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
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
suffer for the truth and way of God cannot entertain Ministers cannot build and endow Hospitals repair Bridges do other works of bounty as our fore-fathers were wont to do Shall he therefore be wholly excused of offering to the Lord No the poorest and meanest Christian that is out of a gracious heart is able to pray praise God live holily deal righteously converse to the Edification one of another Calves of the lips spiritual sacrifice a body prepared and fitted to do service and a mind with meditations and affections Use 2 Offer these and it shall suffice The Jew that was not able to bring a Bullock must bring a pair of â—urtle-doves or two young Pigeons so the Christian let him do his best and it will go for currant Only with this Caution he that is able to offer a great sacrifice shall not be excused by a less Cursed be the deceiver who hath a male in his flock and sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing Mal. 1.14 or offers the torn the lame or the sick shells of outward service or old age that is now able to do nothing for God or meerly good meaning without doing what might and ought to be done as some do flatter themselves all such are deceivers and draw a curse upon themselves instead of a blessing These Mariners offered what they could but so do not these For the third they made vows Not only in the present did these Mariners worship the Lord but meant to worship him for time to come and thereunto bound themselves by vows 2 King 5 17. so Naaman the Syrian Hereafter I will serve no God but the God of Israel Note This is the right use of afflictions and of escaping out of them not only be Religious for a time but for ever Many can seem to be Religiously affected while they are under Gods rods or when they are newly got out of his hands but in a little space grow as bad as ever it may be more hardened as iron that hath been heated and cold again Take heed of dodging with the God of Heaven Use He looks for plain and honest dealing of those he delivers or to whom he vouchsafes mercy It is a condition upon deliverance from enemies To serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life Luke 1.74 75. The mercy lasteth alway and so must the duty and no reason can be alledged for ceasing from that duty Go then and learn what means to hear for the time to come to pray continually Esa 42 23. to receive Sacraments often even untill Christ come They made vows What we read not nor matters it Vows of Christians what they are But to our purpose 1. The main matter of Christian Vows is that we bind our selves to the Lord in a Covenant that shall never be broken as Presper said Seipsum voveas seipsum reddat he that will vow to the Lord let him devote himself and render himself to his Majesty and David said Ps 119.106 I have sworn that I will keep thy Commandments not Counsels but Precepts are the grounds and bounds of a Christians vows Therefore not Monkish nor any other will-worship 2. The entrance into a lawful vow is at our Baptism where we promised to be the Lords to believe to obey to renounce all his and our enemies implyed in that phrase Baptized in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost that is dedicated devoted set apart for his service and glory relinquishing all others as a good Wife to cleave to her Husband alone 3. The vow of Baptism is renewed many times afterward either at a Sacrament of the Lords Supper or in the time of danger and it ought to be Religiously remembred and observed as Psal 66.13 14. I will pay that my vows which my lips have uttered and my mouth hath spoken when I was in trouble Whether these Mariners kept their vows we know not but are sure that we ought to keep ours Use Remember and make Conscience of performing these vows be as faithful in keeping them as thou seemdst Religious in making them Remember the fears and pains and cares of those sad hours and what religious affections were then stirring mind all those passages and now reduce all into act Now is the time now and ever Take heed it will be no safe mocking of God Gal. 6.7 Be not deceived God is not mocked All the mocking would return upon thine own soul to thy eternal damnation Where for better performance remember that clause not to put off the paying of vows Eccl. 5.4 When thou hast vowed a vow to God defer not to pay This delay is it which marres abundance of good purposes and resolutions while we think there is time enough the motion dies and no good effect follows A deceitful heart a subtle Devil a flattering or encumbring world vain or wicked Companions draw quite another way Ver. 17. Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights Our Saviour calls it a Whale Mat. 12.40 Jonah was so long in the belly of the Whale Whales and other great fishes Possibly it is the Leviathan described in Job 41. Or it may be the Crocodile Histories tell of fishes of incredible bigness and our people have seen the Grampos the Sturgeon the Man-fish the Mermaide and other and Navigators have seen the Sea-Horse the Sea-Bull and other strange Monsters and of strange greatness All made by God and are at his beck and serve to set forth his praise see Psal 104.24 25 26. At the Text it is said that God prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah Here is in wrath mercy Though God will have his servant cast into the Sea yet he will not have him drowned in the Sea No he loves him better then so and hath more work for him to do which though he declined at first yet afterward he shall be willing to do Note how the providence of God reacheth to the bottom of the Sea and swayeth among the fishes Note God rules ever fishes He that sent a wind and thereby a storm and afterward caused the Sea to cease from her raging now sets a fish in readiness to take Jonah to custody and then restore him to land again So he sent the fish to Peters hook Mat. 17.27 and a multitude of fishes to the Apostles nets Luke 5.4 9. and John 21.3 8. Now bless the Lord O my soul Psal 103.12 in all places of his dominions Use 1 Sea Land Fire Air Clouds all made by him and disposed of by him and all for the good of his Chosen as those wondred at the huge draught of fishes and saith the Text they knew it was the Lord none but the Lord could gather those fishes together And it follows Christ gathered them together therefore Christ is God and accordingly he is to be feared loved honored
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
of the Lord as Parents are commanded Eph. 6.4 It must not be onely civil education but religious So did Father Abraham and found it the way to obtain a blessing Gen. 18.19 That the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him So did David to Solomon So did Lois and Eunice to Timothy And so do thou to thine And when this is done be quiet commit them to God and his providence hope well of them even in dying his seed shall inherit the blessing Or if they miscarry it is their own fault who fell from their good education and forfeited your prayers and Gods blessing withall 3. We saw on Chap. 3. that even the least in Nineve Note 3 joyned in the Fast yea and the very Cattel Humbled ones shall be saved all cryed mightily unto God to be spared and now we see in the grant that is made how the little Children and Cattel are mentioned They that bear a part in dayes of humiliation and fasting shall find mercy with God in an evil time Fasts shall be turned into joyful Feasts for them Zach. 8.19 They that humble themselves under the mighty hand of God in due time shall be lifted up Jam. 4.9 10. They that mourn shall be comforted Mat. 5.4 They that sow in teares shall reap in joy Psal 126.5 Sorrow endures for a night but joy comes in the morning Psal 30.5 Observe here the Jews had a solemn Fast once every year wherein they were to afflict their souls for sin that they might find favour in the sight of God And of this day two things are affirmed Lev. 23.27 1. That it was a day of atonement that is they should have their sins pardoned namely in the blood of Christ who should come figured in the blood of the sacrifices Christ is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world Now this forgivenesse of sins is the blessednesse of a man as Paul saith out of David Rom. 4.6 So that the everlasting welfare of a sinful soul depends upon the due humiliation for sin 2. That in the evening of that day the Trumpet sounded for beginning the year of Jubilee wherein every servant became a free-man and every one returned to his land which he had any way alienated Lev. 25.8 and when the Church of the New Testament was to be shewed in vision to Ezekiel it was on the same day of the same moneth Chap. 40.1 Reas 1 And thus the Lord shews favour to them that humble themselves in fasting 1. Because of those promises not that there is merit in their humiliations though the body should be pined with fasting yet no merit bodily exercise profiteth little 2. Those that truly humble themselves are brought to Gods bent and are become such people as he would have them to be Believers new creatures reformed and walk with him in holinesse He knows we cannot be perfect but when he sees us rightly set it sufficeth and gives content 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 3.17 In Christ he is well-pleased and so with them Use 1 Those then wrong themselves who distaste our dayes of humiliation They share not in the atonement or the forgivenesse of their sins They miss of many temporal mercies which might be had And they smart with divers afflictions which to them are so many curses as also are all outward blessings Mal. 2.2 I have cursed your blessings And see Zach. 14.16 17 18 19. Use 2 And if so let all be willing to joyn in dayes and duties of humiliation prescribed by authority and do them in a right manner that is 1. With a broken heart cast down for sin Joel 2.12 13. 2. With forsaking those sins which are confest and lamented Pro. 28.13 He that confesseth and forsaketh them shall find mercy 3. With doing the works of holinesse righteousnesse and mercy which are quite contrary Esa 58.5 6. Then follow large and precious promises vers 8. And all other are accounted but hypocrites when they fast never so much or never so often Zach. 7.5 6 7. Consider and remember the afflicting of the soul in fasting and what the Infants and Cattel could not do for want of understanding but meerly by force do you perform voluntarily and do it sincerely really effectually Such is the Fast which God hath chosen and this is the way to find favour with God After humiliation comes exaltation FINIS