Sermons on Jonah, Lecture 27
THE XXVII. LECTVRE.
The chiefe poynts. 1. The whole Prophecy of Ionas is not to be applied to Christ. 3 Reasons why Ionas went out of Niniue. 4. Christians are to flie danger. 6. Reasons why he sate on the East side. 8. We should grieue at the ruine of others. 9. Gods seruants are oftentimes meanly entertained in this world. 10. Therfore none should murmure at their want. 11. We may vse any of Gods gifts of foorded vsus. 12. Reasons why Ionas waited neare the city. 13. Sathan is the authour of all doubts which are against Gods word.
Ionah. 4.5.
So Ionah vvent out of the city, and sate on the East side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sate vnderunder it in the shadow, till he might see vvhat should be done in the city.
HOw some of the ancient fathers of the Primitiue Church,Hieron in Ionae. 4. hauehave by allegorizing laboured, to apply the greatest part of the whole Prophecy of Ionas, to the person of Christ, may easily appeare to those, who are conuersant in the volumes of those reuerent writers. And I feare that to a iudicious and sober reader, it will too plaine appeare, that those excellent lights and great pillars of the Church, hauehave somewhat troubled their owne wits, and forced the text also, to make that good in Iesus, which is onelyonly true in Ionas. For although there be some thing, which by the open witnesse of our Sauiour himselfe, hath good place in him,Matth. 12.40. that as the Prophet vvas three dayes and three nights in the belly of the vvhale, so the sonne of man should be three dayes and three nights in the belly of the earth, Hieron. in Ionae. 1.and some things more besides, which not vnfitly may resemble him, yet it is most apparant, that very many matters are as far from him; in the one whereof and other, he may quickly be satisfied, who listeth to looke but on the obseruations of Mercerus,Merceri obseruat. in Ionae. 4. vponupon the booke of this Prophecy. But if any would be refractary, and stand stiffe for that, which is past in the Chapters fore-going, yet here he must needes yeeld, or be mightily ouertaken. For how fitly shall this going out, and expecting what shall become of the city, be applied vntounto Christ? What shall the gourd be, which is spoken of in the next verse, and the worme which did destroy it? Shall the one be his flesh, and the other his death, or some thing farther fetched? The gourd brought ease to Ionas, and delight and contentment, but Christs flesh brought him none, but rather sorrow and much anguish. The Prophet grieued to leaue the thing which shadowed him, but Christ willingly died & gaue vp the ghost. But aboue al, this messenger which now was at Niniue,Ioh. 19.30. was offended with God, and did chide and chafe at him: and when the Lord disliked that, as it is in the ninth verse, and asked him whether he did well to be angry, for the gourd which was destroyed, he most furiously and testily foorthwith replied, that he did well to be angry, euē to the very death. There is no extenuation or imagining supposall, which can fit this to Christ, and keepe the text sound too, and therefore let vsus rather leaue those fathers, where they study a little too much to be like Origene (who would turne euerie thing into Allegories, although the story wrecked for it) and let vsus harken to Saint Austen,Augustin. de Trinitate. lib. 4.6. where he speaketh like himselfe, yet in a matter more generall: Against reason no sober man, against Scripture no Christian man, against the Church no peaceable man will thinke or dispute. But both reason and Scripture put vsus here from a figure, and therefore we must literally vnderstand it of the Prophet, and ayme onelyonly at the story.
2 Then mention is made before, how Ionas was agrieued, that the city should be spared, whē he had preached the contrarie. But there is some difference among the interpreters, whether that knowledge was giuen vntounto him being in the city, that it should not so prooue as he had fore-told, and so he came troubled out, not meaning to stay in that place, where he might be derided as a lying Prophet; or whether he was informed that the Lord would be mercifull, after his comming foorth, when he seuered himselfe, partly to fright the Niniuites, but especially to sequester himselfe, from taking part of their hastening destruction. Againe it is controuersed, whether this which now followeth to the end of the Chapter,Ionae. 4.1. were a new griefe that surprized him, besides that which before had troubled and vexed him, or rather but onelyonly a farther explication of that which is past, which Iunius and Tremelius not obscurely do insinuate, expressing the beginning of this verse and the next, by, For he vvent out of the city, and for the Lord prepared a gourd. And thirdly here ariseth a farther ambiguity, whether at his comming out, the gourd were prepared ready, so that thereby at the first he eased himselfe, plotting the leaues thereof as fit to shadow him,Iun. in Ionae. 4. in manner of a booth, to the which also Iunius very openly doth bend, so intending that he sate there, no more then one day (for the next morning the gourd withered) or whether as some other do rather suppose, he made himselfe first a booth, or sommer-house of boughs, whereof when the freshnesse was soone decayed, by the drying vp of the greenenesse, then the gourd sprung vp in place, as a fresher and kindlier and more contentfull cooler. Which doubts so far foorth as they shall vary any point of doctrine, I shal touch very briefly; but because they make no difference in the substance of the story, I mind not to pursue them, auoiding on the one side, confusion of the part of the hearer, which cannot chuse but arise by intricate things; & on the other side curiosity in the speaker, which by following such nice points cannot chuse but be suspected. Thē to keepe close to the text, and to make all as plaine as possibly I can, this verse doth offer to vsus foure obseruable circumstances, first, his going out of the city, Ionah went out of the city, secondly, his sitting downe & where, he sate on the East side of the city, thirdly, what he did there, he made him a booth and sate there in the shadow, fourthly, the end and reason of his staying in that place, till he might see vvhat should become of the city. While I handle these things as Gods Spirit shall direct me, affoord me your wonted patience.
So he went out of the city.
3 If Ionas hauing very peremptorily preached the destruction of Niniue, were aduertised in the city, that the decree gone out against them was altered, and that God who meant to strike would now shut vp all, and quit it with a pardon, then this messenger who mightily stood vponupon his reputation, as before I hauehave shewed (although therein he made no dainty, to mistake the whole matter, which must euer be supposed) had great reason to be gone. For allowing his owne ground, that himselfe had sayd one thing, and now there fell out another, in the altering whereof, he was no way satisfied, he might thinke that as a lyar, he might iustly be derided, and pointed at with the finger, as he went in the streets, for a fellow threatning much, and then performing nothing. Now that a man should come so farre, and should openly cry out, before such a multitude, who brought it to the Kings eare, that there was ready at the dores the ruine of a place Imperiall, as that was, the Queene of many kingdomes, and Mistresse of many nations, and should set all not in an vprore, but in skreeking and lamenting, and in the end and vpshot, it should neither be so nor so: Yea that Gods name should be vsed, and threates should be vttered from that fearefull Iehouah, that the Lord might be taunted at, as well as he, There is a wise God of Israel,Psal. 42.13. to send such a message; and where is now his God? as in another sence was often sayd to Dauid; might well make this erring and misunderstanding man, to slinke aside from them, who before had bene witnesses of his terrible words, which now were returned al to wind. For had he bin but a man, yet to speake an vntruth voluntarily and asseuerantly, had bene a shamefull thing, especially in the hearing of many and great men,Eccles. 41.17. as Syracides well noteth, be ashamed of lies before the Prince and men of authority; but being a Prophet, and denouncing all voluntarily, and of likelihood mentioning a very strange matter, that he had bene in the whale, and yet had escaped, and now should tell so palpable and notorious a lye, was a disgracefull reproch, yea reproches a great many. And that this also should be in the name of the Lord, whose honour should be much dearer to him then this life, but not lay open to be blasphemed by Ethnikes and Atheists, might make him who was led and possessed with a fancy of ignorance and errour, to flye the sight of men:Dan. 4.30. like some Nabuchodonosor, to get him into the wildernesse: as Timon foreign to thinke himselfe most happy, when no other man was neare him. They who hauehave the greatest spirits in aspiring to honour, and stand most on their brauing, are most of all deiected, and disgraced in their thoughts, when they sensibly misse their ayme.2. Sam. 7.23. Ahitophel who presumed on the depth of his owne wit, and the acceptance of his counsell, cannot endure and suffer that it should not take place, but rather he will dye.Sueton. in Iulio Caesari. Iulius Caesar will be Pontifex, or Rome shall not hold him; he will leaue all and into banishment, where speake who list of him: but no friend of his shall see him. It is good to be moderate in affecting things desired, and then if there be no speeding, the griefe is the lesse. Ionas for being too much eger on his thoughts, is the more discontented, and therefore partly angry, and partly ashamed, getteth himselfe out of the city.
4 But if we will take it, that being out of the place, knowledge was brought vntounto him, that the Lord would spare Niniue, then the reason wherefore he departed is otherwise, and that was for his owne safety. For if desolation were now to come vponupon them, and as reprobate cast-awayes, or impenitent sinners, they were to smart home, the Prophet had great cause to hasten him from among them, lest remaining with them, he might with them be striken. Nature it selfe had taught him, to flye from that which he threatned as a plague to others. He is in vaine wise, who is not wise to himselfe. And it is true of a Prophet, as well as of a Sophister, Odi Sophistam, and Odi Prophetam, qui sibi non sapit. I like not that Sophister, nor I like not that Prophet, who is not wise for his owne good. But Gods owne direction might make him wary therein, who when he meant to destroy Sodome and Gomorrha,Genes. 19.12. he sent two Angels to Lot, both to warne him and to hasten him, from the daunger there to follow. And when he was disposed to make Corah, Dathan and Abiron,Num. 16.26. a fearefull example to all succeeding ages, he made Moses cry to all that were neare him, Depart from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you perish in all their sinnes. Ionas might learne by these. And Christians vnlesse they will tempt God, by presuming of his mercy, or of their owne merite are bound to depart from all such places, where they know that deseruedly the rod of the Lord doth hang ouer. If it come once to that passe, that the sinnes of whorish Babylon be gone vp into heauen, & God remember her iniquities, we must take it as spoken to vsus,Apoc. 18.4. Go out of her my people, lest you be partakers of her sinnes, and that you receiue not of her plagues. Yea we should so much feare, to be ouertaken with the sinnes and sufferings, of men infamously wicked, that when we hauehave no speciall warrant, nor any reuelation but Gods generall iustice, that punishments will follow, yet we should by all meanes decline them. It was Saint Iohns case, who comming into the Bathe,Euseb. Hist. Eccles. 3.22. where he found the Arch-hereticke Cerinthus washing, he went hastily out and called to his company, Let vsus flye away with speed, lest the bathing house do fall vponupon vsus. It were much to be wished, that as he did by the hereticke, so all who louelove religion, or ciuility, or honesty, would do by noted sinners, that if they come in place, where drunkards or swearers be, or ruffianly companions, whom onelyonly filthinesse of speech or disguised haire, or other swaggering behauiour full of rudenesse Thraso-like, doth commend shall I say? or much rather doth condemne, they would secretly slip away, or flye backe, as as a man who hath trod vpō a serpent. For if plagues do waite on sin, as vndoubtedly they do, why may not God strike suddenly betweene cups and crowzings,Dan. 5.30. as almost befell to Balthasar? Why may he not turne the weapons of one against another, like the Centaures and the Lapithes?Ouid. Metamorph. lib. 12▪ And what assurance is there, that he who is with the wicked wilfully, and amidst their follies, should not suffer with the wicked? It is good to feare the worst, and to auoide the occasion of plucking any euill on vsus, although God do not say before, that there and then he will strike.
5 But it is manifest that destruction is to come to Niniue, therefore Ionas were very vnwise, if he would not get him packing, if so be that yet he had not intelligence, that the Lord would spare the place. And withall it is likely, that Gods spirit did suggest that to be done of the Prophet. Wherein the scope at which the Lord did ayme, might be double. First to sauegard his seruant, that the iust with the vniust, the Israelite with the Niniuite, might not be ouerthrowne. For oftentimes the Lord disposeth so,1. Reg. 22.37. as that Ahab alone shall dye, and Iehosaphat shall escape. But at the siege of Hierusalem, when it was taken by Titus, this manifestly appeared. For when the rest of the city most miserably dyed, by the sword and grieuous famine, and hauocke was made of all things, both within and without, the Disciples of the Apostles,Epiphan. de mensuris & ponderibus. that little faithfull flocke, being forewarned by an Angell, had gotten themselues to Pella, a city not farre off, where they remained in safety. Another cause why the Lord might make Ionas remooue, might be the more to fright and terrifie that people: for if he had stayed there still, they foorthwith would hauehave gathered, that it had bene but a bugge; for why should he who brought the newes of euill to other, expect the extremity of the euill with the other? But now when he departed, and left them all to the vengeance, they might iustly suppose, that some sore thing was following. Then if they grieued not before, yet they might begin vponupon this occasion: if they did repent before, they might proceed more earnestly, to continue it and increase it. So mercifull is the Lord toward those whom he will saue, that one thing or another shall be represented to them, yea peraduenture diuerse matters, this heard, another seene, a third supposed or imagined, all which shall quicken on vntounto grace. As those whom in his purpose he hath designed to euill, shall hauehave all things to the worst (as all the miracles were to Pharao) they shall either hauehave their sight blinded, that seeing they shall not see, or they shall hauehave eares & not heare; so where the Lord hath cōpassiō, that he may shew himself admirable in his mercies, many matters shallioyne to helpe forward, as affliction̄, sicknes, pouerty, reading, good coūsell, threatnings, hope, feare, & a thousand other things. If the Niniuites shal be called, they shal not only heare the Prophet preach the word, but they shall behold his example, of going out of the city, more liuely to auoide that by repentance, which they see another flie from by wisdome. And this be spoken of his departure.
He sate on the East side of the city.
6 Being come out of the city, he sitteth him downe not farre off, against the East of the city, as Hierome doth translate it, or on the East of the city, as other more plainely hauehave it, which place why of all other he chose for his abode, may be very well worth the doubting. At first I was of opinion, that some of the Popish writers, might make this as a figure of some thing in the Church, for so farre sometimes do they straine. The matter which I minded most, was that his sitting vponupon the East side, might foreshew the manner of the Christians seruice, which was accustomed to be toward the East, as Gregory Nazianzene writeth,Greg. Naz. Epist. 66. Aug. lib▪ 2. de Serm. Domini in monte. Iust. Ma…t. Quaest. 118. and Saint Austen also, who tooke on him to giuegive a reason for it, and Iustine Martyr in his Questions, where he yeeldeth another reason. Now if I had found this, then had I spoken somewhat largely, concerning that custome of praying toward the East, with some consequents of it, as the building of Churches Eastward among the Christians, and the manner of buriall obserued likewise, from the East to the West. But because I find none who hauehave intimated so much, and I louelove not to discourse that, whereof there is no ground, I passe it ouer, and rather come to more probable reasons, of the which one is giuen, that he sate on the East side, because the holy city Hierusalem (in the which most apparantly of all the earth, the Lord resided) was Westward, toward which he did looke, as well as toward Niniue. For that thing being true, which Dauid hath recorded, In Iewry is God knowne, Psal. 76.1.his name is great in Israel, At Salem is his Tabernacle, and his dwelling in Sion, and whatsoeuer was to come, being to come from thence-ward, he might rather looke that way, then to any other coast or quarter of the heauen.1. Reg. 8.44.48. And since we do find in that prayer of Salomon, at the dedicating of the Temple, that the Israelites being in straunge lands, were to looke toward that place, when they begged any thing of God, our Prophet in blind zeale might turne himselfe thither, to aske the consummation and performance indeed, of that which he had spoken. Againe if the Lord had promised, to send from that place, comfort to his being in distresse, whensoeuer he was pleased to shew mercy, it might well be coniectured, that now intending anger and iudgement in high measure, he might from thence send it vponupon the city Niniue. Which way if it should come, then Ionas was so wise, to be as farre of-ward as possibly he might, and be within the sight of Niniue also. If a pestilence should be, he would not hauehave that pestilence come ouer his body: if fire and brimstone came, he would not hauehave that fire come ouer his head, but so farre as it might be, he would be out of danger. But concerning the withdrawing him from the perill, I spake but euen now, in his going out of the city; and that the Iewes looked to Hierusalem, I formerly touched, when I opened the second Chapter,Ionae. 2.4. and therefore of that no farther.
7 A second cause there is more commonly assigned, why he sate on the East side, and that is, because there as it may be supposed, was a hill, from which he might looke downeward, and see this mighty place, which now was in such hazard. You must thinke that all his heart and soule was now on Niniue, as imagining that therein was his making and his marring, his credit or disgrace, and therefore he was much eased, that he had such a hill, where his eye might be vponupon it. And certainely if he were fit to fret, as it is most plaine that he was, such a hill might make him fret the more, when each houre he should see those houses stand, which he wished might fall; those men aliue whom he wished dead; that multitude in safety, after whose ruine he thirsted. Nothing grieueth enuy more, then that which it beholdeth. The Scripture maketh mention of a wicked euill eye,Matth. 20.15. Chrysost. in Genesim. Homil. 16. as being a grudging sence. Chrysostome writing vponupon Genesis, supposeth that to be one of the greatest temptations, wherewith Sathan oppugned Adam, when he was in the blisse of Paradise. He bringeth him in speaking thus: What profit is it to you to be here in this Garden, and not to enioy those things which this delicate place doth yeeld? Nay therefore is your griefe the more bitter and smartfull, that see these things you may, but vse them you may not. What he vrged there as an argument, to a wanton lustfull eye, no doubt he plieth much, to an enuious spitefull eye. What a griefe is it, to see the thing which thou doest hate, and not to see thy will on it? How carefull should we be, to pray to God, to remooue vsus from the causes of such temptations, that he do not set before vsus things, whereon we may set our mind, with an euill passion or sinister affection; that he do not place vsus on hils, or in roomes fit to behold them, lest our sinne be thence increased; but especially that he suffer not our heart to be defiled, with lusting or malice, or our eye to be infected; but both of them to be single. The greatest fault in Ionas was, that enuy and bloudy crueltie had filled his heart before, but it now did helpe his sinne more forward, that he had a hill to behold that, which was a spurre to his enuy.
8 If he had bene a man of any mercy, or but of common pity, it had wrought with him otherwise. For if of himselfe he would not be content in piety, that an increase of his maisters retinue should be made, by the comming in of so many, by repentance and sorrow: If in charitie he would not ioy, that so many men who were dead, should reuiue and liue againe, and so many which were lost should be found; yet in ordinarie humanitie and manly commiseration, when he had bene vp in the mount, and seene so many houses, so goodly and glorious workemanship, as must needes be in that city, such temples and such pallaces, so sumptuous and delightfull: when he saw that in such a masse of houses as there was, there must needs be thousands of people, some of them morally honest, some infants who neuer actually deserued to perish, this rigour of his fury, and crueltie of his stomacke, must at the last hauehave relented. If magnitude and multitude, and both before his eyes, could not worke, nothing could worke with him. Yet the heart of Gods sonne was farre more tender, then this of his seruant. For when Christ who doubtlesse was to bring a sharpe sentence against the Iewes,Luc. 19.41.42. came within the sight of Hierusalem, and beholding looked vponupon it, how great it was and stately, he could not forbeare to weepe, and vtter words of compassion, Oh if thou hadst knowne at the least in this thy day, those things vvhichwhich are for thy peace, but now they are hidden from thee. Yea heathen men by that light which nature yeelded to them, when it came to that passe, that they saw great things must perish, they hauehave wept that it should be so, and could hauehave wished the contrarie. An example of this in some sort, may be that gentle and soft and kind Titus, who deserued to be called Deliciae human generis, the delicacy of mankind, for he being to see that executed, which Christ foretold should happen to Hierusalem,Ioseph. de Bel. Iud. lib. 6.14. & 7.10. stretched foorth his hands, and called heauen and earth to witnesse, in great bitternesse, that he was not to blame, that the Iewes perished in such sort, but they themselues: and would not by any meanes, that fire should be set on the Temple.Liuius lib. 27▪ But that sturdy and rough Marcellus, who neither winning nor losing, conquering nor conquered could let Hannibal be in quiet, shall not lose his praises here.Lib. 25. For Liuye recounteth of him, that when after three yeares spent in the siege, he was entring Siracufa, whereof he had taken one part, and was like to win the rest, looking downe vponupon the city, from some hill-side or ouerground, and beholding it to be one of the fairest which then was on all the earth, he could not chuse but weepe. Which as partly he did for ioy, to see such a conquest gotten, so the author doth not dissemble it, that partly it was againe, with remembrance of the auncient glory of that braue city, where when so many things of fame, had bene done in former ages, and so many gallaunt things now were, yet at this time the glasse being fully runne out, and the period being come, in a moment of time it was all to be burnt to ashes. He made better vse of his hill, then Ionas did in this place, and so also did Scipio of his seeing of Carthage, when it could not be remedied.Appianus de bellis punicis. For as Appian mentioneth, he wept when he beheld the walles and buildings thereof to be vtterly ouerthrowne, and openly deplored the fortune of his enemies, considering long and deepely, that euen cities and kingdomes are subiect to dissolution, and great states as well as those of priuate men. Perhaps therein he imagined, that the time might come, when Rome his countrey and the earths glory, might drinke of the same cup. Our Prophet in his looking vponupon Niniue, might hauehave dreamed, that Hierusalem or Samaria, this of Israel, that of Iuda might come to the selfe same miserie, which now hanged ouer other, and what he could hauehave wished should in like extremitie hauehave bene done to his owne, that he might hauehave wished to this other. That is a great ouersight in men, when they long for the falles of their brethren, and helpe to set them forward, not remembring that the same may very well be their portion. What measure we meate to other, shall be measured to vsus againe. Most men are beaten with their owne rods. The stone cast at our neighbour, may rebound on our owne heads▪ Therefore it is good, that euermore we should do reason to other men, that the thing which falleth on vsus may be so much the milder. And this be spoken of the East side.
He made himselfe a booth and sate in the shadow.
9 My third note, is the ease which he there procured to himselfe. He made a little booth. Be it that he cut downe boughs, as some men do interprete it, and so made him a shadow, or be it that the gourd was prepared ready for him, and vnderunder it as vnderunder a couer, he did furnish himselfe a seate, it maketh not to our matter. God knoweth when it was at best, it was but a silly house, a cottage, or a cabben, or such a place as beggers do sit in by the way, to aske almes of the passengers. This was the receipt, and hosting place of Ionas the Lords Prophet. Here was not any harbenger to take vp his lodging before him, no cariages to conuey his tents and bedding for him, no traine to make all decent, but poore Prophet he is glad to get a shrowd for his head, although a sheep-coate thatched, or couered with reede had bene better. See how the Lord entertaineth his owne seruants in this world, when it standeth with his good pleasure. They are not to expect pallaces, and goodly manner houses, and other things accordingly, but the meanest and basest matters oftentimes shall be their portion. And thus he doth with those,Genes. 28.11. who are most deare vntounto him. Iacob shall be glad when he goeth to his vncle Laban, to hauehave a stone vnderunder his head instead of a pillow, and that the ground may be his bed. Moses must not thinke scorne to keepe sheepe in the wildernesse.Exod. 3.1. Dauid shall be forced to send to that churlish Nabal,1. Sam. 25.8. 1. Reg. 17.6. to begge bread for his traine. Elias shall thinke himselfe well, if he may drinke of the brooke, and hauehave the rauens to bring him bread and flesh in the morning.Luc. 16.21. Lazarus is not the worse in Gods sight, that he lyeth at the gate, when other be in the house; and would be well apayd with the c…ummes (which is a short reuersion) other in the meane time sitting at full dishes; and when the dogges with their licking, did yeeld him more comfort then all mankind, in whose possession were so many things fit to relieue him. Yea the sonne of man himselfe, he who made the world and all in it, that thereby he might teach vsus patience, was in worse state then the birds, in worse case then the foxes: for the one of them hauehave nests,Matth. 8.20. and the other of them hauehave holes, but the sonne of man had not where to repose or rest his head. If it were thus with those holy ones, who were deare to the Almighty, that although they lacked many things of beauty and of pleasure, yet he loued them not the lesse, and so shewed that worldly accidents, are not those which make men blessed, then why doth wormes-meate boast of that which it holdeth his glory, but indeed is but a toy? of pyed and coloured clothes, which sheepe and wormes send vntounto them?Habac. 2.6. of gold which is but thicke clay? of musicke all whose sweetnesse is ended with the stroke? of curious sumptuous houses, which hauehave lesse rest then a cottage? of dainty faire which once eaten, hath no farther vse in the world? Why should other be despised, for the want of these vnnecessaries, when the worst oft times enioy them, and the holiest seldome touch them? It is a vanity of all vanities, to set our rest vponupon that, without which a man may well be.
10 Now concerning the vnpatient soule, which doth vexe and disturbe it selfe, with the wants which it endureth, what reason hath it for that? This party fareth not, or lodgeth not, or is not clothed with the best. Therefore the spending of the day is anguish and bitternesse; and murmuring complaint is his passing of the night. And wherefore is all this? GiueGive me leaue to speake to him a little. Art thou not the child of God, and doest thou not call him father? Thou art not. Then he doth iustly punish thee, because thou art none of his. But doest thou louelove him and serue him? Why then wilt thou be wiser then he, who is perfection of wisedome? Is it not a most likely thing, that he best vnderstandeth, what it is that is good for thee? When he seeth thee fit for better, then thou shalt hauehave better from him. These things are but as fire, wherewith thou wouldst play like a child, or as a sharpe pointed knife, wherewith thou wouldst hurt thy selfe, & therefore he putteth them from thee. But in the meane while thou liuest, and hast clothes and such foode, as whereby nature is sustained. Yea but other men, who serue not God nor feare him, hauehave more. Why, but that is onelyonly to fat them, and make them fit for the slaughter. Yea but Gods children hauehave more. Yea and many of them hauehave lesse. But impatiency replieth: there was neuer any like to my selfe. Indeed he who beareth a burthen, thinketh that no other man beareth so much. But what is that, wherein neuer any was so plagued as thou art? Art thou sicke and full of sores? I hope thou wilt not offer to compare thy selfe with Iob.Iob. 2.7. Art thou ragged in thy clothes, and hast no house but a poore one, wherein is nothing but want? I trust that thou art short of them, who wandred vp and downe in sheepes-skinnes and in goates-skinnes,Hebr. 11.37. on the mountaines and in caues. Thou canst not well hauehave a meaner house, then this booth of Ionas was. Art thou forced to drinke water? I beleeue thou art not farther vrged, then our Sauiour Christ himselfe was,Iohan 4.7. when he begged water of the woman of Samaria. Art thou glad to get an apple from a tree, or rootes out of the ground? Suppose that Christ was as farre driuen, when he desired to hauehave a figge off from a fig-tree,Matth. 21.18. and yet missed of it when he came thither. But surely the Apostles were in as hard state, when for pure hunger they rubbed the eares of corne in their hands,Marc. 2.23. and eate it when they had done. Perchance thou hast not a peny to blesse thy selfe withall. Hast thou lesse then Peter had, when he sayd,Act. 3.6. and cared not who heard him, Siluer and gold hauehave I none. Is thy ordinary no better then a little messe of pottage, and a small morsell of flesh?2. Reg▪ 4.38. The children of the Prophets did fare but so, and gaue Gods thankes for it. Yet peraduenture (as Daniel did with his pulse) thou mayest looke better, then other with many dishes:Daniel. 1.15. but thy mind may be more fraught with knowledge and vnderstanding, then scores and hundreds of them. Then be content with thy lot, and do not so much recken, what it is which is wanting to thee, as what it is which thou hast. And when thou hast made thy account, and findest that thou hast least, yet thou possessest more then thou deferuest, as sight and hearing, and reason and breath, and many more good gifts: set the one against the other, and rather ioy in thy hauings, then murmure at thy wantings: Or if thou wilt needs contemplate on such things as thou lackest, thinke on the Prophets and Patriarkes, the Apostles and holy martyrs, and repute thy selfe no better, then they were in their sufferings. The shrowd of Ionas was a little shadow, and he thought that he sped well too.
11 He sate there in the shade, and so did take the benefite of that creature which did ease him. As he was not to grieue, that he had no better matter to couer himselfe withall, so he is not so stupidious, and blockish of conceite, but he would vse that which was offered. And that is the Lords will, that since he hath made man so eminent amongst his creatures (him alone to be the gouernour, and other things to obey) that he should take comfort of such supplies, as are brought vntounto him in his necessity, and on the one side should not stand by as timerous and fearefull, nor on the other as Stoicall and insensible. He may take shade against the Sunne, and couer against the raine. Yea if so be that he abuse it not in circumstance and quality (as vnlawfully to seeke it; to vse it beyond his calling; to hinder better things by it; to embrace it with too much desire and greedinesse; without thankfulnesse to God, and other points of like sort) the euerlasting father doth graunt vntounto a man great prerogatiue, to vse things of delight,Psal. 104.15. wine to glad the heart of man, for so Dauid doth speake;Genes. 21.8. feasting and delicate fare, so Abraham made a feast at the weaning of his sonne, and the Israelites kept many:Es…h. 5.1. Glorious and costly attire, for Hester did weare such,Gen. 24.22. Eccles. 9.8. & Abrahams seruant gaue to Rebecca Isaacs spouse, both earings for her eares, and bracelets for her hands. Let thy clothes be white sayth the wiseman, intending neatenesse and cleanlinesse. The coate of Christ himselfe was of workemanship more then ordinarie,Iohan. 19.23. either wouen, or knit, or needle-worke, for there was no seame therein: Where we may also remember that coate which Iacob made for Ioseph,Genes. 37.3. of various diuerse colours. Yea in hunting and in hawking (taken how and when and by whom, it ought of right to be taken) as Gods glory appeareth, who hath so disposed dumme creatures to persecute one another, so is mans good creation, and making of him fitter to serue God in his calling.Genes, 27.3. Isaac would eate of venison which he sendeth his sonne to hunt for. But most pregnant is that place, where Iacob giuing his blessing to the twelue tribes of Israel, thus describeth the lot of Aser: Concerning Aser his bread shall be fat, Gen. 49.20.and he shall giuegive pleasures for a king. Then there be delights and pleasures royall and fit for kings, which the Patriarke would neuer hauehave recounted as Gods blessings, but that some men may vse them. I speake not this, as incouraging men to a voluptuous life, but mentioning the preheminence of man, while he keepeth a moderation in it; distinguishing the vse of things from the abuse, and not doubting but worldly persons do straine these matters too farre. Hereupon there is crept in among all, drunkennesse and gluttony, and intollerable pride in gew-gawes and deuises, so that now they are rather noted, who hauehave meanes to maintaine them and do not vse them, then they who will not want them. But these shall rather aunswer for abusing with superfluity, then for warrantably vsing them. But in the meane while concerning all persons, Ionas may well instruct vsus to take benefite of all things, which God doth offer to vsus, or wherewithall honestly and iustly our labour and our wit may furnish vsus. We may vse them in our need, and helpe to relieue our selues, and giuegive the Lord thankes for them. Not shadowes onelyonly of boughs, but of great men to defend vsus, and incourage vsus in good things: of Cyrus so farre foorth as we may helpe on the Temple:Ezr. 1.1. Esth. 5.1. 1. Reg. 1.22. of Assuerus, so that we may protect the innocent. We may come to the court with Nathan; if it be to requite a Sunamite,2. Reg. 4.13. we may with Eliseus speake for something to the King or the Captaine of the army. In like sort we may take the shodow of a priuiledge or a law, not shaming with Saint Paule,Act. 22.25. to professe that we are free of the Imperiall city Rome, and that we are ill intreated and vniustly dealt with, to be beaten vncondemned. And when we see our selues to be ouerborne, with the malice and impudent importunity of the priests and the people,Act. 25.11. we neede not feare to appeale to a court of iustice, if it be to Caesars seate, where although we find all worse then before, yet that is not our fault: we hauehave sought the lawfull meanes, and God guide it as he seeth best. And this be spoken in the third place, of his sitting in the shadow.
That he might see what should be done in the city.
12 If he came out of the citie, before that he knew the mind of God, repenting him of the euill, which he said that he would bring vponupon them, he had great cause to waite, what the end of all should be. For in as much as at the first he had bene vnwilling to come to do his message, and had smarted well for it, hauing now sustained the brunt, and endured the worst of the matter, he might verie well expect the end, either for his owne satisfaction, or the better to tell it to other; besides the point of obedience, which might tie him to stay the longer, because he came the later. God might purpose, as it is euident that he did afterward, that the whole acts of this storie shold be put into writing, as a monument for future times to be layed vp in his Church: & who might be fitter to write it, then he who was the chiefe agent; who could hauehave deliuered vntounto other but an imperfect narration, if he had departed before that all had bene accomplished. But if before his comming to the East side of the citie, and the making of his booth, he had receiued intimation of Gods mind, to spare the Niniuites, (as the narration literally lieth) then it noteth the resolued greedinesse which was in him, to see all ruinated. His mind was so on that credit of his, which he loued, albeit it were to be stained with bloud, that although there were no hope of it, yet he would hope beyond hope. Quid non speramus amantes? for his fancie doth suggest vntounto him, that although in generall he knew, that God was mercifull & pitifull; although he saw that they repented, from the king to the begger, in sack-cloth and ashes, in fasting and strong prayer; although of late he had vnderstood, that the sentence was reuersed, and the whole iudgement reuoked, yet there might be good expectation, that they should be whipped and lashed, with some meaner kinde of punishment, if they vtterly did not perish. And if he might see but some thing, yet he should not loose all his longing. Yea there might be a farther hope, that they who at the first day of the fortie, were by his preaching stirred vp to repentance, yet within a litle while after, might turne vntounto their vomit, and wallowing in the mire. For nothing which is violent doth vse to last too long. Heauie things may be forced vpward, but they will backe to the center. A bowle will to his biace. Thus he feedeth himselfe with conceit, thinking euerie houre a yeare, before that he might see his will on them. Now if it had bene referred to his discretion, to giuegive the signe of inuading, or to put fire to some mine, which might hauehave blowne vp all, he would willingly hauehave done it. His fingers would hauehave itched, till all had bene effected. How filthie is mans nature, how prone to bloud and all naughtinesse, if Gods grace be a litle from vsus, when an Israelite and a Prophet, shall sit and watch euerie moment, (as Aegeus did for his sonne Theseus) when such a citie as Niniue shall come to desolation?Liuius li. 45. When that noble Paulus Aemilius had receiued from Perseus (who was now enforced to miserie) a letter which imported the yeelding of himselfe, and the kingdome of Macedonia, to the merciemercy of the conquerour: although this was like to be much for the gaine and honor of Aemilius, yet now thinking that his fall was the ending of that monarchie, which while Alexander liued was renowmed in all the earth, he broke foorth into teares: But our Prophet, when a kingdome of farre greater esteeme, then Macedonia at that time was, is to be dissipated and ruinated, albeit he gaine nothing by it, neither wealth, nor ease, nor honor, can be content to reioyce, and take much pleasure in it. And so he is on fire vponupon it, that nothing can perswade him, but that it will be done, because done he would hauehave it; and if it should not be done, yet he will trie the vttermost, and know a reason for it, why he should be put from his purpose: but indeed he will not otherwise beleeue, but still it shall be so.
13 Such doubting as this is, where so euer it be found, and a striuing to hauehave things be, according to mans proiect, against the apparant truth of Gods designes, or his word, is deriued frō the capitall or chiefe enemie of our soule, who like the old man in Horace,Horat. de Arte Poetica. is spe longus, long in hope, and will not quickly giuegive ouer, if he hauehave a mind to a matter. He sped in his encounter against our first parents Adam and Eue in Paradise, when there was much reason to the contrarie, and therefore he will not distrust but that he may reach other also. Hence it is, that although he heare from the mouth of Christ himselfe,Matth. 16.18. that the gates of hel shall not preuaile against the Church, yet still he will be doing; by heresie or hypocrisie, or persecuting by tyrants, to do his best against it. When he knoweth, that where the Lord beginneth a good worke, he will perfect it, yet he will not leaue to oppugne the regenerate man, euen to his death: he thinketh still, that he may do good on him. But it neuer appeared more in him, then in his behauiour toward our Sauiour Christ, of whom although it were foretold, that he should be the Messias, yea the mightie God,Isa. 9.6. as Esay speaketh, and the euerlasting father, though he were miraculously borne, and manie apparant signes of his D…itie were then giuen, though afterward he tried with him when hauing fasted for fortie dayes,Mat. 4.1. he endured three such temptations, as none but Gods sonne could; though he had raised vp the dead, and giuen sight to the blind, yea casting out manie diuels, had enforced them to acknowledge him; though voices had come from heauen, to agnise him for Gods child, and therefore in all likelihood nothing could happen to him, but exceedingly to his honor, and to the good of his Church: yet he could not be quiet, till he had him vponupon the crosse; here he pricketh Iudas on for the desire of gaine, there he spurreth the Priestes forward, for enuie and cruell hatred, he setteth Pilate on worke, to bring him to his ende, for contenting of the multitude; not knowing whether if once he brought it to that passe as to lay him in his graue, with waight or watch or somewhat, he might happen to keepe him there. Who knew whether that his fortune or pollicie may be such, as to hold him there when he had him? But indeed he was ouer-matched: for when he brought him to the crosse, he brought him as to a chariot, whereon he was to triumph, and when as a fish he had catched at his bodie being put into the graue, as if he had taken it for a baite, with the hooke of his Diuinitie which was couered vnderneath, him selfe was catched and choaked. But vntil that he had fully felt it, he would neuer be brought vntounto it. Then if it be a practise of Sathan, to vse such a diffident incertainty, and yet a confident kind of doubting, and our Prophet borrowed from him whatsoeuer he had thereof,1. Ioh. 4.1. let vsus learne another lesson, first to try all spirits, that we be not deceiued in taking errour for truth, that so we may not yeeld to each suggestion, of appearance or probability, for that is not Christian wisedome, but to harken what the Lord doth say of vsus, and of all men. But secondly when we see by the assurance of the word, and the motions of Gods spirit, that this or that he would hauehave, then with constant resolution, with patience and obedience, let vsus yeeld our selues vntounto it, not with humming or standing like Lots wife,Genes. 19.26. who desired very faine to be safe in the mountaines, yet wold she be in Sodome too. God loueth a cheerefull obedience, a ready resolued submission, to take well what he would hauehave. And although we misse of our minds, as Ionas did here in his, yet if we renounce our selues, and will be led by him, the end shall still be with comfort. But no kicking against the prickes,Act 9.5. no spurning against heauen, no wrastling against God, but obey and liue for euer. The Lord direct vsus so with his grace, that making vse of such lessons, as the word in eueryevery petty circumstance doth yeeld vntounto vsus, we may serue him with alacrity, neuer swayed aside by our will, till we come vntounto his kingdome, to the which the Father bring vsus for his owne Sonne Christ his sake, to both whom and the holy Spirit be praise for euermore.