used among his Children We need the witness of his Spirit together with our spirits to let us know we are his Children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that our Consciences bear us witness in the holy Ghost Rom. 8.16 and chap. 9.1 But what then Despair two-fold do godly men fall into despair sometimes Answ Despair is either total and final as in Cain and Judas or only partial and temporary as in Heman and some other godly men And godly men in their greatest despair can pray for mercy as here Jonah out of the Whales belly which he calls the belly of hell and they shall find mercy as he delivered out of all yea more they had some mixture of comfort while they were in the belly of hell Jonah remembred God when his soul fainted in him verse 7. and even then he would look again toward his holy Temple ver 4. All for the instruction of godly men who see by this Use 1 how strictly and circumspectly they need to walk lest the terrors of God fall upon them and if they be not cast into hell yet shall be made to believe so God sometimes holds them by one leg to hang over hell as if he meant to throw them in when they grow loose or idle in their course and especially if they grow scandalous Take heed Heb. 10.31 1 Pet. 4.17 it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God and judgment begins at the house of God who never meant to make fondlings of his own children And if it be so what will become of the sinner and the wicked Use 2 where shall they appear how shall they be cast into the belly of hell for ever for all their impenitency and infidelity what other can be the fruit of all that security and hardness of heart which possesseth many of our people It is an horror to think what their end will be He that thinks deeply would think it an horrible mischief to be three days and three nights with Jonah â—n a Whales belly with weeds and noysomness But what misery will ye think it to be for ever with devils in the place where the worm dyes not and the fire goes not out I said I am cast out of thy sight and my soul fainted within me He that before made nothing of it to flee from the presence of the Lord now complains that he is cast out of his sight and he that before was so hardy as to go directly against the word of the Lord now tells how his soul fainted within him No courage will hold out with a man which is not well founded in dependance on God Note and in obedience to him Self-will and self-confidence will sooner or later leave a man in the suds and in the mire Peter who relied too much on his own strength had cause afterward to weep bittely I said I am cast out of thy sight Note A good soul is sometime jealous of Gods love to it Oh I have rejected God and God hath rejected me I doubt he will be no more greaâ—ous but hath shut up his loving kindness in everlasting displeasure and Job said He counteth me for his enemy Reas Which comes to pass partly by the weakness of faith which is in a Believer I believe Lord help my unbelief Partly by the guiltiness of some sin hitherto not repented nor pardoned or the sense of pardon not yet come to his understanding Partly by the tenderness of his Conscience loth to part with so great a good as the favour of God is reckoning and saying In thy presence is fulness of joy and the loving kindness of God is better then life Psal 16.11 and 63 3. Use 1 For want of which tenderness of spirit it is that vain and carnal Christians never doubt of the love of God toward them They conclude it upon weak and insufficient grounds and in the same presumption go on confidently without fear or care to make sure their Election brag how they are assured of Gods love to them wonder at them that are of a troubled or distressed spirit cry out upon the Ministery that hath been a means to wound them or courses that have made them so melancholick So the fool rageth and is confident Prov. 14.16 Idle and formal Christians get more assurance such as it is then they that take most pains for it A tender-hearted Christian comes drugling after almost out of breath and much ado to keep up his spirit when the other went before fearlesly and holds on in a flaunting fashion too fine to last alway Our rule is to work out our salvation with fear and trembling Take heed Phil. 2.12 there have been those who have puffed or raged in prosperity and yet have fainted in adversity Let the exhortation be to good and discreet Christians Use 2 2 Pet. 1.10 Heb. 10. carefully follow the great business of making sure your Calling and Election grow up more and more to the full assurance of faith as in things indifferent so about the love of God let every one be fully perswaded in his own mind Rom. 14 6. what is wanting to a weak faith get it supplyed by a conscionable use of the means of grace such as the Word Sacraments Prayer Covenant Promises all the grounds of confidence which God hath given to work us to strong consolation Heb. 6.18 Especially take heed of a scandalous sin which gasheth conscience deeply and of casting thy self out of Gods sight by relinquishing duty as here Jonah did such may thank themselves for their desertions sad eclipses and jealousies that arise in them how should it be otherwise My soul fainted within me Note A good soul sometimes hath his fainting fits in respect of faith and comfort so had Baruch Jer. 45.3 I fainted in my sighing so the Church Lam. 5.17 for this our heart is faint And not only for corporal wants and dangers as those that fainted for thirst or for the sword but for spiritual considerations Psal 84.2 my soul longeth Amos 8 1â— Ezek. 21.7 15. yea even fainteth for the living God and 119.81 my soul fainteth for thy salvation The reason is 1. The greatness or tediousness of an Reason 1 affliction is apt to tire out the spirits of Gods children who can bear no more or no longer and if God come not timely to help he would fail utterly Esa 57.16 Jonah was almost spent by lying so long in the Whales belly 2. Where the guilt of sin and the wrath of God meet together in a soul usually it makes foul weather that it comes so far as to fainting Pro. 18.14 A wounded spirit who can bear And this is Jonahs case at this time we may hear afterward that he fainted for the heat of the Sun Jâ—n 4 8. but that was nothing to this where sin intervenes and makes the sorrow far more intolerable Use 1 Teaching us wisely and mercifully to consider them
Jonah at this time had sinned hainously and might be ashamed to look God in the face yet see how he ownes God for his God and falls to prayer so did David Daniel Ezra other Saints they ever prayed to God as to a God pardoning iniquity transgression and sin Exod 34.7 And he is glorified in this act of mercy as well as in delivering out of trouble and danger and more because it is an act of greater mercy as he proclaimed before Moses Oh but mine is an amazing evil Ob. Sol. and so puzzles me that I cannot pray Answ 1. Jonahs case had as many amazements as any mans case lightly can have yet was not he puzzled 2. It is a sinful infirmity in Saints that they were not able sometime to pray and to lift up their heads and so they have confessed it Psal 77.10 I said it is my infirmity And they checked themselves for their unbelief hastiness saying they were cast out of his presence and he was angry with their prayer Often we read in the Psalms how David upon these distempers fell to prayer again Oh but I am unworthy to pray Ob. Sol. or to be heard in prayer Answ So was Jonah and yet he prayed and was heard And the Centurion who acknowledged his unworthiness yet had his suit granted And Gods Children when they fall upon this work do not go as worthy persons but in Christ they are accounted worthy and that is all their pleading In true and proper speech none but the Lamb is worthy to receive honor and glory Oh could I see any door of hope open to me Ob. Sol. I should be encouraged to pray Answ 1. God is able to open a door where in nature and in thy sense there is none at all 2. Pray and it shall be opened and thou shalt see it as Hagar who saw the weâ—l of water Little did Jonah think that the Whale should vomit him out upon dry land Little did Israel think that thy should go on foot through the red sea or Jordan Ob. Sol. Oh but I am afraid God is angry with me and will do nothing for such a wretch as I am Answ It is a certain rule that God is sometimes angry with his Children but never hates them as with Jonah angry but loved him still He ever loves his faithful ones and in his love he will receive their prayers as Jonahs In Christ their persons are accepted and in his mediation their prayers shall prevail Use 2 Hear thou afflicted and never give over thy praying though in a forlorn case Think what Jonah did in the Whales belly and among the weeds waves billows noysomeness Think what it is to cry out of the deeps when the floods of ungodliness made thee afraid when the arrows of the Almighty stick fast in thee when a plurisie comes or some dangerous disease Try what an hearty prayer can do do not restrain prayer from the Almighty nor give all for lost or if thou hast fainted as Jonah yet pluck up thy spirits and to it again Insignis mutatio saith Mr. Gualter He that before fled from the presence of the Lord doth now upon his repentance hang on him and will not let him go without a blessing even so do thou Amend every error and mark this notable change in the Penitent 2 Cor. 7.11 to sorrow after a godly sort works much carefulness and fear and zeal Consider for encouragement to prayer while a Christian finds an heart God will find an ear to hear and do and save out of troubles and still the best is behind Mark here what follows I cryed and he heard me again I cryed and thou heardest me Doctr. 1 God will hear and regard all the moanings of his Children in prayer God hears all good prayers why because he is a God hearing prayer it is one of his Attributes because Jesus Christ appears for them and is a powerful Mediator with his Father because good prayer iâ— the breath and voice of his own holy spirit in his Children because they cast themelves upon his mercy and faithfulness because hell and the world is all against them because they have an honest purpose to glorifie God with whatsoever mercies they shall receive at his hands as here Jonah But mark how he hears prayer 1. In the kind of mercy How 1 which is desired as Jonah to be delivered out of the Whales belly we out of sickness danger or any adversity 2. In How 2 something that is as good or better we shall have grace sufficient for us strong consolation of his spirit hereafter it shall come but not yet our posterity shall fare the better for those prayers in the appointed time and manner all the promises of God shall most certainly be fulfilled Now take this as an encouragement to prayer Ask and Use 1 ye shall have seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you Cry as Jonah and thou shalt be heard as Jonah every suitor at Court is not sure to speed of his Petition but believers are sure to speed 1 John 5.15 we know that we have the Petitions that we desired of hâ—m And a begger will know the door where he useth to get a good alms And if it be so do not mis-conster Gods delays as if Use 2 they were denials sometimes he delays to give his answer but he never denies his children It was three days and three nights ere Jonah got out of the Whales belly he prayed the first day but came not forth till the third The woman of Syrophenicia sped at last in her suit but it was after some repulses Every vision of comfort is for an appointed time but at last it will speak and not lye But mark yet another thing A godly man receives an Doctr. 2 outward mercy as a fruit of prayer We may know it he sees in the effect that his prayer is answered and takes the mercy as the income of prayer he heard me saith Jonah and I am delivered so David Psal 120.1 In my distress I cryed unto the Lord and he heard me â— vast difference then there is in the godly mans receiving Use 1 mercies and others He receives it upon prayer and by vertue of a covenant and pâ—omises and as a part of Christs purchase who makes requests for us in heaven prayer ascendeth and grace descendeth Others not so Use 2 And it teacheth godly Christians to look after their prayers that they may observe what answer it pleaseth the Lord to give as Psal 85.8 I will hearken what the Lord God will say Praying is compared to sowing of seed and the Husbandman useth now and then to look to his sowen fields Only mark the last clause there return not to folly A godly man must keep himself a godly man and do the work of a godly man or else may miss of his answer at least for a time as here Jonah Ver. 3.4 5
suffering as if they were smitten and rejected of God which hath been the practice of unbelievers Esa 53.3 or as if they were worse then others which is expresly censured by our Saviour Luke 13.1 2 3 4. There is such a censorious humor abroad but ye see by this place how it is condemned And ye see how David was wary not to offend this way Psal 73.15 if I say I will speak thus condemning the godly because of afflictions behold I should offend against the generation of thy children And our rule is to let every one stand or fall to his own Master and who are thou that judgest another mans servan Two things would be minded in these matters of prosperity and adversity 1. A godly man is never the worse nor in more danger for all his adversity Gold is gold though it be in the fire Jonah is Jonah though he be in the Whales belly only the godly should clear up his evidences at such a time that he is indeed a godly man Recount the old grounds he went upon and former experiences and fortifie against unbelief which in hard times is apt to be stirring and prepare for greater tryals then as yet he hath endured and God may justly bring him unto Old tryed blades may be put to more hardship then tender ones shall be 2. A wicked man is never the better nor in more safety for all his prosperity Dross is dross though it be laid up in a silken bag The Mariners escaped the storm and Jonah was cast into the sea the only way for some in prosperity is to study this matter of godliness If thou repent and become a sincere worshipper all will do well both prosperity and adversity Aug de civit Dei lib. 1. it much avails not what a man suffers but who it is that suffers and in the likeness of sufferings there is great unlikeness in them that suffer Oh the great force of godliness Thou hadst cast me into the deep It might be objected the Mariners cast forth Jonah into the sea how then doth he impute it unto God Answ 1. It was by the appointment of Jehovah that the Mariners cast Jonah into the sea God by lot so designed him to be cast forth 2. In all the doings of men God hath an overruling hand not only to permit what they do but order all to the good of his Chosen as for Job The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away and as in the passion of Christ all was done according to the determinate will and counsel of God A godly man in all the doings of men against him looks up to the hand of God appointing the affliction thou hast cast me into the sea the Lord hath bid Shimei to curse Note Look from men to God who afflicteth Amos. 3.6 Esa 10.5 Reas there is no evil in the City but the Lord hath done it Ashur was the rod of his wrath and the staff of indignation in his hand A rod or staff moves not but by the motion of another nor the battel-axe This the godly man considers because he is well grounded in the doctrine of Gods providence how it reacheth to all things small as well as great evil as well as good particulars as well as the general contingent as well as natural and necessary and voluntary actions as well as fortuitous and how the Lord leaves the evil to the Agents but reserves the simple act to himself and works out his own most holy and righteous ends which they never think of as Joseph told his brethren Ye meant it to evil but God meant it for good Gen. 50.20 Which is utterly against the course of many who look Use 1 only to the instrument of their smart and suffering in any kind and wreak their displeasure there murmure rail or repine it may be swear and curse because such and such have damnified them or otherwise stood in their light Yet we read no such word come out of Jonahs mouth against his Mariners no thou hast cast me forth and David was dumb because the Lord did it Psal 39.9 Oh but it is meer malice that leads my Adversary to say and do what he doth Ob. Sol. but the Mariners were fair conditioned men Answ 1. I suppose it was meer malice that led Shimei to rail at David yet he espyed the hand of God in the business And meer covetousness led the Chaldeans and Sabeans to plunder Job as they did yet he said the Lord hath taken away God is still righteous who ordains thee a punishment whatever the instruments be 2. The more malicious thine Adversary is the more testimony of innocency thou hast in thine own bosom and so an argument of comfort 2 Cor. 1.12 our rejoycing is this even the testimony of our conscience David took comfort that his enemies persecuted him without cause and so may others John 15.25 Use 2 Learn then O Christian by an holy abstraction to look farther and higher then the wrong dealings of men acknowledge God who hath let loose their tongues and hands it is he that permits them or else they could not stir a whit he that ordained thee a punishment or if thou wilt a chastisement for thy earthliness dulness in Religion unmortified Passions or other evils True the lot did not pass upon thee as it did upon Jonah but in the affliction there was the determinate counsel of God so ordering therefore say Shall I not drink of the Cup which my Father hath put into my hand should I spurn against the pricks either in doing or suffering God Note times some Gods afraid of utmost wrath Out of the belly of hell cryed I that is out of a deep sense of the wrath and displeasure of God for my sins a good soul sometimes apprehends the wrath of the holy Lord God as due unto him for his sins The pains of hell get hold on him he suffers the terrors of God with a troubled mind God seems to set him up as a Butt against which he will shoot all the envenomed arrows of his Jonah here hath not only Gods waves and billows passing over his head thy billows and thy waves but as it were the devils billows and waves In the bottom of the sea he is very near to the place of the damned only he is not adjudged thither finally nor fastned there so it hath been the case of some deserted souls to conceive â—hey were half in hell already very fire-brands vessels of wrath reserved to the judgment of the great day My God Psal 22.1 my God why hast thou forsâ—ken me why standest thou afar off c. Reas Thus can the sense of sin work where there is not a present sense of mercy And this is the force of a guâ—lty Conscience yea or of a tender Conscience where the Spirit of comfort doth not presently do his office as it is sometimes suspended by the dispensation of Gods grace for Discipline to be