you may know what the cry of the beasts was That which David speaketh of the heavens and firmament day and night Psalm 19. that they declare the glory of God and shew forth his handy workes least any shoulde mistake hee explaineth in the thirde verse They haue neither speech nor language yet without these is their voice hearde so wee may say of these beastes that though they cried not vnto the Lorde as the men did yet they cryed after their vsage R. Iarhi hath a conceipt that they tyed their dammes and their foles asunder and said before the Lorde of the worlde vnlesse thou take pittie on vs wee will not pittie these I will not thinke them so vnwise to haue conditioned with God but I will easily admit that they might parte the olde and the yong and doe all that was to bee doone to fill the aire with lamentable outcrying To acquite the king and his counsaile from folly or distraction of their wittes in this so vnvsuall and vnreasonable an acte I shewed you the manner and nature of sorrow before how gladly it seeketh companions Est aliquid socios habuisse doloris It is no little comfort in discomforts not to be left alone in lamenting and to see all thinges turned into mourning that are neare about vs. For as vvee desire nothing more then heavines of spirite in such a case and the cheerefulnes of any thing is as welcome vnto vs as prickels to our eies so vvee blesse that creature whatsoever it is that will helpe to feede vs in our melancholike humors Wee wish fountaines of water in the heades both of men and beastes to be a patterne for our imitation and to draw vs forward in our well-pleasing pensivenes And as in the contrary affection when the name of God was highly to be magnified and there was iust cause to exult and triumph David contâ—â—ted not himselfe with the secret of his owne spirit or with aw kiâ—g his lute and harpe to praise the Lorde but hee desired the harmâ—â—ny of heaven and earth to bee added vnto it so did the childâ—â—â— of Babylon in their songe O all yee workes of the Lorde blesse yee 〈◊〉 Lorde praise him and magnifie him for ever So did the Prophetâ— in their writings Reioyce O heavens showte yee lower partes of the earth burst forth into praises yee mountaines ye forrestes and every tree therein Even so is the nature of griefe never so well pleased as when all the pleasures of the worlde are exiled Shee calleth heaven aboue too weepe the earth beneath to lament beasts to pine away rockes to cleaue in twaine the mouÌ„taines to giue none other Eccho but lamentations the rivers to runne with teares and all the fruits of the earth to bee changed into worm-wood and bitternesse And as it mooveth the affection so it instructeth our vnderstanding also it putteth vs in minde of the hugenesse and horrour of sinne howe dangerous the contagion thereof is to touch not onely our selues but all the creatures of God that belong vnto vs. It is for our sinnes sake that the whole creature Rom. 8. is subiect vnder vanitye that is a fliting and vnstable condition and not onely vnder vanity but vnder corruption yea vnder a bondage and thraldome of corruption not of it selfe but for him that hath subiected it which is either God offended with sinne or man that provoked him and it groneth with vs and travaileth togither in birth and putteth out the head to looke and watch for the revelation of the sonne of God because that is the time vvhen her service shal be ended Genesis 3. besides the curse of the serpent the curse of Eue the curse of Adam in his ovvne person In the sweate of thy face thou shalt eate thy bread that is all callinges of life shall bee laborious and painefull vnto thee and thou shalt eate the hearbe of the fielde common and wast not the fruites of the garden as thou didst before and thistles and briers shall the earth bring foorth vnto thee though thou spende thy labour to the contrarie it is added in the same place maledicta esto terra propter te the earth which thou treadest vpon and vvhich is free from deserving the curse the earth which was made before thee and thou made of the earth cursed bee that earth for thy sake Likewise Genesis the sixte when the Lorde â—aw the wickednesse of man howe greately it was encreased then it repented the LORDE that ever hee had made man and hee was sorrie in his hearte therefore he saide I vvill destroie from of the earth the man whome I haue created hee stayeth not there but from man to beast from creeping thinge to the soule of the heaven for I repente that I haue made them not onely the man but these that were created for mans vse Beholde the vngraciousnesse of sinnefull man VVee were made the Lordes and rulers of the earth both of the fruites and of the people and living creatures thereof vvee haue dominion over all the vvoorkes of GODS handes all thinges are put in subiection vnder our feete all sheepe and oxen yea and the beastes of the fielde the birdes of the aire and fishes of the sea and vvhatsoever vvalketh through the pathes of the sea but wee haue chandged our governemente into tyranny and are not content with the rule vnlesse vvee seeke the spoile nor vvith the vse and commodity vnlesse we worke the ruine and wracke of our poore bond-servantes Quid meruistis oves saieth Pythagoras in the Poet what haue our harmelesse sheepe and oxen deserved at our handes thus to be misused But we the nocent wretches of the worlde workers of all iniquitie deserving not roddes but scorpions cause innocency it selfe to bee scourged for our transgressions But that the providence of God restraineth them it is a marvaile that they breake not their league and shake of their yoke of obedience towardes vs and vvith their hornes and hoofes and other naturall artillerie make warre vpon vs as their vnrighteous Lordes whome it sufficeth not to haue vsed their service alone vnlesse wee plundge them besides into such vndeserved vengeance Againe the punishing of their beastes vvas to adde something to their owne punishmente for vvhen these are not fed and nourished and kept in heart not onely the beast but the owner himselfe smarteth for it Vndoubtedly it is a blessing to men that their oxen are stronge to labour their horses swifte to the race their asses and camelles meete for their burthens that their bullocke engendreth without fayling their covve calveth vvithout casting their sheepe bring forth thousandes and tenne thousandes in their streetes and it is a curse on the other side to be berefte of these commodities as in the fift plague of Egypt Now then a parte of the vvealth and substaunce of Niniveh consisting in these beastes by reason of the service they enioyed and profit they reaped thereby doeth not the afflicting of
LECTVRES VPON IONAS DELIVERED AT YORKE In the yeare of our Lorde 1594. By JOHN KINGE Newlie corrected and amended Printed at Oxford by IOSEPH BARNES and are to be solde in Paules Church-yarde at the signe of the Bible 1599. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE SIR THOMAS EGERTON KNIGHT LORD KEEPER OF THE GREAT SEALE MY very singular good Lord such honor and happines in this world as may vndoubtedly be accompanied with the happinesse and honour of Saintes in the world to come RIGHT Honourable in this prodigall and intemperate age of the vvorlde wherein every man writeth more than neede is and chooseth such patronage to his writinges as his heart fancieth If I haue taken the like libertie to my selfe both of setting my labours openly in the eies of men and your Honours eies especially over my labours I hope because it is not my private fault your Lordshippe will either forget to espie or not narrowly examine it The number of bookes written in these daies without number I say not more then the worlde can holde for it even emptieth it selfe of reason and moderation to giue place to this bookish folly and serveth vnder the vanitie thereof but more than well vse the titles whereof but to haue red or seene were the sufficient labour of our vnsufficient liues did earnestlie treate with mee to giue some rest to the Reader and not to devide him into more choice of bookes the plentie whereof hath alreadie rather hurte then furthered him and kept him barer of knowledge For much reading is but a wearinesse to the flesh and there is no ende of making or perusing many bookes For mine owne part I coulde haue beene wel content not to haue added more fulnesse to the sea nor to haue trained the credulous Reader along with the hope of a new seeming booke which in name and edition and fashion because the file hath a little otherwise beene drawne over it may so bee but touching the substance that of the Preacher was long since true and togither with the growth of the worlde receiveth dailie more strength That that is hath beene and there is no new thing vnder the sunne But as we all write learned and vnlearned crow-poets and py-poetesses though but our owne follies and ignoraunces and to purchase the credite of writers some as madde as the sea some out their owne shame and vncurable reproch whose vnhonest treatises fitter for the fire then the bookes of Protagoras presses are daily oppressed with the worlde burthened and the patience of modest and religious eares implacably offended so the ambitious curiositie of readers for their partes calling forth bookes as the hardnes of the Iewish heartes occasioned the libell of divorce and a kinde of Athenian humor both in learned and vnlearned of harkening after the Mart asking of the Stationers what new thinges thereby threatning as it were continually to giue over reading if there want variety to feede and draw them on made me the more willing to goe with the streame of the time and to set them some later taske wherein if their pleasure be their idler howres may be occupied My end and purpose therein if charitie interpret for mee will be found nothing lesse than vaine ostentation Because I haue spoken at times and may hereafter againe if God giue leaue and grace the meditations of my hearte to as manie and as chosen eares almost as these bookes can distract them vnto and these which I nowe publish were publicke enough before if the best day of the seven frequent concourse of people and the most intelligent auditory of the place vvherein I then lived may gaine them that credite So as this further promulgation of them is not much more then as the Gentiles besought Paule in the Actes the preaching of the same wordes an other sabbath day and some testimonie of my desire if the will of God so bee to doe a double good with my single and simple labours in that it grieveth mee not to write and repeate the same thinges And to adioine one reason more I shall never bee vnwilling to professe that I even owed the everlasting fruite of these vnworthie travailes to my former auditours who when I first sowed this seede amongst them did the office of good and thankefull grounde and received it with much gladnesse To whom since I vvent aside for a time farre from the natiue place both of my birth and breede as Jonas went to Niniveh to preach the preachinges of the Lorde or into the bellie of the fish out of his proper and naturall element to make his song so I to deliver these ordinarie and weekelie exercises amongest them the providence of God not suffering mee to fasten the cordes of mine often remooved tabernacle in those North-warde partes but sending mee home againe let it receiue favourable interpretation with all sortes of men that I send them backe but that labour which they paied for and therein the presence of my spirite pledge of mine hearte and an Epistle of that deserved loue and affection vvhich I iustlye beare them I trust no man shall take hurte heereby either nearer or father of excepte my selfe vvho haue chaunged my tongue into a penne and whereas I spake before with the gesture and countenance of a livinge man haue nowe buried my selfe in a dead letter of lesse effectuall perswasion But of my selfe nothing on either part I haue taken the counsaile of the wise neither to praise nor dispraise mine owne doinges The one hee saith is vanitie the other folly Thousandes will bee readie enough to ease mee of that paines the vncerteinty of whose iudgement I haue now put my poore estimation vpon either to stande or fall before them Howbeit I will not spare to acknoweledge that I haue done little heerein without good guides And as Iustus Lipsius spake of his Politicke centons in one sense all may bee mine in an other not much more then nothing For if ever I liked the waters of other mens vvelles I dranke of them deepely and what I added of mine owne either of reaching or exhortation I commende it to the good acceptance of the worlde with none other condition then the Emperour commended his sonnes sipromerebuntur if it shall deserue it Nowe the reasons which mooved mee to offer these my first fruites vnto your good Lordshippe may soone bee presumed though I name them not For when the eie that seeth you blesseth you and all tongues giue witnesse to your righteous dealing shoulde mine bee silent yea blessed bee the God of heaven that hath placed you vpon the seate of iustice to displace falshood and wrong The vine of our English Church spreadeth her branches with more chearefulnesse through the care which your honour hath over her You giue her milke without silver and breade without mony vvhich not many other patrons doe In this vnprofitable generation of ours wherein learning is praised and goeth naked men wondering at schollers
but they continued knocking till in the ende he arose and granted them their hartes requests The nexte condition of their praier was that it was properly and pertinentlie applyed to their present feare Let vs not perish for this mans life c. It was written in their heartes which others might haue red in the Psalmes of David Touch not mine anointed and doe my prophets no harme They thought that Prophets were iewelles and pearles vnto God and that the marring of one such woulde severely bee required Hence come their teares this is the thorne that pricketh them feare to offende in hurting an harmelesse man togither with that stinge and venime which sinne leaueth behinde it they knowe it will call for vengeaunce and though it passe the hande and the eye speeding it selfe in the seeming of him that doeth it into the lande of forgetfulnesse as it shoulde neuer bee thought vpon yet the Lorde will fetch it backe againe and set it before the face of the sinner and lay it as freshly to his charge as if hee vvere then in the act and perpetration thereof These bee the sores wherevvith they smarte daunger of their owne liues if they assaulte the life of Ionas and watchfulnesse of the iustice of GOD in taking account of forepassed sinnes To these they applie the medicines VVe know the order of thy Courte and iudgement seate to exacte life for life therefore let not vs perish for this mans life wee knowe that no sinne can escape thy dreadfull hande therefore if we happe to offende in spilling innocente bloude laie not our iniquitie vpon vs blotte it out of thy booke let it passe as a morning dewe before the sunne and not be imputed In disposing our praiers to God vve must as the Scribe in the gospell bringe forth of our treasures thinges olde and nevve For the blessings of God in generall there may bee generall thankes-givings for sinnes in generall generall confessions auncient and vsuall formes of prayer for auncient and vsuall occurrences Wee may take vnto vs wordes as the Prophet speaketh and say vnto the Lorde at all times Take away all iniquitie and receaue vs graciously so vvill wee render the calues of our lippes But as the matter of Gods iudgments and our dangers is varied so must we accordingly vary our praiers In the time of a plague wee must make of our praiers a particular Mâ—thridate against the plague acknowledging the hand of God that inflicted it knowing that the cause and originall thereof is not so much infection in the aire as rottenesse and corruption within our owne bones beseeching his maiestie as Phinees did that the plague may cease and that hee vvill visite no longer with that kinde of iudgement If the lande bee smitten with leanenesse and skarcity so that the children thereof cry for breade and sowne as they goe in the streetes for vvant of foode wee must pray in another stile that the LORD vvill vouchsafe to heare the heauens againe the heavens may heare the earth the earth the corne the vine and the oyle and these Israell or other his distressed people and that hee vvill visite no longer vvith this kinde of iudgement If the enemy shall saie against vs Come vvee will devour vvee will devoure the name of Sion shall bee no more had in remembraunce wee must turne vnto the Lord with another forme of supplication Spare thy people O Lorde and giue not thine heritage into reproache that the heathen shoulde rule over them vvherefore shoulde they say amongest the people vvhere is novve their God O cease to visite thy servants with this kinde of iudgemente If the heavens be brasse aboue vs and droppe no moisture vpon our fruites or if the spoutes which God hath devided in the aire powre downe too much vpon our heads sometime hee roareth so fearefully with his voice of thunders as who may abide it his lightnings giue shine to the earth and our eies are daseled thereat hee raineth dovvne tempestes and stormes vpon vs haile-stones and coles of fire this is our portion sometimes to drinke still as his plagues are newe so let vs come before him vvith newe songes new intercessions meekely kneeling before the Lorde our maker and falling lowe at his foote-stoole that his hand may be turned backe in these kindes of iudgements Thus did Salomon dedicate and blesse the temple beseeching the Lorde that vvhen the people shoulde pray vnto him accordinge to their sundry needes whether they were troubled vvith the assault of their enimy or vvith wante of raine with famine or mildewe or vvith captivity he would then heare them in heauen and be mercifull vnto them The sickenesse which these marriners suspecte is an issue of bloude which being once opened vvill euer runne and keepe a course if it be not stanched vvith the mercy of God and therefore they call vpon him as that present occasion enforceth them O let vs not perish for this mans life and bring not vpon vs innocent bloud Besides which purpose of theirs in laying their finger vpon the sore that is in suiting of their prayer with the present daunger for the fuller explication of the wordes themselues it may please you to take knowledge of two thinges 1. The proceeding of God in the case of bloudshead life for life deliuered in the former clause Let vs not perish for the soule of this man 2. How the bloud of Ionas in the latter may be called innocent bloud The lawe is generall touching the former Exod. 21. life for life eye for eye tooth for tooth hande for hande foote for foote burning for burning wounde for wounde stripe for stripe It is added Leviticus 24. Breath for breath blemish for blemish Gen. 9. I will require your bould wherein your liues are that is one reason in the nexte wordes vvho so sheadeth mans bloude by man shall his bloude bee shed for in the image of God hath hee made man That is an other reason Our Saviour reciteth the lavve in the gospell Math. 26. vvho so taketh the svvorde shall perish vvith the sworde And that wee may knowe this lavve was neuer repealed wee finde it in the last booke Reuelation 13. If anie leade into captivitie hee shall goe into captivitie if any man kill with a sworde hee must be killed with a a sworde Heere is the patience and the faith of Saintes that is this they beleeue and this they verilie expect to bee perfourmed vpon their enimies So the ordinary rule without question is this He that taketh away the life of man himselfe shall likewise perish Notvvithstanding the maker of the law may and doeth sometimes dispense with his owne lawe Many a one I confesse hath killed his neighbour himselfe not ending his daies in the like manner Be it so yet first he is slaine with a sword of his owne as Golias was he dieth daiely with the stabbing and launcing of his owne hearte and as in that first plague
souls spirits one froÌ„ the other lastly if the offer of peace be refused sound wars rumors of wars at their gates such tribulation besides as the like hath never been since the beginning of the creatioÌ„ which God created vnto that time neither shal be again Who knoweth if they wil be softned if not for the loue of vertue nor for the recoÌ„pence that springeth therehence yet for the other cause for fear of the wrath of God which they hear denouÌ„ced It may be feeding a while vpoÌ„ the foode of iudgment as Ezechiel calleth it will breed good bloud in theÌ„ the coÌ„sideration of such misery wil work the 〈◊〉 effect in theÌ„ that the sense of adversity wrought in Ionas I meane to shake of their burtheÌ„ of sin to turne vnto the Lord their God wiâ—h vnfained coÌ„versioÌ„ which was the 2. thing that I propouÌ„ded vnto you in the afflictioÌ„s of the prophet what effect they produced from him I cried in mine affliction Binde Manasses with chaines loade him with irons bow downe his necke and his backe with bonds he will know himselfe Pull the king of Babylon froÌ„ his throne lay his honor insolency in the dust hunt him froÌ„ the coÌ„pany of men banish him froÌ„ his pallace wherin he â—erted like a monarch indeed turne him into the field to eat grasse like an oxe to be wet with the dew of heaveÌ„ you shal find a miracle quickly done an oxe to have more vnderstaÌ„ding thaÌ„ a maÌ„ he wil theÌ„ learne to praise the king of heaveÌ„ whose tower is an everlasting power his kingdoÌ„â— froÌ„ generatioÌ„ to generatioÌ„ The idolatrous Iewes in the 2. of Ier. that being called to the true God spake desparately stifly No but we have loved strangers those wiâ— we follow in their trouble notwithstanding they will cry to the right God arise thou helpe vs. In their affliction they will seeke him diligently will take sound words into their lips Come and let vs returne to the Lord for he hath spoiled he wil heale vs he hath wounded he wil binde vs vp Let Moab settle it selfe vpon her lees not be emptied froÌ„ vessel to vessel her sent wil remaine in her Doth the wild asse bray wheÌ„ he hath grasse or the oxe low wheÌ„ he hath fodder But take away the grasse from the wilde asse he wil be tameâ— fodder froÌ„ the oxe you shal heare him rore Ther must be a whirl-winde raised a fiery chariot prepared to carry Elias into heaveÌ„ there must be heresies to try the approved there must be a furnace to purge the silver gold there must be a fire to fine the sonnes of Levi there must be an angel of Sathan to keepe Paul from pride A pilote must be tried by a tempest saith Basile a runner by a race a captaine by a battaile a christian by calamity tentation provocation misery Wherin if poisons become preservatives froÌ„ the venime of serpents the wisedome of God can extract an antidote against the venime of serpents if all things shall worke togither to the best for those that are Christes if evill by nature shall be made good by his powrefull art if the waters of a floud overspreading the whole globe of the earth bee so far from drowning the Arke that they shall lift it higher and bring it nearer to the presence of God if afflictions I meane by the good haÌ„dling of our gracious God be not afflictions but medicines the more they encrease vpon vs the nearer they land vs to the haven of his blessings how truely may we say acknowledge with Barnard Totus mundus fideli divitiarum est the whole worlde is riches to a faithful maÌ„ even when it seemeth to be poverty with Augustine that nothing happeneth to man from the Lord our God but coÌ„meth in the nature of mercie when tribulation it selfe is such a benefite For both prosperity is his gift comforting and adversity his gift admonishing vs. A very vnlikely seede to yeeld such fruit as bitter as mustard seede but give it leave to growe the fruit shall be very pleasant The wicked vnderstand not this the vnwise have not knowledge of his waies She crieth in the comoedy shee presenteth the person of them all that are her companions Hanccine ego partem capio ob pietatem praecipuam Tum hoc mihi indecorè iniquè immodestè datis dij Nam quid habebunt sibi igitur impij post hac c. Is this my portion guerdon for my especial piety theÌ„ do the gods reward me very vnsemely vniustly vnreasonably For how shal the wicked hereafter be dealt with if the godly be thus honored amoÌ„gst you Augustine in his preface vpon the 25. Psalme laieth downe the like coÌ„plaints of some O Deus Deus Haecciné est iustitia tua O God God is this thy iustice the Lorde answereth them againe haecciné est fides tua is this thy faith hast thou so learned Christ is this the best instruction thou hast found in my law to murmure against my discipline possesse thy soule therfore in patience whosoever thou art leave the ordering of these things to the wisdome of God with whoÌ„e it is alike to sweeten the pot of the prophets with meale the waters of Iericho with salt to cure the eies of Tobias with a gall to streÌ„gthen the sight of IonathaÌ„ with an honi-coÌ„be Some he healeth by hony some by gall some by salt some by meale some by sower some by sweete some by piping soÌ„e by daÌ„cing some by prosperity some by afflictioÌ„ but al by some meanes or other that have a longing desire to the waies of happines Now then againe I say if it be a good thing sometimes to be humbled of the Lord for till we are huÌ„bled coÌ„monly we go astray if it be an happy pricking of the body that maketh a pricking in the hart if expedient for al sorts of meÌ„ that the hand of the Lord shoulde nowe and then take holde on them because a sinner is amended the righteous is instructed thereby because gold is prooved iron is scowred by this meanes if when the outward man is corrupted the inwardâ— iâ— renued daily 2. Cor. 4. and there is honour in dishonour riches in poverty life in â—eath possessing all thinges in having nothing 2. Cor. 6. if when the fatheâ—s of our flesh chasten vs for their pleasures the father of our spirites correcteth vs for our profit that we may be partakers of his holineâ— though â—o chastisement seeme ioious for the time yet it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousnes to those that are exercised thereby if when the body of Iâ—nas was in thrall beneath the soule of Ionas triumphed aloft and when the tongue of his flesh could not speake perhaps a word skarce muâ—ter to it selfe the tongue of
can preiudice the bounty of our GOD and those rich benefites of his grace which his beloved sonne hath purchased for vs. I nowe conclude GOD saw the workes of the Ninivites and in those vvoorkes not onely their outwarde countenance but their inwarde and vnfeined affection and faith the roote from whence they sprang and as the fruites of their faith so he accepted them not for the worth and accounte of the workes which they dare not themselues rely vpon but through the riches and abundance of his owne loving kindnesse This is the plea that Daniell helde in the ninth of his Prophecie a man of as righteous a spirite as ever the Lateran pallace of Rome helde according to all thy righteousnesse for the LORDES sake for thy greate tender mercies for thine owne sake and vvith direct exception to their inherente iustice for wee doe not present our supplications before thee for our owne righteousnesse This plea we must all sticke vnto Gods mercy in his owne gracious disposition Gods righteousnesse in his promises Gods goodnesse in the Lorde his anointed his Christ his Messias And this shal be a blessed testimony vnto vs at the last day that wee haue stood and fought for the seede of the woman and for the preciousnesse of his bloud and passion against the seede of the serpent that we never gaue place no not for an instant to Pharisee Iew Pelagian Papist Libertine to diminish or discredite the power thereof Giue mee that soule that breatheth vpon the earth in plight as the soules of these Ninivites were nowe called to a reckoning of their fore passed liues their consciences accusing them of hydeous and monstrous iniquities the law pleading the anger of GOD flaming against them the throate of hell gaping wide and ready to swallow them downe when they were to take their leaue of one worlde and to enter another of endlesse punishment vnlesse they coulde finde the meanes to appease the fury of their maker and iudge Giue me the soule that dareth for the price of a soule stande in contention with the iustice of GOD vpon the triall of good workes either to bee iustified the meane-time or heereafter to be glorified and liue by them O sweete and comfortable name nature operation of grace grace and onely grace blessed bee the wombe that bare thee and the bowels that ingendered thee When it commeth to this question iustificemur simul Let vs bee iudged togither if thou haste ought to saie for thy selfe bring it forth O happy heavenly and only grace that bearest thy children safe in thy bosome and settest them with confidence and ioy before the seat of God when the clients followers of their owne righteousnes be it what it may bee with the least flash of lightning that fleeth from the face of God shal tremble and quake as the popler in the forrest O the Ocean maine sea of over-flowing grace and we drinke at puddles We sit in our cels and comment we come into the schooles and dispute about the merit of good workes without trouble But lie we vpon out beds of sicknes feele we a troubled perplexed conscience wee shal be glad to cry grace and grace alone Christ and Christ alone the bloud of Abell and Peter and Thomas and Paul shall be forgotten and the bloud of the Lambe shal be had in price as for the merits of our vnprofitable service we shal be best at ease when we talke least of them The only one fiftith Psalme Haue mercie vpon me O Lorde c. his memory bee blessed that gaue the note hath saved many distressed soules and opened the kingdome of heaven vnto them who if they had stood vpon riches and sufficiencie in themselues as the church of Laodicea did they had lost the kingdome It is vsually given to our seloâ—s for their necke-verse when the lawe is disposed to favour them Wee are all felons and transgressors against the law of God let it bee our soules-verse and God will seclude the rigour of his law and take mercy vpon vs. Some of the wordes of that Psalme were the last that Bernarde vttered even in the panges of death Let them also be the last of ours a brokeÌ„ contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Finally the choise is briefely proposed and as quickely made if grace not workes if workes not grace if this be the choise let vs humbly beseech God to illighten our eies to open our vnderstandings to direct our affections and to reach forth our handes to the better part which shall never be taken from vs that leaving our workes to his favourable interpretation either to follow vs or to stay behinde and either to bee something or nothing in his sight his mercy may only triumph and his covenant in the bloud of Christ Iesus may ever be advanced that we may sing in our Ierusalem as they sing in the courtes of heaven worthy is the Lambe that was killed to receive the glory and honour and praise and to beare the name of our whole salvation THE XL. LECTVRE Chap. 4. vers 1. Therefore it displeased Ionas exceedingly he was angry THE whole prophecy of Ionas againe to repeat that which ought not to be forgotten is the preaching of mercy An history written to the world and as a publique evidence instrument from God delivered vnto vs in every page line wherof his goodnes towardes mankind is mervailously expressed And as the 4. beastes in Ezechiel were ioyned one to the other by their winges so the 4. Chapters of this booke hang togither by a continuation and succession of Gods loving kindnes Open this booke as our Saviour opened the booke of the prophecie of Esaias by chance and read at your pleasure from the first of it to the last you shall never vvant a text or example of comforte whereby a distressed conscience may be relieved The marriners are delivered from the fury of the elements Ionas both from those and from the belly of a cruell fishe the Ninivites God knoweth from what whither from fire and brimstone or from sinkinge into the grounde or any such like weapons of wrath which in his armoury of iustice in heaven are stored vp and reserved for the day of the wicked but all are delivered Notwithstandinge which rare examples of mercy as Christ spake in the gospell beholde more than Ionas is heere so though the prophet did his parte before in penninge those discourses yet in handlinge this last he is more than himselfe though the mercy of God abounded before yet here it excelleth Then was mercy practised I confesse but heere it is pleaded maintained prooved by argumeÌ„ts apologies parables the equity and reasonablenes thereof vpheld and means made vnto Ionas in some sort that if God be gracious to Niniveh hee will bee pleased favourably to interpret it The distribution of the Chapter is into three partes 1. The affection of Ionas vpon the
sentence in the last vvordes of the sentence this Ionas knevv hee saieth and vpon that knowledge resolved long since vpon his resolution laboured to prevent it We are now come to that which if Ionas had rightly conceived of it would never haue grieved him to see the bowels of pitty opened enlarged towards his poore brethren Did Ionas know that God was gracious mercifull slow to anger of greate goodnesse repenting him of the evill I will render these variations in as many wordes more did Ionas knovve that God was gracious in affection mercifull in effecte longe suffering in vvayting for the conversion of sinners of greate kindenesse in striking shorte of their sinnes repenting him of the evill in vouchsafing mercy to sinners and remitting their misdeeds Did Ionas know that God was graciois in himselfe by nature mercifull towards his creatures by comunicatioÌ„ long suffering before he inflicteth vengeance of great goodnes in the number measure of his stripes penitent in the stay intermission thereof is it so strange offeÌ„siue vnto him that God should spare Niniveh a thing which his nature maÌ„ner was so inured vnto The words though different in sound the power signification of them not all one yet in the principal they all agree knit their soules togither in the commendation of Gods mercy The 1. importeth a liberall disposition franknesse of heart gratuitall vndeserved benevolence not hyred and much lesse constrained but voluntarily and freely bestowed The 2. a commiseration over other mens miseries motherly bowels tender compassion towardes those that suffer affliction Saul Saul why persecutest thou me We haue not a high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities I would not the death of a sinner It goeth to his heart when he is driven and inforced to take punishment The 3. bewraieth a nature hard to conceiue not willing to retaine wrath and when it seemeth to be angry not angry indeede vsing rather a fatherly scourge of correction than a rod of revenge The 4. declareth that there is no end of his goodnes although he is somewhat in all things nay all in all yet he is much more in mercy more than in other his properties for his mercy is over all his workes to the good evill friendes enemies that when he giveth he giveth with an open hand not sparingly more than our tongues haue asked or our hearts ever thought of Lastly he repenteth him of the evill that is altereth the word that is gone out of his lips sheweth how easie hee is to be intreated that the rod may be pulled forth of his handes even when he is smiting vs. Paul in his voiage towards Rome speaketh of a certain place which was called the faire havens We are now arrived at the faire havens they are in number many for the harbour and rode of a wearied sea-beaten conscience which hath long bin tossed in a sea of wretchednes more comfortable and safe than ever was the bosome of a mother to her yong infant Happy is the soule that landeth at these havens and blessed be the God of heaven which hath given vs a carde of direction to leade vs there vnto the witnesse of his holy word written and sealed that can never deceiue vs. For these are the words of the ignorant but hee that knew them bare record and his witnes is true they are the wordes of a prophet who spake not by his private motion but as he was mooved by the holie Ghost Nay they are not the wordes of one but of many prophets that in the mouthes of sufficient witnesses they might be confirmed Ionas reciteth them in this place Ioel repeateth them in the second of his prophecy David hath the same thrise in his Psalmes either al or the most part of them Moses in the 14. of Num. bringeth in their perfect catalogue Nay they are not the words either of Moses or David or the prophets but of God himselfe The fountaine and well-head froÌ„ whence they haue all drawne them as Moses there confesseth is the proclamation which God made Exod. 34. wheÌ„ he descended in the cloud delivered his name in this manner the Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodnes in truth reserving mercy for thousands forgiving iniquites transgression and sinne Ho all yee that thirst come to the waters of comfort Heare are welles enough to be drawen at drinke at the first fountaine the Lord is gracious and if your appetite be not there quenched go to the second the Lorde is mercifull if you be yet thirsty go to the thirde the Lord is slow to anger thence to the fourth and fifth bibite inebriaminâ— drinke til your seules are more thaÌ„ satisfied Doe you not read 1. Sam. 17 of fiue smooth stones which David chose out of a brooke to fling at Golias here is the brooke my brethren the history of this prophet and these are the fiue smooth stones which are now proposed Let them not lie in the brooke vnhandled vnoccupied but put theÌ„ in your scrip as David did beare theÌ„ in your minds lay theÌ„ vp in your hearts apply theÌ„ to your coÌ„sciences that they may be ready at hand against the face of the Philistine against the force of Satan if ever he steppe forth to deâ—â—e the Lord of hostes or any Israelite in his campe We finde but 3. temptations Mat. 4. that Satan bent against the sonne of God differing both in the place in their strength The 1. was vpoÌ„ the ground of turning stones into bread the 2. vpoÌ„ the pinacle of the teÌ„ple of casting his body downe the 3. vpon an exceeding high mountaine of coÌ„mitting idolatry The 1. concerned his power the 2. his life the 3. his conscience And our Saviour refelled him in al these with 3. several answers But here we haue matter answere enough for more than 3. teÌ„ptations for if Satan obiect vnto vs lower vpon the ground as it were that God is a righteous iudge full of indignation impatience not making the wicked innocent answer him that withal he is a gracious God caÌ„not deny himselfe If he climbe higher in temptatioÌ„ as it were to the pinnacle of the temple reply vpoÌ„ thee but thou art vnworthy of that grace because thou art full of iniquity vnrighteousnes answere him that withal he is a mercifull God and sheweth greatest pitty where there is most need of it If he assault thee a third time thinke to overthrow thee as it were vpon the toppe of a mountaine by telling thee that thou hast long continued in thy sinnes that thou broughtest them from the wombe and they haue dwelt with thee to thy gray haires answere him that God is as much commended for his longe sufferance If yet his mouth be not stopt but he maintaine a further plea against thee