God as a constant portion intending to be his heritage which is a qualification required in them who come for quieting of the conscience from particular guiltinesse and on Gods part it imports that whatever just displeasure he conceive against them yet at last he will be reconciled with his heritaâ—e They are also called the remnant which is another argument why he pardons to wit that being already consumed in part for sin they would be utterly destroyed if mercy end not the controversie 3. Those whom God doth pardon are expressed under the name of the remnant of his heritage or of a remnant of Israel after trouble not only because this benefit is reserved for them also and spoken of here with especial relation to them and will be very generally let out upon them after their restitution but further though Reprobates may also be spared and reserved in publick calamities yet the comparison holds 1. In that the Elect and pardoned ones are the fewer number as a remnant in comparison of the bulk which are cut off 2. In that a remnant left from trouble ought in their behaviour to resemble much the godly and elect in sobriety Isa 38.15 in needy dependance Zeph. 3.12 in mourning for sin Ezek. 7.16 in holy walking Zeph. 3.13 c. The second expression is He retaineth not his anger for ever because he delights in mercy wherein his great mercy and his taking pleasure in it in pardoning sin is amplified and commended from his putting off justly conceived displeasure against sin and the sinner Whence learn 1. The Lord will put on just anger against the sins of his people and may possibly not passe them over at all times but may testifie his displeasure by effects against them whom he will yet pardon for it is here supposed that he may have anger and let it out for a time 2. The Lord when he is provoked and testifying his displeasure is not unwilling to be reconciled for he retaines not his anger or as the word signifieth holds it not with a strong hand but seeketh when he is angry that we should stand in the gap and intreat him to passe from it 3. It highly commendeth God and is matter of great consolation to us that his anger against his people is not everlasting That he retains not his anger for ever is a mercy however it may endure for a long tract of time 4. Gods mercy is the only cause wherefore he doth not pursue his controversies against his people with eternal wrath and this is to be seen and acknowledged by all them who are so graciously dealt with for so do they here He retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy 5. Albeit God blessed over all delight in himself and all his attributes and in the manifestation of them in the world yet after the manner of men he is said to delight in mercy in regard that attribute is most manifested in the world in his bounty to all Psal 33.5 in his not taking pleasure in the death even of reprobates Ezech. 18.32 albeit that for the manifestation of his justice he willeth it and in that to his own people justice is his strange act Isa 28.21 and mercy his ordinary way of dealing and all the mercy he sheweth them he doth it not grudgingly Jer. 32.41 nor doth he delight to be at odds with them but alwayes to have them refreshed in his love and therefore his mercy ends many a plea that it may make way and burst through clouds to manifest it selfe Verse 19. He will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea This great priviledge is yet insisted in and further commended and cleared in several expressions the first is He will turn again he will have compassion upon us wherein is declared not only that the pardon of sin and removal of the effects thereof do flow from the tender mercie of God but this pardon is commended from an effect of it that God in mercy will turn to his pardoned people with compassion and from Gods constancy hereâ—n that after compassion hath been formerly shewed and abused 〈◊〉 will yet again have compassion as the Hebrew way of speech is often taken and translated Whence learn 1. Many of our conceptions and expressions will not be able to take up or utter the great goodnesse of God in pardoning sin nor the great mercy a self-condemned sinner seeth in it nor the great benefit he reaps by it therefore are expressions so multiplied about it 2. Albeit it be a sweet signe of a pardoned man when he esteems of a pardon and of God as a pardoner and when he loveth God because he will forgive his own people yet it addes much to the assurance and comfort of this benefit when every self-condemned sinner layeth hold on this benefit and applieth it to himselfe which should be endeavoured and may be attained for here the Church cometh to application He will have compassion upon us 3. God is provoked by his peoples sins to turn away from them and to seem to neglect them their prayers and conditions so much is imported in that he is to turn again to them 4. Upon the Lords pardoning of sinne not only is anger taken away as v. 18. but reconciliation and the shining of his favourable countenance will follow in due time for He will turn again and have compassion 5. Albeit favours formerly received and abused by us may be a great impediment to our faith in expecting favour when we need it again yet the Lord in mercy will again and again be kinde to his people for so doth the other interpretation teach He will again have compassion See Judg. 10 11 12 13 14. with 16. 6. Albeit the guilty childe of God having abused former mercies and lying in his sinne and misery be an unworthy and contemptible object having nothing wherewith to commend himselfe to God yet pity in God will condescend to look upon him and bring an argument from his very misery to help him for He will have compassion upon us say they 7. The Lord is so far from rejecting his people for their unworthinesse and miserable condition that he will keep them in such a needy condition as may make them fit objects of his pity for in that He will have compassion it implieth that he will keep them in such a needy condition as needs compassion The Church needs not expect to be freed altogether of the badges of her misery unlesse she would banish his tender compassions out of the world 8. The Lords needy and distressed people will get a room in his tender affection till they be helped and compassion shall carve out their supply and issue for so much also doth his having compassion teach us Another expression clearing this benefit is He will subdue our iniquities which may be taken up either as a
no better in their own eyes then dead and rotten in their graves For thou hast brought up my life from corruption that is his body from the fishes belly where it was as in a grave ready to rot and his soule from those terrours that would haue consumed him 8. In Gods working for his people much of his power and love is to be seen and acknowledged This is imported in that sweet compellation O Lord my God The Lord who hath brought him out of deaths pangs and his God who had respected him in this low and guilty condition Ver. 7. When my soule fainted within me I remembered the LORD and my prayer came in unto thee into thine holy Temple Ionahs exercise and deliverance is againe summed up in this that when his spirit was ready to faint under a burthen of affliction and terrours of conscience he calling God to minde found incouragement to pray and got audience Learn hence 1. The spirits of men how stout and couragious soever yet being left alone in trouble and tentation will soone be overthrown and faint for his soule fainted or was overwhelmed with anxiety within him 2. Before the Lord doe for his people he uses to lay them and all their courage once by that he may staine the pride of all glory and no flesh may glory in his presence for saith he my soule fainted within me 3. Much unbelief and discouragement flowes from ouâ— infirmity and weakenesse in not fixing our hearts to meditate on God casting off other perplexing thoughts which we cannot resolve and in not pondering seriously what God is and wil be to his people or hath at any time been unto our selves therefore his remedy and antidote against fainting is I remembred the Lord. 4. Remembring and serious apprehension of God by faith is a notable encouragement to prayer and gives a good account of prayers successe whereas to the misbelievers sense his prayers wander and go he knowes not whither I remembered the Lord and my prayer came in unto thee 5. Gods mercy is to be much seen and magnified in his answering of his peoples prayers in their distresse My prayer saith he Came into thy holy Temple that is into heaven the habitation of thy holinesse where it was a wonder such a rebels prayers should be admitted and were accepted by vertue of the Covenant and Promise made in Christ not for any worth in them 6. Gods manifestation of himself in any place calls for holinesse therefore is not only heaven but the Temple at Jeâ—usalem called Thy holy Temple or the Temple of thine holinesse because not only he is holy but his presence there calls for holinesse in all that approach unto him 7. To be delivered from fainting in trouble and to get accesse unto God by prayer it the childe of Gods greatest mercy in trouble as speaking special love whatever his outward issue be therefore doth Jonah so much insist in commending this mercy of enlargement of soul and support ver 2 4 and 7. Ver. 8. They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy From all this his exercise and deliverance he gathers some Conclusions by way of instruction and use from it and first he gives out his verdict of all by-wayes as depriving man of true happinesse and disapointing him in the end by which we are not only to understand the courses of gross Idolaters but more generally all courses which men lay down for attaining happinesse in any thing beside God and particularly his own former folly and â—ebellion wherein imagining to have found happinesse and content he by the contrary ran quite from it and plunged himself in misery Doct. 1. The experience of Saints from many changes and variety of conditions ought to imprint in their hearts more serious and settled thoughts concerning true happinesse and the right way of attaining it therfore Jonah thus exercised and daunted gathers this Conclusion as a certain Truth They that observe c. 2. All things beside God when they are not made use of if lawful for the end for which God appointed them but happinesse sought in them or confidence placed on them and all wayes and courses beside these prescribed of God will not be able to answer the expectation of the creature but being observed as mans happiness they are vanities in regard of their emptiness to supply the creatures need or to satissie its desires and lying vanities in regard that for the present if we be not attentive they delude us with a vain shew and in the issue doe miserably disappoint 3. Albeit things stand thus yet men are so deluded and doated that they will place their confidence and look for happiness in those things which will disappoint them for there are who observe with all estimation care and expectation depend upon and pursue after lying vâ—nities 4. Men by their pursuing happinesse not in God noâ— in his way do indeed deprive themselves of happiness and consequently run upon their own ruine Therefore such do for sake mercy for as happiness is only to be found in God so they who follow vain courses do in effect renounce and forsake God who will not be joyned with Idols and withal is provoked to plague such things as we put in his roome 5. The portion of such as seek happinesse in God and in his way only is mercy and what mercy in so all-sufficient a God can afford Therefore men taking another way forsake mercy that is their happiness flowing from the infinite mercy of God all happinesse to lost man being mercies gift 6. Men by forsaking of God can take nothing from him but all the prejudice redounds to themselves for they forsake their owne mercy but do not deprive him of happinesse 7. Men in their forsaking of God or his way can have no just challenge or ground of exception against him as putting them away but must take all the blame upon themselves for it is their own mercy which they forsake their own I say by offer for God notwithstanding his secret purpose yet secludeth not any from mercy to whom the offer is made till they seclude themselves Vers 9. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving I wil pay that that I have vowed salvation is of the LORD The second conclusion that Jonah gathers is that seeing the Lord had thus in his folly reclaimed him and in his deep distresse delivered him he will testifie his thankfulnesse by offering praise and performing what he had vowed in his trouble and will learne by this experience that deliverance can be expected from God only and may be expected from him Doct. 1. Received mercies call for praise at the Receivers hand as a testimony of his thankfulness for the mercâ—e and of his estimation of God who gave it and as a means speeding in new straits for Jonah thus delivered will sacrifice c. 2. The Lords crossing and afflicting us in our wandrings till we be brought
accountable to God for it and to examine how it is done whether well or not for so doth Gods challenge to give an account and to examine teach Dost thou wel c 2. To be excessively discontent at Providences especially for small matters is a thing no way beseeming the servants of God for this also is imported in the challenge that it was not right in him a Prophet to be angry yea exceedingly angry as the words may be read for the gourd 3. The pride of mans heart is such that it will justifie it selfe and stand it out even against the verdict of God if hee be given over to tentation for so doth Jonah's Answer to the Lords question teach I doe wel saith he to be angry or I am greatly angry even unto death Nothing will please him but death to bee by it rid of those troubles Ver. 10. Then said the LORD Thou hast had pity on the gourd for the which thou hast not laboured neither madest it grow which came up in a night and perished in a night 11. And should not I spare Nineveh that great city wherein are more then sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand and also much cattel The Lord doth now apply all that is past to his present purpose and from this discontent of Jonah le ts him see the absurdity of his former murmuring for if hee had given way to himselfe so passionately to commiserate so smal a thing as a gourd in producing whereof hee had no hand which was of so short continuance and which needed no pity and that onely because he received some profit and refreshment by it why did he so much stumble that the Lord spared Nineveh which was his handy work and every way considerable there being so many in it that eminently called for pity being neither sensible of any thing nor yet by grosse actual transgressions had provoked the Lord to denounce that judgement So that here the Lord is not approving Ionah's passion but by a reason drawn from the less to the more wherein Ionah a creature and the great Lord a stick and great Nineveh are compared Ionah is convinced of selfishnesse in approving himself in doing that unjustly which he condemned in God when done most mercifully and rightly Doct. 1. Self-love will easily blinde men so far as to make them approve themselves in doing of worse things then those they condemn in others for this is the scope of this reproof to shew Jonah that he would not allow the Lord on just causes to be merciful and yet could allow himself in his selfish passion 2. Much more latitude ought to be allowed to God in his way of working without our quarrelling then we may take to our selves for saith the Lord Thou who mayest be blinded with fancie and humour hadst pity and allowedst thy self in it and should not I a wise and sovereign Lord spare Nineveh being he to whom absolute submission of spirit is due though I thus reason thee out of thy folly 3. The Lord can easily take off the veile of fair pretexts from selfish men and let them be seen in their owne colours for whatever Ionah might pretend as the cause of his grief for Ninevehs sparing the Lord by this demonstrates that his bitterness flowed indeed from love to himself as might be seen in the matter of the Gourd 4. Men under tentation and in an ill way are not without much difficulty convinced that they are wrong therefore the Lord useth all these meanes that Jonah may take with the reproof when by lively demonstrations and deeds he should see his errour Thou hadst pity upon the Gourd c. And should not I spare Nineveh 5. The Lord is so constant in his good-will that he will not only shew mercy but wil maintain his so doing against all who will oppose it for here he pleads for his mercy to Nineveh against Jonah Should not I spare Nineveh 6. The Lord by his practice teacheth us to let out our affections upon objects according as they are of worth in themselves therefore albeit nothing can be of worth to him yet he reprehends Jonahs pity on the gourd a thing of so smal worth coming up in one night and perishing in another as far worse imployed then his mercy in sparing Nineveh that great City and therefore the more to be tendered by him 7. The Lords creating of men may give ground of hope to the sensible sinner that God delights not in his destruction but upon repentance will be willing to spare for while he reasons from Jonahs pity on the gourd for which he had not laboured neither made it grow he teacheth that he could not but spare repenting Nineveh it being his own handy-work 8. Not only persons come to maturity and turning to God but even their children yea and cattel who cannot sensibly acknowledg him do concur to plead for pity to the penitent at Gods hands and his mercy will look on their condition and number as a reason of sparing for he knoweth what Infants are in Nineveh how innocent they were of grosse provocations and that there was much cattel there and from that pleads that so great a City wherein there are so many Infants and so much cattel should be spared 9. The children of the Lord will at last be cleared and satisfied with all the Lords dispensations and will submit to Gods way in them as only right and wise however they repine under their fits of tentation for the Lord gets the last word in this debate and therefore it is evident from Jonah's silence and not answering again that he submitted at last in testimony whereof and of his unfeigned repentance for his miscarriage he glorifieth God in registring all these passages for the edification of the Church whereby also is held forth the infallible certainty of holy Scripture in that the Penmen thereof were so little their own in writing of it as they spare not at Gods command to register their own infirmities that he may be glorified MICAH The ARGUMENT THis Prophet living almost in the same time with Isaiah only he was sent out a little after him and his commission is also extended to the Kingdome of Israel is much like him in matter and is recorded in after-times to have been a faithful man in declining times as it is Jer. 26.18 If we compare the beginning of the first and the sixth Chapters which are almost one and the same we may take up the whole Prophecie in two solemn Sermons in the first whereof he foretels the captivity of the ten Tribes and calamity of Judah by the Assyrians because of Idolatry Chap. 1. and because of covetousnesse oppression and contempt of the Messengers of God Chap. 2. and the wickednesse of Rulers both in Church and State for which Judah is yet further threatned Chap. 3. Then he armes the godly against the Babylonish captivity then approaching with
conviction what had past from Shittim to Gilgal 5. There are standing monuments and experiences in the Church which may abundantly satisfie them of the Lords truth mercy and stedfastnesse in good will toward them for their incouragement in walking in his way and against every tentation they meet with therin and for their conviction and clearing of the Lord when it is otherwise for all these passages are rehearsed that ye may know the righteousnesse of the Lord or the manifold proofes of his fidelity in keeping promise Verse 6. Wherewith shall I come before the LORD and bow my self before the high God shall I come before him with burnt-offerings with calves of a yeare old 7. Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rammes or with ten thousands of rivers of oile shall I give my first-born for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul Having proved their ingratitude the next fault challenged is their hypocriticall formality and therefore the Lord having cleared himself and shewed what he had done in the next place the people are brought in for their part making great offers of service and duty to God wherein they manifest nor onely their formality and affected ignorance but their malicious hypocrisie also for whereas the Prophet spoke sharply against them they are brought in complaining that they were most willing to appease Gods anger and ready to offer him all kinde of service yea even what seems impossible and is unlawfull if it would please him and yet he would never be pleased but his Prophets still cry out against them Whence learn 1. The right way of worshipping God and of appeasing his anger hath been an old controversie and the truth thereof lighted on by few how clearly soever it be revealed Wherewith shall I come before the LORD or prevent the face of the LORD or the breaking forth of his anger say they as yet to learn 2. Whatever convictions of sin men may attain to or whatever necessity they may see of being brought back to God by these conviction both which may be supposed here in heir profession yet corrupt men do heal these wounds slightly placing all their confidence in external performance of ceremonies or religious duties and neither fleeing to Christ nor regarding the substantiall duties of faith repentance and new obediences for shall I come before him with burnt offerings c is all they minde 3. Men may have fair and broad professions and pretend much reverence to God whose deeds do prove but stark naught for they pretend to how before the high God and yet give him no more but a ceremony 4. Corrupt and unrenewed men had rather be at any pains yea even what is unpossible and sinfully cruell then follow Gods way in fleeing to Christ quitting their own rightcousnesse and studying mortification of sin for so are we taught by their offer of thousands of rammes and ten thousands of rivers of oile which could not be had in all the world and their offer of their first-born to be slain in sacrifices for sin as Jdolaters do and all this rather then the killing of one lust 5. Externall performances of religion prove oft-times a great snare to wicked men who use them and a great obstruction to the Ministery of the Word reproving sin for this was their defence cast in the Prophets teeth that they were very observant of the Ceremoniall Law and were ready to do more of that kinde and therefore how could God be angry at them Ver. 8. He hath shewed thee Oman what is good and what doth the LORD require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God In opposition to their way the Lord sets down the true way of pleasing him and of their duty containing the duties of justice and mercy whereunto they stood obliged each to other and which hypocrites ordinarily neglect and their duty of keeping communion with God in humble and sober walking before him in the exercise of Religion and all these as a fruit of faith fleeing to God through Christ in the Covenant whereby he becomes ours Doct. 1. However men be ignorant or contentious yet the way of pleasing God is clearly revealed in his Word for in answer to their question he replies He hath shewed thee O man 2. The Lords commands albeit they be the Lords injunctions to man yet are not rigid or severe and unreasonable as hypocrites would alleadge but gentle and desirable so is implied in that speech What doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly c and in that they are called good 3. The Lord requireth especially of men professing Piety that they make conscience of justice and equity in their dealing each with other that so they may prove the sincerity of their profession and may adorn it for the Lord requires to do justly 4. Besides the duties which we owe to our neighbours in justice there are other duties which we are also bound to perform in humanity or by the bond of Christianity and charity These are here called mercie which though no humane law can reach us if we omit them yet the Lord requires them and conscience and Christianity doth call for them 5. Though love be required in performing every commanded duty yet for performance of mercy it is especially requisite as that which bindes the duty upon us and which must season the duty when it is a doing The Lord requires to love mercy 6. No duties can ever be acceptably performed by an unrenewed person or one who hath not by faith fled to God in the Covenant to be reconciled with him through Christ that so his duties may be performed as fruits of saith proving the sincerity thereof and strength may come from God daily enabling him thereunto Therefore also here God must be theirs by Covenant thy God 7. A man reconciled to God by faith ought not only to study to perform duties of the second Table but to joyn therewith a study of keeping communion with God in the exercises of true piety by both which conjoyned and flowing from faith he may prove himself to be somewhat more then either a moral civilian or an hypocrite attaines to and also that he may not provoke God to punish his neglect of keeping communion with him by suffering him to fal into some sin against the second Table Therefore also is required to walk with thy God 8. In relation to God humility and sobriety is required in the performance of duties either of the first or second Table there is no conceit of righteousnesse or merit to be allowed in what we do but when we have done all we are to come humbly to finde grace by vertue of a free Covenant we are to debase our selves when we are before God in religious worship we are in all sobriety and humility to receive commands take on imploiments and go about them with an humble dependance on him for
further explication of the way of pardon that God overcomes the great provocation of sinne standing in his mercies way or as an effect of pardon that God not only pardons the guilt but mortifieth the power of sinne in his people Whence learn 1. The Lord pardons sinne in none but such as he makes sensible of the great provocation of sinne and makes them to see it as an army standing in mercies way to be subdued for so do they expresse the way of pardon 2. Gods mercy is alsufficient to overcome all provocations and to overcome the ill deserving of sinne for He will subdue iniquity See Cant 2.8 Rom 5.20 3. Whoever get pardon of sinne they also fall in love with and see the need of mortification of sin this the other interpretation of subduing teacheth The pardoned Church accounteth God singular because he will subdue iniquity 4. Mortification of sinne is to be wrought by God and expected from him otherwise our endeavours will not prevaile and when our endeavours of mortification availe not yet our case is not hopelesse for He will subdue our iniquities The last expression Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea containes a further effect of pardon that sins once pardoned shall not be remembred nor laid to their charge againe which is held out in a borrowed speech taken from amongst men that being without possibility of being recovered by men which is cast into the bottom of the sea and that where it is deepest Whence learn 1. Albeit a pardoned sinner when he commits new sin or is not humble tender or thankful under the sense of pardon may have former sinnes brought to remembrance to be matter of humiliation and stirring up to repentance and albeit an houre of tentation may shake loose all evidences of pardon yet sin being once pardoned the remission stands never to be repeated only new confirmations are still to be sought after nor will the pardoned sinne come in account against the pardoned man before God again for so much doth this borrowed speech teach See Isa 38.17 Ps 103.12 Jer. 31.34 2. Gods mercy is so infinite that multitudes of sin in the self-judging sinner will not hinder his free and full pardon nor needs to obstruct to peaceable effects thereof in the conscience of the pardoned man and this fountain stands daily open for the justified man to flee unto with all his faults as they are committed with renewing of his faith and repentance for so large is this Promise Thou wilt cast all their sins c. 3. As the sense of the pardon of sin and freedome from the apprehension of Gods keeping it in remembrance is a warme and refreshing condition so it would be much entertained by frequent looking to God by faith and praise about it Therefore yet again is the speech directed to God Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea Vers 20. Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob and the mercy to Abraham which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the dayes of old In the next place God is commended as singular in his gracious fidelity keeping the Covenant made with their forefathers Doct. 1. The priviledges of the Church are made theirs by Contract and sworn Covenant and so are certain for so the Word speaks of truth and mercy sworn 2. The Lord is to be seene and commended as incomparable in fidelity and promise-keeping notwithstanding all impediments in his way and all our apprehensions of him to the contrary for it is to be repeated Who is a God like unto thee that wilt perform the truth c 3. The summe of Gods Covenant with his Church is mercy in respect of the fountain whence all his bounty floweth and in respect of our ill deservings which we should daily see and truth in respect that the freedome of mercy in promising diminisheth nothing of the certainty of performance but as mercy opens the doore so truth keeps it open Hence it is that those two are so frequently conjoyned in the expectations and desires of Saints See Psal 57.3 and 61.7 4. The Covenant of mercy is the Churches first and irrevocable priviledge for it is sworn of old and so the law which came after cannot disannul it Gal. 3.17 5. As the spiritual blessings of the Covenant belong only to true believers who may reckon Jacob and Abraham with whom the Covenant was made their fathers according to the faith so even the natural posterity of Jacob and Abraham have a peculiar interest in that Covenant made with their fathers not broken off by any interruption or desolation but to be still forth-coming for them as to their being called as a Nation to be his Church and people if not also for giving them the promised land in heritage for so do they reckon while they are threatened with much ensuing desolation Thou wilt perform the truth to Iacob and the mercy to Abraham which thou hast sworn c. For this cause the Apostle Rom. 11.29 reckons that Gods purposes toward them as a Nation are among the gifts which are without repentance and never to be recalled and made utterly void more then in his dealing with his Elect in the matter of their calling and glorification 6. It is the duty of the godly when they are called to trouble to confirm their faith in the hope of issue according to Gods promise and be comforted and rest satisfied therewith accounting it sweet to have hope of future mercy sure although it were never so long a coming and the way to it never so rough for so do the godly hearing tell of future desolation close all believing and resting satisfied with this Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob and the mercy to Abraham c. for the accomplishment whereof every godly man should pray Even so Lord Jesus come quickly Amen and Amen Nahum The ARGUMENT THe Lord having suspended the execution of the judgements denounced by Jonah against Nineveh the chief City of the Assyrian Empire upon their repentance they did again return to their vomit and added unto all their other sins the oppression of the people of God by captivating the ten tribes and over-running Judah therefore the Lord for the comfort of his people thus afflicted raiseth up Nahum whether in Hezekiah's dayes or afterward is not certain yet certainly that oppression of Judah 2 Kings 18. and 19. is pointed at by him to set forth at large the ruine of that Monarchie especially of the chief City Nineveh and for this end setting forth a description of God in his justice power and mercie suitable to the present purpose he foretels the ruine of the State of Assyria by the Medes and Caldeans with the comfort and advantage redounding to the Church thereby chap. 1. and the destruction of the chief City the preparations against which with the taking thereof is set down chap. 1. and further amplified and confirmed by setting forth their provocations
the son of Joash 2 Kings 14.25 but with little success as may be gathered confidering the times wherein be lived is sent to preach to Nineveh the chief City of the Assyrian Empire But disobeying the command he it sharply punished by God till he was humbled for his fâ—lly And being brought to follow the second call after he had fulfilled his message God upon Nineveh's repentance spares them whereat he repining is reproved of God In sum the Prophets frailty is a preaching to all and especially to disobedient servants and the Ninevites their repentance and Gods dealing with them holds out his riches in mercy and may convince all those who are unfruitful under the plenty of preaching Albeit this be a History yet it is justly reckoned among the Prophets in respect of the Penman who was a Prophet and in respect of the chief subject of it which is a prediction of things to come And however Jonah was in some things a type of Christ Matth. 12.37 40. Yet as the confideration of that is to be remitted to its proper place so to speak of him as a type further then in what is opened by Christ is unsafe CHAP. I. THe parts of this Chapter are 1. Ionah's disobedience to the Lords call he essayed to flye to Tarshish when he should have gone to Nineveh to ver 4.2 The correction of his disobedience The Lord by a mighty storm at sea pursues him til by lot and his own confession he is found guilty and gives out his own doom which is executed by the Mariners though with much reluctancy to ver 17.3 His preservation in his correction by a fish prepared to swallow him ver 17. Ver. 1. NOw the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai saying 2. Arise go to Nineveh that great City and cry against it for their wickedness is come up before me HEre Ionah gets a commission and calling to go and preach against that great city Nineveh and stoutly accuse and threatten them for their great wickednesse which was crying unto God for vengeance Whence learn 1. The servants of God are not to be at their own disposing but to be employed in service as the Lord thinks fit for Ionah after his employments in Israel is put upon strange service of leaving his country and going to a barbarous and wicked people to carry hard tidings which might be very full of hazard in appearance 2. Great and flourishing places have ordinarily great and crying sins for The wickednesse of Nineveh that great city is come up before God 3. As abounding sin is not in a cold rife way to be spoken against but with all zeal and fervencie so the Lords servants having commission from him may and ought boldly to plead his controversie and for him against greatest persons or places For Jâ—nab is sent to cry against the great City and their wickednesse 4. Greatest sinners are ordinarily most secure and insensible Therefore also doth Nineveh whose sins are come up before God need that the Prophet should cry 5. The Lords reason for sending Jonah thither to preach was not onely to shew that God is Lord of all the earth and a punisher of sin even among Pagans or to give some essay of sending his Word unto the Gentiles but more especially 1. To leave a standing witnesse in the repentance of Nineveh against all those who obstinately contemn the Gospel as this passage is commented upon by Christ Matth. 12.41 2. To forewarne all of the removing of the Lords messengers when their message is not received Therefore was Jonah sent away from Israel which was now desperate in its backsliding see Mat. 21.43 3. To convince all that he takes no pleasure in the death of sinners Therefore though Nineveb's wickednesse is come up before God yet Jonah is sent to warn them ere the stroak come on Ver. 3. But Jonah rose up to flie unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD and went down to Joppa and he found a ship going to Tarshish so be paid the fare thereof and went down into it to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD Here we have Jonah's disobedience to this call he being surprised with the novelty of such a charge and fearing hazard or want of success or as may be gathered from Chap. 4.2 that if either on their repentance or in Gods long-suffering threatenings should not be executed he might be reputed a false Prophet and so be exposed to contempt whereof the Prophets of God had many trials in Israel it self 1 Kings 22.8 18. 2 Kings 9.11 Therefore he resolves to flee from God to Tarshish in Cilicia not that he denied his universal presence in all the world but as the original bears He fled from before the face of the Lord that is from the land where God usually manifested himselfe to the Prophets and from obeying the Lord as a rebellious servant flying from his Master in whose presence he useth to stand And this resolution he followeth and finding at Joppa a ship he sets to the journey it being safer and nearer to travel by sea then by land Doct. 1. It is an usual fault in men to examin Gods command by their owne wisdome or will and accordingly as they judge to obey or disobey for so doth Jonah here He rose up to flye c. and so do all they who look more to see a reason of Gods commands satisfactory to them then to the will of the Commander 2. Even the precious servants of the Lord have so much unmortified corruption as being left to themselves may drive them on in very high fits of disobedience For Jonah a Prophet doth avowedly resist the will of God 3. Rebellion in the children of God may not onely be a sudden tentation or a fit shortly shaken off but they may go on long in it and with great deliberation for Jonah all the while hee was going to Joppa fraughting the ship and launching out by all which the Lord tryed his abiding by it continueth in his resolution 4. Men in their rebellion are ordinarily so addicted to their own will that they are blinde and inconsiderate not pondering any inconvenience that may ensue but will hazard all rather then be crossed in their purposes This doth appear in Jonah hee who knew the Lord will disobey him and yet think to prosper hee will rather lose that great priviledge of standing before the Lord to receive prophetick revelations then want his will which is twice marked to shew his great madnesse yea hee will rather be at charges to pay the fare and hazard to Sea with Pagan men then goe among Pagans at Gods command 5. Successe in a way of rebellion against God is a snare leading on the rebell to sadder corrections Therefore Jonah found a ship ready and opportunity to launch out that he may get a sharper rod at sea where Pagans should be witnesses and not Israel Ver. 4. But the LORD sent
and it be alwayes true that sin is the root affliction springs from yet nature uses not to goe so far as to lead men to lay sin to heart in common and ordinary crosses or to look on common and ordinary sins as provocation sufficient to bring on saddest tryals for they must seek some singular cause here far lesse to look on afflictions as tryals of faith or for preventing of sin 2. Men in nature use not so much to take up and be sensible of sin from the law of God having authority in their heart as grope it in some tryal and difficulty Therefore they of whose sense of guilt we heare not before do now in their trial begin to think for whose cause this evil is 3. Prayer never so much essayed in a day of distresse will not availe till sin procuring it be searched out and taken with so much do these Pagans acknowledge while with the former meanes of prayer they set themselves to seek out the guilty and to knowe for whose cause this evill is upon them 4. Afflictions sharply pursuing may have such efficacy as to put men otherwise carelesse to it to seek out sin and not let them sleep on who gladly would and have been insensible of sin for these men are so put to it as they are willing to have the quarrel sought out and to submit themselves to a lot for that effect They said every one to his fellow Come and let us cast lots that we may know c. Afflictions will command men to turn from iniquity who would not hear such a charge in any other language Job 36.10 5. The Lords all-seeing eye perceives every secret sin and his providence over-rules most contingent and uncertain events and holily ordereth the rash actions of men so as to bring about his own purposes by them For these men acknowledg that the guilty is known though not to them and that the determination of a contingeâ—â— lot over-ruled by a Deity is a true evidence for whose cause this evil is And albeit it was a fault in them not to search every man himselfe or to consult by lots without special warrant yet God over-ruleth the lot to discover Jonah 6. The Lords controversie is sometime greater and more severely prosecuted against his own children for their miscarriages then against Pagans and gross Idolaters among whom they may be Therefore the lot guided by God fell upon Jonah signifying his rebellion to be the cause of all their danger rather then their Idolatry though openly practised in the height of their streight for 1. Rebellion is as Idolatry 1 Sam. 15.23 and so much the grosser as it is in a child 2. Albeit they worshipped that which was no god yet none of them had so behaved themselves toward a supposed Deity as he had done toward the true God Jer. 2.10 11. 3. God may wink at sin in Pagans but will not let his own child go on unreclaimed Amos 3.2 it being mercy to pursue them for their folly and amend them Ver. 8. Then said they unto him Tell us we pray thee for whose cause this evil is upon us What is thine Occupation and whence comest thou What is thy Country and of what people art thou The guilty man being now discovered by God is examined by the Mariners to find out the particular fact but very discreetly as supposing that possibly the sin might be somewhat whereof his Nation and people were guilty and not any particular guilt of his own And therefore concerning himselfe they enquire of his calling and journey if so be they might be unlawful and of his countrey and people if so be they were accursed Doct. 1. Men have need of full information before they give out sentence upon any for though Jonah was taken by a lot and these men not knowing him might in passion shortly have rid themselves of him who had been the occasion and cause of their trouble yet they will farther informe themselves and that very meekly tell us we pray thee c. 2. Charity even in refined nature doth not easily admit of an hard construction of any or without sure grounds Therefore they first enquire tell us for whose cause this evil is upon us as desiring to be more particularly informed and not being willing to hold him for a wicked man in his own person till they should heare further 3. As in mens callings employments country and people there is hazard of sin so by those circumstances much of mens faults may be found out Therefore is Jonah posed concerning all these For beside unlawful callings and places where it is not lawfull to haunt every particular countrey and people have their own tentations to particular sins from which sins of a generation or calling it is hard to keep free 4. Men do oftentimes following their own ends engage in courses without all consideration till a day of trouble set them to trace them back and make enquiry For these Mariners minding their own gain put none of these questions to Jonah when they tooke him aboard till the storm led them to see their folly and rashnesse 5. The Lord in pursuing for sin knowes how to order challenges so as may make sin most bitter to the guilty Therefore doth he order the Mariners moving of these questions What is thine occupation c. every one of which might be a sting to Jonah's conscience that he a Prophet should be fleeing from God coming from the holy land and the Church should be rebellious and pursued rather then Pagans that he should be on a way and not have a warrant from God for it c. Ver. 9. And he said unto them I am an Hebrew and I feare the LORD the God of heaven which hath made the sea and the dry land 10. Then were the men exceedingly afraid and said unto him Why hast thou done this for the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD because he had told them Ionah's confession in answer to their question cleers up the matter of fact for which God was pursuing him whereat these Idolaters being dazled with the apprehension of the Majesty of God are astonished through fear admiring at and reproving his presumption Hence learn 1. God will not suffer iniquity how well soever concealed to lurk but will bring it out to light especially where he hath a purpose of mercy to the sinner Therefore is Jonah pursued till he confesse his sin even before Pagans He told them that he fled c. 2. Sin is not barely to be confessed but ought to be aggravated by every person that would be approved as sensible of it For so much doth this speech I am an Hebrew and I fear the Lord God of heaven c. implie and it was a great sin in him a member of the Church to dallie and that with such a great God 3. The true God is to be commended by all his children and set forth as they
back to obey the will of God is to bee acknowledged as a mercy and matter of praise for such is the subject of Jonah's song compared with the former verse he will blesse the Lord not onely for deliverance but that though to his own cost he had not been permitted to prosper in a wrong way 3. Praise is that true sacrifice pointed at in the law by the thanksgiving-offerings in the Temple therefore doth hee give unto praise the name of what shadowed it out I will sacrifice with the voice of thanksgiving See Hebrews 13.15 4. The truly godly under the law were taught of God not to rest upon these outward performances and offerings but to presse and seek after the spiritual duty and substance and to make use of Christ in whom alone even our best morall actions are accepted therefore doth hee hold forth that the voice of thanksgiving or affectionate praise was the sacrifice indeed See Psal 69.30 31. Hos 14.2 And withall the joyning of sacrifice with the voice of thanksgiving sheweth that his praise was offered up in and by that true sacrifice 5. The Lords people in their afflictions and deliverances will be made to see great necessity of making vowes and binding themselves more firmely to their duty for Jonah in his trouble had vowed that that I have vowed which was a binding of himselfe with his owne consent more accurately to observe and follow the will and Commandements of the Lord the reason of which ingagement is because they will find when it comes to strait much short comming and little fervour in their ordinary walking which needs upstirring they will find also much obligation layd upon them by the Lords mercifull remembring of them in trouble voluntarily to take on his yoke and much sense of their owne instability needing such bonds and tyes 6. It is the duty of the Lords children being delivered not to forget their condition in trouble nor their resolutions and obligations following thereupon as if once being out of trouble they were out of Gods reverence but to study to walk answerably in their calme day to that they resolved upon in greatest extremity therefore saith Jonah I will pay that that I have vowed 7. Salvation and deliverance of all kindes is Gods perogative royal none can save or give peace when hee commands trouble and he hath the prererogative to save and deliver when reason probability the sentence of the law and all things else have condemned and given over for lost and in despite of all opposition whatsoever And it is the duty of such as have had any experience of this to cleave to it as an undeniable truth in al following extremities For Jonah having found this in his present case layes it down as a fixed ground of faith in all extremities that salvation is of the Lord the force of the Hebrew word comprehending salvation both temporal and eternal Vers 10. And the LORD spake unto the fish and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land In the last part of the Chapter Jonah after his miraculous support by faith rehearseth the way of his deliverance that the Lord by his effectual providence as by a commanding speech made the fish to vomit him out upon the Land Whence learn 1. The Lord by the afflictions of his people is but schooling and bettering them and not seeking to destroy them whereof he can give proofe in setting them in freedome and safety from deadly dangers and extremities For Jonah being humbled The Lord spake to the fish and it vomited out Jonah c. 2. The most insensible of creatures have an ear to their Makers speech and do at least by obediential subjection obey his will and will not hinder but help forward his purposes of love towards his people for The Lord spake unto the fish and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry Land 3. In the ordinary paths and motions of creatures God may be bringing about especial purposes and providences as this fish is made to vomit out and deliver Jonah when it is minding no such thing but tumbling to and again much more may it be so in the ordinary wayes of men as in Ioseph's going to Bethlehem Luke 2.4 5 6 compared with Mat. 2.5 6. CHAP. III. IN this Chapter we have first Jonah's second calling to go to Nineveh and his obedience in going thither and denouncing Gods judgement against them to verse 5. 2. The successe of his preaching there appearing in a general and solemn Humiliation countenanced and enjoyned by authority to vers 13. 3. The Lords acceptance hereof and revoking of the sentence given out against them vers 12. Ver. 1. ANd the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time saying 2. Arise go unto Nineveh that great city and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee JOnah being now humbled for his rebellion and delivered from his affliction is again called to go and preach against Nineveh it being needful to have his calling repeated lest if he had gone on the first call which he had disobeyed it might have tared with him as with Israel who resenting their own disobedience would go up to the Land but without the Lord Num. 14.40 41. Doct. 1. As sin doth justly deprive men of all their priviledges which they enjoy of Gods free favour so a true penitent will not only obtain pardon but may also be restored to his former forefaulted dignities for Jonah is not deprived of his Prophetick office of which he was so carelesse Chap. 1.3 but the word of the Lord came unto him 2. No endeavours or struglings of men will free them from such services and lots as God hath to imploy them in and exercise them withal for Jonah resisting the first call is brought to obey on his own charges The word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time and his duty which he had refused is enjoyned him again 3. The servants of the Lord ought to stick close by their commission and faithfully to publish it without adding or diminishing for so is Ionah commanded Go unto that great city and preach the preaching that I bid thee Vers 3. So Jonah arose and went unto Nineveh according to the word of the LORD now Nineveh was an exceeding great City of three dayes journey Ver. 4. And Jonah began to enter into the city a dayes journey and he cryed and said Yet forty dayes and Nineveh shal be overthrown In the next place we have Ionah's obedience wherein also is recorded a description of the greatnesse of Nineveh which was of three dayes journey in circuite or if one would go through all the streets of it and a brief sum of his preaching which for a whole day going from place to place as God directed him or going through a third of the City it being in whole three dayes journey he proclaimed whereby we are neither to understand that he preached no more of the causes procuring this judgment or of
Gods dealing with Nineveh and his wish to be dead verse 1 2 3 4. The Lords reproving of him first by words verse 4. and then by deed for by a Gourd in the shadow whereof being gone out of the City he delighted verse 5,6 and at the want whereof hee repined verse 7 8 9. he is reproved that he should be so much taken up with so smal a thing and yet bee angry at Gods sparing so populous a City verse 10 11. Ver. 1. BVt it displeased Jonah exceedingly and he was very angry 2. And he prayed unto the LORD and said I pray thee O LORD was not this my saying when I was yet in my countrey Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish for I knew that thou art a gracious God and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repentest thee of the evil JOnah is discontented with this mercy of God toward Nineveh and expostulates with him about it applauding himselfe in his former rebellion as having done more wisely in it then in following Gods Call The ground of all which distemper was as appeares that God sparing of Nineveh which it seemes he knew by Revelation or gathered from their repentance or from the standing of the City after the forty dayes were expired was a ready meanes as he thought to make his Ministry and Gods Name and Authority to be vilipended or as tentation is full of invention that such an enemy as they were to be to the people of God was not cut off Doct. 1. Corruptions may lurk and remaine alive in those who have gone through many straits and so might have had them mortified for Jonah after many difficulties is yet passionate and impatient He was displeased exceedingly and very angry 2. It is a great iniquity in the children of men to seeke to have Gods dispensations framed after the molde of their minde for it is Jonah's sin to be very angry and exceedingly displeased with what God did 3. Corruption may sometimes so prevaile with the children of God that it shall not only be a tentation smothered out of love to him within their brest but may also break out with their own consent against God for a season for Ionah vents his passion He prayed unto the Lord and said 4. Much of that which we vent under the name of prayer may indeed be our raving in our Feavers and a letting loose our corruption and passion for that is called prayer here which in effect is a bitter expostulation with God and a venting of his passionate desire to die 5. Crooked wayes for which the people of God have been corrected and which they have been made to condemn may yet again in an houre of tentation be approved and liked of by them for Ionah applauds himself in his former way of rebellion which he had condemned Chap. 2.8 and thinks he had done well Was not this my saying c. therefore I fled c. 6. It is a tentation insident to Adams posterity to presume that they would guide things better if they had their will then God doth guide them for this expostulation implies that he thought it had been better to have gone on to Tarshrsh then to have come to Nineveh as things went 7. A person under tentation will not want his own fair pretences wherewith he may think to justifie his way and to make it specious and seem reasonable for Ionah seemes to have such reasons that he dare appeale to God himself whether he foresaw not wel in his own Countrey that Gods mercy would make his threatning to be in vain and bring his Ministry in contempt and did not wel in flying was not this my saying saith he to God but our reasonings must submit to gods sovereign wil and give place to his infinite wisdom 8. The mercy of God toward lost man is so farre beyond mans mercy that it may sometimes be a discontent to his tenderest children in that he is so merciful for Gods mercy to Nineveh and that he is so gracious and merciful c. is Ionah's eye-sore 9. God is so gracious that as he is not easily provoked by sinners so he is easily when provoked reconciled againe unto them for this Ionah knew in his own countrey that he was a gracious God and merciful slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repented of the evil and this did he now see veryfied 10. It is a great mistake to think that mercy manifested to humble sinners should make them contemne God or his servants it being a most effectual meanes to produce feare of God and respect to his ordinances and messengers Psal 130.4 Therefore is Jonah's reasoning against Gods mercy grounded on a mistake and an evidence of his being carried headlong with passion Ver. 3. Therefore now O LORD take I beseech thee my life from me for it is better for me to dye then to live Jonah subjoynes to his expostulation an impatient wish that God would take him away by death since hee got not his will and could not endure the infamy which he apprehended would come upon him Whence learne 1. Death not as it is a releasement from sin or a chariot to convey us to the place where we will be with God for ever but as it takes away from a present imagined or real bitternesse is the ordinary refuge of imbittered spirits and the back-doore unto which out of impatiency wearinesse of life pride and contest with providence they seek therefore doth Jonah now pray Take my life from me 2. It is the fruit and the evidence of an imbittered spirit that any condition how ill soever seemes better then the present case unto them therefore Jonah thinkes it better to dye then live without any affectionate eye to glory but rather having respect to his rest from present trouble as appeares from Gods reproving of it whereas it ought rather to have affrighted him to think of going out of the world in such a bitter frame 3. The children of God under tentation may be very ardent in expressing the drosse of their owne heart and in seeking that which is altogether wrong for Jonah in his passion beseeches the Lord to take away his life Great is the mercy of Saints in having a Mediatour to reforme their petitions 4. It is a sign af great corruption and selfe-love in men to seek their own contentment and satisfaction in dying or living rather then in these to be subject to the Will of God and it is basenesse and cowardise to seek passionately to be out of this life because of any trouble we may meet with in it in our following of God for such is Jonah's infirmity and this is his reason in his passion take my life from me For it is better for mee to dye then to live Ver. 4. Then said the LORD Doest thou well to be angry The Lord doth first reprove Ionah's passion by Word and appeals to himselfe whether he thought it seemly so to repine
for this is not your rest See Numb 14.34 1 Sam. 2.30 3. Men by their sinning do not only set themselves against God but do pollute and defile all the creatures and mercies given them of God by imploying them to the dishonour of God for the promised Land is polluted by these sinners See Lev. 18.25 28. Man going in rebellion drawes many creatures abused by him away with him 4. Mercies being given that we might serve God with them and not defile them therefore it is just with God that what we dishonour him in or by be taken away This is not a rest because it is polluted 5. Abuse of Gods mercies draweth on sharpest judgements of any for it that is the Land shal destroy you even with a sore destruction This the land did not only in spewing them out as it did the Canaanites Lev. 18.28 as loathing to bear or feed them who dishonour God but in that it was the great cause of their sore judgement that they had polluted a Land of promise where God in his Ordinances dwelt and so it had been better for them when God should reckon with them that they had dwelt elsewhere Ver. 11. If a man walking in the spirit of falsehood do lie saying I will prophesie unto thee of wine and of strong drink he shall even be the Prophet of this people In the fourth place they are accused for that however they opposed true Prophets yet they did approve of and delight in false Prophets and such as pretending to inspirations and to be in office Prophets would flatter them and without warrant promise prosperity to such as were continuing in sin Whence learn 1. The most profane in the visible Church may yeâ— desire some shew of divine institutions and ordinances and some sort of divine approbation to their way if they can have it for he shall even be a Prophet to this people imports that they would not willingly want Prophets but desire to have them provided they go their way that so albeit they reject true Prophets yet they may have Prophets and may seem not to want divine approbation men may be profane enough albeit they come not to the height of rejecting all ordinances nor openly to profess they care not for Gods approbation 2. It is no new thing to see men pretending to the Spirit of God and revelations and light from him who are but deceivers if not deceived also and sent for a plague to a sinful people for there are who walk in the Spirit that is pretend to inspirations as Prophets and yet all this is but falshood and their doctrine a lie 3. There will never be false Prophets and clawbacks wanting to humour and soothe up a declining people for it is imported there will be such as prophesie of wine c. 4. As it is a great snare and judgement to a people to finde any shelter against naked truth and Prophets against Prophets so these false Prophets are discouragements to the true Messengers of God while such do flatter those whom faithfull Messengers threaten for it is the peoples judgment that they have prophets to oppose to those whom they reject ver 9. See Jer. 18.18 And it is a great cause why Micahs threatnings take no effect that they in the mean time prophesie of â—ine and strong drink such was Micah's trial when he had to do with Abah 1 Kings 22.12 13 14 c. 5. Such as pretend to any eminency in Gods house or service without his call or approbation are ordinarily branded with badges of his displeasure for these walking in the Spirit or pretending to revelation are plagued either with delusion or impudency as such ordinarily are who abuse light most in that they dare prophesie of wine and strong drink to a rebellious people 6. Albeit the Lord may for a time forbear grosse sinners yea and plague them with prosperity also yet it is false doctrine to preach peace and prosperity to a profane people so as if God approved of them when he gives them prosperity or as if any prosperity they got were not ripening them for sorer judgements for as these false Prophets lyed in respect they wanted a revelation and commission to deliver such a Doctrine when on the contrary God was threatning that people so it is still a lye in these termes to prophesie of wine and strong drink to such a people 7. As it is a woful condition when all that the visible Church is set upon is pleasure and prosperity and all they have to do with Prophets is to make them glad with hopes thereof he is their choice not who speaks to â—hem of their sin and Gods grace but who prophesieth of wine so a people are in a desperate case when they delight onely in such Doctrine as may please their fancy and will not admit of freedom in Doctrine Therefore it is a matter of challenge and a cause of Gods contemning of them as being not my people but this people that such a one shall even he the Prophet of this people and not such as faithful Micah See Isai 30.10 Jer. â— 31 Ver. 12. I will surely assemble O Jacob all of thee I will surely gather the remnant of Israel I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah as the flock in the midst of their fold they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men Ver. 13. The breaker is come up before them they have broken up and have passed thorow the gate and are gone out by it and their King shall pass before them and the LORD on the head of them The Lord in the close of the Chapter sweetens the former threatnings with promises of restitution of his Israel under Christ wherein are contained their recollection and gathering that Christ as their shepherd shall gather them in one shall feed secure and multiply them ver 12. that all impediments shal be taken out of their way that might hinder their progresse and that their march shall be stately and their conduct safe Christ their King who is the Lord going before them as their general on the head of them Whence learn 1. In the throng of greatest displeasure the truly godly are allowed comfort that they be not crushed with threatnings whereof they are most apprehensive by reason of their tendernesse for in the midst of these threatnings Jacob and Israel get a promise See Matth. 28.4 5. 2. The children of God ought to study much the certainty of Promises that they may without hesitation rely upon them I will surely assemble I will surely gather saith he or in assembling assemble which imports his persisting in that work till he perfect it 3. Spiritual restauration by Christ is ample matter of comfort to all believers in times of publick calamities for that is the substance of this promise held forth for their comfort it was their comfort under the Law to foresee it and ought to be ours for to enjoy it
for so much doth his way in the whirlwind storm and clouds teach These suddenly confound what they surprize and clouds and stormes do darken the face of a clear skie and Gods way in these points at the suddennesse thereof Prov. 10.25 Isa 19.1 5. The Lord manifesting himself in his great glory doth but so to say obscure himself in respect of our infirmity which cannot comprehend his glory in its brightnesse for so much doth his manifestation of himself environed with dark stormes or tempests and thick lowring clouds teach See Psal 97.2 6. Gods dispensations even when they are most dreadfull and terrible in effects may yet be deep and unsearchable and his purpose and counsell in them hard to discern for so much further doth his way in whirlwindes stormes and clouds which involve and darken all teach Ver. 4. He rebuketh the sea and maketh it drie and drieth up all the rivers Bashan languisheth and Carmel and the flower of Lebanon languisheth 5. The mountaines quake at him and the hills melt and the earth is burnt at his presence yea the world and all that dwell therein This power of God is yet further described from the effects thereof that he can in his anger drie up seas and rivers as of old appeared at the red-sea and Jordan he can blast the beauty of fertile and pleasant places such as Lebanon for trees Bashan for pasture and Cormel for corn he can make the stable hills to quake and melt like wax or snow the earth to burn up with drought or as Sodome was destroyed yea and can dissolve all the creatures and make the habitable world feel the effects of his power from all which Learn 1. The power of God is much to be studied by all those who oppose him and by them who expect help from him in trouble therefore this ample description of his power is recorded 2. Whatever men do conceit of themselves yet it is no small task to give God the glory of omnipotency and fix faith upon him as able to do whatsoever he pleaseth for this commendation of his power is no vain repetition but importeth that neither do enemies fear it nor his people trust it as they ought 3. The Lord doth give such ample proofs of his power in his works of providence upon the creatures in heaven and earth as may clearly confirm us in the faith of his omnipotency which are therefore to be studied that we may be confirmed this is held forth in what he doth dailyin the air in stormes and clouds v. 3. and in what he can do upon seas rivers hills c. whereof ample proof hath been given as is recorded in Scripture 4. All the creatures are subject to the power of God to be disposed of and their ordinary course to be overturned at his pleasure for he makes seas and rivers dry makes fruits to wither hills and earth to melt and burn and the world to be turned upside-down Ver. 6. Who can stand before his indignation and who can abide in the fiercenesse of his anger his fury is poured out like fire and the rocks are thrown down by him From the former evidences of Gods power upon the creatures the Prophet inferreth the inability of any to stand or endure when an angry God calleth them before his tribunal and that because his anger being attended with invincible power would as a fire burn up all before it without mercy and can overturn hard rocks as at Christs death and 1. Kings 19.11 Doct. 1. The Lords indignation against sin would be looked upon as attended with divine Omnipotency able to make the creature feel it sadly for so doth this dependence teach See Psal 90.11 2. No attribute in God how dreadfull soever is formidable to any but to the man who provokes him to anger and continueth therein without repentance Therefore is his dreadfull power held forth as a ground to this conclusion Who can stand before his indignation and who can abide in the fiercenesse of his anger 3. It is but mad presumption in wicked men to think to decline Gods judgement-seat or to keep their feet when he is angry for God will draw them to his tribunal and having rebuked and condemned them will cast them out of his presence and destroy them in his fierce displeasure for who can stand before his indignation c 4. When Gods anger is rightly considered when the effects thereof upon the creatures are seen and when man becometh well acquainted with his own weaknesse he will easily see the folly of standing out against God for his fury is poured out like fire upon combustible matter such as man is before him and the rocks aâ—e thrown down by him how much more weak man Ver. 7. The LORD is good a strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him Followeth a description of God in his mercy that he is good and meek a defence in trouble and an approver of and carer for such as are his people and trust in him and as the former description of his power and justice was verified upon the Assyrians so this hath relation to the behaviour and successe of Hâ—zekiah and Judah who trusting in God 2 Kings 18.5 2 Chron. 32.8 were protected and delivered Doct. 1 The people of God ought to be such as fleeing out of themselves and renouncing all trust in humane helps and confidences do make God their onely refuge both against sin and trouble for so doth the word rendered trusting import they trust in him 2. The Lord in his greatest majesty and terriblenesse is still good and favourable to such as trust in him for after the description of his power and justice is subjoyned The Lord is good See Mat. 28.4 5. 3. The people of God ought to resolve for times of trouble and strait which yet is without any prejudice to the goodnesse of God toward them as being sent to do them good and to their advantage for the Lord â—s good and yet it is implied that there will be the day of trouble and but a day not an eternity of it 4. The power of God which is imployed against enemies is forth-coming for the comfort of his people in their need for thereby is he a strong hold or strength 5. The Lords goodnesse his protection and defence is best known and discerned in times of difficulty for the Lord is good a strong hold in the day of trouble His peoples wanting of difficulties would take away the sense of what he is to them and for them Psal 31.7 6. The Lord not onely as omniscient knoweth but doth approve and hath a care of such as lean to him and give him the glory of his attributes by believing for he knoweth them that trust in him Ver. 8. But with an over-running flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof and darknesse shall pursue his enemies The Prophet proceeds to apply this description of God