Sermons on Jonah, Lecture 24
THE XXIIII. LECTVRE.
The chiefe poynts. 2. Ionas should hauehave reioyced at their conuersion. 3. The verity of the Scriptures appeareth because the writers accuse themselues. 4. Many arguments of the excellency of the word of God. 5. Other writers magnifie themselues. 6. The best do fall, and the vse which is to be made thereof. 9. What was the cause of griefe in Ionas. 13. Especially his owne credit, 14. or a preposterous care of Gods glory. 15. When we hauehave laboured, let vsus leaue the successe to God.
Ionah. 4.1.
Therefore it displeased Ionah exceedingly, and he was argry.
BEing now come to this fourth Chapter which is the last of this Prophecy, and remembring with my selfe, how long it is since I first began this worke, I partly imagine it to be fatall to the businesse which is handled in this booke, to be done very slowly. For the Prophet was very long, before he would begin, and could not be haled to it, till it might not be auoyded: sometimes he goeth backward, and other times slowly forward, and what with flying to the sea, and lying there in the whale, and going afterward to preach, and staying when he had done, he is long about a little. And God hath so disposed of me, that I hauehave bene much slower, in opening to you how farre he is from speede. Before that I can come to this fourth Chapter, the fourth yeare is now expired, in which time a quicke discourser, might deliberately hauehave gone ouer a good part of the Scripture, if either this place had called him oftener to it, or other occasiōs had not elsewhere diuerted him. But be it as it may be; Gods will must be done: and perhaps he may be pleased to affoord so much grace, that he who hath attained to the end of three, may complete the fourth also, that so, although slowly (for ouerrunning my Prophet) yet surely at the last, according to that power which God shall giuegive vntounto me, I may on to the end.
2 Now then hitherto we are come, that he who at first refused and could not be induced to it, hath preached to the Niniuites as sharpe as sharpe may be: yet fortie dayes, and Niniue is like to be destroyed: and his sermon hath so wrought, that their beautie, and pleasure, and musicke, and all mirth is turned out of doore, and sackcloth and ashes, and weeping and lamenting, great signes of repentance are come in steede of them: their heart is dismayed, and their whole bodie shaken: no helpe now nor comfort,Philo Iudaeus in legatione ad Canī. vnlesse it be from heauen. But where mans means do faile, there Gods merciemercy doth breake foorth: he is mooued to pitie, and in commiseration all past shall be pardoned. Here a man would hauehave thought, that in the meane while, the messenger as sent from God, and therefore full of all mild and louely behauiour, would hauehave opened his heart with the largest ioy, because the seede which he had sowed, had fallen in so good ground,Matth. 13.8. that it had now brought foorth not thirtie, not sixtie, but many thousand fold. That his toung had so farre beene the instrument of Gods glorie: that his threates as the thunder shold so be trembled at: that his mouth had in so high a degree beene the meanes of the Lords merciemercy, that both Prince and people, old and young should be quit of their transgressions, and excused of their iniquitie. But it falleth out cleane contrarie, and he as the man who had onelyonly learned that lesson, to do nothing aright, is growne into great anger, and is so filled with choler, that he fretteth and chafeth hand-smooth with the Lord, that he had not razed downe the whole citie Niniue euen to the foundation. That which should hauehave beene to him for his glory and his crown, to hauehave helped so many prisoners from the dungeon of darknesse, and the shadow of death, is the greatest vexation and corrosiue that might be to him in his distemper; which yeeldeth to vsus a singular example of the infirmitie of man, that such a one as he was, on so light an occasion should be so farre offended, and that with God himselfe. The true cause whereof, howsoeuer it seeme different and diuerse to diuerse, yet by all is agreed on to be most blame worthie. I cannot so fitly expound the manner of it as this historie requireth, but that by degrees I must descend vntounto it, and so out of one thing winne the matter of another. I thinke therefore best, first to referre all things to these two heades, a generall doctrine which may be gathered in grosse, and a particular instruction which the words literally offer, both fitly in my iudgement taken out of the text. And both these do containe their seuerall considerations, as by Gods assistance I shall make plaine vntounto you. But I begin with the generall.
The generall doctrine.
3 When I looke into the narration which doth follow frō hencefoorth to the end of this Prophecie, & see how all runneth against Ionas himselfe, and describeth him to be froward, and testie, and peeuish, rebellious and ouerthwart, euen brawling with the Lord, and chopping word for word with him, as if he were the wiser and better of the two,Ionah. 4.9. Doest thou well to be angrie? Yea to be angrie to the death: such an answer as scant any man was euer knowne to make, not a Iudas, not a Cain; I therin do admire the excellencie of the Scripture, and rare wisedome of him, whose glorie it most concerneth, that he so ouerruleth the pens of the writers, that they must depresse themselues to infamie and disgrace, and for their follies and infirmities, be offered as wonderments to all succeeding ages. It declareth a singularitie in those bookes and writings, that the glorie of God is the onelyonly thing which is aimed at, and that men who naturally are ambitious & desirous to blaze their owne praises, or if they hauehave fallen, to extenuate their faults by Apologies and excuses, are not left to their owne libertie, in setting downe of that, which he appointeth for the Canon to direct our liues by. But that as Saint Peter speaketh,2. Pet. 1.20. no prophecie in the Scripture is of any priuate motion, for the prophecie came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were mooued by the holy Ghost. They therefore who did well, are commended for their well doing, but if they did amisse, their friends or their own writings paint them out to the full.Genes. 9.21. Cap. 19.33. The fals of Noe and Lot are not concealed by him, who honoured the memorie of Noe and of Lot.Ier. 20.14. Whether it were Baruch or Ieremie, who wrote the Prophecie of Ieremie it is not much materiall, but therein he himselfe is not forgotten,Act. 15.39. for his vexing impatiencie. Luke as all men may suppose, loued Paule and Barnabas well, yet recording their behauiour, he sheweth that there was betweene them so hote a contention, as becōmed not two such men. But most do conceiue that Ionas in his owne person deliuered this Prophecie to the Church, (and there is no reason to the contrarie) but yet from the beginning to the end thereof, he telleth such a tale, that if all his enemies should hauehave studied to lash him, they could not hauehave matched that, which his owne hand hath published: not one word to his commendation, but all to his dispraise. That he fled from his charge, and would hauehave gone to Tharshish: that he slept in securitie, and a heathen man did awake him, and teach him his dutie: that the lot fell vponupon him as a noted malefactour, that for his due desert (after that a tempest had pursued him) he was tumbled into the sea: that there for three dayes he was iayled vp in a whales belly: that all that while he was little better then in distrustfull despaire. Nay moreouer, that when he was out againe he preached indeeed, but as a shrewd cow after that she hath giuen milke, doth cast it downe with her heele, so he marred all with his murmuring, and furious displeasure. And this was the case of Moses, who without doubt wrote those fiue bookes which are called by his name: & there as he spared not his brother nor his sister,Num. 12.1. Exod. 4.25. that is, Aaron and Miriam, nor Tsippora his wife, if she came in his way, so he least fauoureth himselfe, but relateth that the Lord had almost killed him for his negligence,24. in not circumcising his child: that in those prouocations wherewith the people prouoked God himselfe did fall to murmuring: that the Lord was so displeased with him,Num. 11.11. Deut. 34.4. that therefore he debarred him from comming into Canaan. Thus the inditing spirit doth rule the writers pen, and as ouer-maistering the hand of a young learner, maketh him to set downe what it will, and not what the other fancieth. This is one great argument of the finger of God, and a supernaturall power that is in these bookes of holy writ, that not flesh and bloud, and sensuall carnality which is swayed with affection, are the composers of them, but an authour more glorious first made them and now keepeth them.
4 There are many demonstratiue proofes of the vnmatchable excellency, and incomparable rarity of the volumes of the Bible, although the dazeled eyes of some know not how to behold them. That the truth of so many things should be fulfilled in their time, when they had bene spoken of so long before: that their credit should continue from the dayes of Moses vntounto our age: that there should be an vniuersall approbation of them, in all parts of the world, by men & tongues so different: that eueryevery part thereof should hauehave such coherence, and agreement with it selfe, when it was written by so diuerse parties, in seueuerall ages and places: that the scope of it should be to build vp no worldly thing, but to direct all to Christ: that there should be such a maiesty in the stile thereof, not so powerfull in words (yet in words very mighty) as forcible and effectuall in working and operation, renting the heart and marrow, and diuiding the bones in sunder.Hier. Epistol. 50. Saint Hierome can say of Paule, As oft as I reade him, it seemeth vntounto me that they be not vvords, but thunders vvhichwhich I heare. Bernard. de Natiuitate Domini. Serm. 1. Blandiebatur Virgil. Dulcius mihi immurmurat filius Iesse.And Bernard confesseth this of himselfe: In times past Tully seemed sweete vntounto me, Virgil stole away my affection, and being as Mermaides sweete to destroy, had inchanted mine vnderstanding. The Lavv, the Prophets, the Gospell, the Epistles, and all the glory of the sentences of my Lord, and his seruants, seemed either small or none vntounto me. But now I knovv not vvhat sweeter thing the sonne of lesse doth vvhisper into me, vvho by the diuerse harmony of his speeches and sentences, doth make all those vvhom I vvas accustomed to louelove, vneloquent and very dumme. Euseb. de praeparat. Euangelic. lib. 14. in praefatione.Eusebius speaketh more generally: When I do compare the Philosophers of the Gentiles, either among themselues or vvith other, I vvill not deny but they vvere excellent men. But when I compare them to the Diuines, and Philosophers of the Hebrewes, and I lay the doctrine of the one vvith the doctrine of the other, all those things which their Philosophers hauehave deuised, seeme to me to be brittle and friuolous. Furthermore that we should hauehave the old Testament deliuered to vsus from the Iewes, who as friends do not conspire with vsus, to make a packe for both purposes; but are enemies both to vsus, and to our Sauiour Christ.August. de consensu Euangelist. lib. 1.26 And yet as Saint Austen obserueth, those Iewes are scattered ouer the world, and beare those bookes with them, that the enemies of our faith may be witnesses to our truth. Moreouer that those who were the holy Spirits secretaries, should be in request with all, not while they liued, but when they were dead and rotten, whereupon Basile hath well noted, that they were made Princes ouer Princes, Basil. in Psal. 45. Chrys. in ope…. imperfecto. Homil. 41.and Lords ouer the highest Kings, yea more mighty then they, for they swayed vvhile they liued; but these most after death. This made Chrysostome compare them to the flesh of beasts, which no man at all doth eate off, while they are aliue, but when they are dead, men taste of them. So scant any man respected the Sermons of the Prophets, and other diuine writers, while they were liuing vponupon earth, but after their death eueryevery one layeth hold vponupon them. These matters and many moe do shew, that there is a singularity in the sacred volumes of the Bible, but that whereof I spake being ioyned to them, is not the least; that the compilers of those bookes were not free, and had liberty to touch their owne fansies, but they were taught in the first place, to renounce all their affections, and as men inspired to deliuer the message of another, euen against their owne glory and reputation.
5 Looke vponupon the workes of other men. who were not directed so immediatly by this spirit as those were, and this shall be more euident. There is not any worldly writer, but although he professe to lay downe the onelyonly truth, yet somtimes he strayneth a string, either by ignorance or affection: this friend or that faction shall receiue a partiall …auour. If wisedome beare some stroke, it shall not be palpably and grossely to be noted, but secretly and couertly, and by insinuation: and his owne industry in searching out the depth of deeds, or his truth in reporting, or boldnesse in detecting, shall deserue commendation. Not Liuy, not Plutarke, not Seneca (as it may easily be shewed) but may this way be touched. Herein they are all fellowes more or lesse. Yet there be bookes in the Scripture, which appeare not to come so farre. But that any one should in sobriety, and aduisedly and of purpose, make a treatise to declare the faults of himselfe, and hauehave no other argument but what must needes be ioyned with that, as it is here with our Ionas, I verily am perswaded is no where to be found, in all the workes of the heathen, no not in the most sober and graue. To giuegive examples from the greatest sort of them,Tull Offic. lib. 1. Dio. Cassius. lib. 37. Xenoph. de exped. Cyri. lib. 6. & 7. Ioseph. de bel. Iud. lib. 3 8. Ouid. Metamorph. 15. in fine. Tully will not hauehave it buried, that Rome was beholding to him for Catilines cause, and otherwise too. Dion will hauehave the world know, that he was a man of imployment in businesses of the Common-wealth. Xenophon will record his counsels to posterity, and Iosephus is plentifull in relating his owne stratagemes: But if we will looke among the Poets, we shall hauehave Ouide ending his Metamorphosis tell vsus,
Iámque opus exegi, quod nec louis ira nec ignis
Nec ferrum poterit, nec edax abolere vetustas.
I hauehave ended such a worke, as neuer any thing shall deface. Horace will not be behind him, but will conclude one of his bookes thus,
Exegi monumentum aere perennius,Horat. lib. 3. Carm. Od. 30.
Regalíque situ Pyramidum altius.
I hauehave set vp a monument which will last longer then brasse, and is more eminent then the Pyramides in Egypt.Martial. ad Auitium. lib. 9.1. But Martial for his part, rather then he will be out, will tell vsus that for trifles he is equall with the best.
I lle ego sum nulli nugarum laude secundus.
Thus men will be men, that is to say humorous and ambitious, & full of selfe-louelove, and it will not be restrained, but that directly or indirectly they will to their kind. Nature will not be driuen away, no not with a forke. Yet where grace is predominant, and God doth rule the sterne, there selfe-louelove is layd aside, and out it shall come,Psal. 32.6. I will confesse my sinnes against my selfe, yea commend them to posterity, that the ages to come, and the ends of the world shall take notice of mine errors. Thus as God hath no peeres, so his booke hath no fellowes, but is eueryevery way full of iudgement, and iustice, and truth, and wisedome, and perfection. God will euer be the Lord, and eueryevery man is a sinner. But in the third verse of the first Chapter,Ion. 1.3. I touched this somewhat more largely, and therefore I now leaue it.
6 My next obseruation in this generall compasse, is that Ionas is here described, to hauehave sinned once againe. This plentifully appeareth in the first Chapter, & so it doth in this last chapter, by the reproofe of God himselfe vsed toward him: and the words of my text do necessarily include it: for to be grieued at the Lords will, and to be angry at his workes, is a very high transgression. And so much the higher, because it is in a Prophet, a sanctified seruant, sequestred for Gods businesse, and attendance on himselfe, more enlightened then ordinarie, and better acquainted with diuine mysteries, then other men. Then from this man it is euident, as well as from Dauid, from Salomon, from Iosiah, from Hezechiah, from Peter, that the greatest in this life fall,1. Reg 8.48. Prou. 24.16. and fall to the ground. There is no man that sinneth not. The iust man doth fall seauen times and ariseth againe. In many things vve sinne all, Iac. 3.2. 1. Ioh. 1.8.sayth the Apostle Saint Iames. And Saint Iohn doth second it, If vve say we hauehave no sinne, vve deceiue our selues, and there is no truth in vsus. Ionas being once freed, and deliuered from his sinne by the mercy of the Lord, which purged him by a suffering, is a second time in, and yet remaineth Gods seruant, and a member of the Church, cleane contrary to that heresie which the Nouatians held,Euseb Eccl. Hist. lib. 6.35. who denying repentance to sinnes after Baptisme, and secluding offendours from acceptance into the congregatiō among the faithful, much impeached Gods mercy, and layd an intollerable burthen vponupon mens consciences. Why should the seruant be hard, where the maister is easie and gentle? Where the wise owner is well pleased, why is the steward straight? When he whom it most concerneth, hath proclaimed by his Prophet,Ezech. 18.21.22. that if a sinner repent be it once or be it often, from the bottome of his hart, God will put away his sins quite out of his remembrance. Indeed from the falles of the old Patriarkes, we should not learne, to aduenture vponupon iniquities with greedinesse and boldnesse, lest presuming, we come short of that which was granted vntounto them. For if we will prouoke God, in hope of that which in likelyhood will neuer be giuen to vsus, because we would so prouoke him, who can tell whether the Lord will turne, and repent, and abate his furie? The end wherefore the examples of fals in the greatest men, are proposed to our reading, is not to incourage vsus to ill, for that were to abuse the kindnesse of God, and out of a good flowre to sucke deadly poyson. Yet it is a thing too common for Libertines and carnall men, so to apply good to euill. Many vvill fall with Dauid sayth Saint Austen,August. in Psal. 50. and will not arise vvith Dauid. There is not proposed to thee any example of falling, but of arising when thou art fallen. Take heed thou do not fall. Let not the slip of the greater, be the delight of the lesser, but let the fall of the greater, be a trembling to the lesser. What he there sayth of Dauid, may most fitly be applied to the rest of the Patriarkes, and other Prophets, that by any thing of theirs we must not be intised to disobedience.
7 Saint Chrysostome taketh occasion by Dauid,Chrysost. de paenitentia Homil. 6. of whom Austen also spake, to draw a threefold benefit from the example of his transgression, which I thinke not amisse to be mentioned in this place. Dauid sayth he, for three reasons vvas suffered to go astray. First that he might make the righteous man to looke more earnestly to his way. He perhaps sayth to himselfe, I am a religious man: I am famous for many merites: now I hauehave done those things which appertaine to the garland. Deceiue not thy selfe, sayth he, thou hast done no more then Dauid. His meaning is, that if such captaines and leaders in the faith, so gracious with the Highest, so acceptable in Gods sight, yet by humane infirmities hauehave fallen, and fallen notoriously▪ then no man shold be proud, none senslesly secure, no man confidently foolish, because his turne may be next. He should set a watch before his heart, and a hatch before his lips, that nothing may enter thither, nothing may come out thence, which is not weighed and ballanced. And that this is one of the causes, why the ouersights of the best are made knowne in the Scriptures, Saint Austen also consenteth:August. de Doct. Christ. lib. 3.23. The sinnes of great men are vvritten to this purpose, that the saying of the Apostle may eueryevery vvhere be trembled at, vvhere he sayth, Let him that standeth, take heede lest he fall. The second reason in Saint Chrysostome is, that it might appeare, that Christ Iesus alone in mans body vvas pure from all offence. For if the holiest creatures, and most sanctified sonnes of women, men vpright and fearing God, men after the Lords owne heart, the best men of famous memory, yet bore about them a body which was heauy to the soule, and were shamefully ouertaken with crimes, which their inferiours knew to be enormous, then the single prerogatiue, and that priuiledge of innocency and vnspottednesse, which is not to be communicated to any of Adams children, appeareth to belong onelyonly to Christ.Ioh. 8.46. He alone could say to the Iewes, Which of you can rebuke me of sinne? But all other hauehave this sinne on them, although it raigne not in them. The iust man must confesse that of Hierome to be very true,Hier. lib. 1. Epist. 8. ad Demetriadem. that while vve dwell here in the tabernacle of this body, and are compassed with fraile and brittle flesh, we may moderate our affections, and rule our perturbations, but cut them off we cannot, we cannot roote them out. Then all arrogant merite-mongers may boast themselues while they will, of meriting of saluation, and Pelagius he may vaunt that he can keepe the law, but we account those speeches to be cursed, and hereticall, and derogatory from the eminency of Christ. We say to thē as Orosius sometimes wrote to that heretike Pelagius:Oros. de arbitrij libertate. Thou sayest that it is possible that a man should be without sin. I repeate it againe & oftentimes, the mā which can do this is Christ the Son of God. Either take that name vntounto thee, or lay aside thy boldnesse. God hath giuen that but to one, and that is he which is chiefe, and first borne among many brethren. Then other, yea the Virgin Mary her selfe, must renounce themselues and all their possibility, and admire the vnspotted beauty of Iesus our Redeemer.
8 The third reason in Chrysostome, is a matter of more comfort:Chrysost. vbi suprà. The faults of others are vvritten, that sinners may the lesse despaire of their owne errours: but if any one hauehave offended, let him daily confesse his sinnes: yea if he hauehave sinned a thousand times, yet let him go forward to confesse a thousand times. Forthere is nothing vvorse then distrust or despaire. This sentence of turning againe a thousand times to God, was it whereof Socrates speaketh,Socrat. Hist. Eccles. 6.19. that Chrysostome did dare to teach this, in that time which was so filled with the Nouatian heretikes. And this is a most comfortable point to a distressed conscience, which I thinke did neuer more neede to be plaistered and suppled, then in these our present dayes, wherein Satan is busie, to take aduantage of the tendernesse and softnesse of them, who earnestly desire to hauehave peace with God. And he seeing that it grieueth them, to displease so good a father, straightway representeth to their eyes the fearefulnesse of his iustice, and the multiplicity of their crimes. Oh it is a deadly enemy, suttle and full of sleights: he hath baytes for eueryevery one. For the wanton, shewes of wantonnesse: for the idolater superstitions; for the Atheist, wayes of obstinacy: for the enuious, cause of spite: for him who hateth to sinne, a tickling pride of doing well: for those who louelove the word, terrours out of the word, to beate them downe & to drowne thē: so that all threatnings shall be applied to thē, & mercies shalbe passed ouer, as no way appertaining vntounto their cōfort. How careful had we need be, & stand continually on our watch, serue God while we hauehave time, pray to him for perseuerance, & euermore be busied about that which is good, that solitarie idlenesse & melancholike tentatiōs, great meanes to a greater fall, do not grieuously oppresse vsus? But to preuent that obiectiō, which is common to all those who are so affected, as I speake of God who writeth for all our good, that testified in his sacred booke, that the bel-wethers of his flocke, hauehave stūbled & lyen along, & that not in toyes or trifles, but in causes of great importance, they hauehave giuen witnesse of much weakenesse. And yet they hauehave risen againe, more humbled and more purged, more renewed by grace, taught to flye from themselues vntounto the throne of mercy, to repose all their saluation on him who is farre more sure,Psal. 51 17. then the strongest rocke or castle. And when the spirite is thus contrite, God accepteth it as a sacrifice: he is so farre from despising the troubled broken heart, that he loueth it and embraceth it. Thus he dealt with them in old time, vnderunder the threatning law: and therefore he will rather do so vnderunder the Gospell. The errours of our time are no otherwise then theirs were: we are made of the selfe same mettall: he is made of the selfe same mercy. He changeth not, he varieth not, he euermore remaineth himselfe. Then why should we yeeld our selues to diffidence and distrust? why sinke we vnderunder our burthen, which lyeth heauy for a moment, and no longer? Sorow may endure for a night,Psal. 30.5. 1. Cor. 10.13. but ioy commeth in the morning. He tempteth not aboue our strength, but in the midst of tryall he giueth an issue out. That which we feele in the meane while, is our burthen and we must beare it. We cannot liue here like Angels.Spe, non re. Our purity is in hope: it is not yet indeed. Christ well knew that there would be faults in vsus, when he bad vsus eueryevery day to pray,Matth. 6.12. forgiue vsus our trespasses. Then let vsus rowze vp our spirits, and shake off that dull kind of blockishnesse, and sinne that hangeth so fast on,Hebr. 12.1. and let vsus with alacrity runne to Iesus our Redeemer, our brother and Sauiour, and the finisher of our faith.Matth 4.1. Hebr. 2.18. He sometimes was tempted himselfe, which maketh him the better know, how to pity those which are tempted. And thus much generally I hauehave spoken, that the Scripture maketh no spare, to display the worst of the writers thereof, and how the best do offend, yea and double it too with Ionas, and yet still remaine Gods seruants.
The speciall fault of Ionas.
9 By this time you expect as I thinke, that I should not stand so farre off, and looke on my text per transennam, but that I should touch it nearer, and so indeed is my meaning. All this while you hauehave heard that the Prophet was out, but what was it wherein he faulted? It displeased Ionas exceedingly, and he was angry at it. And what was it whereat he vexed, and knew not which way to take it? That Niniue should be spared. God meant to continue the standing of that city, and Ionas would not hauehave it so. The Lord thought best to spare the inhabitants, but our man is of another mind. Here in the meane time are two sides, but the match is very vnequall. I am certainely perswaded, that Ionas is not like to gaine much by such bargaines. The potter is of one side, and the pot-sheard of another. Fire and thunder and flaming lightning doth say it shall be so, and flaxe and towe doth say otherwise. And yet this weake one is right angry, that he may not beare away the bucklers. Now a man might hauehave seene this messenger a perfect male-content, that eueryevery thing went not as he conceiued before, that it should. But why should this fretter greeue, that Niniue should hauehave a tast of his mercy, who is the father of pity and compassion? All agree that he did so, but there is not any common consent, what that was which specially did mooue him. Hierome telleth that some imagined,Hieron. in Ionae. 4. that Ionas was now growne spitefull, and boyled very much with enuy, that the Gentiles should be called. As if Gods grace toward him, and other of his people, were now so much the lesse, because it was communicated to a forrein nation. This was to make no difference betweene the sonnes of Cham and Sem: to bring Esau and Israel to be beloued alike. This were to make the Ethnickes as good men as the Iewes, yea to make such as were, or hereafter might be great enemies to Ierusalem, to tast the best fruites of Sion. Where then was the promise to Abraham, or the oath which was sworne to Isaac, if the Niniuites should be called, as well as the holy seed? Thus perhaps flesh might reason, and murmure in our Ionas.
10 If this were it which troubled him, he might iustly be concluded to be enuious and malicious, and therefore to sinne highly.Matth. 20.15. For was his eye growne euill, because his maister was good? Would he repine that other should find that kindnesse at the Lords hand, which himselfe had felt before? As soone as he was ouer, must the bridge by and by be broken? As soone as he was in, must the doore foorthwith be shut? Would not that sufficiently content him, that he should hauehave a place in heauen; but must he be the porter, nay rather the housholder, to direct who should come after? his friends and acquantance only? This was a fault which raigned much among the people of the Iewes: they could not brooke the fellowship of the despised Gentiles.Luc. 15.28. Christ noted this their enuy, by the parable of the elder brother, grudging that the younger which was the prodigall sonne, should be receiued with such grace. But it is very manifestly storied to be true in the Acts,Act. 13 45. Cap. 17.5. as both at Antioche and so otherwise at Thessalonica: for when the Greekes began to beleeue, the Iewes enuied at it, and reuiled with euill words, yea made an vprore. But when Paule another time being at Hierusalem spake vntounto them, they heard him with great patience,Cap. 22.21. till he came to that sentence, Depart, for I vvill send thee a great vvay hence to the Gentiles: but when once they heard that from him, as men able to hold no longer, they lift vp their voyces and sayd, Away vvith such a fellow from off the earth, for it is not fit that he should liue. Surely charity and humanity should hauehave weaned them from that fault; but piety should much more hauehave remembred Ionas, not to dislike Gods will, although it had bene to destroy: But when it sauoured of clemency, and recouering that which was lost, he should more vehemently hauehave loued it. Gods seruants ioy, when those graces which are most visible in themselues, be communicated to other.Numer. 11.29. When two were sayd to prophecy, Moses was not troubled at it: but he rather wished that all the Lords people could do so.Galat. 2 9. When Paule grew to be a preacher, the pillars of the Apostles enuied him not that office, but gaue to him and Barnabas the right hands of good fellowship, being glad to see many more besides themselues, in the liuery of their maister. Yea we reade of some other men, that being now ready to step into heauen, by the bloudy way of martyrdome, grudged not that other should follow, but whereas there were some, whom their carnall reason might rather hauehave wished, to be secluded from eternall comfort, I meane their murtherers and persecutours, they notwithstanding setting aside their priuate iniuries, desired and earnestly prayed, that they might be admitted into the same glory,Fulgent. Serm. de Sancto Stephano. whither themselues are going. Let Steuen be an example for this, of whom Fulgentius noteth, that whither he went before, being slaine by the stones of Paule, thither did Paule come after, helped by the prayers of Steuen. He meaneth those requests, which he made as he was dying, when he kneeled downe, Act. 7.60.and cryed vvith a loud voyce, Lord lay not this sinne to their charge. He did not maligne his enemies, but wished them the same fauour, which he himselfe enioyed. If the calling home of the Niniuites, was that whereat Ionas grieued, how far was he frō the minde of Steuen, or frō another holy man named Paul, of whō Eusebius reporteth,Euseb. Hist. Eccles. 8.18. that when he went to be martyred, he prayed for the Iewes & Gentiles, that both might be conuerted to the faith. He begged of God also for the Emperor, by whose lawes he was cōdemned; for the Iudge who pronoūced the sentence against him; yea for the very hangman who executed him, that his death might not be layd as a sinne against them. Then it was a fault in Ionas, that when as by his education, and knowledge in Gods seruice, he knew as much as those other, yet he would suffer malice & emulation, to carry him so cōtrary a way.
11 But Hierome writing vponupon this text, doth disclaime that to be the reason of this mans choler here, and cannot thinke that the Prophet was so simple, as to vexe at it. And indeed I am of this mind, tha… this was not the cause. For it seemeth in the next verse, that he oftentimes thought of that, that God was pitifull and mercifull, and very slow to anger. Whereby he might well gather, that it was no newes, nor strange thing, that he should spare offenders. But what then was it, which caused this sorow? Hierome giueth a more pregnant reason, that he by this foresaw,Hier. in. Ion. 4. Deut 32.21. that the fall of Israel was come, so that it must be reiected. He remembred that of Moses, They angred and prouoked me by those who were no Gods, and I vvill anger them againe, by those vvho are no people. I vvill stirre them vp to wrath, by a very foolish nation. Hence sayth Hierome, he despaireth of Israels saluation, and breaking foorth into sorrow, he vttereth it thus in a manner, Am I the onelyonly Prophet who by sauing of other men, should foreshew ruine to mine owne? To make this the more plain, he bringeth in that for this cause Christ wept ouer Hierusalem:Luc. 19.41. Marc. 7.26. Matth. 10.6. that he would not take the childrens bread, and giuegive it vntounto dogges: that he first sent his Apostles to preach to the lost sheepe of Israel:Rom. 9.3. and for this saith he, Paule desired to be Anathema for his brethren. Now in truth this were a more tollerable case, to be iealous in that sort for his countreymē. For if the rising of others had bin the stāding of Israel, that ioyntly as two sisters they might hauehave serued the Lord, two people, but of one church, it had bin a gaine to the latter, but no losse to the former. But being that it was with thē, as the Poets imagined it to be with Castor & Pollux,Virgil Aeneid. 6. that when the one liued the other died; or as with two buckets in one well, while the one dippeth the other drieth, this might trouble & disquiet a man otherwise much resolued. The Iewes could not be blamed, when they were displeased at Agrippa (as Iosephus sheweth) for whē he had built Caesarea,Ioseph. Antiquit. lib. 20.8. he did not only adorne that being a forreine city, & so neglected all his owne, but tooke away such ornamēts as were any way in his kingdome, and remooued them to that place, so that the flourishing of this new one, was the sinking of al the rest. If the fault of duplicate page duplicate page Ionas were of this nature, it was a very commendable fault, agreeing with all good Israelites, yea with eueryevery Christian mind, who would desire the celestiall, and spirituall good of his countrey and people: yea with our Sauiour Christ, who did so louelove the Iewes,Luc. 19.41. and was so troubled at thei… …sll, that it made him shed teares for it.
Tull. Offic. lib. 3.12 But as sometimes it was sayd by Tully, declaring how Romulus pretended a law, to kill his brother Remus, it vvas a fault by the leaue of Romulus or Quirinus, so by the leaue of Hierome so rare and renowmed a father, there was a fault in the matter: and this could not be the reason; for the Prophet imputeth the cause of his anger to Gods mercy, and not to his iustice: I knevv thou vvast a mercifull God, not I saw that thou wouldest leaue the Israelites. Not one word of reiecting: not any thing of his people. But to put it out of question. That had bene a zelous iealousie toward the honour of the Lord, an affection to the Church,Exod. 32.32. an imitation of Moses, a drawing neare to Christ, a thirst that his people should be saued. But my text doth not grace it so, but calleth his passion, anger. He vvas displeased: he vvas angry. And lest any man should imagine him to be angry and not to sinne,Ephes. 4.26. God himselfe is in dislike with him for it, which he vseth not to be, but toward those who transgresse, Doest thou vvell to be angry? Then let vsus go a little farther, and take it that he murmured, because the Niniuites perished not: & this not because he desired their destruction, as principally intending it; neither because he originally enuied their finding grace with the Lord; but because it followed consequently, vponupon that which he intended. But the maine point which did vexe him, and put him to all the sorow, was lest he should be accounted a false and lying Prophet, to tell a tale, and deliuer a message which prooued cleane otherwise. He had spoken it definitely, in the name of the Lord, Yet forty dayes and Niniue shall be destroyed. And since that the city stood in maiesty as before, vntouched and vnharmed, he might very well be taken for a forger and a fainer. And this is declared by the text, to be the cause of his moouing. Was not this sayth he my saying, vvhen I was yet in my countrey? that is, did I not suppose, that thou who art so mercifull, and doest take pity so soone, wouldst relent from this thine indignation, and so I should be sent but on a sleeuelesse errand? Therefore I tooke this course, and preuented this inconuenience by flying to Tharsis. Then his anger was, because by the Lords direction he was forced to say that, which he saw fell out otherwise.
13 It is his reputation then whereupon he so much standeth: yet perhaps with a certaine reference to this, lest God should be blasphemed, and traduced as vnconstant. But vnderunder this opinion, not knowing of what spirit he is, or ought to be, in a most preposterous zeale he could hauehave wished with the Apostles,Luc. 9.54. 2. Reg. 1.10. that as in the dayes of Elias, fire might be brought from heauen, to consume the city Niniue, or that the earth might open vnderunder them and swallow them vp,Num. 16.32. as Corah and Abiron were serued. All this while he runneth on a very wrong ground, exacting ouermuch the rigour of the letter in his preaching, and not knowing that inclusiuely God vnderstood this condition, Niniue shall be destroyed: that is, if they repent not. But he is firmely perswaded, that the glory of the Lord is like onelyonly to appeare, and be eminent by vengeance. He had already sayd it, and auerred it, that ruine and desolation was immediatly to follow: and a Prophet was sent foorth of purpose to do that message; therefore in his opinion it is high time, that the thing were now perfourmed. If we thinke of him alone, then a matter of reputation and credit in the world, doth carry him so farre headlong. But that was fame dearely bought; and the credit of one man, prized at too high a value. What? must God be the minister and worker of his ambition, and must he establish it by such a ruine, and such destruction of so many thousands? This, although in a different sence, was pride little inferiour to that of wicked Haman,Esther. 3 3. who because he would teach such fellowes as Mardocheus was, next time to bow before him, would hauehave all the Iewes, which were dispearsed through sixe score and seuen Prouinces, to be slaine vponupon one day, and the mighty king Assuerus must be he that must do it, by a very sharpe proclamation. Our Prophet looketh so much to the ruffe of his owne glory, that rather then himself will be tainted for his word, not an earthly Assuerus, but God must be the instrument, to destroy the liues of thousands. In the warres, he is thought but a hard Generall and Commander, who when himselfe vnaduisedly by fury or sudden passion, hath sayd he will hauehave this; or such a day he will do it, when afterward it falleth out to be a thing of great difficultie, yet will thrust his souldiers on, and make them be slaine like sheepe; whereas if he had his will, that for which he did sweate, will bring no profit to him, but the matter is, he will keepe his word. Oh the liues of men should be deare, and bloud should be much esteemed. There was a Romane who could say, I had leyser saue one citizen, then destroy ten of mine enemies. The Niniuites who formerly were miscreants, are now come to be Gods subiects: then Ionas thou shalt be but a bloudy leader, if for thy words sake, thousands of them should dye. It is better, that thou shouldest loose thy will: better that thou shouldest lose thy longing, then they should lose their liues.
14 If it were, that he thought the glory of God was hazarded by that bargaine, and thereupon he was angry, that is a most inconsiderate zeale, to take on him to be wiser, then the very fountaine of knowledge. Can man be more iealous then God himselfe is of his glory? Can the creature better know what belongeth to it, then his maker? How dareth flesh band with God, for iustice or for mercy, or for true vnderstanding? Were it not the easier way for it, to thinke it selfe to be ignorant, to be defectiue, to be farre short of the Lords proiects and purposes? and to suppose that he best knoweth what is fittest for himselfe, and for all those which are vnderunder him? If the Prophet had bene set to the guiding of an Elephant, or a ship vponupon the sea, he knew not how to rule it: yet the silly man would now sit in a throne, and dispose of Niniue, and by a consequent, of the world, and of God also, how he should order it. And although it be the Lords honour which is in question, yet he will be the caruer, to tell what best befitteth. It had bene his part rather, to subiect his discretion to the discretion of his maker, and if that wise Creator would in iustice hauehave proceeded against that people, to like well of that iustice, because the Lord liked of it: but if he would hauehave inclined to a fauourable pardoning, to be best pleased with that.Exod. 32.32. Nay rather if he with Moses had stept in as an intercessour, it had argued more charity; or if he imagined that to vndertake that, was too hard a point for him to manage, yet at least vponupon the smallest inkling, that grace should be affoorded, he should hauehave waited for it, and should hauehave reioyced that light might breake out of darknesse, and that the frowning countenance of God, had bene turned into a pleasing. And if he could not be induced to go thus farre, yet he should neuer hauehave made stay, to be content with the Lords doing: let him worke his will: but to fret and grieue and vexe at it, yea to chide with God as he did afterward, is a fault of a grieuous nature.
15 The doctrine which we must learne by it, is of more then ordinary benefite. Wheresoeuer we liue, and God offereth vntounto vsus any matter, wherein we are to spend our labor, it cōcerneth vsus to be diligent & industrious in the performance of that, which belongeth vntounto vsus.2. Tim. 4.2. In season and out of season, by friends, by purse, by presence, by all our strength and indeuor, to further and forward that, which we vndoubtedly know to be good, and to aduance all duty of piety and charity, or of seruice to the Church. But when we hauehave done all, let vsus leaue the euent to God: let vsus leaue the successe to him, to whom it properly appertaineth, & let there not be the least murmuring, or grudging if we speede not. For our friends or children, the Lord better knoweth what is good, then we our selues can deuise; but in the meane while, we must pray and begge the best of him; and yet with this condition,Matth. 6.10. Thy vvill be done. That which we thinke is most dangerous, turneth oftentimes to our good: and thence whence we expect our vndoing, God raiseth our greatest comfort. The case of Monica, mother to Saint Austen is famous: she grieued that her sonne was spotted with the heresie of the Manichees, and she prayed that the Lord would bring him to the Orthodoxe Catholike faith.August. de moribus Catholicae Ecclesiae lib. 1.18. She remembred this, day by day, and yet as himselfe doth witnesse, for nine yeares together he continued so infected. It fell out afterward, that he would needes go, and trauell out of Africa into Italy. His mother being loath to part with him, who was as the staffe of her old age vntounto her, earnestly prayed, that God would hinder him of that purpose. Yet Austen went, and by hearing the Sermons of Saint Ambrose at Millaine, he was conuerted to that, which in former times he could neuer like. He reporting all this matter doth vse this good speech of it,August. Confession. lib. 5.8. Thou ô God being deepe in counsell, and hearing the substance of my mothers desire, didst not care for that which she did then aske, that in me thou mightest do that, which she euer asked. Thus the Almighty dealeth with other of his seruants, working all things to the best, but it is at such times as he himselfe doth thinke good. If it be in him to blesse, it is in him to do it, when it seemeth good to himselfe. Therefore let vsus neuer be angry, and repine at that, which he altereth from the intent of our mind.
16 But among all, let the Minister be most patient this way. He peraduenture beateth downe pride, or cryeth out against extortion: he is derided for it: then he powreth out many threats against scoffers and deriders. If repentance follow in them afterward, and so their prosperity continue, let not him be offended at it, but let him rather reioyce, that God hath so prospered the word which came out of his mouth. Againe, it may be that he requesteth at the hands of his heauenly father, that he would spare some whom he seeth to be tempted, and in Christian commiseration, wisheth that they were refreshed, with the sweete deaw of Gods comfort: Or else he seeth some tainted with superstition, and doating on the See of Rome, whom yet he loueth in humane affection, as being of neighborhood or kinred, or because they be of his charge, or for their louely behauiour, and other amiable morall vertues. Let him vse the best meanes that he can to bring them vntounto the sheepfold, by preaching, by exhortation, by conference and by prayer, but especially by honest and holy conuersation: but if God still shut their eyes, let him not be angry at it, and fret against the Almighty: but leaue all to his dispensing. Perhaps that houre which afterward shall appeare, is not yet come. Perhaps God meaneth that it shall neuer come; but according to his vnsearchable purpose, he will leaue them in darknesse. Here do thou admire Gods iustice toward them; but his fauour to thy selfe: stand amazed at the one, and kindly embrace the other: but be patient in both. And as it may be sayd of Socrates, Aristides, or Curius, or Fabricius, that for the desire of honesty which was more in them, then in other people of their time, we could in humane commiseration, wish that they were in heauen, among the Lords elect, but that when we in Christian vnderstanding do thinke vponupon the matter, we find that it is not for vsus to be more mercifull, then God the father of mercy, and fountaine of louing kindnesse; so in this case of our owne experience, we may not take vponupon vsus, when we hauehave wisely considered of our duty, to be more pitifull to our friends, then God who is perfect pity. Let vsus in humility sigh and grone for them, and be thankfull for our selues, but no anger, no displeasure. God is King ouer all the earth, and on whom he will hauehave mercy, on him he will hauehave mercy: and whom he will, he will harden. Now he who is this gracious father to vsus, continue this fauour on vsus,Rom. 9.18. for his owne Sonne Christ his sake, that in the ioy or the sorrow, the welfare or the ill fare of our selues or other men, we may yeeld our selues to his will, who is the rule of iustice, of integrity, and of clemencie, that so we may be obedient vntounto him, to whom be praise and glorie for euermore