they made vows A carnal Christian is full of good words during his sickness or other danger but the true Christian is for â—after-times Esa 42. hears for the time to come prayes partakes of a Sacrament all to become better and to live afterward more carefully and profitably Hear ye that begin to mind Religion Use and see that ye profit in these particulars and in all other The course of Gods Children is as the course of our Children to grow strong by little and little And as a man after a great fit of sickness desires daily to pick up his crumbs more and more so must thou upon this recovery out of the estate of sin and wrath Mind and grow Let us not perish for this mans life and lay not upon us innocent blood Even rude and barbarous people have abhorred murther as a grievous sin as these Infidels Note Murder a hainous sin in the eye of heathens and those Barbarians in Act. 28.4 6. And some for expiation of their murthers have in the guiltiness of their consciences put themselves voluntarily into banishment or other sorrows as it were so many pennances Use 1 The more shame to this cruel and bloody age wherein we live which sets nothing by the life of a man yea of many men it may be many hundreds and thousands of men slain in battel possibly in meer malice or corrupt affection possibly for Pay only so much a week to kill men No matter whether it be innocent blood or no no deprecation of the wrath of God We beseech thee we beseech thee No making account that they may perish for those mens lives As if the Law were not made for murtherers or as if murderers should ever inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Tim. 1.9 Rev. 21.8 contrary to the express words of Scripture Use 2 Take heed Christians both of the sin and of those corrupt affections which lead to the sin Remember the Commandment Thou shalt not kill Remember the argument used in the Image of God created he man Remember the threat He that takes the sword shall perish by the sword Remember the expiation of blood in the time of the Law and the Cities of refuge and how no price might be taken to save the life of a murtherer Numb 35.31 And those heathens confess they need Gods mercy for casting Jonah into the sea though a guilty person both by his own confession and by the judgement of God who discovered him by lot But how then do the Mariners talk of innocent blood Answ It was innocent as to them or for any quarrel they had to him but in respect of God he was not innocent Jonah had confessed his guiltiness and desired them to cast him into the sea whence that clause in the Verse For thou O Lord hast done as it pleaseth thee Note God alone or ders the death of evil doers None but the will of God can justifie the putting of any to death He is the Soveraign Lord of life and death and provoked by the sins of his people so as sometimes he calls for their blood to make some part of satisfaction And this he doth by the Magistrates into whose hand he hath committed the sword of justice and he must not bear the sword in vain and He that sheds mans blood by man shall his blood be shed In vain therefore do some talk Use that no man ought to be put to death for any cause whatsoever A very foolery so to extoll mercy as to take away justice Solomon pronounceth them equally abominable to God who acquit the wicked and condemn the righteous We know the example of Saul who lost his Kingdom because he spared the King of the Amalekites and of Ahab whose life must go for Benhadads life because he let go a man worthy to die Wholsome severity is as necessary as mercy and kindness that offendors be punished according to the nature of their wickedness Ver. 15. So they took up Jonah and cast him forth into the Sea and the Sea ceased from her raging We have here Parts 1. the execution of Gods sentence against Jonah he was cast into the sea 2. the consequent of it the sea ceased from raging A plain demonstration of the case That the Lord in wrath remembers mercy and yet strange withall wrath to his servant mercy to the heathen In some case the wicked may fare better then the godly innocent heathens fare better then faulty Jonah For the former of these though the mariners were very loth to cast Jonah into the sea yet now that they see â—he will of God expresly revealed for it they do it though sore against their wills Mâ—morandum for many reasons they were unwilling to cast Jonah into the sea He had not wronged them in the least he had paid the Fare and committed himself to their Custody and trust ought not to be deceived he had professed his faith in the true God and such ougbt not to be violated he had confessed his fault and was sorry for it and what would they have more he submitted to the punishment which was to be inflicted though to the losse of his life He prophesied that upon his punishment all should do well the tempest should cease and so it did Yet fain would they save him if they could possibly Sulcarunt they made furrows in the Sea and rowed hard to bring the ship to dry land But now when they consider on the other side that God hath plainly designed him to drowning in the Sea thou O Lord hast done as it pleased thee they give over their former deliberation and propension to mercy and do what the Lord leads them to do teaching this Note Do Gods will though against reason When we are sure of the will of God for a matter we must lay aside all self-thoughts and motions and set to do what God will have us to do So Abraham went to offer up his son Isaac so Christ offered himself Not my will but thy will be done so the Martyrs left all and endured those torments in the cause of God joyfully suffered the spoyling of their goods accepted not deliverance Father and all must be forsaken or we are not fit for Christ An offendor must be forgiven though it go quite against the hair Difficult duties must be done and costly and dangerous Reas The reason is God is the soveraigne Lord of all flesh us and others and his wil is much superior to all the will of men whosoever they be and he hath more reason for his matters then we are aware as appears in the sequel of Jonahs history And whereas we think our selves very mercifull and pitifull in some cases Gods mercy is the truest mercy when all is done as that which comprehends the soul as well as the body and the publick good as well as a private interest not only Jonah but Nineve and all Jsrael beside Fearfully then do those offend who
Master And this is the fruit of Gods fatherly chastisement to the faithful that they learn his statutes and when they are corrected they are instructed out of his Law Psal 94.12 This is all the fruit Esa 27.9 Jonah now will go and do his Errand But this is wanting in the wicked still stubborn 4. Among a Company of wicked men it may be enemies of God and Religion Jonah here is amidst a number of Infidels and see what a profession he makes of his faith the true God is avowed and they led to the acknowledgement of him and afterward they offer sacrifice to him 1 Pet. 3.15 1 Tim. 6.12 13. This also is our duty Give a reason of the hope that is in thee witness a good Confession And this among other Articles I believe in the God of Heaven that made the Sea and dry Land Remember Christians Use and own God openly and against all discouragements or amidst all tokens of wrath fear him as Jonah here professeth and remember what are the effects of fearing God and that fear is put for the whole worship of God Mal. 3.16 they that feared the Lord spake often one to another which may well be because no part of his worship may be void of an holy fear and reverence toward the God of Heaven serve the Lord with fear Psal 2.11 Heb. 12 28. and rejoyce with trembling serve him acceptably with reverence and godly fear pray with an awful regard of his great Majesty tremble at his word Phil. 2.12 And all must work out their salvation with fear and trembling Now from Jonahs Confession of his fault before the Mariners we learn It must be the humility and modesty of Christians Note Confess faults one to another to confess their faults one to another so is the Commandment Jam. 5.16 confess you faults one to another and pray one for another Not only confess to God as in the serious exercises of Repentance but to men whom it concerns to know what evil we have done as here it behoved Jonah to declare what fault he had committed which caused this Tempest God hath pointed him out for a Malefactor and he must acknowledge wherein So this Confession must be twofold 1. Publick if the offence hath been publick and scandalous when the whole Congregation hath been offended the whole Congregation must receive satifaction namely by an open testifying of shame and sorrow So the incestuous Corinthian had punishment inflicted on him by many 2 Cor. 2.6 so should our scandalous members be served that by the shame they may be brought to repentance and their souls saved that the Venom of the bad example may be stopt and go no farther that the mouths of Idolaters may be stopt and they not occasioned to blaspheme that others may fear and not do the like that the Plaister may be as wide as the wound that the love of the Congregation may be gained to the offendor and their prayers and a Brotherly converse together 2. Private if the offence hath been private It shall suffice in such a case that the party offending acknowledge the fault he hath made and the party offended ought to accept of his confession Luke 17.3 4. Take heed to your selves if thy Brother trespass against thee rebuke him if he repent forgive him And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day and seven times in a day come again to thee saying I repent thou shalt forgive him So in the fift Petition of the Lords Prayer Forgive us as we forgive and our Saviours Exposition Mat. 6.14 15. If ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you but if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses Object It were a shame to come to Confession Answ 1. It is a Duty 2. There is a Prophesie that Converts in the New Testament should be ashamed and confounded for their sins Ezek. 16.61 and 20.43 3. This prophesie is fulfilled in Rom. 6.21 What fruit had ye in those things whereof ye are now ashamed 4. There ought to be that humility and modesty in true Christians as to take their shame and blame home to them saying Dan. 9.7 8. To us belongs nothing but shame and confusion of face 5. We have an example of Gods own directing of Delinquents to Confession before the party offended Job 42.7 8 â— Jobs friends had gone awry in rebuking him and therefore they must go and humble themselves before him gain his prayers for them and so be fully reconciled to God and him Hear Christians Use and learn of Jonah to confess your faults one to another Though it be against the Haire and against thy Credit yet be contented Go in Gods way and that is the course to set all at rights as here Jonah though for a while cast into the Sea yet after a while he recovered well enough Numbers learn by the failings of godly men to offend and go astray as they did but learn thou to confess and mourn and amend as they did there they are set for an example and not in the other Non cadendi exemplum c. That we should not lust after evil things as they lusted 1 Cor. 10.6 And that we should take off the offence that hath been given to Children Servants Neighbours Ministers It was a rare example of the worthy Knight Sir A. Cope in prayers with the Family to confess his own personal sins and failings A matter of shame but withall may work much upon the hearers to be like-minded and follow the good example every one in his own private Devotions For the third Then were they exceedingly afraid They were afraid before because of the Tempest and of their danger thereby but now they fear none because they know more fully how the case standeth they know the true God distinctly they know him the cause of this tempest and danger they see an offender discovered in an extraordinary manner they see he is a just God and bears not with sin in his own servant and will see more of him shortly when he sends a calm at Jonahs casting forth and they escape through his mercy Note Stand in awe of Gods judgments The more discoveries we have of God in his Mercy and Justice the more we should be stricken with fear toward him fear to offend him care to please him be the better for his tempests and terrible works among us and by his cords of Love and Bounty be held the closer to him in Duty Job 37 23 24 Touching the Almighty we cannot find him out he is excellent in power and in judgment and in plenty of justice he will not afflict Men do therefore fear him be respecteth not any that are wise of heart see also Jer. 5.21 22 23 24. Use Then worse then Barbarians are those Christians who in all the terrible storms and shakings of the times live securely and fear nothing
Industry without Gods leave and blessing avails nothing Except the Lord build the house and keep the City all that men do will be in vain Psal 127.1 2. And there be many grounds of it as Gods displeasure Mans sin and insensibleness of his sin and of Gods displeasure for crossing him then Gods insisting still on his own way bringing about his own ends blasting of our endeavours and hopes disabling of the creatures disgracing of mans wisdom and intention to bring the sinner to his own bent as is said Man lives not by bread only Deut. 8.3 but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Use Tradesmen see how they decay Many a man doth his true endeavour and takes faithful pains in his Calling and yet can make nothing of it when all is done rows hard and yet cannot bring his Vessel to land is ready to break and gives over his Calling What is the matter the Lord hath sent a storm upon him and it cannot be got to cease the Sea works still and is tempestuous against him do what he can he doth no good upon it Why the Lord is offended with his earthliness and neglect of a religious course Civil he is and observes a form of Religion and toils enough and too much but he is fugitive from God therefore is in great straights Here the man might take notice of Gods displeasure against him and seek to remove it Such cross providence is esteemed a judgment Hab. 2.33 Behold is it not of the Lord of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity so in Hag. 1.5 6. Consider your wayes ye have sown much and bring in little ye eat but ye have not enough ye drink but ye are not filled with drink ye cloath you but there is none warm and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes So now-a-days men make Cloth and cannot sell it would work but cannot provide Wool to set them on work or the inferiour Cloth-workers must be paid but the Master scarce knows how to get bread Great straights one would think that in this leisure-time men would addict themselves more to Religion which in an hurry of businesses used to be too much neglected But I doubt much whether it be so done or no I doubt much of earthly hearts which as yet are alienated from the life of God thence this working sea which continues tempestuous against you Oh no that is not the cause Object some have as little Religion as we and yet have good trading get money and live finely Answ 1. Some of them live upon the quick stock Answ which makes them pine and fret within themselves but they cannot help it Mat. 5 â—5 2. For the prosperity of worldings some of them very wicked it may be meer Atheists there is little comfort in it It is only of the general providence of God whose Sun shines and Rain falls upon good and bad And without repentance there is coming forth against them a tempest which shall lay them in the bottom of the sea of his fiery indignation 3. It were good for Tradesmen in these tempests to think of Gods intention toward them namely of industrious civil and well-natured men to make them Religious men which all this while they have not been to purpose See ye have time enough only find hearts seek God be religious in earnest and then the tempest may cease there may be a great calm Cloathing may be as quick as ever it was Wherefore they cryed unto the Lord we beseech thee we beseech thee Mark how these mariners profit in Religion by little and little At first they cryed every one to his God to be delivered in that great distress but now they leave their Idol gods and cry to Jehovah the God of the Hebrews whom Jonah had preached to them they heard his word and they saw his terrible works which made them afraid and now they call on him alone for mercy and deliverance and afterward we shall hear more of their piety ver 16. This is the progress of Religion in true Converts Note that by little and little they grow very good and zealous like leaven in three pecks of meal working on till the whole lump be leavened or like Corn sown in the field still growing on first the blade then the ear after that the full corn in the ear Mark 4.28 Though their beginning be but small yet their latter end encreaseth exceedingly 2 Pet. 3.18 1 Thes 4.1 So we are commanded Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and As ye have received how ye ought to walk and please God so increase more and more Reason Phil. 1 6. Col. 2.19 Phil. 1.19 The reason is He that begun a good work in them will finish it to the day of Christ it is a Divine conception the seed of God abideth in them and we read of increasing with the increase of God and of Christ the Head whereby all the body so increaseth and of the supply of the spirit carrying on the work with power Ye may conceive these degrees 1. The Convert lives in none of his old sins though pleasant and profitable He is cleansed from all his idols and all his filthiness These Mariners left their gods which their Fathers worshipped and called upon the God of the Hebrews so Naaman Thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt-offering nor sacrifice unto other gods but unto the Lord 2. King 5.17 2. A true Convert improves and grows both by the word and works of God as these by the preaching of Jonah and by the dangerous tempest that lay upon them Grace turns all into the nourishment of it self Ordinances Providences Mercies Afflictions yea sins too to be more humble and stand better upon the guard and turn unto God that smites them 3. A true Convert presently falls upon a course of prayer so to get more strength wisdom and hold of the love of God so did Paul presently upon his conversion Act. 9.11 behold he prayeth These mariners pray to Jehovah that the blood of Jonah may not be laid to their charge and that with earnestness We beseech thee we beseech thee 4. A true Convert studies the point of thankfulness for the great mercy of God in saving his soul as these for saving their lives ver 16. they offered a sacrifice unto the â—ord and we must come before God with our spiritual sacrifices thinking what may be done for his honor What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits toward me and stirring up all that is within us not to forget any of his benefits Temporal mercies bind not firmly but spiritual do 5 A true Convert binds himself to God by honest and faithful purposes even after a mercy received as these when the calm had taken them off from their danger ver 16.