Sermons on Jonah, Lecture 12
THE XII. LECTVRE.
The chiefe poynts. 2 The circumstances aggrauating his daunger, 6. which do the more shew Gods merciemercy toward him, and other sinners. 8. Why God suffereth his to be in miserie. 9. Particular consideration doth most stirre vp our affection. 14. By fearing small crossings in doing our duties, we incurre other very great daungers. 16. All helpe is to be ascribed to God. 17. How a godly man may desire that his life may be prolonged. 20. The faithfull ought particularly to apply Gods louelove to themselues, 22. which the Church of Rome doth not.
Ionah. 2.5.6.
The waters compassed me about vntounto the soule, the depth closed me round about, and the weedes were wrapped about mine head. I went downe to the bottome of the mountaines, the earth with her barres was about me for euer, yet hast thou brought vp my life from the pit, ô Lord my God.
THe fearefull conflict which the Prophet sustained, in the verse next before going hath bene made plaine vntounto you. A passion of little lesse then distrustfull despaire, did vexe him and disquiet him for the time. From the terrour and danger wherof, being recouered by the effectuall apprehension of grace, by a liuely faith, he returneth to contemplate the perill of his body; which as it was great, in the middle of the sea, in the belly of the whale, which was irrecouerable in mans iudgement, so he seeketh to expresse it by multitude of words, repeating it, and reuoluing it with varietie of phrase, but all tending to one end; yet with such copiousnesse, especially being in so short a prayer, that a man would wonder at first, how the Spirit of God which vseth to speake pressely and briefly, so that no one word may fitly be spared, should so runne vponupon one thing, with difference of speech, but in substance all agreeing. Yet the vse of it is such, as of words fully replenished with sanctitie and holinesse, as shall appeare in his due place. In the meane time that which he saith is this.
2 First, the waters did compasse me about vntounto the soule; to the death, saith the Chaldee Paraphrase, as intending that he was now likely to be drowned, his life to depart from him, his soule to be seuered from her carnall habitation. Dauid also doth vse such vehemencie of words, Saue me ô God, for the waters are entred euen to my soule. Psal. 69.1.Neither is there any speech which more liuely discouereth the earnestnesse of that which is presently in hand, be it prayer or perill, or desire or detestation, then the name of soule doth. As the Hart brayeth for the riuers of water, so panteth my soule after thee ô God. My soule thirsteth for God. Psal. 42.1.This noteth an entire affection, and earnest desire, wherewith Dauid was mooued. As the Lord liueth, and as thy soule liueth, I will not leaue thee, saith Elizaeus to Elias. A very passionate affirmation.2. Reg. 2.2. Iacob in Genesis giueth this censure of Simeon and Leui. The instruments of crueltie are in their habitations. Gen 49.5.6.Into their secret let not my soule come. This argueth a perfect detestation. So the depth of danger is purported here, when he speaketh thus, the waters compassed me vntounto the soule; the enemie of my life, the water which hath no merciemercy, was aboue me and below me and round about me, without me and within me, that my being was death, my hope was but destruction, nothing possible vntounto me but drowning, as farre as mans wit might imagine. Secondly, the depth did close me round about. I was not in the shallow as a man in a lake, who lying downe may be stifled, but standing may be safe; but I was in the maine Ocean, which is called for the hugenesse of it, the gathering of waters, and elsewhere Tehom, a gulfe or bottomelesse pit, I was in that vastnesse,Genes. 1.10. Iob. 41.22. foreign which sometimes cannot be sounded by very long lines; I was in waters by multitudes, and there not diuing or floating vp and downe, but as closed and shut vp, as included in a sepulcher, or made fast in a prison: this deepe pit, this darke pit, this vncōfortable dungeon, had closed her mouth vponupon me.
3 Thirdly, the weedes were wrapped about mine head. The sea doth beare weedes, as well as shallow water; yea somewhere very straungely, strangely I say, that in such places as where the depth seemeth to be of incredible greatnesse, weedes should be seene in abundance, in the vpper superficies, the very toppe of the water, and that so plentifully, that in nauigation the course of ships is stayed sometimes by them. Experience hath confirmed this in the huge Atlantike sea,Leuius in nauigat. ad Bresiliam. cap. 21. as men saile to America, whereout doth grow a very strange Dilemma or Diuision, because either they be there without any rootes at all, and that is very maruellous, or because the rootes do go downe exceeding deepe in the water, which is not otherwise affoorded by nature in thinne spindie bodies. But that weedes do grow in the sea, & those of some price,Solin. cap. 8. Solinus letteth vsus know, saying that shrubs and weedes in the Ligustike sea, are those from whence our Corall commeth. Such then being in the bottome, are about the head of our Prophet:Tremel. in Ionae 2. he is wreathed and tangled in them▪ or as some do suppose, he was so fast in the water, as if he had beene tyed there; with as little hope of rising or comming vp againe. But the words here being positiue, that his head was wrapped in them, I imagine that when he sunke, & went down to the bottome, he there strugled for life, as men do that are dying, and by that meanes he was entangled in the weedes, as if some net had bespread him. And in my iudgement this cleareth that doubt, which ariseth vntounto some, in the third verse of this chapter,Ribera in Ionae. 1. where because it is reported, that he was in the very bottome in the midst of the sea, and all the waues and surges did go ouer and ouer him, they suppose the meaning of it to be, that as soone as he was cast foorth ouer shipboord by the mariners, the whale forthwith deuoured him, on which because the waues passed, and he was in the whale, he saith they went ouer him: and because the fish went downe to the bottome of the sea, the Prophet in the fish is said to do the like. Whereas this place doth rather enforce, that betweene the time of his casting foorth, and the swallowing of the whale, there was some prety little space, which in this text is insinuated.
4 Fourthly he dilateth his sorrow, by adding that he went downe, to the bottome of the mountaines. It is very likely that it was some Cape or Promontorie, which did shoote foorth from the continent or firme-land, whereof there are very many in all the sea shore neare to Iapho; both Syria and Iudea being described, to be hemmed in with mountaines. And this argueth all to be done, not very farre from the shore, because a tempest deprehended the mariners at the first, soone after that they put frō land. Or else he may meane the rockes, which being in the midst of the water, hauehave the hugenesse of prety mountaines; and this desolate man is now fallen into the clifts, or concauities, of one or other of these. He is then eueryevery way a prisoner, fast fettered in the sedge, and closed vp in the hollownesse of the mountaine which was ouer him. Thus water, and weedes, and earth, hauehave all conspired to drowne him. If otherwise he might hauehave risen, yet now the hill is vponupon him,Virgil. Aenei. 3. not fainedly as Aetna was said to be on Enceladus, but verily and indeed, not to crush him with the weight, but onelyonly to keepe him there, and detaine him till he were drowned.
5 And this he maketh more plaine vntounto vsus, in the fifth circumstance, when he saith the earth with her barres was about him, and that for euer. Barres are to make things strong, as in dores or otherwise. Then the strength of the earth had him within her keeping; euen that which Dauid doth call the pillars of the earth, I will establish the pillars of it. He was now as in a pit,Psal 75.3. fast bolted and surely kept, and as it seemed vntounto him, for euer and for euer, neuer hoping to escape, and to be freed from that daunger. He held that the doome of fearefull death, was pronounced ouer him, the sentence of dissolution and destruction, & now he is in the midst of his dolorous execution. Thus he doth paint out vntounto vsus, the abundance of his miserie, proposing himself as a wretched spectacle for the time, enuironed with such woes, as he knoweth not how to describe them. The water, that did compasse him, euen to the very soule; the depth did round beset him; the sedge was about his head; he was at the rootes of the mountaines; the great barres of the earth were closed, and made fast vponupon him. What more could a carnall man wish vponupon his enemie, if he would wish to be neuer afterward troubled with him on earth? This is the full recounting in particular, of those feares which were vponupon this sinner. Now let vsus see the vse of these words.
6 If I should be asked here, why I hauehave vsed this Paraphrasticall exposition, so much speech in a case so euident and apparant, whereas doctrine and store of matter, is more fit and acceptable to this auditorie, I must foorthwith shrowd my selfe vnderunder the Prophets shield. He thought good to write it, and I thinke not amisse to touch it: if any man shall say, vnfruitfully; he doth wrong to Gods Spirit, who throughout all the whole booke of the Scripture, hath put no one thing in vaine, although the dimme eyes of our weaknesse cannot hastily comprehend the mysterie of his meaning. The speaker then and the reader, are in this case to pray God, that he will descend and come downe vntounto them, that he will touch the heart of the one with the key of knowledge, and that he will seare the lippes of the other,Isay. 6.7. with the coale of the Seraphim. And then this shall be gathered out of it. The vehement inculcation of so many degrees of miserie, doth the more magnifie Gods great merciemercy vntounto our Ionas. The harder his necessitie was, the more welcome was Gods ayde. The more grieuous that his wound was, the greater was the cure. The more daungerous the sicknesse was, the more gracious was the healing. Beyond hope to saue, beyond thought to preserue, in a deplored state, and at a desperate pinch to succour, is an eminent grace and fauour, neuer enough recorded, neuer enough reported. My daunger was vnspeakeable, my perill was vndescribable: all hope was past and exiled; yet now in this wretched tenure, ô Lord my blessed God and euerlasting Father, thou hast brought vp my life from the pit. Now his obstinate hard affection beginneth to yeeld: this doth euen melt the heart of the Prophet in kindnesse, to see that from the bottome of millions of extremities, he was deliuered by the free grace of his maker.
7 The remembrance of this benefit, doth so stir vp his mind, in his holyest meditations, and giueth such life to his motions, that he doth not satisfie himselfe, but the more expresse his miserie, the more to extoll Gods merciemercy. He thinketh himselfe the more deepely deuoted to such a Sauiour. The lower he was deiected, the greater was his deliuerance; and the more sound his deliuerance, the more sufficient should his thankfulnesse be to the Lord. Now he seeth his God to be a God of power and maiestie, able to free from any thing. Where his creatures do depresse, there he alone can lift vp. Although the wind rage, and the sea roare, and all the earth be disquieted, yet he doth beare sway ouer them. Then we neede not despaire in the waues of wo and extremitie: if our faith be not extinguished. It is Gods greatest glorie to rid from greatest euils. Where all mans helpe is wanting, there his finger is most conspicuous. It was a good speech of Philo the Iew,Philo Iudaeus de legatione ad Caium. which he vttered on this occasion: whē that beast Caligula could be perswaded by no reason, nor by any mans intercession, but that his image must be set vp at Hierusalem, which would quickly hauehave inferred the adoration of it, and he was so earnest on it, that there was no way, but do it or dy, Philo turned him vntounto his fellowes, and bad them not be discouraged, for where mans helpe doth cease, there Gods helpe doth begin. Then it prooued so with them; and so it doth with other oftentimes: but nothing could be more euident then this, to him who wrote my text. He ioyeth that in such a downefall, he did tast of Gods kindnesse: but the particular contemplation of his heauinesse, by recounting speciall circumstances, doth wring from him more gratefulnesse, more thanks giuing.
Luc. 7.36.8 When Christ being inuited came to the Pharisees house, he had some entertainment of him, but no way to be compared with that of the woman reputed the great sinner. Shee washed his feete with her teares, and wiped them with her haire, and afterward kissed them, and annointed them with ointment. She could not content herselfe with many demonstrations of her affection toward him. The Sauiour Christ, who knew all things, did yeeld the reason of it, and that was shee loued much because much was forgiuen her. Then where much is receiued, there should be much returned. That man is very blessed, whose eyes are opened so, as to see and iudiciously behold, what it is that is done for him. The Lord oft times doth leaue vsus very farre to our selues, that we may take knowledge of our infirmitie, and then giuegive him entire and complete praise, as vntounto him belongeth. Adam was quickly fallen,Genes. 36.15. but he was not so hastily raised vp againe, by the actuall and present performance of the promised seede. Man might wrastle and struggle to get vp againe, and cast his deuises, and beate his braines long, but all would not serue.Lodouic. Viues de veritate fidei. l 2. God suffered him to languish almost foure thousand yeares, and the longer he did lye, the deeper still he did sinke. This time of long staying, was first to make man without all excuse, who if he had bene restored immediatly, peraduenture would hauehave boasted in the pride of his heart, that it had bene a needlesse labour, for God to repaire him; for as in time he had fallen, so in time he would hauehave risen, without helpe of any. Now God tooke away this exception. Secondly it was to remember man of his lamentable state, who had lyen vndeliuered so many yeares and ages, and thousands of times, and now at a desperate pinch, was set on foote againe by the free fauour of God. The opinion of which mysterie shall take deeper roote in vsus, if therein we vse our selues as Ionas did here, that is, specially recount the euill then sustained, and seuerally remember the good things now receiued. If we will say as Zacharie the father of Iohn Baptist said,Luc. 1.79. that when we sate in darknesse and in the shadow of death, a light was giuen vntounto vsus; and adde withall, that Adam had condemned vsus, and Eue had vndone vsus: our hands were polluted, our hearts were defiled, our deedes were depraued, our toungs were profaned, our thoughts were corrupted, our knowledge was decayed, our vnderstanding darkened, all the powers of our mind euen to the death were wounded: the world triumphing without, the flesh insulting within, and Satan gaping for vsus, as for a pray surely accompted of, yea hell & damnation being in vsus and on vsus: yet the riches of the merciemercy of him, who redeemed vsus by his owne precious bloud, did frustrate our enemies, did supply all our infirmities, did amend our defects, and set vsus at libertie, that nothing should be layed to the charge of vsus.
9 This sweet recapitulation, mooueth a tender conceipt in soule, & is pleasing vntounto God, who delighteth in that cōscience, which is brused with such often and ingeminated motions. It argueth a liuely feeling, & true touch in that, which is for the present thought vponupon. How doth the spouse of Christ in the Canticles, fetch backward and forward the description of her louelove? how particularly doth she speake? It is not enough to say that her welbeloued is white and ruddy, Cantic. 5.10the chiefest of ten thousand, but, his head is as fine gold, his lockes curled and blacke as a rauen: his eyes are like doues vponupon the riuers of waters, which are washed vvith milke, and remaine by the full vessels, his cheekes are as a bed of spices, and as svveet flovvers, and his lips like lillies dropping dovvne pure myrrhe. Yea she goeth forward to his hands and legs and mouth. When Ieremie in the heate of his Lamentations, was desirous to mooue commiseration at Gods hands, if it might be, he holdeth it not sufficient to say, the citie is solitarie vvhichwhich vvas lately full of people, Lament 1.1.she is novv as a vvidovv, but in speciall he doth amplifie the desolatiō of it. The fire had destroied her buildings, the sword had slaine her mightie ones, the famine had pinched her tender ones, the wals & streets and temple were ruinated and defaced; the Princes and the people, the Elders and Priests and Nazarites had lost their ancient glorie. What should I say of Dauid, when once he doth complaine then eueryevery thing is too little, and where he doth giuegive thanks there nothing is too much. In the two and twentieth Psalme:Psal. 22.14. I am like vvater povvred out, and all my bones are out of ioynt: mine heart is like vvaxe, it is molten in the middest of my bovvels, my strength is dried vp like a potsheard, and my toung cleaueth to my iavves, and thou hast brought me out into the dust of death. There he speaketh of buls & oxen, & Lyons, and dogs, and Vnicornes, for by such names he calleth his enemies that oppressed him. So when he cometh in another moode to giuegive thanks, he feareth not to speake: in the abundance of his gratefulnesse he spareth no cost to vtter it. I will name one place for all:Psal. 18.1. I vvill louelove thee dearely ô Lord my strength. The Lord is my rocke and my fortresse, and he that deliuereth me, my God and my strength, in him vvill I trust, my shield, the horne also of my saluation and my refuge. What words almost could he deuise, which he hath not here put in?
10 I would that this age of ours, which is so apt to learne all euill, could learne this one good lesson, either of Ionas here, or of the other parties whom I hauehave named, to lay vntounto the heart such things as do befall vsus, or the workes of God which we see; and then to abide and dwell vponupon them, not slightly but in serious contemplation, betweene God and our soules. But the truth is, it is farre otherwise. We are aliue and quicke in Gods businesse onelyonly, while the sharpe spurre doth pricke vsus. It is the rod which doth quicken vsus, but not so much as it should. Commonly and for the greatest part, let there come vponupon vsus weale or woe, good or euill, great blessing or small blessing, we are dull and insensible. We obserue not as we should, by amplified circumstances, what it is that is vponupon vsus. We feele the rod, but it is as men sleeping, or in a traunce: we see Gods goodnesse ouer vsus, but it is like men standing a farre off: great things do seeme but smal things to vsus. When we come to giuegive thankes, we put all in one grosse summe, and if we begin to pray, we huddle our needs together. In a word, our best laying open of our hearts before the Lord, which should be with an exquisitenesse and curiousnesse if it might be, not of words so much and of forme, but of matter and sighes and grones, and compunction and contrition, is but shuffled and scambled ouer. Lord lay not this idlenesse, and great negligence to our charge. If we come to a Phisitian, we lay open our griefe by parts; this ach is in the head, this distemperature in the stomacke, this griping is at the heart. In our marchandise or businesse committed to our seruants, we examine all from point to point. Let vsus do so in Gods benefits: it shall procure in vsus a more ingenuous acknowledgement, then we euer did imagine. One example or two to teach this.
11 This present day doth remember vsus of the birth of her,This was preached on the seuenth of September, the birth day of our Queene Elizabeth. by whom vnderunder God we do receiue a multitude of great blessings, as the free course of the Gospell, an admirable peace, prosperity and abundance. He is litle lesse then a brutish creature, or at least he is a very ill minded subiect, who hauing age and experience, doth not giuegive the Lord thankes for her. Yet in this so apparant a chaine of Gods benefits, let vsus examine it from linke to linke, and it shall wring out better motions, from him who is best minded. That the euerlasting Father should bring her to the crowne and scepter of this kingdome, through so many difficulties.Ioh. Foxus in vita Cranmeri Edit. 4. Her brother (as he supposed to preuent a greater mischiefe) denying her that prerogatiue: her sister comming betweene: and matching with that Prince, who was then held the chiefe flower of Christendome; a certaine expectation of issue being betweene them; the Spaniards thereat ioyous, as hoping thereupon to tyrannize and dominere at their pleasure. Nay yet much more then this. The Clergie giuing counsell to take away her life:Idem de periculis D. Elisabethae. Gardiner thirsting for her bloud, as a wearied man would long for water: Storie daring to say, when some each day were burnt in question of religion, that these were but the braunches, they should strike at the roote: a suspicion of strong treason against her sister, being sought to be fastened on her: imprisonment of her being procured in rigorous and hard manner: yea the very sentence of death as it is thought once being gone out against her. Yet that the Lord should deliuer her from all this, and aduaunce her to the guiding of this land and people: That he should so preserue her being a woman (and therefore by nature weake, and exceeding fearefull) in so many plots layed against her: Pope Pius with his Anathema deposing her from the Crowne,Pius 5. in Bulla sua 1569. Gregor. 13. and absoluing (if he could get vsus to beleeue him) her subiects from their obedience: Pope Gregory by the setting vp of his Seminaries, inueigling some of her owne to play some trecherous part against her; in oft-intended inuasions; in a rebellion once plainely attempted; in conspiracies of sonnes of Belial more then twenty; To bring her yet notwithstanding, to such an age of her life, to such a yeare of her raigne; and if this be too little, if we will serue God and honour him, to giuegive vsus hope that more shall be added vntounto her dayes, and by a consequent to our happinesse: To carry her who in her selfe is a mortall dying creature, apt to be broken like a glasse, yet as if she had bene borne in the bosome or hand of Angels, so that nothing hath annoyed her. This particular Analyzing or scanning of the graces of God vponupon her, will wrest from vsus a true ioy, with feeling and vnderstanding. And what wee do in her, wee may all do in our selues.
12 Let vsus runne from step to step, through Gods fauours shewed vntounto vsus.Bernard. de diligendo Deo. Tantillos & tales. Either as Barnard doth, God deserueth to be loued by vsus, because he loued vsus first, that is something; so great a God as he is, that is more; so feruently as he doth, that is yet more; and freely, vvhereas vve vvere such little ones, vvhen as vve vvere such bad ones. Or otherwise if you please. To create vsus when we were not; to make vsus men, not beasts; to redeeme vsus when we were lost, and that with so inestimable a price: among men to graunt vsus to be Christians, and not infidels, Turkes or Iewes, who are bitter enemies to his sonne: to giuegive vsus so long a life, as that we may comprehend what pertaineth vntounto his seruice: to bring vsus in place, where we may see his Sacraments to be administred, and heare his word taught: to touch our hearts with faith, and an earnest desire of perseuerance, to fill our consciences with spirituall ioy, and comfort in his promises; in sickenesse to stand by vsus; in aduersitie to vphold vsus; in temptation to strengthen vsus. All this should make our hearts pant,Psal. 116.12. Genes. 32.10. and say with Dauid, What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefites toward me? or with the Patriarke Iacob, I am not vvorthie of the least of all thy mercies, and all the truth, vvhichwhich thou hast shewed vntounto thy seruant. So to thinke, when other begge, that we might begge likewise: when we see other depriued of their sences or common vnderstanding, to remember that the same might bee our portion; or banishment, or imprisonment, or bondage and captiuitie. But there is a Lord in heauen, who hath dealt otherwise with vsus, and giuen vntounto vsus a maintenance from our cradle, clothing vntounto our backe, and bread vntounto our belly, yea peraduenture to come from state of necessity, to such a condition, as rather to be able to giuegive, then to take, to helpe, then to be helped. We may go on in these meditations. When euill hath beene conspired, when mischiefe hath bene contriued, then he hath affoorded vsus that fauour, as to go on the thornes vnpricked, to walke in the fire vnburnt. When slaunders and defamations hauehave bene deuised, and such complaints made and suggested against vsus, yet all hath vanished as the smoke, and in the vprightnesse of a good conscience, we hauehave gone quite vntouched, as if no such thing had befallen vsus. What sweete thoughts should this worke? what passions of admiration? what embracings of Gods mercies? He who knoweth this and performeth it, doth make true vse of that which befalleth him, in crossing ouer the troublesome sea of this world, and in passing through this wretched vale of misery.
13 I beate this point the more, as partly to demonstrate that these words of my text, which seeme to vsus so barren, are not altogether without their fruite; yea if nothing else should be gathered from them, but that which I hauehave already taught (although I doubt not, but another man might find some other doctrine in them, as God doth giuegive diuerse conceipts to diuerse of his seruants.) So againe to draw each of vsus to a speciall consideration, of that good or that euill, which hath or doth fall vponupon vsus. It is a very dull age, euen the dotage and last time of the world, wherein we do now liue: our memory is decayed, by reason of the heauinesse of our spirits, and the earthinesse of that corruptible carcasse, which hangeth so fast vponupon vsus. Then we had neede be wakened with often and loud remembrances, that as drop after drop doth pierce the hardest stone, so thought after thought may make our dead heart to be plyable. This is the course of our Prophet, by manifold repetitions of the dangers wherein he was, to acknowledge the Lords ayde, to be so much the more ouer him; and himselfe the more beholding, the more bound and deuoted to such full mercies on him. Great louelove requireth a great measure of returning retribution, if that possibly may be; if not that, yet of consideration, and earnest contemplation, and acknowledgement to the vttermost. Take Ionas here for an example of behauiour in like daunger. This was my case, this my state, this my forlorne hope of rising, yet thou hast brought my life from the pit, ô Lord my God. This word yet commeth with an Emphasis, which confesseth that his helpe came more welcome. But before that I speake of his restoring, one little note more from hence.
14 The daunger whereinto Ionas was fallen, being thus expressed by himselfe, and that with so sensible a feeling, might recall into his mind, the vanitie and folly of his former feare, which was, that when by the Lord he was appoynted to go to Niniueh,Ion. 1.3. he would needes vntounto Tarshish. I shewed in the third verse of the first chapter, that among some other reasons, the feare of daunger might make him change his course. It might hauehave bene, that in Niniue he should hauehave bene much disgraced, it might hauehave bene quite despised, perhaps by the king imprisoned, peraduenture put to death.Terentius. Ego in portu nauigo. It was best for him to escape all this; good sailing in the hauen; good sleeping in a whole skinne. The safest way were to make sure work, and not to come there at all. But what a chaunge did he make? He feared a little hurt, and now he hath a great deale. He suspected, that onelyonly one thing might annoy him, and now he hath found another. Nay in truth for eueryevery ten, he doth receiue a thousand. Before, he did distrust that his body might hauehave smarted; now body and soule pay for it. Before he might hauehave had some man perhaps his enemie, but God his friend assured: now not so much as any man is his friend, and God like to a furious enemie doth chase him, and make after him. In this sort, such who in the Lords causes will not depend vponupon him, but in their imagination cast great perils to themselues, thinking to auoid those by declining from their dutie, in that their turning away, do plunge themselues into greater daungers. They thinke that they flye from a dogge, and they turne them vponupon a cockatrice. They hope to escape a blow, and receiue a deadly wound. They imagine to saue a finger, and are pierced to the heart.1. Sam. 15.9. Saule would not displease the people, by killing the king of Amelek, but he displeased the Lord, which was a higher matter. He was vnwilling to loose so much cattell,Ioh. 19.12.13 but he lost his crowne and his life. Pilate would not offend the Emperour: what? spare him who was said to be the king of the Iewes? but he plucked on himselfe the anger of the great king, and Emperour of the heauens. This is a fault too common among the sonnes of men, to dread that which is litle, and to passe by that which is more;Matth. 23.24 to make a strayning at a gnat, and to swallow vp a whole Camel. It is an excellent saying, which Chrysostome hath to this purpose:Chrysost. in Psal. 48. Personas timent hominésque saccis indutos. It is a point of extreme madnesse, to stand in feare of those things which are not to be feared, but to laugh at such matters as in truth are dreadfull. In this saith he, men do differ from children, that these (as not hauing their vnderstanding perfect) do feare vizards, and men clothed with sackes, but thinke that it is nothing to reuile their father or their mother, and they leape into the fire or touch candles which are burning, but they quake at some noyses which are not to be feared. But men do care for none of all these things. If we looke vponupon our selues, and sift our hearts as we ought, we shall find our selues in the number of these babies and silly infants, when we make much scruple of some trifles, but respect not an higher dutie, and so to escape the raine, we runne our selues into the riuer.
15 What is more common amongst vsus, then when we are in hope of preferment, to feare this or that crosse? the anger of this mightie man, or of that noble woman? If their names be but vsed, or their letters be procured, although vponupon wrong information, yet if they be induced to mooue something inconuenient, or scandalous, or amisse, (be it neuer so much against the will of the writer, for that he wanteth true notice) do we not more feare to faile their vniustly extorted motion, then wee dread the Lords displeasure, or the great account which one day we must yeeld for our selues, when no Prince of the earth shall be able to protect vsus? Thus for mens sakes we leaue God, (for so it may be termed, when we decline from iustice, and that which should be done) and when we thinke that we hauehave dealt most subtilly and most wisely, Gods finger is vp against vsus, and ouerturneth all our pollicies. Yea peraduenture he whom we hauehave serued, or she whom we hauehave feared, by the motion of the Spirit of the Lord, is made a rodde to whip vsus, considering that we hauehave dishonoured them, in making them the authors of vnfit actions; or else that person for some worldy respect, is drawne away from our purpose, and so the hope of our labour is frustrated and made nothing. And then this wound remaineth vponupon our conscience, that we hauehave done this and this, which our heart did tell vsus was vntoward and indirect, or at the least to be doubted. And what a griefe is it to vsus, to hauehave such a worme within vsus, fretting and gnawing on vsus? The way to preuent all this, is euermore to looke on Gods feare, and his precise commandement, and not to swarue from that, and then he whome we sincerely serue, will either send vsus the fruite of our desires, or patience in the contrarie. The kings heart is in the hand of the Lord, Prou. 21.1.as the riuers of waters: he turneth it vvhither so euer it pleaseth him: Then how much more the hearts of other inferiour persons? If he thinke that it be fit for vsus, where-about we go, he will send it vsus; but when he pleaseth: if not, his will be done. OnelyOnly this is our comfort, whether that come or not, the bird is safe in the bosome: sorrow shall not vpbraide vsus, that wee hauehave feared men more then the eternall God: that we hauehave for the pleasure of any, made shippe-wracke of a good conscience, or very farre aduentured toward it. Take heede then by the Prophet, that in seeking to flye such harme as is but imaginarie, or little in comparison, we do not runne our selues by offending of the Lord, into daunger which is ineuitable. Now goe we a little forward.
Yet thou hast brought my life from the pit.
16 The common translation hath in the future tense,Vulg. edit. Subleuabis de corruptione vitam meam. Tremelius & Anglica editio Geneuensis. Act. 17.28. Psal. 40.1. thou wilt lift vp my life. The Septuagint, let my life ascend from corruption. The Chaldee Paraphrase, it is readie, or but a small thing vntounto thee, to bring me from corruption. The best do translate it by the time that is past, thou hast brought my life from the pit, or corruption. He ascribeth all to God as moouing in him, and liuing in him, and in him hauing his being. So the faithfull do euermore. I wayted saith Dauid patiently for the Lord, and he enclined vntounto me and heard my crye. He brought me also out of the horrible pitte, out of the mire and clay, and set my feete vponupon the rocke, and ordered my goings. A gracious God, who can strike vsus and can heale vsus; can foile vsus & can raise vsus. He whippeth vsus by number, & scourgeth vsus by measure, and when we turne vntounto him, he will quicken vsus and reuiue vsus, from death and the gates of hell. Ionas sinning is punished: Ionas crying is helped. While stubburnnesse is on him, downe must his proud heart: but when feare and faith possesse him, he is hoyssed vp againe. Let vsus then chaunge our heart, and God will change his hand, in the middest of his roughnesse toward vsus.Augustinus in 8. questionib. Dulcitij. Mutauit vocabulum quià mutatum vidit affectum. Saint Austen in those eight questions which were proposed to him by Dulcitius, speaketh fitly to this matter. When the woman came to Christ from Syro Phaenicia, he said vntounto her, the childrens bread is not to be throwne to dogges: but afterward, not O dogge great is thy faith, but O woman great is thy faith. He chaungeth his word because he saw her affection chaunged, and he vnderstood that the same reproofe of his was growne vp to good fruite. So it is with this patient: when his faith once breaketh foorth, he shall come from corruption.
17 But what may be the matter, that he so much reioyceth, that he should liue againe. The words which go before from the beginning of the chapter, do shew a fast hold to be layed on Gods fauour by faith, (howsoeuer for some little time it was dismayed) a remission of sinnes, and a hope of life eternal, although he had very much transgressed. Then since his life was sealed vp against another world, why should he desire to be here againe? Why should he so reioyce that he should be deliuered? Very shame might hauehave enforced him to hate the light. The report of the mariners, who would freely speake wheresoeuer they came, might spread the name of him, as of a most infamous person. He might be poynted at with the finger, by children and vile folkes, as he went in the streete. Howsoeuer, Gods children should thirst to be aboue, should long to be dissolued, and be at home with their father. So did Saint Paule in the new Testament,Philip. 1.23. 1. Reg. 19.4. when he desired to be loosed: so did Elias in the old when he cryed, It is now enough, ô Lord take my soule, for I am no better then my fathers. And who would be in his pilgrimage, when he might be in his countrey? who would be in the sea, when he might be in the hauen? who would be warring, when a crowne might then be giuen him for his victorie? who would be in the way, when he might be at home in rest? It seemeth then at the first sight, that the Prophet doth take ioy in his losse, and desireth that for a benefite, which was a harme vntounto him. But when all these things are scanned as they should bee, it will appeare farre otherwise.
18 Now it was no time to feare the shame of the world: he was rather to seeke to please one, and that was his old maister; yea if he displeased all other by it. It was a good resolution of him, who did write the eigth of those Epistles, which be in the end of Saint Hieromes workes:Hieron. Epistola 8. in fine operum. Let euerie one say what himselfe will. In the meane time according to my small vnderstanding, I hauehave iudged it better for my selfe to blush before sinners vponupon earth, then before the holy Angels in heauen, or wheresoeuer the Lord will shew his iudgement. And to wish as Elias wished, were but to be impatient; wherein Ionas is not behind, as appeareth in the fourth chapter.Ion. 4.3. And his case was not like Saint Paules, who might yeeld vp his soule in quietnesse of conscience, as hauing in his heart a testimonie of the Lords good accepatnce of his labours in this world. Now he who is setled in such an opinion, neede not feare to depart from this transitorie habitation: nay he may well long to dye. But with Ionas it is otherwise: he standeth yet in a mammering, and knoweth not which way to turne him. Yet he is not quite exempted from that conflict of his, betweene hope and despaire: yet, (although his faith be not extinguished) he is not assured, how the Lord will take his sinne at his hands. This maketh him wish for more time to testifie his obedience; to make a recompence if it might be, for his sinfull rebellion; or at the least to wash away his iniquitie with many teares. And hauing this purpose in him, to aske pardon with sighes and sobbes, he ioyeth with all his heart, that time is permitted him, to performe the vowes of his soule, and to remooue away from the Church of God, that scandale which he had offered.
19 Moreouer if he had dyed in the sea, and the belly of the fish, his departure had bene violent, and layed vponupon him for his sinne, as a grieuous punishment for vngodlinesse: and such a kind of death, the faithfull seruants of the Lord hauehave no desire to dye. It may well be gathered out of the thirtieth Psalme, that the sicknesse of Dauid there insinuated (for that Psalme may best be vnderstoode of sickenesse) was layed vponupon him for one fault or other:Psal. 30.6. perhaps for presumption, he thought that he was too strong. But when for that cause, he felt the hand of the Lord sharpely chastising him; he beggeth that he might not in such a sort go downe to the graue. What profite is there in my bloud vvhen I goe downe to the pit? shall the dust giuegive thankes vntounto thee? or shall it declare thy truth? For some one reason or other, which the Spirit of God hath concealed,2 Reg. 20.3. Hezechias was not readie, when the Prophet Esay came vntounto him, and told him that he must dye. This did make him turne himselfe to the wall, and weepe, and pray to the Lord, that if it might stand with his good pleasure, that sentence might be reuersed. Then it is not our best safetie, at eueryevery time, and in euerie case, to be remooued hence, but vponupon some occasion we may ioye with Ionas, that longer time is affoorded vsus to bethinke our selues. This is his exceeding comfort, that though the pangs of death were vponupon him, yet that God once againe brought his life from corruption.
O Lord my God.
20 The onelyonly thing now remaining, is the confident appellation, which he vseth to the Lord, Iehouah ô my God. This sheweth a faith beyond faith, and a hope beyond hope: when he knew that the Lord was angrie, and extremely wrathfull at him, yet to cling in so to his merciemercy, as to appropriate to himselfe a portion in his maker. For what greater insinuation of confidence can there be, then by particular application to apprehend Gods merciemercy: to lay hold vponupon him as on a father; and that not as we say, with a reference to the Communion of Saints,Matth. 6.9. Our father vvhichwhich art in heauen, but my father and my God. This hath bene the perfect trust of the faithfull in all ages, which hath encouraged them to approch with boldnesse, vntounto the throne of grace.Psal. 22.1.51.14. Iob. 19.25. Luc. 1.47. Ioh. 20.28. Galat. 2.20. My God, my God saith Dauid. And, thou that art the God of my saluation. And Iob, I am sure that my Redeemer liueth. My spirit saith the Virgin Marie, doth reioyce in God my Sauiour. My Lord and my God, saith Thomas. Paule saith of himselfe, I liue by faith in the Sonne of God, who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me. This true faith doth close with God, and incorporateth it selfe into the bodie of the Redeemer.
21 And this is it, which bringeth comfort vntounto the wounded soule, and afflicted conscience, not that Christ is a Sauiour, for what am I the better for that? but a Sauiour vntounto me. That I am one of the adoption, reconciled and brought into fauour, sealed vp against that day, when the quicke and dead shall be iudged: my portion is with the Highest, mine inheritance with the Saints. How could flesh and bloud euer beare the heate of strong temptation, without this firme perswasion? What is it to my belly, that bread is prepared for other, vnlesse I be assured that my part is therein? What is it to my soule, that Christ hath dyed for other, vnlesse I know that my sins are washed away in his bloud? It may be good for Moses, it may be good for Paule, or Peter, or Iames, or Stephen, but what is it vntounto me? It is Meus then and Tuus, as Luther did well teach, it is my God and thy Sauiour which doth satisfie thirstie consciences.Luther. in Epist. ad Galatas. There is the ioy of the Spirit, when men come to that measure. Then it is a blessed doctrine which instilleth that faith into vsus; and in that if in any thing, doth appeare the fruit of the Gospell, which is preached in our dayes, that people sicke and dying, being taught before in their health, can giuegive most diuine words, and right admirable speeches, in this behalfe whereof I speake, sayings full of holy trust and assurance; which as it is a thing most comfortable to themselues, beyond all gold and treasure, which are but as dung and drosse, to a man yeelding vp the ghost, so it bringeth good meditations vntounto the standers by, in causing them to acknowledge very euident an plaine arguments of election in the other, whom they see to be so possessed with ioy in the holy Ghost, and so rapt vp, as if they had alreadie one foote within the heauen.
22 But it is otherwise with the ignorant; they lye groueling vponupon the ground, and cannot mount vp with the Eagle. So is it in that doctrine which the Church of Rome doth maintaine, when their people are taught, that they must beleeue in generall, that some shall go to heauen, that some belong to God: but to say or thinke, that themselues shall be certainely of that number, or constantly to hope it, that is boldnesse ouermuch, that is ouer-weening presumption. They are to wish and pray, that it may be so with them, but yet it appertaineth to thē euermore to doubt because they know not the worthinesse of their merits: a most vncomfortable opinion, which cannot chuse but distract the heart of a dying man, that he must not dare to beleeue with confidence, that he shall go to God: that Iesus is his Sauiour, & the pardoner of his faults. No maruell if the life and death of such who hearken vntounto them, be full of sighs and sobs, & grones, and feares, and doubts, since quietnesse and setled rest cannot be in their hearts. They hauehave a way to walke, but what is the end they know not. They are sure of their departure, but whither they cannot tell. A lamentable taking, and wherein of necessitie must be small ioy. How contrarie hereunto doth Saint Paule speak,Roman. 5.1. being iustified by faith we hauehave peace toward God, through our Lord Iesus Christ. How contrarie to this doth Saint Iohn speake in the name of the faithfull,1. Ioh. 5.19. we know that we are of God. How doth deiected Ionas yet keepe him fast to this tackling, when he crieth ô Lord my God?
23 And this is the surest anker, whereunto a Christian man may possibly know how to trust. This is it which in the blastes of aduersity, will keepe him fast at the roote; which in the waues of temptation, will hold him fast by the chinne, which in the greatest discomforts, and very pangs of death, will bring him to life againe: To ground himselfe vponupon this, as on a rocke assured, that his God is his father, that Iesus is his redeemer, that the holy Ghost doth sanctifie him, that although he sinne oft-times, yet euermore he is forgiuen; and albeit he do transgresse dayly, yet it is still forgotten; that whether he liue or dye, yet euer he is the Lords. Good father leade vsus so by thy most blessed Spirite, that we neuer do fall from this. But although sinne hange vponupon vsus, as it did vponupon the Prophet, yet raise vsus so by thy louelove, that laying hold on thy promises, and the sweetenesse of thy fauour, we may reape eternall life, to the which ô blessed Lord bring vsus for thine owne Sonne Christ his sake, to whom with thee and thy Spirit, be laude for euermore.