Sermons on Jonah, Lecture 13
THE XIII. LECTVRE.
The chiefe poynts. 3. Gods election is sure. 4. One argument thereof is to remember the Lord after affliction. 6. That cogitation is very comfortable. 7. The good and bad do differently remember God. 8. The wicked do it with a murmuring. 10. Especially in death, God is to be thought on. 11. Therefore it is good to thinke on him in health. 12. Else we shall not be willing to dye. 14. Churches are to be vsed reuerently. 15. God heareth the prayers of his seruants. 17. By vanity is signified euill. 19 as Adams fall may therein be comprehended, 20. or idolatry, 21. or curious crafts and studies, 22. or adultery and carnall sinne, 23. and ill gotten goods, 24. and ambition.
Ionah. 2.7.8.
When my soule fainted within me, I remembred the Lord: and my prayer came vntounto thee in thy holy Temple. They that waite vponupon lying vanity, forsake their owne mercy.
IT is euident vntounto vsus, by the whole processe of the Chapter before going, that the transgression of Ionas, did seeme vntounto the Lord a grieuous transgression: And his fall may seeme to vsus, a very strange fault, that a Prophet exercised before in Gods seruice, among the Israelites, acquainted with secrets and reuelations from aboue, should so vary from the tenure of piety and obedience. But great sinnes require great punishments, straunge faults require straunge chastisements. Our Ionas as I thinke, may make his profession, that it hath bene so with him. A tempest did follow him, which would not giuegive him ouer: a lot did discouer him to be a malefactor: and when he could aunswer to the euidence, no one word but guilty, which imported his confession, the mariners will they, nill they, must cast him ouer ship-boord: where after sinking downe to the bottome of the water, after wrapping and intangling of his head within the weedes, he is caught vp by a fish, in whose belly he is lodged, for three dayes and three nights. Here how perplexed his state was, who cannot imagine? Without foode, without light, without company and comfort: a man drowned, and not drowned; deuoured but not digested, aliue but yet as dead, in perpetuall expectation of the fearefull dissolution, of his soule from his body. Nay the torment was greater, which he sustained in his heart, that horrour in his conscience, that conflict in his soule, as if God had forsaken him, and giuen sentence vponupon him, as on a reprobate cast-away, a firebrand of hell, an inheritor of damnation. Woful sinner, who for his fancies sake, and vponupon the suggestion of flesh and bloud, would draw such a iudgement to himselfe, as which a man well aduised would not hauehave sustained, but the space of one day, for any treasure on earth. For it is a fearefull thing, to grapple with the Highest, or to wrastle with our maker.
2 As this anguish hath bene largely before touched, so to make it vp complete, he addeth as the conclusion of his misery, although not of his prayer, that his soule fainted in him, it doubled it selfe together (as some men do translate it) as the knees of a man dying do double; it was as ouerwhelmed, fainting as in a swound, his life was at last cast, euen ready now to go out, as a consumed lampe: the gaspes and grones and pangs, of very death were vponupon him. Yea throbs of desperation did oppugne him with such violence, that the hope of eternall life seemed for some moments, to be exiled from him; his forlorne soule was sinking in diffidence and distrust. So the best are deiected when God doth eclypse his presence and comfortable aspect. But that absence and forbearing, maketh a more tender feeling of succour when it returneth, a more aboundant thankfulnesse: for it deserueth gratefulnesse in great measure, to be brought from the depth of sorrow, to the height of ioy; to be saued from extremity. Ionas yet striketh this string, amplifying Gods mercy ouer him, from the circumstance of the time: when my ghost was giuing vp, when all hope was past and gone. Which argument because I fully handled in my last Lecture, I would now leaue it, and teach some other doctrine. These two verses note two persons; the former of them the Prophet, the latter some other men, who waite on lying vanities. The actions of the one of them, and the other, are here specified, and the fruite which both of them do reape. Then these two persons yeeld two parts, to be handled by Gods assistance. In the former which concerneth the Prophet, these circumstances are: what he did, and how he sped: what he did, in that he saith he remembred the Lord, how he sped, in that he addeth, that his prayer came vntounto God in his holy Temple.
I remembred the Lord,
3 The purpose of Gods election, in fore-appointing some vntounto life eternall, is a matter so immutable, and vnchangeable in it selfe, that nothing can impeach it. The flesh with her frailty, the world with his suttlety, the multitudes and millions of infernall spirits, cannot alter that decree. There may be some shadowes, and seemings to the contrary, but the substance is kept inuiolable. The very gates of hell,Matth. 16.18. preuaile not against him whose the determination is; neither preuaile they against his. No creature can crosse the intent of the Creator. He can bring vsus, he can force vsus, from sin, vntounto sorrow and heauinesse for sinne, from filthinesse vntounto innocency, from transgression to repentance, from forsaking of goodnesse to embracing of grace. He it is who can regenerate vsus, renew vsus, and reforme vsus, remould vsus, and reframe vsus, that naturall corruptions, and actuall deprauations, euen idolatry with Naaman,2. Reg. 5.1. Luc. 19.2. Act. 9.1. Matth. 26.70. Luc. 8.2. or extortion with Zacheus, or persecution with Paule, or denying Christ with Peter, or entertaining of seuen diuels with sinfull Mary Magdalene, shall be to vsus no preiudice, no detayning of his fauour. Where he appointeth saluation, there eueryevery thing in his time shall worke vntounto saluation; but it must be in his time. He draweth the vnwilling to him, the broken he bindeth vp, the lost he seeketh out, he toucheth that with remorse, which was before as the Adamāt, the hardest hart he doth mollifie. He that ordaineth glory to any, will giuegive him grace to attaine it. He who is the life is the way leading to that life:Ioh. 14.6. he who giueth the one, graunteth the other. Where he determineth the end, there also he offereth the meanes to apprehend that end. As before more at large.
4 But there is no meane more direct, to bring any to God, then to teach him to know God, who neuer knew him before: and such a man as did know him, and now is as if he were fallen away, to bring him to remember him; that he may once againe assume that confidence, and resolution to himselfe, that he who loued him before, will returne his affection toward his soule, if it do seeke vntounto him. Which fauour, looke to whom God in his mercy graunteth, it is an assured argument that he is not such a lost child, as who finally shall perish. For with his sweete remembrance (for so I may well terme it, when it commeth after bitter temptation, and a grieuous fall) doth go a faith of that nature, that if it be once admitted to presence, it will neuer out againe; no iustice can dismay it, no iudgement can affright it; but although it creepe on his knees, it will to the mercy seate; from which albeit rigour should offer to repell it & remooue it, yet it clingeth & clutcheth so fast, that it will not out any more. Then, the best men who hauehave fallē by the infirmity of their flesh, thinke their case very happy, if that may be graunted to them, to hauehave God in their mind, and to hauehave recourse to him: and they make much of that motion, retaining it and pursuing it, as the best way to their blessednesse: they account this in greatest difficulties, as the first step to a conquest, as the first linke of a chaine, which being plucked will bring on much more with it.
Psal. 42.6.5 In the two and fortieth Psalme Dauid complaineth thus: My God, my soule is vexed within me, but yet he addeth for his comfort,Psal. 77.2.1. therefore I will remember thee. In the seuentie and seuenth Psalme, In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord, my sore ranne and ceased not in the night: my soule refused comfort, But I did thinke vponupon God. What a ioy was it to Iob, when after losse of all, after his biles and botches, and scraping them with a pot-sheard, after his wiues temptation, after his friends reproching him that he was a sinfull hypocrite (else God would not hauehave so plagued him) he found that grace with his maker, as to grow to this resolution to say,Iob. 13.15. Lo, though he slay me, yet will I trust in him. For it is the only rocke of contentment, the best and sole assurance, which languishing soules can hauehave, to runne vntounto the Lord, all-sufficient for his power, and mercifull in his louelove. Ionas was past the pikes, and now entring vponupon a victory, when after his deiection, and discouragement in his suffering, he beginneth to remember God, whose amiable countenance he had seene so oft before, and whose fauour he had enioyed. And that is a great matter, vntounto a wounded soule (whereby he may close againe with the Highest, and gather in with the Iudge) to hauehave had former experience of his louelove, as of a father. This experience bringeth hope, and hope will neuer cease to begge,Psal. 74.12. and vrge for a pardon. God is my king of old, saith the Church of God in affliction, & it resteth it selfe on that. When Habacuc had complained of those, who in his time did grieuously persecute the faithfull, his refuge is, the remembrance of the Lords foregoing fauour, which euermore had sustained him.Habac. 1.12. Art not thou of old sayth he my Lord my God, my holy one? Therefore we shall not dye.
6 The siliest soule among vsus, may hence deriue some comfort to himselfe: that is, when any fearefull waues of temptation do grow on vsus to drowne vsus, then to thinke on the mighty Iehoua who alone can rid vsus out. If … can speake against vsus, what matter is it if God be for vsus? If our sinnes within vsus be great, yet is the Lords mercy greater. What blacknesse can be so filthy, as that Christs bloud cannot wash it? I cannot owe so much, but my God can forgiue it. I cannot want so much, but my Sauiour can supply it. If I looke vponupon my selfe, behold wo and damnation; but if I looke vp to heauen, there I hauehave a strong redeemer. Now as for earthly matters, and these corruptible trifles, with which we hauehave to do, they are to the regenerate man, farre lighter then the other. If penury or pouerty come, God hath inough for all, he can releeue in abundance. If sorrow oppresse the mind,Psal. 30.5. it may endure for a night, but ioy commeth in the morning. If sicknesse do vexe the body, what Phisition is like to the Lord?2. Sam. 15.31. 1. Sam. 21.7. If Achitophel should take counsell, God can turne it into foolishnesse; if Doeg should lay snares he can destroy and breake them. And all this may be soundly warranted to me, by those former experiments which I hauehave had. I hauehave liued so many yeares, and hauehave euer bene preserued: I hauehave slipped oft but neuer fallen; or fallen but risen againe. I hauehave bene much bruised, but neuer broken: in aduersity he hath helped me, in temptation he hath succoured me: he is the same God euer, most gracious and most kind; him will I serue in weale, him will I seeke too in wo.
7 Well fare this good remembrance, and flying to the Lord; vntounto whō, the holy men of all ages hauehave had recourse, the Patriarks & the Prophets, & eueryevery grieued soule. And whither could they better go, then to the spring of grace, then to the well of power? No fishing vntounto the sea: no seruice to a king: where most is, most may be gotten. No seeking like to that which is to the king of kings, who is more then a sea of bounty. But in remēbring him, remember this withall, that it be with a liuely faith, with a confident apprehension of the sweetnesse of his louelove. For in this, the elect do differ from the wicked: both of them are in distresse, and both remēber God: but the one of them with a hope, the other with a horror: the elect firmely beleeuing, that his God doth thinke vponupon him: that although the beames of his countenance, for a time be shadowed from him, yet they will breake forth againe: that he smiteth but not to death, he striketh, but not to kill. Whereas on the other side, the vnbeleeuing sinner, be he hypocrite or idolater, doth thinke that his God or Gods, hauehave vtterly forgotten him; or if they do remember him, it is but for to plague him, to vexe him or torment him: by which meditatiō, he breaketh into wrath & most impatiēt fury, somtimes raging with heat, somtimes despairing for feare, euermore quaking with horror. So the one of these liueth, & recouereth, & daily approcheth more neare to the Lord; the other sinketh & fainteth, as the melting yce doth in the sun-shine; or else fretting he blasphemeth, not vnlike to a stroke of thunder, which ratleth and maketh a great noise, but presently dissolueth, and goeth away vntounto nothing.
8 We find such in the Scripture. In the eighth Chapter of the Prophecie of Esay,Isay. 8.21. God threatneth thus vntounto Iuda, then he that is afflicted and famished, shall go too and fro in it, and vvhen he shall be hungry he shall euen fret himselfe, and curse his King and his Gods, and shall looke vpward. Here is a thinking vponupon those, which were but supposed Gods, but it is with indignation. When Samaria was besieged,2. Reg. 6.33. and famine did shrewdly pinch it, Ioram that wicked king thereof, had God in his memory, but to murmure and fret at him. His message vntounto the Prophet shewed that, when he durst to say, Behold this euill commeth of the Lord: shall I attend on him any longer? As if he should say, that he would no longer waite the Lords pleasure. His words before shew as much,31. when in steed of making his prayer to the Almighty God, he doth curse and ban himselfe, if he did not that very day, take off the head of Elizeus the Prophet of the Lord.Apoc. 16.21. In the sixteenth of the Reuelation of Saint Iohn, is is reported that a great haile did fall, eueryevery stone as bigge as a talent; but it is added withall, that men blasphemed God, because of the plague of the haile: for the plague thereof vvas exceeding great. Among heathen men, the wisest hauehave herein fowly fallen, being deiected to desperation, vponupon eueryevery great occurrent.Tul. lib. 1. Epistol. ad Quint. Fratrem. I would pray to the Gods for these things, sayth Tully, ad Quintum Fratrem, but that the Gods hauehave giuen ouer to heare any thing of my prayers. Among the old Romane historians which hauehave written, who was wiser then Cornelius Tacitus? men do now study him for policy. Yet in the first of his history,Tacitus Histor. lib. 1. recounting those great grieuances, which befell Rome by the ciuill warres, vnderunder Galba and Vitellius, he vseth this desperate speech: Neuer by greater slaughters on the Romane people, or by more iust iudgements vvas it approoued vntounto vsus, that the Gods do not at all respect our safety and security, but to take vengeance on vsus they are ready inough. Here policy hath forgotten the very first grounds of piety, which are patience and humility. Liuie a graue writer although otherwise superstitious inough, as appeareth by his Prodigia, and yearely monsters, yet tasteth of these dregs, when in his fourth booke he writeth thus:Liuius lib. 4. Vixope Deorum omnium res sisti potuisset. Here followeth a yeare, which for slaughters and ciuill vprores, and famine was very famous. OnelyOnly forreine warre was vvanting, wherewithall if our state had bene laded, things could hardly hauehave bene stayed by the helpe of all the Gods, but that they had run to ruine.
9. Thus the wisedome of this world, is nothing else but foolishnesse, nothing but doting folly, when it commeth indeed to the crosse, or to the fiery triall. The knowledge of God is wanting, or at least the laying hold aright by faith is wanting. And where faith is not to be found, there is neither hope nor patience, which are two infallible notes of a iust and Christian man. There is nothing sayth Saint Cyprian,Cyprian. Serm. de bono patientiae. which putteth more difference betweene the iust and the vniust, then this, that the euill man in his aduersity, doth complaine and impatiently blaspheme, but the good doth suffer quietly. The iust hath trust in his Sauior, but the other hath no part in him. What maruell then is it, if the wicked do fret and rage without comfort, since he hath no share in him, who is the God of comfort? What maruell is it, if he perish? Plutarch telleth that this is the quality of Tigres,Plutarch. de superstitione. that if drums or tabours sound about them, they will grow madde, and then they teare their owne flesh, and rent themselues in peeces. If the vnbeleeuing reprobate do heare the noyse of affliction, he is ready to rent himselfe: but by cursing and by swearing, he will teare the body of Christ from top to toe in peeces. As Ionas did remember God; so the reprobate will not forget him; but it is not to pray vntounto him; not to beleeue vponupon him, for he harh not so much grace, but to ban him and blaspheme him I could wish that such prophanenesse as this, might neuer be heard off, in earnest or in play, in the life or death of any man. We should thinke of him with a reuerence, we should mind him with a feare; in prosperity with a trembling, in aduersity with a hope. There should be no fretting against his prouidence, no grudging against his punishment. When my soule did faint within me, I remembred the Lord sayth Ionas, I remembred him to beseech him, I remembred him to intreate him, I remembred him to embrace him, to trust in him as a deliuerer, to beleeue in him as a father. I called to him and doubted not: and he afterward heard my voyce.
10 Saint Hierome doth giuegive this note vponupon this place,Hieron. in Ion. 2. taking it out of the Septuagint. That because he thought vponupon the Lord, when his soule did faint, and he was ready to dye, we by his example, should aboue all things mind our maker, when we are in the fits and pangs of death. A very needefull doctrine, if any thing may be needefull; that when we must dislodge, and be remooued hence, when our glasse is so farre runne, that immediatly a change must follow, and that not to a trifle, or toye, which is to bee contemned, but either to heauen or hell, either to perpetuall ioy, or to euerlasting torment; we hauehave him in our meditations, who is to see our iudge, who is to scanne our actions, and to peruse our conscience, and giuegive the last sentence on vsus: that then with our best remembrance we thinke vponupon his mercy, and contemplate on his great louelove, in the redemption of his sonne, and desire him for his blouds sake, to take vsus into his fauour. That this lesson might the better be taught vntounto vsus, Iesus the sonne of God, and fore-runner of our faith, when he was ready to yeeld vp his spirit, did commend his vnspotted soule,Luc. 23.46, to his most righteous father. Father into thy hands I commend my spirit. Good Steuen the eldest martyr, did tread these steps right after him, when at the time of his death he cried,Act. 7.59. Lord Iesus receiue my spirit. And eueryevery Christian man should struggle and striue to do so; to shake off as much as may be, the heauinesse of his sicknesse, and as hauing that one prize, that last great prize to play, should stirre vp his spirit in him, and should then pray to God to comfort him, to conduct him vntounto heauen, to leade him along to glorie. It is a good thing to liue well; but because death is the vp-shot, which maketh or marreth the rest, it is the best thing to dye well. He who hath begun aright, hath halfe that whereat he aimeth; but to begin is our hurt (it shall bee a witnesse against our conscience) vnlesse we do perseuere. The man who shall bee blessed,Matth. 24 13. must continue to the ende.
11 Then may the dangerous state of such, be iustly deplored, who in their life time hauehave so fondly doated vponupon the world, that when death which is Gods baylife, doth summon them to appeare before the iudgement seate, they do least of all other things know, wherewith he should be furnished, who commeth there: but as before in the time of their health, so in their despaired sicknesse, do thinke only vponupon their Mammon, admiring it and embracing it, and kissing it in their thought, as if they were wedded to it. But neither of themselues, nor by the instigation of the Minister (who is a remembrancer for the Lord) can they be any way vrged, to speake of celestiall things, to call on God for mercy, or to professe their faith, and confidence in their Sauiour. And this wordly imagination, first ministreth hope of life, they not dreaming that death will take them, till on the sudden both body and soule, do eternally dye together. Next if they do conceiue, that it must be so, and there is no way with them but the graue, then is their heart oppressed with sorrow, and a huge waight of griefe, that there must be a separation, from their beloued treasure. And lastly if their memory do serue, there must be an vnsetled and vnresolued disposing, with disquietnesse and much vexing, of that which hath bene ill gotten, to this child or to that friend, and much stirre there must be about the pompe of a funerall: by which meanes all good motions are so stifled and choaked, that there is scant one word of him, who made all and must iudge all. See what it is, in our life time to thirst after this trash, to repose our full contentment and blessednesse in this drosse. When the heart should be lifted vp to celestiall contemplation, this hangeth so about it, that it cannot but lye groueling, vponupon the the rotten ground.
12 Vaine glory, or any sinister passion which doth possesse the mind, hath the same effect; and so hath ignorance of the true God; which ignorance and vaine glory, as I suppose were the reasons,Sueton. in Tito. cap. 10. wherfore Titus the Romaine Emperor (who was amōg the heathen a mirrour of men) was so loath to depart from this earth; when knowing that he must dye, being caried as he was in his horse-litter, he looketh vp toward heauen, & most bitterly maketh complaint, that his life should so be taken away, from him, not deseruing so ill. How vaine are all the shewes of vertue, without the knowledge of Christ Iesus? Yet the end of Saint Ambrose,In vita Ambrosij. Non inter vos vixi vt vixisse me pudeat. was in a more holy maner, when he being spoke vntounto by his friends, to pray that yet he might not dye, made his answer as he lay, at the very dore of death, I hauehave not liued so ill among you, that I am ashamed to liue any longer: neither am I afraid to dye because we hauehave a good Lord, vponupon whom he then did trust. There can be no better meditation, to any man at that time of departure, then to thinke on that good Lord. It causeth a willing and safe leauing of this world; a perfecting and completing of all, that hath bene here begun; which is more to be desired, then all the land or treasure, which euer the Sunne did see. When the time of receiuing the reward commeth, it is good to be ready. It is best to be aduised of our standing, but most of all of our falling. He that for a long time runneth nimbly, but stumbleth immediatly before the marke, hath lost his former labour, and is depriued of the price. If at any time, then at that time, when our soule doth faint within vsus, and is leauing her habitation, together with our Prophet, let vsus thinke vponupon our God. Now let vsus come to the next circumstance, and that is how he did speed.
And my prayer came vntounto thee into thy holy Temple.
13 Ionas in great misery, and expectation of his end, hath his mind vponupon his maister, & with faith he remembred him, and he remembred him to pray to him. Now his prayer was not vnfruitfull, as that which is made to idols, or vntounto hard hearted men, but by the fauour of the Iudge, it hath audience to the full. It came to God in his Temple, which is not to be intended, as taken of the heauen, the chiefe seate of his maiesty, and residence of his power (although in generall all the prayers of his elect and chosen, do ascend and go vp thither) but in more speciall manner it is meant of the Temple, which Salomon did erect: where together with the Arke of the couenant, and the Cherubims and the mercy-seate, the presence of Gods grace was in most peculiar sort. And this house was to the Iewes, a visible signe and Sacrament thereof,1. Reg. 8.31.33. Isay. 37.14. so that according to the request which Salomon made to God, they repaired thither when any thing did oppresse them, as appeareth by Hezechias, who layd open the letter of Senacherib, in the Temple before the Lord. Yea when soeuer the Israelites were in a strange land, in bondage or captiuity, and called vponupon the Lord earnestly, they did turne themselues to that coast, which way this house did stand,Daniel. 6.10. as I then made plaine vntounto you by the example of Daniel, when I handled the fourth verse of this present Chapter. Then to say no more of that point, his prayer was directed to him who sate in this Temple.
14 But obserue withall, with what reuerence he speaketh here of Gods house, the Temple of thy holinesse, for so it is in the Hebrew,foreign or into thy holy Temple, as we commonly do translate it. If we referre the appellation of holinesse to the Lord, who is so holy as he, whose sacred goodnesse and sanctitie, doth exceede the thought of all creatures? In Leuiticus he speaketh thus,Leuit. 19.2. be you holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. So in Exodus it was written in that plate, which was in Aarons forehead,Exod. 28.36. Holinesse to the Lord. If we take it of the Temple, this also was a holy place, consecrated vntounto piety, and dedicated to religion; whose inner part by an excellencie, was called Sanctum Sanctorum, the holy of holies, as implying that the rest was also of good qualitie. From hence all profaned persons and polluted things, were precisely bid to be kept.Ioseph Antiquit. lib. 20.6. The violating of this house did much offend the Lord, as may be seene many times in the Prophets; and Iosephus is of opinion, that nothing sooner brought destruction to Ierusalem, then the execrable deedes committed in the Temple. The place was made for all kind of goodnesse, and deuotion to the Lord; but it was so farre abused, as any thing which is most filthie. These are warnings to vsus, that since in our age Churches are as much to the Christians, as that Temple was to the Israelites, or at least they are sequestred houses, to serue God truely in, that we vse them with all reuerence, for his sake to whom they belong: that as we repute them, to be consecrated matters, so in truth we do vse them, as Gods most holie Temple. Which whether men do or no, let the chopping and the changing in symoniacall sort, the buying and the selling of these Churches as of most profane things, witnesse vntounto the world. If we should be silent, yet let the preassing in of the vilest,1. Reg. 12.31 right Ieroboams Priests, proclaime the truth herein. Let the carelesnesse of those Pastours, whom God hath blessed with skill, make open declaration, who do mind that field or barne, whence corne or wooll commeth to them, oftener in one monethmonth, then the pulpit in a yeare. They can enquire for a Curate, where one may be had best cheape, (not respecting whether he be able to teach,) or what payments be to the Prince, or impositions to the state, but how the people shall be instructed, they do not regard at all. And on the other side, let the generall behauiour of men throughout the land▪ speake whether those that be of the congregation, do vse these houses as sanctified things or no. Looke into their cold coming on the weeke daies, in such places where Lectures are continued, their talking and gazing about, when their soule should be instructed; their reuoluing of their worldly businesse; their obseruing rather of eloquence in the minister or preacher, or in some, what may be carped at, then how their owne life may be bettered, or their conscience informed; their perfunctorie praying, and formall inuocation of him who requireth the heart. These matters shew that it is made vnholy by vsus, which in it selfe is ordained to be holy. Of likelyhood the temple at Hierusalem was vsed in another sort, when the Prophet here called it holy: otherwise he might iustly hauehave feared, that God had not bene there to hauehave heard him, when he cried out of the fishes belly.
15 But hitherto the Temple was not relinquished by him, as the later house was afterward, when a voyce was heard in the night saying,Ioseph. de bello Iudaico. lib. 7.12. Migremus hinc, let vsus be gone from this place; and therefore the Prophets prayer which was directed hither, found the successe which it wished. It came thither to the Lord. The distance of the place, the great depth of the water, the shutting vp in the whale, yea the odiousnesse of his sinne, could not detaine his crying, and seeking to the Lord. He who in the fourteenth of Exodus,Exod. 14.15. 1. Sam. 1.11. did heare the crye of Moses, although neuer a word were vttered, and he who heard Hannas prayer, when her lippes onelyonly did mooue, and no word was spoken out, did attend Ionas when hee besought him with faith, and implored his gracious goodnesse ouer him. He hath bid vsus call vponupon him in the day,Psal. 50.25. that is, in eueryevery day of trouble, and he hath said that he will heare. It is he who neuer failed any of those who seeke to him. As in all other matters, so in this he hath a prerogatiue aboue all other: he can heare, and he will heare. Heathenish Gods are but delusions, and imaginarie toyes; he who prayeth to them prayeth to nothing.1. Reg. 18.27 Baal may be iested at, as sleeping or being busie. Idols are but dead stockes; they cannot mooue themselues, and therefore not helpe themselues, much lesse those that pray to them. Yet a man exceedeth all these, if they were in number ten thousand: although oftentimes he debaseth himselfe, as a seruant vntounto these. But how short of God doth this man come? This will not if he could: another could if he would: a third both could and would, but is absent, and therefore ignorant what it is that is begged of him. The power of all is so limited, that the greatest cannot graunt the tenth thing which is asked, and either themselues do confesse this, or vse base shifts to couer it. And how hardly do men part with that which is in their power?Seneca de Beneficijs. lib. 2.17. As Seneca writeth, on a time a Cynike Philosopher asked a talent of Antigonus, who would gladly hauehave bene reputed a bountifull Prince. His answer was, that a talent was too much for a Cynike to receiue. Then the other asked him a peny. That saith he is too little for a king as I am to giuegive. How oft soeuer such answers be giuen from men, they do neuer come from God. He giueth without reproching; he heareth without delaying. But we must aske that which is lawfull, and we must aske in faith, and we shall not hauehave a denyall.
16 It pleaseth him to yeeld so much vntounto our prayer, appointing that as the instrument whereby we do approch him. And indeed it is a good meanes to come into his presence. For prayer is so piercing, that it will get to the seat of God, through the very heauens and cloudes. It is winged and ascendeth vpward, being made light by the heat of fierie pure deuotion. The wind is not so quicke: the lightning is not so nimble, which goeth from East to West, as this is in his passage. In a moment it ascendeth from our tongs to Gods eares. His eyes see our eyes weeping: he well conceiueth our grones; he well vnderstandeth our sighs. If heauinesse do oppresse vsus, and sorrow weigh vsus downe, yet if our knees be bent vntounto him, or our hands held vp on high, or our breasts be beaten before him, or our cheeks bedewed with teares, we shall be eased from all. Then this is the onelyonly remedie, in agonies and in anguishes, for the afflicted soule to seeke to. It hasteneth to and fro, and neuer returneth emptie. Our sinning and suffering Prophet, this drowning and dying Ionas, did crye f…om the middle of the whale, from the bottome of the sea, from the very belly of hell, and as he said before, so here againe he professeth it, the Lord did heare his voyce: his prayer came to Gods temple. Now you hauehave heard what he did, and how likewise he sped. Let vsus here come to the second part, which noteth some other persons, whose words and deedes are otherwise.
They that wayt vponupon lying vanities, forsake their owne merciemercy.
17 These words do imply a kind of Antithesis, or contrarie successe, betweene him before mentioned, and those who do now follow: as if he should say, I scant looked for merciemercy, and yet I did find it; I prayed and was heard: but these might receiue merciemercy, and themselues do forsake it. These are such which obserue, or keepe, or wayte vponupon lying vanitie in stead of truth, not ignorantly falling into it, but wilfully pursuing it. Such as set their whole labour on that which is but errour, and make a studie of it. Now those who with such egernesse do follow wrong paths, the farther they go on, the more they go astray. They bend indeede all their diligence to somewhat, but it is to lying vanitie: vnderunder which name, the Scripture doth comprehend all things, which are besides pietie, and the true seruice of God.Psal. 31.6. Psal. 62.10. I hauehave hated them saith Dauid, who giuegive themselues to deceitfull vanities. And in another place: Trust not in oppression and robberie, be not vaine. Gods Spirit doth account eueryevery thing to be but vaine, and lying, and deceitfull, which cannot endure the tryall, which faileth vsus and falleth from vsus, and when we most trust to it, is least able to do vsus good. Such are all earthly things, without the grace of God being ioyned to them; as riches which are so much desired, and honour which is so hotely sought, or beautie, or strength, or friends, which helpe not in that day, when iudgement or vengeance commeth.
18 Such are all the inuentions, and deuised figments of men, superstitions and false religions, Pharisaicall obseruations, papisticall dreames and fancies, for whose sake, whosoeuer will leaue the true prescript of Gods word, he may be said to forsake the fountaine of liuing water,Ier. 2.13. and digge vntounto himselfe broken pits. He may be said to hauehave turned from the Lord who is only truth, and to hauehave embraced falshood; to hauehave refused grace, and forsaken his owne merciemercy. For where as God hath promised to be mercifull to all such, who serue him as he hath taught, by their neglecting of true deuotion, they also neglect that merciemercy, which was offered to them before. So they make themselues vnworthie of remission and pardoning of their sinnes. And in this case, the end doth prooue heauie, like to that rule of Aristotle, where he saith that it must needes be in progresse of time, Aristotel. Politic. l. 4.12that of counterfeited good things, should grow that which is truly euill. That wherein Zedechias trusted was but a lying vanitie, and had a dolefull issue,Ioseph. Antiquit. lib. 10 4 when (as Iosephus did well gather) he thought that the two Prophets Ezechiel and Ieremie, had spoken contrarie things, & therefore that the Lord had not at all sent them. The reason was, for that the one foretold that he should be led to Babylon, and the other had foresaid, that he neuer should see Babylon.2. Reg. 25.7. Ier. 52.11. Whereas both these things were true; for his eyes were first put out, and then he was caried prisoner thither. The hereticall vnderstanding of Scripture is of this kind, being nothing else but a lying vanitie: and so is the faining of that to be Scripture, which is not written by Gods Spirit, and the grounding thereupon of such positions, as touch pietie and saluation. But because the consideration of this doctrine is very ample, and good fruit is herein to be found, let vsus see some few examples of such, as hauehave or do so fall away from their merciemercy.
19 First our old parents in Paradise, did obserue lying vanity. God had expresly forbidden vntounto them, the touching of the tree of good and euill. All other but none of that. Satan commeth with his temptation, and suggesteth another matter, and that was this, as Chrysostome writeth vponupon Genesis: What profit is it to be in Paradise, Chrysost. in Genes. Homil. 16. Sp…tare vobis licet, frui non licet.and not to enioy such things as are in it? Nay therefore your griefe is the greater, that see these things you may, but vse them you may not. Or as Austen turning it another way, supposeth thus. God saith, do not touch it: what? This tree. And what I pray you is this tree? if it be good, why may not I touch it? if it be bad what doth it in Paradise? There is no hurt in the tree; but God in his spitefull moode, is loath that you should be graced so far foorth as himselfe. You shall be Gods if you do it, and able to discerne good and euill. Thus was a lye inculcated in stead of a simple truth, and Adam was induced to hearken to the vanitie of the deceiuing serpent, whereby he lost that merciemercy, which the Lord had appointed ouer him, and plucked on himselfe and his posteritie after him, that miserie, that body and soule for euer had ioyntly perished by it, if our Sauiour in compassion had not made restitution. Other by his example may take heed and warning also, what that thing shall be, whereunto they presume to trust.
20 Secondly, idolatrous persons do come within this cō passe, who declining once from him, who is the onelyonly Lord, do multiply to themselues filthie abominations, and therein are so obsequious, and scrupulous eueryevery way, that true pietie doth not come neare them,Num. 23.1.14 in accomplishing that dutie which appertaineth to it. When Balaam would curse the Israelites, he goeth from place to place, imagining as dicers do, that one standing roome was more fortunate for his purpose, or luckie then another. But in eueryevery place he must hauehave seuen altars to be erected, and seuen bullocks, and seuen rammes to be offered on them. He held this number of seuen to besome holy number, & therfore would not breake it. How did they tye themselues to idolatrous obseruations,Isay. 57.5. August. de ciuitat. Dei. 4.8. who had their idols standing vnderunder eueryevery greene tree? Or those of whom Saint Austen speaketh, who had for eueryevery thing a peculiar God or Goddesse. When the corne was in the barne, they had a Goddesse for that, and when it was in the earth, they had another for that, & when it began to blade, and when it began to eare, Tutelina, and Segetia, and Patulina, and Volutina, and how many I cannot tell. How carefull think you were they, to watch when the times did come, to offer sacrifice vntounto eueryevery one of them in his kind? How laborious is their folly who liue in Scandinauia, in Biarmia or Scricfinnia, which are Northren parts of Europe beyond Sweden,Olaus Magnus. lib. 3.2. who as Olaus Magnus reporteth, do marke eueryevery morning what liuing thing they do first see, in the aire or earth or water, and all that day vntill the euening, they adore that creature for a God, be it bird or beast or fish,2. Chron. 36.8. yea or creeping thing, as a worme. Iehoiakim who is mentioned in the booke of the Chronicles, did much dote on his idols, when he had found on him being dead, marks and prints in his flesh, which were made for their sakes, (for so the storie is expounded.Euseb. de vita Constant. 2.5.15.) So Licinius was fond vponupon his Gods, whom he did serue many waies; yea and vponupon occasions vsed to change them also, as he did when he fought against blessed Constantine.Theodoret. Hist. Eccl. 3.21.22. But no man more then Iulian, who did honour vntounto his Idols, with such and so many sacrifices, as were against humane nature, and decorum in a man, as we find in the Ecclesiasticall stories. Now see what can be more vaine, then stocks and stones, & imaginarie supposed powers as these were: what could be more lying, and more fraudulent, then such fond Gods as these? And they who wholly intend such toyes, hauehave renounced the true seruice of the Lord, who is iealous of his honour, and will not hauehave any creature robbe him of his glorie; but such vain toyes least of all. From this text, they may feare iudgement, who waite on he Saints and she Saints, and serue God and the Virgin Marie, with so many Pater Nosters, and so many Aue Marias, and Credoes, vponupon their beades. All these are without the warrant of Gods booke, and therefore lying vanities: yet how carefull are superstitious persons to number them, and accompt them, and keepe true reckening of them, as if therein lay all the vertue.
21 Thirdly they are noted here, who make an occupation of trying tricks and conclusions, some wanton and some worse. I speake not against good learning, nor any honest experiment in it, but rather against such lies as Albertus and Bartholomaeus Anglicus De proprietatibus rerum, and other of that stampe, do suggest to idle heads, and young men which are too credulous. Take the liuer or some other part of this bird or that beast, such a stone, or such an herbe, at such a time of the Moone, and you shall do this or that; imagine, go inuisibly, or vnderstand birds languages, or obtaine some euill purpose. If any thing be a vanitie, this is a lying vanitie, and a mis-spending of that time, which God hath giuen vntounto vsus, not to abuse, but to serue him; and he will require a reckening of it at our hands, when we do least thinke vponupon it. There fall within this number, the auncient Aruspicia and Auguria of the Romanes, that is, the marking of the flights of birds, or of the entrails of beastes, or other things of that qualitie, all which are foolish vanitie; and yet much time was spent in them, and some made profession to be very skilfull about them. The wisest among the heathens, although they did not know God, yet held these things for cousinage. It is a renowmed speech which is fathered vponupon Cato,Cicero de Diuinat. l. 2. that he would say, that he wondred very much, how one of their Aruspices could forbeare to laugh, when he met with any of his fellowes, to see how they deceiued men, and made a great number of simple ones in the citie. Saint Austen thought another matter, fit to be recorded of that Cato,August. de doctrina Christ. 2.21. and that was this, that when one asked counsell of him in sober earnest, what harme he supposed was aboded him, because rats had eate his hose; he aunswered that partie with a iest, that it was no very straunge thing to see that, but it had bene much more maruellous, if his hose had eat vp the rats.Tul. lib. 2. Diuinat. In Tullies disputation concerning such arguments, when one to enforce the veritie of Diuination, had said that a victorie which fell to the Thebanes, was foreshewed by some extraordinarie crowing of Cockes, Tully could aunswere that with a smooth flowte, but very significant, that it was no miracle that Cockes should crow, but if fishes had done it, that had bene straunge indeed. Those Ethniks could see that these things were falshood, and exceeding lying vanities, worthy to be but laughed at; yet how did some of their greatest men attend and wait vponupon them?Act. 19.19. I may call these foolish Arts, for I thinke that they come not so farre, as curious crafts extend, which are named in the Acts of the Apostles. But to speake mine opinion, I imagine that figure-casting for such things as are lost, or to iudge of Natiuities, is fully within that kind, and is a lying vanity, as that which is most lying. Yet although by the Prophets it be sharpely rebuked,Isay. 47.13. Ierem. 10.2. although condemned by Philosophers, although ill spoken of by Historians, although by good lawes forbidden, in well gouerned common wealths, although no Principle therein hauehave approoued veritie, neither may there be any good argument or conclusion made for it, yet how do some waite vponupon it, and in no sort will go from it? Of whom I may also say, as Cato said of the Aruspices, that I maruell when they meete one another, how they can forbeare to laugh to see how they get monie. From the number of these, I may not seclude superstitious obseruations of ominous or vnfortunate things, vponupon which some men do so dote, that they beleeue such vanities, as a man should beleeue the Gospell. All fearefull iudgements sent from God, are to be regarded by vsus, but friuolous superstitions, and traditions from old tales, are rather to be contemned. He that obserueth the wind shall not sow, Eccl. 11.4.and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reape. Take heed of such lying vanities.
22 Fourthly, ordinarie transgressions may very well be taxed hence, and adulterie among other: wherein although Satan the more to inflame it, do buzze a tale into want on flesh, that great men hauehave sinned so; that God will not call such natural faults as those be to reckening; that there is time inough to repent in old age; and it is best in the meane while to satisfie concupiscence: yet when these things come to be weighed in the ballance of Gods iustice, they prooue both light and lying. For the wrath of the Lord is oftentimes kindled against such wilfull crimes; and he hath threatned, that whore mongers shall be shut out from the new Hierusalem.Apoc. 22.15 They then do forsake their owne merciemercy, who pollute themselues in such sort, and withall are a cause for other to be filthie. Yet how some wait vponupon this, it is lamentable to thinke, seeking to hurt themselues by eueryevery kind of wantonnesse. Good Iob in his confession, held this for a grosse sinne,Iob 31.9. and disclaimed it from himselfe, If my heart hauehave bene deceiued saith he by a woman, or if I hauehave layed waite at the dore of my neighbour, obserue that adulterers do wayt vpō their sinne, let my wife grind vntounto another man, and let other men bow downe vponupon her, that is, let my wife also be false to me: for this is a wickednesse and iniquitie to be condemned. But many do not feare this, and so plucke Gods iudgement on them.
23 Fiftly, they who in desire to enrich themselues or theirs, do set their heart vponupon mony, and care not how they gaine it, by robberie or oppression by briberie or extortion, so that it come in vntounto them, do wayt vponupon lying vanitie. Which may easily be gathered from the very words of Dauid,Psal. 62.10. whom I cited before, trust not in oppression nor in robberie: be not vaine, or giuegive not your selues vntounto vanitie, if riches encrease, set not your heart vponupon them. If any, then this is a vaine conceit to thinke that a mans purse is the best friend which he hath, that riches can preserue in the day of greatest trouble, that God accepteth mony, that ill gotten goods can long prosper. Oftentimes mony is kept to the hurt and death of the owner: and children are so farre off from being blessed with goods which are ill gotten, that fretting and consuming, and a curse is ioyned with them. Then what folly is it to force and straine our consciences, and so to aduenture on Gods displeasure, and the losse of his best merciemercy, for the gaining of that which is but a fugitiue seruant, and cannot helpe at neede? And yet it is straunge to see, how the world lyeth open to vnlawfull and filthie gaine, what wringing there is from all sortes, what griping of the poore, what thirsting after gifts and hunting after rewards. Are there not which wayt vponupon this, and make a studie of it, as a man would studie heauen, deuising and contriuing by what fine sleight and skill, this money may be soked out, and this cheate may be gotten, and that gift may be had? and then like to the hypocrite, whereof Zacharie speaketh in his time,Zach. 11.5. they can crye blessed be God for I am rich and liue well, seeming to giuegive the Lord thankes for that, which they hauehave spoyled, and robbed from their brethren, whom as there the Prophet speaketh, they slay and sell for money. It is great thankes which we returne to God, for the wit and reason which he hath bestowed vponupon vsus, to employ it in that sort; as to offend his diuine Maiestie, to abuse those with whom we liue, to helpe our selues, (so farrefoorth as is in our owne power) to infamie in this life, with all such as be vertuous, & to destruction in another. Better it is to hauehave cleane hands here with a little, then much profite by false vanitie.
24 The same application may be made, concerning ambition and other sinnes, in all which we may take this for a warning; that our sight is so dimme, and our vnderstanding so darke, and such are the false shewes of many things in this life, that we may quickly pursue a lye, in steede of truth, and vanitie for sound veritie, and so purchase Gods wrath, vnlesse with a single eye we looke on things aright, and euer take the iudgement of Scripture for our triall; and withall pray that our heart and intellectuall powers, may be lightned in that behalfe, that so hauing will and strength, by the merciemercy of the Lord, we may walke as we ought, and as it beseemeth our calling. And here I end. Holy Father we beseech thee to direct our steps in thy paths, that renouncing all lying vanities, we may acknowledge thee in our life time, to be the onelyonly Lord; and when our soule fainteth within vsus, and is departing hence, we may onelyonly thinke on thee, that both our present prayers, and spirits afterward may ascend into thy celestiall temple, where thou raignest with thy most blessed Sonne, to whom with thee and thy holy Spirit be laud and praise for euer.