sinne and giue it gall to eate and when you haue done so set a crowne of thornes vpon his head and when you haue thus crow 〈…〉 you haue condemned it put it to death and when you haue put it to death burie it and when you haue buried it â—oll a great stone vpon the head of it and set watch men to keepe it and let your watch-men be fasting and prayer that it may neuer rise againe to raigne any more the which the Lord for his mercie sake grant Amen THE CALLING OF IONAH Ionah 1. 1. 2. 1 The vvord of the Lord came to Ionah the sonne of Amittai saying 2 Arise and go to Niniuie that great Citie and crie against it for their vvickednesse is come â—p before me YOu haue heard the sweet song of old father Simeon like the pleasaunt song of a sweet bird before her death setting foorth the ioy of the righteous which embrace Christ Iesus Before Christ Iesus vouchsafed to come vnto vs we would not come vnto him but in all our doings we wrought our condemnation through the innumerable heapes of our iniquities laboured to driue him without all hope of mercie from vs. So we continued like flies which flutter about the candle till they haue consumed them selues When we had done as much as in vs lay to driue him away from vs then he saued and recompenced good for euill vnto vs. So that if God had loued vs no better theÌ„ we loued our selues we might haue perished in our sinne and our bloud should be vpon our owne heads If Christ be the light of the Gentiles let vs embrace himâ— and let euerie one walke as becommeth the children of light but many do shut their eyes against it least they should see and many do not onely smoother their owne light but the Sunne sayth vnto the Moone shine not and the Moone sayth vnto the Stars be not bright And many haue smothered their light so long that the dampe hath put out the candle and thus they labor to bring the darkenesse of Egypt vpon Goshen so that their eyes haue forgotten to see and so manie goe out of the way because they would not looke vpon the candle and the deuill giueth to euerie one that which he wisheth so it may be for his hurt to the bramble fire and who can but pittie that the same Manna which commeth from heauen should be poysoned with it The Iewes had no cause to enuie our light for he gaue theÌ„ glorie he was poore and yet he gaue them riches he was counted base and yet he made them honourable he was contemned and yet he made them beloued they were full of darknesse and he brought them light but they contemned this light and so procured their owne condemnation And therefore now it is come to passe that they are become vagabonds vpon the earth and most contemned of all other nations euerie people haue a dwelling but since they prophesied euill vnto themselues saying his blood be vpon vs and our children goodnesse hath put on the face of bath fulnesse amongst them If thou embrace Christ as Simeon did then Christ is thy glorie but if thy glorie consist in beautie which fadeth in gay clothing which weareth in wealth which wasteth or in gold which rusteth then Christ is not thy glorie We haue gone long with an olde man and now we haue lost him but we are loth to part with him he is such a good companion neuerthelesse we hope to finde him againe in Ionah We haue gone but slowly with him as with an olde man which is not verie swift on foote but now we must runne with Ionah as with a poste least Niniuie be destroied The word of the Lord came vnto Ionah I neede not shew the authoritie of Prophets but concerning their sorts and difference there are three sorts of Prophets The first were such as called vpon the name of the Lord in prayer for the people and receiued an answer from the Lord in the peoples behalfe of which sort was Samuell these 〈◊〉 Sa. 10. 9 were called Seers A second sort of Prophets were such as God raysed to expouÌ„d the law and declare the will of God vnto the people when the Priests and such as should do so were slacke in their callings of which sort was Esay Ieremie Ezechiell Damell Hose Ioell Aâ—â—os Obadiah Ionah and the rest of the holy Prophets A third sort were such as haue beene since Christ woorking such like effectes of which sort was the Prophet Agabus of whome mention is Act. 11 28. made in the eleuenth of the Acts and the 28. verse Now in the second sort of these was Ionah whom God sent to declare his wil vnto his people vnto whom also the Lord did reueale the subuersion of kingdomes the ouerthrow of Tribes the captiuitie of Nations and calamities that were to come vnto the sonnes of men for iniquitie and rebellion against God As all wise men were not borne at once nor liued togither so these holy Prophets haue not beene at once but were raised vp by the Lord God some here some there according to his pleasure and as he sawe the people stand in need of them by reason of the corruption of the times And furthermore the Lord hath not at any time reuealed vnto one of these all things that might be reuealed but as much as was sufficient for them euerie one in their times and places Neither hath any of them told as much of the will of God as might be nor the expounding of his lawes But the Patriarkes haue left some to the Prophets and the Prophets haue left some to the Apostles but they haue left none for vs but they haue all left open the whole will of GOD vnto vs and euerie one bringeth Golde and Myrrhe and Frankensense like the wise men which came to see our Lord. There are three things which moued me to take this storie in hand aboue al others First because you know the storie and therefore can the better conceiue of the matter as I go forward with it Secondly because it is brief and doth containe a great deale in a little Thirdly because it is most agreeable for the time and state of this sinfull age wherein we liue and therefore most conuenient for vs. It is manifest that Ionah liued in a very troublesome time namely in the time of Ieroboam a wicked king of whom it was said that he not only sinned himself against the Lord but it is he which is called the IeroboaÌ„ that made Israell to sinne Also this commeÌ„deth the constancie of Ionah that he in the midst of all the corruptions wherwith all the people were ouerflowne kept him selfe vncorrupted and vnspotted amongst them all And furthermore it layeth open and magnifieth the great loue of God in that he sent a Prophet to admonish his vngodly people when as he should haue sent a thunderbolt to terrifie them or rather vtterly to destroy
whose life is famous whose death is mâ—ritorious None can take vpon him the authoritie of God but he on whose shoulders the Lord layeth it being sent of God from God Then we see that our Sauiour is the true Sauiour sent from God for all creatures beare witnesse vnto him yea the verie deuils with all the euill spirits do obey his voyce at whose name all knees do bow He Mar. 1. Phil. 2. came not to bring health wealth pleasures or profits for the which if he had then multitudes of worldlings would haue followed him but he came to bring saluation righteousnesse peace truth and life therefore few care for him He came to saue sinners not all sinners not euery one that saith Lord Lord Mat. 7. Luke 5. but he came to saue penitent sinners which turned vnto God by their repentance therfore he prayeth in Iohn for those onely that Iohn 17. were giuen vnto him So soone as the seed is sowen the stones bruse it the thornes choke it and the sunne doth parch it and what comfort hath the lillie among thornes therfore wisedome taketh her vnto her wings whispereth saying you shal seeke me before I come you shall seeke me but shal not find Pro. 1. me because ye haue refused me when I offred my selfe vnto you Christ is their saluation that beleeue in â—im and make much of him and thankfully receiue him The godly he deliuereth from sinne but the wicked he leaueth bound in the chaines of their iniquitie to be tormented of him which had tempted them thereunto whose will they alwayes endeuoured to fulfill not the Lords he sheweth them a hand vpon the wal writing their condemnation Dan. 5. and another catching them by the hairie scalpe which maketh all their ioynts to tremble and their heats to despaire and he saith vnto them what doest thou here without thy wedding garment how darest Mat. 20. thou come to steale away the childreÌ„s bread The spirit of Saule worketh in him in his 1. Sam. 16. bed and euerie where and he calleth for the harpe of Dauid to comfort his heart which can not be comforted And this spirit sayth to Iudas thou hast betrayed thy Lord and Mat. 27. crucified him therefore go and hang thy self for it sticketh within thee like the mark of Cain But the godly heart goeth home reioycing Gen. 4. and chewing the cud like the Apostles which reioiced in that they were counted worthie to suffer for his names sake Act. 5. 41. O what a good banket we haue had this day the bee goeth lodeÌ„ to the hiue goeth longer in the strength thereof then Elias did 1. Kings 17. Thy saluation The onely Sauiour is here called saluation it self for if he were called a bare Sauiour only theÌ„ you might likly vnderstand it by some other sauiour but here he is called saluation it selfe to shewe that there is no other for there be more sauiours but no more saluations and there is manie wayes to death and yet but one death The brasen serpent was a figure of Christ that Num. 21. Iohn 3. they which are stong by sinne by fire and by the serpent which beguiled Euah may make speede because there is no remedie but to come to Christ The Papists haue found out many saluations they haue found out a saluation by Saints a saluation by Angels a saluation by Masses a saluation by merits a saluation by Idols as though Christ had least to do in his owne office for they haue other saluations to flie vnto They will haue it but they wil buy it and what will they giue for it whie they will fast so many dayes go so farre on pilgrimages hire priestes to say so manie Masses build so manie Abbeys and giue so many summes of money to the Monks and Friers Therfore this scripture goeth against them doth dishonor their shamelesnesse who like Nemrod heaping stone vpoÌ„ stone Gen. 11. would haue built vp to heauen so they heape sinne vpon sinne and euerie houre some one heresie or superstition groweth vp from this filthie roote for what Papist dare say that Simeon thought on any of these or put confidence in anie other Sauiour but only in him whoÌ„ he embraced in his armes for saluation is by the promise of God and all promises are in Christ And though Iacob 2. Cor. 1. wanted bread Ioseph wanted not mony Gen. 42. therefore he gaue them backe againe their money likewise he gaue them that corne that they would haue bought with it so I would wish them to say as Iosephs brethreÌ„ that they haue their corne for nothing and had their money too so let them be content to say that they haue mercie for nothing their works too For god careth not for their workes because they profit not him but theÌ„ selues For there is no water can wash Naaman 2. Kings 5. but Iordan no water can wash the leprosie of sinne but the bloud of the Lambe By this the Israelites were saued when the Exod. 12. destroyer passed by By this the Lord knoweth vs to be his people and by this the deuill knoweth vs to be none of his As it is proper vnto God to be called goodnesse so is it proper vnto Iesus Christ to be called saluation He is called the way the truth and Iohn 14. the life for that life which we haue is but a sparke and shadow of life but he is the true and eternall life Then seeing Christ is both our righteousnesse saluation and also the way the truth and the life to leade vs thereunto It is as possible for vs without Christ to be righteous or saued as it is to be wise without wisedome righteous without righteousnesse or saued without saluatioÌ„ Therfore let vs not be ashamed to take our water from the fountaine seeing Christ is the fouÌ„taine of all wisedome of all righteousnesse of all truth of all knowledge of all saluation and briefly of all goodnesse therefore there is no other Arke to saue vs from the floud no other ladder to ascend with into heaueÌ„ no other Ioseph to feed vs in the famine no other Moses to lead vs through the wildernesse But as the riuer Sâ—loa ruÌ„neth through all the land of Iudaea watereth the whole citie of God so Christ doth shew him selfe all in all and all sufficient in mercie to saue and to blesse all his Church with spirituall gifts If Christ be life what shall make vs Ephes 4. 1. Cor. 15. despaire shall Sathan No for he hath ouercome Sathan Shal death No for he hath ouercome death Shall hell No for he hath ouercome hell Shall the Law No for he Rom. 5. hath fulfilled the Law Shall wrath No for he hath troden the wine presse of his fathers Esa 63. wrath Therefore it was a sweete saying of one at his death wheÌ„ mine iniquitie is greater then thy mercie ô God then
them so that there mercy stept before iudgment His name was Ionah which signifieth a doue which admonisheth vs that as we labour to be as wise as serpents so we should also desire that we might be as simple as doues His fathers name was Amittai which signifieth truth I would that truth were euerie preachers father There are three speciall things contained in this historie First the great mercie of God expressed in this that he sent a Prophet to Niniuie a Citie of the Gētils which were strangers from the couenant from the promise and straungers from the common wealth of Israell The second thing was Ionah who being no Gentile but an Israelite which knew his maisters will what it was did yet presumptuously neglect the same not of a sudden desire for he had time inough to consider what he did and yet see what mercie did the Lord prepared a great whale in the bottome of the sea where there was no hope of life for him afterwards the Lord hauing deliuered him out of the whales bellie he went and preached at Niniuie so zealously as though he had neuer bene the man which was so disobedient before And when he had done he murmured against God worse thē euer he did and all because he spared the citie The third thing was the mariners which had bene idolaters all their liues yet now by the great power of God mouing them called vpon the true God of whom they had heard by Ionah by whose mightie power they were saued But in the meane while Niniuie set on the score and had no ho with them in working wickednesse but still filling the cup of all abhominations and running downe to hel with as much speed and force as they could and no stay but the perill of death And Ionah he rebelleth against God for being sent to Niniuie he went to Tarshish There are foure speciall things to be noted in Ionah First the daunger of Ionah by his disobedience Secondlie the behauiour of Ionah in the whales bellie Thirdlie the grudging and murmuring of Ionah against the Lord God And fourthlie the rebuking of Ionah by God for his impietie He that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receyue a Prophets reward Therefore let vs prepare our eares to heare and receiue the worde of God preached by his ministers let vs think that Ionah is come againe to our houses to preach whether it be fortie dayes or fortie weekes or fortie yeares they that liue like Sodome shall be punished like Sodome The word of the Lord came to Ionah the sonne of Amittai saying Arise◠c. We haue seene Ionah a farre off if we would we might see him nearer As our Sauiour said to his disciples Pray Mat. 24. 20 that your flight be not in the winter nor on the Sabboth so say I vnto you pray that the Lordes comming be not on the weeke dayes therefore if he did come then howe should he find you Therefore I pray you learne now and giue good eare that ye may◠heare sufficient for all the weeke The word of the Lord came c. Wherein I obserue that Ionah went not before he was sent for he going to preach vnto the Gentiles it was needfull that he should haue a speciall calling and commission from the Lord himselfe for it was vnmeet to cast the childrens bread vnto dogs vnlesse he had a speciall commaundement from God so to do None ought to take vpon him the function of preaching in the church vnles they haue their warrant or authoritie from God Heb. 5. 4. as Aaron had And although they haue not their authoritie in that forme and maner as Ionah had his namely as it were by word of mouth euen from God himselfe Arise and go to Niniuie Yet they must haue their warrant from him else their calling is vnlawfull But now there is another authoritie crept into the Church that makes so many idols which haue eyes and see not tongues and speake not eares and heare not and that is this When one stalleth vp another into Moses chaire not hauing Moses rod nor Moses spirit And this gall will not holde spurring Further I obserue that as the worde of the Lord came to Ionah so the word of the Pope came to his priests Iesuits and Seminaries but so and in such sort manie times that they are drawne to Tiburne while Masses are said for them at Rome The word of the Lord came vnto Ionah c. Wherein also I obserue that which came vnto him was not alwayes with him but so it was that when the worde of the Lord came vnto anie of the Prophets then they were well furnished with abilitie to teach to preach to reproue or to command whosoeuer the Lord would haue so handled as by example Nathan the Prophet bad Dauid the king that he should build a temple 2. Sam 1. 1. Chron. 11 2. Sam. 1. and 1. Chron. 11. And a little after he came and bad him that he should not build it Where wee see that when he bad him build it then the spirite of the Lord came not vnto him to bid him so to do And therefore the spirit of God came vpon him the verie same night and bad him that he should go to Dauid and bid him that he should not build it For this is euident that as God himselfe is constant so his spirit and his word are constant and therefore neuer faith and vnsaith one thing Againe the Prophet Elisha said 2. Kin. 4. 2. King 4. that the Sunamites heart was grieued but the Lord had hid it from him and had not as then declared the same vnto him which doth note vnto vs that the same worde whereby the Lord hath and doth reueale maruellous things vnto his Prophets was not now vpon him neither is alwayes vpon any Prophet but according to the will of God it comes vnto them to reueale vnto them what he would haue them to do and when it pleaseth him Also Daniel said that the Lord did not reueale the kings dreame vnto him for any wisdome that he had more then any liuing but only for the kings sake for the poore people of Gods sake and so you must think of vs that are the ministers of the Gospell that the Lord doth not reueale his will vnto vs for any wisdome or worthinesse that is in vs more then other men but for your sakes that we might reueale it vnto you therefore heare vs euen for that cause because the Lord hath reuealed vnto vs these things for your sakes and good From the calling we come to the charge Arise and go to Niniuie that great◠c. God commeth and findeth vs al a sleepe then he bids vs arise for they are not fit to conuert others which are not yet cōuerted themselues according to that saying of Christ to Peter When thou art conuerted sayth he strengthē thy brethren teaching Luke 22. 32 them
is thought to be the best yet the Lord taught not Peter one prayer and Iohn another but taught theÌ„ all one prayer vnto one onely God If per aduenture he will thinke vpon vs that we perish not This if perhaps and peraduenture cost Adam Paradise thrise three wordes were changed the first God said to Adam if thou doest eate of this tree thou shalt surely dye then Euah reported these wordes thus lest peraduenture we dye the Serpent seeing her in such a minde so carelesse or forgetfull of the commaundement he came and quite changed the matter and said you shall not dye thus sinne creeps vpon vs while doubtfulnesse remaineth in vs so God saith you shal be saued the treÌ„bling flesh saith peraduenture I shall c. then coÌ„meth SathaÌ„ he saith thou shalt dye So that if you wil aske Sinners faith what is the faith of sinners or if you would haue it defined it is this peraduenture yea peradueÌ„ture no if you wil aske me whereupon this faith is grounded it is vpon ifs ands this is the faith of the vngodly to say if so be God will helpe vs for they caÌ„not assure themselues of any helpe But we may not doubt of our God and say it may be or if peraduenture for we may freely pray to our God with confidence and may say our God and the God of Ionah wil surely helpe vs and hath helped vs but yet let vs know that we haue sinned like infidels and do deserue to be punished like the Egyptians If so be he will c. This if commeth in like a little leauen which sowreth the whole lumpe of dow and like the moth which eateth the whole wedding garment and this same litle thiefe hath stolen away all the Papistes faith Wickednesse lyeth sicke in bed and calleth to euery one that commeth by call vpon thy god pray for me if so be he will looke vpon vs and helpe vs and so the best hope when the tempest commeth is present death If so be he will thinke vpon vs. Our God thought vpon vs in the time of trouble he thought vpon vs and layd the tempest when our enemies called vpoÌ„ their gods Saints and Angels but what do we meane beloued wheÌ„ mercy is come to send for iudgement for though we be saued with Israell we haue deserued to be plagued with Pharao because we are not thaÌ„kfull for this namely that the Lord hath thought vpon vs in our distresse for he trauelleth with mercie and laboureth till he be deliuered he goeth loden like a bee but wants a hiue There are two hands a hand to giue and a hand to receiue Gods hand to giue and mans hand to receiue the hand of God is a bountifull and a mercifull hand a hand lodeÌ„ with liberalitie full of gracious gifts therefore let vs stretch foorth the good hand to A good hand receiue it thankfully to embrace it cheerfully to entertaine it and carefully to keepe it let vs receiue it by the hand of faith the hand of loue and the hand of prayer for who so commeth with this hand shall be filled and who so commeth without it shall go emptie away because they haue despised the wayes of God for when I instructed theÌ„ Proâ— 1. 24. 25. they would not heare what I taught them they would not learne saith the Lord. And they sayd euerie man to his fellow come let vs cast lots that we may knowe for whose sake this euill is vpon vs. So they cast lots and the lot fell vpon Ionah Now we are come to casting of lots that we may know who troubles the ship for the ship is tossed and readie to sinke but no man will confesse who is the cause thereof therfore they haue concluded among them selues saying come let vs cast lots that we may find him out Danger made them feare and feare made them gather together their wits and droue them into an earnest examination of the cause thereof and perswaded them to vse such meanes to auoyd these dangers as were best knowen vnto them whereupon they prayed vnto their gods seeing they could not mend them then they fall to casting of lots thereby to find out him that was the cause of all this sturre for they thought assuredly this tempest was sent from some angrie god to molest them all for the sinne of some notorious wretch that was gotten in amongst them whom now they labour to find out by casting of the lots They did not vse to cast lots this was no custome amoÌ„gst the mariners but the tempest was so strange that verie infidels might perceiue therin the mightie power of God These were like worldlings which neuer confesse God but when he commeth in a tempest they will not see his mercie vntill his iustice appeare like Pharaos sorcerers which confessed not Exod. 8. 1â— Gods maiestie while they liued at ease but when the Lord plagued them then they cried out this is the finger of God Let vs caâ—t lots The lot fell vpon Ionah in the end not because he was the greatest sinner of theÌ„ all Luke 13. 1. 2. c. for so is the opinion of the common people to censure them worst whom they see most afflicted If anie one be seene to beare his crosse then manie will say this is a wicked man and so thinke well of them selues supposing that God is bent against them to plague them For he correcteth them as he did his Sonne but if iudgement begin at the house of God what shall become of the vngodly â— Pet. 4. 17. 18. Then they said euerie man to his fellow come let vs cast lots that we may know c. Euerie man excuseth him selfe though they be sinners yet they are not great sinners They thought that there was but one sinner among them for euery one of them said it is not I they were not of Dauids spirite who when he saw the people plagued 2. Sam. 24. 10. said Lord it is I. They had past many tempestes before but they neuer cast lots for their casting of lots doth note some speciall danger supposing this tempest to be sent from some angrie god and that for some one mans sinne amongst them therefore they determined to seeke him out by lots and hauing found him to sacrifice him vnto the god that was so offended by him But if they knewe the angry gods they should haue taken their sinnes by the throte and sacrificed them vnto them In that they cast lots it sheweth that their heads were full of doubts in this time of extremitie for the wind sayd I will ouerturne theÌ„ the waters sayd I wil drowne them the ship said I cannot hold them the mariners said we cannot help Ionah nor our selues for God was gone from them and Ionah his conscience accused him within sin was bleeding and God knocked at the dore of his heart saying it is for thee the tempest is come thou fugitiue It doth not
and welfare for she euer putteth on a vizard that she might not be knowne to be so vile as she is so vnder the colour of goodnesse euill is alwayes lâ—â—king Therefore Christ is called the light because that we should leaue our foolishnes seeing light is come and that we should forsake all our lights which are but darknesse and 〈◊〉 vnto his light which is the true light indeed He came to lighten the Gentiles and they receiued him with thankfulnesse of whom there was no hope of goodnesse left Who would suppose that the barren woman should become frutefull or the prodigall sonne returne home againe It is like as if an owle should be conuerted to see light or as if the streame should returne into the fountaine or as if an old man should become yong againe A light to be 〈◊〉 to the Gentiles To be reuealed not yet reuealed the Iewes must first reiect him before the Gentiles receiue him and when the Iewes did oppresse him condemne him and crucifie him then were his armes spred vnto the whole world When the guests would not come then he sendeth into the high wayes to compell others that would come willingly vnto it Luk. 14. 23. Comfort is on foote and that which will come shall come c. The Queene of Saba Mat. 12. came from the vttermost part of the earth to heare Salomons wisedome and the wise men came from the East to see Iesus Christ Mat. 2. but we may say the Lord was here by in the Temple and I was in my shop selling and buying lying deceiuing swearing Well when he comes backe againe I will be better acquainted with him and so we esteeme not of his presence in any reuerent sort The Sunamite sayd Let vs build a chamber for 2. Kin. 4. 10. the man of God then we should build an house Zacheus did climbe vp into a tree to Luke 19. see his sauiour and the Lord seeing his diligence called him Zaoheus come downe for I will dine at thy house this day that was a ioyfull day with Zaoheus for then saluatioÌ„ came into his house and vpon al his family he gaue the Lord a feast and the Lord made him a farre better feast of peace a feast of ioy a feast of heauenly things and so for his zeale and indeuor to see Christ bodily he shewed him selfe vnto him spiritually euen to his hearts desire To be reuealed Haue an eye to the future tense that which 1. Kings 3. 12. 11. Iud. 13. 15. and 16. Luke 6. Act. 1. Act. 9. Mat. 26. Act. 4. Act. 7. is not shall be As for example Salomon was wise but he is foolish Sampson was strong but he is weake Iudas was a preacher but he is a reprobate Paule was a persecutor but he is a preacher Peter was a denier of Christ but now he is a bold professor of Christ Moses was learned in the wisedome of the Egyptians but now he is learned in the wisdome of God by which the wisdome of the Egyptians is made but meere foolishnesse in the sight of God Other wise men as heathen Philosophers Plato Aristotle Cato Crates and such like these were counted verie wise men in the sight of the world yet these were Gentiles that wrote so manie â—ookes full of wisedome and all so adorned with notable sentences wittie sayings that one would thinke all wisdome were buried with them so famous were they and so full of earthly vnderstanding teaching maners counsels and pollicies yet for my part I haue neither seene nor heard of any such being wise in worldly things and without the wisdome of God but that they haue committed some notorious foolishnesse in the sight of all men like Achitophel of whom we reade 2. Sam. 17. that he was so wise a counseller and yet see the end of him he hanged him selfe and all for want of the knowledge of God It were better therefore for him to haue had more wisedome and lesse wit Crates Aristotle Plato all the rest of the wise Philosophers haue either poysoned burned or drowned them selues and so we see that the ende of worldly wisdome is meere foolishnesse and 1. Cor. 1. 20 the foolish haue more peace then the wise for their wisedome without the feare of God doth theÌ„ no more good then the Arke did to the Philistines which did nothing but Iâ—d 5. torment them because they knew not how to vse it and therefore vnreuerently abused it For if your wisedome consist in eloqueÌ„ce of words in profunditie of wit to gain craftily and spend warily to inuent lawes to expound riddles and interpret dreames to tell fortunes and prophecie of matters by learning all these without the feare of God do vs no more good then their wit did these Philosophers which notwithstanding sate in darknes And I am afrayd though Christ brought light vnto the Gentiles yet it may be sayd that the Gentils sit in darknesse stil sauing a fewe Leuites scattered vpon the mountaines for whose sake Sodome is spared And because those had not the knowledge of God therfore they worshipped Mars Cupid sunne and moone beasts serpeÌ„ts so the Philistines worshipped DagoÌ„ Iud. 5. Act. 19. the Ephesians worshipped Diana the Assyrians Nesroch the Israelites worshipped a calf IeroboaÌ„ worshipped Belzebub the Moabites worshipped Chamos the Samaritanes did worship vnto Baall so the truth seemeth falshood and error seemeth truth As for example that the world should be made of nothing that the word became flesh that God and man was ioyned together in one bodie then one man may be righteous in the righteousnes of another which is Christ and that the dead shall rise againe these seemed foolishnesse vnto the Gentiles neither could they beleeue them No more can some Gentiles amongst vs at this day which are but naturall men therefore they do not beleeue them for when they professed them selues to be wise they became fools saith the holy Ghost So then we see nowe what Christ hath Rom. 2. done for vs he hath bounde that serpent which hath sowen all the tares so that the deuill is faine for want of better lodging to enter into swine Heretofore whereas one followed God a thousand folowed Baall but now kings Princes lift vp their heads desiring Christ to raigne with them and in them Heretofore we made our selues like the wounded man we were spoyled we were stript naked and we were bathed in our bloud being full of wounds but now Christ hath furnished vs he hath washed vs he hath clothed vs we are now become true Israelites we which were the vile and wild oliues he hath grafted vp vpon the true oliue and planted vs in a frutefull soile And what cause can we shew for this but onely mercie For heretofore we were called foolish but the Lord hath made vs wise according to the wisedome of God in these dayes by his spirit but if you deserue to
be called the foolish nation again then ye are most vnhappie and most cursed So now we haue heard that the Lord doth â—eueale all his counsels vnto his Prophets and how the glory of Israell is now reuealed to be the light of the Gentiles And you haue heard the cause why because the Jewes reiected their owne saluation You haue heard that the cause was onely his mercie his loue because mercy can not containe it selfe within Ierusalem A light to be reuealed to the Gentiles and the glorie of thy people Israell You haue heard why Christ is called light why he is called the light of the Gentils why the Lord did change a curse vnto a blessing why the Gentils did chaÌ„ge darknesse for light and a thousand gods for one true God Then the Gentiles receiued more grace then they desired for the Lord came vncalled into their houses and made a feast vnto them in their owne houses The light of the Gentiles is our light your light and my light Christ is our grace your grace my grace and Christ is our saluation your saluation and my saluation He came vnto the Iewes for the Iewes and yet his comming vnto the Gentiles was better then to the Iewes He came into the world when the world did abound in all wickednesse and saued vs when we most deserued wrath Wonder at this you that wonder at nothing that the Lord would come to bring saluation to redeeme our lost soules euen as it were against our willes so that now we would not be as we were for a thousand worlds I shewed the blindnesse of the Iewes who hauing heard of their reiection and of our conuersion yet vnderstood it not neither sought to preueÌ„t Gods wrath in reiecting of them Therefore the rocke which should haue saued them did shiuer them in peeces wherin was shewed their wonderful blockishnesse hauing it so ofteÌ„ foretold by their Ptophets figured in their Law shadowed in their sacrifices and read in their churches from Saboth to Saboth Euery thing that commeth to passe in churches in common weales in cities in countreys in kingdomes and in prouâ—â—ces these are all foretold in the scriptures and yet none do vnderstand it sauing a few chosen ones whom God loueth For the comming of Antichrist the ouerthrow of kingdomes the darknesse of Poperie the light of the Gospell the conuersion of the Gentiles and the reiecting of the Iewes all these are set downe in the scriptures and yet we can not vnderstand it though we heare it day by day because we do not giue our minds to vnderstanding Such hearers shall stand in a maze before the righteous terrible throne of God the dead shall rise the trumpe shall blow and all the world shal be in an vprore and they shall stand quaking when their hearing without profiting shall be layd to their charge and they shall say ô we haue knowne no such things but surely if the Iewes could come out of hell they wold admonish vs to take better heed how we heare for we heare as though we did not heare at all our minds are otherwise occupied Now when we see any thing come come to passe as it is foretold in the Scriptures then we must say as Christ sayd this prophecie is fulfilled for all things that are written are come to scriptum est factum est that is as sure as it is written so surely doth it come to passe It prophecieth nothing but that which truely is fulfilled in due time and the more often it speakes of a thing the more certaine the more excellent and the more to be beleeued it is Like a iewell that is beset with pearle so is our calling ordained with scriptures for so doth God tender our calling which is so often in his mouth and we so often in his remembrance that he speaketh of vs in euery book throughout the whole scriptures like a kind spouse whose loue is in a straunge countrey and he delighteth him selfe with thoughts and meditations of her so he did long vntil the Gentiles were come to him againe like the prodigall child whose father did long Luke 15. vntill he had imbraced him When shal my prodigall sonne come home againe saith he I will put my best garment on his backe my gold ring vpon his finger and his fare shall be the daintiest morsel And thus God longeth for our saluation and he knocketh at our doores Is faith here is loue here is one called the feare of God in this place And as loue maketh louers sometime to speake plainly and familiarly one to another sometime by darke speeches and riddles sometime by letters sometime by dumbe shewes and signes and sometime to hide them selues one from another so our God speaketh sometimes playnely vnto his Church sometime darkely and mystically somtime he turneth his face froÌ„ his Church and deare spouse as though he would not speake vnto her for loue as appeareth in the booke of the Canticles The first type or figure was Caine and Certain types figures of the electioÌ„ of the Gentiles and the reiection of the Iews which here he rehearsâ—d for the confirmation of this doctrine Gen. 4. Abell Caine was the eldest sonne of Adam and Abell the yonger yet God loued Abell and accepted his sacrifices but God reiected Caine for his wickednesse and he became a reprobate euen so doth God he reiecteth the Iewes which were the eldest sonne the true oliue and the seede of promise and Gods deare children if theâ— had continued in obedience and he taketh vs being but the yongest sonne the wyld oliue and maketh vs children by adoption vnto him only of his meere mercie without anie other cause The 2. example was Sem Iaphet both Gen. 9. which were Noahs sons Sem was the first son Iaphet the third yoÌ„gest of this Iaphet came the Gentiles of him said Noah God perswade Iaphet that he may dwell in the teÌ„ts of Sem that is that they may be vnited together as we see it is come to passe Other sheepe I haue saith Christ which are not of this fold them also will I bring they shal heare my voyce there shall be one sheepe fold and one shepherd Iohn 10. The third type or figure of Christ was Gen. 21. Ismael and Isaac both the sonnes of Abraham Ismaell was the eldest Isaac the yonger yet Isaac was chosen of God a figure of Christ at that time when he went to haue bene offered as a sweet sacrifice at Gods coÌ„mandement And Ismael his eldest brother was a mocker of his brother and therfore he was put away and the Lord was not with Gen. 22. him The fourth type or figure was Iacob and Gen. 25. Esau both sonnes to Isaac Esau was the elder brother and Iacob the yonger yet God loued Iacob and hated Esau because Esau contemned his birthright and sold it to Iacob for a messe of pottage and
the Iewes were a wicked a stiffe necked people yet there were some good men amoÌ„g them whom the Prophets call a remnant like the gleaning after haruest or like a cluster of grapes on the top of the vine after the vintage And these must be remembred in mercie because of the couenant made vnto their fathers So among them that went into captiuitie there was Shidrach Misach and Abednego And so all do not kneele to Bell for they whom the Lord preserueth do not The Lord because of his couenant doth alwayes prouide for his chosen although there be neuer so great calamitie or trouble as we see in the booke of Genesis 45. chapt Gen. 45. when there was a great time of dearth and scarcitie to come vpon the land where Iacob was then the Lord sent Ioseph to prouide for his father Iacob least hee should want bread he or any of his sonnes and folks and so ordered the matter that Ioseph was treasurer ouer all the corne in Egypt And so among the Turks and the Spaniards and infidels the Lord will find meanes to do them good which vnfainedly loue him and in the dungeon in the prison and in bonds yea and in death the godly shall find God And crie against it First God biddeth him Arise and shake off all impediments and then to go and call them to the battel and now he bids him crie out against them and so terrifie them Euery Prophet is a crier as appeareth where the Lorde biddeth Esaie to lift vp his Esay 48. 1. voyce like a Trumpet Euerie Prophet must both be plaine and bold and this many times maketh the poore seruants of God to speake their minds as plaine and bold as if they sate in iudgement Iohn was a voice a voice would not serue he was the voice Luke 3. of a crier and yet hee could not make the crooked straight nor the rough plaine If they were not deafe they need not to crie one to another such is the dumbnesse of preachers the deafnesse of hearers and the slownesse of followers that there is but litle good done and but a few frutes gathered If ye were not deafe we neede not to crie and therefore we crie with mouth with heart with hand with foot with all the powers of our bodies vnto you and yet how little do you regard itâ— But are not ye commanded to heare as well as we to crie yet the cocke croweth when men are fastest asleepe yea the cocke croweth and still Peter denieth Mat. 26. 70. 72 74. his maister Before you crie vnto the Lord heare what the word crieth vnto you and let not your woorkes crie for vengeaunce while your tongues crie for mercie When men heare the preacher speake against pride hypocrisie couetousnesse or anie other sinne then they looke one vpon another as though it belonged not vnto them but who can say his hart is cleane In the second of the Actes the holy Ghost Acts. 2. came downe in fire tongs but this fire is quenched and the tongues are tied vp though they cannot speak they can see they can see if a great benefice fall though it be an hundred miles off yet Pharao had more care of his sheepe then wee haue of our soules And crie against them For their wickednesse is come vp c. Faire Niniuie proude Niuiuie must be destroyed no man sits so high but destruction sits aboue him Iustice would haue come against them before it cried agaynst them But while they heard the crie of God God heard their cries and tooke pitie on them When God cries then we should weepe considering wherefore he cries for there is nothing that can prouoke the Lord to crie but sinne and that he euer crieth against Do what thou wilt and say what thou wilt and the Lord wil not be offended with you vnlesse you sinne For as an angrie man euer pursueth that which he hateth vntill he hath destroyed it so the Lord euer crosseth and hindereth vs in all our wicked actions vntill he hath slaine sinne in vs. Our sinnes buffet God on euerie side as the Iewes buffetted Christ first on the right side and then on the left side and neuer leaue till we haue prouoked him to crie against vs. And crie against it c. Reproofe is the necessariest office yet it is least regarded least esteemed For now we thinke if one doth reproue vs that he hateth vs. But the Lorde sayth Leuit. 19. Thou Leui. 19. 17 shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart but shalt reprooue him and suffer him not to sinne noting thereby that if wee flatter anie in their sinne or see them sinne and not reprooue them for it that it is a manifest signe that they doe it of hatred how great loue and good will so euer they pretend toward them seeing the matter tendes to the hurt of their soules and the offence of God If a preacher reproue sin he is thoght to do it of hatred or of some particular grudge others as though they were galled will say let him keepe his text or they will say he is beside his booke as though no text in scripture doth reproue sin and so of al doctrines the doctrine of reproofe reprehension of sin is most contemned and least esteemed But let a preacher preach darke misteries or prophane speeches or vnprofitable fables or friuolous questions or curious inuentions or od conceits or brainsicke dreames any of these will be more welcome vnto theÌ„ then reprehension which is most profitable and necessariest of all Balaams asse neuer spake but once and then he reproued Then Num. 22. 28. if Balaams asse reproued BalaaÌ„ how much more ought Balaam to reproue asses or such as will be no otherwise then beasts in their behauiour When we reproue you for sins whether they be vsuall or priuate you thinke ill of vs. If a preacher reproue a publike sin which is vsed and tollerated amongest many he is hated of many and thought to be too busie or that he is toosharpe and rough And they say that whereas hee should preach Gods loue and mercie he tels vs of the law and so doth throw vs downe too low c. And if he reprâ—â—ue a sinne that is done priuatelie he is thought to be enuious and one that preaches the law and thereby throwes some to despaire so al reproof is thought by them intollerable But we preach hell to bring you to heauen we preach the law to lead you to the Gospel we preach iudgement that you might find mercie we threaten as though we should strike you we rebuke as though we were angrie with you and exclaime as though we did hate you but we loue you in the dearest blood we haue The Lord grant vs all to loue the truth to the end THE REBELLION OF IONAH IN TWO SERMONS Ionah 1. 2. 3. 2 Arise and go to Niniuie that great Citie and crie against it
vsual matter among mariners vntill they plead for life and death for now or neuer they must besturre them Euery one vnto his God which sheweth that they were of diuers nations for among the Gentiles euery natiō had a seuerall God whom they worshipped Chamos was the god of the Moabites Belzebub the god of the Ebronites Dagon the god of the Philistines and 1. Sam. 5. 5. Act. 19. 35. the Ephesians worshipped Diana Whē the wicked see that all their inuentions will not bring their enterprises to passe according to their minde but are in extremitie and like to be cast away for want of succour thē they flye vnto God being driuen by compulsion as a beare vnto a stake and they crouch and kneele and make great shewes outwardly of humiliation and pietie all in hope of helpe from God as it were thinking to deceaue him by their hypocrisie In our necessitie we flie euerie one vnto In necessitie euery one flyes to that he hath confidence in his god as these mariners in whom we repose our confidence euerie one flieth vnto those vanities which most feed their humor perswading them selues of sufficient releefe from them Come Phisicke heale me come musicke cheare me come dainties seed me come gold enrich me come flatterie please me come mirth glad me come honors aduance me come all pleasures when I wish for you come when I need and I will trust in you so euery man doth flie vnto such vanities in their necessitie as they take most pleasure in supposing that they are able of them selues to ease them so leauing the creator which is all powerfull in him self running to his creatures which haue no power saue that they receiue from him Euerie one vnto his god That is in the time of necessitie euerie one doth flie for helpe and ease vnto that wherin he reposeth most confidēce some run to their coffers thinking that there it is that is able to procure ease frō any troubles other some run to their delights and wanton sports supposing that there is no trouble so great but it will ease them of it some to their glorious attires costly iewels as thinking those can make them acceptable in the sight of God some to their daintie meates some to their soft beds and easie standings c. But when they begin to perceiue that these wil not helpe which they in all the time of their prosperity reposed their confidence in and made more account off then God then they begin to crouch and kneele to seeke out the true God in hope of releefe If thou canst heale thy selfe what needest thou a phisitian or if thou canst help thy selfe out of troubles what neede hast thou of succour Therefore these mariners seeing that they could not helpe themselues cried vnto their gods and laboured with all their strength that they might not be cast away First they vsed prayer vnto the diuine powers for assistance then they vsed such ordinarie meanes as they knew best in such a time by casting out their wares to lighten the ship of them which rule is necessaire to be vsed of all Christians in their necessitie In necessitie first pray thē vse law full meanes first to seeke for ayde and assistance at the hands of God and then to vse all such good meanes to helpe them selues as God shal enable them to do trusting that of his goodnesse he will blesse their endeuors else may they go ouer all the world to seeke helpe haue none for there is no other way God in deed is last refuge but he is also the first refuge which is to be sought vnto for he is Alpha and Omega the first and the last And cried eueryman vnto his God They did wel in that they prayed but they prayed not well for they prayed euery man vnto his god that is vnto fayned gods gods in name but not in nature such gods they were as could not helpe so much as them selues And they cried Which sheweth that their gods were deafe and could not heare them no more then they could helpe them Here is a distinctiō in prayer the righteous pray when they are in need but the vngodly rore and crie like beares without their pray for they dispaire of helpe before they pray for it Euerie mā vnto his god They prayed much like the Papists which in extremitie cry out Papistes to their sundrie Saints some to one saint some to another some to saints some to Angels for they thinke if one will not helpe another will But true prayer hath two wings betweene which it must be carried vp to heauen else it cannot ascend at Prayers wings to bring it to heauē faith and loue all namely faith and loue without which no prayer can be acceptable or amiable before God These cried and prayed their prayers did beate the skie but could not lay the tempest yet their prayer is here noted to shew the custome of naturall men for the heathen do wel perceiue that there is a God nature and experiēce doth teach it them who hath made the stately and most glorious frame of the world with all the excellent creatures therein yet they know him not For though the lamps be wasted since Adam cōsulted with the deuil that he might be a God yet there is a litle light which still dwelleth in darknesse like a sparke hid in ashes They would not haue prayed at all but that nature taught them that there is a God whose mightie power they beheld so expresly in all the creatures that they imagined it to be impossible for one God to worke them all therfore they thought that there were diuerse gods as there were diuerse seasons diuerse nations diuerse trades diuerse languages diuerse and sundry kinds of all things and so diuerse nations worshipped diuerse gods Euerie of these mariners did now in their extremitie call vpon his god euerie one vpon that god which he thought most highly off and in whom he hath in his prosperitie reposed most confidence And now while none could help but Seeking to lay the tempest they increase it one they cried to many and by this meanes while they sought to lay the tempest they stirred it more for their prayers being idolatrous were so wicked that it had bene sufficient to prouoke the Lord vtterly to destroy them if his mercie were not wonderfull Psal 144. 15. ouer all his works therefore blessed is he that hath the Lord for his God What trouble soeuer commeth vnto the child of God yet he hath some consolation patience and moderation of mind to beare it withall but when the Lord sendeth aduersitie vnto the vngodly they haue such a guiltie conscience that whē they feele the great hand of God they are euen distracted of their wits and made as it were senslesse that they know not what they do yea when trouble comes it makes them like a heedlesse bee which buzzeth about