nor presecution should keep from Christ for they are but for a moment of no continuance The winters blast is gone and past Tempestuous storms no more arise Gods wrathful shours no more he pours On freinds but on his enemies 12 g The hearts of men are like barren earth till planted by the spirit and sown with grace then they are fruitful the flowrs appear shew summer's near h There is a time to mourn a time to rejoyce Saints know it and in due season warble forth Gods praises Each chirping bird doth fit and sing The turtles voice doth make a noise All which bespeak a glorious spring 13 The figtree puts forth her green shoots Her unripe figs are sweetned well The vines also do dangling grow With graps that give forth a good smell Each token says that summer days Are hasting on without delay i though men be unwilling to come yet Christ is not weary to call to them over and over by many moving arguments to come to him Wherefore arise from worldly toys My love my fair one come away 14 k Christs spouse is both harmless and pure neither without presecution nor then without a hiding place in God Now oh my dove what can thee move Sith thou art in the secret stairs And rocky clifts free from the drifts And storms of foes and other fears The barb'rous foes do thee inclose And thou lyest hid in secret place l Faith prayer the best practise very requisite in time of affliction Yet let me hear thy voyce in prayer m Good works joyned with prayer and a conversation becoming the Gospel is acceptable to and lovely in the eye of the Lord Jesus And see the beauty of thy face For there 's no creature hath a feature Like thine so comely to behold Thy praying voice it hath a noise More sweet then by words can be told 15 n Those that hurt the Church by fraud or force doctrine or manners ought to be reproved punished The foxes take that spoyl do make Upon our vines for every tree o The weak and infirm in Christs Church must be cared for for they are equal with others in his love and Favour Young grapes do bear and with great care Such tender plants preserv'd must be 16 p Every true Christian is given up wholy to Christ and by faith makes Christ his own Mine my love is and I am his My all on him I will bestow q Christ is much delighted with the sweet and beautifying graces of his people He rests and feeds not among weeds But where the purest lillys grow 17 r Till Christ the sun of glory break in upon a soul it sits in darkness and shadows of death Whilst it is night and till the light Of day do break it grow clear Whilst shady clowds the brightness shrouds Till they disperse and thou appear s The true Church begs Christs speedy and special presence to support her under all her pressures and to put an end to all differences Be like a roe young hart or doe On mountains where divisions are Turn dearest one and be thou known Of me to take a special care CHAP. III. 1 t Carnal security will give Christ cause to withdraw and hide himself WHen I had lost the present sight u True love is always working and puts thee upon to seek for Christ when withdrawn Of him whom my soul loveth best I sought him in the darksom night His absence gave me such unrest I sought him and must seek him still be found at first he seldome will 2 x That soul that makes Christ her beloved will rise and rouze up to seek him without delay I will arise up from my ease And seek my love in every street w Falne Christians are not easily restor'd and those that do desert Christ do not quickly see the light of his countenance shining upon them y Christ is not always found in those places that men seek him in yet must we not leave to seek him in any of his appointments From thence I 'le pass to the broadways To seek him where the assemblies meet I sought him there to please my mind But seeking there him could not finde 3 Thus restless I still wandring was z Sometimes gratious souls wanting Christ do enquire for him of those that know not how to direct to him Till by the watchmen I was found As they along the City pass Tending their watch walking the round To whom I said for grace did move Saw ye him whom my soul doth love 4 a We must leave men and their devices and wayt upon the Lord in his own ways and he will soon discover manifest himself gratious to us No answer good they gave to me Direction from them I had none How my soul satisfi'd should be But when I left them and was gone Away from them a little time I found him that was wholly mine b We must hold what we have of Christ stand fast in that liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free When I of him fast hold had caught Again I would not let him go c A Christian desires to enjoy Christ in the inner man mostly and to see his goings in his sanctuary also Till my late-found dear love was brought My mothers dwelling house into And till my souls most secret place Were lodging chambers for his grace 5 * Every true Christian hath a care lest he should offend Christ and will use his best endeavour that others also do neither provoke nor displease him Ye daughters of Jerusalem I charge you have a special care By roes and hindes and each of them Or other things that lovely are That ye wake not by wicked ways Nor stir my love untill he please 6 d Those souls delivered from a lost and bewilder'd estate by Christ their redeemer must needs rise up heaven-ward in fervency of spirit and dear affection What glorious one oh who is this Like smoaky pillars doth ascend Out of the desart wilderness Sure 't is my love my dove my freind e The prayers praises and all the spiritual sacrifices of Saints are exceeding sweet when perfumed by the intercession of Christ the mediator Who 's all persumd as it is meet With mirrh and frankincense so sweet 7 f Each true believer beds his beloved in his bosome which is Christ Jesus Behold the bed that bed of his The great and mighty Solomon Each gratious heart a lodging is For him to take his rest upon g A Christians priviledge is to be kept by Christ and he as a good souldier doth resist the adversary There valiant Israelites and stout Compass this princely bed about 8 h Gods people have many enemies to withstand are always in danger to be surpriz'd and therefore have need of skilfulness and courage As valiant so they many are They
out p. 54. l. 13. for heavy r. hairy l. 29. for do r. to p. 57. l. 18. for from r. fro p. 58. l. 4. for excell r. exceeds p. 61. l. 4. for best r. brest l. 19. for would r. could l. 31. for of falshood r. or falshood Also take notice That whereas in many places on Jona there is no distinction between that part of the history and what is observed from it therefore to avoid confusion know that where you finde it thus marked l there the Observation begins and where it is again thus marked l there it ends CHAPTER I. 1 THe Song of Songs most excellent Of Solomon who by the guide Of Gods spirit doth represent Christ and his Church the lovely bride 2 a Saints do desire to enjoy more simptomes seals and assurances of the love of Iesus Christ Oh let him come and me embrace And with his mouth let him me kiss For my soul's longing for the grace That flows from that sweet spirit of his b In adversity and prosperity the fruition of Christ is better then the choicest chiefest of all things beside For why thy loves are better far And night and day make me more glad Then all the choicest wines that are Or were or ever shall be had 3 c The graces of Christ and the anoyntings of his holy spirit are sweet precious pure and powerful in working Thine oyntments Lord all of the best Are sweeter then the choyce perfume Their vertue heals the soul opprest That sin Satan would consume d His blood powred out and life spilt upon the cross Thou wast pour'd out like ointment pure Thou emptied wast me for to fill e A fountain set open for sin and uncleanness Zach. 13.1 a well of water springing up to life everlasting Yet thou art full and shalt endure An overflowing fountain still f The love of Christ constrains souls to be obedient Thy grace diffus'd the virgins move Thy love shed forth 's the only cause The pure in heart and life thee love g True love is made manifest in keeping Christs precepts And loving thee they keep thy laws 4 h The Church of Christ sensible of her own and members nothingness weakness backwardness and remisness prays for assistance and promises a good improvement Draw me and mine to goodness slack Perswad 's to come to thee in hast Put forth thy power when we draw back We 'l run and follow thee full fast i There is a special intimacy between Christ and saints he will shew them his secret which angels desire to peep into Psal 25.14 The Royall king just strong and wise Not only outward kindness shews But all his chamber secresies To them that fear him he 'l disclose k Christ is the object of a Christians joy a divine contemplation of Christ begets divine affection unto Christ Much more then wine thy love we mind With joy most pure it glads our heart More we think on thee more we finde Thou by the upright loved art 5 l A sensibleness of deformity works deep humility ingenious confession I now deformed am and black As black as kedars tents by name Afflictions great and sin alack Hath brought me to confess the same m The saints are beautiful through grace without spot through Christ yet their glory is within Yet daughters of Jerusalem Like to the curtains bright and fair Which once surrounded Solomon I comely am through Christ as they 're 6 n The Churches discoulorings last not always 't is but for a moment in wrath the Lord hides his face therefore divide not despise not enemies dispare not friends With evil eye behold me not Though beauty mine be turn'd to stain The suns hot beams hath caus'd this spot And time will wipe it off again o Friends degenerate do often if not always turn the most implacable enemies My mothers children angry were To keep the vinyards when they stept Aside they made me oh severe p The Churches devastation gives cause of sad complaint Therefore my vineyard is not kept 7 q A fense of ignorance and weakness drives to Christ for strength and direction Oh tell me where thy flock doth feed Thou whom my soul doth dearly love r Christ is a Christians sweetest shade in the hottest persecution Where they lie down i' th days of dread When scorching heat their faith doth prove s Christs sheep are careful to follow him John 10. and fearful of false teachers and corrupt and false assemblies For fear lest I should go astray After the flocks to turn aside Of thy companions in the way Thy faithful followers never try'd 8 t They that abase themselves shall be exalted and they that ask shall receive directions Mat. 7.7 If thou know not that art so fair My word and spirit shall thee guide u New converts are as meek lambs Joh. 10. gathered into flocks must keep from those folds Christ hath not appointed Thy tender kids them take with care And feed the shepherds tents beside w We must follow the faith and good works of those before us and make their pattern our example Go thy way forth get out with speed From all false ways and worships go To th' footsteps of the flock take heed Conform thy ways their ways unto 9 x The Church of Christ is orderly powerful and speedy in executing the good pleasure of Christ her head Much like to Pharaohs chariot horses My love my dear I thee compare Who goodly are and keep their courses Through me thou' rt as choice as they are 10 y A conversation becoming the Gospel is the Churches duty and outward beauty Phi. 1.19 1 Pet. 3.3 4. Thy cheeks with jewels thou dost deck A sight most comely to behold z The Church observing Christs appointments is not enthrald thereby but in glorious freedome And thou hast round about thy neck Chains that are wrought of purest gold 11 a The three and yet but one are ingag'd by promise to make the Church very glorious through divers precious spiritual Gospel endowments Both father son and holy Ghost Will make for thee borders of gold With studs of silver things that most Will make thee glorious to behold 12 b True grace is not idle cannot be hid but is powr'd out like the sweetest perfume or most pretious oyntment in our solemn approaches to God to the pleasing of him greatly and the good and benefit of our brethren That I may please the King full well When at his table he sits there My spiknard shall send sorth its smell In love in mercy praise and prayer 13 My welbeloved is to me For mine he is and one we are c Nothing can be more sweet then Christ to that soul that once tasted how gracious the Lord is More sweet then bags of mirrh can be Or precious gums or things most rare
nation it is of the Jews Distinct from others by the name Hebrews I am an hebrew from the loyns descended Of him that was of God so much befreinded As for Religion I do fear the Lord And worship him who by his powerful word Did frame and fash'on both sea and dry land That governs all things at his own command To God alone and t'none else am I bound Yet at this time in base rebellion found When men are brought into some great distress Though not before yet then they will confess Their evil deeds Observ from Jonah's confession and acknowledgment of God and his rebellion the hearts that stubborn were Are bruis'd and broken in a time of fear God in his wisdome often thinks it fit To whip a frantick person into 's wit And sure at such a time â—ells his best To use and to improve what interest He hath in God if any such thing be And to his uprightness for comfort flee Then were the men afraid with greater fear When so much of the true God they do hear And see for sin he doth due vengeance take And will not spare it for a prophets sake Then did they say why hast thou done this thing How dar'st thou disobey thy Lord and King What couldst thou turn away when he says go Dare you professing Hebrews once do so What fond conceit possest thee didst thou think That for so great a fault thy God would wink For he had told them and thereby they knew That from the presence of the Lord he flew Thus he that disobeyed Gods command Doth now convict condemn'd Observ from the heathens reprehending Jonah and censur'd stand Among and by the barb'rous heathen crue In silent wise account it all his due So every one that feareth not Gods name One time or other he will clothe with shame And make them stand as men all in a maze Dumb like a stock on which others do gaze And by the words of others are reproved Cause by the words of God they were not moved The Seamen say Jona thou hast undone us The seas still rage and tempest lyes upon us Our souls are fill'd with dreadful fears and care And still encreasing as the tempests are The lot's faln on thee conscience tells thee too Thou art the man that doth us quite undo By which two things thou plainly art detected To be the cause yet let us be directed What we shall do unto thee that the seas May rage and foam no more and winds may cease Then Iona answered 't is not you but I That have provoked God so mightily 'T is for my sake not yours the seas are raging And tempest still is on you not asswaging Now take me up and cast me overboard For that 's appoynted for me of the Lord That is the sentence I must undergo it And silently submit my self unto it Then shall there be a calme upon the main And boystrous waves shall smoothly glide again Though God in justice seem to be severe And strict in punishing for sin Observ from Jonah's so patiently submitting to Gods will accepting the punishment of his iniquity yet here A gratious soul submits in any wise And suffers not one grudging thought to rise Against Gods dealing so but will submit Knowing his sin is the just cause of it For to excuse himself he will not do But say 't is righteous Lord that thou dost so Hee 'l take unto himself deserved shame Thereby to honour Gods most glorious name Come take a view how these rude heathen men Behav'd themselves in love to Jonah when They saw his patience and did hear his word And knew he was a prophet of the Lord Sure greater love then theirs could not be shown They seek to save his life dang'ring their own They fain would save him and therefore they try The best of means and skill before he dye They row full hard now each man lays his hand To work thinking to bring the ship to land They toyl they sweat they labour in great pain And when th 'ave done their labor 's all in vain For now as though the elements conspire To vex them still the waves they mount up higher The sea still works the windy tempests roar The sea-men cease there rowing and give ore From hence we see that a meer humane soul Hath so much pitty others to condole That God of nature Observ from the heathen mens endeavour to have sav'd Jonah so much reason gave To teach one man anothers life to save More when a beam divine hath influence On them they give the greater reverence These men that worshipt idol gods before Have quickly learn'd the true God to adore And now like unto new converted Saints They go to God alone with prayer and plants And lest the guilt of blood should on them ly They make to heaven and list up their cry We do beseech thee Lord destroy us not For this mans sake but leave us without spot We do beseech thee Lord and humbly pray Blood innocent on us thou wilt not lay For we perceive Lord that it is thy will And we as executioners do fulfill Even as thy blessed pleasure hath design'd For all is done according to thy mind Men in affliction earnestly will cry Observ from the heathen mens addressing themselves to God in this strait The worst of men then unto God will fly Self guides the stern ofttimes and beareth sway For love to self and not to God they 'le pray But every one that is a convert true In every season yeildeth God his due Unto his God he prays to him he 'l cry Not only when afflictions on him lye And when some difficultys stand before But when all such with ease he can get ore If this or that befall he 's mov'd by neither Hee 'l pray as well in fair as fouler weather So they took Jonah as it pleas'd the Lord Into the sea they cast him overboard Whereat the sea it seem'd well satisfy'd The stormy tempest now is layd aside No token of displeasure now appears Nor nothing seen to usher future fears Now all is done even as the Lord did please His anger now is calme so are the seas If judgment at Gods house do first begin Observ from Gods not sparing his own servant And God not wink though at a prophets sin If God his dearest ones he will not spare But they of this and t'other stripe must share As God in justice pleaseth to pass sentence Then those ungodly ones without repentance Those fearless graceless wicked wretches who From one rebellion to another go The devils drudges driving on sins trade Must pay full dear for it when th'reckoning's made The seamen seeing all things that had past They cannot chuse but stand like men agast They cast off idols greatly fear the Lord And offer sacrifice while yet aboard And lest these wonders should slip out of mind Themselves by vows and oaths full
ere to morrow They oft take wing and leave poor men to sorrow They neither last nor cannot satisfy As Ionah by his gourd in part did try The Sun arose and with it rose the wind From th' eastern quarter vehement unkind God had prepard it to rise wondrous high That he might Ionah's patience further try The sun and wind they both conspire together To make it hot and very soultry weather They beat on Ionah Ionah he doth faint And breaks into this passionate complaint My life 's a burden to me let me dy For I have liv'd to see thee falsify Thy word and mine which is my dayly trouble And yet O Lord thou dost my sorrows double My body is afflicted as my minde Then life 't is better for me death to finde O let me be shut up within the grave And clos'd in silent darknesse then I have That thing I wish and in my self desire And cannot have it till my life expire Mans days on earth most variously are spent Sometimes he 's pleas'd sometimes he 's discontent Observ from Jonah's passionate complaint upon his suddain change Sometimes his joys do mightily abound Eâ—e while again they cast him to the ground For joy he laughs sometimes for sorrow weeps Nor reason nor religions bounds he keeps When man 's transported with his lawless passion Not to Gods will but his own he will fashion Himself in all things be it good or bad Anger joy sorrow oft makes wise men mad Then God repli'd to him a second time Mine anger might arise as well as thine Then thou a greater cause I have besure And yet my patience still it doth endure So manifold affronts I have had fro' thee Where judgment might yet mercy is shewd to thee Is this a thing worthy thy commendation Angry to be after this dispensation Didst thou regard my acts of providence Sham'd thou wouldst be to take so great offence At so small matter is this well in thee To be displeas'd at what is done by me How darst thou let thy anger rise so high As in it wish so desperately to dy Thus God with Ionah argueth the case To bring his soul again into its place When we run from him he still seeketh us Observ from Gods reasoning so lovingly with Jonah to bring his soul into its place and set him straight again And sayth return again why is it thus When man is minding naught but self concerns The wise and gracious God full soon discerns His swift destruction usherd in a pace If not prevented by his special grace Now Jonah answ'ring said to God again My angry passion I will still maintain My cause is good I can it justify And if I angry be untill I dye Untill my soul is from my body going 'T is well and weldone by me for so doing Gods dealings whether they are rough or mild Doth little good when passion groweth wilde Observ from Jonah's ill use of Gods gentle dealing with him answering foolishly again Nor sharp reproof nor exhortation kind Will any kindly entertainment find Where lust uncurbed goes and gets the reynes It bootless proveth for to use the means Of betterment men thereby rather turn Away from God and at his counsell spurn Once more the Lord repli'd and to him said With thy own practise I will thee upbraid What hast thou not for thy own self much cared And glad hadst been if I the gourd had spared Had'st not thou pitty on that fading thing Which I out of the earths-large-womb did bring Up in one night without the help of day And in one night it perisht quite away Thy labour on it thou didst not bestow No art nor skill of thine did make it grow This plant this gourd fain thou wodst have preservd It pleasant was to thee and so deserv'd Thy care and diligence to nourish it Sith in its shade thou didst delighted sit Which was a thing of very small renown Compared with that great Assirian town What reason then that I should not take pitty Upon that famous great populous City Wherein the little ones besides the old Were more then sixscore thousand fully told All persons for their age unapt to learn 'Twixt right and left hand they cannot discern The cattels much that doth about it feed To be prefer'd before a stinking weed I made them for my service and my use Yet me they did provoke by their abuse To threaten judgment therefore thou wast sent And when they heatd they fear'd and did repent How could I chuse but on them pitty take And shew them favour for my mercy sake For why in mercy thou knowst I abound And not them only but thy self hast found As great forbearance at my gentle hand When thou rebeld against my just command And now like to a frantick furious fool Art discontent because I do not rule According to thy pleasure not thy will But mine be done thou oughtst it to fulfill Then up be gone and get thee home with shame And study more to know my glorious name Regard my voice and answer when I call thee And sin no more lest a worse thing befall thee FINIS
much provoks the Lord To punish man and beast not man alone But for the sins of men the creatures groane The sinless beast nor need nor can repent Yet with the sinner needs they must lament May sinful man stand then all in a maze When on the sinless creature he doth gaze Groaning with grief for the just God therein Shews how he is displeas'd with men for sin And further by the foresaid thority We do decree and to all signify That every man put off his rich aray And every beast his ornaments this day This darksome day wherein none can be glad Let man and beast in sackcloath rough be clad And while that all thus sadly mourning ly Let every one to God lift up his cry With earnest powerful prayers now make your suit For weak nor feigned prayers now will not do 't By sins we have displeased God on high And if he shew not mercy we must dy We guilty are of many great offence And most of all we have us'd violence Within this city it cleaves to our hands Let 's clense our selves from it now he commands And with our prayers tears outward mourning Let every of us from our sins be turning When thus by king and Counsel 't was decreed Signed and seal'd Observ from the kings decree for repentance and hast to the execution thereof it hasts with winged speed It flys abroad and runs through every street Each tels another of it whom they meet For why it was proclaimed in his name And heralds fit to execute the same Where true repentance gods there goes confession Repentance true nere goes without contrition Self judging too repentance doth call in Whereby t' escape Gods judgments due for sin Unfained prayer doth assistance lend And reformation life for to amend For where â—mendment joyns with hearty grief Hope may be had that it will bring relief And cary'd on with strength of resolution To spend and hast the work to execution The penitent he can no longer stay But meets an angry God half on his way When God against him comes tho's pace be flack He mends his pace and runs to turn him back But now behold what mov'd this heathen king To constitute ordain appoint this thing It was not only thoughts of present fear But God in mercy also might appear For who can tell sayth he or who doth know Whether this city he will overthrow If we persist not on but do repent May be for this end Jona he was sent Perhaps returning we shall mercy finde For I have heard to mercy hee 's inclin'd We do not know therefore let us make tryal But if we turn from sin and be found loyal But God may turn away from his feirce wrath And will repent of what the prophet hath Pronounc'd against us that we may not dy Although he says that he will us destroy Gods mercys great Observ from the Ninivâ—â—s encouragement to turn of to God because he is a mercyfull God they â—ave bâ—en eveâ— found Good ancre-hold for souls hopes surest ground Poor sinner when at loss then do make bold To graspe at mercy and there take fast-hold 〈…〉 â—oul to save from horrid desperation 〈…〉 get a blessed expectation 〈…〉 means for to escape the fire 〈…〉 â—nkindled wrath and burning ire Mercy to finde yet 't is but peradventur Thy soul had wasted all thy mercy lent-her And now it 's come to this I do not know Whether I shall finde mercy yea or no What though it be to thee a doubtful thing Thy soul into the hands of mercy fling Concerning Niniveh see how 't appears Who now sit mourning all bedew'd with tears Nor mirth nor musick heard not one is glad But every one in hairy sackcloath clad Yet this is judg'd to be the smallest part Of works that manifest a trve convert With it they turn'd from all their evil ways God saw they did it and they did him please For 't is not sorrow much nor protestation Gainst sin that pleaseth God but reformation The evils all God said he would do to them Are now remov'd and turned away from them They are suspended upon this condition That they amendment joyned with contrition For the most gratious God repents of what He said that he would do and does it not Great is the force of faith and true repentance Though judgment passe Observ from Gods forbearing to punish upon their turning to him it will reverce the sentence When sin is left that sinful souls beguiles Gods frowns are turned into pleasant smiles His threatned judgments often are suspended When as the people threatned are amended CHAP. IV. The Argument How Jonah's angry cause the word He preacht had not success As he would have God by a gourd Reproves his foolishnesse BUt now when Jona saw the strange event His sermon had it made him discontent He now is angry and doth take displeasure His anger 's great and doth excel all measure He frets he pets he peevishly fume o◠〈◊〉 bluâ— Cause God does not as he will have â—nâ— do For God repents the Sirians scapt his â—and And enemies they 'l be to Judahs land May Jonah think and so his country men Abundantly had fared better then If they had been destroy'd as was the word That Jonah preached to them from the Lord. Blinde â—eal and carnal ends do oft misguide The best of men and cause them turn aside Time after time Observ frow Jonah's bâ—ing angry at the Lords sparing Niniveh their lust they will fulfil If God his actions steare not as they will Self would be serv'd whether God will or no If God say yea self never will say so Gods will and mans each other oft opose 'T is hard for mans with Gods will for to close What this is strange a prophet be displeas'd That to'ards a people God is now apeas'd And shews them mercy whom he might destroy Turning their days of mourning into joy Can any soul but Jonas be offended Instead of judgment to see grace extended But that 's not all why Jonah he is crost His fame his name and honour now is lost To be a prophet false he is afraid Lest that among them such a thing be said And now unto the Lord he doth address Himself by prayer that signifies no less In it he doth the Lord his God accuse To be in fault when as he did refuse To hear his voice at first and did rebell Pleading as if thereby he had done well Unbridled passion is a thing that will Transport the soul of men so long Observ from Jonah's casting his rebellious fault on God thinking to clear himself untill God and themselves they totally forget And go beyond the bounds that reason set And reasonless they foolishly will reason And think 't is loyalty when 't is but treason They think and speak and act against the Lord Such fruits self-self-love and passion do afford For this he says I pray
thee Lord hear me While I expostulate the case with thee Have I not cause to be in angry mood Was any man so serv'd that ever stood His credit with thy glory to maintain If none were so then well may I complain Ere I went out of my own countrey dear This was the very thing that I did fear Not only fear it but I said it too For why I thought full well what thou wouldst do Thou would not bring to pass what I must say And preach and cry aloud at Niniveh I thought full sure that thou wouldst soon repent Yet to denounce their doom I must be sent I know O Lord what these men now do find That thou art gracious mercifull and kind Full slack thou art and slow pac'd unto wrath But winged speed always thy mercy hath And if a people truly do lament For sin and do reform thou wilt repent Consid'ring then it would not be avoided By heathen ones thy word would be derided And my ambassage too they would despise And say I thundred out a heap of lies For which so saying I must bear the blame And be cal'd prophet false to my great shame This is the reason it seems right to mee Why formerly to Tarshish I did flee And thou hast judg'd it for a heinous crime But whos 's the fault whether 't is thine or mine These things so sadly do my spirits grieve No earthly thing O Lord will me releive It is far better for me for to dye And in the dust in silent darkness lye Then longer live sith nothing but disgrace My portion is whilst I am in this place I do beseech thee let my life expire And take it from me that is my desire Thus when fond passion sways and goes uncurb'd The minds of men thereby are soon disturb'd Soon out of order gotten out of frame Observ from Jonah's pettish choosing death rather then life because God did not act according to his mind They glory in the things should be their shame The Lord in patience all this while did bear With Jonah's angry passion and did hear His words reflecting on his Majesty Yet like a loving father passes by His great offence seeing him frais and weak Did thus in gentle manner to him speak How now what Jona darst thou angry prove Dost thou not think it will my patience move How darst thou once presume to be so bold Dost think with wickedness that I will hold Or dost thou think that this is well in thee Oh wondrous strange what Jonah angry be Did not my mercy and my justice strive To kill thee els for to keep thee alive Hast thou forgot how mercy did thee save When justice would the whale should be thy grave Mercy prevaild and thou canst not deny it Then cease thine anger canst thou justify it Hast thou not learnd and been taught in the schools That anger resteth in the best of fools Thus God in goodnesse labour'd to convince The pettish prophet of his foul offence Observ from Gods patience and forbearance though provokt by Jonah Imputing all to his infirmities As parents do to children whom they prize Jonah is angry yet it did not move God to be angry cause he did him love So great is love love cannot finde its like So great is love love spares when it should strike So great is love not easy to provoke Love suffers long before it give one stroke So great is love so high and broad it grows It covers sins all multitudinous Now Jonah had a longing great desire To see th'vent when th' forty days expire For at this time he would not come to know Whether God would destroy them yea or no Perhaps for one or other end God may The execution of the judgment stay For this a maxim is receiv'd of many Forbearance never yet acquitted any Out of the city great and populous Jonah departs and now away he goes And when he came to th' east side of the town He goes not further but there sits him down He makes a booth and in it is his seat The shade thereof defends him from the heat Untill the truth of falshood shall be tride Of his late message there he doth abide But now perhaps soon after he comes thither His booth he made begins to dry and wither The Country's hot the sun with mighty heat On Jonah's head continually did beat By reason of which heat his soul is greiv'd Then God in mercy wills he be releiv'd The Lord 's a present help in time of trouble And mercy upon mercy he doth double And treble too Observ from Gods compassion providing shelter to releive Jonah always in time of need His power and pitty is put forth with speed To save and succour his distressed ones His bowels yearn to hear their sighs and groans Fear we not then in depths of misery To help us then 's his oportunity For he then brought an herb out of the earth Turns Jonah's sorrow into pleasant mirth A mighty plant he quickly made to grow With boughs and branches on it high and low That they might shade and shelter him all over And from the scorching heat be Jonah's cover Under the shadow of it he doth rest Thinking thereby that he is greatly blest Such great refreshment he hath lately found In his new house springing out of the ground He doth rejoyce he is exceeding glad So great his joy is all the grief he had Sustaind by reason of the heat before Seemeth as though he thought on it no more A suddain change begets experience sad To day he mourns that yesterday was glad His suddain joys are turn'd to suddain greif His plant it dyes that gave him such relief For now alas before he was aware In readinesse a worm God did prepare Who with his sharp teeth and his cruel jaws As bit with hunger eagerly he gnaws Who smote the gourd and now the gourd is dead And with it Jonah's joys are withered Such is the nature of all earthly things Which for a while so great contentment brings They fade they vanish perish and decay Observ from the withering of Jonah's gourd shewing the fickle state of all things With winged haste th' are gone and passe away Th' are but a puff a blast a watry bubble That soon is gone or like a fiery stubble That in a moment is consum'd and past Or like a post that on the way makes hast Or like the dusky clouds that break before The sun appears and then are seen no more Or like the flower or herb or fruit that 's sown That wither will as soon as it is mown Or like the vapours drawn into the ayr Or like the thing that 's gone when 't doth appear Such are the things in which men take such pleasure And too too much account their chiefest treasure The sweetest joys that are upon the earth Are dying still so soon as they draw breath To day they are injoy'd but