and obedience Certainly Rom. 15.4 as all Scripture is written for our instruction so this concerning Jonah His example gives us fair warning not to leave known duties whatever carnal reasonings may suggest for the neglect of them Not to sleep or rest secure after any sin committed lest a storm from God fall upon us and endanger our comfort in God if not our salvation Not to be eager for the destruction of any though bad enough and they deserve to be destroyed Not to favour that cholerick disposition which we know to rest in some of our breasts but be very watchful and mortifie this corruption more and more Nor to mutter against any of Gods dealings either with our selves or others how crosse soever they seem to be On the other side Jonah's example warns us to shame our selves for errors we have made as he here doth in writing these things of himself To submit patiently as he doth to those fatherly chastisements which it pleaseth God to afflict us withall To retain faith in God even in the depth of our afflictions as doth he To vent our faith and faithful desires by hearty and earnest prayers and that without ceasing as did he till he was delivered To gather holy vows and purposes that upon recovery out of any evils we will by the assistance of grace shew our selves really thankful for mercies received And after all our foolish strivings with his sad dispensations 1 Sam. 3.18 we will resolve all into the good pleasure of our God It is the Lord let him do what seemeth good in his eyes Then out of the example of the Ninevites all should learn to believe the threats of God and be humbled and crave the peace with God and walk with him ever afterward more obediently and carefully Rab. in Seder Olam Theodorer alii Where mark those words ever afterward and beware of relapses or returning to folly Histories tell us how forty yeares after this sparing of Nineve yet the people falling back to their old sins again were fearfully destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon and their City utterly overthrown according to the Prophesie of Nahum who arose after our Jonah Beware Christians by their example Be not as the Dog that returns to his vomit or as the Sow that was washed to the wallowing in the mire The first estate of Apostates was bad enough but their last estate is worse by far The Lord uphold us in these sifting and shaking times wherein many have turned aside after Satan that we may hold on constantly in the way of faith and obedience not warping aside to the right hand or the left no nor abating a whit of our first love through heavinesse of flesh or deadnesse of spirit or any incumbrances of the world With which prayer I rest in present Thine in our Lord Jesus Christ WILLIAM JEMMAT THE PROPHESIE OF JONAH JOnah in Hebrew signifies a Dove Hieron 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mar. 1.10 and the Lord send upon us the good Spirit which descended on Christ as a Dove that we may rightly and fruitfully treat of this Prophesie which was written as all other Scripture for our Instruction and consolation Of Jonah we read in two other Scriptures 2 King 14.25 Mat. 12.39 40. Gath-Hepher was the place of his Birth and one of the Cities that fell to the lot of Zebulon and was so called to distingush it from Gath Rimmon and Gath of the Philistines Note Malice blinds Where note the falseness of the blind and malicious Pharisee who said Out of Galilee ariseth no Prophet Joh. 7.52 Yes Jonah the Prophet who was of Gath-Hepher which was in the Province of Galilee Malice doth many times blâ—nd the eyes even of understanding men as the Pharisees generally were Beware of malice as thou wouldest not be mis-led into damning Errors fatally and finally Jonah prophesied in the Reign of Jeroboam the second or of Joash his Father it may be of both Princes that came of Jehu who rooted out the Family of Ahab the Idolaters but not the Idolatry for which cause Israel came into great affliction which was very bitter 2 King 14.26 27. There was not any shut up nor any left nor any Helper for Israel Note Idolatry ruines Idolatry ever brings mischief to a State or Family sooner or later see Chap. 10.31 32 33. Beware of Idolatry and Idolaters they are people of Gods Wrath and Curse what trials ye may have ye do not know Remember and keep your selves from idols 1 Joh. 5.21 and from idolaters Now mark two things of Jonah our Dove 1. To afflicted Israel he comes with an Olive-branch of of Peace and Comfort that the waste shall be restored which had been taken away ibid. according to the word of the Lord God of Israel Note Some favour to the worst Use which he spakes by the hand of his servant Jonah God for a while is very gracious and in temporals doth much for a wicked people it may be by wicked instruments as Jeroboam was Admire the passages of his providence and look from men to God who works for the good of his Chosen as in the ten Tribes there were some true worshippers and for their sake some deliverance was granted 2. To Nineve he is sent with the mournful Voice of a Dove proclaiming their destruction Yet forty dayes and Nineve shall be destroyed but with an intent in the Master that sent him to spare the City upon their Repentance and Amendment The Lord in wrath remembers mercy Note In wrath mercy and sometimes blusters our judgments that sinners may bethink themselves and repent and be saved Mark his divers dispensations and attend the main which is that his patience and goodness should lead you to repentance Rom. 2.4 Two Notes more 1. Out of this Book of Jonah two things may be noted by the exposition of our Saviour himself 1. That Jonah was a Type of Christ in respect of his Death and Resurrection as Jonah was three days and three nights in the Whales belly and then came to land again so Christ was held in Death for a while and the third day rose again 2. That the people of Nineve are set for an example of Repentance to you of after-ages which if it follow not ye shall be the more deeply and severely damned and why for a greater then Jonah is here Allegorical sense of Scripture we shall ever admit where warranted by some glimpse of Scripture as there are many such to be found through the whole body of it Ribera 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 4.24 The Jesuite needed not to have quarrelled about such sense of Scriptures but under pretence of Allegories we must not run out into Fooleries as are many of their Allegories much less into Errors as some of them are Nor doth the similitude of things among themselves warrant us to take every Doctrine which the Fathers collected but only where the Antecedents
it be with the loss of their Souls and yet when they have it it is in much danger to be stollen or mastered by Fire or forfeited or to be cast away with ones own hands and Oh that I had never know peny of this ill-gotten Goods Mat. 16.26 what profit what recompence beside those cases of meeting a murderous Theef Take my Goods and save my Life And mark how expresly the way of worldlings is called folly Psal 49.13 This their way is their folly with Jer. 17.11 He that getteth riches and not by right shall leave them in the midst of his days and at his end shall be a fool Use 2 Take heed Christians and adventure not Souls for Goods It were no reasonable exchange 1. Mark these Heathens if they prefer their Lives before their Goods let not Christians who know better and higher things cast away their precious and Immortal Souls for a little Commodity no not if it were never so great Certainly there is no proportion between a Soul and the whole world 2. We read of some Philosophers that they cast away their wealth and worldly business that they might the better attend the getting of Learning and Wisdom so did Crates and Thales by buying up the Vineyards in the Country when he fore-saw a Scarcity by Philosophy and made good advantage of it shewed how easily a Philosopher might get wealth if he minded it And if such mind it not why should Christians mind it so much What then may some say Object Answ would you have me cast my wealth into the River I see no such need Sir Answ 1. There is need to make restitution of Goods that have been ill-gotten as did Zacheus 2 There is need to be free for pious and charitable uses according to ability 1 Cor. 16.2 as God hath prospered a man 3. There is need while we hold these temporals to hold them with a moderate mind and affection not to mind Earthly things but to have the conversation in Heaven Phil. 3.19 20. not to set the affections on things below but things above Col. 3.1 2. and our rule is not to Treasure in Earth but in Heaven Mat. 6.20 and when we have any riches to refer them to the right ends they were given for as is said Honour God with thy substance Prov. 3.9 And still they should be used as encouragements in his service Ver. 15. 4. There is need above all our getting to labour for the better and enduring substance Heb. 10.34 to be rich in faith and good works to get saving wisdom which is better then Rubies and Diamonds to have a stock of prayer going in Heaven without all question great is the gain of godliness 1 Tim. 6.6 though worldlings esteem it not Where note these two Loves do much hinder and waste one another If a man earnestly and as he ought shall mind the spiritual wealth it will in great part take him off from his mudling in the world Is he not in the prosecution of better things A Prince that seeks a Kingdom will purchase no Cottage On the other side he that eagerly pursues the world shall either neglect Religion altogether or pursue it very indifferently worldly-mindedness hath been the maâ—ring of many an hopeful Professor Demas embraced the world 2 Tim. 4.10 and left the Apostle To the fourth point We are apt to be very secure even Doctr. 4 in the greatest danger 1. Good men as Jonah In great danger apt to be secure who was very shortly to be cast into the Sea and yet fast asleep in the side of the Ship and David who after his sin with Batsheba lay securely for awhile without renewing peace with God till the Sword was threatned to come against his house and never go from it Only with this difference the security of a godly man is neither total nor final At the worst he hath some motions of God in his heart and at last he runs to him with full speed Cant. 5.2 I sleep but my heart waketh And oil is ready in his Lamp to go forth and meet the Bridegroom 2. Carnal and worldly men These say Peace and Safety when suddain destruction comes upon them unawares 1 Thes 5.3 And the man with gall of bitterness saith he shal have peace when the smoak of Gods wrath is arising against him Deut. 29. So said they of the old world till the flood came and drowned them all and the men of Sodom till the fire fell from Heaven and consumed them Every natural man sleeps the sleep of death and he never awakes till he be dropping into Hell Use 1 Whereby note a cursed and dangerous effect of sin as it brings a man into extreme danger of losing God and all happiness A fruit of sin and of falling into the everlasting torments of Hell so it is ready to make and keep him secure and altogether insensible of his danger till he know not what to do wâ—th himself Esa 6.10 He hath a gross heart eyes to see and not perceive ears to hear and not understand and he hath an impenitent heart Rom. 2.5 whom all the goodness and patience of God cannot lead to repentance so little cause there is to be in love with sin as many are or to refuse the Exhortations of zealous Ministers Use 2 2. Note and admire the wonderful mercy of God who watcheth over us for good The mercy of God and in due time awakenes us out of our deep and deadly sleep by giving faith and repentance O the rich and invaluable grace of Conversion how are we bound unto God that now we stand up from the dead Eph. 5.14 and live for ever We were asleep sometimes yea dead in sins and trespasses but now Christ hath given us the light of Life It is onely of his discriminating grace for which we must ever remember to be thankful 3. Awake unto duty Christian watchfulness is a duty Use 3 often commanded in Scripture Be sober be vigilant watch 1 Pet. 5.1 for ye know not the hour when the Son of man cometh Mat. 25.13 and saith Christ what I say unto you I say unto all watch Mar. 13.37 For Motives consider how it is made a Note of wisdom to watch till the Bridegrome comes as did the wise Virgins How the wise as well as the foolish are apt to slumber and sleep How the Bridegrome comes in a time when he is least expected at mid-night Ver. 5.6.10.12.13.14.19 How the wise Virgins enter with him into the glorious Bride-Chamber How others are excluded though they knock and call for admission And how hereupon our Saviour inferreth the Exhortation Watch therefore together with another Parable to the same purpose There will be a day of reckoning with the Servants about their Talents and Employments therefore watch and do duty Ver. 6. So the Ship-Master came to him and said unto him What meanest thou O sleeper
windes and Seas do obey The Sea ceaseth from raging when God would have it to be quiet but profane persons as the fool rage still and are confident neither word nor works of God can reduce them to obedience nor Magistracy nor any good means whatsoever Others that are enemies of godly men never cease from raging jeering abusing or breathing out threats against them Pharaoh will adventure into the midst of the Sea to overtake and destroy Israel An implacable Generation of men there are who will never cease from sinning till they be in Hell But let us a little re-mind our Type Note Christ dying Gods wrath ceased As when Jonah was cast into the Sea the Sea ceased from raging so when Christ endured the cursed death of the Crosse the wrath of God toward the Elect came to an end as was said from Heaven This is my well beloved Son in whom my Soul resteth He was made a curse for us that we might receive the blessing of Abraham through faith Gal. 3.13 14. This comes from the concurrence of these three Reason 1 things 1. The Person of Christ was of infinite worth being God as well as man and as God he had power to still the raging of these Seas which our Sins had raised against us 2. Christ as a surety had undertaken all Reason 2 the Sins of his people and all the dangers that accrewed thereby stood for a time in the state of the greatest sinner that ever was Esa 53.6 the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us Reason 3 all as on the Scape-Goat 3. It was the agreement of the Father and Son from all eternity that if the second Person in Trinity would take flesh and dye for sinners all the wrath should cease and there should be a full and finall friendship contracted So by this Covenant the wrath of God ceased toward sinners for whom Christ dyed Comfort to beleevers against whom Sin had stirred up an Ocean of wrath and misery Use Comfort to their Eternal condemnation infinitely more and worse danger then ever Jonah and the Mariners were brought into Christ hath dyed therefore all the storm is over and they may be sure it is over and take comfort in the assurance The Mariners were glad when the Sea ceased from her raging and so may they be in the appeasing of Gods wrath The same debt must not be discharged both by the surety end by the principal debtor Whence it is said God is just to forgive us our sins not mercifull only but just 1 Joh. 1.9 Hear and get a weak faith strengthened Peruse those grounds of reason in the reason of the point Peruse the Covenant of grace and the tenor of it Believe and thou shalt be saved Peruse the promises how free they are as well as universall sure and precious Esa 55.1 and Rev. 21.6 And how these great mercies are sealed up in the Sacrament of the Supper a crucified Saviour is here exhibited and all for us therefore conclude we shall escape He needed not to have suffered as for himself for what had the righteous man done no To us he was given and for us he was born A good feast is appointed for cherishing the Guests that come to it and so is this Thou comest with a weak faith and in much doubting yet come and it shall be strengthened Other feasts are not sure to yeild a man nourishment but this is If thou beleevest thou eatest and if thou eatest thou shalt live even for ever Joh. 6.54 Only come preparedly Examine mourn renew repentance and covenant hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Blessed are all such Mat. 5.6 When the Jews was to eat his Pascall Lambe he must prepare him sower Herbs to eat it withall intimating to us that Godly sorrow which Communicants must bring along with them And he that comes mournfully is allowed to go away joyfully He that sowes in tears shall reap in joy Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted And mark such are not only permitted but commanded to rejoyce Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes and again I say rejoyce Phil. 4.4 Psal 32.11 rejoyce in the Lord ye righteous be glad and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart Where still remember the main ground of your joy the storm of Gods wrath is over ever since Christ dyed for his Chosen by his stripes they are healed therefore bid defiance to all hellish Enemies as Rom. 8.34 Ver. 16. Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord and made vowes This is the Mariners thankfulnesse for the great mercy of deliverance and it hath three Clauses Parts 1. For inward worship they feared the Lord exceedingly 2. For outward worship They offered a sacrifice unto the Lord. These for the present 3. For the future they made vowes bound themselves to the service of the true God For the first of these twice before it was said that the Mariners were a fraid vers 5. and 10. once for the storm that was so dangerous to them another time for that they heard Jonah tell of the God of the Hebrews to be his master and that he had declined his service And now again they fear exceedingly when the storm is over Jonah being cast into the Sea A signe their fear of God was a work of grace in them why they fear the Lord and his goodnesse as Hos 3.5 One would have thought it should have been said That they rejoyced exceedingly namely to see the Sea quiet the danger past and themselves set in safety naturall men use to be frolick in such escapes and poure out their hearts unto pleasures it is a matter of ordinary observation But Grace teacheth a man not to rest in the works of God which are joyous and comfortable Note but to look up unto God himself to fear him that is by a part for the whole to perform all worship to him of Faith Love Joy Desire Zeal other gracious affections and actions that are sutable Psal 111.10 So the fear of God is said to be the beginning of wisdome that is an Introduction to all religious affection and behavior Timor initialis as the schooles say neither altogether ingenuous and Child-like as in setled Christians nor altogether slavish as in natural men who are only terrified with their sins and Gods judgments Felix for example but of a mixture of these as useth to be in time of conversion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cl. Alex. a fear joyned with an holy reverence toward the great God and it continues ever with a Christian once converted to bring the work of grace to perfection 2 Cor. 7.1 perfecting holâ—ness in the fear of God Such fear in all likelihood possessed the hearts of these Mariners namely that now presently upon the casting of Jonah into the Sea such a calm followed Oh the great Power and Holiness and Justice and Mercy of the God of
his sufferings Christ is as much above Jonah in value and Dignity as Jonah was above the meanest Skipper Such a Saviour and Redeemer we needed and found and could find in none but Christ Not all the Angels of Heaven nor men on Earth that could have saved us from this shipwrack 2. Consider throughly the greatness of the storm which thy sin had raised against thee not a Tempest of wind and sea but of the infinite and everlasting wrath of the great God Who knows the power of his wrath None but Christ Psal 90.11 and the damned and souls in desertion Now the greater our danger is and rightly apprehended the more we hold our selves bound to thankfulness but rightly apprehended it cannot be without deep and earnest Meditation Think a little in what a woful case these Mariners were during the Tempest then compare the infinite waath of the great God which burns to the nethermost hell and all by reason of those pleasant and profitable sins thou so much doatest upon 3. Consider the sweet and comfortable calm which Jesus Christ hath brought by his suffering even all the benefits of justification by faith Rom. 5.1 2 3 4 5 sin pardoned person accepted soul saved prayer heard affliction sanctified every mercy received in mercy And now Satan is disappointed and disabled in the main Possibly he may raise great tempests against the Saints that is persecutions smaller or greater as against Job and his Children and Cattel but in the point of salvation he can do us no hurt at all yea all shall fall out for good in the end chap. 8.28 Christians stir up your selves to a due thankfulnesâ— we may hear shortly how these Mariners upon deliverance offered a sacrifice unto the Lord and made vows ver 16. If they for a temporal what should we for a spiritual and eternal deliverance As the mercy is greater so must the thankfulness be 1. We should offer our sacrifice to the Lord even spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 I mean praise and thanksgiving alms works of Righteousness in our common Calling prayer all holy services of Religion and suffering if we be called thereunto as Phil. 2.17 If I be offered upon the sacâ—â—â—â—â—e and service of your faith I joy and rejoice with you all 2. We should make vows and pay them to the Lord our God Psal 76.11 and do it without any farther delay Eccles 5.4 When thou vowest a vow unto God defer not to pay it Especially the vows that were made in affliction Psal 66.13 14. I will pay thee my vows which my lips have uttered and my mouth had spoken when I was in trouble Most of all those that were made in affliction of spirit in conversion or afterward in going to a Sacrament Psal 116.13 14. I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people Ver. 13.14 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the Land but they could not for the Sea wrought and was tempestuous against them Wherefore they cryed unto the Lord and said We beseech thee O Lord we beseech thee Let us not persh for this mans life and lay not upon us innocent blood for thou Lord hast done as it pleased thee Though Jonah had desired them to cast him into the sea and all should be well yet see how loving and tender-hearted the men are to spare his life Nevertheless the men rowed hard they digged the sea saith the Hebrew they took as hard pains as he that goes to ditching and delving A wonderful matter in Seamen and those heathens but he that gave Joseph favour in the fight of Potiphar and the Keeper of the prison gavâ— Jonah favour in the sight of these Mariners that though he said Cast me forth into the sea yet they rowed hard to bring the ship to dry land Note Be tender of mans life The example teacheth us as far as we can possibly to spare the life of our Neighbour life is a precious thing better then all a man hath beside Skin for skin and all that a man hath he will give for his life it ought therefore to be preserved and cherished to the uttermost and if we can do any thing thereunto we are bound in conscience to do it He that said Thou shalt not kill meant moreover we should prolong life to the best of our skill and power Use Remember Christians and take example by these heathen Mariners together with grounds of Christianity to save the life of any in any of your relations or within any compass of your Calling The Son of man came not to destroy but to save life and so should we The Lord by his general providence preserves both man and beast and so should we And a good man is merciful to the life of his beast much more to his Brother What is it then thy Brother or Friend or Child is in danger of his life 1. Learn of these Mariners to take pains for saving him run ride send call in help use friends do all that may be done to keep him alive By using means we have seen those to live whom we thought very likely to die 2. If there be a plot against the life of any discover and prevent the mischief as did Pauls Sisters Son Act. 23. much more if it be levelled against the lives of many in bringing a Nation to confusion As by prayer so by prudence we must put our selves into the breach and prevent the overthrow 3. Supply food and raiment and all that is requisite to keep Nature alive not only in Children and near Friends but in them that are farther off For this see Jam. 2.14 15 16 17 18. Object He is naught Answ Preserve his humanity that he may have time to wax better 4. If he be sick let him have physick and other cherishing as the occasion requireth The Syrophenicean woman went to Christ in behalf of her distressed Daughter and the Nobleman in behalf of his sick Sonne John 4.46 5. Worldly sorrow causeth death therefore grieve no man over much vex not make him not weary of his life do rather what may be comfortable and chear his spirits against his affliction especially with spiritual consolations and instructions say Faint not nor be weary when thou art corrected Heb. 12. Neither should a man grieve himself for losses or crosses whereby his life and health may be endangered as is too usual and it is a sin It thrusts God out of his place denies his Soveraignty Impeaches his Providence prescribes against his Wisdom and arrogates to ones self the way and praise of finding contentment for his life therefore most justly in stead of contentment a man hastens his own death and goes the sooner to give account to God for his impatience and foolishness Take heed and be moderate They rowed hard to bring the ship to Land Note All pains nothing without God but they could not All mans
obeyed in all our course of life Both Creation and gubernation are ascribed to him therefore he is God He made us Use 2 and he feeds us therefore he is God Ps 135.6 Again it is comfort to the good Subjects of his dominion that he hath to do and doth what he will both in Heaven and Earth and in all deep places When we travel in waters or occupy businesses in that Element there he sits and overrules all In the great and threatning waves of affliction he orders the Event for good to the faithful Psal 32.6 Surely in the flouds of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him Mat. 8.26 14 31. Rev. 20.13 Esa 43.2 When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee For the Disciples he rebuked the wind and sea and there was a great calm And he took up sinking Peter into the ship and one day the sea shall give up her dead There is comfort also in the preparations and provisions that the Lord makes for us both by sea and landâ— He that prepared a great fish for Jonah prepares for us a multitude of fishes both small and great precious for their usefulness and pleasant by their variety Food Physick Oil Bone abundance of uses for the enriching of a Nation whereunto adde that God first taught the art of making ships for Navigation so Noah by his instruction Heb. 11.7 prepared an Ark for saving himself and his Use 3 Family And if it be so believe in God for supply of all your wants In all straights say as Abraham God will provide He that appointed Jonah to be cast into the sea prepared a fish to save him from drowning He that sent a Famine upon Canaan sent Joseph before into Egypt for a Caterer for us also he will provide what is wanting and shall be expedient Believe it and beware of the chiding Why did ye fear because ye brought no bread Jonah was in the belly of the fist three days and three nights Miraculous preservation of Jonah Here is miracle upon miracle A storm raised a calm restored a fish prepared for safety a man kept alive in his belly so long and no longer and then set on dry land again wonders that the fish was so ready for him that he escaped crushing between his teeth which stood in great rows as Sawes to knap him asunder that the digestive force of the fishes stomack was so long restrained that he was not choaked wiâ—h waters and weeds that came about him that he was tost from one side of the fish to another that all this while he had no way of free breathing yet there he was and there he prayed and thence he was delivered Admirable preservation Note the wonderful power of God Note And of others who in the midst of dangers can preserve his people even where no hope of safety appears Jonah in the Whales belly Israel amidst the red sea and in Jordane with bread from heaven water out of a rock one sute of Apparel to serve a man for forty years together The three Jews to breathe and live in an hot fiery furnace and come forth again Daniel to escape well enough in the den of Lions Noah in a world of waters and among all sorts of beasts all came to him and the wildest were made tame so to live with the rest Fables will an Atheist say who can believe Against Atheists or how can these things be Answ 1. Ask sense and experienâ—e how lives the Child in the womb for some moneths together where he neither breathes nor takes nourishment by the mouth yet a continual business as appears in the Birth of Children John 20.29 2. He must needs be a gross Atheist who will believe no more then he sees Blessed is he that hath not seen and yet hath believed Spiritual matters are as much above sense for perceiving as they are for worth The soul is far better then the body yet not seen as the body is and God who is infinitely better then both 3. Jesus Christ who is the true and faithful witness hath given testimony to this History of Jonah and his Whale that he was three days and three nights in the belly of the fish And whosoever shall infringe the truth of Christ in his assertions shall never find him a Saviour A Revenger he shall find him but not a Saviour The wrath of God abideth on him 4. Poets and Heathens have a fable of Ariou Methimnaeus carryed by Dolphins along the sea into his own Countrey no doubt but some glimmering of this History of Jonah Gualter or rather a fable invented by the Devil to obscure this History that it should not be credited as to render the Apostles suspicious he cryed out Act. 16.17 These are the servants of the most High God who shew unto us the way of salvation Use Expect deliverance when least likely Now remember this against times and cases of very great danger God is the same and his power is the same and his love and his care and his truth and all his Attributes and if thou be the same with Jonah in faith and holinesse thou shalt find the same protection and deliverance so far as shall be good for thee I am the Lord I change not Object There is the scruple may some say I am no whit like Jonah that God should so take care of me Sol. Answ 1. The least degree of true faith and holiness is accepted with God and shall keep the head above water Peter was a man of little faith and yet by his little faith he was able to walk upon the sea and if he had held fast his confidence as he began he should not have sunk in the least nor cryed out for help as he did 2. Though Jonah was a very good man yet at this time he was very faulty and in wrath cast forth into the sea Hab 3.2 Only the Lord in wrath remembers mercy toward him and so he will toward thee The gifts and calling of God are without repentance no unbelief of ours can make the faith of God of none effect nor break off the tie between him and a believing soul Oh but my case is very grievous Object A devouring evil lies upon me Answ Thy case is not worse then Jonahs case was Sol. he was devoured by a Whale and this devourer was the means of his preservation Judg. 14.14 Out of the eater came meat and out of the strong came sweetness Thou sayest I see no likely means of my deliverance no more did Jonah and yet he is delivered even in a way quite contrary God saves by means without means above means or against means Oh but mine is a tedious affliction Ob. Sol. it hath lain long upon me and now what hope remains Answ 1. Jonah was in the Whales belly three days and three nights no doubt but that he had sad thoughts
that that I have voâ—ed He had vowed it seems in the Whales belly that if he might be delivered he would do the message at Nineve whatever it cost him and now he doth the message indeed Though the danger were the same by displeasing a mighty people though God were very merciful and likely to spare Nineve Note Do as well as vow though thereby he should be accounted a false Prophet Yet up he ariseth and hies him to Nineve Thus he pays what he had vowed Remember and do thou likewise it is written for thy instruction and imitation In Baptism thou renouncedst the Devil the World and the Flesh and wast devoted to the service of the true God who is Father Son and Holy Ghost Now at years of discretion do as thou hast said pay that that thou hast vowed especially one that hath been dangerously sick and now recovered or in other great affliction remember the vows which thy lips then uttered as Psal 66.13 14. I will pay thee my vows which my lips have uttered and my mouth hath spoken when I was in trouble Shew whether thou hast indeed profited in the School of affliction whether as Christ thou hast learned obedience by the things thou sufferedst or as David It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes Do the duty though it be difficult costly or dangerous as this to Jonah Godly sorrow useth to work abundance of gracious effects 2 Cor. 7.11 Carefulness Fear vehement Desire Zeal c. Doctr. Penitents work for God And note how it is said here Jonah did according to the word of the Lord. A truly-penitent Christian sets himself to work for God according to his word However he have declined the service and turned aside to crooked wayes yet upon his better bethinking himself especially upon his smart in one kind or other he gets up and falls to his work again so Jonah David Peter other Saints whose falls were great but so was their amendment too and the obedience they performed afterward Why 1. He hears and acknowledges the voice of God commanding Reason 1 his obedience as here Arise and go to Nineve When young Samuel once knew the voice of the Lord he presently said Speak Lord for thy servant heareth and he did all the message to the uttermost So did Paul at his conversion Lord 1 Sam 3.10 12. what wilt thou have me to do where think why should not a Convert obey the word of God as well as a Whale or a wind should man be more sensless then they Reason 2 2. There is a principle of grace and obedience in the heart of the truly-penitent as for example Jonah was a godly man before this time though now he failed foully and fearfully therefore is awakened to his work and sets presently to do it In every true Christian there abides a seed of God 1 John 3.9 which will not suffer him to sin as the wicked doth And such will say We can do nothing against the truth but for the truth and We cannot but speak the things we have heard and seen 3. The word of the Lord carries Authority with it that the good soul holds it self bound to observe and do it Though others are fast and loose ye such will hold it as David My heart standeth in awe of thy word And it hath the nature of a rule to do as the word directeth so much and no more and in such manner as it requires Gal. 6.16 As many as walk according to this rule peace and mercy be upon them And so there is this force both in the commanding word of God and the forbidding word and threatning and promising and comforting in all there is an eternal obligation and equity and a believer will have a faithful respect to all as is injoyned Deut. 12.32 What thing soever I command you observe and do it thou shalt not adde thereto nor diminish from it It follows hence that numbers among us never yet Use 1 truly repented of their sins why to this day they set not to do Gods business according to his word some being grosly disobedient others partial in their obedience others slight others unsetled and unconstant others timerous and loth to appear where difficulty or danger appears Numbers flee from God with Jonah but few travel for God with Jonah yet will make themselves believe they have repented which is impossible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for true repentance is ever a fruitful and effectual repentance remember the fruits meet for repentance Mat. 3.8 and works meet for repentance Act. 21.20 And if others will not yet let true Christians justifie Use 2 and clear their repentance to be sound and sincere by falling upon the work which the Lord hath for them to do as ye have failed with Jonah so be quickned and active with Jonah Every one knows his fleeing and wherein he hath been faulty Now let every one be humbled for his failings and return unto God in the same way he went from him How to set to do Gods work Our Text imports three things which may set a collapsed Christian upon his legs again 1. Rowse up thy self out of that sluggishness which hath crept insensibly upon thee Arise and go to Nineve Up Sampson the Phlistines be upon thee Say not Yet a little sleep Augustine yet a little slumber yet a little folding of the hands to sleep This little and little will make a great deal at the last Thy case is bad enough already and such delay would make it far worse He that is not fit for God and duty to day will be less fit to morrow There is more need by double diligence â—o redeem the time that is lost and fetch after the work that should have been done 2. Take heed of carnal reasonings which swayed with Jonah to flee to Tarsus namely the great mercy of God to repenting sinners What of that ought not Jonah to have tryed therefore to bring the Ninevites to repentance If Christ be revealed in thee yet beware of consulting with flesh and bloud Gal. 1.16 and take heed of presuming on mercy as mercy is not to be straightned so neither is it to be enlarged beyond the bounds prescribed of God nor perverted to wrong ends but whereas he is very gracious he should be feared the more even vessels of mercy are not allowed to turn grace into lasciviousness Psâ—l 130.4 Jude 4. 1 Pet. 4.17 Consider what that means Judgment begins at the house of God and the righteous shall scarce be saved 3. Cast not difficulties and dangers that would follow upon doing of duty Jonah hath now unlearned that lesson and puts on to his work whatever comes of it Prov. 26.13 The fool or wicked man saith there is a Lyon in the way I shall be destroyed or damnified if I do this and this duty I know not what mischief will come of it But
what saith the Spirit fear not their fear nor be dismayed Luke 12.4 fear not them that can kill the body and afterward can do no more but fear him who can cast both body and soul into hell I say unto you Prov 29 25. fear him Solomon saith the fear of man bringeth a snare that is sometimes enwraps a man in that and that danger which by faith he might have avoided as here Jonah carnal fear threw him into the depth of the sea Now Nineve was an exceeding great City of three days journey that is such as a man could not pass in all the streets of it and deliver a message as Jonah must do under so much time allotted Of the bigness of this City we spake on Chap. 1. 2. and how Jonah was told of it before hand that he might arm himself with courage accordingly And now methâ—nks when he sets upon obedience it sets forth his courage and faithfulness and tends to his high commendation there being many difficulties which might hinder or encounter his honest resolution to do the service As for instance 1. In Nineve which was the head of the Assyrian Monarchy there was a potent and flourishing people who were Lords of the Eastern world and how angry would these be to hear a poor fellow cry out against them Yet forty days and Nineve shall be overthrown 2. In what danger should he be to be torn in pieces among them or to be beaten and sent away empty for so the Jews dealt with divers of their Prophets yet the only people of God and how should heathenish Ninevites be expected to do better 3. If the Ninevites should be quiet yet the good man had a shrewd task to do for three days together to trudge up and down in all their streets and with such a message as none was likely to give him countenance or entertainment 4. The message had no likelyhood to be performed Where was any Army to beset and overthrow Nineve or whence should the enemies come what should they drop out of the sky or what should be the Engines whereby it should be vanquished Difficulties enough to hinder Yet on he goes and doth the message Note No difficulties stand before zeal Zeal for God will break through all difficulties and do duty Jonah had now got into his heart a burning love and a strong fear of God and therefore falls on his work without forecasting of events or hardships So still Love is strong as Death much water cannot quench love the love of Christ constrains us Cant. 8.6 2 Cor. 5.14 saith the Apostle Use 1 Those then have no true love or zeal of God who are easily puzzled with difficultâ—es and fly back from those duties which they know they should perform for example the duties of mortification duties of the family of suffering for a good cause of painful managing a calling so as God may be glorified suppose in Magistracy or Ministery Some mean well but have no courage for the truth or for righteousness or reformation either of their families or of the places where they live Jer. 9.3 They are not valiant for the truth upon earth Hos 7.11 Ephraim is like a Dove without heart without understanding or courage for God But we shall ever commend those stout and resolute Champions who fall on duty whatever it cost them as here Jonah the three Jews that adventured into the fiery furnace Paul and other Apostles who amidst many and great persecutions went on with their preaching and the Martyrs that followed them Heb. 11.37 they were sawn asunder and diversly afflicted not nice and delicate of suffering as now-a-days not afraid of threats nor ashamed of Christ in an evil generation not swayed by carnal wisdom or self considerations therefore one day Christ will not be ashamed of them but own and honor them saying Well done good and faithful servant ye have been faithful in a little now be rulers over much Yet forty dayes and Nineve shall be overthrown This was Jonahs Text but it is likely he amplified it divers ways as for example by telling of their great sins which had provoked the God of heaven against them as chap. 1.2 Cry against Nineve for their wickedness is come up before me And this God of heaven sent me on this errand I am his servant I come not on my own head he bade me come and do this message and because I declined the service I was cast into a Whales belly for three days and three nights together and now I tell you this of a truth that ye may repent and be saved if not temporally yet at least spiritually and eternally The point to be stood upon is this Note Sin overthrows great peoples Sin is able to overthrow great Cities or Nations and that sometimes very suddenly Cities Nineve Sodom Jerusalem Samaria other Nations as in the change of Monarchies from the Assyrians to the Persians from them to the Greeks and from them to the Romans Yea the whole world first by water at last-by fire Righteousness exalteth a Nation Prov. 14.34 but sin is a reproach to any people and out of other Scriptures I might adde a confusion Whereby we see in what danger we of England are and Use 1 we of Reading because a sinful Nation A people laden with iniquity whose wickedness is gone up before God and cryes for vengeance against us Suppose there were none but the horrible sin of Drunkenness it were enough to overthrow us but you may adde Heresies Deceits other wickednesses None is safe long who is so near unto danger The judgment of a sinful people lingereth not 2 Pet. 2.3 and their damnation slumbreth not It were well if the sinners among us would fall to quarrelling Use 2 with those sins which threaten and endanger our Nation they have shrewdly shaken us already Have we not felt the terrible Earthquakes of the times who almost but complains in one kind or other but this is not all the mischief which sin can or will do us there is a full and final overthrow to be expected without amendment even by these profitable and pleasurable sins which most men think good to maintain to the utmost True God is merciful and we have found him such of a long time and we hope so he will be still but what little cause have we to expect more mercy and longer forbearance do we not know it should lead us to repentance And it is true we cannot say as Jonah Yet forty days and such a sinful place shall be overthrown Rom. 2.1 but we can say Suddain destruction comes upon some unawares 1 Thes 5.3 Beware there is no way to escape but by doing as the Ninevites in the words following Ver. 5.6 7 8 9. So the people of Nineve believed God and proclaimed a Fast and put on Sackcloth from the greatest of them even to the least of them For word came unto the King
1. who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed Our Saviour upbraids the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 21 32. that they belâ—eved not when they had heard the preaching of the Baptist And the Apostles say they could not enter because of unbelief Heb. 3.19 Rev. 21.8 and The unbelieving march with the formost into the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone for ever and Give him his portion as with hypocrites so with unbelievers Yea more He that believeth not is condemned already Unbelief is a damning sin as well as any gross sin against the Law and whereas the Law condemneth a sinner potentially unbelief condemneth actually Use 2 What of God is to be believed Take heed Christians and believe your God when he speaks by his Ministers 1. Believe the justice of God that he knows to be angry as well as to shew favour to threaten as well as to promise to damn as well as to save He is very merciful but will by no means clear the guilty Men may dream what they please Exod. 34.7 but one day will find they have a just God to deal withall 2. Believe the truth of God that all he hath threatned he will most certainly perform without true unfained effectual repentance The words of God are pure words as silver seven times purified in the fire As the promises to the godly so the threats against the wicked not one falls to the ground 3. Believe the power of God that he is able to execute the judgments he hath denounced against sinners The Lord was able to overthrow Nineve within forty days yea within the compass of one day why not Nineve as well as Sodom and neighbouring Cities 4. Believe the wisdom of God that the only way which he hath devised to turn away threats is to be found in Jesus Christ The wisdom of God and the power of God to salvation there is no salvation in any other by him wrath is appeased and by him comes all saving good to repenting sinners Motive to believe threats Consider for a Motive to believe the threats of God 1. This is the only safe way to bid you believe the promises of God We have no commission to bid you believe these till ye be first overawed with his threats The broken heart is the only sacrifice wherein the Lord delighteth Psal 51.17 Esa 61. Mat. 11.28 Christ came to bind up the broken-hearted and said Come all ye that labour and are heavy-laden I will give you ease ye shall have refreshment for your souls 2. It is a mercy to be spoken unto by men weak as your selves as Israel said to Moses Let not God speake to us lest we dye Should God come and speak in his storms and tempests who among us could abide the terror Moses at such a sight did exceedingly quake and tremble Take heed and abuse not his goodness to security or to harden your hearts 3. Mark how those two are joyned together Believe the Lord and believe his Prophets 2 Chron. 20.20 This saith he is the only way to prosper We have this treasure in earthen vessels we are Stewards and have the dispensing of holy things and all know in a great house there is no receiving of Pay or Diet but by the allowance of the Steward 4. How good was it for Nineve to believe God when he spake by the mouth of Jonah True they feared repented put on sackcloth refrained from diet and cryed mightily to God for mercy but the sweetness of mercy made amends for all And so it shall do for other Penitents And put on Sackcloth Christians must testifie the truth of their repentance by outward tokens of humility and humiliation Note Shew repentance by outward tokens These were ordinary practices among the Jews in their fasting Ahab put on sackcloth and went softly and so did others others rent their cloaths others stript off their robes and sate in the dust But because in process of time these forms became meer forms and were taken up by hypocrites therefore Joel bad them rent their hearts and not their garments Joel 2.13 and turn to the Lord their God and Esay at large describeth and rejecteth their hypocrisie chap. 58.3 and Zachary tells them they did but fast to themselves not to God chap. 7.3 7. Yet thus far the Ceremony will reach us at this day 1. On days of humiliation no fine nor gaish Apparel should be used as hath been the fashion of some in these days An humble heart must appear before the Lord as alway so especially on such days in the dress of mourners No reason the habit should give the heart the lye nor the heart the habit Out of the abundance of the heart the dress will shape to be either lowly or phantastical 2. Still there must be a rending of the heart to bewail those sins which provoked God to wrath and indignation yea though it be a good and holy heart Even godly men have an hand in the provocation and therefore even godly men should bear their part in the lamentation to turn wrath away even David after those failings did mightily humble himself before his God 3. Out of that which is spared from the back and belly allowanâ—e should be made to cloath the naked and feed the hungry and do works even of corporal mercy and of civil righteousness Esa 58.6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen saith the Lord. Use Thus fast and then see what promises are made Esa 58.8 9 10 11 12. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning and thine health shall spring forth speedily and thy righteousness shall go before thee c. One fast well kept might rid us of all our confusions And thus to fast would well become all of us from the highest to the lowest as here From the greatest of them to the least of them A duty for all All are sinners both in their nature and life and all run into Arrear with God and are in danger of remporal and eternal vengeance If Nineve had been overthrown in those forty days all had gone to wrack infants and sucklings as well as elderly people and therefore all must smart by this humiliation Joel 2.16 so in Joel Those that suck the breasts must want their milk for a while and cry to God as well as they can Yea these Ninevites go farther to the beast the herd and the flock no eating no tasting no drinking of water that the very lowing of the cattel may go up to heaven and call in their language for mercy as is said Psal 147.9 He heareth the young Ravens when they cry If so at such times let the greatest forget and lay aside their greatness and let the least among us bear their part in humiliation especially they that are least in the Kingdom of God and they that think themselves less then the least of all
Go and preach to Nineve and thereupon should have silenced his own reason utterly 2. Having a desire to advance the glory of God be sure to use right means thereunto not as Jonah who for fear of Gods dishonor refused to do Gods Errand at Nineve It is a goodly and specious colour for actions to talk of the glory of God but if the course be 〈◊〉 a direct and warrantable course in vain shall the glory of God be pretended who will never account himself honoured but in a way of his own Yea it hath been the advancement of many a wickedness to pretend so and so in order to 〈◊〉 and the course of Antichrist to make a noise of acting in order to the Church 3. Be tender of the life of man and of his outward welfare I say not soul but even the body and worldly condition as Jonah was not and we see how he is chid for it And we see how loving the Lord is even in this respect ver 11. Should not I spare Nineve a City so populous Remember the sixt Commandment Thou shalt not kill 1 Thes 4.6 no not in desire Remember those commands Let no man defraud or go beyond his Brother in any matter for the Lord is the avenger of all such And be chary of thy Neighbours Oxe or Asse much more of his life and comfort of his life We are fallen into an hard yea bloudy age wherein the life of man is little regarded nor how well he shall go along in his course Take heed there remains a merciless judgement for them that shew no mercy Jam. 2.13 4. Study the gaining of souls to God and be glad when there is the least hope of grace begun in any Here also was some fault in Jonah certainly he heard how they fasted and prayed and turned from their evil wayes which should have gladded him and made him congratulate their repentance and safety thereupon Remember and do so Luke 15.10 Convert any if thou mayest be so happy and as there is joy in heaven for a sinner that repenteth so let it be on earth It was a wicked humour in the Pharisees that they envyed the conversion of the Publicans Beware thou and be ambitious of the great honor of converting a soul Dan. 12.3 To shine as the Stars for ever and ever For the second particular A marvel it is that Jonah is so stout and sturdy after his great punishment and all those terrors which God sent upon him One would have thought he had had enough of his flying to Tarsus Note But so it is Some godly men have stout and sturdy corruptions sticking by them which may humble them and keep them upon their watch and because they watch not as they ought God sometimes exerciseth them with strong afflictions and sometimes with strong conflicts in sad hours Take heed Use Christian and take thy self in the manner for every unmortifyed lust and every corrupt affection Sturdy humors are sometimes punished with sharp temptations or Visitations of the Almighty But I had rather put this humor of Jonah upon a way of carnal reasoning which too much swayed with him at this time taken from the mercy of God which he thought would never so far proceed as to let Nineve be overthrown though he said it Was not this my saying thou art merciful c Calvin If Jonah had been sent to Nineve with an offer of mercy upon their repentance as to the ten Tribes we may verily think he would rather have offered his service then declined it But now he mutters against God for his meer denunciation of judgment Note Carnal reasonings mischievous as if it could not agree with the nature of so merciful and gracious a Lord God and this mis-leadeth him Carnal reasonings do sometimes lead us from God and duty 1. Totally as in the ungodly eve◠the mercy of God undoeth them as they misuse it it is their bane They know God is gracious and merciful and flow to 〈◊〉 and of great kindnesse therefore live as they list turn grace into wantonness sin more that grace may abound more As men make it mercy is a common pack-horse for horrible wickednesses and final impenitency Why should they trouble themselves about repenting when God is so merciful 2. Partially in the godly as here in Jonah he knew these Attributes and therefore he left Nineve and went to Tarsus It were well if we did not sometimes bear up our selves too much upon the mercy of God and an interest in Christ and certainty of salvation and perseverance in grace We hold these things right in the Doctrine and miserably pervert them in the Use And though we swim not with full Winde and Tyde yet we sail too fast with a side-winde Take head Christians Use Avoid them and down with these carnal reasonings which exalt themselves against the knowledge of God and against the due obedience to Jesus Christ The ministery intends the casting them down and so do you 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Never will Religion thrive where such reasonings prevail As it prevails more with any man so he leaves them off as Gal. 1.16 Paul consulted not with flesh and bloud but fell to his preaching-work Consider there be many of these carnal reasonings taken from the multitude from example profit pleasure credit safety or the like but none more dangerous then this from the mercy of God so long as God is merciful on they go in their sins and fear nothing A miserable case God is gracious that is freely for his own sake to forgive the sins of his people And he is merciful that is will relieve them against all their misery spiritual temporal and eternal And he is 〈◊〉 to anger that is he is loth to empty the Vials of his displeasure upon sinners And of great kindness that is tenderly considers their case and is willing to do them good But should this or any of these be abused to keep from repentance and amendment were not this the ready way to be drowned in a sea of mercy Jonah was almost drowned in such a sea though a godly man yet almost undone by misapplication of the mercy of God But thou O man a secure and hard-hearted wretch wilt be quite drowned one day look to it as well as thou wilt For the third particular It is a strange prayer that Jonah here makes both for the manner and for the matter of it He prayed unto the Lord and said Take my life from me Mark this is spoken in haste being exceedingly displeased and very angry and he speaks it in a muttering and chiding manner expostulating the case even with God himself I pray thee O Lord was not this my saying when I was yet in my Countrey as if he had said I thought what thou wouldest do I had just cause to fly away and never do the Errand at Nineve I said what would come of it A merciful God thou art and