testimonie of your ignorance and then after a litle conference they will graunt that indeed it doth not profit theÌ„ Then we must replie and say God hath made all things to profit vs hath commanded that nothing be vsed vnprofitably no not so much as a vaine word speaking saying that for euerie idle word we must giue account at the day of iudgement Then they replie againe saying Mat. 12. if it do them no good it doth them no harme But we must reply and say it were good to beware least it do thy selfe harme Another sort wil replie and say I pray God I neuer do worse But to such we must answer I pray God you may do better you should first know whether you do not harm before you do it For in deed it must proceed of harme being spoken in doubting without faith for if you beleeued that they were layde vp in peace whome you praye for what need you pray for them at all But it shewes an vnbeleeuing heart and we know that whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne and the Lord will say of them who hath required those things at your hand you haue wrought vanities Now therefore you will not leaue it because you vsed it then will you say also we will not leaue our lying nor our swearing nor our cursing because we haue vsed it It will grieue me if I heare you vse these speeches hereafter hauing no reason nor proofe of Scripture to maintaine it by or to be your warrant in it Therefore I charge you in the name of God that you vse them not but rather when you heare this or aniâ— other sinne condemned to lay hands vpon it see that you put it to death without delay according to the law of God Simeon wished to die and had good cause so to wish because God promised that he should be deliuered from this miserable life when he had scene his glorie and the light of Gentils The wicked wish to die that thereby they might haue deliuerance from their troubles worldly vexations as they suppose which in deed is rather an increasing and aggrauating thereof But the faithfull when they wish to die they do it in great zeale and loue of God vsing it as the best remedie against sinne that therby they might ceasse froÌ„ offending their good God shewing thereby that they are as it were weaâ—ie of the seruice and bondage of Sathan and sinne Therfore they desire death that therin they may glorifie God as in their liues they haue done and sought to do For man was not borne at his owne will neither shall he die at his owne will therfore they as it were begge leaue of God for it Sampson was a figure of Christ in that he Iudg. 16. glorified God at his death more then all his life in killing so manie of Gods enemies I shewed you that they are guiltie that killed themselues with surfets or drunkennesse or intemperat vsing of them selues yea although they teÌ„der their liues neuer so deere yet they are in the guilt because they vse the meanes that dotâ— shorten it According to thy word When Sathan hath once possessed 〈◊〉 theÌ„ profits and pleasures bring vs to our possession and though they do so professe religioÌ„ and godlinesse yet they can neuer haue anie comfort by it all their life For their owne hearts accuse them for hypocrites because they wayte not for the consolation of God according to his word whatsoeuer is not done according to that word can not be acceptable and this word they care not for neither set it in any estimation When AdaÌ„ seeth his nakednesse the suttle serpent can deceiue no longer but before he saw his nakednesse he is euer deceiued and led away with the multitude into innumerable errors Some say they shall be saued by mercy and some thinke by good workes and some by the Popes pardon others say by Purgatorie and these will haue a Masse song for them as long as the world standeth and all for one sillie soule thinking to be saued by it yet see their blindnesse for they seeme to thinke that their torment shall not ceasse as long as the world staÌ„deth else why should they find and hire men to say Masse for theÌ„ so long But these are the fat morsels of Bels priests for this cause is the Popish Creed made verie fauourable to the Clergie Well say that ignorance is the mother of their deuotion for when the couetousnesse of the priests and the ignorance of the people ioyned together then they inuented Purgatorie Masses prayers for the dead and then all their trinkets For if they had not held our fathers in ignorance they would neuer haue bin Papists But when they cast a mist before the eyes of men then the blind fel into the diteh which doth containe so manie grosse corruptions I shewed vpon this woord seruant that the godly would not leaue this priuiledge for all the riches in the world for that they are the seruaunts of God fellowes to Angels and princes for we serue him whom Salomon serued who is blessed for euer Euerie seruingman beares the cognisance of his maister vpon his sleeue But what will the Lord say when he commeth and findeth vs marked with the badge of Sathan surely he will say giue vnto Sathan that which is Sathans for all the houses of Israell are sprinkled with the blood of the Lambe and all Exod. 12. Ezech. 9. Reuel 10. the mourners are marked and al the chosen are sealed with the seale of the liuing God Well was it sayd the poore receiue the Gospell The young men are more forward in the truth and more zelous then the aged Once the younger brother stole away the blessing froÌ„ the elder therefore the elder hated him euen for his zeale wheÌ„ was Iacob hated more then he is now when was he so hated and persecuted as he is now by Esau Yet in the old time men were more zealous in their age then euer we heare of them to be in their youth yea they were zealous in the Lords businesse Age hindered not Noah Gen. 6. from building of the Arke when God commaunded him age hindered not Simâ—on froÌ„ reioycing and mirth when he beheld embraced the Lord Iesus Christ Then old Simeon embraced Christ and he enioyed him with heartie ioy in zeale but now where is old Simeon there are but few of them to be seene comming to the Temple to receiue Christ but now yong men receiue yong Dan. 1. 1. Sam. 2. 3. 1. Tim. 4. PhilemoÌ„ 10 Simeons yong Daniels yong Samuels yong Timothies and yong Onesimus and the yong infants begin to speake againe The yong haue him they are zealous and I hope they wil keepe him though old men neglect him Sathan thou hast too much for nothing alreadie Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation He which
we ought But we will obiect that we are Israelites and are circumcised haue receiued the sacrameÌ„t of Christs blood that we might be his people he our God but this wil not excuse vs nor make vs seem any thing the better in the sight of God but rather worse if we haue not cast away the workes of darkenesse and put on the Lord Iesus Christ for it is sayd that Christ came Ephes 6. Rom. 13. Iohn 1. amongest his owne and his owne receiued him not but despised him therfore his owne are accursed so many of them as reâ—ect their owne saluation which being freely offered vnto them would not stretch foorth their hands to receiue it And he came by the motion of the spirit into the Temple c. Luke 8. If we would thinke that his spirit doth leade vs into the Temple we would marke verie diligently the motions thereof when we are there whether it speaketh vnto vs in our owne soules or by the mouth of the minister of God who is the minister not of the 1. Cor. 3. Luâ— 4. letter but of the spirit grace of God The deuill led Christ vnto the top of an high mountaine that he might shew him the glorie of the world which deceiueth vnstable minds so would he do you if you would be led by such a guide but I would not haue you to marke the vaine motions of such a spirit which leads to nothing but to vanitie and pride for after he hath led you vp to the top and allured you by carnall pleasures as much as he can if you then fall downe to worship Mammon and embrace the world the same spirit will afterward leade you nay rather cast you downe from the top of all vnto hell Therefore I beseech you heartily intreate you that you would be the seruants of God and the seruants of the spirit of God to obey it and do nothing contrarie to his will that you can refraine that you would do all those good things which you would were done by you and that you would go thither whither you would come for all would come to heauen but all will not go to heauen If you will all heare I will teach you all yea I wil vndertake this heare and marke my words you shal be conuerted by the power of our Lord Iesus Christ For I pray vnto the Lord that I may neuer preach to the condemnation of any among you all which wisheth that euerie of you were more zelous and more godly then my selfe But to whom shall I compare you euen to the vacabond Iewes of whom Luke Act. 19. 74. mentioneth in the Actes that they tooke vpon them to abiure euill spirits by the name of Iesus whom Paul preached to whom the euil spirits answered saying Iesus we know and Paul we know but who are ye those which had the euill spirits ran vpon them and ouercame them so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded and thus the deuill preuailed against them at that time because they sought to worke with anothers instrument preuaile with anothers weapon If they would haue said in the name of Iesus whoÌ„ we preach they might haue preuailed but they thought it sufficient that Paul preached him though they neuer professed him And so we leane vpon anothers staffe and thinke to be saued because God saueth others We shall be dealt withall as were those vacabond Iewes wherfore he wil answer such I know and such I know but who are ye Therefore it behoueth vs euerie one to pray vnto the Lord that he would furnish vs with weapons to encounter against all the euill motions of the spirit of Sathan that we may ouercome and not be ouercome and put to flight like these vacabond Iewes but that we may haue oyle alwayes in our lamps burning and alwayes armed with watchfulnesse against our enemies lest Sathan steale vpon vs at vnwares and spoile vs and strip vs and giue vs a fall Lord now lettâ—st thou thy seruant depart â—n peace c. If Samuell had heard the first time that 1. Sam. 3. God called him theÌ„ God needed not to call him the second or the third if Peter had Luke 22. marked the crowing of the cocke at the first time as he did at the third the cocke needed not to crow thrise Now therefore when you heare the same sound againe which you haue heard before remember now that the cocke croweth the second time for you know what discommoditie doth come by negligence what commoditie by attention for if you attend and follow iustice shall be swallowed vp of mercie Here is the example but where be they that follow it If nine leapers be cleansed yet but one returneth to giue thankes Luke 17. then one is all Vnthankfulnesse is the first guest that sitteth at the table for some will not sticke to say that they neuer said grace since they were children but if they had said we neuer had grace since they were childreÌ„ I would rather beleeue them Do they not say Giue vs this day our dayly bread If you do for shame say so no more beg no more at Gods hands vntil you be more thankful for that you haue receiued For behold the heauens Leâ—it 26. frown vpon you for your sinnes the earth denieth her fruite and is become barren because of your vnthankfulnesse Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart c. Here Simeon prayed praysed God yet but a short prayer for God delighteth not in much babling like the Pharisies or like the priests of Bal but Simeon prayed with Mat. 6. 1. Kings 18. Exod. 14. the heart like Moses and was heard Though you sing all Dauids Psalmes ouer and not haue Dauids spirit it profiteth nothing and though Dauid was heard when he song theÌ„ yet you can not be heard Therfore let vs pray so that our prayers may be heard and let vs heare so that by hearing we may profit by it Let vs not heare still so vnprofitably as we were wont to do if we do it shall be required at our hands for do you thinke that you shall neuer be called to account of that which I haue preached vnto you but as soone as ye are gone out of this place all is shut vp and all is forgotten God is exeÌ„pted from your minds our Sauiour Christ saith Iohn 12. 48 the word that I speake vnto you shall iudge Iohn 12. 48 Luke 10. you at the last day Marie is commended for that she heard our Sauiour very dâ—ligently laying vp his words in her heart and Iacob was wiser then all his children in that he Gen. 37. 11. remembred the dreame of Ioseph vntill he saw it fulfilled Those that loue the Lord with an vnfayned loue do gladly heare his voyce and become obedient My sheepe heare my voyce saith Christ and they that loue the Iohn 10. 27. Arke as Dauid
did will daunce about the Arke as Dauid did and that with ioy and 2. Sam. 6. gladnesse Isaac was a good man his name signified laughter wherby was shewed what ioy laughter there should be about Christ Iesus for he was the only figure euē Christ him selfe The Virgin song when she knew Luke 1. that she should beare him the Angels song ioyfully when he was borne and Simeon song Luke 2. when he was brought into the Temple but as soone as he saw Christ he desired of God that he might die depart out of this earthly prison So soone as a man knoweth God euer henceforth he crieth with the Apostle I desire to be dissolued that he might be with Christ for Christ is light as soone as they Phil. 1. 23. see him they see also them selues his glorie and their shame filthinesse which maketh them wish for death that they might liue with him and this made the martyrs desire death or any other torment that their dayes of iniquitie might be ended and that sinne might cease against God by them for all sin is blood in their eyes and all worldly pleasures vanities Simeon desired death for the feruent loue of God made life irksome vnto him which naturally is the most pleasant thing of all vnto mā death pleasant vnto him which all men hate naturally and would giue all the riches in the world if they had it that they might not die such loue they beare to life So I conclude that no man is willing to die till his conscience be quiet in Christ for then the loue of the world falleth away like the mantell of Elias when he was rapt into 2 Kings 2. heauen Simeon had seene many things in his dayes but when he saw Christ he was vnwilling to liue any longer to see more but like the hart which panteth with desiring after the Psal 42. water brookes so he longed so long till he had seene with his eyes the Sauiour of the world and then he so thirsted for death that he sought nothing else And thus they that hunger after righteousnesse are satisfied and Mat. 5. filled It is enough for me saith Iacob that my Gen. 46. sonne Ioseph liueth so let vs be satisfied with Gen. 46. this that our sauiour Christ liueth where he is thither shal we come I would go saith one through heate and cold through ehalth and sicknesse and through all kinde of miseries that I might hunger after God and after his righteousnesse They that beare the crosse of Christ haue al the marks of Christs Disciples None are so wel fed as they which went with Christ into the wildernesse and Iohn 6. where there was no food there they all were satisfied and filled with wholsome food Simeon knew Christ as soone as he sawe him and embraced him as soone as he knew him and enioyed him as soone as he embraced him Some know the word of God as soone as they heare it others heare it as though they heard it not like deafe adders which stop their eares at the voyce of the charmer So Pharao would not heare the voyce of Moses nor Baals priests would not heare the voyce Exod. 5. c 1. Kings 18. of Elias Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace c. Christ brings peace with him not the peace of the world but that peace which passeth all vnderstanding my peace I leaue with you my peace remaine with you saith he Our peace is laid vp in Christ and all the peace we haue by him els it is no true peace Simeon had peace enough that he departed Psal 37. 37 in peace so marke the ende of the iust and you shall then depart in peace like the lambe vpon the crosse Faine would Balaam die the death of the righteous but Balaam Num. 23. must then liue the life of the righteous therfore all men looke to this Happie are they that depart in peace when death saith feare and the serpent saith despaire then saith the spirit to the flesh crouch bids the serpent flie while death openeth the prison doores If the Papists beleeued that they depart in peace they wold neuer say that those which depart go to Purgatorie so by their own saying the worst part is behind Some say this Purgatorie is in the earth neare to hell and other say it is in the aire neare to heauen Some say they are punished there by fire and some say by water some say by fire and water and some say that if it be in the earth it is too farre then from heauen to be saued Others say that if it be in the aire it is too farre from hell to be damned Some say the good Angelles torment and other say that the euill spirits do it But we must vnderstand that it is a painted sepulcher made rather for the liuing then for the dead For the Locust of Rome doth liue altogether by such Trentals and by such traditions and this is the profitablest dreame that euer any of thē dreamed but it is manifest by the word of God that where the tree falleth there it lyeth shall Eccles 11. lye for euer Diues and Lazarus are dead Luke 16. where they are thither shall we all go Sathā hath many sleightes to deceiue vs of which this is one of the greatest to bring vs from the word of God to dreames and traditions and things inuented by the braines of mortal men which haue not the spirit of God in them Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace c. In my last lecture I vnfolded two questions the first whether it be lawfull for a Christian man to wish to die The second whether we may pray for the dead and say Lord haue mercie vpon them But all the seed is not fallen into good ground therfore some thinke it but a small matter to say so or as it were a venial sinne if it be a sinne But let vs take heed how we make trifles of sinnes for there is no dalying with God who is iealous as a consuming fire when his people make such small accoūt of his words Heb. 12. Other demaund whether it be not better to say God be with them then the deuill be with them both which are naught and to be eschued And herein they aske this question like a thiefe hauing robbed a man by the high way and being taken with it and demāded why he did such a villany he saith is it not better to rob him then to kill him as though he must needes do the one of thē then what a shamelesse answer is this for it is manifest that of two euils none is to be chosen Some wil say it is a testimonie of our good Three bucklers wherewith some do vse to maintaine prayer for the dead will To such we must replie saying so it is a
and welfare for she euer putteth on a vizard that she might not be knowne to be so vile as she is so vnder the colour of goodnesse euill is alwayes lâ—â—king Therefore Christ is called the light because that we should leaue our foolishnes seeing light is come and that we should forsake all our lights which are but darknesse and 〈◊〉 vnto his light which is the true light indeed He came to lighten the Gentiles and they receiued him with thankfulnesse of whom there was no hope of goodnesse left Who would suppose that the barren woman should become frutefull or the prodigall sonne returne home againe It is like as if an owle should be conuerted to see light or as if the streame should returne into the fountaine or as if an old man should become yong againe A light to be 〈◊〉 to the Gentiles To be reuealed not yet reuealed the Iewes must first reiect him before the Gentiles receiue him and when the Iewes did oppresse him condemne him and crucifie him then were his armes spred vnto the whole world When the guests would not come then he sendeth into the high wayes to compell others that would come willingly vnto it Luk. 14. 23. Comfort is on foote and that which will come shall come c. The Queene of Saba Mat. 12. came from the vttermost part of the earth to heare Salomons wisedome and the wise men came from the East to see Iesus Christ Mat. 2. but we may say the Lord was here by in the Temple and I was in my shop selling and buying lying deceiuing swearing Well when he comes backe againe I will be better acquainted with him and so we esteeme not of his presence in any reuerent sort The Sunamite sayd Let vs build a chamber for 2. Kin. 4. 10. the man of God then we should build an house Zacheus did climbe vp into a tree to Luke 19. see his sauiour and the Lord seeing his diligence called him Zaoheus come downe for I will dine at thy house this day that was a ioyfull day with Zaoheus for then saluatioÌ„ came into his house and vpon al his family he gaue the Lord a feast and the Lord made him a farre better feast of peace a feast of ioy a feast of heauenly things and so for his zeale and indeuor to see Christ bodily he shewed him selfe vnto him spiritually euen to his hearts desire To be reuealed Haue an eye to the future tense that which 1. Kings 3. 12. 11. Iud. 13. 15. and 16. Luke 6. Act. 1. Act. 9. Mat. 26. Act. 4. Act. 7. is not shall be As for example Salomon was wise but he is foolish Sampson was strong but he is weake Iudas was a preacher but he is a reprobate Paule was a persecutor but he is a preacher Peter was a denier of Christ but now he is a bold professor of Christ Moses was learned in the wisedome of the Egyptians but now he is learned in the wisdome of God by which the wisdome of the Egyptians is made but meere foolishnesse in the sight of God Other wise men as heathen Philosophers Plato Aristotle Cato Crates and such like these were counted verie wise men in the sight of the world yet these were Gentiles that wrote so manie â—ookes full of wisedome and all so adorned with notable sentences wittie sayings that one would thinke all wisdome were buried with them so famous were they and so full of earthly vnderstanding teaching maners counsels and pollicies yet for my part I haue neither seene nor heard of any such being wise in worldly things and without the wisdome of God but that they haue committed some notorious foolishnesse in the sight of all men like Achitophel of whom we reade 2. Sam. 17. that he was so wise a counseller and yet see the end of him he hanged him selfe and all for want of the knowledge of God It were better therefore for him to haue had more wisedome and lesse wit Crates Aristotle Plato all the rest of the wise Philosophers haue either poysoned burned or drowned them selues and so we see that the ende of worldly wisdome is meere foolishnesse and 1. Cor. 1. 20 the foolish haue more peace then the wise for their wisedome without the feare of God doth theÌ„ no more good then the Arke did to the Philistines which did nothing but Iâ—d 5. torment them because they knew not how to vse it and therefore vnreuerently abused it For if your wisedome consist in eloqueÌ„ce of words in profunditie of wit to gain craftily and spend warily to inuent lawes to expound riddles and interpret dreames to tell fortunes and prophecie of matters by learning all these without the feare of God do vs no more good then their wit did these Philosophers which notwithstanding sate in darknes And I am afrayd though Christ brought light vnto the Gentiles yet it may be sayd that the Gentils sit in darknesse stil sauing a fewe Leuites scattered vpon the mountaines for whose sake Sodome is spared And because those had not the knowledge of God therfore they worshipped Mars Cupid sunne and moone beasts serpeÌ„ts so the Philistines worshipped DagoÌ„ Iud. 5. Act. 19. the Ephesians worshipped Diana the Assyrians Nesroch the Israelites worshipped a calf IeroboaÌ„ worshipped Belzebub the Moabites worshipped Chamos the Samaritanes did worship vnto Baall so the truth seemeth falshood and error seemeth truth As for example that the world should be made of nothing that the word became flesh that God and man was ioyned together in one bodie then one man may be righteous in the righteousnes of another which is Christ and that the dead shall rise againe these seemed foolishnesse vnto the Gentiles neither could they beleeue them No more can some Gentiles amongst vs at this day which are but naturall men therefore they do not beleeue them for when they professed them selues to be wise they became fools saith the holy Ghost So then we see nowe what Christ hath Rom. 2. done for vs he hath bounde that serpent which hath sowen all the tares so that the deuill is faine for want of better lodging to enter into swine Heretofore whereas one followed God a thousand folowed Baall but now kings Princes lift vp their heads desiring Christ to raigne with them and in them Heretofore we made our selues like the wounded man we were spoyled we were stript naked and we were bathed in our bloud being full of wounds but now Christ hath furnished vs he hath washed vs he hath clothed vs we are now become true Israelites we which were the vile and wild oliues he hath grafted vp vpon the true oliue and planted vs in a frutefull soile And what cause can we shew for this but onely mercie For heretofore we were called foolish but the Lord hath made vs wise according to the wisedome of God in these dayes by his spirit but if you deserue to
be called the foolish nation again then ye are most vnhappie and most cursed So now we haue heard that the Lord doth â—eueale all his counsels vnto his Prophets and how the glory of Israell is now reuealed to be the light of the Gentiles And you haue heard the cause why because the Jewes reiected their owne saluation You haue heard that the cause was onely his mercie his loue because mercy can not containe it selfe within Ierusalem A light to be reuealed to the Gentiles and the glorie of thy people Israell You haue heard why Christ is called light why he is called the light of the Gentils why the Lord did change a curse vnto a blessing why the Gentils did chaÌ„ge darknesse for light and a thousand gods for one true God Then the Gentiles receiued more grace then they desired for the Lord came vncalled into their houses and made a feast vnto them in their owne houses The light of the Gentiles is our light your light and my light Christ is our grace your grace my grace and Christ is our saluation your saluation and my saluation He came vnto the Iewes for the Iewes and yet his comming vnto the Gentiles was better then to the Iewes He came into the world when the world did abound in all wickednesse and saued vs when we most deserued wrath Wonder at this you that wonder at nothing that the Lord would come to bring saluation to redeeme our lost soules euen as it were against our willes so that now we would not be as we were for a thousand worlds I shewed the blindnesse of the Iewes who hauing heard of their reiection and of our conuersion yet vnderstood it not neither sought to preueÌ„t Gods wrath in reiecting of them Therefore the rocke which should haue saued them did shiuer them in peeces wherin was shewed their wonderful blockishnesse hauing it so ofteÌ„ foretold by their Ptophets figured in their Law shadowed in their sacrifices and read in their churches from Saboth to Saboth Euery thing that commeth to passe in churches in common weales in cities in countreys in kingdomes and in prouâ—â—ces these are all foretold in the scriptures and yet none do vnderstand it sauing a few chosen ones whom God loueth For the comming of Antichrist the ouerthrow of kingdomes the darknesse of Poperie the light of the Gospell the conuersion of the Gentiles and the reiecting of the Iewes all these are set downe in the scriptures and yet we can not vnderstand it though we heare it day by day because we do not giue our minds to vnderstanding Such hearers shall stand in a maze before the righteous terrible throne of God the dead shall rise the trumpe shall blow and all the world shal be in an vprore and they shall stand quaking when their hearing without profiting shall be layd to their charge and they shall say ô we haue knowne no such things but surely if the Iewes could come out of hell they wold admonish vs to take better heed how we heare for we heare as though we did not heare at all our minds are otherwise occupied Now when we see any thing come come to passe as it is foretold in the Scriptures then we must say as Christ sayd this prophecie is fulfilled for all things that are written are come to scriptum est factum est that is as sure as it is written so surely doth it come to passe It prophecieth nothing but that which truely is fulfilled in due time and the more often it speakes of a thing the more certaine the more excellent and the more to be beleeued it is Like a iewell that is beset with pearle so is our calling ordained with scriptures for so doth God tender our calling which is so often in his mouth and we so often in his remembrance that he speaketh of vs in euery book throughout the whole scriptures like a kind spouse whose loue is in a straunge countrey and he delighteth him selfe with thoughts and meditations of her so he did long vntil the Gentiles were come to him againe like the prodigall child whose father did long Luke 15. vntill he had imbraced him When shal my prodigall sonne come home againe saith he I will put my best garment on his backe my gold ring vpon his finger and his fare shall be the daintiest morsel And thus God longeth for our saluation and he knocketh at our doores Is faith here is loue here is one called the feare of God in this place And as loue maketh louers sometime to speake plainly and familiarly one to another sometime by darke speeches and riddles sometime by letters sometime by dumbe shewes and signes and sometime to hide them selues one from another so our God speaketh sometimes playnely vnto his Church sometime darkely and mystically somtime he turneth his face froÌ„ his Church and deare spouse as though he would not speake vnto her for loue as appeareth in the booke of the Canticles The first type or figure was Caine and Certain types figures of the electioÌ„ of the Gentiles and the reiection of the Iews which here he rehearsâ—d for the confirmation of this doctrine Gen. 4. Abell Caine was the eldest sonne of Adam and Abell the yonger yet God loued Abell and accepted his sacrifices but God reiected Caine for his wickednesse and he became a reprobate euen so doth God he reiecteth the Iewes which were the eldest sonne the true oliue and the seede of promise and Gods deare children if theâ— had continued in obedience and he taketh vs being but the yongest sonne the wyld oliue and maketh vs children by adoption vnto him only of his meere mercie without anie other cause The 2. example was Sem Iaphet both Gen. 9. which were Noahs sons Sem was the first son Iaphet the third yoÌ„gest of this Iaphet came the Gentiles of him said Noah God perswade Iaphet that he may dwell in the teÌ„ts of Sem that is that they may be vnited together as we see it is come to passe Other sheepe I haue saith Christ which are not of this fold them also will I bring they shal heare my voyce there shall be one sheepe fold and one shepherd Iohn 10. The third type or figure of Christ was Gen. 21. Ismael and Isaac both the sonnes of Abraham Ismaell was the eldest Isaac the yonger yet Isaac was chosen of God a figure of Christ at that time when he went to haue bene offered as a sweet sacrifice at Gods coÌ„mandement And Ismael his eldest brother was a mocker of his brother and therfore he was put away and the Lord was not with Gen. 22. him The fourth type or figure was Iacob and Gen. 25. Esau both sonnes to Isaac Esau was the elder brother and Iacob the yonger yet God loued Iacob and hated Esau because Esau contemned his birthright and sold it to Iacob for a messe of pottage and
them so that there mercy stept before iudgment His name was Ionah which signifieth a doue which admonisheth vs that as we labour to be as wise as serpents so we should also desire that we might be as simple as doues His fathers name was Amittai which signifieth truth I would that truth were euerie preachers father There are three speciall things contained in this historie First the great mercie of God expressed in this that he sent a Prophet to Niniuie a Citie of the Gētils which were strangers from the couenant from the promise and straungers from the common wealth of Israell The second thing was Ionah who being no Gentile but an Israelite which knew his maisters will what it was did yet presumptuously neglect the same not of a sudden desire for he had time inough to consider what he did and yet see what mercie did the Lord prepared a great whale in the bottome of the sea where there was no hope of life for him afterwards the Lord hauing deliuered him out of the whales bellie he went and preached at Niniuie so zealously as though he had neuer bene the man which was so disobedient before And when he had done he murmured against God worse thē euer he did and all because he spared the citie The third thing was the mariners which had bene idolaters all their liues yet now by the great power of God mouing them called vpon the true God of whom they had heard by Ionah by whose mightie power they were saued But in the meane while Niniuie set on the score and had no ho with them in working wickednesse but still filling the cup of all abhominations and running downe to hel with as much speed and force as they could and no stay but the perill of death And Ionah he rebelleth against God for being sent to Niniuie he went to Tarshish There are foure speciall things to be noted in Ionah First the daunger of Ionah by his disobedience Secondlie the behauiour of Ionah in the whales bellie Thirdlie the grudging and murmuring of Ionah against the Lord God And fourthlie the rebuking of Ionah by God for his impietie He that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receyue a Prophets reward Therefore let vs prepare our eares to heare and receiue the worde of God preached by his ministers let vs think that Ionah is come againe to our houses to preach whether it be fortie dayes or fortie weekes or fortie yeares they that liue like Sodome shall be punished like Sodome The word of the Lord came to Ionah the sonne of Amittai saying Arise◠c. We haue seene Ionah a farre off if we would we might see him nearer As our Sauiour said to his disciples Pray Mat. 24. 20 that your flight be not in the winter nor on the Sabboth so say I vnto you pray that the Lordes comming be not on the weeke dayes therefore if he did come then howe should he find you Therefore I pray you learne now and giue good eare that ye may◠heare sufficient for all the weeke The word of the Lord came c. Wherein I obserue that Ionah went not before he was sent for he going to preach vnto the Gentiles it was needfull that he should haue a speciall calling and commission from the Lord himselfe for it was vnmeet to cast the childrens bread vnto dogs vnlesse he had a speciall commaundement from God so to do None ought to take vpon him the function of preaching in the church vnles they haue their warrant or authoritie from God Heb. 5. 4. as Aaron had And although they haue not their authoritie in that forme and maner as Ionah had his namely as it were by word of mouth euen from God himselfe Arise and go to Niniuie Yet they must haue their warrant from him else their calling is vnlawfull But now there is another authoritie crept into the Church that makes so many idols which haue eyes and see not tongues and speake not eares and heare not and that is this When one stalleth vp another into Moses chaire not hauing Moses rod nor Moses spirit And this gall will not holde spurring Further I obserue that as the worde of the Lord came to Ionah so the word of the Pope came to his priests Iesuits and Seminaries but so and in such sort manie times that they are drawne to Tiburne while Masses are said for them at Rome The word of the Lord came vnto Ionah c. Wherein also I obserue that which came vnto him was not alwayes with him but so it was that when the worde of the Lord came vnto anie of the Prophets then they were well furnished with abilitie to teach to preach to reproue or to command whosoeuer the Lord would haue so handled as by example Nathan the Prophet bad Dauid the king that he should build a temple 2. Sam 1. 1. Chron. 11 2. Sam. 1. and 1. Chron. 11. And a little after he came and bad him that he should not build it Where wee see that when he bad him build it then the spirite of the Lord came not vnto him to bid him so to do And therefore the spirit of God came vpon him the verie same night and bad him that he should go to Dauid and bid him that he should not build it For this is euident that as God himselfe is constant so his spirit and his word are constant and therefore neuer faith and vnsaith one thing Againe the Prophet Elisha said 2. Kin. 4. 2. King 4. that the Sunamites heart was grieued but the Lord had hid it from him and had not as then declared the same vnto him which doth note vnto vs that the same worde whereby the Lord hath and doth reueale maruellous things vnto his Prophets was not now vpon him neither is alwayes vpon any Prophet but according to the will of God it comes vnto them to reueale vnto them what he would haue them to do and when it pleaseth him Also Daniel said that the Lord did not reueale the kings dreame vnto him for any wisdome that he had more then any liuing but only for the kings sake for the poore people of Gods sake and so you must think of vs that are the ministers of the Gospell that the Lord doth not reueale his will vnto vs for any wisdome or worthinesse that is in vs more then other men but for your sakes that we might reueale it vnto you therefore heare vs euen for that cause because the Lord hath reuealed vnto vs these things for your sakes and good From the calling we come to the charge Arise and go to Niniuie that great◠c. God commeth and findeth vs al a sleepe then he bids vs arise for they are not fit to conuert others which are not yet cōuerted themselues according to that saying of Christ to Peter When thou art conuerted sayth he strengthē thy brethren teaching Luke 22. 32 them
by your experience Now a dayes men take vpon them to reproue others for committing such thinges as themselues haue practised and do practise without amendment notwithstanding their diligence in teaching others their dutie they can teach all the doctrine of Christ sauing three sillables that is Follow me Therefore these are like some Tailers which are verie busie in decking and tricking vp of others but go bare beggerly themselues They wil not let vs plucke out the moate that is in their eyes vutill we haue plucked out the beame in our owne eyes Niniuie was the greatest and the auncientest citie in the land of Assyria and the name of it signified Beautifull which name was giuen it rather for the greatnesse and beautie thereof then for the name of Ashur which was the builder and first founder therofâ— as we read in the booke of Genesis Some thinke it to be built by Ninus Geâ— 10. 11. but I am not of that minde It had a faire name but foule deeds like this citie The Iewes would not heare the word of God by Ionah and therfore the Lord sent to Niniuie signifying thereby that the Iewes for their contempt and negligence should be reiected and the Gentiles should be receyued into the fauour of God that they might be an holie sanctified people vnto the Lord in their stead Their sinne is noted in this that they sinned euen vntill the Prophets were gone from them Therefore this was as it were to shake off the dust of their feet to witnesse against them for their obstinacie and hardnesse of heart and to let them see that the wickedest Gentiles were more righteous then they that they repented at the voice of one Prophet yea with one sermon whereas they refused resisted all the holy and worthy Prophets that God sent vnto them Againe the calling of the Gentiles is declared in this their submission with all willingnesse which they did shewe vnto the words of this prophet wheras the Iewes reiected all the words of God and would not heare the Prophets whom God had raysed vp amongst them which made those Niniuits to proclaime a fast to put on sackcloth and to humble themselues before the Lord desiring him to turne away his wrath from their citie Thus they repented and repenting were saued with mercie so they which grieue the spirit quench the spirit for the worde of God went from Samaria to Niniuie The Gospell was in Ephesus but it went from thence and came to England and it may go again from England Let theÌ„ which thinke that they stand take heede least they fall Niniuie receyued the word of God and neuer heard it before and this sheweth that the foolish simple are more diligent and ready to heare and receiue the word of god than those that are wise in their owne conceit also in the view of the world What saith Christ the poore receiue the Gospel Mat. 11 5. 1. Cor. 1. 2 6 what saith Paule not many rich not many wise For if we haue knowledge if this knowledge be like the Pharisies that is in shew of sinceritie in counterfeit holinesse and hollow-hart friendship through hypocrisie it had beene better for vs that we had beene ignorant for it will but leaue vs inexcusable it will be found insufficient to saue vs but sufficient to condemne vs because we knowe our maisters will and doe it not Luk. 12. 4â— 84. Actâ— 8. 20. therefore as Peter said to Simon Magus thy money perish with thee So will the Lord say vnto such thy knowledge perish with thee seeing it is vnprofitable That great citie c. As if hee had saide Feare it not for though it were neuer so great I am able to destroy it and will destroy it if it doth offend me And moreouer the greater it is the more vngodly For as one man taketh sicknesse of another so one man is infected by ill example of another and so taught to sinne the more till the measure of sinne be full Niniuie had 1500. towers in it and 120000 little children as is noted in the end Ion 4. 11 of this storie therefore it may well be called a great citie But yet the greatnesse the beautie the strength and riches of this citie could not withstand the hand of God or keep it from destruction but rather further it and hasten it For with the more excellent ornaments that it was adorned by the Lord the more haynous and grieuous in his sight was the abuse of them Therefore the hugenesse nor the strength of this or any other Citie can saue it from the iudgement of God being sinfull in his sight Great Sodom is destroyed Ierico is destroyed Gen. 19. Iosh 6. 1 â—in 24. 25 Râ—u 18. 2. great Niniuie is destroyed great Ierusalem is destroyed and great Rome the roome of all vncleane spirits stayeth for her destruction like a whoore that stayeth for her punishment till she be deliuered and all these were punished for vnthankefulnesse and contempt of the worde of God Yet Ierico nor Sodome nor Niniuie haue had halfe the preaching that we haue yet we are vnthankefull too When Sodom was burnede Zoar stoode safe when Ierusalem was destroyed Bethlehem Gen. 19. Ier. 41. 17. stood still so the Lord doth alwayes prouide for his people though he make neuer so great a slaughter and destruction amongst his enemies Great Sodome is destroyed great Niniuie is destroyed great Ierusalem is destroyed then what haue wee to looke for Ionah was cast into the sea swallowed of a fish and cast vp againe and after all this he must go preach at Niniuie and he must conuert it within fortie dayes and that without miracles which wanne great credite among the Gentiles Within fortie dayes hee must conuert Niniuie in fortie dayes the seed sowen growen and ripe Who would haue thought Ionah should haue beene cast out of the sea to conuert Niniuie They that scorned at Ionah are conuerted by Ionah and they that despised the worde are ouercome by the worde Though Ionah were cast out of a shippe swallowed of a fish and cast out of the sea yet there is hope of him Ioseph is in prisonâ— and who knoweth what shall become of him who would haue thought that Saule should become Paule or Zacheus a Christian God woulde not suffer anie people to 2. Pet. 2. 5. Gen. 19. Exod. 4. bee vntaught therefore hee sent vnto the olde world Noah Lot to Sodome Moses to Israell Thinke no worse of no man though hee were cast out of the sea as Ionah or baselie brought vp for the Sauiour of Israell is brought out of the flags and the saluation of the whole world out of a stall It is saide that GOD worketh manie things at once It might well be said for the mercie of God the conuersion of the Gentiles the reiection of the Iewes were al set forth herein and yet a further matter was contained in it And although
the Iewes were a wicked a stiffe necked people yet there were some good men amoÌ„g them whom the Prophets call a remnant like the gleaning after haruest or like a cluster of grapes on the top of the vine after the vintage And these must be remembred in mercie because of the couenant made vnto their fathers So among them that went into captiuitie there was Shidrach Misach and Abednego And so all do not kneele to Bell for they whom the Lord preserueth do not The Lord because of his couenant doth alwayes prouide for his chosen although there be neuer so great calamitie or trouble as we see in the booke of Genesis 45. chapt Gen. 45. when there was a great time of dearth and scarcitie to come vpon the land where Iacob was then the Lord sent Ioseph to prouide for his father Iacob least hee should want bread he or any of his sonnes and folks and so ordered the matter that Ioseph was treasurer ouer all the corne in Egypt And so among the Turks and the Spaniards and infidels the Lord will find meanes to do them good which vnfainedly loue him and in the dungeon in the prison and in bonds yea and in death the godly shall find God And crie against it First God biddeth him Arise and shake off all impediments and then to go and call them to the battel and now he bids him crie out against them and so terrifie them Euery Prophet is a crier as appeareth where the Lorde biddeth Esaie to lift vp his Esay 48. 1. voyce like a Trumpet Euerie Prophet must both be plaine and bold and this many times maketh the poore seruants of God to speake their minds as plaine and bold as if they sate in iudgement Iohn was a voice a voice would not serue he was the voice Luke 3. of a crier and yet hee could not make the crooked straight nor the rough plaine If they were not deafe they need not to crie one to another such is the dumbnesse of preachers the deafnesse of hearers and the slownesse of followers that there is but litle good done and but a few frutes gathered If ye were not deafe we neede not to crie and therefore we crie with mouth with heart with hand with foot with all the powers of our bodies vnto you and yet how little do you regard itâ— But are not ye commanded to heare as well as we to crie yet the cocke croweth when men are fastest asleepe yea the cocke croweth and still Peter denieth Mat. 26. 70. 72 74. his maister Before you crie vnto the Lord heare what the word crieth vnto you and let not your woorkes crie for vengeaunce while your tongues crie for mercie When men heare the preacher speake against pride hypocrisie couetousnesse or anie other sinne then they looke one vpon another as though it belonged not vnto them but who can say his hart is cleane In the second of the Actes the holy Ghost Acts. 2. came downe in fire tongs but this fire is quenched and the tongues are tied vp though they cannot speak they can see they can see if a great benefice fall though it be an hundred miles off yet Pharao had more care of his sheepe then wee haue of our soules And crie against them For their wickednesse is come vp c. Faire Niniuie proude Niuiuie must be destroyed no man sits so high but destruction sits aboue him Iustice would haue come against them before it cried agaynst them But while they heard the crie of God God heard their cries and tooke pitie on them When God cries then we should weepe considering wherefore he cries for there is nothing that can prouoke the Lord to crie but sinne and that he euer crieth against Do what thou wilt and say what thou wilt and the Lord wil not be offended with you vnlesse you sinne For as an angrie man euer pursueth that which he hateth vntill he hath destroyed it so the Lord euer crosseth and hindereth vs in all our wicked actions vntill he hath slaine sinne in vs. Our sinnes buffet God on euerie side as the Iewes buffetted Christ first on the right side and then on the left side and neuer leaue till we haue prouoked him to crie against vs. And crie against it c. Reproofe is the necessariest office yet it is least regarded least esteemed For now we thinke if one doth reproue vs that he hateth vs. But the Lorde sayth Leuit. 19. Thou Leui. 19. 17 shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart but shalt reprooue him and suffer him not to sinne noting thereby that if wee flatter anie in their sinne or see them sinne and not reprooue them for it that it is a manifest signe that they doe it of hatred how great loue and good will so euer they pretend toward them seeing the matter tendes to the hurt of their soules and the offence of God If a preacher reproue sin he is thoght to do it of hatred or of some particular grudge others as though they were galled will say let him keepe his text or they will say he is beside his booke as though no text in scripture doth reproue sin and so of al doctrines the doctrine of reproofe reprehension of sin is most contemned and least esteemed But let a preacher preach darke misteries or prophane speeches or vnprofitable fables or friuolous questions or curious inuentions or od conceits or brainsicke dreames any of these will be more welcome vnto theÌ„ then reprehension which is most profitable and necessariest of all Balaams asse neuer spake but once and then he reproued Then Num. 22. 28. if Balaams asse reproued BalaaÌ„ how much more ought Balaam to reproue asses or such as will be no otherwise then beasts in their behauiour When we reproue you for sins whether they be vsuall or priuate you thinke ill of vs. If a preacher reproue a publike sin which is vsed and tollerated amongest many he is hated of many and thought to be too busie or that he is toosharpe and rough And they say that whereas hee should preach Gods loue and mercie he tels vs of the law and so doth throw vs downe too low c. And if he reprâ—â—ue a sinne that is done priuatelie he is thought to be enuious and one that preaches the law and thereby throwes some to despaire so al reproof is thought by them intollerable But we preach hell to bring you to heauen we preach the law to lead you to the Gospel we preach iudgement that you might find mercie we threaten as though we should strike you we rebuke as though we were angrie with you and exclaime as though we did hate you but we loue you in the dearest blood we haue The Lord grant vs all to loue the truth to the end THE REBELLION OF IONAH IN TWO SERMONS Ionah 1. 2. 3. 2 Arise and go to Niniuie that great Citie and crie against it
him Gehezi durst neuer haue takeÌ„ a bribe if he had thought that god beheld his doings Wilt thou steale the owner looking on thee wilt thou speake treason in the kings hearing Neither would we lye nor sweare nor steale nor hurt nor be prophane at any time if we considered that the Lord seeth vs and remembred that he watcheth vs if we would do thus sin might go â—begging for want of seruice Therefore if you will marke but this part of my sermoÌ„ that God seeth all you would refraine from those things secretly that are to the offence of god which you for feare or shame wil not do before men you would say euen when your hand is at it I wil not do it because the Lord seeth vsâ— Now therefore repent thee of all the euill that thou hast done runne and â—ie thee as fast as euer thou canst and striue who goes fastest thy sinne or thy prayers These are the faint spies that went to see the land of Canaan which say that iourney is farther then you are able to go all your life the way is like a thicket and the doore like a needels eye therefore it is impossible for you to come thither But when you send faith hope and loue those messengers of peace and truth they will bring you word saying your ruffes must be ruffled and your fardingales crusht and none shall be kept out but such as loue the world better then heauen or such as wil take their sinnes with them for that it is not the fashion of that countrey but we must leaue them like the shadow when we go into the doore and we must shake hands with them and bid them fare-well Now it followeth how Ionah fled to Tarshish We can not stand to speake of Tarshish nor what it is to flie from God but how Ionah was sent to Niniuie and how he went to Tarshish this shall be our meditation Ionah the Prophet was commanded to go to Niniuie and there to crie out against sinne to preach against pride and all kinde of vngodlinesse therby to reclaime them stir them vp in laying open their sinne and the punishment which hanged ouer them that they might speedily repent and so turn away from them the wrath of God thereby deserued What a happie message was this and what a happie thing for Niniuie that the Lord would vouchsafe theÌ„ so great mercie O but still one flie or other marres the whole boxe of ointment as soone as he was Eccles. 10. 1â— commanded to go thither Sathan stood in the gap and entised him to go to Tarshish lest the Niniuites kil him or some way hurt him Ionah was no sooner tempted and thus entised by Sathan to go to Tarshish but he forthwith yeelded and hauing yeelded then he to go and so Ionah made him selfe a run-away and a disobedient seruant to his God And thus Sathan is euer entising or crossing vs when we are addressing our selues to do the will of our God There is no commaundement of God but the deuill commaunds the contrarie and he is euer vnsaying that which God sayth for our good God sayth vnto Adam if you eate of the forbidden Gene. 2. 17. fruite you shall die the deuill came and he told them no you shall not die but you shal be as Gods if you eate theof God saith Gen. 3. 4. submit your selues one to another in brotherly 1. Pet. 5. 5. loue the deuill saith be proud and lustie scornfull and ambitious God sayth loue thy neighbour as thy selfe the deuill Mat. 22. saith be enuious but loue thy self and none but thy selfe God saith labor for the food Iohn 6. 27. which perisheth not the deuill bids labour for such food which perisheth as dainties and plentie of pleasant things God sayth forsake the world the deuill saith loue and Rom. 12. 2. 1. Ioh. 3. 18. esteeme the world with the things of the world and we do it at his commandement And thus is man led captiue to destruction with the chaines of sin One said God spake and it was done but I say the deuill speaketh Gen. 1. 3. 9. and it is done for he is such an Orator that no man can denie him This made Demas to embrace the world Iudas to betray 2 Tim. 4. 10â— Mat. 26. 48. 70. Iud. 14 17. Gen. 4. 8. 2. King 5. 22. 24. his maister Peter to denie his Lord Sampson to reueale his secret Cain to kill his brother Gehezi to take a bribe and there is such harping in the ballance that constancie is put out of her place Yet this priuiledge hath God giueÌ„ vnto vs that if we resist the deuill Iames 5. he wil flie away from vs. But the deuil hath not this promise that when he resists we shall flie from him notwithstanding the deuill is euer as busie as if he had such a promise yea full often doth ouercome which is a sign that we do not resist him any thing throughly but rather as it should seeme we ioine with him rather to do his wil theÌ„ gods will and this made foolish Balaam to aske Num. 22. againe and again till God seeing him bent contrarie to his will left him vnto himselfe and so Balaam went on in sin so long til the verie asse wheron he rode was constrained to reproue him and crie out against him But Ionah rose vp to go downe to Tarshish and he went to Iapho They that should preach at Niniuie are loytering at Tarshish and like a drone doth the Nonresident keepe his benefice but for shame wilt thou keepe it still either go and preach at Niniuie as you are coÌ„mmanded or leaue your priuiledge and benefice But they stand staggering ashamed to keepe it and loath to leaue off for the sweet morsels of Bels priests are so pleasant vnto them that they cannot find in their harts to leaue them as long as they are able to keepe it Ionah was sent to Niniuie but he went toward Tarshish And so it is alwayes with vs either we say or do euill or else we do nothing or we take one thing for another and so we are euer doing that we should not do And as Ionah tooke Tarshish for Niniuie so wee take the Deuill for an Angell light for darknesse pride for handsomnesse sinne for godlinesse and euil for goodnesse No maruell it was that Ionah fled least hee should go to Niniuie for this is a stumbling vocation amoÌ„g men yea hated and reiected by the children of this world which alway Exod. 18. 4. Iere. 20. 7. kicke against it and therefore it was that Moses murmured and Ieremie complained If you would aske for a paineful vocation this is it if for a contemptible vocation this is it for reprouing we are reproued it is as easie to wash a Blackemoore as to coÌ„uert a sinner because Sathan is euer crossing men from doing the will of God and as earnest as the Lord was
in stopping the way of Balaam least he should commit wickednesse so earnestly did the deuill stop the way of Ionah lest he in obedience should do the will of God But Ionah rose vp to flie vnto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord and went downe to Iapho and he found a ship going to Tarshish So he payed the fare thereof and went downe into it that he might go with them vnto Tarshish frō the presence of the Lord. We haue heard how busie Sathā is to hinder the course of preaching by perswading Ionah with such reasons as seemed strong vnto flesh and blood that he should not go to preach at Niniuie I haue long preached vnto the Iewes which are the chosen people of God and seeing they will not heare me it is in vaine to preach vnto these Gentiles which neuer heard of God or godlines and therefore will esteeme my words the lesse Thus Ionah is loath to loose his labour and puts in a doubt where he needs not because he considered not the great power of God in mens hearts The Niniuites are heathen people therefore saith Ionah why should I venture my selfe among them for seeing mine owne countrimen kicke against my words and cannot abide to heare the word which commeth from the Lord to reproue sinne then how much more shall I be despised by these and persecuted to death Thus flesh and blood standeth staggering whē it should do any good but when it goeth about to do anie mischiefe it neuer thinketh nor considereth why or wherefore it should sin when as it should be sorie for it before it be committed euen as soone as it is thought vpon When God commands vs to do anie thing that is holie and good then we looke one vpon another as though we cared not who did that like Peter when he was commanded by our Sauiour to take vp his crosse he asketh what shall Iohn do Iohn 21. 19. 20. as if he were vnwilling wold rather that Iohn should do it then he If I go and preach vnto these infidels saying yet fortie dayes and Niniuie shall be destroyed then saith Ionah it may be they will repent and God will haue mercie vpon them so I shall be counted a false Prophet for my labour And thus we regard our credit more then the glorie of God and rather then we would receiue anie reproch by our doing in the sight of the world we rather chuse to enter into no great action touching the glory of God the good of the church If I preach vnto the Gentiles saith Ionah I shal bring shame vpon Israel before all people because a Prophet is gone from them for their obstinacie chusing rather to preach vnto vncircumcised Gentiles then vnto thē as if there were more hope of the Gentiles then of them And further if these Gentiles do repent at my preaching the Lord take pitie vpon them and receiue them to his fauour so the Iewes shall be reiected Thus Ionah loueth the sonne better thē the father And surely this was a sore temptation to bid a man being in reasonable good estate touching his bodie and life that he should go and preach vnto a sauage heathen people that neuer heard of preaching to tell thē that there is but one onely true God who will serue a thousand and cannot abide the Deut. 6. 4. contrarie to be spoken If a preacher were commanded to go and preach at Rome gates against Antichrists iurisdiction and the idolatrie that is so ordinarily vsed in that sinagogue of vncleannesse seeing that is a matter for which they torment and kill all that preach it sincerely then I thinke that it would hardly come to passe at all that this preacher would go from a reasonable quiet estate touching his bodie to venter his life among such cruell tyrants I thinke he would rather flie to Tarshish frō the presence of the Lord if by anie possibilitie he might do it But Ionah rose vp to flie vnto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord and he went downe to Iapho where he found a ship and he went downe into it c. This is the way to Tarshish but nowe what need he to rehearse all this had it not bene enough to say that he went to flie and leaue his businesse vndone But all this is to shew the stubburnnesse and disobedience of Ionah yet this thing was not done vpon the sudden but he had time enough to consider what he did betwixt Samaria and Iapho he might haue considered what he did before he went into the hauen and when he came to the hauen he should not haue payed the fare when he had payd the fare he should not haue entred the ship and when he came into the ship he should not haue hoysed vp the sayles to flie from God But thus sinne runnes on wheeles as it were downe a hill in all post hast and neuer stayes till it ariue euen in hell Now Ionah thinketh that because he came safe to Iapho therfore he may go to the hauen therefore he may pay the fare and because he payed the fare in peace therfore he may take shipping and because he entred the ship in safetie therfore he may hoyse vp the sailes to go and because he hoysed vp the sailes without danger therefore he may go safely to Tarshish So sinnes follow one another like linkes of a chaine till the tempest of destruction breake it in sunder Therefore one saide I haue sworne and God did not punish me therefore I will steale I haue stollen and God did not punish me therefore I will kil I haue killed and God did not punish me then why may not I do what I list I may do this as wel as I haue done other things heretofore Ionah confesseth his sinne that wee might confesse First he confesseth that hee knew his maisters will and did it not secōdly he tooke another course quite cōtrary to that he was commanded but happie were Ionah if he had gone before he was made to go If that he had considered with himselfe that God is the Lord who is allseeing and almightie from whom nothing can be cōcealed he would neuer haue taken his iourney to Iapho or when he came to Iapho he would not haue paid the fare or when he payed the fare hee would not haue entred the ship or when he was gone into the ship he would not haue hoyst the sayles but rather would haue leapt out of that ship that should carrie him from his God but he forgets himselfe thinking that the creatures can hide him from the creator which is an Heb. 4. 13. absurd thing to thinke seeing nothing can be hid from him And so Niniuie is still like Niniuie but Ionah is not like Ionah then sin is crying and the Prophet is flying and so all falles to confusion All those that pitie Ionah let them pittie themselues for if we consider our owne estate we haue as
many and as foule sinnes in vs as there were in Ionah yea or in Niniuie But here marke the subtiltie of the deuill he thought that if he could let Ionah from going to Niniuie by these former reasons theÌ„ the goodliest citie in all Samaria should be destroyed and so the verie angels in heauen should mourne Further that if Ionah would repent turne backe from going being commanded then Ionah should be counted a false Prophet in Israel and so a Prophet should be discredited Further he thought that if Ionah wold repent he could put such a Prophet out of Gods fauour make him be despised he thought that then he should get well by his labour So we see that the deuill hath power to tempt vs to sinne but not to force vs to sinne Then lo a comfort that our enemies power is in our fathers haÌ„d therfore our Sauiour saith to Peter fathaÌ„ hath desired to sift Luke 22. 31. 32. thee and winnow thee as wheate but I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile thee not Who is this whose perill Sathan so earnestly desireth euen Peters yea Peter an Apostle Was not flesh a valiant captaine thinke you that hath led a Prophet captiue for who can gainsay him that commeth like an Angell who can resist him that seeth the whole world will you resist him if I shew to you he is an hypocrite for he saith If you fall down and worship this world you shal come to heauen so he is euer alluring by deceits stealing our hearts away with a vain hope of much pleasure because he knoweth mans nature is bent to loue such things so his baites are pleasures and his snares are sinnes Whatsoeuer we do it commeth from one of these three spirits the spirit of Sathan the spirit of God or our owne spirite The spirit of God is gentle louing and meeke not forcing nor threatning therfore Mat. 10. 16 Luke 14. 24. Christ sayth If you will follow me then take vp this crosse and marke his spirite he sayth not you shall follow but sayth if you will follow me That order is obserued in the Canticles where he saith Open vnto me Cant. 5. 2. my sister my spouse c. And then if she did not open vnto him he went his way mildly Cant. 5. 5. without any threats The spirit of Sathan takes another course for when by lying deceit he cannot allure vs to sin he threatens vs with sinne griefe or losse of goods solitarinesse or losse of pleasure and sometime by his ministers lims of his owne likenesse working he threatneth death and earthly torments such as they can inflict vpon any Christ saith If you will follow me take vp Mat. 1. 16. this crosse if you will but he sayth I will make you follow me and do as I bid you or you shall smart for it you shal haue fire and fagot scalding lead and burning pitch if you will not follow me I will take all from you and make you to do as we commaund and so doth his eldest son Antichrist which vâ—urpeth an authoritie ouer nations inflicting torments on the saints Now our own spirit is euermore hard if it be moued by the spirit of God it is sad soft and slow but if it be mooued by the spirit of Sathan it is proude boy sterous and stout All good motions that we feele in our selues are the motions of the spirit of God although they seem vnto vs as proceeding from our selues for the spirit of God worketh in and mooueth our spirits The spirit of man is always tossed betweene these two spirits which are euer contrarie one to another The spirit of man when it is alone is alwayes occupied about worldly things the spirit of God is alwayes occupied about our saluation And the spirit of Sathan is euer occupied in procuring our condemnation c. But Ionah rose vp to flie vnto Tarshish c. Ionah flieth vnto Tarshish before he wold go to Niniuie and euery one is like the sonne which said he would not before he went and so sinne is borne first as Esau was Gen. 15. 25. 26. borne before Iacob Therefore if euill may compare with goodnesse euill may say he is the ancienter If thou feele any euill in thy self be thou wrath with it laboring against it so long by fasting praier till it be wearie of thy house and vntill it say as the euill spirits said here is no dwelling for vs Let vs go to yonder herd of swine I am loath to Mat. 8. 31. hide my treasure in the ground but you can not heare all at once and therefore here I end THE SECOND SERMON OF THE REBELLION OF IONAH Ionah 1. 3. 4. 5. 3 But Ionah rose vp to flie to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord and vvent dovvne to Iapho and he found a ship going to Tarshish so he paid the fare therof and vvent dovvne into it that he might go vvith them vnto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. 4 But the Lord sent out a great vvind into the sea and there vvas a mightie tempest in the sea so that the ship vvas like to be broken 5 Then the mariners vvere afraid and cried euerie man vnto his God and cast the vvares out that vvere in the ship to lighten it thereof but Ionah vvas gone dovvne into the side of the ship and he lay dovvne and vvas fast asleepe But Ionah rose vp to flie vnto Tarshish from the presence c. THe last time you heard how the righteous fall and now no lesse then a Prophet yea such a Prophet as was the figure of Christ But who would haue thought that such a Prophet should flie from the Lord yea and that when he should do him most seruice who counteth that wickednesse now that he neuer thought off while he was among the wicked A feareful example therefore let him that thinkes he standeth take heede lest he fall for the way is slipperie wherein we are to walke When thou remembrest the fall of the Prophet then consider that thou art much weaker then a Prophet and therefore the easier to be encountered and ouerthrowne wherefore thou art likelie to haue a more grieuous fall except the Lord do mightily vphold thee seeing such a one cannot stand in the sight of his so mortall enemie by his owne strength Secondly if thou see Ionah flie Moses murmure Ieremie complaining Esay repining Dauid fall to adulterie Salomon to idolatrie and Peter to forswear his master then maist thou learne not to trust vnto thine owne strength for it is weaknesse nor to thine owne flesh for it is sinfull but seeke helpe and craue strength at the hands of almightie God which giueth to euerie one that asketh Iames 5. 5. indifferently and hitteh no man in the teeth which doth not bruse the broken Mat. 12. 20. reed nor quench the smoking flax but doth rather increase our zeale then diminish it Thirdly iudge wisely
is thought to be the best yet the Lord taught not Peter one prayer and Iohn another but taught theÌ„ all one prayer vnto one onely God If per aduenture he will thinke vpon vs that we perish not This if perhaps and peraduenture cost Adam Paradise thrise three wordes were changed the first God said to Adam if thou doest eate of this tree thou shalt surely dye then Euah reported these wordes thus lest peraduenture we dye the Serpent seeing her in such a minde so carelesse or forgetfull of the commaundement he came and quite changed the matter and said you shall not dye thus sinne creeps vpon vs while doubtfulnesse remaineth in vs so God saith you shal be saued the treÌ„bling flesh saith peraduenture I shall c. then coÌ„meth SathaÌ„ he saith thou shalt dye So that if you wil aske Sinners faith what is the faith of sinners or if you would haue it defined it is this peraduenture yea peradueÌ„ture no if you wil aske me whereupon this faith is grounded it is vpon ifs ands this is the faith of the vngodly to say if so be God will helpe vs for they caÌ„not assure themselues of any helpe But we may not doubt of our God and say it may be or if peraduenture for we may freely pray to our God with confidence and may say our God and the God of Ionah wil surely helpe vs and hath helped vs but yet let vs know that we haue sinned like infidels and do deserue to be punished like the Egyptians If so be he will c. This if commeth in like a little leauen which sowreth the whole lumpe of dow and like the moth which eateth the whole wedding garment and this same litle thiefe hath stolen away all the Papistes faith Wickednesse lyeth sicke in bed and calleth to euery one that commeth by call vpon thy god pray for me if so be he will looke vpon vs and helpe vs and so the best hope when the tempest commeth is present death If so be he will thinke vpon vs. Our God thought vpon vs in the time of trouble he thought vpon vs and layd the tempest when our enemies called vpoÌ„ their gods Saints and Angels but what do we meane beloued wheÌ„ mercy is come to send for iudgement for though we be saued with Israell we haue deserued to be plagued with Pharao because we are not thaÌ„kfull for this namely that the Lord hath thought vpon vs in our distresse for he trauelleth with mercie and laboureth till he be deliuered he goeth loden like a bee but wants a hiue There are two hands a hand to giue and a hand to receiue Gods hand to giue and mans hand to receiue the hand of God is a bountifull and a mercifull hand a hand lodeÌ„ with liberalitie full of gracious gifts therefore let vs stretch foorth the good hand to A good hand receiue it thankfully to embrace it cheerfully to entertaine it and carefully to keepe it let vs receiue it by the hand of faith the hand of loue and the hand of prayer for who so commeth with this hand shall be filled and who so commeth without it shall go emptie away because they haue despised the wayes of God for when I instructed theÌ„ Proâ— 1. 24. 25. they would not heare what I taught them they would not learne saith the Lord. And they sayd euerie man to his fellow come let vs cast lots that we may knowe for whose sake this euill is vpon vs. So they cast lots and the lot fell vpon Ionah Now we are come to casting of lots that we may know who troubles the ship for the ship is tossed and readie to sinke but no man will confesse who is the cause thereof therfore they haue concluded among them selues saying come let vs cast lots that we may find him out Danger made them feare and feare made them gather together their wits and droue them into an earnest examination of the cause thereof and perswaded them to vse such meanes to auoyd these dangers as were best knowen vnto them whereupon they prayed vnto their gods seeing they could not mend them then they fall to casting of lots thereby to find out him that was the cause of all this sturre for they thought assuredly this tempest was sent from some angrie god to molest them all for the sinne of some notorious wretch that was gotten in amongst them whom now they labour to find out by casting of the lots They did not vse to cast lots this was no custome amoÌ„gst the mariners but the tempest was so strange that verie infidels might perceiue therin the mightie power of God These were like worldlings which neuer confesse God but when he commeth in a tempest they will not see his mercie vntill his iustice appeare like Pharaos sorcerers which confessed not Exod. 8. 1â— Gods maiestie while they liued at ease but when the Lord plagued them then they cried out this is the finger of God Let vs caâ—t lots The lot fell vpon Ionah in the end not because he was the greatest sinner of theÌ„ all Luke 13. 1. 2. c. for so is the opinion of the common people to censure them worst whom they see most afflicted If anie one be seene to beare his crosse then manie will say this is a wicked man and so thinke well of them selues supposing that God is bent against them to plague them For he correcteth them as he did his Sonne but if iudgement begin at the house of God what shall become of the vngodly â— Pet. 4. 17. 18. Then they said euerie man to his fellow come let vs cast lots that we may know c. Euerie man excuseth him selfe though they be sinners yet they are not great sinners They thought that there was but one sinner among them for euery one of them said it is not I they were not of Dauids spirite who when he saw the people plagued 2. Sam. 24. 10. said Lord it is I. They had past many tempestes before but they neuer cast lots for their casting of lots doth note some speciall danger supposing this tempest to be sent from some angrie god and that for some one mans sinne amongst them therefore they determined to seeke him out by lots and hauing found him to sacrifice him vnto the god that was so offended by him But if they knewe the angry gods they should haue taken their sinnes by the throte and sacrificed them vnto them In that they cast lots it sheweth that their heads were full of doubts in this time of extremitie for the wind sayd I will ouerturne theÌ„ the waters sayd I wil drowne them the ship said I cannot hold them the mariners said we cannot help Ionah nor our selues for God was gone from them and Ionah his conscience accused him within sin was bleeding and God knocked at the dore of his heart saying it is for thee the tempest is come thou fugitiue It doth not
of vs and our Maisters that thou seeing and beholding vs with thy fatherly eyes promising reward to them that faithfully and truly walke in their vocation and threatening euerlasting death and damnatiō to them that deceiptfully and wickedly do their works and labours We besech thee ô heauenly father to giue vs the strength of thy spirit that godly and gladly we may ouercome our labours and that the tediousnesse of this irksome labour which thou for our sins hast powred vpon al mankind may seeme to vs delectable and sweet Graunt ô deare Father that we may chearfully walke in our vocation and faithfully serue thee in this our seruice and gladly and ioyfully go foorth in our labors Fulfill now ô Lord these our requests for thy son our Sauiours sake in whose name we pray as he him selfe hath taught vs. Our Father c. Another Prayer ETernall God all mightie and most mercifull we thy vnworthie seruants prostrate before the throne of grace do yeeld our selues bodie and soule vnto thee for all thy benefits which thou from our birth hast heaped vpon vs as though we had alwayes done thy will although we occupied about vaine things neuer marked neuer loued neuer serued neuer thanked thee so heartily for them as we esteeme a mortall friend for the least curtesie Therefore we come with shame and sorow to confesse our sinnes not small but grieuous not few but infinite not past but present not secret but presumptuous against thy expresse word and will against our owne conscience knowledge and liking if any had done them but our selues O Lord if thou shouldst require but the least of thē at our hands Sathan would chalenge vs for his and we should neuer see thy face againe nor the heauens nor the earth nor all the goodnesse which thou hast prepared for man what shall we do then but appeale vnto thy mercie and humbly desire thy fatherly goodnesse to extend that compassion towards vs which thy beloued sonne our louing Sauiour hath purchased so mightily so mercifully so graciously so dearely for vs. We beleeue and know that one drop of his bloud is sufficient to heale our infirmities pardon our iniquities and supplie our necessities without thy grace our strēgth our guide our life we are able to do nothing but sinne as woful experience too long hath taught vs and the example of those which are voyd thereof whose life is nothing else but the seruice of the world the flesh the deuill therefore good Father as thou in especiall fauor hast appointed vs to serue thee like as thou hast ordained all other creatures to serue vs so may it please thee to send down thine heauenly spirit into this earthly mansion to illuminate our minds mollifie our hearts cleanse our affections subdue our reason regenerate our willes purifie our natures with thy spirit so shall not thy benefits nor thy chastisements nor thy word returne void but accōplish that for the which they were sent vntill we be renued into the image of thy sonne Good Lord we beseech thee to looke downe in the multitude of thy compassions vpon thy militant church this sinfull Realme thy gracious handmaid our dread Soueraigne her honorable Counsellers the ciuill magistrats the painfull ministers the two Vniuersities the people that sit in darknesse and all that beare thy crosse gather vs into one communion of thy truth giue vnto euery one a spirit vnto his calling that being mindfull of the account and that we are called Christians may firmely resolue speedily begin and continually perseuere in doing and searching thy most holy will Good Lord blesse sanctifie our meeting that no temptation hinder me in speaking or them in hearing but that thy word may be heard spoken as the word of God which is able to saue our soules in that day howsoeuer it pleaseth thee by weake foolish things to magnifie thy selfe there is no cause ô Lord most iust why thou shouldest heare sinners which art displeased with sin but for his sake which hath suffered for sin and sinned not in whose name we are bold to lift vp our hearts hands and voyces vnto thee saying as he hath taught vs O our Father c. FINIS