servants of sin but have obeyed from the heart he dâ—ctrine delivered Rom. 6.17 An argument there to urge a real holinesse to dye to sin and live to righteousnesse Learn also to do good with those temporalls which God Use 2 hath cast upon you so unexpectedly Honor the Lord with thy substance Do good with such mercies the rather Pro. 3 9. Deut. 8.11.26.5 Psal 116.12.103.1 and with the first fruits of all thy increase When thou hast eaten and art full forget not the Lord thy God Hence the offering of the first fruits in the Law and the paying of Tythes and the confession A Syrian ready to perish was my Father and Jacohs confession With my staff I went over this Jordan and now I am become a rich man and Davids deliberation with himself What shall I render to the Lord for all his henefits Blesse thou the Lord O my soul and all that is within me blesse his holy Name And the censuring of the unthankful Lepers when cleansed Ten were cleansed but where are the nine Luc. 17.17 Here let none take up an evil thought as if excused because he hath faithfully laboured for what he hath gotten Other Scriptures require it of the painfull and laborious or tell how God gives strength to get substance Deut 8 18. and how without the blessing of God all a mans labor will com to nothing Ps 127.1 2. Still therefore he is the great Benefactor and must be so acknowledged Without him and some grace from him thou hadst been idle rash undiscreet a spend-thrift or crost in thy way of getting Much lesse think What need I labour if God gives his blessings to them that labour not Not so for he hath set an order from the beginning of the world that in the sweat of our brows we must eat our bread Man is born to labour as the sparkes fly upward Be not slothfull in businesse None may walk disorderly but labour with his hands the thing that is good So that Gods preventing us with goodnesse is no warrant for any to be idle and cast care away Idlenesse is a sin and such are threatened to be cloathed with rags So in spiritual things all are bound to a diligent and conscionable use of the means of grace whereby they may get into the favor of God and be saved Lie at the pool to be healed of spiritual maladies Wash in Jordan to be cured of the leprosie of thy soul Dives his brethren were sent to Moses and the Prophets to beleeve them if they meant to escape the place of torment 2 The Lord tells of sixscore thousand infants in Nineve Note 2 Our infants regarded of God which argues the hugenesse of the citie twice before called a great citie and now we see it must needs be so by this proportion what were all the Citizens put together The Lord sees and respects the multitudes of people that are in the world young and old infants and all that know not the right hand from the left one hundred and twenty thousand of them millions in Constantinople in Grand Cairo Paris other great Cities one hundred thousand families of Jews in Alexandria beside the other Citizens four hundred twenty and eight thousand heads at Rome upon a just accompt so of others London York Bristol all particular Towns and Countreys He that calleth the stars by their names and counts the number of them keeps accounts also of young children And as he feeds the Ravens when they cry so he provides for us and our little ones He told Abraham Psal 147.3 how his posterity should be as the stars of heaven and as the sands of the sea-shore for multitude and how he meant to advance them The reason whereof is taken from the infinitenesse of his divine perfections He makes all Reas and he preserves all as a Creator and as a Father he undertakes by covenant for the godly and their seed saying I will be thy God and the God of thy seed These Nivevites were heathens Gen. 17.7 and yet their little ones were thus respected What then shall we say of Believers and their off-spring Now magnifie God in this his large and yet special providence Use 1 In that Psalm it stands among the arguments of praise and thanksgiving Ahasuerus by his great and long Feast did shew forth the Majesty of his Kingdome yet we read of no children among the guests but our great Feast-maker gives entertainment continually to young and old even all the millions in severall countreys Meditate and see how the glory of God will swell in thine eyes We admire great House-keepers who keep many in family and provide for every one decently and in very order The Queen of Sheba was ravished in mfnd to see the order and glory and provisions of Solomons houshold But behold a greater then Solomon is here infinitely more guests and better provisions Use 2 Again this affords comfort to believing Parents whom God hath blessed with abundance of Children Comfort to Parents and sometimes they have careful and heavy thoughts how to provide for them especially what will become of them when themselves are dead and gone alass poor creatures what will they do If they were grown up and able to shift for themselves I should care the lesse but they are young and tender and my heart is much troubled for them Now remember wbo looked upon Nineve and there noted six score thousand who could not discern between the right hand and the left And he is the same God still infinite in all his Attributes and as loving to our little ones as ever he was to these of Nineve one of them far better then all the Ravens in the world and yet God feeds every of them and the Angels have a charge of our Children as well as of our selves Mat. 18.10 and it hath been seen that God hath raised poor mens Children and set them among Princes Psal 113.7 8. Onely let Parents be advised in three things 1. To lay hold upon the Covenant for themselves and their little ones get God to be thy God and the God of thine A carelesse Parent in this respect is but a sorry friend to his poor Babes Mark to whom the blessing is entailed Psal 103 17 18. The mercy of nhe Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him and his righteousnesse unto childrens children To such as keep his covenant and to those that remember his commandements to do them 2. To pray for their Children that they may be respected in special love and find mercy with the Lord as did Father Abraham Oh that Ismael might live in thy sight Gen. 17. He that can pray should exercise his gift in praying for his poor Children As for the Church State health harvest other interests so specially for the souls of his Children and their eternal welfare 3. To give them religious education bringing them up in the nurture and admonition
danger whereinto he was brought the fishes belly the belly of hell the deep the midst of the seas bottoms of mountains weeds floods and billows 2. By the anguish or straights arising out of the danger I cryed to the Lord I said I am cast out of thy sight my soul fainted within me 3 By the hope he nourished all the while I will look again toward thy holy Temple I remembred the Lord and my prayer came in unto theâ— into thine holy Temple 4. By the good speed he found at last The Lord spoke unto the fish and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land We must begin with Jonahs prayer and the Audience he found with God ver 1.2 In the first Chapter ver 9. he professed to fear the Lord the God of heaven which made the sea and the dry land and now to the same God as the only true God he addresseth his prayer not to Neptune as Heathens were wont to pray nor yet to true Saints who had traded much in waters as Noah was saved in the general flood of waters or Moses who was drawn out of the waters while an infant and led Israel through the red sea and through Jordan or Elias who parted the waters this way and that way whereby one would think they should have compassion on them that are in danger by water according to the carnal reason of Idolaters in other things No Jonah prayes only to the God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land God alone is an All-sufficient God and he alone ought to be called upon Prayer is one part of divine worship whereof it is said Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him alone shalt thou serve Mat. 4.10 And it stands with reason we must pray to none but one in whom we believe but we believe in God only therefore to God only must we pray Rom. 10.14 how shall they call on him in whom they believe not Use Mark this against the Papists and maintain the truth against them Note Pray earnestly Jonah prayed and cryed to the Lord This crying notes his fervency in prayer and it is twice set down I cryed I cryed to the same purpose Christians ought to be both frequent and fervent in prayer Rom. 12.11 12. fervent in spirit serving the Lord and continuing instant in prayer If one prayer will not fetch a mercy try what another will do and let the second be more earnest then the former and the third more earnest then that Paul besought the Lord thrice and obtained grace sufficient Jonah at last got out of the Whales belly Use It is not every sluggish and short-breathed prayer that will obtain a mercy Therefore continue instant in prayer Col. 4.2 But I aim at another point from the consideration of Jonahs prayer as being now in a distressed condition No doubt but in all this time three days and three nights he prayed often and earnestly for the pardon of his great sin for deliverance out of the Whales belly and for the employment he had refused of going and preaching to Nineve Oh that God would trust and enable him to do that seruice he would do it with all his heart if he might be put upon it again Let the point be this Doctr. In distress pray Gods children in their greatest and deepest afflictions should keep their hearts in a praying frame to obtain grace and mercy to help in time of need we read a prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed and poureth out his complaint before the Lord. Psal 102 1. and 130.1 Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee O Lord. For reasons thus 1. There is a Commandment to Reason 1 call upon God in the day of trouble Psal 50.15 Not only in prosperity but adversity not only if it be likely we shall get out of trouble but against all likelihood not only if means be present but if no means appear likely to be had 2. There cannot be such a case of sin unworthiness Reason 2 and misery but the mediation of Christ can help at a dead lift Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he will do it for you The Father can deny nothing to the Son nor to such as plead in his Sons merits 3. The spirit of grace and supplication is given them Reason 3 on purpose that they should alway pray Luke 18.1 Rom. 8.26 and not wax weary he helps their infirmities not knowing what to pray as they ought the bears up their spirit to hope to the end he raiseth sighs and groans which cannot be uttered 4. No affliction whatsoever can break asunder the Reason 4 tie between God and a Believer Jonah at this time wanted neither sin nor sorrow nor fear nor care what would become of him yet mark the word of appropriation he prayed to the â—ord his God 5. The covenant and promises are made so as to serve our turn in the worst condition that is either of sin or sorrow Of sins he hath said I will blot out thine iniquities I will scatter them as a mist I will forgive their sin and remember it no more Of sorrow he hath said I will be with thee in six troubles and in seven I will be with thee when thou passest through the fire and through the water and in a word I will not leave thee nor forsake thee 6. The greater a trouble or danger is the more we need to flee to God and keep close to him and hide with him as he that is cast upon a rock at sea the more the waves beat upon him the more careful he is to keep to his rock see Psal 61.1 2 3. so we We are weak but he is a strong God we are helpless but he is a friend good enough Use 1 A fault to faint in prayer All to reprove our foolishness who in great afflictions suffer our selves to be so afraid with amazements that we neglect the duty of prayer The heart is even bound up and so straightned with fear care and sorrow that we cannot lift up a prayer to the God of our life and mercy yet Jonah prayed out of the Whales belly and amidst all those incumbrances Moses cryed to the Lord at the red sea when the people so murmured and were discontented Daniel prayed in the den of Lions where every moment he was ready to be devoured David prayed in caves woods mountains in all his flight before Saul and Absalom He longed to come to the Temple and pray but could pray out of a Temple as well as in it and Jonah here in great distresse looked toward the Temple v. 4. no whit like those who can never pray but when they stumble into a Church or when they are in some hope to receive what they crave Ob. Oh but my case is higher then worldly afflictions I have many and great sins upon me and much guiltiness which puts me out of heart Sol. Answ
Jonah at this time had sinned hainously and might be ashamed to look God in the face yet see how he ownes God for his God and falls to prayer so did David Daniel Ezra other Saints they ever prayed to God as to a God pardoning iniquity transgression and sin Exod 34.7 And he is glorified in this act of mercy as well as in delivering out of trouble and danger and more because it is an act of greater mercy as he proclaimed before Moses Oh but mine is an amazing evil Ob. Sol. and so puzzles me that I cannot pray Answ 1. Jonahs case had as many amazements as any mans case lightly can have yet was not he puzzled 2. It is a sinful infirmity in Saints that they were not able sometime to pray and to lift up their heads and so they have confessed it Psal 77.10 I said it is my infirmity And they checked themselves for their unbelief hastiness saying they were cast out of his presence and he was angry with their prayer Often we read in the Psalms how David upon these distempers fell to prayer again Oh but I am unworthy to pray Ob. Sol. or to be heard in prayer Answ So was Jonah and yet he prayed and was heard And the Centurion who acknowledged his unworthiness yet had his suit granted And Gods Children when they fall upon this work do not go as worthy persons but in Christ they are accounted worthy and that is all their pleading In true and proper speech none but the Lamb is worthy to receive honor and glory Oh could I see any door of hope open to me Ob. Sol. I should be encouraged to pray Answ 1. God is able to open a door where in nature and in thy sense there is none at all 2. Pray and it shall be opened and thou shalt see it as Hagar who saw the weâ—l of water Little did Jonah think that the Whale should vomit him out upon dry land Little did Israel think that thy should go on foot through the red sea or Jordan Ob. Sol. Oh but I am afraid God is angry with me and will do nothing for such a wretch as I am Answ It is a certain rule that God is sometimes angry with his Children but never hates them as with Jonah angry but loved him still He ever loves his faithful ones and in his love he will receive their prayers as Jonahs In Christ their persons are accepted and in his mediation their prayers shall prevail Use 2 Hear thou afflicted and never give over thy praying though in a forlorn case Think what Jonah did in the Whales belly and among the weeds waves billows noysomeness Think what it is to cry out of the deeps when the floods of ungodliness made thee afraid when the arrows of the Almighty stick fast in thee when a plurisie comes or some dangerous disease Try what an hearty prayer can do do not restrain prayer from the Almighty nor give all for lost or if thou hast fainted as Jonah yet pluck up thy spirits and to it again Insignis mutatio saith Mr. Gualter He that before fled from the presence of the Lord doth now upon his repentance hang on him and will not let him go without a blessing even so do thou Amend every error and mark this notable change in the Penitent 2 Cor. 7.11 to sorrow after a godly sort works much carefulness and fear and zeal Consider for encouragement to prayer while a Christian finds an heart God will find an ear to hear and do and save out of troubles and still the best is behind Mark here what follows I cryed and he heard me again I cryed and thou heardest me Doctr. 1 God will hear and regard all the moanings of his Children in prayer God hears all good prayers why because he is a God hearing prayer it is one of his Attributes because Jesus Christ appears for them and is a powerful Mediator with his Father because good prayer iâ— the breath and voice of his own holy spirit in his Children because they cast themelves upon his mercy and faithfulness because hell and the world is all against them because they have an honest purpose to glorifie God with whatsoever mercies they shall receive at his hands as here Jonah But mark how he hears prayer 1. In the kind of mercy How 1 which is desired as Jonah to be delivered out of the Whales belly we out of sickness danger or any adversity 2. In How 2 something that is as good or better we shall have grace sufficient for us strong consolation of his spirit hereafter it shall come but not yet our posterity shall fare the better for those prayers in the appointed time and manner all the promises of God shall most certainly be fulfilled Now take this as an encouragement to prayer Ask and Use 1 ye shall have seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you Cry as Jonah and thou shalt be heard as Jonah every suitor at Court is not sure to speed of his Petition but believers are sure to speed 1 John 5.15 we know that we have the Petitions that we desired of hâ—m And a begger will know the door where he useth to get a good alms And if it be so do not mis-conster Gods delays as if Use 2 they were denials sometimes he delays to give his answer but he never denies his children It was three days and three nights ere Jonah got out of the Whales belly he prayed the first day but came not forth till the third The woman of Syrophenicia sped at last in her suit but it was after some repulses Every vision of comfort is for an appointed time but at last it will speak and not lye But mark yet another thing A godly man receives an Doctr. 2 outward mercy as a fruit of prayer We may know it he sees in the effect that his prayer is answered and takes the mercy as the income of prayer he heard me saith Jonah and I am delivered so David Psal 120.1 In my distress I cryed unto the Lord and he heard me â— vast difference then there is in the godly mans receiving Use 1 mercies and others He receives it upon prayer and by vertue of a covenant and pâ—omises and as a part of Christs purchase who makes requests for us in heaven prayer ascendeth and grace descendeth Others not so Use 2 And it teacheth godly Christians to look after their prayers that they may observe what answer it pleaseth the Lord to give as Psal 85.8 I will hearken what the Lord God will say Praying is compared to sowing of seed and the Husbandman useth now and then to look to his sowen fields Only mark the last clause there return not to folly A godly man must keep himself a godly man and do the work of a godly man or else may miss of his answer at least for a time as here Jonah Ver. 3.4 5
one day prove a consuming fire who though he hath brought up thy life from corporal corruption yet not from eternal But come we now to the illustration from the contrary Idolaters miss of mercy because they seek not the true God They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy Jehovah brought up Jonahs life from corruption Jehovah heard his prayer and delivered him of Jehovah is salvation the true God did all but the idol-gods can do none of these things they are vanities and teachers of lies Hab. 2 18. and will deceive all those that trust in them and call upon them But I comprehend under the name of lying vanities Lying vanities what 1. The idols of the Gentiles which the Mariners prayed unto every one to his god Had not Jonahs God delivered them they had been all drowed in the sea none could save as the God of Jonah and of the Hebrews who is also the God of us Christians 2. Those carnal reasonings wherewith Jonah was swayed to leave Nineve and flee to Tarsus whereof he tells us in chap. 4 2. and now he recants all professing to adhere to the true God only Such carnal reasonings we all have and are to exalt high thoughts against the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 Religion with many is measured by meer policy credit multitude thriving in the world and the like lying vanities all of them as to the soul and in Gods matters Yet farther all superstitions are lying vanities that is humane inventions put for Gods worship Psal 40.4 They turn aside to lyes And all Astrological predictions in Moon-prophets who tell of lucky and unlucky dayes Jer. 10.2 And all forms of Religion in hypocrites they compass God about with lyes Hos 11.12 And all good things of this life in worldlings who pursue them immoderately and inordinately Vanity of vanities all is vanity Eccl. 1.2 And all lusts in profane persons called deceitful lusts Eph. 4.22 and we read of deceivablness of unrighteousness in them that perish 2 Thes 2.10 Now accordingly as these vanities are observed more or less what the observing of them so mercy is forsaken Profane and impenitent persons observe these lying vanities totally and finally and so they altogether lose the mercy of God having their portion in this life Psal 17.14 but godly Christians who observe them but a little and only for a while do miss of some mercy they might enjoy as we see in this terrible balk which Jonah made Why their own mercy But why is it called their own mercy Answ Because it belonged to them it was tendered to them they might have had it they should have taken it and not let it go for the best advantage in the world So the Jews are called the children of the Kingdom Mat. 8.12 that is those that belonged primarily to the Church and favour of God But see the like opposition in Luke 16.10 11 12. The words are a doctrine They that observe lying vanities Doctr. Reas forsake their own mercy The reason is mercy is basely undervalued and vanities preferred before it Though it be a precious mercy a soul saving Mercy undeserved free rich the fountain of all good in earth and heaven though it be renewed in a costly way of Christs bloud which is more then the creation of man and the world though it be published and offered in the ministery Take it it is your own be reconciled to God and all shall do well though God be very patient after many of your refusals yet still vanities shall be observed and pursued as the chief good A just forfeit the Lord will not endure the disparagement of his mercy Luke â—4 21 the King was angry when the Guests would not come to his Supper saying Not one of them that were bidden shall taste of my Supper Use 1 Terror to sâ—nd Professors Which may serve for great terror to many Oh that they might be convinced of their great folly and humbled and work wisely hereafter for the welfare of their poor soul 1. Here is extream folly shewed thus Mercy is magnified in general but forsaken when it comes to particulars in the practice and when the main stroke is to be struck it is left as no good bargain as if the salvation of a soul were not indeed a thing to be stood upon never is it weighed well till the day of judgment when it will be too late Christ and his salvation are liked well and presumed on but lost for trifles and lost with a kind of wilfulness it is not said here that they lose mercy but forsake it 2. These vanities will one day be seen to be altogether unprofitable that they cannot profit nor deliver because they are vain 1 Sam. 12 21. Vain to have had pleasure in this life or scraped wealth together or climbed up to honors or to have so drudged about the world as if Religion were no calling for a Christian Then they will say What hath pride profited us or any of the other when the soul is lost and the shame and misery comes Rom. 6.21 Rev. 6 16. they will call the mountains to fall upon them and the hills to cover them Oh hide us from the presence of the Lamb. 3. What a confounding lye will it appear when these vanities appear in their own colours when the man finds himself disappointed of his hopes and mercy lost too no full contentment by his lusts and pleasures when most fully enjoyed no solidity in all his cavils and carnal reasonings mercy pleaded to the losing of mercy as here by Jonah At that day mercy will be found to be the portion of good souls only who love and fear God and at that day it will appear to have been limited wiâ—h certain conditions which at present are overlooked and altogether neglected These conditions for receiving mercy were delivered warily by good Preachers though others could daube and skin them over And they were told what a mortal variance there is between mercy and these lying vanities but would not lay it to heart Oh that now men and women were ashamed as one day they must be now it would be to some purpose they might be converted and saved as the Prophesie went of Converts in the latter days Ezek. 16.63 they shall be ashamed of their doings but in that great day it will be too late it should have been done before-hand Use 2 Christians be exhorted to be tender and chary of the mercy of God toward you Work wisely to find mercy one day and do not exchange it for vanities Ye see it may be forgone and forsaken and the way how it comes about beware of lying vanities no wise man will let go his Land for points and counters and consider withall 1. This mercy is such a thing as the worst among us Mot. 1 do seem to crave and magnifie Oh they hope God will be merciful to them and if
6. For thou hast cast me into the deep in the midst of the seas and the floods compassed me about all thy billows and thy waves passed over me Then I said I am cast out of thy fight yet I will look again toward thy holy Temple The waters compassed me about even to the soul the depth closed me round about the weeds were wrapt about my head I went down into the bottoms of the mountains the earth with her bars was about me for ever yet hast thou brought my life from corruption O Lord my God Amplificatio prima Here the Prophet amplifies his prayer by the greatness of the danger whereinto he was brought the fishes belly the belly of hell the deep the midst of the seas bottoms of mountains weeds floods and billows Being escaped out of the danger nevertheless he recounteth the danger wherein he had been as every godly man also will do Nature teacheth a man to be sensible of present evils Note Recount old sufferings troubles and dangers but grace teacheth to mind old ones as of which he hath a saving use to make so did Jacob Gen. 32.10 with my staff I passed over this Jordan a poor and desolate man and David I followed the Ews great with young and Amos tells how he had been an Herdman and had gathered Sycomore fruits chap. 7. Use Benefits accrewing thereby Do so Christian now that thou art set in a large place out of thy troubles There be these good uses to be made of this recounting former evils 1. It will keep thee humble and low in thine own eyes though now increased into two bands mighty high preferred before many of thy brethren time was when thou wast low enough remember and be lowly-minded as God seems to set it down for a remedy against perking Deut. 8.2 Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness to humble thee and to prove thee to know what was in thine heart whether thou wouldest keep his Commandments or no. It is the great sin of many a man that he is lifted up with present prosperity though sometime he was in a very low estate yet now that he is got into a mountain Psal 30.6 he stands cracking as if he should never be moved And none must mind him of his old poverty or meanness he that doth doth break the peace and sometime it comes to daggers drawing and much ado there is to be reconciled as friends should be Possibly there may be a fault in such twitting a man with his ancient poverty but yet a godly man should take it well so to further his humility which it is hard to retain 2. It will make and keep thee thankful for the comfortable change which God hath made in thy estate as Jacob there confessed to the glory of God and as Israel was required to do Deut. 8.10 when thou hast eaten and art full thou shalt bless the Lord thy God Thankfulness is a grace that will wither as soon as any flower in our Garland and needs to be thus watered Remember the terrors of the late wars so to be thankful for our present peace Remember the terrors of thy burning feaver which thou hadst at such a time the sleepless nights tormenting fits of the Gout or Stone publick evils that lay upon the Church or threatned it shrewdly as in Queen Maries time in eighty eight in the Gunpowder-plot and others whereof we may say as the Psalmist had not the Lord been on our side Ps 1â—4 1 2. the proud waves had gone over our soul blessed be his holy Name for so great deliverances 3. It will help to bear up your faith in expectation of future deliverances as the Apostle said God hath delivered from great death and doth deliver and we trust also he will deliver 1 Sam. 17. 2 Cor. 1.9 10. and David He that delivered me from the Lion and the Bear will deliver me also from this uncircumcised Philistine so one of us God hath helped when I was as low as this comes to this is not the first time that I was in want or danger I remember such and such a straight I cannot well be worse then I was at such a time and yet it pleased God in mercy to send seasonable supply or deliverance therefore in this case also I will not faint nor cast away my confidence Esa 59.2 see Psal 77.10 11 12. Gods ear is not heavy nor his hand shortned nor is he weary of bestowing benefits therefore trust in him still Still there are promises and a covenant of grace and Christ a Mediator for me and bowels of a Father power faithfulness wisdom all divine perfections therefore fear nothing And note by the way one part of the great gain of godliness Godliness takes advantage by every thing to promote the main which is sanctification and salvation that all shall work together for good to them that love God Rom 8.18 and are called according to his purpose Afflictions past and present yea and sins too to be the more humble and more wary for time to come whence we hear Jonah telling of his fleeing to Tarsus and Paul telling how he had been a Persecutor c. Thou hadst cast me into the deep Gods own Child may be cast into deep and great afflictions as Jonah Joseph David Note Saints sometimes deeply afflicted other holy men who without all doubt were very dear unto God yea his own only begotten Son the Lord Jesus Christ he had one Son without sin but none without affliction And why though he love them all well Reas yet he will not make fondlings of them and though they be good in the main yet they have their faults now and then and they need correction witness Jonah at this time And they have their corruptions which need to be more mortified and their graces must be tryed and made more conspicuous which is not done but in the furnace of affliction And the Devils mouth must be stopped who will be apt to say as against Job that they serve God meerly for prosperity who yet was true to God when he was stript of all Therefore let no godly man misdeem his estate because Use 1 he suffers such and such evils Ecc. 9.1 None can know love or hatred by all that is before him there be other tryals to know it but affliction is no tryal And mark how Jonah professeth his faith in God even now when he thus amplifies his affliction The best employment certainly in such a sad condition is to find out the sins which occasioned the breach and those ends which God aimes at This is our part to look unto and let God alone to do his part which will be for good in the end No Artist must have his work esteemed by some particular piece of it Neither misdeem the estate of others who are so deep Use 2 in
that that I have voâ—ed He had vowed it seems in the Whales belly that if he might be delivered he would do the message at Nineve whatever it cost him and now he doth the message indeed Though the danger were the same by displeasing a mighty people though God were very merciful and likely to spare Nineve Note Do as well as vow though thereby he should be accounted a false Prophet Yet up he ariseth and hies him to Nineve Thus he pays what he had vowed Remember and do thou likewise it is written for thy instruction and imitation In Baptism thou renouncedst the Devil the World and the Flesh and wast devoted to the service of the true God who is Father Son and Holy Ghost Now at years of discretion do as thou hast said pay that that thou hast vowed especially one that hath been dangerously sick and now recovered or in other great affliction remember the vows which thy lips then uttered as Psal 66.13 14. I will pay thee my vows which my lips have uttered and my mouth hath spoken when I was in trouble Shew whether thou hast indeed profited in the School of affliction whether as Christ thou hast learned obedience by the things thou sufferedst or as David It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes Do the duty though it be difficult costly or dangerous as this to Jonah Godly sorrow useth to work abundance of gracious effects 2 Cor. 7.11 Carefulness Fear vehement Desire Zeal c. Doctr. Penitents work for God And note how it is said here Jonah did according to the word of the Lord. A truly-penitent Christian sets himself to work for God according to his word However he have declined the service and turned aside to crooked wayes yet upon his better bethinking himself especially upon his smart in one kind or other he gets up and falls to his work again so Jonah David Peter other Saints whose falls were great but so was their amendment too and the obedience they performed afterward Why 1. He hears and acknowledges the voice of God commanding Reason 1 his obedience as here Arise and go to Nineve When young Samuel once knew the voice of the Lord he presently said Speak Lord for thy servant heareth and he did all the message to the uttermost So did Paul at his conversion Lord 1 Sam 3.10 12. what wilt thou have me to do where think why should not a Convert obey the word of God as well as a Whale or a wind should man be more sensless then they Reason 2 2. There is a principle of grace and obedience in the heart of the truly-penitent as for example Jonah was a godly man before this time though now he failed foully and fearfully therefore is awakened to his work and sets presently to do it In every true Christian there abides a seed of God 1 John 3.9 which will not suffer him to sin as the wicked doth And such will say We can do nothing against the truth but for the truth and We cannot but speak the things we have heard and seen 3. The word of the Lord carries Authority with it that the good soul holds it self bound to observe and do it Though others are fast and loose ye such will hold it as David My heart standeth in awe of thy word And it hath the nature of a rule to do as the word directeth so much and no more and in such manner as it requires Gal. 6.16 As many as walk according to this rule peace and mercy be upon them And so there is this force both in the commanding word of God and the forbidding word and threatning and promising and comforting in all there is an eternal obligation and equity and a believer will have a faithful respect to all as is injoyned Deut. 12.32 What thing soever I command you observe and do it thou shalt not adde thereto nor diminish from it It follows hence that numbers among us never yet Use 1 truly repented of their sins why to this day they set not to do Gods business according to his word some being grosly disobedient others partial in their obedience others slight others unsetled and unconstant others timerous and loth to appear where difficulty or danger appears Numbers flee from God with Jonah but few travel for God with Jonah yet will make themselves believe they have repented which is impossible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for true repentance is ever a fruitful and effectual repentance remember the fruits meet for repentance Mat. 3.8 and works meet for repentance Act. 21.20 And if others will not yet let true Christians justifie Use 2 and clear their repentance to be sound and sincere by falling upon the work which the Lord hath for them to do as ye have failed with Jonah so be quickned and active with Jonah Every one knows his fleeing and wherein he hath been faulty Now let every one be humbled for his failings and return unto God in the same way he went from him How to set to do Gods work Our Text imports three things which may set a collapsed Christian upon his legs again 1. Rowse up thy self out of that sluggishness which hath crept insensibly upon thee Arise and go to Nineve Up Sampson the Phlistines be upon thee Say not Yet a little sleep Augustine yet a little slumber yet a little folding of the hands to sleep This little and little will make a great deal at the last Thy case is bad enough already and such delay would make it far worse He that is not fit for God and duty to day will be less fit to morrow There is more need by double diligence â—o redeem the time that is lost and fetch after the work that should have been done 2. Take heed of carnal reasonings which swayed with Jonah to flee to Tarsus namely the great mercy of God to repenting sinners What of that ought not Jonah to have tryed therefore to bring the Ninevites to repentance If Christ be revealed in thee yet beware of consulting with flesh and bloud Gal. 1.16 and take heed of presuming on mercy as mercy is not to be straightned so neither is it to be enlarged beyond the bounds prescribed of God nor perverted to wrong ends but whereas he is very gracious he should be feared the more even vessels of mercy are not allowed to turn grace into lasciviousness Psâ—l 130.4 Jude 4. 1 Pet. 4.17 Consider what that means Judgment begins at the house of God and the righteous shall scarce be saved 3. Cast not difficulties and dangers that would follow upon doing of duty Jonah hath now unlearned that lesson and puts on to his work whatever comes of it Prov. 26.13 The fool or wicked man saith there is a Lyon in the way I shall be destroyed or damnified if I do this and this duty I know not what mischief will come of it But
1. who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed Our Saviour upbraids the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 21 32. that they belâ—eved not when they had heard the preaching of the Baptist And the Apostles say they could not enter because of unbelief Heb. 3.19 Rev. 21.8 and The unbelieving march with the formost into the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone for ever and Give him his portion as with hypocrites so with unbelievers Yea more He that believeth not is condemned already Unbelief is a damning sin as well as any gross sin against the Law and whereas the Law condemneth a sinner potentially unbelief condemneth actually Use 2 What of God is to be believed Take heed Christians and believe your God when he speaks by his Ministers 1. Believe the justice of God that he knows to be angry as well as to shew favour to threaten as well as to promise to damn as well as to save He is very merciful but will by no means clear the guilty Men may dream what they please Exod. 34.7 but one day will find they have a just God to deal withall 2. Believe the truth of God that all he hath threatned he will most certainly perform without true unfained effectual repentance The words of God are pure words as silver seven times purified in the fire As the promises to the godly so the threats against the wicked not one falls to the ground 3. Believe the power of God that he is able to execute the judgments he hath denounced against sinners The Lord was able to overthrow Nineve within forty days yea within the compass of one day why not Nineve as well as Sodom and neighbouring Cities 4. Believe the wisdom of God that the only way which he hath devised to turn away threats is to be found in Jesus Christ The wisdom of God and the power of God to salvation there is no salvation in any other by him wrath is appeased and by him comes all saving good to repenting sinners Motive to believe threats Consider for a Motive to believe the threats of God 1. This is the only safe way to bid you believe the promises of God We have no commission to bid you believe these till ye be first overawed with his threats The broken heart is the only sacrifice wherein the Lord delighteth Psal 51.17 Esa 61. Mat. 11.28 Christ came to bind up the broken-hearted and said Come all ye that labour and are heavy-laden I will give you ease ye shall have refreshment for your souls 2. It is a mercy to be spoken unto by men weak as your selves as Israel said to Moses Let not God speake to us lest we dye Should God come and speak in his storms and tempests who among us could abide the terror Moses at such a sight did exceedingly quake and tremble Take heed and abuse not his goodness to security or to harden your hearts 3. Mark how those two are joyned together Believe the Lord and believe his Prophets 2 Chron. 20.20 This saith he is the only way to prosper We have this treasure in earthen vessels we are Stewards and have the dispensing of holy things and all know in a great house there is no receiving of Pay or Diet but by the allowance of the Steward 4. How good was it for Nineve to believe God when he spake by the mouth of Jonah True they feared repented put on sackcloth refrained from diet and cryed mightily to God for mercy but the sweetness of mercy made amends for all And so it shall do for other Penitents And put on Sackcloth Christians must testifie the truth of their repentance by outward tokens of humility and humiliation Note Shew repentance by outward tokens These were ordinary practices among the Jews in their fasting Ahab put on sackcloth and went softly and so did others others rent their cloaths others stript off their robes and sate in the dust But because in process of time these forms became meer forms and were taken up by hypocrites therefore Joel bad them rent their hearts and not their garments Joel 2.13 and turn to the Lord their God and Esay at large describeth and rejecteth their hypocrisie chap. 58.3 and Zachary tells them they did but fast to themselves not to God chap. 7.3 7. Yet thus far the Ceremony will reach us at this day 1. On days of humiliation no fine nor gaish Apparel should be used as hath been the fashion of some in these days An humble heart must appear before the Lord as alway so especially on such days in the dress of mourners No reason the habit should give the heart the lye nor the heart the habit Out of the abundance of the heart the dress will shape to be either lowly or phantastical 2. Still there must be a rending of the heart to bewail those sins which provoked God to wrath and indignation yea though it be a good and holy heart Even godly men have an hand in the provocation and therefore even godly men should bear their part in the lamentation to turn wrath away even David after those failings did mightily humble himself before his God 3. Out of that which is spared from the back and belly allowanâ—e should be made to cloath the naked and feed the hungry and do works even of corporal mercy and of civil righteousness Esa 58.6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen saith the Lord. Use Thus fast and then see what promises are made Esa 58.8 9 10 11 12. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning and thine health shall spring forth speedily and thy righteousness shall go before thee c. One fast well kept might rid us of all our confusions And thus to fast would well become all of us from the highest to the lowest as here From the greatest of them to the least of them A duty for all All are sinners both in their nature and life and all run into Arrear with God and are in danger of remporal and eternal vengeance If Nineve had been overthrown in those forty days all had gone to wrack infants and sucklings as well as elderly people and therefore all must smart by this humiliation Joel 2.16 so in Joel Those that suck the breasts must want their milk for a while and cry to God as well as they can Yea these Ninevites go farther to the beast the herd and the flock no eating no tasting no drinking of water that the very lowing of the cattel may go up to heaven and call in their language for mercy as is said Psal 147.9 He heareth the young Ravens when they cry If so at such times let the greatest forget and lay aside their greatness and let the least among us bear their part in humiliation especially they that are least in the Kingdom of God and they that think themselves less then the least of all
and repent and turn away from his fierce anger that we perish not This may be the voice of faith striving between hope and fear The King and Nobles of Nineve hope well they may be spared upon their repentance but they fear the worst they cannot tell what the event will be they will use the means but are not sure what will be the success Only they hope God may be over-intreated by their humiliation and reformation to save them from perishing It is a temporal mercy which they crave and Gods own Children are not sure alway to speed in such matters viz. to escape the danger of war to get out of a great fit of sickness or the like Yea such is the modesty of godly men that in the sense of their own unworthiness they will not prescribe to Gods wisdom concerning the length or strength of their afflictions but quietly submit to his will and good pleasure I was dumb and opened not my mouth because thou didst it Psal 39.9 Yet methinks we may look higher even to the forgiveness of sin and salvation of the soul Our Saviour saith of the Ninevites that they repented at the preaching of Jonah and in the former words we have seen three acts of repentance and now the fourth will make up a competent description of repentance Repentance is such a grace of God as whereby we are humbled for sin Description of repentance pray for pardon reform what is amiss and have some hope of finding mercy at Gods hands All these were in the Ninevites and are in each true Convert 1. A true Convert is humbled for sin though not perhaps in sackcloth and ashes as these here 1 Cor 14.25 or though he do not fall down on his face as he in the Corinthians yet his heart is pierced with godly sorrow for sin which now begins to be very bitter and grievous to him Jer. 2.19 He finds it an evil and bitter thing to have forsaken the Lord his God Sin now is grown burdensome to his soul as is implyed in those words labour and are heavy laden Mat. 11 2â— And now earthly comforts grow unsavory what joy can he have so long as he is under the guilt and condemnation of his sins especially the pleasures of sin O odious and bitter to be thought on 2. A true Convert prayes for the pardon of his sins God be merciful to me a sinner Luke 18.13 Psal 51.1 according to the multitude of thy mercies blot out my transgressions So Daniel and Ezra in their humiliations and these Ninevites cry mightily unto God In the one and fiftieth Psalm we see Davids doubled and trebled Petitions for mercy just as a condemned Malefactor earnestly beseecheth the Judge to shew him mercy forgiveness of sins being the happiness of a sinner Rom. 4.6 and a chief mercy for which we should give thanks Psal 103.1 2 3. Oh how happy should I be thinks the distressed soul if I were released of my sins 3. A true Convert reforms what is amiss Turns from his evil way both Commissions that the wickednesses shall not be done over and over as heretofore and Omâ—ssions that he will do the duties which formerly he neglected pesonal and in the family not as our negative Christians who rest contented if they be not so bad as sometime they were No God requires good to be done as well as evil to be left undone Cease to do evil and learn to do wâ—ll Put off the old man Esa 1 16. Eph. 4 22.24 put on the new Paul when he was converted presently a sked Lord what wilt thou have me to do 4. A true Convert hath some hope of finding mercy at the hands of God who can tell whether he will turn and shew favor Though he cannot yet say his sin is pardoned yet he conceives it is pardonable To the Lord my God belong mercies and forgivenesses we have heard of this King of Israel that he is a merciful King therefore we will nourish some hope amidst all our fears and notwithstanding many discouragements Doctr. Mixture of hope and fear in Converts The point is this Gods own Children sometimes cannot well tell whether he will be merciful to them that they perish not there is a Conflict of faith between hope and fear we read of a bruised reed and smoaking flax some fire but much smoak They can say with the poor man I believe Mark 9.24 Rom 7 24 but say with tears too Lord help my unbelief They can say Good is present with me but withall who shall deliver me from this body of death Now this holds both first and last 1. At the beginning of conversion a young Convert cannot tell whether his sins be forgiven him and his soul set in safety by Jesus Christ as the Childe lives in the womb but knows not that he lives A man may be rich and not know that he is rich so aâ— Christian is ignorant concerning his good estate toward God till the Spirit of revelation be given him to know his happiness 2. Afterward all along in his course he hath his doubtings fears cares jealousies concerning the love of God returning upon him now and then which comes to pass by the weakness of his faith by the strength of temptations by his remisness in using the means of grace or by neglecting his religious course Hath the Lord forgotten to be gracious c. One way or other it comes to pass that even a good Christian must rejoyce with trembling Pas 77. Psal 2 11. Phil 2.12 and work out his salvation with fear and trembling and he that ere while was very confident in little time begins to flag and faint exceedingly I know that my Redeemer liveth said Job yet by and by he was quite carryed down the stream Quest But may not a Christian tell whether Gods fierce anger be turned from him or no Answ 1. There be good and sufficient grounds for assurance Answ as for example the covenant of grace the freeness and largeness of the promises the powerful satisfaction and intercession of Jesus Christ the word of reconciliation committed to Ministers the Oath of God the Seals of Sacraments with other Why all this but to give us strong consolation Heb. 6.18 God would not have his Children to doubt and be afraid and hath said Why did ye doubt O ye of little faith Be not faithless but believing c. Assurance then is to be had and those are the grounds of this assurance 2. This assurance admits of degrees In Scripture we read of assurance much assurance and full assurance of faith Some days are brighter then other and the comforts of some Christians are more lively then of others Yea in the same Christian there be lucida intervalla among all their evidences dusky at times but the cloud soon vanishes and after many wrestlings comes at last the triumph of faith Who shall accuse or condemn Rom. 8.34
and adore this glorious Lord God his understanding is infinite his Power Presence Wisdom Mercy care of his people preservation of the creatures even the meanest Jonah was much bound to be thankful that when the Ninevites yielded him no entertainment and he provided a simple one for himself the Lord prepared this gourd for him Which is also our case not seldom Use 2 Learn also in the smallest turns of providence to look upward and ascribe all to the right causes Whether it be for mercy as this gourd or for affliction as the worm it is all of God he prepared the one and the other and so he doth still It is not luck or meer chance or second causes but God provides and orders all these supplies with all the events and all the crosses It is the Lord be patient 1 Sam 3.18 Job 1 21. or be thankful The Lord gave and the Lord took away blessed be the Name of the Lord. It is not our own how or sword but the right hand of out God If it be a little drug or potion that doth me good an obscure friend a small accident a little help to stand me in stead it comes of God and he shall have the glory of the thing Dan. 11.34 They shall be holpen with a little help This would be of singular use in our whole course to live as Christians to acknowledge a dependance on heaven to see by faith the Soveraign Lord of the world to breed contentment in that little which is allotted to us to make us thankful for small favours shewed or patient when a small matter falls out and crosseth us The Lord prepares the gourd and the worm not only the Whale but the Worm We are apt in great matters to think God hath an hand but in small matters we scarce look so high take heed and look upward even in small matters Observe again how powerful the providence of God is Note 2 in these small matters 1. In erecting a gourd it came up in a night in the common course of Nature it should have been growing up a quarter of a year together to a just tallness and bigness but God makes it shoot up in a night The Lord sometimes on a suddain shews light and comfort to his people when and where they least expect it at the Red sea out of a Rock in the midst of Jordan He stirred up the spirit of Cyrus to send his people home to their own land He delivered them from Haman in a way which they least thought on 2. In taking the gourd away he prepared a worm which smote it and it withered He could have blasted it without a worm but pleased to use such a vile creature for our instruction Small things can cross us when God bids them Grashoppers Amos 7.1 Flies and Lice pestered Pharaoh exceedingly A small cut in the flesh hath gangrened and killed Little David slew the mighty Goliah Learn to see a powerful God in a weak creature Use 1 Cor. 1 27 21. Weak things of the world to confound the mighty By the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe To uphold a weak Christian against Principalities and powers 2 Cor. 12.9 My strength is made perfect in weakness Water in Baptism to set forth Christs blood and cleansing from sin Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper to set forth the body and blood of Christ and to nourish the believing soul to life eternal So of old the sword of the Lord and of Gideon his Barly-cake overthrew the Tents of the Midâ—anites Lamps and Pitchers confounded their mighty host Trumpets of Rams-horns demolished the walls of Jericho Moses his Rod divided the Sea All pointing at the wonderful power of God working by such silly means Where glorious means are used we are apt to doat on the means but where the means are so simple we are forced to look up unto God Note 3 Observe yet more God provides for his ill deserving servants God provides well for ill deservers as here for cholerick Jonah he lives whereas he desired to dye and beside hath a gourd prepared which affords him much comfort Though we believe not yet he abideth faithful he cannot deny himself 2 Tim. 2.13 Gods Children sometimes deserve full ill at his hands and are ready to draw down wrath upon themselves but in mercy he forbears and continues a gracious providence toward them Use Mark these footsteps of his goings with you and strive to be thankful In our passions sometimes we make faults enough and forfeitures and open a sluce to let in judgements but the Lord stops the Damme and we are not drowned Admire his goodness and be enlarged unto thankfulness He doth good to them that deserve it not yea to them that deserve ill at his hands more to them that are drawing mischief upon themselves Note Small matters sometimes very comfortable Come we now to see how Jonah comforteth himself with his gourd he was exceeding glad of the gourd Small matters sometimes are very comfortable to us a Cup of cold water water out of a Rock Manna out of a congeled dew Naamans washing seven times in Jordan A few Figs and Raisins to the fainting Amalekite A bunch of Figs to Hezekiahs Bile Barly-loaves to thousands of people And to an hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet Whereby we see what poor and weak creatures we are Use 1 and what a silly life the life of Nature is sustained and cherished by those small matters And if so be humble meek thankful heavenly-minded affected earnestly toward a spiritual and eternal life It is time to get Christ to be our life who said I am the way the truth and the life John 14.6 to get the Spirit of life to enter into the way of life to nourish an hope of life everlasting Life of the soul is infinitely better then the life of the body and so are all the means that maintain it Outward things commonly are prized according to their worth and what they will yield and so should the means of grace be mightily prized The wise-men were very glad of the Star that led them to Christ Mat. 2.10 teaching us to prize gracious means which first lead us to Christ and afterward confirm us in him And we learn in small matters to take notice of a great Use 2 love which affordeth them and much comfort by them Mercies commonly are best seen in the want but it were better to esteem them by the use and benefit of them it would argue more ingenuity it may be the truth of grace It were base not to discern the benefit of our Limbs and parts but only by the Tooth-ach loss of a Joynt breaking of Bones or the like Nature can do this but grace looks higher to a great God in a small favour Oh it is no small love nor small purchase nor small pledge Sleep digestion of Meat Sun-shine Seasons of the Year are ordinary