Sermons on Jonah, Lecture 14
THE XIIII. LECTVRE.
The chiefe poynts. 1. Ionas prooueth thankfull for Gods merciemercy. 3. The reason and order of sacrifices. 5. They should be spiritually meant. 7. How we should do in Gods seruice. 8. Gods praise is publikely to be sounded out. 9. Thankfulnesse is a sacrifice to be offered of all. 11. We are forgetfull in it. 12. The manner of vowes. 14. What rules are to be obserued in them. 17. Popish vowes examined. 19. All helpe commeth from God.
Ionah. 2.9.
But I will sacrifice vntounto thee with the voyce of thankesgiuing, and will pay that that I hauehave vowed: Saluation is of the Lord.
IN the words before going, the Prophet doth comfort himselfe exceedingly, that he serueth such a maister, as is best able to helpe him whē he most needeth, and in his Temple attended to his heartie prayer, when as his soule fainted within him; whereas all other things, be they idols or heathen Gods, or any deuised refuges, be nothing but lying vanitie, and therefore those who wait and depend vponupon them, do forsake their owne merciemercy. Where, when he had found God so eminent, and incomparably great, in comparing him with those weake ones, he esteemeth it a speciall point of dutie, to yeeld to one so excellent, a high measure of praise; and most deserued thankes to him, who in extremitie had so raised him from the pit. And this is the drift of this present verse, to acknowledge himselfe so bound and deuoted to God, that all the powers of his mind, and faculties of his soule, should be employed in his seruice. A conclusion well beseeming him who had receiued such fauour, that he would not as beastes, or as vnthankefull persons do, onelyonly take that which doth come, and make no more adoo; but with a respect vntounto the giuer, who beyond all expectation had raised him and relieued him, would record it, and repeate it, and in his best meditation, againe and againe reuolue it, as not knowing how to returne enough, for Gods great merciemercy.
2 But in the meane while, the words which he vseth are various and significant. He doth mention thankesgiuing, which declareth his gratefull mind: and the better to expresse it, he nameth the voyce of thankesgiuing, as intending, that he would aduaunce the honour of him who saued him, not in secret onelyonly, but with manifest declaration to others: and to both these he doth ad the act of offering sacrifice, applying that to his thankes, which was the most solemne seruice, vsed in old time to God. Neither doth he make his stand heere, but whereas he had vowed some things vntounto the Lord, which he promised to performe, if euer he did escape, he saith he vvill pay those vowes: and at the last for a conclusion, he shutteth vp all with these words, saluation is of the Lord. Where because (as you see) the circumstances in the text are manifold, and all of them hauehave their vse, for better order of instruction, I thinke good to obserue two things. First the dutie returned by Ionas, and that consisted in a double deede, one, the sacrifice of thankesgiuing, and the other, the paying of his vowes. Secondly, that good which commeth from God, not onelyonly to the Prophet, but to all those who do serue him. Saluation is of the Lord. Among all which the word of sacrificing is first proposed vntounto vsus.
I will sacrifice vntounto thee.
3 The only thing which God doth looke for at mans hands for creating him in so goodly a shape, for enriching him with gifts, so glorious in shew, so gracious in deed, for preseruing him and protecting him in such infinite varietie of dangerous occurrents, for heaping daily vponupon him such multiplied benefites, is to be serued and feared by him.Matth. 4.10. Thou shalt vvorship the Lord thy God, and him onelyonly shalt thou serue. In this, because he hath made all, he doth require all, our selues and all ours, the bodie and the soule, the inward and the outward, the sensible and inuisible; although especially the heart and immateriall soule, yet ioyntly the hand, and action from without, yea and the wealth also, that eueryevery part may recommend a dutie to the authour. And for these externall matters, he hath giuen vntounto man not onelyonly members, as in prayer his hands to be lifted vp, his breast to be beaten on, his knees to be bowed, his eyes to be bedewed, that so compunction in the mind may the more be stirred vp; but also his other creatures, either dum or dead things, the fruites of the earth, the birds of the aire, the beasts of the field, the mettals of the ground, to be vsed to his glorie. And this in old time was done, in nothing more then in sacrifices, which was in some to consecrate and dedicate them vntounto him, in some other to offer them in whole or in part consumed with fire, to testifie their obedience and seeking vntounto him. Which manner of sacrificing was knowne vntounto men from the first time of nature;Genes. 4.3. as good Abel and bad Cain, the first heires of the world, presented an oblation of such things as they had, to him who had sent them.Cap. 8.21. Noe after the floud offered a sweet smelling sauour, and Abraham by commaundement, intended to sacrifice his onelyonly sonne Isaac.Cap. 22.1. By all which it is euident, that sacrificing was common, before that any order for Gods seruice was settled.
4 But when the people once were returned out of Egypt, and God by the hand of Moses had ordained a ciuill pollicie, for the gouernment of the laitie, and a Hierarchie Ecclesiasticall (for so I may well call it) for guiding of his Clergie, to the end that eueryevery thing afterward might be practised with conformity, he appointed first for the Tabernacle, and after that for the Temple, a tribe of Priests & Leuites, whose office was to attend to the offerings of the people. And himselfe did name the matter and manner of eueryevery sacrifice, what bird, or beast, daily, or on other occasion should be offered, as the whole body of the Leuiticall law doth make knowne to vsus. Thence grew the daily sacrifice, which neuer was omitted; the sinne-offerings, and free-will-offerings, and many sorts besides: and when extra-ordinarie cause was giuen, great store of beastes were slaine; as when Salomon to consecrate the Temple at Hierusalem, did offer in his magnificence, two and twentie thousand Oxen,1. Reg. 8.63. and one hundred and twentie thousand sheepe, such a sacrifice as I thinke the like was neuer seene. And that time onelyonly excepted, when the Iewes were captiues in Babylon, or when Antiochus did tyrannize at his pleasure, the altars were still going, till the very time of Christ, and diuerse yeares afterward, vntill that the citie and the Temple were brought to desolation by the Romanes vnderunder Titus: the Priests and people so precisely obseruing that, (when other sinnes, and dishonours to God did abound) that in the time of warre and close siege,Ioseph. Antiquit. 143. & 8. when they might not issue foorth to hauehave cattell for their offerings, they would bargaine with the enemies, at high price and great rates, to serue the turne for their mony, as we may reade in Iosephus. In such manner was the succession of sacrificing, for so many yeares together; God both approouing it and commaunding it.
5 Now these externall sacrifices, as when they were rightly brought with true faith and obedience, and vnderstanding knowledge, they had their vse very good, as to thanke God for his blessings, to acknowledge that all benefits were deriued frō his goodnesse, to testifie their obedience in perfourming his commaundements; but aboue all to figure Iesus Christ, the true Lambe, who was one day to be offered on the altar of the crosse to redeeme the sinnes of the faithfull, whereof in the meane time, their offerings were a signe and seale vntounto them; so if they were brought by any, as perfunctorie things, formally and for a fashion, as hypocrites and worldlings did come with them, the Lord was so farre off from accepting them as his seruice, that he hated them and detested them. In the first chapter of Esay, God speaketh to them by his Prophet:Isay. 1.11. What hauehave I to do with the multitude of your sacrifices, sayth the Lord? I am full of the burnt offerings of Rammes, and of the fat of fed beastes, and I desire not the bloud of bullockes, 13nor of lambes nor of goates. Bring no more oblations in vain, incense is an abominatiō vntounto me, I cannot suffer your new moones. Which agreed with that of Salomon: The sacrifice of the vvicked, Prou 15.8.is abomination to the Lord. God then required in them, that besides the materiall gift, there should be a true mind to serue him; humilitie and liuely faith, which should expresse and shew it selfe, with charitie and good life; and a killing of the euill affections which were in them.Micah. 6.6 To which purpose the Prophet Micah most excellently doth speake, Wherewithall should I come before the Lord, or bow my selfe before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, and vvith calues of a yeare old? Will the Lord be pleased vvith thousands of Rammes, 7or vvith ten thousand riuers of oyle? Shall I giuegive my first borne for my transgression, euen the fruite of my bodie for the sinne of my soule?8 No: hee hath shevved thee ô man vvhat is good, and vvhat the Lord requireth of thee; surely to doe iustly and to louelove merciemercy, and to humble thy selfe to vvalke with thy God.
6 Then it was the spirituall sacrifice, at which God chiefly did aime; the laying downe of their soules on the altar of his will, the killing of euill thoughts, the mortifying of the members, the consecrating of themselues wholly vntounto his honour; which doctrine Paule vntounto the Romanes doth plainely teach, where he beseecheth them by the mercies of God, Rom. 12.1.to offer vp their bodies a liuing sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, that is their reasonable seruice of God. And this not onelyonly vnderunder the Gospell, was seene by the faithfull, but was foreseene also vnderunder the Law. Dauid can say in his fourth Psalme, Offer the sacrifices of righteousnesse:Psal. 4.5. Psal. 51.17. Ose. 6.6. and in the one and fiftieth Psalme, The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit. So Osee in his sixt Chapter, I desired merciemercy and not sacrifice, and the knovvledge of God rather then any burnt-offerings. It seemeth also by my text, that our Prophet vnderstood this, when he promiseth to sacrifice, but with the voyce of thankesgiuing, as knowing that to be it, which God indeed preferred before all things. And reason might well teach him, that it was that which the Lord meant, by the externall signe; for what delight could he take in the bloud of brutish creatures, a spirit in their bodies, the impassible in such sauours as did arise from their altars? What neede had he of an Oxe, or ten Rammes of a man, who is the owner and chiefe Lord of all the beastes of the field, of all the birdes of the ayre? If hee but speake, they be, if he but call, they come: he made them, and he knoweth them, and hath no want at all of them. Then he respecteth the mind, and the life, and not the offering. The veritie of which doctrine, is of so assured a truth, that Gentiles by the light of nature, beleeued it and acknowledged it, as aboue other, Menander the Poet in one of his Comedies, as Clemens Alexandrinus noteth in the fifth of his Stromata,Clemens Alexandrinus, Stromat. l. 5. where he citeth his wordes to this purpose: If any man offering sacrifice, a multitude of goates or bulles, or any thing wrought by art, although of yuorie, gold, or pearle, do thinke that God vvill therfore be mercifull vntounto him, he is deceiued exceedingly: for the man vvhom God regardeth, must be good and honest, no deflowrer of vvomen, no adulterer, thiefe, or murtherer. And afrerward againe: The iust man doth eueryevery day offer sacrifice to his God, but it is not with cleane clothes, but vvith a shining heart.
7 These are good lessons for vsus, who professe a seruice to the highest God, that first we make no spare of externall things, to honour the Lord withall, when cause shall be offered. Our cattell and our clothes, our houses and our money, yea our best and dearest friends, should be employed in good seruices, to the countenancing of the Minister, to the spredding of the Gospell, to the establishing of religion, to the succouring of the innocent, to the releeuing of the poore. These things should be to vsus, as their substance was to the Iewes, to bring it in sacrifice to the Highest, but especially we should consecrate our bodies to his name, our feete to approch his Courts, our eares to heare his word, our toung to sound out his praises, our hands to fight his battels, if Antichrist should oppugne. And secondly together with our bodies, and those things which we hauehave, our spirit within should ioyne, a true and entire affection, a sound and grounded louelove to him who is most louely, the husband of our soules; that hypocrisie and fayned dissimulation be not in vsus, but truth, although in much infirmitie and weaknesse of the flesh. And when our soule shall be deuoted to him in that sort, he receiueth it, & embraceth it most kindly as his own, more respecting the mind,Mark. 12.41. then any apparant thing. The two mites of the poore widow, came welcom into Gods treasurie, because her heart was rich, though her purse were very empty. It is recorded of Aeschines, that when he saw his fellow scholers, giuegive great gifts to his maister Socrates,Se nec de Beneficijs. lib. 1. he being poore, and hauing nothing else to bestow, did giuegive himselfe to Socrates, as professing to be his in heart and good will, and wholly at his deuotion. And the Philosopher tooke this most kindly, esteeming it aboue all other presents, and returned him louelove accordingly. The gracious disposition of our eternall father, taketh in farre better part, then any man can take it, the laying downe of our soules, and prostrating of our selues to the fulfilling of his will. He accounteth that the best sacrifice, because it is spirituall. Externall things do well, but inward gifts do better. I hauehave noted this vntounto you, from out of the word of sacrificing, where the Prophet doth not stay, but particularizeth specially, what it is that he will offer.
I will sacrifice vntounto thee with the voyce of thankesgiuing.
8 This voyce doth imply an open and manifest declaration of the mercies of the Lord, that he meant not to conceale his wilfull disobedience, nor his punishment for the same, but eueryevery man should know, how he had bene in the sea, fast closed vp in the whale, in pangs of death and extremity, and yet the Lord had brought his soule out of the pit. He thought it not inough to ruminate in his owne mind, and chew vponupon this mercy, but others shall be aduertised of it, that so by his example, they may learne to know their Creator, they may learne to dread their maker. This was a custome of Dauid, who vppon great things obtained, doth vse to make solemne professiō, that he will praise his God in the great congregation.Psal. 26.12. It is but a small thing to thinke it, but he will speake of Gods glory. And thus eueryevery one should do, yeelding vntounto the world a testimony of his faith, and honour vntounto him, whom he chiefly doth honor, that such as yet are not called, by that meanes may be prouoked, to harken to true religion, pricked forward by that comfort, which they see in Gods children.Plutarch. in Themistocle. Sueton. in Iulio. 7. The speech of Miltiades which was in the mouth of eueryevery man, and his victorious acts, set Themistocles on fire to attempt to do the like. The fame that was of Alexander, gaue heart to Iulius Caesar, to become the more noble warriour. And shall not our speaking of God, & the reporting of his acts, his iustice in correcting, his mercy in defending, his prouidence in disposing, his willingnesse in redeeming, his readinesse in forgiuing, vttered by Christian mē, incite others to be Christiās? God did know that, to be a great meanes of bringing mē vntounto him, whē he gaue charge, that the Israelites should recount vntounto their children,Psal. 78.4. his glorious facts, and the workes which he had shewed in Egypt. It is a fault in our dayes, that parents are not carefull to instill into their children, the remembrance of such things as they hauehave read, or knowne to come obseruably from the Almighty. It is a fault in others, that if they come in place where religion is not respected, as among Papists or Atheists, they thinke best to conceale the profession of true piety, lest they should be scorned, or derided, or pointed at with the finger: and so by a pollicy stopping the course of their zeale, in time they quench their zeale, and make themselues as key-cold as those with whom they do liue. They should discharge a good conscience, by acknowledging of their hope, & peraduenture they might by the blessing of the Lord, draw on other which were backward before: for the hart of him who heareth, is not in the power of himselfe, but God doth rule & guide it, & the meanes whereby he worketh is the hearing of good things. Let the voyce then go to serue the Lord, and let him blesse and prosper it, as seemeth good to himselfe. But thou hast discharged thy duty: he hath giuen thee a tongue to praise him, and with it thou doest honour him.
9 The voyce of Ionas goeth, and it is in giuing thankes, vntounto which the name of sacrifice is oft giuen in the Psalmes, as namely in the fiftieth,Psal. 50.14. Offer to God praise or thankesgiuing; where the word offer, doth plainly import a sacrifice. And in the hundred and seuenth Psalme,Psal. 107.22. Let them offer sacrifices of praise, and declare his workes with reioycing. This gratefulnesse is maruellously acceptable to the Lord, when he bestoweth not his benefits as vponupon the oxe or asse, who hauehave them and forget them, but on those, which are mindfull who is the authour of them. And that is the sole reward, and onelyonly retribution which we can render to him, and if he hauehave not that, then he reapeth nothing for all his blessings: but if he may hauehave that, many good things of necessity will be ioyned therewithall. Therefore he straightly requireth it, of all that belong vntounto him. In the eighth Chapter of Deuteronomy, he speaketh thus to the Israelites, When being come into the land of Canaan,Deut. 8.10. thou hast eaten and filled thy selfe, thou shalt blesse the Lord thy God, for the good land which he hath giuen vntounto thee. In the thirtieth of Ieremy, he sayth in this manner,Ierem. 30.18. Thus sayth the Lord, Behold I vvill bring againe the captiuity of Iacobs tents, and hauehave compassion on his dwelling places, and the city shall be builded vponupon her owne heape, and the pallace shall remaine after the maner thereof. But immediatly he addeth:19. And out of them shall proceede thankesgiuing, and the voyce of them that are ioyous. The precepts are diuerse, which be in the New Testament to this purpose. Let there be in you no filthinesse, Ephes. 5.4. Colos. 3.17.neither foolish talking, nor iesting, but rather giuing of thankes, And againe, What soeuer you shall do in vvord or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Iesus, giuing thanks to God euen the father by him. The Patriarkes and the Prophets, and the faithfull of all times, had euer this in their memory. How did Moses and the people,Exod 15.1.20. with timbrels and with daunces, sing and reioyce to God, when Pharao and his chariots were drowned in the red sea?Iudic. 5.1. How did Barack and Deborah sing, vponupon the fall of Sisara? There is no end of examples, what hath bene done in this case: but the rule may generally be giuen, so many as hauehave bene faithfull, so many hauehave bene thankfull.
10 It causeth a continuance of the louelove of God vntounto men, and an adding of further graces, when he seeth them to be mindfull of that which is bestowed. But on the other side, vnthankfulnesse is the meane to stay his hand from bounty: for as Bernard hath well obserued,Bernard. Serm. 4. in Psal. 90. Accipiendis indignus est qui fuerit de acceptis ingratus. he is vnworthy of things to be receiued, vvho shall be vnthankefull for such as he hath receiued. Here eueryevery one of vsus may examine his owne heart, whether he do rightly discharge his duty. We do all long for perpetuating and augmenting the fauours of God vponupon vsus, but see whether we requite those, which are already come vntounto vsus. As Ionas was in daunger to be drowned by the sea, and deuoured quite by the whale, so was mankind in generall (by reason of Adams transgression) euen as in the pit of hell, and very iawes of Satan, apparant heires of damnation, fewell for eternall fire, forlorne men and past hope. Yet by the death of our Sauiour, we were set free from all, redeemed by his body, and ransomed by his bloud, admitted into the couenant, and incorporated into himselfe, so that now we are made free denizons of the city which is aboue. What can be a greater blessing? When ignorance and barbarisme were growne ouer the world, and the darknesse of superstition, as thicke as that of Egypt, had possessed the shew of all Christendome, that maine Antichrist dominering and triumphing at his pleasure, so that few were to be found, without the marke of the beast, God did dispell that darknesse, by sending vsus light from heauen; and causing the Sunne of righteousnesse to shine out by his word, he cleered that filthy mist, that the nations of the earth, may now fully behold the purity of the Gospell. That which was denied to great ones,Exod, 20.21. hath bene reuealed to vsus. As Moses had more liberty to see the Lord, then the people had, so we see more then our ancestours. But what thankes do we yeeld for that celestiall comfort? Do we magnifie his mighty name, and sing and speake out the honour of him, who hath done such things for men? Where is that Glory to God on high, …uc. 2.14.and blessed be our strong Redeemer?
11 We who liue in this land, hauehave sate as at the well head, for many yeares together. We hauehave had a most gracious Princesse, a mother to our countrey, and a nource vntounto Gods Church; vnderunder the shadow of whose wings, next after the eternall Lord, we hauehave enioyed much peace, prosperity and abundance. Our neighbours who grone vnderunder the burthen of heauinesse and oppression, of persecution and ciuill warres, do very much admire it. Learning hath flourished with vsus, and manuall artes encreased; nauigation hath bene aduanced, and trafficke entred with many, to the enriching of our people, and the honour of our nation. I doubt that we are not so thankfull, as all this hath deserued. Yea it hath come so fast on vsus, and continued without interruption, that our hearts are fatted with it, and we as full and glutted hauehave fallen a sleepe in security, so that we vnderstand not the sweete things which are on vsus; much lesse do we with heart and soule, and all the powers which are in vsus, extoll the author, who hath done such things for vsus. Conspiracies hauehave bene made, to depriue our land of her gouernesse, and to bring it into the thraldom of a proud and bloudy nation; yet by the Lords strong prouidence, they all hauehave bene preuented. The great fleete which meant to hauehave made such hauocke,1588. hath bene confounded: when men did not much to helpe vsus, the winds and waues did fight for vsus.Liuius lib. 30. Truth it is, that as the Romanes did giuegive thankes to their Gods, when Hannibal was remooued, who had oppressed and troubled Italy, for sixteene yeares together, so by the highest authority, in the most famous place of our land, and by the noblest persons, and in most solemne manner, Gods prayse was sounded foorth, which was a most holy action, and worthy of a Christan kingdome: but see whether since that time, the common sort of men do study to remember it. Our thoughts within are so curious, and our eares without are so itching, that we loath to heare the Preacher to name this in the pulpit: we imagine that this neuer commeth, but for want of other matter, being a crambe, oftentimes sodde. It seemeth that we are litle mooued, whē we thinke so lightly of that, which to the naturall inhabitants of this land, was so great a deliuerance as our eyes neuer saw.Albertus Cardinalis Austriacus Caletum capiens. Anno. 1596. Deut. 6.7.22. We hauehave reason to feare, that God lately hath brought the same enemy so neare our land, to quicken vsus and to stirre vsus, to a remembrance of the former mercy, by shaking his rod ouer the sea vntounto vsus. The acts which God did in Egypt (of the which I spake before) and his victories by the conduct of Iosuah, were commaunded to be proclaimed to all succeeding ages, and were bidden to be spoken off. I do maruell why no man in that time obiected; What shall we neuer hauehave done of hearing these old matters? No, their thankfull mind did vse it otherwise, and recorded that matter, and recounted it as the fairest floure in their garland, and their honour with all the earth. We should make such reckening of all Gods mercies towards vsus, but most of all of the greatest. The enioying of apparant good things, or the escaping of fearefull and dreadfull euils, doth deserue thanksgiuing with vsus. Ionas had felt the bitternesse, being in hazard of destruction of body and soule together: but by compassion of his maister, he is like to passe through this daunger; and therefore he maketh a promise, that he will sacrifice to the Highest in spirituall manner, by giuing him praise and glory. And thus you hauehave the first point of that which he vndertooke: now let vsus come to the second.
I vvill pay that which I hauehave vowed.
12 The making of vowes, was a solemne custome among the children of Israel, that when any good thing was graunted vntounto them, but especially if they earnestly desired to hauehave any thing, they would bind themselues by promise, or peraduenture by an oath to be kept without violating, that this they would performe, or that they would abstaine from, as it might be,Num. 6.2. drinke no wine, or not cut their haire, as the vse of the Nazarites was, or dedicate their children to an attendance in Gods tabernacle, or offer such and such offerings. Wherein the care of those who were faithfull, was first that they vowed nothing but that which was lawfull, and secondly that they performed the thing which they vowed.Numer. 21.2. So the Israelites did vow, that if the Lord would giuegive them victory, they would raze downe and destroy the cities of Canaan. A matter which was lawfull, nay which God required of them.1. Sam. 1.11. Barren Hanna did vow, that if the Lord would so respect her, as to send her a sonne, she would giuegive him to God all the dayes of his life. She spake it, and she performed it in Samuel her child.Iob. 22.27. Psal. 22.25. Thou shalt render thy vowes, saith Eliphaz to Iob. My vowes will I performe before all that do feare him, saith Dauid of himselfe. They knew that God did expect it, & precisely had enioyned it by a speciall law. It is a peremptory place, in the three and twentieth of Deuteronomy,Deuter. 23.21 When thou shalt vow a vow vntounto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not be slacke to pay it; for the Lord thy God vvill surely require it of thee, and it should be sinne vntounto thee, he meaneth if thou performe it not, but when thou abstainest from vowing, it shall be no sinne vntounto thee. He would not hauehave men beare themselues so carelesly toward him, as foolishly to promise, and falsely to breake promise.
13 This made men vnderunder the law, to be very well aduised, what it was whereunto they tied themselues by vow, that what they vndertooke should still be to Gods glory: and withall their promise was for such things, as should be in their power to performe, if the Lord did continue his ordinary blessings ouer them: And these were rather praises & thanksgiuings to the Almighty, (indeed perhaps in the open Temple, or great publike congregation) then any materiall gifts, although those also were not wanting.Psal. 56.12. & 57.7.8. Dauids Psalmes do make that plaine; for wheresoeuer he speaketh of vowes, there commonly he ioyneth praises to them: and in my text, thanksgiuing and vowes, are coupled together by Ionas, as noting that the one hath a reference to the other. And I doubt not but we may make such vowes in sobriety, in knowledge and in faith, to bind our selues to God, and seale it as with a couenant, that we will serue his Maiesty, while we liue here in this world; that we will giuegive among profane persons, a good testification of his honour; that we will sing Psalmes vntounto him; that we will teach our children religion and true faith: yea further in particular, that if God would giuegive vsus leaue, we which be of the ministery, will looke carefully to our charge, and will be diligent in the word: if the Lord send no great let, will preach at least eueryevery Sabaoth; or if we hauehave not that strength, once or twise in a monethmonth: which taske if we do inioyne our selues, and vse the ordinary meanes of reading and of study, and pray to God to assist vsus, his Spirit will ayde vsus more, then we euer did imagine. Then we do not vtterly deny vowes; but we willingly allow whatsoeuer is iustifiable by the prescript of the Law and the Gospell. But because many kinds of men make question in this matter, the Papists for their votaries, other men for other causes, I thinke it not amisse to limit this whole doctrine, by some Aphorismes or Positions, which shall cleere the whole controuersie.
14 Then the first rule maybe this: We in no case may vow euill things, that is, such as are contrary to piety toward God, or charity toward men. For these are sinfull vowes, and ought not to be made; in as much as it beseemeth vsus not, to bind two sinnes together: but an euill deed is the one, and swearing to performe it,Act. 23.12. is no lesse then another. Hence we condemne the act of them, who being angry with Paule, did bind themselues with an oath, that they would neither eate nor drinke, till they had murthered Paule. A most malicious, and vngodly, and vncharitable promise: and yet there were more then forty of them, who had combined themselues together in that wickednesse. And as it is a sinne to make entrance into such an action, by speaking it or swearing it, so it is a greater sinne to performe it being sworne. Saint Bernard hath a good saying to this purpose:Bernard. Epistol. 219. Quamuis nemo sapiēs dubitet illicita iuramenta non esse tenenda. Matth. 14.7. Among the French men it is accompted a reproch to breake an oath, although it be sworne euidently amisse: although no wise mā doth doubt that vnlawfull oathes are not to be kept. Within this compasse such rash vowes do come, which inferre some euident euill, although when they were made, no such thing was intended. Of which nature that oath was, which Herode did take, when being delighted with the dauncing of the daughter of Herodias, he swore that he would giuegive her whatsoeuer she should aske, to the one halfe of his kingdom. A hastie & fond promise, as appeared by the demaund made thereupon, for the head of Iohn the Baptist; which he would neuer hauehave graunted, if he had not purposed to go on in his iniquitie and tye two faults together. For as Origene saith disputing vponupon that deede,Origen. in Matth. 14. Quod peierandum erat potiùs quam seruandum. Iudic. 11.30. The head of Iohn the Baptist vvas cut off for an oathes sake, vvhichwhich vvas rather to be broken by forswearing then to be kept. For it vvas not so great a fault to hauehave made an oath hastily, as it vvas for a hastie oath to be the death of a Prophet. The vow which Iephthe made, to sacrifice whatsoeuer liuing thing he first met, at his returne from his victorie, is by this position found to be made without iudgement: but his fault was the more grieuous, that he obserued it so precisely, as to destroy his daughter. Take heede of vowing euill things directly or by a consequent.
15 The second rule is this: that there be many good things, which all of vsus ought to vow, and earnestly keepe, because they touch the glorie of God immediatly, by a duetie vnauoydable; as that we will serue him truly, and euermore accompt him that mightie one which is to be honoured. Such was that vow of Iacob,Gens. 28.20. of which Moses reporteth thus: Then Iacob vowed a vovv saying, If God vvill be vvith me, and vvill keepe me in this iourney vvhichwhich I go, and vvill giuegive me bread to eate, and clothes to put on: so that I come againe vntounto my fathers house in safety, then shall the Lord be my God. The couenant of the Israelites is also of this kind,Iosuah. 24.25. where by the motion of good Iosuah, they do promise solemnely to put away their idols, and to serue the true God onelyonly. So is that promise also,2. Chron. 15.14. of the people of Iuda vnderunder king Asa, where both great and small, do enter an oath to serue Iehouah alone, the true God of all the world. Among vsus who are Christians, the celebration of Baptisme doth include as much in it selfe, to which whosoeuer commeth (as all of vsus should come) doth bind himselfe by a vow, to renounce the pompes and vanities of this spotted filthy world, and manfully to fight against the flesh and the diuell. How much do they forget this, whose whole delight is vanitie, and idlenesse, and security, aiming at nothing more, then at voluptuous pleasure? Now when any goeth about to breake such a vow as this, he maketh a separation betweene God and his soule, and as farre as is in him, doth diuorce himselfe from the spouse and husband of all the faithfull. Do thou make these vowes aduisedly, and pray earnestly to God, that being made thou mayest keepe them.
16 The third rule may be this: some things there be indifferent, neither in themselues good nor euill, which if a man do vse, they make him not the better, and if he do refuse them, yet is he not the worse. If occasion should be offered, in deuotion toward God, or in charity towards men, to promise to do such, or to abstaine from the custome of them, I doubt not but we may vow. But in these we must put some limiting circumstances, as first that it be apparantly for good and not for euill: Secondly that we vndertake that action with great iudgement, not rashly nor vnaduisedly, but vponupon iust occasion: Thirdly that we put no kind of superstition therein, as imagining that our deede should bee meritorious with God: Fourthly that we be assured that it is in our power to do it: in which respect that condition is also to be put, if God will, or if the Lord do not hinder vsus. Within this kind I find the vsage of the Rechabites,Ierem. 35.6. who were bound by their fathers charge (and as it seemeth they assented thereunto) that they would neither drinke wine, nor sowe seede, nor plant vineyeard, nor dwell in any house, but onelyonly remaine in tents; that so they might the better remember themselues to be strangers in the land where they inhabited; and of likelihood moreouer, that they were but pilgrimes vponupon the earth. And he who maketh such vowes, vnderunder these fore-named conditions, is now bound to obserue them, For although at the first, and in themselues they were things indifferent, yet now they are become otherwise, because an oath is passed vponupon them. He who was free is made bound by a voluntary offering, and therefore hath lost his liberty. Then these three positions may be gathered thus in briefe. Euill things ought not to vowed at all: and if they be rashly spoken, yet they should not be kept. Some good things we must vow, as especially those in Baptisme, and when we hauehave vowed, we must performe them. Other matters which are indifferent, may be vowed or not be vowed, as I hauehave shewed aboue by circumstances, but being once vndertaken, they are not to be broken.
17 Here the pretences of Popish votaries, may be in a word examined. Their common vowes are of such things, as be not absolutely euill; neither are they of such matters as being simply good, do lye vponupon vsus by a duty of necessity, but they may much rather be accounted indifferent, although by their vsage of them they make them to be otherwise; they make them to be wicked. A great part of their vowes, is the going to places farre distant, in pilgrimage as they call it, to Rome, or to Hierusalem, or Saint Iames of Compostella, or to the three kings of Coleyn: their keeping of the great Iubilees; their abstaining from all flesh, and feeding rather on fish, as their Carthusian Monkes do: their wearing of a haire-cloth or sack-cloth next their bodie, and other things of like stampe. All which as they do vse them, may well be accounted in the number of those wil-worships,Colos. 2.23. that foreign, against which Saint Paule doth inueigh, and concerning which the Lord may aske,Isay. 1.12. vvho required this at your hands? They do faile in diuerse circumstances, which should make their vowes to be lawfull, as first they cannot be warranted to them as assuredly holy, by faith which is grounded vponupon the word of God. Secondly they put a great deale of superstition in them, while they account them meritorious. Thirdly they tye themselues rather to the externall thing, then to a sound reformation and bettering of the minde. It were better therefore, that such vowes were omitted then made by them. Their vow of wilfull pouertie, is a thing of their owne deuising. Rich Abraham, and king Dauid, and Iob with his multitude of cattell, knew how …o serue the Lord in the abundance of their riches, and did not thinke, that religion onelie was in them who begged. And although our Sauiour Christ and other of his Apostles, had little of their owne, yet they left vsus no such precept, nay they rather did teach the contrary, saying that it is more blessed to giuegive then to receiue. Act. 20.35.And it is sayd that a Bishop (of whom it is presumed that he should be a man of religion) should be hospitall,Tit. 1.8. that is an entertainer of strangers, which implyeth a set kind of maintenance. When the Gospell was first preached, miraculous meanes were vsed to bring men to the faith; and this was one, that God could mightily prouide for those, who were the messengers of his will, and releeue them from day to day, although they had nothing of their owne. His purpose also was to shew his power, that by meanes most contemptible in the eye of the world, he could settle his kingdome: and withall he would leaue their wants as an example, to encourage his children in succeeding ages, that they should not be dismayed, if sometimes they were driuen to penurie and necessitie, since his deare seruants and his sonne were in that case before them. But these times now are past, and miracles are ceased, and such extraordinary feeding as the Apostles had, is not wilfully to be sought, lest we tempt God, and liue without a lawfull calling. The Church now hath an established gouernement, and therein the Ministers which are needefull, are to be prouided for. And the word hath inioyned this,1. Cor. 9.11. that where spirituall things are sowed, there temporall should be reaped: as knowing that in the end of the world mens charity would waxe cold, and they who liued of almes, oftentimes should hauehave hungrie bellies. The liuing then of their Friers in a voluntary beggery, is a worship of their owne, and he who voweth therunto, doth vow to that, wherein his conscience can neuer hauehave good warrant.
18 They stand as much vponupon chastity, that their religions men should vow a single life; wherein although I might shew by good proofe from the Scripture, and from the auncient Church, that Bishops and Priests did marry, yet omitting that, I will rather speake of the qualitie of their vow. Virginity without controuersie is an excellent gift, in him to whom the Lord doth giuegive it. Christ himselfe was borne of a virgin, and did leade a virgins life,Matth. 19.12. 1. Cor. 7.32. and both he and Saint Paule, hauehave commended it vntounto vsus, that we ought to striue for it. But who is he that so farre hath power of his owne flesh, as that before hand he can sweare, to quench the lust of concupiscence, so that it shall not burne? I suppose that no man on earth, who is in his strong age, and in good health of his body can promise that to himselfe: then how much lesse their young ones, their Nouices or Nunnes of lesser age, who before the time that themselues come to experience, are put into the monastaries, by their parents or their friends, or are inueigled by others to take their rules vponupon them: which hath bene a great occasion of much vile fornication, and the killing of many infants, besides the enduring of such vntamed affections, as hauehave boyled in their bodies. It is a good lesson of Salomon, that we should not suffer our mouth to make our flesh to sinne, Eccles. 55.3.he meaneth in vowing that which is not in our power. He had commaunded before, that we should pay our vowes, intending it in those things which we hauehave promised to the Lord: but lest thereby we should take occasion, to promise any thing whatsoeuer, he giueth a restraint downe with it, that we should be aduised, that we vow not that, which our flesh afterward cannot make good. For want of this wholesome caueat, they were put to much extremitie, who were votaries first in monasteries, but afterward by the true light of the Gospell, did shake off the heauie yoke of Antichrist, and became great setters out of Gods truth in this last age. They had entred a rash vow, in their minoritie and young yeares, which afterward they found themselues not able to performe, and therefore they did marry.Campian. in Ratione. 3.2. Against which although our Campian and his fellowes, do with open mouth most bitterly inueigh, yet they neuer can be able by sound truth to condemne them. Their choyse was hard, that either their vow must be broken by them, or else they must beare about a dayly sinne in their bodies. They aduentured on the lesser fault, I doubt not but asking pardon, for the rash and vnaduised oath which they had taken. And God doth forgiue vsus such things, when we call to him by repentance, as may very well be gathered from the fifth Chapter of Leuiticus,Leuit. 5.4.6. where was appointed an offering, as a kind of satisfaction, for him who had vowed any thing, which he afterward doth find out not to be in his powor to accomplish. Charitie doth bid me thinke, that those fathers in the Gospell, and excellent men in the faith, did enter into wedlocke, with all labour to satisfie a good conscience towards God. And therein their owne hearts, might be the best witnesse and direction to themselues. Yet the person who hath so vowed, and in so doing hath not done well, let him feare to breake that vow causelesse, by a licentious libertie: and if God do giuegive the gift of chastitie, let him liue in continency if he can, as otherwise for the honour giuen to virginitie in the Scripture, so for his vowes sake also. And so much I thought good to teach concerning vowes, by occasion of the words of the Prophet Ionas; wherein if I hauehave bene ouer-long, let this excuse the matter, that this doctrine is few times handled, and now the text did minister opportunitie. That second part which now followeth, I will ouerrunne most briefly.
Saluation is of the Lord.
19 Many of the old interpreters, and Hierome among other, not obseruing such a distinction, or point which ought to be in the sentence, hauehave ioyned these words with the former, and so caused the sence of all to be troubled. The Hebrew hath it thus:foreign Saluation is to the Lord, which the most carefull expositours do plainely expresse, by Saluation is from the Lord. Tremelius doth interprete it, All manner of saluation or sauetie is to Iehouah. So that here the Prophet gathering by a constant faith, that after his great feares in the sea, and in the whale, he should be freed from all perill, and enioy his life once againe, ascribeth all to God, and with this Epiphonema maketh conclusion of his prayer, acknowledging that whatsoeuer came vntounto him well, was from the Almightie. For to whom should he impute it, but onelyonly vntounto him, whose inconceiuable power he had felt before, to the full: who to punish and chastise him, had the ayre and water at his commaundement, and had for three dayes kept him aliue in the fishes bellie? Now if he should bring him to libertie, out of bondage and desolation, and should pardon his sinne and transgression, he had great reason to magnifie his merciemercy and goodnesse ouer him. Mine ayde commeth not from me: I cannot helpe my selfe: it cometh not from fortune or blind chaunce; there is no such thing in nature; not from any lying vanitie of idoll or heathen God, but from the all-sufficient Lord, who can helpe when he pleaseth, and raise vp when he lifteth: he putteth downe and setteth vp, he doth what himselfe will. If I hauehave hope of any thing, it is deriued from him.
20 Yea vnderunder this generall speech, he remembreth vntounto all, that eueryevery of their escapes from daunger, are onelyonly from the Lord.Exod. 12.37. 1. Sam. 23.28. 1. Reg. 19.3. If the Israelites be deliuered from the bondage of the Egyptians, if Dauid get from Saul, if Elias be freed from Iezabel, this good doth come from that father, who sitteth aboue in heauen. Or if any one of vsus, being layd for by the malice of cruell and wicked men, be not made a pray to their power, or deceiuing pollicy, it is not of our wit, neither is any flesh our arme, but this safety is of the Lord. And if we will looke higher, the deliuery of our soules from the chaynes and bands of Satan, the sauing of vsus from the violence of all our ghostlie enemies, the redeeming of vsus from sinne, the incorporating of vsus into his owne Sonnes body, the bringing of vsus to that glorious liberty of the sonnes of God, is the worke of the Almighty.Psal 115.1. Not vntounto vsus ô Lord, not vntounto vsus, but vntounto thy name giuegive the glorie. We may say as the Elders say, in the Reuelation of Iohn,Apoc. 5.9. to Christ the Lambe of God: Thou art vvorthy to take the booke, and to open the seales thereof, because thou vvast killed and hast redeemed vsus to God by thy bloud, out of eueryevery kinred and tongue and poeple and nation: and hast made vsus vntounto our God kings and priests, and vve shall raigne on the earth, nay we shall raigne in the heauen. But the whole worke of our ransome, onelyonly belongeth to the Trinitie. As Ionas concludeth that prayer of his, which hath bene so full of passion, so do I end at this time, saluation is to the Lord. Let vsus pray to him to blesse vsus still, that by grace giuen vntounto vsus, we may be sonnes of adoption, and at last be brought to saluation, which himselfe graunt vntounto vsus for his blessed Christs sake, to both whom, with the holy Spirite, be maiesty power and glory, both now and euermore. Amen.