child of God I will not do it Come and let us cast Lots that we may know for whose cause this evil is come upon us Note In great afflâ—ctions we look at great sins It is the Nature of man to think there is some great sin where they see a great judgment of God Who did sin this man or his Parents that he was born blind And those that suffered those great Evils were accounted greater sinners then all the Galileans or all that were in Jerusalem Luke 13.1 2 4. Where Christ assures us of the contrary I tell you nay â—ohn 9.2 but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish v. 5. And if these Mariners had been asked whether each of them had not deserved this horrible Tempest to die by it they would have shrunk at it and not have confessed And every one would save one therefore they put off the danger to others Otherwise there needed no lots to be cast but every one confess his guiltiness be humbled reformed and give satisfaction to his god who was offended Use 1 Take heed of this spice of Nature and of the Pharisees Talk not of great sinners and little sinners nor censure them that suffer great Evils as if they were the greatest Offenders Possibly they may be great Offenders but what is that to thee Thy rule is not to judge that thou be not judged and judge nothing before the time and Mat. 7.1 1 Cor. 4 5. Rom. 14.4 who art thou that judgest another mans servant and The greater sinner the man is the more he needs thy pity and prayers not thy censure and disdain 2. In a common danger let every one recount his own Use 2 guiltiness and do what lies upon him to do for delivering his own soul Remember who said Except ye repent Luke 13.3 ye shall all perish whether ye escape the danger or no ye may escape temporally and perish eternally These Mariners did all escape the temporal evil better then Jonah but without hearty and fruitful repentance they escaped not the eternal vengeance of their sins Jonah upon his humiliation and amendment might escape better then they all 3. This Example tells us that the sin of a godly man Use 3 may become grievous and provoking more then the sins of many others as Jonah to hazard the casting away of many that were in the ship What the Child of God do so and so what one that hath received so much light so many Teachings of the Spirit so many checks of Conscience so many opportunities of glorifying God and of giving good example to others he to flee from God and cast off duty Take heed ye that fear God and keep even reckonings with him Be humbled for what is past and watch better hereafter And the Lot fell upon Jonah Wicked men sometimes in this life are discovered Note and brought to their deserved punishment God hath means and ways enough to it sometimes by lot as here to Jonah sometimes by the Birds of heaven Eccles 10.20 as the Cranes revealed the murderers of the Poet â—â—icus sometimes by the Confession and horror of the guilty persons sometimes by blood â—ssuing afresh out of a slain body sometimes a Friend hath blabbed forth a bloody business before he was aware sometime a Confederate hath turned Enemy and told all the truth Divers ways the Lord hath to bring to light the hidden things of darkness at farthest in the day of judgment Eccles 12.14 1 Cor. 4.5 Reason 1 The Reason is 1. God is Omnipresent and Omniscient and is able to discover the greatest secrets as here in ordering these lots he observed every motion of Jonah to Joppa and to the ship yea the very first motion of his heart in departing from the living God All is naked to Reason 2 the eyes of him with whom we have to do 2. God makes these discoveries for his own glory and for bringing about his own most holy ends as here he meant to have his work done by Jonah in the message that was to be delivered at Nineve And he was glorified in the eyes of these Mariners by this discovery of Jonah ver 10. Jonah made the Lord known to them and ver 14 they said Thou Lord hast done as it pleased thee and ver 16. The men feared the Lord exceedingly and possibly some of them were truly Converted Quest But are lots a lawful way to discover Malefactors when they are to be punished with Death for Felony or Treason Answ Ans It were very dangerous without Gods command in this case to put any to the casting of lots for his life except it be certain that divers well deserve to die but the Prince of his grace intends to spare some by decimating the Army or others that have made a Mutiny Use 1 But if the point in hand stand true it appears vain to sin in hope of secrecy This induceth some to horrible wickednesses The Thief and the Adulterer and other wicked ones hate the light as Death it self and chuse Darkness for acting their Villanies but all in vain as to God whose eyes are in every place Prov. 15 3. beholding the evil and the good Yea the Hypocrisie of idle Professors is fully discerned by him and in this life sometimes they are uncased for Hypocrites as they ever were falling into some scandalous course or from the main truths of the Gospel But at the last day all secrets will be fully discovered and punished Though they dig deep into Hell to hide their counsels and escape the hand of man yet the hand of God they shall not
what saith the Spirit fear not their fear nor be dismayed Luke 12.4 fear not them that can kill the body and afterward can do no more but fear him who can cast both body and soul into hell I say unto you Prov 29 25. fear him Solomon saith the fear of man bringeth a snare that is sometimes enwraps a man in that and that danger which by faith he might have avoided as here Jonah carnal fear threw him into the depth of the sea Now Nineve was an exceeding great City of three days journey that is such as a man could not pass in all the streets of it and deliver a message as Jonah must do under so much time allotted Of the bigness of this City we spake on Chap. 1. 2. and how Jonah was told of it before hand that he might arm himself with courage accordingly And now methâ—nks when he sets upon obedience it sets forth his courage and faithfulness and tends to his high commendation there being many difficulties which might hinder or encounter his honest resolution to do the service As for instance 1. In Nineve which was the head of the Assyrian Monarchy there was a potent and flourishing people who were Lords of the Eastern world and how angry would these be to hear a poor fellow cry out against them Yet forty days and Nineve shall be overthrown 2. In what danger should he be to be torn in pieces among them or to be beaten and sent away empty for so the Jews dealt with divers of their Prophets yet the only people of God and how should heathenish Ninevites be expected to do better 3. If the Ninevites should be quiet yet the good man had a shrewd task to do for three days together to trudge up and down in all their streets and with such a message as none was likely to give him countenance or entertainment 4. The message had no likelyhood to be performed Where was any Army to beset and overthrow Nineve or whence should the enemies come what should they drop out of the sky or what should be the Engines whereby it should be vanquished Difficulties enough to hinder Yet on he goes and doth the message Note No difficulties stand before zeal Zeal for God will break through all difficulties and do duty Jonah had now got into his heart a burning love and a strong fear of God and therefore falls on his work without forecasting of events or hardships So still Love is strong as Death much water cannot quench love the love of Christ constrains us Cant. 8.6 2 Cor. 5.14 saith the Apostle Use 1 Those then have no true love or zeal of God who are easily puzzled with difficultâ—es and fly back from those duties which they know they should perform for example the duties of mortification duties of the family of suffering for a good cause of painful managing a calling so as God may be glorified suppose in Magistracy or Ministery Some mean well but have no courage for the truth or for righteousness or reformation either of their families or of the places where they live Jer. 9.3 They are not valiant for the truth upon earth Hos 7.11 Ephraim is like a Dove without heart without understanding or courage for God But we shall ever commend those stout and resolute Champions who fall on duty whatever it cost them as here Jonah the three Jews that adventured into the fiery furnace Paul and other Apostles who amidst many and great persecutions went on with their preaching and the Martyrs that followed them Heb. 11.37 they were sawn asunder and diversly afflicted not nice and delicate of suffering as now-a-days not afraid of threats nor ashamed of Christ in an evil generation not swayed by carnal wisdom or self considerations therefore one day Christ will not be ashamed of them but own and honor them saying Well done good and faithful servant ye have been faithful in a little now be rulers over much Yet forty dayes and Nineve shall be overthrown This was Jonahs Text but it is likely he amplified it divers ways as for example by telling of their great sins which had provoked the God of heaven against them as chap. 1.2 Cry against Nineve for their wickedness is come up before me And this God of heaven sent me on this errand I am his servant I come not on my own head he bade me come and do this message and because I declined the service I was cast into a Whales belly for three days and three nights together and now I tell you this of a truth that ye may repent and be saved if not temporally yet at least spiritually and eternally The point to be stood upon is this Note Sin overthrows great peoples Sin is able to overthrow great Cities or Nations and that sometimes very suddenly Cities Nineve Sodom Jerusalem Samaria other Nations as in the change of Monarchies from the Assyrians to the Persians from them to the Greeks and from them to the Romans Yea the whole world first by water at last-by fire Righteousness exalteth a Nation Prov. 14.34 but sin is a reproach to any people and out of other Scriptures I might adde a confusion Whereby we see in what danger we of England are and Use 1 we of Reading because a sinful Nation A people laden with iniquity whose wickedness is gone up before God and cryes for vengeance against us Suppose there were none but the horrible sin of Drunkenness it were enough to overthrow us but you may adde Heresies Deceits other wickednesses None is safe long who is so near unto danger The judgment of a sinful people lingereth not 2 Pet. 2.3 and their damnation slumbreth not It were well if the sinners among us would fall to quarrelling Use 2 with those sins which threaten and endanger our Nation they have shrewdly shaken us already Have we not felt the terrible Earthquakes of the times who almost but complains in one kind or other but this is not all the mischief which sin can or will do us there is a full and final overthrow to be expected without amendment even by these profitable and pleasurable sins which most men think good to maintain to the utmost True God is merciful and we have found him such of a long time and we hope so he will be still but what little cause have we to expect more mercy and longer forbearance do we not know it should lead us to repentance And it is true we cannot say as Jonah Yet forty days and such a sinful place shall be overthrown Rom. 2.1 but we can say Suddain destruction comes upon some unawares 1 Thes 5.3 Beware there is no way to escape but by doing as the Ninevites in the words following Ver. 5.6 7 8 9. So the people of Nineve believed God and proclaimed a Fast and put on Sackcloth from the greatest of them even to the least of them For word came unto the King
broken and a contrite heart is the sacrifices of God Psal 51.17 And then on the other side where the heart is contrite the life will conform there will be a turning of every one from his evil way as also the working of righteousness At Nineve a man now might have seen one making restitution of his ill-gotten goods another giving satisfaction for the wrong he had done a third paying his debts a fourth exhorting his Children and Servants all confessing their sins bewailing them and turning over a new leaf So with us where any are truly penitent we shall quickly see a great reformation Use Encouragement to repent But Gods notice taking may be a notable encouragement to all both to repent and to bring forth fruits meet for repentance It encourageth a good servant to do duty when the Master takes notice of his dutifulness Be therefore and do as God may note thee for good so fast and so pray and so give alms as the great and good God may like and approve no matter though men see not so long as God sees and no matter if they scorn when they see The approbation of God alone is far to be preferred before all suffrage of men whosoever they be The Apostles in all the course of their ministery approved themselves to God and then esteemed all to be well and they said 2 Cor. 6 4.10 18. Rom. 2.29 Not he that commendeth himself is approved but whom the Lord commendeth And he is the true Jew or Christian whose praise is not of men but of God And such a one will say as David in doing duty I will be more vile in the eye of the world and however it go 2 Sam. 6.22 Esa 49.5 yet in the eye of my God I shall be glorious And certainly the true and lasting honor is that which comes from above There be many hinderances of a true and effectual repentance many Objections against it and many Delusions about it Objections against repenting 1. When a man is of the mind to repent and turn from his evil wayes he meets with many Objections which may delay the matter if not quite hinder him as for example the sourness of the thing the contrary course of the world the subtilties of Satan the pleasures or profits that are to be had by sin the jeers of idle companions or counsels carnal reasonings and the like Against all which a man should arm himself with these considerations My God oftentimes calls me to repentance I have done enough and enough to repent most earnestly I am in great danger unless I repent to the purpose and on the other side if I repent truly and effectually God will take notice of me for good as here to the Ninevites On therefore I will go breaking through all objections and difficulties The Lord hold thee in that good resolution It is the ready way to life and salvation 2. For Delusions Mistakes about it many a man mistakes the business of repentance thinking he hath repented when it is no such matter and so that God is reconciled to him when indeed he is not as for example Those that deceive themselves with a few sighs or tears as did Ahab Those that lift up their voice on high and hang the head like a Bulrush for a day as in Esay And they that say they are sorrowful but it appears not afterward who all should remember Judas and other hypocrites and the morning dew which is soon dryed up and honoring God with the lips when the heart is far from him and the fruits or works meet for repentance And they should remember how a naturall man would be willing to flee from the wrath to come though he never take a thorow course thereunto Self-love can do it that the worst that is would be loth to go to hell when he dyes and desire to go to heaven And they should remember what work is laid out for the truly-penitent 2 Cor. 7.11 Carefulness Zeal and the rest With those notes of turning rightly from the evil way every evil way the beloved evil way and that constantly Ye must no more return to folly Psal 85.8 Jer. 4 1. And to turn so far as to get unto God and walk with him in holiness Consider and be not loth to repent nor yet mistaken Mot. Know this is the only comfortable change for a poor sinner not God is changed when he is said to repent but the sinner is changed When God doth his great works of Creation and of Miracles he sets forth his own glory but when he works upon the creatures he works for their commodity as here for the benefit of Nineve which was sorely threatned And the change was in the Ninevites not God either essence or purpose Try it after them who will he shall find that without the great change of conversion there is no good to be done with the great God of heaven And upon such a change God will turn frowns into smiles and threats into promises yea most gracious performances as here He repented of the evâ—l and did it not Doctr. 2 God merciful to the penitent God pardons penitent sinners and turns away their deserved punishment For pardon see Psal 32 5. David was humbled and confessed his transgressions and the Lord forgave him the iniquity of his sin And see Esa 55.6 7. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found call ye upon him a â—â—le he is near Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon So he did to the Ninevites Jonah Manasseh the Prodigal other great offenders For punishment distinguish 1. There is an eternal punishment due for sin according to the infinite Majesty of God who is offended everlasting punishment Mat. 3.12.25.46 unquenchable fire the 〈…〉 goes not out Of this the Lord alway dischargeth the penitent He shall not dye namely for ever not the second death â—e dyes naturally but lives eternally 2. There is a temporal punishment suppose by Famine Sword Pestilence and other calamities Many and great and sore evils the Lord denounceth against sinners to affright them and bring them out of their evil wayes to hide pride from them Job 33.28 and deliver their soul from going into the oil And if they be reduced God may be pleased to release them of the evil threatned as these Ninevites But this is not certain nor always comes to pass God◠〈◊〉 Children in the temporal part are sometimes grievously afflicted they so far provoke him by securely and unthankfulness that they cannot be excused Jonah for three days and three nights must needs lodge in the belly of the Whale Jer. 46.28 I will make a full end of all the Nations â—â—â—ther I have driven thee but I will not make a full and of thee but correct
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
the manner of restoring Jonah to his office the Lord never up raids him with his base and 〈◊〉 flying to Tarsus and how justly he had been served with the storm and the Whale but meekly and quietly he sends him upon the old errand to Nineve nor did Christ upbraid Peter with his threefold denial but gives a threefold admonition Feed my sheep Feed my lambs Feed my sheep Joh. 21.15 And of other holy simple souls it is said that when they ask wisdom of God he will not upbraid but give liberally Jam. 1.5 Mark this and imitate If a childe or servant or friend Use 1 repent of his fault never hit him in the teeth with it any more but close up the wound that was made and do thy best to put him into the right way again for doing his duty as here Jonah There is a base petulancy in mans nature to insult over Delinquents and never have done with shaming them and ripping up the old faults So doth not God and ye should be followers of him as dear Children I am sure ye would not have him to remember against you your old offences Eph. ◠1 Ps 25. that your consciences should be set upon the rack for sins of youth or later sins No but according to the Covenant I will remember their iniquity no more Jer. 31.34 I will blot out their sins I will chase away their transgressions as a cloud and scatter them as a mist It will be a sad case when God comes to set a mans sins in order before him Oh the roaring and breaking of bones and horrible torture that such do endure Take heed be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful and withall remember to magnifie the love of such a Father who freely fully and finally forgives the sins of his people We men use to admire and magnifie those that are of a generous and ingenuous disposition in passing by offences It is the glory of a man saith Salomon and it should yield glory unto God that he doth so graciously forgive the sins of his people Note Ordinances continued to a people Arise and go to Nineve This is spoken the second time to Jonah the Lord sometimes continues his mercies and ordinances to a people that they shall have good preachers sent to them and the preachers shall go on with their work for the good of that people sermons sacraments sabbaths precious liberties shall be afforded them from time to time We see it here 1. Jonah retaines his place and is set upon the same office as before though he had made a fowl fault and had suffered terribly for his disobedience yet he hath his commission again renewed to preach to the Ninevites as Chap. 1.2 Arise and go to Nineve that great Citie the same words as here at the text 2. Though the the mercy of good preaching was withheld from Nineve for a while yet it is again designed for them Arise go and preach to them so still Good preaching sometimes is delayed and kept back from a people sometimes interrupted in the free passage of the Gospel yet vouchsafed and continued where God hath a people to gather to himself as was said to Paul for his encouragement to preach at Corinth Speak and hold not thy peace for I have much people in this city Act. 18 10. Use Glorifie God who continues them Now let God be glorified whose kindenesse and love toward man so evidently appeareth that Magistrats are continued notwithstanding all their failings and Ministers notwithstanding all their failing◠and the use of Ordinances notwithstanding all their failings in point of thankfulnesse and obedience Sabbaths afforded though little good use made of them Abundance of good preaching though among a glutted and surfetted people Monthly sacraments though many never come at them others come very seldom others very unprepared and shew it too evidently by a foolish and fruitlesse conversation and good Ministers dwell among them but there be no cases of conscience to propose nor comfortable fellowship between them and their people There be two things that might break off the course of these Ordinances 1. The great sins of people whereby they forfeit them into the hands of God and if they be not grose and scandalous sins yet there is horrible unfrutfulnesse and unanswerablenesse to the wonderful mercy of God Nineve was not so barren when once they heard good preaching and in all likelyhoed the men of Nineve shall rise up in judgment with this generation and condemn it Certainly unfrutful Christians shall suffer heavily though the good preaching continue among them They neglect great salvation and how should they escape and at last it will be said as of the fruitlesse fig-tree Cut it down why should it cumber the ground 2. The great opposition of the devil and his instruments Satan hindred Paul once and again from comming to the Thessalonians and we see what persecutions the Jews raised in divers places to hinder the preaching of the word Such malice still there is in Sectaries and some profane persons Go to Nineve and preach the preaching Preaching of the word is ordained of God to bring sinners to repentance and so to salvation as here Note Preaching appointed to convert sinners at this great city God could have sent an Angel to do this message but useth the ministery of man as also Peters to Cornelius Or God could have sent another Prophet to Nineve but Jonah must be the man now well subdued by his late affliction and a man famous in Israel both for good preaching and for prophesying good to the ten Tribes which came to passe So still God will have soules converted by men subject to like passions It is his pleasure to have it so 1 Cor. 1.21 It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to save them that believe It is enjoynd earnestly to be done by men appointed for the work 2 Tim. 4.1 2. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom Preach the word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine It is urged with a wo and a reward 1 Cor. 9.16 17. Wo is unto me if I preach not the Gospel but if I do this thing willingly I have a reward And it is declared by the benefit to good Hearts Rom. 1.16 It is the power of God to salvation to every one that beleeveth But what is preaching Ans It is made up of three things It standeth in three things 1. Publication of the word a Preacher among the Greekes is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praeco the voice of a Cryer alluding to a Town-cryer who utters a Proclamation to the people Gods will is that the Minister should plainly and distinctly read his word to the Congregation Act. 15.15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets 2. Exposition to give the meaning
that that I have voâ—ed He had vowed it seems in the Whales belly that if he might be delivered he would do the message at Nineve whatever it cost him and now he doth the message indeed Though the danger were the same by displeasing a mighty people though God were very merciful and likely to spare Nineve Note Do as well as vow though thereby he should be accounted a false Prophet Yet up he ariseth and hies him to Nineve Thus he pays what he had vowed Remember and do thou likewise it is written for thy instruction and imitation In Baptism thou renouncedst the Devil the World and the Flesh and wast devoted to the service of the true God who is Father Son and Holy Ghost Now at years of discretion do as thou hast said pay that that thou hast vowed especially one that hath been dangerously sick and now recovered or in other great affliction remember the vows which thy lips then uttered as Psal 66.13 14. I will pay thee my vows which my lips have uttered and my mouth hath spoken when I was in trouble Shew whether thou hast indeed profited in the School of affliction whether as Christ thou hast learned obedience by the things thou sufferedst or as David It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes Do the duty though it be difficult costly or dangerous as this to Jonah Godly sorrow useth to work abundance of gracious effects 2 Cor. 7.11 Carefulness Fear vehement Desire Zeal c. Doctr. Penitents work for God And note how it is said here Jonah did according to the word of the Lord. A truly-penitent Christian sets himself to work for God according to his word However he have declined the service and turned aside to crooked wayes yet upon his better bethinking himself especially upon his smart in one kind or other he gets up and falls to his work again so Jonah David Peter other Saints whose falls were great but so was their amendment too and the obedience they performed afterward Why 1. He hears and acknowledges the voice of God commanding Reason 1 his obedience as here Arise and go to Nineve When young Samuel once knew the voice of the Lord he presently said Speak Lord for thy servant heareth and he did all the message to the uttermost So did Paul at his conversion Lord 1 Sam 3.10 12. what wilt thou have me to do where think why should not a Convert obey the word of God as well as a Whale or a wind should man be more sensless then they Reason 2 2. There is a principle of grace and obedience in the heart of the truly-penitent as for example Jonah was a godly man before this time though now he failed foully and fearfully therefore is awakened to his work and sets presently to do it In every true Christian there abides a seed of God 1 John 3.9 which will not suffer him to sin as the wicked doth And such will say We can do nothing against the truth but for the truth and We cannot but speak the things we have heard and seen 3. The word of the Lord carries Authority with it that the good soul holds it self bound to observe and do it Though others are fast and loose ye such will hold it as David My heart standeth in awe of thy word And it hath the nature of a rule to do as the word directeth so much and no more and in such manner as it requires Gal. 6.16 As many as walk according to this rule peace and mercy be upon them And so there is this force both in the commanding word of God and the forbidding word and threatning and promising and comforting in all there is an eternal obligation and equity and a believer will have a faithful respect to all as is injoyned Deut. 12.32 What thing soever I command you observe and do it thou shalt not adde thereto nor diminish from it It follows hence that numbers among us never yet Use 1 truly repented of their sins why to this day they set not to do Gods business according to his word some being grosly disobedient others partial in their obedience others slight others unsetled and unconstant others timerous and loth to appear where difficulty or danger appears Numbers flee from God with Jonah but few travel for God with Jonah yet will make themselves believe they have repented which is impossible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for true repentance is ever a fruitful and effectual repentance remember the fruits meet for repentance Mat. 3.8 and works meet for repentance Act. 21.20 And if others will not yet let true Christians justifie Use 2 and clear their repentance to be sound and sincere by falling upon the work which the Lord hath for them to do as ye have failed with Jonah so be quickned and active with Jonah Every one knows his fleeing and wherein he hath been faulty Now let every one be humbled for his failings and return unto God in the same way he went from him How to set to do Gods work Our Text imports three things which may set a collapsed Christian upon his legs again 1. Rowse up thy self out of that sluggishness which hath crept insensibly upon thee Arise and go to Nineve Up Sampson the Phlistines be upon thee Say not Yet a little sleep Augustine yet a little slumber yet a little folding of the hands to sleep This little and little will make a great deal at the last Thy case is bad enough already and such delay would make it far worse He that is not fit for God and duty to day will be less fit to morrow There is more need by double diligence â—o redeem the time that is lost and fetch after the work that should have been done 2. Take heed of carnal reasonings which swayed with Jonah to flee to Tarsus namely the great mercy of God to repenting sinners What of that ought not Jonah to have tryed therefore to bring the Ninevites to repentance If Christ be revealed in thee yet beware of consulting with flesh and bloud Gal. 1.16 and take heed of presuming on mercy as mercy is not to be straightned so neither is it to be enlarged beyond the bounds prescribed of God nor perverted to wrong ends but whereas he is very gracious he should be feared the more even vessels of mercy are not allowed to turn grace into lasciviousness Psâ—l 130.4 Jude 4. 1 Pet. 4.17 Consider what that means Judgment begins at the house of God and the righteous shall scarce be saved 3. Cast not difficulties and dangers that would follow upon doing of duty Jonah hath now unlearned that lesson and puts on to his work whatever comes of it Prov. 26.13 The fool or wicked man saith there is a Lyon in the way I shall be destroyed or damnified if I do this and this duty I know not what mischief will come of it But
Go and preach to Nineve and thereupon should have silenced his own reason utterly 2. Having a desire to advance the glory of God be sure to use right means thereunto not as Jonah who for fear of Gods dishonor refused to do Gods Errand at Nineve It is a goodly and specious colour for actions to talk of the glory of God but if the course be 〈◊〉 a direct and warrantable course in vain shall the glory of God be pretended who will never account himself honoured but in a way of his own Yea it hath been the advancement of many a wickedness to pretend so and so in order to 〈◊〉 and the course of Antichrist to make a noise of acting in order to the Church 3. Be tender of the life of man and of his outward welfare I say not soul but even the body and worldly condition as Jonah was not and we see how he is chid for it And we see how loving the Lord is even in this respect ver 11. Should not I spare Nineve a City so populous Remember the sixt Commandment Thou shalt not kill 1 Thes 4.6 no not in desire Remember those commands Let no man defraud or go beyond his Brother in any matter for the Lord is the avenger of all such And be chary of thy Neighbours Oxe or Asse much more of his life and comfort of his life We are fallen into an hard yea bloudy age wherein the life of man is little regarded nor how well he shall go along in his course Take heed there remains a merciless judgement for them that shew no mercy Jam. 2.13 4. Study the gaining of souls to God and be glad when there is the least hope of grace begun in any Here also was some fault in Jonah certainly he heard how they fasted and prayed and turned from their evil wayes which should have gladded him and made him congratulate their repentance and safety thereupon Remember and do so Luke 15.10 Convert any if thou mayest be so happy and as there is joy in heaven for a sinner that repenteth so let it be on earth It was a wicked humour in the Pharisees that they envyed the conversion of the Publicans Beware thou and be ambitious of the great honor of converting a soul Dan. 12.3 To shine as the Stars for ever and ever For the second particular A marvel it is that Jonah is so stout and sturdy after his great punishment and all those terrors which God sent upon him One would have thought he had had enough of his flying to Tarsus Note But so it is Some godly men have stout and sturdy corruptions sticking by them which may humble them and keep them upon their watch and because they watch not as they ought God sometimes exerciseth them with strong afflictions and sometimes with strong conflicts in sad hours Take heed Use Christian and take thy self in the manner for every unmortifyed lust and every corrupt affection Sturdy humors are sometimes punished with sharp temptations or Visitations of the Almighty But I had rather put this humor of Jonah upon a way of carnal reasoning which too much swayed with him at this time taken from the mercy of God which he thought would never so far proceed as to let Nineve be overthrown though he said it Was not this my saying thou art merciful c Calvin If Jonah had been sent to Nineve with an offer of mercy upon their repentance as to the ten Tribes we may verily think he would rather have offered his service then declined it But now he mutters against God for his meer denunciation of judgment Note Carnal reasonings mischievous as if it could not agree with the nature of so merciful and gracious a Lord God and this mis-leadeth him Carnal reasonings do sometimes lead us from God and duty 1. Totally as in the ungodly eve◠the mercy of God undoeth them as they misuse it it is their bane They know God is gracious and merciful and flow to 〈◊〉 and of great kindnesse therefore live as they list turn grace into wantonness sin more that grace may abound more As men make it mercy is a common pack-horse for horrible wickednesses and final impenitency Why should they trouble themselves about repenting when God is so merciful 2. Partially in the godly as here in Jonah he knew these Attributes and therefore he left Nineve and went to Tarsus It were well if we did not sometimes bear up our selves too much upon the mercy of God and an interest in Christ and certainty of salvation and perseverance in grace We hold these things right in the Doctrine and miserably pervert them in the Use And though we swim not with full Winde and Tyde yet we sail too fast with a side-winde Take head Christians Use Avoid them and down with these carnal reasonings which exalt themselves against the knowledge of God and against the due obedience to Jesus Christ The ministery intends the casting them down and so do you 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Never will Religion thrive where such reasonings prevail As it prevails more with any man so he leaves them off as Gal. 1.16 Paul consulted not with flesh and bloud but fell to his preaching-work Consider there be many of these carnal reasonings taken from the multitude from example profit pleasure credit safety or the like but none more dangerous then this from the mercy of God so long as God is merciful on they go in their sins and fear nothing A miserable case God is gracious that is freely for his own sake to forgive the sins of his people And he is merciful that is will relieve them against all their misery spiritual temporal and eternal And he is 〈◊〉 to anger that is he is loth to empty the Vials of his displeasure upon sinners And of great kindness that is tenderly considers their case and is willing to do them good But should this or any of these be abused to keep from repentance and amendment were not this the ready way to be drowned in a sea of mercy Jonah was almost drowned in such a sea though a godly man yet almost undone by misapplication of the mercy of God But thou O man a secure and hard-hearted wretch wilt be quite drowned one day look to it as well as thou wilt For the third particular It is a strange prayer that Jonah here makes both for the manner and for the matter of it He prayed unto the Lord and said Take my life from me Mark this is spoken in haste being exceedingly displeased and very angry and he speaks it in a muttering and chiding manner expostulating the case even with God himself I pray thee O Lord was not this my saying when I was yet in my Countrey as if he had said I thought what thou wouldest do I had just cause to fly away and never do the Errand at Nineve I said what would come of it A merciful God thou art and