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
A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION OF THE Historical Prophesie OF JONAH Delivering sundry brief Notes in a Cursory way concerning the mind of the Holy Ghost in the several Passages Hard things exercise the Reader Plain things nourish him Imprimatur June 5. 1665. LONDON Printed by L. Miller for John Chandler Bookseller in Reading 1666. To the Right Worshipful my much honored Friend The Lady Cecilia Knollys All Health and Happiness in the Lord. IT is a very comfortable priviledge good Madam vouchsafed to sincere and faithful Christians that being planted in the house of the Lord Psal 92.14 they shall still bring forth fruit in old age when other trees grow doddick and past fruit-bearing these trees of Righteousness by a singular blessing from God shall be able to yield the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5 21. for the honor of God who planted them and for the good of that Christian community whereof they are members They are more in prayer and more in magnifying the grace whereby they stand more in their meditations of God and the things of God more in their preparations for death and for an entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of Jesus Christ more in imparting experiences of the gracious dealings of God with themselves and others for helping the troubled spirits of their brethren more free in Alms-deeds and all good uses according to ability more mortified to the world and to their passions more profitable to the Church in whose prosperity they rejoyce and grieve in the adversity and better redeem the time whereof they see so little remaining Though they be infested with their infirmities of old age and with divers incumbrances of the world yet even in old age they mind the doing of good yea more good then they were wont to do as willing to the uttermost while they may to shew forth the praises of Him who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous 1 Pet. 2 9. light The recompence of reward draws nearer and nearer and in little time will be fully in their possession therefore for the inch of time that remains in this tabernacle they will work as fast as they can with all faithfulness carefulness and chearfulness And this their priviledge stands upon sundry unmoveable grounds as The eternal love and counsel of God who enables them to persevere and be fruitful The meritorious intercession and powerful grace of Jesus Christ John 15.5 in whom they are as branches in their Vine The effectual working of Gods blessed Spirit who is promised to abide with them for ever 14.16 The immortal and incorruptible seed of the word 1 Pet. 1.13 whereof they are born again and cannot perish for ever The faithful and stedfast Covenant of grace Jer. 32.40 which as it engageth God never to depart from them but do them good so it warrants them fresh abilities that they shall never depart from their God together with promises in particular and divers helps both to hold out to the end and to bring forth fruit still in old age This I write good Madam to comfort you in this your age and against the many infirmities which accompany it The Lord adde unto your days abundantly and give you yet to see the peace of his Jerusalem Many good fruits you have born already and we rejoyce in seeing them your love to the House and Ordinances of God which sometimes you frequent with danger to your health your love to godly Ministers whom you esteem worthy of double honour the religious ordering of your Family the careful observation of the Lords Day which with many is almost out of request the large provision you make weekly for poor people with other good fruits which will abound to your account in that great day of Jesus Christ Phil. 4.17 Go on good Madam and never be weary in well-doing Gal. 6.9 in due time you shall reap if you faint not and according to the premisses you shall be sure in this holy way never to faint for the way of the Lord is strength to the upright Prov. 10.29 and the whole stream of the Scriptures runs for your encouragement At this time I make bold to present your Ladyship with these brief and plain Meditations and pray your acceptance as from one who desires to acknowledge the grace of God in you and to help you along to the end of your course with much joy and assurance humbly taking my leave in present and unto death remaining Your Ladyships obliged William Jemmat To the Practitioner in Religion GOod friend here I present thee with a few plain and familiar Observations on the Book of Jonah Learned and eloquent Discourses he that is willing may find in those great Masters of our Israel A. Abbot B. King who many yeares ago wrote on this Prophesie which yet is rather an History And this present endeavour needed not but to revive those Notions which lie hid from the most and plain people will best relish plain and short Discourses Yet if we consider the matters herein contained we shall find some of them lofty Hieron proem in Jonam and fit for deep meditations Some Hebrew Doctors say that this Jonah was son of the widow of Sarepta whom Eliahs raised from the dead which if it be true we meet with a wonder both strange and not exemplified in any other Here are three resurrectians for one Saint first in that he was raised by the Prophet Eliah next that he recovered out of the belly of the Whale wherein he was a figure of our Saviours resurrection and last of all Mat. 12.39.40 that in the generall resurrection he shall come again with his body and for ever be with the Lord. It is also a wonder in this Book that the providence of our God is so present with his people and of so large extent among the creatures both small and great It is a wonder that Jonah should so long subsist in the Whales belly and at three dayes end be set on land again and do the message which formerly he had so stifly refused to do It is a wonder that in a little time he reaped more fruit of his Ministry among heathenish Ninevites then in a long time he had reaped among Gods own people It is a wonder that after his miraculous deliverance out of the Fish and after his holy resolutions to be wholly for the Lord yet he should be stout and sturdy about the sparing of Nineve the Lord bespeaking him very mildely and he replying upon the Lord very peevishly Christian there is something to be pickt out of these and other passages for thy edification Let the brevity of the Notes occasion thee to fall into large meditations and applications to thine own soul And let the plainnesse of them which saves the labour of farther inquiry occasion thee to deal the more seriously with thy conscience that thou mayest be brought to an entire estate of faith
and obedience Certainly Rom. 15.4 as all Scripture is written for our instruction so this concerning Jonah His example gives us fair warning not to leave known duties whatever carnal reasonings may suggest for the neglect of them Not to sleep or rest secure after any sin committed lest a storm from God fall upon us and endanger our comfort in God if not our salvation Not to be eager for the destruction of any though bad enough and they deserve to be destroyed Not to favour that cholerick disposition which we know to rest in some of our breasts but be very watchful and mortifie this corruption more and more Nor to mutter against any of Gods dealings either with our selves or others how crosse soever they seem to be On the other side Jonah's example warns us to shame our selves for errors we have made as he here doth in writing these things of himself To submit patiently as he doth to those fatherly chastisements which it pleaseth God to afflict us withall To retain faith in God even in the depth of our afflictions as doth he To vent our faith and faithful desires by hearty and earnest prayers and that without ceasing as did he till he was delivered To gather holy vows and purposes that upon recovery out of any evils we will by the assistance of grace shew our selves really thankful for mercies received And after all our foolish strivings with his sad dispensations 1 Sam. 3.18 we will resolve all into the good pleasure of our God It is the Lord let him do what seemeth good in his eyes Then out of the example of the Ninevites all should learn to believe the threats of God and be humbled and crave the peace with God and walk with him ever afterward more obediently and carefully Rab. in Seder Olam Theodorer alii Where mark those words ever afterward and beware of relapses or returning to folly Histories tell us how forty yeares after this sparing of Nineve yet the people falling back to their old sins again were fearfully destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon and their City utterly overthrown according to the Prophesie of Nahum who arose after our Jonah Beware Christians by their example Be not as the Dog that returns to his vomit or as the Sow that was washed to the wallowing in the mire The first estate of Apostates was bad enough but their last estate is worse by far The Lord uphold us in these sifting and shaking times wherein many have turned aside after Satan that we may hold on constantly in the way of faith and obedience not warping aside to the right hand or the left no nor abating a whit of our first love through heavinesse of flesh or deadnesse of spirit or any incumbrances of the world With which prayer I rest in present Thine in our Lord Jesus Christ WILLIAM JEMMAT THE PROPHESIE OF JONAH JOnah in Hebrew signifies a Dove Hieron 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mar. 1.10 and the Lord send upon us the good Spirit which descended on Christ as a Dove that we may rightly and fruitfully treat of this Prophesie which was written as all other Scripture for our Instruction and consolation Of Jonah we read in two other Scriptures 2 King 14.25 Mat. 12.39 40. Gath-Hepher was the place of his Birth and one of the Cities that fell to the lot of Zebulon and was so called to distingush it from Gath Rimmon and Gath of the Philistines Note Malice blinds Where note the falseness of the blind and malicious Pharisee who said Out of Galilee ariseth no Prophet Joh. 7.52 Yes Jonah the Prophet who was of Gath-Hepher which was in the Province of Galilee Malice doth many times blâ—nd the eyes even of understanding men as the Pharisees generally were Beware of malice as thou wouldest not be mis-led into damning Errors fatally and finally Jonah prophesied in the Reign of Jeroboam the second or of Joash his Father it may be of both Princes that came of Jehu who rooted out the Family of Ahab the Idolaters but not the Idolatry for which cause Israel came into great affliction which was very bitter 2 King 14.26 27. There was not any shut up nor any left nor any Helper for Israel Note Idolatry ruines Idolatry ever brings mischief to a State or Family sooner or later see Chap. 10.31 32 33. Beware of Idolatry and Idolaters they are people of Gods Wrath and Curse what trials ye may have ye do not know Remember and keep your selves from idols 1 Joh. 5.21 and from idolaters Now mark two things of Jonah our Dove 1. To afflicted Israel he comes with an Olive-branch of of Peace and Comfort that the waste shall be restored which had been taken away ibid. according to the word of the Lord God of Israel Note Some favour to the worst Use which he spakes by the hand of his servant Jonah God for a while is very gracious and in temporals doth much for a wicked people it may be by wicked instruments as Jeroboam was Admire the passages of his providence and look from men to God who works for the good of his Chosen as in the ten Tribes there were some true worshippers and for their sake some deliverance was granted 2. To Nineve he is sent with the mournful Voice of a Dove proclaiming their destruction Yet forty dayes and Nineve shall be destroyed but with an intent in the Master that sent him to spare the City upon their Repentance and Amendment The Lord in wrath remembers mercy Note In wrath mercy and sometimes blusters our judgments that sinners may bethink themselves and repent and be saved Mark his divers dispensations and attend the main which is that his patience and goodness should lead you to repentance Rom. 2.4 Two Notes more 1. Out of this Book of Jonah two things may be noted by the exposition of our Saviour himself 1. That Jonah was a Type of Christ in respect of his Death and Resurrection as Jonah was three days and three nights in the Whales belly and then came to land again so Christ was held in Death for a while and the third day rose again 2. That the people of Nineve are set for an example of Repentance to you of after-ages which if it follow not ye shall be the more deeply and severely damned and why for a greater then Jonah is here Allegorical sense of Scripture we shall ever admit where warranted by some glimpse of Scripture as there are many such to be found through the whole body of it Ribera 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 4.24 The Jesuite needed not to have quarrelled about such sense of Scriptures but under pretence of Allegories we must not run out into Fooleries as are many of their Allegories much less into Errors as some of them are Nor doth the similitude of things among themselves warrant us to take every Doctrine which the Fathers collected but only where the Antecedents
and Consequents give occasion or some other Text of Scripture so far the man spake rightly And it is good against the Familists who turn all even plain Scriptures into Allegories Come we now to the Book it self Contents of this Book This Book of Jonah contains many chief points concerning the Knowledge of God and the Salvation of man 1. For God we may here see and admire his goodness in sending to the Heathen Ninevites that they might repent and be saved even at that time when generally he took Israel for his only peculiar chosen people Possibly a sign of the calling of the Gentiles which should follow afterward And the justice of God who so severely revenged the disobedience of his own Servant Jonah after whom all may learn to take heed of turning the grace of God into lasciviousness And the power of God who hath all the Creatures even the rudest at his own beck and disposal the Winds the Sea the Fishes the Herbs and Plants and all the Creation And his providence who provides both for the punishment and for the relief of Jonah and by both of them an wholsome instruction for him to be ruled by him for time to come better then before and for us also who need such Discipline 2. For Man and his Salvation we see by this Book how far we are fallen into Sin and Misery even so far that without the mighty and merciful hand of God we cannot recover our selves no more then Jonah could And to them that are troubled at the sight of their sin and danger there is Mercy in store by Jesus Christ as there was for Jonah And the way is to believe the Preaching of the word and repent and turn from our evil wayes as did the Ninevites Here we have also the force of Prayer the nature of Fear the wages of Disobedience the fruit of Repentance Here we have Lots Vows singing of Psalms History strange and wonderful and a new kind of Creation in the Gourd that rose up in a Night with other profitable Documents as God shall bring us to them in order Parts In the Book we have a first and second calling of Jonah to Preach to the Ninevites with the things that followed upon both of them In the first Chapter we have the behaviour of Jonah and of the Mariners Of Jonah we read these things 1. the Message given him v. 1.2 2 his declining of the Message v. 3. 3. the apprehension of him when he was fugitive ver 4. 4. the execution ver 15. The Message is set down both generally it was the word of the Lord and especially Jonah must go to Nineve and cry against it Ver. 1. Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah Or And the word of the Lord came that is to Jonah as well as to the other Prophets Or This Message to Nineve as well as the other Messages to Israel with all the circumstances here related Jonah by his Calling was an ordinary Teacher of Gods people but now extraordinarily he is sent to Preach among the Gentiles Note Teaching us to abide in in our particular place and station till the Lord please to take us off and send us elsewhere Teachers in the Church ought not to wander up and down or thrust themselves into other mens Offices as the fashion of some is It is the sin of some scarce of ordinary gifts to pretend an extraordinary Vocation Use It is certainly Zeal without Knowledge to undertake this work and disturb the Peace of the Church They should first have been sure that the word of the Lord came to them and for satisfaction to Gods people they should be able to make it appear to the Rulers of the Church which of late dayes was utterly rejected and all confusion thereby brake in upon us as a mighty flood The word of the Lord came unto Jonah Namely by Inspiration of the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.20 21. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ascribed to the whole Scripture 2 Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God There are divers ways of manifestation but all by one and the same Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Num. 12.6 Heb. 1.1 God in times past spake in divers manners suppose in a Vision or in a Dream and sometime possibly by an audible Voice So David tells us 2 Sam. 23.2 The Spirit of the Lord spake by me and his word was in my tongue Be assured hence The writings of the Prophets are of Divine Authority Doctr. Prophets from God wrote what we see the word of the Lord the Vision of the Lord the burthen of the word of the Lord He spake by the mouth of the holy Prophets from the beginning of the world Luke 1.70 and see Chapter 24.25 44. and 1 Pet. 1.10 11 12. Which serves to comfort us concerning our Faith in all Use 1 the Articles of it they are all grounded in the Writings of the Prophets therefore Divine and may well be believed The word of the Lord came unto Jonah to Amos to Hosea and to the rest of the Prophets We have a sure word of prophesie yea more sure then Visions and Oracles 2. Pet. 1.16 17 18 19. much more then Fancies of men pretending the Spirit and craking of a light in them which must sway against the written word Ministers and all Blessed be God who hath put a Bridle into their mouths and restrained their Fury For our part we are sure all is right and straight whatever we believe according to the Prophets Use 2 2. It serves to convince the world of wickedness in not receiving the word of the Prophets We admire the obstinacy of the Jews who were never the better though they had men sent among them with extraordinary Gifts and Graces and immediate teachings of the Spirit but stay Is there not the same obstinacy in our people now-a days Ministers Preach over the same Doctrines again and again and who almost regardeth Esa 53.1 Who hath believed our report Drunkards there be still as in the Prophets time Swearers Liars Sabbath-breakers otherwise wicked And the same judgments hang over the heads of our sinners as the Prophets told their people Faith and Repentance are Preached still as they Preached and namely Jonah in this Book Oh the invincible hardness of mens hearts not to believe the Prophets and Preachers What do you think must we needs go to Nineve to Preach and get Converts If we did we might speed but wo be to unbelieving Christians whom neither Prophets nor Apostles nor Holy men coming with their Doctrine can work to Repentance Certainly seeing they believe not these they would not believe though one should rise from the dead Luke 16. ult Use 3 3. Take heed I beseech you and seeing the Prophets deliver the word of the Lord let them be regarded accordingly As thus 1. Take pains to know the meaning of the Prophets in their several Prophesies There are obscurities
Arise call upon thy God if so be that God will think upon us that we perish not In every Society of men there must be order Here in Note 1 a Ship there is a Ship-master in a Navy Order in every Society there is an Admiral in an Army there is a General in an House Town or Nation there is a Governour So in the Church there ought to be Order and Government or else all comes to Confusion We see what mischief is befallen since Government ceased and should see more mischief if Civil Government ceased as well as Ecclesiastical In both it is true better a bad Government then no Government Tyranny is very bad but Anarchy is far worse and more intolerable For our Ship-master he comes to Jonah and reproves him for sleeping It is likely that in this great distress of weather he bestir'd him to the uttermost to save the Vessel and all that were in it sometimes under Deck sometimes above sometimes among the Ropes and Cables sometimes in the Keel or sides of the Ship to see what must be done to that purpose And here in the side of the ship he finds Jonah fast asleep and rouseth him up What meanest thou O sleeper Note 2 Great diligence must be used of every one in his Place and Calling Look to the main chance to save the main chance for the Body for the present Life for the onward Estate but especially for the Soul and Eternity So for Church and Common-wealth do thy best to save a Barque ready to perish If Prayers can do any thing if Tears Sighs Zeal for Reformation Mourning for the Abominations let us not want thy helping-hand We should not give all for lost till there be no Remedy and we be now sinking This Ship-Master by his diligence saved his Vessel and so may we Note 3 What meanest thou O sleeper A secure sinner can have no good meaning with him Naturalists mean not well I suppose he hath no such meaning as to damn himself and his Companions or to ruine the Church and State It is not the thing which he doth purposely intend yet he may be well asked the question What meanest thou It is not yet in his thoughts and purposes to do any good either in publick or private In present he minds nothing but a sinful and sensual enjoyment Use Carnal people say they have good meanings but it is much to be doubted For how can meanings be good when they are only General Blind Lazie and not Operative according to the Exigents of Church and State or of the precious soul should these be called good meanings It is a meer delusion We shall further question them as here the ship-master what meanest thou O sleeper Arise call upon thy God It is our duty to rouse up secure Note 4 sinners Rouse up secure sinners that they may escape the great danger wherein they are as the danger of losing a Vessel Life and Goods so and much more the losing of a precious and Immortal soul Exhort Admonish Reprove pull them out of the Fire save them with Fear and use Compassion As we would call upon a sleeping Master when his house is all on Fire so and much more should we in soul-dangers Consider our Brethren whom we help now may help us another time in our drowsiness and sleepiness And none of us but is apt to be sleepy we are of a corrupt Nature and have taken a dram of hellish Opium so all possible help will be little enough Consider Charity requires helpfulness and this is a work of the truest Charity And why should not eternal danger quicken us as well as common danger Call upon thy God Carnal people can wish for a part in Note 5 all good prayers as here All would share in good prayers the Mariners before had cryed every one unto his god Possibly there might be an hundred Passengers in the ship and an hundred several gods that were called upon yet see how the ship master bespeaks Jonah for his Prayers too that if it be possible they may escape this danger And possibly they that never made good Prayers in all their Lives yet will beg the Prayers of the godly in their distress and God send them a part in all good prayers Take heed Christians and blunder not along in these Use 1 wild and idle wishes as ye desire the benefit of other mens prayers so ye must learn to pray your selves There is not only prayer in common suppose with a Family or in a Congregation but it is said distributively Every one that calls on the Name of the Lord shall be saved and personallly when thou prayest enter into thy Closet The reason is every one of us hath a soul to save and every one hath personal sins personal corruptions personal temptations wants afflictions and every one that is truly godly Zech. 12.10 hath the Spirit of grace and supplications poured upon him And why shouldest not thou make account to pray for others as well as that others should pray for thee is it not one duty of the Communion of Saints as Feeding and Cloathing are duties for the good for the Body No member in the natural Body but must help his Fellows and there is the same reason for the Members of the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ And why should any put so great a matter upon the Adventure whether others remember him in their prayers or no every one is his own nearest Neighbour And every one shall give account of himself unto God Rom. 14.12 Use 2 Every Christian therefore that is able to pray should stir up his gift Be much in prayer and improve his interest at the Throne of Grace for his own good and the good of others There is something in this advice to the ship-master Call upon thy God and in the other Every one in the Ship cryed unto his god Mic. 4.5 all people will walk every one in the Name of his god and we will walk in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and ever Why not we devout in a true way as they in a false Mot. 1 Consider the word of appropriation thy God Jehovah is thy God in a Covenant of grace bound to thee both by Promise and Oath and daily solicited by Jesus Christ to shew thee favour according to thy Prayers and Necessities Now then make bold with him every one may make bold with his own but Jehovah is thy God therefore go boldly to him and doubt not of acceptance It is a Miserly trick to have Gold and Silver in store and want Provisions of Food and Physick and it is worse to have a loving Lord God to pray unto and be a stranger to him Mot. 2 Consider also the Name of thy God it is lovely and invites thee to come to him As it is a glorious and terrible Name Deut. 28.58 Exod. 34.6 The Lord thy God so it is an
amiable Name and may win sinners to seek to him The Lord the Lord merciful and gracious The Kings of Israel were accounted merciful Kings and much more is this King of Israel If so be that God will think upon us Note 6. Thoughts of love to the godly The Lord hath thoughts of Love and Peace toward his people Jer. 29.11 I know the thoughts of peace that I think toward you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end Namely out of the counsel of peace which he had within himself before the foundation of the world Zech. 6.13 The counsel of peace shall be between them both that is Christs Kingly and Priestly Office Or it may be a phrase referring to the sense of man We are apt in great distress to think that God hath forgotten us and will he be no more gracious Psal 77.8 9. hath he shut up his loving kindness in everlasting displeasure and if he did but think upon us in what a sad case we are he would certainly arise and do for us So these here Oh that the God of Heaven would think of us for good and elsewhere Ar se O Lord O Lord stir up thy strength hide not thy face leave us not come and save us Otherwise in absolute consideration the Lord thinks on all men and Affairs in the world His providence reacheth to all and to every particular He sent this Tempest upon the Mariners and saw in what distress they were But their Prayer is they would have mercy that they might well get out of their distress He saw the affliction of Israel in Egypt and meant to bring them out of it Use A means to settle faith Now this is good and comfortable for each doubting Christian who conceits sometimes in his weakness to be rejected and forsaken of God but indeed is not the Lord at worst thinking of a deliverance or supply and what is the best way and time to effect it A Nurse sees her Châ—ld to be too venturous and seems to leave it to it self but her eye is full upon it even so doth our God And though Nurses and Mothers should be unnatural yet will not the Lord Esa 49.14 15 16. Good words to settle the peace of a troubled spirit but may also serve our turn in great distresses of the world Tempests at Sea Commotions at Land troubles in the private Estate all threatning our Ruine and then we begin to question the Love and Providence of God Judg 6.13 If the Lord be with us why is it thus But check this unbelief we need not put it upon this supposition if so be that God will think upon us he will most certainly think and do and delever in due time and in the mean time support our hearts with comforts of his Spirit he is a God of â—udgment Esa 30.18 and knows our frame and when a deliverance will be most seasonable Note 7. God able to save in great distress Thank upon us that we perish not God is able in great distress to keep us from perishing and will if he see it good for us These heathen Mariners saw that if they could get God on their side they should not perish though it were a terrible boisterons threatning tempest And we see in the end that they did not perish So in these dayes amidst all our civil Tempests our Land hath not yet perished and so long as God thinks thoughts of peace towards us it shall not perish though winds and storms beat upon our Bark never so violently Use Hear and believe and say as Psal 46 1 2 3. God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble Therefore will we not fear though the Earth be removed and though the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea Though the waves thereof roar and be troubled though the Mountains shake with the swelling thereof Say as those that were going into the fiery furnace Dan. 3.17 Psal 42.11 Our God is able to deliver us Rate away all unbelief as David did Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou so disquieted within me still trust in God who is thy help and the light of of thy countenance Mark what our Saviour saith Let not your hearts be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me John 14.1 Note 8. Carnal ones are all for temporals That we perish not All the care of carnal people is to be delivered from temporal evils from Ship-wrack from Pestilence from Losses and Crosses of the world so Pharaoh Deliver me from this death only ye may apply it to every particular Plague which comes and threatens us Let people escape and presently they are as bad as ever All the care is to get out of Gods hand for the present Israel in want would fain have Bread or Water and be delivered from the fiery flying Serpents or get through the red Sea but when their turn was served presently they were as bad as ever Oh no may some say we mind our Souls too Object we would get them saved we were undone else Answ Answ 1. No doubt but ye have good wishes to that purpose wicked Balaam would fain die the death of the Righteous when people are so far enlightned with Principles of Religion as our people are no wonder if they desire to be saved Heaven is better then Hell better be happy when they die then go to Hell to be tormented in those flames 2. That they are but wishes appears by their negligence For temporal deliverance they will take any pains be at any cost use all the Friends they can make and never be quiet till they be delivered We see what these Mariners did not to perish they prayed they cast their Goods into the Sea they rowed hard to bring the ship to Land and so do our people now-a-days for Temporals But what diligence do they give to make their Calling and Election sure where is the man that works out his Salvation with fear and trembling how few are they that set themselves into a serious course of Religiousness There needs the most pains to be taken but very few are willing take those pains Christians take most pains not to perish everlastingly Use Mind spirituals God hath done much to that purpose and Christ hath suffered much Ye see it in John 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlrsting life And ye have the means to believe namely the Preaching of the word Rom. 10.17 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God And ye have had rousing summons in these times to awaken security winds and storms of State arose very high and some Earthquake continue to this very day A marvel we are not perished already and by our sins and security we deserved to perish eternally Only there
God nor Hell nor Curse of the â—aw nor Pestilence nor any of the Judgments which befall others and may befall them they know not how soon Such should consider that as stout men as they have feared exceedingly in seeing the fearful signs of Gods displeasure for sin witness these Mariners stout and sturdy men as that kind useth to be but in this grâ—at Tempest ye see how they buckle Dan 5.6 and ye read in Daniel How at the sight of the hand writing Belshazzars countenance was changed and his thoughts troublod him so that the joynts of his loyns were loosed and his knees smote one against another And all the Sons of Pride the Lord knows to abase c. 4. 37. Consider as stout as thou art upon a great fit of sickness or some other stinging cross thou mayest be brought to fear exceedingly in spite of thy heart as Pashur in Captivity Jer. 20 4. He became a terror to himself and to all his Friends even he that was so lusty to put Jeremy into the stocks An hard-hearted sinner thou art but hast not the strength of Steel or of Stones Beware when Conscience once awakes and sin is set in order before thee Psal 50.21 all thy hardiness will prove but as Stubble when it is put to the Fire And think of the terrors of the day of Judgment a day of darkness and of gloominess when men shall be at their wits ends even the greatest of sinners Rev. 6.16 Better to take thy part of fear here where it may be improved to Conversion Hereafter there will be nothing but torment in thy fear as 1 John 4.18 fear hath torment Then comes the great mischief which never was feared but now shall be felt for ever and ever Lastly for these mens chiding of Jonah Note Why hast thou done this and before ver 6. What meanest thou O sleeper arise and call upon thy God Most justly do they fall under the lashes of mens tongues who slip their necks from the obedience they owe to God Not only Ministers fall foul upon them but rude and barbarous men Jeerers Mockers Slanderers injurious men wrongly perhaps Use but it is just with God whose yoke formerly by you was rejected If ye had kept in with him better ye might better have escaped their Viperous and base tongues Ye wonder at mens unreasonableness but look upward and there ye will find some just occasion given who had Shimei to Curse Ver. 11.12 Then said they unto him What shall we do unto thee that the Sea may be calm unto us for the Sea wrought and was Tempestuous And he said unto them Take me up and cast me forth into the Sea so shall the Sea be calm unto you for I know that for my sake this great Tempest is upon you Parts Two things here meet us 1. How the Mariners advise with Jonah what is to be done in this extremity ver 11.2 What course Jonah adviseth them to take for avoiding the danger ver 12. He gives faithful counsel though it be against himself as we also ought to do For the former of these The Mariners had consulted with God before Consult with God and the godlyâ— inquiring his mind by casting of lots and now they consult with Jonah whom they perceive to be the servant of God though at this time a bad servant wonderful pity and charity and discretion in both Oh for care and Conscience in Christians to take up this example of honest heathens What made these men so gentle But whence this their gentleness in treating with Jonah Answ 1. No question but it was of Gods over-awing and over-ruling their spirits that they should not mischief no hurt his servant Jonah He that restrained Esau and Laban from speaking or doing evil to Jacob did restrain these men also Moral Vertues are of Gods implanting in the heart Prudence Meekness Quietness of spirit judiciousness in proceedings and even fierce spirits use to be tamed by storms and other hideous worke of God 2. They take notice of the God of the Hebrews who had made himself of a long time famous in all those adjoyning Countries how he is now pursuing his fugitive servant and doâ—h not spare him but send wind and tempest after him It is time to be moved with fear and take a wise course for escaping his wrath Heb. 11 7. Noah moved with fear prepared an Ark for saving himself and his Family 3. As they were moved with Reverence toward the Master so with some Reverence toward the Servant who had told them the plain truth how he was a Prophet and ministred unto the Lord but at this time had basely declined the service imposed so in Gen. 20 7. Abimelech must restore Abraham his Wife why For he is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee Respect is to be had to every one according to his Place and Degree most to Gods Messengers Note hence Note Treat genâ—ly with offâ—nders with what Gentleness and Humanity we ought to treat with our Christian Brethren even when they acknowledge themselves offenders as these with Jonah Titus 3.2 speak evil of no man no brawlers but gen la shewing all meekness unto all men 2 Tim. 2.24 The servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men not only to the good and kind but to the froward and faulty 1. That in the quietness of our spirits we may the better Reason 1 find out the way wherein God would have us to go which is not discerned in Passion He that is of an â—asty spirit exalteth folly and He is as a City without Walls anâ— Gates 2. That a due mean may be observed in the punishment that is to be inflicted We ought not to fly upon offenders rashly and furiously but with deliberation and it may be with prayer that we may be moderate and that the punishment may be sanctified 3. The Delinquents have precious and Immortal souls which should be tenderly regarded instructed wrought to Repentance fitted to receive the intended punishment and so saved not die before they be fit to die if it be possible Oh the price of souls not to be redeemed but by the blood of Jesus Christ Use 1 Put on gentleness Now be perswaded to this Humanity and Gentleness A man may learn good of any whoever they be of the Crane and Swallow to know and improve the seasons of grace of the Mariners not to be rash or harsh to offenders yea of the Devil himself who bestirs him the more because he hath but a short time and he trembles at the judgment to come which sundry of ours do not Ob. Sol. Say some This man deserves exemplary punishment it is a plain case there is no doubt to be made To whom I answer Jonahs case was plain enough not only by the tokens of Gods wrath but by his own confession he told them how he had fled from the presence of
the Hebrews how is he to be feared above all other Gods who can do as he alone therefore him alone will we fear and serve all our dayes So say we at the end of a great Plague or of a great fit of sicknesse or escaping a danger by Land or Water Fire War other terrible matters Oh feare the Lord ye his Saints for there is no want to them that fear him Psal 34.9 Use It serves to reprove all gracelesse people who never fear God that afflicteth neither in the danger nor after the danger to be the better for any of their afflictions Possibly they are afraid while the danger lasteth for the pain or the losse they may sustain and especially the losse of their lives it may be it is Magor-Missabib fear round about Jer. 20 3. they are ready to dye for fear before the evil comes near them sometimes more afraid then hurt but for God in whose power their breath is and who can cast both Body and Soul into Hell Signes of not fearing God him they fear not though that be the only gracious fear commanded in Luk. 12.4 5. 1. For departing from evil as did Job Joseph and the Midwives of Egypt what fear of God is in those that live in the constant practice of one sin or other drunkennesse or what ever it be sin is the greatest enemy that God hath and yet numbers make a trade of is according to the humor of each walk in the way of the wicked or sit in the seat of the scornfull though they have been in great danger of life or estate yet on they go in a tract of sinning The danger is past and they make account they live to do all their abominations 2. For the beginning of wisdome Numbers have no signe of the fear of God in them Sapientia dicitur quasi sapida scientia but Numbers have no savor of God and Religion Mercies Afflictions Ordinances all passages of Providence have no more savor then the white of an Egg no heart to Prayer or other duty or to accept a good motion that is made for edification These Mariners that feared the Lord offered him sacrifice but where are these mens sacrifices great and precious mercies are received but what return do they make in way of thankfulnesse 3. For perfecting holinesse in the fear of the Lord how doth this agree to those who fall back from the good way of God either into Heresie or Profanesse or Worldly-mindednesse or those that stand at a stay in Religion A round of dutyes there is and that is all the space of many years makes no difference in their profession unlesse it be for the worse they would be troubled if they thrived no better in their outward estate but for the estate of their Souls they minde no thriving 4. For fearing the Lord exceedingly as did these Mariners Numbers profess to fear God but they fear men more Losses Troubles Dangers Persecutions excessive fear surpriseth them that they are taken off from duty Prov. 29.25 and the way of God the fear of man is a snare and catcheth many unto Atheism Or they fear the Lord and the gods of the Land as did the mungrel Samaritans 2. King 17.33 5. The fear of God hath a dash of holy joy with it as Psal 2.11 rejoyce unto him with trembling fear him as a glorious God but rejoyce in him as a loving Father reconciled and tenderly affected in Christ So the Childe fears his Father and the wife her Husband But numbers mind no such relation between God and them or care not to have it or presume to have it but get no comfort by it in a dark houre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their fear is an heavy passion of unbesâ—efe Adde outward worship to inward 1 Cor. 6.20 For the Second They offered a sacrifice unto the Lord. Outward worship must be added unto inward As we must glorifie God with the Spirit so also with the body for both are God's and both are bought with a price And the same God made both Soul and body and deserves to be served with both commands and expects it What kinde of sacrifice these Mariners offered to the Lord we read not nor is it materiall to know Only this they had Learned by tradition of their neighbours and by the neighbourhood of the Jews that thank-offerings would do well in way of gratitude for deliverance and so did all the Gentiles round about therefore so do they Note Express thankfulness in good actions Our lesson is In way of thankfulnesse for mercies received we must use holy expressions of Loyalty and duty to our good God not only fear him with other internal vertues as before but with outward worship and service Christians also have their sacrifices of righteousnesse appointed for them as was prophesied Deut. 33.19 But what are they Answ 1. A mans whole self with all powers of Soul and Body Rom. 12.1 Present your selves a living sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable service 2. Holy and hearty prayers Pro. 15.8 The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight 3. Hearty praises with voice and life Heb. 13.15 By Christ let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually 4. Works of love to the poor members of Jesus Christ Ver. 16. With such sacrifices God is well-pleased 5. Releif and comfort to good Ministers who need assistance Phil. 4.18 An odor of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well pleasing to God 6. Suffering in the cause of God Ch. 2.17 If I be offered upon the sacrifice of your faith I joy and rejoyce with you all 7. All parts of the publick or private worship of God 1 Pet. 2.5 A spiritual Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 8. All dealings with men carried in a loving and righteous manner Psal 4.4 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and put your trust in the Lord. Whereby we see that none hath cause to say he wants Use 1 a way and means to shew his thankfulness to God for great mercies and deliverances he hath received None but may so express Levitical sacrifices are ended in Christ and he is loth to offer sacrifice in a blind manner as these Mariners did and I desire to testifie my thankfulness for escaping such a danger or receiving such a mercy but what should I offer Answ He hath shewed thee O man what he requireth and what he will accept as a gratuity Mic. 6.8 and the Map now delivered shews a great Bed-roll of Christian sacrifices Peruse and see if one way or other thou canst not offer a sacrifice to the Lord only find the Altar of an holy heart and a sacrifice will quickly he had Out of the abundance of the heart will come forth much good A man possibly hath not wealth to distribute among the poor or is not called to
danger whereinto he was brought the fishes belly the belly of hell the deep the midst of the seas bottoms of mountains weeds floods and billows 2. By the anguish or straights arising out of the danger I cryed to the Lord I said I am cast out of thy sight my soul fainted within me 3 By the hope he nourished all the while I will look again toward thy holy Temple I remembred the Lord and my prayer came in unto theâ— into thine holy Temple 4. By the good speed he found at last The Lord spoke unto the fish and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land We must begin with Jonahs prayer and the Audience he found with God ver 1.2 In the first Chapter ver 9. he professed to fear the Lord the God of heaven which made the sea and the dry land and now to the same God as the only true God he addresseth his prayer not to Neptune as Heathens were wont to pray nor yet to true Saints who had traded much in waters as Noah was saved in the general flood of waters or Moses who was drawn out of the waters while an infant and led Israel through the red sea and through Jordan or Elias who parted the waters this way and that way whereby one would think they should have compassion on them that are in danger by water according to the carnal reason of Idolaters in other things No Jonah prayes only to the God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land God alone is an All-sufficient God and he alone ought to be called upon Prayer is one part of divine worship whereof it is said Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him alone shalt thou serve Mat. 4.10 And it stands with reason we must pray to none but one in whom we believe but we believe in God only therefore to God only must we pray Rom. 10.14 how shall they call on him in whom they believe not Use Mark this against the Papists and maintain the truth against them Note Pray earnestly Jonah prayed and cryed to the Lord This crying notes his fervency in prayer and it is twice set down I cryed I cryed to the same purpose Christians ought to be both frequent and fervent in prayer Rom. 12.11 12. fervent in spirit serving the Lord and continuing instant in prayer If one prayer will not fetch a mercy try what another will do and let the second be more earnest then the former and the third more earnest then that Paul besought the Lord thrice and obtained grace sufficient Jonah at last got out of the Whales belly Use It is not every sluggish and short-breathed prayer that will obtain a mercy Therefore continue instant in prayer Col. 4.2 But I aim at another point from the consideration of Jonahs prayer as being now in a distressed condition No doubt but in all this time three days and three nights he prayed often and earnestly for the pardon of his great sin for deliverance out of the Whales belly and for the employment he had refused of going and preaching to Nineve Oh that God would trust and enable him to do that seruice he would do it with all his heart if he might be put upon it again Let the point be this Doctr. In distress pray Gods children in their greatest and deepest afflictions should keep their hearts in a praying frame to obtain grace and mercy to help in time of need we read a prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed and poureth out his complaint before the Lord. Psal 102 1. and 130.1 Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee O Lord. For reasons thus 1. There is a Commandment to Reason 1 call upon God in the day of trouble Psal 50.15 Not only in prosperity but adversity not only if it be likely we shall get out of trouble but against all likelihood not only if means be present but if no means appear likely to be had 2. There cannot be such a case of sin unworthiness Reason 2 and misery but the mediation of Christ can help at a dead lift Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he will do it for you The Father can deny nothing to the Son nor to such as plead in his Sons merits 3. The spirit of grace and supplication is given them Reason 3 on purpose that they should alway pray Luke 18.1 Rom. 8.26 and not wax weary he helps their infirmities not knowing what to pray as they ought the bears up their spirit to hope to the end he raiseth sighs and groans which cannot be uttered 4. No affliction whatsoever can break asunder the Reason 4 tie between God and a Believer Jonah at this time wanted neither sin nor sorrow nor fear nor care what would become of him yet mark the word of appropriation he prayed to the â—ord his God 5. The covenant and promises are made so as to serve our turn in the worst condition that is either of sin or sorrow Of sins he hath said I will blot out thine iniquities I will scatter them as a mist I will forgive their sin and remember it no more Of sorrow he hath said I will be with thee in six troubles and in seven I will be with thee when thou passest through the fire and through the water and in a word I will not leave thee nor forsake thee 6. The greater a trouble or danger is the more we need to flee to God and keep close to him and hide with him as he that is cast upon a rock at sea the more the waves beat upon him the more careful he is to keep to his rock see Psal 61.1 2 3. so we We are weak but he is a strong God we are helpless but he is a friend good enough Use 1 A fault to faint in prayer All to reprove our foolishness who in great afflictions suffer our selves to be so afraid with amazements that we neglect the duty of prayer The heart is even bound up and so straightned with fear care and sorrow that we cannot lift up a prayer to the God of our life and mercy yet Jonah prayed out of the Whales belly and amidst all those incumbrances Moses cryed to the Lord at the red sea when the people so murmured and were discontented Daniel prayed in the den of Lions where every moment he was ready to be devoured David prayed in caves woods mountains in all his flight before Saul and Absalom He longed to come to the Temple and pray but could pray out of a Temple as well as in it and Jonah here in great distresse looked toward the Temple v. 4. no whit like those who can never pray but when they stumble into a Church or when they are in some hope to receive what they crave Ob. Oh but my case is higher then worldly afflictions I have many and great sins upon me and much guiltiness which puts me out of heart Sol. Answ
that are of a poor spirit and ready to faint in the sight of their sins or fear of Gods displeasure some are of a tender spirit and should be handled tenderly Rough speaking or doing would even quite over-set them and bring them to a despairing faintnesse In such cases we should note and be tender and pour in oyl to heal their wounds so did Christ Esa 50.4 he spoke a word in season to him that was weary and it hath been said nothing doth so discover a man to be spiritual or according to the mind of Christ as the gentle handling of another mans wounds Use 2 But let these careful souls help themselves by ways and means which the Lord hath appointed Help against fainting fits As against bodily faintings we get hot waters and other helps so should we against these faintings of spirit As thus 1. Get thy faith strengthned as much as may be Faith is a special reviver of the soul in evil times Ps 27.13 I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living as how because it draws vertue from Christ and from his intercession who is a quickning Head and from the promises and covenant which also have an enlivening power and it gives the poor soul a view of heaven to fetch life again 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. for which cause we faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day for our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a more exceeding and eternal weight of glory while we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen those temporal these eternal 2. Wait upon God in the diligent use of his Ordinances Cant. 2. these are the flagons which stay a soul that is sick of love to Jesus Christ and see Esa 40.29 30 31. he giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he increaseth strength Even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly faâ—l But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint Christians ye converse daily in Ordinances adde diligence and good conscience and your faintings will wear off by little and little No such Cordials as the Word and Sacraments well improved 3. Pray and it shall be done God is he that sendeth this faintness into the soul and it is he that must take it away Levit. 26.36 I will send a faintness into their hearts and he that wounds must heal again He that cast Jonah into the Whales belly and into the fainting fits did set all at rights again I will look up again toward thy holy Temple I remembred the Lord and my prayer came in unto thee unto thine holy Temple Here Jonah amplifies his prayer by the hope he nourished amidst his great danger he was not without some hope even when he fainted most and thought himself cast out of Gods sight And all these three days and nights he was well employed A good soul at lowest hath some working toward God for comfort and deliverance and ought to be well employed during the time of his affliction Yet I will look again toward thy holy Temple that is Heaven A good soul from the belly of hell can look toward heaven as here Jonah No distance of place Note Out of hell seâ—â— heaven nor lowness of condition can hinder this prospect Steven amidst the stones looked up and saw the heaven open and Jesus standing on the right hand of God Moses in Pharaohs wrath and threats saw him that is invisible and endured all Micaiah saw God on a throne and was hardned against his meeting of wicked Ahab Reas 1 All from the nature of faith which is the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 By faith Abraham saw the day of Christ and rejoyced By faith he and the old Believers embraced the promises By faith Paul and his fellow Apostles looked not at things seen which are temporal but at things not seen which are eternal and They walked by faith not by sight that is spiritual encouragements not carnal Use A good memenâ—o for a Saint in low condition whether by sickness or otherwise Upward upward below all is black and uncomfortable but upward all is clear and joyous Make use of thy faith to carry thee far above all these tumults fogs and confusions why a sword by the side and not defend against a thief why faith in the heart and not strengthned by it in threatning evils why as heartless and comfortless as he that hath no faith to support himself Remember how David rated away his unbelief Psal 42. Why art thou cast down O my soul and remember how our Saviour chode Peter for fearing Mat 14 31. Why didst thou doubt O thou of little faith Ob. Sol. Oh but I have something sticks by me that is of an higher importance my sins which are many and great Answ So had Jonah at this time he had greatly sinned against God in refusing the service imposed and said he was cast out of his sight but mark the adversative Yet I will look toward thy holy Temple he would not seal his disobedience with unbelief and impenitency one sin to another They say Judas did worse by despairing then in betraying his Master And mark the word again he had conversed with God formerly and found comfort while he held on in a course of duty but now upon this baulk made the sweet communion was interrupted therefore he saith again so thou though thy sins be many and great yet return yea though they be relapses yet again come to thy God by repentance there is a promise for healing our backslidings Hos 14 4. Though man will not pardon faults by recidivation yet God will Jer. 3 1. thou hast played the harlot with many lovers yet return again to me saith the Lord. And if comfort come not presently yet look again as Jonah here at thy first looking thou mayest misse of mercy but look again it will come at last at the last looking rain came according to the prayer of Elias When my soul fainted within me I remembred the Lord. A Believer finds a good remedy against his fainting fits Note Remedy against fainting fits to remember the Lord. Where note First there is an head-remembrance which stands chiefly in speculation as that there is a God that he is able to help us in misery that he sees and knows our estate and can put forth mercy and power for our relief If thou wilt thou canst make me whole Secondly there is an heart-remembrance when we look upon God as our God and trust in him and cast our selves upon his care and love to do for us according to our need whether for soul body or
among some that profess the best things either for censoriousness or running over Town and Country in discourse such as it is and it were well if some talked less except it were to the purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for edifying in godliness Take heed Christians of both sexes and remember this voice of thanksgiving either hold your peace or speak things better then silence that is things useful in one kind or other I will pay that that I have vowed Note Fulfil gracious promises A godly man is careful to do for God as he hath promised as he hath engaged by his word so he remembers to answer his engagement Now and then he runs in debt with God by promising and is so honest as to pay his debts as Jonah here so David in Psal 119.106 I have sworn and I will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgment Reas 1 The reason is 1. God commands to be as honest in performing as we seemed religious in promising Vow Reas 2 and pay to the Lord your God Psal 76.11 2. God expects the performance of lawful vows and promises as from Reas 3 Jacob Gâ—â— 5.1 3. A good soul feels it self bound with a bond to do as he hath said I have spoken and cannot go back Reas 4 saith Jepihah see Num. 30.3 4. As it feels a bond tying so it finds a grace enabling and putting on to the performance Believers are a willing people each of them saith Thy law is within my heart Psal 110.3 40 8. I will sing and give praise and offer sacrifice Use 1 What Christians then are they who are free in their vowing but slack in their performing for instance the sick promises of sick men who in danger of death talk of great matters if they may recover but upon recovery do little or nothing as they said the Minister and other neighbours can see no amendment and their own consciences tell them they have but dodged with God and God who is greater then their consciences knows they did but flatter with their double hearts and tongues al was self and the getting out of his hands So they live to increase their sin and his wrath for sin if they had dyed of that sickness they had had less guilt upon their foul souls and less punishment to be endured in hell Use 2 Take heed and receive the word of exhortation If there be any truth in thy heart shew it by paying what thou hast vowed Upon recovery or escape or receiving of a child or whatever drew forth thy vow remember and be sure to do it Jonahs example is here recorded for thy imitation Go and do thou likewise Luke 10 37. Thou sayest thou art honest now every honest man will pay his debts so far as he is able and so wilt thou if honest indeed And it is well known that the thing vowed is fit to be done As for example 1. Thy whole self dedicated and devoted to God in Baptism and the vow is afterward renewed in affliction or at the Lords Supper or at a Fast Neh. 9. ult and it is a mercy that thou art engaged to God as one of his family of which he takes care and on which he hath setled many high priviledges and thou expectest all those benefits But remember covenants use to be reciprocal and bind both parties so here If God must be bound thou must not be loose 2. All the obedience which possibly thou canst yield unto God to be loved with all thy heart and all thy soul and all thy mind and all thy strength We place not lawful vows in Counsels but Precepts all to be done conscionably and in an entire manner not lust with the heart c. And it will be both thy sincerity and safety to aim at an universal obedience Psal 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments What remains but that every one remember his vow and pay it to the Lord his God And if any mean indeed to do it let us have no more delays as formerly When thou hast vowed a vow to God defer not to pay it Eccl. 5 4. Dely breeds danger One place shall conclude this point Deut. 23.21 22 23. When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God thou shalt not slack to pay it for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee and iâ— would be sin in thee That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform even a free-will offering according as thou hast vowed unto the Lord thy God which thou hast promised wâ—th thy mouth Salvation is of the Lord. Or Salvation belongeth unto the Lord Note God the Author of our salvation Psal 3.8 Or He is the God of our salvation Psal 68.19 God is the Author of salvation to his people 1. Temporal salvation as here Jonah the good man confesseth with the voice of thanksgiving that this his escape out of the sea and Whale is meerly of the goodness of God none could do it but God alone nor for us when we are sick or otherwise grievously afflicted God is and beside him there is no Saviour Esa 40.11 namely out of bondage in Egypt out of the captivity of Babylon and other dangers 2. Spiritual and eternal salvation as to all the Elect who were never in a Whales belly but in a worse case by far Heb. 5.9 Christ became the Author of salvation to them that obey him Mat. 1.21 He is Jesus and saves his people from their sins from the damnation of their sins from the curse of the Law the wrath of God and the brimstone of hell Use Which instructeth unto thankfulness as here we see in Jonah now delivered from death who blesseth God for his deliverance Psal 68.19 Say thou also Blessed be the Lord who loadeth us daily with benefits even the God of our salvation 1. They are sweet and precious benefits health out of sickness freedom from prison and other comfortable changes 2. There is plenty of them a load of benefits with great variety and to our great contentment 3. Their continuance daily benefits and more every day and night and hour and moment of our lives 4. The extent of them or how far they reach us that is all the people of God and all the creatures in general God is a great Benefactor and House-keeper and ought accordingly to be magnified Remember and do These are ravishing and filling meditations to them that shall duly consider the course of providence But especially to them that are heirs of eternal salvation Think what it is to have Christ for a Saviour and what it is to have escaped those hellish enemies and damned mischiefs which befal Reprobates Luke 1.46 Say with Mary My soul doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour Say as Paul Eph. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who
hath blessed me with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in him and as Peter Blessed be God who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten me again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible c. 1 Pet. 1.3 These are good forms of thanksgiving but the matters are infinitely precious and highly to be prized 2. It serves to comfort good and thankful souls as the Use 2 blessed Virgin rejoyced in God her Saviour Comfort There is comfort in an outward deliverance such as 88. or 1605. but much more in a spiritual from sin and Satan and all those woful torments so the joy should be heartier and purer and enlarged abundantly toward the Author Psal 32.11 Rejoyce in the Lord ye righteous be glad and shout for joy Phil. 4.4 all ye that are upright in heart Not simply the gift but the Giver to be highly magnified Rejoyce in the Lord alway and again I say rejoyce These are good discriminations from carnal joy so to look to the benefit and by it to the Founder as David when he had sung the works of God concluded My meditation of him shall be sweet Psal 104.34 3. It serves to help our faith in dangers and against Use 3 temptations Trust in this God of salvation Confidence both for soul and body we may well cast all our care on him to secure both And we need not doubt in the least though hell raise many storms and the world as many and our own unbelieving hearts cast doubts now and then yet fear nothing he hath both devised and wrought salvation for us and keeps it safely for us 1 Pet. 1.5 Lastly a soul that hath any sad thoughts and cares about Use 4 his salvation sees hereby whether to look and turn and where to speed of salvation look to Jehovah who is complete in all his Attributes Promises Relations Ordinance Dispensation especially in Christ the Mediator between God and man and a most loving Saviour to distressed souls The Lord spake unto the fish and it vomited out Jonah upon dry land The voice of the Lord is powerful and mighty in operation see Psal 29.3 Note Gods voice very powerful 1. 1. This is utteted of the written word of God Heb. 4.12 In the hand of the Spirit it is able to convince of a bad estate to convert to confirm to comfort to recover out of great falls and in fine to save a soul yea by hundreds and thousands Act. 2. 2. It is true also of the creation and providence of God he makes and upholds all things by the word of his power Heb. 1.3 by the word of the Lord the heavens were created and all the hosts of them he sends forth his word and they are made and at his word they return to their dust Specially his providence to his Church and Chosen Thou art our King O God Psal 44.4 command deliverance for Jacob. He spake to Esau and Laban and they refrained from Jacob he spake to the spirit of Cyrus and he sent back the captivity of Judah he spake to the feavers in way of rebuke and they left the sick persons Speak the word only and my servant shall be healed Here he spake to the fish and Jonah came to dry land Use 1 Psal 29.9 Worthily therefore in his Temple doth every one speak of his glory as a most fit Object of our admiration and adoration None among the gods is to be compared to the Lord none of them is like unto our God holy and reverend is his Name Oh for hearts lifted up in his praises and ravished with his glories Use 2 And Oh for hearts to trust in him amidst all our dangers and difficulties It is as easie for him to deliver if he please as for us to let fall a word to restrain an enemy to heal a disease to supply our wants to Comfort our hearts Only believe All things are possible to him that believeth So in those main truths of the Gospel 1. That Christ rose again from the dead the third day as here did Jonah the same God that spake to the fish and Jonah got to dry land did speak to death and the grave and Christ got into the land of the living Remember thy Type and how it was answered As Christ rose again by his own power so also by the power of his Father 2. That we also shall rise again at the last day Ezek. 37.1 we believe the resurrection of the dead Why God will speak to dry bones and they shall come bone to bone and â—ive and stand up and be a great army If we believe the Scriptures and the power of God we will never stick to believe this Article 3. That collapsed Churches shall be raised again as there Judah in captivity Apply it to the Churches of Bohemiah and other now fallen 4. That distressed consciences shall be relieved in due time God will speak peace to his people and will revive the spirit of the contrite ones 5. That broken Trades and Estates shall be restored when God pleaseth he will restore the years of the Locust and Caterpillar Only if we believe and obey Esa 1.19 20. If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the land but if ye refuse and rebel ye shall be devoured with the sword for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it CHAP. III. Ver. 1.2 And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time saying Arise and go to Nineve that great City and Preach unto it the Preaching that Ibid thee OF this Chapter there be four parts 1. A new order for Jonah to go and preach at Nineve ver 1.2 2. Jonahs obeying of that order ver 3.4 3. The Ninevites repenting at his preaching ver 5.6 7 8 9. 4. The mercy and forbearance of God upon their repenting ver 10. Note Penitents restored to their old standing For the first of these Jonah is here restored to his office of a Prophet from which he might seem to have fallen and that most justly so our Saviour restored â—eter to his office of an Apostle after the great sin of denying his Master Notable examples of Gods goodness in healing and restoring the Penitent as was said I will heal their backsliding I will love them freely Hos 14.4 Use 1 And they yield much comfort to afflicted consciences which are troubled at their failings and backslidings Fear not nor be dismayed he that restored Jonah and Peter will restore thee also and set all at rights between him and thy soul Use 2 And learn you that are spiritual to restore a Brother that is fallen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the spirit of meekness Gal. 6.1 The word is set him in joynt again Care is taken for the body in that case and should much more be taken for the soul Note Without exprobration of failings But mark
to understand of all outward observations abstracted from true piety they are nothing worth 1 Tim. 4.8 Bodily exercise profiteth little Though the body were never so much macerated and even brought to a Consumption yet without contrition of spirit it would avail nothing It is the fervent prayer of the righteous that availeth much Jam. 5.16 And note by the way how this King speaketh only of one God namely the God of the Hebrews whom Jonah had preached in the message he brought The many gods which he had served before began now to be vile in his eyes as able to do him no good Which is the guise of all true Converts to reject idol-gods the belly the Childe that is idolized the wealth c. See hence why we make those long prayers on a day of Use 1 fasting With some this may be accounted tedious Apology and hardly to be endured But the case stands thus Prayer is the chief work of the day and all our preaching is but to prepare your hearts and stir up your affections to cry mightily unto God even with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered And by that time we have duly confessed our own sins and the sins of the Land together with supplications for mercy and forbearance judge you whether it be not requisite to spend more time then ordinary Adde thus 1. These sins are mighty sins and need mightily to be cryed down Amos 5.12 I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins Some sinners are mighty to pour in strong drink to swear bloudily to commit uncleanness to oppress their brethren and the like 2. The mighty God is mightily offended and provoked to wrath Psal 90 11. Who knoweth the power of thine anger it hath proved heavy to men and Angels and so there needs a mighty cry to appease this wrath and get judgements prevented or removed It had been too late for Nineve to pray when once the forty days were expâ—red 3. The enemies of our peace and Gospel are mighty enemies idolaters profane persons dissembling friends real enemies It is a wonder that our house and Kingdom which is so divided is not fallen asunder long ago There needs mighty crying to God that we may defeat these enemies Remember this against a Fast and in your ordinary course of prayer Wrestle strive continue instant in prayer be fervent in spirit serving the Lord. True Christians have both the gift and spirit of prayer and should stir up the gift that is in them Do as Jacob who wrestled with the Angel and would not let him go without a blessing See how it is described in Hos 12.3 4 5 6. By his strength he had power with God yea he had power over the Angel and prevailed he wept and made supplications unto him And the truly-godly are said to be a generation of people much of the same frame Psal 24.6 This is the generation of them that seek him that seek thy face O Jacob. They are the Israel of God weak in themselves but mighty in a spiritual consideration The weapons of their warfare are not carnal but mâ—ghty through God to throw down strong-holds Amendment needful to true Penitents For the reformation of life here required Amendment of life is necessary to all that repent and fast aright Let them turn every one from his evil way and from the violence that is in their hands In Scripture a mans way is that course of life which a man steers for the pleasing of God and saving of his soul And they that steer not aright are said to go in an evil way and need to turn out of it And so to turn is the true fast and the true repentance Sackcloth and all abstinence is nothing without crying to God by prayer and all prayer is nothing without a real reformation Esa 58 6,7 Is not this the fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickedness to undo the heavy burthens and to let the oppressed go free and that ye break every yoke Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thine house when thou seest the naked that thou cover him and that thou hide not thy self from thine own flesh Zech. 7.7 Should ye not hear the words which the Lord cryed by the former Prophets Use 1 Whence it follows that numbers never rightly kept a fast in all those years nor truly repented of their sins If they had they would not be such swearers as they are or drunkards lyars unjust incontinent otherwise ungodly If they had they would every one have turned from his evil way and wrought righteousness before God Sound reformation ever follows upon sound humiliation Those that would justifie their repentance for sound and testifie the sincerity of their conversion let them turn every one from his evil way Never tell of the many fasts ye have kept and how many tears ye have shed or sighs or groans but make all good by a thorow reforming of things amiss Bring forth fruits meet for repentance Mat. 3.8 Good apples argue the tree to be good and the works of pâ—ety mercy and righteousness argue the man who fasted to be a man truly-godly But how shall I know that I reform aright Notes of right turning from sin and in a saving manner Answ 1. In true conversion there is a turning from every evil way though there be profit to be had by the sin or pleasure or content of any kind David that was a true Penitent hated every false way Psal 119.104 The reason is because all sin is displeasing to God and dangerous to the soul And no sin is forgiven but it cost Christ his dearest bloud there is no other price of our redemption 1 Pet. 1.18 19. We are not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold but by the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lamb without spot 2. In true conversion the special sin shall be singled out for censure sorrow and amendment as here the violence of these Nâ—nevites So David confessed his foul sins of filthiness and bloud-guiltiness Zacheus confessed his forged cavillation Matthew his sitting at the receit of custom Jonah wrote the story of his flying from God and declining the work which he had appointed him to do All which things and the like are written for our instruction to do the like 3. In true conversion there is a turning to God with all the heart as the rule is given Jer. 4.1 If thou wilt return O Israel Joel 2.12 13. saith the Lord return unto me And Paul was sent to turn the Gentiles from the power of Satan unto God Act. 26.18 Otherwise the conversion doth not reach home God is the party offended by sin and in Christ must be pleased with us again or else we do nothing Remember this our ordinary Theme and turn aright from your evil way Ver. 9. Who can tell if God will turn
1 Cor. 15 55. or separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ Again O death where is thy sting O grave wheâ—e is thy victory Which is seen sometimes of them that said heretofore There is but a step between me and death between me and hell All which makes against the vain confidence of idle Use 1 Christians who presume to know Gods mercy toward them without any doubting A thing which divers godly and serious men have not yet obtained and sometimes fear they shall never obtain Here we will examine a little the fears of the one Godly mens fears are hopeful and the hopes of the other For the fears of the godly 1. The Lord orders all their fears and tenderness of spirit to their greatest good as here the fear of these Ninevites first they are affrighted with the horror of a suddain overthrow and this fear works them to repentance that they shall escape the denounced overthrow So still generally it is the Lords method in bringing souls home to himself first out of security to convince them of a bad estate and so let them repent and seek after God let them be sick and see their need of a Physician let them be pricked at heart and ask what they must do to be saved and Did ye see him whom my soul loveth can ye give me any sure mark of my being in Christ can this or that stand with the truth of grace I am afraid I am not right in the main I doubt that all this while I do but deceive my own soul Of which tenderness the Lord makes this use to bring forth judgement to victory He will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax his power is manifested in his peoples weakness and his grace shall be sufficient for them 2. The fears of godly men put them into cares about the means of grace and about such a course of religiousness as they may make their calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 So pray and so read and so hear and so receive Sacraments and walk so strictly and orderly as God may please to shew them his salvation Psal 50.23 Timor facit consiliatives Fear makes men Clients so to secure their Estates by repairing to their learned Counsel so here for the estate of the soul And a discreet man newly recovered out of great sickness narrowly observes his diet and so gets more health perhaps then a stronger man so here and this is the phrase of working out salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 3. This kind of fear hath the promise of blessedness Prov 28 14. Blessed is the man that feareth alway namely with a Childlike and holy fear fear to offend care to please and perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord. The tenderness of such is the heart of flesh Ezek. 11.19 which the Lord by Covenant said he would give his people and he will be their God and they shall be his people he will forgive their sins and remember their iniquity no more and will so put his fear into them that they shall never depart from him But if carnal persons have any fears concerning their spiritual estate it never works in such a manner all passeth away in flashes Be rid of them as soon as ye can and be merry while ye may away with this melancholy and be jovial For the hopes of idle and vain Christans Wicked mens hopes are fearful who doubt not a whit of Gods love to them I say thus 1. They are disgraced by the subject that is the persons in whom they are loose and vain persons None but the godly have the right hope which will last in a sad houre Pro. 14.32 the righteous hath hope in his death Such at worst are prisoners of hope Zech 9.12 Ever since they were converted they have been in an hopeful condition For others their hope shall perish it shall be as the spiders web or as the giving up of the ghost Profane persons and hypocrites never went upon a good foundation and so all their building lies in the dust 2. True hope is grounded in faith and in reconcilation with God thereby We hope well because we know whom we beleeve and he is the hope of Israel Jer. 17 13. the Saviour thereof in the time of need So we are saved by hope Rom. 8.24 But this is skipped over by these persons A general hope of mercy shall serve the turne 3. True hope ariseth out of regeneration and dwells in the new creature 1 Pet. 1.3 God begets us again to a lively hope But numbers have all their hope from the first birth beleeve in God ever since they can remember never do bred since they were born Pitie he should live who doubts of his salvation which is too fine and easie to be good Jonahs gourd sprung up in a night and withered in a night The like we may say of these Mushromes 4. True hope yeelds the benefit of strong consolation in foul weather that lies upon the soul Heb. 6.18 19. it is an anchor sure and stedfast By hope we have seen him to live who was about to dye David had fainted but that hope held him up by the chinne Ps 27.13 I had fainted but that I hoped to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the living But the heart of an hypocrite 1 Sam. 25. when brought into great danger dyes in him as Nabals The house built on the sand when the windes and stormes came fell quickly and great was the fall thereof 5. True hope fs cleanly wherever it comes both as to the heart and life 1 Joh. 3.3 Every one that hath this hope purifieth himself even as God is pure It is of the same nature with the mother Acts 15.9 26 18. which is Faith and purifies the heart Hope is neither sloven nor slut but so is the hope of many expect much at the hands of God but live in their sins which is against all reason as if a man should stand for prefermeâ—t yet lives so as to be uncapable Use 2 Christians be perswaded so to order your course as ye may grow up to some comfortable assurance of Gods love to your soules that though ye get not the full assurance of faith yet ye may have much assurance or if not much yet some assurance Do all that may help your faith against your feares and that your hope in God may be cherished which ye will find to be very good when you come to lie on your death-bed or be cast into great affliction to say 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have believed c. There be some that should think of the great change by conversion Some have not yet repented nor made their peace with God and may well think that it is they who must repent and not God Repentance notes a change in the creature Jan. 1 17. not the Creator With
and adore this glorious Lord God his understanding is infinite his Power Presence Wisdom Mercy care of his people preservation of the creatures even the meanest Jonah was much bound to be thankful that when the Ninevites yielded him no entertainment and he provided a simple one for himself the Lord prepared this gourd for him Which is also our case not seldom Use 2 Learn also in the smallest turns of providence to look upward and ascribe all to the right causes Whether it be for mercy as this gourd or for affliction as the worm it is all of God he prepared the one and the other and so he doth still It is not luck or meer chance or second causes but God provides and orders all these supplies with all the events and all the crosses It is the Lord be patient 1 Sam 3.18 Job 1 21. or be thankful The Lord gave and the Lord took away blessed be the Name of the Lord. It is not our own how or sword but the right hand of out God If it be a little drug or potion that doth me good an obscure friend a small accident a little help to stand me in stead it comes of God and he shall have the glory of the thing Dan. 11.34 They shall be holpen with a little help This would be of singular use in our whole course to live as Christians to acknowledge a dependance on heaven to see by faith the Soveraign Lord of the world to breed contentment in that little which is allotted to us to make us thankful for small favours shewed or patient when a small matter falls out and crosseth us The Lord prepares the gourd and the worm not only the Whale but the Worm We are apt in great matters to think God hath an hand but in small matters we scarce look so high take heed and look upward even in small matters Observe again how powerful the providence of God is Note 2 in these small matters 1. In erecting a gourd it came up in a night in the common course of Nature it should have been growing up a quarter of a year together to a just tallness and bigness but God makes it shoot up in a night The Lord sometimes on a suddain shews light and comfort to his people when and where they least expect it at the Red sea out of a Rock in the midst of Jordan He stirred up the spirit of Cyrus to send his people home to their own land He delivered them from Haman in a way which they least thought on 2. In taking the gourd away he prepared a worm which smote it and it withered He could have blasted it without a worm but pleased to use such a vile creature for our instruction Small things can cross us when God bids them Grashoppers Amos 7.1 Flies and Lice pestered Pharaoh exceedingly A small cut in the flesh hath gangrened and killed Little David slew the mighty Goliah Learn to see a powerful God in a weak creature Use 1 Cor. 1 27 21. Weak things of the world to confound the mighty By the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe To uphold a weak Christian against Principalities and powers 2 Cor. 12.9 My strength is made perfect in weakness Water in Baptism to set forth Christs blood and cleansing from sin Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper to set forth the body and blood of Christ and to nourish the believing soul to life eternal So of old the sword of the Lord and of Gideon his Barly-cake overthrew the Tents of the Midâ—anites Lamps and Pitchers confounded their mighty host Trumpets of Rams-horns demolished the walls of Jericho Moses his Rod divided the Sea All pointing at the wonderful power of God working by such silly means Where glorious means are used we are apt to doat on the means but where the means are so simple we are forced to look up unto God Note 3 Observe yet more God provides for his ill deserving servants God provides well for ill deservers as here for cholerick Jonah he lives whereas he desired to dye and beside hath a gourd prepared which affords him much comfort Though we believe not yet he abideth faithful he cannot deny himself 2 Tim. 2.13 Gods Children sometimes deserve full ill at his hands and are ready to draw down wrath upon themselves but in mercy he forbears and continues a gracious providence toward them Use Mark these footsteps of his goings with you and strive to be thankful In our passions sometimes we make faults enough and forfeitures and open a sluce to let in judgements but the Lord stops the Damme and we are not drowned Admire his goodness and be enlarged unto thankfulness He doth good to them that deserve it not yea to them that deserve ill at his hands more to them that are drawing mischief upon themselves Note Small matters sometimes very comfortable Come we now to see how Jonah comforteth himself with his gourd he was exceeding glad of the gourd Small matters sometimes are very comfortable to us a Cup of cold water water out of a Rock Manna out of a congeled dew Naamans washing seven times in Jordan A few Figs and Raisins to the fainting Amalekite A bunch of Figs to Hezekiahs Bile Barly-loaves to thousands of people And to an hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet Whereby we see what poor and weak creatures we are Use 1 and what a silly life the life of Nature is sustained and cherished by those small matters And if so be humble meek thankful heavenly-minded affected earnestly toward a spiritual and eternal life It is time to get Christ to be our life who said I am the way the truth and the life John 14.6 to get the Spirit of life to enter into the way of life to nourish an hope of life everlasting Life of the soul is infinitely better then the life of the body and so are all the means that maintain it Outward things commonly are prized according to their worth and what they will yield and so should the means of grace be mightily prized The wise-men were very glad of the Star that led them to Christ Mat. 2.10 teaching us to prize gracious means which first lead us to Christ and afterward confirm us in him And we learn in small matters to take notice of a great Use 2 love which affordeth them and much comfort by them Mercies commonly are best seen in the want but it were better to esteem them by the use and benefit of them it would argue more ingenuity it may be the truth of grace It were base not to discern the benefit of our Limbs and parts but only by the Tooth-ach loss of a Joynt breaking of Bones or the like Nature can do this but grace looks higher to a great God in a small favour Oh it is no small love nor small purchase nor small pledge Sleep digestion of Meat Sun-shine Seasons of the Year are ordinary