7 And cast the wares that were in the ship into the sea Here is the second meanes which they vsed to helpe themselues Now the Mariners are content to cast their wares into the Sea in hope of some furtherance to saue their liues thereby for though many will venture their liues for riches yet they rather part withall their riches then with their liues But they cast them out to appease the tempest or lighten their ship but it was sin that procured danger and being cast away would haue saued all which being retained the tempest abating not the shippe is not the safer though it bee the lighter If I regard wickednesse Psal 66. 18. 1. Co. 13. 3. Cast away sin or thou castest away all in my heart saith Dauid the Lord will not heare mee And Paul saith Though I cast my life into the fire if I haue no charitie if I retaine malice in my heart it profiteth mee nothing if I cast not away sinne I cast away all Some will giue to the poore and yet vse extortion and vsurie to get money by but God saith to such that if they regard wickednesse in their heartes it profiteth nothing though they part with all that they haue and bestowe it vpon neuer so good actions they doe but as the Mariners did cast all away their desire nothing satisfied for though they thinke themselues beneficiall to the poore thereby and hope for reward therefore yet God will accept of them but as hypocrites hee will noâ—â— of their oblations hee abhorreth their very prayers Pro. 15. 8 vntill they haue humbled themselues and reformed their owne heartes before him from such vncleannesse They cast out the wares into the sea They would faine haue laid the tempest that thus readily loose the wares and cast out their very tackling into the sea but the sea will not be satisfied the waters must wash Ionah 1. 11. 15. the sinner or there is no safetie nay the danger is greater the sea continually more and more troublesome vexing them But Ionah was no sooner cast into the Sea but all was quiet the winds are calme and the sea ceaseth from her raging O that iustice were executed and hee that troubleth the ship were in the sea He that troubleth not hee that against all reason is thought to trouble then should all bee safe yea peraduenture Ionah too And they cast the wares that were in the ship into the sea Obserue here that oftentimes many are punished for one mans sinne as all the host of Israell were punished for the sinne of Achan and here all the Mariners and owners of Ios 7. 5. 12. Many punished for ones sinne therefore suffer sinne in none ship or wares for Ionahs sin c. to the ende that men may learne thereby to admonish one an other when they see them doe amisse with loue and not to say with Caine Am I the keeper of my brother for hee that is not carefull to keepe his brother from sinne is not carefull to keepe himselfe either from sinne or from sorrow therefore let vs take heed that a wicked one be not found amongst vs vnadmonished I would there were not many worse then Ionah among vs. Wil you know what I thinke of you I thinke you are worse then Infidels Turks or Pagans that in this wonderfull yeare of woÌ„derful mercies are not thankful beleeue not in God trust not in him glorifie not his name but like Pharaohs sorcerers who seeing the great workes of God which Moses wrought passing their skill confessed saying Surely this is the finger of God for you confesse it is the great worke of God as must needs but where are the fruites it Exo. 8. 19 hath brought sorth in you The captaine saith I haue done nothing the souldier saith I stirred not but the Lord sent out a mighty tempest vpon them and after that they escaped our handes the Lord stretched out his mightie arme against them and Pharap is drowned in the sea so that he neuer attained the land of promise which he gaped for and made full account to possesse Further herein we may note Mans extremitie Gods opportunity that extremitie is Gods opportunite for when the wind had almost ouerturned all the waters had almost drowned all destruction had almost deuoured all then and notafore was Gods opportunitie to set forth his glorie First they vsed prayer vnto the diuine powers for assistance then they vsed such ordinary meanes as they knew best in such a time by casting out their wares to lighten the ship of them which order is necessary to be vsed of all Christians in their necessitie First to seeke for aide assistance at the hands of God then to vse all such good means to Innecessity first pray then vselawfull meanes helpe themselues as God shall enable them to trusting that of his goodnes he will blesse their endeuours or else may they goe ouer all the earth to seeke helpe haue none for there is no other way God indeed is the last refuge but he is also the first refuge which is to bee sought vnto for hee will haue vs to acknowledge that man liueth not by bread onely a horse is but a vaine thing to saue a man and except the Lord keepe the citie the watch-man waketh but in vaine no meanes can helpe without his blessing But then he will not haue vs carelesse negligent to vse lawful meanes for hee neuer or very seldome worketh without meanes wheÌ„ the meanes may be vsed by vs. Danger theÌ„ we haue seen made them to feare but feare astonished them not but gathered their wits together for they vsed means with wisedome to saue themselues But when the Lord sendeth calamitie vpon many of the vngodly they haue so guiltie a conscience that whilest they feele the great hand of God they are euen distraught of their wits and madeas it were sencelesse that they know not what they doe yea when troubles come it makes them like a headlesse Bee which buzzeth about she knowes not whither or like the Swallow which by coÌ„pulsion of the wind flieth backward and forward till it fall into the Sea or like Came whose head was fraught with feares so that he knew not whither Gene. 4. to goe doubting to be slaine of euery one whom hee saw But whatsoeuer befalleth the child of God hee hath euer matter of consolation and some moderation of minde to beare it withall expecting a ioyfull issue of all Therefore blessed is he that hath the Lord for his God But Ionah was gone downe into the sides of the ship and layd downe and was fast a sleepe They prayed vnto their gods and their gods were now deafe while they were tossed and Ionah is gone to sleepe when hee should haue beene better occupied We come hither to heare the word and here we fall asleepe but it were farre better we were away for wee sleepe when we should heare
themselues it was the reuenging power of some angrie God for the sinne of somenotorious wretch that was amongest them Seeing therefore neither they nor Ionah praying had appeased the tempest but it was rather increased and no man confessed hee was that sinner they take counsell and agree to find him out by lots Wherein let vs obserue first neuer a one of them is of Dauids spirit who when he saw the people plagued said Lord it is I Euery man excuseth himselfe for euery man would extenuate his owne sinne and diminish it and euery one thinketh his sinne salued when he hath excused himselfe Let Adam bee his owne iudge and hee will say The woman tempted him to sinne and let the woman be her owne iudge and she will say Yonder Serpent perswaded her to it Let euery one be his owne iudge and there will be such posting off of sinne that neuer a one will be found guiltie There is none that will bee so impudent as to say he hath no sinne at all yet fewe that will freely confesse they haue greiously sinned Therefore these here say euery man within himselfe though he be a sinner yet hee is no great sinner None are accounted sinners vnlesse they bee openly detected of some notable and hainous crime If they bee Dicers swearers drunkards brawlers pickers flatterers pro phaners of the Saboath sleepers at Church and such like they be not thought sinners these actions are counted no sins but rather recreations For the multitude count none sinners vnlesse they be theeues traitors open and grosse Idolaters and taken with such like capitall crimes no nor these neither were it not for feare of the law as none among the Iewes but Publicans were counted sinners all the rest were good fellowes and iust men The Papists say Some thoughts affections words and outward actions not agreeing with the Law of God are easily washt away with a little holy-water c. they are not deadly they deserue not the wrath of God they are but veniall Did you euer read of these veniall sinnes in the Scripture But thinke you they haue nothing but Scripture Yes they haue Decrees they haue decretals the Ceremonies whereof obserued these veniall sinnes are soone pardoned and they haue a Pope that can forgiue any sinnes Thus they lesson sinnes thus they abate the price of sinnes and they can buy our sinnes with money or redeeme them with Masses and by a little shorte penance purchase a large and long pardon And as the Mariners euery man thought hee was no great sinner so Ionah thought with himselfe Though I bee a great sinner yet am I not so greious a sinner as these Idolatrous heathens or if hee throughly condemned himselfe yet vnwilling to be knowne such a rebell hee thought it may bee it is most likely they are many I but one peraduenture therefore the lot will not fall vpon mee like a theefe which notwithstanding in his owne heart hee acknowledge himselfe guiltie of that wherewithall hee is charged yet will not confesse vntill the matter bee throughly sifted and so clearely prooued to his owne face in such sort that he cannot for shame though with shame he confesse denie it Therefore if God had not sifted out this sinner the better Ionah would not haue beene knowne the man and the Mariners would still haue contended who was the lesser sinner therefore they consult to cast lots Let vs cast lots They did not vse to cast lots this was no custome among the Mariners but the tempest was so wonderfull that it made them seriously to thinke of God and willing to vse the meanes prescribed by god for the ending of doubt full matters acknowledging that hee ordereth all and the Pro. 18. 18 Pro. 26. 33. lot is the sentence of God by the falling of the lot he reuealeth the truth These like worldlings neuer confesse God but when he commeth in a tempest they will not see his mercie vntill his iustice appeare they will not acknowledge Gods gouernement before he bring on them some iudgement like Pharaos sorcerers who confessed not Gods Maiestie while they liued at ease but when the Lord plagued them then cried out This is the finger of God Exod. 52. Exo. 8. 19 Let vs cast lots that we may know for whose cause this euill is come vpon vs. Why what are they the better when they know him what would they doe with him on whome the lot should fall Surely they supposing or rather clearely seeing this tempest to bee sent from some wrathfull power and that for some one mans sinne amongst them they determined hauing found him to sacrifice him vnto the God that was so offended by him God turneth euill into good but the deuill turneth good vnto euill The Gentiles had a custom in the time of the common plague to sacrifice one for the rest This custome they tooke by imitation of the Iewes in offering beasts of Abraham in offering his son the deuill that father of lyes and schoolemaister of all mischiefe teaching them So the deuill tooke aduantage to doe euill by the seruice of God in mouing the Gentiles to worke abhomination by offering men imitating the Iewes commaunded sacrifices But if they had rightly known the true God they would haue taken their sinnes by the throat and haue sacrificed them Come let vs cast lots The mariners were not so wise to preuent the tempest before it came as they bee diligent to alay the tempest when it may not be layd wee ouertaken with Gods iust iudgements are very carefull alwaies to vse all meanes to bee rid of them But who keepeth a watch of his owne waies and diligently laboureth to keepe himselfe free from that which necessarily draweth on it selfe Gods iudgement who purgeth himselfe of his sinnes least he bee sicke who letteth or fetcheth out his corrupt bloud of pride lust couetousnesse least hee be sore who keepeth a good dyet and maketh his choyse of holy excercises godly companions religious conferences c. But knowe wee hee is not safe that is not sound neither he sound that is intemperate So they cast lots Whether it be lawfull to cast lots it is not euident by this example because they were Gentiles and therefore no president for vs but so farre may wee vse them as the word doth lead vs and no further There are two Goates brought to Aaron that hee might Leuit 16. cast lots to see which Goate should bee killed and which should not these Goates signifie Christ for as hee dyed hee liued againe and as hee was buryed he rose againe Againe Num 34. Iosua 7. the land of Canaan is parted by lots to see what part each Tribe should inhabite Againe that theefe Achan is found out by lots first by his Tribe then by his Family and lastly by his particular person Againe it is said that Saul was chosen king by lots and least any should haue said that it was his good lucke 1. Sam.
beene spoken before and sayth I pray thee remember iudgement thou must giue account for all these things for vnlesse you repent you shall surely perish No sayth the fleshe talke not of such graue matters but tell mee of fine matters of soft beddes and pleasant things and talke mee of braue pastimes Apes Beares and Puppits for I tell thee the forbidden fruite is sweetest of all fruites for I doe not like of your telling mee of iudgement but take thou thy iewels thy instrument and all the strings of vanitie will strike at once for the flesh loues to be braue and tread vpon corks it cannot tell what fashion to bee of and yet to bee of the new fashion Reioyce O yong man in thy youth O this goes braue for while wickednesse hath cast his rubs and vengeance castes his spurres and his foote and thus shee reeles and now she tumbles and then shee falles therefore this progresse is ended Pleasure is but a spurre riches but a thorne glorie but a blast beautie but a flowre sinne is but an hypocrite hony in thy mouth and poyson in thy stomacke therefore let vs come againe and aske Salomon in good sooth whether hee meaneth in good earnest when hee spake these words O sayth Salomon It is the best life in the world to goe braue lie soft and liue merrily if there were no iudgement But this iudgement marres all it is like a dampe that puts out all the light and like a boxe that marreth all the oyntment for if this bee true wee haue spunne a fayre threed that wee must answere for all that are not able to answere for one why Salomon maketh vs fooles and giueth vs gawdes to play withall what then shall wee not reioyce at all Yes there is a godly mirth and if wee could hit on it which is called Be merry and wise Sara laughed and was reprooued Abraham laughed and was not reprooued And thus much for the first part But remember for all these things thou shalt come to iudgement This Verse is as it were a Dialogue betwixt the fleshe and the spirite as the two counsellers the worst is first and the fleshe speaketh proudly but the spirite comes in burdened with that which hath beene spoken The fleshe goeth laughing and singing to hell but the spirite casteth rubs in his way and puts him in minde of iudgement that for all these thinges now ends reioyce and heere comes in but if this but were not wee might reioyce still if young men must for all the sportes of youth what then shall old men doe being as they are now Surely if Salomon liued to see our old men liue now as heere hee saith of young men so high as sinne rageth yet vengeance sits aboue it as high as high Babell Mee thinkes I see a sword hang in the ayre by a twine threed and all the sonnes of men labour to burst it in sunder There is a place in hell where the couetous Iudge sitteth the greedie Lawyer the griping Landlord the carelesse Byshop the lusty youth the wanton Dames the theefe the robbers of the Common-wealth they are punished in this life because they euer sinne as long as they could while mercie was offered vnto them therefore because they would we bee washed they shall bee drowned Now put together reioyce and remember thou hast learned to bee merry now learne to bee wise nowe therefore turne ouer a new leafe and take a new Lesson for now Salomon mocked not as hee did before therefore a checke to thy ruffes a checke to thy cuffes a checke to thy robes a checke to thy gold a checke to your riches a checke to your beautie a checke to your mucke a checke to your graues woe from aboue woe from belowe woe vnto all the stings of vanitie doest thou not now maruell that thou hast not a feeling of sinne for now thou seest Salomon saith true thine owne heart can tell that it is wicked but it cannot amend therefore it is high time to amend as Nathan commeth to Dauid after Belzebub so commeth accusing conscience after sinne Mee thinkes that euery one should have a feeling of sinne though this day bee like yesterday and to morrowe like to day yet one day will come for all and then woe woe woe and nothing but darkenesse and though God came not to Adam vntill the euening yet hee came although the fire came not vpon Sodom till the Euening yet it came and so comes the Iudge although hee bee not yet come though hee haue leaden feete hee hath iron hands the arrowe slayeth and is not yet fallen so is his wrath the pitte is digged the fire kindled and all things are made readie and prepared against that day onely the finall sentence is to come which will not long tarrie You may not thinke to bee like to the theefe that stea leth and is not seene nothing can bee hid from him and the Iudge followeth thee at thee heeles and therefore whatsoeuer thou art looke about thee and doe nothing but that thou wouldest doe openly for all things are opened vnto him Sara may not thinke to laugh and not bee seene Gehezie may not thinke to lye and not be knowne they that will not come to the banquet must stand at the doore What doe you thinke that God doth not remember our sinnes which wee doe not regard for while we sin the sore runs on and the Iudge setteth downe all in the table of remembrance and his sscrowle reacheth vp to heauen Item for lending to Vsurie Item for racking of rents Item for deceuing thy brethren Item for falshood in wares Item for starching thy ruffes Item for curling thy haire Item for paynting thy face Item for for selling of benefices Item for staruing of soules Item for playing at cardes Item for sleeping in the Church Item for prophaning the Sabboth day with a number more hath God to call to account for euery one must answere for himselfe The fornicator for taking of filthy pleasure O sonne remember thou hast taken thy pleasure take thy punishment The careles Prelate for murthering so many thousand soules The Landlord for getting money from his poore Tenants by racking of his rents see the rest all they shall come like a very sheep when the trumpet shall sound and the heauen and earth shall come to iudgement against them when the heauens shall vanish like a scrole and the earth shall consume like fire and all the creatures standing against them the rocks shall cleaue asunder and the mountaines shake and the foundation of the earth shall tremble and they shall say to the mountaines Couer vs fall vpon vs and hide vs from the presence of his anger and wrath whom wee haue not cared for to offend but they shall not bee couered and hid but then they shall goe the blacke way to the Snakes and Serpents to bee tormented of Deuils for euer O paine vnspeakable and yet the more I expresse it the more
God in humilitie and sinceritie and in full assurance of faith continually who without end is to be sought because without ende hee is to be beloued The third thing contained in our dutie is what effect this seeking and praying ought to worke in vs comprehended in these words If thou bee pure and vpright if the cloudes be full they will powre forth raine vpon the earth and vnpossible it is that a man that seeketh after God and prayeth vnto the Almightie should not bring foorth the fruites of a good life for if the tree bee good the fruites cannot bee bad and if the head of the water be pure it will send foorth pure waters into the cesternes Wherefore as good motions are stirred vp by prayer so must they bee fostered by practise of life according to that of the Apostle Quench not the Spirite nor greiue the holy one of God by whome yee are sealed to the day of redemption 1. Thes 5 He quencheth dearely beloued the spirit which being once lightned with the sparkles of faith and felt Gods Ephes 4. motions in his heart doth neglect to increase the one to a flame and the other to good workes in his life but with the dogge turneth to his vomits and with the Sowe that was washed to her wallowing againe in the mire Therefore beloued loue and seeke the Lord pray to the Almightie be pure and vpright in conuersation flie from sinne as from a Serpent for if thou come neere it will bite thee The teeth thereof are as the teeth of a Lyon to slay the soules of men and all iniquitie is as a two edged sword the wounds that it giues cannot bee healed I dare not stand as I would vpon these points fearing tediousnesse wherefore let this suffice for the former general part concerning the dutie we owe vnto God Now Gods promises for the performance hereof yeeld vnto vs most plentifull matter of doctrine and consolation First of his iustice that as hee will suffer no sinne vnpunished so he will suffer no good worke vnrewarded but giueth to euery seuerall action his seuerall hire and iust recompence of reward Shall the houre come in which all that are in their graues shall heare a voyce and come forth they that haue done well to the resurrection of life they that haue done euill to the resurrection of condemnation Shall the Lord search Ierusalem with Lanthornes Shall all full corners bee sweept and all pleites and wrinkles bee vnfolded Shall the Sea graue death and hell giue vp all that is in them And shall all the dead both great and small stand before God when the books are opened And shall euery man haue praise of God according vnto his deseruing Shall wee then discerne betweene the vessels of honour and of wrath between sheep and Goates the iust and vniust Finally shall there be an infallible generall and incorrupt iudgement wherein the booke of all our offences shall bee laid wide open Now God bee mercifull vnto vs bee fauourable O Lord be fauourable But to proceede it is thy nature O Lord to gather 1. Thes 5. vp the wheate and burne the tares to cut downe all fruitlesse trees and cast them into the fire yea into a fierie Ephe. 4. furnace that neuer shall bee quenched into an vtter darknesse where is weeping wailing gnashing of teeth then be fauourable O Lord be fauourable Doth not the Lord spare Dauid a king and a Prophet for murther Doth hee not spare the Sichemites for adulterie Nor Absalom for treason Nor Saule for tyrannie Nor Eli for negligence nor A chab Ieroboam nor Iezabel for cruelty nor Herod Nabuchadnezzar and Lucifer for pride nor Pharaoh for incredulity Then beefauorable O Lord be fauourable to vs in whom almost euerie one of these sinnes doe dwell and remaine Did the Lord for corruption ouer flow the world with water Did hee burne Sodome for her villanie Did hee cast Adam and Eue out of Paradise for eating of the forbidden fruite Did hee stone a poore wretch to death for gathering chips on the Sabboth day Then bee fauourable O Lord bee fauourable vnto vs. But doth not the Lord spare the Cedar tree for his height nor the Oke for his strength Nor the Poplar for his smoothnesse Nor the Lawrel for his greennesse No verily from the Cedar that is in Lybanon euen to the Hysop that groweth out of the wall yea euery one that bringeth not forth good fruite is hewne downe and cast into the fire it is a righteous thing with God to render vengance to those that disobey him and to destroy such as haue forsaken the law by euerlasting perdition Behold the Lord shall come in the great and latter day of iudgement when none shall escape his iudgement seate with clouds shall hee come and euery eye shall see him euen they which pierced him thorow shall also waile before him being summoned all to appeare most fearefully before his imperiall throne of maiestie then bee fauourable O Lord bee fauourable Alas with what eies shal wee miserable sinners behold him so gloriously sitting in his royall kingdome with all his mightie and holy Angels and whole number of Saints sounding with the voice of the Archangell and trumpet of God causing the heauens to passe away with a noyse and the elements to melt like waxe and the earth to burne with the workes thereof Yea with what eyes shall wee behold him when wee see the Sunne darkened the Moone eclipsed and the stars fall downe from heauen But alas when hee taketh the furbished blade into his hand when hee is readie to throw the fierie thunderboults of his wrath when he summoneth before him the worme that neuer dieth the fire that neuer shall bee quenched to reuenge vpon the wicked into what a plight are they then driuen Then leaue they off Bee fauourable O Lord bee fauourable and say to the hils O ye mountaines come and couer vs. O yee waters come and ouerwhelme vs woe woe woe how great is this darknesse The godly on the other side are bathed in such streames of blisse and aduanced to such happinesse as neither tongue can vtter nor heart conceiue The second thing wee haue to note in his promises is his mercy which exceedeth all his works For God though hee haue giuen a curse of the law against sinners yet seeing Christ for the penitent hath borne the curse whereby his iustice is not impared he is content to accept our weaknes as our strength to recompence our imperfection with reward of greatest perfection and that which wee can performe but in small part hee is content to accept as whole nor for any desert of ours but in satisfaction of his sonne who payd with the seale of his owne bloud the ransome for our sinnes hee hath cancelled the hand-writing that was against vs. Wherefore wee are to pray vnto God that whensoeuer our sinnes shall come in question before him that hee would looke vpon