escape Be wise then and never go about to cover sin in an undue Use 2 way and manner Mark two things Away to hide sin Esa 30.1 1. Wo to them that cover with a covering but not of my Spirit that they may adde sin to sin namely by denying what they have done by excusing defending or putting it off to others or by close conveyance so did Adam in the Thicket and with his Fig-leaves A detestable sin as Job 31.33 If I covered my transgression as Adam by hiding my iniquity in my bosome 2. Blessed is the man whose sin is covered Psal 32.1 namely by justification under the mantle of Christs Righteousness when a soul takes warning and flees unto him for shelter and so the evil passeth away So the godly is said to hide himself from the Plague he fore-sees namely under the wings of the Almighty not from God but with God Psal 91.1 and Prov. 22.3 Ver. 8.9 10. Then said they unto him Tell us we pray thee for whose cause this evil is upon us what is thine Occupation and whence comest thou what is thy Country and of what people art thou And he said unto them I am an Hebrew and I fear the Lord the God of Heaven which hath made the Sea and the dry Land Then were the men exceedingly afraid and said unto him Why hast thou done this for the men knew that he had fled from the presence of the Lord because he had told them Parts In these three Verses we have three things to be considered and improved 1. The humanity of these Mariners toward guilty Jonah ver 8.2 The Confession of Jonah upon the examination of the Mariners ver 9.3 The Mariners reverent respect of God and chiding of Jonah ver 10. For the first of these though the Mariners saw Jonah was taken tardy by a token from God himself yet they do not rashly fall foul upon him to rail at him or throw him overboard as some now-a-days would do but first they question him in many things that they may find out the truth to the bottom and so proceed judiciously in what is to be done as the God of Heaven shall will and declare to be his mind Mot. Be gentle to all even offenders Hearken Christians and learn humanity of these Heathens Be not rash and head-long toward any whom ye conceive to be offenders Though ye think ye have reason on your side yet take heed and question the matter a little farther Conjectures and probabilities there be and it is very likely there is a fault made but conjectures are uncertain and sometimes deceive and though a thing be likely to be true yet it may prove otherwise If it be true it is well done to enquire and find out the whole truth If false we avoid he sin and danger of rash judgment namely to be judged of the Lord. However deliberation will do well Which serves greatly to reprove those that are rash in punishing Use Reproof to the rash or harsh or in passing their Verdict upon persons accused either through an hasty spirit which Salomon saith exalteth folly or through intemperate zeal which exceeds the bounds of discretion Zealous we ought to be and it is good to be alway zealously affected but first be sure it be in a good matter Gal. 4.18 And offenders ought to be reproved or punished according to the merit of their cause but first be sure both of the fact and of the manner of doing and in what degree of wickedness the offence standeth Jonah shall be punished sufficiently but first he shall be questioned in many things what who whence what occupation and of what Country And we all know how passion is apt to exceed the measure of Reason and Equity Fiâ— upon rash and harsh Christians Especially toward strangers who in their suspicions or upon odd informations shew no moderation to accused Brethren but break out suddainly both to condemn and execute all in a fury and not only Brethren but Strangers who should be more pitied In some there is an enmity to Forraigners and if they offend them never so little they use them Rigorously Unjustly Tyrannically Yet these Mariners used Jonah courteously and gently though unknown to every of them and now designed by God as guilty unto punishment A shame to violent and unreasonable Christians who profess acquaintance with God Mostly where the life is questioned But the greatest sin is to be rash and violent in the matter of Life and Death Judges Jury-men Witnesses Officers of every sort should be very tender in this case and not rush head-long toward a sentence Consider the matter consult and give sentence Judg. 19.30 consider of it take advice and speak your mind when God was going to destroy Sodom he told Abraham he would first go down and see whether they had done altogether according to the cry of their sins Now be followers of God as dear Children saith the Apostle as otherwise so in this For the second I observe a two-fold confession that Jonah makes Gâ—n 18.11 Eph 5.1 1. Of his Faith ver 9. I am an Hebrew and fear the Lord the God of heaven 2. Of his Fault ver 10. He told them how he had fled from the presence of the Lord. For the Confession of Faith which Jonah makes it is like that of Paul in the like danger of ship-wrack Act. 27.23 This night there stood by me the Angel of God whose I am and whom I serve The Note to be observed is this It is the property of a good heart to own God however Note Own God however things go 1. In the midst of all his guiltiness though he hath sinned greatly as here Jonah he had not carried himself as one that feared the God of Heaven but the contray and now he might well be ashamed to say he feared the Goâ— of heaven But a believing heart knows no sin breaks off the relation between him and his God Though it make a great gash yet the wound is not mortal and all the breach will shortly be made up again as between God and Jonah Renewing of Repentance makes all well again 2. In the visible tokens of Gods displeasure for sin which at this time lay heavy upon Jonah and upon Heman Psal 88.1 A Believer hath got his Lesson by heart Hab. 3.2 that in wrath the Lord remembers mercy and that his anger is but as the waters of Noah soon passing away Esa 54.7 8 9. And he concludes here is a dark hour but the Sun will break forth again Sorrow may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning why because of the Covenant and Promises made to Believers and will hold at the lowest 3. In grievous Scourges which the hand of God hath laid upon him as here this destroying Tempest upon Jonah whose stiff and disobedient spirit was hereby broken that now he began to relent and yield to his great
Psal 121. Psal 91.11 Luke 12.4 and hath these Lions in Chains that they can hurt none but as he pleaseth I say unto you fear him Remember the keeping of us in our way and The way of the Lord is strength to the upright Proverbs 10.29 So of the former point 2. Note how one sinner brings a whole Company in danger one Jonah one Achan one Colloquintid marâ—d Doctr. 2 all the good Herbs that were in the Pot. One sinner endangers many David numbred the people and seventy thousand of them dyed of the Plague But how can this stand with the Justice and Mercy of God Answ How 1. The Justice of God cannot lightly miss of Objects to work upon Israel had sins enough by which God was offended and might justly diminish them by the Pestilence So had these who Sailed with Jonah though Jonah had not been among them Divine Justice might righteously for sin have laid them in the bottom of the Sea Who can say he is righteous or suffers at any time without sin provoking Gods anger 2. The Mercy of God appears in Affliction as well as in Favours bestowed v. c. that both Jonah and his Companions escaped the danger of the Sea and the Mariners came hereby to the Knowledge of the true God It is good for me to be afflicted that I may learn thy statutes Others are in Occulto Coronati as Tertullian said of some Confessors who died in Prison still in good hands when they are most judged according to the world Use 1 Now if one sinner can endanger many into how great dangers do many sinners cast a poor Town or Nation many sorts of sin and many Offendors of each sort and many acts of every Offendor as for example in the sin of Drunkenness or Swearing No marvel if we have had such civil Tempests Divisions Confusions Diseases other Evils The greatest marvel indeed is that our House and Kingdom is not already laid desolate This is only by the long-suffering of our most patient and loving Lord God Use 2 2. If so a sinner is no such good Neighbour as he may think he is Though he be of a loving Nature and do some good in his place Num. 16.46 yet he hurts more another way He provokes God to anger and so the Plague begins in one kind or other Jonah was an honest man yea a godly man he served the God of the Hebrews and he paid his Fare when he entred into the Ship yet see what a burthen he becomes and how he endangers both the Vessel and the Goods and all the Passengers together with himself In Religion it is a meer Delusion to think a bad man can be a good Citizen as to God he is a very Pest to Church and State Use 3 3. If so see how studiously and eagerly Magistrates should set upon the work of Reformation Zealous Reformers turn away wrath to shame and punish sinners and lessen the number of them that so wrath may be turned away It was high time to cast Jonah overboard that so possibly there might be some hope Israel could not stand before the men of Ai till Achan was stoned when a man is sick of a Pleurisie there is no rest to be expected till the corrupt blood be voided away so here And a wise Surgeon must come sometimes with his Causticks where remember the saying Foolish pity marres the City An idle Governour hastens wrath 4. If so be not such a sinner as for thine own sake so for others to whom thou art related and with whom thou art engaged in Society 1. In Charity to others a man should be Religious fear and serve God pray keep Sabbaths do all duty not only in way of Piety and Charity that so he may not hurt but help his Brethren This Case of Jonah tells us that a sinner though he be but one yet may wrong many and other Scriptures tell how one good man may profit many and though he be a private man yet he may be a publick good Joseph was a Blessing to all Potiphars house and to all the Land of Egypt All this while we say nothing of Charity to a mans own Soul which in an holy way might be saved or of pleasing God in the way of Holiness which ought chiefly to be minded or of crediting our holy Profession to which every Christian ought to be an Ornament The only comfort is to put all these together and carry our work cleaverly before us 2. Let a Religious man take heed of stepping out of his way which would endanger both himself and others as Jonah here and David in numbring the people He that opens a sluce may drown many others as well as himself Somewhat is the matter that judgment begins at the House of God and that the Righteous shall scarce be saved saved they shall be but so as by Fire And by this account scarce any strictness can be esteemed too much I mean in the holy ways of God Ver. 5. Then the Mariners were afraid and cryed every man unto his god and cast forth the Wares that were in the Ship into the Sea to lighten it of them But Jonah was gone down into the side of the Ship and he lay and was fast asleep Here be two things 1. The Prophet by divers circumstances sets forth the greatness of the danger whereinto they were brought 2. He tells of his own deep security in the mean time True grace ever notes and confesses its own Imperfections There needs little or no Exposition But we have four points to be briefly handled Doctr. 1 1. God hath terrible works to do which sometime affright the stoutest and rudest sinners that are Stout sinners how to be over-awed Sea-faring men who converse much in Dangers and Commotions in the Air use to be Fearless men and altogether desperate in their way yet at this time we see how they are afraid and fall to their Prayers so still some are desperate enough and care for nothing but in some great judgment of God their spirit fails them and they melt away into effeminate passions so Belshazzar Dan. 5.5 so Caligula at the hearing of Thunder so in 2 King 7.6 A noise in the Air chased away an Army of the Syrians Reas 1 The Reason is some things are terrible above man that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist beyond the Power and Wisdom of man to withstand them especially in the concurrence of those three things Grievous Judgments an Awakened Conscience and Sin set in order before the guilty Soul These meeting together make foul work sometimes with a very stout sinner Art thou come to call my sin to remembrance this day 1 King 17.18 Act. 24.25 and to slay my Son and while Paul discoursed of Temperance Righteousness and Judgment to come Judge Felix trembled True some under much guilt and in the midst of terrible Judgments fear nothing why because Conscience is not yet
Jonah at this time had sinned hainously and might be ashamed to look God in the face yet see how he ownes God for his God and falls to prayer so did David Daniel Ezra other Saints they ever prayed to God as to a God pardoning iniquity transgression and sin Exod 34.7 And he is glorified in this act of mercy as well as in delivering out of trouble and danger and more because it is an act of greater mercy as he proclaimed before Moses Oh but mine is an amazing evil Ob. Sol. and so puzzles me that I cannot pray Answ 1. Jonahs case had as many amazements as any mans case lightly can have yet was not he puzzled 2. It is a sinful infirmity in Saints that they were not able sometime to pray and to lift up their heads and so they have confessed it Psal 77.10 I said it is my infirmity And they checked themselves for their unbelief hastiness saying they were cast out of his presence and he was angry with their prayer Often we read in the Psalms how David upon these distempers fell to prayer again Oh but I am unworthy to pray Ob. Sol. or to be heard in prayer Answ So was Jonah and yet he prayed and was heard And the Centurion who acknowledged his unworthiness yet had his suit granted And Gods Children when they fall upon this work do not go as worthy persons but in Christ they are accounted worthy and that is all their pleading In true and proper speech none but the Lamb is worthy to receive honor and glory Oh could I see any door of hope open to me Ob. Sol. I should be encouraged to pray Answ 1. God is able to open a door where in nature and in thy sense there is none at all 2. Pray and it shall be opened and thou shalt see it as Hagar who saw the weâ—l of water Little did Jonah think that the Whale should vomit him out upon dry land Little did Israel think that thy should go on foot through the red sea or Jordan Ob. Sol. Oh but I am afraid God is angry with me and will do nothing for such a wretch as I am Answ It is a certain rule that God is sometimes angry with his Children but never hates them as with Jonah angry but loved him still He ever loves his faithful ones and in his love he will receive their prayers as Jonahs In Christ their persons are accepted and in his mediation their prayers shall prevail Use 2 Hear thou afflicted and never give over thy praying though in a forlorn case Think what Jonah did in the Whales belly and among the weeds waves billows noysomeness Think what it is to cry out of the deeps when the floods of ungodliness made thee afraid when the arrows of the Almighty stick fast in thee when a plurisie comes or some dangerous disease Try what an hearty prayer can do do not restrain prayer from the Almighty nor give all for lost or if thou hast fainted as Jonah yet pluck up thy spirits and to it again Insignis mutatio saith Mr. Gualter He that before fled from the presence of the Lord doth now upon his repentance hang on him and will not let him go without a blessing even so do thou Amend every error and mark this notable change in the Penitent 2 Cor. 7.11 to sorrow after a godly sort works much carefulness and fear and zeal Consider for encouragement to prayer while a Christian finds an heart God will find an ear to hear and do and save out of troubles and still the best is behind Mark here what follows I cryed and he heard me again I cryed and thou heardest me Doctr. 1 God will hear and regard all the moanings of his Children in prayer God hears all good prayers why because he is a God hearing prayer it is one of his Attributes because Jesus Christ appears for them and is a powerful Mediator with his Father because good prayer iâ— the breath and voice of his own holy spirit in his Children because they cast themelves upon his mercy and faithfulness because hell and the world is all against them because they have an honest purpose to glorifie God with whatsoever mercies they shall receive at his hands as here Jonah But mark how he hears prayer 1. In the kind of mercy How 1 which is desired as Jonah to be delivered out of the Whales belly we out of sickness danger or any adversity 2. In How 2 something that is as good or better we shall have grace sufficient for us strong consolation of his spirit hereafter it shall come but not yet our posterity shall fare the better for those prayers in the appointed time and manner all the promises of God shall most certainly be fulfilled Now take this as an encouragement to prayer Ask and Use 1 ye shall have seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you Cry as Jonah and thou shalt be heard as Jonah every suitor at Court is not sure to speed of his Petition but believers are sure to speed 1 John 5.15 we know that we have the Petitions that we desired of hâ—m And a begger will know the door where he useth to get a good alms And if it be so do not mis-conster Gods delays as if Use 2 they were denials sometimes he delays to give his answer but he never denies his children It was three days and three nights ere Jonah got out of the Whales belly he prayed the first day but came not forth till the third The woman of Syrophenicia sped at last in her suit but it was after some repulses Every vision of comfort is for an appointed time but at last it will speak and not lye But mark yet another thing A godly man receives an Doctr. 2 outward mercy as a fruit of prayer We may know it he sees in the effect that his prayer is answered and takes the mercy as the income of prayer he heard me saith Jonah and I am delivered so David Psal 120.1 In my distress I cryed unto the Lord and he heard me â— vast difference then there is in the godly mans receiving Use 1 mercies and others He receives it upon prayer and by vertue of a covenant and pâ—omises and as a part of Christs purchase who makes requests for us in heaven prayer ascendeth and grace descendeth Others not so Use 2 And it teacheth godly Christians to look after their prayers that they may observe what answer it pleaseth the Lord to give as Psal 85.8 I will hearken what the Lord God will say Praying is compared to sowing of seed and the Husbandman useth now and then to look to his sowen fields Only mark the last clause there return not to folly A godly man must keep himself a godly man and do the work of a godly man or else may miss of his answer at least for a time as here Jonah Ver. 3.4 5