are all gone out of the way c. When this canker of impiety hath so overspred and eaten into the manners of people then is fulfilled that which Esay puâ—teth dovvne for a sounde position Let mercie bee shewed to the wicked yet hee vvill not learne rigtheousnesse in the lande of vprightenesse will hee doe wickedly and will not beholde the maiesty of the Lorde If neither the mercy nor the maiesty of God nor the company of the righteous can reforme him then is his bettering despaired and past hope I neede no farther examine this part The cause why Ionas cryed against Niniveh vvas the cry of their sinnes their regions vvere vvhite to harvest their iniquities ripe and looked for a sickle from heauen to cutte them dovvne The sufficiencie of vvhich cause to deriue the iudgementes of GOD vpon vs Ieremy layeth downe in his prophecy Manye nations shall passe by the citye meaning of Ierusalem and shall saye everye man to his neighbour vvherefore hath the LORDE done this to this greate citie then shall they answere Because they haue forsaken the covenant of the Lorde their GOD c. For the iudgement of the Lorde pronounced by David shall stande longer then the stars in the firmament Him that loveth iniquitye doth his soule hate Vpon the wicked hee shall raine snares fire and brimstone and stormie tempestes this is the portion of their cuppe And in the first Psalme it is a singular opposition that is made betvveene the iust and the wicked Non sic impij non sic the wicked are not so that thou mayest vnmoueably beleeue how vnmoueably God is bent to deny the wicked his grace hee strengtheneth the negatiue by doubling it Therefore the wicked shall not stand in iudgement for they are fallen before their iudgment commeth What shall they not rise againe Surely yes but not in iudgement saith Ierome for they are already iudged The wickednesse of our land what it is and in what elevation of height vvhether modest or impudent private or publique vvhether it speaketh or cryeth standeth or goeth lyeth like an aspe in her hole or flyeth lyke a fiery serpent into the presence of God your selues bee iudges vvrite my vvordes in tables that they may bee monumentes for latter daies for when your childrens children shall heare them hereafter they will skarselye beeleeue them The moneths of the year haue not yet gone about wherin the Lorde hath bowed the heavens and come downe amongst vs with more tokens and earnests of his wrath intended then the agedst man of our lande is able to recount of so small a time For say if ever the windes since they blew one against the other haue beene more common and more tempestuous as if the foure ends of heaven had conspired to turne the foundations of the earth vpside downe thunders and lightnings neither seasonable for the time and withall most terrible with such effectes brought forth that the childe vnborne shall speake of it The anger of the clouds hath beene powred downe vpon our heades both with abundance and saving to those that felt it vvith incredible violence the aire threatned our miseries with a blazing starre the pillers of the earth tottered in many vvhole countries and tractes of our Ilande the arrowes of a woefull pestilence haue beene caste abroade at large in all the quarters of our realme even to the emptying and dispeopling of some partes thereof treasons against our Queene and countrey wee haue knovvne many and mighty monstrous to bee imagined from a number of Lyons whelpes lurking in their dennes and vvatching their houre to vndoe vs our expectation and comfort so fayled vs in Fraunce as if our right armes had beene pulled from our shoulders VVee haue not altered the colour of the hayre of our heades nor added one inch to our stature since all these thinges haue beene accomplished amongst vs. Consider then vvell and thinke it the highest time to forsake your highest wickednes I call it highest wickednes for if wee knew how to adde any thing in our severall veines and dispositions to those idols of sinne which we serue some to our covetousnesse some to our pride some to our vnchastnes some to our malice and such like wee would breake our sleepe nay we would compasse sea and lande to encrease it Yet howsoever it fareth with the multitude let there bee a seede and remnaunt among vs left to entreate for peace Ten righteous persons would haue saved Sodom it may so stand with the goodnes of God that a few innocent fooles shall preserue the island as Iob speaketh Let vs thankfully embrace the long sufferance of our God forepast leading vs as by a hande of friendship to repentance and let vs redeeme with newnesse of life our dayes and yeares formerly mispent least by impenitent transgressing against the law of our maker we fall vpon his sentence of wrath irrevocably past and resolved by him I haue thought it and will not repent neither will I turne backe from it THE THIRD LECTVRE Chap. 1. ver 3. But Ionas arose vp to flie vnto Tharsish from the presence of the Lord and he went downe to Iapho c. THe commission given to Ionas we haue already weighed it followeth that wee handle his recusancy disobedience therein coÌ„mitted This verse now in haÌ„d delivereth the whole body therof with every member belonging vnto it 1. his preparatioÌ„ is set downe in that he arose 2. his speede to fly 3. the end and period of his iourney to Tharsis 4. his end and purpose why to Tharsis to escape the preseÌ„ce of the Lord. 5. the opportunities helpes and furtherances to his travel are exactly put downe 1. he went downe to Iapho an haven-towne 2. hee found a ship going to Tharsis 3. he paid the fare thereof 4. he went downe into it 5. lastly his reason of flying to Tharsis is againe specified with a regression in the end of the verse that he might goe from the presence of the Lord. A notable patterne of mans disposition 1. the Lord biddeth him arise he ariseth who if he had sitten still till his flesh had cloveÌ„ to the pauement or if he had streched himselfe vpon his bed and folded his armes to sleepe he had done a service more acceptable to God 2. he is bidden to go but not coÌ„tent with going he doth more theÌ„ so hee flieth hee hath the feete of an hinde and the wings of a doue to do that hee should not who had reapt more thankes if he had crept but like a snaile in his right course 3. He is bidden to go to Niniveh he goeth to Iapho and Tharsis he is not idle but he doth ill he doth that which he was not charged with like one of those Lords in Ieremy who told God to his face we are Lords we wil no more come at thee so doth he flatly crosse overthwart that directioÌ„ which God had set
the peoples In another place speaking of their righteousnesse he limiteth it thus They were righteous after a probable and laudable conversation amongest men He often distinguisheth betweene these two Peccatum querela Peccatum criâ—â—en the one sinne in generall which no man is freed from for it is an absolute sentence and needeth no exposition if we say that we haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues wee are but blowne bladders the other some great offences as David calleth it malicious vvickednesse some hainous notorious scandalous sinne culpable in the eies of men and vvorthy of censure and crimination Wee saie in his Enchiridion to Laurentius that the life of holie men may bee founde though not vvithout faulte yet vvithout an offensiue faulte Againe in his bookes of the city of God It is not the speech of vulgar and common men but of those that are rightly Saintes If vvee say that vvee sinne not c. then shall this liberty and immunity from passions bee vvhen there shall bee no sinne in men nowe vvee liue vvell enough if vvithout scandall but hee that thinketh hee liueth vvithout sinne hee doeth not thereby free himselfe from sinninge but from receiving remission of sinnes In the first epistle of Iohn the thirde chapter the Apostle seemeth to favour the opinion of absolute righteousnesse in man Hee that is borne of GOD sinneth not Peradventure saieth Augustine hee meaneth some certaine sinne not all sinne Vnderstande heereby a definite speciall sinne which he that is borne of GOD cannot commit It maye bee the vvante of loue Dilectionis carentia It may bee the greate sinne of infidelitie vvhich our Saviour noteth in the Iewes Iohn the fifteenth If I had not come and spoken vnto them they shoulde not haue had sinne the sinne vvherein all other sinnes are helde the sinne vnto death the sinne not to bee repented of and therefore not to bee pardoned Against Parmenian he aunswereth it thus Although we sinne not so farre foorth as vvee are borne of GOD yet there remaineth in vs some parte of our birth from Adam Bernarde vpon the Canticles giueth the reason why hee sinneth not The heauenly generation preserveth him that is the euerlasting predestination VVhich reason the Apostle himselfe seemeth to accorde vnto for his â—eede remaineth in him Surely there is no man that sinneth not Salomon preciselie affirmeth it in the dedication of the temple GOD hath concluded all vnder sinne Omnes odit qui malos odit Hee that hateth evill men hateth all men because there is none that doeth good no not one Noah may be a righteous man in his time and generation compared vvith thoâ—e amongst whom he liued Thamar may bee more righteous than Iudâ—h yet Thamar sinnefull enough the Publican may goe to his house more iustified than the Pharisee yet not simply iustified thereby The spouse in the Canticles may bee faire amongest women yet her beautye not such but that shee iustlye complaineth of her blackenesse Though she exceedeth the soules of men whilst they liue in the body yet shee is shorte of angelicall perfection Iohn Baptist had not a greater amongest the sonnes of vvomen but vvhosoever vvas least in the kingdome of GOD and all the coelestiall spirites are farre beyonde him The best that liue vpon the earth have brevia leviaque peccata shorte and lighte sinnes yet sinnes quamvis pauca quamvis parva non tamen nulla Though fevve in number small in measure yet sinnes in nature Therefore vve may conclude with the same father whose shielde I haue hitherto vsed against the enemies to the grace of God Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse VVee must knovve our povertie and become suâ—ters and bâ—ggers for iustice if vve meane to speede Our righteousnesse in this life is such as â—ather consisteth in the remission of our sinnes than in the perfection of our vertues And to speake the trueth in the vvhole question of iustification betwixte the Papistes and vs our iustice is not iustice in proper and direct tearmes but mercy For that righteousnesse that we haue is meerely of mercy not actiue but passiue not that which wee worke our selues but GOD worketh it for vs. Abluta estis iustificati estis you haue washed or iustified your selues No you are vvashed and iustified And therefore it is called the righteousnesse of GOD because it commeth from abroad not inherent in our selues but from God deriued and by him imputed And 1. Corinthians 1. Christ is made vnto vs of God vvisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption First wisedome in preaching and instruction Secondly righteousnesse in the forgiuenesse of our sinnes Thirdly sanctification in the holinesse of our liues Fourthly redemption in his mighty deliueraunce from all our enemies that as it is vvritten hee that reioyceth may reioyce in the Lorde and knovve that neither of all these is of himselfe God obiected to the king of Tyrus in derision Ezechiell the twenty eighth Thou arte vviser then Daniell I aske of the children of Babylon what they thinke of themselues whether they goe beyonde Daniell in holinesse and integrity of life He in the ninth of his prophecie confesseth sinne and iniquitie and rebellion in all the men of Iudah and inhabitantes of Ierusalem and the vvhole people of Israell farre or neere kinges princes fathers and that righteousnesse is vvith GOD alone and vvith them confusion of face hee vtterly disclaimeth their owne iustice we come not to pray before thee for any righteousnesse in our selues and appealeth vnto the righteousnesse of the Lorde O Lorde according vnto all thy righteousnes let thine anger bee turned away ver 16. For the Lords sake that is thy Christ thine annointed verse 17. For thy greate tender mercies verse 18. Finallie for thine owne sake ver 19. This was the spirit of Daniell and they that come in the confidence of their owne pure spirites neither shall their owne praiers availe and the praiers of Daniel and Noah and all the righteous saintes in heaven which they hang vpon shall not helpe them You see our innocency iustice and perfection not that our sins are not but that they are remitted but that they are covered by the mercie of God but that they are not imputed which is the chiefe blessednes of man as wee reade in the 32. Psalme I coulde haue noted so much vnto you by a phrase which my text affordeth Lay not vpon vs innocent bloud For then are we cleere in the sight of God when the sins whereof we are guilty are not laide to our charges nor remembred Blessed are all those vvho are thus discharged of their vnsupportable soules burden that though they have many sinnes they are bound vp in a bundle and drawne into a narrowe roome though insolent climbing aspiring sinnes yet they are cast into the bottome of the sea though they are as red as crimson and scarlet yet their hue is changed they are made as white as wooll or snowe by the bloud
alive they sent him away to remoove their eie-sore God to be a stewarde both for AEgypt and Israell Nay God sent him thither and they sent him not the incomprehensible reaches of God were so far above theirs and his wisdome in the good handling of a bad cause doeth so much obscure and discountenance their malice that it seemeth not to be at all and the ministers in the action as it were cast aside the highest dispenser and moderatour thereof onely is remembred you sent mee not hither but God the purposes of your heartes were nothing in comparison of that everlasting decree which the immortall and onely wise God made to himselfe See what a race and pedegree of blessings Origen bringeth downe from the rotten stocke of that vngratious practise If Ioseph he not sold Pharaos dreames are not expounded none maketh provision of corne Egypt and the country about Egypt and Israell sterveth in the time of dearth the seede of Israell goeth not into Egypt to seeke bread neither returneth out of Egypt with miracles no wonders are wrought by Moses and Aaron no passing through the red sea no Manna from heaven no water from the rocke no lawe from Sinai no going into the land of Canaan c. These are the blessings and commodities which the envy of the Patriarkes bringeth forth by Gods most mighty and wise dispensation So that we may truly say Particular mischiefes are common commodities The life of the Lyon is maintained by the death of the Lambe the cruelty of tyrants giveth Martyres their glory and crowne And the bloud of Martyrs becommeth the seede and propagation of the church If any demaunde whether this good might not better have beene procured by good meanes I answere with Augustine Melius iudicavit Deus de malis benefacere quà m mala nulla esse permittere It seemed better to the wisedome of God to worke good out of evill than to suffer no evill at all I now conclude the point As in the statutes lawes of our common wealth there are many things contained more than the lawes either commit or allow as treasons felonies heresies and the like which notwithstanding the lawes order dispose of so in the will of God within the compasse and pale of his arbitrement much more is contained than either by action or autorizement from him could ever be defended and yet is that will of his iudge and disposer of al those particulars And whether Ioseph be sold into Egypt or Ionas throwne into the sea or the son of God himselfe nailed vpō a crosse we may safely vniversally say with the Mariners in this prophesie Thou Lord haste done as it pleased thee Surelie there is not an evill in th◠cittie nor vpon the face of the earth but God hath some vse of it Those sins within our land that take al from men as coveteousnesse extortion oppression vsury they take not that from God vvhich his wisdome maketh of them I meane the profit vse of most vnnaturall vices Happily they take the substance of their brethren and by taking such snares away saue their soules or if they take their liues they ease vnlade them of a great burthen of their sinnes to come The drunkard drinketh himselfe a sleepe not God and bringeth his owne senses and wits into a trance but provoketh quickneth the righteous Lorde to do a worke of iustice The adulterer wrappeth himselfe within the armes of his harlot and thinketh he is safe and not perceived but never shal be able to vnwrappe himselfe from the armes of Gods goverment The murtherer that spoileth the life of his mortall brethren if every wish of his hearte were a two edged sworde shall never kill the life of Gods immortall providence He shall saie to the hardest hearte at which the preaching of prophets and denunciation of iudgementes hath often recoiled open thy dores that I may enter into thee to declare my iustice and to the reprobatest minde that ever hath beene dulled and benummed with sinne though thou feelest not my grace thou shalt feele my vengeance Envie cānot hinder his benignity nor the hotest malice vnder heauen drie vp this spring of his goodnes What shall we say then Because God maketh vse of thy sinnes art thou excused Is not thine evill evill because he picketh good out of it deceiue not thy selfe therein When thou hast done such service to thy maister and maker though seven and seven yeares as Iacob did to Laban thou shalt loose thy wages and thy thankes to O well were thou if thou didst but loose for thou shalt also gaine a sorowful advātage It is vnprofitable nay miserable service which thou hast thus bestowed Babylon shall bee the hammer of the Lorde a long time to bruse the nations himselfe afterwardes bruised Assur his rod to scourge his people but Assur shall bee more scourged These hammers rods axes sawes other instruments when they have done their offices which they never ment shal be throwne themselves into the fire and burnt to ashes Sathan did service to God it cannot bee denied in the afflicting of Iob winnowing of Peter buffeting of Paul executing of Iudas and God did a worke in all these either to proove patience or to confirme faith or to trie strength or to commend iustice yet is Sathan reserved in chaines vnder darkenes to the retribution of the great day Iudas did service to God in getting honour to his blessed name for the redemption of mankinde whilst the world endureth Yet was his wages an alder-tree to hang himselfe vpon and which is worse he hangeth in hell for eternall generations He had his wages and lost his wages That which the priest gave him he lost and lost his Apostleshippe but gained the recompence of everlasting vnhappinesse and lieth in the lowest lake for the worme and death to gnaw vpon without ceasing Will you heare the end of all Feare God and keepe his commandements For this is the whole duety of man This is the will of God wherewith we are highly charged and he will strictly require it The booke that is clasped vp let vs leave to the Lambe and to the blessed Trinity Those of Moses the Prophets the Psalmes of Christ and his blessed Apostles wherein we may run and read the ordinances of the most High belong to vs and our seede after vs. These let vs carefully search and meditate in them day and night let them wake and sleepe walke rest live and die with vs and whatsoever he hath secretly decreed whether by our weakenesse or strength sicknesse or health falling or standing which in his hidden counselles is locked vp and cannot be opened but by the key of David let vs beseech him for Christes sake to turne it to our good that his name may be glorified his arme made knowne his wisdome iustice and mercy more and more magnified and our sinfull soules by the abundant riches of his grace finally saved Amen THE XX.
two singular and almost despaired deliverances first of their bodies from a raging and roaring sea a benefite not to be contemned for even the Apostles of Christâ— cried in the like kind of distresse vpon the waters helpe Lorde wee perish secondlye of their soules from that idolatrous blindnes wherein they were drowned and stifled a destruction equall to the former and indeed far exceeding The horrour of this destruction was never more faithfully laid out in colours than in the eighth of Amos. Where after repetition of sorrowes enough if they were not burnt with hote irons past sense as that the songes of the teÌ„ple shoulde be turned into howlinges feastes into mourning laughter into lamentation that there should be many dead bodies in every place even the nuÌ„ber so great that they should cast them forth in silence without obsequies the sunne going downe at noone and the earth darkened in the cleare day that is their greatest woe in the greatest prosperity yet he threatneth a scourge beyoÌ„d al these Behold saith the Lord I have not yet made your eies dazell nor your eares tingle with my iudgements though your eies have beheld sufficient misery to make them faile yet behold more The daies come I give you warning of vnhappier times the plagues you have endured already are but the beginnings of sorrow the daies come that I will send a famine in the land if the mouth of the Lord had here stayed famem immittam I will send a famine had it not sufficed Can a greater crosse thinke you be imagined than wheÌ„ a wofull mother of her wofull children shall be driven to say As the Lorde liveth I have but a little meale left in a barrell and a little oile in a cruise and beholde I am gathering two stickes to go in and dresse it for me and my sonne that wee may eate and die and much rather if it come to that extremity that an other mother felt when shee cried vnto the king Helpe my Lord O King This woman saide vnto mee give thy sonne that wee may eate him to day and wee will eate my sonne to morrowe so we sodde my sonne and did eate him c. yet hee addeth to the former by a correction not a famine of bread nor a thirst of water but of hearing the word of God and they shall wonder not as the sonnes of Iacob who went but out of Israell into Egypt but from sea to sea and from the North to the East shall they runne to and fro to seeke the worde of the Lorde and shall not finde it This was the case of these men before a prophet spake vnto them and the wonders of the lawe were shewed amoÌ„gst them And this was the case of our countrey when either it fared with vs as with the church of Ierusalem signa non videmus non est ampliùs propheta wee see no tokens there is no prophet lefte or if we had prophets they were such as Ezechiell nameth they saw vanities and divined lies and the booke of the law of the Lorde though it were not hid in a corner as in the raigne of Iosias nor cut with a penknife and cast into the fire as in the daies of Iehoiakim yet the comfortable vse of it was interdicted the people of God vvhen either they could not reade because it was sealed vp in an vnknowne tongue or vnder the paine of a curse they might not and such as hungred and thirsted after the righteousnes of Iesus Christ were driven into Germany and other countries of Europe to enquire after it But blessed be the Lord God of Israell for hee hath long since visited and redeemed vs his people If our many deliverances besides either by sea from the invasion of the grande pirate of Christendome or from other rebellions and conspiracies by land had beene in nuÌ„mber as the dust of our grounde this one deliverance of our soules froÌ„ the kingdome and power of darkenesse the very shadowe and borders of death wherein we sate before the sending of prophets amongst vs to prophecie right things to preach the acceptable yeare of the Lord and the tidings of salvation had far surpassed them Let vs therfore with these mariners sing a song of thanksgiving not onely with our spirites My soule blesse thou the Lorde and all that is within mee praise his holy name but with sacrifices and vowes also as audible sermons and proclamations to the world let vs make it knowne that great is the mercy of Iehovah to our little nation THE XXII LECTVRE The last verse of the 1. Chap. Or after some the first of the second Now the Lorde had prepared a great fish to swallow vp Ionas and Ionas was in the bellye of the fishe three daies and three nightes WEE are now come to the second section of the prophesie wherin the mercy of God towardes Ionas is illustrated It beginneth at my text and parteth it selfe into three members 1. The absorption or buriall 2. the song 3. the delivery of the Prophet Isiodore in three wordes summeth the contentes of it Cetus obiectum voratum orantem revomuit The whale cast vp Ionas first cast forth then devoured afterwards making his moue to God Ionas is swallowed in this present sentence The iustice and mercy of God runne togither in this history as those that runne for the maisterie in a race And it is harde a long time for Ionas to discerne whither his iustice will overcome his mercie or his mercy triumph over iustice They labour in contention as the twinnes in Rebecca's wombe And although Esau bee first borne red and hairy all over like a rough garment yet Iacob holdeth him by the heele and is not farre behinde him I meane though the iudgment of God against Ionas bearing a rigorous and bloudy countenance and satiate with nothing in likelyhode but his death that most straÌ„ge vnaccustomed seemeth to have the first place yet mercy speedeth her selfe to the rescue and in the end is fulfilled that which God prophecied of the other paire The elder shall serue the yonger For when iustice had her course and borne the preeminence a greate space mercy at lengh putteth in and getteth the vpper hande To vs that haue seene and perused the historie who haue as it were the table of it before our eies and know both the first and the last of it it is apparant that I say that although he were tossed in the ship cast forth into the sea deuoured yet God had a purpose prevised herein to worke the glorie of his name the others miraculous preservation But Ionas himselfe who all the while was the patient and set as a marke for the arrowes of heavenlye displeasure to be spent at and knew no more what the end would be than a child his right hand from the left what could he thâ—â—ke but that heaven and earth land and sea life and death all 〈◊〉
to take them to his mercy in peace let them agree with their adversarie in the vvaie much more bee at one vvith God that neither their heartes nor tongues murmure at his iudgementes Death I confesse is an advantage to some men but such as with an obstinate heart and sinewes in their forehead striue against the Lorde their maker and goe to lavve vvith one mightier than themselues not caring to make an ende in time of the controversies betweene them their death is a death indeede and litle profit or ease to bee founde in it The purpose of this verse in hand vvas none other than to set forth vnto vs the afflictions of Ionas and vndoubtedlye they are very great For as Nahomi aunsvvered her people in the first of Ruth vvhen they asked is not this Nahomi call me not Nahomi that is beawtifull or pleasaunt but call mee Marah for the Almightie hath given mee much bitternesse I went out full and the Lord hath caused me to returne empty why then cal ye me Nahomi seeing the Lord hath humbled mee and the Almightie hath brought mee to adversitie So Ionas might have aunswered to those that had asked is not this Ionas call me not Ionas a doue but call mee a Pellican or owle in the desarte I vvas full of pleasure and amaenity and my heart replenished vvith exceeding ioy but the Lorde hath emptied me Many things there are in our liues for which vve may change our names as Nahomi did from beawty or pleasure to bitternesse But if we remember withall that it is the worke of the Lord to humble vs and the hand of the Almighty that bringeth vs to adversitie that one cogitation will suffice to teach vs patience For to whome doe we rather owe the quietnes and subiection of our spirites than vnto him who as Theodorite somevvhere excellently spake both giveth his benefites vnto vs to teach vs how easily hee can bestow them and taketh them away that we may know how litle we deserue theÌ„ Thus haue the childreÌ„ of God evermore begunne their consultations in their daies of tempation and as it were beckoned to themselues for silence Dominus est it is the Lorde take heede of repining at his iudgementes it is not mine enimie for then I vvoulde haue hid my selfe it is not the sonne of man for then I vvoulde haue resisted him it is not any creature of God I vvoulde then haue devised some meanes to redresse my griefe it is the Lorde himselfe vvho hath more right to my soule than that he may be contraried for both he hath beene beneficial vnto me here-tofore may againe hereafter Patience was the shielde vvherewith that notable atchiever of the victories of God repelled all those venemous dartes which either in the death of his children or in the losse of his substance or in the runnings sores of his bodie or in the cursed perswasions of his wife miserable comfortes of his friends malicious importunate accusations of Satan were throwen against him O what a glorious banner set he vp against the enemy both of God and man when for every calamity that was cast vpon him there came nothing from his mouth but thankes bee vnto God Sathan expected that he should haue accursed God and his vvife another Satan in his bosome so perswaded him but the witnes is true which is there given non peccavit labijs suis he offended not with his lippes I conclude therefore with Tertullian totum licet seculum pereat dum patientiam lucrifaciam I care not though all the world perish vnto me so I maie gaine patience And God said to Ionas doest thou well to be angrie for the gourd c. The gourd prepared by God had a double vse the one natural and open to cast a shadow over the head of Ionas the other typicall and secret to demonstrate the iniquity of his iudgement which vse we are nowe comming vnto In this actual reprehension which God is framing against him there were many antecedents I told you which made the way thervnto al which we haue already examined Now we are descended to that end wherevnto God disposed them The words here spoken by God Doest thou well to be angry are the same which were vsed in the former insimulation and the same provocation of the words to weete the anger of Ionas Who would not haue thought but one repreheÌ„sioÌ„ might haue served one kind of sin but so is sin to the soule of man in some part of comparison as Iacob was vnto Esau Gen. 27. of whom Esau complained was he not rightlie called Iacob For he hath deceived me these two times first he tooke my birth-right from me and loe now hath he taken my blessing And surely sinne will supplant vs twise and tenne times togither vnlesse God preserue vs. Ionas offendeth once more in the same perturbation and the Lorde reproveth him once more in the same forme of reprehension What else shall I say heereof but as Ioseph said to Pharaoh touching his two dreames the one of the kine the other of the eares of corne both Pharaohs dreames are one therefore the dreame is doubled to Pharaoh the second time because the thing is established by God and God hasteth to perfourme it So both Gods reprehensions are one and therefore is the reprehension doubled vnto Ionas the second time that Ionas mighte beware to offende in the like transgression Nehemias tolde the merchants that abode about the walles of the citty vvhy do you stay here all night si iterâ—m feceritis inijciam in vos manus if you shall doe it againe I I will lay hands vpon you It is marvaile that God laid not hands vpon Ionas nor at leastwise corrected him with some sharper castigation whoÌ„ he had taken and warned before for the same offence To that which heretofore I haue said of repreheÌ„sion I wil adde no more than the rule practise of Bernard as I finde it meÌ„tioned in his life His rule or observation is this Where there resouÌ„deth on both sides betweene the reprover him that is reproved modesty mildnes of speech it is a sweet coÌ„fereÌ„ce where it is held on the one side only it is profitable where both partes lay it aside it is pernicious but where there is hardnes bitternes froÌ„ theÌ„ both iurgiuÌ„ est non correctio nec disciplina sedrixa it is not correction instruction but chiding brawling to adioine the wordes of Anselme tunc noÌ„ veritas quaeritur sed animositas fatigatur theÌ„ is not the truth sought for but men exercise weary their stouts harts Therfore the maner of S. Bernard because he would be sure to retaine this modesty on the one side was to be very vrgent vpon him that yeelded as yeelding another time to him that resisted Albeit Ionas behaue himselfe very vnmodestly vndutifully towardes God yet God is otherwise affected towardes Ionas rather than the
the cattell the respect wherof did somwhat moue him to withdraw his iudgment And surely the abundance of cattle is no meane blessing of God He promiseth it vnto Israell Beholde I will multiply vpon you man and beast they shall encrease bring forth Abraham and Lot were very rich in cattle Gen. 13. so were Iacob and Esau Gen. 36. the land could not beare them both togither because of their flockes So was Vzzah the king 2. Chr. 26. he built towers in the wildernesse and digged many cisternes for hee had much cattle both in the valleyes and plaines The substance of Iob in the first of that booke was seuen thousand sheepe and three thousand cammelles and fiue hundred yoke of oxen and fiue hunered shee-asses towardes the end of his daies all these were doubled vnto him You see then what reasons the Lord hath vsed in this second member of the comparison for the sparing Niniveh 1. It was populous with all kind of men 2. there were infants in it 3. sixe score thousands 4. they were innocent 5. there was cattle 6 much cattle I do not finde that Ionas ever aunswered this argument but yeelding the victory to God and his blessed truth he leaveth a testimony of his silence and submission to the whole world in this writing vvhich he afterward compiled Such honour did Turnus giue to Aeneas when he vanquished him vicisti victum tendere palmas Ausonii videre thou hast overcome me and the people can beare witnes that I acknowledge thy victory With this most sweete and victorious sentence doth Ionas conclude or rather breake of his prophecy as if hee had said great is thy truth and prevaileth Thy mercy triumpheth against iustice much more shall it triumph against dust and ashes Let the corrupt affections of man giue place to thy righteous iudgements let both greate and small the infant and dumbe beast sing of thy lovinge kindnes and let every thing that hath breath say the Lorde bee praised And let this be the end of my labours for this time The meditatiō of that mercy of God wherin this prophcy is ended let the labours of my whole life know non other end Thus let me end the day begin the night end the night and begin the day againe whither I read or write thinke or speak or whatsoever else I do let me doe it all with this conclusion when I haue run out the race of my sinful daies let me rest at that happy marke wherin the Lord doth giue over his argument I these paines I haue at lengrh finished by the grace of God your patient audience my simple expositions vpon the prophecy of Ionas an argument narration you see of onely mercy the 4. Chapters whereof as those 4. beasts in the Revelation full of eies both before and behind I meane in every part opening and discovering vnto vs the invisible God in the sweetest propriety of his nature that is in the abundance of his loue cease not day and night for al eternity to sing gracious gracious gracious Lord God almighty which was which is which is to come thy mercy is over all thy works thy faithfulnes endureth frō generation to generation but the last of the 4. is the flying Eagle to all the rest as the fourth beast there having an higher reach loftier demonstration than the other had For where the mercy of God was then but exemplified in fact 1. to the mariners 2. to Ionas 3. to Niniveh in the 3. first chapters here it is pleaded maintained propugned touching the right reasonablenes therof with arguments so strong as that I say not the tongue of man but not the gates of the nethermost hell shall ever be able to prevaile against it Whilst there is a difference betwixt day and night when the covenant of day and night shall be broken this indifferency betwixt God and man shall stand in force shalt thou spare and shall not I spare or rather this difference if thou sparest not yet will I spare Though man can bee cōtent to see multitudes of his owne kind to be murdered like tatte◠or mice pittying neither infant in age neither innocent in cōditions nor the harmelesse beast yet GOD the Creator of all will cast a mercifull eye over all his creatures and both man and beast aged and suckling maugre the malice of Satan and opposition of his owne flesh shall finde grace in his eyes If I haue profited any man by putting Gods talente to vse in this exercise and beene as my hearty vvish was a sweete smelling sacrifice and a savour of life vnto him let God haue the honour the father and giver of all good and perfite giftes there shall none of his glory cleaue to my fingers I take nothinge to my selfe but weakenesse and shame vvho though I haue broken my maisters bread vnto you vvith mine earthly and vnvvorthy handes yet vvas I but the instrumente the blessing and povver his alone vvho giveth both seede to the sovver and breade to him that eateth That I haue beene chardgeable vnto any man it repenteth mee it is more blessed to giue than to take and although it standeth vvith the libertye and leaue of the gospell so to doe For vvho feedeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke of the flocke And if vvee haue sovven vnto you spirituall thinges is it a greate matter if vvee reape your carnall yet I vvill modestlye confesse it hardely stoode vvith the libertye and freedome of mine ovvne disposition and I am able to affirme it from a pure conscience as Paule did in the tvventieth of the Actes though I received some thinge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet I haue not coveted the silver or golde or apparell of anie man I speake not in anie sorte my vvitnesses are in heaven and in mine owne bosome to diminishe the credite of your benevolence tovvardes me The LORDE requite it vnto you seaven folde I hate ingratitude as witch-crafte my mouth vvere vvorthy to bee muzzelled vppe if I vvoulde not freely and fully professe your kindenesse for you vvere vnto me as the house of Stephanas was vnto Paule and his companie the first fruites of Achaia he meante the first of that region that gaue themselues to minister vnto the Saintes so you the first fruites of Englande that haue given mee anie maintenance by voluntarie contribution I hope your cruise shall the more abounde your cup be the fuller for it Yet let me saie vvith patience whatsoever hath bee done in this behalfe I was rather sought motioned therevnto than my selfe ever sought it And during the greater time of my continuance therein if I had not rather desired to satisfie others than mine owne heart feeling more burden in my paines than sweetenesse in my recompence I had longe since eased both my selfe of my labour and you of your chardges Though some are ignorant others will not know
lesse I would not that iustice shoulde thrust mercy out of place but mercy and pitty differ as much as religion and superstition the one honoureth the other dishonoureth God the one is an ornament to man the other reprocheth him Be compassionate to the life of man and spare it as discretion shall require but rather be compassionate to the life of the common wealth for bee yee assured that the punishment of bloud-shedde is not to shed but to saue more bloude Melius est vt pereat vnus quam vnitas It is better that one should die by lawe then numbers without law The dogge that liveth in the shambles hath commonly a bloudy mouth and he that hath beene flesht vpon the bloud of man will not easily leaue it I leaue the answere of Ionas to the next place â—et vâ— beseech our mercifull God the preserver of mâ—n as Iob calleth him that hee would vouchsafe to preserue vnto vs this vertue of humanity without which we are not men putting softnes and tendernes in them that are cruell iustice into those that must bridle the rage of cruelty kindnesse and compassion into vs all that whatsoever wee are to deale in with any sorte of men wee may carefully cast before â—ande as these marriners did what we should doe vnto them setting their rule of friendship and brotherhood before our eies not to doe wrong or violence in oppressing the state or life either of brethren or strangers but to measure vnto them all such duties of nature and charity as wee wish should be measured againe to our owne soules THE XIIII LECTVRE Chap. 1. verse 12. And he saide vnto them Take mee and cast mee into the sea so shall the sea bee calme vnto you For I knowe that for my sake c. THE order I kept in the verse going before was this Three persons were proposed vnto you 1. the person of Ionas standing vpon his delivery 2. the person of the marriners being in ieopardy 3. the person of the sea continuing troublesome and vnquiet vnto them The two latter whereof the furiousnes of the vvaters and their owne perill were mighty arguments to incense them against Ionas In this verse he answereth their whole demaunde 1. touching my selfe you aske what you shall doe vnto me Take me cast me into the sea By this meanes 2. the sea shall be quieted 3. towardes you against whome it is now enraged This for the order and coherence Now for the matter it selfe it is devided into three branches 1. the resolution decree and sentence of Ionas vpon himselfe Take me cast me into the sea 2. the end and it may be the motiue to harten them So shall the sea be quiet vnto you 3. the reason warrant or iustification of their fact For I knowe that for my sake c. The verse riseth by degrees You aske what you shall doe with me Cast me into the sea What is that for our safety Yes the sea shall be quiet vnto you But howe may we purchase our peace with so vniustifieable an action Right well For I know that for my sake the tempest is vpon you Rabbi â—zra and some of our later expositors following his opinion thinke that he maketh this offer vnto them vpon an obstinate obfirmed minde against the commaundement of God that rather than he would be helde in life to goe to Niniveh to gaine a forreine vncircuÌ„cised nation he would die the death And they ghesse moreover that he would never haue given that liberty vnto them against his life but that he heard them say vnlesse he went to Niniveh they would cast him forth There is not a syllable in the text to iustifie this iudgement For Ionas had made a reverent confession of God a singular testimony of a minde recalling it selfe And as for the marriners what kindnes they shewed him both before and after the letter of the scripture plainly demonstrateth I rather take it to be a doome of most propheticall and resolute magnanimity wrestling with the terrors of death as Israell with God and prevailing against them As if he had saide you shall not lose an haire of your heades for mine offence I will not adde murther to rebellion and the wracke of so many soules to my former disobedience Take mee Not as if you feared to touch me â—ollite me take me on high take me with force and validitie of armes take me with violence lift and hoise me vp when you haue so done vse no gentlenes towardes me let me not downe with ropes neither suffer mee to â—ake my choise howe or where I may pitch Cast me at adventures as you threw forth your wares And though the sea hath no mercy at all threatning both heaven and hell with the billowes thereof at this tiâ—e and bearing a countenance of nothing but destruction and it had beene a blessing vnto me to haue died one the land in some better sort or to haue gained the favour of a more mercifull death yet cast me into the sea and let the barbarous creature glut it selfe Ionas might haue stood longer vpon tearmes I haue committed a fault I am descried by the lots I confesse my misdeed the sea is in wrath your liues in hazard what then will it worke your peace to destroy me Say I were gone and perished is your deliverance nearer than before it was But without cunctation and stay possessing his soule in patience and as quiet in the midst of the sea as if he beheld it on firme grounde making no difference betweene life and death animated with a valiant and invincible spirite triumphing over dread and daunger charitable towardes his companions faithfull and bold as a Lion within himselfe and yeelding to nothing in the world saue God alone he giveth not only leaue and permission vnto them doe what you will I can not resist a multitude you may trie a conclusion by the losse of a man but with a confident intention as willing to leaue his life as ever hee was to keepe it and as ready to goe from the presence of men as before hee went from the presence of GOD First hee putteth them in right and possession of his person Take mee Secondly hee prescribeth them the maner and forme of handling him Cast mee into the sea Thirdly driveth them by agreements therevnto not of coniecture and probability It may bee thus and thus but of certaine event the sea shall bee calme vnto you and of vndoubted perswasion I knowne that for my sake c. It is a question not vnmeete to be considered in this place which many haue handled from the first age of the world not onely with their tongues but with their handes and insteede of sharpenesse of wit haue vsed the sharpnes of kniues and other bloudy instrumentes to decide it whether a man may vse violence in anye case against himselfe I finde it noted vpon these wordes God vvoulde not let Ionas caste foorth himselfe
arme thee vvhen thou commest home to thine house let prayer meete thee Receaue not thy meate without thankes-giuing take not thy cuppe without blessing pray for the sinne of thine owne soule and offer a sacrifice for thy sonnes and daughters vvhen thou lyest downe couch thy selfe in the mercies of GOD when thou arisest vp walke with the staffe of his providence In this prayer of the Marriners there are many notable specialities First it is common the vvorke of the whole multitude In the fifte verse there was mention of praiers I graunt but there it is saide Invocârunt quisque Deum suum though all praied yet all aparte to their proper Gods Secondly feruent they cryed in their praier It is not a formall seruice the sound of their lippes and the sighes of their soules are seâ—t with an earnest message to the eares of God Thirdly discreete they pray not to their idols as before but to the Lorde of hostes Fourthly vocall and publique there vvas a forme and tenour of supplication which their lips pronounced they saide Fiftly humble they come with the tearme phrase of obsecration we beseech thee O Lord. Sixtly importunate as appeareth by their ingemination vve beseech thee we beseech thee Seventhly seasonable and pertinent applyed to the thing then in hand to be executed bring not vpon vs innocent bloud Eightly reasonable and iust standing vpon a good ground fitted to the will and pleasure of the Almighty for thou Lord hast done as it pleased thee We are vvilled Matthew the sixt to enter into our chambers and shutte the doores and praie to our father in secret and our father that seeth in secret shall openly revvarde it because it was the fashion of hypocrites to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streetes to be seene of men Our Saviour neuer meant therby to coÌ„demne prayers in synagogues either standing or kneeling or praiers in the corners of the streets or in the height of the market places or vpon the house toppes in the sight both of men and Angels but only to exclude the affected ostentation of men-pleasing hypocrites vvho prayed to a wicked ende not to obtaine but only to bee seene of men Enter into thy chamber and pray go into the temple and pray commune with thine owne heart commune with the multitude both are good And that we may know that we are not stinted in our praiers onlie to our selues and our private families as the Athenians woulde offer sacrifice but only for their owne citty and theâ—r neighbours of Chios our Saviour hath taught vs the contrary in that absolute forme of his vvilling vs to say Our father vvhich art in heaeuen as if we al came from one wombe and vvhosoeuer spake pleaded the cause of the rest of his brethren Not that we may not say a sunder and in private My father as Thomas saide my God and my Lorde but as there is a time for the one so we must not omit the other in due season It is a principle both of nature and pollicie Vis vnita foâ—tior Strength vnited receiueth more strength it holdeth likewise in divinity If the prayer of one righteous person availeth much the praier of many righteous shall availe more If the Syrophoenician obtained for her daughter the sute shee made much more shall the Church and congregation of Christ obtaine for her children If vvhere two or three bee gathered togither in his name he is in the midst of them much rather in the midst of a people in the midst of thousandes in whom there is anima vna cor vnum one soule one hart one tongue as if they were all but one man Lorde heale the sores of our lande in this point and as it is thy worke alone that those who dwell togither in one house shall be of one minde so magnifie this worke amongst vs that the children of this Realme which flie from our Churches and oratories as Iohn from the bathe wherein Cerinthus was rending and tearing the soule of this countrey into two peeces dividing the voice and language thereof in their praiers to GOD Elias and his companye praying in one place and vvith one stile O Lorde GOD of Abraham and they in an other O Baal heare vs for so they doe in effect when they pray to such as heare them not some calling for fire to consume the sacrifice and some for water to consume the fire some praying for the life of Deborah the Queene of this land and some for the life of Iabin the king of Spaine thus mingling and confounding the eares of the Lorde vvith opposite petitions from crossing contrary affections that at length they may consider from whence they are fallen and severed both from the vnitie of this publique body of ours wherein they haue their maintenance and if they take not heed of that mystical body of their Lord and Redeemer Christ Iesus 2. They cryed It is a condition which Iames requireth the praier of the iust if it be fervent Else even the praiers of the iust if they be perfunctory and colde rather of custome than of devotion and piety they profit not but to condemnation Cursed bee hee that doeth the worke of the Lorde negligentlie praier is a vvorke of his The LORD is neare vnto all them that call vpon him faithfully not formally He giveth both aquam sitim the benefite and the grace to desire thirste after it VVee heare not our ovvne praiers I meane not for wante of sounde and much babbling but for vvante of invvarde desire the voice of our spirite is softe and submisse and dyeth in the aire before it ascendeth into the presence of GOD and shall vvee thinke that GOD will heare vs Our bodies happily in the Church our mindes vvithout our tongue vttereth praiers our hearte thinketh on vsuries wee bowe the knees of our flesh but not the knees of our heartes Hee that knewe in his soule that praier from feinedlippes and a fase heart vvoulde returne emptie into his bosome that sent it vp but a broken and contrite spirite the Lorde vvoulde not despise neuer preassed into the courtes of his GOD but the inwardest and deepest affections of his minde vvere giuen in sacrifice Every nighte vvasht hee his bed and watered his couch vvith teares hee in the night time when others slepte and tooke their naturall recreation yea there was not a night that escaped without taske and it washt not his plantes alone but the very pâ—llet and couch which he lodged vpon So richly was his soule watered with the dewe of heauen that it ministred continually both fountaines to his eies and a fluent expedition to his tongue to commende his praiers We may learne to be zealous in our praiers euen of those woodden priestes 1. King 18. of whome it is written that they called vpon the name of Baal from morning till noone and when
ages were heapes of ashes and cloudes of pitch but fire and brimstone from a bottomlesse mine which burneth in the lake of death and shall never cease from burning Lastly this is that greate wine-presse of the wrath of God where the smoke of torment ascendeth for evermore and there is no rest day nor night those endlesse and vnmercifull plagues which the angels powre out of their vialles when men have given them bloude to drinke and boile in heate and gnaw their tongues for sorrowe And yet are these but shadowes and semblances which the scripture hath vsed therein to exemplifie in some sorte the calamities to come fearefull enough if there were no more to make the heart of the strongest melte and fall asunder within him as the yce against the summers sunne but that as the ioyes of heaven are vnmeasurable for their parte so concerning the paines of hell the eye hath never seene the eare not hearde the tongue not vttered the heart not conceived them sufficiently in their nature and perfection That accursed glutton in the gospell who coulde speak by experience of his vnestimable discruciatioÌ„s as Aeneas did of the troubles of Troy Et quorum pars vna fut what I haue felt and borne a parte of he giveth a warning to al his brethren in the flesh not to accounte so lightly as they doe of the tormentes of that place The flames fervour wherof were so importunate to exact their due of him that hee craved with more streams of teares thaÌ„ ever Esau sought his blessing but one drop of water to coole his tongue with could not obtaine it And what if all the rivers in the South if all the waters in the Ocean sea had bene graÌ„ted him his tongue notwithstanding would haue smarted and withered with heat stil he would haue cried in the laÌ„guage of hel It is not enough Or what if his toÌ„gue had bene eased his hart his liver his lunges his bowels his armes his legs would haue fried stil. O bitter day when not the least finger I say not of God whose hand is wholy medicinal but not of the poorest saint in heaven nor the skantest drop I say not from the waters of life but not of the waters of the brooke shal be spared to a soule to giue it comfort Which if the latest day of al the running generations of men if the great yeare which Plato dreamed of might ever end the ease were somewhat for hopes sake But it is apointed for a time times no time even when time shall be no more then shal it continue The gates are kept from egresse as the gates of paradise were warded from entrance not by the Cherubines with the blade of a sworde but by the angels of Sathan with all the instrumentes of death and the seale of Gods eternal decree set thereunto as the seale of the high priestes and rulers were set vpon the tombe-stone of Christ. The covenant of day and night shall one day bee changed The starres shall finish their race the elements melt with heat heaven and earth be renued sommer and winter have an end but the plagues of the prisoners in hell shall never be released If you aske the cause why I enter so large and vngratefull a discourse of hel vpon so smal an offer in my text as some may conceive I will not dissemble it Some may be deceived by the translation impropriety and abuse of words For because they heare the name of hell alleadged and applied to the present tribulations of this life they are induced thereby to thinke that there is no other hell nor sorer vexations elswhere to be sustained as some on the other side hearing the rest of God to be called by name of Ierusalem that is aboue the wals foundations wherof are saphires carbuncles c. take it to be no more thaÌ„ IerusaleÌ„ in Palestina or Venice in Italy or any the like glorious and sumptuous cittie vpon the face of the earth and therefore dispose themselues with so much the colder affection to the attainment of it Some haue taught and commaunded their tongues to speake a lye to say that there is no hel for I caÌ„not thinke that ever they shal commaÌ„d their harts to deny it as Tully spake of Metrodorus an atheist of his time I never sawe any man that more feared those â—hings which he said were not to be feared I meane death the gods so I wil never perswade my selfe but the atheists of our times hartilie feare that which they are content to say they feare not Now lest these sleepy adders should passe their time in a dreame or rather in a lethargy no man awaking theÌ„ vp from their carelesse supine opinions wherwith they enchant their soules infect others Let not the watchman hold his peace least they die in their sins for waÌ„t of warning let the truÌ„pet of iudgmeÌ„t ofteÌ„ be blowne vnto theÌ„ let it be published in their eares 7· times as the rams-horns 7 times souÌ„ded about the wals of Iericho that their ruine downfal is at hand that hel gapeth for theÌ„ that God hath ordained long since their impious blasphemous spirites to immortal malediction Of others that is true which God complaineth in Esay Let mercy be shewed to the wicked yet he wil not learne righteousnes Preach honor glory peace a garlaÌ„d of rightousnes an vncorruptible crowne fruit of the tree of life sight of the face of God following the laÌ„be fellowship with angels saintes the congregatioÌ„ of first-borne new names and white garments pleasures at the right hand of God and fulnes of ioy in his presence for evermore they are as obstinately bent vnmovably setled against these blessings of God as Daniel against the hire of Balthazar keepe thy rewardes to thy selfe and giue thy giftes to an other They are not wonne nor enarmoured with the expectation of good thinges and the revelation of the sons of God which the whole creature longeth groneth for savoureth no more vnto them than a boxe of putrified ointment What is there no way to quicken put life into them yes If the blessings of sixe Levites vpon mount Garizzim will not mooue them let them heare the cursing of sixe others vpon mount Ebal if they take no pleasure in the beautie of Sion let the thundering lightning of Sinai fire to the midst of heaven mistes cloudes smoke ascending like the smoke of a fornace the exceeding lowde sounde of a trumpet put them in feare make them beleeue that there is a God of iudgment if the spirit of gentlenes take no place shake the rod over them as the Apostle speaketh Giue theÌ„ mourning for ioy ashes for beauty the spirit of heavines for the oile of gladnes a rent insteed of a girdle teare I say not their garments but their hearts a sunder pull their bodies
his wedded conscience is thoroughly seized and possessed with inveterate errours There is but one truth oppugned by falshodes without number like the armes of the sea But the nature and courage of that one trueth is wheresoever she findeth falshode not to dissemble her quarrell and emulation to her enemy but to play the part of truth that is simply ingenuously apparantly to defie her adversary and to withstand her to the teeth FulgeÌ„tius in his first booke to ThrasymuÌ„de king of Vandalles giveth the reason of this orderly proceeding It is almost all one to deny the faith and not to maintaine it He bringeth the reason of that also Because by one and the same silence he strengthneth errour who thorough feare or negligence holding his peace affirmeth not the truth As a sleepy Centenar betrayeth the tentes of the king not that he hath a will perhaps to betray them but because he keepeth not the watch as he ought nor descrieth the enemy which commeth to assault them One heaven holdeth not Michael and the Dragon in peace nor one house the Arke and Dagon nor one wombe Iacob and Esau nor one temple prayer and merchandizing nor one campe the cleane the leprouse nor one bath Iohn and Cerinthus nor one hart God and Mammon nor one tongue God and Milchom nor one conscience truth and falshode religion and superstition This I suppose was the reason why Ionas beginneth his speech with a triumph against idolatours being to magnifie the strong arme of the Lord doth it with disdeine and contempt of all those that seeke vnprofitable meanes Thus much generally touching his order of proceeding The refutation devideth it selfe into two partes an antecedent and consequent a position and privation what they doe whom hee taxeth by his speech and what they loose by so doing If they observe lying vanities which is the former they are sure to forsake their owne mercy which is the latter In both these ioyned togither the partes are so desposed that there is a matching of three with three On the one side 1. They are said to loue to be intentiue and fonde vpon 2. that which they loue is vanity emptinesse nothing 3. that vanitie is lying fraudulent deceitfull vnto them On the other whereas they loved before nowe first they leaue abandon giue over secondly that which they leaue insteed of vanity is mercy which might doe them good 3. that mercy is their owne as proper and peculiar vnto them if they would vse it as ever any thing in their rightful possessioÌ„ Do ye not see the change that wordlings make corne for acornes a state of innocencie immortality incorruption for an apple the prerogative of birth-right with the blessing that belongeth vnto it for a messe of potage belly cheare as Esau did a kingdome vpon earth and the kingdome of heaven also for oxen and asses and sheepe as Saule did Christ his gospell his miracles his salvation for an heard of swine with the Gadarens God for idolles mercy for vanity the comfortablest nature that ever was created for that which profiteth not It is thought by some that the speech here vsed is by a concession or insultation against idolaters and as it were a farewell and defiance vnto them Let them forsake their owne mercy if they like the change so well and will not receiue warning as he in the comedy let him sinke wast and consume all that he hath I will never speake word vnto him more Against sinners past grace you shal often finde renouncements vnto them Lay iniquitie to their iniquitie and never let them come into thy righteousnes When they haue â—oâ—de themselues to sinne and hate to bee reformed this is the mercy that befitâ—eth them Reprooue not â—â—â—orner saith Salomon least he hâ—â—e thee If there be any amongst vs with whoÌ„ the mercie of God is so vile and contemptible that it is 〈◊〉 of force to over-sway lying vanitie but vanitie is the stronger 〈◊〉 and keepeth the house against mercy let them goe on in vanâ—â—y still and as Christ gaue over the Scribes let them fulfill the â—â—asure of their vvretched choice But let them knowe withall that as the prodigall sonne forsooke his fathers house for a strange countrie his fathers favour and inheritance for a bagge of monie father and kindred and friendes for vnhonest and vncurteous harlots and the breade in his fathers house for the husks of beanes which the swine abroad fed vpon his soule desired so they forsake God for this present world heaven for earth the pleasure of sinne for a season for everlasting pleasures at Gods right hand and finally their owne mercie as faithfull and true vnto them as ever was their soule to their body for vvhorish and forreine vanities which liue and die in an instante of time and leaue no substance behinde them O how happy were our lives thinke wee if these two might stande togither vanitie for a while till wee had satisfied our selues therewith afterwardes mercy with a wish Let me first goe kisse my father and take my leaue of friendly delightes let me not suffer the flowre of mine age to passe without garlandes of rose-buddes and sweet ointments then I will come and follow thee It must not bee The Lion and the bullocke leoparde and kidde may feede and lye togither but vanitie vvaited vpon as my text speaketh serviceably pursued officiously diligently embraced and drawne with cordes as an other prophet hath and the mercy of God haue no agreement In the former and positiue member of the refutation vvee are directed to three particulars First their habite and affection of whome hee speaketh who are not content to thinke of or sometimes to commit a vanity but they loue observe attende vpon it They keepe it and make much thereof saieth Ierome as if they had founde a treasure Lyra noteth perseveraunce Mercer pertinacie as of a thing that in no case they can be perswaded to forgoe Secondly the nature of that which their affections are set vpon vanitie that which is not as Narcissus loved the shadowe that the water cast vp Nay vanities The singular is not enough to expresse their folly They run thorough al the classies and rankes of vnity the kennel and sinke of as much as their harts can devise Thirdly the qualitie of these vanities that which must needes accompanie them vnlesse they could cease to bee vanities that they are lying and vnprofitable having no solidity in them The first noteth their superstition in that they are so diligent and observant The second their folly indiscretion in making so bad a choice The third their confusion that they trust and are tied to that wherein no substance no succor is They that loue lying vanities I know not so wel the reason but I finde that conclusion every where prooved which our Saviour laieth downe in the gospell The children of this worlde are wiser in their
the thirde was vnto GOD as rawe and vndigested meate which his hearte coulde not brooke His lukenesse and neutralitye of dealing in his service did so much offende him that although he had beene received into some inwarde favour as sustenaunce is taken into the stomacke yet hee is threatned to bee spued vp againe The phrase is some-what infrequent and rare in the scripture yet is it no where vsed but it deserveth wisely and waightily to bee considered In this place to conclude the meaning is that Ionas was not descended into the bellie of the fish to become a pray vnto him but to dwell in a desert and solitarie house for a time as Ieremie wisht him a cotage in the wildernesse and as it were to goe aside and hide himselfe from the anger of the Lord till the storme might be overpast The vvoordes of Micheas doe rightelye expresse my minde heerein I vvill beare the vvrath of the LORDE because I haue sinned against him vntill hee pleade my cause and execute iudgemente for mee Then vvill hee bringe mee foorth to the lighte and I shall see his righteousnesse VVhen thou that arte mine enemie shalt looke vpon it and shame shall cover thee vvhich sayest vnto mee vvhere is the LORD thy God Lastlye the place vvhich received Ionas was the drye lande VVhich noteth a qualitye of the earth commodious and fitte for habitation Hee felte the grounde before vvhen hee went downe to the bottome of the mounetaines and the earth vvas aboute him vvith her barres but he felte not the drie grounde He vvalked not then vpon the face of the earth vvhich is the manner of living soules but vvas vnder the rootes of the mounetaines vvhere hee had not libertye nor power to breath but by speciall providence In the beginning of the creation the vvaters were aboue the earth til the LORDE saide Let the vvaters vnder the heaven bee gathered into one place and let the drie lande appeare and it vvas so According to the vvordes of the Psalmes Hee hath founded it vpon the seas and established it vpon the flovvdes And againe Hee hath stretched out the earth vpon the vvaters for his mercie endureth for ever A straunge kinde of building when others lay the foundations vpon rockes the LORDE vpon the vvaters And yet hee hath so set the earth vpon those pillers that it shall never mooue VVhen thou callest to minde that thou treadest vpon the earth hanging like a ball in the aire and floting in the waters is it not evidente enough vnto thee even by this one argument that there is a God By the confession of all the naturall place of the waters is aboue the earth This at the first they enioyed and after repeated and recovered againe in the over-whelming of the worlde when the LORD for a time delivered them as it were from their bandes and gaue them their voluntarie and naturall passage And at this day there is no doubte but the sea which is the collection of waters lyeth higher than the lande as sea-faring men gather by sensible experimentes and therefore the Psalme saith Thou coveredst it with the deepe as with a garment For as a vesture in the proper vse of it is aboue the bodie that is clothed therewith so is the sea aboue the lande and such a garmente woulde it haue beene vnto the earth but for the providence of GOD towardes vs as the shirte that was made for the muthering of Agamemnon where the heade had no issue out Therefore the Psalme addeth immediately The vvaters woulde stande aboue the mounetaines but at thy rebuke they flee at the voyce of thy thunder they haste away And the mounetaines ascende and the vallies descende to the place which thou haste established for them But thou haste set them a bounde which they shall not passe neither shall they returne to cover the earth The like in the booke of Iob vvhere the phrases are that the LORDE hath established his commaundement vpon the sea though a wilde and vntamed creature and sette barres and doâ—es aboute it and saide Hitherto shalt thou come and no further heere vvill I staie thy prowde waues VVhat from the chambers that are aboue and from the fountaines and sluces that lie beneath howe easie a matter vvere it for the former of all thinges to set open his vvindowes and dammes and every howre of our life to over-runne vs with a newe deluge Nay he hath vvater enough to drowne vs vvithin our owne bodies Hee caâ—â—e there commaunde a full sea of distempered and redundant humors to take our breath from vs. VVee little bethinke our selues howe daylie and continually vvee stande beholding to the goodnesse of GOD for sparinge our liues VVho though hee with holde the forces of those outwarde elementes vvater and fire and the rest that they doe vs no harme yet vvee haue elementes vvithin whereof wee are framed and composed wee haue heate and colde moysture and drought which hee can vse at his pleasure to our owne destruction Let these brethren of one house but withall the fathers and founders as it vvere of our nature fall at variance within vs and they vvill rende our liues a sunder like vvilde boares Howe manye haue beene buryed aliue in the graues of their earthlye and melancholicke imaginations Howe many burned in the flames of pestilent and hote diseases Their bowelles set on fire like an oven their bloude dryed vp their inwardes withered and wasted vvith the violence thereof The vapours and fumes of their owne vicious stomacke as a contagious aire howe manye haue they poysoned and choked vp Finallye howe manye haue beene glutted and overcharged with waters betweene their owne skinne and bones And therefore we must conclude and crye with the Prophet It is the mercie of the LORDE that wee are not consumed both from without and from within because his compassions faile not Hitherto of the myracles the former parte of my promise and the seconde experimente of the ever-flowing mercye of GOD continued towardes Ionas his servaunt O livinge and large fountaine of grace alvvayes drawne yet never dryed vp because it runneth from the breast and is fed with the good pleasure of an infinite and immortall GOD. For what better reason canne bee given of his lovinge affection tovvardes vs than that which Micheas hath in the ende of his prophecie Because mercy pleaseth him VVhat other cause hath induced him not to remooue in haste from the sweete songue of that Prophete to take awaie iniquitie and passe by the transgressions of his heritage not to retaine his anger for ever though for ever deserved but to returne and haue compassion vpon vs to subdue our vnrighteousnesse and cast all our sinnes into the bottome of a sea deeper and farther from his sighte than were these seas of Ionas to perfourme his trueth to Iacob and kindnesse to Abraham accordinge to his othe in auncient time but because
his rest before he had first laboured and finished the vvorke of sixe daies wee are ever in our Sabbathes and restes and suffer our daies of worke to slide without remembraunce But as verily as the God of heaven hath sanctified both labour and rest in his owne person so truely shal it be fulfilled that if we rest in the time of labour we shall labor in the time of rest Ionas arose And went to Niniveh The first-borne of idlenes is to do nothing the next issue shee hath is to doe that that appertaineth not vnto vs. For to follow vnnecessary businesse to keepe our selues in exercise is little praise and most commonly it falleth out that there is a fellowshippe and affinitie betweene these two as Paule vvriteth of the wanton yong widowes that they learned nothing in their idlenes but to go about from house to house and that they were not only idle and did nothing but were also pratlers and busi-bodies and given to vtter vncomely speech a curious kinde of people to know the liues and affaires of other men desidious and negligent to amende their owne The corruption is natural to vs al aunciently descended Adam in that richest roiallest liberty of his over all the works of Gods handes had more desire to knowe and to doe that that was forbidden him then all the rest and the very commaundemente of God which should haue restrained him gaue occasion to his vvill to become more wilfull From thence it commeth that we his vnwise and vngracious children are Physitians to other men rather then our selues states-men in forraine common-wealthes rather then our own medlers in any calling of life rather then that which God hath enioined vs. Harpers will deale with the scepters of princes and tel them how to rule The people will put on Aarons robes and teach him how to teach The cobler will finde fault with the thigh of the picture though his art go no higher then the foote The Emperours stewarde will pervert scriptures to strengthen the Arrian heresie though fitter to be a market man or to command broth for the Emperour in the kitchin Vzzah will beare vp the arke though he overthrow himselfe by it and Nadab and Abihu offer strange fire though they burne in the flames of it God will surely require of vs all for doing more then we should or that which wee ought not as he did of the Iewes for doing lesse Quis ista à vobis requisivit VVho hath required these things at your hands There are diversities of giftes and diversities of administrations and diversities of operations though the spirite be but one and God the same that worketh all in all Are all apostles are all prophets are all teachers are all doers of miracles haue all the giftes of healing doe all speake with tongues doe all interpret Or hath not God devided these graces to sundry men that every one mighte knowe and doe what belongeth to his calling The members in the body of man are not the same nor ordained to the same function If the whole bodie were an eie where were the hearing or if the vvhole vvere an eare vvhere vvere the smelling Seeing then that we haue giftes that are diverse according to the grace that is given vnto vs whither we haue prophesie let vs prophesie according to the proportion of faith or whither an office let vs waite on the office hee that teacheth on teaching hee that exhorteth on exhortation hee that distributeth let him doe it with simplicitie he that ruleth with diligence hee that sheweth mercy with cheerefulnesse Let every man as hee hath received the gifte mâ—nister the same and not his brothers or companions as good disposers of the manifolde grace of God One and the same spirite which is the author of order not of confusion see how constant he is and like himselfe in the mouthes of sundry Apostles to teach this ambitious and idly busie age bringing into nature the like deformed informity of thinges by mingling all togither wherein the worlde sometimes was and whilst it doeth all thinges doing nothing worthy of thankes neither to bee wise in matters appertaining to God or man more then may stande vvith sobriety and having a charge of their owne properly distinguished not to trouble their heades with aliene and vnnecessary affaires It was a worthy epigramme that Aldus Manutius wrote vpon the dore of his chamber to avoide such wearisome ghestes Their cause of troubling him a maÌ„ carefully bent to enlarge the bounds of good learning was negotij inopia want of businesse for then their agreement was Eamus ad Aldum come let vs go to Aldus At length to prevent them hee set an vnmannerly watchman at his dore which could not blush and whose entertainement was on this maner Whosoever thou arte Aldus doeth heartily beseech thee if thou haue ante bunesse with him briefely to dispatch it and presently bee gone vnlesse thou commest as Hercules did when Atlaâ— was wearie to put his shoulders vnder the burthen For neither thy selfe canst want worke of thine owne at anie time nor any of those that repaire to this place To conclude the note Ionas arose and hasted before at his first call there wanted not speed to his travaile he went like the lightning as Ezechiell speaketh of the foure beastes and spared neither the paines of his body nor the benefite of winde and sailes to beare him forwardes But he lost the approbation and rewarde of his labour bâ—cause he mistooke Tharsis for Niniveh and bended his course to a wrong place Now he hath learned the song of David I will not onely runne but I will runne the way of thy commaundementes And as the feete of the beastes before mentioned which in the tenth of Ezechiell are interpreted to bee Cherubins were straight feete so are the feete of Ionas straitned towardes Niniveh and like an arrow that flyeth to the marke so setteth he his face and heart vpon the place commaunded According to the worde of the Lorde The most absolute constant infallible rule that ever was devised and as many as walke according to this rule they shall not faile to be blessed It was deservedly wished and longed for in the Psalme O that my waies were made so direct that I might keepe thy statutes so shoulde I not bee confounded vvhilst I had respect vnto thy commaundementes It is said of the children of Israell Numbers the ninth that at the mouth of the Lorde they iournied and at the mouth of the LORD they pitched or lay still They knew his minde by the clowde that vvas over the tabernacle For if it abode vpon the tabernacle two daies or a moneth or a yeare they also abode but if it vvere taken vp then they vvente forwarde Againe it is added in the same place and as it were vvith a breath to praise their obedience At the commaundement of the Lorde they pitched and
it had beene supprest by silence as one that seeth the branches and fruites of a tree knoweth there is a roote that carrieth them though it be buried in the moulde of the grounde or the members of the bodie of man stirring and mooving themselues to their severall functions knoweth there is a heart that ruleth them though it dwell secretly within the bosome so though the name of faith had not heere beene heard of he that had seene such branches and members of religious devotion and humiliation in the people of Niniveh might easilie haue ghessed that there was a roote and hearte of faith from whence they proceeded To this they adioine fasting and sacke-cloath not only as arguments and outward professions of their inwarde contrition or griefe but as adminicles helpes commendations besides to that effectuall praier of theirs which afterwardes they powred forth The belly they say hath no eares and we may as truely say it hath no tongue or spirit to call vpon God and sumptuous garmentes are either the banner of pride and nest of riotousnes as the Emperour of Rome tearmed them or tokens at least of a minde at rest and no way disquieted therfore they cry in the second of Wisedome Let vs fill our selues with costly wine and ointments and let vs crowne our selues with rose buddes And Amos complaineth of them in the sixt of his prophecie that put the evill day farre from them and approach to the seate of iniquitie that they eate the lambes of the flocke and the calues out of the stall drinke their wine in bowles and anointe themselues with the chiefe ointmentes but no man is sory for the affliction of Ioseph For it is not likely that the affliction of oth ers should mooue their heartes who are so occupied and possest before with fulnes of pleasures For the better explication heereof it shall not be impertinent to consider and apply the behavior of Benadab 1. Kings 20. he had received an overthrow of the children of Israell one yeare in the mountaines the next at Aphek An hundred thousand footmen were slaine in the field in one day seven and twenty thousand perished with the fall of a wall in the city besides the danger of the king who is afraid of his owne life and runneth from chamber to chamber to hide himselfe Vpon this misery wherewith they were toucht one daunger being past another imminent his servauntes come vnto him with these wordes Behold now we haue heard say that the kings of Israell are mercifull kings we pray thee therefore let vs put sacke-cloath about our loines and ropes about our heades and goe out to the king of Israell it may be that hee will saue thy life They did so and came to the king and said thy servant Benadab saith I pray thee let me liue Benadab of late a puissant king having two and thirty kings in his army is novv content with the name of a servant First then you see there is a perswasion of mercy in the kings of Israell so there must be a perswasion of mercy in the God of heaven vvhich the Ninivites were not voide of Secondly that perswasion was vnperfect mingled with feare standing vpon tearmes of doubt it may bee hee will saue thy life so likewise said the king of Niniveh who knoweth if the Lorde will repent Thirdlie vpon this perswasion such as it is the Sirians go and entreate the king of Israell vpon the like doe the inhabitantes of Niniveh cry vnto God Lastly to testifie their humilitie and to mooue him to pitty they put sacke-cloath aboute their loines and ropes aboute their heades so doe the people of Niniveh sit in sacke-cloath and ashes to bewray their contrite spirites Now as Aram put ropes about their heades to shew that for their owne partes they had deserved nothing but their liues and deathes vvere in the kings handes either to saue or hange them so to fast or vveare sacke-cloath with any intention to merite or satisfie the anger of God is to abuse the endes of both these services Aquinas reciteth three endes of a fast First to represse and subdue the insolencie of the flesh hee prooveth it from the seconde to the Corinthians the sixte vvhere the Apostle ioyneth fasting and chastitie togither the one the cause the other the effect that followeth it Secondly to elevate the minde and make it more capable of heavenly revelation as Daniell in the tenth of his prophecie after his fasting three vveekes from pleasaunt breade flesh and vvine behelde a vision Thirdlie to satisfie and appease the anger of God for sinnes which wee can in no case admit the proofe he bringeth is from the seconde of Ioell vvhere we are willed to turne vnto the Lorde with all our hearte with fasting and mourninge and weeping to rende our heartes and not our garmentes c. VVhat then It is the manner and vsage wee graunte of suppliant petitioners to abstaine from meates and to teare their garmentes from their backes not with purpose to satisfie the wrath of GOD but rather to execute vvrath and vengaunce vpon themselues and by macerating their bodies and stripping them of their best ornaments to shew howe vnworthy they are of the blessings of God whom by their hainous iniquities they haue so offended For it is not fasting and sacke-cloath that pleaseth him so much nor rending the garments nor looking vnder the brow nor hanging downe the head like a bulrush nor shaving the head and the beard nor casting dust vpon the face nor sitting in ashes nor filling the aire with howlinges and out-cries but inwarde and hartie conversion to God acknowledgement of our grievous provocations confession of our owne vnworthines by these outward castigations vnfained repentance vacation to praier a faithfull apprehension of his auncient and accustomed mercies Therefore it followeth in Ioel For the Lord is gracious and mercifull slow to anger of great kindnes and repenteth him of the evill As much as to say when you haue sorrowed sufficiently for your sinnes and signified that sorrow with abstinence and teares take comforte at the length againe not in your owne satisfactions but in the remembrance and view of Gods everlasting mercies For word came vnto the king of Niniveh Some thinke that the matter herein contained is distinguished from that which wente before in the fifte verse and that the rulers and warders of the several partes of the city which Ionas had past through had proclaimed a fast to the people before the preaching of the prophet came to the kings eares Herevpon they inferre that in matters appertaining to God we must not tarry the leasure of Princes their license be obtained for Princes they say are slowest to beleeue and farthest from humbling themselues before the maiesty of God when his anger is kindled I take it to be otherwise and I am not left alone in that opinion for most agree that the former verse is but an index or
you dreamed vvithout your senses your lippes walking and your eies aspiring into heaven without devotion you whose hearte lyeth within your bosome as a secret thiefe calling to your tongue and handes and bodily members and saying giue mee credite in the eies of men make some shew of piety at the least recite the praiers of the Church though you pray not and vse the gestures of the Saintes of CHRIST though you meane them not your parte is with those hypocrites and vvith Simon Magus your lying tongues the LORD shall roote out of their tabernacles your deceitfull eies shall sinke into the holes of your heades the sacrifices of your forged and faithlesse consciences stinke in his nostrelles your prayers are an abhomination vnto him and that ever you haue taken his fearefull name vvithin your lips shall turne to your sorer condemnation The complement and perfection of all that went before the soule of their corporall fasting sackcloath crying which is their spiritual fast from sinne and insteede of putting on sackcloath putting on the new man followeth to be examined in the next part of the mandate wherein the substantiall parts of repentance are contained Yea let everie man turne from his evill vvay c. For what is repentance in effecte but a returning to that integrity and vprightnesse of life from whence thou art departed Therefore sayth the edict let everie man returne There is terminus à quo and terminus ad quem in this sanctified motion somewhat which we must forsake and relinquish somewhat which we must recover and procure againe There must be a death to sinne and a resurrection to iustice for as Eusebius calleth repentance a type of the resurrection so may we the resurrection a type of repentance There must bee an aversion from sinne and a conversion to God a mortification of olde Adam with all his concupiscences and a vivification of the newe man Ioell expresseth both these partes First rende your heartes VVhat shall we smooth them annointe them flatter them binde them vp No. Wee must pull them in pieces racke them vpon tenter-hookes teare them vvith gripes and convulsions we must not suffer sinne to hide it selfe in any corner thereof which is not produced to lighte and thoroughly examined and then turne vnto the Lorde your God c. GOD by his prophet Esay giveth likewise his people a chardge concerning both these vvash you make you cleane take away the evill of your workes from before mine eies cease to doe evill afterwarde followeth the seconde learne to doe well seeke iudgement relieue the oppressed with other effects of a new life And who was ever a better expounder of repentance than he who went before the face of the Lorde and both preached the doctrine vvith his lippes and with his handes administred the baptisme of repentance Albeit the texte that he vsed vnto them were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a chaunge of the minde and the inwarde powers thereof yet hee added by way explication Bring foorth fruites vvorthie of amendment of life And when the people asked him Luke the thirde What shall vvee doe then hee aunswered them hee that hath tvvo coates let him parte vvith him that hath none and hee that hath meate let him doe likewise Thus much in effect The repentaunce that I preach vnto you doeth not onely forbidde crueltie in pulling cloathes from the backe and meate from the teeth of others but it also enioyneth the vvorkes of mercy Chrysostome in his thirde Homily to the people of Antioche demaunding vvhat it was that preserved the Ninivites from the inevitable wrath of GOD thus reasoneth with himselfe vvas it their fasting and sacke-cloath alone vvee cannot say it but the chandge of their vvhole life How knovv wee by the very wordes of the prophet And God saw their workes What kinde of workes That they fasted and vvare sacke-cloath neither of both For the Prophet suppressing all this inferreth that they returned from their evill vvaies I speake not this saith he to bring fasting into contempt but rather to honour it for the honour of a fast is not abstinence from meates but avoidaunce of sinne And hee that defineth a fast by the onely forbearing of foode is the man that most disgraceth it Doest thou fast shew mee thy fasting by thy vvoorkes Thou vvilt aske vvhat kinde of workes if thou seest a poore man take mercie on him If thine enemie reconcile thy selfe If thy friende deserving praise envie him not If a beautifull vvoman make a covenaunte vvith thine eies not to bee taken in her beautie and let not onely thy mouth and thy bowels fast but thine eies thine eares thy feete thy handes and all thy bodily members Let thy handes fast from robbery thy feete from bearing thee to vnlawfull spectacles thine eares from sucking in slaunderous tales thine eies from receiving in wantonnes For what availeth it to abstaine from eating and drinking if meane time we eate and devour vp our brethren The matter of this edict is very notable and in so fewe wordes asmuch as wisedome and religion mighte containe first it requireth of every man a chandge of life For the worde is a particle of distribution and excepteth neither the age sexe nor estate of any person Maximilian the Emperour comparing himselfe and the kinges of Spaine and Fraunce togither had a witty and pleasaunt saying that there vvere but three kinges in the time vvherein hee lived The Spanish a king of men because he vsed them ingenuouslie and liberallie as men The French of asses for the immoderate exactions which hee tooke of them Himselfe a king of kinges for they vvoulde doe no more then their owne pleasure was But the king of Niniveh is a king of subiectes Beholde a generall decree enacted for repentance and there is not one soule in Niniveh that starteth backe Secondly it requireth of every man not onelye to goe from his vvickednesse but to returne to that iustice from vvhence hee vvas fallen and to renew the image of holinesse decayed in him It is a good degree of repentaunce to bevvaile those sinnes vvhich vvee haue committed and not to committe those sinnes which wee haue bewailed But it is not enough in repentance for hee that is not a gatherer with Christ is a scatterer and as great displeasure we reape in the omission of duety as in commission of iniquity Iohn Baptist did not tell them in his sermon of repentance that everie tree which brought foorth evill fruite shoulde bee hewen downe though that were implyed but if it broughte not foorth good fruite it was in danger of the same iudgement Neither did our saviour tell his disciples that excepte their iniustice vvere lesse then the iniustice of the Scribes and Pharises they shoulde not enter into the kingdome of heaven but excepte their iustice vvere more Hee that buried his talent in the grounde had a purpose not to offende But he had
death is I cannot bee daunted by the malignitye of anye disease VVherefore as Christ admonished the church of Thyatira so I in the name of Christ exhort you that vvhich you haue alreadye holde fast till hee come Let not your hope and consolations in the mercies of GOD bee taken from you let others for their pleasure and for want of better groundes because they leane vpon a staffe of reede masses merites indulgences the like make shipwracke of this sweete article and bee carued away as the windes and seaes of their owne opinions shall driue them till they finde some other haven to rest in But shall ever raigne and beare the scepter in our consciences as an article of that price without the which our liues are not deare vnto vs· The sunne may bee vnder a cloude at times but feare not it vvill shine againe the may fire be buried vnder ashes but it vvill breake forth the arke may bee taken by the Philistines but it shall bee restored to Israell and these heavenlye perswasions may sometimes bee assaulted and battered but they shall eftsoones returne vnto vs. I dare affirme that there was never elect soule vpon the earth redeemed by the bloud and sanctified by the spirit of God but hath drunke largelye of these comfortes wherof I speake and then their largest draught when they haue most thirsted after it that howsoever their life hath beene tempered of good bad daies and good againe as those that are helde with agues of honour and dishonour health and sicknesse warre and peace ioy and heavinesse yet the betrer of these two conditions hath ever had the later and the vpper hand and to haue ended their liues I say not in their beddes but vnder a showre of stones as Steven did or by the sworde of a tyrant or amongst the teeth of wilde beastes hath beene no more vnto them than if a ripe figge had beene pluckte from the tree which it grewe vpon For they haue gone avvaye with a sentence of peace in their lippes as the doue came backe to the arke with an oliue branch Christ is my life death mine advantage Thus much of the Phrase who knoweth if God will returne The matter which they hope for in a worde and to conclude is the mercy of God In the explication whereof they vse an order of wordes 1. that God must returne as if hee were nowe absente and had withdrawen himselfe from them 2. that God must repent not by changing his minde but by callinge in the decree vvhich vvas gone forth 3. that the furie of his wrath must be pacified Lastly to this ende that destruction may bee averted from them as much as to say if God vouchsafe not his presence vnto vs or if hee holde his former intendment or if the heate of his fierce wrath be not quenched wee are sure to perish And so it fareth vvith vs all that except the Lorde doe illighten vs with his favourable and gracious countenance except hee apply himselfe with his whole heart and with all his soule as it is in Ieremy to doe vs good and vnlesse the fire of his anger bee drowned in the bowelles of compassion and his rage burning downe to hell bee swallowed vp into pitty aboue the cloudes what else can follow but the wracke of our bodyes and soules the eversion of our houses and families and vtter desolation to townes citties and entire countries Therefore let vs beseech God that hee ever vouchsafe to dwell with vs as he sometimes dwelt in the bush to change his cursing into blessings to quench his deserved wrath kindled like a whole river of brimstone with his streames of grace that it may bee well with vs and our children our whole land and our last end may be that which is the end and conclusion of the kings edict that wee perish not THE XXXIX LECTVRE Chap. 3. vers 10. And God saw their workes that they turned from their evill waies THE grounde which the people of Niniveh tooke for repentance was faith which although it appeareth by their manner of speech having scruple vncerteinty in it to have beene an vnperfect faith not throughly strengthned and fighting as yet against the horrour of their owne sinnes and terrour of Gods iudgements yet an vnperfect faith is faith more or lesse and the best that ever were have not escaped such distractions and disquietinges of their soules and when they have wrastled a time against the adversarye powers they have returned with the victory and have set vp their banners of triumph in the name and vertue of the Lord of hostes their foundations are in the holy hilles not in the vallies of their owne infirmities for then they must despaire but in the might and mercye of almightye God which stande for ever The matter of their faith consisting of foure members three of them appertaining to God his returne repentance and leaving of his fierce wrath the fourth and last to themselves I went over in hast and will briefly repeate vnto you 1. They beleeved that God might returne and vouchsafe them his presence and company againe taken from the manner of men who in their anger and displeasure forsake the verye place where their eye-sore lyeth and being reconciled vse it for an argument of their revived frendshippe to returne to those houses which they had forsaken So saith God Ose◠5. I vvill goe and returne to my place till they acknowledge their faultes and seeke mee In their affliction they will seeke mee diligently and say come let vs returne vnto the Lorde So they depart from God and God from them They withdraw their obedience hee his blessinges and although he bee in the middest of them nearer than their flesh to their spirites yet by any demonstration of love they cannot perceave his presence God was ever in Niniveh no doubt by his essence his power his overlooking providence for in him they lived mooved and alvvaies had their being but hee vvas not in Niniveh by grace by the guiding and goverment of his holy spirit neither by speciall favour assistance hee had fotsaken their citty and consciences as thorny vnprofitable ground fitter for idols and abominations than for himselfe to dwell in 2. They beleeved that God might repent which is also borrowed from the affections of men whose māner is to be sory in their harts for their former displeasure conceived and to wish it had never bin and asmuch as possible they may to revoke vvhatsoever in the heat thereof they had determined The 3. is consequent to the former for if he returne and repent his anger must needes bee remooved Al these motions either of the body in going from place to place or of the soule in altering her passions are attributed vnto vs truly but vnto God in no other māner than may stand with the nature and honour of his vnmooueable maiesty Now lastly where God is departed and
can preiudice the bounty of our GOD and those rich benefites of his grace which his beloved sonne hath purchased for vs. I nowe conclude GOD saw the workes of the Ninivites and in those vvoorkes not onely their outwarde countenance but their inwarde and vnfeined affection and faith the roote from whence they sprang and as the fruites of their faith so he accepted them not for the worth and accounte of the workes which they dare not themselues rely vpon but through the riches and abundance of his owne loving kindnesse This is the plea that Daniell helde in the ninth of his Prophecie a man of as righteous a spirite as ever the Lateran pallace of Rome helde according to all thy righteousnesse for the LORDES sake for thy greate tender mercies for thine owne sake and vvith direct exception to their inherente iustice for wee doe not present our supplications before thee for our owne righteousnesse This plea we must all sticke vnto Gods mercy in his owne gracious disposition Gods righteousnesse in his promises Gods goodnesse in the Lorde his anointed his Christ his Messias And this shal be a blessed testimony vnto vs at the last day that wee haue stood and fought for the seede of the woman and for the preciousnesse of his bloud and passion against the seede of the serpent that we never gaue place no not for an instant to Pharisee Iew Pelagian Papist Libertine to diminish or discredite the power thereof Giue mee that soule that breatheth vpon the earth in plight as the soules of these Ninivites were nowe called to a reckoning of their fore passed liues their consciences accusing them of hydeous and monstrous iniquities the law pleading the anger of GOD flaming against them the throate of hell gaping wide and ready to swallow them downe when they were to take their leaue of one worlde and to enter another of endlesse punishment vnlesse they coulde finde the meanes to appease the fury of their maker and iudge Giue me the soule that dareth for the price of a soule stande in contention with the iustice of GOD vpon the triall of good workes either to bee iustified the meane-time or heereafter to be glorified and liue by them O sweete and comfortable name nature operation of grace grace and onely grace blessed bee the wombe that bare thee and the bowels that ingendered thee When it commeth to this question iustificemur simul Let vs bee iudged togither if thou haste ought to saie for thy selfe bring it forth O happy heavenly and only grace that bearest thy children safe in thy bosome and settest them with confidence and ioy before the seat of God when the clients followers of their owne righteousnes be it what it may bee with the least flash of lightning that fleeth from the face of God shal tremble and quake as the popler in the forrest O the Ocean maine sea of over-flowing grace and we drinke at puddles We sit in our cels and comment we come into the schooles and dispute about the merit of good workes without trouble But lie we vpon out beds of sicknes feele we a troubled perplexed conscience wee shal be glad to cry grace and grace alone Christ and Christ alone the bloud of Abell and Peter and Thomas and Paul shall be forgotten and the bloud of the Lambe shal be had in price as for the merits of our vnprofitable service we shal be best at ease when we talke least of them The only one fiftith Psalme Haue mercie vpon me O Lorde c. his memory bee blessed that gaue the note hath saved many distressed soules and opened the kingdome of heaven vnto them who if they had stood vpon riches and sufficiencie in themselues as the church of Laodicea did they had lost the kingdome It is vsually given to our seloâ—s for their necke-verse when the lawe is disposed to favour them Wee are all felons and transgressors against the law of God let it bee our soules-verse and God will seclude the rigour of his law and take mercy vpon vs. Some of the wordes of that Psalme were the last that Bernarde vttered even in the panges of death Let them also be the last of ours a brokeÌ„ contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Finally the choise is briefely proposed and as quickely made if grace not workes if workes not grace if this be the choise let vs humbly beseech God to illighten our eies to open our vnderstandings to direct our affections and to reach forth our handes to the better part which shall never be taken from vs that leaving our workes to his favourable interpretation either to follow vs or to stay behinde and either to bee something or nothing in his sight his mercy may only triumph and his covenant in the bloud of Christ Iesus may ever be advanced that we may sing in our Ierusalem as they sing in the courtes of heaven worthy is the Lambe that was killed to receive the glory and honour and praise and to beare the name of our whole salvation THE XL. LECTVRE Chap. 4. vers 1. Therefore it displeased Ionas exceedingly he was angry THE whole prophecy of Ionas againe to repeat that which ought not to be forgotten is the preaching of mercy An history written to the world and as a publique evidence instrument from God delivered vnto vs in every page line wherof his goodnes towardes mankind is mervailously expressed And as the 4. beastes in Ezechiel were ioyned one to the other by their winges so the 4. Chapters of this booke hang togither by a continuation and succession of Gods loving kindnes Open this booke as our Saviour opened the booke of the prophecie of Esaias by chance and read at your pleasure from the first of it to the last you shall never vvant a text or example of comforte whereby a distressed conscience may be relieved The marriners are delivered from the fury of the elements Ionas both from those and from the belly of a cruell fishe the Ninivites God knoweth from what whither from fire and brimstone or from sinkinge into the grounde or any such like weapons of wrath which in his armoury of iustice in heaven are stored vp and reserved for the day of the wicked but all are delivered Notwithstandinge which rare examples of mercy as Christ spake in the gospell beholde more than Ionas is heere so though the prophet did his parte before in penninge those discourses yet in handlinge this last he is more than himselfe though the mercy of God abounded before yet here it excelleth Then was mercy practised I confesse but heere it is pleaded maintained prooved by argumeÌ„ts apologies parables the equity and reasonablenes thereof vpheld and means made vnto Ionas in some sort that if God be gracious to Niniveh hee will bee pleased favourably to interpret it The distribution of the Chapter is into three partes 1. The affection of Ionas vpon the
surely I rather thinke that they blessed Ionas in their heartes and that the dust of his feete was welcome and precious vnto them who by his travaile and paines had taught them to flie from the anger of God that was now falling Others conceaue the reason heere implyed therefore I prevented to be this Hee saw that the conversion of the Gentiles vvas by consequence an introduction of the overthrow and castinge out of the Iewes and that it woulde bee fulfilled vpon them which is written in Deuteronomy They haue mooved mee to iealousie with that which is not God they haue provoked mee to anger with their vanities and I mooue them to iealousie with those which are no people I vvill provoke them to anger vvith a foolish nation That is if wee vvill interpret it by this present subiect Niniveh shall repente and condemne Israell the more for not hearkning to the voice of so many Prophets Ierome brieflie thus It grieveth him not that the Gentiles are saved but that Israell perisheth Our Saviour we all know would not giue the breade of children to dogges and hee vvas not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israell and he vvepte over Ierusalem which hee never did over Tyre and Sidon and the prerogatiue of the Iews was either onely or principally that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached vnto them I remit you to the 10. of the Actes to see what labour was made to drawe Peter to the Gentiles whome hee called common and vncleane thinges And in the 11. of the same booke they of the circumcision contended with him aboute it sayinge thou vventest in vnto the vncircumcised and hast eaten with them It might be his further griefe that he onely amongst so many Prophets should bee singled out to declare the ruine of his people by the vprising of straungers to beare the envy of the facte and to bee the messenger of the vnwelcomest newes that ever Israll received For he is the first that must bring Iudaisme in contempt and make it manifest to the vvorlde that his country-men at home are vnfruitfully occupied and troubled about many things sacrifices sacramentes washinges cleansinges and the like when others abroade observing that one thing that is necessarie with lesse labour and businesse came to be saved Luther comparing the times wherein Ionas and himselfe lived openeth the case by familiar explication thus The Iewes accompted themselues by a constant opinion and claime the peculiar people of God the Romish themselues the onely Catholiques they thought there could be no salvation without observing the law of Moses and the rites of the Iewish Synagogue nor these without observing the ordinances and ceremonies of the Romish Church they cried powre out thy wrath vpon the nations and vpon the people that haue not called vpon thy name these held them for hereticks not worthy the aire they drew that ioyned not themselues vnto them Nowe lastlie as it was an odious office in these latter daies to preach vnto any nation or city vnder heaven that the foolishnesse of preaching and onely Christ crucified was able to saue soules without creeping to crosses kneeling knocking kissing sprinckling censing ringing fasting gadding with such like toyes and the conversion of any parte of Christendome vvith lesse circumstaunce coulde not but bee a shame preiudice and condemnation vnto Rome in some sorte that having greater helpes and furtherances to God went further from him so the reclaiminge of Niniveh by one when Iury had many prophetes by the denouncement of one when Iury had many prophecies by a single and short commination when Iury had the whole law and testimonies by a compendious course of repentance when they fasted and tithed and sacrificed and cryed the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord and I know not what coulde not lesse be than a reproach to the people which was so backwarde and an exception to their whole forme of religion wherein they no better profited It had beene no marvaile if when Ionas returned into Israell the hand of his own father and mother had beene first against him for doing that wrong to his people as they adiudged their bodies to the fire and their souls they delivered to Satan who opened their mouth against the church of Rome Whatsoever his reasons were whither the care of his credite or whither affection to his country-men drew him away to that recusancie both which are but particular and partiall respects when God commandeth otherwise his fault is no way excusable by reason but that God of his grace is ready to giue pardon and relaxation to al kinde of sinne Therefore I prevented Thy grounde is vnstable Ionas thy argumente vnsounde thou vsest but a fallacie to deceiue thy selfe thou hadst no reason so to do the will of the Lord of hostes which is absolute righteousnes a reason beyond all reasons withstoode it Thou thoughtest to prevent the Lord thou couldest not the vvindes saw thy hast staied thee the sea held thee backe the fish made resistaÌ„ce against thee the bars of the earth shut thee vp if these had failed in their misteries the wisedome of God would haue invented other staies He could haue stopped thee in thy course as he stopped Paule in his iourney by dazeling thine eies that thou shouldest not haue fouÌ„d thy way or as he stopped Lots wife in her way by making thee a pillar of salt or some other rocke of stone a monument of contradiction to the latest age of the world He could haue dried vp thy hands tied vp thy feete in iron no but in the bands of death never to haue stirred againe Let all the wisdome of man beware of the like preventioÌ„ least it prevent it selfe thereby of all the blessings of God vse of natiue country comfort of kinsmen friendes life of bodie happines of soule as Ionas might haue done if the mercies of God had not fauoured him When we are ignorant of the wil of God let vs lay our hands vpon our mouthes vpon our hearts too till God grant wisdome that we may descry it when we are doubtfull let vs enquire deliberate aske counsaile of the lawe testimony of God but when it is clearley revealed by open and expresse commâ—undement let vs not then pawse vpon the matter much lesse resist least of al prevent vnlesse by making a proofe experiment of our own wit as Ionas did we wil hazard that losse which the gain of the whole world shall never be able to recompence For I knew that thou art a gracious God and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repentest thee of the evill· Ionas proceedeth to that which was the ground inducement to his rebellion For the order of the scripture is this God is a mercifull God for many respectes one part of office of that mercy is to repeÌ„t him of the evill that is to change his
that thy sins are as the sins of Manasses more than the sands of the sea in number and their burthen such that they are gone over thine head like mighty waters answer him that the goodnes of the Lord is as much that there is no comprehension of his loving kindes If lastly he obiect that iudgmeÌ„t hath begun at thine house to put thee out of doubt that thou art not in the favour of God he hath smitteÌ„ thy body with sore diseases thy soule with agonies thy family with orbities privations tell him for full conclusion that he can also repent him of the evil and cease to punish and leaue as many blessings behinde him when his pleasure is It was never the meaning of God that these vvordes should be spokeÌ„ in the winds blowne away like empty bladders They were spoken written no doubt for the vse of sinners This is the name which God hath proclaimed to the world and whereby he would be knowne to meÌ„ that if ever we came before him we might speake our mindes in the confidence trust of that amiable name Thus Moses vnderstoode it For assone as the Lord had ended his speach Moses applied it to the present purpose for he bowed to the earth and worshipped God and said O Lorde I beseech thee pardon our iniquities and sinnes and take vs for thine inheritance Likewise in the 14. of Num. And now I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken saying The Lord is slow to anger c. referring himselfe to the speach and proclamation which God had vsed vpoÌ„ the mount We are the childreÌ„ of our father which is in heaveÌ„ If therefore it be an honor vnto vs to be reputed his sons let vs follow our fathers steps beare some part of his heavenly image Let vs not seeke to be like vnto him in the arme of his streÌ„gth nor in the braine of his wisedome nor in the finger of his miracles but in his bowels of piâ—â—y tender compassion Let Lions and Beares and Tigers in the forrest be 〈◊〉 towardes their companions let them biâ—e be bitten devour be devouted againe let dogges grinne let Vnicornes push with their hornes let Scythians and Cannibals because they knowe not GOD not knovve vvhat belongeth to humanity and gentlenesse but let Christians loue their brethren even as God hath loved them and remitte one the other their offences as Christ hath freely forgiven the sinnes of his church Let those reprobate-minded Rom. 1. carry to their graves with them and to the bottome of hell where all hatred must end that marke which the holy Ghost hath scored vpon their browes that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without naturall affection not fit for societie voide of pitty but let the example of the most holy Trinity the God of peace the prince of peace the spirit of peace that one God of all consolation rich in mercies bee ever before our eies that as wee have received freely so we may freely returne grace mercy long-suffering abundance of kindnes revocation of our wronges and iniuries begun to all our brethren in the flesh but especially to Christes chosen and peculiar members THE XLIII LECTVRE Chap. 4. vers 3. Therefore now O Lord take I beseech thee my life c. THat Ionas praied how he praied in what sort expostulating with God iustifying his offence and abusing his knowledge of the mercy of God to vtter the malice and cruelty of his owne heart wee have already seene considered the reasons which are supposed to have moved him to that vndutifull vncharitable course Either the care of his own credite which he should not have stood vpon to the derogatioÌ„ of the honor of God when the angels of heaven sing glory vnto him or affection to his country which perswasion was as weake to have drawne him to obedience seeing that the Israell of God might have bin in Niniveh aswell as in Iury because there are Iewes inwardly and in the spirit as truly as outwardly and in the letter and those that heare the word of Christ are more kindly his brethren and sisters than those that are affined vnto him in the flesh Vpon these premisses be they stronge or weake is inferred the conclusion including his request to God Therefore now O Lord c. A maÌ„ so contraried crossed in mine expectation how can I ever satisfie my discontented mind but by ending my life and he addeth a reason or confirmation drawne from vtility and amplified by comparison It is not only good for me to die but better to die than to live The force of anger we have in part declared before It rageth not only against men made of the same mold but against God Let the bloud of Iulian throwne vp into the aire and togither with his bloud blasphemy against the son of God witnes it Nor only against those that haue sense and vnderstanding but against vnreasonable vnsensible creatures As Xerxes wrote a defying letter to Athos a mouÌ„taine of Thrace Mischievous Athos lifted vp to heaven make thy quarries and veines of stone passable to my travaile or I will cut thee downe and cast thee into the midst of the sea Nor only against those things which are without vs but against our selves As in this place the anger of Ionas beginneth to take fire against the Ninivites Proceedeth as far as it dareth against God and endeth in it selfe In one worde that which Ionas requesteth though spoken by circumlocution and more wordes than one is that he may die Take away my soule from me For what is life but as the philosopher defineth it the composition and colligation of the soule to the body In the 2. of Gen. the Lord formed man of the dust of the ground there is his matter and breathed in his face the breath of life and the man was a living soule there is his forme and perfection And what is death on the other side but the dissociation and severing of these two partes or the taking of the soule from the body according to the forme of words in this place God telleth the rich man in the gospell who was talking of lardger buildinges when the building within him vvas neare pulling downe and thought he had goods enough for his soule to delight in when he had not soule enough to delight in his goods Thou foole this night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe they require and redemaunde thy soule that is this night thou must die Elias in the first of Kinges and nineteenth vseth the same phrase in the wildarnesse It sufficeth Lorde take away my soule from me Let me not longer live to see the misery that Iezabell hath threatned vnto me As when you take away structure and fashion from an house temple or tabernacle there remaineth none of all these but a confused and disordered heape of stones timber iron morter
worke vnder heaven proceede without it But I leaue those repetitions The sun the wind we see rise togither set thēselues against Ionas as the two smoaking fire-brāds Rezin Pekah against Ierusalē cōbining binding thēselues not to giue over til they haue both done their part in the vexing of the prophet The wind here mentioned is described by 2. attributes the one of the quarter or coast from whence it blew an East-wind the other of the quality which it had a fervēt East-wind The cardinall principal windes as appeareth both in many places of the scripture and in forreine authours are but 4. breathing from the 4. quarters or divisions of heaven as in the 37. of Ezechi come from the 4. vvindes O breath And Math. 24. God shall gather his elect from the foure windes Afterwardes they added 4. more which they cal collateral or side-windes subordinate to the principal thence proceeded to the nūber of 12. In these daies we distinguish 32. Betweene every two cardinal winds seven inferiour We may read Act. 27. that Paul was very skilful of the sea-card vsed in those daies for describing his voiadge to Rome he maketh mention not only of East West South but of South-west by West of North-west by West as the Westerne winde blew either nearer or further of But not to trouble you with these things the winde that is here spokē of some take to be Eurus or Vulturnus which is the Southeast by East followeth the sun in his winter rising others to be the principal high East-winde following the sun when he riseth in the Equinoctial Now the nature of an East-wind in any point therof is to be hote dry for the most part a clearer of the aire but this of al the rest being so serviceable to the sun going forth so righte with it walking in the same path which the sunne walketh in must needs be an hoter wind thā if it had crossed or sided the sun any way 2. Touching the quality or the effect which it wrought it is called a fervent East-wind some turne it vehement not for the sound and noyse that it maketh but for the excessiue heat For no doubt it is distinguished frō Caecias North-east by East which is a more soūding blustering wind not so fit for the purpose of God in this place Of that ye haue mention Exod. 14. where it is said that the Lorde made the sea run backe with a strong East◠winde all the night made it dry land Some translate it silent quiet to put a differēce betwixt this the former East-wind albeit others giue the reason because it maketh mē silent deafe with the soūd that it hath others because it maketh the rest of the winds silent quiet when it selfe bloweth Howsoever they vary otherwise they al agree in the heate for it is a gētle soft wind which whē the aire is enflamed by the sun is so far frō correcting the extremitie therof that it rather helpeth it forwarde becōmeth as a waggon to carry the beames of the sun forth-right It is manifest by many places of scripture that it is an easterne wind which burneth with his heate not only the fruites but the people of the earth The 7. thin eares of corne Gen. 41. were burnt with an East-winde so are the fruites withered Ezek. 19. so is the fountaine dried vp Ose 13. The vulgar edition doth evermore translate it vrentē ventum by the name of a burning winde and whersoever it is mentioned in the booke of God the property of it is to exiccate and dry vp Columella writeth that at some time of the yeare especially in the dog-daies mē are so parched with the East winde that vnles they shade thēselues vnder vines it burneth them like the reaking of flames of fire I haue now shewed you both the nature and the quarter of this winde that albeit it were a winde yet you may know it was not prepared to refrigerate but to afflicte the head of Ionas When the sunne and the winde are vp what do they the sunne not vvithout the helpe of the vvinde vvhich vvas in manner of a sling or other instrumente to cast the beames of the sun more violently vpon them although created for another end to governe the daie and to separate it from the night and to giue light in the earth yet here receiveth a new commaundement and is sent to beate all other inferiour partes omitted even the head of Ionas wherein is the government of the vvhole creature the seate of the minde the top of Gods workmanshippe from vvhence the senses and nerves take their beginning In this assault of the principall part the danger was no lesse to the body of Ionas than if an enimy had besiedged the Capitoll of Rome or the Mount Sion and Anthonies towre in Ierusalem But we shall the better conceaue the vexation of Ionas if we ioyne the effectes which these two enimies draue him vnto 1. It is saide hee fainted I marvell not for the force of heate is vntolerable vvhen the pleasure of God is to vse that rod. So hee telleth them Amos 4. Percussi vos vredine I haue smitten you with blasting or burning and you returned not On the other side it is numbered amongst the blessings of God which Christ shall bring vnto his people Esay 49. they shall not bee hungrie neither shall they thirst neither shall the heate smite them nor the sunne which is spoken I graunt by translation but that from whence it is transferred in the naturall sense must needes be very commodious because it is applyed to the highest mercies So likewise in the 3. of Act. the state of everlasting life is called the times of refreshing or respiration 2. Hee wishte in his hearte to die my text saith not so in tearmes though in effect but he desired his soule or he made petition and suite to his soule to die that is to relinquish and giue over his bodie or hee desired death to his soule as a man forlorne and forsaken having no friend to make his moane vnto he vttereth his griefe to his private spirit speaking therevnto that if it vvere possible some remedy might be had 3. Though the eare of ielousie which heareth all thinges heard the wishes and desires of his hearte yet hee is not contente with secret rebellion vnlesse his tongue also proclaime it for he saith it is better for mee to die than to liue I shewed the madnes of Ionas before in this very wish It was not better for Ionas to die than to liue nor for any other in his case a milstone about their necks to haue drowned them in the bottome of the sea had beene lesse vnhappinesse When they die let them pray to the Lord of life to close vp their eies and
experience experience hope and hope will neuer suffer them to be ashamed or dismaide They breake the chaine at the first linke troubled they are against their wils but that which is voluntarie as patience experience hope they wil not adde that both in body soule they may be confoūded We on the other side hang vpon the chaine trust to climbe to heauen by it through the merits of Christs death and passion whereof the last linke consisteth and wee suffer none of those comfortable perswasions to fall to the ground without vse that if we suffer with him we shall also raigne with him and through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of heauen wee regarde not so much what part we haue in the whip but what place in the testament wee knowe who hath sequestred for vs to vse the word of Tertullian Idoneus patientiae sequester Deus God will truely account for all our sufferings If wee commit our wrongs vnto him he will reuenge them our losses hee will restore them our liues he will raise them vp againe THE XV. LECTVRE Chap. 1. ver 14. Then they cried vnto the Lorde and saide we beseech thee O Lord we beseech thee THE sea is angrie you haue hearde for the Lorde of hostes sake and will haue a sacrifice They gaue it space and respite enough to see if time coulde make it forgette the iniurie that vvas offered they entered consultation vvith Ionas himselfe of some milder handlinge him they spared not their painfullest contention of armes and ores to reduce him to land againe But when delay wrought no better successe and neither the prophet himselfe coulde by advise prescribe nor they effect by labour and strength the release of GODS vengeance what shoulde they doe but make ready the sacrifice and binde it to the hornes of the altar bestovvinge a fevve vvordes of blessing and dedication if I speake rightly before the offering thereof Ionas is sacrificed in the nexte verse So they tooke vp Ionas But the consecration and hallowing of the sacrifice goeth before in these wordes vvherefore they cryed c. It is the catastrophe of the vvhole acte novve it draweth to an issue and accomplishment their feare praier proiection of their vvares sortilege examination of Ionas consultation and other machinations and assaies whatsoever were but prefaces and introductions to this that followeth The sea hath made a vowe and will surely performe it I will not giue my waters any rest nor lye downe vpon my couch till Ionas be cast forth Wherefore or then It implyeth an illation from the former speeches When neither head nor handes counsaile nor force coulde provide a remedie they make it their last refuge to commende both themselues and Ionas to God by supplication t Ionas by a touch and in secret in that they call his bloud innocent bloude as who woulde saie hee never did vs hurte themselues of purpose and by profession that having to deale in a matter so ambiguous the mercy and pardon of God might be their surest fortresse The substance and soule of the vvhole sentence is prayer a late but a safe experiment and if the worst shoulde fall out that there vvere imperfection or blame in their action nowe intended praier the soveraignest restoratiue vnder heauen to make it sound againe For thus in effecte they thinke It may be wee shall be guilty of the life of a Prophet wee addresse our selues to the effusion of harme lesse bloude we must adventure the fact and whether we be right or wrong we knowe not but whatsoever betide we begge remission at thine hands be gracious and merciful vnto our ignorances require not soule for soule bloud for bloud neither lay our iniquities vnto our charge Praier hath asked pardon praier I doubt not hath obteined pardon for some of that bloudy generation which slew the very son heire of the kingdome which offered an vnrighteous sacrifice of a more righteous soule than ever Ionas was Else why did he open his mouth at his death powre forth his gronings for those that opened his side and powred forth his blood father forgiue them Before they had handled the ores of their trade and occupation but prevailed not for bodily exercise profiteth nothing novve they betake them to the ores of the spirite invocations intercessions to the ever-liuing God that if the bankes of the land vvhich they hoped to recover should faile them they might be receiued to an harbour and rode of the mercies of God These are the ores my brethren which shall rowe the shippe through all the stormes and insurrections of the waues of the seas I meane the Arke of Gods Church vniuersal and these vessels of ours our bodies soules in particular through all the dangers of the world and land them in the hauen of eternal redemption This worlde is a sea as I finde it compared swelling with pride vaineglory the winde to heaue it vp blew livide with envy boiling with wrath deepe with covetousnes foming with luxuriousnesse swallowing drinking in all by oppression dangerfull for the rockes of presumption and desperation rising with the waues of passions perturbations ebbing flowing with inconstancy brinish and salte with iniquity and finally Mare amarum a bitter and vnsavory sea with all kinde of misery What shoulde wee doe then in such a sea of tēptations where the arme of flesh is too weake to beare vs out if our strength were brasse it coulde not helpe vs where we haue reason to carry a suspition of all our waies and he that is most righteous in the cluster of mankinde falleth in his happiest day seven times and though we were privie to nothinge in our selues yet were wee not iustified thereby but had need to craue Clense vs O Lord frō our secret faults where we are taught to say father forgiue our debts and if the summe of our sins at our liues end be ten thousand talents then whether we speake or thinke wake or sleepe or whatsoever we do we adde a debt when all offend in many thinges many in all and he that offendeth in one iote of the law breaketh the vvhole vvhat should we doe I say but as the Apostles exhortation is pray continually and thinke neither place nor time nor businesse vnmeete to so holy and necessary an exercise that whether we beginne the day we may say with Abrahams servaunt O Lorde sende mee good speede this day or vvhither wee be covered with the shaddowes of the night we may begge with that sweete singer of Israell Lighten mine eies that I sleepe not in death or whatsoeuer vvee attempt in either of these two seasons vve may prevent it vvith the blessing of that other Psalme Prosper the vvorke of our handes vpon vs oh prosper thou our handy vvorkes Egredientes de hospitio armet oratio regredientibus de plataea occurrat oratio vvhen thou goest out of thine house let prayer
LECTVRE Chap. 1. ver 15. So they tooke vp Ionas and cast him into the sea and the sea ceased form her raging ver 16. Then the men feared the Lord c. IN the former verse was the dedication of the sacrifice wherein they sanctified themselves by praier cōmended their action to Gods good favor in this is the offering of the sacrifice before the attēpting whereof being their finall doome animadversiō vpō the life of Ionas a iudgement without redemptiō they observe the charitablest wariest principle in exercising discipline that may be helde that is not to trie an extremity till they haue tried all meanes and then if the wounde bee vncurable and past hope to apply the fire or the sword to it They dealte with Ionas in this course as a skilfull surgian with his patient a parte of whose body being putrified and eating on by degrees threatneth the losse of the whole if it be not staied as the transgression of Ionas being but a member in the ship went forwarde like a canker and was at hande to haue invaded the whole company The professour wil first enquire the cause of the maladie how commeth it what hath thy diet thine exercise beene as these aske Ionas vvhat haste thou done what is thine occupation c. and when hee is answered by his patient I haue eaten and dranke intemperately exceeded the strength of my bodie incontinentlie lived as Ionas reported how farre hee had disobeyed perhappes hee may chide him as these chide Ionas Why haste thou done this a man of thy yeares education discretion as these implie to Ionas a man of thy knowledge calling and commission yet he wil do more than expostulate for that were to afflict the afflicted and to heape griefe vpon griefe hee will advise with the patient himselfe as these with Ionas vvho best knoweth the state of his body as Ionas the counselles of God What shall wee doe vnto thee And though he bee aunswered there is no helpe but one mine arme must be cut or my legge sawed of and then the rest of my body may be saved as Ionas answered Cast me into the sea and the sea shall bee calme vnto you yet hee will prooue his skill otherwise as they their endevours by rowing to saue the ioint if possibly it may be done But when there is no other helpe the sore retayning his anger as the sea her impatience both fretting on still and crying for a desperate remedie then will the one vse his corrosiues and sharpest instrumentes commending the successe of the cure vnto God as these after praier tooke vp Ionas and cast him foorth In the two next verses ensuing vvee may obserue 1. their proceeding as it were by steppes to the action They tooke vp Ionas 2. the accomplishment thereof They cast him into sea 3. the event The sea ceased from her raging 4. the demeanour of the mariners after their release both in their inwarde affection Then they feared the Lord exceedingly in the open testification thereof 1. by sacrifices witnesses of their present thankfulnes and 2. vowes pledges and earnests of their duty to come Eleazar an ancient interpreter of the Bible thinketh that the sentence is heere perfited They tooke vp Ionas and by a period or full pointe severed from that vvhich followeth They cast him into the sea Therevpon he collecteth that the Mariners assaied fiue experimēts to acquit themselues from danger 1. The private invocation of everie man vpon his owne God 2. the throwing forth of their wares 3. their casting of lottes 4. their common supplication 5. their letting downe of Ionas into the sea vp to the necke and pulling him backe againe that it might appeare vnto them that Ionas was the Man whome the sea desired because whilst his body was in the waters the sea stood when taken backe it boiled againe There is no warrant in my text for this opinion therefore I charge you not with it For as there is no reason to loose one worde of the writings of God not the least fragment of the broken meate so on the other side to adde vnto them is an iniurie and a plague will follow it Onely this I obserue as the complement of all their former humanity specified in many particulars before that though they coulde not cast him foorth but they must first take him vp amongst them yet seeing the history might haue concluded both in one the latter implying the former and rather doth it by noting the order and distinction of two sundry actions and by making a space betweene thē First they tooke him vp c. then they cast him forth it argueth a treatable deliberate gentle proceeding in thē that that which they did they did by leasure and without violent or turbulent invasiō Hierome with others cōment vpō the wordes Tulerunt non arripuerunt nō invaserūt They tooke him they haled him not they caught him not vp in a rage they set not hastily vpon him but bare him in their armes as it were with honour due estimatiō Because it was the funerals and exequies of a prophet of the Lorde their last service vnto him they did it with reverence And in trueth there needed no invasion or force to be vsed against him Hee was brought to his end tanquā ovis which was the Embleme of the sonne of God as a lambe that is dumbe before the shearer so opened hee not his mouth Tulerunt non repugnantem They tooke him without resistance For what should resistance haue done Ducunt volentem fata nolentem traehunt I will not say The destinies as the Poet doth but the will and power of God for these are the right destinies and he that so vnderstandeth them with Saint Augustine Teneat sententiam corriga◠linguam Let him keepe the opinion onely amending his tongue But the will and power of God leade him that is willing to goe and pull him that is vnwilling I never red that Moses opposed himselfe by the least thought of his heart to the ordinance of God when hee saide vnto him Beholde the daies are come that thou must die though Moses might haue lived many yeares For in the last of Deuteronomy his eies were not dimme nor his naturall force abated Rather he spake vnto the people with cheerefulnesse alacrity of hart embracing the tydings of his death I am an hundred and twenty yeares olde this day I can no more goe out and in also the Lord hath said vnto me Thou shalt not goe over this Iordan Young men amongst vs thinke they are priviledged because they are in their full strength old men though they haue a foote in the graue thinke they may be long old There is none so striken in yeares but thinketh hee may liue a year more Be we young or old if ever the message of God be sent vnto vs as to Ezechias Put thy house in order dispatch thy worldly affaires