did will daunce about the Arke as Dauid did and that with ioy and 2. Sam. 6. gladnesse Isaac was a good man his name signified laughter wherby was shewed what ioy laughter there should be about Christ Iesus for he was the only figure euē Christ him selfe The Virgin song when she knew Luke 1. that she should beare him the Angels song ioyfully when he was borne and Simeon song Luke 2. when he was brought into the Temple but as soone as he saw Christ he desired of God that he might die depart out of this earthly prison So soone as a man knoweth God euer henceforth he crieth with the Apostle I desire to be dissolued that he might be with Christ for Christ is light as soone as they Phil. 1. 23. see him they see also them selues his glorie and their shame filthinesse which maketh them wish for death that they might liue with him and this made the martyrs desire death or any other torment that their dayes of iniquitie might be ended and that sinne might cease against God by them for all sin is blood in their eyes and all worldly pleasures vanities Simeon desired death for the feruent loue of God made life irksome vnto him which naturally is the most pleasant thing of all vnto mā death pleasant vnto him which all men hate naturally and would giue all the riches in the world if they had it that they might not die such loue they beare to life So I conclude that no man is willing to die till his conscience be quiet in Christ for then the loue of the world falleth away like the mantell of Elias when he was rapt into 2 Kings 2. heauen Simeon had seene many things in his dayes but when he saw Christ he was vnwilling to liue any longer to see more but like the hart which panteth with desiring after the Psal 42. water brookes so he longed so long till he had seene with his eyes the Sauiour of the world and then he so thirsted for death that he sought nothing else And thus they that hunger after righteousnesse are satisfied and Mat. 5. filled It is enough for me saith Iacob that my Gen. 46. sonne Ioseph liueth so let vs be satisfied with Gen. 46. this that our sauiour Christ liueth where he is thither shal we come I would go saith one through heate and cold through ehalth and sicknesse and through all kinde of miseries that I might hunger after God and after his righteousnesse They that beare the crosse of Christ haue al the marks of Christs Disciples None are so wel fed as they which went with Christ into the wildernesse and Iohn 6. where there was no food there they all were satisfied and filled with wholsome food Simeon knew Christ as soone as he sawe him and embraced him as soone as he knew him and enioyed him as soone as he embraced him Some know the word of God as soone as they heare it others heare it as though they heard it not like deafe adders which stop their eares at the voyce of the charmer So Pharao would not heare the voyce of Moses nor Baals priests would not heare the voyce Exod. 5. c 1. Kings 18. of Elias Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace c. Christ brings peace with him not the peace of the world but that peace which passeth all vnderstanding my peace I leaue with you my peace remaine with you saith he Our peace is laid vp in Christ and all the peace we haue by him els it is no true peace Simeon had peace enough that he departed Psal 37. 37 in peace so marke the ende of the iust and you shall then depart in peace like the lambe vpon the crosse Faine would Balaam die the death of the righteous but Balaam Num. 23. must then liue the life of the righteous therfore all men looke to this Happie are they that depart in peace when death saith feare and the serpent saith despaire then saith the spirit to the flesh crouch bids the serpent flie while death openeth the prison doores If the Papists beleeued that they depart in peace they wold neuer say that those which depart go to Purgatorie so by their own saying the worst part is behind Some say this Purgatorie is in the earth neare to hell and other say it is in the aire neare to heauen Some say they are punished there by fire and some say by water some say by fire and water and some say that if it be in the earth it is too farre then from heauen to be saued Others say that if it be in the aire it is too farre from hell to be damned Some say the good Angelles torment and other say that the euill spirits do it But we must vnderstand that it is a painted sepulcher made rather for the liuing then for the dead For the Locust of Rome doth liue altogether by such Trentals and by such traditions and this is the profitablest dreame that euer any of thē dreamed but it is manifest by the word of God that where the tree falleth there it lyeth shall Eccles 11. lye for euer Diues and Lazarus are dead Luke 16. where they are thither shall we all go Sathā hath many sleightes to deceiue vs of which this is one of the greatest to bring vs from the word of God to dreames and traditions and things inuented by the braines of mortal men which haue not the spirit of God in them Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace c. In my last lecture I vnfolded two questions the first whether it be lawfull for a Christian man to wish to die The second whether we may pray for the dead and say Lord haue mercie vpon them But all the seed is not fallen into good ground therfore some thinke it but a small matter to say so or as it were a venial sinne if it be a sinne But let vs take heed how we make trifles of sinnes for there is no dalying with God who is iealous as a consuming fire when his people make such small accoūt of his words Heb. 12. Other demaund whether it be not better to say God be with them then the deuill be with them both which are naught and to be eschued And herein they aske this question like a thiefe hauing robbed a man by the high way and being taken with it and demāded why he did such a villany he saith is it not better to rob him then to kill him as though he must needes do the one of thē then what a shamelesse answer is this for it is manifest that of two euils none is to be chosen Some wil say it is a testimonie of our good Three bucklers wherewith some do vse to maintaine prayer for the dead will To such we must replie saying so it is a
enmitie The winds and the waters and Iob. 5. 23. all Gods creatures are to take Gods part against Ionah or anie other rebellious sinner Though God in the beginning gaue power to maÌ„ authoritie ouer all his creatures to rule them yet wheÌ„ maÌ„ sinneth God giueth power streÌ„gth vnto his creatures to rule bridle man Therfore he that eueÌ„ now was Lord ouer the waters now the waters are Lord ouer him But if Ionah had thought that God would haue brought things thus to passe he durst not haue been so bold in this enterprise Therfore we may see that sinne hath no eyes while it is on going Tush saith the foole it is faire weather yet while he goeth to the stockes Pro. 7. 22. But God sent a mightie tempest into the sea so that the ship was like to be broken Such a stirre hath God before he can come by his owne he must crosse vs and set him selfe and all his creatures against vs he must straine our bodies and constraine vs to it before we will yeeld him due obedieÌ„ce The tempest must blow the sea must rage the ship must reele the heart must treÌ„ble all must be in an vprore against vs God must crosse vs in all our doings afore we will returne froÌ„ our wicked wayes The bee when she hath once flung doth leese her stingâ— so that she caÌ„ sting no more so is not punishment for it goeth in generall when one tempest is gone another comes vpoÌ„ vs for if we be sicke sicknesse is not dead with vs if we be poore pouertie endeth not if we be in daunger daunger is not therefore put downe for euer after and if we be vexed vexation hath not therefore left his sting in vsâ— but all these things are Gods weapons whereof he hath store and if thou be disobedient he will lead thee through them all Leâ—it 26. 18. 24. 28. 36. 37. 38. 39. c. vntill he hath humbled thee and made thee to glorifie him with obedience or vtterly destroyed thee God sent a mightie tempest into the sea so that the ship was like to be broken This ship which was so faire and goodly euen now is now like a poore ship tost readie to be torne in peeces such strife is alwayes betwixt Gods wrath and mans disobedience When Gods word will not turne vs Gods sword must spurne vs. I obserue that oftentimes many are punished for one mans sinne as all the host of Israell Ios 7. 5. 12. Many punished for ones sinne therefore suffer sinne in none were punished for the sinne of Achan and here all the mariners for Ionahs sinne c. To the end that men might learne therby to admonish one another when they see them do amisse with loue and not to say with Cain am I the keeper of my brother for he that is not carefull to keepe his brother Gen. 4. 9. from sinne is not carefull to keepe him selfe from sinne therefore let vs take heede that a wicked one be not found amoÌ„gest vs vnadmonished I would there were not many worse then Ionah amongest vs. Will you know what I thinke of you I thinke you are worse theÌ„ Infidels Turkes or Pagans that in this wonderfull yeare of wonderful mercies are not thankefull do not beleeue in God nor trust in him nor glorifie his name but like Pharoes sorcerers who seeing the great workes of God which Moses expressed Exod. 8. 19. passing their skill confessed saying surely this is the finger of God so you confesse that it is the great worke of God as you must needs but where is the fruites it hath brought forth in you The Captaine saith I haue done nothing the souldier saith I sturred not but the Lord sent out a mighty teÌ„pest vpon theÌ„ after that they escaped our handes the Lord stretched out his might 〈◊〉 arme against them and Pharao is drowned in the sea so that he neuer attained the land of promise which he gaped for and made full accompt to poâ—â—esse Further herein we Mans extremitie Gods oportunitie may note that extremitie is Gods oportunitie for when the wind had almost ouerturned all and the waters had almost drowned all and destruction had almost deuoured all then and not afore was Gods oportunitie to set forth his glory While the ship reeled and the waters flushed and the mariners shriked Ionah slept in securitie and voyde of flying which should haue admonished all the rest and repented of his sinne which was the cause thereof The ship was almost broken but not altogether brokeÌ„ and Ionah cast into the sea and then was he not almost drowned but altogether drowned had not God prepared a great whale which saued his life in a miraculous maner out of which God brought him foorth like Lazarus in his winding sheete that he might glorifie God once againe and see if he could finde the way to Niniuie The effectes that this great tempest wrought were these The ship was like to be brokeÌ„ the mariners were sore affrayd The ship which was so strong that it might haue encountred with instrumeÌ„ts of warre and made so strong that it might be able to go many voyages and indure great tempestes and many waues was now with one tempest and at one voyage in such a taking that they which were in it feared that it should haue been torne all to peeces and so they should loose their ship their liues goods all so vehement was the teÌ„pest that they were fully perswaded it was no coÌ„moÌ„ nor ordinarie thing but extraordinarie for some extraordinarie cause sent vpon theÌ„ by some great diuine power And the mariners which liue in the sea almost Marineâ— like the fishes like the fishes and haue the waters as their necessariest element now treÌ„bled for feare like women which shrike at euery stirre in the boat like little childreÌ„ when they are frighted Now these couragious fellowes are brought downe by daunger which defied daunger like a young souldier which starteth at the sound of a gunne Then the mariners were afrayd and cryed euery man vnto his god and cast the wares out that were in the ship to lighten it thereof But Ionah was gone downe into the sides of the ship and he lay downe and was fast a sleepe This verse is deuided into two partes The first that the mariners at this sodaine storme were frighted and cast into amaze The second as touching Ionah his sleeping After that God had spokeÌ„ gentlie vnto Ionah saw that his wordes would not moue him the Lord sent out a mightie tempest like the messengers which were sent to coÌ„pell folkes to come to the banquet such a Luk. 14. 23. stirre hath God before he can come to his due he is faine to summon vs by all his creatures afore we will yeeld vnto his voyce They cryed eueryman vnto his God and cast forth their wares into the sea c. This is no
he said to Christ if you will fall downe and worship me I will giue Luke 4. 7. you all things you would haue if you will leaue the societie the exercises the professiō and the companie of the children of God and of the seruice of God and serue me and worship me in preferring your couetousnesse your pride your enuie your lust before the seruice of God then you shall grow rich and you shall not be so scrupulous to sweare for your gaine sometime or to lye for your pleasure and to cosin for riches and you shall haue good lucke and shall haue euery thing at your hearts desire But if we do his will we shall speede as Ionah did we shall haue the wrath and vengeance of God vpō our heads for he hath nothing to giue vs although he makes vs beleeue we shall haue great kingdomes Yes we shall haue hell for our reward which wil make al their hearts to ake which receaue it other reward he hath none So the deuill is alwayes a very seruiceable and pleasant deuill to such as fly from God he can finde occasiōs at all times and meanes and instrumēts fit for that purpose If thou wilt fly from God the deuill will lend you both spurres and a horse yea a post horse that will carrie you swiftlie lustilie away vnto all vanitie and vngodlie lusts But see what Ionah got by his iourney notwithstanding all the furtherances that Sathan could worke for him he lost his money lost his ioy lost his credit and almost lost his life too Thus we see in Ionah what it profiteth a man to flye frō God in obeying and practising the euill motions and tēptations of Sathan in steed of the knowen will of God for the very dumbe creatures were bent against him for his disobedience the wind blowes as though it would ouer turne all the waters roare as though they will drowne all the ship reeles and tumbles as though she were wearie of all the mariners crie and cast out their wares apace as though they would loose all And yet the wind could not ouerthrow him nor the waters drowne him nor the whale eat him and thus Ionah fled from God but not God from Ionah But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea and there was a great tempest so that the ship was like to be broken First God spake gentlie to him Arise Ionah go to Niniuie then he would not go but seeing wordes would not serue the Lord would take another way and try whether that could make him obedient to his voice So the Lord caused a mightie tempest to arise in the sea which set them all in a maze and made them examine both whence the tēpest came also wherefore or for whose sake it troubled them so sore that Ionah might see at the least if he would see it that the vegeāce of God doth alwayes accōpany the stubburne and disobedient whither soeuer they go and for the accōplishment therof that all the creatures of God are bent against them to molest trouble and crosse them in their euill wayes God sent a great wind He that made the windes commaunded Psal 141. 18 Isa 13. them and they obey his voyce the wind the waters obey him but man will not obey him He saith not that a wind arose but saith The Lord sent a great wind then it was not by chance nor yet by witchcraft for the mariners notwithstanding they were infidels were not so grosse as to ascribe it vnto anie such cause but rather thought it to be sent from some reuenging power being prouoked to indignation by some particular person among them that had committed some hainous fact else why did they cast lots to know him and find him out that had sinned and whose sinne did procure the tempest to be sent Though this tempest had almost drowned Ionah yet he saith the Lord sent it so the Lord sendeth wind to bring ships to land in safetie and the same Lord sendeth tempests to drown breake and sincke other ships Therefore Iob sayd when he was bereft of all his substance at once and left as poore as might be that the Lord had taken them from him which also gaue all to him adding also a thāksgiuing Iob. 1. 21. euen for the persecuting hād of God which did so molest him If some had so much losse by tempest as Iob and such danger as Ionah they would surely say with Iob Blessed be the name of the Lord for it Now the wind blowes the water tosses the whale swims all to meet Ionah which flies from God to see if they can turne his hart which sleeps in disobedience The ship goes roundly for a time the Prophet is sleeping the mariners are sporting their sailes flaunting the waters calming the windes guiding so merily sinne goes on before the tempest comes The wind blowes not yet therfore go on yet a litle yet a little more but yet the tempest rushes vpō them before they be ware of it and tumbles them vp and downe suddenly all is like to be vndone Now Ionah is in more danger then the Niniuites And now ó that he had stayed at home and saued his money saued his credit saued his life from the danger of the furious vnmerciful streame Here we may see what paines a sinner takes all to hurt him selfe He came to the hauen and payd the fare and entred the ship and hoist vp sailes and went on forward and all to flie from God and yet he fled not from him but to him Therfore Dauid saith if I take the morning Psal 139. 7. 8. 9. wings and flie aloft lo thou art there if I go into the neathermost depth thy hand will find me out therefore whither shall I flie from thee so that when we thinke that we flie from God in running out of one place into another we do but run from one hand to the other for there is no place where Gods hand is not and whither soeuer a rebellious sinner doth run the hand of God wil meet with him to crosse him and hinder his good successe although he prophecieth neuer so much good vnto him selfe in his iourney The winds could not further Ionah the waters could not beare him his sleep could not saue him the ship could not hold him the mariners could not helpe him the whale would not spare him but he poore man must be cast out lest all through him be cast away The ship that was full of wares of great value was readie to sinke when Ionah entred into it He trusted to the winds and the winds could not further him he trusted to the waters and the waters could not beare him he trusted to the ship the ship could not hold him he trusted to the mariners the mariners could not help him What had he offended the winds or the waters or what had he offended the ship that bare him such