thee in measure yet I will not leave thee wholly unpunished Reasons why God so pardons the penitent are plain Reas 1 1. Because he is very merciful and abundantly gracious Exod. 34.7 The Lord the Lord merciful and gracious forgiving iniquity Reas 2 transgression and sin 2. By Jesus Christ a ransome is found for the penitent justice satisfied wrath appeased fauour procured heaven opened 3. Promises are made every-where Reas 3 in Scripture for this kind of sinners and shall be made good to the full 4. The work of repentance which Reas 4 is begun in them is a change wrought by Gods own Spirit and therefore shall be honoured with the best fruits So here is more encouragement to repent Ye see your Use 1 remedy if judgements be to be prevented More encouragement to repent or to be removed be humbled before your God and it may be done Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites namely to repent and be pardoned As he so they and as they so we All is for our instruction that repenting as they did we may escape as they did And let none think to hold God to it that though he repent not yet he shall do well enough Verily verily said our Saviour except ye repent ye shall all perish Luke 13.5 So when a tender heart casteth doubts that his sins shall not be pardoned nor indeed can be set it flie to this remedy Grieve for thy sins and confess them and crave pardon for them in the Name and for the merit of Jesus Christ afterward doubt not but a pardon will be had and in time will be sealed up to thy foul 1 John â— 1. He is our Advocate with the Father and the propitiation for our sins He sits in his Pardon-office in heaven and in time will issue forth a pardon for thee Mark 1.15 Repent and believe the Gospel are the two main graces of the Gospel Use 2 Lastly let God be glorified in this Attribute of turning wrath away from penitent sinnerâ— So doth the Church Mic. 7.18 19. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage the retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy He will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea Subjects use to magnifie a loving Prince who remits the penal laws and grants pardon to offenders So doth our God and so ought we to honour him Consider this is his end in granting forgiveness of sins Psal 130.4 That he may be feared And this was the first and chief mercy which David commemorated in his thanksgiving Ps 105.3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities As also Paul Eph. 1.6 7. That we should be to the praise of the glory of his grace CHAP. IV. Ver. 1.2 3. But it displeased Jonah exceedingly and he was very angry And he prayed unto the Lord and said I pray thee O Lord was not this my saying when I was yet in my Country therefore I fled unto Tarshish for I knew that thou art a gracious God and merciful slow to anger of great kindness and repentest thee of the evil Therefore now O Lord Take I beseech thee my life from me for it is better for me to dye then to live THis Chapter sets forth the Events of Gods sparing of Nineve Summe of the Chapter The Events are of two sorts a froward servant and a gentle Master In Jonah we see the example of a froward and waspish Saint who too much cleaves to his own reason without due respect had to the will of God or to the good of sinners For a good man he is as cholerick a man as lightly we shall read of And we have his fellows if not in goodness yet in testiness and peevishness Take heed and do not imitate 1. We see how ill he takes the sparing of Nineve Parts ver 1. he is displeased and angry 2. We hear him justifying his former flying ver 2. 3. We read a strange prayer he makes ver 3. Take my life from me 4. We may hear more pevishness ver 9. I do well to be angry even unto death For the first of these What is was that displeased Jonah we may not conceive Jonah displeased or angry at the repentance of the Ninevites this being quite contrary to the truth of grace which was in Jonah Grace never opposeth grace in another but first desires it and then rejoyceth in it But it displeased him exceedingly that is that the Lord did not the evil which he said he would do to Nineve And why so because now he should be accounted a false Prophets and God who said Nineve should be overthrown should be blasphemed as variable and not true of his word as not only the heathens round about but even the Israelites themselves would be ready to jeer at his coming home among them A goodly messenger and message and hereafter we will not regard thee a whit It displeased Jonah exceedingly and he was very angry Some say he was offended at the calling of the Gentiles as those in Act. 11. and 22. and that by the spirit of prophesie he foresaw the rejection of the Jews into whose room the Gentiles were to succeed But this is too far fetched nor agrees with the Text and Argument here brought nor with the goodness of an holy heart such as Jonahs was It is best to understand it as before Note The godly have and confess their infirmities And we may observe A godly man hath many and great infirmities but withall confesseth them though to the shame of his own face as doth Jonah here Formerly from the same ground we concluded the Divinity of the Scriptures and now the sincerity of the Saints Paul for them all I do not the good I would and I do the evil I would not O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me Use Remember this ye Saints and enure your selves to the duties of humiliation and mortification and where just occasion is be not ashamed to confess and give glory to God Jâ—s 7 19. Let God be true and every man a lyar To me belongs nothing but shame and confusion of face with a lowly deportment suitable to those humble conceits and speeches you use concerning your selves Lessons to be learned from Jonah Then for mortification learn by these failings of Jonah 1. Not to be wedded to thine own will so as to set it before or above the will of God as did he Self denial is the first lesson that a Christian should take forth and make use of it all along in his course Be not wise in thine own eyes Lean not to thine own understanding Go not by thine own shallow reason but which way the revealed will of God shall lead thee Jonah had Gods mind fully revealed to him in this point
Go and preach to Nineve and thereupon should have silenced his own reason utterly 2. Having a desire to advance the glory of God be sure to use right means thereunto not as Jonah who for fear of Gods dishonor refused to do Gods Errand at Nineve It is a goodly and specious colour for actions to talk of the glory of God but if the course be 〈◊〉 a direct and warrantable course in vain shall the glory of God be pretended who will never account himself honoured but in a way of his own Yea it hath been the advancement of many a wickedness to pretend so and so in order to 〈◊〉 and the course of Antichrist to make a noise of acting in order to the Church 3. Be tender of the life of man and of his outward welfare I say not soul but even the body and worldly condition as Jonah was not and we see how he is chid for it And we see how loving the Lord is even in this respect ver 11. Should not I spare Nineve a City so populous Remember the sixt Commandment Thou shalt not kill 1 Thes 4.6 no not in desire Remember those commands Let no man defraud or go beyond his Brother in any matter for the Lord is the avenger of all such And be chary of thy Neighbours Oxe or Asse much more of his life and comfort of his life We are fallen into an hard yea bloudy age wherein the life of man is little regarded nor how well he shall go along in his course Take heed there remains a merciless judgement for them that shew no mercy Jam. 2.13 4. Study the gaining of souls to God and be glad when there is the least hope of grace begun in any Here also was some fault in Jonah certainly he heard how they fasted and prayed and turned from their evil wayes which should have gladded him and made him congratulate their repentance and safety thereupon Remember and do so Luke 15.10 Convert any if thou mayest be so happy and as there is joy in heaven for a sinner that repenteth so let it be on earth It was a wicked humour in the Pharisees that they envyed the conversion of the Publicans Beware thou and be ambitious of the great honor of converting a soul Dan. 12.3 To shine as the Stars for ever and ever For the second particular A marvel it is that Jonah is so stout and sturdy after his great punishment and all those terrors which God sent upon him One would have thought he had had enough of his flying to Tarsus Note But so it is Some godly men have stout and sturdy corruptions sticking by them which may humble them and keep them upon their watch and because they watch not as they ought God sometimes exerciseth them with strong afflictions and sometimes with strong conflicts in sad hours Take heed Use Christian and take thy self in the manner for every unmortifyed lust and every corrupt affection Sturdy humors are sometimes punished with sharp temptations or Visitations of the Almighty But I had rather put this humor of Jonah upon a way of carnal reasoning which too much swayed with him at this time taken from the mercy of God which he thought would never so far proceed as to let Nineve be overthrown though he said it Was not this my saying thou art merciful c Calvin If Jonah had been sent to Nineve with an offer of mercy upon their repentance as to the ten Tribes we may verily think he would rather have offered his service then declined it But now he mutters against God for his meer denunciation of judgment Note Carnal reasonings mischievous as if it could not agree with the nature of so merciful and gracious a Lord God and this mis-leadeth him Carnal reasonings do sometimes lead us from God and duty 1. Totally as in the ungodly eve◠the mercy of God undoeth them as they misuse it it is their bane They know God is gracious and merciful and flow to 〈◊〉 and of great kindnesse therefore live as they list turn grace into wantonness sin more that grace may abound more As men make it mercy is a common pack-horse for horrible wickednesses and final impenitency Why should they trouble themselves about repenting when God is so merciful 2. Partially in the godly as here in Jonah he knew these Attributes and therefore he left Nineve and went to Tarsus It were well if we did not sometimes bear up our selves too much upon the mercy of God and an interest in Christ and certainty of salvation and perseverance in grace We hold these things right in the Doctrine and miserably pervert them in the Use And though we swim not with full Winde and Tyde yet we sail too fast with a side-winde Take head Christians Use Avoid them and down with these carnal reasonings which exalt themselves against the knowledge of God and against the due obedience to Jesus Christ The ministery intends the casting them down and so do you 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Never will Religion thrive where such reasonings prevail As it prevails more with any man so he leaves them off as Gal. 1.16 Paul consulted not with flesh and bloud but fell to his preaching-work Consider there be many of these carnal reasonings taken from the multitude from example profit pleasure credit safety or the like but none more dangerous then this from the mercy of God so long as God is merciful on they go in their sins and fear nothing A miserable case God is gracious that is freely for his own sake to forgive the sins of his people And he is merciful that is will relieve them against all their misery spiritual temporal and eternal And he is 〈◊〉 to anger that is he is loth to empty the Vials of his displeasure upon sinners And of great kindness that is tenderly considers their case and is willing to do them good But should this or any of these be abused to keep from repentance and amendment were not this the ready way to be drowned in a sea of mercy Jonah was almost drowned in such a sea though a godly man yet almost undone by misapplication of the mercy of God But thou O man a secure and hard-hearted wretch wilt be quite drowned one day look to it as well as thou wilt For the third particular It is a strange prayer that Jonah here makes both for the manner and for the matter of it He prayed unto the Lord and said Take my life from me Mark this is spoken in haste being exceedingly displeased and very angry and he speaks it in a muttering and chiding manner expostulating the case even with God himself I pray thee O Lord was not this my saying when I was yet in my Countrey as if he had said I thought what thou wouldest do I had just cause to fly away and never do the Errand at Nineve I said what would come of it A merciful God thou art and
A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION OF THE Historical Prophesie OF JONAH Delivering sundry brief Notes in a Cursory way concerning the mind of the Holy Ghost in the several Passages Hard things exercise the Reader Plain things nourish him Imprimatur June 5. 1665. LONDON Printed by L. Miller for John Chandler Bookseller in Reading 1666. To the Right Worshipful my much honored Friend The Lady Cecilia Knollys All Health and Happiness in the Lord. IT is a very comfortable priviledge good Madam vouchsafed to sincere and faithful Christians that being planted in the house of the Lord Psal 92.14 they shall still bring forth fruit in old age when other trees grow doddick and past fruit-bearing these trees of Righteousness by a singular blessing from God shall be able to yield the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5 21. for the honor of God who planted them and for the good of that Christian community whereof they are members They are more in prayer and more in magnifying the grace whereby they stand more in their meditations of God and the things of God more in their preparations for death and for an entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of Jesus Christ more in imparting experiences of the gracious dealings of God with themselves and others for helping the troubled spirits of their brethren more free in Alms-deeds and all good uses according to ability more mortified to the world and to their passions more profitable to the Church in whose prosperity they rejoyce and grieve in the adversity and better redeem the time whereof they see so little remaining Though they be infested with their infirmities of old age and with divers incumbrances of the world yet even in old age they mind the doing of good yea more good then they were wont to do as willing to the uttermost while they may to shew forth the praises of Him who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous 1 Pet. 2 9. light The recompence of reward draws nearer and nearer and in little time will be fully in their possession therefore for the inch of time that remains in this tabernacle they will work as fast as they can with all faithfulness carefulness and chearfulness And this their priviledge stands upon sundry unmoveable grounds as The eternal love and counsel of God who enables them to persevere and be fruitful The meritorious intercession and powerful grace of Jesus Christ John 15.5 in whom they are as branches in their Vine The effectual working of Gods blessed Spirit who is promised to abide with them for ever 14.16 The immortal and incorruptible seed of the word 1 Pet. 1.13 whereof they are born again and cannot perish for ever The faithful and stedfast Covenant of grace Jer. 32.40 which as it engageth God never to depart from them but do them good so it warrants them fresh abilities that they shall never depart from their God together with promises in particular and divers helps both to hold out to the end and to bring forth fruit still in old age This I write good Madam to comfort you in this your age and against the many infirmities which accompany it The Lord adde unto your days abundantly and give you yet to see the peace of his Jerusalem Many good fruits you have born already and we rejoyce in seeing them your love to the House and Ordinances of God which sometimes you frequent with danger to your health your love to godly Ministers whom you esteem worthy of double honour the religious ordering of your Family the careful observation of the Lords Day which with many is almost out of request the large provision you make weekly for poor people with other good fruits which will abound to your account in that great day of Jesus Christ Phil. 4.17 Go on good Madam and never be weary in well-doing Gal. 6.9 in due time you shall reap if you faint not and according to the premisses you shall be sure in this holy way never to faint for the way of the Lord is strength to the upright Prov. 10.29 and the whole stream of the Scriptures runs for your encouragement At this time I make bold to present your Ladyship with these brief and plain Meditations and pray your acceptance as from one who desires to acknowledge the grace of God in you and to help you along to the end of your course with much joy and assurance humbly taking my leave in present and unto death remaining Your Ladyships obliged William Jemmat To the Practitioner in Religion GOod friend here I present thee with a few plain and familiar Observations on the Book of Jonah Learned and eloquent Discourses he that is willing may find in those great Masters of our Israel A. Abbot B. King who many yeares ago wrote on this Prophesie which yet is rather an History And this present endeavour needed not but to revive those Notions which lie hid from the most and plain people will best relish plain and short Discourses Yet if we consider the matters herein contained we shall find some of them lofty Hieron proem in Jonam and fit for deep meditations Some Hebrew Doctors say that this Jonah was son of the widow of Sarepta whom Eliahs raised from the dead which if it be true we meet with a wonder both strange and not exemplified in any other Here are three resurrectians for one Saint first in that he was raised by the Prophet Eliah next that he recovered out of the belly of the Whale wherein he was a figure of our Saviours resurrection and last of all Mat. 12.39.40 that in the generall resurrection he shall come again with his body and for ever be with the Lord. It is also a wonder in this Book that the providence of our God is so present with his people and of so large extent among the creatures both small and great It is a wonder that Jonah should so long subsist in the Whales belly and at three dayes end be set on land again and do the message which formerly he had so stifly refused to do It is a wonder that in a little time he reaped more fruit of his Ministry among heathenish Ninevites then in a long time he had reaped among Gods own people It is a wonder that after his miraculous deliverance out of the Fish and after his holy resolutions to be wholly for the Lord yet he should be stout and sturdy about the sparing of Nineve the Lord bespeaking him very mildely and he replying upon the Lord very peevishly Christian there is something to be pickt out of these and other passages for thy edification Let the brevity of the Notes occasion thee to fall into large meditations and applications to thine own soul And let the plainnesse of them which saves the labour of farther inquiry occasion thee to deal the more seriously with thy conscience that thou mayest be brought to an entire estate of faith
and down the City when he came there and might spend much of his strength by travelling and crying all along Learn we Ministers and people to settle to difficult costly and dangerous duties Are they not Gods Commandments did not he say Arise and cry To the third point The wickedness of a people doth go Doctr. 3 up and call for vengeance upon them Wickedness calls for vengeance so did the blood of Abel against Cain Gen. 4 10. So did the filthiness of the Sodomites against that City Chap. 18.21 So the cry of Servants wages detained â—ames 5.4 And here the Robbery and Oppression of the Assyrians who had made slaughter of many Nations and spoiled others to enrich themselves together with the cries of Widows and Fatherless Children and their Pride Idleness Filthiness Inchantments other sins which were now grown so great that the Earth was no longer able to hold the cry but the Air and Heaven too did ring of their sinfulness and now it was high time for God to take vengeance The Lord sees when the iniquity of a man or people is ripe and then proceeds to judgment as of the Amorites It is not yet full but when it is I will 〈◊〉 root them out Gen. 15.16 Every single sin comes up before God and provokes wrath Psal 7.11 but wickedness much more He is angry with the wicked every day but defers to do execution till the measure of sin be filled up and then he can forbear no longer Use 1 Admire the patience and long-suffering of the Almighty though he be wearied daily with the cries of mens sins yet he bears all yea though they be sins of whole Towns whole Nations or the whole world He is not slack of his coming but patient to us-ward and waits for our Repentance 2 Pet. 3.9 No mans patience can be so exercised as Gods is yea we see too often how even a godly man hath some adoo to keep patience on such and such provocations Oh the goodness and long-suffering of our God to whom our wickedness goeth up continually The Lord the Lord merciful and gracious slow to wrath abundant in goodness and truth Use 2 Admire also the worth and power of Christs mediation which cries down the cry of our sins and keeps off the vengeance which thereby we had deserved The blood of Christ speaks better things then the blood of Abel Heb. 12.24 mercy and not judgment and this secures both the persons and duties of Believers though they deserve a fulness of wrath yet by the mediation all will be well with them Use 3 This shews people the sinfulness and danger of their estate even when they are most secure All the while their wickedness gets up before God and would draw down vengeance upon then when they are most jolly and brave in their worldly enjoyments yet their extreme danger continues sin hath not lost his voice of crying as here against the Ninevites yea it cries more because of more light and more means of grace so the men of Nineve shall rise up in judgment with this generation and condemn it Take heed of sin if not for the foulness which should Use 4 be yet for the fearful after-claps and for the measure of your sins lest that be filled up and then the Vials of wrath be emptied upon you Know the Lord can overthrow England as well as Nineve and we have had warning not only for forty years but forty and forty and more then that it is now above a hundred years that the Gospel hath been preached among us with liberty and encouragement and ye know we have sins enough to hasten the overthrow Oaths and other abominations Consider and beware if there were no more mischief in sin but the losing of the Gospel it were bad enough an intolerable loss to have the Candlestick removed out of his place or to have your Jonahs sent from Israel to Nineve or the righteous taken from the evil to come Ver. 3. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord and went down to Joppa and he found a ship going to Tarshish so he payed the Fare thereof and went down into it to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. Here the Prophet declines the Lords message of going to Nineve by going a quite contrary way Why Jonah fled to Tarshish His ground he tells us in Chap. 4.2 Namely a carnal fear lest he should be ashamed and accounted a false Prophet if within forty dayes Nineve were not overthrown A great matter with the proud nature of man which cannot endure the least disparagement Other reasons Jonah might have for not going to Nineve So peter Act. 1â— 1. The strangeness of the thing No Prophet had ever been sent to the Gentiles before Jonah All of them were sent to the house of Judah or of Israel and should Jonah be the first man that should be sent to the sinners the Gentiles God goes beside his ordinary method and Jonah thinks strange of it 2. What hope could there be of doing good among the Heathen seeing he had so little good among Gods own people should Ninevites be converted and Israel not converted how can things go quite in a new Road which was never heard of 3. Might not Jonah fear what would become of him among a Company of Infidels who were also rich and proud and knew not God he one and they many he a poor man and they the Potentates of the world What should one Lamb do among a thousand Wolves 4. For the Errand which Jonah was to deliver what likelihood that Nineve should be overthrown within forty days seeing no enemy appeared before it and it had now flourished twelve hundred years in great prosperity what wise man would go and publish impossibilities No sound reason at all Yet all this is but carnal fear and Jonah sinned greatly in flying to Tarsus 1. He left the Command and calling of the great God of Heaven which is the only rule of all our obedience 2. He left the Land of Israel wherein his main business lay for all his life-time 3 He thought poorly of God as if he could not meet with him at Tarsus as well as Samaria 4. He shewed little pity to thousands of souls that might receive benefit by his preaching All shewing the great corruption of mans nature even after grace received and how watchful we need to be and keep close to our rule and to the calling wherewith we are called not regarding the crooked rules of humane reason and wisdom which Jonah too much followed He rose up to flee to Tarsus The chief City of Cilicia Expos 1. St. Pauls Country a Citizen of no mean City Act. 21.39 Some say Jonah went to be a Merchant there another while But it is not good to fasten more sins to the good man then we are sure of It is most likely that as a man
advance the common good or of the Society wherein he lives Be warned by Jonah and his stepping aside from the Message he had to deliver Know it is a bootless thing to think of flying from the Lord He fills Heaven and Earth and can meet thee at every turn and fetch thee back to thy task and if thou belong to him will do it It was well for Jonah that by a storm and Whale he was brought back to Nineve Know also that none but the special presence of God will prove comfortable to the last I mean spiritual here and glorious hereafter He is present with those in Hell but in Justice only and with all his terrors Doctr. 4 4. Note how occasions of sinning are many times near at hand to them that are willing Jonah was set upon an evil jorney and see he finds a Ship going to Tarsus when the heart is set upon wickedness opportunity will scarce be long wanting Take heed and commit thy way unto the Lord Use pray him not to give thee over at any time that thou shouldest be swayed by thy own Lusts and for occasions of sinning remember the sixt Petition of the Lords Prayer that he would either keep off the Temptations or not suffer thee to fall by those Temptations 5. Of Jonah we may learn a Lesson of Equity to pay Doctr. 5 those that labour for us as he the Mariners Pay dues It is one of the crying sins by fraud to keep back the hiâ—e of Labourers who have reaped down your Fields Jam. 5.4 So of any sort of work-men it will be a great sin in due season not to let them have their pay or servants their wages Their heart is to it and they need it and so it should not be detained Pay therefore and do it quickly Use mark the commands in Prov. 3.27 28 29. Withhold not good from them to whom it is due when it is in the power of thy hand to do it Say not unto thy Neighbour Go and come again and to morrow I will give when thou hast it by thee devise not evil against thy Neighbour seeing he dwelleth securely by thee Lastly note in Jonah how willing some men are to part Doctr. 6 with their money in an evil matter Willing to part with money for evil to flee from the presence of the Lord to have Christ betrayed to the Jews and High-Priests to have it reported abroad that his Disciples came by night and stole him away They that can find no money for a pious and charitable use can find money enough for gaming or a Suit of Law Oh the excuses that shall be made and the Allegations that shall be brought to save their Purses hard Times ill Trading great Taxes many Children no end of pleading to keep all to themselves But for Pride of Life Bravery of Apparel or House-Furniture Feeding of Lusts or maintaining of Quarrels at Law let the Pieces flee spare no cost they will not be put down by any they have vowed and will be as good as their word Use Take heed Christians and remember the rule Honor the Lord with thy substance Prov. 3.9 He looks for his portion out of all the Wealth he gives thee namely in those good uses which in the word he hath assigned for thee to mind And he would have us to be rich in good works as well as others or rather in these then in worldly wealth And he calls him a fool who is rich to himself and not to God And there is a cutting phrase A man and his money may perish together as Act. 8. And the rust of the Silver and Gold goes up before God and cryes for Vengeance And if so for not doing of good what will come of doing evil with thy Wealth It hath been seen many a man could not have been so wicked nor could be now if he were not so wealthy Jonah could not have fled to Tarsus if he had had no money to pay the Fare Ver. 4. But the Lord sent out a great Wind into the Sea and there was a mighty Tempest in the Sea so that the Ship was like to be broken Opposition bâ—tween God and sinners But note these Adversative Particles Jonah was sent to Nineve but fled to Tarsus Jonah went by Sea to Tarsus but the Lord sent a Wind and Tempest after him to tell him of his offending There is much thwarting between God and a sinner God commands one thing and the sinner doth another and therefore no marvel if God proceed contrary to the welfare and comfort of the sinner and the sooner the better Jonah was the dear Child and Minister of God and in the end must be saved notwithstanding his great Imperfections therefore presently the Lord sent upon him a great Wind and Tempest that he was like to be drowned and this great danger was the means of putting him into his way again that in Conclusion he might be saved so still 1 Cor. 11.31 32. If we would judge our selves we should not be judged but when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world As for them that amend not by their afflictions they shall know it shall be the worse for them God will not in vain wear out his Rods upon them John 5.14 Hos 4.1 The worse thing is coming toward them The Controversie for sin continues and will surely burn to the nethermost hell More if a sinner find none of these cross proceedings of God toward him so much the worse Prov. 1.32 even prosperity undoes such simple ones Better a great deal that they had been pursued with Winds and Tempests and drowned in the bottom of the Sea The History of our Text is plain and needs no Exposition Two Points may be observed 1. How the Providence of God reacheth unto all particulars that are done in the world Nothing more common Doctr. 1 then great Winds to arise at Sea Gods providence extends to all and mighty tempests thereby and Ships to be broken Yet all this is here ascribed unto God The Lord sent a great Wind so in ver 17. The Lord prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah and Chap. 2.10 The Lord spake to the fish and it Vomited out Jonah upon the dry Land and Chap. 4.6 The Lord prepared a gourd and ver 7. God prepared a worm to smite and wither the gourd So in the Plagues of Egypt The Lord sent the Frogs Flies Lice Locustâ— Thunder Darkness and all the rest And generally Amos 3.6 Shall there be any evil in the City and the Lord hath not done it And we saw heretofore in the Doctrine of Gods Providence 1. How it intermedles in the smallest matters as the Feeding of Beasts and Ravens Psalm 147.9 and the falling of Sparrows to the ground or the hairs of our head Mat. 10.29 30. yea and the colour of the hair Chap. 5.36 2. How it orders contingent
things that is where in mans reason there is no connexion between the cause and the effect yet ordered by God and fall out infallibly as Lots Prov. 16.33 The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord And the killing of a man by an Axe no hatred only the head slippeth from the helve it is said That God delivers him into the hand of his Neighbour Exod. 21.13 The like of fore-telling things whereof there was no sign among the Creatures Use 1 Which serves to reprove Heathenish Christians who look not up to God in these Affairs of the world to give him glory Reproof or carry themselves as those that live under a Providence but Rage and Chafe and cry out of Fortune ill Luck cross Times I know not what Planets and mischiefs Yet the Heathen ascribed the stirring of Winds and Seas to their Idol-Gods Aeolus and Neptune and these Heathens in the Text looked up every one to his God to be saved and delivered from this great danger and Jonah who is the Writer saith expresly The Lord sent out a great wind into the Sea And those now-a-days who read such Writings might thereby be enured to better Thoughts and Language concerning Winds Tempests and other sad Accidents Use 2 More if Providence work in all these it follows that our God is a wonderful God every way and accordingly to be admired He sends forth the Winds at his pleasure he holds the Winds in the hollow of his Fist he ruleth the Raging of the Seas and sitteth upon many Waters Fishes Worms Gourds all Creatures are at his disposal to be or not to be to do us good or not to do us good None so great but he over-rules it None so small but he acts it therefore O Lord our Lord how Excellent is thy Name in all the Earth When Christ had stilled that great storm upon the Lake The men marvelled saying What manner of man is this that even the Winds and Sea obey him And it is likely that the men in the Ship with Jonah came by this Miracle to some knowledge of the God of Israel So did Naaman the Syrian 2 King 5.15 Behold now I know that there is no God in all the Earth but in Israel However we that have the word to instruct us of God and to Expound his Providences to us should be led by Winds Seas and other strange workings of our God to a due Admiration of him that he is wonderful in his power bidding them do this and they do it and in his wisdom so disposing ordinarily so innumerable and so rude things and in his graciousness doing all for his Elect though sometime in seeming Contrarieties as here to Jonah Next divers duties may be urged by this concurrence Use 3 of Gods Providence Lessons to be learned 1. To be patient under cross Providences when Winde and Weather are against us and we suffer exceedingly we should like all that he doth because he doth it and say It is the Lord let him do what pleaseth him 1 Sam. 3.18 The creatures could not come if he did not send them Shimei could not curse if he did not bid him curse 2. To wait with patience if he delay the help which we would fain have Psal 40.1 I waited patiently for the Lord and he inclined unto me and heard my cry when his appointed time is come which is the best time we are sure to be relieved The Vision is yet for an appointed wait and at last it will speak and satisfie Remember the saying Hab. 2 3. Esa 28.16 He that belives must not make haste 3. To pray for seasonable and moderate Weather Winds and Rains Zech. 10.1 and all other things being at Gods disposal Ask and ye shall have Ask the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain so the Lord shall make bright clouds and give them showers of rain to eveâ—y one grass in the Field But pray still with resignation to his Will and Wisdom because he knows best what is fit to be done and is able to alter the most setled Weather that soon all may turn to the quite contrary Stars and their Influences must go by his direction if the Stars rule men yet our God ruleth the Stars 4. To pray for Sea-faring men who are most subject to the injury of Winds and Tempests Psal 107.24 These men see the wonders of God in the deep up to Heaven down to Hell and sometimes are at their wits end therefore should be remembred by us at Land while our selves are in safety Though we cannot help them there is one that can and him we must pray unto 5. To praise God when our businesses are fitted by Land or Water he did it and he must have the glory he sent sweet gales of Winds he caused that there were no Tempests upon the Sea nor Blasts upon the Land by his goodness we escaped such a Thunder and Lightning and mischiefs that fell upon others therefore him we must glorifie and be really thankful Psal 107.31 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the Children of men 6. To keep the Lord sure on our side I mean in an holy way because he and he alone can make all go well on our side No wonder if Windes and Tempests be let loose upon Jonah when Jonah is fled from the Lord We may thank our selves for sundry terrible storms and unseasonable times that come upon us our foolishness hath so armed the justice of God against us Satan can raise winds and tempests And take this for a Motive The Devil and his Instruments can raise turbulent Winds and Tempests to do us a displeasure If they have leave from God we see in Jobs case what they are able to do Not that he can create Winds and Tempests but â—f there be any in all the world he can bring them together â—â— and direct them to such an House or to such and such â—ersons He is the Prince of the air Eph. 2.2 and is permâ—tted to do great mischiefs against sinners yea and against the Saints of God Luke 13.18 Satan had bound a Daughter of Abraham eighteen years Others were possessed of Devils and suffered exceedingly Others had their swine Choaked in the waters Our Saviour himself was hurried of the Devil from place to place Books have been written De Praestigiis Daemonum Wierus But besides these there are real storms and mischiefs that are done by wicked Spirits whereof two Notes are given 1. That they are raised on a suddain even in the fairest and quietest weather that is 2. That on a suddain all is husht and gone as if there had been no such commotion at all with other Discourses not much to our purpose Take heed and fear not these wicked ones whose power is limited though their Malice be unlimited but God who is the watch-man of Israel
amiable Name and may win sinners to seek to him The Lord the Lord merciful and gracious The Kings of Israel were accounted merciful Kings and much more is this King of Israel If so be that God will think upon us Note 6. Thoughts of love to the godly The Lord hath thoughts of Love and Peace toward his people Jer. 29.11 I know the thoughts of peace that I think toward you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end Namely out of the counsel of peace which he had within himself before the foundation of the world Zech. 6.13 The counsel of peace shall be between them both that is Christs Kingly and Priestly Office Or it may be a phrase referring to the sense of man We are apt in great distress to think that God hath forgotten us and will he be no more gracious Psal 77.8 9. hath he shut up his loving kindness in everlasting displeasure and if he did but think upon us in what a sad case we are he would certainly arise and do for us So these here Oh that the God of Heaven would think of us for good and elsewhere Ar se O Lord O Lord stir up thy strength hide not thy face leave us not come and save us Otherwise in absolute consideration the Lord thinks on all men and Affairs in the world His providence reacheth to all and to every particular He sent this Tempest upon the Mariners and saw in what distress they were But their Prayer is they would have mercy that they might well get out of their distress He saw the affliction of Israel in Egypt and meant to bring them out of it Use A means to settle faith Now this is good and comfortable for each doubting Christian who conceits sometimes in his weakness to be rejected and forsaken of God but indeed is not the Lord at worst thinking of a deliverance or supply and what is the best way and time to effect it A Nurse sees her Châ—ld to be too venturous and seems to leave it to it self but her eye is full upon it even so doth our God And though Nurses and Mothers should be unnatural yet will not the Lord Esa 49.14 15 16. Good words to settle the peace of a troubled spirit but may also serve our turn in great distresses of the world Tempests at Sea Commotions at Land troubles in the private Estate all threatning our Ruine and then we begin to question the Love and Providence of God Judg 6.13 If the Lord be with us why is it thus But check this unbelief we need not put it upon this supposition if so be that God will think upon us he will most certainly think and do and delever in due time and in the mean time support our hearts with comforts of his Spirit he is a God of â—udgment Esa 30.18 and knows our frame and when a deliverance will be most seasonable Note 7. God able to save in great distress Thank upon us that we perish not God is able in great distress to keep us from perishing and will if he see it good for us These heathen Mariners saw that if they could get God on their side they should not perish though it were a terrible boisterons threatning tempest And we see in the end that they did not perish So in these dayes amidst all our civil Tempests our Land hath not yet perished and so long as God thinks thoughts of peace towards us it shall not perish though winds and storms beat upon our Bark never so violently Use Hear and believe and say as Psal 46 1 2 3. God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble Therefore will we not fear though the Earth be removed and though the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea Though the waves thereof roar and be troubled though the Mountains shake with the swelling thereof Say as those that were going into the fiery furnace Dan. 3.17 Psal 42.11 Our God is able to deliver us Rate away all unbelief as David did Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou so disquieted within me still trust in God who is thy help and the light of of thy countenance Mark what our Saviour saith Let not your hearts be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me John 14.1 Note 8. Carnal ones are all for temporals That we perish not All the care of carnal people is to be delivered from temporal evils from Ship-wrack from Pestilence from Losses and Crosses of the world so Pharaoh Deliver me from this death only ye may apply it to every particular Plague which comes and threatens us Let people escape and presently they are as bad as ever All the care is to get out of Gods hand for the present Israel in want would fain have Bread or Water and be delivered from the fiery flying Serpents or get through the red Sea but when their turn was served presently they were as bad as ever Oh no may some say we mind our Souls too Object we would get them saved we were undone else Answ Answ 1. No doubt but ye have good wishes to that purpose wicked Balaam would fain die the death of the Righteous when people are so far enlightned with Principles of Religion as our people are no wonder if they desire to be saved Heaven is better then Hell better be happy when they die then go to Hell to be tormented in those flames 2. That they are but wishes appears by their negligence For temporal deliverance they will take any pains be at any cost use all the Friends they can make and never be quiet till they be delivered We see what these Mariners did not to perish they prayed they cast their Goods into the Sea they rowed hard to bring the ship to Land and so do our people now-a-days for Temporals But what diligence do they give to make their Calling and Election sure where is the man that works out his Salvation with fear and trembling how few are they that set themselves into a serious course of Religiousness There needs the most pains to be taken but very few are willing take those pains Christians take most pains not to perish everlastingly Use Mind spirituals God hath done much to that purpose and Christ hath suffered much Ye see it in John 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlrsting life And ye have the means to believe namely the Preaching of the word Rom. 10.17 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God And ye have had rousing summons in these times to awaken security winds and storms of State arose very high and some Earthquake continue to this very day A marvel we are not perished already and by our sins and security we deserved to perish eternally Only there
his good pleasure toward them In no point may the Name of God be taken in vain so not in this And as every creature must be sanctified by the word and prayer so must this Remember and fear the judgment of God upon them that take his Name in vain If any object that the occasion and Company will not bear prayer I answer at least let there be an Ejaculation 3. If it be so be thankful for any good that is received by lot looking up to the hand of God who hath cast it upon thee and not upon another The whole disposing of it was of the Lord therefore let him have all the glory It was not Luck and Fortune but God must be acknowledged Especially when the Lord himself is the lot and portion of thy soul as David said Thou art the lot of mine inheritance remember much and often to bless the Lord as he did Psal 16.5 6 7 8. Use 4 4 When lots cross a man let him learn to be as Jonah patient and contented Say it is the Lord that hath thus disposed of the business 1 Sam. 3.18 it is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good should I desire any thing which the Lord sees not good for me or when he hath declared his mind should I wriggle or murmure or carry my self otherwise then becomes the Child of God I will not do it Come and let us cast Lots that we may know for whose cause this evil is come upon us Note In great afflâ—ctions we look at great sins It is the Nature of man to think there is some great sin where they see a great judgment of God Who did sin this man or his Parents that he was born blind And those that suffered those great Evils were accounted greater sinners then all the Galileans or all that were in Jerusalem Luke 13.1 2 4. Where Christ assures us of the contrary I tell you nay â—ohn 9.2 but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish v. 5. And if these Mariners had been asked whether each of them had not deserved this horrible Tempest to die by it they would have shrunk at it and not have confessed And every one would save one therefore they put off the danger to others Otherwise there needed no lots to be cast but every one confess his guiltiness be humbled reformed and give satisfaction to his god who was offended Use 1 Take heed of this spice of Nature and of the Pharisees Talk not of great sinners and little sinners nor censure them that suffer great Evils as if they were the greatest Offenders Possibly they may be great Offenders but what is that to thee Thy rule is not to judge that thou be not judged and judge nothing before the time and Mat. 7.1 1 Cor. 4 5. Rom. 14.4 who art thou that judgest another mans servant and The greater sinner the man is the more he needs thy pity and prayers not thy censure and disdain 2. In a common danger let every one recount his own Use 2 guiltiness and do what lies upon him to do for delivering his own soul Remember who said Except ye repent Luke 13.3 ye shall all perish whether ye escape the danger or no ye may escape temporally and perish eternally These Mariners did all escape the temporal evil better then Jonah but without hearty and fruitful repentance they escaped not the eternal vengeance of their sins Jonah upon his humiliation and amendment might escape better then they all 3. This Example tells us that the sin of a godly man Use 3 may become grievous and provoking more then the sins of many others as Jonah to hazard the casting away of many that were in the ship What the Child of God do so and so what one that hath received so much light so many Teachings of the Spirit so many checks of Conscience so many opportunities of glorifying God and of giving good example to others he to flee from God and cast off duty Take heed ye that fear God and keep even reckonings with him Be humbled for what is past and watch better hereafter And the Lot fell upon Jonah Wicked men sometimes in this life are discovered Note and brought to their deserved punishment God hath means and ways enough to it sometimes by lot as here to Jonah sometimes by the Birds of heaven Eccles 10.20 as the Cranes revealed the murderers of the Poet â—â—icus sometimes by the Confession and horror of the guilty persons sometimes by blood â—ssuing afresh out of a slain body sometimes a Friend hath blabbed forth a bloody business before he was aware sometime a Confederate hath turned Enemy and told all the truth Divers ways the Lord hath to bring to light the hidden things of darkness at farthest in the day of judgment Eccles 12.14 1 Cor. 4.5 Reason 1 The Reason is 1. God is Omnipresent and Omniscient and is able to discover the greatest secrets as here in ordering these lots he observed every motion of Jonah to Joppa and to the ship yea the very first motion of his heart in departing from the living God All is naked to Reason 2 the eyes of him with whom we have to do 2. God makes these discoveries for his own glory and for bringing about his own most holy ends as here he meant to have his work done by Jonah in the message that was to be delivered at Nineve And he was glorified in the eyes of these Mariners by this discovery of Jonah ver 10. Jonah made the Lord known to them and ver 14 they said Thou Lord hast done as it pleased thee and ver 16. The men feared the Lord exceedingly and possibly some of them were truly Converted Quest But are lots a lawful way to discover Malefactors when they are to be punished with Death for Felony or Treason Answ Ans It were very dangerous without Gods command in this case to put any to the casting of lots for his life except it be certain that divers well deserve to die but the Prince of his grace intends to spare some by decimating the Army or others that have made a Mutiny Use 1 But if the point in hand stand true it appears vain to sin in hope of secrecy This induceth some to horrible wickednesses The Thief and the Adulterer and other wicked ones hate the light as Death it self and chuse Darkness for acting their Villanies but all in vain as to God whose eyes are in every place Prov. 15 3. beholding the evil and the good Yea the Hypocrisie of idle Professors is fully discerned by him and in this life sometimes they are uncased for Hypocrites as they ever were falling into some scandalous course or from the main truths of the Gospel But at the last day all secrets will be fully discovered and punished Though they dig deep into Hell to hide their counsels and escape the hand of man yet the hand of God they shall not
Master And this is the fruit of Gods fatherly chastisement to the faithful that they learn his statutes and when they are corrected they are instructed out of his Law Psal 94.12 This is all the fruit Esa 27.9 Jonah now will go and do his Errand But this is wanting in the wicked still stubborn 4. Among a Company of wicked men it may be enemies of God and Religion Jonah here is amidst a number of Infidels and see what a profession he makes of his faith the true God is avowed and they led to the acknowledgement of him and afterward they offer sacrifice to him 1 Pet. 3.15 1 Tim. 6.12 13. This also is our duty Give a reason of the hope that is in thee witness a good Confession And this among other Articles I believe in the God of Heaven that made the Sea and dry Land Remember Christians Use and own God openly and against all discouragements or amidst all tokens of wrath fear him as Jonah here professeth and remember what are the effects of fearing God and that fear is put for the whole worship of God Mal. 3.16 they that feared the Lord spake often one to another which may well be because no part of his worship may be void of an holy fear and reverence toward the God of Heaven serve the Lord with fear Psal 2.11 Heb. 12 28. and rejoyce with trembling serve him acceptably with reverence and godly fear pray with an awful regard of his great Majesty tremble at his word Phil. 2.12 And all must work out their salvation with fear and trembling Now from Jonahs Confession of his fault before the Mariners we learn It must be the humility and modesty of Christians Note Confess faults one to another to confess their faults one to another so is the Commandment Jam. 5.16 confess you faults one to another and pray one for another Not only confess to God as in the serious exercises of Repentance but to men whom it concerns to know what evil we have done as here it behoved Jonah to declare what fault he had committed which caused this Tempest God hath pointed him out for a Malefactor and he must acknowledge wherein So this Confession must be twofold 1. Publick if the offence hath been publick and scandalous when the whole Congregation hath been offended the whole Congregation must receive satifaction namely by an open testifying of shame and sorrow So the incestuous Corinthian had punishment inflicted on him by many 2 Cor. 2.6 so should our scandalous members be served that by the shame they may be brought to repentance and their souls saved that the Venom of the bad example may be stopt and go no farther that the mouths of Idolaters may be stopt and they not occasioned to blaspheme that others may fear and not do the like that the Plaister may be as wide as the wound that the love of the Congregation may be gained to the offendor and their prayers and a Brotherly converse together 2. Private if the offence hath been private It shall suffice in such a case that the party offending acknowledge the fault he hath made and the party offended ought to accept of his confession Luke 17.3 4. Take heed to your selves if thy Brother trespass against thee rebuke him if he repent forgive him And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day and seven times in a day come again to thee saying I repent thou shalt forgive him So in the fift Petition of the Lords Prayer Forgive us as we forgive and our Saviours Exposition Mat. 6.14 15. If ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you but if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses Object It were a shame to come to Confession Answ 1. It is a Duty 2. There is a Prophesie that Converts in the New Testament should be ashamed and confounded for their sins Ezek. 16.61 and 20.43 3. This prophesie is fulfilled in Rom. 6.21 What fruit had ye in those things whereof ye are now ashamed 4. There ought to be that humility and modesty in true Christians as to take their shame and blame home to them saying Dan. 9.7 8. To us belongs nothing but shame and confusion of face 5. We have an example of Gods own directing of Delinquents to Confession before the party offended Job 42.7 8 â— Jobs friends had gone awry in rebuking him and therefore they must go and humble themselves before him gain his prayers for them and so be fully reconciled to God and him Hear Christians Use and learn of Jonah to confess your faults one to another Though it be against the Haire and against thy Credit yet be contented Go in Gods way and that is the course to set all at rights as here Jonah though for a while cast into the Sea yet after a while he recovered well enough Numbers learn by the failings of godly men to offend and go astray as they did but learn thou to confess and mourn and amend as they did there they are set for an example and not in the other Non cadendi exemplum c. That we should not lust after evil things as they lusted 1 Cor. 10.6 And that we should take off the offence that hath been given to Children Servants Neighbours Ministers It was a rare example of the worthy Knight Sir A. Cope in prayers with the Family to confess his own personal sins and failings A matter of shame but withall may work much upon the hearers to be like-minded and follow the good example every one in his own private Devotions For the third Then were they exceedingly afraid They were afraid before because of the Tempest and of their danger thereby but now they fear none because they know more fully how the case standeth they know the true God distinctly they know him the cause of this tempest and danger they see an offender discovered in an extraordinary manner they see he is a just God and bears not with sin in his own servant and will see more of him shortly when he sends a calm at Jonahs casting forth and they escape through his mercy Note Stand in awe of Gods judgments The more discoveries we have of God in his Mercy and Justice the more we should be stricken with fear toward him fear to offend him care to please him be the better for his tempests and terrible works among us and by his cords of Love and Bounty be held the closer to him in Duty Job 37 23 24 Touching the Almighty we cannot find him out he is excellent in power and in judgment and in plenty of justice he will not afflict Men do therefore fear him be respecteth not any that are wise of heart see also Jer. 5.21 22 23 24. Use Then worse then Barbarians are those Christians who in all the terrible storms and shakings of the times live securely and fear nothing
God nor Hell nor Curse of the â—aw nor Pestilence nor any of the Judgments which befall others and may befall them they know not how soon Such should consider that as stout men as they have feared exceedingly in seeing the fearful signs of Gods displeasure for sin witness these Mariners stout and sturdy men as that kind useth to be but in this grâ—at Tempest ye see how they buckle Dan 5.6 and ye read in Daniel How at the sight of the hand writing Belshazzars countenance was changed and his thoughts troublod him so that the joynts of his loyns were loosed and his knees smote one against another And all the Sons of Pride the Lord knows to abase c. 4. 37. Consider as stout as thou art upon a great fit of sickness or some other stinging cross thou mayest be brought to fear exceedingly in spite of thy heart as Pashur in Captivity Jer. 20 4. He became a terror to himself and to all his Friends even he that was so lusty to put Jeremy into the stocks An hard-hearted sinner thou art but hast not the strength of Steel or of Stones Beware when Conscience once awakes and sin is set in order before thee Psal 50.21 all thy hardiness will prove but as Stubble when it is put to the Fire And think of the terrors of the day of Judgment a day of darkness and of gloominess when men shall be at their wits ends even the greatest of sinners Rev. 6.16 Better to take thy part of fear here where it may be improved to Conversion Hereafter there will be nothing but torment in thy fear as 1 John 4.18 fear hath torment Then comes the great mischief which never was feared but now shall be felt for ever and ever Lastly for these mens chiding of Jonah Note Why hast thou done this and before ver 6. What meanest thou O sleeper arise and call upon thy God Most justly do they fall under the lashes of mens tongues who slip their necks from the obedience they owe to God Not only Ministers fall foul upon them but rude and barbarous men Jeerers Mockers Slanderers injurious men wrongly perhaps Use but it is just with God whose yoke formerly by you was rejected If ye had kept in with him better ye might better have escaped their Viperous and base tongues Ye wonder at mens unreasonableness but look upward and there ye will find some just occasion given who had Shimei to Curse Ver. 11.12 Then said they unto him What shall we do unto thee that the Sea may be calm unto us for the Sea wrought and was Tempestuous And he said unto them Take me up and cast me forth into the Sea so shall the Sea be calm unto you for I know that for my sake this great Tempest is upon you Parts Two things here meet us 1. How the Mariners advise with Jonah what is to be done in this extremity ver 11.2 What course Jonah adviseth them to take for avoiding the danger ver 12. He gives faithful counsel though it be against himself as we also ought to do For the former of these The Mariners had consulted with God before Consult with God and the godlyâ— inquiring his mind by casting of lots and now they consult with Jonah whom they perceive to be the servant of God though at this time a bad servant wonderful pity and charity and discretion in both Oh for care and Conscience in Christians to take up this example of honest heathens What made these men so gentle But whence this their gentleness in treating with Jonah Answ 1. No question but it was of Gods over-awing and over-ruling their spirits that they should not mischief no hurt his servant Jonah He that restrained Esau and Laban from speaking or doing evil to Jacob did restrain these men also Moral Vertues are of Gods implanting in the heart Prudence Meekness Quietness of spirit judiciousness in proceedings and even fierce spirits use to be tamed by storms and other hideous worke of God 2. They take notice of the God of the Hebrews who had made himself of a long time famous in all those adjoyning Countries how he is now pursuing his fugitive servant and doâ—h not spare him but send wind and tempest after him It is time to be moved with fear and take a wise course for escaping his wrath Heb. 11 7. Noah moved with fear prepared an Ark for saving himself and his Family 3. As they were moved with Reverence toward the Master so with some Reverence toward the Servant who had told them the plain truth how he was a Prophet and ministred unto the Lord but at this time had basely declined the service imposed so in Gen. 20 7. Abimelech must restore Abraham his Wife why For he is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee Respect is to be had to every one according to his Place and Degree most to Gods Messengers Note hence Note Treat genâ—ly with offâ—nders with what Gentleness and Humanity we ought to treat with our Christian Brethren even when they acknowledge themselves offenders as these with Jonah Titus 3.2 speak evil of no man no brawlers but gen la shewing all meekness unto all men 2 Tim. 2.24 The servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men not only to the good and kind but to the froward and faulty 1. That in the quietness of our spirits we may the better Reason 1 find out the way wherein God would have us to go which is not discerned in Passion He that is of an â—asty spirit exalteth folly and He is as a City without Walls anâ— Gates 2. That a due mean may be observed in the punishment that is to be inflicted We ought not to fly upon offenders rashly and furiously but with deliberation and it may be with prayer that we may be moderate and that the punishment may be sanctified 3. The Delinquents have precious and Immortal souls which should be tenderly regarded instructed wrought to Repentance fitted to receive the intended punishment and so saved not die before they be fit to die if it be possible Oh the price of souls not to be redeemed but by the blood of Jesus Christ Use 1 Put on gentleness Now be perswaded to this Humanity and Gentleness A man may learn good of any whoever they be of the Crane and Swallow to know and improve the seasons of grace of the Mariners not to be rash or harsh to offenders yea of the Devil himself who bestirs him the more because he hath but a short time and he trembles at the judgment to come which sundry of ours do not Ob. Sol. Say some This man deserves exemplary punishment it is a plain case there is no doubt to be made To whom I answer Jonahs case was plain enough not only by the tokens of Gods wrath but by his own confession he told them how he had fled from the presence of
his sufferings Christ is as much above Jonah in value and Dignity as Jonah was above the meanest Skipper Such a Saviour and Redeemer we needed and found and could find in none but Christ Not all the Angels of Heaven nor men on Earth that could have saved us from this shipwrack 2. Consider throughly the greatness of the storm which thy sin had raised against thee not a Tempest of wind and sea but of the infinite and everlasting wrath of the great God Who knows the power of his wrath None but Christ Psal 90.11 and the damned and souls in desertion Now the greater our danger is and rightly apprehended the more we hold our selves bound to thankfulness but rightly apprehended it cannot be without deep and earnest Meditation Think a little in what a woful case these Mariners were during the Tempest then compare the infinite waath of the great God which burns to the nethermost hell and all by reason of those pleasant and profitable sins thou so much doatest upon 3. Consider the sweet and comfortable calm which Jesus Christ hath brought by his suffering even all the benefits of justification by faith Rom. 5.1 2 3 4 5 sin pardoned person accepted soul saved prayer heard affliction sanctified every mercy received in mercy And now Satan is disappointed and disabled in the main Possibly he may raise great tempests against the Saints that is persecutions smaller or greater as against Job and his Children and Cattel but in the point of salvation he can do us no hurt at all yea all shall fall out for good in the end chap. 8.28 Christians stir up your selves to a due thankfulnesâ— we may hear shortly how these Mariners upon deliverance offered a sacrifice unto the Lord and made vows ver 16. If they for a temporal what should we for a spiritual and eternal deliverance As the mercy is greater so must the thankfulness be 1. We should offer our sacrifice to the Lord even spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 I mean praise and thanksgiving alms works of Righteousness in our common Calling prayer all holy services of Religion and suffering if we be called thereunto as Phil. 2.17 If I be offered upon the sacâ—â—â—â—â—e and service of your faith I joy and rejoice with you all 2. We should make vows and pay them to the Lord our God Psal 76.11 and do it without any farther delay Eccles 5.4 When thou vowest a vow unto God defer not to pay it Especially the vows that were made in affliction Psal 66.13 14. I will pay thee my vows which my lips have uttered and my mouth had spoken when I was in trouble Most of all those that were made in affliction of spirit in conversion or afterward in going to a Sacrament Psal 116.13 14. I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people Ver. 13.14 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the Land but they could not for the Sea wrought and was tempestuous against them Wherefore they cryed unto the Lord and said We beseech thee O Lord we beseech thee Let us not persh for this mans life and lay not upon us innocent blood for thou Lord hast done as it pleased thee Though Jonah had desired them to cast him into the sea and all should be well yet see how loving and tender-hearted the men are to spare his life Nevertheless the men rowed hard they digged the sea saith the Hebrew they took as hard pains as he that goes to ditching and delving A wonderful matter in Seamen and those heathens but he that gave Joseph favour in the fight of Potiphar and the Keeper of the prison gavâ— Jonah favour in the sight of these Mariners that though he said Cast me forth into the sea yet they rowed hard to bring the ship to dry land Note Be tender of mans life The example teacheth us as far as we can possibly to spare the life of our Neighbour life is a precious thing better then all a man hath beside Skin for skin and all that a man hath he will give for his life it ought therefore to be preserved and cherished to the uttermost and if we can do any thing thereunto we are bound in conscience to do it He that said Thou shalt not kill meant moreover we should prolong life to the best of our skill and power Use Remember Christians and take example by these heathen Mariners together with grounds of Christianity to save the life of any in any of your relations or within any compass of your Calling The Son of man came not to destroy but to save life and so should we The Lord by his general providence preserves both man and beast and so should we And a good man is merciful to the life of his beast much more to his Brother What is it then thy Brother or Friend or Child is in danger of his life 1. Learn of these Mariners to take pains for saving him run ride send call in help use friends do all that may be done to keep him alive By using means we have seen those to live whom we thought very likely to die 2. If there be a plot against the life of any discover and prevent the mischief as did Pauls Sisters Son Act. 23. much more if it be levelled against the lives of many in bringing a Nation to confusion As by prayer so by prudence we must put our selves into the breach and prevent the overthrow 3. Supply food and raiment and all that is requisite to keep Nature alive not only in Children and near Friends but in them that are farther off For this see Jam. 2.14 15 16 17 18. Object He is naught Answ Preserve his humanity that he may have time to wax better 4. If he be sick let him have physick and other cherishing as the occasion requireth The Syrophenicean woman went to Christ in behalf of her distressed Daughter and the Nobleman in behalf of his sick Sonne John 4.46 5. Worldly sorrow causeth death therefore grieve no man over much vex not make him not weary of his life do rather what may be comfortable and chear his spirits against his affliction especially with spiritual consolations and instructions say Faint not nor be weary when thou art corrected Heb. 12. Neither should a man grieve himself for losses or crosses whereby his life and health may be endangered as is too usual and it is a sin It thrusts God out of his place denies his Soveraignty Impeaches his Providence prescribes against his Wisdom and arrogates to ones self the way and praise of finding contentment for his life therefore most justly in stead of contentment a man hastens his own death and goes the sooner to give account to God for his impatience and foolishness Take heed and be moderate They rowed hard to bring the ship to Land Note All pains nothing without God but they could not All mans
Industry without Gods leave and blessing avails nothing Except the Lord build the house and keep the City all that men do will be in vain Psal 127.1 2. And there be many grounds of it as Gods displeasure Mans sin and insensibleness of his sin and of Gods displeasure for crossing him then Gods insisting still on his own way bringing about his own ends blasting of our endeavours and hopes disabling of the creatures disgracing of mans wisdom and intention to bring the sinner to his own bent as is said Man lives not by bread only Deut. 8.3 but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Use Tradesmen see how they decay Many a man doth his true endeavour and takes faithful pains in his Calling and yet can make nothing of it when all is done rows hard and yet cannot bring his Vessel to land is ready to break and gives over his Calling What is the matter the Lord hath sent a storm upon him and it cannot be got to cease the Sea works still and is tempestuous against him do what he can he doth no good upon it Why the Lord is offended with his earthliness and neglect of a religious course Civil he is and observes a form of Religion and toils enough and too much but he is fugitive from God therefore is in great straights Here the man might take notice of Gods displeasure against him and seek to remove it Such cross providence is esteemed a judgment Hab. 2.33 Behold is it not of the Lord of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity so in Hag. 1.5 6. Consider your wayes ye have sown much and bring in little ye eat but ye have not enough ye drink but ye are not filled with drink ye cloath you but there is none warm and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes So now-a-days men make Cloth and cannot sell it would work but cannot provide Wool to set them on work or the inferiour Cloth-workers must be paid but the Master scarce knows how to get bread Great straights one would think that in this leisure-time men would addict themselves more to Religion which in an hurry of businesses used to be too much neglected But I doubt much whether it be so done or no I doubt much of earthly hearts which as yet are alienated from the life of God thence this working sea which continues tempestuous against you Oh no that is not the cause Object some have as little Religion as we and yet have good trading get money and live finely Answ 1. Some of them live upon the quick stock Answ which makes them pine and fret within themselves but they cannot help it Mat. 5 â—5 2. For the prosperity of worldings some of them very wicked it may be meer Atheists there is little comfort in it It is only of the general providence of God whose Sun shines and Rain falls upon good and bad And without repentance there is coming forth against them a tempest which shall lay them in the bottom of the sea of his fiery indignation 3. It were good for Tradesmen in these tempests to think of Gods intention toward them namely of industrious civil and well-natured men to make them Religious men which all this while they have not been to purpose See ye have time enough only find hearts seek God be religious in earnest and then the tempest may cease there may be a great calm Cloathing may be as quick as ever it was Wherefore they cryed unto the Lord we beseech thee we beseech thee Mark how these mariners profit in Religion by little and little At first they cryed every one to his God to be delivered in that great distress but now they leave their Idol gods and cry to Jehovah the God of the Hebrews whom Jonah had preached to them they heard his word and they saw his terrible works which made them afraid and now they call on him alone for mercy and deliverance and afterward we shall hear more of their piety ver 16. This is the progress of Religion in true Converts Note that by little and little they grow very good and zealous like leaven in three pecks of meal working on till the whole lump be leavened or like Corn sown in the field still growing on first the blade then the ear after that the full corn in the ear Mark 4.28 Though their beginning be but small yet their latter end encreaseth exceedingly 2 Pet. 3.18 1 Thes 4.1 So we are commanded Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and As ye have received how ye ought to walk and please God so increase more and more Reason Phil. 1 6. Col. 2.19 Phil. 1.19 The reason is He that begun a good work in them will finish it to the day of Christ it is a Divine conception the seed of God abideth in them and we read of increasing with the increase of God and of Christ the Head whereby all the body so increaseth and of the supply of the spirit carrying on the work with power Ye may conceive these degrees 1. The Convert lives in none of his old sins though pleasant and profitable He is cleansed from all his idols and all his filthiness These Mariners left their gods which their Fathers worshipped and called upon the God of the Hebrews so Naaman Thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt-offering nor sacrifice unto other gods but unto the Lord 2. King 5.17 2. A true Convert improves and grows both by the word and works of God as these by the preaching of Jonah and by the dangerous tempest that lay upon them Grace turns all into the nourishment of it self Ordinances Providences Mercies Afflictions yea sins too to be more humble and stand better upon the guard and turn unto God that smites them 3. A true Convert presently falls upon a course of prayer so to get more strength wisdom and hold of the love of God so did Paul presently upon his conversion Act. 9.11 behold he prayeth These mariners pray to Jehovah that the blood of Jonah may not be laid to their charge and that with earnestness We beseech thee we beseech thee 4. A true Convert studies the point of thankfulness for the great mercy of God in saving his soul as these for saving their lives ver 16. they offered a sacrifice unto the â—ord and we must come before God with our spiritual sacrifices thinking what may be done for his honor What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits toward me and stirring up all that is within us not to forget any of his benefits Temporal mercies bind not firmly but spiritual do 5 A true Convert binds himself to God by honest and faithful purposes even after a mercy received as these when the calm had taken them off from their danger ver 16.
in all their Use 1 course go by their own reason and carnal considerations no matter what God saith or would have to be done but they will proceed as themselves think good not punish naughty children and servants nor execute judgment upon Sabbath-breakers swearers drunkards other malefactors let them alone for pitie we shall let our business we shall be counted busie-bodies c. So did not Jonahs Mariners but proceed saying Thou O Lord hast done as it pleased thee And he is noted for a fool who is wise in his own eyes And there be expresse commandements to the contrary Prov. 3.5 6 7. Be not wise in thine own eyes lean not to thine own understanding and examples of resigning up our wills to the will of God and our prayer sounds to that purpose thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven Take then the word of exhortation in those matters Use 2 not to consult with flesh and blood and say as Cyprian In holy matters there is no room for deliberation Let God be true and every man a lyar Let God be obeyed and every meer man neglected God ought to be obeyed rather then you and do you judge your selves whether this be not fitting Such a one is a friend and such a one is a friend but God is a greater and a better friend Jonah was a very good man but when he fell into the lurch with God and God appointed him to punishment out he must go into the Sea even with his own approbation So of a kind neighbour a good Child a profitable Servant inflict a fitting punishment Only thus 1. Be sure it be the will of God Caution that he suffer as these Thou O Lord hast done as it pleased thee A man must execute no judgment but the judgment of the Lord. The judgment is not yours but Gods Solomon sate on the throne of the Lord. The powers that be are ordained of God and such bear not the sword in vain 2. Inflict the punishment because it is the will of God that he suffer not to wreak thy own displeasure or passion of any kinde but the Lord hath designed him to punishment and tell him so that he may see where his offence lies and with whom chiefly he hath to do not man but God the most likely way to bring him to remorse for his offenâ—e and making of peace with God and amendment of life for the future the chiefe matters which Christians should aime at in all their discipline Use 3 Search out the will of God Lastly let this stir up all of us to study what is the good and acceptable will of God concerning us and that both for the matter to be done and for the manner of proceeding Read meditate search the Scriptures compare one place with another any thing to be directed aright what God would have us to do And there is a rule to enquire of the law at the Priests mouth Mal. 2.7 for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts and to have the book of the law still by us for counsell Deut. 17.18 and Josh 8. David though he had good counsellors yet consulted the word Psal 119.24 Thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellors He had also the Prophets of the Lord about him to take advice withall Gad and Nathaâ— And the Jews must ever have their Levites to tell them Gods minde in matters thou shalt not forsake the Levite all the days of thy lâ—fe It is utterly a fault in Christians that generally they go on their own head aâ—d advise not with the word or Ministers for managing an Office for following a calling for ordering a familie for arbitrating of differences between man and man or for other particulars Whence so many unchristian proceedings animosities contentions unjustice and cruelty or if they hit upon the right it is not in obedience to God and so it is not thank worthy it may be they endure the lash of vile tongues and can have little comfort because they minded not God in the good they did It was but hab-nab and verily I say unto you they have their reward but David in such contempt can comfort himself with this It was before the Lord that I did this and this 2 Sam. 6.21 and became vile in thine eyes For the latter upon the casting of Jonah into the Sea The Sea ceased her raging upon the due execution of judgment the wrath of God is pacified Note When Achan was stoned Israel prevailed against the Canaanites as before We noted this before and may note farther concerning afflictions that they are the Lords messengers which when they have done their Errand shall be called home again When the raging Sea had devoured Jonah presently it ceased from raging Note And therefore afflictions sometimes continue so long upon our backs because they cannot be suffered to speed in the businesse which the Lord sent them upon to wit our humiliation and reformation Note farther how great and present the power of God is in ruling the waters of the Sea Note Gods power to he adored Immediately when God hath satisfaction the Sea ceaseth from her raging As he set it on raging so he restraines it from raging any more So he drowned the whole world with a Sea of waters and divided the red Sea and the River Jordan See Psal 107.25 26 27 28 29 30 It might be applyed to Eighty Eight and was applyed to Theodosius in his battell with Infidels where the winde and Sea fought for him Consider Use and adore the great God whom both the winde and Sea do obey as those in Mat. 8.27 The Sea is a rude and unwildy body and yet findes ears to hear when the Lord hath a voice to utter So had the â—eavers which Christ rebuked and other diseases with other passages of providence We read of great matters attributed to the voice of God Psal 29. And those phrases Command deliverance for Jacob Speak the word only and my Servant shall be whole Man that lives not by bread only but by every word of God But farther if this be so where are they that deny a Providence and ascribe all to fortune good luck constellations and co-operation of second causes such a Generation of Atheists there is in the world but let them take heed he that had stood upon the Sea-shore and seen this sudden alteration of weather with the concurrence of things that went along with it would certainly confesse there was a most High God and Providence which made the change and so did these Mariners vers 16. they feared the Lord exceedingly and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord and made vows Take heed and confesse a Providence live by it submitt to it do as one that acknowledgeth a Providence and as one that would have it to thee a sweet and gracious Providence But how rude are those among us who acknowledge not the power and authority of God whom even the
windes and Seas do obey The Sea ceaseth from raging when God would have it to be quiet but profane persons as the fool rage still and are confident neither word nor works of God can reduce them to obedience nor Magistracy nor any good means whatsoever Others that are enemies of godly men never cease from raging jeering abusing or breathing out threats against them Pharaoh will adventure into the midst of the Sea to overtake and destroy Israel An implacable Generation of men there are who will never cease from sinning till they be in Hell But let us a little re-mind our Type Note Christ dying Gods wrath ceased As when Jonah was cast into the Sea the Sea ceased from raging so when Christ endured the cursed death of the Crosse the wrath of God toward the Elect came to an end as was said from Heaven This is my well beloved Son in whom my Soul resteth He was made a curse for us that we might receive the blessing of Abraham through faith Gal. 3.13 14. This comes from the concurrence of these three Reason 1 things 1. The Person of Christ was of infinite worth being God as well as man and as God he had power to still the raging of these Seas which our Sins had raised against us 2. Christ as a surety had undertaken all Reason 2 the Sins of his people and all the dangers that accrewed thereby stood for a time in the state of the greatest sinner that ever was Esa 53.6 the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us Reason 3 all as on the Scape-Goat 3. It was the agreement of the Father and Son from all eternity that if the second Person in Trinity would take flesh and dye for sinners all the wrath should cease and there should be a full and finall friendship contracted So by this Covenant the wrath of God ceased toward sinners for whom Christ dyed Comfort to beleevers against whom Sin had stirred up an Ocean of wrath and misery Use Comfort to their Eternal condemnation infinitely more and worse danger then ever Jonah and the Mariners were brought into Christ hath dyed therefore all the storm is over and they may be sure it is over and take comfort in the assurance The Mariners were glad when the Sea ceased from her raging and so may they be in the appeasing of Gods wrath The same debt must not be discharged both by the surety end by the principal debtor Whence it is said God is just to forgive us our sins not mercifull only but just 1 Joh. 1.9 Hear and get a weak faith strengthened Peruse those grounds of reason in the reason of the point Peruse the Covenant of grace and the tenor of it Believe and thou shalt be saved Peruse the promises how free they are as well as universall sure and precious Esa 55.1 and Rev. 21.6 And how these great mercies are sealed up in the Sacrament of the Supper a crucified Saviour is here exhibited and all for us therefore conclude we shall escape He needed not to have suffered as for himself for what had the righteous man done no To us he was given and for us he was born A good feast is appointed for cherishing the Guests that come to it and so is this Thou comest with a weak faith and in much doubting yet come and it shall be strengthened Other feasts are not sure to yeild a man nourishment but this is If thou beleevest thou eatest and if thou eatest thou shalt live even for ever Joh. 6.54 Only come preparedly Examine mourn renew repentance and covenant hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Blessed are all such Mat. 5.6 When the Jews was to eat his Pascall Lambe he must prepare him sower Herbs to eat it withall intimating to us that Godly sorrow which Communicants must bring along with them And he that comes mournfully is allowed to go away joyfully He that sowes in tears shall reap in joy Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted And mark such are not only permitted but commanded to rejoyce Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes and again I say rejoyce Phil. 4.4 Psal 32.11 rejoyce in the Lord ye righteous be glad and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart Where still remember the main ground of your joy the storm of Gods wrath is over ever since Christ dyed for his Chosen by his stripes they are healed therefore bid defiance to all hellish Enemies as Rom. 8.34 Ver. 16. Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord and made vowes This is the Mariners thankfulnesse for the great mercy of deliverance and it hath three Clauses Parts 1. For inward worship they feared the Lord exceedingly 2. For outward worship They offered a sacrifice unto the Lord. These for the present 3. For the future they made vowes bound themselves to the service of the true God For the first of these twice before it was said that the Mariners were a fraid vers 5. and 10. once for the storm that was so dangerous to them another time for that they heard Jonah tell of the God of the Hebrews to be his master and that he had declined his service And now again they fear exceedingly when the storm is over Jonah being cast into the Sea A signe their fear of God was a work of grace in them why they fear the Lord and his goodnesse as Hos 3.5 One would have thought it should have been said That they rejoyced exceedingly namely to see the Sea quiet the danger past and themselves set in safety naturall men use to be frolick in such escapes and poure out their hearts unto pleasures it is a matter of ordinary observation But Grace teacheth a man not to rest in the works of God which are joyous and comfortable Note but to look up unto God himself to fear him that is by a part for the whole to perform all worship to him of Faith Love Joy Desire Zeal other gracious affections and actions that are sutable Psal 111.10 So the fear of God is said to be the beginning of wisdome that is an Introduction to all religious affection and behavior Timor initialis as the schooles say neither altogether ingenuous and Child-like as in setled Christians nor altogether slavish as in natural men who are only terrified with their sins and Gods judgments Felix for example but of a mixture of these as useth to be in time of conversion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cl. Alex. a fear joyned with an holy reverence toward the great God and it continues ever with a Christian once converted to bring the work of grace to perfection 2 Cor. 7.1 perfecting holâ—ness in the fear of God Such fear in all likelihood possessed the hearts of these Mariners namely that now presently upon the casting of Jonah into the Sea such a calm followed Oh the great Power and Holiness and Justice and Mercy of the God of
the Hebrews how is he to be feared above all other Gods who can do as he alone therefore him alone will we fear and serve all our dayes So say we at the end of a great Plague or of a great fit of sicknesse or escaping a danger by Land or Water Fire War other terrible matters Oh feare the Lord ye his Saints for there is no want to them that fear him Psal 34.9 Use It serves to reprove all gracelesse people who never fear God that afflicteth neither in the danger nor after the danger to be the better for any of their afflictions Possibly they are afraid while the danger lasteth for the pain or the losse they may sustain and especially the losse of their lives it may be it is Magor-Missabib fear round about Jer. 20 3. they are ready to dye for fear before the evil comes near them sometimes more afraid then hurt but for God in whose power their breath is and who can cast both Body and Soul into Hell Signes of not fearing God him they fear not though that be the only gracious fear commanded in Luk. 12.4 5. 1. For departing from evil as did Job Joseph and the Midwives of Egypt what fear of God is in those that live in the constant practice of one sin or other drunkennesse or what ever it be sin is the greatest enemy that God hath and yet numbers make a trade of is according to the humor of each walk in the way of the wicked or sit in the seat of the scornfull though they have been in great danger of life or estate yet on they go in a tract of sinning The danger is past and they make account they live to do all their abominations 2. For the beginning of wisdome Numbers have no signe of the fear of God in them Sapientia dicitur quasi sapida scientia but Numbers have no savor of God and Religion Mercies Afflictions Ordinances all passages of Providence have no more savor then the white of an Egg no heart to Prayer or other duty or to accept a good motion that is made for edification These Mariners that feared the Lord offered him sacrifice but where are these mens sacrifices great and precious mercies are received but what return do they make in way of thankfulnesse 3. For perfecting holinesse in the fear of the Lord how doth this agree to those who fall back from the good way of God either into Heresie or Profanesse or Worldly-mindednesse or those that stand at a stay in Religion A round of dutyes there is and that is all the space of many years makes no difference in their profession unlesse it be for the worse they would be troubled if they thrived no better in their outward estate but for the estate of their Souls they minde no thriving 4. For fearing the Lord exceedingly as did these Mariners Numbers profess to fear God but they fear men more Losses Troubles Dangers Persecutions excessive fear surpriseth them that they are taken off from duty Prov. 29.25 and the way of God the fear of man is a snare and catcheth many unto Atheism Or they fear the Lord and the gods of the Land as did the mungrel Samaritans 2. King 17.33 5. The fear of God hath a dash of holy joy with it as Psal 2.11 rejoyce unto him with trembling fear him as a glorious God but rejoyce in him as a loving Father reconciled and tenderly affected in Christ So the Childe fears his Father and the wife her Husband But numbers mind no such relation between God and them or care not to have it or presume to have it but get no comfort by it in a dark houre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their fear is an heavy passion of unbesâ—efe Adde outward worship to inward 1 Cor. 6.20 For the Second They offered a sacrifice unto the Lord. Outward worship must be added unto inward As we must glorifie God with the Spirit so also with the body for both are God's and both are bought with a price And the same God made both Soul and body and deserves to be served with both commands and expects it What kinde of sacrifice these Mariners offered to the Lord we read not nor is it materiall to know Only this they had Learned by tradition of their neighbours and by the neighbourhood of the Jews that thank-offerings would do well in way of gratitude for deliverance and so did all the Gentiles round about therefore so do they Note Express thankfulness in good actions Our lesson is In way of thankfulnesse for mercies received we must use holy expressions of Loyalty and duty to our good God not only fear him with other internal vertues as before but with outward worship and service Christians also have their sacrifices of righteousnesse appointed for them as was prophesied Deut. 33.19 But what are they Answ 1. A mans whole self with all powers of Soul and Body Rom. 12.1 Present your selves a living sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable service 2. Holy and hearty prayers Pro. 15.8 The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight 3. Hearty praises with voice and life Heb. 13.15 By Christ let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually 4. Works of love to the poor members of Jesus Christ Ver. 16. With such sacrifices God is well-pleased 5. Releif and comfort to good Ministers who need assistance Phil. 4.18 An odor of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well pleasing to God 6. Suffering in the cause of God Ch. 2.17 If I be offered upon the sacrifice of your faith I joy and rejoyce with you all 7. All parts of the publick or private worship of God 1 Pet. 2.5 A spiritual Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 8. All dealings with men carried in a loving and righteous manner Psal 4.4 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and put your trust in the Lord. Whereby we see that none hath cause to say he wants Use 1 a way and means to shew his thankfulness to God for great mercies and deliverances he hath received None but may so express Levitical sacrifices are ended in Christ and he is loth to offer sacrifice in a blind manner as these Mariners did and I desire to testifie my thankfulness for escaping such a danger or receiving such a mercy but what should I offer Answ He hath shewed thee O man what he requireth and what he will accept as a gratuity Mic. 6.8 and the Map now delivered shews a great Bed-roll of Christian sacrifices Peruse and see if one way or other thou canst not offer a sacrifice to the Lord only find the Altar of an holy heart and a sacrifice will quickly he had Out of the abundance of the heart will come forth much good A man possibly hath not wealth to distribute among the poor or is not called to
suffer for the truth and way of God cannot entertain Ministers cannot build and endow Hospitals repair Bridges do other works of bounty as our fore-fathers were wont to do Shall he therefore be wholly excused of offering to the Lord No the poorest and meanest Christian that is out of a gracious heart is able to pray praise God live holily deal righteously converse to the Edification one of another Calves of the lips spiritual sacrifice a body prepared and fitted to do service and a mind with meditations and affections Use 2 Offer these and it shall suffice The Jew that was not able to bring a Bullock must bring a pair of â—urtle-doves or two young Pigeons so the Christian let him do his best and it will go for currant Only with this Caution he that is able to offer a great sacrifice shall not be excused by a less Cursed be the deceiver who hath a male in his flock and sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing Mal. 1.14 or offers the torn the lame or the sick shells of outward service or old age that is now able to do nothing for God or meerly good meaning without doing what might and ought to be done as some do flatter themselves all such are deceivers and draw a curse upon themselves instead of a blessing These Mariners offered what they could but so do not these For the third they made vows Not only in the present did these Mariners worship the Lord but meant to worship him for time to come and thereunto bound themselves by vows 2 King 5 17. so Naaman the Syrian Hereafter I will serve no God but the God of Israel Note This is the right use of afflictions and of escaping out of them not only be Religious for a time but for ever Many can seem to be Religiously affected while they are under Gods rods or when they are newly got out of his hands but in a little space grow as bad as ever it may be more hardened as iron that hath been heated and cold again Take heed of dodging with the God of Heaven Use He looks for plain and honest dealing of those he delivers or to whom he vouchsafes mercy It is a condition upon deliverance from enemies To serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life Luke 1.74 75. The mercy lasteth alway and so must the duty and no reason can be alledged for ceasing from that duty Go then and learn what means to hear for the time to come to pray continually Esa 42 23. to receive Sacraments often even untill Christ come They made vows What we read not nor matters it Vows of Christians what they are But to our purpose 1. The main matter of Christian Vows is that we bind our selves to the Lord in a Covenant that shall never be broken as Presper said Seipsum voveas seipsum reddat he that will vow to the Lord let him devote himself and render himself to his Majesty and David said Ps 119.106 I have sworn that I will keep thy Commandments not Counsels but Precepts are the grounds and bounds of a Christians vows Therefore not Monkish nor any other will-worship 2. The entrance into a lawful vow is at our Baptism where we promised to be the Lords to believe to obey to renounce all his and our enemies implyed in that phrase Baptized in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost that is dedicated devoted set apart for his service and glory relinquishing all others as a good Wife to cleave to her Husband alone 3. The vow of Baptism is renewed many times afterward either at a Sacrament of the Lords Supper or in the time of danger and it ought to be Religiously remembred and observed as Psal 66.13 14. I will pay that my vows which my lips have uttered and my mouth hath spoken when I was in trouble Whether these Mariners kept their vows we know not but are sure that we ought to keep ours Use Remember and make Conscience of performing these vows be as faithful in keeping them as thou seemdst Religious in making them Remember the fears and pains and cares of those sad hours and what religious affections were then stirring mind all those passages and now reduce all into act Now is the time now and ever Take heed it will be no safe mocking of God Gal. 6.7 Be not deceived God is not mocked All the mocking would return upon thine own soul to thy eternal damnation Where for better performance remember that clause not to put off the paying of vows Eccl. 5.4 When thou hast vowed a vow to God defer not to pay This delay is it which marres abundance of good purposes and resolutions while we think there is time enough the motion dies and no good effect follows A deceitful heart a subtle Devil a flattering or encumbring world vain or wicked Companions draw quite another way Ver. 17. Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights Our Saviour calls it a Whale Mat. 12.40 Jonah was so long in the belly of the Whale Whales and other great fishes Possibly it is the Leviathan described in Job 41. Or it may be the Crocodile Histories tell of fishes of incredible bigness and our people have seen the Grampos the Sturgeon the Man-fish the Mermaide and other and Navigators have seen the Sea-Horse the Sea-Bull and other strange Monsters and of strange greatness All made by God and are at his beck and serve to set forth his praise see Psal 104.24 25 26. At the Text it is said that God prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah Here is in wrath mercy Though God will have his servant cast into the Sea yet he will not have him drowned in the Sea No he loves him better then so and hath more work for him to do which though he declined at first yet afterward he shall be willing to do Note how the providence of God reacheth to the bottom of the Sea and swayeth among the fishes Note God rules ever fishes He that sent a wind and thereby a storm and afterward caused the Sea to cease from her raging now sets a fish in readiness to take Jonah to custody and then restore him to land again So he sent the fish to Peters hook Mat. 17.27 and a multitude of fishes to the Apostles nets Luke 5.4 9. and John 21.3 8. Now bless the Lord O my soul Psal 103.12 in all places of his dominions Use 1 Sea Land Fire Air Clouds all made by him and disposed of by him and all for the good of his Chosen as those wondred at the huge draught of fishes and saith the Text they knew it was the Lord none but the Lord could gather those fishes together And it follows Christ gathered them together therefore Christ is God and accordingly he is to be feared loved honored
obeyed in all our course of life Both Creation and gubernation are ascribed to him therefore he is God He made us Use 2 and he feeds us therefore he is God Ps 135.6 Again it is comfort to the good Subjects of his dominion that he hath to do and doth what he will both in Heaven and Earth and in all deep places When we travel in waters or occupy businesses in that Element there he sits and overrules all In the great and threatning waves of affliction he orders the Event for good to the faithful Psal 32.6 Surely in the flouds of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him Mat. 8.26 14 31. Rev. 20.13 Esa 43.2 When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee For the Disciples he rebuked the wind and sea and there was a great calm And he took up sinking Peter into the ship and one day the sea shall give up her dead There is comfort also in the preparations and provisions that the Lord makes for us both by sea and landâ— He that prepared a great fish for Jonah prepares for us a multitude of fishes both small and great precious for their usefulness and pleasant by their variety Food Physick Oil Bone abundance of uses for the enriching of a Nation whereunto adde that God first taught the art of making ships for Navigation so Noah by his instruction Heb. 11.7 prepared an Ark for saving himself and his Use 3 Family And if it be so believe in God for supply of all your wants In all straights say as Abraham God will provide He that appointed Jonah to be cast into the sea prepared a fish to save him from drowning He that sent a Famine upon Canaan sent Joseph before into Egypt for a Caterer for us also he will provide what is wanting and shall be expedient Believe it and beware of the chiding Why did ye fear because ye brought no bread Jonah was in the belly of the fist three days and three nights Miraculous preservation of Jonah Here is miracle upon miracle A storm raised a calm restored a fish prepared for safety a man kept alive in his belly so long and no longer and then set on dry land again wonders that the fish was so ready for him that he escaped crushing between his teeth which stood in great rows as Sawes to knap him asunder that the digestive force of the fishes stomack was so long restrained that he was not choaked wiâ—h waters and weeds that came about him that he was tost from one side of the fish to another that all this while he had no way of free breathing yet there he was and there he prayed and thence he was delivered Admirable preservation Note the wonderful power of God Note And of others who in the midst of dangers can preserve his people even where no hope of safety appears Jonah in the Whales belly Israel amidst the red sea and in Jordane with bread from heaven water out of a rock one sute of Apparel to serve a man for forty years together The three Jews to breathe and live in an hot fiery furnace and come forth again Daniel to escape well enough in the den of Lions Noah in a world of waters and among all sorts of beasts all came to him and the wildest were made tame so to live with the rest Fables will an Atheist say who can believe Against Atheists or how can these things be Answ 1. Ask sense and experienâ—e how lives the Child in the womb for some moneths together where he neither breathes nor takes nourishment by the mouth yet a continual business as appears in the Birth of Children John 20.29 2. He must needs be a gross Atheist who will believe no more then he sees Blessed is he that hath not seen and yet hath believed Spiritual matters are as much above sense for perceiving as they are for worth The soul is far better then the body yet not seen as the body is and God who is infinitely better then both 3. Jesus Christ who is the true and faithful witness hath given testimony to this History of Jonah and his Whale that he was three days and three nights in the belly of the fish And whosoever shall infringe the truth of Christ in his assertions shall never find him a Saviour A Revenger he shall find him but not a Saviour The wrath of God abideth on him 4. Poets and Heathens have a fable of Ariou Methimnaeus carryed by Dolphins along the sea into his own Countrey no doubt but some glimmering of this History of Jonah Gualter or rather a fable invented by the Devil to obscure this History that it should not be credited as to render the Apostles suspicious he cryed out Act. 16.17 These are the servants of the most High God who shew unto us the way of salvation Use Expect deliverance when least likely Now remember this against times and cases of very great danger God is the same and his power is the same and his love and his care and his truth and all his Attributes and if thou be the same with Jonah in faith and holinesse thou shalt find the same protection and deliverance so far as shall be good for thee I am the Lord I change not Object There is the scruple may some say I am no whit like Jonah that God should so take care of me Sol. Answ 1. The least degree of true faith and holiness is accepted with God and shall keep the head above water Peter was a man of little faith and yet by his little faith he was able to walk upon the sea and if he had held fast his confidence as he began he should not have sunk in the least nor cryed out for help as he did 2. Though Jonah was a very good man yet at this time he was very faulty and in wrath cast forth into the sea Hab 3.2 Only the Lord in wrath remembers mercy toward him and so he will toward thee The gifts and calling of God are without repentance no unbelief of ours can make the faith of God of none effect nor break off the tie between him and a believing soul Oh but my case is very grievous Object A devouring evil lies upon me Answ Thy case is not worse then Jonahs case was Sol. he was devoured by a Whale and this devourer was the means of his preservation Judg. 14.14 Out of the eater came meat and out of the strong came sweetness Thou sayest I see no likely means of my deliverance no more did Jonah and yet he is delivered even in a way quite contrary God saves by means without means above means or against means Oh but mine is a tedious affliction Ob. Sol. it hath lain long upon me and now what hope remains Answ 1. Jonah was in the Whales belly three days and three nights no doubt but that he had sad thoughts
6. For thou hast cast me into the deep in the midst of the seas and the floods compassed me about all thy billows and thy waves passed over me Then I said I am cast out of thy fight yet I will look again toward thy holy Temple The waters compassed me about even to the soul the depth closed me round about the weeds were wrapt about my head I went down into the bottoms of the mountains the earth with her bars was about me for ever yet hast thou brought my life from corruption O Lord my God Amplificatio prima Here the Prophet amplifies his prayer by the greatness of the danger whereinto he was brought the fishes belly the belly of hell the deep the midst of the seas bottoms of mountains weeds floods and billows Being escaped out of the danger nevertheless he recounteth the danger wherein he had been as every godly man also will do Nature teacheth a man to be sensible of present evils Note Recount old sufferings troubles and dangers but grace teacheth to mind old ones as of which he hath a saving use to make so did Jacob Gen. 32.10 with my staff I passed over this Jordan a poor and desolate man and David I followed the Ews great with young and Amos tells how he had been an Herdman and had gathered Sycomore fruits chap. 7. Use Benefits accrewing thereby Do so Christian now that thou art set in a large place out of thy troubles There be these good uses to be made of this recounting former evils 1. It will keep thee humble and low in thine own eyes though now increased into two bands mighty high preferred before many of thy brethren time was when thou wast low enough remember and be lowly-minded as God seems to set it down for a remedy against perking Deut. 8.2 Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness to humble thee and to prove thee to know what was in thine heart whether thou wouldest keep his Commandments or no. It is the great sin of many a man that he is lifted up with present prosperity though sometime he was in a very low estate yet now that he is got into a mountain Psal 30.6 he stands cracking as if he should never be moved And none must mind him of his old poverty or meanness he that doth doth break the peace and sometime it comes to daggers drawing and much ado there is to be reconciled as friends should be Possibly there may be a fault in such twitting a man with his ancient poverty but yet a godly man should take it well so to further his humility which it is hard to retain 2. It will make and keep thee thankful for the comfortable change which God hath made in thy estate as Jacob there confessed to the glory of God and as Israel was required to do Deut. 8.10 when thou hast eaten and art full thou shalt bless the Lord thy God Thankfulness is a grace that will wither as soon as any flower in our Garland and needs to be thus watered Remember the terrors of the late wars so to be thankful for our present peace Remember the terrors of thy burning feaver which thou hadst at such a time the sleepless nights tormenting fits of the Gout or Stone publick evils that lay upon the Church or threatned it shrewdly as in Queen Maries time in eighty eight in the Gunpowder-plot and others whereof we may say as the Psalmist had not the Lord been on our side Ps 1â—4 1 2. the proud waves had gone over our soul blessed be his holy Name for so great deliverances 3. It will help to bear up your faith in expectation of future deliverances as the Apostle said God hath delivered from great death and doth deliver and we trust also he will deliver 1 Sam. 17. 2 Cor. 1.9 10. and David He that delivered me from the Lion and the Bear will deliver me also from this uncircumcised Philistine so one of us God hath helped when I was as low as this comes to this is not the first time that I was in want or danger I remember such and such a straight I cannot well be worse then I was at such a time and yet it pleased God in mercy to send seasonable supply or deliverance therefore in this case also I will not faint nor cast away my confidence Esa 59.2 see Psal 77.10 11 12. Gods ear is not heavy nor his hand shortned nor is he weary of bestowing benefits therefore trust in him still Still there are promises and a covenant of grace and Christ a Mediator for me and bowels of a Father power faithfulness wisdom all divine perfections therefore fear nothing And note by the way one part of the great gain of godliness Godliness takes advantage by every thing to promote the main which is sanctification and salvation that all shall work together for good to them that love God Rom 8.18 and are called according to his purpose Afflictions past and present yea and sins too to be the more humble and more wary for time to come whence we hear Jonah telling of his fleeing to Tarsus and Paul telling how he had been a Persecutor c. Thou hadst cast me into the deep Gods own Child may be cast into deep and great afflictions as Jonah Joseph David Note Saints sometimes deeply afflicted other holy men who without all doubt were very dear unto God yea his own only begotten Son the Lord Jesus Christ he had one Son without sin but none without affliction And why though he love them all well Reas yet he will not make fondlings of them and though they be good in the main yet they have their faults now and then and they need correction witness Jonah at this time And they have their corruptions which need to be more mortified and their graces must be tryed and made more conspicuous which is not done but in the furnace of affliction And the Devils mouth must be stopped who will be apt to say as against Job that they serve God meerly for prosperity who yet was true to God when he was stript of all Therefore let no godly man misdeem his estate because Use 1 he suffers such and such evils Ecc. 9.1 None can know love or hatred by all that is before him there be other tryals to know it but affliction is no tryal And mark how Jonah professeth his faith in God even now when he thus amplifies his affliction The best employment certainly in such a sad condition is to find out the sins which occasioned the breach and those ends which God aimes at This is our part to look unto and let God alone to do his part which will be for good in the end No Artist must have his work esteemed by some particular piece of it Neither misdeem the estate of others who are so deep Use 2 in
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
that are of a poor spirit and ready to faint in the sight of their sins or fear of Gods displeasure some are of a tender spirit and should be handled tenderly Rough speaking or doing would even quite over-set them and bring them to a despairing faintnesse In such cases we should note and be tender and pour in oyl to heal their wounds so did Christ Esa 50.4 he spoke a word in season to him that was weary and it hath been said nothing doth so discover a man to be spiritual or according to the mind of Christ as the gentle handling of another mans wounds Use 2 But let these careful souls help themselves by ways and means which the Lord hath appointed Help against fainting fits As against bodily faintings we get hot waters and other helps so should we against these faintings of spirit As thus 1. Get thy faith strengthned as much as may be Faith is a special reviver of the soul in evil times Ps 27.13 I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living as how because it draws vertue from Christ and from his intercession who is a quickning Head and from the promises and covenant which also have an enlivening power and it gives the poor soul a view of heaven to fetch life again 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. for which cause we faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day for our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a more exceeding and eternal weight of glory while we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen those temporal these eternal 2. Wait upon God in the diligent use of his Ordinances Cant. 2. these are the flagons which stay a soul that is sick of love to Jesus Christ and see Esa 40.29 30 31. he giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he increaseth strength Even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly faâ—l But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint Christians ye converse daily in Ordinances adde diligence and good conscience and your faintings will wear off by little and little No such Cordials as the Word and Sacraments well improved 3. Pray and it shall be done God is he that sendeth this faintness into the soul and it is he that must take it away Levit. 26.36 I will send a faintness into their hearts and he that wounds must heal again He that cast Jonah into the Whales belly and into the fainting fits did set all at rights again I will look up again toward thy holy Temple I remembred the Lord and my prayer came in unto thee unto thine holy Temple Here Jonah amplifies his prayer by the hope he nourished amidst his great danger he was not without some hope even when he fainted most and thought himself cast out of Gods sight And all these three days and nights he was well employed A good soul at lowest hath some working toward God for comfort and deliverance and ought to be well employed during the time of his affliction Yet I will look again toward thy holy Temple that is Heaven A good soul from the belly of hell can look toward heaven as here Jonah No distance of place Note Out of hell seâ—â— heaven nor lowness of condition can hinder this prospect Steven amidst the stones looked up and saw the heaven open and Jesus standing on the right hand of God Moses in Pharaohs wrath and threats saw him that is invisible and endured all Micaiah saw God on a throne and was hardned against his meeting of wicked Ahab Reas 1 All from the nature of faith which is the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 By faith Abraham saw the day of Christ and rejoyced By faith he and the old Believers embraced the promises By faith Paul and his fellow Apostles looked not at things seen which are temporal but at things not seen which are eternal and They walked by faith not by sight that is spiritual encouragements not carnal Use A good memenâ—o for a Saint in low condition whether by sickness or otherwise Upward upward below all is black and uncomfortable but upward all is clear and joyous Make use of thy faith to carry thee far above all these tumults fogs and confusions why a sword by the side and not defend against a thief why faith in the heart and not strengthned by it in threatning evils why as heartless and comfortless as he that hath no faith to support himself Remember how David rated away his unbelief Psal 42. Why art thou cast down O my soul and remember how our Saviour chode Peter for fearing Mat 14 31. Why didst thou doubt O thou of little faith Ob. Sol. Oh but I have something sticks by me that is of an higher importance my sins which are many and great Answ So had Jonah at this time he had greatly sinned against God in refusing the service imposed and said he was cast out of his sight but mark the adversative Yet I will look toward thy holy Temple he would not seal his disobedience with unbelief and impenitency one sin to another They say Judas did worse by despairing then in betraying his Master And mark the word again he had conversed with God formerly and found comfort while he held on in a course of duty but now upon this baulk made the sweet communion was interrupted therefore he saith again so thou though thy sins be many and great yet return yea though they be relapses yet again come to thy God by repentance there is a promise for healing our backslidings Hos 14 4. Though man will not pardon faults by recidivation yet God will Jer. 3 1. thou hast played the harlot with many lovers yet return again to me saith the Lord. And if comfort come not presently yet look again as Jonah here at thy first looking thou mayest misse of mercy but look again it will come at last at the last looking rain came according to the prayer of Elias When my soul fainted within me I remembred the Lord. A Believer finds a good remedy against his fainting fits Note Remedy against fainting fits to remember the Lord. Where note First there is an head-remembrance which stands chiefly in speculation as that there is a God that he is able to help us in misery that he sees and knows our estate and can put forth mercy and power for our relief If thou wilt thou canst make me whole Secondly there is an heart-remembrance when we look upon God as our God and trust in him and cast our selves upon his care and love to do for us according to our need whether for soul body or
estate 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whâ—m I have believed the desire of our heart is to the remembâ—ance of thy name Oh but David remembred God and was troubled Ob. Sol. Psal 77.3 Answ David was now under a temptation as appears by ver 10. I said it is my infirmity But I say more there is something in God which may trouble even a good soul namely his justice his displeasure at sin his revence for sin sometimes upon his own children and these arm his other Attributes against the soul of a sinner viz. his holiness his power his wisdom his soveraignty his providence and government all terrible where the guilt of sin lies upon the soul which possibly might be Davids case at this time mine or thine But let weak believers take this instruction Use when ye find these fainting fits coming or already come upon you remember the Lord and stay your hearts on him remember him in that form in those relations as he stands to a Believer Remember him as the Lord in covenant as the Lord thy righteousness as the Lord merciful and gracious as the Lord pardoning iniquity transgression and sin as the Lord that bears a most watchful eye of care and providence over thy person and estate that remembers his covenant and thy frailty and knows when a deliverance will be most seasonable Though a Mother forget her Child yet will not I forget thee saith the Lord yea though we forget duty as Jonah did at this time yet will he remember to be gracious And though we know not what to do for our own deliverance in any kind yet he knows well enough and will do it for us he knows to deliver the righteous out of trouble My prayer came in unto thee into thine holy Temple Note Good prayers use to come up before God and get a merciful consideration as Jonahs Salomons Hezekiahs Cornelius others The reason is Christ takes the prayers and presents them to his and our Father Rev. 8.3 4. It is one chief part of his Priestly Office intercession as well as satisfaction and he will be sure to do it to the uttermost he appears for us and makes requests in our behalf Use 1 An encouragement to be much and often in prayer Is it not a speedy way Every good husband will insist in the way wherein he may thrive apace and so should a Christian in the way of praying Audience in prayer is one of the priviledges which belong to a Believer and one of Gods Attributes is that he is a God hearing prayer Use 2 And it teacheth a Believer when he hath made his prayer to the God of his life and mercy to rest assured he shall prevail one way or other as here My prayer came into thy Temple and elsewhere We know we have the Petitions we ask of him and he will speak peace to his people For why it is his promise Ask and ye shall receive seek and ye shall find c. Ver. 6.8 10. Thou hast brought up my life from corruption O Lord my God They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving c. Here the Prophet amplifies his prayer by the effect it had namely his deliverance out of that great danger Parts Thou hast brought up my life from corruption O Lord my God And this is farther illustrated 1. By the contray in Idolaters who misse of mercy because they seek not to the true God v 8. 2. By the thankfulnesse he means to shew for the deliverance v. 9. 3 By the particularizing of the deliverance and how it was effected v. 10. Thou hast brought up my life from corruption O Lord my God There be many in this company that may truly say Note God hath brought up my life from corruption at such a time I was very likely to die I had one foot in the grave I had made my Will and bid farwel to all the world yet it pleased God to add more time to my days I am yet in the land of the living among old friends and neighbours and the time that remains in the flesh I ought and partly have promised to spend in the service of God better then formerly But Whether do I speak those words in way of hearty and Use 1 real thankfulnesse or only in form Examine whether delivered in mercy have I serious purposes indeed to improve this life of mine for the service and glory of God or do I now think of those vows and purposes to perform them effectuaâ—ly If I do do I put forth my best and truest endeavours to bring them into act when Jonah had escaped his great danger he went and did the message though to as great a danger When Hezekiah had been sick and recovered he set to praise the Lord all the days of his life Now these examples are written for our instruction to do the like as bad examples are to be avoided so good examples are to be followed Whether by general mercy or special And if we do not the deliverance out of danger will prove only a common mercy that comes of the general providence of God whereby he saves man and beast and his Sun shines and rain falls on good and bad True Jehovah raised thee out of thy great fit of sickness or some other mischief but thou canst not yet say the Lord my God and yet that is the only right receiving of mercies when one is able to say Thou hast brought up my life from corruption O Lord my God There is a vast difference between these two Saved by the true God and saved by the Lord my God Consider the word especially in 1 Tim 4.10 he is the Saviour of all men especially of them that believe And let all fall closely upon this point to make it sure Use 2 to our own souls The Lord my God My Lord and my God said Thomas my Redeemer said Job he loved me and gave himself for me I pray what think ye is it not great difference to say A good summe of Gold and Silver and This is my Gold and Silver even so is it here A man may be poor enough though he see heaps and treasures of money so in spiritual treasure Know the only happiness stands in the appropriation my God Blessed are the people that have the Lord for their God Psal 144.15 In these Ordinances therefore the main design of Christians should be to make Christ sure to their souls and so be able to say my God my Saviour my Redeemer Him we preach as the chief matter of our pains-taking and in his Name we make offers of the favour of God to be thy God and thine 2 Cor. 6.1 and thine Now receive not the grace of God in vaiâ— be sure to do this business which is the main business to be done Heb. 12.29 and if it be not done this thy God will
one day prove a consuming fire who though he hath brought up thy life from corporal corruption yet not from eternal But come we now to the illustration from the contrary Idolaters miss of mercy because they seek not the true God They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy Jehovah brought up Jonahs life from corruption Jehovah heard his prayer and delivered him of Jehovah is salvation the true God did all but the idol-gods can do none of these things they are vanities and teachers of lies Hab. 2 18. and will deceive all those that trust in them and call upon them But I comprehend under the name of lying vanities Lying vanities what 1. The idols of the Gentiles which the Mariners prayed unto every one to his god Had not Jonahs God delivered them they had been all drowed in the sea none could save as the God of Jonah and of the Hebrews who is also the God of us Christians 2. Those carnal reasonings wherewith Jonah was swayed to leave Nineve and flee to Tarsus whereof he tells us in chap. 4 2. and now he recants all professing to adhere to the true God only Such carnal reasonings we all have and are to exalt high thoughts against the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 Religion with many is measured by meer policy credit multitude thriving in the world and the like lying vanities all of them as to the soul and in Gods matters Yet farther all superstitions are lying vanities that is humane inventions put for Gods worship Psal 40.4 They turn aside to lyes And all Astrological predictions in Moon-prophets who tell of lucky and unlucky dayes Jer. 10.2 And all forms of Religion in hypocrites they compass God about with lyes Hos 11.12 And all good things of this life in worldlings who pursue them immoderately and inordinately Vanity of vanities all is vanity Eccl. 1.2 And all lusts in profane persons called deceitful lusts Eph. 4.22 and we read of deceivablness of unrighteousness in them that perish 2 Thes 2.10 Now accordingly as these vanities are observed more or less what the observing of them so mercy is forsaken Profane and impenitent persons observe these lying vanities totally and finally and so they altogether lose the mercy of God having their portion in this life Psal 17.14 but godly Christians who observe them but a little and only for a while do miss of some mercy they might enjoy as we see in this terrible balk which Jonah made Why their own mercy But why is it called their own mercy Answ Because it belonged to them it was tendered to them they might have had it they should have taken it and not let it go for the best advantage in the world So the Jews are called the children of the Kingdom Mat. 8.12 that is those that belonged primarily to the Church and favour of God But see the like opposition in Luke 16.10 11 12. The words are a doctrine They that observe lying vanities Doctr. Reas forsake their own mercy The reason is mercy is basely undervalued and vanities preferred before it Though it be a precious mercy a soul saving Mercy undeserved free rich the fountain of all good in earth and heaven though it be renewed in a costly way of Christs bloud which is more then the creation of man and the world though it be published and offered in the ministery Take it it is your own be reconciled to God and all shall do well though God be very patient after many of your refusals yet still vanities shall be observed and pursued as the chief good A just forfeit the Lord will not endure the disparagement of his mercy Luke â—4 21 the King was angry when the Guests would not come to his Supper saying Not one of them that were bidden shall taste of my Supper Use 1 Terror to sâ—nd Professors Which may serve for great terror to many Oh that they might be convinced of their great folly and humbled and work wisely hereafter for the welfare of their poor soul 1. Here is extream folly shewed thus Mercy is magnified in general but forsaken when it comes to particulars in the practice and when the main stroke is to be struck it is left as no good bargain as if the salvation of a soul were not indeed a thing to be stood upon never is it weighed well till the day of judgment when it will be too late Christ and his salvation are liked well and presumed on but lost for trifles and lost with a kind of wilfulness it is not said here that they lose mercy but forsake it 2. These vanities will one day be seen to be altogether unprofitable that they cannot profit nor deliver because they are vain 1 Sam. 12 21. Vain to have had pleasure in this life or scraped wealth together or climbed up to honors or to have so drudged about the world as if Religion were no calling for a Christian Then they will say What hath pride profited us or any of the other when the soul is lost and the shame and misery comes Rom. 6.21 Rev. 6 16. they will call the mountains to fall upon them and the hills to cover them Oh hide us from the presence of the Lamb. 3. What a confounding lye will it appear when these vanities appear in their own colours when the man finds himself disappointed of his hopes and mercy lost too no full contentment by his lusts and pleasures when most fully enjoyed no solidity in all his cavils and carnal reasonings mercy pleaded to the losing of mercy as here by Jonah At that day mercy will be found to be the portion of good souls only who love and fear God and at that day it will appear to have been limited wiâ—h certain conditions which at present are overlooked and altogether neglected These conditions for receiving mercy were delivered warily by good Preachers though others could daube and skin them over And they were told what a mortal variance there is between mercy and these lying vanities but would not lay it to heart Oh that now men and women were ashamed as one day they must be now it would be to some purpose they might be converted and saved as the Prophesie went of Converts in the latter days Ezek. 16.63 they shall be ashamed of their doings but in that great day it will be too late it should have been done before-hand Use 2 Christians be exhorted to be tender and chary of the mercy of God toward you Work wisely to find mercy one day and do not exchange it for vanities Ye see it may be forgone and forsaken and the way how it comes about beware of lying vanities no wise man will let go his Land for points and counters and consider withall 1. This mercy is such a thing as the worst among us Mot. 1 do seem to crave and magnifie Oh they hope God will be merciful to them and if
he should not be merciful at last they were in a sad case Oh mercy is all in all what should a sinner do without mercy it is our life it is our salvation it is our all The more shame if poor creatures let it go so slightly as 't is to be feared many do Mot. 2 2. Consider the qualities of this mercy It is infinite it is tender it is free it is rich and abundant and every way worth the keeping The mercy of the most loving man or woman is cruelty in comparison Gods mercy is the only saving way to raise up sinners Luke 1.77 78 He gives knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins through his tender mercy or the bowels of his mercy Now who of us would lose a dear friend for a few pins or points Beware of this extream foolery Mot. 3 3. Mercy cost the Lord dear before he could make it your mercy or you could call it your own mercy Though it be free in respect of his love so ordering a way of reconciliation yet it is not free in respect of Christ and his sufferings It cost him great drops of bloud scourges fears sorrows manifold indignities he found it no easie matter to procure mercy for sinners And should it now be prodigally squandred away and all for trifles what maâ—e a great purchase by expending a great summe of money and idly forfeit it again Mot. 4 4 What a terror one day will it be to have it as your own mercy and let it go to have it merited offered sealed applyed rejoyced in yet lost when all is done Heb. 6.5 to taste of the powers of the world to come and yet fall away and lose all for a little ease or wealth or other vanity what Boy hath a bird in his hand and lets him fly away in hope to catch him again Oh who can pity or help that soul which thrusts away his own mercy 5. Worldly comforts are not our own in comparison Mot. 5 nor worthy to be owned they are but clouts and accidentals to speak off they are easily and quickly put off forfeited lost consumed remembred with bitterness when they are gone Riches take them wings and fly toward heaven Prov. 23.5 Pleasures many time end in pain Honors go out with a snuff And at best these things give not contentment as they promised There is a lye in my right hand saith the Idolater Esa 44.20 in my eye sath the wanton in my heart saith the covetous in my course of life saith the profane or the hypocrite 6. If good things be such lying vanities what shall we Mot. 6 say of lusts of will-worships star-gazings and the like how will these lye and deceive and do a mischief what will be the end of gross and staring sins in many shall they find mercy at the hands of God it is impossible God reserves mercy for them that make a better use of it for vessels of mercy in this life vessels of his praise and by grace fitted for glory Lastly for carnal reasonings let all godly men take Mot. 7 heed by Jonahs example who was almost drowned in Gods mercy when it was perverted to declining of duty Ye see how he fared beware of halting a little or for a while Ver. 9.10 I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving I will pay that that I have vowed salvation is of the Lord. And the Lord spake unto the fish and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land Of sacrificing to the Lord we spake on chap. 1.16 as also of making vows And on v. 17. we spake of the powerful and present providence of God how it reacheth to all the creatures even the fishes of the sea Therefore the less is to be spoken now Note Difference of godly and ungodly But for farther edification note thus There is much difference between the purposes of the godly and the wicked in regard of afflictions 1. The wicked purpose well while under the rod and in great danger the godly when they have now escaped viz. Jonah was now got out of shipwrack and saith he will sacrifice and pay vows but of the Mariners we hear no more A man hereby may guess something of the frame of his heart 2. The wicked make vows but the godly say they will pay their vows In case of revenge perhaps or of some wickedness a wicked man will do it because he hath vowed it as he saith but in case of religiousness he will take more leisure and think of it ten times or an hundred times before he will do it once There is another tryal of your hearts I will sacrifice with the voice of thanksgiving So David sometimes I will offer unto thâ—e bullocks and lambâ— and tell of all thy wondrous works Come children I will tell you what he hath done for my soul I will not hide his righteousness and his doings from the great Congregation I will praise the Lord among the faithful and in the assembly Note â—se expressions of thankfulness A godly man ought to be thankful for mercies and to use expressions of his thankfulness Indeed the marrow of thankfulness lies in the heart and they are hypocrites who are all in good words but where the heart is right and inditing a good matter the tongue may well be allowed to be the pen of a ready writer yea must interpret the mind in way of thankfulness Of this see something in Psal 37.30 31. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom and his tongue talketh of judgement The law of his God is in his heart none of his steps shall slide Eph. 4 29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace to the hearers Col. 4.6 Let your speech be alwayes with grace seasoned with salt that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man Which serves to reprove the barrenness of good speech that appears in some of the godly Use Reproof thankful for â—he mercies of God prize them meditate on them magnifie the love from which they come and mean to follow on in a way of real thankfulness according to their calling but fail in this that they utter not the voice of thanksgiving when and where it concerns them sometime to testifie their gratitude or speak to the edification of others Mat. 12.35 A fault and should be mended A good man out of the treasure of his heart should bring forth good things not only actions but speeches How else shall the lips of the righteous feed many or how shall Idolaters be confronted profane persons brow-beaten or religious friends edified excited unto the like thankfulness provoked to be active as well as our selves but a meer dulness must lie upon our spirits to be very little serviceable in our generation or in the place of our abode I confess there is too much tattle
among some that profess the best things either for censoriousness or running over Town and Country in discourse such as it is and it were well if some talked less except it were to the purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for edifying in godliness Take heed Christians of both sexes and remember this voice of thanksgiving either hold your peace or speak things better then silence that is things useful in one kind or other I will pay that that I have vowed Note Fulfil gracious promises A godly man is careful to do for God as he hath promised as he hath engaged by his word so he remembers to answer his engagement Now and then he runs in debt with God by promising and is so honest as to pay his debts as Jonah here so David in Psal 119.106 I have sworn and I will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgment Reas 1 The reason is 1. God commands to be as honest in performing as we seemed religious in promising Vow Reas 2 and pay to the Lord your God Psal 76.11 2. God expects the performance of lawful vows and promises as from Reas 3 Jacob Gâ—â— 5.1 3. A good soul feels it self bound with a bond to do as he hath said I have spoken and cannot go back Reas 4 saith Jepihah see Num. 30.3 4. As it feels a bond tying so it finds a grace enabling and putting on to the performance Believers are a willing people each of them saith Thy law is within my heart Psal 110.3 40 8. I will sing and give praise and offer sacrifice Use 1 What Christians then are they who are free in their vowing but slack in their performing for instance the sick promises of sick men who in danger of death talk of great matters if they may recover but upon recovery do little or nothing as they said the Minister and other neighbours can see no amendment and their own consciences tell them they have but dodged with God and God who is greater then their consciences knows they did but flatter with their double hearts and tongues al was self and the getting out of his hands So they live to increase their sin and his wrath for sin if they had dyed of that sickness they had had less guilt upon their foul souls and less punishment to be endured in hell Use 2 Take heed and receive the word of exhortation If there be any truth in thy heart shew it by paying what thou hast vowed Upon recovery or escape or receiving of a child or whatever drew forth thy vow remember and be sure to do it Jonahs example is here recorded for thy imitation Go and do thou likewise Luke 10 37. Thou sayest thou art honest now every honest man will pay his debts so far as he is able and so wilt thou if honest indeed And it is well known that the thing vowed is fit to be done As for example 1. Thy whole self dedicated and devoted to God in Baptism and the vow is afterward renewed in affliction or at the Lords Supper or at a Fast Neh. 9. ult and it is a mercy that thou art engaged to God as one of his family of which he takes care and on which he hath setled many high priviledges and thou expectest all those benefits But remember covenants use to be reciprocal and bind both parties so here If God must be bound thou must not be loose 2. All the obedience which possibly thou canst yield unto God to be loved with all thy heart and all thy soul and all thy mind and all thy strength We place not lawful vows in Counsels but Precepts all to be done conscionably and in an entire manner not lust with the heart c. And it will be both thy sincerity and safety to aim at an universal obedience Psal 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments What remains but that every one remember his vow and pay it to the Lord his God And if any mean indeed to do it let us have no more delays as formerly When thou hast vowed a vow to God defer not to pay it Eccl. 5 4. Dely breeds danger One place shall conclude this point Deut. 23.21 22 23. When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God thou shalt not slack to pay it for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee and iâ— would be sin in thee That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform even a free-will offering according as thou hast vowed unto the Lord thy God which thou hast promised wâ—th thy mouth Salvation is of the Lord. Or Salvation belongeth unto the Lord Note God the Author of our salvation Psal 3.8 Or He is the God of our salvation Psal 68.19 God is the Author of salvation to his people 1. Temporal salvation as here Jonah the good man confesseth with the voice of thanksgiving that this his escape out of the sea and Whale is meerly of the goodness of God none could do it but God alone nor for us when we are sick or otherwise grievously afflicted God is and beside him there is no Saviour Esa 40.11 namely out of bondage in Egypt out of the captivity of Babylon and other dangers 2. Spiritual and eternal salvation as to all the Elect who were never in a Whales belly but in a worse case by far Heb. 5.9 Christ became the Author of salvation to them that obey him Mat. 1.21 He is Jesus and saves his people from their sins from the damnation of their sins from the curse of the Law the wrath of God and the brimstone of hell Use Which instructeth unto thankfulness as here we see in Jonah now delivered from death who blesseth God for his deliverance Psal 68.19 Say thou also Blessed be the Lord who loadeth us daily with benefits even the God of our salvation 1. They are sweet and precious benefits health out of sickness freedom from prison and other comfortable changes 2. There is plenty of them a load of benefits with great variety and to our great contentment 3. Their continuance daily benefits and more every day and night and hour and moment of our lives 4. The extent of them or how far they reach us that is all the people of God and all the creatures in general God is a great Benefactor and House-keeper and ought accordingly to be magnified Remember and do These are ravishing and filling meditations to them that shall duly consider the course of providence But especially to them that are heirs of eternal salvation Think what it is to have Christ for a Saviour and what it is to have escaped those hellish enemies and damned mischiefs which befal Reprobates Luke 1.46 Say with Mary My soul doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour Say as Paul Eph. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who
hath blessed me with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in him and as Peter Blessed be God who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten me again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible c. 1 Pet. 1.3 These are good forms of thanksgiving but the matters are infinitely precious and highly to be prized 2. It serves to comfort good and thankful souls as the Use 2 blessed Virgin rejoyced in God her Saviour Comfort There is comfort in an outward deliverance such as 88. or 1605. but much more in a spiritual from sin and Satan and all those woful torments so the joy should be heartier and purer and enlarged abundantly toward the Author Psal 32.11 Rejoyce in the Lord ye righteous be glad and shout for joy Phil. 4.4 all ye that are upright in heart Not simply the gift but the Giver to be highly magnified Rejoyce in the Lord alway and again I say rejoyce These are good discriminations from carnal joy so to look to the benefit and by it to the Founder as David when he had sung the works of God concluded My meditation of him shall be sweet Psal 104.34 3. It serves to help our faith in dangers and against Use 3 temptations Trust in this God of salvation Confidence both for soul and body we may well cast all our care on him to secure both And we need not doubt in the least though hell raise many storms and the world as many and our own unbelieving hearts cast doubts now and then yet fear nothing he hath both devised and wrought salvation for us and keeps it safely for us 1 Pet. 1.5 Lastly a soul that hath any sad thoughts and cares about Use 4 his salvation sees hereby whether to look and turn and where to speed of salvation look to Jehovah who is complete in all his Attributes Promises Relations Ordinance Dispensation especially in Christ the Mediator between God and man and a most loving Saviour to distressed souls The Lord spake unto the fish and it vomited out Jonah upon dry land The voice of the Lord is powerful and mighty in operation see Psal 29.3 Note Gods voice very powerful 1. 1. This is utteted of the written word of God Heb. 4.12 In the hand of the Spirit it is able to convince of a bad estate to convert to confirm to comfort to recover out of great falls and in fine to save a soul yea by hundreds and thousands Act. 2. 2. It is true also of the creation and providence of God he makes and upholds all things by the word of his power Heb. 1.3 by the word of the Lord the heavens were created and all the hosts of them he sends forth his word and they are made and at his word they return to their dust Specially his providence to his Church and Chosen Thou art our King O God Psal 44.4 command deliverance for Jacob. He spake to Esau and Laban and they refrained from Jacob he spake to the spirit of Cyrus and he sent back the captivity of Judah he spake to the feavers in way of rebuke and they left the sick persons Speak the word only and my servant shall be healed Here he spake to the fish and Jonah came to dry land Use 1 Psal 29.9 Worthily therefore in his Temple doth every one speak of his glory as a most fit Object of our admiration and adoration None among the gods is to be compared to the Lord none of them is like unto our God holy and reverend is his Name Oh for hearts lifted up in his praises and ravished with his glories Use 2 And Oh for hearts to trust in him amidst all our dangers and difficulties It is as easie for him to deliver if he please as for us to let fall a word to restrain an enemy to heal a disease to supply our wants to Comfort our hearts Only believe All things are possible to him that believeth So in those main truths of the Gospel 1. That Christ rose again from the dead the third day as here did Jonah the same God that spake to the fish and Jonah got to dry land did speak to death and the grave and Christ got into the land of the living Remember thy Type and how it was answered As Christ rose again by his own power so also by the power of his Father 2. That we also shall rise again at the last day Ezek. 37.1 we believe the resurrection of the dead Why God will speak to dry bones and they shall come bone to bone and â—ive and stand up and be a great army If we believe the Scriptures and the power of God we will never stick to believe this Article 3. That collapsed Churches shall be raised again as there Judah in captivity Apply it to the Churches of Bohemiah and other now fallen 4. That distressed consciences shall be relieved in due time God will speak peace to his people and will revive the spirit of the contrite ones 5. That broken Trades and Estates shall be restored when God pleaseth he will restore the years of the Locust and Caterpillar Only if we believe and obey Esa 1.19 20. If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the land but if ye refuse and rebel ye shall be devoured with the sword for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it CHAP. III. Ver. 1.2 And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time saying Arise and go to Nineve that great City and Preach unto it the Preaching that Ibid thee OF this Chapter there be four parts 1. A new order for Jonah to go and preach at Nineve ver 1.2 2. Jonahs obeying of that order ver 3.4 3. The Ninevites repenting at his preaching ver 5.6 7 8 9. 4. The mercy and forbearance of God upon their repenting ver 10. Note Penitents restored to their old standing For the first of these Jonah is here restored to his office of a Prophet from which he might seem to have fallen and that most justly so our Saviour restored â—eter to his office of an Apostle after the great sin of denying his Master Notable examples of Gods goodness in healing and restoring the Penitent as was said I will heal their backsliding I will love them freely Hos 14.4 Use 1 And they yield much comfort to afflicted consciences which are troubled at their failings and backslidings Fear not nor be dismayed he that restored Jonah and Peter will restore thee also and set all at rights between him and thy soul Use 2 And learn you that are spiritual to restore a Brother that is fallen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the spirit of meekness Gal. 6.1 The word is set him in joynt again Care is taken for the body in that case and should much more be taken for the soul Note Without exprobration of failings But mark
of the word Neh. 8.8 They read the book of the Law and gave the sense A thing needful to be done because of some obscuritie Act. 8. as the Eunuch said How can I understand without an interpreter and Paul was sent to the Gentiles to open their eyes and to turn them from darknesse to light Act. 26.18 3. Application for the several uses of instruction exhortation reprehension consolation confutation and other occasions of Gods people as their case doth require 1 Cor. 14.3 2 Tim. 3.16 Mercy to whom mercy belongeth and judgment to whom judgment A steward in a great mans house giveth every one his portion and so doth the Minister in the house of God Use 1 Now if this be so appointed of God away with all those cavils and exceptions which are brought against preaching as in the preachers plea. The world is no changeling but still accounts it the foolishnesse of preaching even the wise part of the world where grace is wanting Oh a dry barren ordinance to be so much attended Use 2 and none but simple soules do so regard it Make much of good preaching Take heed Christians and duly stoop to this Ordinance of God Remember it is his Ordinance and therefore ought to be embraced with reverence and affection and improved to the ends and purposes which he hath appointed to get sound knowledge to get faith to be wrought to repentance and conversion to be able to pray acceptably to walk in faith and obedience and so be accepted of God and saved Rom. 10 13 17. Thence the need of preparation before ye come to preaching Eccles. 5.1 Act. 10.33 1 Pet. â— 1 2. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God Be all present before God to hear the things that shall be spoken Lay aside all naughtinesse and as new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word to grow thereby And thence the taxing of those that behave not themselves well at preaching Ezek. 33.30 31 32. And a blessing on those that hear Luke 11.28 so as to believe and obey Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it And God esteemes it a great mercy that he sends Preachers among a people therefore so should they esteem it or if they want the mercy pray for it Amos 2.11 and Mat. 19.38 The preaching that I bid thee All of us are bound up within certain laws and conditions in preaching that we may not preach at adventure Note Preachers limited in preaching or what seemes good to our selves and They that are faithful hold themselves close to what the Lord appoints them to preach I have received of the Lord that which I have delivered unto you 1 Cor. 11.23 Faithful Ministers dare not deliver for doctrins the commandements of men dare not make sad the heart of the righteous nor make glad the heart of the wicked dare not keep back any of the counsel of God dare not corrupt or adulterate the Ordinances dare not seek their own things but the things of Jesus Christ and generally they preach as those that must give an account and think with themselves What good would it do souls to be comforted unlesse indeed they repent and believe the Gospel 1. A tryal of preachers who are true and who are false Use 1 If they speak not according to this word Esa 8.20 it is because there is no light in them Though they pretend visions and revelations they are not right Though they come in a mortified garb and with a great show of sanctity beware of them Though they urge the authority of Fathers and other Ancients yet look to your selves They are deceivers take heed of them The Lord now tryes you whether ye will cleave fast to the Lord your God Still your course must be to the law and to the testimony Use 2 2. If the Lord bid us preach thus and thus then your faith stands not in the authority of man but of God True ye have such and such lessons by the hands of men to direct you what to beleeve and obey but first and chiefly ye have them from God who sets the men on worke Ye have them from God at the second hand The Prophets were Preachers of old time but the word of the Lord came to Jonah and to the rest of them Afterwards the Apostles preached but taught the nations ta observe and do what God commanded them Mat. 28.20 2 Tim. 1.13 After them the Evangelists and other good Teachers held fast the forme of wholsom words as they had received them from God And now adayes whoever beleeve and obey according to this word do follow God himself speaking by his Ministers as when an Embassador follows his instructions the King his Master is regarded or neglected Comfort by a sacrament is Sound comfort because we deliver what God delivered to us or comfort by promises applyed because God promised and in Christ all the promises are yea and amen Use 3 3 If it be so see how ye ought to entertain the preachers and preaching of the word namely as messages and messengers sent from God So to do was the commendation of the Galatians and Thessalonians Gal. 4.14 1. Thes 2 13. and would be your commendation People make an ill account when they go to hear a Sermon and look no higher then the Preacher thence they receive so litle good as they do still remaining secure impenitent unbeleeving unreformed The only way to get good by all your hearing were to hear as from the great God of heaven The preaching is by man but he delivers what God bids him to deliver Therefore fear attend believe obey be afraid to forget or neglect the instructions if ye do ye despise not man but God and who are we that ye murmure against us your murmurings are not against us but against the Lord. Ver. 3.4 So Jonah arose and went unto Nineve according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineve was an exceeding great City of three days journey And Jonah began to enter into the City a days journey and he cryed and said Yet forty days and Nineve shall be overthrown Here is Jonahs obedience the last and truest note of his repentance Before we had his confession his faith his prayer his thanksâ—iving and vowing but now we have the perfection of all his obedience Now what he promised freely he performeth faithfully now he lays aside all his carnal reasonings and sets to do according to the word of the Lord. So still Note Obedience the highest act of repentance without obedience all other are but shews of repentance Ahab and Judas are said to have repented but no obedience followed nor others who are hypocrites Approve thou thy sincerity by bringing forth fruits meet for repentance not leaves but fruits Mat. 3 8. not shows but substance Jonah arose and went unto Nineve This is that which he said chap. 2.9 I will pay
1. who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed Our Saviour upbraids the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 21 32. that they belâ—eved not when they had heard the preaching of the Baptist And the Apostles say they could not enter because of unbelief Heb. 3.19 Rev. 21.8 and The unbelieving march with the formost into the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone for ever and Give him his portion as with hypocrites so with unbelievers Yea more He that believeth not is condemned already Unbelief is a damning sin as well as any gross sin against the Law and whereas the Law condemneth a sinner potentially unbelief condemneth actually Use 2 What of God is to be believed Take heed Christians and believe your God when he speaks by his Ministers 1. Believe the justice of God that he knows to be angry as well as to shew favour to threaten as well as to promise to damn as well as to save He is very merciful but will by no means clear the guilty Men may dream what they please Exod. 34.7 but one day will find they have a just God to deal withall 2. Believe the truth of God that all he hath threatned he will most certainly perform without true unfained effectual repentance The words of God are pure words as silver seven times purified in the fire As the promises to the godly so the threats against the wicked not one falls to the ground 3. Believe the power of God that he is able to execute the judgments he hath denounced against sinners The Lord was able to overthrow Nineve within forty days yea within the compass of one day why not Nineve as well as Sodom and neighbouring Cities 4. Believe the wisdom of God that the only way which he hath devised to turn away threats is to be found in Jesus Christ The wisdom of God and the power of God to salvation there is no salvation in any other by him wrath is appeased and by him comes all saving good to repenting sinners Motive to believe threats Consider for a Motive to believe the threats of God 1. This is the only safe way to bid you believe the promises of God We have no commission to bid you believe these till ye be first overawed with his threats The broken heart is the only sacrifice wherein the Lord delighteth Psal 51.17 Esa 61. Mat. 11.28 Christ came to bind up the broken-hearted and said Come all ye that labour and are heavy-laden I will give you ease ye shall have refreshment for your souls 2. It is a mercy to be spoken unto by men weak as your selves as Israel said to Moses Let not God speake to us lest we dye Should God come and speak in his storms and tempests who among us could abide the terror Moses at such a sight did exceedingly quake and tremble Take heed and abuse not his goodness to security or to harden your hearts 3. Mark how those two are joyned together Believe the Lord and believe his Prophets 2 Chron. 20.20 This saith he is the only way to prosper We have this treasure in earthen vessels we are Stewards and have the dispensing of holy things and all know in a great house there is no receiving of Pay or Diet but by the allowance of the Steward 4. How good was it for Nineve to believe God when he spake by the mouth of Jonah True they feared repented put on sackcloth refrained from diet and cryed mightily to God for mercy but the sweetness of mercy made amends for all And so it shall do for other Penitents And put on Sackcloth Christians must testifie the truth of their repentance by outward tokens of humility and humiliation Note Shew repentance by outward tokens These were ordinary practices among the Jews in their fasting Ahab put on sackcloth and went softly and so did others others rent their cloaths others stript off their robes and sate in the dust But because in process of time these forms became meer forms and were taken up by hypocrites therefore Joel bad them rent their hearts and not their garments Joel 2.13 and turn to the Lord their God and Esay at large describeth and rejecteth their hypocrisie chap. 58.3 and Zachary tells them they did but fast to themselves not to God chap. 7.3 7. Yet thus far the Ceremony will reach us at this day 1. On days of humiliation no fine nor gaish Apparel should be used as hath been the fashion of some in these days An humble heart must appear before the Lord as alway so especially on such days in the dress of mourners No reason the habit should give the heart the lye nor the heart the habit Out of the abundance of the heart the dress will shape to be either lowly or phantastical 2. Still there must be a rending of the heart to bewail those sins which provoked God to wrath and indignation yea though it be a good and holy heart Even godly men have an hand in the provocation and therefore even godly men should bear their part in the lamentation to turn wrath away even David after those failings did mightily humble himself before his God 3. Out of that which is spared from the back and belly allowanâ—e should be made to cloath the naked and feed the hungry and do works even of corporal mercy and of civil righteousness Esa 58.6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen saith the Lord. Use Thus fast and then see what promises are made Esa 58.8 9 10 11 12. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning and thine health shall spring forth speedily and thy righteousness shall go before thee c. One fast well kept might rid us of all our confusions And thus to fast would well become all of us from the highest to the lowest as here From the greatest of them to the least of them A duty for all All are sinners both in their nature and life and all run into Arrear with God and are in danger of remporal and eternal vengeance If Nineve had been overthrown in those forty days all had gone to wrack infants and sucklings as well as elderly people and therefore all must smart by this humiliation Joel 2.16 so in Joel Those that suck the breasts must want their milk for a while and cry to God as well as they can Yea these Ninevites go farther to the beast the herd and the flock no eating no tasting no drinking of water that the very lowing of the cattel may go up to heaven and call in their language for mercy as is said Psal 147.9 He heareth the young Ravens when they cry If so at such times let the greatest forget and lay aside their greatness and let the least among us bear their part in humiliation especially they that are least in the Kingdom of God and they that think themselves less then the least of all
1 Cor. 15 55. or separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ Again O death where is thy sting O grave wheâ—e is thy victory Which is seen sometimes of them that said heretofore There is but a step between me and death between me and hell All which makes against the vain confidence of idle Use 1 Christians who presume to know Gods mercy toward them without any doubting A thing which divers godly and serious men have not yet obtained and sometimes fear they shall never obtain Here we will examine a little the fears of the one Godly mens fears are hopeful and the hopes of the other For the fears of the godly 1. The Lord orders all their fears and tenderness of spirit to their greatest good as here the fear of these Ninevites first they are affrighted with the horror of a suddain overthrow and this fear works them to repentance that they shall escape the denounced overthrow So still generally it is the Lords method in bringing souls home to himself first out of security to convince them of a bad estate and so let them repent and seek after God let them be sick and see their need of a Physician let them be pricked at heart and ask what they must do to be saved and Did ye see him whom my soul loveth can ye give me any sure mark of my being in Christ can this or that stand with the truth of grace I am afraid I am not right in the main I doubt that all this while I do but deceive my own soul Of which tenderness the Lord makes this use to bring forth judgement to victory He will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax his power is manifested in his peoples weakness and his grace shall be sufficient for them 2. The fears of godly men put them into cares about the means of grace and about such a course of religiousness as they may make their calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 So pray and so read and so hear and so receive Sacraments and walk so strictly and orderly as God may please to shew them his salvation Psal 50.23 Timor facit consiliatives Fear makes men Clients so to secure their Estates by repairing to their learned Counsel so here for the estate of the soul And a discreet man newly recovered out of great sickness narrowly observes his diet and so gets more health perhaps then a stronger man so here and this is the phrase of working out salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 3. This kind of fear hath the promise of blessedness Prov 28 14. Blessed is the man that feareth alway namely with a Childlike and holy fear fear to offend care to please and perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord. The tenderness of such is the heart of flesh Ezek. 11.19 which the Lord by Covenant said he would give his people and he will be their God and they shall be his people he will forgive their sins and remember their iniquity no more and will so put his fear into them that they shall never depart from him But if carnal persons have any fears concerning their spiritual estate it never works in such a manner all passeth away in flashes Be rid of them as soon as ye can and be merry while ye may away with this melancholy and be jovial For the hopes of idle and vain Christans Wicked mens hopes are fearful who doubt not a whit of Gods love to them I say thus 1. They are disgraced by the subject that is the persons in whom they are loose and vain persons None but the godly have the right hope which will last in a sad houre Pro. 14.32 the righteous hath hope in his death Such at worst are prisoners of hope Zech 9.12 Ever since they were converted they have been in an hopeful condition For others their hope shall perish it shall be as the spiders web or as the giving up of the ghost Profane persons and hypocrites never went upon a good foundation and so all their building lies in the dust 2. True hope is grounded in faith and in reconcilation with God thereby We hope well because we know whom we beleeve and he is the hope of Israel Jer. 17 13. the Saviour thereof in the time of need So we are saved by hope Rom. 8.24 But this is skipped over by these persons A general hope of mercy shall serve the turne 3. True hope ariseth out of regeneration and dwells in the new creature 1 Pet. 1.3 God begets us again to a lively hope But numbers have all their hope from the first birth beleeve in God ever since they can remember never do bred since they were born Pitie he should live who doubts of his salvation which is too fine and easie to be good Jonahs gourd sprung up in a night and withered in a night The like we may say of these Mushromes 4. True hope yeelds the benefit of strong consolation in foul weather that lies upon the soul Heb. 6.18 19. it is an anchor sure and stedfast By hope we have seen him to live who was about to dye David had fainted but that hope held him up by the chinne Ps 27.13 I had fainted but that I hoped to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the living But the heart of an hypocrite 1 Sam. 25. when brought into great danger dyes in him as Nabals The house built on the sand when the windes and stormes came fell quickly and great was the fall thereof 5. True hope fs cleanly wherever it comes both as to the heart and life 1 Joh. 3.3 Every one that hath this hope purifieth himself even as God is pure It is of the same nature with the mother Acts 15.9 26 18. which is Faith and purifies the heart Hope is neither sloven nor slut but so is the hope of many expect much at the hands of God but live in their sins which is against all reason as if a man should stand for prefermeâ—t yet lives so as to be uncapable Use 2 Christians be perswaded so to order your course as ye may grow up to some comfortable assurance of Gods love to your soules that though ye get not the full assurance of faith yet ye may have much assurance or if not much yet some assurance Do all that may help your faith against your feares and that your hope in God may be cherished which ye will find to be very good when you come to lie on your death-bed or be cast into great affliction to say 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have believed c. There be some that should think of the great change by conversion Some have not yet repented nor made their peace with God and may well think that it is they who must repent and not God Repentance notes a change in the creature Jan. 1 17. not the Creator With
broken and a contrite heart is the sacrifices of God Psal 51.17 And then on the other side where the heart is contrite the life will conform there will be a turning of every one from his evil way as also the working of righteousness At Nineve a man now might have seen one making restitution of his ill-gotten goods another giving satisfaction for the wrong he had done a third paying his debts a fourth exhorting his Children and Servants all confessing their sins bewailing them and turning over a new leaf So with us where any are truly penitent we shall quickly see a great reformation Use Encouragement to repent But Gods notice taking may be a notable encouragement to all both to repent and to bring forth fruits meet for repentance It encourageth a good servant to do duty when the Master takes notice of his dutifulness Be therefore and do as God may note thee for good so fast and so pray and so give alms as the great and good God may like and approve no matter though men see not so long as God sees and no matter if they scorn when they see The approbation of God alone is far to be preferred before all suffrage of men whosoever they be The Apostles in all the course of their ministery approved themselves to God and then esteemed all to be well and they said 2 Cor. 6 4.10 18. Rom. 2.29 Not he that commendeth himself is approved but whom the Lord commendeth And he is the true Jew or Christian whose praise is not of men but of God And such a one will say as David in doing duty I will be more vile in the eye of the world and however it go 2 Sam. 6.22 Esa 49.5 yet in the eye of my God I shall be glorious And certainly the true and lasting honor is that which comes from above There be many hinderances of a true and effectual repentance many Objections against it and many Delusions about it Objections against repenting 1. When a man is of the mind to repent and turn from his evil wayes he meets with many Objections which may delay the matter if not quite hinder him as for example the sourness of the thing the contrary course of the world the subtilties of Satan the pleasures or profits that are to be had by sin the jeers of idle companions or counsels carnal reasonings and the like Against all which a man should arm himself with these considerations My God oftentimes calls me to repentance I have done enough and enough to repent most earnestly I am in great danger unless I repent to the purpose and on the other side if I repent truly and effectually God will take notice of me for good as here to the Ninevites On therefore I will go breaking through all objections and difficulties The Lord hold thee in that good resolution It is the ready way to life and salvation 2. For Delusions Mistakes about it many a man mistakes the business of repentance thinking he hath repented when it is no such matter and so that God is reconciled to him when indeed he is not as for example Those that deceive themselves with a few sighs or tears as did Ahab Those that lift up their voice on high and hang the head like a Bulrush for a day as in Esay And they that say they are sorrowful but it appears not afterward who all should remember Judas and other hypocrites and the morning dew which is soon dryed up and honoring God with the lips when the heart is far from him and the fruits or works meet for repentance And they should remember how a naturall man would be willing to flee from the wrath to come though he never take a thorow course thereunto Self-love can do it that the worst that is would be loth to go to hell when he dyes and desire to go to heaven And they should remember what work is laid out for the truly-penitent 2 Cor. 7.11 Carefulness Zeal and the rest With those notes of turning rightly from the evil way every evil way the beloved evil way and that constantly Ye must no more return to folly Psal 85.8 Jer. 4 1. And to turn so far as to get unto God and walk with him in holiness Consider and be not loth to repent nor yet mistaken Mot. Know this is the only comfortable change for a poor sinner not God is changed when he is said to repent but the sinner is changed When God doth his great works of Creation and of Miracles he sets forth his own glory but when he works upon the creatures he works for their commodity as here for the benefit of Nineve which was sorely threatned And the change was in the Ninevites not God either essence or purpose Try it after them who will he shall find that without the great change of conversion there is no good to be done with the great God of heaven And upon such a change God will turn frowns into smiles and threats into promises yea most gracious performances as here He repented of the evâ—l and did it not Doctr. 2 God merciful to the penitent God pardons penitent sinners and turns away their deserved punishment For pardon see Psal 32 5. David was humbled and confessed his transgressions and the Lord forgave him the iniquity of his sin And see Esa 55.6 7. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found call ye upon him a â—â—le he is near Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon So he did to the Ninevites Jonah Manasseh the Prodigal other great offenders For punishment distinguish 1. There is an eternal punishment due for sin according to the infinite Majesty of God who is offended everlasting punishment Mat. 3.12.25.46 unquenchable fire the 〈…〉 goes not out Of this the Lord alway dischargeth the penitent He shall not dye namely for ever not the second death â—e dyes naturally but lives eternally 2. There is a temporal punishment suppose by Famine Sword Pestilence and other calamities Many and great and sore evils the Lord denounceth against sinners to affright them and bring them out of their evil wayes to hide pride from them Job 33.28 and deliver their soul from going into the oil And if they be reduced God may be pleased to release them of the evil threatned as these Ninevites But this is not certain nor always comes to pass God◠〈◊〉 Children in the temporal part are sometimes grievously afflicted they so far provoke him by securely and unthankfulness that they cannot be excused Jonah for three days and three nights must needs lodge in the belly of the Whale Jer. 46.28 I will make a full end of all the Nations â—â—â—ther I have driven thee but I will not make a full and of thee but correct
thou well to be angry If a man would Rhetorically defend Jonah in his anger there might be many specious colours for it Or if we would a little admit his excuses something might be said for him with some handsomeness Rom. 3. But let God be true and every man a lyar We know the judgement of God is according to truth and equity And a man shall never proceed safely and comfortably unless he can satisfie his conscience by the word upon a just examination Doest thou well to be angry God could provide for his own glory without Jonahs care yea and for Jonahs reputation And if God were so merciful as Jonah said why should he not shew it to repenting Nineve Or must God at Jonahs pleasure bacome severe and terrible must he be cruel that Jonah might not seem a lyar must more regard he had of Jonahs Credit then of Gods most holy Nature and glory Lastly it seems scarce to be endured that Gods doings should be so censured and misliked by a poor weak mortal sinner One of us would scarce abide it Yet God abides it day by day God can scarce do any thing either for afflicting us or out of the ordinary rode but we are apt to mutter and complain suppose about the confusions of the times c. In general we confess he is righteous in his judgements Jer. 12.1 yet in particulars we will needs plead with him and talk with him of his judgements why and wherefore Take heed and submit better But the main point is this Doctr. Say Do I well to be angry A Christian when he finds anger stirring should say Do I well to be angry Anger is a natural affection and very good use may be made of it Without some anger there will be no zeal for God nor against sin And he must needs be blockish and senseless who will not be angry when he ought There is a quietness which is sinful and dishonours God exceedingly and drowns souls in security But otherwise we should look well to our anger suppose in case of Gods doings against us or mans or any cross accident A beloved Child is taken away by death I suffer great loss by my Neighbour or the like my affections now are all in a hurry But Do I well to be angry Eph. 4.26 my rule is to be angry and not sin the affection is good but the distemper is evil What is it where am I whether do I swerve from my rule or no I am apt to offend one way or other therefore I must weigh well how I mannage my anger But how shall a man know whether he do well to be angry Quest Answ Signs of allowed anger Answ 1. If there be just cause for thy anger thou doest well to be angry suppose at thine own sin or the sin of another especially to see the wickedness of the world and how corruptly things are carried among men In these caâ—es godly men have shewed great anger and were never disliked for it Moses was very angry at their murmurings and idolatries and Christ at the profanation of the Temple Exod. 16.20.32 22. John â— 17 1 Cor. 11. And in such cases we ought to judge our selves that we may not be judged of the Lord to rate our selves for our â—illiness and revenge on our selves and undoe what we have done to the best we can there is just cause for it because we were so foolâ—sh and ignorant Psal 73.22 and as a beast before God Godly sorrow ever works indignation for errors committed 2 Cor. 7.11 But there will never be just cause to be offended or angry with Gods doings against us or against our opinion as Jonah was in this place All reason requires that here we be dumb and complain not and rest in this There is more reason for it then we are aware 2. Thou shalt not do well to be angry unless the cause be weâ—ghty and of some importance as well as just A Christian must not spend his powder upon trifles as the fashion of some is It would argue neither love nor wisdom Not love for that covereth a multitude of sins and is not easily provoked 1 Pet. 4.8 1 Cor. 13.4 5 7. Jam 3.17 Not wisdom for the wisdom which is from above is first pure then peaceable True love and wisdom reserves it self for weighty matters where God requires more of our anger and severity then of our mildness 3. Thou shalt not do well to be angry if thou exceed the due measure of this affection more then the cause requires There is a mean to be observed and certain bounds beyond which we shall not do well Even lawful anger if immoderate degenerates into fleshly anger it may be into fury more fit for a Beast or an Heathen then for a Christian Our rule is to be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful and we see how his mercy goes Hab. 3.2 in wrath he remembers mercy Esa 27.7 8. Imitate God in punishing a Child a Servant an evil doer God corrects in measure and so must we 4. Thou shalt not do well to be angry if thou keep wrath over long as it seems Jonah did Eph. 4.26 ver 9. I do well is be angry even unto death Our rule is not to let the Sun go down upon our wrath As we must not be quickly angry so when we are angry we must be quickly pleased again Else our anger may be turned into malice And the Devil will watch the occasion to work us to farther ungodliness as there ver 27. neither give place to the Devil With a malicious man the Devil lies down at night and goes to bed with him Pure Wine is corrupted if it stand too long upon the Lees. 5. Thou shalt not do well to be angry if thou grow into hatred of the sinners person for right anger is bended at the sin rather then the person as Mark 3.5 He looked about on them with anger and grieved for the hardness of their hearts Impenitency is the principal object of our grief and anger And there are certain rules that we must neither approve the sin for the offenders sake nor hate the offender for the sins sake Only in his great wickedness he must be either shunned and avoided or else reproved 6. Thou shalt not do well to be angry unless thou quarrel with thine own sins as well as the sins of others and unless thou be angry in Gods cause as well as thine own in both which numbers of people bewray much corruption So did not Moses Num. 12.3 the meekest man on earth in his own cause when spoken against by Aaron and Miriam but in point of idolatry nothing but killing and slaying And for our own sins we see what our Saviour saith of Mâ—tes and Beames in the eye Mat. 7 1 2 3 4 5. Certainly every man hath most business to do at home And those shall ever go for hypocrites
and adore this glorious Lord God his understanding is infinite his Power Presence Wisdom Mercy care of his people preservation of the creatures even the meanest Jonah was much bound to be thankful that when the Ninevites yielded him no entertainment and he provided a simple one for himself the Lord prepared this gourd for him Which is also our case not seldom Use 2 Learn also in the smallest turns of providence to look upward and ascribe all to the right causes Whether it be for mercy as this gourd or for affliction as the worm it is all of God he prepared the one and the other and so he doth still It is not luck or meer chance or second causes but God provides and orders all these supplies with all the events and all the crosses It is the Lord be patient 1 Sam 3.18 Job 1 21. or be thankful The Lord gave and the Lord took away blessed be the Name of the Lord. It is not our own how or sword but the right hand of out God If it be a little drug or potion that doth me good an obscure friend a small accident a little help to stand me in stead it comes of God and he shall have the glory of the thing Dan. 11.34 They shall be holpen with a little help This would be of singular use in our whole course to live as Christians to acknowledge a dependance on heaven to see by faith the Soveraign Lord of the world to breed contentment in that little which is allotted to us to make us thankful for small favours shewed or patient when a small matter falls out and crosseth us The Lord prepares the gourd and the worm not only the Whale but the Worm We are apt in great matters to think God hath an hand but in small matters we scarce look so high take heed and look upward even in small matters Observe again how powerful the providence of God is Note 2 in these small matters 1. In erecting a gourd it came up in a night in the common course of Nature it should have been growing up a quarter of a year together to a just tallness and bigness but God makes it shoot up in a night The Lord sometimes on a suddain shews light and comfort to his people when and where they least expect it at the Red sea out of a Rock in the midst of Jordan He stirred up the spirit of Cyrus to send his people home to their own land He delivered them from Haman in a way which they least thought on 2. In taking the gourd away he prepared a worm which smote it and it withered He could have blasted it without a worm but pleased to use such a vile creature for our instruction Small things can cross us when God bids them Grashoppers Amos 7.1 Flies and Lice pestered Pharaoh exceedingly A small cut in the flesh hath gangrened and killed Little David slew the mighty Goliah Learn to see a powerful God in a weak creature Use 1 Cor. 1 27 21. Weak things of the world to confound the mighty By the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe To uphold a weak Christian against Principalities and powers 2 Cor. 12.9 My strength is made perfect in weakness Water in Baptism to set forth Christs blood and cleansing from sin Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper to set forth the body and blood of Christ and to nourish the believing soul to life eternal So of old the sword of the Lord and of Gideon his Barly-cake overthrew the Tents of the Midâ—anites Lamps and Pitchers confounded their mighty host Trumpets of Rams-horns demolished the walls of Jericho Moses his Rod divided the Sea All pointing at the wonderful power of God working by such silly means Where glorious means are used we are apt to doat on the means but where the means are so simple we are forced to look up unto God Note 3 Observe yet more God provides for his ill deserving servants God provides well for ill deservers as here for cholerick Jonah he lives whereas he desired to dye and beside hath a gourd prepared which affords him much comfort Though we believe not yet he abideth faithful he cannot deny himself 2 Tim. 2.13 Gods Children sometimes deserve full ill at his hands and are ready to draw down wrath upon themselves but in mercy he forbears and continues a gracious providence toward them Use Mark these footsteps of his goings with you and strive to be thankful In our passions sometimes we make faults enough and forfeitures and open a sluce to let in judgements but the Lord stops the Damme and we are not drowned Admire his goodness and be enlarged unto thankfulness He doth good to them that deserve it not yea to them that deserve ill at his hands more to them that are drawing mischief upon themselves Note Small matters sometimes very comfortable Come we now to see how Jonah comforteth himself with his gourd he was exceeding glad of the gourd Small matters sometimes are very comfortable to us a Cup of cold water water out of a Rock Manna out of a congeled dew Naamans washing seven times in Jordan A few Figs and Raisins to the fainting Amalekite A bunch of Figs to Hezekiahs Bile Barly-loaves to thousands of people And to an hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet Whereby we see what poor and weak creatures we are Use 1 and what a silly life the life of Nature is sustained and cherished by those small matters And if so be humble meek thankful heavenly-minded affected earnestly toward a spiritual and eternal life It is time to get Christ to be our life who said I am the way the truth and the life John 14.6 to get the Spirit of life to enter into the way of life to nourish an hope of life everlasting Life of the soul is infinitely better then the life of the body and so are all the means that maintain it Outward things commonly are prized according to their worth and what they will yield and so should the means of grace be mightily prized The wise-men were very glad of the Star that led them to Christ Mat. 2.10 teaching us to prize gracious means which first lead us to Christ and afterward confirm us in him And we learn in small matters to take notice of a great Use 2 love which affordeth them and much comfort by them Mercies commonly are best seen in the want but it were better to esteem them by the use and benefit of them it would argue more ingenuity it may be the truth of grace It were base not to discern the benefit of our Limbs and parts but only by the Tooth-ach loss of a Joynt breaking of Bones or the like Nature can do this but grace looks higher to a great God in a small favour Oh it is no small love nor small purchase nor small pledge Sleep digestion of Meat Sun-shine Seasons of the Year are ordinary
Sun-shine which faints him up and makes him even weary of his life So with us Note Loss of good smart of evil God sometimes not only takes away our natural comfort and worldly accommodations but sends upon us smart and grievous afflictions droughts scorching weather distempers in the Air thereby distempers in the body fiery and acute Diseases as Agues Fevers Inflammations Leprosie Calenture c. which are one of the threats for disobedience Deut. 28.21 Or if it be not so bad yet the hot season shall make us faint and weary of our lives as here Jonah But why did not Jonah return into Nineve and get Quest 1 shelter there or remove into some Village near hand where he might be protected from this hot weather Answ 1. Because he was of a stout and sturdy spirit Answ and would not seem in the least to be beholden to the Ninevites or any of their Neighbours 2. Because he expected every day the ruine of Nineve which he would be glad to see with all his heart for his Credit fake which he took to be much engaged in the business And what should he do in a ruinous house which was likely in short time to come tumbling upon his head Quest 2 Another question may be why the Lord doth thus follow him with more and greater afflictions Answ Answ Because he had a mind to break and subdue this sturdy humor in Jonah which the meer loss of the gourd could not do as ver 9. he was angry for the gourd and fears not to tell God that he doth well to be angry even unto death So there needs a farther and stronger Purge to carry away this extreamly peccant humor as with us also whom lighter afflictions do little prevail withall Uses 1 Take we hence these instructions 1. To justifie God in all his sharp dealings with us when not only he takes away our Children Wealth Corn Cattel comforts of this life but sends Famine Sword Pestilence new Diseases Pox Agues other evils Say Psal 145.17 The Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works We are apt to sit in judgment upon his doings and charge him foolishly as too severe but should rather clear him and lay the blame where it ought to be laid Psal 51.4 That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest and be clear when thou judgest Uses 2 2. To lay all the blame of our sufferings upon our selves as Pharaoh at last was taught to do The Lord is righteous but I and my people have sinned And when we finde our selves apt to mutter against God for feverity we should take our selves in the manner and say Why do we complain when the cause is in our selves Wherefore doth a living man complain Lam. 3.39 40. a man for the punishment of his sins Let us search and try our ways and turn again to the Lord. And if we had our due we should be utterly consumed yea cast into hell long before this time as in the same place It is the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not 3. To mortifie those wretched corruptions which God Uses 3 would have to be weakned as here this stoutness of Jonah and to break off those sins which most agree with our crooked nature and odd occasions of offending A sharp winter useth to kill the weeds and vermine and cherish the Corn that is bidden So let it be with our failings in one kind or other Jonah fainted and wished in himself to dye He that will wish himself dead so often as he hath sore occasion shall have more occasions then one so to wish Note Idle wishes Jonah had prayed this before ver 3. I beseech thee take away my life from me And now seeing God pleased not thus to gratifie him he falls to wishing which is a lighter kind of desire And whereas at first he only thus wished in himself afterward he uttered his mind saying It is better for me to dye then to live as ver 3. So David in Psal 39.3 My heart was not within me while I was musing the fire burned then spake I with my tongue Take heed Christians Use and smother these hot and unquiet affections at the first arising mark them consure them suppress them use means to subdue and vanquish them as for instance Get abundance of faith and patience which may keep you from this fainting and wishing so did the Apostles and Martyrs and other holy men in great and lingring afflictions 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. For which cause we faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day For our light affliction which is but for a woman worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal And consider it is not a manly thing to desire death so often as strong afflictions shall urge and we saw on ver 3. how we may desire death and how not Whether it be better to dye then to live But let us a little examine the truth of this saying of Jonah It is better for me to dye then to live Is it indeed better to dye then to live Answ 1. Within the limits formerly mentioned it is better namely when God calls us away or the like Eccl. 7.1 The day of death is better the day of ones birth 2. Without such cautions it is not better and mark it is neither better for godly men nor for others 1. Godly men may do much good in the Church while they live which if they were dead they could not do as for example while Paul continued among his Converts he abode with them for their furtherance and joy of faith Phil. 1.25 and this consideration put him into a straight Phil 1.23 whither he should be dissolved which was far better for him in his own particular or live yet longer A godly Minister while alive may be a means of converting confirming or recovering many So a godly parent or master Yea in respect of a mans own self he may get the more hold of Gods love and do more good to put upon his accounts in that day and see his charge of Children well bred up and entred into the world with counsel to them where they erre or to neighbours between whom peace is to be made and divers good offices 2. Wicked men of all other should not desire to dye whatever their suffering be in the world because their peace is not yet made with God they are not yet in Christ they have not yet repented nor ordered their way so as to be fit to dye And if they dye before they he fit they have infinitely worse sufferings remaining for them It is for such to fear death and get it put off as long
for staying him in his bloudy intentions against Nabal and his family 1 Sam. 25 32. Ver. 10.11 Then said the Lord Thou hast had pity on the gourd for the which thou hast not laboured neither madest it grow which came up in a night and perished in a night And should not I spare Nineve that great City wherein are more then sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand and also much cattel Drift of the words In this Conclusion of the Book the Lord applies the former Simile shewing that not the gourd was intended in the erecting or withering of it but something else So in other temporals We live in the world we eat and drink and sleep and do business but must so order our matters as we may finally attain the life eternal And in spirituals so much good Preaching is not intended meerly for hearing of Sermons Rom. 10.17 but by hearing to get faith and to walk with God in an holy obedience the receiveing of Sacraments is not meerly for the refreshment of the body but that the soul may be strengthned in faith comfort of the holy Ghost and way of obedience Remember and aim aright and put not asunder what God would have joyned together But mark the inference which the Lord makes Argument how he draws an Argument from the less to the greater If Jonah may be pitiful why not the God of heaven and if the gourd may be spared why not Nineve much more God is infinitely greater then Jonah and Nineve is almost infinitely better then a gourd Therefore all the reason in the world requires that Nineve be spared seeing God pleased to have it so say Jonah is it not reason And this convinceth him that he hath no more to object we shall not hear one reply more he yields to the equity of sparing Nineve It were good that all sinners would thus be silenced Note Yield to holy convictions and yield to the convictions of the Ministery as the man that was convinced in Preaching and fell down on his face saying God in you of a truth 1 Cor. 14.24 25. Augustine faith It is good for a man to be overcome by the truth for if he be unwilling it will overcome him howsoever Whatever defences a wicked man makes for his sins hereafter he shall be non-plused and have nothing to say for himself as the Guest who had not on a Wedding Garment questioned stood silent and could make no defence Mat. 22.11 He was speechless or he was choaked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so out of the sinners own mouth he shall one day be condemned Beware and yield to a convincing Ministery Use both as concerning some act of sin and concerning the estate of sin Say it is a sin when the word saith it is a sin whether Drunkenness or the like therefore to be repented and forsaken and peace to be made with God Say it is a sinful and damnable estate when Conscience so Items thee in hearing a good Sermon therefore give all diligence to make it a good estate as the Client that fears a flaw in his Title or the Patient that doubts his Disease may prove mortal to make sure work in soul matters is far better then either of these Parable what it is Still mark what kind of Doctrine the Lord useth to make Jonah come to himself namely a parable so Nathan by a parable brought David to a sight of his sins and to repentance and it was ordinary with our Saviour by earthly things to instruct about heavenly Without a parable he spake nothing Mat. 13.35 I will open my mouth in a parable A familiar kind of teaching whereby a man of Art and Wisdom convinceth the judgement and Conscience of his Hearers concerning heavenly matters by occasion of earthly And it is well if men of Art and Wisdom do come down sometimes from lofty Themes to treat with plain people in a plain and familiar manner Some cases have shewed that this course hath taken when grave and weighty Discourses hath prevailed little as being much transcendent to vulgar capacities University-men grew not profitable Preachers till they learned to Lispe and Halt with plain people And some have adventured to say Efope that the man in his Fables shewed as much wisdom as any of the Philosophers I am sure God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise 1 Cor. 1.27 Use Then embrace and improve this plain teaching by similitudes Despise it not because it is plain but make much of it because it is profitable It profited Jonah and so let it profit thee And beware lest if thou profit not it rise up in judgment to condemn thee the more heavily Judg 9. Jotham by a parable reproached the Sichemites with their ingratitude and treachery Christ the Jews with their unfruitfulness and unthankfulness by a Vineyard let out to Husbandmem Which to this day affordeth instruction to barren Christians lest at the last they be deprived of the Gospel For farther observations gather up these gleanings Note 1 1. That the Lord saith the gourd for the which thou hast not laboured Many of us enjoy mercies and comforts We enjoy mercies for which we laboured not for which we never laboured houses which we never built wells which we never digged friends which we never deserved it may be never thought on them Heirs have lands they never purchased All live of the field though they never plowed Children feed and are cloathed though they take no care nor pains for their living and all of us live at Gods finding though we deserve nothing but rather the contrary Man lives not by bread onely but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God and Mans life consisteth hot in the abundance of the things he possesseth Whereby see the free and undeserved goodnesse of God Use 1 who is a great House-keeper and gives us all things liberally to enjoy many without our labour some without our thinking all without our deserving His providence waketh while we sleep and worketh for us while we take our leisure In the night-time he caused the gourd to spring up for Joaah he cast a Kingdome upon Saul while he sought Asses and upon David while he kept Sheep Every morning Israel gathered bread in their Tents which the dew of the night had baked Who of us but can say we have received mercies which we little thought on we had mean beginnings and sorry proceedings and yet we are increased into two Bands Then for gracious Christians how hath God prevented them with his graces not willing yea resisting Eph. 2.12 aliens to the commonwealth of Israel enemies in their minds rebels to all spirituall good yet called and brought home justified and sanctified and in a fair way to be glorified God is greater then they and so they were overcome God be thanked that ye were the
servants of sin but have obeyed from the heart he dâ—ctrine delivered Rom. 6.17 An argument there to urge a real holinesse to dye to sin and live to righteousnesse Learn also to do good with those temporalls which God Use 2 hath cast upon you so unexpectedly Honor the Lord with thy substance Do good with such mercies the rather Pro. 3 9. Deut. 8.11.26.5 Psal 116.12.103.1 and with the first fruits of all thy increase When thou hast eaten and art full forget not the Lord thy God Hence the offering of the first fruits in the Law and the paying of Tythes and the confession A Syrian ready to perish was my Father and Jacohs confession With my staff I went over this Jordan and now I am become a rich man and Davids deliberation with himself What shall I render to the Lord for all his henefits Blesse thou the Lord O my soul and all that is within me blesse his holy Name And the censuring of the unthankful Lepers when cleansed Ten were cleansed but where are the nine Luc. 17.17 Here let none take up an evil thought as if excused because he hath faithfully laboured for what he hath gotten Other Scriptures require it of the painfull and laborious or tell how God gives strength to get substance Deut 8 18. and how without the blessing of God all a mans labor will com to nothing Ps 127.1 2. Still therefore he is the great Benefactor and must be so acknowledged Without him and some grace from him thou hadst been idle rash undiscreet a spend-thrift or crost in thy way of getting Much lesse think What need I labour if God gives his blessings to them that labour not Not so for he hath set an order from the beginning of the world that in the sweat of our brows we must eat our bread Man is born to labour as the sparkes fly upward Be not slothfull in businesse None may walk disorderly but labour with his hands the thing that is good So that Gods preventing us with goodnesse is no warrant for any to be idle and cast care away Idlenesse is a sin and such are threatened to be cloathed with rags So in spiritual things all are bound to a diligent and conscionable use of the means of grace whereby they may get into the favor of God and be saved Lie at the pool to be healed of spiritual maladies Wash in Jordan to be cured of the leprosie of thy soul Dives his brethren were sent to Moses and the Prophets to beleeve them if they meant to escape the place of torment 2 The Lord tells of sixscore thousand infants in Nineve Note 2 Our infants regarded of God which argues the hugenesse of the citie twice before called a great citie and now we see it must needs be so by this proportion what were all the Citizens put together The Lord sees and respects the multitudes of people that are in the world young and old infants and all that know not the right hand from the left one hundred and twenty thousand of them millions in Constantinople in Grand Cairo Paris other great Cities one hundred thousand families of Jews in Alexandria beside the other Citizens four hundred twenty and eight thousand heads at Rome upon a just accompt so of others London York Bristol all particular Towns and Countreys He that calleth the stars by their names and counts the number of them keeps accounts also of young children And as he feeds the Ravens when they cry so he provides for us and our little ones He told Abraham Psal 147.3 how his posterity should be as the stars of heaven and as the sands of the sea-shore for multitude and how he meant to advance them The reason whereof is taken from the infinitenesse of his divine perfections He makes all Reas and he preserves all as a Creator and as a Father he undertakes by covenant for the godly and their seed saying I will be thy God and the God of thy seed These Nivevites were heathens Gen. 17.7 and yet their little ones were thus respected What then shall we say of Believers and their off-spring Now magnifie God in this his large and yet special providence Use 1 In that Psalm it stands among the arguments of praise and thanksgiving Ahasuerus by his great and long Feast did shew forth the Majesty of his Kingdome yet we read of no children among the guests but our great Feast-maker gives entertainment continually to young and old even all the millions in severall countreys Meditate and see how the glory of God will swell in thine eyes We admire great House-keepers who keep many in family and provide for every one decently and in very order The Queen of Sheba was ravished in mfnd to see the order and glory and provisions of Solomons houshold But behold a greater then Solomon is here infinitely more guests and better provisions Use 2 Again this affords comfort to believing Parents whom God hath blessed with abundance of Children Comfort to Parents and sometimes they have careful and heavy thoughts how to provide for them especially what will become of them when themselves are dead and gone alass poor creatures what will they do If they were grown up and able to shift for themselves I should care the lesse but they are young and tender and my heart is much troubled for them Now remember wbo looked upon Nineve and there noted six score thousand who could not discern between the right hand and the left And he is the same God still infinite in all his Attributes and as loving to our little ones as ever he was to these of Nineve one of them far better then all the Ravens in the world and yet God feeds every of them and the Angels have a charge of our Children as well as of our selves Mat. 18.10 and it hath been seen that God hath raised poor mens Children and set them among Princes Psal 113.7 8. Onely let Parents be advised in three things 1. To lay hold upon the Covenant for themselves and their little ones get God to be thy God and the God of thine A carelesse Parent in this respect is but a sorry friend to his poor Babes Mark to whom the blessing is entailed Psal 103 17 18. The mercy of nhe Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him and his righteousnesse unto childrens children To such as keep his covenant and to those that remember his commandements to do them 2. To pray for their Children that they may be respected in special love and find mercy with the Lord as did Father Abraham Oh that Ismael might live in thy sight Gen. 17. He that can pray should exercise his gift in praying for his poor Children As for the Church State health harvest other interests so specially for the souls of his Children and their eternal welfare 3. To give them religious education bringing them up in the nurture and admonition