his good pleasure toward them In no point may the Name of God be taken in vain so not in this And as every creature must be sanctified by the word and prayer so must this Remember and fear the judgment of God upon them that take his Name in vain If any object that the occasion and Company will not bear prayer I answer at least let there be an Ejaculation 3. If it be so be thankful for any good that is received by lot looking up to the hand of God who hath cast it upon thee and not upon another The whole disposing of it was of the Lord therefore let him have all the glory It was not Luck and Fortune but God must be acknowledged Especially when the Lord himself is the lot and portion of thy soul as David said Thou art the lot of mine inheritance remember much and often to bless the Lord as he did Psal 16.5 6 7 8. Use 4 4 When lots cross a man let him learn to be as Jonah patient and contented Say it is the Lord that hath thus disposed of the business 1 Sam. 3.18 it is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good should I desire any thing which the Lord sees not good for me or when he hath declared his mind should I wriggle or murmure or carry my self otherwise then becomes the Child of God I will not do it Come and let us cast Lots that we may know for whose cause this evil is come upon us Note In great afflâ—ctions we look at great sins It is the Nature of man to think there is some great sin where they see a great judgment of God Who did sin this man or his Parents that he was born blind And those that suffered those great Evils were accounted greater sinners then all the Galileans or all that were in Jerusalem Luke 13.1 2 4. Where Christ assures us of the contrary I tell you nay â—ohn 9.2 but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish v. 5. And if these Mariners had been asked whether each of them had not deserved this horrible Tempest to die by it they would have shrunk at it and not have confessed And every one would save one therefore they put off the danger to others Otherwise there needed no lots to be cast but every one confess his guiltiness be humbled reformed and give satisfaction to his god who was offended Use 1 Take heed of this spice of Nature and of the Pharisees Talk not of great sinners and little sinners nor censure them that suffer great Evils as if they were the greatest Offenders Possibly they may be great Offenders but what is that to thee Thy rule is not to judge that thou be not judged and judge nothing before the time and Mat. 7.1 1 Cor. 4 5. Rom. 14.4 who art thou that judgest another mans servant and The greater sinner the man is the more he needs thy pity and prayers not thy censure and disdain 2. In a common danger let every one recount his own Use 2 guiltiness and do what lies upon him to do for delivering his own soul Remember who said Except ye repent Luke 13.3 ye shall all perish whether ye escape the danger or no ye may escape temporally and perish eternally These Mariners did all escape the temporal evil better then Jonah but without hearty and fruitful repentance they escaped not the eternal vengeance of their sins Jonah upon his humiliation and amendment might escape better then they all 3. This Example tells us that the sin of a godly man Use 3 may become grievous and provoking more then the sins of many others as Jonah to hazard the casting away of many that were in the ship What the Child of God do so and so what one that hath received so much light so many Teachings of the Spirit so many checks of Conscience so many opportunities of glorifying God and of giving good example to others he to flee from God and cast off duty Take heed ye that fear God and keep even reckonings with him Be humbled for what is past and watch better hereafter And the Lot fell upon Jonah Wicked men sometimes in this life are discovered Note and brought to their deserved punishment God hath means and ways enough to it sometimes by lot as here to Jonah sometimes by the Birds of heaven Eccles 10.20 as the Cranes revealed the murderers of the Poet â—â—icus sometimes by the Confession and horror of the guilty persons sometimes by blood â—ssuing afresh out of a slain body sometimes a Friend hath blabbed forth a bloody business before he was aware sometime a Confederate hath turned Enemy and told all the truth Divers ways the Lord hath to bring to light the hidden things of darkness at farthest in the day of judgment Eccles 12.14 1 Cor. 4.5 Reason 1 The Reason is 1. God is Omnipresent and Omniscient and is able to discover the greatest secrets as here in ordering these lots he observed every motion of Jonah to Joppa and to the ship yea the very first motion of his heart in departing from the living God All is naked to Reason 2 the eyes of him with whom we have to do 2. God makes these discoveries for his own glory and for bringing about his own most holy ends as here he meant to have his work done by Jonah in the message that was to be delivered at Nineve And he was glorified in the eyes of these Mariners by this discovery of Jonah ver 10. Jonah made the Lord known to them and ver 14 they said Thou Lord hast done as it pleased thee and ver 16. The men feared the Lord exceedingly and possibly some of them were truly Converted Quest But are lots a lawful way to discover Malefactors when they are to be punished with Death for Felony or Treason Answ Ans It were very dangerous without Gods command in this case to put any to the casting of lots for his life except it be certain that divers well deserve to die but the Prince of his grace intends to spare some by decimating the Army or others that have made a Mutiny Use 1 But if the point in hand stand true it appears vain to sin in hope of secrecy This induceth some to horrible wickednesses The Thief and the Adulterer and other wicked ones hate the light as Death it self and chuse Darkness for acting their Villanies but all in vain as to God whose eyes are in every place Prov. 15 3. beholding the evil and the good Yea the Hypocrisie of idle Professors is fully discerned by him and in this life sometimes they are uncased for Hypocrites as they ever were falling into some scandalous course or from the main truths of the Gospel But at the last day all secrets will be fully discovered and punished Though they dig deep into Hell to hide their counsels and escape the hand of man yet the hand of God they shall not
and obedience Certainly Rom. 15.4 as all Scripture is written for our instruction so this concerning Jonah His example gives us fair warning not to leave known duties whatever carnal reasonings may suggest for the neglect of them Not to sleep or rest secure after any sin committed lest a storm from God fall upon us and endanger our comfort in God if not our salvation Not to be eager for the destruction of any though bad enough and they deserve to be destroyed Not to favour that cholerick disposition which we know to rest in some of our breasts but be very watchful and mortifie this corruption more and more Nor to mutter against any of Gods dealings either with our selves or others how crosse soever they seem to be On the other side Jonah's example warns us to shame our selves for errors we have made as he here doth in writing these things of himself To submit patiently as he doth to those fatherly chastisements which it pleaseth God to afflict us withall To retain faith in God even in the depth of our afflictions as doth he To vent our faith and faithful desires by hearty and earnest prayers and that without ceasing as did he till he was delivered To gather holy vows and purposes that upon recovery out of any evils we will by the assistance of grace shew our selves really thankful for mercies received And after all our foolish strivings with his sad dispensations 1 Sam. 3.18 we will resolve all into the good pleasure of our God It is the Lord let him do what seemeth good in his eyes Then out of the example of the Ninevites all should learn to believe the threats of God and be humbled and crave the peace with God and walk with him ever afterward more obediently and carefully Rab. in Seder Olam Theodorer alii Where mark those words ever afterward and beware of relapses or returning to folly Histories tell us how forty yeares after this sparing of Nineve yet the people falling back to their old sins again were fearfully destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon and their City utterly overthrown according to the Prophesie of Nahum who arose after our Jonah Beware Christians by their example Be not as the Dog that returns to his vomit or as the Sow that was washed to the wallowing in the mire The first estate of Apostates was bad enough but their last estate is worse by far The Lord uphold us in these sifting and shaking times wherein many have turned aside after Satan that we may hold on constantly in the way of faith and obedience not warping aside to the right hand or the left no nor abating a whit of our first love through heavinesse of flesh or deadnesse of spirit or any incumbrances of the world With which prayer I rest in present Thine in our Lord Jesus Christ WILLIAM JEMMAT THE PROPHESIE OF JONAH JOnah in Hebrew signifies a Dove Hieron 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mar. 1.10 and the Lord send upon us the good Spirit which descended on Christ as a Dove that we may rightly and fruitfully treat of this Prophesie which was written as all other Scripture for our Instruction and consolation Of Jonah we read in two other Scriptures 2 King 14.25 Mat. 12.39 40. Gath-Hepher was the place of his Birth and one of the Cities that fell to the lot of Zebulon and was so called to distingush it from Gath Rimmon and Gath of the Philistines Note Malice blinds Where note the falseness of the blind and malicious Pharisee who said Out of Galilee ariseth no Prophet Joh. 7.52 Yes Jonah the Prophet who was of Gath-Hepher which was in the Province of Galilee Malice doth many times blâ—nd the eyes even of understanding men as the Pharisees generally were Beware of malice as thou wouldest not be mis-led into damning Errors fatally and finally Jonah prophesied in the Reign of Jeroboam the second or of Joash his Father it may be of both Princes that came of Jehu who rooted out the Family of Ahab the Idolaters but not the Idolatry for which cause Israel came into great affliction which was very bitter 2 King 14.26 27. There was not any shut up nor any left nor any Helper for Israel Note Idolatry ruines Idolatry ever brings mischief to a State or Family sooner or later see Chap. 10.31 32 33. Beware of Idolatry and Idolaters they are people of Gods Wrath and Curse what trials ye may have ye do not know Remember and keep your selves from idols 1 Joh. 5.21 and from idolaters Now mark two things of Jonah our Dove 1. To afflicted Israel he comes with an Olive-branch of of Peace and Comfort that the waste shall be restored which had been taken away ibid. according to the word of the Lord God of Israel Note Some favour to the worst Use which he spakes by the hand of his servant Jonah God for a while is very gracious and in temporals doth much for a wicked people it may be by wicked instruments as Jeroboam was Admire the passages of his providence and look from men to God who works for the good of his Chosen as in the ten Tribes there were some true worshippers and for their sake some deliverance was granted 2. To Nineve he is sent with the mournful Voice of a Dove proclaiming their destruction Yet forty dayes and Nineve shall be destroyed but with an intent in the Master that sent him to spare the City upon their Repentance and Amendment The Lord in wrath remembers mercy Note In wrath mercy and sometimes blusters our judgments that sinners may bethink themselves and repent and be saved Mark his divers dispensations and attend the main which is that his patience and goodness should lead you to repentance Rom. 2.4 Two Notes more 1. Out of this Book of Jonah two things may be noted by the exposition of our Saviour himself 1. That Jonah was a Type of Christ in respect of his Death and Resurrection as Jonah was three days and three nights in the Whales belly and then came to land again so Christ was held in Death for a while and the third day rose again 2. That the people of Nineve are set for an example of Repentance to you of after-ages which if it follow not ye shall be the more deeply and severely damned and why for a greater then Jonah is here Allegorical sense of Scripture we shall ever admit where warranted by some glimpse of Scripture as there are many such to be found through the whole body of it Ribera 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 4.24 The Jesuite needed not to have quarrelled about such sense of Scriptures but under pretence of Allegories we must not run out into Fooleries as are many of their Allegories much less into Errors as some of them are Nor doth the similitude of things among themselves warrant us to take every Doctrine which the Fathers collected but only where the Antecedents
is some respite granted and matters may be so handled as to escape the great ship-wrack of souls Oh for care and wisdom that our precious souls may not be cast away This is the only safety that is worth having commonly called Salvation And those that mind this as they ought shall never be accounted carnal but spiritual holy wise unto Salvation They are of an heavenly extract and gone beyond all Naturalists Mariners and all Nominal Christians whatsoever Jonah saved his soul and all his Fellow-passengers saved their Lives and them only so far as is revealed Ver. 7. And they said every one to his Fellow Come and let us cast lots that we may know for whose cause this evil is come upon us So they cast lots and the lot fell upon Jonah Parts Hereof are two parts 1. The Mariners enquire of the cause of this great Tempest let us cast lots and they did cast lots 2. The success of their Consultation the lot fell upon Jonah Search out the cause of afflictions For the former we learn of the Mariners in every great affliction to search and find out the cause that so we may be humbled and reformed and the evil may cease we may be sure that sin is the cause and so should fall foul upon that And if there be a special token of Gods displeasure we should pray with Job Shew me for what thou contendest with me The Tribes in their quarrel with filthy Benjamin never thrived till they fasted and mourned before the Lord nor shall we in like cases For the lots which these Mariners used to find the cause of their distresse and danger thus Augustine saith What a lot is A lot is such a thing as in the doubts of men doth shew the will of God Or A lot is an Ordinance of God whereby we put that unto God which men could not decide It is commonly by Divines referred to the third Commandement as part of Gods Name which must not be taken in vain We know a man by his Name and by a lot we come to know the mind and will of God in a matter which we cannot know by our selves nor by others Of a lot I deliver these particulars Particulars that the nature of the Ordinance may be the more manifest 1. The matter of casting lots must be a weighty and grave matter which is well worth the finding and well becomes the Majesty of the great God to be employed about not in every triflle as in drawing of Cuts So here a great tempest was upon the Mariners and thereby great danger a great offence had caused it they knew not what the offence was they desired deliverance life and all was in question and now they go to casting of lots not as knowing it to be an Ordinance of God but only led by the dim Light of Nature which suggsted this might be a way to find out the truth as in the event it proved So in an Oath which is the end of Controversies 2. This weighty matter must be such as none but God doth know and can determine and herein differs from an Oath that he who swears knows the thing he affirms or denies to be a very truth and calls God to witness of it but in a lot none knows but God alone as here who among them should be the cause of this tempest the Mariners knew nothing of it till the lot fell upon Jonah and Jonah must tell what he had done So in other instances of Scripture v. c. about Achan and Jonathan 3. We read how all the determination of lots is from God Prov. 26.33 The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. God is not wanting to his own Ordinance but when he is sought by his people he will be found of them this also appears by the same instances and other of the like nature 4. We read what is the end of casting lots to wit quietly to determine businesses which could not be otherwise decided without strife of several parties Prov. 18.18 The lot causeth contentions to cease and parteth between the mighty as if it be in deliberation which of these Nobles shall be sent Ambassadour to such a Prince which of these Warriors shall be put upon such a skâ—rmish to lead on the men sundry would have the honour to do the service therefore now comes the lot and quiets all parties 5. There are three sorts of lots according to the threefold use of them two of them lawful the third unlawful wicked divelish Take heed and east lots as Christians 1. Sortes Divisionis when Houses or Lands or other Goods are to be divided between man and man about which otherwise contention would arise so Joshua by lot divided the Land of Canaan among the Tribes of Israel so Merchants sometimes divide their parcels of Wares and Neighbours divide their Acres of Ground Lot-Acres as Salomon said The lot causeth contentions to cease 2. Sortes Consultationis when we advise together what is fit to be done but in Conclusion cannot agree because things stand in the Equality of Reason Here it is referred to God by lot and so all parties are contented So the Church of Jerusalem by lot chose Matthias to be an Apostle Act. 1.26 So these Mariners by lot would know who brought this great Tempest upon them in their Voyage Though there might be superstition in their doing it yet the thing for substance was good and lawful 3. Sortes Divinationis when wicked men inquire into fortunate and infortunate dayes for a journey that is to be taken or a business that is to be done if they draw a white lot it will be lucky if black unlucky Est 3.7 so Haman cast lots for the destruction of the Jews and how cross the lucky dayes fell out to him appears by the Feast of Purim even the blackest dayes that ever Haman and his Complices met withall A sinful abuse of Gods Ordinance Abuse as it is also to turn lots into sports or to fore-tell things for gain as do the Gipsies and those that ascribe the issue of lots to Fortune The Goddess of Fools Te facimas fortuna deam coeloque locamus whereas indeed the whole disposition of it is of the Lord and these three cases evidently shew the truth of the things so ordered Jonathan Achan and Jonah Application of this Doctrine take thus 1. Note and admire the Providence of God who ordereth Use 1 these most fortuitous and contingent things to the right both for truth and equity Oh what a wonderful and glorious Lord God do we serve how ought we to adore his Omnipresence Wisdom and over-ruling Providence how should we come before him in fear and walk humbly with him in all our course both for dependance and obedience 2. If it be so then in casting lots the parties interessed Use 2 should lift up a prayer and intreat the Lord in mercy to manifest
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
in all their Use 1 course go by their own reason and carnal considerations no matter what God saith or would have to be done but they will proceed as themselves think good not punish naughty children and servants nor execute judgment upon Sabbath-breakers swearers drunkards other malefactors let them alone for pitie we shall let our business we shall be counted busie-bodies c. So did not Jonahs Mariners but proceed saying Thou O Lord hast done as it pleased thee And he is noted for a fool who is wise in his own eyes And there be expresse commandements to the contrary Prov. 3.5 6 7. Be not wise in thine own eyes lean not to thine own understanding and examples of resigning up our wills to the will of God and our prayer sounds to that purpose thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven Take then the word of exhortation in those matters Use 2 not to consult with flesh and blood and say as Cyprian In holy matters there is no room for deliberation Let God be true and every man a lyar Let God be obeyed and every meer man neglected God ought to be obeyed rather then you and do you judge your selves whether this be not fitting Such a one is a friend and such a one is a friend but God is a greater and a better friend Jonah was a very good man but when he fell into the lurch with God and God appointed him to punishment out he must go into the Sea even with his own approbation So of a kind neighbour a good Child a profitable Servant inflict a fitting punishment Only thus 1. Be sure it be the will of God Caution that he suffer as these Thou O Lord hast done as it pleased thee A man must execute no judgment but the judgment of the Lord. The judgment is not yours but Gods Solomon sate on the throne of the Lord. The powers that be are ordained of God and such bear not the sword in vain 2. Inflict the punishment because it is the will of God that he suffer not to wreak thy own displeasure or passion of any kinde but the Lord hath designed him to punishment and tell him so that he may see where his offence lies and with whom chiefly he hath to do not man but God the most likely way to bring him to remorse for his offenâ—e and making of peace with God and amendment of life for the future the chiefe matters which Christians should aime at in all their discipline Use 3 Search out the will of God Lastly let this stir up all of us to study what is the good and acceptable will of God concerning us and that both for the matter to be done and for the manner of proceeding Read meditate search the Scriptures compare one place with another any thing to be directed aright what God would have us to do And there is a rule to enquire of the law at the Priests mouth Mal. 2.7 for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts and to have the book of the law still by us for counsell Deut. 17.18 and Josh 8. David though he had good counsellors yet consulted the word Psal 119.24 Thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellors He had also the Prophets of the Lord about him to take advice withall Gad and Nathaâ— And the Jews must ever have their Levites to tell them Gods minde in matters thou shalt not forsake the Levite all the days of thy lâ—fe It is utterly a fault in Christians that generally they go on their own head aâ—d advise not with the word or Ministers for managing an Office for following a calling for ordering a familie for arbitrating of differences between man and man or for other particulars Whence so many unchristian proceedings animosities contentions unjustice and cruelty or if they hit upon the right it is not in obedience to God and so it is not thank worthy it may be they endure the lash of vile tongues and can have little comfort because they minded not God in the good they did It was but hab-nab and verily I say unto you they have their reward but David in such contempt can comfort himself with this It was before the Lord that I did this and this 2 Sam. 6.21 and became vile in thine eyes For the latter upon the casting of Jonah into the Sea The Sea ceased her raging upon the due execution of judgment the wrath of God is pacified Note When Achan was stoned Israel prevailed against the Canaanites as before We noted this before and may note farther concerning afflictions that they are the Lords messengers which when they have done their Errand shall be called home again When the raging Sea had devoured Jonah presently it ceased from raging Note And therefore afflictions sometimes continue so long upon our backs because they cannot be suffered to speed in the businesse which the Lord sent them upon to wit our humiliation and reformation Note farther how great and present the power of God is in ruling the waters of the Sea Note Gods power to he adored Immediately when God hath satisfaction the Sea ceaseth from her raging As he set it on raging so he restraines it from raging any more So he drowned the whole world with a Sea of waters and divided the red Sea and the River Jordan See Psal 107.25 26 27 28 29 30 It might be applyed to Eighty Eight and was applyed to Theodosius in his battell with Infidels where the winde and Sea fought for him Consider Use and adore the great God whom both the winde and Sea do obey as those in Mat. 8.27 The Sea is a rude and unwildy body and yet findes ears to hear when the Lord hath a voice to utter So had the â—eavers which Christ rebuked and other diseases with other passages of providence We read of great matters attributed to the voice of God Psal 29. And those phrases Command deliverance for Jacob Speak the word only and my Servant shall be whole Man that lives not by bread only but by every word of God But farther if this be so where are they that deny a Providence and ascribe all to fortune good luck constellations and co-operation of second causes such a Generation of Atheists there is in the world but let them take heed he that had stood upon the Sea-shore and seen this sudden alteration of weather with the concurrence of things that went along with it would certainly confesse there was a most High God and Providence which made the change and so did these Mariners vers 16. they feared the Lord exceedingly and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord and made vows Take heed and confesse a Providence live by it submitt to it do as one that acknowledgeth a Providence and as one that would have it to thee a sweet and gracious Providence But how rude are those among us who acknowledge not the power and authority of God whom even the
that are of a poor spirit and ready to faint in the sight of their sins or fear of Gods displeasure some are of a tender spirit and should be handled tenderly Rough speaking or doing would even quite over-set them and bring them to a despairing faintnesse In such cases we should note and be tender and pour in oyl to heal their wounds so did Christ Esa 50.4 he spoke a word in season to him that was weary and it hath been said nothing doth so discover a man to be spiritual or according to the mind of Christ as the gentle handling of another mans wounds Use 2 But let these careful souls help themselves by ways and means which the Lord hath appointed Help against fainting fits As against bodily faintings we get hot waters and other helps so should we against these faintings of spirit As thus 1. Get thy faith strengthned as much as may be Faith is a special reviver of the soul in evil times Ps 27.13 I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living as how because it draws vertue from Christ and from his intercession who is a quickning Head and from the promises and covenant which also have an enlivening power and it gives the poor soul a view of heaven to fetch life again 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. for which cause we faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day for our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a more exceeding and eternal weight of glory while we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen those temporal these eternal 2. Wait upon God in the diligent use of his Ordinances Cant. 2. these are the flagons which stay a soul that is sick of love to Jesus Christ and see Esa 40.29 30 31. he giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he increaseth strength Even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly faâ—l But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint Christians ye converse daily in Ordinances adde diligence and good conscience and your faintings will wear off by little and little No such Cordials as the Word and Sacraments well improved 3. Pray and it shall be done God is he that sendeth this faintness into the soul and it is he that must take it away Levit. 26.36 I will send a faintness into their hearts and he that wounds must heal again He that cast Jonah into the Whales belly and into the fainting fits did set all at rights again I will look up again toward thy holy Temple I remembred the Lord and my prayer came in unto thee unto thine holy Temple Here Jonah amplifies his prayer by the hope he nourished amidst his great danger he was not without some hope even when he fainted most and thought himself cast out of Gods sight And all these three days and nights he was well employed A good soul at lowest hath some working toward God for comfort and deliverance and ought to be well employed during the time of his affliction Yet I will look again toward thy holy Temple that is Heaven A good soul from the belly of hell can look toward heaven as here Jonah No distance of place Note Out of hell seâ—â— heaven nor lowness of condition can hinder this prospect Steven amidst the stones looked up and saw the heaven open and Jesus standing on the right hand of God Moses in Pharaohs wrath and threats saw him that is invisible and endured all Micaiah saw God on a throne and was hardned against his meeting of wicked Ahab Reas 1 All from the nature of faith which is the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 By faith Abraham saw the day of Christ and rejoyced By faith he and the old Believers embraced the promises By faith Paul and his fellow Apostles looked not at things seen which are temporal but at things not seen which are eternal and They walked by faith not by sight that is spiritual encouragements not carnal Use A good memenâ—o for a Saint in low condition whether by sickness or otherwise Upward upward below all is black and uncomfortable but upward all is clear and joyous Make use of thy faith to carry thee far above all these tumults fogs and confusions why a sword by the side and not defend against a thief why faith in the heart and not strengthned by it in threatning evils why as heartless and comfortless as he that hath no faith to support himself Remember how David rated away his unbelief Psal 42. Why art thou cast down O my soul and remember how our Saviour chode Peter for fearing Mat 14 31. Why didst thou doubt O thou of little faith Ob. Sol. Oh but I have something sticks by me that is of an higher importance my sins which are many and great Answ So had Jonah at this time he had greatly sinned against God in refusing the service imposed and said he was cast out of his sight but mark the adversative Yet I will look toward thy holy Temple he would not seal his disobedience with unbelief and impenitency one sin to another They say Judas did worse by despairing then in betraying his Master And mark the word again he had conversed with God formerly and found comfort while he held on in a course of duty but now upon this baulk made the sweet communion was interrupted therefore he saith again so thou though thy sins be many and great yet return yea though they be relapses yet again come to thy God by repentance there is a promise for healing our backslidings Hos 14 4. Though man will not pardon faults by recidivation yet God will Jer. 3 1. thou hast played the harlot with many lovers yet return again to me saith the Lord. And if comfort come not presently yet look again as Jonah here at thy first looking thou mayest misse of mercy but look again it will come at last at the last looking rain came according to the prayer of Elias When my soul fainted within me I remembred the Lord. A Believer finds a good remedy against his fainting fits Note Remedy against fainting fits to remember the Lord. Where note First there is an head-remembrance which stands chiefly in speculation as that there is a God that he is able to help us in misery that he sees and knows our estate and can put forth mercy and power for our relief If thou wilt thou canst make me whole Secondly there is an heart-remembrance when we look upon God as our God and trust in him and cast our selves upon his care and love to do for us according to our need whether for soul body or
of Nineve and he arose from his Throne and laid his Robe from him and covered him with Sackcloth and sate in ashes And he caused it to be proclaimed c. Here we have the Ninevites repenting at the preaching of Jonah which is first set down in geneal ver 5. and then declared in particulars in the rest of the Verses In general their repentance is set down two wayes 1. By the cause that moved them They believed God 2. By the adjunct signs of it which are three Fasting Sackcloth and Ashes Note Divers examples of repentance Note out of the whole how many examples of repentance we have in this Book we saw the Mariners repenting and turning to God and we saw Jonah repenting with abundant testifications of the truth of it But these were private acts of piety which went little farther then the men themselves At the Text we have a publick example of King Lords and Commons all humbled and reformed And this example might go far and near to do much good among the Nations that were subject to the large Empire of the Assyrians People generally think it concerns them to do as their Rulers and Commanders do Use Oh that all these examples might perswade our people to an effectual imitation Wherefore are they recorded but for our instruction to do the like and fare well as they did especially the example of the Ninevites both because Chrâ—st proposeth it for our imitation and because he saith they shall be our Judges at the last day unless we repent The men of Nineve repented at the preaching of Jonah and shall rise in judgment with this generation Mat. 12â— and condemn it namely for not repenting But most of all this example concerns those that are Rulers in Church and State that they publickly repent and testifie their repentance as they wish well to the people committed to their charge Not only publish Decrees for humiliation but themselves joyn in the duties of humiliation and more turn from their own evil ways and cause others to turn from theirs Ezek. 18.30 Repent and turn your selves and others from all your transgression Note more Note Most good doâ—â— where least lâ—kely how Jonah reapes most fruit of his labours where he least expected He had preached long to the ten Tribes and we read of no such repenting which without doubt could not chuse but grieve and trouble the good man But now where he was averse to preaching to a people he finds a great crop of Penitents so the first shall be last and the last shall be first the least likely are soonest converted Publicans and Harlots go before the Pharisees into the Kingdom of Heaven Now such examples do hearten us along to preach the Gospel notwithstanding all discouragements Use We sow our seed in the morning and withhold not our hand in the evening because we know not which shall prosper this or that and the worst that are may be gained to God as soon as any it may be sooner Esa 49.4 5. and Though people be not gathered yet shall we be glorious in the eye of God and our reward is with him They believed God Note Penitents look to God in preaching They saw and heard Jonah but they looked higher to his and their great Master A true Penitent looks up to God in the ministery of man When the Theâ—alonians were converted they received Pauls preaching Not as the word of man but as it was in truth the word of God 1 Epist 2.1.3 So the Convert in 1 Cor. 14.25 when the secrets of his heart were made manifest in preaching he fell down before the Preachers and said God is in you of a truth Use No wonder then that so few are converted now-a-days for we cannot get our people to see farther then us the Ministers and why should they much regard weak men like to themselves or what have they to do so to controul them for their sins Certainly we shall never do good to any purpose till we can perswade you to hear as from God and that is but fitting as our Saviour hath said He that heareth you heareth me Luke 10 16. and before the Text Jonah preached the preaching which the Lord bad him to deliver They beliâ—ved God That is They believed the threatning which God had denounced against them by Jonah By Jonah they understood what manner of God the God of Jonah was not as the idol-gods of the Gentiles which did neither good nor hurt but strong and just and true in his threatnings and the believing of this was tâ—e beginning of their repentance They did not only believe Jonaâ— but the God of Jonah so Israel at the red sea seeing their own escape and drowning the Egyptians They believed the Lord and his servant Moses Doctr. Believing of threats works repentance Exod. 14.31 To believe the threats and thunderings of Gods judgements against sin is a good means to work sinners to repentance Such faith is the first bending or â—nclining of the soul toward salvation The people were awakened by John Baptists ministery telling of the Axe laid to the root of the trees J. Martyr to come forth and ask what they should do to be saved Mat. 3.7 18. and Luke 3.10 12 14. So the Goaler by the terrors set on him Act. 16.30 And those that were pricked at the heart chap. 2.37 Why this is the power and efficacy of the word Reas where it is admitted into the heart It is quick and powerful Heb. 4.12 and sharper then any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart The same voice of God that commanded the wind and sea and fish in Jonahs case commands also the guilty consciences of sinners to stoop to the word and yield to his directions Threats come and shake the soul to pieces then come promises and heal the wounds which the threats had made and rules of life to order the Convert according to the mind and pleasure of God This is the Divine Nature of the word our profession is rightly called Divinity because there goes with it the Majesty and Authority of God And it serves to condemn those nice and delicate hearers Use 1 of the word who must not be troubled or disquieted in the least with the denunciation of Gods judgements against them for their sins but say in effect Esa 30.10 Prophesie unto us smooth things Prophesie deceits Yet the Lord sent Jonah with an harsh message to Nineve and the Prophets came with many thundering peaâ—es against the drunkards of Ephraim and other sinners yea our Saviour doubled and trebled his woes against the secure in his time Mat. 11. and 23. And for them that believe not these threats both Christ the Prophets and Apostles have opened the sad case of all such First Esaiah complains Lord Chap. 53
by doing the Errand thou wouldest dishonor thy self and I should go for a false Prophet Note God hath strange prayers put up sometimes at the Throne of Grace even by his own people in their passion they sometimes come before him in a tumultuating fashion Our rule is to pray without wrath 1 Tim. 2.8 and many good limitations there are for the ordering of our prayers Use 1 Consider Christians and order your prayers aright as for the matter so also for the manner of them Vent no passions before the great God of heaven It will be ill-favoured prayer which is so conceived and uttered And it must be a Divine patience that will bear with such a suppliant And let a Christian that observes his weaknesses learn hereby to pray for his prayers not only for his Sins Wants Dangers other evils but even his prayers O Lord hear O Lord forgive O Lord hearken and do Dan. 9.19 There is an iniquity that cleaves to our holy things which needs to be pardoned Christ is our High Priest to take them away and we need his intercession for that purpose Prayer is so far from being meritorious that without mercy it should not be accepted But come we to the matter of Jonahs prayer Take my life from me for it is better for me to dye then to live so Elias would needs dye in all the haste for the wickedness of Israel for the persecution of Jezabel 1 King 19.4 Elias cause was better then Jonahs who only stood upon his own Credit and Gods truth in the message delivered yet Eliah is reproved for it ver 9. What doest thou here Elias and here Doest thou well to be angry Note Sinful to desire death how It is sinful to desire death according to our own passionate humors and may justly be reproved There be Cases wherein it is lawful to desire Death as for example when we see God calling us out of the world when the Martyrs saw the truth of God lying at the stake when the Congregation of the faithful is in danger if betrayed when an eminent Minister or Brother is to be rescued as Aquila and Priscilla laid down their necks for Paul and we ought to lay down our lives for the Brethren But for irksomeness of living or in any corrupt way whatsoever to desire death is utterly faulty and deserves to be reproved Why Our life is the gift of God vouchsafed for special uses which he hath appointed that he may be glorifyed in us both living and dying Phil. 1.20 And therefore it may not be foregone till he please to take us off from our station Rightly Paul who in one respect desired to dye but in another respect desired to live ver 21.22 23 24. Take heed Christians and suppress all such way-ward Use 1 and hasty humors of desiring to dye Ye may be dead before ye are aware And some have desired to dye who were glad afterward that they were alive And why should ye dye before ye have done your work Or why are ye so shie of suffering according to the will of God It comes to pass sometimes that those desire death in their own way who have basely and treacherously avoided death in the way of God nice and fine while they get their own ends but otherwise fool-hardy Use 2 Take heed and to thy power use life well while thou hast it in a Christian way say It is better for thee to live then to dye during life there is much good to be done for the service and glory of God The living the living he shall praise thee Esa 38.19 Spoken in opposition to the state of the dead from whom all occasion of praising God is cut off ver 18. So in Psal 115.17 18. Take heed it may be in death thou wilt wish for more time to live or that thou hadst done more work for God or gotten more hold of his love or were grown more fit to dye Such cases have been and such may be again Walk in fear and while thou dost live live to some purpose Ver. 4.5 Then said the Lord Doest thou well to be angry So Jonah went out of the City and sate on the East-side of the City and there made him a Booth and sate under it in the shadow till he might see what would become of the City In these two Verses we have two things to be considered 1. Gods gentle chiding of Jonah Doest thou well to be angry 2. Jonahs expectation of the Event To see what would become of the City For the former we may well admire the gentleness and goodness of God toward his froward servant God doth not fall foul upon Jonah for his rash anger nor take away his life as he had desired nor throw him into the sea again which he could easily have done But debates the matter calmly with him to bring him to a sight of his Errour and set him into his right way again Note Teaching us how to treat with offending Brethren Children or Servants not wreak our displeasure in a furious manner but so deal with them as they may best recollect themselves and take notice of their failings for amendment It is a foolish zeal which so reproves as withall it seeks not the Parties reformation And now we speak of zeal we must remember that Jonah in his passion had a zeal of God after a fashion being jealous lest his truth and glory should suffer by the sparing of Nineve and himself accounted a false Prophet Our zeal for God sometimes hath much mixture Note both of self ends and self-seeking and of excess in the venting of it Sometimes we have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge as Rom. 10. â— Take heed and watch over this hot affection neither let it be dampened on the one side nor too much inflamed in the other Beware lest God have cause to chide for the excess saying Doest thou well to be angry So of good meanings A man may mean well and yet make great faults Jonah meant well when he was exceedingly displeased and angry Saul meant well when he kept the best of the cattel for sacrifice Note Uzzah meant well when he stayed the Ark from falling Take heed nothing is more deceitful then mans judgment of his actions in the things of God In all points we should look to the will of God and the rule which he hath given in his word Doest thou well to be angry He saith not positively Thou sinnest in being so angry but puts him upon his own better thoughts and would draw from him his own confession as if he had said If I should make thy self judge yet upon a serious consideration thou wouldest find thine errour that thy mind is as the raging sea all in a tumult Lâ—cha weigh well within thy self whether there be not a foul fault in this thine anger So the expostulation is far more emphatical and urging then a plain affirmation though a chiding Doest
thou well to be angry If a man would Rhetorically defend Jonah in his anger there might be many specious colours for it Or if we would a little admit his excuses something might be said for him with some handsomeness Rom. 3. But let God be true and every man a lyar We know the judgement of God is according to truth and equity And a man shall never proceed safely and comfortably unless he can satisfie his conscience by the word upon a just examination Doest thou well to be angry God could provide for his own glory without Jonahs care yea and for Jonahs reputation And if God were so merciful as Jonah said why should he not shew it to repenting Nineve Or must God at Jonahs pleasure bacome severe and terrible must he be cruel that Jonah might not seem a lyar must more regard he had of Jonahs Credit then of Gods most holy Nature and glory Lastly it seems scarce to be endured that Gods doings should be so censured and misliked by a poor weak mortal sinner One of us would scarce abide it Yet God abides it day by day God can scarce do any thing either for afflicting us or out of the ordinary rode but we are apt to mutter and complain suppose about the confusions of the times c. In general we confess he is righteous in his judgements Jer. 12.1 yet in particulars we will needs plead with him and talk with him of his judgements why and wherefore Take heed and submit better But the main point is this Doctr. Say Do I well to be angry A Christian when he finds anger stirring should say Do I well to be angry Anger is a natural affection and very good use may be made of it Without some anger there will be no zeal for God nor against sin And he must needs be blockish and senseless who will not be angry when he ought There is a quietness which is sinful and dishonours God exceedingly and drowns souls in security But otherwise we should look well to our anger suppose in case of Gods doings against us or mans or any cross accident A beloved Child is taken away by death I suffer great loss by my Neighbour or the like my affections now are all in a hurry But Do I well to be angry Eph. 4.26 my rule is to be angry and not sin the affection is good but the distemper is evil What is it where am I whether do I swerve from my rule or no I am apt to offend one way or other therefore I must weigh well how I mannage my anger But how shall a man know whether he do well to be angry Quest Answ Signs of allowed anger Answ 1. If there be just cause for thy anger thou doest well to be angry suppose at thine own sin or the sin of another especially to see the wickedness of the world and how corruptly things are carried among men In these caâ—es godly men have shewed great anger and were never disliked for it Moses was very angry at their murmurings and idolatries and Christ at the profanation of the Temple Exod. 16.20.32 22. John â— 17 1 Cor. 11. And in such cases we ought to judge our selves that we may not be judged of the Lord to rate our selves for our â—illiness and revenge on our selves and undoe what we have done to the best we can there is just cause for it because we were so foolâ—sh and ignorant Psal 73.22 and as a beast before God Godly sorrow ever works indignation for errors committed 2 Cor. 7.11 But there will never be just cause to be offended or angry with Gods doings against us or against our opinion as Jonah was in this place All reason requires that here we be dumb and complain not and rest in this There is more reason for it then we are aware 2. Thou shalt not do well to be angry unless the cause be weâ—ghty and of some importance as well as just A Christian must not spend his powder upon trifles as the fashion of some is It would argue neither love nor wisdom Not love for that covereth a multitude of sins and is not easily provoked 1 Pet. 4.8 1 Cor. 13.4 5 7. Jam 3.17 Not wisdom for the wisdom which is from above is first pure then peaceable True love and wisdom reserves it self for weighty matters where God requires more of our anger and severity then of our mildness 3. Thou shalt not do well to be angry if thou exceed the due measure of this affection more then the cause requires There is a mean to be observed and certain bounds beyond which we shall not do well Even lawful anger if immoderate degenerates into fleshly anger it may be into fury more fit for a Beast or an Heathen then for a Christian Our rule is to be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful and we see how his mercy goes Hab. 3.2 in wrath he remembers mercy Esa 27.7 8. Imitate God in punishing a Child a Servant an evil doer God corrects in measure and so must we 4. Thou shalt not do well to be angry if thou keep wrath over long as it seems Jonah did Eph. 4.26 ver 9. I do well is be angry even unto death Our rule is not to let the Sun go down upon our wrath As we must not be quickly angry so when we are angry we must be quickly pleased again Else our anger may be turned into malice And the Devil will watch the occasion to work us to farther ungodliness as there ver 27. neither give place to the Devil With a malicious man the Devil lies down at night and goes to bed with him Pure Wine is corrupted if it stand too long upon the Lees. 5. Thou shalt not do well to be angry if thou grow into hatred of the sinners person for right anger is bended at the sin rather then the person as Mark 3.5 He looked about on them with anger and grieved for the hardness of their hearts Impenitency is the principal object of our grief and anger And there are certain rules that we must neither approve the sin for the offenders sake nor hate the offender for the sins sake Only in his great wickedness he must be either shunned and avoided or else reproved 6. Thou shalt not do well to be angry unless thou quarrel with thine own sins as well as the sins of others and unless thou be angry in Gods cause as well as thine own in both which numbers of people bewray much corruption So did not Moses Num. 12.3 the meekest man on earth in his own cause when spoken against by Aaron and Miriam but in point of idolatry nothing but killing and slaying And for our own sins we see what our Saviour saith of Mâ—tes and Beames in the eye Mat. 7 1 2 3 4 5. Certainly every man hath most business to do at home And those shall ever go for hypocrites
and come of course and they are small to see to and of daily use but should not therefore be the less prized nor improved for God Inest sun gracia parvis For the latter the withering of the gourd to the great grief of Jonah God hath wayes and means to blast our greatest comforts as here Note God can soon blast our comforts the gourd whereof Jonah was so exceeding glad a worm was bespoken to smite and wither it So we read of blasting and meldew Locusts Caterpillars Canker-worms Palmer-worms Grashoppers other Destroyers of Gods providing whereby an hopeful crop in the Spring comes to very little in the harvest all of the Lords doing Hag. 1.6 9 10 11. Psal 107.33 34. Uses 1 And it teacheth us 1. Whither to look in all calamities of the year as for example the worm which God prepares the East-wind Red wind Black wind other evils that come and blast our hopes They come not without the Lords sending therefore this is his Controversie therefore for sin therefore be humbled make peace get into his favour walk more carefully for time to come Excellent instructions for all of us Do we not all live of the field and who must prosper the fruits of the field harvest or vintage but only God and if it be not prosperous who is it that blasted it the common saying is My Garden or Field was likely to yield a good Crop but a scurvy worm came and destroyed all I shall scarce be able to pay my Rent or maintain my Charge Nay but O man who prepared that worm or sent that East-wind or other spoiler Affliction springeth not out of the dust there is an higher cause look thither and see what is to be done in a Religious way 2. To check and moderate our joy in these earthly things while they last with us as knowing they may be soon blasted and taken away The Grass withereth and the Flower of the Field fadeth away Even so iâ— the glory of the world 1 Cor. 7.30 Therefore rejoyce as not rejoycing Comfort may be taken but take it in a moderate manner Some are taxed Jude 12. that they fed themselves without fear and they are a great generation now-a-days of men that are wholly in their natural enjoyments It is noted for part of Jobs piety that he was jealous over his Childrens Feasting and it would be piety in others to be jealous over themselves 3. To improve the comfort we have by the creatures Use 3 to the glory of God who gave and preserved them 1 Cor. 10.31 Drut 28.47 48. and must bless them to us Whether ye eat or drink or whatever ye do do all to the glory of God In his hands our breath is and all our times and all our comfortable enjoyments It were good to keep in with him that these mercies may be continued as also blessed to us The chief Motive is to have comfortable Communion with our good God but it is one Motive to have an holy and wholsome use of the creatures While the Rent or Service is duly paid the Tenant enjoyes all quietly 4. To foresee changes that may quickly come upon Use 4 our natural contentments Jonah should have thought it is a pretty accommodation to have such a gourd but may not a worm soon smite it and cause it to wither Certain it is that God never lets us a long Lease of these temporals but we shall have and hold them at his pleasure A great change there will be at the last and we should ever wait for it but before that time there may be many changes Job 14.14 and it will be our wisdom to make account of them It will be far easier to say The evil that I feared is come upon me He was wise and holy who said All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change shall come 5. In all such changes that happen we should be patient and submit to the will of God as dumb Psal 39 9. and not open Use 5 the mouth This was one of Jonahs faults that when his gourd withered he was angry and said he did well to be angry to the death Take heed by much wrigling we may make our burthen heavier then it would have been But by patience an evil becomes much lighter which could not be prevented nor afterward shaken off 6. Above all blasts take heed of a blast upon thy soul Use 6 and upon the Ordinances and left that voice come forth Never fruit grow on the tree more Mat. 21. Ezâ—k 24.13 Rev. â—â— 11 or that Thou wouldest not be cleansed thou shalt not be cleansed or that Be filthy still be unrighâ—eous still These are heavy judgments of God and lie upon the spirits of many for their unthankfulness and unfruitfulness under the means of grace They are worse then Famine War or any temporal judgements as the foul is more excellent then the body Yet inflicted on many because they have long sate under the dews of heaven and are still a barren heath nigh unto a Curse whose end is to be burned Heb. 6.8 Take heed Christians lest God in wrath blow upon these Ordinances and for your sluggishness make them altogether ineffectual This is come upon some already no whit moved by all the good instructions and exhortations they have heard in the ministery And some have lost the fine and ripe parts which sometimes they had and are become very sots Others are quite fallen away either to Profaness or Heresie as the Dog to the Vomit or the Sow that was washed to wallow in the mire or as the Salt which hath lost his favour and good for nothing but the Dunghil There be some sorts of men specially that should beware of these spiritual blasts 1. Young people who are newly looking into the world 2. Those that come out of dark Countries to a place of light and warmth by good preaching 3. Those that had their Consciences rowsed by a fit of sickness and took up good resolutions Beware lest for negligence the Lord swear in his wrath that ye shall not enter into his rest Psal 95.11 Ver. 8.9 And it came to pass when the Sun did rise that God prepared a vehement East-winde and the Sun beat upon the head of Jonah that he fainted and wished in himself to dye and said It is better for me to dye then to live And God said to Jonah Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd And he said I do well to be angry even unto death Two things are proposed in these two Verses Parts 1. A farther tryal of Jonahs patience which is found to be small 2. A new chiding him for his anger about the gourd together with his stout reply ver 9. For the former God is pleased farther to try the patience of Jonah by adding a new affliction he not only blasts his gourd and takes that away but increaseth the vehemency of the
Sun-shine which faints him up and makes him even weary of his life So with us Note Loss of good smart of evil God sometimes not only takes away our natural comfort and worldly accommodations but sends upon us smart and grievous afflictions droughts scorching weather distempers in the Air thereby distempers in the body fiery and acute Diseases as Agues Fevers Inflammations Leprosie Calenture c. which are one of the threats for disobedience Deut. 28.21 Or if it be not so bad yet the hot season shall make us faint and weary of our lives as here Jonah But why did not Jonah return into Nineve and get Quest 1 shelter there or remove into some Village near hand where he might be protected from this hot weather Answ 1. Because he was of a stout and sturdy spirit Answ and would not seem in the least to be beholden to the Ninevites or any of their Neighbours 2. Because he expected every day the ruine of Nineve which he would be glad to see with all his heart for his Credit fake which he took to be much engaged in the business And what should he do in a ruinous house which was likely in short time to come tumbling upon his head Quest 2 Another question may be why the Lord doth thus follow him with more and greater afflictions Answ Answ Because he had a mind to break and subdue this sturdy humor in Jonah which the meer loss of the gourd could not do as ver 9. he was angry for the gourd and fears not to tell God that he doth well to be angry even unto death So there needs a farther and stronger Purge to carry away this extreamly peccant humor as with us also whom lighter afflictions do little prevail withall Uses 1 Take we hence these instructions 1. To justifie God in all his sharp dealings with us when not only he takes away our Children Wealth Corn Cattel comforts of this life but sends Famine Sword Pestilence new Diseases Pox Agues other evils Say Psal 145.17 The Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works We are apt to sit in judgment upon his doings and charge him foolishly as too severe but should rather clear him and lay the blame where it ought to be laid Psal 51.4 That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest and be clear when thou judgest Uses 2 2. To lay all the blame of our sufferings upon our selves as Pharaoh at last was taught to do The Lord is righteous but I and my people have sinned And when we finde our selves apt to mutter against God for feverity we should take our selves in the manner and say Why do we complain when the cause is in our selves Wherefore doth a living man complain Lam. 3.39 40. a man for the punishment of his sins Let us search and try our ways and turn again to the Lord. And if we had our due we should be utterly consumed yea cast into hell long before this time as in the same place It is the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not 3. To mortifie those wretched corruptions which God Uses 3 would have to be weakned as here this stoutness of Jonah and to break off those sins which most agree with our crooked nature and odd occasions of offending A sharp winter useth to kill the weeds and vermine and cherish the Corn that is bidden So let it be with our failings in one kind or other Jonah fainted and wished in himself to dye He that will wish himself dead so often as he hath sore occasion shall have more occasions then one so to wish Note Idle wishes Jonah had prayed this before ver 3. I beseech thee take away my life from me And now seeing God pleased not thus to gratifie him he falls to wishing which is a lighter kind of desire And whereas at first he only thus wished in himself afterward he uttered his mind saying It is better for me to dye then to live as ver 3. So David in Psal 39.3 My heart was not within me while I was musing the fire burned then spake I with my tongue Take heed Christians Use and smother these hot and unquiet affections at the first arising mark them consure them suppress them use means to subdue and vanquish them as for instance Get abundance of faith and patience which may keep you from this fainting and wishing so did the Apostles and Martyrs and other holy men in great and lingring afflictions 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. For which cause we faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day For our light affliction which is but for a woman worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal And consider it is not a manly thing to desire death so often as strong afflictions shall urge and we saw on ver 3. how we may desire death and how not Whether it be better to dye then to live But let us a little examine the truth of this saying of Jonah It is better for me to dye then to live Is it indeed better to dye then to live Answ 1. Within the limits formerly mentioned it is better namely when God calls us away or the like Eccl. 7.1 The day of death is better the day of ones birth 2. Without such cautions it is not better and mark it is neither better for godly men nor for others 1. Godly men may do much good in the Church while they live which if they were dead they could not do as for example while Paul continued among his Converts he abode with them for their furtherance and joy of faith Phil. 1.25 and this consideration put him into a straight Phil 1.23 whither he should be dissolved which was far better for him in his own particular or live yet longer A godly Minister while alive may be a means of converting confirming or recovering many So a godly parent or master Yea in respect of a mans own self he may get the more hold of Gods love and do more good to put upon his accounts in that day and see his charge of Children well bred up and entred into the world with counsel to them where they erre or to neighbours between whom peace is to be made and divers good offices 2. Wicked men of all other should not desire to dye whatever their suffering be in the world because their peace is not yet made with God they are not yet in Christ they have not yet repented nor ordered their way so as to be fit to dye And if they dye before they he fit they have infinitely worse sufferings remaining for them It is for such to fear death and get it put off as long