Sermons on Jonah, Lecture 11
THE XI. LECTVRE.
The chiefe poynts. 1. Comfort here offered to the languishing soule. 3. What it is to be cast from Gods sight. 4. The feare of Ionas. 5. The elect cannot perish. 7. How Ionas is recouered by faith 8. and repentance. 9. His desire to see the Temple. 11. How the Church should be frequented. 12. Against those that abstaine from it. 13. The conflict in the Prophets conscience. 14. Grieuous temptation is common to the godly. 16. Why temptation is necessary. 17. God doth protect vsus in it. 18. The benefite which redoundeth to vsus by it. 19. Helps against temptation.
Ionah. 2.4.
Then I said, I am cast avvay out of thy sight: yet I will looke againe toward thy holy Temple.
MAny are the instructions which this Prophecie hath yeelded in the hearing of most of you: aduertisements and warnings against sinne; disputations against Atheisme; obseruations against Papisme; in the person of the mariners, comparisons of Gentiles with vsus that be Christians; and doctrines of diuerse sorts, as Gods spirit from time to time hath assisted me. But for informing of the conscience of a languishing sinner, who groneth vnderunder the burthen of heauinesse and casting downe; and is almost swallowed vp in the gulfe of desperation, by reason of the feare of Gods displeasure for sin that hangeth vponupon him, (which things oftentimes befall some of the little ones of Christ Iesus) no one matter in this Prophecie is more apparantly fruitfull, or more worthie consideration, then that which I hauehave now read. For what can be more wholesome then Phisicke to the sicke, or remedie to him that is readie to perish? And who is more like to perish, then he who feeleth no rest either inwardly or outwardly, in bodie or in mind, but as it were gasping for breath, doth daily long for comfort in the middest of great distresses; his case being this, that sinne egerly insulteth, Satan fiercely impugneth, and his conscience beareth witnesse against his owne soule, that in right iustice should destroy it. To the reliefe of which tender ones, as I could wish that our speech were oftner directed, (for it is a needfull argument to be handled, and blessed is that speech which bindeth vp the broken, and giueth life to the dying) so the example of my Ionas doth fitly remember me to speake to this purpose, because he is as a glasse for all such to looke in, and thereby to see themselues, and in his case to helpe themselues, with the good assistance of that Spirit who herein is all in all.
2 For in this man may be seene, a most vehement and forcible conflict betweene faith and feare; betweene hope and despaire, betweene sinne and grace: on this hand the flesh sinking with distrustfulnesse into the bottome of hell, being like to acknowledge it selfe a forlorne creature, a cast-away from God, a reprobate from the promises,Genes. 4.13. Matth. 27.4. as if it were some Cain or some Iudas: but on the other hand, the spirit foorthwith mounting into the bosome of the Sauiour, and there apprehending merciemercy by remission of all iniquities, and forgiuenesse of all transgressions. In the meane while, amidst the one raising vp, and the other hanging downe, is a combat of such bitternesse, as maketh the endurer of it, in the heate of the fishes stomacke oft times to quake for cold, and in the cold of the sea, oft times to sweate for heate. Manie feuers and agues cannot shake him, as his owne heart doth now shake him: his boiling is like the fire: his torture is like the hell. How many crownes and kingdomes? what thousands of gold and siluer? what heapes of precious stones? how many lands and seas, and whole worlds would he giuegive, if they were now in his power, to be freed from such a torment, as forced him with extremitie to say as here he said, I am cast away from thy sight, I am but a damned reprobate. A very fearefull thought, & yet recouered again by confidence in Gods merciemercy, which faileth not his at need; so that thereby he is encouraged, to hope that he shall see Hierusalem, the sanctuarie of the Lord, and his temple once againe. Which recouerie of his shold make vsus much admire Gods merciemercy; and yet withal teach vsus, to worke out our saluation in great feare and great trembling. But because this text doth note vntounto vsus some doctrine besides this, and the illustration of that doth make a way for my purpose, I will first touch the other, obseruing in the generall words, these three things to be handled. First the deiection of our Prophet, I am cast out of thine eyes. Secondly his arising vp from that motion, and new assurednesse of Gods fauour. Yet I will looke againe toward thy holy temple. And thirdly by a comparing of the one of these with the other, the great conflict in his conscience.
I am cast away out of thy sight.
3 The Antithesis put betweene the casting away from the sight of his God, and the beholding of his temple, is not to be taken coldly, as if it intended barely, that now he did not see the temple indeede, but he should see it againe: that now he had lost his countrey, but after his deliuerance the time should come, that he should returne thither, as if he had made this accompt and no more, that for a while he was depriued of some temporall fauours, or terrestriall benedictions, but should be restored: for this had bene little, and in comparison as nothing. But it signifieth a suspition, and mistrust of the losse of all Gods louelove, a putting out of his protection, a reiecting or casting off to wrath and eternall damnation. For the eyes of God, being taken in good part in the Scripture, do still import his fauour, and in his fauour is life, and happinesse, and felicitie spirituall and celestiall.Deut. 11.10.12. Moses saith of the land of Canaan, that it was not as the land of Egypt from vvhence they came, that is a place hatefull to him, inhabited with idolaters, but the eyes of the Lord God are alwaies vponupon this, that is to say, his gracious louelove, from the beginning of the yeare, euen vntounto the end of the yeare. 1. Reg. 9.3.So God promiseth to Salomon, in behalfe of the Temple at Ierusalē, I hauehave hallowed this house (which thou hast built) to put my name there for euer, and mine eyes and my hart shal be there perpetually, that is my most kind blessing, & the presence of my grace.Psal. 31.22. So Dauid, I said in my hast I am cast out of thy sight, that is, I am depriued of thy sweete assistance. And in another place,Psal. 34.15. The eyes of the Lord are vponupon the righteous. As much as he doth tender them, and cherish them with his prouidence. It is the feare of our Prophet, lest the kindnesse of his maker, wherewith he had embraced him, should be vtterly taken from him, and now nothing but hell fire and brimstone should remaine for him, to plague him in another world.
4 The heauinesse of the hand of God, which had followed after him with that rigour: the multiplicitie of his punishment, by a tempest while he was in the ship, by drowning in the sea, and by imprisonment in the whale, the horrour of his transgression, and disobedience toward his God, the remembraunce of that grace before, from which he was now fallen, of a Prophet to become a runnagate, do so amate his heart, that when he thinketh of himselfe, he resolueth as a despairing abiect, that he hath no fellowship in the inheritance of Gods Saints, but that as an outlaw, he was quite to be secluded from the couenant. So that now either he supposeth, that he belongeth not to Gods election, and that he had neuer bene booked, in the register of those Saints, which were appointed vntounto life, or that the Lord as a man doth varie and repent, and had altered his purpose concerning him. The first was against himselfe, to thinke himselfe to be a reprobate, appointed and predestinated before hand vntounto euill. And how wofull a thought was that, to perswade his soule, that nothing belonged vntounto him but damnation? The second was against the Highest, that his counsels should depend vponupon our mutabilitie, as if his eternall purpose and decree, which is from euerlasting, were tyed to our well doing, and did not much rather dispose vsus, and inable vsus to do well, Whomsoeuer he ordaineth to the kingdome, he doth teach the way to that kingdome. Christ Iesus who is the life,Ioh. 14.6. is also the way: he that giueth the one, graunteth the other. Where he intendeth to bestow the end, there he doth first bestow the meanes,Ephes. 1.4. which shall leade to that end. We are chosen not being holy, but that we should be holy. God then contemplating in himselfe, his counsell which is immutable, retaineth still his secret purpose, and whom he hath once cho…en, that man he chooseth euer.Iohan. 13.1. Whome he loueth, he loueth to the end, neither doth he for euermore cast one of his little ones out of his sight.
5 Then it is a wrong opinion, either of the Papist teaching, or the Prophet here mistrusting, that any of Gods faithfull ones,1. Sam. 19.24 can be finally cast away. Saule may hauehave a spirite of Prophecie, and Iudas another spirit of doing miracles, and both of these may come to naught: but where the spirite of adoption, that spirite of sanctification, hath once made his residence, it doth euer inhabite there. The child of God shall be brought to repentance, and acknowledgement of his fault, to confession and contrition, and faith and hope and glorie, through many seas of temptation, and downefals of despaire, through Vrias his death with Dauid,2. Sam. 11.17 Matth. 26.70 through denying of Christ with Peter. Either youth or age, life or death, in him that is elected, shall apprehend the promises.Mat. 20.5.6. Be it the ninth houre, or the eleuenth houre, yet there shall be a time. The Eternals beneplacitum, shall hauehave his effect vndoubtedly. And although that holy man Moses,Exod. 32 32. Rom. 9.3. can desire to be razed out of Gods booke, rather then his people should perish, and Saint Paule wisheth that he might be accursed, to saue those which were his countreymen in the flesh: yet this shall but shew their great zeale, and louelove vntounto their brethren, as also their earnestnesse for Gods glorie, which they thought might more appeare by sauing of a multitude, then by their priuate safetie: but this tainteth not Gods decree, who will certainely make vp his worke, wheresoeuer he beginneth it. And if the Spirit of the Almightie, doe in some places of the Scripture,Psal. 69.28. speake of blotting out of that booke, which is the booke of life, this is not by and by to be taken literally, but that God therein doth frame himselfe to our capacitie, as sometimes in like sort he attributeth a foote or hand, or eare or eye, to his owne diuine Maiestie. In all which, & other places of the same qualitie,Origen. contra Celsum. lib. 7. the speech of Origene is most true, that as the most ciuill man if he were to goe among Barbarians, (as suppose the Moores or Tartarians) had neede to learne the language of that people, if he meane to speake vntounto them, or do any good among them, so when the Lord would teach vsus in the Scriptures, he contempereth his phrases to our capacitie, and speaketh to vsus in our owne toung. And this he doth in the case in question, resoluing by the speech of wiping out of Gods booke, an assurednesse that they shall neuer hauehave anie portion in the fellowship of eternitie. But if it seemed vntounto anie, that they were likely to be of the number of the elect, yet that seeming should be frustrate. Notwithstanding, the purpose of his good pleasure, in truth is neuer varied.
6 Then whosoeuer is once growne vntounto that measure of faith, that vponupon a setled knowledge, he can meditate in himselfe of Gods true louelove toward him, and can satisfie his owne soule, not with a foolish lightening, or hastie fond perswasion, (which may befall an hypocrite, or temporarie beleeuer) but with a resolued confidence, that his God is his father also, and dareth to cry Abba,Rom. 8.15. father; that he is sealed vp by his maker, against the day of redemption; that he is one of that number, whome Christ hath bought with his bloud; that whether he liue or dye, yet euermore he is the Lords; that neither death nor life, 38nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, no that neither hell nor diuell shall be able to separate him, from the louelove of God, which is in Christ Iesus our Lord, this man neede not stand in feare of casting out of Gods sight, or perishing from his fauour. And if that his sinne, or Satan sometimes suggest the contrarie, or his owne heart do discourage him, this is but a temptation, which notwithstanding must be strongly resisted, with heartie and earnest prayer. For the infallible word of God hath taught vsus to say with Saint Paule, if God be on our side, 31what matter vvho be against vsus? And God iustifieth: 33vvho shall condemne? And with Saint Iohn in his first Epistle:1. Ioh. 5.13.…5.19. Heb. 6.11. foreign. I vvrite those things that ye may knovv that ye hauehave eternall life, And vve know that he heareth vsus, And vve know that vve are of God. We doe not rest vponupon our selues this full certaine perswasion, this assurednesse of hope, for that were to build on the sand, that were to leane on a reede, which breaketh and the splints thereof do run into the hand: but we stay it vponupon the power of God, and on the louelove of our Christ, from the hands of whom, none are able to plucke that away, which they hauehave chosen. In confidence of this, a man may be bold to say, although I be sicke yet God is mighty: although I be weake yet Christ is strong: looke what is too light in my flesh, that his Spirit doth make vp. His grace is sufficient for me.2. Cor. 12.9. Bernard. de 7. misericordijs. Serm. 3. Charitatem adoptionis, veritatem promissionis, potestatem redditionis. I dare to say with Saint Bernard (and it is an excellent saying,) Three things I consider vvherein my hope doth consist, the louelove of his adoption, the truth of his promise, the power of his performance. Novv let my foolish cogitation murmure as long as it vvill, saying, Who art thou, or knowest thou hovv great that glorie is, or by vvhat merites thou hopest to obtaine it? And I vvill aunswer boldly, I knovv vvhom I hauehave trusted, and I am assured that in very great louelove he adopted me, and that he is true in his promises and able in his performance: for he can do vvhat he vvill. This is that strong foundation whereon we may build safely: this is the stay of a Christian, vntounto the measure whereof, if any shall find that yet he hath not attained, let him pray to God to enlarge his knowledge and vnderstanding. But let vsus most firmely hold this, that whom he hath once chosen, to a true feeling of his grace, he doth neuer vtterly cast them away, from his sight and good fauour. This then was the fault of our Ionas, and argued in him great infirmity, when he broke foorth into this passion which sauoured so of desperation. And so much of this matter.
Yet vvill I looke againe toward thy holy Temple.
7 You hauehave now seene him at the worst: for worse he could not well be; a prisoner in a straunge dungeon, without light, without company, without comfort in a whales belly, so disquieted in his anguish, that he accounteth himselfe a reprobate, and inheritour of hell fire. He had bene a wofull man if he had stayed here, disgraced and left by his Sauiour: but as his soule was departing, he fetcheth it backe againe with a sigh and gaspe of faith. He plucketh in the reine of his owne heart; he giueth the checke to himselfe; he recouereth in the instant, when he was in the pits mouth, ready to sinke eternally. This sheweth that in former time he had bene vsed to temptation: being practised in Gods seruice, he knew well what belonged to faith, when he did so soone apprehend it. He was not ignorant that he had offended, and offended a fearefull God; yet such a one as would hauehave compassion vponupon a repenting sinner. This griefe of his, was sustained by a trust in Gods free promises, who hath sayd, that if the wicked will returne from all his sinnes that he hath committed, Ezech. 18.21.22.and keepe all his statutes, and do that which is lawfull and right, he shall surely liue, and shall not dye. All his transgressions that he hath committed, shall not be mentioned vntounto him. The two wings of faith and repentance, do mount him vp into heauen, euen from the gates of hell. His faith kept him from blasphemy, that in the heate of his extremity, he had still a mind to God: which maketh him speake vntounto him, not as the despairing miscreant, whose maner is to speake of God in the third person, not to God; he hateth me, he plagueth me, he detesteth me, he doth not louelove me, which words argue no hope remaining; but in his bitternesse he turneth his speech vntounto the Lord, I am cast away from thy sight, I will looke againe to thy Temple, so in want of hope shewing a hope, a confidence in a diffidence. This is the fruite of beleeuing the sweete mercy of our Sauiour, that in the day of sorest triall, it is able to keepe vsus vpright, who else should fall downe groueling. As a ship without his ballace, is tilted & tossed at sea, and cannot endure the waue, so is that soule right vnstable, and eueryevery houre apt to perish, which hath not faith in temptation. It is written of the Cranes, that when they do intend in stormy and troublesome times,Solinus cap. 15. to flye ouer the seas, fearing lest by the blasts of the wind, their bodies which be but light, should be beaten into the sea, or kept from the place whither they be desirous to go, they swallow some sand, and little stones into their bellies, whereby they are so moderately peized, that they are able to resist the wind. While we do crosse this troublesome world of sinne and great temptation, it is faith which must be our ballace, it is faith which must preserue vsus equably vpright, or recouer vsus when we are going. Now it stood the Prophet in steede, in the bottome and depth of misery; to hauehave feeling what belonged to beleeuing vponupon the Lord.
8 This beleefe inferred repentance, which is acceptable in great measure to our most gracious father. As he scorneth not the weake man falling, so he embraceth him that riseth; which point Nouatus and his fellowes, with their hard harts did deny. If the prodigall sonne can say,Luc. 15.21. good father I hauehave sinned against heauen and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne, he runneth to him, and falleth on him, and kisseth him as his beloued. He liketh in vsus a sorrow for that wherein we hauehave faulted.Hieronimus Epistol. 65. Secunda post naufragium tabula est culpam simpliciter confiteri. It was a good speech of Saint Hierome, to call repentance after sinne, by the name of a second boord, or planke after a shipwracke. In a wracke at sea, a boord oftentimes doth saue a man from drowning, by his lying fast thereupon. But if he be beaten by the violence of the waue, from this first planke, and be now floating in the water; if a second by some accident be affoorded him, and he can keepe him fast thereto, it setteth him free from all daunger. It is more then apparant that we hauehave suffered a wracke, and are diuing in the sea of sinne and desperation, euen ready still to be drenched. The first table which releeueth vsus, is the Sacrament of Baptisme, which by the bloud of Christ washing vsus, and for the couenants sake, doth acquite vsus from the guilt of originall sinne: from the which if we be beate off, by the force of actuall crimes, the second planke is repentance to be caught at, which if we hold fast and do not leaue, it will bring vsus into the hauen of blessed and quiet rest. Then let vsus euermore call vponupon God, to bestow vponupon vsus this compunction of hart, that since eueryevery day we fall, we may dayly rise againe, and not sinke vnderunder our burthen.
9 The weake Prophet now leaning on these two such assured staues, first sorowing, then beleeuing, doth raise himselfe vp with a correction: that although he had sayd before, that he was cast away from Gods sight, yet he will not leaue it so: he will not giuegive ouer there, but once againe he will looke vntounto Gods holy Temple.Hieron. in Ionae. 2. Once againe I will see Hierusalem, and the place of thy true worship. Which words as Hierome noteth, do either import a confidence, and hope that it should be so, or a wish that so it might be. And in the Hebrew the future tense which is vsed in this place, is very frequent for wishing. Both shew a will to the Temple: by which some vnderstand the whole seruice of God, circumcision, and the sacrifices, and the expounding of the Law, or whatsoeuer else was of speciality, in the tabernacle of the Lord; so taking one for the other, the place for the duties in it, making that which was so eminent, as the matter, and the obiect of his confidence and faith. He certainely had a mind, not to dye there where he was, as vnprofitable, and in a place so obscure, but openly to honour God whom he had so dishonoured before: and therefore now he was desirous, in conspicuous manner to draw other to his obedience. But of all places, he chooseth the Temple to do the deed, because that was the house where God had put his name, who although he be eueryevery where,Enter praesenter, Deus hic & vbique po…enter. by his being and presence and power, yet he was more apparantly conuersant there, by his speciall grace. This did make that house and city, to be counted an holy mansion, the very ioy of the earth, the beauty of the world, the glory of all nations, the pallace of the great king, the delight and paradise, and garden of the Highest. There was the Arke of the Couenant, the Tables of the Testimony, the Cherubins and the Mercy-seate, all being straunge things of much excellency: but the summity of all happinesse, was the residence of Gods fauour there.
10 All which how much the faithfull esteemed and accompted of, Dauids example may teach vsus, who when there was but a Tabernacle, whose beauty was much inferiour to the magnificent Temple of Salomon, so grieued that himselfe in his flights and persecutions, was hindered from assembling within those courts of the Lord, that he witnesseth for his owne part, that neuer heart did so bray, Psal. 42.1.to find the brooke of water, as his hart and conscience did thirst for that place; yea his teares did trickle downe, to thinke that he might not come there. And elsewhere he complaineth,Psal. 84.3. that the sparrow and the swallow were happy, being compared to him, for they might come to the Altar, to make their nest neare about it; but leaue to do that was denied vntounto him. But afterward, when Salomon had erected his famous house to the Lord; that had many extraordinarie blessings granted to it, at the time of the dedication: when God witnessed by his presence, that he heard the requests of Salomon, among which these were some,1. Reg. 8 37. that if famine, or plague, or any other affliction, did vexe the hearts of the Israelites, and they thē came into that Temple, and there prayed to be deliuered from that crosse,44.46. the Lord would remooue it from them. Yea if they were out of their owne land, either going against their enemies, or captiues in other countries, if they turning their faces about to the coastward of this house, should either pray for victorie, or for release from their captiuitie, their God would graunt it vntounto them. The Iewes afterward obserued this, euermore in the earnestnesse of their prayer in what land soeuer they were, turning them toward the Temple: not tying superstitiously the power of God to that place, but knowing that the same house was not erected in vaine. And witnessing withall, their obedience vntounto the Lord, and to men the constancie of their profession, who held that place as the seale of the Lords assured protection ouer them.Dan. 6.10. So when Daniel in Chaldaea would pray, he set his windowes open toward Hierusalem, to the hazard of his life. And truely the maiestie, and great fame of the place was such,Agg. 2.4. that when the second Temple, which was a farre meaner matter, was raised vp, the Princes of the earth which were of the very Gentiles, did repute it and esteeme it a thing most holy. The regard which was borne to that sanctuarie,Ioseph. Antiquit. 11.8. & 12.2. & 14.8. by Alexander the great, sometimes king of the Macedonians, by Ptolomeus Philadelphus, by Pompey the great Romane, some wherof did there offer sacrifice, as it is testified by Iosephus, and the coming vp of the Eunuch of Candace the Queene of Aethiopia,Act. 8.27. who resorted thither of purpose for to worship, do make this very plaine vntounto vsus. Then our man (who sometimes had bene a Prophet, and of likely hood had gone vp to Hierusalem to do his deuotions,1. Reg. 12.27 contrarie to the custome of the Israelites in his time) had great reason to bethinke himselfe of this place.
11 The doctrine to be deriued vntounto vsus from hence, is this, that since in substance we are inheritours of that faith, which the Israelites and Iewes did holde, and in steade of their Temple, hauehave the Churches of the Christans, which are places seuered to Gods seruice, & for the assembly of his Saints, and the gathering together of his people, that we therefore should beare the like affection to these, as they did to that house, and this so much the rather, because the substance is here, when there was but the shadow; there the figure, but here the truth, there sacrifices made of beasts, here the true Lambe Iesus Christ. We should therfore resort to these Sanctuaries with greedinesse, euen as to the type of heauen: we should ioy to be there, and see all other there whom we louelove: and a Christian man loueth eueryevery man.Ioh. 2.14. Matth. 21.13. Luc. 2.36. Act. 3.1. Christ did frequent the Temple: he called it an house of praier: Anna that widow so much cōmended, liued in the Tēple: the Apostles came to this: and after that Christ was ascended, the holy men who were in the time of the Primitiue Church, did reioyce to see the Oratories, and places of deuotion, which were built in honour of Christ. They knew that if the priuate prayers, or lifting vp of the hands of one man, were acceptable to the Lord, thē the voyce of a multitude, making their requests ioy…tly together, would more sound in the eares of God. If the Sauior hath made a promise to be in the middle of them,Matth. 18.20. where two or three are gathered together, with what an eye of cōpassion, is he present to looke vponupon hundreds, or thousands of his, assembled into one place? Then let vsus account it our happinesse, that we may ioyne our prayers vntounto a great congregation, which God denieth to his best children, in the time of persecution, and of banishment, & great sicknesse: and let vsus presse to this place, as to that where bread is broken, which is the very food of life. For herein God giueth a most approoued argument of his louelove, that we are not forced to runne from this sea to another,Amos. 8.12. from this land vntounto that, so to enioy this blessing: but we need no more but euen step out of doores, it is so brought home vntounto vsus. And let vsus each man exhort that brother of his, who yet wanteth vnderstanding, to hasten vntounto this banket: for it is a good token of more grace which is afterward to follow, when men come to this place, although it be for other purposes. God catcheth them vponupon the sudden;August. Cō fess. 5.13.14. the hooke is fastened in them, before themselues be aware. Austen came with another mind to heare Saint Ambrose preach; it was to obserue his words, and his eloquence, and the manner of his gracious deliuery (for Ambrose was an eloquent and sweete man) but at length the matter of his Sermons tooke him, and made him a good Christian. So mighty Gods word is; and hearing is the meanes to bring men vntounto faith,Rom. 10.17. Chrys. in Iohan. Homilia. 52. by which faith, they are saued; and this is the place of hearing. If any man, sayth Chrysostome vponupon Iohn, do sit neare to a perfumer, or a perfumers shop, euen against his will he shall receiue some sauour from it: much more shall he who frequenteth the Church, receiue some goodnesse from it.
12 Then they are much to be blamed, who do willingly and of purpose, absent themselues from this place, be they either the stiffe and stubburne recusants, whose fancy and refractary will, is called by the name of conscience: who being inuited to the Supper of the Lambe, yet keepe themselues away, and therefore according to Christs parable,Luc. 14.23. are well compelled by the Magistrate to come in. It is a most blessed compulsion, for a man to be driuen to truth, for a woman to be forced to heauen. Or be it the idle person, who preferreth his rest and sleepe, before his owne soules saluation.Isay. 29.13. Ambros. in Psal. 219. Serm. 19. In which case he is worse then the Iew, of whom (as Ambrose well obserueth) the Prophet sayth, that he honoureth God with his lips, although his heart be farre from him. The Iew did yeeld his speech, and the Iew did yeeld his presence, & seemed to giuegive some countenance to the word, but this slouthfull man commeth not so farre. Or be it the ancient Donatist, or Rogatian, in times past so peeuishly bent, who abstained from the assemblies of all other men whatsoeuer, which were not of his opinion, and tied to a small corner in Africa, that Catholike Church, which is so farre diffused ouer all the face of the earth. Vincentius one of their company, is iustly reprooued by Saint Austen,Psal. 72.19. because when the Lord had sayd that all the earth should be filled with his maiesty, Amen, Amen, so be it, so be it, August. Epist. 48.for so it is in the Psalme, he would sit at Cartenae, some meane place belike in Africa, and with ten perhaps of his Rogatians, which yet remained with him, would say Non fiat, non fiat, that it should not be so. Or be they our new Barrhoists, sprong from the seede of the Donatists, who because they conceiue, that some spots & spotted men, do yet remaine within the Church of England, they single themselues from vsus, by a schismaticall rent.Cantic. 1.4. They forget that the spouse is blacke, while she remaineth on earth, that in the field where the best seede is said by Christ to be sowne,Matth. 13.24. tares spring vp as well as wheate; and both must grow together vntill the day of haruest. That in the wombe of Rebecca, which was a good figure of the Church, is Esau as well as Iacob,Genes. 25.23. which cannot be discerned, vntill the time of their birth. And this birth is the iudgement. What a holy and wise saying is that, which Austen hath in this behalfe, We suffer many in the Church, August. Epist. 48. In Ecclesia nonnullos toleramus quos corrigere vel punire non possumus.whom we can neither correct nor punish. But yet for the chaffes sake, we do not forsake the threshing floore of the Lord; nor for the bad fishes sake, do we breake the nets of the Lord, nor for the goates which are to be seuered in the end, do vve leaue the flocke of the Lord, nor for the vessels made to dishonour, do vve flit out of the house of the Lord. Let the spirite of singularitie, carie these mē in our time, headlong while it will, but let vsus louelove the publike meetings of the faithfull, the sacraments duly administred, the word sincerely taught, the deuotions vttered here. Let vsus hold it our ioy and crowne, that we may so come together; that we may not onelyonly with our Prophet here, looke toward the temple, but that if we will, our feet may stand in the gates of Ierusalem.Psal. 122.2. We do sinne against our soules, when by a fancie we debarre our selues, from the fellowship of the faithfull, and communion of Gods Saints. And so now leauing this, let vsus come vntounto the third thing, which was at the first proposed by me, and that is the grieuous conflict which Ionas here sustained.
The combat of the Prophet.
13 And what can be straunger to a man at first sight, then that he, who late before was the Prophet of the Highest, and therefore much in his grace, acquainted with his counsels, and purpose concerning Israel, where he had long preached, one neere about his God, should now with such a horrour, as a despairing person, be vp, and then downe; be at the first so distrustfull, although afterward resolued. But the remembrance of that fauour which he before enioyed, doth deiect him the more; that after so large measure of Gods bountifulnesse toward him, he shold be vnthankfull. For now his conscience cryeth out against him, that he was most vnworthie to hauehave any part in the Redeemer, who had turned from him so wilfully. Now he breatheth out displeasure and indignation against himselfe. So fearefull a thing is sinne: it doth so wound the soule. Hence great fights do oftentimes arise vntounto the faithfull, where the flesh armed with desperation, layeth on loade euen to destruction; but faith holdeth out a buckler, wherewith she wardeth the blowes. Notwithstanding betweene the one and the other, there is a combat hardly fought out, much ebbing and much flowing, much rising and much falling, that the waues are not so various, as the thoughts of this sufferer are; disputing pro and con, acquiting and condemning. Whereunto at the last a victorie commeth, but it is with great difficultie in the meane while, the inward man and the outward, the spirit and the flesh most vehemently wrastling. Now as Saint Iames hath told vsus:Iacob 1.12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: he that striueth, and standeth, and in the end cōquereth, shall not loose his reward. But in the meane time it maketh the weake one, the tender and sickly conscience to droope and be discouraged, so that being heated violently, he thirsteth after comfort. In which case, since God himselfe is so farre from despising the broken and contrite heart,Psal. 51.17 that in very truth, he doth louelove it; and Christ for his part came for that purpose, not to breake the brused reed,Matth. 12.20 nor to quench the smoking flaxe, we are in exāple of thē both (the father & the word) to bind vp the broken, & to seeke out that which is perishing.
14 Then to speake to this argument, whosoeuer thou art, that gronest vnderunder this heauie burthen, strengthen thy feeble knees, & resume thy decaying spirits. If the motions of thy mind be fearefull beyond measure, yea vnfit to be spoken, and vttered by thee, so that thou art ashamed euen to name them, as, that Gods being is not certaine; that the Scriptures may be doubted of, that Christ was not the Messias & Sauiour of the world that thy sins shal not be forgiuē thee; that thou belōgest not to Gods electiō; that the promises of his merciemercy appertain to other mē, but are not true in thee; that thy best way were to dispatch thy selfe of thy life, by some fall, or a knife, or by drowning, or otherwise, since thou art but a forlorne person, and a castaway in Gods sight, (which is a most fearefull and vncomfortable thought,) yet vnderstand that these suggestions and a thousand more of that kind, are but attempts of thine enemie, who would willingly rush vponupon thee: but know that thou herein art not alone, such co…flicts are very common. The Prophets and the Apostles, the best Saints of God hauehave endured them.Iob. 3.1. How great was Iobs extremitie, when he cursed the day of his birth, and being vnpatient and vnruly, he satisfieth not himselfe againe and againe to curse it? In what a case was Dauid, when he seemed to feare vtter perdition?Psal. 51.11. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me. He speaketh as if he doubted of his election. It was not well with him, when he distrusted God in his promises, daring to say vnaduisedly in the midst of his distresses, that all men were lyers, that was, eueryevery one of them who did tell him,Psal. 116.10. and that from the mouth of Samuel, the true Prophet of the Lord, that he should be the king ouer Israel. How was Ieremie on his knees,Ierem. 20.14 when he cursed and fretted bitterly, and wished that he had neuer bene, or would that he had bene slaine at his first entring into the world? How was Elias troubled, when he cryed,1. Reg. 19.4. It is enough, Lord take away my soule? How did Peter striue in himselfe,Mat. 26.75. whether he shold deny Christ or no? and imagine what he thought of it when he had done it, and wept bitterly. What disquietnesse did the pricke in the flesh bring to Saint Paule,2. Cor. 12.7.8 when it made him pray thrise, that is, very many times, that he might be deliuered from it? But how hote is his conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit,Rom. 7.24. when he termeth himselfe a wretched man, and knoweth not how to be freed from the bondage of sinne, that bodie of death. Yet at the last, to his inward consolation he remembreth himselfe, that it should be done by Christ Iesus. Now, who were dearer to God then these, who higher in his fauour, then Iob a mirrour of patience, and Dauid a man after his owne heart, and Ieremie who specially was preserued in the desolation of Ierusalem, and Elias who was taken vp into heauen with a whirle-wind, and Peter a great Apostle, & Paule the Doctor of the Gentiles? Ioyne Ionas here to the number of these, a Prophet once, and appointed to euerlasting life,Ionah. 4.8. yet in one place he would needes be dead, and in this place he thinketh that he should be damned. And as it was with these, so it is in our dayes. The Ministers of the Gospell who are employed in their calling, and know any thing in the world, hauehave manifold experience of such cases of conscience, although they speake it not to eueryevery man.
15 Some for one thing, and some for another are troubled eueryevery day: for fancies and temptations do arise a thousand waies: especially in those who are weake in mind or body, by reading or by hearing, by being too much alone, by children and by friends, by prosperitie or aduersitie, by a word spoken at aduenture, by any thing which the mind of the troubled partie doth apprehend. Where faith is not extinguished, or plucked vp by the root, but weakned for a time, as the Sunne vnderunder a cloud, is shadowed for a moment, or as fire vnderunder the ashes, is raked vp and not seene. And when it hath bene amated and discouraged for a time, then it breaketh foorth againe, and peraduenture it is then a second while dismayed,Psal. 107.26. as the ship vponupon the sea, sometimes is caried vp to the heauen, and then downe againe to the deepe: or as the winter water which freezeth in the night, and melteth in the day, and hath his intermissions, and therein many alterations. In this appeareth Gods prouidence, and his endlesse louelove in protecting, that he so ballanceth discomfort, with an equall weight of comfort, that euill and distrust doth not preuaile, but if the scale do tippe downe, it raiseth vp againe vponupon the sudden. If the challenger be on the left hand readie to defie vsus, the defendant is on the right hand as readie to maintaine vsus. If the inuader be behind vsus, the protectour is before vsus: yea if a strong armed man hauehave set-footing in our house,Luc. 11.21. a stronger then himselfe commeth, and driueth him from the possession. But he will keepe vsus thus exercised; and he doth it in great wisedome.
16 If we had not this to quicken vsus, we should yeeld our selues to securitie, & be ouergrowne with the weedes, & mosse of carelesse negligence. For as flesh saith Origen if it be not sprinkled with salt, Origen. Homil. 27. in Numeros.doth putrifie & corrupt, although there be great store of it, and that of the best, so the soule will presently grow loose and licentious, if it be not as it were salted with continuall temptations. The best would grow to be high minded, & proud in his own conceit: but by this we are much humbled. So we are made the fitter to receiue the crowne in heauen, which is for the lowly minded, & is neuer giuen to any, but to those who do get a victorie. And how can there be a conquest, vnlesse there be a fight? how a fight without an enemie? Then this life is our striuing; the other is the reward which we receiue for our striuing. Here we wrastle saith Saint Ambrose, but we are crowned elsewhere: here is the striuing, Ambros. in exhortat. ad virgines. Hic quidem luctamur, sed alibi coronamur.there the reward, here the warfare, there the wages. Therfore while I am in this world, I do yet wrastle, I do yet striue, I am yet driuen at that I may fall. But the cō fort is that which followeth, which Ambrose addeth in that place. But the Lord is mightie, who supporteth me when I am thrust at, who setteth me vp when I am slipping, who raiseth me tilting aside. This is phisike for thy sicknesse, & remedie for thy euill, whosoeuer thou art that gronest in thy soule: thou hast much readie to hurt thee, but thou hast more to helpe thee: thou hast a strong one against thee, but thou hast a stronger for thee, one who loueth thee & respecteth thee, & pitieth thee at thy need.Rom. 8.31. And if he do stand for thee, what matter who is against thee? He bringeth thee vntounto this battell, & his hand is vponupon thine enemie, to limit how far he shall vrge thee, & farther he cannot go:1. Cor. 10.13. no tempting aboue thy strength. He looketh on thee, & relieueth thee, & doth as much saith S. Austen, as cry to thee out of heauen, August. in Psal. 39. Specto vos luctamini, adiuuabo.I looke vponupon you: do you wrastle, I will helpe you: do you conquer, I will crowne you. Nay, he maketh vsus conquer; he breatheth into vsus a strength, which shall neuer be ouerborne. Well thou maiest hauehave blowes, and bruses, and shrewd brushes in the heat of thy fight, but the victorie shall be thine: floating thou shalt not sinke, encountring thou shalt not perish.
17 If he were ignorant of that case wherin thou art, then thou mightest iustly feare, and suspect his ignorance: but he conceiueth of thy infirmitie, & therefore as a father he taketh cōpassion on thee. He knoweth wherof thou art made, he remēbreth that thou art but dust. Psal. 103.14.Yea to the end that he might the better vnderstand, what thy miseries be, amidst such strong throbbes of temptation, he let his owne sonne take flesh vponupon him, who became a man clothed with mortalitie, that therein by humane practise, and not onelyonly by diuine contemplation, he might be tempted and feele assaults, and so, as the authour of the Epistle to the Hebrewes speaketh,Heb. 2.18. he might the better be able to succour those that are tempted. Now what needest thou at all to shake or quiuer, when his shield and his safegard do perpetually attend thee? The experience of things past, should encourage thee for hereafter. Remember how he hath kept thee, and cherished thee in his bosome in former times, when thou wast in daunger. That did abode good vntounto thee. He who loued thee then,1. Sam. 17 34 will louelove thee still. When Dauid had to do against Goliah, no impression wrought so forcibly with him, as recounting what he had done before. When I was a boy and kept my fathers sheepe, a Beare came and tooke a sheepe out of my flocke, and I killed that Beare: then a Lyon came and did as much, and I killed that Lyon also. Surely that Lord, which saued his seruant from the paw of the Lyon, and of the Beare, will deliuer me also from this Philistine. Bethinke thy selfe in the like. Thy God hath euer fauoured thee euen from thy mothers wombe: when thou wast not, then he made thee, when thou wast lost he redeemed thee, when thou wentest astray, he reclaimed thee: whē thou wast naked, he clothed thee, when thou wast hungrie he fed thee: he hath nourished thee and maintained thee: whē thou wast ignorant he did teach thee, and hath giuen thee some good measure of knowledge, and will to serue him: he hath admitted thee by baptisme, into the fellowship of his Saints, he hath sealed his affection toward thee, by the Sacrament of his body and his bloud; in great griefes he hath stood by thee; in anguishes he hath blessed thee; the pit hath bene open for thee, but yet thou neuer didst fall in; Satan hath gaped and roared, but yet his fangs hauehave not touched thee; in conflicts thou hast bene safe, thou hast bene preserued in combats. How fully should these sound experiments confirme thee in thy faith? how should this liuely feeling, for the delightfulnes of the ioy cōceiued therby, as it were melt thee in kindnes toward thy God? Why sholdest thou not say with Dauid,Psal. 116.12. Psal 18.1. what shall I render vntounto the Lord, for all his benefits toward me? Or I will louelove thee dearely ô Lord my strength. I will honour thee, I will embrace thee, (I want words to expresse it) I will ioy in thee, I will deuote my selfe wholly vntounto thy seruice. With thy fauour and louing countenance with thy hand and thy hart, thou hast helped me, kept me, saued me; thou hast strengthened me, raised me, blessed me, and I know that thou wilt neuer leaue me. For thou art the same God for euer, and continuest thy goodnesse daily ouer me.
18 He who hath learned these lessons, maketh true vse of the battels betweene hope and despaire, betweene the flesh and the spirit: and the farther he goeth forward, the more alwaies he doth conquer. He recounteth thus with his owne heart: God might hauehave suffered me to hauehave frozen in my dregs, to runne on to all filthines & vncleannesse with the worldlings, to hauehave died before that I had vnderstood what belonged vntounto his seruice, and so to hauehave dropped downe to hell, before that I knew what I did; but he hath dealt better by me, he hath afforded me more grace. Now he bringeth this fire of temptation, to warme me, and resolue me, but it is to good, and not to euill. I doubt not but I am his, I shall not perish finally. He slubbereth me to scoure me, he rubbeth me to make me brighter; he whetteth me to make me sharper. If I were not pressed and vrged, I should not know what he doth for me: but to releeue me when I neede, to helpe me when I am readie to drowne, to saue me when I am sinking, to quicken me when I am at deaths doore, is an argument of such fauour as he can better giuegive, then I can well conceiue. And since I hauehave these testimonies of his assured fauour, let the world allure and slily entice, let the flesh insult while it will, let Satan tempt and not spare, let doubts and thoughts & distrusts, be eger and eger againe; in life and death, either day or night; I know who it is that bought me, and payed for me with his bloud, and I know that he will not leaue me. As Saint Austen saith,August. in 17. Sermon. 8. Tom. 10. A mightie man will not lose that which he hath bought for his monie, and will Christ loose that which he hath bought vvith his bloud? I doubt not but my Ionas in his troubled meditations, did grow to these resolutions, and by thinking thereon, did shake off that his heauie passion, that he should be cast away from Gods sight. It was a liuely feeling of former mercies which made him to breake forth into so religious an insinuatiō, as if he did bleed with tendernesse and softnesse,Ionah. 2.6. calling vponupon God, ô Lord my God. Wherin he shewed so sound an hope, that although he should kill him (as Iob saith of himselfe) yet he would not leaue him,Iob. 13.15. but wold euermore trust in him: although his sin did more then abound,Rom. 5.20. yet Gods grace did superabound.
19 These words well vnderstood, and applied vntounto the cō science, may serue for eueryevery soule which languisheth with griefe taken for euill motions. But because eueryevery tender spirit, is not growne so farre in Gods schoole, and where so hard a siege is laid by Satan, there cannot be too many helpes, therefore some other remedies may be added vntounto this before named: for the describing whereof, I could wish more leisure to meditate vponupon them, and more time to vtter them, but it shall now suffice to poynt at them. Then first, when any Christian shall feele himselfe hardly laid at, let him hauehave recourse to Gods word, and the comfortable writings of other wise and learned men. There is better balme in the Scriptures, then euer was in Gilead; there is a refreshing riuer; the very well of life, which will giuegive strength to the fainting. And therein no booke more profitable then be the Psalmes of Dauid. Secondly, let him resort vntounto the temple, where the word of God is taught. Ionas did thinke of this, before all other matters. Here, that is, in the house of God, Dauid did find wholesome instruction,Psal. 73.1.17 when he was so affretted with the prosperitie of the wicked, that he had almost renounced the seruice of the Lord. How was he troubled with that conceit and could not be resolued, vntill he went into the Sanctuarie? God directeth the mouth of the preacher, that when himselfe scant thinketh of that particular fruite, he speaketh to the heart of some one man in this point, of some other in another. Thirdly, let him pray to God, both in publike and in priuate. The Lord loueth to be sought to by vsus, and it pleaseth him to be called vponupon: and in the midst of our prayer, if it be with vehement intention of our spirits, he will distill downe a deaw, of the sweet influence of his grace, that we shall arise vp more setled. Heartie and earnest prayer, what cloudes doth it not pierce, what heauens doth it not enter? Fourthly let him not feare, to impart his griefe to his friend, but especially to the minister, who is learned and feareth God. They are made for such purposes, and such things are not straunge vntounto them. Man is ordained for man, to helpe him and to comfort him, and more eyes do see better thē fewer, and what a ioy to the mind, is a word spoken in season? But the faithfull minister, of all other things doth hold this for his charge, to hearken to such complaining, to raise vp such mē lamenting.Iacob. 5.20. He that conuerteth a sinner, doth saue a soule from death, and couereth a multitude of sinnes. If that precept of Iude do belong vntounto any man,Iud. 22.23. it is vntounto him, hauehave compassion of some in putting difference, and other saue with feare pulling them out of the fire. Matth. 12.20This is to imitate Christ, who will not breake a brused reede, nor quench the smoking flaxe. This is to seeke out the lost, and to bind vp that which is broken. VntoUnto these this may be added, that it shall not a little helpe to hauehave conference with such, who in former times hauehave bene exercised with the like temptations, that out of their experience being plentifully powred out; the distressed mind may be relieued. None can speake more sufficiently, and vntounto better purpose, then he that hath felt the same fire, wherein this grieued soule is now burned. And they who are in this cafe, are not a little reuiued, to know that any other hath bene troubled like themselues, which they will hardly beleeue, thinking that none did euer beare such a burthen, as is vponupon their shoulders. Lastly, as they ought rather to remember their former deliuerances, then the griefe which presently is vponupon them: so they are rather to beleeue the speeches of other men, I meane Gods children, who come to yeeld comfort to thē, then their own troubled thoughts, which being perplexed and disquieted with frightfull imaginations, can giuegive no setled iudgement. This matter were worthie a longer speech, but I am forced here to end. Lord comfort those which are comfortlesse, and strengthen thy weake children, that they may not be so cast downe, and plunged into perdition, but that in their greatest temptation, they may retaine thee still for their Sauiour, that liuing in thy feare, and dying in thy faith, they may come to eternall glorie. To the which ô Father bring vsus, for thine owne sonne Christ his sake, to whom with thee and thy holy Spirit be glorie for euermore.