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
in them but search to understand them more fully and clearly Search the Scriptures Joh. 5.39 Read Hear Pray Confer Obey any thing to get out the hidden treasure Be both frequent and earnest in searching out the meaning of places Dig Cry lift up your Voice for understanding plain Apostles feed the simple hard Prophets exercise the more witty and understanding 2. Be reverent in all your conversing with the word whether by Reading or Hearing King Eglon stood up to receive Ehuds Message from the Lord. Cornelius and his Company set themselves in the presence of God to hear what should be spoken by Peter The Congregation of Israel in hearing some Message from God bowed their head and worshpped even so do ye take heed to the word of prophesie give earnest heed to the things that are spoken 3. Believe all that the Prophets have written not as the slow of heart whom our Saviour reproved or as those now-a-days who deserve to be reproved King Agrippa believest thou the Prophets I wish I could say of every one I know thou believest Certainly the word doth no good unless it be mingled with faith in them that hear it Heb. 4.2 as Meat except it be digested or Physick except it be kept for a while Faith implies knowledge Consent and Application 4. Obey the Voice of the Prophets and Apostles as being the Voice of the Lord. When God delivered the Commandements Israel made account they must obey all that he said and promised so to do and said he Oh that there were such an heart in them It had been well for them and it would be well for us if so pliant and obedient Consider our Reading Hearing Praying Conferring is all to be referred to obeying Obeying hath the promise as is said Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it and Hearers of the Law shall be blessed in the deed 5. Be built upon the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Eph. 2.20 Building is to add Stone to Stone and Timber to Timber so you to your Gifts and Graces Christians should not only be setled and established in the truth but increase daily more and more This is often required 1 Thes 4.1 and 2 Pet. 3.18 And it is required that to the best of your skill and power ye suffer not the Doctrine of the Prophets to be gain-sayed or corrupted 6. Honor Jesus Christ whom all the Prophets pointed at Act 3.19 Jonah here is a Figure of his Death and Resurrection other Prophets tell of the place of his Birth of the time of his Coming of the holiness and glory of his Kingdom and the like Both the Prophets that went before and the Apostles that followed after all cryed Hosanna to the Son of David Let us also who come up in the Rear give our Acclamations to honor Jesus Christ especially in the way of obedience Take heed let not Christ find honour and obedience among Indians and lose it among Christians Israels ingratitude was here upbraided by the Ninevites Repentance Rev. 2.5 And a remove of the Gospel hath been long threatned beware lest at last it be removed indeed Jonah must go when God sends him and so must other good Ministers Ver. 2. Arise go to Nineve that great City and cry against it for their wickedness is come up before me Here is the Prophets special Message and in it three things 1. His excitation to do work for God at Nineve Arise go to Nineve that great City 2. His denunciation of Gods judgment against it Cry against it 3. Assignation of the reason For their wickedness is come up before me Nineve Nineve was the chief City of the Assyrians as London to us English Nineve in the name of it sounds forth a fair and beautiful City In Moses time and long before it was a great City Gen. 10.12 Two places in this Book do intimate the greatness of it Chap. 3.3 4. and 4.11 Histories supply some particulars It s greatness Diod. Sic. v. c. that it was threescore Miles in compass that it had Walls exceeding high and broad so that three Carts might meet and pass by one another that upon the Walls were fifteen hundred goodly Turrets for Defence and Ornament that by continuation of Buildings four Cities were grown into one as those two of London and Westminster that Babylon was a less City by the fourth part and yet when part of it was taken by the Persians Jer. 51.31 Arist pol. some part knew not of the taking till three dayes after That Nineve was eight years in Building though ten thousand Work-men were employed at once about it that it was head of the first Monarchy for twelve hundred years together and so had brought a world of Wealth and people into the City out of the several Provinces which were spoiled and Tributaries to Nineve as afterward did the Romans who if they had been stript of their stollen Goods Lactant. should return to their ancient Cottages and penury Now this could not be done without a great deal of Pride Oppression Blood-shed and other wickedness Sinfulness And it is very likely that the Citizens grew very Lofty Luxurious Filthy scarce tolerable one to another But it is plain that they were great enemies to the people of God Esa 10.5 O Assyrian the rod of mine anger Ye have the History of Senacherib and his rage against God and his people though Ashur came of Shem the holy seed yet he became a spitâ—ful and a blaspheming enemy Gen. 10.22 Now to this Nineve is Jonah sent as an Herald of Arms Danger to denounce Destruction for their sins One against many and a mean one against the Potentates of the world An unequal encounter but the Lord tels him of it before-hand that he may know the worst of it and arm himself accordingly with faith and courage to do his Message as he ought stoutly and faithfully Learn and before-hand cast the cost of Religion Fore-seen darts are either avoided or do the less harm Summons Arise and cry against it What the cry was we see in Chap. 3.4 Yet forty dayes and Nineve shall be overthrown concealing the rest as the secrets of God who makes his Servants of his Court but not of his Counsel The Lord meant by this thunder to awake the Ninevites and bring them to Repentance and by them to shame Israel who after much Preaching remained hard-hearted and un-reformed And his usual manner is to fore-tell a Plague before he inflicts it such is his goodness to his Creatures and it should work upon people when they are fore-warned to be also fore-armed Woe if they be not Doctr. 1 Beware of weariness and cowardize Three points come here to be observed for Edification That at the call of God we ought to stir up our selves and settle to our duty Arise and go to the great City Nineve Jonas might even be weary of Preaching to Samaria
of Nineve and he arose from his Throne and laid his Robe from him and covered him with Sackcloth and sate in ashes And he caused it to be proclaimed c. Here we have the Ninevites repenting at the preaching of Jonah which is first set down in geneal ver 5. and then declared in particulars in the rest of the Verses In general their repentance is set down two wayes 1. By the cause that moved them They believed God 2. By the adjunct signs of it which are three Fasting Sackcloth and Ashes Note Divers examples of repentance Note out of the whole how many examples of repentance we have in this Book we saw the Mariners repenting and turning to God and we saw Jonah repenting with abundant testifications of the truth of it But these were private acts of piety which went little farther then the men themselves At the Text we have a publick example of King Lords and Commons all humbled and reformed And this example might go far and near to do much good among the Nations that were subject to the large Empire of the Assyrians People generally think it concerns them to do as their Rulers and Commanders do Use Oh that all these examples might perswade our people to an effectual imitation Wherefore are they recorded but for our instruction to do the like and fare well as they did especially the example of the Ninevites both because Chrâ—st proposeth it for our imitation and because he saith they shall be our Judges at the last day unless we repent The men of Nineve repented at the preaching of Jonah and shall rise in judgment with this generation Mat. 12â— and condemn it namely for not repenting But most of all this example concerns those that are Rulers in Church and State that they publickly repent and testifie their repentance as they wish well to the people committed to their charge Not only publish Decrees for humiliation but themselves joyn in the duties of humiliation and more turn from their own evil ways and cause others to turn from theirs Ezek. 18.30 Repent and turn your selves and others from all your transgression Note more Note Most good doâ—â— where least lâ—kely how Jonah reapes most fruit of his labours where he least expected He had preached long to the ten Tribes and we read of no such repenting which without doubt could not chuse but grieve and trouble the good man But now where he was averse to preaching to a people he finds a great crop of Penitents so the first shall be last and the last shall be first the least likely are soonest converted Publicans and Harlots go before the Pharisees into the Kingdom of Heaven Now such examples do hearten us along to preach the Gospel notwithstanding all discouragements Use We sow our seed in the morning and withhold not our hand in the evening because we know not which shall prosper this or that and the worst that are may be gained to God as soon as any it may be sooner Esa 49.4 5. and Though people be not gathered yet shall we be glorious in the eye of God and our reward is with him They believed God Note Penitents look to God in preaching They saw and heard Jonah but they looked higher to his and their great Master A true Penitent looks up to God in the ministery of man When the Theâ—alonians were converted they received Pauls preaching Not as the word of man but as it was in truth the word of God 1 Epist 2.1.3 So the Convert in 1 Cor. 14.25 when the secrets of his heart were made manifest in preaching he fell down before the Preachers and said God is in you of a truth Use No wonder then that so few are converted now-a-days for we cannot get our people to see farther then us the Ministers and why should they much regard weak men like to themselves or what have they to do so to controul them for their sins Certainly we shall never do good to any purpose till we can perswade you to hear as from God and that is but fitting as our Saviour hath said He that heareth you heareth me Luke 10 16. and before the Text Jonah preached the preaching which the Lord bad him to deliver They beliâ—ved God That is They believed the threatning which God had denounced against them by Jonah By Jonah they understood what manner of God the God of Jonah was not as the idol-gods of the Gentiles which did neither good nor hurt but strong and just and true in his threatnings and the believing of this was tâ—e beginning of their repentance They did not only believe Jonaâ— but the God of Jonah so Israel at the red sea seeing their own escape and drowning the Egyptians They believed the Lord and his servant Moses Doctr. Believing of threats works repentance Exod. 14.31 To believe the threats and thunderings of Gods judgements against sin is a good means to work sinners to repentance Such faith is the first bending or â—nclining of the soul toward salvation The people were awakened by John Baptists ministery telling of the Axe laid to the root of the trees J. Martyr to come forth and ask what they should do to be saved Mat. 3.7 18. and Luke 3.10 12 14. So the Goaler by the terrors set on him Act. 16.30 And those that were pricked at the heart chap. 2.37 Why this is the power and efficacy of the word Reas where it is admitted into the heart It is quick and powerful Heb. 4.12 and sharper then any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart The same voice of God that commanded the wind and sea and fish in Jonahs case commands also the guilty consciences of sinners to stoop to the word and yield to his directions Threats come and shake the soul to pieces then come promises and heal the wounds which the threats had made and rules of life to order the Convert according to the mind and pleasure of God This is the Divine Nature of the word our profession is rightly called Divinity because there goes with it the Majesty and Authority of God And it serves to condemn those nice and delicate hearers Use 1 of the word who must not be troubled or disquieted in the least with the denunciation of Gods judgements against them for their sins but say in effect Esa 30.10 Prophesie unto us smooth things Prophesie deceits Yet the Lord sent Jonah with an harsh message to Nineve and the Prophets came with many thundering peaâ—es against the drunkards of Ephraim and other sinners yea our Saviour doubled and trebled his woes against the secure in his time Mat. 11. and 23. And for them that believe not these threats both Christ the Prophets and Apostles have opened the sad case of all such First Esaiah complains Lord Chap. 53
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
he should not be merciful at last they were in a sad case Oh mercy is all in all what should a sinner do without mercy it is our life it is our salvation it is our all The more shame if poor creatures let it go so slightly as 't is to be feared many do Mot. 2 2. Consider the qualities of this mercy It is infinite it is tender it is free it is rich and abundant and every way worth the keeping The mercy of the most loving man or woman is cruelty in comparison Gods mercy is the only saving way to raise up sinners Luke 1.77 78 He gives knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins through his tender mercy or the bowels of his mercy Now who of us would lose a dear friend for a few pins or points Beware of this extream foolery Mot. 3 3. Mercy cost the Lord dear before he could make it your mercy or you could call it your own mercy Though it be free in respect of his love so ordering a way of reconciliation yet it is not free in respect of Christ and his sufferings It cost him great drops of bloud scourges fears sorrows manifold indignities he found it no easie matter to procure mercy for sinners And should it now be prodigally squandred away and all for trifles what maâ—e a great purchase by expending a great summe of money and idly forfeit it again Mot. 4 4 What a terror one day will it be to have it as your own mercy and let it go to have it merited offered sealed applyed rejoyced in yet lost when all is done Heb. 6.5 to taste of the powers of the world to come and yet fall away and lose all for a little ease or wealth or other vanity what Boy hath a bird in his hand and lets him fly away in hope to catch him again Oh who can pity or help that soul which thrusts away his own mercy 5. Worldly comforts are not our own in comparison Mot. 5 nor worthy to be owned they are but clouts and accidentals to speak off they are easily and quickly put off forfeited lost consumed remembred with bitterness when they are gone Riches take them wings and fly toward heaven Prov. 23.5 Pleasures many time end in pain Honors go out with a snuff And at best these things give not contentment as they promised There is a lye in my right hand saith the Idolater Esa 44.20 in my eye sath the wanton in my heart saith the covetous in my course of life saith the profane or the hypocrite 6. If good things be such lying vanities what shall we Mot. 6 say of lusts of will-worships star-gazings and the like how will these lye and deceive and do a mischief what will be the end of gross and staring sins in many shall they find mercy at the hands of God it is impossible God reserves mercy for them that make a better use of it for vessels of mercy in this life vessels of his praise and by grace fitted for glory Lastly for carnal reasonings let all godly men take Mot. 7 heed by Jonahs example who was almost drowned in Gods mercy when it was perverted to declining of duty Ye see how he fared beware of halting a little or for a while Ver. 9.10 I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving I will pay that that I have vowed salvation is of the Lord. And the Lord spake unto the fish and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land Of sacrificing to the Lord we spake on chap. 1.16 as also of making vows And on v. 17. we spake of the powerful and present providence of God how it reacheth to all the creatures even the fishes of the sea Therefore the less is to be spoken now Note Difference of godly and ungodly But for farther edification note thus There is much difference between the purposes of the godly and the wicked in regard of afflictions 1. The wicked purpose well while under the rod and in great danger the godly when they have now escaped viz. Jonah was now got out of shipwrack and saith he will sacrifice and pay vows but of the Mariners we hear no more A man hereby may guess something of the frame of his heart 2. The wicked make vows but the godly say they will pay their vows In case of revenge perhaps or of some wickedness a wicked man will do it because he hath vowed it as he saith but in case of religiousness he will take more leisure and think of it ten times or an hundred times before he will do it once There is another tryal of your hearts I will sacrifice with the voice of thanksgiving So David sometimes I will offer unto thâ—e bullocks and lambâ— and tell of all thy wondrous works Come children I will tell you what he hath done for my soul I will not hide his righteousness and his doings from the great Congregation I will praise the Lord among the faithful and in the assembly Note â—se expressions of thankfulness A godly man ought to be thankful for mercies and to use expressions of his thankfulness Indeed the marrow of thankfulness lies in the heart and they are hypocrites who are all in good words but where the heart is right and inditing a good matter the tongue may well be allowed to be the pen of a ready writer yea must interpret the mind in way of thankfulness Of this see something in Psal 37.30 31. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom and his tongue talketh of judgement The law of his God is in his heart none of his steps shall slide Eph. 4 29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace to the hearers Col. 4.6 Let your speech be alwayes with grace seasoned with salt that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man Which serves to reprove the barrenness of good speech that appears in some of the godly Use Reproof thankful for â—he mercies of God prize them meditate on them magnifie the love from which they come and mean to follow on in a way of real thankfulness according to their calling but fail in this that they utter not the voice of thanksgiving when and where it concerns them sometime to testifie their gratitude or speak to the edification of others Mat. 12.35 A fault and should be mended A good man out of the treasure of his heart should bring forth good things not only actions but speeches How else shall the lips of the righteous feed many or how shall Idolaters be confronted profane persons brow-beaten or religious friends edified excited unto the like thankfulness provoked to be active as well as our selves but a meer dulness must lie upon our spirits to be very little serviceable in our generation or in the place of our abode I confess there is too much tattle
hath blessed me with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in him and as Peter Blessed be God who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten me again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible c. 1 Pet. 1.3 These are good forms of thanksgiving but the matters are infinitely precious and highly to be prized 2. It serves to comfort good and thankful souls as the Use 2 blessed Virgin rejoyced in God her Saviour Comfort There is comfort in an outward deliverance such as 88. or 1605. but much more in a spiritual from sin and Satan and all those woful torments so the joy should be heartier and purer and enlarged abundantly toward the Author Psal 32.11 Rejoyce in the Lord ye righteous be glad and shout for joy Phil. 4.4 all ye that are upright in heart Not simply the gift but the Giver to be highly magnified Rejoyce in the Lord alway and again I say rejoyce These are good discriminations from carnal joy so to look to the benefit and by it to the Founder as David when he had sung the works of God concluded My meditation of him shall be sweet Psal 104.34 3. It serves to help our faith in dangers and against Use 3 temptations Trust in this God of salvation Confidence both for soul and body we may well cast all our care on him to secure both And we need not doubt in the least though hell raise many storms and the world as many and our own unbelieving hearts cast doubts now and then yet fear nothing he hath both devised and wrought salvation for us and keeps it safely for us 1 Pet. 1.5 Lastly a soul that hath any sad thoughts and cares about Use 4 his salvation sees hereby whether to look and turn and where to speed of salvation look to Jehovah who is complete in all his Attributes Promises Relations Ordinance Dispensation especially in Christ the Mediator between God and man and a most loving Saviour to distressed souls The Lord spake unto the fish and it vomited out Jonah upon dry land The voice of the Lord is powerful and mighty in operation see Psal 29.3 Note Gods voice very powerful 1. 1. This is utteted of the written word of God Heb. 4.12 In the hand of the Spirit it is able to convince of a bad estate to convert to confirm to comfort to recover out of great falls and in fine to save a soul yea by hundreds and thousands Act. 2. 2. It is true also of the creation and providence of God he makes and upholds all things by the word of his power Heb. 1.3 by the word of the Lord the heavens were created and all the hosts of them he sends forth his word and they are made and at his word they return to their dust Specially his providence to his Church and Chosen Thou art our King O God Psal 44.4 command deliverance for Jacob. He spake to Esau and Laban and they refrained from Jacob he spake to the spirit of Cyrus and he sent back the captivity of Judah he spake to the feavers in way of rebuke and they left the sick persons Speak the word only and my servant shall be healed Here he spake to the fish and Jonah came to dry land Use 1 Psal 29.9 Worthily therefore in his Temple doth every one speak of his glory as a most fit Object of our admiration and adoration None among the gods is to be compared to the Lord none of them is like unto our God holy and reverend is his Name Oh for hearts lifted up in his praises and ravished with his glories Use 2 And Oh for hearts to trust in him amidst all our dangers and difficulties It is as easie for him to deliver if he please as for us to let fall a word to restrain an enemy to heal a disease to supply our wants to Comfort our hearts Only believe All things are possible to him that believeth So in those main truths of the Gospel 1. That Christ rose again from the dead the third day as here did Jonah the same God that spake to the fish and Jonah got to dry land did speak to death and the grave and Christ got into the land of the living Remember thy Type and how it was answered As Christ rose again by his own power so also by the power of his Father 2. That we also shall rise again at the last day Ezek. 37.1 we believe the resurrection of the dead Why God will speak to dry bones and they shall come bone to bone and â—ive and stand up and be a great army If we believe the Scriptures and the power of God we will never stick to believe this Article 3. That collapsed Churches shall be raised again as there Judah in captivity Apply it to the Churches of Bohemiah and other now fallen 4. That distressed consciences shall be relieved in due time God will speak peace to his people and will revive the spirit of the contrite ones 5. That broken Trades and Estates shall be restored when God pleaseth he will restore the years of the Locust and Caterpillar Only if we believe and obey Esa 1.19 20. If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the land but if ye refuse and rebel ye shall be devoured with the sword for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it CHAP. III. Ver. 1.2 And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time saying Arise and go to Nineve that great City and Preach unto it the Preaching that Ibid thee OF this Chapter there be four parts 1. A new order for Jonah to go and preach at Nineve ver 1.2 2. Jonahs obeying of that order ver 3.4 3. The Ninevites repenting at his preaching ver 5.6 7 8 9. 4. The mercy and forbearance of God upon their repenting ver 10. Note Penitents restored to their old standing For the first of these Jonah is here restored to his office of a Prophet from which he might seem to have fallen and that most justly so our Saviour restored â—eter to his office of an Apostle after the great sin of denying his Master Notable examples of Gods goodness in healing and restoring the Penitent as was said I will heal their backsliding I will love them freely Hos 14.4 Use 1 And they yield much comfort to afflicted consciences which are troubled at their failings and backslidings Fear not nor be dismayed he that restored Jonah and Peter will restore thee also and set all at rights between him and thy soul Use 2 And learn you that are spiritual to restore a Brother that is fallen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the spirit of meekness Gal. 6.1 The word is set him in joynt again Care is taken for the body in that case and should much more be taken for the soul Note Without exprobration of failings But mark
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
1. who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed Our Saviour upbraids the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 21 32. that they belâ—eved not when they had heard the preaching of the Baptist And the Apostles say they could not enter because of unbelief Heb. 3.19 Rev. 21.8 and The unbelieving march with the formost into the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone for ever and Give him his portion as with hypocrites so with unbelievers Yea more He that believeth not is condemned already Unbelief is a damning sin as well as any gross sin against the Law and whereas the Law condemneth a sinner potentially unbelief condemneth actually Use 2 What of God is to be believed Take heed Christians and believe your God when he speaks by his Ministers 1. Believe the justice of God that he knows to be angry as well as to shew favour to threaten as well as to promise to damn as well as to save He is very merciful but will by no means clear the guilty Men may dream what they please Exod. 34.7 but one day will find they have a just God to deal withall 2. Believe the truth of God that all he hath threatned he will most certainly perform without true unfained effectual repentance The words of God are pure words as silver seven times purified in the fire As the promises to the godly so the threats against the wicked not one falls to the ground 3. Believe the power of God that he is able to execute the judgments he hath denounced against sinners The Lord was able to overthrow Nineve within forty days yea within the compass of one day why not Nineve as well as Sodom and neighbouring Cities 4. Believe the wisdom of God that the only way which he hath devised to turn away threats is to be found in Jesus Christ The wisdom of God and the power of God to salvation there is no salvation in any other by him wrath is appeased and by him comes all saving good to repenting sinners Motive to believe threats Consider for a Motive to believe the threats of God 1. This is the only safe way to bid you believe the promises of God We have no commission to bid you believe these till ye be first overawed with his threats The broken heart is the only sacrifice wherein the Lord delighteth Psal 51.17 Esa 61. Mat. 11.28 Christ came to bind up the broken-hearted and said Come all ye that labour and are heavy-laden I will give you ease ye shall have refreshment for your souls 2. It is a mercy to be spoken unto by men weak as your selves as Israel said to Moses Let not God speake to us lest we dye Should God come and speak in his storms and tempests who among us could abide the terror Moses at such a sight did exceedingly quake and tremble Take heed and abuse not his goodness to security or to harden your hearts 3. Mark how those two are joyned together Believe the Lord and believe his Prophets 2 Chron. 20.20 This saith he is the only way to prosper We have this treasure in earthen vessels we are Stewards and have the dispensing of holy things and all know in a great house there is no receiving of Pay or Diet but by the allowance of the Steward 4. How good was it for Nineve to believe God when he spake by the mouth of Jonah True they feared repented put on sackcloth refrained from diet and cryed mightily to God for mercy but the sweetness of mercy made amends for all And so it shall do for other Penitents And put on Sackcloth Christians must testifie the truth of their repentance by outward tokens of humility and humiliation Note Shew repentance by outward tokens These were ordinary practices among the Jews in their fasting Ahab put on sackcloth and went softly and so did others others rent their cloaths others stript off their robes and sate in the dust But because in process of time these forms became meer forms and were taken up by hypocrites therefore Joel bad them rent their hearts and not their garments Joel 2.13 and turn to the Lord their God and Esay at large describeth and rejecteth their hypocrisie chap. 58.3 and Zachary tells them they did but fast to themselves not to God chap. 7.3 7. Yet thus far the Ceremony will reach us at this day 1. On days of humiliation no fine nor gaish Apparel should be used as hath been the fashion of some in these days An humble heart must appear before the Lord as alway so especially on such days in the dress of mourners No reason the habit should give the heart the lye nor the heart the habit Out of the abundance of the heart the dress will shape to be either lowly or phantastical 2. Still there must be a rending of the heart to bewail those sins which provoked God to wrath and indignation yea though it be a good and holy heart Even godly men have an hand in the provocation and therefore even godly men should bear their part in the lamentation to turn wrath away even David after those failings did mightily humble himself before his God 3. Out of that which is spared from the back and belly allowanâ—e should be made to cloath the naked and feed the hungry and do works even of corporal mercy and of civil righteousness Esa 58.6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen saith the Lord. Use Thus fast and then see what promises are made Esa 58.8 9 10 11 12. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning and thine health shall spring forth speedily and thy righteousness shall go before thee c. One fast well kept might rid us of all our confusions And thus to fast would well become all of us from the highest to the lowest as here From the greatest of them to the least of them A duty for all All are sinners both in their nature and life and all run into Arrear with God and are in danger of remporal and eternal vengeance If Nineve had been overthrown in those forty days all had gone to wrack infants and sucklings as well as elderly people and therefore all must smart by this humiliation Joel 2.16 so in Joel Those that suck the breasts must want their milk for a while and cry to God as well as they can Yea these Ninevites go farther to the beast the herd and the flock no eating no tasting no drinking of water that the very lowing of the cattel may go up to heaven and call in their language for mercy as is said Psal 147.9 He heareth the young Ravens when they cry If so at such times let the greatest forget and lay aside their greatness and let the least among us bear their part in humiliation especially they that are least in the Kingdom of God and they that think themselves less then the least of all
and repent and turn away from his fierce anger that we perish not This may be the voice of faith striving between hope and fear The King and Nobles of Nineve hope well they may be spared upon their repentance but they fear the worst they cannot tell what the event will be they will use the means but are not sure what will be the success Only they hope God may be over-intreated by their humiliation and reformation to save them from perishing It is a temporal mercy which they crave and Gods own Children are not sure alway to speed in such matters viz. to escape the danger of war to get out of a great fit of sickness or the like Yea such is the modesty of godly men that in the sense of their own unworthiness they will not prescribe to Gods wisdom concerning the length or strength of their afflictions but quietly submit to his will and good pleasure I was dumb and opened not my mouth because thou didst it Psal 39.9 Yet methinks we may look higher even to the forgiveness of sin and salvation of the soul Our Saviour saith of the Ninevites that they repented at the preaching of Jonah and in the former words we have seen three acts of repentance and now the fourth will make up a competent description of repentance Repentance is such a grace of God as whereby we are humbled for sin Description of repentance pray for pardon reform what is amiss and have some hope of finding mercy at Gods hands All these were in the Ninevites and are in each true Convert 1. A true Convert is humbled for sin though not perhaps in sackcloth and ashes as these here 1 Cor 14.25 or though he do not fall down on his face as he in the Corinthians yet his heart is pierced with godly sorrow for sin which now begins to be very bitter and grievous to him Jer. 2.19 He finds it an evil and bitter thing to have forsaken the Lord his God Sin now is grown burdensome to his soul as is implyed in those words labour and are heavy laden Mat. 11 2â— And now earthly comforts grow unsavory what joy can he have so long as he is under the guilt and condemnation of his sins especially the pleasures of sin O odious and bitter to be thought on 2. A true Convert prayes for the pardon of his sins God be merciful to me a sinner Luke 18.13 Psal 51.1 according to the multitude of thy mercies blot out my transgressions So Daniel and Ezra in their humiliations and these Ninevites cry mightily unto God In the one and fiftieth Psalm we see Davids doubled and trebled Petitions for mercy just as a condemned Malefactor earnestly beseecheth the Judge to shew him mercy forgiveness of sins being the happiness of a sinner Rom. 4.6 and a chief mercy for which we should give thanks Psal 103.1 2 3. Oh how happy should I be thinks the distressed soul if I were released of my sins 3. A true Convert reforms what is amiss Turns from his evil way both Commissions that the wickednesses shall not be done over and over as heretofore and Omâ—ssions that he will do the duties which formerly he neglected pesonal and in the family not as our negative Christians who rest contented if they be not so bad as sometime they were No God requires good to be done as well as evil to be left undone Cease to do evil and learn to do wâ—ll Put off the old man Esa 1 16. Eph. 4 22.24 put on the new Paul when he was converted presently a sked Lord what wilt thou have me to do 4. A true Convert hath some hope of finding mercy at the hands of God who can tell whether he will turn and shew favor Though he cannot yet say his sin is pardoned yet he conceives it is pardonable To the Lord my God belong mercies and forgivenesses we have heard of this King of Israel that he is a merciful King therefore we will nourish some hope amidst all our fears and notwithstanding many discouragements Doctr. Mixture of hope and fear in Converts The point is this Gods own Children sometimes cannot well tell whether he will be merciful to them that they perish not there is a Conflict of faith between hope and fear we read of a bruised reed and smoaking flax some fire but much smoak They can say with the poor man I believe Mark 9.24 Rom 7 24 but say with tears too Lord help my unbelief They can say Good is present with me but withall who shall deliver me from this body of death Now this holds both first and last 1. At the beginning of conversion a young Convert cannot tell whether his sins be forgiven him and his soul set in safety by Jesus Christ as the Childe lives in the womb but knows not that he lives A man may be rich and not know that he is rich so aâ— Christian is ignorant concerning his good estate toward God till the Spirit of revelation be given him to know his happiness 2. Afterward all along in his course he hath his doubtings fears cares jealousies concerning the love of God returning upon him now and then which comes to pass by the weakness of his faith by the strength of temptations by his remisness in using the means of grace or by neglecting his religious course Hath the Lord forgotten to be gracious c. One way or other it comes to pass that even a good Christian must rejoyce with trembling Pas 77. Psal 2 11. Phil 2.12 and work out his salvation with fear and trembling and he that ere while was very confident in little time begins to flag and faint exceedingly I know that my Redeemer liveth said Job yet by and by he was quite carryed down the stream Quest But may not a Christian tell whether Gods fierce anger be turned from him or no Answ 1. There be good and sufficient grounds for assurance Answ as for example the covenant of grace the freeness and largeness of the promises the powerful satisfaction and intercession of Jesus Christ the word of reconciliation committed to Ministers the Oath of God the Seals of Sacraments with other Why all this but to give us strong consolation Heb. 6.18 God would not have his Children to doubt and be afraid and hath said Why did ye doubt O ye of little faith Be not faithless but believing c. Assurance then is to be had and those are the grounds of this assurance 2. This assurance admits of degrees In Scripture we read of assurance much assurance and full assurance of faith Some days are brighter then other and the comforts of some Christians are more lively then of others Yea in the same Christian there be lucida intervalla among all their evidences dusky at times but the cloud soon vanishes and after many wrestlings comes at last the triumph of faith Who shall accuse or condemn Rom. 8.34